Alumni Association Highlights

Alumni Skating Party

The annual Alumni Skating Party, an 18-year-old tradition, saw alumni from the 1970s to late 2000s enjoying the festivities, fun, and food on a lovely December evening at the Denver Country Club Skate House. Family Skate began at 5:30 p.m., giving little ones an opportunity to glide around without worry. Sleds were also available for the youngest guests. Most alumni families then took the 6:00 p.m. dinner option to feed their families at the barbeque buffet before heading onto the ice for a final spin. Moreover, why not top off the evening with the ice cream sundae bar and hot chocolate?

A second dinner service began at 7:00 p.m., mostly attended by alumni with older children and younger alumni. Starting at 7:30 p.m., broomball players took to the ice. All ages and abilities had fun with the stick, called a “broom,” and ball. It was obvious that many alumni and their children were no strangers to the sport. Colorado Academy competed in Ice Hockey for years, with many students being on club teams, including the one sponsored by the DCC. Photos of CA alumni in their DCC uniforms were at the Skate House. CA has reinstated their Hockey program. The family of Liz Buckingham Oertel ’93 had to leave the party early so their son Buzz could play in CA’s season opener. David Kimball, son of Tom Kimball ’89, came off the ice to enjoy his birthday celebration, complete with a cake. Each year new alumni join the fun at this great venue. If you have never attended the CA Alumni Skating Party, come out in 2020 on Friday, December 4! n

See all the photos on the CA website Alumni homepage.

College Alumni Lunch

Since 2007, CA’s college-age alumni have returned to campus to join faculty and coaches for lunch at Café CA before the winter break. For faculty, it is one of the best days to reconnect with former students and advisees. Current CA students also welcomed back the alumni, who were excited to catch up and reflect upon their years at CA and their life at college or their experiences during a gap year. Plan to join us this year on Thursday, December 17! n

Alumni College Panels Share Wisdom For Successful Freshman Experience

The College Counseling Office hosted two Alumni Panels, one for Seniors and one for Juniors, in January. In addition, Bill Hall, CA Athletic Director, hosted a third panel via Zoom in late April, specifically for current CA student-athletes. Thank you to all the alumni who shared their wisdom and experiences with CA students. Your knowledge is invaluable. n

Bill Hall with collegiate alumni athletes >>>

<<< First Row (L to R): Jared Miranda ’19, Sophie Sileo ’17. Second Row: Justin Ferrugia ’19, Ali Altman ’17, Claire Greydanus ’17, Emilio Teran ’19, Mia Cravitz ’19, Nick Fuselier ’16.

From Left: Sonia Arora ’01, Sara Purviance, Graham Osman ’19, Davis Ebel ’19, Elide Rojo-Gutierrez ’18, Ella Bittman ’19, Emily Dawson ’19, Cleo Smith ’19, Micah Rydberg ’18, Eliza Davis ’18, Andrea Gonzalez ’18, Winston Palmeri ’16, Gabe Bernstein, Cathy Nabbefeld

Alumni Back-to-School Night

The Colorado Academy Alumni Association’s mission statement says that one goal is to provide alumni with significant opportunities for intellectual and social enrichment. That’s what Alumni Back-toSchool Night is all about! From Beer Tasting to Bouldering, and Gut Health to Punishment & Justice with “Mr. T,” alumni and alumni parents came back to school, learned a lot, and had a fun and interesting evening. “It was great fun reconnecting with CA friends. We didn’t expect to run into so many we knew. Both our “classes,” wine tasting and charcuterie, were actually very interesting!” said one participant. The evening of February 20 started with dinner, drinks, and conversation in the Upper School lobby. It was the perfect opportunity to catch up with people you hadn’t seen, perhaps in years. Guests then went to their first class, some heading to the Smith Center, Schotters Music Center, Athletic Center, and kitchen, while others met their teachers in Upper School classrooms.

A 30-minute break between classes gave everyone the chance to meet again for more food, dessert, and time to compare notes about what they’d learned during the past hour or to show off their flower arrangements. Then on to the second class. Thank you to the Back-to-School Night “teachers” who shared their knowledge and expertise for the event this year: Ben Hock ’07, Beer Tasting; Chef and CA parent Nelson Perkins, Charcuterie; Digital Video Instructor Gwylym Cano, Chinese Tea Tasting; Jenni Hohensee Skeen ’97, Floral Arranging; Georgia Grey ’08, Intuitive Eating & Gut Health; History Teacher Luis Terrazas, Punishment & Justice; Spanish Teacher and Freshman Dean Meg Hill, Latin Dance; Music Composition Teacher Brian Golden, Composing Music; Third Grade Teacher Jay Leeuwenburg, Origami; CA Climbing Coaches Michael Alessi & Dylan Garey, Bouldering; Former Science faculty member Dr. Charles Coleman & CA alumni parent Bill Elder, Scotch Tasting; and Kyle Schlacter, Wine Tasting. n

Icarus transfers to his new location and is free again to inspire students!

Icarus Has Been Freed!

Icarus in its former location at the Ponzio Arts Center

For a little over three decades, Icarus, Colorado Academy’s first sculpture, hung in the Kassler Library in the Knowles Upper School building, watching over students. Students of Greek mythology will remember that the fabled Icarus failed to heed the advice of his father, Daedalus, and flew too close to the sun, melting his wax and feather wings and falling into the sea. The statue depicts Icarus in freefall. Alumni remember while reading, studying, or conversing in the library, Icarus invited contemplation and inspiration to all who entered. Certainly, for many of our alumni from the sixties, seventies, and beyond, this piece of art meant something special. The Icarus sculpture was donated to CA from the Class of 1965 to commemorate the new Knowles Academic Center, dedicated on March 14, 1964 by Dr. Milton Eisenhower, president of Johns Hopkins University. With the opening of the new Raether Library in 1998, the former Kassler Library space first became the Senior Lounge and then a science lab. Icarus was moved, for safekeeping, to a stairwell in Stevens House, now transformed into the Ponzio Arts Center.

Fast forward 20 years. While on a campus tour on Giant Relay Day 2019 with Dr. Tom Fitzgerald and Gravely Wilson, CA’s Advancement Officer, alumni chanced upon the sculpture of their old acquaintance Icarus hanging in the stairwell. It was then that many alumni from earlier years, who were quite familiar with the sculpture, began a discussion about moving the sculpture to a more prominent place on campus. Some in the Class of 1974 even wanted to move it stealthily that evening! After everyone calmed down, the Free Icarus Movement began. Thus, a formal request was made to Head of School Dr. Mike Davis and Director of Visual and Performing Arts Katy Hills. In April 2020, during the COVID-19 stayat-home order, Ian Marzonie, a member of CA’s operations crew, transported Icarus to a prominent location in the two-story entryway of the Raether Library, where he once again hangs in allegorical splendor, inspiring all who enter. Look for an invitation to celebrate Icarus in your inbox. (The original event was postponed from its previous March 25, 2020 date.) n

From 1965, Icarus hangs over the main study table in Kassler Library.

Free Icarus Committee:

Representing the Class of 1964: David Irving Representing the Class of 1969: Bruce Bistline Donald K. Dodge Representing the Class of 1974: Matthew B. King Rob Tallmadge

Finding Your Path: Alumni Career Panel

Senior Launch Week looked very different this year. Instead of a Denver Zoo outing, Seniors and their Kindergarten Buddies explored the San Diego Zoo and Monterey Bay Aquarium in virtual Zoom outings. Some in-person social gathering cancellations were necessary, but many events were capably switched to virtual venues. Thanks to Zoom, the Alumni Career Panel, “Finding Your Path,” took place as scheduled. The unseen benefit of hosting the event online, versus on campus, was that alumni who live out of state were able to participate. This year, four alumni professionals shared their stories of college and career, Trier Bryant ’02, Murphy Robinson ’06, Nat Robinson ’99, and Hannah Williams ’11. Some left CA with very specific plans— college, graduate school, and/or jobs in a chosen field. For others, their paths took many unexpected turns, with career changes along the way. All the alumni offered advice on life after CA from the

Top Row (L to R): Senior Dean Gabe Bernstein, Junior Dean Steve Hammer, Murphy Robinson ’06. Second Row: Hannah Williams ’11, Nat Robinson ’99, Trier Bryant ’02. wisdom of hindsight. Despite the diverse paths taken, success and fulfillment came to each speaker. Here is a sample of their advice: n Don’t be afraid to move across the country for a new opportunity. n Explore the world with programs such as

Semester at Sea. n Take chances, go exploring, and never stop learning. n Join clubs and meet people. n Challenge your university or workplace to become better and to create a positive culture. n Don’t be discouraged; there are always jobs available to those who seek. n Build your professional relationships, find a mentor, and use Twitter to network. n Always bring your best by helping others in a collaborative way. Read more about career panelists in the July edition of the online Alumni Newsletter. n

Care Packages Sent to the Class of 2019

With the help of alumni parent volunteers, members of the Colorado Academy Class of 2019 received care packages from the CA Alumni Association before their first college finals. Cookies made by CA’s own food service staff and other treats, plus a CA alumni luggage tag, were carefully boxed by the parents and shipped by priority mail. For most of the alumni, their box included a special card from their Kindergarten Buddy. Despite the number of packages, the volunteers worked in an efficient assembly line and finished in less than one hour! n

From Left: Bonnie Liu, Martha Smith, Tracie Preston, Alison Gallagher, Lisa Bain, Jeanne Coleman, Lisa Brinker, Mona Ferrugia, Ming Hall, Kim Ela, Stacey McKee, Marissa Keplinger, Tricia Schmid, Nora Freeman, Jennifer Goldman, Laura Lee Gastis, Phyllis Allen, Catherine Laskey. Not pictured: Jeanine Hughes, Natalie Schafer