The Benjamin School Buccaneer magazine 2014

The Magazine of

The Benjamin School

VOLUME XII

2014

Campus Features

Faculty Spotlight

Advancing the Mission

Alumni Focus

Main Street Philanthropy teaches value of giving back

Head coach selected for induction into FACA Hall of Fame

The Benjamin School hits the silver screen when BASH goes Hollywood

Alumni Council honors Hollywood screenwriter as Distinguished Alumnus

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M i s s i on S tat e m e n t The mission of The Benjamin School is to provide a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment.

The School motivates students to master the skills of learning, communicating and evaluating choices, and encourages them to grow intellectually, socially, morally, aesthetically, and physically to their fullest individual potential. Benjamin inspires its students to develop a coherent set of values that includes love of learning, personal responsibility, self-motivation, concern for others and a commitment to serve society.

In This Issue Our New Look ........................................................... 2 Board of Trustees 2013-2014 ..................................... 3

Robert S. Goldberg, Head of School

THE BUCCANEER

Meet the New Trustees.............................................. 4 From the Head of School ........................................... 6 Campus Features ....................................................... 7

Kathy Aiello, Ed. D., Editor

Faculty Spotlight ...................................................... 19

Contributing Photographers

Academic Accolades ................................................ 21

Douglas Benedict Photography Moya Photography Julie O’Brien Photography Michael Price Photography Erica Sousa

Advancing the Mission ............................................. 27

Photo Submissions

Alumni Class Notes .................................................. 55

Service to Community .............................................. 36 Bucs Sports Highlights ............................................. 38 Alumni Focus ........................................................... 43

Kathy Aiello, Nick Crisafi, Jeff Johansen, Jessy Fulford Padon ’01, Rhonda Thomas

Contributor Rebecca Szmukler Seelig ’93

Advancement Office Staff Burnham “Turk” Lewis Assistant Head for Advancement

Kathy Aiello, Ed. D. Director of Publications and Communications

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Gloria Boyd Gift Services Coordinator Mattie Hayes Advancement Associate/BASH Donna Minard Director of Annual Giving and Special Events Jessy Padon Director of Marketing, Branding & Alumni Relations

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Rhonda Thomas Web Manager Andriana Zachariades Advancement Database Manager

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Lower/Middle School Campus 11000 Ellison Wilson Road North Palm Beach, Florida 33408 561.626.3747

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Upper School Campus 4875 Grandiflora Road Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418 561.472.5998

www.thebenjaminschool.org

The Buccaneer | 2014

Table of Contents

Our New Look

Our New Look We are excited to unveil our new look to you in this issue of The Buccaneer. As you peruse the pages of our annual magazine, we invite you to discover the new branding elements and language emanating from our year-long marketing/branding study.

Thank you to trustees, parents, faculty/staff and alumni for your valuable participation in focus groups, interviews, committee work and online surveys. With your help and the perspective and expertise of our partners at Snavely Associates and Prescience Associates, we have clearly identified what makes TBS exceptional and sets us apart from competing schools. We continue to build a program to capitalize on these strengths and expand our reputation to attract the best qualified students to Benjamin.

As we move into the new school year, you will see our refreshed school brand and marketing efforts both internally and externally. We look forward to hearing your feedback, and we hope you will join us as a champion of The Benjamin School brand.

Go Bucs!

Jessy Fulford Padon ‘01 Director of Marketing, Branding & Alumni Relations

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Our New Look

The Benjamin School

Board of Trustees 2013-2014

Front row (left to right) Georgia Heard OBrien, Lizet Guildford, Head of School Robert S. Goldberg (ex-officio), Sheree Davis Cunningham, Lynda L. Jacobs Second row (left to right) Al Hoffman, Jr., Joseph W. O’Connor (Chairman), Ellin Miller Third row (left to right) Nate Dalton, Alan J. Ciklin, Charles Barker (Treasurer), Ray Graziotto (Vice-Chairman) Back row (left to right) John Copeland, Michael Bracci, Jack Nicklaus II, Brian Waxman (Secretary), Sal Tiano, Charles Witmer Not pictured: Ray Celedinas, Bob Martin, Eric Silagy

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Board of Trustees

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Meet the New Trustees

Meet the New Trustees Development Board of Palm Beach County and the Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce. Kahn, who earned his law degree from Harvard, is also a board member for the Max Planck Florida Foundation and Cornell University School of Industrial and

Ray Graziotto, Chairman Board of Trustees Ray Graziotto, an extremely active and contributing member of the Board of Trustees has assumed the position of chairman commencing July 1, 2014.

In the past year, Graziotto served as vice-chairman of the Board, and also chaired the Capital Campaign, the Advancement Committee and the Building and Grounds Committee.

Graziotto has also served a participating role in the School’s strategic planning efforts and remains instrumental in the soon-to-be-completed Benjamin Hall. He additionally brings a wealth of successful business experience as president and chief operating officer of Seven Kings Holdings, Inc., as well as community involvement in numerous and distinct Palm Beach County causes.

A graduate of West Virginia University, Graziotto has over 25 years of national and statewide experience in real estate acquisition, development and property portfolio management.

He and his wife, Tarry, reside in Tequesta with their family. Their daughter, Kailey, is a freshman in the Upper School, and their son, Nico, is a sixth grader in the Middle School.

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Board of Trustees

Tom Frankel returns as a Trustee, having served previously for 12 years, including five as the Board vice-chair (2008-2013). He was instrumental in the planning and construction of the Upper School Campus as a member of the Building and Grounds and Finance Committees. Frankel also served as chair of the Strategic Planning Committee (2005-2013). He is the Labor Relations, among others. president of Frankel Enterprises, He has five children and resides in a leading residential developer Palm Beach Gardens with his wife, in Palm Beach County. Frankel, Jana, and their daughters, Tegan a graduate of the University of (9th grade) and Alex (6th grade), Pennsylvania Wharton School of who are students at TBS. Business, is also the president of Frankel Realty Group and Vince Marotta, the 2014-2015 Admirals Cove Realty. Frankel president of the Benjamin Parents’ and his wife, Mari, reside with Association, is a dedicated parent their family in Palm Beach. Their volunteer, having served as the son, Ryan, is a junior in the Upper Grandest Friends’ Day co-chair School and their daughter Sally, a for two consecutive years as well 2013 TBS alumna, is a sophomore at the University of Colorado.

Kenneth Kahn, the president/ owner of LRP Publications, Inc., a broad-based legal and professional publisher, returns to the Board of Trustees after serving from 2007-2013. Kahn is an area civic leader, serving in key roles for the Business

The Benjamin School

2014-2015 as the All-School Community Event co-chair. Marotta is also a leader in MOB (Men of Benjamin). He is the founder of The Marotta Group, a luxury division of The Keyes Company, serving real estate needs of high-end clients in northern Palm Beach County.

Marotta, a Yale University graduate, is a resident of Palm Beach Gardens. His two children, Madison (7th grade) and Vincie (5th grade) are students at TBS.

Shannon Smith is an active volunteer leader at TBS, having served the previous two years as the BASH Gala co-chair with her husband, Scott. She is currently a spousal member of the Young Professional Organization in Atlanta where she serves in a

David McAuliffe, who relocated with his family from London in 2013, is currently the managing director of

Dirk Ziff, who has served as a moderator for the TBS Leadership Speaker Series, is the co-chairman of the New York

leadership role. Smith, who earned a marketing degree from Florida State University, is a former top producing sales representative and senior sales account manager for Pitney Bowes, Inc. The couple resides in Jupiter Inlet Colony with their three children, Carter (4th grade), Logan (3rd grade) and Blake (PK4), who are students in the Lower School.

asset management for JP Morgan Private Bank in Palm Beach. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Boston College and also served on the Ari Zur and his wife, Niki, who reside Irish Advisory Board of the University with their family in Palm Beach College Dublin Michael Smurfit Gardens, just completed a successful Graduate School of Business and The American International University’s B o a r d o f Tr u s t e e s E x e c u t i v e Committee in London. McAuliffe, who holds an MBA from Harvard, resides in Jupiter with his wife, Ginger, and their three children, Erin, a TBS first grader, Jake Lazar, a sophomore in the Upper School and Ryan Lazar, a fifth grader at Beacon Cove Intermediate School.

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two-year term as co-chairs of the TBS Annual Fund leadership team. Zur, who holds an MBA from Northwestern U n i v e r s i t y ’s K e l l o g g S c h o o l o f Management, is a partner with the private equity firm of Brockway, Moran, & Partners, Inc. His career includes the acquisition, financing and monitoring of growth-oriented businesses across a variety of industries. The Zur’s three children are students in the Lower School – Skyler (6th grade), Jake (5th grade) and first grader Chase.

City based venture capital firm, Ziff Brothers Investments. Ziff and his wife are founders of the charitable Natasha and Dirk Ziff Foundation, benefitting philanthropy, volunteerism and grant making foundations. Ziff, who holds an MBA from Harvard, resides in Juno Beach with his wife, Natasha, and their two children, William, a freshman in the Upper School and Tatiana (7th grade) in the Middle School. █

Board of Trustees

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From the Head of School

From the Head of School Dear Members of The Class of 2014, Since I am writing this letter to you in early December, the theme of your Yearbook has been whispered to me in strict confidence.

Decoding: The Benjamin School. Truth be told, I do not see that any decoding is necessary in order to identify with perfect clarity the core of your extraordinary school.

Robert S. Goldberg, Head of School

Dear Members of The Benjamin School Community, “Why Benjamin?” might be a question asked by some residents of the northern Palm Beach area who have not had the opportunity to learn for themselves the unique value of our school. In December of this past school year, I submitted the following letter to the Class of 2014 for eventual publication in their Upper School Year Book. My message spoke to the infinite advantage of a fine independent school education and, even more importantly, the particular benefits of the Benjamin Experience. Since the writing of that letter, its premise, the esteem in which our faculty are held by our students, was validated by two impressive “voices” in the field of private education.

At the end of April, The Benjamin School hosted teams from four state and/or regional organizations who evaluated all aspects of our program for our five-year accreditations. In the final remarks made to our faculty and staff after a thorough and detailed discovery process, the evaluators revealed an observation about our teachers that placed them in a singular category compared with all others they have known. Our teachers demonstrated a sincere passion for their craft and subject along with a distinct compassion and regard for their students. As a result, the visiting teams recognized an exceptional relationship between teacher and student.

Further, TBS engaged a renowned consulting firm to help the School identify levels of satisfaction among our constituent groups with teaching, program, performance and all other attributes of highachieving independent schools. Of all the colleges, universities and independent schools with which the firm had worked, it had never before seen parent and faculty ratings on performance and importance of attributes so high and and also so closely aligned.

The Benjamin School study found that across constituencies we value the same elements in independent school education, and we meet those needs with a very high degree of satisfaction.

A school is on solid ground when the faculty and the families they serve are of similar mind and praiseful of the work each does in partnership for the sake of the children.

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From the Head of School

On the surface, we may look like many other highly regarded independent schools in the country. Our facilities are outstanding.

Our AP offerings are plentiful, and the scores on those exams every year are superlative. Excellence in teaching is a given. Our athletic program is powerful and successful. You and your classmates have opportunities for involvement in the performing arts, such as theater, band, orchestra and chorus. Clubs abound with leadership options for all of you. You have been able to travel to Harvard or Yale to debate with students from all over the country on issues that really matter. You have competed, if you wanted, in world language competitions. You might have traveled with your classmates to other countries on other continents, including China. You are accepted to the finest colleges and universities in the country.

So then, what makes TBS so special? From all that I have heard from you, it is the relationships you have had with your teachers.

You have spoken of their sincere dedication to your education. They have been available to you before, during or after school. They have been innovative and accommodating to address your needs.

You put faith and trust in them to support you. There is alliance and not disconnection. You have identified some of your teachers as significant role models who have made a substantive difference in your lives. All the facilities, technology, high standardized test scores, athletic successes, exposure to the arts, opportunities to travel and outstanding college matriculation cannot replace the value of the friendships you have forged with your teachers and they with you. There is a mutual respect and admiration here between faculty and students that I have not seen elsewhere in a very long career in education.

For this reason, you now leave Benjamin armed not only with academic prowess, but with the knowledge that you have had an interactive relationship in the student/teacher paradigm. That is special, and it will serve you well. Know that I wish each of you much success in all you endeavor to do. You have the ability to move forward as a confident adult, capable of embracing the educator openly and sincerely, as a vital partner in the exchange of new and exciting ideas.

With tremendous appreciation for what each of you has brought to this unique partnership,

Robert S. Goldberg Head of School

The Benjamin School

Campus Features

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Seeing Green at The Benjamin School

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Main Street Philanthropy Teaches Value of Giving Back

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Middle School Book Club Brings Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author to Campus

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World Languages Kindle Global Awakening in Lower School

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Expanding STEM Initiatives Gain a Foothold at The Benjamin School

The Buccaneer | 2014

Campus Features

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Seeing Green at The Benjamin School

On a single day, the School’s youngest students are cultivating a sprouting sunflower garden on the WOW playground. Sixth graders are embarking upon a field excursion to Lake Okeechobee to help restore Torry Island’s natural habit with the planting of pond apple trees. And the upper school student body is assembled in the campus gymnasium for an engaging Leadership Speaker Series presentation on the latest research findings regarding global climate change with renowned geologist Dr. Daniel P. Schrag.

by Kathy H. Aiello, Ed. D.

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Campus Features

The Benjamin School

Without a doubt, an evolving green culture is characterizing The Benjamin School’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

For the numerous school-wide practices contributing to the protection of our natural world, the Florida Atlantic University Pine Jog Environmental Education Center designated TBS a 2014 Green School of Excellence - the highest level awarded in the Green Schools Recognition Program.

“The goal of the Green Schools Program is to encourage school communities to develop cultures of sustainability and environmental stewardship, including school grounds enhancement, resource conservation, recycling programs, ‘green-themed’ curricula and community involvement,” explained Middle School Science Department Chair Gabriele St. Martin.

“We were assessed in several areas, particularly our classroom activities, outdoor learning experiences and interdisciplinary problem-based learning approaches about the environment,” added Middle School Curriculum Coordinator Dr. Tina James.

“The application process was comprehensive and rigorous, and we were awarded the designation for the many sustainability initiatives the School has undertaken in each division on both of our campuses.”

The School’s energy, water and solid waste conservation efforts, health and well-being initiatives, transportation and habitat improvement sustainability enhancements and green fundraising activities were also examined for the award.

“Benjamin’s greening efforts are flourishing on campus grounds and expanding within our classrooms and beyond,” remarked St. Martin.

“The Green Schools of Excellence designation authenticates an innovative curriculum with imaginative learning experiences integrating paramount regard for environmental preservation,” said James. “Students are extending their understanding of the worth of protecting the world around them, not only for the imminent future, but for generations to come.” █

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Campus Features

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Main Street Philanthropy Teaches Value of Giving Back

by Kathy H. Aiello, Ed. D.

A group of 27 industrious upper school students delved into learning about charitable giving in the new Main Street Philanthropy course at The Benjamin School. What the volunteer participants gained from the special guest program during their after-school sessions was even greater.

The program is the brainchild of Advisors for P h i l a n t h ro p i c I m p a c t , a n e w l y - f o r m e d l o c a l organization of CPAs, attorneys and investment course, students embarked upon a series of advisors dedicated to encouraging young people experiential activities designed to teach the how to learn about charitable giving through a hands- and why of charitable giving. They formed teams whose passions and interests matched their own. Next, on approach. students pinpointed local charities whose missions “These students already contribute significant time and purposes aligned with their preferences, as well and talent through community service activities,” as those they believed would be good stewards of explained Lori Denison,” a life insurance specialist their charitable investments. and one of the API facilitators for the course. “Their Te a m m e m b e r s f u r t h e r giving power will expand investigated their charities as they identify, research, of choice. They analyzed tax recognize and financially “It’s through determination and returns, researched websites support charities doing vital organization each of us can make a and interviewed a panel of work in our community.” positive impact in our community.” representatives from nonT h ro u g h o u t t h e 1 0 - w e e k profit organizations. Students

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Campus Features

The Benjamin School

also evaluated how the charities’ services impact the local community.

Finally, students moved forward with fundraising activities to benefit their designated organizations.

They raised more than $8,000 for charities in the areas of education, health research and medical care, hunger, individuals with special needs and family and children’s services.

As the program neared completion, students boarded the TBS bus to deliver funds to their select charities, making stops at The Association for Retarded Citizens, The Center for Family Services and Hands Together of the Palm Beaches.

I f re f l e c t i o n s b y s t u d e n t s a s re c o rd e d i n their class blog are an indication, both the conversation and the inaugural Main Street Philanthropy course have been transformational.

“Not only did students present checks to these “We were greeted with so much warmth and kindness non-profit groups, they toured the facilities and with each organization we visited. Philanthropy has interacted one-on-one with several clients served allowed me to see the importance of gratitude.” by the organizations,” said Mary Ditaranto, TBS “It’s through determination and organization each faculty facilitator for the Main Street program. of us can make a positive impact in our community.”

Feeding South Florida was also a recipient of the group’s charitable funds, in addition to the SanfordBurnham Medical Research Institute. Students “Philanthropy connects us to each presented the Orlando-based facility a check via other … Through it we build the a live video conference with the Institute’s chief foundation for a better world, one in executive officer.

“Philanthropy is clearly an integral part of our culture, especially here in Palm Beach County, and we are eager to include students in the conversation,” remarked Allegra Asplundh-Smith, API facilitator and Main Street ambassador.

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which we willingly extend a hand to those who need one … As motivated individuals, we can come together to make a huge impact.”

Campus Features

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Middle School Book Club Brings Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author to Campus The shared experience of a potluck dinner paired with heartfelt conversation evoked from a collective book characterizes an evening on campus with the 2013-2014 Middle School Book Club.

by Kathy H. Aiello, Ed. D.

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Campus Features

The Benjamin School

Students, parents and faculty convened in the Lower/Middle School library on two separate evenings during the school year and explored the social concerns of ethnic diversity depicted in the non-fiction national bestsellers Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas and Enrique’s Journey by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Sonia Nazario.

Highlighting the Book Club series on March 27 was a visit by Nazario, an acclaimed reporter for the Los Angeles Times, who conveyed to the Benjamin community her harrowing personal journey to craft Enrique’s Journey.

“I am an immersion journalist and am particularly passionate about the issue of immigration, especially the plight of children trying to enter the United States illegally to reunite with their mothers who left their native countries to find work in America in order to feed their starving families,” said Nazario.

Like the teenager, Enrique, whose single mother abandoned him at the age of five, Nazario rode the tops of freight trains to give the reader a first-hand account of his torment and that of thousands of young illegal immigrants braving

The Buccaneer | 2014

unimaginable peril traveling through Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico while clinging to the sides and tops of rail cars filled with the hostile world of gangs, bandits and thieves.

During her visit, Nazario addressed the middle school student body and also spoke to upper school students almost exclusively in Spanish in the Spanish V class. Book Club attendees enjoyed dining on a delectable Mexican meal with the author who fielded questions from students, parents and faculty following her presentation. The evening concluded with Nazario autographing copies of her unforgettable Enrique’s Journey.

“The Benjamin School is continually renewing not only its commitment to fostering diversity amongst its student body, staff and curriculum, but also its commitment to constantly re-imagining how we define diversity and deepen our thinking about the topic,” explained Middle School Curriculum Coordinator Dr. Tina James, faculty facilitator of the Book Club program. “To this end, we were delighted to host our Book Club potluck dinners addressing this pertinent topic.” █

Campus Features

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World Languages Kindle Global Awakening in Lower School

by Kathy H. Aiello, Ed. D.

Joyeux anniversaire

Feliz Cumpleaños 生日快乐

Happy Birthday

Four renditions of the universal “Happy Birthday” tune, each sung in a different world language, rang out at the year-end lower school line-up assembly as the student body chimed in for students, faculty and staff celebrating their May birthdays.

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Campus Features

The Benjamin School

The study of Mandarin Chinese, French and Spanish commences at The Benjamin School when three-year olds first step on campus in their early childhood WOW classrooms. “It is our philosophy to introduce students to a new language at the earliest possible age,” said Peili Zhang who teaches Mandarin Chinese.

“We utilize props, visual aids, music and technology to build vocabulary, enhance comprehension and promote conversation skills.”

“We encourage students to participate as active world language speakers,” added French teacher Lisa Arline. “The goal is

The Buccaneer | 2014

to provide students with the skills needed to enable meaningful communication.”

“In the 21st century, it is imperative students gain an awareness of languages and cultures beyond their own to best equip them for success in a global society,” remarked Spanish teacher Carmen Garcia.

Students participate in a variety of cultural activities throughout the school year to extend their understanding of a country’s language, culture and traditions. The division’s annual Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year and Mardi Gras celebrations offer students the

opportunity to showcase their knowledge and excitement for the new languages and cultures they are exploring.

The robust world language program extends through Middle School and Upper School, culminating with Advanced Placement course offerings in all three languages. Students master the skills to communicate with native speakers, read materials written in their choice language, and broaden their appreciation and understanding of the many people and cultures throughout the world. █

Campus Features

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Expanding STEM Initiatives Gain a Foothold at The Benjamin School

“One of the things that I’ve been focused on as President is how we create an all-handson-deck approach to science, technology, engineering and math. We need to make this a priority to train an army of new teachers in these subject areas, and to make sure that all of us as a country are lifting up these subjects for the respect that they deserve.”

President Barack Obama 2013 White House Science Fair

by Ken Didsbury, Assistant Head for Academics

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Campus Features

April 2013

The Benjamin School

This call to action by the President to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (commonly referred to as STEM) has encouraged a wide variety of voices in the country to speak on behalf of a more rigorous approach to these four disciplines.

At Benjamin last year, Head of School Bob Goldberg asked Dr. Darryl Martino, the upper school science department chair, to work with a small team of

department chair and Susan Bickel, lower school science coordinator met several times in the fall of 2013 to create a plan. Their work has led to several significant initiatives.

teachers to create a plan to make hands-on, problembased and exploratory science a more integral part of our curriculum. The group was also charged with seeing how it could introduce engineering to the Upper School.

Dr. Martino, Gabriele St. Martin, middle school science

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One of the first actions of the committee was to refocus the initiative to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the work. The committee members relabeled the STEM acronym to refer to Sustainability, Tinkering, Engagement and Making. These themes have become central to the planning process.

As one example of how we plan to promote student engagement, Bickel has been freed from her regular

Campus Features

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teaching responsibilities to put all of her attention on providing hands-on learning experiences for the lower school students. She now has a dedicated classroom that she uses as her Science Center. Students in the middle and upper schools will also see an increased emphasis on student-centered learning.

develop the resources whereby students can learn how to be proficient innovators, who through tinkering and making, develop concepts and inventions.

The two new courses offered this year are Introduction to Engineering and Fabrication and Structural Design.

In the following year we will add an electronics course.

The certificate program will recognize graduates who take the two engineering courses and two of the following semester electives; Electronics, Computer

The Middle School has been committed for years to promoting sustainability, and the School has decided to enhance that initiative by resurrecting an all-school Sustainability Committee under the leadership of Dr.

Programming, Foundations in the Arts and Statistics.

To support these engineering classes, we have renovated a space on the first floor of Building 4 to house a substantial set of tools including 3-D printers, a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine, a laser cutting tool and a full complement of metal and woodworking tools.

It is our hope that across the three divisions, students will be more fully engaged in their learning and see the connections among science, math, technology and engineering such that they discover their ability to be innovative problem-solvers. â–ˆ

Tina James, the middle school curriculum coordinator.

That group has been meeting regularly this past spring to brainstorm ways to reduce our carbon footprint.

In the Upper School, new courses in engineering, the creation of an Engineering Certificate and the renovation of a classroom space have each helped

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Campus Features

The Benjamin School

Faculty Spotlight

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Faculty Spotlight

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French Teacher Honored with International Commendation Anita Spassoff, chair of the upper school World Language Department who has been teaching French at TBS for 33 years, has been named a Chevalier (knight) of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of Academic Palms). Representative diplomats of the French government presented Spassoff with the prestigious Chevalier medal at an investiture ceremony held at the 2014 Congrès. The award recognizes those who have rendered eminent service to French education and have contributed actively to the prestige of French culture.

Palm Beach Post Picks Pharcyde Advisor Its General Excellence Award Winner The Palm Beach Post named Assistant Head for Academics Ken Didsbury and faculty advisor to the upper school newspaper its General ExcellenceAdvisor 1st Place winner at the annual Excellence in High School Journalism Awards luncheon. The Pharcyde has received numerous accolades from The Post during Didsbury’s tenure as advisor, including three General Excellence awards over the past five years.

Northern Chamber Names TBS Teacher of the Year The Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce presented lower school faculty member Sheree Friedlander, along with top educators from 38 public and private schools in the north county area with its 2014 Teacher of the Year award at the organization’s annual Education Awards Breakfast. In the awards presentation, Friedlander, a professional educator in Palm Beach County for 29 years, was noted for getting to know each of her students and appreciating their unique personalities.

Head Coach Selected for Induction into FACA Hall of Fame The Florida Athletic Coaches Association selected Bucs head varsity football coach Ron Ream for induction into the Hall of Fame, the highest award given by the FACA. The award recognizes FACA members for at least 20 years of coaching tenure in Florida high schools, for dedication to the FACA and for outstanding coaching accomplishments. Ream will join five fellow coaches from across the state for the January 2015 induction ceremony.

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Faculty Spotlight

The Benjamin School

Academic Accolades 22

Cum Laude Society Welcomes New Members

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National Honor Society Hosts Candlelight Induction Ceremonies

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World Language Teams Tops in the State

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BTV N3WS Captures FSPA Gold Medal

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Vocalist Earns Spot in FVA All-State Women’s Choir

26 Visual Art Students Achieve National Distinction The Buccaneer | 2014

Academic Accolades

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Cum Laude Society Welcomes New Members

“The Cum Laude Society recognizes academic achievement in secondary schools for the purpose of promoting excellence, justice and honor,” announced Head of School Bob Goldberg who presided over the second annual induction ceremony hosted May 10 on the Upper School Campus. “As a chapter member in this elite society, The Benjamin School is identified among the most prestigious independent schools in the country due to our curriculum, standardized test scores and college admission profile. The students here today are receiving this honor based upon a superior academic record and demonstration of fine character.”

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Academic Accolades

Parents, family members, faculty, Trustees, Head of Upper School Latta Baucom and school administrators joined Class of 2014 inductees in the Kirkwood Library for the Saturday morning ceremony. Upper School Science Department Chair Dr. Darryl Martino delivered the keynote address. Following the presentation of the Cum Laude Society medal and award certificates to each of the following honorees, guests gathered for a photo session and celebration breakfast in honor of the new members:

The Benjamin School

Lauren Alevizos (Boston College), Caroline Araskog (Princeton University), Riley Burke (Columbia University), Kaila Casasus (University of Florida), Crystal Falcon (New York University), Morgan Kaplan (Georgetown University), Olivia Kaplan (University of Florida), Hannah LaBovick (Yale University), Gabriel Lama (University of Miami), Jerry O’Connor (Yale University), Casey Pearce (University of Miami), Armando Pimentel (University of Southern California), Frances Rooney (Johns Hopkins University), Eric Rosen (Brown University) and Alexandra Sexton (Davidson College).

Based on his end of year GPA, George Donaldson (Georgetown University) was also admitted into the Cum Laude Society at the May 19 Senior Awards Banquet.

Dr. Darryl Martino

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Academic Accolades

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National Honor Society Hosts Candlelight Induction Ceremonies

C

andlelight ceremonies in the Barker Performing Arts Center signaled the induction of new candidates into the National Honor Society. The Benjamin School Chapter welcomed 34 new members at the annual fall and spring induction ceremonies. National Honor Society members are elected by the Faculty Council and satisfy the criteria for membership by demonstrating excellence in scholarship, character, leadership and service.

Fall inductees

Spring inductees

Seniors

Juniors

Caroline Conlin, James Theofilos and Parker Toro

Nicole Archer, Kaitlin Keller, Rebecca Lichtblau,

Juniors

Savannah Logan, Mason Manos, Ole Nissen

Monica Anderson, Maria Dattolo, Hannah

and Kristy Sadocha

Denenberg, Carolina Haddad, Rachael Hagy,

Sophomores

Reagan Jahn, Virginia Johnson, Emily Katz,

Charlotte Barkdull, Caterina Breuer, Niki Hendi,

Ethan Klein, Camille Larmoyeux, Lillian Lesser,

Annelise Hillmann, Derek Packer, Sofia Remez, Blaire

Mark Libowitz, Ashley Reback, Samantha

Slavin, Andrew Witmer and Ian Witmer

Stilley and Andrew Weir

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Academic Accolades

The Benjamin School

Conferencia Team

World Language Teams Tops in the State Conferencia - State Champions

Congrès – 2nd in Florida

For the second consecutive year, the TBS Conferencia team* of 16 upper school Spanish language students, won the state championship (Division I, Category 3A) and numerous Sobresaliente (highest category) trophy awards at the annual Florida State Spanish Conference.

TBS Congrès team members** finished second in Florida in their division, with all 29 middle and upper school participating French students earning award ribbons at the annual French language competition.

*Conferencia team: senior Riley Burke; juniors Nick Castriz, Lillian Lesser, Madeline Moss and Carolina Haddad; sophomores Caterina Breuer, Annelise Hillmann, Derek Packer, Julia St. Amand and Katie Walsh and freshmen Jakob Lazar, Jack Mahon, Marisa Marino, Jacklyn Potts, Brittany Silvester and John Toothman

**Congrès team: seniors Courtney Doran, Nicole Huhn, Morgan Kaplan, Olivia Kaplan, Kristy Sadocha, Annie Syed, Alexa LaBarbiera and Gabriel Lama; juniors Angelica Bafitis, Caroline Downey, Agne Numaviciute and Sydney Schultz; sophomores Kathleen Mora, Megan Rooney and Blaire Slavin; freshmen Cali Becker, Maddie Horowitz, Rainey Johnson, Grayson Kahle, Leah Kaplan and Arianna LaBarbiera; 8th graders Anna Baker, Roberto Lama, Valerie Loveday, Emily Primm, Ashley Sniffen, Sarah Stamp, Anna Weed and Sophie Weed

Congrès Team

The Buccaneer | 2014

Academic Accolades

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BTV N3WS Captures FSPA Gold Medal

The Florida Scholastic Press Association awarded BTV N3WS a gold medal for The Benjamin School’s in-school news program for the second year in a row. FSPA judges additionally awarded BTV N3WS “Special Distinction-All Florida” for newscast writing.

Visual Art Students Achieve National Distinction From a pool of over 255,000 entries, junior Gretchen Sousa and sophomore Annelise Hillmann earned winning medals for their submissions in the 2014 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards visual arts competition. Sousa earned a gold medal for her photography and Hillmann won a silver medal in the drawing category (pictured). The pair accepted their prestigious awards in June at a ceremony in Carnegie Hall. Their works joined the nation’s winning gold medal pieces in a presentation featured on the outdoor screen in Times Square and Pratt Manhattan Gallery in New York City.

Vocalist Earns Spot in FVA All-State Women’s Choir The Florida Vocal Association named junior Lillian Lesser to its All-State women’s choir. Lesser, a member of the upper school chorus, auditioned for the spot and performed in concert with other All-State vocalists throughout Florida at the AllState Music Festival.

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Academic Accolades

The Benjamin School

Advancing the Mission 28

Leaps & Bounds Campaign Kicks-off with Groundbreaking Ceremony

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BASH Gala Goes Hollywood

33

Variety Show Showcases America’s Diversity

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Inaugural MOB Daughter Dance a Memorable Affair

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BPA Fall Family Night Celebrates World Cultures

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Advancing the Mission

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Advancing the Mission

The Benjamin School

Leaps & Bounds Campaign Kicks-off with Groundbreaking Ceremony

The Buccaneer | 2014

Advancing the Mission

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Head of School Bob Goldberg, School Cofounder Nancy Benjamin and Congressman Tom Rooney ‘89

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Advancing the Mission

The Benjamin School

“I’m so excited the Dazzlers will have a home!

It will make such a difference to be able to perform where we practice.”

Anna Roberson ‘17

January 22, 2014, marked an exciting and historic day in the history of the School. More than 700 members of the Benjamin community, local dignitaries and TBS friends gathered on the Upper School Campus as U.S. Congressman and TBS alumnus Tom Rooney ’89 delivered the opening address to officially announce the public phase of Leaps & Bounds: The Campaign for The Benjamin School.

“Benjamin Hall will host the finest school theatre and auditorium in Palm Beach County,” said Head of School Bob Goldberg. “It will give us a facility where our whole school can gather for lectures, special events, receptions and our outstanding performing arts programs. This facility will be the hub of activity at The Benjamin School and will link all of us together – our students, faculty and parents from all three divisions.”

Weeks later, shovels were in the ground to commence construction on Benjamin Hall, the first of several major building projects planned in the Leaps & Bounds Campaign. The new 849-seat state-of-the art performing arts theater and multi-purpose educational complex currently under construction is slated for completion in the winter of 2015.

“The $40 million campaign also includes a significant endowment component to raise funds in support of financial aid and faculty,” explained Assistant Head for Advancement Turk Lewis. “To date, more than $11 million has already been committed to the Leaps & Bounds Campaign.” █

The Buccaneer | 2014

Advancing the Mission

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BASH Gala Goes Hollywood Nearly 400 Benjamin parents and friends of the School came together the evening of April 5 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the BASH Gala at the historic Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach.

Elegantly dressed guests were in tune with the classic Hollywood theme as they crossed the Walk of Stars entrance recognizing the event benefactors. A lavish stage flanked by giant Oscar statues greeted guests as they entered the Grand Ballroom.

Steve and Krista Nicklaus and Scott and Shannon Smith co-chaired the spectacular affair with Joe and Sandy O’Connor serving as the 2014 BASH Gala honorary chairs.

BASH is the largest fundraising event of the year for TBS, featuring silent and live auctions with dinner and live entertainment.

Proceeds from BASH support the School’s operating budget.

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Advancing the Mission

The Benjamin School

Variety Show Showcases America’s Diversity

A magnificent musical review showcasing America’s diversity entertained Eissey Campus Theatre audiences on January 18 at the 2014 BASH Variety Show - Made in the USA. The 200-plus member cast of TBS students, faculty, parents, alumni and friends of Benjamin rocked the house at the 18th annual production with tunes reflecting the multicultural experience prevalent throughout the United States.

Matinee and evening audiences enjoyed electrifying performances presented by Benjamin’s singers, dancers and instrumentalists. The talented cast included spectacular performances by TBS middle and upper school dance teams, the upper school band and chorus, student/faculty/parent vocal, dance, and instrumental groups, PFP, the Upper School Rock Band and the lower and middle school Newsies cast.

Guests were also treated to breathtaking vocal performances by alumna Alix Paige ‘04, as well as a stunning exhibit of division-wide artwork in the theatre lobby. Congratulations to Variety Show Chair Sherie Katz ‘83, Artistic Director Sara Salivar and the entire cast and crew for a superb production.

The Buccaneer | 2014

Advancing the Mission

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Inaugural MOB Daughter Dance a Memorable Affair It was a fabulous evening for TBS dads and daughters at the MOB (Men of Benjamin) Daughter Dance hosted April 27 in the transformed Healey Athletic Complex gymnasium.

Guys and gals dressed in their Sunday best and enjoyed dancing the night away to popular tunes provided by the guest DJ. Members of the upper school dance team also entertained the crowd of nearly 200 at the inaugural event. Delicious refreshments and a keepsake portrait for each of the paired guests added to the memorable festivities.

“We were thrilled so many attended,” said Vince Marotta, community event coordinator and president-elect of the Benjamin Parents’ Association. “It was a very special time for dads and daughters to spend an evening together, while enjoying the company of others within our Benjamin community.”

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Advancing the Mission

The Benjamin School

BPA Fall Family Night Celebrates World Cultures An exciting evening of family fun and entertainment celebrating the School’s diverse cultures welcomed students, parents, faculty and staff on October 11 at the Benjamin Parents’ Association Fall Family Night.

A giant world map marked with more than 60 countries representative of the ancestors of the TBS student body graced the wall of the Performing Arts Classroom Building as families dined on ethnic meals at the Italian, Asian and Latin outdoor tasting stations. The American barbeque cook-off provided by the MOB (Men of Benjamin) was also enjoyed by the School community as were delicious ice cream samples.

A host of activities in the transformed outdoor venue on the Upper School Campus entertained families at the sixth annual all-school event. Bumper cars, human foosball, a wrecking ball, a mechanical bull, the bungee jump and the toddler playland with a bounce house and face painting were all part of the Friday night line-up of festivities.

The Buccaneer | 2014

Vocal, instrumental and dance performances presented in the gymnasium by members of the upper school chorus, drumline and dance team also entertained the Benjamin community.

BPA Special Events Coordinators Vince Marotta and Sabrina Markin and their team of BPA volunteers orchestrated the thrilling evening of family activity.

“It was a terrific event with overwhelming response from our School community,” said BPA President Stephanie Kline. “The evening offered a wonderful opportunity for our Benjamin families to come together and celebrate the diversity and cultural differences that make our school a very special place.”

Advancing the Mission

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School-wide Community Service Project Lends a Hand to Haitian Communities

Service to Community

by Kathy H. Aiello, Ed. D.

The Benjamin School

Haitian communities in both Haiti and Palm Beach County are much brighter thanks to the response of the Benjamin community to the 2013-2014 school-wide community service project with Hands Together of the Palm Beaches, Inc. A commitment to community service is a long-standing pillar of TBS and is supported by the School’s mission statement.

“It was a very successful project thanks to the hard work and generosity of our school community,” said Director of Student Services (PK3-8) Susan Poncy. “Yet, The Benjamin School realized even more from the privilege and opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.”

After discovering the needs of Haitian children and their families, students responded with a host of service activities:

• WOW students contributed proceeds from their annual Trike-a-thon to purchase food and clean water for students in Haiti.

• Lower school students collected an overwhelming number of hygiene items, small toys, medical supplies, eyeglasses and school supplies for Haitian children.

• The middle school donated more than 30 backpacks overflowing with new school supplies for students served by Hands Together.

• Boxes of hair bows and ribbons collected on the Lower/Middle School Campus were contributed to young girls during their visit to the medical clinic in Haiti.

• Holiday gifts contributed on the Lower/Middle School Campus during the annual school-wide toy drive were donated to Hands Together for distribution to Haitian children.

• The upper school clothing drive orchestrated a sale of affordable clothing in the local Haitian community to benefit Hands Together.

• Students in the inaugural Main Street Philanthropy course on the Upper School Campus designated Hands Together as the recipient of their philanthropic efforts.

“Once again, students and families clearly responded with tremendous support to the annual schoolwide community service project,” said Poncy. “Hands Together of the Palm Beaches is most appreciative of the School’s involvement in support of the Haitian community and has shared expressions of gratitude with our students.”

The Buccaneer | 2014

Service to Community

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Bucs Sports Highlights

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Athletic Program of the Year

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All-Area Players of the Year

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All-Area Coaches of the Year

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Buccaneer Spotlight

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Buccaneer Athletes Advance to College Sports

The Buccaneer | 2014

Bucs Sports Highlights

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Class 5A-4A-3A-2A Athletic Program of the Year Sun Sentinel

2014 FHSAA State Runner-Up Boys’ Lacrosse

All-Area Players of the Year The Palm Beach Post and/or Sun Sentinel

Caroline Araskog

Jessica Armstrong

Hayley Ciklin

Jerry O’Connor

Girls’ Golf

Volleyball

Girls’ Lacrosse

Boys’ Lacrosse

All-Area Coaches of the Year The Palm Beach Post and/or Sun Sentinel

40

Sarah Burlingame

Alex Clarke

Wes Logsdon

Shane Rye

Girls’ Lacrosse

Volleyball

Girls’ Golf

Boys’ Lacrosse

Bucs Sports Highlights

The Benjamin School

FHSAA State Championship Individual Runner-up Caroline Araskog (Girls’ Golf)

US Lacrosse All-Americans

Anthony Cicio, Hayley Ciklin, Jerry O’Connor

Julian Reynolds Career Athletes – 2014 Jerry O’Connor, Arden Pettit

Retired Jerseys

Caroline Araskog (Girls’ Golf) Arden Pettit (Softball)

FHSAA State Championship Individual Qualifiers

Girls’ Tennis: Sydney Burnett, Anamaria Gomez, Brooke Kaufman, Juliette Mercadante, Liz Potts, Velvet Sahm, Ally Sexton Girls’ Track & Field: Isabella DeRosa, Hannah Cogsil Girls’ Golf: Caroline Araskog, Sarah Campanella, Hannah Foster, Reagan Jahn, Carly Kennerly Swimming and Diving: Alessandra Baldari

The Buccaneer | 2014

Buccaneer Spotlight: Riley Burke The Palm Beach Post and Sun Sentinel All-Academic Teams FHSAA Academic All-State Team Sam Budnyk Scholar-Athlete Award FIAAA Mandy Stoll Scholar-Athlete State Winner

Bucs Sports Highlights

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Buccaneer Athletes Advance to College Sports They play hard and study harder. Seventeen members of the Class of 2014 confirmed their commitment to play college athletics at the annual spring signing ceremony held April 23 in the Healey Athletic Complex gymnasium.

“These student-athletes will be participating in eight different sports at their individual colleges and universities,” announced Athletic Director Ryan Smith. “Some will be receiving scholarships for their athletic commitment and others have been guaranteed a spot on the roster for their respective teams.”

Class of 2014 Student-Athlete Collegiate Commitments BASEBALL Kyle Ruedisili – Washington and Lee University Bennett Sousa – University of Virginia BASKETBALL Riley Burke – Columbia University FOOTBALL Garrett Donaldson – Fordham University McKenna Johnston – Washington and Lee University Tyler Mariani – Union College Brandon Shed – Hobart College James Theofilos – Washington University in St. Louis Jack Wilson – Bowdoin College

LACROSSE Anthony Cicio – Manhattan University Haley Ciklin – Northwestern University John Dorsett – Gettysburg College McKenna Johnston – Washington and Lee University Jerry O’Connor – Yale University SOFTBALL Arden Pettit – Stanford University TENNIS Ally Sexton – Davidson College VOLLEYBALL Jessica Armstrong – Stetson University

GOLF Caroline Araskog – Princeton University

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Bucs Sports Highlights

The Benjamin School

Alumni Focus

44

Welcome Newest Alumni: The Benjamin School Class of 2014

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Class of 2014 College Profile

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Alumni Council Honors Hollywood Screenwriter Mark Swift ‘88 as Distinguished Alumnus

The Buccaneer | 2014

Bucs Sports Highlights

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Welcome Newest Alumni

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Bucs Sports Highlights

The Benjamin School

Photo by Moya Photography

The Benjamin School Class of 2014 The Buccaneer | 2014

Bucs Sports Highlights

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Welcome Newest Alumni

46

Lauren Alevizos

Cristina Alvarez

Caroline Araskog

Jessica Armstrong

Kallie Atterbury

Boston College

Wake Forest University

Princeton University

Stetson University

Skidmore College

Danny Borislow

Riley Burke

Morgan Burkett

Kaila Casasus

Taylor Chait

University of Pennsylvania

Columbia University VALEDICTORIAN

University of Florida

University of Florida

University of Rochester

Caroline Conlin

Anthony Cicio

Hayley Ciklin

Thomas Coffman

Nichole Cohen

Manhattan College

Northwestern University

Miami University, Oxford

College of Charleston

Bucs Sports Highlights

The Benjamin School

Class of 2014

Michael Connors

Claire Crosby

Ajay Dass

Corinne Davidson

Alec deFabrique

Florida State University

The Culinary Institute of America

University of Florida

University of Florida

Florida Atlantic University

Danielle DeLange

Spencer Diwik

Garrett Donaldson

George Donaldson

Courtney Doran

University of Central Florida

Indiana University

Fordham University

Georgetown University

University of Virginia

John Dorsett

Crystal Falcon

Wesley Finlayson

Deanna Foriere

Drew Garber

Gettysburg College

New York University

Harvard Extension School

Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida State University

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Bucs Sports Highlights

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Welcome Newest Alumni

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Jenna Gardner

Rebecca Grimpe

Alex Hirsch

Nicole Huhn-Ramirez

Roger Jacknin

Saint Leo University

University of Central Florida

The University of Tampa

Columbia College Chicago

Indiana University

Jerrie James

Ellie Jamison

McKenna Johnston

Rebecca Kah

Morgan Kaplan

Rollins College

University of Georgia

Washington and Lee University

University of Colorado at Boulder

Georgetown University

Olivia Kaplan

Ethan Kaslow

Lexi LaBarbiera

Hannah LaBovick

Gabriel Lama

University of Florida

Santa Monica College

New York University

Yale University SALUTATORIAN

University of Miami

Bucs Sports Highlights

The Benjamin School

Class of 2014

Tyler Mariani

Austin Matese

Kyle Mayans

Stephen McCloskey

Juliette Mercadante

Union College

Emory University

New College of Florida

Florida Atlantic University

University of Florida

Ashley Miller

Ivy Missen

Jerry O’Connor

Casey Pearce

Samantha Pepper

University of Mississippi

University of Chicago

Yale University

University of Miami

Tulane University

Damian Perez

Arden Pettit

Jacqueline Phillips

Tres Pimentel

Nicholas Quinn

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Stanford University

Rollins College

University of Southern California

The Catholic University of America

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Bucs Sports Highlights

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Welcome Newest Alumni

Tyler Reback

Morgan Reichel

Lila Remez

Frannie Rooney

Eric Rosen

University of Central Florida

Indiana University

New York University

Johns Hopkins University

Brown University

Mac Ross

Jackson Rossborough

Tess Roy

Kyle Ruedisili

Ashley Sadocha

Saint Joseph’s University

Washington & Lee University

Wake Forest University

Southern Methodist University

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University of Miami

Arden Sanford

Shane Searson

Ashlyn Sendler

Ally Sexton

Brandon Shed

University of Hawaii at Manoa

University of Alabama

Indiana University

Davidson College

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Bucs Sports Highlights

The Benjamin School

Class of 2014

Ryan Silvester

Christy Smith

Jacqueline Smith

Paige Sode

Jack Sory

University of Florida

College of Charleston

Syracuse University

University of Wisconsin

University of Florida

Bennett Sousa

Casey Spicer

Jeremy Stauffer

Amanda Stevens

Blake Stewart

University of Virginia

Florida Gulf Coast University

Clemson University

Michigan State University

Florida State University

Megan Sullivan

Chad Swift

James Theofilos

Parker Toro

Samantha Weiss

Auburn University

St. Louis University

Washington University in St. Louis

College of William & Mary

Skidmore College

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Bucs Sports Highlights

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Welcome Newest Alumni

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Nick Wettermann

Jack Wilson

Jordan Wren

Xiaoyi Yi

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Bowdoin College

Flagler College

University of Florida

Bucs Sports Highlights

Alexandra Zapata

Michael Zappa

University of Georgia

Wake Forest University

The Benjamin School

Class of 2014 College Profile The newest graduates of The Benjamin School represent what’s best about our future. They are bright, advancing to 65 of America’s finest universities. They are agile, ready for a fluid and unpredictable tomorrow. They are confident, understanding that a great life is defined by the courage to approach challenges head-on. And this is just the beginning for each of them. We look forward to celebrating the future accomplishments of our newest alumni for years to come.

• Accepted to 158 different colleges and universities • 37 students qualified for $457,320 Florida Academic Scholars Award and $203,280 (22 students) for the Florida Medallion Scholars Award • Awarded $1,725,430 in additional scholarships • 16 scholars inducted into elite Cum Laude Society • Completed 21,768 hours of community service • 17 athletes look forward to playing their sport in college • Matriculating to 65 different colleges and universities in 27 different states College Matriculation

Florida 33% Out-of-State 67%

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Bucs Sports Highlights

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Alumni Council Honors Hollywood Screenwriter Mark Swift ‘88 as Distinguished Alumnus

W

ith motion picture hits like Shark Tale, Freddy vs. Jason and the most recent Friday the 13th reboot, alumnus Mark Swift ‘88 has made his mark in the film industry. The Benjamin School Alumni Council named the successful Hollywood screenwriter its 2014 Distinguished Alumnus at the annual Alumni Luncheon hosted May 22 in the Healey Athletic Complex gymnasium.

New Line Cinema and an untitled sci-fi project for Skydance Productions with his long-time writing partner, Damian Shannon. The duo is also co-producing a comedy for Paramount Pictures starring Peter Dinklage.

Graduating seniors, school administrators, faculty members, alumni and Swift’s friends and parents joined in the luncheon celebration, following a welcome by Director of Marketing, Branding and Alumni Relations Jessy Padon ‘01 and congratulatory comments by Head of School Bob Goldberg.

Upper School Performing Arts Chair Sara Salivar introduced the honored guest with a special video tribute.

“Work harder than the other guy.”

“I am deeply honored to be back here today accepting this award,” said Swift who shared the journey of his career path with the audience. “I graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a degree in International Relations, but my true passion was the film classes I took at the University of Southern California.”

Swift additionally credited Benjamin for a writing intensive curriculum that helped him to succeed in college and beyond.

“The critical thinking skills I learned at Benjamin have also helped me to survive in the difficult film industry,” said Swift who is currently working on an original horror project for

Distinguished Alumnus Mark Swift ‘88 (center) joins fellow alumni at the annual Alumni Luncheon.

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Bucs Sports Highlights

From lessons learned, Swift offered the following words of encouragement to members of the Class of 2014:

“Chart your own course.”

“Life’s challenges are opportunities for personal growth.”

Finally, Swift expressed his gratitude to family, friends and The Benjamin School. “My loving parents gave me the freedom to pursue my passion.” said Swift who resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three children. “Many of the alumni here today were my friends at Benjamin. We still stay connected and remain lifelong friends. I have Benjamin to thank for that.”

Swift now joins the ranks of Distinguished Alumnus award recipients, including Dr. Andy Larson ‘91, Rob Flournoy ‘85, John Matz ‘96, Lisa Arline ‘68 and Congressman Tom Rooney ‘89.

Alumni Council President Jason Pierman ‘96 passes the gavel to incoming Alumni Council President Kristen LeFevre ’93.

The Benjamin School

Alumni Class Notes

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Alumni Class Notes

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Alumni Event Calendar 2014-2015

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The Benjamin School Alumni Events 2013-2014

PhotoThe

by Douglas David Seifert ‘80 Buccaneer | 2014

Alumni Class Notes

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NPBPS ‘72

in Boca, Nurse 1 Home Health, a Medicare certified home health agency.

1985 Bob Bozic ‘85 is retiring from the army after continuously serving on active duty for more than 25 years as an officer in the United States Army Corps

Dr. Carter F. Smith NPBPS ‘72 recently accepted the position of college initiative program administrator at Middle Tennessee State University’s Department of Criminal Justice A d m i n i s t r a t i o n . T h e p ro g r a m i s the state’s Drive to 55 initiative for workforce and economic development to help improve quality of life for Tennesseans by increasing college degrees or certifications. Check out Carter’s initiatives on LinkedIn or Academia.edu.

1980 Douglas David Seifert ’80, a passionate underwater explorer, has been a regular contributor to DIVE magazine as a photographer and editor since 1995. He is the world editor for DIVE’s “Water” column, a monthly f e a t u re c o m b i n i n g h i s beautiful photography with fact-filled reports about the oceans.

Douglas’ images have also appeared in The New York Times, National Wildlife, Esquire, GQ and Reader’s Digest.

1982 Bruce Catanzaro ‘82 returned to the Delray Beach area in 2001 after serving as a United States Air Force Captain and medical service corps officer. Bruce and his wife, Patty, own Nautilus Senior Home Care in Boca Raton. The couple recently opened their second facility

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Alumni Class Notes

seventh year in a row and raising nearly $15,000 this year for the nonprofit organization whose mission is to fund research to find cures for childhood cancers. He is pictured at the annual event with fellow TBS alum Dan DesPlaines ’00.

of Engineers. He was presented with his retirement award, the Legion of Merit, in May 2014. Bob was also promoted to associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Life Science at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, where he teaches chemical engineering, chemistry and individual research courses. Bob has accepted a position at Columbia University in the Department of Chemical Engineering where he earned a doctorate in 2008.

Bob will be administering the Master of Science in Chemical Engineering program and teaching at Columbia in the fall of 2015.

1987

1986

1990

Clifton Perry ’86, who resides in New Jersey with his wife, Jennifer, and two children Hope (12) and Hayden (5), has served as Princeton U n i v e r s i t y ’s head equipment manager for the past 10 years.

He was recently elected vicepresident of the National Board of Directors for the Athletic Equipment Manager’s Association. Clifton is an avid supporter of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, shaving his head for the

Marci High ’87, a special education teacher, resides in Saint Simons Island, GA, with her daughters Emma (16) and Caroline (14). Marci teaches autistic children with emotional and behavioral disorders.

1989 Jill Nicklaus ‘89 returned to TBS as a guest choreographer for the 2014 BASH Variety Show. Students w e re t h r i l l e d t o l e a r n f ro m t h e accomplished Broadway performer whose professional career spans 20 years in theatre, film and television.

Randy Gladwin ’90 is an ESOL, foreign language education and Spanish teacher. He enjoyed connecting with his former TBS Spanish teachers, Sara Salivar and Anita Spassoff, at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages conference in Orlando, Florida.

The Benjamin School

1992 Mike Nicklaus ‘92 (pictured with Rebecca Seelig ‘93), Dan Allen ‘92 and Pat Kelly ‘94 served as tournament hosts for the first annual Cure NF with

Jack Golf Classic at Lost Tree Golf Club in North Palm Beach, FL, benefitting the Children’s Tumor Foundation.

The non-profit organization supports awareness, research and developing treatments for neurofibromatosis (NF).

1993 Edmond deMarcellus ‘93 returned to Florida this summer where he is expanding his automotive parts manufacturing plant. His business partners include TBS alumni Ernie Jabour ‘93 (chief engineer and COO) and Tony Owen ‘93 (strategic planning and consulting). Ed and his wife, Molly, welcomed twin boys, Oliver Rhett and Charles Wyatt on January 14, 2013.

Their oldest son, Brandon Roos, will begin third grade at Benjamin in the fall. Ed is excited to continue the Benjamin legacy.

The Buccaneer | 2014

Maria Lorena Lehman ’93, a visionary architect and theorist was awarded the Harvard University Digital Design Prize for the “most creative use of digital media in relation to the design profession.” Maria holds a Bachelor of Architecture with Honors from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and a Master in Design with Distinction from Harvard University Graduate School of Design. She also served as an architecture instructor while at Harvard.

Maria is the founder of Sensing Architecture (sensingarchitecture. com), a website and digital platform to share her expertise within the architectural community.

Ryan Smith ‘93, who lives in Jupiter, FL, with his wife, Megan, and three c h i l d re n E m e l i n e (10), Maggie (8) and Ryan Jr. (6), is the athletic director at The Benjamin School. The couple’s children are current TBS students in the Lower School.

1994 R y a n G l a d w i n ‘ 9 4 will serve as assistant professor of ministry at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, FL, beginning in August 2014. He leaves his current position as program director of Messiah College’s Philadelphia Campus and assistant professor of theology and ethics.

Ryan’s work has included pastoral ministry and community development in urban settings throughout America and the United Kingdom and teaching classes in Christian social ministry, theology, ethics and cross-cultural studies. Ryan earned a Ph. D. from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, a master’s from Duke University Divinity School and a BA from Messiah College.

Ryan is married to Natalia Dietz. The couple has two children.

1996 For the second consecutive year, the angling group of TBS alumni, Kyle Smith ‘91, Peter Cocotos ‘87, Will Lawler ‘93 and Nat Hill ‘90 won the Winners Circle Charity Invitational

Fishing Tournament. Former TBS parent, Mike Schmidt, has hosted the event since 2001 in memory of TBS alumnus Brett Weinstein ’96. The annual tournament has raised more than $1.5M for cystic fibrosis research.

1997 Dr. Jeanmarie Burigo Connor ‘97 recently opened her own pediatric practice in Jupiter, FL - Premier Pediatrics of Palm Beach. Her husband, Mike, is an oculoplastic surgeon in West Palm Beach.

In September, the couple welcomed their third child, Christopher John, who is adored by his older siblings, Chase (6) and Caroline (3). The children are students at TBS. Adrian Silversmith ‘97 resides in Fredericksburg, VA, with his wife, Casey, and two daughters, Remy (4) and Charlotte (2). He is the founder of his own business, Sprelly, a mobile eatery specializing in gourmet peanut

Alumni Class Notes

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butter and jelly sandwiches and crepes. Adrian promotes his business in local farmers markets where he sells gourmet nut butter spreads. Adrian plans to eventually franchise his Sprelly brand throughout the country.

1999 Kristina Gostic ’99, a member of the Alumni Council, is the director of imaging services for Jupiter Medical Center where she oversees operations at the hospital’s imaging center, women’s center and mammogram

GA, is a primary care physician in Lake Park, FL, and specializes as an aviation medicine examiner. Rob also purchased his first home this year with the help of realtor and fellow TBS alum, Jon Allen ‘02.

Jon Allen ‘02 is a graduate of the University of Miami and real estate agent with The Allen Team. He recently became engaged to Krystan Vlachos.

2000 Graig Mansfield ‘00 and Ali Long married May 25, 2014, in Lake Lanier, GA. The couple resides in Arlington, VA. Graig works for Vox Media, Inc., in Washington, DC., and is the company’s travel and procurement manager.

2001 D r. R o b e r t C . G r e e r V ’ 0 1 , a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Atlanta,

Jordie Poncy ’02 is a Ph. D. candidate for counseling psychology and a teaching assistant for the Human Development & Family Studies Program at the University of Houston.

Jordie was honored for his teaching, research and mentoring excellence in April at the university’s annual Faculty Excellence Awards.

Stefano Breuer ‘02 lives in London and works as a financial risk management consultant for Quantitative Risk Management. In the fall of 2014, Stefano will pursue an MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

2003 Shelby Fagan ‘03 and Justin Guerra ‘03 married in October 2013.

2004 Alex Lemelman ‘04 lives in New York City and works at Quirky.

She married

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Alumni Class Notes

Steven Presley ‘04 and Colleen Presley married January 4, 2014.

Lizzie Patipa ‘01 lives in Toledo, Ohio, with her fiancé, Patrick Tenbrink. The couple’s wedding is scheduled for November in Palm Beach, FL.

2002

screening site. Kristina traveled to Europe last year with fellow TBS alumni Tracy ‘99 and Louis Devaleix ‘99.

Josh Rosenthal from Morristown, NJ, in a November 2013 ceremony at The Breakers in Palm Beach, FL.

2005 Ashton Kunkle ‘05 joined t h e N H L Wa s h i n g t o n Capitals Red Rockers cheerleading team. The professional squad performs at home games, charity appearances and special events within the DC community.

Ashley B. Simmons ‘05 graduated from one of the top graphic design departments at the University of the Arts. She has returned to Palm Beach Gardens, FL, after residing and working in Philadelphia, PA, for eight years. Ashley is a graphic designer at the Norton Museum of A r t i n We s t Palm Beach, FL, where she develops and designs exhibition graphics.

Her work is currently on display in the Wheels and Heels exhibit at the Norton. Ashley is also cofounder of A&D Creative Studio, a multi-disciplinary visual design studio specializing in print communications, website design, motion graphics and social media integration.

The Benjamin School

2008 Tyler Schuster ‘08 graduated from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA, with a Master in Sports Medicine.

Ty l e r w o r k e d with multiple sports teams at the university and interned with the Atlanta Falcons. Currently, Ty l e r i s a t E m o r y U n i v e r s i t y i n the physician extender residency program where he evaluates patients and assists orthopaedic physicians in surgery.

2013 Summer Wealth Management Analyst program in Boca Raton, FL. He is currently interning with one of the top producing financial advisory groups in South Florida. Jack spent his most recent semester in Rome, Italy. He will receive dual BS degrees in finance and communications from Manhattanville College in the spring of 2015.

2012 Jamie Corey ‘12 is a leader in the University of Central Florida Student Government Association. In conjunction with the college’s Knights Helping Hands Pantry which provides

Alumni Event Calendar 2014-2015 Home Football Game Alumni Tent

2010

Friday, August 29, 2014

Kristi Benz ‘10 graduated with scholastic distinction from Julliard School of Dance. She has performed worldwide and will join the Lyon Opera Ballet in France for the 20142015 season. Kristi returned to TBS this year as a guest soloist in the annual year-end dance concert.

Homecoming Game

Kayla Foriere ‘10 is the reigning Miss Boca Raton and competed in the Miss Florida pageant in June with TBS first grad er Ben Se e l i g (6) serving as her sunshine prince escort.

Kayla graduated from Rollins College in Orlando, FL, with a degree in economics.

2011 Jack Borris ‘11 is in h i s t h i rd i n t e r n s h i p with Morgan Stanley in Purchase, NY, working for the Cromwell Group and participating in the

The Buccaneer | 2014

Friday, September 19, 2014

Classes of 1993 & 1994 20-Year Reunion free food for students in need, Jamie helped to create Knightro’s Closet, where financially-strapped college students are able to acquire gently used clothing. Eighth graders at TBS joined the cause by hosting a middle school clothing drive and delivering the collection to the UCF campus.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Moe Gola ‘12, a student in the Professional Golfers’ Association Management Program at Florida State University, earned the program’s Freshman of the Year award in August of 2013.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

2013 Clancy Waugh ’13, a freshman member of Wake Forest University’s men’s golf team, won The Mobile Bay intercollegiate golf tournament.

Annual Holiday Party Friday, December 19, 2014

Odds vs. Evens Basketball Game Class of 2004

10-Year Reunion

Friday, December 26. 2014

Alumni Luncheon

Thursday, May 21, 2015

For complete event details, visit

thebenjaminschool.org/alumni

Alumni Class Notes

59

The Benjamin School Alumni Events 2013-2014

Annual Holiday Party • December 20, 2013 Rooney’s Gastropub, Jupiter, Florida

Fall Kickoff Classic • August 29, 2013 • The Benjamin School

Odds vs. Evens Basketball Game December 21, 2013 • The Benjamin School

Homecoming Game • October 4, 2013 • The Benjamin School Spring Training Game • March 14, 2014 Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, Florida

Alumni Luncheon • May 22, 2014 • The Benjamin School

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Alumni Class Notes

Alumni Happy Hour • June 19, 2014 Bar Louie, West Palm Beach, Florida

The Benjamin School

The Buccaneer | 2014

Alumni Class Notes

61

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11000 Ellison Wilson Road North Palm Beach, Florida 33408-3108 www.thebenjaminschool.org

The Benjamin School, Upper Campus

The Benjamin School strives to attract and support a diverse and talented student body, faculty, and staff. Applicants for admission or employment will not be denied based on race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.