1764, The Magazine of Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, Summer 2024

THE MAGAZINE OF

COLUMBIA GRAMMAR & PREPARATORY SCHOOL

A Magnetic Pull

Known for her signature aesthetic of anthropomorphized foods, flowers and other inanimate objects, lifelong artist Lauren Martin ’09 has become one of today’s most sought-after illustrators

1764, THE MAGAZINE OF COLUMBIA GRAMMAR & PREPARATORY SCHOOL

SUMMER 2024

EDITOR

Marquis Austin

CONTRIBUTORS

Marquis Austin

Elizabeth Bacon

Steffany Poveda-Solorio

Clarissa Rachmiel ’24

Ruth Samuelson

Jessie Saunders

Marvin Terban

ART DIRECTION

Kristen Winstead, www.sundstudio.com

ILLUSTRATION

Matt Chinworth

Chris Gash

Marina Muun

PHOTOGRAPHY

Marquis Austin

Marjorie Becker

Brandon Hill

Flynn Larsen ’89

Da Ping Luo

Steffany Poveda-Solorio

Tyler Sizemore

Adrianna Tan

Filip Wolak or courtesy of subject

PRINTING

Lane Press

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2023–2024

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dr. William M. Donohue

BOARD CHAIR

Andrew Zaro

BOARD PRESIDENT

Meredith Verona

BOARD OFFICERS

Marielle Safra, Senior Vice President

Dana Landis Birnbaum ’97, Vice President

Leslee Cowen, Vice President

Astrid SabellaRosa, Vice President

Joseph Tahl, Vice President

Benjamin Pass, Treasurer

Becky Banyasz, Secretary

TRUSTEES

Alan Carver

Daniel Damaghi

Stephen Hanson

Sanford Heller

Margaret Jones

Alexander Knaster

Tracy Maitland

Jonathan Moller

Sheeraz Qureshi

Ira Schwartz

Meredith Sotoloff

Edward Stern ’83

Tom Tao

TRUSTEE EX OFFICIO (2023–2024)

Judith Marson-Rogers

MISSION STATEMENT

CGPS nurtures each student’s unique passions and talents inside and outside the classroom, unifying and inspiring members of its community in a rigorous but relaxed learning environment, preparing them for the finest colleges and instilling in them the confidence, ethical values and sense of purpose to embrace challenges, to achieve their dreams and to improve the world.

4 News From 93rd Street

CGPS bids farewell to retiring Head of School Dr. William M. Donohue and welcomes Will Moseley. Community members behold the stripes of Jupiter during Astronomy Night. Eco-conscious Prep School students set sail to the Galápagos Islands to learn about vulnerable ecosystems. The Grammar and Middle Schools’ new inquiry-based social studies curriculum invites students to examine the past and how it informs our present and future. Studentathletes bring home multiple championship titles and more.

“If you put tools in the hands of communities and give them the power to change their life through technology, they’ll do amazing things.”

SASHA RUBEL ’01, RESPONSIBLE AI EXPERT

Christian Baiocco ’18 and Grant Weintrob ’17 go viral as they discover rising independent musicians. Columbia Prep TV alumni celebrate the tenth anniversary of the student-run TV station. Lifelong artist Lauren Martin ’09 becomes one of today’s most sought-after illustrators. Sasha Rubel ’01, an international expert on responsible artificial intelligence, unlocks the potential of AI for good. Graduates catch up with old friends and beloved teachers at Reunion Weekend and other alumni events.

Above: The Boys Varsity Baseball team defeats Browning 9-5, taking home the NYCAL Postseason Championship title and advancing to the NYSAIS tournament.

Letter From the Head of School

During the Grammar School’s Third Grade Science Share, a student engineer and his teacher use his custom-built oil-removing tool to extract as much oil and as little water as possible from a simulated oil spill container.

Dear CGPS Family,

It is with great pleasure that I share this year’s edition of our annual magazine, 1764. This issue celebrates the many moments that make up the rich tapestry that is the 2023–2024 school year, culminating in the commencement of our senior class. At the start of the year, I nominated myself as an honorary member of the Class of 2024, as I, too, am “graduating” from CGPS after seven extraordinary years (and 47 as an educator) at the helm of this incredibly special community.

We have much to celebrate, which is reflected in the extraordinary accomplishments of our graduates as they move on to an impressive list of colleges and universities. I am so proud of them — and perhaps a bit nostalgic as I think about all the new experiences and learning opportunities they have before them. This past year has been one of forward-thinking preparation as incoming Head of School Will Moseley and I worked closely to ensure that the School is ready to provide the most excellent, hallmark CGPS experience for our current and future students. You can learn more about what drew Mr. Moseley to the School, the transition process and what he values most as an educator in an interview with Clarissa Rachmiel ’24, editor-in-chief of the Prep School newspaper.

We have chosen to highlight just a few of the many academic and extracurricular programs across all three divisions, giving you a snapshot of the fantastic work our talented and dedicated faculty and staff are doing with our students every day. From our first-ever spring break trip to the Galápagos with Ecology Project International to the intellectual engagement program in our Middle

School, you will be inspired by the myriad of CGPS offerings.

We are so impressed by what our alumni accomplish after they leave CGPS. Inside, you can learn more about one of our talented alums, Lauren Martin ’09. Known for her signature aesthetic of anthropomorphized foods, flowers and other inanimate objects, this lifelong artist has become one of today’s most sought-after illustrators. Also featured is Sasha Rubel ’01, the Head of Artificial Intelligence/ Generative AI Public Policy at Amazon Web Services for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Our alumni may have noticed more communications and outreach from our Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Events, Gretchen Phelps-Nelson. We rolled out a regular alumni newsletter and held several events throughout the year so that our alums could gather, share stories about their experiences at the School and learn about what is happening at CGPS today. It is a privilege to see our recent graduates thriving in the next stage of their careers.

I hope you enjoy just a few examples of the excellent learning and growth at CGPS and after graduation. I am proud to report that our School is brimming with the energy and curiosity of its students, and stimulating learning is happening in and out of our classrooms. I have every confidence that next year, under the able leadership of Will Moseley, it will be an even more exciting one, so stay tuned!

Sincerely,

DR. WILLIAM M. DONOHUE HEAD OF SCHOOL

“I am proud to report that our School is brimming with the energy and curiosity of its students, and stimulating learning is happening in and out of our classrooms.”

News From 93rd Street

how they work and are made.

At the Grammar School’s STEAM Maker Expo, two students deconstruct and reconstruct electronic devices to learn

GAVIN YE ’24 PLACES SECOND AT

Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair

Gavin Ye, a senior in our Advanced Science Research (ASR) program, finished second in the Computational Biology and Bioinformatics category at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the largest global science competition for high schoolers. Earlier this year, over 300 students submitted their research projects to the Regeneron-affiliated Terra NYC STEM Fair, hoping to advance to the finals and qualify for the ISEF. Gavin, who will be studying computer science at Harvard University, was one of only two students from a Manhattan school who moved forward, making this the fourth year in a row that CGPS has had an ISEF finalist.

In May, Gavin traveled to Los Angeles and took his place alongside 1,700 top young science research scholars from 67 countries. While there, he presented his work and was interviewed by ten expert judges. “Even making it to the ISEF is a big accomplishment, and getting a grand prize there is a magnificent cherry on top of the cake,” says ASR Director Ilya Yashin. “It didn’t happen overnight: This was the culmination of years of work that Gavin devoted to learning how to code, the relevant basic science and how to write a research paper, make a research poster and deliver an effective poster presentation.”

Gavin’s research, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, explores using machine learning (ML) models like ChatGPT to expedite drug discovery, a typically lengthy and expensive process. He turned molecules into strings of symbols and then trained ChatGPT to design new drug molecules for a particular drug target implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. This transformative research could improve the efficiency and accessibility of patented drugs. “Drug discovery is one of the most time-consuming and costly aspects of developing a drug. It is estimated to take about 10–15 years, with a cost of $1.4 billion per drug discovered and approved,” Gavin explains. “ML has emerged as one of the most promising tools in drug discovery and can speed up this process. Because molecules can be represented in ‘languages’ that an algorithm can interpret, it is possible to retool language processing ML models such as GPT models for drug design.”

GRAMMAR SCHOOL ENGINEERS Tinker and Create at Inaugural

STEAM Maker Expo

Grammar School engineers spent a lovely morning in October with their parents and grandparents at our first-ever STEAM Maker Expo! Director of Curriculum and Instruction Wendy Smith and STEAM Coordinator Chris McLaughlin organized the event to give community members a sneak peek into topics students cover in their STEAM courses. “The idea for the Grammar School Maker Expo was based on the concept of community Maker Faire events that are held worldwide,” says Ms. Smith. “While working for an international school in Hong Kong, I was fortunate to attend the multi-day Bay Area Maker Faire and was inspired to collaborate with colleagues to initiate our own version of the event for our School community.”

With sixteen different “creation stations” covering a wide range of interests — from 3D printing to woodworking — families had fun engaging in parts of the engineering design process and working with many of the tools and technologies students use in the Grammar School’s MakerTech classroom and beyond. “The concepts explored at the Maker Expo are covered in a variety of ways throughout the school year, and the maker spirit of tinkering, inventing and creating collaboratively to solve real problems is central to our STEAM program,” says Mr. McLaughlin. “We are thrilled to welcome a new tradition at CGPS!

Gavin Ye ’24 represents NYC at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the largest global science competition for high schoolers.

CGPS LAUNCHES New Tradition With Homecoming Week

From October 11–13, we marked a historic first in our 260-year history with the introduction of Homecoming Week! During what we hope will be the start of a beautiful new tradition, community members showed their CGPS spirit, wearing blue and cheering on our sports teams at games throughout the week.

On Friday, October 13, students, faculty and parents hopped on packed fan buses to Randall’s Island for an afternoon of Homecoming soccer. The crowd was thrilled to see our varsity teams take home wins, with the girls and boys squads defeating LREI 6-0 and Calhoun 5-0, respectively. “Our student-athletes showcased their hard work and great sportsmanship on the field during our Homecoming games, and we couldn’t be prouder of our Lions,” says Director of Athletics and Physical Education Joe Grande.

Prep School students packed the North Gym later that evening for “CGPS Under the Stars,” the School’s first-ever Homecoming dance! “We are so happy with how everything turned out — this event seriously accentuated all that is good about our community,” share Student Government Co-Presidents Laila Ray ’24 and Justin Marasigan ’24, who came up with the idea for Homecoming Week. “Every ten minutes we would just smile because we were so proud of each other and our School.”

PREP SCHOOL

Opens New Dining Room

This past fall, Head of School Dr. William M. Donohue and Board President Meredith Verona were joined by Head of Dining David Woods, Prep School Director Dr. Scott Wilson, Chef Sebastian Muenkwitz and Student Government Co-Presidents Justin Marasigan ’24 and Laila Ray ’24 to cut the ribbon on the first of several large-scale projects at the School — a new Prep School Dining Room. Completed over the summer of 2023, the new facility features state-of-the-art prep spaces to expand CGPS’s dining options, as well as a beautiful and comfortable room for students and faculty to meet in and share a meal. “We eat with our eyes first!” says Mr. Woods. “Just entering the new space has a ‘wow’ effect. Everything, including the food, looks and tastes better.”

As part of the School’s commitment to sustainable dining, the space also includes eco-friendly dishes and silverware, and Mr. Woods’ team regularly makes strides to reduce food waste on campus. “All our plastics and paper are biodegradable,” he says, and “we measure our waste so that we can use these statistics to produce less food.”

But that’s not all! The new Prep School Dining Room is just the beginning — we have some major changes in store for our media and music centers, tech spaces and gymnasium that will surely leave you excited and looking forward to the future!

Prep School students enjoy the School’s first-ever Homecoming dance, “CGPS Under the Stars.”

Head of School Dr. William M. Donohue and Board President Meredith Verona cut the ribbon at a ceremony celebrating the opening of the new Prep School Dining Room.

Global Connections

The Grammar and Middle Schools’ new inquiry-based social studies curriculum invites students to examine the past and how it informs our present and future

By Marquis Austin

“We don’t want students to just memorize dates,” says Grammar and Middle School Social Studies Coordinator Brooke Waldman. “We want our social studies curriculum to inspire them to have a deeper understanding of the world.” This past year, Ms. Waldman introduced Inquiry Journeys — a new social studies curriculum that empowers children to draw connections between the past and present — in third, fourth and fifth grade classrooms. “My biggest fear is that students will think social studies or history is boring because it was long ago,” she shares.

Developed by inquirED and the National Council for the Social Studies, Inquiry Journeys adopts a student-centered approach to learning with inquiry at the center. Each unit begins with an overarching question exploring what Ms. Waldman deems to be the five elements of a robust social studies program: history, geography, economics, civics and culture. Some examples include “How can we promote life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all?” and “How can we honor and respect our many cultures?”

Consisting of six modules, every unit equips students with the foundational skills and knowledge to investigate and deconstruct these ideas. In their unit on rights and responsibilities, for instance, fifth graders tackle the question: “How can we contribute to a healthy democracy?” To answer this, they first delve into the mechanics of democracy and how our government operates, studying the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and what it means to be an engaged citizen.

Teachers use the Question Formulation Technique from Harvard’s Right Question Institute to foster thoughtful discussion and reflection. This step-by-step process guides students in producing, improving and prioritizing questions that encourage them to think more critically about the world. There are also opportunities to take their studies beyond the classroom — during the third grade’s unit on global citizenship, they toured the United Nations headquarters in Midtown.

As a culminating project, each social studies class takes informed action by designing and building a product that answers the unit’s central question. What shape it takes is entirely up to them. Whether the group wants to write an essay, paint something or record a podcast,

“We don’t want students to just memorize dates. We want our social studies curriculum to inspire them to have a deeper understanding of the world.”

BROOKE WALDMAN, GRAMMAR AND MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES COORDINATOR

they are free to express themselves how they see fit.

“How each class chooses to approach an inquiry question is going to be individualized, which really speaks to our constructivist approach,” says Ms. Waldman.

The reception to the new Inquiry Journeys curriculum has been overwhelmingly positive, and there are already plans to expand it to pre-kindergarten through second grade next year. “The students are highly engaged. They see themselves reflected in the curriculum and are eager to learn about the experiences of others,” says Ms. Waldman. “That spark to learn about the world around them is what we’re looking for.”

With help from Ms. Waldman, a fourth grader learns about researching and analyzing primary sources.

Active Thinkers

In the Middle School, intellectual engagement is at the forefront, as curious and motivated students take ownership of their learning, actively participate in tasks involving cognitive complexity and continuously self-reflect on their understanding

By Marquis Austin

Intellectual engagement is at the heart of the Middle School. “When students are actively thinking, they are intellectually engaged. From a teaching perspective, it means shifting our approach from students simply learning about a topic or event to actively figuring something out,” Director of Curriculum and Instruction Wendy Smith explains. Across the division, children do not just passively receive content and complete tasks. Instead, they engage in activities that stimulate a thirst for knowledge and a desire to take ownership of their learning.

In English, students do more than read at their desks. They get on their feet, “learning with their whole bodies,” says English Coordinator Rachel Berger. One example is the seventh grade’s unit on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Here, students step into the main characters’ shoes and stage a mock trial to determine who should gain primary custody of the novel’s protagonist — his mother or father. Each student assumes the role of a lawyer, witness or expert and angles evidence to support their claims in court, with faculty posing as jurors.

This interactive exercise teaches students how to formulate an argument rooted in textual evidence and allows them to hone their public speaking abilities. “It’s a wonderful way to practice many core English skills,” says Ms. Berger. On the day of the mock trial, eager students arrive at School in formal attire and rehearse their opening statements in between classes. “Everybody takes it quite seriously, making it even more competitive and fun,” says Isaac A. ’29.

Similarly, science classes are not confined to textbook readings and worksheets. They are all about hands-on learning. “We work in as many activities as possible to get students engaged in the practice of science,” says Science Coordinator Sara Moldofsky. A perfect instance of this is the seventh grade windmill project, where students explore electricity, energy transformations and engineering firsthand. In small groups, they use materials like cardboard and duct tape to construct windmills capable of producing over one volt of electricity when placed in front of a box fan.

The department’s action-oriented and collaborative approach to learning “makes kids more excited for science,” says Ms. Moldofsky. Like all real-world engineering, Middle School science projects are iterative, with students repeatedly testing and redesigning their prototypes. Assignments also incorporate current topics — such as climate change and clean energy with the windmill project — making them applicable to students’ everyday lives. “If you want students to be engaged, they need to see how it’s relevant to them,” explains Ms. Moldofsky.

Meanwhile, math teachers ignite curiosity by asking students what they notice and wonder when confronted with complex problems. Doing so “primes them for thinking,” says Math Coordinator Kate Smallberg ’04. For instance,

All rise! During their unit on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime, seventh grade English students — posing as lawyers, experts and witnesses — stage a mock trial to determine whether the protagonist’s mother or father should gain primary custody.

Documenting the results for his report, a Middle School engineer tests to see if his windmill is capable of producing over one volt of electricity when placed in front of a box fan.

when solving a number string — a series of progressively complex math problems linked by a pattern — teachers encourage students to reflect on how the equations are connected. Using their noticings and wonderings, they generalize strategies to tackle the final “zinger” problem. “You can notice and wonder about anything,” says Ms. Smallberg. With no right or wrong answers at this stage of problem-solving, it serves as an entry point for many students and a foundation from which teachers can build a discussion.

Discussions are a vital part of the curriculum, as students often have to justify their mathematical reasoning to their peers. This process of defending their problem-solving methods leads to a deeper understanding of the material. As Ms. Smallberg explains, “The ample opportunities for discourse and reasoning give students access to challenging questions and experiences that solidify and enrich their understanding beyond the ‘how-tos’ of a math problem.” Students develop procedural fluency, moving beyond just memorizing formulas and instead gaining a firm grasp on why certain concepts work the way they do. From sixth grade historians researching social classes in ancient Egypt and writing journal entries in the voices of fictional characters who would have been in those social classes to Latin students deciphering Roman funerary inscriptions, each day, curious and motivated Middle Schoolers assume responsibility for their learning and engage in tasks involving cognitive complexity. Working together, they ask questions, critique responses and explore critical ideas. Through the Middle School’s intellectual engagement program, teachers create academic experiences that resonate with students and leave lasting impressions.

MICHELLE SCHACKMAN Becomes Next Middle School Director

Michelle Schackman will become the next Director of the Middle School at the start of the 2024–25 school year. She has been a member of the CGPS community for nearly 18 years, during which she has taught English, worked as a Prep School dean and served in various other capacities.

Head of School Dr. William M. Donohue, who announced the appointment last December, calls Ms. Schackman the “obvious” selection, describing her as a “passionate and thoughtful educator who works tirelessly to meet the needs of all our students,” as well as “a clear communicator, empathetic listener, collaborative problem solver and dedicated community member.”

In recent years, Ms. Schackman has been primarily based in the Prep School. In addition to her duties as a dean, she taught classes like Literature of Utopia and Dystopia, Literature of Gender and Sexuality, New York Literature and a course on memoirs and coming-ofage stories. Earlier in her career, however, she instructed seventh and eighth grade students and served as an eighth grade dean. (In case you’re curious, among her favorite books for that age group are Of Mice and Men, The Book Thief

and The Hunger Games series, which was extraordinarily popular when she started her career.)

To reimmerse herself in the Middle School, Ms. Schackman has been meeting individually with every teacher in the division. She’s excited to embrace “the joyfulness of that age” before students are really focused on college prep. At the same time, she knows what’s required in those high school years, and she’s eager to help students with the transition — readying them to be more self-aware, responsible and receptive to feedback.

As for her own transition, she’s thrilled to move into the role. After nearly two decades at CGPS, “it’s a new chapter for me,” she says.

Following in Darwin’s Footsteps

In March, a group of eco-conscious Prep School students set sail to the Galápagos Islands, where they learned firsthand about the importance of preserving vulnerable ecosystems

By Steffany Poveda-Solorio

Over spring break, Prep School students followed in Charles Darwin’s footsteps as they traveled to the Galápagos Islands to study the impact of introduced and invasive species. In conjunction with Ecology Project International, the trip was organized by science teacher Cary Glaser, who visited the Galápagos last summer after receiving a travel grant from the School and was keen to offer this tremendous opportunity to her students. “I wanted to share the joy of field research with our wonderful students, and the Galápagos Islands provided the ideal natural laboratory,” she says. “It was one of my ‘bucket list’ experiences as a biology teacher: hiking with students amongst tortoises and finches, observing the endemic biodiversity from the marine iguanas to the penguins and learning about the importance of preserving vulnerable ecosystems.”

To begin their ten-day expedition to the famed islands off the coast of Ecuador, Ms. Glaser, fellow science teacher Cheng San Tan and 14 eco-conscious Prep Schoolers visited the highlands of Santa Cruz, where they encountered the giant Galápagos tortoises, who are about half the age of our School! Collaborating with field scientists

from the Charles Darwin Station, the largest and oldest science and conservation organization in the Galápagos, they delved into the migration patterns of the tortoises and their impact on the environment. “We were studying the tortoises because of their role as seed dispersers. We were able to track them, as many are microchipped,” explains Ms. Glaser. As seed dispersers, the tortoises play a crucial role in supporting vegetation growth and preserving biodiversity in the region.

The group also met members of the Galápagos Biosecurity Agency to learn about the giant African snail, an invasive species threatening local agriculture. They joined the specialists in removing snails from the area, an activity Max M. ’27 says gave him “a better understanding about the dangers invasive species pose to such a unique environment.” Later, everyone took a break from the hot weather and went snorkeling on Isabela, the largest of the Galápagos Islands. “Being able to snorkel with the students and view a penguin, sea turtle and sea lion around us in clear, calm water was probably the best day of snorkeling I’ve ever had,” says Ms. Glaser. Ninth grader Gabriel I. agrees, describing it as “one of the highlights of my life.”

Like the rest of his peers, Max returned to CGPS with a renewed sense of responsibility toward his environment. “I am excited to bring back a better appreciation of ecology and how human actions impact the environment,” he says. Ms. Glaser is equally enthusiastic about incorporating all she has learned during her trips to the islands into the classroom. “I will be able to draw on my time in the Galápagos while bringing in activities related to invasive species and how they are impacting locations all over the world,” she says. “This has truly been an inspiring and rewarding experience for me as an educator.”

Cosmic Wonder

Hosted

by Prep School science teachers Ilya Yashin

and Nick

Verga,

Astronomy Night brings CGPS community members together to marvel at the natural beauty of our universe’s celestial bodies

By Marquis Austin

The rings of Saturn, stripes of Jupiter and craters on our Moon are just a few of the breathtaking sights that members of our community get to behold during Astronomy Night. Taking advantage of the School’s proximity to Central Park, which offers a relatively unobstructed view of the horizon, Prep School science teachers Ilya Yashin and Nick Verga invite students, parents, teachers, staff, alumni and friends to marvel at the natural beauty of our universe’s celestial bodies. “Seeing Saturn and the Moon through a telescope for the first time was a deeply moving experience,” shares Mr. Yashin. “It’s joy and wonder at their purest, no matter one’s age, occupation or relationship with science.” Eager to share this profound experience with others at CGPS, Mr. Yashin and Mr. Verga launched Astronomy Night in 2019.

While waiting in line to peer up at the nighttime sky through one of two available telescopes, participants hear captivating tales about the solar system from Mr. Yashin and Mr. Verga. Some of the stories they like to share deal with 17th-century navigators using the predictable motion of Jupiter’s moons to calculate longitude

at sea and how, contrary to popular belief, Saturn’s rings didn’t come with the planet but are actually “kind of recent on a cosmological scale.” Seeing the telescopes while out for a jog, some of our Upper West Side neighbors even drop in to share in the cosmic wonder, making this a true community event.

When the evening concludes, those in attendance walk away with a newfound appreciation for astronomy that stokes their curiosity about the mysteries of outer space. “It’s like a giant puzzle,” says Mr. Yashin. “All science is like this, but astronomy deals with it on such a huge scale that it is awe-inspiring.” From exoplanets to distant galaxies, many space discoveries began with “people standing on Earth looking at telescopes,” says Mr. Verga. “We’ve barely left our little speck yet know so much. Astronomy Night is a way to connect to that.”

INTERESTED IN ATTENDING Astronomy Night?

Astronomy Night occurs three to four times each school year. If you would like to attend, scan the QR code to sign up for the mailing list and receive information about future sessions. All students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are welcome!

Court Is Now in Session

In the Prep School’s Constitutional Law course, students step into the roles of Supreme Court clerks, petitioners, respondents and justices as they contemplate the Court’s historical and current role in shaping American life

By Marquis Austin

“I want to be a voice for people who don’t have one,” says Sophie Harris ’24. With aspirations of becoming a lawyer who fights against injustice, Sophie has already taken steps to familiarize herself with the field of law, participating in mock trial throughout high school, interning at a law firm and, most recently, taking the Prep School’s Constitutional Law class, an experience she found to be particularly enlightening. “I know a lot more about the legal system and how it works,” she says.

“I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that they are at the level of a first-year law student.”

KAI NALIPINSKI, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW TEACHER

Constitutional Law, a semester-long course, provides legal-minded students like Sophie with a foundational understanding of the Constitution and the structures and procedures of the judicial system. While most people may know its instructor, Kai Nalipinski, as a physics teacher in the Prep School, he also has a law degree. “I went to law school at night while teaching here for a few years,” he says. “I always wanted to make a difference, so I thought I could do that through law in addition to teaching.”

“It is one of — if not the best — courses I’ve ever taken. Mr. Nalipinski is a wonderful teacher. He makes class fun while still getting into some serious topics with ramifications stretching throughout U.S. history.”

JACK R. ’25, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW STUDENT

Mr. Nalipinski begins the comprehensive course by detailing the differences between state and federal courts and how a case reaches the Supreme Court. Later, students discuss Supreme Court briefs — written documents in which lawyers outline their legal arguments — and judicial opinions. “Most people think you have to be a lawyer to understand these documents, but I continue to be wowed at how much the students take away from the writing of the justices and the briefs that lawyers submit,” says Mr. Nalipinski. Learning to write from multiple perspectives, students pretend to be Supreme Court clerks, petitioners, respondents and justices, crafting their own legal memos, briefs and opinions.

By the end of each unit, the Prep Schoolers haven’t only learned about the law — they’ve also put it into practice. Students participate in oral arguments where two pose as lawyers before the Court, and the rest act as justices. “It’s very similar to how the real Supreme Court is,” explains Sophie. “There are the justices who ask questions, and then there are two advocates who speak their piece and field questions.” This immersive simulation pushes students to become well-versed in the topic

at hand, know each party’s role in the Supreme Court and understand how to articulate an argument grounded in precedent and other legal reasoning. “I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that they are at the level of a first-year law student,” says Mr. Nalipinski. The practical skills students gain deepen their understanding of the law and prepare them for future legal endeavors.

For Jack R. ’25, who has a passion for law and is contemplating a career in the field, taking the Constitutional Law course has been one of the highlights of his time at CGPS. “It is one of — if not the best — courses I’ve ever taken,” he says. “Mr. Nalipinski is a wonderful teacher. He makes class fun while still getting into some serious topics with ramifications stretching throughout U.S. history.” Jack has one piece of advice for Prep School students interested in government and law — sign up for this class. “Anyone who wants to learn about how this nation decides things at the highest level of government should jump right in and take this course,” he says. “It’s amazing. Wherever I end up, I’ll be able to look back and say, ‘Oh we covered this in Mr. Nalipinksi’s class.’”

CGPS Snapshots

The 2023–2024 school year was full of many exciting and memorable moments that kept us smiling. Here are some of our favorites.

Seconds graders set sail to Ellis Island as part of their social studies unit on immigration and migration in the United States.

Proudly wearing their school merch, seniors gather together to celebrate National College Decision Day.

Sixth graders host the Middle School’s third annual “Walk for Refugees” fundraiser in Central Park. All proceeds went to Kids in Need of Defense, an organization dedicated to protecting refugee children.

Checkmate! CGPS takes the 2024 National Middle School Championship title. Our chess players were also crowned champions at the New York State Scholastic Championship, All-Girls National Championship, National High School Championship and National K–12 Grade Championship.

Photo by US Chess/Caroline King

Say cheese!

A Pre-K student smiles big for picture day.

Excitement is in the air as CGPS community members put on their observation glasses and gather in Central Park to view the solar eclipse.

The Prep School Houses are called into action when Voldemort (Dr. Conrad) interrupts the fall pep rally to announce that he has taken Leo the Lion!

Our Prep School cast and crew stage a production of Almost, Maine, a collection of nine short, interwoven plays that all take place in a small town in Northern Maine — Almost.

A Chat With Will Moseley

Clarissa Rachmiel ’24, editor-in-chief of the Prep School newspaper, sits down with new Head of School Will Moseley to discuss what drew him to the School, the transition process and what values are most important to him as an educator

CLARISSA RACHMIEL: Welcome, Mr. Moseley! Can you tell us what drew you to CGPS?

WILL MOSELEY: It was the mission and core values of the institution and its commitment to academics in a relaxed environment. It begins and ends there for me. The health and well-being of kids should be one of our primary goals and interests. If you have healthy and happy kids, they will do fine in school. We’re in the midst of a mental

health crisis, and it’s because, at times, schools have been rough places for kids. That’s not what CGPS is, nor does it aspire to be. What we have going on here in educating and caring for kids at the same time is great. CGPS is a school that meets the unique needs and interests of all students. The college acceptance lists I’ve seen for this year’s class and the previous years accurately reflect the makeup of the student body and their varied interests. CGPS understands that educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all, and that’s what I find most appealing.

RACHMIEL: I definitely agree. Looking back, the connections I have with my dean, teachers and classmates shaped my experience, and I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now without this community. What values are most important to you as Head of School?

MOSELEY: Beyond the core values, empathy, honesty, compassion, love and care are essential and built into an intellectual environment that recognizes you can have a rigorous academic setting while still caring for the students. Here, we talk about a rigorous academic experience in a relaxed environment. Sometimes, people translate relaxed to mean less academic, but we don’t have to beat the kids up every day and build them up in the School’s image. Instead, we can meet them where they are and help them discover their true passions. People often ask students, “What’s your passion?” It’s okay to say you’re still figuring that out. So many times, I’ve worked with kids who thought, “I’m an athlete,” and ended up enjoying the theater. Or they thought, “I’m a scientist,” and they find themselves drawn to the humanities. If we provide a large portfolio of experiences and support students along the way, they’ll find what interests them.

RACHMIEL: As someone who loves the humanities but also plays sports, that speaks a lot to the CGPS experience. I know people who are involved in all aspects of student life. Coming into this new role, what do you hope to bring to the School?

MOSELEY: I want to bring a continued commitment to our One School initiative. Wherever I’ve been, bringing the whole school together as one place has always been one of my key objectives. It’s important for seniors to see the littlest ones and the littlest ones to see the seniors. One of my main focuses will be finding ways to make connections across the three divisions.

RACHMIEL: I know you spent a lot of time on campus this past year. How has that helped with the transition?

MOSELEY: Spending time with the administrative team and Dr. Donohue, whom I have tremendous respect and admiration for, has been extremely beneficial. Instead of waiting until July 1, I’ve been able to get a head start and begin meeting everybody. I don’t have to take a whole year to listen and learn. For instance, just being in the Prep School Dining Room has been incredibly helpful.

RACHMIEL: You can get a good feel of what’s going on.

MOSELEY: Exactly. People always ask me how we measure success in schools. The very public measurements — our college acceptances, AP portfolio, pass rate and GPA — are important, but school culture is huge from my perspective. When I walk through a school, I look and listen. For example, if you walked into the Prep School Dining Room and it was silent, that would tell you something about the School. If you walked in, and it was so raucous you couldn’t hear yourself think, that would tell you something else. Is there a healthy buzz? When you’re walking the halls and hear students talking to each other, what’s the tone? What does that sound like? What does it sound like when the teachers are speaking with the kids? Is there a tone of respect and care? All of this comes together to paint a picture of

school culture, and as Peter Drucker said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Having a chance to understand the School from that perspective, spend time with teachers and get to know students has been a tremendous benefit.

RACHMIEL: What’s one thing on your bucket list that you want to accomplish?

MOSELEY: I find it’s always a challenge for people when they change environments and say, “Oh, this was successful where I was previously. I just want to do it here.” That doesn’t necessarily work. As someone coming in as the Head of School, I need to recognize that CGPS has been doing great work for 260 years and ask, “How can I help leave it a little better than I found it?” That should always be our goal. How are we going to move the institution forward? How do we lay the groundwork for future success for the School, our students and the community? It’s been a great joy in my life to continue on this personal journey of lifelong learning. Each day is an opportunity to get a little better and learn a little more. A friend of mine talks about recognizing your sellby date; you’ve reached your sell-by date if you’ve lost the joy or passion for your work. So, what’s really on my bucket list is to continue doing the work that I love to do and spend my day in the presence of young people because it’s a great learning experience.

“I want to bring a continued commitment to our One School initiative. Wherever I’ve been, bringing the whole school together as one place has always been one of my key objectives. It’s important for seniors to see the littlest ones and the littlest ones to see the seniors. One of my main focuses will be finding ways to make connections across the three divisions.”

WILL MOSELEY, CGPS’S 15TH HEAD OF SCHOOL

A Chat With Abby Rojas

1764 speaks with new Grammar School Director Abby Rojas about how her time in the other divisions prepared her for this role, the significance of social-emotional learning in early childhood education and how the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching enhances student learning

1764: Can you tell us a little about your background?

ABBY ROJAS: I joined CGPS in 2001 as a learning specialist in the Grammar School and Prep School. Later, I worked as the coordinator of the Learning Resource Center before becoming the Assistant Director of the Middle School. That’s 23 years and three divisions. I started in the Grammar School, so returning here is a full-circle moment. I’m excited to be back.

1764: So far, what have you enjoyed most about being Grammar School Director?

ROJAS: What I’ve enjoyed most about being Grammar School Director is visiting the classrooms and getting to

“What I’ve enjoyed most about being Grammar School Director is visiting the classrooms and getting to know the students. Seeing them learn and play is the best part of my day. They’re just so curious, creative and full of joyful energy.”

ABBY ROJAS, GRAMMAR SCHOOL DIRECTOR

know the students. Seeing them learn and play is the best part of my day. They’re just so curious, creative and full of joyful energy. I’ve also had the pleasure of joining them on field trips, which has been fantastic. In February, I accompanied second graders to the Museum of Modern Art. As part of their unit on realistic fiction, they took a guided tour of the museum and explored the depiction of character in its collections. I loved spending time with them, and the hugs I received were priceless!

1764: How has your time in the other divisions prepared you for this role?

ROJAS: I know what’s coming next and understand how a student’s time in the Grammar School lays the foundation for their learning in the years ahead. Knowing the teachers, curriculum and different stages of development has been extremely helpful. Acting as the Assistant Director of the Middle School supported my professional development in many ways, enhancing my decision-making and leadership skills. My time in each division has been integral to my growth as an educator and serves me well every day as Grammar School Director.

1764: Discuss the significance of social-emotional learning in early childhood education.

ROJAS: Social-emotional learning is critically important, especially after Covid, which kept students isolated for a prolonged period. One of the first steps to academic success is having children feel good about themselves. Social-emotional learning provides them with a toolbox they can reach into to bolster their learning, thinking and self-awareness. It enables students to regulate their emotions and build healthy relationships with others. They are much more resilient when they have that support and emotional intelligence to lean on.

1764: The Grammar School hosts Coffee Talks, where parents get to hear from specialists about topics like social-emotional learning. Tell us more about this.

ROJAS: Since I started in the Grammar School, I wanted to bring back Coffee Talks, so I decided to do one each month. In the beginning, we discussed the curriculum so parents could understand some of the changes and see what their children are experiencing in the classrooms. In addition to social-emotional learning, some previous topics have been literacy development and Responsive Classroom. Parents spend more time with our teachers and gain further insight into what their children are learning in class. Also, building relationships and community is important to me, and the Coffee Talks are a way to do that. They are opportunities for parents to

meet faculty, meet each other and see all the wonderful happenings in the division.

1764: You mentioned Responsive Classroom. Can you explain this approach to teaching?

ROJAS: All our teachers are trained in Responsive Classroom, which promotes positive behavior and values, encourages teamwork, empowers students and ensures everyone feels supported in the classroom. In this approach, instructors are deliberate with their word choice, mindful of the powerful impact a teacher’s language can have on students and their learning. As far as the curriculum is concerned, effective language makes the material more accessible to students. It also engages them more meaningfully and facilitates positive student-teacher relationships.

1764: You’re back in the Grammar School now, so I have to ask: What’s your favorite children’s book?

ROJAS: Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss. I’ve read it to my son over and over again. He loves that book!

2023–2024

Sports Highlights

Once again, our exceptional student-athletes made the School proud as they embodied the sportsmanlike spirit of excellence CGPS has become known for. With impressive displays of teamwork and athleticism, our players clinched multiple regular season and postseason championship titles, making this year one to remember. “Each day, they came ready and eager to put in the work,” says Director of Athletics and Physical Education Joe Grande. “Our Lions’ success is the direct result of their unwavering dedication, determination and drive.” Let’s have a round of applause for our 2023–2024 champions:

• Girls Varsity Soccer, Regular & Postseason Champions

• Girls Varsity Tennis, Regular & Postseason Champions

• Girls Varsity Volleyball, Regular & Postseason Champions

• Girls Varsity Cross Country, Postseason Champions

• Girls 7/8 Cross Country, Regular Season Champions

• Boys JV Soccer, Regular Season Tri-Champions

• Boys 7/8 Soccer, Regular Season Champions

• Boys Varsity Basketball, Regular & Postseason Champions

• Girls Varsity Basketball, Regular Season Co-Champions

• Boys JV West Basketball, Regular & Postseason Champions

• Girls JV Basketball, Postseason Champions

• Boys Varsity Swim, Postseason Champions

• Boys Varsity Indoor Track, Postseason Champions

• Boys 7/8 Basketball, Regular Season Champions

• Boys Varsity Baseball, Regular & Postseason Champions

• Boys Varsity Golf, Regular Season Champions

• Boys Varsity Tennis, Regular & Postseason Champions

A Head of School Reflects

CGPS celebrates Dr. William M. Donohue’s tenure as our 14th Head of School

By Jessie Saunders

When he became Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School’s fourteenth Head of School in 2017, Dr. William M. Donohue was looking for an opportunity to make a difference one more time. Having spent his entire career in education, he had just retired from a 27-year tenure in Armonk, New York, where he had been the district superintendent of schools, overseeing a highly successful high school program at Byram Hills High School. “I was at a mature point in my career,” he says, “and I was looking for one more opportunity to create a capstone moment.”

Originally from Maryland, his life in education began as an English teacher in Montgomery County. He quickly added to his responsibilities, including as

guidance counselor, director of admissions and director of studies, before arriving in Armonk as a director of guidance. His educational background includes a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland, College Park, a master’s degree in counseling from George Washington University, an advanced degree in educational administration from Harvard University and a doctorate in educational administration from Teachers College, Columbia University.

His first introduction to CGPS made an impression: “The attraction was that CGPS was an outstanding school, which had a focus on what students needed and what students achieved. The faculty were proud of the work they were doing and the successes their students had. A culture where students thrived was more important than ‘this is the way the School works’ — a true student-centered experience.” Having come from schools that valued community, that commitment to student experience resonated with him. And Dr. Donohue found in his first years as Head that those initial impressions were accurate: “What I discovered was that the language the community used to describe themselves, particularly around balance and being responsive to students’

Dr. William M. Donohue, in his final commencement as Head of School, addresses the Class of 2024 at Alice Tully Hall.

passions, was real — and it was embodied, not in policies, but in the faculty.”

After a year of listening and learning, he initiated his One School strategic vision to knit together the three divisions with a united programmatic understanding. CGPS has undergone rapid growth, expanding its campus and student body significantly in the early 2000s. Some of that growth had left a feeling that divisions were working in silos. “The School maintained the small school philosophy, which is its gift, but it had not developed the systems and organizational structure that you need to sustain the success,” says Dr. Donohue. That meant building out internal systems, particularly around curriculum.

Dr. Donohue established the role of director of curriculum and mandated a mapping of a curriculum that established milestones but also allowed for creativity and responsiveness to students’ passions and talents. He says, “Behind the One School philosophy is an integrated curricular system. The goal of that is to make sure that every student has a high-quality educational experience and is prepared for the next grade or division. The other goal is, if a teacher has a great lesson, every student should benefit from that. We share best practices so that every student benefits from the best ideas.”

He also introduced Prep School programming like the Advanced Science Research (ASR) program, highlighting a strength CGPS was already famous for: its encouragement of individualized study. This program has resulted in four Regeneron Science Talent Search semifinalists. ASR, alongside the enhanced computer science and robotics programming in all divisions, was part of Dr. Donohue’s effort to build upon existing interest and develop another facet of instruction in a school with a deservedly well-known arts curriculum.

His seven-year tenure at CGPS coincided with some of the most challenging years in the School’s long history — the Covid pandemic, which shut the campus down in March of 2020. The Board of Trustees was his partner in navigating the crisis and establishing in-School protocols for the fall of 2020. Board President Meredith Verona says, “Bill Donohue came to CGPS as a seasoned administrative leader. It was thanks to him that we were able to navigate through some difficult times and take the School into the future. When the Covid crisis hit, he knew just the right approach to calming our community and making sure our students received the best possible education given the circumstances. We were lucky to have him to guide us these past seven years!”

He has also been a mentor to faculty members transitioning into leadership roles at CGPS. Abby Rojas was the Assistant Director of the Middle School when Dr.

“Bill Donohue came to CGPS as a seasoned administrative leader. It was thanks to him that we were able to navigate through some difficult times and take the School into the future.”

MEREDITH VERONA, BOARD PRESIDENT

Donohue tapped her to lead the Grammar School. “Dr. Donohue has inspired me to be confident in my abilities as a leader,” she says. “He is direct, clear and knows that humor is an important tool that connects people.”

Michelle Schackman, a long-time dean in the Prep School, has been appointed the new Middle School Director and has been working with Dr. Donohue as she prepares for this transition. “I’m grateful to Bill for seeing my leadership capacity. He’s offered sage advice about how to navigate professional relationships and how to communicate effectively. He’s been incredibly supportive through the transition process by making himself available to talk through any concerns and answer questions.”

Dr. Donohue has also been instrumental in the facility upgrades that have already started and will continue over the next several years. Since his arrival, he has been working toward creating learning spaces that reflect the dynamism of the curriculum: This summer, the Prep School library’s renovation will result in the CGPS Media Center, filled with light, modular meeting spaces and a view into the state-of-the-art recording studio being installed in the upgraded Music Center. Other projects include the Prep School atrium, a makerspace and updates to the North Gymnasium.

What are Dr. Donohue’s hopes for CGPS’s future? “I hope that the School remains open to exciting signature programs and continues to offer students unique opportunities. I also hope that CGPS maintains a culture that keeps individual students as its focus. Finally, I hope that the School continues to reinvent itself and be relevant to New York City, because that’s the reason we’ve lasted 260 years.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO

THE Class of 2024!

On Thursday, May 30, the Class of 2024 tossed their caps in the air at Alice Tully Hall as they became proud graduates of CGPS! The commencement activities included moving and humorous speeches from Head of School Dr. Bill Donohue, Prep School Director Dr. Scott Wilson, seniors Alexa Schorr, Laila Ray and Noah Razak, and the keynote speaker, acclaimed talk show host and comedian Seth Meyers.

A common thread woven through the speeches was the spirit of resilience and determination. Mr. Meyers’ remarks resonated deeply as he told the graduates, “You are young. The paint is not dry. The greatest thing about your age is the capacity to improve.” Laila, whom the faculty selected to address the graduating class, shared her journey of self-reflection, urging her classmates to learn

from their mistakes rather than let past errors consume them. Alexa, the top-ranking scholar, echoed this sentiment during her speech, saying, “You learn more from adversity than the easy wins.” Chosen by his peers to speak, Noah reflected on their early days in the Prep School amid the pandemic and the innovative ways they banded together to build community and cultivate positivity when it was needed most. He encouraged his peers to be kind to themselves and others and to remember that many obstacles “can be solved with compassion.”

As our newest alumni embark on their post-CGPS journeys, embracing the wise words from this year’s speakers, we wish them the best of luck.

Congratulations, graduates!

CLASS OF 2024

College Destinations

American University

American University of Paris

Barnard College

Bates College

Bentley University

Boston College

Boston University

Carnegie Mellon University

Cornell University

Duke University

Emory University

George Washington University

Georgetown University

Harvard University

Haverford College

Indiana University Bloomington

Lafayette College

Lehigh University

McGill University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Northeastern University

Northwestern University

New York University

Pomona College

Princeton University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rhode Island School of Design

Rutgers University

Skidmore College

Stanford University

Syracuse University

Tufts University

Tulane University

United States Military Academy at West Point

University of California, Berkeley

University of Chicago

University of Denver

University of Michigan

University of Miami

University of Notre Dame

University of Pennsylvania

University of Southern California

University of St Andrews

University of Texas at Austin

University of Toronto

University of Wisconsin–Madison

Vanderbilt University

Villanova University

Wake Forest University

Washington University in St. Louis

Williams College

Yale University

Members of the Class of 2004 return to CGPS for their 20th reunion.

Do You Make Music?

With their viral social media series, Discovering Artists, Christian Baiocco ’18 and Grant Weintrob ’17 introduce millions of people around the world to some of today’s most talented independent artists

By Marquis Austin

Do you make music? That’s the central question behind Discovering Artists, a viral social media series from Christian Baiocco ’18 and Grant Weintrob ’17. Their simple yet effective concept is all about showcasing lesser-known but incredibly gifted artists. The two friends walk around cities asking people if they make music, and once they find someone who does, they conduct a brief interview and feature one of their songs at the end of the video. While no two days are the same, they typically approach around 100 people over five to seven hours. “We’ve gone up to over 5,000 people at this point,” says Grant. “It’s a labor of love.”

The idea for Discovering Artists first came to them while they were working as independent marketing consultants, developing content strategies for various brands and artists, including Metallica and The Grateful Dead. Impressed with their track record, one organization that needed help promoting their new productivity app for musicians enlisted Christian and Grant for their

expertise. They “tried everything,” says Grant, “but nothing was working.” At a creative impasse, the duo went back to basics. They asked themselves what was the simplest music content they could create that would still generate attention: “We thought, ‘We should ask people if they make music.’” Sensing they might be onto something, they got to work, and the first video blew up, garnering millions of views. “It turned into something much bigger than we ever thought it would be,” says Grant. They decided to develop the hit format into an ongoing series.

Since its inception, Discovering Artists has taken the internet by storm, amassing over 230 million views across TikTok and Instagram. “There’s a much larger hunger for new quality music than the mainstream music industry would have us believe,” explains John Fischer, one of their former CGPS music teachers. What motivates Christian and Grant above anything else is supporting independent artists at a time when “music is oversaturated,” and breaking through the noise is a nearly impossible feat. “It’s hard for artists that aren’t also content creators,” says Grant. Fortunately for them, Discovering Artists handles the content creation so they can focus on what matters most: the music.

Thanks to Christian and Grant, musicians have seen their lives change overnight, with the most notable success story being indie artist Blaize Jenkins. A former door-to-door pest control salesman, he was sitting in Washington Square Park on the Fourth of July when he ran into them. Since then, he’s left his day job, gained a massive online following, met with record labels across the country, secured management and gone on tour. “Seeing the impact we’ve had on people’s lives is the most meaningful part of this whole project,” says Grant. He and Christian are currently in the process of bringing together Blaize and all the other musicians they’ve featured for a Discovering Artists music festival, so stay tuned for more on that.

As for what’s next, they’ve already launched another viral venture: life on film. Alongside their friend Griffin Katz, who attended CGPS in middle school, Christian and Grant hand disposable cameras to strangers and ask them to take photos that they later edit into dynamic short films. Recent entries have depicted people celebrating New Year’s in New York City, traveling to Argentina and catching the LA Galaxy vs. Inter Miami CF match, the latter of which was part of an official partnership between life on film and Major League Soccer. “Our plan is to continue creating series like these,” says Grant. “We like to think of them as TV shows for social media.”

Discovering Artists Co-Founders Christian Baiocco ’18 (right) and Grant Weintrob ’17

This Is CPTV

Columbia Prep TV alumni commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Prep School’s student-run television station

By Marquis Austin

“If I hadn’t joined Columbia Prep TV, I wouldn’t have ended up where I am today because that prompted my initial love for storytelling,” says Ali Slatkin ’18, a former president of the Prep School’s student-run television station, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Today, with a degree in digital media production from Tulane University, Ali manages social media content creation for fashion company Veronica Beard, utilizing the storytelling skills she honed in CPTV from ninth through twelfth grade. “It was definitely one of the highlights of my high school experience,” she says. “I learned so much that prepared me not only for college but my job today.”

The idea for CPTV — which informs and entertains with broadcasts featuring event recaps, student and faculty interviews, sports highlights and more — first came ten years ago when founders Sam Taubenfeld ’14, Lorenzo Soo ’14 and Jason Dessen ’14 got wind of a sports-themed television network at another New York City independent school. They liked the concept and wanted to bring it to CGPS, albeit with more of a community feel, broadening the scope beyond athletics. “We were thinking through how we could approach this club, and we wanted to make sure that it was inclusive of what CGPS represents — community,” says Sam. “We didn’t want to make it just about sports, but about all the events. We wanted it to encapsulate CGPS.” The trio drafted a proposal, mapping out an equipment budget and outlining their reasoning behind wanting to launch the club, and presented it to then-Prep School Director Sue Kilmer. They received approval shortly thereafter, with technology teacher Landon Wickham, whom Sam describes as “one of my favorite teachers and mentors,” lending a helping hand as the faculty advisor.

Members of CPTV record a news broadcast in front of their green screen backdrop.

Although their initial lack of filming and editing experience resulted in the first CPTV newscast being a “fumble,” according to Sam, they adjusted through trial and error. “You could barely see us. It was such terrible quality that we only had room to grow,” he says. Subsequent broadcasts improved in quality, piquing students’ curiosity about the new club, and what began with Sam, Lorenzo, Jason and Mr. Wickham quickly expanded, adding 20 new members within the first few months and growing ever since. “Working with the students at CPTV for the past ten years has been an incredibly rewarding journey,” says Mr. Wickham. “Witnessing their development and seeing them achieve their goals brings me immense joy and pride.” Today, CPTV is one of the most popular student organizations in the Prep School.

For many students, part of the appeal of joining CPTV is the chance it offers to explore their interests outside of the classroom and develop transferable skills. “The organization gives you the opportunity to be yourself and cover things you’re passionate about. There’s a role for every single student who wants to be involved,” says Daniel Gardner ’16, a founding member and early president of CPTV. Members, taking on roles such as directors, scriptwriters, videographers, editors and news anchors, not only widen their media production knowhow but also fine-tune their writing and public speaking skills. Additionally, they gain experience in brainstorming and executing ideas and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. Regardless of their career paths, many CPTV alumni find that the experience still serves them well years later. One example is past president Sabrina Bakalis ’20, who recently earned a mathematical business degree from Wake Forest University. Reflecting on her time in the club, she says, “CPTV helped me find my career. The creative outlet was important, but I saw it as a business — managing different departments, meeting deadlines and having meetings with faculty and students. A lot of these skills have been helpful in the real world.”

The key ingredient behind CPTV’s ongoing success and the reason it has persisted throughout the years is its ability to unite the community to celebrate all aspects of the Prep School. From documenting events such as the annual Halloween Carnival and Senior Walkout to spotlighting clubs like Model UN and Science Olympiad, CPTV promotes a valued sense of School pride and spirit. “How long it’s lasted is a testament to what the organization is, which is a community builder,” says Daniel. “It’s a real moment of pride for everybody there at the beginning to see what the organization has become. It’s something that will hopefully continue for many more years.”

“How long it’s lasted is a testament to what the organization is, which is a community builder.”

DANIEL GARDNER ’16, CPTV FOUNDING MEMBER AND FORMER PRESIDENT

Bottom: Following in their footsteps ten years later, newscast anchors Laila Ray ’24 and Sarah Riedman ’24 inform community members about the latest happenings in the Prep School.

Top: The founding members of CPTV — Sam Taubenfeld ’14, Lorenzo Soo ’14, Jason Dessen ’14, Perry Skolnick ’14, Victoria Zaro ’14, Morgan Weinstein ’14, Isabelle Branco-Lo ’14, Hannah Harris ’16, Daniel Gardner ’16 and Ethan Kimmel ’16.

A Magnetic Pull

Known for her signature aesthetic of anthropomorphized foods, flowers and other inanimate objects, lifelong artist Lauren Martin ’09 has become one of today’s most sought-after illustrators

STORY BY RUTH SAMUELSON

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ADRIANNA TAN

Illustrator Lauren Martin ’09 at her home workspace

When Lauren Martin ’09 attended CGPS, she felt “magnetically pulled” to the Art Department. During free moments, she’d hang out with teacher Susan Cohen and paint or print photos in the darkroom with photography instructor Andrew Stole.

By that point, Lauren says, “I was 100% certain art was going to be my career.” She’d been working on her craft for years — as a young child, she was obsessed with drawing. Lauren drew at home with a cousin studying at the School of Visual Arts and took classes at the Art Students League in Midtown, often with much older students and retirees. With clear-eyed conviction about her future, she struggled to focus in certain classes at CGPS. “I just knew what I was going to do with my life, and it had nothing to do with chemistry,” Lauren says, but she also credits her teachers with being “really, really accommodating.”

“I think everyone knew Lauren was not going to do what other CGPS students did,” echoes English teacher Vic Puccio, her class dean. Recognizing her artistic

ambitions, teachers permitted more creative assignments. For instance, in one science class, she developed a book of anatomical and physiological illustrations “that were just phenomenal,” recalls Middle and Prep School Art Department Head Lynn Schulte. “You couldn’t believe they were made by a high school student.”

Now, at 33, Lauren can concretely say her self-belief “all worked out.” She has built a career honing her signature vibrant, fantastical aesthetic of anthropomorphized foods, flowers and other inanimate objects. As a sought-after commercial illustrator, she has worked with publications like The New York Times, Time Magazine, New York Magazine, Wired and global brands like Uniqlo, Spotify and Nike. But her path has been anything but predictable, zigging and zagging through various art forms — both visual and musical. And like Lauren’s art, it has been completely singular.

While at CGPS, Lauren imagined she’d become a fine arts painter. At the suggestion of Ms. Cohen, she enrolled in a portraiture program at the National Academy of

Design after graduation. It was “an amazing experience” that elevated her skills, but it didn’t feel like the right career path. From there, she took a year off to ponder what she should pursue next. During that time, she taught herself to crochet, sew and knit, ultimately deciding to pursue a degree in textile/surface design at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

While studying screen printing, Lauren helped a friend, Greta Kline, print t-shirts for her band, Frankie Cosmos. A few years later, the band was short a keyboard player. Lauren didn’t play the keyboard, but Greta still asked her to join anyway. “You want to tour with people you like spending time with,” says Lauren. She learned the parts and began performing, skipping her FIT graduation for a concert. Between 2015 and 2020, Lauren toured constantly — nationally around four times a year, twice a year in Europe and occasionally to further-flung locales like Australia, New Zealand and Japan. During that time, she developed merch and art for the band featuring cheeky and playful designs, incorporating elements like breakfast foods, flowers, butterflies and fruit.

In 2019, Lauren began shifting toward working as a commercial illustrator, reaching out to art directors to share her portfolio. “I would only do it in these bursts of energy when I was home,” she shares, and “I was not having a ton of success.”

The following year would prove critical in many ways. In early 2020, she received “a kick in the pants” that accelerated an evolution in her style. She dared to ask an “unfiltered” family member for constructive feedback; he said her work was impersonal and lacked soul. After that, she leaned into funnier, more idiosyncratic imagery. “I started to see immediate results, which was pretty wild.”

That timing coincided with the start of the pandemic. With touring canceled, Lauren created new work

and continued contacting art directors. When one of her illustrations was paired with a Los Angeles Times article that went viral, she got a boost. Then, after contacting Uniqlo, she began working with them regularly to design art for their UTme booths, where patrons can print their own designs — or select art developed by designers like Lauren — on Uniqlo shirts and totes. So far, Lauren has created images for New York, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles and other markets. Last year, she developed the art for the 2023 SummerStage Concert Series in New York City.

This past fall, Lauren returned to CGPS to meet with students in the Prep School Art Club and presented a “vision of what living as an artist can be.” First, she walked through her early work, showing them pen sketches of faces, funky creatures with multitudes of eyeballs and pieces she published in Olga, a now-defunct CGPS comic journal. Lauren credits its faculty sponsor, former Japanese teacher Jon Kawano, as a “huge influence in my life.” The next presentation slides displayed her fine arts work, textile designs, and Frankie Cosmos posters and merch. Then, suddenly, Lauren’s style crystallized before the students’ eyes: Her illustrations featured a butterfly clip and paper clip bumping elbows; a raisin and apple toasting with champagne flutes; and a sesame bagel on a park bench reading a newspaper called The New York Schmear

She encouraged today’s CGPS artists not to wait for outside affirmation to share their work. “There are so many platforms to share your art,” she says. “It doesn’t need to get immediate traction. Be patient. Keep making stuff, and keep putting it out there.” Ultimately, students left with the message “to stay committed to what interests you,” says Ms. Cohen. “That’s what Lauren did. She just kept trying. But in a very non-linear way.”

The Red Thread

Sasha Rubel ’01, an international expert on responsible artificial intelligence, advises companies, nonprofits and policymakers on how to unlock the potential of AI for good

BY RUTH SAMUELSON

Over two weeks in February, artificial intelligence expert Sasha Rubel ’01 met with members of Italy’s Parliament and spoke to hundreds of Belgian executives at a castle. But her most memorable speech during that period was for 600 high school students in London. Sasha, who is based in Paris, was there in her capacity as Head of Artificial Intelligence/Generative AI Public Policy at Amazon Web Services for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. First, she discussed Amazon’s approach to “the really hard questions raised by the rapid development of generative AI.” Next, the talk turned to more personal matters: What would AI mean for her crowd — young people embarking on their careers? What kind of professional paths would have longevity?

You can imagine how the students might have perceived Sasha: as a woman with all the answers. She has a top position at one of the world’s most famous corporations and is a thought leader in a cutting-edge industry. But as much as Sasha loves her job, she is equally eager to discuss dance, experimental film and

anthropology. It’s easy to imagine her in a completely different field. Before Amazon, she spent most of her career at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which focuses on educational initiatives, the preservation of culture, digital transformation and the free press. Given her diverse affinities and resume, it’s safe to say Sasha’s path to AI was one of many.

But it does have a clear narrative. “The red thread that runs through my career is the conviction that if you put tools in the hands of people and give them the power to change their life and their communities through technology, they’ll do amazing things,” she says.

This belief was seeded during her high school years at CGPS, where Sasha was exposed to critical works of art that shaped her worldview. One influential piece was Sonny’s Blues, a James Baldwin story she read in class with Prep School English teacher and Dean Vic Puccio. It centers on two brothers, one of whom, a heroin addict, plays the piano to transcend his pain. “I

Sasha Rubel ’01 is the Head of Artificial Intelligence/Generative AI Public Policy at Amazon Web Services for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“The red thread that runs through my career is the conviction that if you put tools in the hands of communities and give them the power to change their life through technology, they’ll do amazing things.”

SASHA RUBEL ’01, INTERNATIONAL EXPERT ON RESPONSIBLE AI

remember reading the story and thinking it was such a powerful articulation of the importance of agency and how cultural expression can help us transcend and create realities,” shares Sasha.

Mr. Puccio also introduced her to Wide Sargasso Sea, a retelling of Jane Eyre from the perspective of a character previously without agency: the wife of Jane’s love interest, a woman who is condemned as crazy and hidden in an attic. The book taught Sasha that “there are all these stories that aren’t being told — or that could be told differently.” Mr. Puccio, who remains close to Sasha today, remembers her as a student with “an insatiable curiosity about everything. She was just completely present and engaged all the time.”

Sasha was also passionate about theater. She was constantly in CGPS productions and took a theater history class, which introduced her to experimental and avant-garde plays from the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s. She was close to Theater and Dance Department Head Sarah Cusick. In part, they bonded over their connections to France; Sasha, whose mother was French, grew up between New York City and Paris. Meanwhile, Ms. Cusick lived in France for four years and is fluent in the language.

As Sasha applied to colleges, Ms. Cusick suggested her alma mater, Brown University, where “you don’t take any requirements and basically create your own curriculum.” In 2002, Sasha matriculated at the Ivy League institution. She also took classes in Harvard’s Folklore and Mythology and Africana Studies Departments. Four years later, she graduated with a

dual degree in anthropology/technology studies and religious studies, with an additional specialization in contemporary African dance. During her time at Brown, she established an entirely new study track dedicated to contemplative studies, bringing together different fields across science, literature, medicine and religion to investigate the underlying philosophical, psychological and scientific bases of human contemplative experience.

After college, Sasha received a Fulbright Scholarship to work with health organizations in Mali and Nigeria to explore how technology could improve access to public health. This experience proved to be a crucial inflection point in her life. While living in Bamako, she resided in a neighborhood with many Guinean artists and musicians who had recently fled their country. To document their stories, she began collaborating with them on experimental, cinéma vérité-style films. The work explored “how they perceived their history and what they foresaw as the futures available to them.”

Harkening back to Wide Sargasso Sea, Sasha was eager to explore the “power of representation, which, at that time, was putting a very old camcorder in the hands of the people whose stories were untold and underrepresented.”

For the next ten years, Sasha focused on earning advanced degrees in France, Denmark and Australia and working for UNESCO, primarily in Africa. She now has master’s degrees in anthropology and new media studies, a diploma from the prestigious École Normale

Supérieure and undertook a doctorate in the anthropology of the societal impact of new technologies. Her professional and scholarly work often deals with the intersection of culture, technology and development. One example: While living in Dakar in 2009, Sasha was tasked with developing online pedagogical content about the history of Africa, an initiative of UNESCO and the African Union. Questions quickly arose about the best delivery system. Smartphones were more popular than PCs, and strong internet access wasn’t prevalent. Sasha decided to develop downloadable comic strips for smartphones, highlighting the role of women in African history — equally untold and underrepresented — while encouraging young people’s information and communications technology (ICT) skills. This project led to her being honored with an award by the UN for gender mainstreaming in ICTs.

From there, she worked in various public policy roles as the UNESCO representative for digital transformation to the African Union and Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa and the Regional Office of

UNESCO for West Africa and the Sahel in Dakar. During another critical juncture, she realized “there were all these policies on digital technology, but the people whose lives these policies were supposed to improve were never part of the conversation,” says Sasha. To remedy this, she built participatory public policy-making processes, leveraging new technology to ensure citizen input, and established the first free coding school for girls in Senegal, believing that “the people who can best solve local problems are local people.” In addition, during her time in Africa, she coordinated an initiative to bring Kamoinge — a collective of African-American media professionals — and others to Ethiopia to train sub-Saharan African media professionals to amplify their stories. In recognition of her work, Sasha received the Public Diplomacy Innovation Prize from the White House under President Obama. She also led initiatives to train law enforcement professionals in West Africa to leverage new technologies to combat rising terrorism in the Sahel and trained media professionals in the Gambia during its transition to democracy.

At the United Nations in Geneva, Sasha hosts a panel during the World Summit on the Information Society dedicated to operationalizing responsible AI with key partners from governments, academia and international organizations.

Even after all these years, Sasha’s still thinking about the themes she explored in Mr. Puccio’s classroom while reading Sonny’s Blues and Wide Sargasso Sea: social justice, representation and access to resources.

Sasha’s focus fully turned to AI when she moved back to France in 2018. Still working for UNESCO, she was one of the founding experts of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence, an initiative of the G7 and the OECD AI Expert group. During this time, she organized the first-ever UN debate on AI ethics and governance and played a key role in the elaboration of the UNESCO recommendation on the ethics of AI — the first global framework of its kind. When Amazon Web Services came knocking, Sasha was excited to translate her experience in government to the private sector. “I wanted to be part of one of the most innovative companies in the world in order to have the biggest impact on how we think about and operationalize responsible AI,” she says. Since then, and in addition to her day job, she has become a member of Ireland’s AI Advisory Council, advising the government on emerging AI policy issues, and a member of Europe’s Women in Leadership network, mentoring young women in the tech sector to encourage them to pursue careers in AI.

Whatever the challenge, Sasha believes her strength is in “systems-thinking”— forging solutions across “technical, legal and societal dimensions.” She doesn’t need to have all the answers. But she needs to be asking the right questions. Every day, she talks to lawyers, scientists, policy experts and business leaders at Amazon Web Services to define the company’s policies, and helps governments and customers think through how to operationalize responsible AI. It’s a big misconception that “just because something’s technologically feasible, it will be built,” she says.

Even after all these years, Sasha’s still thinking about the themes she explored in Mr. Puccio’s classroom while reading Sonny’s Blues and Wide Sargasso Sea: social justice, representation and access to resources. She wants to ensure AI tools benefit as wide a swath of humanity as possible and that access to innovation — and the skills necessary — is democratized. The reality is that AI is here, and it will continue to shape the world. “How can we use AI to make the world better?” asks Sasha. “How can we put those tools safely and responsibly in the hands of more people so that they’re involved in that transformation?” While we may not have the answers to these questions now, we’re confident that Sasha will figure it out.

Sasha visits the Spanish Senate to discuss artificial intelligence policy.

Back Together Again

Our alumni program, under the guidance of Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Events Gretchen Phelps-Nelson, continued to grow this past year, offering many opportunities for graduates to reconnect with old friends and beloved teachers. We kicked things off in October with an East Coast tour of Boston, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., where we met with alumni to learn about the wonderful paths life has taken them since CGPS.

In December, alumni celebrated the shortest day of the year at our

first annual Winter Warmer. Between the Class of 1974 bubbling over with excitement about their 50th reunion and the Class of 2023 catching up after their first semester of college, it was amazing to see multiple generations of CGPS alumni under one roof.

The festivities continued in January at our Alumni Basketball Tournament, hosted in partnership with Coach Ryan Pettit and the Boys Varsity Basketball team. Before the tournament, everyone came together to cheer on our varsity players as they triumphed over Trevor Day.

On Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, 200 CGPS graduates returned to campus for Reunion Weekend. The program began Friday night at The Wolfe, where alumni and faculty mingled over drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

On Saturday morning, alumna Carol

Zack ’64 hosted our Golden Lions Pride Brunch at Arte Cafe for those celebrating 50+ years as alumni. Back on 5 West 93rd Street, resident historian Marvin Terban and Prep School Student Ambassadors gave tours of the School, celebrating the history and exciting future of CGPS. The weekend culminated later that evening with dinner in the North Gym for all alumni. A special shout-out goes to the Class of 2004, who had the highest attendance as they celebrated their 20th reunion!

The 2025 CGPS Alumni Reunion Weekend is set to take place on Friday, May 2, through Saturday, May 3. While we will have special reunions for classes ending in 5 and 10, all are welcome to attend. See you there!

Class Notes

1955

Richard Engelman writes, “My best remembrance is our bicycle trip through Europe with four students and Mr. Fields, our English teacher. I received an excellent education and next went to Columbia University for college. I have since gone into medicine and cardiac surgery. I trained at Yale, the University of Illinois and NYU. My specialty was developing techniques to protect the heart from injury during cardiac surgery, particularly developing an approach used universally called cardioplegia. This has resulted in numerous adventures and meetings in Europe and Asia. I continue to work at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA, where I started the cardiac surgical program in 1978. I am presently chief of cardiac surgical research. My wife, Janie, and I have three children and seven grandchildren. All, except one, are located in Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York City, so they are considered local. Our son followed in my footsteps as a cardiac surgeon. One daughter is a professional potter, and the other is an attorney. I hope this finds all my classmates healthy and enjoying the passing years.”

1956

Michael Tepper writes, “I’m excited to join the High School Football Coaches Association as a volunteer in Connecticut. I’ve restarted my attempt to be proficient at cribbage, which I learned in the U.S. Army as a member of the 4th Armored Division

stationed in Erlangen, Germany, in 1960. I’ve also continued to offer my unsolicited suggestions to several nonprofit organizations, which have had mixed reviews. Nonetheless, I remain undaunted. Congratulations to our JV and varsity sports teams on another outstanding year. Go Lions!”

1959

Dov Grunschlag is happy to report that he is in good health and lives in San Francisco, where he works as a lawyer, albeit not full-time. He is married with children and grandchildren and enjoys playing chamber music on the clarinet. Dov adds, “My memories of CGPS are all good.”

1963

Judith Sussman is thoroughly enjoying retirement. She takes annual winter trips to San Miguel, Mexico, and recently visited Japan and Morocco. In addition to traveling, Judith has taken art and theater classes, gone to museums and seen plays with friends and family. She hopes everyone is well and enjoying life, too.

Jeffrey Silbert is an adjunct professor at Southern New Hampshire

University, where he teaches criminal justice and public administration.

1968 For the past 50 years, Steven Hochhauser has worked as a healthcare executive. He currently lives in Florida, where he has been for 34 years. Steven is married and has three children, three grandchildren and a dog named Lucky.

1970

Patricia Granat and Ed Will, who met by the lockers at CGPS during their sophomore year, will celebrate 50 years of marriage this coming August! It is one of the many reasons they have such fond memories of their high school years.

1971

Maryan Jaross is still a financial planner in Colorado but has reduced her workload so that she and her family can travel more. She and her partner have three grandchildren, two in Santa Cruz and one in Colorado. At this point, their trips to NYC will probably only be annual.

Judith Sussman ’63

Jeffrey Silbert ’63

Maryan wishes everyone well!

Jonathan Mishkin writes, “I was sorry to read about the death of Barbara Shipnuck, a former social studies teacher at CGPS from 1964 to 1968. She left CGPS to marry a fellow from California and made a life there. You can read her obit in the Monterey Herald.”

Dan Rosenthal, his wife and their many animals — six dogs, three cats, seven ponies and three horses — continue to thrive in Aiken, South Carolina. They have recently been joined by his niece Natasha Rosenthal — daughter of Andy Rosenthal ’73 — her roommate and, yes, more animals. Dan is working as a financial consultant and is in the last year of his third term as president of the American Driving Society, Inc.

1973

Stewart Greisman’s family has grown with two more grandchildren. He and his wife, Lisa, are still practicing medicine on the edge of Hell’s Kitchen.

Val Lippmann Doran and her husband, Dan, are celebrating ten years

of pouring and selling wine at events in Southern California for her cousin’s winery, Navarro Vineyards. It allows them to meet amazing people and be in beautiful locations. They also go wine tasting frequently in several wine regions in California. They loved attending the CGPS dinner at Spago last year and meeting alumni from many decades. Val looks forward to having another reunion with the Class of 1973.

Jessica Hentoff continues to work as the artistic/executive director of Circus Harmony. Her alumni can be seen worldwide at or with Cirque du Soleil, Midnight Circus, the Flying Wallendas, NBA halftime shows, WWE and more. Jessica’s three biological children — Elliana Grace, Kellin Quinn and Keaton HentoffKillian — are also in the circus. Elliana is the general manager at Circus Harmony and has her own one-woman show, This Is Why. Kellin currently appears at Caesar’s Palace

in Atlantic City in the Spiegelworld show The Hook. Keaton is performing in the new Broadway hit musical Water for Elephants! B.J. Scarfone, Vivian Ducat and former CGPS faculty Marjorie Ellenbogen and Thomas Gatch have already seen and loved the show. Look for Keaton in the green overalls doing acrobatics, unicycling and wire walking. Check out Circus Harmony online to keep up with Jessica and her flying children!

1974

Mark Weinstein writes, “I continue swimming competitively, even after a 30-year break following college. Recently, as a ‘master swimmer,’ I competed in an East Coast Colonies Zone meet at Rutgers University, where I participated in seven swimming events. I did very well overall, beating some of my older times. In two of the events, my relay set New Jersey State records for our age

Jessica Hentoff ’73

Mark Weinstein ’74

group and also earned being mentioned in the top ten times in the nation for 2023. Last July, I headed to the National Senior Games in Pittsburgh, PA. I competed in eight swimming events and a triathlon relay. My team was first in the triathlon relay for our age group, winning the gold medal. My best showings were eighth in a swimming relay, two events in 12th place and one in 15th place. Hopefully, the body will hold up for many years to come.”

1977

Eric Pierce received the Proctor Medal at the 2023 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Meeting in New Orleans. Eric is the Chatlos professor of ophthalmology and director of the Ocular Genomics Institute at Harvard Medical School and Mass Eye and Ear. The Proctor Medal is one of the most prestigious awards in vision science, honoring outstanding research in ophthalmology. The recipient presents the Proctor Award Lecture at the ARVO Annual

Meeting. Eric earned recognition for his contributions to understanding the genetic causes of inherited retinal degeneration and developing genetically informed therapies to reduce vision loss from these blinding disorders.

1982

Derek Vazquez lives with his wife and three children in Mamaroneck, NY. He still runs his 34-year-old company, Custom Lighting, which provides full production for nightclubs, concerts, special events and fashion shows.

1983

Jeremy Vogel writes, “I am still living in northern Israel with my family. Our community was not evacuated due to the war, but we have front row seats to all that happens along the northern border with Lebanon. After 30-plus years working in agriculture, I decided to change direction and study for a degree in

teaching. I am presently teaching English to students in grades 7–12.”

Nina Hasen writes, “What a complicated time. My personal life is on the upswing as the world courts chaos. I’m getting married to the love of my life in September and taking a much-needed break from work. I’ve had a wonderful career in global health and am digging into new interests like mycology and foraging. All of this joy is tempered by the existential threat of climate change. The U.S. is finally making progress here, but if we pause for even a moment, we will see temperature rises that make the planet’s surface unlivable within a very short period. If you’ve read this far, thank you!”

1984

In 2022, Jennifer Allen retired from a 34-year educational career as a history teacher, guidance counselor and school principal. She is keeping busy as a part-time application reader for a university, serving on the executive board of the Parents Association at her daughter’s school and, of course, playing lots of pickleball! Jennifer has two daughters graduating from university this year and one heading off to college in 2025. She has enjoyed seeing many of her fellow alumni at recent events.

Eric Pierce ’77

Nina Hasen ’83

“Best wishes to all members of the CGPS community!” Jennifer writes.

1986

Debs Hahn’s three kids are all in college now, but her empty nest has yet to become boring. She teaches French at Newton South High School, which keeps her busy. The spicy element of this past winter was going on strike for 11 days. Picketing in 10-degree weather is not a recommended bucket list item, but it was an adventure, to say the least. Debs would love to see her fellow alumni if you pass through the Boston area.

1987

Nicholas Kaufmann’s novel, The Mind Worms, came out in March. It’s the third in a series of science thrillers focusing on Dr. Laura Powell, a medical examiner in the Hudson Valley, who, this time, must solve the mystery of a man who was pronounced dead but surprisingly woke up on the autopsy table, only to go missing 48 hours later. He is also the co-host of a new podcast called Spooky Science Lab. It is an all-ages show that focuses on strange but true science facts. Nicholas writes, “I never did well in my science classes at CGPS, but later in life I’ve grown to find science fascinating!”

1988

Meredith Blake released three films in 2023. She is a producer on the film UnCharitable from director Stephen Gyllenhaal. It features actor Ed Norton, Ford Foundation President Darren Walker and other luminaries of the philanthropic world.

UnCharitable was released theatrically in September and continues to show in theaters and festivals worldwide. Just before the release of UnCharitable, Meredith also served as executive producer on the feature film Mending the Line starring Brian Cox (Succession). She also executive produced the short Forgiving Johnny alongside three-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns; it is available on the Time magazine website.

1990

Gabriel J. Shuldiner continues to paint; you can find his latest work on his website.

1996

Justin Blitz has resided in New York City since graduating from George Washington University in 2000. He has a thriving medical malpractice and personal injury trial law firm in Midtown and is happily married to his wife, Jordana. Together, they have two children, Julian and Rosie. Justin keeps in contact with many CGPS alumni, including Jake Wong, Matt White, Terrance Lowenberg ’97, Todd Cohen ’97, Dana Landis Birnbaum ’97 and Robert Rosenberg ’97.

A tale of sibling struggles and strengths, Caron Levis’ latest picture book, Mighty Muddy Us, is inspired by a real-life elephant family and joins the Feeling Friends collection illustrated by Charles Santoso. Their book This Way, Charlie also won the California Young Readers Medal. Caron attended the California School Library Association Conference to accept and teach her professional development workshop, Reading Emotions, on integrating SEL and literacy skills.

Caron dedicates Mighty Muddy Us to her sister, Emily Levis Bleecker ’99, and her niece and nephews.

2002

Jessica Elias and her family welcomed their second child in August. Cameron and big sister Parker are both doing great! Jessica enjoyed time at home with her family during maternity leave but has now returned to work as a learning specialist and instructional coach in New York City.

2003

After almost eight years in Philadelphia, Ariel Yaroslawitz has relocated to North Jersey with her husband and two sons. They are excited to live closer to the city again and make some day trips to the Big Apple so the boys can explore her old stomping grounds. Both are enjoying their new town and space. Ariel and her family are keeping busy!

Blair Albom married Max Quinn in October 2023 at the St. Regis in Manhattan. Other CGPS alumni in attendance were Mark Albom ’05, Matthew Melinger, Max Meltzer ’05

and Brian Bishop. Blair has been a practicing litigator for over a decade, first at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and now at Friedman Kaplan Seiler Adelman & Robbins LLP, where she was recently promoted to Counsel.

2004

Jessica Savitsky Denker ’04 and her husband, Jason, welcomed a son, Jacob “Jake” Ethan Denker, on August 16, 2023, at 1:23 a.m. in Stamford, CT.

Michael Sonnenshein is the CEO of Grayscale Investments, the world’s largest crypto asset manager. His firm prevailed over the SEC in a public lawsuit that challenged the regulator’s position on Bitcoin and resulted in the introduction of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. market. Michael and the Grayscale team celebrated their pioneering work by ringing the opening bell for their flagship fund, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (ticker: GBTC) — the world’s largest Bitcoin ETF — on the New York Stock Exchange in March.

2005

Rebecca Mondre moved to Vail, CO, for the year to teach at a mountain school. She hikes, bikes and snowboards as much as she can.

2007

Cami Ledy earned a Master of Arts degree in exhibition and experience design from the Fashion Institute of Technology this year. Additionally, she and her fiancée, Don McLean, got married on May 11, 2024, at the Ritz-Carlton NoMad.

2014

Sofie Rimler is the star and cocreator of a new Jewish rom-com short called Cut Off. The project is executive produced by two-time Emmy winner Mary Lou Belli and also stars Gina Hecht (Dave), Phil Abrams (Parenthood), Randee Heller (The Karate Kid), Melanie Chartoff (Rugrats) and Hunter Stiebel (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend). Sofie resides in Los Angeles.

2015

Dana Matarasso graduated from Harvard Business School in the spring.

Michael Sonnenshein ’04

Cami Ledy ’07

Sofie Rimler ’14

Blair Albom ’03

Calling for Class Notes!

We want to hear about everything our incredible alumni have been up to since graduating from CGPS! Don’t hesitate to share your news with the School community, and submit a class note by scanning the QR code or emailing alumni@cgps.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

1764 Looks Back

260 Years of CGPS

By Marvin Terban

On the day the Declaration of Independence was signed, our School was already 12 years old. Two of the signers were close friends of our first teacher. It was a smaller world then.

Our first classroom in 1764 was a small rented room in an upholsterer’s house downtown on Little Queen Street (which no longer exists). We moved northward at least half a dozen times until we arrived at our present location on the Upper West Side in 1907.

And how we’ve grown: from about 150 square feet in that upholsterer’s house to about 225,000 square feet today. We occupy nine brownstones on West 94th Street and four buildings on West 93rd and 92nd Streets. We started with one teacher and seven boys as a feeder school for King’s College, now known as Columbia University. Today, we have 300 faculty members and almost 1200 students from Pre-K to 12th grade who are preparing themselves to enter the finest colleges. One number has gone down, however. When we started, our student-teacher ratio was 7-to-1. Today, it’s 4-to-1.

We have survived historic wars on our doorstep, including the Revolutionary War and Civil War. We never closed our doors during two worldwide pandemics in 1918 and 2020. We’ve been here through the

administrations of every president of the United States. Actually, we were educating students a quarter of a century before George Washington took his oath. We are the oldest nonsectarian independent school in the United States of America.

We’ve called ourselves by four different names: the Grammar School of King’s College (before the Revolutionary War), the Grammar School of Columbia College (after we got rid of the king), Columbia Grammar School (from 1864 to 1969) and Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School (from 1969 to the present). At first, we were called a “grammar” school because Latin, Greek and English grammar were the basis of our curriculum. You had to translate some books of the Aeneid before you could get into the School in the late 1700s. We added “preparatory” to our name in the late 1960s to make sure that people knew we were a college preparatory school, not just an elementary school.

We were all boys for our first 192 years until we merged with the Leonard School for Girls on West 94th Street in 1956. We were owned by King’s College and Columbia College for our first century. For the next 77 years, we were a for-profit business, and in 1941, we became the nonprofit educational institution we are today.

Many illustrious achievers have been educated in our classrooms, from Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick, to Nobel Prize winners Murray Gell-Mann and Rainer Weiss, who learned physics in the same science lab at 5 West 93rd Street just three years apart in the early 1940s.

Our past centuries are just the prelude to what’s coming next. Our brand-new cafeteria (it’s so nice, some people call it a Dining Room) began serving meals last September. Construction has started in the North Building on the next phase of our multi-year renovation project: a state-of-the-art library and research center, imaginative new lobby, reimagined student lounge and innovative music rooms.

We’ve had only fourteen Heads of School (called Rectors or Headmasters in the past). That’s a remarkably small number for an institution well into its third century. The job is obviously a keeper. At the start of the 2024–2025 school year, we will welcome Will Moseley as our fifteenth Head of School. He will lead us into a bright new future.

We have a Latin motto. Forgotten for over a century, it’s recently been revived. EX DISCIPLINA CORONA. Literal translation: FROM DISCIPLINE, A CROWN. In other words, “Hard work leads to exceptional achievement.” Made sense then. Makes sense now.

Happy 260th birthday, CGPS!

Students and their teachers pose proudly in front of the new School building at 5 West 93rd Street shortly after it opened in 1907.

www.cgps.org/giving/give

Rigorous yet balanced: That’s the education we offer our students. A CGPS education allows our students to discover their passions, exploring them to the fullest extent possible — all while keeping their spirits intact.

From a kindergartner moving their first pawn in Grammar School chess to a senior searching for new planets in our signature Advanced Science Research program, CGPS’s list of hundreds of academic and extracurricular offerings ignites the curiosity of our students, challenging them to pursue as many avenues of interest as they can imagine. The result? A balanced educational experience that inspires each child to achieve their dreams and soar to new heights.

Donations to the Columbia Grammar & Preparatory Fund support our students as they uncover their unique talents and develop into the best versions of themselves, becoming self-directed and forwardthinking scholars, citizens and leaders. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps each child achieve that balanced life — and, as we like to say at CGPS, a balanced life is a powerful life.

To donate, visit www.cgps.org/giving/give, or email the Office of Institutional Advancement at giving@cgps.org. Make your gift today!

COLUMBIA GRAMMAR & PREPARATORY SCHOOL

COLUMBIA GRAMMAR & PREPARATORY FUND