As the vibrant days of spring awaken our campus and we continue the forward march toward celebrating our centennial, it feels fitting to reflect on the theme of repurposing, refreshing, and expanding. This issue of the Avonian delves into how schools such as Avon Old Farms balance the preservation of tradition with the demands of modern education. Our campus’s distinctive character is defined by its historical architecture, yet its evolution through thoughtful expansion and creative repurposing keeps it relevant and inspiring for today’s students and those to come.
Repurposing historical structures is a testament to our respect for the past. It honors the school’s legacy, fosters a sense of continuity, and demonstrates environmental stewardship by conserving resources. Simultaneously, the addition of new buildings presents opportunities to integrate state-of-the-art facilities, promote innovative learning experiences, and accommodate our growing student body. Together, these efforts create a dynamic environment where tradition meets excellence, ensuring Avon remains adaptable, relevant, and inspiring for generations to come.
While reflecting on the spaces that shape our school, I’d like to share a personal favorite spot on campus—ironically, not a building at all. In 2016, during my first days at Avon, a colleague offered to give me a tour, including a walk to Beaver Pond. For those familiar with the trek, you’ll recall the steep descent down the hill behind the library, leading to a footpath that meanders alongside a babbling brook. Tucked away between the campus buildings and the bustle of Old Farms Road, this serene path is enchanting in every season. It’s secluded, peaceful, and, for me, a place that embodies the unique magic of Avon.
As you explore this edition, I hope you’ll find inspiration in the stories of expansion and renewal, and perhaps, a newfound appreciation for the spaces—both grand and tucked away—that make Avon so special.
Aspirando et perseverando,
JACQUELINE
KELLER, EDITOR
kellerj@avonoldfarms.com (860) 404-4116
Established 1927
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Jim Detora P’12
ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Robert J. Whitty ’87, P’16
MANAGING EDITOR
Jacqueline Keller
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Adam Hushin
The Avonian is published for the alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends of Avon Old Farms School. It is distributed to approximately 7,000 readers. All rights reserved.
AVON OLD FARMS SCHOOL
500 Old Farms Road Avon, CT 06001 www.avonoldfarms.com (860) 404-4100
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EMAIL
Members of the administration and faculty can be emailed by using the following formula: last name + 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.
Cover art by Lawrence Van Alstyne, created for Avon Old Farms School in 1985. Reproduced with artist's permission.
Dear Avonians,
AFROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
s we turn the page to another exciting chapter at Avon Old Farms, I am filled with immense gratitude and pride for the remarkable year we have shared. Since our previous publication, the latter part of the year has been an uplifting tribute to our brotherhood, the steadfast commitment of our faculty, and the remarkable accomplishments of our students.
Throughout the winter, our Winged Beavers demonstrated their talent and perseverance in both athletics and the arts. The Advanced Independent Project (AIP) and the March Intersession programs continue to inspire our students, with many choosing to pursue in-depth projects during their off-season from sports. Our alumni community plays a vital role in creating opportunities for students to immerse themselves in their fields of interest. I applaud those who have generously offered their time and encourage all Avonians to consider mentoring or providing opportunities for our students.
As spring arrived, so did the energy and opportunities. Classrooms buzzed with innovation, Smalley Field came alive with a competitive stickball season, and the annual spring Founder’s Day offered the boys a chance to enjoy the beauty of Mrs. Riddle’s campus. The Avon experience continues to shape and strengthen each student, reinforcing the values that define us.
Faculty member Jake Spearman P’14, ’15, ’18 bids farewell to Avon as he embarks on the next chapter of his life in retirement. His warmth, wit, and unwavering presence will be deeply missed within our community. The pinnacle of our year was the 2025 commencement ceremonies on the Village Green—a celebration of resilience, growth, and brotherhood. It was wonderful to welcome Major John Bourgault ’80, P’09, back to Avon as our commencement speaker, who delivered an inspiring and impactful speech to our graduates. As we watched another outstanding class step confidently into the world, we were reminded of the lifelong impact of an Avon education.
Looking ahead, we are on the verge of exciting capital projects that will enhance the Avon experience for generations to come. These projects, close to being fully funded, will be celebrated in the fall issue of the Avonian, and I look forward to sharing more details soon.
Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey. Avon is stronger than ever, and the future is bright.
Aspirando et perseverando,
JIM DETORA P’12 Head of School
village green
R.E.A.L.
LEARNING IN ACTION
A Look Inside a Ninth-Grade History Classroom
When you’ve been teaching for 24 years, some things come naturally in the classroom. That doesn’t mean it’s always easy or without significant effort, but it does mean that sticking to a path that works should eventually yield positive results. With Mary-Kate Greenberg (MK for short), she’s found that to be exactly the case, and it’s why she absolutely loves her job as a ninth-grade history teacher.
“You could say teaching is in my blood. My dad was a college government professor, and my mom was a first-grade teacher, so growing up I would often sit in on a class and dream about becoming an educator one day,” MK explains. “When it came time to choose which level I wanted to teach, I split the difference and found high school was the perfect fit. I loved my own high school experience and wanted to give that to others.”
MK’s approach to classroom management isn’t rocket science. It could actually be said that she simply
brings compassion, patience, and a rhythm—plus candy—to her classroom to allow boys to flourish.
“Connection is number one, always,” shares MK. Before any learning can even begin, MK knows that she needs to put in the work to get to know her students and build trust with them. She gets to know what teams they play on, where they’re from, and what they do in their spare time. Only after a rapport is built between teacher and student can the lessons stick, which is another reason why MK loves working in a private school setting: the small class sizes allow for deeper and more meaningful connection with her students.
“When I sat in on my dad’s classes when I was little, I’d hear him tell stories about our family, which made me feel special. It also taught me from a young age that personalizing your classroom is really effective teaching.”
“Nurturing is number two,” she continues. MK shares that this is why she loves teaching ninth
graders—the age group fits the best with her own personality and passion for guiding youth in building a strong foundation for their continued education. As a teacher who has worked in private schools for more than two decades, MK is used to having a wide range of students in her classes: those who come from public schools and private schools; those who were taught in the US and abroad. In her ninth-grade classroom, she uses her history lessons as grounds for laying strong foundations in study skills, reading comprehension, writing, capacity for analysis, time management, organizational skills, and executive function skills—life skills, really. She explains that a key to success is meeting each student where they are in their educational journey and helping them work toward that next key step. “When a student pulls out a messy folder crammed with wrinkled pages, I am ecstatic because he has a folder!” she jokes. “Patience is key,
One such success story MK recapped was with a student who initially struggled in her history class. By the end of the term, they had won an award that recognized the vast improvement they’d achieved. Years later, they wrote to share that they were pursuing a master’s in history because of the passion MK had unleashed all those years ago in ninth-grade history.
So
MK’s style R.E.A.L. Learning. R.E.A.L. Learning refers to Avon’s approach to education, emphasizing Relational, Experiential, Active, and Lifelong learning. It reflects the belief that meaningful education extends beyond traditional classroom instruction and focuses on fostering personal connections, hands-on experiences, and skills that prepare students for lifelong success. Mary-Kate Greenberg’s teaching philosophy is a shining example of how Avon Old Farms embodies R.E.A.L. Learning. Her dedication to for sure, as well as a sense of humor. But I truly love working with my students, and the ones who return years later and share their success stories is what makes me keep coming back day after day.”
“At Avon especially, having an active classroom is key,” MK says next. In ninth-grade history, the topics of study range from the age of exploration to the Columbian exchange, from classical Greek and Roman history all the way through the world wars. With so much to cover, MK puts the excitement of discovery into students’ hands: students are assigned to research topics and present them to the class, as opposed to taking notes from a lecture. When it comes time to review for a test or quiz, “Board Bingo” is a hit in the classroom that stokes retention much more effectively than a review packet. “Collaboration and talking are key. If you can explain it to a classmate, you know your stuff. On top of that, when students are in motion, they remember. So I always try to keep my classroom engaging.”
If many of these tenants of MK’s classroom seem familiar, that’s because at Avon Old Farms, they should be, and it’s why MK is such a great culture fit. At Avon, we call
often we’re just teaching, just doing what we know works, but when you examine it, you realize why it works so well, especially with high school boys.
—MARY-KATE GREENBERG, NINTH-GRADE HISTORY FACULTY
building relationships, nurturing her students, and creating active, engaging classroom experiences ensures that every student in her care not only masters the subject matter but also develops essential life skills. By fostering trust, encouraging collaboration, and embracing hands-on learning, MK inspires her students to discover their passions and reach their potential. Her work exemplifies the school’s mission of shaping boys into men of character who are prepared to lead and thrive in a complex world.
R.E.A.L. LEARNING AT A GLANCE
● Relational. Building strong relationships among students, faculty, and the community is at the heart of learning. Mentorship, camaraderie, and collaboration create a classroom environment where students feel supported and encouraged to reach their full potential.
● Experiential. Avon promotes learning through real-world applications, whether through field trips, guest lectures, or just taking learning outside the classroom doors and into our expansive campus. This hands-on approach helps students engage deeply with their studies and develop practical skills.
● Active. Learning at Avon is dynamic and participatory. Students are encouraged to take initiative, embrace challenges, and be active participants in the classroom.
● Lifelong. Avon aims to instill a love of learning that lasts well beyond graduation. The school emphasizes character development, critical thinking, and intellectual curiosity, preparing students to thrive in an ever-changing world.
BEYOND THE SAWGRASS: Emmy-Winning Filmmaker Luca Martinez Inspires Avon Old Farms Students to Protect Wild Spaces
This spring, Avon Old Farms School welcomed Luca Martinez, a 20-year-old Emmy-award-winning filmmaker and environmental advocate, to campus for a presentation that left the community inspired and motivated. His visit, made possible by the Lech Family Visual Arts Endowment, was a multifaceted experience that included a keynote presentation, a Q&A session, visits to photo classes, and dinner in the art studio—all centered around his passion for conservation and storytelling.
Known globally for his work, which has reached an audience of 450 million viewers, Martinez uses photography
and film to reveal the hidden beauty of the natural world and advocate for its preservation. While he now speaks on stages worldwide, Martinez didn’t come to Avon Old Farms to showcase his achievements. He came to remind students that the power to make a difference often begins at their age.
Growing up in Miami, his journey began with weekends exploring his grandfather’s one-acre backyard, armed with a camera and a fascination for Florida’s wildlife. “When you love something, you fight for it,” he told the Avon community, sharing how a childhood curiosity led him to the Everglades and ultimately to a career dedicated to protecting the planet’s wild spaces.
Martinez captivated the audience with immersive storytelling and visuals, transporting them to the Florida Everglades—a unique and often misunderstood ecosystem. During the presentation, Martinez shared immersive footage of the Everglades, complete with the sounds of rustling sawgrass and birdsong. His storytelling brought the wetlands to life, demonstrating why these spaces are worth protecting. Through vivid anecdotes, he described encounters with osprey at dawn, the tranquility of cypress domes, and the resilience of species like the American alligator, which rebounded from near extinction in the 1960s. “Any wild place, anywhere around you, is alive,”
he emphasized. “When you engage with it, it answers you.”
His keynote highlighted the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the urgent need to protect them. He detailed the ongoing restoration of the Everglades—the largest of its kind in history—as a potential blueprint for preserving other wild spaces. “If we get it right, we can create a template for saving other ecosystems,” he said, assuring students that they, too, have the ability to create change, whether by sharing their stories, participating in grassroots movements, or simply paying attention to the natural world around them.
Martinez’s message resonated deeply with the Avon community, particularly as he drew parallels between the Everglades and Avon Old Farms’ nearly 900 acres of preserved land. “You have something special when you can see the world as it’s always been,” he noted, encouraging students to appreciate and protect their surroundings. His advice for aspiring storytellers and conservationists? "Share it with others. When you are passionate about something, that energy comes through when you speak about it, and often sparks a fire in someone else."
Students and faculty alike were struck by Martinez’s authenticity and passion. As Dean of Faculty Trevor
Stern left the auditorium that morning, he shared, “My cup was feeling a bit empty this morning. Now it is overflowing. I feel invigorated, ready to go out into the world and do something great.” In the Q&A sessions, students asked Martinez about everything from his favorite wildlife encounters to the challenges of filming in remote locations. He shared practical advice on balancing passions with responsibilities and emphasized the importance of surrounding oneself with mentors and peers who share similar values.
“So many doors open when you’re young,” he said. “Policymakers and organizations are eager to work with people who bring fresh perspectives. I’ve also surrounded myself with
people who are talented, eager to help, and always have my best interests at heart. It’s a powerful community.”
Martinez’s journey from a high school student with a GoPro to a globally recognized advocate serves as an inspiring example for Avon Old Farms students. His visit reinforced the idea that age is not a barrier to making a difference. “The biggest threat to our wild spaces is detachment,” he said. “But if you share what you love with others, you’ll inspire them to care too. And when people care, they act.”
Through his work and his words, Martinez inspired the Avon Old Farms community to see the beauty in their own backyard and beyond— and to fight for it.
FEATURED ARTIST
Wonjae Cho ’25
It was the first semester of his sophomore year when Wonjae Cho ’25 found himself in an art class for the first time in his life. Growing up in his native South Korea, he had never been required to take an art course, and he was struggling with his first Drawing 1 assignment. Looking around at his classmates’ progress on their pieces, he grew frustrated and decided to take a break. He wandered around the rest of the Estabrook Fine Arts Center. Wonjae soon found himself downstairs in a classroom dedicated primarily to sculpture and immediately the atmosphere of that room appealed to him. He liked what he saw and dropped his drawing class for Sculpture 101. He could have never known the impact this decision would have on his life.
Months before this pivotal moment, Wonjae was busy deciding where he would attend high school. His parents had convinced him to try out an American boarding school, and he had toured a few in New England, including Avon Old Farms. His friend and neighbor Wooseong Seo ’22 was already enrolled at Avon, which ultimately made his decision easier. “I looked at other schools, but my parents and I were always leaning toward Avon. It was definitely the right choice.”
A large part of why Wonjae feels it was the right decision is because of his newly found passion—and talent—for art. The first sculpture assignment at Avon is usually to create a geometric-shaped sculpture in which the student chooses the geometrical design of their sculpture and what material will be used. Instructor Mr. Greg Calibey only provides loose guidance to encourage student creativity and problem solving. While most people would instinctively choose clay or a similarly moldable material, Wonjae selected a few pieces of sheet metal. As his first sculpture started coming together, Calibey started to take notice. “I think it was early in that first assignment that Mr. Calibey thought I had potential. I didn’t actually end up finishing it until months later because Mr. Calibey wanted me to move on to more advanced stuff.”
“Early on, Wonjae displayed an ability to recognize and reproduce nuanced details, a diligent work ethic, and endless patience,” Calibey shares. “He’s highly intelligent, a quick learner, and a grinder. That very first piece could’ve won awards.”
His teacher’s assessment proved to be correct. That very next sculpture Wonjae began working on would go on to win Best in Show for sculpture at the regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in 2024. This award is given to the student with the most impressive art piece(s) in each category. Wonjae defended his title in 2025, winning Best in Show once again as a senior. “Art is really subjective, so it’s all up to the judges, but winning these awards does boost my confidence. I feel really proud. Especially when I think about how I just started this as a hobby.” His other various art accolades include two Silver Keys and a Gold Key from the Connecticut Art Education Association. Most recently, one of Wonjae’s sculptures, “Portrait of Joel,” was accepted into the 2025 National Art Honor Society Juried Exhibition. His piece was one of only 83 artworks selected for inclusion out of a record number 2,414 submissions from around the country. His most significant accolades came this spring when he became the first AOF student ever to win two Gold Medals at the National Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards competition. One of these submissions also earned the “Best in Grade” award given to one student in each grade level in the entire country. For this, he will receive a monetary award at a ceremony at Carnegie Hall in June.
The awards are obviously a welcome recognition for his time and effort, but for Wonjae, creating art means
All my experiences at Avon don’t seem connected, but when I look back, it all lines up with my dream to be a dentist.
— WONJAE CHO ’25
much more. He says every piece has taught him a new lesson about himself and the world. In one instance, Wonjae was attempting his first ever plaster cast of a human figure. He was a bit too eager to see the results and removed the plaster from its silicone mold before it had fully dried, causing the background panel to crack into multiple fragments. “At first, I was devastated, cursing myself for being so impatient,” Wonjae shares. “But Mr. Calibey told me to stop and reconsider. He felt the cracks actually made the piece far more interesting. It was a valuable lesson as someone who often finds myself inhibited by my desire for perfection. Since then, I’ve tried to
fight my perfectionist impulses, realizing that flaws can become strengths.” Wonjae elaborates that this lesson has also provided a benefit to Avon Old Farms School.
“As a school tour guide, for instance, I used to answer questions from prospective families almost robotically, afraid of going off script and saying the wrong thing. However, I’ve learned to just relax and be myself, a strategy that has ultimately helped me connect more authentically and meaningfully with my tour groups.”
This isn’t the only instance of learning lessons from his artwork that translates to other areas of boarding school life. “Subtractive sculpting” is a type of sculpting that
involves removing pieces of material to form a desired design, as opposed to most other forms of sculpture that involve adding on more clay or other material to form a shape. Wonjae shares he was learning this technique during a particularly stressful period, which ended up being perfect timing. “The process was surprisingly therapeutic. Every time I shaved off a layer, it felt as though I was also chipping away at my stress. Slowly but surely, the block of plaster grew smaller and the beautiful form I’d envisioned revealed itself. I decided to apply the same subtractive process to my own life. By shaving away unimportant commitments from my schedule, I found myself with more
time and energy for those that truly mattered to me.”
Removing layers of stress is certainly something useful for Wonjae, whose involvement around campus reaches far beyond just the art studio. In addition to his role as an Admission Ambassador, Wonjae is the head of the Environmental Club and is this year’s lead editor of the yearbook. He is also one of the most frequent participants in the Advanced Independent Project (AIP) program. AIPs allow students to dedicate more time toward a special interest area of theirs. This can range from working on a personal project to a full-fledged professional internship. Normally, the AIP program is limited to juniors and seniors, but an exception was made for Wonjae his sophomore year.
His first AIP focused on sustainability, exploring composting options for the school. His work alongside Director of Sustainability Mrs. Katy Perry P'21 was a precursor to the Riddle Refectory’s implementation of composting in the spring of 2023. His next AIP was a combination of his environmental interests and an effort to follow in his father’s footsteps working in biology. He and two classmates worked with science teacher Dr. Jack Sanford to create a DNA database of the biodiversity on Avon’s campus. “I wanted to know more about our campus,” Wonjae explains. “I’ve only ever known cities while living in Korea. Being here, and being interested in the environment and biology, I wanted to explore the campus more in depth.” Wonjae spent that season collecting samples from various plants around campus
and extracting their DNA in the science lab. Of course, there have also been multiple art-focused AIPs. Wonjae’s most recent AIP came after months of contemplating what career he would like to pursue in the future. Since he was young, after many trips to visit his dad at work, Wonjae developed a dream of becoming a doctor working with biology. The question really began weighing on him as he finished up his sophomore year. The answer eventually came to him as he was—you guessed it— sculpting. As he worked on his next award-winning piece, Mr. Calibey handed him a tool that he explained was an old dental instrument. This was a revelation for Wonjae. “I felt dentistry is a midpoint between biology and sculpture.” After reaching out to several dental offices in the area, Wonjae began an internship at Hopmeadow Dental in Simsbury. He shadowed doctors for a few hours every week and confirmed his belief that dentistry could be the perfect marriage of his two main interests. “That’s when I realized dentistry
actually has a lot in common with sculpture. The tools, materials, resin— they’re all the same. I was surprised at how closely related they really are.”
In fact, on the last day of his internship, Hopmeadow Dental sent Wonjae back to campus with a collection of old tools to use for sculpting.
Now fully set on becoming a dentist, Wonjae says he is very thankful to Avon for setting him on the right path to fulfill this dream. “All my experiences at Avon don’t seem connected, but when I look back, it all lines up with my dream to be a dentist. Even being an Admission Ambassador has taught me a lot about communication skills, which is another important part of being a dentist or any type of doctor. Avon is really good at encouraging student’s interests.”
As for his next steps, Wonjae will be attending the University of Southern California in the fall. He hopes to still be able to sculpt as a hobby, but isn’t convinced it will happen. “I hear colleges aren’t as supportive of their students as Avon is.”
Growing Up Avon: THE CALLAGHAN FAMILY
When Graham Callaghan, Class of 1995, first stepped onto the Avon Old Farms campus as a prospective student, he was struck by the signature architecture and red stone walls, and also by the sense of genuine camaraderie. “I liked the people at Avon,” he recalls. "I felt a connection on campus, and after we did our admissions tour, my dad noticed it too. Here, people looked him in the eye and said hello—students and faculty alike. That didn’t happen anywhere else."
While he loved his time as a student here, returning to Avon as a faculty member was not something Graham initially envisioned. After completing his graduate assistant work at Temple University, where he taught composition courses, he took his first job at a nearby prep school in Pennsylvania. But he soon felt the pull to relocate. “I called my Avon advisor and baseball coach, Peter Evans H’18, P’98, for advice,” Graham remembers. “Peter said, ‘Why don’t you come back to Avon Old Farms?’ Honestly, it hadn’t even crossed my mind.” Initially offered a math teaching position, Graham ultimately joined the English Department when there was a sudden vacancy, which was a much more comfortable fit considering his undergraduate and graduate degrees were in English.
Heather Callaghan’s journey to Avon was equally serendipitous. She met Graham on a blind date just before he started at Avon in the fall of
2003. At the time, Heather was teaching in Massachusetts. She traveled to Avon one night to watch a play Graham was directing and sat in the audience with Avon faculty, including Art Custer P’04, ’05, ’10, where she made an impression. “Later, Art, who was the dean of faculty at the time, asked, ‘Would she be interested in a job here? We’re looking for someone to teach Spanish,’” Graham recalls. Heather
Our kids grew up immersed in the school. Sports, plays, holiday traditions, art shows—as faculty children they were part of everything. Seeing Owen now as a student helping the younger generation of faculty kids is incredible.
—HEATHER CALLAHAN P'25, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH & WELLNESS
drove down for an interview during a March snowstorm and joined the faculty that summer.
Their journey as a couple at Avon began in the Brooks House, where they lived in two side-by-side apartments. It was in that very space that Graham proposed. They were married in the Avon chapel by chaplain and fellow faculty member, Timothy Beneski. Music for the ceremony was provided by faculty member Peter Rice ’76, P’15 and organist Dr. Ezequiel Menendez P’20, ’22, whose wife, Mercedes, still fills the role of school accompanist at Avon today.
Their life as a family began in the apartment at the end of the old science building—where they brought their first-born son, Owen, home as a newborn—and was completed with the addition of daughter, Sarah, in 2010.
The couple shares that raising children on campus came with unique challenges. “Living in a dorm with young kids at home was hard at times,” Graham admits. “It was great for them to be with the boys, but when doors are slamming at 10:30 at night, you have to keep it all in perspective.” Yet, the rewards far outweighed the frustrations. “Our kids grew up immersed in the school,” Heather reflects. “Sports, plays, holiday traditions, art shows—as faculty children they were part of everything. Seeing
Owen now as a student helping the younger generation of faculty kids is incredible.”
From the very beginning, Owen’s life has been steeped in Avon Old Farms traditions. At just four months old, he played the role of baby Jesus in the school’s annual Boar’s Head Festival, with his parents portraying Mary and Joseph. This past winter, Owen completed a remarkable full-circle moment by assuming the role of Father Christmas in the same festival. Heather says, “We’ve watched 20-something Boar’s Heads from the perspective of the assigned seats at the end of the refectory tables. To see the entire performance from the opposite perspective as guests at the head table this year and to have Owen and his friends on stage was really special.” It’s a fitting metaphor for the family’s journey: a progression
I want everyone who’s been at Avon in the last 17 years to know that they had an impact on me, and I really appreciate them.
—OWEN CALLAHAN ’25
through the stages of life while remaining rooted in the things that define Avon.
Owen has thrived at Avon, embracing leadership opportunities and diving into the school’s arts and athletics programs. “He’s wanted to do the best he can here, and we have let him do his thing,” Graham says. “We were always hopeful that he would get involved, but everything he’s done has been a result of his own choices and drive.”
Now Owen is a proud member of the Class of 2025, preparing for his own journey beyond Avon as he heads to the College of the Holy Cross in the fall where he will continue as a student-athlete pitching for the baseball team.
“I’ve had the time of my life growing up on Avon’s campus,” Owen says. “From being the go-to host for my friends since the third grade because we got to play in the giant field house to finding my own special spots on campus as a student—namely the baseball locker room and the art studio—I’ve never regretted a single moment here. As I look ahead toward college, I want every single person around me to know the impact they’ve had on my life. Yes, my coaches, neighbors, and advisors have helped shape my Avon journey. But even if I’ve never been in your class, it’s all
of the little things that add up to my experience. I want everyone who’s been at Avon in the last 17 years to know that they had an impact on me, and I really appreciate them.”
For the Callaghans, this transition marks a poignant milestone: after living his entire life on Avon’s campus, Owen will be moving away from the place that has been both home and an integral part of his identity. “He’s totally ready,” Graham says. “This year, he has really embraced being a leader on campus in ways we never expected.”
Heather adds, “He is already stocking up on Avon gear, saying
he’ll wear it every day at Holy Cross. He’s even considered getting an Avon tattoo to make sure Avon is always with him.”
Graham’s role at the school has evolved significantly over the years. Starting as an English teacher, he has risen to join the academic administrative team as the dean of studies, helping to shape the academic experience for generations of Avonians. “I'm proud to be part of the ongoing development of our programs here. Avon has always had quality, dedicated faculty, but our curriculum and extracurricular programs have evolved considerably in the past 30 years—as they should—without compromising the same sense of place that I remember as a student.” Along the way he has taken on many additional roles, fulfilling the triple-threat model of being a teacher, coach, and mentor to Avon students: many years were
spent in the dorms, and he continues to be a varsity baseball coach, which has been extra special as Owen grew from bat boy as a small child to a senior leader on the team.
Heather’s work at the school has been equally transformative. Heather arrived at Avon after graduating from Holy Cross in 1999 and then volunteering as a teacher in Ecuador with the organization World Teach. She began her career at Avon teaching Spanish, working as a dormitory advisor, and directing the school’s considerable community service program before transitioning to something else entirely. “When the kids were little, we knew both of us couldn’t keep up the full boarding school schedule of sit-down dinners, enrichment hours, and Saturday classes while being present for our own children,” she says. “I came from a family of medical professionals, so when my sister suggested I consider
nursing, it made sense.” After working at Hartford Hospital and picking up shifts in the Health Center at Avon, she eventually became a full-time nurse at Avon when the opportunity presented itself. She now serves as the Director of Health and Wellness, leading a team of 12 nurses and counselors and ensuring the well-being of the school community.
The Callaghans’ story is one of rare continuity and connection. Over the past two decades, they have built a legacy of service, dedication, and tradition—and in doing so, have created a rare and heartwarming chapter in Avon’s history. As they look to the future, the Callaghans know that their time at Avon is far from over. “We’re both at the point of thinking, ‘What’s next?’” Heather says. “But we’ve never thought about leaving Avon. It’s just a question of how to continue making an impact here.”
Graham agrees: “In terms of its fundamental mission and commitment to the students, the school hasn’t changed from generation to generation—what has changed are the programs that enhance the student experience. I didn’t want Owen to have the exact same experience I did; I wanted it to be even better. And I’m thrilled that it was.”
As Owen prepares to step off campus and into the wider world, the Callaghan family’s legacy will undoubtedly endure. Their story is a reminder of the deep sense of belonging and purpose that defines Avon Old Farms School. It is also a celebration of the profound impact that a close-knit, mission-driven community can have on a family and on generations of students who pass through its halls.
ANNOUNCING THE LAUNCH OF OUR NEW WEBSITE
We’re thrilled to announce that in June, Avon Old Farms School will officially launch a brand-new website! This fresh, modern design is crafted to better reflect the spirit of our community while making it easier than ever to stay connected with the school. Rest assured, all the alumni services you know and value—from class notes to event information—are still here. We’ve simply reimagined the
way you access them, ensuring a more seamless and engaging experience. We invite you to visit us online at avonoldfarms.com in June to explore the new web experience. Whether you’re reminiscing about your days on campus, looking for ways to get involved, or staying up to date with fellow Winged Beavers, our new site will help you stay connected to Avon in fresh and meaningful ways.
We can’t wait for you to see it!
athletics
Senior AB Coulibaly reached a major milestone this winter, scoring his 1,000th career high school point. He is committed to continuing his basketball journey at Rider University.
FEATURED ATHLETE
James Odyniec ’25
With a reputation as one of the best high school hockey programs in the world, it’s natural that any aspiring young hockey player would hope to one day play for Avon Old Farms. However, for many of the players who do get to represent the Winged Beavers on the ice, their reasons for attending the school extend far beyond the rink. Our featured athlete for this edition, James Odyniec ’25, is a perfect example of this fact.
As a hockey player growing up in Connecticut, Avon Old Farms was always on James’s radar. Of course, he didn’t know much about the place outside of the Jennings Fairchild Arena. That was until his older brother, Joseph ’23, enrolled at the school. Joseph achieved Head of School’s List honors and was a member of the varsity hockey team that won the New England Championship in 2023. What was already a desired destination for James became even more appealing the more he learned about his brother’s experience. “I’d always watch his games, and I’d see the Avon Army, the atmosphere at the games … that was something I wanted to be a part of.”
He adds that there was much more than just hockey that stood out. “Obviously, for hockey there’s no better place to be. But then I saw the relationships he had made, how close he became with his teammates and the other students, and how quickly it happened. You don’t always get that at
The person you become at a place like this— both on but especially off the ice—everything you do here from wearing the coat and tie to attending sit down dinners sets you up for success.
— JAMES ODYNIEC ’25
other schools. What stuck out to my brother and my family on that first tour was the students. Everyone is more friendly and welcoming here.” After experiencing it for himself, James says he has no regrets in choosing Avon. “The person you become at a place like this—both on but especially off the ice—everything you do here from wearing the coat and tie to attending sit down dinners sets you up for success. It sets you up to be a good man.”
This transformation into a good man is exemplified by James’s persistent involvement with community outreach programs like Special Olympics. Director of Community Service and Clubs Mrs. Samantha Jensen P’17, ’19, ’23 shares that James is one of, if not the most, consistent volunteers for the Special Olympic programming held at the school in the last year. “No one asks him. He comes on his own accord, and he usually brings some of his teammates with him,” Jensen says. “He just has the biggest heart.”
Every Wednesday evening, athletes from the local Special Olympics chapter come to
Part
of what makes him stand out is that he gravitates toward the kids who need help the most. He is always so encouraging and looks so comfortable around all of them.
—
SAMANTHA JENSEN P’17, ’19, ’23, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND CLUBS
Avon for organized sporting events. The sport varies by season, but Avon students are always welcome to participate. “It’s a great opportunity for the Special Olympics athletes, and for our students as well,” Jensen explains. “They’ve formed relationships. It’s more than just doing something good for the community, they’re making an impact on people’s lives.”
James says he wants to take advantage of the opportunity to put a smile on the athletes’ faces, but adds he gets just as much out of it. “I honestly just like the people. I’ve gotten to know a lot of them. As much as they enjoy being around us, I enjoy being around them.”
Jensen says that Special Olympics organizers will point out James specifically as doing an amazing job. “Part of what makes him stand out is that he gravitates toward the kids who need help the most. He is always so encouraging and looks so comfortable around all of them.” She adds that James has played a big role in making this community service opportunity part of the varsity hockey team’s culture. “I feel like the hockey team now has established this as a tradition of theirs. It’s now become something they do. I think even after James leaves, the younger guys will carry it on after learning from his example.”
Somehow, James manages to find time for volunteer work and other extracurriculars alongside Avon’s challenging academic
schedule. It’s safe to say he already embodies what it means to be a Man of Avon. With these traits, and with many standout performances for the Winged Beavers this season, one might assume James was always destined to dominate with the Avon Old Farms varsity hockey team. However, his success on this path was never guaranteed. In fact, based on his family history, James seemed set up for a football career. “It’s funny. We’re a football family. My grandpa played at Notre Dame
and was drafted into the NFL. My other grandpa and one of my uncles played football at UConn. My dad didn’t play hockey until later in life when he joined an adult league. My brother and I were little kids at the time, but he had us try it out.”
At three years old, James put skates on for the first time and started playing for his local youth teams. He was having fun and improving, but in seventh grade, he was cut from his team. “It’s something I never thought was
There are different types of leaders, but I think the best are the ones who combine their words and actions. If you say something, you have to follow it up. Younger guys are always watching you.
— JAMES ODYNIEC ’25
going to happen, but it ended up being a turning point. I used it as motivation.” He found a new team, the CT Junior Whalers, where he first met and played with current Avon teammate Indiana Grossbard ’26. Now at Avon, the two are joined by a formidable roster that have already made it clear they can compete with anyone. Some early season highlights include winning the annual Christmas Hockey Classic and coming away on top on Westy Monday by a score of 6-2.
A personal highlight for James was being named a co-captain. When James came to Avon, members of the team knew him and made his transition to Avon easy. So when James saw the new group of guys coming in, he wanted to do the same for them. “There’s a lot coming at you when you arrive here. I wanted to help the new guys be successful. That’s a responsibility I put on myself in the fall and even last season. It sounds cliché, but you have to do everything right, even when you’re not being watched. Part of that is just maturity, and I think I’ve always kind of had that naturally. I think my teammates and coaches recognized that. It’s a big responsibility to have. The coaches don’t want to have to deal with every little thing. Some issues they know we can handle. That comes with earned trust and respect.”
Director of Athletics and Assistant Varsity Hockey Coach Geoff Barlow ’98 confirms that James is respected by both his coaches and his teammates. “When the coaching staff spoke to the individual team members at the start of the season about adding another captain or two, nearly every player spoke about James,” Barlow says. “He’s a leader off
the ice and a fierce competitor on it. He has made great strides with his development in his time here. He moves the puck well offensively and is one of our best defenders.” Through his role as captain, and from observing other leaders across campus, James says he’s learned the importance of being a good example. “There are different types of leaders, but I think the best are the ones who combine their words and actions. If you say something, you have to follow it up. Younger guys are always watching you.” He says one of the most important parts of being a captain is to remain positive. He admits this isn’t always easy, but it’s the best thing for the team. “In a game, that’s when it’s the hardest to do. If a guy has a bad shift, lets up a goal, something like that, it’s not going to help yelling at him. We’ve worked closely with a sports psychologist on the best ways to handle it. So, whether it’s practice or a game, or even off the ice and guys are going through something, I try to stay positive and encourage them.”
That positivity seems to be paying off.
The Winged Beavers had a successful season, with a record of 18-8-1. While the team fell short of their ultimate goal, there were still plenty of highlights throughout the winter. James plans to enjoy the rest of his final year at Avon before moving on to junior-level hockey. From there, James has committed to play Division 1 hockey at Army West Point. He believes his time at Avon helped make this possible. “I think the hockey model here, and the program overall, is huge for development. I feel very fortunate to have been able to come here as a player and as a student.”
Finding His Path
at Avon:
Senior Logan Glass Reflects on Four Years
As graduation looms at the end of the second semester, the spring featured Avonian story often highlights a senior who has made the most significant contribution to Mrs. Riddle’s campus and the Avon community. This edition, we are excited to introduce one truly remarkable Avonian—someone who has given Avon his time, talent, and energy from the moment he arrived on campus for cross-country pre-season camp in the summer of 2021. Someone who holds multiple leadership roles but whose impact extends far beyond his titles. Someone faculty, staff, and students have come to depend on over the last four years. As he prepares to graduate, it is clear that Logan Glass, a senior from Long Island, New York, will leave an indelible mark on our community.
Logan’s introduction to Avon Old Farms School was unique in the grand scheme of things. If you think back to the fall of 2020 when he would have been visiting and applying to high schools, you’ll be met with memories of N95 masks, social distancing, and remote work. He visited during a period when school was closed for an extended break and no students were on campus. He was
met at his car by admissions staff, given a tour of an empty campus, and went on his way. Even without all the bells and whistles Avon typically offers on the admissions tours, Logan was still impressed.
“The good news is, Mr. Kowalchick and Mr. Webb are just that good at hyping up Avon,” jokes Logan. On a more serious note, Logan recalls the profound sense of place Avon’s campus provided—even without the energy of 400 boys. “After my tour, I knew Avon Old Farms was the only boarding school I wanted to apply to. Although it felt a bit surreal to be the only people on campus, I could already feel the wild energy that fills the school when everyone is around.”
From the start, Avon’s architecture and history made an impression on him. As soon as Logan stepped onto campus as an Avonian, the old brick buildings he had seen on the tour and in online videos came to life, filled with the energy he had only been able to imagine. He reflects, “The way this campus is designed is
extraordinary. Every aspect is embedded with rich history, shaped by generations of boys who came before me. I love passing familiar faces and those same old buildings every day.” Over four years, he’s come to appreciate the balance the campus offers. “Avon can be rowdy and full of energy at one moment and the next, a quiet place to study and reflect. It was built for our wellknown community experiences.”
While Avon’s physical campus initially drew Logan in, it’s the opportunities and tight-knit community that have truly shaped his journey. “Everything I’d imagined during my tour was finally real—the hockey games, Morning Meetings, stopping at the Hawk’s Nest and walking to class with my buddies … I can go on. These seemingly small moments may not sound like much, but they ultimately define what Avon is.” Over the past four years, Logan’s class, which started with just 40 students, has grown into a close-knit group of 120—a testament to the enduring
You’re constantly reminded that people cared so much about this school to leave a lasting gift. I may not personally know the Ordways or the Browns, but I know they loved this place, and that’s really special.
—LOGAN GLASS ’25
appeal of Avon’s brotherhood and traditions.
Living on campus all four years has deepened his connection to the school’s history. “I’ve always been in the Quadrangle—Elephant 3 as a freshman, the newly renovated Dio as a sophomore, a monitor in Eagle as a junior, and back to Elephant 3 (newly renovated this time) as head monitor my senior year. Even as things evolve, the essence of Avon stays the same. Those big, dark beams? They’re not going anywhere. You never forget what was originally here.” He also points to the school’s tradition of naming buildings and spaces after alumni and benefactors as a source of inspiration. “You’re constantly reminded that people cared so much about this school to leave a lasting gift. I may not personally know the Ordways or the Browns, but I know they loved this place, and that’s really special.”
Prior to Avon Old Farms, Logan already had some signs of his
go-getter, make-things-happen personality. But at all of his local high school options he was faced with choosing one thing over another— being an athlete or being involved with the arts and his other interests.
At Avon, Logan was excited to take in all that the school had to offer. He was already at pre-season for his cross-country training and very quickly signed up for the AV Club. Even with an afternoon commitment to wrestling, he also volunteered to help the theater department with their winter production of Lord of the Flies by serving as the sound and lighting technician.
But it’s not just behind the scenes where you can find Logan. He is a Riddler who has traveled with the group to Costa Rica and Austria. He serves as an Admissions Ambassador as a school job, but also works in the Hawk’s Nest school store, serving breakfast sandwiches, making milkshakes, and selling school-branded gear. In the spring of his junior year,
Logan went out into the local community to complete an Advanced Independent Project (AIP) in hospitality, working at the local Avon Old Farms Hotel. By then, he was already so well known around campus that when he spent a day at the front desk during Avon’s graduation weekend, many visiting the hotel did a doubletake, wondering where they knew him from—even parents recognized Logan.
By senior year, Logan had become a pillar of the community. As corresponding secretary for the Student Council, he took on ownership of the Winged Wishes Toy Drive (formerly known as Toys for Tots), spearheading the fundraiser and successfully raising $20,000. “I’ve always viewed myself as someone who focuses on execution,” Logan says. “I enjoy transforming plans into action. By the time my senior year came around, it was clear that a more structured approach was needed for this holiday tradition. I stepped up to the helm, ensuring everything was
Although I’m proud of what I’ve achieved over the past four years, I must emphasize that none of this would have been possible without the unwavering support from the school and the community.
—LOGAN GLASS ’25
well-organized and guiding this Avon staple to success to the best of my ability.”
In an email to the entire community on the last day before winter break, you can get a sense of just how thoughtful a leader Logan is:
Thank you—truly. Together, we did something incredible.
As I shared at Morning Meeting, we reached our goal of $20,000. With that, we were able to purchase over 500 gifts, spreading Christmas magic to more than 250 families. This milestone is a direct result of your generosity, hard work, and unwavering spirit.
You made a real difference, and for that, I couldn’t be more grateful.
He also served as president of the Big Brother Program, helping new students navigate their first days on campus. “I remember how confusing those early days were for me, but my big brother, Johnny Boxford ’23, showed me the way. Now I’m giving back by being that guide for others.
This year, I have three little brothers, and it’s been such a privilege to help them learn the Avon way.” This is in addition to his work as the head dorm monitor of freshmen-dominated Elephant 3.
Logan’s impact extends beyond student life. He’s been a trusted
resource for faculty and staff. Logan helps Chef Hector in the Riddle Refectory with the Food Service Club and sends out surveys to the student body on behalf of the kitchen staff. When special events are scheduled for the Susan Casey Brown Auditorium, the events team often reaches out to Logan to ensure things run smoothly for our special guests.
When Nelson Mandela’s grandson spoke at Avon for our Martin Luther King Junior Day program, it was Logan who pinned the microphone to his jacket. When George Springer ’08 was inducted into Avon’s Athletic Hall of Fame, it was Logan who made sure the hype video played right on cue. Logan shares, “It’s certainly a perk of the job, getting to meet and make connections with all of these incredible people!”
While this list of accomplishments is impressive, Logan circles back to the impact Avon Old Farms has had on his journey by noting, “Although I’m proud of what I’ve achieved over the past four years, I must emphasize that none of this would have been possible without the unwavering support from the school and the community. The faculty, staff, and administration are truly top-tier, and I’m incredibly grateful for everything they’ve done. I’ve run into numerous challenges along my leadership and mentorship journey, but I’ve had this incredible community behind me for help when I needed it most.”
For someone who jumped in with both feet from day one, Logan firmly believes that he’s done a lot of learning and growing over his four years at Avon. “I came in with confidence but didn’t realize how much I still
had to grow. Avon has pushed me to be more capable—mentally and physically. I’ve learned to handle the unknown and become someone people want to follow. Humble, respectful, and service-driven—that’s the kind of person I want to be.”
So, what does the future hold for someone who hates being idle, loves leading, and thrives on service?
Logan plans to study organizational leadership at the University of Miami, with aspirations of earning a master’s degree in hospitality and eventually owning a hotel. “I want to create a space where people feel valued, happy, and cared for,” he shares. “Avon taught me that true leadership is about building connections and making others feel
supported—it’s a lesson I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”
As graduation approaches, Logan hopes his legacy will inspire others. “I strive to be a leader who earns respect and fosters collaboration. My goal is to support and care for others, offering my time and talents in service to those around me. True leadership is about building trust, inspiring others to step out of their comfort zones, and guiding a group toward a shared goal with purpose and direction.”
Whether it’s his memories of the quad, the camaraderie of the cross-country team, or the lessons learned from giving back, Avon Old Farms has left an indelible mark on Logan. “This school is authentic. It was built for boys like me, and it’s shaped me into someone ready to make an impact in an incredibly dynamic world.”
MRS. RIDDLE’S VILLAGE
A Campus that Endures the Test of Time
JACQUELINE KELLER
For nearly a decade, I have been helping Avonians share their Avon experiences with the wider community. And throughout those interactions, I have noticed that a few things are consistent across nearly all alumni stories: many young boys fell in love with Avon the moment they set foot on campus; when they return and walk through the Pope Quadrangle, they’re brought right back to their high school days; and, while they
know Avon has continued to refine and expand its programming, the quintessential characteristics that make Avon, well, Avon, remain.
It’s obvious that the physical campus is a huge part of what makes Avon Old Farms School so special. All Avonians are familiar with the work of Mrs. Riddle, and many are familiar with stories about her insistence that the builders not use any straight edges or right-angle tools while they brought her plans to
life. It has even been rumored that a roof was once “too straight” and she ordered it redone. While that tale in particular might have been embellished, it goes without saying that Avon’s unique campus design and aesthetic was wholly intentional. As we approach 100 years of learning and living at Avon Old Farms, I wanted to explore the ways that our beloved campus has evolved—and stayed the same—after so much time has passed.
THE FARM GROUP
No journey to Avon Old Farms begins the way Mrs. Riddle intended unless you approach from the west, turning off Old Farms Road and onto the campus main drive with Diogenes Circle patiently awaiting your arrival straight ahead. To your left, the iconic Water Tower rises with a commanding presence, standing sentinel over the school—a timeless beacon of tradition and pride. What many have come to know as Avon’s opening scene, set apart from the core campus, was completely utilitarian in design. The Water Tower stored 90,000 gallons of water to service the school established deep in nature as a self-sustaining village. Next door, the Forge was Avon’s
original heartbeat—a place where fire shaped not just metal, but the very spirit of our school: elegant wrought iron details that would withstand hard use for more than 100 years … tricky door handles meant to humble even the most confident men. Closest to the main drive, the Carpenter Shop was a
LEFT: BUILDERS BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON THE FARM GROUP. BELOW: THE WATER TOWER, FORGE, AND CARPENTER SHOP REMAIN THE ICONIC ENTRY POINT TO AVON OLD FARMS SCHOOL.
sanctuary of creation from which our beloved campus was born. Together, this trio gave life to our school—each hinge and beam coming together to create not just a campus, but a brotherhood. For most of the public, this “Farm Group” is all that is seen of Avon Old Farms. And, for many alumni, the history of it and the rest of campus is something of a patchwork understanding.
Archived documents from the Pierpont Era note that Thanksgiving chapel services began being held in the old Carpenter Shop in 1949, newly renovated as the Chapel of Jesus the Carpenter, featuring a modest organ and a large wooden cross above the altar. This chapel would play host to morning meetings and the weekly Vespers service. Interestingly, some details point toward the space being used as at least some sort of gathering space, if not a chapel, by some other campus visitors prior to Pierpont’s leadership. In the late 1990s, the space underwent another
LEFT: THE FARM GROUP AS SEEN FROM ABOVE IN THE 1930S, WITH THE ORIGINAL COOP AND GARAGES.
BELOW: NOW A CHAPEL, A CROSS STANDS OUTSIDE THE ORIGINAL CARPENTRY SHOP, COMPLETE WITH A STONE NAMING THE SPACE "CHAPEL OF JESUS THE CARPENTER".
ORIGINAL PAPERS PRINTED IN BRAILLE FOUND WITHIN THE CUSHIONING OF THE CHAPEL CHAIRS REMAIN IN THE SCHOOL’S ARCHIVES, A HINT AT THE POSSIBLE PAST OF THIS SPACE.
revitalization to make the chapel more inclusive of all faiths, and the chairs, which were in a state of disrepair, were sent out for recaning. In that process, the cushioning of the seats was revealed to be folded triangles of newspaper—printed in braille. Could the chairs have been fashioned by members of the convalescing blinded war veterans who occupied campus in the 1940s?
Regardless of when the switch occurred, bringing a formal chapel to campus was always a part of Theodate’s vision, and it is still enjoyed as a chapel several times a week by our community in 2025.
Next door, the Water Tower was fully operational until 1976 when three 50,000-gallon cisterns were placed underground nearby. Longtime campus residents recall that after the space was emptied, it was not immediately repurposed. Like the Forge, it spent a good amount of time as a space for bulk storage before both areas were formally reopened in 1984 as the Ordway Art Gallery. In the spring of 2015, it again became the topic of conversation as Jim Detora P’12 spearheaded the formation of an engineering space on campus. “The
LEFT TOP: MR. AND MRS. GILMAN W. ORDWAY ’44, GP’04, ’06, ’10 UNVEIL THE ORDWAY GALLERY IN 1984. LEFT BOTTOM: A STUDENT IN MRS. LARSON'S TOWER CLASSROOM SHOWS OFF HIS ENGINEERING PROWESS TO VISITING SPEAKER ALUMNUS MATT WAGNER ’88. RIGHT: FROM AFAR, THE ORIGINAL GARAGES SEEM UNCHANGED, BUT DETAILS IN THE BAYS REFLECT A NEW PURPOSE.
Forge was a natural fit, given its history,” commented Detora at the time. In the summer of 2016, our staff re-envisioned the Water Tower to complement the new engineering lab as the Volk Family Computer Lab, complete with 14 computer stations. Today, the Forge and Water Tower continue to operate as classroom spaces: the building that reaches farthest into the sky is now an aerospace engineering classroom. Just a few steps beyond this iconic trio are the Gate House and the attached Brown House dormitory. The Gate House, originally the estate manager’s cottage, has consistently served as housing for campus faculty
and staff. Next door, Brown House’s history is a bit more dramatic. Dating to the 1920s, the space was designed as a garage with large bus bays. The space above was used for bulk storage—allegedly even housing a mastodon skeleton that had been unearthed in 1913 on the grounds of the Hill-Stead Museum—until it became the official maintenance garage in 1974. When the current Kegley Service Building was opened across campus in 1977, all maintenance operations moved out of the Farm Group and the space soon was reimagined as a home for the arts: the White Woodshop was dedicated in 1980 in the basement level, and
above, Gail LaFerrier H’13 was using the space to establish a strong arts program. Further in time, the space was once again transformed into Brown House dormitory. In the Fall 2010 edition of the Avonian, we shared a tribute to alumnus G. Garvin Brown III ’62, P’86, ’87 and detailed the events that brought about the change:
‘In the ’80s, when we were planning to renovate the old garages into a new art studio and also build a new dorm, Garvin came up with a brilliant idea,’ Trautman recalled. ‘He suggested we turn the garages into a dorm and then build a new art studio—a simple answer to a very complicated question. And of course, that is what we did.’ … As a result, Brown House was dedicated in the spring of 1988.
In the spring of 2007, a devastating fire broke out in Brown House, somehow at a time of day when only a few students were inside and no one was hurt. Displaced students moved into accommodating dorms throughout campus or were taken in by generous
local families until summer break. Two duplexes were quickly constructed near the faculty housing complex, lovingly named “the Coop,” to accommodate students in the fall until Brown House was fully operational again. In 2021, the engineering lab expanded into the basement of Brown House, bringing some aspects of its original purpose back to the space. The renovated dorm remains a popular student and faculty residence tucked on the outskirts of campus.
Completing the larger Farm Group area is the Estabrook Fine Arts
Center. Opening at the same time as Brown House, this building created a formal home for Avon’s art program. When it opened, visual arts courses took place only on the first floor.
Two years later, the basement was finished and the music classes moved in. In the same area, temporary classrooms were brought to campus in 1993. With a quickly expanding visual arts program, music classes moved into the temporary classrooms just outside and art classes began to occupy both floors of the Estabrook building.
TOP LEFT: CROSS-SECTION PLANS FOR THE RENOVATION OF THE GARAGES INTO A DORMITORY SPACE. TOP RIGHT: ARTISTIC RENDERINGS FOR THE NEW ESTABROOK FINE ARTS CENTER. BOTTOM: STUDENTS GATHER FOR A DEDICATION CEREMONY OF BROWN HOUSE IN 1988.
The Pope Quadrangle at Avon Old Farms is the soul of the school—a timeless place where tradition and brotherhood thrive. In my interview with Featured Avonian Logan Glass ’25, he explained that he’s lived in the quad all four of his years at Avon: in Elephant 3 for three years, and his junior year in the newly renovated Diogenes. “I’ve loved living in the quad each year, because I think it’s the best place to be. Mrs. Riddle did it right, and it feels like she thought of everything. The quad can be calming and studious during exams and can rise to meet the rowdiest Avon Army. It’s pretty magical and can be exactly
what the students need it to be at any moment,” he comments.
Many Avonians know that Theodate originally planned for two quadrangles: one for secondary school students and the other for junior college. While the foundations for both were dug, only the Pope Quadrangle was ever built. Here, generations of Avonians have walked, learned, and played. As the heart of Avon, it should come as no surprise that the quad is both highly original and has undergone many changes. In 1994, Avon began the first renovation of the quad dorms, consisting of a facelift of the dorm rooms them-
selves and the construction of the beds that most current students believe are original: our facilities team designed and constructed the lofted bed, desk, and built-in closet to maximize space efficiency.
There have always been and continue to be classrooms on the first floor of each quad building, student rooms on the second and third floors, and faculty residences in the corners. More campus operations have moved into the quad over the years: rooms have been converted into the Business Office, the David C. Bigelow ’44 Learning Center, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and
THE POPE QUADRANGLE AND VILLAGE GREEN
Inclusion, Alumni and Development, and Human Resources to name a few. Before moving office locations in the 1990s, Elephant was even home to the Headmaster’s Office.
The exterior designs of the four buildings are unchanged, but they have been restored to ensure they continue to withstand the test of time. To maintain the quad as a sturdy core for Avon life, in 2022 the school began an extensive project to replace the original slate roofs. First to get the upgrade was Diogenes, followed by Elephant in 2023, with Eagle’s replacement scheduled for the summer of 2025, and finally Pelican will be upgraded in the summer of 2026. In addition to replacing the roofing tiles, the school also updated the interior of the quad—renovating dorm rooms, bathrooms, and classrooms—to ensure Avon remains competitive and continues to offer the modern comforts and amenities today’s families expect.
Just beyond the quad, the original dean’s house and provost’s house stand as near-mirror images on either side of Eagle archway. The house of the provost to the north has remained the personal residence of each leader of the school since the 1920s. While a few students had the special privilege of residing in these spaces alongside their head of school, to most the house was kept private. It was under current Head of School Jim Detora P’12 and his wife, Karen, that the space became much less mysterious: the Detoras have opened the home to all students since 2019, with each student participating in family-style meals in the large dining room at least annually. Many
formal dinners have also taken place in the home, including reunion gatherings, faculty retirements, and award celebrations.
Across the way, the dean’s home has changed functions. Up until 2006, the dean of students resided in this space, including Ken LaRocque H’19, P’01, ’10 and Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08. Upon the Driscolls moving out, the space was transformed from a campus residence into the gateway to Avon’s future—it became the Office of Admission, where each decision shapes the next generation of Avonians. It’s a great place to welcome prospective families and showcase the unique yet traditional charm that
is Avon: nothing wows a visiting family quite like the original oak paneling of the dean’s living room.
In 2019, the Riddle Refectory and adjoining kitchen and servery received some much-needed attention as a significant project of the most recent capital campaign. For many years, Avon operated with an outdated kitchen that no longer worked to efficiently feed the Avon Old Farms family. At the time, Avon asked itself: How do we preserve Avon’s traditional, famed architecture while improving dining efficiency and experience? The answer was to preserve the iconic dining hall and modernize the kitchen and equipment behind it.
THE RIDDLE REFECTORY'S DINING HALL REMAINS A RECOGNIZABLE SCENE FOR ALL AVON ALUMNI. IN 1950, THE FIRST FLAG WAS HUNG, AND SOON OTHERS WERE ADDED TO THE ARCHES TO REPRESENT ALL AVONIANS.
The care and keeping of Mrs. Riddle’s aesthetic was the focus in the dining hall, preserving the trim work and refinishing the original tables and benches. The servery and kitchen got a complete makeover, with a goal of modernizing the dining experience by expanding dining options and shortening wait times at lunch, all while maintaining family-style dinners. Next, the slate tiles on the refectory roof were replaced, improving the efficiency of the roof while continuing to maintain that Riddle aesthetic. While the kitchen basement has served many purposes over the years—from power plant to Ed’s Grill—today the lower level is an expansive bakery responsible for churning out goodies every day.
The large open area above the refectory’s servery, which used to be home to student recreation, was reimagined when the Pierpont Student Activities Center was opened. Computer literacy became a graduation requirement in 1982–83, with new computers installed in this area, and it was renamed The Barnes Computer Center. In the 1990s, faculty meetings occurred in the space, and then it was converted into a large English classroom. The upper level is now occupied by our Office of College Counseling, complete with a large conference area and several offices.
The end of the line of original buildings circling the Village Green is perhaps the one that has had the most diverse history. Originally the school bank, the structure designed with four Doric columns at its front conveys a sense of strength, stability, and grandeur. It has served many purposes over the decades, all which
fit with the tone set by the building’s architectural cues: it was the library before later becoming the Alumni Office in the mid-80s, and then Office of the Headmaster when George Trautman H’98, P’75, ’81, ’82, GP’03 moved from his space in Elephant. While Trautman and LaRocque both conducted business from their offices on the second floor,
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THE ORIGINAL BANK HAS TAKEN ON MANY PURPOSES. TOP LEFT: STUDENTS VISIT THE BANK IN 1960. MIDDLE LEFT: THE ESTABROOK BOARD ROOM DEDICATION CEREMONY IN 1979. BOTTOM LEFT: THE ESTABROOK BOARD ROOM, WITH ALUMNI SITTING AREA BEYOND. RIGHT: STUDENTS STUDY IN THE SPACE WHEN IT HOUSED THE LIBRARY.
when Jim Detora became head of school in 2019, he moved his office to the lower level so he could remain more connected to the goings-on of campus. Upstairs, the Estabrook Board Room continues to serve as a large, formal meeting space, most notably, it serves as the backdrop for Discipline Committee hearings.
WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN: THE BROOKS QUADRANGLE
While the second quadrangle was never fully realized, various parts of it have been brought to life. One piece that was necessary for school to open was the science building. While humanities and math courses could reside within the lowest level of the quadrangle, lab spaces needed to be appropriately and intentionally designed. When the Ordway Science & Technology Center was opened in 2002, the labs moved out, and as construction began on the new student center, the Hawk’s Nest school store moved in for a while. Today, the building is home to the Evans Alumni and Development Office with 12 offices and a conference room. Despite all of the turnover, visitors to the office space of Major Gift Officer Luke Archambault ’04 will find a plaque noting the modernization of the biology lab in 1969, and a trip to the office of our Director of Annual Giving Leslie Cunningham P’26, ’28 will earn you a glimpse of one for the chemistry lab from 1967.
Avon’s commitment to repurposing extends beyond academic spaces. In 1944, during World War II, the school temporarily closed, and the entire campus was transformed into the Old Farms Convalescent Hospital, providing care for blinded veterans. This remarkable adaptation demonstrated Avon’s dedication to serving a greater cause while ensuring its facilities remained in use. It was during this
time that the humble beginnings of Jamerson House were established. Jamerson House was built by the Army as an infirmary in 1944 on the foundation of what would have been the southernmost common room of the Brooks Quadrangle. The singlestory building is remembered by Kevin Driscoll as a barracks-like space with rows of bunk beds. It then became “the Lodge”—a 22-bed dorm with two tiny faculty apartments in the middle. In the late 80s, one end was bumped out and a two-bedroom faculty apartment was created. Shortly thereafter, Jamerson House got its current form: a two-story brick building with a layout that follows the model established in the quadrangle: classrooms on the first floor, dorm rooms on the second floor, and faculty apartments abutting either end.
Through it all, School Historian Art Custer—who lived in the Lodge with his wife, Michelle, during the 1980s— notes that some of the original features of the Lodge remain: the rooms upstairs still feature the same wood paneling that the building originally had.
Though the Brooks Quadrangle was never fully completed, its influence remains woven into the fabric of Avon’s campus. The evolution of these spaces—from classrooms to dormitories, from science labs to offices—reflects the school’s ability to honor its past while adapting to the needs of each new generation.
LEFT: JAMERSON HOUSE NOW SERVES AS A RESIDENCE HALL, WITH LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND FACULTY APARTMENTS ABUTTING EACH END, SIMILAR IN LAYOUT TO THE QUAD DORMITORIES.
HEADS OF SCHOOL EXPAND
After the war, Don Pierpont took on the exceedingly great challenge of reopening Avon Old Farms School. With no students lined up for enrollment, he took a year to establish a program and a community of 100 for the 1948–49 academic year. By the late 1950s, Pierpont had done enough maneuvering to end the year with a surplus in the operating budget and set his sights on addressing needs in the physical plant. From Aspiration and Perseverance: The History of Avon Old Farms School by G.C. Ramsey (1984), it is said:
The last major construction had been in the 1930s, and the lack of a gymnasium and an adequate library had been noted in the 1948 and 1957 re-accreditation reports of the School. The first phase of an ambitious building program was realized by the dedication in 1965 of The Pierpont Student Activities Center, or gymnasium, built around and over the old swimming pool from 1945. This was followed by the development of three houses for faculty in the woods along what became Faculty Row.
Too quickly, however, Pierpont’s opportunity for further expansion was cut short by an untimely death in 1968.
During the Trautman Era, Avon Old Farms saw significant renovations and new construction to accommodate a growing student body and increased emphasis on athletics. As Peter Evans said in a tribute, “He felt strongly about and vigorously supported athletics because athletics provide training for life.” Trautman was responsible for hiring some of Avon’s legendary coaches, but he knew that strong teams required good facilities. It is no coincidence that our complex of athletic fields along the Farmington River is named the George M. Trautman Athletic Fields in his memory.
Next on Trautman’s agenda as it related to the physical plant was to create an indoor hockey rink, which joined Avon’s campus in 1971. It was an open rink at first, featuring a roof but no sides to enclose the space. Hockey had promise at Avon Old Farms, but the program needed to develop, and the facilities needed to match. In 1988 a large gift supported the rink’s transformation into an elite facility, and the Jennings Fairchild Rink was born. Rather serendipitously, in the late 80s, the Hartford Whalers needed a practice rink, and a partner-
ship was struck: locker rooms and a training facility exclusive to the NHL team were added to Avon’s rink. When the Whalers moved out in 1995, Avon took ownership of the entire space, which remained largely unchanged until 2018. It then underwent significant renovations including a new metal ceiling, upgraded LED lights, revamped spectator seating, branded locker rooms with video capability, a new training room, and completely refinished public restrooms.
BELOW: THE WHALERS NHL TEAM JOIN THE AVON OLD FARMS COMMUNITY.
In 1981, an expansion was added to the Pierpont Student Activities Center to make room for a squash pavilion, pool, and riflery range. Also focused on student life, in 1974 the Hawk’s Nest log cabin was built and operations moved out of the basement of the kitchen. This addition was driven by the student population, who raised funds for the prefabricated kit and helped put it together on site. Set before a tall stand of pines with a local hawk in residence, the new school store quickly gained a name that stuck.
Beyond expanding the athletic program, academic renovation efforts focused on repurposing existing structures. One such project led to the transformation of the old power house into the Jack R. Aron Academic
Center. The renovation spanned five years, but when it was finally complete, the center housed the Baxter Library, the 400-seat Adams Theater, the Ordway Science Wing, and Sidney C. Clark Room. For the library move in particular, the student body was called in for service, forming a human chain to move the books from the old library in the bank building to the new space across campus. Once it was open, students from the late 1980s all the way through the mid-2000s gathered for morning meetings in the Adams Theater.
Headmaster Ken LaRocque developed a reputation as “the builder,” as it was during his tenure that the Ordway Science Center, Brown Student Center, and Beatson Performing Arts Center were all added to campus.
The first to arrive on scene was the Ordway Science Center in 2002. Previously, Avon’s computer labs were crammed into a section of the library’s lower level, and science classes and two laboratories remained in the original building from the 1920s while others were scattered around campus in whatever space was available. This new facility gathered everything in one place, with access to the most
LEFT TOP: STUDENTS ENJOY THE HAWK’S NEST LOG CABIN. LEFT BOTTOM: STUDENTS LEND A HAND IN ASSEMBLING THE NEW STUDENT STORE. BELOW: THEODATE’S ORIGINAL PLANS FOR A LIBRARY AND HALL HEAVILY INFLUENCED THE DESIGN OF THE BEATSON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, WHICH WAS OPENED IN 2007.
This is really the most significant building project we’ve done. We don’t do anything here without keeping in mind the sensitivity of the architecture.
—HEADMASTER KEN LAROCQUE
H’19, P’01, ’10
modern technology available. Set into the side of a hill, the three-story building appears to only be one level. The red slate roof shingles were obtained from the same New York quarry where the originals were sourced. At the time, LaRocque was quoted saying, “This is really the most significant building project we’ve done. We don’t do anything
here without keeping in mind the sensitivity of the architecture.”
Next came the combination of a new performing arts center and student center. Here again, a driving design choice was the effort to create new spaces that aligned with Theodate’s original campus plans: she had always envisioned a development of the far side of the village green with a great gathering hall with library beneath, a chapel, a guest house, a court room, and an expansive cloister. The eventual shape and placement of the Brown Student Center and Beatson Performing Arts Center very closely mimic her original drawings. Even the clearing of trees along the edge of campus facing the Farmington Valley replicate her original plans to have a bluff overlook exactly where our vista patio area currently lays.
The Beatson Performing Arts Center provided a 500-seat, all-school auditorium as well as performing arts instructional space that includes large rehearsal rooms, a variety of practice rooms, a recording studio, and a suite of offices for faculty. The nearly 25,000-square-foot facility is connected to the Brown Student Center, and its architecture reflects the English Cotswold-inspired style Theodate created for the original campus buildings. The Brown Student Center fulfills a need that was left unanswered from Theodate’s original campus plans: a club house was to be constructed in the space between the two quadrangles. While the Lodge, Hawk’s Nest, and day student lounge had attempted to provide an answer to this need for a socialization hub, nothing truly met the need before the introduction of the Brown Student Center.
A PLACE FOR FACULTY
Over the years, Avon Old Farms has thoughtfully expanded its faculty housing to accommodate a growing community and uphold the school’s tradition of a deeply engaged residential experience. Faculty housing is more than just a convenience—it is essential to fostering a strong, supportive environment where teachers are readily available to guide students beyond the classroom and where top educators are drawn to Avon’s unique mission. From the beginning, Avon’s faculty lived among students in the school’s original quadrangle residences and various cottages placed throughout campus including the chief engineer’s house and the Gate House. As the school evolved, several of Mrs. Riddle’s original structures were repurposed into faculty housing. The old post office near the refectory now contains two apart-
ments, while the Brooks House— a relic from when Avon had its own train station along what is now the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail— was converted into a faculty apartment and guest house in 1977. A favorite among certain board members, the guest house later served as two apartment units before being transformed into a single-family faculty residence in 2020. Additionally, three off-campus houses provide faculty accommodations: 355 Old Farms Road, originally the canal master’s house along the Farmington River; the log cabin off Thompson Road, where Avon’s director of facilities once resided; and our most recent acquisition, 305 Old Farms Road, directly across the street from the Fisher Meadows trail head.
As the school’s needs grew, new faculty housing was also built, with several homes constructed in an area
AND A FACULTY RESIDENCE.
THE BROOKS HOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED ALONG THE CANAL LINE AS AVON’S VERY OWN TRAIN STATION. OVER THE YEARS, IT HAS SERVED AS A GUEST HOUSE
known as Faculty Row. The first faculty residences—numbers one, two, and three—laid the foundation in the Pierpont Era, followed by additional homes over the years. Trautman was responsible for adding three more, in 1974, 1985, and 1994. Two duplexes were added in 2000, and house number nine was completed in 2002. In 2006, the last house was added to Faculty Row. Meanwhile, other buildings on campus also provided faculty housing, including Jennings Dormitory, which was built in 1980 with one faculty apartment, and a second apartment added in 1983. The Health Center, originally a ranch-style house built in 1967, was transformed into the school infirmary in 1998, with a faculty apartment occupying its lower level.
One of the most distinctive transformations in faculty housing was the Coop. What was once a simple chicken coop was repurposed into faculty apartments before being replaced with modern buildings in 2012. Each of these developments reflects Avon’s ongoing commitment to creating a vibrant residential community, ensuring that faculty and their families are woven into the fabric of campus life.
THE COOP GETS A REFRESH! TOP: PRIOR TO ITS RENOVATION, THE RED COOP HOUSE STILL CLOSELY RESEMBLED ITS ROOTS. MIDDLE: IN THE LATE 2000S, THE FACULTY HOUSING GOT A COMPLETE MAKEOVER. BOTTOM: THE COOP IS NOW A BEAUTIFUL ROW OF CONDO-LIKE HOMES.
A CAMPUS SHAPED BY GENERATIONS
As you can imagine, these significant changes only scratch the surface of the amount of adjustments that have been implemented over the near 100-year lifespan of Mrs. Riddle’s village, and while no corner of our campus has been truly untouched, it is amazing to know that so many Men of Avon have walked the same grounds, passed through the same archways, and shared meals at the same tables.
As the Board Chairman Peter Aron ’65 wrote in 2002 on the occasion of the school’s 75th anniversary, “We have filled and overflowed Mrs. Riddle’s original buildings, and have continued to build. By any measure, we are very different today—academically, athletically, socially—as a reflection of a very different society. Yet certainly Mrs. Riddle would recognize her school, and I like to think that she would recognize her boys. The young men of Avon are recognizable, not just by the winged beaver on their blazers, but by their direct and friendly gaze.”
The evolution of Avon Old Farms’ campus is a testament to the unwavering support of our community. Every renovation, expansion, and repurposing effort has been made possible through the generosity of donors, the strategic guidance of board members and staff, and the dedication of those working behind the scenes. From the visionaries who imagine what’s possible to the teams who bring those ideas to life, each project reflects a shared commitment to preserving the school’s historic charm while adapting to meet the needs of future generations. Without this collective effort, the campus we know today would not exist.
Together, these efforts create a dynamic campus environment that balances heritage with progress, ensuring the school remains adaptable, relevant, and inspiring for generations to come.
How do you take a school campus of brownstone and slate and make it work for teenage boys for 100 years? If our own history is any indication, you repurpose, refresh, and expand when needed. Virtually every space on campus has undergone some type of adjustment, and yet its original character continues to shine through, just as strong as the first day students set foot here.
REPURPOSING
Repurposing Theodate’s original buildings has been a vital part of preserving Avon’s traditions while meeting the demands of today’s students. By repurposing historic structures, we not only honor the school’s legacy and foster a sense of continuity across generations but also demonstrate a commitment to preserving Theodate’s original vision for Avon Old Farms.
EXPANDING
Adding new buildings provides opportunities to integrate state-of-the-art facilities, promote innovative learning experiences, and accommodate growing student and faculty populations.
REFRESHING
When a space is refreshed, even one as large as a school campus, that typically entails a few things: refinishing surfaces, updating fixtures, and enhancing functionality. Over the years, our dorms, homes, classrooms, and athletic fields have all been refreshed. New paint, new fixtures, and refinishing the original furniture have all happened on our campus. But the character remains: those tables and benches in the refectory are original. The slate floors? Original. The old classroom cupboards? Those are original too.
Do you have your own memories about campus changes from your time at Avon Old Farms? If so, we want to hear from you! Email your thoughts to marketing@avonoldfarms.com to ensure we have a solid record!
From Latin and History to Sci-Fi and Adventure:
Unexpected Journey of Jake Spearman P’14, ’15, ’18
Anatural storyteller and a man of many talents, Jake Spearman P’14, ’15, ’18 has shared his unique background in business, theater, coaching, and Latin with the Avon Old Farms community since 2011. His sense of humor, zest for life, and love of teaching have made him a favorite on the school’s faculty—and a magnet for memorable moments.
Growing up in Hudson, Ohio, Jake attended Western Reserve Academy as a day student, immersing himself in sports, student council, theater, and the school newspaper. His passion for boarding schools was sparked by some of that school’s legendary teachers early on during a day camp. “I told my parents I wanted to be a teacher when I was just 13 after spending time with their version of Kevin Driscoll,” Jake recalls. “But they said, ‘Absolutely not. You need to have a career and earn a living,’ so that was a pretty short conversation.”
So, earn a living he did. Jake fought hard for his business degree from Malone College while juggling a demanding corporate career, eventually becoming vice president of business development for Alltel. He worked in corporate America as a sales and marketing executive for 25 years, but something was missing, and two major life events helped him realize what that was.
The first was the death of his father. His father had spent most of his career working for a family-
owned company but eventually made a career-ending move. At the time, it may have seemed like a mistake, but 15 years later, he had built a meaningful life as the executive director of the chamber of commerce and overseer of the cemeteries in his hometown. He became a beloved fixture on Main Street, someone whose contributions were deeply valued. When he passed, the church was packed— 700 people crowded in to celebrate his life. “If he had stayed with his career, it just wouldn’t have been the same,” Jake reflects. “That was a lesson for me in ‘Things happen for a reason; we just don’t understand it at the time.’”
The second pivotal moment came in 2004 when Jake was diagnosed with a severe case of rheumatoid arthritis. Once an active tennis player who hit the courts three times a week, Jake suddenly found himself shuffling around, barely able to move. Between his declining health and the lingering lessons from his father’s life, he started to rethink his priorities.
Even then, it took his wife calling him out to make the final leap. “One day I came home from a business trip, and my wife, Alicia, stopped me in the back hall,” he says.
“Before I could get any farther, she said to me, ‘You’re unhappy, and it’s impacting our family. Figure out what you want to be when you grow up.’ After much soul searching, I
admitted to her that I had always wanted to be a boarding school teacher.”
Inspired by the lasting impact of his own high school mentors and motivated by a deep desire to make a difference, Jake left the corporate world at age 46, earned a master’s in Latin in one year, and launched his teaching career at Cardigan Mountain School. He loved the experience of studying and then teaching, saying it awoke a part of his brain he hadn’t used in 25 years. But he wasn’t in the right place. Luckily, it wasn’t long before he found his true home: Jake discovered Avon Old Farms while touring boarding schools with his second oldest son, Jas ’14.
“Within five minutes of being on campus, I knew this was it,” Jake says. “The traditions here aren’t just about doing things because we’ve always done them. They’re about what works for boys—structure, routine, and a bigger mission than oneself. Avon just fit me like an old shoe.”
Jake’s first week on campus in the fall of 2011 was unforgettable. “I was walking through the quad when an announcement came over the loudspeakers: ‘A bear has been sighted on campus; please do not approach the bear.’ I thought, ‘I want to see it.’ Next thing I know, 12 doors burst open, and kids flooded out with lacrosse and hockey sticks yelling, ‘Where is it?’ That’s when I thought, ‘I’ve found my tribe.’”
On a more serious note, Jake explains that the essence of Avon Old
Mr. Spearman is the type of teacher who does not demand the respect or attention of his students but draws them in with his sage-like demeanor and enthusiasm. I had the pleasure of studying under Mr. Spearman for three years, and the lessons he taught have helped me become the man I am today. I may not remember how to conjugate many Latin verbs anymore but the discipline and initiative stuck; from learning love and loss in the works of Ovid to that of power and strife in the letters of Caesar, these are powerful themes we could have never fully understood without Mr. Spearman’s tutelage. On the spring break trip to Italy, he broadened our horizons and showed us that the importance and beauty of classical history is still alive, even outside of a textbook. During the later hours of enrichment, where students came willingly, he gave us assistance on the challenging passages he would assign. He’d give up his weekends to coach football, skiing, and lacrosse as well as get Jamerson boys together for a movie or a friendly video game competition. Mr. Spearman gave his all for the boys of Avon, and we became men under his wing.
Farms lies in its unique ability to connect with boys. “At Avon, the boys feel comfortable talking about almost anything, whether it’s a family issue, a classmate they’re worried about, or just stopping by to play Super Smash Bros. That’s the beauty of this place—you really get to know when a boy isn’t himself, and you have the chance to make a difference.”
Teaching Latin and coaching thirds football are two more of Jake’s great passions. “Teaching gives me the chance to exercise a positive influence on boys,” he says. “When I see a boy who’s confident on the field but indifferent in the classroom, I tell him, ‘If you give 10 percent of that effort to your schoolwork, you’ll succeed.’ Watching them take that leap is the most rewarding part of my job.”
Jake has such a passion for working with the boys that he went so far as to organize a recurring trip abroad during spring break. Starting in his first year, he’s taken a group to Italy to see iconic sights including
Pompeii, the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, St. Peter’s Basilica, and more. No trip would be complete without taking in a rugby match, however, and some even participated in “Gladiator School.”
As for coaching, Jake says it’s like a dream come true. “Half the kids have never played before, so we get to teach them the game from scratch. Football teaches that the sum is greater than the individual parts. Watching boys respond to that is incredibly rewarding.” Jake even shares that his very first thirds football team in the fall of 2011 was one of his favorites. “I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of guys that first year, and to work alongside
Coach Mehos … What a great season. That set me off on the best possible footing, and I’ve had so much fun on the Avon fields since.”
Jake’s life outside the classroom is just as vibrant. His wife lives in Maine with their four dogs, and they’re the parents of four boys, three of whom became Avonians: Jas ’14, Chandler ’15, and Henry ’18. More recently, he’s become a published author, and he doesn’t just have one book—so far, he has 25 fiction novels under his belt, including the popular Sandy Pike and FitzDuncan series.
“The idea of writing novels started over 20 years ago when a friend encouraged me to give it a shot,” he
I had the privilege of knowing Mr. Spearman in several distinct facets—coach, mentor, and travel chaperone, to name a few. Across the various roles he served, he always brought a genuine, fun-loving, honest, and sincere approach to whomever he was engaging with. Whether it was Friday morning trips to Dunkin’ in the VW convertible, grilling in the spring outside of his apartment, or gallivanting through a foreign country as he served as a knowledgeable guide, Mr. Spearman never failed to provide a burst of positive energy and a palpable excitement to whatever was about to happen next. I’ll be forever grateful for the mentorship I received from Mr. Spearman, and I cannot wait to see him flourish in his next chapter! Congrats on a well-earned retirement!
— JARED O’HARE ’19
Mr. Spearman had a major impact on me! I still remember playing video games with him and taking part in his intersession. I could give him no higher compliment than to say that every single interaction that I had with Mr. Spearman was positive and that I left each one feeling better. I could share stories of good times that we had for hours, and I wish him all the best in his retirement!
shares. “I took a crack at it and made a lot of progress. He read what I had written and liked it, but at the time, breaking into the publishing world wasn’t easy. On top of that, I was going through significant changes in my life. Then that friend passed away from a brain tumor, and I never did anything with that first project.”
It wasn’t until the summer of 2016 that he got back to it, thanks to his wife once more. “She hated seeing me sit around all summer reading and urged me to pick up a hobby—though I’m pretty sure she meant yard work. One day, while reading a mediocre sci-fi novel, I threw it down and said, ‘I can do better than this.’ Alicia looked at me and said, ‘Prove it.’ That was the kick in the pants I needed.”
At first, Jake says he wrote just to see if he actually could do it. He admits he knew nothing about publishing, but had a story in mind and wanted to see how well he could tell it. “While I was drawn to historical fiction, I didn’t want to be confined by internet trolls who would set out to prove my character couldn’t have been where I put them because of some smallknown fact, so instead I chose to write fantasy and science fiction set in another time or another world … one where I could create the history that I wanted my characters to have.”
student when we read works by the Roman poet Catullus who, at the age of 19, was writing about his feelings of his lover cheating on him with his best friend. I realized then that people still feel the same emotions that they always have, and that’s been helpful in keeping my fictional characters relatable. In writing about the future or a medieval time happening on another world, I know that I can create scenarios that readers understand could happen. In the end, we all want to see the good guy succeed and the bad guy to get his comeuppance.”
Jake proofread his first book as best as he could, asked a friend to create some cover art, and released it into the world on Amazon. “Somehow, people found it,” he shrugs. That first book is called Gallantry in Action. Enough people liked it that he kept going, eventually completing his first four books, The Jonah Halberd Series
—
GRAHAM
WALKER ’20
At the same time, Jake shares that his passions for history and Latin have been quite helpful. “In studying history, you can see very clearly that over 2,000 years have gone by and people haven’t changed.” He explains that people still feel the same emotions and react to things in much the same way. There are still the same kinds of people: good people and villains. “I actually had a lightbulb moment as a
After that, Jake realized he was genuinely enjoying writing and wanted to do it right. “I took everything I had learned and applied it to my next project, The Sandy Pike Series, which took off like gangbusters. The success of that series allowed me to revisit my earlier books, giving them the professional editing and cover design they deserved before republishing them.”
Between writing the second and third books in the Sandy Pike Series, Jake hit writer’s block. That’s when he turned to another idea he’d been mulling over: a Three Musketeers/ Inigo Montoya/magic concept. That became the nine-book FitzDuncan Series. “While I know authors aren’t supposed to have favorite books—just like parents aren’t supposed to have
favorite children—the FitzDuncan books are absolutely my favorites.”
All of Jake’s books have found success on Amazon, and he’s continued to write, balancing his teaching and coaching responsibilities with his creative endeavors. Beyond sales, the books have also won several awards, including the Silver Medal for Science Fiction in the 2023 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards and first place in the Chanticleer International Book Awards for Fantasy.
He signed a contract with publisher Aethon Books last year to create the Mercenary Navy Series and admits that his collective royalties have been enough to pay for the new Bronco sitting in his parking space outside Brown House. All in all, Jake has found it might be time to shift his primary focus once more and will retire from teaching at the end of the 2024–25 school year.
“The world has changed, my circumstances have changed, and it feels like the right time,” he shares. “It’s getting hard to battle AI in the
classroom, but I don’t blame the kids for using it. I know that if I had access to it as a student, I would have too. At the same time, writing is also something I can do from my home in Maine, where my wife and dogs live full time, and I’m excited to lean into it and have more fun exploring new worlds through my characters. When I’m writing in Maine, I can go up into my junk room and commune with my imaginary friends for eight hours. It’s a blast.”
Looking back on his time at Avon, Jake reflects with humility and gratitude. “The legacy I leave is with the alumni. My influence on campus will eventually be a memory, but I like to think I’ve made a difference with the boys. I know they’ve certainly made a difference for me.”
Jake Spearman certainly found his calling—and his tribe. And Avon Old Farms is all the better for it. We wish him all the best in his writing endeavors, and we hold a shelf in the Baxter Library for his growing set of works.
Mr. Spearman was an amazing teacher and leader of men. His passion for the Latin language and ancient history was an amazing resource to learn from. He led our spring break trip to Italy, and no one could have matched his passion for the Roman Empire and its incredible history. The trip would have been nothing without him, and everyone on that trip is a more well-rounded man for it. We all learned about Rome and went through a gladiator training camp thanks to him. He also was the biggest advocate of senior grilling and was kind enough to always lend the grill in his backyard to my senior class. His generosity with his time, his sense of humor, and his ability to connect with students will always be something I remember. He deserves the happiest retirement of any man I know.
— HENRY ALLEN ’15
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
LEFT: THE USICH FAMILY TRADITION OF STOPPING AT LUKE’S DONUTS IN TOWN BEFORE GRANDPARENTS DAY.
ABOVE: BUD ’62 AND HIS WIFE, NANCY, POSE FOR A PHOTO WITH GRANDSON XANDER ’20 DURING GRANDPARENTS DAY.
A Family Legacy
Three Usich Generations at Avon Old Farms
For the Usich family, Avon Old Farms is more than a school— it’s a tradition, a second home, and a defining part of their identity. Spanning three generations, seven Usich men have walked the same paths, studied in the same classrooms, and upheld the same traditions that have shaped the school for nearly a century. Their story is one of deep-rooted loyalty, unwavering pride, and an enduring commitment to the values that make Avon Old Farms exceptional.
The Usich legacy at Avon Old Farms began with Louis “Bud” Usich Jr. ’62, who stepped on campus on September 18, 1957, as the youngest boy—12 years of age—in Avon’s “second form.” He had arrived at Avon’s
doorstep scared to death, thanks largely to a Little League connection to Avon’s Dean George Kinkade. “In those days, parents would pull their cars right up to the fence to watch a game, and Dean Kinkade’s son was on my team. My mother learned of the school during those games and developed more than a passing interest in my attending Avon Old Farms. Before I knew it, I was walking through Dio Archway.”
Bud, a natural athlete, set records in the pool and an athletic precedent of success that his family would later follow. His brother, James, would give Avon a shot in 1961 before returning to public school after two years. Bud had mixed feelings during his time at Avon Old Farms—but chose to
persevere. His early encounters included English with the legendary Sid Clark H’65 (a challenge initially, as Bud was far less enthusiastic about his studies than Sid would like).
Now, Bud looks back fondly on those mesmerizing Tuesday afternoon lectures, even stating that Sid possibly was the pinnacle of instruction at Avon Old Farms. When the time came, he was happy his boys got to experience those lectures firsthand. Despite attending Avon, Bud says it was more his wife’s influence that led to their own sons’ enrollment in the 1980s. “Nancy was a dedicated educator in the town of Avon, and she saw the advantages of Avon Old Farms,” he explains. “I was at least a little bit supportive, especially when I
took note of how George Trautman was shaping the school to be a different experience for boys. It was clear Avon was now a different place, and I agreed with the emphasis on athletics as a core part of the high school experience. Academics and athletics have always worked hand in hand for me, and I saw that George felt that way too. That impacted me, and I am glad my sons were guided under his leadership.”
Bud’s son Louis “Jed” Usich III ’85 says that when the time came for him to attend high school, it was clear that Avon Old Farms was the option. “It wasn’t just a school. It was part of our family’s fabric. My father was an excellent swimmer and pitcher, so we heard many stories
over the years of his athletic success at AOF. He even gave me his silver ‘A’ lapel pin, which I still wear to events.”
Jed and his brother, Jonathan Usich ’89, continued the Avon legacy, embracing the new opportunities Avon provided.
For Jed, Avon was not just about academics and athletics but about learning life lessons that would stay with him long after graduation: work hard, strive for success, be honest, have a strong moral compass, and treat others like you want to be treated.
“I remember sitting in Sid Clark’s English class and realizing—this was my father’s teacher too. That’s when it really hit me how special this place was,” Jed recalls. “Avon is built on tradition, and that continuity is what
makes it unique.”
Whether it was playing hockey, getting married in Avon’s chapel, or returning to campus with his own children, Jed’s ties to the school have remained strong. “I can always count on AOF to be there. Like family, it’s there for both the good and the challenging times. Avon’s values have permeated my family so deeply that during a recent hospital stay for one of our family members, I wrote ‘Aspirando et Perseverando’ on the nurse’s white board in the hospital room.”
Jed, who now serves on the Avon Old Farms Alumni Council, speaks fondly of his time at the school, particularly the friendships, the sense of community, and the
TOP: BUD USICH ’62 MEETS UP WITH HIS GRANDSON ZACHARY ’18 IN THE REFECTORY DURING GRANDPARENTS DAY.
BOTTOM: THE USICH FAMILY GATHERS ON CAMPUS FOR ZACHARY’S GRADUATION IN 2018.
BELOW: JED ’85 AND HIS WIFE, VICKY, WERE MARRIED IN AVON’S CHAPEL.
experiences that shaped him. “The buildings are of course what you see and recognize first, but it’s really the AOF community—the dedicated educators, counselors, mentors, coaches, and staff who eat, sleep, and breathe AOF—that make it a one-ofa-kind place.”
For Jon, Avon was more than just a school—it was an extension of home. Growing up with a father and uncle who had attended Avon, and growing up in a home built on land that once was a part of the school, Jon felt deeply connected to the campus long before he became a student. “Avon Old Farms was even more of a given for me because Jed was there,” he said, referring to his older brother. Whether it was early mornings at Jennings Fairchild Arena playing youth hockey, watching his brother play football, or hearing stories from his father, Avon was always part of
his life. Even before he enrolled, he spent five days a week on campus simply by virtue of riding the bus that picked up faculty children, making the school feel familiar and inevitable. Once a student, Jon found that the long-standing traditions and familiar faces created a unique sense of continuity. He was taught by some of the same educators who had taught his father, including Sid Clark and Seth Mendell ’52, and his advisor, Frank Leavitt ’52, P’76, GP’15, had once been his dad’s baseball coach. “Linkage all the way through,” he notes, appreciating the deep roots Avon had in his family. But he recalls his surprise at the overwhelming school spirit, particularly on game days, when students stood chanting on benches in the Riddle Refectory for pep rallies. He also saw the school evolve—while it always excelled in humanities and sports, he admired
the expansion into science, arts, and music. “The school is getting more dynamic compared to when I was there,” he observes, acknowledging how Avon had modernized while maintaining its core identity. Today, Jon still visits campus a few times a year, drawn by a sense of belonging that has never faded. Whether it’s stopping by to see how Avon has changed, catching up with familiar faces, or hearing from alumni who haven’t returned but still feel connected through photos, that link remains strong. “There’s a comfort that comes back being on campus,” he says, reflecting on the school’s ability to maintain its
RIGHT: JED ’85 VOLUNTEERS HIS TIME DURING AVON’S ALUMNI CAREER DAY THIS SPRING. BELOW: JED IN A DIOGENES CLASSROOM DURING HIS TIME AS A STUDENT.
RIGHT: FIRST DAY AT AVON OLD FARMS FOR XANDER ’20, POSING WITH HIS BROTHER ZACH ’18.
essence across generations. While his own son chose a different path, Jon believes that attending Avon is something you have to want for yourself. For him, the school’s small class sizes, deep relationships with teachers, and culture of inclusivity in sports and extracurriculars were defining aspects of his experience.
Even as Avon continues to evolve, its heart remains the same—something his family has witnessed firsthand for three generations.
When it came time for Jed’s sons— Nathaniel ’15, Zachary ’18, and Alexander ’20—to attend high school, there was no debate. Jed and his wife, Vicky, had relocated back to Connecticut from Florida in 2006, ensuring the boys could attend Avon. In anticipation of their enrollment, Jed shared a few AOF need-to-knows before they even got started: don’t walk on the grass, hold doors open
when appropriate, no run-on sentences in any of your papers, and always have a perfect handshake ready.
“We bleed crimson and navy, just like Coach Flanagan always says,” Jed says with a laugh. “We’re very loyal. Avon was the only choice for our kids.”
Each of Jed’s sons embraced their Avon experience in their own way. Nate, a dedicated lacrosse player, pushed himself relentlessly to earn first-team All-American honors. When asked about his own AOF experience, Nate says, “I learned at Avon, more than anything, how to compete and how to improve. The culture of the school when I attended really pushed you to find your niche and excel at it. For me, that was lacrosse. Now, it’s the challenge of learning how to trade at Bank of America. You meet so many motivated and talented people that you figure out you need to really dig deep and
better yourself or else you get left behind. I always hung out with more athletic, more talented, and smarter people (like Andrew Gnazzo ’15, Princeton/Georgetown graduate and D1 baseball player, who will be officiating my wedding) who pushed me to be better myself. I attribute much of my recent success and achievement to the lessons I learned on campus and hope others get the same.”
Zach and Xander, who transferred in after spending their freshman year at Avon High knowing they’d want to complete a fifth year in anticipation of pursuing college athletics, gained a renewed appreciation for the unique opportunities afforded through an AOF education their father and grandfather had spoken of for years when they finally enrolled as well.
“I have an overwhelming pride in Avon Old Farms, founded on the success of the many men who made
ABOVE: FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: XANDER ’20, ZACK ’18, NATE ’15, VICKY, AND JED ’85 GATHER FOR A PHOTO ON THE VILLAGE GREEN AFTER NATE’S GRADUATION.
RIGHT: BROTHERS XANDER AND ZACH DRESSED FOR FIELD DAY AT AVON OLD FARMS.
LEFT: ONE OF JED'S FAVORITE MEMORIES: WATCHING HIS SON NATE #28 WINNING NEW ENGLANDS WITH HIS VARSITY LACROSSE TEAM.
their way through the archway before me,” Xander explains. “It was pretty special going through school and hearing, ‘Oh, you are a Usich,’ and that is not a bad thing. It was meritocracy at its core, stemming from years of giving back to the school. It made me not want to let my family down.”
Beyond the classroom lessons and lacrosse wins, Xander says one of the important values that Avon instilled within him is accountability. “I seldom let myself deviate from the goals I set. This is what allowed my brothers and I to become All-Americans on the lacrosse field and seek out jobs that allow future opportunities for growth and success. It was not a happenstance—Avon gave me the platform to learn how to succeed, and I took advantage of it.”
ABOVE: JED, VICKY, AND ZACH ON GRADUATION DAY.
LEFT: THREE USICH BROTHERS GATHER ON THE LACROSSE FIELD—ALL THREE WOULD WEAR #28 AT AVON AS WELL AS DURING THEIR COLLEGE PLAYING CAREERS.
On a different note, Xander also credits Avon with a comfortable openness with his emotions. “I am a man who can hug my friends and tell them I love them. CJ, Brad, Zeke, Ryan, Hunter—my best friends that will be at my wedding, know everything about me, and support me through the hard things I do in life, like moving to Utah while my whole family lives on the east coast. My teachers, friends, family, and teammates all know me well, and more boys around the world should be able to have this.”
While all seven of the Usich men were day students, each generation in turn became more deeply ingrained in the school’s round-theclock offerings. Unlike their father’s experience, where day students were somewhat separate from boarders,
Jed and Jonathan immersed themselves in Avon life. This shift continued with the next generation, and Jed’s three sons didn’t miss a thing that Avon had to offer.
“There was a standing rule in our house—if you’re at Avon, you stay all day. Don’t come home early,” Jed says. “For my boys, it became their home away from home. They were truly boarders without a bed.”
While the core values of Avon Old Farms remain unchanged, Jed has witnessed the school’s impressive evolution over the decades. The expansion of academic offerings, including the Mandarin program and advanced mathematical courses, stands out as a testament to Avon’s commitment to preparing students for the future.
“If you told me back in the ’80s that my son would graduate speaking Mandarin fluently, I’d have thought you were crazy,” Jed says. “But Avon’s
ability to evolve while staying true to its traditions is what makes it so special.”
Bud agrees that the school has changed dramatically over the years, most notably in its expansion of the athletic program offerings. He explains that for him, swimming and his relationship with coach Bradley Mason was paramount. “Coach Mason was a real man’s man. In today’s society, he would probably have been a Navy Seal. He was a wonderful educator, a wonderful mentor, and was a true highlight in my Avon experience.” But Bud never recalls seeing Don Pierpont on the sidelines of any sporting event, which was perplexing. Later in the 1980s while his family attended a few hockey games on campus, it became apparent that under the leadership of George Trautman, there would be a strong emphasis on athletics. Jed and Jon were competitive athletes, but
the three Usich grandsons really capitalized upon the athletic prowess of Avon Old Farms in the 2000s and each earned All-American status in lacrosse. “The boys’ commitment to their sport was a demonstration of their strong character, and that has served them well in life beyond the lacrosse field,” says Bud.
Despite these changes, some things remain constant. For Jed, the refectory’s cascading side door and the familiar faces of longtime faculty members continue to evoke a comforting sense of home, and his sons agree.
“The prestige of being one of a select few third-generation Avonians means the great school of Avon fills me with a similar feeling of connection as would an actual family member—the school is inseparable from my family tree, and we are all the better for it,” shares Nate. “It is a great honor and privilege to be able
This fall, Avon Old Farms School will host its annual Reunion Weekend Celebration in September, honoring all classes ending in 0 or 5, with all alumni invited to attend. For the Usich family, that means Jed, cousin Tim Orr, Nate, and Xander will be celebrating a milestone reunion this year.
to attend a school like this and not one that we take for granted.”
As the youngest Usich boys carve out their own paths beyond Avon, the question remains—will there be a fourth generation of Usich men at Old Farms?
“I have no doubt that if there are boys, they’ll be at Avon,” Jed says confidently, adding that a visit to campus has become a testing ground for any of his sons’ serious relationships. “I couldn’t be more proud that we were lucky enough to support our boys attending Avon. We feel quite fortunate and are certain AOF has played a significant role in all the successes they are currently achieving in their personal and professional lives. I can’t imagine a world where we aren’t connected to this school.”
For the Usichs, Avon Old Farms isn’t just a school—it’s home. And as long as there are Usichs, the legacy will live on.
Centennial Legacy Challenge
Include Avon Old Farms School in your estate plan and the school will match a percentage of your future gift today to the Fund for Avon area of your choice.
The Avon Old Farms School Centennial Legacy Challenge provides an immediate cash match for donors who document a new or increased existing planned gift. As the donor, you can direct a cash match equal to 10% of your planned gift up to $10,000, to one of four annual fund areas: Financial Aid, Academic Support, Facilities, or Avon’s Area of Greatest Need.
class notes
50s
’50 HARVEY S. RUBIN
Head Class Ambassador harvo2516@verizon.net
’51 WARREN T. FORD SR. Head Class Ambassador jodir@aol.com
’52 SETH F. MENDELL
Head Class Ambassador sethalicemendell@gmail.com
’54 DOUGLAS H. MACPHERSON
Head Class Ambassador dhmacpherson@verizon.net
’55 EDWARD J. HAWIE Co-Head Class Ambassador ehawie@bellsouth.net
’55 CLEON M. SHUTT JR. Co-Head Class Ambassador chipsamerica@hotmail.com
’56 CHARLES R. SCAGLIONE Head Class Ambassador scag3328@gmail.com
’59 CHARLES W. DAVIS Head Class Ambassador cwdavis@waretec.com
RIGHT: SETH MENDELL ’52, ALICE MENDELL, PETER EVANS H’18, P’98, GLENN SIEBER H’19, P’17 IN NAPLES, FLORIDA.
AND
LOGAN AIRPORT IN SEPTEMBER 2024. THEY CAUGHT UP AFTER NOT SEEING EACH OTHER SINCE BOTH SERVED ON THE AOF BOARD SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
60s
’60 RICHARD L. WILLIAMS Head Class Ambassador rclumberclan@aol.com
’61 GEORGE F. HENSCHEL JR. Head Class Ambassador gfhjr@aol.com
’63 JACK R. STOKVIS Head Class Ambassador smarts@galaxy.net
’64 JON MITNICK Head Class Ambassador johnmit3@cox.net
’65 PERRY BENSON JR. Head Class Ambassador pbenson@jacobswyper.com
’66 MICHAEL D. BARKER Head Class Ambassador barkermike@aol.com
’67 JAMES W. CORRIGAN Co-Head Class Ambassador cecorrigan86@gmail.com
’67 WILLIAM F. ROBERTS JR. Co-Head Class Ambassador wfroberts@fast.net
’68 CHASE DONALDSON Head Class Ambassador cfdifly@gmail.com
’69 DAVID F. COLEMAN
Head Class Ambassador davidcoleman1150@gmail.com
70s
’70 HARRIS H. BUCKLIN III
Head Class Ambassador hbucklin3@gmail.com
’71 TIMOTHY B. BEEBLE
Co-Head Class Ambassador tbeeble@aol.com
’71 HENRY R. COONS
Co-Head Class Ambassador henrycoons29@yahoo.com
’72 KEVIN J. DRISCOLL
Head Class Ambassador driscollk@avonoldfarms.com
’73 CHRISTOPHER L. ATKINS
Head Class Ambassador catkins702@gmail.com
’74 EDWARD P. MOLLOY
Head Class Ambassador tmolloy@arraysoftware.com
’75 GORDON F. LINKE
Head Class Ambassador gflinke@gmail.com
’76 ALEXANDER N. WORLEY
Head Class Ambassador alexworley@sbcglobal.net
COACH HENRY COONS ’71, P’07 AND HIS WIFE, MARIE, WITH GRANDKIDS AVERY, NORA, HENRY, AND NICO.
CHRIS WEBB HAD LUNCH IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, AT THE CONTINENTAL WITH (LEFT TO RIGHT) JOHN HEBBERD ’67, BOB PATTERSON ’67, P’08, KEN CLOUD ’78, AND POPE REED ’63.
JORGE CONSUEGRA ’77, P’11 RAN INTO STEPHEN LASH ’58 AT BOSTON
DEAN GRAHAM ’84, HIS WIFE, DEBRA,
MIKE LECH ’88, P’23 GATHER AT THE NAPLES, FLORIDA, RECEPTION IN JANUARY 2025.
TIM TRAUTMAN ’75, P’03 WAS PASSING THROUGH NASSAU, BAHAMAS, EN ROUTE TO MEET HIS DAUGHTERS FOR A SAILING TRIP, ON JANUARY 3RD WHEN HE MET UP WITH NEIL MACTAGGART ’78 AT LYFORD CAY, WHERE NEIL LIVES WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO BOYS. THEY SPENT TIME CATCHING UP AND REMINISCING OVER DINNER.
DEAN PETOW, FRANK SZILAGYI, AND JOHN HESLIN, ALL FROM THE CLASS OF 1977, ATTENDED A UCONN FOOTBALL GAME TOGETHER IN THE FALL OF 2024. PICTURED HERE (LEFT TO RIGHT) ARE DEAN AND JOHN.
TUCKER BRADSHAW ’77 CELEBRATED THE WEDDING OF HIS DAUGHTER, GENA, IN SEPTEMBER 2024!
DAVID HUNTER ’77 TRAVELED TO LAS VEGAS IN DECEMBER 2024, WHERE HE MET WITH CLASSMATE JEFF FLACH AND CHATTED FOR A WHILE. THROUGH SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS, DAVID ADDED CERTIFIED URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTER TO ALL HIS OTHER ARBORICULTURE CREDENTIALS.
JOHN GARVEY ’78 HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE AOF ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT ON A ROCKET PROJECT. THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT PROVIDED THE 3D-PRINTED NOSE CONE AT THE TOP OF THE ROCKET, AS WELL AS THE LAUNCH RAIL GUIDES THAT ARE HOLDING THE ROCKET TO THE RAIL AND THE THRUST PLATE THAT MATES THE ROCKET ENGINE TO THE AIRFRAME AT THE BOTTOM.
’77 JORGE E. CONSUEGRA JR. Head Class Ambassador jconsuegra29@gmail.com
’78 JOHN M. GARVEY Head Class Ambassador jmgarvey@garvspace.com
’79 ANTHONY M. GRAY Co-Head Class Ambassador tgray@tonygray.net
’79 SCOTT B. LINKE Co-Head Class Ambassador scottblinke@comcast.net
80s
’80 THOMAS E. DAVEY JR. Head Class Ambassador thomasdaveyjr@gmail.com
’81 SAMUEL C. BOOKBINDER IV Head Class Ambassador samuel.bookbinder@wfadvisors.com
’82 BRIAN B. CONROY Co-Head Class Ambassador brianconroy1@mac.com
’82 GREGORY T. FISH
Co-Head Class Ambassador greg@gregorytfishllc.com
’83 WILLIAM E. ESCHERT Co-Head Class Ambassador billeschert@gmail.com
’83 RICHARD C. GREGORY
Co-Head Class Ambassador rick@rcgregory.com
’84 JOHN S. GORDON
Head Class Ambassador falconatlfan@gmail.com
’85 SAM L. RUBENSTEIN
Head Class Ambassador srubenstein127@gmail.com
’86 STEPHEN R. GORMAN
Head Class Ambassador stephen.r.gorman@gmail.com
’87 HAROLD R. BEACHAM JR. Head Class Ambassador hal.beacham44@comcast.net
’88 SHAWN E. ATKINSON
Co-Head Class Ambassador shawnatki@gmail.com
’88 PETER D. REED
Co-Head Class Ambassador pdreed18@gmail.com
’89 ROBERT M. WILEMAN
Head Class Ambassador rmw@wilemanagency.com
ANDRES CONSUEGRA ’80, P’14, LUIS CONSUEGRA ’14, AND KEVIN DRISCOLL ’72, P’08 ENJOY DINNER TOGETHER IN MIAMI.
AVONIANS GATHER FOR DINNER IN DENVER, COLORADO. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: JOHN ZAPPONE ’82, ERIK AKOPIANTZ ’83, ADRIAN KEYES ’04, LUKE ARCHAMBAULT ’04.
GIL VANDERA ’81 AND JOHN GORDON ’84 VISITED TOGETHER AT GIL’S RESTAURANT, BRUNELLESCHI’S, IN ASPEN, COLORADO.
JASON MURGIO ’94, P’28, KEVIN DRISCOLL ’72, P’08, AMY MILLISOR P’26, MATT ZDON, AND PATRICIA MURGIO P’28 POSE FOR A PHOTO IN DELRAY, FLORIDA.
MILES SCHMIDT-SCHEUBER ’89 CAME OUT WITH A BOOK, THE REAL BASKETBALL DEAL, LAST YEAR ABOUT HIS LIFE AS A JOURNALIST AND BASKETBALL BROADCASTER IN GERMANY. IT IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.
90s
’90 PETER J. DECKERS
Head Class Ambassador deckersp@avonoldfarms.com
’91 ROBERT A. DOWLING JR. Head Class Ambassador dowlingr@avonoldfarms.com
’92 WILLIAM P. AUSTIN
Co-Head Class Ambassador wpaustin55@gmail.com
’92 DAMIEN J. EGAN
Co-Head Class Ambassador degan2@hotmail.com
’93 LANCE A. CASHION
Co-Head Class Ambassador lancec@christchapelbc.org
’93 ADAM K. CLINE
Co-Head Class Ambassador adamcline50@gmail.com
’94 GRAHAM C. FULLER
Head Class Ambassador grahamcraigfuller@gmail.com
THREE CLASS OF 1997 AVON OLD FARMS ALUMNI FOUND THEMSELVES ALL IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY (NOW TÜRKIYE), AT THE SAME TIME ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2024, AND MET UP FOR LUNCH WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THE COINCIDENCE ON FACEBOOK. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ERIK FREY, TYSON GREENWOOD, AND AUSTYN ALLISON.
JUST A COUPLE OF ORDER OF OLD FARMS RECIPIENTS CATCHING UP AFTER A FEW DECADES. CLASSMATES CHRIS CAULFIELD ’00 AND DAN SEIDEN ’00 GOT TOGETHER IN HILTON HEAD, SOUTH CAROLINA, OVER THE THANKSGIVING BREAK. CHRIS IS A DOCTOR AND PROFESSOR AT UNC CHAPEL HILL, AND DAN IS THE HEADMASTER AT A PK-12 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OUTSIDE CHARLESTON.
’95 JOHN P. MCAULIFFE
Co-Head Class Ambassador john.mcauliffe@sig.com
’95 ANTHONY D. SILVESTRO
Co-Head Class Ambassador tony.silvestro@insperity.com
’96 MARK A. CARUSO
Head Class Ambassador mcaruso@gmail.com
’97 TIMOTHY B. STAY
Co-Head Class Ambassador timothystay@gmail.com
’97 KYLE R. YOUNGQUIST
Co-Head Class Ambassador bigkyleyoungquist@gmail.com
’98 J. ANDREW CORRIGAN
Head Class Ambassador jamesandrewcorrigan@gmail.com
’99 DAVID R. GRYBOSKI
Co-Head Class Ambassador david@ghgdevelopment.com
’99 STEPHEN A. ZAPPONE
Co-Head Class Ambassador zappones@yahoo.com 00s
’00 MICHAEL J. O’NEILL
Co-Head Class Ambassador michaeloneill27@yahoo.com
’00 DANIEL J. SEIDEN
Co-Head Class Ambassador seidend@gmail.com
’01 CHRISTOPHER D. COLEMAN Co-Head Class Ambassador christopherdcoleman@gmail.com
’01 NICHOLAS H. LAROCQUE Co-Head Class Ambassador larocque.nicholas@gmail.com
’02 WILLIAM N. PALMER
Head Class Ambassador wnpalmer@gmail.com
THANKSGIVING AT THE STIFEL’S. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: TEE GAYNOR ’27, ADAM STIFEL ’99, AND SHEPHERD THOMASON ’27.
’03 JAMES T. TANG
Head Class Ambassador jamesttang@gmail.com
’04 LUKE R. ARCHAMBAULT
Co-Head Class Ambassador archambaultl@avonoldfarms.com
’04 MATTHEW H. MORAN
Co-Head Class Ambassador matthew.h.moran@gmail.com
MIDDLE AND BOTTOM: ALEXANDER HALL ’04 runs two businesses in the Florida Keys now. The first is the charter business, Lightly Salted Charters, which offers fishing, snorkeling, sandbar, scuba, spearfishing, sightseeing, and eco-tours. The second is Island Aerial Solutions, where he puts his degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to use providing aerial search and rescue, inspections, photo/video, and post-storm property evaluations. Since moving to the Keys in 2019, he has become vice president of the Islamorada Charter Boat Association, a licensed captain, a PADI divemaster, and spends a fair bit of time volunteering with numerous search and rescue teams.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to be able to use the skills I’ve accumulated through a career in Law Enforcement, EMS, and now the aerospace and maritime industries. I also recently hopped back on a drum set for the first time in 20 years. Last time I played was at Avon! Avon Old Farms gave me a foundation that I didn’t really realize until recently. I grew up a lot in my few years there, leading me to pursue my passions and succeed as a successful entrepreneur. My path to this point was fraught with hardships, though, but I persevered and continued to aspire to new goals. I wish I could have made the reunion this year, but I had a litany of surgical recoveries stemming from a wreck in 2020 that I’m very thankful to have survived (my
search and rescue K9 was with me, on our way to Lake Charles, Louisiana, for hurricane Delta, and we both walked away from it by God’s grace). I’ll spare you that photo. Aspirando et perseverando still sticks with me! Cheers to all my classmates. Come down to the Keys for a visit sometime.”
’05 ANDREW B. LAWRENCE
Co-Head Class Ambassador mooklawrence@gmail.com
’05 DANE G. LEMERIS
Co-Head Class Ambassador dlemeris@gmail.com
THE CLASS OF 2004 SPENT TIME TOGETHER IN OCTOBER WHEN THEY CELEBRATED THEIR 20TH REUNION.
ARMY AND AIR FORCE VETERANS ADRIAN KEYES ’04 AND SAL SZWED ’04 TAKE A MOMENT AT THE AOF VETERANS MEMORIAL DURING THEIR 20TH REUNION.
CHRIS WEBB CONNECTED WITH ANDREW VALENTINE ’05 AND HIS FAMILY AT THE NAVY–TULANE FOOTBALL GAME. BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: ASHLEY HOFFMAN, MARSHALL HOFFMAN, CHRIS WEBB, ANDREW VALENTINE, STEPHANIE VALENTINE. FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: HARPER VALENTINE, GWENDOLYN HOFFMAN, LEXI VALENTINE, ELEANOR HOFFMAN.
ABOVE: LAUREN AND DON MCCARTHY ’05 HAD A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR, AS THEY WELCOMED THEIR NEW SON AND FUTURE AVONIAN, CADEN, TO THE FAMILY.
’06 KEVIN T. DRISCOLL Co-Head Class Ambassador kevin.t.driscoll@gmail.com
’06 JOSHUA P. PAVANO Co-Head Class Ambassador jpavano@gmail.com
’07 CASEY R. COONS Co-Head Class Ambassador caseycoons4@gmail.com
’07 TYLER C. HADDAD Co-Head Class Ambassador tyler.c.haddad@gmail.com
CHRIS CANNING ’07 started a new job in Biddeford, Maine, in the emergency department as a physician assistant for Maine Health in March 2025.
’08 DOUGLAS J. BEYER Head Class Ambassador dbeyer11789@gmail.com
JAE WOO LIM ’08 SPENT THE AFTERNOON ON CAMPUS IN OCTOBER 2024 VISITING WITH FACULTY, INCLUDING A STOP IN THE REFECTORY WITH PETER RICE ’76, P’15.
ABOVE: BLAISE DRISCOLL ’08 AND HIS WIFE, ALLIE, WELCOMED BABY PAYTON INTO THE WORLD IN FEBRUARY 2025.
ERIC MEYERS ’08 GOT MARRIED TO THE WOMAN OF HIS DREAMS, BEE KIM, AT ARAPAHOE BASIN SKI RESORT IN COLORADO ON AUGUST 18, 2024. TWO MONTHS LATER, THEY HONEYMOONED IN ANTARCTICA!
HAYDEN VOEGTLE ’17 AND EMMA WERE MARRIED ON OCTOBER 26, 2024, IN WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA.
’09 JOHN B. BEATH
Co-Head Class Ambassador beathj@gmail.com
’09 JAKE R. BOURGAULT Co-Head Class Ambassador jake.bourgault@gmail.com
10s
’10 PATRICK D. HAMPTON Head Class Ambassador hampton@narf.org
’11 HARRISON M. LYONS
Co-Head Class Ambassador lyons.har@gmail.com
’11 OLIVER K. ROTHMANN Co-Head Class Ambassador ollie.rothmann33@gmail.com
’12 CONNOR P. DOYLE
Co-Head Class Ambassador doyle12187@gmail.com
’12 JOHN D. SHAMBURGER
Co-Head Class Ambassador shamburgerd@gmail.com
’13 WILSON P. MEYER
Co-Head Class Ambassador wmeyer2@proton.me
’13 JOHN VAN ALLEN III
Co-Head Class Ambassador jjghyu@gmail.com
’14 MICKOY R. NICHOL
Co-Head Class Ambassador nicholm@avonoldfarms.com
’14 RYAN D. PHILLIPS Co-Head Class Ambassador rydphillips@gmail.com
’15 WILLIAM C. DAVIS Co-Head Class Ambassador cdavis7@me.com
’15 CHRISTIAN E. DI ANTONIO Co-Head Class Ambassador diantoniochristian@gmail.com
’16 MATTHEW T. HORTON Co-Head Class Ambassador mhorton@hortongroupllc.com
’16 ALESSO R. MARCOGLIESE
Co-Head Class Ambassador alessio.marcogliese@gmail.com
’17 KEVIN A. SIEBER
Head Class Ambassador kevasieber@gmail.com
’18 KEVIN E. HUVELDT
Head Class Ambassador kevinhuveldt4@gmail.com
SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE AVON COMMUNITY TRAVELED TO KILDARE, IRELAND, IN MARCH FOR THE WEDDING OF DANIELLE AND CONNOR DOYLE ’12
IN
’19 REZA BADIEE
Head Class Ambassador reza@badieedevelopment.com
20s
’20 AUGUSTUS G. SHAMBURGER
Head Class Ambassador shammyg12@gmail.com
’21 PATRICK “PJ” A. NEAL Co-Head Class Ambassador peejneal7@gmail.com
’21 WILLIAM B. SMALLEY
Co-Head Class Ambassador smalleyw76@gmail.com
’22 NIKHIL SATPATHY
Head Class Ambassador nikhilsatpathy@gmail.com
’23 JACK GINTER Class Ambassador jginter@falcon.bentley.edu
’23 JARED FLAKS Class Ambassador jaredflaks02@gmail.com
’23 PETER SIANA Class Ambassador peterfsiana@gmail.com
’23 PATRICK DALLAHAN Class Ambassador patrick.dallahan@gmail.com
’24 JOAQUIN ACUÑA GIRAULT Co-Head Class Ambassador joaquinacunag05@gmail.com
’24 HUDSON MILLER Co-Head Class Ambassador huddymills05@gmail.com
FOUR AVONIANS ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED AT SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY: BANKS MONIN ’23, BARRETT BUMGARNER ’23, LUCAS VILLAMIZAR ’24 , AND ANDREW FOSTER ’24.
AT THE NAVY–TULANE FOOTBALL GAME, CHRIS WEBB CONNECTED WITH HENRY KICE ’24 , WHO IS IN HIS FIRST YEAR AT THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY.
MEN OF AVON LUCAS LATRENTA ’19, NOLAN MORR ’19, SAAR ROSA ’20, AND WILLIAM GERSKY ’19 WERE
NANTUCKET FOR THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS STROLL.
CJ BALDINI ’21 IS A SENIOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA AND IS CAPTAIN OF THE SQUASH TEAM.
MEMBERS OF THE CLASSES OF 2023 AND 2024 CAME HOME FOR THE 2024 CHRISTMAS HOCKEY CLASSIC.
DID YOU KNOW? Understanding the Fund for Avon
DID YOU KNOW that the Fund for Avon is integral to the functioning of our community and underwrites 12 percent of Avon Old Farms’ operating budget each year?
GIFTS MADE TO THE FUND FOR AVON SEND A POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT DONORS BELIEVE IN AOF’S MISSION, ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND ITS TEACHERS, COACHES, AND MENTORS.
DID YOU KNOW that you can direct your unrestricted gift to one of four Fund for Avon buckets? Financial Aid, Academic Support, Facilities, and Avon’s Area of Greatest Need all provide critical support with immediate impact.
DID YOU KNOW that every gift, large or small, makes a meaningful difference in the lives of Avon students and faculty? In the 2023–2024 fiscal year:
of Annual Fund donors made a gift of $500 or less. 74% was the median gift size for the Fund for Avon. $150 was raised to the Fund for Avon. $3m+
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDS ON JUNE 30. MAKE YOUR GIFT TO THE FUND FOR AVON TODAY.
THE SCHOOL HAS LEARNED OF THE FOLLOWING DEATHS:
CHARLES W. BAUER, ESQ. ’61
STEPHEN S. MYERS ’62
PARKE L. LONGNECKER ’68
JOSEPH W. TAYLOR JR. ’73
JAMES “JIM” J. DRISCOLL ’77
SAMUEL W. JACKSON ’78
SCOTT M. VENABLES ’82
FREDERICK “TYLER” CLUTHE ’89
RAYMOND J. MURRAY ’92
PATRICK J. HICKEY ’95
PAUL A. LYGA ’06
A GROUP OF ALUMNI GATHERED FOR LUNCH AT ROCKLEDGE GRILLE IN WEST HARTFORD IN FEBRUARY 2025. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: MICKOY NICHOL ’14, DAMIEN FOX ’91, P’23, GEORGE “PAT” DEPASQUALE ’93, KEVIN DRISCOLL ’72, P’08, KEVIN SISTI ’08, AND CORY CHEYNE ’09.
AVONIANS IN THE BOSTON AREA GATHERED AT THE CHARLES RIVER COUNTRY CLUB IN NOVEMBER 2024.
THE DC WINGED BEAVER CLUB GATHERED AT CITY TAP HOUSE DUPONT IN DECEMBER 2024.
CHRISTEL ROONEY P’18 HAD DINNER IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, WITH ALUMNI IN NOVEMBER 2024.
AVONIANS IN THE PHILADELPHIA AREA GATHERED AT THE MERION CRICKET CLUB IN NOVEMBER 2024.
THE ANNUAL ALUMNI HOCKEY GAME TOOK PLACE ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2025.
PARTING SHOT
In 1922, the Tide-Water Building Company quoted $132,822 to complete the refectory prior to the school’s opening, deducting the cost of the already-laid foundations, and quoted the kitchen build would be an additional $123,088. Today, that would be equivalent to $4.8 million.
