Avonian, Spring 2017

SPRING 2017

Honoring Tradition.

Inspiring Excellence.

AVON OLD FARMS SCHOOL Established 1927 Headmaster Kenneth H. LaRocque

Associate Headmaster John T. Gardner

Editor Morgan C. Cugell

Designer 2k Design www.2kDesign.com

Alumni Notes Lizabeth Abramson

Printer Benchemark Printing, Inc. Schenectady

Contributors Thanks to everyone who contributed to this magazine. Special thanks to Liz Abramson, Seshu Badrinath, Bob Dully, Kristen Kerwin, Carol Ketcham, Ken LaRocque, Alexis Lee, Jacqueline Sembor, and Melissa Vega.

The Avonian is published for the alumni, parents, and friends of Avon Old Farms School.

It is distributed to approximately 8,000 readers.

All rights reserved.

Avon Old Farms School 500 Old Farms Road Avon, CT 06001 www.avonoldfarms.com (860) 404-4100

Admissions (800) 464-2866 admissions@avonoldfarms.com

Alumni We enjoy hearing from you!

Please send us your latest news and notes: Email: abramsonl@avonoldfarms.com Phone: (860) 404-4268 Fax: (860) 404-4631

Email Members of the administration and faculty can be emailed by using the following formula: last name plus first initial @avonoldfarms.com. The directory on the school website also includes email links.

Avon Old Farms School admits students of any race, color, national and 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, national or ethnic origin, disabilities, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

FEATURES

FROM THE EDITOR…

16 Winter Wrap-Up

Dear Readers, Once again we are at the end of a school year—a banner year by all accounts, highlighted by the superb efforts of our students and faculty in the classroom, on the stage, in the studio, on the fields, and in the community. The Class of 2017 exemplified the history of tradition that holds strong at Avon Old Farms School as well as the pursuit of excellence we seek every day.

Traditions such as the studentadvisor relationship, the dedication to community service, and the participation in team sports all date back to the founder’s era. Students such as Jalen Cruz ’17, Ryan Lanchbury ’17, and Carson Drew ’17 uphold these traditions with aplomb—and excel in academics, athletics, and the arts.

Faculty member Brian Cugell (p. 32) models the traditional boarding school “triple threat”—teacher, advisor, coach— and then some and excels in building strong relationships with the many students who look to him for guidance.

You’ll meet these fine Avonian exemplars in this issue.

Also in the issue, you’ll learn about the excellent accomplishments of our students and faculty members throughout the winter and spring; catch up with board members Bill Austin ’92 and Jim Corrigan ’67, celebrating milestone reunion years; and hear from a member of the Class of 2017 whose chapel talk this spring struck a chord with the Avon community.

Please be on the lookout for a new issue of the Avonian at the end of summer, which will replace the Village Green. There you’ll find memories from the late spring—graduation and reunion, among other events—as well as the complete 2016–2017 Annual Report.

As always, I welcome your feedback.

Aspirando et perseverando, Morgan C. Cugell cugellm@avonoldfarms.com 860-404-4239

18 Honoring Tradition. Inspiring Excellence.

by Morgan C. Cugell

p7

56 The Last Word

by Jack Lynch ’17 SPOTLIGHTS

7

Featured Artist: Jalen Cruz ’17

by Morgan C. Cugell

14 Athletic Spotlight: Ryan Lanchbury ’17

by Morgan C. Cugelll

p18

32 Faculty Focus: Brian Cugell

by Jacqueline Sembor 36 Student Spotlight: Carson Drew ’17

by Morgan C. Cugell 40 Alumni Spotlight: Bill Austin ’92 and Jim Corrigan ’67

by Morgan C. Cugell

p32

DEPARTMENTS

2 Headmaster 4 Village Green 12 Athletics 34 The Elephant Remembers

p36

Cover photo by Seshu Photography

Coming up next…

The

Avonian SPECIAL EDITION

p38 Find past issues of the Avonian online at www.avonoldfarms.com/avonian

Be sure to check mailboxes at the end of the summer for the next issue of the Avonian, featuring coverage of late spring events such as graduation and reunion, as well as the complete 2016–2017 Annual Report.

Are you following us? /AvonOldFarms @AvonOldFarms /AvonOldFarmsSchool Search Group: Avon Old Farms School Alumni Association

Cert no. SW-COC-002935

From the Headmaster

by Kenneth H. LaRocque

Our theme article in this issue of the Avonian explores our new, official marketing tagline: “Honoring Tradition. Inspiring Excellence.”

These words resonate with me because they articulate well the nucleus of life at Avon Old Farms. On a boy’s first day on campus, he begins to learn the traditions that have long been a hallmark at school. Soon, he realizes that he is not only a member of the Avon Brotherhood, whose duty is to carry on these traditions, but also strives in all areas of his life, to live up to the ideals that are the essential characteristics of the brotherhood. Precisely when that moment arrives, a young man also begins to stretch for excellence in all that he does because he yearns to belong. This new, trademarked tag succinctly captures the fundamental ideals addressed in our mission statement and is trumpeted on the home page of our website and in various school publications.

The 2016–2017 school year, the 90th year since our doors first opened, has distinguished itself for many reasons. The Riddlers performed in Carnegie Hall, and we enrolled 28 sets of brothers and hosted students from 24 countries. On February 2, Mrs. Riddle would have celebrated her 150th birthday, and on February 21, Francis Madeira, the founder of the Rhode

Island Philharmonic Orchestra and our oldest living alumnus, celebrated his 100th birthday. Max Gart, a ninth grader, and his partner won second place at the United States figure skating championships in the Novice Free Dance category, and our squash team finished third nationally. Our visual artists won a dozen medals at the Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards, and several were recognized by the National Arts Foundation. We won the New England Prep School Hockey Tournament in the large school division, lost a heartbreaker in the semifinals of the New England Prep School Basketball Tournament, and finished second in the New England Prep School Swimming Tournament. Community service fundraisers, including our Toys For Tots, Pushups for Patriots, and Relay For Life endeavors, as well as our blood drives and Special Olympics efforts, were all successful and characterized by great enthusiasm and strong participation levels. It is more difficult to measure everything that was accomplished in the classroom, but looking at our college matriculation list for the Class of 2017, watching our student poets compete, and attending our academic awards ceremonies inform me that our classrooms were rich and challenging environments for our students.

Of course, this year has again illustrated the power of people working together toward a shared mission. Students, faculty, administrators, alumni, parents, and friends focused their

“Each student shall receive aid in solving his own problems by having opened to him, for inspiration and encouragement, a vision of the possibilities.... ” — T H E O DAT E P O P E R I D D L E , F O U N D E R

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FRO M THE HE A DMA S TE R

energies towards “cultivating young men of integrity who honor wisdom, justice, inclusion, service, and the pursuit of truth.”

Nothing any individual student, athlete, artist, citizen, or related group has achieved in the past 90 years comes close to matching the mighty impact on our community that is created by developing a school culture dedicated to such a noble mission.

When I look to the future of Avon Old Farms, I am encouraged by the growing number of alumni who send their sons to school, who participate in receptions around the country and the world, who serve as class agents and members of our Board of Directors or National Council. Two examples of loyal alumni who make a difference in our school are Jim Corrigan ’67 and Bill Austin ’92, who celebrated their 50th and 25th reunions this May. Both men are active and valuable members of our board, former class agents, and simply passionate alumni who “generously serve the welfare of our school and are governed in all their human relationships by a deep sense of honor.” I hope you enjoy learning more about them in this issue of the Avonian, and I thank them sincerely and publicly for their important contributions to our school.

Ten years have passed since our last reaccreditation with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and for the past two years, we have been involved in a comprehensive self-study during which our entire faculty, staff, and administration, as well as members of our Board of Directors, National Council, parent body, and student body have been involved. We have looked at Avon Old Farms from every possible perspective, with the goal of institutional improvement and advancement. Using the guidelines provided

by NEASC, we broke our faculty and administration into 15 various committees and charged each with examining a particular NEASC-determined school standard. Committees met several times, sent out surveys to appropriate constituencies within our community, and analyzed the

feedback they received from their inquiries. Two meetings of our entire faculty, and administration took place prior to spring break, during which committee leaders shared the process their committees followed to complete their assignment as well as their findings. At the end of each presentation, we voted on whether or not we were meeting the benchmark set

by NEASC, and I am happy to report that we are reaching our benchmarks in all areas of school life. Following March break, a smaller group of faculty and administrators gathered to further consider the findings of the self-study and to create an action plan that will guide our school’s direction for the next several years. This plan was voted on by our Board of Directors at their spring meeting, and we will put the finishing touches on this project before presenting it to NEASC, which will pass it along to the committee that will visit our campus later next fall to conduct our actual reaccreditation evaluation. Many thanks go to Rob Dowling ’91, our provost and the leader of our self-study, and to Joe Martinez, a member of our English department and the associate leader of our self-study.

As we look to the summer as a chance to recharge from the challenges of this past year, we are also excited by the opportunities that await us this coming September and know that the Class of 2018 will lead the brotherhood with energy and enthusiasm. Please stop by campus if you are in the area this summer; I am sure that the beauty of our campus and the warmth of our welcoming spirit will make your effort worthwhile.

We’d like to hear from you!

Do you have any special Avon anecdotes?

Memories of your time at the Farm?

Please send in any thoughts on your Avon experience for possible inclusion in future publications.

The Avonian Spring 2017

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Village Green

3D Printing At Avon Old Farms

In

the fall of 2015, Avon Old Farms School added a few new titles to its list of courses, including Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering. In the spring of 2017, a 3D printing and computer-aided design (CAD) class was added to the school’s list of Intersession courses to meet the growing demands of current student interests.

“Recent advances in the technology of computers and software have made using computer-aided design central to engineering,” said engineering teacher Beth McCubbin. “At Avon, students interested in learning more about this field have an opportunity to work with engineering teachers who understand the field.”

In another display of growing interest in the field, two Avon students recently took their learning to the next level through a student-proposed Afternoon

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Independent Project (AIP). AIP offers a few upperclassmen the opportunity to pursue a project in a specialized area of great interest to them. For this project, the students proposed to design and build their own, working 3D printer.

“The idea started when the manufactured 3D printers we had at school were not as precise as we thought they could be,” said Peter Feng, a junior from Shijiazhuang, China. “We wanted to find ways to fix and improve what we had, but ultimately that led us to designing our own.”

Feng paired up with Sam Xie, a senior from Beijing, China, who was also interested in exploring the world of 3D printers.

“I had purchased a 3D printer to make my own parts for a special keyboard,” explained Xie. “It happened to be the exact same 3D printer Peter had purchased over the summer, and we both were experiencing the same problems

with it. So, we began to work together to try and find solutions.”

After months of tinkering on their own, when the two returned to Avon for the fall semester, they proposed an AIP that would allow them to explore the prospect of building their own 3D printer for less money than purchasing a new manufactured one and having it produce a faster and more precise print. They also wanted the school to use their printer.

“3D printing is the easiest way to create a unique object quickly while providing feedback on the quality and feasibility of the part,” explained Xie. “Many colleges have entire laboratories dedicated to rapid prototyping. I believe that adding another printer to our fleet of two at Avon would improve availability during the school year, as the robotics team, art students, and engineering classes all use these printers.”

The students worked for two hours

Village Green

“We wanted to find ways to fix and improve what we had, but ultimately that led us to designing our own.”

—Peter Feng, ’18

a day during the week and also spent time on the project during weekends for the entire semester.

“The plan was to work on it during the fall when I was not busy with robotics and to make small adjustments and finish the printer in the spring,” said Xie. At the start of February, the boys had built a functioning printer that uses a CoreXY motion system platform, inspired by the work of a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The printer is capable of printing using PLA, ABS, and PETG

materials. The students believe that using a new belt system, a warm plate bed, and a self-leveling motion system, the printer is capable of producing higher quality parts that are more true to their original CAD designs than the purchased printers at the school.

“For two students who had no CAD experience just a year ago, the fact that they built a working 3D printer using 3D printed parts that they designed is a true testament to how hard working and intelligent these young men are,” said McCubbin. “And they

did it all using a CAD design program different than the one I use and teach, so this has truly been an independent project for them.”

An all-boys school, Avon has seen that as hands-on learners, boys respond well to technology when it comes to not only science, engineering, and math but also digital arts, robotics, and 3D design. The school plans to continue to grow the engineering program, which currently includes specialized, technology-centered courses in the curriculum and several state-of-the-art computer labs on campus loaded with special design and engineering software.

In fall 2017, Avon plans to add a course on the topic of aerospace engineering.

“Both Feng and Xie have interest in pursuing the field of engineering, but with technology advancing so quickly, it is hard to say what type of project they’ll be working on when they enter the working world,” shared McCubbin.

The TheAvonian Avonian Spring 2010 2017

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“The property the Mitchells live on used to be part of the AOF campus.

They are at 345 Waterville, on a 20-acre property built in 1936 by our then-provost with materials remaining from the school’s construction. The front door is very typical AOF; the bricks are the same as those used for the chapel. It is a really nice, almost meantto-be connection between what Mrs. Mitchell is doing and AOF.” —Samantha Jensen

The Ranch Boys

By Jackson Berry ’17

At

Avon Old Farms School, boys strive to become men. Though many alums meet this goal, there is something I believe is necessary for the full development of mature and good-natured young men that cannot be found on the campus itself. This component is the humility that cooperating with animals can bring.

Sure, the average Avonian has spent time with a member of the pack of dogs owned by our collective faculty, but I maintain that few—if any—Avonians truly understand what it means to team up with an animal to complete a common goal. Such a feat requires patience, an open mind, and respect for the animal in question. All of these things are taught to the Ranch Boys, a group of Avonians who selflessly dedicate some of their free time to helping Mrs. Susan Fitzgerald Mitchell and her local organization, U.S. Horse Welfare.

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Mrs. Mitchell’s property on Waterville Road actually used to be part of the Avon campus. The 20-acre space was built in 1936 by our then-provost with materials remaining from the school’s construction. Her front door is in the Cotswold style found at Avon; the bricks are the same as those used in Avon’s Chapel. “It is a really nice, almost meant-to-be connection between what she is doing and AOF,” notes Samantha Jensen, Ranch Boys faculty advisor.

Mrs. Mitchell’s mission is to save horses on their way to slaughterhouses, impact their rehabilitation, and eventually ease their transition back into the equestrian community, tasks

that require many volunteers to get the job done. That’s where the Avon boys come in. Whether it’s mucking stalls, grooming horses, or riding horses, there’s plenty of work to do. Though to some, these are seen as demeaning and repetitive jobs, the boys, motivated by the hopeful outcome for the horses, are more than happy to do them. In all of my time at Avon, I have never seen so many students do so much for so little in return—and come back for more.

The boys have found that even simply being around the horses is relaxing, likening them to “giant dogs.” But the true reward is what comes after the hard work: riding the horses. Learning to ride a horse teaches one humility and cooperation unlike any other way.

This experience alone has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done at Avon and has set me toward a new goal: to make sure as many Avonians get this opportunity as possible.

FEATURED ARTIS T

Village Green

Jalen Cruz ’17

By Morgan C. Cugell

J

alen Cruz ’17 is a Renaissance man—a fitting title for one of the most prominent performing artists in the senior class.

A four-year senior from East Hartford, Conn., Jalen serves as a dormitory monitor in Elephant 3 for the second year. He is also a member of Junior Achievement, the Network Club, and Avon Outreach. He is an admission ambassador and the president of Club SIMI (Students Interested in Multicultural Issues).

In the athletic realm, Jalen excels on the varsity football team, although he struggled on the field at first, a topic he discussed during his chapel talk earlier this year, crediting his father with encouraging him to persevere through those difficulties. He also notes his mother’s influence in his passion for music. “I’d say I get all the arts from her,” says Jalen.

It is as a singer that Jalen has made a name for himself on campus, as one of the most prominent members of the Riddlers, Avon’s elite singing group. He has performed all over New England and even on stage at Carnegie Hall—but he didn’t join the group until his sophomore year, when Kelvin Boateng ’16, who knew Jalen enjoyed singing as a hobby, suggested it.

This year, Jalen’s talents took him out of the choir room and onto the stage as one of the stars of this year’s winter musical, Into the Woods. It was his first foray into musical theater, one he was initially hesitant to pursue despite a long-standing tradition of Riddlers on stage.

“Theater isn’t always popular, so I left it at that,” he explains. “I decided this year to do it because as a senior and a well-respected member of the Avon community, I thought I should try this new experience. I wanted to show that theater could be fun, that even varsity football players and four-year seniors can try things outside their comfort zones. I wanted to be inspirational.”

“I wanted to show that theater could be fun, that even varsity football players and four-year seniors can try things outside their comfort zones. I wanted to be inspirational.”

Jalen, for his many commitments and achievements, remains grounded in a foundation of community service.

He served as a tutor at his middle school in Hartford and worked on bookbag drives during back-to-school season at an elementary school in Hartford. He has participated in Relay For Life and volunteered at a soup kitchen. During spring break this year, he traveled to Key West with nine fellow Avonians to take part in a Habitat for Humanity project.

“When I first arrived at Avon, I didn’t get involved as much in the extracurricular activities,” Jalen recalls.

“I settled for all freshman sports and that was that. I wasn’t striving to be

the best. When people asked me what Avon meant to me, I told them that this is the place where I’m trying to find myself, to see what I can do, and learn about who I can become. Since then, I have really grown into this idea of a Renaissance man. I’m a varsity football player and a Riddler; I held a lead part in the winter musical; and as an admission ambassador, I’m the first boy to greet the new kids when they walk on campus.

“Avon at first was a place away from home to get through high school,” he continues. “Now when I look back, it has been my home and family for the past four years, and I’ll never forget this place.”

The Avonian Spring 2017

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Village Green

SPOTLIGHT ON S TAGE

Winter Musical

T

he Old Farms Theater Company was up against some pretty big challenges this winter with its production of Into the Woods, a musical that intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairy tales, exploring the idea of what happens after happily ever after.

“Into the Woods is a fairy tale musical with all of the familiar characters: Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and his beanstalk, Prince Charming, Rapunzel, and more,” described Chris Bolster, Theater Program director. “However, unlike the fairy tales you might have been told, the play doesn’t end with ‘happily ever after,’ and the dark but ultimately hopeful second act is where

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the characters learn that getting your wish isn’t always the end of the story.”

The play featured five Avonians: junior Drew Liptrot took the lead role of the Baker, and sophomore Taylor Stolworthy was a perfect fit for Jack, from Jack in the Beanstalk, even dyeing his blond hair carrot-top red to fit the role. Post-graduate Will Fellows, who is known on campus as a kind, gentle classmate, took on the challenge of playing the predatory role of the wolf and did a very impressive job.

Senior Jalen Cruz, who is no stranger to singing with the Riddlers, took his talents to the acting stage for the first time as Cinderella’s prince, and Jackson Berry ’17 continued his involvement in the theater as the Mysterious Man, a

role that added some comic relief to a haunting tale.

The play called for 25 performers (including 20 from Miss Porter’s); a ten-person production team managed by Technical Director James Kassel; a nine-

piece orchestra led by Sarah Paquet, director of Choral Activities; and one faculty cameo appearance.

In addition to a large cast and crew to organize, the winter season added an illness, a travel ban, and multiple school breaks and rehearsal cancellations to the tight schedule.

“This was my first time directing a musical, and I knew it would be

challenging because it entails so much more than a play,” said Bolster. “But knowing it would be a challenge and going through it turned out to be two very different things. I am so thankful that our crew pulled together as a team to make it a success. Through all the challenges, everyone involved was determined, committed, and put on a great show.”

Winter Concerts

Women’s Clothing Drive

T

his winter, Avon resident and AOF sophomore Jack Eschert ’19 hand delivered bags of hats and gloves he had collected at Avon Old Farms School to the Cornerstone.

Eshcert placed bins around campus and encouraged his classmates to donate gently used items they no longer needed. He did all of it through his charity, Helping Hands for CT, which aims to help people in need through donation drives ranging from clothing and winter wear to school supplies. The Cornerstone Foundation is a shelter in Vernon for women who face domestic violence.

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Village Green

The Riddlers at Carnegie Hall

On

Sunday, February 19, the Riddlers, Avon’s top choral ensemble, performed at Carnegie Hall as part of a 250-plus voice men’s chorus. The production of “The Glory of Freedom: A Concert to Honor Our Veterans” was arranged by Distinguished Concerts International New York.

Sarah Paquet, director of Choral Activities, states, “We were thrilled by this opportunity for the Riddlers to represent Avon Old Farms within a large chorus of male singers from all over the country.

Performing on the Carnegie Hall stage was an exciting event for all involved.”

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Originally from Michigan, Paquet was previously the director of choir and orchestra and dean of cocurriculars at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School. She has also served as choir director at St. Mary Student Parish in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Point CounterPoint Music Camp in Leicester, Vt. She holds a B.Mus. in music education (University of Michigan) and an M.M. in conducting (Yale University).

The Riddlers, the elite choir of Avon Old Farms School, is named in honor of the school’s founder, Theodate Pope Riddle. Members of the Riddlers perform on campus, record frequently,

and travel regularly for performances throughout the Northeast. Concert collaborations have included performances with the American Boychoir, Pete Seeger, the Swedish Adolf Fredriks Choir, the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club, the Manchester Symphony Orchestra, and El Coro Juvenil de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata Argentina. The Riddlers made their Lincoln Center debut at Alice Tully Hall in a concert featuring music of the Americas in 2014 and were featured performers at the ACDA Eastern Division Conference in Baltimore, Md.

Poetry Recitation Contest 2017 “We were thrilled by this opportunity for the Riddlers to represent Avon Old Farms within a large chorus of male singers from all over the country.

Performing on the Carnegie Hall stage was an exciting event for all involved.”

—Sarah Paquet, Director of Choral Activities

T

he Poetry Recitation Contest is a fundamental part of the English curriculum, during which each student at Avon recites a poem of his choice over the course of the winter term. Winners from each English section compete, and a winner from each grade is selected. For the first time ever this year, one class had two representatives advance to the final competition after judges encountered a tie at the class-level competition. This year, the following boys were selected to represent their respective classes in the final contest: Connor Preen ’17 “What Binds Us”

by Jane Hirschfield

Drew Liptrot ’18 “Animula”

by T.S. Eliot

Feng Lu ’19 “When Does the Full Moon Appear”

by Shi Su

Polam Fung ’20 “The Joy of Little Things”

by Robert William Service

Lucas Schmidt ’20 “The Wood Pile”

by Robert Frost

Junior Drew Liptrot was the winner for 2017.

Congratulations to Drew and all the finalists on their accomplishment!

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Athletics

A Winning Winter

W

inter is one of the busiest seasons at Avon, with 16 competitive teams, compared to eight in the fall and 12 in the spring.

Avon hosted 115 home games, including some special nights, such as the annual Pink the Rink hockey game. In that time, the varsity teams fared well, with many season results favoring the Winged Beavers.

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

This year, Avon’s varsity squash team placed third at the national high school team championships, and for the fourth year in a row, was the highest-placing boarding school program in the United States. The team capped the regular season undefeated in the Founders League, defending its title from the previous year, and then finished in second place in an agonizingly close game at the season-ending Division A New

VA R S I T Y R E S U LT S , W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7

Varsity Hockey

Record: 19–6–3

Varsity Basketball

15–8

Varsity Squash

18–1

Varsity Wrestling

9–16

Varsity Swimming

3–5

Skiing

0–4

Riflery

0–4

England Championships. More boys reached the final bracket of the main draw than any other team competing.

In basketball, the varsity squad made it into the NEPSAC Class A New England Championship. In the quarterfinal game on March 1, held on Cole Court, AOF beat Loomis Chaffee with a final score of 67–46. Avon advanced to the semifinal game on March 4, and the team suffered a tough loss to Suffield Academy: 46–49.

Varsity basketball advances to semifinals of the NEPSAC Class A tournament Varsity hockey wins the NEPSAC Large School tournament Varsity squash finishes 2nd in the NEPSAC Class A Championship Varsity swimming and diving finishes 2nd in the NEPSAC Division 3 Championship

The Winged Beavers hockey team won the NEPSAC Large School Tournament this year, defeating Proctor Academy 8–5 at Williston Northampton for the quarterfinal game. The Beavers next took on Brunswick School in the semifinal and went on to take the title on March 5 with an 8–1 win over Albany Academy.

In the pool, the varsity swimming and diving team also advanced to the NEPSAC Championship, placing second of 11 teams.

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Athletics

Ryan Lanchbury ’17

A

four-year student from Burlington, Ontario, Ryan Lanchbury ’17 may be far from his family in Canada, but he’s made himself completely at home at Avon Old Farms: he’s the head dormitory monitor in Brown House and the captain of the varsity lacrosse team. Also a member of the varsity hockey team, an admission ambassador, and a member of the Spirit Club, Ryan is an integral part of the school community and one of the most dedicated and hardest working student athletes on campus—perhaps because of his belief in the value of competitive sports.

“Sports are a big part of the community here,” says Ryan. “It brings the boys together to support and cheer on their brothers. Being a Winged Beaver is an honor; there is nothing quite like it.”

Ryan received the Hetherington Cup and Higgins Cup in freshman and sophomore years respectively—the awards given to the top athlete in the class each year.

“My athletic experience has been tremendous,” notes Ryan, who was a member of the New England Championship–winning varsity lacrosse team

“My first impression of Avon was that it was a place that could change my life, and I was right. Avon has taught me to branch out and try new things and be more confident in myself.”

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in 2015. “I have had the pleasure of playing with some of the best athletes in the country and have made lifelong friendships. I have learned the meaning of being a student athlete and making the most of your opportunities, such as taking the time to work hard and get stronger in the offseason.”

That experience hasn’t been without its challenges, however. “Learning how to manage my time and balance the lifestyle of a student athlete has been hard for me,” notes Ryan. “It’s a rigorous and demanding schedule, but it is an extremely beneficial skill for life. I’ve had to become more responsible for myself, especially being so far away from home and the guidance of my parents.”

It is a skill Ryan has learned well, as he continues to find success in the classroom and community, noting he depends on enrichment hour to seek extra help from his teachers. Last year, he was honored with the Adam ’93 and Luke ’95 Cline Award as well as an award of distinction for English narratives.

“My first impression of Avon was that it was a place that could change my life, and I was right,” states Ryan. “Avon has taught me to branch out and try new things and be more confident in myself.”

Ryan will attend the University of Richmond next year, where he will study business and play lacrosse. He credits his parents and his sister for pushing him to become a better person. “I attribute all my accolades to their constant love and support,” he notes. Ryan also cites Dr. Skip Flanagan, head lacrosse coach, as an essential part of his Avon career. “He has been a second father to me, and I couldn’t be anymore thankful for having him as my coach, advisor, and friend. Words can’t express what he means to me.”

his year marked the ninth annual Pushups for Patriots event. Event founder USMC Maj. John Bourgault ’81 had big plans, but it took the entire Avon Army to get the job done.

“I wanted the Avon community to commit to completing a total of 1,000,000,” said Bourgault, a retired Marine Corps major who now teaches at Avon Old Farms. We had 102.9 FM “the Whale” on site to help kick everything off, which was new; we had a more accurate tracking system than we’ve been able to utilize before; and we had a group of committed volunteers to help the community feel good about supporting our efforts,” said Bourgault.

The event, which took place from Saturday, April 1, at 2 p.m. through Sunday, April 2, at 2 p.m., drew hundreds of members of the Avon community and the public stopping by the student center to participate, support, and donate to this extraordinary event. The group amassed an astonishing total 888,000 push ups and raised close to $30,000 in support of the Semper Fi Fund. At its peak, 150 members of the community were in the school’s field house, completing ten push ups or crunches or running the length of the three-court gym every minute. A dedicated group of 19 faculty, students, alumni, and friends participated for the full 24 hours.

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Mr. Froelicher, a leader in the field of progressive education, had been appointed [Provost] on the highest recommendations after lengthy conferences with the Founder. While Theodate believed in the general principles of progressive education, she had no real knowledge or understanding of its broader implications. She was primarily interested in the creation of an environment which was free enough to inspire and encourage the individual development of each student according to his abilities and interests, always recognizing that each student had at the same time to submit to sufficient regimentation for meeting the requirements of College Entrance Examinations. She likewise wished the students to experience work with their hands, to include farm chores, preservation of the forest and wild life on the property, work in the field of art, scientific experimentation, and printing. The School was to be organized as a New England town, with the establishment of a Town Council, Town meetings, and community service.� —FROM THEODATE POPE RIDDLE AND THE FOUNDING OF AVON OLD FARMS, BY BROOKS EMENY

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THE DEED OF TRUST In the middle of September 1927, Avon Old Farms was opened with 48 students registered, and a faculty of seven in addition to the Provost, Francis M. Froelicher. It was an important

occasion, capping the many years of work and self-sacrifice which had gone into the creation of the School. Due to her state of exhaustion, Theodate was scarcely able to attend the opening ceremony. She not only survived the ordeal, however, but a few days later was able to attend the first faculty meeting of the School on September 26th, at which she presented her random thoughts with regard to the future of Avon… It should be recalled that at the time, no Deed of Trust, defining in detail the educational system to be applied to the School, had been drawn up….

“A few following paragraphs taken from the Minutes of this historic faculty meeting are interesting in light of what was later to develop in the provisions of the Deed of Trust: “Mrs. Riddle presented many ideas concerning the operation of the School. Among these was the thought that it might especially, through its Junior College, emphasize preparation for diplomatic service and matters pertinent to international relations. For this reason, and for other broad and cultural purposes, the subject of history should be made a continuous part of the courses studied. This work in history is interpretive in a liberal way, making history identical with evolution. It includes a general survey of all history in a comparative way, and the history rather of civilization than of individual peoples. Such specialization as may be necessary is incidental, and only studied as an integral part of the history of civilization.”

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At the opening of the School, the plant is largely self-containing.

leaders of education in Greece, and exemplified in the teaching methods of Socrates and Plato. The reason that it is so infrequent today is because mass production and machine-like efficiency is much A power house furnishes electricity for cooking and simpler to handle and involves a minimum of thought lighting purposes to every part of the organization, as and trouble.

Schools appear to be built for the well as steam heat. There are a Post Office and a store teachers and for the Head, rather than for the boys. in operation. Arrangements have been made for the But it is a well-known fact that the higher levels of boys to operate their own individual checking accounts intelligence are opposed to formal regimentation and in a bank known as The Bank of Old Farms, and trifling restriction, and that teaching in its commonest operated by the Bursar of the School. The boys receive form, which is dictatorial, is an enemy of learning. monthly statements of their accounts, and keep their We can derive not a little help from the old master own checkbooks and deposit books. and apprentice system, where both were engaged “Avon will regard education as an unfinished upon the same projects, where there was a real need problem. We shall not set up rigorous rules and and reason for the work, and where master and regulations at the outset, but shall rather expect the apprentice were learners together. This would involve School to evolve its own mode of operation through a natural and informal method of instruction. It will reasonable study and experience. We should like to enable a boy to participate in his own education. offset the worry and scurry of American life, to add It will eliminate much of the red tape discipline to the distinction of scholarship, and to include the based upon demerit systems, black marks, specific contemplative values. Avon Old Farms expects to punishments and rewards, and all similar deterrents maintain the identity and individuality of each student and encouragements.

It involves a respect for boys and without seriously interfering with desirable forms of the notion that boys fundamentally wish to succeed.” social control and group cooperation.

“The notion that the School may be fitted to the —FROM THEODATE POPE RIDDLE AND THE FOUNDING boy is very old. It was the method employed by great OF AVON OLD FARMS, BY BROOKS EMENY

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

Avon Celebrates

THEODATE POPE RIDDLE’S 150TH BIRTHDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

MRS. RIDDLE I am proud to be the headmaster of our unique and special community.

at the beginning of the 20th century. Although she also built the Westover School, reconstructed the birthplace of President Theodore Roosevelt, Over the years, while honoring tradition, we have and enjoyed many other significant professional also forged ahead and established ourselves as one accomplishments, Theodate poured her fortune and of the top independent schools in the country. For her soul into creating the Avon Old Farms School. I the past 36 years, I have enjoyed the opportunity of encourage you to read Theodate’s biography, Dearest working alongside dozens of impressive educators, of Geniuses: A Life of Theodate Pope Riddle, by Sandra serving generations of Avonians, creating a culture Katz, to learn more about her fascinating life. of excellence that inspires all. While we look to Theodate was a woman of strength, resolve, our future with great optimism, today we pause to passion, and talent. We who live, learn, and work on recognize a significant milestone in our school’s her campus are moved daily by the powerful sense history: 150 years ago, our founder, Theodate Pope of place that exists here. For members of the Avon Riddle, was born. All Avonians and people who have family who visit campus on occasion, please know spent time at this wonderful school recognize Mrs. that we strive to maintain Theodate’s vision: “There Riddle’s creative genius. Our campus is her timeless should be some oases in this country where love of masterpiece and a place dear to our hearts. tradition is fostered. Avon shall be one of these oases As a brief reminder, Theodate, while a student at where, when Avonians return, they will find at least a Miss Porter’s School, fell in love with the Farmington semblance of permanence.”

Valley countryside and convinced her family to build With great gratitude to our founder, I ask you a summer home close by. Designed by Theodate, the to join us in wishing her a very happy birthday and Hill-Stead was built and it was there that her dream thanking her for our school. to build an indestructible school for boys originated.

—KEN LAROCQUE, HEADMASTER Connecticut’s first licensed female architect, Theodate was an important figure in the architectural arena

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ACADEMICS Each student shall receive aid in solving his own problems by having opened to him, for inspiration and encouragement, a vision of the possibilities....”

—THEODATE POPE RIDDLE, FOUNDER

“Avon shall primarily be a cultural institution for students who are able to think in the abstract. Instruction should be directed toward the deepening and enriching of the thought processes of the students that they may e able to appraise existing situations and trained to meet those which confront them later in life.”

–FROM THE DEED OF TRUST

SCIENCE Special emphasis shall be laid upon the study of the sciences. Science has an unquestioned

value in assisting a student to meet the conditions of modern life.

Throughout the courses the human service values of science shall be emphasized and the student trained to seek knowledge and establish facts for himself.

“Only by an awakened sense of wonder may a youth become aware of his relation to the universe. He possesses an intellect with which to measure and a spiritual nature with which to appreciate the marvels of creation. Through his studies with the microscope and the telescope—extensions of his own senses—he acquires a certain knowledge of the physical universe and thereby understands more fully his own unique position in the cosmos.

“Microscopic and telescopic work shall not be given to a student in the same year. An adolescent’s mental equilibrium might easily be disturbed.”

— FROM THE DEED OF TRUST

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Wherever a boy fits in, and whatever his interest levels are, we’re going to find ways to satisfy those interests and inspire him to think more.

—ROB DOWLING ’91 , PROVOST

ur academic program is designed to instill a curiosity in learning. Avon teachers are completely immersed in the community as dorm parents, coaches, and mentors. As a result, they really know their students. Our faculty forge meaningful relationships with students through a structured mentor program and develop an understanding of how each student best learns and what he needs to excel.

As experts in their fields, teachers at Avon bring lessons to life and create compelling context for engaging class discussion. Creativity, innovation, and collaboration are taught by example through practical application, inquiry, and debate.

With an average class size of 12, our teachers are able to practice what they know to be true: boys are relational learners. Young men are free to discover their true identity through the exploration of school life without reservation.

Every aspect of our program is engineered to guide and challenge boys to find their niche and passion in life. Though our academic curriculum is geared to how boys learn, we also create a foundation for boys to mature emotionally and philosophically.

Program Feature: A New Course

Physics Laboratory to research the upper atmosphere and ionosphere.

She continued her research at Dartmouth College, where she earned In the fall of 2017, Avon Old Farms will add a new course to its growing an M.S. in engineering science in 2012. list of engineering-related offerings. The newest class will be enticing and “I joined the faculty of Avon Old informative for students interested in exploring the field of engineering.

Farms School to assist with launching “When we were looking to add a new course to our list of current and developing our engineering and offerings, it was a combination of looking at what staff we had robotics program,” explained McCubbin. available, what their expertise is in, and what we thought would “I believe it’s important to challenge our boys be interesting to our boys,” said Beth McCubbin, engineering academically, physically, and mentally while and physics teacher at Avon Old Farms. “A course in aerospace they discover themselves, becoming men engineering seemed to be the perfect fit.” of Avon who embrace integrity, inclusion, In the yearlong science course, students will progress through justice, and service.” four units of study: introduction to aerospace, aerospace design, At Avon, we believe students need access propulsion, and alternative applications. That translates into a variety to real-world, applied learning experiences that of hands-on learning, including practicing on flight simulators using empower them to gain the skills they need to special software and game controller joysticks, designing airfoils to thrive in college, career, and beyond. study fluid mechanics, learning about propulsion through flying “We have come to embrace Project Lead The model rockets, and even designing airplane components and printing Way courses because they have been carefully crafted them on a 3D printer. Students will learn basic orbital mechanics to provide students with leading-edge knowledge using industry-standard software and will even explore robot systems and expertise, as well as transportable skills they can through projects such as using remotely operated vehicles. apply no matter how the career landscape evolves,” “While I was in my own college career, I had the opportunity to said McCubbin. Project Lead The Way is a nonprofit touch upon a lot of what this class will introduce to our boys, which I organization that provides transformative learning think will help me bring this course to life,” said McCubbin. experiences across the United States. The organization McCubbin attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, creates an engaging classroom environment unlike any other where she completed a B.S. in engineering physics and minors in and empowers students to develop and apply in-demand, mathematics and meteorology. After college, McCubbin joined the transportable skills by exploring real-world challenges.

Department of Space at The Johns Hopkins University Applied

in Aerospace Engineering

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ATHLETICS Exercise for the most part shall be in the open air

. Each boy shall be taught the fundamentals of boxing. The ability to strike a stunning blow develops confidence in a boy. There are playing fields for intramural football, baseball, basketball, and soccer, tennis courts, and a running track. There are opportunities for swimming, skating, skiing, and riding. Thirty miles of bridle paths in the forest have been developed from the wood roads formerly used in the winter for drawing out logs on sleds. Instruction in riding may be given. Instruction in shooting may be given. Instruction in fly casting shall be given. Instruction in polo may be given. Emphasis shall be placed on polo, as it develops quick reactions, coordination, and courage.

Avon colours shall always be worn at games. Polo shall be the only extramural sport at Avon. The Founder has observed that students attending schools where extramural sports are part of the sports program talk of nothing but football all autumn long. This is an artificial whipping up of interest and boys become so obsessed with the thought of their games that their mental development is interfered with. Too much football talk stultifies the brain. These boys have no desire for quiet thought, which, after all, is the breeding ground of wisdom.”

—FROM THE DEED OF TRUST

FROM THE 1942 YEARBOOK:

In the fall of 1927, soon after Avon was founded, a group of students formed a club for the purpose of protecting and furthering interest in the wild life, the forest, the streams, and the waters of the estate. It was named the Nimrod Club, because of its connection with hunting. For the past thirteen years the Club has been very influential in preserving and fostering love of the woods and of nature in general.

To belong to the Nimrod Club is an honor and a privilege.

To become a member, one must be elected by the unanimous vote of all participating members.

During the past few years, the Club has completed a number of dams and restocked lakes and streams with fish. Restrictions on hunting and fishing have been controlled by the Club.

This system has justified itself by the high quality of its present numbers. Under the able supervision of the ardent woodsman, Verne Priest, the Club has gone far in upholding the fine tradition for which it was originally founded.

WOODSMAN The Woodsman shall be an experienced and practical worker from the Maine woods or Canada.

He shall be steeped in woodlore and highly qualified to instruct boys in woodcraft. He shall care for, preserve, and improve the forest. He shall be responsible for any defacement or any marring of the forest and park. He shall be responsible for any destruction and waste of the flowering plants and desirable animal life. He shall instruct the older students in the proper care and use of the ax….

He shall regulate fishing, hunting, and trapping on the property.” —FROM THE DEED OF TRUST

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WINGED BEAVERS

COMPETE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL

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ur teams have won more than 30 league and New England championships combined over the last 15 years, and many of our athletes move on to compete for some of the nation’s foremost collegiate programs. At the same time, we ensure that an athletic experience is accessible to and enjoyed by all our students by offering more than 24 sub-varsity teams and intramural activities. The lessons learned on the field, court, or rink help boys understand what it means to contribute to something larger than themselves, and they mature in the process.

Wherever a boy fits in, and whatever his interest levels are, we’re going to find ways to satisfy those interests and inspire him to think more.

—ROB DOWLING ’91 , PROVOST

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long days (and nights) constructing von’s oldest and supervising the project with his club was own hands—to be the new Verne Priest. founded in Mr. Kassel spoke and thanked the many 1927 and students, alumni, parents, faculty members, continues artists, and tradesmen involved in the its many project, and introduced the core crew of traditions, including Nimrod Club members who put in long cabin suppers, Sunday hours on the project, seven days a week, in crews, and of course, lieu of an athletic commitment this spring. cutting down and setting The group did much of the construction up the campus Christmas work themselves, under the advisement of several tree and Chapel generous local businesses. To get the project decorations each holiday moving forward, Mr. Kassel, along with a few season. To belong to the other Avon community members, designed a Nimrod Club is to be a new pavilion, drafted plans in Avon’s digital arts part of a brotherhood that is close to a century old lab, and set to work constructing the timber frame, and, as Mrs. Riddle intended, connects Avonians to the majesty of post and beam structure. nature and our beautiful campus.

“There are a number of professionals who helped to subsidize our efforts by donating time or discounting FROM THE SUMMER 2014 ISSUE OF THE AVONIAN: their price because they think this is a great project for The newly constructed Nimrod Pavilion was dedicated on Saturday, our boys, which will be enjoyed by many for years to May 17, as part of the festivities of Reunion 2014. Headmaster come,” explained Mr. Kassel.

LaRocque greeted Nimrod-ers young and old and remarked about The pavilion boasts handcrafted timber beams, a the storied tradition and powerful transformative abilities of the cooking chimney, a wood storage shed, and picnic tables Nimrod Club in the life of a young man of Avon. He recalled under the pavilion to be used by the Nimrod boys for their Verne Priest, the caretaker and woodsman of the Nimrod Club in weekly cabin suppers; the pavilion will also be available for use the Founder’s Era, and declared faculty member James Kassel—the by any boys or faculty members simply enjoying Beaver Pond. driving force behind the construction of the pavilion, who spent The Avonian Spring 2017

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HEADS OF SCHOOL

Francis Mitchell Froelicher, Provost, 1927 to 1929 Percy Gamble Kammerer, Provost, 1930 to 1940 W. Brooke Stabler, Provost, 1941 to 1944 The school closed in June 1944 Avon re-opened September 1948 Donald W. Pierpont, Provost, 1947 to 1968 George M. Trautman, Headmaster, 1969 to 1998 Kenneth H. LaRocque, Headmaster, 1998 to current

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DUTIES OF THE HEADMASTER, per the Deed of Trust, include many favorite tradtions that still stand today:

HE SHALL annually designate a weekday in mid-May as a holiday for the students, in remembrance of the Founder.

HE SHALL have an annual Christmas Party for the members of the technical staff and their families.

HE SHALL annually designate a day or days to be known as Field Days.

ON CLOSING DAY, he shall present the Founder’s Medal, inscribed with the student’s name, to the students in the Sixth Form who shall have received the Order of Old Farms; to those who shall have graduated with academic honours; to those who shall have served with distinction in Town Government; and to those who shall have made noteworthy accomplishment in community service, crafts and projects.

HE SHALL CONFER the Regulation Insignia consisting of the Honorary Rosettes and Ribbons on the students in the Sixth Form who shall have received the Order of Old Farms; and on students in any form for noteworthy accomplishment and distinguished service in any of the following fields at the end of each term: » Academic » Town Government » Community Service » Crafts and Projects The Avonian Spring 2017

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COMMUNITY

SERVICE

Community service consists of greatly diversified work on the farm, in the park, forest, science laboratories, carpentry shop, printing press, power house, garage and stables, the result of which is in the public interest. Students may have,

when possible, the privilege of selecting the department they would like to work in. The experience derived from these diverse occupations broadens the interests of the boys and they educate one another in discussing their work.

“Avon forest will be a continual source of pleasure to all students interested in Natural History. They shall be taught the haunts and habits of wild life; how to identify the trees, shrubs, and other forest plants; how trees are injured by disease and insects; and the general principles of properly caring for forests. They shall learn the service that a forest renders to the general public, as well as to the owner.

“A farm affords an ideal environment for youth. Avon students who are interested in animals shall be given instruction on the feeding, care, and judging of live stock. Any boy who would like to spend a night alone guarding the sheep at Hill Stead may, with the Aide’s permission, do so after speaking with the farmer or shepherd. Such experiences tend to deepen the thought processes.

“The Founder believes that a boy who has never known the hardships of work on a farm, in the forest, or in the shops, and has never experienced the joy of completing a task, even when it means enduring physical discomfort and pain, has been deprived of one of the most valuable experiences that life can offer for the development of character.” —FROM THE DEED OF TRUST

CHARACTER

TRUTH IS THE SUMMIT OF BEING; justice is the application of it to affairs. All individual natures stand in a scale, according to the purity of this element in them. The will of the pure runs down from them into other natures, as water runs down from a higher into a lower vessel.

This natural force is no more to be withstood than any other natural force…. Character is this moral order seen through the medium of an individual nature. An individual is an encloser…. Truth and thought are left at large no longer…. All things exist in the man tinged with the manners of his soul…. A healthy soul stands united with the Just and True, as the magnet arranges itself with the pole, so that he stands to all beholders like a transparent object betwixt them and the sun, and who so journeys towards the sun journeys towards that person. He is thus the medium of the highest influence…. Men of character are the conscience of the society to which they belong.”

—RALPH WALDO EMERSON, AS QUOTED IN THE DEED OF TRUST

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IN MEMORIAM:

FRANK DiCOCCO ’02

AVON

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ommunity service is a part of life for most Avonians.

Avon Outreach is the student organization responsible for the school’s community service initiatives and participation; the club, focusing on more than just raising funds, provides hands-on help on both a local and global scale, in addition to working to better the AOF community itself.

Throughout the school year, Avon Outreach provides opportunities for community service involvement both on and off campus. Some of the club’s more extensive commitments include the annual Toys for Tots drive and the Relay For Life walk-a-thon fundraiser. Additionally, several projects continue throughout the course of the entire school year, such as helping with Special Olympics sports, volunteering at the local nursing home, and cooking meals at the soup kitchen.

With passionate student leaders and a student body dedicated to serving Avon’s core value of altruism, community service remains one of the pillars of residential life.

OUTREACH

A R.E.A.L. MAN

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his spring, the class of 2002 returned back to the Avon Old Farms campus to mark its 15th reunion.

Sadly, one member did not have that opportunity, but created a lasting legacy to be celebrated.

Frank DiCocco ’02 attended Avon Old Farms School for all four years of his high school career. A strong athlete, a dedicated scholar, and a caring friend, DiCocco excelled at Avon.

In 2009, DiCocco wrote the R.E.A.L. Man character program, a character-education curriculum for students of all ages. The program has 20 lesson plans designed to help youth reach their full potential and give them a stronger foundation in dealing with right and wrong. This program has been used by athletic programs, schools and youth-development organizations nationwide.

In 2011, DiCocco founded The H.O.P.E. Foundation For a Better Tomorrow, Inc., The H.O.P.E. Foundation has two goals: to provide scholarships to underprivileged students and to share the R.E.A.L. Man program with athletes and scholars nationwide.

Sadly, Frank DiCocco died in 2013 at the age of 29 after a fouryear battle with bone marrow failure.

To carry on DiCocco’s work, his parents established the Coach Frank D. B. DiCocco ‘02 Scholarship Fund. The DiCocco family, in recognition of Frank’s aspiration to create a better tomorrow for today’s youth, expect the Coach DiCocco Scholar to have integrity, to become involved in service to his school and/or the greater

community, and to be responsible and respect himself and others.

“Frank wanted us to continue to help young people and would be extremely happy and proud that we are giving scholarships in his memory,” said DiCocco’s mother, Kathy.

“There are so many young people who need help, and Frank wanted to help as many as possible, which is what we are trying to do.”

Avon Old Farms is among the many schools and athletic programs that currently use R.E.A.L. Man, which DiCocco developed to teach young men how to develop positive character traits and be successful in life.

“Frank saw that there was a need to teach kids how to be respectful and how to be a gentleman,” said Kathy, who explained that her son sent nearly 6,000 copies of his book to coaches around the country.

Lou and Kathy DiCocco continue their son’s work with the H.O.P.E. Foundation. Kathy hopes that this spring at their reunion, Avonians who knew her son can celebrate all that he accomplished in his short life.

“I’m sure many of Frank’s classmates went on to become teachers or coaches, and I would like to ask them all to teach Frank’s R.E.A.L. Man program to their students and players to share their work of one of their brothers,” said Kathy.

Anyone interested in learning more about the H.O.P.E. Foundation or the R.E.A.L. Man Program should visit www.

HOPEFoundation.usand www.REALManInc.org.

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Elephant The

Remembers…

From

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Compiled by Carol Ketcham

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Faculty Focus

Brian Cugell

By Jacqueline Sembor

W

hen Connecticut native Brian Cugell joined the Avon Old Farms faculty in 2004, it was at the suggestion of a childhood friend and Avon alum, Eric Hill ’00. After more than a decade of watching Brian emulate the boarding school lifestyle, the community has seen why that suggestion was made.

Brian’s joy for working with youth began as a teenager when he got a part-time job as a camp counselor at Bushy Hill Nature Center, an outdoor living and survival skills camp in Ivoryton, Conn.

“Since working as a counselor, I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to teach, and I guess Eric saw a little

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bit of a Man of Avon in me, even if I didn’t go to school here,” Brian said. “While looking for a teaching job, I wrote a letter to Art Custer, then the dean of faculty at Avon, and he invited me to campus for a tour.” The rest, you could say, is history.

Brian came to Avon Old Farms after double majoring in English and Spanish at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. By the first semester of his junior year, he had met all his English major requirements and began to take multiple history classes to fill his course load. During that time, he discovered his passion for early American history.

“I had a little bit of an oops, did I pick the wrong major? moment, but it all worked out,” he joked.

“It’s awesome how fascinated the students are with all of the faculty kids on campus and even better to be able to trust some of them to watch my two precious girls when Morgan and I are out for an evening. Where else could I have young men on call for that? Emma and Maren have 400 older brothers!”

Brian quickly embraced the Avon lifestyle, dedicating himself as a teacher, coach, and dorm parent. He taught Spanish for five years before beginning his transition into the History Department. Through it all, Brian’s strong work ethic compelled him to teach full-time and earn a master of arts in liberal studies from Wesleyan University in 2010. He was honored with Avon’s Kenneth Fanning Faculty Award that same year.

“This all came on the heels of marrying my wife, Morgan, in 2009,” he added. “We’re both from Madison, Conn., and we first met in high school, singing in our school chorale, and became friends doing musical theater. I reconnected with her while we were both at Skidmore, and it was then that I had the sense that we were meant to be together.”

Now a family of four, the Cugells are an integral part of the Avon community. Morgan joined the faculty in 2007 as the associate director of communications and over the years has also taught classes in the English department and served as an advisor to several student clubs and community service initiatives. This is Morgan’s tenth year as editor of the Avonian.

Their two young girls, Emma, 5, and Maren, 2, are regulars at soccer games and sit-down dinners. They even drop in on the occasional AP U.S. History class.

“It’s awesome how fascinated the students are with all of the faculty kids on campus and even better to be able to

trust some of them to watch my two precious girls when Morgan and I are out for an evening,” said Brian. “Where else could I have young men on call for that? Emma and Maren have 400 older brothers!”

Though finding a natural balance between juggling multiple professional hats and being a present and engaged father to his daughters can be difficult, Brian works to find a fair cadence every day.

“For all of its quirks, prep school life is an amazing setting to raise a family. Avon has provided us with an incredible foundation, and I like that our family can be a model for our boys to learn how a happy, healthy family functions at a time when they’re really starting to become aware of that sort of thing.”

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Elephant The

Faculty Focus

Remembers…

From

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Compiled by Carol Ketcham

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rc h i v e s

“As I have watched Avon become a more diverse campus, I have taken on the purpose of sharing multiple narratives with these young men so they can learn to think critically, research thoroughly, write thoughtfully, and work collaboratively. I want them to walk out of my class having enjoyed a particular narrative but with the ability to think critically of sources, scope, and the shifting perspective of truth.”

Brian credits his mindfulness about family life to his own father: “I remember my father, who commuted from Madison to New York City to work for the FBI every day for decades, always being on the sideline of my soccer games dressed in his work suit or sitting in the audience at school programs,” he explained. “I strive to be that father, which often means seeing them during free periods or lunches. It will get harder once they’re in school all day, but that just means we’ll have to find a new rhythm.”

That actively even-keeled approach flows through to the classroom, where Brian constantly reevaluates how to teach his students media literacy in a world becoming more and more congested with conflicting headlines.

“I want these boys to be able to determine the truth for themselves,” he says. To accomplish that, Brian challenges himself to always present multiple stories surrounding historical events and ensure that students know that the

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content of a textbook is just one perspective.

“As I have watched Avon become a more diverse campus, I have taken on the purpose of sharing multiple narratives with these young men so they can learn to think critically, research thoroughly, write thoughtfully, and work collaboratively. I want them to walk out of my class having enjoyed a particular narrative but with the ability to think critically of sources, scope, and the shifting perspective of truth.”

Brian is a strong role model on campus for both students and faculty. During his tenure at Avon, he has served as head coach of the varsity soccer team and is excited to see the program work its way back to an elite level under Coach Joe Martinez. He has been the head of Brown House dorm since 2012, adding the role of parenting nearly 40 boys to his long list of responsibilities.

Most recently, Brian was named History Department chair and will begin exploring that new role this summer.

“As a resident faculty member, I get to see our boys for all that they are and all that they can be.

I see them in the classroom, in the locker room, on the field, and in the dorm. And only in that full context can we truly look out for their best interests and push them to their full potential.”

Summer vacation is a chance for most to relax and take a break from the chaos of a school that keeps 17-hour days, but Brian continues to work hard as director of summer programs, serving as a liaison between Avon and the multiple external vendors who use our facilities to host summer camps. For many years, he also ran Avon’s Summer Fun Camp.

Though there have been several opportunities for celebration during Brian’s time at Avon, there have also been some trying ones. In 2007, Brian was living in Brown House when a fire broke out and quickly engulfed part of the dormitory. Brian and many others lost all of their possessions in the blaze. When he talks about the event, what he remembers most is a testament not only to his character but also to the character of the collective Avon Community.

“It was the day of the Blue Blazer Ball, so people were arriving on campus from all over, and they were seeing what had happened,” Brian explained. “Someone had the idea to start the night’s auction off with a brick from Brown House that had come loose, and then I remember a glass of dirt and ashes from the rubble up on the auction block. Within minutes, the items were auctioned off and the Parents Association had raised tens of thousands of dollars to help those affected by the fire replace belongings that were not covered by renter’s insurance.”

Lighter memories include getting a cooler of cold water dumped on him in celebration of his first victory as head soccer coach, staying up all night with Morgan and a gym full of AOF students walking for Relay For Life, witnessing a lightbulb moment in the classroom when a student finally realized how history can help him navigate the issues of today’s world, and the time when campus was buried under winter storm Nemo and every person around pitched in to help clear roads, walkways, and parking lots.

Now an Avon faculty member of 13 years, Brian is at an interesting point in his career: he can look back and observe AOF traditions, how they hold true and what they mean to alumni, and also be excited to see how Avon continues to grow and adapt to what today’s students need to succeed in the present environment.

“As a resident faculty member, I get to see our boys for all that they are and all that they can be. I see them in the classroom, in the locker room, on the field, and in the dorm.

And only in that full context can we truly look out for their best interests and push them to their full potential.”

Brian’s impression on the many Avonians he has taught over the years can be measured in calls from former students on holidays, invitations to weddings, and unannounced visits.

“All in all, I am most proud when a student says to me, ‘You were a tough teacher, but you were always fair.’ That to me means I’m doing my job the right way.”

The Avonian Spring 2010 The Avonian Spring 2017

35 35

Student Spotlight

Carson Drew ’17

By Morgan C. Cugell

C

arson Drew ’17 might be one of the quieter young men on campus, but his accomplishments speak volumes.

A four-year day student from Simsbury, Conn., Carson has won the award for academic excellence—given to the top student in his class— three of the last four years; he was the scholar of distinction at this year’s senior awards ceremony during commencement weekend. Earlier this year, he was named a National Merit semifinalist, qualifying him for a National Merit Scholarship and earning recognition as one of approximately 16,000 finalists in the country. About 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2015 PSAT. Carson has also been recognized with several book awards, including for Spanish 4 and physics.

Though he has been one of the most consistent scholars in his class over his time at Avon, Carson has had to work much harder to find success as a student athlete. He is a captain of the varsity crosscountry team and a member of varsity wrestling and varsity track and field.

“My biggest challenge at school was wrestling,” he observes. “I have always been smart, but wrestling was completely unlike anything I had done before. It was difficult, but I was able to stick with it for four years, and I am very proud of that.” Carson cites a crucial win against an opponent from Greens Farms Academy at this year’s Western New England Championships as a highlight from his four years spent developing in the wrestling program. He also recalls finishing second at the Gordon Glover Invitational last year at Suffield Academy, which he notes helped him develop the confidence to become a great runner for the Avon cross-country team. He hopes to finish his spring athletic season as a member of the all-Founders League team for track and field.

In addition to his outstanding performances in the classroom and as an athlete, Carson is equally involved in student life on campus. He is a day student monitor, an editor of the Avon Record, and president of the Nimrod Club. With the help of his parents, as well as coaches such as Maj. Bourgault and Mr. Lampe— “who have shown me the power of determination and hard work,”—Carson has become a leader of the student body.

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

“My biggest challenge at school was wrestling. I have always been smart, but wrestling was completely unlike anything I had done before. It was difficult, but I was able to stick with it for four years, and I am very proud of that.�

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Elephant The

Remembers…

Spring 2017

Door to dean‘s study

Men’s judgements are a parcel of their fortune.

—Shakespeare

Door to dean’s lounge

Honors thrive when rather from our acts we them derive than our foregoers.

—Shakespeare

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

F

rom their very inception, two buildings on the Village Green had hand-carved quotations from famous literary figures: William Shakespeare and Thomas Carlyle. One poem, on the face of the sundial over the provost’s study, was recently attributed to Theodate Pope Riddle herself. It is signed in the very lower right corner with her personal, and still secret, “sign.”

The degree of vision that dwells in a man is a correct measure of the man.

Door to the provost’s study

—Carlyle

On the sundial

With thy warm breath Dispel the Heaven’s cool clouds That hide thee from my sight.

With thy golden rays Smite me thou restless one And I’ll record thy flight.

From the last red flare on the hills,Fling a thought To comfort me thru the night.

—Theodate Pope Riddle, secret sign

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39

Alumni Spotlight

Bill Austin ’92 and Jim Corrigan ’67

By Jacqueline Sembor

Bill Austin ’92

W

hen Bill Austin ’92 looks back on his years at Avon, he thinks about the camaraderie he felt with his fellow students, the friendships he made while he was here, and the values he learned.

“Avon is an amazing place and affords boys the opportunity to truly discover themselves,” said Bill, who now lives in New York City with his wife, Rebecca, and nine-year-old daughter, Beatrix. “Today it still feels the same and looks the same, yet there are so many new facilities added to the campus to give today’s boys the best experience that we can offer them.”

After graduation in 1992, Bill went on to study history and government at Bowdoin College, in Maine.

Immediately after finishing college, he began working at Sun Life Financial and went on to start a health insurance consulting company, AGS Benefits Group, which was acquired by NFP Corp in 2012. Bill still works for NFP as president of the Northeast division in the New York office.

Bill started to give back to the Avon Old Farms community around the time the Brown Student Center was being built. His parents were in the health club industry, and the school reached out to the Austin family to get some ideas about the design and layout of the weight room and gym.

“One of the better things I’ve done in life is give back to Avon,” said Bill. “Avon changed my life—I was there for four years and the school was a stepping stone to the success I’ve had in my life. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize the importance of giving back until I was involved.”

Bill eventually joined the National Council and was active for a few years there before joining the Board of Directors in 2011. He is an active member of the board, currently serving as co-vice-chairman and heads up both the Alumni

40

Spring 2017 The Avonian

and Development Committee and the Benefits Committee.

He also enjoys coming to campus with his family to watch football and hockey games and attend class reunions.

“I really enjoyed seeing my classmates at our 25-year reunion this spring,” Bill continued. “A lot of people are surprised when returning to Avon for the first time at how all the good memories come flooding back. Sometimes, you don’t realize how big a part of your life Avon was until you return to it. I hope that stepping back on the majestic campus will spark something in my classmates and encourage them to help make Avon’s future even brighter.”

Jim Corrigan ’67

It

only takes a moment to feel the passion Jim Corrigan ’67 has for Avon Old Farms School.

His involvement is a tapestry of many colors: student, parent, donor, and board member.

His history with the school is a long one, and this spring, he celebrated his 50th reunion.

While attending Avon Old Farms as a junior and senior, Jim became woven into the fabric of the community.

He tried his hand at football, basketball, and baseball—a sport for each season. He remembers that Coach Herb Cochrane was stern but fair and, during senior year, captaining the baseball team, which had only two pitchers, for Coach Ed Saxby. He thinks fondly of his advisor, Seth Mendell ’52, who

“When I returned to campus on a fall afternoon and waited for Andrew to finish his classes so I could drive him home to New Hampshire for Thanksgiving break, I was always amazed at how similar the boys were to my own classmates.

Is that Malcolm Hirsh? Doug Matthews? Scott Caldwell?,

I would think, before realizing it simply couldn’t be.”

—Jim Corrigan ’67

helped shape his time and direction at Avon Old Farms School, and of Sid Clark, who opened many eyes and minds to poems and literature.

Jim credits Avon Old Farms for pointing him in a solid direction. After graduation, he studied at Westminster College in Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in history. He married his college sweetheart, Carol, and they moved to New Hampshire.

It was Avon, Jim said, that impressed upon him the ability to understand responsibility, leadership, and cooperation—traits that helped him establish his own industrial real estate sales brokerage firm, the Corrigan Company, at the age of 32.

“I don’t think Theodate’s

The Avonian Spring 2017

41

Alumni Spotlight

grand architecture technically inspired me to become involved in real estate, but the vision she had, of building an indestructible school for boys, certainly did.”

As happy as Jim is to talk about his youth, it’s when he has an opportunity to talk about his son, Andrew ’98, that you can tell the school holds a special place in his heart.

“I was amazed at how much more content the students in Andrew’s class needed to learn,” said Jim in an impassioned tone, the wonder of it heavy in his voice.

“The world was at their fingertips; yet, even with the 30 years that had passed between our time at Avon, so much was the same. Headmaster George Trautman did a great job of knowing what the school needed to be successful and made it happen with those classes.”

Jim has many stories to share about revisiting Avon, many of which seemed to unite his time at Avon and his son’s.

“When I returned to campus on a fall afternoon and waited for Andrew to finish his classes so I could drive him home to New Hampshire for Thanksgiving break, I was always amazed at how similar the boys were to my own classmates,” Jim recalled. “Is that Malcolm Hirsh? Doug Matthews? Scott Caldwell?, I would think, before realizing it simply couldn’t be.”

Jim loved Avon Old Farms, and the school leadership recognized that. While Andrew was still at school, Headmaster LaRocque introduced the idea of being profiled in the Avonian. However, not wanting to impose too much during his son’s time at Avon, Jim declined.

“It was his time at Avon; I had already had mine,” he thoughtfully shared. “Each class of students has the ability to make Avon a new place each year, and I wanted to see

“I was amazed at how much more content the students in Andrew’s class needed to learn. The world was at their fingertips; yet, even with the 30 years that had passed between our time at Avon, so much was the same.”

—Jim Corrigan ’67

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

“Long ago, there was a movement toward the brotherhood that Ken LaRocque champions, but he was the first to call on it. At Avon, when people pass you on the Village Green, they look at you and greet you. The students support each other, whether on the fields, on the stage, or in the classroom. And all of that is taught in a way that inspires confidence, a confidence that students take with them when they graduate.”

—Jim Corrigan ’67

what Andrew’s legacy would be, unblemished by any of my influence. Andrew being at Avon did reignite my feelings for the school, though, so I did want to get involved again.”

He did, however, accept an invitation to join the board in 2000. As a member of the board, Jim has witnessed how the school has grown and has watched a brotherhood solidify.

“Long ago, there was a movement toward the brotherhood that Ken LaRocque champions, but he was the first to call on it,” said Jim. “At Avon, when people pass you on the Village Green, they look at you and greet you. The students support each other, whether on the fields, on the stage, or in the classroom. And all of that is taught in a way that inspires confidence, a confidence that students take with them when they graduate.”

Jim said that he feels these things more than he actually knows them but believes anyone who knows Avon and has engaged with the students here would feel the same thing. This spring, he was excited not only for another opportunity to visit the campus but also to see it filled with his old classmates.

“I was excited for my friends who have not returned to the grounds of Avon Old Farms since they graduated to rediscover this old spot and to recognize it still,” Jim said.

“They were able to see the facilities, the demands put on the students of today, and the programs that are available.

They saw all that Avon has become but were amazed at how familiar it still feels.”

Debie and John ’68

“Avon was a game changer for me and a key to whatever success I achieved after graduating. So, I wanted to provide the same kind of opportunity to a qualified and deserving boy that the J. Aron Charitable Foundation gave me.”

—John Wendler ’68

For more information about planned gifts for Avon Old Farms School, please contact Robin Delnicki, Associate Director of Development, at 860-404-4156 or at delnickir@avonoldfarms.com.

Please send us your personal notes!

Class Notes can be submitted to Lizabeth Abramson at AbramsonL@avonoldfarms.com The deadlines for Class Notes submission are fall issue: September 1, 2017 spring issue: March 1, 2018

Class Notes 42

Chase Donaldson ’68 and John Wendler ’68 returned to campus in Nov ember and are looking forward to their 50th AOF reunion in May of 2018.

DAVE HOMEIER and his wife, Barbara, rented a

RUSSELL HUNTER, Head Class Agent

PO Box 22, Farmington, CT 06034-0022

50 HARVEY RUBIN, Head Class Agent

102 Barbour Cir., Newport News, VA 23606-2201 harvo2516@verizon.net

51 WARREN FORD, Head Class Agent 115 Center St., Wolcott, CT 06716 jodir@aol.com

condo in Boca Grande, Fla., for two weeks in March. They enjoy visiting the Gasparilla Inn as well. Dave collects sharks teeth. He still remembers some of his great Avon teachers and Don Pierpont fondly. Dave and Barbara’s first time back to Avon since his 1952 graduation was around the time of their daughter Betsy’s graduation from Smith in 1985, but they have returned four times since then.

They look forward to coming this year for Dave’s 65th reunion and to see Alice and SETH MENDELL and RICHARD WALKER .

54 DOUGLAS H. MACPHERSON, Class Agent

52 SETH F. MENDELL, Head Class Agent

30 Tellidora Ct., Fort Myers, FL 33908-1618 sethalicemendell@gmail.com SETH MENDELL, wife, Alice, and daughter Phyllis, who grew up on campus, attended Seth’s 65th reunion in May. RICHARD WALKER , who came from Austria also attended.

5405 Dranes Tavern Dr., Fairfax, VA 22030-4603 dhmacpherson@verizon.net

55 EDWARD J. HAWIE, Co-Head Class Agent

38 Hampton Point Dr. St. Simons Island, GA 31522-5426 ehawie@bellsouth.ne CLEON M. SHUTT, JR., Co-Head Class Agent

511 Garrison Forest Rd., Owings Mills, MD 21117 chipsamerica@hotmail.com

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

56 CHARLES R. SCAGLIONE, Head Class Agent

3328 Eagle Nest Point, Virginia Beach, VA 23452 scag12@verizon.net

58 AUSTIN CHAMBERS, Co-Head Class Agent

317 Flanders Rd., Stonington, CT 06378-2109 Hilltop12@aol.com STEPHEN HOLT, Co-Head Class Agent 75 Bridge St., Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944 stephenholt@comcast.net

59 CHARLES W. DAVIS, Co-Head Class Agent 6905 West 99th St., Overland Park, KS 66212 cwdavis@waretec.com DOUGLAS B. MARSHALL, Co-Head Class Agent 2 Berkshire Rd., Bloomfield, CT 06002 douglas.marshall@raveis.com

60 RICHARD L. WILLIAMS, Head Class Agent PO Box 218, South Orleans, MA 02662-0218 Rclumberclan@aol.com

y ’68 Geoffrey Dought ok, bo th 26 his d complete ilway’s

& Ohio Ra Chesapeake , enger Service Through Pass rk Collection

Sid Cla included in the s. rm Fa d Ol at Avon

great color photographs, it details the story of Robert R. Young and his crusade to improve America’s postwar rail passenger service and the confrontations he encountered with the investment banking community, the rail industry, and government regulators. It chronicles Young’s campaign to upgrade the passenger service of the C&O Railway and how it fell short. In addition to his published books and articles on railroad history, Geoff is director of safety for two trucking associations, working with state and federal law enforcement agencies in addressing regulatory compliance matters. The current issue of importance is the matter of substance abuse in transportation and business, an issue he became involved in back in the mid-1980s when he was safety director for Maine Central, Boston & Maine and the Delaware & Hudson railroads. He also is in his 43rd season as broadcast announcer for the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Periodically Geoff enjoys lunch with JIM CORRIGAN or gets together with CHASE DONALDSON and his wife, Judy.

John Martinson ’73 , Stan Perry ’74, an d Michael Lancaster ’74—still friends after 45 ye ar s.

66 61 GEORGE F. HENSCHEL JR., Head Class Agent

MICHAEL D. BARKER, Head Class Agent

40 Bay Hill Dr., Bloomfield, CT 06002-2376 barkermike@aol.com

101 Seminary Rd., Bedford, NY 10506 gfhjr@aol.com

67

62

JAMES W. CORRIGAN, Co-Head Class Agent 826 Gould Hill Rd., Contoocook, NH 03229 jwc915@gmail.com

ALAN D. ROZINSKY, Head Class Agent

13620-B Via Flora, Delray Beach, FL 33484 alroz@lycos.com

63 JACK R. STOKVIS, Head Class Agent

25 Pine St., Haworth, NJ 07641-1926 smarts@galaxy.net

WILLIAM F. ROBERTS, Co-Head Class Agent 86 Brownsville Rd., Sinking Spring, PA 19608 wfroberts@fast.net JIM CORRIGAN and his wife, Carol, enjoyed winter in DelRay Beach, Fla. ANDREW ’98, his

wife, Amanda, and daughter, Amelia, who was born in November, visited.

64

68

W. B. HARWOOD III, Head Class Agent

GEORGE L. PURNELL, Head Class Agent

24 Overhill Ave., New Britain, CT 06053 wbhtcc@aol.com

4822 Brighton Lakes Blvd.

Boynton Beach, FL 33436 glpluvssports@gmail.com GEOFFREY DOUGHTY recently sent Deb Garber, Avon Old Farms librarian, a copy of his 26th book, Chesapeake & Ohio Railway’s Through Passenger Service.

65 PERRY BENSON, Head Class Agent

2135 Naudain St., Philadelphia, PA 19146-1218 pb2@jacobswyper.com

All his books and articles are in the Sid Clark Collection (see photo). More than just a book with

69 DAVID F. COLEMAN, Class Agent

35 Adelaide Ave., Barrington, RI 02806 dfc@colemanrealtors.com

70 HARRIS H. BUCKLIN III, Head Class Agent

004 Margaret Jones Ln., Williamsburg, VA 23185 hbucklin3@aol.com

71 JOSEPH C. VECCHIARINO III, Head Class Agent

PO Box 2103, Westport, CT 06880 drvvv@sbcglobal.net

72 KEVIN DRISCOLL, Class Agent 500 Old Farms Rd., Avon, CT 06001 driscollk@avonoldfarms.com

73 CHRISTOPHER L. ATKINS, Head Class Agent

PO Box 706, Hilldale, NY 12529-0706 catkins702@gmail.com JOHN MARTINSON wrote, “STANTON PERRY ’74 and I went on a weeklong Tesla trip around the Four Corners region this summer and met up with longtime friend MICHAEL LANCASTER ’74 and his wife in Santa Fe. Last week, while in South Florida for the wedding of a mutual friend, Stanton and I met up with SETH MEYER .”

The Avonian Spring 2017

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Class Notes

Dal Williams ’77 still lives in Hampton, N.H. Last January, while in the area, he visited Avon and caught up with Tim Trautman ’75 and Coach Skip Flanagan. From left: Tim Trautman ’75, Dal Williams ’77, and Coach Flanagan.

Tony Gray ’79 (far left), Scott Linke ’79 (middle), and Todd Lady ’83 (far right) were part of the World Pond Hockey Championships in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, Canada in February. Out of 100 men’s teams, they managed an 11th place. Tony wrote, “We were one goal away from the round of eight and somewhat happy we didn’t have to play another!”

Dave Herbs ter ’76 and (11), ran in his son, Elija to Kevin Co h sgrove ’76 baseball ga at a me betwee n U of Nor th and Rollins Florida College in W inter Par k, Florida.

Al O’Connor ’75 (right) taught Tim Trautman ’75 to ski in Squaw Valley, Calif., during March break.

The family of Greg DeMai o ’77

74

Joe, a senior at Winter Park High, is a good ball

GEORGE J. GIANNONI, Co-Head Class Agent

36 Twilight Dr., Granby, CT 06035-1212 GGiannoni@cox.net

player like his dad (though it’s easier for him with no trench). By the way, Winter Park was home to the parents of SETH MENDELL ’52, and Seth’s father taught history at Rollins.”

EDWARD P. MOLLOY, Co-Head Class Agent

6 Winhart Dr., Granby, CT 06035 E.molloy@cox.net

77

75

5 Andrews Rd., Greenwich, CT 06830 jorgeeconsuegra@yahoo.com GREG DEMAIO retired from the Air Force as a Lt. Col. in April 2014 with 34 years of distinguished service. He wrote, “Avon was an extremely significant time in my life. Perhaps the fondest memories were the close relationships with faculty and the lifelong friendships that were forged. Dr. Flanagan, Warren Armes, and Steve Ward were tremendous mentors to me. They taught me how to overcome adversity and mature to be a young man.

TOM BYRNE, Head Class Agent 1 Helena Rd., Avon, CT 06001-3433 tbyrne@thomasbyrne.com

76 ALEXANDER N. WORLEY, Head Class Agent

20 Shore Grove Rd., Clinton, CT 06413 alexworley@sbcglobal.net DAVE HERBSTER and his son, Elijah (11), ran into KEVIN “COS” COSGROVE at a baseball game at Rollins College (see photo). Dave emailed, “Elijah got to meet Cos, and hear Cos lament, 41 years later, about “the trench” that caused ground balls to take weird bounces back in the days before Avon had such a gorgeous baseball field. Cos’s son,

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

JORGE E. CONSUEGRA, Head Class Agent

PETER CARRIOULO was my closest friend and I am grateful that Avon brought us together. I think of him often and he is greatly missed. The most significant effect Avon had on me was learning discipline and instilling confidence in myself.

Avon inspired me to seek a career in the military

and just as I was mentored by teachers and coaches so too was I able to do the same for the folks under my command. Reflecting on my time as a four-year boarder, I am grateful for the life lessons that I learned and the impact that they still have in my life today.

78 JOHN M. GARVEY, Head Class Agent

89 Haines Ave., Long Beach, CA 90814 jmgarvey@garvspace.com

79 ANTHONY M. GRAY, Co-Head Class Agent

212 Wagner Ln., Bethesda, MD 20816 tgray@tonygray.net SCOTT B. LINKE, Co-Head Class Agent

116 Eleven Levels Rd., Ridgefield, CT 06877-3011 Scott_linke@ml.com

to visit the The Bourgaults were able m left: Fro mi.

Mia in e whil Gar veys John Jimmy Gar vey ’79, Anna and vey ’11.

Gar n Sea and , ’80 ult rga Bou

Chris von Jako ’86 and his son, Nolan (14), had a terrific time together at Super Bowl LI in Houston, Texas.

80

his family spent ten Brien Biondi ’81 and Brazil between in ak bre ing spr days over in the middle of is ich wh Rio and Trancoso, In st. September, the countr y on the coa on as president siti po new a Brien began e Investor s vat of the Institute for Pri vestor s.com) and ein vat pri for ute (www.instit pdenwealth.com). am w.c (ww Campden Wealth City k , so he lives His office is in New Yor D.C. , ton ng shi there and Wa

THOMAS E. DAVEY, Head Class Agent

6806 Joyce Way, Dallas, TX 75225-2718 Thomas.Davey@lighting.ge.com

81 SAMUEL C. BOOKBINDER, Head Class Agent

213 Midland Ave., Wayne, PA 19087 samuel.bookbinder@wfadvisors.com

82 GREGORY T. FISH, Head Class Agent

32 Castlewood Rd., Simsbury, CT 06089 gtf324@yahoo.com

83 WILLIAM E. ESCHERT, Co-Head Class Agent

24 Westland Rd., Avon, CT 06001-3197 billeschert@comcast.net RICHARD C. GREGORY, Co-Head Class Agent 30 Walnut Farms Dr., Farmington, CT 06032 rick@rcgregory.com BILL ESCHERT has been enjoying Avon from a different perspective. His son, JACK , is Class of 2019!

84 JOHN GORDON, Head Class Agent 246 Nacoochee Dr. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30305 falconatlfan@gmail.com

Director of Developmen t Jim Detora Dean Kevin P’12 and Driscoll ’72 , P’08 enjo with the Rin yed dinner ker winter. From family while in Califor ni a this left: Jim Det or Rinker ’86 and their ch a, Dawn and Ken ildren, K atie Danny Rinke and r, H and Dean Ke ar ry Rinker P’72, ’85 , ’86 vin Driscoll.

85 SAM L. RUBENSTEIN, Head Class Agent 1148 Apollo Gardens St., Henderson, NV 89052 richmondsr@aol.com

86

87

STEPHEN R. GORMAN, Class Agent

HAROLD R. BEACHAM JR., Class Agent

13 Smith Ln., Burlington, CT 06013-1201 srg_2966@hotmail.com

Pleasant St., Dover, MA 02030 hal.beacham44@comcast.net

The Avonian Spring 2017

47

Class Notes

Dan Harrop ’88 wa s in NYC in October with Ge orge Trautman H’98, P’7 5, ’81 and John McAuliff e ’95.

Jerome Kennedy ’88 and his wife, Ashley, celebrate the arrival of their daughter, Reagan.

Lincoln White ’88 stopped by Avon’s alumni office to visit with his daughter, Lucy (9).

93 anda Chris Stone ’88, Am rrigan ’98, and Co ew dr Slaughter, An live in NYC all Kyle Youngquist ’97 ether with tog g ttin ge ed and enjoy b last fall.

Clu nn Pe Avonians at the

88 SHAWN E. ATKINSON, Co-Head Class Agent

428 Ridgewood Ave., Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 shawnatki@gmail.com PETER REED, Co-Head Class Agent

91 Butternut Ln., Southport, CT 06890 Pdreed18@gmail.com

89 ROBERT WILEMAN, Head Class Agent

7425 N.E. 97th Terr.

Oklahoma City, OK 73151-9121 rmw@wilemanagency.com

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

90 PETER J. DECKERS, Head Class Agent 500 Old Farms Rd., Avon, CT 06001 Deckersp@avonoldfarms.com

91 MICHAEL M. MULLIN, Head Class Agent

8 Nickerson Ln., Darien, CT 06820 michael.mullin@db.com COSTOS (“COCO”) PALEOLOGOS married

Courtney Ervin October 8, 2016, on Plum Island, Massachusetts (see photo).

92 DAMIEN J. EGAN, Head Class Agent

52 Brookview Ct., Groton, CT 06340-5528 degan2@hotmail.com

TRAVIS MERRITT, Class Agent 21 Monroe Ave., Shrewsbury, NJ 07702 merritttravis@yahoo.com DAVID NELSON was a day student from Avon, who now lives in Sweden. He married wife, Åsa, from Sweden in 2001. They met while she was in the States. David, before marriage, had worked for Flying Colors and had been a musician for a year in L.A. After a long-distance relationship with Åsa, David moved to Sweden and took a job in online poker. He had known German since living in Germany as a young boy and had studied it again in junior high as well on Saturdays while at Avon Old Farms. He said it was much easier for him to learn Swedish because of having learned German. He now works for King, a digital company (Candy Crush is one of its games). The company had 400 employees when he started and now has 2,500. The company had the Nelsons move from Stockholm to Malmö (across the water from Copenhagen), and David helps the company with prioritizing and

At the wedding of Costos (“Coco”) Paleologos ’91: sister Alex Paleologos, brother Nic Paleologos ’94, Courtney Ervin, Costos Paleologos ’91, and Celia Paleologos P’94,’91.

Ava Lightbourn, the daughter of Colin Lightbourn ‘90, whose nephew is current student Nick Peterson ‘20

Peter Che lala ’94 w ith sons, The odore (4 his wife, Cynthia, ) and He and what they nry (8 re in Battery fer to as an amaz ). After ing P last summ ark, the Chelala fa 11 years mily move er from N d YC to Larc hmont, N .Y.

Peter Dugan ‘91 stopped by campus on his way back to Maine in January and caught up with Kevin Driscoll ‘71, as well as Rob Dowling ‘91 (not pictured).

t: it Avon. From lef The Nelsons vis , Åsa; fe wi ’s vid Da ; 98 Peter Evans P’ August; P’93; his son, his mother, Lois lly.

Mo his daughter, David ’93; and

94 GRAHAM C. FULLER

manages the line of network portfolios. The Nelsons have two children, son August (9), and daughter Molly (7). Just before Christmas, they were all back in the States to visit Avon, where David’s mother still lives, and they stopped for a tour with Peter and Sue Evans (see photo). In their travels, David met his former teacher David McElheny and remembered fondly Bill Kron and others. He told Mr. McElheny that he had a perfect score on his Swedish IQ test, part of his initial job interview with King, thanks to Mr. Mac and Mr. Kron. The Nelsons now also have a beach cottage a short walk from the water and only about 35 minutes from their other home. Because they are in the south of Sweden, daughter Molly had not seen snow until this Avon visit. David and his wife, Åsa, and the two children speak both English and Swedish. When they were babies learning to talk, David would ask a question in English and they would respond in Swedish. Now everybody is totally fluent in both.

Co-Head Class Agent 2937 Morris Rd. Ardmore, PA 19003-1832 grahamcraigfuller@gmail.com PAUL M. GOZZO

Co-Head Class Agent 5 Country Farm Cross Road Stratham, NH 03885-2536 11pgoz@gmail.com PAUL GOZZO lives in Stratham, N.H., with his wife, Melissa, and son, Christopher (1). He frequently sees his brother, JON GOZZO ’92, who lives nearby with his wife, Sarah, and their twin four-year-old girls. TOMMY NOLAN ’93, and KC GARGILL ’93 are his neighbors living in the towns of Hampton and Exeter respectively. TOMMY is a scout with the Nashville Predators and KC owns and operates three very successful restaurants in New Hampshire and one in Newburyport, Mass.

PAUL also sees PETE CONLIN when he can break free from busy life with his three daughters. Pete works in commercial real estate in Boston.

MIKE ROZINSKY lives in Marblehead, Mass., with his wife, Leah, their son, Kai (9), and daughter, Joanna (7). Mike works for the Enterprise Technology Group at Fidelity Investments.

MIKE ROZINSKY, PETE CONLIN and PAUL GOZZO watched Mr. Gardner and his boys win

another championship on a cold Sunday in New Hampshire.

PETE CHELALA just moved from NYC

to Larchmont, N.Y., with his wife, Cynthia, and two sons, Henry (8) and Teddy (4) (see photo). Pete works for Viacom in mobile and video ad sales.

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Class Notes

Craig Evans ’98 makes a snowman with “help” from his children, Cam ille (3) and Ben (1).

The Al-Sudairy brothe rs came back to campus for an Avon football gam e last fall. From left: Dean Peter Evans P’9 8, Sultan Al-Sudairy ’00 , Matt Kowalchick ’99, Na if Al-Sudairy’97, and Coach Kevin Driscoll ’72 , P’08

Steve Brengle ’01, James Jennings ’99 and his, fiancée, Fatima Ramahti, were at the NYC reception last October.

98 WHIT MATTHEWS lives in New Canaan, Conn.,

GORDON KELLY was recently featured in the Irish

with his wife, Sabrina, and their three children, Berkley, Keeley, and Wheeler. Whit is a principal at Significant Homes in New Canaan.

Times with his wife, Maggie, and two children living in their new home, built from shipping containers.

Check it out at www.irishtimes.com.

JORDY JASON recently moved to Fort Worth,

Texas, where he lives with his wife, daughter, and son. Jordy is the CEO of U.S. Energy Development Corporation.

ROB GAGNON has been at Cushing Academy for

ten years, where he is the admissions director and varsity boys hockey coach.

95 ANTHONY D. SILVESTRO, Head Class Agent

Haskell Rd., Andover, MA 01810 tony_silvestro@administaff.com

96

BRIAN KELLER is the senior VP at Colonnade

MARK A. CARUSO, Head Class Agent

Properties in NYC, where he lives with his wife and two children.

124 Westminster Rd., Chatham, NJ 07928-1364 mcaruso@gmail.com

GARRETT TRULL lives on Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey with his two beautiful children. He lives down the street from CHAD DLUGOLECKI, who is the owner/president of Elite Hockey Management.

97

CHRIS MOLLER is the managing principal at

Orion Growth in Charlotte, N.C., where he lives with his wife and two children.

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

TIMOTHY B. STAY, Co-Head Class Agent 2024 Upland Way #205, Philadelphia, PA 19131 timothystay@gmail.com KYLE R. YOUNGQUIST, Co-Head Class Agent 2 14th St., Apt. 321, Hoboken, NJ 07030 bigkyleyoungquist@gmail.com

GEOFFREY R. BARLOW, Co-Head Class Agent 500 Old Farms Rd., Avon, CT 06001 barlowg@avonoldfarms.com J.A. CORRIGAN, Co-Head Class Agent

78 West 85th St., Apt.5B, New York, NY 10024 jamesandrewcorrigan@gmail.com DREW WIDGER and his wife, Ashley, loved seeing everyone at The Fours for the Avon gathering in Boston last November. They still live in Boston and spent time last summer traveling in Bali, Borneo, and Singapore. Look up Drew if you’re in Boston.

The Kareem Norman Award is presented each year to the Avon Old Farms player who “best demonstrates the qualities that KAREEM NORMAN personified: tremendous passion for the sport of hockey, love of the Avon community, and an unbridled enthusiasm for life.” This year, the recipient was SAM TIMONEN ’17 . Sam was recognized for his focus on working on his game each day and always seeking to improve in practice.

As a two-year member of the varsity hockey team and a co-captain this season, Sam provided excellent leadership throughout the season. He is an excellent reflection of Kareem and the character traits for which Kareem was known.

Jamie Tang ’03 and Dan Harrop ’88 enjoyed getting together with Avonians at the Penn Club of NYC last fall.

Rich Boudria ’02 reconnected with Dean Peter Evans P’98 at the fall reception in NYC.

George Boudria ’03 married Kate Dahl, and they traveled to Italy for their honeymoon.

and Jennifer The Avon connection at Mac Justin Pool and on McDonald’s wedding: Alis ld ’04 ona McD Mac , ’06 l chil ’04, Eric Jain ers Pow ld, ona McD r and Jennifer Streete Fugge ’04 and Jon men t bes and , ’06 Bova Adam Fine ’04.

99 DAVID R. GRYBOSKI, Co-Head Class Agent 101 South Bay Blvd, Suite B-3, PO Box 732 Anna Maria, FL 34216-0732 dgryboski@tampabay.rr.com ANDREW M. KUNISCH, Co-Head Class Agent

1431 33rd St. NW, Apt. 2 Washington, DC 20007-2851 kunisch23@yahoo.com STEPHEN A. ZAPPONE, Co-Head Class Agent

71 Hartwell Rd., West Hartford, CT 06117-1912 zappones@yahoo.com

00 MICHAEL J. O’NEILL, Co-Head Class Agent

2 Saltaire Dr., Old Lyme, CT 06371 michaeloneill27@yahoo.com DAN SEIDEN, Co-Head Class Agent

76 Crabapple Ln., Asheville, NC 28804 seidend@gmail.com

01 CHRISTOPHER D. COLEMAN

Co-Head Class Agent 2 Capewell Ave., Pawtucket, RI 02860-5638 christopherdcoleman@gmail.com

NICHOLAS H. LAROCQUE, Co-Head Class Agent

77 N. Almaden Ave., Apt. 419 San Jose, CA 95110-2779 larocque.nicholas@gmail.com MATT HADDAD and his family live in Seattle, Wash., and Matt works for Cascade Investment in Kirkland, a holding company controlled by Bill Gates and managed by Michael Larson. He sent an email to Avon in January: “My son Hani James Haddad arrived on January 26, 2017. Mother and baby are doing great. I was really bummed to miss Mr. Detora and Mr. Driscoll in Seattle. We ended up heading into the hospital a few days early.”

02 WILLIAM N. PALMER, Head Class Agent 4736 Terr. St., Kansas City, MO 64112 wnpalmer@gmail.com

03 JAMES TANG, Head Class Agent

300 East 84th St. Apt. 2A., New York, NY 10028 jamesttang@gmail.com PETER FORD married Maggie Roesener in Vienna, Va., last June. They live in Annapolis, Md., where he works for the U.S. Naval Academy and she is a speech pathologist.

DUSTIN LOWERY will start medical school in

Bethesda, Md., in August. He and his wife, Lisa, expected their second child in April 2017. He is going into the Navy (from the Army) and hopes he and Lisa will have a better chance of being together on their next assignment. They were previously in Italy with son, Ben (3). Dustin will be in the Naval Medical Corps. They loved living in Italy but are now in Norfolk, Va.

04 MATTHEW H. MORAN, Head Class Agent

1605 Sansom St. #206, Philadelphia, PA 19103 matthew.h.moran@gmail.com SAM COLE and his wife, Heather, welcomed their second son, Wells Taylor, born on February 6, 2017, weighing 7lbs. 8 oz. and 20 inches long. Big brother

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Class Notes

Adam Beeble ’05 with his son, Dylan, and Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08 at the West Palm Beach reception in February

The family of Sam Cole ’04 celebrates another visit from the stork: big brother, Wyatt (2), Heather, Wells, and Sam’04.

d ach Driscoll ’71, an Tom Mapes ’07, Co the at g tin ec nn joyed co Will Sieber ’07 en b the Chevy Chase Clu Avon reception at . ter win t las ., in Chevy Chase, Md

Director of Development Jim Detora P’12, with Jackson Howard ‘05 and Adam Stifel ‘99, at the Chevy Chase reception

Pat ’04 and Joyce Sheridan reco nnected with Director of Development Jim Detora P’12 in New York City in Octo ber.

Wyatt (almost 2) helped welcome him home (see photo). Proud grandparents are Avon’s chairman of the board, Marty Cole H’16, P’04, and his wife, Terri P’04.

PAT SHERIDAN and his wife, Joyce, announce the

arrival of their son, Duke Hsu Sheridan, born on July 4, 2016. It was great to see Pat and Joyce at the New York reception at the Penn Club of NYC last October (see photo).

MAC MCDONALD emailed, “On New Year’s Eve,

I was married to my wife, Jennifer. JON FUGGE and ADAM FINE served as best men, with fellow Winged Beavers JUSTIN POOL, POWERS BOVA ’06, and ERIC JAINCHILL ’06 in attendance (see photo). I’m currently in my ninth year as history teacher at the Boys’ Latin School of Maryland and will complete my master’s in educational studies at Johns Hopkins University this May. Though I don’t make it back to Avon often, my experience and the people who shaped it are constantly on my mind as I continue my career in education.

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

05 DANE G. LEMERIS, Head Class Agent

619 E 5th St., Apt. 29, New York, NY 10009 dlemeris@gmail.com ADAM BEEBLE and his wife, Liz, welcomed their son, Dylan, and Adam took him to meet Kevin Driscoll in West Palm Beach at Dorrian’s Red Hand (see photo).

06 KEVIN T. DRISCOLL, Co-Head Class Agent 700 1st St., Apt. 6Q, Hoboken, NJ 07030 kevin.t.driscoll@gmail.com JOSHUA P. PAVANO, Co-Head Class Agent

60 Forest Hills Dr., Farmington, CT 06032-3017 jpavano@gmail.com BEN LYONS and his wife, Chelsea, welcomed their daughter, Olivia Grace, born on February 19, 2017.

07 CASEY R. COONS, Co-Head Class Agent

37 Bradford Rd., Watertown, MA 02472 caseycoons4@gmail.com TYLER C. HADDAD, Co-Head Class Agent 81 Brookside Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106-2319 tyler.c.haddad@gmail.com

08 WILL HENDRICKS, Co-Head Class Agent

12345 N.E. 45TH Ave., Portland, OR 97213-1215 willheatonhendricks@gmail.com KEVIN SISTI, Co-Head Class Agent

64 Pinnacle Rd., Farmington, CT 06030 ksideas@aol.com RICHARD WOODWELL passed the bar exam and will continue to specialize in estate planning law.

YONG BOK “SCOTTY” LEE owns a tutoring

company called Gooroo. Honored in 2016 as one of the top 30 young New York people in technology, he got his entrepreneurial start early in life, creating a non-profit English volunteering platform connecting more than 7,000 English tutors with underprivileged children. While attending Columbia University and studying

Pat Leddy ’11, Connor Doyle ’12, Charles O’Brien ’12, Connor Latz ’12, and Gavin Clark ’12 attended the Penn Club of New York City reception in October.

Alex Ball ’10, Donal Flaherty ’10, Kieran Morris ’11 with Kim Crocker at the Penn Club of NYC

Gavin Clark ’12, Jeremy Ross ’12, and Comie Stallmeyer ’10 met in New York City.

Hud and Reid, twin sons of Tina and Mike Cesaro ’06.

Alex Miller ’10 enjoyed seeing long-time family friend Alex Clark, sister of Avonian Chris Clark ’15, in NYC for the reception at the Penn Club. Both the Miller and Clark families hail from Ridgewood, N.J.

engineering, he went on to create an online fashion retailer, Mud Cafe. After a stint at J.P. Morgan, Lee launched Gooroo, which connects students to qualified tutors on demand.

’07 caught Jim Eichas ry Coons in up with Hen er. ob ct O NYC in

Conor Cummings’09 and Coach Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08 stop for a photo at the Chevy Chase Club last December.

John Ducci ’05 with his wife, Amy, and son, Cody (1)

Pat Irwin ’05 and his wife, Jessica, with their daughter, Keegan Mary Irwin, born November 18, 20 16. The Irwins recently bought a home in Niskayuna, N.Y.

KYLE LIPKVICH married his college sweetheart, Amelia Grabowski (Londonderry, N.H.) The two Bryant University alums were married on September 24, 2016, at Belle Mer in Newport, R.I. Kyle wrote, “It was amazing to see all the Men of Avon support their brother on this special occasion.” (see photo)

09 JOHN (BEN) BEATH, Head Class Agent 12229 Prince Towne Dr., St. Louis, MO 63141 beathj@gmail.com

10 MATTHEW R. COZ, Head Class Agent

214 Cherry Brook Rd. Canton, CT 06019 mcoz@trinity.edu

11 OLIVER K. ROTHMANN, Head Class Agent

10 Ardsley Way, Avon, CT 06001 Rothmanno@avonoldfarms.com

tember Avon men celebrated in the Sep Front row: Kyle P. ’08. vich Lipk Kyle of ding wed Zieky ’08, Evan Lipkvich ’08; second row: Jake k row: Brad bac Quick ’08, Drew LeClerc ’08; jamin Riley ’08.

Ben ’08, k Clar y Timm ’06, Lipkvich

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Class Notes

Tucker Symes ’16 and Liam McCarthy ’16 pose together at West Po int’s Plebe Parent Week end

T.J. Dockery ’14 (third in line from left) helped Norwich University’s hockey team achieve its fourth NCAA Division III championship in March.

Thomas Chandler ’16, Tucker Symes ’16, and Owen Davis ’16 reunite at the Army-N avy game.

Army beat Navy 21-17 .

Avonians Jihad Brad and Harkeem ’12 NYC. in 8 Cooper ’0

12 JOHN D. SHAMBURGER, Head Class Agent

345 Brookview Dr., Atlanta, GA 30339 shamburgerd@gmail.com DYLAN SHAMBURGER has two brothers at Avon now: RAINES ’17 and GENTRY ’20 . Dylan came back to see Raines play on the varsity hockey team.

JEREMY ROSS graduated from Babson College in

May 2016. After a brief stint in New York City, he returned to Boston to pursue job opportunities in cybersecurity and enterprise risk management.

13 WILSON P. MEYER, Head Class Agent

2 Torrey Pines Ln., Newport Beach, CA 92660 wilsonpmeyer@gmail.com

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

14

15

MICKOY R. NICHOL, Co-Head Class Agent

WILLIAM C. DAVIS, Co-Head Class Agent 11 Parker Road, Avon, CT 06001 cdavis7@me.com

174 Upper County Rd. Apt. # 2-3, Dennisport, MA 02639 mnichol@bates.edu RYAN D. PHILLIPS, Co-Head Class Agent

621 Allen Ct. NW, Atlanta, GA 30327-3511 ryanphillips@utexas.edu T.J. DOCKERY completed his first year as a freshman defenseman (#10) for the Norwich University men’s ice hockey team and helped it achieve its fourth NCAA Division III championship Saturday, March 25, 2017, with a 4-1 win over Trinity College (see photo). The 2016–2017 season was spectacular, with a 25-game unbeaten streak, helping the Cadets to their first national title since 2010.

CHRISTIAN E. DIANTONIO, Co-Head Class Agent

520 Dingleton Hill Rd., Cornish, NH 03745-4521 diantoniochristian@gmail.com

16 MATTHEW HORTON, Co-Head Class Agent 41 Ironwood Road, Guilford, CT 06437 mhorton@wesleyan.edu ALESSIO MARCOGLIESE, Co-Head Class Agent

590 Kindersley, Mount-Royal, CANADA, H3R 1S4 alessio.marcogliese@gmail.com

r) completed tin ’10 (cente Sam Mar n on City Maratho the New York , and 15 20 1, r mbe Sunday, Nove e by lin h is at the fin was greeted and ft) (le 1 ’1 ld na Bobby MacDo (right).

Alex Ball ’10

The school has learned of the deaths of the following:

DANIEL FRANCIS GATES ’43

RODNEY L. SMITH ’66

CHARLES ELDRIDGE LLOYD JR. ’57

JOHN H. ROSS ’67

GARY BLACK JR. ’60

PETER WILLIAM LAREAU ’80

CHARLES A. “CHUCK” LORING III ’60

ADRIEL E. LONGO ’83

PRESTON HAMPTON HASKELL ’63

Friend of the School NANCY ESTABROOK, wife of Reed Estabrook ’36, former board chairman

HENRY HILGARD VILLARD ’62 ROBERT FRANKLIN CAMPBELL ’64

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New York City

Avon Move

The Penn Club of NYC October 26, 2016

on the

Annie Cardelus P’05,’18; Tim Jones P’05,’18; Jon Salony ’64; and Bella Jones

Headmaster Ken LaRocque P’01,’10; Bill Heyman P’11; and Director of Development Jim Detora P’12

Gavin Clark ’12, Jeremy Ross ’12, and Comie Stallmeyer ’10

Patrick Leddy ’11, Connor Doyle ’12, Charles O’Brien ’12, Connor Latz ’12, and Gavin Clark ’12

Nick Sica ’08, Brad Cooper ’08, Paul Severni ’07, Doug Beyer ’08, and Matt Giamalis ’07

Bill Austin ’92, Becky Austin, Jane Austin P’92, and William Austin P’92

Boston

The Fours November 1, 2016

Matt Lauro ’09, Jim Detora P’12, John Hartnett ’95, Mook Lawrence ’05, Brian Orr ’04, and Josh Heller ’98

Dave Barros ’11, Tim Trautman ’75, P’03, Cooper O’Connor ’11, and Harrison Wasserbauer ’12

Chevy Chase The Chevy Chase Club Hosted by Dean Graham ’84 December 1, 2016

Bill Slover ’86 and Dean Graham ’84

Tom Mapes ’07 and Connor Cummings ’09

Sam Orr ’05 and Craig Chester ’01

Front Row: Jim Detora P’12; Jackson Howard ’05; Henry Coons ’71, P’07; Craig Chester ’01; Fred Michel ’75. Second row: Victor Wowk P’14, ’15; Christine Wowk P’14, ’15; Tony Fitch; Leslie Wileman P’89; Deb Graham; Kate Sieber P’07; Laura Slover; Bill Slover ’85; Jason Miller ’95; Whitney Miller; Missy Moran; Peter Evans P’98; Alicia Gartrell P’18; Robin Delnicki. Third row: Tim Overcash P’18; Sam Orr ’05; Bridget Overcash P’18; Bob Moran ’73; Connor Cummings ’09; Ken LaRocque P’01, ’10; Tom Mapes ’07; Brian Pirko P’17; Dean Graham ’84; Will Sieber ’07; Larry Hammerman ’71; Jamie Hayes ’88; George Trautman H’98, P’75, ’81, GP’03; Adam Stifel ’99; Tim Trautman ’75, P’03; Jim Howard ’76; Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08

Houie Baker ’76; Tim Trautman ’75, P’03; Henry Coons ’71, P’07; Robin Delnicki; and George Connor ’81

Baltimore The Valley Inn Hosted by Larry Hammerman ’71 December 2, 2016

Tim Trautman ’75, P’03; George Connor ’81; Henry Coons ’71, P’07; Larry Hammerman ’71; Houie Baker ’76; Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08; Sandy Martin ’75; Arnie Stifel ’83; and Jim Detora P’12

Left: Sandy Martin ’75; Houie Baker ’76; George Connor ’81; Tim Trautman ’75, P’03. Right: Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08; Larry Hammerman ’71; Henry Coons ’71, P’07; Anrnie Stifel ’83; and Chips Shutt ’55

Matthew Chandler ’96, Andreas Biekert ’11, Pat McGregor ’10, Kevin Driscoll ’72 P’08, and Paul Foote ’08

San Francisco The Pacific-Union Club Co-Hosted by Brian Mullins ’68, P’04 and Bruce Qvale P’04, ’06 January 25, 2017

James Boyle ’85, Jay Croughwell ’87, and Ben Travers ’88

Ben Travers ’88, Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08, James Boyle ’85, and Kurt Detweiler ’90

Timothy Orr ’85 and National Council Member John Usich ’89

Avon Alumni Hockey Game February 11, 2017 Kneeling: Connor Doyle ’12, Rick Valentine ’64, Walter Cesarski ’20, Frank Berrian ’95 Standing: George Giannoni ’74, Dan McDougall ’12, John McCormick ’82, Charlie Ward ’02, Brian Farrell ’90, Tom Carroll ’05, Bill Green ’83, John Pintoff ’99, Mark Berrian ’97, Greg Kearney ’09, Luke Archambault ’04, Mike Griffin ’97 The Avonian Spring 2017

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Avon Move on the

Atlanta

The Sayyah home Hosted by R. C. Sayyah ’82 P’18, February 15, 2017

Matt Murray ’98, National Council member Derrick Barker ’06, and Peter Theis ’06

Jordan Truppman ’11, Jim Detora P’12, Derrick Barker ’06, Peter Theis ’06, Jacob Redfearn ’10, Henry Tesar ’10, Matt Murray ’98, Mary Reed, Dan Reed ’68, Jeanna Matalon, Ryan Matalon ’04, R. C. Sayyah ’82, P’18, Jenny Protopapadakis, Rae Matalon, Daniel Matalon ’00, Michael Straus ’66, Cindy Straus, and John Gordon ’84

Ryan Matalon ’04, Jeanna Matalon, and Jordan Truppman ’11

Jordan Truppman ’11, Ryan Matalon ’04, Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08, Matt Murray ’98, Daniel Matalon ’00, and Jim Detora P’12

Camron Sayyah, R. C. Sayyah ’82, P’18, John Gordon ’84, and Jenny Protopapadakis

West Palm Beach Dorrian’s Red Hand Hosted by Jamie Tang ’03 February 16, 2017 Holly Seifert; George Seifert ’62, P’13; board member Jim Corrigan ’67, P’98; and Skip Flanagan GP’16, ’19

Jerry Robinson ’62, Bill David ’61, Nick Malinsoky ’00, Katherine Tolman, Fielding McElroy ’01, George Seifert ’62, P’13, and Adam Beeble ’05 with his son, Dylan.

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Fall 2017 The Avonian

Nick Malinsoky ’00, Katherine Tolman, Fielding McElroy ’01, and Jim Detora P’12

Woodbury Forest AOF vs. Woodberry Forest Varsity Lacrosse Reception Hosted by Rusty Avery ’67 March 23, 2017 Front row sitting: Brian Malchoff ’07, Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08, Chip Burkhalter ’92, Tim Trautman ’75, P’03, Matt Kowalchick ’99, Dan Reed ’68, Poulson “Pope” Reed ’63, Rusty Avery ’67, Ken Cloud ’78, Harris Bucklin ’70, Andre Wowk ’14, and Mike Symes ’81. Standing: AOF varsity lacrosse team and Coaches Keith Lee, and Coach Trevor Stern

Mike Herring ’15, Coach Keith Lee, and Theo Dol ’15

Head Coach Skip Flanagan GP’16, ’19, reception host Rusty Avery ’67, and Tim Trautman ’75, P’03

Chip Burkhalter ’92 with his son, Tim Trautman ’75, P’03, Dan Reed ’68, Poulson “Pope” Reed ’63, and Ken Cloud ’78

Poulson “Pope” Reed ’63, Barbara Bucklin, Dan Reed ’68, Harris Bucklin ’70, and Tim Trautman ’75, P’03

Baltimore AOF vs. Gilman School Varsity Lacrosse Reception Hosted by Larry Hammerman ’71 March 25, 2017 Included in the picture with Avon’s varsity lacrosse team are: George Trautman H’98, P’75, ’81, GP’03, Houie Baker ’76, Mike Brennan ’95, Terry Coffman ’91, Larry Hammerman ’71, Peter Randrup ’79, Sandy Martin ’65, Adam Fine ’04, Tim Trautman ’75, P’03, Jim Howard ’76, Mike Symes ’81, P’16, Brian Malchoff ’07, Matt Kowalchick ’99, and Jon Fugge ’04 The Avonian Spring 2017

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The Last Word A chapel talk given by Jack Lynch ’17

G

ood morning. I stand here before you not to preach to you but to encourage you to listen to something that I learned within my own family, that I believe has made me a better, richer, more dimensional human being.

Just five short years ago, I lived my life in a box. I was very one-dimensional and homogeneous in my family, friendships, and goals in life. I never ventured outside my box, mostly because I had little exposure or experiences with others who were different from me but also because I never thought I needed to. I was comfortable with my life.

The walls of my box began to crumble with the birth and adoption of my African American baby sister and with the coming out of my older brother, Riley. I began to see the joy and personal growth I could experience from relationships with those who are in some ways different from me; they could be my most treasured relationships, if I were open. Most important, I also began to see how alike and connected you can be to people in spite of your differences.

I remember waiting impatiently for the car to pull into the driveway with my newborn sister. When they finally arrived, I saw Mary for the first time, fast asleep in the back seat. She immediately felt like family. However, this was not how I felt when my parents first told me that we were adopting a black baby sister.

Adopt? Why adopt? I knew my mom had had a miscarriage a few years before, but I was confused as to why adoption was necessary. Although I was full of questions, my middle-school self responded with a mere “OK.” In January, a woman from the adoption agency came to our house for a home evaluation. I felt awkward having someone evaluate whether or not our family was “good enough,” but apparently we were because she informed us that we were fit to adopt. My parents were overjoyed; I was still unsure about what it would be like to have a non-blood-related sibling, and, more importantly, what everyone else would think. As a seventh grader, I was already self-conscious enough, and adopting a new sibling would make us stand out in a big way in our small Connecticut town. Within a few weeks, the agency notified us that a birth mother had chosen our family. She was a black woman named Amy. I did not tell my friends until I heard my sister Maeve proudly say she had told everyone. With three brothers, Maeve was excited to finally have a sister. It was then that I decided to tell my three closest friends that my family was adopting a black baby girl. I was afraid of what they would think, but to my surprise, they were really supportive and happy for my family and me. I began to open up a bit to the idea, even though I remained reserved and slightly bewildered over the prospect of getting a new sister.

Would it be different? Would I love her like my other siblings?

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Spring 2017 The Avonian

Before I knew it, my parents left on a plane to Utah to be there for the birth of our new sister. On the second night, right before bed, I got a text from my mom. I took a deep breath and opened it.

Staring back at me was a photo of a tiny baby with light brown skin and the cutest little nose. Within seconds, Maeve came rushing in, asking breathlessly if I had seen the photo. I felt a twinge in my stomach and realized that I was excited to meet my new sister in person.

A few nights later my mom arrived, carrying an infant car seat. Inside was my new sister looking so small and adorable.

I rushed them inside to the family room so that I could hold her. I reached out my index finger, and her long fingers wrapped around mine.

“Hello, Mary,” I whispered. I loved her like I did all my siblings. Now four years old, Mary continues to amaze me with her intelligence, her warm heartedness, and her unbelievable memory. Yes, my sister may be different, but in the most amazing ways. I can’t imagine my family without her.

As you can see, my reservations and nervousness were ill-founded. This beautiful human being has made my life immeasurably better.

Now I’d like to talk to you about my older brother, Riley.

He and I were very close as young kids. In seventh grade, Riley began to pull away from our family and become very isolated. As some of you may know, Riley is a very talented singer, and he made it all the way out to LA for boot camp on the television show X-Factor several years ago. His life became about music and very little else. He became increasingly depressed, and our whole family worried about him. About a year and a half ago, Riley finally confided to me that he was gay. I encouraged him to tell our parents, and after he did, it was like the weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders. He was once again the Riley that I was close to growing up, and I had gotten my brother back. He is a normal, happy, hilarious person, who is so comfortable in his own skin now, and deserves every happiness. He has a longterm boyfriend, who is a great guy, and someone I am happy to call a friend.

My sister and brother are awesome. I feel bad for anyone who misses out on knowing them just because they may be different. Take it from me, it feels so good to live life outside of the box. I’ll never limit my friendships and relationships again. A homogenous life is a life un-lived. Living a life full of color is the only way I can see my future now.

The Founder’s Years In conjunction with the Avon Historical Society, Old Farms has a display of photographs and objects from the founder’s era in the history section of Avon Free Public Library. Many aspects of early school life are displayed— sugaring, Nimrod Club, classroom activities, an early blazer and tie, an original Refectory candlestick and water pitcher, and Theodate Riddle supervising construction. The display was on exhibit through March and April.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID 500 Old Farms Road Avon, Connecticut 06001 www.AvonOldFarms.com

Change Service Requested

Inside:

Pushups for Patriots

Avon, CT 06001 Permit No. 12