Harvey Magazine - Spring 2024

magazine

SPRING 2024

contents H AR VEY M A G AZINE // spring 2024

4 FE AT U RES : TRAILBLAZERS Cover: Amanda Mohamad ’22 anchoring in the UMTV studio at the University of Miami (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amanda Mohamad)

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Dare to Dream

Curiosity Rules

Onward and Upward

Three Harvey alumni are blazing their own paths in their respective fields by challenging themselves and passionately taking advantage of every opportunity to learn, grow, and give back.

Five Upper School students, two of them June 2024 grads, are proof positive of the power of curiosity to spark a young person’s exploration into a world of knowledge previously uncharted.

Two rising sophomores, fresh off their ninth grade experience, share how Harvey Middle School paved the way for a smooth transition to Upper School.

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Celebrating the Arts

Party in the Park

Our inaugural Spring Visual Arts Show celebrates original work created and crafted by our talented students, and an alum’s gifted piece by a notable artist adds to a dazzling display in The Walker Center for the Arts gallery.

The 2024 Spring Celebration brought the theme of “Community Lives Here” to life in one of the most imaginative stagings ever created for this annual event.

CONTENTS

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2

From the Editor

3

Welcome

36

Cavalier News + Views

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Artistic Spotlight

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Sports

50

Alumni News

52

Class Notes

63

In Memoriam

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Parting Thought

32 follow us! facebook.com/TheHarveySchool @HarveySchoolNY instagram.com/theharveyschool youtube.com/TheHarveySchool linkedin.com/company/The-Harvey-School

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From the Editor

magazine

The Harvey School 260 Jay Street, Katonah, NY 10536 harveyschool.org // (914) 232-3161

HEAD OF SCHOOL William J. Knauer EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Karen Grazia CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Chris Del Campo ALUMNI EDITOR Greg Janos ’98 DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Sarah Parker CONTRIBUTORS Vinny Alexander Dr. Brendan Byrne Ricky Forde Andrew Jamieson ’09 Leighann Kowalsky Ray Lacen Phil Lazzaro Joanne Lombardi Brittany Merola Rick Price Denise Smith

The future belongs to those who are curious, the individuals who are not afraid to ask questions, explore, try new things, and be bold in their pursuit of what fulfills their intellectual curiosity. That’s what excites me so much about this issue of Harvey Magazine. We are elated to find our current students and our alumni trailblazing their own paths forward and courageously reaching new heights, both personally and professionally.

Learning truly is a fulfilling adventure of its own, and Harvey students and alums are demonstrating what it means to be the architects of their own dreams and futures. They aren’t waiting for opportunities to find them; they are reaching high and taking advantage of everything at their disposal. But they also recognize that giving back is just as important as receiving and are always looking for ways to help others find success in paving their own paths forward.

Does it get any better than that? There is so much joy in learning and growing as a person — intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. When students internalize this curiosity for greater knowledge, they ignite a spark that serves to illuminate the path on their continual pursuit of enriching their minds and lives.

“Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.”

— William Arthur Ward Here’s to curious minds and adventurous thinkers and to continually discovering all that you’re capable of!

Happy reading!

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHERS Gabe Palacio Tim Coffey John Brooks CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Abby Hassett

Karen Grazia, Director of Marketing & Communications kgrazia@harveyschool.org

DESIGN Good Design, LLC gooddesignusa.com PRINTING J. S. McCarthy Printers jsmccarthy.com MISSION STATEMENT Our purpose is to prepare and inspire students to become independent, adventurous thinkers and engaged, compassionate citizens in courageous pursuit of knowledge and truth.

CORE VALUES » Passion for learning » Respect » Integrity » Determination » Excellence

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Eileen Walker, Chair Paul Aaron Philip Bowers ’70, Vice Chair Leslie Berni Lara Casano ’95 Kevin Durkin Ashley Foote Jerri-Lynn Galgano, Secretary Jonathan Kass Edward W. Kelly William J. Knauer, President Ronice Latta Wendy Lederer Donna Leone Lindsey Walker Lynch ’05

Joseph Plummer Gregg Roberts Elizabeth Schwartz Wallace L. Schwartz Andrea L. Tessler Dawanna Veneable Clifford Wallach J. Eric Wise Emeriti Trustees Daniel K. Chapman ’73 Alice DeSomma Barry W. Fenstermacher Charles A. Krasne Raymond G. Kuntz Jeffrey Lasdon Jane Petty Frank A. Weil ’44

ALUMNI EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Lara Casano ’95, President Seth Morton ’57, Secretary Pieter Catlow ’73 Erica Cheyne ’14 George Dallas ’64 Philip A. Eifert ’73 Daniel Galgano ’20 Andrew Jamieson ’09 Greg Janos ’98 Lindsey Walker Lynch ’05 Alexander P. McKown ’57 Laurel Meredith ’88 Sean O’Brien ’09 Alex Pugliese ’07

HEAD’S COUNCIL Dennis Dilmaghani ’62 John Fasciana P’02 Lori Garbin, P’16 Deirdre Glascott, P’19 John Hughes ’68 Richard Ledes ’71 Vivien Levy, P’16, ’19 Lucy Lopez, P’19 Jennifer Powell-Lunder, P’18 Dave Raneri ’69 David Silk, P’14, ’17 Kathleen Treat, P’16, ’18, ’18, ’22 Vanessa Williams, P’18

welcome from the head of school

Living Our Mission In this edition of our magazine, you will find stories that encapsulate the essence of what it means to be a trailblazer — individuals who dare to venture into uncharted territories, challenge the status quo, and envision a future full of endless possibilities. From sharing the innovative projects undertaken by our students to recognizing the remarkable achievements of our alumni, each article serves as a testament to the spirit of exploration and discovery that defines The Harvey School community.

As we celebrate the accomplishments of our students, faculty, and alumni, let us also reflect on the core values and common purpose that unite us. At Harvey we are committed to fostering an environment in which students are not just passive learners, but rather active architects of their own dreams and aspirations.

Our mission, deeply rooted in the pursuit of knowledge and truth, guides us to empower our students to become independent, adventurous thinkers and engaged, compassionate citizens. Harvey encourages students to take calculated risks and try new activities, which requires not only courage but also the humility and resilience to learn from mistakes and failure and persevere toward achieving success and finding fulfillment.

This mission serves as the guiding light for everything we do, both within the classroom and beyond.

I hope you find inspiration in the pages ahead as you learn about the trailblazers and dreamers among us who discover themselves and change the world through their vision, passion, and determination.

Thank you for your ongoing support of The Harvey School and our mission to cultivate courageous thinkers and compassionate citizens.

All the best,

“At Harvey we are committed to fostering an environment in which students are not just passive learners, but rather active architects of their own dreams and aspirations.”

William J. Knauer, Head of School

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to dream

By Chris Del Campo

“For those who dare to dream, there is a whole world to win” are words attributed to a 20th century Indian business tycoon and very much apropos to the lives today of three extraordinary individuals we at Harvey are all proud to call alumni. Joanna Smith ’08, Michael Wolff ’20, and Amanda Mohamad ’22 dared to dream big, and today their lives and those of others around them are all the better for it.

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joanna’08 From Engineer to Educator

©STOCK.ADOBE.COM/KINDLE

It’s fair to say the work that civil engineer Joanna Smith, Harvey Class of 2008, is doing today is a direct reflection of her childhood when she immersed herself in opportunities to explore the field of engineering, discovering along the way how much math and music were connected. With the establishment of her not-for-profit company, Daley Smith Inc., Joanna is introducing children in underserved communities to the fun and excitement of learning about STEM — science, technology, engineering, and math — with a good measure of music added in.

Reflecting on her childhood, Joanna shared that the field of engineering was in the Smith family line. Her maternal grandfather was a master builder, constructing houses from scratch in the Caribbean. Her father was in the business of finance and life insurance and would often keep Joanna and her sister busy by having them solve challenging math problems in his office while he was working “so we wouldn’t be making noise while he worked,” Joanna quipped.

When she was 4, Joanna’s mother and father had her take piano lessons. “These experiences were gems that were kind of dropped in our childhood that I didn’t really recognize at the time,” said Joanna, who also recalled how her parents would ask her to fix the family’s printer. “It wasn’t a question of ‘if’ you can; it was a command,” she said, explaining, “It was, ‘You have a brain, you’re smart, go and do it’, so I would fix the printer whenever there was an issue.”

Joanna discovered she was good with her hands and would always think through the problem. Then at around 11 years old, Joanna noticed galvanized steel sticking out of the road and a sign that said “Men at Work” which sparked her curiosity and led to her asking, why not women at work?

After an internet search and finding the definition of civil engineer, Joanna knew her calling.

“That’s what I’m going to be,” she said. “A civil engineer.” She added, “It was a no-brainer for me to get into engineering because I was doing it from age 4.”

It was a no-brainer for me to get into engineering because I was doing it from age 4.”

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to dream

Already from ages 4 to 6, students are being engaged to think in an algebraic way, but they’re using notes instead of x and y.”

After graduating from Harvey in 2008, Joanna went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Morgan State University. Her world view was broadened by several internships, one in Cancun in 11th grade, another in Jamaica senior year, and later, others in Washington, D.C., and New York City. She saw a lack of diversity in the world of STEM, a field in which women and people of color are severely lacking in representation.

“I decided that this would be at least a chunk of my life’s passion to ensure that the exposure of my capacities, being here at Harvey, being overseas, that I would offer that option, offer students to see within themselves what I was able to see at a young age,” Joanna said.

She worked at Clark Construction and in Wiesbaden, Germany, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before completing a master’s degree in civil and geotechnical engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Joanna went on to work at AECOM in New York City, a Fortune 500 firm, as the lead geotechnical engineer for a $1.8 billion three-phase design improvement project. Again, Joanna noted that she was often the only woman on her team and just as often the only person of color.

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Her passion led to her decision to leave her job as the lead geotechnical engineer in 2020 and create her own company, Daley Smith, a name she chose because it reflects her family upbringing. Joanna chose Daley not only because it was her mother’s maiden name and Smith was her surname, but also because the two words play off the idea of keeping busy on a “daily” basis as a “smith,” one who works with their hands.

Explaining further about her company’s name, Joanna said, “It’s a blend of my mother and father and their bloodline with the world.”

Joanna says her vision for Daley Smith is “to expose 500,000 students to STEM in an unconventional way so that they too will realize that math is fun, it’s not hard, and it’s something that they do every day and that they can apply to their everyday lives.” Joanna said that when she goes into math or science classes she talks in concrete terms, having students consider, for instance, the chair in which they sit and how it’s designed to seat them comfortably. “It’s the structure of anything, the science of how things work,” Joanna said, adding, “It’s really kind of that critical thinking approach to the science of things.” Although the program is K-12, Joanna believes that introducing STEM to children in K-5 is important to opening their eyes to their own possibilities. “K-5 is that space where

kids start to determine ‘Hey, I’m really good at this’ or ‘I’m not good at this.’” For students in high school, Joanna recognizes that many have a sense of what they would like to pursue, but she is concerned with the others who feel they aren’t good at anything and have no clue as to what career path to choose.

“They’ve excluded themselves from something they could or already do have a gift for because they just didn’t have the exposure to or the knowledge of it,” Joanna said, and she believes that exposure to STEM curriculum at a young age allows young people to discover possible paths to follow.

With the recent publication of her “Music and Math Workbook,” Joanna, who also had co-authored “No More Unclaimed Promises,” is helping children ages 4 to 6 discover the correlation between music and math as they learn to play the piano. She sees evidence that her 6-year-old students are catching on to the difference between quarter-notes and halfnotes and recognizing that two quarter-notes equal one half-note. “Already from ages 4 to 6, students are being engaged to think in an algebraic way, but they’re using notes instead of x and y,” said Joanna, who believes engaging children in such instruction will build their confidence so that they can venture out more and more into the world of STEM as they continue their education.

Joanna is an accomplished pianist herself, having played for three-star General William “Kip” Ward in Stuttgart, Germany, where she met him during her internship in Wiesbaden. She also played for the welcome party of Robin A. Kemper, when she was the president of the American Society of Engineers.

And Joanna is still the youngest pianist at her home church, having played there for about 10 years.

When Joanna thinks of her time at Harvey from eighth through 12th grade, she appreciates what she called the school’s “well-rounded approach,” encouraging her to take a mix of challenging courses such as honors English, along with honors geometry, algebra II, AP Biology, and AP Calculus. “Those opportunities allowed me to see the capacities of what I needed to know and helped me create that foundation for my field in engineering,” Joanna explained.

Joanna is disheartened by the fact that 80% of students today are not prepared for STEM fields, especially in light of the fact that there is an increasing demand worldwide for people with STEM-related skills. “I think STEM education is important because 80% of jobs or careers are headed that way, not just now, but for the next 20 to 25 years,” Joanna said. “Right now, if you don’t understand your computer, you don’t understand the internet. You are at a loss, time-wise and financial-wise, unless you have someone able to do

that for you,” she said. “If you’re able to understand concepts and you’re able to apply them, you’re never at a loss. You’re always in a space where you are able to manage something, manage someone, manage organization, or manage your own company.

Looking at STEM from a perspective of leadership is what we uphold in our organization.”

As so many of our alums have done in their adult lives and continue to do, Joanna Smith ’08 is, to borrow a popular phrase, “giving back,” and doing so in a very big way. With a lofty goal of exposing a half-million school children to the career possibilities a STEM education offers, Joanna’s Daley Smith company is making a huge difference in their lives.

Not every child can claim a master builder as a grandfather or has a parent who can create challenging math problems for them to solve, but, through the efforts of Daley Smith, there will be thousands of young people who will discover a skill and an interest that they can develop and apply along their journey to finding their way in the world.

Joanna wants every child to maximize their capacity and to be limitless. “If you have a vision, you have a dream. You see that in the forefront, and you just go for it. Even if you can’t see it in the physical, you can imagine it and step forward,” Joanna says. “It just continues to open up doors and pathways for you.”

If you have a vision, you have a dream.

You see that in the forefront, and you just go for it. Even if you can’t see it in the physical, you can imagine it and step forward. It just continues to open up doors and pathways for you.”

michael’20

Reporting Live When Michael Wolff ’20 looks beyond his May 2024 graduation from Elon University, North Carolina, he sees a host of possibilities awaiting him in the world of mass media. Michael, who is excited to take the next step and undertake his real-world career journey, plans to use what he learned as a journalism major at Elon’s McEwen School of Communications to launch a career as a journalist or communications and media professional.

Michael didn’t shy away from pursuing every avenue available to him at Elon University, and along the way he’s built an impressive resume.

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From 2021 through his senior year, Michael worked on stories as a multimedia reporter for “Elon Local News Morning” and “Elon Local News Tonight.” He also appeared live on “Elon Local News Morning,” hosting the weather segment. Having learned how to gather information, conduct interviews, write scripts, edit videos, and create graphics, Michael now, almost three years later, has written and broadcast pieces and segments that have appeared on live shows streamed on various platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Elon’s YouTube channel, and its news website.

While on-campus experience is an essential part of any degree program, going off campus for an internship is an invaluable experience for a college student to get a better idea of whether they like the work involved in the field and wish to continue to pursue it as a career.

During the summer of 2022, Michael had the opportunity to learn about sports broadcasting in New York City, known as “the media capital of the world.” Michael was a sports intern with “Eyewitness News ABC7NY” reporting to and working directly with the program’s news sports producer. Supporting sports anchors Ryan Field and Sam Ryan, Michael assisted with the writing of scripts and preparing videos for sports highlights on “Eyewitness News” at 5, 6, and 11 p.m. He also

to dream

assisted with on-field production at the Subway Series, and regularly covered and logged highlights of the New York Yankees and New York Mets Major League Baseball games, as well as covered both the New York Giants and New York Jets training camps.

During the fall 2022 semester, Michael crossed the pond to London where he embarked on an internship with “DesignMyNight” nightlife discovery website as a content intern, writing and publishing content to the company website, optimizing new and existing content through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and building and designing article webpages. Michael also studied photojournalism which would become one of his personal passions.

When he returned to the Tar Heel State from his semester abroad, his broad range of skills were beginning to come together. “I applied my constantly evolving photography and journalism skills to produce meaningful, visually appealing digital and broadcast content,” said Michael.

Photography is more than another tool in his vast media toolbox. “Photography has been an amazing outlet in helping me find inner peace and happiness during the past academic year,” shared Michael. “I encourage everyone to find their peace and time for themselves, regardless of whether you are a college student or in the professional world,” he said.

In the summer of 2023, Michael moved over to WNBC-TV’s “News 4 NewYork” as a news planning and sports intern, again in the Big Apple. Michael shared that this internship “was everything I could have asked for and more.” He said, “I have helped the ‘News 4 New York’ team produce breaking local and national news coverage for the tristate area, including the June 2023 air-quality emergency due to the Canadian wildfires, an investigation into New York City’s noise pollution laws, and the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.” On Sunday evenings, Michael worked in the station’s sports department helping produce “Sports Final with

Bruce Beck,” researching segments on the NBA, NHL, and MLB. “I have gained invaluable knowledge and skills, and continue to form valuable professional relationships,” Michael said.

In August 2023, Michael was excited and humbled to earn his first byline in the New York City Metropolitan market with his story “MTA Announces Additional Fully Accessible Stations” published to WNBC-NY’s digital news site. He specifically thanks NBC New York Digital Editor Jenn Vazquez for being one of his many mentors.

“I learned so much from having the opportunity to inform the people of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut through helping to produce highquality news coverage and content for the tristate area,” Michael said. “It was a summer of many milestones, including earning my first solo and joint bylines professionally, especially in the designated market area I was born and raised in, and love.”

He added, “I feel truly blessed as this internship has been monumental for my development, both professionally and personally. It was such a valuable learning and life experience working across two areas in the newsroom at Channel 4 New York,” Michael said.

He said his big dream is to “ultimately achieve the goal of becoming a television personality or news reporter working on a variety of media mediums in the New York City metropolitan area or Northeastern United States.” He credits Harvey with planting the seeds of his blossoming career pursuit. “Harvey did a good all-around job of preparing me for college, specifically, the journalism and reporting-centric television and newspaper production electives that helped me fully discover

It was a summer of many milestones including earning my first solo and joint bylines professionally, especially in the designated market area I was born and raised in, and love.”

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to dream and build my passion for communications, media, and, most important, journalism,” Michael said.

Michael looks back to his adolescent days with fondness, appreciative of those who guided him along the way. “My parents, teachers, and coaches at Harvey always pushed me to get better every day and I have continued to build on my unique and unwavering work ethic in my time at Elon,” Michael said. He’s most thankful Harvey helped him choose Elon. “Mr. Lazzaro was instrumental in helping me find an institution that fit all my needs academically, especially in terms of academic support,” Michael said, adding. “He was always available to discuss every detail down to even the minutest thing.” Asked to identify his best memory of his years at Harvey, Michael said being a member of the school’s first hockey team to win a Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) championship in his senior year stands out the most.

Follow your gut and ensure that the school you choose is the right fit for you. There can be a lot of noise around college searches and decisions, so just remember that you are right where you’re supposed to be in your process and that your happiness is the No. 1 thing you should pay attention to when choosing a school.”

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To the current Harvey students who will soon be giving thought to what comes after high school and begin undertaking their college search, Michael advises, “Follow your gut and ensure that the school you choose is the right fit for you. There can be a lot of noise around college searches and decisions, so just remember that you are right where you’re supposed to be in your process and that your happiness is the No. 1 thing you should pay attention to when choosing a school.”

Michael has big news to share about his plans for the summer 2024. “I have accepted a freelance researcher role on the content integration team at NBC Sports Olympics in Stamford, Connecticut,” announced Michael. “In this position, I will support the production and distribution of multiplatform editorial and storytelling-based content to production teams across NBCUniversal during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games,” he said. “I am incredibly grateful and excited to be a part of the team this summer.”

Michael has done well to prepare himself for what promises to be an exciting career. If his biggest dream is someday realized, we may one day read a news or sports article online and see his byline, or perhaps see him on the screen delivering a report with his name prominently displayed on the caption bottom left: Michael Wolff News 4 NY.

I was so used to being required to participate in after-school activities at Harvey that not being a part of something at U.M. felt weird.”

amanda

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The Pulse of Determination For Amanda Mohamed, Harvey Class of 2022, it didn’t take long at all to become fully immersed in campus life at the University of Miami (U.M.), diving right away into joining the school’s student-run TV station and its print publications and soon taking on leadership roles. Amanda, who this year added membership to U.M.’s Chi Omega sorority, is double majoring, working toward earning two bachelor of science degrees, one in broadcast journalism and the

other in media management. Being involved in her school is nothing new to Amanda. “I was so used to being required to participate in after-school activities at Harvey that not being a part of something at U.M. felt weird,” shared Amanda.

Armed with the confidence she said she developed at Harvey, Amanda, in a bit of a longshot attempt in her very first semester at U.M., auditioned and was chosen to be part of the cast in harveyschool.org 11

to dream

With my broadcast journalism major, I will graduate with not only top reporting skills but also with the ability to produce, direct, and run a control room, thus making the already limited job field just a bit larger.”

“NewsBreak,” UMTV’s fast-paced headlines show.

Remarkably, she was the only first-year student in the cast the entire year. “The way UMTV works is, no matter how long you have been in the program, you need to reaudition for all the shows you want to be on every semester, so it gets very competitive,” Amanda explained.

Looking to do more in her fields of interest, Amanda joined U.M.’s student publication, Distraction Magazine, to work on its social media team, but opportunity knocked and Amanda answered. With the staff facing a deadline for its winter 2022 issue and needing someone to write a few shorter articles, Amanda stepped up. “I had a very easy course load my first semester, so I told myself, ‘Okay, just one. You’re doing them a good favor.’” They say “One good turn deserves another,” and so it was for Amanda whose favor to the editors led to her becoming the section editor for the spring 2023 issue’s food section “What the Fork.” Amanda recalled, “Within weeks of promotion, I was sent to my first College Media Association conference in New York City, accepting several awards on behalf of Distraction, meeting notable journalism executives, such as the managing editor of The New York Times, and getting an exclusive tour of Bloomberg’s New York syndication floor.” She even caught a glimpse of Bloomberg, himself, recounting, “Mike walked by super casually, and he is much shorter than Wikipedia says … it was awesome!”

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In the summer 2023 issue Amanda switched gears and served as the editor for Distraction’s “Happening” section. Good things continued coming Amanda’s way when she was asked to be on the core executive writing team as the executive digital editor. Her position involves updating the magazine’s website with online versions of print articles and online exclusive articles. She also advises new writers who have no previous journalism experience and teaches them the basics of journalism and writing articles.

Amanda’s first two years gave her invaluable experiences in both broadcast and print journalism, allowing her to affirm that she had picked the right degree path. Along the way, however, she discovered something more. “I did not go into UMTV or Distraction Magazine knowing if I wanted any leadership position, but the more involved I got as my first year progressed, the closer I got with executive board members and faculty advisers,” Amanda shared. Being promoted to executive digital editor also opened her eyes to why the editors-in-chief brought her in to do the job. “The people originally hired were doing anything but their jobs,” she said, adding, “I have spent countless hours digging through website archives and cleaning things up.”

Amanda is proud of the fact she taught herself how to use all the functions of WordPress (a web content management system) and prouder still that for the first time in several years, the website was one of the finalists for an Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker for Best Website, one of the most prestigious awards in college journalism.

When her run as a cast member on “NewsBreak” concluded, Amanda ventured into doing entertainment news for UMTV’s award-winning show called “Pulse,” which, coincidentally, is the name of the paper she edited at Harvey. Taking time to reflect on her experience with Harvey’s The Pulse, Amanda said, “I loved being the editor-in-chief and layout editor of The Pulse. When in doubt, I always turned back to The Pulse, whether it was writing articles, designing the issues, or coming up with future ideas,” she shared.

She also recalls with much fondness her Harvey newspaper advisor, Virginia Holmes. “Ms. Holmes was my absolute rock,” Amanda said, adding, “From being my academic advisor to my One Acts advisor to my newspaper advisor, my 10th-grade English teacher, and even my director, I don’t think she’s ever spent more time with a student than she did with me.”

In her capacity as a cast member of U.M.’s “Pulse” broadcast, Amanda has done social media segments, packages, and in-studio segments. This spring she was asked to come on board the producing team as an associate producer and train under her current executive producer to eventually move to their position

as a junior. Amanda was also elected this year to be the UMTV outreach coordinator, where, along with being another resource anyone can come to for UMTV-related topics, she runs a mentorship program within UMTV, pairing new and experienced students together to expand their broadcast skills.

With two years in the school of communications at U.M. under her belt, Amanda is beginning to envision her career path, which initially she thought could begin as a multimedia journalist (MMJ) for a top 50 broadcast network, and then as a reporter doing live feeds before eventually going into the studio. Now, she believes she could start her career at any juncture. “U.M. has allowed me to grow as a print, digital, and broadcast journalist so that I can see myself in any of those realms,” Amanda said. “With my broadcast journalism major, I will graduate not only with top reporting skills but also with the ability to produce, direct, and run a control room, thus making the already limited job field just a bit larger,” she added.

Wishing to share with the recent and soon-to-be graduates the appreciation she has for her Harvey days after having completed her first two full years of college, Amanda said, “Harvey didn’t let me be a number so that I wouldn’t be one either in college or in my career. Harvey also put me in the habit of advocating for myself with my professors

Harvey didn’t let me be a number so that I wouldn’t be one either in college or in my career.

Harvey also put me in the habit of advocating for myself with my professors and keeping consistent communication with them outside class in emails and during office hours when needed.” and keeping consistent communication with them outside class in emails and during office hours when needed.”

Although Amanda is two years removed from Harvey, she holds dear to the school’s roots. “Every time we go live in the studio, I can’t help but think of 10th-grade Amanda in a red dress with a cigarette holder about to go onto the black box stage as Miss Scarlett in the stage production of ‘Clue,’ and when I sit down with a new Distraction writer and teach them everything I know about journalism and help them find their passion for it, I think of when I tried to come up with my first article idea in 11th grade, completely stumped. I remind myself how far I’ve come, but I cannot stop here.”

Clearly, from all we now know of Amanda Mohamad ’22 there will be no stopping her. harveyschool.org 13

Curiosity RUL E S

Because Googling Is Too Mainstream

By Karen Grazia

Curiosity is essential in learning because it fuels motivation, promotes critical thinking, facilitates deep understanding, fosters creativity, and cultivates a lifelong passion for exploration and discovery.

At Harvey, these five students are getting busy pursuing the things that ignite their curiosity and proving that “action” is the best way to learn and grow.

Annissa KHANNA ’24

H ©SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ALPHAVECTOR

arvey has been a part of Annissa Khanna’s life for more than 10 years, first as a 7-year-old in Harvey Summer Camp, then as a student in Harvey Middle School, and finally as a member of the Class of 2024. Affectionately known as a “Harvey Survivor,” meaning a student who has attended Harvey from grades 6 through 12, Annissa has reached high for her goals throughout her years at Harvey.

On the road to New York University in the fall of 2024 to pursue her bachelor’s degree in politics with a possible minor in religion on the pre-law track, Annissa is bringing some pretty lofty achievements to college with her. In December 2022, Annissa founded 11th Avenue Women, a nonprofit organization based in New York, Los Angeles, and Ukraine to bring pro bono legal services to women who have been victims of sexual and domestic abuse. “I spent more than a year hearing the stories of women who have endured more than I can fathom,” shared Annissa.

Eventually, she was contacted by a woman from a legal support law firm in Ukraine, who has now become 11th Avenue Women’s legal analyst, and the team has grown to four. “With the support of our legal analyst, we helped more women than ever before,”

shared Annissa. “She taught me that if you genuinely believe in doing the right thing, there will be people who will show up out of nowhere and help you do it.” As the executive director, Annissa has coached and worked with more than 100 young women internationally to become intelligent, determined adults, all while being a full-time high school student.

Annissa is also the New York State Chair for the Atlas Forum for Public Policy, for whom she writes legislative briefs for the New York State Legislature and Assembly. “I spent time in hearings at Manhattan Criminal Court where I learned about the bail system from lawyers who took me under their wing,” she said. “From there, I worked alongside a lawyer from the Bronx Defenders who taught me how to write legal memos to enact laws in New York State.”

Annissa also completed an internship in Midtown Manhattan at Dentons, the world’s largest law firm by number of lawyers and ranked sixth largest by revenue. The lawyer she interned under gave her the chance to work for the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation, led by human rights lawyer Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy. “There I met the chief operating officer of harveyschool.org 15

“

RFK, Michael Schreiber, and worked with him to create a human rights education I had a visceral program for schools feeling that I across the United States,” wanted to be a Annissa said. public servant Although law has always interested because I cared Annissa, up until the about standing age of 13 she wanted to up for the truth.” be an actress. “I performed for 10 years growing up and quickly learned that in every show I did, I was almost always cast in a legal role,” recalled Annissa. “I had no idea I could speak publicly until I started participating in the speech contest at Harvey. The art of the stage and the craft of speaking became so much of my life until they both collided, and with it came the realization that I wanted to pursue the law. I had a visceral feeling that I wanted to be a public servant because I cared about standing up for the truth,” she said.

“Harvey has strengthened my convictions,” Annisa said.

“Earning a degree in politics requires respect, understanding, and appreciation of viewpoints different from my own while still having the will to challenge the status quo. Harvey taught me the importance of truth, primarily objective truth.” Annissa was inspired by Harvey Head of School Bill Knauer when he shared a quote by André Gide at a morning meeting: Trust those who seek the truth but doubt those who say they have found it.

“Truth matters so much to me now, enough that I want to be a lawyer and dedicate my life to seeking it,” she said. As someone who grew up learning about multiple faiths, Annissa has seen how belief systems both unify and divide. “The more people I

talk to, the more I learn how much their faith system intertwines with their political beliefs,” she said. “I never cared much for politics until I turned 17, and now it pervades all aspects of my life. I love to hear the thoughts of people who agree with me and, even more, those who disagree with me. With the election coming up, I’m blessed to be able to vote for the first time, along with many other young people eagerly anticipating this pivotal election’s outcome,” said Annissa.

Annissa has performed in One Acts at Harvey and written for the school newspaper. Harvey’s strongest attribute is its stellar faculty, according to Annissa. Her teachers, Beth Visintainer, Virginia Holmes, Jeff Seymour, and Dianne Mahony, have all been a part of fostering Annissa’s love of reading and writing. “The Harvey faculty has left an indelible mark on me,” she says, adding, “Not one of them will leave my heart when I go to college.”

An accomplished martial artist in tae kwon do, Annissa also took her piano lessons at Harvey and hopes to return to the theater or get behind a camera at NYU. Family plays an important role in Annissa’s life, describing her family as “storytellers” who spent weekends taking her to Manhattan to see Broadway shows or attend the Rockefeller tree lighting. Being a bit of a homebody, Annissa attributes watching her grandmother cook to teaching her “a lot about family being the heart center of life.”

She leaves Harvey ready for NYU and thankful for the assistance Director of College Counseling Meg Booth devoted to her during the college process. “I had a million questions and she welcomed all of them. She spent a year considering different options with me and revising my list. Eventually, it brought us back to where we started: NYU,” Annissa said. For Annissa, there’s no better place to continue her education. “It gives me the flexibility to build myself a career alongside college, in a large school, in an even larger city, with independence unlike any other institution,” she said. “I can’t wait to make New York City my new home.”

Jesse BARON ’26

W

hen Jesse decided to come to Harvey in eighth grade, he remembered his tour of the school when they walked through Lasdon Theater and he noticed the light board and equipment. Jesse perked right up and even said out loud, “I was pretty good at doing lights at my middle school,” to which Chair of the Performing Arts Vinny Alexander kindly responded, “Nobody ever touches my equipment.” Jesse recalls his mother, Rachel Baron, humorously responding, “You haven’t met my son yet.”

From a young age, Jesse has always been fascinated by objects with buttons and investigating what they controlled. He also has a fierce, quiet determination for pursuing his passions. By his sophomore year, Jesse earned the admiration and, more important, the

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trust of Mr. Alexander and has sat firmly behind the lighting and sound board during most Harvey theater productions, rehearsals, and performances.

“In the fall, my after-school activity is to do the lighting for the musical, but I’m not brought in until a few weeks before the show,” said Jesse. “During the year now, I also do the lighting for the winter and spring shows, including the middle school. I have other sports commitments, but they understand that this is my passion and when I’m asked to assist with lighting, they are very understanding,” he said of his ski and golf coaches.

This past Halloween, the lighting board operator at Westchester Circus Arts had a prior commitment, leaving them in need of someone to fill in. Mr. Alexander recommended Jesse for

“

Mr. A is really a fantastic teacher.

I might want to make technical theater a minor in college, but that’s not really my main focus.

I really want to be an entrepreneur.”

the position. “I did a three-hour deep dive with the director of Westchester Circus Arts, followed by three shows,” shared Jesse.

“It was a great learning experience and showed me that I could do this type of work, not just on the stage but under a big top.” Owner Hilary Sweeney had nothing but praise for Jesse’s turn as lighting designer for their show. “Jesse did a great job jumping in on a very complicated show. Congratulations!” she said.

Jesse is pretty much self-taught in lighting, but now with Mr. Alexander’s expert instruction, he is honing his craft. “Mr. A is really a fantastic teacher. I might want to make technical theater a minor in college, but that’s not really my main focus,” said Jesse.

“I really want to be an entrepreneur.”

Clearly, Jesse has that entrepreneurial spirit. One of his interests is haute horology, the fine art of watchmaking.

“I have always been interested in how things work, and the complications blew my mind,” Jesse said. “How somebody could create something so complex simply to tell the time made me want to learn more.” Jesse has already started an entrepreneurial endeavor of his own called WatchKidNYC. “My plan is to start educating a younger generation about timepieces because an Apple Watch is more function than form, and there is an entire world of craftsmanship out there ready to be discovered,” he said. In addition, Jesse works as a watch appraiser in Greenwich

on the weekends and during the summer and has garnered recognition from top watch accounts on YouTube, recently being featured in a video with Luxury Bazaar, an account with 500,000 subscribers.

Jesse is also trying his hand at picking stocks as part of Harvey’s Investment Club, and so far he’s showing promise. “I bought Nvidia in real life at $200 and it’s over $700 now!” shared Jesse.

Academically, Jesse has also discovered a new passion — history. “Mr. Griffin, my Honors European History teacher, has done the impossible,” said Jesse. “He’s made me love history!”

Jesse has found that math appeals to his curiosity in solving complex problems. “I always thought I was a kid who knew exactly what I liked and didn’t like,” shared Jesse. “I never thought I would enjoy taking two math classes, but to my surprise, I really enjoy both of them.”

“Harvey allows you to try new things without fear. I just know I can be myself here and that is an amazing feeling,” Jesse said. It’s a good thing Jesse’s mom told him a white lie when she first visited the Harvey campus to see whether it was a good fit for Jesse. “She told me she was going to a farmers market.

When she came home, she told me ‘I found the place for you,’” Jesse recalled, and then added, “I can say with certainty that she was correct.”

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I decided I could learn so much more by making my own newspaper.”

Phoebe SCHWARZ ’24

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riting and editing are just a part of who Phoebe Schwarz is. Even before Harvey, in eighth grade, Phoebe was challenged by her mother, a teacher, to help her edit some student work, especially during COVID-19 and remote learning at her old school.

“I would find many mistakes that she would not find,” Phoebe recalled. “She would just give me pages to edit and edit. I saw editing as something to do and I would sit there and not complain. I found comfort in that,” Phoebe said. She wanted to join the yearbook staff at her prior high school but they did not allow ninth graders to participate, so she had to look elsewhere to satisfy her desire to write.

“That’s when I joined the Pelham Examiner,” Phoebe said.

“I wanted to do something with writing, and it was a blast.”

The Pelham Examiner, a student-run newspaper founded by students for those who live in the Town of Pelham, was the perfect fit for Phoebe’s talent and drive. She jumped on board in ninth grade with the goal of strengthening her writing skills to prepare her to join the yearbook staff. “It started slowly with me taking stories, and then I started writing at least one story per month during my sophomore year because it was so much fun,” she said.

During the winter of her sophomore year, the head of the paper informed Phoebe that he was promoting her to write for The Village of Pelham Manor Board of Trustees meetings, which are the most read stories in the Examiner. So starting in June 2022, Phoebe began writing those stories, which she said taught her “a lot about the art of journalism and communication with people.” It was also in 2022 that Phoebe came to Harvey and immediately joined the yearbook staff.

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Phoebe continued to earn the respect of her colleagues at the Pelham Examiner, assuming the position of assistant managing editor in January 2023, and then a few months later, being promoted to deputy managing editor, exemplifying the quality of the work she was producing.

“Now, my role as deputy managing editor is to cover breaking news when I can with five editors reporting to me,” she said.

With her name adorning the masthead since 2023, Phoebe is forever grateful for the experiences that the Pelham Examiner has afforded her at such a young age.

During the summer of 2023, Phoebe participated in a precollege program at The Summer Academy at The New York Times for two weeks, where she learned about the fundamentals of editing.

Living in New York City in the Fordham College at Lincoln Center campus dorms was a highlight for Phoebe. “I wanted the college experience, and it was the most rewarding and challenging experience of my life,” she said.

As a senior at Harvey, Phoebe brought back what she learned from the summer program into her Senior Independent Learning Project, deciding to create her own newspaper. “I decided I could learn so much more by making my own newspaper,” she said.

What followed was months of research, writing, editing, and producing The Yearly Bulletin, which she presented at Harvey’s Senior Expo in February. Her challenges included overcoming writer’s block at times, but a major takeaway was realizing her real passion lies in broadcast journalism. “I realized I wanted to be a broadcast journalist or news anchor, field reporter, investigative

journalist, sports journalist, weather reporter, and/or producer instead of a print journalist,” Phoebe said. “I never would have realized that without doing my Independent Learning Project.”

A Humanities student at Harvey, Phoebe has loved all the English and history classes she has taken including Rob Griffin’s AP European History class this past year and AP American History with Alex Morse her junior year. She credits Mr. Morse with helping her to become a better writer throughout the challenging course, and, of course, enjoyed her time in the English classes of Virginia Holmes and Carolyn Bean. Phoebe also played on the varsity volleyball team this past fall and earned the Sportsmanship Award and Coaches Award during her junior year on the JV volleyball team. She was also a member of the Cavs Nation Club, which promotes school spirit.

Phoebe’s pursuit to just be a part of the yearbook staff led to her being named co-editor of the 2024 Cavalier, Harvey’s yearbook.

Yearbook advisor Christina Alexander has a lot of trust and faith in Phoebe and gave her the space to take this yearbook in a different direction from past years. “We normally did not have much writing on the yearbook page, but Mrs. Alexander trusted me with adding more writing and making a more modern book,” said Phoebe. “I will forever be grateful that she gave me this experience that I would never trade in a million years.”

Phoebe will no doubt take her considerable communication and writing prowess on to the University of Rhode Island, where she will be attending this fall as a journalism major at the Harrington School of Communication and Media.

Benji CUTLER ’25

S

ince the sixth grade, Benji Cutler has had a knack for writing, with a strong interest in journalism, starting with his middle school newspaper. Now a sophomore at Harvey, Benji has broadened his journalistic instincts through some captivating electives and his own desire to expand his knowledge.

“Now that I am writing at Harvey, I have loved writing articles

for the community, such as sharing my interviews with teachers and offering my thoughts on the theater productions,” shared Benji. “I originally had a strong interest in basketball and the NBA, but I have recently gained a passion for analyzing film.”

Benji decided to test his journalism chops outside the classroom, and, on the advice of a family friend, Benji reached out to the

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editor-in-chief of the Katonah Lewisboro Times, Thomas I love being Walogorsky, to see if he could contribute as a journalist. Mr. able to freely Walogorsky was receptive to the express idea, and they discussed what Benji myself on could write about. “I suggested the topics I care Harvey production of ‘Beauty and the Beast,’” said Benji, and with about.” that, Benji wrote a review that was printed both in the Katonah Lewisboro Times and The Somers Record.

“Mr. Walogorsky was extremely helpful throughout the process, making it easy to become a contributing writer,” said Benji. “I continued writing for the paper with an article published in February on the Harvey winter productions of ‘12 Angry Jurors’ and ‘Welcome to the Moon,’” Benji said. Benji plans to continue on as a contributing writer with reviews about anything and everything that ignites his curiosity. “I love being able to freely express myself on topics I care about,” shared Benji.

Although his interest remains high in print journalism, Benji has recently discovered a new passion: broadcast journalism.

During the fall term, he took the Broadcast Journalism class with Mr. Nate Alexander ’13. “I had a fantastic time,” said Benji. “I filmed and edited videos on the Senior Bridge trip to ROAMFurther Athletics’ Parkour Training Center, Harvey Homecoming 2023, Halloween, and more, which has built up my interest in broadcast journalism exponentially.”

Benji also assisted fellow Harvey students Karina Mehta ’25 and Lyndsey Koch ’24 by filming their dance video. “I worked with Lyndsey, Karina, and our dance teacher Ms. (Leighann) Kowalsky to film a creative and dynamic dance that I was extremely impressed with,” he said. The dance video was entered into a competition and won honorable mention recognition for Karina’s original choreography. (See “Karina Mehta ’25” below.) “I had never

had any prior experience with filming a dance video, and I found it to be a really unique and intriguing experience,” Benji said, adding, “It further widened my experience and perspective with the unlimited opportunities that come with a camera.”

Benji truly reflects the diverse interests of a Harvey student, demonstrated by his response to his favorite classes this year: Newspaper with Ms. Holmes, Honors Physics with Mr. Leibovic, and, of course, Broadcast Journalism and Film Studies with Mr. Alexander. He has no doubt felt a growing confidence in his abilities while also feeling connected to his teachers and what he can learn from them.

Mr. Morse, Benji’s history teacher, advisor, and closest mentor, has helped him transform into a more prepared student for college. “His teaching has impacted my learning, study, and notetaking skills dramatically, and I believe his classes have made me a better student.”

According to Benji, Ms. Holmes has had “a massive impact” on his journalism and creative writing skills, both in Honors English 10 and the Newspaper class. Benji said, “Ms. Holmes’ Newspaper class has further solidified my passion for print journalism and helped me improve my articles to fit the official structure of a newspaper article.”

Benji is appreciative of all the guidance and support Mr. (Nate) Alexander has bestowed on him about Broadcast Journalism.

“He knows everything you can possibly know about using a camera and editing videos on Adobe Premiere Pro,” said Benji.

“Mr. Alexander’s broadcast journalism class made me realize that I find great enjoyment in conducting interviews, filming, and editing journalistic videos.”

With his involvement in cross country, track, film studies, the school newspaper, and as a Student Ambassadors, Peer Tutor, and contributing writer for several local newspapers, Benji is not limiting his interests or his opportunities. It will be exciting to see where the next year at Harvey will take Benji, and how much more his numerous skills and passions will contribute to our community.

Karina MEHTA ’25 “

I

t takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer.” As a finalist in this year’s Wells Speech Contest, junior Karina Mehta gave an insightful, persuasive speech outlining all the ways a dancer is an athlete, just as much as in any other sport. Now her words are being put into action in the dance studio, Lasdon Theater, and beyond our campus.

At the age of 3, Karina began dancing, learning ballet, contemporary, jazz, modern, hip-hop, tap, and acro. She started competing when she was 9 years old, but then her focus shifted to choreography as a teenager.

“I have always been serious about dance, and I grew up doing it; although, not until the summer before my ninth grade year did I realize that I wanted to be a choreographer instead of an actor,”

20 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

said Karina. “I started putting together the pieces and realizing that my passion for choreography had always been there in my dance journey, but I never knew how to take action on it or understand it until now.”

At 14, Karina started training in New York City at Broadway Dance Center, where every type of dance that is of interest to aspiring professionals is under one roof. Karina also shares her talent at Harvey, joining the dance program and flourishing under the guidance and support of dance teacher Leighann Kowalsky.

“Ms. Kowalsky has supported my interest in choreography tremendously, mentoring me with so much knowledge regarding choreography and the industry,” Karina shared. “She has guided me through the beginning steps of my career by providing me

with connections, opportunities, new experiences, and her 24/7 support and encouragement,” she said. Ms. Kowalsky introduced Karina to the RogueWave dance company, which led to her being slated to be a future guest choreographer and attend one of their upcoming performances.

This year, Karina was awarded an honorable mention for her original choreography and performance in the Ego National Dance Competition by Avadon Music. The piece was set to rising pop star Ann Della Pietra’s song “ego,” and Karina enlisted fellow dancer Lyndsey Koch ’24 to dance with her.

At the MODArts Collective Thread Dance Festival in Harlem in March, Karina premiered a modern contemporary dance that has what she describes as “a warrior/rigid style and movement” featuring nine dancers. Karina is grateful to Ms. Kowalsky for continually making her aware of opportunities within her reach for her age such as the Student Dance Summit, a local symposium for dancers and choreographers, and performance opportunities and choreographic festivals around the state that will build Karina’s resume. A huge accomplishment came this winter when Karina was accepted into the NYU Tisch Future Artists Program for 14 weeks this spring.

“When I got accepted into the NYU Tisch Future Artists Program, I felt ecstatic,” Karina said. “It felt so good to be given a ‘yes’ this early in my career, as it assured me that there were people who believed in me and gave me motivation to continue my practice in this craft. This program gives me the chance to rigorously train every week in a serious setting to connect with people my age and older, professionally. I get the chance to train in multiple styles and learn about composition (the steps/basics of choreography) and learn under other dancers’ repertory work,” she said.

At Harvey, Karina has been able to experience what it’s like to work with students near her age with different levels of dance experience. “I have been able to lead classes, learn more about the

industry, and choreograph my own pieces in the dance shows. I have been 100% supported by the arts faculty during my years at Harvey and given numerous opportunities to support my passion of being a choreographer,” she said.

Karina was given the opportunity to be the assistant choreographer for the fall musical “Beauty and the Beast,” and choreograph her own piece in this year’s Dance Concert as well as participate as a dancer. She has been part of the choreography and composition class at Harvey since ninth grade and is a member of the afterschool dance program. While she loves the arts, including being part of theater productions and Rick Price’s art electives, Karina names English, math, and history as her favorite classes in addition to dance. “I have built a really good community in these classes, which makes me really look forward to being there,” she said.

Looking ahead to senior year and her college process, Karina has plans to study dance and choreography in college and become a professional choreographer. She currently choreographs under a modern/ contemporary style but would like to expand to include hip-hop, jazz, and contemporary as she grows more experienced in this industry. Karina is also applying for summer programs, some with It takes an the potential to take her athlete to abroad. We are fortunate dance, but an to have one more year with Karina at Harvey artist to be to captivate us with her a dancer.” expression and movement through choreography, “the language of the soul.”

“

AND UPWARD

Onward

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Meet Ninth Graders

Neel & Sophia

By Karen Grazia

The transition from middle school to upper school can be intimidating and sometimes overwhelming for students stepping into the next realm of their educational journey. After being the “big kid” in the middle school hallways and classrooms, new ninth graders find themselves back at the beginning, learning the ropes and trying to figure out where they fit into upper school.

For two Harvey ninth graders, their step up was one they were very much prepared for and excited to take, armed with the confidence and skills needed to embrace upper school challenges as they strive for even greater excellence, curiosity, and knowledge.

Neel Mistri ’27 “At Harvey Middle School, you frequently go from the middle school building to the art center or into the upper school building for lunch and recess, so you already have a sense of where you are going when transitioning into ninth grade,” said Neel Mistri, a ninth grader this past school year.

Neel came to Harvey in sixth grade and finished Harvey Middle School with the highest scholastic standing in his class, earning him The Almirall Scholarship Cup, as well as the Jack Hornor Prize for excellence in mathematics and the Baoth Wiborg Memorial Prize for excellence in Latin. After having thrived as a ninth grader in Harvey Upper School, Neel considers math and physics as his favorite subjects. Outside class, he runs cross country in the fall and plays tennis in the spring, as well as being a member of the Chess Club.

“The opportunities at Harvey have allowed me to branch out into many new subjects and activities I would have never tried by myself,” shared Neel.

“It helped me find some new hobbies like chess.”

Neel felt very prepared to take the leap to ninth grade, detailing some of the skills he acquired in Harvey Middle School. “Learning how and when to meet with teachers was very important because as the classes get harder, you are going to need help, especially when you make mistakes or are struggling with certain concepts,” said Neel. “Optimal note-taking helped me as well, because a lot of classes require notes to be taken to help study and do homework,” he added.

Neel has formed close relationships with many of his teachers, including Middle School math teacher Ananda Burra and Upper School math and science teacher Nicole Tantillo. “Mrs. Burra helped me apply and practice for the AMC 8, a math competition, and the AMC 10, and Ms. Tantillo informed me of a few places where I could take summer courses,” said Neel.

Middle School English teacher Christina Alexander helped Neel grow as a writer and English

student, giving him valuable feedback to improve his essays and taking away the stress that he used to have when writing.

Neel also singled out teacher Marcie Hajem for her contributions to his academic growth.

“Ms. Hajem presented me with the Genes in Space program, which helped me learn about genetics and biology while also putting those skills to use in making an experiment plan. She also taught me valuable skills in her class like proper note-taking and research skills,” Neel said of his middle and upper school science teacher.

Like those of many Harvey students, Neel’s interests extend beyond the Harvey campus and school day. He competed in the 2023 competition of the Desmos Global Art Contest, which challenges

The opportunities at Harvey have allowed me to branch out into many new subjects and activities I would have never tried by myself. It helped me find some new hobbies like chess.” harveyschool.org 23

My submission was an animation of a simply drawn eyeball that changed appearance whenever it blinked, going from a regular eye to rotating spirals and shifting colors, to a Fourier series with monochrome effects.”

individuals 13 years and older to use the Desmos graphing calculator, Desmos geometry tool, or the recently added Desmos 3D Graphing Calculator to make art or animation. “My submission was an animation of a simply drawn eyeball that changed appearance whenever it blinked, going from a regular eye to rotating spirals and shifting colors, to a Fourier series with monochrome effects,” explained Neel.

He enjoys using the Desmos tool in many interesting ways other than just graphing parabolas. “You can use the built-in sliders for variables to animate things or use piecewise functions to create ‘if’ statements or restrictions,” he said. “One of my first big

projects was creating a 3D simulation/renderer on a 2D plane. My favorite thing to do when creating things is to try to figure out as much out by myself as possible. I also like making math visualizations because I want to take things I have learned about from videos and books and represent them in a visual and interactive way, allowing me to understand the concepts further,” said Neel.

Neel is also very active in Boy Scouts, working on his last few remaining merit badges to earn his Eagle Scout rank. As a Life Scout, he has gone on campouts, hiking adventures, and visited museums.

“One of my favorite activities we did was white water rafting,” Neel said. He plans to achieve Eagle Scout by late summer or early fall, having already gained many skills and lessons throughout his time in scouting. “I’ve learned how to tie knots, cook properly, practice first aid, and even how to take care of my personal fitness and finances,” he said.

Neel has navigated ninth grade exceedingly well, finding those Upper School classrooms that are tucked away in different areas on campus and making many more new friends as part of a larger ninth grade class. “It was quite a smooth transition. I think I was pretty prepared for it, as I was taking one Upper School class in eighth grade, which gave me a little experience with the class structure,” he said.

Sophia Thilo ’27 When Sophia came to Harvey in the eighth grade from public school, she was immediately welcomed by both her teachers and her peers. “This honestly shocked me because I came from a school district that had a very different environment,” said Sophia.

Sophia gives a lot of credit to Harvey Middle School for preparing her well for the step up into ninth grade and Upper School. “I had a pretty

We are working to compose our own songs while in the meantime playing iconic rock songs from the ’90s.”

24 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

smooth transition because I had experience taking Upper School classes while in Middle School, having taken Upper School math,” she said. “I was able to smoothly transition because my peers and the teachers in Upper School were supportive and inviting, regardless if I was in the youngest grade of the Upper School.”

Since Sophia already had friends in Upper School, a benefit of being on the Harvey campus where students in Middle School often cross paths or take higher-level classes with their older peers, there was no shock to being an Upper School student.

“My teachers helped me adjust to the workload and schedule, and I get along well with students from multiple grades,” Sophia said.

Sophia’s impact on Harvey Middle School can still be seen, as one hallway is now the permanent home of a colorful work of art created by her eighth grade class. Sophia was the catalyst for her class taking on the project of creating a mural inspired by a video she saw on YouTube of a young artist dipping fabric in plaster and draping it on canvas before painting

Onward and Upward it, so she brought the idea to her ceramics teacher Brittany Merola.

“Sophia thought it was ‘cool’ and asked if we could do a project like that, but I suggested we use Mod Podge instead because plaster would crumble,” Ms. Merola said. “When I asked her if she wanted to turn the project into a big mural, she got excited and liked the idea and said she and her father could help with the materials.”

When Sophia’s small ceramics class realized the project would require more help to see it through to completion before the term ended, they enlisted the entire eighth grade to work on it during the last days of school with the help of Middle School teachers Austin Morgan and Michelle Davies. Each student picked out a fabric, dipped it in the Mod Podge glue and sealer, and draped it over the wood in whatever design appealed to them, playing with folds and twists. After each student had finished their piece, Ms. Merola spray-sealed it and glued it to the plywood. It is no surprise that Sophia was awarded the Harvey Art Prize in eighth grade.

Head of Harvey Middle School Dr. Brendan Byrne sees the eighth grade mural as a most welcomed addition to the building. “Not only does this work of art showcase the talents of our students but also serves as a wonderful testament to the zest of their collaborative spirit,” he said.

As an academically adventurous ninth grader, Sophia has not looked back. “The opportunity given to me to try a wide variety of classes was extremely beneficial for me,” she said. “I was able to take honors classes in math, global history, and English, in addition to participating in Harvey’s theater program.

I was also able to take two after-school activities — hockey training and acting. This gave me the chance to dive into multiple courses that I have a passion for,” said Sophia.

With her favorite subjects being English, science and global studies, Sophia also enjoys 3D Studio and the wide offering of art classes at Harvey. Sophia has taken full advantage of trying new things as demonstrated by her involvement in the Story Time With Club, all the musicals, theatrical productions, the first Harvey Cabaret performance, art electives, and girls varsity rugby and hockey.

Outside Harvey, Sophia plays electric guitar in her band Scarlett Fever with some of her closest friends. “We are working to compose our own songs while in the meantime playing iconic rock songs from the ’90s,” she shared. Sophia also sings in

Hazamir, a Jewish choir that provides an advanced experience for teens.

Sophia feels a strong connection to her English teacher Madelon Visintainer who is also her rugby coach. “Ms. Visintainer has guided me through my work and made English class very lively and enjoyable,” said Sophia. She also credits Director of the Performing Arts Vinny Alexander with helping her elevate her love of the arts.

In addition to Harvey Middle School allowing Sophia to follow her passions and grow as a student and leader, it also taught her important skills like note-taking, study methods, and time management.

“Attending Harvey Middle School before entering Upper School assisted me in preparing for the new environment and gave me the opportunity to adjust at a comfortable pace,” Sophia shared.

It’s only onward and upward for both Neel and Sophia as a world of opportunity lies before them in the classrooms, science labs, theater, art studios, and athletic fields of Harvey Upper School.

Attending Harvey Middle School before entering Upper School assisted me in preparing for the new environment and gave me the opportunity to adjust at a comfortable pace.”

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Celebrating the Arts 26 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

INAUGURAL SPRING VISUAL ARTS SHOW Above: Ma Xinle’s artistry is renowned on a global scale, with his works gracing the walls of esteemed museums and galleries worldwide.

His pieces are highly coveted by both institutions and private collectors, including notable figures such as former U.S. President William Clinton, Dave Rockefeller, and China’s Premier Wen Jiabao. Notably, in 2016, his painting of “Nine Galloping Horses” was selected as the sole state gift from China to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in celebration of her 90th birthday.

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“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way — things I had no words for.”

— GEORGIA O’KEEFFE

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tudent visual arts work was front and center in The Walker Center for the Arts gallery in April, celebrating the vibrant creativity of Harvey student artists, showcasing their talents across various artistic mediums. Acrylic paintings, graphic design, photography, fashion, ceramics, collage work, pen and watercolor, beading, paper sculpture, and printmaking were just some of the magnificent art pieces on display for Harvey families, students, faculty and staff at the Spring Visual Arts Show.

As the gallery swelled to capacity, it was heartwarming to see such enthusiastic support for the arts and the student-artists.

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“The art show is representative of the many kinds of student artists we have here at Harvey,” said art teacher and organizer Alison Nokes.

“It was really exciting to see student artists having a chance to proudly show off their artwork.

I look forward to this becoming a yearly tradition in the spring for our Visual Arts students,” said Ms. Nokes.

In addition to Ms. Nokes, art teachers Rick Price and Nate Alexander, and members of the National Art Honor Society, played a key role in organizing and setting up the space for this inspiring art event.

“The inspiration for gifting to Harvey stems from my appreciation for my wonderful days at the school dating back in the early 70s. I relished the sports, academia, and fond friendships established.”

— STEVEN C. ROCKEFELLER JR. ’75

Fine arts teachers Alison Nokes, Rick Price, and Nate Alexander

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A highlight of the evening was the unveiling of a remarkable painting by the esteemed artist, Ma Xinle (pages 26-27), generously gifted to Harvey by alumnus Steven C. Rockefeller Jr. ’75.

“The inspiration for gifting to Harvey stems from my appreciation for my wonderful days at the school dating back in the early 70s,” Mr. Rockefeller shared. “I relished the sports, academia, and fond friendships established,” he said.

In addition to the gifted painting, two Chinese scripture scrolls were also on loan for exhibition and were translated by senior Tracy (Siyi) Wang ’24.

“Art for me is a continuation of a family tradition and a way of honoring foreign partners where I have had so much opportunity,” said Mr. Rockefeller.

Greg Janos ’98 with Harvey alumnus Steven C. Rockefeller ’75

30 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

“The success of our inaugural Visual Arts Show opens the door to a dedicated annual show that will continue to grow to feature more student work and Harvey community artists.”

— VINNY ALEXANDER, CHAIR OF PERFORMING ARTS

“Students can benefit from art to the extent that there are many enjoyable careers in the industry.

Collecting is profitable on a long-term basis, and having quality art in the home and office can be inspirational and joyous,” he said.

“The successful collaboration between the Alumni Relations Office and the art department truly made our art show shine,” said Greg Janos ’98, director of alumni relations.

“Class of 1975 alumnus Steven C. Rockefeller Jr.’s generous contribution and passion for the arts, coupled with his deep connection to Harvey, is truly inspiring. We’re excited to continue this tradition and showcase even more alumni art pieces in future events.”

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‘PARTY in the PARK

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1. Harvey alumnus Nick Duncan ’04 stepped up as auctioneer for the Live Auction and Raise the Paddle. // 2. Jocelyn Lieberman P’24 and Jennifer Lichtenstein P’24 // 3. Christine Seymour-Price and Rick Price // 4. Greg Janos ’98 and Leanne Janos // 5. Yvette Lopez P’27 and David Colgan P’27 are offered the signature drink from a unique champagne skirt server. // 6. Channing Wynn and Bernardine Wynn // 7. Jeffrey Moroch and Suzy Wood P’25 // 8. Lara Casano ’95, P’26, ’27, ’27 and Sean Gilligan P’26, ’27, ’27 8

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T ©STOCK.ADOBE.COM/KAZYAVKA

he outdoors quite magically became indoors when the Harvey community gathered for the annual Spring Celebration on April 20. When entering Fenstermacher Athletic Center, guests were amazed to find themselves stepping into a picturesque park scene, complete with colorful trees, park benches, food carts, lampposts, and a wooden bar encircling a vibrant cherry blossom tree. After the cocktail hour, a spectacular gate created by Harvey’s own Vinny Alexander opened to welcome guests into a magnificent dining experience of Mediterranean cuisine prepared by Chef Suchada Palmer and her talented team.

Performers from Westchester Circus Arts captivated the guests with one person entertaining on stilts as a butterfly and another in a hoop skirt serving champagne. Harvey alumnus Nick Duncan ’04 commanded a rousing Live Auction that featured unique experiences: the popular Rao’s table in NYC, an America’s Cup sailing experience, a Broadway package featuring Vanessa Williams, and a private tour of The Walker Library of the Human Imagination, all providing excitement as bidders battled to outbid their competitors. Community members enthusiastically Raised the Paddle in the spirit of giving and lucky winners won a wide array of Silent Auction

items and experiences. With music provided by DJ Jimmy D, parents, trustees, alums, faculty, and staff danced the night away until the very last song brought the warm and wondrous evening to an end at 11 p.m.

All these giving opportunities added onto a sold-out evening to raise nearly $200,000 for this year’s Harvey Fund.

Director of the Harvey Fund and Spring Celebration organizer Andrew Jamieson ’09 said, “This year’s ‘Party in the Park’ was a huge success, with a lush, verdant park as our backdrop. Our theme celebrated the best of Harvey, which is our community. The Spring Celebration Committee worked tirelessly to make this year’s benefit a success, gathering auction items, rallying our community, and bringing us all together for a memorable evening. The money raised will support the Harvey Fund, and the outpouring of support from the Harvey community truly moves us,” he said.

Mr. Jamieson shared his thanks to Greg Janos ’98, director of alumni relations, and Nick Duncan ’04 for their support and outreach to our alumni community. Many thanks to the Spring Celebration Committee members Linda Holden-Bryant P’24, Valerie Nelson P’22, ’24, Deanna Marano P’25, ’27, and Gina Larson-Stoller P’28 for taking the helm and designing a truly wonderful evening for the Harvey community.

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9. New Harvey family Kemisha and Winston Henry // 10. Lilly Schulz P’27 and Scott Coughlin P’27 // 11. Melissa Angelillo P’26, Suchada Palmer, Phil Lazzaro and Jennifer Feighery, P’26, ’29 // 12. Spring Celebration Committee: Gina Larson-Stoller P’28, Deanna Marano P’25, ’27, Valerie Nelson P’24, Andrew Jamieson ’09, Kate Meersschaert,

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and Linda Holden Bryant P’24 // 13. Jennifer Warner and Kevin Warner P’27 // 14. Christopher Meredith P’25 and Laurel ElkindMeredith ’88, P’25 // 15. Jerri-Lynn Galgano P’21, ’23, Eileen Juico P’23, and Bethany Durkin P’21, ’23 // 16. Pete Cruz, Alison Nokes, Nathan Nokes, Chris Coscio, and Katherine McCormack

17. Ashley Foote, trustee, and Joel Foote P’24, ’24, ’25, and Board Chair Eileen Walker P’03, ’05 // 18. Beth Visintainer P’07 and Dianne Mahony P’19 “raise their paddles.” // 19. Jessica Gasch and David Gasch P’23 // 20. Head of School Bill Knauer speaks to the community at the Spring Celebration. //

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21. Jonathan Kass, trustee, and Amy Kass P’22, ’25 // 22. Laura Taub and Steven Taub P’26 // 23.

Sara Silverman and Nicole Tantillo // 24. Lisa Vasile and Lenny Vasile P’26 // 25. Nina Curley and Tom Curley P’24, Linda Holden-Bryant and Jay Bryant P’24, and Gregg Roberts, trustee, P’23, ’27, ’29 // 26. Chef Suchada Palmer with Alana Wilson, Chef Adam, Chris Sebastian, and the Flik team

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Save the date for next year’s Spring Celebration!

Saturday, May 3, 2025

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CAVALIER news + views Dynamic Upper Schoolers

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1. Senior Carina Weksel enjoying class // 2. Rylan Gilligan ’27 and Peyton Forde ’26 share a laugh. // 3. Ninth grader Darius Brown enjoying down time on the Quad // 4. Sienna Colgan ’27 is presented with the poetry contest trophy from Maddy Visintainer. // 5. Jordan Falk ’26 witnessing the Solar Eclipse on campus // 6. Sophomores Lucy LaGattuta and Joy Chen // 7. Łukasz Daszczynski ’24 works on a rocket with Chris Kelly. // 8. Nicole Tantillo’s class maple-tapping around campus // 9. Ninth graders Maddy Watson and Dylan Zung walking across the Quad // 10. Senior Blake Friedman shows off a robotics award he earned with his team. // 11. Senior Lucia Menn learns about behavioral psychology with the help of a police K-9 dog. // 12. Jimena Marquez Lopez ’26, Lily Acrish ’25 and Maeve Lazzaro ’26 at a rugby match // 13. Delilah Hickson-Bilotta ’26 and Maya Taub ’26 exude spring spirit. // 14. Langston Townsend-Brown ’26 leads an experiment in a science lab with Jack Brockmann ’25, and Owen Eysymontt ’26. harveyschool.org 37

Harvey Perspective

A Commitment to Inclusion & Diversity

By Ricky Forde, Upper School Dean of Students I am honored to be on a journey at The Harvey School where we are embracing the task to support students of color and foster a culture of inclusion. As the Upper School Dean of Students, I have been privileged to actively contribute to this mission, particularly through serving as a chaperone for students on transformative trips such as to the four-day Student Diversity and Leadership Conference (SDLC) hosted by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) last fall in St. Louis, Missouri, and the February day trip to the Barclays Center to learn from executive leaders in the Blacks At Microsoft (BAM) student diversity event.

At Harvey, our goal is to be dedicated to diversity and inclusion.

We believe in providing our students with opportunities that transcend traditional classroom learning, exposing them to several perspectives and experiences. Having our students participate at the NAIS SDLC conference and the BAM diversity event is just one example of this commitment. By attending these types of events throughout the year, our students of color not only make connections to a wider community of support but also gain personal empowerment.

We were excited to invite special guest speaker, Microsoft executive Bruce Jackson, to a morning meeting to speak to all our students about his journey, challenges, and experiences at Microsoft.

The significance of these events lies in their ability to offer immersive experiences in which students engage in thought-provoking discussions, build invaluable connections, and show them that they have a voice. It is not just about attending conferences; it’s about equipping our students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate the complexities of their academic and everyday lives.

I’m often referred to as a role model or mentor for our students.

I honestly don’t see myself as a mentor because the support I try to show to the students is genuinely from the heart. Being able to join the students on these trips as a chaperone is a responsibility I embrace with joy and dedication. They allow me to connect with students on a personal level, offering guidance, encouragement, and support. The mentorship aspect of what I do is not just “checking a box” but a testament to our belief in fostering a supportive community.

As we look to create more inclusive opportunities for students of color, I want to express my gratitude to our academic community for their ongoing support. My hope is that together we continue to shape a community that values inclusivity, mentorship, and transformative experiences as the foundation of educational excellence.

38 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

news + views

faculty & staff NEWS

Assistant Athletic Director Denis Arnautovic coached the boys varsity basketball team to both the HVAL and NEPSAC Class C Championships in the 2022-2023 season, earning him New England Class C Coach of the Year. This year his team returned to the finals where they finished as runner-up in a close contest.

Art teacher and Chair of Visual Arts Rick Price showed his artwork in the “Visual Memoirs: Portraits, Self-Portraits, and Selfies” exhibition in January and February at Hyperbole in Beacon, New York. Upper School students Hayden Zhang ’24, Henry He ’26, and Steve Liu ’26 stopped by the exhibit to show their support.

Science teacher and Evarts Rink Director Bruce Osborne and Rink Registrar Dale Osborne are the proud grandparents of twins, born in January to their daughter Erika (Osborne) Deininger ’09 and her husband, Steven. Congratulations!

WHY I GIVE

By Beth Visintainer P’07, Assistant Head of Upper School and English teacher

A WORD TO DESCRIBE HARVEY

Belonging

WHY I GIVE TO HARVEY I give to Harvey because relationships matter. We spend precious time together on this hill in Katonah and learn about each other and ourselves through classroom discussions, earnest conversations, and shared human experiences.

Supporting a place where folks listen, argue with compassion, and grow together is essential because here at our school, we dare to know each other. For more than 20 years, I have observed acceptance, kindness, laughter, haikus, friendship, and joy at Harvey — that is why I give.

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1. Sixth graders Carmen Perez and Ruby Cayer // 2. Middle School Poetry Contest winner Ben McIntosh ’29 // 3. Eighth grader Vivienne Stoller having a fun moment in class // 4. Seventh graders Sam Roberts and Karen Dey participate in a class activity. // 5. O’Launi Ebanks ’29 paints a rock for Earth Day garden. // 6. Middle schoolers paint rocks to decorate a sunflower garden. // 7. Eighth graders Bex Waisman and Cassidy O’Neill enjoy the Solar Eclipse. // 8. Mr. Fink and students watch the solar eclipse from a unique vantage point. // 9. Eighth grader Krisi Friedman received Honorable Mention in the Middle School Poetry Contest. // 10. Seventh grader Marcus Espitia // 11. Eighth grader Ben Tobias // 12. Eighth graders Emma Mazzella, Livie Bailey, and Corinne Owen

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Artistic spotlight

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1. Ceramic piece by Alexa Cole ’26 // 2. Senior Hayden Zhang performs in the Upper School Band Concert. // 3. Alexa Williams ’24, Teddy Clement ’25, Chloe Ramsey Lavoie ’24, and Łukasz Daszczynski ’24 in the Upper School Winter Production of “12 Angry Jurors” // 4. Upper School Chorus Concert performance // 5. Artwork by Luca Nishimura ’26 // 6. Dance students perform in the annual winter Dance Concert. // 7. Lena Boyce ’26 and Sophia Thilo ’27 in the Upper School Winter Production of “Welcome to the Moon & Other Plays” // 8. Middle School Band Concert performance harveyschool.org 43

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9. “Spectrum Vision” by junior Christina Phipps // 10. The annual Candlelight Concert in December 2023 // 11. Seventh graders Senna Lieber, Ben McIntosh, and Jadyn Lurie in the Middle School production of “Matilda Jr. The Musical” // 12. Sophomore Sara Strnad playing clarinet in the Band Concert // 13. Senior Lyndsey Koch and junior Lily Acrish // 14. Ally Zimmerman ’29 on guitar in the Band Concert // 15. Sophomores Jacob Harkins and Delilah Hickson-Bilotta in the Upper School Winter Production of “Welcome to the Moon & Other Plays” // 16. Exquisite dance performance in the Dance Concert // 17. Senna Lieber ’29 singing as the lead in “Matilda The Musical JR” // 18. Ceramics by Joy Chen ’26

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Winter Sports Wrap The girls and boys varsity basketball teams enjoyed an outstanding winter season in 2023-24. It was another marvelous season for Harvey’s girls who steamrolled their way to their second consecutive HVAL championship, going undefeated against league rivals, outscoring them by an average of almost 42 points per game. In the HVAL playoffs, the girls continued their mastery over their league opponents by beating King in the semifinal, 67-29 and Watkinson in the title game, 59-39.

Harvey’s boys varsity basketball team entered this year’s winter season as the reigning champions of both the HVAL and NEPSAC Class C. Although the Cavs came up short on repeating as a champion, their runner-up finishes in both title races made for some very exciting high school basketball, particularly in the NEPSAC Class Large Schools championship final when the Cavaliers came very close to pulling off a miraculous comeback, nearly erasing a late-game, 20-point deficit before falling just four points short.

Harvey’s varsity winter track and field team also enjoyed an outstanding season with a long list of athletic accomplishments. With 18 school records either set or broken during the winter season, the athletes participating in the 2023-24 indoor track program have much to be proud of.

We salute all of our winter athletes who competed on the varsity, junior varsity, and middle school levels and did so while displaying good sportsmanship and demonstrating a great sense of commitment and dedication to their sport and to their team.

We also thank the coaches for sharing their expertise and their time and for serving as important role models.

At the end of the season, the leagues and the coaches selected the following as recipients of postseason awards: 46 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

Girls Varsity BASKETBALL (21-3 overall: 14-0 HVAL) MVP McKensi Forde MIP Peyton Forde Cavalier Spirit Fernanda Alexandre HVAL All-League Fernanda Alexandre McKensi Forde Peyton Forde All-NEPSAC McKensi Forde All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention: Fernanda Alexandre NEPSGBA All-Stars Fernanda Alexandre McKensi Forde

Boys Varsity BASKETBALL (16-8 overall; 9-3 HVAL) MVP Jonah Kass MIP Daniel Bussey Cavalier Spirit Cameron Powell-Spruils HVAL All-League Cameron Powell-Spruils Jonah Kass Daniel Bussey All-NEPSAC Cameron Powell-Spruils Jonah Kass Daniel Bussey

Coed Varsity TRACK & FIELD MVP Female Sophia Beldotti MVP Male Felipe Torres MIP O’Neil Ellis Top Newcomer Female Caitlin Savitt Top Newcomer Male Jason Dempsey Cavalier Spirit Mollie Weisberger

All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention Olaf Gorski Dylan Gueli Jackson Saccomanno

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Coed Varsity SKI MVP Graham Casey MIP Zoey Berman Cavalier Spirit Kathleen McCulloch

Boys JV Maroon BASKETBALL (8-4) MVP Wyatt Bland MIP Cade Gilligan Coaches Award Rohan Singh

Boys JV Navy BASKETBALL (10-4)

Top Student-Athletes Winter Term Mollie Weisberger ’26 and Jonah Kass ’25

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MVP Zach Roberts MIP Alex Kettell Coaches Award Grahm Bryant

Girls JV BASKETBALL (5-2) MVP Madison Boothe MIP Tessa Walsh Cavalier Spirit Rylan Gilligan

MS Boys Maroon BASKETBALL (7-2) MVP Derek Lugo MIP Theodore Yanni Sportsmanship Jonathan Cappucci

©SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/EIVAISLA

alumni news Dear Harvey Alumni, At the end of another school year, we reflect on Harvey’s continued commitment to creating an environment that, as our mission states, fosters “independent, adventurous thinkers” in “courageous pursuit of knowledge and truth.”

As a fellow alumnus, I am confident that you will recall how you were challenged to think outside the box at Harvey and given the space to explore topics that you were passionate about. We also had room to learn about topics we weren’t so familiar with or passionate about and continually expand ourselves to seek more meaning, knowledge, and truth in the process. Our eyes were opened to so many different perspectives and ideas.

Our current student body is full of courageous thinkers who are going above and beyond in pursuit of their passions. In this issue, we highlight several amazing students who are doing incredible things not only at Harvey but also outside the school, making their mark as they courageously exemplify what it is to truly be “independent, adventurous thinkers.” I’m always astounded by their commitment to learn and grow, even as they are still coming to understand what they truly want to study in college and still dream of what their future career might be.

Harvey has always been a school that has encouraged students to ask questions, seek greater knowledge, and explore the world around them. My hope for you is that you are still continuing on that quest as a lifelong learner, realizing the infinite opportunities that exist in the world for you to continually seek new passions and possibilities to grow.

The spirit that Harvey instilled in us continues to burn brightly.

Warm regards,

Lara Casano ’95, Alumni Association, President

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Alumni Summer

Socials Join us for some summer fun, good food, and great company!

July 18, 2024 5-7 p.m., BarTaco 1 Willett Avenue, Port Chester, NY 10573

August 22, 2024 5-7 p.m., Sign of the Whale 6 Harbor Point Road, Stamford, CT 06902 For more upcoming alumni events, visit harveyschool.org/alumni/alumevents

NYC Spring Networking Event

May 9, 2024, Bourbon & Branch, NYC

Home for the

Holidays December 15, 2023

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class notes To submit a note or share your Harvey memories, please contact your class agent or the alumni office at alumni@harveyschool.org

1941

1952

Class Agent: Jim Wood, (914) 922-1559, jimandtwink@gmail.com

James Fuller has stayed active in retirement now that his children (Rachel 51, Ben 47) are off on their own. After the loss of his wife in 2006, James has been solo on his boat from Vancouver to New England and now still at it at 85 with headquarters in Florida. “Carpe Diem.”

Jim Wood recently provided The Harvey School with some personal memorabilia from his days as a student here. Jim gave the school his 1941 yearbook, The Harvey Rambler, and also several other prewar and several years into WWII yearbooks. Jim has moved from Kendal on Hudson to join his son and his family in Sheridan, Montana. Jim’s family has resided in Bedford since 1809. Wood Road off Croton Lake Road was Braewold, the Wood family farm for more than 100 years. The homes on the property were called the “Wood Pile,” and Jim and his late wife Twink were well known, highly respected, and much loved for their lifelong commitment of effort and philanthropy in support of a great many worthy organizations in the community for almost eight decades.

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Greg Janos ’98 and Amb. John Loeb ’44 who is holding the Harvey award cups that he won in the 1940s as a Harvey eighth grader

1944 Greg Janos ’98 met up with former U.S. Ambassador John L. Loeb in support of the Newport Spring Park ribbon cutting ceremony. The highly attended reception afterward was in honor of the Ambassador, who was named as the lead donor for the project supporting Newport’s Historic Society.

1956 Class Agent: John Crawford, (540) 247-8810, celect@comcast.net Richard Vernon is now a retired attorney and longtime noncompetitive speed skater who happened to notice fellow Harvey alum Jaclyn Klein Walker ’03 at a skating rink one morning. They struck up a conversation that led to Richard and Jaclyn meeting weekly for ice dancing lessons.

Both Cornell graduates, the two have been ice dancing together for the last 13 years and have grown to become close friends.

1957 Dick Marshall now lives in Portland, Oregon, near his son and keeps in touch with classmate Alexander McKown.

Over the years they have discussed films, and Dick would alert Alex to the films he thought were “classics.” Dick has a filmmaker friend who made a film about Dick and his love of films, featuring one of their conversations. To watch the film, visit: youtube.com/watch?v=o94P1gGpTCo

1959 // 65th Reunion Will Rosenbaum is a veterinarian who owns Veterinary Relief Services and lives between north Florida and the midcoast of Maine.

1961 Class Agent: Sandy Gabel, (919) 693-8099, sandy.gabel@icloud.com

1965 Class Agent: Rev. Malcolm Starring, (603) 444-6016, mfstarring@gmail.com

BRUCE MOSS ’55 Bruce Moss ’55 published a novel “Desert Electra” in April following up his novel “A Death in Florence” published in 2023. Both novels are available on Amazon and in bookstores. Bruce has lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, since 1994, relocating from Bedford and Cross River, New York, where he had lived up until 1993. Tragically, Bruce lost his son, Greg, Class of 1989, to cancer in 2012. Now 83, Bruce reflects warmly on Harvey and his experiences in school. “The three years of Latin certainly helped my fluency with my French and Italian,” he recalls. “Work and play hard, respect the masters (teachers), and take advantage of every opportunity to learn that The Harvey School offers you,” Bruce says.

“You will thank yourself years from now for doing so.”

REFER A FRIEND TO HARVEY! Small classes, inspiring teachers, rigorous academics, and an array of extracurriculars instill in students a passion for lifelong learning and the confidence to pursue individual passions.

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1968 Class Agent: Alex Edwards-Bourdrez, (631) 754-1041, alexb2@gmail.com

1973 Class Agent: Phil Eifert, (914) 232-6489, peifert@yahoo.com

Jonathan Wells ’68 recently caught up with Harvey classmate Alex Edwards-Bourdrez at a book launch in Manhattan’s SoHo.

1978 Class Agent: Patrick Peterkin, (203) 655-9917, p_peterkin@yahoo.com

1983 Class Agents: Melinda Frey Arkin, bentleyshop@aol.com; Joshua Rosenthal, (970) 385-4723, weplay@bresnan.net

1984 // 40th Reunion Class Agent: Herbert Sloan, (203) 438-0051, hjs1988@yahoo.com

1988 Class Agents: Charles Collin, (860) 263-7972, chascolin@gmail.com; Laurel E. Meredith, (917) 280-5233, laurel.meredith@gmail.com

JONATHAN WELLS ’68 Poet and memoirist Jonathan Wells ’68 has published his first novel, “The Sterns Are Listening,” a tale the author says “will resonate with both veterans of the live 1970s rock scene and veterans of dysfunctional families.”

The book is available on Amazon.

1991 Richard Mack’s 12-year-old son recently had a chance to play hockey at Evarts Rink with the Bedford Bears. Rich shared that it was exciting and brought back some great memories. Rich was a goaltender on the Harvey hockey team when he was a student.

1992 1989 // 35th Reunion

Jeffrey Feldman was recently ranked number one in volume for Citizens Bank.

Class Agent: Chris Abrenica, (914) 556-8344, cabrenica71@outlook.com

1994 // 30th Reunion 1990

Class Agent: Russell Stamm, (781) 329-3004, rcstamm@rcstammco.com

Class Agent: Peter Hall, (518) 369-1991, hallpeter1@gmail.com

1995 Class Agents: Lara W. Casano, (347) 539-7301, lcasano@harveyschool.org; Raphael Miranda, (917) 520-7808, mirandaraphael@hotmail.com 54 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

In January, Alice (Pinheiro) Fontana celebrated 12 years at Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits in White Plains, New York.

1996 Class Agents: Keith Harrigan, (412) 853-9392, kh1843@gmail.com; David Stark, (336) 771-5303, dlstark@kpmg.com; Jeannette Brandt Stark, (336) 771-5303, jeanettemstark@gmail.com

1997 Class Agent: Blayre Farkas, (561) 929-1802, carolynfarkas@gmail.com

1998 Class Agent: Greg Janos, (845) 857-7688, gjanos@harveyschool.org Shantele (Coram) Burse started a new position as the director of Equitable HR Practices & Culture at Our Just Future.

class notes

1999 // 25th Reunion Class Agent: Amy Albert Morello, papillia@hotmail.com Timothy Cochran spent several years in the Washington, D.C. area before settling in Wakefield, Massachusetts, with his wife of 15 years and his 3-year old son Sami.

They also own a home in Orlando, Florida.

Tim currently works in IT/tech sales.

2001 Class Agent: Jennifer J. Vogeney, (914) 494-9397, jenn.j.vogeney@gmail.com Dain Carver built out the family HVAC business during the past 15 years after being laid off as a pricing analyst during the 2008 financial crisis. He graduated from Siena College in 2006 with a degree in finance, but he believes he’s much happier at the helm of the family business and currently lives in Stamford, Connecticut, with his wife, Sally, and their two children.

He loves being an entrepreneur and knowing that each day presents its own challenges. Dain believes being laid off was the best thing that happened to him “so I could rebuild myself from the ground up,” he said, adding, “I’ve learned that failing forward is the key to success.”

2002 Class Agent: Tiffany Franqui Hamilton, (845) 612-9858, travelsize84@gmail.com

2003 Class Agent: Jaclyn Walker, (914) 319-1699, JaclynMarisaWalker@gmail.com Jaclyn Klein Walker was at a skating rink one morning and struck up a conversation with fellow Harvey alum Richard Vernon ’56, a noncompetitive speed skater and retired attorney. Jaclyn is a former national competitor, including the Cornell Figure Skating Club. Both graduates of Cornell, they decided to

Greg Janos ’98, Lou Nunez ’99, Jake Gersen ’98 at hockey with their sons

Dain Carver ’01

meet up weekly for ice dance lessons, and, now, 13 years later, the pair are still skating and close friends. Richard was a strong source of support through Jaclyn’s law school years at Pace University.

Jaclyn says of the amazing 88-year-old Richard, “There’s a love for sport that’s ageless. It crosses all barriers.”

Wealth Advisors ranking. “It is truly an honor to be included among this exceptional group of my peers. Thank you!” shared Jonathan.

2004 // 20th Reunion

2006 Class Agents: Gregory Jurschak, (914) 260-8133, gjurschak@gmail.com; Teresa Neri, (914) 462-7440, teresa.neri12@gmail.com

Class Agent: Maria Neri, (845) 279-5234 Nicholas Duncan celebrated two years at Accenture this past February.

Jon Klein stopped by Evarts Rink to skate last November and enjoyed sharing stories about his daughter, Mia, with rink director Bruce Osborne.

2005

Tommy Bibliowicz celebrated 10 years at 4 Noses Brewing Company in March.

2007 Class Agents: Doniella McKoy, (914) 960-9375, donimckoy@yahoo.com; Alexandra Pugliese, (914) 760-0119, alexandra.m.pugliese@gmail.com

Class Agent: Brian Ryerson, (914) 329-6863, ryersonb@gmail.com

Michael Bruno joined OpenAI to work on safety. He is excited to help keep this new and exciting technology safe.

Jonathan Peters was proud to be recognized by Forbes on its 2024 Best in State

Samuel Powers started a new and exciting chapter as he joined an incredible harveyschool.org 55

Joanna Smith ’08

Sean O’Brien ’09, Mark Siegel ’15, Greg Janos ’98 on the ice at Evarts Rink.

Director of College Counseling Meg Booth met up with Natalia R. St. Lawrence ’12 at a college event

team at Kharon, a company leveraging cutting-edge technology and open-source research to support a broad spectrum of mission-oriented tasks. In his role as vice president, Samuel looks forward to leveraging technology to continue to help the public sector with its myriad challenges in an increasingly complex world.

Previously, Samuel worked for Dataminr for nearly 10 years, helping the public sector, NGOs, and international organization.

Joanna Smith returned to Harvey to speak with students about the power of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) skills in their future careers. The students enjoyed the presentation which included testing out some small drones.

Joanna is a civil and geotechnical engineer who founded DaleySmith STEM, a company with a mission to expose 500,000 students in grades K-12 to STEM-related fields to increase the number of minorities in STEM. Joanna uses fun, unconventional STEM and music programs that ensure exposure to innovation and successful careers. Read more about Joanna on page 5 of this issue.

Spencer Wiesner was on the honor roll for the fall 2023 semester at Southern New Hampshire University and will soon have his master’s in business administration.

2008 Class Agents: Gretel Coleman, (914) 234-0907, gretelcoleman@gmail.com; Dylan Hackley, (914) 482-5318, dhack@me.com Clara Lefton got her first byline for Our Lives Media in its January 2024 edition.

Alessandra (Ali) Leone Milch and her husband Cody welcomed Mila Basil Milch March 12, 2024, weighing in at 9 pounds, 4 ounces.

Alain Rwabukamba celebrated five years at Intel Corporation in February.

56 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

2009 // 15th Reunion Class Agents: Andrew Jamieson, (203) 273-3884, ajamieson@harveyschool.org; Erika Osborne, osborne7937@gmail.com; Peter Sorenson, (914) 438-7486, psorenson68@gmail.com; Megan Taylor, (914) 234-6205, meg.kerrytaylor@gmail.com Andrew Jamieson is happy to share that he is looking forward to starting his Master of Science in Nonprofit Management at Columbia University School of Professional Studies. Roar, Lion, roar!

2010 Justin Zenon started a new position as senior business manager at 2 Market Media.

2011 Class Agents: Amelia Slater, (914) 874-7436, ameliajslater1@gmail.com; Nicolette A. St. Lawrence, (914) 707-0414, ns669@cornell.edu; Konrad Testwuide, (914) 953-9006, ktestwuide@gmail.com Daniel Goodkind has been promoted to vice president, strategy, at Morgan Stanley.

Alexa Marconi has been promoted to senior account director, Mid Commercial/ Retail at Salesforce.

class notes

CHINASA NWOKOCHA ’13 Chinasa Nwokocha ’13 is currently studying for her master’s degree in music business and tech at NYU and producing music for global superstars like Doja Cat and Cardi B. She just landed a role as a senior financial analyst at Ralph Lauren while working as a finance lead and production partner for Cardi B’s music production team at Atlantic Records. Chinasa says, “Harvey opened my eyes to true diversity and excellence and allowed me to develop my dream of being a part of the arts. Dare to be different and find yourself within a systematic world.”

Greg Janos ’98 at Newport alumni event with Erica Cheyne ’14 and Brian Silva ’14

2012 Class Agents: Brandon Hickey, (845) 270-8670, hickbg05@gmail.com; Brett Marks, (914) 815-1686, brettmarks94@gmail.com; Nicole Pugliese, (914) 760-7148, npug@umich.edu; Julian Rissetto, (914) 539-1175, j.rissetto@icloud.com; Maya Sank, (203) 803-5850, mayasank7@gmail.com; Daniel Schonning, (203) 788-6811, danny.schonning@yahoo.com; Natalia R. St. Lawrence, (914) 707-0406; Mikhyle Stein, (914) 419-4615, mick909@gmail.com Russell Pober started a new position as director of national sales at Aerial Banners, Inc.

2013 Class Agents: Sharif Koonce, (914) 356-1553, skoonce29@gmail.com; Karina K. Lambert, (914) 844-9123, karina.k.lambert@gmail.com; Ben Walant, (203) 947-4541, bwalant@gmail.com Jabea Kisob was a member of the cast and crew of the SUNY New Paltz fall 2023 stage production of “Hooded, or Being Black for Dummies.”

Bradley Rothschild started a new position as an account executive in financial services at Salesforce.

Natalie Ullman started a new position as associate director of social media at Zando.

2014 // 10th Reunion

2015

Class Agents: Christian Artuso, (914) 462-0302, cjartuso@aol.com; Erica Cheyne, (914) 708-9482, ericacheyne@outlook.com

Class Agents: Julia Chatzky, (914) 420-6876, jbc310@gmail.com; Richard Hicks, (914) 233-6825, hicks.ricky1@gmail.com; Brendan Kneitz, bkneitz24@gmail.com; Ariana Weaver, (914) 703-0008, arianaweaver@gmail.com

Samantha Aloi was promoted to associate director, content partnerships, at Spark Foundry.

Michael Goodkind started a new position as a play-by-play announcer at KSL Sports.

William Leventhal started a new position as marketing broker at Amwins.

Julia Chatzky recently celebrated two years at Magrino Public Relations.

Carly Kaplan has joined the sales team at Natoora, focusing on new business development.

Daniel Schonning is the winner of the 2023 Single Poem Broadside Contest.

His poem, “Do Not Look Directly at Arc,” is described by judge harveyschool.org 57

ALUMNI

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@harveyalumni

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Brian Benjamin ’16 holds award recognition, accompanied by his girlfriend.

Danni Qu ’16

Nathalie Khankan as “stitched with echo and near-metaphor.” Khankan further writes: “It meditates on the task of the dead and the living. It inhabits a world, like ours, with t-shaped pylons, pilgrims, poplar trees. Such rutilant sores of rust. In it you will be both lost and held.”

bachelor’s degree in business administration with economics double major at Emory University and then completed his master’s in business analytics at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He currently works as a senior consultant at Advancy, a strategy consultancy for industrial and life science industries. Ben recently shared, “As an international student, I think Harvey shaped my path well and was very meaningful for my journey in the U.S. both culture-wise and education-wise.”

2016 Class Agents: Hannah Herrera, (914) 714-5407, Hannahv_herrera@yahoo.com; Tyler Levy, (914) 572-3020, bbhockey22@gmail.com Brian Benjamin was recognized as Firefighter of the Year at Village of Port Chester Fire Department. He was recognized for all his hard work and dedication for all that he does for Fire Patrol and Rescue Company #1.

Emma Brown is a graduate student at Columbia University getting a master’s degree in public health and social work.

Rohan Cassells is a portfolio associate at CitiBank, specializing in finance, business, sports management, and operations.

Julia DeNigris was nominated for “Best Photographer” in Wilmington Magazine’s “Best of 2024” competition.

Ben He has had an exciting journey beyond Harvey. He completed his

58 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

Tyler Levy was promoted to partnerships manager at Brightcore Energy.

Danni Qu is currently based in London, U.K., working at a private equity advisory company. Her favorite Harvey memory was living with her host family with whom she still keeps in touch and visits.

She also has fond memories of her Harvey trip to Japan.

linkedin.com/groups/105606

2017 Class Agents: Joseph Bakas, (914) 708-6131, bakasjoe@gmail.com; Alexandra Barber, (914) 414-7353, lgbarber1999@gmail.com; Jewel Li, (914) 920-1409, lijewel1117@gmail.com; John Wise, (203) 637-7876 Janice (Yutong) Cai is currently in graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania.

Some of her favorite Harvey memories are musical rehearsals with Vinny Alexander, chemistry classes with Bruce Osborne, and robotics competitions with Chris Kelly.

“Harvey built me a strong foundation for college and created many cherished memories,” says Janice.

Ryan Gross started a new position as the creative projects and communications lead at Potion.

Andrew Scherl started a new position as assistant at Wasserman.

Melissa Shaw Patino celebrated three years at Neuberger Berman in January.

David Solano obtained a new certification — ChatGPT for Beginners: Using AI for Market Research from Coursera.

Janice Yutong Cai ’17

2019 // 5th Reunion

Class Agents: Marissa Annechiarico, (845) 546-2011, marissa.annechiarico@yahoo.com; Yulanda Huang, (203) 947-2885, hjuewei@163.com; Chloe Savitch, (914) 393-9432, cbsavitch@aol.com; John Sullivan, (914) 217-6364, johns2388@aol.com

Class Agents: Treshawn Felder, (347) 792-7458, joel@harlemlacrosse.org; Charlotte Levy, (914) 238-1099, charlottehailey16@gmail.com; Sebastian Wallach, (914) 763-2579, sebski01@gmail.com; Courtney Warren, (914) 755-6960, courtrw1@gmail.com

Matthew Drude accepted the position of senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton.

He shared that he is excited to embark on this new chapter in his career.

Yulanda (Juewei) Huang spent 20 months working at UPS and it is bittersweet moving on. She shared, “Growing up on the other side of the world in Asia, I dreamed of seeing the world. I never imagined I would get to do that as part of one of the world’s great companies.

I am proud to say that I leave this experience as a more confident, courageous, and empathetic person.” Yulanda reports that her next chapter will take her to The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Cian Keohane was named boys varsity head lacrosse coach this spring for Eastchester High School. He said he was excited for the opportunity and was “looking forward to working with a great group of young men!”

Lily Koenig shared that she is excited to have recently joined the team at Teton Ridge, a Western lifestyle and entertainment company that focuses on the American West.

Julia Mallon has been promoted to account executive at Laura Davidson Public Relations.

Chloe Savitch started a new position as lead coordinator/administrative and marketing assistant at Shoreline Event Design.

Lucas Taylor began volunteering with Kesem at Boston University when he was a college freshman and now, six years later, he is serving as an advisory board member for Kesem at NYU. Kesem holds a special place in Lucas’ heart. He says, “I think there are very few organizations quite as special and magical.” Kesem is an organization that supports children affected by a parent’s cancer diagnosis.

Olivia Ciancio started a new position as a client success coordinator at Warner Brothers Discovery. She is looking forward to working in the company’s New York office with such an amazing team.

Ethan Cohen started a new role in January with the New York Islanders in the team’s sales department. Let’s go, Islanders!

Oliver Davies completed his Bachelor of Arts at The George Washington University.

Giselle Garcia started a new position as an English teacher at South Bronx Community Charter High School.

Daisy Grossman is excited to announce that she will be attending Tufts University School of Medicine to pursue a Master in Biomedical Sciences.

Zoe Lewis started a new position as a fish and wildlife technician at NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

2020 Class Agents: Allan Dilone Rodriguez, (914) 393-3642, allanedilone@gmail.com; Daniel Galgano, (914) 763-0461, dpgalgano@gmail.com; Ryan Piken, (914) 628-4166, rypenguin57@gmail.com; Cameron Thomas, (914) 736-6565, cameronthomas155@hotmail.com

class notes

2018

Daniel Galgano started a new position in February as a fact-checking intern at SFP for the spring 2024 semester. He said he was looking forward to gaining experience in media production, digital verification, and online journalism.

Robert Gross started a new position as an equipment intern at Inter Miami CF this season.

Ryan Piken accepted a position at Just For Kids as an arts specialist.

“To be able to share my passion for the arts with the youth of Buffalo is truly an honor,” says Ryan.

Sydney Sakin started a new position as public relations intern at SEQUEL. Prior to that, Sydney did an internship as a fashion PR intern at Mazin Jewels, a “dynamic and innovative company in the jewelry industry.” She has gained valuable experience in public relations and is thrilled to join the SEQUEL team.

Jacob Sklar recently founded the “Just Another Podcast.”

Charles Weiller came back to campus in December for Harvey’s Young Alumni Home for the Holidays event. He is currently studying interactive media at Clark University.

Michael Wolff graduated in May as a journalism major from Elon University’s McEwen School of Communications. He is excited to share that this summer he will take on a freelance researcher role on the content integration team at NBC Sports Olympics in Stamford, Connecticut. He

Allan Dilone Rodriguez started a new role as a relationship associate at Polen Capital in Boca Raton, Florida. “It is an honor to begin my professional career through a firm that has been recognized by Pensions & Investments as one of the industry’s ‘Best Places to Work’ for each of the past seven consecutive years,” says Allan.

Michael Wolff ’20

harveyschool.org 59

will support production and distribution of multiplatform editorial and storytellingbased content to production teams across NBCUniversal during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Read more about Michael on page 8 of this issue.

2021 Samantha Fern was an intern at Marcie Allen Consulting and Anzie Blue in Nashville for the spring 2024 semester.

“This internship is a significant milestone in my Human and Organizational Development major, providing a unique opportunity to explore various business strategies, especially within the entertainment industry,” said Samantha, who attends Vanderbilt University.

Jeannie Fink is currently spending her junior year of college abroad at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. At her home institution, American University, Jeannie is a Japanese major and Asian Pacific Diaspora Studies (APDS) minor. “My main focus and reason for studying abroad is to improve my communication skills in Japanese so I can meet and converse more easily with people,” says Jeannie. She still keeps in touch with her group of friends she met at Harvey back in sixth grade.

Keegan Glucksman is the co-president, events coordinator, and social media

Jeannie Fink ’21 exploring Tokyo, Japan

Director of College Counseling Meg Booth with Zach Treseler ’21

60 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

Charles Zuo ’21 at work, play, and exploring

manager for the Berklee Songwriters Club at Berklee College of Music. Some of her responsibilities include advocating for the growth and development of the songwriting community at Berklee, coordinating monthly showcases, and strategizing social media campaigns.

Jordan Grossman was named to the Syracuse University Martin J. Whitman School of Management dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester.

Gabrielle Levinger Louie was named to the Muhlenberg College dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester.

Chloe Savitch started a new position as lead coordinator/administrative & marketing assistant at Shoreline Event Design to pursue a career in event planning. She cannot wait to see where this journey takes her.

Zach Treseler met with Harvey Director of College Counseling Meg Booth at Case Western Reserve University, where Zach is majoring in economics and political science and minoring in art history and French.

Ms. Booth reports that Zach is thriving and has secured an internship this summer at the Federal Reserve in St. Louis.

Charles (Yaocheng) Zuo is currently studying economics and philosophy at NYU. He is studying for his CFA and GRE tests so that he will be prepared for his master’s school application. He is a new member of the NYU Consulting Club where students aim to offer solutions to nonprofit organizations and bring positive social impact. Charles is also working on his startup called PIEONAIR, an online platform for founders to connect. Right now, they are in the demo test stage of the platform. In his spare time, Charles enjoys going fishing and playing basketball games with his friends every week.

Charles fondly recalls his Harvey days (his favorite memories are of the snow days) and says, “As students at a small school, people of Harvey have close and deep bonds. Your friends are people you can rely on for years even after graduation.

This is especially priceless nowadays, so do take advantage of it,” he says.

class notes

Sofia Marcos Muñoz ’22 supported in her Skyline Conference NCAA Division 3 Championship by sister, Maria ’25, Harvey Assistant Director of Admissions Jessica Vicente, and Jimena Marquez Lopez ’26

Amanda Mohamad ’22 gets a hug from Harvey English teacher Virginia Holmes.

2022

Cody Siegel has committed to Oxford University for the fall of 2024 as a visiting student at Worcester College.

“I want to thank my family and my professors at Vassar College for making this opportunity possible and for supporting me along the application process,” said Cody. “So excited to see what lies in store for me next semester!”

Kenny Aguilar was named to the SUNY New Paltz dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester.

Ash Champlain was a member of the cast and crew of the Miami Theatre Players fall 2023 staged production of “Seussical: The Musical.”

Charles Hildebrandt is the student manager of Fairfield University’s men’s soccer team.

Sofia Marcos Muñoz of Madrid, Spain, who was in Harvey’s International Student Program, celebrated winning the Skyline Conference NCAA Division 3 Championship in basketball with her Mount Saint Vincent College teammates.

Sofia is majoring in criminology and pre-law.

Amanda Mohamad finished her sophomore year at the University of Miami in her pursuit of her Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism and Bachelor of Science in Media Management. Amanda is the executive digital editor for the University of Miami student magazine Distraction and associate producer for UMTV’s award-winning entertainment news show “Pulse.” She is also the UMTV outreach coordinator and runs a mentorship program. Amanda joined the sorority Chi Omega in her spring semester and she absolutely loves it. Read more about Amanda on page 11 of this issue.

Jadon Silva was named to the Emerson College dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester.

JACOB ROBICHEAU ’21 Jacob Robicheau ’21 is thriving at Emerson College in Boston and will be a senior this fall. While still in college, Jacob has worked on multiple film projects outside of school, including in Los Angeles on “The Purple Glasses” (2023) for See You Productions as an on-set production assistant (PA), and the 2023 Thom Zimny/Sylvester Stallone Netflix project “Sly” as a post production PA and archival PA. Jacob was named to the Emerson College dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester and has been on the list every semester with

a straight A 4.0 GPA. He was accepted into the Emerson Senior Capstone Project merit-based program where he’ll spend his final spring 2025 semester in Los Angeles working in hands-on filmmaking internships in and around Hollywood. Jacob was also inducted into the Emerson Gold Key Honor Society as a junior in the top 5% of his class.

Jacob’s family credits Harvey and the faculty and staff with playing a massive role in Jacob’s continued academic success and for who he is as a student and a citizen. In addition, the support of learning to live in the dorms away from home and taking on additional social, emotional, and physical responsibilities as an evolving human guides his trajectory with strength and compassion.

harveyschool.org 61

class notes

Dan Gasch ’23 and Bradley Lederer ’23

2023

Nekia Bland ’23 visits Chris Kelly in the robotics lab.

Jordan Latta ’23 at UConn

Khalil Aguilar is studying mechanical engineering at Union College and reports that “school is good” and that he’s “having tons of fun while keeping up with his classes.” Khalil stopped by Harvey for the Young Alumni Home for the Holidays in December.

Aislinn Carnes Swingle was named to the Emerson College dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester.

Dan Gasch (Susquehanna University) and Bradley Lederer (Elon University) reunited in early March with their respective colleges at a rugby tournament in Virginia.

Aaron Providence visited campus for Harvey’s Young Alumni Home for the Holidays in December. Aaron is studying civil engineering at Morgan State University and reports that school is going well. “Harvey prepared me for the best. My transition to college has been great,” he says.

NOTES FROM

Former Faculty & Friends Former English faculty member and department chair Rod Owens returned to Harvey April 10-12 to work with students and faculty in the English department.

Mr. Owens spent time in grades 9 through 12 English classes, which culminated in a special performance of his one-man show 62 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

Aaron Providence ’23 and Regimantas (RC) Ciunys ’22

Mitchell Winters ’23, Ryan Byrne ’25, Ian Bryant ’24

“Come Here, Shakespeare!” for Harvey sophomores. While he was here, Mr. Owens also served as a judge for the 2024 Michael Lopes Poetry Recitation Contest.

Mr. Owens taught English in grades nine to twelve at Harvey from 2000 to 2015 and wrote songs and plays for Harvey Cavalier Camp. In 2013, he recorded his album “Strange Opera”with three Harvey seniors. After retiring from teaching in 2015, Mr. Owens moved to Cape Cod and began acting. His favorite show was Judith Partelow’s “A Woman’s Heart,” presented in six venues from 2017 to 2019. In addition to his one-man show, Mr. Owens recently performed in “The Arkansaw Bear” as Ze Great Ringmaster. We were thrilled to welcome Mr. Owens back to the Harvey campus and English classrooms.

Rod Owens guest teaches and judges the 2024 Poetry Contest.

in memoriam Paul Egee ’64 Nov. 11, 2023

Paul Egee, 75, died Nov. 11, 2023, at Regional Hospice in Danbury, Connecticut, after defeating leukemia several times.

Paul was born Sept. 1, 1948, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Dr. J. Benton and Gladys Egee. He attended The Harvey School, Wooster School, and the Memphis College of Art. He founded Paul Egee Interior Design with his partner, Jack Barker, in 1998. He was the consulting designer for Waterworks of Danbury for 45 years.

Paul is survived by his partner, Jack Barker; his sisters, Elaine Pratt, and Leslie Wooley (Donald Wooley); and his four grandchildren, Ethan and Emily Barker and Sophia and Cecilia LaSpina. He was predeceased by his parents and his two brothers, David and John.

Paul was always full of appealing agendas and great humor. He had an extraordinary ability to translate an idea into visual form and expand the ordinary beyond original expectations.

A memorial service was held in the spring.

Gregory Alexander Kriser ’65 May 4, 2024

Gregory Alexander Kriser, 73, of Palm Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully May 4, 2024. Born on December 21, 1950, Greg was the beloved son of Anka K. Palitz and David B. Kriser.

Greg was a standout athlete from his early educational years at The Harvey School and later at Riverdale Country School, continuing his passion for sports into his collegiate years at the University of Denver. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Boston University in 1973. Initially venturing into the cable TV industry, Greg later found success as a private investor. His pioneering work in the early days of his career included significant contributions to the cable TV industry through his company Helicon Cable, where he spearheaded the development of private cable satellite systems across the U.S.

Greg married the love of his life, Sandra Kriser, October 1, 1978 in Los Angeles, California. Together, they built a beautiful family and shared countless memories in their home in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. In 2007 they moved to Palm Beach, Florida, where they have since enjoyed unparalleled sunsets, arts, culture, and a peaceful lifestyle.

A devoted father to his two sons, Ryan and Robert, Greg cherished every moment spent with his family. He adored his granddaughters, Alexandra and Luna, always bringing joy with his quick wit and playful nature.

Greg had an enormous heart. He was a generous and loyal husband, father, son, and friend. His kindness, compassion, and sense of humor brightened the lives of all who knew him. His memory will live on in our hearts and minds. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Space for Humanity.

Peter Nisbit ’89 We were sad to learn of the passing of Peter Nisbit ’89 from his friend, Rob Schneck ’89. A Celebration of Life was held for Peter January 20, 2024 for his family and friends.

A remembrance by Rob Schneck ’89: “A beloved member of the Class of 1989” and an exceptional goalie during the soccer season, a sharp and fast skater during the hockey season, and an exceedingly brave lacrosse player. He was also a true friend and major player on our Model UN teams. He went out of his way for others; his kindness and compassion for his friends was what one looks for in friendships. A few years ago we met for coffee in Katonah. It’s a day I will continue to cherish and reflect on with happiness. Rest in Peace, Pete. Thanks for your friendship.” harveyschool.org 63

Parting Thought From the Director of Alumni Relations I am continually inspired by the stories of our alumni and current students. Through their achievements and experiences, they demonstrate the transformative power of education and the enduring impact of the education they received here at Harvey. Their individual stories embody the spirit of our school, exemplifying our mission to “nurture independent, adventurous thinkers who are dedicated to the courageous pursuit of knowledge and truth.”

I invite you to join us at Harvey whenever you can, at a school event and Homecoming 2024, or off campus at any of our alumni gatherings. The door is always open for Harvey alumni.

Through mentorship opportunities, networking events, or philanthropic initiatives; these are a few of the countless ways to engage with and support current students and alumni.

You are always welcome up the hill at Harvey!

Looking forward to connecting,

Greg Janos ’98

“ The door is always open for Harvey alumni.”

64 HAR VEY MAGAZINE // spring 2024

inaugural

Harvey Cavalier Golf Outing

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Westchester Hills Golf Club 401 Ridgeway White Plains, NY 10605 Breakfast & check-in begins at 10 a.m.

Shotgun Start at noon Whether you’re an avid golfer or prefer to take in the atmosphere as a spectator, this is the event for all Harvey alumni, families, and friends. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to tee off alongside our esteemed faculty and staff members. Join us for a day of fun, camaraderie, and friendly competition!

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Save the Date Saturday, October 19, 2024

Homecoming and Alumni Reunion Celebrating all classes, but especially those class years ending in “4” and “9.”

Visit our website for the latest info:

www.harveyschool.org