H EAD -ROYCE S CHOOL MAGAZINE
S A L U T A T O R I A N S AY S "NOW WE MUST
LEARN THE ART OF LOSING” BUILDING A MORE
EQUITABLE BOOKSHELF O N E T E A C H E R S AY S
“NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION”
THE SOC I A L LYDISTANCED GR ADUATION ISSUE WINTER 2020
FEATUR ES
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5th Grade Promotion
52 2019–2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Our School is on strong financial footing as we look toward the future with hope.
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8th Grade Promotion
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Class of 2020 Graduation
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Professional Community Awards
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Reimagining STEM in the Pandemic
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Toward A More Equitable Bookshelf
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MEET THE OFFICE OF EQUITY + INCLUSION
MANAGING EDITOR NICHOLE LEFEBVRE EDITORS JENNIFER BEESON JULIE KIM-BEAL PHOTOGRAPHY
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Richard Wheeler CREATIVE DIRECTION + DESIGN Con Todo | www.contodo.co
Life @ HRS
PRINTING
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Solstice Press VISIT US ONLINE! Discover more about our mission and activities at headroyce.org.
@HeadRoyceSchool
@HeadRoyce
Head-Royce School Magazine is a bi-annual publication for alumni, families, and friends of Head-Royce. Changes of address may be sent to communications@headroyce.org.
Letter from Crystal Land, Head of School
s t n e Cont
A LUMNI NOTES & PROFILES
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DR. AMAKA OKECHUKWU ’04 interviewed by Hayden T. ’23
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FLASHBACK Sonnet to a Mask
Letter from the Alumni Council President
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Alumni Profile: Dr. Piper Below ’99
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Alumni Events
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Alumni Notes
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In Memoriam
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BUILDING CONNECTION During Distance Learning, a few crafty Upper Schoolers found a way to visit campus. Teaming up, Riley C. ’22, Ethan B. ’22, Julian P. ’22, Peter T. ’22, and David V. ’22 designed and built Head-Royce in Minecraft.
NEW TO THE SCHOOL On Friday, August 21, 6th graders were the first students back to campus for their orientation. At a safe distance of six feet, they played games, laughed together, explored the campus, and engaged in some covert gardening (in October flowers sprang up in unexpected spots across campus!). “It was so nice to feel that genuine 6th grade energy again,” said Will Adams, 6th Grade Dean. “Their excitement to be together and connect was inspiring and refreshing. They showed us how formative even one day can be when building a new community.”
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LIFELONG LEARNING From our Summer DEI Speaker Series, to classroom visits from astronauts and artists (pictured here!), our virtual events throughout the pandemic have kept our entire community engaged. Special thanks to Howard C. Stevenson, Ph.D., Deena Simmons, Ed.D, Don Thomas, Ph.D., and Pixar Story Artist Mitra Shahidi for sharing their knowledge.
COOKING WITH CLASS Upper School History Teacher Paul Scott interviewed Head-Royce Parent Phyllis Grant (Isabel R. ’21 and Dashiell R. ’25 ) about her new memoir with recipes Everything Is Under Control. The late-spring event capped off a Senior Project led by Paul Scott, Keri Keifer, Chris Kinney, and Saya McKenna. Thirty Seniors learned all about cooking—from prepping kale to puréeing pesto.
CONGRATS TO AWARD WINNERS MORGAN R. ’25 AND JOSH C. ’28 Morgan R. ’25 (pictured at left) won the national BlackGirlsCode hackathon for her app, Rooted. Created by Morgan and her coding partner Victoria, Rooted is designed to diversify the tech industry. For his poem “Rain,” Josh C. ’28 won the Audubon Canyon Ranch Writing Contest, taking first prize in the children’s (8-12) category and then the grand prize, beating out teenage and adult writers. Judge Michele Anna Jordan said Josh’s winning entry had a “beautiful poetic sensibility.”
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GRAND REOPENING In October, our youngest students were the first to return for in-person classes, shifting us into our hybrid schooling model, “HRS Blend.” We are so thankful to have students on campus again, laughing and learning together.
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THANK YOU, FACULTY AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF! We’re so grateful for our hardworking, innovative faculty and staff, who’ve learned a range of new skills this summer and fall, from teaching virtually to helping test students for COVID-19.
NAVAJO NATION BOOK DRIVE Did you donate books this summer? If so, thank you! Sophia R. ’22 ended up collecting over 3,000 books for the Navajo Nation Library in Arizona. Special thanks to the Chipmans who agreed to ship the 70 boxes and the juniors who helped pack them up.
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TRUNK OR TREAT! To celebrate Halloween, the student council handed out candy at a drive-through Trunk or Treat. Special thanks to All-School Spirit Masters Sophie C. ‘21 and Loucas X. ‘21 for hosting the event!
SENIORS CELEBRATE Though their Senior year doesn’t look how they anticipated, the Class of 2021 is finding ways to stay joyful and celebrate their final year of high school—like their scavenger hunt, pictured here. (Most students stayed at a safe, social distance. Others have joined study-group pods!)
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REIMAGINING + RECKONING
It also continues to be a critical period of racial reckoning in our nation and in our immediate communities. We remain steadfast in our commitment to dismantling and rebuilding the School’s systems to address racism and to foster a safe, just learning environment for all. Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team (meet them on page 38) has led the community-wide charge to enact our 10-step DEI Action Plan (which you can read on our website). This work is integral to our mission and is ongoing. Please look for updates on our progress in our new quarterly DEI e-newsletter, Belonging.
Welcome to the Winter 2020 issue of Head-Royce Magazine. As I write to you—our extended community of families, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends—I am happy to report that our campus is once again ringing with the joyful sounds of children at work and at play, which I missed deeply over the past eight months. This moment also finds us at the long-awaited conclusion of an election that has crossed many historic milestones, including record voter turnout and the ascent of Oakland’s own Kamala Harris to become the first woman, the first Black person, and the first South Asian American Vice President. To me, as a woman, a leader, a mother, and an Oaklander, this is a historic reason to celebrate. I also can’t help but reflect on HeadRoyce’s earliest beginnings as Miss Head’s Preparatory School for Girls, and how far we have come in realizing Anna Head’s ambition to empower young women through a robust education. The winter edition of Head-Royce Magazine is typically the “Graduation Issue,” where we celebrate the graduating and promoting classes of the previous school year. As you’ll notice
while flipping through these pages, our end-of-year ceremonies looked and felt quite different this time around. Though not what any of us had expected or hoped for, I’m immensely grateful we could celebrate our graduates in-person. As you’ll see, the outdoor ceremonies remained joyful expressions of community and accomplishment, despite masks and social distancing. And, we were able to use our beautiful campus as our outdoor graduation stage! This issue also encapsulates the duality and contrast of the times we find ourselves in, at Head-Royce and beyond. We have confronted immense challenges living through a pandemic, but have also been granted the opportunity to witness the true grit and resilience of our community. COVID-19 has demanded that we dig deep to reimagine how to deliver on our mission in a time of disruption and disconnection, and continues to serve as a powerful catalyst behind significant innovation and adaptation. In this issue, you’ll learn more about our blended learning model, and how teachers and students have harnessed the digital space in creative and meaningful ways.
In closing, I hearken back to our 134year history once more: you may be surprised to know this is not the first pandemic our School has navigated. The influenza pandemic of 1918-1920 infected more than 500 million people worldwide and inspired the “Sonnet to a Mask” written by Beatrice Blake ’19–– that is, 1919. Our 3rd graders composed pandemic-inspired poems of their own, demonstrating how creativity and adaptation remain the threads connecting our past to our present. We are perpetually reminded of the importance of listening deeply, thinking creatively, and upholding our School’s mission. I believe we will emerge from this period of challenge with greater resiliency, more awareness of our strengths, and gratitude for all that unites us as a learning community. Thank you for being on this journey with us. Warm regards,
CRYSTAL M. LAND HEAD OF SCHOOL
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Head-Royce School
FIF TH G R ADE PROMOTION Class of 2027
G R A DUAT IO N
On the morning of Thursday, June 4, 5th grade students and their families celebrated their promotion to middle school. To maintain safe social distancing, the students arrived in small groups, wearing masks, and received their diplomas at a sixfoot distance from their teachers. Despite the restrictions, it was a joyful, memorable event.
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In a video commemorating the day, Lower Schoolers sang Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.”
“No I won’t be afraid. Oh, I won’t be afraid Just as long as you stand, stand by me.” “I want you to remember these difficult times. I want you to remember COVID-19, feeling alone and challenged with technology, and connecting with your peers virtually. I want you to remember Black Lives Matter, that our country is in crisis because not everyone treats each other equitably. Use these challenges to be better. Learn from the adults’ mistakes, including my own, and have a strong conviction for what is right. You have all more than proven you can be flexible, engaged, and adventurous. Keep those beliefs close as you all embark on new beginnings.” LEA VAN NESS
HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL
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Congrats to the Class of 2027! BLUE GROUP Grayson Bloes River Caruana Bristol Copeland Liam Cyrkler Fendi DeAmicis Eyosiyas (Easy) Dwelley Vihaan Goplani Ella Hong Amelia Jensen-Wilds Katie Koh PURPLE GROUP Krish Parikh Isha Patel Chase Ruegg Aaryan (Aari) Sabnani Avery Schilling Selah Sood Nicholas (Nico) von Mayrhauser Ferris Warner Amelia Weiss GREEN GROUP Jackson Benson Abigail Breedlove Gabriel (Gabe) Carr Owen Curry Ingrid Einspruch Alex Ekman Hannah Forsyth Jonah Goldsmith Mia Huang Maanya Jhaveri ORANGE GROUP Makani Kahn-Sky Kallista Karachale Luciana Ladue Marguerite Laub Max Marubio Luciano Paredes Zavier (Zavi) Ryder Leila Sakoulis Shirin Sakoulis Camila (Blue) Simjee
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Head-Royce School
EIGHTH GRADE PRO M OTIO N Class of 2024
G R A DUAT IO N
With its virtual speeches and sociallydistanced diploma walk, this year’s 8th Grade Promotion was a poignant reminder of all this class has witnessed, challenged, and overcome.
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AARON H. ’24
8TH GRADE PROMOTION SPEAKER
“If there’s one thing we’ll remember most from Middle School, it’s this: Speak your mind.”
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LINDA HOOPES ’88
HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
“As a group, you stand up for what you believe in and for what is right. Many of you are the leaders in our student groups––the Justice League, the Student of Color Alliance, and the Green Team. And even if you are not a voice in one of those formal groups, you have stood up for each other, given voice to the concerns and fears of your fellow students, and you have called on the School to change for the better.”
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2024! Cole Alexis Lily Antuna Sanchez Eli Baltz Chloe Barrie Adele Beamer Azzie Beck Ilan Boguslavsky Alex Bruneau Max Calcoen Margit Carter Noelle Chen Kyler Choi Eloise de Anda Sanchez Asher Dodson Jonathan Dong 22
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Ash Donovan Gabi Ekman Juliet Ellis Samir Ernst Eleanore Friedman Jayden Furstein Simone Gilbert Kareena Gill Ishmael Gossett-Salahudeen Zachary Gottschalk Daniel Harper Stella Hattendorf Gustavo Hernandez Hailey Hilsabeck Aaron Hobson
Jonathan Jemmott Skylar Johnstone Richie Jones Oliver Julian Caleb Kim Eric Koh Shauna Lindheim Sasha Lovell Avery Lu Oliver Lurquin Sekai Lyles-Parks Mina Maiga Josh Majteles Arissa Mangewala
Linda Hoopes ’88 shared a poem by Nicolette
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Sowder that reminds her of the Class of 2024, because of their “love of people and the environment and their belief in humanity.” The poem begins:
“May we raise children who love the unloved things-the dandelion, the worms and spiderlings. Children who sense the rose needs the thorn and run into rainswept days the same way they turn towards the sun...”
Lea McKenna Anokhi Mehta Clara Milsten Skye Mitchell George Nasir Kali Oishi-Patel Michaela Ousterhout Sarah Ousterhout Diego Paredes Francesca Pelosi Marcel Pierre-Louis Sophia Ray Armaan Raza Belle Reader Jaden Recker
Raven Robinson Lucas Ross Elle Ruegg Christopher Sah Josephine Schembre James Sherman-Vahanian Melinda Shu Dhruva Sood Celeste Spear Saskia Stripling Sahm Taguchi Finnegan Taylor Hannah Taylor Lily Thomas Maceo Torriente
Joy Udinsky Kloe Victorino Audrey Villiger Everett Villiger Lyna Wais Benjamin Wang Malcolm Weekes Kaden Wicks Johnny Williams Matthew Wong Julie Wong Maeve Wood-Soloff Mimi Yamamoto
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Head-Royce School
1 3 0 TH COMMENCEMENT Class of 2020
G R A DUAT IO N
What a remarkable group this class is As this year’s Senior Class graduated during the COVID-19 pandemic, we split our traditional ceremony into a two-part program: first, a livestreamed video of commencement addresses, and then on Saturday, a historic, sociallydistanced diploma walk, following careful safety measures set by the Alameda County Department of Public Health.
To help the Class of 2020 begin celebrating their graduation, Senior Dean Andy Spear hosted a virtual talent showcase on Thursday evening, opening in a respectful, solemn tone. “Before we pivot into celebration,” he said. “We can’t help but acknowledge that it is work to get us into a celebratory mood. Our community is not in that place. Our country is not in that place. There is pain and anger. It is real and should serve as a reminder to all of us that the work of building a just society and getting rid of racism is not even close to done...I hope
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we can all rededicate ourselves to that work and hold it in our minds, as we simultaneously hold up our graduates.” Seniors and their families then enjoyed performances by the Head-Royce jazz ensemble Caravan, and many talented members of their class: Ray Dauby wowed us with her circus act; spoken-word poet Isaac Zinoman had us nodding our heads with his words: “All true wisdom is characterized by altruism”; and Awo Gulaid and Elaine Jutamulia––who replaced song lyrics with fond and funny memories of high
school––got us all misty-eyed. These and other performers reminded us, as Andy Spear said, “What a remarkable group this class is. They’ve been great teachers to our community this year.” In her commencement address, live streamed on Friday night, former Upper School Teacher Laura Krier reminded the Class of 2020: “Not everything normal is good...We have a lot to do to craft the world we want to live in. It is up to us to map the path forward.” Although we hope, one day soon, to return to a “normal” graduation cer-
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emony, and “normal” school days, we are inspired by the grace, flexibility, and understanding of the Class of 2020–– young people who are already mapping out a better, more equitable future. Please enjoy the following photos from the School’s first-ever socially distanced graduation ceremony, as well as excerpts from the speeches by this year’s peer-elected Salutatorians, Aiden Wogan and Sasha Zitter.
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FACULTY FAMILIES This year, four Head-Royce faculty members handed diplomas to their graduating children: Shahana Sarkar to Deven Sarkar Kadlic, Kay Bradley to Ray Dauby, Jennifer Brakeman to Amzie Brakeman, and John Miottel ’79 to Ward “Woody” John Miottel IV.
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“If there is only one thing I can feel confident in today: the world will be better because of the Class of 2020.” CRYSTAL LAND
HEAD OF SCHOOL
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a r g n o C Oluwadamilare Akinola Aguda Hannah Rebecca Anderson Bhavana Angalakudati Ethan Fernandez Ash Maximilian Vaughn Bachmann Oliver Rafanelli Backer Lauren Nghiem Bartlett Leo Dorian Beck Chloe Frances Beittel Rebekah Miriam Bodner Matthew Evans Boranian Amzie Suzanne Brakeman Phillip Lee Chin, III Conrad Stone Chipman Ryan Matthew Chu
Genevieve S. Clay Harold Rieth Collard Sara Elaine Covin Natalie Flynn Craig Tara Crymble Rachel Christine Dauby Anna Elizabeth de Petra Jonathan Tyler DeMiguel Aichatou Diaw Lucas Samuel Dodson Cole Kinkead Dupee Sadie May Ellis-Caleo Dylan Michael Evans Max Etan Friedman Anna Charlotte Greenthal
Awo Ali Gulaid Samuel Senbeta Guta Isabel Anne Haas Jason Daniel Haas Kaya Maeve Hano Madelynn Kay Hardtke Eloise Alexandra Henry Vanessa Marie Hjort Olivia L. Ho-Herrera Matthew Yun Hui Elaine C. Jutamulia Deven Sarkar Kadlic Sidhanth Kapila Lauren Nicole Kayari Caroline Lee Kim
s t a Chloe Sun Kim Ian Seungjun Lee Nora Jihae Lee Isabella Zelma Lipacis Sonia Banerjee Mahajan Andres Martell Siena Jarvis Martin Ethan Peter Maxim Kathryn Prescott McCabe Morgan Tyler Mergelkamp Ward John Miottel IV Tess Riley Newman Nadia Ruby Ngom Elizabeth June Novogradac Jordan Jihae Oh
CL ASS OF 2020
Alexander Oh Lu Paris Finneas Reed Patterson Alexander Joel Pennacchio Hanalie Etta Reichel ChloĂŠ Rose Rimmerman Andres Antonio Rivera Olivia Anne Robarts Elizabeth Gayle Rosen Jonah Sebastian Salazar Erin Marie Schmitz Zachary Coleman Schroeder John Richard Shrewsberry Gayatri Kamala Deo Singla Rem Inkarat Sirimongkolvit
Devon Thomas Johnston Smith Luca Daniel Snoey Alp Kuzey Sozat Daniel Michael Tarkoff Lucinda Claire Thompson Zackary Reda Wais Caroline Grace Welch Grace Inez Williams Aiden Parr Wogan Christopher Wen Wu Gisele Kean Yamamoto Samuel Oliver Yee Isaac Thi Zinoman Sasha Frances Nutik Zitter
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E XC E R P T S FR O M SA S H A ZIT T E R A N D A I DA N W O G A N ’ S S A L U TAT O R Y A D D R E S S E S
“I’ve come to realize that we don’t have to fight loss. To cope, sometimes we must accept. To accept loss is not to be resigned to it, as resignation is passive. Acceptance of loss is an active, individual choice. We don’t have to kick and scream at loss. Instead, we can choose to make loss an art. To quote poet Elizabeth Bishop: The art of losing isn’t hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster.
Lose something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door keys, the hour badly spent. The art of losing isn’t hard to master. I believe that these stanzas are an answer to the frantic question that we, on the cusp of adulthood, should be asking those wiser than us. What is something you wish you’d known before you left high school? Here’s an answer that was proposed to me: ‘Life is not a race, not a competition. Being on the
losing side is okay sometimes. If we learn to grapple with our own losses, we can understand how to more productively empathize with others’ losses.” Class of 2020, now we must learn the art of losing. Embrace loss. Let it stir up something inside of you. Let it boil your blood. Let it allow you to recognize the injustices in the world. Let it cause you to speak up for those who lack privilege.” SASHA ZITTER ’20
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“How can we deliver a farewell address from the other side of a computer screen, when a virus circulates our country, killing thousands? How can we send a message of hope, peace, and love when Black men and women are being killed at the hands of the police? ...There are no easy answers. You are going to some of the most prestigious, powerful institutions in the country next year––pandemic permitting. The places you go and the jobs you take will be amongst the best poised to change the world for better and for worse. But this community has more than tomorrow’s potential. This community has today’s money. The wealth, connections, and resources concentrated here at Head-Royce are unmatched for such a tiny high school. We can’t wait for Eloise to be President and Ian to start a nonprofit for change to come. It might be uncomfortable to acknowledge but many in this community have the resources to make actual change happen today. Don’t write me off as wealth shaming. I’m doing the opposite: I’m acknowledging the power that wealth has to change the world. If anything within you has been stirred by the injustices you’ve seen in this last week alone, contribute in a way that matters. Raise your voices, yes, but speak up in dollars if you have the means. Whatever you do, do not remain silent.” AIDAN WOGAN ’20
ALUMNI
P R OFES S I ONAL COMMUNITY AWA RDS Congratulations IaRnayW, alters, Kathleen and Ras heeda Turner
G RA NNI E J. FEL LOWSHI P The Grannie J. Fellowship was established in 1984 by Candace and Dick Burge, in honor of Dick’s Mother, “Grannie J.” Her grandchildren, Glyn and Onie, graduated from Head-Royce in 1986 and 1988. Grannie J. believed that learning adventures were supported not only by a student’s family but by individuals at the School who demonstrate excellence themselves. The Grannie J. Fellowship is awarded to an individual who consistently inspires students and excels in their role at Head-Royce.
“I have worked with Ian in the History Department for years and he is always advocating on his 6th graders’ behalf, always thinking about policies and initiatives through the lens of his kids’ sensibilities and world views, always trying to shift and shape his curriculum and pedagogy to enliven and raise up his corner of the community. He is a phenomenal educator.” An admiring, anonymous colleague
Ian Walters, 6th Grade History and Science Teacher
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ALUMNI
C HR IS MANDEL SPIR IT AWAR D The Chris Mandel Spirit Award was established in memory of one of Head-Royce’s greatest fans, Chris Mandel. Chris had five children––Jean, John, Kristen, Ingrid, and Vanessa––four of whom attended Head-Royce. Her husband, Bill, served for many years on the Board of Trustees and the family has continued their loyal support for Head-Royce, including both John and Ingrid serving on the Alumni Council and Ingrid taking a role as Alumni Director for Head-Royce. The Mandel family wanted to honor Chris’s memory by establishing an endowed award to recognize a member of the Professional Community who brings passion and spirit to the School.
Kathleen Ray, Middle and Upper School Fine Arts Teacher
“Kathleen Ray is a tireless supporter of the arts at Head-Royce in every possible way. She supports the faculty, publicizes every show and performance, and works behind the scenes to keep morale up in her department.” An admiring, anonymous colleague
THE MI C HA E L T R AY N O R FAMI LY F E L LOWS H I P Established in 1983, The Michael Traynor Family Fellowship honors individuals who have “served the School with excellence and exceptional spirit and have especially enhanced the lives of others.” The Fellowship is awarded annually to a present or former member of the faculty, administration, or staff of the Head-Royce School.
“Rasheeda is a treasure of the Lower School. She is a phenomenal teacher, amazingly supportive colleague, and an effective administrator. She’s a superstar in my book and has consistently given her best over the years.” An admiring, anonymous colleague Rasheeda Turner, Kindergarten Teacher
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Meet the Office of
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JOHÁRA TUCKER
DIRECTOR OF EQUITY + INCLUSION
JULIAN MORRIS
EQUITY + INCLUSION ASSOCIATE
BARRY TURNER
LOWER SCHOOL DEAN OF EQUITY + INCLUSION
CAROL MONTGOMERY
MIDDLE SCHOOL DEAN OF EQUITY + INCLUSION
KYONG PAK
UPPER SCHOOL DEAN OF EQUITY + INCLUSION
NICOLETTE FAHEY
E+I COORDINATOR
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When we published the DEI Action Plan in July, a few parents and caregivers asked to
How did you come to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work?
get to know the equity and inclusion experts at the School. Head-Royce is deeply fortunate to have a team of six E+I practitioners who work on fostering a sense of belonging for our BIPOC students. Our E+I Deans are Barry Turner, Carol Mont-
BARRY TURNER I started teaching in 1999 and have been doing this work in the classroom for the last 21 years. Given the fact that I am a Black male teacher, I feel it is my duty to take on this role. I believe all voices have a story and I want to make sure those voices are seen and heard in the classroom.
gomery, and Kyong Pak, our Associate is Julian Morris, and our Coordinator is Nicolette Fahey. I sat down with my colleagues (virtually) for this interview –– except for Nicolette Fahey who is on maternity leave. Please read their responses to learn more about each person and what they uniquely bring to this work.
JOHÁRA TUCKER
DIRECTOR OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION
CAROL MONTGOMERY My DEI work in independent schools began in Washington, D.C. I worked at a school that was ripe and ready for DEI work. My background in literacy and storytelling allowed me to partner with innovative colleagues in revamping the curriculum to reflect our students and families and the greater D.C. community.
KYONG PAK I started my teaching career in 2003 at the High School for Law, Advocacy, and Community Justice in New York City. It was a new school, I was a new teacher, and we were tasked with building curricula through the lens of advocacy and social justice. It was an incredible, humbling learning experience. I had to confront and reconcile my own interpersonal biases and participation in
I believe all voices have a story and I want to make sure those voices are seen and heard in the classroom. BARRY TURNER
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institutional oppression as an educator. We were a public school and constantly faced hurdles: underfunding and scarcity of resources, high teacher turnover, and mandated state curriculum that undermined our most vulnerable learners. Every day was a challenge to maintain rigor, trust, and humanity in a taxing environment, and those years were formative for my teaching practice. Even though the term DEI was not prevalent in schools at the time, looking back it was all about DEI work.
JULIAN MORRIS I came to DEI work out of necessity. I’m a proud Berkeley Unified School District alum and did not understand how independent schools functioned. Because of the purposeful diversity that BUSD has done since it integrated in the 1960s, I benefited infinitely from seeing others that looked like me and being seen by those that did not. The fact that independent schools were created to maintain exclusivity across social constructions wasn’t made apparent to me until I worked in them. It was at the first independent school I worked at where I knowingly experienced microaggressions and came up against institutional barriers to entry. Subsequently, I learned about diversity, equity, and inclusion work because those were the tools I needed to thrive in these spaces. Because so much of “the work” of DEI is enmeshed with my own lived experiences, understanding and applying them in a professional capacity is both the challenge and joy of it.
What does anti-racist teaching look like to you? BARRY TURNER Anti-racist teaching to me is when all students and families voices are seen and heard especially, in the curriculum. Don’t be afraid to ask yourself the tough questions. Who are the kids you’re most likely to punish or label? Who receives your praise and how
often? Who do you provide with positive reinforcement? How and to whom do you offer feedback on assignments aimed at helping to improve achievement? Do you have high expectations for all of your students? How do you express your high expectations? These are just some of the questions that I am always asking myself on a daily basis.
JULIAN MORRIS It’s teaching that is intentionally curious, purposefully intersectional, sustainably uncomfortable, and unapologetic in highlighting non-white voices, stories, narratives, and pedagogies. It looks like boldly confronting your biases and assumed knowledge that you and your students have absorbed. Which is overwhelming but anti-racist teaching requires the pervasiveness of racism to be seen and named as a means to contain what exactly you are.
As an influential and visible institution, Head-Royce must intentionally remove systems of harm and replace them with systems of repair. JULIAN MORRIS
schooling––look like?
Right now since we are in a virtual space, I have been spending a lot more time meeting individually with my students to get to know them a little better as learners and as individuals. And a lot of time learning about best practices for online learning! So a “typical” day would be teaching, with lots of meetings in between, and then probably attending a webinar and/or lesson planning in the evenings.
KYONG PAK
JULIAN MORRIS
How do you balance your DEI work with your classroom teaching? What does a “typical” day––during our virtual
I think that this school year, more than in years past, my work as an E+I Dean is really integrated with my classroom teaching and that is so exciting and cool. I teach 10th grade US History and 11th grade Western Civ. As a social studies teacher, there are so many opportunities to discuss systems of oppression, as well as movements for justice, equity, and equality. Our department’s mission statement aligns with our school’s DEI Action Plan, which is the work I help move forward as Dean. So I think of it less as a balancing act, and more like knitting, and figuring out the right tension to create that smooth stitch.
It remains to be seen what this “balance” will look like as right now, I don’t really see the difference. Successful distance learning is in itself DEI work as so much of what “successful” DL looks like depends on systems and structural factors that are related to DEI. What this looks like, from my screen, is students and families feeling seen and heard by their teacher. In my case, that means jokes and show tunes.
How does our Oaklandlocation influence your work, in the classroom, and in your advising? BARRY TURNER I truly love Oakland. I have some strong ties with the Oakland community and have enjoyed taking students on field trips to Marcus Books in West Oakland and Lois the Pie Queen for brunch. These are two of the oldest Black-owned businesses in California.
CAROL MONTGOMERY Oakland has an amazing history of activism and I’m hoping we can engage with our local community to expose students to what’s happening. For the most part, we are a pretty sheltered community and our students are pretty disconnected from what’s happening beyond the news.
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How did you feel when the School adopted our Anti-Racist Action Plan? What do you think Head-Royce needs to do to ensure this moment becomes a movement (to paraphrase Dr. Dena Simmons, from this summer’s webinar)?
into white supremacist culture or guide students to new systems and new ways of being with each other. Independent schools are uniquely positioned to be incubators.
JULIAN MORRIS I’ve unofficially adopted the phrase “maintaining and sustaining” since this past spring at the beginning of the pandemic. As we collectively entered distance learning, I quickly found out that there were many unrealistic and unsustainable ways to survive a global pandemic. Similarly, my
Oakland has an amazing history of activism and I’m hoping we can engage with our local community. CAROL MONTGOMERY
KYONG PAK I am in support of the plan––I think it is a comprehensive plan that requires the full participation of all of the constituents in our community. So in order to sustain this moment, I think we have to view ourselves as part of an ecosystem. BIPOC faculty and staff cannot shoulder the work alone. Anti-racist education is not just the responsibility of affinity group advisors or humanities teachers or administrators. An educator recently told me that schools can either be a microcosm of the larger society or an incubator. We can either indoctrinate our students
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hope is that we have connected the dots enough from our own social locations to recognize maintainable and sustainable actions we can take to urgently not maintain white supremacy. As an influential and visible institution, Head-Royce must intentionally remove systems of harm and replace them with systems of repair. Otherwise, we will continue to spread “contempt as a virus” as Zadie Smith writes, which enables cycles of harm against our BIPOC students to continue.
Describe a time when you felt proud to be a DEI practionioner? BARRY TURNER This summer I led four discussion sessions for staff about A Summer WORKBook by Tamisha Williams. The purpose of the workbook is for individuals to take a deeper look at one’s values and morals.
CAROL MONTGOMERY Being a part of a strong team of practitioners at the Hamlin School: It was amazing to be a part of a dynamic cohort of teachers that
believed in and embraced an inclusive experience for all students. Redesigning the curriculum to reflect our students was inspiring and fulfilling.
How are you finding joy and practicing selfcare with all the world’s throwing at us: the pandemic, anti-Black
BARRY TURNER The way I am finding joy and practicing self-care is I ride my bike a lot in the East Bay Regional Park trails and the backroads in the East Bay Hills. Also, staying close and spending time with my daughter and partner. I have a new love for glutenfree baking these days!
And to send us off with some inspiration, what police brutality, wildfires? is a quote or saying that motivates you?
BARRY TURNER “There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.” –Zig Ziglar
CAROL MONTGOMERY “I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” – James Baldwin
KYONG PAK I spent some time sheltering with my parents this summer. Obviously, we were home all day so I got into cooking with my mom. She taught me how to cook some of my favorite Korean dishes (the easy ones), and I’ve been making the dishes for my own children. A big family dinner outside in clean air brings me joy. My act of self-care this year has been practicing saying no.
JULIAN MORRIS “Justice is what love looks like in public.” In DEI work, it’s really easy to forget what is on “the other side” and what Dr. Cornel West swiftly communicates is what that reality looks like and, more importantly, what it feels like.
DR. CORNEL WEST
HRS@HOME
An AP-ES student collects samples in Donner Summit, October 2019.
“ I found it awfully disheartening to learn about how
the ecosystem and habitats were
failing because of human impact.” AMAYA W. ’21
Ecologists reintroduced The African Wild Dog to Gorongosa, one of the predator species the AP-ES class studied. Above is a pup born in the park. Photo: Brett Kuxhausen/Gorongosa Media.
The phrase “‘necessity is the mother of invention’ has taken on a new intensity this year,” says Gene Vann, who teaches AP Environmental Science (AP-ES) in the Upper School. AP-ES typically involves field work, when, for example, students collect and analyze water samples. In the past, Gene has brought students to nearby Sausal Creek and to the Headwaters Science Institute in Donner Summit, where they investigated the biotic and abiotic factors affecting the site’s plant and animal life. Think back on your own science education. Chances are you don’t remember your bio textbook or chem lectures. It’s that trip to the tide pool or the catapult you built in physics that sticks in your memory. That’s because so many of us are, in-part, kinesthetic learners, understanding by solving real-world problems in a hands-on way. This fall, Gene had to figure out how his students could conduct and develop an interest in research, without traveling or gathering as a group. In one lesson, he asked his students to get outside and identify plant life using the iNaturalist app. He also leaned on BioInteractive, a website created by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute that
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compiles peer-reviewed research and is “designed to connect students to big ideas in biology, promote engagement with science practices, and instill awe and wonder about the living world.” Educators can use BioInteractive’s resources––data sets, case studies, and short films––to develop lesson plans. A film about Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique caught Gene’s eye. In 1977, just two years after Mozambique declared its independence from Portugal, the country fell into a violent civil war. Many of the battles, which continued for fifteen years, took place in Gorongosa’s forests. Poachers killed elephants, selling ivory for weapons. Government soldiers and resistance fighters killed “zebras, wildebeest, and buffalo for meat,” and at the war’s end, “around 90 percent of the park’s large mammals were gone (as reported by The Atlantic). If humans eat the lion’s natural prey, the lion starves. Then what? “I found it awfully disheartening to learn about how the ecosystem and habitats were failing because of human impact,” says Amaya W. ’21. Still, despite the harsh truths, she “was impressed with all the work that went into the restoration project and
how well thought out it was.” The rich and biodiverse ecosystem needed to be re-balanced, by reintroducing key species, considering the needs of the indigenous population, and monitoring the habitats with trail cameras. Back in Oakland, students used the real-world data, including counting animals on the trail camera footage, to create a biomass pyramid for each habitat––the Tropical Rainforest, and the Savanna’s woodland, grassland, and limestone gorge. Through the activity, students learned how changes to one level affects the whole system. The students also discussed how conservation impacts the indigenous Mozambicans living inside and around Gorongosa. “Not only can wildlife be restored,” says Amalie G. ’21, “but the park can also provide jobs and economic support to the community around it.” “Students of the conservation movement know that in the 1960s, parks throughout the world were managed in a style we now call ‘fortress conservation.’ The goal was to separate local communities from the national park,” writes Dominique Gonçalves, Gorongosa’s Manager of Elephant Ecology, who was born and raised near the park. “We have turned that philosophy on its head.
We help farmers, schools, and health clinics. On Mt. Gorongosa, we work with the indigenous chi-Gorongosi people to help them grow Arabica coffee.”
Lucia P. ’25 begins her video by striking a match and letting it burn––a chemical change. In his, Andre I. ’25 crushes a soda can, showing a physical change.
“Taking AP-ES is helping me gain an important foundational understanding of how humans impact the planet,” says Amalie G. ’21. “I especially appreciate the way the class expands our study of the environment to examine its intersections with politics and the economy.”
“You can remember the difference between physical and chemical changes,” Mia Q. ’25 says, “because you can almost always undo a physical change. If you were melting ice, you can put it back in the freezer.” A burnt match, however, can’t be unlit. Two students, Soleil M and Diana Z., recorded their backyard gardens, showing a familiar chemical change, photosynthesis, in action.
Looking ahead, Gene hopes students will tie their study of Mozambique back to their home environment, when they design and implement their own sustainability projects in the spring. In 2019, students successfully re-introduced chickens to the Head-Royce garden and, last year, others investigated the short and long-term costs of biosolar roofing at the School. One Middle School science class took an inverse inspiration: students studied their own homes to understand the outside world. “In the past few weeks, 8th grade science has been wrapping up what they’ve learned about chemical reactions, conservation of mass, and property changes,” says teacher Gin Saepharn. The students hunted around their houses to film every-day examples of physical and chemical reactions. “We asked them to get creative,” says Gin.
“ The students hunted around their houses
to film everyday
8th grade physical science lays the foundation for more advanced courses in high school, and although COVID-19 stood in the way of traditional science
“ Taking AP-ES is
helping me gain
an important foundational
understanding of how humans
impact the planet.” AMALIE G. ’21
labs, it’s hands-on lessons like these that cement knowledge. In a few years, these students might enroll in Environmental Science, studying chemical reactions like controlled burns in forests and energy consumption in savannas. Perhaps they’ll think back on the year science lab was in their own kitchen and feel extra appreciative of field trips!
Thank you to all of the Head-Royce teachers who are dreaming up hands-on, project-based lessons during distance and blended learning. You are an inspiration!
8th grade science students demonstrate chemical and physical reactions at home.
examples of physical
and chemical reactions. We asked them to get creative.”
GIN SAEPHARN, TEACHER
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TOWARD A MORE
EQUITABLE BOOKSHELF
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A lot of intentional work goes into fostering just, equitable classrooms. One way teachers can establish a sense of belonging for all students is by assigning and discussing books that reflect a variety of social identities, setting guidelines for compassionate conversations and anti-bias behavior. We checked in with a few Professional Community members for their book recommendations, asking what they’ve taught this fall that encourages equity in the classroom. Here’s what they suggest:
“This fall, our Upper School book club decided to read Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, a dystopian masterpiece centering on California in the aftermath of catastrophic climate and economic crises. In our recent discussions, students have remarked on the urgent parallels to our current moment and sought to unpack the role fear plays in our collective failure to realize the proactive, equitable change we need. This is a compelling novel packed with big ideas about survival and faith, and is as relevant today as it was when it was published 27 years ago.”
CHRISTIANA CUELLAR
MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL LIBRARIAN AND UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER
This fall, the Class of 2021 read Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown. Liz Solis, who led the classwide conversations, says: “I was especially drawn to the book’s invitation to come together in community, build authentic relationships, and see what emerges. I wanted to provide a framework and common language to
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move towards generative conflict and look for opportunities to learn. With everything our Seniors have faced this year, I felt it was vital to support challenging conversations and, in particular, allow Seniors to ask themselves: What is my role? What do I need to take accountability for? How can I create space to hold others accountable?”
LIZ SOLIS
INTERIM UPPER SCHOOL DEAN OF ACADEMICS
“In A Good True Thai, Sunisa Manning explores race and class through the story of three activists in 1970s Thailand. Her prose is enviably sharp and her depth of research, astounding. You’ll recognize her name as one of our own teachers, and we were privileged to learn from her in our community-wide book club this fall. Anyone who has ever sat-in, marched, or protested will recognize the tension between youthful idealism and societal expectation––and American readers, especially, will learn about a deeper, darker tension between that idealism and the long-standing Thai monarchy.”
NICHOLE LEFEBVRE
COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITYED SERIES MANAGER
“I’ve read a few kid-friendly books that promote racial equity during our library time this fall. Race Cars by Jenny Devenny explains white privilege in a way that’s comprehensible for K-5 graders. The Wall by Giancarlo Macri and Carolina Zanotti reminds us why we need diversity. And Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice by Nikki Grimes tells the story of Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, the daughter of immigrants who went to civil rights marches as a baby and grew up to defend the rights of people.”
DEBRA HUGHES
LOWER SCHOOL LIBRARIAN
“We chose to teach The Book of Delights by Ross Gay because it takes seriously the time and work required to cultivate joy and delight. Ross Gay spent a year writing “essayettes” that chronicle daily delights on everything from music, gardening, travel, and, most significantly, his interactions with other people. Inspired by his “essayettes,” we engaged in short writing exercises to explore how to construct an authorial voice and incorporate our own intersectional identities into our writing. We were lucky to have the author join us on a Zoom call where he answered
our questions, offered writing advice, and shared a writing prompt.”
TORY MATHIESON AND CHRISTIANA CUELLAR
UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHERS
“ I taught parts of Intimations by Zadie Smith and Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong. Smith's short essay collection is written from within the pandemic. We read "Contempt As A Virus" to open the semester, bridging from coronavirus to our discussions of power and access regarding race in America. Minor Feelings is a book that names the state that many Black, Indigenous, and
People of Color have felt for a long time. We read it to talk about microaggressions and the general tired feeling that comes from life as a BIPOC in a White Supremacist culture. It set the foundation for class discussions of inclusion, which begins with recognizing, first, what is here.”
SUNISA MANNING
UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER
Gephart. The book presents identities as diverse and dynamic, showing readers how its titular characters change while navigating the challenges of 8th grade. On the way they find allies, friendship, acceptance, and themselves. I’m so thankful to Carol Montgomery, Middle School Dean of Equity and Inclusion, for recommendeding the book, as it gives voice to students who are transgender or have a mental illness, in clever and beautiful writing.”
JULIAN MORRIS
“As a way to start conversations in distance learning, the Middle School Gender and Sexuality Alliance has started a Rainbow Reading club, kicking off with Lily and Dunkin by Donna
“The Professional Community started this school year by discussing our summer reading, My Grandmother’s Hands, by Resma Menakem, a therapist and racialized trauma specialist. As our faculty learns to hold and moderate courageous conversations, it’s vital they embody what Menakem calls “generative conflict,” by taking time to
MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER AND E+I ASSOCIATE
feel their heartache, understanding their own limits, and saying ‘no’ when necessary. As an E+I practitioner, I return to Menakem as a guide to how I can better help my colleagues and students, both in mind and body.”
JOHÁRA TUCKER
DIRECTOR OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION
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A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD AND BOARD CHAIR
In the 2019-2020 school year, over 1,100 of you––Head-Royce parents, trustees, faculty and staff, alumni, grandparents, parents of alumni and friends––made a gift to Head-Royce School. And what an unusual year it was! We began last year in “normal” mode, not knowing our world was about to shift into a pandemic, economic instability, and a racial reckoning that has shaken our nation and community. Because of you, Head-Royce has been able to forge ahead and address our challenges head on. Your collective generosity resulted in $1.76M in philanthropic support. You made a direct impact on our ability to meet increased need for financial aid, provide technology upgrades for effective distance learning, launch our
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan, offer professional development for faculty to navigate the new teaching landscape, and completely retrofit the campus with COVID-19 safety protocols. Our School is on strong financial footing as we look toward the future with hope. Our K-12 students and teachers are fully engaged in distance learning with plans for a safe and slow rollout of campus reopening. For 134 years, we have remained a beacon of academic excellence in the Bay Area and we could not do so without your support. Thank you for your investment in our teachers, our students, and the future leaders who have learned firsthand how to persevere with grit and resilience.
Sincerely,
CRYSTAL LAND
HEAD OF SCHOOL
TEJAL PATEL ’86
CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
PLEASE E NJOY THIS EXCE RPT FROM THE A N N U A L R E P O R T, W H I C H H I G H L I G H T S OU R G E N E ROUS COM M U N I T Y. For additional lists, visit: www.headroyce.annualreport.org.
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$1,620,212
ANNUAL REPORT
GIVING BY CONSTITUENCY
Friends & Employees (current/past) $50,283 Alumni Parents $47,041 Grandparents (current/past) $89,154
3%
3%
Orgs/Corp/Fdn/MG $47,500
3%
5%
14%
10%
63%
Trustees $255,900
Alum $174,578
Current Parents $1,136,421
T O TA L G I V I N G B Y A R E A
6.5%
Heads Up $117,022
3.5%
Endowment & Restricted $63,643
90%
Annual Fund $1,620,212
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Friends & Employees (current/past) $50,283
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T O TA L O P E R AT I N G R E V E N U E $ 4 0, 210, 226 2% 4% 5%
Annual giving
Endowment Transfer
2%
Interest &Other Income
1%
Ancillary
Other Support
86%
2% 4% 5%
Annual giving
Endowment Transfer
2%
Interest &Other Income
1%
Ancillary
10% Plant
Gross Tuition & Fees
5%
Ancillary
86% 1%
16% Financial Aid
Other Support
Gross Tuition & Fees
Professional Development
T O TA L O P E R AT I N G E X P E N S E S 52% Salaries & Benefits $38,581,998
Grand
10% Plant
5%
Ancillary
16% Other Operating 16% Financial Aid
1%
Professional Development
52%
Salaries & Benefits
Grand
16% Other Operating
As of June 30, 2020 the value of the Head-Royce endowment was $21,826,773, which reflects an overall increase in the market value of 3.1% over the previous year.
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ANNUAL REPORT
“We give because we love Head-Royce. Our thank you is watching the amazing work Head-Royce teachers and staff do every day with our boys. That really is the best thank you.” ALEX & EMILY SAH PARENTS OF CHARLIE S. ’29 & TOPHER S.’24
“The faculty at Head-Royce is amazing. We give because of the teachers. This year we cherish them more than ever. We know what we give is just a modicum of all they have given our students and community.” LISA & JEFF VIOLET CO-CHAIRS 2020-2021 ANNUAL FUND, PARENTS OF ALEX V. ’23
“Head-Royce gave me so much: lifelong friends, teachers who became mentors, the very best education. Supporting Head-Royce is an opportunity to give back to my teachers, administration, and community.” JUSTIN CHEN CLASS OF 2006
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20 1 9– 202 0 DO N OR S We are deeply grateful to the many community members who chose to make a gift to Head-Royce School last year. Thank you for your support and dedication to our students, faculty, and staff. We would especially like to thank our loyal donors who continue to support our school year after year (numbers in bold denote multiple years of giving). Please note: We have made every effort to reflect accurate information. Should you have a correction, please contact the Advancement office. Anonymous (62)
William & Meryl Bailey
Danilo Bonilla & Gillian Duncan 5+
Joshua Abraham & Amitra Mamdouhi 10+
Jeffrey & Millie Baird 10+
Sarah Boolani ‘99 & Tahir Paroo
Naveen Abraham & Viniti Mahbubani
Dorian Balch & Alexandra Quinn
Steven & Susan Boranian 20+
Will Adams 5+
Barry Barankin & Dawn Nelson Barankin 15+
Aurélie Bordet 5+
Johanna Aeschliman
The Barnell Family
Gene Borstel & Sandy Silva
Sue Morrison Ahlf ‘48 & Gene Ahlf 20+
James & Elana Barnes 25+
Tripp Borstel & Laura Billings
John Aime
Jonathan Barnes ‘99 20+
Sean & Stephani Bouvet
Clay & Ricki Akiwenzie
Molly Barrett & Joshua Stern 20+
Nicole Bowler 10+
David Katzev & Naoko Akiyama 5+
Toshiko Barrett
Douglas Boxer & Amy Boxer
Justin & Laura Alanís
John & Michelle Barrie 5+
Gray Boyce ‘76 & Tom Bliska 5+
Genet Alemsged 5+
Robin & An Bartlett 5+
Joyce Boykin ‘68
Peter Alexander ‘94 & Alison Starling 10+
Montu Bashambu & Niti Bashambu 5+
Karen Bradley & Frank Dauby 15+
Terry Pink Alexander & John Blaustein 15+
Emily Battle ‘00
Jennifer & Paul Brakeman 20+
Sean Alexis & Aldona Clottey
Charlie Baxter & Jinee Tao 10+
Roy Brakeman, Jr.
Simon Alioto & Rebecca Clarke
Brannin Beal & Julie Kim-Beal 10+
Antonio Brambila & Angelica Flores 15+
Gary & Barbara Allen
Sharon Beamer
Kimberly Branagh ‘90
Burton & Jennifer Alper
S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
Kenneth & Stephanie Brandt
Clare Ames Klein
Alison Beck & Kris Hodges 10+
Kyle Brandt ‘17
Aara Amidi-Nouri 5+
Barbara Beck
Darell Breedlove & Catherine McCreary 5+
Feroz & Falguni Amin
Michael Beck ‘95 & Blake Finch 15+
Bob & Leslie Brenman
Alex Andel & Julia Knight 5+
Estelle Sadusk Beemer ‘59
Kevin & Shauna Brennan 5+
Barrett Anderson & Meng Lu 5+
Jennifer Beeson & AkalSahai Khalsa
Claire Spiegel Brian ‘70 & Brad Brian 10+
William & Carol Ann Anderson
Patrick & Mandy Behrens 5+
Tim & Miho Aoki 5+
David Beittel & Kathy Huff 5+
Myra Mossman Brocchini ‘50 & Ronald Brocchini
Richard Arney, Sr. 5+
Marylin Beittel
Rick Arney ‘88 10+
Holly Below
Lisa Arrington 5+
Jill Benson & Renee Chatas 5+
Patricia Ascher
Paul Benson & Lynne Yamashita 5+
Paul Ash & Silvia Fernandez 10+
Zachary Bernard 10+
John & Blakely Atherton 10+
Abigail Berniker ‘99 10+
Steve Atkinson & Jo Findley
Stuart & Helen Bessler
Mukarram & Latha Attari 10+
Gary Binyamin & Samantha Langer
Jeramy & So Hyun Augustine 5+
Cyril Birch
Sabina Aurilio 5+
Jodi Biskup 5+
David & Vivian Auslander 5+
Robert Blackburn & Ann Smulka 10+
Michael & Ryan Austin
Brendan Blakeley ‘88 & Jennifer Jones ‘89 15+
Marion Peterson Avery ‘45
Stephen & Dale Block
Andrew Backer & Stephanie Rafanelli 10+
Steve & Betsy Block 5+
Samantha & Neeraj Baheti 5+
Jack & Maryann Bloes 5+
Stephen & Jennifer Bai 10+
Martin Bloes & Marjory Graue 5+
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Natalie & Alex Brody ‘05 Donald Brody & Toby Mickelson Evan Brody ‘01 5+ Harris Brody ‘98 & Johanna Brody 15+ Sophie & Arthur Brody Foundation Adam Brown & Tiffany Schrader Kelly Brown & James Schaaf 15+ Benoit Bruneau & Tatyana Sukonnik Amanda Bryan ‘75 10+ Anne Bryan ‘77 Suzanne Bryan ‘73 Mike Bush & Melba Wu Lewis & Gail Byrd Dirk Calcoen & Colleen Chien 5+ Alison Barnes Callahan ‘01 & Gregory Callahan 15+ Eva & Jeff Camp 10+
ANNUAL REPORT
Gwen Campbell
Rashaan & Ayana Curry 5+
Mark & Kimberly Epstein
Debra Carr 10+
Henry Curtin
Heather Erickson ‘95 & Paul Lilly 10+
Leonard & Gail Carr 5+
Jennifer Curtis
Sam & Kavita Ernst
Scott Carter & Stephanie Teleki
Nancy D’Ascensio
Emily Esguerra
Tania Castro Bradt & Christopher Bradt
Sharon Daniels
Susana Estrada 15+
James & Susan Cavalieri 10+
Peter & Melinda Darbee 25+
Geoff Evans 5+
Jon & Nancy Cecchettini 5+
Beau Davidson & Rhonda Davidson
Michael & Janine Evans 5+
Alexander Chan & Shelly Wong 15+
Brittany Dávila
Robert & Fatima Evans 10+
Martin Chan & Leigh Fites
Aldo De Amicis & Eleanor Chuang
Mary & Walter Fahey 15+
Steve & Beth Chan
Stefan De Cota & Christopher Nava 5+
Bob Fahey ‘08 & Nicolette Fahey
Edward Chang & Michele Arnold
Laura & Derek de Petra 10+
Charles Fanning & Melinda Haag
Jim Chang & Tiffany Chang
Warren & Sally Debenham
Fatemeh Farahmandfar
Nelson Chang & Caroline Chang
Stephen DeMaria
Lara Farnham
Daniel Chao
Janvrin Weekes Demler ‘79
Paul & Helen Chapman 25+
Robin & Erica Dennings
Kristi Farnham Thompson & Andrew Thompson
Somnath & Trina Chatterjee
Douglas Devine & Ryoko Oshikawa
Carol Brown Farrar ‘54
Johnny Chau & Yong Juan Yu
Kathleen Woehrle Dexter ‘80 & Sean Dexter
Virginia Farris 5+ John Faxio
Deepak & Babita Dhawan
John & Adrienne Faxio
Daniel Diaz ‘94 & Marcy Hignight 5+
Patrick Feely & Carla van Löben Sels Feely ‘90 5+
Ariane Chee ‘08 Christopher & Ellen Chen 5+ Ting Chen & Weiqing Xu 5+ Claire Chen-Carter Justin Chen ‘06 Julia & Phillip Chin 10+ John & Jayne Chipman 5+ Nancy Chipman David & Sarah Choi 5+ Piu-Ying & Pamela Chu Leandro Chua & Eileen Shih Stephen & Teresa Cieslewicz Christina Cisneros Rebecca Citron ‘07 Matthew & Marcia Clark Scott & Margaret Clark Willetta Clark 15+ Andrew & Deborah Cohen 5+ Ciara Coleman & James Harris 10+ The Clarence B. & Joan Coleman Foundation Hal & Deb Collard 5+ Jennifer Beery Collins ‘89 Rachel Kirshman Concannon ‘96 & Jason Concannon 15+ Kevin Conner & Caroline Conner Judith Conner 5+ Randall Cook ‘87 & Carmen Drabczk Cook ‘88 15+ Casey & Tamila Copeland 10+ JoAnn Copperud 5+ Jeannette Cosby ‘58 Patricia Cosgrove 15+ Keith Coulston & Gillian Hamilton Annette Counts David & Stephanie Coupe 5+ Christopher & Stephanie Coutu 5+ David & Beth Covin 5+ Steven Crawford & Robin Crawford Kristen Mandel Crosnoe ‘89 & Wade Crosnoe 15+ Noel & Laura Crymble 5+ Christiana Cuellar Brandon Currie & Rachael Horwitz
John & Jane Dick John Dick & Victoria Hoyt
Elaine Feidelman & Bud Shuman 10+
Kurt & Christine Dittmar
Joel & Jan Feidelman
Laurel DeMaria Dobbin ‘97 & Graham Dobbin ‘97 15+
Nancy Feidelman & Tim Carroll 25+ Kiki Felt 5+
The Bob and Ann Dodson Family Fund
Warren Fernandes & Cindy Yee
Jessica & Michael Dodson 10+
Anthony Fernandez & Heather Mirjahangir
Scott & Ami Dodson
Robert & Kathy Finch
Steven & Charlotte Doi
Mary Ellen Fine 5+
Andrea Donahoe
Neal Finkelstein & Rebecca Johnson 10+
Stan Dong & Nan Guo
James & Marcie Fitzsimmons
Christian Donovan 5+
Rosalind & Joseph Fleury 5+
Dean Donovan & Vanessa Maren
John Fogg ‘87 & Ginny Fogg 5+
Abigail Doolittle
Ryan Foon & Jiin Son
Daniel Dornbusch ‘92 & Mehreen Dornbusch
Austin Forbord & Michelle Trott
Shreyas Doshi & Santhoshi Dumpala Basaveswara
David & Batya Forsyth
Elizabeth Dunham ‘66 5+ Chris Dunlap & Pam Schaffer 15+ Kenneth Dupee & Nancy Scanlon 5+ Sarah Fahey Durantini ‘98 & Zeke Durantini 5+ Laurie Durousseau Rosemary Durousseau Simon & Natalia Duxbury Kristin Clark Dwelley ‘88 & David Dwelley ‘86 20+ EAD Foundation David Earp & Katie Hurt Ranah Edelin ‘86 5+ Anthony & Jennie Edwards Robert & Catherine Einspruch 5+ Sharon Eisenhauer & Suzanne Koga 10+ Peter & Cori Ekman 5+
Edward E. Ford Foundation Matthew Forsythe & Ayanna Forsythe Jerry & Patricia Fosnaugh 5+ Andrew Cole Ringo Foster ‘18 W. Reed & Lois Foster 20+ Seth Franklin Mikki Frazier 10+ Donald & Dava Freed Allison Frey ‘03 & Jacob Studenroth 5+ The Fremont Group Foundation David Frey 10+ The Frey Family Foundation Alan & Darlene Friedman Joan Friedman-Binder 5+ Harold Friedman & Jennifer London Jeff & Sally Ann Friedman Jennifer & Abe Friedman 5+
Ken & Diana El-Sherif
Julia Friedman ‘09
Joyanne Hull Elkinton-Walker ‘44 & Carl Walker 5+
Elizabeth Lyons Friend ‘92 & Nicholas Friend Gerald & Betty Fujimoto
David & Deborah Enelow 10+
Kelly Fujimoto ‘17
Luzanne & Tom Engh 30+
Kristi Fujimoto ‘14
Peter & Lisa Engstrom
Marc & Samantha Furstein 5+
Joan Rose Enloe ‘53 & Leslie Enloe
Joseph & Beth Furstenthal
Catherine & David Epstein 30+
John Furstenthal ‘92 & Laura Furstenthal ‘92 5+
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Laura Galligan 15+
Roger Haas & Edward Jajeh 5+
John Hurliman & Katherine de León
Lisa Gamble
Sarah Clifford Hafner ‘75 5+
Elizabeth Deliesseline Hurt 5+
Aditya Gangopadhyay & Thien Gangopadhyay
Mary Hamersen
Cindy Hymer 10+
Robert & Anita Gardyne 10+
Kathryn Bryan Hampton ‘71 & Gregory Hampton 10+
Victor & Liz Ifediora
Ryan & Lindsay Garrity 15+
Daniel Hano & Jennifer Marshall-Hano
Edgardo & Brigida Gatdula
David Hardtke & Malinda Longphre Hardtke 5+
Whitney Infelise ‘08
Stephanie Gee
JoAnn Wallis Harley ‘60 & Alan Harley 5+
Barbara Gee & Gordon Baranco 15+
Chris & Debra Harper 20+
Joaquin Genera & Zarina Zanipatin
Shane Harrah & Ning Xiao
Stephanie Gregg Geoffrion ‘92 & Bruno Geoffrion 5+
Katrina Harrar ‘07
Neil Getz & Elise Burmeister Getz 5+
Molly Muhs Harris ‘57 15+
Ranjit Ghate & Sita Ghate Garrett & Kaija Gibbs Thomas & Gretchen Gibson
David & Theresako Harris Phillip Harris Rashad & Jennifer Harrison
Barbara Gilbert
Dennis Hartigan-O’Connor & Ellen Hartigan-O’Connor
Evan Gilbert ‘88 & Victoria Gilbert 10+
Vangeria & Haywood Harvey 15+
Nathalie Gilfoyle
Margaret Hasley ‘00
John Gillis & Karen Ladd 10+
Jason Hassard & Nancy Lovejoy
Rhonda Gipson
Rachelle & Michael Hebrard 10+
William Glaser ‘83 & Carolyn Glaser 10+
Janet Bird Heiman ‘54
Andrew Glassco
Sylvia Helmgren
Norman & Gail Glenn 5+
Helzel Family Foundation
Stella Glogover & Peter Bianchini 5+
Edward & Natalie Henrich 5+
Ceylon Glymph & Nicole Robinson
Patricia Hernandez
Clement & Nancy Glynn
Christopher Herrera & Laura Ho 5+
Dan Golden ‘98 5+
Frank & Maryellen Herringer
Amy Jo Goldfarb
Gary & Fern Herrmann 20+
Miriam Goldgeil ‘17
Ann Hertelendy ‘92 15+
Miron Goldgeil & Nurgul Toktogonova
Alexander Hertzberg & Niki Ren
Joel Goldsmith & Mor Tzadik 5+
Robert & Gail Hetler
Michael Golub & Jo Golub
Eva Hewes
Stephen Gong & Susan Avila 15+
Edward Hieatt & Klara Prokopcova 5+
Yubin Gong & Ying Wang
Elizabeth MacDonald High ‘91 & James High
Evelyn Bingham Goodman ‘56 Sunil Goplani& Taruna Goplani John Gordon & Janis Mitchell 5+ Tatiana Gordon 5+
Patrick Hill & Yassamin Hazrati Estate of Alberta Hill Steele ‘36 Brad Hilsabeck & Andrea Hilsabeck Priscilla Hine 15+
Portia D. Gossett Marc Gottschalk & Rachel Duclos Matt Graham 5+
Eric & Rhonda Hjort Rudy & Tae Hobson Kelly Hoffmaster
Jim Graham 25+ The Gramp Family Foundation Graue Family Foundation Kevan Graves ‘99 5+
Holly Holland & Elizabeth Parker Wanda Holland Greene & Robert Greene 5+ Keith Holloway & Nancy So 15+ David Hong & Linda Hong 5+
Robert & Lynn Greacen
Linda Knop Hoopes ‘88 & David Hoopes 10+
Blaine & Trinh Green
Bill & Mijo Horwich
William Green ‘06 Sammy Greenwall ‘14
Cathy Hosino 5+
Susan Williams Gregory ‘59 & Thomas Gregory 20+
Maria Howard Barney & Jo Howard 5+
Alfred & Lynne Groff 30+
Jo Howard & Barney Howard 5+
Teresa Guergué 5+
Marlo Huaman
Jennifer Guevara
Natalie Huaman 5+
Kirsty Brown Gumina ‘96 & Peter Gumina 10+
Ash Huang & Jennifer Man 5+
Peter & Deanna Gumina
Michael Huang & Dorinna Mendoza
Jeff Gutkin & Helene Blatter
Wilson Huang & Helen Chan 5+
Peter Gutzwiller ‘86 & Julie Gutzwiller
Katie Huddleson ‘67 10+
Daniel Guzman 5+
Debra Hughes 5+
Karl Haas & Lisa Borden 10+
Biu Hung
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André Iguodala & Christina Gutierréz 5+ Robert & Linda Infelise Glen Ingalls & Renee Pacheco 10+ Estate of Katharine Irwin ‘44 Robert Ishii & Nancy Wallace Laban Jackson Phelps Jackson & Jennifer Mitchell-Jackson The James Irvine Foundation Hope Jarvis Sriram Jayaraman & Lalitha Kameswaran Jith & Inocencia Jayaratne 5+ Alison Jefferson ‘95 & Brad Jefferson Brian & Kari Jeffs 10+ William & Brenda Jemmott Courtney Jenkins ‘03 5+ Miles Jensen & Jennifer Wilds 5+ Viral & Pinky Jhaveri Kai Jiang & Lin He Christopher Johnson ‘82 Eddie Johnson & Helen Woldemariam Kym Johnson Luqman Richard Jones & Cynthia Jones Patricia Jones & Harold Graboske David & Sheila Jones 5+ Wendy Jordan ‘63 10+ Suganda Jutamulia & Xiaoye Li Daniel & Bamidele Kammen 15+ Bradley & Rachel Kane James Kang & Sunhee Park 5+ Jeffrey & Nicole Kangas David & Barbara Kantrovitz 5+ Marjory Kaplan Christopher & Krysten Karachale 5+ Geraldine Karkowsky 5+ Leslie Karren ‘86 Jill Citron Katz ‘86 & Aaron Katz Aphra Katzev 5+ Gail Kramer Kautz ‘54 & John Kautz 5+ John Kawamura ‘07 Adrian & Vanessa Kayari Keri Keifer Nathan & Nora Keker 5+ Casey & Cathy Keller Donald Kelley & Susan Getman 10+ Sean Kelly & Olivia Ma Judy & Jeffery Kennedy 5+ Robert & Michelle Kenney David & Coralie Kenton 5+ Vera Kerekes Adel & Mirzeta Khalil 5+ Vipul Khanna & Anshu Khanna Robert Kieckhefer 25+ Sung Chan Kim & Jean Ahn Michael Kim & Sara Lee 5+ Cristiana King
The Levy Family Foundation
John & Karen Medford
David & Deborah Kirshman 35+
Randy Lewis & Caitlin Whitaker
Jeff & Andrea Meghrouni-Brown
Kiryle Foundation
Sukey Lilienthal ‘62 & David Roe
Anand & Monica Mehta
Dan & Jennifer Klein
Michael Lindheim & Melissa SchwartzLindheim 5+
Viral Mehta & Preety Kalra 5+
Mark & Margaret Linton
Anne Chew Melbye ‘54 & Richard Melbye
Marc & Sandy Klein Suzanne Klein ‘00 & Josh Geyer Lorrie & John Knight 5+ Nancy Knop 5+ Gabriel & Alison Kobban Alexander & Anna Kopelnik Daniel Korn & Trang La Lori KovenChambers 15+ KC Krakowski Ronald & Elena Krause Paul Krause ‘92 Oliver Kremer ‘04 Leo Kremer ‘98 & Lauren Kremer Laura Krier & Daniel Schneider 5+ Shriram Krishnan & Rachel Burdick Vinkey 5+ Katherine Kruger & Craig Sutphin 5+ Carolynne Krusi ‘71 & Paul Beisswenger Marissa Kunz 5+ Kelly Kurtenbach Debra Kwok ‘83 5+ William Kwok & Vivian Tan
Marko Lipacis & Mara Lipacis Thaddeus Lisowski & Stephanie Piper 10+ Jan Nielsen Little ‘75 & Rory Little 5+ Heng Liu & Fei Xu Carla Lo Coco ‘96 Tyler Lohman ‘04 Emmy Hay Long ‘56 25+ Alfredo & Vivian Lopez 10+ Yigong Lou & Cindy Xu Camden Louie ‘08 Kirstin Louie ‘12 Matthew Lovell & Colleen Haikes 5+ Ted & Cynthia Low John Lowry & Rita Kearns Michael & Jessica Lu Jared Luskin & Anika Luskin LaRaye Lyles 5+ Mike & Jennifer Lynn Loren Madden
James Meier ‘81 Joel Meltzer & Susan Weinstein Meltzer Howard Mergelkamp & Michelle Fulbrook Dean & Eleanor Meritt Benjamin Metcalf ‘94 & Melissa Garcia 15+ Michael & Christina Meyer Sandra Midkiff 5+ John & Justine Milani 15+ Dylan Miles Daniel & Marina Miller Emily & Michael Miller 5+ G. Kirby Miller II Scott Milsten & Julie Conner 10+ Mark Min & Susanna Myungsun Bang 10+ Andrew Mingst & Madeline Stone William & Carol Mingst Connie Miottel ‘74 W.J. Miottel, Jr & Katrina Miottel 5+ Edward & Elaine Mitcham 5+ Russ Mitchell & Juanita Yun 5+
Raymond Kwong & Anna Pon 10+
Sara & Mona Malan 5+
Christine Johnston Laddish ‘61 & Timothy Laddish 20+
Anay Malhotra Jitendra Malik & Isha Ray
Aisha Mitchell Camerer ‘99 & Steve Camerer
Benjamin Ladue & Lauren Railey 10+
Ayan Mandal & Rajni Mandal
James Mittelberger & Anne Mudge 5+
Lakeside Foundation
John Mandel ‘86 & Chantel Mandel 5+
Karen Miura
Eric & Laura Lamison 5+
Charles Manese & Myla Manese
Junaid & Lisa Mohiuddin
Crystal Land & William Miller 25+
Rabinde & Mina Mangewala
Carol Montgomery
Haley Land-Miller ‘14
Suzanne Smith Mangus ‘69 & Rodney Mangus 5+
Britnea Moore
Kudur Manjunath
Suzanne Christensen Morris ‘97
Zachary Land-Miller ‘09 Peter Landreth ‘94 & Sabrina Landreth ‘94 William & Jeanne Landreth Matt & Sarah Langdon 10+ Marilyn Langer Jason Langkammerer ‘88 & Samantha Hero 5+
Jamie Manley ‘10 Justin Manus ‘99 & Jenna Goldman Larry Mar & Losa Wong 20+ Lilly Mar-Chee & Wesley Chee
Ann Lauriks
Bill Marchant ‘82 & Anne Marchant 25+
John H. & Amy Bowles Lawrence Foundation
Helena Simon Marsala ‘90 Jeff Marshall & Jeanette Gurmendi Marshall 5+
Ron Lawrence ‘77
Rodolfo Martell & Fernanda Ruiz 5+
Steven & Lorraine Lawrence 5+
Ofilio & Beatriz Martinez
Louise Lawton
Zlatko Martinic & Christina Bentel-Martinic
Margaret Leavitt ‘71 & Alan Lilly 5+
Michael & Kris Marubio 5+
Harold Lee
Christina Masson 5+
Jeffrey & Shiao Lee
Laura Davies Mateo ‘75 30+
Michael & Randi Lee 5+
Joe Matera & Yi-Shan Chen
Sang Yong Lee & Jung Eun Hong 5+
Tori Mathieson 5+
Soyoung Lee & Gabriel Cohen
Darlene Mattox
Nichole LeFebvre
Jennifer Maxwell
Jacob Leland
Morgan May 5+
Kenneth & Darlene Lem 15+
Matt McCloskey & Lizzy McCloskey
Peter Lena & Andrea Bednarova
Susan McCreary 5+
Ilya Letuchy & Alina Letuchy
Dennis McGuire & Keiko Aizawa-McGuire
David Levin & Julie Scarpelli 10+
William & China McKay
David Levin & Roxy Bahar 10+
Saya & Paul McKenna 15+
Harvey Levine & Beth Schoenberger 15+
Carolyn McNiven ‘82 & Andrew Sohn
The LeVine Family
Emma Mears ‘18
Matthew & Carrie Levy 5+
Mark Mears & Balvinder Kaur
ANNUAL REPORT
Sue Kingsbury 5+
Walter Mitchell
Erik Moore Adair Morse & Annette Vissing-Jorgensen 5+ Norman Morse Dani Moseley Frederic Mousseau & Anuradha Mittal Jenna Mowat ‘12 Brandon Moy 5+ The Mtchona Family Rosanna Mucetti & Orlando Torriente 15+ Benjamin MulHolland & Gitara Spinks Jerry Mullaney Harry Muniz 10+ Mark Muranishi ‘06 10+ Ann Murphy 5+ Kelly Murphy ‘00 & Jim Murphy James Murray & Sharon Phillips Mark & Diana Musto 5+ The Myrick Family Jennifer Nabers Murali Naidu & Katherine Naidu Anne Bruner Nash ‘80 & Jeffrey Nash 10+ William Newell 10+ Al Newman Brant & Hilary Newman Daniel & Emily Newman Chris Newton & Eve Rodler Habib & Rhonda Ngom 5+
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Huong & Sarah Nguyen
Christopher Pope & Shana Simmons
Suzanne Ruegg ‘80 & Howard Brown
Vylinh Nguyen 5+
Martha Popp & Alix Olson 5+
Susan Cooper Rusch ‘77 & Scott Rusch
Zhengcai Ni & Ying Zhang
Tom Popp
Colin Russell ‘11
Brandon Nicholson
Ballav & Goma Poudyel
Kyle Russell ‘16
Daniel & Tish Niehans
Leslie & Richard Powell 5+
Michael Ryan & April Weaver
Christi Niehans ‘01 5+
Trenton Price ‘03 & Miriam Barry
Michael Sacksteder & Mary Jo Bowling
Hannah Niles
Brittany Pruim
Denise Saddler ‘71 & Keith Matthews
Anna-Marie Nilsson
Cara Pryor 5+
Matthew & Wynee Sade
James & Melba Nixon 5+
Joe Puleo & Kathleen Wimer
Mehdi & Nahal Sadeghi
Mark North
Mikhail Pyatigorsky & Marlo Miura
Alexander & Emily Sah
Michael Novogradac & Barbara Forsberg Novogradac 15+
George Quaye & Jill Rodgers-Quaye 5+
Rama Salvekar 10+
Novogradac Rivers Foundation
Gregory & Rachel Quilici 10+
Michael Sandberg & Stephanie Sandberg
Alexander Rabens ‘06
David Sandford ‘85 & Sandra Doi 10+
Vijaya Raghavan
Ildiko Sandford 5+
Mohan & Nandini Ramaswamy
The San Francisco Foundation
Peter & Alison Ratcliffe 5+
Basem Sarandah 5+
Sarath & Carla Ravipati
Shahana Sarkar & Carl Kadlic 15+
Kathleen & Kenneth Ray 10+
Mark & Lucia Savage
Subhransu & Leena Ray 5+
Vinod & Rupa Sawhney
Robert & Ruscel Reader
Mary Scarpelli 10+
Tim & Maureen Recker
Drew & Catherine Schembre
Ernest & Jane Reddick 5+
Kurt Scherer & Valerie Constable 10+
Peytra Redfield 5+
Steve Schilling & Erin Schilling 5+
Jason Reed ‘85 & Katherine Underhill 5+
Schilling Family Charitable Fund
Richard Otter & Gloria Saito 20+
Martin Reese & Estephania Galvao De Mello Reese 10+
Carol Schmid Frazee ‘74 & Bryan Frazee
Donald Ousterhout & Marlene Ma
Rolan & Anlie Reichel 5+
Kevin Owen & Akiko Tsuzuki 10+
Dave & Tracy Reichmuth
Schneider Foundation
David & Lucile Packard Foundation
Walter & Carolina Reid 5+
Cheye Pagel
Herbert & Anne Reynolds
J. Alejandro Paredes & Monica Bocanegra 5+
Ilene Richards
Dev Parikh & Kamni Vijay 5+
Madeline Richards
The Park Family
John & Peggy Richardson
Lisa Parks 5+
Georgia Burr Riley ‘63 & Tim Riley
Kishore Parwani ‘86 & Chanda Parwani 5+
Jack Ripsteen & Sandy Gustafson
Carol Passmore
Ito Ripsteen ‘95 & Casey Ripsteen
Rohit & Mridula Patel 5+
Tim Ripsteen ‘93 & Vanessa Mandel Ripsteen ‘93 20+
John Nyamuzuwe 5+ Pippa O’Brien ‘14 John & Margaret O’Connor Jongwook Michael & Jackie Oh 5+ Peter Oishi & Priti Patel Cyriacus & Georgette Okechukwu Siraj Omar & Monica Berson Rodrigo Ortiz & Maria Vernadette Ofreneo Frederick Oshay 5+ Oshay Family Foundation Samuel Oshay ‘17 Paul Ostrach ‘17
Tejal Patel ‘86 & Laszlo Muhl 10+ Umesh & Avani Patel
Michael & Julia Robarts 15+ Molly Nock Robarts ‘56 & Drew Robarts 15+
Mary Patterson
Brian & Johanna Roberts
Mya Paul & Tim Popp 5+ Susan Ray Pease ‘59 & Charles Pease Brian & Amanda Peeters
David & Sandra Roberts Gregory Roberts & Guoying Chen 5+ Barbara Robertson 5+
Susan Peick 15+ Laurence & Alexis Pelosi 10+ Len & Christa Pennacchio 5+ Ramon & Blanca Perez 10+ Ronald Perez & Phuochau Tran Marc & Ann Perrin Peter Perrin & Dorothea Perrin Pete & Amy Peterson M. Alex Peterson & Tracy Clements 5+ Robert Pfile & Suruchi Bhatia 5+
Eric Robinson & Jennifer Sime 15+ Jocelyn Robinson Kenneth Robinson & Elizabeth Pagano 10+ Mantra & Steven Robinson 5+ P. J. Robinson ‘14 The Rodan Family Foundation Susan Rose ‘58 20+ Seth & Molly Rosen 10+ Jonathan Rosenson & Rebecca Lueck 5+
Jennifer Phillips
Charles & Onice Ross
Gilbert Pierre-Louis & Anne Prozan PierreLouis 5+
Jeff & Mary Ross Kathryn Ross
Margaret Piskitel ‘95
Matthew Ross & Phyllis Grant
Michael & Rosalind Plishner 15+
Peter Ross & Shari Hollis-Ross 5+
Janicke Polumbo
Arup Roy-Burman & Sheila Jenkins
Seymond Pon & Megan Klein
Robin Royer ‘74 5+
Eric & Susan Poncelet 5+
Michael Rubin & Andrea Peterson 20+
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Mark Schneider ‘00 15+ Ed & Jenifer Schoenberger Julien & Jennifer Schreyer Sonya & Darren Schroeder 5+ Elias Schuldt ‘01 & Elana Rodan Schuldt ‘04 Hanna Schurman ‘08 Paul & Erin Scott 15+ Zack & Kari Scott Mark Searle ‘80 Constance Seay Martha Sellers & Luigi Semenzato 15+ Yanidou Seye Hamish & Allison Shah Mark Shamia & Tara Shamia Richard Shankman & Kathy Grayson 5+ Rebecca Shapley ‘92 15+ Sarah Sharp & Christopher Glenn 5+ Shenandoah Foundation Kora Shin Francine Shirvani Amin Sikander & Kulsum Arif Robert Siltanen ‘83 & Gwen Meyer 5+ Andy Singer & Alesia Barrett Singer 10+ Henry & Helene Singer Rohit Singla & Meenaxi Deo 5+ Michael Sippey & Katrina Traywick 5+ Todd Sirimongkolvit & Parichati Pattajoti 5+ Jame Sky 5+ Andrew Smith ‘10 Andy Smith & Jennifer Aaker 5+ Anne & Lincoln Smith Dalmar Smith & Amelia Sandoval-Smith Grace Geyer Smith ‘52 & Carl Smith Harold & Marian Smith 5+
Nicolas Tjian ‘03
Matthew Weinstein ‘90 & Marcie Weinstein 10+
John Smith, III & Eva Smith 5+
Jean Tom ‘92 & Charles Stowell 5+
Ronald & Jocelyn Weiss
Laurel Anderson Smith ‘75
S & J Tom Family Foundation
David Welch & Kamelia Welch
Robert & Anna Smith
Alicia Torre ‘71 & Jonathan Nimer 5+
Katherine Welch 5+
Sheila Kavanagh Smith ‘56 & Bill Koch
Josh Tower
Robert Wells & Laurie Kermish 25+
Wendell & Crystal Smith
Marjorie Foster Trapp 5+
Linda Gaylord West ‘58 & Donald West
Barney Smits & Theresa Nelson
Tacy Trowbridge ‘86 & Kim Arnone
Kenneth & Sherry Wexler 5+
Henry Smyth 5+
Clark Tsai & Pei Li
Sara Tolles White ‘55 & Robert White
Eric & Sophie Snoey 5+
Johára Tucker
Maurice & Jeannine Whittaker
Henry Sobel & Susan Bessler
Barry Turner
Julie Whorton ‘03
Elizabeth Solis
Rasheeda Turner 5+
Eleanor Wicks
The Wood-Soloff Family 5+
Corey Turoff 5+
Kenneth & Carla Wicks
Daniel Sommer & Erika Anderson
Utibe Ukim & Theresa Utibe-Ukim
Alice & Gene Wilds
Mustafa & Ilknur Sozat
Sonia Urzua
Brock Williams & LaDawn James Williams
Robert Spear
Gilbert Vahanian & Melissa Sherman
Deirdre Williams ‘80 15+
Andrew Spear 5+
Lea & Pat Van Ness 15+
Frank Williams & Melissa Williams 10+
Kate Johnson Spector ‘71
Ransom Van Riper & Kristine Wyndham 5+
Mose Williams
Roger Spencer & Nora Wong 20+
Jordaan Van Romburgh
Daniel Wilson & Page Tomblin
Steve Spencer & Ruth Flores 5+
Jane Vander Veer & Jon Klimo
Terry & Jennifer Wit 5+
Tamara & Jamey Spencer
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
Sue Wiesinger Woehrle ‘56
Jacqueline Spivey
Eugene Vann & Kris Vann 15+
Caryll M and Norman F Sprague Jr. Foundation
Richard & Mary Vann
Sally Boyce Wolfanger ‘79 & Craig Wolfanger
Wendy Brill Stahl ‘00 & Jonathan Stahl
Julie Veit ‘90
Danny, Pola, & Miles Stein Gunther Stein & Emily Taylor 10+ Robert Stein & Jessica Pers 25+ David Sternberg ‘86 & Julie Sternberg Barbara Steuart Harold Stevens & Edward Sweet Lloyd Stockey Allan & Cindy Stokke Errol & Susan Stone
Bala Varadarajan& Sutapa Balaji Jeffrey Veit ‘87 & Lynn Veit 15+ Nada Velimirovic & Gwendolyn Stripling Ramnath Velu & Veena Manjunath Scott Verges & Britta Sjogren 20+ Stephen Verner & Dee Minnite 5+ Michael Miller & Hilda Villarreal Pascal Villiger & Stephanie Brendel Jeff & Lisa Violet
Adrian Wong & Stella Ma Brian Wong & Tammy Sung Jason Wong & Susan Hsu 5+ Joe Wong & Tina Hong Tony & Cindy Wong 5+ John Woolard & Sam Deaner 10+ Becky Worley & Jane Mitchell 5+ Christopher Wornum & Anne Cook Alexis Wright Amy Wright
Abigail Dachs Vix ‘96 15+
Benny & Stephanie Wright Daniel Wu ‘92 and Family
Stuart Suplick ‘14
Margaret Kent von der Linde ‘48 & Gert von der Linde 5+
Danny & Emily Wu 5+
Kent Suzuki & Lisa Washburn 5+
Owen & Mimi von Kugelgen 15+
Gretchen Wu ‘03 5+
Donald & Sara Sweet
Andrew & Danielle von Mayrhauser
Judy Wu 5+
Ryan Tacorda & Kimiko Sera-Tacorda
Alex Wactor ‘14
Robert & Kyndra Wu 5+
Kevin Taguchi & Sepi Razavi 5+
Joan Bradley Wactor ‘76 & Jon Wactor 20+
Michael & Yianna Xenakis
Jason Tai & Lisa Wu
Susan Wilde Wait ‘57 & Bradford Wait
Hugo Xiong
Armen & Laura Tajirian
James Waldrop & Laurie Schrager 5+
Chenyang Xu & Vivian Shu
Michelle Tajirian Shoffner ‘96 & John Shoffner
Yvonne Walker 5+
Alexandre Yamamoto & Kimi Kean 5+
Mike Talps 10+
Logan Wallace
Huijin Yan
Ian Walters 5+
Bennett Yang & May Yu
Munish Walther-Puri ‘97
Xin Yang & Charlotte Tai
Mark Wang & Gigi Chen
ZhiRen Yang & Mao Hong
Thomas Wang & Regina Sir
Koko Lin & Margot Yapp
Andrew & Chloe Warner 5+
Ellen Yasumura
John Warner III
Terahn & Kimberly Yearns 5+
Nan Horton Warren ‘60 10+
Billy & Lydia Yeh
James Wax & Casey Peacock
Eric Yount & Cynthia Zamora-Yount 10+
Mark Wayman & Julie Wayman
Jackson & Mayo Yu
Jesse & Erica Weber
Tom Yu & Lillian Wang 5+
David & Diane WeberShapiro
Laura Zahnow 5+
Brenda Higgins Webster ‘62
Stephen & Gloriah Zavell
Susan Webster
Laura Zeidan ‘07
Kathrina & Marcel Weekes
Yan Zha
Ashley Weeks ‘17
Ming Hua Zhu & Min Hua Liao
Stephen Weeks & Susan Abplanalp-Weeks
Alan & Judith Ziajka
Steven Weinberg & Georganne Ferrier
Peter Zinoman & Cam Nguyen 10+
Deborah Weinberger
Mark Zitter & Jessica Nutik Zitter 5+
Elizabeth & Robert Stumpf
Paul Tang & Lilian Ding Theresa Tao & Charles Jones 15+ Robert & Jasmine Tarkoff 5+ Colin Taylor & Melissa Matosian Emily Dachs Taylor ‘01 15+ Eric & Jody Taylor 15+ Jason Taylor & Marianna Green Juli Teitelbaum Jennifer Temple 5+ Emily Thiagaraj Carl Thiermann & Marla Browning 25+ Ivor Thomas & Amy D’Andrade Andy Thompson & Jill Fuss Lisa Thorne 5+ Barbara Thorne 5+ Michael Timpane & Jane Andersen 5+ Michael Ting & Jenny Lee
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ANNUAL REPORT
H. Peter Smith III ‘78 & Patricia Smith 15+
ALUMNI
A LUMNI COUNCI L PR ESI DE N T LET TE R
I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the School and serve our alumni com munity. Dear HeadRoyce Alumni, It’s with great enthusiasm that I write my first letter to you as the new Alumni Council President for the 2020-2021 school year. We have much work to do. This past year has been one like no other, at least in our lifetime. From the pandemic to the #BlackLivesMatter movement and the racial reckoning at our School, we have experienced deep remorse, reflection, and contemplation. Along with other members of our community including students, parents, and professional community members, alumni in particular have been generous and brave in sharing their stories of racism experienced as students. This difficult time has been further exacerbated by the fact that we have had to face these issues while physically separated from one another. The Head-Royce community has always found strength in our ability to come together to address issues and challenges. We may not always agree, or physically be in the same room, but we work to listen, understand, empathize, and respond with clarity and compassion. This work, especially as it relates
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to anti-racism will not be easy and it will not be quick, but I ask all of you to partner with the School, the Alumni Council, and most importantly each other in creating a community that is free of bias and affords equity for all. This year in particular, your Alumni Council will work to re-define our alumni strategic plan and mission, provide dedicated spaces and times that are hopefully healing for our BIPOC alumni, and offer workshops and other opportunities for the entire alumni community to work through this together. As an immediate step we have appointed Camden Louie ’08, our Alumni Council Vice President, Chair of DEI Initiatives, and have begun to review our programming to ensure that it is inclusive of all of our alumni constituents. I’ve also admired how the alumni community has supported our students during the pandemic. As you’ll read in the following pages, our alumni continue to engage with students in meaningful ways––from mento-
ring to conducting mock interviews to speaking to students via Zoom. Finally, I want to express my personal gratitude and our collective thanks to outgoing Council President, Jason Langkammerer ’88 who has stewarded this group of alumni volunteers for three years. I’m pleased to share that he will continue to serve on the Board as a member at-large. I had the pleasure of working closely with him as Council Vice President for the past two years and I look forward to continuing to do so on the Board. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the School and serve our alumni community. Sincerely,
HARRIS BRODY ’98
ALUMNI COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND TRUSTEE
ALUMNI
A LUMNI PROFI LE
Dr. Jennifer “Piper” Below ’99 keeps surprising herself. In college, she remembers calling her mother crying. “I had this terrible news. I was going to major in math instead of biology,” she says, laughing. Studying math wasn’t part of the plan. Ever since taking Jen Brakemen’s neurobiology and genetics class, she’d dreamed about med school. “College-major-level math feels like a bunch of puzzles and games,” she says. “They lay down the rules for how the system works and then you have to solve these mysteries using those rules. That was fun and compelling for me.” After college, she worked at Roche Diagnostics, genotyping the human leukocyte antigen (HLA). “It’s part of your genome that is strongly involved in your immune function.” She soon realized she wanted to work “at the decision-maker level,” investigating her own ideas and questions. “That meant I had to get a PhD.” “Once again I had misguided ideas,” she says. “I went in thinking I’d be running gel electrophoresis experiments, doing this bench, wet science.” The University of Chicago’s Human Genetics program requires their doctoral candidates to work in two or three labs before deciding on a specialty. “I rotated into working with Nancy Cox, who does computational genetics.” Suddenly, she found the right combination. “The math of genetics was the perfect space for me.” Now an Associate Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Below is tackling an issue at the forefront of our minds: COVID-19. Her current project focuses on a Hispanic cohort of 4,000 participants in Cameron County, Texas, which has one of the highest COVID-19 rates in the country. Researchers have studied this group for the past seventeen years, including Dr. Below for the past seven years, identifying and confirm-
DR. PIPER BELOW ’99
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
ing genetic risk factors for diseases such as Diabetes and Alzheimer’s. “This population is being absolutely ravaged by COVID” says Dr. Below. “As participants in the study report that they’ve been symptomatic or had a positive test, we’re able to bring them back in––once they’re cleared––and take a new RNA sample. We also sample those who have had no known exposures and test negative by antibody tests.” Comparing the new RNA samples to those previously stored in the lab’s freezers allows Dr. Below and her team “to see how the expression profile of their genes have changed as a result of COVID,” says Dr. Below. “Once we know what molecular pathways are being disrupted, it’ll help us understand what happens to the body when you get COVID. We’re also excited about how this could inspire drug therapeutics.” This cutting-edge research earned Dr. Below and her team a half-million dollar gift from Google to study 500 people in Cameron County. “500 is an incredible resource,” she says. “There’s nothing like it in the world.” She seeks further funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the full 4,000-person cohort. “While I feel all the same existential dread as everybody else about this pandemic, I’m unspeakably lucky and privileged to be in a corner of science where it’s not only possible to work remotely––my work is computational, it doesn’t matter where I access my servers from––I also have a long-standing, established collaboration with these tremendous individuals working in a medically underserved population.” Because this Hispanic population is ad-mixed, meaning their DNA has a mixture of ancestral lineages, Dr. Below builds specialized, artificial intelligence tools to scan their genomes. “If we treated them like a homogeneous
genome, we’d end up with all of this statistical noise and bias that prevents us from making real discoveries.” “It’s important for all scientists to be mindful of race when we’re designing our research,” says Dr. Below, citing, as one example, the NIH’s All of Us program, which aims to build the most diverse health database in history and tailor medical care to the individual. “It’s a hallmark of a changing set of attitudes. We’ve baked racism into so many systems in our world, and as we move into the era of personalized and precision medicine, there’s a renewed awareness to make sure we’re not baking racism into that system as well.” “There’s a lot to be optimistic about in genetics,” says Dr. Below. If you’d like to learn more, head over to Reddit, where Dr. Below moderates the r/Science discussion panels, fostering conversations between scientists and any curious person who logs in. WINTER 2020
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ALUMNI
A LUMNI EV E N TS
The COVID-19 pandemic changed how we gather––as families, as a school, and as an alumni community. Though we had to postpone our in-person Alumni Weekend (stay tuned for more updates on the next reunion), we’re proud of the virtual events we produced, from mini Zoom reunions and live-streamed interviews to two brand-new mentoring programs.
Members of the Class of 1970 and Alumni Director Julie Kim-Beal (top right) wave a happy hello at their first-ever virtual reunion.
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ALUMNI
Ben Falik ’05
Ben Falik ’05 (aka JULiA LEWiS) talks about his work as a producer, songwriter, and DJ, while student-journalists (from top) Brandon B. ‘21, Isaac Zinoman ‘20, and Ben C. ‘22 interview him.
Alumni photos from top: Text Me Records , Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP and Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports.
Dan Wu ’92 Chloe Beittel ’20, Kaylyn B. ’21, and Lucas Dodson ’20 (left to right) interview Dan Wu ’92, the internationally-acclaimed actor, director, and producer. Above all, he calls himself “a maker,” whether that’s applied to DIY projects around the house, fixing cars, or directing films.
5’ Nico Hoerner ’1 Student-journalists Christopher A. ’21, Lucas Dodson ’20, and Cole R. ’22 knocked this interview out of the park. Nico Hoerner ‘15 told them all about his journey from the Jayhawks to the Chicago Cubs and what it was like to walk onto Wrigley Field for the first time.
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MENTORING MOMENTS ALUMNI CONNECTING WITH STUDENTS
THE HAW K F E L LOWS H I P The inaugural, two-week Hawk Fellowship on The Business of Technology was a huge success. Established by the Alumni Mentoring Committee and the Center for Community Engagement, the Hawk Fellowship gives rising seniors exposure to a professional field, leveraging the connections and resources of our talented alumni community. From the robust applicant pool, the committee selected three fellows: Sean C. ’21, Lisa K. ’21, and Arun P. ’21. In the future, we hope to continue with a Hawk Fel-
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lowship in the Business of Technology and add one new fellowship field each year. For example, next summer we might run a Hawk Fellowship in Law or Medicine, depending on the interest of our students and alumni availability. In their first week, the Hawk Fellows learned from alumni presentations, such as “Introduction to Design Thinking,” by Sarah Herringer ’04, “How to Secure Funding for Your Great Idea” by Harris Brody ’98, and what it’s like to have your business at an incubator
like Y Combinator by Sam Oshay ’17. Pictured above is a case study of Facebook led by Danny Stein ’04. In week two, the fellows pitched their own business plan––and both judges said yes they would fund their startup. Thank you to our mentors and alumni participants Sarah, Harris, Danny, Sam, Bradley Chee ’10, Eric Selvin ’10, Jordan Harris ’05, Travis Pillon ’10, and our pitch judges Julia Herringer ’10 and Head-Royce parent Erik Moore!
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MOCK COLL EG E IN T E RV I EWS
This fall, Head-Royce alumni volunteered with a new program, inspired by our current, virtual world. They helped our Seniors prepare for their college admissions interviews by conducting mock interviews via Zoom. Over one third of the Senior Class took part in this inaugural effort coordinated by the College Counseling Office and the Alumni Office. Read on for profiles of a few alumni volunteers.
6 1 ’ n e s o R b Cale What has your own HeadRoyce educational experience meant to you?
At Head-Royce, I had so many wonderful teachers who supported and fostered my interests, whatever they might be. In high school some of my favorite classes were AP Bio, Western Civ, Islam, and Environmental History. This led to my pursuing a Geology major (to focus on natural systems and environmental/biological connections) and a Medieval and Renaissance Studies minor, culminating in an Earthquakes in a Global Context course, which combined both my history/social science and earth science interests. If I hadn’t had such engaging teachers across the board who taught me the importance of a combined humanities/STEM education, I never would have pursued this unique degree combination.
What advice would you give your 9th grade self? Go deep. Ignoring the pun given that I’m applying for oceanography grad schools. I think it is incredibly important to pursue intellectual passions. It means that when you go to class or work everyday, you enjoy what you’re doing and are enthusiastic to always take the next step. Get involved. People love to talk about what they do with someone who’s interested. Almost every job or professional volunteer opportunity I’ve ever done started with me approaching someone and asking them to tell me more about their work and how I could get involved.
How do you think students can make the most of their education? Talk to teachers. It sounds simple, but they all have a reason they got involved in their field. Ask them about it. Ask them about their academic path, what they would do differently, and what advice they would give someone for how to do things better.
Why did you choose to give back and help support HeadRoyce students? Making big life decisions are always hard, and college applications are no exception. When I applied, college visits and interviews were one of the most important parts of the process. But students this year don’t get all of that, at least not the same way I did. With the COVID-19 pandemic, I thought that I should help students if I could because life goes on and they have to go along with it.
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Meggan Cole-Sisto ’ What was your path after Head-Royce? How did it lead to where you are now? I wanted to go away for college, so I decided not to go to Berkeley. I went to UC Santa Barbara but I grew tired of UCSB as it wasn’t serious enough academically for me. After I took a few summer school classes in between my freshman and sophomore years, I decided I wanted to graduate from UC Berkeley and transferred my junior year. I would say both UCB and Head-Royce led me to take chances in life. Because of the people I met there, I was more open to travel and learning about other cultures. I traveled a lot in my early 20s, mostly through Europe, and I lived in Italy, which ultimately led me to a career in fashion and 14 years in NYC.
What has your own HeadRoyce educational experience meant to you? My experience and education at HeadRoyce has meant that my daughter (now 11) has attended private school until we moved back to Berkeley this year, because of the value I place on education. Head-Royce taught me so much that college was a breeze. I learned study skills and was very prepared for four-year university––even before senior year. This is what I tell my daughter, so that she will appreciate those skills and what the discipline of studying and taking her education seriously can do to help her later in life.
What advice would you give your 9th grade self? Remember how much you love Yearbook? Well those skills could translate into a career in graphic design! I wish I had used my creative side more in my career. I am in
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sales now but have channeled my design sense into a personal passion though so it’s not completely lost.
How do you think students can make the most of their education? Everything you learn at Head-Royce will help you get through life, from writing papers in English to learning how to see things in Art History or using a different language when you travel...even learning how to be on time for homeroom (I was always late but I am not a late person now). Showing up for your education will make you a more interesting person and the people you surround yourself with will also shape who you are.
Do you have a good story from your time as a student? It’s not really a particular or good story but I played sports year-round, so in my senior year I missed my last period (History) 75% of the time because of travel to away games. To this day, I have dreams that I am in history class and am failing (I somehow got good grades despite never being in class). I look back on my days of weekday night tennis or badminton matches or basketball games with much fondness ...those van rides were the best! As a parent now, though, I cannot fathom the thought of not being around for my daughter’s sports games. I don’t think my parents, who both worked full-time, ever saw one game or match of mine (but I hope they did)!
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Jessica Wu ’10 What was your path after Head-Royce? How did it lead to where you are now? I attended Carleton College. After graduating from Carleton, I worked for six years as a clinical research coordinator on a study that examines the long-term health outcomes of people who have undergone a blood or bone marrow transplant. In high school and in college, the network of parents at Head-Royce gave me the opportunity to explore different careers and helped guide me on my current path.
alumni network was instrumental in getting me my first job after college, and has continued to be a fantastic way to make connections. Even in high school, talking to classmates’ parents about their career paths, or to college students about why they chose their college can give you a unique perspective.
Why did you choose to give back and help support Head-Royce students?
As I mentioned above, alumni from my college were so helpful for me when I was trying to figure out what to do after graduating. Establishing these connections early in high school can only help students in the future. At Carleton, and even after graduating, I have continued to volunteer as an Admissions Representative, because I love talking with high school students about their plans for college and learning more about their awesome hobbies and interests.
Do you have a good story from your time as a student? I still remember, in AP Biology, when Dr. Brakeman threw a bunch of marbles at a picture of a telescope taped to the whiteboard to give us a mnemonic to remember the different phases of mitosis: “I Pitched Marbles At Telescope” = Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase. I used that mnemonic several times in my college courses, though my peers did not quite understand, and to this day (ten years later) have not forgotten the stages of mitosis.
What advice would you give your 9th grade self? Networking works. It’s incredibly nerve-wracking to speak to people you don’t know well, especially adults. However, networking with my college
GET INVOLVED
Inspired to work with current students? Log on to the official online Alumni Directory, where you can indicate how you’d like to help students or other alumni. It only takes a few seconds to register for the first time: headroycealumni.org.
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A LUMNI PROFI LE
BY HAYDEN THOMPSON ’23
4 ’0 u w k u h c e k O Dr. Amaka Dr. Okechukwu describes the assemblies as awkward, as moments when she and her Black peers felt uneasy stepping to the mic. Still, they knew it was the right thing to do. “We don’t feel comfortable here, but we’re here and we’re going to assert ourselves.”
Today, Dr. Okechukwu’s strong-willed spirit, built up from her days at HeadRoyce, continues to guide her life. “That kind of energy absolutely has shaped me.” The experience of feeling like an outsider, of “feeling the need to speak up” despite that discomfort, she says, “shaped going on to college, has shaped even my interests.” Student activism was her first entry point to scholarly work and her experiences of speaking out against injustice and to social issues have “followed [her] for the rest of [her] life.”
For Dr. Amaka Okechukwu, writing and social justice have always been linked. “When I was at Head-Royce, I was writing poetry, and I was involved with the paper,” she says. “I was also President of Black Student Union” (BSU). In the broader Oakland community, Dr. Okechukwu participated in Youth Speaks. “It’s an organization that really cultivates creativity. They hold poetry slams and [in my time] ran youth poetry in the Bay Area.” Her years at Head-Royce, Dr. Okechukwu says, not only shaped her academic life, but also her assertive mindset. As BSU President, Dr. Okechukwu instituted, during Black History Month, what she called “Black Thought.” “Every assembly we would read a quote or a poem from a Black person in history.” She envisioned the tradition as a way for Black voices and stories to be heard.
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Assistant Professor of Sociology at George Mason University, Dr. Amaka Okechukwu ’04 studied sociology and English, with a focus on creative writing, at the University of Southern California, and went on to earn her Ph.D. in Sociology from New York University. “I consider myself to be an interdisciplinary scholar, meaning that my work draws from sociology as well as urban studies, Black studies, and broader social sciences,” she says. Dr. Okechukwu recently published her book To Fulfill These Rights: Political Struggle Over Affirmative Action and Open Admissions (Columbia University Press, 2019). The book, which is named after President Lyndon B. Johnson’s historic commencement address at Howard University, narrates the historical struggles over open admissions and affirmative action in higher education through a sociological lens. Since the release, scholars and critics have praised
Dr. Okechukwu’s work. “When a book comes out, it lives for some time, so I’m still engaging with it even though it’s done,” she explains. “It’s been winning some awards, which is great.” Among those awards is the Eduardo Bonilla-Silva Outstanding Book Award by the Society for the Study of Social Problems. To Fulfill These Rights was far from an overnight success, but rather a project that has been years in the making. Born from her own student activist days, she began writing the book in graduate school. “This was my dissertation and I revised it into a book,” she says. “As a graduate student, I was interested in studying student activism at the college level.” Dr. Okechukwu researched students in New York City who were fighting to save open admissions at CUNY, and back in her home state, the students trying to save affirmative action in the UCs. All of her work eventually culminated in the book’s publication. As an alumna of the School, Dr. Okechukwu stays connected with her former classmates, and involved in the Head-Royce community, so when the BlackatHRS account––which shares personal stories of racism on campus––went public, Dr. Okechukwu felt as if everything was coming to a head. “I was so happy when I saw the BlackatHRS account… It was an example of agency. It was an example of Black students saying, ‘We may not have control over this whole experience but we can speak up and we can air our grievances.’ It was a really important and innovative way to air those grievances, particularly during COVID, when you all are not on campus together. It publicly forced Head-Royce to confront its entrenched issues.”
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The Instagram account sparked discussion amongst Dr. Okechukwu and some of her former classmates. “It forced us to revisit a lot of our own memories and our experiences, so many of which that we had repressed.” After taking a deep-dive down memory lane, “There was so much stuff I forgot,” she says. “Being older now, we also have a different lens by which to understand those experiences.” With her scholarly work, Dr. Okechukwu can now place her former experience as a Black student in a predominantly white institution (PWI) into its historical context. “I hope that Head-Royce can address these issues. I don’t know that I am confident that they will do what they need to do, but I am really happy that the students have taken them to task publicly. I hope that the students can
feel confident that they made that effort, that they organized that, that they spoke out publicly. I really hope for all of you to thrive, to be safe, and not feel further isolated because of this.” In the world of higher education, Dr. Okechukwu recognizes some progress, but says there is still plenty of work to be done. “There’s a lot of opportunity in higher education. It’s a space that I’ve never escaped.” Many of the issues that appear on today’s campuses are about “a culture of elitism that shapes inequality,” she says. “There is a need to deal with race and class inequality on campus, in admissions, and in resources.” For readers interested in learning more about affirmative action and the open admissions process, Dr. Okechukwu’s book, To Fulfill These Rights:
Political Struggle Over Affirmative Action and Open Admissions (Columbia University Press, 2019) is available online, and for those who’ve already read it, you can look forward to her next book. Currently on research leave, Dr. Okechukwu is studying “Black communities in Brooklyn during the 1970s and 1980s.” Her new book “tries to counter a lot of the scholarship on this period that dismisses these neighborhoods as places of dysfunction.” Current Black students at HeadRoyce can feel free to reach out to Dr. Okechukwu (aokechuk@gmu. edu) for conversations and resources. “Need somebody to ask for advice?” she says, “Absolutely come to me.”
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A LUMNI NOTES
GRACE YASUMURA ’06 The Smithsonian American Art Museum has appointed Grace Yasumura as the inaugural Luce Foundation Curatorial Fellow. This position is the first of its kind at the museum and is one of two curatorial training fellowships at the museum supported by a five-year, $590,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation. Grace began her appointment on November 12, 2020. “We are excited to welcome Grace to SAAM as our inaugural Luce Foundation Curatorial Fellow,” said Amelia Goerlitz, Chair of Academic Programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. “Her academic background in American art and critical race theory, training in digital humanities, and commitment to engaging a diverse range of museum audiences are a perfect fit for the position.” Grace will apprentice with Karen Lemmey, the Lucy S. Rhame Curator of Sculpture, on the planning of a major exhibition about the construction of race in American sculpture. She will join a department of ten curators, receiving training in four areas of curatorial work: research, exhibition develop-
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ment, collections planning, and public outreach. She will also engage in the intellectual life of the museum’s Research and Scholars Center—home of its renowned research fellowship program and peer-reviewed journal for new scholarship American Art—presenting lectures and giving gallery talks. Grace earned a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College (2010), a master’s degree from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University (2013), and a doctorate from the University of Maryland, College Park (2019) with her dissertation, “Invisible Men, Invisible Women: Labor, Race, and the (re)Construction of American Citizenship in New Deal Post Office Murals.” She has served as a teaching assistant and academic advisor at the University of Maryland and project manager for “Contemporary Monuments to the Slave Past,” a digital humanities project directed by Renée Ater, Professor Emerita of Art hHistory. As part of the curatorial team for the 2015 University of Maryland Art Gallery exhibition, “Streams of Being: Selections from the Art Museum of the Americas,” Yasumura took a lead role in designing a compendium online exhibition.
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BRITTANY PRICE ’06 In June, my husband and I welcomed Talia Abal into the world in Washington, DC. She enjoys Hamilton singalongs, dance parties, and letting her parents now sleep through the night. She may look small but she is a mighty superhero!
BOB FAHEY ’08 Simone Fahey was born to Bob and Nicolette Fahey on October 10, 2020 at 10:59 a.m. She weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces at birth. Congratulations to her and her family! Simone is also the 5th grandchild for beloved longtime faculty member, Mary Fahey.
MAX NOVAK ’13 Max graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa in 2017 from the University of Southern California, where he was a Mork Family Scholar with a double major in art history and classics. In 2019, Max earned a master’s degree, with distinction, in Classical Art and Archaeology, from Oxford University. This past year, Max worked for Kanye West on several performances, producing Latin scripts for West’s biblical-themed operas. In September, he entered Harvard Law School.
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IN
Memoriam
SUSAN HILLSTROM-MASI ’43 Susan Hillstrom-Masi passed away on July 9, 2020 peacefully at her home in San Francisco, with family in attendance. She was 94 years old. The youngest of six children, she was born in San Jose, California to Luke and Mildred Hancock. Susan attended Anna Head School and the University of Nevada, Reno. She was a resident of Reno for many years, married to Earl Hillstrom, M.D. In 1979 she moved to San Francisco, married Dr. Joseph Masi, and became a member of the Metropolitan Club and the Olympic Club. She earned her Life Masters in Bridge. A keen and outspoken woman when she needed to be, she had a grace and style all her own. She is remembered as a loving,
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loyal, and compassionate person. She is survived by her brother, Noble Hancock, son, Bryan Hillstrom, daughterin-law, Iva Winton, twin grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
CAROL MARY HOLMES CASE ’48 Carol Holmes Case passed away peacefully at her home in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 3, 2020 with her children by her side. Carol was born in Hilo, Hawaii on August 26, 1931 to Everett Nathan Holmes Jr. and Berence Castendyk Holmes. As a young girl, Carol attended a oneroom school in Hilo, and spent holidays in the volcano area where her parents
built a home, which still stands today. Her family moved to California in 1941, where she attended the Anna Head School for Girls, followed by the University of California, Berkeley. With her degree from Cal, she moved to Honolulu in 1952 and began teaching Kindergarten at the Punahou School. In 1953, she met the love of her life, Daniel Case, and they were married on August 14, 1954. They were happily married for 61 years until Dan’s death in 2016. She stopped teaching at Punahou to raise her four children and then returned in the 1980s as the Director of Career Placement, where her many contacts in the business communi-
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ty enabled her to create professional internships for students. After leaving Punahou, she became a travel agent and traveled much of the world with her husband and their many friends. Carol was a beloved friend to many. She was a generous member of the Honolulu community and participated in and led numerous civic groups and clubs throughout her life. In 1996, on the occasion of her 65th birthday, Dan Case wrote a five-page letter to their four children praising his wife and saying, “Without question, marrying your mom was the most important and successful thing I ever did.” Carol was predeceased by her husband Dan and her eldest son Daniel III. She is survived by her children, Carin (Matt Shippey) of Healdsburg, CA, Steve (Jean) of Washington, D.C., Jeff (Kimberly) of Honolulu, her daughter-in-law Stacey, widow of Dan, of San Francisco; 12 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, her niece and nephew, and many cousins.
MARIE FLETCHER ELDERKIN ’50 Marie passed away on July 28, 2020. She was born on August 18, 1932 in Florida. As a child, her family moved to Monterey, California, and then to Oakland, where she graduated from Anna Head School in 1950. Marie was an avid bridge player and could oftentimes be found playing with fellow 1950 classmates Paula Unger Keilson, Gloria Judah Forrest, and Donna Seagren Sire. She was also active with Hillside Covenant Church in Walnut Creek, CA. Along with her husband, Judge, she was an extensive traveler, making many trips to Europe and Asia. Marie is predeceased by her husband, E. Judge Elderkin, and survived by her children, Susan and Michael, and three grandchildren.
LUCRETIA CRANDALL WIEKING ’51
GLORIA PERKINS PRIEBE ’53
Lucretia passed away at her home in Chico surrounded by her family at age 87 on October 14, 2020. She was born on January 20, 1933 in Berkeley, California to Giles and Lucile Crandall. She lived most of her life in Piedmont and the East Bay Area before moving to Chico to be closer to her family. She attended schools at Havens Elementary, Anna Heads, and Cal Berkeley where she was a member of the Alpha Phi Sorority. She cherished her many beloved friends from her school days and continued those friendships throughout her life. She married her husband James Potter Wieking on October 15, 1954. A stayat-home mother and wife, she was her family’s rock and championed their lives. She felt her family was her greatest accomplishment. Her favorite things were family, her dear friends, sports, playing bridge, and her many treasured pets. She found joy in visiting the Oakland Zoo. She was a sports fan of the Cal Bears and Raiders football teams. She frequently watched golf and baseball. Traveling was another endeavor she enjoyed. Lucretia and Jim made many happy memories traveling to Europe, Tahiti, and Fiji, but her favorite destination was Napili Kai on Maui, Hawaii. She also loved to visit the mountains. Lucretia and Jim enjoyed vacation homes in Twain Harte, Graeagle, Bethel Island, and Whitehawk Ranch at various times. As a person, she was practical yet tenacious in a good-humored way. She was known to say “a little dirt won’t hurt” and, most recently, she advised this notice to simply state: “She came, she lived, she left.” Organizations to which Lucretia belonged include The Hill Branch of Children’s Hospital, Junior Center of Arts and Science, and she was a sustaining member of the Junior League of Oakland. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, James Wieking; her brother, Sheldon Crandall; sisterin-law, Janet; daughter, Linda Catalano (Tony); son, Edward Wieking. Special lights in her life were her grandchildren, Daniel James McDonald and Kinsey McDonald Gilbert (Danny Ray); great-granddaughter, Marie Gilbert; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Gloria Ruth Priebe (née Perkins), age 85, passed away at her home in Edmonds on Friday, April 17, 2020. She is survived by her two daughters, Lynette Schonhoff and Laurene Johnson (Craig); along with four loving grandchildren, Alex and Jessica Stefansson, Ruth Hunt, and Christopher Johnson; two great-grandsons, Jack and Holden Stefansson; and her longtime companion, Malcolm Clarke, whom she dearly loved. Gloria was one of a kind. She was born with an extra sparkle of life that never failed to attract others. She was beautiful, kind, generous, fun-loving, and brought joy to the hearts of all who knew and loved her. Gloria was born in 1935, in Antioch, California to Sumner Ellis and Ethelwyn Bertha Perkins (née Harmson). Her childhood was spent in Southern California and later, Berkeley. In Berkeley, she attended the Anna Head School for Girls. When not in school, she was usually barefoot and often roamed the Berkeley Hills with her friends and twin brothers, Art and Jon. Gloria went on to attend UC Berkeley, where she met and married Lanny Schonhoff, the father of her two devoted daughters, Lynette and Laurene. They lived at various times in Berkeley, Reno, Lake Tahoe, Fremont and Pleasanton, California. In 1970, the family moved to Edmonds, Washington, which Gloria considered the most beautiful place in the world and her beloved home for the rest of her life. Upon their arrival in Edmonds, Gloria began volunteering with the reading program at Edmonds Elementary School and helped many children become more proficient readers. She also volunteered with the Driftwood Players and made many lifelong friends there. A while later, she began a career as a pharmacy technician at Schofield’s Pharmacy. She ran the register, kept the store’s shelves stocked, and delivered prescriptions, sometimes on foot. She knew most of the town and most of the store’s customers could also be counted as her friends.
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Gloria loved animals. She had many pampered kitties and even a beloved rabbit that lived mostly under her bed for a while. Her passion for riding began with her riding bareback on her aunt Barbara’s ranch in the Sierra Nevadas. She looked forward to riding during her summer vacations in Robert’s Creek, B.C. and enjoyed riding her stepdaughter Marcia’s horses in Alderwood Manor and Monroe. In 1977, Gloria married Max Priebe and was a loving stepmother to his three children, Marc, Lon, and Marcia and his three grandsons. After retirement, she was finally able to build the dream house she had designed in high school, on the site of her old home on Maple Street. She enjoyed growing tomatoes and flowers in the atrium and threw many well-attended parties, complete with bands, in her lovely home. She was also able to volunteer at the Edmonds Center for the Arts. It was there she
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met fellow volunteer, Dick Passey, who was her beloved companion for a few wonderful years before his passing.
received a Bachelor of Science degree in Viticulture and Enology from the University of California, Davis.
In her final years, she was mostly housebound with mobility issues. Her many friends and family visited often and shared much joy and lively conversation. She kept busy reading, doing crossword puzzles with her daughter, Laurene, and enjoying the companionship and songs of her longtime partner Malcolm Clarke. Gloria will be mourned, missed, and loved to the moon and back forever and ever.
Brad worked at several wineries including Ridge Vineyards, Flowers Vineyard and Winery, Domaine de Montille in Volnay, France, and Domaine de Tempier in Bandol, France. In 2006, while working at Domaine de Tempier, Brad suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of an elevator accident. Brad had a passion for life, his boys, and a pronounced sense of humor. Brad loved comedy, was obsessed with good food, and travelled the world.
JOHN BRADFORD WILLIAMSON ’94
Brad will be loved and missed by surviving wife, Sharon Smith; sons, Grant and Owen Williamson; and mother, Nancy Brown-Williamson. He is predeceased by his father, Robert Brady Williamson. Brad is also survived by his siblings, Katy Bettencourt, Robert Williamson, Anne Curtis, and Sarah St. John.
John Bradford Williamson (“Brad”), passed away at the age of 43, due to complications from a traumatic brain injury. Brad was born on July 3, 1976 in San Francisco, and grew up in Berkeley. After graduating from high school at Head-Royce, Brad
David poses with his former students (L to R) Betsy Armour ’75 and Dorie Seavey ’74.
DAVID LEINBACH, FORMER FACULTY MEMBER David S. Leinbach, a native of San Diego and proud life-long Oakland resident, died at home on September 9, 2020 after a long battle with prostate cancer. He was 79. David was a muchloved friend and inspirational teacher of English language and literature. He had a profound impact on his devoted pupils, many of whom became lifelong friends. David taught at both Fremont High School, where he also served as a valued guidance counselor, as well as for five impactful years at the HeadRoyce School. David personified the exemplary and erudite educator.
After his teaching career, David transitioned to other passionate pursuits, including philanthropic roles with the National Trust (an historic building preservation society) and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. David loved and was keenly knowledgeable about Johannes Vermeer, James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, Gore Vidal, art deco, wine, museums of all descriptions, opera, and symphonic music. A remarkable raconteur, he was also a keen listener and so enjoyed and took selfless interest in others. An avid traveler and jazz aficionado, David and his life partner and well-known Bay Area jazz radio station owner and broadcaster, David Tonelli (who predeceased him), explored
the world widely (having visited all of the continents of the globe except Antarctica) with great enthusiasm and gusto. He was equally at home in the mud baths of Calistoga and at the captain’s table on the QE2. David will be sorely missed by so many of us including his brothers, Michael Burgoon and Glen Leinbach, sister Ellen Jameson, sisters-in-law, Marsha Burgoon and Evelyn Leinbach, his close adopted family members, Armando Paez and Mircea Ilie, his devoted Calmar Avenue Neighbors, former students, and others in his friendship fan club. He was a true gentleman. Donations in David’s memory may be directed to the American Civil Liberties Union.
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FL A SH BACK TO 1919
The 1918 influenza pandemic inspired Beatrice Blake ’19 to write this poem, which she published in Nods & Becks—then the name of our School’s literary magazine and now, our beloved yearbook. The poem is a fine reminder of all that has changed in a century, and all that remains, or, as Mark Twain once wrote:
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.”
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PA N D E M IC P O E T R Y 3rd graders in Ms. Hine’s class wrote pandemic poems, in homage to Beatrice Blake’s sonnet.
D ZOOM GOOD OL Kylie C. ’30
mily, too. s and my fa d n ie fr y m om. I miss em is on Zo th e e s n ca yI The only wa h gloom, ay filled wit -w lf a h is rt e Zoom. My hea I do not hav if e n o y n a t see But I can no oom! u good old Z o y k n a th o S
WHY DO WE SUFF ER FROM T H E C OV ID M O N S TER? Kara Y. ’30
THE V IRUS
Penny B . ’30
Online classes From m orning ’til nigh Though t, we can s e e our frie Zoom n nds, ever en d s . Though we hav e more Relaxin family g in ou time r b e d s, We can not go to scho And I’d ol rather work in stead!
Go away, yo u do not ma ke our day. Although w e have more family time We can see I do not like friends but this time. ca n n o t h u g them. I know it w ill get better but it feels like it will o nly end in fo rever.
Head-Royce School 4315 Lincoln Avenue Oakland, CA 94602 A D D R E S S S ERV I C E R EQ U E S T ED
e n o d l i “One ch k o o b e n o r e h c a te n a c n e p on e ” . d l r o w e h t e g n a ch –M A L A L A YOUSA FZ A I