Benjamin Schloat
Amanda Seeberger
Scott Semanski
Matthew Smith
Kevin Sun
Manhattan College, B.A.
St. Lawrence University, B.A.
University of Connecticut, B.M., B.S.
Union College, B.A.
Trinity College, B.A.
Foreign Language
Foreign Language
Chamber Music
History
Math/Foreign Language
Jeremy Ross ’12 Wins Hexagram Scholarship Last year, faculty member Dan Seiden ’00 announced a scholarship opportunity available to Jewish Connecticut residents. Jeremy Ross ’12 was listening. The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford was offering its annual Hexagram Scholarships, an essay contest open to Jewish Connecticut residents in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade. Students were required to use two biblical quotations— from Exodus and Amos—to write an essay either advocating the centrality
of the hexagram symbol in Judaism, or rejecting the hexagram as legitimate in Judaism. Three winners in each category were eligible to win one of three prizes: $10,000, $30,000, and $60,000 scholarships. Jeremy, who chose to argue against the validity of the hexagram, won the top prize: a $60,000 scholarship, to be credited toward tuition at the college of his choice when he furthers his education in the fall of 2012. “It is no secret to anyone who has ever been associated with Avon Old Farms that we have a special community,” noted Jeremy in an email to Headmaster
This fall, Headmaster LaRocque announced that Avon Old Farms School was the recipient of a $50,000 matching grant from The Edward E. Ford Foundation. The purpose of the grant is to provide strategic funding of additional sustainability and energy savings initiatives at the School. Included will be support of a sustainability coordinator; reclamation of heat loss occurring in the school’s hockey rink chiller, which will be used to warm additional rink facilities; and the phased replacement of dormitory windows with an architecturally appropriate, yet significantly more energy-efficient product. The terms of the grant require that Avon match the $50,000 with gifts from our alumni, parents, and friends by July 31, 2011.
LaRocque, letting him know the great news. “Teachers go beyond what is necessary to provide opportunities for the students to enrich their own lives, inside and outside of the classroom. Recently, I experienced this firsthand and I am proud to tell you how Avon Old Farms has impacted my life, yet again. “While I’m proud to have won the scholarship,” continued Jeremy, “I can’t stop thinking that it was Avon Old Farms, and Mr. Seiden, that gave me the opportunity in the first place!” Congrats, Jeremy!
Avon has already taken great steps to improve its carbon footprint and sustainability efforts over the course of the last few years. Most notably, the roof of the Jennings Fairchild Rink was replaced with a solar array, dedicated to Avon’s sustainability champion, the late faculty member Mike Stradley. The 692 solar panels power a significant portion of the core campus buildings, reducing the school’s CO2 emissions by 6.3 million pounds over the 25-year life of the system. This CO2 reduction is equivalent to planting 30,000 trees or eliminating 6.9 million driving miles. The electricity generated by the solar energy system will cost the school about 30 percent less than electricity from the utility company. Additionally, Avon took first place in the Green Cup Challenge last spring, competing in the Northeast Boarding Schools Division, which included over 50 schools. The campus community reduced electrical consumption by 18.72 percent.
The Avonian Fall 2010
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