The Hill | Summer 2021 by Greenhill School

The magazine of

Greenhill School

The

SUMMER 2021 Digital Edition

A SUMMER TRIBUTE TO THE

Greenhill Class of 2021

On the cover: (left to right) SENIORS JOOHAN KIM, SAMI KHAN, SAMIRA KETHU, JOSH FLOWERS, and MASON FISHER preparing to process into Phillips Gym for commencement.

Greenhill Mission: In a diverse and inclusive community, Greenhill prepares and inspires students to lead authentic, purposeful lives.

Greenhill Vision: We see our students joyfully reaching their full potential. We see our school thriving as an academically excellent, diverse, inclusive, and connected community. We see our world made more hopeful because of the Greenhill community.

CONTENTS 4 Commencement 2021 10 Senior Awards 14 Baccalaureate 2021 16 Matriculation list of the Class of 2021

18 Traditions Reimagined 21 Academic Highlights 22 Fine Arts Highlights 24 Collegiate Athletes 26 Year-End Ceremonies 27 Fourth & Eighth Grade Awards

28 Agnich Science Building 32 Parents’ Association Awards 33 Greenhill Fund 34 Alumni Awards 36 Welcome New Trustees

Greenhill School 4141 Spring Valley Road Addison, TX 75001 972.628.5400

greenhill.org

It is the policy of Greenhill School to administer its educational programs, including admission and financial aid, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national or ethnic origin, or disability.

We congratulate the

GREENHILL CL On Monday, May 24, 2021, the senior class graduated from Greenhill School. Although commencement was originally supposed to take place on Brinkmann Field, the weather required the event to move into Phillips Gym. Commencement served as the culmination of a senior year that was unlike any other. The Greenhill community was thrilled to have the opportunity to gather under one roof to celebrate and honor the Class of 2021.

4 The Hill | Summer 2021

YOU CAN STILL WATCH THE GRADUATION EVENTS! Livestreams of the commencement ceremony and Baccalauretae are still available to watch! Visit MyGreenhill, click on the Video Gallery tile, and select the event that you would like to view.

LASS OF 2021 HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL TREVOR WORCESTER introduced the graduating class. A musical performance by the Greenhill Percussion Ensemble featured senior Rakesh Venkat and set a positive, upbeat tone for the ceremony. Sheena Kwon delivered the first senior address and Clarissa Smith gave the second senior address. Board of Trustees Chair Holland Gary ’93 and Head of School Lee Hark awarded diplomas to each student as they walked across the stage to the applause of families and friends. This event could not have happened without the extraordinary efforts of Assistant Head of Upper School Rebecca Shuman, Dean of Students Jack Oros, Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester, Senior Class Dean April Burns, senior advisors, and a huge number of faculty and staff volunteers who helped with event logistics. greenhill.org

These years of work and heartache and toil and sweat and late nights and stress – and friendship and support and joy and the amazing things that surprised you – all of it was preparing you for this moment. To go grab your future. Our motto says it all: Per aspera, ad astra. Through hardships, to the stars… You have every reason to be excited. Being an adult is wonderful. It’s a lot of fun. And this troubled world you’re about to inherit is wonderful, too. And it is desperate for people who pursue excellence, and who lead with integrity, courage, and compassion. Class of 2021, Greenhill alumni: Envision your future, turn to it and stare it down, and then set about living that life of purpose.” — LEE HARK, Head of School

6 The Hill | Summer 2021

In Korea, there is a word called jeong, which is not directly translatable to English but my interpretation of it is a feeling of love we have towards someone who is special to us and our desire to give to them – it’s a uniquely Korean way of feeling. At Greenhill, we are tied together by this concept of jeong, this want to support our peers, and by the knowledge that we will cheer each other on no matter where we are. It’s our love for Greenhill and connections with each other that creates jeong. This concept is a foundational part of my Greenhill experience.” — SHEENA KWON, excerpted from her Senior Address

The class of 2021 will not be known in history for its struggle or fear but for its triumph. Our character, having been forged in fire like steel, will come out stronger than before. I challenge us all to have confidence in the ability of our future selves. If we have made it this far, there is so much more we are prepared to do. There is a world waiting for us, our minds, our voices, and our impact… Our perseverance through difficult circumstances can and should be used as tools for improving our futures.” — CLARISSA SMITH, excerpted from her Senior Address

greenhill.org

Class of 2021, may those who have gone before you, those who have taught you, and those who have supported you, propel you to even greater heights as you follow your path on the road of life. Congratulations to each of you.“ —TREVOR WORCESTER Head of Upper School

8 The Hill | Summer 2021

greenhill.org

2021 SENIOR AWARDS ANAGHA GOURU | Valedictorian The Valedictorian is the graduating senior who has earned the highest cumulative Upper School grade point average. “Anagha has excelled across the academic disciplines. Selected in 10th grade to take AP Biology, she has enrolled and succeeded in seven AP courses and two post-AP courses across four disciplines (and all three lab sciences) in Upper School. Her AP Chemistry teacher remarked that, ‘She is a talented problem-solver with a positive approach to new challenges.’ In addition to those high-level courses, one of her English teachers said that, ‘She is a powerhouse who brings energy and enthusiasm to class discussions.’ Anagha has been a four-year debater, complimented by her coaches as a talented researcher and strategist. She has also been a four-year member of Greenhill Concert Band, earning many accolades as a stellar french horn player. Anagha is multi-talented and achieving in all disciplines at the highest level.”

PRESTON GERARD | Salutatorian The Salutatorian is the graduating senior who has earned the second highest cumulative Upper School grade point average. This year, two students received this honor. “‘Exemplary.‘ ‘A role model for classmates.’ Regardless of the academic discipline, Preston can find multiple descriptors like that in any of their comments from teachers. Over the course of Upper School, Preston has successfully completed six AP courses, earning an A or A+ in all of them. Even in those high-level courses not designated as AP, he shines. One of his English teachers wrote, ‘his insights and questions invariably propel our conversations in interesting and helpful directions.’ Preston’s mastery in two foreign languages, his honed skills in filmmaking, and, his ability to excel in all disciplines contributed to incredible achievement in the classroom and this deserving award.”

JUNG MIN YEAN | Salutatorian The Salutatorian is the graduating senior who has earned the second highest cumulative Upper School grade point average. This year, two students received this honor. “‘Curious.’ ‘Collaborative.’ Regardless of the course, Jung Min always looks to engage deeply in the work of the class and with her peers for the love of learning. Over the course of Upper School, she has successfully completed 5 AP courses, earning an A or A+ in all of them, as well as 2 post-AP courses. And while those high-level courses were all in STEM, Jung Min demonstrated a high level of achievement and mastery across all academic disciplines. Additionally, she has earned high honors in the field of photography and been a four-year member of the Cheer squad and Track team. She is a triple threat in academics, arts, and athletics.”

10 The Hill | Summer 2021

TEJ DHINGRA | The Estelle Dickens Service Award The Estelle Dickens Service to Greenhill Award is presented to the senior who has given the most outstanding service contribution to Greenhill School. The award commemorates the over-four decades of service given to Greenhill by beloved teacher and administrator Estelle Dickens. “Tej brings his personality to the activities for which he serves and leads. As a Hill Guide, he masterfully leads prospective families with the knowledge of the campus he has been a part of since first grade. Tej is a multi-year member of the Community Service Board, giving his time on campus with multiple activities and in the greater community as well. This year, he served as a peer mentor for the Thomas advisory. The most visible of his accomplishments, however, are his steadfast contributions and leadership with Greenhill Today, our online broadcast news program. The faculty sponsor of the program shared: ‘Under his guidance, the show has made great strides in terms of content and production quality. This is a credit to the stellar work ethic and self-starting skills that Tej consistently brings to his work.’”

KELLY MENG | The Kate Cecil Award The Kate Cecil Award is given to the senior who renders the most outstanding service to the Dallas community. The award is named in honor of Kate Cecil, a member of the faculty for seventeen years. “Kelly has logged nearly 1000 hours of community service during her four years of Upper School. In the spirit of true volunteerism, for Kelly, it is not about the notoriety or the number of hours, but the sharing of the mission and goals of each of the organizations with which she works. In her time in Upper School, Kelly has worked with organizations that focus on national and local campaigns, social change, environmental causes, and supporting children and the elderly. Kelly is an attorney for Teen Court in Plano, she teaches local middle-schoolers public speaking, and she is an antiracist mentor for young Asian-Americans. The respect earned from her peers and faculty clearly transcends the walls of Greenhill to the greater community, and she is a model for what our mission states: ‘prepare and inspire our students to live authentic, purposeful lives.’“

SONIA DHINGRA | The Phillip G. Foote Award The Phillip G. Foote Award is given to the senior who is considered by the faculty to epitomize the qualities of citizenship in the Greenhill community. These qualities are rooted in the School’s core values of excellence, integrity, compassion, and courage. The award is named for Greenhill’s second Head of School. “Sonia displays a ‘refreshing sense of humility and perspective, and is not one to advertise her accomplishments.’ Her journey outside of academics has taken her through different types of publications: journalism and photography, earning the highest accolades and distinctions for both. She has also been on the Honor Council for all four years, the only senior this year to hold that distinction, and the Council easily elected her as student chair. Sonia has the respect and admiration of her fellow students because she cares about them, and she shows it. This final quote from her advisor sums it well: ‘She views community not only as a place of safety and inclusion but also as an obligation, where she has a part to play, where she must invest some of the fruits of her efforts to serve other members.’ What a great role model for us all.”

*All quotes are attributed to Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester, spoken from his perspective, and the citations of teachers’ remarks at the Upper School Honors Assembly.

greenhill.org

JOSH FLOWERS | The Board of Trustees Award The Board of Trustees Award is presented to the senior who has met the challenge of Greenhill with perseverance, courage, and humor. “‘Tough as nails.’ ‘Fearless and fierce advocate of others.’ Josh is a dynamo who demonstrates the traits of this award and our core values with grace. A social justice defender, his perseverance shines through as a powerful presence in the Black Student Union, addressing a Juneteenth rally last summer. His courage is ever present as he works and advocates for those with disabilities, inviting us all to see their challenges and their beauty. As one nominator wrote, ‘It is characteristic of him that he would include advice on how to treat them just as they would prefer to be treated.’ And then there is his tremendous ability to make everyone laugh. Josh has brought joy to this community in his roles in productions, his steady hand in Improv, and simply being around him on campus. One of his English teachers framed this talent best: ‘If you ask anyone on campus about him, the first thing they will tell you is that he is hilarious. And it’s true! He is. But what fewer people know is that he is an equally fierce storyteller who uses his talents to speak his truth.’”

CLARISSA SMITH | The Senior Leadership Award The Senior Leadership Award is given to the member of the senior class who best demonstrates the qualities of leadership. The origin of this award was the D. Harold Byrd and Jennie Stuck awards, which honored male and female leadership. “‘She leads with authenticity, integrity, character, and strong morals, and is one who always does the right thing – not only for herself, but for all.’ A fitting remark that echoes the sentiments of many faculty members who have had the privilege of working with Clarissa. She seeks out the hard work, and is lifted up by those around her to lead. As an alum of the Student Diversity Leadership Conference, she has engaged in those challenging conversations in our community, and last June, she organized the student-led Black Lives Matter march here on Spring Valley and Midway roads. Clarissa’s peers look to her as a leader. A faculty member shared: ‘She is a student leader through and through, but her brand of leadership is one that brings people together and calls people in. She does not shy away from difficult conversations as she dives right in with compassion and a willingness to work together to make things better for everyone.’ The world needs more leaders like Clarissa.”

PEARSON BROOKS | The Bernard L. Fulton Award The Bernard L. Fulton Award is the highest honor given in the Upper School and is presented to the senior who best embodies the mission and ideals of Greenhill School. The award is named for the founder and first Head of School. “Pearson ‘exudes integrity, honor, compassion, and strong morals; he is a bright light on our campus.’ There are very few parts of this community that our award winner today has not engaged in, served, or led over his four years of Upper School. A strong academic, one faculty member remarks that ‘he is a multi-dimensional thinker who sees the big picture and considers many factors rather than thinking linearly.’ Pearson gracefully balances those demands with his service and leadership in the other two parts of our academics, arts, and athletics triangle. Student life is just as integral to his community building: he was a member of the Black Student Union affinity group and a co-chair of the Christian Student Coalition affinity group. He also served on the Honor Council for three years, was a Peer Mentor, and led the Class of 2021 as their President this year. The following, well-deserved compliment from one faculty member encapsulates it all: ‘Pearson is the heart and soul of Greenhill.’”

12 The Hill | Summer 2021

Seniors came together for the Upper School Honors Assembly that took place on Brinkmann Field on Friday, May 21, 2021.

Helen Fulton Awards The Helen Fulton Awards are named in honor of Helen Fulton, founding faculty member and wife of Greenhill’s founder, Bernard Fulton. Helen Fulton was a life-long learner, exemplary citizen, and a well-rounded, balanced individual. This award is unique because seniors nominate their peers whom they believe embody these characteristics and then the winners are chosen by a faculty vote. Ten students were chosen to receive this award.

DULANY BLOOM

KAYLEE CHIEN

KRISTAL CROCKETT-RODGERS

ANAGHA GOURU

LANE HERBERT

JESSICA HERLITZ

OLIVIA KIM

AVA MARKHOVSKY

JAKE SEINFELD

CORYELL SMITH

greenhill.org

BACCALAUREATE

Baccalaureate was livestreamed to students and their families from Temple Emanu-El. Speakers and musicians performed live while the rest of the senior class and senior families watched the livestream from their homes. Senior class leaders offered an invocation, anthems, readings, and benedictions to reflect on their time at Greenhill, remembering with a sense of gratitude, humility, and larger purpose. Upper School History Teacher Scott Cotton gave the keynote address and spoke about the Class of 2021’s role in a historic year while also highlighting the lessons the seniors have taught him over the last four years.

“How Deep Is Your Love” (performed together virtually), GREENHILL SINGERS, CLASS OF 2021

14 The Hill | Summer 2021

TREVOR WORCESTER, Head of Upper School

SENIOR SPEAKERS (left to right): Noah Grimsley, Lane Herbert, Sonia Dhingra, Anagha Gouru, Pearson Brooks

SCOTT COTTON, History Teacher

This school year has been like no other. I guess that means the Class of 2021 is also pretty unique – and even historic. This year, history wasn’t just your C block elective. It was something you experienced. The writer Caitlin Flanagan summed this up well last year. She said that history is something that we like to avoid, or perhaps even ignore. But at certain times, it reaches out and grabs us. She said that something similar has happened to those coming of age in a pandemic: history has found you. Seniors, you’ve experienced history, and you’ve helped shape it.” — SCOTT COTTON, Baccalaureate Speaker

SENIOR STRINGS PLAYERS (left to right): Theo Johnson, Lindsay Jade Feinstein, Kaylee Chien, Kati Gibson

greenhill.org

AND THEY’RE OFF... THE MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2021 will attend these colleges in the United States and abroad. American University (2) Arizona State University Austin Community College Babson College Barnard College Baylor University (2) Bowdoin College Bradley University Brown University Claremont McKenna College Clemson University Columbia University

16 The Hill | Summer 2021

Cornell University Drexel University Duke University (2) Emerson College Emory University Furman University (2) George Washington University (2) Georgetown University Grinnell College (2) Hamilton College Hendrix College Howard University

Indiana University Bloomington Macalester College Miami University (2) Middlebury College New York University Northeastern University Northwestern University (5) Nova Southeastern University Olivet College Pitzer College Purdue University (6) Reed College (2)

Rhodes College Rice University (3) Rochester Institute of Technology School of Visual Arts Southern Methodist University (4) Spelman College (2) Stephen F. Austin State University Texas A&M University Tulane University (6) University of Arizona (2) University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Santa Cruz University of Chicago University of Denver University of Houston University of Miami (4) University of Missouri (2) University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill University of Oklahoma University of Pennsylvania (3) University of Rochester University of San Diego

University of Southern California (4) The University of Texas at Austin (11) The University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at Tyler Washington University in St. Louis (3) Wesleyan University Williams College Yale University (2)

greenhill.org

Traditions

REIMAGINED

The Class of 2021 enjoyed many senior traditions this year, even while taking additional safety precautions because of COVID-19.

SENIOR DADS’ / SPECIAL FRIENDS’ LUNCH: Dads and special friends joined their seniors on campus for a cookout during a lunch in April. They enjoyed burgers, chips, and Steel City Pops.

18 The Hill | Summer 2021

SENIOR MOTHERS’ / SPECIAL FRIENDS’ BRUNCH: Senior moms and special friends came to campus for a special brunch with their students that included gifts for mothers, a live music performance, as well as bagels and coffee. greenhill.org

Traditions

REIMAGINED WATER TOWER: Seniors painted the water tower in October 2020. This time-honored Greenhill tradition needed a little tweaking with socially-distant groups and varied time slots throughout the day.

20 The Hill | Summer 2021

ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS

The Greenhill UPPER SCHOOL QUIZ BOWL TEAM placed 5th in the nation out of 224 teams at the 2021 High School National Championship Tournament in May. Rising seniors Josh Rubel (captain), Gokulan Anand, Shruti Siva, and rising sophomore Nikky Nandipati beat the #1 and #4 seeds and only lost to two of the four semi-finalist teams.

The Greenhill MIDDLE SCHOOL QUIZ BOWL TEAM “A” finished seventh overall at the 2021 Middle School National Championship Tournament. This was the highest finish for a Greenhill Middle School team in school history. The “A” Team, consisting of Maya Jagsi, Aaron Kuang, Evans Sevalds, and Kate Ponnambalam, finished with a 10-3 overall record, including a 7-1 record in regulation.

Junior Fanying Tang and sophomore Laya Venkat were awarded with special GLOBAL ONLINE ACADEMY citations for their year-end presentations. Laya, whose graphic is featured above, was also selected to receive an Audience Choice Award.

KEEP UP WITH GREENHILL NEWS! Visit greenhill.org/news-archive and follow us on social media to stay updated on student achievements! Facebook.com/GreenhillSchool

Twitter.com/greenhillschool

@GreenhillSchool

greenhill.org

FINE ARTS HIGHLIGHTS

The debate team made up of juniors Caroline Greenstone, Aimee Stachowiak, Cameron Kettles, and Ashley Shan won the 2021 NATIONAL DEBATE COACHES ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. Fellow junior Ashton Higgins was also named Top Speaker of the tournament. SENIOR JOSHUA TIMMONS’ hard work and dedication led to multiple accolades in Speech & Debate: He was named National Champion in two events at the University of Kentucky’s Tournament of Champions (TOC). This is the first time that a Greenhill student has won an individual event championship at TOC. He won a Greenhill record of five national championships during his Middle and Upper School debate career. He was selected as one of the seven finalists for the National Speech & Debate Association National Student of the Year. The winner will be announced at the national tournament this July.

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS CAVALCADE The 2019-2020 Cavalcade (Greenhill’s yearbook) received a Gold Medalist rating and an All-Columbian Honors award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). The CSPA judges yearbooks in three categories: reference, verbal, and visual. The 2019-2020 Cavalcade scored a total of 924 points out of a possible 1000 points, the highest score a Greenhill yearbook has ever received.

22 The Hill | Summer 2021

Junior Christine Yan won a national gold medal for her oil painting “I Am Not a Virus” at the 2021 NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS. Christine and fellow junior Katherine Li also won a silver medal for their animated film “Fish Fish Bish!”

Fifth-grader Collin Chon won this year’s Best of Show in DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT’S (DART) ANNUAL STUDENT ART CONTEST. Collin’s artwork, based on this year’s theme “Everyday Heroes Ride DART,” was selected from 688 entries submitted by students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

THE EVERGREEN The Evergreen, Greenhill’s student newspaper, was selected as the Best Newspaper in the Dallas Morning News’ 30th Annual High School Journalism Competition. This year’s competition featured nearly 500 entries from 24 schools, which were judged by News editors and reporters. The Dallas Morning News commented: “We were impressed at the level of reporting and variety of topics covered in The Evergreen, making it the winner for the Best Newspaper category for the second year in a row. The Greenhill School newspaper staff did not shy away from deeply reporting news events such as the pandemic, the 2020 presidential election, and social justice with a student-focused lens.” greenhill.org 23

COLLEGIATE ATHLETES The Greenhill Athletics Department is proud to send the following eight student athletes to compete at the college level. Congratulations!

JOSHUA FOUNTAIN Diving Olivet College

LANE HERBERT Field Hockey Northwestern University

THEO JOHNSON Swimming Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

KATE MARANO Lacrosse Drexel University

JAKE NELSON Soccer & Lacrosse Hendrix College

CARTER SHEDD Baseball Grinnell College

24 The Hill | Summer 2021

Spring Sports Highlights

Boys Varsity Lacrosse, SPC 3A Champions

ZACH KENNEDY Baseball Grinnell College

The Greenhill boys lacrosse team captured its firstever Southwest Preparatory Conference Championship following an 11-8 victory over St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin on May 6, 2021. The Hornets finished their season with a 9-2 overall record, including a 5-0 mark in SPC Counter action. In addition, head coach Jack Fisher was selected as the Texas High School Lacrosse League’s Person of the Year for the first time in his career.

Jason Estrada,

Boys Track & Field

SHEELA VASAN Field Hockey Rhodes College

Greenhill junior Jason Estrada broke the school record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.79 at the Texas Track & Field Coaches Association (TTFCA) Meet of Champions in San Antonio.

greenhill.org

YEAR-END EVENTS Culminating ceremonies were held in-person on Brinkmann Field. Students sat with their families in assigned pods, while those who were unable to attend watched the ceremony via livestream. Student remarks pulled at the heartstrings, reflecting on lessons they had learned and reminiscing on fond memories.

FOURTH GRADERS spoke about favorite memories and values in their farewell ceremony and sang “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” as a whole class. EIGHTH GRADERS commemorated the year with insightful student speeches and performances.

26 The Hill | Summer 2021

FOURTH & EIGHTH GRADE AWARDS HELEN MISURA AWARD RECIPIENTS Helen Misura was a founding faculty member of Greenhill in 1950 and served as the first Head of Lower School from 19501969. Upon her retirement in 1969, the school established an award in her honor, given to fourth grade students who demonstrate outstanding leadership, scholarship, citizenship, and sportsmanship. This year, the Helen Misura Award was given to the entire fourth grade class in honor of their successes in an unprecedented and difficult year. Amrita Madhavanur was invited to the stage to accept the award on behalf of her fourth grade class.

AMRITA MADHAVANUR

In addition to the Helen Misura Award, the fourth grade faculty team created a special award for the boy and girl in each homeroom who exhibitied the qualities of resiliency, optimism, flexibility, and commitment. These awards were presented in Rose Hall on the morning of the Fourth Grade Farewell.

RONNIE FREEMAN AWARD RECIPIENTS A friend of Greenhill’s founders, Ronnie Freeman was a Middle School student in the 1950s who, before she died of spinal meningitis, showed tremendous resiliency, perseverance, and courage. This award is given to the eighth graders who attended Greenhill for four years and maintained the highest standards of scholarship, citizenship, leadership, and participation in school activities. It is the highest honor attained in Middle School.

SAMANTHA AIDALA

AMAN JALEEL

Congratulations to our 2021 recipients: SAMANTHA AIDALA and AMAN JALEEL

greenhill.org

AGNICH SCIENCE BUILDING 1964-2021

28 The Hill | Summer 2021

The courtyard was a staple of the Agnich Science Building until it was repurposed into classrooms and study spaces in 1996.

The Fred and Ruth Agnich Science Hall, which opened for classes during the spring of 1964, served three generations of Greenhill students. This summer, the building will be demolished to make way for a new STEM and innovation center which will enable Greenhill to continue offering leading-edge programming in science, math, engineering, and technology. As stewards of our beautiful campus and its renowned architecture, the decision to take down the building was not made lightly. Creative options for retaining some portion of the structure were considered, but in the end, the requirements of a world class STEM and innovation center did not allow any other recourse.

“It has been 56 years since the whole Greenhill Community

gathered in this spot to celebrate the construction of the first two “permanent” buildings on this campus. What a day that must have been, and how lucky we were to have our campus designed by the inimitable and venerable Texan, O’Neil Ford, ensuring that beautiful and practical buildings were in our campus DNA. It is crucial that we acknowledge that this building cemented Greenhill’s very existence and became the iconic manifestation of our rising from the ashes to stake a permanent place in the pantheon of Dallas independent schools. This building was far more than just a building! When this school stood on the brink of ruin after the devastating fire in 1963, Fred Agnich, Bernard Fulton, and O’Neil Ford saw this phoenix of a building as the way to forge ahead boldly, even brashly. I had the pleasure of meeting Fred Agnich in 1998 when I interviewed him for the 50-year history of Greenhill. He was able to see the devastating fire of 1963 as an opportunity and a blessing-in-disguise, just as we today can recognize the razing of this special building as a thrilling next leg of our science journey on the Hill… the life cycle in bricks and mortar. And then there was the building itself: • the Dutch doors on several of the classrooms, • the mini-labs in the back Southwest corner, • that wonderfully-scaled courtyard with the cool round, tiled table in the center and the live oak helicoptered in, • the arches that cast the most wonderful shadows on the terracotta tiles in the morning and afternoons, • the coldest water-fountains on campus, • the long black leather (or leatherette) sofas, • and the 3-D model of the original school building.

O’Neil Ford created a noteworthy space for teaching and learning. And for 56 years, our teachers and students turned it into a place of discovery, of growth, of hypothesizing and experimenting, of observing and recording, of risking and striving. It prepared and inspired literally thousands of students to lead authentic and purposeful lives. And now it makes way for a new center that will do its predecessor proud! Long live our memories of this fabulous building!” – Excerpted from remarks offered by Associate Head of School for Mission, Community, and Culture Tom Perryman ’81 at the Science Building Farewell gathering.

On May 16, 2021, the 56th anniversary of the building’s dedication, Greenhill held a small gathering to bid farewell to the Agnich Science Building. Robert Agnich ’94 and his wife Tory Agnich represented the Agnich family and was presented with a remembrance of the building.

greenhill.org

STUDENT MEMORIES THROUGH THE YEARS “I had many great experiences in the

building: Math with Ms. Ferrell, English with Ms. Yabrough, and Science with Mr. Stanfield. However, the best story is when one of the students released 30,000 laboratory crickets in the center court over the weekend. Very creative.”

— RICHARD SAUNDERS ’70

“I remember when my mom and I

sat at the top rail of the fence that ran behind the then Lower School and watched as a helicopter lowered a live oak tree into the courtyard of the Science Building.”

— MICHAEL CORMAN ’74

“At the beginning of my senior year, the

advanced chemistry class was one student short of making so I was recruited. I had fun, so much so that nine years later I graduated with a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics and was starting my career. I spent a lot of time in that building and remember it vividly.”

— LLOYD COLEGROVE ’79

30 The Hill | Summer 2021

“I did not know until many years

after I graduated that Agnich was a geophysicist. I took every science class offered at Greenhill, including Skip Kilmer’s first AP Physics class. While in college, I discovered geophysics and obtained BS and MS degrees in the field. I went back to Greenhill and gave a geophysics presentation to Mr. Kilmer’s class which included the son of one of my classmates!”

— LISA BUCKNER ’80

“Mrs. Dalton’s sixth grade science

class was in the last room on the right on the west side of the science building. In her class, we dissected cow eyeballs. I loved it. That was the day I decided I would be a physician.” — DANIELLE FRIEDMAN ZIETZ ’02

“In my junior year at Greenhill, Mr.

Haskins showed us the principle of rotational inertia. He had us step on a freely rotating disc, then handed us a spinning bike wheel... nothing happened. He then told us to vertically flip the spinning wheel, and to our shock, our bodies began spinning on the disc! It was an amazing scientific display in the science building.”

— JORDAN CORTEZ WARTELL ’19

greenhill.org

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION AWARD WINNERS The School would like to thank P.A. President Jennipher Rice for her tireless efforts in a very different and challenging year, and welcome incoming P.A. President Megan Considine! At the final P.A. meeting of the year, Jennipher said, “This year has been full of pivots and changes and beautiful displays of community. I am so grateful to have had this wonderful opportunity to lead this incredible group of volunteers this year. It may not have looked like we had expected, but it was been so wonderful to see our community adapt and persevere through it all. I wish everyone a great summer!” The MARGOT MCGUIRE AWARD honors volunteers who, outside the dictates of a Parents’ Association leadership position, have made the greatest contributions over the course of a current school year. Recipients of the Margot McGuire Award must exhibit strong character, set a positive example for those around them and go above and beyond to contribute to the Greenhill community. The Parents’ Association presented the Margot McGuire Award to Jennifer Stinchcomb.

JENNIFER STINCHCOMB

MANISHA DESAI

SARAH BLOOM

RONDA GRIMSLEY

JENNIPHER RICE

ELAN SASSO

The ANN PERRYMAN AWARD recognizes parents of graduating seniors who have provided extraordinary leadership and service to Greenhill through the Parents’ Association. The Parents’ Association presented the Ann Perryman Award to Manisha Desai. The PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION SERVICE AWARD recognizes parents who have provided outstanding service to Greenhill throughout their involvement with the Parents’ Association. The Parents’ Association Service Award was given to Sarah Bloom, Ronda Grimsley, Jennipher Rice, and Elan Sasso.

32 The Hill | Summer 2021

THANK YOU GREENHILL FUND DONORS! TOTAL GIVEN:

$2,060,000

PARENT PARTICIPATION: 73%

NEW DONORS: 173 SCHOOL RECORD FOR THE 2ND YEAR IN A ROW

2020-2021 By The Numbers Highlights: 21,000 Library Books Circulated 4,827 Greenhill Masks 1,339 Students 110 Classroom Webcams 11 Fine Arts Showcases

TOGETHER

1 SPC Championship for Boys Lacrosse QUESTIONS ABOUT GREENHILL FUND? Contact Robert Clements, Director of Annual Giving clementsr@greenhill.org, 972.628.5681

LEARN MORE AT

greenhillfund.org

2021 ALUMNI AWARDS The Greenhill School Alumni Board is pleased to announce the 2021 Alumni Awards. These awards celebrate alumni achievements, honor the legacy of excellence, and encourage and inspire future alumni. The Distinguished Alumni Award recipients are Nancy Hollander ’61 and Rebecca F. Kuang ’13 and the Alumni Service Award honoree is Holland P. Gary ’93. Facebook.com/GreenhillAlumni

Twitter.com/alumnigreenhill

@GreenhillAlumni

Established in 2020, the Alumni Service Award honors a graduate for outstanding service and dedication to Greenhill School. Honorees demonstrate a strong loyalty to Greenhill, exceptional contributions of time and effort, and a personal commitment to the advancement of the School’s mission.

HOLLAND P. GARY ’93 2021 ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD HOLLAND P. GARY ’93 has played an active role in the Greenhill community for more than 15 years. His dedicated service started when he joined the Alumni Board in 2005 and continued as he transitioned on to the Board of Trustees in 2011. He has served on every Board committee and held leadership roles in both Boards. He is currently completing his tenure as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Holland’s steady leadership helped to guide the School through a global pandemic, ensuring that students continued to learn and grow while maintaining the health of the community. Holland has also helped to shape the future of Greenhill by leading the School through a strategic planning process, which culminated in the launch of Greenhill 2025: Growing Stronger Together, and, most notably, overseeing the introduction of a refined mission, vision, and core values. “In addition to being thoughtful, deeply concerned about the well-being of Greenhill and having great strategic vision, he is an alumnus who is deeply rooted in and fiercely loyal to the School,” said former Board Chair Bruce Sostek.

Recipients were selected by a committee of Greenhill Alumni Board members and School administrators from nominations submitted by the Greenhill community. An in-person community celebration is planned for Homecoming weekend in October 2021.

34 The Hill | Summer 2021

Holland came to Greenhill School as a third grader in 1983. During his time as a student, he served as class president and set school records as a student athlete. He earned a BSE in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University and an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Holland is the CFO of Carleton Companies and the President of Salt River Capital, a real estate finance subsidiary. Holland and his wife Leila are the parents to Greenhill rising eighth-grader James and rising third-grader Julia. He is on the Greenhill campus most days, either for meetings, events, or carpool.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is designated for alumni who have achieved prominence in their field through their personal and professional endeavors. The award honors graduates whose outstanding character, accomplishments, and service embody the characteristics and spirit of Greenhill’s mission to prepare and inspire our students to lead authentic, purposeful lives.

NANCY HOLLANDER ’61 2021 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA NANCY HOLLANDER ’61 is an internationally recognized criminal defense lawyer. She joined the firm of Freedman, Boyd, Hollander, Goldberg, Urias & Ward P.A. in 1980, becoming partner in 1983. For more than three decades, Nancy’s practice has largely been devoted to representing individuals and organizations accused of crimes, including those involving national security issues, in trial and on appeal. She was lead appellate counsel for Chelsea Manning in the military appellate courts, ultimately earning Manning’s release when President Obama converted her 35 year sentence for sharing classified information to seven years. Nancy has also represented two prisoners at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, and in 2016, she won the release of one of them – Mohamedou Ould Slahi – after 11 years of pro bono representation. His story is chronicled in his New York Times-bestselling book Guantanamo Diary, which Nancy helped facilitate and publish. The book was adapted into the award-winning movie, The Mauritanian. In addition to her criminal defense practice, Nancy has been counsel in numerous civil cases, forfeitures, and administrative hearings, and has argued and won a historic case involving religious freedom in the U.S. Supreme Court. A seasoned trial lawyer and respected criminal law expert, Nancy has taught in numerous trial-practice programs. She has written extensively and conducted more than 200 seminars and presentations around the globe on various subjects, including the securing of evidence in international cases, forfeiture, illegal search and seizure, expert witnesses, defense of child abuse cases, ethics, evidence, and trial practice.

REBECCA F. KUANG ’13 2021 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA REBECCA F. KUANG ’13 is a Marshall Scholar, Chinese-English translator, the Astounding Award-winning and the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Award nominated author of The Poppy War trilogy and the forthcoming Babel. Her work has won the Crawford Award and the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel. Kuang’s series of fantasy novels, including The Poppy War, is set to be adapted for television. Rebecca immigrated to Dallas from China at age four and graduated from Greenhill in 2013. She won the Tournament of Champions, a national high school speech and debate tournament, in 2013. She was the sixth woman to win the top spot in that tournament in its 28-year history. She attended Georgetown for undergraduate studies. During college, she took a year off to live in Beijing and teach debate to high school students. In her free time, she worked on her first novel, The Poppy War, which debuted in 2018. Two additional books rounded out the trilogy in 2019 and 2020. Rebecca has a passion for teaching, having served as an instructor at summer debate institutes for five years running and led a mentor group for students interested in creative writing. She has an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford University; she is now pursuing a Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale University. greenhill.org

WELCOME NEW TRUSTEES The responsibilities of the Greenhill School Board of Trustees include: affirming and upholding the Mission of the School; establishing school policies; selecting the Head of School; approving campaign goals for annual giving and special capital campaigns; and approving the annual budget. Members of the Greenhill School Board of Trustees are elected by their peers at an annual meeting or a meeting specially called for the election of Trustees. Members are elected to serve three-year terms and may serve two successive terms.

DEBBY ACKERMAN Grandparent, ’31, ’31 Debby Ackerman previously served as a Greenhill trustee from 1993-2002. She is the mother of two alumnae, Melissa LoPalo ’08 and Laura Fontaine ’01, and the grandmother of current students, rising third-graders Alais and Conrad. Debby is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and received her J.D. from St. Mary’s University. She retired from Southwest Airlines in 2007 after serving as the airline’s first female General Counsel.

CHRISTOPHER I. CLARK ’89 Chris began his service career at Greenhill as an Alumni Board member in 2003. He served in various leadership positions including Alumni Board President for two years. Chris previously served on the Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2008, and from 2013 to 2019, during which he served on every Board committee and as Chair of the Audit & Risk Management Committee. Chris is the Office Managing Partner of Fox Rothschild LLP’s office in Dallas and the head of the Commercial Real Estate Transactions practice for the office. He is a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, and earned his law degree, cum laude, from SMU’s Dedman School of Law. He is a member of the Dallas Bar Association and the Dallas Asian-American Bar Association. Chris was the inaugural winner of Greenhill’s Alumni Service Award in 2020.

36 The Hill | Summer 2021

AMANDA BECK Parent, ’26, ’29, ’30 Amanda and her husband Scott Beck ’92 are parents to rising fourth-grader Judah, rising fifthgrader Libby, and rising eighthgrader Sadie. Amanda has been an active P.A. volunteer serving in different capacities including and most recent, member of the Executive Board as Treasurer.

LENORE DIAMOND Parent, ’24, ’27 Lenore and her husband Kevin are parents to rising tenth-grader Reyna and rising seventh-grader Carys. Lenore is Managing Director of Airport Affairs at American Airlines (AA). Previously, she was Senior Attorney in the American Legal Department. Prior to joining AA, Lenore worked as an associate at Haynes & Boone in Dallas. She also held a position as Assistant Director at SEO, a mentoring program based in New York to fund educational opportunities for youth. Lenore earned her law degree at New York University School of Law and a Social Studies degree from Wesleyan University.

MICHELLE FRYMIRE Parent, ’18, ’23 Michelle and her husband Rich are parents to alumna Allie ’18 and rising eleventh-grader Katie. Michelle is the Chief Executive Officer at CWT, one of the world’s largest global business travel management companies. She has served as the New Family Chair and been a fundraising leader for Greenhill Fund. Currently, Michelle is the chair of Greenhill’s new capital campaign steering committee. In 2017, Michelle was named DFW’s Outstanding CFO of the Year by D Magazine while working at Service King Collision Repair. Michelle holds an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin’s Red McCombs School of Business and an B.A. in Economics from Austin College.

KAMINI MAMDANI Parent, ’23, ’28 Kamini and her husband Malik are parents to rising eleventh-grader Ela, rising sixth-grader Saira, and UT Austin student Kamal. Kamini has held a number of leadership roles including 2020-21 Greenhill Fund Co-Chair, DEI Task Force member as part of Strategic Planning Committee, 2018 and 2019 Community Conversations Steering Committee, as well as PA roles. Kamini serves as the Community Engagement Co-Chair on the board of Family Gateway, a local non-profit that provides stability to families and children affected by homelessness. She is a member of the Orchid Giving Circle, a philanthropic group dedicated to serving the Asian-American community in north Texas. Kamini is an occupational therapist and entrepreneur. She is an alumna of Southern Methodist University.

DAVID MULLER Parent, ’20, ’23 David and his wife Michelle are parents to rising eleventhgrader Drew and alumnus Drake ’20. David is Texas Instruments Worldwide Analog Signal Chain Pricing Manager, responsible for development and execution of worldwide pricing strategies for Analog Signal Chain products. He is a graduate of Purdue University and Southern Methodist University where he earned an M.B.A. Degree.

BOAZ SIDIKARO Parent, ’25, ’28, ’31 Boaz and his wife Randi are parents to three Greenhill students, rising ninth-grader Mayer, rising fifth-grader Talia, and rising third-grader Zev. Boaz serves as Chief Investment Officer of Perot Investments and President of Petrus Asset Management. Boaz is responsible for managing Perot Investments diverse portfolio including both equities and fixed-income assets as well as a broad range of alternative and private investments. He holds a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

RAJESH SWAMINATHAN Parent, ’27 Rajesh and his wife Krisan are parents to rising seventh-grader Rohan. Rajesh is a Partner and General Counsel at Jasper Ridge Partners, an endowment-style investment firm with approximately $30 billion in assets under management. He serves as an Advisory Council Member of the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University, a Director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at the Georgetown University Law Center and a Member of the National Leadership Council of the American India Foundation.

greenhill.org

The

HILL

THE MAGAZINE OF GREENHILL SCHOOL SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION | SUMMER 2021

WE HOPE YOU ARE HAVING A GREAT SUMMER!

SAVE THESE IMPORTANT FALL DATES: TUESDAY, AUGUST 24 | First day of School FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 | Greenhill Founders’ Day Celebration

4141 Spring Valley Road Addison, TX 75001 972.628.5400 www.greenhill.org