Brewster Winter 2020 Issue

Brewster

B R E W S T E R’S B I C E N T E N N I A L

THE MAGAZINE OF BREWSTER ACADEMY WINTER 2020

SPECIAL EDITION

B I CE NT E NNI A L V I S I O N “Ray of Hope” Photo by Steve Burgess

An Important Message ABOUT THE MAGAZINE IN YOUR HANDS

WHEN PRODUCTION ON THIS ISSUE BEGAN, THE CLASS OF 2019 HAD JUST CELEBRATED ITS GRADUATION, WE WERE PLANNING A HUGE BICENTENNIAL REUNION, AND NO ONE HAD HEARD OF COVID-19.

We decided to roll our Summer 2019 issue into one single, phenomenal double issue to celebrate Brewster’s 200th birthday, and set about creating pages that showcased the life and spirit of Brewster’s 2019-2020 school year—packed with nostalgia and beautiful imagery of the place we all love—as a special treat to you, the readers.

Then the pandemic touched us all. It was early 2020, and though work on this special issue was winding down and we were getting excited to go to press, our team had to turn its attention to researching and implementing COVID-19 safety protocols, supporting our faculty as they began Brewster Online, and fulfilling the needs of students who were hurting deeply as they missed out on the fun and traditions of their Senior Spring.

But the heart and hard work that went into this special Bicentennial issue remained, and we’ve decided to share it as planned, albeit several months delayed. Please know that the contents of this issue reflect a pre-pandemic Brewster. You won’t see masks or social distancing.

We will address the important topics of our current reality—including how our Class of 2020 fared, how Brewster has thrived in reopening, and how our community has responded with renewed fervor to the social justice issues exposed in 2020—in our next issue. For now, we hope you’ll enjoy the stories on these pages. Perhaps they will remind us of good times ahead. Be well. —Suzanne Morrissey, Editor

BE HI N D TH E S CENES : Trey Whitfield School Brooklyn, New York Photo Rob Bossi

CR A IG G E MMELL HE A D O F SCHO O L cgemmell@brewsteracademy.org

Head Lines PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

Our Past: Brewster Academy found its origins in 1820 as Wolfeborough & Tuftonborough Academy and was built on a pastoral slice of former farmland given by Daniel Pickering. Over the course of the last nearly 200 years, the school has evolved yet held firm to an essential quality: We have been and are a school dedicated to serving a diverse population.

True, we once defined diversity more narrowly and now appear to be a simulacrum of the United Nations given the many nations from which we draw students, but diversity has been in the very bones of this place since its founding, when the children of Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro’s butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers, along with its farmers and barristers and pastors, were educated under a single roof. More recently—in 1887 to be exact—John Brewster’s last will and testament dictated that “...no restrictions shall be placed upon any person desiring to attend and receive instruction from...(the) academy on account of his or her age, sex, or color, provided only he or she is of good moral character.” Yet even more recently, in the early 1990s, Brewster developed and deployed an approach to education—The Brewster Model—that established an avant-garde means of student-centered education. One of its central tenets was the need to change regularly and purposefully in service to a cognitively diverse population. This has been and is the way education should be, because ours is a world filled with stunning cognitive diversity that needs to be recognized and trained to in turn liberate the potential of individuals to affect change in service to all.

Our Present: Stepping back and looking at the cosmic unfolding of Brewster over 200 years as we celebrate its Bicentennial, I’m reminded of Einstein’s quip: “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” For while I certainly want to celebrate our 200th year through the course of the months ahead, the abiding why we celebrate matters far more to me as an educator and leader that the arbitrary number that is 200.

We celebrate because this small school has changed lives for two centuries. For two centuries. Thousands upon thousands of students have passed through our doors, walked our halls, learned, laughed, loved, been loved—and all have been changed.

We celebrate because this small school has evolved by embracing its responsibility to serve students in a changing world.

We celebrate because ours is a community that shapes the communities its members enter, causing ripples into the broader world. We celebrate because of the possibilities the future holds.

The Future: The world as we know it radiates uncertainty as cultures swerve through changes brought by technology, globalization, political

unrest, environmental degradation, population rise, on and on. Yet our school on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee is blessed with a clear, broadly understood mandate to evolve given the state of our world. Our vision statement summarizes our mandate crisply: “an approach to learning that has the exponential power to transform education, communities, and the lives of students in our care.”

We are acting vigorously and regularly on our vision, digging into our broad educational practices and refining them constantly—in and out of the classroom. In this issue, you’ll be reading about the important work happening at the Trey Whitfield School, which holds a dear place in Brewster’s heart. You’ll also learn more about the Global programs offered to Brewster students, allowing them to expand their own vision of the world with studies that take them across Europe and to the Canary Islands off the North African Coast. I hope you’ll spend time with the special Bicentennial feature, and marvel at all that has happened here.

We are also expanding our viewscape to engage ever more meaningfully and deliberately in our local communities, opening our campus to our community and in turn getting our students out into our surrounding communities here and abroad to participate alongside devoted community members in service to pressing human needs. And we are telling our rare and, we think, important story—our unique approach to serving students—to anyone and everyone who might benefit from hearing it.

As we all enjoy this historic moment that is our Bicentennial, I hope we can use the fireworks, beyond the tolling of bells, beyond the gatherings that will inevitably happen in Wolfeboro and farther afield, to reflect on both the legacy of this school and the promise of two hundred more years of Brewster in the world.

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Brewster

FEATURES

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200 Transformative Years

In this special Bicentennial issue, we explore Brewster’s unique past and take a stroll down memory lane. Please join us in the cover feature.

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42

Take a beat with us and marvel at the beauty of campus coated in snow.

Following unspeakable loss, one family forged a bond with Brewster that has lasted nearly three decades and enriched all those involved.

Winter Wonderland

The Healing

01 IMPORTANT STATEMENT ABOUT THIS ISSUE 02 HEAD LINES 06 EDITOR’S NOTE and ON THE COVER 08 CAMPUS NEWS 24 FIELD AND GOALS 64 ALUMNI NEWS V I VI VID VICO D CO LO LO R SR : S: Read Read more more about about Brewster’s Brewster’s bold bold newnew indoor indoor mural mural on Page on Page 9. 9.

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Learn more about unique, immersive study abroad opportunities as only Brewster can provide them.

Meet an alumnus living his life of purpose in academia on a global scale: Brian Ballentine ’97 shares how he has come full circle on Brewster’s teaching model in his role as a professor and administrator at a major state university.

See the World, Be of the World

Full Circle Moment

72 CLASS NOTES 80 REMEMBER WHEN?

CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

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06 TH E M AG AZ I N E O F

F RO M the EDI TOR

BREWSTER ACADEMY

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H EA D OF S CH OO L Craig N. Gemmell, Ph.D.

“Welcome.” Those two syllables have meant so much to me as I started my new role as Director of Communications here at Brewster. I’ve received many warm welcomes from my colleagues on campus and from the Wolfeboro community since arriving in April 2019. Like any Brewster newbie, I’ve had to learn what “The Ac” and “Esta” are, but more importantly, I’ve immersed myself with what makes this school unique.

Time and again parents, students, and faculty have told me, “There really is something special about Brewster.” How true. A thread of devotion to alma mater runs through this place, as does a deep sense of care for students that is present in every meeting, at every event, and in every class.

D IR EC TOR OF EXTER NA L A F FA I R S Lynne M. Palmer ED ITOR a nd D IR ECTOR OF COMMUNICATIO NS Suzanne Morrissey COMMUNICATIO NS AS S OC IATE Marta Carreño

And now, I get to say “welcome” to you, the readers. Welcome to the special Bicentennial issue of Brewster’s magazine! A true labor of love for the team here, this issue has a hearty helping of nostalgia and history in the cover feature that celebrates Brewster’s Bicentennial. Throughout the year, Head of School Craig Gemmell has reminded us that 200 years is an auspicious achievement and the perfect moment to reflect on how we plan to enhance the school’s two-century legacy. A great starting point is to be inspired by alumni who are living lives of purpose, another theme that ribbons through our pages. For this extra-large commemorative edition, we rolled the summer content right into this issue—so along with reading updates on everything from the Class of 2019’s Commencement Day to fall athletics to holiday events leading up to Winter Break, you’ll see plenty of Class Notes from your fellow Bobcats. I hope you’ll find something that interests and informs you on every page.

But most importantly, I hope you’ll let me know what you like (and don’t like!) as I take the helm of this impressive publication that was so expertly shepherded by my predecessor, Marcia Eldredge, for so many years.

CONTR IBUTOR S Liz Baker McClain, Jonny Bray, Nancy Gingras, Beth Hayes ’81, Matt Hoopes, Nancy Hughes, Kara McDuffee, Lynne M. Palmer PH OTOGR A PH Y Brewster Academy Archives, Rob Bossi, Steve Burgess, Marta Carreño, Maria Found, Phil Stiles

FOLLOW US O N S O C I A L M ED I A

D ES IGN Flannel, Inc. Brewster, The Magazine of Brewster Academy, is published twice a year and mailed to alumni, parents, and friends of Brewster Academy.

Brewster Academy 80 Academy Drive Wolfeboro, N.H. 03894

brewsteracademy.org

Again, as I’ve soaked up Brewster’s culture in my first months here, I’ve noted that the relationships formed at this school on the lake—among students finding lifelong

© 2020 Brewster Academy. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

BOA R D OF TRUST E E S 2019 – 2020 Roy C. Ballentine (Susan ’94, Brian ’97) Chair

Richard W. Blackburn (GP, Katie ’19) Estate Trustee

James C. Curvey

Yong Hak Huh ’77 Derek J. Murphy ’77

Dr. Craig N. Gemmell Ex Officio

Arthur W. Coviello Jr. Vice Chair

George J. Dohrmann III (George ’05, Geoffrey ’12)

Karen Boykin-Towns (Jasmine ’13, Trinity ’19)

Karen W. Fix (Will ’11, Keenan ’13)

Ashley Pettus (Henry ’19)

David L. Carlson ’54

Robert J. Mueller (GP, Grant ’17) Treasurer

Zachary Q. Carlile (Quinton ’20)

Gabrielle “Bri” J. Gatta Sloss ’05 President, Alumni Association

Carlos Noble ’70 Secretary Steven A. Alperin (Annee ’18, Neilie ’21) BRE WSTE R ACADE M Y

C. Richard Carlson Estate Trustee Martha Cassidy (Claire ’17)

Peter Grayson (Bradley ’14)

Candace A. Crawshaw ’64

Joan Hill (Sarah ’20)

T RUSTEE EMERITI

The Reverend Nancy Spencer Smith Estate Trustee

(GP, Christopher ’15)

Steven R. Webster (Brooke ’08, Tori ’11)

Michael Keys (Matthew ’04)

Richard Wood III (Davis ’21, George ’23)

Daniel T. Mudge (Tapley-Ann ’98, Ashley ’02)

P. Fred Gridley ’53 (Deborah ’81)

PHOTO BY MARTA CARREÑO

WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL BICENTENNIAL ISSUE

All the best,

S U ZANNE MOR R IS S E Y EDI TO R AND DIRE CTO R O F C O M M U N I C ATI O N S smorrissey@brewsteracademy.org

Brewster

friends, but also between the Brewster teams mentoring those students—are enriching for everyone here. Because I’m hoping my time as the editor and caretaker of your magazine will develop into a relationship that enriches your love of Brewster, let me tell you a bit about my path to Wolfeboro. I’m a graduate of Emory University in Atlanta, and my career in magazine journalism and communications has taken me to Iowa, North Carolina, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. As a lifelong summer resident of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, I’m thrilled to be back home full time!

I started as a writer for community newspapers and music magazines, then worked for nine years as an editor with the Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications group’s national newsstand magazines at Meredith Corporation. It was creatively fulfilling and a tremendous experience, but I felt a mid-career calling to work in education. After a short time teaching magazine editing at Drake University in Des Moines, I came back east to serve as the alumni magazine editor at The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., for several years. Most recently, I worked as the design and editorial director for UConn’s alumni and development departments. When I’m not working, I am bobbing in the water of “The Big Lake,” singing, and foisting mostly delicious homemade baked goods on friends and family.

There, now you know about me. Let me hear from you: What would you like to see more of in this magazine? How can we create something that you look forward to reading? And what has been going on in your corner of the world that Brewster’s magazine readership (that’s alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff ) might like to hear about? Please don’t be shy…reach out to me anytime with Class Notes, story ideas, photos, and feedback. The best way to catch me is email: smorrissey@ brewsteracademy.org.

O N T H E COV ER: We couldn’t think of a more fitting cover image than the bust of John Brewster by famed sculptor Daniel Chester French.

Born in Exeter, N.H. in 1850, French is remembered as the foremost American sculptor of the early 1900s. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. and the statue of John Harvard in Cambridge, Mass., are among his most notable works.

Brewster history aficionado Candace Crawhsaw ’64 (below) funded the Brewster bust’s restoration, along with many other Brewster artifacts. Today, the bust of Mr. Brewster resides in its case near the Kenison Library in the Ac building.

Cover photo by Rob Bossi

celebrating

200 Y E A RS

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08 IN THIS ISSUE’S CAMPUS NEWS SECTION, we’ve pulled together highlights of campus life and other Brewster goings-on. We’re kicking it off with a big congratulations and “wow!” to the students who completed a never-before-attempted large-scale mural project in the Ac. The brainchild of Fine Arts faculty and Community Living Parent Alicia Childers for her yearlong Advanced Art class, the bold mural proudly highlights the word “Brewster” in the school’s signature Rasmus font along a full wall in the lower level of the Ac, just below the Kenison Library.

Months of planning and prep included measuring the space to figure out the layout, conceptualizing the style and design, sketching and revising the plan, and selecting the vivid color scheme. Along the way, the Advanced Art students (Bri Brown ’19, Nana Takano ’19, Shemar Joseph ’19, Chris Martin ’19, Liv Van Orden ’19, Yoyo Shang ’20, and Judy Tang ’20) had expert guidance from in-house artist in residence John Vance. An alumni connection through Childers (who is Class of 2001) and Adam Gross ’98 brought the Portland, Oregon-based artist and art educator to the project.

“We placed emphasis on collaboration, communication, critical thinking, resilience, and leadership in this undertaking,” Childers explained, noting that Vance’s mentorship provided students an opportunity to leave a visual legacy for the community.

Students developed their technical skills and understanding of the principles of design—scale, value, hue, proportion, texture, timemanagement, and color theory. They then painted the mural on a small scale before attempting the finished piece. “We discussed how we might refine our process in order to more efficiently and effectively work together during the painting of the actual mural,” Vance explained in his blog about the project.

In the final phase, students penciled sections onto the wall, and the painting began. “Students in some of the afternoon classes and other studio art students helped out, too,” Childers said of the final push to get all the sections filled in. “The kids worked so hard to leave their mark, artistically speaking, and to have worked all year on this project shows incredible work ethic,” she noted.

“

The kids worked so hard to leave their

mark…this project shows incredible work ethic.

”

— FACULTY M E M BE R ALICIA CHI LD E R S ’01

ABOVE LEFT: Alicia Childers ’01 with some of her Advanced Art students who created the new Brewster indoor mural: (from left) Nana Takano ’19, Judy Tang ’20, Childers, and Liv Van Orden ’19.

ABOVE RIGHT: Students took great care in filling in the intricate geometric sections of the mural. OPPOSITE: Olivia Leach ’20 strikes a pose in front of the finished project.

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CAMPUS NEWS

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115 05/25/19 GRADUATES

Members of the Class of 2019, including Hunter Proulx ’19 (above), enjoyed perfect weather for their Commencement ceremony on Brown Field. (See more about Hunter and her first semester as a college student on Page 22.)

CLASS OF 2019

Commencement Brewster Academy graduated 115 students during its Commencement Exercises on May 25, 2019.

Following the processional of faculty and graduates onto Brown Field, Head of School Craig Gemmell welcomed everyone to the two-and-a-half hour event and shared his impressions of the Class of 2019 as kind, joyous, and inclusive. “Their purpose at Brewster was simply to make full use of their opportunity,” he said, “And they delivered, each in his or her own way. In so doing, they honored themselves, each other, and the school, and, simultaneously, they honored the sacrifices so many have made on their behalf along the way.” Gemmell emphasized gratitude by adding: “In the midst of all of our celebrations, may we all take a moment to look into the eyes of those we love and are grateful for and offer meaningful thanks. … Armed with love and gratitude, I know each and every one of the members of the Class of 2019 will live a life of purpose.”

Nancy Hughes and Craig Gemmell with happy grad Memusi Saibulu ’19.

REST EASY

The Class of 2019 gift to the school was an oversized hammock and stand, where future Bobcats will surely enjoy a cat nap or two under a canopy of trees.

Commencement Speakers Valedictorian Katharine Casey Chiasson ’19 Pelham, N.H. “Roller coasters represent our lives.

We cannot reach our goals without facing struggle or fears. Riding the roller coaster, no matter how many drops there are, is better than just walking around the park.”

Salutatorian Renying Zhang ’19 Jiaxing, China “Life is full of choices, but one does not have to always make them alone.

Here, we are surrounded by supportive teachers. I’m grateful for those who guided me in my four years at Brewster.”

WO RDS OF WI S DOM W. ST UA RT SYMI N GTON

the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria (above) gave the graduates a charge:

Keep the memories of your friends and renew them constantly. As you think back on this weekend, decorate your life, not with flowers…not trying to remember who won what prize or did what thing, but by repeating in your lives as you go forward the stories of the time that you have spent together.

He also asked the 115 graduates to “rise together one more time and look at each other, because this group in this place will never come again.”

As they did, throwing arms around one another, hugging, and shedding a few tears, Symington implored them, “Fix this moment in your mind. Form one more memory. Memories are often fixed by terror. They are often things that grab you in the night and fill you with fright.

These are the things that most people remember most. Good memories, however, require more of an effort. They require you to be aware, intentional, and mindful of what’s in yourself and what’s in others. Forging and refreshing those good memories so that they displace the bad will make sure that when you ride this roller coaster down, you’ll always ride it back up.”

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2019 Commencement Awards Headmaster’s Prize Katharine Chiasson 2019 Faculty Growth Achievement Award Anthony Lomasney Arthur M. Hurlin Award Anya Found Arthur J. Mason Award Ella Roberge Joel Brown

College Choices

The Class of 2019 headed to colleges and universities all over the U.S. (and a few overseas) to begin their higher ed journeys.

From Acadia University and American University to Willamette University and Worcester Polytech, Bobcats are making their mark from A to…well…W! See the full list at brewsteracademy.org/ collegechoices.

Athletic Director’s Award Anya Found Joel Brown Burtis F. Vaughan Award Katharine Chiasson David Sirchis Award Abbie DiVirgilio Fine and Performing Arts Award John Campbell Jill Carlson Memorial Award Emily Lida Raynowska Lives of Purpose Award Anya Found Mabel Cate Tarr Award Renying Zhang Postgraduate Award and PG Ivy Speaker Louis Gleason Ronald “Buzzy” Dore Memorial Award and Senior Ivy Speaker Zachary Holyfield Bennett

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FA C U LT Y N E W S Emily James Physics Faculty

“GO MRS. JAMES! This is amazing

and you deserve it!” That’s what one student posted after learning that physics and astronomy teacher Emily James had been invited to join an elite group of just 150 teachers in a premiere physics educator ambassador group, The Physics Teaching Resource Agents program.

“Your teaching style not only made us better students, but pushed us to be better problem-solvers, which is a necessary life skill,” this James fan continued. Sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers, the program provides professional development on physics content, teaching techniques, and

integration of technology into curriculum. To be selected, teachers are judged on physics content mastery, creativity, successful teaching experience, familiarity with physics education research, and the capacity for professional leadership.

“I really enjoy helping others teach this difficult topic better and more effectively,” says James, who joined the Brewster faculty in 2002. She attended the intensive workshop in Provo, Utah and is now part of a certified group that will lead teaching workshops across the country. James plans to focus on schools in New Hampshire.

Jonathan Browher History Faculty

HISTORY TEACHER Jonathan

Browher was one of only 35 teachers invited to attend the Political Pioneers conference held in Hingham, Mass. and hosted by the Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History in June 2019. The event, which featured heavy-hitter historians and authors David McCullough, James Conroy, and Annette Gordon-Reed, and 2008 National History Teacher of the Year David Mitchell, focused on teaching the founding era in U.S. history.

“I am always drawn to the founding

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era, because in the creation of the American Republic and establishment of the Constitution, something exceptional and unprecedented happened,” said Browher, who joined the Brewster history faculty in 2011 and earned the school’s Arthur Morris Kenison Career Growth Award in 2017. “To what extent we fulfilled the promises made back then, or continue to fulfill them now, will define our future and our role in the world.”

G R A B A BIB! A cracking good time was had by all at the Class of 2019 Future Alumni Lobstah Dinner in Estabrook! Once again, Alexis Pappas ’88 P’24, owner and CEO of the Ipswich Shellfish Group, generously donated delicious lobsters for the buttery annual event. Photo by Marta Carreño

LI ST EN CAREF UL LY If you haven’t checked out the Diverse Thinkers Podcast Series yet, you’ve missed Head of School Craig Gemmell’s conversation with actor Topher Grace ’97 and his deep dive with Mo Fallon ’94, Emmy award-winning producer and cinematographer for the late Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown” series. But don’t worry, they’re all in the podcast archive, along with recent conversations with the founders of Wonolo, Brewster alums who are definitely disrupting one major industry, and three students who have immersed themselves in Brewster’s northern Spain trimester.

Visit brewsteracademy.org/podcasts to catch them online, or search for “Diverse Thinkers Podcast Series” wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

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GLITZ

AND

FROM LEFT: CAROLINE CHURCHILL ’21, KARLEE STODDARD ’20, RYLEIGH NELSON ’20, KATHARINE CHIASSON ’19, AND KAYLA PROIA ’20

GLAM

SIDHIRA JOHNSON ’19 AND SOPHIE TOUGAS ’20

C UE T H E DA NC E MUS I C , C UR LI NG I RO NS, A ND C UMMER B UNDS : Brewster students shook off a bit of rain as they headed to the Bald Peak Colony Club in nearby Melvin Village for the 2019 Prom.

FROM LEFT: MAX BEWLEY ’20, EMILY LANG ’19, CATHERINE MURPHY ’19, JADEN EVELYN ’19

ANYA FOUND ’19 AND ZAC BENNETT ’19

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The Summertime Rush THERE’S NOTHING LIKE Wolfeboro in the summer, just ask the busy Brewster Summer Program team and the more than 1,200 boys and girls who filled campus for a variety of events and programs from June through August 2019.

In addition to hosting international student groups (including the

Royal Thai Scholars Program), community events (we love the craft fairs and music fests!), and a slew of sports and academic camps, the Summer Programs office coordinated and hosted Brewster Academy Summer School. Affectionately known as BASS, this four-week program for kids ages 13 to 17 is a popular mash-up of the best adventure camp activities and engaging, hands-on courses in STEM, humanities,

and English Language Learning. Classes in movie making, drone technology, crime scene investigation, and creative writing all get high marks—as do the canoeing expeditions and nature hikes.

For more than 20 years, BASS has fulfilled its mission to cultivate each student’s passion for learning and help them work together to become real-world problem solvers through experiential activities.

For more information on any of Brewster’s summer opportunities, visit brewsteracademy.org/summer.

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S UMMER R EADS

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PHOTO BY ROB B O S SI

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As the excitement of spring campus events melted into warmer days, Brewster students had treasured classics, biographies, and best sellers on their summer reading lists. (The required selections vary by class.) “Reading fluency and stamina have a direct impact on college success, and regular practice is key to building skills as a reader,” English department chair Kyle Reynolds says.

Did any of your favorites make the list?

B E H IND TH E S CENE S : NHSLP participant Juliana from Seabrook (N.H.) Middle School

Brewster Nurtures New Leaders SUMMERTIME ALSO BROUGHT students in the New Hampshire Student Leadership Program (NHSLP) to campus. Looking forward to its third year, NHSLP is a collaboration among independent and public schools across the state to give middle school students a chance to develop their leadership potential.

Participants are nominated for the no-cost program by an adult in their school or community, and otherwise have limited access to leadership development opportunities. Along with a one-week Summit, when participants live on Brewster’s campus and explore personal

strengths, values, and self-identity through a range of camp activities, the young leaders are paired with adult and high school mentors who work with them throughout the year in seasonal workshops to keep focused on goals. “I have found that these students are more than willing to lead their peers through difficult issues faced by today’s students, including bullying and peer pressure,” says Program Director Michelle Rafalowski, shown above facilitating a student feedback session, “they just need guidance and mentorship.”

1984 by George Orwell Black Swan Green by David Mitchell Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Carrie by Stephen King Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone Exit West by Mohsin Hamid Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance How to Read Literature like a Professor

by Thomas C. Foster I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai Ishmael by Daniel Quinn It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini Looking for Alaska by John Green One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho The Book Thief by Markus Zusak The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky The Reluctant Fundamentalist

by Mohsin Hamid The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

READER QUESTION:

WHAT BOOK HAS TOUCHED YOUR LIFE OR CHANGED YOUR THINKING? Please share, and your insights may be part of a future Brewster magazine story.

Email smorrissey@brewsteracademy.org

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PHOTO BY ROB B O S SI

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M E E T… SUSAN HARRINGTON

S

usan Harrington, who came onboard as Brewster’s Director of Finance in August 2018, was promoted to Chief Financial Officer in 2019. Born and raised in Wolfeboro, Harrington helped her father keep the books for his HVAC/plumbing business, which set her on a career in construction finance after graduating from Boston University. At BU, she earned her undergraduate degree in psychology (with a minor in business) and later a Master’s degree that focused on industrial and organizational psychology. Harrington has worked across the country, and now that she is back on home turf, she has set a goal of becoming more forward-facing with the Brewster staff and students as well as members of the greater Wolfeboro community. We asked a few questions to get to know one of the school’s newest leaders.

Q. What are you most excited about in the role you’ll be assuming?

A: We have a very strong team at Brewster, from facilities, dining services, the business office, development, admissions, communications, to all of program and student life faculty. I am thrilled to be a part of the leadership team to build upon many

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of the best practices currently in place and to work collaboratively with all departments to make better those areas that are in need of fine tuning. I am also excited about continued access to the dining hall (most importantly the cookies!)

Q: If someone asked you what makes Brewster unique or special, what would you say?

A. The team-based approach, the connectivity to the greater Wolfeboro community, and the people. In the short time that I have been here, I have connected with people at Brewster who have elevated both my professional and personal life by virtue of their presence.

Q: Your career path has been mostly in the construction industry. Why the switch?

A: The decision to shift my career trajectory from construction finance to education was a moral decision. It was based on a desire to work in a position that could positively impact even one young person’s life. To be able to work in education in a leadership role (in a location that I truly love) is realizing my dream job!

Q: Do you have any professional mantras that guide how you approach your work?

A: I think that great leaders are skilled in the art of listening—this helps to understand any given situation from many different perspectives. A former employer emphasized the importance of collaboration and said, “Collaboration is an art and a science. It requires every team member to engage, to take responsibility and initiative.”

Q: What do you like to do in your down time?

A: I am a firm believer in finding a healthy balance between work and home. In fact, I stress to my team that if you’re not taking care of yourself, then you’re not coming to work able to give 100 percent. So we have to make time for that. I like skiing, hiking, coaching youth field hockey in the fall and T-ball in the spring, spending time with my wife, Britt, our two children (daughter Nyla is 6 and son Asa is 3), and our Australian shepherd Moe.

FORE! IT WAS A RECORD-BREAKING YEAR at the annual Bobcat Open on September 6, 2019, held at the Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club in nearby New Durham. More than 115 alumni, vendors, parents, students, friends, faculty, and staff joined in the fun.

The Bobcat Open brought in close to $50,000 and supported The Fund for Brewster. “We are always so grateful for members of the Brewster family and our Lakes Region community who come to enjoy themselves on the course for such a good cause—helping Brewster fulfill its mission to prepare diverse thinkers for lives of purpose,” said Kristy Kerin, Associate Head of School and the golfer who took home the honor of longest drive among women.

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Brewster’s Assistant Director of Admission and Girls’ Varsity Ice Hockey coach Jamie Smith on the green.

From left: Michael Byrne (Jackson ’20), Team Leader and IS teacher Byron Martin, Craig Gemmell, and Eric Palmisano (Hannah ’20) on the links.

Home Cooking GLOBAL POP-UP One small group of lucky students were introduced to new flavors from South America at a pop-up kitchen event. Bertha Cuellar, mom of new faculty member Edison Quinatoa, (below left) made her ceviche and yapingachos from Ecuador. Talk about yummy!

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Brewster dad Andre de Beer (Daniel ’16, Sam ’20, and Josh ’23) gave the Welcome BBQ a thumbs up.

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>> Many student leaders helped during student registration and orientation, including cart-driving Kyle Sledzik ’20 (right) and Max Bewley ’20.

Zoe Schwartz ’23, Maddy O’Blenis, ’22, Levi Brekke ’22, Jake Apgar ’22, and Joon Park ’22 (from left) enjoyed the end-of-summer BBQ chow.

Senior prefects Spencer Kiley ’20 (left) and Robbie Rohrbaugh ’20 encouraged fellow Bobcats to make a unique impact in Brewster’s Bicentennial year.

Starting Off Right Brewster kicked off its Bicentennial school year in Fall 2019 with the annual Welcome BBQ at the Pickney Boathouse, giving new and returning students, teachers, and parents a chance to meet for the first time or just catch up after the summer. As always, the Dining staff set the tone with a delicious dinner buffet. The opening week agenda

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was full: picking up books, getting settled into dorm rooms, meeting with advisors, heading to athletic tryouts, setting up laptops, attending all sorts of team and dorm activities, and hearing Craig Gemmell’s inspiring Head of School Welcome. At the raising of the senior class flag in front of the Ac, senior prefects Robbie Rohrbaugh and

Spencer Kiley asked the seniors to think about their goals and hopes for the year, and encouraged the other classes to “see the seniors as the people you can count on to make this year better.

In this Bicentennial year, we have the opportunity to make an impact that is completely unique. We are super psyched to make that happen!”

W RLDLY IN WHAT HAS BECOME A much-anticipated fall tradition, students, faculty, and staff filled Estabrook for Culture Celebration Night. Spearheaded by Director of International Student Programs Jason Wang and Director of Equity and Inclusion Melissa Lawlor, the event featured international food, snacks, art, and traditions.

“This Bicentennial year, we are grateful and excited to welcome

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CELEBRATION

international students from 21 countries, all of whom bring with them diverse cultures, customs, traditions and perspectives,” Wang said. Those countries are The Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Japan, Mexico, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Judy Tiang ’20 is wearing a traditional dress representing her home country of China.

Emily Offen ’23 and Anouk Piepenburg ’22, both of Hamburg, Germany, served up schnitzel at the Germany table.

Omayma Al Balushi ’20 and arts faculty member Alicia Childers staffed the table for Oman, Omayma’s home country.

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DOING

GOOD FEELING GOOD

AT BREWSTER, community service is not a requirement, and yet hundreds of students every year volunteer their time and talents to serve the local community. Under the guidance of Director of Community Service Maria Found, the students have dozens of opportunities to find a cause they feel passionate about: tutoring children, sending care packages to the troops, helping the Rotarians with their Christmas tree sale, creating fun experiences for kids and teens with developmental and physical challenges, staffing a booth at the community book sale, beautifying local parks and roadways…truly, these are just a few!

Bobcats in the Brewster Big Friends group plan and host fun activities and events that help form big brother/big sister relationships with the children in our community. “I have become a better, more confident leader,” said Leanne Durham ’20, who heads the group. “Brewster Big Friends has taught me that there’s so much to do within the community than just for myself.”

“

Academics help grow the mind. Athletics help grow the muscle. Community service grows the heart.” —DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICE MARIA FOUND This fall, Bobcats worked with two local groups on addressing food insecurity in our area. Led by Janis Cornwell and her student volunteers, Brewster donated $342 to help the Wolfeboro Rotary Club and L.I.F.E. Ministries Food Pantry with their annual Holiday Basket fundraiser. The food pantry supports more than 800 local families who are food insecure each year, and the Brewster donation supported more than 650 meals.

In the Wolfeboro area, more than 130 children struggle with hunger in the 68 hours between the lunch they receive at school on Friday to the breakfast they receive Monday morning. After the local chapter of the national organization End 68 Hours of Hunger received word that it would no longer be able to store and pack its food at Huggins Hospital, a team of Brewster administrators, faculty, and staff (including long-time supporter Peter Mann) worked to pave the way for the organization to find a new home here on our campus. In October the organization moved into the East Crescent of the Smith Center, and Brewster students have pitched in preparing the group’s deliveries.

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Students lending a hand with End 68 Hours of Hunger (top left). Evan Lewis ’22 (above) and Rocco Coschigano ’22 (below with Janis Cornwell) were among the students who helped Wolfeboro’s food pantry.

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PHOTO BY PHIL STILES

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HONORING SIR ELTON The fall musical, Madman Across the Water, had the crowd singing along to Sir Elton John’s greatest tracks. Sixty students worked on- and off-stage to bring the music of the legendary artist to life, under the guidance of Fine and Performing Arts Chair Guinevere Hilton as producer and Performing Arts faculty Andy Campbell as the music director.

Leeya McNeil ’23 with her grandmother, Lena McNeil

Grandparents’ Day 2019 WE WELCOMED MORE THAN 100 visitors to campus for 2019 Grandparents’ Day. They joined students for breakfast, attended classes, visited the Wright Museum of World War II during a tour of Wolfeboro, and stayed to watch their grandkids at sports’ practices.

ABOVE: Catherine Ling ’21 with her grandparents Gregg and Beth Roark. TOP RIGHT: Archer McClain ’23 with his grandmother, Helen Mackey. RIGHT: Shannon Murphy ’23 with her grandmother, Laura MacLeod.

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Bill Mulgrew ’20 Clemencia Baumann ’21

Sylvie Skibicki ’23

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22 Q+A W E AS KED :

How has the first semester of college been going so far?

The first semester of college can be a roller coaster: enjoying new freedoms and finding new friends, stepping into challenging courses and finding balance in hectic schedules. We checked in with two recent grads and asked them to share what they’ve experienced in their first few months of college life. Their resilience and enthusiasm fill us with Bobcat pride!

HUNTER PROULX ’19 IS FROM WAKEFIELD, N.H., and headed to Eckerd College

in Florida, and said she was excited to be on the beach, but nervous to be far from home. Hunter had a pretty sunny report on her first months as a college student: “My first semester of college has been everything I wished it to be and more! I have made some of the most amazing memories, had a plethora of opportunities in expanding my education, and met some of the most amazing people along the way,” she said. We asked how Brewster prepped her to launch into college.

“Brewster helped me become more outgoing and helped me find my passions before I even went to college,” she said, adding that she brags a bit about Brewster to her new college friends. “It is a place I still call home, and I couldn’t be any more thankful to have been brought up by such an amazing community and to be pushed to be my greatest self by my teachers, coaches, and peers.”

SHEMAR JOSEPH ’19 FROM BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, headed to Boston College

this fall, and told us back in May that he was most excited to “work toward a career and meet new people,” but that he was also naturally a little nervous about the transition from high school to college.

More than anything, he said, he was going to miss “the people at Brewster and the friends I made.” So how has the first semester of college been? “To be honest, the first semester has been pretty difficult.

It has been a period of change, and of having to navigate college’s academic challenges in an entirely new environment. With time, however, I’ve become accustomed to the new campus and social life, and am definitely excited for the next three and a half years.” Shemar added that his time at Brewster taught him to be independent and responsible. “I think that being away from home earlier than college was ideal preparation for college life,” he said. “I was not worried about being away from home, and knew to hold myself accountable and do what was expected of me. At Brewster, I was in an environment where I was able to test my skills with time management and work efficiency so that when I came to college, I already had a sense of how I would manage my work load.”

Editor’s Note: Shemar and Hunter, thanks for sharing your first semester experiences, and we know you’re navigating your way to success! (For sharing their stories, Shemar and Hunter will be receiving a special care package to bring them a Bobcat smile. Are you a Class of 2019 or 2020 grad willing to share your story of how college is going? Please email smorrissey@brewsteracademy.org.)

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P OWERF UL EX PRESSIO N In the 2019 edition of Outcroppings, Brewster’s literary magazine, editors Asal Al Mohamed ’19 and Abbie DiVirgilio ’19 wrote that the new issue aimed to take readers around the world. “Through the strokes of paint brushes, the clicks of camera shutters, and the carefully chosen words woven into sentences,” they said, “we are able to connect through the beautiful language of art.”

A photo by Ben Shaw ’19 (above) is one of many in the issue telling that global story.

Visit brewsteracademy.org/ outcroppings-v40 to enjoy Outcroppings, Volume 40, and see more photos and artwork, along with moving poems and essays, created by students, faculty, and staff.

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FAREWELL 2019 BEFORE THE WINTER BREAK, the Brewster community welcomed the holiday season and bid farewell to 2019 with a few campus traditions.

At the tree-lighting ceremony, the senior girls sang carols and Chef Chris Dill made gingerbread cookies.

Students also spun the dreidel and tasted Hanukkah latkes, took plenty

of selfies at the holiday photo station, and attempted the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes when ringing in the New Year. They also learned about the Asian New Year tradition of creating paper luminaries to remember loved ones and express hopes for the year head.

Wishes for the new year and loving memories at the luminary table.

Zander Hauck ’20 and Jordan Thompson ’20 had fun at the photo booth.

Liam Moore ’21 and Luke Lynn ’20 won the 2019 Ugly Christmas Sweater Competition.

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There were lots of Hanukkah goodies to enjoy.

2…

Katie Knapp ’21 sampled the fresh-baked gingerbread.

This attempt at the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes for luck in the New Year brought cheers from onlookers!

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3.

FIELD & GOALS

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LAX Success Across the Board Brewster lacrosse had a banner season of hard work on the field and the accolades to go with it.

In May 2019, the Lakes Region League Championship title in lacrosse came back to Wolfeboro after a four-year absence. The Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse defeated New Hampton School 15-8 in the championship game. “This is just a great rivalry between the two programs,” Director of Athletics Matt Lawlor said. “New Hampton is an excellent program and we have tons of respect for them. However, this Brewster team was special, and I am not surprised that this group got the title back to Bobcat Nation.”

In the afterglow of that big win, LaJohn Jones ‘19 of North Smithfield, R.I. was named Northern New England

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Brewster’s Boys Varsity

Lacrosse team (top); Defensive Player of the Katie Chiasson ’19 and Year—he is going on to Catie Murphy ’19 play at Bryant University in Rhode Island. Dillon Arrant ’20 of Penacook, N.H. was named a U.S. Lacrosse All-American and has committed to UMass Amherst in Fall 2020. Coaches Jason Ouellet and Doug Skelley were named the U.S. Lacrosse Northern New England Coach of the Year and U.S. Lacrosse Northern New England Assistant Coach of the Year, respectively.

“Jason and Doug did a fantastic job of setting the tone for this team from the start of the school year (not just the season!),” Lawlor added. “They used

See all the latest on Bobcat sports at brewsteracademy. org/athletics

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BY KARA MCDUFFEE

the strong 2018 season as momentum and never looked back. Yes, the team was very talented, but this year’s group was selfless and the success was always about the team and the betterment of the program. They had depth in terms of skill, but also in terms of culture, and that is what separated them from their competitors.”

On the Girls’ Varsity team, Katie Chiasson ’19 of Pelham, N.H. led the Bobcats in her senior year with goals (42), assists (13), and draw controls (67). She was named a U.S. Lacrosse All-American, a U.S. Academic AllAmerican, and made the Lakes Region League All-Star team (oh, and did we mention she was the Class of 2019 valedictorian?). “Katie is an outstanding player and has been among the elite players in all of NEPSAC throughout her career at Brewster,” notes head coach Melissa Lawlor. “As good of a player as she was for us, she is an even better person and phenomenal leader.”

Catie Murphy ’19 has played all four years with the Bobcats, and was also named a Lakes Region League All-Star and a U.S. Lacrosse Academic AllAmerican. She tied Chiasson with 42 goals on the season while handing out eight assists and picking up 20 draw controls. Lawlor says they will miss the Northbridge, Mass., native next year, “Catie has been a mainstay for us and one of the hardest workers and most passionate players we have had,” she said. Lawlor. “She has great versatility as a player and did a lot for our program.”

Both girls are playing Division I Lacrosse when they head to college in the fall: Chiasson at Lafayette College in Easton, Penn., and Murphy at Wagner College in New York City.

Welcome to the Hall of Fame Visit the Smith Center and you’ll find seven new plaques on the Hall of Fame wall. Athletic Director Matt Lawlor offered insights about the latest Brewster inductees at ceremonies on Reunion Weekend and June 29. We’ve shared a few highlights here, but you’ll find complete coverage of the latest Hall of Famers (and their emotional tributes) online at brewsteracademy.org/mag/hof2019 and brewsteracademy.org/mag/hof2019prep. There, you’ll also find info about how to nominate an alumni athlete.

JEFF ADRIEN ’05 Basketball “ Arguably the toughest player ever to wear a Brewster jersey; one of the pioneers who helped set the foundation for Brewster’s basketball program.”

LUKE APFELD ’09 Basketball “ The epitome of a student athlete and a natural leader.”

CRAIG BRACKINS ’07 Basketball “ One of this most skilled big men we have ever had and the first Brewster alum to be selected in the NBA draft.”

Hall of Famer Jeff Adrien ’05

STEPHEN KEOGH ’07 Hockey and lacrosse “ One of the most dominant lacrosse players in the history of the school.”

CAROLE LEBLANC ’07 Soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse “ Possibly the most accomplished female multi-sport athlete at Brewster.”

BILL LEE Brewster coach “ A dynamic leader on campus—he put Brewster lacrosse on the map.”

THE 2010 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM Basketball “ This team was talented and deep—one of the best Brewster Academy has ever had.”

Hall of Famer Carole LeBlanc ’07

Kara McDuffee is a Brewster English teacher and coach.

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FIELD & GOALS FAL L ALL-STA R S

As the fall 2019 season came to a close, eight Bobcats were named to the Lakes Region League All-Star teams in their respective sports: Michael Provenzano ’21 (soccer), Leanne Durham ’20 (soccer), Owen Jacinto ’20 (soccer), Emmy Dumaresq ’20 (soccer), Delia Mahoney ’20 (field hockey), Kayla Proia ’20 (field hockey), Jordan Thompson ’20 (soccer). Not pictured: Delia Mahoney ’20 (field hockey). Not pictured: Abby Jarvi ’23 (soccer). “It’s always great to see our students get recognized,” noted Director of Athletics Matt Lawlor. “And no surprise to see this group get the accolades—these eight kids all had outstanding seasons for us this fall!”

S IG N IN G DAY! In November 2019, 15 Brewster student-athletes set a school record when they signed their letters of intent to play Division 1 athletics in college in the fall early signing period:

x15 =1

SCHOOL R ECO R D !

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Dillon Arrant (lacrosse) UMass Amherst Connor Barrett (basketball) Valparaiso University Terrence Clarke (basketball) University of Kentucky Matthew Cross (basketball) University of Miami Brett Daubert (lacrosse) Loyola of Maryland Marcus Dockery (basketball) University of Maryland Emmy Dumaresq (soccer) Stonehill College Leanne Durham (soccer) Sacred Heart University

Javohn Garcia (basketball) UMass Amherst Alexander Hauck (lacrosse) University of Hartford Ethan Landymore (lacrosse) University of Hartford DeMarr Langford (basketball) Boston College Jamal Mashburn (basketball) University of Minnesota Kadary Richmond (basketball) Syracuse University Jordan Thompson (soccer) College of Charleston

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Alicia Wingard and Jason Ouellet received the 2019 Arthur Morris Kenison Faculty Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Career Growth respectively. Wingard, part of the Instructional Support faculty, was described as “authentically joyful, truly friendly, and profoundly professional” by Head of School Craig Gemmell at the award announcement. Ouellet is a member of the history faculty and the Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse coach, and was lauded for his enthusiasm, energy, and high expectations for himself and his students.

Brewster Welcomes Dynamic Speakers

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HIGHEST FACULTY HONORS

BY NANCY HUGHES

AT BREWSTER WE UNDERSTAND that learning happens in and out of the classroom and in places in between. One of those “in betweens” is the speakers who come to campus. In the past several months, Brewster students, faculty, and staff have heard from a graduate, experts in diverse fields, and local community leaders.

Co-founder of Wonolo, Yong Kim ’96 returned to campus as the Cooper Series lecturer. He spoke to a rapt audience about his personal and career trajectory, telling three stories that illustrated how the most challenging moments can serve to clarify one’s values and provide critical guidance. His message about the need for perseverance and reflection resonated powerfully with the Brewster community.

Nationally recognized expert in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Rosetta Lee (right, with Craig Gemmell), co-founder of the Seattle Girls’ School, guided our community through an exercise designed to heighten awareness about the diversity in our midst and highlight the complexity of identity. Meeting with students, faculty, and administrators, Lee affirmed our belief that recognizing human difference is “value added” to the educational experience at Brewster.

Interacting in a diverse community enhances creativity, empathy, and innovation— all critical components to living lives of purpose.

During Fall Family Weekend, Coventry Edwards-Pitt, author of Raised Healthy, Wealthy & Wise: Lessons from Successful Inheritors on How They Got that Way, shared her research on successful parenting of children raised with wealth. She underscored the familiar notions of the need for positive self-esteem and resilience by suggesting that young adults gain these critical attributes by being held accountable, learning how to solve problems on their own, and through financial self-sufficiency. She also cautioned parents against the prevalent pleas to young people to “find their passion,” noting that such often takes time and experience.

WOR D S O F W I S D O M ROSE T TA LE E

co-founder of the Seattle Girls’ School, above, with Craig Gemmell

The question isn’t ‘Are we there yet?’ It’s ‘Are we moving?’

We welcomed renowned climber and New Hampshire resident George Hurley, perhaps best known for his first ascent of Titan Tower, the tallest (900 feet), free-standing, natural tower in the United States. The 84-year old climbing legend with hundreds of first ascents to his name impressed with group with his encyclopedic knowledge of climbing history and his remarkable humility.

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200 years

TRANSFORMATIVE

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S W E C E L E B R AT E

BR EWST E R’S BICEN T EN N I A L

we embrace the legacy of our founding, reflect on our unique history, and strengthen the hopes for our future.

By Liz Baker McClain, Beth Hayes, Lynne Palmer, and Suzanne Morrissey

1820

The Story Begins…

Brewster’s roots were planted in 1820, when the Wolfeborough and Tuftonborough Academy was founded and the first students arrived in 1821. In its earliest decade, the Academy educated many local and not-so-local residents including Henry Wilson (who later became Ulysses S. Grant’s vice president) and a young man named John Brewster, who became a successful Boston businessman and banker.

In 1886, the estate of John Brewster, under the direction of his son William, established Brewster Free Academy for students under the conditions “that no restriction shall be placed upon any person desiring to attend and receive instruction from said school or academy on account of his or her age, sex, or color, provided only he or she is of good moral character.” At that time, the gift was considered to be the largest philanthropic donation of its kind. Serving as a school for the local population

for more than 140 years, Brewster Free Academy transitioned to its more traditional and current role as an independent school in 1965 when Kingswood Regional High School opened up just down the street. Since that time, Brewster has celebrated significant and purposeful growth in enrollment, successful program evolutions, and a campus revitalization that has honored its beautiful lakeside location and local impact.

In the pages that follow, we invite you to enjoy some of Brewster’s important moments and interesting tidbits from the archives, knowing that there will be more coming as we reflect on our Bicentennial year.

SPECIAL THANKS to Shirley Richardson, author of The Brewster Story: A Definitive History of Brewster Academy, which has been a wonderful resource as we celebrate Brewster’s rich history and 200th birthday.

THE BEGINNING

Local leader and businessman David Pickering donated one acre of land for the Wolfeborough and Tuftonborough Academy’s first building. In this image, one of the earliest known photographs of the nascent school, townsfolk gathered to observe the Paul Revere bell being erected in the belfry.

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Brewster Free Academy On June 11, 1887, trustees of the Wolfeborough and Tuftonborough Academy petitioned the New Hampshire state legislature to allow the school to operate under the name of Brewster Free Academy, as directed by the estate of John Brewster. Such began a new and enduring testimonial from the vision of an accomplished and devoted student from the past.

DIVERSE THINKERS WELCOME

1886 A GENEROUS BENEFACTOR

John Brewster (1812-1886), student, founder, and benefactor of the Academy, grew up in Wolfeboro on his family’S farm. John left home to become a teacher (briefly), before joining his uncle in the dry goods business. After pursuing this successful occupation for 16 years, he transitioned to banking where he enjoyed a profitable career at Brewster, Basset & Co.—which later became Brewster, Cobb & Estabrook. (Yes, Arthur Estabrook, who also figured prominently in Brewster’s founding!)

1917 Cup For Debate The classical academic requirements in the early 1900s included the expectation that all students learned and practiced the skill of debating. It was common for students to practice their elocution skills at “Scott’s Palace,” the home of Dr. Nathaniel Scott who offered boarding and study space to students in need. This trophy represents the championship won by the debate team of Francis Sargent, David Thomas, Harold Melvin, Edward Storry, and Coach Steffins in April 1917.

Since the beginning, Brewster has been a place that welcomed differences.

That was crystal clear in John Brewster’s mandate for the school he helped create:

“No restriction shall be placed upon any person desiring to attend and receive instruction from said school or academy on account of his or her age, sex, or color, provided only he or she is of good moral character.”

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1889

Ring the Bell WOLFEBORO

Our backyard—idyllic downtown Wolfeboro— has been captured in timeless postcards, Peter Ferber landscapes, and countless personal photographs featuring the quintessential backdrop that never disappoints! Proud of its designation as “The oldest summer resort in America,” the town is a large part of the Brewster experience for students, their families, and employees!

Early athletic traditions began in the Brewster Free Academy era when teams traveled by steamboat across Lake Winnipesaukee, competing against Tilton School and arriving home to the sight and sounds of students and faculty standing at the lakeside wharf singing “The Red Light on the Wharf at old BFA.” (That Red Light is dedicated to former Head of School Burtis Vaughan, and was recently rededicated at a ceremony with his family and friends.) The traditions have evolved over the years and include the rubbing of the bronze Bobcat mascot on game days for good luck!

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1948

1935 LIVES OF PURPOSE

1911 Full Dance Card The Brewster archives hold many dance cards from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s. Music was a cornerstone of the curriculum as well as a welcomed diversion during war and conflict. The waltz, two step, schottische, and duchess were all popular. Dances were more formal during this timeframe and always had a unique theme for each scheduled dance, as seen in this nautical event.

On Track

This domestic science class (left) was part of the three tracks of study at Brewster beginning in 1911: classical, scientific, and commercial. The classical and scientific were designed to meet the admissions requirements of various colleges and technical schools. Classes in stenography, bookkeeping, domestic science, typing, correspondence, and commercial law were a part of the commercial program intended for those entering the business field.

With the sudden death of Principal Ralph Bearce (below) in 1935, his friend Walter Greenall applied for and was hired as the fifth Principal of the Academy. Mr. Greenall recognized that during the Depression years, schools must “prepare their young people for the necessary duties of life,” and embraced President Roosevelt’s work project focus— introducing a service component to the student experience.

1921 Facebook The first publication of the Senior Yearbook (The SYB) appeared in 1921.

Over the years, we’ve added a student newspaper and literary/arts magazine to the publications roster. But the custom of portraying student faces and events remains alive and well today in the yearbook, now called The Winnipesaukean.

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1956 “BREWSTER - 9 NEW HAMPTON - 3” This baseball belonged to Jim Smith ’56, and is part of a Brewster sports memorabilia collection lovingly donated to the school archives by Jim’s daughters, Jill and Heidi Smith. Signed by the team, it is a reminder of a saying often heard at graduation time: “Once a Bobcat, always a Bobcat.”

Hit and Run The baseball diamond (Mudge Field) is located in the same location today and provided an on-campus facility for the early organized sport of baseball at Brewster. Legend has it that a local character, “Joe,” who lived next to the field was a daily supporter of the Brewster athletes and became a staple fan for developing Brewster teams.

1892

B R EWST ER C R A B S

This is one of our favorite early Brewster teams and uniforms—the girls’ basketball team of 1892 (above). They were known as the Crabs back then! (In that era, it wasn’t uncommon for teams to choose their own mascot.) And on the gridiron (left), records indicate that the football field (AKA “The Brewster Oval”) was constructed down by the lake (now Palazzo Field) and charged an admission fee of 15 cents.

1941

A Time of War For the class of 1941 and fellow underclassmen, the conflict in Europe that began in 1939 created an uncertainty of what their roles might be which became abundantly clear on that Sunday, December 7, 1941. Football player Ned Bullock ’41 stated, “Everyone in school knew the war would soon come. We were kind of preparing ourselves ahead of time.”

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1954

Lucky Thirteen This football jersey was donated to the archives by David Carlson ’54. David has been the longest-serving Board of Trustee member at Brewster (27 years), an active and passionate alumnus, and a proud grandfather of Christopher ’15. We salute our lucky thirteen!

1982

Roar Bobcats

It was time for the Bobcats to take to the water in the early 1980s. Led by Coach Andrew Wooden and some notable determined sailors like Jon Pinckney ’84, the Sailing team was a consistently successful presence in New England. Along with the revitalization of the crew program, these athletes helped draw attention to the competition on the lakeside of campus. And in 1987, the Pinckney Boathouse was completed, becoming a coveted facility to maintain the fleets, teach the skills, and treasure the sacred waterfront endowed to us.

GO TEAM!

A varsity jacket patch worn by the very successful football teams of this era.

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1978

1902

A NEW LIBRARY

THE KENISON MEMORIAL LIBRARY HONORS ARTHUR KENISON CLASS OF 1899 AND HIS THREE SONS, ALL OF WHOM SERVED IN THE U.S. NAVY IN WWII. IN 1978, STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES FORMED A HUMAN CHAIN TO MOVE THE LIBRARY’S 20,000+ VOLUMES FROM THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE AC TO THE NEW LIBRARY LOCATION.

THE ORIGINAL AC

TAKEN SHORTLY BEFORE THE 1903 FIRE THAT DESTROYED THE ORIGINAL ACADEMIC BUILDING, THIS PHOTO SHOWS CROWDS OF TOWNSFOLK TAKING IN A GAME OF BREWSTER BASEBALL!

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1924

Trailblazer Esther Lord Class of 1924 (left) was the first of three Lord Sisters to graduate from Brewster, having followed in the footsteps of their mother, Elizabeth Lord Class of 1893. Esther made history at Brewster in the Fall of 1921 as a member of the school’s first girls’ field hockey team (below), marking the first time girls were awarded letters in athletics. Her loving family established The Esther Lord Page Memorial Scholarship Fund in 1973, which is awarded annually to a returning student whose academic standing and recognition scores reflect a high level of investment and serious commitment to “doing it all and doing it right.”

CIVIL AIR PATROL

DURING WWII, BREWSTER BOYS AND GIRLS TRAINED TO SPOT ENEMY AIRCRAFT FROM A WATCHTOWER CONSTRUCTED ON CLARK ROAD ON LAND THAT IS NOW OCCUPIED BY THE HOME OF LONGTIME BOBCATS LYNNE AND TJ PALMER. GIRLS WERE ALSO TRAINED IN MORSE CODE. AT THE END OF THE WAR, AS TOWNSPEOPLE SPONTANEOUSLY GATHERED IN WOLFEBORO TO CHEER THE VICTORY, A BONFIRE SOON BLAZED ON CAMPUS AND JUBILANT STUDENTS DANCED FOR HOURS.

1942

Much More to Share

Two centuries can hardly be captured and celebrated in a single story! But we hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into the past of the place we share and hold dear. In coming issues of this magazine and on our social media channels, we’ll be sharing even more gems from the archives, as well as special interviews with some of Brewster’s leaders, including former Headmasters Michael Cooper and David Smith! Until then, be well, Bobcats!

Brewster’s Pastime

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PHOTO BY TO COME

W H E N C A M P U S G E T S A C O AT I N G of fresh snow, it takes on an almost other-wordly beauty. While autumn is our season to shine, winter brings its own glories. Stomping your feet to shake the snow off your boots before warming your hands on a mug of hot cocoa comes to mind—as does lacing up your skates or grabbing your skis!

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The bold Brewster blue of our Bicentennial banners are an impressive contrast to a pristine white New Hampshire snowfall.

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PHOTO BY MARIA FO UND

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T O P Winter, spring, summer, or fall, the sunset view from campus is always stunning. L E F T Susan Harrington and Peter Gilligan strolling to the Ac. A B O V E Levi Brekke ’22 grabbed a sled after the first measurable snow on campus.

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THE

HEALING T R E Y W H I T F I E L D ’89

dreamed of one day having an impact on kids’ lives. Over three decades, his parents—and Brewster—have worked together to make those dreams come true, turning tragic loss into a legacy of opportunity.

Words by Jim Collins Photos by Rob Bossi

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“GOD GAVE ME ONE GIFT. NOT ATHLETICS. JUST THE GIFT OF

WINNING CHILDREN OVER. I KNOW I CAN HELP

AND SERVE CHILDREN.” – Former NFL player and co-founder of The Trey Whitfield School, A.B. Whitfield

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I

5.68 in

N MAY OF 1989, JUST DAYS BE FORE HE WOULD HAVE

graduated, senior Trey Whitfield died in a drowning accident on a small lake a few miles north of Wolfeboro. For the Brewster community, the sudden loss was not only tragic but unfathomable.

Trey was an immense life force on campus: adored, goofy and gregarious, big-hearted, a hugger, with the kind of presence that commanded a room while making sure there was room for everyone around him. He was a six-foot-eight, 240-pound power forward and most valuable player on the school’s New England champion basketball team, headed for the University of Richmond on a full scholarship and dreams of a career in the NBA. He planned to someday work with kids.

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He had come to Brewster as a sophomore, arriving late to his dorm room after his roommate, Mike Clark, was already asleep.

Clark heard the knock on the door, jumped out of bed, and threw on the tan bathrobe his mother had packed for him back in Maine.

Without pausing to introduce himself, Trey said, “Man, that is one ugly bathrobe,” and the two of them exploded in laughter and became fast friends. He got his reluctant teammates to act in the school musical “Damn Yankees,” and they had the time of their lives.

His death stunned the campus.

Teachers and students, hollowedout and red-eyed, wobbled through the following days. As history teacher T.J. Palmer later wrote: We were numb. Sadness enveloped us, took our appetites away, and sapped our energy.

As faculty, we had no answers for all the students who continued to ask “why?”

Then, Palmer recalled, A.B. Whitfield, Trey’s father, arrived on campus. At a school gathering in Wolfeboro’s Congregational Church, where faculty, staff, students, and alumni packed the pews, Mr. Whitfield took the podium and, in Palmer’s words, “commenced to heal us.”

He stated very clearly that he had come to heal us. He stated that he loved us and that he knew how hard Trey’s death had been for us.

He thanked Headmaster David Smith Coach Bolduc, the faculty, the students, and the staff for all they had done for his son. He talked about how much Trey had loved his school. He told us that it had been a privilege to share this earth with his son for 18 years. He told us it was okay to cry.

In that moment of grace and deepest grief, a relationship of extraordinary power took hold.

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A

.B. WHITFIELD HAD PLAYED IN THE NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Denver Broncos. Following his playing career, serving in New York City’s troubled public school system as an educator and a volunteer, he had become disenchanted working with people who, he said, “weren’t geared to helping children every day.” It was his wife, Janie Whitney, who had the idea of starting an independent school that would do things differently. A Brooklyn native, Whitney left a career in finance to found Bethlehem Baptist Academy in East New York, one of the borough’s toughest, most underserved neighborhoods. “I believe all children can learn,” Whitney has said in many interviews through the years about the success of the school—it is one of her most fundamental guiding principles.

The K-8 school, taking its name from the owners of the building it occupied and mirroring the demographics of the neighborhood in 1983, enrolled students who were overwhelmingly below the poverty line. The school required uniforms and good conduct and imposed discipline. It had high expectations for its students— including the presumption that kids could learn to read even as early as kindergarten. At first, A.B., exhausted and disillusioned from his public school experience, helped

“TO HAVE AN ONGOING CONNECTION WITH THE SCHOOL THAT TREY LOVED SO MUCH HAS HELPED EASE THE PAIN OF THE LOSS OF OUR SON.” – A.B. Whitfield on the fringes: reviewing the curriculum, for example, and stepping in as a math and gym teacher early on when the school was searching for educators to fill those positions. Together, the couple poured themselves into the school, and grew its reputation for excellence with utter devotion.

Alongside Janie, who received awards for her work as an educator and as a positive force to be reckoned with in the commuity, A.B. brought his immense life force to his role. He hugged the kids, especially the boys, so they would know that it was okay to be gentle. He made sure the school felt safe—that it was a sanctuary. During snowstorms, while other schools closed, he slept at school so he could open the doors the next day, knowing the kids wanted and needed to be there. “God gave me one gift that I know of,” he would say. “Not athletics.

Just the gift of winning children over. I can look into

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“THERE ARE SIX OR SEVEN PRIVATE SCHOOLS OUR KIDS GO TO, FOR LOTS OF REASONS, BREWSTER IS NUMBER 1 ON THE LIST.” – A.B. Whitfield

young people’s eyes and say, ‘I love you,’ and they deeply believe it. I know I can help and serve children. They respond to me because they can feel that. They know it’s from my heart.” The school quickly distinguished itself as an anomaly among New York City schools. Many of its students performed two and three years above grade level on national achievement tests. Trey was the first of its students to attend Brewster Academy.

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FTER TREY’S DEATH, A .B. AND JANIE changed the name of the school to honor their son, and regularly returned to Brewster to attend the annual lecture that the school hosted in Trey’s memory, often bringing with them the student choir from their school in Brooklyn.

The Trey Whitfield Memorial

Lecture was scheduled each year around the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. The timing was a nod to those qualities in Dr. King that Trey had also exhibited during his lifetime. At the 20th annual lecture in 2009, A.B. delivered the featured remarks. He reminded the community of the event’s other connection to the MLK holiday: “History was made on this campus 20 years ago,” he said, “when a group of Brewster students led by Trey and [former teacher] Tim Radley ‘stormed the capitol’ of New Hampshire to insist that the state recognize and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which proved successful.”

The lectures were often emotional. One year, Trey’s classmate Todd Parola said that he’d drawn on the strength and inspiration of A.B. and Janie when his brother Jeffrey, a Maine state trooper, was killed in the line of duty. Teammate and close friend Curtis Nelson shared that he’d named his son after Trey.

The annual lectures also provided a natural occasion for students from Brooklyn to visit a private school in rural New Hampshire, to give them a glimpse of an educational opportunity far beyond their normal daily experience.

(Tim Radley and his wife, admissions associate Peg Radley, along with other faculty, welcomed students into their home during the lecture each January for 18 years, until Peg’s retirement.) Since the time of Trey’s death, the Whitfields’ school has been sending a student or two each year to join Brewster’s incoming class. For years, Janie worked directly with Brewster’s Admission Office to ensure that students would be the perfect fit and thrive here. She took immense care in selecting students

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DRIVEN BY MISSION The Trey Whitfield School mission is to “equip our students for life by providing an affordable, high quality education in a safe, loving, and respectful environment that also nurtures the development of faith and character.”

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LEFT Trey Whitfield School alumni—and now Brewster grads—Shemar Joseph ’19 and Trinity Towns ’19 with Head of School Craig Gemmell at Brewster’s May 25, 2019 Commencement in Wolfeboro, N.H. Whitfield alums Indigo Brown ’20 (who was her class’s salutatorian) and Jawan Lawson ’20 joined them in the alumni family last May. Photo

by Phil Stiles BELOW: Gemmell visiting the Trey Whitfield School in New York.

who would be good role models. “There are six or seven private schools our kids go to,” said A.B. “For lots of reasons, Brewster is Number 1 on the list. At Brewster there are standards. There are expectations not only for academics but for social skills and acting as productive members of a community. That’s a direct match with us.

We share a philosophy.”

Brewster provides most of the necessary financial aid—and some comes from the Trey Whitfield Foundation, a nonprofit A.B. and Janie created in 1989 “to commemorate the life and spirit of Trey Whitfield.” In his memory, the Foundation’s mission states, it “will pursue his dream that everyone, regardless of ethnic background, has equal access to the educational opportunities that they need to reach their potential in life.” Each year, the Foundation holds a black-tie fundraising event where positive, productive, inspiring community members are formally recognized. Annually, a Brewster trustee or staff or faculty member is among the honorees.

During the 2004-05 school year, A.B. and Janie’s school moved into a new five-story building, and changed its name to Trey Whitfield School. The relationship between the Whitfield family and Brewster continued to deepen.

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“IN [TREY’S] MEMORY, THE FOUNDATION ‘WILL PURSUE HIS DREAM THAT EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF ETHNIC BACKGROUND,

HAS EQUAL ACCESS TO THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

THAT THEY NEED TO REACH THEIR POTENTIAL IN LIFE.’ ” – from The Trey Whitfield Foundation mission statement

In 2014, on the 25th anniversary of Trey’s death, Brewster renamed its annual winter basketball tournament the “Trey Whitfield Invitational,” and another touch point was created. A framed basketball jersey bearing Trey’s #34 was created to permanently honor Trey’s connection to Brewster’s basketball program—his 1988 team had won the first New England championship in the school’s history; in the ensuing years the program evolved to the point where it was using national championships as a measure of its success.

A duplicate framed jersey was presented to Trey Whitfield School, where it remains on display as a reminder of the person whose name the school bears.

In the Spring of 2017, Brewster’s Director of Equity and Inclusion programs, Melissa Lawlor, set the gears in motion for an even more intimate connection between the two schools. She suggested a project-based learning experience for Brewster seniors that included serving as mentors for seventh and eighth graders from the Trey Whitfield School. That senior project quickly evolved into a formal program involving 12 students from each school with four face-to-face mentoring and discovery opportunities throughout the year. The Brewster students get to visit the Brooklyn school and homes of the Trey Whitfield students; the young students from Brooklyn attend the Trey Whitfield Invitational tournament at Brewster, stay in the dorms, and get a tour of campus. At Camp Jewell in Colebrook, Connecticut, the students get together for games and trust-building activities, and stay overnight together in a giant bunkhouse. For many from both the schools, the program provides a first deep experience with people of a different racial or economic background. This past year, A.B.’s god-daughter, Jaila Richard ’22, served as one of the Brewster mentors.

Some of the mentees, exposed to Brewster as middle schoolers, will go on to Brewster and cement the relationship still further, adding to the almost 50 Trey

Whitfield School alumni who have attended Brewster over the past quarter-century, enriching the community with their diversity of experiences and viewpoints—and who have gone on to fine colleges and successful careers in education, business, engineering, and law. The most recent Trey Whitfield School alums to graduate from Brewster include Shemar Joseph ’19, Trinity Towns ’19, Indigo Brown ’20, and Jawan Lawson ’20. After graduation, Joseph headed to Boston College, Towns went to North Carolina A&T University, Brown moved west to attend the University of Chicago, and Lawson headed to Massachusetts to begin his college career at Tufts University.

The legacy created by A.B. and Janie, started before their son’s passing and bolstered by his memory, is powerful, yet the couple are humble. After being named one of Brooklyn’s “Women of Distinction” in 2011, Janie said, “If I can help somebody as I pass along the way, my living will not be in vain.” This sentiment, just as true now as it was then, is shared by Brewster, where we know education tranforms lives.

“Brewster Academy meant so much to Trey,” says A.B. “And so much to our family. To keep that flame alive, keep Trey’s legacy alive… I can’t tell you how important that has been to me. To have an ongoing connection with the school that Trey loved so much has helped ease the pain of the loss of our son. Brewster is deep in our hearts.”

The healing has gone both ways.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about the Trey Whitfield School, visit treywhitfieldschool.org. And to learn more about the important work of the Trey Whitfield Foundation, visit treywhitfieldfoundation.org

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THE

OF THE

BREWSTER STUDENTS WITH A SUITCASE AND A SENSE OF ADVENTURE HAVE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD.

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M O R R I S S E Y

Cathedrals, castles, and the Playa de Caleta await Brewster students when they embark on the freshman travel experience to Cรกdiz, Spain.

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REWSTER’S GLOBAL TRAVEL PROGRAM has grown exponentially in the last two years, and now, when people outside our community hear about the international experiences Brewster students are having, the response we usually hear is, “They get to do all THAT? In HIGH SCHOOL!?”

Yes. Because a Brewster education encourages immersive learning that helps students embrace the larger world around them. Designed to build the skills needed to be a global citizen, the programs offered by Brewster’s Global Initiatives Office include three different trimester-long experiences and a shorter immersion trip exclusively for ninth graders. All are based in different regions of Spain, and serve as the home-away-from-home base for travels to other destinations across Europe. Each experience has a unique curricular emphasis and boosts students’ independence, self-confidence, tolerance, curiosity, and cultural awareness. With enrichments that one would expect in a college-level study abroad program, these carefully planned immersion experiences are a unique and special part of a Brewster education.

All the immersion experiences include a rigorous classroom component, and the teaching team includes faculty who travel from Wolfeboro as well as local educators who are trained in Brewster’s methods.

BRE WSTE R ACADE M Y

There is also ample time to explore and absorb new landscapes, new cuisines, and new people. Spanish is not a prerequisite; in fact, students have reported enjoying the friendly pantomiming that helps them communicate with their host families. Living with a local family is a key component of the trips. The host family aspect of these experiences is sometimes the greatest cause of pre-trip nerves—nerves that are quickly soothed as soon as the families excitedly meet their temporary—and very welcome—members.

“My host family was fantastic!” one senior reported.

“I stayed with a grandmother who has been taking in exchange students for more than two decades—so she knew what she was doing. She was very hospitable, a great cook, and she was always asking how I was doing.

I think everybody was very content with their host families, especially me. So that was one of the best things about the trip, definitely.”

The fall and spring trimester immersions are based at Brewster’s European campus in Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Spain’s Galicia region and part of the wellknown Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. The winter trimester option is in the Canary Islands. For freshmen, there is a 10-day immersion in Cádiz. There are separate fees for these immersion experiences, ranging from $2,500 to $5,500 plus airfare.

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cadiz ALL FRESHMEN ARE INVITED TO DIP T H E I R T O E I N T H E I M M E R S I V E T R AV E L W A T E R S with a 10-day trip to Cádiz,

Spain. Located in Spain’s southwestern coastal region, with a mix of Moorish and Christian architecture, Cádiz is almost completely surrounded by water. Designed to help the newest Bobcats share a bonding experience and get a taste of what immersion travel is all about, this trip allows students to enjoy day jaunts to Seville, Cordoba, and Granada—all short train rides from their home base in Cádiz.

Asked what he was looking forward to the most on the Cádiz trip that departed in March, Archer McClain ’23 echoed what several of his classmates have said, “Exploring the city and the food!”

The Cádiz curriculum focus is language, customs, history, and the culture of Spain and Europe. Students are asked to complete an inquiry project that focuses on one aspect of culture that they are most interested in learning more about.

Sampling new cuisines is part of learning about new cultures on any Brewster Global experience.

NOT ONLY DO STUDENTS RETURN ENRICHED FROM THE TIME ABROAD, BUT THEY ARE ALSO MORE SENSITIVE TO THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WHO ARE IMMERSED IN OURS.” — Trustee Art Coviello on the students who venture abroad on a trimester immersion trip

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Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands

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WHY THE HIGH SCHOOL YEARS? L A S T S U M M E R , E L P A Í S , O N E O F S P A I N ’ S D A I LY N E W S P A P E R S , published an article

on the importance of studying abroad, making the bold statement that six months studying abroad equals four years in a traditional classroom. “In an increasingly global world,” the author concluded, “the revolution of university education is irreversible: It is time to take a passport and live the student experience that will change your life. It is leaving everything to go for more.” Brewster’s Ricardo Carreño, Assistant Head of School for Global Initiatives, agrees, but says this kind of immersion learning is even more important for high school-age students.

“For those of us who have been preaching for decades the transformational effects of immersive experiences abroad that are thoughtfully built into our youth’s education, this article sounded like music to our ears,” Carreño says, adding that while education abroad has been happening in colleges and universities around the world for the last three decades, we now know that the real transformation happens while students are immersed at some point during their high school years.

“At this age our brains are much more receptive to the thousands of new experiential learning impacts we are receiving for being out of our ‘comfort zone,’ and we also know that the imprint that it leaves in our youth is much more powerful when experienced at high school ages,” he says.

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One of the seniors on the fall Santiago trip quickly realized the value of an immersion experience, very soon after signing up: “If anyone is considering doing the trimester immersion, I would say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do this in high school. When I told people over the summer that I was going to Spain, they said, ‘Oh, you can do that in high school?’ And, I’d say, ‘Yeah, I go to Brewster. Of course I can.’ It just gives you great insight on the world. It made me more comfortable with new things.”

“There is a reason why more and more high school students around the world embark in these experiences every year,” Carreño says, “and will be the competition that our own students are going to face for college acceptances and professional life in our globalized era.”

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the canary islands I T I S I M P O RTA N T TO N OT E T H AT T R I M E ST E R I M M E R S I O N S A R E N O T T O U R I S T VA C A T I O N S — they are full academic and cultural experiences—but it’s hard not to feel that vacation glee when heading to the Canary Islands for part of the winter!

Students on immersion trips (this class is in the Canary Islands) maintain Brewster’s academic rigor and grading system.

Brewster’s winter trimester immersion in Spain’s Canary Islands is based in the modern city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where we partner with Colegio La Salle San Ildefonso to provide an extraordinary learning experience. Tenerife affords our students frequent exploration of the Pico del Teide (the tallest mountain in Spain), mountain hamlets, and lesser-visited port towns. And, yes, there are breaks to enjoy the endless coastline and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Brewster’s Communications Associate Marta Carreño joined the winter 2020 group for a few days in February. “I was able to live the student experience in the Canary Islands through my lens— literally,” she said. “Following the groups around with the camera was fun and exhausting because there was not a moment in their day when they sat still!” Carreño accompanied the group on a weekend trip to the island of Fuerteventura, where they went swimming, snorkeling, and even biked up to the top of a volcano on the island. “Through it all I could see the bonds these students had created since I had last seen them on our campus in New Hampshire, facilitated by all of these new experiences they were living together abroad.” One of her most vivid memories was listening to a conversation among students and their local guide on their sunset kayak ride back to the mainland: “The guide told them about his experience moving to the Canary Islands as a kid and students made efforts to speak Spanish to him as they shared their own backgrounds and willingness to travel and learn new languages.”

Brewster science faculty joined the students during Interim Studies to complete an enhanced unit on sustainability and development in the Islands—which also featured lectures from local experts on their own field research.

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THIS PAGE: The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was built between 1060 and 1211. RIGHT: Cathy and Art Coviello, Brewster Trustee, visiting with students during the fall trimester immersion trip.

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santiago de compostela THE FALL AND SPRING IMMERSION TRIMESTERS ARE BOTH ANCHORED IN SANTIAGO D E C O M P O S T E L A , part of the Spain’s northwest region. The city is known for its

medieval history and Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassicist architecture—along with a rich religious affiliations (it is the culmination point of the famous ancient pilgrim route known as the Camino de Santiago).

“It was also cool being in an old historic city,” one senior recalled on the fall trip. “Santiago has about 100,000 people and it’s an UNESCO World site. The trimester immersion there gives you the opportunity to be independent and explore the city. And that just reinforces a different kind of learning…world learning.”

Brewster’s classes are held in the Monastery of San Martin Pinario, a 12th-century Benedictine monastery that is the second largest in Spain. But each trimester has a distinct focus: The fall trimester program is called “History and Ourselves” as the students fold courses on Western European history and religion into their regular curriculum.

The Global Programs team gives a great deal of thought and planning to make sure the students get to take advantage of their

BRE WSTE R ACADE M Y

location, going on excursions that reflect the curriculum focus. For example, “History and Ourselves” students enjoy group trips to Munich, Germany; Salzburg, Austria; and Madrid, Spain.

“For one of our Weekend Cultural Trips, we went to the Sacred Riviera of Galicia, about a two-hour drive from Santiago,” one of the juniors on the fall immersion explained. “We went to the Roman baths and hot springs in the historic Roman city of Ourense, and saw castles, monasteries, canyons, and the small village of Parada del Sil. It was really really fun…definitely one of my favorites.”

Those choosing to do the spring immersion in Santiago focus on the theme “Exploring Western Civilization,” and visit Florence and Rome, Italy, as well as Madrid.

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Q &A

Q

Why is global education, specifically the trimester immersion trips, important to you?

Why are you such a strong supporter of the global program for Brewster?

A

From a trustee perspective, I applaud the fact that we are incorporating elements of global education in our program and in the Brewster Model. We are living in an interdependent world, and it is critically important to expand our aperture and teach our students that the world doesn’t begin and end at the U.S. border. With 20% of our students coming from more than 20 countries, we are already well positioned to give all of our students a perspective they couldn’t receive in a public school environment.

The trimester abroad offering deepens that opportunity as the students experience life immersed in a different culture. Not only do they return enriched from the time abroad, but they are also more sensitive to the international students who are immersed in ours and they share their experiences with all of the other students.

Q

Q&A WITH BREWSTER GLOBAL’S BIGGEST ADVOCATE G LO BA L L E A R N I N G AT B R E WST E R H A S A N E N T H U S I A ST I C A D V O C A T E I N T R U S T E E A R T C O V I E L L O . His decades of

executive management experience include serving as chief executive officer of RSA, the security division of Dell Technologies. Recognized as leader in his field, he was a regular speaker at conferences and forums around the world, which gave Coviello a unique perspective on the benefits of cultural understanding and global citizenship—and sparked his passion for making sure Brewster students have paths to both.

You’ve joined our students in Santiago de Compostela, Spain during their trimester immersion. What were your observations during your time with them?

A

I came away jealous that I never experienced school in a medieval city in a 500-year-old monastery. I was impressed with the versatility of the teaching staff and how disciplined the school day was while the students also became more independent and self-sufficient living with the host families.

Q

What would you like Brewster’s families and alumni to know about the school’s commitment to global education?

A

For the families of students, I believe this reinforces that you and your child made the right choice, and for alums, you should be proud that the Brewster Model continues to evolve to meet the needs of today’s students. Global Education is another key element to the Brewster Model and educational experience.

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Meet the Brewster Global Team (from left): Ricardo Carreño, Chris Brown ’87, Jason Wang, Cindy Guttman P’21, Priscilla Finch (now retired), and Jonathan Fouser.

BOBCATS IN THE WORLD F R O M I T S I N C E P T I O N D E C A D E S A G O , the Brewster Model set out to educate

students in a way that engaged their curiosities and built on their strengths.

As we’ve evolved into a school that is driven by our mission to prepare diverse thinkers for lives of purpose, a well-rounded global education has become part and parcel of that promise. Students on the Fall Immersion in Santiago de Compostela had a visit from Head of School Craig Gemmell, who interviewed the kids for his Diverse Thinkers podcast. He asked what they thought travel was teaching them about themselves.

One student spoke to the bravery an adventure like this requires, “Being on this trip you have no choice but to be out of your comfort zone. You have no choice but to discover who you are and to grow from it, and that is how you learn.”

Craig also asked about the appendage most teenagers cannot imagine being without: smart phones. “There are so many cultures here. We are sitting in a building that is perhaps 800 years old,” he asked. “Have you been thinking a lot about Snapchat?”

“Definitely no,” Reese Richmond ’21 said. “I pick up my phone to take some photos, to text my parents. It is a relief to not have to feel like I have to keep everyone informed about how great my life is.”

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WHEN TRAVELING, YOU INTERACT WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND GET INSPIRED ON HOW YOU WANT TO SHOW YOURSELF TO THE WORLD.” – Reese Richmond ’21

2020 Update The Global Initiatives Office is ready to welcome students back into these immersion trips as soon as international travel is deemed safe again.

CALLING ALL GAPPERS T H E M O ST R EC E N T A D D I T I O N TO B R E WST E R’S S L AT E O F T R AV E L O P T I O N S I S “ G A P Y E A R - B R E W S T E R G L O B A L .”

More and more students across the country are pressing pause on college to take a year after high school to work, volunteer, or travel. According to the most recent Gap Year Association survey, those “gappers” report that the year of experiential learning and travel helped them with personal development, increased their maturity and selfconfidence, and taught them how to better communicate with people from other cultures. (And here’s a little trivia that caught our eye: Students who take a gap year and travel abroad not only earn higher GPAs in college, they are also more likely to be engaged in civic matters.

63% of students who traveled during their gap year reported voting in national elections, which tops the national average by almost 10%!)

Until then, if you have any questions, contact the team at global@brewsteracademy.org.

A gap year of travel is also a trend college and university admission offices value, knowing that the student they are considering welcoming into their school has a worldly view and equipped themselves with new tools to contribute to their college community.

Brewster’s program is uniquely set up for students looking for a meaningful gap year experience, with the fall trimester in Wolfeboro to enjoy campus life, prepare for their upcoming immersion programs, complete their standardized testing requirements, and work with the College Office on their college application process. For the winter trimester, they head to the Canary Islands followed by Santiago de Compostela in the spring. Coursework is tailored to each student’s specific goals and requirements in preparation for their college transition.

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B R I A N B A L L E N T I N E ’ 9 7 shares how his skepticism as a member of the first class to learn under the new Brewster Model came full circle. Now, he is using his Brewster education to reach across continents at one of the leading public universities in the United States.

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C O L L I N S

“ In some ways, [my job] is like running a small city.

Seventy thousand students.

Thirty thousand faculty and staff. It’s dynamic.

Unpredictable. With lots of diverse stakeholders and lots at stake.”

BRI AN BALLENTI NE , C HI EF OF STAFF, RU TGERS U NI VERSI T Y

2020 Update 62

LIVES OF PURPOSE

We’d be remiss if we didn’t note that after this feature was completed, the president of Rutgers University tapped Brian Ballentine to move from Chief of Staff to Senior Vice President for Strategy and Senior Adviser to the President. This role, and the office it oversees, is a four-year pilot aimed at tackling major initiatives for the University. We congratulate Dr. Ballentine on this achievement, and plan on sharing an update in a future issue.

RIAN BALLENTINE ’97 had a had a rough couple of years at Brewster. He was

a day student, which, back then, set him apart from the daily experience of attending a primarily boarding school. He had little interest in his studies.

“I remember my grade was around 60 in one of my history classes,” Ballentine recalls, “and my teacher’s mid-term report said, ‘Brian continues to rely on his charm to get by.’ ” More significantly, as Brewster embraced a radical new approach to teaching, Brian’s class felt a bit like test dummies as the new plan disrupted classroom norms.

The school had recently hired an Australian educator named Alan Bain as associate headmaster. Bain’s charge was to shake up the status quo and create a new academic program that would use emerging technologies and pedagogy to improve outcomes at a school. Bain’s new program emphasized working in small teams, with expectations and coursework tailored to students’ individual capacities, and the extensive use of laptop computers for collaboration and near-constant communication with classmates and teachers. In time, the visionary approach would become known as “The Brewster Model” and serve as a best-practices example emulated by independent schools across the country.

But as Ballentine and other members of the Class of 1997 experienced it, the beginning of the learning curve was rocky. It isolated them among the Harkness tables and re-configurable classroom spaces of the renovated attic of the old Academy building. They had to lug bulky Macintosh laptops across campus. Other students called them “Bubble Babies.” For a senior project, Ballentine— who thought of himself as an “old-school kind of student who liked pen and paper”—wrote a thesis that was harshly critical of the new model. He went out of his way to share it with senior administrators, including Bain.

But Ballentine’s imagination was fired at Brewster, as well. He remembers his first time sitting in Miss Shea’s English class and thinking, This is what a teacher could be like. This is what a real class could be like. He took an AP English class with Mr. Friend, and felt the thrill of being pushed to his limits by a consummate scholar. A physics teacher recognized Ballentine’s growing intellectual curiosity, and suggested he consider the seminar-style, Great-Books-based program at St. John’s College.

Ballentine went to St. John’s Santa Fe campus, where he majored in the philosophy and history of mathematics.

The seeds planted at Brewster continued to flourish for Ballentine: He taught English in a high school in

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Gérardmer, France, and later spent a formative year with AmeriCorps VISTA, raising money and developing training programs for GED students in Providence, R.I. He earned a Master’s and then a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Brown University. There, Ballentine found himself serving on a committee with the dean of the graduate school, and discovered that he was more passionate about improving students’ outcomes than he was about the dissertation waiting for him back in his apartment. He learned that his background had prepared him to engage in the big and difficult conversations going on in higher education—much like he had in that Brewster thesis. He brought real-world experience and a humanities lens to his understanding of organizational behavior.

Ballentine landed a job at Rutgers University, where he oversaw the Aresty Research Center for Undergraduates for three years. Again, focused on outcomes, he raised the Center’s profile, doubling the student participation and establishing science-style research assistant positions in the humanities departments. He launched an alumni network and established corporate partnerships. He created and led faculty workshops for driving evidencebased approaches to mentoring. In 2016 he was appointed Chief of Staff in the office of the president.

In his new role, Ballentine leads the executive team that implements President Robert Barchi’s agenda, and engages daily with the inner circles of a major state university, from the CFO to the provost, from the athletic director to the compliance officer. “In some ways, it’s like running a small city,” he says. “Seventy thousand students. Thirty thousand faculty and staff. It’s dynamic. Unpredictable. With lots of diverse stakeholders.” He somehow finds time—mostly in summer—to continue his teaching and academic writing.

Recent peer-reviewed articles include an analysis of language in Renaissance England. Ballentine has taught a seminar on The Hobbit, and used The Handmaid’s Tale as a jumping off point for the exploration of censorship.

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Brian Ballentine ’97 (fourth from left) in Botswana with members of the Rutgers delegation and President Mokgweetsi Masisi (third from left). The group is part of a joint initiative to develop programs that help Botswana move to a knowledge-based economy.

Along the arc of his journey in higher education, Ballentine began to see his Brewster experience in a new light. He recognizes how well-prepared he was for the rigorous, seminar-based courses at St. John’s.

He knew already how to collaborate with people with diverse viewpoints. “What people today call emotional intelligence I started developing as a freshman at Brewster,” he says, “though I didn’t know it at the time.”

He admits that he liked the small groups and team approach to problem solving. “It turns out that’s been a big part of how I work. I don’t know if Brewster taught me that, or if it was something I simply discovered there.” He resisted the new methods back then, but says he “wouldn’t have thrived in the old lecture-style classrooms.”

In 2016, he wrote a letter to Alan Bain, now a widelypublished author and consultant on educational reform.

In the letter, Ballentine recounts coming across a copy of the paper he’d written criticizing Bain’s new model at Brewster, and in particular how its “scientific approaches” sanitized the art of teaching. He recalled sharing the paper and receiving Bain’s gracious invitation to stop by and discuss it in person—an invitation the young Ballentine didn’t dare accept. “Looking back,” Ballentine wrote, “I was impressed at your willingness to engage detractors. I imagine the job at Brewster was not always easy. I have a book called Scientific Teaching sitting on my desk, which I use almost as an instruction manual for my courses. I guess I’ve come around to your point of view. Thanks for being supportive 20 years ago when I was just starting to think

about these issues.” He received a gracious response from Bain, who said he had learned much from the Brewster experience about teaching and managing change—and that this exchange of letters felt like a completion of the conversation he had offered back in 1997.

Over the past years, Ballentine has had a similar opportunity to think about a big and ambitious new model, about boldly venturing into foreign territory. In February 2019, Rutgers cemented a deepening connection with Botswana, a country on a continent where Rutgers has more than 100 faculty members working and teaching.

Formally known as the Botswana-Rutgers Mahube Partnership for Transformation, the new joint initiative promises to exchange knowledge through technology and to develop programs that help move Botswana from a natural resource-based economy to a knowledge-based one. The broad partnership will focus on health care, information technology, higher education and research, entrepreneurship and innovation, and civic leadership.

In March 2019, Ballentine traveled to Botswana with a small delegation of Rutgers administrators to meet with President Mokgweetsi Masisi and members of his cabinet.

Along with Eric Garfunkel, Rutgers’ vice president for global affairs, Ballentine will play a lead role. The implications and opportunities for global education—for personal growth and life-changing empowerment—are huge. The themes of technology and collaboration and communication, so central to The Brewster Model, will be key.

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ALUMNI NEWS

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IN THIS SECTION: 64 ALUMNI NEWS 69 HOOPLA 72 CLASS NOTES 80 REMEMBER WHEN?

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2020 Update

WE HOPE YOU’LL TAKE A LOOK BACK AT REUNION 2019 AND BE INSPIRED TO MAKE YOUR WAY TO WOLFEBORO WHEN WE CAN FINALLY BE TOGETHER TO HAVE OUR BICENTENNIAL BASH LAKESIDE!

The 2019 Reunion Weekend brought friends together from all corners. Brewster grads chose from a wide range of events and activities, including a hike up Mount Major, exploring downtown Wolfeboro’s newest offerings, plenty of chat time over brunches and BBQs, campus tours, the 6th Annual Reunion 5K Fun Run/Walk, the Athletic Hall of Fame induction, family games in the lake, and a scenic cruise on the Winni Belle. The Class of 1969 kicked off its 50th reunion with a Friday Night Jubilee in the Ac Building, while the Class of 1994 celebrated its 25th with drinks and hors d’oeuvres in Lord House. As the saying goes, a good time was had by all. (Turn the page for more photographic evidence!)

We asked Ramsey (Cotherman) Reiner ’99 to write a personal reflection on her Reunion 2019 experience, and she echoes what many alumni feel when they come back to Brewster for a reunion.

“Coming back to campus 20 years later is amazing. Some things have changed, but the important things have stayed the same.

Lake Winnipesaukee still welcomes you.

Teachers are still loving, personable, and engaged. New additions to the team fit right in. Our class spent the weekend cooking, eating, laughing, and crying together.

It turns out that 18-year-olds are terrible at planning for the future, which explained our lackluster time capsule.

We took it upon ourselves to add items this year. We reassigned our senior superlatives, and the process of doing so spoke greatly to how we have grown as people. We chose only to assign areas that were positive—clearly wanting to support each other and see the best in each other. It gave us an opportunity to give praise for accomplishments and update everyone on our lives. It was probably the first team project that we did as a class and succeeded. I guess we are officially grownups.

My phone is now full of pictures, sad texts saying goodbye, and new friends from our weekend on campus. These weekends are no longer high school reunions, they are family reunions. And for that, we are all grateful.”

— R AMSEY (COTHERMAN) REINER ’99

OPPOSITE: Emily Connors ’14 and Lydia Allen ’15 LEFT: Former faculty member and coach Mal Murray, former Head of School David Smith, and former faculty member and coach David Pollini ’57.

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Big Reunion Fun

“ I Guess We Are Official Grownups”

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67 ALUM N I N EWS

BY KRIST Y KERIN

Alumni Lives of Purpose One special feature event of Reunion 2019 was a Saturday afternoon session highlighting the work of a group of young alumni who are living out Brewster’s mission to prepare diverse thinkers for lives of purpose. Josh Sims ’04, along with Deion James ’04 and Shae Pinckney ’04, captivated a packed room of alumni as they shared the genesis of their work in Uganda through their non-profit, The Culture Connection Project. Josh Arnold ’01 then shared a local story of impact in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire through his non-profit, G.A.L.A: Global Awareness, Local Action.

The Culture Connection Project

founder Josh Sims ’04 wove a tale that started with his first trip to Uganda as a volunteer math teacher through the U.S.-based nonprofit the Arlington Academy of Hope and the lessons he learned along the way.

He approached his first trip with “an abstract idea that I was going to help people,” but soon realized that there were plenty of Ugandan teachers available who were far more qualified than he was— teachers who he was actually displacing from employment opportunities. Despite his good intentions, Sims began to feel that he was not necessarily helping in the way he had hoped.

“Everything changed when I was at my 10th year reunion at Brewster,” said Sims, when he connected with classmate Deion James. Inspired by Sims’ experiences in Uganda, James decided to travel with him on his next trip. When they arrived, they found that the students had just finished exams and were on a break while teachers tackled grading. The kids still arrived at school each day because they knew they could receive a hot meal there, but they had few activities to keep them busy. Sims and James used this unexpected opportunity to work with students in a less-structured

Josh Sims ’04 (inset) speaking to the crowd at the Estabrook hearth.

way. So they did what they loved: They played basketball, set up games, and taught art classes. “It was a way to connect with these kids in a way that we hadn’t before,” Sims recalled.

From that point forward, Sims’ relationship with the Arlington Academy of Hope evolved. He and James returned home and worked to bring in others, including Brewster alumni Shae Pinckney

’04 and Veronika Payne ’06, in their plan to form a 501(c)3 organization that they called The Culture Connection Project.

The mission of The Culture Connection Project is to build relationships, understanding, and appreciation among people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Today, the project hosts an annual travel opportunity for individuals who believe in this mission. Sims attributes the origins of this work to his time at Brewster. “When we think about the first time that we actually were exposed to different

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Josh Arnold ’01 (left) speakng about his work with G.A.L.A. (Global Awareness, Local Action), and the crew from the Cultural Connection Project with their friends (above).

cultures, made connections with people from different places that we wouldn’t have otherwise, it’s this school [Brewster] that comes up,” he told the gathered crowd.

G.A.L.A: Global Awareness, Local Action

Josh Arnold ’01 then shared the work his non-profit, G.A.L.A: Global Awareness, Local Action, has done in Wolfeboro. Like Sims, Arnold’s story began with some abstract ideals, with lessons learned along the way that have shaped a new path.

As a young college graduate, Josh became involved with an arm of the United Nations and found himself in a room with representatives from around the world making decisions that, as Arnold put it, “would impact people I had never met and places I had never visited.” Over time, he realized that there were people and places closer to home that needed help. So he turned his focus toward the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.

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He and others began by pulling people together to talk about needs in the community. What started as a group of like-minded individuals evolved into an organized web of community services. Arnold shared a breathtaking range of projects that started as single initiatives designed to fill a community need.

From community gardens, to music houses, to contra dances, to town clean-up projects, Arnold has been involved with or spearheaded dozens of projects.

G.A.L.A’s mission is to strengthen community by bringing people together to discover passions and cultivate skills that enrich rural lives and livelihoods. The group’s next major project includes a maker space that will be open and accessible to the entire Wolfeboro community to give room and resources for local residents who wish to try a new craft, learn a new skill, or work on a new business idea.

A Call to Help

For those in the audience, the presentations from Brewster alumni who are clearly leading lives of purpose by helping others represented a satisfying, full-circle moment. Standing before the audience were students who arrived in a new place designed to enrich their minds in part by introducing them to those with whom they have very little in common. Those same students, as young men and women, later felt the call to address community needs near and far— and did so because of their early experiences at right here on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. It is an outcome the entire Brewster family can be proud of.

For more information about G.A.L.A: Global Awareness, Local Action, visit galacommunity.org, and to see what’s coming up for The Culture Connection Project, visit theculturecp.org

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Brewster has made a strong commitment to institutional research to inform our program development and strategic initiatives moving forward.

We are one of a small number of independent schools in New England with a Director of Institutional Research who designs and analyzes our surveys, focus groups and interviews. We conduct these on an ongoing basis with alumni, students, and their parents.

We want to thank those of you who participated in our research this past year. We will reach out to other constituents in the future and hope that you will take the time to respond. Your input is important to crafting Brewster’s future. For more information, contact Marcia Trook at mtrook@ brewsteracademy.org.

Good News BULLETIN

The Annual Brewster Auction in October 2019 smashed its goal of $200,000 and topped

$400,000!

All proceeds benefit financial aid. We raise our paddle in thanks to all the volunteers and bidders, and of course the generous donors who

ALUM N I N EWS

Your Opinion Matters

HO O P LA A note from MATT HOOPES, former faculty member, helping keep alumni connections alive from his home in Eleuthera Bahamas.

Honoring Our Shared Brewster History

Longtime columnist Matt Hoopes shares his views on the importance of reflecting on our community’s history, and celebrating BIG at the 2020 Reunion!

“Remember when we…”

Each year during Reunion Weekend, I hear that question being asked hundreds of times. The answers are laughed out with true amazement of fun times had together at our school on the lake.

Some comments are tinged with just a hint of jealousy: “Whoa, if we’d had a field house like that…” But at the Bicentennal Reunion, alumni will gather not only to recall their own class memories, but to reflect on Brewster’s history as we celebrate our Bicentennial.

Many alumni have read Bob and Shirley Richardson’s The Brewster Story, recounting the details and stories of Brewster’s rich history, beginning with the 1820 formation of the Wolfeborough and Tufonborough Academy. As many of New England’s present-day boarding schools, Brewster was founded as the local public high school.

One hundred years of any endeavor is a big deal—double that and it’s a huge deal! Being just a part of that history, one’s personal history with Brewster, brings with it a sense of belonging, a sense of unity to all. Looking back at a 200-year history sets one’s mind wandering: How many thousands have climbed the stairs to the Ac? How many more thousands have gathered around dining tables in the Estabrook? I’m often accused of having worked for Brewster “forever,” but in truth, it’ll be yet another five years till I’ve marked just one-quarter of Brewster’s age.

Hopefully alumni from all classes will return to celebrate Brewster’s Bicentennial. Imagine meeting alumni of decades before and decades after your class, participating in a time of remembrance of Brewster Academy as well as a chance to plan for its future. Folks will share memories of exciting times and personal growth and be “re-awed” by Brewster’s beautiful lakeside campus. They’ll get to share tales of the faculty who cared for then and inspired them—and see faculty who made a difference in their young lives. During our Bicentennial year, let’s remember how and why we fell in love with the special place called Brewster.

provided an enticing lineup of items.

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Leaving a Legacy: Dana Bagnell ’62

BY NANCY GINGRAS

School wasn’t going particularly well for young Dana Bagnell ’62 at his local public high school in Massachusetts.

Concerned about his future, his parents thought he would be better served by attending boarding school.

They liked Brewster’s lakeside campus, but particularly appreciated the academic expectations and study hall structure that Brewster set in place for students.

Suitcases packed, Dana arrived in Wolfeboro for his junior and senior years.

The new student thrived at Brewster with the support of people like principal and teacher Burtis Vaughan, and he still carries especially fond memories of the undefeated football season—the team’s resounding victory over UMass’s

could be successful on my own,” he recalls now. “It also gave me lifelong friendships.”

After Brewster and college, Dana served as a social worker for 10 years in Lynn, Mass., and later worked for U.S. Congressman Michael Harrington (Mass. 6th District). His path then led him to the real estate business, and eventually he started a landscaping contracting business on Boston’s North Shore.

When his 50th Reunion at Brewster came up on the calendar in 2012, Dana decided to return to campus for the first time in five decades. And that’s when something clicked.

Dana realized that his years at Brewster truly defined who he is today and the life of purpose he has led—he began to reflect on how this school on the shores of

“Going to Brewster allowed me to be more optimistic about my future … it allowed me to think about the possibilities.”

DANA BAGNELL ’62

junior varsity team was a particularly satisfying moment. Dana says that attending Brewster prepared him for college, which would never have happened if he had stayed in his hometown school. “It gave me a sense of myself—and showed me I

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Winnipesaukee transformed him.

“Going to Brewster allowed me to be more optimistic about my future than many of the guys from my hometown; it allowed me to think about the possibilities,” he says. “I really had been granted a privilege

by attending Brewster, as I realized there were more options available to me. Before Brewster, my life had been a closed book, but at Brewster I met so many people from all walks of life.” He recalls, “No matter what our backgrounds were—from great wealth or modest means—we all felt we had a level playing field about what the future could hold for us.”

Impressed by what he saw and heard about the Brewster of today at that 2012 reunion, and with those revelations of Brewster providing a transformative grounding for his future success, Dana has since become re-engaged with the school as a loyal alumnus, Fund for Brewster donor, and most recently, as a legacy donor by naming Brewster in his estate plans.

Dana hopes that other alumni, whether from his era or more recent years, will follow his example by supporting Brewster through outright donations or naming the school in their wills. “Brewster made such a difference in my life, as I know it has in so many others,” he says.

“Naming Brewster in my will is a small way to give back and to also pay it forward.”Learn more about naming Brewster in your estate plans at brewsteracademy.org/giving/ planned-giving.

71 ALUM N I N EWS

BY SU Z ANNE MOR R ISSEY

Brewster’s Beacon On the evening of June 1, 2019 during Reunion Weekend, Brewster hosted the rededication of the "Red Light on the Wharf." The light, located end of the dock at Pinckney Boathouse, was placed in memory of “Brewster’s beacon,” former Latin and English teacher Burtis F. Vaughan Jr. (1916– 1998), who served as dean and later principal from 1959 to 1965. Mr. Vaughan's daughters Janna (Vaughan) Kasarjian ’62 and Jo Anne (Vaughan) Landry ’65, along with members of their families were able to attend the ceremony. School lore states that the light welcomes Bobcats home from competitions around the lake, representing the home they always have at Brewster.

After Mr. Vaughan’s passing, his family, friends, and former students initiated The Burtis F. Vaughan Jr. Memorial Scholarship. Through the generous support of donors at all levels, the scholarship reached the $25,000 endowment threshold in 2013 and is now awarded annually to support a deserving Brewster student from the Lakes Region.

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Class Notes ALUMNI, we’d really like to hear what’s been happening in your world. New gigs, happy announcements, tales of travel, retirement plans, family additions? They all belong here. Send a note and/or photo to alumninews@brewsteracademy.org, and let’s draw our Brewster community even closer. Special thanks to the members of the 25th Reunion Class of 1994, who stepped up with a lot of interesting life updates in this issue.

WAYS TO CONNECT There are so many ways to connect with Brewster Academy.

Here are a few options: FACEBOOK facebook.com/ BrewsterAcademyAlumni TWITTER @BrewsterAcademy INSTAGRAM @BrewsterAcademy FLICKR flickr.com/photos/ brewster_academy VIMEO vimeo.com/ brewsteracademy EMAIL alumninews@ brewsteracademy.org MAIL 80 Academy Drive Wolfeboro, NH 03894

WHEN YOU SEND A PHOTO Please send high resolution images (that’s 300 dpi or higher) to alumninews@brewsteracademy.org

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1957

Dave Pollini recently shared a note with some wonderful family memories with the Alumni Office. “The years fly by and each of us gets older. I was born April 16, 1939. You figure it out. However, I still play a lot of golf with my son Jay who is one of the best players in New England. My daughter Susan is a fine player also. I’m a life-time member at our Kingswood Golf Club (18-hole course) where I retired as Pro after 38 years. I still have my golf shop on Lehner Street in Wolfeboro. Some of you probably know that my wife Ann passed away May 29, 2018, and it’s been tough without her. She had three holes-in-one, I’ve only had two, as has our son Jay. We were in Hawaii years ago and I heard a guy say he wouldn’t play golf with a woman. That irritated me, so I went over to them and said ‘We’d be glad to play you two gentlemen for $20 per man per hold, best ball.’ They said we could play with them, but not for money. Ann always hammered those par 3 holes.

We won 9 up which would have cost each of them $180. Just as well! I still cross-country ski in the winter and as you know we get plenty of snow! Stay active, keep moving, and live a long and happy life.” Dave, AKA “Coach Pollini” included a postscript: “Our granddaughters (Anya 9, Aria 6) play golf with us and ski downhill with Jay, their dad. They also snowmobile. In the summer they swim almost every

day as their house is on Crescent Lake. It’s a great life!”

1965

Lester Kligerman wrote in about his art, which can be viewed at behance. net/gallery/73951635/FANTASYBEYOND-SPACE-TIME: “This website has a few of my new graphic art examples of a completely new style of art I began learning. I have many hundreds of these new fantasy art as pictures files. Please take a look and feel free to share the link…I want my pictures to be seen.”

1977

Rob Spano is still working for the medical insurance industry and still tinkling the keys: making music and playing piano at a country club on the weekends.

1978

Rick Wood kindly shared, “Thank you to Matt Hoopes for his friendly persistence! He’s a treasure! 40+ years now since my time at Brewster.

It was a wonderful year for me. I’ve been up to the campus several times and it looks fantastic! Keep up the great work!”

1979

Mike Croteau reported he is “Alive and well and still living in New Jersey. I’m in the same hiking club as Sarah Tomaino ‘79 so we get to see other quite often.” / Bill Halyburton checked in after a long period of silence, saying, “I’m still alive!” After college he went to Charleston, S.C., and into the restaurant business with his father from 1988 to 2003.

He moved to Saluda, S.C., near his sister’s (Becky ’80) family. “I love hunting and fishing in that area,” he told us. / Jane Lindsay-Scott checked in from Palm Beach, Fla., “We sold our place in Washington in December and have been here most of the winter. We’ll be looking for a new place in Seattle this summer.”

Jane is still working for Sotheby’s International Realty.

73 Barry Sanel wrote, “I’m at the top of my game in career and life. I have a wonderful family with my wife Ava and daughter Allison, 17. Allison wants to go into theater and music/art, so the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as I am a Graphics Commercialization manager. I’ve spent time volunteering for the Kent Fire Department— we’ve lived in Kent, N.Y., just west of Danbury, Conn., for 20 years. For the past six years I’ve been a volunteer at Burning Man in Nevada as an EMT.”

IN MEMO RIAM 1942 Harold T. Whittum Jr.

September 22, 2018 Port Charlotte, Florida 1945 Shirley (Bean) Gibbons

June 26, 2018 Cape Coral, Florida 1946 Clarita M. Hoyt

February 4, 2019 Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

1982

Sarah Fallon has been with FLIR Systems, one of the largest companies specializing in the design and production of thermal imaging cameras, components, and imaging sensors, for 15 years. “Still managing trade shows for FLIR’s Industrial Business Unit and still enjoy doing so. I am going to Indianapolis shortly to demonstrate how our thermal cameras used by firefighters save lives.”

1983

Jon Sturner writes, “All is good here in Reno, Nevada where I’m building solar houses.”

1984

Ron Burt shared, “All is going well. My youngest is a senior this year, and we are looking at colleges. Time is flying by.” / Bill Moore recently moved from Hollywood, Fla. to Maine as a result of a job transfer. / We were thrilled, of course, when Geoff Petty shared, “I visited the Alumni Office this past August—my first time back in 34 years. Beth Hayes ’81 in the Alumni Office was kind enough to meet with my family. The entire faculty that we met were wonderful to speak with during our tour.”

1985

Andy Weiner wrote in, “I still can’t believe that it has been over 33 years since we graduated. Since 1997, I have been in the tech industry in some way, shape, or form. Prior to that,

CLAS S N OT ES

1981

1947 William R. Schneider Andrew Weiner ’85 and his daughter, Rachel, at her 16th birthday last year.

from 1988 to 1996, I was in EMS/Law Enforcement. I am currently a Senior Technician at Diebold Nixdorf where I repair and program ATM Machines.

And, in case you want to know, free samples day is always February 30!

My wife is a preschool teacher in Stow, Mass. I am going on 20 years of marriage to Marcia. We have a 16 year old (going on ? and giving me grays and a heart condition) and a daughter who is a sophomore at Acton Boxborough Regional High School.

It seems I have become quite the professional at embarrassing her. My job is complete! Thanks to Facebook, I am happy to have kept in contact with and found many other old friends from Brewster. You can find me there at facebook.com/tiberiasd6. Hope all is well with everyone.”

1986

Hank Nusloch is the Lead Teacher in the English Department of De La Salle High School in New Orleans. “My eldest daughter is now in college!” he adds.

1989

Corey Levy writes, “I’m living in Boulder, Colorado and loving it. Work is exciting these days with the market

November 5, 2018 Pleasanton, California 1948 Robert B. Cressey

July 10, 2018 Topsfield, Massachusetts Harry J. Hayes

April 17, 2019 Weymouth, Massachusetts 1949 Charles J. McCabe Jr.

February 4, 2019 East Hartford, Connecticut Edward R. Watkins

April 13, 2019 Lowville, New York 1950 Barbara J. (Lyman) Currier

October 27, 2018 Wolfeboro, New Hampshire 1951 Bernard G. Lewis

April 14, 2019 Rochester, New Hampshire 1952 Muriel L. (Roberts) Massey

January 23, 2019 Alexandria, Virginia

1953 Robert C. Harrington

July 25, 2019 Garland, Texas 1954 Paul R. Galvin

October 23, 2018 Wolfeboro, New Hampshire continued on page 75

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John Burfeind ’91 of Raleigh, N.C. is celebrating more than two decades in law enforcement.

introduction of my ozone laundry working machine module. This allows you to use no soap and no hot water.

It’s healthier, saves money, greatly reduces pollution, and actually works better than using detergents.” / Syd Sklar told us, “I’m still teaching at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Ill. (near Chicago). My wife, Bev, teaches fourth grade and both kids, Frank and Etta, are in high school. I started a rock and roll cover band last year called Uncle Leo Band. We play local gigs and are having a blast!” / Kit Van Wagner shared, “Greetings from Rhodie. The past year has taken me to Manhattan, Boston, New Hampshire, Key West, the Andes of Chile, and back to surf in Rhode Island. Life is good and full of travel!”

1991

John Burfeind reported, “The family is well here in Raleigh, N.C. My boys Evan and Ryan are growing too quickly. Evan is 12 and Ryan is 9. Both are great and smart! I had my 20-year anniversary in law enforcement in September 2018; it’s hard to believe. Oh, the stories I could tell. I am eligible to retire in five years. I hope all is well with my Brewster classmates and you are doing well. All the best!” / Hadley Clark, his wife, Sara, and their daughters (6th and 8th graders) went on a tour of Israel early this year.

“Even though I go by Wolfeboro often, it’s been difficult for me to make the reunion dates the past several years.

Hopefully my schedule will change

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soon.” / Lake-lover Beth Dales shared, “I am going into my fourth summer working for the YMCA of Greater Boston’s overnight camps. I am the Director of Pleasant Valley Camp for Girls in Tuftonboro, N.H. I also serve Northwoods Camp for Boys and our island camp, Sandy Island Family Camp. Check us out at bostonycamps. org. Nothing is better than a twoweek sleepover camp on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee!” / Tim Smith shared, “I’m living with my wife of five years in the hills of Oakland, Calif.

I’m still working for Sony PlayStation managing the C.G.O Motion Graphics Team—we get to do some fun things for the Global Marketing Teams and Promotional Events. Other than that, I’m constantly updating our 80+ yearold house! Loving life, all is good!”

1992

Bryan Bucklen wrote, “I recently moved to Ocala, Fla. where I am working for a fire truck maker called E-One, doing safety and environmental work. My kids are growing up quickly! My eldest daughter is now 16 and driving. My middle daughter is a freshman and wants to be an engineer, and my son is already two years ahead in math and plans to get into video game design.

Life is good!”

1994

Mike Allen checked in: “I am currently living in Burlington, Vermont with my wife Ayla and children, Max (5), Mary Clair (3), and Matthew (2). I now work in residential real estate after careers in commercial aviation and trucking.” / Sue Ballentine wrote, “I am a certified horseback riding instructor and trainer and I run High Meadows Farms with locations in Wolfeboro and Moultonboro, N.H. I am also the coach for Brewster’s Equestrian Team.” / Oscar Bosch shared, “I worked on sailing yachts all over the Caribbean before moving to Amsterdam and starting a yacht restoration company there. I met my wife in Montauk, Long Island, N.Y., and we have two boys, Jackson (7), and Cooper (5). For the

past nine years I have been running both the Kenstan Lock Company and Kenstan Fixture Services. I just started the Jaquith Hemp Farm LLC.” / Adam Burrell shared, “My wife and I run a cafe in the mountains of Colorado. We have two children, a boy and a girl.” / Todd Cadagan wrote, “I ditched the corporate world after 15 years, went to culinary school, and now spend the summers cooking on Nantucket and winters cooking in Jackson Hole, Wyo.” / Jon Leebow shared, “I’m married to Erin Elizabeth whom I’ve known since junior high.

We have two children together and five between the two of us with ages running from 4 to 21. I have been employed by the same business since 1999. I became a partial owner in 2007, and being self-employed gives more time and flexibility to travel with my family.” / Robb Mack happily reported, “I have a beautiful wife and two kids who fill me with pride and joy on a daily basis. We live and work in the beautiful city of Annapolis, Maryland.

I currently manage the online and mobile banking department of a regional bank in Annapolis.” / Greg Nelson, “I am currently living in Amherst, N.H. and I have been flying private jets for the past 16 years.

I’ve flown all over our great country, the Bahamas, Mexico, and Western Europe. My family is doing great, and my daughter is now 15.” / Andreas Ninios shared that after college she returned to Greece where “I went into the Hellenic Navy to do my duty for Greece. After earning my Master’s in diplomacy, I worked in Athens for the Olympics, ATHENS 2004.

In 2005 I went to Washington, D.C. where I currently teach Greek to U.S. diplomats. I married Joan Angelides in a wonderful ceremony on a Greek island in 2016.” / Alex (Holland) Patrick is a private caterer and event planner in Brookfield, Conn. “I have two beautiful girls who keep me on my toes, mentally and physically.

I’m in the process of launching my nutritional blog and prep business to help parents and individuals,”

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1954 Annette M. (Lampron) Kimball

June 30, 2019 Wolfeboro, New Hampshire 1955 Yvonne A. (Bilodeau) Bernier

November 14, 2018 Wolfeboro, New Hampshire Paul E. Willson

July 20, 2019 Tulsa, Oklahoma 1958 Joyce R. (Jones) Lampron

October 28, 2019 Wolfeboro, New Hampshire Norma (Bowe) Willard

September 24, 2018 Dover, New Hampshire 1959 Dawn (Cameron) Evans

June 29, 2019 Twin Falls, Idaho

Kirby E. L. Flanagan

November 10, 2018 Rochester, New Hampshire Welcome, Baby David, and congrats to parents Tapley-Ann Mudge Paxson ’98 and David Paxson.

Ronald G. Kinville Jr. August 7, 2019 Wakefield, New Hampshire Kenneth L. Mitchell

he noted. / Pum Pavarolarvidya graduated from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland with a degree in computer science. He followed that by getting a fine arts degree in photography. He met his wife, Christina, in a photography class.

After starting various businesses, Pum spent 15 years with his company, User Experience. Pum and Christina moved to Germantown, Maryland where they welcomed their daughter, Ann, in 2003. / John Preiss graduated from the College of Charleston in 1998 with a degree in business and joined his family’s real estate company in Raleigh, N.C. He has been working for the Preiss Company ever since.

He and his wife have three children: Nobles (11), Jack (10), and Mae (7). / Jeff Pricher wrote in, “I serve on two Incidental Management Teams

and one Disaster Medical Assistance team (all involve fire/medical work).

I owned a consulting business and worked for the National Science Foundation as a paramedic/rescuer stationed at the South Pole, as well as being married with children.

Exhausting to read full report!” / Karen Ragland graduated from Sacred Heart University in 1999 and from Fairfield University in 2007 with a Master’s in community counseling.

“I have been married to my love, Paul, for 20 years and we have three children: Natasha, Cynthia, and Russell.” Karen wrote. “We have lived in Niwot, Colo. for 10 years.” / Chris Ryckman shared, “I started at a telecommunication startup right out of college that went from card tables to the NASDAQ in under two years. I then went to a small hedge

April 4, 2019 Ellsworth, Maine

1960 Timothy C. Whiting

September 17, 2018 Wolfeboro Falls, New Hampshire 1962 David K. Balser

September 30, 2018 Newburyport, Massachusetts 1963 Richard E. Dow

August 29, 2018 Brockton, Massachusetts 1963 Penelope (Shannon) Duncan

September 10, 2018 Kissimmee, Florida

continued on page 77

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IN MEMO RIAM

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Karin Clement ’07, with her brothers Kris ’06 and Mikael ’12, graduated from Laval University’s Hospital Centre in Québec City after four years of pediatric residency.

David Mudge Paxson, in May. Both his big sisters, Taven (7) and McKinnon (4), were very excited to welcome a baby brother!

1999

Eric Joseph shared, “I am still working for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. I am working for the World of Disney in retail,” and added that he can be reached at ejoseph727@yahoo.com and would like to reconnect with classmates.

2003 fund in New York City as an analyst and trader. In ’04 I was hired by a proprietary trading group at Deutsche.

I married my wife Emily in ’06 and in ’18 we decided to uproot from Connecticut and moved with our five kids to Hanover, N.H.” / Tyler van Wagner filled us in on what he’s been doing since graduation: “I earned my B.S. in resource economics at UNH. During my time there I met my future wife, Molly Soutr, who was working towards her Master’s in family studies to eventually become a language arts teacher. I joined Fidelity Investments to pursue my interest in economics.

Molly and I were married in 2001 and started growing our roots in Southern New Hampshire. We have two amazing daughters, Emma, 15, and Elizabeth, 11.” / Kate Vogel went to college in Connecticut where she met her future husband during freshman year. She moved to Washington, D.C. to pursue a career in politics. “I worked as a production director for a democratic firm that made political commercials,” she told us. “During that time I got married. I left political consulting to work for a company

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that aids progressive organizations.

In 2009 our daughter Anya arrived and in 2011 our second daughter Tally arrived.” / Steve Wiegers wrote about his path since Brewster: “I attended a small Christian college, Calvin College, in Michigan, where I captained the soccer team for three years. I met the girl who became my wife a few years after graduation.

Stacy is a stay-at-home-mom, raising our two daughters, Lauren and Chloe.

Workwise, I help lead an automotive marketing company. I also enjoy investing and started a small trading fund focusing on IPOs.”

Alex Stern and Stephanie Krasnow were married at the Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee, Vermont in September.

1996

Mark Fine wrote that he is now the Vice President of Marketing for the Brooklyn Nets basketball team, adding: “My kids are now 12 and 10 years old! I’m planning to return for my 25th Brewster reunion in 2021.”

(We love you for planning so far ahead, Mark!)

1998

Tapley-Ann Mudge Paxson and David Paxson welcomed their third child,

Faculty member Peter Mann (center) helped celebrate the wedding of Stephanie Krasnow and Alex Stern ’03 in Vermont.

2007

Karin Clement graduated from Laval University’s Hospital Centre in Québec City after four years of pediatric residency, and has accepted a

77 CLAS S N OT ES

IN MEMO RIAM 1964 Russell E. Dorr Jr.

November 15, 2018 Bradenton, Florida Charles T. Roth

September 22, 2019 Moultonborough, New Hampshire 1981 Karen D. (Lambert) Greene

September 14, 2019 Southampton, Bermuda

1988 Hilary G. (Kelloway) Walton

May 8, 2019 Glendale, California 1993 James T. McAllister

October 19, 2018 Longport, New Jersey 1997 Nicholas A. Metzmaker

February 19, 2019 Springfield, Illinois 2009 Colin R. Chadwick

July 20, 2018 St. Helena, California Former Faculty Pauline (Calia) DeConto Emily Lesko ’08 and Mahmoud Odeh (above) wed at a spring ceremony at Penn State’s Arboretum, and fellow Bobcat Kelly O’Donnell ’07 (inset) was there to help celebrate the couple. (Love the banner!)

October 3, 2018 Sandwich, Massachusetts Former Academic Dean Joyce Ferris

position at Pierre le Gardeur Hospital near Montreal as a staff pediatrician.

She is an alumna of the University of Montreal’s Medical School (2014) and McGill University (B.Sc. 2010).

Karin was Brewster’s valedictorian for the Class of 2007, and is pictured here with her brothers Kris ’06 and Mikael ’12. / Sarah Thompson-Kablik wrote, “For the past three years I was at Cheshire Academy as their Senior Associate Director of Admission, then Director of Admission. I got married, moved, and now I am the Director of Enrollment Management at The Advent School in the Beacon Hill section of Boston. I continue to

be so grateful to be a member of the Brewster community.”

2008

Horace “Trey” Blue writes, “I just moved to Miami!” / Emily Lesko married Mahmoud Odeh on June 15 at the Arboretum at Penn State University. Fellow Bobcat Kelly O’Donnell ’07 joined the celebration as a bridesmaid. / Noah Schmidt wed Gwen Brack in September at The Dawson in Chicago. Brewster’s Peter Mann and classmates John Conyers, Kevin Whelan, Anthony Brady, and Chris Melanson joined in the celebration.

December 30, 2018 Exeter, New Hampshire Former Trustee James E. Nicholson

December 26, 2018 Lincoln, Massachusetts Former Trustee George W. Sullivan Jr.

September 17, 2019 Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

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a project with the Canadian Olympic Committee. She and former Brewster teammate Katie (Brewster) Coady ’09 continue to play hockey together in a senior women’s league.

2012

Amy Misera wrote, “I moved to Baltimore in the beginning of the year and started my new job in April. I am currently a Fire Protection Engineer/ Fire Investigation Consultant. With my company I had the opportunity to work in and explore Ajman and Dubai in the UAE for three weeks this August. A highlight has to be taking in the views from the 148-floor observation deck of the Burj Khalifa.” / Brady Palmer and Emma Jones ’11 ran the Boston Marathon in support of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Freddy’s Team, in honor of Freddy Tonsberg ’11. / Hannah Rafalowski and Austin Colcord were married in May in a lakeside ceremony in Wolfeboro. Hannah is the daughter of Robert Houseman and Brewster faculty member Michelle Rafalowski.

2016

Brady Palmer ’12 (left) and Emma Jones ’11 (far right) ran the 2019 Boston Marathon in honor of their friend Freddy Tonsberg ’11.

2009

Katie (Brewster) Coady married Mitchell Coady in October 2018, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. After graduating from Brewster, Katie attended St. Thomas University in Fredericton, Nova Scotia, where she played hockey for five years while completing her Bachelor of Arts degree, as well as Bachelor of Social Work degree. She shared, “After graduating I began working with the provincial government in a social worker position with long-term care.

My husband is with the Canadian Armed Forces as an infantry soldier.

He is currently posted to CFB Gagetown, which is just outside of Fredericton, where we currently

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reside. Sarah MacDonnell ’11 and I have maintained our friendship, and Sarah is now residing in Fredericton as well, and our friendship hasn’t skipped a beat. We also continue to play hockey together in a senior women’s league on the same team.”

2011

Emma Jones and Brady Palmer ’12 ran the Boston Marathon in support of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Freddy’s Team, in honor of Freddy Tonsberg ’11. / Sarah MacDonnell earned her MBA in May 2018 with a focus in sport management and works for Deloitte as a Strategy & Operations Consultant based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where she is working on

Abdullah Al-Farsi and his team secured the 2018 University of Washington Boeing Business Case Competition!

The seven-day case competition required the team to develop a new supply chain model for Boeing to remain competitive against Airbus. / Chelsea De Luca, an economicsmathematics major St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., has been selected for membership in the chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, the national mathematics honorary society. Membership eligibility for Pi Mu Epsilon varies by class year, but all students must have taken a qualifying number of mathematics courses and have achieved minimum grade-point averages in those courses, as well as overall, depending upon one’s seniority. / Tony Oh Hyun Kwon writes, “I am doing great! My family is doing great as well! I just finished with sophomore year in UC Irvine. Recently, I applied to the Air

79 CLAS S N OT ES

Noah Schmidt ’08 and Gwen Brack welcomed Noah’s Brewster friends and classmates at their wedding in Chicago.

Katie Brewster ’09 and Mitchell Coady were married in Nova Scotia. The bride shared that she had pieces of her mother’s wedding dress sewn into her own gown to make it extra special.

I T ’S EASY TO UPDATE YOUR CON TACT INFO VISIT:

Force (because military service is mandatory for all South Korean men).

If I get in, I will be serving from midOctober of this year—so this might be the last ‘keep in touch note’ for two years. Since last year, I decided to challenge myself by transferring into different institution. Fortunately, I got into Brandeis University, University of Southern California, and Washington University in St. Louis.” Tony says he’ll be deciding soon which to attend, and plans to defer enrollment if he begins his military service.

the Spring of 2019 where she will learn about many cultures around the world, serve as a KAHAL Global Ambassador for Jewish students on board, and enjoy the experience of being on a ship for three months!

brewsteracademy.org/alumni/ update-your-information CALL:

603-569-7198, or EMAIL:

alumninews@brewsteracademy.org

2017

Angie First has taken on leadership roles with Delta Delta Delta and Sigma Rho Lambda at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, as well as Camp Kesem, which serves children whose parents have cancer. She was accepted to UNC’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business where she will study business administration with a dual emphasis in marketing & sales and consulting. At the time of this submission, Angie was elated about her upcoming Semester at Sea in

We love a double Bobcat wedding! Hannah Rafalowski and Austin Colcord, both of the Class of 2012, were married in Wolfeboro in May. Mother of the Bride and faculty member Michelle Rafalowski shared this photo of the couple in front of (where else?) the Ac.

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REM EM BER WH EN ?

80

Ladies of the

1980s FLASHBACK ON FUN TIMES In prepping for Brewster’s Bicentennial year, the magazine team has had a lot of fun skimming through yearbooks past. We were taken with this photo shot at Brown Hall in the 1980s. Are you a part of this rad group? We’d love to know more about what was happening (Why was someone dressed as Santa, for example? And what was with all the cool hats?) Send your memories to Editor Suzanne Morrissey at smorrissey@ brewsteracademy.org. We’ll share any interesting intel in the next issue!

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A FINA L NOTE ‌ We hope you enjoyed the special Bicentennial issue. We leave you with an image of this beautiful place on the water—the place where we will all be able to gather again someday to celebrate not only two centuries of Brewster, but how we supported each other in the last year and weathered the storm. Photo by Suzanne Morrissey

80 Academy Drive Wolfeboro, NH 03894

DEEP IN OUR HEARTS Discover how a remarkable family and a receptive school turned tragedy into a legacy of opportunity— and love. See “The Healing” on page 42.

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