The Chronicle
B2 Features
April 25, 2012
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Hilary Ethe ‘00 science teacher
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Yanni Vourgourakis ‘90 science teacher
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Isaac Laskin ‘98 English teacher
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Adam Howard ‘93 English teacher vox archives
Katie Lowry ‘99 dance and yoga teacher
chloe lister /chronicle
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Back to class
By Maddy Baxter and Gabrielle Franchina
I
n Upper School English teacher Isaac Laskin’s ’98 sophomore year, performing arts teacher Ted Walch cast him as Big Julie, a husky character, in “Guys and Dolls.” He had a growth spurt late, so he was very short as a senior, Walch said. In an attempt to make the character work, Walch used basketball players Jason Collins ’97, who was 7 feet tall, and Jarron Collins ’97, who was 6 feet 11 inches tall, to play Laskin’s bodyguards. “He was brilliant. It was really kind of wonderful,” Walch said. Nowadays, Laskin walks into Rugby Hall in a different role each morning. On his way in, he passes Rugby Auditorium and the stage where he starred as Big Julie and enters the same classrooms he sat in every day for three years, where he now teaches sophomores and juniors. Laskin is just one of many faculty members who attended HarvardWestlake as a student before returning to teach among familiar faces. Former teacher-student relationships have transformed into friendships and professional relationships. When Katie Lowry ’99 watches her students dance around the Chalmers studio, she knows exactly what it feels like to be in their shoes. “It feels a bit like I’m being let behind the curtain,” Lowry said. “A lot feels the same, but there are some things that make the school feel very different.” Upper school English teacher Adam Howard ’93 said the transition was simple. “It’s not too weird to be colleagues and now friends with some of my former teachers,” Howard said. “Ted Walch and I have been buddies for many years, and if anything, I feel that
megan ward/chronicle
vox archives
megan ward/chronicle
Not that long ago, the colleagues these five teachers eat lunch with and attend faculty meetings with were giving them homework and grading their papers.
we’re closer through our multi-stage all had Cairns as a teacher or adviser. experiences with each other.” Upon each student’s return, Cairns Walch and Howard first became shows him or her the recommendation friends when Howard tried out for the she wrote for him or her when they musical “Hair,” and Walch did not call were applying to college. Howard back after his first audition. “I think it’s more awkward for them Howard refused to give up and later than for me, but not for long,” Cairns approached Walch, asking him for one said. more chance to show him what he had “Over the years, no one has sat worked on. He wound up with one of in my office and said, ‘I want to be a the leading roles. high school science teacher,’ so it is fun “If you’ve when they come had kids in back and realize theater, you get how wonderful to know them in the job really is It feels a bit like I’m being a different way,” — the schedule, Walch said. “I the kids. It’s fun let behind the curtain. A lot knew them also they come to feels the same, but there are that as friends. I’m not the realization,” some things that make the surprised at all at Cairns said. their success as Vourgourakis school very different.” teachers.” says he first Not a year —Katie Lowry ’99 interviewed at the has gone by Upper School Dance school because he without Walch and Yoga teacher needed a job after seeing Howard spending two or Laskin several years traveling times, Walch said. after grad school but has been happy Upper school science teacher Yanni teaching at Harvard-Westlake ever Vourgourakis ’90 also has co-workers since. who were once his teachers. “It feels old and less fun [than “As I recall John Feulner was my being a student] but I like not having physics teacher, Nini Halkett and homework,” said Vourgourakis. Katherine Holmes-Chuba taught me Upper school science teacher Hilary history, or at least tried,” Vourgourakis Ethe ’00 said it is a privilege to learn, said. “I wasn’t the best, but at least as a teacher, from people who have I remember the ins and outs of been teaching for many years. Romanesque architecture. Vanna “It must be weird for them in a way Cairns was my college counselor, and because they remember me as a kid,” Coach Greg Hilliard was my basketball Ethe said. coach.” Lowry was also excited to work Upper School Dean Vanna Cairns with her old teachers. She said when has worked at Harvard-Westlake she was a student, she was extremely for 27 years. At one point, she had influenced by upper school dance a past student serving as a faculty teacher Cyndy Winter and the dance member in every department. program itself. Howard, Vourgourakis, Plant Manager “When the opportunity came to Dave Mintz ’87 and Middle School teach along with Cyndy, I jumped at mathematics teacher Dan Reeves ’94 it,” Lowry said. “Now that I’m teaching
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both dance and yoga, I’m able to share two of my greatest passions with bright and talented young students.” Howard recalls some vivid traditions from his time at Harvard School that have been lost since the merger with Westlake. He said the school has evolved into a very different place than he remembers. “When the school was all boys, we had seventh through 12th graders on one campus,” Howard said. “Seventh graders weren’t allowed, unofficially, to take the tower to class. If a senior saw you, he’d make you turn around or pick you up and carry you to the bottom of the staircase. It was all about paying our dues, like first-year students at Hogwarts.” Similarly, Ethe still looks back fondly on many of her unique high school experiences, including some embarrassing ones. “One of the funniest memories I have is of my 10th grade Spanish teacher trying to make me laugh after I had my wisdom teeth removed,” Ethe said. “I looked ridiculous with swollen chipmunk cheeks, and he tried to crack me up all week so I wouldn’t feel so embarrassed.” Lowry still keeps in touch with many classmates, recalling her favorite memories and stories with them. “I’m still very close to many of my friends from Harvard-Westlake, so we reminisce about our high school days often,” Lowry said. “I have great memories from canoeing down the Colorado river to dancing at the prom.” However, Vourgourakis said that when he attended his 20-year reunion, he could not remember many names, but could still recite the opening to the Canterbury tales in Old English. “Harvard-Westlake is a great place to learn and a great place to work,” Howard said. “If there’s an opening, who wouldn’t want to come back here?”