Berwick Today | Winter 2017

TODAY Cultural Competency

Winter 2017

Contents BERWICK ACADEMY TODAY

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20 Welcome from Head of School Greg Schneider FEATURE ARTICLES - CULTURAL COMPETENCY Cultural Competency: An Overiew A Culture of Awareness Taktse School Visits Berwick Cultural Competency in Higher Education Ignore the Virtues of Cultural Competency at Your Peril Lifelong Friends Sharing Our Authentic Selves Holly Gaudette ‘00 Speaker Series A Conversation on Representation with Refinery29 Co-Founder Piera Gelardi ‘98

Transgender Activist Alex Myers Engages Berwick Parents SEED: Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity Middle Schoolers Attend AISNE Diversity Conference Reflecting on the Student Diversity Leadership Conference Q+A with Amy Snierson, Executive Director of the Maine Human Rights Commision

Berwick’s Upper School Alliance & Diversity Club BPC CARES

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FALL 2016 UPDATES: ATHLETICS & ARTS

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BERWICK 225 BIRTHDAY BASH

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ALUMNI BULLETIN

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WINTER 2017 Berwick Today is published two times per year, once in the winter and once in the summer, by Berwick Academy. The magazine is mailed to all alumni, parents, and friends of the School.

Creative Direction, Layout, and Design: Tracey Boucher Naamah Azoulay Jarnot

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Copy Editors: Jana F. Brown Kathryn Strand Photography: Tracey Boucher Naamah Azoulay Jarnot Kyle Riffe The faculty and staff who carry cameras and capture Berwick moments as they happen.

29 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2016-2017 President: Matthew R. Friel Vice President: Lucas M. Merrow ‘81 Treasurer: Robert J. Hoy Secretary: Eric S. Katz ’84 Dr. Talal Al-Shair Lisa Goulemas James Jalbert Jamie James Kennett R. Kendall, Jr. James Lawson Holly A. Malloy Susan Noerdlinger Clare O’Brien Barbara O’Connor

Karen Parker Feld Greg Raiff Paula Reid Bob Richard Michael J. Schafer Gregory J. Schneider Malcolm E. Smith, III Patrick Spearman Mark H. Tay Karen G. Walsh Ex-Officio Members Mary Dempsey Stephanie Kendall Jagers ’89

Alumni, Advancement and Communications Staff: Amy Smucker, Assistant Head of School for External Affairs Kathryn Strand, Director of Alumni and Stewardship Stephanie Caswell, Director of The Berwick Fund and Leadership Giving Christopher Atwood, Assistant Director of Advancement Kellie DeMers, Advancement Research and Database Manager

TRUSTEE EMERITI John C. Armacost Charles V. Clement III Dr. C. Dennis Fink ‘44 Jameson S. French Orton P. Jackson, Jr. Joan R. C. Jarvis Russell W. Jeppesen Kennett R. Kendall, Jr.

Changes of address or other communication regarding this periodical should be directed to: Berwick Academy Alumni and Development Office 31 Academy Street South Berwick, Maine 03908 207-384-2164 ext. 2303 kstrand@berwickacademy.org

Michael R. Ramsey Raymond A. Ramsey Richard W. Ridgway Mary Z. Schleyer Claire de Tarr Smith Mark H. Tay Joan Trimble

Tracey Boucher, Director of Communications Naamah Azoulay Jarnot, Assistant Director of Communications

MESSAGE FROM

HEAD OF SCHOOL school size, and school type. We should not be content to graduate students who are facile at avoiding controversy or staying below the radar regarding conversations involving race, class, sexual orientation, or other forms of difference. Whatever their personal views and values might be (and we do not seek uniformity in these views), we want graduates who exhibit the confidence and clarity to lean into tough conversations and listen with moral courage.

D

ear Berwick Community,

Academy

Who would have thought 225 years ago that Berwick Academy, focused upon “promoting virtue and useful knowledge” to the “deplorable youth” of the region, would turn its attention to the challenge of cultural competency?

I am not sure we could find a more important aspect of virtue or useful knowledge today than promoting cultural versatility and empathy within our student body. Unlike students in 1791, our graduates now enter institutions of higher education that are exceptionally diverse, and they will enter a global economy that

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is truly interdependent. Further, when we consider the most pressing social problems facing our country today, I have little doubt that bridging philosophical differences related to culture and ideology will be paramount for future leaders of this country.

One need not look far in the headlines of the Chronicle of Higher Education to know that these issues are at the center of so many college campuses across our country. To document a list of institutions where major resources have been mobilized to respond to student and adult concerns about race relations alone is staggering: think Missouri, Yale, Ithaca, Georgetown, Claremont McKenna, Amherst, the University of Chicago, Harvard – just for starters.

Cultural challenges transcend geography,

I recently heard Irshad Manji, author of The Trouble with Islam Today, articulate that moral courage is fundamentally about having the fortitude to have one’s opinion altered by listening and dialogue. Too often schools are focused on the skills and tactics related to merely proving points and making arguments effectively. One only need look at our recent election to see that we have far too much wasted skill in the convincing department and not enough listening – not to mention the courage, judgment, and compromise articulated as essential in John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage. If we hope to make progress, we need leaders who are skilled at valuing all opinions in difficult conversations, even ones that initially might offend or concern us on a personal level. Helping students understand the origins and beliefs of other cultures is essential in fostering this skill set over time.

I have enjoyed the challenge of launching this initiative at a school that simultaneously serves three states – all of whom exhibited vastly different voting characteristics in November. We embrace the spirit of “Live Free or Die” New Hampshire alongside the activist fervor surrounding the environment and social justice in our region. This dialogue makes us stronger, and I could not be more convinced that the work of cultural competency is not political in nature. While we do seek to improve diversity on our campus over time, just as our nation has become more diverse, this is not a program focused on achieving quotas for students or adults.

If that were true, the program would have

I am not sure we could find a more important aspect of virtue or useful knowledge today than promoting cultural versatility and empathy within our student body.” to be noted as a complete failure based on our track record thus far. Nor is this work a veiled attempt at liberal indoctrination or political correctness. Cultural competency at Berwick is about building skills.

So how can we do this better over time?

The reality is that our action plan has many layers. We began this process by completing the AIM (Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism) in December 2013, which was deeply revealing. We were able to secure funding for a director of cultural competency, an individual who now sits at the senior level of the administration. This reflects a reality that Michael Buensuceso’s job is the one other job (besides mine) that literally impacts every constituent in our community.

Since Michael’s arrival, we have expanded professional development opportunities to students and adults, exposing them to training and experiences that force them to reflect on their biased lenses. We have audited our curriculum and are in the process of building on existing strengths and filling in gaps in areas like social emotional learning and anti-racism curricula. New courses are emerging that are tackling issues of difference with more intentionality. We now have an active student affinity group working on educating our community about inclusivity issues and even a branch of the parent association focused specifically on cultural competency work and support for under-represented families in our community. We are learning how some families have felt unable to be their full and authentic selves on our campus – whether

the difference has been race, socioeconomic status, religion, or sexual orientation.

Over the past year, we have seen our first Berwick Middle School student successfully transition from male to female, prompting the administration and board to think more deeply about its policies related to gender identity. We have quickly come to appreciate that our community is a microcosm for the issues that are challenging the entire country around the fundamental American promise of equality.

As I look to the future, I can envision a day when Berwick graduates are not merely equipped to be tolerant and respectful. I imagine a day when our kids are thirsting to understand and even leverage difference in others. I envision a day when they are truly self-aware of their own biases as they enter the adult world. Our hiring practices now include questions about self-awareness and interest in learning more about difference within the community. Again, this does not mean we are actively seeking one kind of ideology in students and families, but we are seeking a fundamental openness and a growth mindset in our learners. Rigidity and entrenchment are obstacles to these goals – whatever their political origin.

One would be hard pressed today to find a nationally excellent independent school, college, or university that is not making a serious commitment to diversity work in some form. We have seen some institutions lean into discomfort and others suffer from institutional neglect by not fully listening to the viewpoints of all. I believe Berwick’s program is distinct in that it intentionally views diversity and inclusivity as a dialogue and a journey, rather than a formula or ideology. Who would have thought that a day school in Southern Maine, one of the whitest states in the nation, might be able to turn one of its liabilities (kids growing up in a beloved but limiting bubble) into one of its greatest strengths (enabling kids to take risks and act upon their natural curiosity about difference)? There are few schools that also have trustees who are as willing as ours to tackle this challenging

topic – it is far easier to act like this issue does not exist. Getting serious about this work means devoting resources to its success, resources that some undoubtedly feel would be better used in more traditional channels. However, our trustees are committed not merely to being relevant today, but being relevant in another 225 years.

One thing we know for certain is that life on the Hilltop in 225 years will be as different from our experience today as we think it is now from life in 1791. It is our job to make sure we protect the timeless connections to the past through the goal of promoting virtue and useful knowledge, while envisioning this charge in a forward-thinking context.

I hope this issue of Berwick Today will assure you that we are well on our way to producing graduates who will be more impactful than ever.

Sincerely yours,

Gregory J. Schneider Head of School

TODAY

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PROGRAM • Culturally Aware • Culturally Proficient

OFFICE OF CULTURAL COMPETENCY AT BERWICK

PROGRAM

• Equity Literate

PEOPLE • Admissions PEOPLE

• Hiring

POLICY POLICY

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• Statement of Community

CULTURAL COMPETENCY

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s I reflect on the last eighteen months since my arrival, I can say with confidence that my family is thriving, and I am humbled by the generosity and sense of ease we continue to experience – as advertised by the Seacoast. Professionally, as the first director of cultural competency, it is invigorating to have daily opportunities to be creative and exercise an entrepreneurial spirit. Daunting, yes, to have to create the structure and the systems for cultural competency at Berwick, but equally – if not more – rewarding.

Cultural competency, as defined by the National Association of Independent Schools, is the “application of a defined set of values, principles, skills, attitudes, policies, and behaviors that enable individuals and groups to work effectively across cultures. Cultural competence is a developmental process (and continuum) that evolves over time for both individuals and organizations. It is defined as having the capacity to value diversity; conduct assessment of self; manage the dynamics of difference; acquire and apply cultural knowledge; and adapt to diversity and the cultural contexts of the communities in which one lives and works.” Admittedly, a mouthful and, quite frankly, lacking in simplicity. A former colleague and I, in an

informal brainstorming session, arrived at the following visual – cultural competency as a three-legged stool. The seat, cultural competency, and each of the three legs representing the work as it relates to people, programs, and policy.

People Patricia Gurin, professor of psychology and women’s studies at the University of Michigan, offered the following in her expert testimony in the 2003 Supreme Court decision in Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger: “Students learn better in a diverse educational environment, and they are better prepared to become active participants in our pluralistic, democratic society once they leave such a setting.” In this regard, Berwick continues to create a community reflective of the student body and post-secondary communities those students will join. In admissions, Berwick is taking advantage of the reorganization of bus routes to include communities as far north as Portland, as far west as Manchester, and as far south as Byfield.

This has created opportunities to build relationships with local community-based organizations and public school districts.

Acknowledging that students are one part of the community that inhabits the Hilltop, my office has worked in partnership with

the assistant head of school for academic affairs to identify new agencies and online resources to cast a wider net, so that our employment vacancies create more diverse candidate pools. Regardless of the demographic a candidate represents, it is the expectation that all who gain employment have an understanding of the importance of cultural competency and an expressed willingness to promote this mindset in their interactions in the classroom and throughout the community.

Program Berwick Academy has been working tirelessly to build on strengths and identify gaps when it comes to creating an educational program integrated with aspects of cultural competency. In this publication, you will get a sense of Berwick’s work to enhance curriculum and include components that provide students a sense of cultural awareness, as they are exposed to material from various cultural backgrounds, an increased level of cultural proficiency, as they develop skills necessary to form relationships with individuals from different cultural backgrounds, and a heightened consciousness of equity literacy, in which students will develop the skills and motivations to address and redress patterns of advantage and disadvantage in the Berwick

CULTURAL COMPETENCY:

AN OVERVIEW by MICHAEL BUENSUCESO Director of Cultural Competency TODAY

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community and beyond. A faculty group is

Professional development continworking on a set of standards on diversity, ues to be a priority. For the second straight cultural competency, and equity so teach- year, Berwick has sent representation to ers are able to assess the AISNE Diversity the material they are Conference and the presenting and make NAIS People of Color informed changes There is no endgame Conference. A cohort that support the of teachers is particwork of cultural or certification that one earns ipating in the SEED to prove he or she is “culturally p r o g r a m ( S e e k i n g competency.

In the co-cur- competent” or an endorse- Educational Equity ricular area of our ment that an institution is truly and Diversity), which takes teachers through educational proinclusive.” a yearlong experience gram, the school’s to build conversational work with social communities that emotional learning in the Lower School explore issues of diversity and equity. ensures that our youngest students are building the basic skills of listening, empaRecognizing the need for parent eduthy, and social awareness. The Middle cation and dialogue, representatives from School Alliance, Upper School Alliance, the Berwick Parent Community created a and Upper School Diversity Club work to committee to support the Office of Cultural develop environments that are affirming Competency. Over the last year, their work of diversity. Both the Middle and Upper has been noteworthy in supporting a series Divisions have sent students to local and of visiting speakers. national conferences to engage with others Policy and practice skills in conversations about A s p e r B e r w i c k ’s S t a t e m e n t o f identity, diversity, and equity. Beyond the Community, we are “committed to creating school’s borders, student travel has gone an inclusive and welcoming community from one student trip in 2015-16 to five that celebrates the qualities of individuals, before the end of this academic year. We while encouraging active engagement in a hope to have close to 80 students traveling diverse world.”

The Cultural Competency to international destinations and to host Committee, an ad-hoc group of the board more international visitors.

Michael Buensuceso (standing) at the “Policing in the 21st Century” dialogue in February

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of trustees, is charged with exploring and developing ways to fulfill and breathe life into the statement. This group, inclusive of senior administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and trustees, works as an ongoing advisory body to the Office of Cultural Competency.

The work in diversity, equity, and cultural competency is, for me, life’s work.

There is no endgame or certification that one earns to prove he or she is “culturally competent” or an endorsement that an institution is truly inclusive. In a presentation to our trustees, Ralph Wales, head of the Gordon School in Providence, related an institution’s work in the area of diversity, equity, and cultural competency to authoring a book. He offered the following: “The truth is that the writing of one page must be undertaken with the readiness to write the next one, since the community – especially constituencies in traditionally underrepresented groups in independent schools – is watching closely to see if, in fact, our talk is being transferred into action. With each day, the next blank page pops up with the expectation that the honest answers to the next logical set of hard questions will define the next steps in the journey.”

Enjoy the journey and this issue of Berwick Today.

~ Michael

Feature

A CULTURE OF AWARENESS Berwick works to incorporate cultural competency into the curriculum

by JANA F. BROWN

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n Lindsey Weiner’s first-second grade classroom, the theme for the year is survival. Among the units of study is one that examines Native Americans and their role in early settlement of America.

When Weiner initially asks the students to draw pictures of what Native Americans look like, the seven- and eight-year-olds respond with crayon drawings of teepees, bows, and arrows.

“We challenge what they already know to incorporate the perspective of Native Americans,” says Weiner, who is in her third year in Berwick’s Lower School. “We challenge their thinking.”

Through picture books, the students in Weiner’s class continue their study of other American settlers, their origins, and what they brought to this country. Students are asked to consider similarities and differences between themselves and the young characters portrayed in the books.

“We are trying to create a culture of

being curious about other groups of people,” Weiner explains. “It culminates with inner reflection of where their families come from. That part makes it real for them, that immigration is still happening.”

By the time they are ready to transition to the next grade level, Weiner hopes her students will feel comfortable expressing their ideas in an empathetic way, one that indicates an open mind. It’s a strong building block for what is to come as Berwick, under the guidance of Director of Cultural Competency Michael Buensuceso, strives to incorporate the ideals of cultural competency into the curriculum.

Though Buensuceso is only in his second year in his role, already there are signs of conscious efforts to integrate these concepts into the curriculum. It is, quite simply, a difference-maker for Berwick. Fifth graders have spent time studying the stories of underrepresented groups. Their humanities teacher, Lisa Wagner, attended a workshop last summer called “History Erased.” The

workshop heightened Wagner’s awareness of bringing those stories to her students’ consciousness. Discussions among fifth graders have included the origins of Columbus Day and why there is a national holiday to celebrate the man credited with discovering America, how American pioneers dealt with Westward expansion, and the role of women in the 1800s.

“We’ve had some healthy discussions about the original people who were here first, and how they looked at Columbus

TODAY

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CULTURAL COMPETENCY

Creating awareness of how their opinions might be perceived by others is an important building block, and one that is a difference-maker in a Berwick education.”

Day and Thanksgiving,” says Wagner.

“It’s an important middle school skill to turn it over and look at it from a different perspective.”

Wagner wants her students to learn that everybody has a story, though that story might not be visible on the surface, and that it’s important to connect to others, to listen, and not make assumptions.

“They also need to know that, underlying the external differences, there is a common thread that runs through all of us that is worth identifying and embracing,” she says. “I can’t think of a more important skill than knowing how to peacefully coexist with others.”

Humanities Dan Eberle teaches humanities to sixth graders and also presides over a wellness class for fifth graders that includes units on social emotional learning, positive communication, and friendship. In his humanities classes, Eberle uses the focus on ancient world cultures to communicate to his students what all people have in common, regardless of background or culture. The idea is to build empathy for the experiences of others.

Eberle asks his students to ponder what the civilizations of the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe have in common. While students might begin with the basics – they all settled near rivers, they all formed religions, etc. – soon discussions delve deeper into the common humanity of different peoples. Eberle helps his students understand that everyone has a story and that all stories matter. The 2016 general election also provided opportunities for Eberle to discuss with his students issues of empathy. Students asked questions about immigration, about then-GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump’s proposal to build 10

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a wall to exclude immigrants from Mexico.

They discussed political preference and why taxes are a hot-button issue. Eberle was careful to guide his students toward considering that not everyone shares the same point of view and that understanding why opinions might differ is the key to building on skills of empathy.

“I think being culturally competent is a mindset,” says Eberle. “It is sort of a skill, but more of a mentality that somebody else has an experience that might be different than mine and that may influence how they see things – and I need to be open to that, even if I don’t relate to it. At a minimum, it’s about tolerating, accepting, and celebrating [difference].”

Mathematics Cultural competency is perhaps more easily suited to the arts and humanities, but that doesn’t mean faculty in other departments are not working hard to incorporate concepts, where possible, into their curriculum. Bill Clapp has worked with his geometry and AP statistics classes to introduce demographics and data collection into everyday classwork. This past fall, the AP class looked at high school graduation rates by state and their relationship to violent crime rates. He is also quick to point out statistics in the news that relate to race, gender, and median income data, including what the increase in disparity between the richest and poorest in the U.S. means for the future.

“The challenge in math,” says Clapp, “is how to get cultural competency into the

curriculum in an authentic way that allows kids to understand the mathematical concepts more deeply.” Clapp makes regular efforts in his classes to design activities around concepts of cultural competency.

For example, he’s had his students looking at population growth, then calculating the slope on a graph. “We can’t do it every day in every unit, but there are moments to have kids think more deeply about the math in a context that engenders cultural awareness.”

Buensuceso acknowledges that cultural competency might not be seamlessly injected into every subject on every day at Berwick, but is pleased with the efforts of faculty to incorporate it when appropriate. Brad Fletcher, a 28-year veteran of the Upper School History Department, appreciates Buensuceso’s efforts and acknowledges the necessity of cultural awareness. But he also questions whether classroom experience might have a limited impact, compared with lived experience, on student skills of cultural competency.

“The first step is taking inventory and upping teachers’ recognition of different pieces of cultural competency, awareness proficiency, and equity literacy,” Buensuceso says. “It’s about thinking about what skills can be introduced, whether empathy, listening, or connection.”

History In the History Department, Fletcher says one of the most important steps taken to introduce the concept of cultural competency is reorienting the 9th grade curriculum from a western civilization

Feature

model to a more inclusive world civilization focus. He hopes that model will “filter up” into more history classes in the Upper School.

Visual Arts Like humanities, visual art also lends itself to cultural competency concepts.

Raegan Russell teaches Studio Art Honors and AP Studio Art. Her classes, she says, are student-directed, meaning that the young artists are given a prompt to follow, then given the flexibility to decide how to interpret it. A fall “measuring histories” project challenged students to share a personal narrative through visual art. One student interviewed her grandparents, who met and married in India.

The student created digital prints from her family’s saris and made a grouping of paper cut designs from those sari prints to describe their three-day wedding. Another student painted a portrait of her terminally ill grandmother, representing each day of a lengthy hospital stay with a bead sewn to her headscarf.

In an upcoming unit on identity, Russell will ask her students to create self-portraits “uncovered” – in other words, portraits through which the students represent how they think the world sees them versus what’s on the inside. It’s a study in the students’ true identities.

“The idea that there might be a contrast between the two is compelling to teenagers,” she says. “They are thoughtful of how the world sees them.”

Languages Adelle Tibbetts, Berwick’s languages and

his experience. Myers was helpful in introducing fourth grade students to the idea of transgendered individuals, as Berwick saw its first student, a middle schooler, make a gender transition.

“It was the proudest moment of my career,” says Eberle of the overwhelming acceptance of the student. “This student was celebrated, and the reason the student was celebrated was because we had done the work beforehand. We introduced the idea of being transgendered as this is just something people are. It’s one of the many cultures chair, talks about her department’s differences between people. We told the lengthy history of weaving cultural com- kids that being transgender is just one slice petency into its curriculum. It’s a natural of this person – and the kids got it. Our fit, as students learn the languages of other environment of pausing to understand peopeoples, to also have that linguistic element ple’s stories played a big part in how well it went.” intertwined with cultural characteristics.

Weiner is heartened by her students’ “There are culture lessons in every unit curiosity about difference. Social instinct, we cover,” Tibbetts says. “That includes she says, begins to reveal itself at that age, topics such as different racial or ethnic and the awareness of difference becomes groups, religions, dances, foods, architecthat much more important as students ture, and social, political, and economic move on to successive grades, where they structures from around the world.” are more likely to not only accept differSimply learning about language and ences, but appreciate them. culture is just the beginning, adds Tibbetts.

Just a few years later, in fifth grade, stuOpportunities for students to travel abroad have included immersion into the lan- dents typically have formed opinions and are eager to express their guages and cultures of thoughts. Creating awareFrance, Spain, Portugal, ness of how their opinions Morocco, Costa Rica, might be perceived by othand Guatemala, among I can’t think ers is an important building others. The Languages Department also spon- of a more important block, and one that is a difference-maker in a Berwick sors a Language Day skill than knowing how to education. Eberle applauds celebration, “during which students research peacefully coexist with Berwick’s initiative to introduce cultural competency and present people from others.” into the curriculum, with other countries and culthe knowledge that the tures,” explains Tibbetts.

“And our language teachers never stop global environment of the 21st century growing professionally through workshops makes it a necessity. and travel, learning new ways to bring real“In the connected environment we all world culture into the classroom.” exist in now, it is a focus that all schools need,” Eberle says. “Good educators are Outside the Classroom well spoken in cultural competency, but Outside of classes, there have been indi- it’s important to have an institution that cations that students are building cultural puts it in its mission as a pillar. It says, competency skills at Berwick. Transgender ‘This matters. This is infinite.’ Having that activist and author Alex Myers visited the mission helps shape what we do, even in school in the fall, speaking with Upper and minor ways.”

Middle School students and faculty about TODAY

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TAKTSE SCHOOL

VISITS BERWICK

by PATRICK SPEARMAN, Member of the Board of Trustees

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first heard the name Taktse (Talk-See) from dear friends who live near us in Exeter. They told of a school, nestled among the foothills of the Himalayas, in the former Kingdom of Sikkim, now a part of India. This school was a special place, offering a bridge of sorts, between the East and West. Its Western-educated founders rejected the rote learning style that had been a mainstay of colonial education and replaced it with creative inquiry, promoting a love of learning while at the same time honoring many time-held traditions of Sikkimese life.

In 2013, Mr. Pintso Lauenstein, Taktse’s former head of school, came to visit Berwick Academy with a small group of teachers.

One evening, over dinner, my wife Jane and I learned much more about the progressive nature of Taktse. The following year, Berwick invited two students and a teacher to join the school for two weeks, and we were fortunate to have this small group as our house guests. The experience of having students and teachers stay in our home, the 12

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exchange of cultural traditions, customs and gender roles, all enhanced by conversation over meals, was an enriching experience for our family.

I was fascinated by Taktse School and made plans to visit. During the spring of 2014, I found myself winding up the elaborate cliffside curves that form the road from Bagdogra, up past Gangtok. I caught my first glimpse of the school, perched up high but dwarfed by Mount Kangchenjunga, the world’s third-highest peak. How welcome I felt in that early-morning assembly as students, some as young as six or seven, told the group how they liked to welcome visitors. “Shake hands,” said one.

“Introduce myself,” said another. “Show where the washroom is,” exclaimed yet another. The rest of that day was spent sitting in on lessons, including a Dharma class, where a saffron-robed monk shared Buddhist teachings, such as the concept of loving-kindness. The evening was spent over dinner with upper school students

and faculty, exchanging views on a variety of topics. We resolved to continue and, if possible, expand the connection between our two schools.

Since that time, two more small groups from Taktse have made their way to Berwick Academy, and in the summer of 2015, an intrepid team of students, led by Chris Onken, journeyed to Sikkim.

What an incredible experience it is to belong to the community of Berwick Academy, so willing to jump at the chance of partnering in this way with a school in a faraway corner of the world. The administrators and faculty who were asked to help with hosting engaged immediately, enthusiastically jumping in with both feet to make the guests so welcome. Teachers from all three divisions shared their classroom resources with our visitors. Basketball coaches welcomed Taktse students to join practice, and art teachers encouraged trying ceramics and metalwork.

I have found conversations with visitors

Feature

What an incredible experience it is to belong to the community of Berwick Academy, so willing to jump at the chance of partnering in this way with a school in a faraway corner of the world.�

from Taktse to be rich and enlightening.

Observations are quietly absorbed and later, on occasion, may emerge as questions. These delightful interactions allow us to reflect on our own culture and habits, a prompt to hold a mirror to ourselves in a refreshing way.

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CULTURAL COMPETENCY IN

HIGHER EDUCATION by JANA F. BROWN

C

ultural competency is a term used to describe intentional exposure of students to the world around them, to help them understand, tolerate, and embrace difference. At its most basic level, cultural competency promotes empathy. Seeing the world through the lens of another is a skill

designed for young people as they form their visions of the universe and their place within it.

“It’s more than just noticing different cultures,” explains Donald Tibbs, associate professor of law at Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law. “It’s about understanding how they work and what’s

TIMELINE OF MAJOR EVENTS

JULY 2015

The following timeline chronicles a series of events that have occurred on college and university campuses within the past 18 months. This timeline is intended to convey the realities of what our students will eventually experience as college students, and is neither comprehensive, nor intended to pass judgment.

THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

“It is crucial that Berwick students are prepared for the diversity of thought and experience they will face on college campuses. Being open to and aware of difference will not only smooth their social experiences. It will allow them to be compassionate leaders in their new communities. It will enrich their learning. It will make them appealing candidates for research positions and internship opportunities and ultimately allow them to demonstrate to all future employers that they bring the knowledge and skills necessary to drive progress and growth.”

WINTER 2017 Director of College Counseling 14- Moira McKinnon,

Students formed the Irate 8—named after the percentage of black students at UC in response to a University police officer shooting and killing an unarmed black man. The group has since spearheaded racial-justice efforts on campus.

important to them. To be competent in something is to be more than just aware; [cultural competency] is a deep, finetuned understanding of how cultures work together.”

In his work at Drexel, Dr. Tibbs focuses on issues of race and the law, notably, civil rights. At a recent speaking engagement at

SEPTEMBER 2015 GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Students organized a protest for the 272 slaves sold to keep the university afloat in 1838. The university agreed to remove the names of the college presidents involved in the sale from two buildings.

The following year, the school embarked on a series of steps to atone for the past, including awarding preferential status in the admissions process to descendants of the enslaved.

OCTOBER 2015 THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

After a series of racist incidents on campus a confrontation between activists and University President Tim Wolfe occurred during the school’s homecoming parade. The ensuing protests included a hunger strike by one student, a mass student demonstration and faculty walkout, and a strike by the university’s football team— the last of which is believed to have clinched Wolfe’s resignation.

Feature the Association of Independent Schools New England Diversity Conference, he met Berwick’s Director of Cultural Competency Michael Buensuceso. Dr. Tibbs possesses a keen understanding of the importance of cultural competency at the higher education level. He says the work Berwick is doing to integrate the skill set into its curriculum and daily life in the PK-12 setting is necessary for the next generation of students.

Through circumstances of geography and demographics, Berwick Academy is a relatively homogeneous institution, racially and socioeconomically. Because of that, the burden is even greater on the institution to expose its students to multiculturalism.

“It’s important because homogeny is not the real world,” says Dr. Tibbs. “And students at Berwick and other similar places will not stay there forever. It’s very important that they have cultural competency as we become a more globalized world.”

James Forest is a professor of criminal justice and global studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Center for Terrorism and Security Studies. He has published 20 books related to national security and terrorism. Dr. Forest is also the parent of two young Berwick students. In his previous work as director of terrorism studies at the United States Military Academy, Dr.

Forest became immersed in the literature pursuing undergraduate or master’s degrees on cultural competency. Cadets at West in criminal justice, a field in which cultural Point are required to take courses to help competency is paramount. them achieve a certain level of cultural At Colby College, Rabbi Rachel Isaacs competence, then are assessed on a written is an assistant professor of Jewish studexamination in the final year. ies. She also serves as the advisor to both “The overall goal of this effort was the Hillel Society, which supports Jewish to develop what they called ‘cross-cul- students on campus, and The Bridge, a support and advocacy tural competence,’” group for Colby’s explains Dr. Forest, “a cross-cultural skill set

All three professors agree LGBTQ community. In December, that includes awarethat social media and the accessi- Rabbi Isaacs gave ness of one’s self in the context of cul- bility of information about infinite the invocation at ture, an open mind cultural differences has created a the White House Hanukkah receptoward and appreciation of diversity, and greater urgency for cultural com- tion. Since her the ability to apply petency than ever before.” arrival at Colby.

Rabbi Isaacs has culturally relevant advocated for analytical models to conflicts and security challenges within a understanding from the College and its administrators of the traditions of Judaism. particular region.”

“Part of cultural competency is underAccording to Dr. Forest, one of the reasons cultural competency matters is standing the situations of others,” she says. because many of today’s world conflicts “For example, it’s important to me that peoare “fueled by the perspectives and beliefs ple know about Rosh Hashanah and Yom of individuals.” He shares that programs Kippur so they don’t schedule events on in law enforcement, intelligence, and mil- those holidays. I ask, ‘Would you schedule itary organizations are embracing cultural a staff meeting on Christmas?’ If the answer competency in their training. On campus to that is ‘no,’ then they should think twice at UMass Lowell, there are 1,000 students about putting Jewish students and staff in

NOVEMBER 2015 CLAREMONT MCKENNA

BROWN UNIVERSITY

Dean of Students Mary Spellman resigns following criticism over her response to student complaints of racism.

After a Dartmouth student was handcuffed and thrown to the ground in a “heated and physical” incident with Brown campus police while attending a conference on race, gender, and socioeconomic issues, hundreds of students at Brown teamed up with peers from Providence College to protest in solidarity with the students at the University of Missouri.

YALE UNIVERSITY After a string of racially charged events on campus—including a fraternity allegedly barring black women from their party, swastikas drawn across campus, and a letter from an administrator implying that students offended by culturally insensitive Halloween costumes should just “look away”—students held a “March of Resilience” that garnered more than 1,000 supporters.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

A group of students initially issued a list of demands in December 2014, but the school’s racial tensions reemerged on the public radar after portraits of Harvard Law Schools’ black professors were each covered with a piece of black tape. Hundreds of law-school students, faculty, staff, and administrators subsequently gathered to condemn the law school’s “racist and unwelcoming environment.”

Students staged a 32-hour protest and sit-in, taking over President Christopher Eisgruber’s office, where they called for the university to revisit how it treats Woodrow Wilson’s “racist legacy”.

The 28th president, whose name is on the public-policy school, supported racial segregation and opposed efforts during the civil-rights era to combat discrimination.

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CULTURAL COMPETENCY

that position.” sometimes can fall through the cracks as Dr. Tibbs believes cultural competency is minorities. She talks about cultivating a skill actively being pursued for their stu- empathetic behaviors, particularly for the circumstances of dents by institutions minority groups, of higher education. campuses of He points, as an

Exposure to different cul- on higher education example, to how tures enhances our ability to think and beyond. recent cases of campus sexual assault about issues from multiple perspec“We learn beth a v e o p e n e d u p tives,” says Nancy Targett, provost ter and perform a dialogue about when we and vice president for academic better gender norms and are respected and college culture. He affairs at the University of New s u p p o r t e d f o r a l s o t a l k s a b o u t Hampshire. “This is a critical asset who we are,” she Black Lives Matter for individuals who are going into a says. “We need to as a social movement teach the younger with a mission of world where resources and econo- generation to be promoting under- mies are increasingly interconnected more aware of standing between and where issues often transcend how their words different cultures. and actions specific national borders. When impact others.”

College campuses from Northwestern people connect through underAll three proU n i v e r s i t y t o standing, it opens up all kinds of f e s s o r s a g r e e the University that social opportunities.” of Vermont have media and the been flying the accessibility of movement’s flag and engaging students information about infinite cultural differin programming around race relations in ences has created a greater urgency for America. cultural competency than ever before.

Because there is so much activism on Rabbi Isaacs believes social media has hincollege campuses – for multiple causes – dered public discourse in many ways, by Rabbi Isaacs worries that Jewish students making it easier to vilify those with whom

NOVEMBER 2015 AMHERST COLLEGE An initial sit-in was organized by students in solidarity with their peers at Mizzou and other institutions around the world “where black people are marginalized and threatened.”

Students spoke about their experiences with racism at the college and called for the university to abandon an unofficial mascot, Lord Jeff, commemorating the college’s namesake, who allegedly engaged in germ warfare against Native Americans by giving them smallpox-infected blankets.

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ITHACA COLLEGE

A “solidarity walkout” during the college’s family weekend demanded that president, Tom Rochon, step down. Protesters distributed a document, “The Case Against Tom Rochon,” a scathing censure that accuses the president of “incompetence,” “disregard for minority community members,” and “disconnection from what is actually happening at [Ithaca College] and what needs to happen.”

we disagree – without looking them in the eye. “It has created an unfortunate stats quo in how we deal with each other,” she says.

Dr. Tibbs describes the interconnectedness of the modern world as “unparalleled” in terms of access to information that far exceeds that of previous generations. Social media, he says, can be used to speak across continents, and its existence requires human beings to possess better knowledge of how culture plays into global understanding.

In the courses Dr. Forest teaches on terrorism, both at UMass Lowell and at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law, culture is inevitably part of the conversation. Understanding ideologies of others, and having the ability to empathize with those ideologies, plays a role in how world conflicts are negotiated and resolved. A high level of cultural competence is vital to providing the most peaceful resolutions to those conflicts.

“At the end of the day,” Dr. Forest says, “it has become clear that since terrorism is so contextual in nature, we have to have contextually relevant strategies in order to effectively counter terrorism. Cultural competence is an essential part of that goal.”

According to an essay, A Clarion Call for Cross-Cultural Competence in Higher Education, co-authored by several university

FEBRUARY 2016

MARCH 2016

APRIL 2016

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI

DUKE UNIVERSITY

After years of sexual assault claims against members of the Baylor Football team, more than 200 Baylor students, faculty, staff and alumni stood outside the home of President Ken Starr to express their frustration with how the university has handled sexual assault allegations in recent years. Months later, in May, Baylor announces sweeping changes in its administration and athletics department, removing Ken Starr from the presidency and firing head football coach Art Briles.

On March 24, a former University of Mississippi student pled guilty to placing a noose on the school’s statue of its first black student. The 21 year-old admitted that he tied the noose that ended up around the neck of the statue of James Meredith, the black student who integrated Ole Miss in 1962 amid rioting that was suppressed by the National Guard.

On April 1, a group of nine Duke University students occupied the administration building, calling for three administrators to be fired and for Duke to offer all campus workers a minimum wage of $15 per hour. The students were largely protesting Tallman Trask III, Duke’s executive vice president, over a 2014 incident in which Trask was accused of hitting a parking attendant with his vehicle and calling her a racial slure.

Trask has denied the allegations and a university investigation cleared him of wrongdoing.

Feature administrators at the 2015 McDonald Cadet Leadership Conference and printed in the New York Times, K-12 institutions may actually be ahead of their higher education peers in terms of instilling an awareness of cultural competency. The article suggests that once students reach higher education, they are more focused on career pursuits than skill acquisition.

“Learning about human difference and asking challenging questions has been sidelined for the sake of vocational goals,” the authors assert. “Most students no longer utilize higher education for its true purpose of broadening one’s own horizons and seeking enlightenment.”

The article continues, “It is the responsibility of the individual to discover the inherent value in understanding the connectedness and diversity of the world.

Cultural interaction has become more prominent than ever before….Young leaders of today and tomorrow should utilize their college experience to seek to comprehend other cultures. However, if there is no willingness from the individual to engage cultural diversity, then there is no benefit or reason for an institution to embrace cultural diversity.”

If true, then that makes Berwick’s commitment to cultural competency at the PK-12 level that much more important. Dr.

AUGUST 2016 UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO In a welcome letter to incoming freshmen, the University President made it clear that the school does not condone safe spaces or trigger warnings. “Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called ‘trigger warnings,’ we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own,” the letter said.

Tibbs is hopeful for the future of America and the world. He has observed students on his campus at Drexel demonstrating concern about civil rights, privacy law, and issues related to race and gender.

“This generation of college students is one of the most open generations in a long time in terms of what they have access to or can speak about without being shamed,” Dr. Tibbs says. “These students are interested in inclusivity and are fostering a culture of academic and personal inclusion on our campus.”

Dr. Forest applauds Berwick’s commitment to expanding students’ horizons, including hiring Buensuceso to encourage and oversee the initiative. He is heartened by the school’s efforts to weave cultural competency throughout the curriculum. It is, Dr. Forest says, a generational issue now more than ever due to the increasingly globalized society in which our children live.

“To be successful in the culturally complex world we live in, no matter what career path you pursue,” Dr. Forest says, “cultural competency gives you a skill set that helps you navigate a broad range of contexts and situations. Without that ability to navigate those things, your success becomes much more difficult.”

NOVEMBER 2016 HARVARD UNIVERSITY Harvard canceled the men’s soccer team’s season after an Office of General Counsel review found that the team continued to produce vulgar and explicit documents rating women on their perceived sexual appeal and physical appearance.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Drexel University

Dr. Donald Tibbs Rabbi Rachel Issacs

Dr. James Forest

Colby College

DECEMBER 2016 PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

AMHERST COLLEGE Men’s cross country team is suspended after revelations of racist and sexist e-mails.

Columbia University put its wrestling program on hold amidst allegations that several members of the team sent lewd and racist group messages and texts. The alleged messages included homophobic and racial slurs as well as crude sexual comments about women.

The Princeton men’s swimming and diving season was canceled over vulgar and racist content linked to the team. The decision came a week after the university announced the season would be suspended pending further investigation into an anonymous complaint that alerted school officials to offensive messages on the team’s listserv.

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IGNORE THE VIRTUES OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE AT YOUR PERIL A board member’s perspective on cultural competency at Berwick Academy

by ROBERT J. HOY, Member of the Board of Trustees

C

ultural competence and versatility are critical elements toward success for our graduates in life after Berwick. Universities care. Employers care.

Demographic shifts support cultural competency as keys to survival and success.

Perhaps most importantly, differences are worth celebrating, not fearing.

It is easy to be slightly oblivious to the changing demographic landscape in the 18

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homogeneous bubble of the Seacoast. But a bigger world awaits on our graduates’ doorsteps. As our daughter begins the college search, the marketing materials have begun to clog our mailbox and the messages these universities are proudly declaring are statistics such as “30 different languages are spoken at home among our students.” Our children are part of the most racially diverse generation in American history. Colleges and universities are certainly

interested in not only enrolling a dynamic and diverse cadre of students, but also students who will know how to navigate comfortably in this environment. As critical as writing a research paper or mastering pre-calculus, Berwick students must have the skills to communicate and connect with students and faculty of any ethnicity, religion, nationality or gender identification.

Without this, their education is incomplete.

I have been fortunate in my career to have lived in and worked on many client projects abroad – places like Israel, Colombia, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Travel and collaboration with local colleagues have developed into some of the closest and most important relationships I have, both personally and professionally. I work for a large global bank with offices in many countries. As I think about my experiences as an advisor for the bank, I am immediately drawn to the weight placed on cultural competency – it is a critical requirement. Why? Because our clients are not all of the same ethnicity, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.

If Berwick graduates have any interest in working for international companies, they need to commit themselves to increased awareness and competency as it relates to culture and difference. The old-world paradigms have changed (for the better), and employers around the world recognize this and expect more from recruits.

We are living in an era where modern institutions - the modern workplace and civil society - all demand more from us.

Our cell phones report immediately about geopolitical and environmental changes, about news events large and small. The complexion of our population in the United States will change dramatically over the next 20 years; by 2043 the population will be “majority-minority,” and already today children of color outnumber whites in American public schools.

But, beyond the tangible interpersonal and communication skills our students must acquire, my hope is that the emphasis on cultural competency will spark joy and inspiration for Berwick students and their parents. Difference is so worth celebrating, and I am proud to say we have experienced many examples of this in our own Berwick

Feature journey these last 12 years. We have had at the door and open our ears and hearts the great pleasure of sharing meals in our to truly listen, our education, both our kids’ and our own, is respective homes enriched. with the family members of our When I As critical as writing a think about the son’s friend, who hails from India. research paper or mastering board’s many We h a v e t r i e d conversations each other’s favor- pre-calculus, Berwick students must have and retreats ite recipes, shared the skills to communicate and connect dedicated to views on religion with students and faculty of any eth- this topic, I and spirituality, am proud of and discussed pol- nicity, religion, nationality, or gender the steps we itics and business. identification. Without this, their educa- have taken. I While there’s no tion is incomplete.” have come to escaping the fact appreciate that that we live in the journey one of the most ethnically homogeneous itself is perhaps more important than the regions of the country, multiculturalism still destination. The 26 of us who currently exists at Berwick today. There are count- serve Berwick as trustees have developed an less stories of difference to be heard and incredible partnership. Even when we disdigested. When we check our assumptions agree, the shared respect is unanimous, the

conversation enriching, and the outcome for the school better. Our role as trustees is not to create policy, nor is it to manage the school’s affairs day-to-day. Our role is to craft the mission and then manage the sole employee we are tasked to support and evaluate – the head of school.

Cultural competency has become a priority and a passion for both Greg Schneider and Board President, Matt Friel. I would also like to congratulate and express gratitude to Michael Buensuceso, Berwick’s director of cultural competency. His contributions over the last two years have made a powerful difference to Berwick, both in terms of our own culture and also as it relates to the evolution of our curriculum. On behalf of the board, I conclude by extending our gratitude to all three of these gentlemen for leading us on this important journey.

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The Miller Family with Sultan, his sister, Nour, and father, Hamza

LIFELONG FRIENDS During a homestay, a Berwick family and a Saudi Arabian student discovered that they shared more similarities than they realized.

by JANA F. BROWN

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mmersion is considered the best way to learn a foreign language. Likewise, the most effective way to understand cultural differences is to take the time to get to know those who are dissimilar from ourselves.

During the 2015-16 academic year, Berwick exchange student Sultan Serafi, who hails from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, came to the school for a post-graduate year, and had an opportunity to immerse himself in American culture by living with the Miller family in their Atkinson, New Hampshire home. At the same time, the Millers, including sons Zach ’16 and Ian ’19, were afforded that same chance – to understand someone from a background different from their own. Berwick Academy hosts between 20

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two and three international students each year. Three are enrolled in 2016-17.

Sultan, 18, initially lived with another family near the school’s South Berwick campus. But because his hosts did not have any affiliation with Berwick Academy, Sultan began to feel isolated from his fellow students and the full experience of attending an American secondary school.

That’s when the Miller family stepped in. Son Zach, 17, already had become a close friend of Sultan, so the transition to becoming a new member of the Miller household was a natural one.

“I was happy that Sultan wished to live with our family,” says Suzanne Miller, Zach’s mother. “I thought it was a wonderful opportunity for all of us, but I was also

nervous because we were unfamiliar with his culture and religion. Did we need to give him a special place for prayer? Was a private room enough? What if we wanted to eat bacon? All of these questions were running through my head when he arrived, but I learned very quickly that we could have an open dialogue about how best to combine our two cultures.”

Zach already knew that he enjoyed Sultan’s company, but was looking forward to getting to know his friend better. On the surface, Zach says, the boys seemed different because of their differing faiths (Zach is a Catholic – though his parents are not practicing Catholics, while Sultan is Muslim). It didn’t take long for the boys to find common ground. They soon learned

Feature that they share a love of family and a gen- appreciated Sultan’s openness about his in English. Lively dinner discussions also uine desire to be good human beings. One faith, including his explanation that it’s dif- facilitated mutual understanding. Mealtime of the more surprising connections the two ficult to separate faith from culture in Saudi conversations covered topics as wide-rangmade was their common affection for the Arabia. ing as the recounting of the boys’ school Miller family dog, a five-year-old golden “I kept trying to figure out if something days to healthy discourse about religion, retriever named Cooper. Zach shares that, was cultural or religious when he would family, and life in Saudi Arabia. in Sultan’s culture, dogs are rarely welcomed describe his customs,” says Suzanne, “and “During Sultan’s stay with us,” says as family pets. But, after a few weeks of we finally came to the conclusion that they Suzanne, “we learned that, although there getting to know Cooper, Sultan told Zach are really one in are many differences, the two cultures are he planned to ask the same for him.” very similar at their core, including a strong his own father for Suzanne and her sense of family, kindness, and respect for a dog when he

We soon discovered that husband, Jeremy, others.” returned to Saudi sitting side-by-side, trying to defeat Sultan says, were Currently, Sultan is studying in London.

Arabia. as concerned about Zach, a freshman at Lafayette College, a common electronic opponent, was “The ‘dog sithis wellbeing as hopes to spend his sophomore year abroad uation’ was just a great way for us to bond at the they were about in Germany. The boys already are planning one of the many beginning of his time with us.” their own sons, a reunion. Suzanne says Sultan’s stay was examples of how always making sure a gift for the Millers, resulting in cultural we learned about he was ready for enrichment for sure, but, more importantly, each other and were open to conversation school and taking care of rides to and from a lifelong friend. Sultan agrees. and differences,” says Zach. “We also found school and social events. They made every “I was treated as a member of the family another great common teenage denomi- effort to keep him safe and happy. and came to feel that Zach and Ian were as nator; video games. We soon discovered For his part, Sultan remained mindful of real as brothers to me,” Sultan says. “They that sitting side-by-side, trying to defeat a his own traditions, while immersing himself helped me out with whatever I needed, common electronic opponent, was a great in American culture, including many of the whether it was work for Berwick, personal way for us to bond at the beginning of his Miller family traditions. He was a willing development, or anything else you can time with us. Before we really knew much participant in the family’s Easter egg hunt think of. My experience at Berwick was about each other, playing games provided a and sat down in the evenings for the Miller wonderful, but it was much easier and simple common ground.” family dinners. To help Suzanne better enjoyable because I stayed with the Miller From the Millers, Sultan says he learned understand him and his religious beliefs, family.” about compassion as they asked many ques- Sultan gave her a copy of the Quran to read tions about his culture and religion. They respected his differing faith by offering a space for him to pray daily and also by keeping pork out of the family diet during Sultan’s residency.

“It was pleasing to me that the Millers seemed genuinely interested in my country and religion,” Sultan says. “Their curiosity and willingness to listen to my story allowed me to open up and share my experiences, creating a dialogue about our different cultures and how we are also the same in many ways.”

Suzanne admits that she initially struggled with the role of women in the Muslim faith, but Sultan’s sister came to visit and Suzanne found her to be “an incredibly strong, independent person. I came to the conclusion that I can’t judge what I obviously don’t really understand.” Prior to Sultan’s arrival, Suzanne says she and her family had very little understanding Zach Miller and Sultan Serafi (back, left to right) of the Muslim religion in general. But she TODAY

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SHARING OUR AUTHENTIC SELVES

by JASON SINGLETON, Middle School Director

I still remember walking into a local South Berwick pub this summer and being reminded of the fact that I was “different.”

As I opened the pub door and walked toward the counter, I noticed the room grew silent as the patrons began to stare at me in utter amazement. Once I sat down at the counter and began to order, two of them leaned over in my direction and the following exchange began: Male Patron: “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe that you’re here!” [As he broke out in laughter.]

Jaye: “What do you mean?”

Male Patron: “I can’t believe there’s a black man in South Berwick. That’s so random! Are you visiting?”

Jaye: “No.” Female Patron: “So, you live in South Berwick?”

Jaye: “Yes, I live here now.”

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The questions that followed seemed endless.

Female and Male Patrons: “Where are you originally from? Where do you hang out? Are you married? Where do you work?”

Jaye: “Well, I’m originally from Pennsylvania, but moved here from Boston. I’m still exploring the new area, so I don’t really have a hangout spot, per se. No, I’m not married (yet). And, I’m the new Middle School director at Berwick Academy.”

Their eyes grew wide with surprise.

In hindsight, this still remains one of the most bizarre exchanges I’ve ever experienced. Nonetheless, it became clearer to me after the encounter that what I first thought was pure ignorance was actually genuine curiosity.

When asked to write a piece on my initial

experiences as a person of color coming to and working at Berwick, I pondered for hours, even days, about how best to share my story and experiences with the community. For instance, how often am I staying true to my authentic identity while acclimating to Berwick, a new home, a new town, and a new state? How can my story inform and inspire others? I have always believed in the power of destiny, and I feel that destiny has brought me this opportunity to share my journey as a “first” at Berwick Academy.

I knew when choosing my next school community it would need to be one whose mission and core values were innovative, student-centered, imaginative, and reflective; one that demonstrated genuine interest in developing thoughtful, culturally competent faculty and staff; one that valued self-reflection, exploration, and collaboration; one that encouraged professional growth and development at all levels; and one that was inclusive. Indeed, I found what I was looking for at Berwick, and I realized quickly it was a special place.

The authenticity and kindness of the people I met when I arrived on campus were the first sign that Berwick was where I should begin my new journey. Listening to Head of School Greg Schneider share with me his vision for Berwick, as he spoke with honesty, optimism, and reflection, remains a remarkable memory that I hold dear. I also admire Michael Buensuceso, Berwick’s director of cultural competency, who has served as an influential and supportive resource to me as I continue to navigate my first year at Berwick. Although Michael and I both identify as people of color, we also understand, appreciate, and respect that our

Feature stories and experiences are, nonetheless, different.

I believe that all stories and experiences matter in school communities, and it’s important that we share them with each other to form a more connected, inclusive community, a tapestry of sorts. Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins, educational thought leaders and founders of Understanding by Design, describe true understanding in six facets: “If someone really understands the world, they 1) can explain it in their own words; 2) can apply their understanding in a new situation; 3) can make new connections; 4) can empathize; 5) can recognize multiple points of view; and 6) can realize the limits of their own understanding.”

How does authentic storytelling incorporate these facets of understanding? Better yet, how does storytelling lead to a deeper appreciation of differences at Berwick? How

does Berwick encourage and empower its community members to share their stories freely and unencumbered? How comfortable is Berwick talking about race? Class?

Sexual orientation? Gender? Disability?

Who we are as a community and who do we hope to become? These are all questions that we should explore as we examine Berwick’s present and future.

I’m confident that my journey at Berwick will continue to have its rewards and challenges, but I am deeply inspired to forge forward in a community where differences of all kinds are recognized, celebrated, and valued. In this community, I have found a comfort level

that I have not experienced previously in my professional endeavors. I hope by sharing part of my story I can inspire others to see the beauty in difference, to be courageous in sharing their own stories, and to stay true to their authentic selves.

HOLLY GAUDETTE ’00 SPEAKER SERIES

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hanks to the generous support of her family, the Holly Gaudette ’00 Speaker Series will launch this spring. The series will focus on diversity and inclusion in conjunction with Berwick’s efforts to incorporate cultural competency into the curriculum and daily life.

Dr. Mykee Fowlin will speak to the community on April 24. Dr. Fowlin is a nationally renowned speaker. A psychologist, performer, and poet, he uses his many talents to create an atmosphere of worldwide inclusion, not just tolerance, towards all people. A second speaker will address the community later this fall.

Holly attended Berwick for four years in the Upper School, before pursuing a degree in religious studies and outdoor education at the University of New Hampshire. Following UNH, Holly earned her master’s in divinity from Duke University and became a Chaplain at New York University’s Langone Medical Center.

She returned to the Hilltop to work as a tutor in the Lower School for a brief period of time, living in the Oakes House on campus.

Holly was only 32 when she died on July 27, 2014, after a battle with cancer.

The speaker series is a way to honor this vibrant young woman and some of the issues that were closest to her heart. Pam Bell, Holly’s spouse, says Holly “would feel honored to have this diversity series named for her.”

Bette Jacques, Holly’s mother, feels the same way, explaining that her daughter’s work as a medical chaplain at NYU and her desire to help others in palliative care confirmed her values of inclusion and care.

“These values align perfectly with Berwick Academy’s investment and commitment to cultural competency and inclusion,” says Jacques. “Holly would have loved the opportunity to participate in this program, and we are proud to support the speaker series in her honor and memory.”

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by KATE CAVANAUGH ’10

A CONVERSATION ON REPRESENTATION WITH REFINERY29 CO-FOUNDER

PIERA GELARDI ’98 2016 AD AGE CREATIVE 50 “THE MOST CREATIVE PEOPLE OF THE YEAR”

I

realize five minutes into my conversation with Piera Gelardi ’98 that she possesses both a rebellious streak and a strategic business acumen.

“My brother has a joke that Gelardis are unemployable, so we have to employ ourselves,” she explains.

The spirit that underlies that family joke propelled Gelardi from Berwick Academy to art school in New York City to a hands-on job at City Magazine to – ultimately – her current position as executive creative director at Refinery29, which she helped to co-found in 2005.

Refinery29 (www.refinery29.com) is a digital media company popular among millennial women.

Its content focuses on fashion, lifestyle, entertainment, and issues central to the female experience. In August, The Wall Street Journal estimated Refinery29’s total worth at $500 million – not bad, considering that Gelardi and her husband, CEO Philippe Von Borries, started it as a side gig out of their Brooklyn apartment with friends Justin Stefano and Christene Barberich.

Gelardi is proud of the company she helped build, but not possessive of it. She spends most of her time working toward a bigger vision for the brand. Gelardi talked with Berwick Today about that vision, one intertwined with her ongoing mission to shift media industry paradigms.

What was it like going from a small community like Berwick to New York? Have you found that your time at Berwick Academy shapes your life now?

It’s pretty crazy to grow up in a tiny town, Cape Porpoise, and go to Berwick Academy, where I had a class of, what, fifty? And then move to New York, a huge, diverse, amazing city. I still get emotional over how much I love New York. One thing I was thinking about recently was a women’s studies class I took with Mr. Fletcher. I remember him talking about Barbie, showing us Disney films, and even things like beauty ads and the packaging on products that used gold and silver to create an association with wealth and aspiration. He taught me how images create and perpetuate stereotypes, which informed the way I thought about the power of images in culture and politics and their ability to tell deeper stories. That, in turn, impacted the projects I did in art school in New York and I think really shaped what I wanted to do and what I wanted to change.

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Feature So how did Refinery29 come about?

Philippe and Justin had the early idea for Refinery29 as a discovery platform that celebrated the independent spirit of designers and store owners. In 2005, we were living in Brooklyn and were inspired by these people who had unique points of view and vision, but who weren’t getting a lot of attention. Because I had a magazine background and because I loved starting things, I just sort of started helping them out.

Refinery29 has evolved over time. What’s that vision of the brand?

What we ultimately tapped into was a broader conversation about the independent spirit, personal style, fashion as a form of self-expression versus something didactic. We wanted to create something that empowered people and celebrated individuality. Over time, we saw the people who were most loyal and attached to our content were women. Now, we want to be a catalyst for women to claim their power.

How do you act on that mission?

We started a short film series this year called Shatterbox. We want to change the ratio of women in film, so we’ve created short films with twelve different female directors. It’s a mix of people who are emerging, people who are established, and those who have been in front of the camera but now are making their directorial debuts. We also launched Baller, a women’s sports channel on YouTube, as well as a women’s comedy channel called Riot. Those projects are all ongoing, and we think of them as sub-brands that we’re building.

Is there an initiative or a story that most resonates with you?

We did this video series called Behind the Headlines that tracked the stories of female immigrants. We wanted to show a deeper view into these stories, and the ones we ended up featuring were so moving. I was also struck by our 67 Percent Project,

which confronts the fact that 67% of women in the U.S. are size 14 and up, but media coverage of women that size hovers around 2%. That totally floored me. I’m such a visual person, so it’s been really important to me as we’ve grown the company to realize that you can shape the way people see and remember by changing the images you put in front of them.

How else are you focusing on authenticity and diversity?

We started shooting our own stock and doing street casting to make sure we could represent our audience, because stock images don’t offer much racial diversity.

There are, of course, a lot of practical challenges to representation. When we first started, we didn’t really have the budget to do original photo shoots.

Modeling agencies don’t have a lot of plus-sized women and often only represent women who are up to a size 16. Clothing brands lend sample sizes that are a size four, so if you want to use contemporary clothing you have to go buy it. For the 67 Percent Project, we shot for six months and sent an editor to different cities to find plus-sized talent. Then we partnered with Getty Images to give other media outlets access to our original photos through that platform.

The media industry is reeling from this year’s presidential election. How has it impacted your work and the way you envision Refinery29’s role in the coming years?

I feel more resolute in our mission than ever before. We speak to 330 million women per month, and that’s a huge responsibility and something we take seriously. The election results made us think about how to have broad and inclusive conversations with our audience of various political leanings. There are certain things that are non-negotiable for us as a brand, but at this point in time we want to make sure we are hearing all women’s voices without giving hate any kind of platform.

Any words of wisdom for the Berwick community, young alumni, or students in particular?

People get really stressed out about the options out there and think their decisions are going to lock them in for life. It’s a kind of paralysis. There are so many twists and turns, and you have to be able to embrace those plot twists. Make a decision, and then make the absolute most of that decision. Really give it a shot.

I look back at my time at Berwick, specifically my classes with Mr. Fletcher about civil rights and struggles against oppression.

At the time, I had no context to relate to those struggles in any tangible way. I couldn’t connect their meaning beyond my sheltered world or build the empathy I needed to engage or build a career with meaning. It took 20 years of life experiences to connect my learning at Berwick to the impact I want to have in my life.

“Berwick students have the opportunity to chart their own paths. They have the opportunity to critically apply what they see happening around them to what they learn in classes, hopefully in ways far more critically than I ever did. Most importantly, Berwick students have a chance to think about their own roles in these struggles, how to use their privilege to fight on behalf of equality and compassion, and to build a life and career of meaning.

Aaron Smith ’93, COO of Beyond 12, San Francisco, CA

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CULTURAL COMPETENCY

TRANSGENDER ACTIVIST ALEX MYERS ENGAGES BERWICK PARENTS

by MARY DEMPSEY, BPC President

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n partnership with BPC CARES (Community, Awareness, Respect, Education & Support, formerly BPC CCC), the Berwick Parent Community has launched a potluck speaker series, with the objective of supporting the school community and fostering conversation around topics of culture and diversity. In a casual, open environment, parents are invited to gather for engagement in dialogue on a variety of topics.

The first in this year’s three-part series took place in November, when the BPC hosted transgender activist and Maine native Alex Myers, who teaches English at Phillips Exeter Academy.

Through his thoughtful style, Alex spoke with a wonderful mix of the serious – treating his topics with the respect they deserve – while infusing humor into his stories. He began by introducing the group to his personal narrative. Alex Myers was born Alice Myers, raised as a girl and living as a girl until the summer before his senior year at Exeter. Alex talked with the group of parents about his journey to put a name on what he felt from young age, a sort of disconnect with his gender. He talked about labels – such as “tomboy” – serving as some comfort to him as they described him better than traditional words associated with girls. Alex spoke about finding his identity as a process of looking for something on the outside that matched what he felt on the inside. He played sports, dressed in jeans and sneakers, and sometimes wore his hair short, but always knew he was somehow different. As he passed through adolescence, the term “tomboy” left him and Alex again found himself searching.

In 1992, at age14, Alex enrolled at Exeter as a boarding student and remembers meeting openly lesbian students for the first time. The school supported a

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Gay/Straight Alliance on campus, and Alex discovered a “new category to explain my difference.”

During the summer after his junior year in high school, Alex was studying in Boston when he attended his first gay pride march. He shared an anecdote about marching behind a group of people who called themselves the “Lesbian Avengers” and, as he walked along and listened, Alex thought, “I registered a disconnect with

‘lesbian’ and the label of ‘gay.’” That same summer, he attended a panel discussion on gender identity and heard the word “transgender” for the first time. He knew, “That was me.”

Alex returned to Exeter for his senior year as a male student, wearing a coat and tie. He became the school’s first openly transgendered student and went on to break new barriers at Harvard University by being the first openly transgendered

Feature student there as well.

During the Q&A that followed Alex’s talk, the group asked about what it was like to come out to his parents; how Exeter handled his return; how his friends saw

Transgender is not a problem meant to be fixed, but an identity meant to be lived.” him; how we can support students on the Berwick campus and why we need to; and what some of the greatest challenges might be. In response, Alex recalled his surprise when he didn’t receive the “most changed” designation when his Exeter class was assigning its senior superlatives. A fellow student explained to him, “You didn’t really change at all.” That message spoke so clearly to the why of supporting transgender students.

“Transgender is not a problem meant to be fixed, but an identity meant to be lived,” Alex told our group As we continue the conversation on gender identity and LGBTQ rights at Berwick, along with the thought-provoking and sometimes uncomfortable questions that arise, it is events such as this series that will allow us to openly process these topics and address how our community can respectfully embrace students and create an environment that is nurturing and educational for all.

For more about Alex Myers, visit www.alexmyerswriting.com.

GENDER IDENTITY POLICY Driven by moral and legal imperatives, and after nearly a year of committee work, research, and planning, Berwick Academy outlined its first gender identity policy in the summer of 2016.

Berwick’s Gender Identity Policy Group was assembled in 2015 with the sole purpose of making recommendations to Berwick Academy to help ensure that all individuals, regardless of gender identity, will feel welcome, safe, and affirmed at the school. The group, consisting of representation from all three divisions, administration, and staff, gathered best practices from the National Association of Independent School (NAIS), The Human Rights campaign (HRC), Gender Spectrum, and a number of our peer schools.

As a school actively making a commitment to being the most inclusive community it can be, the new policy makes it clear that Berwick is welcoming to all students.

“Our school values inclusivity, openness, and empathy,” said Head of School Greg Schneider.” We must continue fostering open dialogue about issues like this one so that all perspectives are heard and understood.”

Gender identity is a critical issue for schools to consider, and many local public school districts have come forward with similar policies in recent years.

Additionally, the Berwick Academy athletic affiliations, NEPSAC and EIL, have been considering how this topic impacts athletic competition. The school also recognized that gender identity was a real issue within the Berwick community.

The school made it clear that students, with the support of and consultation with their families, are ultimately the ones to determine their own gender identities.

The appropriate corollary to this is that Berwick cannot mandate which facilities (bathrooms, locker rooms, etc.) they are permitted to use. To support this, genderneutral bathrooms are now present in every building across campus.

In the fall, faculty professional development and student and parent speakers were offered to educate the community about gender identity. The School plans to continue with the important work required to maintain such a policy as new issues and circumstances arise.

“For many of us, myself included, it is new to acknowledge the notion that gender is no longer a binary conversation, and that in fact people may fall in any number of places on a spectrum of how they identify,” said Schneider. “This is not the only way in which the social context of our world is evolving rapidly. What I know for certain is that your children will face these issues directly in higher education as well, and we think it is important for them to understand and learn about these new realities before heading to college.”

BERWICK ACADEMY STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY Berwick Academy affirms its commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming community that celebrates the unique qualities of every individual while encouraging active engagement in a diverse world. We strive to support and attract students, faculty, staff, and administrators whose varied backgrounds, including race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, family composition, physical difference, and socioeconomic status strengthen our community. Through our curriculum, extracurricular activities, and community-building efforts, we prepare students to become leaders who challenge preconceptions, value difference, and catalyze divergent ideas to realize Berwick’s mission of “promoting virtue and useful knowledge.”

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CULTURAL COMPETENCY

SEED: SEEKING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND DIVERSITY

by LINDSEY WEINER & LUCY POLLARD

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iversity is inviting someone they are better able to dinner. Inclusion is asking to put the growth them to help plan the menu.” and development of After hearing this quote young people and spoken informally in one of our small group colleagues at the meetings at the National SEED Project’s center of their comweek-long conference, we have used it as munities. Berwick’s the center of our mission in bringing crit- S E E D g r o u p ical facilitating techniques and inclusive includes 25 faculty, practices back to Berwick Academy. As we staff, and adminreturned to school – a bit overwhelmed yet istrative leaders, ready to embark on this journey – it now who volunteered seems a distant past since Berwick’s first to share dinners, SEED (Seeking Educational Equality and stories, and hope toward the future of Diversity) group invigorated the campus.

Berwick Academy.

Referred to internally as our “SEED While sharpod,” this monthly, peer-led professional development program provides opportuni- ing cuisines from ties for Berwick faculty and staff to gather, around the world, break bread, tell our stories, and listen more Berwick SEED pareffectively to the voices of others. The idea ticipants have found is that, through our own experiences, we fellowship and a can create a conversational community to safe space for heartdrive personal, organizational, and societal felt conversation change toward greater equity and diversity. about cultural competency. Our time The National SEED project thrives together has not only helped build unexon the belief that educators, parents, and pected relationships among participants, community leadbut also opened up aveers must initiate nues of conversation social change by between faculty, staff,

Similar to a seed in first looking back and administration. at how dealing with nature, all twenty five of us act More fundamentally, d i f f e r e n c e s a n d as the seeds now planted around SEED meetings have connections has mirrored the timeless campus to inspire change and traditionally been skill of empathy we taught. Personal inclusive practices that honor the strive to instill in our reflection is a nec- multiple stories we each bring to students. essary prelude to the diversity of our garden.”

In our earliest sescreating curricula sions, participants and environments examined personal that more adequately equip communities to identity and gender.

Through experiential, address systems of oppression and power.

When adults are put at the center of their interactive exercises and conversations own processes of growth and development, stimulated by videos and readings, the 28

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group has explored questions of gender roles, masculinity and femininity, and how they are understood and communicated in the classrooms and hallways of Berwick.

Each session has ended with participants sharing plans to impact our classrooms or work spaces with diversity initiatives.

There is an innate understanding that this work represents an ongoing process, professionally and personally. The SEED cohort will continue meeting throughout the school year.

Similar to a seed in nature, all twenty five of us act as the seeds now planted around campus to inspire change and inclusive practices that honor the multiple stories we each bring to the diversity of our garden.

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MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ATTEND AISNE DIVERSITY CONFERENCE

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welve Berwick Academy Middle School students attended the annual AISNE middle school diversity conference on November 5 at Thayer Academy in Braintree, MA. The annual conference presents a distinct opportunity for middle school students to “better understand themselves and their peers through reflection, dialogue, and exposure to different cultures.”

With a day dedicated to building bridges and connecting community, the Berwick students interacted with dozens of other middle schoolers in wide-ranging workshops and activities. Workshops focused on diversity in pop culture, invisible identity, multiracial identity, hip hop, media images of race and gender, and aspects of Japanese and Chinese culture.

“The workshops were incredibly genuine, and it was really awesome getting

to know kids from other schools,” said Ellie Criegler ’23. “I also really liked eating lunch with other kids and getting to represent our school.”

Fellow sixth grader Kaia Buensuseco shared that the workshops “were really interactive” and “that it was fun learning about privilege in a way that felt real.”

Sixth grade humanities teachers Cassandra Warnick and Dan Eberle chaperoned the trip. Eberle spoke of the value of participating face-to-face in workshops designed for middle school students.

“Meeting and getting to know other students from a range of backgrounds in a setting that encourages genuine dialogue about issues of diversity is how people gain perspectives about others’ experiences,” said Eberle. “Walking into the Thayer

Academy dining hall after the first round of workshops and seeing that Berwick kids had invited other kids they had met in the morning to sit with them was all the evidence I needed that they were having a positive experience.”

Eberle said his enthusiastic students have spoken about the possibility of Berwick hosting the AISNE conference in the future.

“That our middle school students were so open and eager to interact with other kids,” said Eberle, “is a testament to the message they get at Berwick about being open to the world around them and embracing chances to learn from others.”

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CULTURAL COMPETENCY

REFLECTING ON THE STUDENT DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE In December 2016, Berwick Academy sent four Upper School students to the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) and, simultaneously, three faculty members to the People of Color Conference (PoCC) in Atlanta, Georgia. Both conferences are sponsored by the National Association of Independent Schools.

SDLC is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of student leaders in grades 9-12 from across the U.S. The conference focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community. Led by a diverse team of trained adult and peer facilitators, participants develop effective cross-cultural communication skills, better understand the nature and development of effective strategies for social justice, practice expression through the arts, and learn networking principles and strategies.

The mission of the PoCC is to provide a safe space for leadership, professional development, and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools. PoCC equips educators at every level, from teachers to trustees, with the knowledge, skills, and experiences to improve and enhance the interracial, interethnic, and intercultural climate in their schools, as well as the attending academic, social emotional, and workplace performance outcomes for students and adults.

The following two articles are student reflections on their experiences at the SDLC:

SDLC AND DIVERSITY AT BERWICK

by NIKHIL AGARWAL ’19 Attending the Student Diversity Leadership Conference was an incredible experience. More than anything, it made me grateful for what I have, especially in terms of the Berwick community. It has also made me reflect on what I see in my daily life at the school.

Discrimination at Berwick is far more subtle than its manifestations in many other places – a joking comment here, a seemingly innocuous question there; at least in my experience there is little malice in such acts. There’s something to be said for that. Certainly it’s better than blatant acts of prejudice, but Berwick still needs to make more strides.

Most obvious is that Berwick simply doesn’t have a lot of diversity. This is 30

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due largely to the fact that a day school in Maine doesn’t have access to a diverse population. Racially, Berwick is almost entirely homogenous, but that is changing.

The introduction of the exchange program was an extremely good step. Beyond mere racial diversity, the exchange program offers a guarantee of true cultural diversity, which is far more valuable. The exchange program should be expanded but, while it might help expand ethnic and cultural diversity, it will do little to aid in other areas, such as ability and socioeconomic status.

Ableism is far less talked about than racism or other types of discrimination, but it is very real. It can pertain to physical or mental disability, but Berwick has a

conspicuous lack of students with disabilities. I don’t support changing Berwick’s policies specifically to increase diversity but, at the very least, there needs to be serious dialogue. People need to be comfortable with at least talking about disability, or discrimination is inevitable.

And although both ableism and racism are important topics, perhaps the most important type of diversity is also the most difficult to implement. Like it or not, socioeconomic status is a divider in society, and it’s important for Berwick to include perspectives from both sides.

To a certain extent, Berwick accepts students of all walks of life. But, in my own experience, what variety exists simply isn’t obvious. I recognize that it’s difficult to create socioeconomic diversity at a private school, and I don’t have any solutions.

Something I think Berwick is doing well is being open to LGBTQ issues.

There is still work to be done in ensuring that people are comfortable with dialogue surrounding the LGBTQ community, but Berwick is doing a good job in general.

Regarding diversity at Berwick overall, we’re not doing a bad job, but we can do better.

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MY EXPERIENCE AT SLDC

by ABIGAIL RASMUSSEN ’18

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n a step away from the traditional lecture format of many conferences, the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) focuses on peer conversation, engagement, and reflection.

At the SDLC, keynote speakers are followed by activity-based breakout groups that create a therapeutic atmosphere, where students are made to feel safe. Among the activities meant to engage participants at

the 2016 conference were journal writing and meditation. Participants were split into “home groups” – smaller sections aimed at creating a sense of family and community.

The diverse list of attendees, from many different schools, created a sense of anonymity that made it easier for students to open up about various insecurities, opinions, and experiences that may not be as easy to share among more familiar peers.

In my home group, I was able to hear stories of students from multiple backgrounds. I spoke with a girl who had gone through the foster system. She talked about growing up and taking care of her younger sister as they moved from house to house, from family to family, some of them not as kind as others. One of the students I got to know at the SDLC was an individual who

didn’t identify with any gender. Our group was open and accepting of this student, respecting the differences between us.

Another girl opened up about her experience as a victim of sexual assault. Her story represented one of the most emotional moments at the conference, because the entire room of teenagers, who had only met each other days before, gathered around to hug and comfort her.

At SDLC, everything was open, creating an environment in which most felt comfortable asking and answering questions. I hope to take the lessons from these conversations and use them to improve myself and the way I think about issues in the future.

From left: Nikhil Agarwal, Shruthi Sundar, Abigail Rasmussen, Chad Thut, and faculty member Jen Onken

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CULTURAL COMPETENCY

Q+A WITH AMY M. SNEIRSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MAINE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

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n October of 2016, Ainsley Clapp ’18 and Director of Cultural Competency Michael Buensuceso attended Reaching Out: A Conference to Support LGBTQ Youth, held in Portland, Maine. The conference, sponsored by Equality Maine, was intended to promote safe and inclusive schools and communities for LGBTQ youth. Workshops covered state laws, best practices for educators, theater and writing for youth, and resources to foster strong allies for students. Ainsley and Michael had the opportunity to hear attorney Amy M. Sneirson, executive director of the Maine Human Rights Commission, speak about how the state’s anti-discrimination law applies to LGBTQ students. Intrigued by Amy’s presentation and interested in her organization’s work in advocating for transgendered students, Ainsley interviewed her via phone.

Ainsley Clapp (AC): Can you describe your position and what you do?

Amy Sneirson (AS): I work for an agency that is an arm of the state of Maine and was created as part of the state government. Its job is to enforce a law intended to make sure that people aren’t treated unfairly.

AC: Why is this important to you?

AS: Because it’s easy to get caught up in a lot of things that make life seem unfair – some of the decisions we make

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or things that are out of our control.

But [we] have made a decision to create laws that say things you don’t choose about yourself shouldn’t be a cause for people treating you unfairly.

That’s important to me because we made these rules to govern ourselves and make us better -- better than our nature sometimes.

AC: How does your organization play a role in advancing transgender rights in Maine?

AS: Long before people started to talk about adding LGBTQ protections in the Maine Human Rights Act, there

Amy Sneirson joined the Maine Human Rights Commission as its Executive Director in 2011. Prior to that, Amy had worked for over 15 years as a litigator, most recently at the nonprofit Maine Center on Deafness but also at a Portland law firm and the Office of the Maine Attorney General. Amy received her law degree in 1995 from the School of Law at Washington University in St. Louis, and practiced law in Missouri for four years before returning home to the East Coast in 1999. Amy went to college in upstate New York, but is originally from Massachusetts.

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were people around Maine who were already advocating for it. This agency went to the Maine legislature for many years, trying to get those protections added into law on a statewide basis.

Year after year, they’d hear us and add protections. But then, at the ballot, people would strip those away. We did this three times before public opinion caught up. For the last 10 years, we’ve been steadily enforcing the law.

AC: From what you’ve seen, is there a noticeable difference in the way my generation approaches this issue, compared with yours?

AS: Yes – 100 percent difference. My children are teenagers, and I’ve seen it from talking to them and doing presentations to students like you, and I think it’s very different. I find it’s been most noticeable when discussing LGBTQ and race issues. With LGBTQ issues, there’s now a ‘Who cares?’ or ‘Why does it matter?’ and you can define yourself however you want, which is so refreshing because my generation and the one before me wanted to be that way, but we weren’t

Feature raised that way. Your generation is more open-minded than mine.

AC: How would you respond to those who disagree on the issue of transgender rights?

AS: Luckily, I get a lot of chances to do that. We get around 9,800 cases a year and, inevitably, someone disagrees with the law or what they’re being accused of. My attitude is that everyone is allowed to have an opinion, but my job is to enforce what’s written in the law. So people don’t have to agree with the law, but they do have to follow it.

AC: What can students and faculty do to make a community more welcoming and aware?

AS: It seems like a common suggestion is to have an overt physical openness, whether that be posters or announcements or signs that feature people who are different, so it’s clear from looking at the school environment that different types are welcome. And I think training for teachers and school staff is hugely important.

AC: Do you have policies for students whose parents aren’t on board?

AS: No, we don’t, because the law says, if you’re under 18, your parents have the legal right to make decisions for you. We do put out a guidance that outlines the rights of LGBTQ students in schools, and the key message is that a school should, as much as possible, defer to the preference of the students.

Around locker rooms, athletic teams, bathrooms – making sure there’s room for dialogue if the school has any concerns for these things, so the school isn’t making decisions on important issues based on assumption. Important policies would be helpful for students who have not come out to their parents

or with parents who don’t agree with the student’s identity. Even if the school has a policy, there are so many competing rights, concerns, and emotional points, so that’s a tough thing for a school to get around.

AC: What do you think is holding up Maine as far as being able to support trans students from legislative law?

AS: I can tell you what held us back in attempts to do rulemaking about this in the last session. It was mainly that our efforts at rulemaking were blocked by the Office of the Governor, who felt that, because there weren’t recent developments, there was no reason for new law. If we wanted to clarify rights of schools and students then we should go to the legislature.

AC: With the change in executive administration, how do you anticipate the MHRC will be affected?

AS: One impact we expect is less funding. We get about half of our funding from the federal government. Federal agencies that enforce housing and employment laws partner with agencies like mine to investigate claims. I think the federal government will change

the amount of money they spend to combat discrimination and that, in turn, will trickle down. I think there’s a very different attitude. It seems like people who are tired of being held to being politically correct are feeling emboldened to say whatever they think, even if it might be hurtful or stereotypical.

AC: What can school groups do?

AS: Be big, be bold, be loud; let people know they’re not alone. At most schools I know in Maine, there’s a cookie-cutter approach and people fit neatly into boxes – at least on the surface.

AC: Where do you think Maine is in terms of these policies, compared with other states?

AS: I think were pretty good based on what I’ve seen. The Northeast as a region is pretty progressive, so we’re lucky. For LGBTQ rights, we were one of the first states to have them by statutes and we’ve had them for 10 years. Mainers are used to the idea by this point. That doesn’t mean everyone likes it, but it’s widely understood that it’s protected.

ABOUT THE COMMISSION The Maine Human Rights Commission is the state agency charged with the responsibility of enforcing Maine’s anti-discrimination laws.

The Commission investigates complaints of unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, education, access to public accommodations, extension of credit, and offensive names. The Commission attempts to resolve complaints of discrimination to the mutual satisfaction of those who are involved. The Maine Human Rights Act authorizes the Commission to pursue remedies for unlawful discrimination in Court when necessary to enforce the Act. TODAY

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BERWICK’S UPPER SCHOOL ALLIANCE & DIVERSITY CLUB

by AINSLEY CLAPP ’18

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ver the past two years, Berwick Academy has engaged in rewarding dialogues about diversity. Because of this, we have become an even more accepting school.

B e r w i c k ’s G a y - S t r a i g h t - A l l i a n c e (“Alliance”) was founded in 2006 and has made a large impact on the culture at Berwick. The Diversity Club, established this past year with the help of Director of Cultural Competency Michael Buensuceso, is creating a conversation about various types of diversity. Both clubs help to promote acceptance and work to celebrate and understand difference.

Alliance creates an environment where students can feel comfortable expressing their identities. In order to do this, Alliance must be a constant presence on campus. Two years ago, with the guidance of Jillian Clark and Steph Storey, Alliance revised its mission statement. It now reads, “The Berwick Academy Alliance is a human rights group that focuses on educating the people around us, celebrating the differences that make us human, and innovating new ways to spread acceptance through the greater world.” Alliance’s recent work has

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included several fundraisers for LGBTQ+ support groups, a celebration of Coming Out Day, poster campaigns, and a trip to a conference. Alliance creates a safe space for students who feel comfortable talking about these issues, but there is still more work to be done to create a dialogue with the whole school and extend our reach beyond the club.

This past winter, we sent out a survey gauging the level of acceptance at Berwick, to help us understand the perspectives of all students. With the limited population at Berwick, many students have little insight or contact with people of different gender or sexual identities. Ideally, Alliance will facilitate opportunities where these exchanges can take place. Last year, transgender activist Alex Myers, who teaches at Phillips Exeter Academy, presented at Berwick. His visit generated valuable and engaging discussions surrounding his experience, the type of exchange that Alliance plans to continue.

Because Diversity Club was created more recently, it has additional room for growth. So far, the club has sponsored an after-school conversational group about using humor to illustrate discrimination

and a lunchtime discussion about the role of police in our country. These conversations create an environment where students can talk about challenging issues. They also enable a productive amount of discomfort

To celebrate National Coming Out Day, the Berwick Academy Alliance placed a closet door in the center of Fogg field to raise awareness about the difficulties of coming out and the struggle of being closeted. The door was covered with stories, statistics, and encouragements.

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ALLIANCE members with club advisor Lucy Pollard

that is necessary to create dialogue about more sensitive topics, such as race, religion, and socioeconomic status, among others. The goal of Diversity Club is to create dialogue around issues of identity and diversity and allow students to practice sharing their opinions, so they are able to have constructive and stimulating conversations once they leave Berwick. Another important aspect of this club is addressing privilege. How can the school help Berwick students understand their own privilege and use it in a positive way?

Before I attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference

hosted by the National Association of Independent Schools, I did not understand what my race and privilege meant, but the experience enabled me to understand my identity and how it defines my daily life.

This opportunity was life-changing for me, and I am pleased that Berwick has sent an additional four students to the conference this year. With the help of those individuals, I hope we can further our discussions about identity and work to establish Berwick as a deeper place of understanding, where conversations about sexuality, race, gender, religion, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, ability, and family structure can be productive and enriching.

BERWICK PARENT COMMUNITY: BPC CARES

by KATE HARRIS THUT AND CHETANA PARMAR The BPC CARES (Community, Awareness, Respect, Education & Support, formerly BPC CCC) is a parent group dedicated to bringing parents together to educate and build awareness and understanding of cultural issues through open dialogue while supporting the school in its progress toward cultural competency. This is done through promoting diversity-related workshops, speakers, and events for the parent body and working with students, faculty, and staff to create a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment at all Berwick events.

Since its inception, BPC CARES Parent Chairs Kate Thut and Chetana Parmar have worked alongside Director of Cultural Competency Michael Buensuceso to organize several parent events including an evening talk by Waking Up White author Debby Irving, a Woofstock event with an international flair (right), a visit from transgender activist Alex Myers, and parent potluck event with a Pecha Kucha style presentation format covering topics that ranged from gender identity, to adoption, to immigration, and religion. The group continues to seek parent involvement and has established a Facebook page for Berwick parents. In this space, participants can post articles, comment, and share ideas.

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Fall 2016

ATHLETICS UPDATE 36

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Athletics Boys Varsity Golf

In Boys Varsity Golf action, Berwick continued its rebuilding efforts with the addition of eight new players. The team finished the regular season with a record of 5-7, led by newcomers Ross Spearman ’20 and Rich Rosato ’17. Ryan ’18 and Tyler ’20 Gaulin were also consistent contributors in their first year as Bulldogs. The team ended the season on an impressive note, finishing second at the EIL Tournament. Rosato led the way, shooting a red-hot 76 to place third overall. He earned an EIL honorable mention, while Spearman was an EIL allleague pick.

Under the Lights The Eric ’84 and Marla Katz Turf Field was the setting for three historic events on November 4 and 5. For the first time in school history, Berwick hosted outdoor night games, with the Girls Varsity Soccer and Varsity Field Hockey teams taking on the Winsor School, and the Boys Varsity Soccer team facing Beaver Country Day School. With a turnout that included students, parents, and alumni, the atmosphere was electric on both nights.

Hosting night games was an attractive prospect for the fall varsity coaches, who struggle with short days near the end of the season, forcing them to start games earlier and cut practices short. With the restrictions of Daylight Savings in mind, the coaches suggested that the school rent lights to make night games possible during the final weekend of the regular season. It turns out that this practical decision came with the added bonus of bringing the community together for back-to-back evenings of athletics. The assembled crowds showed their enthusiasm by chanting and cheering throughout the contests, creating a festive atmosphere.

Girls Varsity Soccer

The Girls Varsity Soccer team finished the season at 12-5-1, narrowly missing a bid to the NEPSAC Class C Tournament.

The team had a remarkable season as Ber-

wick’s 12 wins, to go along with 52 goals scored, represented the highest totals for the girls soccer program in both categories in 15 years. The Bulldogs won that night game against Winsor, 5-2, and beat No. 2 Concord in the Eastern Independent League Tournament. After a thrilling, 1-1, deadlock in regulation, Berwick advanced (after winning in a penalty-kick shootout) to play eventual NEPSAC Class B champion Pingree in the finals for the second year in a row. The EIL title went to Pingree too, as the opponents edged Berwick, 2-0, in the decisive contest.

Boys Varsity Soccer

Hoping to build on the success of the 2015 season, in which the Boys Varsity Soccer team qualified for the New England Tournament before losing in OT to eventual champion Holderness, this fall’s squad ran up against a host of strong teams in EIL play. Berwick remained within a game or two of the top two teams, Abbey and Concord, throughout the season, while key victories over Pingree, Concord, and LCA in November reversed results from earlier in the campaign, placing the Bulldogs near the top of the league at season’s end.

Against league rival Beaver under the lights on November 4, Berwick built a 4-0 halftime lead, eventually beating Beaver, 5-2, in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Girls Varsity Field Hockey

It was a story of close, hard-fought games for the Varsity Field Hockey team.

Though the Bulldogs often came out on the short end of those contests, the team improved significantly throughout the season. Highlights included a 3-1 win over Concord Academy on Blue and White Day; a 5-3 win over host Beaver in the rain; a dominant 8-0 defeat of LCA on the road; and a gritty 1-0 win over Hebron at home.

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FALL

UPDATES

Boys Varsity Cross Country Eighteen runners comprised the largest boys cross country team in recent memory. The young squad showed tremendous promise throughout the fall. Seniors Teddy Vatcher, Lachlan Mountjoy, and Patrick Forbes served as captains, establishing a fun but productive atmosphere that will serve Berwick well in the coming years.

The team’s top individual performer was Nolan Feeley ’18, who ran sub-20 in nearly all of his races.

Girls Varsity Cross Country Girls cross country enjoyed an excellent season, with sustained improvement by runners over the course of the season.

The team was carried primarily by seniors Maeve Brin, Sarah Ewart, Michaela O’Friel, and Liz Niznik. An excellent finish at New Englands highlighted a productive season, as Berwick placed fourth in the varsity race and second in the JV event. Most runners finished within the top half of the field.

Several runners return in 2017.

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FALL

UPDATES

Athletics

Fall 2016

ARTS UPDATE

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FALL

UPDATES

MAKE HISTORY: COMMUNITY AS CLASSROOM RAEGAN RUSSELL Berwick’s visual and performing artists are engaging in an exciting new program, with a focus on the creative process.

The project at the historic Sarah Orne Jewett House in downtown South Berwick is a collaboration of shared teaching and learning experiences with Historic New England. As a result of multiple visits to the Jewett Museum to study its creative environment and review its primary sources, students from the Advanced Placement Art, Studio Art Honors, and the Chamber Chorus created an exhibition this winter at the museum. The objective was for students to share personal meanings in the story of the house through both visual and performance-based interpretations.

This program places student artists in the role of interpreters and aligns with Berwick’s Curriculum 2020 initiative, as students took an interdisciplinary approach to their inquiries and research.

Make History: Community as Classroom January 21 – April 15, 2017 Sarah Orne Jewett House Museum and Visitor Center

STEPHANIE SANDERS AWARDED 2017 MIKE KOVINS TI:ME TEACHER OF THE YEAR Stephanie Sanders is the director of the Concert Band, Advanced Band, Middle School Jazz Band, and Symphonic Band at Berwick Academy. She also teaches Electronic Music I, II, III, IV, Advanced Music Production, Music Theory, Fundamentals of Songwriting, Ukulele Ensemble, and Music in Pop Culture. Stephanie has been a music educator for the past 39 years. She has integrated music technology as a tool in her music classroom for more than 30 years.

Stephanie has been an advocate for educating colleagues and administrators about the importance of providing the most up-to-date education to our students in music technology and music production.

She has written numerous grant proposals to acquire music technology for her students. She has provided time to teach technology to her colleagues to benefit their own learning as well as assist them in providing better teaching to their students. A highly skilled music technologist, Stephanie is a constant source of advice and guidance for all things musical, technological, and pedagogical. A former student said, “Ms. Sanders is an asset to Berwick Academy, not only because of her extensive knowledge of music and technology, but also the way she interacts and creates bonds with her students.”

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Arts VISITING ARTIST INGRID ELLISON The Art Department proudly hosted Ingrid Ellison, an artist and art educator from Camden, Maine as the 2017 Visiting Artist. During her visit, Ingrid worked with student artists in Grades 4, 8, and in the Upper School on techniques in visual journaling, color, and mark-making as part of the creative process. She also spent time with faculty and adults in the community over the course of her three-day residency. Ingrid’s paintings were on display at the Jackson Library Gallery from January 5 to March 3.

Ingrid works in oil, mixed media, and printmaking. Born in Boston, her earliest memories of Maine include images of floating aboard a little sloop amidst the fog and rocks of the coastline during family vacations. Since moving to Maine in 2007, Ingrid has exhibited at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Åarhus Gallery, the University of Maine Bangor, the Cynthia Winings Gallery and AVA Gallery, and Center for the Arts.

As an undergraduate at Skidmore, Ingrid spent a year studying printmaking at Il Bisonte in Florence, Italy. A consummate teacher and learner, she has participated in multiple residencies and workshops. She enjoys sharing her passion for what she does with the greater community.

For more on Ingrid, visit her website: www.ingridellison.com.

SCHOLASTIC ART AND WRITING COMPETITION

Jessica Brenna ‘18

This year we have had a remarkable outcome from the 2017 Maine Regional Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. This nation-wide competition and the largest scholarship competition of its kind received more than 1,200 submissions, from which students could gain recognition and move on to national jurying. Students Jeanne Allen ’17, Jessica Brenna ‘18, Ryan Perkins ‘17, Samantha Gaudette ‘17 and Tyler Van Etten ‘17 were recognized for individual works and received honorable mentions. Jeanne Allen was also awarded a Gold Key Award for her essay entitled “Lost,” and Tyler Van Etten received a Silver Key Award and four Gold Key Awards for individual works and a Gold Key for his portfolio submission. Tyler set a Berwick record with his multiple wins.

Tyler Van Etten ‘17

Samantha Gaudette ‘17 Ryan Perkins ‘17 TODAY

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On Saturday, September 24, 2016 we commemorated Berwick’s 225th anniversary with a celebration for the ages. Nearly 700 people – alumni, current parents, former parents, trustees, faculty, staff, community members, and friends – gathered for a night of festivities.

There were speeches, an appearance by John Hancock, a video presentation, and singing.

The night was capped off with a spectacular fireworks display and the music of Ben Baldwin and the Big Note. The night served as a reflection on our past and a vision for our future.

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TRUSTEE RECEPTION

Prior to the 225th birthday bash on Saturday, September 24, 2016, we welcomed back to campus current, former, and emeriti trustees to celebrate their service and accomplishments, and share opportunities for continued engagement with the School. Guests gathered in the new Inspiration Commons in the Jackson Library. The celebration was capped off with the dedication of the Eric ‘84 and Marla Katz Turf Field to honor Eric Katz ’84 and his many years of service on the Board of Trustees.

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WINTER 2017

ALUMNI BULLETIN

STUDENTS ON FOGG FIELD, 1988-1989 TODAY

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ALUMNI BULLETIN

VETERANS DAY 2016 Berwick’s military veterans were celebrated at a student assembly, with performances by Upper School students and a moving presentation by U.S. Navy veteran Bill Tarmey ’63. At the luncheon following the assembly, Lower School students brought handmade cards to the veterans, thanking them for their service and asking them questions about their time in the military. Alumni veterans in attendance included: Robert Bogardus ’61, U.S. Navy Raymond Brunelle ’53, U.S. Army Walter Clapp ’54, U.S. Army John Fogarty ’53, U.S. Army Jonathan Foster ’65, U.S. Navy Robert Gagne ’57, U.S. Coast Guard Kenneth Goodwin ’44, U.S. Army Malcolm Kenney ’58, U.S. Marine Reserves and U.S. Air Force 48

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Gregory Michael ’65, U.S. Air Force Glenn Michael ’65, U.S. Air Force Robert Remington ’54, U.S. Air Force Albert Roberge, Jr. ’44, U.S. Navy Clinton Schoff ’59, U.S. Marines and Coast Guard William Tarmey ’63, U.S. Navy

2016 Reunion

OBHS PRESENTATION Wendy Pirsig (left), former Berwick parent and president of The Old Berwick Historical Society, presented a program to alumni, depicting the history of South Berwick and its relationship with Berwick Academy.

BERWICK FUND

REMINDER

The Berwick Academy experience embodies much more than that of the average school.

Whether it’s financial aid for our deserving students, increased professional development opportunities for our teachers, athletic equipment for our sports teams, or the ability to stage incredible theatrical performances, these opportunities are made possible by your contributions to The Berwick Fund. Please take part in bringing the Berwick experience to life by making a tax-deductible donation to this year’s Berwick Fund today.

Thank you!

www.berwickacademy.org/giving Contact Stephanie Caswell at 207.384.6396 or scaswell@berwickacademy.org TODAY

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ALUMNI BULLETIN

THE HILLTOP LUNCHEON 1. Mal ‘58 and Sally Ann Kenney 2. John Hayes, Annabelle Goodrich Hayes ‘60, Don Downing ‘37, Diane Downing McRoberts, former faculty Lynne Gass, Susan Sullivan, former faculty Jim Sullivan 3. Judy Brown ‘61 (center) and guests

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

4. Jack Fogarty ‘53 and Sharon Fogarty ‘82 5. Albert Roberge ‘44, Dennis Fink ‘44, Kathy Hussey Keelty ‘46, Tom Keelty ‘43, Ruth Brown Boston ‘52 and daughter 6. Sally Knowlton Carmichael ‘54, Simone Gorman, Phil Knowlton ‘56 7. Elizabeth Knight Henkel ‘59 Meredith Richardson Ernie ‘50, Joseph Henkel 8. Elinor Paul Amee ‘49 (right) and guest 9. Gail Sanderson, Art Sanderson ‘68, Paul Ahlgren ‘64, Bob Bogardus ‘61, Pat Bogardus, Bill Bullock ‘62 10. April Eberhardt, Harold Marsh ‘66, Brian Longo ‘66, Eileen Longo, Peter Garrell ‘66, Chuck O’Connor ‘66 11. Back row: Herb Porch ‘62, Guest, Guest, Front row: Guest, Judy Brown ‘61, Anita Schoff Gagne ‘61

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2016 Reunion

ALUMNI AWARDS Awards were presented to two deserving alumni at the Hilltop Luncheon on September 24, 2016.

OWEN STEVENS ’48

ROBERT BOGARDUS ’61

Founders Medal

Loyalty Award

Owen Stevens ’48 was posthumously awarded Berwick’s Founders Medal “in recognition of singular support and dedication to Berwick Academy and of lasting contribution to the learning experience of Berwick students.” Owen’s wife, Margaret, son, Bob, and daughter, Catherine ’81, accepted the award from Head of School Greg Schneider.

Robert “Bogie” Bogardus ’61 was presented with the Alumni Award for Loyalty at the Hilltop Luncheon. Bob was a post-graduate student, who attended Berwick for a year and was involved in the Glee Club, Dramatics, and Student Council, while competing in football, hockey, and baseball.

The 1961 yearbook describes him as “a good athlete and a pleasant companion.”

For the past decade, Bob has been engaged with Berwick on a number of levels. He has been a generous and consistent donor to the Annual Fund and the Athletics Boosters Golf Tournament; he participates in Berwick’s Veterans Day program; he has served as a panelist at the Berwick Innovation Celebration for several years; and is a familiar face at Berwick alumni events. Bob is very active in the Seacoast community, and never misses an opportunity to speak about Berwick. He has repeatedly connected Berwick to other schools interested in our innovation program.

A MEMORIAL TO A REMARKABLE TEACHER Family, friends, and former colleagues gathered after the Hilltop Luncheon on the lawn outside Burleigh Davidson to remember former faculty member Arthur “Terry” Doggett, who died in 2014. Terry was also the father of three Berwick graduates: Tim ’84, Chris ’88, and Scott ’92.

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John Tackeff ’10, Owen Labrie ’11 (left to right)

Anya Burzynski ’10, Kate Cavanaugh ’10

Alumni Winter Gathering Brad Fletcher, Nichole Currier, Ian McFarland ’12

2016

Karyn Scharf-Morin ’87, Natalie Induisi-Hanson ’87

David Horan ’11, Jonny Grassie ’13, Tyler Webster ’12, Dante Fabbricatore-Urban ’14, Jake Woodward ’12, Grahm McGlinchey ’12

Bob Bogardus ’61, John Morrow, Erin Trainor ’12, WINTER 2017 52 Chris Atwood ’10

Kim Toomire ’08, Ethan Hawes ’10

Patrick Connolly, Owen Labrie ’11, Jake Woodward ’12, Caroline Seekins ’12

Back Row: Michael Gass ’88, Sean Clarke ’88, Bob Hanson ’87, Beth Snider Crowell, Adam Crowell, Oliver Crowell Front Row: Jessica Shaw ’89, Moira McManus McKinnon ’88

ALUMS: GET IN THE GAME WITH MARCH MADNESS

Asher Siegel ’12, Aaron Harris ’09, Ashley Mullaney ’09, Kyle Mullaney ’11, Cody Jackson ’11

March Madness 2017 is off and running, with classes from 2002 to 2016 competing for the highest participation in The Berwick Fund. The Class of 2008 looks to retain the title after an impressive 41% participation rate a year ago.

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ALUMNI BULLETIN

ALUMNI BASKETBALL The annual alumni basketball game featured another strong turnout, as the boys varsity players (alongside Coach Marty Edwards) took on a team of Berwick graduates. Logan Bement ’12 helped to organize this year’s game.

ALUMNI HOCKEY

Hockey alumni from 14 different classes hit the ice on December 19 for their annual games. The women faced off against the girls varsity, winning in a shootout to retain the coveted McNulty Cup. The men played their traditional “Even” vs. “Odd” game, with teams chosen based on graduation year.

The “Even” team won for the second year in a row.

Following the womens hockey alumni game, former girls varsity coach Pat McNulty was honored for his longtime service to the program. Ashley Mullaney ’09, Athletic Director Rob Quinn, and Greg Schneider shared reflections with current and former players, coaches, and parents.

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2016Gathering Reunion Alumni Weekend 2017... Save theWinter Date!

Portsmouth,

N.H.

September 22-23 All alumni are invited to signature events of the weekend: The Hilltop Luncheon is the traditional alumni banquet.

Come to the Commons at noon on Saturday for lunch, the alumni awards, and celebration of the reunion classes.

The 100 Club Cocktail Reception will be held in downtown Portsmouth on Saturday from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Make this your first stop to reconnect with classmates and teachers before heading out to experience Portsmouth’s nightlife.

Invitations will be mailed this summer. Start rallying your class!

ALUMNI COUNCIL 2016-2017 President: Stephanie Kendall Jaggars ‘89 Vice President: Bill Tarmey ‘63

Melissa Gagne Falzone ‘03 Rebecca Oliver-Palanca ‘01 Glenn Michael ‘65 T.J. Jurevic ‘94 Chris Glancy ‘76

Greg Schneider, Head of School Kathryn Strand, Director of Alumni and Stewardship

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ALUMNI BULLETIN

2017 ALUMNI WEEKEND

1967 1952

65h Reunion

1937

80th Reunion

Don Downing enjoyed last year’s Alumni Weekend with his daughter, Dianne. We look forward to having them both back to celebrate Don’s 80th.

Will “Most Cooperative” classmates Joe Riopel and Leona Durgin Stone be helpful in getting the rest of their class to their 65th reunion?

1957

75th Reunion

1977

1947

Patricia Hadden Cunningham led the girls basketball team in ’47. Let’s hope that she and many of her classmates will “travel” to the 70th reunion!

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1972

45th Reunion

Remember how much fun we had at the 40th? It’s been five years. It’s definitely time for 1972 to once again descend on Berwick Academy.

Class of ’42, take a trip back in time, 75 years to be exact, and walk through the classrooms and hallways of your beloved Fogg Memorial.

70th Reunion

It’s finally here! The Class of 1967 can celebrate its 50th reunion! There is a lot in store for our esteemed alumni.

Maybe Jim Kurland will even play a few tunes...

60th Reunion We are hoping “Queen Jackie” Tuttle MacDonald will make an appearance at 1957’s 60th reunion.

1942

50th Reunion

1962

55th Reunion The year 1962 was a big year at Berwick.

We fielded our first soccer team, and we graduated a terrific class. Come on back, ’62, and kick that soccer ball around!

40th Reunion Let’s meet in Fogg and see if we can’t get in touch with William.

Kate Ordway Salvati is game.

Alumni Weekend, September 22-23, 2017

2002

15th Reunion

1982

The year 2002 was one of the best athletic years in Berwick’s history – come back to the Hilltop to catch up with classmates and relive the glory days.

35th Reunion

Ken Lafler writes, “It would be so great to see many of you at our 35th reunion this year. Though our paths have taken us all to different regions across the country, it would be great to reconnect with many.

Let’s try to make this happen.”

2007

10th Reunion

Mrs. Hoyt wants you to know that she “can’t wait to reunite with the class of 2007. It will be SO much better than our freshman wilderness trip.” Ms. Bessette adds, “Let’s break out the tubs of frozen cookie dough and celebrate senior-overnight style.”

1987

30th Reunion

Shanlee says, “30 years... really? It seems like just yesterday we were hanging out in the senior lounge together. Let’s hang out again at reunion. We have a lot to catch up on!” #87represent

1997 20th Reunion Sara Parkinson Gibbons hopes, “the Class of ‘97 will join me in September to celebrate our 20th reunion. It will be great to catch up with everyone. Mrs. Davie will be there too.”

2012 1992

5th Reunion

25th Reunion

Come join these “clowns” for some 5th reunion festivities.

It’s the 25th reunion for ’92! Don’t miss it, and bring along a few friends.

Persephone Bennett’s status as an alumna of the Class of 2014 is recognized by the Academy. She graduated from Portsmouth High School in 2014 and is currently a member of the class of 2018 at the Rhode Island School of Design.

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ALUMNI BULLETIN

OBITUARIES THERESA PARENT GAGNON ’34

URSULA RICHTER

Theresa Parent Gagnon died on September 24, 2016, at the age of 101. A proud graduate of Berwick Academy, she wore her class ring her entire life.

Theresa’s son, Joel Gagnon, is a member of the Class of 1968. They frequently attended alumni reunions with their family.

Ursula Richter taught German in the Upper School from 1974 to 1984.

The 1983 yearbook was dedicated to her. In part, the dedication reads, “Everyone knows her; everyone loves her; she brings charisma and hope into our lives and much joy. She is a library of knowledge: writers, poets, and artists…she never hesitates to share her knowledge.

She is a woman of her generation as well as ours. There are few people like Frau Ursula Richter.” Ursula’s daughter, Anne Richter Heaton ’62, survives her.

CHARLES ESTEN OLIVER ’35 Charles Esten Oliver’s daughter Jayne Davis writes of her father, “For many years on our frequent visits to South Berwick, we would drive along Academy Street right by the stately Fogg Memorial, and he would proudly and fondly remind us kids that that’s where he went to high school.”

WILLIS TAYLOR ’05

ROBERTA BERNIER PALMISANO ’54 Roberta “Bobbie” Bernier Palmisano ’54 was a member of one of the most tightly connected Berwick classes.

This past June, she attended the Class of 1954’s reunion lunch – at Fogarty’s, of course. Bobbie asked for donations in her name to be made to Berwick to help continue that same sense of spirit and connectedness in today’s students.

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Willis (Will) Pease Taylor ’05, age 29, died peacefully at home of complications from renal failure on Friday, December 30, 2016.

He was the son of Catherine (Twomey)

and Jeffrey Taylor of Rochester, New Hampshire, and Chatham, Massachusetts.

Named after his paternal great-grandfather, Will was born in Dover, NH on April 22, 1987. He attended Berwick Academy and Northeastern University’s Honors Program, where he graduated summa cum laude in 2010.

Both during and after college, he worked for the Boston Consulting Group in Boston, MA. Will spent his summers at the family home in Chatham, where he was a member of Chatham Yacht Club. He became the Sailing Master at CYC, a position he held for three summers. He was instrumental in the need for, and planning of, a new clubhouse. Will especially loved teaching sailing and Pleasant Bay in particular. He loved spending time on the beach with his friends and boating on the bay waters. He also served on the board of Pleasant Bay Community Boating.

Will loved to talk about politics, sports, history, technology, and the world in general. He was a lover of conversation and was interested in people. He adored his family. He will be deeply missed by all whose lives he touched. He leaves behind his grieving parents, Cathy & Jeff Taylor, his sister, Emily Chase Taylor (Class of 2000), her husband, Justin Assad, and their newborn daughter Henley Leighton Assad.

He also leaves behind several aunts, uncles and cousins and friends. He has left a gaping hole in all of the hearts of those that knew and loved him and his family.

The Taylor family would like to thank the staff at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston, MA) for their care during his recent three month hospital stay. They would also like to thank Will’s extended family and friends for their love, assistance and support over the past two years of Will’s illness. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in honor of Willis Taylor’s life may be made to the Will Taylor Memorial Fund, Pleasant Bay Community Boating, P.O. Box #21, North Chatham, MA 02650.

A celebration of Will’s life will be held later this spring.

The Chadbourne-Thompson

SOCIETY

IN MEMORIAM Theresa Parent Gagnon ’34, September 24, 2016

T

he Chadbourne-Thompson Society recognizes donors who make planned estate gifts. Planned gifts are an essential part of Berwick’s long-term financial future and have helped shape the Berwick of today.

Zana Hasty Littlefield ’35, June 1, 2016 Charles Esten Oliver ’35, March 2016 C. Linwood Blaisdell ’46, July 26, 2016 Harold F. Worthley ’46, October 21, 2016

For more information, contact Director of Alumni and Stewardship Kathryn Strand at 207.384.6307 or kstrand@berwickacademy.org.

Richard “Mandy” Bennett ‘52 February 03, 2017 Roberta M. Bernier Palmisano ’54, September 16, 2016 Arthur H. Osbon ’57, September 8, 2016 John G. Richardson ’62, December 1, 2016 Robert L. Shea ’63, December 15, 2016

Chadbourne-Thompson Society Members Two Anonymous Deborah K. Blouin ’59 James Cook ’63 and Paula Cook Bradley M. Damon ’63 Marie A. Donahue ’37 Aurora Dube ’25 Preston N. Eames ’65 C. Dennis Fink ’44 Nancy B. Fort, former parent Adolph Geyer ’31 Russell Grant ’45 and Marty Grant Doris Dixon Griffith ’39 Seth A. Hurd ’90 George E. Janetos, former advisor Alberta Morrill Johnson ’28 Kennett and Patricia Kendall, former trustee/parents Mary Jacobs Kennedy 1908 Stuart Kerr, son of former headmaster Lawrence A. Martineau ’64 and Karen Martineau Perley D. Monroe ’48 Wendy Pirsig, former parent Olive Purrington Moulton ’22 Victor Perreault ’33 and Helen Hasty Perreault Nancy Pindrus ’69 Richard and Susan Ridgway, former headmaster/parents Anna May Flynn Smith ’31 William R. Spaulding Owen Stevens ’48 and Margaret Stevens Ella Estelle Geyer Stonebraker ’29 Mark H. Tay, trustee/former parent Roger Thompson ’25 and Theresa Thompson

Richard J. Noel ’80, November 11, 2016 Scott A. Kirmes ’82, September 14, 2016 Willis P. Taylor ’05, December 30, 2016

UPCOMING ALUMNI REGIONAL GATHERINGS

NEW YORK CITY Tuesday, April 4, 2017

BOSTON Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Stay tuned for times & locations.

RSVP by contacting Chris Atwood at catwood@berwickacademy.org or 207.384.6309

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Berwick Academy 31 Academy Street South Berwick, ME 03908 www.berwickacademy.org

For parents of alumni: If this issue of Berwick Today is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, kindly notify the Alumni Office with the correct mailing address.

GRANDPARENTS DAY Each year, all grandparents and special friends are invited to Berwick Academy to enjoy a day of performances and classes with their grandsons and granddaughters. We look forward to seeing you on the Hilltop!

Invitations will be mailed shortly!

Friday, May 12, 2017 To update your contact information, please contact Kellie Demers at kdemers@berwickacademy.org or 207.384.6303