CONNECTIONS
Small pieces make the big picture
Community School of Naples
2021 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES
COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF NAPLES IS PROUD TO CELEBRATE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE CLASS OF 2021. 88 GRADUATES RECEIVED 410 ACCEPTANCES TO 172 COLLEGES.
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Academy of Art University
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama (8)
Albright College
Amherst College
Anglo-American University (CZ)
Arizona State University (2)
The University of Arizona (5)
Auburn University (7)
Avila University
Baldwin Wallace University
Ball State University
Bard College
Baylor University (2)
Belmont University
Berry College (3)
Boston College (2)
Boston University
Brandeis University
University of Bristol (UK)
Brown University
Bucknell University
Butler University
University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Davis
University of California-Los Angeles
University of California-San Diego (2)
University of California-Santa Barbara (2)
University of California-Santa Cruz
Carnegie Mellon University (3)
Carthage College
Case Western Reserve University
Cedarville University
University of Central Florida (11)
Chapman University
College of Charleston (4)
University of Chicago (2)
University of Cincinnati
Clemson University (6)
University of Colorado Boulder (2)
Colorado State University
Columbia College Chicago
University of Connecticut (3)
Cornell University
Culver-Stockton College
Dartmouth College
University of Dayton
Delaware State University
University of Delaware
Denison University
University of Denver (5)
Drexel University
Duke University (3)
East Carolina University
Eckerd College
Elon University (10)
Emerson College (2)
Emory University (4)
Florida Atlantic University (4)
Florida Gulf Coast University (19)
Florida Institute of Technology (2)
Florida International University
Florida Southern College (4)
Florida State University (25)
University of Florida (15)
Furman University
The George Washington University
Georgetown University
Georgia Institute of Technology (2)
University of Georgia (2)
Greensboro College
University of Hartford
Harvard University
High Point University (4)
Hillsdale College (2)
Hofstra University
College of the Holy Cross University of Illinois
Indiana University (8)
Ithaca College (2)
Jacksonville University (2)
John Carroll University
Juniata College
Kansas State University
Kent State University
University of Kentucky (2)
Kenyon College
King’s College London (UK)
Lehigh University
Liberty University
Louisiana State University (6)
University of Louisville
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Maryland
Loyola University New Orleans
Lynn University
Macalester College
University of Manchester (2)
Marietta College
Marist College
Marquette University
University of Maryland-College Park (2)
University of Massachusetts-Amherst (3)
Merrimack College
Miami University-Oxford (2)
University of Miami (10)
Michigan State University (4)
University of Michigan (2)
University of Minnesota
University of Mississippi (3)
University of Missouri
Monmouth College
University of New Hampshire
New York University (3)
New York University Shanghai (CN)
University of New York in Prague (CZ)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (3)
University of North Carolina Wilmington (2)
University of North Florida (2)
Northeastern University (2)
Northwestern University
University of Notre Dame (2)
The Oberlin Conservatory of Music
The Ohio State University (2)
Ohio Wesleyan University
Oklahoma City University
Pace University
Pennsylvania State University (8)
University of Pennsylvania (2)
Pepperdine University (2)
University of Pittsburgh (4)
Point Park University
Providence College
Purdue University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2)
University of Rhode Island
University of Richmond
University of Rochester (3)
Rollins College (6)
Saint Leo University
Saint Mary’s College
University of St. Thomas (3)
Samford University
Santa Clara University
University of South Carolina (3)
University of South Florida (7)
Southeastern University
Southern Methodist University (9)
Stetson University (8)
Stevenson University
Syracuse University
The University of Tampa (9)
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (5)
Texas Christian University (2)
University of Toronto (CA)
Tulane University
United States Air Force Academy
Vanderbilt University
University of Vermont
Villanova University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
University of Virginia
Wake Forest University
Washington and Lee University
University of Washington
Wentworth Institute of Technology
University of Wisconsin-Madison (2)
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Xavier University
Yale University
University of York (UK)
Dr. David J. Watson
Head of School
SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Mr. Paul Selvidio
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Eric Johnson
Head of Upper School Director of Strategic Initiatives
Mrs. Colleen Potocki Head of Middle School
Dr. Amy Moviel Head of Lower School
Dr. Vivienne Carr
Director of Learning and Technology
Dr. Donna Norkeliunas Director of Admissions and Advancement
Col. Bartholomew Weiss
Director of Athletic Operations
Mr. John N. Allen
Mrs. Julie A. Schmelzle
Vice President
Mr. Chad N. Ott
Vice President and Treasurer
Mr. Domenic Ferrante
Secretary
Dr. Richard Abood Board Officer
TRUSTEES
Mr. Andy Atterbury Board Officer
Mrs. Elise C. Burfield Board Officer
Mr. Tom McAuley Board Officer
Dr. Lane Raskauskas Board Officer
Mr. Robert J. Sullivan Board Officer
Mrs. Susan Aldrich
Mrs. Carole Binkowski*
Mr. Patrick M. Bishop
Mrs. Patricia J. Campbell
Mrs. Marni Chur
Dr. Saurabh Patel
Mr. W. Clarke Swanson*
HEAD OF SCHOOL
DAVID WATSON Head of School
DEAR PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF NAPLES,
We are now more than one year into the official duration of the Covid pandemic. What passes for everyday normality in our school, and has done so since March 2020, is now accepted as just part of the cost of attending school in person, as opposed to by distance.
We at CSN have also had our own version of distance learning in operation over the past twelve months. We called it At-Home Learning or AHL. In pandemic conditions, it turned out to be quite useful, especially for older students. For most students, however, the option of being in school provides a far superior level of understanding, experience, instruction, and education.
As a result, for next school year, with Covid rates largely coming down and vaccination rates going up, the option of AHL is going to be a much more limited option for our students. The signs are that next school year, teaching and learning conditions on campus are going to be much more favorable than they have been for many months.
Moreover, next school year is going to be a special year in that 2021-2022 will be the 40th Anniversary of the founding of Community School of Naples in 1982.
That is quite a milestone, and we have a number of events planned throughout our Year of Celebration. Stay tuned for more details at the start of next school year.
I cannot overstate how impressed I have been with the positive and practical attitude constantly exhibited by our staff, faculty, students and parents throughout this past year of challenge. Everyone has
pulled in the same direction to ensure that our school stays open, in-person and functioning at its usual high level. Our student athletic competitions have largely functioned as normal, with a few minor tweaks for masking and distancing. Schools in many other parts of the country and internationally, have not been so lucky. Moreover, our university admissions for the talented Class of 2021 continue to exceed expectations, even in a trying year such as this one. We also managed to produce seriously outstanding theatrical performances – both outside in the new John N. Allen Stadium and inside in the MAC and the G&L Theatre this year. No mean feat!
There is a causal relationship between excellent performance in the classrooms, laboratories, sports arenas and artistic venues of our school and growing student enrollment. Indeed, there is a strong possibility that CSN will grow to about 900 students next year, while maintaining our small class sizes in every grade. What a testament to our recent success this is as we approach our 40th anniversary year.
And so as the beginnings of the light at the end of the tunnel perhaps begin to emerge, I wish all members of the CSN community a magnificent finale to school year 2020-2021 and a bright hope, fingers crossed, for a splendid, new school year starting in August!
Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2021 edition of The Chronicle.
Sincerely
DR. DAVID WATSON Head of School
DR.
Lower School Dining Hall
CONSTRUCTION PLANS
• Create flexible learning space designed to support community assemblies, music performance, and other events
• Integrate indoor and outdoor seating with open air flexibility
• Enable a more flexible dining schedule for our Middle and Upper School students
• Establish Middle School outdoor recreation area
• Enhance the dining experience for Lower School students by reducing transition time during the lunch period, fostering a relaxing and less hurried dining experience
NEW INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AT CSN
Just before sunset on February 8, about 60 people gathered outside Community School of Naples’ newest building, the Fountain 33 Institute for Science and Environmental Research (I.S.E.R.). The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the culmination of planning, fundraising and construction of a structure housing state-of-the-art science classrooms, research labs, and modern offices for students attending CSN and the faculty leading them on their educational journey.
Head of School Dr. David Watson recounted the genesis of the building, including the spring 2018 request by the school’s Chair of the Science Department, Mrs. Betsy Lewton, to meet with the Board’s Academic Committee in her former classroom lab. It took little to convince the committee members of the need for 21st-century learning spaces designed to support student experiences and develop their knowledge. When the building unofficially opened in August 2020 for the start of the academic year, Mrs. Lewton remarked, “The new facilities, combined with our hands-on curriculum and advanced courses offered by a specialized team of educators, will inspire a passion for and commitment to the sciences.”
Dr. Watson continued by thanking all the donors who contributed, especially John and Amy Quinn and their family foundation, Fountain 33, and John N. Allen, President of the CSN Board, “without whose energetic work in fundraising this building would not have been possible.”
Mr. Allen took the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Board and thank, not only the donors, but also Mrs. Lewton, who “challenged the school, and they responded with this physical manifestation of our commitment to children for generations to come.” He noted that the Quinn family had only recently joined the CSN community with their two Lower School daughters and a son not yet old enough to attend. Nevertheless, they did not hesitate to offer a leadership donation for the ISER.
Mr. Quinn said his family was “honored and blessed to give from the heart to this amazing community.” Their children “will grow up and experience this great facility,” where “the teachers, the leadership and everyone, including the friendly security guards, are impressive.”
SCIENCE CONNECTIONS
Written By BETSY LEWTON
The world watched as science enveloped our daily lives over the past year. People eagerly awaited the results of scientists questioning, experimenting, and ultimately arriving at a solution in the global fight against a microscopic enemy. This epic event did not happen in isolation, but rather by parties working together for the common good. Connecting in unprecedented ways, organizations worked valiantly to find a solution to help mankind.
Our mission in the Science Department is to guide our students’ understanding of how scientific issues relate to their lives and to the well-being of our planet, and to recognize the interdependence between science and other fields of study. We endeavor to cultivate critical thinking as well as the ability to communicate ideas and results clearly and accurately from a scientific perspective. Because of the ever-evolving nature of science, we encourage our students to maintain independence of thought and develop scientific literacy. Although this past
year has brought significant challenges to people everywhere, it has demonstrated to our students the importance of the Department’s mission. Furthering scientific achievement requires collaboration within a working environment and an alliance with those outside. Whether this manifests in student collaboration within the classroom or with outside experts, connections build relationships and nurture collaboration over competition.
The construction of the Institute for Science and Environmental Research (I.S.E.R.) made new opportunities possible. With the additional space, students were able to conduct experimentation safely within COVID protocols, guest speakers were able to work with students both in-person and virtually, and the Upper School science classes’ move to the I.S.E.R. provided additional labs for the Middle School science classes that had previously shared just one lab. All of this further advanced the Department’s goal of connection and collaboration.
In Marine Science we used ordinary items to observe important characteristics of the beach ecosystem. We used a grapefruit to measure speed and direction of current, and made a quadrat using PVC pipe. We collected samples in buckets for easy transport and counting the number of individuals in a species.
The guest speaker, Mr. McMullen, spoke about how to maneuver the workforce and gave tips for being confident in your field. By making connections and putting yourself out there you can network and move forward in your chosen career.
HUNTER BAKER (’21)
There is something very special about connecting with professionals in the learning environment. Hosting guest speakers during Anatomy & Physiology exposes us to several career paths and also offers a closer, hands-on insight as to what each profession entails. For example, we learned how to suture from Dr. Ross, a plastic surgeon, and had the chance to practice with real tools. Having such close connections is the type of opportunity rarely offered to students, and we are so grateful that, through CSN, we can enrich our education by connecting with professionals from the world after high school.
HELOISE HOFFMANN (’22) & YASMIN BOULTER (’21)
Walking into each lab, I am always welcomed by the stunning view of the pond, which makes me feel at home. These labs are easily the most beautiful learning environment I have ever been in. The new science building has supplied me and my peers with scientific learning opportunities that I couldn’t have even imagined to attain anywhere else. They were an amazing addition to the CSN community that will be perfect for many future Seahawks in their scientific endeavors!
GABE CAITO (’23)
Shamille Goins, EP, MBA, met with our AP Environmental Science class via Zoom. She spoke about her work as an overseer for multiple factories and her responsibilities in the position. Previously, she lobbied in Washington D.C. for additional protections to designated swamp land.
JAMIE TROPE (’21)
During this past school year, I have developed an algorithm that detects hacked smart appliances for my Independent Science Research class. Using data from Avast, one of the leading companies in cyber security, I connected the machine learning tools that I learned at a Princeton-sponsored summer camp to a real-world problem of online safety. After presenting my project in front of a board of faculty in the ISER, my project was elected to move on to regionals and now, the State Science and Engineering Fair.
JACOB BAER (’22)
Dr. Carl Nist-Lund came to speak to my AP Biology class about “Genetic Engineering for Children with Hearing Loss” and the presentation fascinated me. Inspired, I decided to contact him the next day. Our conversation sparked a transformation in the way I thought of science and research; he described to me different opportunities for intellectual discovery within childhood hearing loss. Soon I found myself entering my school’s science fair with a research project studying the correlation between partial hearing loss and a person’s capacity for sound localization. If it were not for the speaker and the science fair, I would have never discovered my passion for research, and I hope to pursue this throughout my next four years in college.
SARA GOODWICH (’21)
Is going to a good school really the most important factor that decided someone’s life? I found out the answer when in my 9th grade Biology class a black female engineer, Victoria Moore, came to talk to all the classes over Zoom. She told us that she was homeless at times throughout high school and that she was constantly discriminated against all through college and into her actual job. She taught us that to become successful, you just have to have the grit and aspiration to learn and make something amazing.
FELIX MADER (’24)
Science National Honor Society offers peer-tutoring for all science classes at CSN. Despite COVID restrictions, we were still able to devise a safe way of providing tutoring to a multitude of both Upper School and middle school students. In addition to improving the students’ grades in their science classes, we hope to foster within them the same love for science that we all share!
CECI NAKFOOR (’21)
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: MEGAN, KEELY & JENNIFER, SULLIVAN
CONNECTING GENERATIONS
LEGACY IS A COMMENDABLE GOAL, DIFFICULT TO PLAN FOR, AND SIGNIFICANT WHEN ACHIEVED.
The most enduring legacies are generated through authentic perpetuation of values and actions over time. CSN has benefited from the commitments of many throughout its almost 40-year history. Few have been as meaningfully influential as the generational connections of Judy Sproul and her children Katie Sproul (Matt ‘21 and Nick ‘22) and Jennifer Sullivan (Megan ’19 and Keely ‘21).
The strength of CSN’s foundations is attributable to Judy Sproul and her co-founders. These visionaries identified the importance of establishing a comprehensive preparatory school in Naples, at a time when the city was more dot on a map than global destination. This was unquestionably a bold move requiring, in Judy’s words, “perseverance” and “the right people, in the right places, at the right time.”
JULIET COLLIER SPROUL WITH HER GRANDCHILDREN
Community School’s mission, from the outset, was to create opportunities for students to receive exceptional academic instruction and programmatic enrichment. Jennifer recalls receiving a note at summer camp from her mother, pointedly inquiring, “How would you like to switch schools?” Prior to taking up residence in its dedicated campus location, CSN briefly called area churches home. The curriculum at the time was unrefined, and the student body minimal in size, but along with the willingness from all to put in the time, resources, and energies, the clarity of intention was certain.
Judy, Jennifer, and Megan (currently a student at Notre Dame) all reflect on the true "community nature" of the school, and how the school’s name underscores its values. As hundreds of individual families have been wrapped up over time in the institution’s collective family, CSN’s originating tenets persist at guiding today’s priorities. For the extended Molloy and Sullivan families, education has always been prized, along with a pervasive belief in giving back.
Reflecting on her own motivations, Judy identifies complementary priorities. Equally “important to have my immediate family involved” and “vital to involve people,” Judy is gratified to see “the younger generation is taking the lead.” To that end, she endowed the Juliet Collier Sproul Center for Community and Global Impact, a program designed to engage students across grade levels in lessons related to service and leadership, fostering community-focused commitment and action.
Jennifer and Megan offer similarly inclusive perspectives on the benefits derived from their respective affiliations with the school as a hands-on parent and lifer student. Megan cites her teachers who were “there for you in every kind of capacity,” memorable occasions to participate in service projects, and the ability to stay connected as a young alumna. As a parent, Jennifer welcomed every opportunity to support her daughters’ classrooms and the school more holistically. From the foundations established in the Lower School through to college preparation and graduation, each step is essential and incremental in achieving CSN’s objective to facilitate well-rounded student development.
With clear appreciation, Jennifer comments, “The attraction to Community School is, really, the sense of community” with “a culture of giving back, a culture of us rolling up our sleeves and… wanting to help out wherever we can.” Megan is clear in her stipulation that, “education is the best gift you can get.” The intersection of education and community is a deeply engrained prerogative for Judy, Jennifer, and Megan—three generations whose imprint on CSN will long be felt, welcoming and encouraging the school’s next leaders.
“The
attraction to Community School is, really, the sense of community” with “a culture of giving back, a culture of us rolling up our sleeves and … wanting to help out wherever we can.”
JENNIFER SULLIVAN
MODEL UNITED NATIONS:
STEPPING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE TO SOLVE WORLD PROBLEMS
Have you ever had to debate from a perspective that wasn't your own? Or tried to tackle the world's problems with a group of people that you'd just met? By its very nature, Model United Nations (MUN) is all about connections, collaboration, and risk-taking. Attracting students of all different interests and backgrounds, students can embark on their journey into the world of MUN, beginning in the Middle School elective class and continuing into the Upper School club and beyond. Within the context of the Middle School classroom, students learn the mechanics of parliamentary procedure, debating, public speaking, and analyzing problems and solutions from different perspectives. Student experiences are scaffolded using classroom simulations to prepare for participation in conferences.
MUN conferences require significant preparation, which enables students to approach these events with confidence and poise. Prior to attending, students are assigned a world problem and a country to represent. They research the country's perspective on the problem and draft position papers outlining how the world issue impacts their assigned country, the past actions the country has had in relation to the problem, and proposed solutions to be employed by the world to address the global concern. Class of 2025 student, Nuha Rahman, describes the day of the MUN conference, "We take on the leadership roles, connect, make alliances, and collaborate in attempts to improve upon a situation, together. It's uninterrupted by adults, and it's between us and us only to resolve real-world issues as a team." Utilizing 21st-century communication, negotiation, compro mise, and cooperation skills, students develop world initiatives.
The past two years' worth of experience has taught me about speaking my mind, collaborating with others, and finding solutions
The world of Model United Nations places students in a situation necessitating collaboration and risk-taking. They must be willing to work with peers from other schools to solve world problems, requiring connecting with those peers and connecting with world problems that they may not have even known existed before the assignment. They develop empathy for those most directly impacted by the global concern. Students find their voice through advanced preparation and the support of their alliances.
As eighth-grader Sadie Lipman ('25) commented, "The past two years' worth of experience has taught me about speaking my mind, collaborating with others, and finding solutions to real-world problems." The confidence that MUN students develop at conferences trickles into other facets of their lives, giving them the courage to take on leadership roles they might have otherwise passed up. Through these experiences, the confidence in themselves and a better understanding of the world, one could argue that these risk-takers of today will be the world's next leaders and problem solvers.
CONNECTING PASSION TO PURPOSE
The presence of passionate teachers who are also performing arts professionals has a notable influence on our school program. At CSN our music and theater faculty members connect their passion outside of school with a greater purpose—teaching.
Our expanding music and theater program weaves opportunities for students to explore and experience music and theater from Lower School through Upper School. Working side by side with professionals, students practice and learn through cooperative and active participation, often accessing multiple ways of comprehending concepts presented in the curriculum.
MARK DANNI
The presence of a growing quality performing arts program enlivens our school atmosphere and promotes the advancement and appreciation of artistic skills and talents. With strong connections to the community—including having direct access to TheatreZone, a professional Equity Theatre Company in residence, our students have opportunities to work with artists who share personal work habits such as discipline and tenacity as they practice notes or lines—and then realize the rewards of a successful performance.
Mark Danni’s experience in performing arts has become well-rounded throughout his many years of entertainment. Mark began his career in NYC as a drummer on Broadway for shows such as Chicago, Grand Hotel, Miss Saigon, Annie Get Your Gun and Nunsense. He quickly moved into the conductor’s chair and conducted the national tours of Barnum and Les Miserables. Mark continued his career in Washington D.C. and then Naples where he became the Founding Artistic Director of TheatreZone, Inc., a professional Equity Theatre Company. Stars, performers, and even CSN alumni participate in the shows. A longstanding legacy for Mark is engrained at CSN ever since he began developing the theatre program in 2002. Since then, Mark has directed and produced countless musicals for Middle and Upper School students, including CSN’s annual Showtime productions.
DAN HECK
Dan Heck has been a classical cellist since age 4 and performed with dozens of advanced orchestras throughout his youth. In college, at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Dan had a chance to perform with many of the future leaders of the jazz world. He performed around Boston and was hired frequently for studio work. Dan spent significant time in both Seattle and New York City working in blooming music scenes with the cities’ finest jazz musicians. Dan’s 2009 CD, “Compositionality,” spent time in the top 50 for jazz and has been widely critically acclaimed.
While Dan started at CSN in 2011, his life as a professional musician has not slowed down. He still maintains a rigorous playing schedule outside of the classroom and uses his knowledge as a professional in the classroom. You can experience Dan’s talent first hand around Naples as he frequently plays at Cambier Park, Riverside Park, and The French on 5th Avenue.
SHARON TRUE
Sharon True has been a musician most of her life the first half mostly involved being an instrumentalist, primarily saxophone. But she has also been an avid musical theatre fan since high school, where she first performed in Anything Goes. She performed in a few more musicals in high school and college, and after graduation started raising her family and working as an elementary music teacher. After moving to Florida and getting her two youngest children involved in theater, Sharon decided to check out The Naples Players. That was in 2010 and she has since performed in many shows at The Naples Players, the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater and even at TheatreZone, located right here in our G & L Theatre. Favorite performances include The Rocky Horror Show, Les Misérables, The Music Man and Sweeney Todd. Sharon has also been a professional caroler with The Naples Carolers for nine years.
DR. RYAN CHAPMAN
REBECCA RICHARDSON
Rebecca Richardson is a graduate of Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, holding her degree in Jazz Vocal Performance with a minor in Bass, she continued studies in New York via masterclasses in piano and voice at the Juilliard School and private study with world-class musicians. Her
performance career has taken her to Paris, Amsterdam, New York, Seattle, and now Naples, where she performs regularly at local establishments. Rebecca makes time for projects in opera, caroling, piano, dance, and vocal studies.
Outside of CSN, Dr. Ryan Chapman maintains an active career in musical performance as a lead trumpet player and has led big bands, including the Ryan Chapman Jazz Orchestra. He has recorded and played lead trumpet with dozens of famous artists and has also been featured regionally and internationally as soloist with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Air National Guard Band of the South, Naples Jazz Orchestra, and many more. You can hear Dr. Chapman playing lead trumpet on George Benson’s album, Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat “King” Cole, PBS Special - Jazz and The Philharmonic, and Dr. Ed Calle Presents Mamblue which won a Latin Grammy® for Best Instrumental album. Dr. Chapman is a member of the American Society of Composers, Arrangers, and Publishers. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by Georgia State University Orchestra, University of Washington Studio Jazz Ensemble, Troy University Jazz Band, Boise State University Orchestra, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Azamara Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines,as well as many others.
SI-CHENG LIU
Si-Cheng Liu, director of the US String Orchestra, is active in performing chamber music across Southwest Florida including the Center for the Arts Bonita Springs, the Sanibel Island Big Arts series, the Naples CAPA concert series, and the Punta Gorda Symphony’s chamber music series. She is also part of the adjunct music faculty at Florida Gulf Coast University and plays regularly with the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, sharing stages with many other great artists.
MUSIC DIRECTOR
CHARLES FORNARA
Charles serves as Musical Supervisor for TheatreZone, for which he has directed over 30 shows. He is also Resident Music Director of The Naples Players, where he has conducted more than 40 productions, and the teen program at KidzAct of The Naples Players. He has also worked with Florida Rep, The Herb Strauss Theatre, Gulfshore Opera, Opera Naples and the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre since moving here from NYC 15 years ago. Charles is a former professional actor and a current member of the Actors’ Equity Association.
CHOREOGRAPHER
KAREN MOLNAR DANNI
Karen has choreographed and designed costume for over 55 shows at CSN, including all Showtime productions, musicals, and Dance Express performances. She is also the resident choreographer at TheatreZone, and has choreographed and performed in numerous productions across the U.S.A. and Europe. She is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association, the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
SOUND/TECHNICAL DESIGN
ERIC CONDIT
Eric is a professional recording engineer and sound designer who has been a collaborator on a wide range of studio projects, live events and theatrical productions. With his family, he has worked on scenic design for many local theatrical productions. Together with his wife, he is a coach of a world-champion Odyssey of the Mind team.
As a mother of two, Lori Oliver saw the need to act on her dream to create one place where children could grow their confidence and receive exceptional, classical training in the performing arts. Lori’s vision and enthusiasm for learning is evident in all aspects of her career at Naples Performing Arts Center, from music and dance lessons to the bright lights of the musical theater stage. She has also worked on some of SWFL’s largest community events and fundraisers including a local “Dancing with the Stars.” In 2015, Lori established “I’m a Star”- a first-of-its-kind program which gives special needs children the opportunity to train in musical theater and feel the joy of performing on stage. She is now welcomed to the CSN stage as Middle School Drama teacher.
LORI OLIVER
NOELLE HORLDT
Noelle is a Southwest Florida based Stage Manager. Previously, she has worked with Florida Gulf Coast University, Ozark Actors Theatre, Community School of Naples, Artis-Naples, and of course, TheatreZone. When she’s not stage managing productions, you can catch her backstage as an A2, or sound designing at FGCU.
DANIELLE RANNO
Danielle has worked as a freelance stage manager in opera, theater, dance and special events for the last decade and has spent 11 seasons with TheatreZone. Additional credits include Bernadette’s Cozy Book Nook (World Premiere with Fort Worth Opera), Miranda: A Steampunk VR Experience (World Premiere with Tri-Cities Opera & Opera Omaha), Kanye West’s Mary at Lincoln Center, and Rutgers at the Joyce (The Joyce Theater). She is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association and American Guild of
LIGHTING/SET/TECHNICAL DESIGN
Anne has been designing lighting and working in stage production and management for close to 20 years. She has designed for theater, opera, dance, musical theater and children’s theater across the country. Her work has been seen locally at Opera Naples, TheatreZone, Gulf Coast Symphony, Gulfshore Ballet and several educational productions. Anne is currently a professor and the head Technical/Design faculty at Florida Gulf Coast University. She holds a BFA in Design from SUNY Fredonia and a MFA from Florida State University in Theatre Production.
COSTUME DESIGN
KATHLEEN KOLACZ
Kathleen has been the resident costume designer for TheatreZone since its first season in 2006. She has also worked on Broadway and National tours including The Sound of Music, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, West Side Story and many more. Additionally, Kathleen was assistant wardrobe mistress at the Radio City Music Hall, Detroit Opera Theatre and Dayton Opera Theatre, and a guest wardrobe assistant for the premiere season for Opera Pacific.
TLALOC LOPEZ WATERMANN
Tláloc is the owner of the company, Light Conversations LLC, a lighting and video design company based in New York City. He has a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts, and a MFA in Design from NYU/Tisch. Tláloc was the 2002 Allen Lee Hughes Lighting Fellow at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. His designs have been seen at dozens of universities and operas across the country including Alabama University, Utah Festival Opera, and the Brevard Music Festival.
ANNE CARNCROSS
CAMPUS CONNECTIONS
SEAHAWK
AMBASSADOR CLUB
The Ambassador Club spread some joy throughout Upper School by handing out more than 500 carnations for Valentine’s Day! Their mission was to make each student feel loved. Special thanks to the CSN Parent Association who helped fund this project!
COMMUNITY HELPERS PARADE
PreK4 students learned about community helpers in their social studies unit, and they invited special guests Nurse Rita and EMT Spencer to share their work as community helpers. As a culmination of the unit, they paraded around Lower School in their own community helper costumes which included nurses, bakers, teachers, firefighters, and so many more!
FASHION & TECHNOLOGY
CSN Upper School students integrated fashion and technology in a class co-taught by Mr. Ian Ostrom, who taught coding and electronics, and Mrs. Brittany Cankar, who taught sewing. Students sewed circuits to make light-up tote bags, shoes, and shirts.
SPELLING BEE
On Wednesday, March 25, eighth graders Megan D’Souza, Melita D’Souza, and Julian Miller represented CSN at the Collier County Spelling Bee at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Administration Center. Competing against champions from other local middle schools, these three students had to decipher vocabulary and spell words such as disproportionate and venial. Melita and Julian spelled their way into round 9, earning them both 3rd place (tied) overall. Congratulations to all three exceptional wordsmiths!
STRENGTHENING NEURAL CONNECTIONS
CSN PreK3 students participate in a research based program designed to develop fluency in early math, reading, and writing. NeuroNet is designed to assist students in fluency by building neural pathways through practice. Students stand on stools, which increases body awareness, while practicing rhythmic body movements matched to academic lessons on the SmartBoard. Rhythmic motions matched with concepts such as counting grids and repeating letter sounds helps automate their reading and math fluency.
WORDMASTERS
ACADEMIC QUIZ TEAM
For the first time in a decade, a CSN Academic WorldQuest team has advanced to the national round! Academic WorldQuest is an annual history, culture, and international affairs competition sponsored by the World Affairs Councils of America. The team of Henry Donath '23, Brent Bartholomew '22, Charles Rubin '23, and Simon Weardon '21 placed top-three in February's county-level round. This competition will include questions about topics such as China's involvement in Latin America, the United States' relationship with the Northern Triangle of Central America, and artificial intelligence and machine learning.
FARRINGTON AWARD WINNERS
The CSN Farrington Award for Excellence in Analytical Writing was established in 2006 by the Farrington family to honor the Class of 2002 alumna Caroline’s mother, Carole. Every year, the US English Department faculty evaluate the analytical writing of their students, and from these, they choose two essays--one from a freshman or sophomore and one from a junior or senior--that exhibit excellence in this writing mode. Strong entries were received from many students, but the work of two of these stood out in particular: sophomore Rachel Li, for an essay that she wrote for AP Seminar, and junior Charlie Krauss, for his analysis of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which AP Language students read in the fall term. Please join us in congratulating both Rachel and Charlie!
Competing in the Gold Division of the WordMasters Challenge™, fourth graders Riley, Hunter, and Ariana, and fifth grader Harold each earned a perfect score of 20 on the challenge. Nationally, only 101 fourth graders and 50 fifth graders achieved this result. Other students from CSN who achieved outstanding results in the meet include third grader Aidan, fourth graders Claire, Max, Kayden , and Maddie, and fifth grader Myles. We are so proud of everyone who participated in this challenge.
TRIBUTE TO
PAT STRANAHAN A
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: JILL BASDEN, DUANE “PAT” STRANAHAN, ROBIN STRANAHAN & MICHAEL BASDEN.
life driven by purpose and intention, Pat made his indelible mark on Community School, both through his 1996-2003 tenure as president of the Board of Trustees, and as father to Katie Stranahan Russo (‘06).
Pat was an entrepreneur and philanthropist, an intellectual explorer, avid outdoorsman, community leader, and dedicated husband, father, grandfather, brother, mentor, and friend. Together with his wife Robin, Pat was committed to Community School, among many deserving organizations, and his involvement reflected a genuine passion for education. Tony Ridgway, whose board
As CSN honors its connections in this edition of The Chronicle, Pat’s most enduring characteristics are evident within the school’s culture and values: curiosity, exploration, service, friendship, personal growth, appreciation for the world and others, and, of course, community. When you next notice the Stranahan name throughout campus, consider how you can follow Pat’s lead, making a difference for those around you.
MASKS MATTER, STILL.
Written By SONIA PATEL
Sonia Patel encountered a dilemma when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020: how can my parents go to work safely when N95 masks are not available? The freshman watched YouTube videos and fired up the sewing machine, creating a prototype mask using a special filter originally conceived at the University of Florida. Recently, the unique properties of the electro-static water resistant nanofiber were tested at the University of Chicago, Duke and NIST. All institutions confirmed the benefits of >90% filtration efficiency against particles as small as 100 nanometers.
The 100% cotton masks sold well during the first few months of the pandemic, however, a few customers developed “maskne.” Consequently, she improvised and discovered that silk is hypo-allergenic. In particular, research from the University of Cincinnati demonstrated that mulberry silk (made by the bombyx mori silkworm) contained copper ions as a result of the silkworms’ unique second salivary glands. Any metallic ion (copper,
CSN DAY
February 9th is officially Community School of Naples Day! The Collier County Board of Commissioners signed a proclamation congratulating the long-standing successes of CSN and gave the community a special day to celebrate.
gold, silver) has valence electrons, which are freely mobile and can bombard the outer shell of a virus/bacterium, giving it antiviral and antibacterial properties. Gold and silver masks, as you can imagine, were just a bit too expensive to manufacture. As such, taking it to the next level, she ordered special EPA certified, medical-grade copper fabric from a company in Richmond, Virginia.
To mitigate a prevalent predicament, she designed a mask from international sources - N95 filter from Ireland, copper fabric from Virginia, and mulberry silk from India. With 4 layers of filtration, albeit easy to breathe, she has sold over 1000 masks, obtained a license from MIT to use their logo to further market the masks, and established her company logo as SuperMSKS.
All funds from the non-profit company will go toward scientific research, and can be purchased from her website, superMSKS.com
GIRL SCOUTS
Eighth Grade student Emily Helsel held a book drive at CSN for her Girl Scout Silver Award Project! Donated books will be going to a local teaching center to educate children and families. We love your dedication to the community, Emily!
DEDICATED SERVICE TO SENIORS
When vaccines became available to senior citizens, Sarah McKeown woke up extra early each morning and volunteered to help elderly citizens register for their COVID-19 vaccines. Registering online for a vaccine can be daunting for the elderly, and Sarah
ARTIS-NAPLES CELLIST/MUSIC PROGRAM
The US String Chamber Orchestra played two special Beethoven's 250th Birthday Tribute concerts on campus. The program included Beethoven's Egmont Overture, Allegretto from Beethoven's 7th Symphony, and the famous Moonlight Sonata featuring guest actor Dr. Eric Johnson as Beethoven and Sonia Patel '24 on piano. Other soloists were Elad Yitzhak '23 and Katherine Carr '22 playing Vivaldi Concerto for Two Violins in a minor, and Alex Dimaras '24, Rachel Li '23 and Panos Dimaras '21 playing Vivaldi Concerto for Two Violins and Cello in d minor. Ms. Si-Cheng Liu and the orchestra also dedicated the Intermezzo from the opera "Cavalieria Rusticana" by Mascagni to our very own CSN teachers and staff for their bravery and dedication during this pandemic.
Chasing Dreams, Changing Lives
PATRICK & DANIELLE BISHOP
2021 ANGEL BALL CHAIRS
CSN’S ANGEL BALL
Over 370 guests laced up their sneakers to support this year’s theme, Chasing Dreams, Changing Lives. Traditionally, the Angel Ball event, which supports financial aid is an annual black-tie gala usually held at the Ritz Carlton. With the health and safety of the community a priority this year, the event morphed from black-tie formal into a Florida casual, food truck-catered gathering in the new John N. Allen Family Stadium. Event Chairs Danielle and Patrick Bishop, along with school staff and volunteers, planned and executed the event in only 60 days.
Head of School Dr. David Watson addressed the crowd saying, “As guests of the 2021 Angel Ball: Chasing Dreams, Changing Lives, you join an incredible tradition of support, and share a commitment to offering an outstanding education to qualified students who would not have this opportunity without your generosity.” He later added how proud he was “of the school community for rallying together to produce such a fantastic and timely event to lift spirits, raise paddles, and provide some regularity at this most irregular of moments.”
CSN Board President John Allen stepped to the mic proudly acknowledging the attendance of a couple of CSN’s founders, Clarke and Elizabeth Swanson. The Swansons acted as chairs of the first Angel Ball 36 years ago. John called on the guests to heed his “simple call to action—be extraordinary—as CSN is, in the
classroom and in athletics, with a commitment to financial aid. Students on financial aid have gone on to fulfill their dreams.” He also thanked long-standing supporters in attendance as well as new faces for their “big hearts.”
The high point of the evening was when a CSN alumna as well as a member of the Class of 2021 had the opportunity to share how the gift of financial aid changed the trajectory of their lives. Ashley, a student at Harvard, is the first in her family to attend college. She passionately said, “During my seven years at CSN, I learned so much more than how to code in Java or how to lead a cheer team. I learned character. The person I am today is because of the experiences CSN gave me. I learned how to be driven, how to persevere, and how to always chase my dreams!
CSN senior and champion track star Loren Brown stated, “As a senior, I am still jumping over hurdles—but one of my dreams is now a reality. Next year, I will be attending the University of Chicago—and I have signed to be on their track team. Attending CSN has been an opportunity of a lifetime for me and I am grateful for the support I received. I have thrived in the classroom, on the stage, in the pool, and on the track.”
The success of this year’s event, which raised over $1,000,000, demonstrated the strength of our committed community.
CSN STUDENT PERFORMERS
JOHN N. ALLEN, BOARD OF TRUSTEES PRESIDENT
ROB CAITO & DENA RAE HANCOCK
ASHLEY CRUZ
CSN '20, HARVARD '24
ANGEL BALL CHAIRS PATRICK & DANIELLE BISHOP WITH SPEAKERS LOREN BROWN '21, ASHLEY CRUZ '20, & DR. DAVID WATSON
CALVIN COLBY
LOVE TEACHING?
I enjoy seeing that light bulb go on when a student connects a new mathematical idea. There is no better feeling than when a well-planned lesson does what you expect it to do.
WHAT MAKES MATH SPECIAL?
Math is endlessly fascinating and challenging. You can always get better by understanding it on a deeper level. It cannot be mastered. Persistent effort consistently reveals new
WHAT IS ONE TEACHING GOAL YOU HAVE THIS YEAR?
I continue to enjoy the process of designing and redesigning the Mathletics elective. The course necessarily requires tremendous mental effort at all times for all involved. At the same time, I want it to be as fun as possible.
WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL ELECTIVE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD TAKE?
I always wanted to try teaching origami, so I would love to take Mr. Haas’ origami class. Mr. Lindner’s World Peace Game and Mrs. Stasik’s DIY crafting also seem like a lot of fun.
WHY DID YOU WANT TO BECOME A TEACHER?
I always loved school, but I never believed I could be a teacher. At 40, I decided to try. It is the best decision I ever made.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CSN FIELD TRIP?
Despite my aversion to alligators, which I maintain is highly logical, Mr. Haas’ fossiling field trip on Peace River is my favorite.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MUSICAL/PLAY?
I thoroughly enjoyed "Seussical the Musical".
Mr. Colby relocated from Austin, Texas to join the CSN faculty and has been making an impact ever since! He earned his B.S. in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. Calvin enjoyed a successful 17-year career as an engineer in the semiconductor industry before following his dream to teach mathematics. He is dedicated to helping his students understand that math is about looking for patterns, understanding and applying mathematical properties in clever and efficient ways, and persevering to solve challenging problems. Middle School students continuously report that math is their favorite subject, thanks to Mr. Colby’s dedication and generosity.
This year, Mr. Colby and the Middle School Mathletics team have seen tremendous success. CSN students repetitively rank within the top scoring groups at each competition. Twenty-nine MS students from CSN were among the approximately 100,000 students worldwide to participate this year in the Math Olympiad program. They participated in a series of five monthly contests of five problems each from November to March. CSN's Mathletics team was named to the National Math Olympiad Honor Roll for its team score of 202 points. A team must be in the 90th percentile to win this plaque.
Individual student honors include the gold pin and silver pin awards. The gold pin is awarded to those in at least the 98th percentile (top 2%): eighth graders Melita D'Souza, Howard Gleason, and Julian Miller, all with near-perfect scores of 24 out of 25 points, were in this extraordinary group.
The silver pin is awarded to those in the 90th to 97th percentile: eighth graders Megan D'Souza (23) and Cal Wyatt (21).
BELOW: MELITA & MEGAN D'SOUZA WITH THEIR AWARDS
MISSION-FOCUSED ENGAGING BEAUTIFUL
Faculty Quotes
NURTURING INSPIRING ACADEMIC
SHARON KOPLIK LOWER SCHOOL LITERACY SUPPORT TEACHER
RILEY THOMPSON STUDENT ACADEMIC & SOCIAL COUNSELOR
BEST KIDS EVER!
MICHAEL MISHA 2ND GRADE
COMMUNITY DEMANDING WELCOMING
MARILYNE SHAFFER MS & US FRENCH TEACHER
PASSIONATE UNIQUE HOMEY
KLOSS PREK4 TEACHER
THREE WORDS
DESCRIBE CSN
CLAUDIA VILLAVICENCIO US SPANISH TEACHER IN
DEDICATION OPPORTUNITIES MENTORING
FAMILY QUALITY INTEGRITY
SI-CHENG LIU US STRINGS TEACHER
COMMITTED RIGOROUS INCLUSIVE
ALINA SPEZIO MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PROJECT COORDINATOR
JENNA
FINE & PERFORMING ARTS
Panos and Alex Dimaras have once again won top prizes at the Naples Music Club competition. Established decades ago, this annual event draws young musicians from all over the SWFL area. In this year’s rendition Alex placed 3rd in the senior high strings (Violin & Viola) category despite being one of its youngest entrants, while Panos took home the 1st prize in the senior low strings (Cello & Bass) category.
Congratulations to both of these outstanding young musicians!
The following CSN students have won high honors and scholarships with The Music Foundation of Greater Naples’ annual scholarship competition:
SENIOR STRINGS DIVISION
1ST PLACE
Panos Dimaras, Cello 12th Grade, Student of Si-Cheng Liu
3RD PLACE
Alex Dimaras, Violin 9th Grade, Student of Anton Sikuta
JUNIOR VOICE DIVISION
2ND PLACE
Hadley Murphy
8th Grade, Student of Rebecca Richardson
The winners of this year’s Broadway Star of the Future Awards include Leonard Allen ‘24 (Doody) and Maxine Danni ’21 (Rizzo) for Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, and Danni for Outstanding Choreography, all from CSN's production of Grease. The Broadway Star of the Future program is Tampa Bay/Southwest Florida’s re gional awards program affiliated with the National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA).
Since 2009, the Straz Performing Arts Center in Tampa has celebrated outstanding student achievement in the high school theater. By recognizing and honoring individual artistry in vocal, dance, and acting performance, and honoring theater educators’ and administrators’ commitment to performing arts education, the program seeks to encourage excellence in the performing arts and engage families in the activities of their students.
Ella Cartwright has been awarded an Honorable Mention in Marco Island Center for the Arts 2021 Collier County High School Art Competition and Show for her artwork entitled Expectations of the Empress. Congratulations Ella!
COMPREHENSIVE ATHLETICS
TEAM ACHIEVEMENTS
BOYS GOLF
District Champions, Advanced to Region, Advanced to State
GIRLS GOLF
District Champions, Advanced to Region, Advanced to State FOOTBALL
Region Final
BOYS SWIMMING/DIVING
District Runner-up, Advanced to Region
GIRLS SWIMMING/DIVING
District Runner-up, Advanced to Region VOLLEYBALL
District Champions, Advanced to Region (Semi-Final)
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
District Champions
BOYS SOCCER
District Champions, Region Semi-Final
BOYS BASKETBALL
District Champions, Region Semi-Final
GIRLS BASKETBALL
District Champions, Region-Final
BOYS LACROSSE
District Champions, Region Semi-Final
GIRLS LACROSSE
District Champions, Region Final
BOYS TENNIS
District Champions, Region Semi-Final
GIRLS TENNIS
District Champions, Region Champions,
BOYS GOLF
Michael Stott, Charlie Davis, Jordan Law, Tommy Pezeshkan, Nick Molloy, Zach Braverman
GIRLS GOLF
Olivia Weiss, Sydney Young, Alayna Friedt, Katherine Carr, Sonia Patel
GIRLS DIVING
Charlotte Norman (4th Place)
BOYS SWIMMING
Matt Molloy (6th & 8th Place)
Charlie Krauss (7th and 10th Place)
Carson Feehery, Christian McAuley
Egor Kuznetsov (15th Place)
BOYS BASKETBALL
Ryker Vance 2nd Team All State
BOYS TENNIS
Sebastian Dounchis & Yell Newhall
GIRLS TENNIS
Lily Dounchis, Bonita Perez, Nadia Sondrini, Kaitlin Quevedo & Sofia Quevedo
developed her love of writing as a student
CSN. She remembers when The Chronicle was first published as a student magazine. She is now a thriving marketing and communications consultant. Matt is a college math professor and talented photographer. He and his wife, Meli, own a photography business in Naples.
CONNECTING THE PAST TO THE PRESENT
When Caroline Ridgway and Matt Neubek connect, the memories readily flow about their families’ respective involvement with Community School from its earliest days. Their friendship began on a parcel of land purchased from a tomato farmer in 1981, in an area of Naples considered “the middle of nowhere.” Caroline’s father, Tony Ridgway, a passionate visionary and still an active businessman, along with a small group of community members, dedicated years of his life weaving the fabric of Community School of Naples. Matt’s father, Frank Neubek, was an innovative architect dedicated to creating unique and optimally functioning spaces. With vacant land and an expanding student body, Frank designed an intriguing building with multiple learning spaces-- the iconic LMA remains a focal point on today’s campus.
Although their memories include traversing Pine Ridge Road when it was still gravel, Caroline and Matt were too young to fully discern the individual threads that would intertwine to braid together common goals and purpose-- and how the dedication of a few would change the lives of many. They recall spending hours on campus as their families worked tirelessly to ensure the mission of Community School of Naples was realized.
The people, places, and programs of their alma mater became an integral part of their lives. Reflecting on CSN’s formation, Caroline notes “one of the interesting things about the founders is that they were all friends or socially connected in some way or another, so there was that sense of camaraderie, partnership, we're all in it together.” The power of the collective capacity during the school’s inception gained immense momentum as the school expanded its programs and facilities to meet the needs of a growing population. Despite the exponential growth, Matt still gets a feeling of community when he walks on campus, and hopes students today and in the future can experience being guided forward with as much forethought as the family, in its most inclusive sense, can provide.
"There are patches of our lives that have been sewn together and stitched together in ways that will carry forward forever.”
CAROLINE RIDGWAY
Decades later, the collaborative investment and efforts of the founders and early supporters of Community School have paid dividends.
The exceptional and extraordinary experiences embedded in Caroline and Matt’s tenure as student "lifers" at CSN provided foundations that they were able to build on personally and professionally. Importantly, those threads that helped weave the fabric of Community School of Naples are still holding strong. Caroline clearly inherited her father’s passion and love for CSN. She remembers how both the founders and students pitched in, and hopes we take that lesson and do our best to mindfully perpetuate it.
For both Caroline and Matt, connecting their own memories, experiences, and education to the people, places, and programs that frame the history of Community School of Naples has now become part of a special project celebrating the school’s 40th anniversary. In a serendipitous sequence of events, they both emerged as key collaborators in an exciting year-long marketing campaign telling the story of CSN. There is a sense of deep fulfillment as they use skills they developed as students to knit together past, present, and future.
Caroline
at
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
ALINA SPEZIO ‘15
After graduating as a "lifer" in 2015, Alina attended Villanova University. There she earned her B.A. in Communications & Public Relations and her M.A. in Communications, as well as a certificate in Organizational Communication and Leadership. Alina is now the Marketing and Communications Project Manager and works for the Admissions and Advancement offices. You may see Alina across campus as she take pictures and develops stories for marketing projects!
DAN PAUL ‘14
Before graduating in 2014, Dan had a successful career on both Football and Track & Field teams. Dan earned an All-Southwest Florida Area athlete distinction from the Naples Daily News and was the State runner-up in the discus. Dan attended Eastern Kentucky University and played tight end on the football team. Now Dan is a coach for CSN’s Varsity Football and Varsity Track & Field teams. Go Seahawks!
RACHEL HANSSON
Rachel attended CSN for her junior year of high school and earned a B.A. in History from Rutgers University and a M.Ed. while working as an assistant teacher in a first grade classroom in Delaware. Rachel is now the Lower School Technology Integrator and teaches robotics, computer science, and coding classes to students in grades PreK3 to 5. Her Lower School robotics team attended the World Competition this spring!
TYLER REA ‘19
Tyler was a star student, starting goalie on the Varsity boys soccer team, and positive leader in the community while attending CSN. He volunteered on and off campus, and even volunteered to attend the pilot Outward Bound trip with his peers and teachers. After graduation, Tyler attended University of Richmond and now coaches the CSN Middle School girls soccer team.
JESSICA COOMBS ‘03
Jessica is a Naples native and a CSN alumna (’03). She attended DePaul University in Chicago before relocating to Florida via Florida State University. After tutoring at CSN for four years, Jessica chose to return to school for a B.A. in Mathematics. She completed her student teaching at Community School and is thrilled to create a teaching legacy at her alma mater.
CSN ALUMNI, MAURA KENT '12 & VIVIAN GRIMES '12 REUNITE WITH MRS. VON HOLLEN.
ALUMNI CONNECTIONS
BRENNA CURVY
Brenna Curvy ‘16 is a student researcher at Colorado University Boulder. She is working with OECT (Organic Electro Chemical Transistors) using the sensors to track cortisol in sweat as a metric to track perspiration in a zerogravity environment. Working with Space Grant—a NASA funded student involvement program, she was hired as a student researcher for McLeod Labs.
ELIJAH BEAUPLAN
CSN’17, USAFA ’22, wrote an essay featured on the United States Air Force Academy website celebrating Black History Month. In it he describes how being Haitian-American and the first in his family to attend an institute of higher learning has inspired him to strive for success. In the essay he writes, “I was fortunate enough to attend Community School of Naples, a private high school, where I was a basketball athlete. As I looked for colleges to attend, my high school athletic director, retired Col. Bart Weiss, a 1986 Air Force Academy graduate, called me into his office and encouraged me to apply to the Academy. This drew my interest and I applied to the Academy during my senior year in high school.”
MIKEY SCHOELLER
Mikey Schoeller attended Rhodes College after graduating CSN in 2012. He was an active member of the football team and many academic organizations and completed a major in biology. Afterwards, Mikey attended Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine and will now return to Naples as an internal medicine resident at NCH.
BRIAN CARUFE
KATE GOLDEN
Kate Golden ‘15 attended College of the Holy Cross, graduating with a B.A. in Mathematics and a certification in teaching Mathematics for grades 5-12. She student-taught geometry and pre-calculus at Doherty Memorial High School and was heavily involved in service in the Worcester community. After graduating, she completed a two-year fellowship at the Nativity School of Worcester and taught 6th and 8th grade math and served as the Outreach Coordinator. She attended Assumption University, graduating with an M.A. in Special Education, and will come back to Naples to continue her teaching career.
2010 graduate, Brian Carufe, has cofounded a public health initiative called COVID COVERED, which is promoting vaccine visibility in communities across the country. The movement is accomplishing this through the distribution of wristbands for those who are inoculated, so they can display their vaccination status and foster a noticeably safe atmosphere. Doctors offices, retirement communities, and thousands of individuals are sporting their Covid Covered wristbands to spread a sense of comfort in shared spaces, especially with mask mandates on the decline. A portion of the proceeds is also going to the foundation No Kid Hungry, which is donating food, books, games, and other educational materials to students affected by the pandemic. So far, the bands have been featured in news publications across the country. They can be purchased at covidcoveredband.com
LTJG Mary Carr CSN Class of 2014 and USCGA Class of 2019 is the Executive Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat, the Baranof. As part of her responsibilities, Mary was driving the Baranof in the Persian Gulf during the encounter with the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps this spring.
MARY CARR
CHELSEA CARR RECTANUS
Chelsea Carr Rectanus, 32, passed away on August 7, 2020 from a long-term illness. Chelsea attended Community School of Naples from the 1st grade to graduation in 2006. At CSN, Chelsea’s passion for learning, literature and writing took root and blossomed. She also threw herself into a range of activities including steel band, soccer, track and field and cross country. She always wanted to make the world a more warm and welcoming place for others and found an avenue for this in co-founding the Tolerance and Diversity Club on campus. Throughout her life she deeply treasured her many close friendships that began at CSN.
From the earliest time of her life, Chelsea was enamored with books and writing. Even as a four year old, her answer to the question of what she wanted to be when she grew up was that she wanted to be a writer. She was endlessly creative, drawing and writing narration for a growing population of characters and events. At CSN, Chelsea’s love for the printed word and her desire to create and share stories deepened and would create the direction of her life. After graduating from CSN, Chelsea went on to study literature and creative writing at Northwestern University. She would spend most of the rest of her life in her beloved adopted Chicago.
Chelsea really had two loves. She was a passionate people person and she reveled in literature. These passions would come together in her creation of Heirloom Books, a used bookstore in Chicago. With Heirloom, Chelsea created not only a bookstore but a true community. Her uncanny ability to connect with people and to draw people together, and her readiness to be a support and advocate for others, especially for anyone whom she felt was the victim of injustice, bore fruit in the bookstore. Heirloom is where Chelsea felt the happiest and most at home, and she made it a second home for many others.
This creative and welcoming space, decorated in her inimitably cozy, bohemian and eclectic style, became the heart of a close but extended community. It became a place for her many friends and friends-to-be to share and give voice to their art, poetry, writing, and ideas. She gave her time and compassion generously to all who walked through her door.
Although Chelsea’s time on earth was short, she left a powerful mark with her unwavering creativity, empathy, love, and advocacy. Heirloom Books is Chelsea’s legacy that lives on now, thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers and friends in Chicago, as well as the generous support of many of her friends in the CSN family.
GREAT THINGS ARE DONE BY A SERIES OF SMALL THINGS THAT ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER.
During the current Covid crisis, consistently communicating comprehensive academic, social, and health and safety plans with our families has been essential to all stakeholders in our school community. With diligence, high standards, AHL (At Home Learning) options, and respect for all, we have been able to safely and successfully educate our students on campus since last August.
During this challenging year, our school community worked together with remarkable fortitude and unity, allowing us to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment. We want to thank our parents, Board, faculty, staff, and students for their tireless and enthusiastic support throughout this entire school year.
