Winter Magazine 2009

FLINT HILL

School Magazine

The Many Faces of Flint Hill

Embrace the Driving Spirit

Winter 2009

Flint Hill School M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

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Our commitment is to develop, in a caring community, an individual who seeks excellence and embraces the “Driving Spirit” of Flint Hill School.

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S :

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A New Look for Flint Hill

Ins id e the Sc ho o l’s Ne w De sig n

B OA R D O F T RUST E E S 2 0 0 8 -2 0 0 9 John T. Hazel, Jr., Chairman Norris E. Mitchell, Vice Chairman Paul C. Kincheloe, Jr., Treasurer Steven B. Alloy Nelson A. Carbonell, Jr. Edward R. Carr Otis D. Coston, Jr. John M. Dowd L. Frank Field Sally Hazel Lennert Leader Kathleen McKay William Melton Douglas I. Smith B. J. Stone, III John M. Thomas Sister Martha Carpenter, Trustee Emeritus Johanna L. Fitzpatrick, Trustee Emeritus Michael C. McCarey, Trustee Emeritus Edwin M. Ward, Trustee Emeritus ALUM N I E XE CU T I V E C OU N C I L Ellen Turner ’01, President Jonathan Slater ’88, Vice President Traverse Burnett ’94 Chuck Papas ’81

Flint Hill School Magazine John M. Thomas, Headmaster Stacey Ahner, Director of Institutional Advancement, Director of Admission Marian Cavanagh, Director of Communications/Editor DESIGN: Frankl Creative Group, Inc.

Published by the Flint Hill School ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

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Taking Responsibility

Fo ur th Gr ad e r s Making a Di ffer ence

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FHS in the Community Stud e nts Shine While Showing T he ir “Dr iving Sp ir it”

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Training Global Leaders

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A Team Approach

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Special Events

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Mand ar in P ro gr am Be c o me s a Rea lit y

Stud e nts A lway s Co me Fir s t for FHS Co uns e lo r s

Ho me c o ming, Ho lid ay Mar t, Fo und e r’s Day and Winte rfe st C elebr a t ions

Sp o tl i g ht o n the A r ts FHS Stud e nts , Fac ulty Share Their Ta lent s

Athletic Highlights Fall Se as o n Br ings T ro p hie s , C ha m pionships

Alumni News Le tte r fro m the A lumni P re sident

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Alumni Profiles

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Class Notes

A as iye h Z ar afs har ’06 and Ja son Br a nt ley ’ 97

EAST CAMPUS

10409 Academic Drive, Oakton, VA 22124 WEST CAMPUS 3320 Jermantown Road, Oakton, VA 22124 Phone: 703-584-2300, Fax: 703-584-2369 www.flinthill.org

Photo Credits: The Advancement Office, PerfectShot Photos, Blanton Photography, Karin Cooper, FHS Yearbook staff, FHS alumni, families, and faculty members.

On the covers: Some of the students, faculty and alumni–along with a Chinese New Year’s dragon from a Kindergarten celebration–who are part of our Flint Hill School family.

Headmaster’s Message

Dear Flint Hill School Family: When we talk about Flint Hill’s “School Family,” it holds real meaning for us, one that extends far beyond the image of just “going to school.”

With our own families, we know it takes time, energy, effort, and commitment to do all we do. Sometimes we are the parent, sometimes we are the child; sometimes we teach, sometimes we learn. Sometimes we can be gentle, kind, and understanding, as well as forgiving; other times, we have to be firm and direct and set the consequences for behaviors. “Tough love” is not an easy role for many of us. Above all, we set the expectations and go about the business of putting a structure in place for the inevitable growth and development that is just a constant part of life.

The same holds true here at school.

We take great joy in the accomplishments of our students, faculty, and staff, and stand with pride when we watch “our children” engaged in their various activities. But we also know that there are times when we need to be firm and hold to our basic principles and procedures. Our teachers and staff members have multiple responsibilities and roles—teaching their students new and challenging subjects, coaching our student athletes, and being there when people are upset and need help or support. As in our own homes, there are surprises—sudden, unexpected events—as well as planned out, highly anticipated occurrences.

All in all, it is exciting, powerfully emotional, and ever so rewarding.

It’s been wonderful to watch our School Family in action this year. From the introduction of new programs like the Classics Department and Mandarin Chinese, we have seen important aspects of our educational program grow and develop. The teaching of Greek mythology, etymolog y, and Roman history have been launched with huge success. The students in the Mandarin Chinese program seem to be thriving in their new language and look forward to the next level (see story on page 10).

Art schools and institutes are now coming to campus to interview our students and review their portfolios, which speaks volumes about their level of accomplishment. And we have watched two new Division Directors, Barry Davis and Brian Lamont, join Sheena Hall in providing terrific leadership for our faculty, our students, and our parents.

The success of the athletic teams in the fall culminated in four Conference Championships, two State Titles, two coaches being named “Coach of the Year” in their sports, and two athletes being named “Players of the Year.”

The sense of spirit, pride, and excitement that has been felt across both campuses makes our family quite happy and proud. The leadership, the sense of honor, and the character that has emanated from our Senior Class has provided a foundation for a most positive and productive year.

This year, as our nation and the world have struggled with frightening conflicts, depressing economic conditions, and looming threats, we have simultaneously seen an enormous outpouring of faith and hope in the smooth transition of government following President Obama’s election. Here at Flint Hill, we have been able to continue to go about the business that matters to our School Family—working with our students, our faculty, and our staff to help prepare this generation of leaders for

their future. As you look through this issue of the magazine, I hope you’ll take pride in all that is going on that is positive and right during this very critical time in our children’s lives, understanding that each activity takes enormous time, effort, thought, and care.

The flags that are flying at the entrances to both campuses remind us of our four values of respect, responsibility, honesty, and compassion. But we just don’t talk about them; we work to exemplify them on a daily basis.

As our School Family goes about the business of developing confidence and competence, we must be active participants in the process. Please join us as a supporter and an advocate for our School Family. We are here for you and are always available to help as our “Family” grows up.

Sincerely,

John M. Thomas Headmaster

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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A New Look

for Flint Hill School

} Over the past year, you may have noticed a few changes to the Flint Hill

While Flint Hill School will continue to evolve, we want to develop a consistency in the look of all materials associated with the School.

Features that display our new look: • Our website • Our weekly all-school electronic newsletter • FHS School promotional materials

School “look,” and may wonder why this is happening. There are a couple of reasons: • The launch of our new website in the summer of 2007 was a great opportunity for us to freshen up our appearance, including replacing the old FHS “crest” with a more updated logo that is now appearing on our print and electronic materials.

• While Flint Hill School will continue to evolve, we want to develop a consistency in the look of all materials associated with the School. The new design is one that works well across all three Divisions and all constituencies. We believe it reflects the excitement and energy of the “Driving Spirit.”

Our new “Husky” image, designed to appeal to students at all Grade levels, has replaced the old one, which was never “officially” licensed to the School and is actually a graphic used by a nationwide organization with no connection to Flint Hill! The new image was introduced last winter and made its debut in sunglasses as part of our “Summer on the Hill” program. The old “Husky” logo—a future collector’s item?—will eventually—and with lots of time for families to prepare—be phased out of use on both our school and athletic uniforms as well as on materials currently on sale in our Bookstore.

(Please note, we will ‘grandfather’ the ‘classic’ designed school uniforms so that hand-me-downs can continue until they are worn out) Our Husky “paw” now includes toenails, thanks in large measure to the prodding of long-time faculty member Fred Atwood, who raised our awareness to the world of actual Husky dogs.

Other features that display our new look: • A website created specifically for alumni that now has its own graphic identity.

• A weekly all-school electronic newsletter that tries to provide current information and photographs so that families can stay ahead of the curve about what’s going on around campus.

SC HOOL

• School promotional materials such as Annual Fund appeals, Parent Discussion Series fliers, invitations to special events, business cards, and all of our school stationery.

There’s more to come, and we hope you enjoy being part of our “new” history!

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

Taking Responsibility: Fourth Graders Making a Difference

LEARNING at FLINT HILL

Taking Responsibility

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In the summer of 2002, Rob Taylor and Sheena Hall were both Fourth Grade homeroom teachers interested in expanding the program’s offerings for their students.

They attended a week-long workshop and training session led by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and spent time on the Rappahannock River and then on Little Fox Island learning about the diversity and ecosystems of the Bay. That workshop eventually led to the decision to make the study of the Bay the central theme of the Fourth Grade experience for Flint Hill students.

Fossil hunting on the Shores of the Bay

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For me, the wonderful thing about their study of the Chesapeake Bay is how the students can make hands-on connections... wading in the Bay itself, studying its aquatic life, cleaning up local streams in the Bay’s watershed, and now our first-ever attempt to grow shad in the classroom and put them into the Potomac River.

It is a powerful lesson in acquiring knowledge with responsibility.

”

— Rob Taylor, Fourth Grade Teacher

The process was influenced by the fact that there were so many connections to be made. Social Studies classes could look at the history and geography of Virginia, which included the Bay. In Science, students could take field trips and conduct hands-on projects to learn how local practices could have an impact on the health of the Bay. One such trip was a visit to Flag Ponds to work with Rangers doing pond dipping, seining, learning about macro invertebrates, and finding fossils that dated back to the Miocene epoch, between 5 and 23 million years ago. Students could conduct research about recycling practices right on their own campus and complete surveys about a local stream. In their English classes, students could study Shakespeare, since a lot of his work was written in the time of King James, after whom Jamestown is named. They could also read books about children who lived on the Bay. The program evolved even further, with a focus on “close to home” issues that students could do something about on a local level.

“We wanted to have the children pay attention to their own neighborhoods,” says Mrs. Hall, who is now the Director of the Lower School. “So we focused on what we could do locally about global issues, and empowered the students to understand that it’s important to do something, no matter how big the problem may seem.” Their engagement and involvement spread to a variety of activities, from volunteering at the Second Hand Rose store, which deals in re-usable clothing; to participating in the Potomac Watershed Clean-Up Day; and discussions with Dennis Giuliani, the School’s Director of Facilities, about monitoring conservation and recycling efforts here at school.

This year, brand-new Science teacher Jessie McKinney is able to take the program to yet another level. Mrs. McKinney traces her

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

interest in the Chesapeake Bay back at least as far as 1996, when, as a student at Langley High School in McLean, she did an internship with the Interstate Commission of the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB).

Later, at the College of William and Mary, she helped produce a documentary on sustainability and watersheds, and in the process, found out that the Mattaponi Indian tribe maintains one of the largest shad hatcheries on the East Coast. (By coincidence, a group of Mattaponi Indians visits the Lower School campus each year as part of a Field Studies course.) This fall, the Fourth Grade Team and the Science Department learned the School had been awarded a grant from Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region in connection with their Shad Restoration Program for the Chesapeake Bay. The award comes as reports about the welfare of the Bay are sounding ever more dire. During the school’s winter break, The Washington Post ran a front-page, two-part series on 25 years of work to rescue the Bay, which stated that cleanup reports of the last decade were “overly optimistic,” and that the Chesapeake Bay Foundation would ask the Environmental Protection Agency for stricter enforcement of the Clean Water Act. For Flint Hill’s students, the information adds a sense of urgency to their science curriculum, as they explore some of the Bay’s problems and try to come up with possible solutions. They began close to home in September with a two-month unit that helped them understand the storm drains on the East Campus. Those drains, they learned, eventually flow to the Bay that is North America’s largest estuary— where the river’s current meets the sea’s tide. “Even on this campus,” says Mrs. McKinney, “people were using the drains as trash cans, completely unaware of the damage being caused.”

Not any more. The students got to work and painted signs on each drain that read, “Don’t Dump - Chesapeake Bay Drainage.”

(The most coveted painting assignment— the drain closest to Headmaster John Thomas’ home—was given to students in Lori Emerick and Sandy Parker’s class. “When they found out they got that honor,” says Mrs. McKinney, “it was like Christmas!”) The serious message left behind, however, will serve as a reminder

to the Flint Hill community for years to come—that nothing but rainwater should enter the storm drains. Many students have now begun asking their parents to help them get permission for the stenciled signs to be put on the drains in their own neighborhoods.

Their outdoor work attracted the attention of other classes, particularly the JK and Kindergarten students, many of whom came up to ask, “What does this sign mean?” It was decided that the Fourth Graders would mentor their younger friends during the project, helping them understand the significance of their work. “When they have to teach someone else,” says Mrs. McKinney, “it helps them really understand the concepts, and they take ownership of it.”

In March, Fourth Grade teachers will travel to Maryland to learn about shad fish restoration from Living Classrooms, since shad are a critical part of the Chesapeake Bay food web, helping to filter and clean the water. As pollution levels rise, the shad population declines.

The teachers plan to bring their information back to their students who, as part of the Living Classrooms grant requirements, will undertake a one-month project to raise shad in their classrooms and later release them into the Bay. To support their efforts, Flint Hill School is matching the grant’s funding.

“The students will be an integral part of the entire process,” says Mrs. McKinney.

First, they will assemble a shad tank approximately six feet tall in their science classroom. Next comes a trip to the Potomac River to collect the eggs. Louis Harley, the last commercial waterman in Fairfax County, VA; and Jim Cummins, Director of Living Resources with the ICPRB, will accompany the students on this part of their journey. They will bring the gathered eggs back to school, place them in the tank, and watch over them for about a month. Their JK and Kindergarten buddies will be invited in to ask questions and learn how the project is progressing.

The students will also be responsible for documenting all aspects of the project, keeping track of the number of fish that are eventually hatched, taking pictures, and chronicling the cleaning, feeding, and growth progress.

Once the shad reach the recommended size, the students will release their “fry hatch” at Virginia’s Great Falls National Park. They hope this new generation of shad will start cleaning up the Potomac, and eventually make their way downstream to the Chesapeake Bay. They hope the shad will make a difference.

“For me, the wonderful thing about their study of the Chesapeake Bay is how the students can make hands-on connections,” says Mr. Taylor, who is now the Fourth Grade Team Leader. “This ranges from wading in the Bay itself, to studying its aquatic life, cleaning up local streams in the Bay’s watershed, and now our first-ever attempt to grow shad in the classroom and put them into the Potomac River. It is a powerful lesson in acquiring knowledge with responsibility.”

“Responsibility” was definitely on the minds of the students. Joey Lindsay felt that it was “a big responsibility to raise these creatures, because we really can’t make one mistake.” Shayan Najam agrees that the experience will teach the students “to be responsible.”

Many, however, were just filled with exuberance and awe; several used the word “cool” when describing the experience.

“I was so excited to hear I was raising shad from eggs to almost full size!” says Bridget Kennedy. “I am so lucky to have this experience.” D avid Ross says he feels it’s a “great opportunity for me and all of my classmates…and I love raising fish!”

Alexa Rebibo says she’s “looking forward to raising the shad, watching them grow, then letting then go in the Potomac.” Kiley Kettle explains, “We are not only learning about these fish, but we are helping them!” And Caroline Caraci adds, “I really think we will increase the population. In my heart I have confidence.” And, says Lena Cohen, “we are helping the planet!”

What’s next? “At the end of this unit,” says Mrs. McKinney, “we’ll talk about what more we can do, such as pick up trash, or put in plants to help with the absorption of pollution. It will be perfect, because the kids really are all about action.”

Not surprisingly, Mrs. McKinney cites a favorite quote from anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.”

(A) Catherine Copeland, Kiley Kettle, and Bridget Kennedy work on their “Save the Bay” posters (B) A team photo as students complete one of their campus signs

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B Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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LEARNING at FLINT HILL

Taking Responsibility

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FHS

Students Shine While Showing their “Driving Spirit”

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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Knowing that ‘‘I have helped

make someone’s day just a little bit better gives me a great sense of fulfillment.

’’

— Ariana Moledina ’09

A. Fifth Graders spent a morning making hats for Glories Happy Hats, a non-profit organization that works to provide peer support for hospitalized children. The FHS students viewed a video and read a book about the project before getting down to the business of hat making. Many parent volunteers came to help the students complete their tasks, and the result was dozens of hats that will be put to good use by children facing challenging illnesses. ..............................

B. Several members of the FHS com-

munity were among thousands who participated in the three-day, 60-mile Susan G. Komen Walk for Breast Cancer Research in early October. Congratulations to Nina Melisi ’09, her mother, Debra Melisi, Jane Morris ’08, and faculty member Lori Emerick, who undertook this challenge and helped raise both awareness and funds for such a good cause. ..............................

C. Three FHS Seniors and faculty

member Vandna Gill spent a morning volunteering at Washington, D.C.’s Miriam’s Kitchen, an organization that, since 1983, has served breakfast every weekday morning to homeless people.

Robert Spencer-Redding was one of the volunteers. “The people were friendly, and actually seeing the homeless people and giving them food was much more satisfying than donating money to a charity,” he says. “You could actually see the smiles on people’s faces when you gave them food.” Mandy Firestone adds, “I loved it! It was really great, and I want to do it again. I got to see a part of society I had never really seen before. I liked preparing all the breakfast food, but serving it was the best because I could interact with the homeless people.” Ariana Moledina valued the experience because “not only am I able to help people out, but I can also see the results of my help. Preparing the food really pays off when you can serve people breakfast and see how happy and grateful they are to have a meal, which is something we often take for granted.

Knowing that I have helped make someone’s day just a little bit better gives me a great sense of fulfillment.”

D. Fourth Graders continue their commitment to helping in their community this year. In early October, 25 classmates gave up their Saturday to volunteer at the “Fall for Fairfax” festival. They ran the recycling booth, and over the course of the day managed to recycle over 1,000 bottles and cans. The organizers of the recycling part of the event paid them a visit and commended them on their enthusiasm and hard work. “In fact,” says faculty member Rob Taylor, who accompanied the students, “some of our more intrepid students were to be found diving into trash cans to retrieve the recyclables wrongly placed there!” And even larger numbers, 32 to be exact, helped out at a local thrift store in early December. ..............................

G. After completing a year of intense practical and classroom training, Senior David Shaw received his official yellow helmet from the Loudoun County Department of Fire-Rescue and Emergency on February 17.

Congratulations to David; he is now Firefighter Shaw! contnued on p. 8

E. FHS Freshman Rick Armstrong is

featured in an online series of videos produced by Discovery Health that focuses on teens and young adults living with Type 1 Diabetes. The video, viewable at http://juvenation.org/media/, shows Rick at school, practicing and playing with other members of his JV Football team, and talking about the challenges and stresses of coping with the disease, which affects every aspect of his life.

Rick was diagnosed with diabetes at age 7, and makes it clear through his words and actions that he faces each day with determination and good humor. ..............................

F. Senior Marci Andress, an accomplished figure skater on the junior level, was part of a figure skating exhibition that raised over $20,000 to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The exhibition was held in Connecticut last April and included top skaters from six states, including men’s figure skating champion and event organizer Parker Pennington, whose father suffers from the disease. Marci also performed in the Fort Dupont Ice Arena’s annual “Holiday Magic On Ice” show, to benefit the organization’s “Kids On Ice” program, which provides free figure skating, hockey, and speed skating lessons to economically disadvantaged children.

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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LEARNING at FLINT HILL

Taking Responsibility

Contnued from p. 7 H. Twelve members of the Class of 2009

were recognized by the National Merit Program for their scores on last year’s PSAT Testing. Congratulations to Kobi Acquay and Dashell Laryea, who were both named “Outstanding Participant” in the National Achievement Scholarship Program, an academic competition that recognizes outstanding Black American high school students. Congratulations, as well, to Brian Randolph, who was named a National Merit Semifinalist; and to Commended Students Evan Anderson, Katy Dimon, Chris Herlihy, Mary Johnston, Reese Moore, Morgan O’Grady, Collin Sibley, Daniel Spalter, and Julian Wills. ...................................

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I/J. At the Virginia Junior Classical Latin

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Convention, held last November, Flint Hill won a remarkable total of 182 awards, including three “Best In Show” prizes.

Seniors Collin Sibley and Chase Camuzzi took the honors for Derivatives and Storytelling, respectively; while Eighth Grader Patrick Sanguineti captured first place in Latin Oratory. In all, FHS students captured 24 First Place awards; 80 Second - Fifth Place awards; and 78 Sixth -Tenth Place awards. Flint Hill’s Classics Club Scrapbook came in Second in the State, losing out only to Midlothian High School, a very large public school in Richmond. ...................................

K. Last September, the staff of the 2007-

2008 Iditarod learned that the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) gave “Stories From the Hill” a Silver Medalist ranking. The publication has been acknowledged by CSPA five times since 2001, when it was named a Gold Medalist and Silver Crown winner. In both 2002 and 2003, the yearbook was a Silver Medalist; in 2005, it won a Bronze Medal. The staff included several members of the Class of 2008: Jeff Zeberlein,

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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Federico Cohen-Freue, Stephanie Phillips, Danielle Dutta, Hena Naghmi, Erik Fredericksen, and Matthew Boryczka: as well current Seniors Kristina Burger, Katy Dimon, Logan Frederick, Hershey Raheja, and Tracy Yeager; Juniors Stephanie Brownley, Sara Bruhns, Carolina Cohen-Freue, and Lauren MacGuidwin; and Sophomores Ratna Gill and Julia Sigal; along with faculty members Ellen Turner, Laura Gazda, Ashley Kappler, and Margo Isabel.

As a new Freshman in September

2007, Erin Vaughn sought out Upper School Learning Specialist Stephanie Hulke, whose background is in special education, and asked for her help. She wanted to start a program at Flint Hill that would be similar to “Best Buddies,” a national effort to help students with special needs and/or intellectual disabilities. Erin’s sister Kaitlyn, now a freshman at St. Joseph University majoring in Special Education, was involved in the program at her own high school and often brought her “Buddy” home with her.

Through that experience, Erin says she began to understand and appreciate the joy that comes from this kind of work.

After lots of discussion, and conversations with administrators at area schools, they decided to get Flint Hill’s version up and running during the fall of 2008. The result is “Flint Hill Friends,” a program that takes Upper School students to nearby Lanier Middle School every Thursday afternoon to work with students who are in Fairfax County’s special needs/ intellectual disabilities program. In advance of these gatherings, Erin and Mrs. Hulke work closely with Margaret Gamble, a Lanier classroom teacher, to plan activities to share with their group.

“Mrs. Gamble is very grateful for our program,” says Mrs. Hulke, “and on a regular basis tells us how much her students enjoy our visit and cannot wait until the next Thursday for us to come.

The parents of these students are also happy that their kids are participating in an after-school activity, just like other students at Lanier. “

Things got off to a great start on the group’s first outing in December, when the students made holiday cards together. At first, says Erin, “the FHS kids were nervous and didn’t know how to interact—but that all changed once they got a chance to hang out and see how similar we all are. It became more personal. Now it’s fun and really cool to see everyone so relaxed around each other.”

Sophomore Julia Sigal recalls walking into the room that first day and introducing herself. “After we sat down and began making cards, instantly we were all laughing and having a great time. It was so much fun.” She says she considers “Flint Hill Friends” a great chance “to expand myself and my experiences—to work with kids with disabilities while learning more about myself.”

Lauren Police, also a Sophomore, says that the program means a lot to her “because I like helping other people—especially ones in need— and feel great doing it. The kids were so nice and they really enjoyed doing the craft we brought and talking to us.

And we enjoyed working with them.

It’s is a great program and the positive feelings that you get from it are beyond describing.”

“It is a blessing,”says Sophomore Joey Corso, “to have the opportunity to put a smile on children’s faces who are less fortunate.” During his first visit, “I met some awesome kids…we helped them make some holiday cards and played lots of fun games, reminding me of my earlier years.

It is a wonderful experience that everyone should try. Bringing a smile to a child’s face is one of the best feelings, and every time I leave I’m always happy.”

During their second visit, the FHS students entertained their new friends with a dance party, and the Lanier students selected their favorite songs from Julia’s iPod list that she had created for the event. Volunteer Nikki Dutta ’12 says she’d never done anything like this before, “so it was different and a little scary at first. But once I got use to the kids, it was easy and great.”

“FRIENDS” is all in the FHS Family

In the near future, says Erin, Flint Hill students will also begin to work in Lanier’s after-school tutoring program.

Depending on the number of volunteers available, half will stay with the special needs students and half will go to work with students who have had difficulty passing the math “Standards of Learning” test. Not everyone can come every week, mostly because of athletics and/or team practices. But the numbers are growing and Erin is optimistic about the program’s future.

“I love working with the kids,” she says, “because it gives me a better appreciation for the little things I can do that I take for granted. I get a chance to help others and learn a lot in return.”

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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LEARNING at FLINT HILL

Training Global Leaders

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Typically when students think about taking a foreign language in school, the choices that immediately spring to mind are the time-honored ones: French, Spanish, Latin, and, on occasion, Greek. But in the last ten years, placing

global political arena,” says Mrs. Ball, “Mandarin Chinese clearly seemed a good choice.”

Additional research and further conversations within the FHS community and beyond led to the decision to get the program under way.

Mandarin PROGRAM BECOMES A REALITY Chinese programs in U.S. classrooms has taken on a new urgency. By 2006, more than 1.3 billion people worldwide were speaking Chinese, and about 885 million of those people speak Mandarin, China’s official language and dominant dialect. That number has certainly grown in the past few years.

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B (A) Middle Schooler’s celebrate Chinese New Year with in-class treats!

(B) Upper Schoolers ponder the nuances of Mandarin

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At Flint Hill, the process of putting a Chinese language program in place has been in the works for a while. Two years ago, when Director of Studies Vicki Ball attended a Harvard Graduate School seminar that emphasized the need for educating global leaders, she realized that Flint Hill School’s curriculum already met some of the goals for “internationalizing” its program by encouraging students to become proficient in a foreign language.

Opportunities to study and experience other cultures were plentiful; but the program lacked access to “critical languages” such as Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, or Arabic.

“Given China’s dominance in the global market and in the

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

Relatively few students across the country are studying Mandarin, but the number is steadily rising. At Flint Hill, the initial plan was to begin with Upper School students; however, so many expressed an interest in beginning the program in the Seventh Grade that it was ultimately included in the Middle School’s curriculum. “By starting the program in the Middle School, we can provide students with the opportunity to progress to the AP level in the Upper School,” says Modern Language Department Chair Jill Moore, “which is equivalent to a fourth semester college level course.”

While Chinese is very different from the romance languages of French and Spanish, the new program focuses on the same skill sets: communication; cultural knowledge; connections to expand knowledge in other areas; comparisons to develop insight into the nature of language; and community, which encourages students to use the language for purposes beyond the classroom.

Knowing that authenticity and enthusiasm for the subject were “essential components to a successful classroom experience,” says Mrs. Moore, the School was fortunate to find Jing Fox, a Beijing native, who had been teaching Chinese for six years. Ms. Fox received a B.A. in English Language and Literature from Liaoning University, and an M.A. in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from the University of Iowa in 2006.

“The students enjoy her lively style, which engages them in learning a language that is considered quite difficult for Westerners,” says Mrs. Moore. “There are flashcards and visuals, Powerpoint presentations, and many creative methods to help the students put together sentences.

This year she is teaching and writing curriculum; she also prepares audio clips for them to practice so they can assimilate the sounds of the language. The topics generally are centered on the student’s personal and family life, the school da y, and leisure activities.”

The Middle and Upper School courses are designed in different ways. The nine currently enrolled Seventh Graders will cover all the requirements of first year Chinese during their Seventh and Eighth Grade years. Fourteen Upper School students are taking the class and will cover the Level 1 program during this current school year. In each subsequent year, one level will be added until, eventually, interested students will be able to take the AP Chinese Language course.

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“I have two groups of wonderful kids, and each class presents different challenges,” says Ms. Fox. In the Middle School, five students have taken at least two years of Chinese in other venues, while four are complete beginners. The class is learning the phonetic system, and covering topics such as greetings, nationality, names, family, birthdays, hobbies, and food.

“They are learning to speak, read, listen, and write at the same time—we’re trying to develop all four skills in a balanced way.”

In the Upper School, the conversations are student-centered and involve talking about their hometown, their favorite hobbies, sports, shopping, and visiting friends. They learn to express themselves in betterstructured and more complex sentences and sentence groups.

Korean students comprise half this class, and many have been in the U.S. just a short period of time. “This means that learning the Chinese characters comes a bit more easily for them,” says Ms. Fox. “Adjusting the overall pace of the class to allow for all levels of speaking, listening, grammar, and writing skills can be challenging!”

The students concur that mastering the complexities of a non-traditional language, including Chinese characters and tones, can be a bit daunting. “Each character is made up of other tiny characters,” notes Freshman Shawn Foster. The hardest part for Freshman Elise MacGuidwin is “the pronunciation...and remembering everything!” For Seventh Grader Jackson Neagli,

Mandarin teacher Jing Fox works with her Upper School students

it’s “learning to use all four tones in a conversation. I lived in Hong Kong, so I’ve been exposed, but it’s still a challenge.” Seventh Grader Micaela Cohen-Freue discovered that “depending on how you say a word— the tones—it has different meanings.”

a lot more accomplished… like if I wanted to obtain an International Business degree.”

Ms. Fox is excited to see the progress the students are making after just one semester. Students are encouraged to help each other and to be creative by making their own

most difficult part is to how to motivate and encourage students to keep working hard on learning Chinese. Especially for young learners, they may study the language because their parents asked them to or they think it is cool; but they may not realize in the begin-

Relatively few students across the country are studying Mandarin, but the number is steadily rising. At Flint Hill, the initial plan was to begin with Upper School students; however, so many expressed an interest in beginning the program... it was ultimately included in the Middle School’s curriculum.

But students in all grade levels seem aware that the rewards will be well worth the hard work, and many see visiting the country as a likely future prospect. “There are over a billion people in China, and I could communicate with them!” says Sophomore Myles McGinley. Seventh Grader Basil Nkenchor is planning ahead... seriously. His reason for taking the course?

“It could help me with being

sentences, if they are able, so as to consolidate what they’ve learned. To accommodate different learning styles, Ms. Fox says she always presents new words and patterns both in pictures and in written form, and tries to involve body language. “The most fun part will be to see students making progress, be able to talk about more and more things in Chinese or even have Chinese as a part of their life. The

ning how much time and effort it takes to succeed.”

Students seem to believe that the hard work is worth it—they are surprised by what they’ve accomplished and excited to see what will come next. To get there, says Basil Nkenchor, “you must be willing to go far and beyond with this class.” It appears that’s just where the program is headed.

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LEARNING at FLINT HILL

Training Global Leaders

P

Participants at the three-day People of Color Conference, held this year in New Orleans from December 5-7, came from all across the country to hear and talk about diversity in some areas that really matter to them—including leadership, community, and relationships—in a engaging and supportive atmosphere of teaching and learning.

Three FHS students—Senior Nadia Harden and Juniors Kenneson Chen and Alie Filler, were accompanied by their chaperones, Latin teacher Howard Chang and History teacher Doug MacLeod. Lower School Social Studies Department Coordinator and Kindergarten teacher Timika Tyson also attended as part of a professional development opportunity.

group learned ‘‘key...mydifferences Conference participants (l-r) Naddia Harden, Alie Filler, Kenneson Chen and Doug MacLeod

Students, Faculty Celebrate Diversity in

New Orleans

between ‘hearing’ what someone has to say and truly ‘listening’ to the message they are trying to send.

— Alie Filler ’10

’’

Academy Award-winning actor Sidney Poitier, who is also known for his work with civil rights and humanitarian issues, gave the conference’s keynote address.

“We felt lucky to have heard [him] speak in person,” says Mr. MacLeod. “He ably mixed great experiences with humor and wit. He’s 81 years old and he is still so full of energy!”

There were separate workshops and affinity groups for students and teachers, though they also did activities together.

These included the “fishbowl,” which Alie Filler called “a great give-and-take exercise in which my group learned key differences between ‘hearing’ what someone has to say and truly ‘listening’ to the message they are trying to send.” Alie also enjoyed an “inspirational” performance

by Mayda del Valle, an accomplished

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female slam poet, that was given as part of the Student Conference. “Mrs. del Valle explained her experiences as a young Puerto Rican artist coming of age on the South Side of Chicago in a manner that I think really resonated with her female listeners. During the Q&A portion of her performance, she conveyed the importance of pursuing your true passions in life, regardless of the salary that may follow or any obstacles that stand in your way.”

Kenneson Chen also found himself deeply affected by the students’ “Silent Movement” exercise.

“Everyone gathered in a large space and then advanced toward the center if a given prompt applied or resonated. These prompts ranged from public to private, internal and external, easy and frightening…The entire exercise, being silent, left the queries and insecurities before ourselves alone. Seeing over a thousand youths participate in something so momentous and so honest shook me at my center.”

ences, and learn in a way that would benefit Flint Hill’s current community. Each student seemed to have his or her own individual goals in addition, but they all appeared to be on the same page as far as representing us in a dignified and positive manner.”

It was the second PoCC for Mrs. Tyson, who says she enjoyed “collaborating with professionals who work at other Independent Schools throughout the country.

I was also inspired by the leadership and talent of the students [at the Conference]. My ‘batteries’ got recharged and it served as reminder of why I love teaching in Independent Schools.”

Mr. MacLeod , who attended two workshops with Dr. Steven Jones, a A consultant from San Diego, heard “some great talks about lifting the ‘veil of privilege.’ I also learned a few ways to teach about the slave trade from two teachers who had traveled to Africa. Overall, walking away from the conference, I felt invigorated and energized to work on some diversity issues at Flint Hill—each session showed me different ways that I can improve as a teacher and an adult in an B Independent School.”

Spending time in the European/ Caucasian Female affinity group, says Alie, “opened my eyes to ‘white’ culture in our current American society. I realized that “It was my primary goal,” says being Caucasian doesn’t mean Mr. Chang, “just to serve the I lack family history or am in students who wanted to spend a any way uncultured. A lighter significant portion of their own shade of skin doesn’t translate to time working on diversity initiatives a colorless character.” Kenneson, for the enrichment of the Flint Hill who attended the Mixed Race/ community. I admire people of Biracial/Multicultural Affinity this age having the wherewithal to seek out such an opportunity… group during the second day of the I certainly had no such guidance Conference, found himself moved and mentoring when I grew up by the stories and sentiments of in a small, blue-collar, semi-rural his group. “I had previously conC suburb as one of only a handful sidered myself resolved and at ease (A) Doug MacLeod (l) and Howard Chang arrive in New Orleans; of Asian students in a public high with my racial diversity, yet our (B) Sidney Poitier addresses the Conference; (C) the FHS group school of roughly 1,500. I certainly discourse helped me to acknowlenjoys a few moments together understand my own teaching career edge and appreciate my identity as representing something of a and legacy. It also provided me with departure from my family’s initial expectations for me. I was the knowledge and mentality to cope with the social repercuscurious to see if there were other teachers who shared ‘my sions my identity as a biracial individual may bring about.” story.’ In the end, I left New Orleans having had a positive, “I truly enjoyed traveling to New Orleans with this small but empowering and fairly memorable experience. And I would engaged group of students,” says Howard Chang. “They were love having the opportunity to take more students in serious about the trip and trying to meet people, have experifuture years.”

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TEACHING at FLINT HILL

Following the Vision

A Team Approach Means Students Always Come First

}

‘‘

I’m impressed with how the School focuses on the whole child... and is concerned for each child’s social and emotional well-being in conjunction with his or her academic or athletic success.

A

“To say I was a bit of a troublemaker

when I was a student is putting it mildly,” laughs Flint Hill’s Director of Counseling, Barbara Benoit. But she goes on to say that one of her high school teachers, Barbara Stokes, had a powerful influence on her life and is the reason she is now working in a school.

“I truly would never have gone to college if it were not for Mrs. Stokes.”

Mrs. Benoit graduated from Georgia Southern College before earning her master’s in Social Work at Boston College and going into private practice as a psychotherapist in Massachusetts.

In 1996, when she arrived at Flint Hill, the School’s Counseling Department

The Counselors at work: (A) Barbara Benoit; (B) Rob Stroker; (C) Jenifer Elkus; (D) John Magner; and (E) Sarah Rich

14

’’

— Sarah Rich, US Counselor

B

C

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

was a one-person, part-time position.

As of last fall, it had grown to a 5-member, full-time team comprised of three Doctors of Psychology and 2 Master’s-level Counselors, all highly skilled in the area of child and adolescent development. It is one of the few area schools with such a low studentto-Counselor ratio.

In addition to heading the Department, Mrs. Benoit is also the Lower School Counselor, working with students up through the Fourth Grade. In the Middle School, eight-year veteran John Magner is teamed with Jenifer Elkus who, along with Upper School Counselors Rob Stroker and Sarah Rich are new

D

to Flint Hill this year. “It’s an incredibly professional group,” says Mrs. Benoit, “that is proactive in its support of both the students and the faculty. I’m so proud of them.”

“I’m impressed with how the School focuses on the whole child,” says Dr. Rich, “and is concerned for each child’s social and emotional well-being in conjunction with his or her academic or athletic success.” Dr. Elkus adds that she appreciates the team aspect of working with children in a school. “I believe that, to best assist kids who are going through a challenging period or who require ongoing support, it’s vital that counselors, teachers, and parents work together.”

E

Toward that end, the School’s Counselors are directly responsible for the development and implementation of the Wellness and Life Skills curriculum, which is designed to teach students strategies and develop skills for dealing with the social and emotional aspects of their lives. They also design and coordinate a very proactive parent education program, selecting timely topics to assist parents in how to best support and educate their own children in what can be confusing and complex times.

One such program is the Seminar Series that began in January and continues through May. Jointly sponsored

by Flint Hill; Educational Connections, Inc.; and In Step; the series opened with a discussion on internet safety led by nationally recognized expert Katie Koestner. Other topics include homework stress, managing anxiety, proactive parenting, social success, discussing sex and relationships, and issues surrounding children’s medication.

“Flint Hill is well known by local educational and psychological businesses for our commitment to educating the whole child,” says Mrs. Benoit. “We are seen as being at the forefront of today’s child and adolescent issues and providing student services to meet those needs.

So we were approached by Educational Connections and In Step to partner in offering this program to the local community that we all serve. We wanted to host the series here at FHS so that we could continue to offer the best education opportunities at no cost to our parents.”

There’s no question that the work is challenging, but the group has found a great joy both in working together as a team and in caring for the students. Their “overwhelmingly positive attitude; the ability to work together seamlessly; and, at times, to laugh,” is what makes Rob Stroker glad to be a part of such a “dedicated and highly

competent” team. “I have found a great fit here,” he says. Dr. Stroker has worked in community mental health organizations and local therapeutic high schools; he has a particular interest in the transition of new students to Flint Hill, and hopes to be a source of support and guidance for them.

“Going through life’s journey is always an adventure—for students and adults alike,” says Headmaster John Thomas.

The FHS Counseling Team (standing, l-r): Sarah Rich, Rob Stroker, “We are so fortunate to have our and Jenifer Elkus; (seated) John Magner and Barbara Benoit amazing Counselors in place to support everyone in so many valuable ways.

Grade, I have been both fascinated Having been a Counselor myself for with the complexity of human behavior so many years, I know how great it is and attracted by the thought of being to have such a caring, competent, and a teacher; so the combination of school committed team that is truly meeting counseling and teaching forms a perfect the needs of our ‘School Family.’ They blend of natural interests around which are simply the best!” to form my life’s vocation. The energy The Counselors are highly visible and and dynamism is so infectious that it available—chatting with students in the keeps me young at heart, and energized, hallways, classrooms, Commons, and and thankful each day that I am a part cafeteria; talking with parents at coffees, of the FHS community. The students sporting events, carpool, and concerts. constantly make me laugh—which, They attend Grade-level meetings; after all, is one of the best things about administrators and faculty consult with being a human being.” them daily and sometimes just stop For Mrs. Benoit, “not a day goes by by to chat, or vent, or look for a little that I have not teared up or laughed out insight. “By being proactive,” says Mr. loud at something a student has said or Magner, “we create an environment where students feel much more safe and done. Kids are totally unpredictable; and helping a student look at and talk comfortable in seeking out a Counselor about a problem with a friend, about when they are really in need.” a frustration with themselves, or about “Each student, each issue, and each day a family issue, is so rewarding.” In the is completely different,” notes Dr. Elkus.

Upper School, Dr. Rich says that “one “I am constantly learning from our stuof the great joys in working with adolesdents and feel grateful for their candor and willingness to share their emotional cents is in helping them to successfully make it through high school and move experiences with me. I am always impressed by their insight and eagerness forward to adulthood.” to learn from even difficult situations in order to grow as individuals.”

“We try to remind everyone about the importance of keeping a sense of humor and lightheartedness in order to maintain our sanity,” says Mr. Magner.

“We’re all complicated, confusing, and unpredictable. Since I was in the Eighth

Mrs. Benoit is proud that students, faculty, and parents now see the Counseling Department as such a valuable support. “I feel truly fortunate that I joined a School that valued the importance of educating the whole child, understood what School Counseling should be, and made it happen.”

Families may contact the Flint Hill Counselors with any comments, questions, or concerns. They are always available for confidential consultation with parents and students.

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B When you make a gift to the Flint Hill School Annual Fund,

you create possibilities, bring ideas to life, and foster learning in our classrooms.

This year you have the chance to double your impact.

The Flint Hill School Board of Trustees has graciously pledged a

challenge gift.

This year, they will match every new and increased gift, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000.

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

Please visit the “Giving� section at www.flinthill.org to make a gift online.

You may mail gifts to 3320 Jermantown Road, Oakton, VA 22124.

Please call our Annual Fund Director at (703) 584-2358 with any questions.

F o l l owi ng t he Vi s i o n :

A South African’s Perspective

} Kenda Melvill-Smith (l) with Lower School Director Sheena Hall and Linda Smith; and (below) talking with Middle School students

Last October, two teachers from South Africa,

experience—the excitement and unified school spirit was tangible; you could almost taste it.” She particularly enjoyed watching the Kindergarteners with their Senior Class buddies as they entered the gymnasium. “It was an emotional experience which brought tears to my eyes—it was very special…My ‘gut feel’ upon entering Flint Hill School was an immediate sense of nurturing friendliness and care.

The children are happy and productive, a busy buzz emanates from every classroom and through the corridors of the school.

One thing in particular stood out in all the schools the women visited, says Mrs. Melvill-Smith, Deputy Head at Beaulieu Preparatory School in Johannesburg. And that was “the independence given to students—even the very youngest— regarding their own learning process. In the U.S., children are encouraged to go further on their own to pursue their interests and then to share that information with their classmates, something that isn’t routinely done in South Africa. I was very impressed by the responsible and meaningful contributions from the pupils in this process.”

“The facilities, particularly those at the Upper School,” Mrs. Melvill-Smith continues, “were spectacular. I was impressed with the library and the art and music facilities, where the design so clearly allowed for the needs and expressions of the individual in the school construct…The facilities far exceed any which we have in South Africa.”

Kenda Melvill-Smith and Linda Smith, members of the Independent Schools Association of South Africa, came to the United States to observe the way differentiated learning is used in some American schools. Their visits to several Independent Schools in Washington, D.C., and in New Yor k City were, they say, a practical and insightful way to better understand these teaching methods, some of which they hope to implement in their South African school system.

Flint Hill School was their first stop for two reasons. First, differentiated learning is a centerpiece in the School’s educational philosophy—it focuses on a teacher’s response to a learner’s needs, and is a collection of best practices to advance the student if the regular classroom approach doesn’t meet students’ needs. Second, Mrs. Melvill-Smith had worked for many years with Sheena Hall, now Flint Hill’s Lower School Director. In 2007, Director of Studies Vicky Ball, Differentiated Learning Department Chair Maureen Sidor, and Mrs. Hall traveled to South Africa and spent time in three different schools conducting workshops on differentiated learning. Their visit was one of the reasons Mrs. Melvill-Smith became interested in the topic and applied for the funding that brought her to the United States.

The visit coincided with Homecoming Weekend, which Mrs. Melvill-Smith calls “a wonderful

Mrs. Hall says she was delighted to host the visitors and to be a part of helping with the project. “For children to build competencies, teachers need to have a global perspective. This is why I highly endorse opportunities to collaborate and connect with educators across geographical borders,” she says. “Our excellent teaching practices as well as the outstanding academic and character education programs not only serve our children well but are something to be proud of. I am committed to our School’s Mission and welcome any opportunity to share what we do with others.”

Now that she’s back home, Mrs. Melvill-Smith has begun sharing her experiences with her school’s Junior Preparatory Staff, and is suggesting some new ideas for their teaching programs. Several will sound familiar to FHS Lower School families: more parental support in the classroom; Parent Coffees, to provide information on educational trends and school procedures; the “Handwriting Without Tears” program; and Morning Meeting, which Mrs. Melvill-Smith calls “a delightful, energetic, and positive process…a perfect catalyst to a productive day.”

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CELEBRATING at FLINT HILL

Celebrations

HUSKY PRIDE FOR

HO ME

COMING 2008

Homecoming is always an exciting time to

be on campus, as students and teachers, each in their own way, demonstrated their pride in their School and in their athletic teams.

Each Division also had a chance to show its creative side, and they did not disappoint. In the Lower School, it was “Hat Day”; while Middle Schoolers got to dress up as their favorite fictional character. On the West Campus, “Decade Day” allowed Freshmen to travel back to the 1950s, Sophomores to the 1960s, Juniors to the 1970s, and Seniors to the grand decade of the 1980s. “Husky Pride Day” on Friday was cemented with a pep rally that brought the Seniors together with their Kindergarten buddies. Klondike was, of course, available for plenty of high fives.

A Friday night bonfire set the stage for Saturday morning’s fun and games. The Girls’ Varsity and JV Volleyball earned victories over Episcopal; the Girls’ Varsity Soccer team lost to Georgetown Visitation, while the Boys’ Varsity defeated Christ Church; and the Varsity Football team won its hard-fought match against Maret.

An Alumni Reunion Reception was held in the East Campus’ Miller House. Flint Hill School graduates, their parents, faculty and staff members, and parents of current students were invited to drop by to enjoy each other’s company and catch up with old friends.

Homecoming 2009: Cheering at the pep rally, enjoying the Alumni Reception, and out on the playing fields.

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T h e Mo s t Wo n d e r f u l T i me o f t h e Ye ar

The Husky Holiday Mart!

}

A

On November 15, the West Campus

Commons was once again filled to capacity as crowds of Flint Hill Families, and many neighbors from the surrounding Oakton/Vienna communities, came out to enjoy the annual Husky Holiday Mart, hosted by the Flint Hill Parents’ Association.

Over thirty vendors participated, and many were returning favorites. But there were also some new displays of tables filled with jewelry, stationery, home and gift items, clothing, and food. Many talented Flint Hill parents also brought their own creative crafts, including “Cookies in a Jar,” greeting cards, lovely paperwhite flowers, and poinsettias. The famous Bake Sale showcased the remarkable culinary talents of our Flint Hill community.

FHS students provided musical interludes throughout the day, making sure the shoppers were always in a festive mood!

The event raised over $17,000 this year, thanks to the dedicated group of parent volunteers, particularly Parents’ Association President Sally Hazel.

Their time, talents, and dedication made the Holiday Mart not only a fun day, but also a huge success.

B

C

D

E

F (A) There was lots to buy at the Holiday Mart; (B) Victoria Stanciu was in charge of showing Spike, the Second Grade’s Hedgehog, around the Commons; (C) Heath Newton (l) and Alex Pilloff get creative; (D) Sally Hazel, Jennifer deCamp, and Elise Abt show off some new FHS items; (E) the “official” Husky paw; and (F) Fifth Graders Ella Hamilton (l) and Abby Magner show off the jewelry

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FOUNDER’S DAY CELEBRATION H ON ORS FACULTY, ALUM N I

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

A

C (A) Margaret Yewell and John T. Hazel, Jr., unveil the portrait of James Lynch; (B) Middle Schoolers take a closer look after the ceremony; (C) The Upper School Chorus gets things started with the Star Spangled Banner

B

Two gifts to the School were unveiled: a plaque containing the names of members of the Flint Hill School community who have served in the military... and a portrait of James Lynch, Flint Hill Headmaster from 1967 - 1972.

F

Founder’s Day, which celebrates and honors the School’s history and traditions, was celebrated in the East Campus gym on January 21, and it was a memorable occasion for the Flint Hill students, faculty, staff, and members of the Board of Trustees who were on hand for the occasion.

Two gifts to the School were unveiled. The first, presented

by Board Chairman John T. Hazel, Jr., and Board member John M. Dowd, was a plaque containing the names of members of the Flint Hill School community who have served in the military. It now hangs in the entrance area of the West Campus.

Headmaster John Thomas also announced that the School had been given a portrait of James Lynch, Flint Hill Headmaster from 1967 - 1972. It is a gift from John Hazard, FHS Class of 1971, commissioned in 2007, and done by portrait artist Margaret Yewell of Frederick, Maryland. The portrait is from a photograph of Mr. Lynch taken during his tenure as Headmaster, and it now hangs in the hallway outside of Mr. Thomas’ office.

Ellen Turner ’01, President of the Alumni Association, honored FHS alumni who died in the previous year, a tradition that used to be part of the School’s Homecoming “Sundown” Ceremony. The ceremonial school bell was rung as each name was read.

Founder’s Day is also the time to present the “Driving Spirit Awards,” named in honor of former faculty and staff members Hank Berg and Cathy Campbell. They recognize current members of the Flint Hill School faculty and staff “who have demonstrated ethical leadership, diligent intellectual scholarship, and a commitment to teaching, coaching, and mentoring students.” This year, those honors went to Upper School History teacher Doug MacLeod, Middle School English teacher Tracy Peterson, and Second Grade teacher and Team Leader Laurie Roberts.

Each recipient received a well-deserved standing ovation from the entire school community for their achievement.

In honoring the award recipients, Mr. Thomas quoted from comments by parents, students and colleagues.

For Mrs. Roberts, it was her “unflappable temperament, gentle guidance towards independence, as well as her warm smile and enthusiasm, which provide the right support for young children to view school as a welcoming, fun, and stimulating environment.”

Ms. Peterson was cited as “exemplary in her pursuit of passion in the teaching of English Literature and creative writing. She demonstrates to her students this passion in her everyday love of the subject and desire to instill that passion in them.”

Mr. MacLeod’s “commitment and dedication to Flint Hill School is exemplified through his different roles on campus,” wrote one colleague. “He is an excellent teacher, a great role model. He always has students in his classroom.

It is a comfortable place to hang out and he always makes them feel welcome.”

The event was a moving way to complete the First Semester’s work, and an inspirational start to the last half of the school year.

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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Celebrations

2009

CELEBRATING at FLINT HILL

Concerts, Crafts, and Lots of Basketball for

WINTERFEST

A

After a week of snow and icy weather, the Flint Hill community was ready to come inside for some fun and games, and Winterfest provided the perfect opportunity.

The energy level was high, starting with a Friday afternoon pep rally for Upper School students and teachers in the West Campus gym. A large group of talented percussionists, led by faculty member Greg Holloway, put everyone in a good mood with some welcoming drum solos. Dressed in their Winterfest t-shirts, the crowd enjoyed a student-faculty rap contest, a performance by the Upper School dance team, and the Junior/Senior basketball game, from which the Seniors emerged victorious!

The good spirits carried over into the next da y, as students at all Grade levels came out for games, crafts, face paining, music from the Jazz Band, and energetic performances by the Dance Teams. For Middle Schoolers, the always-popular pie-eating contest was a huge hit, as was the faculty/ student basketball challenge. And for those who wanted more than dessert, the Igloo was bustling with customers eager to enjoy the pizza and chili offerings. For prospective student athletes, there was an opportunity to talk with the FHS coaching staff about becoming a member of one of next year’s teams.

Four basketball games in the gym drew record numbers of fans, all of whom came to show their support and “Driving Spirit,” with plenty of energetic “high fives” from Klondike for good measure. Thanks to everyone who came out, and to the many parent volunteers, particularly Cynthia Dell, Roe Bradford, and Sally Hazel, who made the day so special for everyone.

Parents and Upper School student volunteers helped oversee the fun and games (at left) for Lower and Middle Schoolers, It was a very busy day for music, dancing, arts and crafts, and athletics at Winterfest 2009!

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

FLINT HILL

T

The fall and early winter months were full of opportunities for Flint Hill artists to express their creativity and talent. Both on and off campus, students and faculty members were in the spotlight or working hard behind the scenes to bring art to life. Here is a taste of what’s been going on:

This year’s Major Minor’s Mini-Tour in early November took the school’s a cappella singing group to North Carolina to work and perform with college groups at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University, as well as a

Children’s Chorus in Washington National Opera’s production of “Carmen” at the Kennedy Center in November. The opera was sung in French with English subtitles.

Connor isn’t the first FHS student to appear at the Kennedy Center— last spring, Junior Natalie Berk performed in a production of “Carmen” with the Synetic Theater.

Bravo to both!

Freshman Connor Knutsen made his professional debut as a singer and theatrical performer onstage in the

nized by former FHS dance teachers Melanie Lelande, who is now one of the Artistic Directors of the company and was working on their latest show, “Kooza,” performed at the National Harbor.

The Upper School’s Dessert Theater presented Mary Gallagher’s play, “Dog Eat Dog,” a tale of resourcefulness and resiliency despite trying times and daunting obstacles. The play ran on November 14-15, and featured an outstanding cast of twelve actors and a dedicated production team, all under the direction of Carlo Grossman.

This year, instead of the traditional JK-4 Concert in the gymnasium, three separate, smaller Holiday Concerts in Olson Theater allowed for slightly longer spotlights on each Grade level and for a wider variety of musical offerings. The students performed traditional Christmas and Hanukkah songs as well as Russian Continued on page 27

Opposite page Top: Connor Knutsen ’12 (second from right) in the National Opera’s production of “Carmen” at the Kennedy Center; Bottom, The Major Minors perform at a Capitals’ hockey game

A

Middle School Dance students were invited to attend a performance by Cirque de Soleil and then take a backstage tour. The outing was orga-

Three separate, smaller Lower School Holiday Concerts allowed for longer spotlights on each Grade level. stop at Fredericksburg Academy and the SoJam Festival. Two of the group’s Senior members, soprano Maggie Robertson and tenor Dashell Laryea, were later chosen for the Virginia Music Educator’s Association Honor Choir, and performed during the VMEA’s November 22 convention at the Homestead Resort. The group presented its winter concert on December 8; and on December 12, they had the high honor of singing both the American and Canadian National Anthems at the D.C .

Capitals’ hockey game at the Verizon Center Arena for the game against the Ottawa Senators. This was their first performance at a professional hockey game; they had previously sung the National Anthem at a Baltimore Orioles’ baseball game.

Arts

B

C

D

E (A) Daniel Koh ’09, Sam Miller ’11, and Andrew Azzam ’11; (B) Sarah Norton ’20, (C) US student artwork on display; (D) Xavier Drew ’18 and Joseph Chang ’17; (E) Joey Griffith ’13 on percussion

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A

B

D

E

C (A) Kay Mooney ’10 and Mandy Firestone ’09 on their toes; (B) Olivia Arey ’10 at the drawing board; (C) Third Graders Grace Tiedge and Erin McCoubrey in concert; (D) soloist Austin Jones ’18; (E) Christie Fellows ’09 out in front of the Chorus

THE ARTS The Upper School’s Dessert Theater presented a tale of resourcefulness and resiliency despite trying times and daunting obstacles.

The Cast of the Fall production of “Dog Eat Dog”

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

Continued from page 25 and Jewish folk songs, French and Spanish carols, an American spiritual, and an interlude from “The Nutcracker.” Many songs featured students playing bells and recorders—there was even a violin accompaniment, thanks to willing Fourth Grader Austin Jones. Faculty members Alecia Cardell and Jason Day guided the children through their music. In the Upper School, the Chorus dressed in their holiday best and, directed by Kay Maddox, performed traditional and seasonal songs in a variety of styles that showed off the versatility of the group.

The Upper School’s Instrumental Concert and Dance Performance in mid-December was a showstopper.

Students in the Percussion Ensemble, the Orchestra, the Symphonic Band, and the Jazz Band offered a wide-ranging selection of music, ranging from Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” and Prokofiev’s “Troika,” to Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Procession of the Nobles,” and Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon.” In between, students in Upper School Dance classes performed selections from “The Nutcracker Suite,” (below) sometimes dressed as Sugar Plum Fairies, other times twirling giant hoops. In January, it was the Middle School Percussion, Band, and Orchestra members’ turn to take center stage in Olson Theater, and it was standing room only as each group’s talent was showcased.

Upper School Art teacher Carol Barsha exhibited some of her recent work (below) at Gallery Neptune in Bethesda, MD, in January. The show consisted of the artist’s paintings and drawings and was accompanied by a catalog survey of ten years of her work, the most recent of which was inspired by the elegance and patterns in birds’ nests.

Eighth Grader Patrick Sanguineti (above) was chosen for All-District Honor Band in District 12. Out of approximately 100 Seventh and Eighth graders, Patrick came in third (third chair) and was two points away from being placed first in the District. He is the first student in Flint Hill’s history to be chosen for All-District Honor Band in Middle School! Patrick rehearsed and performed on February 5-7 at Chantilly High School.

Senior Christie Fellows was named to the American Choral Director’s Association Honor Choir. She was chosen from students around the nation to participate in this group, which will perform at the ACDA National Convention in Oklahoma City, OK between March 5-7, 2009.

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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{

F H S Pa r e n t s

On Serve at Annual Tennis Mixer The FHS Parents’ Association served up another successful Tennis Mixer on September 22, 2008 at the West Campus tennis courts. Tennis Mixer Chairs Jennie Bishof, Mary Lee Brendsel, and Betsy Johnston organized a picture-perfect morning of tennis for more than thirty participants. Varsity Tennis Coach Ed Jalinske warmed up with the players and then sent them off to play round-robin doubles. Participants of all skill levels had fun playing together and socializing. The event ended with a delicious lunch catered

by Santini’s. A special thanks to the Chairs for all their hard work behind the scenes and to all those who participated in the mixer! The event raised over $1200 and was a great success!

Join Us for the 18th Annual

Flint Hill Golf Tournament May 13, 2009 at Westfields Golf Club Corporate and Individual Sponsorships Available For more information contact:

Ann McNerney (admcnerney@aol.com) or Carol Johnson (cjohnson296@cox.net)

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Summer ON THE HILL

D a y Camps - Cre a t i v e A r t s - S p o rts - E n ric h m e n t - A c a d e m ic s - Trip s

SC HOOL

Register online at: www..inthill.or g More information at: 703-584-2318 Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

29

FLINT HILL

Sports

Fantastic Fall for

Athletics!

}

SEASON ENDS WITH HIGH HONORS FOR TEAMS, ATHLETES The Fall of 2008 will be one that is remembered by all of the student-athletes, coaches, and teams that represented Flint Hill with their outstanding team and individual accomplishments. It was highlighted by the capturing of four League and Conference Championships, two State Championships, 25 athletes named All-Conference and All-State, two players named to The Washington Post All-Met teams, and two coaches selected as Coach of the Year. Wow! “All our student athletes did a tremendous job representing Flint Hill this fall,” says FHS Athletic Director Steve Henry. “Their achievements and accomplishments symbolize the commitment that everyone has made to the excellence that is not only seen on the courts and fields, but in the classrooms, where our athletes excel and truly define the term ‘student athlete’.”

(A) Quarterback Jovan Smith (No. 3) gets ready to call a play against Liberty Christian, backed up by Elante Moore (No. 1); and Arlandis Harvey (No. 5); (B) Doug Howard ’09 holds the team’s VISAA State Football Division I Runner-Up Trophy

30

The Varsity Boys’ Soccer team, which had made three consecutive State Final Four appearances, saw their young and inexperienced team mature and improve while advancing to the second round of the Virginia State playoffs. The season was highlighted with an exciting Homecoming victory over state rival Christ Church, in which Senior John Stertzer (with Coach Chris Brown, above) scored his 100th goal. John, who has been at FHS since JK, would go on to receive Washington Post First Team All Met honors, as well as being selected to the All-MAC and All-State teams. John will be attending 2009 NCAA Division I soccer Champion’s, the University of

Maryland, on a soccer scholarship this fall. Also contributing to the success of this year’s team was Senior Colin Whittington and Junior Joe Benton, who was selected to the All-MAC team.

This historic season was continued by the Girls’ Varsity Soccer team, which captured the ISL-A Division Championship.

The team was lead by Seniors Julia Fortkort, All-ISL; and Ashley Bazzarone, who will be attending Brigham Young University to play soccer in the fall; and Juniors Kim Tilton and Alie Filler, who were also selected to the All-ISL team. The team’s overall record of 13-4-1 represented the most wins by

Varsity Football Team Wins MAC Competes in State Finals

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009 A

B

any FHS Girls’ Soccer program in Flint Hill’s short history and reflected the tremendous accomplishments achieved by this year’s team.

The Varsity Girls’ Tennis team had a dream season that saw them not only capture the ISL-A Division title, but also win their second consecutive VISAA State Tennis Championship. The team was led

by Sophomore Sonja Meighan, who was named Virginia State Player of the Year, as well as the WJLA TV News Channel 7 Athlete of the Week; and Sophomores Kelsey McGillis and Vanessa Vanderdys, who received All-State and All-ISL honors. The team will miss Seniors Mary Johnston and Ariana Moledina, who have laid down a tremendous foundation with their leadership and commitment.

The dreams became a reality for our Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team, who won their first-ever VISAA Volleyball State Championship as well as the ISL-AA Division Championship. The team ended their season with an overall record of 31-2 record, the most wins in the history of the program, and a perfect 7-0 in League play.

Senior Christie Fellows was named to The Washington Post All-Met team, as well as Continued on page 32 (C) Oscar Ellison ’09 makes a difficult move; (D) Kaveri Bansal ’11 (l) and Mary Johnston ’09 enjoy the game; (E) Davis Rose ’09 sets up; (F)The Girls’ Cross-Country runners take to the road; (G)The Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team shows off their first-ever State Championship trophy;

C

F

G

Girls’Tennis and Volleyball Teams Capture ISL, State Championships

D

E

FLINT HILL

Sports

Fall All-ISL, All-MAC, All-MET, All-State Honors Continued from page 31 the Virginia All-State team, where she was selected Virginia State Volleyball Player of the Year. Christie received a scholarship from Division I Centenary College of Louisiana, where she will play next year.

Also selected to the All-State and ISL teams were Senior Chelsea Overholt and Sophomore Marilyn Peizer. These girls really did epitomize the “dream team,” and eagerly await what the future holds. Head Coach Carrol Anderson Coach Carrol Anderson was also recognized for the outstanding achievements of this year’s team by being named VISAA Volleyball Coach of the Year.

The Golf team had a very youthful and inexperienced group that competed well throughout the MAC Golf season. The team was lead by Senior Mike MacGuidwin, who received All-MAC honors for the second consecutive year and provided positive leadership throughout the season. Senior Davis Rose will also graduate but will always remember his score of 41 that helped contribute to an exciting victory for the team. And Senior Catherine Schlegal will never forget competing in the MAC Tournament. The team looks forward to the 2009 season where they hope to be a force in all the MAC activities.

The Girls’ and Boys’ Cross-Country teams continue the excellence with outstanding performances turned in throughout the season by Lauren Police and Ryan Barbalace. Also contributing to the success of the team was the leadership and dedication of Senior Kyle Cassaday and Junior Cara Peterson. The team has created a tremendous foundation and looks forward to the Fall of 2009, when their dreams and hopes will continue to flourish and blossom.

The Varsity Boys’ Football team returned to the Final Four of the VISAA for the third consecutive year, where they lost a heartbreaking 14-7 game to Collegiate of Richmond in the Finals. Despite the loss, the team has many memories to cherish and will always be remembered for what they have contributed to Flint Hill Football. The team also captured its third consecutive MAC Championship, and Head Coach Michael Coach Michael Wright Wright was named the Sun Gazette Newspaper Coach of the Year. The team had a record nine players named to the All-State Teams: Arlandis Harvey, Doug Howard, Jawuan Lockhart, Elante Moore, Chris Peterson, David Purkert, John Rehberger, Jovan Smith, Jimmy Speros, and Taamu Wuya. The fun continues for Jimmy and Jovan, who will both play football at the University of Richmond while Arlandis will attend James Madison University and Zack Bradford will play at Washington and Jefferson. Although football is only five years old at Flint Hill, the tradition provided by these Seniors will be forever ingrained for future generations to aspire to duplicate.

Yes, the Fall of 2008 was a season filled with excitement, energy, and enthusiasm; but it was also one that the Flint Hill community will cherish and know that dreams do come true and memories will last forever.

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FO OT BAL L

Arlandis Harvey ’09 All-MAC; 1st Team All-State Doug Howard ’09 All-MAC; All-State-Honorable Mention Jawuan Lockhart ’09 Second Team All-State Elante Moore ’09 All-MAC; Honorable Mention All-State Chris Peterson ’09 Second Team All-State, Defensive Back David Purkert ’09 All-MAC; All-State-Honorable Mention John Rehberger ’09 Second Team All-State Jovan Smith ’09 All-MAC; All-State-Honorable Mention Jimmy Speros ’09 All-MAC; 1st Team All-State Taamu Wuya ’09 Second Team All-State Coach Michael Wright Sun Gazette Coach of the Year GO L F

Mike MacGuidwin ’09-All-MAC BOYS’ SO CCER

Joe Benton ’10 All-MAC John Stertzer ’09 All-MAC, 2nd Team

All-State, 1st Team All-MET GI R L S’ SO CCER

Alie Filler ’10 All-ISL Julia Fortkort ’09 All-ISL Kim Tilton ’10 All-ISL, Honorable Mention All-Met GI R L S’ T ENNI S

Kelsey McGillis ’11 All-ISL, All-State Sonja Meighan ’11 All-ISL, All-State, Virginia State Player of the Year Vanessa Vanderdys ’11 All-ISL, All-State VO L L EYBAL L

Christie Fellows ’09 All-ISL, All-State, Virginia State Player of the Year, 1st Team All-MET Chelsea Overholt ’09 All-ISL, All-State, Honorable Mention All-Met Marilyn Peizer ’11 All-ISL, All-State, 2nd Team All-Met Coach Carrol Anderson VISVA Volleyball Coach of the Year

Winter Sports Activities Are Under Way…

}

• The Boys’ Varsity Basketball program has had a tremendous start to their season. They were runner-up in the Championship game of the Fifth Annual Flint Hill Tip-Off Tournament.

The Huskies are currently 18-3, and undefeated (10-0) in the MAC. They are ranked 15th by The Washington Post, and are third in the State of Virginia.

• The Girls’ Varsity Basketball program has also had a very successful season so far.

They won a hard-fought game against rival Paul VI, and were Tournament Champions in Flint Hill’s Annual Tip-Off Tournament.

They are currently 15-10 and 9-4 in the ISL.

FHS players show their “Driving Spirit” (clockwise from top left): Maggie Connealy ’10; Seniors Jeremy Glover (No. 23) and Chris Herlihy; Lauren Copeland ’09; and Jawuan Lockhart ’09

• Flint Hill’s Varsity Swim Team consists of 11 girls and 10 boys. They have started the first half of their season strong, with several individual and relay victories during their dual meets. The Huskies have seven different swimmers who have qualified to compete in 24 different individual events at the Virginia Independent School State Championship meet, scheduled in midFebruary. They also have four different swimmers who have qualified to compete in 14 different individual events at the Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Swimming Championships in late February.

Congratulations to all our athletes on their terrific seasons! Go Huskies!

The 2009 Varsity Swim Team

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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FLINT HILL

Athletics

Vo l l e y b a l l P l aye r s

Reunite with Chinese Friends Last summer, three Flint Hill School students—Senior Christie Fellows and Sophomores Jess Fellows and Taylor Nelson—traveled to Beijing for two weeks to train and play with some of the best coaches and premiere volleyball players in the world. In addition to a rigorous schedule of practices, conditioning exercises, and games, the girls also got to see the sights and enjoy a full measure of Chinese hospitality.

Then in early February, they had the chance to return the favor, as 24 students and three coaches from the Beijing Tianjian Juniors Volleyball Team came to Flint Hill’s West Campus to practice in the gym and attend classes with their old friends, as well as make some new ones. The group was in the area for about 10 days, playing in tournaments and sightseeing.

{

S i x t h G r a d e T ra c k

Fun For Everyone!

This year’s Sixth Grade Track Meet was a very special event for the students, as the Class participated in 50, 100, 200, and 400meter dashes, the 1-mile run, and several varieties of relay races. Out on the field, the students tried their hands at the shot put, discus, hammer, and standing broad jump competitions. It was a great chance, says P.E. Department Chair Larry Little, for the kids to shine in front of their classmates in unexpected ways. To spark some interest in track, and to have the students compete against and cheer for each other. The activity is also a bonding experience, similar to the Fifth Grade’s annual “March Madness.”

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

FLINT HILL

Alumni

Milestones Weddings • Adam Yamamoto ’00 to Megan Wilson, 10/27/07 • Erin Plunkett ’00 to D.J. Talbett, 5/24/08 • Elise Plunkett ’02 to John Mayers, 10/25/08 Births • To Katie and Johnny Groupe ’98, a son, John S. (Jack) Groupe VI, 6/4/08 • To Leonel and Chris Angle Zuniga ’93, a daughter, Ava Leonel, 8/29/08 • To Rachel and Andrew Lee ’98, a son, Jacob Kenneth, 10/24/08

REUnIon YEARS This fall we will be celebrating the graduating Classes of 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, and 2004.

More information and specific details will be coming, but we hope you can be with us to mark these special occasions.

Please note: If you would like to find out more about your reunion or are interested in helping to plan it, please contact Gabrielle Boselovic: gboselovic@flinthill.org If you would like to become a Class Agent and help us gather information on your classmates to appear in this magazine, please contact Gabrielle Boselovic: gboselovic@flinthill.org

And don’t forget to check out our website at: www.flinthill.org

A Call to All Alumni Authors Upper School Librarian Michael Larose welcomes copies of material, in any format, in which FHS alumni have had a major production role. If, for example, you’re a writer, actor, screenwriter, performer, director, or producer of a film or CD, we’d like to preserve and display your work so that current FHS students, faculty, and staff members can enjoy it.

Contact Michael Larose at mlarose@ flinthill.org.

Dear Fellow Alumni, I hope each of you remains well since the last time I wrote you.

The 2008-2009 school year is now halfway through its course, and it has been an exciting year so far! As you may have heard, the fall athletic teams enjoyed great successes, and the winter teams are putting the finishing touches on their own competitive seasons. Students in all Divisions have also been involved in concerts and performances for their peers and parents. A recent highlight for the Upper School was the annual Variety Show on February 6, and Seventh and Eighth Grade thespians are hard at work in preparation for their production of “Much Ado About Nothing.” Additionally, the school community gathered on the East Campus January 21 to celebrate Founder’s Day and reflect on the history of Flint Hill, as we honored previous stewards of the Driving Spirit through speakers and the Sundown Ceremony. The event also provided the opportunity to look to the future of the School, as three current teachers were honored with the Driving Spirit Award (see story, p. 20).

Although a relatively new tradition at Flint Hill, Founder’s Day and its meaning to the overall community is so evocative that I feel the need to elaborate on its significance. Like the All-School Gathering at the beginning of the year, this ceremony brings the entire School together under one roof.

However, while the All-School Gathering focuses on the new school year that is beginning, Founder’s Day reflects on the school years of the past, and how they have shaped the current culture and environment of Flint Hill. As I sat in the audience this year and looked across the gym, I could not help but feel awe when I considered how much the School has changed—moving from housing the entire School in the Miller House to needing two campuses for the student body—and yet remained the same—having the same emphasis on community now as the School had over fifty years ago. Although school colors and mascots change, teachers retire, and students graduate, a school that sticks with its core values and principles will always be recognizable to those who once walked the halls. Although some of you may not have returned to Flint Hill since you graduated, I urge you to visit. Flint Hill belongs to all of us. Come visit with the students and see how much their lives at Flint Hill resemble your life. Volunteer your time to talk about your profession, and be a mentor or inspiration to our students before they go to college.

If you have not done so already, please check out the new Alumni webpage and portal at www.flinthill.org, and make sure you join the official alumni group on Facebook. Please contact Gabrielle Boselovic at gboselovic@ flinthill.org if you need assistance with accessing the website or joining the Facebook group.

The Alumni Council is looking for Class Agents to represent each graduation year on the council. If you are interested in being a Class Agent, or would like to nominate someone, please e-mail Gabrielle Boselovic.

I hope you will contact me with any questions you have about the Alumni Association.

Sincerely, Ellen Turner ’01 eturner@flinthill.org Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

35

Aasiyeh Zarafshar

PROFILE OF A

BUILDER A asiyeh Zarafshar ’06 is studying

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering with a concentration in Interfaces and Nanotechnology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. She is working alongside a graduate student in the Gracias Lab, a chemical andbiom olecular engineering/nanotechnology lab at JHU.

self-assemble from 2-D shapes to 3-D polyhedra. The most common shape that we make is the cube, but right now I am working on making other shapes (tetrahedra, cuboidal-octahedra, icosahedra, etc).

The project I worked on last summer was an in-depth study of which shape folds best into a cube.

“My FHS teachers were inspiring. I learned so much

from them that will stick with me forever…They instilled in me a love of learning, and also helped me build a good work ethic, which is very necessary in college.

”

“As a freshman, I read about the work that Dr. Gracias and the rest of the lab was doing and I thought it was really cool, so I decided to try it out. Undergraduate research is an important part of the Hopkins experience, as this is a research university. A large percentage of students, especially in the Engineering school, participate in some sort of undergraduate research while they are here.

“In addition to this research, I also do a lot of technical illustration for the lab.

It is very important to be able to visually communicate your results for presentations, posters, and papers. Most of the graduate students don’t have much experience with graphic art, so that’s where I come in. I had a background in art from high school, which is unique in a group of hard-core engineers.”

“We are fabricating micro-scale containers...essentially tiny metal boxes.

What makes them unique is that they

At FHS, Aasiyeh says that Ms. [Cianne] Fragione inspired her to continue growing as an artist. “She always told me I was

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

a builder, and sure enough, I find myself in a lab where my research consists of building tiny structures.” She took a series of art, sculpture, drawing, and painting classes from her that had a lasting effect.

“I loved building things (and making huge messes)! Making art provides a creative outlet for me, which I really need. Even now, when I am studying for my Engineering exams, I keep a sketchbook with me to draw in when I need a break.”

Aasiyeh adds that her FHS teachers were inspiring. “I learned so much from them that will stick with me forever…They instilled in me a love of learning, and also helped me build a good work ethic, which

is very necessary in college. I always knew I wanted to study Engineering, but after taking Chemistry with Ms. (Kim) Duncan, who has a Chemical Engineering background herself, I decided that it was what I wanted to study. That Chemistry class, as well as Bio and AP Bio with Mr. [Fred] Atwood, definitely prepared me well for Hopkins.”

Initially Aasiyeh seemed a quiet student, says Mrs. Fragione. “But as I got to know her, I realized she has a great sense of humor. She was hard working, a sculptor at heart…she loved to learn, was curious about life, and made all her deadlines— which for an artist is important. I think of her often and with great memories. She has always been one of my star students.”

Ms. Duncan also remembers her as “a great student—quiet, thoughtful, someone who could see the big picture,” a theme which strikes a familiar chord with her former Biology teacher, Fred Atwood.

“She had an amazing capacity to learn massive amounts of intricate details and to tie these together along major themes…to understand the big picture.

When we were done learning about one unit, she…built on it, tying it in with the new material. She was always actively learning, rather than just soaking it all up like a sponge.”

Aasiyeh is definitely seeing the big picture in her work at Johns Hopkins “I believe Art and Engineering go hand in hand.

My favorite type of art is sculpture, which is all about building things—as is Engineering. When you are making sculpture, you have to understand a lot about the engineering aspects in order to make the sculpture stand. (I learned that the hard way in my Sophomore year at Flint Hill when I made a life-sized plaster figure with a disproportionately large head. Needless to say, it toppled over pretty fast!) In the Gracias lab, some of what we do is try to make cool shapes, essentially sculptures, that are also functional.” She has taught herself how to

“ I wanted to study engineering, but after taking chemistry with Ms. Duncan, who has a Chemical Engineering background herself, I decided that it was what I wanted to study. That Chemistry class, as well as bio and AP Bio with Mr. Atwood, definitely prepared me well for Hopkins.

”

use Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and a few other programs, “and now I make graphics for many members of the lab group. I submitted a graphic for the cover of the journal Lab on a Chip, and it was accepted and printed on the inside cover of the journal.”

Not surprisingly, she’s finding college life quite a bit different from her high school days, where “the teachers really hold your hand and guide you through learning. In college, you can have a class with 400 people. The professors often see you as a just a statistic. You can get help from professors and have one-on-one time with them, but only if you take the initiative to go and see them, to ask them questions, and really work at making a connection with them. In college, at least in Engineering classes, there is no nightly homework to keep you on top of the material. Sometimes there is no homework at all. You have to motivate yourself to read the textbook and work example problems in order to learn the material.”

After graduation, Aasiyeh hopes to earn her master’s degree and possibly work in industry. “Many companies employ Chemical Engineers to work in pharmaceuticals, consumer products (everything from shampoo to scotch tape), and energy/oil. Engineers can work in the research and development divisions of these industries, and also in the manufacturing divisions.” Wherever her work takes her, she’ll definitely be keeping the big picture clearly in her mind.

I make graphics for many members of the lab group. I submitted graphics for the cover of the journal Lab on a Chip, and they were accepted and printed on the inside cover of the journal.

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

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Jason Brantley’s

Mount Kilimanjaro Adventure

Jason Brantley ‘97 on day two of his climb

As a student at Flint Hill School in the

Nineties, I was given rare chances to pursue activities not offered to most high school students. I remember participating in bird banding with Mr. [Fred] Atwood on Saturdays when I took Ornithology, and reading books for class with titles like “Why Big Fierce Animals are Rare.” How many 16-year-olds spend their Saturdays catching, documenting, and releasing birds and doing enjoyable homework for Ecology class? I attended field studies forays into the wilderness of Virginia’s Shenandoah Mountains, paddling trips on the Potomac River with Mr. [Hank] Berg, and ran cross-country races through NOVA’s many park trails and thickets.

These chances fostered deep within me a

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love of the environment and, more than this, a penchant for exploration and adventure.

So this past summer, when my dad called and asked me to join him on a guided expedition along with eight others to Uhuru Peak, the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, my sense of adventure took hold and I envisioned myself atop the tallest peak in Africa. Kilimanjaro is also the tallest freestanding mountain and hosts one of the seven highest summits in the world. At 19,340 feet, “Kili” is only 9,689 feet lower than Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth.

I said I’d take the chance.

Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant stratovolcano located in northeastern Tanzania.

There are over ten different known routes up the face of the mountain, varying in degrees of difficulty, but the most traveled is called Marangu. No matter what route taken, they all share the serious factor of extreme altitude. The effects of high altitude on the body can cause the life-threatening conditions High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cardiac Edema (HACE), along with terrible headaches, nausea, and disorientation. Along with a host of other terrain-related dangers, this climb had its risks. Climbing the Marangu route of Kilimanjaro takes, on average, five to six days. It’s not a technical climb, but it’s also not for the faint of heart. This is a long, arduous trek and training is required for physical strength; but there is no preparation for the emotional strain—that comes from sheer will and driving spirit.

DAY ONE: Mandara 8,858 Feet

Our trek began on November 2, 2008 at the Gates of Kilimanjaro National Park, which lies on the outskirts of Marangu, Tanzania, a small mountain village of coffee plantations and lush green banana farms.

The bus to the park gates was burdened with climbing gear and our party of ten (as well as two porters and a guide for each person) as it headed up the twisty mountain roads, slapping wet banana leaves and splashing through puddles of glacial

A view of Mawenzi Peak

opened into grassy moorland and we could see the neighboring peaks of the volcanoes Kibo and Mawenzi. My Dad and I steadily climbed through giant heathers and patches of wildflowers. Sunrises and sunsets were remarkable at the Horombo huts, as we were at an elevation high above the clouds and overhead towered the glaciated The first day of the climb took us though one of the several different ecosystems that dome of Kilimanjaro. The dining hall at Horombo was the place to be. Mealtime we would soon encounter; this part of the meant getting the chance to chat with a trek consisting of dense forest populated truly international group of mountaineers by a diverse array of birds, including the Hartlaub’s Turaco that cackled at me from about their lives and past climbing experiences. We played raucous card games and a tall tree covered in hanging moss and lichen. Children from Marangu approached obsessively discussed the one uniting goal this diverse group had: reaching the summit. us from both sides of the path selling Tanzanian flag bandanas and pleading with us to pose for pictures while they It gave me a sense held forth sticks with kooky-looking TwoHorned Chameleons perched on them. of accomplishment and, Breathing wasn’t difficult at this point and like the rare chances the temperature was warm, but climbing too fast causes shortness of breath and I was given at Flint Hill, could lead to altitude sickness later on. Our summiting Kilimanjaro guide, Elie, from the neighboring town of Arusha, now adopted the infamous gave me the ability to see Swahili saying “pole pole” which translates what I am truly capable in English to “slowly slowly.” This phrase would be uttered to me countless times of — and the importance and become my mantra when my reserves of finding your of strength were depleted higher up on the mountain. inner ‘Driving Spirit.’ runoff. The bus driver had a patch over one eye and the back wheels of the bus slipped and spun. I could see the summit of Kili in the distance: my ultimate goal.

I took pictures of its ice cap through the dingy bus window, holding a Coca-Cola bottle next to it for scale.

“

upward. The climb became stressful here and at points I became disoriented. I had to remind myself where I was and remember to breathe. I had trouble remembering things and my extremities tingled from the height. We reached Kibo Hut at the base of Kilimanjaro’s crater by midday.

Kibo is a stone-built blockhouse dormitory that serves as a crude base camp and a constant reminder of the mountain vengeance looming above. Folks here looked a bit ragged, some with reddish eyes burning with what Elie described as “summit fever”—a mental condition known among mountain climbers that refers to the blatant disregard of serious heath problems in favor of the glory of reaching the summit.

My dad and I had summited Mt. Rainer in Washington State when I was a Junior at Flint Hill; but Rainer stands at 14, 411 feet, so at Horombo, we were already over a thousand feet higher.

”

Upon reaching the Mandara Huts, my Dad and I, assisted by a guide named Aruma, a man of few English words but enough charisma to speak any language, climbed a bit further up to see the Maundi Crater, a magnificent volcanic ash pit now covered with dense heather scrub and ringed by trees that are home to elegant looking Colobus Monkeys.

DAY THREE: Kibo 15,429 Feet

We climbed very gradually through the alpine desert of the Saddle between the two dormant volcanic peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. The terrain changed to scree— a loose combination of lava rock and volcanic ash—and there was a palpable sense of extreme altitude in this barren landDAY TWO: Horombo 12,204 Feet scape of ochre and grey rock. We passed The first part of the second day was a steep a sign that ominously read “Last Water,” ascent through the forest, but the path soon exchanged nervous glances, and continued

Porters headed down from Kibo Camp, through the lunar saddle

The rest of our day was spent resting and eating in anticipation of the summit attempt scheduled for that evening. I went to bed at 6 p.m., but didn’t sleep well in the Kibo dorm. There was snoring and of course the mind-bending excitement of Continued on page 40 Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

39

Continued from page 39 the final part of the climb that was so close at hand. I snuggled up in my sleeping bag trying desperately to stamp out the sound of my heart that was beating so heavily that it played in my eardrums.

my heart pounding in my chest. The snow was blinding and we scrambled over rocks along the crater rim and continued up a narrow trail through a frozen landscape of boulders and outcroppings of craggy volcanic rock. I could literally feel my body starting to shut down at this point, my hands so cold that I had to bang them on my thighs to keep the blood flowing, and my stomach in knots. I reached Uhuru Peak as the sun was rising but could only make out a pale rose-colored light through the blinding snowstorm. I took a picture, hugged Aruma, and then we both decided to head down to Kibo as quickly as possible. We arrived back at camp by 7:30 a.m.

A

TO THE SUMMIT: Uhuru Peak 19,340 Feet

After being awoken by the simple flick of the dorm room switch, our groggy climbing party—some of whom had slept in their gear—stirred to attention as best we could. In order to be on Uhuru Peak by sunrise, we had to start our ascent by torchlight. At 11:29 p.m., on November 5, 2008, we set out—the stronger climbers aiming to be at Gilman’s Point (the volcanic caldera about one-and-a-half-hours from the summit and at 18,651 feet) in about five hours. We started out in pairs, with each climber accompanied by a guide.

My father and I became separated after an hour into the climb and each attempted the summit with only the companionship of our guides. I slowly ascended through a mixture of chunky rock and scree as light snow began to churn into a blinding night blizzard. There were times at this point in the climb when I really didn’t think making it to the summit was going to be possible.

If I turned my head too far to my right instead of watching the footpath in front of me, I illuminated terrifying sheer drop-offs and cantilevered boulders that jumped out at me from the African night.

I persevered. I expelled negative thoughts from my mind by thinking about anything I could that took my mind off the pain and stress I could feel all over my body; cheeseburgers, palm trees, loved ones telling me “go on Jason, you can make it!” I reached Gilman’s Point before sunrise and rested for only a mere five minutes due to the cold. “Pole pole,” said Aruma. We had to keep moving. I continued on with Aruma for another hour-and-a-half, feeling as if I was on some sort of bodily autopilot and

B

“...at points I became

disoriented. I had to remind myself where I was and remember to breathe.

I had trouble remembering things and my extremities tingled from the height.

”

C

I poked my head into the squat, greasy cinderblock radio transmitter hut back at Kibo and asked for a Coke. The two guys huddled in their sleeping bags had the radio blasting BBC updates about the election going on back in the States. A man with his hat pulled low over his brow smiled broadly and yelled “You made it to the top of Africa, American! This CocaCola is on me!”

I have since returned to Manhattan and think back on the climb often. It gave me a sense of accomplishment and, like the rare chances I was given at Flint Hill, summiting Kilimanjaro gave me the ability to see what I am truly capable of—and the importance of finding your inner “Driving Spirit.” • A graduate of Fordham University, Jason Brantley is a nationally published travel and culture writer, PR consultant, podcast host, and photographer. He is currently working on stories about this most recent trip to Kenya, Tanzania (Mt. Kilimanjaro), Morocco, The United Arab Emirates and Italy. He lives in Manhattan, and can be contacted at jasonwbrantley@gmail.com.

Jason Brantley is a member of the Class of 1997.

(A) Jason takes a moment to pose at Gilman’s Point; (B) Jason and his guide, Aruma; (C) November 5, 5:00 a.m. A group of fellow climbers on their way to Gilman’s point; (D) Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance

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Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009 D

CLASS NOTES - Winter 2009

Eliot Brenner ’67 is Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

1966 Mike McGuirk spent his holidays in Tennessee, but lives in Port Orange, FL, where he works at the Kennedy Space Center. “ My career has been with the Launch Processing System (LPS) for the Space Shuttle down here…I was in place Nov. of 1979 and hope to check out when the Shuttle is retired in 2010 (or whenever), when I will have encompassed the entire program.

I have been in management since 1985. We support the computer operations which check out the vehicle all along the processing stage up to and including the Launch Count Down.” Mike played football for the Flint Hill Falcons in 1965 and then received an athletic scholarship to East Carolina University. In 1989 in Port Orange, Mike helped to begin a Pop Warner Youth Football & Cheerleading organization and continued to coach until 2004 when he took on a second work shift that does not allow any extra time. “I hope to get back at it when I retire in a few more years.”

1971

1967 Eliot Brenner, after careers as a journalist, speechwriter to Cabinet secretaries, and spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration and The Boeing Co., now lives in Annandale, VA, and is the Director of Public Affairs and spokesman for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, MD. He writes, “I covered Washington and the world for United Press International, wrote speeches for Dick Cheney at the Pentagon, Clinton Treasury Secretaries Lloyd Bentsen and Bob Rubin, was spokesman for the FAA and a Boeing post 9-11 program, and now I mess with nukes…not bad for someone who nearly failed college economics and isn’t scientifically oriented. At least I have a pilot’s license so I know about flying first hand!”

1970

Mike McGuirk ’66 at the Kennedy Space Center

While attending the 2008 FHS graduation ceremony for J.J. Kfoury ’08 (the niece of one of his best friends), Mike met current Headmaster John Thomas, and discovered they have something in common. They both worked in Ocean City during their college summers (Beach Patrol & Phillips Crab House) and both met their future wives there!

1972

Cheryl Fitzgerald has again been traveling to Europe—last Spring it was Paris; last October it was Greece. She is still working for a large law firm near Tysons Corner “and really enjoying life.

Still with my wonderful boyfriend (John) for over four years now.

He’s a native Virginian too and we found out that both his family and mine have relatives in Nelson and Amherst Counties that know each other. I do hope to retire down there some day on lots of rolling acres!” … Sarah (Sally) Harrell Morgan is an art teacher at an independent school on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. She is also a National Examiner for USPC, Inc., an educational equestrian organization that promotes excellence in horsemanship both in this country and through worldwide affiliations. We hope to tell you more about Sally’s work in a future magazine.

John R. Allen was promoted to Lieutenant General, United States Marine Corps, at the end of Oct. 2008, by the new commander of the Central Command, General David H. Petraeus. He is now serving as the Deputy Commander of the U.S. Central Command, headquartered in Tampa, FL. Gen. Allen was joined at the promotion by his wife, Kathy; his mother, Betty Allen; his sister, Frances Echols; and his brother, Joseph K. Allen, Jr. He returned from Iraq in February after thirteen months as the Deputy Commander of II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in the volatile Al Anbar Province, in the western portion of Iraq.

General Allen is a 1976 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, and a 1983 graduate of Georgetown University’s Graduate School.

He is a career infantry Marine. … Roderick Brown is living in Laguna Niguel, CA, and is Managing Director at DechertHampe, a mid-size sales and marketing consulting firm. His son, Ted, is a Junior at Cornell University; another son, Scott, is a Freshman at the University of Washington in Seattle. Rod welcomes calls from friends from Flint Hill if they are visiting the Southern CA area (949.433.0634).

Cheryl Fitzgerald ’70 enjoys the view on a trip to Greece in October

The Rev. Dr. David I. Moshier is a Supervisory Cemetery Administrative Specialist at Arlington National Cemetery and Superintendent of the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery in Washington.

Arlington and Soldiers are the last two national cemeteries operated by the Army, and Soldiers was one of the first twelve cemeteries in the national system when Congress created it during the Civil War.

Eve Trow Turek ’74 takes her photography skills to the beach

1974 Attention Outer Banks Visitors!

Eve Trow Turek and her husband, Pete, purchased Yellowhouse Gallery in Nags Head, NC, three years ago, as she was finishing a midlife master’s degree in Environmental Education at Prescott College, AZ. Eve writes, “I am currently an advisor in Prescott’s Master’s program, and our gallery continues its 40-year tradition of offering antique maps and natural history, period maps, battle illustrations from the Civil War, local art in original paintings and prints, and photography. My own nature photography highlights the connections I experience in the natural world; my photographs are represented by local galleries, and have been published regionally, used by various wildlife organizations, and won several awards. To see more, check out our website at www.yellowhousegallery.com

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or visit my home page on the Carolinas Nature Photographers Association, www.cnpa.org (click on galleries, then on the index by name). If any former Falcons (that dates me, right there!) or current Huskies are on the Outer Banks, stop by and see us at Yellowhouse!” … Taylor Smith is a Boeing B‑747 captain for a large cargo airline and also serves as a check airman for the airline. He and his wife, Sheila, live in East Hampton, NY, and have two daughters in college.

Says Taylor, “I’m a very proud alumnus of Flint Hill School and have great memories of all my classmates and teachers!”

1978 Tom Purkins sends greetings to the Class of ‘78. Tom is spearheading an effort to get more news items, personal and career updates on classmates and their families for use in the Flint Hill Magazine. So far, only a few of you have logged in to our website and updated your profiles; many others have been “lost” for years. Tom notes, “I will be reaching out via e‑mail to our registered classmates in hopes of gathering some personal updates for the next issue. I will also be asking for your help in locating our “lost” classmates. It is over 30 years now since we walked the grounds of the ‘old’ Flint Hill... it’s time to regroup once again and revisit old friendships! I look forward to hearing from you at rtpva@hotmail.com.”

1980

Andrew Ward sends us this memory: “It was the fall of 1974. The Flint Hill Falcons’ JV football team was preparing for our opening game against The Maret School, in Washington, D.C. We knew that it was going to be a tough game, as more than half of our team were first‑time footballers. Our coach, Stu Vetter, came up with an opening play for the Falcons.

It was nicknamed, “The Maret

in Western Loudoun County.

Tom and his wife, Tait North Simmons, have four children: George, Henry, Elizabeth (Posey), and Mary Virginia. “Father Tom,” as folks in the congregation call him, has served St. Peter’s since 2002. He has also remained in regular contact with Matt Pomponio over the years. … Matt Lucas and his wife, Cindy McClure Lucas ’86 live in Potomac Falls and have

A

three children: Ashley Morgan (12), Carlin Nicole (9), and Cole Matthew (6). Matt is the owner of Lucas Designs Inc. (www. lucasdesigns.biz), which special‑ izes in design/building of outdoor kitchens, masonry patios/walls, landscaping, and irrigation. Matt says he also stays in touch with classmates Joe Cook and Jeff Scheyer.

1992 Three classmates—lifetime friends and basketball teammates—and their families met at the Chart House in Alexandria last April.

They included Katie and Alex Kissal of Arlington, VA, with daughter, Olivia; Kelly and Rory O’Brien of Suwanee, GA, with sons Jack and Owen; and Tanya and Brian Early of Cary, NC, with children Vivian and Justin.

It was great to hear from Juan “Juancho” Sierra, who is still living in Cali, Colombia, which he says is beautiful this time of the year, even if a bit windy, with temperatures in the 80´s all the time. Juan probably remembers that the D.C. area is just like that in February. Mostly.

1983 Marc Scheiner lives in Elkton, MD, with his wife, Suellen, and their three children (Adin, Ava, and Olivia). They send their best; Marc says they are keeping busy “with our MedSpa business, school, and all the kids’ activities.”

1985

1979

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Special.” The play was to be our first offensive play of the season.

The Falcons won the toss and elected to receive the ball. We took over at our own 20‑yard line. The play was to line up with no huddle and have three wide receivers flanked out to the right side—two WR’s at the line of scrimmage and one between them but back a few yards.

Mike Pepper ’76 (our stellar QB, and later a forward for the UNC Tar Heels) was to take the snap, turn to his right, throw it to the WR, Ken Niklason ’77, who would follow the two lead blockers down the field. We caught the Maret team completely by surprise and the play worked like a charm! The play went for an 80‑yard TD! What a way to start an undefeated season!”

Kevin Langan lives in Potomac Falls, VA, with his wife Suzanne, and their children, Peter and Bridget, and says, “I wish that more of the Class of 1985 would connect through Facebook.”

He does have connections with two classmates: his landscaper is Matt Lucas, and he is also “receiving constant spiritual guidance” from Rev.Thomas W. (Tom) Simmons, Rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (www.stpetes.net) in Purcellville,

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009

B (A) Class of 1992 alumni moms at an October ’08 reunion luncheon (l-r): Barbara O’Brien (Rory); Joan Anderson (Dale and Jim); Mary Dubill (Andrew); and Ellen Johnson (Steve) (B) Class of 1992 friends (l-r) Katie and Alex Kissal with their daughter, Olivia; Kelly and Rory O’Brien with sons Jack and Owen; and Tanya and Brian Early with Vivian and Justin C (C): Samantha Sacher Levinson ’92 with her husband Ira, daughter Maya Lee, and son Tyler, back home in Reston for Thanksgiving

A big “thank-you” to Rory’s mother, Barbara O’Brien, for sending us a photo, along with one of a group of FHS moms from the Class of 1992! … Congratulations to Dr. James (Jim) Paul Anderson, who graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville on 5/18/08. Jim will continue his medical studies at Thomas Jefferson Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA, and has started his residency in anesthesiology, which will be a four-year tenure, before he begins his own practice. … Samantha Sacher Levinson is a practicing attorney living in Chicago with her husband, Ira, and their two children, Maya Lee (3) and Tyler (1). Sam loves visitors and says she’d be glad to speak with current students or alumni about nursing or law and “the struggle to achieve work/life balance.”

Thanks Sam!

1993 As announced in last summer’s magazine, Jessica Aspinwall Springsteen’s family has now grown to five, as they welcomed their son, George Aspinwall Springsteen, on 11/9/07! After a two-year hiatus, Jessica returned to work at the International Development Bank as a Legal Private Sector Officer in the Legal Department. Her stepson, Nick, is now 13; Lucas is 2-1/2; and George (“Geordie”) was 15 mos. in February.

1995 Erica “Rickie” Plunkett Lindsay sent us updates on herself and her sisters (see notes for the Classes of 2000 and 2002). “Well, none of us are Plunketts anymore!” Rickie and her husband, Shawn, are living in Fredericksburg, VA, in their first home. “I’ve spent the last year helping my sisters with their weddings. I am currently training for a couple of marathons in 2009 and have begun volunteering at the local domestic violence center.” Rickie reunited with her family during the Christmas holidays and sends

best wishes to “all our FHS friends.” … Tim Csontos D graduated from the College of William and Mary with a double major in English and Government, and was also part of the Division 1 Tennis team that went to the NCAA championships for the first time in 50 years! As we reported in our last issue, he’s joined the management team as an equity owner in an Alexandria, VA-based company, RideCharge, and built the first national booking tool for taxis. He notes that they recently launched their iPhone application, “Taxi Magic,” and it’s been in the Top 10 of most downloaded Free Travel Apps in iTunes. In addition, they were just published in “TechCrunch,” one of the most-read tech websites in the country. “It’s great,” says Tim, “for preventing drinking and driving, for after-school pickups, and for all of the travelers that are FHS alumni!” (Book taxis at www.ridecharge.com, where you can set up your BlackBerry, and you can get Taxi Magic for your iPhone from iTunes.)

1996 Chris Angle Zuniga lives in Frisco, TX, a suburb of Dallas, where she is a stay-at-home mom and her husband, Leonel, is the National Director of Openings for the Maggiano’s Little A Italy restaurant chain. On 8/29/08 they welcomed their fourth daughter, Ava Leonel Zuniga, who weighed in at 7 lbs., 4 oz., and was 20” long. She joins big sisters Sophia (7), Olivia (6) and Isabella (4).

1997 Jason Brantley has been living in Manhattan for the last 11 years, where he is a consultant for public relations agencies and also a freelance magazine writer. He recently returned from climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania —his first-hand account of the adventure is on page 38.

(D) Tim Csontos ’95 demonstrates “Taxi Magic” (E) Andrew Lee ’98 and his wife Rachel with son Jacob (F) Katie and Johnny Groupe’98 with their son, Jack

2002

E

Elise Plunkett ’02 married John Mayers on 10/25/08 in Boston, MA. They met while in college at Northeastern University; they are living in Arlington, MA. Elise is a certified athletic trainer working for MIT while she studies to get her master’s.

F

2003

1998 Congratulations to Andrew Lee and his wife Rachel Korpan Lee, on the birth of their son Jacob Kenneth, born 10/24/08, weighing 8 lbs., 3 oz., and measuring 21.5”! … And classmate Johnny Groupe and his wife Katie are excited to let us know about the arrival of John S (Jack) Groupe VI, born 6/4/08!

2000 Erin Plunkett was married to D.J. Talbett on 5/24/08, in Warrenton, VA, with close friends and family attending. Classmate Jon Miller was in the wedding party, and sisters Erica ’95 and Elise ’02 were also there. The Talbetts are now living in Springfield, VA, and Erin works for Jones Lang LaSalle.

Eileen DeLaney graduated from James Madison University in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in social work; she now lives in Phoenix and attends Arizona State University, working on a master’s in social work. She will finish in May 2009.

The wedding of Elise Plunkett ’02 (l-r): DJ Talbett, Erin Plunkett Talbett ’00, John and Elise Mayers, Kathleen Plunkett, Erica Plunkett Lindsay ’95, Shawn Lindsay, Melanie Burnett, and Traverse Burnett ‘94

2004

2001 Congratulations to Megan Wilson and Adam Yamamoto ’00, who celebrated their first wedding anniversary last fall!

They were married on 10/27/07 in Warrenton, VA. Rachael Campbell, Rick Snyder ’02, and Megan’s brother, Clark Wilson ’97, were members of the wedding party.

Megan and Adam are living in Gainesville, VA with their two kittens, MacGyver and Indiana Jones.

After graduating from Elizabethtown College with a Bachelor’s in Social Work, Julie Mezainis is now working toward a master’s in social work (clinical concentration with a specialization in aging) at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. She will graduate in May and hopes to find a job in the field of geriatrics. Maybe Julie and Eileen DeLaney ’03 can compare notes!

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2005 John Cochran is a senior at Columbia University, majoring in English. After graduation, he’s off to Harvard Law School. Good luck, and please keep us posted!

at the Queen Mary, University of London. We hope to hear more about their experiences in time for the summer issue of the magazine. … Emily Yassine is a Junior, majoring in Fine Arts, at George Mason University. One of her recent assignments was to create a blog about what she would like to do after graduation.

There’s great reading to be found at http://teachingartinsouthafrica. blogspot.com/.

2007 Lydia Russo ’06 (r) at the September opening of a new boutique from designer Nanette Lepore (center)

2006 Lydia Russo has been keeping busy in the D.C. metropolitan area as Public Relations Officer for the Marymount Fashion Club.

She has helped with numerous functions such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s “Breath of Life Gala,” the Arlington “Free Clinic Benefit Gala,” and the INOVA “Health Systems Gala.”

She has also helped backstage for many fashion shows in the area that have been held by Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Lord & Taylor. In September, Lydia helped ultra-chic designer Nanette Lepore open up her new boutique in Chevy Chase, MD. In early December, she was asked to work backstage at a Badgely Mischka winter fashion show, where she was also privileged to meet both designers. This spring, Lydia has been chosen to be the Public Relations Specialist for the annual Marymount University “Portfolio in Motion” Fashion Show, where a “Designer of the Year” will be honored. Previous honorees have included Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Tommy Hilfiger. … Julia Korzeniewski and Chris Jones spent the fall semester abroad studying Drama and Political Science, respectively, 44

Megan Miller has been named a member of Sigma Alpha Lambda, a National Leadership and Honors organization at the University of Virginia which promotes and rewards academic achievement and provides members with “opportunities for community service, personal development, and lifelong professional fulfillment.”

Congratulations, Megan!

2008 Colby Miller returned to campus in early January to lead a four-mile run with interested student athletes. It was great to have him back! Colby attends Elizabethtown College, where he continues his interest in running after four years of Varsity Cross-Country and Track & Field for Flint Hill. “This past Fall season, I participated in Division III Cross-Country and was fortunate enough to be one of the top seven on our roster chosen to run at our Conference Championship (Mid-Atlantic Conference) and our Regional meet (Mid-East Region). I was Elizabethtown’s runner at our Conference Championship and the sixth runner overall, thus earning First-Team All Conference honors (top 10). I was also runner-up for the “Rookie of the Year” (I was the second Freshman to cross the finish line). At the Mid-East regional meet, I got a Personal Record in the 8000-meter race with a time of 26:53 as Elizabethtown’s

fourth runner, placed 47th overall, and earned regional ‘Freshman Honors’ for being in the top seven Freshman finishers. I look forward to competing in Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field for Elizabethtown College!” Well done, Colby! … Quite a story from Jane Morris. “After being accepted early admission to the College of William and Mary, I worked against the university’s policies and was granted a deferral so that I might start this coming fall and graduate with the Class of 2013. Instead, I moved out to the West Coast (Portland, Oregon) with family, hoping to work with Habitat for Humanity and gain crucial life experience before moving on to University.

As part of a strange coincidence, a few weeks before I was about to move, I was sitting in Whole Foods drawing, and attracted the attention of another woman passing through the area. After giving her some of my sketches (she wanted them signed!), she gave me her card and asked me to stay in touch. As it turns out, she lives in Portland, Oregon!

I met up with her once I got here, and we felt such a strong connection that I began interning with her company, which is along the line of work I had planned to study once attending W&M—sustainability. The name of the company, Autopoiesis LLC, stems from two Greek words meaning “self ” and “creation,” and it points to the self-generating systems which sustain all of life.

Both Katy and her husband, Stuart Cowan, are big names in the sustainability industry;

in addition to co-authoring Ecological Design (Island Press, 1996), the standard text on sustainable design, Stuart has brought in $200 million for the city of Portland in federal New Markets tax credits for ecologically sound buildings. To work with them is an amazing opportunity, and a complete honor. (To read more about their inspiring work, visit www.apoiesis.com.)

In addition to this work, I’ve also began volunteering with a local non-profit, City Repair, which was formed in Portland, Oregon in 1996 by citizen activists who wanted a more communityoriented and ecologically sustainable society. Born out of a successful grassroots neighborhood initiative that converted a residential street intersection into a neighborhood public square, City Repair began its work with the idea that localization (of culture, of economy, of decisionmaking) is a necessary foundation of sustainability. By reclaiming urban spaces to create community-oriented places, we plant the seeds for greater neighborhood communication, empower our communities and nurture our local culture.” Keep us posted, Jane, and good luck to you! … Congratulations to Brian Armstrong, a member of the Track team at Xavier University. In late January, Brian broke the school’s indoor 200 meter record with a time of 23.39 at the Gladstein Invitational Track Meet, hosted

by Indiana University.

A (A) 2008 classmates Jane Morris (l) and Sarah Overstreet, with friend Jill Neilson (B) Colby Miller ’08 still keeps up with his running

Flint Hill Magazine - Winter 2009 B

HO ME Join Us for Homecoming/ Alumni Reunion 2009 SATURDAY,

OCTOBER 23-24

COMING WEEKEND

HOMECOMING/REUNION 2009: Coming October 23-24!

This fall, for our Homecoming Alumni Reunion Reception, we will be celebrating the graduating Classes of 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, and 2004. More information and specific details will be coming, but we hope you can be with us to mark these special occasions.

Please note: If you would like to help plan a special reunion for your class, please contact Gabrielle Boselovic: gboselovic@flinthill.org. She will be happy to help you get in contact with fellow Alums and research venues if you live out of state.

And don’t forget to check out our website at www.flinthill.org.

If you would like to become a CLASS AGENT and help us gather information on your classmates to appear in this magazine, please contact Gabrielle Boselovic: gboselovic@flinthill.org.

Returning Alumni Share College Experiences with FHS Students, Families A group of recent FHS graduates came back to campus on January 6 to talk with interested students and their parents about their transition from high school to college, including the college search, application process, and their lives as college students.

The evening was another in a series of ways the school tries to make the college application experience more transparent and less intimidating for others who will be going through the process in the future. Pictured above are 2008 graduates (standing, l-r) Jeff Zeberlein (UNC-Chapel Hill), Federico Cohen-Freue (UVA), Colin Barbalace (Florida Institute of Technology), David Wall (Fordham University), and Colby Miller (Elizabethtown College).

Seated (l-r) are Martha Crockett ’07 (University of Richmond) and 2008 classmates Courtney Good (UVA), Cady Carman (University of South Carolina), and Becca Sigal (Penn State University). Thanks to all who came out for the evening.

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SC HOOL

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