The Hill | 2013-2014 Spring

SPRING 2014 | GREENHILL SCHOOL

THE MAGAZINE OF GREENHILL SCHOOL

Building Community Campaign: Marshall Family Gives Historic $10 Million Groundbreaking for Performing Arts and Assembly Center

A Salute to Process: Project-Based Learning at Greenhill

The future is bright for Greenhill students!

Sunglasses were distributed across the entire community during the Groundbreaking Ceremony held in the morning sunshine of April 25, 2014.

On the Cover: E. Pierce Marshall, Jr. ’86, Head of School Scott Griggs, Assistant Head of School Tom Perryman ’81, Groundbreaking Chair Gilian Baron, and Head of Fine Arts Michael Manes all participated in the official groundbreaking to begin the construction of The Marshall Family Performing Arts Center.

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Departments 4

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A Word from Scott A. Griggs Head of School

Greenhill Fund: Look What Teamwork Can Do!

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School News Briefs

12 Winter Sports Recap 14 Fall Events: Homecoming, Founders’ Day

and Halloween on the Hill

18 Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day 19 What should I do this summer?

College Counseling Office

20 Celebrating Our Great Teachers

The Faculty Leaders of 2013–2014

37 A Message from Mark A. Platt ’87

22 Building Community Groundbreaking

Marshall Family Names New Building

25 Building Community Campaign Goal

Progress to Date

26 Plans for The Marshall Family Performing Arts Center,

Modern Dining Facilities and Athletic Fields 28

President, Alumni Association

38 Alumni News 42 Alumni Class Notes 48 In Memoriam 49 Turning Points 50 Why I Give 51 2013–2014 Board of Trustees 51 Greenhill School Advancement Office

34 Hands-On in the Field: Dan Robinson ’08

Greenhill School is a diverse community of learners that strives for excellence; values individuality; fosters a passion for learning; promotes the balanced development of mind, body and character; encourages service; and instills a respect for others.

Greenhill School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin in the administration of its educational policies and programs, admissions processes, financial aid programs, employment practices, athletic practices and other School administrative activities.

www.greenhill.org

Greenhill School 4141 Spring Valley Road Addison, Texas 75001 www.greenhill.org

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A Word from the Head of School Dear Greenhill Community, In my travels through campus today, I observed a kindergartener making her own birthday cake under the careful instruction of Mrs. Barnes, I watched a group of seventh-graders tweak the programming on their robot in the Middle School Idea Lab, and I watched Upper School students extract their own DNA from their cheeks.

While the age of the students in each of my encounters varied, their method of learning was remarkably similar.

They learn by doing, by engaging in experience or projectbased learning exercises that are carefully crafted by the teachers, yet feel incredibly spontaneous and organic to the student. Research shows that when doing this type of learning, students gain valuable application and problemsolving skills that stay with them throughout their lives. In this issue of The Hill, you’ll read more about how Greenhill teachers are integrating project-based learning across divisions and in all subjects.

Just as our students are learning from real-world projects, Greenhill is embarking on its own project to further enhance the student experience with the Building Community Campaign, chaired by E. Pierce Marshall, Jr. ’86. At the end of April, we celebrated our ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Marshall Family Performing Arts Center.

Thank you to all the members of our community that joined us for such a special event in Greenhill’s history.

I would also like to say thank you to Gilian Baron, the Building Community Groundbreaking Chair, for her work in bringing together our entire community and setting our sights on the future.

The Groundbreaking Ceremony also helped to kick off our second Alumni Weekend, April 25–26. It was an eventfilled spring weekend as we welcomed many familiar faces back on campus! In addition to multiple opportunities for reconnecting and reminiscing, alumni had the opportunity to hear current faculty members lecture on popular, noteworthy topics and learn about the far-reaching impact of the Building Community Campaign.

As the weather warms, I wish you a strong finish to the school year, and I encourage you to look for your own project-based learning opportunities at home with your children. As always, we thank you for all that you do for the School.

Sincerely,

Scott A. Griggs Head of School

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Look What Teamwork Can Do! Together we can do great things.

Not a year goes by that we are not inspired by and indebted to our extraordinary volunteers who help make the Greenhill Fund a success. Through the diligent efforts of our volunteers we have successfully brought up our participation numbers across classes and divisions.

Grade 3 Deborah and Chuck Gilbert Amy and John Howard Karen and Richard Kassanoff Kaitlin and Elliot Prieur Ashley and Rick Scheer Howard Marc and Lisa Spector Waverly Ware Wilson ’86 and McCord Wilson Grade 4 Stacey and Doug Baer Joanna and David Greenstone Bonnie and Monte Hurst Kate and Jon Kettles Jenny and John Kirtland Julie and David Kronick Anne and David Mann Elly and Edward Shelswell-White Middle School Team Leaders Elly and Edward Shelswell-White Grade 5 Pilar and Jay Henry Randi Jacobs Allana Luterman and Zach Luterman ’90 Waverly Ware Wilson ’86 and McCord Wilson Kathryn and Scott Wheeler

Tuition does not meet the total cost of educating each student. The income shortfall or “gap” is nearly $3,000 per student and is bridged each year by gifts to the Greenhill Fund, which are 100% tax deductible.

Participation in the Greenhill Fund is vital to the operating budget, and we thank you for your annual support.

Thank you to our parent volunteers for exemplary TEAMWORK! Greenhill Fund Leadership

Peter Kraus Board Chair Baxter Brinkmann and Nancy Carlson Development Co-Chairs Lester Levy, Jr. ’79 and Bruce Sostek Co-Chairs

Grade Captains

New Parent Team Leaders Amy and John Howard Lower School Team Leaders Melanie and John Ofenloch Ashley and Rick Scheer Pre-Kindergarten Karlyn and Grant Herlitz Jennifer and Jason Cross

www.greenhill.org

Kindergarten Jodi and Todd Carruthers Rebekah and Benjamin Newman Grady Raskin ’92 and Allyson Raskin Primer Joanna and David Greenstone Grade 1 Jeremy and Liz Buonamici Kim and Tony Gonzales Dee Dee and Hale Hoak Julie and David Kronick Melanie and Louis Okon ’93 Marianna and Jon Yellen Grade 2 Kathy and Gary Bridges Tracey and Chris Kennedy Kate and Jon Kettles Anne and David Mann Diana and Geoff Newton Melanie and John Ofenloch Whitney and Rob Strauss

Grade 6 Jenny and John Kirtland Mike and Hanh Merriman Elly and Edward Shelswell-White Grade 7 Lynn Switzer Bozalis ’82 and John Bozalis Grade 8 Debra and John Morgan Lea and Jeff Singer Preethi Jayaseelan Upper School Team Leaders Ellen Weinstein Ungerman ’81 and Josh Ungerman Grade 9 Stacy Siegel Simon ’85 and Stuart Simon Grade 10 Shari and Karl Nelson Ellenore and Kirk Baker Grade 11 Teresa and Drew Alexandrou April and Kevin McCormick Ellen Weinstein Ungerman ’81 and Josh Ungerman Grade 12 Bruce and Joanie Sostek

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SCHOOL NEWS BRIEFS

Middle School News Eighth Grader Receives Philanthropy Awards Eighth-grader Ariana Luterman received the 2013 Youth in Philanthropy Award from the Greater Dallas Association of Fundraising Professionals and was named a winner of the 2013 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes for her fundraising efforts for Vogel Alcove, a Dallas non-profit that benefits homeless children and their families. Ariana raises funds through her triathlons via corporate sponsorships and by selling her Team Ariana clothing line. In one year, she raised more than $50,000 for Vogel Alcove.

Sixth Grader Wins Acting Award at Film Festival Sixth-grader Campbell Crates received the “Best Young Female Performer� at the Action on Film International Film Festival for her role in the short film The Call. Campbell played the starring role of Dawn in the Maderfilm Production about anti-bullying and the healing power of music.

MathCounts Team Finishes in Top 25% At the MathCounts Competition in San Antonio, Greenhill had a trio of students finish in the top 25% in individual competition: eighth-graders Gene Park (45th), Rishi Vas (47th) and Sudeep Bhargava (56th) in a field that included 244 individual competitors. In addition, the team of Park, Vas, eighth-grader Swati Ravi and seventh-grader Harrison Heymann finished 13th out of 53 teams.

Eighth-grader Ariana Luterman

Quiz Bowl Team Advances to National High School Quiz Bowl Championships The Greenhill Quiz Bowl Team of eighth-graders Brock Bagelman, Vivek Denkanikotte, Sam Grimsley, and freshman Michelle King tied for fifth overall at the Texas High School Quiz Bowl Competition in San Antonio. The team has qualified for both the National Middle School Championships in Atlanta as well as the National High School Championships in Chicago. Eighthgrader Drew Singer also participated in an elite quiz bowl tournament, as part of an all-star state middle school team that competed against high school students at Rice University.

Visit our website for the latest news.

Eighth-graders Vivek Denkanikotte and Sam Grimsley, freshman Michelle King, math teacher Grant Mindle, and eighth-grader Brock Bagelman.

School News is featured on a six-month rotation. News for this issue is compiled from summer of 2013 until winter break. All news after that deadline will be featured in the Fall 2014 issue.

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Find us on: www.facebook.com/ GreenhillSchool www.twitter.com/ GreenhillSchool

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Upper School News Thirteen Students Named National Merit Semifinalists, 21 Named Commended Thirteen Upper School seniors have been named Semifinalists in the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program: Dylan Banigan, Alexandria Brown, Rachel Diebner, Zachary Freeman, Bryce Halloran, Angela Hillsman, Nicholas Kraus, Wesley Lim, Kinaan T. Patel, Esha Singhal, Matthew Stock, Alexander Weinberg and Benjamin Weinberg. Twenty-one additional seniors were also named Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Visit www.greenhill.org to view all names.

Seniors Recognized in 2013–2014 National Hispanic Recognition and National Achievement Scholarship Programs The 2013–2014 National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) recognized seniors Sophia Haid and Leonel Romero for their academic achievements. The NHRP was started in the early 1980s to identify outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students.

Senior Tre Albritten has been designated a semifinalist in the 50th annual National Achievement Scholarship Program. The National Achievement Scholarship Program was started in the early 1960s to identify academically talented African American students throughout the nation.

Sophomore Selected to Represent Team USA at Fencing Championships Sophomore Kriti Narayanan was selected as one of 10 Americans picked to represent the U.S.A. at the Fencing World Cup in Klagenfurt, Austria, in October.

Senior Shruti Rao

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Senior Makes a Difference in Teen Court Senior Shruti Rao is using her volunteer experience in the Collin County teen court system to design a senior Capstone project to improve the system. In October, she spoke at the annual Texas teen court conference in Allen, presenting ways to improve communication between the teen courts in Texas along with her research on Collin County’s teen court system. She also helped write a grant that was awarded $40,000 for mental health and counseling funding for Collin County youth. For the second year in a row, Shruti has received the Ronald Reagan Student Leader Award, largely for her influential work in the court system.

Senior Angela Hillsman Photography by John Derryberry

Senior Earns Charles Hodge Jones Memorial Award for Second Year in a Row Senior Angela Hillsman earned the Charles Hodge Jones Memorial Award for the second year in a row. The award is presented to the student with the highest grade point average for the past school year.

CNBC Interviews Business Club Leaders About Twitter IPO This past fall, the Internet buzzed with commentary about Twitter’s initial public offering. Included in that commentary were the views of seniors Lewis Carlson and Hank Golman, co-presidents of Greenhill School’s Business Club, as a part of an interview on CNBC. Both of the students recommended a wait-and-see approach with the stock, largely because Twitter has yet to turn a profit and because of the recent events surrounding the Facebook IPO in early 2012. You can see the interview on video.cnbc.com.

Debate Team Amasses Championships During Fall Season This fall, the Greenhill Debate Team has earned five tournament championships, in addition to “closing out” (two Greenhill students in the final round) three tournaments.

Five students, including a record three Lincoln Douglas debaters so far, have amassed “bids” to the Tournament of Champions. For a complete list of Debate news, please visit www. greenhill.org/debate.

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SCHOOL NEWS BRIEFS

Young Leaders from Creativity for Peace Speak to Greenhill Students Upper Schoolers welcomed special visitors from Creativity for Peace, a non-profit organization that prepares young Israeli and Palestinian women to become leaders and peacemakers in their communities and across borders. Three young leaders from the program, Mai Shbeta, Jwana Ghaleb and Shirit Milikovski, along with Executive Director Dottie Indyke, spoke to the students about current conflict and hopeful goals for resolution in the Middle East.

Guest Speakers

Eric Johnson ’94 and Courtney Shepherd ’94 share their stories with the Greenhill football team.

Alumni Public Servants Eric Johnson ’94 and Courtney Shepherd ’94 Share Stories with Greenhill Students Eric Johnson ’94 and Courtney Shepherd ’94 returned to the Greenhill campus to share their remarkable stories with current students, Faculty Legends and the football team. Shepherd, who attended West Point and served in Afghanistan, shared that the core principles he learned at Greenhill have served him well throughout life. Johnson, who earned degrees from Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and Princeton, has served the District 100 seat in the Texas House of Representatives. In his talk with the Upper School students, he encouraged them to think outside the box about career options. “I know that all of you learn community service while you are here [at Greenhill],” he said.

“Think about how you can continue that service after you graduate.”

Native American Advocate and Blog Writer Adrienne Keene Visits Greenhill School Adrienne Keene, author of Native Appropriations, a blog dedicated to challenging representations of Native peoples, visited Greenhill School, giving formal presentations to both Middle and Upper School students, and spending time in small group discussions with a few select Upper School classes.

Illustrator and Author Sophie Blackall Visits Greenhill The Cultural Arts Committee hosted a visit from Sophie Blackall, the illustrator and author of the bestselling Ivy & Bean chapter books series in addition to her more than 20 picture books, including Big Red Lollipop, Meet Wild Boars and The Mighty Lalouche. Lower and Middle Schoolers were treated to Ms. Blackall’s warm and engaging personality, inspiring collection of works and live-illustration demos.

Sophie Blackall, illustrator and author of Ivy & Bean chapter books series

Adrienne Keene, author of the blog Native Appropriations

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www.greenhill.org

JFK Assassination Expert Hugh Aynesworth Visits Greenhill Hugh Aynesworth was the only journalist to have witnessed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the arrest of the assassin and the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby. Aynesworth spoke to Upper Schoolers and stayed for a book signing of his new book, November 22, 1963: Witness to History.

This special visit from Mr. Aynesworth was made possible by his publicist Cindy Birne ’75. Cindy is also the mother of Scott Birne ’11.

Cancer survivor Woody Roseland

Seven-Time Cancer Survivor Woody Roseland Visits Greenhill Seven-time bone cancer survivor Woody Roseland visited Greenhill Upper Schoolers to deliver a powerful message about beating cancer with a steadfast positive outlook on life. This visit was made possible by Griffin Olesky ’15, who himself is a cancer survivor and met Woody at a LiveStrong conference.

Upper School Welcomes Mark Curriden and Michael Sundsted Two distinguished speakers visited Greenhill Upper School in December: attorney and author Mark Curriden and AirForce One pilot Michael Sundsted.

Curriden, who served as the legal affairs writer for the Dallas Morning News and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is the author of Contempt of Court, which is currently being made into a movie. Simultaneous with Curriden’s talk, Lieutenant Colonel Sundsted, uncle of senior Drew Kaplan, spoke to students about his experiences as a Presidential Pilot in the Presidential Airlift Squadron, Presidential Airlift Group, 89th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland (this includes Air Force One).

Pro-Runner Erin Bedell visits Cross Country Team Pro-runner Erin Bedell was a former Texas High School State Champion at Plano West High School, and she went on to Baylor University where she was a 2008 All American. Bedell was a representative for Team USA multiple times and has been a professional runner, representing Adidas in recent years. Her words inspired the cross country team to always run at their best effort.

Hugh Aynesworth, author of November 22, 1963: Witness to History

Visit our website for the latest news. www.greenhill.org/news

Find us on: www.facebook.com/ GreenhillSchool

Pro-runner Erin Bedell

www.twitter.com/ GreenhillSchool

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SCHOOL NEWS BRIEFS

Fine Arts News

Greenhill Wins at the San Antonio Film Festival A team of Greenhill students and alumni received the juried prize for the Best High School Filmmaker at the San Antonio Film Festival in June. The team included Max Montoya ’13, Weston Shosid ’13, senior Pearl Basinski and junior Alex Raphael. The film, entitled Craft and Courtship, included actors from Greenhill Lower School.

Senior Earns Chair in ATSSB Region 5 Jazz Band Senior William Roberts earned a chair in the Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB) Region 5 Jazz Band and was selected to the area band.

Greenhill Students Participate in Dallas Love Project Greenhill students participated in Dallas Love, a citywide project that placed art around Dallas in commemoration of the anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. In total, 25 pieces from the classes of Frank Lopez, Valerie Gillespie and Lesley Rucker appeared in the show.

Three Musicians Earn Chairs in TPSMEA All-State Orchestra Three Greenhill musicians were selected to the Texas Private Schools Music Educators Association AllState Orchestra. Sophomore Andrew Montgomery was selected as a 5th chair violin while junior Kyrene Moe was awarded with 16th chair violin honors. Senior Bryce Halloran was picked as 11th chair in viola.

Visit our website for the latest news. www.greenhill.org/news

Greenhill String Musicians Honored at Region 20 Orchestra Auditions A group of 10 Greenhill string musicians were honored for their excellence at the Region 20 Orchestra auditions. They were selected from over 750 students from public and private schools in Dallas, Highland Park, Irving, Grand Prairie, Coppell, Duncanville, DeSoto, Lancaster and Cedar Hill. Visit www.greenhill.org to view all names.

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Find us on: www.facebook.com/ GreenhillSchool www.twitter.com/ GreenhillSchool

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Entire Upper School Participates in Group Read and Theater Experience Thank you to the Cultural Arts Committee and everyone who made possible the Upper School field trip on October 25, 2013. The entire Upper School read Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, and went to see it at the Wyly Theater! Freshmen through seniors also mixed up to “cross-pollinate” English classes to discuss the play and performance.

It was a powerful experience that brought art, literature and community to life.

Greenhill Band Plays New Repertoire at 2013 Prism Awards A group of Greenhill students played at a reception for the Mental Health America of Greater Dallas Prism Awards on October 25 on the 42nd floor at Cityplace. The Prism Awards recognize leaders in the community who have helped to erase the stigma and improve awareness of mental health issues.

“I was standing here listening … I love the swing aspect along with the great energy,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, who received an award at the ceremony.

All Upper School students went to see A Raisin in the Sun at the Wyly Theater on October 25, 2013.

School News is featured on a six-month rotation.

News for this issue is compiled from summer of 2013 until winter break. All news after that deadline will be featured in the Fall 2014 issue.

www.greenhill.org

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SPORTS NEWS BRIEFS

Girls Volleyball The Greenhill girls volleyball team finished the 2013 campaign with a 27–12 overall record, including a fifth-place showing at the SPC Fall Championships. In four seasons at the helm for the Hornets, head coach Tatiane Deibert has led the team to 95 victories, including a career-high total this past season.

Winter Sports Recap

Senior Jalen Sharp signs a National Letter of Intent

Senior Tre Albritten

Sharp Signs National Letter of Intent with Army Senior Jalen Sharp signed a National Letter of Intent on February 5, 2014, to attend the United States Military Academy (also known as Army) in West Point, New York. A wide receiver, Sharp led the Hornets with 31 catches for 516 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns. The cadet-athlete will play under the direction of first-year head coach Jeff Monken.

Boys Volleyball The Greenhill boys volleyball team recorded its 22nd consecutive season of 20 or more victories as the Hornets posted a 21–15 overall record. The last time that the Hornets failed to reach 20 victories came during the 1991 season.

Football Seniors James Bradford, Matthew Jones and Jalen Sharp were selected to play in the 15th Annual Tom Hillary DFW All-Star Football Game this past December at Pennington Field in Bedford. The Greenhill trio along with first-year head coach Ralph Dintino set the foundation for the resurgence of the Hornets’ football program. The Hornets won a thrilling 48-45 double overtime victory against John Paul II High School in their home opener.

Seniors Tre Albritten and Jalen Sharp were both honored at the conclusion of the season with All-Southwest Preparatory Conference honors. Sharp became a two-time All-SPC honoree, while Albritten earned all-conference recognition for the first time in his career.

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Senior captain Kayla Rambeau and sophomore Danielle Milner were recognized with All-SPC honors for the first time in their careers. After falling to St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in five sets in the opening round of the SPC Fall Championships, the Hornets rebounded by defeating Houston Christian School and Oakridge School in straight sets.

The Hornets posted a third-place showing at the SPC Fall Championships after defeating St. John’s School in five sets in the third/fourth-place match.

At the conclusion of the season, the Hornets had a pair of first-time All-SPC award winners in outside hitter senior Nick Silverman and middle blocker junior Chandler Notley.

Senior Captain Kayla Rambeau

Boys Cross Country The Greenhill boys cross country team posted strong results during the 2013 season as the Hornets collected four top-five showings. The Hornets finished third at both the Southlake Carroll Invitational along with the Ken Garland Invitational. In addition, the Hornets posted a fourth-place showing at the SPC North Zone Meet.

Senior Nick Silverman

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Senior captain Nick Kraus was the Hornets’ top finisher at the 2013 SPC Boys Cross Country Championships as the Greenhill senior finished 49th overall. As a team, the Hornets finished 13th overall with a total of 341 total points, finishing just behind St. Mary’s Hall and Fort Worth Country Day.

Cheerleading The Greenhill cheerleading squad won the 2013 State Fair of Texas Championship at the Cotton Bowl and qualified for the National Championships this past March. The Hornets outlasted 40 high schools, dance companies and All-Star teams to claim the State Fair of Texas title.

The Greenhill cheerleading squad also had the opportunity to perform during halftime of the Dallas Cowboys/Green Bay Packers game on December 15, 2013.

Freshman Chandler Crates and Madison Cook

Junior Paulo Springer

Girls Cross Country The Greenhill girls cross country team recorded an outstanding season as the Hornets won a trio of championships at the Southlake Carroll Invitational, Ken Garland Invitational and SPC North Zone Meet. Also, the Hornets finished second at the Richardson High School Invitational and third at the SPC Girls Cross Country Championships.

Freshman Madison Cook was the Hornets’ top finisher at the SPC Girls Cross Country Championships after finishing 12th overall while fellow freshman Chandler Crates and sophomore Abby Grindstaff finished 14th and 17th, respectively. All three Greenhill runners earned All-SPC recognition for the first time in their careers.

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Field Hockey The Greenhill field hockey team captured the Division II title at the SPC Fall Championships after defeating St. Stephen’s Episcopal School by a 2–1 score. The Hornets – who entered as the top seed in the Division II tournament – defeated E.S.D., 2–1, and Oakridge School, 2–0, to advance to the finals.

Members of the Greenhill Cheerleading Squad on December 15

All-Southwest Preparatory Conference Award Winners Girls Cross Country Madison Cook, freshman Chandler Crates, freshman Abby Grindstaff, sophomore Field Hockey Emily Fine, junior Torri Hayden, junior Junior Torri Hayden

In her first season as head coach, Alicia Mayer led the Hornets to a 10–4–3 overall record and mentored a pair of first-time All-SPC award recipients in juniors Emily Fine and Torri Hayden. The Hornets notched their third straight double-digit win season and seventh in the last eight seasons.

Football Tre Albritten, senior Jalen Sharp, senior Boys Volleyball Chandler Notley, junior Nick Silverman, senior Girls Volleyball Danielle Milner, sophomore Kayla Rambeau, senior

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Homecoming Week 2013

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www.greenhill.org

Seniors Nick Kraus and Jasmin Lawrence were voted Homecoming King and Queen.

Homecoming Court The senior homecoming court included: (L–R) Jalen Sharp, Alex Weinberg, James Bradford, Jake Eberts, Brent Rubin, Nick Kraus, Jasmin Lawrence, Ali Woodson, Jocelyn Lee, Savannah Krantz, Angela Hillsman and Lizzy D’Apice.

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Founders’ Day (Left) New Legends Roger Charlebois and Jack Oros were named and congratulated. (Below) Daughter of Greenhill’s founder Bernard Fulton, Molly Fulton Seeligson ’60 leads students in an astounding interactive exercise to “make it rain” in Phillips Gymnasium.

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www.greenhill.org

Halloween on the Hill

Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day

Alan Mesches, first-grader Owen Meschertson, Jan Mesches and Linda Robertson

Fifth-grader Noah Grimsley and Liz McGee

Sixth-grader Jhalen Spicer and Deborah Brewer

Second-grader Ryan Bomersbach and Lauren Anderson

Sixth-graders Emily Caplan and Morgan Hurst speaking to Michael Meyers Riley Peveto, Cade Peveto, Betty Peveto, first-grader Bette Tomecko and pre-kindergartener Georgie Tomecko

What should I do this summer?

As the summer months approach, our students’ focus shifts from “What classes should I take to get into college?” to “How can I use summer to strengthen my college applications?” or “What if I need to earn money?”

To see some of our typical responses, keep reading.

SENIORS: Rest and relax. You have already finished two big hurdles.

Colleges have already scrutinized you, Greenhill is about to set you free – and that, in itself, is a well-deserved accomplishment. Enjoy your fleeting freedom, and get ready for a jump into a new world.

FRESHMAN, SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS: First of all, you need to rest and relax, too. You’ve worked hard this year and you deserve time for rejuvenation and reflection. But let’s not waste time, either. College admissions offices look at the summer as three months of meaningful time.

They want you to do something that is true to yourself, and these opportunities don’t have to be exotic, outside of Dallas, expensive or on a college campus.

Summer Jobs and Internships Typically, admissions deans say that it is, indeed, ok to work and earn money in the summer. And by work, they don’t necessarily mean an elite internship or an international adventure. Honest money-making is not only ok, it’s often necessary and teaches valuable skills. Work teaches you how to show up on time, stay on task, respond to others, interact with the public, and it also teaches you the value of a dollar.

Community Service Volunteering and service learning is a win/win. It helps you, it helps others, so we recommend that you carve out time this summer to contribute to society. There is plenty to do right here. There are extraordinary efforts by peers like senior Michael Meng,

who has co-founded Paint The World, a program to bring art programs and art supplies to schools where funding for the arts has been cut.

Senior Jamie Palefsky serves on the GIVE Board and on the Teen Board of Meals on Wheels, she is a volunteer teacher at Temple Emanu-El, and has also participated in the STAIRS program and Bea’s Kids. For more summer service opportunities, contact Sally Rosenberg, Director of ServiceLearning and Community Service.

College Programs Participating in summer courses at colleges offers many positives.

They’re engaging, intellectually stimulating opportunities that cater to unique interests. They might let you experience dorm/residential life, and they might give you a sneak-preview of college, but remember that they are not a “ticket-in” to those colleges.

Greenhill Resources If you have a specific academic focus you would like to pursue, teachers in that field will be able to share opportunities with you. We also encourage families to use Naviance, which holds a database of over 2,200 summer programs for your perusal.

The College Counseling Office also augments that information with more of our own. After logging in, go to Colleges, then Enrichment Programs.

College Counseling Office Marie Bigham bighamm@greenhill.org Senior Michael Meng’s Paint the World initiative has received national press and funding from such institutions as The Dallas Morning News, The Huffington Post, CBS News, The Philanthropy Journal and The Pollination Project. He is pictured here (third from the left), painting a 20-ft. long mural for the Salvation Army’s Pleasant Grove location with Hebron High School students (L–R) Chris Lopez, Athena Chen and Alison Lee.

www.greenhill.org

Jennifer Kincaid kincaidj@greenhill.org J.R. Neiswender neiswenderj@greenhill.org Visit us on the web: www.greenhill.org/collegecounseling

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Celebrating Our Great Teachers The Faculty Leaders of 2013–2014 Every year Greenhill honors exceptional teachers with the Faculty Leaders program. The program, which started in 2002, highlights one of the fundamental values that the Greenhill community upholds—our commitment to the highest caliber of teaching.

In September, as Head of School Scott Griggs introduced our three faculty leaders at the Parents’ Association meeting he said, “This is a program that provides us the opportunity to celebrate our great teachers.”

This year Tracey Pugh, Tony Schraufnagel and Jason Yaffe were selected.

Their varied perspectives follow, each closely derived from their own addresses at the meeting.

Jason Yaffe Upper School History, Head Cross Country Coach

Jason Yaffe has taught and coached in a variety of schools – some thriving, some struggling, and that has given him the perspective to ponder what makes successful schools so special. “Naturally I’ve reflected a lot on what has made that difference. What makes Greenhill so special? I’ve decided it comes down to a few key ingredients. A great school has a vision and a mission – one that community members actively support and live by example. But perhaps the biggest difference of a great school is in the quality of teaching and coaching, and the quality of the relationships formed. People care for one another inside and outside the classroom.

Students are supported and teachers are supported. We are expected to continuously work to perfect our craft.”

“That’s why I’m here. That’s why I came back after teaching ‘abroad’ in my hometown of Philadelphia. I know there’s no better gig out there.”

Mr. Yaffe wears many hats – teaching history, coaching cross country and being a team leader for the Class of 2015. He is also father to Jonah, fourth grade, and Eli, kindergarten.

He sees the connections that happen

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across campus, between students and teachers, across classes and divisions.

“Students feel like they are known here. It’s a community need. We all want to be known. Once they know that, and they know that teachers care, they develop trust. They learn that they can take risks and feel comfort in the uncomfortable.” He describes students breaking out of their comfort zone, engaging in public forms of assessment, and truly growing in those uneasy moments.

He also notes examples through running. “Success only comes when an athlete breaks out of their comfort zone, shows that relentless effort that we hear so much about, and breaks through the runner’s wall.” He tells the story of former student athletes Ryan and Madeline, who worked through personal challenges and found their greatest success only after they experienced adversity.

“Greenhill is a safe place to fail,” says Yaffe. “Through our ups and downs and rich connections that we have here, we learn how to push ourselves and find our best effort, intellectually, physically and emotionally.”

Congratulations to Jason for being named the new Director of Academics, effective July 2014.

Tony Schraufnagel Middle School and Upper School 3-D Art, Assistant Cross Country Coach

Not many people who affectionately refer to Mr. Schraufnagel as “Mr. S.” know the true meaning of his multi-lettered name. Fortunately, Mr. “Screwnail,” hailing from German heritage, Bavarian culture, and more specifically, Wisconsin, has been raised to proudly work with his namesakes on a regular basis.

As a child, Mr. S. would accompany his father selling shutter doors.

He vividly remembers traveling throughout the Texas and Oklahoma region, stopping at hardware stores, admiring the materials at his fingertips, letting his imagination run wild. He was inspired by the tactile quality of everything around him and would even deconstruct the damaged doors, making new creations.

“Where it all started, what it’s all about – is the idea of design. For me, it was the way to understand and articulate my ideas. Drawing was an absolute passion. Using the backs of my father’s spec sheets, I had endless amounts of drawing paper, and I would always think and describe everything visually. It continued this way throughout my education.”

Mr. S. credits an important mentor in his life, sculptor Richard Davis, as the reason he teaches today. He worked as an apprentice for Mr. Davis and learned how to channel his creativity into everything from metal works to furniture to houses. “The man was amazing.

He had a true ‘maker mentality,’ acknowledging that we have more ideas than just what can be considered art. He taught me that we could make art and make functional items, too.”

www.greenhill.org

that her parents had taught her.

“Teaching in our family began back then,” she said.

The only African-American girl in her elementary school, Tracey can still remember the names of her beloved Middle School communications teacher and her Spanish teacher, even though she still “cannot speak Spanish.” She was on the cheerleading team throughout her childhood and high school, and has gotten to go to nine homecoming dances. On Homecoming night of her senior year in 1989, Tracey’s life changed forever.

From Left: Tony Schraufnagel, Middle School and Upper School 3-D Art, Assistant Cross Country Coach; Jason Yaffe, Upper School History, Head Cross Country Coach; and Tracey Pugh, Primer Teacher, Varsity Cheer Coach, were honored as exceptional teachers with the Faculty Leaders program.

As a grad student, Mr. S. made largescale gated entries for ranches in his workshop outside Denton. His teaching career was born out of a need for teamwork. “I needed help with the gates and it evolved into bringing on other artists and showing them my craft.”

At Greenhill, Mr. S. thrives in what he calls a 3-D makers’ space. “We are in the midst of something that is incredibly exciting. We’re in a makers’ revolution. We’re bringing all forms of design into the classroom with tools and resources on the cusp of technology. With things like the 3-D printer and scanner, students interface into design from digital to physical and from physical back to digital. I have a hard time containing that kind of excitement.” And his students agree. “They won’t stop at the end of class and they come early, fueling a sense of liberation through the making process.”

www.greenhill.org

Tracey Pugh Primer Teacher, Varsity Cheer Coach

Mrs. Pugh teaches primer by day, and then goes to her other favorite job of coaching cheerleading in the afternoon. “They’re really about the same,” she jokes. “Drama here, drama there …” Mrs. Pugh also spends Tuesday and Thursday afternoons partnering with DISD schools, working with The Future Leaders Program, teaching reading and writing to underprivileged children from south and west Dallas.

Mother of sophomore Jacob and eighth-grader Jessica, Mrs. Pugh comes from a family of teachers. Her mother is currently in her last year of teaching, completing a 39-year tenure in Plano ISD, where for most of those years, she was the only African-American teacher. She can trace her family of teachers back to her great-grandmother, Serepta Kelley, who was the granddaughter of slaves in Georgia. Before moving to Ohio, where Tracey is originally from, she would teach others throughout the rural countryside the basic skills

“We were traveling 41 miles per hour on the service road of LBJ and a drunk driver collided into us going 118 miles per hour. The battery from the drunk driver’s car came through the windshield and exploded in my face.”

Rescue teams had to cut her out of the car and her eye was the only thing still intact on the left side of her face.

Tracey spent from October through April of her senior year in and out of the hospital. When she attempted to come back to school in April, she was barely physically capable and fell down the stairs on her first day back.

The principal of the school picked her up, put her in his car, brought her home and put her to bed saying, “We’ll see you at graduation.”

“It has been the teachers in my life that have truly made a difference,” says Mrs. Pugh. “The empathy and compassion that he showed, along with other influential teachers in my life, has made me the person I am today. And that is why I teach.”

Mrs. Pugh closes by saying, “I enjoy my life. I hug everyone I see, because life is so precious. And it all begins with our children. I love your children.”

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Building Community Groundbreaking Marshall Family Names New Building During the Building Community Campaign Groundbreaking Ceremony, held in the morning sunshine of April 25, 2014, Greenhill School announced that their new Performing Arts Center would be named The Marshall Family Performing Arts Center in honor of the generous $10 million gift from the Marshall Family.

The entire Greenhill community – students, faculty, parents and alumni – gathered to celebrate the generosity of the Marshall Family and the start of construction for the new Performing Arts Center, updated and modernized dining facilities, expanded parking and new athletic fields.

Students, wearing white sunglasses, a symbol of the bright future ahead, convened on the northeast corner of campus, the site of the new Performing Arts Center. Special guests joining the ceremony included Todd Meier ’69, Mayor of the Town of Addison; Phillip G. Foote, Head of Greenhill School from 1976–1992; and Molly Fulton Seeligson ’60 and Will Fulton ’68, daughter and son of Greenhill School founder Bernard Fulton.

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Head of School Scott Griggs welcomed everyone to the historic event, then introduced Tom Perryman ’81, Assistant Head of School, to share the importance of architecture on the Greenhill campus. Michael Manes, Head of Fine Arts and the longest-tenured Greenhill employee with 40 years of service on the Hill, followed Perryman. Manes shared the history of the arts at Greenhill. “I am thrilled that our students will be able to perform in a state-of-the-art facility, and I cannot wait to see what amazing creativity unfolds in the future for the arts at Greenhill,” said Manes. He then transitioned the presentation to student speakers to share their perspective on what the new buildings would mean to the campus.

“During my time here, being involved in the arts has stretched my mind in ways I never could have imagined.

It’s taught me how to be organized, accountable, creative and expressive, all while having fun playing musical instruments, singing, painting and more,” said fourthgrader Johrdyn Tarpeh. Eighth-grader Lily Barnes echoed Tarpeh’s view, and senior Nick Kraus expanded on their points by noting that divisions would finally have a space where they could gather comfortably for assemblies and guest speakers.

www.greenhill.org

Visit www.greenhill.org/buildingcommunity to learn more.

Campaign Steering Committee

Head of School Scott Griggs then returned to the stage, asking E. Pierce Marshall, Jr. ’86, Chair of the Building Community Campaign, to join him at the podium. Earlier in the year, the Marshall Heritage Foundation announced that it would be doubling its initial $5 million gift, giving a total of $10 million to the campaign, the single largest contribution in the School’s 64-year history.

“The Marshall Family clearly believes in the vision of Bernard Fulton, Greenhill’s founder,” said Griggs. “With their deep ties to the School, and their incredible generosity, it gives me great pleasure to share with the Greenhill community, that the new building will be called The Marshall Family Performing Arts Center.”

E. Pierce Marshall, Jr. ’86, Campaign Chair Debbie Andres Karla R. Barber Gilian Lempel Baron, Groundbreaking Chair J. Baxter Brinkmann Nancy P. Carlson Gary J. Fernandes David J. Haemisegger Michael J. Halloran Thomas Curtis Holmes, Jr. Preethi Jayaseelan Ann Frances Jury Peter A. Kraus, Board of Trustees, Chair Sandra Kim Moon Catherine M. Rose William E. Rose ’85, Board of Trustees, Chair-Elect Molly Fulton Seeligson ’60 Patricia Smith Bruce Sostek Mike Weinberg ’82 Waverly Ware Wilson ’86

“Greenhill played an instrumental role in shaping me into the adult I am today, both professionally and personally,” said Marshall. “I know first-hand the magic of this community, and I am thrilled that our family, and many others, are coming together to ensure that our students will be able to pursue their passions in a space worthy of their incredible vision, creativity and talents.”

As the students cheered the Marshall Family, Marshall and the campaign leadership including Peter Kraus, Board Chair; Will Rose ’85, Board Chair-Elect; Gilian Baron, Building Community Groundbreaking Chair; as well as architects Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi; and Griggs, Manes, Perryman and members of the Greenhill Administrative Team; picked up shovels with white bows for a ceremonial breaking of ground on the stage.

The celebration closed with the Upper School Singers performing the song Home by Phillip Phillips, and the entire school joining together for a boisterous rendition of Happy by Pharrell Williams.

www.greenhill.org

Michael Manes, Head of Fine Arts, has played a key role in the visualization and programming of the new building.

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The entire Greenhill community, including students, faculty and parents, gathered on the field that is the future site of the new building.

How Can I Help?

This is a multi-faceted, large-scale effort, but thanks to the dedication and commitment of many leadership donors, we have already made significant progress toward our $52.5 million goal. We now look to you, our alumni, parents, grandparents and friends, to offer your generous support and help us complete the most ambitious and noteworthy endeavor in our School’s history, one that will not only create iconic structures that we can be proud of, but that will define the spirit of our community – the very essence of what we can accomplish together.

For more information on how to participate in the campaign, please visit www.greenhill.org/ buildingcommunity, or contact Julie Diaz, Chief Advancement Officer at 972.628.5501.

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Among the distinguished guests to join E. Pierce Marshall, Jr. ’86 and his mother were Former Head of School Phil Foote and the Mayor of Addison, Todd Meyer ’69.

www.greenhill.org

“The Marshall Family clearly believes in the vision of Bernard Fulton, Greenhill’s Founder.

With their deep ties to the School, and their incredible generosity, it gives me great pleasure to share with the Greenhill community, that the new building will be called The Marshall Family Performing Arts Center.”

The entire Greenhill community applauded the efforts and generosity of Campaign Chair E. Pierce Marshall, Jr. ’86 as the name of The Marshall Family Performing Arts Center was unveiled.

Peter Kraus Chair, Board of Trustees

www.greenhill.org

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Plans for The Marshall Family Performing Arts Center

The Marshall Family Performing Arts Center Page 26 – Top Photo: View to Courtyard, Bottom Left Photo: Main Lobby and Grand Staircase, Bottom Right Photos, Top to Bottom: Entry View, Proscenium Theater, Studio Theater Page 27 – Top Photo: Main Dining Room, Middle Photo: View of Hot Servery, Bottom Photos, Left to Right: Soccer Fields, Athletic Fields and Facilities

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www.greenhill.org

Plans for Modern Dining Facilities and Athletic Fields

Join us!

It’s a community effort.

And, we need you now to support the Building Community Campaign. There are many ways to get involved both as a volunteer and as a donor.

Thanks to the dedication and commitment of many in our community, we have already made significant progress towards our $52.5 million goal.

We now look to you—alumni, parents, grandparents and friends—to offer your generous support and help us to complete Greenhill’s Building Community Campaign by 2016.

Naming Opportunities Every gift counts as we ask the community to support this important campaign for Greenhill. All contributions to the Building Community Campaign will be prominently recognized on the honor roll for the campaign on the website and in the printed final campaign report.

Permanent recognition will begin at the $50,000 level in The Marshall Family Performing Arts Center. Specific opportunities and availability for naming new classrooms, performance spaces, dining options, fields and selected rooms begin at the $100,000 level.

Please visit our website, www.greenhill.org/buildingcommunity, for a complete list of opportunities.

For a more in-depth look at these exciting plans, including interior renderings, an animated tour, and naming opportunities, visit our website at: www.greenhill.org/buildingcommunity.

www.greenhill.org

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A Salute to Process: Project-Based Learning at Greenhill “As you know, today is the day to test our wind turbines,” Engineering and Design Instructor Don Myers tells his sixth grade exploratory design class. Groups of three to four students are sprinkled around the classroom, making final adjustments to their windmill-like creations of PVC piping, dowel sticks, cardboard, duct tape and aluminum foil.

The first group arranges their wind turbine in the middle of the classroom. They connect it to a meter that measures electric voltage. A fan pointed at the turbine is turned on, and the student-made device starts to spin. “0.19, 0.20 …,” the student reads off the meter. The fan is turned up. “0.22,” the student reads. The fan is turned up again and the number increases again.

The next group mimics the same prep, but when the fan turns on, their turbine doesn’t spin. “OK, go back and make some tweaks,” says Mr. Myers. The students hang their heads in disappointment and in response, Mr. Myers stops the whole class. “Listen, failure is not failing,” he says, “It’s an opportunity to learn, figure out what to work on and make changes. If everything worked perfectly all the time, school would be pretty boring, right? This is what scientists do. They build, test and tweak, and learn from failure.”

www.greenhill.org

Mr. Myers is actually describing the basis for a powerful teaching method that is becoming an integral part of Greenhill’s curriculum, from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Although teachers and students at Greenhill have been engaging in this form of teaching and learning for years, it is receiving more and more attention due to changing trends in education. Often referred to as projectbased learning or experiential learning, it’s widely becoming a methodology that teachers deem incredibly effective.

“Failure is not failing. It’s an opportunity to learn, figure out what to work on and make changes.… This is what scientists do. They build, test and tweak, and learn from failure.”

Don Myers Engineering and Design Instructor

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D

on Myers, new this year after an eight-year tenure at Good Shepherd Episcopal School, was brought to Greenhill to teach such classes as engineering, exploratory design and robotics to Middle School. In Mr. Myers’ experience, project-based learning, when executed correctly with clear objectives and framework is “leaps and bounds” better for learning. Citing the research of Mitchell Resnick, MIT professor and head of the Lifelong Kindergarten group at MIT Media Lab, Mr. Myers explains the value of letting students “tinker,” to borrow Resnick’s word. “We think about planning vs. tinkering in our curriculum and planning is not always inherently superior. Tinkering allows for a teacher and students to thrive in experimentation mode. It’s a salute to process, trial and error, and above all else, problem-solving. When students are tinkering, they are messier and unrehearsed. They are allowed to make mistakes and can even celebrate failure if something interesting came from it.”

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Director of Academics Natalia Hernandez sees project-based learning as an essential teaching method that changes the way students are assessed. “Project-based learning is about getting messy and diving into uncharted territory. It’s about bringing relevance to classroom learning by challenging students to apply skills, use experimentation, trial and error, and bring learning to life. It empowers students, encouraging motivation and ownership for their work,” she says.

“Because it is often subjective, interpretive and creative, sometimes it’s easier to define what project-based learning is not,” says Ms. Hernandez. “It’s not filling in the blanks, choosing multiple choice or following a rule. It’s not the science labs we had when we were kids where we were trying to achieve a desired outcome. By deemphasizing scripts, tools and methods, students are tasked to figure out the structure and solve problems. Yet there is a very deliberate methodology behind the freedom we give to students.” Ms. Hernandez explains that well-planned classroom experiences have a clearly identified purpose that is achieved through a variety of processes. The end product will be as unique as students’ interests. Multiple, varied teaching strategies will guide students through relevant hands-on work to arrive at mastery of the content and skills of the course.

www.greenhill.org

U

pper School history teacher David Lowen has been using project-based learning for 16 years at Greenhill. “I use it in all my classes. It’s really about problem-solving,” he says.

Mr. Lowen describes a recent psychology class project about brain research where his students studied how the teenage brain learns best. They were then tasked with answering: Is Greenhill following best teaching practices for teenagers? Objectives were set and the rest was up to student choice.

“They sent out surveys, figured out random data sampling, conducted interviews, and sat in on other classes. In any project I want them to learn the steps of proper authentic research, but the best way to do that is to get them out there. And I always stress that the outcome is not as important as the process. The key is how to articulate and support the process.” Other examples of Mr. Lowen’s projects involve breaking a social norm in public, answering abstract diplomacy questions, and presenting a plan for a new business.

“While a portion of these assessments is subjective, there is a methodology to grading,” states Mr. Lowen. “We use rubrics such as participation, contributions, scope of work, research covered, etc. I also get their peers to help evaluate at presentation time.”

Assessing What We Value A recent issue of Independent School magazine published “Assessing What We Value” where William Taylor, Head of School at St. George’s in Tennessee, writes, “What is increasingly needed and rewarded is the ability to analyze, synthesize, apply and communicate knowledge in creative, often collaborative ways. To that end, schools need to focus on—and assess for—critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication, awareness of global citizenship and character.” Skills that will “optimize our students’ ability to be successful in the 21st-century global economy.”

Even in more objective courses like math, project-based learning provides a lesson in real-world application.

Melissa Battis and Velvet Dow, Upper School math teachers, are currently looking at ways to expand long-term projects in their curriculum. In lieu of a test at the end of second and third trimester, the geometry classes will be doing a project, involving spatial and real-life applications to classroom concepts.

Projects might involve giving the students a round cylinder inside a rectangular box and asking, what is the best way to package this? How much space is wasted? “We’ll see how this works in the classroom and we’ll observe students’ activity and reaction,” says Melissa Battis. “Then we’ll broaden the scope in future years to progress toward open-ended challenges like ‘here’s a bunch of lettuce; what’s the best way to package it and why?’”

www.greenhill.org

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FROM THE BEGINNING

T

here is a vertical thread that begins to emerge the closer you look at curriculum through the years.

In the Lower School, any classroom snapshot reveals students working in teams, problemsolving, collecting and interpreting information, learning from mistakes or failures and most importantly, realizing the importance of process. Those fundamentals are carried through to the Middle School and Upper School in ways already exemplified, but let’s not forget to note its origin.

Lower School science teacher Cathleen Garcia’s classroom is alive – literally – with plants, nine class pets including Lambeaux, the leopard gecko, and Juan, the tarantula, and last but not least, inquisitive children. With a philosophy of wonder, exploration and discovery, science is truly fun. “There is a very natural interest in science at this age,” she says. “Science is life, life is science – and we cultivate that. I teach them how to explore and how to share that discovery.”

Mrs. Garcia starts her second graders on a project about electricity called Path Finders, where they investigate a series of scenarios between a battery, wire and bulb, make a prediction, then conduct the experiment. “Don’t get hung up on right or wrong,” she tells the class. “A prediction is either confirmed or not confirmed. You can think something that’s technically incorrect, but if you have backed it up with reasoning, it’s a great argument.”

Students outline their predictions in red (no, it doesn’t work) and green (yes, it works) crayons, and then prove themselves right or wrong by following guided scenarios.

“How many people have been surprised at least once?” asks Mrs. Garcia. “We have!” called a group of three. “I was really surprised,” said another girl. At the end of class, they individually fill out forms, interpreting what they’ve learned in sentences like, “I learned/saw …, I know …, I didn’t know ….”

What they also might not know is that in this lesson, Mrs. Garcia is actually assessing them on how well they work as a team – a skill that has been fostered since kindergarten.

Stepping back to the very beginning, we meet Kim Barnes, head of the play-based early childhood program, who believes that project-based learning is fundamentally united with all that happens every day in the classroom.

“The concepts of play- and project-based learning are inseparable,” she says. “Play is the sincerest form of live curriculum, and imitation play is looking at life and interpreting it. Because we’re play-based, we approach content through global themes. Projects are formed based on children’s ideas and interests.” At the beginning of a unit, they will do a web, the early-childhood version of a roundtable discussion, and call out their reactions to questions like, “What grows?” “Plants grow, people grow, animals grow ….” Their interests spark, ideas pool, and their approach is born from the give and take of the student/ teacher dialogue.

And in a few years, these same four- and five-year-olds, armed with the fundamentals of problem-solving and process-oriented discovery, will be teaching us how to build the next generation of wind turbines.

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www.greenhill.org

“Project-based learning is about getting messy and diving into uncharted territory. It’s about bringing relevance to classroom learning by challenging students to apply skills, use experimentation, trial and error, and bring learning to life.”

Natalia Hernandez Director of Academics

What does Vertical Alignment look like?

Here is an example of how one physics content idea, Motion & Stability, is threaded through the curriculum from Early Childhood to Upper School.

Kindergarten:

Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the strengths and directions of different pushes and pulls on the motion of objects.

Third Grade:

Make observations and measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that patterns can be used to predict future motion.

Fifth Grade:

Support an argument with evidence that the gravitational force of Earth on an object is directed down.

Eighth Grade:

Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the net force on the object and the mass of the object.

Eleventh Grade:

Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s 2nd Law describes the mathematical relationship between net force, acceleration and mass.

www.greenhill.org

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Hands-On in the Field: Dan Robinson ’08 Dan Robinson’08 has taken project-based learning to a new level by working for humanitarian agricultural development in Ghana. Sophomore Amna Naseem wrote about him in an article entitled “Greenhill Grad Goes to Ghana” in the December issue of The Evergreen. An excerpt of the article is published here.

Every evening since his arrival in Ghana [in the summer of 2013], Dan Robinson ’08 drives back to his small, isolated office in the Ghanaian countryside where he is working with cocoa farmers as part of the Princeton in Africa program.

Twenty-three-year-old Robinson is working as a representative for agricultural development and hoping to help create a more sustainable and humanitarian practice of cocoa processing.

Three months after graduating from Georgetown University with a major in political economy, Dan found a job involving international development, but soon realized that he needed proper hands-on participation in the field.

“In order to go any farther, I realized that I really needed field experience,” said Dan. Now a fellow with Princeton in Africa, Dan is working in the Ghanaian cocoa industry as a representative for agricultural development.

Princeton in Africa is a highly acclaimed program in which recent college graduates are assigned to a partner organization for a yearlong service project. Dan was assigned to work with Olam, a multi-national supply chain manager of agricultural foods and food ingredients. He is working to improve the social, economic, financial and agricultural practices in the Ghanaian cocoa industry. The farmers grow cacao beans, which are then processed into cocoa for industry use.

“It’s a lot of meeting with farmers and organizing,” Dan said. “The main project is a Rainforest Alliance cocoa certification, which is basically a combination of social, environmental, financial and agricultural practices.”

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Rainforest Alliance is an international company that works to conserve biodiversity and provide a more economically and environmentally efficient approach to farming.

Rainforest Alliance Cocoa Certification will ensure that the Ghanaian farmers use a civil and effective process for farming. Dan’s main goal is for farmers to convert to a Rainforest Alliance approach to cocoa farming, in order to make a more sustainable farming system while the farmer’s income increases.

Farmers are required to follow a list of 13 criteria in order to join the Rainforest Alliance, and are given a premium for working with the Alliance. As most of the farmers don’t speak English, Dan uses a translator when he interacts with the farmers. His goal is to form a more efficient method of cocoa development that also prioritizes humane practices. As an incentive, Olam facilitates international export relationships for farmers who follow Rainforest Alliance criteria.

Rainforest Alliance is one of many companies working to ensure that child and slave labor are not used in the cocoa industry. A large part of Dan’s job includes pointing the farmers away from child labor and towards a more sustainable and humane way of processing.

“Child labor is a tricky situation, because it is engrained into society,” Dan said, noting that he sees how two different cultural perspectives on child labor clash on a daily basis around him.

“The children help carry water after school, but they aren’t allowed to carry 70-pound bags,” Dan said.

He also works on the sustainability wing, encouraging farmers to use reusable energy by not cutting down forests, and also suggests different approaches to renewable energy for the farmers, the goal of which is to increase profit and production.

To read the entire article, visit www.greenhill.org/evergreen.

www.greenhill.org

Q&A with Dan Robinson ’08 What is the greatest thing you’ve learned through this experience?

What skills have you used that you can credit back to Greenhill?

The most important thing that I’ve gained from my time in Ghana is a greater understanding of the extent to which the world’s development challenges aren’t uniform across all countries. Alleviating poverty is crucial for global development, but not all poverty looks the same. The most common version of poverty that we imagine in the U.S. is summed up by photos of hungry children, but in Ghana the greatest challenges actually relate to water and health while food insecurity is a lesser issue. The fact that “onesize-fits-all” solutions don’t work has been well-stated in the international development world, but before I saw for myself, I couldn’t truly grasp the importance of this on the ground.

The primary skill set that I can link to my time at Greenhill is my ability to analyze problems and clearly communicate solutions. The various writing courses that I took at Greenhill were crucial to my success in college and continue to be valuable today. The skills I developed in courses such as Senior Rhetoric have turned out to be important tools both for college essays and real world proposals and reports six years later.

Can you think of a situation when you had to solve a challenging problem and saw the results of your solution?

Sustainability initiatives in the cocoa sector are part of a long-term process for improving the incomes and livelihoods of the farmers. It is difficult for me to select a single situation in which I’ve seen direct results, but the positive impact of Olam’s corporate responsibility and sustainability efforts is clear whenever I visit one of the cocoa growing communities involved in our programs.

www.greenhill.org

What would you say to those interested in pursuing similar ventures?

The best advice that I can give to a young person interested in working in the developing world (or really anywhere) is to take chances and stay confident even if things don’t start off according to plan. There are many ways to make an impact at a young age, and it is important to start looking for opportunities early and to keep applying to jobs/ internships/fellowships until you find one that prepares you for what you want to do.

Want to learn more?

Check out Dan’s blog: notesfromnkran.blogspot.com.

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A Message from Mark A. Platt ’87 President, Alumni Association

Greenhill School 2013–2014 Alumni Board Allison Grossman Anderson ’97 Sheli Barnett ’82 Michael Baum ’89 Scott Beck ’92 Jennifer Bell-Garcia ’04 Jeffrey Boyd ’06 Morgan Christopher ’06 David Grant Crooks ’87 Macey Small Davis ’94 Clayton K. Deniger ’86 Jeff Fiedelman ’87 Will Fulton ’68 Khraish Khraish ’94 Rachel Davidoff Ladin ’91 John Lesikar ’03 Larry R. Ley ’68 Rachel Ingle Lorraine ’00 Dustin Marshall ’96 Mark McKay ’89 Janie Morris ’95 Louis Okon ’93 Sabrina Mallick Peterson ’00 Debra Goldstein Phares ’88 Mark A. Platt ’87 Matthew Prescott ’03 Lauren Pritchard ’04 Byron Sanders ’01 Ben Setnick ’93 Cindy Solomon ’93 Robin Finkelstein Stone ’93 Carolyn Ley Thomas, M.D. ’97 Michael Waldman ’98 Rick Weisberg, M.D. ’95

Dear Greenhill Alumni, It is hard to believe that the school year will be ending in just a few more weeks. Spring sports are in full swing and we will welcome a new group of graduates into the Alumni Association on June 1 – Congratulations to the Class of 2014!

This year, the Alumni Association continued to offer meaningful events and programs for our alumni. We added a new alumni event to the fall activities. Our Alumni Basketball game was great fun and brought back some of our current NCAA college players. Our other annual alumni games were also well attended – both the Volleyball and Soccer games allowed alumni from six decades to relive some of their Hornet glory!

The highlight of the alumni year was the second annual Alumni Weekend in April. Hopefully, many of you were able to attend; among other things, we officially broke ground on the new Marshall Family Performing Arts Center. Everyone on campus is excited about the dynamic performances and other events Greenhill will be able to host in the new space.

In addition to our efforts in Dallas, we have five regional groups operating outside of Texas.

You can join these groups on Facebook or update your information with Katie Young. During the last year, we hosted on-the-road reunions with those regional groups in New York, Austin, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Our alumni are also connecting on campus with current students. We have had alumni present to classes (in-person, via phone and via Skype), host field trips, and provide mentoring experiences and internship/employment opportunities. What better way to celebrate the value of our Greenhill experience than by contributing to the success of future alumni?

As I write this, my two years as Alumni Board President are coming to a close. I want to thank our Alumni Board for their support and leadership – without such an engaged board, my job would have been much more difficult. And I want to thank Katie Young, Director of Alumni Relations, whom I have been lucky to work closely with during this time. Most of you have had at least some contact with Katie, but for those of you who have not, just know that she really does go that extra mile for us, and she always does it with that wide smile.

I am also thrilled that Macey Small Davis ’94 will succeed me as your next Alumni Board President. Macey is an intelligent, savvy, creative leader, and all of us are fortunate to have her steering the ship for the next two years.

Be sure to engage with us on social media. We have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. You can find links at www.greenhill.org/alumni. If you are not receiving correspondence and email from the Alumni Office, please update your contact information by emailing Katie Young at youngka@greenhill.org. I hope you will enjoy reading this edition of The Hill to learn more about all that is going on at the School and ways that you can get involved!

With Hornet Pride,

Mark A. Platt ’87 President, Alumni Association

www.greenhill.org

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Alumni News Alumni vs. Girls and Boys Varsity Volleyball Teams August 16, 2013

Members of the Womens Alumni Volleyball team played the Girls Varsity team in August.

The Boys Varsity Volleyball team faced the Alumni team in August.

New York Alumni Gathering October 1, 2013 Cosmopolitan Club, Library Room

Alex Govenar ’08 and Linda Woolley, English Department Chair

Madison Unell ’09, Lisa Arnold ’09, Elizabeth Fields ’09 and Priya Krishna ’09

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Head of School Scott Griggs, Dana Baum ’07, Blair Golman ’07 and Archit Kumar ’09

www.greenhill.org

Austin Alumni Gathering October 24, 2013 Cedar Door

Scott Birne ’11, Kush Patel ’11, Aaron Krage ’11 and Ryan Kline ’11

Katie Young, Director of Alumni Relations, and Daniel Bell-Garcia ’07

Alumni Basketball Games November 27, 2013

Hava Kane ’13; Angela Woodson, Director of Admissions and Jordan Rudner ’12

Lynn Kane, Jeff Kane ’83, Albert Betts ’82 and Tom Perryman ’81

The Womens Alumni Basketball team reconnected during the game.

Alumni (in green) returned to challenge the Boys Varsity Basketball team.

www.greenhill.org

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Alumni News Alumni Holiday Reception November 27, 2013 Nick & Sam’s – Park Cities

Cynthia Spiegel ’97, Carolyn Ley Thomas ’97 and Megan Considine ’97

Christopher Blake Helm ’00, Nick Schanbaum ’00, Staci Wren Schutze ’00, Liz Garner ’00 and Kecia Wright ’00

Chase Feiger ’07 and Michael Legacy

Alumni Soccer Game December 28, 2013

Alumni Trending Topics Lunch January 24, 2014 Dallas Fish Market

Alumni from four decades came to challenge the Varsity Boys and Girls Soccer teams in the annual match.

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Kourtny Garrett, senior vice president of marketing for DowntownDallas, Inc., spoke at the first alumni luncheon of 2014.

www.greenhill.org

San Francisco Alumni Gathering February 4, 2014 Bin 38

Nick Brice ’07, advanced video production teacher Corbin Doyle, and Daniel Gross ’04

Diana Adamson ’97, Jennifer Riggs Santos ’88, Jill Fischel Kasser ’85, Mark Platt ’87, Alison Murdock ’86, Colin Rule ’89 and Karmi Soder ’88

Los Angeles Alumni Gathering February 5, 2014 Westside Tavern

Timur Khan ’05, Supallav BaksiLahiri ’08 and Nayanika Ghosh

Zach Weinreb ’08, Carly Weinreb ’10, Head of School Scott Griggs and Kyle Weinreb ’12

Michelle Taylor ’99, Lauren Jones ’02, Tasha Taylor ’92 and Cinnamon Basco

Mark Platt ’87, Dave Chung ’87 and Chris Velvin ’87

www.greenhill.org

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CLASS NOTES To submit information for class notes and alumni news, contact: Katie Young Director of Alumni Relations alumni@greenhill.org 972.628.5521 phone 972.628.6521 fax FIND US ON:

1975 John Eisenberg’s book Ten-Gallon War: The NFL’s Cowboys, the AFL’s Texans, and the Feud for Dallas’s Pro Football Future was named among Booklist’s top 10 sports books of 2013.

Dave Meltzer wrote, “Never a dull moment in Bloomington, Indiana.

We’re in the process of moving again, this time to Manhattan, so that baby Nathan, now 13, can continue his violin studies with Itzhak Perlman on a year-round basis. As we move eastwards, Ryan completes his bachelor’s at Harvard and moves to California, joining Google as a software engineer. Danny, the oldest, is finishing a grueling year along the beach near Tel Aviv, where he has been interning as a high school teacher at the American International School. He’ll be back in the states for grad school this fall, possibly in New York.”

1978 Lynn Salzberger is the new Assistant Medical Examiner for Collin County, Texas.

1983

Valerie Holloway Skinner ’76 and her son Chase Haugland at his wedding

1976 Valerie Holloway Skinner wrote, “My husband Mark and I are proud to announce that my oldest son Chase Haugland married his longtime sweetheart Faina Ivensky at our home on September 15, 2013. It was a joyous occasion surrounded by family, and defined by great food, wine and dancing.”

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Beverly Wildasin wrote, “Our son, Jack survived his first semester at Vanderbilt, in pre-med, majoring in English. He’s starting goalie on the water polo team, was elected head of community service for his dorm, is interning with the radio station and just pledged SAE. He says the concerts in Nashville are amazing – referring to rap not country. :) Our daughter, Scarlett, is a sophomore at HarvardWestlake and has her own hour on the H-W radio station. She was invited to Coachella! Mostly about music with the Wildasins.”

Angela Adkins Downes ’87 and Mila Hermanovski ’87 united in Dallas in October.

1987 Mila Hermanovski and John Piermarini ’10 partnered in the fall to host a trunk show at Piermarini Boutique in Snider Plaza. John’s store was the first in Dallas to carry her line of women’s clothing. Mila is a former Project Runway All-Star, also known for her television and film costuming work. You can find her spring line at Piermarini Boutique now.

After 18 years in Vegas and 10 years with Cirque du Soleil, Chris Velvin and family are moving to Los Angeles.

Chris is the new Director of Production Safety with Viacom in Santa Monica.

He started in February and the rest of the family will move after the school year. He will be developing the production safety program for Viacom Media Networks (MTV, VH-1, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, BET, CMT, Spike, etc.) and will be reporting to the VP of safety for Paramount Pictures.

1986 E. Pierce Marshall, Jr. was awarded the Michael Ward Melton Memorial Rookie of the Year award for the 2013 PCA race season.

Mila Hermanovski ’87 visited with junior Maddie Montoya and senior Mary Low during a trunk show of her fall line at the Piermarini Boutique in Snider Plaza. John Piermarini ’10 owns the boutique. www.greenhill.org

1990 Zach Luterman wrote, “In 2013, my oldest daughter, Ariana, and I raced in 14 different duathlons and triathlons across the U.S. for Team Ariana, including four Olympic triathlons. She and I competed in two Ironman races.

We train together throughout the year and love racing together in many high-profile events alongside elite and professional athletes.”

Carey Hartin Dukes ’92 and her husband, John, welcomed twins Sophie Skye and Miles Carson on September 23, 2013.

1992

Zach Luterman ’90 racing in a triathlon

1991 Karen Schwartz Alpert wrote, “I selfpublished my first book I Heart My Little A-Holes in October and it got a great response. It quickly became a New York Times bestseller and was then bought by HarperCollins. They reissued it on April 8 and it is available everywhere books and e-books are sold.”

Rohit Kumar wrote, “After 13 years in the United States Senate I finally decided it was time for a change. In October, I joined PriceWaterhouseCoopers as CoLeader of the Tax Policy Services Group. And despite the ominous headline (“Departure of GOP operatives could imperil debt-limit talks”), the Washington Post did a nice profile piece when I left. It’s definitely been a transition, but one that was way overdue and I’m enjoying the new challenges and helping clients figure out what to make of D.C.”

Eric Johnson was named to the Aspen Institute Rodel Fellowship program for the nation’s most promising young political leaders. Only 24 elected officials were chosen and fellows have since gone on to serve as governors, members of Congress, high-ranking local and state officials, and members of the President’s cabinet.

Carey Hartin Dukes wrote, “My husband, John Dukes, and I welcomed our twins, Sophie Skye and Miles Carson, into the world on September 23, 2013. Sophie was 3 lbs.

2 oz. and Miles was 5 lbs. 5 oz. Both babies are happy, healthy and growing every day.”

Scott Beck was named to Dallas Business Journal’s Top Newsmaker list for 2013. Beck has unveiled a massive redevelopment of Valley View Center in North Dallas, which is being marketed as Dallas Midtown.

www.greenhill.org

Beck and other property owners are working with the City of Dallas on the $3 billion project to completely redevelop and reposition the 430acre site bounded by LBJ Freeway on the south, the Dallas Parkway on the west, Preston Road on the east and Southern Boulevard on the north.

Texas State Representative Eric Johnson ’92 and wife, Nakita Johnson ’02 in Colorado

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CLASS NOTES

1993 Ben Setnick wrote, “Andrews Kurth in Dallas is now home to four Greenhill alumni and additional Greenhill parents. Eric Johnson ’92, Peter Bogdanow ’92, Jonathan Farrokhnia ’06 and I are all working at the firm.

Peter is a Corporate & Securities partner at the firm, and I’m an associate in the IP Litigation section.

Eric joined the firm in September and anchors the firm’s Dallas public finance practice. Jonathan started as a first-year corporate associate, fresh from Duke University School of Law. It’s a small world!”

Macey Small Davis ’94, Justin Small ’91 and Ralph Hamm ’90 reconnected during a visit to Portland in January.

1996 Marissa Lifshen Steinberger and her husband, Dani, are thrilled to announce the arrival of their son, Noah Max. He was born on October 9, 2013 at 6 lbs. 14 oz. and 22 in. Marissa has since returned to her job as a Lead Educational Adviser at the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. The family resides in Arlington, Virginia.

In December 2013, Donny Meyer became a Program Officer, Fellows Program, at the MacArthur Foundation in Chicago. He is also a Ph.D. candidate in the History of Art at Yale University, where his research focuses on the concept of refinement in both art and the production of steel in Pittsburgh in the Gilded Age. Immediately prior to this, Donny worked for the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, where he was the Project Researcher for the Museum’s Collection Documentation Initiative, Phase II: Painting and Sculpture. He has also worked as a Graduate Curatorial Intern at the

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Rachel Schiller Berman ’95 recently reunited with Aimee Dismore Gordon ’95 and Todd Waldman ’95 in Austin.

Yale University Art Gallery, where he helped prepare for a major forthcoming traveling exhibition, Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland 1861–2008, which is scheduled to open in 2015 at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut. Donny holds M.A. and M.Phil. degrees in History of Art from Yale, an M.A. degree in History of Art from Williams College (Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art), and a B.A. in Art History from Northwestern University.

Visit our website for the latest news. www.greenhill.org/news

Find us on: www.facebook.com/ GreenhillAlumni @AlumniGreenhill @GreenhillAlumni www.bit.ly/LinkedinGS

www.greenhill.org

1997 In May of last year, Jonathan Neubauer and Margaret Boren Neubauer welcomed their second son, John Bryant Neubauer. He weighed 9 lbs. 6 oz. Margaret continues to work on her Ph.D. in the Clements Center for Southwest History at Southern Methodist University.

At eight months old, Wylie Downing Manes (son of Beth Downing ’97 and Gavin Manes ’96) has already picked out his office at their e-discovery company, Avansic. If you’re on campus, Mr. Manes in fine arts can show you lots of pictures!

Patricia Virasin Tainter wrote, “In October 2013, after six years at the Kimbell Art Museum, I started working at the Dallas Museum of Art as the Associate Registrar for Exhibitions. My job consists of organizing special exhibitions at the DMA, including making all the arrangements for the shipping of objects on loan and overseeing the installation of artworks. A major plus is that I get to travel to cultural institutions worldwide. The exhibitions I am currently working on include Nur: Light in Art and Science from the Islamic World, From the Village to Vogue: The Modernist Jewelry of Art Smith, and Isa Genzken: Retrospective.”

Wylie Downing Manes, son of Beth Downing ’97 and Gavin Manes ’96, with grandfather Michael Manes, Head of Fine Arts.

2001 Jonathan Kopf was recently promoted to Assistant Vice President at U.S. Bank within the Integrated Digital Strategy group for online and mobile banking. He was awarded $5,000 to donate to the charity of his choice, which he presented to Make A Wish (sponsors of Batkids everywhere).

Jonathan Kopf ’01 makes a donation from U.S. Bank to Make A Wish.

www.greenhill.org

Byron Sanders ’01, Sally Rosenberg (Director of Service Learning and Community Service) and Lauren Hradecky Blitzer ’01 recently reunited at Big Bang. Lauren is with the Dallas Women’s Foundation and Byron is Executive Director of the Dallas Education Foundation.

2002 Kimberlee Sanders and Brett Strumwasser were married on August 17, 2013 surrounded by their family and friends at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas, Texas. Melissa Sanders ’99 served as maid of honor and Jordan Sanders ’04 was one of the groomsmen.

Lauren Schanbaum, Lauren Kahn, and Kimberly Pollock were also bridesmaids at the wedding. The couple began dating at Emory University and recently relocated to Dallas following Brett’s completion of his dental residency in New York. Kimberlee currently works at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a tax manager; Brett is practicing dentistry in Dallas.

Andrew Ganz recently accepted a new public relations position with Subaru of America. He is based in Dallas but will work to inform national media about Subaru’s fast-growing range of new vehicles.

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CLASS NOTES

2004 Janelle Bracken moved to Seattle in 2012 to help launch Amazon Art. She is a Product Manager and part of the business team. She focuses on rolling out new features and functionality for Customers and Sellers on Amazon Art to make it a better experience.

2005

Taylor Bell Wright ’03 with daughter Elliott Bell Wright

2003 Chris Wright wrote, “Taylor Bell Wright and I welcomed our daughter, Elliott Bell Wright, into the world on August 15, 2013. She was born with a full head of hair and her mom’s big blue eyes! Life is great living in the mountains of western North Carolina, where Taylor is a Senior Sales Manager for Old Edwards Inn & Spa and I am the Head Golf Professional at Old Edwards Club.”

Leot (Chen) Taylor ’03 and Vaughn Taylor with son Locklyn Vaughn Taylor

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Shawn Hiner-Leamon wrote, “After finishing my M.B.A. in Madrid, Spain, I have returned to the United States.

I started a multi-family office and boutique private equity firm called LaGrande Global. I am a bit nomadic at the moment, traveling wherever my business takes me.”

Bay Scoggin is living in Ethiopia and serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

“I will be serving as a Health Outreach Volunteer, which means that I will predominately be focused on HIV/ AIDS outreach, education, and prevention. I’ll also probably have some side projects, from sanitation to nutrition and anything in between, while I am there for a total of 27 months, or just over two years.”

30 Best Broadcasters Under 30 Years Old” by the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America. The proud uncle of Chase (3) and Matthew (1), Jared insists that he is still taller than both of his nephews, as well as everyone else in his family.

Yvette Ferrer graduated from Columbia Law School last May. She will be working for Haynes and Boone in New York City starting this fall.

2008 Hunter Jumper visited campus in the fall for Homecoming. Hunter was in town to play with the Chicago Fire.

He was drafted to the team in 2012 and made his debut on March 17, 2013. Hunter scored his first goal on August 23 during his second start for the team.

2007 Jared Sandler is currently working for an ESPN Radio affiliate based out of Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region. He currently broadcasts professional baseball for the Great Lakes Loons, a minor league baseball affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Division 1 basketball for Central Michigan University, and football at various levels. Jared is also the host of “CrunchTime,” a radio show that airs weekdays on ESPN 100.9 FM, making him the youngest host of an afternoon-drive sports talk show in America’s Top-150 markets. Jared was recently voted as a “People’s Choice

Dean of Students Jack Oros and Hunter Jumper ’08 at Homecoming 2013

2009 Cameron Andrew moved to Memphis, Tennessee after graduating from Juniata College to become the Assistant Women’s Volleyball Coach at Rhodes College. Cameron is also the head coach of the 18–2 club team for Memphis Juniors Volleyball

www.greenhill.org

Brittany Johnson ’08 came to campus in September to speak with French students. She is currently teaching English outside of Paris.

Association. He is looking forward to bringing in his first recruiting class at Rhodes in 2014 and is excited to continue building the program for success in the near and extended future.

Brittany Johnson wrote, “I’m writing to you from Nantes, France where I’m currently teaching English at a high school called Lycée Carcouet! Nantes is a fairly large city located about two hours west of Paris. I’m loving every minute (especially the croissants and wine) and blogging about it at brittgjohnson.wordpress.com! My French has improved so much and I would say I’m fluent mainly because I have a strong foundation in French from classes at Greenhill! I’ve also continued to play field hockey with the Hockey Club de Nantes and joined a local theatre troupe! It’s been such a great opportunity to be immersed completely in the French way of life!

I’m done teaching in May and after that, I’m planning a summer backpacking trip around Western Europe.”

2010 Mackenzie Naert spent the summer working at a health clinic in a rural village in Guatemala. During fall of 2013, she went to Kenya to study urbanization, health and human rights. She also conducted a monthlong research project on diabetes awareness and management.

Mackenzie is now back at Yale where she studies medical anthropology, and she plans to go to medical school after graduating in 2015.

2012 Ryan Brown was inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and has made the Dean’s List every semester at Brandeis University.

Mackenzie Naert ’10 with her Kenyan host family during study abroad in Fall 2013

www.greenhill.org

Mohammad Housini wrote, “I recently helped launch the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program for Behavioral Neuroscience at the UT Dallas Student Success Center. SI is a school-sponsored program offered for historically challenging classes, facilitated by an SI leader to promote peer-based learning and better study habits (and to improve the drop/fail/withdrawal rate). A summary poster of the research of my colleagues and I was presented at Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, 2013. We are working on having our paper peer-reviewed, and very excited to see it in press soon.

We discovered a novel mechanism and proposed a treatment related to neuroinflammation and its complications. After various officer positions and time spent for the fraternity, I was given the Scholastic Excellence Award by Sigma Alpha Epsilon and expect to become an alumni this semester. I am about to graduate with only nine credit hours left after the spring. The plan is to pursue medicine afterward. Crazy how fast time flies.”

John Piermarini ’10 recently spoke to Upper School economics students about the financial steps that he took to fund and open his clothing store, Piermarini Boutique.

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In Memoriam Jay Brandt Father of Claire Brandt ’12 February 10, 2014 Barbara Dunk Mother of Dee Dunk Velvin ’83 and Kirk Dunk ’87 October 11, 2013 Becky Dunston Mother of Chad Dunston ’86 October 19, 2013 Esther Hillebrenner Mother of Brent Hillebrenner ’85 September 27, 2013 Roy Hudson Father of former student David Hudson ’81 October 15, 2013 Don Lambert Father of Mark Lambert ’76, grandfather of Johanna Lambert ’08 and Peyton Lambert ’12 February 13, 2014 Anthony “Tony” Lovett ’79 January 26, 2014

Dr. Allen Kenneth Pearlman Father of Jamie Pearlman ’88 and Russ Pearlman ’90 January 23, 2014 George Potts Father of Catherine Potts ’74 February 1, 2014 Muriel Prescott Grandmother of Matthew Prescott ’03, Amy Prescott ’04 and Alex Prescott ’06 September 10, 2013 Sylvia Schwartz Grandmother of Jason Massman ’89 and Karen Massman Rovinsky ’92 December 14, 2013 Barbara Silberberg Mother of Susan Silberberg ’84, former student Dana Silberberg Bartholomew and former student Allison Silberberg February 12, 2014 Harold Simmons Former Trustee and father of Lisa K. Simmons ’73, Andrea Simmons Swanson ’83, and Serena Simmons Connelly ’88 December 28, 2013

Turning Points WEDDINGS Right: Michelle Beck Green ’99 and Jamie Green

Shiva Delrahim Beck and Jarrod Beck ’96 February 1, 2014 Michelle Beck Green ’99 and Jamie Green January 12, 2013 Katie Wildermuth Harford and David Harford ’01 January 25, 2014

Left: Kimberlee Sanders Strumwasser ’02 and Brett Strumwasser

Erin Henderson Moore ’01 and Kellen Moore October 12, 2013 Kimberlee Sanders Strumwasser ’02 and Brett Strumwasser August 17, 2013 BIRTHS Nolan James Coon Son of Brooke Oberwetter Coon ’98 and Joey Coon January 16, 2014

Right: Shiva Delrahim Beck and Jarrod Beck ’96

Miles Carson Dukes Sophie Skye Dukes Son and Daughter of Carey Hartin Dukes ’92 and John Dukes September 23, 2013

Left: Miles Carson Dukes Sophie Skye Dukes

Devan Alexis Ellman Daughter of Tiffanee Siri Ellman and Richard Ellman ’89 February 3, 2014 Andrew Curtis Hutton Mackay Son of Rea Oberwetter Mackay ’95 and Gerard Mackay December 17, 2013

Right: Wylie Downing Manes

Wylie Downing Manes Son of Beth Downing ’97 and Gavin Manes ’96 September 5, 2013 Colin Graham Marquardt Son of Sarah Kiser Marquardt ’00 and Albert Marquardt February 2, 2014

Left: Elliott Bell Wright

Left: Locklyn Vaughn Taylor

Luca Alexander Marrone Son of Amanda Miller Marrone ’97 and Mike Marrone December 18, 2013 John Bryant Neubauer Son of Margaret Boren Neubauer ’97 and Jonathan Neubauer May 20, 2013 Hudson Nash Staub Son of Jackie Staub and Brandon Staub ’03 January 20, 2014

Left: Hudson Nash Staub

Noah Max Steinberger Son of Marissa Lifshen Steinberger ’96 and Dani Steinberger October 9, 2013 Locklyn Vaughn Taylor Son of Leot (Chen) Taylor ’03 and Vaughn Taylor November 26, 2013 Elliott Bell Wright Daughter of Taylor Bell Wright ’03 and Chris Wright ’03 August 15, 2013

www.greenhill.org

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Alan Schnitzer ’84

The Class of 1984

Why I Give Alan Schnitzer ’84 Alan Schnitzer is Vice Chairman at The Travelers Companies and lives in New York with his wife, Anne, and children Matthew (16) and Natalie (12).

When considering how his Greenhill education has prepared him in life, Alan Schnitzer ’84 uses the analogy of playing blocks with his father. “Among my earliest and happiest memories were of the times my father and I played with blocks together. He always focused me on the importance of the foundation of whatever we were building. As we built taller and taller, my father would say, ‘Alan, this building is like your education – a strong foundation is very important.’” Schnitzer says that he may not have appreciated what that meant at the time but he certainly does now. “For having provided me with such a strong foundation, I’m grateful to Greenhill – for the many members of the faculty who went out of their way for me, for my fellow students who challenged and inspired me, and for the administration that fostered an environment that made it all possible.”

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Schnitzer says he feels remarkably fortunate to be the beneficiary of a Greenhill education, including the extracurricular and social experiences that came with it.

“I give Greenhill a lot of credit for whatever I’ve been able to achieve, professionally and otherwise. My Greenhill education opened up opportunities for me. We can’t guarantee success for every student, but we should seek to guarantee opportunity for every student. I don’t feel like I can look back and say, ‘I’ve got mine, you’re on your own.’”

Accordingly, Schnitzer says he feels a responsibility to do his small part to create opportunities for future Greenhill students.

“Also, and importantly,” he concluded, “I contribute to honor those who gave their time and treasure for my benefit, and to honor my parents, Marilyn and Ben Schnitzer, who, through their love, support, encouragement and sacrifice, have made everything possible for me.”

www.greenhill.org

Greenhill School 2013–2014 Board of Trustees Officers Peter A. Kraus Chair Ann Frances Jury Assistant Chair/Secretary Holland P. Gary ’93 Finance Chair/Treasurer Trustees Debbie Andres Karla R. Barber Aimee Boone ’97 J. Baxter Brinkmann Dani Butowsky Nancy P. Carlson Christopher I. Clark ’89 Clayton K. Deniger ’86 Angela Adkins Downes ’87 Gary J. Fernandes Scott A. Griggs, Head of School David J. Haemisegger Joan Hill, Ed.D. Thomas Curtis Holmes, Jr. Maria-Cristina Jaramillo Preethi Jayaseelan Oscar A. Joyner ’93 Rabbi Nancy Kasten Jenny Kirtland Lester Levy, Jr. ’79 Zeck Lieberman, M.D. E. Pierce Marshall, Jr. ’86 Manju Menon Laurie Matthews Terry Oxford Milton Packer, M.D. Mark A. Platt ’87 William E. Rose ’85 Steven Rudner Molly Fulton Seeligson ’60 Patricia Smith Mark Solomon Bruce Sostek Julie Weinberg Mike Weinberg ’82 Waverly Ware Wilson ’86 Neena R. Wiora

Former Board Chairs Electing to Serve Ex-Officio Sally R. Estes Trustee since 1976 Irwin Grossman Trustee since 1973 Michael J. Halloran Trustee since 2002 Rusty Jaggers Trustee since 1994 David L. Johnson ’67 Trustee since 1987 H. Ronald Nash Trustee since 1987 Lifetime Trustee Daniel T. Phillips Trustee since 1997

Greenhill School Advancement Office Scott A. Griggs Head of School

Emily Wilson Creative Services Manager

Julie Diaz Chief Advancement Officer

Katie Young Director of Alumni Relations

Alli Busby Director of Advancement Services

The Hill magazine is published two times a year by the Advancement Office of Greenhill School.

Mel Curtis Administrative Assistant to Chief Advancement Officer

Questions? Comments?

Contact: Emily Wilson wilsonemi@greenhill.org

Diana Hamilton Campaign Coordinator Anne Hudson Director of Annual Giving Kristy Joiner Advancement Services Coordinator

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If you receive duplicate copies of The Hill magazine, or a copy for your son or daughter who has established a separate permanent address, please let the School know by emailing us at joinerk@greenhill.org.

Greenhill Upcoming Events Commencement Sunday, June 1

Founders’ Day 2014 Thursday, September 11

Homecoming 2014 Friday, October 10