Summer 2021
TODAY
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 3 4 7 8 10 12 15 16 17
“Women’s Work” Exhibit by Caitlin Cass The Legacy of Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins SEMsational Stories New Life & Honorary Trustees STEAMing Ahead Class Day Honorees Remembering Madame Claudine Kurtz Graduation 2021 SEM Sports in Review Theater in a Pandemic
Reunion 2021 Awards Oshei Cup Class of 1971 Outstanding Service‚ Award Mary F. Gannon‚ 96 Erin K. O‘Brien 86 Semper Fidelis Award Carrie Brown Wick ‚ 76
Annual magazine for the alumnae, friends, parents, and students of Buffalo Seminary
Summer 2021 Head of School Helen Ladds Marlette SEM Today Editor Molly Greene ’98, Director of Institutional Advancement SEM Today Designer Janelle Harb, Computer Science Faculty Contributors Betsy Bloom ’08 Molly Greene ’98 Eliza Kaye Esq. ’12 Erin St. John Kelly, Former Communications Director Helen Ladds Marlette Kacie Mills, Athletic Director Peyton Wagner ’21 Carrie Brown Wick ’76 Photography & Art Liz Barton, Receptionist Sue Bradley ’73 BrodyWheeler.com Susan Drozd, Fine Arts Department Chair Janelle Harb Erin St. John Kelly Lindsay Mathias ’11, Admissions & Communications Associate Kacie Mills Faith Wendel ’24 Oliver Wilson Cover Seniors celebrate a surprise skip day complete with matching sweatshirts. Photo by Lindsay Mathias ’11
Letter from the Head of School By Helen L. Marlette
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alking into 205 Bidwell on June 14 was a welcome change: no more temperature checks, no more one-way walking patterns, and no more 6-foot distancing. This is a day I had anticipated the entire year. I expected and felt a great sense of relief, yet I underestimated the sense of pride and gratitude I would also feel. The pride is a result of the work we did that allowed us to open our doors as scheduled in September for all students. We held classes with a few breaks through exams in June, and our students and faculty remained healthy. We had the technology, safety equipment, and protocols in place to teach those who were on campus and those who could not return to campus. Every aspect of school life needed to be adjusted and everyone was involved. The students redesigned Hornet/ Jacket activities, the faculty reworked their classes, we rewrote the schedule, food service changed, our spaces were used differently, new cleaning protocols were developed, our plays were transitioned to magical virtual performances, we connected often with parents and alumnae through Zoom, athletes were able to compete safely, and our swim team won the league championship. We celebrated Class Day and Prom under a tent on Larkin Field, and the Class of 2021 graduated in Westminster Church. My gratitude stems from the understanding that each person connected to SEM committed to embracing these challenges
together. The sense of purpose to meet the circumstances and persevere was shared by all. The people of SEM who rose to the occasion and enabled us to, as one of my favorite “Miss Angellisms” states, “make what happens to you good for you.” I learned another Miss Angell lesson during our reunion. She taught SEM women it was impolite to turn
around if they heard a disturbance behind them. I wonder if there is more than manners in this lesson: Is it possible she was encouraging SEM students to look forward and not dwell on what is behind them? It is with this spirit that we will take the lessons we learned and move boldly forward.
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How do you want to be remembered?
Students had the opportunity to visit art teacher and Colby Artist Caitlin Cass’ exhibition “Women’s Work” at the Burchfield Penney and ask this question.
Photos by Erin Kelly & Lindsay Mathias ’11
Left: The exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution through comics. Right: Caitlin explained her findings and process of creating the exhibiton to the entire school.
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Students make sashes reminiscent of those worn by suffragettes in the 20th century as part of the day’s activities.
The Legacy of Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins By Peyton Wagner ‚ 21
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fter meeting Jo Ann Douglass, the former Head of School of Buffalo Seminary, at a job fair in Boston, Massachusetts in February of 2010, Kyle and Douglas Hopkins embarked on one of the biggest adventures of their lives. From the day they joined the SEM community, over 11 years ago, the two have filled a number of roles throughout the departments. Mrs. Hopkins started her time at SEM as a dance teacher for the school’s ArtsEye Program and was able to pursue many of her passions by becoming the health and leadership teacher, community service advisor, founder of SEMachords, class dean of every grade, and advisor for multiple clubs including ConnectLife, Teen Relationship Violence Awareness, and Ski Club. Mr. Hopkins stayed true to his origins and has been a teacher in the history department since his arrival at SEM, but has also coached junior varsity lacrosse for the past eight years, been the faculty advisor for the School Government Association, the history department chair for the past three years, and also club advisor for Outdoor Club, Gay-Straight Alliance, and Ski Club. Working at SEM seemed to make the most sense for the two as they were looking for a place to settle with their daughters after their seven-year boat journey. SEM was the perfect fit for their daughters to go to high school and the four of them were able to spend one year together at SEM at the same time in 2013 which “felt like home.” It is no secret that SEM is known for its close-knit community and impactful traditions, and those are some of the very qualities that the Hopkins’ have especially appreciated while working here. Mrs. Hopkins noted that her favorite SEM tradition is Hornet Jacket Day because she “appreciates that the faculty are involved in it, the girl power-ness, and the space to get up and perform together.” “Senior presentations are a really fantastic opportunity. It’s become even more of a forum for seniors to just shine and to share really sophisticated thinking and experiences in a brave way that’s helpful to the community,” said Mr. Hopkins. Not only have Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins made numerous contributions to the SEM community, but they have also extended their helping hands to the greater Buffalo community as well. “Most of the work I do has to do with my work at SEM doing community service,” said Mrs. Hopkins. It is through their initial
Faculty members Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins celebrating their eleventh and final year at Buffalo Seminary.
Peyton Wagner ’21
contact that SEM has connected with two with organizations such as St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy and Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper. Mr. Hopkins has also served as a volunteer board member for six years with Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper and has served for three years on the board of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site. After eleven years, Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins have made the decision to leave Buffalo Seminary and embark on the next chapter of their lives. When asked what they will miss the most about SEM, Mrs. Hopkins replied, “A lot. The sense of community with adults and students and the daily girl power vitamin.” “I will miss the music and the theater. I’ll miss hearing students practicing and performing, SEMachords practicing, and music collectives in morning meetings,” said Mr. Hopkins. “And the vibe of the whole school when they’re in production and the excellence of what the students have produced year after year, season after season.” It is no secret that the impact the Hopkins have made on the school and the entire community will never be forgotten, and their legacy will continue to live on within the walls of 205 Bidwell Parkway.
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SEMSATIONAL STORIES ‚94 Esq. Bethany Grabiec ‚ By Eliza Kaye 12 Esq.
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Lights, camera, action!” is a phrase that Bethany Grabiec, Vice President, Employment Counsel at Paramount Pictures, is very familiar with. Bethany’s Bethany Grabiec ’94 Esq. journey to the West Coast, however, started in Buffalo and more specifically, at SEM. Bethany graduated from SEM in 1994 and describes it as very small and somewhat intense, but at the same time, it fostered an environment where girls could be independent. At the time Bethany attended SEM on the Wincenc music scholarship, the head of school was Robert Foster, but by the time she graduated, the head was Sally Briggs. Throughout her time at SEM, Bethany was involved in music and theater. She played Glinda the Good Witch in the Summer at SEM production of “The Wizard of Oz” the summer prior to her freshman year and played the role of Agnes Gooch in the Spring Musical “Mame” during her freshman year. Bethany continued to perform with the Glee Club throughout her time at SEM and gave a senior vocal recital to the school just prior to graduation. Bethany gave regular solo performances at morning meetings in the Chapel. She also performed in numerous musicals and choral groups at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute and the Gow School. Bethany continued to enrich her performing arts education when she attended the renowned school of music at Indiana University. After her freshman year, however, Bethany realized that music was not the career that she wanted to pursue and
transferred to Barnard College in New York City. On what she explained as a whim, but based in a life-long interest in Russia and Eastern Europe, Eliza Kaye ’12 Esq. Bethany declared herself a Russian Studies major. Upon graduating from Barnard in 1998, Bethany decided that she wanted to put her Russian language skills to real-life use. Thus, Bethany enrolled in a post-graduate program in Moscow for six months from JuneDecember, 1998. Bethany explained her time in Russia as interesting to say the least. However, while she was in Russia, Bethany continued to study Russian language at a private university in Moscow while interning at the international law firm Clifford Chance. However, while in Russia, the economy collapsed and many Western businesses were reevaluating their Russian presence. Bethany explained that at that time, things became very tumultuous and she knew it was time to leave. Upon returning from Russia, Bethany was unsure of her next step, but knew that she wanted warm weather, so she took a leap of faith, moved out to Los Angeles, and began working in the entertainment industry as an executive assistant in the General Counsel’s office at Artisan Entertainment, which became Lionsgate Films. Impressively, Bethany simultaneously enrolled herself at University of Southern California, where she attained a Master’s in Communication Management. After she experienced the legal side of the entertainment industry, Bethany decided to pursue law as a career, and attended University
of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. She couldn’t stay away from L.A. for too long, though, and moved back upon graduating from law school. Bethany explained that she really enjoyed her employment law classes and clinics in law school, which is what led her to work for Jackson Lewis, PC, a national labor and employment law firm. She spent nine years there practicing employment defense in the L.A. office, but realized she wanted a new challenge in her career. In April 2013, an employment counsel position opened up at Paramount Pictures and Bethany jumped on that opportunity. In her current role, Bethany is part of the larger ViacomCBS employment law team and provides advice and counsel on employment-related matters for the studio, manages litigation, and works to ensure legal compliance on employment related issues. She absolutely loves her job at Paramount and has no plans to leave. Bethany is also happily married to Matthew Jacobs, a Los Angeles-based real estate developer. They have two children, Sam (5) and Sadie (2), who are now also fluent in Russian thanks to their Russian nanny. When reflecting on her career path and life after SEM, Bethany said that SEM gave her the confidence to present her ideas and not fear that they would be invalidated. She feels that she learned “not to be afraid to participate in a discussion that she was invited to be a part of.” Bethany believes that going to a small school gave her “an immense level of confidence and an ability to participate when thrown into a bigger pond.” Bethany attributes her impressive career path to her adaptability and “taking a chance on a path that wasn’t necessarily [hers].” Bethany’s sentiments are most definitely what makes the SEM experience a great and unique one. Young women have the opportunity to strengthen their skills and develop themselves to be independent trailblazers in whatever career path they choose, and Bethany is a shining example of just that.
SEMSATIONAL STORIES ARE A SERIES OF ALUMNAE INTERVIEWS. CHECK OUT BUFFALO SEMINARY. ORG/ ALUMNAE/ SEMSATIONAL STORIES TO READ MORE.
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SEMSATIONAL STORIES Naima Pearce ’05 ‚ By Betsy Bloom 08
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freshmen at SEM, we were taught that with hard work and effort, there was no barrier we couldn’t overcome, nothing we couldn’t become or Naima Pearce ’05. accomplish. We were encouraged to think of our futures as politicians, poets, engineers, or anesthesiologists, but if you’d asked me at the age of fourteen what I most wanted to be, my answer would have been simple: a SEM senior. And to me, the epitome of these enviable demi-gods was Naima Pearce. Naima, our student government president, infused a life into each day that we freshmen loved, even the most mundane morning announcements were funny and warm, and when she told us to “Have a great day and get to class,” we made it our personal mission to carpe diem. She got to know everyone, seemingly spending as many free periods sitting with us in the Study Hall as she did socializing in the senior lounge. She was a star on the tennis court and in the classroom. Most of all, she made us laugh. In addition to her daily witticisms, Naima entertained us via SEM Spotlight, a club that produced video news comedy segments. Each time a new one aired, we howled until our stomachs hurt. Thirteen years later, Naima’s still in the funny business. She’s currently working as a supervising writer for her Emmy® nominated show Tooning Out the News, and she writes for Our Cartoon President, both produced by Stephen Colbert. Despite her drive and natural talent, Naima encountered obstacles on this career path. After graduating from University of Pennsylvania during a recession, she attempted to break into the world of news/comedy any way she could. She worked for NPR, then as an NBC page, then
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at MSNBC as an editor and writer. She recalled during that time that she was always filling out applications to try to work on comedy shows. She described how exclusive comedy Betsy Bloom ’08. writing can be: “It’s invite-only to even apply to be a comedy writer. You need an agent or a manager to write on a comedy show, but they won’t take you unless you write on a show. There’s a reason why most comedy writers’ rooms used to be composed of white males that went to a narrow group of elite schools. The Lampoon was a feeder system. They often asked the writers if they knew anyone, and they knew other white guys. You also need to have an enormous safety net because you need to have some money in your pocket already. A lot of the people that aren’t rich white guys have more of a winding road. Eventually, I got there with the help of some friends and because this particular job required a set of skills that I had.” At SEM, we learned the value of making space and paving the way. Just as my classmates admired (in my case, idolized) Naima, she looked up to the SEM seniors that preceded her. She credits SEM Spotlight members Roseanne Hines, Alexis Peterson, and Rachel Pikus with inspiring and mentoring her: “I was trying to lift a page from their book, trying to build some kind of comedic narrative. Trying to entertain under the guise of being able to inform.” It was with this altruistic attitude that Naima spoke at SEM’s 2018 commencement, a little more than a decade after her own graduation. From the balcony at Westminster, I felt the freshmen’s admiration as they looked up at the seniors on the stage. As Naima walked to the podium to deliver her address, I understood exactly how they felt.
New Life Trustees Janice Roberts Fretz ‚49 Janice Roberts Fretz graduated from Buffalo Seminary in 1949. After marriage and raising four children, Jan has spent much of her time volunteering at SEM. She has been a Class of 1949 class agent, served as Graduates Association President in 1966-67 and sat on the Board of Trustees from 1979 until 1983. Jan received a SEM Outstanding Service Award in 1994. Her granddaughters, Anna Fretz ’16 and Emily Fretz ’19, both graduated from SEM. During their time at SEM, Jan was in charge of the Grandparents Day program, and even served as an honorary grandmother for a girl in the Class of 2019. She and her husband Bob always cheered on the soccer and tennis teams to victory! In 2019, Jan celebrated her 70th Reunion.
‚ Linda Cornelius 71 Linda Cornelius is a proud member of SEM’s class of 1971. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School, she had a 37-year career in advertising and brand strategy, retiring as a Managing Director of Ogilvy & Mather. She resides in New York City where she is active in community affairs.
Honorary Trustees Susan Hanrahan Turben ‚ 54 Dr. Susan Turben is a well-known child advocate who enjoyed a successful career in education working with children and their families. She’s had her own radio show and has been on many morning shows around the US. Dr. Turben also pioneered a number of national and international programs for infants, toddlers and young children. For the past 30 years Susan and Jack Turben have been actively involved in philanthropic work through the Susan and John Turben Foundation. They live in Kirtland Hills, Ohio.
Mary Hanrahan Berlow ‚57
Mary Hanrahan Berlow grew up in Buffalo and attended the Buffalo Seminary where her mother and sister preceded her, graduating in 1957. Mary graduated from Bradford Junior College in 1959 and New York State University at Buffalo in 1989, with a degree in art history. She has had many various careers and volunteer endeavors throughout her life with a love of travel, adventure, books and the arts prominent throughout. She moved back to Buffalo in 1983 after living in New York, Ohio, and New Hampshire. Since her move back to Buffalo she has been a class agent for her Sem class.
Congratulations and thank you for all you do for SEM!
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STEAMing Ahead
By Erin St. John Kelly, Former Communications Director
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eyond scholarship, fostering confidence and leadership are among the loftiest and most venerable of girls’ schools’ missions. A modern manifestation of this is to build girls’ interests, knowledge, and skills in male-dominated STEM fields and help change the prevalent gender gap in STEM careers. “Girls’ participation in STEM is really important because it allows for different perspectives to help solve difficult problems,” said Peyton Wagner ’21. A current Advanced Placement Computer Science A student, Peyton plans to study computer science in college with the goal of becoming a software developer. Mission accomplished. The evolution of engaging girls in computer science at Buffalo Seminary (SEM) has come a long way from a summer camp for middle schoolers, which was taught decades ago on a bright pink row of Barbie™ brand computers, to now offering high school AP Computer Science classes that use terminals installed for virtual reality programming. Along the way, we created a Mac lab to teach digital art, photography, and video; acquired a 3-D printer and three NAO robots; held annual 9th Grade STEAM awards; and formed a computer science club. “I think everyone should be bilingual as far as computers go,” explained Beth Adamczyk, SEM’s 67-year-old, always learning Director of Technology who has been moving the school’s computer science offerings and classroom tech integration forward since she arrived in 2003. “I couldn’t imagine organizing my thoughts without a computer.” That’s exactly the value of engaging girls in computer science—they’re learning skills for life. From tech and computer science classes, students learn and hone the tools to bring their own ideas to fruition through apps, games, and websites, and ultimately, to find careers. Building a robust, integrated computer science program was no small feat. Before launching SEM’s 1:1 laptop program, it took convincing the board of trustees that the girls weren’t going to just be “playing games” on their computers. Fast forward to 2013 and the first national Hour of Code, which became a turning point for computer science teaching at SEM. “The entire school stopped and played with code for an hour,” Beth said. “They were absolutely quiet. It was unbelievable.” The Hour
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“I HOPE THEY ARE ABLE TO SEE THAT COMPUTER SCIENCE IS FOR EVERYONE.” of Code occurred during the first trimester of the school year, so Beth instantly decided to schedule a 9th Grade coding class for later in the year. Since 2014, coding and engineering have been staples of the 9th Grade curriculum. Beth identifies in those introductory classes students who may enjoy and benefit from advanced computer science classes and tech electives. Personally advising and encouraging girls throughout their years at school is vital. “Introduce them to computer science and then keep your hand in,” advised Beth. The strategy today to engage girls in computer science has grown exponentially and employs a multipronged approach. Girls’ schools are offering classes in niche subject areas such as basic game design, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and tech entrepreneurship. These courses have real-life, applicable uses. Students also come out of them with portfolio pieces for their college applications, whether or not they are planning to continue pursuing computer science. “It means a lot to be able to inspire the next generation to pursue this field,” said Janelle Harb, a 24-year-old brand new teacher and member of SEM’s computer science faculty. With a freshly minted double degree in computer science and digital media arts with a concentration in video game design, and an MBA, Janelle is a perfect role model for her students. “I’m honored to play a part in their story and show them what is possible,” continued Harb. “As a woman in a male-dominated industry, I hope they are able to see that computer science is for everyone. They are all so passionate and I’m confident they’re going to change the world.” Meanwhile, girls’ schools keep driving the conversation forward by identifying the next
Sydney Adams ‘18 programs one of SEM’s NAO robots to strike a pose.
challenges and opportunities for girls’ computer science education. Remember those school issued laptops that weren’t to be used for “playing games”? Well, eSports—competitive, organized video gaming—is considered the world’s fastest-growing sport and one of the first that is truly global. Over 100 U.S. colleges have varsity eSports programs with more starting up each year. Girls’ schools are also starting to form eSports teams. eSports have been found to provide many of the same benefits associated with traditional sports, such as improving confidence, developing teamwork skills, and building relationships between teammates—interactions that students are craving right now. They’re also a natural fit for a pandemic world as digital sports are COVID-safe. SEM’s team
was launched in January and is co-coached by Janelle and alumna Sarah Hamdan ’18, a competitive gamer who now studies chemical engineering. After dedicating twenty-plus years to building a computer science program, Head of School Helen L. Marlette received the news that SEM had been awarded an AP Computer Science A Female Diversity Award from the College Board for the 20192020 school year. It’s a welcome accolade for SEM’s all-women tech team and computer science faculty, and of course for the girls who take the class. The award energizes the entire school community as we continue to inspire girls to explore computer science.
This article was previously published on the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools’ website.
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Annette Wells Stevens ’24 Freshman Friendship Award, Faith Wendel ’24 “to the freshman who, in the opinion of her classmates, best brought the class together through her warmth and friendliness” Suzanne Young Smith ’63 Award, Ellie Tesluk ’22 “to the junior who, in the opinion of her classmates, possesses an unwavering sense of values; who by virtue of her sincere appreciation for the uniqueness of others, encourages camaraderie and consensus, and who is devoted and loyal to Seminary” Cally Montesano ’74 Award, Molly Schultz ’21 “to a junior or senior who has developed confidence and leadership during her years at Buffalo Seminary and distinguished herself as a young woman of great spirit, humility, and kindness” Jean Wende McCarthy ’31 Award, Katie Bergstrom ’21 “to a student who has made an outstanding contribution to theatre in her years at Seminary; who has demonstrated her willingness to be part of any production in any way she could, and whose energy has raised the level of performance of those around her” Vocal Music Award, Grace Harvey ’21 “to a student who has displayed a genuine love of and appreciation for the art of vocal music” Ensemble Award, Penny Joseph ’21 & Lillian Kahng ’21 “for sincere interest in and dedication to ensemble playing” Margaret Storck Hart ’40 Art Award, Beccah Dunklin ’21 “to a student who demonstrates creative, intellectual, and technical merit in the visual arts. It is awarded to that student whose spark of curiosity sets an example of artistic excellence for those around her and who, through her art, has contributed to the aesthetic environment of our school.”
Class Day 2021
History Department Award, Lauren Handforth ’21 “to the senior who, in the opinion of the History Department, has demonstrated interest, enthusiasm, and excellence in the study of history”
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Math Department Award in Honor of Jane Turner, Annabelle Daley ’21 “to the student who, through her diligent work ethic and genuine interest in mathematics, has accepted the responsibilities and challenges necessary to achieve success” Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Award, Lauren Levy ’22 “to the junior with the highest achievement and scholarship in science and mathematics” Science Department Award, Fiona Zhang ’21 “to that senior who, through her interest in and enthusiasm for learning science, has enhanced not only her own academic life but that of her classmates as well” Linda Rashman Levine ’59 Award, Anais Juillet ’23 “to the sophomore who has exhibited exemplary ability in non-fiction essay writing and whose work, in the opinion of the English Department, has been passionate, carefully crafted, unpretentious, and invariably elegant” Madeleine Breinig Reid ‘33 Award, Penny Joseph ’21 “This prize, chosen by vote of the English Department, is awarded to a student who has demonstrated extraordinary facility of expression in written English.” Margaret B. Herron ’73 Award, Alexa Groh ’21 “given to the senior who has demonstrated, through her devotion, enthusiasm, and untiring effort in the Athletic Department, the highest ideals of true sportsmanship and team spirit” Outstanding Athlete Award, Brooke Hogle ’21 “to that member of the senior class who has displayed exceptional ability and dedication in all her athletic pursuits”
Spanish Language Award, Mollie Gaughan ’21 & Penny Joseph ’21 “to that student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and genuine interest in Spanish language and culture” French Language Award, Ellie Tesluk ’22 “to that student who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in the study of French” St. Lawrence University Book Award, Na’Mia Kelly ’22 “to the junior who has unselfishly given of herself through service to her community” Mount Holyoke Book Award, Abby Anderson ’22 “to a sophomore or a junior who has produced an excellent academic record and who has exhibited qualities of leadership and service in the school community” Wellesley Book Award, Angelina Myles ’22 “to a junior who has made an outstanding contribution to her school and/or community in terms of leadership, citizenship, and scholastic achievement” Williams Book Award, Morgan Hartrich ’22 “presented to a junior who has demonstrated intellectual leadership and has made a significant contribution to extracurricular life of the school” Harvard Book Award, Lauren Levy ’22 “to a junior who exhibits qualities of character and scholarship combined with achievement in other fields” Cum Laude Society Induction, Annabelle Daley ’21, Caroline Finkbeiner ’21, Thi My Phuong Ha ’21, Grace Harvey ’21, & Lillian Kahng ’21 “Election to the Cum Laude Society represents the highest academic honor Seminary can bestow. As provided in the constitution of the CLS, a chapter may elect not more than 20% of the senior class who have demonstrated academic excellence in the college preparatory curriculum.” Alumnae Association Award, Guess Chen ’21 “to the girl whose record, in the judgment of the faculty, shows, during her years at Seminary, a pattern of significant growth, indicating that she has met the school’s challenge to develop her character and intellectual potential” Faculty Award in Honor of Robert A. Foster, Tia Browder ’21 “to that student who marches to a different drummer and who demonstrates willingness to take risks and to challenge injustice while making a positive contribution to the school” Miriam Berger Rashman ’29 Award, Penny Joseph ’21 “to a senior who, through her strength of character, has made a special contribution to life at Seminary” Gary R. Sutton Award, Katie Bergstrom ’21 & Annabelle Daley ’21 “awarded to a student who puts others first and through kindness and dedication makes outstanding contributions for the greater good of the school community. It is open to girls in all four classes.” Head of School Award, Dagny Rebhan ’21 “honors a graduating senior whose steadfast and devoted contribution to the school has been remarkable throughout her years at Buffalo Seminary” Semper Fidelis Award, Grace Harvey ’21, Ana McNamara ’21, Ellie Tesluk ’22, Juno Min ’22, Dakota Clay ’23, & Fiona Murphy ’24 “to that girl in each class who best reflects the goals of the school, who has demonstrated intellectual growth and a caring attitude, who is actively involved in her school and outside communities, and who can and does express and defend her points of view” Photos by Lindsay Mathias ‘11 and Janelle Harb
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Madame Claudine Kurtz – A jamais dans nos coeurs (Forever in our hearts) By Carrie Brown Wick ‘76
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Life is no pique-nique!” Madame Kurtz would frequently tease in her charming French accent as she announced a surprise test to her class. In her cozy third-floor classroom, Mme Claudine Kurtz taught French at SEM from 1969 through 1994. The quintessential SEM teacher, Mme Kurtz combined the love of her subject matter with generous devotion to her students. Claudine challenged her students with sophisticated French novels, plays and poetry. Class discussions of reading assignments were wideranging, with spirited digressions into French history, politics, philosophy, art, and cuisine, peppered with personal stories and a great deal of laughter. Yet she also set high standards and expected excellence. Pop quizzes and dictées were routine. (“Prenez une feuillle et ecrivez après moi …”) A student who shirked the homework and offered a lame excuse would hear “Next case!” Tyrannically tough but infinitely caring, Claudine brought out the best in her students. Many warm and detailed recollections of alumnae from Mme Kurtz’s 25 years at SEM attest to her lasting influence. “Our 1992-93 French 5 class (which I now realize was well beyond the French AP) ploughed through Sartre’s Les Jeux Sont Faits, Zola’s Thérèse Raquin and Mauriac’s Thérèse Desqueyroux and we were pretty spent with about a quarter to spare,” recalls Allison Mitchell ’93. “Claudine went to Paris over spring break and combed the bookshops to bring us back ‘trash’ to read. The last book we read was L’Impure — a ridiculous romance novel by Guy des Cars about forbidden love set on Molokai when it was still a leper colony! We had the greatest time reading this schlocky French novel all together. Of course, it had an existential crisis — because it was Claudine — but it was as far from a canonical text as you could get.” Assignments in Claudine’s classes spanned French literary classics to racy contemporary paperbacks, and her teaching style combined no-nonsense tutelage with a mischievous sense of humor. She entertained us with stories about her family (“Never marry a philosopher!”), especially the antics of her son Jonny, and her faux pas as a non-native English speaker navigating daily life in Buffalo. “My fondest memory is Madame telling us the story of going to a
The 1975 Seminaria dedication to Claudine Kurtz.
department store to shop for bed linens,” recounts Marie Schmukal ’91. “She asked the sales person for help finding sheets, but with her accent, it didn’t sound like sheets, no matter how many times or how emphatically she said it.” This anecdote also was enjoyed by ’70s alumnae who recalled that after this experience, when shopping for sheets Claudine said she would just ask for pillowcases, instead of uttering what came across as a four-letter word in English. Says Mona Fetouh ’90, “When I think of Madame Kurtz I think of one phrase: `Don’t get overexcited!’ I can hear her saying it now with her voice and tone. Other memories are about reading books like Thérèse Raquin — and being impressed at what she was able to draw out of us with understanding higher-level literature. I also remember her little attic
“EVEN A VERY SHORT INTERACTION WITH AN INSPIRING, DYNAMIC AND KIND TEACHER CAN TRULY SHAPE THE TRAJECTORY OF A STUDENT’S LIFE.” classroom and the stories about her family.” “Madame Claudine Kurtz was, to invoke that cliché, a force of nature,” declares Gwen Baggs Ito ’81. “I remember dynamic French lessons high up in her third-floor classroom. I loved when she would tell us to get out a sheet of paper so we could do a dictée. I loved listening to her voice and then trying to transform the sounds I was hearing into accurately spelled French words on a blank page. I remember reading French literature in her class, including Zola’s tragic tale of Thérèse Raquin.” “I was only a student of Claudine’s for a very short time during my freshman year at Sem in 1993, but she clearly had a big impact on me,” remarks Noel Wiedl Gaussens ’97. “She introduced me to JeanPaul Sartre and made French philosophy come to life for me. I went on to major in French in college, and have called France home since 2002. Even a very short interaction with an inspiring, dynamic and kind teacher can truly shape the trajectory of a student’s life. I’m so grateful!” Adds Isabella Bannerman ’78, “Besides enlightening her students to writers like Molière, Balzac, Zola and Camus, Claudine Kurtz was known for the fragrance Y by Yves Saint Laurent, which when paired with her sweaters, scarves and her hair in a chignon, made for a completely French presence in the classroom.” Linda Moden Andrews ’82 agrees that Claudine was “elegant, cosmopolitan, and so very French!” Linda adds, “She showed `film strips’ of Monsieur et Madame Thibaut with a script which we repeated and repeated, as a group and individually, until we had it memorized. My sisters and some of our classmates still recite phrases we learned. Mme Kurtz used everyday situations to teach. Waiting for us to settle down to start class, she noticed that a classmate was preoccupied. Mme Kurtz said loudly, `limer les ongles’ and I will always remember the French translation for `to file the nails.’” The entire SEM community, even those who didn’t take French, benefitted from Claudine’s ardor and energy. Claudine was the faculty advisor to the class of ’75, which dedicated its Seminaria to her. Jane
Hopkins Carey ’75 was the yearbook’s Literary Editor that year. “I remember that the vote to honor her was unanimous in the class, even among non-French students,” says Jane. For many years Claudine was the faculty advisor to the French Club. She organized the club’s perennially popular Café Français at the school’s holiday bazaar. A talented chef, Claudine taught SEM girls to expertly flip crêpes. Linda Moden Andrews recalls that “She enchanted us as freshmen when she and her students transformed the old cafeteria into a café during the holiday bazaar. Madame turned out crêpe after crêpe all day.” Sue Bradley ’73 still has the original mimeographed crêpe recipe safely tucked away in her kitchen (see photo). Nearly every year Claudine led a spring trip to the Carnaval de Québec or to France, on which any student was welcome. “I was languishing in Spanish class while my friends were reveling in Claudine’s French class,” recounts Lauren Anthone ’76. “Luckily, I was granted special status and was able to join some Elmwood Avenue restaurant outings with Claudine and the Francophiles. I remember an awesome Québec trip and the one or two phrases my friends managed to teach me, such as `je voudrais un autre.’” Susan Kraus Harris ’76 shares many of Lauren’s memories (in addition to reading Sartre and Camus), including class lunches at Bullfeathers on Elmwood, and the trip to Québec during Carnaval. “We gained so much from our experiences with her, academic and non!” says Susan. Trips with Claudine to France were eye-opening and transformative. For many SEM girls, the experience crystallized a lasting love of France. The language and culture that Claudine conveyed in the classroom suddenly sprang to life for students on these trips. The girls were immersed in an intimate experience of French life. Visits to France would include a visit with Claudine’s parents at their home in Paris. “The spring 1981 trip to Normandy and Paris, France was one of the highlights of my senior year, if not my see kurtz on page 14
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Mimeograph of Claudine Kurtz’s crêpe recipe, provided by Sue Bradley ’73.
kurtz continued from page 13 whole high school experience,” asserts Gwen Baggs Ito. “With the exception of Canada, it was my first time setting foot in a foreign country. I still remember my father telling me that the tight family budget necessitated a choice: I could either take driver’s ed or go on the SEM trip to France. I told him I would happily walk the rest of my life.” Gwen continues, “I forget the reason why — the airline must have misplaced our luggage or something — but when we arrived at our first stop in Normandy, we didn’t have our toothbrushes. As we all got settled in our rooms for the night, Mme Kurtz told us to stop complaining and improvise by using our fingers to brush our teeth. Even then, I knew she exuded the perfect balance between elegance and toughness. During the three-week exchange, I enjoyed getting to know my French sister, Natalie, and doing some sightseeing with my SEM sisters in and around Paris. I also had the pleasure of visiting Père Lachaise Cemetery with Madame. After pointing out Frédéric Chopin’s grave, she indulged my teenage curiosity by helping me locate that of another musician, Jim Morrison.” Linda Moden Andrews also was “lucky enough to travel to France with Mme Kurtz and several other students in my junior year.” Says Linda, “I know that exchange students from other US schools were impressed (and somewhat envious) that our French teacher was `truly French.’” Claudine gave her charges much independence and responsibility — in short, she treated them like adults. Jane Hopkins Carey describes a SEM
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trip to Paris. “Madame took us the first day on the Métro, multiple changes and stops, showing us the underground map in French, and then after being above ground about an hour from where we started, she said `au revoir my little chicks, see you back at the hotel,’ and she left us. We were furious and scared. Sarah Hershey ’74 at least remembered the name of the hotel we were staying in and somehow we found our way back on the Métro. From that day on we knew our way around Paris and went everywhere both chaperoned and unchaperoned. I’m guessing no high school teacher would do that today (and Madame probably shouldn’t have done it in 1974)!” Decades after the adventures and examens finales, memories of Claudine remain top of mind and her admonitions still ring in the ears of her former students. Experiences with Claudine inspired the choice of college majors and career paths of many alumnae, whether directly as teachers of French or other disciplines, or indirectly in other careers and walks of life. Though she is no longer with us, Claudine continues to touch the way so many of us think, read, write and view the world. A tribute to Mme Claudine Kurtz in appreciation of her life, teaching career and enduring influence is being organized by alumnae for the benefit of future SEM students. Though they can’t know her personally, future SEM girls can benefit from past students’ affection for and admiration of this one-of-a kind teacher, and share in Claudine’s love of le français and la France.
Congratulations 2021 Graduates!
Left: The senior class poses for their group photo. Right: Nancy Miller is honored for her service to SEM.
Clara Murphy receives her diploma.
BrodyWheeler.com
Seniors rise for “Jerusalem,” one of SEM’s traditional songs.
Seniors celebrate with their signature petal toss.
Liz Barton
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SEM Sports in Review: 2020 - 2021 By Kacie Mills, Director of Athletics
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hat a year it has been for SEM sports! When the school year started, I was unsure if we would have a sports season, but fast forward, and we were able to have every SEM sports team compete this year. The ability to compete successfully is partly due to our students’ commitment to following every guideline and protocol and understanding the importance of keeping their teammates and the entire SEM community safe. As crazy as this year was, SEM student-athletes continued to compete at the highest level. We had three golfers qualify and compete in the All-Catholic Championship in the fall, finishing 3rd and 5th overall. The swim season was pushed back to March. Still, despite the delay, the team was Monsignor Martin Champions for the second year in a row, with several swimmers breaking school records and swimming state championship qualifying times. The crew and sailing teams had solid seasons and even had the opportunity to travel to regattas in Saratoga, NY (crew) and Oyster Bay, NY (sailing). Lastly, it was great to have our spring sports back after their last season was cut short due to Covid. Both lacrosse and tennis hadn’t played a game or a match since spring 2019, but you couldn’t tell. They didn’t miss a beat! The tennis team finished in 3rd in the league, with both doubles teams going undefeated. The lacrosse team graduated ten seniors in 2020, leaving behind a young squad to face some tough Monsignor Martin competition. Under the direction of a new coach and SEM alumna Samantha Burlow ‘17, the team held their own, leaving it all on the field each game and showing great improvement over the course of the season. In this unique and challenging year, I am confident that our student-athletes’ experiences and the obstacles they faced are ones they will never forget and helped them to learn valuable skills, which will prepare them for the future. Skills like resiliency, adaptability, and the importance of being a supportive and empathetic teammate are just a few of the attributes that I noticed our student-athletes demonstrate this past year. I look forward to seeing what is in store for our student-athletes new and returning in the 2021-2022 school year. See you in the fall! GO SEM!
The swim team broke school and state records. Oliver Wilson
The sailing team competed across NYS.
Kacie Mills
The lacrosse team stayed strong.
Kacie Mills
Swim champions are honored with medals.
Marianna Selma
Theater in a pandemic
Students performed the fall play, “The Snow,” and spring play, “Still Life With Iris” virtually in different rooms throughout the school.
Photos by Susan Drozd
Phuong ’21 plays the Memory Mender.
Katherine ’23, Anais ’23, Danasia ’23, Jo ’21, Faith ’24, Suyoung ’24 perform.
Dagny ’21, Clara ’21, Anais ’23, & Morgan ’22 (as puppeteer) perform over Zoom.
Danasia ’23 shows off her costume.
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Photo by Faith Wendel ’24
