GSB Alumni Magazine: Spring/Summer 2018

S P R I N G / S U M M E R

2018 THE

MAGAZINE

OF

GILL

S T. B E R N A R D ’ S

ALL AMERICAN

CJ Licata ’18

SCHOOL

The Magazine of Gill St. Bernard’s School

TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 FEATURES Thatcher Keats ’82. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 John Maple Jr. ’07 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 COMMENCEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 CJ Licata ’18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 CAMPUS LIFE . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Speakers on Campus. . . . .

Student Profiles . . . . . . . . .

Mike Chimes’ Retirement .

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ATHLETICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Winter/Spring Wrap-Ups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 ALUMNI NEWS/EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Alumni Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Athletic Hall of Fame Returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 PATRONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Mimi Washington ’48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Retiring Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 ALUMNI NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Board of Trustees BOARD OF TRUSTEES Lee Amoroso Marcella Criscola Rajiv De Silva Tom Fischer John Frantz Michael Fritzlo Liz Fucci Matthew Harding ’81 Rose Kirk Jeff Lager ’86 Douglas Matthews Mark Mazzatta Linda Moore Britany Silverman Nelson ’97 Sandi Niccolai James O’Connor

Gill St. Bernard’s alumni magazine is published three times a year by the Communications & Marketing Department and the Alumni Office.

S.A. Rowell, Head of School Jill Brown, Communications Coordinator & Senior Writer Jennifer Doherty, Director of Parent Relations & Special Events James F. Diverio, Director of Development Gwen Paxon, Director of the Annual Fund & Planned Giving Meredith Marks, Assistant Director of Development and Alumni Relations Chanelle Walker, Director of Alumni Relations/Associate Director of Development

Gill St. Bernard’s School P.O. Box 604, St. Bernard’s Road Gladstone, NJ 07934-0604 908-234-1611 gsbschool.org facebook.com/gsbschool facebook.com/gsbschoolalumni Design by Vision Creative Group

Steven Polachi John Raymonds Marianne Saladino Vlad Torgovnik Janine Udoff Karen Young Sid Rowell, Ex-Officio HONORARY TRUSTEES Patti Aresty Joe Behot Miguel Brito Laurie Brueckner Harry Chowansky III Brandon Clark Bill Conger Sam Corliss Ann Drzik

Gia Dunn Richard Emmit Nelson Ferreira Donald Fuentes Michael Golden Robert Hemm SBS ’46 Judy Fulton Higby ’65 John Howard Adrienne Kirby Michael Mandelbaum Richard Markham Mary McNamara Edmond Moriarty III Patty Muchmore ’66 Ellen Nardoni Elizabeth Nametz Robert O’Leary Mark Paris

Preston Pinkett III Robert Sameth, Jr. ’89 Maureen Stefanick Jayne Vespa Michael Weinstein BOARD OF VISITORS Miguel Brito Brandon Clark Sam Corliss David Farris Michael Golden The Honorable Thomas H. Kean Blair MacInnes Edward E. Matthews

MISSION STATEMENT

Gill St. Bernard’s School provides a balanced, diverse and secure community that prepares students academically, socially and ethically for college and a meaningful life.

CORE VALUES

Courage • Integrity • Respect • Compassion • Excellence

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Welcome to the latest issue of the GSB magazine.

As I write this introduction, a new school year has just begun. The weather is turning cooler and there is no mistaking the enthusiasm and energy on the campus. Classes are in full swing, clubs have held their opening meetings, another senior class is immersed in the college application process and our teams have returned to the courts and fields.

Among the stories in this magazine is the reestablishment of the Athletic Hall of Fame, at Reunion last spring, after it had been dormant for a period of years. That was a proud moment for everyone in the community and the recognition for our athletes is well-deserved. The cover of this magazine suggests that we will have no shortage of Hall of Fame nominees in the years ahead. CJ Licata ’18 was the best high-school shot-put thrower in New Jersey last year, and he is the first GSB athlete to earn All-America status, a feat he accomplished at the New Balance Outdoor Games in June. CJ is continuing his academic and athletic careers at Princeton University this year.

The arts at GSB are also thriving. This fall marks our largest AP Portfolio class in history, and rehearsals are underway for the fall play, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. This GSB Players’ show will be the first staged in our new Performing Arts and Community Center, which is scheduled to open in late October. Our next issue of the magazine will feature that building and several of the events planned for this year, including a special alumni performance in November. Mark your calendars for the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when alumni of the GSB Players will return to campus to stage a special retrospective, featuring songs from the past three decades of GSB musicals.

I hope that you find the magazine a great way to hear more about our alumni. One of the feature stories in this issue chronicles the rich life and work of photographer Thatcher Keats ’82. Like so many GSB alums he is not just simply earning a living, but also making a life following his passion. In a similar way, John Maple Jr. ’07 is pursuing his lifelong dream of being an entrepreneur with the launch of his business Herbal Habits.

Fall is a beautiful time here at GSB, and the campus is particularly spectacular in October. Despite all that is changing in our lives and the world, Gill St. Bernard’s remains an important constant. I hope you are able to find the time to return for a visit at some point in the coming months.

Sid Rowell

Head of School

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Letter to the Editor Eleven years ago, I attended my first GSB theater production, The Secret Garden, which won the Paper Mill Playhouse Award that year for best production in New Jersey. My children and I also went to our first Middle School winter concert.

I was so impressed with the quality of the arts program at GSB. My children painted, drew in journals and made wooden boxes and clocks.

This June, my second daughter graduated and plans to continue performing in college. The theater and music programs have meant so much to both of my daughters in so many different ways.

Last year, as I attended the round of Lower and Middle School productions; it was exciting to see the potential, the excited faces once again—knowing they do indeed become those magical seniors one day. They sing a song or draw something that takes our breath away. I cannot wait to see what will happen next in our new Performing Arts & Community Center.

I am sure this wonderful space will be an amazing nexus of creativity.

Warmest regards, Lisa Bothwell P ’16, ’18

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W …WORTH

Thatcher Keats ’82

a thousand

WORDS

hether they were taken last week or more than 40 years ago, the photographs of Thatcher Keats ’82 trigger a kind of nostalgia. The pictures—pale and minimally posed—are reminiscent of early color Polaroids, in which the images themselves and the moments they capture seem in danger of simply fading away.

A recent case in point: when a photograph that Keats took during a unit trip to Vermont in 1982 appeared in the alumni notes section of the last magazine [see photo, page 39], all those who wrote in thought the photo was from the 70s. Keats himself, who recalls the day vividly—this beautiful field in the background, this very human sense of togetherness—says that the image looks more like an album cover for a 70s rock band than it does a high school field trip in the early 80s.

Like the photo, Keats’ own story feels reminiscent of an earlier time.

By age 15, he was working photo assistant jobs in the summer and photographing everything he could with a Pentax K1000 that he had “hijacked from his little brother Shane.” At 16, he graduated from Gill St. Bernard's and struck out on his own as a professional photographer, eventually heading to Los Angeles to expand his work to films. In the early years, however, he picked up assistant jobs with professional photographers working in Manhattan—most notably Arthur Tress, Rosalind Fox Solomon, and Larry Clark—to learn everything he could about the field. Today, the work of the three artists resides in the collections of major museums throughout the US and abroad.

“They essentially served as my higher education in photography,” offers Keats. “And I am still in touch with Arthur, Rosalind and Larry today.”

For Keats, the decision to postpone college and enter the workforce seemed a natural progression from the experiential learning he loved at GSB. “Gill taught me how to learn,” he says. “And, everything in my career has been about experiential learning. Getting that muscle

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"Gill taught me how to learn.

And, everything in my career has been about experiential learning.

Getting that muscle exercised at GSB made it possible for me to do so many things in my life.”

exercised at GSB made it possible for me to do so many things in my life.” In his forties, Keats decided to earn a college degree, graduating with honors from SUNY, Empire State College.

At heart, however, he remains an autodidact with a voracious appetite for books and a love of learning new things.

In addition to taking pictures, he currently hosts a radio show, Rancho Thatchmo, that can be heard on WGXC in New York and WMFU in New Jersey. Keats describes his broadcast as ethnographic field recording. “I find someone with a story to tell. Sometimes people also share poems or songs. And I record it, edit it, and play it on the show.” Keats currently has about 2,500 recordings.

Surprisingly, Keats also traces his interest in radio back to Tim Walker, his tenth-grade photography teacher at GSB, who also ran the

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school radio station. “He was just this all around tech media guy,” Keats says. “The photography course was really life changing, and the radio piece has stayed with me as well. So much of what I have done comes from Tim Walker.”

Keats’ work has appeared in New York Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, Italian Vogue, The Village Voice and F Magazine. His photographs are also part of the collections of several museums and institutes, including The Cleveland Museum of Art and The Bronx Museum of the Arts.

"The photography course was really life changing, and the radio piece has stayed with me as well. So much of what I have done comes from Tim Walker."

To learn more about Keats and his work, visit www.thatcherkeats.com

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John Maple Jr. ’07

A

Dream

Fulfilled...

Naturally

by Alice Roche Cody

F

6

or as long as he can remember, John Maple Jr. ’07 dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur. When he started Gill St. Bernard’s as a sophomore, he already knew and was friends with many of his basketball teammates, whom he describes as a lively bunch with big personalities. Off the court, John remained the quiet guy, thoughtfully planning his future.

“Gill pushed me in the right direction,” he says. “I decided to focus more on books, and it paid off.” With the help of a dedicated mentor, Russell Wiebe, John gained acceptance to Felician College (now Felician University). His shift in priorities made all the difference.

“Gill was great for getting me prepared,” he said. “College felt like a breeze.”

“I always knew I wanted to work for myself and have my own business,” he says. “Even in elementary school, it was part of me then. The desire grew over time, even if I didn’t know how I was going to get there.” Although John did not know the specific direction his entrepreneurship would take, he knew it would need money to get started, and so he started saving whatever he could at an early age.

But as his schoolwork became more manageable, John soon faced hardship in his personal life. His father was diagnosed with colon cancer and passed away in 2011.

After the loss of his dad, John began to think more deeply about health and wellness. “My dad was one of those guys who didn’t take an active approach when it came to nutrition and his health,” he recalls. “I believe he missed out on opportunities that could have prolonged his life.”

At Gill, John’s path wasn’t entirely smooth, but his experiences definitely brought him closer to his goal.

During his senior year as a shooting guard for the Knights—as he neared making his 1,000th point—he was benched due to his grades. This proved a major game-changer, as he’d aspired to play college ball.

Ultimately, he came to see his disappointment as part of the plan.

Around this time, John’s mother, Lenora Maple, started exploring herbal remedies and natural healing. She, too, had a huge influence upon her son. Mrs. Maple began taking black seed oil, which has been used for more than 2,000 years for its healing properties and is taken today for headaches, nasal congestion, pink eye, diabetes, asthma, hypertension and digestive issues. Soon John began using it to relieve anxiety and found it helped him stay calm when giving presentations in graduate school.

Everything changed last year when John brought his mom to a Brooklyn health food store to purchase their favorite healing product. While there, John chatted with the store owner about his growing interest in natural remedies and his desire to make a difference in his community. In response, the man suggested John open a similar store in his hometown of Rahway.

On June 9, 2018, Herbal Habits, located at 97 Elm Avenue in Rahway, celebrated its grand opening. So far, business has been steady, with a dedicated and growing clientele. As for merchandise, more than 100 products line the shelves, everything from facial scrubs to bitters to Moringa powder, and of course, black seed oil. And when John’s at class—he’s earning a master’s in I WANT TO DO MORE business management at St. Peter’s University—his mom mans the THAN PROVIDE store.

PRODUCTS; I WANT TO

“I looked at my mom and a light bulb went off,” he says. “She made a quick phone call and CREATE CONVERSATIONS found a space near our house Through Herbal Habits, John that was open.” As he saw it, this hopes to make a positive difference AND HELP PEOPLE was his chance to channel his in his community. A new Rahway TO LIVE FULLER AND passion and build something of Chamber of Commerce member, HEALTHIER LIVES. his own. With the opportunity he already has a string of upcoming before him, John was glad that wellness talks and events planned he had forced himself to be fiscally responsible over this fall in the store. “I’ve met so many men who the years. He was emotionally and financially ready to are part of this culture of silence where they don’t take the next steps. He relied upon his mother’s skills talk about their health and don’t give it the proper as a realtor to negotiate the lease. Next, he took a leave attention it deserves,” he says. “I want to do more than from his job as a store manager at Rite Aid in Newark. provide products; I want to create conversations and His sister, Tori, helped with decorating decisions. help people to live fuller and healthier lives.”

Within six months, John’s lifelong dream was a reality.

Check out John’s website at yourherbalhabits.com

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THE FRANCES B. ROHN MEMORIAL AWARD IN MATHEMATICS Daniel Wang THE CAROL J. HEANEY MEMORIAL SCIENCE AWARD Nicholas Bhimani HISTORY DEPARTMENT AWARD Nicholas Bhimani ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AWARD Daniel Wang THE PATRICIA LEE GAUCH AWARD FOR CREATIVE WRITING Katherine Zhang WORLD LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT AWARD Ivana Mejia COMPUTER SCIENCE AWARD Sabrina Sukhin GERRY CIRILLO PRIZE IN THE FINE ARTS Amelia Kirby

THE LISA SCHMIDT MUSIC AWARD Jessica Abowitz and Lynnsey Kwaak THE JOYCE CREASEY MEMORIAL AWARD Amelia Kirby THE HAROLD D. NICHOLLS MEMORIAL AWARD CJ Licata

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THE BENNETT SERVICE RECOGNITION AWARD Connor Kirk SUSAN H. STOVER AWARD Amity Matthews LINDABURY SENIOR HONOR AWARD CJ Licata

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CAPORUSSO/DeLUCA AWARD Helena Digney and Amanda Lazar THE JULIAN T. BROWN CUP CJ Licata THE ELIZABETH GILL AWARD Jessica Abowitz

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HONORED GRADUATES BEYOND GSB 1

Fred Corona Receives the SBS CHAIR OF EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD 2

Candace Pryor-Brown presents Nick Bhimani with the HISTORY DEPARTMENT AWARD 3

David Southerland with Jess Abowitz (left) and Lynnsey Kwaak (right), co-recipients of the LISA SCHMIDT MUSIC AWARD 4

Sid Rowell with CJ Licata, recipient of the JULIAN T. BROWN CUP 5

Dan Wang uses the Rubik's Cube to show that there is more than one way to solve a problem 6

The Class of 2018 honored the school with 100% participation for their senior class gift.

NATIONAL HISPANIC SCHOLARS Sarah Caminito and Catherine Quan-Shau were recognized as National Hispanic Scholars by the College Board. The two were among 5,000 high school seniors chosen from more than 250,000 applicants. To earn recognition, students must achieve a qualifying score on the PSAT/ NMSQT and have maintained a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher in their junior year.

At GSB, Sarah was a high honors student with a penchant for science, having taken AP Physics, AP Biology and Chemistry. She also served as co-captain of the robotics team. Sarah plans to continue studying science at the University of Pennsylvania this fall, and she is interested in eventually exploring dentistry.

Catherine was an honors student at GSB, a member of the honor board, a peer leader, and co-leader for the writing center.

She plans to study biology and neurobiology at New York University this fall and is interested in one day becoming a physician or neurosurgeon.

CONNOR KIRK EARNS SERVICE AWARDS

NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALIST

A few weeks before graduating from GSB, Connor Kirk celebrated his graduation from Jack & Jill of America, Inc. It marked the culmination of a 14year involvement with the organization, which provides leadership development and community service opportunities for future African American leaders. At the Jack & Jill regional conference this spring, Connor was recognized with three awards for service: The Carole Robertson Award, the highest honor that Jack and Jill confers on a graduating senior; the Most Distinguished Teen Award from his local Morris County Chapter; and the second-place award for community service in the eastern region, an area that spans Maine to Virginia and comprises more than 55 chapters.

Katherine Zhang was selected as a National Merit semifinalist last fall. The designation is awarded annually to approximately 16,000 academically talented high school seniors out of more than 1.6 million applicants. At GSB, Katherine was a member of the Upper School choir as well as the Knight Voices, Knightingales, and Gillharmonics. She was also a flutist with the Wild Knights jazz band. At New York University, she plans to study creative writing and economics.

EMILY CAVANAUGH EARNS ROTC SCHOLARSHIP In May, Captain Joseph Grillo of the Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) came to Gill St. Bernard's to present Emily Cavanaugh with a full, four-year scholarship. Emily will begin at Villanova University this fall, where she plans to major in criminology.

Under the terms of the scholarship, she will serve as a cadet in ROTC for all four years of college, and she will be commissioned for an additional four years of service after she graduates. At GSB, Emily was a member of the Upper School choir, president of the writing center, and an avid writer. She is also a volunteer firefighter with the Chester Fire Department and a student of mixed-martial arts.

CJ LICATA ’18

A LASTING

IMPACT

Competing in state-wide, regional, and national events over the course of the 2017-18 school year, CJ Licata reached heights never before seen in the history of the Gill St. Bernard’s track and field program. In the winter, CJ earned the gold medal at the NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions; in the spring he was the top American (and overall runner-up) at the prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia; and at the conclusion of his historic senior year, he received the most impressive accolade of all—High School AllAmerican. Dozens of first-place finishes and recordsetting distances in both shot-put and discus events firmly established CJ as one of the most prolific student-athletes in school history.

As an honor-roll student and model citizen, CJ’s contributions to the GSB community were just as impactful off the field. Serving on the student council throughout his time in the Upper School, CJ was elected vice president as a junior and student body president this past year. His collaborative style and selfless approach to leadership made a mark on the council that will be remembered for years to come. As a dedicated member of the “Blue Crew,” CJ helped to support all student-athletes with his boundless energy and genuine school spirit. As a student representative of the Admission Office, CJ’s speeches at Open Houses and other events often helped introduce prospective families to GSB. Despite all of his achievements, records, and awards, CJ says that it is the sense of community as a whole that he will miss most about being a student at Gill St. Bernard’s. Over the years, knowing he had the support of everyone in the community has meant the most to him. In turn, his own sense of community has earned him well-deserved recognition from the 12

school. At Commencement, he received the Lindabury Senior Honor as a person of “inclusion, compassion, and thoughtfulness.” Perhaps most telling is the fact that the recipient is chosen by the underclassmen—not by teachers or administrators—with students in grades 9-11 casting a vote.

In addition, CJ earned the Julian T. Brown Cup as the “young man who, more than any other, exemplifies the characteristics of faith, honor, and consideration.”

At Gill, CJ clearly embraced the balance of academics, athletics, and community life. When he looked toward college, he wanted to maintain that balance.

“At a place like Princeton I’ll be challenging myself intellectually each and every day. Their winning reputation and veteran coach conveyed to me that choosing an Ivy League school would not limit me athletically and that I would not have to sacrifice any of the benefits that I might have at another ‘larger’ sports school. Princeton really provides me with all the things I am looking for in a school—a nice balance among academics, athletics, and a social life.”

While CJ made it look easy, becoming the top thrower in the state took hard work. It required a rigorous training regimen that included four heavy-lifting sessions a week, along with five throwing sessions and countless hours of studying film of his own throws as well as those of college

and professional athletes. He found the time and made the commitment to achieve to his own individual potential while helping to inspire his teammates to do the same.

Opposing coaches and trainers often commented on the remarkable progress he made throughout his time at Gill.

As a recent alumnus of GSB, CJ hopes that his story will inspire other students to seek out all that the school has to offer. He is incredibly grateful for all that he experienced at Gill and he offers a simple message of advice to the students who hope to follow in his footsteps: “Step outside your comfort zone and try new things. That is the only reason I am competing in track and field today. I took a risk and tried something new.”

And the rest, is history.

Following a historic senior season, CJ Licata joined Princeton University this fall.

CONNECTING GENERATIONS Garfield Scott ’76 returned to campus last spring for the first time in many years. While he was pleased to be back on campus, he specifically expressed an interest in meeting student athlete CJ Licata ’18. Garfield explained he pays attention to high school sports, especially track and field where he excelled as a shot-put and discus thrower. Garfield shared, “As a high school student I broke the state record for distance in the discus throw, and I have been following the sport since I graduated. I was so proud to learn that someone from my alma mater broke my record. I really wanted to meet CJ and congratulate him.” See page 36 photo.

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CELEBRATING

CULTURE In April, the school hosted Culture Night, a new event that participants expect will grow into a longstanding tradition. Highlights of the evening included performances from The Soul Steppers, a Middle School step team, and Jeannine Osayande & Dunya Performance Company. Osayande combined storytelling with the traditions of West African drumming, dance and music.

Before and after the performances, guests sampled potluck dishes featuring foods from Sri Lanka, India, China, Jamaica, Mexico, Canada and Poland. Some guests also left with beautiful henna tattoos, courtesy of GSB parent Vibha Mehta P ’19.

The event was organized by the school’s Director of Diversity & Multicultural Affairs Tracey Goodson Barrett with help from parents and the Upper School Culture Club.

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LET’S TALK ABOUT VAPING From national newspapers and medical journals to family magazines—vaping among teens is making the news.

While it may seem like a relatively new phenomenon to educators and parents, Dr. Daniel Giovenco has been tracking the use of electronic cigarettes for more than a decade. In May, he presented “Vaping Among Teens: Patterns of Use and Strategies for Prevention” to parents at GSB.

During his talk, Dr. Giovenco underscored the fact that many young people believe vaping is safe. The truth is that while e-cigarettes are likely safer than tobacco products, their long-term health effects are still largely unknown.

Giovenco noted that electronic vaping products (EVPs) expose users to toxic chemicals and may be particularly damaging to adolescents, as their brains are still developing. Like traditional cigarettes, EVPs are addictive, many contain nicotine, and they have been shown to cause

acute cell damage (which could increase health risks over the long term).

Equally concerning is the fact that vaping use is virtually undetectable. EVPs are odorless, and while the first-generation devices looked like cigarettes, today they are more likely to resemble pens or computer flash drives.

So, where does all of this leave concerned parents? Dr. Giovenco suggests that parents should start the conversation about EVPs, letting their kids know the dangers and that “safer” is not the same as “safe.”

Giovenco is Assistant Professor of Socio-medical Sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. He holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in public health from Rutgers University, and his research has been published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the Journal of Adolescent Health, and the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Throughout the year, the Parents’ Association brings in coffee-chat speakers, experts on a range of subjects for parents of school-aged children. One of the best-attended coffee chats this spring was a presentation on teenagers and vaping by Columbia University professor Dr. Daniel Giovenco. Other highlights from the 2017-18 coffee chats included Dean of Student Life David Pasquale presenting on effective sports parenting, the GSB learning specialists addressing study skills, memory tips and tips for exam prep, and Jeanne Petrucci, MS, RDN, sharing nutrition strategies for families.

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EMILY AXELSEN ’19

“TOUCHING” HISTORY

As the director of alumni relations, Chanelle Walker was momentarily surprised last spring when a present-day student dropped by her office. Surprise quickly turned to delight when Walker learned that Emily Axelsen ’19 wanted to see, and perhaps borrow, items from the Gill School and St. Bernard’s School archives. Earlier that year, Emily and seven friends from the Upper School had started a club called The Object Project. The goal of the club was to teach Lower School students about the history of the school through workshops incorporating objects from the GS and SBS archives.

The approach Emily uses is called “object-based instruction,” and it is one of the techniques she learned as a paid intern with the New York Historical Society. In January, thanks to a grant from the Historical Society, Emily was able to bring the other club members for a weekend workshop in object-based learning. That spring, the club started making lesson plans and Emily approached Walker about using items from the archives.

“Ms. Walker, and everyone, was so great, so willing to 16

help me. I assumed people would just say they didn't understand what I wanted, but they could not have been more helpful.”

Among the artifacts Emily borrowed were a worn leather football helmet from the 1940s (SBS), a raised seal of the Gill school, and a box of hymnal cards (SBS). Sharing the items during her first workshop in May, Emily invited the Lower School students to consider the qualities of each — Are there clues to whether the object was used every day or only on special occasions? How might we learn its age? Is there something similar in use at the school today?

In addition to showing the youngsters the archive items, the club members talked to them about the symbols in the GSB crest and then had the students design crests of their own. The Object Project has only scratched the surface of the schools’ archives, and the group looks forward to more excursions into the school’s rich past in the coming academic year.

EMMA KOSLOW ’19

CODING SUCCESS In April, Emma Koslow ’19 attended a computer science summit in Silicon Valley. She was one of 30 high-school students chosen for a fellowship from SHE++, a Stanford-based not-for-profit that pairs students with computer science faculty and mentors in the technology industry.

As part of her application for the fellowship, Emma presented Programming Pals, a not-for-profit that she founded when she was 13. The organization connects learning-different and special-needs students with volunteer computer science tutors. Emma explains, “A lot of people seem to think that students who learn differently or have special needs cannot learn programming. That just isn’t so. Anyone can learn to code.”

When she got started with Programming Pals, Emma sent letters to several area schools for learning-different students. Most of the schools did not bother to respond, and the few who did were not interested. Not sure how to proceed, Emma decided to try a virtual presence for Programming Pals. Taking her idea online caught the attention of NoticeAbility, a Boston-based company that creates digital curricula for students with dyslexia. “NoticeAbility contacted me, and I was able to help them create an engineering program for students with dyslexia,” Emma says. “That experience renewed my motivation for launching Programming Pals.”

For now, Programming Pals remains an online venture, but Emma hopes that one day it will have a brick and mortar presence as well. “I would like there to be local chapters, where the tutors and the students can work together,” she shares.

In addition to being a SHE++ fellow, Emma has won two National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) awards and has been recognized by National Coding Week and Girls Who Code. She began teaching herself coding at age six and currently knows more than 14 programming languages.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THAT STUDENTS WHO LEARN DIFFERENTLY OR HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS CANNOT LEARN PROGRAMMING. THAT JUST ISN’T SO. ANYONE CAN LEARN TO CODE. 17

KERRY COLFORD ’20

TAKING AIM

Archery is a sport that many are unfamiliar with. It is rare, for example, to find a high school archery team, and although some colleges have archery programs, the sport is not yet under the umbrella of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) or the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). In recent years, however, the popularity of archery has been on the rise, especially among young women.

Among that group, GSB’s own Kerry Colford ’20 has been ranked as the best young female archer in the state of New Jersey for the past three years. This past spring, she decided to push the geographical limits and entered the Mid-Atlantic Archery championships, where she garnered first place. That win designated her as the top archer, in the young adult women’s category, from New York to Virginia.

“Archery is still not very popular in New Jersey, so it was hard for me to put the state title into perspective,” Kerry says. “I had placed third with the Mid-Atlantic tournament a couple of times, but winning it let me know that I could be competitive in a larger field.” She adds, “Next year, I am hoping to compete in the national tournament.”

Kerry has been interested in archery since Lower School, when she started taking private lessons on the weekends. “I love archery,” she says. “It is a lot more individual than most sports, and it is all about focus. It doesn't matter what kind of bow you use or how far away you stand or how strong you are; if you can focus, you will do well.”

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ALUMNI ENHANCE

UNIT PROGRAM Juniors and seniors had the opportunity to apply for two-week intensive introductions to career opportunities. These included entrepreneurship, law, medicine, physical therapy and veterinary medicine. The selected students (one or two per experience) were introduced to these fields of study by various professionals including some alumni.

Kris Goodrich ’99, founder of TriOrganics, organized the Entrepreneurship Experience. He coordinated visits to, and meetings with, numerous founders, owners, and CEOs of start-ups, as well as executives of medium and large corporations. Junior Chris Varghese and senior Alex Schachne experienced firsthand the stories, the work and the results of hard-earned success. Schachne shared, “If there was a two-week crash course for an aspiring entrepreneur, I couldn’t imagine a more informative and worthwhile program. I’m extremely grateful to Kris and everyone we met with for their time and guidance.”

Jessica Abowitz ’18 and Olivia Escousse ’19 witnessed a range of legal opportunities and experiences by traveling to small and large law firms and meeting general counsel for major corporations. They saw and discussed live pre-trial planning, settlement negotiations and courtroom arguments with practicing attorneys. Alumnus Bill Berman ’76, a partner in a private law firm, and alumna Celeste Como ’82 a member of a large corporate legal team, were among those who hosted and shared invaluable lessons on their profession with the two eager participants.

Dr. Andrea Freeman ’95 coordinated experiences for aspiring veterinarians Amanda Lazar ’18 and junior Kiera Murphy. With the help of friends and colleagues, Freeman introduced the students to pet urgent-care clinics and large animal care. Among the range of things they observed were ultra sounds, vaccinations and even surgery. They visited a polo horse farm and met champion riders as they learned about the importance of ongoing care by owners.

Freeman and the others also shared insights into the complex process of applying to veterinary school.

Four additional students had equally enjoyable and informative internships in physical therapy and medicine. Observing patient/ practitioner interaction, being introduced to a range of community health initiatives, learning about opioid addiction and treatment, physical therapy for athletes, and witnessing the responsibilities of nurses were just a few of the highlights for the interns during these medicine-based experiences.

Several other alumni worked closely with more traditional Units this past spring, including Adam Aresty ’03 who co-taught with Mike Chimes a unit on filmmaking and screen writing, and Neil Christiansen ’02 who hosted a group of 20 students in Panama as they worked in conjunction with his non-profit organization, Give and Surf (giveandsurf.org). Katie Grabowski ’12 also traveled to Panama to help with the Unit.

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MIKE CHIMES’

RETIREMENT

If there is one thread that dominates Chimes’ career, it is a love of learning new things and taking on new challenges.

In this spirit, he segued from the classroom to the head of college guidance in 1985. “I was in overdrive mode for the first year or so. You learn everything you can, do everything you can, and somehow it all works out.”

By the 90s, the college admission process was starting to change as wordprocessors phased out typewriters, and Chimes took notice. “I knew enough about history to know that computers were going to be a big a deal. This was a shift—like writing or agriculture—and everything would change.” Seeing the potential of computers, Chimes began learning everything he could about them.

Long before KnightSite (the GSB intranet site) existed, Chimes was creating websites for the courses he taught, and he became interested in digital filmmaking, trying out different software packages, like iMovie.

In the spring of 1975, Mike Chimes was earning his master’s degree in history from Rutgers University when he learned about an eight-week teaching job at Gill St. Bernard’s. The short-term gig worked out, but neither GSB nor Chimes could have predicted that it would signal the beginning of a professional relationship that would continue into the next millennium.

Over the course of the next four decades, Chimes would become an invaluable member of the school community, taking on roles in administration, coaching, leading community service initiatives—and always finding time to teach at least one class each semester.

After graduating Rutgers, teaching at a public school for a couple of years and a brief stint in Colorado, Chimes was hired as a full-time history teacher in 1979. “Phil Kaplan, the head of the Upper School encouraged me to apply, and that was that,” Chimes said. Like so many GSB connections, it has survived the test of time, with Kaplan coming back to Gladstone for Chimes’ retirement party.

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By the early 2000s, Chimes was teaching a filmmaking course each year, and in 2009, he was asked to become the school's director of technology. “At first there was lots to learn, but I like to learn. It was really a gift to be immersed in this world of technology and to call it my job, and I think that I was helpful to the school during those years.” In his new role, Chimes implemented KnightSite, moved the school away from phone trees to Instant-Alert messages, and set up a wireless communication system for the campus.

That sense of wanting to learn everything he could also played itself out in the coaching realm. Chimes was not especially interested in the sport of running before Gill, but coaching cross country with world-class runner Gerry Vanasse, who was the school’s athletic director at the time, changed that. A few years later, Chimes was head coach of the girls’ team. “Seeing that I had learned running, Gerry decided I could learn golf as well, so I ended up coaching that for a few years,” Chimes said smiling. In addition, Chimes coached soccer, basketball and tennis during his time at GSB. Last spring, Chimes considered retiring, but then a oneyear position opened up in the college guidance office.

“I had spent 24 years in college guidance, and the idea of rounding it up to 25 while helping the school—it just seemed like a nice way to end my career.”

MORE RETIRING

FACULTY Ann Turner, who served most recently as a reading teacher in the Lower School, retired from GSB this spring. Although she spent nearly four decades in the Lower School, she is known to generations of students and alumni as the woman who wrote the lyrics to the alma mater. Of Gill, she said, “When I first came here, everyone was so welcoming and kind, and that still holds true today.” In retirement, Turner plans to move to New Hampshire to spend more time with her grandchildren. On learning of her plans, Lower School students compiled a list of 50 fun facts for living in the Granite State, including that it takes roughly 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup!

Lower School librarian Hope Preston retired in June. She began working in the Lower School library in 2001 under the direction of longtime librarian Pauline Lurie. For nearly two decades, Preston shared her love of children’s literature with students and parents and dedicated herself to building up the collection in the Lower School library. She plans to return to her native Oregon with her husband, Norm. During a Lower School send-off, students noted, “Oregon is one of the luckiest states in the nation because it will have you, Mrs. Preston.”

After more than a decade at Gill St. Bernard’s, Upper School math teacher Gregory Washburn retired in June. In addition to teaching, Washburn coached soccer, assisted with the Ski Club, led the Math League and organized two annual Red Cross blood drives at the school each year. A graduate of Blair Academy, Washburn holds a BA and MA from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Emory University.

In retirement, he looks forward to gardening and spending time outdoors with his wife, Cynthia, and daughter, Elizabeth.

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A PORTENT OF THINGS TO COME

by Pamela Fiander, Ed.D

This past school year, the GSB Players were “homeless.� The troupe was fortunate to be able to use Purnell School for the fall show, but the spring musical dates conflicted and Purnell was not available. Needing a stage, Performing Arts Department Chair Paul Canada approached Bonnie Monte, Artistic Director of Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, about using the Kirby Theatre on the Drew University campus for the spring production. She agreed and the GSB Players began making plans for the offsite production of Into the Woods.

One of the biggest challenges confronting the cast and crew was finding alternative rehearsal space on the GSB campus since they would not be able to use the Kirby Theatre until the week of dress rehearsal. Faculty and staff came to the rescue, volunteering space in the Lower School, the Field House and the Athletic Center. Space was also found in the barn to construct a moveable set, and the costume shop was temporarily relocated to an Upper School classroom in Founders Hall.

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When the cast and crew first set foot on the Kirby stage, they were thrilled with the space, noting the professional lighting and the “real” dressing rooms.

According to Canada, “Settling into dress rehearsal week, the students found their footings and became more and more comfortable in the professional setting. The GSB Players have a long-standing tradition of respecting and fully taking advantage of the resources and opportunities afforded them. In this celebrated environment, everyone witnessed an elevation of attitude, respect, etiquette and, ultimately— performance. The exciting part for all of us was that this was a portent of things to come.”

While using a variety of locations other than the actual performance space was a challenge, the students ultimately experienced precisely how professional theater is produced.

With the completion of the new Performing Arts and Community Center on the Gill St. Bernard's campus, the GSB Players will have a new, and much-improved, home.

Cast of Into the Woods

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ATHLETICS WILL TAYLOR JOINS

GSB TEAM In July, Will Taylor joined Gill St. Bernard’s as the new athletic director. He brings to the role an intense commitment to school athletics and more than 25 years of experience as teacher, coach, and administrator. His goals for athletics at GSB include building the JV and varsity teams, creating a more robust Middle School program, and enhancing the experience of athletes at all levels of play.

In his most recent role, Taylor served as director of admission for an independent school. When asked about making the shift to Gill, he offered, “I have been coaching a lot and wanted to get back into working with athletics on the administrative side. Gill is also a school with a great sense of community and inclusion, and I knew I wanted to go to a place with great people.”

Taylor also believes that athletics is an important piece of sustaining school community. “A great way to build community among the students is for them to participate in extracurricular activities; they will make great memories while doing so,” he says. “Of course, sportsmanship, working hard, and working with teammates to achieve a goal are all huge benefits as well,” he adds.

Taylor holds a master's degree from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree from Upsala College. He was named a two-time NCAA Division III Wrestling All-American and an NCAA Division III Academic All-American. He was inducted into the Immaculate Conception High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Upsala College Athletic Hall of Fame and twice selected as the NJSIAA Region IV Assistant Wrestling Coach of the Year.

Eddie McCarthy ’20

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WINTER/SPRING WRAPS 2017–18 BOYS’ BASKETBALL The boys’ basketball team notched an impressive season this past winter, with the team finishing 24–5, winning a fourth-straight Somerset County title and advancing to the Non-Public B sectional final. The Knights closed out the season ranked fifth in the state, with coach Mergin Sina named Coach of the Year by the Courier News and Alex Schnachne ’18 and Paul Mulcahy ’19 both recording their 1,000th career points.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL The Knights had a strong season, posting a 13–9 record and ranking among the top-20 programs in the state. The team hit its stride during tournament play, earning road wins over Holy Spirit and Roselle Catholic to advance to the NonPublic B semifinals.

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD Leading the way for the Knights were seniors Nicole Johnson and CJ Licata. Johnson was named to the second team All-State and garnered first team All-Prep B and All-Conference accolades. Licata won the shotput title at the Meet of Champions and was named Indoor Field Athlete of the Year by NJ.com (see story page 12).

Alex Schachne ’18

SWIMMING The swim team notched its best record to date, finishing 4–3.

Individual swimmers saw vast improvements, with the girls’ squad recording a Top-10 Finish at the Somerset County Championships and Rebecca Michaels ’20 qualifying for the Meet of Champions.

ICE HOCKEY The ice hockey team had a solid building year, winning two games and tying one. The squad relied heavily on young talent, which bodes well for the future success of the program. Liam Jones ’21 took home Rookie of the Year honors.

FENCING The fencing squads found success at both the individual and team levels this past winter as the Knights competed in both dual competitions and invitational championships.

Highlights included three medalists from the Prep B championships: Brianna Moglianesi ’19 earning silver in epee, Caroline Solondz ’21 taking bronze in sabre and Nick Bhimani ’18 claiming bronze in epee.

Devyn Scott ’20

Sarah Smith ’19

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BASEBALL The Knights had another excellent season on the baseball diamond this past spring, posting a record of 19–8, winning the Skyland Conference Mountain Division for the fourth year in a row, and advancing to the state sectional and the Prep B Finals. Perhaps their best win of the season came during their sectional run as they defeated top ranked St. Mary’s 5–2 to advance to the championship game. Throughout the spring, Gill was led by first-team All-Conference and All-Prep players: Ryan Morash ’18, AJ Donofrio ’19, and Mike Taylor ’20. The season was special for Morash, as he established a new school record for career hits with 152.

SOFTBALL Gill also saw considerable success on the softball diamond, as the Knights went 12–5 to reclaim the Skyland Conference Mountain Division title and advanced to the Non-Public B South sectional semifinals. The team was led by three first-team All-Conference players: Claire Chestnutt ’18, Dani Towle ’18, Ellen Besjak ’21.

With two additional underclassmen earning second-team honors, the future for softball remains bright.

GOLF The golf team had its best season in school history, compiling a remarkable record of 15–1 and finishing in second place at the Somerset County Tournament. The biggest win of the season came when the team defeated Morristown-Beard, ranked seventh in the state at the time. The Knights’ strong performances against tough competition earned them the number 10 ranking in the state. The squad was led by first team All-Conference performers Moritz Weigold ’19, Drew Kramer ’20, Nick Policano ’20, and Graeme Hollingshead ’21. With all four athletes returning to Gill next season, the golf program looks to build on this historic season.

TRACK AND FIELD The Knights’ track and field teams enjoyed tremendous success at the Prep B Championships. The trio of CJ Licata ’18, Jack Feldman ’19, and Matt Raymonds ’21 swept the top three spots in discus. Additionally, Licata, Luca Del Vescovo ’20, and Feldman also grabbed the top three spots in shot put.

Garnering top finishes on the girls’ side were Anna Mikula ’20, who took fifth place in the javelin and Eve Ryan ’20, who took sixth in the long jump. At season’s end, Licata was named first team All-State and a High School All-American after his showing at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.

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Evan Varma ’20

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

Ryan Morash ’18

The girls’ lacrosse team enjoyed a solid season, finishing 8–9. Among the highlights was goalie Katherine Lioudis ’18 recording her 400th career save during a 14–3 win over Rutgers Prep. Also leading the way for the Knights was Amelia Kirby ’18, who was named first team All-Conference and first team All-Prep B.

Alex Delehanty ’18

BOYS’ LACROSSE

Amelia Kirby ’18

A young program in a rich LAX area, the boys’ lacrosse program continued to see success and improve this year, as the Knights recorded wins over Wardlaw-Hartridge, West Orange, Parsippany, and Morris Catholic. Leading the way for Gill was Will Yarbrough ’18, who was named first team All-Conference, and Rob Haversat ’18, who was an honorable mention.

BOYS’ TENNIS

Robby Haversat ’18

The boys’ tennis team recorded five wins on the season, including Skyland conference victories over Warren Hills and Franklin. The Knights advanced to the semifinal round of the Non-Public B state tournament with a 5-0 win over Eastern Christian. Leading the way for the Knights were seniors Will Orazietti and Shane Shannon, who earned All-Conference honorable mentions.

Kajal Mehta ’19

Will Orazietti ’18

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ALUMNI WEEKEND 2018 FRIDAY & SATURDAY APRIL 27-28, 2018 The Gill St. Bernard’s Alumni Weekend was held April 27-28, 2018. The weekend began with a welcome reception held at Hemm House followed by the newly re-established Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

(Learn more about the Athletic Hall of Fame on pg. 30) The festivities continued Saturday with a luau, student-led tours and a chance to learn more about Home Winds from farm educator Steve Rabel.

Saturday also became a special time for alumni to honor the retirement of longtime faculty member Mike Chimes (see story on pg. 20) The weekend closed with a special dinner celebrating the 50th reunion of the Gill School and St. Bernard’s School classes of 1968.

Friday Night's Welcome Re ception

Athletic Hall of Fame Honorees Bobby

Papazian, Arlene Amery, Shirley Avril & Lamont Stapleton

Mike Chimes’ Retirement 28

Class of 1978

50th Reunion

Class of 1998

f 2003 Class o

Class of 2008 29

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME RETURNS On the evening of Friday, April 27, more than 60 guests gathered in Brueckner Hall for the GSB Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, in which four athletes and one team were honored. Several former athletes and coaches were on hand for the event, as were alumni, parents, and friends of the school. This year’s ceremony was particularly significant because it signaled the school’s commitment to re-establishing its Athletic Hall of Fame, which had been dormant for a period of years.

In his opening remarks, Head of School Sid Rowell shared his enthusiasm for re-establishing the Athletic Hall of Fame, as he reflected on the growth of GSB’s athletics program over the past decade. With the program and its teams thriving, the time was ideal for re-establishing the Hall of Fame.

THE 2018 INDUCTEES THE 2002 CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM

First to be inducted at Friday’s ceremony was the 2002 cross-country team. Coaches Gerry Vanasse and Mike Chimes, both coaches of the team, were on hand for the induction ceremony.

In 2002, the team won the prestigious Canterbury School Cross-Country Invitational, considered to be the premier independent school cross-country event in New England. Additional wins that year included the Newark Academy Invitational and the Gill St. Bernard’s Invitational. The team garnered the NJ Patriot Conference championship and was also one of the first teams at GSB ever to win a Prep B state title.

ARLENE ORR AMERY GS ’70 SHIRLEY JOHNSEN AVRIL GS ’70

Although inducted separately for their contributions to the Gill School athletics program, Amery and Avril also honored the lifelong friendship that began on the playing fields at the Gill School. Each honoree spoke on behalf of the other at the event.

Embrace between honorees

The two both held leadership roles on the GS undefeated field hockey team. They both took part in a range of sports at the school, managing to play both basketball and volleyball during the winter season. In addition to their athleticism, the two were known for their leadership, focus on teamwork, and the fact that they always valued the team more than individual achievement. Today, Amery is an accomplished equestrienne and skier. Avril is an avid tennis player and skier.

BOBBY PAPAZIAN ’05

When he was a sophomore, Papazian was a member of the celebrated 2002 cross-country team. As a senior, he won the New Jersey Meet of Champions in the fall of 2004. Later that year, he became the first GSB athlete to win an event at the Penn Relays, claiming the 3K race.

He also won the 3,200 at the New Jersey Meet of Champions.

After Gill, he continued his running career at Division I Villanova University, running all three Former coach Ryan Grote and Bobby Papazian ’05

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Stapleton (center) with alumni, friends and family

seasons: cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track.

After college, he continued to run recreationally, and in 2012, he won the North Face Bear Mountain Marathon.

He also started a running program for kids in Bronxville, New York. Last year, Papazian graduated from Rutgers Law School, and he is currently clerking.

LAMONT STAPLETON ’06

A member of the 2006 Gill St. Bernard’s basketball team, Stapleton was a leader at a time when the program was just beginning to gain traction. The talented player from Rahway could have joined a larger program, but he knew GSB was right for him. “The school took a chance on me, and I am glad they did. It was the right place for me.” Presenting his award was former athletic director and current dean of student life David Pasquale.

After GSB, Stapleton played for Southern New Hampshire University. Currently living in LA, he is the founder and CEO of I’m Just Different, LLC, an organization dedicated to inspiring individuality and understanding and accepting differences. Stapleton traces the seeds of I’m Just Different—particularly the values of acceptance and individuality— back to his student days at GSB. In addition, Stapleton works as a lifestyle consultant, connecting artists and athletes with companies and venues.

Former Athletic Director Gerry Vanasse with Sid Rowell

Former ’67-’68 basketball team inductees Thomas Bonnane ’68 and Norman Forster ’68

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WASHINGTON SCHOLARSHIP This past spring, Mimi Washington Starrett GS ’48 established an endowed scholarship for a student in the Upper School. Specifically, the fund will support a student each year in the arts. The recipient must be committed to being involved in some aspect(s) of the arts, whether through academic pursuits and/ or extracurricular involvement. As part of her rationale, Washington explained, “Talent is not limited to those who can afford an experience like Gill. I have loved the arts and have been involved in various ways with the arts throughout my life. There is value in making it part of your life, and we should encourage it early.”

One need-based scholarship recipient will be named annually and he/she can be renewed based on good academic standing and continued participation in the arts. Washington intends to add funds to the scholarship each year and encourages anyone else to do so as well. “Gill has had a wonderful fine and performing arts history; the more students that can add to that, the better,” notes Washington.

If you’d like to add to the Mimi Washington ’48 Scholarship endowment fund, contact Jim Diverio at 908-234-1611 x210 or send a gift to the Development Office noting your intention to support this fund.

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AN HONOR AND

A CHALLENGE

When Jeff Lager ’86 heard that Mike Chimes was considering retiring, he began to think about how he could honor his history teacher and friend. As a current trustee, Lager was well aware of GSB’s current projects and priorities and, as an alumnus, he also wanted to get more graduates involved in supporting the school. “It first seemed these goals were too varied to tie together, but as I spoke with Head of School Sid Rowell and Director of Development Jim Diverio, a way to do so began to take shape,” Lager explained.

At Reunion this past May, Jeff announced his multifaceted gift. He would support the capital campaign to assist in completing the long-awaited Performing Arts and Community Center, create an endowment to increase needbased aid for student Unit participation, and offer a matching gift challenge for alumni donations to build the endowment. Perhaps equally important, he surprised Chimes with a named space on campus. As part of Lager’s capital gift, the history wing in Hockenbury has been named in Chimes’ honor.

During his remarks at Reunion, Lager explained how his gifts tied together: “Over four decades, Mike has impacted the lives of generations of students as a teacher, counselor, coach, administrator, mentor, and friend. I’m challenging alumni to honor Chimes’ contributions while also helping current students benefit from GSB’s unique Unit program. Endowing a scholarship to help every student have the opportunity to attend a first-choice Unit at least once during his or her four years in the Upper School is an awesome goal. The Unit was so important to so many of us, and Mike was a part of many of those experiences.

Helping today’s students benefit from similar experiences acknowledges Chimes’ passion for travel and ensures that ‘The world is our classroom’ is more than just our school motto.”

Wendy Knudsen Farrell ’85 jumped on the challenge. Shortly after Reunion, she made a five-year pledge to add to this fund. “I appreciate Jeff leading the charge in supporting the school and honoring Mike Chimes’ who meant so much to me when I was at GSB. Mike was a wonderful teacher, advocate, and mentor during my years at GSB, and I knew I wanted to do something to thank him at his retirement for the positive influence he had on my life. It worked out perfectly to have the opportunity to thank him while helping future GSB students at the same time.”

As for Jeff, he adds, “I’m thrilled I could make a difference and so grateful for Wendy’s immediate support.

I hope many more alumni join us. Helping GSB’s current and future students is a terrific feeling. Even better was seeing Mike speechless when we unveiled the wall bearing his name in Hockenbury. It was a wonderful moment to show him what he meant to me and so many others.”

You can help meet the Lager Challenge by sending a check to the Development Office at GSB, c/o Jim Diverio or go online and mark the Lager Unit Scholarship Fund on the form. If you are interested in making a multi-year pledge to this, or any fund, contact Jim Diverio at jdiverio@gsbschool.org or 908-234-1611 x210.

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RETIRING TRUSTEES Ann Drzik P ’17 joined the Board in 2015 after serving as a non-trustee on the Buildings and Grounds Committee from 2014-15. While on the Board, she served as a member of the Finance Committee. She lives in Mendham with her husband, John, and two children, Lara ’17 and Tom. Gia Dunn P ’12,’14,’16 joined the Board in 2012 and has been actively involved at the School since 2008.

She has served as a chair for the Annual Dinner Dance and Auction, team parent for the Booster Club and an Upper School room parent. As a member of the Board, she served on the Advancement/Capital Campaign Committee. She and her husband, Matthew, have three children, Mackenzie ’12, Kendall ’14 and Lucille ’16, and are longtime residents of Bernardsville.

Robert Hemm ’46 joined the Board in 2012, where he has served as a member of the Advancement/ Capital Campaign Committee. He is a 1946 graduate of St. Bernard’s School and an active participant in the GSB Alumni Council. As a Fellow of the Explorers Club, he has hosted multiple alumni events at the club in NYC. He lives in Pelham, NY. Rob O’Leary P ’11 first served on the Board from 2000 until 2014 and was re-elected to another term in 2015.

O’Leary has previously served as the chair of the Advancement Committee and more recently on several Building & Grounds Committees. O’Leary has a daughter and two sons and resides in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

THE ANNUAL PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

FASHION EVENT

was held on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club. This was the first time the event was held in the spring, offering vendors and shoppers a chance to bring out bright colors. On hand for the occasion was NYC-based designer Nicole Miller, whose fashions were featured during the runway show.

Chair Marcella Criscola P ’25, ’26, ’29 (pictured in white)

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ALUMNI NOTES the FORTIES CLASS OF 1948 Longtime friends Mimi Washington Starrett ’48 and Elliott Lindsley ’48 visited campus last spring for Alumni Weekend which marked 70 years since their graduation. Elliott shared, “There were only five originals in my graduating class in 1948, and I think I may be the sole survivor.

There are many changes to see on campus, and most of them seem to be splendid. And the weather is the Appalachian spring I recall from my days at St. Bernard’s.” Mimi’s reflections included, “This is my first reunion in 70 years! I am happy to be here with Elliott Lindsley and see such a beautiful campus.”

the SIXTIES CLASS OF 1968 Chuck Stapp ’68 returned to campus for his reunion this past spring. He shared, “It’s great to see friends from 50 years ago…. and almost all of us still have our hair! We had a lot of fun at reunion!”

Chuck Stapp ’68 and Scott Engelman ’69

the SEVENTIES CLASS OF 1973 Meg Teel Rothberg ’73 shared, “I’m sorry I missed my reunion but I hope my classmates will come out for our 50th in 2023.

On another note, I was fortunate enough to meet actor John Lithgow after his Broadway performance in Stories by Heart, a tribute to his Dad, Arthur Lithgow. This was a huge honor, since a handful of us had his father as our drama teacher in 1973!

I just happened to have my ’73 yearbook with me, which, I might add, he autographed!!!”

Meg Teel Rotherberg ’73 with John Lithgow

CLASS OF 1976 Garfield Scott ’76 returned to campus in the spring and proudly connected with GSB student CJ Licata ’18, who recently broke his state record for distance in the discus throw. Garfield shared, “I have been following the sport since I graduated and I was so proud to learn that someone from my alma mater broke my record. I really wanted to meet CJ and congratulate him.”

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CJ Licata ’18 and Garfield Scott ’76 (see story pg. 13)

the 2000s CLASS OF 2000 Lauren Calone ’00 married Christopher McCallum of Summit, NJ, on Nov 18, 2017, at The River Course on Kiawah Island, SC. In attendance were fellow GSB alumni from the class of 2000 Dr. Vineet Sandhu, Lauren Rubin, Colleen Manner, Elizabeth Parsons, John Mezey.

Lucas Deichl ’01 and his wife Elizabeth welcomed their daughter Mazarine Francis into the world on April 20.

CLASS OF 2003 Peter and Randi Schmidt recently ran into GSB alumni Adam Aresty ’03 and Joe Richburg ’95 while staying on West 16th Street.

Lucas Deichl ’01 and wife welcome new daughter Mazarine Francis

Emily Machernis ’05 and J.P. Botti ’03

Andrew Vazzano ’06 and wife welcome new daughter Ava Rose Vazzano

Therese Dechent ’09 married Michael Dubil in August

J.P. Botti ’03 relocated to Maui during the spring as a part of his service as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard. He reconnected with Emily Machernis ’05 while in Maui.

CLASS OF 2006 Andrew Vazzano ’06 and his wife Jillian welcomed their daughter Ava Rose Vazzano into the world on June 19 weighing 6 lbs 8 oz. at St. Clare’s hospital in Denville, NJ.

CLASS OF 2009 Therese Dechent ’09 married Michael Dubil on August 18, 2018, in Yreka, California where they now reside.

Dr. Vineet Sandhu, Lauren Rubin, Lauren Calone, Colleen Manner, Elizabeth Parsons and John Mezey

??

Randi and Peter Schmidt, Adam Aresty ’03 and Joe Richburg ’95

ALUMNI & FACULTY NOTES While visiting Cape Cod, former faculty Bill and Jen Diamond reconnected with Nita Diverio ’15. The following day they met for breakfast at Perks in Harwich Port, joined by Hayley Diverio ’11 and James Reiner ’14.

GSB alumna Shannon Ludlum ’03 and faculty members Margery Schiesswohl and Eileen Procaccino traveled to see Katherine Giordano ’14 as she performed in Next to Normal in February. The performance took place at The Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University.

Bill Diamond, James Reiner ’14, Jenn Diamond, Nita Diverio ’15 and Hayley Diverio ’11

Andrea Freeman ’95 connected with former faculty Gerry Cirillo and current GSB student Clare Janas ’23 at the 4H Fair of Hunterdon County.

During a three-day Broadway Teachers Conference in New York, performing arts faculty Paul Canada and Margery Schiesswohl connected with several almuni.

Jonathan Sonnenberg ’15, Katie Coscia ’15, Stephanie Amoroso ’11, Margery Schiesswohl, Ryan LaPre ’13, Stark Kirby ’13, Jessica Kundla ’13 and Paul Canada

Shannon Ludlum ’03, Margery Schiesswohl, Katherine Giordano ’14 and Eileen Procaccino

Clare Janas ’23, Gerry Cirillo and Andrea Freeman ’95

During a recent trip to Atlanta for an Innovative Schools Summit, GSB faculty Leo Janas, Sue Petrone and Margery Schiesswohl met former faculty Jean Loizeaux and GSB alumni Chris Burt ’81 and Katy Galli ’11.

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THROWBACK PHOTO RESPONSES Linda Roever ’79 “I believe the photograph was taken between 1977 and 1978.

The person standing second to the right is my old boyfriend Steven Munroe and leaning on the shoulder is Sal Giordano.”

The true story behind the photograph as confirmed

by Peter Schmidt and the photographer Thatcher Keats.

Wendy Knudsen ’85 Michael Perselay ’78 “By the looks of that photo I would say it was taken around 1973 or 1974. The person in the center with the beard is Peter Schmidt. I am pretty sure about this since he was my teacher then. The person with their back turned could be John Menke or David Hickok, most likely John Menke. I could be wrong on all of this but here’s my guess.”

“Regarding the ‘recognize this photo’ section in the latest GSB magazine, I am almost certain that the man in the middle of the photo is Peter Schmidt. The man to his right may be Greg Tucker and in the background on the left Celeste Como, although I am not certain as those two were a few years ahead of me. I do not recognize anyone else (assuming I even recognized the three I named!).”

The photo was taken in the spring of 1982 on a unit trip to Vermont that was part of a “Spirituality in America” unit course that Peter Schmidt taught that year. As part of that unit, the group spent several days living and working in Karme Choling, a Buddhist community in Barnet, Vermont. The photo was taken by one of the students, Thatcher Keats. His brother Shane has his back to the camera.

Hiroko Kurihara is standing next to him. Peter Schmidt is leaning on Richard Eigen and on his left side is George Swain. The woman on the right is Martine Villain.

Peter Colford P ’20, father of Kerry Colford, contacted the alumni office to share, “My wife, Kerry, and I enjoyed nine great days in Italy this summer and, during our last day in Florence, while enjoying the vista atop our hotel rooftop, we ran into Peter and Randy Schmidt, who were enjoying an Italy vacation as well ... even across continents, all roads lead to GSB ...”

The GSB Community would like to hear from you. Share your news by contacting the alumni office.

GSB Alumni Office

(908)234-1611, ext. 292 or cwalker@gsbschool.org.

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OBITUARIES Jason Fishner ’01

of Manchester, VT, passed away on May 14, 2018. Jason is survived by his wife, Renee, daughter, Lucy, brother, Kevin, and parents, Debra and Allen Fishner.

Sherri Gabaeff Goldstein ’82 of Bridgewater,

NJ, passed away on April 9, 2018.

Sherri is survived by her husband, Bennett, a son Jason, a daughter Nicole, her mother, Sheila Gabaeff, her sister Dina Gabaeff Fihn, and her brother David Gabaeff.

Barry Chester Drewes ’67 of Seagrove Beach, FL, passed

away on September 10, 2012. He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Arthlenda Lee-Drewes; daughter, Britt Drewes Farrar (Bill); grandson,

Sam Farrar; sister, Susan Minich; sister-in-law, Audrey Neal; and a great number of nieces and nephews.

Thomas Tingle ’49

of Huntsville, AL, passed away on June 7, 2018. He is survived by his wife, Donna.

Jean Lee Kasman

of Bridgewater, NJ, passed away on October 28, 2017. In addition to being the mother of GSB alumnus Lee Kasman ’76 and grandmother of Charlie Kasman ’16, Jean worked as the GSB school nurse for 17 years. Jean is survived by her husband of 64 years, Walter Kasman, a son, Alan B. Kasman and two daughters, Paula K.

Mastro and Frances E. Kasman; a daughter-in-law, Susan L. Kasman; ten grandchildren; two great grandchildren; a brother, David; and three sisters, Shirley, Anne and Linda.

Angus (Muzz) Murray Lindsley of Morristown, NJ

passed away on May 31, 2018. He was a legendary coach, teacher, and athletic director impacting the lives of many St. Bernard’s students during the 1960s. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Beverly, his children, Leann, Marianna D'Elia (Michael), and Kristen Galdieri (Frank); six grandchildren, Nicholas, Megan, Jack, Paige, Andrew and Tatum; brother Herb Lindsley (Eileen); and many nieces and nephews.

SAVE DATE the

for Alumni Weekend

May 3-4, 2019

*reunion years ending in 4 and 9

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g n i ! n n e p oo O S

The Winter issue of this magazine will include photos of the construction, finished rooms, and initial events in the new Performing Arts and Community Center. The magazine will also honor the many people who made this long-awaited facility possible. You will find the GSB Performing Arts and Community Center has been well worth the wait!

On November 24, a special opening celebration featuring performances from students and over 50 alumni will take place under the direction of Performing Arts Chair Paul Canada. For more information about the alumni performance contact Chanelle Walker at 908-234-1611 x292 or cwalker@gsbschool.org. We welcome all alumni to be a part of this celebration. If you are interested in performing, please get in touch today for more information.

There are still opportunities to help support the campaign effort to complete the funding of this spectacular building. For more details on the fundraising campaign, contact Jim Diverio at x210 or jdiverio@gsbschool.org.

We’re saving you a seat in the new Performing Arts & Community Center.

Here’s your chance to name it!

Now is the time to Save Your Seat and enjoy having your name, or the name of another person(s) you wish to honor, laser-engraved on a plaque placed on one of the 450 seats in the new Performing Arts & Community Center.

For $1,000, you can celebrate a current student, alumnus/alumna, teacher, staff member or friend of GSB by naming a seat in his/her honor.

The engraving you select guarantees that you or your loved one will be a visible part of the GSB theater for years to come.

Go to gsbschool.org/SaveYourSeat to reserve your seat today. Or, contact Meredith Marks at (908) 234-1611 ext. 361 or MMarks@gsbschool.org for more information.

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Gill St. Bernard’s School P.O. Box 604 St. Bernard’s Road Gladstone, NJ 07934-0604 908-234-1611 gsbschool.org facebook.com/gsbschool facebook.com/gsbschoolalumni

ACALLFORNOMINATIONS! The Athletic Hall of Fame honors those who elevate the athletics program at Gill St. Bernard’s and set positive examples of character and integrity. The nominee should have a sustained interest in the school, and nominees may include student-athletes, coaches, teams and special contributors to the athletics program (athletic staff, parents, friends of the school).

Nominations can be made by anyone by completing the online form at www.gsbschool.org/ahof. You may also download the form and mail it to the school address with attention made to Alumni Office/Athletic Hall of Fame. Please be mindful of the eligibility requirements and the minimum requested fields on the Hall of Fame website.

If you have any questions, please contact Chanelle Walker at cwalker@gbschool.org or 908-234-1611 ext. 292.