Worcester Hilltopper Winter 2020–2021

HILLTOPPER A H istoric Year in Rev iew

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2020 TIME CAPSULE / RACIAL EQUITY AT WA / COMMENCEMENT 2020 WA’S NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL / 2020 REPORT ON ANNUAL GIVING winter 2020–2021 VOLUME XXIX / ISSUE 1

CONTENTS

4

going the distance

WINTER 2020–2021

contents

14

reflections on this time

28

commencement 2020

34 departments

confronting racism

22 28 34 38 39 48

ALUMNI NEWS ON THE HILLTOP WA ATHLETICS GIVING NEWS CHECKING IN PASSINGS

56

report on annual giving

20

22

the

HILLTOPPER BOARD OF TRUSTEES

winter 2020–2021

officers & members President First Vice President Treasurer

James J. Pietro ’81, P’11,’14,’19 Sarah Sullivan Pulsifer ’91 Jonathan S. Stuart ’86 Benny Sato Ambush ’69 Sava Berhané, J.D. ’03 Nora Toohy Brooks Jamie Lavin Buzzard ’02 Courtney Carr Henry Dormitzer III ’88 R. Victor Fields ’71 Matthew Finkle ’87 David P. Forsberg ’65, P’91,’94 Larry Gordon ’72, P’11 Michal Grabias ’11 J. Michael Grenon ’88 Ernst Guerrier P’19 William Haddad ’92 Susan Weagly Jacobs, J.D. P’03 William Kettlewell ’69, P’08 Dana R. Levenson ’75, P’18,’21 Michael Mangaudis P’11,’14 Andrew B. O’Donnell, Esq. ’73, P’03,’05,’07,’10 Megan O’Leary P’20,’22 Jacqueline Peterson Susan Puryear P’19,’21 Caroline Reich P’06,’08 David V. Shamoian ’70 Luke M. Vaillancourt ’01

VOLUME XXIX / ISSUE 1 Head of School

Ronald M. Cino P’21,’22,’24

Hilltopper Editor

Neil R. Isakson P’15,’19

Graphic Designer

Good Design LLC, www.gooddesignusa.com

Photography

Development Office

Contributing Writers

Ursula Arello ’85, P’21 David Barron, Oxygen Group Karla Cinquanta Drew Forsberg ’91 Alicia Figueiredo Hockmeyer With Barksdale Photography Neil Isakson P’15,’19 Tom Kates Photography Dan Vaillancourt - Patrick O’Connor Photography Kim Stone, Director of Development Ursula A. Arello ’85, P’21, Director of Alumni & Donor Engagement Alicia Figueiredo, Director of Alumni Relations Neil R. Isakson P’15,’19, Director of Development Operations and External Communications Mark E. Lufkin, Senior Development Officer Anette Macintire P’22, Development Database Manager James McNamara ’07, Assistant Director of Donor Engagement, Assistant Director of Admission Dexter P. Morse, Headmaster Emeritus Jennifer Sabatini, Director of Individual Giving Cheryl Bardoe is a visiting educator, author, and a frequent writer in the educational field. She contributed to both the Strategic Plan and Master Plan feature stories in this issue.

Frank Callahan ’71, former longtime director of planned giving at Worcester Academy, recently retired after 24 years of service at WA. A member of the American Antiquarian Society, he is the Academy’s unofficial historian.

MISSION

Katherine E. Morse is former Worcester Academy editorial assistant and former assistant editor of The Hilltopper magazine. A graduate of Princeton University, she lives in Worcester after having spent many years in Philadelphia.

Worcester Academy exists to instill in its students the desire to learn throughout life, to engage passionately with the world around them, and to be honorable persons of strong and resourceful character.

CORE VALUES

We are a community—curious, thoughtful, generous, and thriving in our diversity. We embrace each of our core values as essential to the mission of Worcester Academy and as testimony of our beliefs and commitments.

HONOR | RESPECT | COMMUNITY | PERSONAL GROWTH | CHALLENGE

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The Hilltopper is published twice yearly by Worcester Academy.

Reader comment, as well as information of interest, is always welcome.

Please write to Neil R. Isakson, Director of Development Operations and External Communications, at Worcester Academy, 81 Providence St., Worcester, MA 01604, or email neil.isakson@worcesteracademy.org.

2015 Case DI Bronze Award winner for Best Designed Magazine 2016 CASE DI Silver Award winner for General Excellence, Independent School Magazines

HILLTOPPER A Historic Year in Rev iew

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2020 TIME CAPSULE / RACIAL EQUITY AT WA / COMMENCEMENT 2020 WA’S NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL / 2020 REPORT ON ANNUAL GIVING winter 2020–2021 VOLUME XXIX / ISSUE 1

ON THE COVER Amelia Conte ’20 wears a stylish face mask at Worcester Academy’s 186th Commencement Exercises, held Aug. 7 on the Worcester Academy Quad. The Class of 2020’s graduation was postponed from June due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Tom Kates Photography)

from the head of school

living through history This is a defining moment in history for our world, and therefore for our school. Since its founding in 1834, Worcester Academy is itself a testament to living through history. What we have seen in the past, is just as true today: Even in the face of great challenge, the desire to learn remains vital. This instinct cannot be quelled because at its core, education is about identity development. It is by learning about their world that young people learn about themselves, their communities, and what kind of impact they want to make.

Even when we closed our campus last spring in response to the global pandemic, learning endured. Through distance learning, our students, faculty, and families rose to the occasion to make meaningful connections at a time when the world seemed to be falling apart. That is how strong our school community is.

We returned to campus in the fall with a newfound sense of gratitude for what used to seem the most basic of actions—being together. We began with a hybrid learning plan designed to minimize health risks and maximize learning, prepared to pivot as needed to ensure that students keep learning and growing.

In addition, we returned to campus amidst the emergence of a major civil rights movement. WA has a legacy of being proactive in promoting racial equality. As early as the 1800s, students were welcomed at our school regardless of race, nationality, faith, or socio-economic status. In this issue, you’ll read about John Hope, an alum of the class of 1890, who went on to become president

of Morehouse College and a civil rights pioneer (see page 22).

In addition, Bonnie Walker, our Director of Equity and Inclusion, discusses what it means to be an antiracist institution today (see page 20). We are grateful for WA’s Board of Trustees President Jim Pietro ’80, P’11,’14,’19, and his wife, Terrie Hanna, for endowing the R.E.A.L. (Resilience, Equity, Affirmation, Leadership) Initiative to strengthen our school’s commitment to this work even further.

All of these experiences, along with a highly contentious presidential election, are shaping our students as they come of age.

They will emerge into adulthood more resilient and nimble. They are witnessing what powerful forces pull people together, and push people apart. As a school, we help students stay grounded by viewing themselves, their community, and their world through WA’s core values: honor, respect, community, personal growth, and challenge. These attributes are the foundations for “Achieving the Honorable” in both our private and public lives.

They are the beacons that guide us in every decision around academics and student life. They are the standards by which we strive to be true to ourselves and authentic leaders within our communities. We are proud to share this legacy with our current students and with you.

Ronald M. Cino

Worcester Academy

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going the distance

As COVID-19 turns world upside down, Academy proves the essence of WA experience extends far beyond campus

by Cheryl Bardoe

When the world turned upside down last spring, Worcester Academy marshalled all the wisdom that comes from being a 186-year-old institution to engage students in profound and authentic ways. It combined timeless educational values with a responsiveness to current needs. Its top-notch faculty were already accustomed to moving seamlessly between the roles of teacher, coach, advisor, artistic director, and dorm parent. So, they were experienced at changing perspectives and methodologies, all while keeping students’ intellectual and social-emotional growth at the center of their pedagogy.

As a result, the Academy implemented a Distance Learning Program that successfully served 600 students amidst a wide variety of family circumstances … in grades 6–12 … and across 17 time zones around the globe.

Opposite page: Art by Anika Shaikh ’25, Arts Survey 7 / Above: Photo by Gabe Pitts ’22, Digital Photography/Digital Artmaking Worcester Academy

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building the plan Our goal was to transform what we do to distance learning, with our distinct WA style.

We maintained the integrity of our academic program, while prioritizing health, wellness, and equity.”

—Bonnie Walker, WA Director of Equity and Inclusion

School leaders first considered the possibility of distance learning in January 2020 as they tracked the pandemic’s emergence from afar. By the time students departed for spring break, they took home textbooks and electronic devices … just in case. As students enjoyed their well-deserved rest, a core team of administrators sorted through the myriad of factors involved in suddenly converting the educational program that transpires on our 24-hour, 7-day-a-week boarding school campus to be delivered virtually. Administrators tested multiple digital platforms to evaluate ease of use, international accessibility, and which features would best support learning. They modeled schedules, taking into consideration such factors as online fatigue, vast differences in time zones, varied learning styles, 6 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

and best practices in online learning. They also weighed the diverse and constantly shifting experiences of Hilltopper families— recognizing that each household was coping with a unique set of circumstances. Input from students, faculty, and family was invaluable.

“Our community places a high premium on interaction,” explains Associate Head of School Doug Poskitt.

“Because we approached this challenge with an inclusive, thoughtful process, our roll-out of distance learning truly reflected our school values.”

“Our goal was to transform what we do to distance learning, with our distinct WA style,” says Director of Equity and Inclusion Bonnie Walker.

“We maintained the integrity of our academic program, while prioritizing health, wellness, and equity.”

With the campus officially closed after spring break, students enjoyed an extra week of recreation while the full WA faculty devoted themselves to mastering new technologies, reconfiguring syllabi, and building virtual class hubs on My Hilltop, the school’s private online community space, so that students would have a cohesive experience across courses. When students logged in on March 30, they were welcomed by dedicated teachers and a comprehensive handbook that outlined the details of WA’s distance learning: each school day began with an advisory meeting and each teacher was available daily outside of class for Community and Collaborative Learning

(CCL) time. For parents, WA hosted three virtual forums about distance learning and increased communication through weekly updates. Behind the scenes, faculty met frequently in grade level teams, subject departments, and other configurations to strategize around supporting students. As the spring unfolded, students also participated in virtual activities designed to unite clubs, affinity groups, athletic teams, student artists, and the community as a whole. Knowing how, when, and where they would connect with faculty and peers gave students a strong sense of purpose and confidence as everyone navigated this new COVID-era together.

launching the program Many faculty reported that last

spring felt like being a brand-new teacher all over again. Preparing lessons for the virtual platform took at least twice the time as preparing to teach in person, with teachers reevaluating every step: What are the most critical content goals? Could the hands-on project that students usually completed in the classroom be translated to every home environment? Would another project be more effective in this environment? What digital tools could stimulate interaction and collaboration? How might assessments look different? Teachers faced an infinite number of questions to answer and decisions to make.

—Madeline Surgenor Richards, WA Director of Upper School

academic and personal growth.”

Starting each school day with advisory groups was a pivotal decision that set the tone. These forums were critical opportunities for students to socialize informally with peers, orient themselves to the day’s activities, and feel the warmth of the school community. They also gave advisors a vital opportunity to track each student’s engagement. “This was a way of rallying around our students,” says Director of Upper School Madeline Surgenor Richards. “Advisories ensured that students had important touchpoints every

day to facilitate their success.”

WA faculty also approached this unique moment in time as an opportunity to reflect on their teaching practice: What truly are the most critical components to forging a school community that prepares students to thrive in a constantly changing world?

“Teachers model a growth mindset in our classrooms,” Mrs. Surgenor Richards says, “so, our students are critical thinkers, resilient, and willing to try new things. They know what it means to keep growing and moving forward as a community.”

PHOTO: GIUSEPPELOMBARDO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Teachers model a growth mindset in our classrooms, so, our students are critical thinkers, resilient, and willing to try new things.

They know what it means to keep growing and moving forward as a community.”

Teachers hit their stride by leaning into the qualities that already distinguish a WA education—small class sizes, student-centered faculty, emphasizing student agency and accountability, and linking classroom learning to the broader world.

“We leveraged our strengths and values to sustain who we are in an unsteady time,” says Director of Middle School Rebecca Yacono.

“WA is a strong learning community, where faculty know students well. We know how to challenge and support them, and how to inspire

going the distance

I’m proud of how WA supported teachers in feeling knowledgeable and comfortable in this domain. Our faculty brought a very positive outlook to leading classes for our students.”

—Dana Huff, WA English Department Chair

Director of Middle School Rebecca Yacono, offering encouragement to WA students as they returned to a hybrid remote and in-person learning environment in September.

adapting teaching techniques Regardless of where students

were located, establishing a sense of connection was the first step in setting the stage for learning. Having recently taken online classes to pursue a doctoral degree at Northeastern University, English Department Chair Dana Huff noticed that one-on-one meetings between teachers and students—a common use of WA’s CCL time even on campus—took on even more impact in a distance learning platform. When remote, students and faculty have fewer happenstance moments to chat by passing in the hall. Scheduling a dedicated conversation signals commitment by both parties to a project’s success and student growth. Thus, last spring, Ms. Huff used time outside of synchronous 8 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

blocks to meet with students in her Social Justice class who were producing creative works, critical essays, and presentations on topics about which they were passionate. “With each conversation, questions arose that students didn’t previously realize they had,” she says. “Those discussions made a significant impact on the quality of the work.”

She also made strategic use of My Hilltop discussion boards, Padlet, FlipGrid, and other apps that create digital spaces for students to exchange ideas outside of class meetings. As a department chair, Ms. Huff helped prepare the week of professional development to support faculty in using tools for online classroom management and in converting

curriculum to match the distance learning platform. “I’m proud of how WA supported teachers in feeling knowledgeable and comfortable in this domain,” Ms. Huff says. “Our faculty brought a very positive outlook to leading classes for our students.”

In addition to tools and techniques, many teachers also tweaked content.

When some students left their books on campus, Middle School English teacher Kyle Layne-Allen quickly pivoted, supplying his sixth graders with individual poems for a four-week unity on poetry. By then, books had arrived for the students to read the classic novel, The Giver.

Mr. Lane also shifted some writing assignments to focus on journaling.

“This activity prioritized how kids were

feeling about themselves and their situations,” he says. “Centering the students in the learning process gives them buy-in.” A core question that his class had been exploring throughout the year provided a foundation on which to build: “How do we define community, within the books we read and in our environment?” Prompts invited students to write about important objects from their childhoods, community-based rites of passage, and other topics. These open-ended assignments motivated students to synthesize their thinking on literature, life lessons, and current events. “As students examined their understandings of the world,” he says, “they became more aware of themselves and how they fit into a larger community.”

finding silver linings Ninth graders in Kirk Upton’s his-

classmates in discussions about design, and perhaps, procedure,” Mrs. Glassmire says. “The students would then collect data that would be the basis of analysis by the group.

We also used various on-line simulation sites that allow all students to evaluate a system, change variables, collect real data, plot graphs, and draw conclusions from the evidence (a key scientific skill).” Students worked from existing data sets as well as researching viable data sets on their own, using the data to draw scientific conclusions. “We strive for high expectations in terms of sophistication of analysis and communication and hold our students accountable to these expectations,” she says.

Additionally, demonstrations were streamed live, when possible, or recorded and viewed later.

Communicating results, a vital part of the scientific process, was undiminished, as students continued to practice written and oral communication with their peers and teachers.

Also unchanged was student engagement in investigations that had real world applications.

Mrs. Glassmire said her science faculty incorporated many of the elements of the “flipped classroom” model into their courses. That entailed creating video lessons (to be viewed as homework) that explain concepts and show examples of how problem solving can be accomplished, and utilizing live class time to explore student misconceptions, ideas, and thoughts about applying the concepts and skills.

TABLET: PHOTOONGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

tory class were deep into writing their Cornerstone papers when distance learning began. Students had been researching content since the beginning of the 2019–2020 school year and had submitted complete drafts just before departing for their 2020 spring break. When they returned to distance learning, much of their class time was already planned to be working independently and conferencing with Mr. Upton. Individualized feedback helps students refine critical thinking and writing capacity, which are important goals of this course. With learning time now more valuable than ever, Mr. Upton added a new pattern of reviewing students’ works-in-progress through shared Google documents.

“We found a silver lining because I could give students even more feedback as their ideas developed.”

Mr. Upton also appreciated how digital forums offered quieter students more varied opportunities to speak up. Three days each week students completed readings and then accessed online discussion boards to post questions of their own and contribute to dialogues begun by others. “Going forward, I’ll continue to use forums as a method to invite voices into a conversation,” he says.

Science Department Chairperson Eileen Glassmire says that the Science Department embraced a mixture of several modes for performing experimental work. “With distance learning, we had students acting as researchers for a team and collaborating with

going the distance

We found a silver lining because I could give students even more feedback as their ideas developed.”

—Kirk Upton, Director of New Faculty Programming Worcester Academy

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going the distance

extending beyond the classroom A core value of WA is to extend

its impact beyond campus and engage with its broader community. Last spring, social studies teacher Linda Anderson reached out to WA parent Kim Salmon, P’22 P’24 whose family manages Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Centers. Mrs. Anderson’s sixth graders had already been keeping gratitude journals as a way of keeping perspective during a complex time. They then began writing letters, creating original art, and folding origami to send to seniors.

“I’m a firm believer in giving back to the community,” Mrs. Anderson says, “and students loved writing letters for a larger purpose.” Even siblings joined in, and the students also wrote to staff thanking them for their important work.

Eighth graders in her Global Studies course were keen to explore the pandemic’s implications beyond campus.

When selecting topics for five-page research papers, students chose to write about how other countries were responding to COVID-19, how the virus was affecting the Olympics, and mental health issues relating to the virus.

For any topic, the class discussed how to evaluate sources and synthesize information. Being able to study, discuss, and write about the virus as part of a structured project helped students process their own experiences, see themselves as informed global citizens, and allay anxiety. “When students have a voice in their learning, they are more invested and learn more,” Mrs. Anderson says.

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In previous school years, Aaron Stephenson had designed his AP Spanish class to cultivate community connections. Students visited Latino businesses throughout Worcester and also transcribed and translated interviews of local residents for the Latino History Project of Worcester. “This is rigorous work,” Mr. Stephenson says.

“Students learn a lot as they train their ear. Knowing that they are helping to build a valued community resource increases their motivation.” When plans to further explore Worcester’s Spanish-speaking communities were derailed last spring, he reached out to city of Worcester poet laureate, Juan Matos, whose interview the class had translated earlier in the year. Mr. Matos joined Mr. Stephenson’s AP and Spanish 3 Honors classes several times as Mr. Stephenson developed a new unit that challenged students to write poetry in Spanish. “Poetry is the highest

expression of a language,” he says. “It relies on the musicality of a language and is a place to convey ideas that are meaningful.” His classes wrote more than 50 poems, which they then translated into English and compiled into a 200-page anthology. Eight students read their work publicly at the virtual launch party for the volume, which attracted 25 attendees. The digital publication was then made available for

The students recognize that community is more important than ever. Being in relationship with our community gave students the opportunity to do something meaningful for themselves and others.”

—Aaron Stephenson, Spanish Teacher

download as a fundraiser, earning more than $800, which was split between the Worcester Together Fund and Net of Compassion, two organizations that serve the city’s homeless population.

“The students recognize that community is more important than ever,” Mr. Stephenson says. “Being in relationship with our community gave students the opportunity to do something meaningful for themselves and others.”

art helps students endure Shifting to distance learning

didn’t slow down WA’s art scene. Middle School theater teacher Eliza Hale’s seventh graders had previously been working in pairs to act out scenes. In distance learning, they shifted to writing original monologues that depicted their characters in the moments right before the original scenes and then again after time had passed. Asking students to create their own content took them deep into each character’s psyche. “Students dug in and came up with strong motivations and insights for their characters,” Ms. Hale says.

For the eighth-grade drama class, she secured 10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine, a new work by Don Zolidis designed to be presented in a virtual platform. The play consists of snappy monologues of teens who are stuck at home. “We are living through a dramatic moment, and this script offered some humor that students identified with,” she says. Creating their characters and performing the play live on Zoom gave students a chance to learn and have fun together. “We all need a chance to play and be creative,” Ms. Hale says. “It was exciting to be able to give students that feeling even with all the constraints on our lives.”

Middle School teacher Elizabeth

Bowles didn’t want her visual art students to feel constrained by lack of materials. So, as soon as the decision was made to launch distance learning, she quickly put together art supply kits—colored pencils, watercolor paper, copper tooling foil, foam board, paint brushes—to ship to students.

Throughout the spring term, she also made more than 20 video tutorials and adapted lessons to embrace the time students were spending at home.

Students particularly liked trying out food photography and making collages that shared aspects of their homes in Kazakhstan, China, the United States, and elsewhere around the world.

“Being a creative problem solver is inspiring,” Mrs. Bowles says. “I felt that it was truly worthwhile work to deliver a good program to students whose lives are being disrupted.”

Upper School students in Renee Malowitz’s art classes reported that they looked forward to drawing, painting, and working with other media as a break from spending so much time on screen. In distance learning, Mrs. Malowitz frequently used her computer as a hand camera so that students could view her creating art alongside them. Mrs. Malowitz invited everyone to present their work while in progress,

rather than as a final product. “I wanted to model a sense of acceptance for students to incorporate into their own process,” she says. “I wanted to encourage them to suspend judgement and have faith as they moved forward.

That’s an important way to respond to this unusual time that we are in.”

Upper School theater teacher Kara Krantz points out that “boundaries can inspire artists to get even more creative.” Ms. Krantz did just that in conceiving Zoomapalooza—a virtual theater festival. When the closing of campus ended rehearsals on spring shows, she helped her students turn lemons into lemonade. Normally, each directing student directs one scene, and all the scenes are presented together in one afternoon. This year, all five students undertook the challenge of mounting full-length plays or complete one-acts, which combined together made for three evenings of live theater online. With more flexibility to schedule rehearsals, students could open up casting beyond the confines of the directing class to any student who wanted to participate. “Students said they felt abundantly blessed by this experience,” Ms. Krantz reports. “It gave them a lot of opportunity for leadership and creativity. It was particularly important to

seniors, who otherwise wouldn’t have had a final performance.”

In addition, Ms. Krantz directed dramatic readings of three more full-length plays, offering opportunities to the more than 20 students who had been cast in what would have been the spring show.

Instead of investing in sets, staging, and memorizing lines, students focused on developing character primarily with their voices and facial expressions.

“The parameters of the situation forced everyone to think about how to make art come to life, with an immediacy onscreen,” she says.

Zoomapalooza was well received, with an average of 70 viewers on each of the six nights. Ms. Krantz also reached out to invite playwrights of some of the works, three of whom attended and offered talk-back sessions following the performances. One discovery about virtual theater is how much audience members expressed their support through comments in the chat function. “The chat box let actors feel an energy from the audience,” she says. “Even if they didn’t read comments until later, seeing the chat box moving let them know their audience was engaged.”

Worcester Academy

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LAPTOP: PHOTOONGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

rallying the team When students departed from

campus last March, everyone still anticipated a spring season. Even when team trips to train over the break were cancelled, players and coaches expected to return to campus for a late start. Finally, it became clear that no interscholastic competition would take place at all. Throughout this constantly evolving state of affairs, athletic director Ed Reilly and WA coaches found creative ways to cultivate team spirit through social media and online forums. “Our coaches understood students’ disappointment at losing the season,” Mr. Reilly says. “We offset that with activities that resonate and are memorable in a different way.”

Although the Varsity Girls Soccer Team plays in the fall, science teacher and head coach Jennifer Marino convened the team on Zoom almost every Friday afternoon last spring. She also invited the seven incoming students.

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“The girls welcomed this opportunity to socialize and build a strong sense of team,” Ms. Marino says. Students shared baby photos and organized a Pictionary tournament. “Each week, the girls came up with icebreaker activities that got everyone laughing and sharing,” she says. The team then did a 40-minute, high-intensity strength workout. Team members also downloaded an app with sportspecific skills and competed by class to earn the highest stats in their individual workouts.

Last winter, the Varsity Boys Basketball Team celebrated a winning season, going all the way to the conference championship. So, when distance learning began, head coach Jamie Sullivan had the idea of connecting current student athletes with alumni to talk about life and basketball after high school. Among others, Mr. Sullivan reached out to Mike Wilhelm ’86, at

the time was an advance scout for the NBA’s Chicago Bulls; to Jarrett Jack ’02, who launched his NBA career with the Portland Blazers in 2005 and now plays for the Sioux Falls Skyforce; and Brendan Winters ’02, who played professionally in Europe. What evolved was a weekly lunch forum on Friday, with 25–50 participants, with alums reflecting on their college careers, professional careers—and particularly their foundation at WA. “This was a powerful experience for our students,” Mr. Sullivan says. “These alums have made careers in this sport, and they wanted to talk about life lessons that they learned at WA.” For him, the experience reinforced WA’s overall approach to building teams and supporting student athletes. “When graduates tell current students that ours is the closest team they have played on,” he says, “that illustrates how we are building lifelong relationships.”

This was a powerful experience for our students. These alumni have made careers in this sport, and they wanted to talk about life lessons that they learned at WA. When the alumni tell current students that ours is the closest team they have played on, that illustrates how we are building lifelong relationships.”

—Jamie Sullivan, WA Boys Basketball Head Coach

going the distance

Through the experience of distance learning, WA students discovered that the essence of Worcester Academy extends far beyond campus.

The school maintained tried and true communications, such as weekly bulletins and morning meetings that were opportunities to celebrate news and keep everyone in the loop. Students even took advantage of distance learning to share another side of themselves, by posting videos of their home workspaces as #WACribs and sharing more about their family lives, such as when one student’s dog had puppies.

In addition, important spring traditions, such as the Cum Laude Society induction ceremony and the year-end event honoring student athletes, were converted to virtual forums.

Faculty also worked closely with the Board of Monitors, WA’s unique form of student government, to develop new opportunities to socialize. Students enjoyed popping into virtual dorm

community carries forward meetings, competing around school trivia, and joining teams to play internet-based games. “We wanted students to know that we are here for them,” says Dean of Student Life Jake Sumner. “We offered a series of fun, lighthearted events to keep the WA community active in students’ lives even outside of their classes.”

Head Proctor Lucas Laroche ’20, who is now attending Dartmouth University, helped organize several virtual Dorm Cup events, including a school trivia night that attracted 40 attendees. The events helped relieve stress and gave students a taste of what their futures would be like as graduates. “As seniors, we were all about to go our separate ways,” he says. “This helped us realize that we will all still be connected.”

Some students came back to campus in May for a festive car parade celebrating the Class of 2020 and eighth-grade graduates. Seniors were

thrilled for the opportunity to return to campus one more time on August 7 for an in-person graduation ceremony, complete with social distancing and mask-wearing (see page 28). After missing out on so many experiences last spring, the community was grateful that so many could celebrate this classic rite of passage together, on the campus that has become their school home. “In the past few months, we have all acquired a profound amount of resilience,” valedictorian Carlin Steward told those assembled. “Seeing you here on campus makes it feel like nothing has changed.” In looking to the future, she reflected on how recent events are inspiring her generation to make a better world, and how WA provided a foundation for that. “Our time at WA has filled us with happy memories of friends and faculty,” she said. “It also has given us new ways of thinking, listening, and empathizing with others around us.” W

We wanted students to know that we are here for them. We offered a series of fun, lighthearted events to keep the WA community active in students’ lives even outside of their classes.”

—Jake Sumner, WA Dean of Student Life

Worcester Academy

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on this time

Students’ journals, poetry, and art offer a creative time capsule of a historic moment

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Opposite page: Photo of Arush Mallavaram ’22 by Gabe Pitts ’22, Digital Photography/Digital Artmaking 1. Photo by Yasmine Abouazza ’23, Semester 2 Photography 2. Vase by Zane Campbell ‘22, Ceramics Class

reflections on this time

Through journaling and poetry, Upper School students explored how effects of the pandemic are felt by individuals and communities.

Ode to the Doctors

by Ben Cooper ’22

Intelligent hardworking fearless they put their lives in danger, to save ours.

The perspectives shared here are excerpted from journals written in Dana Huff’s class, where students discussed how COVID-19 relates to social justice issues. The poems are excerpted from Poems for a Cause, an anthology produced

by Upper School students in collaboration with Worcester’s Poet Laureate, Juan Matos.

The poems were originally written in Spanish, through classes taught by Aaron Stephenson.

The original texts, alongside their English translations, were published as a fundraiser to support COVID-19 relief in the city of Worcester. All proceeds raised by the publication were split evenly between the Worcester Together Fund (the Greater Worcester Community Foundation and the United Way of Central Mass) and Net of Compassion, which works with the homeless of the city.

They spend many years at college, to earn their very important degrees, They work long shifts, to help make the world a better place.

During a time like this, a time with a pandemic of a very contagious virus, that we call Coronavirus, they risk their lives to help each and every sick person.

Even though the hospitals are crowded, and even though there is a shortage of protective gear, they continue taking care of our loved ones.

They are true heroes!

To those who work so hard, day and night, without rest saving countless lives every day, your friends, all of us and your family.

Our hearts plant springs for all of you!

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Flattening the COVID-19 Curve “The ‘Flatten the Curve Movement’ embodies intersectionality (the interconnected nature of social categorizations) since it is trying to prevent and stop the widespread coronavirus from not just hurting one particular group of people but all types of people in general. The movement teaches anyone how to stay safe from receiving and spreading the virus while also highlighting the privilege that comes from being able to stay at home and away from the general public, privilege some low-income or incarcerated individuals may not have …”

—Ian Gachunga ’20 2 Worcester Academy

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3. Photo by Alexandra Mrotek ’21, Digital Photography/Digital Art Making

Quarantine

by Livi Correia ’20

Before online school, every day was like “Groundhog Day.” Repeating itself over and over and over again.

How can we make this stop?

What is the key to ending this thing?

Sometimes, I can’t remember what normal feels like.

I miss my friend, my teachers, my family.

I miss their faces, their smiles, and hearing their funny jokes.

How can we make this stop?

Xenophobia and COVID-19 “One social justice issue I’ve noticed during the pandemic is the spread of inaccuracy and xenophobia. Asian-Americans and Asians have been specifically targeted. An article I read stated that “the world has noted a spike in discrimination and xenophobic attacks.” It does not help when leaders refer to the virus as the “Wuhan Virus” or “Chinese Virus.” It is important for everyone to feel safe, especially right now at this scary time.”

—Kaitlin Hogan ’20

When I wake up during these days and get out of bed, I immediately start to make my bed. When I am done with this, I open my curtains as if I were Rapunzel in her tower, allowing the sunlight to come in, warming my body.

This reminds me that every day is a blessing.

Then, I make my way to the bathroom.

I do my morning routine, you know the whole thing, washing my face and brushing my teeth.

I finally make my way downstairs, make my breakfast, watch tv, workout, shower, watch more tv, and eat supper, watch more tv, have a snack, watch more tv, And then go to bed. Again, a repetition.

All of this feels like a never-ending cycle.

I am tired of it. This routine getting old…

I know that it is not easy to fix this, but How can we make this stop?

3

I never thought I would say this, but actually, I am happy that we have a virtual school.

It helps to add variety to my day.

I can work on something new.

I know, now, more than ever, that I am truly grateful for the time that I spent at Worcester Academy.

I am always going to miss everyone’s smiling faces.

How can we make this stop?

Homelessness and COVID-19 “Matters of social justice come up when looking at the care of people experiencing homelessness during this time. People in shelters are often in situations where they are unable to use social distancing, sanitation, and other precautions that are much more accessible to others.

Absence of aid for those in need is not only harmful to them, but to the community, as it makes the spread of the virus even less controllable…”

—Marina Gatesy-Davis ’20

16 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

4. Photo by Yasmine Abouazza ’23, Semester 2 Photography 5. Photo of Jallyssa Ohl ’22 by Grace O’Leary ’22, Digital Photography 6. Photo by Alexandra Mrotek ’21, Digital Photography/Digital Art Making

reflections on this time

Ode to Technology

Inequality and COVID-19

by Mila Kaul ’23

“It has well been known that the difference in financial income for households in America has been a problem for a very long time, but now during times of a pandemic these issues will be magnified. Coronavirus has forced many companies to put a halt to manufacturing goods and selling products which has caused many people to have been laid off. This has made families rely on money that hopefully has been saved, but everyone is in a different situation. Everyone needs money in times like this for basic life necessities...”

Technology is very important in our lives We can do a lot of things with technology we can use it for education and work or we can use it for entertainment and work.

It is especially important in this time.

We cannot be with other people The only way we can talk to each other is through technology.

—Ronan Harrington ’20

We talk to friends and family in Zoom and FaceTime we have classes on Zoom and homework online We spend a lot of time using technology every day but it is extremely helpful in this time Sometimes technology can be misused but it has more benefits and is excellent.

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Memories

I am thankful to technology for always being there in times of need.

by Carlos Goden ’20

“Life is made up of memories. It truly begins from the first moment that you can remember. From that time that you first picked up a worm or first fell and scraped your knee. Whether it’s remembering what you had for breakfast yesterday morning or reminiscing about an international vacation, every moment is fed to our brain to be thought about at a later time. No matter how small or big, every memory stays with us and can have a lasting impact on who we are. The good memories, though, are usually made with other people. The memories that put a smile on our face usually involve people that did it in the first place. Sometimes life gets rough and puts us down and memories often help us get back up. We remember those good times when we were happy and realize everything is not so bad. Sure, things may not look very good right now, but they won’t stay that way forever. And we get back up and back out there to make more good memories.”

4 Worcester Academy

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7. Drawing by Riley Driscoll ’24, Visual Art 8 8. Photo by Maribeth FitzGerald ’25, MS Digital Photography 9. Collaborative Class Project, Arts Survey 7

These perspectives are shared by Middle School students, excerpted from journals written in English classes taught Kyle Layne-Allen and Social Studies/Global Studies taught by Linda Anderson

“The COVID-19

pandemic is an event that will forever change the world. It is causing many people to have to get temporarily laid off from their jobs. Many people are affected by this also because it means only staying in your house. Before the outbreak, you were able to go anywhere and do anything you wanted with friends and family, but social distancing is now in place. You can no longer go out without a mask. In the future, this pandemic will be talked about in a school history class, how it affected and took many lives.”

“During this time, I have learned just how much I need to be grateful for in my life and how I sometimes take it for granted. I also have learned to use my time wisely and to work more independently. This has helped me prepare more for high school. I am grateful for all the hard work my teachers have put in in order for me to learn in an efficient way. I am grateful that me and my family are healthy and no one that I love is suffering from COVID-19.”

—Avery, Class of 2024

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“Having a nationwide holiday

—Lilly M., Class of 2025

just for healthcare workers will really let people understand how hard they work for our health. I propose that we celebrate health care workers on December 1st because that was when the first official case of COVID-19 was discovered. On this day, we would donate to nearby hospitals. People would donate things like money, masks, scrubs, and baked goods. People would also be able to send in videos to show their appreciation.”

“At the beginning of every Little League baseball season, there is a ceremony before the opening game to recognize the players. This is especially important to 12-year-olds because it is their last season of Little League. During the ceremony, every 12-year-old gets called on to go to home plate and receive a jacket that has their name and hometown on it. I love baseball, and I am sad that this pandemic has occurred in my last year of Little League baseball.”

—Lily B., Class of 2026 7

“During this time, I learned

that I think too much when I have nothing to do. Also, I am grateful for the time I had with my grandpa and the time I’m spending with my grandma now.”

—Josh Z., Class of 2026

—Lilly, Class of 2025 8

18 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

reflections on this time

10. Photo by Bridget FitzGerald ’25, MS Digital Photography 11. Photo by Zoe Guerard ’26, MS Digital Photography

“I look forward

to my first birthday party after COVID-19 because I didn’t get to celebrate my 12th birthday with my whole family and all of my friends. In the future, I will have a blast celebrating my birthday party with all the people I missed and had to see through a screen!”

—Aleeza L., Class of 2026

Gratitude Journal

by Bryan H., Class of 2026

4/4/2020: I am grateful for having more time to spend with my family. This wouldn’t have been possible without these circumstances.

“Masks, front line workers, hospitals, quarantine. That’s what most of our life consists of right now during this tragic time. Currently, Ramadan is going on and very soon we will have a celebration called Eid where we usually invite all of our family to celebrate fasting for 30 days. But now we can’t bring family to our house without social distancing. Eid is what Muslims have been looking forward to all through their 30 days of fasting. We can’t physically touch, hug, and greet our family, but we can call and FaceTime them.”

—Shahina A., Class of 2026 11

“During this time,

4/5/2020: I am grateful for the amount of time I spend outside. Without these circumstances, I would not have been able to go outside and play catch with my dad three times. That is just one of the many activities I do outside.

I learned that I can sometimes be very restless.

Also, I learned that my sisters are my best friends because they’re always helping me.

I am grateful to spend time with my sisters and parents. This is also a time to appreciate more things and not take things for granted.”

4/6/2020: I am grateful for more time spent hanging out with my brother.

—Ben, Class of 2026

4/7/2020: I am grateful for my grandmother … It is her birthday.

“What have I learned

4/8/2020: I am grateful for my friend, Thomson … It is his birthday.

4/9/2020: I am grateful for frontline workers.

about myself during this pandemic? I have learned to be much more independent, and I have learned to fully participate in every opportunity that comes my way for lacrosse or school. I am by far most grateful for all of the quality family time that me and my parents have spent together.”

—Will E., Class of 2026 W

4/10/2020: I am grateful for Black Friday.

4/11/2020: I am grateful for my teachers.

4/12/2020: I am grateful for Easter!!!

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Worcester Academy

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Leaning Into WA’s

Means Fighting Racism Wherever It Exists

by Neil Isakson

t’s not enough to not be racist.

Now you need to be actively engaged in the work of equity and inclusion, dismantling racism wherever it exists.

That, says Bonnie Walker, Worcester Academy’s director of equity and inclusion, is the work facing us all against a backdrop of protests that have galvanized the nation following the death of George Floyd, a Black man, in police custody in Minneapolis.

“For a long time now, the opposite of racism was ‘not racist,’ ” Ms. Walker states. “Today, there is growing consensus that the opposite of racism is being ‘antiracist.’ That’s what people are standing up for, it’s a change moment. There’s a pivotal 20 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

“For Worcester Academy, it is about how it grows into the best Academy it can be. It’s about how we enable our students to thrive and grow … in order to impact the world and make it better and more reflective of the rich legacy of Worcester Academy.”

—Bonnie Walker Director of Equity and Inclusion, Worcester Academy

change in ideology, nationally and globally, to take responsibility to create change.”

WA AS CHANGE AGENT As far back as the 1800s, Blacks were welcomed at the Academy, Ms. Walker says. Then, as now, WA wouldn’t stand for racism. But WA needs to take a stand against something even bigger, she says. It needs to lead by leaning into its mission, and its core values—Honor, Respect, Community, Personal Growth, and Challenge—to dismantle structural racism wherever it may be found.

“Worcester Academy has a rich history with a voice around social and

racial equity political change. We need to have the same engagement now, around this historic time,” Ms. Walker notes. “It’s what the academy has always done.

“By leaning into our core values, and adhering to them, we are forced to ask, “How are we living them?’ And, ‘How are we fighting against racism?’ We need to stand against systemic racism and try to dismantle it,” she says.

It’s also no longer a question of whether injustice has been happening, Ms. Walker states. A look back at the history of race relations in America, from the time of slavery to the present day, shows that racism has been persistent and insidious.

There is also no refuting what happened when it’s on camera.

“The emphasis is now on the structures that allowed this to happen,” she says. “Structures of oppression need to be dismantled and changed.”

WELL POSITIONED Worcester Academy is well positioned to join the national conversation on race in America, having made long standing commitments to diversity and related issues on its campus. But we’ve not always succeeded.

“One of the scariest things we will ever do is put a mirror up to ourselves and see who we are, and—when necessary—change who we are,” she says. “It’s easy to talk about what we’ve done well, but the mirror shows all the flaws, not just beauty.”

RESPONSE TO PROTESTS While the most recent protests against violence and racism nationally began taking place as school was ending last year (and continued into the fall), Worcester Academy acted to assist faculty, staff, students, and alumni in processing the events, Ms. Walker

says. She communicated with the WA community as did Head of School Ron Cino and Worcester Academy Board of Trustees President James Pietro ’81.

“Living in a world with repeated acts of hate, violence, and racism harms all of us,” Mr. Cino wrote. “We must stand together against this mindset, these behaviors in society, and as members of the Worcester Academy community.

‘Achieving the Honorable’ obligates us to take action and to use our knowledge and empathy to lead the path forward to a better world,” he stated.

Additionally, Ms. Walker says Worcester Academy held “listening circles” and “debriefing sessions” for its Black Student Union and Worcester Academy Association of Black Alumni (WABAA).

“As Americans, we have to figure out how to put things back together again,” says Victor Fields ’71, WABAA founder. “But equity and inclusion are not new ideas at Worcester Academy. They’re a part of our history and culture.

“I think Worcester Academy is positioned to do some really good work,” he says. “I think the faculty is ready. I think the students are ready. And I’m excited about the role WAABA can play.”

Similar sessions were held for faculty and staff, as well as students in both the Upper School and Middle School divisions.

“We’ve also developed a bank of resources,” Ms. Walker notes. “The resources range in topics from ‘How to be an ally’ to ‘How to stand against racism.’ They will only grow to eventually include podcasts, webinars, articles, and dialogues.”

A group of 40 Worcester Academy faculty and staff members also undertook a 21 Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge to encourage the

creation of effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of power, privilege, supremacy, and leadership.

“For Worcester Academy, it is about how it grows into the best Academy it can be,” Ms. Walker says. “It’s about how WA builds equity and inclusive policies and structures. It’s about how we enable our students to thrive and grow and become the best citizens they can be in order to impact the world and make it better and more reflective of the rich legacy of Worcester Academy.”

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE While the challenges ahead can appear daunting, Ms. Walker is realistic but hopeful when it comes to the future of race relations in the United States. The work being done now is just the beginning of what she believes is a transformation taking place in American society. Worcester Academy, too, has a role to play.

There is much wisdom in established successful institutions like WA, she says. Some of that tradition is valuable, and some of it can be antiquated. What is needed are “new voices, different voices, diverse voices,” Ms. Walker states.

“Changing isn’t forgetting where we began,” she says. “It’s about becoming our best selves.”

R.E.A.L. INITIATIVE In June, WA Board of Trustees President Jim Pietro ’80 and his wife, Terrie Hanna, took steps to build upon Worcester Academy’s long history of valuing diversity as integral to its community. The couple has endowed the R.E.A.L. Initiative with $100,000 in seed money to support equity and inclusion at the Academy. R.E.A.L.,

“‘Achieving the Honorable’ obligates us to take action and to use our knowledge and empathy to lead the path forward to a better world.”

—Ron Cino P’21,’22,’24 Head of School, Worcester Academy

focused on the themes of Resilience, Equity, Affirmation and Leadership, will benefit students and teachers alike. Money will be used for speakers, training, teacher recruitment, and education around the four themes.

Programming will be created through the school’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) office.

“At the 2020 Worcester Academy Martin Luther King Day Dinner celebration, I told the students at my table that I would speak up and act in support of the cause for equality,” Mr. Pietro said, in announcing the endowed fund. “On reflection, I realized, I am not doing enough. I need to do more.

“Now is the time to keep that promise,” he said. “Terrie and I hope that others in the WA community will join us in funding this initiative. Getting REAL is what Worcester Academy does best.” W Worcester Academy will provide updates about how the Academy community continues to engage with this significant and evolving national conversation on racial equity and justice moving forward.

Worcester Academy

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Alumni News JOHN HOPE, WA CLASS OF 1890—

American civil rights pioneer

by Frank Callahan ’71

John took on the rigorous academics of the school by studying twice as long and as hard as other Academy students.

Despite calling himself a “plodder,” by the third term of his freshman year, he came in first in his class.

John Hope, an American Civil Rights pioneer and national leader of higher education of African Americans, is one of Worcester Academy’s greatest alumni.

A native of the South, John came to Worcester Academy in 1886 during the tenure of Principal Daniel W. Abercrombie, who in time would become John’s mentor.

Years later, while John was the president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, he invited Abercrombie to be commencement speaker. In 1932, John was a pallbearer at Abercrombie’s funeral. John himself passed away four years later and was inducted into the Worcester Academy Hall of Fame shortly thereafter.

HOPE STARTS AT WORCESTER ACADEMY John Hope was born in 1868 in Augusta, GA. His father, James Hope, was a native Scotsman who settled in Georgia. His mother, Frances Ann Butts, was a Black woman. At the time, interracial marriages were illegal in Georgia, so Fanny and James never married. As a result, 22 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

when James died, Fanny and her young children had no rights to his estate. Up until James’ passing, John attended a school for Black children.

He left school and had a paper route, a job at a law office, and worked in a restaurant. At the urging of his minister, Reverend John Dart, he came to Worcester Academy in 1886.

Coming from the segregated South, he was not used to meeting white

people, so he nervously stared at the portraits on the wall of the principal’s office for five minutes while waiting for Daniel W. Abercrombie to appear.

He found Dr. Abercrombie to be a brisk, sharp-eyed, black-haired man in his early-30s. “Abby,” as the boys called him behind his back, came forward and grasped his hand. This cordial, entirely natural action deeply impressed John, “What a difference one or two steps can make in a boy who enters a room,” he recalled. After a time, the discussion turned to financial aid. Scholarships were available, but only to boys of proven academic merit. And though available, they were highly competitive to obtain. Dr. Abercrombie explained they awarded on the basis of merit and behavior.

Hope was pleased by answers, but worried privately if he could compete.

As a freshman, John was not eligible for a scholarship, but with good grades, aid was available in the subsequent years. A moment later, he met the wonderful Mrs. Emily Abercrombie, and John agreed to run an errand for her in downtown Worcester.

Despite being an 18-year-old freshman, John Hope fit in well as there were several other boys his age at the school. Importantly, he took on the rigorous academics of the school by studying twice as long and twice as hard as other Academy students.

Despite calling himself a “plodder,” by the third term of his freshman year, he

came in first in his class. Fortunately, he loved the classics, such as Herodotus, Homer, and Ovid, which was important to Dr. Abercrombie, who taught Classical Greek. John found he did well in history, which he found relatively easy, but needed a classmate to tutor him in algebra.

John was keenly interested in current events and went to the school library regularly to read newspapers.

Faculty member [First Name] Bailey said John could always be found reading—digesting the most significant political and social events of the day. This helped in greater school life as Dr. Abercrombie advised him to join the Legomathenian Society, the school’s debate club. John took the advice to join and made it his goal to “learn the right use of words.” He had an ease with the writing and wrote for the Academy newspaper.

The young John also found Worcester Academy’s school culture to be liberal with mostly earnest, unworldly boys coming from democratic families without uncomfortable distinctions. Dr. Abercrombie himself was the main reason the school was uncorrupted and friendly as he dominated all aspects of school life. His policy was aggressively democratic throughout, rejecting the influence of caste and money, and welcoming boys who had to work their way through school.

Shy, but not self-conscious, John mingled with other boys

alumni news freely and made plenty of friends, including chums Harold Hazeltine, Robert Drawbridge, and George MacArthur. He visited Erastus Starr at the family home in Spencer, a Central Massachusetts town 11 miles west of Worcester.

John Hope had fair skin and blue eyes and could have passed as a white man. However, he insisted on calling himself Black. Interestingly, he had no contact with his race in Worcester. In fact, he attended the First Baptist Church, the one that Dr. Abercrombie attended. The effect on John during this time in Worcester was to deepen his belief in integration rather than denying that he was a person of color, which he could easily have done.

In his second year, John lived in a small room “under the roof.” The scholarship system was such that the boys on financial aid lived in the rooms in the towers of the Davis Hall, the former Civil War hospital-turneddormitory torn down in the 1960s.

Living in one of the least expensive rooms on campus, John paid $67.50 for room and board, while the rooms in the more luxurious Dexter Hall cost between $200 and $300. In addition, he worked on campus. Soon, he became head waiter and had full charge of the dining room and its Irish waitresses. He was on duty three times a day and was popular with one and all, including the waitresses. Through this activity, he was recognized as leader of boys.

School activities helped him learn important lessons. He was elected the president of the Legomathenian Society and, in this club, learned alertness and mastered Roberts Rules of Order. He learned to not use aggressiveness but rather to have a gracious manner and a great sense of humor.

Coupled with a “delight in practicing

parliamentary procedures,” he had a distinct advantage over those who were humorless and did not study their manual. Battles of wit in debate were a school tradition and John gained great experience that would help him later in life. The presidential election was one of the debate topics.

In John Hope’s era, the Dexter Prize public speaking contest was open to juniors only. The contest was held at the First Baptist Church on Main St. and was open to the public. In June 1889, John came in second in Dexter Prize. At that time, he was elected head of the school newspaper, which at that time was called the “Academy.” Inspired by faculty member Edmund Scott, he loved writing compositions for the paper as it gave him the opportunity to express himself verbally. Another editor, Swain, became a lifelong friend.

In fact, John stayed with Swain in Boston when he visited that city.

John served as the head of the paper until the end of his senior year.

Unfortunately, John Hope’s family could not afford to attend his graduation, which was sad as he was a graduation speaker. Through Abercrombie’s assistance, John received a scholarship to Brown University. Worcester Academy, founded as a Baptist school, was a feeder school for Brown University, which was founded to train young men for the ministry. John had considered becoming a minister but had no mentor to steer him in that direction.

Excelling at Brown, John later joined the teaching profession. Soon after graduation, and by 1906, he became the first Black president of Atlanta Baptist College, which was renamed Morehouse College in 1913. Some years later at Morehouse, he would enroll a young Martin Luther King Sr. as he began his

ministerial degree. In addition to providing leadership at Morehouse, John joined several prominent Black educators to found the Niagara Movement, which sought the right for a liberal arts education for African Americans, rather than simply a vocational education. This group was the precursor to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP. Another Niagara member, W.E.B. DuBois, was founder of the NAACP. Despite the passage of time and the distance between them, John Hope and Dr. Abercrombie persisted as admiring and lifetime friends, frequently corresponding with one another. For John, Dr. Abercrombie remained the dominant influence

in his life, from the first hour they met. “You were ‘the Academy,’ ” John wrote. “I owe to you for whatever I have of culture and the love for the beautiful and the true.”

Always faithful to his mentor, and to lessons learned at Worcester Academy, John was determined to do the same for other boys and never wavered in his resolve. W Worcester Academy will share additional news about the John Hope Fellowship in its next Hilltopper magazine!

Frank Callahan ’71, retired director of planned giving at Worcester Academy and a member of the American Antiquarian Society, is Worcester Academy’s unofficial historian.

John Hope and family.

Worcester Academy

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“[Music therapy] helps me improve my ability to breathe, helps me to speak loudly, improves how clearly I speak by assisting with my articulation, and it helps with my memory.

Music relaxes me and makes me happy, it improves my overall quality of life. It was the first thing I heard when I woke up from my coma. I heard it even before I could see or speak.”

Rebecca Vaudreuil's work in music therapy has been applauded by many in the therapeutic community as well as by Barack Obama, who, seen here, joined Ms. Vaudreuil during a session with a recovering service member.

— Captain Luis Avila

Rebecca Vaudreuil ’00

LEADING THE WAY IN MUSIC THERAPY FOR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY MEMBERS Rebecca Vaudreuil ’00 has always loved music, but what to do with it?

Changing lives as she played music with former President Obama, sang on national television with an opera star and a patient who had survived serious injuries in an IED explosion, and traveling to military bases as far away as Alaska, was not exactly what Ms. Vaudreuil expected when she left college to figure out how to balance music and academic interests, especially psychology.

It was deeper than constructing a perfect double major. One of her earliest memories was of being transfixed by a choir, “understanding that music 24 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

is more than something to be performed; it has the power to transform.”

She realized then through this experience that she wanted to help people.

Serendipitously, her father, Worcester Academy music teacher Al Vaudreuil, had the answer on the cover story of his college alumni magazine. Music therapy, the fusion of music and psychology, already existed, and could be studied right here in Massachusetts.

Ms. Vaudreuil jumped right in.

Rebecca Vaudreuil, EdM, MT-BC, is a board-certified music therapist who earned a music therapy degree at Berklee College of Music and a master’s in educational neuroscience at

Harvard Graduate School of Education.

She holds additional certifications in several music therapy specialties including neurologic music therapy.

She has focused on the military since seeing a large unmet need—despite decades of programs for veterans.

“When I started working with active duty military populations in 2010, I was the only music therapist in the country who was facilitating weekly music therapy programming on bases for active duty service members,” she recalls.

How important would music be to you if singing brought back a voice or unlocked a memory that trauma had taken away? What if it was the first

thing you sensed on waking from a coma? Music makes critical neurological connections for people with traumatic brain injury or PTSD, Ms. Vaudreuil says, as it is a “whole brain activity.” Scanners show widespread brain activity both while making and listening to music, sometimes activating areas that had been dormant or even creating new neural pathways around damaged areas. This makes music therapy well-suited to working with brain injuries. Much more than entertainment, or a way to boost morale, it is the clinical and evidencebased use of music by a credentialed professional to meet an individual’s

alumni news

physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs, in much the same way that physical therapy differs from unstructured exercise. Ms. Vaudreuil’s work with wounded soldiers can complement many facets of their rehabilitation: therapeutic singing and rhythmic speech help with speech; playing instruments can improve motor control; listening to music can help identify and express emotions; and the patterns and sequences of music can improve focus, etc.

Since 2014, Rebecca has been the Lead Music Therapist for the National Endowment for the Arts initiative, CreativeForces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network. In this position, she leads 10 other music therapists at bases around the country. The team also has art and dance movement therapists to fully encompass the creative arts therapies in military healthcare. After

time in the Washington, DC, area, working at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where President Obama dropped in on a session, Rebecca is now with Creative Forces as a member of their national leadership team, as well as mentoring other music therapists, conducting research, and preparing to edit a book about military music therapy.

“I work with the brave and honorable men and woman who serve or have served in the United States Armed Forces, and their families, who are warriors as well. I have been working with military populations for nearly the entirety of my career as a music therapist since 2010, and this work has been immensely rewarding for me on many levels, as a clinician, musician, and human.”

One of her proudest moments was singing on the lawn of the U.S.

Capitol with a patient and renowned opera singer Renee Fleming at the 2017 National Memorial Day Concert, televised on PBS. That same patient, Captain Luis Avila, asked to have his story told to encourage others facing lengthy rehabilitation after serious physical and neurological injury. He had a wide range of injuries after surviving an IED explosion in Afghanistan: cardiac arrest, broken bones and loss of blood were the immediately obvious ones, but the brain trauma led to the greatest ongoing challenges. Music therapy has had a major role in his physical, social, and emotional rehabilitation.

“I love music therapy. It helps me improve my ability to breathe, helps me to speak loudly, improves how clearly I speak by assisting with my articulation, and it helps with my memory.

Music relaxes me and makes me

happy, it improves my overall quality of life,” Capt. Avila says. “It was the first thing I heard when I woke up from my coma. I heard it even before I could see or speak. Please don’t ever think about stopping music therapy for anyone, it’s very important.”

With an endorsement like that, it is clear Rebecca has definitely found her way to making a difference and “Achieving the Honorable.” W Ms. Vaudreuil is the daughter of WA faculty members Al Vaudreuil and Shirley Balestrier Vaudreuil and sister of Michelle ’06 and Joseph ’09. While at WA, she was active in the arts, and grateful for a strong academic preparation, mentioning both vocal teacher Don Irving, and English teacher David Baillie as having had a lasting impact, providing both passion and skills she uses in her work today.

Worcester Academy

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2020 alumni awards Worcester Academy’s 2020 award recipients will be recognized at this year’s upcoming Reunion Festival on June 19, 2021. For details on Reunion, see the back cover!

LESLIE JACOBSON KAYE ’80 Cole Porter Arts Recognition Award Hailed as “magnetic” and a “powerhouse” (Boston Music Intelligencer), mezzo soprano Leslie Jacobson Kaye is equally at home on the opera and recital stages. Her return to the opera stage in 2018 and 2019 as Madeline 26 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

Mitchell in Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers followed an active recital schedule, and participation in the Vianden International Music Festival in Luxembourg. Most recently, she was proud to have participated in a virtual online ensemble in response to COVID-19 with over 100 vocalists and instrumentalists from 9 different countries.

Her warm vocal timbre and

command of the stage have opened the door to a wide variety of operatic roles over the years ranging from Hansel in Hansel & Gretel and Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, to Nicklaus in Tales of Hoffman, Florence Pike in Albert Herring, and the Mother in Hansel & Gretel to name a few.

Early in her career, Leslie performed as a participant in the Chautauqua Vocal Institute, as an apprentice artist with Lyric Opera Cleveland, and extensively throughout the New England and Mid-Atlantic Regions with companies such as Queens Opera, Berks Grand Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland, Delaware Valley Opera Company, Mozart & Friends, Longwood Opera, and Symphony Pro Musica.

Leslie’s recital work focuses on American storytellers such as Barber, Bernstein, Bolcom, Copeland. Heggie and Rorem, and French Chanson, but she is equally passionate about the German, Hebrew, Italian and Spanish repertoire.

Leslie has also made an impact as a senior fundraising professional for arts institutions such as The Curtis Institute of Music, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee as the vicepresident of institutional advancement.

She is currently the chief advancement officer for the Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School, successfully completing a fundraising campaign for their visual and performing arts center, and serves on the board of the Juventas New Music Ensemble, an organization that champions the works of emerging composers. She was honored by the Boston

Business Journal in 2014 as part of its WomenUp—Women of Influence feature for her impact on the arts. An alum of Skidmore College and the opera programs of the New England Conservatory and Boston Conservatory, Leslie lives in Wayland, MA, with her husband and two children.

MICHAEL SHULAN ’70 Distinguished Alumnus/na Award Michael Shulan is a writer and curator, who was the founding creative director of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. After graduating from Harvard and living in Paris for several years, he moved to Soho, in New York City, where he has lived ever since.

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, he and three friends started a grassroots photography project in the vacant storefront called here is new york: a democracy of photographs, inviting anyone with images of what was happening to contribute them to an exhibition for the benefit of the children of rescue workers, undocumented immigrants and others who were not otherwise receiving aid. The project, which was intended to be open for only two weeks, struck a chord, spawning more than two dozen exhibitions around the world, a web site (www.hereisnewyork.org) that received more than a billion hits, a best-selling book of the exhibition, and donations of nearly a million dollars to the Children’s Aid Society WTC Victim’s Fund. More than a million

alumni news as the Lead Music Therapist for the National Endowment for the Arts initiative, Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network. She develops music therapy best practices, provides clinical and research mentorship for the Creative Forces music therapy team, supports increased access to creative arts therapies research across military and veteran healthcare systems, and promotes arts-based partnerships in clinical and community settings across the United States. Her work has been published in both arts-based and rehabilitation peer-reviewed journals and featured by CNN, ABC’s World

people visited the exhibition in the small Soho storefront during the year it was open.

Subsequently, although he had no prior museum experience, Mr. Shulan was invited to become the creative director of the 9/11 Museum at Ground Zero, where from 2006–2014 his responsibilities included conceiving the exhibition plan and directing the designers and architects. Since the museum opened, he has worked on several other museum projects and exhibitions. He is currently writing a book and also working on an exhibition that will open in New York City in the aftermath of COVID-19.

He is married to Moira Hodgson, a writer, and they have one son, Alexander, who has an art gallery in lower Manhattan.

News Tonight, PBS as part of the 2017 Memorial Day Capital Concerts, and in a White House Blog. Rebecca is a featured lecturer at various national and international symposiums, conferences, and universities and works with the Jamaica Field Service Project to supervise music therapy in special education Schools of Hope, hospitals, infirmaries, and homeless shelters in rural areas across Jamaica. W Read our feature about Rebecca Vaudreuil ‘00, “Leading the Way In Music Therapy For Active Duty Military Officers,” on Page 24.

REBECCA VAUDREUIL ’00 Young Alumnus/na Award Rebecca Vaudreuil, EdM, MT-BC, is a board-certified music therapist who earned a music therapy degree at Berklee College of Music and master’s in educational neuroscience at Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is currently working on her master’s in social work at Fordham University. She holds additional certifications in the specialty areas of neurologic music therapy, neonatal intensive care music therapy, and music therapy assisted child birthing. In 2010, she founded a model for music therapy programing that was replicated on multiple military installations in San Diego county. Since 2014, Rebecca serves Worcester Academy

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e h t on

HILLTOP lieutenant governor encourages graduates to ‘Find the Joy’ LONG-AWAITED COMMENCEMENT HELD IN-PERSON AUGUST 7 The easing of state health restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic allowed the Worcester Academy Class of 2020 to graduate in person on the historic WA Quad—a decades-long tradition for graduating students—on Aug. 7. One hundred and fiftytwo members of the Class of 2020 received diplomas from Worcester Academy, which celebrated its 186th

Commencement Exercises.

Speaking at this year’s graduation were Commonwealth of Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, along with valedictorian Carlin Stewart and salutatorian Rohan Krishnan, both of Hopkinton.

The historic nature of the times we live in was not lost on Lt. Gov. Polito, nor the assembled families,

CLASS OF 2020 COLLEGE MATRICULATIONS (Accurate at the time of publication)

Kaitlin Barry Furman University Siddharth Bhattacharya University of Massachusetts, Amherst Nicolette Blum Trinity College Broox Bolden University of New Hampshire Sam Boltruczyk Nova Southeastern University Lily Bradway Providence College Sophia Brady Boston College Grace Bruno Saint Anselm College Ronan Bryant Clemson University Daniel Bugaev Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Aidan Busconi Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Megan Buxton Nichols College Alexis Cagan DePauw University Vipusha Chandrapu University of Richmond Yuling Chen University of California, Berkeley Zhuofan Chen Carnegie Mellon University Jinqiao Cheng New York University

28 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

Delon Chu Bentley University Amelia Conte College of the Holy Cross Ryan Corbett University of Massachusetts, Amherst Joseph Cordeiro Saint Anselm College Livi Correia Manhattanville College Camellia Cotto Northpoint Bible College Alexandra Crowthers Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Kelsey Czerniawski University of Massachusetts, Boston Johnny Davis Assumption College Ayanna Dickerson Pace University Henry DiNapoli University of New Hampshire Jiajun Dong Boston College Xiaolong Dong Brandeis University Nikola Duka Colgate University Naomi Dyer Trinity College Haley Fenlon Bates College Thomas Flaherty Coastal Carolina University

Asa Floyd University of Massachusetts, Amherst Ian Gachunga Brandeis University Grace Gallagher American University Karim Garifullin Michigan State University Marina Gatesy-Davis University of Utah Nadia Gauthier University of New England Tanya Gauthier American University Gabriela Gavala Union College Michael Gethings Post University Carlos Goden Clark University Joseph Gow University of Connecticut Alex Grabias Hofstra University Garrett Griffin Endicott College Benjamin Grniet University of Massachusetts, Amherst Adara Groman University of New Hampshire Ekrem Hadzic Stonehill College Ronan Harrington St. Joseph’s College of Maine

on the hilltop 2020 GRADUATION SPEAKER LT. GOV. KARYN POLITO

“Make that positive difference in our world simply because we need you, and we need you now more than ever.”

—Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Selwyn Harris Maria Harvey Michael Harvey Christina Hennessey Laura Herrman Grace Hillis Kaitlin Hogan Matthew Holbrook Dylan Hu Samuel Jacob Yechan Jeon Orlie Jeranyama Yifan Jiang Kyla Joinville Kyla Jones Andrew Kates Jenna Krikorian Rohan Krishnan Lily LaGrassa

Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito was sworn in for a second term as the 72nd Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on January 3, 2019, after a first term focused on moving Massachusetts forward through bipartisan, results-driven leadership.

Since taking office with Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito has visited and partnered with leadership in all 351 of the Commonwealth’s cities and towns, signing Community Compact agreements with every municipality on more than 800 smarter ways to deliver services. Additionally, under her leadership, the Seaport Economic Council has directed more focus and support to helping coastal communities address their unique challenges and economic opportunities.

Lt. Governor Polito has worked closely with local officials to encourage housing production through the Housing Choice Initiative, improve roadways, sidewalks, bicycle lanes, pathways, and intersections through the Complete Streets program, and invest in on-the-ground, proactive projects to address climate change impacts through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program.

As co-chair of the STEM Advisory Council, Lt. Governor Polito has encouraged further opportunities in STEM education to inspire more students to get involved in these important fields and better connect them to good careers.

As chair of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, Lt. Governor Polito and a diverse team of professionals have brought innovative approaches to combating domestic violence.

Lt. Governor Polito is a lifelong resident of Shrewsbury where she owns and operates a commercial real estate development firm and lives with her husband, Stephan M. Rodolakis (a 1980 graduate of Worcester Academy), and their two children. Her nephew, Francis Polito, is a member of Worcester Academy’s Class of 2020.

Sacred Heart University Providence College Union College Smith College Villanova University Colby College Providence College Assumption College Brown University Bucknell University Tufts University Clark University University of Rochester Quinnipiac University Brown University New York University Castleton University Yale University Saint Anselm College

Mikayla Landers Lucas LaRoche Hailey Laverty Juwon Lee Kristen Letourneau Tingyu Liang Yun-Chi Liu Zitao Liu Ayesha Lobo

Jose Lolas Xueyi Lu Jordan Lundgren Melissa Macri Sophia Magri

Nicholas Manz Tyler Martin Judson Martindale

University of Rhode Island Dartmouth College University of Alabama New York University College of the Holy Cross Georgia Institute of Technology Northeastern University University of Rochester School of Museum of Fine Arts, Tufts University Bates College University of California, Irvine High Point University Endicott College Johnson & Wales University, Providence Worcester Polytechnic Institute Boston College College of the Holy Cross

who carefully social distanced throughout the ceremony According to Lt. Gov. Polito, the impact of the coronavirus has been significant for the Class of 2020—as it has for us all—denying them many of the milestones WA seniors take

Reagan Meehan Jennifer Merandisse Namratha Metra Lily Mikolajczak Joseph Miotto Matthew Monopoli Karen Morales Joseph Morgan Mariah Morrill Deen Muttakin

Alem Nabiyev Xuan Nan Liam Nasr Khoi Ngo Nathan Novia Tess O’Leary Skylar O’Beirne Oluwadamilola Ogundele

Saint Anselm College Providence College Bentley University Tufts University Williams College Gap year for junior hockey Cornell University Stonehill College College of Charleston Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Purdue University New York University Wentworth Institute of Technology Northeastern University St. Thomas Aquinas College Swarthmore College Ohio State University University of Iowa Worcester Academy

29

for granted, such as senior spree day, college T-shirt day, senor prank and senior skip days—even prom.

Throughout the spring, however, students supported one another and still managed to find joy in life, she said.

“As you graduate from this Hilltop,

I’m asking you to continue to find the joy,” she said. “You found joy in the midst of this pandemic when you were missing so much. Don’t let it pass you by when you get consumed with so many other serious things that are ahead of you.

“Find the opportunities to be grateful even in the face of adversity,” she added. “And do it with purpose and honor and make that positive difference in our world simply because we need you, and we need you now more than ever.” W

CLASS OF 2020 AWARD WINNERS Bucknell Award: Carlin Stewart of Hopkinton Class of ’35 Prize Trophy: Lucas LaRoche of Bolton Class of 1890 All Around Athletic Prize: Ciara Wall of Hampton, NH The Rev. Edward Merrill Dart ’27 Award: Hailey Laverty of Millbury Sarah Duemmel ’94 Memorial Award: Carlin Stewart of Hopkinton The David A. Echelman Award: Clarisse Skende of Westborough The Allan Glazer Memorial Award: Nicholas Manz of Southborough Marc D. Levine Lifer Award: Naomi Dyer of Worcester William W. McAlpine Award: Jiajia “Jessica” Zhuo of Hangzhou, China Neil W. Peters III Award: Lily Mikolajczak of Northborough Cole Porter ’09 Visual & Performing Arts Award: Christina Hennessey of Littleton HG Rader Grant: Francis Polito of Shrewsbury Donald “Dee” Rowe Award: Asa Floyd of Holden George T. Sargisson Class ’27 Award: Lucas LaRoche of Bolton Richard Winters Drama Award: Tess O’Leary of Bolton Sigma Cup: Carlin Stewart of Hopkinton

Precious Ologuntere Sungjun Park Ulisses Pereira Keri Pietro Frances Polito Jacob Pothen Max Proctor Beiyu Qian Michael Rabinovich Zhangeldy Rakhimbekov Caroline Rhodes Caleb Ribeiro Avery Riva Grace Robinson Elianna Rodriguez Leilani Rodriguez

Simmons University Boston University University of Connecticut University of Connecticut Worcester Polytechnic Institute Boston University Bentley University New York University College of the Holy Cross University in Russia Hamilton College Bard College Saint Louis University Connecticut College Suffolk University University of Massachusetts, Lowell Samuel Rothschild Brandeis University

30 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

Rilie Saba University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Nathaniel Sadlier Worcester Polytechnic Institute Samantha Scott Brandeis University Angela Scumaci Clemson University Ayesha Shaikh George Washington University Olivia Shan Assumption College Shaunak Sharma Babson College Matthew Shaw University of Maryland, College Park Yifeng Shi University of California, Berkeley Yuchen Shi Emory University Clarisse Skende Johns Hopkins University Brenna Snell Bates College Brian Snyder Austin Peay State University Christopher Spitaels Northeastern University Carlton Steinberg Bowdoin College Carlin Stewart Tulane University

Molly Stokes Assumption College Abdel Talabi Bryant University Thu Tran University of Massachusetts, Amherst Khoa Truong Purdue University Dov Ushman Worcester Polytechnic Institute Ciara Wall University of New Hampshire Luyang Wang Tufts University Rory White Gap year for junior hockey Donlapun Wongkartna University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Alex Wood Bentley University Christopher Xiao Johns Hopkins University Gege Xue Boston University Zhenhao Ying University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Jiajia Zhuo Brandeis University

on the hilltop

board selects Kevin J. Breen TO BECOME WORCESTER ACADEMY’S 32ND HEAD OF SCHOOL Veteran Independent School Leader to Begin July 1 The Worcester Academy Board of Trustees have announced the selection of Massachusetts native Kevin J. Breen as the Academy’s 32nd Head of School, effective July 1. Breen, head at the Marshall School in Duluth, MN, for the past eight years, and former director of enrollment at the Brooks School in North Andover, MA, will succeed Worcester Academy Head of School Ronald M. Cino, who remains in the post through June 30.

Breen’s selection comes at significant moment in Worcester Academy history as the Academy nears its 200th anniversary, a milestone it will achieve in 2034.

Additionally, the appointment coincides with the completion of new strategic and master plans for Worcester Academy, a market research study, and a comprehensive development assessment, that will inform his decision making.

In an Oct. 26 statement announcing Breen’s appointment, Academy board president James J. Pietro and board search committee chair Susan C. Puryear said, “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Kevin to the Worcester Academy community.

“The search committee’s enthusiastic recommendation of Kevin aligned with the overwhelmingly positive response of the Academy community to his candidacy,” they stated, “including the board, which met this recommendation with their unanimous vote of approval.”

Breen’s selection was the culmination of a nationwide search that the Worcester Academy Board of Trustees undertook early last year after Head of School Cino notified the board he intended to step down at the end of

the 2020–2021 school year. The search committee, under Puryear’s leadership, began its work in earnest with 51 applicants from across the country being pared to four before the committee finally recommended the job be offered to Breen.

Members of the Worcester Academy Board of Trustees voted unanimously at their Oct. 16 Annual Fall Meeting to affirm the search committee’s recommendation and to offer the position to Breen.

In his acceptance letter, Breen thanked the board for the trust and confidence it has placed in him and said he is looking forward to the opportunity to “join a community with so much forward momentum.”

“It is an honor and a privilege to accept your offer to serve as Worcester Academy’s 32nd Head of School,” Breen said. “As I wrote in March, every quality we seek in each other at this time of global crisis is inherent in the mission of Worcester Academy. Indeed, if ever there was a time for ‘Achieving the Honorable,’ it is now.

“My wife, Dana, and I are eager to begin a new journey with the dedicated team in place at Worcester Academy—a place with a rich history, a bright future, and an inspiring mission,” he added.

The Worcester Academy Mission states, “Worcester Academy exists to instill in its students the desire to learn throughout life, to engage passionately with the world around them, and to be honorable persons of strong and resourceful character.”

The board, following its announcement, thanked board search

committee members for their work.

In addition to Puryear, committee members included Jamie Lavin, Meg O’Leary, and David Shamoian.

The trustees further established a team to assist with the transition and welcome of Breen and to ensure his successful preparation and onboarding into his new role.

Kevin J. Breen A Massachusetts native, Breen, 53, went to public schools in Westwood, MA, and graduated with a B.A. in American studies from the University of Notre Dame and an M.A. in writing from DePaul University. With more than 30 years of experience in education and independent schools, he has served in numerous leadership roles, including associate head of school for external relations and director of enrollment for the University Liggett School in Michigan, and director of admission and financial aid at the Brooks School. He served as a dorm parent and English Department chair while at Brooks.

During his tenure at the Marshall School, Breen is credited with having led a successful capital campaign, renovated facilities, expanded its international boarding program, and cut attrition.

Founded in 1904, the Marshall School has 352 students in grades 4–12 from two states and eight countries. The school’s 40-acre campus overlooks Lake Superior and downtown Duluth.

Tuition runs from $18,300 (grades 4–6) to $19,980 (grades 6–12).

Worcester Academy, founded in 1834, serves 513 students in grades

“Every quality we seek in each other at this time of global crisis is inherent in the mission of Worcester Academy. Indeed, if ever there was a time for ‘Achieving the Honorable,’ it is now.”

—Kevin J. Breen, Incoming Head of School, Worcester Academy

6–12 (and postgraduates) with students from 20 countries, 12 states, and 96 cities and towns in Massachusetts.

A local school with an international reputation, the Academy encompasses 70+ acres on two primary campuses.

Its historic main campus is situated on Union Hill just above the thriving Worcester Canal District, home of the new Worcester Red Sox stadium that is under construction. Tuition ranges from $36,392 (Middle School, grades 6-8,) to $39,376 (Upper School, grades 9-12).

Coincidentally, both the Worcester Academy and Marshall School athletic teams are called the “Hilltoppers.”

We look forward to giving you a big “Oskee-Wow-Wow” welcome in July, Kevin, when you join WA’s storied Hilltop community in Worcester! W Worcester Academy

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Worcester Academy new trustees

NORA TOOHY BROOKS Nora Toohy Brooks was previously associate general counsel-upstream for Shell Oil’s legal department in Houston, TX. In that capacity, she supported onshore oil and gas operations, primarily in the Americas. Previously, she was associate general counsel for downstream manufacturing and marketing in the U.S., Central America, and South America. She has served as general counsel and corporate secretary for Motiva, Shell’s U.S. joint venture with Saudi Refining. Ms. Brooks holds a B.A. in history from Vanderbilt and a J.D. from the University of Texas. She is board vice-chairman for Incarnate Word Academy, has supported diversity in the legal profession with her involvement in Shell’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, and is past co-chair of the Texas Minority Counsel program. Ms. Brooks’ uncle, Richard Sullivan ’59, and cousins, Sarah Sullivan Pulsifer ’91 and Andrew Sullivan ’93, are also alumni of Worcester Academy. She resides in Hudson with her husband, Richard Brooks, and the couple have two grown children, Carolyn and David Brooks.

32 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

LARRY GORDON ’72, P’11, ERNST GUERRIER, ESQ. Trustee Emeriti P’19 Larry Gordon is a business owner, engineer and entrepreneur. Since 1997 he has led Cold Chain Technologies through its tremendous growth from a regional thermal packaging manufacturer to a global provider of temperature controlled shipping solutions for life science industries. As its CEO, Larry is focused on overseeing strategic and long-term planning of the company. Prior to Cold Chain, Larry held several senior-level engineering, marketing and strategic management positions. In addition to serving on the Worcester Academy board in the early 1980s, Larry has served as director and trustee on numerous other charitable organizations. Larry is a graduate of MIT’s Sloan School of Management and also earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University.

Ernst Guerrier is principal/managing partner of Guerrier and Associates, P.C., of Boston. The law firm concentrates in areas of estate planning, residential conveyance, family law, personal injury, and representation before the Internal Revenue Service. Mr. Guerrier focuses on complex permanent personal injury cases, real estate development, and tax matters. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Mr. Guerrier came to the U.S. with his parents when he was seven years old. He holds a B.A./B.S. from Suffolk University and a juris doctor from Suffolk University Law School. He also holds an LLM in taxation from Boston University School of Law Graduate Tax Program. He is a founding member of the Suffolk University Law School Dean’s Cabinet and presently serves on the Suffolk University Board of Trustees.

He is an active member of the Canton community, where he resides with his wife, Marie Flore Guerrier, a nurse practitioner. The couple have two children, Christa Hope Guerrier and Myles Guerrier, a member of the Class of 2019.

WILLIAM KETTLEWELL ’69 Bill Kettlewell, Esq. ’69 is a partner with the firm of Hogan Lovells in Boston. He has deep experience helping clients with both white collar criminal defense and complex civil litigation in a wide variety of industries. As a former state and federal prosecutor, he has assisted clients in responding to all types of government enforcement actions, having tried numerous civil and criminal cases in both state and federal courts. Mr. Kettlewell has also handled sensitive internal corporate investigations. He holds an A.B from Harvard College and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School. Prior to joining Hogan Lovells, he was assistant U.S. attorney and chief of the President’s Organized Crime and Drug Task Force for New England, and later served as chief of the Criminal Division for the District of Massachusetts. His son, Robert Kettlewell ’08, also graduated from Worcester Academy, as did his brother, the late James Kettlewell ’73.

on the hilltop

Joseph Lepain NEW DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS

MICHAEL J. MANGAUDIS P’11,’14

CAROLINE REICH P’06,’08

Michael J. Mangaudis is owner and principal investigator of Mikrotek Analytical LLC, specializing in scanning electron microscopy. His expertise is in characterizing the microstructure of materials as related to process, properties, and performance for a broad range of clients. Prior to Mikrotek, he spent 20 years with St. Gobain Ceramics and Plastics Inc., developing and characterizing advanced ceramic materials. He is a co-inventor on two patents and co-author on several technical papers. A graduate of Assumption College, he holds a B.A. in chemistry. Despite his busy schedule, he makes time each year to reach out to Worcester students in Grades 5 to 12, interested in the sciences, to make presentations and demonstrations on electron microscopy. He and his wife, Margaret, have two sons, Kevin’11 and Thomas’14, both of whom are proud Worcester Academy graduates.

Caroline Reich has served Worcester Academy in numerous ways for 20 years. As Donor Relations Director, Mrs. Reich created programming for donor engagement and communications. The Board of Visitors—a key cultivation strategy in the success of the ONWARD campaign—was initiated and carried out by Mrs. Reich.

In addition, she has contributed her skills to WA as a grant writer, yearbook advisor and Hilltopper writer. Prior to her work at WA, Mrs. Reich worked as a writer and was the first female editor of a national trade publication. She has volunteered extensively with the Junior League. A graduate of the Taft School, she earned a B.A. in Urban Studies and Journalism from Lehigh. She splits her time between Little Compton, RI, and the Charlottesville, VA, area. She and her husband, Joel, have established the Reich Family Neighborhood Scholar Fund at Worcester Academy. Sons, Andrew ‘06 and William ‘08, are graduates of the Academy. W

Joseph LePain is Worcester Academy’s director of technology and information systems. A versatile and tech-savvy administrator, he has extensive experience in independent schools.

That experience was evident this past spring upon his arrival when he demonstrated a ready creativity and commitment that enabled him to strategically and thoughtfully contribute to WA’s Distance Learning Plan. The Distance Learning Plan enabled WA students to continue to learn remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, as the director of information and innovation at Roland Park, Mr. LePain oversaw the infrastructure, system administration, and tech integration for the entire PreK to 12 campus.

He also has worked as the director

of technology at Rocky Hill School in Rhode Island, as the tech integration specialist at the Brookwood School in Manchester, MA, and as the network administrator at Nashoba Brooks School of Concord, MA. Mr. LePain said he was very happy and excited to return to Massachusetts, having grown up in Holden, attended High School at Wachusett Regional, and earned his B.A. at Assumption College. W

Farraher, Malowitz RECEIVE TIEN STUDENT IMPACT AWARDS The 2020 recipients of Worcester Academy’s Tien Student Impact Award are visual arts teacher Renee Malowitz and athletic trainer Meagan Farraher.

The Tien Award, created by Michael Tien ’68 in appreciation for the excellent educational experience he had at WA, honors Worcester Academy teachers and staff who have had a significant impact on students at the Academy. Honorees are selected by the head of school based upon nominations received from students, parents, parents of alumni, and alumni.

Worcester Academy is so grateful that, through the generosity of Michael Tien, we are able to honor and recognize our employees who achieve excellence every day!

Congratulations to Ms. Malowitz and Ms. Farraher!” W Worcester Academy

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WA ATHLETICS

Championship Completes

historic 2019–2020 soccer season

by Katherine Morse

A record of 20–1–1 is exciting, but even more so when a team is celebrating its first championship!

After playing interscholastic sports since 1885, playing soccer since 1911, and reaching the NEPSAC finals in three of the last four years, the Hilltoppers won their first NEPSAC Class A championship in boys soccer.

From the first practices in August 2019, until the exciting, hard-fought 2–1 victory against Milton Academy in the championship game on Nov. 17, which came down to penalty kicks, it was a very special season.

Other than a 1–1 tie with Buckingham Browne & Nichols in the season’s first

34 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

game, and a loss to Northfield Mount Hermon 0–3 in September, they won every game. Along the way they also won the WNEPSSA Class A title, and the WNEPSSA sportsmanship trophy, while being ranked as high as third nationally among prep school teams by the website Top Drawer Soccer.

Coach James Proctor attributes much of the team’s success to the core of experienced players who were on the squad when it reached the finals last year, but also praises the unprecedented impact of first year players from postgraduates to

WA athletics freshman. Everyone contributed, and together, they made a special group with a strong belief in themselves.

Seven seniors returned from the prior year’s team, including both goalkeepers, and All-American center back Ekrem Hadzic ’20 to anchor a strong defense. Alex Wood ’20 was in the goal for the penalty kicks, which decided the championship. Midfielders included

senior Matt Shaw ’20, a talented multisport athlete who will play division 1 baseball in college, and postgraduate Abdel Talabi ’20, who has been playing with the New England Revolution’s U-19 team since WA’s season ended. Top scorer Jose Lolas ’20, a postgraduate from Peru, played in 16 games with 16 goals. Although the Hilltoppers started two postgrads and five

seniors, they also started three sophomores and a freshman, which bodes well for the future.

James Proctor has completed his 21st season at the helm of the Worcester Academy boys soccer program. Known for his detailed preparation and excellent recruiting, Coach Proctor has revitalized the program and made it into a regular post-season contender.

During Proctor’s time at WA, he has compiled a 237–69–49 record which now includes: one NEPSAC Class A title, three WNEPSSA Class A titles, four NEPSAC finals, nine NEPSAC semifinals & fourteen NEPSAC quarter final appearances.

Congratulations to Coach Proctor and the Worcester Academy Varsity Boys Soccer Team on their championship year! W

the Residential Life program; polishing English language skills and acclimating to American culture; to fully developing athletic skills and getting exposure to more collegiate programs to find the best fit.

José saw how he could benefit from

a PG year in many of these ways and did not hesitate to act.

Today, José is a student at Bates College where he finishing his second semester as a freshman and feeling confident about his success in college and beyond. W

Jose Lolas ’20 Finds Success in Post Graduate Experience

by Katherine Morse

Sixteen games played. Sixteen goals made. Sixteen games won. And, the first NEPSAC Championship in 108 years. It is quite a summary of athletic achievements and contributions.

José Lolas ’20 is a wonderful soccer player; there is no doubt that his soccer skills have played a major part in his journey from Lima, Peru, to Worcester Academy, where he spent a postgraduate year. However, he will be the first to tell you that, upon his arrival, he was determined to make the most out of every opportunity, whether connected to soccer or not.

José graduated from an international school, in his hometown of Lima, Peru. His high school classes were taught in English, but his social life and home life were all in Spanish.

Eager to move on to the next stage of life and education, and to explore where his soccer talents could take him, José found himself at a large university in the Midwest (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville)

preparing for pre-season soccer practice. However, being thousands of miles away from home for the first time, and living in English 24-7, was harder than expected. Arriving on campus before the semester began, he had to hit the ground running without much structure or support. It was not an environment built for his success.

He reached out for guidance to WA soccer coach James Proctor, whom he had met at a soccer clinic in Boston several years before. Proctor, ever a tenacious recruiter, had kept in touch with José ever since. Now, it seemed, was the right time for WA after all.

The postgraduate program at Worcester Academy has a long history of providing opportunities for students to strengthen their preparation for success in college and beyond.

Students have a host of reasons for choosing a PG year: from buttressing areas of academic challenge; building study skills, discipline, and self-confidence away from home in

Worcester Academy

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Varsity Club Honors

John Resnick ’93 & Meredith Davis ’03 The Worcester Academy Varsity Club honored two alumni as its 2020 Varsity Club Award recipients. Those receiving 2020 Varsity Club Awards were John Resnick ’93, a partner at Boston-based Proforma printing and promotion company, and Meredith Davis ’03, a physician assistant at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Nearly every year since 1965, Worcester Academy has honored a graduate who, while at the Academy, excelled in sports, and then has gone on to experience success in athletics and in life. The honoree is selected from nominations submitted by alumni and other members of the school community.

Meredith Davis ’03

Meredith Davis ’03 John Resnick ’93

36 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

Meredith Davis, among the most accomplished athletes ever to represent Worcester Academy, had a distinguished record of accomplishment across three different sports during her years on the Hilltop. A WA “lifer,” Ms. Davis entered the Middle School in the fall of ’97, immediately impacting the girls varsity soccer team with her tenacity and competitive nature.

Over the course of her stellar career, Ms. Davis earned a combined 15 letters in soccer, basketball and track & field, breaking records along the way and helping her teams set a standard of excellence that is recognized to this day. In and around her role as a two-year member of the WA Board of Monitors, she was co-captain and the leading scorer (6th consecutive year as the teams’ leading scorer) of the 2002 co-champion New England Prep School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class C soccer team. Additionally, she helped propel the Girls Varsity Basketball Team to the NEPSAC Championship game and held records in Track & Field in the 100m, triple jump, long jump, and 4 X100 relay.

Ms. Davis was recognized for her

multiple contributions and honored with the Presson Trophy as the most outstanding female athlete in 2003 and accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the College of the Holy Cross where she excelled on the soccer pitch and in the track & field program.

At Holy Cross, Ms. Davis received a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a pre-med concentration in 2007 and began working at Dana-Farber as a clinical research coordinator in the Melanoma group. She earned a master’s degree in the health science field in the physician assistant studies program at George Washington University in 2012 and returned to this same Melanoma group at Dana-Farber to care for patients with high risk and metastatic disease. Ms. Davis is currently a medical oncology physician assistant at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a member of the Dana-Farber Patient and Family Education Committee as well as the Opioid Management and Drug Diversion Committee.

In addition to her clinical work, Ms. Davis has contributed to multiple publications and top academic journals relating to cutting-edge immunotherapy research and continues to pursue her great passion in working with

those patients affected by cancer.

Ms. Davis’ connection to Worcester Academy remains strong as she and her husband, Seth Rosen, also a member of the Class of 2003, recently welcomed their second child, Juliana (joining brother Jack), Worcester Academy, Class of 2039!

John Resnick ’93 John Resnick enrolled at Worcester Academy in the fall of 1991 having spent the first two years of his high school career at Xaverian Brothers in Westwood, MA. He would make an immediate impact in our ice hockey program leading the team to backto-back 15–4–1 seasons culminating in a 1993 New England Prep School Championship. Mr. Resnick was an important piece of the 1992 team that went to the finals of the Division II NEPSAC Championship and captained the 1993 team that secured the schools first championship since the 1984 season.

Mr. Resnick was selected to play in the prestigious Private School Hockey Night in Boston that year, and in the spring of 1993, he signed an NCAA Letter of Intent to attend Fairfield University on an academic and

WA athletics athletic scholarship. He would have an outstanding career at Fairfield as a 4-year varsity letter winner in addition to serving as an alternate captain during his senior year. Mr. Resnick and his teammates helped transition Fairfield University from a Division III program into a Division I program during his career.

It was during this time while enrolled in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University that Mr. Resnick began to hone his skills in both the analytical and organizational aspects of running a corporate enterprise. As a young executive with Investors Bank and Trust Company, Accenture, and Digitas Inc., Mr. Resnick began the arduous task of building his impressive resume by investing in relationships, growing market shares through efficient analysis, and establishing strategic direction for individual clients and corporate partners.

His capacity to grow business was quickly rewarded in 2005 as he was named the vice president of sales, director of business development for Proforma Printing & Promotion, a position he held until 2013. At that time, he was elevated to president, and then partner, of Proforma, overseeing all departments in the organization with a focus on marketing, research, sales, and operations.

Despite Mr. Resnick’s relentless pursuit of excellence in the business world, he has managed to find time to stay connected to and to be on the cutting edge of a unique hockey offering in the city of Boston, known as S.C.O.R.E. Boston Hockey. It is an urban hockey initiative in partnership with the Boston Bruins and the National Hockey League designed to provide opportunities for those who otherwise would not be able to afford or have access to the sport of hockey. In addition to teaching

inner city kids how to skate and play, SCORE Boston Hockey strives to develop programs that provide a positive social and academic well-being for all participants. John has served this program in multiple capacities since 2010 in his role as vice president of hockey operations (2014–2019), board member (2014–2019) and lead bantam coach (2010–2018).

Mr. Resnick’s civic responsibilities have involved him in other charitable organizations as well, including as a committee member on the Dana Farber Unmask Cancer Gala, which is a fundraising arm of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Past Honorees Past Varsity Club honorees include: Dave Gavitt, former general manager of the Boston Celtics; Donald E. “Dee” Rowe ’47, director of athletics and basketball coach; Bill Toomey ’57, Olympic decathlon champion; Armand LaMontagne ’58, noted sculptor; Steve Adelman ’64, Boston College hall of famer; Bill Reynolds ’64, longtime sports writer and columnist; Chet Gladchuk ’69, U.S. Naval Academy director of athletics; Bill Cooke ’70, Green Bay Packers; Yvonne Goldsberry ’78, pioneer of women’s athletics at WA and a member of the Brown University Hall of Fame; Rick Carlisle

A Look Back

’79, head coach, Dallas Mavericks; Stephanie Abodeely Carlson ’80, former head women’s soccer coach at WPI; Joe Philbin ’80, head coach, Miami Dolphins; Donn Nelson ’82, general manager, Dallas Mavericks; Mike Wilhelm ’86, coach Chicago Bulls; Daryl Smith ’88, founder and president of D-Trained; Mike Malone ’90, head coach, Sacramento Kings; Jacqueline Odell ’92, executive director for the Northeast Seafood Coalition; Erica Sobel ’98, National Pro Fast Pitch League player; and Dr. Daniela Faas ’00, teacher and researcher at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. W

JACKIE ROBINSON

at Gaskill field in a 1970 baseball game against Phillips Exeter Academy.

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Founders Day A CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE

DONATED MEMORABILIA, EPHEMERA

reveal WA’s rich history

by Ursula Arello ‘85, P’21

Since its founding on February 28, 1834, Worcester Academy has developed a rich tradition and history over the past 185 years, producing countless artifacts—many of which are now stored in the Alumni House archives.

Occasionally, visitors to campus bring the Alumni Office donations of precious memorabilia and other items that record WA’s enduring history.

Recently, Worcester Academy was the recipient of fascinating artifacts and ephemera that provide a glimpse to WA’s intriguing past.

Dr. Daniel Webster Abercrombie is a familiar name to generations of students, and he is often considered the most important person in the history of Worcester Academy. He was the principal of the school from 1882 until 1918 and in those 36 years created both the historic campus and the culture of the 38 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

Academy. His great-grandson, Scott Abercrombie, recently visited campus to donate a scrapbook that belonged to Dr. Abercrombie, which included correspondence from numerous WA alumni congratulating he and Mrs. Emily Abercrombie on their 50th wedding anniversary.

According to Scott Abercrombie, a history teacher at Nashua Catholic Regional Junior High School in New Hampshire, “We didn’t even know this scrapbook existed until after our dad passed and my brother found it. After going through it, we felt if might be of more value to Worcester Academy than any of us.”

Included in the ephemera is a 1929 edition of the Vigornia, which describes the scrapbook as a collection of “nearly 400 letters and other messages from old boys of the school.

These letters were collected and

preserved in a scrapbook, which had been sent to Dr. Abercrombie.”

A second surprise visitor to campus was Tom McCarty, Class of 1970.

Now a resident of Newburyport, Tom visited campus with his wife, Karen.

Tom brought a plaster relief plaque with a fireside scene that may have once been displayed in the interior of the Megaron. According to Tom, “About 20 years ago a friend found the plaque at a yard sale. Knowing that I had attended Worcester Academy in 69/70, he purchased it and gave it to me as a gift. My wife was not excited about having it hang on our wall so it was relegated to a basement shelf. On a recent trip to Worcester, I decided that it was a good time to return the plaque to its rightful place at the Academy. I am very pleased to know that it now has a place back at the Academy.” W

For 187 years, the Worcester Academy experience has been distinguished

by EXCELLENCE. But we could not be excellent without YOU! This FOUNDERS DAY, Feb. 28, we invite you to make a gift in support of today’s students.

Help us meet our goal of 365 gifts.

As a BONUS, anyone making a gift by Feb. 27 receives exclusive access to a live performance by one of America’s funniest comedians, Alingon Mitra ’04.

So make YOUR gift, and join our celebration on Zoom!

To donate, use the camera on your phone to scan this code:

in 1956 BILL LIGHTFOOT published a memoir called, “The First Half (More or Less) of the Life of William I. Lightfoot.” A paperback version is available on Amazon.

1959 JEFFREY HALBREICH was honored

DR. EDWARD REARDON is starting to slow down his ENT practice with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, which was helped by stepping down as chief of surgery at the BID Milton Hospital. Ed and his wife, Susan, are looking forward to spending more time with family as well as playing golf and tennis in Dedham, MA, and Biddeford Pool, Maine.

1971

1963

by the Bar Association of Nassau County at its annual dinner dance.

He was recognized for his 50 years of service as an attorney and as a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Nassau County Bar Association.

MICHAEL SCULLY and his WA friends gathered at the Delray Beach, FL, home FIN and his wife, Sue. Clockwise: ROBERT SALTER ’72, RONALD SADOWSKY, OSCAR PLOTKIN ’72, Sue Fin, KEVIN STACK, and Brian Fin.

of BRIAN

1962

1980

LAWRENCE COHEN was recognized by the State Supreme Judicial Court’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services for 30 years of providing pro bono legal services to the residents at Jeremiah’s Inn, a residential recovery program in Worcester.

JOHN LENDO recently enjoyed a visit to campus!

THOMAS HOLLAND published his first novel in 2020.

CLASS OF 1980 ZOOM REUNION The Class of 1980 met for a virtual reunion on May 22 thanks to reunion planner Mark Lainer!

MARK LAINER is living back in Massachusetts after 25-plus years in Florida. He recently did some fun acting jobs. He has done commercials for Harvard Pilgrim and the U.S. Census, a small role in a film called “Love, Weddings and Other Disasters,” and a very nice role in the Fox/Disney feature film “Free Guy,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer, directed by Shawn Levy, released July 3. Here’s the link for the trailer: http://youtu.be/X2m-08cOAbc. If you look closely, about a minute in, you can see Mark in the background as Ryan’s character, Guy, wrestles a gun away from a bank robber. Mark is kneeling behind them with his arms up. You can see more at http://marklainer.com.

On another note, thank you Mark for organizing your class Zoom Reunion.

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1983

1985

1987

BIL GARDINER states that he’s proud to be a member of the newly organized Worcester Academy Association of Black Alumni. He encourages all black alumni to get involved in this wonderful group.

1984 1982 Thank you to KELLY BLACKBURN CURRAN from Vertex

The Massachusetts Package Stores Association recently recognized the 2020 officers to its board of directors.

Elected officers include President RONALD “RYAN” MALONEY from Julio’s Liquors in Westborough.

CHRISTINA (GOMEZ) ANDERSEN sent us a photo of her granddaughter, Josie Gray, wearing her Worcester Academy bib.

Pharmaceuticals Inc. for speaking about the pharmaceutical industry to the Medical Explorers Club; a club for students interested in pursuing a career in the Medical field.

CLASS OF 1985 ZOOM REUNION The Class of 1985 gathered on April 11, and, thanks to ’85 reunion planners Julie (Maloney) Manley ’85, Kathy (Gardiner) Tirado ’85, and Ursula Arello ’85, a WA reunion class enjoyed its first-ever virtual Reunion!

MICHAEL BURWICK has been included in Marquis’ Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process. Backed by decades of professional expertise in law, Mr. Burwick currently serves as an attorney with the Wagner Law Group, where he specializes in investment management, work on behalf of investment advisers, various types of investment funds, brokers and dealers and other financial services participants; qualified opportunity zones and qualified opportunity funds, capital gains liability issues, real estate tax matters, and other tax law issues and controversies; and ESOPs.

Congratulations to HILARY (McCANN) CROWLEY on her new book, “The Power of Energy Medicine: Your Natural Prescription for Pain-Free Living and Abundant Health.”

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ERIC STOKES wrote to Alumni House that his stepson, Phillip, graduated from high school in Mt. Juliet, TN. His daughters, Josie and Reagan, are adjusting well to school at home. Eric’s wife, Kara, works from home part-time, and Eric is still flying for Southwest Airlines.

1994

checking in

1998

1991

MELISSA (BENJAMIN) ROITER, owner of Yummy Mummy Bakery in Westboro, started her business from her residential kitchen more than 12 years ago. Her business was profiled in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in March. She is currently open for business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1996

get connected

Worcester Academy has a variety of social media channels to help you stay up to date with the latest news from the Hilltop. Whether you still live in the area and want to know about upcoming events, or you live overseas and want to see what is happening in our classrooms through videos, social media is our way of bringing the Hilltop to you.

Here are just a few ways that you can stay connected: Become a fan of the Worcester Academy Facebook Page and the WA Alums Facebook Page. See posts about upcoming events and connect with the Worcester Academy Online Community.

Visit Worcester Academy on Flickr to see the latest photos from games, performances, and school life. www.flickr.com/photos/worcesteracademy Watch videos of students, faculty, alumni, and parents experiencing a real-world education. www.youtube.com/user/WorcesterAcademy Catch breaking news about events, lectures, and more when you follow @WorcesterAcdmy on Twitter.

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2002 KEITH STOCKS and his wife, Erica, welcomed their first child March 16, 2019—a little girl named Franceszka, aka “Frankie.”

Congratulations to LINDSAY (RITZ) ESPOSITO and her husband, Andy, on the birth of their daughter, Phoebe Leona, on March 9, 2020.

Phoebe’s entire family is part of the WA community! Grandfather, JESSE RITZ ’69, and Lindsay’s siblings, JOSHUA ’01 and JULIE ’10, all graduated from Worcester Academy.

2001

2004

2003 Congratulations to JASON FRANCISCO and his wife on their recent marriage!

Congratulations to RODOLFO MARENO on the birth of his son, Rafael Oskar Mareno, on Jan. 11, 2020.

JESSICA (GUSAR) CHARLES and her husband, Navil, eloped on April 6, 2020 in Post Office Square in Boston, MA

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2005

checking in

KATHERINE ROSE LITTLETON

2006

behind the post

married Timothy Dinardo on Sept. 28, 2019 at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church in Boston. Pictured are Katie with her bridesmaids (from left)

ELLSBETH (THORN) CUNDALL ’03, and ALICIA MARCULITIS ’07.

ARIELLE (PASTICK) MARLETTE married Eddie Marlette on Sept.

21, 2019. Her brother, ALEX PASTICK ’06, was a groomsman.

Arielle is working as a pediatric nurse practitioner at Connecticut Pediatrics at the Community Health Center and in Adolescent Medicine at CCMC.

SAMANTHA (BARRY) BARRY-MENKHAUS and her husband, Jeremy Menkhaus, welcomed their first child, Julian Menkhaus, on Jan. 14, 2020 in San Francisco, CA.

Congratulations to ANDREW REICH and his wife, Caroline Armbruster, on their wedding Dec. 29, 2018 in Covington, LA. Pictured are Andrew and his bride, Caroline, ADAM GREENLAW and RJ DEPIETRI

(USHERS), ALEX PASTICK, HARRY DEMAKES, SAFIRA AMAZAN ’08, WILL REICH ’08, CARLO CERVINI ’08, former WA development director MARILLYN EARLEY, and Andrew’s mother, WA board member CAROLINE REICH.

behind the post Congratulations to MARNE RUBINSTEIN MAHONEY on the birth of her son, Dylan James Mahoney, on April 7, 2020.

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2007

2008

ALEXANDRA KLIMAVICH is in her 8th year living in Los Angeles, working in the entertainment industry, she’s currently at Octopie—the animation studio producing the upcoming Magic the Gathering series for Netflix.

2009 EVAN FONSECA was featured in the Hollywood Reporter for a writing/ directing collaboration with Billy Magnussen’s Foxhole Creative.

KELSEA HANKS started working as a political technology specialist for a group called DigiDems. She worked on a Democratic Congressional campaign through the end of 2020.

Congratulations to DR. GORDON LOCKBAUM, PH.D., on earning his doctorate in biomedical sciences from the University of Massachusetts!

behind the post Congratulations to Class of 2008 alums KELCEY HEMAN and DYLAN O’NEIL on their marriage in February at Harrington Farm in Princeton. The wedding was truly a WA affair with TUCKER VAN AKEN performing the ceremony and Kelcey’s three siblings, MACKENZIE ’10, KEVIN ’12, and CARLY ’14, as members of the of the wedding party. Also in attendance were

ERICA HENDERSON, EDMUND STEEN, GEOFFREY REVELLI, and GINA (SCIANNAMEO) MANTEL.

join worcesteracademyconnect.org TODAY! SITE IS WA’S DEDICATED ALUMNI NETWORKING PLATFORM—DOWNLOAD THE APP! Join WA’s dedicated alumni community TODAY by visiting WorcesterAcademyConnect.org online! Meet up with friends and classmates, expand YOUR professional network, and cultivate a culture of helping and giving back in a trusted WA environment. YOU’LL be amazed at how vibrant YOUR WA community is! Sign up, sign in, link YOUR social networks, and hang out with fellow Hilltoppers today at WorcesterAcademyConnect.org! For assistance, email Director of Donor and Alumni Engagement Ursula Arello ’85 at ursula.arello@worcesteracademy.org.

44 the HILLTOPPER : winter 2020–2021

checking in

WA alumni and friends in NYC on Nov. 3, 2019. From top left: Stephen (Julia’s fiancé), Julia Zhou ’09, Nancy Cho ’11, Nancy’s friend, Tian Cai ’10, Tina Huang ’10, and Chan Park ’09.

From bottom left: Tom Xi ’10, Tom’s fiancé, Joanna Cheung ’13, and Sam Su ’09.

WA couple SAM SU and his wife, TINA HUANG ’10, visited campus, taking time from their visit to the U.S.A. to stop by WA, tour the campus, and say hello to faculty. Sam and Tina enjoyed a visit with Barbara Gould, Lynne DiRoberto, Al Vaudreuil and others. Sam and Tina live in Taiwan with their two children. They work for their family business, the clothing retailer Leeco. They maintain contact with numerous WA alumni and have fond memories of their years WA.

2012 Jaclyn DiPersio ’11, Alex Danais ’09, and Canaan Severin ’12.

Boston Alumni gathered at the Barking Crab in Boston. Thank you to ALBERT FELDMAN ’09 for gathering the large group!

ATHENA CROWLEY spoke to the Medical Explorers Club—a club for students interested in pursuing a career in the Medical field—about her career in Nursing. She gave the club advice on a career in nursing and encouraged them to pursue the medical profession. Thanks Athena!

Congratulations to JORDAN LUCAS ’12, a standout Hilltopper and member of the Kansas City Chiefs, on the team’s Super Bowl LIV win! Jordan’s jersey number is 24.

2010 Congratulations to BENJAMIN FIORILLO on his engagement to Rachel Fong. A wedding was planned in Cape Neddick, ME.

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2016

behind the post Congratulations to SALLY SHEPARDSON-FUNGAIRINO and her husband on the July 1, 2019 birth of their son, Eddy Fungairino.

behind the post Congratulations to KIANA NEDELE on being selected as one of the 2020 Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellows!

2014 CHRISTIAN ALEXANDROU has moved to Washington, D.C., to work at The Federalist Society for Law & Public Policy as their assistant director of external relations.

2015 MADDIE EVANGELOUS made her professional debut with the Connecticut Whale of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL).

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2018 Thank you SAM THOREEN for leading a lesson in Dr. Gladys Vasquez’s Spanish class and for your help promoting WorcesterAcademyConnect.org.

checking in

2019 TURNER GEENTY, a 2020 graduate of Union College, was recognized for four years of academic achievement by earning a spot in the 2020 NFF Hampshire Honor Society, as announced by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame in April 2020.

GRACE ARPIN finished her freshman year rowing at Sacred Heart University.

KEVIN ARPIN finished his freshman year swimming Division 1 for the University of Maine. He was recognized with the Jeff Wren Rookie of the Year award for being a standout first year athlete at his university.

2017 Congratulations to JULIA PELLETIER for being named 2020–2021 hockey captain for the Holy Cross Women’s Hockey team.

TELL US WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU! To submit a class note, please send note and/or image to Alicia Figueiredo at alicia.figueiredo@worcesteracademy.org.

Some tips for sending us digital photos that will look fantastic in print: > > > >

Set the photo size to 4 x 6 inches or larger, in 300 dpi.

Set your digital camera to the best photo setting.

Save files as JPG or TIF. Identify everyone left to right in the photo and provide a caption.

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passings 1935

1939

J. DUDLEY RICHARDS of Parkville, MD,

ROBERT B. WADE passed away on Feb. 9, 2003.

passed away on July 16, 2012.

Robert was born in Providence, RI, raised in Fitchburg, MA, and lived in Orlando since 1955. He was a member of First Alliance Church and served as head usher and greeter for many years. He served his country as a B29 pilot in WWII and in the Korean Conflict. Bob was an insurance claims adjuster for over 53 years and enjoyed his career. He was an active member of Civitan, Honorable Order of Blue Goose International, Orlando Claims Association, and an honorary member of the Central Florida Blood Bank (25 gallon donor). He is survived by his wife, Caroll Wade.

1935 EUGENE G. VAN WYE passed peacefully on Jan. 27, 2016 at home in Cranston, RI. He leaves a daughter, Holly L. Van Wye, with whom he lived. Born in Winsted, CT, he was married to the former Grace (Kenyon) Van Wye, for 49 years. Following Worcester Academy, Eugene graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. He was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII, attaining the rank of sergeant. He worked with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management as a draftsman until 1990 and taught art at Rhode Island adult correctional institutions.

1938 DR. WILLIAM FAVRE PARK passed away July 12, 2015, in Virginia Beach, VA. Following graduation from Worcester Academy, he studied pre-med at the University of Maryland and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943. William graduated from Maryland School of Medicine in 1946. He interned in the Navy and served his residency in ophthalmology at the Naval Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. During his naval career, he served as a flight surgeon at numerous air stations and hospitals and aboard aircraft carriers and submarines. After 20 years in the Navy as a commander, he retired to Wheeling, WV, in 1963. He practiced ophthalmology at the Wheeling Clinic for 27 years. He was a fellow of the American Ophthalmology Associates, fellow of American College of Surgeons, a member of Hopkins Residency Associates, a member of American Medical Associates, West Virginia Medical Associates, and Ohio County Medical Associates. William was a past president of the Fraternal Order of Police Associates.

He is survived by three children, and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his late wife, Helen Eskey.

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1940 RICHARD P. BERTHIAUME of Winchester, MA, passed away Oct. 5, 2015. Beloved husband of the late Mary G. (Hennessy) Berthiaume, Richard was a WWII Navy Veteran. He is survived by his children and grandchildren.

JOSEF A. DEMUZIO of Bellows Falls, VT, died on May 22, 2014, surrounded by his children. He was a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Durham. He founded the Dari Joy in 1952 and operated it until his retirement at age 88. Joe was an avid hunter, and he wintered in Orlando, FL. Joe served in the Navy during World War ll. On May 24, 1945, he married Shirley Hilliard in Baltimore, Md., who predeceased him in 1997. Joe is survived by his children and grandchildren.

DR. SEAN BULLER MURPHY passed away on March 16, 2017 at the Chateau Westmount in Montreal.

Sean was an undergraduate at Harvard College and received his medical degree from McGill in 1947. He joined McGill’s Department of Ophthalmology in 1955 and was appointed ophthalmologist-in-chief at the Royal Victoria Hospital and professor and chairman of the McGill Department of Ophthalmology in 1975, where he served until 1986, when he was appointed emeritus professor of ophthalmology. Among the long list of his honors and awards, he was awarded the Order of Canada, the medal of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, and received its lifetime achievement award in 2007. His book entitled, Portraits

former faculty RALPH ARTHUR HUGHES passed away peacefully at his home on April 2, 2020, in Oakham, MA, where he had lived since 1976. He leaves three children, Jenny Lee Yoxen, Sarah Elizabeth Hughes ’77, and Peter Hughes ’75; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren. After early graduation from Bowdoin College, Ralph served in the Navy where he learned electronics. He married his wife, Nancy Jane Hughes (d. May 13, 2018), in 1953 while pursuing graduate studies at Indiana University. Ralph taught at WA from 1956 to 1993. He began as an instructor in Latin and soon became the chairman of classics. In the middle part of his career, he was the senior master, the advisor to the senior class, and then the dean of faculty.

In the mid-1970s, he returned to teaching in the English department and became the chairman of that department. During this period, he was the advisor to Lance, Towers, the Art Club, and the Dexter Prize.

Near the end of his career, when the Middle School was beginning to take shape, he was the 7th grade coordinator and the co-advisor to the Middle School. He played cello in community string ensembles together with wife, Nancy, and he was an accomplished clarinetist who enjoyed playing Dixieland jazz.

For his excellence in teaching and outstanding service and commitment to the school, the senior English award was named in his honor. Ralph was inducted into the Worcester Academy Hall of Fame in 1986.

passings of Ophthalmology at McGill University 1876-1990, can be found on the department’s website at https://www. mcgill.ca/ophthalmology/about-us/history. Sean served as president of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and was active at the museum until recently.

1941 ALBERT S. FELDMAN passed away in Westborough, MA, on Feb. 8, 2017. After living in Worcester for over 90 years, he recently moved to Whitney Place, in Westborough, with his wife, Lois, who predeceased him. He is survived by his three children and four grandchildren. Albert proudly served his country during WWII in Europe and North Africa. He was honorably discharged after the war and later attended Boston University, where he obtained his accounting degree in 1949. After college, he worked for various companies in their accounting and finance departments. He eventually met and married Lois in 1953. He started working for PresMet Corp. in Worcester in the early-1960s, later becoming controller.

In 1982, he became part-owner of the Broadway Soda Store Inc, on Water Street in Worcester, where he worked until his retirement last year.

EDMUND T. PECKHAM of Tempe, AZ, passed away in 2016 after a brief illness. Ed is survived by Dorothy, his wife of 70 years, his children, grandchildren, and a great-grandson. Dr. Peckham received his B.A. from Brown University; and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University. He taught history and served as an administrator at Rice University and the University of the Pacific. He was the longtime dean of students and vice president for student affairs at California State University, Northridge, where he served from 19671991. After his retirement, he was awarded the status of emeritus vice president from the university. He spent the final eight years of his life near family in Arizona.

WILLIAM L. SHELDRICK Lt Col USAF (Ret.) died Oct. 31, 2012 in Bellevue, NE. He is survived by his wife, Eileen; children; grandchildren; and greatgrandchildren. Born in Chicago, his family moved to Gardner, MA, soon thereafter. Following Worcester Academy, William attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He served in the Army Air Corps and then in the United States Air Force and was buried with full military honors.

1942 THOMAS M. HAY passed away March 24, 2012.

Thomas was born May 31, 1923 in Springfield, MA, and moved to Ormond Beach in 1961. He was married to Mary Ann Hay for 56 years before her passing in February 2004. He proudly served his country during WWII and was passionate about history, politics, and current events. Thomas spent 30 years in banking and retired with Daytona Jai Alai Fronton. He was an avid hockey and LPGA fan and jazz buff, but his greatest joy was spending time with his family. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law; three grandchildren; and his great-grandson.

HAROLD KARTIGANER of Lake Worth, FL, passed away July 11, 2017. He is survived by his loving wife, Rita; his children; and his dear brother, Herb.

VERNON H. RUSSELL of Port Charlotte, FL, passed away peacefully Aug. 8, 2017 surrounded by his wife and family after a long battle with cancer. He served in the U.S. Navy and worked as an electrical engineer in radio broadcasting for many years until retiring from the Harris Corporation. Vernon and his wife, Phyllis, retired to Venice, FL, where he enjoyed playing tennis, golf, and singing in the local chorale. Vernon moved to Port Charlotte in 2013. Vernon leaves his wife of 35 years, Phyllis; sons; stepchildren; 15 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

1943 BERNARD BRISKIN passed peacefully at his home on Feb. 29, 2020 with his wife, Judy, and family by his side. Born in New York, he and his family moved to Los Angeles a year later at the start of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Following prep school at Worcester Academy, Bernie enlisted and served from 1943 to 1945 in the United States Marine Corps and then enrolled at Stanford and graduated from UCLA. He was on the varsity swim team at both universities. Bernie graduated with a bachelor of science degree in business administration from the UCLA School of Business, which later became the Anderson School of Business that he has

supported for many years. Bernie started his career with a position at the May Company. He went on to become a valued employee of Norton Simon.

After 10 years, Bernie acquired Telautograph, where he was president from 1963 through 1978.

In 1978, Bernie became owner, president, and CEO of the Arden Group until his retirement in 2014.

Bernie is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Judy; his children; grandchildren; and his greatgrandchildren. Bernie was a very generous alumnus to Worcester Academy and established the Bernard ’43 & Judith Briskin Endowed Scholarship to support financial aid.

RUSSELL BURCHARD FRENCH passed away peacefully on Dec. 19, 2017 in Janesville, WI. He was born in Connecticut in 1925. After being commissioned into the U.S. Navy, he served in the Scouts and Raiders program, a precursor to the Navy Seals. He graduated from Colgate University and began a long career in sales and marketing.

He married Ruth Goodwin Gill in 1951, and they settled in Janesville in 1963, where he worked in the Premium Products Division at Parker Pen. During his career at Parker Pen, his passion for creative marketing and problem solving in an industry he loved led him into board leadership at the SAA in 1977-78. He became a PPAI Hall of Fame inductee in 1994. After his retirement from Parker in 1979, he founded Sales Promotion Ideas with his wife, Ruth, and was later joined by his son, Rod, until his retirement in 1997. After Ruth passed, he married Elizabeth Orear in 1996, and they enjoyed 18 wonderful years until her death in 2014. He received the Geraldine Hedberg Alexis Tocqueville Society Award from United Way in 2000. He is survived by his children; grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

WESLEY T. HOLM passed away peacefully Sunday, April 17, 2016 in Holden, MA. He leaves his beloved wife of 66 years, Marjorie E. (Beckstrom) Holm; two daughters; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Wesley was born in Worcester and was a WWII Coast Guard veteran. He was an accountant and the treasurer of Johnson Steel & Wire Company for most of his career. He attended Salem Covenant Church and was a member of the former Grace Baptist Church, where he served as treasurer, Sunday school teacher, and choir member. He was an avid golfer and a talented woodworker.

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LUTHER HENRY POTTBECKER of Melbourne, FL, and a resident for many years of the Candlewood Lake Club, New Milford, CT, died peacefully in Newtown, CT, surrounded by family on Nov. 3, 2016 following a short battle with cancer. Luther was born in East Prussia, Germany and immigrated to the United States with his parents at a young age.

In 1943, Luther enlisted in the army and served in the 347th Airdrome Squadron and participated in the China-Burma-India Campaign during WWII. He was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Ribbon with two Bronze Stars and the World War II Victory Ribbon. Married for 54 years, Luther met his wife, the former Amy MacDonald, in New Haven, CT, at a Y.W.C.A. dance. He is survived by two children and four grandchildren. Luther enjoyed playing bridge, golf, swimming, sailing, boating and dancing. He was an active member in the American Contract Bridge League and was a Masterpoints recipient.

WILLIAM B. THOMPSON of Ware, MA, passed away peacefully on April 14, 2013 at the Soldier’s Home in Holyoke, MA. Born in Springfield, MA, he spent most of his life in Leominster, MA, and Ware. Bill was a dedicated man who enjoyed walking, biking, playing tennis, fishing, and family. He served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II and received a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and also an M.S. from Clark University. He spent most of his working career at Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Co. in Worcester. Bill was a loyal father and loving husband. He is survived by his wife, Mary (Mitchell) Thompson; his three sons; and his grandchildren.

1944 CHARLES CUSHMAN CROOKER passed away peacefully on March 18, 2013 in Herkimer, NY. Following graduation from Worcester Academy, he joined the United States Navy and served proudly during WWII until 1946. On Jan. 1, 1949, he was united in marriage to the former Phyllis Walker at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Canajoharie, NY. From 1947 until 1951, he attended the Albany College of Pharmacy, where he obtained his B.S. in pharmacy. Charlie worked as a pharmacist for many years, eventually taking ownership of the Fort Plain Pharmacy from 1967 until 1977. After retiring as a pharmacist, he worked as a security guard at

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Beech-Nut in Canajoharie for several years. He later also worked part-time as a rural mail carrier for the Fort Plain Postal Service. Over the years, Charlie was a board member of the Fort Plain Medical Center, the Fort Plain Senior Center, and vice president of the Prospect Hill Cemetery of Canajoharie. He is survived by his three children; five grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.

WILLIAM B. DAVIS passed away peacefully Nov. 18, 2016. He was born April 29,1926 in Peekskill, NY. After serving in the Army in World War II, he went on to seminary at Andover Newton Theological School and served as minister of churches in Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Maine before finishing his 23-year career as the beloved minister of the First Congregational Church in Riverside, CA. He retired in 1991 and moved with his wife, Suzie, to Washington where he lived near the mountains he loved. His life’s passions and accomplishments included lecturing statewide on the life of naturalist John Muir, attending Oxford University in England where he furthered his education, touring and speaking all over the U.S. about Africa in the 1960s, and enjoying his retirement years in Washington. He had two books of his writings published during his ministry in Riverside.

He was predeceased by his wife, Suzie, and survived by his two children and two granddaughters.

CHARLES T. McCARTHY JR. of Conway, NH, passed away on Dec. 23, 2016. Charles was born in Belmont, MA, and then moved to North Andover, MA in 1928. He was a three-season athlete at Johnson High, and then at Worcester Academy where he continued to play football, baseball, and hockey.

He attended Dartmouth College before enlisting in the U.S. Navy submarine service at age 17. He graduated with the first graduating class from Merrimack College in North Andover in 1951.

Charles was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, serving in the South Pacific. He was a member of Conway American Legion Post 46 and a member of North Andover VFW Post 2104.

FRANCIS B. WELLS of Indianapolis, IN, passed away on March 7, 2017. He married Dorothy J. McCormick in 1986, and they were inseparable until her death in 1998. A long-longtime resident of Indianapolis, Frank was a member of the Indianapolis Jazz Club, the IS Dancers, and the Continental Dance Club. He enjoyed and regularly played bridge and

euchre with his friends. Frank was a World War II Army veteran. It was the highlight of his later years to be an honoree at and a participant in the Indy Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 5, 2015. Frank is survived by his children and step-children.

1945 RUSSELL W. BENNETT passed away on Jan. 10, 2020 in Skidaway Island, Savannah, GA. Born in Somerville, MA, he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Tufts University. In 1950, he married Barbara Claire Ehrenborg. They were married for 55 years and had two daughters. Russell worked for Fisher Scientific Company (now Thermo Fisher Scientific) from 1952 to 1982, retiring as vice president and general manager of the Boston area office. He and Barbara lived in Andover, MA, for many years and were active members of Christ Church.

They later purchased a vacation home in Grantham, NH. In the late-1980s, they began to split their time between Grantham and Beaufort, SC, moving full time to Beaufort in 1997. Barbara passed away in 2005, and several years later, Russ relocated to Skidaway Island, where he lived for 10 years. He continued an active social life including golfing at Hunter Golf Course. He is survived by his two daughters and three grandsons.

WALTER B. DENNEN JR. of Medford, NJ, passed away on March 9, 2019. Walt served in the United States Navy during WWII. Walt was born and raised in Worcester, and was an alumnus of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He was an engineer and communications manager for many years at RCA and General Electric in Somerville and Moorestown, NJ, where he served as the liaison between RCA/ General Electric and the Department of the Navy for the commissioning of cruiser and destroyer class naval ships with the Aegis Combat System. In addition to his more than 35 years with RCA/General Electric, Walt worked in New York City as editor for several electronic trade publications and in Philadelphia with a large public relations firm. A resident of Cherry Hill, NJ, for approximately 40 years, Walt was the first parish council president for St. Thomas More R.C. Church and was a long serving member of the Cherry Hill Planning Board. Walter is survived by his wife, Mary; his children; grandchildren; and a great granddaughter.

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1946 RICHARD “DICK” BOUCHER passed away on Nov. 6, 2019 in South Jordan, UT. He earned a scholarship to attend Worcester Academy, graduating as salutatorian one semester early at age 17. Dick immediately joined the U.S. Army in February 1945. After leaving the Army, Dick moved to the San Francisco Bay area, where he attended the University of California, Berkeley, compliments of the G.I. Bill. While at Berkeley, he met Mary “Pat” Ortland, marrying her in 1951. Following college graduation, Dick went to work for his father-in-law at Ortland’s Appliances and became an expert in the repair of appliances, working until his mid-80s. He was a resident of Lafayette, CA, for over 60 years.

Dick is survived by his children; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife.

1947 GEORGE EDWARD GOODWIN JR. of Lynchburg, VA, passed away peacefully on Nov. 6, 2018 at the age of 90. He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Dorothy Witte Goodwin. Born

and raised in Marblehead, MA, George graduated from Marblehead High School, where he earned letters in three sports. He received a scholarship to Worcester Academy, where he also earned three letters, and was part of the team that won the New England Prep School Football Championship in 1947. George received a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University in Medford, MA, in addition to earning letters in football, baseball and basketball.

While at Tufts, George was a member of the Theta Delta Chi Fraternity. Shortly after being drafted as a pitcher for the Red Sox Farm Team, George was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving two years during the Korean Conflict as a forward observer in the Seventeenth Field Artillery Battalion. George moved with his family to Lynchburg in 1956 when he was transferred by the General Electric Company, and he continued working for GE for 32 years. He is survived by his two daughters; two grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.

ROGER EDWIN WYE of Hilton Head Island, SC, passed away on Dec. 21, 2019. He is survived by his wife, Julie; their children; grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Born in Newton, MA, of immigrant parents from England and Norway, Roger earned his degree at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1951, with his graduate work done at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of

former headmaster ROBERT A. “BOB” LaBRANCHE of Eastham, MA, passed away on Nov. 28, 2019. Bob was born and raised in Worcester. He graduated from Worcester Academy and was thrilled to return for 18 years to teach biology, coach football, swimming, and baseball, and become the first alumnus headmaster. After graduation, he proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was honorably discharged as a veteran of World War II. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Springfield College, then worked three years at the Boston VA Hospital as a corrective therapist.

After moving to Cape Cod, Bob taught in the Nauset Regional School District and Bourne Public Schools, finishing his career at Mashpee Middle School as a science teacher and coach of baseball and soccer for 18 years. In addition to the love of his life, Patricia “Pattie” Marsaw LaBranche, his favorite things included laughter and stories, gardening and fishing, chowder, and beer. Bob is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 62 years, Pattie; his five children; and eight grandchildren. Bob was inducted into the Worcester Academy Hall of Fame in 1988.

Southern California. He then pursued a career that lasted until he retired to Hilton Head Island at age 78.

Roger was the consummate hobbyist. He was an avid car and radio-controlled airplane enthusiast. He was a Stephen Minister with the First Presbyterian Church.

1948 WENDELL L. CARDUFF died January 21, 2020 surrounded by his loving family. Wendell was a lifelong resident of West Springfield, MA, serving as a prominent lawyer in town for many years. He attended Harvard University before receiving his law degree from Western New England College.

He started his career as the West Springfield town prosecutor and worked with the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office. He also served on the boards of the West Springfield Library, the Park & Recreation Department and as the Town Moderator.

Wendell served with the United States Navy during World War II. An avid golfer, he belonged to the Springfield Country Club and Oak Ridge Golf Club, was a longtime member of the West Springfield Rotary Club and the Hampden County Bar Association, and was active at the Dante Club and with The Shriners. His wife, Martha (Savaria) Carduff, died in 2003. He leaves his three daughters; seven grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren.

HERMAN “BUD” ALLAN FAULK JR. of Beverly Hills, FL, and Frye Island, ME, passed away on March 11, 2017. In addition to WA, he also graduated from Gloucester public schools, then later completed a program at Wentworth College, Boston. He also served his country as a member of the National Guard. For many years, he and his wife, Doris Christine (Lilja) Faulk, resided in Plum Cove, Lanesville, MA, and raised three children. Upon the retirement of his father, Herman Sr., Bud assumed leadership of Faulk Bros. Masonry/Construction Co. He was a board member of the Cape Ann Savings Bank, Lions Club, and Cape Ann Sportsman Club, and was a lifelong member of the Masons. He was an avid golfer with club titles at the Rockport Country Club, Bass Rocks Country Club, and Frye Island Country Club. He was also an avid hunter and fisherman in Essex County and in Maine at Lakes Nicatous and Sebago. He is survived by his children; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

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1949 H. THEODORE “TED” MacDONALD of Brooksby Village, Peabody, MA, and formerly of Boxford, MA, died peacefully on Sept. 22, 2017. He was the husband of the late Jill Pritchard (Clapsaddle) MacDonald.

Born in Stoneham, MA, he was a graduate of Melrose High School in 1948 and Worcester Academy in 1949.

He attended Northeastern University before entering the U.S. Air Force in 1951. He served as a senior communications specialist in England during the Korean War. Following his discharge in 1954, he attended and graduated from the Babson Institute of Business Administration with a B.S. degree. After college, Ted was employed with the Kendall Mills division of the Kendall Co. as a salesman covering multiple MidWestern states, including Iowa, where he met and married his wife. He returned to the Boston area and became the president of Bay State Bindery Inc. for over 30 years prior to his retirement. Ted enjoyed skiing at Sunday River in Maine and later spent his winters at Swiss Golf & Tennis Club in Winter Haven, FL. He had been a member of the Masons while in Ohio and loved to travel. He is survived by a son and two daughters.

S. CHARLES “CHUCK” TALAMO passed away peacefully on April 21, 2020. He was born and raised in Worcester, and lived in Randolph, MA, for the past 47 years. He is predeceased by his wife of 37 years, Ruth (Fischman) Talamo. He is survived by his son; stepsons; and his grandchildren.

1951 MICHAEL “MIKE” LEAVITT died Feb. 1, 2020 in Gloucester, MA. Born and raised in Worcester, MA, he was a proud graduate of Lee Street School, Worcester Academy, and Harvard University. He was the longtime president of Joseph Leavitt Corporation, wholesale distributor of automotive parts, hardware, and other supplies. Leavitt Corporation was a business founded by his father in 1926 and sold by Mike to Ames Department Stores in 1971, after which he continued to run the business while serving on the Ames board of directors until his retirement in 1984. He was an active member of Worcester Jewish and civic organizations including the Worcester Jewish Federation, Music Worcester, the Greater Worcester Community

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Foundation (where he chaired the Tilton Scholarship Fund for at-risk children), and Clark University, where he served as a trustee. Fulfilling a longtime dream, he purchased a house in Gloucester, MA, in 1979, making it a fulltime home in 2001. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Nancy (Benjamin) Leavitt; his children; and grandchildren.

1952 LANNY E. REMILLARD of Uxbridge, MA, died April 12, 2020 after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Joan M. (Mackey) Remillard; his five children; and nine grandchildren. Born in Linwood, MA, he had lived in Uxbridge most of his life. Lanny worked as a mechanical engineer at Heald Machine Works in Worcester for 30 years. He was then president of GMN Whitnon in Connecticut for two years. He then cofounded and operated Edlan Association in Blackstone for several years, retiring in 1997. He attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He later earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University in 1961. A longtime member of St. Mary Church, he was a member of its St. Vincent DePaul Society, the parish council, and the Uxbridge People First Food Pantry board. He also served as a Eucharistic minister and an acolyte. He is a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army, retiring from the Reserves as a lieutenant colonel. Lanny also volunteered for the town of Uxbridge, serving on the DPW Commission, the inter-agency committee, and as a tutor at Whitin Elementary School.

JOHN K. THURSTON of Virginia Beach, VA, passed away on Feb. 18, 2019 with his loving family by his side. Born in Worcester, MA, John was a great teacher, counselor, and mentor to the many friends and family he encountered. He is preceded in death by his first wife of 51 years, Lucinda Lee Thurston. He was an aviator in the U.S. Navy and retired after 27 years of service. He is survived by his wife, Donna C. Thurston; children; and four grandchildren.

1954 ROSS ALLAN PARKINSON of Eatonton, GA, passed away at his residence on May 8, 2016 after a long illness.

Born in Hamilton Ontario, he enjoyed a long career at

Albany International. Following retirement, he enjoyed golfing and hunting. He is survived by his loving wife, Nina Parkinson van Gelder; children; and grandchildren.

1957 COLONEL ROGER G. SAMIA, US Army (Ret) of Shrewsbury, MA, and Harwich, MA, passed away surrounded by the ones he loved on May 9, 2020 after a period of declining health. Born in Worcester, Roger earned his bachelor of arts degree from the Military College of Vermont, Norwich University, in 1961.

Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation, he became an armor officer and tank platoon commander stationed in Munich, Germany. Upon discharge from active duty, he returned to Worcester and worked for Texaco Oil before founding his own company, Cat-Val Inc., and retired in 2018. Roger continued to serve his country, becoming a member of the Massachusetts National Guard, rising through the ranks and retiring as commander of the 2nd Battalion, 181st Infantry with the rank of colonel after a total of 28 years of service.

He was an active Norwich alumnus and a devoted adherent of the Eastern Orthodox faith. He coached Little League for 12 years. Roger is survived by the love of his life and best friend, Nancy M. (Ellms) Samia; his three children; and their families. He was predeceased by his brother, Colonel (Ret) Robert K. Samia ’53.

1958 FREDERIC F. WARMAN passed away Nov. 20, 2018, surrounded by the love of family. Fred was born in Norristown, PA, and was also a graduate of South High School in Worcester. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army Reserves. He graduated from Springfield College and earned a bachelor’s degree in education, and later completed his master’s in education. Fred was a teacher at Monson High School for 30 years, teaching history, government, and college level psychology. He also served as Monson High School’s athletic director, coached cross country and basketball, and was active with the drama club.

He sang in a barbershop quartet, “The Faculty Four,” for many of his high school teaching years. Fred was the town of Monson’s town moderator for 39 years.

He served as Monson Summerfest parade announcer,

passings was a community policeman, and later joined the Monson Police Department. Fred leaves his wife of 56 years, Lynn C. (Kattler) Warman; a son; a daughter; and five grandchildren.

RICHARD P. “PAT” WILLIAMSON of Leicester, MA, died Feb. 16, 2020 after an illness. He leaves his wife of 54 years, Elizabeth T. (Tobin) Williamson; four sons; and three grandsons. Pat was born in Worcester. He was a civil engineer and construction manager at Stone & Webster Engineering in Boston for 35 years, retiring in 1999. In addition to Worcester Academy, he graduated from Saint John’s High School in Shrewsbury and Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester. He also attended Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, PA.

1959 JIM BATHGATE of Tucson, AZ, died on Aug. 3, 2019 following a courageous battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis. Born in Worcester, he graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. After a distinguished career as a supervisory computer specialist with the United States Secret Service in Washington, D.C., Jim retired to SaddleBrooke, AZ, in 2001. He pursued many hobbies, including world traveling, gourmet cooking, and fine woodworking. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Arlene.

JOHN B. CAMPANALE JR. passed away on Aug. 19, 2019 after a long battle with cancer. As a young man, John was a talented baseball player in the Shrewsbury Little and Babe Ruth leagues. He earned his M.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Massachusetts. He spent his career working in process control engineering at the Foxboro Company, Texas Instruments, and others where he enjoyed international travel. John recently relocated from Florida to Massachusetts to be nearer to family. He will be remembered by his devoted wife, Mary; his children; and grandchildren.

ROBERT “BOB” McPHERSON of Spencer, MA, died at home on Oct. 7, 2019. Bob loved the town of Spencer and he received the town’s Meritorious Public Service Award. His picture was placed in the town’s Leadership Hall in appreciation for his volunteer work.

This included 28 years as Spencer Town Moderator, 12 years with Spencer Cable Access, and service on

many other boards and committees. He produced the stage show, “Feelin’ Good About Spencer,” which raised funds for the Vietnam Memorial and hosted and produced another 50 episodes of “Feelin’ Good About Spencer,” for Spencer Cable Access. He leaves his wife of 59 years, Carol; his daughter; and his son.

1960 GEORGE AUGUSTUS “BUZZY” DODGE III, a longtime Portsmouth, NH, resident, died on July 4, 2018, from complications of cancer. Born in Cambridge, MA, Buzzy was the eldest of seven brothers. Originally a classics major, he graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in biochemistry and worked in research in Boston. He met his wife, Erica, at Theatre-by-the-Sea amid the tumult of the mid- to late-1960s and the fight to preserve the built environment in Portsmouth’s oldest areas. Together, he and Erica spent decades preserving and restoring Portsmouth’s older homes. He and Erica also had many adventures overseas, where Erica had spent part of her childhood. During one sabbatical from their Portsmouth labors, they got jobs teaching high school at the Colegio Internacional de Caracas in Venezuela, where Buzzy taught physics and chemistry.

Buzzy never retired. He was restoring part of an old building in Malaga, Spain, until the end. He leaves his wife, Erica; his son; and his grandsons.

1963 ROBERT EARL JACKMAN SR. of Hadley, MA, passed peacefully on Feb. 27, 2017. A native of Greenfield, MA, he was educated in Greenfield Public Schools, and, in addition to Worcester Academy, he was a graduate of the former Greenfield Vocational School. He worked for the former Franklin County Lumber Co., the former Gift & Jackman Painting Co. (co-owner), the Town of ColrainDepartment of Public Works, and Rugg Lumber Co. He married the love of his life, the former Roberta A. Greene, his high school sweetheart in 1954 in Holy Trinity Church, Greenfield, MA. They celebrated 62 years of marriage this past fall. Robert enjoyed woodworking and cabinet making. He shared a love of square dancing with his wife and they were members of the Trail Town Twirlers for many years. He is survived by his wife, Roberta; their children; 17 grandchildren; and 19 great grandchildren.

DR. MICHAEL A. KRASNOW lost his battle with brain cancer on Sept. 2, 2015. Residing in Boca Raton, FL, Michael was a practicing ophthalmologist in Huntington, WV, for nearly 25 years, a faculty member of the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, and the first chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology.

A three-time honoree on the list of “America’s Top Ophthalmologists,” Mike was an experienced cataract surgeon and was the only fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist in southern West Virginia. He had a fabulous technical skill set, but even more, he was absolutely committed to providing the best care for his patients.

He loved nothing more than being a doctor. Michael is survived by his wife, Lisa, and his stepdaughters.

former trustee MICHAEL E. “MIKE” MONE, of Brockton, MA, died peacefully in his sleep on March 30, 2020 after a long battle with cancer.

Born in Brockton, Mike graduated from Middlebury College and Boston College Law School. He met the love of his life, Margaret (Supple) “Margie” Mone, in 1962. They were married in 1965 and enjoyed more than 50 years together. Mike fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer and spent most of his career practicing at the firm of Esdaile, Barrett, Jacobs, and Mone. He served on many legal organizations and was president of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, and the American College of Trial Lawyers.

He and his wife spent summers on Mashnee Island on Cape Cod. He discovered Key West later in life, where he took his family numerous times. He is survived by his wife, Margie; his son, Michael E. Mone Jr.; and his grandchildren. He was the brother of Peter Mone ’58, of Winnetka, IL. Mike was a generous alumnus to Worcester Academy and established the Mone Endowed Scholarship to support financial aid. He was a former trustee and was inducted to the Worcester Academy Hall of Fame in 2000.

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1965 RAYMOND GOTTLIEB died on Feb. 11, 2020 in Worcester after a long illness. He was born in Lowell and had lived in Westborough, MA, for 46 years.

He graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in business administration. With his family, he owned and operated Foster’s Associates, manufacturers of steel rolls, located in Holden, MA. Prior to working for the family business, he traded commodities.

EDWARD JOHN “NED” PARRISH III passed away on Sept. 7, 2019. He was born in Norfolk, VA, in 1946 within a year of his parents’ marriage after their release from a Japanese prison camp in Manilla, Philippines. He was raised in Pelham Manor, Westchester County, NY. He attended Episcopal High School and later graduated from Worcester Academy.

He was an undergraduate at Monmouth College, IL, majoring in business administration until he was drafted into the Army in 1966. He was stationed for two years in Kitzingen, Germany. He moved to Washington, D.C., in 1970. For 14 years, Ned managed three departments at Sears on Wisconsin Ave.; bought, renovated, and sold houses; worked in the Correspondence Office for the Carter administration; and was a bookkeeper and office administrator.

Up until 2018, Ned turned his hobby of buying and selling antiques into a vocation working at Michael Getz Antiques in Georgetown, specializing in the sale of silver, andirons, and other antiquities. Ned is survived by his husband of 26 years, Dawson Nash; three brothers; nieces; and nephews.

St. Vincent de Paul Society and, ever the engineer, tinkering with bicycles for his family and neighbors.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and his children.

1966

M. BERNARR QUITT died Feb. 6, 2013 at his home in

ROBERT CHARLES “BOB” BERTUCIO of Normandy Park, WA, passed away on Sept. 18, 2019.

As a young man, Bob earned his pilot’s license and had many adventures flying a Cessna with his father. His love for aviation led him to pursue a degree in aeronautical engineering at Georgia Tech and finish his degree at Syracuse University. He went on to complete a master’s and was ABD (all but dissertation) in his Ph.D. program in nuclear engineering at Carnegie-Mellon University. He then began his career as a nuclear utility riskassessment engineer in Pittsburgh. After vowing to leave Pittsburgh by his 30th birthday, Bob moved to Seattle. It proved to be a great decision as he met his wife of 37 years, Barbara, at the Washington Ski Touring Club. Bob enjoyed a long career as a consultant in the nuclear utility industry. In retirement, he enjoyed his involvement with the

former faculty PAULA KOSKY HAMANN of Worcester passed away peacefully on Nov. 27, 2019 in the comfort of her home with her family after a brief battle with a recurrence of ovarian cancer. Born in Mount Kisco, New York, she spent her childhood in Medway, MA, and attended high school in Worcester, graduating from Worcester Academy in 1991. She earned dual bachelor’s degrees in biology and history from Emory University; her master’s degree in public health from Florida International University; and her juris doctorate from The American University. She worked for a brief period as the director of enrollment management for the Diocese of Worcester. Prior to that, she worked at Worcester Academy for five years in Admission, as well as teaching Constitutional law and working with student advisees. Previously, she practiced law and taught legal writing in Atlanta. She was a member of Christ the King Church, and she directed the CYC in its annual play. She went to the gym daily, participated in Iron Man races, Spartan races, and ran annually in the Falmouth Road Race. Paula leaves her husband, John D. Hamann; her sons, William R. Hamann and John R. “Jack” Hamann ’24; her parents, William G. and Janet S. (Wylie) Kosky of East Falmouth; and her brother, William G. Kosky Jr. ’95.

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1967 Port St. Lucie, FL. Previously, he resided in West Palm Beach. He practiced law in Holliston, MA, before retiring to Florida and was a member of the bar asociation.

Survivors include his wife of 24 years, Janis B. Quitt of Port St. Lucie; a stepson; and one grandchild.

DAVID REID passed away on July 25, 2019. He was a resident of Clermont, FL, at the time of passing.

1969 BENNY TEXEIRA passed away on April 9 in New York City. He was a senior nuclear medicine technologist and is remembered as smart, compassionate, and endearing. He had a strong will, and he fought through many health challenges until the time of his death. He loved family gatherings and took pleasure being the grill and chef master. Benny was proud of his Worcester Academy education and enjoyed participating in the 2019 50th Reunion events, including reconnecting with his classmates.

He is survived by his children; a stepdaughter; six grandchildren; and one great-grandson. He is also survived by his beloved fiancé, Ida.

1972 JAMES S. POND of Auburn, MA, died peacefully on Sept. 15, 2019, surrounded by his loving family and friends. Born in Worcester and raised in Auburn, he graduated from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY, after which Jim joined the United States Army. After being stationed in Washington, Jim settled in Auburn and began his career at Form Roll and Die in Worcester, where he developed a machinery part that was patented. He later went to work for AccuTrak Tool. Jim is survived by his wife, Marjorie E. (Goodwin) Lesnever Pond, and by his daughter, Ashley C. Pond of Auburn.

passings

1979 EDMUND L. McNAMARA JR. passed away on Dec. 30, 2017. Raised in West Roxbury, MA, he was a standout athlete and excelled at both football and baseball. Prior to Worcester Academy, he graduated from Catholic Memorial High School. He attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He began his computer career at Dickinson Printing in Boston and later worked for Allied Barton Security. He served as a football referee for the Pop Warner Football League and later volunteered for the Walpole Rebels, running chains on the sidelines. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen M. (Lynch) McNamara, and his children.

1980 STEPHEN JOSEPH MINGOLLA of Worcester died Jan. 22, 2020 surrounded by family at home after a long struggle with A.L.S. and M.S. Stephen was diagnosed in 2016 and his strength and ability to laugh allowed his last few years of his life to be his happiest. Stephen was a graduate of Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. At the end of his life’s journey, the friends he made during his high school and college years were by his side. He had a long career, including serving as general manager, at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton, which was created by his grandfather, Cosmo Mingolla. The golf club hosted countless golf tournaments including many PGA and LPGA events.

From 1985 to 1995, he served as the PGA Tournament Co-Director. He was a member and past president of the Worcester Academy Alumni Association and a past vice president of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council. Stephen is survived by his parents, Ted ’57 and Audrey O. (McGurren) Mingolla. In addition to his parents, Stephen leaves his loving wife, Melissa A. (Cassella) Mingolla; two sons, Stephen M. Mingolla and Matthew R. Mingolla; a daughter, Isabelle L. Mingolla; a stepdaughter, Michelle R. Boilard; a stepson, Christopher A. “C.J.” Boilard; two brothers, Edward R. Mingolla and his wife, Sharon, and Paul B. Mingolla and his wife, Debra. His brother, Mark F. Mingolla ’78, died this past December. An obituary will follow in the next Hilltopper magazine.

Many thanks to Stephen’s friends and classmates who contributed to the installation of a memorial bench on the Quad. At the request of the Mingolla family, a

memorial plaque will be also added to the bench, in memory of both Stephen and his brother Mark. Parents Ted and Audrey Mingolla express their thanks to everyone for their generosity. Their sons’ days at WA were some of their happiest, and it makes them proud that the bench was dedicated to them.

1995 JULIE HELANE BIRNS died on Feb. 18, 2020 surrounded by the love of her family after a courageous battle with cancer. Julie earned her bachelor of arts in psychology at Boston University in 2000. In 2013, she completed a bachelor of science in nursing at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, where she also earned a master of science in mental health nursing in 2016. Julie practiced allopathic medicine in Massachusetts before joining the Alternative and Holistic Health Services in Tucson, AZ. She believed

staff PAUL VAILLANCOURT, Worcester Academy athletic trainer and Middle School physical education teacher, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 30, 2019. Paul worked at Worcester Academy since 2012, and he deeply valued his place in the WA community as he enjoyed genuine and meaningful relationships with many students and colleagues alike.

A graduate of Minuteman Technical High School with the Class of 1999, he played on the football and wrestling teams. He then earned his bachelor’s degree from Franklin Pierce University and master’s degrees from both Salem State University and Southern New Hampshire University. The 2020 Towers Yearbook was dedicated to Paul for his commitment to Worcester Academy. In the early months of 2020, the Middle School Board of Monitors and the entire Middle School Community raised funds to dedicate both a training room bench and a tree on Morse Field in Paul’s memory. He is survived by his parents; his wife, Jennifer; and son, Jason.

passionately in the union of the body, mind, and spirit.

She brought these ideals into her care for patients, where she was often a singular mind in offering holistic healing. In her final message to friends and family, Julie reaffirmed her principles, saying that she was physically, emotionally, and spiritually ready to enter a new phase of existence and to be at peace. Born in Worcester, she was the daughter of Jill Shack and Douglas Birns. She leaves her mother, Jill Shack of Worcester; her father, Douglas Birns and his wife, Terry, of Arlington; and her sisters, Amanda Roth ’97 and Elizabeth Asher. W

benefactor ALICE GRAHAM McCABE, beloved friend of Worcester Academy and trailblazing Harvard-Radcliffe Women’s Swim Coach, of Boca Raton, FL, formerly from Needham, MA, passed away peacefully on April 26, 2020 with family and friends nearby. Born and raised in Newton, MA, she graduated from Newton High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University’s Bouvé program. She earned her master’s degree from Boston University. After college, Alice married the love of her life, business partner, and best friend, the late Bob McCabe. She enjoyed a successful career in college athletics spanning four decades, coaching early womens swim teams at Radcliffe-Harvard for 14 seasons, and eventually being promoted to director of intercollegiate athletics for the Radcliffe-Harvard women. She was one of the original framers of sport governance and helped implement Title IX for women at Ivy League Schools. Alice’s greatest joy was her family. She was a loving mother to her son, the late Neal G. McCabe ’71. She is survived by her daughters Gail, Kyle, and Kim and their families. Alice established the Neal Graham McCabe ’71 Natatorium Fund for the future construction of a pool at Worcester Academy, as well as established the Neal Graham McCabe ‘71 Endowed Scholarship for financial aid. Present and future WA students will continue to benefit from Alice’s devotion and generosity to Worcester Academy.

Worcester Academy

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PARENTS OF ALUMNI: If this issue is addressed to a son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office of his or her new mailing address.

Save the Date!

Reunion Festival 2021

For classes ending in 5s, 0s, 6s, and 1s

Join your classmates under a tent on the Quad with food trucks, games, a live band, awards, and more!

Details to follow!

Contact Alicia Figueiredo to join your Reunion Committee at alicia.figueiredo@worcesteracademy.org