Today at Breck: Summer 2019

TODAY AT

BRECK

Summer 2019

BRECK ROBOTICS: OUT OF THIS WORLD 20 QUESTIONS | CELEBRATING OUR GRADUATES | ALUMNI NEWS

May your road be a long one, and may you see things anew.

TREVOR THORNTON UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER, 2019 COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

TODAY AT

BRECK

SUMMER 2019

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FEATURES 14 / Moving Up Each year students move up from one grade to the next and, for some, leave behind a division and place in the school they’ve known for a long time. Three students reflect on their experiences as they leave Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools respectively.

16 / Out of this World

COVER STORY Breck Robotics celebrates its 10th year with a trip to the world championships and an incredible growth rate in programs across the school.

Teachers, coaches, students, and alumni reflect on their experiences in this issue’s cover story.

28 / Continuing the Journey With 182 years of collective service to our school, six retirees reflect on their time at Breck and share some of their most beloved memories.

DEPARTMENTS 2 / 20 Questions 5 / 123 News 40 / Alumni News 46 / Sports News

On the cover: Samuel Leville ’19, Samantha Detor ’20, and Lana Trautman ’19, members of the 2019 Upper School Robotics Team, pose for a photo in the Robotics Lab. Photo by Sara Rubinstein.

NATALIA R. HERNÁNDEZ, ED.D. HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Breck Friends, Summer is a great time for relaxation, relationships, and reflection. We are excited to share this issue of Today at Breck with you as you relax in the sunshine, read to stay connected with your Breck relationships, and reflect with us on the 2018-2019 school year.

This summer’s issue of Today at Breck offers a window into the Class of 2019’s commencement activities and exercises. A truly special class of students, we proudly send these newest alumni all over the world prepared for a life of intellectual curiosity, self knowledge, and social responsibility — three characteristics that are at the core of the Breck experience.

We are also proud to share with you the work and growth of our award-winning FIRST Robotics Program. Students participating in this program share how they are learning and growing through the program and discovering new talents and friends on their journey. Be sure to look out for Emre Adabag ’20 who shares that participation in our robotics program has given him the opportunity to go beyond assignments and focus on work that is uniquely interesting to him. His intellectual curiosity has been piqued by problem-solving with teammates and digging deeper. We also connected with robotics alumni like Caleb Kumar ’13 who describes robotics experiences as a way of “helping students find their purpose.” Finally, you will read about how social responsibility is woven into our robotics teams as they apply their unique skills and talents to community partnerships with impactful results.

As always, we are grateful to our alumni. Particularly in this issue, we see how life experiences beyond Breck’s walls are an extension of the academic excellence and strong relationships we forge at Breck.

With best wishes to the Class of 2019,

TODAY AT

BRECK

SUMMER 2019

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Questions

Jessica Wanless: 1 What music are you listening to lately? The music I listen to spans decades and genres based on my mood.

According to my Spotify account, right now I’m listening to a lot of Brandi Carlile, 70s & 80s acoustic, and 90s hip-hop.

2 What’s one of the last books you read? Becoming by Michelle Obama 3 What’s your favorite time of year?

I like the beginning of every season but I love fall the most.

4 What’s one of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? Given the age of my three girls, doing anything when they’re hungry or tired is always quite the adventure, but I did go ziplining through an underground cave once while wearing the world’s ugliest helmet.

5 What’s your favorite Breck lunch?

Lasagna 6 What’s your dream job? A comedy writer. The main challenge with this is that I’m usually the only one that thinks I’m funny.

7 Favorite treat: salty or sweet? Salty

MIDDLE/UPPER SCHOOL LEARNING COACH, PETER CLARK CENTER FACULTY FELLOW

8 What’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made? Studying abroad in Mexico my junior year in college. It deepened my understanding of the world and changed the trajectory of my life completely.

9 What advice would you give to your younger self? You’re a late bloomer, so just hold on. It gets better.

10 What do you remember from kindergarten? How excited I was for library day. I would always check out the maximum number of books allowed and then stay up way past my bedtime reading them all.

11 What is the most important room in your home? The sunroom. It’s a space where my whole family can gather to hang out. Plus, the door is soundproof so I often escape in there when life gets a little too loud and crazy in our household.

12 What’s your favorite place on the Breck campus? The Chapel of the Holy Spirit. It’s a place of connection and care.

13 Favorite comfort food?

Chicken pot pie

14 If you had a theme song, what would it be? Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow by Fleetwood Mac 15 Favorite line from a movie? “Some people can’t believe in themselves until someone else believes in them first.”

— Good Will Hunting 16 Favorite family tradition?

Each year on their birthday we make a personalized book full of pictures and anecdotes from the past year for each of my girls.

17 Three people — living or dead — you’d want to have dinner with?

Trevor Noah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Maya Angelou 18 If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? The Mediterranean 19 What’s your pet peeve? Unfortunately, I have many. Slow walkers, people who slurp their coffee, the sound of nails being clipped, when my fellow boaters don’t wave back, socks...

20 What keeps you up at night?

Literally: Books, Netflix, and Candy Crush. Figuratively: The worry that I’m getting this parenting thing all wrong.

VP, INTERNATIONAL MARKETING AND SALES MANAGEMENT FOR SHARKNINJA

Paul Grandstrand ’07: 1 What music are you listening to lately? I’m all over the place on this one, but my fallback is always RHCP. 2 What’s one of the last books you read? I honestly can’t think of the last book I read. Does the WSJ count?

3 What’s your favorite time of year?

I’m going to answer this like a Minnesotan and say I like all the seasons and the variety that each brings.

4 What’s one of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? For the past five years, my dad and I have done an annual fishing trip in Northern Ontario. For five days our only means of communicating with the outside world is an orange tarp that we could put over our dock in an emergency, hopefully attracting the attention of a float plane that may or may not fly overhead. It’s quite the adventure every year!

5 What’s your favorite Breck lunch?

Loaded baked potato 6 What’s your dream job?

I want to run a medium- to large-sized business. I have always enjoyed leading and growing teams, so I view running a company as the ultimate challenge.

7 What’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made? There is only one answer: marrying my wife!

8 What’s your pet peeve? Those who complain but don’t act.

9 What advice would you give to your younger self? Seek exposure to different groups of people and be curious about their differences and similarities. As the world becomes smaller and all business becomes international, recognizing the diversity of the human race is invaluable as we all are increasingly interacting with people who are different from ourselves.

10 What do you remember from kindergarten? My best friend, Mike Nelson, and I were finally in the same classroom together after spending preschool only seeing each other at recess and calling each other “Friendy” because we didn’t know each other’s names.

11 What is the most important room in your home? The living room. Waking up on Saturday morning, making a cup of coffee, and watching English Premier League from the couch is glorious.

12 What’s your favorite place on the Breck campus? I’m going to go with the 234 Lower School playground.

13 Favorite comfort food? Mac-ncheese and venison sausage — a twist on a classic childhood meal, utilizing meat from my family’s annual deer hunt in northern Minnesota.

14 Favorite line from a movie?

“If you’re not first, you’re last.” — Ricky Bobby, Talladega Nights

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Questions 15 Favorite treat: salty or sweet?

Salty. It has more bite.

16 If you had a theme song, what would it be? I don’t know if this counts, but Mr. Simrill’s 3-minute player introductions over the PA to the crowd for each of our home soccer games was the best theme song I could have ever asked for.

17 Favorite website? Fantasy.premierleague.com. My college friends have done a league every year and I have yet to win. Next year may be the year!

18 Three people — living or dead — you’d want to have dinner with? Xi Jinping, Vladmir Putin, and Kim Jong-un.

There is so much going on in world affairs at the moment — it would be impossible to not learn something substantial when talking to these three.

19 If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Egypt. The most extrasensory experiences that I have had in my life have been in, on, or around ancient and highly engineered structures. The Pyramids in Egypt would top this list.

20 What keeps you up at night?

To literally answer this question — nothing. I’m fortunate to have an ability to sleep in nearly any circumstance; however, on a more serious note, it’s whether my kids will have a world that is better than when I was their age.

TODAY AT

BRECK

SUMMER 2019

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Questions

Elijah Zackery ’19: BRECK SENIOR 1 What music are you listening to lately? Lately I’ve had Hoodie SZN on repeat.

2 What’s one of the last books you read? The Color Purple. I just finished reading it for the class “Self in the World” with Mr. Eustis, and it was the first time I got to lead a book discussion with my friends.

3 What’s your favorite time of year?

Pretty leaves and football, fall is the best.

8 What do you remember from kindergarten? I’ll never forget when I lost my tooth earlier in the day and

decided to walk around with it around my neck.

9 What is the most important room in your home? The kitchen. I feel most comfortable there and it’s where all the snacks are.

10 What’s your favorite place on the Breck campus? McKnight Stadium.

All my favorite memories happened there.

4 What’s one of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? I went hiking through the rainforests of Puerto Rico and got to see two monkeys that jumped out right in front of me.

11 Favorite comfort food? Cookie Dough and Snickers concrete mixer from Culver’s.

5 What’s your favorite Breck lunch?

Wing Day

12 Favorite treat: salty or sweet?

Sweet. I’ve always had a sweet tooth.

6 What’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made? Using Hulu instead of Netflix.

13 Favorite line from a movie?

“I am inevitable.”— Thanos, Advengers: Endgame

7 What advice would you give to your younger self? Stop playing games on your computer during tutorial.

14 What is your favorite family tradition? Every Sunday my entire family has a big BBQ and watches the Vikings.

15 Three people — living or dead — you’d want to have dinner with? Kevin Hart, J.R Smith, and Barack Obama 16 If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I would go to Puerto Rico so I can hang out with my Uncle Tim.

17 What’s your pet peeve? When

people say the wrong lyrics to songs.

18 What keeps you up at night?

The future. You don’t know what’s going to happen next.

19 What is your favorite subject in school? History. I like learning about stuff in the past in order to prevent the same things from happening in the future.

20 What’s one of your greatest talents? Athletics

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2019 SCHOLARS OF DISTINCTION AND MERITORIOUS PERFORMANCE The Minnesota Department of Education recognized the 2019 Scholars of Distinction and Meritorious Performance Awardees on May 19 at the Perpich Center for the Performing Arts. Five Breck students were recognized.

Awardees and their projects are listed below.

Leadership Meritorious Award: Catherine Pirtle ’19, Project: Does Teamwork Make the Dreamwork?

Science Meritorious Awards Ava Raffel ’20, Project: Facing off with FSHD: Designing a cell line to model facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy STEM Meritorious Awards: Elizabeth Berman ’20, Project: Analyzing Autistic Traits Samantha Detor ’20 and Abigail Roh ’20, Project: Searching the Shadows: Using Machine Learning to Classify Trees in Aerial Imagery

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Elizabeth Berman ’20, Samantha Detor ’20, and Caroline Pirtle ’22 were among 44 young women to be recognized by the Minnesota Aspirations in Computing Awards Committee.

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Deirdre O’Neill ’19, Emily Akins ’20, and Lizzy Pfohl ’19 earned entry into this year’s National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts K-12 Student Show. This year’s show had 1,100 entries with only

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150 pieces selected for the national show.

Deirdre earned two merit awards: The Curator Book Award and the Jack Troy

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Award.

3.

Breck’s Advanced Science Research students earned 27 awards at the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and the State Science and Engineering Fair.

Samantha Detor ’20 and Abigail Roh ’20 advanced to the National JSHS competition with their poster and project: Searching the Shadows: Using Machine Learning to

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Classify Trees in Aerial Imagery. James Clinton ’20 and Nathan Rockafellow ’20 were chosen to go to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) with their project: Field Yield Revealed: Creating a radar-based system for pre-harvest potato yield mapping. Alex Anderson ’19

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and Nathan Tank ’19 were chosen as first alternates to ISEF with their project: From Screen to Silicone: 3D printing mechanically and anatomically accurate organ models

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with unique characteristics. Romy Peterson ’23 and Amira Sinclair ’23 received first place for the Beckham Coulter Science Award and the silver award for placing in the top 10 percent in the entire fair. They were also nominated for the national Broadcom Masters competition.

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Saylor Hawkins ’19 was awarded the 2019

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Athena Award for outstanding contributions and accomplishments to Breck Athletics. Next year Saylor will study and dive at the University of North Texas.

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Breck’s Mock Trial team placed second in the state tournament. Effie Mehbod ’19 received All State Attorney and Ella Brophy ’19 received All State Witness.

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Two teams of 3rd and 4th graders earned national honors in the 2018-19 WordMaster Challenge™, a national vocabulary competition involving nearly 150,000 students annually. The third grade team placed first nationally in the overall competition while the fourth grade team finished second in their division. Elliot Girouard ’28 and Addie Berman ’28 earned individual Highest Honors in the overall competition with cumulative scores of 57 and 56, respectively, out of a possible 60 points.

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Gaby Hernández ’19 received 2nd place in this year’s Minnesota Supreme Court Essay contest from Chief Justice Lorie Gildea.

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Noah Getnick ’24 advanced to the Minnesota State GeoBee where he placed 13th out of 100 students.

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Boatemaa Agyeman-Mensah ’20 and Rachel Gunderson ’20 advanced to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) during this year’s Twin Cities Regional Science Fair with their project Healing a Broken Heart: Examining the Role of Polycomb Group Protein Asxl2 in Regulating Cardiomyocyte Proliferation. Will Anderson ’24, the only seventh grader to advance, also won a blue ribbon for his project at the fair.

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10. The Wolves, one of Breck’s fifth-grade FIRST LEGO League Robotics Teams, advanced to the state competition where they earned a Judge’s Award for being a strong, wellrounded team. Team members included Caleb Li ’26, Pearl Perry ’26, Allie Sigmond ’26, Maddie Casad ’26, Sammy Braun ’26, Asher Corndorf ’26, and Philip Fauver ’26.

11. Breck’s Elementary Chess Team won the School Chess Association Primary Statewide Tournament.

12. Lana Trautman ’19 was recognized as a National Merit Scholarship winner in the 2019 competition.

13. A record number of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders participated in this year’s Noetic Learning Math Competition, a semi-annual national competition. Twelve students went on to be named to the National Honor Roll, a distinction given to the top 10 percent of participants in each grade. Michael Scherer ’27 was the only student statewide to receive a perfect score in his grade.

14. Emily Akin ’20 took first place in the 5th Congressional District art show with her 3D piece Southwestern Dango.

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2019 MINNESOTA SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS

Breck students earned 89 placements in this year’s 2019 Minnesota Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, including Gold Key American Voices Nominee, Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention. A full list of awardees can be found on our website at breckschool.org.

Gold Key American Voices Nominee Boatemaa Agyeman-Mensah ’20 | Poetry Gold Key Ella Brophy ’19 | Art Portfolio Deirdre O’Neill ’19 | Art Portfolio; Ceramics and Glass (2) Matthew Berestka ’22 | Photography Henry Bubula ’19 | Drawing and Illustration Jennie Ehlert ’20 | Ceramics and Glass Nina Eyres ’19 | Drawing and Illustration (3) Alisa Panichkina ’19 | Mixed Media Lizzy Pfohl ’19 | Mixed Media Sara Rex ’19 | Digital Art Niels Wu ’19 | Mixed Media Silver Key Nina Eyres ’19 | Art Portfolio Alexandra Karos ’19 | Art Portfolio Lily Applebaum ’19 | Mixed Media Henry Bubula ’19 | Drawing and Illustration; Painting (2) Gus Culligan ’23 | Ceramics and Glass Sarah Feng ’23 | Drawing and Illustration Alexandra Karos ’19 | Mixed Media Katelin Phelps ’21 | Drawing and Illustration Elizabeth Pirtle ’22 | Photography Sara Rex ’19 | Photography David Ruiz ’19 | Short Story Talia Saklad ’19 | Drawing and Illustration; Mixed Media; Poetry Jack Wolf ’19 | Poetry and Short Story Niels Wu ’20 | Digital Art

HOW A BLACK PERSON ORDERS AT STARBUCKS

by Boatemaa Agyeman-Mensah

The American Voices Medal Nominees are the highest regional honors awarded by the Scholastic Arts and Writings Awards and are given to just five writers and five artists from each region.

I want it black No sugar, no cream

No white whips to subdue the darkness beneath — I want it black Ebony, exotic and extorted

Because my complexion might not look Fair-made

But still, I’m fueled by the people who have laid

This nation’s shame across their backs and overcame

Well justice is blind so we shouldn’t see color Or play those ethnic cards on one another — Brothers

We’ve heard it all before

Honey trust us, we’re woke You say this is America —

Homie, we already know.”

No.

The trap we still seem to advertise as Fair-Trade.

Hold up —

I want it black

That’s only half the truth ...

With a taste as full bodies as the ones that

Yeah, the blacker the berry the sweeter the juice

And nearly as strong as the voices that lifted

And as for my anger, the deeper its roots

raised me

me higher —

Overflowing with the dusky dregs

Of this beverage and those streets Forced daily

Under a high, systematic pressure to Prepare me for that restless voyage

But the blacker the berry the tighter the noose So the quicker I lose.

See your eyes don’t replace my I’s —

Nah, not when you know surviving life Is about standing for what’s white

Instead of kneeling for what’s right.

And sold just cheap.

I want it black

I want it black

So next time don’t try to mix

Scalded onto skin rather than in a cup — Branded

“We get it — The darker the coffee the richer the taste So why don’t you go take

Your ambiguous little PSA on race

Somewhere else instead of letting your words go to waste On us.

You say you want it black?

Your sugary white lies with my daily dose of coffee

‘Cause I want it black Unfiltered —

A caffeinated eye-opener

Ground up from seeds planted long,

dark and hard,

Picked by people grown long, dark and hard,

Who choke down the real Americano every day Bitter.

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Today at 123 Ottawa Avenue North

STAFF APPRECIATION DAY 2019 Congratulations to the following faculty and staff members who were recognized at this year’s Staff Appreciation Day chapel:

10 Years

10-YEAR SERVICE AWARDS:

Julia Kugland, Jay Rainville-Squier, Michael Oden, David Birrow, Amy Wright, Michelle Bonderer, Alex Law, and John Lynch

20-YEAR SERVICE AWARDS: Brad Kohl and Dallas Crow

30-YEAR SERVICE AWARDS:

Sarah Flotten ’85, John Bellaimey, and Amy Iverson

40-YEAR SERVICE AWARDS: Debby Rye and Rob Little

20 Years

30 Years

YEARBOOK DEDICATION:

This year’s Mustang Yearbook was dedicated to Kristin Markert.

40 Years

Yearbook

THREE FACULTY MEMBERS ALSO RECEIVED AWARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

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JEAN WIGLEY AWARD Lucy Lofquist received the Jean Wigley Award.

ERNEST CAMPBELL AWARD Faculty and staff members vote for one of their colleagues who demonstrates “self-giving love” for Breck. This year’s Ernest Campbell award winner was Frank Eustis.

CLOVERFIELDS FOUNDATION FACULTY CHAIR Debra Mixon ’87 received the Cloverfields Foundation Faculty Chair.

2019-2020 SABBATICAL Middle School Spanish Instructor Óscar Diaz-Zavala will spend the year developing new skills for integrating art and social justice themes meaningfully into his Spanish curriculum. Diaz-Zavala plans to meet with educators both locally and nationally to cultivate new ideas for

THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BRECK FACULTY CHAIR Charlotte Wheeler received the Middle School Breck Faculty Chair.

his classes and collect age-appropriate reading material for students.

He will travel to Guadalajara, Mérida, Puebla, and Oaxaca, Mexico, for workshops, a book fair, and a conference. He is also particularly looking forward to learning more about Mexican murals and the greater purpose they served throughout history in regards to social justice, human rights, and youth expression.

LOWER SCHOOL CLOSING

Celebrating the End of the School Year

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MIDDLE SCHOOL CLOSING The Class of 2023 celebrated their successful completion of Middle School during closing ceremonies June 3. Each year, the Middle School faculty present student awards for effort, sportsmanship, leadership, and academic excellence. This year’s award winners included: Kendall White and Zoe Roberts (effort); Emmett Wolf and Sydney McDaniel (sportsmanship); Amira Sinclair and Gus Culligan (leadership); and Alden Keller and Trisha Samba (academic excellence).

Moving TODAY AT

BRECK

SUMMER 2019

Each year, students from across the school move up to new and exciting experiences.

Yet, for those in 4th, 8th, and 12th grades, their “moving up” experience comes

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with leaving behind a division of the school they’ve known for the past 4-7 years.

We caught up with three of these rising students to hear their reflections on their time spent in each division.

Deirdre O’Neill | Graduating senior moving up to Dartmouth College As a senior, one of the things that I’m most proud of is that our class is really close. It is cool to see different kids in my grade and know the things they are passionate about. For example, David Ruiz is into percussion.

He always performs at the variety show and homecoming coronation, and it’s been really cool to see everyone excited for him. It’s just special to be able to look around a room of all your peers and be able to say something important about all of them because we are that close to each other.

Looking back on my time in Upper School, the homecoming hallway this year was one of my favorite memories. It was cool to see everyone come together after school to decorate. I spent so much time as a younger student walking through these hallways; it was surreal to finally be that senior in the hallway and seeing the younger kids there, too.

Waziri Lawal | 8th grader moving up to Upper School One of my best memories from Middle School was the D.C. trip. It was fun to go out of state with all my friends and our whole grade. I also liked seeing all the monuments. We studied them during the year and it paid off to know about that monument and see it (all the Washington moments were really fun). I also remember when we went to a park one night and we all ate together.

When I move to Upper School I will miss my teachers. Ms. Flotten and Prof. Wanless have both been really supportive. I’ve made a lot of memories in Middle School; it’s caring and it’s just fun overall.

Abby Silverman | 4th grader moving up to Middle School Through my time in Lower School, I’ve liked my teachers and all the things we do. My teachers are all really nice. We get to do a lot of community activities. I’ve also liked our Hanukkah parties when we light the candles on the menorah. We also have really good books — I don’t like boring books! Some of my other memories are when we went on field trips to the pumpkin patch, the Walker Art Museum, and Fort Snelling.

In first grade I had two senior buddies and we made flags for homecoming. My buddies were really nice to me and when I would see them in the halls I would wave to them and they would wave back. Next year, I’m excited to have dessert at lunch and have more freedom — like not walking in lines anymore.

Up

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Out of this world

Programming.

Marketing.

Budget. Design.

FIRST Robotics at Breck celebrates its tenth year with resounding success across all divisions

Drive train.

Strategy.

Outreach. At first glance, this story might come across as a story covering the growth and development of a new business or startup. Instead, this article focuses on the expansive program of robotics at Breck, which is experiencing fast-paced growth and broadening interest throughout the school.

The year 2019 marks the 30th year for the FIRST Robotics organization. An innovative program from the very beginning, FIRST offers students the opportunity to participate in a mentor-based program in the fields of science, technology, and engineering.

Students learn the skills of teamwork, problem-solving, and collaboration by participating in robot challenges and research.

At Breck, the idea of a robotics program seemed like a natural fit — it was an opportunity for students to pursue intellectual depth in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math while being guided by professional mentors through hands-on experience and application.

Dedicated members of the community, including Breck parents Dr. Stephen and Adrienne Oesterle, worked hard to bring the FIRST Breck and this year is the program’s 10th year.

Vojtech Dasek ’20 and Andy Cheng ’20

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Gracious Professionalism FIRST Robotics

Mission: The mission of FIRST® is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including selfconfidence, communication, and leadership.

FIRST Robotics Mentors

The success of each of these robotic teams would not be possible without dedicated professional mentors and coaches at every level. From marketing to fundraising, programming to CAD, professional mentors teach our students concepts they can use for success in robotics and in life. If you would like to learn more about how you can volunteer, contact Ben Lampe, Upper School Robotics Coach, at ben.lampe@breckschool.org.

Supporting Robotics from the Beginning

Breck Parents of Alumni Adrienne and Stephen Oesterle championed the robotics program from the very beginning of its time at Breck and they continue to support it today.

We have supported the Breck robotics team since its inception. We were initially attracted to the fundamental premise of the FIRST robotic competition: “gracious professionalism.”

We saw this idea as one manifestation of the Breck School ambition. The robotics team offers Breck students an opportunity to learn the basic essentials of successful product development: strategy, planning, marketing, funding, mechanical and electrical design, software development and product execution; all while learning that it takes cooperation and teamwork to do something special. Over the years the Breck robotics team has grown and become one of the best teams in the state.

It has been our privilege to be able to catalyze a tiny bit of this wonderful evolution.

— Adrienne and Stephen Oesterle

Team Wolves

“[The Oesterles] really championed the program and believed in creating an interest in STEM for students,” says Gene Jasper, a founding member of the Breck Robotics team and current coach of the FIRST Tech Challenge team in the Middle School.

“They saw robotics as an opportunity for students to apply all the skills they learned throughout their time at Breck — critical thinking, using their hands, research, collaboration — and bring that into this world of collaborating with your peers to solve a problem,” Jasper adds.

Since then, despite a brief period where the program was on the brink of extinction, robotics has grown to four divisions across grades 1-12 with continued expansion nearly every year.

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE AND FLL JR. You might be asking yourself, “Is it really possible to teach a six-year-old to code?”

Kris Simonson ’82, Lower School Robotics Coach, knows it is more than possible — it is a reality. “At that age it is very linear,” Simonson explains. “The students are learning that the robot follows directions one step at a time. Using the LEGO WeDo robots, they learn how to command a motor to turn, go for a certain amount of time, or make it stop.” Students also learn about the FIRST organization’s core values of discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun.

As students grow, the competition grows with them. “When we start the FLL team, we start with a small group of 4th and 5th graders and then broaden it for 6th and some 7th graders,” Simonson says.

Elizabeth Stutsman ’25 was a member of Breck’s FLL Team Hokuna. She explains that robotics is where “you learn how to program and how to be a team. A big part is core values and respecting your team and having a positive mindset. When things don’t work we have a team meeting and talk about what we can do better.”

Two other components are the research project based on the FIRST theme for the year as well as robot design and performance.

Kris Simonson ’82 with Caleb Li ’26 and Allie Sigmond ’26

According to NASA, Lagrange Points are locations in space where the gravitational pull between two masses (i.e., the earth and the moon) equals the centripetal force required for a smaller object to move with them.

“Teams have to do the design and engineering process for their research project with experts outside the school,” Simonson explains. This year’s theme was Mission Moon, which challenged students to think about how to sustain life on the moon.

Peyton Vincent ’25 was also a member of Team Hokuna who helped the team research the topic of mental health while in space. “Astronauts are away for a long time, missing their family and pets,” Peyton explains. “We talked to tech experts and some people who work at the Minnesota Children’s Hospital who do VR (virtual reality). Then we researched how to use VR to bring family members to life in space.”

Finally, the FLL teams program and design their robots to perform tasks on the competition field. “The students have a more in-depth robot design and engineering process where they have to strategize their missions and the tasks they are able to perform,” says Simonson. “They do a lot of testing and rebuilding and trying new solutions. Some groups probably did a dozen variations before they figured out something that worked. There is a lot of trial, error, and persistence.”

FIRST TECH CHALLENGE While students have the opportunity to participate in the LEGO robotics league until 7th grade, many students start looking for new opportunities to help them prepare for the work of the Upper School program. The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is a great avenue for them to bridge their work and development.

“Part of being in Middle School is finding your identity between your time in Lower School and your time in Upper School,” explains Jasper. “As a result, we’ve named our team the Lagrange Points (see sidebar). These students are between two very strong pulls of Lower and Upper Schools, and we help them course correct on their journey.”

Students participating in FTC move to a bigger robot with more programming opportunities and competition challenges. Team members must also develop a comprehensive engineering notebook that documents their design process and work as a team in solving problems and developing unique solutions.

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Sammy Leville ’19

FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION Beginning in 9th grade, students enter the senior level of competition within the FIRST organization: the Robotics Competition. As part of the competition, students are given a challenge and have a six-week season to design, program, and build their robot in preparation for competition. Teams must set their goals and priorities and work collectively to accomplish the mission.

Upper School Physics Instructor Ben Lampe serves as the faculty advisor, and he is the first to tell you that the reason Breck Robotics is unique is the student leadership on the team.

“I’m technically the head coach but I think of myself as the head organizer,” explains Lampe. “I, along with our mentors, work hard to foster an atmosphere that is fun, but the kids really run the show. We just make sure it is headed in the right direction.”

The team is led by captain James Clinton ’20 who started robotics in Middle School through the FLL program. He believes it was robotics that helped him find his passion.

“When I was really young, I knew I liked math and science.

It wasn’t until I was in the FLL team that I developed an interest in robotics specifically. It has really helped me grow and develop my leadership skills,” he says.

As a freshman, James joined the Upper School robotics team of roughly ten other students with big dreams for the future.

In just three short years, the team experienced a 300 percent growth rate, going from 10 students to 40.

“It’s been a really interesting experience getting to lead 40 people for the first time,” reflects James. “We came up with a new leadership structure over the summer that provided more direction for students as we grew.”

Today there are nine sub-captains who provide leadership and organization within their areas of responsibility and who work together to accomplish the team’s goals.

Emre Adabag ’20 is the sub-captain for the team’s budget and is passionate about the student-driven approach of the team. Although skeptical about joining robotics initially, he is grateful for the experience.

“I really didn’t know anything about [robotics],” he explains.

“I had a stereotype in my head of ‘robotics kids,’ but I joined because of a little pressure from my parents. Now I’m really grateful for their encouragement because I’ve grown into it and I love it so much.”

“It’s phenomenal to see what high school kids can accomplish when we are allowed to do something like this,” Emre adds. “One of the things I really like is that I’m not in the classroom doing a lab that a million people have done before; I’m doing something that’s my own and I, myself, am making an impact.”

MORE THAN ROBOTS Watching a student-developed robot in a competition is an incredible aspect of the program. Even more astounding is the commitment, dedication, and care from Breck students for the advancement of STEM education.

follow up on that we brought our robot to the Minnesota State Capitol where we talked to government representatives. It’s all about letting people know what is going on in the FIRST robotics community.”

In addition to the robot, FIRST values student engagement and outreach. The Upper School robotics team has carried this value forward through its weekly community partnership at Neill Elementary in the Robbinsdale School District.

Robotics is teaching students unique aspects of STEM but also giving them leadership skills they will need long after their time at Breck.

“We take our robotics team and a group of non-robotics kids and we do science projects with third graders each week,” explains Emre. “It’s all about getting kids exposure to STEM and getting them one-on-one interaction. We can teach them about circuits or let them drive our robot. I sometimes think, if I was one of these third graders, how would that have been different for me?”

“Having something like robotics that I am passionate about has definitely helped me understand more about myself and shape my personality in terms of how comfortable I feel around other people and how comfortable I feel in my role in this community,” explains Emre. And the legacy of alumni from the program is impactful. Read on to catch up with robotics alumni and other Breck alums who have pursued a STEM-related career after Breck.

In addition to their weekly partnership visits, the students also promote their work in community festivals, non-profits, and to lawmakers. “This past summer we sent kids to the national advocacy conference in Washington, D.C.,” explains Emre. “They learned about lobbying and then they lobbied before Congress for a bill supporting STEM education. To

The Stampede Robotics Team

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? CATCHING UP WITH ALUMNI

This year we caught up with some alumni to hear their stories and experiences in STEM-related careers.

Taylor McCanna ’12: Taylor McCanna ’12: Taylor McCanna ’12: Taylor McCanna ’12: Taylor 1. Tell us about your education path after Breck and what you are up to now.

After I graduated from Breck, I attended Purdue University for aeronautical and astronautical engineering. I got an internship with NASA my freshman year, and after that I alternated between school and NASA for the remainder of my college career. I started full-time at NASA in the Aviation Operations Division in August, 2017. I am responsible for designing and organizing airlifts for large space payloads in the Super Guppy, and I also work on projects to upgrade NASA’s T-38 fleet. Recently, I’ve also been appointed the main engineer for the Martin Baker ejection seats, which we rely on as the last line of defense for the aircrew at their worst moment.

2. How did your participation in robotics impact your life?

Breck robotics gave me this community where I was able to share passions with other students at Breck, learn from mentors, and meet students from all around the world who had so many different ideas, knowledge, and excitement to share. I also gained a skill set that gave me the confidence I needed to pursue a degree in engineering. FIRST opened my eyes to the world of possibilities that are available to students with a technical mindset and all the problems we could conquer by working together. Engineering was often incredibly difficult, and I faced a lot of opposition to be taken seriously as a female in my field among my professors and fellow classmates. However, after having gone through

FIRST, I knew that with enough determination, my work would speak for itself. It was that mindset that carried me through college and got me to where I am today, working for NASA, which was a dream come true.

3. Can you share a favorite memory from your time in Robotics?

My favorite memory on the team was at the 10,000 Lakes Regional Competition in 2012. The team had built an incredibly sturdy robot, and I had written the submission for the Woody Flowers top mentor award for our coach, Gene Jasper. I had also written our submission for the Chairman’s award, which is the top award at any competition. We were a small second-year team, but we competed our hearts out.

Then, to our great surprise, Gene was selected for the Woody Flowers award, and Stampede Robotics was announced as the 2012 Chairman’s winner, sending us to the international championships. I was so incredibly proud of the team.

4. What can other students learn by participating in robotics or related fields?

FIRST robotics offers a plethora of opportunities for students. It offers students real-life experience in skills such as marketing, technical communication, hands-on skills, programming, mechanical and electrical design, 3D modeling, and community service. These skills will not only help them get into college, but they will also translate into so many different aspects of life. For me, FIRST robotics was essential in giving me the confidence that a future in engineering was not only possible, but completely attainable through a strong work ethic and boundless curiosity.

Annie Jiao ’12: Annie Jiao ’12: Annie Jiao ’12: Annie Jiao ’12: Annie Jiao ’12: Annie Jiao ’12: A

1. Tell us about your education path after Breck and what you are up to now.

I went to MIT for my undergrad and graduated in 2016.

Now, I am a software engineer at Tesla, and my projects include the communication network between controllers in the car (messages and signals), real-time fleetwide alerts monitoring, and optimizing the manufacturing and validation flows in the factory.

r McCanna ’12:

3. What do you enjoy about the STEM field?

I like that it’s extremely flexible. There are so many careers that involve a STEM-thinking mind.

4. What can other students learn by participating in robotics or related fields?

Part of what was most beneficial from FIRST was learning to collaborate under a tight schedule, being willing to experiment, splitting the work between the members, and trying — and trying something else if it fails — and adjusting as you go.

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2. How did your participation in robotics impact your life?

Also, do you have a favorite memory?

Recently at Tesla we had a self-parking demo where the car was remotely controlled — and my first thought was of doing FIRST at Breck!

Andrew Sit ’15: Andrew Sit ’15: Andrew Sit ’15: Andrew Sit ’15: Andrew Sit ’15: Andrew Sit 1. Tell us about your education path after Breck and what you are up to now.

I just graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with a degree in aeronautical and mechanical engineering.

At RPI I was involved in the student advisory council, student research journal, and flying club. I am now an engineer for Cessna Aircraft in Wichita, KS. 2. Why did you want to pursue a STEM career?

I wanted to pursue a STEM career because I love things that fly. But more importantly, I loved observing nature around me and trying to understand why things occur. At Breck, I took science electives like Computer Science and Advanced Science Research and quickly found I was more interested in a STEM field. Becoming an engineer is always something I have wanted to do. Competing in and performing well at the science competitions helped assure me that I was pursuing something I would enjoy.

3. What do you enjoy about the STEM field?

I have always loved airplanes, so having a degree in both aeronautical and mechanical engineering gave me a full understanding of designing, manufacturing, and operating an aircraft. However, I have loved how easy I can apply my degree to things in my everyday life, such as having a better understanding of weather patterns through my knowledge of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics.

4. What can other students learn by participating in robotics or related fields?

The most important part of being an engineer is being able to solve problems, whether that be designing a rocket that goes to Mars or finding the best placement of buttons on your TV remote. I think FIRST Robotics helps develop a solid basis for a student’s problem-solving skills that will benefit them throughout their careers.

b Kumar ’13: Caleb Kumar ’13: Caleb Kumar ’13: Caleb Kumar ’13: Caleb Kumar ’13: Caleb K 1. Tell us about your education path after Breck and what you are up to now.

After Breck, I pursued my Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and then, a year later, completed my Master’s degree from Stanford School of Medicine. I am currently working at Medtronic on their Artificial Intelligence team where I am applying Deep Learning technology to medical data to improve patient outcomes.

2. How did your participation in robotics impact your life?

In 2009, when I entered high school, Breck did not have a robotics program. That was the first year a robotics elective course was offered, and I decided to enroll in that course.

During that same year, Mr. Colianni asked a few students, including me, to join a newly-created student-led robotics team. My role on the team was programming and my responsibilities in this role were a key part of my introduction to computer science. In my senior year at Breck, I worked with Mr. Colianni to develop an iPhone app.

Using my programming skills to design products, it led me to be inducted into the National Gallery for America’s

Young Inventors, to receive multiple scholarships and awards, to create my very own startup, to receive a patent, to win the University World Startup Cup, and receive startup funding from the Queen of Denmark. I truly think my participation in robotics contributed significantly to the success I enjoy today.

3. What do you enjoy about the STEM field?

At Stanford, I was focused on identifying clinical needs and creating solutions. I love creating and building innovative solutions to medical problems that can directly help patients.

4. What can other students learn by participating in robotics or related STEM fields?

Students who are interested in STEM could hone in on what they like about the STEM field. Participating in robotics may help the student find their purpose. If you are able to isolate what you are passionate about or begin that process early in life, you don’t have to be pushed to work in STEM. Your passion for the field will take you there.

Darius Bieganski ’13: Darius Bieganski ’13: Darius Bieganski ’13: Darius Bieganski ’13: Dar 1. Tell us about your education path after Breck and what you are up to now.

Following Breck, I attended Claremont McKenna College and studied Organizational Psychology. After my graduation, I moved back to Minneapolis and was hired as a development intern at SportsEngine. I was lucky enough to be ultimately hired as a full-time software engineer for SportsEngine (nothing to do with org psych!).

2. How did your participation in robotics impact your life?

Participating in robotics quite literally altered my career and life path. Prior to joining the team, I had little interest in programming or machine learning. My father, Paul, tried

Kumarmultiple ’13: times throughout my childhood to spark an interest in programming, but I never quite caught on. In 8th and 9th grades, we were asked to write down our life goals — I’m pretty sure I wrote “lawyer” or “professor.” However, it was through robotics where that QUICKLY changed and I developed a passion for software development and machine learning. Thanks to the robotics program, I had the unique opportunity to write code, and then see the real-world impact of the code I wrote; I could see the behavior I designed. It’s important to note that the robotics program didn’t just introduce me to software design — it introduced me to industrial design. Robotics taught me that a product isn’t built in pieces; a product is built as one living and

breathing organism that requires a lot of coordination from everyone. That’s what got me so excited about robotics and drove me towards the tech industry.

3. What do you enjoy about being a software engineer?

I like that it’s one big puzzle with a very strict set of rules.

When given a task or problem to complete, there’s only a handful of ways to achieve the task, and usually only a single way to achieve the task correctly (or up to industry standards). The best part about solving a problem is that it’s “all or nothing.” When building a physical puzzle, you slowly construct the puzzle and can generally see the shape well before the puzzle is actually completed.

In software engineering, the puzzle is incomplete until it is complete; you cannot partially fix a problem. Software engineering is figuring out different ways to make the puzzle magically assemble itself, and when it does, there is no better feeling out there.

4. What can our students learn by participating in robotics or related fields?

The best skill I learned from robotics — besides software engineering — is collaborative patience. The worst part of any robotics season were the first 2-3 weeks when everyone is arguing about the robot design. Everyone has an idea and every single person thinks their idea is the best idea. To comb through the clamor and actually guide everyone to a single goal takes immense amounts of patience. I truly believe that robotics made me not only better collaborator, but more open to new ideas. I wish everyone could gain that.

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CONTINUING THE JOURNEY

These six members of our faculty and staff have made the decision to move forward to their next journey: retirement. Please join us in congratulating these individuals on amazing careers.

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GARY MARLOW

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY

PROUDEST MOMENT: For me, I am very proud of the laptop program in our school. Starting in the mid-90s, Sam Salas, headmaster at the time, asked me to explore a new concept that was developing out of Australia. He heard about a consortium between Microsoft and Toshiba where they had put together a program to use laptops in the classroom in Australia. We started looking at it around 1997, and I attended a couple conferences called Learning with Laptops. Finally, in 2002, we decided it was time to implement. We started with the teachers and decided that if it made sense, the students would follow. In 2005, we piloted the laptops with 4th and 8th graders. Then we commandeered the Middle School lab into the RMC as a place to manage and figure out how we would go from 400 devices on campus to more than 1,100. Today we have nearly 1,500 devices on campus.

WHAT I’VE LOVED ABOUT BRECK: I’ve loved my time at Breck because of the people and the intellectual stimulation I get by being around really bright people. As an example, I think about taking walks around the school grounds with Jake (Miller) and Paul (Blesi) and just listening to the two of them talk. With Jake, it was like listening to an encyclopedia.

You see a beetle and the next thing you know you are hearing a dissertation about that insect. Even in the moments I took a break from Breck, I was still having fun and being stimulated.

It is people like that that make my days. That’s what keeps you coming back: it’s a challenging job, ever-changing, satisfying, and it is just a great place to be.

RICK MILLER

MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH TEACHER

FAVORITE MEMORY:I loved working with Caroline Carlson, Lou Trajano, and Evan Jones on multi-disciplinary Odyssey units. One year my classes made a gigantic Cyclops, which was spectacular and it had looped-audio moaning sounds coming from its head. A few weeks after the unit was over, we brought it along for the fifth-grade sledding social and used it as a sled, which was a lot of fun as we all piled on.

WHAT I’VE LOVED ABOUT BRECK: One thing I’ve loved about Breck is when my students over the years come back and tell me how they are doing. Fifteen years ago, I got a new desk that had a piece of glass on it. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it but I started putting pictures of my students under that piece of glass. I thought it was pretty cool so each year I would add my new students. It turned out to be super fun because when my students and alums come to visit, the first thing they do is go find themselves in my desk. Then they find themselves and then they find their friends and they’re taking photographs and sending pictures of parts of my desk. It represents a lot of care and a lot of good memories over the years.

182 years

of collective service

JAN LEWANDOWSKI

ADMISSIONS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

FAVORITE MEMORY: One of my favorite memories

MAURA ROBY LOWER SCHOOL LITERACY TEACHER FAVORITE MEMORY: In a first-grade classroom on the first day of Guided Reading groups, the first book was introduced and practiced. On the second day, after the children had “warmed up” by reading that same first book to themselves, one girl in my group came excitedly back to my table and announced incredulously, “I can actually read this, you know!” In one day she had joined the club of “readers”!

How cool is that?

WHAT I’VE LOVED ABOUT BRECK: From the first day that I walked through the hallways in Breck Lower School 28 years ago, I knew this was a great place for kids!

Something about the energy in the air, the murmur and sounds of busy-ness from engaged groups of students working on the stage in the lunchroom and in the commons, the way teachers and children interacted with each other — I just knew this was a place where kids flourished! And I was right. I am so grateful for my 28 years of teaching young children here at Breck. Teaching has been, for me, that magical place where purpose overlaps with joy. There are times when I finish a Guided Reading group with first graders and think to myself, “Man, that was fun!” Who could ask for more than that in a profession?

is actually from my granddaughter, Abbey. She was a preschooler here many years ago and her class needed an extra lunch helper, aka “biddy,” for the day. The Lower School called to see if I was available to help. When I sat down at Abbey’s table, I tried my best to help the kids with their lunch but by the end, I still remember Abbey saying, “Grammy, you’re not such a great biddy.” I might not have been a great biddy but I will always cherish the time we had together at Breck. Hearing about life at Breck through the eyes of a four-year-old is truly unique.

WHAT I’VE LOVED ABOUT BRECK: For the past 29 years, I’ve really enjoyed working with families as they look for a new school. It is fun to work with teachers to coordinate visits but, most importantly, I’ve loved working with my peers on the Admissions Team. I knew Breck was different from the moment I interviewed for this job and it didn’t disappoint. This community is very special to me.

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TODAY AT

BRECK

SUMMER 2019

DEBBY RYE MIDDLE SCHOOL HEALTH TEACHER

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FAVORITE MEMORY: As I think over my years at Breck,

FRANK EUSTIS

UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER

FAVORITE MEMORY: I have so many memories I don’t know where to start, but here are a few: an advisee who, every semester, works out her stress during finals by doing an exam dance in the parking lot outside my old classroom; an alum, whom I’d taught for three of her four years in Upper School, coming back after her first year in college to tell me her English professor had asked her to help her teach the other students how to write; years ago, a sixthperiod ninth-grade class in which we’re discussing “Eagle Poem”—the poem I read at Baccalaureate—and one of the students asks what an eagle looks like and a boy, who always keeps his head down and sketches non-stop during all of our discussions, says, seemingly without ever looking up, “There’s an eagle,” pointing outside with his pencil and the class all jumps to the window to look to where, sure enough, an eagle circles high above the back of the school, while the boy stays in his seat, his head still down, and keeps drawing.

WHAT I’VE LOVED ABOUT BRECK: We are a school that stays focused on its mission. We truly do educate for a higher purpose. We truly want our students to make the world a better place. We are committed to diversity in all its forms.

We have a faculty that believes in growing professionally and personally, and who’ve inspired and motivated me throughout my career. We have a chapel and a spiritual center, but we don’t tell students what to believe. We are a school where almost all of the students go to the dances because they like to be together and where students don’t need to put locks on their lockers. What I’ve loved most, though, are the relationships with students, staff, and teachers over all these years. I’m grateful to have been here.

a very meaningful time for me was in the 1980s when we moved from the old location on West River Road in Minneapolis to our campus here in Golden Valley. We wrestled with how to stay true to being “Breck” during that time, especially because our enrollment doubled when we moved locations. We kept asking ourselves, “How do we keep Breck, Breck?” That was a dilemma that we managed over time by adding classes and faculty as well as creating advisories.

WHAT I’VE LOVED DURING MY TIME HERE: I love teaching and coaching students. Some of my most vivid and fulfilling memories are of the athletes I coached throughout the 1980s. Strong bonds developed and we were successful at the State level of competition. I also have great memories from every grade level I taught and have learned much from my students. The energy they provide and the learning that occurs is amazing. I’ve especially loved seeing former students return as parents and getting the chance to teach their children! The most poignant thing about Breck is all the support. Over the years I received funds for licensure and certification in Chemical Health Counseling, supplies, and many opportunities to attend national conferences and workshops for continued professional development. Many of these opportunities are due to the tremendous support of our parents, and I thank them for that. My two mantras I leave with my students: “Knowledge Is Power” and “Make Good Choices.” Thank you, Breck, for 40 years!

Want to send a note of appreciation to one of our retiring staff members?

Email your comment to communications@breckschool.org and we will pass it along!

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Welcoming a new generation: Preschool Teaching Assistant Mardryka Adzick ’14 works with Anderson Segovia Zacharias ’32

Honoring the Graduates This year Upper School English teacher Frank Eustis was selected by the Class of 2019 to be the Baccalaureate speaker. Mr. Eustis expertly weaved in themes of magic and poetry throughout his speech, closing with a poem well-known to Breck students — Eagle Poem. Written by one of the newest Nobel Laureates and the first Native American to hold the title, Joy Harjo, this prayer is included in Breck’s Prayer Anthology and is studied as part of the poetry unit in English 9.

It was a poignant close to an unforgettable speech.

To read the speech in its entirety, visit our website at breckschool.org.

Eagle Poem To pray you open your whole self To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon To one whole voice that is you.

And know there is more That you can’t see, can’t hear; Can’t know except in moments Steadily growing, and in languages That aren’t always sound but other Circles of motion.

Like eagle that Sunday morning Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky In wind, swept our hearts clean With sacred wings.

We see you, see ourselves and know That we must take the utmost care And kindness in all things.

Breathe in, knowing we are made of All this, and breathe, knowing We are truly blessed because we Were born, and die soon within a True circle of motion, Like eagle rounding out the morning Inside us.

We pray that it will be done In beauty.

In beauty.

— Joy Harjo

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Baccalaureate

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Jack Wolf and Abigail Wesson, pictured with Chris Ohm Class of 2019 Alumni Representatives

Commencement Honors VALEDICTORIAN Kennedy Schwiebert SALUTATORIANS Effie Mehbod Lana Trautman

CUM LAUDE Alexandra Bernstein Ranulph Brown Eloise Cherian Ethan Guell Cole Helgaas Andrew Hofer Jacob Johnson Louise Kim Lucia Miller Deirdre O’Neill Christian Peterson Thomas Peterson Samuel Putnam Sara Rex Brett Schoppert Joshua Taylor Justin Udulutch Sydney Umanah Jack Weinstein Abigail Wesson Spencer Yueh

Honoring the Graduates Commencement exercises for the Class of 2019 were celebrated on June 6 in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. The 117 graduates turned their tassels on their Breck experience surrounded by family and friends — and with temperatures in the mid-80s. This year’s commencement speaker was Upper School English Teacher Trevor Thornton. At the close of his speech, Thornton gave the class the following advice:

You see, Class of 2019, it’s the going, the stopping, the turning, the finding that colors our worlds, and maybe even ourselves, like nothing else can.

So, get going! Take your courage, and don’t forget a few other things: take out the tent poles of this chapel roof, roll up these groves of ginkgo, fold up the snowy playground in this courtyard, jar up the over-head honk of waterbirds in flight, and stuff in some cottonwood feathers; most importantly, take our love, too, and put it all—lovingly—in your pack. May your road be a long one, and may you see things anew.

TREVOR THORNTON UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER, 2019 COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

To read Mr. Thornton’s full annotated speech, visit breckschool.org.

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Legacy Graduates TODAY AT

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BRECK

SUMMER 2019

The Class of 2019 included 20 legacy students — students whose parents or grandparents are alumni of Breck.

These families were celebrated at the Legacy Brunch hosted by Head of School Dr. Natalia Rico Hernández on June 5. What an honor it was to host these families and celebrate their Breck legacy.

Tracey ’84, Anderson ’19, and Jeff Breazeale

Tracey ’84, Thayer ’19, and Jeff Breazeale

Penny, Robert ’56, and Ran ’19 Brown

Cassie, Polly ’19, and David ’85 Burns

Elizabeth Edblom ’79, Sean, and Colin Dougherty

Joel, Penny ’19, and Katharine ’88 Groethe

Sarah Meeks ’84, Hudson Haeker ’19, and Alex Haeker

Thomas ’86, Nora ’19, and Kara Johansson

Steve ’84, Margo ’19, and Pam Johnson

*three generation family with Grandparent Lee R. Anderson ’57

39 Chris ’88, Sammy ’19, and Shonalie Leville

Ashley ’88, Effie ’19, and Amir Mehbod

Joel, Michelle ’19, and Danna ’85 Mirviss

Danna ’85, Rachel ’19, and Joel Mirviss

Steph ’88, Natalie ’19, and Mike Ott

Terri, Christian ’19, and Daniel ’92 Peterson

Bernie ’91, Sam ’19, and Michelle Reisberg

Susan, Leo ’19, and David ’74 Sanborn

William Surucu ’19 and Merida Miller ’90

There’s no greater vote of confidence in your school than for alumni to bring their own children back for their education.

NATALIA RICO HERNDÁNDEZ, ED.D. HEAD OF SCHOOL Heather, Alex ’19, and Randy ’81 Williamson

Sabina, Josh ’19, and Keith ’86 Ylinen

Homecoming Weekend 2019 September 26-28

brecksports.org |

@BreckAthletics |

BreckAthletics

alumni news 40

1964 Save the Date! The Class of 1964 will celebrate its 55-Year Reunion on October 12. Thank you to Dick Myers ’64 for leading the efforts.

1969 Todd McVay ’69, Steve Kosmos ’69, and Mike Melander ’69 are leading the efforts for the Class of 1969’s 50-Year Reunion. The class will celebrate on September 7.

1984 Save the Date! The Class of 1984 will celebrate its 35-Year Reunion on Homecoming Weekend (September 26-28). Tracey Thayer Breazeale ’84 and Dina Wolkoff ’84 are leading the efforts.

1974 We spotted R. T. Rybak ’74 in a Classical Minnesota Public Radio video in February where famous Minnesotans read Good Night Moon with Minnesota Orchestra cellist Tony Ross accompanying the readers.

Alumni of the Year Awards 1987 Mary Morrison ’87 presented the Carolyn GlasoeBailey Art Award at the Upper School Closing Ceremony on June 4.

Sandra Stone ’85, Colin Brooks ’97, and Mike McKeon ’98 were honored with the Alumni of the Year Award at the Annual Meeting of the Breck Alumni Association on May 6. The award recognizes outstanding volunteer service to Breck and the Breck Alumni Association. Accepting Mike’s award on his behalf were his daughter and parents.

Annual Alumni Association Meeting Breck’s Annual Meeting recognized members whose terms are ending this year: Colin Brooks ’97, Kirstin Erickson Wilson ’88, Margot Olness ’89, and Ben Schleuss ’99.

1989 Allison O’Toole ’89 and Heidi Humphrey ’89 are planning the 30-Year Reunion for the Class of 1989 on August 3.

41

1992 In March, the Star Tribune featured Breck’s 1992 Quiz Bowl team in the Vintage Minnesota section. The team competed in the state championship against Chaska where they took second. Breck’s 1992 Quiz Bowl team was led by captains Zachary Drake ’92 and Brendan Dunn ’92 and faculty advisor Richard Yonker.

1989 Craig Finn ’89 was featured on CBS Saturday Morning in May. He released a new album and continues to be the front man for The Hold Steady.

1993 Katie Wahlquist Incantalupo ’93 was recently named SVP/Chief Administrative Officer at Star Bank. She was also honored by Northwestern Financial Review as one of the “2018 Outstanding Women in Banking.” The annual award is given to five influential bank leaders in a 14-state region.

1993 In March, Rebeka Ndosi, L.Ac., M.S., R.Y.T. ’93 was honored by the Minnesota Women’s Consortium as one of its Artists in Healing. Rebeka is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, certified teacher of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation and Radiant Child Family Yoga, and a certified community coach in healing justice. She is co-owner of People’s Movement Center (PMC) in Minneapolis and founder of the Youth Healing Justice Network at PMC, dedicated to building a culture of mind, body and well-being practice for youth of color and the adults in youths’ everyday spaces and places.

TODAY AT

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SUMMER 2019

alumni news 1994 42

Chloe Caplan ’94, Sarah Burress ’94, and Emily Gibson Jones ’94 are planning the 25-Year Reunion for the Class of 1994.

1995 Chained for Life, a film by Aaron Schimberg ’95, explores, among many things, our understanding of beauty.

It was featured at the MSP Film Society in April.

1995 #WorldReadAloudDay Alicen Burns Spaulding, Ph.D., M.P.H. ’95 helped Breck celebrate #WorldReadAloudDay on February 1. Alicen shared her favorite stories: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and Ada Twist, Scientist — a perfect book for Alicen, who is a scientist at the Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

1997 & 1998 Last winter, Sara Marsh ’98 starred in Penumbra Theatre’s production of Benevolence. She is working with Penumbra’s Artistic Director, Sarah Bellamy ’97.

1999 Ben Schleuss ’99, Michael Proman ’99, and Alicia Luther Toms ’99 are leading the effort on the 20-Year Reunion for the Class of 1999. The class will celebrate on Saturday, August 24.

New Alumni Council members New Alumni Council members Alex Clark ’02, Simone Hardeman-Jones ’98, and Anne Skemp ’89 were introduced at the Annual Meeting of the Breck Alumni Association on May 6.

2003 Susannah Brokl ’03 was the first St. Olaf Women’s Hockey player to be inducted into the St. Olaf Athletics Hall of Fame. Brokl is the program’s all-time leader in goals (53) and is second in points (108) in her three seasons as an Ole.

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2004 At the end of April, Alex Nichols ’04 was mentioned in the Star Tribune article “Flatlanders Make Good,” about how Minnesota ultra runners are dominating the sport. Alex was All-State cross country at Breck and All-American at Colorado College. He is now a U.S. and international top elite ultra runner.

2008 & 2019 Jeffrey Portu ’08 welcomed the Class of 2019 into the Breck Alumni Association at Commencement. Jeffrey was the senior buddy of Josh Taylor ’19.

2005 Quinn Shadko ’05 played the lead role in Lakeshore Players Theater’s production of Mary Poppins in May.

2007 In February, Jamie Erdahl ’07 was part of the CBS Super Bowl broadcast team.

TODAY AT

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SUMMER 2019

2009 The Class of 2009 will celebrate its 10-Year Reunion on Saturday, November 23.

Mary Goetz ’09, Anne Whiting ’09, Matt Ross ’09, and Victoria Sponsel ’09 are organizing the reunion. Save the date!

alumni news 2014

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Alumni representatives David Caruso ’14 and Leslie Hayes ’14 are coordinating efforts for the Five-Year Reunion for the Class of 2014. Save the date for Saturday, November 23!

2012 During the State Hockey Tournament last winter, Milica McMillen ’12 was honored with the 8th spot on the MN Girls’ Hockey Hub’s list of the best girls hockey players at the State Tournament. She was also listed as #21 in the Pioneer Press’s list of top 25 Minnesota girls hockey players.

2014 Duncan Phelps ’14 works at Indier, a Chinese outdoor education company based in Shenzhen, China. Duncan is an assistant leader and has been with the company since August 2018. He graduated from Colorado College in 2018.

2013 In April, Kiko Laureano ’13 portrayed Eva Peron in Evita at Lyric Arts in Anoka.

2014

2016

Last May, Derek Wiitalia ’14 graduated with Honors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Investments, and Banking. Derek, who interned at investment firms in New York City, Milwaukee, and Kansas City, will continue his studies this fall in the Applied Security Analysis Master’s Degree Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Ellie Pfohl ’16 has an internship with the Smithsonian Institution’s Smithsonian Associates. At the Associates, she will be working behind the scenes with their children’s day camps. Ellie just finished her third year at American University where she is studying elementary education with a focus in literature. After college, Ellie plans to teach at the elementary level and attend graduate school.

2016 In her first season on the University of Minnesota Women’s Hockey team, Sydney Scobee ’16 ranked seventh in Gopher Women’s Hockey history with 22.13 saves per game.

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2017 U of M hockey player Grace Zumwinkle ’17 was named the WCHA’s Women’s Forward of the Week in January. Grace returned to Breck to present an athletic award at the 2019 Upper School Closing Ceremony on June 4.

Young Alums On May 15, Andrew Quay ’17, Allison Cole ’14, Jenn Fabian ’15, David Ahrens ’18, David Caruso ’14, and Nath Samaratunga ’14 shared their college experience with the Class of 2019. Nath and Jenn shared their experience with Breck parents later that evening.

IN MEMORIAM 1953 Alan Walter Hesdorffer ’53 passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 21, in Edina, MN. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Mary Boyd (Day) Hesdorffer; daughter, Meredith (Frank) Macgowan of Excelsior; son, Alan Boyd (Lisa) Hesdorffer of Edina; brother, Roger (Janice) of Summerville, SC; sister, Virginia Maxwell of Raleigh, NC; and grandsons, Ben, Jack and Cole Macgowan, and Stuart and Davis Hesdorffer. Alan attended Breck School, was an Eagle Scout, and graduated from the University of Virginia (UVA) in the Class of 1958. While at UVA, he played both football and soccer, was Vice President of the Student Body, a member of numerous Honor Societies, Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, and Army ROTC. Following graduation, he served two tours of duty during the Vietnam conflict as an Airborne, Ranger, and a Pathfinder qualified Infantry Lieutenant. After leaving the service Alan married Mary Boyd in Roanoke, VA, and began a career in marketing and marketing management, split evenly between The Procter and Gamble Company and The Pillsbury Company. Alan was a volunteer with the Boy Scouts, the United Way, the Veterans Administration, and he was a Director and Officer at the Minneapolis Athletic Club where he was actively involved with the handball program. He was also a long-time member of Interlachen Country Club where he played numerous rounds of golf with friends. In addition, he was a member at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, the American Legion, the VFW, and was a Life Member of the DAV. More than anything, Alan enjoyed spending time with his family. He especially loved attending his grandsons’ many sporting events and school programs. Alan was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend.

1994 Melissa Macke Raz ’94 passed away this spring. Born Kwang Hee Kim in South Korea on July 12, 1975, Melissa was adopted by the Macke family in 1983 when she was eight years old. After teaching herself English over the course of one summer (it was amazing to watch!), Melissa began her education as a second grader at Breck School. After graduating from Breck in 1994, she went on to receive a B.S. from Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Melissa is preceded in death by her father, Kenneth A. Macke. She is survived by her mother, Kathleen Macke, brothers Michael and Jeffrey Macke, husband Dr. Dan Raz and their three children: Leo (12), Ari (10), and Evan (5).

2018 Joshua Kloek ’18, University of Northern Colorado’s Class of 2022, passed away in June. Josh left a lasting legacy and is remembered by many family and friends. In his senior speech, he challenged us all to live our lives with purpose. He shared, “I implore you to try and find a reason to follow some sort of moral code, whether it’s religion, to be trustworthy, or whatever you find important, because having a set of morals is imperative to being a productive member of society.”

Winter 46

WINTER HIGHLIGHTS: BRECK/BLAKE BOYS SWIM AND DIVE ARE STATE CHAMPIONS FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR AND BRECK GIRLS HOCKEY ARE BACK-TO-BACK STATE CHAMPIONS. Alpine Ski The alpine ski team had another great showing this winter. The team did well in the IMAC Conference and sent four individuals to the State Meet in Biwabik: Lindsey Fernandez ’19, Deirdre O’Neill ’19, Kendall Riskevich ’19 and Sam Shideman ’21.

Sam finished in 12th place and Deirdre took 13th. Kendall Riskevich ’19 and Sam Shideman ’21 won All-Conference awards. Lindsey Fernandez ’19 and Deirdre O’Neill ’19 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Charleston Harvath ’23 and Ava Jaffe ’23 (MIP), Alex Tschinkel ’19 and Kendall Riskevich ’19 (Mustanger), and Sam Shideman ’21 and Deirdre O’Neill ’19 (MVP). Next year, the team will be led by captains Violet Garvis ’20, Max McKoy ’20, Mary O’Grady ’20, and Nathan Rockafellow ’20.

Boys Basketball Boys basketball had another great year as they defeated tough teams such as South St. Paul, Rochester Lourdes, Holy Family, Henry Sibley, and Park. The team also won the South St. Paul winter tournament and competed in the Section 5AA Final game. David Roddy ’19 won an All-Conference award. Joey Ganley ’19, Jaren Morton ’21, and Elijah Zackery ’19 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. David Roddy ’19 was named the IMAC Player of the Year. Team awards went to Alex DeMaris ’20 (MIP), Elijah Zackery ’19 (Mustanger), and David Roddy ’19 (MVP). Next year, the team will be led by returning captains Justin Bergerson ’20, Jaren Morton ’21, and Andy Ott ’20.

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Girls Basketball Girls basketball had a lot of very close games this year and they defeated IMAC teams SPA and MPA. The team is looking toward returning the majority of their team next season and hopes to pull ahead in the standings. Nicole Blake ’22 and Melanie Oden ’21 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Jennie Ehlert ’20 (MIP), Melanie Oden ’21 (Mustanger), and Nicole Blake ’22 (MVP). Next year, the team will be led by captains Payton Aafedt ’21, Boatemaa Agyeman-Mensah ’20, and Ava Raffel ’20.

Gymnastics The gymnastics team defeated St. Anthony Village and took second place at the MGGOA Invitational at Park Center High School. The team raised its team score at every meet throughout the season and they finished third at the Section 5A Meet.

Saylor Hawkins ’19 qualified to participate in the Class A State Meet in Floor and Vault. Team awards went to Katie Wade ’24 (MIP), Erika Johnson ’22 (Mustanger), and Saylor Hawkins ’19 (MVP). Next year, the team will be led by captains Lauren Fishbein ’21, Dayas Hawkins ’21, and Lindsay Shermeta ’20.

Boys Hockey Boys hockey had a good year as they took third place in the Silver Division of the Schwan Cup and took second place in the IMAC Conference. They will be returning the majority of the team and looks toward making a run to the state tournament next year. John Blake ’20, Matthew Conroy ’19, Beau Courneya ’21, and Sean Reiling ’20 won All-Conference awards. Carter Oftedahl ’21, David Ruiz ’19, Will Surucu ’19, and Carter Theissen ’22 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Quinn Wormald ’19 (MIP), David Ruiz ’19 (Mustanger), Bryce Parrish ’19 (Polly Cavanaugh), and Beau Courneya ’21 (MVP). Next year, the team will be led by captains John Blake ’20, Beau Courneya ’21, Carter Oftedahl ’21, and Carter Theissen ’22.

TODAY AT

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SUMMER 2019

Girls Hockey

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Girls hockey had another excellent season as the team took second place in the Edina Tournament as well as winning the Class A State Championship for the second year in a row.

Throughout the year, they defeated talented teams in Edina, Hill-Murray, Holy Family, Roseau, and Wayzata. Katherine Solohub ’19 was named the winner of the High School Character Award. Sadie Lindsay ’21 and Olivia Mobley ’20 won All-State awards. Carly Beniek ’19 and Ally Qualley ’20 won All-State Honorable Mention awards. Carly Beniek ’19, Uma Corniea ’23, Olivia Mobley ’20, and Katherine Solohub ’19 were named to the Class A State All-Tournament Team.

Carly Beniek ’19, Sadie Lindsay ’21, Olivia Mobley ’20, and Katherine Solohub ’19 won All-Conference awards.

Ashley Halverson ’20, Ava Lindsay ’23, Ally Qualley ’20, and Emily Zumwinkle ’21 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Stella Retrum ’23 and Aiko Sims ’22 (MIP), Carly Beniek ’19 (Mustanger), and Olivia Mobley ’20 (MVP). Next year, the team will be led by captains Ashley Halverson ’20, Olivia Mobley ’20, and Ally Qualley ’20.

Breck/Blake Boys Swim & Dive

Nordic Ski The nordic ski team persevered through the season despite a number of cancelled meets due to the lack of snow early in the season and frigid cold temps later. Kendall White ’23 won an All-Conference Honorable Mention award. Team awards went to Caroline Palmer ’22 and Emmett Wolf ’22 (MIP), Louise Kim ’19 and Sebastien Cherian ’22 (Mustanger), and Kendall White ’23 and John Fullerton ’20 (MVP). Next year, the team will be led by captains John Fullerton ’20, Rachel Gunderson ’20, and Ansel Smith ’20.

Breck/Blake boys swim & dive team had another stellar year, as they took fourth in the Gold Division of the Maroon & Gold Invitational and defeated Eden Prairie and St. Thomas Academy. The team dominated the Section 2A Meet and the Class A MSHSL State Meet becoming state champions for the third year in a row. Anderson Breazeale ’19 was named the Section 2A Swimmer of the Year. At the Class A MSHSL State Meet, the team had six state championship swims; 200 Yd Medley Relay (Class A Record) - Anderson Breazeale ’19, James Pan ’22, Spencer Pruett ’19 (Blake), Dylan Brown ’19; 200 Yd Freestyle - Spencer Pruett ’19 (Blake); 500 Yd Freestyle - Niels Wu ’20; 200 Yd Freestyle Relay - Jame Pan ’22, Charlie Crosby ’22, Thayer Breazeale ’19, Luke Hamlin ’19; 100 Yd Backstroke - Anderson Breazeale ’19 who broke the Class A record in prelims; 400 Yd Freestyle Relay - Dylan Brown ’19, Anderson Breazeale ’19, Thayer Breazeale ’19, Spencer Pruett ’19 (Blake). The team achieved seven All-American Consideration Swims at the state tournament: James Pan ’23, Anderson Breazeale ’19, Dylan Brown ’19, Charlie Crosby ’23, Luke Hamlin ’19, Spencer Pruett (Blake) ’19, and Thayer Breazeale ’19. There were four Automatic All-American Swims as well: James Pan ’23, Anderson Breazeale ’19, Spencer Pruett ’19 (Blake), and Dylan Brown ’19. Team awards went to Charlie Crosby ’23 (MIP), Thayer Breazeale ’19 (Mustanger), and Anderson Breazeale ’19 and Dylan Brown ’19 (MVP). Next year, the senior leaders will be Dominic Frerichs ’20, Byron Jia ’20, and John Santrizos ’20.

Spring 49

SPRING HIGHLIGHTS: GIRLS LACROSSE TAKE FOURTH, BOYS TENNIS TAKES THIRD IN THEIR RESPECTIVE STATE TOURNAMENTS; DAVID RODDY ’19 WINS DISCUS STATE TITLE IN TRACK & FIELD

Baseball Snow and cold temperatures threatened this year’s baseball season, but the team persevered despite the setbacks. After many rescheduled games, the Mustangs finished in third place in the IMAC Conference. Carter Oftedahl ’21, Alex McKenna ’20, and Will Surucu ’19 won All-Conference Awards. John Blake ’20 and Beau Courneya ’21 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Drew Hofer ’19 (MIP), Ethan Guell ’19 (Mustanger), and Alex McKenna ’20 (MVP). Next year, the team will be led by captains John Blake ’20, Alex McKenna ’20, and Carter Oftedahl ’21.

Softball The softball team saw participation rise this season but also had a tough schedule with multiple weather-related cancellations and reschedules. The team worked hard amidst the challenges and is looking forward to next season where almost the entire team will return to the field. Ellie Pirtle ’22 won an All-Conference award. Maggie Broyles ’20 and Andi Hernández ’23 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Maggie Broyles ’20 (MIP), Andi Hernández ’23 (Mustanger), and Ellie Pirtle ’22 (MVP). The captains will be named at a future date.

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Boys Golf The boys golf team endured constant schedule changes.

They were lucky enough to play all of their matches and were also able to send two golfers, Jimmy Koch ’22 and Sam Reisberg ’19, to the second day of the Section 4A Tournament at Pebble Creek. Jimmy Koch ’22, and Sam Reisberg ’19 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards.

Team awards went to Jimmy McGlynn ’19 (MIP), Joey Hoffman ’24 (Mustanger), and Sam Reisberg ’19 (MVP).

Next year, the team will be led by captain Jimmy Koch ’21.

Girls Golf The girls golf team had a great season, taking third place in the IMAC Conference, and qualified as a team to participate in the second day of the Section 4A Tournament at Pebble Creek, where they finished in third place. Almost the entire varsity program will be returning for the 2020 season. Sadie Lindsay ’21 won an All-Conference award. Ally Hogan ’20, Ava Lindsay ’23, and Emily Zumwinkle ’21 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Emily Zumwinkle ’21 (MIP), Ally Hogan ’20 (Mustanger), and Sadie Lindsay ’21 (MVP). Next year, the team will be led by returning captains Ally Hogan ’20 and Mary O’Grady ’20.

Boys Lacrosse The boys lacrosse team had a great season as they defeated strong teams including Academy of Holy Angels, Holy Family, and Hopkins, and they finished second in the IMAC Conference. The team is returning the majority of the varsity team and is looking forward to another great season next spring.

Robbie Aronson ’21, Bryce Parrish ’19, Cormac O’Neill ’22, Sean Reiling ’20, and Charlie Ryks ’22 won All-Conference awards. Dylan Vincent ’21 and Arlo Zelickson ’19 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Carter Thiessen ’22 (MIP), Bryce Parrish ’19 (Mustanger), and Charlie Ryks ’22 (MVP). Next year, the team will be led by captains Phillip Ahrens ’20, Alex DeMaris ’20, Grayson Phillips ’20, and John Fullerton ’20.

Girls Lacrosse The girls lacrosse team had a stellar season as the team defeated all of the IMAC schools to win the IMAC Championship and won the Section 5 Championship and participated in the MSHSL State Tournament. The team finished in fourth place at the state tournament and will graduate some key seniors, but looks toward continuing their success next year. Polly Burns ’19 was named to the All-Tournament Team. Elinor Applebaum ’21 and Eloise Cherian ’19 won All-State second team awards. Taylor Nelson ’20 won All-State Honorable Mention. Lydia Akins ’20, Elinor Applebaum ’21, Polly Burns ’19, Eloise Cherian ’19, Taylor Nelson ’20, and Deirdre O’Neill ’19 won All-Conference awards. Alex Kozikowski ’21 and Natalie Ott ’19 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Deirdre O’Neill ’19 (MIP), Anna Beaty ’19 (Mustanger), and Eloise Cherian ’19 (MVP). Next year the team will be led by captains Lydia Akins ’20, Elinor Applebaum ’21, Taylor Nelson ’20, and Lillian Visaya ’20.

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Track and Field

Boys Tennis As a young and developing team, the boys tennis program highlighted their strengths by winning the Section 2A Championship and finishing third in the MSHSL Class A State Tournament. The team also sent two singles players and a doubles team to the Individual/Doubles Class A State Tournament, where Ishan Nadkarni ’21 took third place.

The entire team will return for another shot at the state title next year. Clayton Haberman ’21 and Ishan Nadkarni ’21 won All-Conference awards. David Gorman ’21 and Zach Piehl ’21 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards.

Team awards went to Marcus Gutierrez ’21 (MIP), Ishan Nadkarni ’21 (Mustanger), and Clayton Haberman ’21 (MVP).

Next year the team will be led by returning captains Clayton Haberman ’21 and Ishan Nadkarni ’21.

The track and field team had to contend with the weather as much as any other spring team but ended the season by sending three participants to the MSHSL Class A State Meet at Hamline University: Saylor Hawkins ’19 (High Jump), Olivia Mobley ’20 (Discus and Shot Put), and David Roddy ’19 (Discus and Shot Put). Saylor and Olivia took second place in their respective events at the Section 4A Meet and David took first place in both Discus and Shot Put, breaking his previous Discus record with a new record of 166' 3". At the State Class A Track and Field Meet, Olivia took ninth place in the Discus and David took second in Shot Put. David is the 2019 State Champion in Discus with a throw of 165' 3". Liam Gunsbury ’20, Saylor Hawkins ’19, Alden Keller ’23, Nasym Kushner ’21, Kaitlyn MacBean ’20, Olivia Mobley ’20, David Roddy ’19, Josh Taylor ’19, and Abigail Wesson ’19 won All-Conference awards.

Gabrielle Johansson ’22, Ava Raffel ’20, Kendall Riskevich ’19, Finn Salveson ’19, Riley Walsh ’21, and Xander Williams ’22 won All-Conference Honorable Mention Awards. Team awards went to Gabrielle Johansson ’22 and Xander Williams ’22 (MIP), Elizabeth Berman ’20 and Christian Peterson ’19 (Mustanger), and Olivia Mobley ’20 and David Roddy ’19 (MVP).

Next year, the team will be led by captains Boatemaa Agyeman-Mensah ’20, Elizabeth Berman ’20, Jennie Ehlert ’20, Liam Gunsbury ’20, Kaitlyn MacBean ’20, Olivia Mobley ’20, Ava Raffel ’20, and Sam Schoenecker ’20.

Synapse Shot

brought to you by:

Design Thinking: Cultivating Curiosity, Reflection, and Growth Sarah Flotten, Ed.M., Peter Clark Center Coordinator 52

Included in this issue of Today at Breck are stories of students and alumni who have found success in STEM-related fields

but at the core of their accomplishments is learning. The Peter Clark Center for Mind, Brain, and Education gives us a glimpse into an approach to learning, used by many of these individuals, called Design Thinking.

Design thinking is an

The design thinking process also cultivates curiosity,

approach to learning that

reflection, and helps foster a growth mindset because

is collaborative, human-

it demands that students rapidly prototype ideas, fail,

centered, and grounded in

adapt, and try again. They are more willing to think

problem solving. It is a way

outside the box and take risks because they know this

of thinking and a methodol-

rapid ideation is part of the process. Failure results in

ogy that demands creativity,

growth-producing feedback, and it feels different from

builds empathy, and

writing a paper or studying for a traditional test.

promotes high-order

We know that mistakes make growth possible when

thinking skills for a real-world audience. While there are

you reflect on your thinking, apply new strategies,

a variety of models, the process is relatively similar and

incorporate feedback, revise, and try again. This mirrors

is structured around a cycle of discovery, ideation,

the important metacognition cycle (feedback, revision,

prototyping, and testing. Adapted for education from

reflection) that is critical to being an independent

the work of Stanford’s d.Lab, the authors of Launch

learner. It also demands that students be open to

created a flexible framework designed specifically for

understanding problems differently because they need

PK-12 students. This model is attractive to adolescents

to design for a user. This requires putting assumptions

because they are actively driving the inquiry process and

aside and putting themselves in someone else’s shoes,

are naturally more motivated and invested when they

which builds empathy.

have choice. Solving for an authentic audience also increases buy-in. Since we know that emotion and interest drive attention which drives memory and that drives learning (E/I-A-M-L), leveraging student interests and teaching them to ask good questions develops creative confidence and their ability to make a difference in the world. Additionally, research shows that learners moving through a design cycle exhibit higher-order thinking skills than those in more traditional learning activities (Razzouk, 2012). Throughout the process, students must be asking thoughtful questions to understand complex problems and develop solutions.

Pedagogical approaches like design thinking allow Breck students to develop the critical skills to make them socially responsible citizens and confident learners for life. ________________________________________________ Razzouk, R., & Shute, V. (2012) What is Design Thinking and Why is it Important? Review of Educational Research Spencer, John, and Juliani, A.J. (2016) Launch: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring Out the Maker in Every Student

Michal Enon-Lynch ’99

is an accomplished educator and entrepreneur in the EdTech industry. As co-founder and chief educator at PearDeck, she shares with us her journey after Breck and a key element to her success.

1. Tell us about your journey after leaving Breck.

After Breck, I studied Asian Languages and Literature as well as cultural geography (thank you to Mrs. Wong). In that time I became fascinated with intentional communities and the importance of community in education.

I then earned a Masters in Contemplative Education (thank you Father Bellaimey) and began teaching high school ELA, Drama, and World History (thank you to Mr. Hegg, and Mrs. Soderberg respectively — Mrs. S, I know you didn’t teach me World History, but you completely changed how I felt about history).

2. What are you doing now?

While teaching I regularly struggled with how to grade students and give them feedback in a way that was actionable and meaningful. While trying out different methodologies with a colleague, we decided to build a product that would help other teachers give this kind of feedback. And thus I was launched into the world of edtech and startups. After building and then selling that company to Haiku learning, which was then sold to PowerSchool, our same team started Pear Deck. Pear Deck is a suite of tools to help teachers deliver powerful learning moments every day. It’s about helping teachers actively engage each and every student in a meaningful way and be a valued member of the classroom community. We believe that sense of belonging in a learning community leads to curiosity, inspiration, and empathy for others.

3. While you are working in a tech-focused industry, how has a liberal arts education helped you in running your business?

As you can tell, I have a humanities background, not a STEM background, and my path to building a tech company was a winding one. I think there is greater potential for innovation in the overlap of diverse experiences and viewpoints. If I had walked the same path as my co-founders, we wouldn’t have been able to create a product that was technically excellent while also truly fitting the needs of teachers while also building a compassionate and human-centered company for which people want to work.

4. Advice for students today?

Don’t underestimate the value of wondering and dabbling.

What at first feels like a lack of focus later reveals an accumulated abundance of experience to draw from. At the same time, always remember that it is an extraordinary privilege to have this kind of education and opportunity before you. As you wonder and dabble, use that privilege responsibly and make a positive impact on a world that has need of courageous, compassionate, and consensus-building problem-solvers.

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IN MY OWN WORDS STACY GLAUS

There I was, a new 2d Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, ready and prepared to take on the world. Ask any Butterbar (as we are commonly called) and they will probably all tell you the same story. As a newly-trained public affairs officer, I was excited for my first week in the office to document and cover some of the best stories in the Department of Defense.

Then came my first assignment: “We want you to head to the base school where a robotics competition is taking place. See what you come up with.”

Shock. Frustration. All these emotions flooded my mind.

How was I going to tell the story of the World’s Greatest Air Force by covering an elementary school contest?! Since choice isn’t high on the list for a military order, I got to work.

After arriving at the school, meeting with teachers, and walking with students through the competition, I was amazed. These kids, all under age 10, were programming robots and competing with them right before my eyes.

They were poised under pressure and thrilled in the moment of victory. They were doing things I didn’t even know schools were teaching.

Although many years have passed, I still remember that first writing assignment as if it were yesterday. While it didn’t feel like I was telling an earth-shattering story at the time, as I reflect on that moment, it was a perfect story for me. I was a brand-new Airman telling a story of STEM education — I was the future telling a story about the future.

Some of those students may have gone on to perform ground-breaking work in science, technology, engineering,

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or math. And even if they didn’t, they experienced an education that prepared them for a world filled with technology — one that we live in everyday and can only imagine where it will go from here.

Fast forward a number of years and here I am again, telling a story of robotics. The themes are the same — programming, coding, core values — but at Breck the purpose is even more clear. Every student and coach with whom I spoke absolutely loves what they do. Not all of them are interested in pursuing a STEM career, but they all love working together for a common goal. Their passion, commitment, and dedication are undeniable, and they are truly an inspiration to be around. Joining them at a competition makes you acutely aware of the team’s professionalism. They are all-hands-on-deck, making just-in-time decisions and modifications to do their best, whatever the final outcome may be.

Finally, connecting with members of the Breck alumni community was astounding. While always a humbling experience, the Mustangs we talked with for this story were just a few of the many from which we had to choose from.

From CEOs to marketing professionals to engineers, the world of STEM isn’t just for those interested in pursuing a technical degree. STEM touches every organization no matter its industry, and the future is both limitless and unknown.

For me, I can’t wait to see what our world is like the next time I cover robotics.

Stacy Glaus Director of Content Strategy and Communications

TODAY AT

BRECK

SUMMER 2019 Today at Breck is a publication of Breck School, 123 Ottawa Ave. N., Golden Valley, MN 55422 email: communications@ breckschool.org

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Natalia Rico Hernández, Ed.D.

EDITOR Stacy Glaus

DESIGN

Brenda Janisch-Hoban

Thank you!

We are so grateful to all the parents, alumni, grandparents, parents of alumni, faculty, staff, and friends who generously support the Annual Fund.

Join Us .. .

breckschool.org/annual-fund

WRITERS Sarah Flotten, Tina Fourniea, Stacy Glaus, Michelle Geo Olmstead, Karyl Rice

PHOTOGRAPHERS Tina Fourniea, Stacy Glaus, Lauren Kiesel, John LaRotonda, Michelle Geo Olmstead, Rhonda O’Neill, Karyl Rice, Sara Rubinstein, Sébastien Saunoi

PRINTING

Bolger Vision Beyond Print

Breck School is committed to environmental stewardship.

This publication is printed on paper manufactured with a minimum of 10% postconsumer recovered fiber.

MISSION

Breck is an Episcopal, coeducational, college-preparatory day school enrolling students of diverse backgrounds in grades preschool through twelve.

Breck’s Mission is to: Prepare each student for a college whose culture is compatible with the individual’s needs, interests, and abilities.

Help develop each student’s unique talents and potential to excel by nurturing independence and self-worth.

Instill in each student a deep sense of social responsibility.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

123 Ottawa Avenue North Golden Valley, MN 55422

PAID

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Parents of Alumni: Please forward this publication if your daughter or son no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, or please notify us (763.381.8129 or alumni@breckschool.org) of their new mailing address.

MIDDLE SCHOOL — HERE WE COME :) Michael Scherer ’24 gives Lower School Director Peg Bailey a celebratory high five during the Lower School Closing procession. Welcome to Middle School!

Photo by Karyl Rice Photo by Karyl Rice