Colorado Academy Journal - Fall 2019

Colorado Academy Mission Statement

About the Cover

For more than a year, the Colorado Academy community has worked collaboratively to develop a new Mission Statement. The cover of the Fall CA Journal features the new statement in red. The words in white are the values which guide and inform our mission. Read more about how the new Mission Statement was developed and how it has been received at CA on page 10.

Creating curious, kind, courageous, and adventurous learners and leaders.

J urnal

Fall 2019 n Volume 47 n Issue No. 1

The 2019 Journal is published by the Colorado Academy Office of Advancement. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information included in this report is accurate and complete. If you note any errors or omissions, please accept our apologies and notify the Office of Advancement at chris.barnard@ coloradoacademy.org, or 303-914-2510.

PARENTS OF ALUMNI:

If this publication is addressed to a child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please send an updated mailing address to our Alumni Office at sue.burleigh@ coloradoacademy.org

CORRESPONDENCE:

Colorado Academy, 3800 S. Pierce Street, Denver, CO 80235, 303-986-1501

WRITERS AND EDITORS:

Jan Beattie

Molly Blake

Sue Burleigh

Vicki Hildner

Natalie Newcom Ralston ‘99

Becky Risch

Renée Rockford Amy Ventura Gravely Wilson

DESIGN: Cindi Sherman Publication Design, Inc. Alison Harder

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Cyrus McCrimmon

Kathryn Scott

Marc Piscotty

Renée Rockford Becky Risch

Vicki Hildner

Trevor Brown

HEAD OF SCHOOL: Mike Davis, PhD

Colorado Academy 3800 S. Pierce Street Denver, CO 80235

To the CA Community ...................................................................................................................2

A Year of Record-Breakers, Firsts, and Milestones 4

Gift Honors Teacher, Helps Make Performing Arts Center a Reality............................8

Colorado Academy Mission Statement................................................................................ 10

Celebrate Homecoming 2019 .................................................................................................. 14

East Coast Alumni Celebrate Connections ......................................................................... 16

Maya Aggen ’11: The First Sermon 18

Anshu Bhatia ’06: A Straight Line from Seventh Grade Arts ....................................... 20

Marin McCoy ’15: Academic and Soccer Powerhouse ................................................... 22

David McMurtry ’97: Education is a Gift .............................................................................. 24

Alumna Brings CA Lessons Full Circle—to Horizons ...................................................... 26

Alumni Association Highlights 28

Alumni Reunions............................................................................................................................ 30

Class Notes ........................................................................................................................................ 31

In Memoriam ................................................................................................................................... 42

Alumni Calendar of Events Inside Back Cover

Dear CA Community:

At Colorado Academy, we are committed to continuous improvement. When I first set foot on CA’s campus nearly 13 years ago, I found myself instantly impressed by the motivation and collaboration of all constituencies—from the Board of Trustees and administrative leadership team to the faculty and Parent and Alumni associations—everyone works together to provide the best and most relevant education to young people. CA is known for its long tradition of putting the needs of students first.

Currently, we are in the midst of a“reaccreditation”process which helps drive improvement. You may hear that term a lot in the independent school world, but most are hard-pressed to come up with “the re-establishment or re-statement of the status, legitimacy, or appropriateness of an institution.”Our process, guided by the Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS) and accepted by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), is an intensive effort that involves teams of faculty and staff conducting internal reviews and asking hard questions about whether we are living our mission and serving students. It involves extensive constituent surveys and teams of visiting educators working as peers to observe and review our work. Simply put, we look at all areas of school operations to determine our strengths and challenges and to define our plans for the future.

One early result of this process is a reworking of our Mission Statement. (See page 10.) As part of our review, we found that we needed a mission statement that better reflects who we are and what we aspire to, and also is something that is memorable and memorize-able. With nine words, we have captured the unique spirit and tradition of CA. We are a school that exists to transform lives in positive ways.

Be on the lookout in the next year for more feedback about our reaccreditation process. The goal is to build on the original vision of CA and continue to work towards excellence in all areas. The adults and professionals involved in this process are modeling something very important for young people: how to look at one’s work critically and set goals for improvement. I have no doubt that this will be positive process for our school as we continue to raise the bar at CA.

Mike Davis, PhD Head of School

Colorado Academy

Read my blog here: https://www.coloradoacademy.org/about/head-of-school

Letter from the Head of School

2018-2019 Timeline Colorado Academy

A Year of Record-Breakers, Firsts, and Milestones

The past school year might be best remembered for the new facilities opened on campus, or for the many “firsts” in athletics, or numerous accolades in academic competitions.

It was also a year remembered for unprecedented weather events, continued record interest in enrollment at CA, and even the second largest philanthropic gift in the school’s history. Here are just a few highlights from 2018-2019. n

In one of the most popular SPEAK lectures ever, CA parent and Erik Weihenmayer spoke to a standingroom-only crowd about his life as a blind adventurer. He urged others to turn into the storm, convert challenges into greatness, and reach for nearly impossible goals

For the first time, the CA Boys Tennis Team took State. Also, Senior Richter Jordaan won First Place in #1 Singles, and the rest of the team advanced to the finals in every position and won six out of seven matches.

NOVEMBER 2018

Seven CA student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent to play Division-I sports. Later in the year, they were joined by another ten D-III athletes, doubling the average number of recruited athletes in a class.

DECEMBER 2018

Pre-K students learned about vermicomposting with red wigglers in Mr. Goldstein’s science class.

CA unveiled its renovated extendedday house, serving students ages 5-13 before and after school.

Computer Science students scored second in the nation in the Lockheed Martin CYBERQUEST™ Competition, which involves solving offensive and defensive cyber challenges.

Upper School drama students performed Thornton Wilder’s 1938 classic, Our Town.

For the first time, Students H.O.P.E. was held in the new Field House, serving record numbers of people with donated clothing, supplies, holiday gifts, and more.

CA welcomed more than 400 grandparents to campus for Grandparents Day—an all-time record.

CA received a $3 million gift from Bryan Leach and Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani to launch the major fundraising push for the school’s new Center for the Performing Arts, the second largest single gift in the school’s more than 100-year history.

CA’s parent-run Taste of CA: a Multicultural Celebration broke all previous records for attendance and featured a “parade of nations,” celebrating the many origins of cultural heritage in CA’s community.

Upper School students challenged the community to unplug from their cell phones, and the school handed out “cell phone sleeping bags.”

Alumnus Murphy Robinson ‘06 was named Denver Deputy Mayor, and he returned to campus to take part in an alumni panel.

The school dedicated its new Athletic Center and kicked off fundraising for a new Center for the Performing Arts.

CA hosted a community conversation titled “Designing for Inclusion” with Liza Talusan, engaging parents, students, and teachers in topics on inclusivity.

Senior Sloane Murphy was selected to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Region Team for the Midwest, one of just two Colorado players selected. In the Spring, she was named State Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year.

Freshmen took part in the second year of academic “intensives,” with a group of students traveling to El Paso, Texas to learn first hand about immigration at the U.S. border.

Denver was hit by “bomb cyclone” snowstorm, a meteorological phenomenon in which a storm has plummeting atmospheric pressure. High winds forced an unprecedented three consecutive snow days due to power outages.

Spring activities ranged from the Fifth Grade trip to Crow Canyon to the Middle School staging of Dirk Smirk, Secret Agent, while Upper School students garnered accolades for their ambitious performance of Les Miserables.

CA’s female athletes racked up three State Championships in as many days, taking the top prize in Girls Golf, Girls Soccer, and Girls Lacrosse.

In its first year, CA’s Ethics Bowl team made it to the Final Four in the National Finals at UNC at Chapel Hill, competing against more than 4,000 students from 22 states. CA beat the former national champs from Stanford Online Academy before losing to Choate in the semis.

Senior Monika Williams set meet records for the 100 Hurdles, 300 Hurdles and 400 in the Mile High League Meet. Coaches voted her Mile High Track & Field Girls Athlete of the Year.

CA

university.

CA produced the Superhero Soiree and Auction to support financial aid and to honor Cindy Jordan’s 42-year CA career as Vocal Music Director.

In the 62nd running of the Giant Relay Race, the Class of 2019 captured the trophy and successfully held off a strong challenge from the Parent Team.

On June 6, the Class of 2019 celebrated graduation, as elected class speaker Jane Doherty spoke on the power of words.

Gatorade selected CA Senior Mari Annest as the Colorado Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

hosted its first-ever event celebrating graduating Seniors who represented the first generation in their families to continue to a four-year college or

Gift Honors Teacher, Helps Make Performing Arts Center a Reality

Check out the many cast photos hanging in the Froelicher Theatre, from Robin Hood to Seussical, Annie to Pippin, and for nearly a decade the same faces show up on stage—Dori ’08 and Darby Shockley ‘13. In fact, the two girls became so enmeshed in all aspects of Colorado Academy life—arts, academics, athletics—their mother says it felt like CA “became a member of the family.”

“You get drawn lovingly into CA, and it becomes more than just a place,” Ann Shockley says. “You couldn’t really script it, but there’s a magic that happens.”

“I got an “A” experience at CA from the get-go,” adds Dori Shockley Wey. “It set me up for success later in life, because I learned work ethic, how to value myself, and how to value other people.”

How does a school earn such glowing reviews? Ann Shockley has an idea. “Everything always boils down to the people,” she says. “CA has excellent, exceptional, extraordinary education professionals.”

And so when Ann and Lee Shockley wanted to make a gift to the new Leach Center for the Performing Arts, they decided it should honor an educator who had been central to their daughters’ experiences at CA. They chose a person who has studiously avoided the spotlight—until now.

Steve Scherer

The 2019-2020 school year marks Steve Scherer’s 25th year at CA. During that time, he has worked on more than 100 shows—directing plays and musicals, designing, building, and painting scenery,

directing music, and accompanying performances. He does it all in a building that was never meant to be a theater. And yet, with each show he creates magic despite the odds stacked against him—the stage that is not really a stage, the non-functioning heating and cooling, the absence of permanent seating, the outdated lighting and sound system, the dry-rotted falling-down curtains, the lack of space for rehearsal. He does it for one reason—the students.

“I don’t have kids of my own,” he says. “These are my kids. It’s really satisfying to me to know that I had a part in shaping them in some way, artistically or personally.”

Dori and Darby Shockley were two of Steve’s students, and they never forgot what he taught them. Now it is their turn to direct attention to him. “For someone who is in the world of performance, Steve really avoids center stage,” Dori says. “We wanted to call out to everyone that Steve is such an impactful person on this campus.”

The gift

This summer, Steve Scherer received a surprise letter from Ann Shockley, excerpted here.

Dear Steve,

This is a thank-you note. Thank you for how you have elevated the CA theater program and a heartfelt thank-you for all you have given to the CA students over the years. Dori and Darby want you to know that what you taught them about work ethic is still key to them today. Put in the work and you will have the reward of a production you’re proud of, and that is the only way. They valued your fairness. Everyone had to earn what they got—a part, a compliment, or, best of all, a laugh.

Most important to me, both girls identified you as a trusted adult, someone to whom they could bring concerns that were major or minor and feel they would be listened to and not belittled.

Your true legacy will always be the impact

Steve Scherer surprises Ann Shockley with a thank-you bouquet of flowers at the Alchemist Dinner.

you’ve made on all of the young lives you’ve touched. But we wanted you to have a tangible recognition on this campus, to which you have given so much. Therefore, we are honored to dedicate and name the rehearsal room in the new Leach Center for the Performing Arts in honor of you. Clearly, you’ve put in the work, and again, we thank you.

Ann, Lee, Dori, and Darby Shockley

The letter and honor brought Scherer nearly to tears. Instead, he threw up his hands, and, with a hearty laugh, said, “I’m a room! I’m shocked! I’m Shockleyed!!” He is delighted at the prospect of having a rehearsal room for students to use while scenery is built on stage. He eagerly awaits a new facility to showcase student talent.

The greatest delight, however, may have been experienced by the family who gave in Steve’s honor. “To whom much is given, much is expected,” Dori says. “And anyone who has ever spent any time on this campus knows that CA is just the best gift you could possibly give or get.”

“It’s a gift that keeps on giving, that’s for sure,” adds her mother. n

Working Toward a New Performing Arts Center

The Colorado Academy Board of Trustees is nearing a key decision point on when to move forward with a new Performing Arts Center, the fourth and final structure included in the school’s See it Through capital campaign.

Since its inception in 2014, the campaign has garnered broad-based community support, with more than $31 million gifted to the school. Of the money raised, more than $5 million has been designated for the Center for the Performing Arts, toward an estimated total cost of $11 million. Key to those funds raised was a $3 million lead gift from current parents Bryan Leach and Jennifer Gaudiani. The new structure will include two performance stages, a place to build sets and rehearse performances, instructional spaces, room for set design and costumes, a fly-loft to accommodate set scenery, up-to-date lighting and sound, and seating for 500 people.

Because of the current building’s failing condition, Trustees spent the

Summer and Fall studying options for an expedited construction timeline and options for funding the remaining $6 million. Funding options under consideration are tapping the school’s cash reserves, using a favorable line of credit for short-term funding, or instituting tuition-based support. Even as fundraising continues, the Board and school leadership will make a final decision later this year on both timing and funding. If construction were to begin this Spring, students would be able to use the new Performing Arts Center by the Fall of 2021. n

Consider lending your support:

n Make a one-time gift

n Pledge a gift payable over two, three, or four years

n Give via check or credit card

n Make a gift of securities

n Give online, or call CA’s Gravely Wilson at 303-914-2543

Preliminary renderings by Shears Adkins Rockmore Architects, October 2018

Colorado Academy Mission Statement

Creating curious, kind, courageous, and adventurous learners and leaders.

We foster courage: exploring new challenges in academics, athletics, the arts, and experiential learning.

We nurture curiosity: the foundation of lifelong, creative discovery.

We choose kindness: engaging graciously in an inclusive, joyful community.

We encourage understanding: listening to others and acting ethically, with integrity and respect.

We embrace inclusivity: working through education to create empathy and compassion.

We promote habits of health, both physically and mentally, strengthening resilience and confidence.

We believe in a dynamic response to the needs of an ever-changing world.

We inspire thoughtful individuals who are ready to transform the future.

Colorado Academy’s new Mission Statement is distinguished by its brevity—and its heart. It resonates even with CA’s younger students, which you will quickly learn if you ask Ms. McCoy’s Second Graders about the words in the Mission Statement. “They are some of the best words you can think of,” says Logan Adrian.

Angie Crabtree, Principal of the Lower School, echoes Logan. “If we use those words as our guiding principles, imagine what the future looks like!” says Crabtree. “We can make a huge impact as adults, and our children will truly change the world.” >>>

It takes a village to rewrite a Mission Statement

Retooling a Mission Statement is not a task to be taken lightly for any organization. In the case of CA, it took a year—and a fair amount of curiosity, courage, kindness, and adventurousness. The process started on the first day faculty returned to school for professional meetings in August 2018. Head of School Dr. Mike Davis asked the entire faculty to break out into small groups and begin thinking about how they would craft a new Mission Statement. Immediately, the faculty contributed more than 100 keywords, written on sticky notes.

In a more formal setting, the faculty and staff met for a morning early in 2019, divided into small groups, and took on their individual assignments to write a new Mission Statement in various styles: as a tweet, a poem, a song, using magnetic words and letters on a board. With this exercise, faculty and staff had to distill what they did every day at CA into its purest form.

CA’s Board of Trustees and Administrators also spent two sessions discussing, debating, and deliberating what form the new Mission Statement should take. They worked together to identify “must-have” ideas and to write supporting “Value Statements” to help the school focus on its goals. CA wanted a Mission Statement simple enough that a Lower School student could memorize it. At the same time, the new Mission Statement needed to reflect the tradition and tenets of the school in the past, the present, and what it aspires to be in the future.

CA also reached out to the entire CA community, past and present—some 5,000 people—to solicit feedback on a

new Mission Statement. The final results incorporated ideas from the Board of Trustees, alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, grandparents of students, and parents of alumni—and it is only nine words long.

“This was a highly collaborative process over a long period of time, with a goal of making the Mission Statement shorter and more direct,” says Davis. “With that many stakeholders weighing in, it would have been easy to end up with something long and unwieldy. And yet, because our community practiced our mission, we now have a Mission Statement that represents who we are and what we want to achieve.”

A Middle School perception of the Mission Statement

Ask Eighth Grade students in Renee Medina’s Advisory what a Mission Statement is, and they will tell you in no uncertain terms.

“A Mission Statement gives you the guidelines that the school lives by,” says Colin Love. “It’s the goals a school works toward,” adds Abby Colodny. “The Mission Statement is also the way the school presents itself to the public.”

Ask those same students which of the words in the new statement are most important, and opinions diverge.

Leaders

Leaders is the most important word. The world needs more leaders to solve problems and bring about change. Georgia Burstein

Learners

It means that you are always progressing and trying new things, even if you make mistakes. Failure is an important part of

getting better and learning. Colin Love

Curious

You can’t learn unless you are curious.

Ezra Wolkon

Courageous

You need to be courageous to go on an adventure.

Graham Neely

Kind

Kind is the most important word because if people aren’t kind, then none of the other goals of the school can happen.

Avery Siegler

A Lower School perception of the Mission Statement

When you ask Second Grade students about the Mission Statement, you can see the beauty of its simplicity. They understand what it means and how it can be reflected in their daily lives.

Curious

Curious is when you wonder about stuff. Colbie Manzo

It’s when you think about new ways to learn and solve problems. Rohan Mrig

Courage

Being courageous means thinking of new things that people have never thought of and being the first to do something.

Mia Brayton

Adventurous

It’s when you go into the jungle or someplace you have never been and explore.

Rohan Mrig

Kind

If somebody forgot their backpack and you find it in the hall, you bring it to them.

Logan Adrian

Inclusive Passionate Kind Engaged

You include people, because if you didn’t they would be sad. You do not treat people the wrong way.

Liliana Richardson

A “learner” is a person who “learns new things in math, reading, and writing,” says Nilaya Majmudar. And a “leader” is a person who “shows people what they are supposed to be doing,” adds Julia Books. Even these seven-year-old students understand what their school stands for and what it means for their daily lives.

An Upper School perspective

As Seniors, Avery Lin and Lulu Geller will only be at CA for one year under the new Mission Statement. Still, it resonates for them, and both of them feel like the new Mission Statement fulfills one of their goals—to leave CA better than they found it.

Avery Lin: “What fuels us at CA are the values we have, and the values in this new Mission Statement are indicative of the fire that burns inside the CA seal. We are kind, nice people who do cool things and take classes that challenge us.”

Lulu Geller: “I love the word “courage,” because courage is undervalued. It can be something as small as asking a question when you are nervous about speaking out in class or with a group.”

Lin: “The mention of being “kind” is huge. We value excellence, and we work hard, but I think it’s the community of kindness and respect that makes us special, and it extends from the head of school, to the faculty, to the students.”

Geller: “In this Mission Statement, being “kind” is elevated to the same level as academics. That is so refreshing and speaks volumes about the type of community we want to cultivate.”

Lin: “Making this our Mission Statement will bring like-minded people to CA. People will look at it and say, I want to go there because I value the same qualities.”

Geller: “Any single one of those adjectives— I would be honored if someone called me those things. How great is it that a whole community will be driven by these words!”

Faculty viewpoints

The faculty spent hours thrashing through the many options for a Mission Statement. So, what do they think of the outcome? We asked Upper School English teacher and Tenth Grade Dean Emily Perez and Middle School Science teacher Thanh Luong.

Thanh Luong: “It helps us to have this in writing, because it gives clarity and reminders of what we hope to achieve and the goals that all of us as a community are working toward. It is a cohesive vision for the entire community.”

Emily Perez: “These values have always been a part of the CA community. In the Mission Statement, we have made explicit what was before implicit.”

Luong: “I think the emphasis on being “kind” makes our school’s focus unique. The popular view of our society is that there is not enough kindness in the world, and we often fail to highlight examples of kindness. We tend to think of kindness as just “being nice,” but taking action to help others realize they are being unkind, so they can grow from that experience, is an act of kindness in itself.”

Perez: This statement is so easy to remember. Whenever you are faced with ethically difficult situations, you can look to the Mission Statement to see how your decisions align with our mission. n

The final words

For Angie Crabtree, who is in her first year at CA and had no involvement with the development of the Mission Statement, the words of the new Mission Statement “resonated in my heart.”

“It gave me a sense of peace,” she says. “This is a school that gets it. If this is my mission, it makes my job easy, because we are not producing cookie-cutter children. We are teaching individuals who will forge their own path.”

In September, Crabtree watched as the excited (and nervous) Seniors were paired with their nervous (and excited) Kindergarten Buddies. That was the Mission Statement in action, she believes. Kind Seniors empowered curious and courageous Kindergartners, and the learning and leading began. “All those words came together in that moment,” she says. “CA had the courage to say the words and make this our mission.” n

Globally Aware Safe Courageous

Celebrate Homecoming 2019!

With a rousing visit from CA’s mascot, Gus, candy flying through the air, three little dresses made out of old uniforms modeled by Alegría, Anjeli, and Iliana Monterroso, plenty of whipped cream, mock battles predicting CA would conquer its opposition on the field, fast-paced relay races, and a whole lot of deafening noise, Colorado Academy launched Homecoming with the traditional All-School Assembly in the Field House led by Athletic Director Bill Hall.

Homecoming Saturday did not disappoint. The weather was perfect for all events, including the picnic, Lower School bicycle parade led by Head of School Dr. Mike Davis, a bake sale and farmer’s market, cotton can dy, face-painting, a vintage car show, and a carnival featuring a giant inflatable caterpillar.

Homecoming 2019 culminated with terrific showings by several CA teams, including a nail-biting five-set victory by the Girls Varsity Volleyball team, as well as wins by Girls Field Hockey and Boys Tennis. n

East Coast Alumni Celebrate Connections

Less than 24 hours after a drenching nor’easter rolled up the East Coast, 50 Colorado Academy alumni gathered for a mid-October reception in New York City. The event was hosted by Head of School Dr. Mike Davis and CA alumnus Paul Raether ’64 at the Manhattan offices of KKR.

Raether and former classmate Tom Wynbrandt ’65 had a hearty reunion; they had not seen one another in decades. The class years of graduates in attendance spanned more than half a century. Will Bomgaars ’18, now a Sophomore at New York University, was happy to see CA friends, including Charlie Wallace ’18, who is now a Freshman at Columbia after his gap year studying in both Beijing and Shanghai, China.

This was the second New York City reception hosted by Raether, whose name is well known at CA for the Raether Library. The library anchors the south side of Stamper Commons and serves both Middle and Upper School students. After

attending CA, Raether obtained a BA from Trinity College and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth. He also served as an officer in the United States Navy and then launched his professional career in corporate finance. He joined KKR in 1980. Today, KKR is a leading global investment firm.

Dr. Davis thanked Raether for his hospitality and the alumni in attendance for their ongoing support of CA. He also gave a brief presentation about the state of the school and CA’s new mission statement, as well as updates on current capital projects and programmatic innovations.

New York resident Tom Cowperthwaite ’81 says he hasn’t been back to campus in some time, while Connecticut resident Roger Freeman ’86 says he is at CA at least once a year while visiting his nearby in-laws, the parents of his wife, CA alumna Mi-Sun Cho-Freeman ‘88. No matter how often these alumni return to campus, many talked about the lifelong connections they formed at CA. n

CA Alumni gather in New York City.

Paul Raether ’64 (L) and Tom Wynbrandt ’65

Andrew Myers ‘12 (L) and Courtney Ergen ’13

Carrie Fritzinger ’15 (L) and Peter Sisk ‘13

Jonathan Davis ‘08

Chelsea Young Yost ’93 (L) and Crista Giuliani ’92

Dr. Mike Davis updates East Coast Alumni about the state of the school.

From Left: Jakub Duda, Adam Overett ’96, Erin SlatteryDuda ’94

From Left: Jono Bentley ‘11, Emma Grueskin ‘13, Bailey Luke ‘13, Peter Sisk ‘13, Thomas Sisk ’11

Dr. Mike Davis presents images of the new Athletic Center.

Maya Aggen ‘11: The First Sermon

On a bright Sunday morn ing in June 2019, a novice preacher delivered the sermon at Denver’s Park Hill United Methodist Church. She asked the congregation to consider some of life’s most difficult questions. How do we undergo devastating expe riences and still believe there is a God? When we feel that God does not hear our prayers, how can we continue to pray?

As she finished speaking, the people in the church rose to their feet in a standing ovation. They were applauding her inspirational words, but they were also applauding Maya Aggen ‘11 and the long journey that had brought her from her days at Colorado Academy to her first time in the pulpit of a church.

place where you can try different things,” she says. “I don’t really like sports and art, but CA taught me to try things, and I learned I could succeed even when I didn’t think I could.”

What she loved at CA was singing in the Chamber Choir and the specialty choir of Sorella, and so, when she enrolled at Belmont University after graduating from CA, it made sense to major in music business. Aggen, who had attended Park Hill United Methodist since she was four years old, felt at home at a university that highlights its Christian community of learning and service. And then very suddenly, Aggen’s life was derailed by circumstances that left her asking, “What kind of God would do this?”

faced a long period of recovery and rehabilitation. Aggen left Belmont and moved home to care for her.

“I had to step up to the plate when I wasn’t ready,” she says. “But I had to be ready.”

had provided me with a foundation’

While she cared for her mother, Aggen took classes at University of Colorado Denver. She recalls it as a time when she “lost her voice,” and so she turned from her interest in music to a new field— Ethnic Studies.

Aggen remembers her four years in CA’s Upper School as a time that “shaped and formed” her.

“The blessing of CA is that it truly is a

Her single mother had a series of medical crises that left her near death. Aggen remembers sitting in the hospital at her mother’s bedside and watching doctors shake their heads, saying they couldn’t understand how she had survived. But her mother proved tougher than her prognosis. She lived, but she also

“CA had provided me with a foundation of African studies,” she recalls. “At CU Denver, I had the chance to explore and understand history, psychology, and people through the lens of ethnicity—Chicano, African American, and Asian.” In one course, a personal genealogy study led her to discover that, in addition to her African-American heritage, she had a great-greatgrandfather who came to the United States from India by way of Canada.

When she wasn’t at school or competing in beauty pageants—an experience she describes as empowering—she also worked at Comedy Works, which led her to try her hand at stand-up comedy. “It was the scariest thing I have ever done, because it means opening up all your vulnerabilities to people on stage,” she says. “I never got booed off, so I take that as a good sign.”

‘It is the Big Why’

Aggen’s mother, Denise Burgess, recovered and returned to her role as

‘I had to step up to the plate’

‘CA

Front row, far right: Maya Aggen ‘11 with Sorella

President and CEO of Burgess Services, Inc., a Denver-based construction management firm. But the experience of nearly losing her mother had shattered Aggen’s once-firm faith. She left her church and started a quest to find a religion that spoke to her, a quest that, she believes, was consistent with her CA education, which encouraged her “to ask hard questions and look for answers.”

She tried Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, the Hindu guru Paramahansa Yogananda (made well-known by Steve Jobs), and atheism. “I wanted to understand why bad things happen to good people,” she says. “But no matter where I went searching for an answer, there was a force that drove me back to Christianity.”

After she graduated from CU Denver, the same force sent her in the direction of the ministry. She visited several schools, but she looked no further after sitting in the chapel of Boston University’s School of Theology, the place where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., earned his PhD. “It was the week of Dr. King’s birthday, and they were playing his voice speaking in the chapel,” Aggen recalls. “I realized I was sitting in a chapel that had not changed since King was there, and I started to cry. I knew God was directing me to come here.”

In the Fall of 2019, Aggen began at Boston University as a Howard Thurman fellow. (Thurman was dean of the Boston University Chapel and a mentor to Martin Luther King, Jr.) Before she left for school, she asked the pastors at Park Hill United Methodist if she could deliver her first sermon at her home church. Connecting texts from the Old and New Testament, she preached about the question that had troubled her: “Why me, God? Why my mother?”

“I will never truly find the answer, because it is a mystery beyond comprehension,” she says. “It is the ‘Big Why,’ but what I do hope to remind people is that the foundation of God is love. I hope to be the person who helps others remember that universal truth, as well as the notion that God is always in their corner, no matter what.” n

Anshu Bhatia ‘06: A Straight Line from Seventh Grade Arts

It was Fall of 2000 when a young Anshu Bhatia ‘06 arrived at Colorado Academy in the Seventh Grade and discovered—somewhat to his dis may—that he would be required to take courses in the Arts Department. “Choir was an option, but I did not see myself as a singer, so I had to find something else,” Bhatia says. “You can draw a super straight line from that Seventh Grade arts requirement to where I am today.”

Where is he today? On an ascendant international career path in scenic and lighting design for theater and opera. He spent much of his 2019 summer working with the Santa Fe Opera, considered one of the top summer opera festivals in the U.S., lighting its production of La Boehme. He is already booked for the fall of 2019, including an engagement lighting The Abduction from the Seraglio for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

And it all started when, reluctant to join

a choir at CA, he chose to take Technical Theater instead.

“In hindsight, I can see that it was a perfect blend of my interest in computers and technology and my love for creative storytelling,” Bhatia says. “Technical theater just spoke to me.”

Returning to his first love

Bhatia still remembers the first show he ran at CA. It was The Wizard of Oz. He had no interest in acting or directing— although he believes every lighting designer is a director—but, mentored by Steve Scherer, he loved taking rough lumber and transforming it into a finished set, a set that helped tell a story.

A self-described “nerd,” Technical Theater also spoke to his interest in computers and technology and his passion for finding the most modern solution to any problem.

But “like all good theater children,” he says, he assumed that his theater days were

behind him when he left high school and started college. “I knew I was good at technical theater, but I didn’t think it was possible to make a living doing it,” he says. “I thought of it as a hobby.”

So, at the University of Denver, he began his Freshman year majoring in Pre-Law. Within six weeks, he dropped the program and came back to his first love—the theater.

Boot camp for design

With multiple AP classes under his belt, Bhatia raced through DU in three years. Along the way, he consumed every opportunity offered by the school’s smaller theater program, working on many different shows, learning from working theater professionals, and falling more deeply in love with the work. It was a time of “practice, lots of practice,” he says.

When he graduated from DU, he was accepted to New York University’s prestigious three-year masters program in Design for Stage and Film, with an emphasis on scenic and lighting design. He credits “good recommendations, a good work ethic, and some luck.” Most of his fellow grad students had already worked in the industry and were several years older than he was. If DU had been a time to practice and experiment, NYU was a baptism in the real world.

“I didn’t know it was feasible for someone to work that hard,” he says, recalling many weeks that he pulled more than one allnighter. “It was boot camp for design, and it was perfect.”

In his last year of graduate school, Bhatia met Mary Birnbaum, a young, up-andcoming talent, who has directed theater

and opera productions around the world and is a faculty member at Juilliard. They have worked together on a number of productions, including the Santa Fe Boehme and Juilliard Opera’s Dido and Aeneas, which was performed in London and at the Palace of Versailles. They have, he says, a “dream collaboration” rooted in their joint commitment to collaborative storytelling from the beginning of the process to the final curtain.

The goal is for no one to notice

Based in New York, Bhatia has now achieved a level of success which allows

him to be more selective about which projects he accepts. What he likes to do is join a creative team which may work together for up to two years before the actual production. “At the last possible minute, you reunite the initial idea with what’s happening on stage in a moment of coherent storytelling,” he says.

His approach to lighting his simple. “If people notice the lighting in a show, then you have done your job wrong,” he says. “The goal of lighting is for no one to notice.”

Bhatia remains close to Steve Scherer, his original CA mentor. He has returned to co-teach some classes with Scherer

and praises him for his “exuberance for teaching the arts and for life.”

“You want to learn from him, because he is a special human being,” Bhatia says. “He really helped me learn this love of theater I have today.”

Bhatia also praises CA for allowing students to try everything. “You could play basketball and also design the high school musical,” he says. “CA never forced you to choose one passion over the other.” As for that arts requirement he faced nearly 20 years ago? “Every student should have to take art,” he says. “No matter where your future leads you, art is essential to your development as an individual.” n

Marin McCoy ‘15: Academic and Soccer Powerhouse

Marin McCoy ‘15 has just been named a top nine finalist for the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year, but that’s not the only thing on her mind. She’s trying to pick just one career and finding it harder than she thought it would be when she entered college.

“I’m interested in too many things,” says McCoy, a 2019 graduate of Swarthmore College.

She wants to teach or work at a nonprofit organization or in the public health sector. There is one thing that she knows for certain.

“I love working with young kids and teens,” says McCoy, who interned at Girls Inc., teaching STEM classes. She also

volunteers at Rainbow Alley, a drop-in space for LGBTQ youth in Denver. “It’s a great way for me to begin to figure out what I want to do and learn what really gets me excited,” says McCoy. She recognizes and appreciates how Rainbow Alley provides a strong support system and a place to go that’s welcoming and accepting for LGBTQ young people.

After all, that’s what she had at Colorado Academy.

“Looking back, I realize how lucky I was,” says McCoy.

Soccer standout

Nearly a decade of the soccer phenom’s bona fides are archived in headlines in sports-related websites, articles, and

news outlets. Google her and you will see the accolades.

“Marin McCoy is Better than Ronaldo and Messi Combined” says one, while another reads, “Centennial Picks McCoy For Woman of The Year.” One writer boldly proclaims that McCoy’s tenure at Swarthmore is the stuff of legends: “It’s indisputable that she is the best women’s soccer player in school history.”

There is no shortage of facts to back up the headlines. McCoy was the Swarthmore Women’s Soccer all-time leading scorer. She racked up 57 goals and 35 assists, smashing school records. The United Soccer Coaches organization named her an All-American three times— on the second team her Freshman and Junior year and on the first team her Senior year—indicating her status as one of the best players in the country. She was also named to the Scholar AllAmerica team.

In September, the string of awards McCoy has earned since her days at CA culminated when she learned about the NCAA Woman of the Year honor. To offer perspective, she is ranked in an elite top nine out of a record 585 female athletes nominated.

“I feel very lucky to have been given this award, because it looks at the studentathlete in a very holistic way,” McCoy says. “It recognizes my success, not just as an athlete, but also in academics and my commitment to community leadership.” Her community engagement experience includes work as a sexual health advisor, mental health peer advisor, residential advisor, soccer captain, STEM teacher, LGBTQ mentor, time spent researching gender-based violence in Ecuador, and

coordinator of Play with Pride Week for her team (which shows support for athletes and coaches of all sexual orientations and gender identities).

“For me, the soccer numbers and records are fine,” she says. “But they are not as important as the work I did to learn from and improve my community.”

Academic standout

Athletic honors make headlines, but McCoy is quick to point out that, in fact, academics have been her top priority “throughout my life.” McCoy knew that CA teachers always saw well beyond the uniform, and expected a top performance in the classroom as well as on the field, and she expected no less from herself.

“The different aspects of my identity were important to CA teachers,” says McCoy. “I was never just a goal scorer.”

The CA classes she remembers are ones where teachers made her think and work hard. McCoy recalls Upper School English Teacher Stuart Mills, who attended her games, Upper School Science Teacher Dani Meyers’ enthusiasm and energy, and Katy Hills’ support and encouragement during the Senior Art Portfolio Show.

“I gained a lot of confidence and learned how to solve problems, thanks to the positive interactions and support I got exploring the arts,” says McCoy, whose oeuvre was a series on boats that included acrylic, wood carvings, melted wax, and origami paper pieces.

She also remembers a “high-level discussion-based learning environment” in the course she took from Luis Terrazas. “Initially, I didn’t feel confident speaking out in class,” she says. “By the end of the course I knew that I had something valuable to add.”

How can you use your talent and power?

At CA, McCoy’s experience with Mock Trial and Amnesty Club introduced her to complex subjects like the influence of race, class, and privilege in today’s

world. Those ideas, she says, were “fully unpacked” at Swarthmore in discussions in academic courses and with her peers. Her college years offered what college should give—perspective on the advantages and opportunities she may have taken for granted during her academic and athletic career. “I hope that CA students will increasingly leave the school with a better idea of how much power they have and how they can best use that power,” she says.

Now, this athletic and academic

powerhouse must make a decision about where she intends to wield her considerable post-collegiate talents. She’s starting with a firm CA foundation. She wishes everyone could experience a place like CA, where ideas and social norms are challenged in a supportive and inspirational environment and where, under strong, caring mentors, a person can truly thrive.

“It’s so rare,” says McCoy. “Maybe that’s the kind of place I am seeking to launch my career.” n

David McMurtry ‘97: Education is a Gift

He wanted Marlon Brando’s role in the musical Guys and Dolls and he was certain he’d get it. But when David McMurtry ‘97 checked the cast list after audi tions…he’d gotten an off-stage role with just three lines.

“It was my Senior year, and I was so confident I’d get the lead role,” McMurtry says of the theater experience at Colorado Academy. “But I learned that I hadn’t put in my time…and, truth be told, I really was a terrible singer.”

Now, more than 20 years later, McMurtry has earned multiple lead roles in life. With his wife, Allison McMurtry, he is co-founder and co-owner of the Goddard School Denver Highlands. He is a motivational speaker and coach with engagements around the country.

And he still feels thankful for the many lessons he learned as a CA Upper School student, alumnus, and staff member: that you must earn your accomplishments, that life is a journey, and education is a gift.

“Going to CA was a pivotal moment in my life,” he says. “Truly, I can look at my life and say that in my time there, things shifted for me. CA has been one of the most supportive communities in my entire life, every step of my journey.”

How to make failure worth your time

You might say that CA helped McMurtry learn about failure. In addition to the Guys and Dolls disappointment, he campaigned for and lost two student government positions.

But when he got a small part in the musical,

he pitched in as a back-up singer, dancer, and stage crewmember.

And when the school elections didn’t go as planned, he leveraged the campaign connections he’d made for other initiatives. He co-led the spirit club and started a popular all-school Ping Pong tournament that continued for years after he graduated. Perhaps it was those early experiences in resilience that gave him the courage, in 2017, to take the risk—with his wife—of renovating a century-old building and opening a brand-new school in it. The Goddard School Denver Highlands is located in the Berkeley neighborhood and serves families with infants thru pre-K age children from Highlands, Sunnyside, Sloan’s Lake, Wheat Ridge, and downtown Denver. The school reached 100-percent student capacity within a year of opening, and now they are looking to add an annex with more classrooms and a gym.

Embracing a nonlinear career path

Long before he opened his own school, McMurtry served as a counselor for at-risk foster youth. He worked with children experiencing homelessness in India and volunteered at nonprofits in Denver.

Though the work felt meaningful, he hadn’t yet put his finger on exactly what he wanted to do with his life.

Leveraging the area in which he had found consistent success at CA—he played four varsity sports, stood out on the baseball and basketball teams, and was named Senior Athlete of the Year—McMurtry returned to his alma mater to coach athletics, as well as work in Admission. There, he found

the stepping stones to pursue his true passion: teaching.

“I realized the one constant in my life has been a desire to learn and grow with others,” he says.

He became a middle school teacher in South Carolina; later, a high school coach, life coach, and motivational speaker; and now the leader of a preschool. CA gave him the confidence to lean into his nonlinear career path.

“I came into CA not knowing much about myself, and the school and its people shaped who I am today,” he says. “At CA, I learned that it will all work out.”

The day you realize you found your dream job

Not only has McMurtry found success in his career, but he also loves his work.

“I somehow ended up in my dream job,” he says. “I own and operate a

preschool, which meets two goals for me: to work in education and to run my own business.”

McMurtry has come a long way since his unfortunate Guys and Dolls audition. But he hasn’t forgotten that experience and everything else CA gave him.

“I’ve been given an amazing education, with so many amazing teachers and mentors at CA,” he says. “I’m truly blessed to be a part of that community.” n

Anna Schwartz ’13 teaches a yoga class to Horizons students. She uses mindful yoga practice to help students focus on personal health and wellness.

Alumna Brings CA Lessons Full Circle— to Horizons

Outcomes for Horizons at Colorado Academy are often reported in gains in reading and math scores after each summer’s sixweek program. Tougher to measure, but arguably just as important, are the outcomes from lessons taught to children about nutrition, exercise, and taking care of their bodies.

For the past two summers, Colorado Academy alumna Anna Schwartz ’13, now a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, has worked with Lower School Horizons students to teach them about the fundamentals of health and wellness. “This can build strong foundations for healthy lifestyles that they carry throughout their lives,” says Schwartz. “Students hear all the time about eating fruits and vegetables, but what does that look like in practice?” she says. Each week this past summer, Schwartz provided Horizons Fourth Graders with lessons about health and nutrition. She combined that with hands-on, interactive activities, encouraging students to practice those newly learned skills outside of the classroom, including in CA’s Dining Hall, but also at home with their families.

And Schwartz says she learned just as much from her students, including how a child’s relationship with food is defined by access to fresh foods, the dynamic of multi-generational families in a single household, and the importance of authentic ethnic foods made with a variety

of ingredients. “Culturally, I have had to tailor my teaching,” she says. “I have learned so much.” Fourth Grade teacher Lea Ziegler says the learning went both ways. “From the first day, students were connected and engaged not only with Anna, but with the content she was teaching.” And, says Ziegler, “ Her lessons on mindfulness were transformative for our classroom community.”

Schwartz also worked with Horizons Upper School girls on the subjects of body image, the influence of social media, societal pressure to look a certain way, and self-love. Her focus was on moderate and varied food choices, creating a balanced eating and exercise lifestyle, and recognizing signs of unhealthy relationships with food. Says Schwartz, “By educating and discussing these challenges of body insecurities as a group, students felt encouraged to share what they love about each other, building a compassionate and caring community at a critical time of growth for high school-aged students.”

That work closely aligns with Schwartz’s current nutrition counseling work at Paramount Health Directions, a multi-disciplinary mental health practice in Denver. She is also in graduate school, working toward her

Master’s degree in Nutrition. After CA, Schwartz graduated magna cum laud e from Texas Christian University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition within the Coordinated Program in Dietetics. She is also a certified yoga sculpt instructor and uses the mindfulness and exercise of yoga in her practice and with students.

‘Building a compassionate and caring community’

A decade of commitment

Schwartz has been working with Horizons in one capacity or another for the past decade. As a CA student, she volunteered with the summer program at age 14, helping to teach reading, swimming, and library skills, and her parents, Steven Schwartz and Stephanie Sullivan-Schwartz,

were active supporters of the program, too.

“CA made it clear you can always give, and you can always help. Giving back to the school that gave me a lot feels great. It’s feels like it has come full circle,” Schwartz declares. With full-time work, summers at Horizons, and graduate school, Schwartz is busy but still wants to take time to

help others. Her dream would be able to work with all 150 Horizons students to provide education, resources, or just to answer questions about nutrition. And she says, questions from the CA community are welcome! For questions or information about nutrition counseling, she can be reached at aschwartz@ paramounthealthdirections.com n

Alumni Association Highlights

Homecoming Spirit Day 2019

Homecoming festivities at CA began on Friday, October 20, 2019, with the 8th Annual Alumni Spirit Breakfast at the Upper School. Thirty dozen donuts, 15 dozen bagels with cream cheese, glu ten-free scones, and juice greeted Upper School students as they arrived for class on “Spirit Day.” Alumni and their children were present to hand out CA embroidered stickers to students and faculty.

Then, on a perfect Fall Saturday, the CA community came together for athletic contests, a children’s carnival, a bake sale and farmer’s market, a BBQ lunch, and the annual Car Show hosted by Upper School history teacher Luis Terrazas. n

Ensure the gift of a CA education for future generations

Consider a bequest to Colorado Academy by including the school in your estate plans. When you do, you follow in the footsteps of A. J. Musil, beloved CA teacher and administrator, who served the school for three decades.

When he died in 1991, Mr. Musil left nearly all of his estate to Colorado Academy to establish the A. John Musil Endowed Scholarship Fund to provide tuition assistance to deserving CA students.

In 1992, the Musil Society was created in his memory to honor and recognize those who have made a commitment to support CA in their estate plans.

If you are interested in following in Mr. Musil’s footsteps by becoming a member of the Musil Society, please contact Gravely Wilson, Advancement Officer, 303-914-2543.

Spirit Breakfast alumni and their children

Young Alumni Lunch

Colorado Academy and the Alumni Association Invite College Alumni to Lunch on Campus

Join Faculty, Coaches, and Current Students

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2019

The Campus Center

Espresso Cart • 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Stay for the Faculty Follies Froelicher Theatre 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Stay Connected Colorado Academy Connect

coloradoacademyconnect.org

A secure online networking resource for CA Alumni. Connect with classmates, lend expertise, mentor others, or share job opportunities.

LinkedIn

CA Connection: Colorado Academy Alumni & CA Community

linkedin.com/groups/117744

Join the 775 CA Alumni already registered!

Quarterly Alumni Newsletter

Ice Skating, Dinner, and Spirits

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019

Denver Country Club Skate House

1700 East First Avenue, Denver

Family Skate at 5:30 p.m. Buffet Dinner at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Broomball at 8 p.m.

Don’t Delay!

RSVP by November 30, 2019, to receive the discounted price.

Reserve online at coloradoacademy.org/Page/Alumni Look under Alumni Events in the right column.

Questions? Contact the Alumni Office at sue.burleigh@coloradoacademy.org or call 303-914-2584

If you don’t currently receive electronic communications from CA, send your email address to the Alumni Director, sue.burleigh@coloradoacademy.org, to receive the Alumni Newsletter delivered via email. You’ll also receive important alumni news and advance notice of alumni events.

Alumni Reunions

Class of 1979 – 40th Reunion

BY GORDON SMITH ‘79

The class of 1979 gathered for its 40th reunion on Friday, June 14, at Welborn House. Some of those who joined were very familiar faces, and a few hadn’t been to a reunion for many years. It was a small but dedicat ed group, and it was great to see everyone. Thanks for making the effort. Thanks also to Alumni Director Sue Burleigh for taking us on an extensive tour of the campus and

buildings. CA has grown in so many ways! Thank you also to our Reunion Committee of Su Evans, Jeff Schwarz, Gordon Smith, and Lisa von Gunten.

Saturday night, June 15, we reconvened at the home of Gordon Smith. He was proud to show off his newly completed deck, and fortunately, the weather cooperated. With the help of a fire pit table, everyone was able to remain outside.

We were delighted to see Linda Plaut, who taught English to many of us in Eighth Grade and again in high school.

The reunion weekend attracted the following alumni: David Briney, Shelley Carr, Kevin Cowperthwaite, Dan Ehlers, Su Evans, Lisa Harrison Ellsworth, John Heddens, Ron Gilbert, Eric Kritzer, Mike Rider, Jeff Schwarz, Michelle Mueller ’83, Gordon Smith, Bill Talbott, and Lisa Kugler von Gunten. n

1979 alumni on campus Friday evening, First Row (L to R): Lisa Kugler von Gunten, Dan Ehlers, Jeff Schwarz, Michelle Mueller ’83. Second Row: David von Gunten, Nancy HiltonBriney, David Briney, Lesley Harburg, Michael Rider, Gordon Smith, Su Evans, Ron Gilbert.

While on a campus tour, alumni look at the collage of historic photos in CA’s Field House, comparing some to the 1979 Telesis.

Saturday evening at Gordon Smith’s home, First Row (L to R): Wendy Cowperthwaite, Grace Kritzer, Su Evans, Lisa Kugler von Gunten, Jeff Schwarz, Michelle Mueller ’83, Linda Plaut. Second Row: David von Gunten, Kevin Cowperthwaite, Eric Kritzer, John Heddens, Mindy Heddens, Bill Talbott, Lisa Harrison Ellsworth, Dan Ehlers, Gordon Smith.

Class Notes

1960

The class will celebrate their 60th Reunion. They were the first Senior class to graduate under the name Colorado Academy.

Read about Dave Aitken and Lex Lubchenco on page 86.

1962

Gary Dwyer has published three new books. Crawfish, Shrimp, Crab and Oyster is a photographic essay about the Deep South, including how people in Louisiana get the mistletoe from their oak trees with shotguns. Lower Latitudes is a story of Patagonia and how to cross the Andes in a boat. Another new book just barely off the press, Illusions What you see is not what you get, is about having no understanding at all about what we try to see. All books can be found at lulu.com/spotlight/dwyergc. Gary reports, “I had a chunk of titanium installed in my back and I continue to fall apart daily. I hope my classmates are doing well and that CA continues to thrive. Tenacity is one thing. Inspiration comes from teachers and my time at CA was filled with the best.”

1965

David Abbott Jr. is the recipient of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) John T. Galey Sr., Memorial Public Service Award, established in 1982. David distinguished himself and the Institute by giving expert testimony to governmental units, serving on governmental commissions and committees, and providing geological expertise to the public.

After receiving geology degrees from Dartmouth College and the Colorado School of Mines, David began his career as a geologist for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Denver in 1975, where he assisted in properly describing mining and oil and gas ventures, investigating allegations of mining and oil and gas fraud, and providing expert opinions and testimony in civil and criminal cases. David’s early publications, and many since, have addressed the interplay between geology and the securities

laws and related disclosure issues. After becoming a consultant in 1996, he continued to provide litigation support for cases in the U.S. and Canada.

Williams “Davy” Davis is enjoying his retirement as Professor Emeritus from the Theatre Department at the University of Denver. This Fall he spent nine weeks in Europe, including 12 days on the Rhine and eight days hiking in the Cotswolds. The Summer of 2019 marked the 56th year Greg Lewis has lived in Aspen, having moved there following his graduation from Middlebury College in 1969. He writes poetry almost daily and was asked to supply three poems for his 50th college reunion in June. Greg just completed a 14,000-word rhyme that is a children’s book for adults, I Am Wonder. He continues to perform communications consulting services for several companies, including Gorsuch and The Steadman Clinic. Greg writes, “I recently celebrated a one-year-since-wemet anniversary with a magnificent woman who spends half her time in Aspen and half in Durham, N.C., home to her alma mater, Duke. I’ve spent more time in North Carolina than I ever imagined I would over the last year, including attendance at six Duke hoops home games. For a retired sports commentator who never covered basketball, college or pro, seeing Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium has been fabulous fun. Last Winter Bill Gerber and I skied together in Aspen, which was great fun for both of us.” Greg logged 56 ski days last season and hopes to do as many again this year.

1966

In November 2018, Bruce Conklin took his Colorado Rangers POST Reserve Police retirement after ten years of service as a sergeant with the agency. He is in his fifth year as a badged Record Tech/Front Desk volunteer with the Parker Police. Bruce feels it is an honor to do so, averaging 200 hours/year. He has been cleared to help start up the VIP (Volunteers in Police) program with the Elizabeth Police Department and looks forward to working with them as well. Bruce reports he just

became a Senior at Metro State University of Denver, pursuing his BA in Criminal Justice and loves that endeavor. Bruce and Mallory’s son Skyler is a Lieutenant in the Air Force, has served 17 years, and was recently deployed to Bagram AFB in Afghanistan with the 120th F16 Fighter Squadron at Buckley. Bruce writes, “We are very proud parents, of course! My best to all of my 1966 classmates!”

1968

Jeff Baker, his wife Kim, and Rafa, their Westie, moved to Scottsdale, Ariz. starting a new chapter in their lives. Jeff is still working; however, retirement is in his sights. Jeff says, “Colorado will always be home. We will miss the mountains, skiing, hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking through the aspens, crystal clear lakes, and the family and friends we left behind, but we are happy.”

1969

Anthony Claiborne retired after 11 years as an attorney at Microsoft and is now in private practice in patent law in Bellevue, Wash.

Don Dodge wrote to say he really enjoyed his 50th Class Reunion and spending the entire Giant Relay Day on the CA campus. Later in the Summer, Don and Jana

1969 alumni met in Denver during July, From Left: Don Dodge, John Mullins, Mark Reed.

celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Charlie Goodin retired in December 2018 from a long career as a landman and oil & gas attorney working for Exxon & Sohio/ BP, ECA, and EnerVest. Starting in Midland, Texas, then Denver, Dallas, Houston, and Charleston, W.Va., Charlie moved around. He earned a BS in Business from CU-Boulder and his JD from DU in 1977.

Charlie and his wife Mary Ann recently celebrated 41 years of marriage. They live in Fort Myers, Fla. most of the year and Avon, Colo., during the summer months. Charlie and Mary Ann have three children in the Denver area. Charlie writes, “I really appreciate my time at CA!”

1970

50th Class Reunion May 22-24, 2020

Jeff Lowdermilk and his family attended the gala commemorating the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 2019. Jeff, an expert on WWI, notes the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Bosnia on June 28, 1914 was the beginning of the war. The date for signing the treaty was intentional, marking the bookends of the Great War with the two June 28 dates. The United States did not

initially adopt the treaty, and it was two years later that the U.S. Congress adopted a resolution, and a formal United States–German Peace Treaty was signed in Berlin on August 25, 1921. Jeff attended the historic international event to honor his grandfather George A. Carlson and all of the American “Doughboys,” as well as proudly represent the USA.

Tim Karstrom survived recent scalp surgery at the VA Medical Center and radiation treatment at the Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha. He reports both are great facilities. Tim says, “If you are passing through Omaha, he recommends the Henry Doorly Zoo and the Dale Chihuly glass sculpture garden at the Cancer Center.”

Read about Chip Irwin on page 86 and Mark Lubchenco on page 87.

1973

Terrie Dickinson Warren is spending more time at her home in Breckenridge. While there this Fall, she received a visit from her son Ryan’s college roommate, Ryan O’Donnell, who is married to Ann Quinn O’Donnell ’07.

1976

Sarah Boxer was at the Tattered Cover in Denver for a book talk and signing of her latest graphic novel, Mother May I? a sequel to her first comic novel, In the Floyd Archives

The Goodin annual family tennis tournament last July in Beaver Creek was hosted by his nephew Jonathan Bach and wife Gina. Charlie is in the center (arms raised), and Mary Ann is just in front of him, with her hand in the air.

From Left: Lindsay, Cecily, Annie, and Jeff Lowdermilk ’70

Terrie Dickinson Warren ’73 (L) and Ann Quinn O’Donnell ’07

Both books are for readers who wonder what happened to psychoanalysis after Freud, those who are still working things out with their mothers, or those who enjoy a dark edge to comics.

Sarah is a cartoonist, a contributing writer to The Atlantic, and a critic who writes for many publications, including the New York Review of Books, the LA Review of Books, and the New York Times Book Review.

1979

Lisa Harrison Ellsworth and her family vacationed this past Summer in northern Spain. Lisa’s son Tucker is teaching at an international school in Barcelona, Spain and was able to act as their tour guide.

1980

40th Class Reunion May 22-24, 2020

Stephanie Meade is a college guidance professional. She provides expert support and guidance for the entire college exploration and application process. Stephanie guides students and families seeking their right-fit college. She was interviewed for her insights into the college admissions process as it related to the so-called “Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal that came to light this year. Stephanie’s website is collegiateedge.com

1981

Tim Fitzgerald’s son Ronan graduated from Buckingham Brown and Nichols in Cambridge, Mass., the same school his father Dr. Tom Fitzgerald attended. Following his father, uncle, grandfather Tom, and grandmother Billie Jean Fitzgerald, Ronan is now attending Colorado College.

1982

Amy Plaut Saltzman recently published her third book, A Still Quiet Place for Athletes: Mindfulness Skills for Achieving Peak Performance and Finding Flow in Sports and in Life. The book was voted “Changing the Game Projects” 2018 book of the year for athletes. Amy consults with universities and schools offering two-day workshops for coaches, most recently at Denison University, and subsequently follows up, supporting coaches in sharing mindfulness with their athletes.

1983

The most recent book by Dr. Amy Plaut Saltzman ’82

Beginning on February 1, 2019, Tino Sonora left Fort Lewis College. Before moving, he married his girlfriend of

The Ellsworth clan in Spain, From Left: Patrick ’10, Tucker ’13, Lisa ’79, Harper ’17, and Buzz.

Sarah Boxer ’76 at the Tattered Cover with former CA faculty, Seated: Sarah Boxer.

Second Row: Linda Plaut, Renee Ruderman, David Nesbitt.

BB&N commencement day, From Left: Ronan Fitzgerald, Tom Fitzgerald, Tim Fitzgerald ’81, Tristan Fitzgerald

several years, Marina, in a small ceremony in Durango, Colo. Tino is now Associate Director and Senior Research Professor of Economics at the Bureau of Business and Economic Research housed in the University of Montana in Missoula. He reports there’s not too much of a change in terms of lifestyle, but he’s no longer teaching. In addition, Tino is a Visiting Scholar of Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Zagreb in Croatia.

1985

Penny Ahlstrand was recently appointed as the Reference and Processing Archivist at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, Calif.

Paul Robbins has been named Dean of Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, his alma mater. He reports it’s nice to be back “home” after decades. Paul writes, “On a personal note, I am certainly excited about the new CA campus theater. But no design, no matter how clever, can substitute for the recklessly inventive spirit of the students and teachers who brought Froelicher Theatre’s empty space to life over the years. To quote CA’s Drama Director during my time, ‘Fill the empty space with goodness,’ Peter King once told me. We did. That is owed to the people, not the stage. I recall sleeping on the theatre roof on many nights after long sessions of set-painting and light-hanging there; we gained access using a coat hanger we hung on a nearby tree.”

1986

As part of her #iown50 celebration, Kerri Bay Cole and her husband Patrick Neely ’88 flew to San Francisco to participate in the 2019 Bring Your Own Big Wheel Race with Marc Friedman. The trio, dressed in Cat in the Hat costumes, joined 2,000 other adult children racing Big Wheels down the steep and curvy Vermont Street in San Francisco. The video can be seen at youtube.com/watch?v=xi6JK8ddjyA

1987

Lee Feldshon continues to live in NYC and grows his entertainment law firm, Feldshon Law PLLC (feldshonlaw.com) He represents clients in theater, film, music, and other related fields. He is very excited to be a co-producer of his first Broadway-bound musical Austen’s Pride: A New Musical of Pride and Prejudice (austensprideamusical.com). Lee traveled to Seattle for the October opening of the show at The 5th Avenue Theater before the move to Broadway.

1989

Tor Hillhouse was a lead actor in Gods of Carnage at Theater Aspen this Summer. Christy Polumbus was inducted into the Denison University Athletic Hall of Fame on September 27, 2019. As mentioned on the Denison website, Christy was a twotime All-American as a member of the women’s Lacrosse Team from 1990-93. One of the top goalies in program history,

Marina and Tino ’83 Sonora

1986 alumni with their Big Wheels in San Francisco, From Left: Marc Friedman, Kerri Bay Cole, and Patrick Neely ’88.

Christy Polumbus ’89 (R) and CA Athletic Director Bill Hall, who also was inducted into the Denison University Athletic Hall of Fame

PHOTO BY JACE DELGADO

1989 alumni in Aspen, First Row (L to R): Aaron Dallas, Chuck Hustead, Nora Kimball, Tor Hillhouse. Second Row: Tom Kimball, fiancé Adam with Ali Donnemyer, Sherri Donnemyer, Nancy Kimball, Dennis Donnemyer.

she ranks thi rd in career saves with 422, while boasting a .618 save percentage. In 1993, she was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. A three-time All-Conference pick and a two-time All-Region selection, Christy led Denison to four consecutive conference titles and four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1992, Christy and the Big Red posted a perfect 16-0 record. Overall, Christy’s teams went 52-12 in four seasons. She also played two seasons on the Denison Field Hockey team where she served as a co-captain in 1990.

Teammate Carrie Robbins Packard remembers, “Christy is possibly one of the most competitive people I know—as clearly evident by her induction. She always gives 100% in everything she does. We won an amazing number of lacrosse games while in high school. I think we were undefeated for almost two years, and then we lost. I thought Christy would be devastated, but she was the first person telling us to lift up our heads and not to worry about it. She wouldn’t let anyone be angry or sad. We went on to win the State Championship that year, of course, and I think she was a big part of that.

“Christy is the consummate teammate and friend. She always remembers a birthday, and even sends a handwritten card. She can sense when someone is uncomfortable, unhappy, or needs support, and will always offer a hug, words of encouragement, and a good laugh. When we haven’t seen each other in literally years, we can pick up exactly where we left off,” Carrie says.

1990

30th Class Reunion

May 22-24, 2020

Carl Kumpe was inducted into the Oberlin Athletic Hall of Fame on October 4, 2019. As cited on the Oberlin website, Carl was a four-year letterman and star in Soccer and Lacrosse during his Yeomen career. Capping his career in the Spring of 1994 as a Senior on the Lacrosse team, Carl was the first player in program history to earn NCAC First-Team honors, scoring 40 goals and

notching 11 assists. His strong play on all fronts helped the Yeomen finish third in the NCAC that year. He was nominated to the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association’s North vs. South All-Star Game. Carl’s 40 tallies were the most of any Yeoman to ever play midfielder previously. He was the top scoring middie in the NCAC in 1994 and ranked among the top 10 goal scorers nationally at the position.

In Soccer, Carl proved his athletic ability as a goalkeeper. During his four-year career he posted a 1.7 goals-against average, which still ranks sixth in Oberlin history. Currently seventh all-time, with five career shutouts, Carl denied 159 shots in 24 career matches between the pipes.

He received his undergraduate degree in Biology in 1994 and then earned a JD from the University of Denver College of Law. He is currently a senior patent counsel at Evonik Corporation in Parsippany, NJ. Carl remains active as a trainer, coach, and competitor with certifications from CrossFit, USA Weightlifting, and World Kettlebell Club.

Brian Sibley is happy to be alive. In 2018 he survived a severe, acute, and lifethreatening illness, which included a fourand-a-half-month hospitalization. The experience was very scary for him and his family, but Brian is fine now and back to normal life. Earlier in 2019, he joined the Western Washington University (WWU) men’s Ice Hockey team as assistant coach.

Brian previously worked at WWU; from 2011-2013, he was the communications director for the WWU Foundation and served on faculty in the theater department in 2009-2010. Brian has been a frequent guest lecturer at the university, speaking at the College of Business and the Huxley College of the Environment. He remains a communications business consultant working with technology companies across the U.S. Brian plans to see everyone at the 30th class reunion.

In July, Brian and Joe Giersch met up at an extreme music festival in Wyoming near the Tetons. They have been going to heavy metal concerts together since they first met at CA back in 1988. One of the bands performing was Slim Cessna’s Auto Club,

Climbing up Vail Mountain this Summer, Tom Kimball ’89, and John Burstein ’89

From Left: Sawyer Kumpe, Carl Kumpe ’90, Cézanne Kumpe

Brian Sibley ’90

founded by CA alumnus Jayson “Munly” Thompson ’89.

1991

Laurie Kraft Darmofal is working at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. as the Family Advocacy Program Victim Advocate. She works with victims of domestic violence and child abuse and neglect. Laurie recently was chosen as “Senior Civilian of the Quarter” in recognition of her going above and beyond her work with domestic violence victims and helping to keep them safe. She was also “coined” by the

Commanding Officer of the installation. Coining is an old tradition where the coin is presented in a handshake and represents recognition for outstanding service. Laurie’s daughter Christa is a Freshman, now stands 5’10” tall, and is still growing. Christa’s enjoying her work with student government.

1992

Crista Giuliani is celebrating 10 years working as a Studio Operator at CNN. She was the technical lead in her area during the move from Columbus Circle to Hudson Yards, N.Y. She is now working in the largest IP-based television production facility in the world.

1995

25th Class Reunion May 22-24, 2020

Monzale Riley traveled back to Colorado over the Summer from his home in Japan and stopped by CA. He then took a road trip with Mitch Chrismer ’96 from Denver to Phoenix. Monzale’s oldest daughter Shion will enter high school next year. He hopes to come back to Denver with his family next year.

1997

Read about David McMurtry on page 24.

1998

Cazes Martin left SA+R in 2018 to start Engine 8 (engine8designs.com), an

Architecture and Interior Design firm focused on creative mixed use, adaptive reuse, and restaurant projects in urban infill locations. The sculpture “Our House” by Noah Manos was recently installed in September at the plaza in front of the Colorado Convention Center on 14th Street between Champa and Stout Streets. Go to see it soon, because the monument is a salt casting of the artist’s early 1900s Denver Square style home. Noah states, “Counter to the permanence associated with traditional monuments, this sculpture is designed to erode through exposure to the natural elements. Nested within the salt sculpture is a pyramidal structure that houses terracotta clay shards and black coal. The clay slabs hold pressings from construction debris found in the dumpsters of local construction sites and is paired with black coal which is intended to reference geological sedimentary layers.” “Our House” is the second of three artworks to be installed on the top of a custom concrete plinth as part of the project, Temporary Monuments to Denver, which is part of MONUMENTAL: a series of public, contemporary artworks and community engagement programs that explore, question, and transform the role monuments play within society. The project is produced by Black Cube, a nomadic art museum, and the Denver Theatre District.

1999

Adam Chanzit (screenwriter), Alex Harvey (director), Shane Boris (producer)’00,

Laurie Kraft Darmofal ’91 with her Commanding Officer

From Left: Joe Giersch ’90, Jayson Thompson ’89, Brian Sibley ’90

“Our House” by Noah Manos ’98

and Laura Goldhamer (composer and animator) ’02 announced their film, Walden: Life in the Woods was released on October 1 by Virgil Films, their distributor. Walden is available on VOD platforms including Apple TV, Amazon, and many more. Find it at geni.us/waldenthefilm

Tara Bardeen is co-founder of a French immersion charter school that was recently approved by the Denver Public Schools Board of Education by a unanimous vote. The French American School of Denver is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2020 and will offer tuition-

free access to high-quality immersion education for students in grades K-5. Over the coming years, the school will build out to serve grades K-8. Tara writes, “It was at CA that I fell in love with French!,” taking classes with Catherine Laskey, Sylvia Wesche, and Chantal Luboff. A dedicated proponent of foreign language education, Tara is thrilled to have the opportunity to help more Denver students become bilingual, bi-literate and well-prepared to access global opportunities. “Now that I’m doing outreach events to promote the school to Denver’s Francophone community, I use the French I learned at CA all the time!” she says.

Jeff Hollis and his wife Gwynne joyfully welcomed their daughter, Henley Barclay Hollis, on August 17, 2019. The whole family is doing well, and Henley is being expertly cared for by big

2000 alumnae, with their children at Tiny Town, First Row (L to R): Weston Kivelstadt and Henry Olliges.

Second Row: Maeve Kivelstadt, Claire Rasé, Julia Jackson, Eleanor Olliges.

(23 months), who is thrilled to have a baby sister.

2000

20th Class Reunion May 22-24, 2020

Claire Rasé spent time in Colorado this Summer. While here she caught up with Julia Jackson who was visiting from Massachusetts.

Helen Phillips spent her Summer on a book tour across America. Here latest novel, The Need, has received excellent reviews. In September, the National Book Foundation announced The Need made the longlist for the 2019 Book Award for Fiction.

2001

brother, William

Chandra Russo-Lanier and her family came to Colorado this Summer on vacation.

William (L) and Henley, children of Jeff ’99 and Gwynne Hollis

Tara Bardeen (L) with DPS Board of Education Secretary Dr. Carrie Olson and the resolution approving the French American School of Denver’s charter school application

Walden: Life in the Woods

2001 alumnae, From Left: Chandra Russo-Lanier holding her daughter Sabrina, Charlotte Hoffman Mahoney holding her son Connor, Alexis Ritvo holding her daughter Lucy

Alumni met at the Tattered Cover Denver to hear Helen Phillips, First Row (L to R): Emily Dubin ’00, Helen Phillips ’00, Helen’s daughter Ruth. Second Row: Ty Amass ’00, Aaron Goldhamer ’99, Rordan Shane ’00, Maggie Lea ’00.

Chandra and her husband are professors at Colgate University and live in Hamilton, N.Y. She is an assistant professor of sociology.

2002

Laura Goldhamer performed at the Irish Rover on Broadway this Summer as part of Denver’s Underground Music Showcase. Cathy Nabbefeld and Dani Meyers attended. Chip Newcom and Angela Newcom are excited to announce the birth of their daughter Elizabeth this June. Mom and baby are doing well and the family continues to enjoy living in San Francisco.

2003

Chad Thurman married his best friend, Dr. Natalie Held, on June 22, 2019 at Wild Basin Lodge in Allenspark, Colo. The first day of Summer brought snow and hail, which made the ceremony very unique and intimate. Chad and Natalie were surrounded by their closest friends and family, including seven CA classmates and their spouses. Michael Stewart ’03 and Grant Tallmadge

’04 were in the wedding party. Chad says, “It was truly magical. It was the best day of my life! The best day of our lives!”

2004

Anna Gibson completed her post-doctoral psychology fellowship in August 2019 with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Organization Development. She is now a consultant with Nash Consulting in Washington state.

2005

Sarah Vigil Wilkinson and her husband Teddy welcomed their first child, Arlo Lennox Wilkinson, on August 23, 2019. He was 6 lbs. 3 oz. and 19 in. long. Arlo already enjoys going on hikes. He and his parents are looking forward to the first snow of Winter.

2006

Ginger Tallmadge was in Denver this Summer to celebrate her birthday. CA friends met at the Declaration Brewery. Read about Anshu Bhatia on page 20.

2007

Jeff Hopfenbeck launched Simple Homes in early 2019. The company is a prefab housing startup that designs, manufactures, and assembles homes using a unique Swedishinspired panelized construction system. After starting the company in January and delivering the first unit in March, Jeff recently opened a new 20,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Globeville, in northwest Denver. Jeff hopes to produce up to 150 single-family homes a year. Simple Homes was featured in the Denverite

From Left: Ben Hock ’07, Michelle Pav ’06, Max Shaw ’08, Walker Shaw ’06, Emily Cohen, Samantha Jones ’06, Ginger Tallmadge ’06, Ashley Peterson ’06, Grant Tallmadge ’04

Jeff Hopfenbeck ’07 at the Simple Home factory, From Left: co-founder David Schultz, Jeff, architect John Schwarz

Following Laura Goldhamer’s concert, From Left: Dani Meyers, Laura Goldhamer ’02, Cathy Nabbefeld

Chad Thurman ’03 and his wife Natalie Held

2008

Myles McGinnis and Mo Dady were married on October 24, 2019 in Morrison, Colo.

Farrah Peek spent her fourth year with Mortenson Construction building a wind farm in northwest Iowa. Now that the project is nearly complete, Farrah writes, “I don’t know what project I’ll go to next (where ever the wind blows, ha ha) and wherever Mortenson sends me. I transitioned my career from marketing to a field role a year ago, and I’m doing things that I never thought I would be doing.”

2009

Courtney Gallagher received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) and started a private psychology practice in Denver, bluesprucepsychology.com

Parker Murphy visited campus, with members of his dance troupe, to use CA’s dance studio while scouting out performance venues in Colorado. He recently moved from New York and is living in Miami Beach, Fla. It was a rather

quick and unexpected move, but Parker received the opportunity to develop a role for a new show and plans to be in Miami for eight months.

2010

10th Class Reunion May 22-24, 2020

Anna Zumbahlen recently returned to Denver to pursue a PhD in creative writing at the University of Denver.

2011

Read about Maya Aggen on page 18.

2012

Alyssa Miller is in her third year of PhD work at CU-Boulder in English Literature. She’s currently teaching two undergraduate Shakespeare classes for non-majors at CU. Alyssa writes, “I’m loving the Colorado life with my 150-lb Newfoundland, Mr. Bennet, the name inspired by Jane Austen.”

Andrew Myers, the CEO and co-founder of RippleMatch, is grateful for the financial

backing recently received from a great group of investors at G20 Ventures. RippleMatch (ripplematch.com) is a leader in data-driven university recruiting. The company specializes in early career hiring and delivering better candidates. It helps companies find candidates of high quality and diversity across racial, gender, and socioeconomic lines. Sixty percent of candidates matched with an employer through RippleMatch receive a first-round interview. The pool of candidates includes 800+ of America’s finest colleges and universities with 68 percent of candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and 26 percent graduating from Ivy League schools.

2013

Bailey Abernathy started medical school at the University of Minnesota this Fall.

Read about Anna Schwartz on page 26.

2014

Molly O’Neill works for Google in the Bay Area. Her father Peter took part in “Take-

Myles McGinnis ’08 and his wife Mo.

Parker Murphy ‘09 (L) ran into Steve Scherer while on campus.

Farrah Peek ’08 atop the finished product of her work

Alumni and faculty help Myles ’08 and Mo McGinnis celebrate their wedding.

Alyssa Miller ’12 with her dog Mr. Bennet

2015

5th Class Reunion

May 22-24, 2020

Christina Bargelt graduated from the University of Utah in the Spring with a BFA. She is dancing professionally and is a soloist at Reformation Dance Company. In addition, Christina is working with End Rape on Campus to bring her activism efforts to colleges all over the Midwest U.S. Her interest in this cause began during her time at the University of Utah. There she worked for It’s On Us, a nonprofit launched five years ago by the Obama-Biden White House with a mission to start an initiative aimed at widening the conversation around sexualassault prevention, focusing on college campuses. Christina was the Survivor Resource and Ally Captain, Co-President, and finally, President of It’s On Us Utah. Her Senior year, 2018-2019, she was the top It’s On Us Chapter President in the country. On September 19, 2019, the national organization released a series of three PSA videos. Christina’s story is the subject of one, youtu.be/m9USNZI-APw.

Read about Marin McCoy on page 22.

2016

Justin Bassey is in his Senior year at Harvard. He spent his Summer in NYC working in finance. In preparation for his final season of basketball for the Crimson, Justin came to CA on opening day to shoot hoops. He enjoyed seeing his former teachers.

Ed Cain is an intern with the Costa Rican mission at the United Nations. He says, “I love

the work. I am working with a committee that helps solve all the economic and development problems. It’s so interesting to see how states go about resolving disputes so as to continue to work for the betterment of the international community. Also, how states either decide to engage UN agencies or take action without going through the UN system when tackling issues.” Ed was particularly busy leading up to the high-level week when all the heads of state came to the UN in September.

Will Creedon won a silver medal in the USA U-23 Men’s 8+ World Rowing Championship. Will rows for Cal-Berkeley where he won a gold medal in the San Diego Classic. Will is an alumnus of the Mile High Rowing Club.

2017

Hope Cherubini presented her psychology research at the Midwestern Psychological Association’s Psi Chi conference in April as a Sophomore at Denison University. Hope and three classmates did their research on the effects of mindfulness and gratitude interventions on short-term anxiety. She said, “We saw first-hand how practicing mindfulness can be extremely beneficial in maintaining college students’ mental health. Our project had such a positive response that we were interviewed by the administration so our findings could be shared with the greater Denison community and beyond.”

Hope is currently studying in Copenhagen, Denmark for the semester. She writes she’s loving it, especially exploring the city, biking to school, and taking a course on positive psychology, which is a strong area of interest for her.

Read about Eric Masinter on page 87.

Your-Parents-to-Work-Day” He says, “Yes, that’s really a thing at Google!”

From Left: Peter and Molly O’Neil ’14

College Counselor Sara Purviance visited Bates College in September and met Bates Senior Abel Ramirez ‘16.

Hope Cherubini ’17 (second from left)

Christina Bargelt ’15

Justin Bassey ’16 (L) with Peter Horsch

Will Creedon ’16

Ady Richards took a gap year before going to college. In the Fall of 2018, Ady went on a three-month backpacking trip with Carpe Diem Education to Southern Spain and Morocco. With a group of six students and two trip leaders, they first visited Andalucía, where they worked at a permaculture farm, explored social movements in urban areas, and completed part of the Camino de Santiago. Ady then ferried over to Morocco, where the group spent two months visiting over 30 cities across the country. They staffed a music festival in the Sahara, trekked in the Atlas Mountains, and lived with homestay families while taking Arabic. After this trip, Ady went to Santiago, Chile to work in an international hostel and practice her Spanish. Then, she lived in Madrid, Spain for three months studying Spanish at Universidad Complutense de Madrid and exploring the surrounding regions. This past Summer, Ady worked at the Colorado Bar Association as an intern and helped draft the 2019-2020 Colorado High School Mock Trial Problem and prepared for upcoming tournaments. Ady is now at the University of Pennsylvania, pursuing a double major in Political Science and Criminology.

2019

Adam Dorsheimer is a Freshman at College of Charleston. Despite being

CA’s Summer Programs

evacuated from Charleston due to hurricane Dorian, he finds classes are engaging, the professors are interesting, and the people are very friendly. Adam is still writing often and recently had one of his stories published in the inaugural issue of Sandpiper, an online literary magazine, sandpipermag.com/1-prose-adamdorsheimer.html.

Makayla Sileo is a member of the Presidents Leadership Class at CU Boulder. She is loving everything about college. Her classes (gender in society, general psychology, creative writing, and leadership foun dations), and her professors are outstanding. Makayla recently changed from a psychology m ajor to a sociology major while triple minoring in leadership studies, creative writing, and studio art. She finds the m ost difficult part of college is the overwhelming number of opportunities with so many things she wants to study, and do, and learn. She has made many diverse and intellectual international friends spending evenings playing Uno and talking. The other great aspects of her life at college are being close to nature in Boulder and living a 15-minute walk from her sister Sophie. Makayla writes, “I could not have transitioned so easily without CA teaching me critical thinking, how to connect with people, and why I love to learn. I miss the teachers desperately and wish my best to the whole community.” n

During June and July, many alumni, current CA students, and faculty spend part of their summer

vacation working at CA’s Summer Programs.

CA’s Horizons counselors

CA’s Day Camp counselors

Ady Richards ’18 on a rooftop in Tetouan, Morocco.

College Counselor Sara Purviance (L) visiting Bates College in September ran into Freshman alumnus Jared Miranda-Ogaz ’19.

In Memoriam

David Lyall Aitken ’60

“Dave the Welder” Aitken passed away on November 11, 2017. He lived in Cedaredge, Colo. and was born in Denver to Leonard Aitken Jr. and Cora McMurtry Aitken on July 20, 1941.

Dave spent his childhood in Denver, graduating from Colorado Academy in 1960. He was active in sports, including Football, Basketball, and Track, and loved to ski and free climb. After a few years at the University of Colorado, Dave settled on the welder’s trade. He was fond of old cars, motorcycles, and his beloved cats. He married the love of his life, Judith A. Smith Aitken, on December 19, 1987, in Cedaredge. He is survived by his daughters, Catherine Aitken Weeks of Grand Junction; Deborah Aitken Rash (John) of Cedaredge; and Katherine Aitken Fairchild (Matt) of Cheyenne, Wyo.; three grandchildren, Alyssa (22), Jesse (20), and Isabella (16); brothers, Len ’61 (Susan) Aitken, and James Aitken; sister, Candy Nichols, and numerous other family members. Dave was preceded in death by both of his parents and his wife Memorial contributions can be made to: HopeWest Hospice P.O. Box 24 Delta, CO 81416.

Condolences may be sent to: Len Aitken 4204 Tamarack Court Boulder, CO 80304-0991

Bruce R. “Chip” Irwin ’70

Chip was born August 25, 1951 and died in 2013. He inherited from his great-grandfa ther, Leaton Irwin, a keen interest in com munications and applied it to telecommuni cations while working as a Coordinator and Computer-Aided Design System Consultant for AT&T in Denver. His colleagues spoke of his vast reservoirs of knowledge, which made him both interesting and resourceful, and his sense of fun.

At Colorado Academy, Chip was very athlet ic and played on several teams. He was the Hockey goalie, a member of the downhill Ski race team in Aspen, a mountain and rock climber, and a cyclist.

Most of all he loved trains. The history of his train riding, which extended from around the time he was a toddler until he died, was a central love of his life. This was reflected in the assemblage of railroad items which he collected over his life and which now reside in the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colo.

Chip grew up in Aspen, surrounded by the world of classical music in the Aspen Music Festival where his mother was a trustee. His family home was the scene of gatherings where world class musicians and compos ers congregated and rubbed shoulders with celebrated benefactors. It certainly developed his love of music. Chip rode the wave of rock and roll in the’60s and later applied his talents to being a road manager

for singers and groups such as Billy Joel and Yes. He involved himself with the fast de veloping technology, which later directed him to AT&T, where he applied his talents to work in the high tech world. The combina tion of his brilliant mind, his creative edge, his rather obscure humor, and the sense of railroads and routing became his signature among his work colleagues.

Alexis Eleasar Lubchenco III ’60

BY R. GARRETT MITCHELL ‘60, AKA MITCH

He had the longest name in the Class of 1960—Alexis Eleasar Lubchenco III—and the shortest nickname—Lex. He died far too early on May 28, 2019—at age 77—but lived longer than any male in the Lubchenco family for at least three generations, and perhaps more. He entered Colorado Academy as a Junior in the Fall of 1958 and graduated in June 1960, one of four members in Headmaster Chuck Froelicher’s first graduating class.

Befitting his Russian heritage, there was about Lex the quality that Winston Churchill once ascribed to Russia itself: It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Lex’s classmate, Gary Wilkinson, still tells the story of a comment by CA English teacher, Will ‘Jerry’ James, who said of Lex that he worried about him because ‘you never do anything wrong.’ And as far as any of us know, it was a comment that could have been offered during Lex’s last days. Because if you queried any of his family or friends, or

Dave Aitken ’60 as pictured in the 1960 Telesis

Chip Irwin ’70

Lex Lubchenco ’60 as pictured in the 1960 Telesis

the thousands of students who encountered him in his 31 years at Tibbetts Middle School in Farmington, N.M., the descriptions would have been gentle, patient, quiet, thoughtful, fair, and generous. And as those closest to him knew, there was also stubborn! When Lex had made up his mind, it was ‘case closed,’ and that included an aversion to the internet and all its platforms.

Like his father, Dr. Alexis Lubchenco II, and brother Mark, CA class of 1970, in 2000 Lex’s big heart required bypass surgery. He retired the following year, but beginning in 2015 the awful disease ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) began its relentless attack on his body, but never his mind or spirit. Lex and his wife of 49 years, Cathy Olsen Lubchenco, created a wonderful family— sons Alexis IV (wife Tara), Nicholas, and daughter Sara (husband Adam Burson); granddaughters Rachel and Emma Burson and Portia Lubchenco, and grandson James Burson. Along with his sister, Ann Lubchenco Hines, they all survive Lex. It was 65 years ago this Summer that a green and white Ford station wagon carrying the six Lubchencos pulled into the driveway at 250 Kearney Street in the thennew development known as Crestmoor, directly across the street from the Mitchell family at 245 Kearney Street. A book could be written about the intervening years, but we’ll leave that for another time. Lex would have been a full chapter. And we miss him. Condolences may be sent to: Cathy Lubchenco and Family 203 West 31st St. Farmington, NM 87401-4024

Mark Lubchenco ’70

With contributions from Ann Lubchenco Hines Mark (age 67), surrounded by family, passed away at his home on July 15, 2019, after a brief battle with cancer. Throughout his illness, Mark maintained the same positive attitude which was the hallmark of this life. Also, he shared the story of the end of his life in hopes that it would help others at the end of theirs.

Mark came to Colorado Academy as a Freshman and graduated in 1970. He played on the CA Soccer team all four years and was on the staff of the Telesis yearbook. With a select few Seniors, Mark was a member of the WNISN Club, a small and very secret

society, “Wednesday Night Is Shakey’s Night”—a pizza place in Cherry Creek. Mark enjoyed skiing, windsurfing, and kiteboarding, especially at South Padre Island, on the coast of Texas. At his second home on a small lake in Nebraska, Mark enjoyed water skiing and spending time with his family and friends. Although he was a successful businessman and entrepreneur, Mark’s top priority was always having enough time to support and play with his family. Being a recovering alcoholic for over 37 years was also a top priority for Mark. AA was his support system, and he gave back by always being willing to tell his story of alcoholism and sobriety in the hopes that it would help another alcoholic. Over the years, Mark was a sponsor for many recovering alcoholics.

Mark maintained a large circle of friends throughout his life and was always willing to lend a helping hand, listen patiently, and give sound counsel. He did this with a wonderful sense of humor and being able to laugh at himself. We all enjoyed what we lovingly called his “Markisms.” An example of a Markism would be when he would say, “I’ll show me!” when he or one of us was reacting to hurt another but really hurting ourselves. Another one that his son Sterling just used recently is “That is a permanent solution for a temporary problem.” Mark was loved by many, and many considered him their best friend. “Our Mark” will be greatly missed.

Mark is survived by the love of his life, his wife Roberta, children Cody and Sterling, and sister Ann Lubchenco Hines. He was preceded in death by brothers Alexis (Lex) Lubchenco ’60 and Michael (Mike) Lubchenco ’62.

Condolences may be sent to:

Roberta Lubchenco and Family 1076 S. High St. Denver, CO 80209-4553

Eric Masinter ’17

BY DR. MIKE DAVIS

Eric died by suicide on July 9, 2019, after a long battle with serious mental illness. For those who knew Eric, you’ll recall his remarkable intellectual curiosity. At CA, he was an accomplished computer science student and took part in the American Computer Science League (ACSL). He also volunteered at CA’s annual Computer Science Festival.

By the time Eric had graduated from high school, he was already an accomplished writer, having completed two novels. Prior to graduation, he described the powerful experience of reading the first book of Wheel of Time, a series of high fantasy novels by Robert Jordan, when he said, “It came into my head to write a book of my own, so I sat down at my computer and started that. I enjoyed doing so, and I kept at it until I had written a full book.” In September 2017, he published his first fantasy book, The God in the Shadows, on Amazon, under the pen name Nikolas TorVald. It was to be the first in a series of four books.

Eric also competed in Cross Country, Track, and Rock Climbing for CA. After graduating, he went to Middlebury College in Vermont as part of the Class of 2021. During his time there, he contributed articles to the Campus student press and presented his artwork as part of the Spring Student Symposium. Eric also expanded his musical

Mark Lubchenco ’70

Eric Masinter ’17

passions by studying music theory and playing his piano, melodica, and guitar.

Eric is survived by his parents, Kathy and Rob Masinter of Arvada, and by his siblings, who are also CA alumni, Jesse Masinter ‘15 and Sarah Masinter ‘17.

Condolences may be sent to: The Masinter Family 15631 W. 79th Pl. Arvada, CO 80007-7809

Thomas P. Wood Sr. ’47

Born on March 26, 1928, in Denver, Colo. to William M. and Ruby I. Wood, Thomas passed on August 24, 2019 at the age of 91.

Thomas graduated from Colorado Military School in Denver and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and devoted his life to recycling. He was often referred to as the “Godfather of San Antonio Recycling” for this efforts in establishing the curbside recycling program and various charitable recycling groups across the city.

Preceding him in passing were: his wife, Mary Louise Wood; sister, Julane Lee Quinlin; brother, William Myric Wood; and grandchild, John Coston Nation. Surviving relatives include: sons, Thomas P. Wood Jr. (Kim), James Edward Nation III; sister, Ruby Dianne Wilbur; grandchildren, Barrett A. Wood, James Edward Nation IV, Jeffrey Allen Nation, Justin Tyler Nation; great-grandchildren, Tyler Wayne Nation and Savannah Lee Nation.

Condolences may be sent to: Thomas P. Wood Jr. 27010 Camirillo Creek Ln. Katy, TX 77494

Former Faculty News

While visiting Graland Country Day in her capacity as the Executive Director of the Challenge Foundation, Holly Ruderman Dichter ’00 ran into her former teacher Jenn Adams and CA alumnae.

Stephanie Bakken, former Upper School Spanish teacher, visited with Joanna Hyde while in Gougane Barra, Ireland.

Betsey Coleman, former Upper School English teacher, graduated from Dar Al Islam Teachers’ Institute - Teaching and Understanding Islam and Muslims.

Tom Lee, Assistant Headmaster and teacher from 1960-1971, is 95 ½ and residing in an assisted living complex in Boise, Idaho. He is healthy and busy with church activities, writing church related material, and still playing his trombone. According to Tom Fitzgerald, Lee sounds like he always did, with a rough growl of a voice.

Angel Vigil, former Director of the Fine and Performing Arts, enjoyed a wild and crazy adventure this Summer, hiking continuously the entire Colorado Trail. The 486 miles took him from Denver to Durango. The highest point is 13,271feet, and most of the trail is over 10,000 feet in elevation. It crosses eight mountain ranges, seven national forests, six wilderness areas, and five river systems. Angel climbed a cumulative 89,354 feet of elevation. He explored the Colorado Trail from three different perspectives: historical, cultural, and personal. n

From Left: Holly Ruderman Dichter ’00, former CA Athletic Director/PE teacher Jenn Adams, Graland teacher Tara Jackson Kochevar ’04, Graland teacher Julia Annison ’97

Betsey Coleman (L) with fellow graduate Julius Michael

Joanna Hyde ‘05 (L) and Stefanie Bakken

Angel Vigil on the Colorado Trail

Thomas P. Wood Sr. as pictured in the 1947 Colorado Military School yearbook

CA Alumni Association

Important Dates 2019-2020

Friday, December 6, 2019 Alumni Ice Skating Party DCC, 5:30-9 p.m.

Thursday, December 19, 2019 College Alumni Lunch Campus Center, 12:30 p.m.

Thursday, February 20, 2020 Alumni Back-to-School Night

March or April, 2020 Alumni Night at a Nuggets/Avalanche Game

Friday, May 22, 2020 Giant Relay Day BBQ Lunch, Carnival for Children, The Race, Alumni-Faculty Party, Alumni-Varsity-Faculty Games

Saturday & Sunday Reunion Weekend

May 23-24, 2020 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2010, 2015

Alumni Association Board Members

First Row (L to R): Terrie Dickinson Warren ’73, Elsa Woolley ’11, Kelly Young Campbell ’98, Myles McGinnis ’08. Second Row: Zach Tucker ’01, Austin Carpenter ’05, Katie Cordes ’03, Lisa Harrison Ellsworth ’79, Georgia Grey ’08, Jared Harding ’97, Chris Bailey ’02, Aimée Nieuwenhuizen ’06. Not pictured: Alex Barton ’97, VJ Brown ’11, Courtney Engle ’08, Brian Fisher ’02, Isabel Gary ’09, Ben Hock ’07, Karl Koch ’05, Brian Parks ’96, Ashley Peterson ’06, Max Shaw ’08, Nicole Sisk Wiechecki ’01.

Colorado Academy

3800 South Pierce Street Denver, CO 80235

by a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified Printer

Halloween Parade Through the Decades

The Halloween Parade is a much-loved CA tradition with teachers, parents, staff, and students dressing up in costumes and parading around campus in search of treats. In this photograph, former Lower School Principal, Dr. Tom Fitzgerald, leads the Halloween Parade in 1996.

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