Breck’s community partnership program teaches students we are stronger together / PG. 16 20 QUESTIONS WORDS OF WISDOM THE TWITTER EFFECT
Today at Breck
FEATURES
14 / The Twitter Effect
Julia Murphy ’18 tackles an anti-sex trafficking campaign through her Community-Based Research in Mathematics project.
16 / Building Stronger Communities
COVER STORY Take an inside look into the community partnership program at Breck and learn how students of all ages engage in these unique relationships.
50 / Words of Wisdom
Dr. Homer Venters ’85, director of programs for Physicians for Human Rights, shares his personal life lessons with the Breck community.
DEPARTMENTS
2 / 20 Questions
5 / 123 Ottawa News
35 / Alumni News
42 / Sports News
On the cover: Breck students volunteer at The Sheridan Story during their weekly community partnership time. The Sheridan Story is a non-profit organization that helps children in Twin Cities communities who lack reliable access to food. Photo by Sara Rubinstein.
Dear friends,
NATALIA R. HERNÁNDEZ, ED.D. HEAD OF SCHOOL
As a child, my parents would remind me that actions speak louder than words. They were teaching me that our behaviors mattered more than our rhetoric — that the way we lived was representative of the values we hold. I believe that, much like individuals, schools demonstrate what they value by applying resources, expending energy, and committing actions toward the things they value most. At Breck, this couldn’t be more true. We prioritize aligning our action with our mission and values. Our students’ participation in chapel, community partnerships, advisories, co-curriculars, advanced research, and service councils are just a few of myriad ways our mission is lived in their day-to-day. Add to this the work of our faculty and staff, alumni, parents, and trustees, and it is easy to see how our mission creates the culture of the Breck community that we hold most dear.
Inside this issue of Today at Breck, you will see our mission reflected in the relationships Breck students form with the broader community. We share our all-school vision for community partnerships — and why “partnership” is a better reflection of this work than the word “service” — a few of the locations where you can find Breck students each week, and highlights from our alumni community who have devoted their lives to making change for the greater good.
Schools across the country are attempting to integrate concepts of social responsibility and community partnership into their curriculum. They struggle to balance the schedule, expenses, and coordination to commit to a program like this. We find a way because we believe in and have seen the value. This is our mission, and I am confident there is no other school across the country that does it as well as Breck.
Earlier this year we held our annual Blue & Gold Bash, where the fund-a-need raised more than $70,000 to support this work. We know this program is a deep investment of both time and resources but we also know its importance. When we leave the classroom for this work, the question is not, “What are we giving up?” Instead, we ask, “What do we gain when we go?”
We have a culture where students care about each other, understand their role in supporting a greater good, and believe in investing in our community. These are representative of the values that shape us and I am proud to share their work with you.
Questions
Colleen Crenshaw:
US
SCIENCE INSTRUCTOR
1 What music are you listening to lately? Unless someone calls music to my attention, I rarely even notice it. Sam Cooke is an exception, however. I love his voice, and am both outraged and touched by his story of dealing with discrimination during the 1950s.
2 What’s one of the last books you read? I read a lot — mostly unmemorable mysteries. However, I recently finished Jack and Rochelle: A Holocaust Story of Love and Resistance.
3 What’s your favorite time of year? Fall
4 What’s one of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? Deciding to have children — a step into the unknown
5 What’s your favorite Breck lunch? Baked potato bar
6 What’s your dream job? I’m living it.
7 What’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made? Leaving retirement and coming to teach at Breck. Working here with inquisitive, welcoming students and talented colleagues has been a pure joy. I laugh every day.
8 What advice would you give to your younger self? Relax and enjoy the ride. Things have a way of working out most of the time.
9 What do you remember from kindergarten? I went to a huge Catholic grade school, and there was a little room in a corner of the kindergarten that was supposed to be Jesus’ house in Nazareth. If you had been very, very good all week, you were allowed to play in there on Fridays. I rarely made it in.
10 What is the most important room in your home? I have an upstairs sunroom that is filled with books, family pictures, and plants. It is where I do my quilting and is peaceful and calming.
11 What’s your favorite place on the Breck campus? The view from the sunny area on the 4th floor changes with the seasons, and is always lovely. I enjoy listening to the students who are working and relaxing there laugh and chat.
12 Favorite comfort food? Buttered popcorn
13 Favorite treat: salty or sweet? Ice cream — almost any flavor from Izzy’s
14 If you had a theme song, what would it be? Theme song? See answer to question 1.
15 Favorite line from a movie? “The day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends…but it is not this day.” The Lord of the Rings
16 Favorite family tradition? When my children were small, they each picked the meal they wanted for their birthday — anything they wanted (some more interesting to cook and eat than others). My daughter does the same with her three children.
17 Three people — living or dead — you’d want to have dinner with? Abe Lincoln, Barack Obama, and Amelia Earhart (I want to know what really happened to her).
18 If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Europe to see all the old cathedrals with their beautiful glass, and to hike in the Alps and the Cotswolds
19 What’s your pet peeve? Unnecessary meanness and unkind remarks
20 What keeps you up at night? My husband is getting a puppy this summer. Big, muddy lab feet coming into the house is a concern. Plus, it’s more fun to worry about than politics.
Questions
Mia Mathieu ’23: BRECK SEVENTH GRADER
1 What music are you listening to lately? Bach’s Minuet in G Minor. I want to play it flawlessly during my spring piano recital.
2 What’s one of the last books you read? Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
3 What’s your favorite time of year? Christmas. I always love how people light up their homes.
4 What’s one of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? I spent a year traveling around the world with my family. Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef and holding a lion cub in my arms in South Africa were truly amazing adventures.
5 What’s your favorite Breck lunch? Egg rolls — always!
6 What is the most important room in your home? The living room. It’s where my family laughs the most.
7 What’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made? Picking Breck. I loved it from the moment that Mrs. Melissa Whitson greeted me with a huge hug and a caring smile.
8 What advice would you give to your younger self? Make the most of your stroller days. They go by way too fast!
9 What do you remember from kindergarten? Putting on finger puppet plays in Mrs. Swenson’s room
10
What’s your dream job? My life’s goal is to be an obstetrician.
15 Favorite line from a movie? “F-R-A-G-I-L-E. Must be Italian. Ah, I think that says fragile, honey.” A Christmas Story
16 What is your favorite family tradition? Traveling
17 Three people — living or dead — you’d want to have dinner with? Jesse Owens, Oprah, and Queen Victoria
18 If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Greece
19 What’s your pet peeve? When utensils scrape against teeth
11 What’s your favorite place on the Breck campus? The Field House — by far!
14 If you had a theme song, what would it be? Brave, Honest, Beautiful by Fifth Harmony
20 What keeps you up at night? Thinking about how I can get into Princeton
Questions
Alex
Frécon ’05: COPYWRITER AT SOLVE: ADVERTISING & BRANDING
1 What music are you listening to lately? I’m all over the place. Vince Guaraldi Trio when I wake up, Quinn XCII and electro-pop when I get into work. Throw in some Logic, Lil Peep, Post Malone and Chance the Rapper. That’s my typical day.
2 What’s one of the last books you read? A First-Rate Madness by Nassir Ghaemi
3 What’s your favorite time of year? Summer. Driving with the windows down? C’mon son!
4 What’s one of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? In March of ’17 I traveled to North Korea to play hockey against the North Korean men’s National Hockey team. My mom says that was pretty adventurous of me.
5 What was your favorite Breck lunch? While there are so many to choose from, I’ll have to go with chicken patty on a bun.
6 What’s your dream job? I’d like to be a F1 racer when I grow up. That or a successful Bitcoin investor.
7 What’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made? My junior year of college I transferred from a very small private school to the University of Wisconsin – Madison. It was a huge jump and extremely challenging. That challenge forced me to grow.
8 What advice would you give to your younger self? Take more risks. Challenge yourself as often as you can. Ask more girls out on dates. Tell David not to put that dead fish in Manuel’s sleeping bag during sophomore camp.
9 What do you remember from kindergarten? I remember going to a kindergarten classmate’s house for a playdate and he had a color printer. I had never seen one before in my life. We spent the whole day printing stuff. Like, literally four hours of color printing. It was legit.
10 What is the most important room in your home? It’s a tie between my indoor squash court and the tiger room.
11 What’s your favorite place on the Breck campus? The sophomore benches were pivotal to my high school career. Was there a quiz? Head to the benches. Who can I ask to Homecoming? Benches. Is Mr. B. looking for me? Head for the chapel.
12 Favorite comfort food? Pork belly ramen
13 Favorite treat: salty or sweet? Salty
14 If you had a theme song, what would it be? What’s my age again? by Blink 182
15 Favorite line from a movie? “Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.” Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
16 Favorite family tradition? On my birthday my dad always cooks my favorite meal — Poulet Marengo. It’s an old French dish. It’s trés good.
17 Three people — living or dead — you’d want to have dinner with? Benjamin Franklin, Napoleon, and Blake Wheeler
18 If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I’ve always wanted to check out Japan.
19 What’s your pet peeve? When my mom talks during movies
20 What keeps you up at night? Are those bats in the walls? Or just mice?
Today at 123 Ottawa Avenue North
BRECK STUDENTS RECOGNIZED BY SIEMENS COMPETITION IN MATH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Twelve students from Breck’s Advanced Science Research program were recognized as Regional Semifinalists by the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology. According to the competition’s website, more than 1,860 projects were submitted with 491 students recognized as semifinalists. Of those 491 students, 15 were from Minnesota. Breck’s Siemens Regional Semifinalists include David Ahrens ’18, Samuel Aronson ’18, Alex Cheng ’18, Maya Czeneszew ’18, Erica Iliarski ’18, Samuel Leville ’18, Darlene Radichel ’19, Abigail Roh ’20, Cas Roland ’18, Nathan Tank ’19, Dylan Vincent ’20, and Christiana Wilke ’19.
ADVANCED SCIENCE RESEARCH TEAM ADVANCES TO STATE
After an impressive performance at the Twin Cities Regional Science Fair, the entire Advanced Science Research (ASR) class advanced to the State Science and Engineering Fair. Five students, Alex Anderson ’19, Si Ma ’18, Cole Maxwell ’18, Sam Aronson ’18 (alternate), and Alex Cheng (alternate), received one of the Region’s top awards and were selected to represent Minnesota at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair to be held May 14 to 18 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Additionally, the entire team was selected to compete at the North Central Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul.
ASR class members include David Ahrens ’18, Alex Anderson ’19, Samuel Aronson ’18, Aaron Bae ’18, Emma Carr ’18, Alex Cheng ’18, Maya Czeneszew ’18, Addie Gleekel ’18, Erica Iliarski ’18, Louise Kim ’19, Sammy Leville ’19, Si Ma ’18, Cole Maxwell ’18, Mary O’Grady ’20, Tommy Peterson ’19, Cady Pirtle ’19, Darlene Radichel ’19, Ava Raffel ’20, Abigail Roh ’20, Cas Roland ’18, Melinda Samaratunga ’18, Kylie Spangler ’19, Nathan Tank ’19, Lana Trautman ’19, Dylan Vincent ’20, Christiana Wilke ’19, and Spencer Yueh ’19.
Breck’s Advanced Science Research team
REUBEN KITTO STATELY HONORED AS OUTSTANDING AMERICAN INDIAN MALE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT OF THE YEAR
Reuben Kitto Stately ’18 was named the Outstanding American Indian Male High School Student of the Year at the Minnesota Indian Education Association in November.
Reuben was nominated by Jonny Nicholson, Director of College Counseling. In his nomination, Nicholson wrote, “Reuben has taken the time to educate not only his classmates — many of whom speak about how he’s impacted how they see the world — but also our teachers and administrators. In a loving and caring way, Reuben confronts prejudice and stereotypes and challenges privilege that allows for and facilitates growth.”
Reuben has also been instrumental in highlighting Native American life during his time at Breck. Nicholson remarks, “He started the Native American Affinity Group in an attempt to bring Native students together in a safe space to connect with one another. He serves as an educator for various entities in the community and serves weekly at a local Dakota immersion preschool.”
IAN EMPSON TRAVELS TO CLIMATE CONFERENCE
Ian Empson ’19 served as a youth delegate at the United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention’s 23rd Conference of the Parties in Bonn, Germany, in early November.
After participating in the Climate March in Washington, D.C., last April, Ian was motivated to become more involved with climate change issues. He hopes to continue to educate students and his peers about climate change.
Ian traveled with his mother, Cheryl Olseth, to the conference. They remark, “Participating in the United Nations COP23 was inspirational and life changing. Throughout the world, governments are discussing issues resulting from climate change such as drought, food shortages, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events, which bring fires, hurricanes, cyclones, flooding and excessive hail. Listening to Al Gore passionately present what is happening around the world in regards to climate change was a highlight, as was the Prime Minister of Fiji and the COP23 president.”
MOCK TRIAL TEAM COMPETES AT STATE
Two Breck Mock Trial teams went head-to-head for a spot in this year’s State competition.
The Breck “Blue” team competed against the Breck “Gold” team during Round 5 of the regional competition. The two teams went 4-0 in their region, which forced them to face off in Round 5, competing against their classmates.
The Breck “Blue” team won the final round, advancing to State where they went undefeated for the first day of competition, then lost in a close semifinal round on day two. Margaret Johnston ’18 won an All-State Attorney Award, and Gabe McHenry ’19 won an All-State Witness Award.
BRIEFLY NOTED
• Alex Cheng ’18 and Dominic Frerichs ’20 were accepted into the University of St. Thomas High School Honor Band. Both Alex and Dominic performed with the Symphonic Band, which is made up of upper-level high school musicians from across the state.
• Lucia Miller ’19 played Madame de la Grande Bouche in the Stepping Stone Theatre’s production of Beauty and the Beast in December.
• Hyunsoo Song ’18 and Aaron Bae ’19 were awarded scholarships from the Minnesota Association for Korean Americans. Each year, 10-15 students receive the scholarship, which is selected on a student's scholarship, leadership, and community service. The top two recipients among the group receive a larger monetary scholarship and this year, both winners were from Breck.
• Lana Trautman ’19 was featured as a CCX Media Standout Student of the Week.
• Sammy Leville ’19 was accepted into the University of Minnesota’s High School Honor Band. One hundred and three students from 54 schools across the upper midwest were selected to participate after an extensive audition process. Honorees spent the weekend of January 20-21 at the U in rehearsals, preparing for the final concert conducted by Emily Threinen, Jerry Luckhardt, and Betsy McCann.
• Samuel Aronson ’18 and Alex Cheng ’18, students in Breck’s Advanced Science Research class, were selected from a national pool of applicants to attend the American Medical Informatics Association 2017 Annual Symposium in Washington, D.C. The pair travelled with their research mentor to the conference November 4-7.
• Diego Jennings ’23 won the MS Spelling Bee competition by accurately spelling the word “noctograph.” Other finalists included Cooper Phillips ’24 and La'Nae Gant ’24
• Breck’s Team Astro presented their research “Relative Age Dating of Young Star Clusters from Young Stellar Object VARiability (YSOVAR)” at the American Astronomical Society conference. Members include Audrey Hedlund ’18, Emma Medeiros ’18, Livia Reader ’18, Kiwi Sundeen ’18, Alex Bernstein ’19, and Alexandra Karos ’19
• Noah Getnick ’24 moved on to be one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2018 Minnesota National Geographic State Bee.
LOWER SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAM ADVANCES TO STATE MEET
Team Wolves from Lower School robotics had a solid showing at the FIRST LEGO League Robotics state competition in February. Team members include Allie Sigmond ’26, Asher Corndorf ’26, Caleb Li ’26, Elan Choudry ’26, Pearl Perry ’26, Philip Fauver ’26, and Sammy Braun ’26 The team participated in the four areas of competition: robot performance, robot design, core values, and a research project.
The Wolves researched rainwater collection for flushing toilets as part of their competition and had strong performances on core values and robot design. While they did not receive a callback for a state-level award, they had a great experience and are already looking forward to next year.
Earlier in the season, four additional teams competed with Team Wolves at the regional competition. Teams and their research projects included:
• Team Brobots: Inexpensive personal water filter for Kenyan villages
• Team Growl: Phytoremediation of oil-contaminated soil using sunflowers
• Team G.O.A.T.S.: Solar over water distillation
• Team Kai: Design of aquabot app to track home water usage
At the regional competition, Team Wolves earned the Best Robot Performance award, and Team Kai earned the Best Core Values award.
STUDENT PHILANTHROPY GRANTS AWARDED
Each year, $1,000 is raised through the collection of Box Tops for Education. These funds are used within the school to give grants to students in grades 4-10 with philanthropic aspirations. Funds can be used as direct donations to nonprofit organizations of interest to them or as seed money for a philanthropic project.
This year’s award winners and their projects include:
• Cheney Parkhill ’25 was awarded $150. The grant will be used to create homemade candles, which will then be sold. All proceeds will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
• Meredith Habstritt ’25, Maiya Garcia ’25, Amilia Hinck ’25, Luci Montgomery Baker ’25, and Ellie Zakrajsheck ’25 received a $200 grant. The award will be used to support the production and sale of bath bombs and scrubs. All proceeds will be donated to the Special Olympics of Minnesota: Unified Sports.
• Annie Grossman ’26 received a $100 grant. She plans to make fleece tie blankets for patients at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital.
• Esme Gulbransen ’25, Peyton Vincent ’25, and Avery Lampe ’25 received a $100 grant. They plan to use the award as seed money in order to produce homemade baked goods to sell. All proceeds will support the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital.
• Ellie Weinstein ’22 and Gabrielle Johansson ’22 were awarded $150. They plan to make care packs for children and families at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital.
• Phillip Ahrens ’20 received a $100 grant. He plans to educate the Breck community about the River House Friends in Thailand and will determine a good use for the funds during the Thailand spring break trip.
• Philip Fauver ’26 was awarded a $150 grant. Philip plans to research residents’ technology needs at Colonial Acres Senior Home and use the grant to purchase electronic books or music.
• Maddie Casad ’26 and Charlotte Wilcox ’26 received a $50 grant. They will provide craft supplies and lead a craft activity for residents at the Sunrise Senior Home.
2018 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP FINALISTS NAMED
Five Breck seniors were named as finalists in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. They will go on to compete for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million, which will be announced from April to July. Congratulations to: Aaron Bae, Margaret Johnston, Blaine Madson, Emma Medeiros, and Hyunsoo (Brian) Song.
ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST TEAM REPEATS AS STATE CHAMPIONS
Cole Maxwell ’18, Darlene Radichel ’19, Sam Aronson ’18, and Jed Peterson ’19 competed in this year’s Academic WorldQuest competition on February 7, winning the state title for the second year in a row.
This year’s winning team won an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., where they will compete against teams from across the country in April. Last year, Breck’s team placed 7th at nationals.
Breck also had a freshman team in the state competition, which took 16th place. Team members include Dominic Greco ’21, John Cardwell ’21, Will Sweeney ’21, and George Richards ’21. Team advisors include Upper School History Instructors Charlie Grossman and Lori Merrill.
COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH MATHEMATICIANS PRESENT AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Members of our Community-Based Research in Mathematics were selected to present at the National Service-Learning Conference held this year in St. Paul, March 11-13. The conference recognized the contributions that young people throughout the nation make to change the world and to help prepare them for reaching their goals.
Will Torgerson ’18 and Zoë Vogel ’18 presented with Kiyoko Sims from the Children’s Theatre of Minnesota Neighborhood Bridges. The title of their presentation was Neighborhood Bridges: The Power of Critical Literacy.
Julia Murphy ’18, Sophie Hardten ’18, and Kelly Reiling ’18 presented their project, “Mathematics Serving the Community: Two Social Justice Projects Empowering Youth to be Effective Change Agents.”
Other members of math research were featured in the Service-Learning Showcase, where 23 total projects nationwide were selected for presentation.
Breck representatives included:
• Brooke Samaratunga ’18 and Keely Conroy ’18: Growing Artists, Growing Minds: Resilience and Relationships
• Zack Levy ’18: Analyzing Health and Happiness: A Blue Zones Delphi Project
• Katie Raffel ’18 and Cade O’Neill ’18: Breaking Barriers by Baking Cookies: Empowering Volunteer Mentors to Envision Youth Futures
• Anthony Palmer ’18 and Ellie Wanninger ’18: St. Vincent de Paul: Improving the Quality of Donations, Improving the Quality of Lives
• Sophie Hardten ’18 and Kelly Reiling ’18: Open Door Learning Center: Unlocking the Power of Literacy
• Julia Murphy ’18: Sex Trafficking and the Super Bowl: Awareness, Attitudes, and Intervention
DON BELL SELECTED FOR SABBATICAL
Upper School History Instructor Don Bell was selected for sabbatical for the 2018-2019 school year. Bell, who has been a teacher for 31 years, will devote his year to a systematic and concentrated effort of revamping his teaching through workshops, reading, and travel.
“Receiving the sabbatical is a dream come true,” says Bell. “I've been thinking about it for a number of years and it is hard to believe that it now will happen. I am thrilled and honored to receive it, and excited about what the year will bring. It already has energized me, sparking thoughts and ideas that I now can really hope to pursue and implement. It truly is a gift.”
Inspired by the resources and training from the Peter Clark Center for Mind, Brain, and Education, he hopes to increase his understanding and application of MBE theories and
practices through conference and workshop attendance so as to improve student learning in his own classes and become a better academic resource at Breck. Additionally, Bell plans to deepen his direct knowledge and experience with non-dominant historical narratives for classes he teaches through reading, study, and travel to locations in the American Southwest, Central and South America, and sites in the Islamic world. Finally, he hopes to rejuvenate his energy and enthusiasm for teaching by researching and developing new primary and secondary sources for his World, Art, Native American, and European history courses.
FACULTY MEMBERS SELECTED FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Peter Clark Center for Mind, Brain, and Education announced the 2018 Breck faculty members who will attend the Science of Teaching and School Leadership Academy at the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning in July. Selectees include: Chelen Johnson, Michelle Jones, Dennis Joslyn, Kim Schafer, and Jessica Wanless.
Blue & Gold Bash Blue & Gold Bash goes
2 BackSchool
Horrors Horrors Little Shop Little Shop
Julia Murphy Breck School
Class members include: Zach Levy ’18, Anthony Palmer ’18, Will Torgerson ’18, Zoë Vogel ’18, Cade O’Neill ’18, Keely Conroy ’18, Isabella Wanninger ’18, Julia Murphy ’18, Brooke Samaratunga ’18
The Twitter Effect
Julia Murphy ’18 tackles an anti-sex trafficking campaign through her Community-Based Research in Mathematics project.
The end of junior year for Breck students brings many questions: What classes should I take my senior year? How can I best prepare for my path after Breck? What activities would allow me to pursue my passions?
For Julia Murphy, math research seemed like the perfect fit. Breck’s math research, or Community-Based Research in Mathematics, is a unique class that helps students dive into the numbers impacting organizations and teaches them how to use that data to make a difference.
Brad Kohl, Upper School math instructor, leads the class and has helped develop the program along with math department chair Brad Peterson.
“There isn’t really a way for kids to make new math,” says Kohl. “In the field of science, kids are making a novel contribution. History is the same way; they are providing people with information that could be used and is new. A big piece of what Breck does is service. We value diversity, and technology, social justice and giving people a voice. So if there isn’t a way for students to make a novel contribution to mathematics, we wanted to find a way for them to make a novel contribution to the community.”
Peterson and Kohl took these values and came up with a unique class to add to their math department offerings: Community Based Research in Mathematics. Students partner with non-profits to conduct research or data analysis that will support the organization.
“We have students who do great work across all disciplines,” adds Kohl. “To think that their work only exists to get a grade doesn’t serve the kids. We needed to get their work into the hands of the people who can really benefit from it.”
Julia decided to work with the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota because of her interest in women’s rights issues. Finding further inspiration from one of her role models, CEO of Carlson Companies Marilyn Carlson Nelson, whose hotel chain was among the first to train staff members to look for and identify sex trafficking, Murphy decided to focus her research and time on the prevention and identification of sex trafficking. With the Superbowl in Minneapolis during the month of January, the topic was not only very important but also very present in the media.
“I proposed to do a research study for the Women’s Foundation,” says Murphy. “I was going to do a survey in hotels across
the metro to see how effectively employees were trained on anti-sex trafficking and hear about the struggles they were facing.”
As she was meeting with hotel groups and working on her survey, she was extended an offer to sit on the NFL Superbowl Host Committee on Sex Trafficking Prevention. There, she engaged with companies, hospitality groups, and religious organizations all focused on the prevention of sex trafficking.
Through these connections, Murphy was able to send her survey to an even broader audience but came back with dismal results. Using the data she obtained from the handful of surveys as well as the fact that the surveys weren’t returned highlighted the stigma surrounding sex trafficking. But Murphy was not deterred and found a new way to make a difference.
“I decided to look at my generation so we can start preventing sex trafficking now,” says Murphy.
After surveying the student body at Breck, she saw that students didn’t really understand the issue of sex trafficking and prevention but that they were receptive and interested in learning more. Julia decided to leverage the power of social media to see if she could make change.
“I got a student group together during our community partnership block and we designed the creative,” adds Murphy. She continued her partnership with the Women’s Foundation and used their tagline #MNGirlsAreNotForSale as the theme for the campaign. Her goal was to challenge high school co-curricular teams and programs to create a football-themed action video that concluded with the phrase “Minnesota girls are not for sale!” The videos were posted on social media and always accompanied by facts and hashtags to spread awareness about sex trafficking.
Following the planning and development, Murphy went back to the Superbowl Host Committee on Sex Trafficking Prevention and pitched her idea to the committee chairs on communication. Upon their approval, Julia got to work.
“It was the month leading up to the campaign that really mattered,” says Murphy. “I had to get all the hashtags set, and I met with all the sports captains at Breck to ask them
to start thinking about creating videos for the campaign.”
#MNGirlsAreNotForSale launched on January 4, just one month ahead of the Superbowl, and it immediately started turning heads. WCCO-TV ran a story on the campaign and in the end, more than 20 videos were created across sports teams and other schools that were then shared on Twitter.
“It was cool for me that there were students that I had never met before and they made videos without even knowing me or anyone associated with Breck,” says Murphy. “It showed me that it is possible to get the word out. It definitely spread farther than I anticipated.”
For her teacher, Julia’s project is representative of the lessons he hopes all his students learn: using the data to tell the story.
“No one starts a non-profit from their head; they start it from their hearts,” says Kohl. “We want to make sure that the story is never lost in the numbers and asking how you can use the numbers to enhance and tell the story. It can be both.”
This year’s class of Community-Based Research in Mathematics partnered with organizations focused on literacy, poverty, the arts, and healthcare. Their research projects were recognized at the National Service Learning Conference where six of the 23 featured projects were from Breck. You can find more details about the program on the website: breckschool.org.
Building Communities Stronger
BRECK’S
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
TEACHES STUDENTS WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER
Rooted in the mission of Breck is a commitment of service to the greater good. Throughout our history, this commitment has been lived through the works of students, faculty, alumni, and families and can be seen each and every day in the lives of our students at Breck.
One of the hallmark programs of this commitment is community partnerships in the Upper School, where students travel to and serve with more than 40 different nonprofit sites throughout the Twin Cities each week. Yet, the mindset around partnership starts much earlier and is woven into the fabric of the entire Breck community.
“At Breck, we value getting out of the classroom on a regular basis and learning about ideas in the school beyond our doors,” says Frederique Schmidt, Community Engagement coordinator. “We want our students to find ways to get involved and become passionate changemakers in our community.”
LOWER SCHOOL
Beginning in Lower School, these lessons are built into the curriculum and applied in hands-on experiences as well.
“Character education in the Lower School, such as caring for others, kindness, being an upstander, are things we ask our students to think about,” says Schmidt.
Nan Zosel, Lower School chaplain, works to provide meaningful partnership opportunities for Lower School students in collaboration with teachers.
“We hope our students develop compassion for people,” explains Zosel. “We want them to be curious with not just how they can help but also be part of a solution.”
Each year, students throughout campus participate in collection drives for nonprofit organizations. Lower School
students are no exception. One example is from this year’s third grade class where students wanted to support the Humane Society of Minnesota.
“They noticed a need and wondered how they could help,” Zosel adds. “We gave them the opportunity to explore their ideas and hope they felt empowered and engaged as citizens who can make a difference.”
Students created posters and collected donations ranging from blankets to pet supplies.
“Our students knew they could do something to help. With their desire, and a little a bit of coaching and guidance, they did something!” adds Zosel. “We empower them to take that first step of designing, wondering, and initiating.”
In addition to collection drives, Lower School students also go off-campus to extend Breck’s partnerships in the community.
“Our preschool, kindergarten, first, and second grade students make visits to senior living homes throughout the year,” remarks Zosel. “We try to provide age-appropriate interactions for the students such as performing a song as kindergartners and then — by the time they get to second grade — reading aloud a story they wrote themselves.”
This type of outreach enriches the lives of the residents, while also challenging the students academically.
“We know in education that any time you add a performance piece to the work, it makes the student feel like they’ve accomplished even more,” Schmidt explains. “It’s also really hard. Now it isn’t just whether a student can read a story out loud; it’s about meeting someone they’ve never met before — someone who is much older in an environment they’ve never been in before — and making a connection with that person. It’s an age-appropriate challenge.”
MIDDLE SCHOOL
In the Middle School, lessons surrounding community partnership are structured much like the work in the Upper School. Students visit their sites six times each year.
“In Middle School, students are allowed to choose a year-long Community Partner that fits with their personal passion. They partner with local nonprofits, food shelves, senior centers, child learning centers, and community groups by grade level,” explains Angie Kritta, Middle School Academic Technology Coordinator. “We want our students to step outside themselves and see that life outside the school walls is just as important as what we do inside.”
In addition, seventh graders spend their community partnership time working with Breck Lower School students in the BioBuddies program. Similar to the first grade-senior buddies program, students partner for the year to learn more about human physiology by tracking the growth of a kindergartner. This work creates cross-divisional relationships and supports curriculum initiatives in both grades.
UPPER SCHOOL
The Upper School program might seem unchanged from its traditional form, but it has undergone a dramatic shift in the past two years, particularly in the way students learn and talk about the program.
“We’ve made the shift from community service to collaboration and partnership,” says Schmidt. “When you say “community service,” the focus is often on who is giving the help with more power on the volunteer. We want our students to think about social issues and look at ways we can partner together and accomplish something that will benefit our greater community.”
The goal is to teach students the power of dialogue and working collectively on issues facing our society.
“Our students aren’t coming in to fix a problem. We want them to recognize that there are challenges, learning what those challenges are, and then doing what we can to participate in an organization’s vision to remedy or alleviate those challenges,” explains Schmidt. “We are coming to learn and share. It’s a partnership.”
Freshmen students experience these lessons through their work with literacy programs in under-resourced schools.
“We are a results-oriented, high-performing school,” adds Schmidt. “It can be hard for our students to go into something and not try to find the answer. But they are learning that reading at grade level is so much bigger than a weekly visit by a high school student over the course of a year. They are learning the contributing societal factors that make a difference, too.”
Students also learn that their well-being and the well-being of those they visit are intertwined.
“Just by showing up, our students are communicating to that younger child, ‘You are important to me. I care about you because we are neighbors, because we live in this community together, because I want you to do well, and because I want to be your friend.’”
It is this mindset that Breck hopes all students will espouse by the time they leave.
“We believe in this work so much,” says Schmidt. “I don’t see any other schools putting the time and resources into a program like this. Our students will graduate with hundreds of hours spent in nonprofits or other educational organizations learning about how to work with others — especially with people from different backgrounds.”
“We want our students to leave Breck and be changemakers. We want them to be aware of inequalities, we want them to be upstanders, care for others, be civically minded and engaged, and committed to building stronger communities for everyone.”
In the pages to follow, readers will get an inside look at the partnership Breck students have with organizations throughout the metro as well as meet a few alums who have carried the spirit of this work into their careers.
All School
Community Partnerships are lived throughout the school community. In addition to visiting partner sites, students sit on Service Councils in all divisions to plan and coordinate events throughout the year such as donation drives. There is even a committee within the Parents Association focused on planning outreach opportunities throughout the year. The spirit of service dwells throughout the school.
Leaf Raking
Breck Scares Hunger
Performance and Social Change (above): Breck students partner with the Children’s Theatre Neighborhood Bridges program to serve as teaching artists at Lyndale Elementary. The program utilizes storytelling and creative drama to teach critical literacy skills. “We watch the Breck interns grow from a really young teenager saying, ‘I want to try what this looks like,’ to really fierce advocates for social justice, the education system, and the kids. It doesn’t matter if they have a bad day or have a ton of homework, those third graders expect them to be there 100 percent. It’s quite amazing to see them grow.”
-KiyokoMotoyamaSims,DirectorofCommunityEngagementattheChildren’sTheatre Neill Elementary (below): “Students from Breck lead weekly science lessons and assist with engineering experiments. Breck students demonstrate excitement for learning and strong leadership qualities. We have seen growth in our students’ critical thinking skills from this partnership. Thank you for igniting our students’ spark for learning. My third graders love science!” -JaneMoore,ThirdGrade,NeillElementary
Wicoie Nandagikendan Dakhóta & Ojibwe Early Childhood Immersion Program: The kids have been a tremendous asset. By acquainting them with the Dakota and Ojibwe language, our hope is that some will possibly consider being teachers one day. For our students, we set the foundation for these young children, some of them coming from challenging environments, so the fact that they can see these students as future adults gives our students role models to look up to. -JewellArcoren,WicoieNandagikendanprogramdirector
The Sheridan Story: During their weekly visits, Breck students pack food donations that directly support local students over the weekend when school is not in session. “The Sheridan Story is driven to end hunger in the Twin Cities and Minnesota. You don’t get that from other sites. You see the school names and could live right next door to a school that is getting the assistance. To be able to pack food and see the impact you are having in the Twin Cities is an amazing opportunity.” -DavidAhrens’18
- Lindsey Torkilsen, The Sheridan Story “
We couldn’t do what we do without the support of volunteers like the Breck students. Their impact on The Sheridan Story and consequently the community is tremendous. They are directly helping fight child hunger every time they come because without them that task would not get done.”
Andersen United Community School: At Andersen School, Breck students spend time in classrooms helping students build and strengthen literacy skills. Samantha Dvorak ‘25 says, “It’s really fun to spend time with the kids. A lot of them are really interested in learning and they ask a lot of questions. It’s really fun to see their progress throughout the year. I read with some kids in the beginning of the year and by the end they are more fluent.”
The Loppet Foundation: The Loppet Foundation does not exist without an amazing volunteer base, and the Breck students and their instructor Beckie Alexander are part of that outstanding group. Volunteerism is a vital aspect of a healthy society and it is really great to see how Breck is teaching its students the importance of it. The students have been coming to the park monthly during the school year for several seasons now and the results of their work have been felt by many patrons. They have cleared branches and brush from trails after storms, put up and taken down event fence and moved hard fences. They have also helped control erosion on washed out ski trails by building water bars, seeding and covering with erosion blankets. -IsaacKasper,TrailsandOperationsSuperintendent
Lower School
Biddying: Creating relationships throughout our P-12 community is one of the valued traditions at Breck. Not only do third and fourth graders learn valuable lessons in leadership by serving lunch to their Lower School classmates, they also form relationships that carry through their time at Breck.
Nursing Homes: Lower Schoolers demonstrate the values they learn at Breck through participation in off-campus partnerships as well. Different classrooms will spend time visiting residents at area senior living communities where they may share a song, story, or just play a game.
American Heart Association: Each year, Lower Schoolers participate in a Jump Rope for Heart event through their physical education classes. Students raise funds to support the American Heart Association and maintain active, healthy bodies by jumping rope.
“ This is a partnership and the benefits are mutual. The organization is benefiting from our volunteer time. We’re benefiting because we are becoming stronger community members and learning what it means to be a resident of the Twin Cities and Minnesota.”
-DavidAhrens’18,UpperSchoolServiceCouncilmember
43 BRECK PARTNER SITES
Second Harvest Heartland West
Academy of Whole Learning
Andersen United Community School
Atrebla Early Learning Center
Bdote Learning Center
Benedictine Health Center of Minneapolis
Harvest Prep / Best Prep
Bright Water Montessori School
Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery
East Side Neighborhood Services Inc.
FOCUS Minnesota
Gandhi Mahal Interfaith Garden
Little Kitchen Food Shelf
Harbor Light Salvation Army
HCMC Food Shelf
Jefferson Community School
Lyndale Elementary School
Jones-Harrison Residence
La Creche Early Childhood Center
The Loppet Foundation
Mary T Wellcome Child Center
Arc’s Value Village Thrift Store & Donation Center
Midtown Greenway Coalition
St. Stephen’s
New Hope YMCA
Catholic Charities Northside Child Development Center
Agape Child Development Center
Opportunity Partners
PICA Fraser
Pica Head Start
Pillsbury Early Education Center
PRISM (People Responding In Social Ministry)
Prodeo Academy
Bethune Community School
Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion Elementary School
Second Harvest Heartland West
The Sheridan Story - Fighting Child Hunger
Family Partnership
Twin Cities Childcare Center
University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital
I work for the American Refugee Committee (ARC), a 21st century humanitarian organization. Through expertise in health care, protection, shelter, sanitation, emergency response, and other areas, ARC provides services to help displaced persons survive conflict and crisis and rebuild lives of dignity and self-sufficiency. ARC has a staff of over 2,000 and operates in 11 countries, spanning from Africa to Asia to the Middle East.
ARC is all about amazing global citizens taking action to change the world. I am part of the Development and Communications team at ARC focused on exactly that — helping to find and create meaningful pathways for amazing people to engage with our work and be part of the solution with us. Whether it is through an event like our annual gala or a program like an ideas competition, I love connecting with others and finding ways to work together.
2. What do you enjoy most about your career?
My favorite part of my job is traveling to our field programs! Last year, I traveled to two refugee settlements in southwest Uganda to help host the World Refugee Day 5k Run, a first of its kind event celebrating refugees everywhere through sports and play. Within these settlements I discovered a world of abundance with more strength, resilience, warmth, joy, and talent than I can describe. It was a life-changing experience, and I’m looking forward to future opportunities to get to know our other programs around the world.
3. Was there anyone or anything at Breck influential in putting you on your path?
I always knew I wanted to work closely with people in my career, but it wasn’t until high school that I realized I wanted to do that in an international setting. I owe so much of that to Señora Raths (Harrison), who always encouraged me to get out and see as much of the world as possible.
4. What advice would you give to a Breck student today?
Don’t be afraid to try new things and have an open mind!
1. Tell us about your career and what you are doing now?
In a diplomatic career spanning three decades and five continents, I assisted American citizens in need, managed increasingly large organizations, negotiated with foreign governments, promoted American business, represented American foreign policy interests, and engaged in public diplomacy. Today, I am retired and am pleased to finally feel part of a community and devote myself to supporting opera houses and museums as a patron of a number of “Friends” organizations in Berlin and elsewhere in Europe.
2. What did you enjoy most about your career?
What I enjoyed most about my career was helping other people, whether on an individual or a collective basis. Some highlights included supporting civil society organizations combating the influence of organized crime in southern Italy by giving young entrepreneurs a forum to network and engage directly with at-risk youth; organizing the evacuations of hundreds of employees and family members from Indonesia after the Bali bombing in 2002 and from Morocco before the Gulf War in 1991; and giving children from a mafia-dominated milieu their first regular contact with Americans and hope for a way of life that did not involve crime.
3. Was there anyone or anything at Breck influential in putting you on your path?
Breck fostered in me a healthy curiosity in the world around me, instilled the values necessary to respect and negotiate fairly with foreign interlocutors, and provided the tools of critical thinking and communication required for persuasion, compromise, and mutual understanding. I entered Breck in the fifth grade, having already begun the study of French and German at an experimental grammar school; Breck enabled me to continue French immediately and to take up German again a few years later. The linguistic facility, which language study at an early age afforded me, enhanced my ability to excel at significantly harder languages (Korean, Bulgarian, Arabic) as my career advanced, and was doubtless a determining factor in my choice of career in the first place.
4. What advice would you give to a Breck student?
I hope your Breck experience has above all instilled in you an appreciation for lifelong learning. Hard as it may seem now, there will come a day all too soon when you will have forgotten the formulas you memorized for that last science exam or the capitals of states and countries that now seem second nature. But if you have mastered the basic techniques of research and whetted your intellectual curiosity, you will have no problem relearning what you have forgotten and going beyond a superficial understanding of a topic to achieve an in-depth one.
J. Patrick Truhn ’72: J. Patrick Truhn ’72: J. Patrick Truhn ’72: J. Patrick Truhn
After 10 years working in Washington, D.C., for the federal government: six years on Capitol Hill for two U.S. Senators and four years in the Obama Administration, I transitioned to the nonprofit world. I recently became the National Director of Policy and Partnerships for an organization called Educators for Excellence (E4E), a teacher-led organization working to elevate the voice of teachers in education policy so that together we can achieve educational equity.
2. What inspired you to pursue this career?
My family has inspired me to pursue my career. Growing up, I saw the value of public service and education everyday through the actions of my family who always challenged me to identify a problem in our world and figure out a way to solve it. As a result, a sense of responsibility and desire to work toward equity and to create social change was instilled in me at an early age and has been the catalyst to my career in politics and public service.
3. Was there anyone or anything at Breck influential in putting you on your path?
The value and importance of giving back was one that was instilled in me even before attending Breck; however, the fact that service learning was a part of our everyday life at Breck, and was made to be a part of our biweekly schedule, reinforced the importance and added to the creation of a lasting habit for me and helped shape my personal mission — to strive to create environments that advance equity and opportunity for the most disadvantaged.
4. What advice would you give to a Breck student today?
My advice to a Breck student today is to enjoy learning a lot of different things and don’t feel pressured to focus your sights on only one thing. You never know what will come your way if you remain open to the possibilities.
ALUMNI NETWORKING AND SPEAKERS SERIES
The Breck community is invited to our next Alumni Networking and Speaker Series featuring four members of our alumni and parent community. From Major League Soccer to sports journalism, hear from these leading professionals on how the sports industry is growing and evolving in today’s society. Speakers include:
Hardeman-Jones ’98:
Brian Costello ’92 Director, Digital Media/ Editor-In-Chief, Portland Timbers
Michael Proman ’99 Managing Director, North America, Fancam, and Current Breck Parent
Dimitrios Efstathiou ’96 Senior Vice President, Major League Soccer
Steve Silton Moderator, Cozen O’Connor and Current Breck Parent
Thursday, May 3, 2018 | 5:30 pm
Brookview Community Center - Valley Room 316 Brookview Parkway | Golden Valley, MN
breckschool.org/annual-fund
1980
Paul Williams, an alum of the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota, was featured in the school’s magazine this fall. Paul was the recipient of the University’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2017. He currently serves as the CEO of Project for Pride in Living.
alumni news
1951
Terence Wilson is still enjoying memories and benefits from his Breck years. Terry lives in St. Louis Park.
1985
In December Dr. Homer Venters ’85 was in Bangladesh working with Physicians for Human Rights to document cases of Rohingya refugees.
Mark those calendars!
Super Troopers 2 starring Erik Stolhanske ’87 arrives in theaters on April 20.
1990
Congratulations to Ty Thayer and his wife Betsy on the birth of their daughter Matilda Starz Thayer. She was born on March 14.
1994
The Economist quoted John Myers in its recent article, “Colombia’s future involves fewer terrorists and more eco tourists.” John currently serves as Leader of Strategic Partnerships for World Wildlife Foundation in Colombia.
A herd of Mustangs was spotted on the ice on Lake Minnetonka in January! The team was made up of eight alums: Tony Jewett ’94, Jim Dahl ’99, John Adams ’01, C.J. Nibbe ’01, Matt Rogers ’95, Paul Drawz ’92, Sam Rogers ’99, and Matt Drawz ’94 participated in the 2018 North American Pond Hockey Tournament. They received runner-up honors in the 35+ division.
1995
Steve McKeon was recently on CNBC discussing crypto tokenization. Steve is an associate professor of Economics at the University of Oregon. Last fall, Steve served as speaker for the 2nd Annual #Blockchain event for the Wall Street Education Day program.
1997
Congratulations to Dream the Combine, a Minneapolis-based architectural design firm founded by Breck alumna Jennifer Newsom Carruthers ’97 and her husband Tom Carruthers. The firm has been selected to build the 2018 MoMA PS1 Pavilion in Queens, New York.
1997
Dan and Erin Kudanovych welcomed Ruby and Hugo on November 2. Ruby was born first weighing in at 6 lbs, 2 oz, and Hugo joined 5 minutes later at 6 lbs flat. While they have had many sleepless nights over the past several weeks, the twins are happy, healthy and growing fast!
MLK Day
Rachel Hardeman, Ph.D., ’98 and Annie McFarland ’15 joined Breck Upper School students for the annual MLK Day Symposium. Rachel and Annie talked with students about the future of women and people of color in STEM fields.
1999
William Wells came back to campus on February 28 to talk to Upper School students about careers in art and architecture.
1999
Current Breck parent, Mike Proman , was featured in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal in December. Mike, who is the Managing Director of South Africa-based FanCam, has been instrumental in the expansion of the company’s presence in high-profile venues locally (i.e., Xcel Energy Center, Target Field, etc.) and across the country. The technology includes venues being outfitted with high-powered cameras for content purposes along with facial recognition/ analytical tools to enhance the fan experience.
Annual Thailand Trip
Breck teachers Evan Jones ’86, Sarah Flotten ’85 , and Annalisa Tester ’10 met up with Madi Lommen ’15 on the annual Thailand service trip in March.
1998
In January, Sara Marsh made her directorial debut in the play “The Maids,” a production she also starred in.
1998
Stefan Krasowski and Mike McKeon are planning the 20-Year Reunion for the Class of 1998. Save the date for the weekend of August 4.
1998
Simone Hardeman-Jones and her husband Chris Jones welcomed their first child, Leo Wesley Jones, on September 12.
1998
Mike and Kelly McKeon are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Emily. She was born on January 2 and weighed 6 lbs and 6 oz. Her namesake is Emily, MN, where her parents met.
2002
Sacha Haworth and Will Mitchell were married October 28 at the Woodend Audubon Sanctuary and Mansion in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She is now working for House Majority PAC, a super PAC focused on electing Democrats to the House of Representatives. The wedding party included Sacha’s brother George Haworth ’07 and Ashley Kokal McCarthy ’02
alumni news
2000
The 2017 Twin Cities Film Festival featured Coyote, a film by director and Breck alumnus Thomas Simmons Coyote details how a troubled youth, Mike Plant, whose exploits were well-known in the Lake Minnetonka area, went on to become one of America’s most decorated yachtsmen. In his final voyage in October 1992, Mike left port in New York destined for France where he was set to compete for the second time in the Vendee Globe Challenge — a nonstop single-handed yachting race around the globe. He never reached his destination. In November of that year, Plant’s 60-foot yacht, Coyote, was discovered capsized, but its captain was never found. The story is a personal one for Thomas. Mike Plant was his uncle. After Breck, Thomas graduated from the University of St. Thomas. He worked in finance in San Francisco and then decided to pursue a more artistic passion and bring his uncle’s story to life.
2002
Major Meredith Benson Doran was selected by the U.S. Air Force to attend a one year full-time Masters Program starting August 2018 at the National Intelligence University in Bethesda, MD. She recently led a 55-person unit located in the United Kingdom for peacetime and contingency functions to include current intelligence and threat analysis supporting United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa.
2002
Meredith and Andrew Hanson are proud to announce the birth of their son, Jack Theodore Hanson. Jack was born May 30, 2017.
2004
In 2016, Liam O’Hagan founded Youth Global Outreach (YouGo). YouGo is a Minnesota registered nonprofit corporation that specializes in leadership, teamwork and life skills development in partnership with The John R. Wooden Course and Stanford University. It is offering an exclusive summer experience held at Stanford University for students age 13-17. Participants live on campus in student residences, pursue valuable enrichment courses, learn from brilliant Stanford and Silicon Valley leaders, are mentored by Stanford scholars, and experience the most innovative environment in the world. To learn more about the experience go to YouGoLead.com.
2005
Alex Frécon was featured on Kare11 News on his trip last year to North Korea. Alex is currently a copywriter with Solve.
2007
Paul Grandstrand was recently named President of the Board of Directors for Friends of Brown University Men’s Soccer.
2009
Actor Nick Peine’s new show, “A.P. Bio,” debuted on NBC in February. The show airs on Thursday nights at 7:30 pm CST.
2009
Inspired by classic, timeless designs, Anne Whiting is pushing for sustainable fashion with the launch of her new clothing line, Anne James.
2009
Congratulations to Rachel and Emily Gerhardt on the birth of their son, Lynden Oliver. He was born on March 10.
2009
Erin Conlin is in her third year of law school at the University of Minnesota. Erin was featured in the school’s magazine in the fall. She is a member of the National Moot Court Competition Team, tutors students in legal writing, and serves as student director of the Civil Practice Clinic. After graduation she will begin work at Briggs and Morgan as a civil litigator.
Alums at Grandparents’ Day
2008
Members of the Class of 2008 living in New York gathered this fall. The event was orchestrated by Marjan Riazi Marge is in the masters program at the Carter School of Journalism at NYU.
Members of the Class of 2017 gathered at Breck on Grandparents’ Day (front row, l-r): Madeline Sargent, Helene Kim, Pilar Burgess; (back row): Avi Eller, Matt Carroll, Jack Johnson, Reed Goldstein, Gordy Rudd, Ben Turner, Hans Lundsgaard
The Mirviss sisters: Rachel ’19, Michelle ’19, Sophie ’14, and Hannah ’16
Tom Erdmann ’11, Claire Drysdale ’14
International Students
Charlie Li ’12, Sung Wan Huh ’17, Sung Rim Huh ’15, Julien He ’17, Maxwell Miao ’15, Stacy Yuan ’17, and Rustam Kosherbay ’15 visited their Breck host families over Thanksgiving break. Retired faculty member Margaret Wong caught up with the group over brunch. (Kosherbay not pictured)
alumni news
2014
Emily Colwell , a senior at Wooster, was featured in an article on the college’s website about its Poverty Outreach Program. The program intentionally brings community members together to get to know one another with the aim to improve relationships between students and the broader community. Emily has been an active member of the effort for three years.
2015
Madi Lommen will serve on the young professionals panel at the 2018 Team Women Leadership Conference on May 11.
2015
In February, Kwaku Bodum and teammates won the Entrepreneurship Competition at Carleton College.
2015
Leah Schwartzman is playing hockey for Hamline University.
2016
In January, Chase Ellingson committed to play hockey for the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. The centerman is currently playing for the Des Moines Buccaneers.
2017
Garrett Opperman was named to the All-Freshman Team by College Soccer News for the fall season at Northwestern.
2010
Callan Mary Dodge deBruyn and Brett Wilson Freeland were married on October 7 in a picture-perfect wedding at The Beltane Ranch in Glen Ellen, CA. Callan and Brett met at Breck and dated through high school and their years at Northeastern University in Boston. Mary (Maisie) Dodge deBruyn ’19 was the Maid of Honor and Bryan Freeland, Brett’s brother, was the Best Man. The wedding party also included Somer Drummond ’10, Katherine Paulsen ’10, and Elliot deBruyn ’08. Other Mustangs in attendance were Cameron Soojian ’10, Nina Eyres ’19, and Claire Bretzke ’01 . Callan is working at U.S. Wine Transportation in business development. Brett is working at BevSource as a supply chain manager. The couple and their dog, Luna, are living in Golden Valley.
Homecoming Weekend
2018 September 20- 22
Annual Meeting of the Breck Alumni Association
Save the date - Monday, May, 7 at 6:00 pm at Brookview Community Center.
2018 Distinguished Alumni Award
Nominations are still being accepted for the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award. Please send nominations to michelle.olmstead@breckschool.org.
Volunteer
Interested in being a Breck Alumni Volunteer? Contact Michelle Geo Olmstead, alumni relations director, at 763-381-8278 or alumni@breckschool.org to learn more.
IN MEMORIAM
Boniat
Retired faculty member
John Twiss Richter ’41 passed away on November 10 at the age of 94. He was an active member of the Breck Alumni Association. John was committed to bettering the lives of others, which was exemplified by his attaining the rank of Eagle Scout, his service in Europe during WWII, and his wholehearted commitment to Rotary. Whether bringing together people in support of bells for a vacant St. Mark’s Cathedral bell tower or creating Breads of the World flours for area stores through his family business, Brechet & Richter Company, John was a forward-thinking problemsolver. He will be remembered for his leadership in making the lakes and parks of Hennepin County accessible to
everyone, and in building a network of safe bike paths around city lakes. He served on numerous boards and commissions including the Hennepin County Bicycle Advisory Commission and Volunteers of America. John dedicated years to airport noise reduction, serving on multiple committees addressing the issue. With his wife, Martha, he traveled the world with the intention of engaging with and learning from all cultures and people. He will be missed by a large family and many friends. His wish would be for others to dedicate themselves to a cause for which they are passionate.
FALL: BRECK ATHLETES WRAP UP SUCCESSFUL TEAM-BUILDING SEASON
Highlights: Girls Swim and Dive places 4th at MSHSL State Meet; Saylor Hawkins ’19 takes Class A State Dive championship; Boys Soccer, Girls Tennis fall in section final
Cross Country
The boys team won the Tiger Invitational at the College of St. Catherine with Finn Salveson ’19 taking 4th place and Blaine Madson ’18 taking 5th. Blaine Madson ’18 and Finn Salveson ’19 won All-Conference awards. Team awards went to Colin Dlugosch ’20 and Maddie Silton ’18 (MIP), Finn Salveson ’19 and Taylor Phillips ’18 (MVP), Christian Peterson ’19 and Taylor Phillips ’18 (Mustanger).
Football
The football team started off the season with three straight wins against Columbia Heights, Minneapolis South, and Concordia Academy. They added two more at the end of the season with wins over St. Paul Harding and St. Paul Humboldt. The team will lose a few key players, but the core group will return for another year. David Roddy ’19, Ethan Guell ’19, Elijah Zackery ’19, and Ryan Stafford ’18 won All-Conference awards. Gavin Hopping ’18, Isaac Luten ’18, Josh Roddy ’18, and Alex McKenna ’20 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Cole Helgaas ’19 (MIP), Isaac Luten ’18 (Mustanger), and David Roddy ’19 (MVP).
Jefferson Slocum
Linden Olness ’18 with his first-grade buddy
Leyton Dewing ’29
Boys Soccer
The boys soccer team made another great run this year by reaching the section final game. The team won three games against top five teams (Blake, Orono, and Rochester Lourdes). They lost a very exciting section final game, but will look toward another great season as many of the players will be returning. Head coach George Stuempfig was named to the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame for his continued support and contributions to the soccer community. Hudson Haecker ’19, Eric Smits ’19, and Josh Taylor ’19 won All-Conference awards. Zack Levy ’18, Will Surucu ’20, and Will Torgerson ’18 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Will Surucu ’20 (MIP), Jimmy McGlynn ’19 (Mustanger), and Will Torgerson ’18 (MVP). Eric Smits ’19 was also an All-State award winner.
Girls Soccer
The team improved this year under new head coach Jeremy Driver. They defeated Academy of Holy Angels, Minnehaha Academy, and Mound Westonka during the season. The team will lose a few key players but will return most of the top players in the fall. Kaitlyn MacBean ’20, Taylor Nelson ’20, and Margie Johnston ’18 won AllConference awards. Hannah Pohlidal ’21 and Luci McGlynn ’18 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Jennie Ehlert ’20 (MIP), Nina Eyres ’19 (Mustanger), and Kaitlyn MacBean ’20 (MVP). Kaitlyn MacBean ’20 also received a 2nd team All-State award.
Girls Swim & Dive
The girls swim & dive team had another big year by taking second overall at the Hutchinson Invitational, and fifth overall at the Minnetonka Invitational, where Breck was the only Class A team in the field. The team took 5th place at the True Team State competition and were the Section 2A Champions for the sixth year in a row. The team also took 4th at the MSHSL State Meet, and Saylor Hawkins ’19 was the Class A State Dive champion. Five school records were broken: diving 6 and 11 dives by Saylor Hawkins ’19, 200 Freestyle by Katelin Phelps ’21, 100 Breaststroke by Stella Urness ’21 and the Medley Relay by Katelin Phelps ’21, Stella Urness ’21, Maggie Broyles ’20, and Ellie Wanninger ’18. Ellie Wanninger signed a National Letter of Intent for women’s swimming at Pepperdine University in California. Head coach, Michelle Carlson and assistant coach Karen McHugh won the Section 2A Head Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year awards. Saylor Hawkins ’19 also won the Section 2A Diver of the Year award. Team awards went to Willow Milchman ’21 (MIP), Sam Detor ’20 (Mustanger), and Saylor Hawkins ’19 (MVP). All-State awards went to Maggie Broyles ’20, Maisie Dodge ’19, Saylor Hawkins ’19, Katelin Phelps ’21, Stella Urness ’21, and Ellie Wanninger ’18
Hudson Haecker ’19
Taylor Nelson ’20
Girls Tennis
The team defeated top teams in Eden Prairie, St. Louis Park, Benilde-St. Margaret’s, and Eastview. The team lost in the section final but will be excited to have the majority of the team back in the fall. Head coach Anne Gorde and assistant coach Merrill Harris won the Section 4A Head Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year awards.
Paige Olowu ’18, Sophia Martin ’19, Josie Fernandez ’19, Ally Hogan ’21, and Bristol Engelsma ’21 won All-Conference awards.
Alayna Simonds ’18 and Amelia Simonds ’18 won All-Conference Honorable Mention. Team awards went to Alex Kozikowski, ’21 (MIP), Anna Beaty ’20 (Mustanger), and Sophia Martin ’19 (MVP).
Volleyball
The volleyball team improved throughout the year and took top IMAC teams Providence Academy and Minnehaha Academy to 5 game sets. The team will return a core set of players for the fall. Riley Walsh ’21 won an All-Conference award. Sydney Umanah ’19 and Thea Wallace ’20 won All-Conference Honorable Mention awards. Team awards went to Kylie Pha ’18 (MIP), Livia Reader ’18 (Mustanger), and Riley Walsh ’21 (MVP).
Take State! Mustangs
WINTER: BRECK ATHLETES WRAP UP SUCCESSFUL TEAM-BUILDING SEASON
Highlights: Boys Swim and Dive repeats as state champions; Girls Hockey team takes Class A State Championship; Alpine Skiers, Gymnasts advance to MSHSL State Meets
Gabby Billing ’18
Girls Hockey
The Breck girls hockey team capped off a successful season by winning the Class A MSHSL State Championship with an exciting 3-2 overtime victory against Warroad. The team will lose a few seniors to graduation, but the majority of the players will be back to defend their state title. IMAC AllConference Honorable Mention awards went to Ashley Halverson ’20, Sadie Lindsay ’21, Ally Qualley ’20, and Emily Zumwinkle ’21 Carly Beniek ’19, Gabby Billing ’18, Olivia Mobley ’20, and Katherine Solohub ’19 received IMAC All-Conference honors. Team awards went to Shae Messner ’22 (MIP), Luci McGlynn ’18 (Mustanger), Gabby Billing ’18 (MVP), and Olivia Mobley ’20 (MVP). Gabby Billing ’18, Ella Brophy ’19, Olivia Mobley ’20, Katherine Solohub ’19, and Emily Zumwinkle ’21 were named to the Class A MSHSL State All-Tournament team. Ally Frantzick ’19 and Ally Qualley ’20 were named All-State Honorable Mention and Gabby Billing ’18, Olivia Mobley ’20, and Katherine Solohub ’19 were named All-State honorees.
Boys Swim and Dive
The boys swim and dive team finished a highly successful season by repeating as Class A MSHSL State champions. The team also defeated St. Thomas Academy in the regular season and finished 1st at the True Team State meet and the Section 2A meet. The 200 Yard Medley Relay team broke the Class A record with a 1:33.60 time and also had All-American Considerations. Relay swimmers included Anderson Breazeale ’19, James Pan ’22, Spencer Pruett ’19 (Blake), and Julian Frerichs ’18 Anderson Breazeale ’19 also won the 100 Yard Backstroke at the state meet with a time of 0:50.45, which was also an All-American Consideration. The team will lose one senior to graduation so the team is looking forward to carrying their momentum into next season. Team awards went to Thiago Xifra ’19 (MIP), Colin Bynum ’21 (Mustanger), and Anderson Breazeale ’19 (MVP). All-State honors went to Anderson Breazeale ’19, Thayer Breazeale ’19, Dylan Brown ’19, Colin Bynum ’21, Julian Frerichs ’18, Luke Hamlin ’19, James Pan ’22, and Niels Wu ’20.
Anderson Breazeale ’19
Alpine Ski
The team capped off an exciting season by sending four participants to the MSHSL State Meet at Giant’s Ridge in Biwabik, MN. State participants included Lindsey Fernandez ’19, Deirdre O’Neill ’19, Andrew Shideman ’18, and Sam Shideman ’21. Sam finished in 3rd place, Deirdre in 8th, and Andrew in 12th. IMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention awards went to Matthew Ahrens ’18, Kate Clark ’18, Cade O’Neill ’18, and Kendall Riskevich ’19. Lindsey Fernandez ’19, Deirdre O’Neill ’19, Andrew Shideman ’18, and Sam Shideman ’21 earned IMAC All-Conference honors. Team awards went to Anders Dean ’22 (MIP), Sydney Bispala ’21 (MIP), Max McKoy ’20 (Mustanger), Kendall Riskevich ’19 (Mustanger), Andrew Shideman ’18 (MVP), and Deirdre O’Neill ’19 (MVP). All-State honors were awarded to Deirdre O’Neill ’19, Andrew Shideman ’18, and Sam Shideman ’21
Boys Basketball
The boys basketball team had a strong showing this winter defeating tough teams in Centennial, Walden Grove (AZ), Braham, and Maranatha, and advancing to the section semifinal game. The team also had very close games between top basketball teams in Minnehaha Academy, Brooklyn Center, Orono, and Wayzata. IMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention awards went to Joey Ganley ’19, Eric McDavid ’18, and Jefferson Slocum ’18 David Roddy ’19 and Josh Roddy ’18 earned All-Conference honors. Team awards went to Josh Roddy ’18 (MIP) and Jefferson Slocum ’18 (MIP), Eric McDavid ’18 (Mustanger), and David Roddy ’19 (MVP).
Allie Murphy ’21
Girls Basketball
The girls basketball team won their first three games of the season against PACT Charter, St. Paul Harding, and Brooklyn Center. They also defeated MPA and SPA during the season. The team will lose key seniors but the core group will return next season. IMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention awards went to Keely Conroy ’18, Mikayla Ennevor ’18, Paige Olowu ’18, and Taylor Phillips ’18 Allie Murphy ’21 received All-Conference honors. Team awards went to Ava Raffel ’20 (MIP), Taylor Phillips ’18 (Mustanger), and Allie Murphy ’21 (MVP).
Eric McDavid ’18
Gymnastics
The gymnastics team had a great season this year by winning the MGGOA bronze division and taking fourth place at the Luau. The Breck gymnastics team peaked at the right time by scoring their season high with a 138.85 and taking 2nd place as a team in the Section 5A meet. Three of the gymnasts placed in the top ten in the All-Around competition: Saylor Hawkins ’19, Katie Raffel ’19, and Kiwi Sundeen ’18. Kiwi qualified for the state individual meet for floor and beam and Saylor qualified on bars and beam. Team awards went to Erin Duggan ’21 (MIP) and Kiwi Sundeen ’18 (Mustanger and MVP).
Nordic Ski
The Nordic ski team added some new skiers this year and, as the season went on, the team became stronger. With just a few graduating seniors, the team is looking to their younger skiers to move up and take them to a successful season next year. Zack Levy ’18 was named IMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention. Team awards went to Drew Hofer ’19 (MIP) and Nora Kushner ’22 (MIP); David Ahrens ’18 (Mustanger) and Louise Kim ’19 (Mustanger); Zack Levy ’18 (MVP) and Maya Czeneszew ’18 (MVP).
Boys Hockey
The boys hockey team ended with a successful section tournament by defeating two higher seeds in Delano and Mound-Westonka to reach the section final. The team will graduate a large senior class, but the young players are ready to step up and lead on to another successful season. IMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention awards went to Matthew Conroy ’19, Blaine Madson ’18, Brendan Madson ’18, and Justin Paschke ’18 Beau Courneya ’21, Nick Strom ’18, and Will Torgerson ’18 won IMAC All Conference honors. Team awards went to Blaine Madson ’18 (MIP) and Cade Berman ’21 (MIP), Blaine Madson ’18 (Mustanger), and Nick Strom ’18 (MVP).
WORDS OF WISDOM
LIFE EXPERIENCES CAN LEAVE US WITH LESSONS TO BE SHARED. IN THIS SERIES, WE HEAR WORDS OF WISDOM FROM MEMBERS OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
Homer Venters ’85 is the director of programs for Physicians for Human Rights. In this role, he oversees research, investigations, monitoring and evaluation, documentation, advocacy, and capacity-building projects and supervises work ranging from PHR’s U.S. Asylum Network to international programs focused on documenting and addressing sexual violence and mass killings. He is also a faculty member at NYU’s School of Medicine, where he focuses on the health impact of security practices of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Prior to his work with PHR, he led health services in the New York City jail system.
APPRECIATE HISTORY — IT CAN REALLY BE EXCITING. Because of Breck, I developed a love for history and politics. Taking AP U.S. History was a great class that helped me dig into the real-life experiences of people removed by distance or time. When history can humanize the experiences of other people, it’s really exciting.
IT'S OKAY TO BE A LATE BLOOMER. I didn’t go to medical school right out of college, I wasn’t a fantastic student in college, and I was constantly underperforming in French. It’s all going to be okay.
DISCOVER YOUR PASSION AND MAKE THAT YOUR CAREER. School can bring a lot of expectations and a lot of pressure. If you figure out how to stay open to things that really light your fire, you should think seriously about how to make that part of your career.
IT IS INCREDIBLY REWARDING TO BE WORKING WITH PEOPLE NO MATTER HOW DIRE THE STRAITS.
After spending time in northern Iraq with the Yazidi and in Bangladesh with the Rohingya, I’ve come into contact with a lot of people who have suffered mass crimes. In Iraq, we’re training local doctors and other health professionals to document sexual violence and torture and support the survivors themselves. Working and collaborating with survivors of mass crimes that should be investigated as genocide is important. The pursuit of the accountability and justice can take quite a while but it’s rewarding to be part of.
THERE’S A LOT ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD THAT CAN BE DEHUMANIZING.
I THINK THERE CAN BE SOMETHING QUITE NORMALIZING AND CONNECTING. When we think about the kids who are refugees from Syria or the Rohingya kids in Bangladesh, we see those experiences as tough and horrible. Our situation in the U.S. has opened up our lives to the day-to-day problems for people all over the world — problems that have been going on for a long, long time. Kids have a good sense of how they or their experiences relate to what other kids are experiencing.
IT’S GOOD THAT OUR KIDS UNDERSTAND THE REALITIES OF OTHER KIDS THEIR AGE. I believe it is important for kids to understand from kids who aren’t like them or have the same privileges as them that there are very real and tough realities out there. Content that is accessed by kids can be dehumanizing. Parents should consider saying, “We should think about what allowed this to happen and think about a way we can make a difference,” as opposed to just saying it isn’t on the radar so we aren’t going to talk about it.
WORK TO UNDERSTAND THE DAILY LIVES OF OTHERS. We can always acquire new skills but what is really important is being open to perspectives of others. When I’ve been in Iraq, we have people from Baghdad who are Shia, people from Mosul who are Sunni, we have Kurds, people working on behalf of the Yazidi, many different cultural, linguistic, ethnic, and political frames, and then to come in as an American makes it one of the exciting parts of my work. It is always evolving and it takes an openness to not know. There is so much we have left to learn.
OUR SUCCESSES AND FAILURES ARE CONNECTED TO THE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES OF OTHERS. We don’t always go in the same direction. I think that when we have success that is based, in part, on the failures or sufferings of others, they are short-term victories. We may not see it over a generation, but over two, three, four, we sure do. Similarly, when we have hard times here, when we have struggles personally, as a community, or as a country — when we fail to see how those difficulties are tethered to the plight of others, then, again, we are going to have a short-lived and hollow impact on figuring out how to make things better for ourselves. The struggles of other people are connected to our own struggles. We can only figure out lasting peace and prosperity by understanding how it is linked to the lives of others.
Synapse Shots brought to you by:
The Power of Retrieval Practice
What is retrieval practice?
Retrieval practice is the act of trying to recall information when it isn’t directly in front of you. In other words, you are trying to retrieve information stored in your brain.
As social human beings, we use retrieval practice every day without even noticing it. When you try recalling what’s on your calendar or the day’s top news story, you may work to pull the information from your memory before checking your calendar or a news source to see if you were right. You just used the learning strategy of retrieval practice.
You might be asking yourself, “If this is retrieval practice, what’s so powerful about it?”
The answer lies in the research. Students have been using retrieval practice regularly for generations: the simple use of flashcards is, effectively, one way to use retrieval practice.
Recently, the field of Mind, Brain, and Education has shown that retrieval practice is not only powerful, it might be the most powerful method to consolidating (sticking) information in your memory when compared to any other method (i.e., re-reading text or reviewing study guides). Here are four of many ways you might see the use of retrieval practice within Breck classrooms that you can do at home, too.
Low-stakes quizzes. Quizzes like these often carry little to no weight for a student’s grade and are conducted regularly throughout the year.
Flashcards. Whether online or on paper, flashcards are an effective way to study, if done correctly. Instead of just reviewing flashcards, quickly flipping from front to back, take the time to actively recall the information and use the answer on the back to confirm or correct your memory.
Brain Dump Writing. In this exercise, students are asked to take out a sheet of paper and write down as much information about a specific topic as possible. The act of pulling any and all information out helps them retain the information and also shows the teacher where gaps may exist in students’ knowledge of a concept.
Think-Pair-Share. When studying in a group, spend a moment individually reflecting on a topic or question, pair up with another person to talk through your reflections, then share with the entire group. In this scenario, someone may have remembered different information than you, helping cement information in your memory for the future. This reduces anxiety by giving you time to hone your thoughts in reflection and with a partner before having to share with the group.
Bottom Line:
By asking ourselves to pull information out as opposed to put concepts in, content sticks in our brains for the long-term. Take the time to struggle to recall. The more you practice and work, the better it will stick in your memory.
SUMMER PROGRAMS
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Natalia Rico Hernández, Ed.D. EDITOR
Stacy Glaus
DESIGN
Brenda Janisch-Hoban
WRITERS
Tina Fourniea, Stacy Glaus, Michelle Geo Olmstead
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ryan Flanders, Tina Fourniea, David Guell, Brenda Janisch-Hoban, Lauren Kiesel, Karen Muller, Michelle Geo Olmstead, Karyl Rice, Sara Rubinstein, Nan Zosel PRINTING
Bolger Vision Beyond Print
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.
Breck School is committed to environmental stewardship. This publication is printed on paper manufactured with a minimum of 10% postconsumer recovered fiber.
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.
UBI CARITAS
Breck students extended their tradition of singing the alma mater after student events to singing of chapel songs from the student section at winter athletic games. This year’s repertoire featured chapel favorites such as Ubi Caritas. At All-School chapel in February, Breck seniors Linden Olness, Jefferson Slocum — along with first-grade buddy Benjamin Thompson — and Alex McFarland (l-r) led students in the song one more time.
