Beacon Magazine Summer 2021

HARBOR DAY SCHOOL 3443 PACIFIC VIEW DRIVE, CORONA DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA 92625 | HARBORDAY.ORG | SPRING/SUMMER 2021

A LEAGUE OF HER OWN: THE DEDICATION AND WISDOM OF

PAM COLEMAN

IN THIS ISSUE FEATURES A League of Her Own: The Dedication PAGE 04 and Wisdom of Pam Coleman | A Fond Farewell |

PAGE 12

Meet Keri Hehn | Director of Admission and Enrollment |

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Commencement 2021 | PAGE 18 IN THIS ISSUE A Message from the Head of School | PAGE 03 2020-21 Faculty Milestones |

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Student News | PAGE 17 Blue-Gold Competition Day 2021 | PAGE 24 Eighth Grade Musical 2021 | PAGE 25 Imagination Celebration | PAGE 26 New Members of the PAGE 28 Board of Trustees 2021 | Strategic Plan 2021 | PAGE 30 Top of Her Game: PAGE 32 An Interview with Sasha Grumman | Class Notes |

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Campus Project Update | PAGE 38

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Angi Knapp'75 Evans DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Noelle Becker ALUMNI RELATIONS

Deb Devine'81 Lee WRITERS

Noelle Becker Angi Knapp'75 Evans Nancy Fries Deb Devine'81 Lee Moujan Walkow EDITORS

Noelle Becker Lisa Isola Forrest Valdiviez DESIGN

neuNERDesign PHOTOGRAPHY

Noelle Becker Sargeant Creative PRINTING

Orange County Printing Company ©2021 HARBOR DAY SCHOOL (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ) No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission from Harbor Day School.

MISSION Harbor Day School provides an academically challenging, well-balanced education in a nurturing and inclusive family-centered environment. Our faculty inspires curiosity and a desire to learn, and cultivates in students the confidence, strong moral character, and perseverance to thrive. We celebrate diversity and traditions, value collaboration and innovation, and cherish our community and the lifelong relationships developed.

NON-DISCRIMINATION Harbor Day School does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, or other programs administered by the School.

ON THE COVER: Pam Coleman celebrates 42 incredible years of wisdom and dedication at Harbor Day School.

F O L L O W H A R B O R DAY S C H O O L O N S O C I A L M E D I A :

Twitter | @harborday

Instagram | @harborday

Facebook | @harborday

LinkedIn | Find Harbor Day School Alumni

A Message from the Head of School

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If you come together with a mission, and it’s grounded with love and a sense of community, you can make — JOHN LEWIS the impossible possible.

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L

ike children, schools mature in their identity, their personality, and physically. While children grow organically (and whether you want them to or not), schools must grow with intention and purpose. At Harbor Day School, that purpose is conveyed through its mission statement and Strategic Plan.

The Strategic Plan that you will learn about in this issue of The Beacon took several years to create and had input from hundreds of people. A significant aspect of the new plan is the refreshed mission statement for HDS. Rewriting the mission statement took a fair amount of thought and collaboration.

Our school’s multifaceted program strives to do a great deal, and distilling our many goals and dreams for our students into a concise statement proved to be a considerable challenge.

The new statement contains many familiar elements that we considered too important to leave behind. These appear in both the former and new statements as: • • • • • • • • •

ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGING FAMILY- CENTERED WELL- BALANCED NURTURING TRADITIONAL INNOVATIVE CONFIDENCE COLLABORATIVE STRONG MORAL CHARACTER

New words and phrases in our new mission statement that reflect our goals are: • • • • • • • •

INCLUSIVE CURIOSITY DESIRE TO LEARN PERSEVERANCE

Six Core Values accompany our mission statement, and the Strategic Plan addresses each of those values.

Two values that appear prominently in this Beacon are Excellent Teachers and Vibrant Community. You will read about physical education teacher and department chair Pam Coleman, who retired after 42 years of teaching and coaching at HDS. Thousands of students learned how to jump rope and jump serve from Mrs. Coleman.

Hundreds of colleagues benefitted from her dedication and collegiality. Without question, Pam Coleman is an example of an excellent teacher. Additionally, our vibrant community is highly evident at graduation. We held graduation ceremonies outdoors this year and confidently sent the class of 2021 off to high school. As always, we urged these newest members of our alumni community to stay in touch and return to visit. We hope to see many of them as we open our new building, especially since they gave future eighth grade classes a foosball table to enjoy on the new Eighth Grade Deck.

THRIVE DIVERSITY COMMUNITY LIFELONG RELATIONSHIPS

You can see that we promise a lot in our mission, and we are honored to work toward achieving that mission every day.

I hope that you enjoy reading this issue of The Beacon.

As members of our vibrant community, I urge any of you who no longer regularly visit the campus as a student or current parent to stay in touch with us, also.

Gradatim ad Summum, Angi Evans Read the updated mission statement on the opposite page.

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A LEAGUE OF HER OWN: THE DEDICATION AND WISDOM OF PAM COLEMAN

By Nancy Gelston Fries

T

he year Pam Coleman joined Harbor Day School as a physical education teacher, Ronald Reagan was elected president, John McEnroe won the U.S. Open in tennis, and if you had to miss an episode of Dallas, you recorded it on your VCR. The year was 1980.

Like the rest of the world, Harbor Day’s PE program has changed dramatically since Mrs. Coleman arrived on campus. Head of School and alumna, Angi Evans’75, describes PE prior to Mrs. Coleman’s tenure as “pretty ad hoc.” “A lot of PE was along the enjoyment of what the teacher liked,” she said. With the dawning of “The Coleman Era,” that quickly changed.

“I was always really interested in physical education and history,” said Mrs. Coleman. “I knew I wanted to be a teacher, but I wasn’t really sure what direction I wanted to go. Then Title IX passed in 1972, and that made me decide to go into physical education, because of the opportunities that opened up for girls.”

MRS. COLEMAN'S FACULTY PHOTO IN THE LATE 80S.

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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A LEAGUE OF HER OWN: THE DEDICATION AND WISDOM OF PAM COLEMAN

MRS. COLEMAN SPEAKS THROUGH A LOUD SPEAKER DURING THE BLUE-GOLD TRACK MEET IN 1982.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

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s a new graduate of Springfield College in Massachusetts, Mrs. Coleman seized her own life-changing opportunity when she accepted a job offer from former headmaster John Marder. Raised in Connecticut, she had never been west of Pennsylvania. Two weeks later, she courageously headed to California, leaving behind her husband, Mike Coleman, who was still finishing school at Springfield.

Forty-two years later, it’s safe to say the job worked out.

Before long, Mr. Coleman moved to California, working at the Downey YMCA before landing his own job at Harbor Day in 1982. The Colemans became entrenched in the Harbor Day community and culture, had a son, Michael'04, and shaped the PE program into what it is today.

“I loved being able to teach yearround outside,” Mrs. Coleman said, “and the big plus for me was the freedom to develop my own curriculum.”

Taking full advantage of that freedom, Mrs. Coleman took Harbor Day PE from ad hoc to quite intentional.

She aimed to cultivate both athletic and

cognitive skills in girls and boys through programs like intramural and interscholastic athletics, dance, team handball, and even unicycle riding.

Her creative approach to daily PE class tapped both current events and the curriculum for each grade, deftly weaving them into age-appropriate games, inspiring budding athletes while also building essential skills.

“She’s very intentional about the physical skills,” said Mrs. Evans.

“Instead of just making a goofy relay, she’d attach it to what was going on in the greater world. When the Mars rover was landing, she put a whole bunch of things in the middle of the gym and created a relay where you get the things you would need to create a landing module.”

Courtney Zarrilli '92, one of several faculty/alumni, recalls how Mrs. Coleman made PE accessible and fun for everyone. “I was never a supercompetitive or sporty kid, but I enjoyed her classes and I enjoyed PE,” Ms. Zarrilli said. “I remember this one game where the floor was lava and you had to build a bridge with your team without anyone falling in. It was this huge team-building activity, and it was one of the best games we played, ever.”

“I think of her sort of as a trailblazer for having this kind of PE program in elementary school,” said fifth grade teacher Caren Kelly'88, who is both an alumna and a current parent. “It’s structured play. The way she would set up games and activities really helped facilitate that encouragement to be involved. You never wanted to sit out.”

A generation later, Mrs. Coleman’s approach to teaching PE has impacted Ms. Zarrilli’s approach to teaching the arts. “I really try to be inclusive for all the kids,” she said. “Even though I wasn’t super-athletic, I still had fun in PE, and just because everyone isn’t super-artistic doesn’t mean they can’t have fun in ceramics.”

Character development through PE has been as critical to Mrs. Coleman as developing students’ gross motor and athletic skills. She places importance on being inclusive, developing an appreciation for movement, learning when to play recreationally rather than competitively, and becoming an intelligent spectator. “There are a lot of lessons to be learned in sports,” she said. “And that doesn’t mean every person that plays sports is good at sports, but you have opportunities to practice those skills that you can use later on in life.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

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Character development through PE has been as critical to Mrs. Coleman as developing students’ gross motor and athletic skills.

She places importance on being inclusive, developing an appreciation for movement, learning when to play recreationally rather than competitively, and becoming an intelligent spectator.

“

A LEAGUE OF HER OWN: THE DEDICATION AND WISDOM OF PAM COLEMAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

LEFT:

MR. AND MRS. COLEMAN IN 2015. CENTER TOP: THE COLEMAN’S WITH PHYSICAL EDUCATION AWARD WINNERS GRIFFIN LEWIS, JENNA MCCONNAUGHEY, AND PRESCOTT COOK DURING GRADUATION IN 2017.

COACH JOSHUA PARKS AND MRS. COLEMEN WITH THEIR HDS FAMILY “THE CHAMPIONS” IN 2016. RIGHT: THE PE DEPARTMENT IN 2016 MRS. AND MR. COLEMAN AND CHRISTINA MAUSER.

CENTER BOTTOM:

M

rs. Coleman has kept her fresh approach to PE by being a lifelong learner, both formally and informally.

“It’s always more fun when you have something new to teach and it’s not just the same old same old,” she said. Mrs. Evans marvels at Mrs. Coleman’s thirst for learning. “I asked her, ‘Where did you get that idea?’ and she was on Pinterest,” she recalls. “Still after 41 years she was doing all that.”

“One of the nice things about Harbor Day is that they really encourage professional development,” said Mr. Coleman, who shares his wife’s curiosity for learning. “There are state and national PE conferences you can go to, and they allowed us to go to those and learn new things.”

That sets an example for all Harbor Day faculty to grow in their careers. “PE doesn’t feel like it should be academic, but it kind of is, since it’s about the kids’ social, emotional, and physical development,” Mrs. Kelly said.

Establishing Athletic Excellence

“T

he Coleman Era” will always be remembered for the establishment and success of Harbor Day’s interscholastic athletic program. Mrs. Coleman herself has coached volleyball, basketball, and track and field. Under her leadership, the girls’ volleyball team became a local powerhouse, producing countless high

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school and NCAA athletes. Of note: At least one Harbor Day graduate has played in the women’s Division 1 NCAA volleyball championship each of the past 14 years. “That’s pretty amazing that this little school has that much potential,” said Mrs. Coleman, clearly not taking credit for the impressive streak.

“Mrs. Coleman encouraged us to be our best athletic selves,” said Mrs. Kelly, who played volleyball at Harbor Day, in high school, and in college. “That was something that was big in my life.”

She added that Mrs. Coleman influenced her not only as an athlete, but as a colleague today.

“A lot of things that I learned from her classes changed how I approached sports as a team player, how I step in when people need help or encouragement, and how I work with colleagues,” Mrs. Kelly said.

“Everything is a group effort, it’s shared, it’s working toward a common goal.”

Even with 20 years of experience coaching basketball, PE teacher Joshua Parks has learned from Mrs. Coleman as well. “I’ve always had a strong work ethic, but she’s just next level,” said Mr. Parks, who joined Harbor Day in 2016. “This is her livelihood and her life. She absolutely pours her sweat and tears into the Harbor Day physical education program. Her dedication to her craft and preparation have really been instilled in me.”

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End of an Era

S

o what’s next for Mrs. Coleman?

As a founding member of the Corona Genealogical Society, she plans to continue pursuing her interest in history. She will also indulge her love for reading alongside other former faculty in a book club. She also plans to travel.

While she won’t miss the commute from her home in Corona or writing report cards, she said she will miss what’s most important: the kids. “One of my favorite

She’s such a fabric of the school—I think we’re not even going to know until she’s gone. I worry there’s going to be a thread that’s pulled that leaves a giant hole somewhere because she’s just part of the air we breathe.

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A Lifelong Learner

— ANGI EVANS'75 HEAD OF SCHOOL

things about my job teaching PE is that I have the opportunity to watch my students grow up from age 5 to 14.

This is a joy for me. Most teachers have students for one year and they get passed on.”

Over the years, Mrs. Coleman has touched thousands of students spanning two full generations. She consistently

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

MRS. COLEMAN (CENTER) GETTING A BIG HUG FROM ALUMNAE AT OUR ALUMNI PARENT SPRING FIESTA IN 2021.

showed her dedication to the students through her involvement schoolwide, beyond athletics. “If you’re going to be an effective teacher you have to be a part of the community,” she said.

She not only knew every student’s name, but she used to choreograph for the school musical and go on outdoor education trips. At fundraising events, “they’ll bring the tents and they’re passing out water,” Mrs. Kelly said of the Colemans. “She’s just such an amazing model of character and selflessness that goes beyond just teaching PE.” She is also supportive and engaged with her colleagues.

“She always goes to anything honoring anyone else,” Mrs. Evans said, noting her frequent changes of clothes for events like after-school baby showers. Mrs. Evans also trusted Mrs. Coleman’s input on various committees, including one implementing a character-building program and another for hiring the new Lower School Director.

Now, Mrs Coleman is the one being replaced. Asked if her departure will leave a gap, Mrs. Evans said, “She’s such a fabric of the school—I think we’re not even going to know until she’s gone. I worry there’s going to be a thread that’s pulled that leaves a giant hole somewhere because she’s just part of the air we breathe.” Mrs. Coleman handpicked her own successor, former kindergarten associate Katie Curci, and mentored her all last year, Mrs. Evans said. She also spent time showing her PE colleagues her meticulous recordkeeping system, through which she tracks and monitors every student’s assessments.

“This is her program,” said Mr. Parks, noting that he and the rest of the PE faculty will continue her innovative games and traditions. “She’s the heart and soul of Harbor Day PE.” Mrs. Coleman’s legacy at Harbor Day will last long after she is gone, but in truth, the Coleman Era is not over.

Mr. Coleman will continue as the Athletics and Facilities Director. He will also coach for the volleyball, basketball, and track and field teams. No word on whether the couple has a healthy competition to see who will have the longest Harbor Day tenure. For now, Mrs. Coleman takes the prize. n ———————————————————————————————————— Nancy Fries is a freelance writer, college essay advisor, and the mother of two grown sons.

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

THE PE DEPARTMENT TEAM IN 2021 (LEFT TO RIGHT): JOSHUA PARKS, PAM COLEMAN, JO PICKARD, AND KATIE CURCI.

TOP PHOTO: MRS. COLEMAN TEACHING PE IN 2015. BOTTOM PHOTO: MRS. COLEMAN (LEFT) WITH STUDENTS AFTER REFEREEING A FACULTY AND STUDENT VOLLEYBALL GAME IN 2019.

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What HDS has to say

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“

— GRAHAM GAUTHIER

| MATH TEACHER

— MEGGEN STOCKSTILL

— JEFF PETERS

FOURTH GRADE TEACHER

MATH TEACHER

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Pam ALWAYS supports the music program. She is the biggest cheerleader of the holiday programs, Grandparents’ Day performances, and the Eighth Grade Musical. She is a wonderful example of how to be a team player. I’m so grateful that I’ve had these last seven years to work with her and get to know her. Thank you for your example, Pam! — YUNGA WEBB

| MUSIC TEACHER

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Pam is a Legend at Harbor Day School!

She wears so many hats and excels at all of them.

She is a fantastic educator and leader. Her secret talent is her ability to find information. If you have ever been on a search committee with her, you know what I am talking about! She could have had a job in intelligence for the FBI. She is kind and genuinely cares about her students.

As a parent, I am so grateful my kids went through her program. They love Mrs. Coleman!

Congrats on an amazing career, and cheers to the future. You will be so missed.

— STACEY HAMMOND

| ART TEACHER

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CONGRATULATIONS, PAM! THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE SPANNED YOUR TENURE AT HDS ARE LUCKY TO HAVE LEARNED FROM THE BEST! ENJOY RETIREMENT!

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| PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER

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— JO PICKARD

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You have left your mark on so many!

Harbor Day has been fortunate to have you on the athletic field guiding our young athletes for so many years. You have been an inspiration to us all. Best of luck on your well-deserved retirement.

All the best!

Pam, you have been a part of my HDS tapestry since we became colleagues in 1996. I especially remember with fondness our trip to Summercore in 1998, where we shared a room, learned a lot of technology, and enjoyed great food and camaraderie at the Nobles School in Massachusetts.

I wish you all the best in your retirement.

Enjoy!

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What can I NOT say about Pam! I have been at Harbor Day now for three years and work with her every day. She has been my mentor, my leader, my go-to for ideas, and most importantly—my FRIEND! Pam’s energy and her old school work ethic are second to none!

Never a day went by where she was not only the first one at our office but the last one to leave. Pam has taught me how to be a better leader and work through problems by communication with my peers and administrators.

I will truly miss our long conversations, not only about PE, but about life!

Pam, thank you for your motivation, endless patience, and persistence to help me become the teacher I am today!

Remember, retirement is a time to look back with satisfaction, to look forward with anticipation, and to fill each day with enjoyment! It’s now time for YOU to relax and play. Look to the future with eagerness and live each moment to the fullest!

Enjoy your retirement!

YOU DESERVE IT!!!!

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

about PAM COLEMAN

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Thank you for taking me in as a volleyball coach three years ago. It changed everything for me. I came to Harbor Day as a Kindergarten Associate and was quickly welcomed into the athletic program. I learned how much I loved coaching, and I thank you for allowing me to be a coach for middle school volleyball. I also want to thank you for believing in me and that I could become a PE teacher. I was honored that someone who created such an incredible program believed in me and that I could be a part of it and keep it moving forward. I have learned so much from you over the last year. Thank you for everything, and I wish you all the happiness, rest, and comfort in your retirement!

— AMY GRACE

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| MATH SPECIALIST

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| ART TEACHER

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— KATIE RITZ

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Congratulations on your retirement! You will be very missed at HDS, but wishing you all the best, and lots of relaxation! Thank you for all your love, dedication, and commitment to Harbor Day!

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What an amazing legacy you leave behind! I can only hope to leave the type of impact that you have in so many students’ lives. I hope that retirement brings you all the rest and relaxation.

Lord knows you deserve it!

Pam, you have been a wonderful colleague throughout the years! Thank you for welcoming me and for being such an inspiring educator. You will be missed!

— JOEL MAKI

| MUSIC TEACHER

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Pam, you are the bedrock of Harbor Day. Your commitment to educating our kids is an inspiration, and I’m constantly in awe of the amount of energy, enthusiasm, and thought you put into everything you do to make the PE program and our community the best it can be.

You are irreplaceable and will be incredibly missed. Best wishes for a well-deserved retirement.

— ETHNEA PORTER

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| PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER

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— KATIE CURCI

SECOND GRADE TEACHER

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I had the pleasure of coaching middle school track almost 15 years ago and meeting Pam and Mike when they were managing a district track meet for HDS. My first impression is how kind she was to her athletes as well as how she and Mike were so incredibly organized in running that track meet. What a blessing for me to come to Harbor Day School in 2011 to work with her as a long-term substitute for Christina Mauser. [Pam] is as genuine and sincere as anyone I have ever met. The Colemans have set the standard here at Harbor Day for quality athletics. Pam’s patience is so admirable, and she works harder than most. I appreciate her longevity at one school and that so many traditions we have at HDS are because she started those over the years. I wish you the very best, Pam, in retirement. And I hope you will continue to enjoy your book clubs. Please keep in touch with your many fans!

| FIRST GRADE ASSOCIATE

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— DIANE BJELLAND

CLICK THIS QR CODE TO READ MORE QUOTES FROM ALUMNI AND FRIENDS ON MRS. COLEMAN’S KUDOBOARD:

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A Fond Farewell ANGEL ANN WATERS

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ngel Ann Waters has worked with nonprofit businesses for over 20 years. Since 2014, Ms. Waters has brought her passion and love of event planning to Harbor Day School. A remarkably skilled planner and organizer, Ms. Waters planned countless events, including the Ladies’ Event, Men’s Event, and the annual Fall Benefit. Her calm demeanor lent itself to working with parent volunteers. Ms. Waters built such a good rapport with volunteers that many parent volunteers continued to help on other committees to continue their involvement with the school. Sadly, Ms. Waters moved to Austin, Texas, to be closer to family. We wish her all the best and hope she comes back to visit!

From the moment Angel joined Harbor Day, she warmed the hearts of “ the parents and colleagues she worked with. As a parent volunteer for Grandparents' Day during Angel’s first year, I was fortunate to work closely with her, and in recent years, we became teammates. Angel made her work look effortless, yet so much time and care went into the work that she did. She made sure every event she worked on for The School was fun, unique, and as special as it could be. I was probably never more impressed than last fall when Angel produced the virtual Fall Benefit—in a matter of weeks! A live band, trivia contest, and teams that enabled families to socialize in small groups throughout the evening brought a much-welcome night of entertainment. We will truly miss Angel’s creativity, patience, sense of humor, work ethic, and complete dedication to our school. I, personally, will miss my friend.

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— CHRISTI VEAL | Campaign Manager

HEATHER VICTORSON

H

eather Victorson came to Harbor Day in 2018 after having worked for a youth-based nonprofit in Uganda. Since then, Ms.Victorson led the annual fund efforts for Harbor Day School. We will miss Heather’s cheerful demeanor and willingness to help whenever a colleague needed assistance. We wish Ms. Victorson all the best as she has moved to Northern California to work at Stanford.

Heather and I worked closely on many annual fund related projects. “ Heather’s strong work ethic and helpfulness will be missed. She did everything from coordinating annual fund-related events to analyzing an endless amount of data. I wish her the greatest success in her new role at Stanford. Please keep in touch.

— ROSA CRICHTON | Database Manager

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BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

STACEY HAMMOND

By Moujan Walkow

T

o know Stacey Hammond is to love her. Thankfully, she is easy to get to know. Since 2010, her exuberance, warmth, connection with others, and sense of fun and creativity could be seen and sensed by everyone at Harbor Day School—her students and colleagues alike. Now, after 11 years at Harbor Day, Mrs. Hammond leaves to relaunch her former art studio, For Your Imagination, where both children and adults can experience her gifts of art and teaching.

Mrs. Hammond embodies the unique ability to create an atmosphere of joyful experimentation while providing the structure and discipline children need to learn and thrive. In the art classroom or outdoor space, Mrs. Hammond made sure to provide an environment where her students felt free to take risks and explore, thereby producing outstanding artwork that reflected their individuality. As one of her former students, Ava Walkow '19, recalls, “She let kids express their creativity and made every kid feel special, like a ‘funky monkey’!” The results of her instruction speak for themselves: Her students have placed first at state-level competitions for artistic excellence and have won numerous awards at Youth Art Month (YAM), Imagination Celebration, the Irvine Fine Arts Center 3-D, the Color It Orange Exhibition, and the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts.

Taking inspiration from children’s literature, the art world, favorite artists, travel, and her students, Mrs. Hammond shared her love of art and instilled the same in her students. Her passion for multimedia and cross-cultural art influenced the projects she presented to her students, who were always encouraged to think “outside the box.” She famously fused pop art with digital photography, providing her students opportunities to use oil pastels, pens, colored paper, and other media to create unique, colorful self-images that made a splash across the school. She incorporated music in her instruction to inspire students and set the tone for the projects they were working on. For example, students would rock out to African music while creating African pinch pots. Another important factor in her teaching style is her sense of fun and humor, perhaps most evidenced by the quintessential Ugly Fish Ceramic project, based on the children’s book Ugly Fish, by Kara LaReau. When asked about this project, Mrs. Hammond beamed. “Hooking my little artists with an outlandish lesson promotes fabulous brainstorming sessions,” she said. “These fun themes ignite the imagination. Every crazy creature is unique, and every year is a surprise! That is what our Ugly Fish unit is all about!”

It’s no surprise that Mrs. Hammond’s love of art and teaching has taken her around the world—she has spent summers teaching art in Tanzania, Costa Rica, China, and Ecuador. And the world certainly is Mrs. Hammond’s oyster. We all wish her well on her next big adventure! n

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A Fond Farewell

DIANE BJELLAND

By Moujan Walkow

D

iane Bjelland, first grade associate teacher, track coach, and beacon of cheer, kindness, and positivity, is retiring after nine years of teaching at Harbor Day School. If you asked Mrs. Bjelland from where she draws her joyful energy, love of children, and selfless service, she would say her faith. Enveloped in this goodness, Mrs. Bjelland spread it across the school. Through the many years, her students reaped the benefits of her gentle guidance and exemplar work ethic. The first grade teachers relied on her organization, foresight, experience, and consistency. All her colleagues counted on her for a smile, a kind word, or a warm embrace. Mrs. Bjelland was always there when needed, happily offering a helping hand. “Diane was a ray of sunshine in our first grade room,” says first grade teacher Megan Carter. “She started the day with a huge smile and always put our students before anyone and anything else. If you needed something, she was always five steps ahead of you; she had already thought of it and completed it.” Mrs. Bjelland’s assiduousness became evident in every aspect of her job: She entered school at 7:00 a.m., finished every project with efficiency and care, worked with students in small groups, collaborated with her team, helped manage the classroom, and utilized her artistic talents to lead children in various art projects. Every day, she exemplified the highest level of professionalism.

Mrs. Bjelland’s love for Harbor Day School showed in both her actions and words. At the end-of-year faculty lunch, she shared her feelings with her colleagues. “I’m going to miss it here,” she said. “We are all so lucky to work here at this wonderful school.” Mrs. Carter remarked, “She was the biggest cheerleader for Harbor Day School; she took pride in working at [The School] and loved her job. She will be sorely missed.”

As any teacher who has worked with Mrs. Bjelland would attest, she is a thoughtful and loyal friend and colleague who will be missed by all—teachers, parents, and students alike. We all cheer her on in this next chapter of her life. Happy retirement, Mrs. Bjelland! n

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BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

A Fond Farewell

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING FACULTY...

PAIGE CZEPIEL'15

SYDNEY LAKRITZ

JALENA FOLKS

JENNIFER MORITZ

FOR TEACHING AT HARBOR DAY DURING THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR. VICTORIA PEPE

CRAIG POLIN

ALISON SCHUTZ

HAILEY VITTRUP

2020-21 Milestones Faculty and Staff Years of Service at Harbor Day School 10 YEARS 5 YEARS

Olivia Baumgartner

Chaz Konkle

Chatom Arkin

Noelle Becker

Amy Grace

Director of Development

Systems Administrator

English & Literature Teacher, Dean of Students

Director of Communications

Math Specialist

Joshua Parks

Jaime Zwerling

Alexa Reddin

Leslie Yagar

Physical Education Teacher

First Grade Teacher

Third Grade Teacher

Art Teacher

15 YEARS

25 YEARS

40 YEARS

Violeta Cambra

Susan Johnson

Meggen Stockstill

Carole Kredel

Spanish Teacher

Director of Upper School

Math Teacher

Fourth Grade Associate

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

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Meet Keri Hehn Director of Admission and Enrollment

By Noelle Becker

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s. Keri Hehn joined Harbor Day School in July 2021 as the School’s first-ever Director of Admission and Enrollment. Previously, at the Buckley School in Los Angeles, Ms. Hehn was the Associate Director of Admission, created two classes in the science department, and coached swimming. In addition, she was a class advisor, and led the student ambassador program.

A former member of the US National Swim Team, Ms. Hehn swam at the World Championships, Pan American Games, and World University Games. The Harbor Day School community is thrilled to welcome Ms. Hehn.

How did you get into admission work?

SOME OF MS. HEHN’S FAVORITE THINGS

I was very passionate about academics and athletics at my previous school. One day my head of school approached me and asked if I had ever thought about working in the admission office.

He said that the way I spoke about the school and engaged with current families is exactly what prospective families needed—a person to share the word about what is happening on campus and make others want to be a part of the community.

What are your primary goals in your first year as Director of Admission and Enrollment?

I am excited to immerse myself into the community at Harbor Day. I can’t wait to visit all the classrooms and see where the magic happens. I love attending school events and being involved with students. The best part of my job is that I am able to be with current students and then share all the exciting things that are happening on campus with prospective families.

You also have some teaching experience. What subjects have you taught?

FAVORITE BOOK:

The Boys in the Boat

By Daniel James Brown

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM:

Lakers

I have taught high school biology, marine science, anatomy and physiology, and lower school/middle school PE.

What has changed in admission work since you started working at independent schools?

In the “season of the pandemic,” it was interesting to try new virtual events and be able to cater specifically to the interests of prospective students. For example, being able to host mini events for athletics, the arts, and elective courses. I felt there was higher engagement due to the fact families did not have to come to campus during dinner time. I was also able to use more student ambassadors to speak about their experience at school.

What are some of the tools you need to be successful in the Office of Admission and Enrollment?

FAVORITE SCHOOL SUBJECT:

Science

PODCAST YOU’RE LISTENING TO NOW:

Inside with Brett Hawke (Swimming)

You need to be approachable and passionate about the school and able to share all the wonderful things that are happening on campus.

What are your favorite hobbies?

I enjoy paddle boarding, swimming, going to concerts, and attending sporting events.

FAVORITE FOOD:

Chips and Salsa

Tell us something about yourself that people might not know about you.

I swam on the U.S. National team with Michael Phelps. Swimming gave me the opportunity to coach a swim team in Maui, Hawaii, from June–August for six summers! While in Maui, I found a new passion for snorkeling with turtles. n

16

FAVORITE COLOR: Red

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

STUDENT NEWS

By Noelle Becker

NIRVAAN MEETS APPLE CEO TIM COOK VIRTUALLY DURING APPLE’S 2021 SWIFT STUDENTS CHALLENGE AWARDS CEREMONY.

Harbor Day is excited to announce that fourth grade student NIRVAAN is one of the 350 winners worldwide in Apple’s 2021 Swift Students Challenge! Winners of the contest got to attend a special event and present their winning submissions to Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook. Mr. Cook was quoted as saying to Nirvaan, “It’s been amazing that you have been able to do all that you’ve done—and you are 10 years old!” All the other winners this year were 15 years of age or older. Nirvaan worked diligently for many months to create his app.

What is the name of the app? Think Before You Throw!

How did you come up with the idea? I think the Earth is an amazing planet and should be cared for by everyone, so I made a game that teaches kids how to recycle. We all need to take our part to stop pollution and conserve.

What does the app do? The app shows you an object and three bins (Recycle, Trash, and Compost), and you pick which bin the object goes in. If it is correct, it shows a happy message, and if it’s wrong, then it reveals what bin it’s supposed to go in. There are multiple objects that go in different bins.

How do you feel about winning the challenge? Out of this world! I was so happy on the day I woke up to find out I had won—I was jumping up and down! Everyone in my fourth grade class was amazed when my teacher, Mrs. Chiao, explained what the challenge was, and I got to share the game with my classmates. The best surprise was that I got to present to Mr. Tim Cook (CEO of Apple) about my apps and my story. The fact that I got to present to the CEO of Apple was amazing, inspiring, and motivating.

Can we find the app in the app store? The recycling game is not yet in the app store, but I have two other apps in the app store: one math app and one AR building app. They can be found at HTTPS://TINY.ONE/NSAPPS.

The Swift Student Challenge showcases students’ passion for coding. They are able to create an app on a topic of their choice. The Harbor Day community gives Nirvaan a standing O for his incredible achievement! n

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

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—

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COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS GIVEN BY

“

“

I am beyond proud to be a part of this grade and cannot believe we have made it this far. If there is one thing you take away from my speech, I hope you remember not only the memories before COVID-19 but also the community you have made this year. History books will explain how school was during the coronavirus, but those books will not be able to capture how it brought the Harbor Day Class of 2021 together. I hope you remember that Harbor Day School was once your family and it will always be your family. Thank you!

MADDIE LEWIS'21

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

Commencement 2021 Harbor Day School held the Class of 2021 Commencement Ceremony on June 11, 2021, outside on the back blacktop with the brand-new campus project in the background.

The Harbor Day community was thrilled to come together and celebrate these graduating eighth grade students.

“

Congratulations! It is finally time to celebrate you. You have worked so hard to get here today. Some of you have been here since kindergarten, while others have joined the class along the way. No matter how long your time has been at Harbor Day, you each have contributed to this unique class during this unique time, and you definitely are leaving your legacy today.

First, you’ve always been known as an energetic, enthusiastic, and talented class. The Class of 2021 always shows up in full force, no matter what. We saw this during Turkey Bowls, outdoor education trips to AstroCamp, Catalina Island and Joshua Tree, and track meets and Blue-Gold events. You were always all in, all the way… …Next, your class will be remembered by your ability to persevere. You definitely persevered academically. As you know, Harbor Day is an academically challenging school, and part of our program is to strive for excellence in the classroom. When I hear of people outside of the HDS community chalking up this year to a “lost year” of learning, I couldn’t disagree more. You have learned a lot this year, and you have successfully completed this rigorous Harbor Day School program, just like all the classes before you.

However, you will be known for your perseverance because of all the challenges you’ve faced while pursuing your Harbor Day School studies. We know this year was not what you envisioned or how you anticipated your eighth grade year to be when you were younger. The pandemic brought so many difficulties and required us all to adapt by taking temperature screenings, wearing masks, staying within a cohort for the majority of the day, keeping socially distant, and adapting to all the new technology demands. Regardless, you persevered in spite of these challenges and kept learning. And this is an important life lesson, which you absolutely have learned as evidenced by your yearbook dedication yesterday. You dedicated the yearbook to future eighth grade classes, and I quote you from your inscription “We, the class of 2021, urge you—future eighth classes—as leaders to overcome unexpected challenges and add to the positive environment at our school. Occasionally, traditions end and new ones must be created. Look at failure as an opportunity and never let adversity overpower your ability to rise to an occasion.” …We all have a lot to be grateful for. I am grateful to you all, Class of 2021. You’ve shown tremendous character, you’ve been impeccable leaders during a remarkable year, and we will never forget you. Congratulations and come back often.

“

— SUSAN JOHNSON |

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

DIRECTOR OF UPPER SCHOOL

19

2021 Graduation Awards

1

2

3

——————————————————————————————————————————————— 1. Head of School Award | Maddie Lewis and Head of School Angi Evans 2. Service Award | Keaton Kessler and Director of Upper School Susan Johnson. 3. Anson Chen’17 presents the Spirit Award to Charlie Geary and Rodin Zarrabi

4

5

——————————————————————————————————————————————— 4. Mrs. Coleman presents the Physical Education Award to Nicole Thorp and Andrew Niccol 5. Ms. Webb and Mr. Maki present the Performing Arts Award to Evan Pak and Maya Fischbein

FULL LIST OF 2021 AWARDS Head of School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maddie Lewis Mathmatics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cindy Lin English. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Niccol Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yoyo Li Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nicole Thorp History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cindy Lin Spanish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grace Fogel Latin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cindy Lin Mandarin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annika Ting Art. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yoyo Li Performing Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maya Fischbein Evan Pak Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter Klein Physical Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Niccol Nicole Thorp Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keaton Kessler Spirit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charlie Geary Rodin Zarrabi

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BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

Graduation 2021

The alumni speaker from the class of 2017, Kaylana Lee, shared these words with the graduates:

“

I want to recognize how this class in particular has been through so much, and I want to commend each and every one of you for making it here. It definitely hasn’t been easy or what any of us expected.

Middle school is hard enough with balancing academics, social life, and external pressures.

Add on top of that a global pandemic, and I’m blown away by how each of you has been able to make it here.

Let go of your expectations because no matter what you think high school is going to look like for you, it’s never going to be exactly what you think. Go in with an open mind about people, classes, everything. Try new things and dive in headfirst, and don’t hold yourself to unrealistic expectations.

“

— KAYLANA LEE |

————————————————————————————————————— FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT:

Annika Ting, Mackenzie Dollander, Yasmin Cavner, Ceyda Shamsai, Siena Mahdi, Ethan White, Cindy Lin, Charlie Geary, EvaLouise Alexander, Kylie Lykos, Jack Donahoo, Iris Lu SECOND ROW LEFT TO RIGHT:

Sienna Moatazedi, Jake Pirnazar, Owen Majit, Mark James Rosing, Megan Bartz, Rodin Zarrabi, Charlotte Warmington, Charlotte Jordan, Fiona Rowe, Jack Cudzil, Yoyo Li, Grace Burke THIRD ROW LEFT TO RIGHT:

Conrad Cook, Maya Fischbein, Madison Lewis, Daniel Liang, Andrew Niccol, Declan Murray, Thomas Hofer, Jonathan Shi, Braden Smith, Christopher O’Neil, Claire Casey, Keaton Kessler BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT:

Evan Pak, Nicole Thorp, Charli Krotts, Tyler Godfrey, Grace Fogel, Cameron Massoudi, Adam Mead, Carter Klein, Hailey Peykoff, Jackson Bryden, Caden Isola

—————————————————————————————————————

1

3

2

CLASS OF 2017

4

5

6

—————————————————————————— '17

1. Spirit Award presenter, Anson Chen with his mother, Linda Lai, and sister, Adeleine 2. Charli and Olivia'19 Krotts

3. Kelly Burke, Malia Malikowski, Christine Burke'02 Malikowski, Asher Malikowski, Suzi Bishop'75 Burke, Grace Burke, and Brian Burke

————————————————————— BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT:

4. Samantha'18, Claire, Emily'18, and Jackson Casey

Russ Klein'80, Carter Klein, Sean Rowe'86, Fiona Rowe, Kevin Smith'89. Braden Smith, Natalie Stamires'83 Donahoo, Jack Donahoo FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT:

5. Sally Peckenpaugh'87 Bartz, Megan, and Henry'19 Bartz 6. Jordan'12, Keaton, and Jaden'19 Kessler 7

7. Conrad and Prescott'17 Cook

'87

Sally Peckenpaugh Bartz, Megan Bartz, Mark James Rosing, Jim Rosing '89

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

21

EIGHTH GRADE HIGH SCHOOL MATRICULATION LIST EvaLouise Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Megan Bartz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newport Harbor High School Jackson Bryden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pacifica Christian High School Grace Burke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Margaret's Episcopal School Claire Casey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Yasmin Cavner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Conrad Cook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newport Harbor High School Jack Cudzil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mater Dei High School Mackenzie Dollander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Corona del Mar High School Jack Donahoo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fairmont School Maya Fischbein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mater Dei High School Grace Fogel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JSerra Catholic High School Charlie Geary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newport Harbor High School Tyler Godfrey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mater Dei High School Thomas Hofer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mater Dei High School Caden Isola. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Margaret's Episcopal School Charlotte Jordan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mater Dei High School Keaton Kessler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mater Dei High School Carter Klein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Charli Krotts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mater Dei High School Madison Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Margaret's Episcopal School Yoyo Li. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Daniel Liang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Cindy Lin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Loomis Chaffee School Iris Lu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Kylie Lykos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JSerra Catholic High School Siena Mahdi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newport Harbor High School Owen Majit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Lawrenceville School Cameron Massoudi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Margaret's Episcopal School Adam Mead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mater Dei High School Sienna Moatazedi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newport Harbor High School Declan Murray. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mater Dei High School Andrew Niccol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Margaret's Episcopal School Christopher O'Neil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Corona del Mar High School Evan Pak. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Hailey Peykoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newport Harbor High School Jake Pirnazar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Mark James Rosing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Corona del Mar High School Fiona Rowe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Millikan High School Ceyda Shamsai. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Jonathan Shi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Braden Smith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mater Dei High School Nicole Thorp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JSerra Catholic High School Annika Ting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Charlotte Warmington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newport Harbor High School Ethan White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School Rodin Zarrabi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage Hill School

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BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

CLASS OF 2017 MATRICULATION LIST Aidan Anvaripour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . American University of Paris Shauna Bahri. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of California, Berkeley Patrick Beemer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .California Polytechnic Institute, San Luis Obispo Natalia Bryant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Southern California Anson Chen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cornell University Connor Cohen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pepperdine University Prescott Cook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School Dominic Cuneo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tulane University Morgan Czepiel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Texas Christian University Andrew Dallape. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of California, San Diego Darah Emadi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Wisconsin Preston Ewing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Southern Methodist University Ashley Gehl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Southern California Lauren Gehl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Southern California Presley Green. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of California, Santa Barbara Ruby Hammond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Washington Ryder Haupt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Michigan Deniz Inel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Washington University Alexis Jordan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Georgia Robert Keller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baylor University Lauren Kensel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gonzaga University Andrew King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boston University Hazel Koh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harvard College Ryan Krall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loyola Marymount University Kaylana Lee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of California, Los Angeles Griffin Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Texas, Austin Shala Lin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Chicago Jenna McConnaughey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of California, Los Angeles Jacqueline McNeill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of California, Los Angeles Chloe Mirhashemi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Southern California Isabella Morin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boston College Sabrina Neushul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of California, Berkeley Ian Nguyen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of the Pacific Oliver Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New York University Emma Peets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Southern Methodist University Matthew Poska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Mason Ressler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gap year Nick Richardson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Georgia Henry Ruck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Wisconsin Lenox Schillereff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . California Polytechnic Institute, San Luis Obispo Shayda Shakoori. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . San Diego State University Max Sonenshine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Pennsylvania Zoe Stern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tulane University Lucy Van der Reis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Duke Kunshan University Michael Vaughan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapman University Alex Wainwright. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Southern Methodist University Lily Warmington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Texas, Austin Carson Webb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Arizona

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

23

BLUE-GOLD COMPETITION DAY 2021 BLUE-GOLD COMPETITION DAY 2021 Blue-Gold Competition Day 2021 BLUE-GOLD COMPETITION DAY 2021 BLUE BLUE BLUE

GOLD GOLD GOLD

FINAL SCORE FOR THE YEAR | BLUE 925 GOLD 928 FINAL SCORE FOR THE YEAR | BLUE 925 GOLD 928 FINAL SCORE THEDay YEAR | BLUE 925 GOLD 928 in grades five through reimagined Blue-Gold Day took place FOR at Harbor on Friday, June 4, 2021.

Students

A

eight participated in a myriad of events, including Australian Long Base (fifth grade), Volleyball (grades six through eight), Field Hockey, grade-level relay races, and an all-school relay. Mrs. Susan Johnson, Director of Upper School, and the entire PE department made the day possible by organizing, planning, and executing the series of events flawlessly. Even with Covid restrictions and construction on campus, the event was a huge success. PE teacher and coach Jo Pickard said, “When we decided to have a Blue-Gold end-of-year competition, the feeling on campus was that of excitement and joy. Teachers, staff, and students were thrilled to have a competition where all students could show unity, connectivity, and pride for their school and Blue-Gold teams regardless of participating or cheering. As for the PE staff, the team was overjoyed to put this day together and see some normalcy in such an unpredictable year.

The activities may have differed from years past but were just as fun and successful. The competition was a true testament to how much pride Harbor Day School takes in their Blue-Gold traditions and I was extremely proud to be a part of it!” It was an exhilarating day for the entire school to gather and be part of something special together. n

BLUE-GOLD COMPETITION DAY 2021 BLUE

GOLD

RECAP: Gold was ahead prior to Competition Day. Blue won the Competition Day and Gold won the overall finals by 3 points!

RECAP: Gold was ahead prior to Competition Day. Blue won the Competition Day and Gold won the overall finals by 3 points!

RECAP: Gold was ahead prior to Competition Day. Blue wonYEAR the Competition Day and Gold FINAL SCORE FOR THE | BLUE 925 GOLD 928won the overall finals by 3 points!

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BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

EIGHTH GRADE MUSICAL 2021 Eighth Grade Musical had a fresh look this year as it was held outdoors.

This year’s class of 2021 performed Once Upon a Mattress. Ms. Yunga Webb knew she neededa strong musical to play to their talents. Ms. Webb remarked, “Once Upon a Mattress was a perfect show for the class of 2021 because it was a show that showcased how talented these students are. I knew we had some strong singers, dancers, and actors in the group, including students who have performed professionally at the highest level. This show was designed for students with strong vocal ability, and the class of 2021 had just the right students with that skill set.” Performing in an outdoor space proved challenging during rehearsals, but it was a tremendous success. As Ms. Webb said, “It felt like Shakespeare in the park!”

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

25

IMAGINATION CELEBRATION

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BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

TE ARTEN GN GARR K IN D EKRIN D E * icipates lla ntilla*

ti A part Liam LAianm ay School n. ThisCocoCCohcia Harbor D o r, ti ooChiao ea ra y eb y el er Ev ation C in g rs a o ilksWilks n Im o W h e r in th HunteHunter s* ms* the arts f o n o ti ra millia en g celeb W dildliiaW -kindergart Addi A re p month-lon in ts en . ity of stud ge County the creativ ADE de in Oran ra g re h IR S T G RS T G R A D E a ft F 0 el 0 4 F IR mitted, through tw b al* al* su y s ce re d ie Au AuL 00 p urt in rey L o d C l a st Out of 1,2 ry SternStern oper o yed at C o la C d p is re erett* d tu e a b Co pp ay fe * selected to assin aTsip . Harbor D C Tippett za la se in P o s st th a f C o t u O . w South Co sho this year’s rt movSe E C O N D G R A D E D E 23 pieces in had their a ts * D GRA en d u ch st CaOnN 5 1 Laguna Bea Troy SCEh Chaann** 23 pieces, in s rt A f Myorg estival o e studentsMcCaTllro n* on to the F Here are th aoll* Morga .

C a er c T t m a M e m li ed su y ta Na ispla ao* during the eir work d Natalie T g 2021. who had th n ri sp E D in RA st Plaza T H IR D G South Coa eil* E O ia D GRAD h IR’N p H o T S at the d ye la sp ork di ’Neil Arts had their w Sophia O se students e Festival of *The

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ac Ana Corm tt* co w e N Eden est* W n o is Add h s ida Violet Yo

th .

Exhibit at mmer 2021 Junior Art Beach in su in Laguna

Harbor Day student RHYSE WILKS won first place for 3D art at the Youth Art Month (YAM) Southern California intermediate level (grades 6–8) in 2020.

Sargent Art awards all first place winners with a set of art supplies. The winner for last year was announced late due to the pandemic. Rhyse sculpted a red cardinal from clay.

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

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NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Santino Blumetti

B

efore stepping away from the business in 2020, Santino Blumetti was a Partner & Managing Principal at Rimrock Capital Management LLC, a relative value fixed income hedge fund founded in 2000 which at its peak managed over $5 billion in AUM. Santino was the partner in charge of global credit and macro investments. He has more than 25 years of experience investing in a variety of asset classes across global capital markets and has sat on several corporate and not-for-profit boards. Prior to Rimrock Capital Management, he worked at TCW, Goldman Sachs, and DE Shaw. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree (summa cum laude) from New York University’s Stern School of Business and his Master of Business Administration degree from Yale University. He resides in Newport Beach with his wife, Aline, two sons, William'23 and Marcus'26, and their Australian Labradoodle, Zoe.

Kerri Sonenshine

K

Evan Slavik

E

van Slavik serves as the President of Real Estate for Mark IV Capital, a family office based in Newport Beach that focuses on commercial real estate development and investment throughout the Western United States, as well as venture capital investment. In this role, he oversees the company’s real estate portfolio across all its regions and is a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, Executive Team, and HR Committee.

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Mr. Slavik’s professional background includes commercial construction management with Snyder Langston, a commercial general contractor based in Irvine. In that role, he was involved in the construction management for projects of various product types throughout Southern California, including office buildings for owners such as Pacific Life, Shea Properties, Parker Properties, and The Resort at Pelican Hill for the Irvine Company.

He received an undergraduate degree, a Master of Real Estate Development degree, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California.

Mr. Slavik is an active member of the Orange County Chapter of Young Presidents Organization (YPO), a member of NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association, and he sits on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Affordable Housing.

Originally from Irvine, he is a lifelong Orange County resident, currently living in Newport Beach with his wife, Veronica, and their two boys, Connor'28 and Gavin'30.

erri Sonenshine is Vice President, Marketing at Far West Services, LLC, overseeing marketing for 70 franchised Wingstop restaurants in Southern California, Las Vegas and Seattle. In addition, she oversees the Wingstop Southern California, Las Vegas and San Diego Ad Associations, which execute marketing and partnerships on behalf of more than 200 Wingstop restaurants. Mrs. Sonenshine is also a franchisee of Dunkin’, with 12 locations in Southern California.

Previously, Mrs. Sonenshine worked in marketing, brand management and consulting for ConAgra Foods, PricewaterhouseCoopers,

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OF TRUSTEES 2021 Velocity Sports Performance, and Corinthian Colleges.

Mrs. Sonenshine has been involved at Harbor Day School since her youngest child started kindergarten in 2007, and is currently co-chairing the capital campaign to raise funds for our new campus with her husband, Danny '87.

She previously served on the Harbor Day School Parent Council, in addition to many other volunteer positions at the school.

Mrs. Sonenshine served on the Board of Directors for Human Options, an organization devoted to ending the cycle of domestic violence, from 2006 until 2020, including a two-year term as the Board President. She has been a volunteer since 2001, served as Co-Chair of the Advancement Committee and chaired both the Serious Fun and Fall Luncheon fundraising events. Mrs. Sonenshine is also on the Board of Directors for the Wingstop Foundation and the Dragon Kim Foundation.

Mrs. Sonenshine received her Bachelor of Science degree from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management.

Mrs. Sonenshine and her husband are parents of Maggie'16, Sarah'20, and Tobey'29.

Eugene S. Yim, MD, MPH

D

r. Eugene Yim is a physician leader at Hoag who serves as the Head Medical Team Physician for the Los Angeles Chargers, personal physician to corporate executives, and Physician Advisor for the Hoag Foundation. Dr. Yim graduated magna cum laude from Yale University, earned his medical doctorate (M.D.) from Stanford Medical School with a concentration in commu-

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nity health, and received a Master in Public Health (M.P.H.) degree from Harvard University School of Public Health. For his advanced medical training, Dr. Yim completed his medical residency in Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School and completed a fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine at Stanford Medical School.

Dr. Yim has a sports medicine practice at the new Hoag clinic he helped launch in Newport Coast. He treats both aspiring and high-level athletes who have non-surgical orthopedic and sports-related injuries. He has worked with many elite athletes over the years, serving as the team doctor and family physician for many professional sports organizations, including Stanford University Athletics, the San Francisco 49ers, the Golden State Warriors, USA Volleyball, USA Water Polo, and the Los Angeles Chargers. In addition to serving as a physician for these teams, his background in public health has helped him inform organizational policy and management for these professional teams.

Dr. Yim also serves as a personal physician for numerous corporate executives through his concierge practice at Hoag. He helps not only with the care of these individuals and their families, but also serves in advisory and consultant roles with their respective organizations. Through his role as Physician Advisor for the Hoag Foundation, Dr. Yim is actively engaged in the philanthropic efforts of Hoag Hospital and helps direct the care of benefactors that provide support to the hospital.

Dr. Yim and his wife, Sophia, are the proud parents of Harbor Day students Antonio'27 and Benjamin'29. n

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STRATEGIC PLAN 2021 Harbor Day School’s Strategic Plan represents the culmination of more than five years of collaboration between the Board of Trustees and the HDS Administration, and includes a refreshed Mission Statement, the school motto (Gradatim ad Summum), and the establishment of six Core Values. It is meant to guide everything that we do at Harbor Day, both in preserving the elements of the school that we all hold so dear and in driving continued innovation and improvement.

Steering Committee Angi Evans'75, Head of School Whitney Gomez, President of the Board of Trustees Gene Tsai, Board of Trustees/Committee Chair Aaron Bartz, Board of Trustees Noelle Becker, Director of Communications Nithin Jilla, Board of Trustees Susan Johnson'88, Director of Upper School Melissa Mullane, Director of Lower School Brian Niccol, Board of Trustees Brian Stern, Board of Trustees Rick Taketa'86, Board of Trustees Laura Vanderhook, Board of Trustees CREST

In January 2022, Harbor Day plans to move into its new campus building. The created plan is intended to ensure that the Harbor Day education, co-curricular offerings, high standards, and warm culture fully carry over to this new home while at the same time moving forward with program additions and expansions that CREST - REVERSED ensure the best possible education and opportunities for Harbor Day students.

Gradatim ad Summum The motto of Harbor Day School, meaning “Step by Step to the Top,” reflects the importance of a strong primary school education.

MISSION STATEMENT 2021 HARBOR DAY SCHOOL PROVIDES AN ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGING, WELL-BALANCED EDUCATION IN A NURTURING AND INCLUSIVE FAMILY-CENTERED ENVIRONMENT. CENTER ALIGN LOGO

PRIMARY LOGO - REVERSED

OUR FACULTY INSPIRES CURIOSITY AND A DESIRE TO LEARN, AND CULTIVATES IN STUDENTS THE CONFIDENCE, STRONG MORAL CHARACTER, AND PERSEVERANCE TO THRIVE. WE CELEBRATE DIVERSITY AND TRADITIONS, VALUE COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION, AND CHERISH OUR COMMUNITY AND THE LIFELONG RELATIONSHIPS DEVELOPED.

USING YOUR SMART PHONE, SCAN THE QR CODE TO VIEW THE FULL STRATEGIC PLAN.

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CORE VALUES CHALLENGING CURRICULUM We value academic excellence and provide a challenging, well-balanced curriculum that prepares students for a rapidly evolving world.

EXCELLENT TEACHERS Excellent teachers form the foundation of Harbor Day School.

We will continue to attract and retain an outstanding and diverse faculty.

INTEGRITY AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING Harbor Day School develops self-reliance, strong moral character, and social-emotional intelligence in our students.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION Harbor Day School fosters socially responsible and empathetic students who recognize and embrace differences among the members of our society.

NURTURING AND INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT We provide a warm, innovative, and secure learning environment that inspires students and teachers to think creatively and work collaboratively.

VIBRANT COMMUNITY Harbor Day is an active and engaged school community characterized by supportive relationships, shared values, wellness, and social responsibility.

TOGETHER, WE ENSURE THAT A HARBOR DAY EDUCATION AND ITS TRADITIONS CAN BE ENJOYED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

BEACON FALL/WINTER 2021

25

CLASS NOTES | ALUMNI PROFILE PHOTO: ET PROJECTS

TOP OF HER GAME An Interview with

SASHA GRUMMAN

By Debra Devine'81 Lee

Harbor Day alumna, Sasha Grumman'02, is also a recent alumna of the Bravo television program Top Chef. Since the show wrapped, she has been busy growing her focaccia business into a national brand. Recently, she took some time out to talk to us about her journey from HDS to the French Culinary Institute to Top Chef.

D: What inspired you to become a chef?

S: My inspiration to become a chef came at a young age.

I grew up in a large Italian family, so we were always cooking together—grandma, great-grandma, and mom. All the ladies in the house, strong personalities—some of us had red hair—so I followed that tradition of strong women in the kitchen. It was definitely family but also Emeril Lagasse. He was my hero.

I would watch his show morning and night. When I was five years old, I ran downstairs and told my mom how to cook a turkey on Thanksgiving—I was that kid. I didn’t really decide to go into cooking until after I graduated from college. I was coaching field hockey at Newport Harbor—I played field hockey in college—while I was trying to figure out what I was going to do, and I was cooking a lot. My sister and my dad said, “You’re kind of good at this. Maybe you should look into going to culinary school.” I decided to go to a culinary school that took me to Italy and connected my Italian grandmother to my future in the culinary arts. It was an awesome full circle moment for me.

D: How did you come to be on Top Chef?

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S: A few of my past chefs have been on Top Chef and Top Chef Masters, and when you’re done filming that season, they ask you for recommendations. So my past chefs had put my name in the hat to be part of the show this year and it just happened to work out.

D: I’m sure you had some preconceived ideas about what being on the show would be like. Was there anything about the experience that surprised you?

S: Everything was exciting and surprising. It’s an experience unlike any other. I was very excited to just get there and start cooking and filming the show, but I think the biggest surprise was the community of chefs and producers. There are 200 people that are producing the show, that are making it happen, and seeing it come to life is pure magic. I have a new family of chefs, but also a new family of producers and casting people.

There are so many people from Top Chef that care and check in.

I didn’t expect for my family to grow by a hundred people. It’s been such a wonderful support network which, if anybody out there wants to go on the show, you need the support network.

It’s really, really, hard—it’ll be one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

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“

“

Find what you love and lean — SASHA GRUMMAN into it.

A BRIEF BIO OF SASHA

LEFT: SAMANTHA, AMANDA, SASHA AND THEIR MOTHER, JAN, AT GRANDPARENTS’ DAY RIGHT: SASHA WITH HER GRANDPARENTS AT HDS GRANDPARENTS’ DAY

D: If you could cook for anyone—living or dead—who would it be, and what would you cook?

S: This is probably an overused answer, but I don’t care because I love it—I would probably cook for Anthony Bourdain. I mean, what a hoot, what a riot! You know it would be fun. I don’t know what we would cook, but it would be wacky and crazy to just get in the kitchen and say, “What do we have? Let’s make something.

Let’s cook together and eat together!” Hopefully in some tropical place far away and do something really fun. Him being the host of a travel show, Parts Unknown—if I could go back to my eighthgrade yearbook and answer, “Where do you see yourself in 20 years?” I’d say, “Hosting a show just like Anthony Bourdain.”

D: Who knows, that might happen.

S: Anything is possible!

D: What advice would you give your eighth grade Harbor Day student self?

S: Find what you love and lean into it. Don’t worry about what everybody else does. Worry about what makes you happy. I feel like there was a lot of, “Maybe I’ll go to law school and be a lawyer like my dad,” or something like that. And maybe you get a little clouded by what you’re raised in. But even at five, I knew I loved cooking.

Follow those passions. If you love painting, if you love running—find those things that inspire you and stick to them.

D: So now that Top Chef has wrapped, what’s next for you?

S: Right now, I’m really focused on my business. I started a bread business. I’m in farmer’s markets every Sunday but the goal is to go national, to get into supermarkets. Not putting the cart before the horse, but the end goal is thinking about the future for the first time in my career. I’m usually so stuck in my job, head down, focused on the moment, and getting the job done. But now I really want to focus on the future and the five-year plan and ten-year plan and how I want to live my life. So first I’m going to travel around and hang out with people from the show. We’re going to cook together—it’ll be a blast, and that will go into the fall—doing special dinners, teaching cooking classes, and meeting people at farmer’s markets. My main goal is just to be happy right now—happy in my career. n

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S

asha Grumman was raised in a large Sicilian family where food was the center of attention.

She always naturally gravitated towards the kitchen. After graduating from Kenyon College, she decided to follow her passion and enroll in the French Culinary Institute in New York, where she spent her last three months of school at ALMA culinary school in Parma, Italy. After staging at the Michelin-starred Giuda Ballerino in Rome, she graduated at the top of her class and moved to San Francisco to work at Delfina Restaurant.

While in San Francisco, she worked at Delfina, Hard Water with Top Chef Alum Melissa Perfit, Aziza with Chef Mourad Lahlou, Cockscomb with Top Chef Masters Alum Chris Cosentino, and Aatxe with Chef Ryan Pollnow. After honing her skills in the Bay Area, she moved to Los Angeles and started hosting her own pop ups. Hosting her own dinners elevated her confidence and helped her find her culinary point of view. Soon after, Top Chef Alum Bruce Kalman hired her as his Chef de Cuisine for Union in Pasadena. She took the helm and was given freedom to create menus and step into her own as a leader in the kitchen. She traveled the country with Chef Kalman, from food & wine festivals to special dinners, where her skills at networking began to pay off. Though thriving at Union, she decided to move to Austin, Texas, after falling in love with the city.

In Austin, she landed a job as Chef de Cuisine at the highly regarded Launderette where Mediterranean flavors inspired her. At Launderette, she was able to keep innovating and building on her technique and drive. After a successful time there, she was then presented with an opportunity to take her career to the next level as the Executive Chef of Rosalie Italian Soul at the C. Baldwin Hotel in Houston, Texas.

In early 2020, Sasha was named a Rising Star by CultureMap Houston.

Though Rosalie has been closed the past year, Ms. Grumman has stayed busy! She has worked for the Southern Smoke Foundation vetting applications and managing cases. She has also worked with the World Central Kitchen as an on-the-ground lead operator for activations such as Chefs for the Polls and she also helped organize meal and water distributions during the Texas freeze in early 2021.

During the pandemic, Ms. Grumman started a focaccia business and began selling goods at Houston farmers markets in April 2021. She also landed a spot on the cast of the latest season of Top Chef that filmed in Portland in late 2020 and aired on April 1st.

INSTAGRAM: @THEFIERCECHEF & @SASHAS_FOCACCIA

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CLASS NOTES

70’s

1984

1987

Classmates Leslie Cashion Montgomery, Tricia Moreno Jefferson, and Anne Marie Moiso Leonard, are still close friends who like to cowgirl around at the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo!

Danny and Kerri Sonenshine (far right) with their son Tobey, standing with Chris' 96 and Brooke Smith'93 Shepherdson (far left) with their daughter Lily on the first day of kindergarten 2020.

1975 PHOTO: ET PROJECTS

Elizabeth Robbins Turk’s art installation project, LOOK UP, was on exhibition at The Claremont Museum of Art over the summer. The project involved the residents of Mt. San Antonio Gardens retirement community, whose movements (captured on film throughout the gardens) carrying brightly colored umbrellas sent a message of hope and resilience.

ALUMNI PARENT SPRING FIESTA 2021 The annual celebration included current alumni parents, incoming alumni families, the Alumni Advisory Council, and our special guest of honor, Mrs. Pam Coleman, who retired this year after 42 years at Harbor Day. We enjoyed toasting her and celebrating the end of the school year together in person.

[http://claremontmuseum.org/look-up]

1978 Jason Keyes is living in La Jolla and is a partner at Keyes and Fox LLP.

80’s

1

2

1981

Alex Bertea published his first novel, The Speed Merchant, this spring. Alex, his wife Katrin, and their daughter, Aria, live in Switzerland but visited California in June for his book-signing event.

Many HDS alumni friends and families attended. Alex also sent in this photo with his (still) overdue HDS Library book from 1980, aptly entitled Alexander the Great.

3

4

5

6

———————————————————————————————————————— '90 '98 '75 '01

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BEACON SPRING/SUMER 2021

1. Caitlin Pickart , Emily Horowitz , and Angi Knapp Evans 2. Taryn Tarnutzer Pilco and Hadley Burnham'01 Money 3. Susan Ihrke'88 Johnson, Pam Coleman, and Chatom Arkin 4. Lindsey Ensign'01 Olson and Kyle Olson 5. Elena Goodman'93 Singletary, Hayley Sheetz'98 Palazzola, and Emily Horowitz'98 6. Tara Simpson'86 D’Ambrosia and Susan Ihrke'88 Johnson

90’s

Alumnus Craig Savage'90 wrote a wonderful homage to his former teacher Mrs. Sorenson on our HDS Alumni Facebook page:

1990

Kimberly Coleman is living in Newport Beach and is the owner of Newport Coast Volleyball Club.

Eric 90, Adriana, and Dempsey Olsen in 2020 on Dempsey’s first day of first grade. '

Former HDS faculty member Margo Sorenson has a new picture book called Little Calabash, published in Hawaii by Island Heritage, December 2020 [www.welcometothe islands.com].

1993 Brooke Smith Shepherdson lent daughter Lily her vintage 90’s HDS cardigan Cabbage Patch Doll for the first day of kindergarten.

I blame Margo (a-hem!) “Mrs.” Sorenson for introducing me to journalism in sixth grade. My punishment as a result has been a journalism degree and more than 20 years in the journalism career field. I have dabbled or been immersed in something related to journalism for every year of my life since sixth grade, except for one. I took a shot at being an Air Force fighter pilot in 2003. I partially blame Mrs. Sorenson for that too because she gave me the confidence to achieve things I never thought I could.

I’ve been fortunate to tell the heroic and sad, exhilarating and grim stories about the NFL, Hollywood stars, Presidential G20 summits, U.S. security operations during the Winter Olympics, U.S. special operations including coalition special operations in Iraq (up close), the demise of ISIS, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and much more. When I’m asked about my favorite teacher, the answer is always clear. It’s her. Thank you for the career path you put me on and congratulations on your NYT book review.

I am not shocked.

You. Are. The. Best.

2007 Kate Donahue and Iggy D’Anna were married in October 2019 in St. George, Bermuda. Kate earned her master’s in Elementary Education at Loyola Marymount University and has been teaching for six years. She is currently at St. Edwards School in Dana Point, where she teaches first grade.

1994 Beth Godber Root and son Grady on his first day of school 2020.

00’s

Nikki Magliarditi lives in Los Angeles and works in luxury real estate.

2000

Danielle Drucker Korpman is currently the Vice President of Strikepoint Media, a marketing and advertising company in Laguna Beach that specializes in the financial industry.

2005 Alexandra Magliarditi lives in Orange County where she is the executive director of a Montessori preschool company.

2006 Mackenzi Burke married Cameron Stuart on July 10, 2021 in Newport Beach.

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Hayden Furey married Rob Stuhr in a Zoom wedding celebration, which was officiated by her father, Jim. The couple exchanged personalized vows they wrote for each other, and then each of the attendees—including brothers Chase'13 and Hale'10 gave a toast. The couple resides in Greenwich, Connecticut and works for JP Morgan in Manhattan.

Kaylie Spitzer and Chase Russell were married in Tulum, Mexico, on January 30, 2021.

——————————

Classmate Kati Burke . attended the Mexico wedding

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CLASS NOTES 2009 Maddie O’Connor is a Technical Recruiter at SpaceX in Los Angeles. She says, “I specifically am responsible for recruiting engineers and technicians that work on our Dragon Spacecraft. Dragon has been doing cargo missions for NASA since 2010, and in May 2020, we did our first crew launch for NASA to the International Space Station. Working for SpaceX has been challenging, yet so rewarding. I look forward to the day when we make life multi-planetary and step foot on Mars!

The work we do has purpose and meaning, which is all I ever wanted out of a job.

I’m so grateful to be where I am and contribute this to my parents’ gift of an education—starting with HDS.”

such as NASA/JPL and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) studying climate change, astronomy, global weather patterns, and the earth’s magnetic field. After his time in Greenland, Derek will pursue his Master’s in Science degree at Dartmouth. Follow him on Instagram @derekpickell for amazing stories and photos.

2013 Congratulations to the college graduates!

10’s

2014 Garret Nourse is a senior at the University of Southern California, majoring in Applied Mathematics with minors in Philosophy and Finance. He is a Dean’s Merit Scholar, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and received a Half Century Scholarship. He was chosen by the Undergraduate Student Investment Fund to manage $5 million of the USC endowment. His relevant coursework includes Mathematics of Machines Learning, Monte Carlo Simulation, and Decision Models. His internships have been at Credit Suisse, Almitas Capital LLC, The TCW Group, and Boeing. He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity where he is the treasurer.

1

2010

John O’Connor is enjoying living in Washington, D.C. He is working as Director of Acquisitions for real estate investment firm Avanath Capital Management. John earned a degree in Economics from the University of Michigan. He credits his strong public speaking ability to his days at HDS. His advice to current students as an alumnus is, “Time flies. Make sure to enjoy the moment.”

2

3

2015

2012 Derek Pickell is on a unique job assignment as a science technician at Greenland’s Summit Station

4

5

[https://www.geo summit.org], one of

the most remote research stations in the world.

Summit Station is located on the apex of the Greenland ice sheet at an altitude of 10,500 feet. Temperatures range from 40°F to +10°F. Derek supports research teams from universities and organizations

36

Paige Warmington is a senior at Stanford University where she was the coxswain for the Varsity 8 Men’s Rowing team last spring.

6

——————————————————— 1. Nick Britt (center) and classmates.

2. Chase Hall 3. Ben Hammond 4. T.J. Morton and mom, Deb Devine '81 Lee. 5. Lily Walkow 6. Mackenzie Veal and parents, Tom and Christi Veal.

Audrey and Nicole Nourse are juniors at the University of Southern California and play beach volleyball. They were chosen as Pac 12 pair of the week last season and won the NCAA title. They are members of the U.S. Junior National Team and U21 National Team where they will represent the U.S. in Thailand for the World Championships in September. Both are majoring in Business Administration at the Marshall School of Business and have minors in Sports Media Industries. They are representatives in the Trojan Athletic Summit and are members of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.

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2017

2018

Congratulations to the Class of 2017 on graduating from high school!

You have reason to celebrate!

A list of your class’s college choices can be found on page 23.

———————————————————————————————————————— The Class of 2017 enjoyed an HDS reunion party to celebrate their high school graduation together.

1

2

———————————— 1. Ruby Hammond and Natalia Bryant joined HDS classmate Lily Warmington (center) at the National Charity League Rainbow luncheon.

2. Newport Harbor High School prom pals: Emma Peets, Lily Warmington, Prescott Cook, Nick Richardson, Presley Green, and Jenna McConnaughey 3. Lily Warmington and Prescott Cook.

Congratulations to Prescott Cook and Jenna McConnaughey for making the list of 2021 valedictorians at Newport Harbor High School.

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

3

Lexie Howell and Isabel Gomez are collaborating on a project that began at HDS. “We started Science Scoop in eighth grade after our science teacher, Mrs. Beal (former HDS teacher), opened our eyes to the possibilities of fun and innovative careers in science. We wanted to find a way to share our great experience that we had in middle school with other students who might not have been as exposed or as interested in science as we were. Science Scoop is a nonprofit organization founded to ignite an interest in science among elementary and middle school girls through interactive activities and workshops that identify and cultivate school and career aspirations. We focus on five main categories of science: animals, chemistry, medicine, nature, and technology. We created our own website and our signature ‘career quiz’ and started reaching out to various organizations and schools. Before the pandemic, we did in-person interactive workshops with groups such as Active Kids, various Girl Scout groups, and participated in the Girl Scout STEM Expo. Due to the virus, we transitioned our workshops to online.

We created a YouTube channel where we posted experiments and we also hosted virtual workshops with various Girl Scout groups, including a five-week program focused on each category of science. We also participated in the virtual STEM expo and hosted a two-week session to help Girl Scout Cadettes get their STEM Career Exploration badge. We are hoping to start in-person workshops again soon!” Read the full story in the April 2021 edition of Tableau Magazine that can be found online at www.issuu.com.

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New Campus Project 2021 Harbor Day is approaching the final stage of Phase 1 for the New Campus Project. After over a decade of thought, research, development, and planning, the entire student body and faculty will transition into almost 66,000 square feet of space during the 21-22 school year. The new facility will have taken just 18 months for construction to be completed and opens up so many possibilities and opportunities for our students, faculty, and community. Phase II construction will begin shortly thereafter, and the fully redesigned Harbor Day School will be completed in 2023 with just under 100,000 square feet.

Our community has truly come together to create Harbor Day’s future facility. We can’t wait for our faculty and students to make the space theirs, reflecting the warmth, spirit, and enjoyment of learning that makes Harbor Day special. n

Facility Facts • 2,200 square-foot OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACE

QUAD IN PROGRESS

library housing an indoor fireplace and 16,000+ volumes of books

• Large outdoor community space

• Design center which includes: Design Lab, Technology Hub, and Builder’s Studio

• 3 outdoor learning Spaces for grades 1-4

• 12 collaboration spaces HARBOR DAY (FUTURE) OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACE LANDSCAPE RENDERING

HARBOR DAY (FUTURE) QUAD RENDERING

• Ceramics studio • Rooftop pavilion • Outdoor community hearth

HARBOR DAY SITE ILLUSTRATED

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HARBOR DAY SITE ILLUSTRATED WITH LOCATIONS

BEACON SPRING/SUMMER 2021

3 4 4 3 PAC I F I C V I E W D R I V E , C O R O N A D E L M A R , C A 9 2 6 2 5

Be You...

COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM 949.640.1410 LEARN MORE AT HARBORDAY.ORG.

KINDERGARTEN - GRADE EIGHT