CS Magazine: Fall 2013

CS magazine

Mountain Climbers Alumni Among Top Guides

40 years strong

CS Celebrates Milestone

From rio, to Rio

Exchange Sends Cutthroats to Brazil

commun ity s chool fa l l 2 0 1 3

photographer: tomkinsonphoto.com

Building Experience

demberghbrown.com

photography: hillary maybery

letter from the head of school

DEAR FRIENDS As you know, our school is a corporate entity with a charter, a legal status, and a board of directors. Much more importantly, however, we are a human enterprise.

For 40 years, dedicated people — parents, faculty, students, alumni, board members, administrators, grandparents, and many others — have nurtured and supported our school.

No, our school did not simply appear fully formed. Thanks to a shared vision and the efforts of hundreds of individuals over 40 years, we have become a unique and successful school.

Our core educational principles are distinctive and consistently applied. We have a gorgeous campus in a breathtaking setting. We have a work ethic that means that every day is meaningful. We are looking toward the future, assuring that we will continue to grow, adapt, and meet the inevitable challenges of the modern world.

During this celebratory year, I am exhilarated by several things:

“

Our first 40 years are only the prologue to the rest of our exciting story.

”

• Thanks to the leadership and generosity of so many in our community, last year’s Annual Fund far exceeded previous totals, raising $609,000. These “unrestricted dollars” are critical to providing programs of the highest quality, as tuition does not begin to cover the costs of providing a Community School education.

• We have a sharpened vision for developing our campus to meet the needs of the future. During the coming months, we will articulate specific plans and fundraising needs for our campus buildings and landscape.

• Our financial foundation is stronger than ever, and we are focusing on building on that solid foundation. We want to expand our endowment and strengthen our enrollment by attracting boarding students from around the nation and world.

• Our teachers are natural innovators.

They are finding ways to use technology in creative ways to enhance learning (see page 32); they are making the concept of “grit” central to Community School’s culture; they are using evocative teaching methods to foster inductive reasoning in our students; they are connecting a small school in a small town in Idaho to the rest of the globe.

As this magazine goes to print, we are recovering from the destructive and disorienting Beaver Creek fire. We are thankful to all those federal, state, and local firefighters who put their lives on the line to keep our community safe. I am grateful also to members of our school community who reached out to help.

While we report on many aspects of life on campus, this issue of CS Magazine celebrates our connection to the outdoors and to the beauty of our surroundings. We are fortunate people to live where we do. We know, too, that in the natural circle of life, our forests will regenerate and continue to stir our emotions on a daily basis.

I want to express again my thanks to all those who have written — and are writing — our history. Our first 40 years are only the prologue to the rest of our exciting story.

Warmest wishes,

David Holmes Head of School

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

1

Bigwood Bread Cafe Downtown Seconidon Locat

380 N. East Avenue, Ketchum Corner of East Street and 4th Ave. Open 7 days for breakfast and lunch, 8am - 3pm

NOW OPEN

LOCAL • ORGANIC • FRESH Sandwiches, Salads, Soup, Pastries, Bread

Call in for Take Out: 208-928-7868

contents

72 sun valley ski academy

departments

Air Barn opens for training, Chase Josey soars, online and summer learning.

76 parents’ association

PA prepares for this year’s events.

6 news + notes

School-wide news briefs and announcements.

72 giving Former Board Director inspires Trail Creek Society.

18

from here...anywhere

80 class notes and memories

All-Alumni Reunion and Cutthroats outdoors.

24 educational highlights

Brazilian Exchange, Outdoor Leadership Academy, Bags Brokaw answers college admissions concerns.

Check in with classmates and relive Outdoor Trips.

Sports wrap-up, focus on figure skating and riding.

CS features

60 the arts

3 4 outdoor rock stars

54 athletics

Spring musicals showcase student talent.

62 outdoor program

Fifth graders take to the high seas.

Alumni are among the world’s best guides.

4 0 economic impact

Community School is an economic powerhouse.

66 community service

44 hats off to 2013 Graduating seniors go forth in style.

68 residential program

4 8 forty and counting Community School celebrates a milestone.

Project WOW and service learning.

Teacher Training Academy wraps up first year, Todd Ormiston joins the staff.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

3

CS magazine

HEAD OF SCHOOL David Holmes dholmes@communityschool.org ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL Ben Pettit bpettit@communityschool.org DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Becca Hemingway bhemingway@communityschool.org DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Kate Wutz kwutz@communityschool.org DIRECTOR OF alumni relations & EVENTS Krista Detwiler kdetwiler@communityschool.org ART DIRECTOR Britt Johnston britt@nimbuscreativegroup.com STAFF WRITER Robin Sias robin@mountaingirl.org PHOTO EDITOR Nicole Campbell ADVERTISING kwutz@communityschool.org

© 2013 Community School, Sun Valley, Idaho All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.

Community School magazine is published at: Community School • One Community School Drive Sun Valley, Idaho 83353 • 208.622.3955 www.communityschool.org Postmaster, please send address changes to: Community School • PO Box 2118 • Sun Valley, ID 83353 Printed by Email feedback and comments to: Kate Wutz at kwutz@communityschool.org FRONT COVER: Photograph by Will Wissman

BOARD

of directors

Board Directors

Peggy Baker

Guy Cherp

Ellen Gillespie

Bill Griffin

Pirie Grossman

Jay Hagenbuch

Randi Kanellitsas

Rob McGowan

Jim Milgard

Tory O’Connor ’85

John Perenchio

Jake Peters

Kirk Riedinger

Steve Shafran

Joan Swift

Lisa Whorton

David Holmes, ex-officio

Board Chair

Jay Hagenbuch Board Secretary

Ellen Gillespie

Board Treasurer

Guy Cherp Emeritus Directors

Barbara Boswell

Michael Engl

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

5

news + notes

sChoolwide

briefs

CS: What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

YI: I was a ski racer in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

RS: I have a black belt in Taekwondo and used to teach martial arts classes.

MH: I once modeled for a Japanese teen book series.

Women

in the know

admins keep school running smoothly On a typical day—if there is any such thing —the Administrative Assistants in each division answer

more phone calls than they can count, send innumerable emails, and keep the Division Heads on schedule.

Robin Seitz is an eight-year veteran of the Elementary School; Yvonne Inman has worked for the Middle School for 14 years; and Mary Hall has seen 11 years of Upper School students. All three have have jobs that defy description. They apply Band-Aids, run errands, cheerlead student achievements, sometimes provide shoulders to cry on, and essentially serve to make everyone elses’ lives much, much easier.

Community School Magazine sat down with these calm and organized women to learn more about who they are and what they do.

CS: You must get asked hundreds of questions every day. What is the most common?

Mary Hall: I get asked for phone numbers the most.

I am like directory assistance!

Yvonne Inman: “Do you have anything to eat? I forgot my lunch!”

Robin Seitz: “I think I missed a deadline. When is that form or permission slip due?”

CS: What is the strangest request you have gotten?

MH: There are a lot of unusual ones, but some of the requests turn into de facto counseling sessions for the kids or families!

6

c o m munitys c hool. or g

YI: The one I remember the most is the time a sixth grade student asked me if I had a clown’s wig that she could borrow for a class project. I looked at her and said, with a straight face, “I am so sorry, but I left my clown wig at home today.” The question was so out of the blue and the child looked so hopeful! I giggled about it for the rest of the day.

RS: One request involved Slither, the kindergarten pet python. Slither was very sick and Gretchen [Thoreen, kindergarten teacher] and I were both worried. Gretchen had to leave town that summer, and I took over Slither duty. Twice a day, I had to look him over carefully and put a cream on his belly,

CS: Robin’s daughter, Norah, is in fifth grade; Yvonne’s daughter Savannah, her fourth child to attend Community School, is in ninth grade; and Mary’s son, Joe, is in seventh grade. Does having children at Community School make you feel more connected to the school and to families?

RS: Having a child in the school certainly makes me feel more connected to the teachers, but in a different way. I hear about and observe their teaching styles and professional efforts through my daughter’s eyes.

YI: Having had all my children at Community School makes it even more of a family to me. It’s wonderful to watch them interact with our amazing faculty and to watch them grow. My role allows me to work closely with fellow parents to ensure the happiness and safety of our children, at school and out.

MH: I see the tangible results of our wonderful teachers, the Outdoor Program and sports through my son’s experience. I love knowing that my not-solittle-anymore boy is close by. It certainly makes my job more meaningful.

CS: Finish the sentence: I wish students would be better about…

RS: …eating healthy lunches. Many parents lovingly pack such beautiful, colorful, and healthy lunches.

The mom in me wants them to appreciate that and eat!

MH: …cleaning up after themselves! Don’t get me started on the common areas.

YI: …cleaning out their lockers more often! The smell of old lunches is pretty pervasive.

CS: What is your favorite thing about Community School?

YI: The students’ smiles, enthusiasm, and great attitude make my day.

MH: My favorite things about the school are the relationships we form with the kids and the incredible quality of the teaching.

RS: This school and my work environment are positive, vibrant, and alive. I am fortunate to be in the middle of it all.

ABOVE (from Left): From left, administrative assistants Mary Hall (Upper School), Robin Seitz (Elementary School), and Yvonne Inman (Middle School).

photography: christina carlson

spray him with water and generally do the tender loving care thing. I remember thinking, “Wow! I love my job, I get to do all kinds of things!”

news + notes

Community school loses a friend

Community School alumni parent and ardent school supporter Bonni Curran died suddenly as a result of a bike accident on August 6, 2013.

“We’ve lost a wonderful human being,” said Head of School David Holmes. “Bonni was exceedingly generous in her support of the school and, as a parent, was deeply involved in school activities.”

Bonni is survived by her daughters, Cody and Jessie (Class of 2008) and her husband, Peter.

Community School joins all those in the Wood River Valley who benefited from Bonni’s big heart and passion for philanthropy in offering our deepest sympathy to her family and friends.

Board

update

By Board Chair Jay Hagenbuch

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Community School. Our school, which began in the basement of the Episcopal Church with three teachers and 30 students, now encompasses a vibrant prekindergarten through postgraduate program on the banks of Trail Creek with more than 56 faculty members and 370 students.

The enduring success of our institution has a lot to do with its core values and excellent teachers, but also is a reflection of the generosity and support of numerous individuals over the past four decades. Faculty and staff, parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends have built this school into the exceptional place that it is today.

Certainly, the men and women who have served on Community School’s Board of Directors since its founding have helped move the school forward.

After serving admirably, Pat Aluisi, Pete Smith, Liz Schwerdtle, and Don Wiseman depart the Board this year, and we thank them for their invaluable service. Joining the Board are Guy Cherp, Pirie Grossman, Steve Shafran, and Lisa Whorton, whose talents and expertise we welcome.

What does our future hold? The Board is committed to preserving the unique Community School experience while concurrently strengthening the school’s financial position and advancing its mission:

• We will continue to support successful initiatives such as the Residential Program and Sun Valley Ski Academy, which bring students with a diversity of back- grounds and interests to campus, as well as augment our enrollment objectives.

• We will endeavor to increase our endowment significantly and solidify the school’s financial footing.

• We will carefully study the school’s capital improvement needs and determine the best means to implement them.

In short, we will do everything we can to leave the school in an even better condition than we found it.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

7

news + notes

sChoolwide

briefs (continued)

new hires

“Atelier,” a classroom space dedicated to creativity and self-expression.

This fall, a new version of Cara’s Atelier can be found in the art room at Engl Hall, facilitating the creativity of children from kindergarten through eighth grade. As the new Elementary and Middle School Art

Rachel Aanestad ’94 joins staff

Once a Cutthroat, always a Cutthroat!

Rachel Aanestad ’94 was hired as the Assistant Director of Development at Community School in September, and will get the chance to work on the other side of school operations.

Rachel recently moved back to the Wood River Valley from Chicago with her husband, Andrew, and her daughter, Grace. Rachel is a successful architect, having worked with several large firms in Chicago since she moved there in 2003.

Rachel has been an involved alumna, and her extensive experience with nonprofit organizations and obvious passion for the school will make her a valuable asset to the Development Office. Welcome back, Rachel!

Cara Frost moves to new position

For the past two years, art teacher Cara Frost could most often be found welcoming Early Childhood Center students to the 8

c o m munity s c hool. or g

Teacher, Cara plans to continue emphasizing the same principles of self-expression and individuality in artistic endeavors with her older students.

Frost has experience with children of all ages. Prior to coming to Community School, the Tucson, Arizona native taught aspiring artists in seventh through twelfth grades.

Cara looks forward to working with Elementary School and Middle School students and coordinating with other teachers to create synthesis between what is being taught in the classroom and projects in art class.

“The children all have so much to talk about and to share. Art is a great vehicle to begin the conversation,” Cara said.

Kate Wutz joins development team

Director of Communications Kate Wutz joined the Development department at Community School in May, taking on the role previously held by Nicole Campbell.

Kate grew up in Western New York, graduated from Canisius College in Buffalo and Trinity College in Dublin, and lived in Ireland and southern California before landing in the mountains. After sending out 200 applications in the worst job market possible, Kate found a position as a reporter at the Idaho Mountain Express in Ketchum and immediately fell in love with the Wood River Valley. Her three-year stint at the newspaper saw her covering issues as diverse as wildfires, wolf management, cattle rustling, municipal budgets, and proposals for a new airport.

When not working, Kate spends time hiking with her rescue dog, Stella. She recently received her HAM radio license and lives at a fire station mid-valley, which is only sometimes as exciting as it sounds.

PHOTOs COURTESY OF CARA FROST / Kate Wutz/Rachel Aanestad

Schoolwide

Proud supporter of the Cutthroats

“Community School fosters a life-long passion for learning in a very supportive school environment, in and out of the classroom”.

— Mike McCann

“CS’s outstanding independent education is an unique treasure of our community, and the reason many families have chosen to live in the Wood River Valley.”

Former Chairman of Community School Board

— Dick Fenton Former Vice-Chair of Community School Board

Let us be your guide Search all Sun Valley listings, virtual tours and open houses at www.mdfrealtors.com DICK FENTON Broker/Principal

MIKE MCCANN Broker/Principal

SHERRY DAECH Broker/Principal

HEIDI BALDWIN

ROBIN CHRISTENSEN

Associate Broker

Associate Broker, GRI

SUMMER BAUER Associate Broker, GRI

NATHAN FIERMAN Associate Broker, GRI

MIKE MURPHY

SHELIA SUMMERS

Associate Broker

Associate Broker

MARY PETERSON Branch Manager

STEPHEN GEOFFRION

DAVE FALTINGS

CHRISSY GOVE

MAGGIE RUDIGOZ

ELLEN FRIEDER JIM HOLCOMB

TORY TAGLIO

271 Leadville Avenue, Ketchum, Idaho 83340 208.726.3317 304 North Main Street, Hailey, Idaho 83333 208.788.0008

BOB SARCHETT

Engaging students

through Art and Ideas Student attendees at free educational programs in the 2012-13 school year: 7,356

* 1113 Students visited an exhibtion on a school tour * 2150 Students participated in Stages of Wonder * 4093 Students were visited by Performing Artists and Speakers in the schools

All in school programs are provided free of charge thanks to support from our members, donors and Wine Auction participants.

For more information about the Sun Valley Center for the Arts and our programs, please visit www.sunvalleycenter.org

Quality Integrity Curiosity Connectedness Passion Responsiveness

news + notes

Transition

in the Upper

School

PHOTO COURTESY OF WEIXIA HAN

Welcome, Weixia Han

The world grows smaller each day, prompting the question, “What skills will our students need to be active, engaged citizens in the future?” One oft-heard response is that they will need excellent world language skills in order to work and compete on the global stage. Mandarin Chinese, spoken by more than one billion people worldwide, is one language that will certainly open doors.

No one is more aware of this than Community School’s new Mandarin language teacher, Weixia Han. Community School had decided to launch a Mandarin Program due to a very successful Annual Fund Campaign, but had not yet gone public with its plans when she approached Assistant Head of School Ben Pettit at the NAIS Annual Conference last spring.

“Weixia walked right up to me and said, ‘You need to start a Mandarin program at Community School,’” Ben said. “We were just about to post an advertisement for that position. I told her to wait half an hour for the ad to officially go up, and then we would love to talk to her!”

Weixia grew up in Taiyuan, an ancient city in eastern China. She moved to Harbin,

a city in northeastern China, to complete undergraduate studies in Chinese language and literature. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania this spring with an M.A. in Education Management.

“I am excited to be Community School’s first Mandarin Chinese teacher,” she said.

“I have so much to share about the language and the culture. I hope that the new Chinese program will increase students’ knowledge, expand their horizons, and deepen their understanding about China, as well as the world.”

Weixia will teach Mandarin to the students in the Early Childhood Center through third grade and to Upper School students. She will also live in the Residence Hall to mentor international students from China as well as other residential students.

Community School is thrilled to welcome Weixia to campus, and thanks the generous supporters of the 2012-2013 Annual Fund campaign who made bringing Mandarin to Community School possible.

More on mandarin For more detail on the Mandarin Language offerings and curriculum at Community School this year, please see page 25.

Phil Huss returns to the classroom

After three years of serving as Upper School Head, Phil Huss announced a return to his favorite job this fall — that of an English teacher.

“Phil is a great teacher,” said Head of School David Holmes. “He has touched generations of Community School students in a profound way.

Looking ahead, Phil will continue to shape the hearts and minds of our students and play a leadership role in projects that are important to the school.”

Phil led Community School’s efforts to support students with special interests, worked with colleagues to create a professional evaluation and development programs, and assisted with the new Outdoor Leadership Academy.

“For all this and more, we are very grateful,” David said.

Ben Pettit will serve as Interim Head of the Upper School for the 2013-2014 school year and will continue as Head of the Middle School. Ben’s role as Assistant Head of School will focus on leading the two divisions and launching a national search for an Upper School Head for the 20142015 school year.

“I am looking forward to learning more about the day-to-day operations of the Upper School and working with all of our great families and talented faculty,” Ben said. co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

11

news + notes

sChoolwide

briefs (continued)

moving on make a difference in the area of community service, designing, implementing and leading the ninth grade community service learning trip.

Last fall, she tailored the countywide Project WOW to Community School, helping students and faculty choose and implement projects to support local non-profit organizations. These efforts raised more than $9,000 for nonprofit organizations in the Wood River Valley. Melissa also collected and maintained records of Upper School student service hours in order to recognize those who contributed significantly at the May awards assembly.

Nicole Campbell

Communications Manager Nicole Campbell left the school in June to prepare for an intercontinental move.

Nicole will pack up her belongings and her six-monthold daughter, Cora, and move this fall to Switzerland with her husband, Nat. Nicole will live in Bern, learn French, practice her German language skills, and travel and hike across the continent. During her tenure at Community School, Nicole was responsible for publicity, maintaining the school’s website, publishing The Current newsletter, and was invaluable in helping launch Community School Magazine.

Melissa Elkins

Melissa Elkins, a daily part of Community School life for eight years, left to continue her own education this fall, pursuing a master’s degree in social work.

Melissa was initially hired in 2005 as a member of the development team that was undertaking a $12.5 million building campaign. From there, she went on to

12

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

tirelessly with music teacher Alyssa Hershey and dance teacher Hilarie Neely to stage productions high in quality and originality.

Tom paid close attention to the talents and interests of the students, choosing plays that would best showcase their abilities. All productions left audiences impressed with the caliber and professionalism of the performance. Tom’s theatrical vision, creativity, and handiness with a staple gun and paintbrush will be greatly missed.

maria maguire

Elementary School Spanish teacher “Doña Maria” Maguire accepted a position as a Team Teacher at the Sage School in Hailey in grades six through twelve.

Her enthusiasm for teaching Spanish over the past two years at Community School have been inspirational, as has her dedication to the philosophy of Organic Language Acquisition, where no English is spoken in the classroom.

Maria will be missed in the Elementary World Language program, but will be able to realize her goal of working with children full-time.

tom nash

Tom Nash wore countless hats during his seven-year tenure at Community School and relocated to Boston this summer with his wife, Lisa, and their son, Ryan.

As Elementary School drama teacher, Tom worked

Sara Pettit

Sara Pettit joined the Middle School faculty last year as the Spanish language teacher and has undertaken a big new project wrapped in a tiny bundle. She and Assistant Head of School Ben Pettit welcomed their son, Asher, into the world on July 18. Asher joins big sister Aila, who recently started her second year in the ECC and is sure to show him the proverbial ropes.

During her year at the Middle School, Sara brought enthusiasm, dedication, and high standards to the classroom. She certainly will be missed next year.

news + notes Library. Community School wishes Kate all the best and looks forward to hosting a book signing of her first novel.

Kate’s husband, Elliot Jacobs, remains at Community School to teach Upper School English and coach Upper School tennis.

Zoey Pierce

Zoey Pierce, Elementary and Middle School art teacher for the past seven years, traded in her puffy jackets and winter boots for sandals and shorts and moved to beautiful Sayulita, Mexico with her husband, Leland.

At Community School, Zoey nurtured the innate talent of hundreds of children, encouraged exploration, and fostered self-expression. Her multimedia perspective and ability to incorporate art and culture from around the world into her curriculum allowed each student to reach his or her potential and to feel like a true artist. In the classroom, Zoey always considered her students’ passions and interests while taking time to know each child and encouraging risk-taking and individuality.

kate ristow

Kate Ristow has also left her post as Upper School English teacher and Aphelion Magazine advisor to pursue her writing full-time and work at the Community

Lindsey thomas

Lindsey Thomas brought tremendous energy, expertise, kindness, and patience to the first grade classroom for the past two years. This summer, she opened a private art therapy practice focusing on children, teens, and families. She describes her therapeutic approach

2013 Janss Cup Go Cutthroats!

as humanistic and experiential, combining art, play, and talk therapies.

Lindsey holds a M.A. in Art Therapy/Transpersonal Counseling Psychology, and she recently earned her Idaho Licensed Professional Counselor credential. She will be missed in the Elementary School, where she worked closely with Hannah Young.

Jessica Wasilewski ’98

Jessica Wasilewski ’98 moved to New York City this summer with her husband to teach math to high school students at the Trinity School in Manhattan.

Jessica served as Director of Residential Life for the past two years, artfully turning a nascent residential program into a thriving one. Jessica built the Residential Program from the ground up, working tirelessly around the clock for two years to create a supportive, nurturing environment for the school’s boarding students.

She will be missed by the faculty and staff as well as the residential students, to whom she was a mentor and surrogate parent for two years.

The Janss Cup is known for its outlandish costumes and skiing characters, but our very own Cutthroat mascot brought the competition to a new level. The nine-foot inflatable flying fish (also known as Riley Berman ’09) didn’t let his getup slow him down as he sped down the course, finishing with a time of 19.5 seconds.

ABOVE (from Left): Riley Berman ’09 expertly navigates the Janss Cup course, even with his fishtail dragging in the snow; From left to right, Hannes Thum ’03, Riley Berman ’09 (aka the Cutthroat), Hannah Young, David Holmes, Erika Connelly ’03, and eighth grader Matt O’Connor.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

13

news + notes

Elementary

School News New faces

in the ES

to young Cutthroats. For the past six years, Peter has taught and choreographed for St. Thomas Playhouse, nexStage Theatre, and Laughing Stock.

“There is nothing quite as fulfilling as teaching, especially the performing arts,” Peter said. “It’s a curricular necessity when it comes to instilling confidence, self-worth, and all the qualities that help transition youth into thriving young adulthood.”

Peter will also teach multi-media video production in the Middle and Upper Schools, as well as a Middle School Digital Storytelling enrichment course.

peter burke

If you catch your Elementary School student “getting into character” or just hamming it up, blame Peter Burke — your child’s new drama teacher. An accomplished actor on stage and screen, Peter brings a wealth of ideas and experience to this role.

Though he hails from Sun Valley, the theater lured Peter Burke to New York City. He graduated in 2010 from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and stayed in the Big Apple to appear in numerous off-Broadway plays including Hamlet and Fire Burning Rain.

In addition, Peter boasts numerous film and television credits.

In Peter’s new starring role at Community School, he is excited to bring his love of acting

14

c o mm unity s c hool. or g

Nichole moos

Nichole Moos joins the fabulous Early Childhood Center team as art instructor to the youngest Cutthroats. She is a National Board Certified Early Childhood Generalist who incorporates the principles of Reggio Emilia, the philosophy that guides the ECC, into her teaching.

news + notes “The ECC program is a perfect fit for me,” Nichole said. “Having spent the last four years as a lead teacher in a preschool program, I was interested in a new adventure and wanted to further develop my teaching in art. I am excited to be in the classroom art studio every day. In Chicago, I worked diligently to engage a larger community of artists in our classroom explorations, and I look forward to seeing how that translates here.”

Nichole said she and her husband, Aaron, look forward to learning how to ski when she’s not nurturing her students’ imaginations.

Nicki howe-kearney

At the start of the school year, Elementary School students said “Hola!” to Nicki Howe-Kearney, their new Spanish teacher. Nicki grew up outside of | Philadelphia and earned her undergraduate degrees from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in upstate New York. She also holds a Masters in Bilingual Education from Boise State University.

Nicki has lived in the Wood River Valley on and off for ten years. She and her husband, John, a Cutthroat alumnus, welcomed son Griffyn last March and are enjoying being first-time parents.

Most recently, Nicki worked for the Blaine County School District as a second grade Spanish teacher in the Dual Immersion Program and said she is honored to join the distinguished faculty at Community School.

“Teaching Spanish to young children is much more than learning vocabulary and grammar,” Nicki said. “It’s also an opportunity to learn how language can create connections with other people and cultures, provide tools to navigate the global world, develop cognitive abilities, build a wealth of knowledge, and impart exposure while having fun.”

CONNECT with us online Community School Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ CommunitySchoolSunValley

Community School Alumni Association https://www.facebook.com/ CommunitySchoolAlumniAssociation

Jena page greaser

Newlywed and pro mountain biker Jena Page Greaser will put her stamina to good use as the new coordinator of the ECC Aftercare Program.

Jena attended Suffield Academy in Connecticut when David Holmes was Head of School, and graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She is working on a self-designed master’s degree focusing on experiential education and community-building.

She loves working with children and being active, and was recently named the 2013 Marathon Mountain Biking National Champion for age group 19-29.

DAWN WEBBER

Dawn Webber will move from the ECC to the Elementary School this year, switching roles from aftercare coordinator to third grade assistant. Dawn has worked for Community School for three years, following five years as a fifth grade teacher in Hailey.

CreateExploreChallenge.org

Twitter @communitysch https://twitter.com/communitysch

Vimeo Community School http://vimeo.com/user4564508

Instagram: @CommunitySchool

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

15

news + notes

upper School News

ABOVE: Senior Erin Hennessy has already taken on the role of Student Senate President, planning two events that took place at the end of last year.

Under the leadership of senior Erin Hennessy, things are shaping up for a productive and positive year in the Upper School Student Senate. Erin is the President of the 2013-2014 Student Senate, working alongside Vice President Lena Perenchio and Secretary and Treasurer Arielle Rawlings.

“One of the main goals of our Senate term is to increase spirit and energy throughout the school,” explained Erin.

“The previous Senate did a good job of keeping energy high, and we would like to build off of that and continue to keep the school environment happy and fun.”

Erin started with an ice cream and impromptu Zumba party on the quad last May. She said she feels it is important for

all the grades to connect more, as well. She plans to try to bridge the gap that is created when each class eats and studies separately.

“We also want to get involved with the drug and alcohol policy at school,” she said. “For instance, I would like to bring the Gordie Foundation, an organization that works to lessen teenage drinking and diminish the risk when teenage drinking does happen, to campus.”

Representatives chosen from each class will work with the elected officials. Hannah Dies and Doug DuFur will represent twelfth grade, Isabelle Caraluzzi and Anders Fortuin the eleventh grade, and Olivia Ott and Will Snyder the tenth grade. Ninth grade representatives had yet to be chosen as of press time.

photography: CHRISTINA CARLSON

Student Senate ready to lead

16

c o m m unity s c hool. or g

On May 11, Upper School students and five exchange students from Brazil gathered at Carol’s Dollar Mountain Lodge for that rite of passage: Spring Prom. The senior class invited their parents for a pre-prom dinner, complete with family pictures. The ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades then joined the party, enjoying a great DJ, terrific photo ops, the chance to dress up, and a memorable night out with friends.

photography: MAX MONAHAN

Prom 2013

a night of dancing

the one

local partner you can rely on

No matter where the road takes you, we’re supporting your journey with communications you can depend on.

Cox Business is proud to support future business leaders in the Wood River Valley by meeting your technology goals and bringing value by growing with you and our community.

Teaming together for community development. It’s what we’re all about.

208.928.6611 www.cox.com

from here... anywhere

2013 reunion All-aLUMNI

Community School welcomed 75 alumni, faculty, friends, and family members back to campus the weekend of July 5 for the first All-Alumni Reunion in several years.

TOP From left: Director of Athletics Richard Whitelaw enjoys a beer with Josh Stanek ’02, Community School’s all-time leading goal scorer; alums and faculty members gather at Sagewillow for a soccer game.

18

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

“We decided to host the reunion during Fourth of July weekend in hopes that many alumni would be visiting the area,” said Director of Alumni Relations Krista Detwiler. “While there was a lot going on that weekend between the mountain bike festival and MASSV, we were thrilled with the turnout. A wide range of classes were represented, with alumni from the Class of ’82 to the Class of ’13.”

An alumni and faculty soccer match kicked off the weekend on Friday, July 5 at Sagewillow.

Soccer coaches Kelly Feldman and Richard Whitelaw set the stage, and Richard’s dreads flew as he joined the fun on the field. Fifteen alumni were joined by their spouses and kids, who cheered them on from the sideline.

The All-Alumni BBQ on Friday night included 75 guests who enjoyed Lefty’s fare, throwback tunes, yearbook photos, and an address from Head of School David Holmes. The Class of ’93 celebrated their 20-year reunion, and three members of both the classes of ’83 and ’03 celebrated their 30and 10-year reunions, respectively.

“The best part of the weekend was reconnecting with my former students and meeting alums I didn’t have the pleasure of teaching,” said Upper School English teacher Phil Huss. “Our alumni are so diverse and talented, and that came through in each conversation.”

On Saturday, while a handful of alums and faculty ventured to Grumpy’s, Upper School science teacher Paul Hartl joined up with former faculty member Doug Fenn of White Otter Adventures in Sunbeam for a whitewater ride with eight alumni.

“It was great to have the chance to throw my former students in the water again — safely, of course!” said Doug. “Recent alumni Maranda Stopol ’13 and Sean Dumke ’09 are both working on the river with me this summer, so it was an all-alumni experience.”

The weekend ended with an on-campus farewell breakfast and campus tours led by Student Ambassadors.

“Even though attendance at the breakfast was lower than we anticipated based on registrations, it was still a success in my eyes after Mike Wade said it was worth it for him to be there just to see one particular alumna he hadn’t seen in 15 years,” Krista said. “Reconnecting is what the weekend was all about.”

from here... anywhere

CUTTHROATS in the outdoors Community School students have GRIT—a determination to succeed, a willingness to take risks even when success is not guaranteed, and a tenacity that leads them to see every goal come to fruition.

That quality is due in part to our Outdoor Program, which teaches backcountry and leadership skills and the importance of consequences. Students learn to secure their gear or risk losing it; to bring the right sleeping bag or risk being cold; to work with others or risk not finding the campsite before dark. As a result, they emerge driven, motivated, and willing to take calculated risks in every situation from base camp to the boardroom.

Our students grow up with not only a love for our local surroundings, but a comfort level in all kinds of terrain, from the peaks of Japan to the deserts of Utah. Here, we shine a spotlight on a few notable alumni who have made the outdoors their homes and their offices.

Maddy Weisz ’02

Maddy Weisz ’02 is far from a stereotypical law student. This alumna recently finished her second year at UC Davis and worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boise this summer, but those office-oriented jobs belie her past as a Sun Valley ski patroller and river guide.

Maddy graduated from Community School and immediately headed for Vassar. Moving away from the mountains proved not to be the right choice, but her background with the Outdoor Program at Community School led her to try a semester course with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

“I wouldn’t have done that without Community School’s Outdoor Program,” she said. “Going and being outside for three months worked wonders for me.”

Maddy discovered that she not only had the desire to work more outdoors, but that the Outdoor Program had given her the ability to do so profes-

sionally. The next summer, she and fellow alumna Kira Tenney ’04 guided with White Otter Adventures, a Stanley-based outfitter owned by former Community School staff member Doug Fenn. She spent four summers with White Otter, travelling back to Stanley each summer while spending the school year enrolled at Montana State University.

After graduating from MSU, Maddy found herself leading a Community School tenth grade coast trip and wondering what to do the following winter. A fellow leader and alumnus who was on Sun Valley Ski Patrol suggested she join their group, as they were woefully short on women.

“I thought, I might as well just do it!” Maddy said, laughing. Though she was on ski patrol for only one season, she loved most aspects of the job and the experience helped narrow down her eventual career path.

“I got to ski every day, and I loved sweeping the mountain,” she said. “[But] the whole medical aspect of it terrified me.”

Maddy entered UC Davis in 2011, and intends to pursue a career in recreation law, advising guiding companies and other outdoor professionals on protocols and reducing liability. The first year was challenging and incredibly competitive.

“For the very first time in my life, I got a C on an exam,” she said.

She received the highest grade in her class in writing skills last year, though, and she looks forward to moving back to Sun Valley or somewhere else in the Intermountain West.

“I miss the mountains,” she said. “I want to be in the mountains in a small town. That’s kind of my ideal place.”

Riley Berman ’09

Riley Berman ’09 is happiest spending time on a river, whether it’s fly fishing, kayaking, or rafting with any of the companies he’s guided for since 2008. That’s why he works 30 hours a week as the student manager of the Outdoor Program at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, in addition to taking a full course load.

Riley is the first student manager ever, lassoed in last year to manage all water programs — kayaking, rafting, and fly fishing — as well as the student ski and bike shop.

However, his true passion lies on the water. His senior project for Community School was to raft the entire Salmon River, from above Galena to Lewiston, Idaho.

“That was the pinnacle of my outdoor career here,” he said.

He’s also been a leader on Community School class trips and was an enthusiastic participant in the Outdoor Program, guided for White Otter Adventures out of Stanley for five years, and spent this past summer guiding for Far and Away Adventures out of Ketchum.

As for what he wants to do once he graduates next year, Riley would like to find some way to share his passion for skiing, rafting, kayaking, and fly fishing with others.

“Rob [Landis, Community School Outdoor Program Director] and I have joked that I would take his spot when he’s done,” he said. “I love to share my enthusiasm for the outdoors with other people, and what really brings me joy is seeing my enthusiasm reflected in the people I’m guiding.”

But no matter how far afield the river might take him, Riley said he’d like to keep his home base in the Wood River Valley.

“I have a tattoo of Idaho on my foot with an X on Ketchum,” he said. “It’s home.” co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

19

from here... anywhere

“It’s something I was always interested in,” he said. “Skiing is one of my passions, and heliskiing is a logical place to go from there.”

In 2008, Henry was ready for a new challenge and his then-girlfriend (now wife) had graduated from nursing school and wanted experience at a larger hospital than the one in Bozeman.

Henry Munter ’99

Henry Munter ’99 is head guide at Chugach Powder Guides, a heliski operation based out of Anchorage, Alaska. While his job is one a lot of people envy, few can really pull it off.

“Helisking is a job that a lot of people think they want,” he said. “But it’s pretty challenging to make it fit into your life. It’s a short, intense season, and you need to patchwork a lot of short, seasonal jobs in order to make it all work.”

20

c o mm unity s c hool. or g

The couple decided to move to Anchorage, Alaska, where he joined the Chugach Powder Guides team.

“It wasn’t an easy transition to make, but once we had made it, it was a place where I had a lot of opportunities in the outdoors,” Henry said.

Fortunately, Henry’s vast array of skills made that lifestyle possible. He graduated from Colby College in 2004, taking two semesters off to go whitewater kayaking. Then he moved to Bozeman, Montana, where he joined the Yellowstone Club Ski patrol and worked with the Montana State University snow science program to collect daily snowpack observations. From there, Henry began transitioning to ski guiding.

Henry has also kayaked in Class V waters in 20 states and 11 countries, including a trip to India in summer 2012. Henry said most of the kayaking was in northern India, which includes part of the Himalayan Mountains.

“There are a lot of really great rivers, and the cultural experience is really unique there,” he said.

“Parts of it are the most like Idaho of anywhere else I’ve been.”

photography: ZACK ARD and AUBERGE HELI

CUTTHROATS in the outdoors (continued)

from here... anywhere Connor Brown ’08

Connor Brown ’08 is nothing short of ridiculously enthusiastic about his Community School education. Now a river guide in Durango, Colorado, Connor is only one semester short of graduating from Fort Lewis College with a degree in marketing and many of the prerequisites for physical therapy certification.

“Community School has provided me with the best education I could ask for,” he said. “The school inspired in me not only a love for education, but an appetite for an outdoor lifestyle.”

So it’s no wonder Connor found himself in Durango, which he describes as an “outdoor Mecca.” He’s been bike racing, running, skiing, climbing, and rafting in the region so far, and he said he’s still trying to wrap his arms around the sheer breadth of outdoor experiences available there.

Like Sun Valley, Durango has a strong summer season that brings visitors from across the globe — visitors Connor guides on river rafting trips on the San Miguel in Telluride, the Piedra River in Pagosa, the Salt River in Arizona, the Colorado River in Moab, and the Animas River in Durango, which Connor said is his favorite.

“The upper section starting from Silverton is the most difficult rafting section in the United States,” he said. “With a launch at 10,000 feet and an extremely steep gradient, the Upper Animas is truly awe-inspiring and tremendously fun.”

Connor also races mountain bikes for Fort Lewis College, does inflatable kayaking on a semi-professional level, and is training for an Ironman Triathalon. In his spare time last year, he skied in Chamonix, Silverton, and Telluride; surfed in Spain; ran his first marathon in Madrid; climbed in Moab; trained with Sean Dumke ’09; and “biked everything humanly possible.”

What inspires him to spend so much time training in the outdoors? Among other things, Community School.

“Community School shaped my passion for the outdoors,” he said. “Four years at Fort Lewis College encouraged it. I would not be living such a life without Community School, and for that, I am thankful.”

Ben Brock ’94 In some ways, Ben Brock ’94 hasn’t gone too far from home. Son of legendary Community School college counselor Bob Brock, Ben graduated from Community School and Williams College but quickly found himself back on the river.

“After going to school on the East Coast, I realized pretty quick I wanted to come back west,” he said. He spent two to three years in Ketchum guiding and leading outdoor trips for Community School. It was on several of those trips that he got to know Joe Kennedy, who later became head of the then-new Riverstone International School in Boise. Once Joe took that job, he immediately sought to hire Ben as the school’s Outdoor Program Director.

“He’d seen outdoor programming at Community School, and he knew that it was something he wanted to incorporate in Boise,” Ben said.

Ben started in 2001, organizing, coordinating, and leading the school’s outdoor trips. Because the program was new when Ben arrived, he felt he could do something different with the program while still incorporating what he loved about Community School’s efforts.

As a result, Ben was able to incorporate the Middle School physical education program into the outdoor program, teaching students kayaking and climbing rather than basketball and badminton.

Ben also used to bring his students to the Pacific coast for their tenth grade trip — as Community School students do — but now he’s switched to Sheep Creek, a tributary of the Bruneau River.

“It gives the kids a real picture of what it means to be from southern Idaho,” he said, adding that the students learn to navigate using maps and compasses in the sagebrush. “We live in a desert, and you spend most of your time in Boise with green lawns and cottonwood trees. Most don’t get out to see what southern Idaho is really about.”

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

21

from here... anywhere CUTTHROATS in the outdoors (continued) Kira Tenney ’04

Carolina, before being hired to teach English and Environmental Science at New River Academy, a travelling whitewater high school. Tenney had a total of 10 to 15 students and spent two weeks in each location, each of which had some of the best whitewater in the world — Chile, Uganda, the United States, and Canada. The job itself was challenging, though, as Kira served as a teacher, a coach, a parent, a nurse, and a mentor 24 hours a day for two years.

Since returning to the Wood River Valley, she’s worked with Community School’s Outdoor Program and guided the 2013 Senior Quest. She’s also working with her sister, Lili, to develop a company called Liki Faire, an organization that links developing world artists with a developed world market. Still, she’s a kayaker at heart.

“I feel like my best self when I am on the river,” she said.

mountaineering instructor with Outward Bound.

After graduating from Colorado College in 1997, Justin spent a few years managing kitchens in Ketchum and Sun Valley restaurants. However, he wanted more out of a career.

“I just wanted out,” he said. “I was in a place in my life where I was looking at my future as someone running restaurants in Ketchum, and I wondered if that was the best I could do. I had had some really positive experiences outdoors growing up, both with Community School and with others.”

Now, Justin ensures that other students have those positive experiences he remembers — and he’s so good at it that he received Outward

Bound’s inaugural “Catcher in the Rye Award” in May. This national award recognizes excellence in instruction, created in honor of Justin’s mentor Doug Mahon, who passed away in March.

“It was a huge and humbling honor,” he said, adding that he is also the recipient of Community School’s Factor Award for athletics and the Trophy Sagebrush Award.

“I’m lucky to have gone to a school that celebrates the values those awards represent — persistence, teamwork, a sense of wonder, curiosity, adventure, a commitment to showing up on time, and, as Doug would say, ‘staying in the field until the end of the day,’” he said.

photography: JUSTIN RUSSELL

Few people can say they got to live and work on rivers year-round for two years, but Kira Tenney ’04 is one of them.

After graduating from Community School, she rediscovered a passion for kayaking that had been awakened by river trips with her mother, Kay. Kira loved kayaking in college and high school, but didn’t have much time to do it in addition to schoolwork. On a whim, she bought a ticket to Chile and took a spring semester off from school, arranging to tag along with an outfitter for two months and learn more about kayaking.

“I was the long-term bum client,” she said with a laugh. “That just kick-started me, to go kayaking for two months straight and to have that be all I was doing.”

Kira returned to Middlebury College and graduated in January 2009, then worked for the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, North

Justin Russell ’93

It’s hard to catch up with Justin Russell ’93 (first on the left), a Community School graduate turned course director for Outward Bound in Oregon on the Deschutes River. This summer, he was heading to scale Mount Jefferson with a few students before joining 34 students and 12 staff members on a 22-day river and mountain trek.

“Jefferson is going to be pretty freaking magical,” he said with a laugh before his trip. “As a course director, you sort of facilitate the magic, and you see the kids when the magic has already happened, but you’re not usually actually there.”

Justin has worked with Outward Bound since 1999, travelling all over the world and working in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Canada. His job mainly involves coordinating logistics of outdoor trips — he’s the guy that makes sure vehicles, food, gear, and people get to where they need to be when they need to be there. Occasionally, Justin will fill in for field instructors or join in trips as well, drawing on his three years of experience as a river and

22

c o mm unitys c hool. or g

from here... anywhere

photography: CODY DOUCETTE

Jim Grossman ’84 & John Grossman ’97

Kitt Doucette ’99 and Cody Doucette ’99 Kitt and Cody Doucette, both Class of ’99, have a shared motto when in the backcountry: “What would Henry Munter do?”

They said this with a laugh, but they were mostly serious. Cody remembered one time that the two were tracking polar bears in Svalbard, Norway, with another team of journalists from London when a storm pinned them on the ice. The brothers managed to pitch a tent, but channeled Henry and remembered to make a wall of ice blocks nearby to keep drifting snow off of their tent. In the morning, the Doucettes’ tent was mostly clear of snow; the other team was buried, and Kitt and Cody had to dig them out.

The brothers work as a photographer-journalist team and describe themselves as, among other things, a “skiing adventurer duo.”

The two have a career steeped in Community School connections, beginning during their adventures with Henry and trip leaders Erik Leidecker ’90, Zach Crist ’91, and Reggie Crist ’87. Those adventures continued as the Doucettes and the Crists went on an “epic” trip through North and South America after college graduation.

The boys ran out of money in Costa Rica and flew home to work on Bald Mountain. Soon, they

found themselves working with Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone and Men’s Journal magazines (and now a Community School parent). After Kitt and Cody told Jann what they had been doing — driving from Alaska to Chile and chronicling the adventure — Jann gave them the opportunity to pitch a story for Men’s Journal. A lengthy slideshow and journal reading later, Kitt and Cody headed back on the road, advance in hand.

Since then, the two have been everywhere: Chile, Haiti, New Zealand, Norway, and almost too many more places to count. They teamed up with Zach, Reggie, Erik, and Matt Leidecker ’92 to produce a 2009 story called “Brotherhood of the Sawtooths,” set in some of the steepest couloirs in North America — couloirs that just so happen to be in Sun Valley’s backyard.

The two say their father, Stephen Doucette, helped instill a love of the outdoors in them that was solidly reinforced by Community School’s Outdoor Program.

“He still does trips where Kitt and I would be like, ‘I don’t know, that sounds pretty gnarly,’” Cody said, laughing.

While Stephen introduced the boys to the outdoors, Kitt and Cody said the Outdoor Program and the trips helped show them not only that a life in the outdoors was possible, but also how to put their lives into perspective.

“Especially in a town like Sun Valley, kids sometimes grow up thinking they are the center of attention,” Cody said. “But outside of town, you have this environment that is so much bigger. All the little things wash away.”

“You realize you don’t know that much,” Kitt added. “That’s so important.”

It’s not unusual to see Community School alumni racing down a river in a kayak or surfing the ocean waves. It’s more unusual to see them surfing the ocean in a kayak, a sport known as “surf kayaking” that two notable alumni have made their specialty.

Surf kayaking is similar to whitewater kayaking, but replaces freshwater rapids with salt-water waves. Popular in surfing spots across the globe, the sport’s professional arena has been dominated by several big names — Jim Grossman ’84 and his brother, John Grossman ’97, being two of them.

Jim is the 2004 and 2009 winner of the World Kayak Surfing Championships, and John took first in the World Kayak Surfing Championships in Ireland in 2003.

“We constantly coach and push each other to do new, riskier, and more creative moves,” Jim said.

Jim took second in the 2003 contest.

The men said at the time that competition drives them both to new highs in the sport.

“At the end of the final heat, we collapsed into each other’s arms as we surfed the final wave towards shore,” Jim said.

“We were both physically and emotionally spent, but we were also psyched because we knew we had both nailed all of our moves and one of us would be world champion.”

Jim also captured gold medals in two classes during the 27th annual Santa Cruz Kayak Surf Festival in March 2013, winning the International and Master Class divisions. In other sports accomplishments, he paraglided across the continental United States with four other Wood River Valley residents in 2001.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

23

An exchange of cultures The strong relationship between Community School and Escola SESC de Ensino Medio in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, continues to grow both above and below the Equator.

For the fourth year of this exchange, students from Rio visited Sun Valley for two weeks this spring, staying with host families and enjoying everything Community School offers. After classes ended in May, seven Cutthroats journeyed to Rio for two weeks.

Director of Student Life Chauncy Pogue traveled with Trent Avery, Bobby Corker, Allison Fleutsch, Isabel Kirk, Nate Nasvik, Connor Smith, and Nate Thomas.

24

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

Junior Sara Runkel spent five months at Escola SESC last spring, living in the dormitory and immersing herself in the country’s language and culture while further cementing the relationship between the two schools.

Cultural exchange programs and time spent abroad certainly have an important academic component. But what is cultural exchange without the culture?

Over the past few months, the Community School family received dispatches in real time from the sands of Rio or the whitewater of Idaho — some of which are published here.

photography: CHAUNCY POGUE

educational highlights

educational highlights

photography: CHAUNCY POGUE / HANNES THUM

ABOVE (LEFT TO RIGHT): Upper School science teacher and trip leader Hannes Thum, front, said the students had an amazing time, despite tenth grader Max Tanous (center, back) taking them through an enormous wave; From left, Community School students Bobby Corker, Connor Smith, two students from Riverstone International School in Boise, Isabel Kirk, Nate Thomas, Trent Avery, and Nate Nasvik prepare to fish for piranhas. BELOW: Director of Student Life Chauncy Pogue said her students had so much fun playing on the beach — even though the Brazilians were wearing wool sweaters!

Rio de Janeiro, June 5 We are here in Rio, and all is great! It was rainy when we got here yesterday, but today is hot and sunny! At least to us ... we spent the morning at the beach, and all the kids swam in the ocean and we sunbathed, but the Brazilians were wearing sweaters the whole time! They think we are funny. We are, I guess!

— Chauncy Rio de Janeiro, June 8 Yesterday we spent the morning at school going to classes. (Trent took a math test and thinks he did pretty well!) In the afternoon, we headed into town to see the Christ the Redeemer statue. A significant part of that adventure was the drive back ... it took us 45 minutes to get there from school, and over two hours to get back!

Last night everyone stayed up way too late again (it’s cultural, the kids tell me) and while the poor Brazilians had to go take some college entrance exams this morning, we slept in a little (or a lot, if our name is Bobby) and then went to the mall. Who joined us? Sara Runkel! She’s been at school here since the start of their term, and we managed to spring her from campus. She is doing great, and her Portuguese is so impressive!

— Chauncy

Pantanal, June 13 Last night there was a dance. It was so different from our dances at home! ALL the kids danced hard all night, and it was so cool to see that the Brazilians kids had moves! They actually knew specific dances to almost every song that played, so each time, a group would lead the dance. Today we talked a lot about how fun it was and how much we all wish it were like that at home. We’ll see if we can start a new trend ...

— Chauncy

Pantanal, June 13 We began the day by fishing for piranhas in the pond at the resort. After a few mishaps, we had a guide cut raw chicken and put it on the hooks that were attached to our bamboo poles. Picturesque!

So everyone dropped a line, and within minutes the piranhas were darting in and out and devouring our chicken without ending up on the hook. It was looking like our guide would just be baiting hooks, when WHAM — Nate Thomas landed one! Isabel was NOT going to stop until she got one. Then an alligator swam over and we joked about catching it ... and then Trent caught it. Oops. The guide broke the rod getting it off, but eventually we freed the poor guy and he slunk away.

In the afternoon, we took a two-hour boat ride down the river and into one of the side creeks. When we got back, the kids scattered again because they had to run catch up with their Brazilian friends ... they’d been apart for two whole hours, which was too long! The number of kids that Bobby addresses as “my brother” has grown so long that I have lost track. Trent holds court every evening after dinner in one of the patio areas, and I don’t know what they’re talking about, but he has them all howling! Nate Nasvik is always engrossed in conversation around the pool or at the restaurant with a Brazilian buddy.

What are they talking about? Who knows!

— Chauncy

Ketchum, Idaho, May 5 See photos for hard evidence that the Brazilians not only survived their first ever whitewater experience (including one monster wave hit that Captain Max Tanous took us through that I could barely believe we made it through) during their first-ever visit to a place called Bliss, Idaho, (with herds of pelicans flying overhead)... but that they were smiling. Plus, they got to experience a LARGE ice cream cone at the Snack Shack in Shoshone on the way home.

I don’t know what they thought of that, but surely there was some incredible cross-cultural stuff going on. These kids are awesome. And so is Max, who ran the whole raft show and captained the entire stretch.

And so is the Outdoor Leadership Academy, which had something like 18 kayaks in the water all around us thanks to Elliot’s inspiration and the late-entry gung-ho of Mike Schley and Rob Landis.

Cutthroats attack!

— Hannes Thum,

Upper School science teacher

For the Brazilian students in Sun Valley, living like a Cutthroat meant attending classes, dining with host families and at Pioneer Saloon, enjoying the magic of prom, ice skating, taking in a tennis match, and undertaking a requisite outdoor trip.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

25

From left, seniors Ben Kanellitsas and Maranda Stopol, Outdoor Program Director Rob Landis, and seniors Gunnar Ohlson, Zach Lindahl, and Ellie Swanson. Ben, Maranda, Gunnar, Zach, and Ellie are the first graduates of the Outdoor Leadership Academy, a program that allows motivated students to gain leadership skills and wilderness certifications that can prepare them to work professionally in the backcountry.

Outdoor Leadership Academy capstones The first graduating class of Community School’s Outdoor Leadership Academy (OLA) presented their capstone projects in May, projects meant to encapsulate the lessons they have learned about their chosen concentrations (mountain and rock, winter backcountry travel, or river skills) and about leadership in general.

26

c o m m unity s c hool. or g

Rob Landis, director of Community School’s Outdoor Program, said learning how to be a compassionate leader is not only inherent in the OLA, but the skills are easily transferrable to other fields, such as business.

For example, he said, many students learn the hard way that they cannot be rude to their classmates when they need to lead them on potentially perilous rock climbing or kayaking trips. The same is true in other settings.

“No one wants to follow someone they don’t respect,” he said. “You can’t be a jerk to your friends and expect to lead them the next day.”

All five OLA seniors said they learned to be better leaders through this intensive program. For Ellie Swanson, the most difficult part of the program wasn’t the technical skills — it was learning to be confident in her leadership style.

“I was sure I wanted to join OLA, but I wasn’t sure about myself,” she said, adding that she tends to have a “marshmallow” style of leadership. However, she quickly learned she could lead through influence, rather than authority, suggesting and guiding people instead of demanding action.

Ellie even successfully led a rafting trip solely made up of 14-year-old girls, a challenging prospect even for guides with ten times her experience.

“All the trips I’ve done with the OLA have shown me that I’m more capable than I realize,” she said.

Others, including Ben Kannellitsas, said they had natural leadership skills but needed to refine them.

“I’m a very loud person,” he said, adding that he learned to turn his loudness into an asset when it comes to communicating with members of his group.

Gunnar Ohlson learned how to use his sense of humor to help build camaraderie while gaining skills in conflict resolution and risk management. Zachary Lindhal struggled a bit with learning patience, but also used humor to diffuse tension and adversity in group situations. Maranda Stopol said that maximizing enjoyment while guiding a group is different from maximizing one’s own enjoyment while on an expedition, but that she learned how to make decisions that are best for the team.

All five said they looked forward to continuing guiding in the great outdoors.

“I may be graduating from the Outdoor Leadership Academy, but my love of the outdoors will only continue,” Ben said.

photography: christina carlson

educational highlights

educational highlights

Eat your Artwork by LANE LETOURNEAU

veggies

Grant helps ‘nurture’ excitement about health

Mandarin comes to Community School Annual Fund pays for new language offering

While most schools offer Spanish, French, German, and Latin classes, Community School will introduce an entirely new and different language this year: Mandarin.

Thanks to the generosity of parents, alumni, and Community School supporters, the 2012-2013 Annual Fund raised enough money to launch a Mandarin program and hire University of Pennsylvania graduate Weixia Han to lead it.

Weixia will teach Mandarin in the Early Childhood Center, Elementary School, and Upper School next year, with the goal of expanding into the Middle School in the future.

Weixia will start by teaching Upper School students the basics of the pinyin phonological system as well as character writing. Her students will become highly proficient in listening, speaking, reading, and writing Mandarin, but class won’t just be about the nuts and bolts of the language.

“Outside the classroom, efforts will be made to involve the wider community by organizing various cultural activities,” Weixia said. “[The class] also promotes student understanding of the culture.”

Weixia will expose Elementary School students to the language through activities, songs, and games. Janet Salvoni, Head of the Elementary School, said language exposure is crucial for development.

“It is important for young children to play around with the many different sounds from another language to keep their brains open and receptive to learning new languages later on,” Janet said. “If we don’t use those parts of our brain, they begin to shut off.”

Weixia will encourage student interest in Chinese language and culture, immersing them in songs, stories, and fables through fun activities before introducing pinyin and character writing.

Community School students got more excited about healthy eating this year through a program called “Food and Fun,” provided by nonprofit organization Nurture — and that enthusiasm will continue next year, thanks to the generosity of the Wood River Women’s Charitable Foundation.

Nurture, headed by Community School parent Kathryn Guylay, is a program designed to get children across the country excited about eating healthy food. Children learn how to use the USDA nutritional guidelines to plan healthy meals, the difference between added sugar and naturally occurring sugar, and how to balance delicious treats with nutritious meals.

Students participated in “Rainbow Day” last September, an event that took place during lunchtime and helped students discover the importance of eating fruits and veggies in all colors.

The program expanded last year to include kindergarten through seventh grade and will continue to grow this year. Community School has partnered with Nurture and the Blaine County Education Foundation, and the group was awarded a $35,000 grant from the Wood River Women’s Charitable Foundation for the 2013-2014 school year designed to help expand the program countywide. Community School will use its portion of the grant to upgrade its on-campus food garden, which helps teach children how to grow fruits and vegetables, and to purchase food used by Nurture instructors to teach kids how delicious healthy food can be.

Nurture instructors and parent volunteers will work with Community School students throughout the year to help promote positive relationships with food, helping to prevent childhood obesity. The program was piloted at Community School in 2011 before it expanded to include the Blaine County School District.

According to a post-program survey, teachers found that students talked about the Nurture lessons even on non-lesson days and incorporated those lessons into their lives by eating more fruits and vegetables.

First grader Alexandra Thomson enjoys healthy treats during Rainbow Day. co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

27

Q&A with Bags Brokaw

College admissions, explained

Bayard “Bags” Brokaw, now in his second year as Director of College Counseling, has a big job. The college admissions landscape is fraught with record numbers of applicants and mile-long wait lists, meaning that the college application process today little resembles the experience parents remember. In the midst of this maelstrom, Bags remains calm and positive, working to align the right student with the right school.

Bags has 28 years of experience as an educator and administrator. Before spending 20 years in New England, he started his career as an English and Social Studies teacher, Dean of Students, and Middle School Director at Community School from 1989 to 1991. He succeeds his good friend, the legendary Bob Brock, in his new role on campus.

A father of four, Bags fully understands the anxieties and hopes of parents in this process. He and his wife Kerry, a Waldorf Kindergarten teacher, have seen two children graduate from top colleges: Winslow from Middlebury College and Roz from Colorado College. His son Will, Community School ’12, is attending Colorado College. Son Shea is a sixth grader on campus.

In his office in the Upper School building, amid posters portraying stately campuses and a posted reminder to “Keep Community School Weird,” Community School Magazine sat down with Bags to better understand his role.

28

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

CS: What is the defining characteristic of college counseling at Community School?

BB: Personalization. Most schools do not commit the same resources and time to each and every student that we do. At Community School, researching and applying to college is a process. I like to think of it as the ultimate project-based curriculum. Students have to identify the type of schools that interest them, make a list of specific schools, seek recommendations, manage their time effectively, and meet deadlines. These are skills that will apply to every job search, and every job, in countless ways.

CS: How do you approach this process?

BB: We focus on the best fit for the kids based their vision, with guidance from me.

What do they want from their college experience? Big lecture classes? An urban campus?

An experience that replicates what they have had here? I put them on the spot to really think about where and how they will spend the next four years.

The most selective schools aren’t always the best schools for a student – they are sim-

photography: hillary maybery

educational highlights

educational highlights ply the ones that receive and reject the most applications. Last year, Yale received 30,000 applications and turned down 94 out of 100 applicants. But just because a school rejects the vast majority of its applicants doesn’t make it a “better” school, or a better fit.

our students’ candidacy than simply being Idaho residents.

CS: It seems like more and more students are being put on wait lists. Is that true and what does it mean?

BB: With recent economic uncertainty, and CS: Community School pushes our students with many students applying to double-digit to take risks, to push themselves, and attempt numbers of schools, there is a lot of uncernew things in the classroom, on the playing tainty around yield for colleges. Therefore, field, and in the outdoors — something we many admissions offices often significantly like to call GRIT. But how realistic is it in increase the number of kids on their wait list. today’s college admissions climate to let high They are hedging their bets, too. This makes school students try something they may not it hard for students on the wait list, because be great at and let them fail? Don’t today’s the chance of getting them off that list is applicants need to be pretty close to perfect really unpredictable. to get into the top colleges that appeal to many of our students and families?

CS: What do you want parents to know BB: Students don’t need to be perfect. before their first official meeting with you?

They have to be able to identify and tell their BB: I want them to understand that we are a story in a compelling way. We work very hard team. The most important thing is finding a on helping them develop a portfolio that college that is a great fit for their child, one reflects their accomplishments, passions, at which he or she will flourish. Parents are and individuality. tremendous resources in the college search As far as the gifted humanities student who process. I rely heavily on them to provide may not have a perfect 4.0 in math, that’s helpful stories and anecdotes about their son where I can help advance their cause. I talk or daughter that the student might not share with the admissions office about the student with me. and let them know how hard he worked for that grade, how he continued to push himself CS: What is one of the challenges you face in by taking advanced math for four years, even working with parents? though it wasn’t his strong suit. Our students BB: The admissions process and many of the are known for taking risks and pushing colleges I might recommend have evolved themselves, even though they know there is and changed dramatically since we went to the possibility of failure. That can make them college. Many schools that may not be on a stand out in a sea of applications. parent’s radar are incredible institutions that have invested years and a great deal of money CS: But is rejection inevitable? in their programs, their campuses. You need BB: Yes, and for students who have enjoyed to come at this with fresh eyes. a very supportive environment, admissions can be a very blunt process. It’s maybe the CS: What is your advice to students and first rejection letter they will ever get. But families about to begin this process? going forward, they will get others, as we all do; one of life’s lessons is learning to handle that rejection.

CS: What about the Idaho ‘card’?

BB: Geographical distribution is certainly something colleges pay attention to, but we’re more interested in how to present our kids in a way that’s reflective of the unique education Community School provides. Leadership is a key piece in all of this, and our students are given a lot of opportunities to take the lead.

For example, I see the Outdoor Leadership Academy becoming a very powerful factor in some of our students’ applications going forward. There’s much more that can support

BB: There are lots of schools for everyone.

There is no such thing as one perfect college.

Our students are bright, involved, passionate people who have a great deal to offer. They have a strong sense of self. They are capable and confident. They are engaged learners, critical thinkers, and avid adventurers. There will be a terrific school for each and every one of them.

CS: What is the one word you would use for this process?

BB: Unpredictable. Each admissions office is working hard to put together the best class possible for their college and no one can know exactly what they are looking for.

This creates anxiety, of course, and is the reason we suggest students apply to five or six schools in a range of selectivity. I tell the students they cannot fall in love with just one school. They need to find several schools at which they could really see themselves succeed and be happy.

CS: What is the general order of events for an Upper School student in the college search?

BB: I first meet with students and families in an official capacity early in their junior year. The entire process begins much earlier, though, and is spelled out in detail on our website. Go to the “Academics” tab and then to “College Counseling.” This is a great starting point in familiarizing yourself with our resources and what to expect.

CS: Final words of wisdom?

BB: A Community School education is not all about getting into college. Students are here to get the most they can from our curriculum, our programs, and our faculty.

The by-product is being accepted to a great college. If a student feels excited about his or her college choice, then we did our job.

“

The most selective schools aren’t always the best schools for a student.

They are simply the ones that receive, and reject, the most applications.

—Bags Brokaw

Director of College Counseling

”

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

29

educational highlights

senior projects

capture the imagination Over the course of five afternoons last May, 23 seniors stood before a packed auditorium to speak with passion, humor, and an impressive depth of knowledge about topics they studied through most of their final year of high school.

This year’s Senior Project presentations took audiences all over the world, broadening everyone’s horizons in the process.

ABOVE: Sofi Leroux presents her Senior Project, a series of portraits of residents of the remote Nemaiah Valley in British Columbia.

30

c o m m unity s c hool. or g

educational highlights “Senior Projects are life-changing for the kids,” said Projects Coordinator and Director of Student Life Chauncy Pogue. “The projects help them define who they are, what matters to them, and what subjects they are passionate about.”

The class of 2013 covered topics as diverse as reindeer in the Arctic Circle, America’s public education system, child sexual abuse, Doctors Without Borders, pigeon racing, and fiction writing.

“We see wonderful projects that hail from halfway around the world and others that hail from Hailey,” Chauncy said. “The idea does not have to be exotic or expensive to be incredibly interesting and meaningful.”

For instance, Logan Shipley worked with Ketchum-based Big Wood Ski, learning to turn out custom boards, while Ellie Swanson traveled halfway around the world to the Himalayas to explore the environmental impact of climbers and trekkers on Everest Base Camp and the surrounding region. Brett Cherry returned to New York City, video camera in hand, to examine and document the history of the World Trade Center, including the 2001 terrorist attack that claimed his father’s life.

“When Charlie Harder, Ben Kanellitsas, and Zach Lindahl came to me and told me they wanted to go to Spain together for their Senior Project, my immediate answer was ‘no,’” Chauncy said, laughing. “But they convinced me, put in the work, and came out with three very different, very good projects about contrasting aspects of walking ‘the way of St. James.’”

With Chauncy’s blessing, the “three amigos” hiked the arduous Medieval Christian trail of pilgrimage, returning with a broad spectrum of presentations and experiences.

But while the 25-minute presentations in the spring represent the culmination of Senior Project work, so much goes into the process that no one ever sees. Initial proposals are due in September, and students who wish to complete a Senior Project are held to a strict timetable. Deadlines must be met every few months in order to move forward. In addition, students sign a Senior Project contract, agreeing to attend meetings with faculty advisors, conduct themselves as ambassadors of Community School while undertaking the project, and to meet all graduation requirements before starting a project.

“Senior Projects are a privilege, not a right,” Chauncy said. “Students are held to stringent requirements.”

Undertaking a project can mean missing up to a month of classroom time, so students

“

The projects help them define who they are, what matters to them, and what they are passionate about.

—Chauncy Pogue

Senior Projects coordinator

”

ABOVE: From left, senior Cameron Jenner, then-sophomore Anders Fortuin, and seniors Brett Cherry and Calder Zarkos let fly Calder’s pigeons, the subject of his senior project.

need to have incredibly detailed plans written and approved by the end of January. At the beginning of the third term, seniors must attend Senior Week to prepare to undertake the projects themselves. Last year, the project period ran April 1–29, giving students two weeks to polish their presentations upon returning to campus.

When it came time to synthesize and make order of all the data, interviews, videos, and experiences collected during the project period, students worked closely with Upper School art teacher Anne Aganon, Multimedia Director Tom Nash, and Director of Educational Technology Gabby Rafford on the audio and visual aspects of their presentations. Many seniors relied on carefully edited Power Point presentations, videos, and documentary-style storytelling in their final product, and all thanked Gabby for her help and support.

Gabby said her goal is to help students showcase their journeys in a compelling way.

“It often takes a few consultations with individual students to figure out how to integrate images, text, and sound into one presentation,” she said. “I was so impressed with their ability to determine how to present their projects so the projects suited them and their personalities.

“Working with these seniors was very rewarding, and I’m already looking forward to next year!”

Cole Caulkins, Laurel Fiddler, Sofi Leroux, Zach Lindahl, Shayna Moellenberg, and Gunnar Ohlson recieved this year’s Senior Project honors.

Chauncy said she could not be more proud of work presented last May by the Class of 2013.

“This class nailed it,” she said. “The quality of the research and the presentations were the best they have ever been.”

To enjoy videos of the Senior Project presentations, log onto communityschool.org and click the “Senior Projects” link under the “On Campus” drop-down menu. co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

31

educational highlights

Cutting-Edge Technology Fosters Innovation

In 2011, Community School was awarded a $50,000 grant by the E.E. Ford Foundation to advance 21st Century fluencies and the role of new technologies. The grant was matched by a generous gift of $50,000 from the Kanellitsas family. Through the collective efforts of faculty and staff over the past two years, the campus has been the locus of far-ranging innovation. In two short years, the campus is a changed place.

Although the Ford grant was aimed at grades nine through twelve, the grant resulted in remarkable advancements school-wide, advancing the role of technology in the school, and how Community School meets the needs of its students in a world of ever-changing technology.

Under the leadership of Tom Nash, the school created a Multimedia Studio and added media production courses to the Upper School curriculum. Instantly, the studio became a center of creative activity on campus. New faculty member Peter Burke will follow in Tom’s footsteps this year.

Community School also used grant funding to implement the Online Learning Institute, with the goal of creating interactive multimedia modules in core courses — modules especially valuable to students who travel extensively.

32

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

In order to level the educational playing field, Community School required every Middle School and Upper School student to have a laptop computer, and used part of the Ford grant to provide “loaner” laptops for some students. The grant also paid for equipment to modernize classrooms, allowing faculty to be on the cutting edge technologically.

Newly appointed Director of Educational Technology Gabby Rafford spearheaded this project and other improvements, including upgrades to the school’s infrastructure that resulted in better, more efficient Internet access at half the previous price.

As a result, Community School was able to better communicate with Escola SESC in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, through Facebook, Skype, email, and video. Gabby will also lead the Elementary School teachers in learning how to use the school’s 20 new iPads in the classroom.

“The new technologies aid learning, but do not replace the essential relationship between student and teacher,” said Head of School David Holmes. “Yet, thanks to the activities of the last two years, our faculty, staff, and students are now knowledgeable and sophisticated in understanding and employing technology to elevate what we do,” he added.

Of course, the most vivid demonstration of the enhanced role of new technologies are vignettes of what is occurring across campus.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ CommunitySchoolSunValley for examples of what students and teachers are doing both on and off campus.

PHOTOGRaphy: courtesy of Tory Canfield / Roland Lane, Idaho Mountain Express

THANKs

Community school says

for protecting our “Community” On August 7, a stray lightning bolt ignited dry fuel north of Fairfield. Within days, a 106,000-acre wildfire encroached on the cities of Hailey and Ketchum. Over 1,300 firefighters and emergency responders worked tirelessly to push the fire back and to protect our livelihoods, even as hundreds of families were forced to leave their homes.

The fire didn’t directly threaten Community School’s campus, but when one area of our community is threatened, we all feel it. Our deepest appreciation and gratitude goes to those who put their lives on the line to protect the Wood River Valley.

Thank you, firefighters co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

33

CS outdoor rock stars

climb

every mountain alumni among the world’s top mountain guides

Men who climb mountains can be deceptively casual about what they do. Most people, especially those who did not benefit from a Community School education, find the idea of hanging off of a sheer cliff face intimidating. But for three Community School alumni, boldly going where no one has gone before is all part of a day’s work.

34

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

photography: Will Wissman

BY KATE WUTZ

“

If you’re going to work as a guide, you shouldn’t be able to just hang up a sign.

erik

”

Erik Leidecker ’90, Marc Hanselman ’92, and Geoff Unger ’97 are three of only 92 American mountain guides accredited by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations, an organization that enforces a stringent standard across the globe. Though accreditation is not required to guide in the United States, all mountain guides in Europe must complete the course.

All three of the men were active in Community School’s Outdoor Program, meaning they had hiked, rafted, and climbed their way across diverse Western terrain before they had turned 18. Marc said the Outdoor Program was a huge part of why he wanted to come to Community School, and Geoff said the program literally changed his life.

“Moving from Seattle and starting at Community School in 1994 gave me an exposure to the outdoors that I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” he said. “I am sure that this played a role in me becoming a guide.”

But becoming a guide and becoming an IFMGA certified guide are two different beasts. After looking at the list of IFMGA requirements, it’s hard to imagine anyone would want to do this if they didn’t have to. The association requires training for 80 days over three to five years in three different disciplines: rock climbing, alpine climbing, and ski mountaineering. Exams last from six to 10 full days in the field — days Marc said were excruciating, both physically and mentally. “It was the most stressful time of my life, those exams,” he said, laughing.

Erik, co-owner of Stanley-based Sawtooth Mountain Guides and member of the Eddie Bauer First Ascent guide team, was the first to start the long road to accreditation, challenging the rock climbing exam in 2002. “Challenging” an exam meant Erik took the six-day test without the benefit of a preparatory course, an option that is no longer offered. Marc actually accompanied him on this exam, which Erik said he failed spectacularly.

“Rebounding from that was challenging for sure,” he said. “But I didn’t want to fail. I didn’t want to have to live with that.”

Erik said he chose the option to challenge because he had been guiding for 10 years and figured he could handle it.

But following his “spectacular” failure, he discovered that his guiding education had not been as formal or as nuanced as it could have been.

“I’d been guiding for 10 years and I was missing all of this knowledge,” he explained. “I became more and more convinced that a minimum standard [for guiding] was desirable. If you’re going to work as a guide, you shouldn’t be able to just hang up a sign. That skill set, and the guide’s application of that skill set, need to be assessed.”

Erik worked for six more years to gain his certification.

Erik looks for a line from the top of a peak in the Sawtooth Mountains.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

35

“

You should be certified.

You have people’s lives in your hands.

”

Geoff climbs the Mittelegi Ridge on the Eiger in Switzerland. Like all IFMGA-certified guides, Geoff is certified in rock climbing, alpine climbing, and ski mountaineering, allowing him to guide in almost any terrain.

Though he could have been certified as either a rock climbing, ski mountaineering, or alpine climbing guide by the American Mountain Guide Association — the organization that conducts training and accreditation in the United States — he chose to get all three certifications, thereby earning certification from the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association, which requires all three.

Marc’s path toward accreditation was more winding. The current Sawtooth Mountain Guides and Sun Valley Heliski employee said he discovered climbing while attending Community School, but only got the chance to truly immerse himself while attending

36

c o m m unity s c hool. or g

University of Colorado at Boulder. After his freshman year, he took a job rock guiding with Sawtooth Mountain Guides.

“I was so hooked on climbing, I didn’t even know what guiding was,” he said. “I just knew I wanted to climb.”

Marc continued to guide between living out of a Volkswagen bus in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, climbing in Indonesia and Thailand He eventually moved to San Francisco and graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute. Marc then taught English in Japan for two years, but always returned to guiding. After returning to the States in 2002, he decided to make a career

photography: COURTESY OF GEOFF UNGER

photography: hillary maybery / christina carlson

geoff

CS outdoor rock stars

marc

“ photography: COURTESY OF MARC HANSELMAN

People wonder when you’re going to get a real job.

This certification is a way to legitimize it.

Marc has guided all over the world, including in Rjukan, Norway.

teaching people to navigate tricky terrain.

“I thought, I can teach something I am passionate about, instead of something from a book,” he said.

Marc began the process of certification in 2004. Though certification is not required, he said he felt as though the guiding industry was becoming more standardized.

“People wonder when you’re going to get a real job,” he said, laughing. “This certification is a way to legitimize it.”

Marc started with rock climbing, but an injury prevented him from completing his exam on time. In the meantime, he started ski mountaineering and was able to get certified

in that as well. He completed the hat trick by getting certified in alpine climbing.

Despite his skills, Marc said he never felt more than “average” in the first course he took, his rock climbing class.

“It was definitely a challenge,” he said. “But I was inspired by those who were better. It never occurred to me to give up.”

Geoff followed in his classmates’ footsteps in 2005. Like Marc and Erik, he’d been guiding for years, mostly through Utah-based Moab Cliffs and Canyons and Washington-based Mountain Madness. Both companies gave him the chance to develop the hands-on experience and communication skills essential for guiding.

”

“Taking people out for the first time and coaching them through a difficult move or getting them over their hesitation, that’s something that takes a while to cultivate,” he said, adding that he was already “very comfortable” in challenging terrain.

Still, he decided he wanted more formal guide training. Like Marc and Erik, Geoff felt that guides should have some type of formal, standardized certification.

“If you are going to approach something and be professional, to be the best guide — or carpenter, or doctor — that you can be, you are going to take the time and energy to get trained,” he said. “In my opinion, you co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

37

CS outdoor rock stars

38

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

CS alumni make

First Ascents

BY RYAN WATERFIELD

Reggie Crist

Zach Crist

Eddie Bauer’s First Ascent Team is an elite group of 23 guides and athletes who develop the company’s newest high-performance expedition gear. Since Community School alumni have trekked for countless hours and miles in the backcountry by the time they graduate, it’s no wonder that four members of this team are Cutthroats.

Brothers Reggie Crist ’87 and Zach Crist ’91 are joined by Erick Leidecker ’90 and Lexi duPont ’07 to help Eddie Bauer’s designers create high-caliber outdoor gear and clothing. After the design phase, the team puts the gear and apparel to the ultimate test in the field before giving it a stamp of approval.

Reggie spent 10 years as a member of the U.S. Ski Team and made three Warren Miller film appearances, as well as working for 12 years as a heliski guide in Haines, Alaska. Reggie said he credits his parents for instilling in him a love of adventure.

“Dad went to Stanford and then joined a law practice with his father and brother,” he said. “But then he and my mom decided to move to Sun Valley, and our lives became anything but conventional.”

Zach spent seven years as a member of the U.S. Ski

Erik Leidecker

Lexi duPont

Team and won an X Games Ski Cross gold medal in 2001. He turned down Dartmouth after graduating from Community School to pursue skiing on the U.S. team.

“It was a risk,” he said. “Becoming a professional skier and generating any lucrative income is always a long shot. But the life I’ve enjoyed since that time has justified any sacrifice.”

Erik is the co-owner of Sawtooth Mountain Guides, based in Stanley, Idaho. Despite the incredible places he’s seen, he said what inspires him most are his two daughters.

“When my youngest daughter learned to ride a bike, I learned to ride a unicycle,” he said. “I watch their energy, their youth, and their enthusiasm and I let it rub off on me.”

Lexi currently competes in the Free Skiing World Tour and is a recent graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She was born to ski; her mother, Holly duPont, was the first woman in the world to do a backflip on skis.

“My mom is my inspiration,” she said.

Community School parent Ed Viesturs is also a member of the First Ascent guide team.

Photography: Will Wissman (Erik); courtesy of eddie bauer (Zach,Reggie & Lexi)

should be certified. You have people’s lives in your hands.”

Geoff said that unlike Erik and Marc, he hadn’t been guiding so long that he had a set way of doing things. Like the other two, he relished the challenge, both mental and physical.

“I have always thought of guide training as my master’s degree in guiding,” he said.

“There are obviously physical difficulties associated with it. You have to think on your feet and be adaptable and experienced enough to find the right way to go, to use the right technique, or to set the right belay.

It’s an interesting and dynamic process.”

As on any wilderness adventure, making those decisions means dealing with the fallout. Community School’s Outdoor Program helped enforce the importance of consequences for Marc, who said he learned a lot about life.

“I call it ‘Camp Consequence,’” he said, laughing. “If you lose all of your fuel for your stove because you spilled it, you’re going to be eating rough. If you lose something, it’s gone. They’re not just escapes, these trips.”

School trips also gave the men exposure to the outdoors that they might not have otherwise had. Geoff moved to the Wood River Valley from Seattle, and said the Outdoor Program definitely played a role in his desire to become a guide.

Marc added that the Outdoor Program was “huge” for him, at least in his desire to join the school.

“I feel like I want to try to give back to the school,” he said. “I’m psyched to work with kids.”

Geoff has moved to Chamonix, France, while Erik and Marc remain close to home.

Both Erik and Marc have deep connections to the Valley, and Erik said it’s hard for him to imagine living anywhere else. He’s travelled across the globe to ski and explore, and said the amount of “uncrowded wilderness” in Idaho is almost unparalleled.

“There are lots of places with better snow and bigger mountains,” he said. “But our mountains are still spectacular. Every time I come home, I’m just blown away by them.”

Advice. Invest. Relax. As a ClearRock client, you have access to some of the most experienced minds in the industry. Together with our friendly high-touch client service and our commitment to best-in-class research, our goal is your peace of mind.

We should include address/phone/URL as well.

We grow your money, not your anxiety.

As a ClearRock client, you have access to some of the most experienced minds in the industry. Together with our friendly high-touch client service and our commitment to best-in-class research, our goal is your peace of mind.

131 Fourth Street East, Suite 320 I PO Box 607 I Ketchum ID 83340 208.726.8858 I clearrockcapital.com

CS economic impact

impact

ABOVE: Main Street Market owner Karen Holzman takes a shift behind the counter at her store’s coffee and juice bar. Karen and her husband, Steve, are Community School parents and supporters.

OPPOSITE: Chip and Whit Atkinson are Community School alumni as well as parents of Community School alumni and owners of three grocery stores in the Wood River Valley. The pair have been ardent supporters of the school over four decades, and their mother, Judy, helped found the school in 1973.

40

c o mm unity s c hool. or g

photography: christina carlson

CS

BY KATE WUTZ

photography: christina carlson

“

It’s a given that Community School

The town has a vibrancy.

Part of that just comes from the history of Ketchum and Sun Valley, but it’s undeniable that part of that is also Community School.

impacts the quality of students’ lives,

—Bill Griffin Community School board member

sending graduates forth with drive, maturity, confidence, and the skills to succeed. But one expert told the Community School Board of Directors in May that Community School has a positive economic impact on the Wood River Valley as well.

Harry Griffith is the executive director of Sustain Blaine, an organization that works for economic development in Blaine County. The group has conducted economic profiles of each city in the county and made a concerted effort over the past three years to determine the economic makeup of the Wood River Valley. Led by Harry, the group has launched studies on everything from the economic impacts of various events to the necessity of commercial air service.

”

Last year, Harry turned his focus to Community School. Community School’s board of directors hired Harry to determine what, if any, economic impact the school has on Blaine County. The results, said board member Bill Griffin, brought to light the incredible economic and cultural benefits Community School brings to the Wood River Valley.

“This study shows that Community School truly contributes to the health of the local economy,” he said. “It’s incredible.” co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

41

CS economic impact Overview “It’s a fun project,” Harry said of the study, adding that he learned a lot about the school from which his son, Eric, graduated in 2011.

The data is split into two major subsections: economic impact, or the hard numbers involving the economy in any given year, and economic statistics, the softer, “more human” numbers that provide information, but do not necessarily reflect the wider economy.

In other words, Harry said, economic impact is the “hole in the economy” that would exist if the school weren’t here, while economic statistics — such as the estimated value of community service hours donated by students, for example — can demonstrate an estimated value of more nebulous economic factors.

Harry calculated the economic impact of Community School by combining direct impacts such as tuition, payroll, expenses for supplies, and even school lunches with indirect impacts such as visits from family and friends of students, estimated relocations due to Community School, and expenses associated with outdoor trips.

Harry then used a multiplier of 1.17, obtained from the Bureau of Economic Affairs and specific to the education sector in Blaine County. When he applied that multiplier, he discovered that the economic impact of Community School was far larger than perhaps expected—$15.4 million annually, significantly more than the entire operating budget of the City of Sun Valley.

“It could be more,” Harry told the board. He hasn’t completed a study of the property owned

by Community School parents and the taxes paid, so there is room for growth.

Bill said that even with that conservative number in mind, the study makes clear that Community School is to Sun Valley what many universities are to the towns they are located in—a vital economic contributor and an integral part of the fabric of the community.

“This is the tip of the iceberg,” he said.

CONTEXT More than $15 million is a large number, but without context, it’s relatively meaningless. Harry provided a set of data that compared Community School to other industries and events in the Wood River Valley.

To some extent, comparing a school to events and industries is like comparing apples and oranges, but it does result in an interesting thought

42

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

“

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

—Bill Griffin Community School board member

exercise. For example, Community School’s direct impact on the economy, roughly $5 million, is larger than the direct impacts of Nordic skiing, the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, and the Allen & Co. tech conference held in Sun Valley.

The school’s total impact, including associated spending, is on par with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony and is three times the amount of Allen & Co. Community School is a nonprofit organization, and any excess revenue is poured back into improving the school. Overall, the school manages $8.5 million in revenue — less than the amount of the City of Ketchum’s 2012 operating budget, $11 million, but greater than the City of Sun Valley’s operating budget, $7 million.

“I was shocked when I saw that number,” Bill said. “It was incredible to see that Community School has essentially the economic impact of city government.”

JOBS Community School is also one of the valley’s largest employers. Last year, Community School employed an average of 100 staff members, including part-time coaches. That’s higher than Mountain Rides, the City of Ketchum, Smith Sport Optics, and even the Blaine County School District in Ketchum. It’s only slightly below Webb Landscaping’s branch in Ketchum (100 employees, many part-time and seasonal) and the Wood River YMCA (130 employees, many part-time and seasonal).

“If you count full-time equivalents, we’d be the second- or third-largest employer in the north valley,” said board member Jake Peters.

But job impacts don’t stop there. Community School and its associated parents, many of whom own businesses in the Wood River Valley, provide 14 percent of the jobs in the north valley, a total of 826 jobs. Harry estimated that Blaine County has about 11,500 total jobs, about 8,100 of which are full-time. As a result, about 1 percent of employed people in Blaine County work for Community School or are employed by companies associated with Community School.

”

Harry said future studies would include a deeper look at businesses that relocated to Sun Valley or the Wood River Valley because parent-owners wanted their children to go to Community School.

While he did not have that data as of press time, he said a detailed look at this factor would be enlightening.

“You have a lot of new families coming in, and they are bringing businesses with them,” he said.

And, as Bill pointed out, the jobs brought by Community School tend to be full-time, yearround (or at least nine-month) jobs, rather than part-time seasonal jobs.

“They are really valuable jobs to the texture of the community,” he said. “It’s a history teacher, a science teacher, or a Mandarin teacher. These jobs bring people with a certain level of education, experience, and commitment to the area.”

good neighbors Community School has an impact on the county financially, but it offers other benefits that are harder to put a monetary value on. Students, parents, and teachers donated a total of 23,500 hours in volunteer time to school-related activities last year.

Students donated 5,800 hours helping organizations such as the Hunger Coalition and the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley, some of which were conducted in conjunction with the Wood River Foundation’s Project WOW. Project WOW encourages philanthropy in students by giving each student in Blaine County $25 to donate to a cause of their choice.

Students at Community School donated the money, but also chose to donate time to organizations such as the Silver Creek Preserve and the Wood River Land Trust. Participating in Project WOW came naturally to the students, who already participate in class-based community service and take trips centered around giving back. Ninth grade students travelled to Salt Lake City in April for their annual service trip to work in a garden and a soup kitchen that help feed refugees and other homeless or distressed people.

Parents, meanwhile, donated time to organizing

school events, especially in the Elementary School.

The Board of Directors alone donated 3,360 hours in meeting and committee time, while parents and teachers served 15,400 hours to ensure events and other projects ran smoothly.

future studies Though the current study has provided a lot of useful information, Harry said there is more data to gather. He said he hopes to find out how the Sun Valley Ski Academy has boosted the local economy — perhaps through gear purchases and travel expenses, but also through the families and students who have moved here specifically for the academy. Even if the entire family doesn’t move, family members may visit for weeks at a time.

Studies of how much Community School parents give to other nonprofit organizations are forthcoming as well. No matter what those studies show, Bill said, the impact of Community School on the valley goes much deeper than just numbers. The school is embedded in every aspect of the area, even the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference.

Former Head of School Jon Maksik, former Elementary School Head Leslie Maksik, and Community School alumni parent Reva Tooley founded the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference in 1995, creating an iconic event that draws authors and bibliophiles alike from around the world to the Sun Valley Resort every year. Former Board Director Gordon Russell provided the initial financial support, and the conference was held on Community School’s campus for several years before moving to its current location at the resort.

Head of School David Holmes is also involved in the valley’s nonprofit organizations, sitting on the board of the Wood River YMCA and on the advisory council of the Blaine County Education Foundation. Community School parents serve as directors of many nonprofit organizations, such as the Sun Valley Center for the Arts, the Wood River Land Trust, and the Environmental Resource Center (ERC).

Even businesses and organizations not directly associated with the school benefit from it.

“Lunches for our students fill the entire Johnny G’s van,” Bill said. “Contributions from Community School parents fill the Sun Valley Center for the Arts annual report, both grocery stores in the north valley are owned by Community School parents. The town has a vibrancy. Part of that just comes from the history of Ketchum and Sun Valley, but it’s undeniable that part of that is also Community School.”

By the numbers

the graphs below place Community School’s impact in context with the rest of the valley. Data Courtesy of Sustain Blaine.

ECONOMIC IMPACT ($m) $20.0

$15.0

$10.0

$5.0

$0.0

COMMUNITY SCHOOL(‘12)

SYMPHONY (‘11)

DIRECT EL ($M)

INDIRECT EL ($M)

ALLEN & CO. (‘12) MULTIPLIER ($1M)

2012 REVENUE ($m)

COMMUNITY SCHOOL

CITY OF SUN VALLEY

CITY OF KETCHUM

$0

$2

$4

$6

$8

“

$10

$12

If you count full-time equivalents, we’d be the second- or third-largest employer in the north valley.

—Jake Peters Community School board member

”

CS graduation

BY ROBIN SIAS

Props, songs, and sibling shout-outs

2013 For the 31 members of the Class of 2013, Commencement on June 2 was anything but solemn. Students, faculty, and hundreds of family and friends gathered on a sunny afternoon for a rite of passage rife with pomp, props, poetry, and song.

ABOVE: The Class of 2013 celebrates the completion of their Community School careers.

44

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

Mason Noyes, one of the first to deliver his Senior Reflection, took the opportunity to start what might become a new tradition.

“Community School has always been different,” he said dryly. “There are no locks on the lockers. We call our teachers by their first names.

We don’t wear caps and gowns at graduation.

Well, I want to wear a cap today, so I brought hats for all of us.”

photography: DEV KHALSA

The Class of

photography: DEV KHALSA

ABOVE (left to right): At the prompting of senior Mason Noyes, students grab silly hats to throw at the end of the ceremony; Minrun (Ken) Cheng gives his Senior Reflection, in which he said a Community School education is very different from what he had expected.

The seniors donned everything from Minnie Mouse ears to ski beanies and cowboy hats, some even keeping their headgear on for their senior reflections.

A hatless Head of School David Holmes introduced the class of 2013 as “a happy, healthy, successful group of kids who know right from wrong; an outdoorsy group that has a sense of optimism and a can-do attitude.”

“They have a keen moral sense and want to make the world a better place,” he said. “But they didn’t happen by mistake. They have received guidance from many people. In this, the parents and families are the unsung heroes, as are the teachers, coaches, and mentors at Community School.”

Commencement speaker Judge Anthony Scirica of the U.S. Court of Appeals drew on his long and distinguished career in public service when addressing the graduates. The judge, a longtime second homeowner in the Wood River Valley, broke bread with seniors during a special lunch the day before graduation. Judge Scirica said the graduates were “a group with different passions, different outlooks, who are well-balanced and ready for

the world. They are eager and engaging and impressed me with their understanding that balance in life is essential.”

Ben Kanellitsas and Taylor Figge spoke on behalf of the class. Ben admitted to “conflicting emotions” brought on by Commencement.

“It’s a happy time. It’s a sad time. It’s an awkward time,” he said, laughing.

He said his class embraced the philosophy of carpe diem, and Taylor added that her class is especially good at thinking outside the box and solving problems in creative ways, often using the special talents that make them all unique.

“To an outsider, our class might be seen as having too many leaders, to be a group more focused on fun than on studying, but we are a family,” she said.

Senior Reflections followed, allowing each graduate to talk about what mattered most to him or her.

“Who are you?” said Chase Josey. “No, it says that right here, on the podium. In case you get nervous. Who are you? Introduce yourself to the audience. But I have heard this question before, and it’s not always the easiest to answer.

It is a vital question at Community School and

one that everyone wants to help you explore.”

Ellie Swanson, a “lifer” with 14 years at Community School, thanked her teachers and her family for “enabling me to love life, to embrace changing experiences.”

The 2013 Commencement was made more special by the presence of Community School’s first graduating international students. Minghao (Kingzer) Zou belted out a few stanzas from a favorite song, perfectly expressing his strong emotions, and Minrun (Ken) Cheng said Community School was different than he expected.

“I thought I would have a normal high school experience,” he said. “But when I got to Community School, I learned school isn’t all about studying. I never imagined I would sleep on the ground and not take a shower for six or seven days.”

Sofi Leroux, Community School’s first postgraduate student, was presented with a post-graduate diploma, while Brazilian exchange student Leticia Soares received a certificate of completion. After the awarding of diplomas, amid cheers and tears, the graduates tossed their crazy caps into the air and ended their time at Community School on a high note. co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

45

CS graduation college acceptance Bates College Bowdoin College Boston University California Poly Technical Institute: San Luis Obispo Carleton College Chapman University Clarkson University Colorado State University Colby College Colgate University Colorado College Connecticut College Dartmouth College Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Fort Lewis College George Washington University Gustavus Adolphus College Hamilton College Ithaca College

2 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

John Hopkins University Lewis & Clark College Loyola Marymount University Michigan State University Middlebury College Montana State University U.S. Navy Occidental College Oregon State University Pepperdine University Queens College Quest College (Canada) Santa Clara University Seattle University Sierra Nevada College St Lawrence University Tufts University UC Davis University of Richmond UC San Diego UC Santa Barbara

college Matriculation Madeleine Caraluzzi Chapman University Cole Caulkins University of Denver Ken Cheng Washington State University Brett Cherry Seattle University Sofia DeWolfe University of California San Diego Laurel Fiddler Bates College Taylor Figge University of Denver Emmet Fortuin University of Southern California Veronica Gaspar Johns Hopkins University Timo Gould Montana State University Charlie Harder Western Washington University Cameron Jenner Loyola Marymount University Chase Josey Westminster College (deferred) Ben Kanellitsas University of Denver (deferred) Sofi Leroux University of Colorado Boulder

46

c o m m unity s c hool. or g

1 3 3 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 3 2 1 1 1 2

UC Santa Cruz University of Colorado University of Denver University of Idaho University of Montana University of Nevada, Reno University of New Hampshire University of Oregon University of Portland University of Puget Sound University of San Diego University of Southern California University of Utah University of Vermont University of Washington Vassar College Washington State University Wesleyan College Western Ontario University (Canada) Western Washington University Westminster College Wheaton College (MA) Willamette University

2 7 9 2 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 3 4 1 3

2013

Zachary Lindahl Westminster College Ella Marks Middlebury College Shayna Moellenberg University of Vermont Chris Nalen University of Denver Mason Noyes Gap year; Fort Lewis Gunnar Ohlson St. Lawrence University Wayne Poulson University of Michigan Ann Arbor Gina Rickling U.S. Navy Paige Riedinger Santa Clara University Hannah Robideaux University of Puget Sound Logan Shipley University of Denver Colton Sholtis Cal Poly: SLO Connor Smith Sierra Nevada College Maranda Stopol Quest College (Canada) Ellie Swanson Colorado College Kipling Weisel Dartmouth College Calder Zarkos Cal Poly: SLO

photography: DEV KHALSA

senior awards Community School honored 18 seniors as part of a school-wide recognition of student excellence held on May 31. Eleven different senior awards were given to students chosen by the Upper School faculty. The following is a complete list of those recognized for their outstanding performaces at Community School.

Peggy and Sigi Engl Memorial Achievement Awards

Senior Project Honors

Tom Johnson Memorial Award

In memory of Peggy Engl, who helped found The Community Library and Sun Valley Center for the Arts, and Sigi Engl, ski champion and director of the Sun Valley Ski School Paige Riedinger and Hannah Robideaux

To seniors who completed exceptional Senior Projects Cole Caulkins, Laurel Fiddler, Sofi Leroux, Zach Lindahl, Shayna Moellenberg, Gunnar Ohlson

In memory of Tom Johnson, English Department and Drama Chair Emmet Fortuin

Bill Benjamin Memorial Scholarship for Senior Project Proposals

To a senior who demonstrates profound kindness and respect, a strong work ethic, good sportsmanship, and honesty Gunnar Ohlson

To a senior with the most promising Senior Project proposal Zach Lindahl

Trophy Sagebrush Award

Honoring a student with unusual creativity and imagination Maranda Stopol

Laura S. Flood Memorial Award

Dixie Grabos Memorial Award

To a student demonstrating a great love of literature and writing Sofia DeWolfe

Beaupre Award

Awarded annually to an outstanding member of the senior class Taylor Figge

Klingelhofer Senior Speech Award

To a student who presented an exceptional Senior Speech Mason Noyes, Kingzer Zou

The Murphy-Carson Family Award

In memory of Pat Murphy, exceptional journalist, writer, and citizen, to a student with passion, humility, and concern for others Ellie Swanson

Head of School Award Chosen by David Holmes Ben Kanellitsas

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

47

CS birthday C o mm u n i t y Sc h o o l c e l e b r at e s a milestone anniversary

40 years and

counting

BY kate wutz

48

c o mm unity s c hool. or g

Ginny Haire Burnham, one of Community School’s first faculty members, said during a 1994 interview that she vividly remembered the first time she heard Sam Hazard talk about Community School. It was on a field trip to Carey Lake with Hemingway students, a trip on which Sam, principal of Hemingway Elementary School, had decided to drive the bus himself instead of hiring someone else.

OPPOSITE (clockwise from top left): Sam Hazard, 1978; Community School Campus, 1978; Sophomore Class, 1978. ABOVE (clockwise from top left): Students in Community School’s library, 1979; Ginny Haire, 1979; Richard Hislaire, 1979; Community School Campus, 1979.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

49

CS birthday

ABOVE (left to right): Math teacher Brian Clark, 1979; Community School Campus, 1989; Julie Hazard, 1979.

“He had just gotten fired the night before, and I didn’t know it,” she said. “Sam looked at me and said, ‘How would you like to work at a private school? … I just got fired last night and I think it would be fun if we started one.’”

To hear Sam tell it, the story is much more complicated. He had left the Bay Area in the late 1960s to ski and work in Sun Valley with his wife, Julie. Sam was later hired as the principal of Hemingway Elementary School in Ketchum, but after two years and many fights with the Blaine County School District Board, Sam was asked to leave.

“The school board was not happy with what they considered my California ideas,” he said in a 1994 interview with Community School students. “After two years, they told me I was through.”

Sam left Sun Valley briefly in the summer of 1973 to complete his master’s degree at Northwestern University. Meanwhile, parents in the Wood River Valley were working hard to find someone to run a new school, an alternative to the public schools at the time.

After completing his master’s, Sam flew home, only to be approached on the plane by a parent on the plane from Boise, who 50

c o mm unitys c hool. or g

said, “I heard you were starting a school in Sun Valley.”

Two months later, that’s exactly what he did, in conjuction with dedicated patrons.

From the beginning, Community School was founded on the generosity of Wood River Valley residents. Sam went to two families with students at Hemingway who would start middle school that fall. The first family agreed to give a substantial sum of money if Sam could find another donor to match it; the second family matched it, and soon Sam found two more families willing to match those donations.

Financing accomplished, Sam started to gather students.

“I did have the advantage of having been the principal of Hemingway School,” he said. “I knew the kids who would be really fun to work with and bright, so I called all of those families.”

Soon, Sam had 29 students, half of whom received scholarships to defray the $1,500 annual tuition. Sam, Julie, and math and science teacher Brian Clark signed on as the school’s only full-time faculty; Jack Hemingway was hired parttime to teach French and Spanish.

“He was wonderful,” Sam said. “The kids learned all about bullfighting and all

about the bistros in Paris.”

The outside world was swirling with the Watergate hearings, American involvement in Vietnam had just ended, and “Brother Louie” was at the top of the charts the week Ketchum-Sun Valley Community School students and faculty first gathered together in the basement of St. Thomas Episcopal Church for the start of school.

Students were extraordinarily involved in forming the school’s rules and regulations, including the still-cherished tradition of calling faculty by their first names.

“Someone raised a hand and said, ‘Can we call you Sam?’ And I said, ‘I don’t care, so long as you do it nicely,’” Sam said.

“The only time I was called Mr. Hazard was by one student who was furious with me. He had done something wrong, and I had lowered the boom on him, [and he said,] ‘Mr. Hazard, this isn’t the kind of school I thought it would be!’”

One of the school’s most cherished traditions, Powder Day, arose from a combination of that democratic spirit and the fact that classes were held in a basement. Powder Day, typically held on a bluebird day in February or March, is a day when classes are cancelled and students and faculty take advantage of the powder, bonding on the

photography: james bourret

“

Sam looked at me and said, ‘How would you like to work at a private school? … I just got fired last night and I think it would be fun if we started one.’

—Sam Hazard

Head of School, 1973-1983

mountain instead of in the classroom.

The tradition started the very first year the school was formed, on a bluebird day in late January or early February.

“We had had about a foot of powder the day before and we all had our skis at school because that was our afternoon P.E. program in the winter,” Sam said. “We went into the dark basement, and Brian Clark said, ‘What are we doing in this dark basement on one of the greatest skiing days of all time?’ And I said, ‘Brian, I haven’t got an intelligent answer to that.’

“So we called a school meeting and we said, ‘We have a problem to solve.’ We told them what the problem was and asked how we were going to solve it, and the roof just went off the church. We rushed out into

”

the bus and we were at Baldy by 9:15 a.m. with a foot of powder. It was an absolutely beautiful day.”

The school met in the basement for a full school year before moving to Trail Creek Cabin, which didn’t have reliable electricity at the time. The students sometimes studied by candlelight and firelight, receiving heat from the same sources.

“One parent called it the Hap-Hazard Academy,” Sam said, laughing. “There were about 55 of us. With our candles and our fire. It was really extraordinary.”

Naturally, the school needed to fight against certain stereotypes and erroneous ideas held by the community. As a private independent school, some Wood River Valley residents felt the school was only

ABOVE: Sagewillow Campus was generously donated by Ed and Carol Dumke in 1998. Once a 30-acre ranch, the property now houses soccer fields and a Sun Valley Ski Academy training facility.

for students from wealthy families, while others felt the school didn’t provide the kind of academic rigor they expected. But faculty and parents knew differently.

“People thought it was a play school for rich kids,” said Richard Hislaire, who was hired as a French teacher in 1974. “It wasn’t then, and it isn’t now.”

Community School was, and still is, founded on a radical new way of teaching, based in academic excellence, personal growth, and human dignity. Students may have studied by candlelight for part of the second year, but Richard said the Wood River Valley gained more respect for the school when Steve Brown ’77, a member of the first graduating class, was accepted to Harvard on a full scholarship. co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

51

CS birthday

“

People thought it was a play school for rich kids. It wasn’t then, and isn’t now.

”

—Richard Hislaire

French teacher, math teacher,

and interim headmaster, 1974-2006

ABOVE: Community School Campus, 1976.

“A lot of people started taking us more seriously then,” Richard said.

The school moved to its current location, Trail Creek Campus, in 1975. The lot was owned by Sun Valley Center for the Arts, headed by school patrons Bill and Glenn Janss. The school started upgrading buildings and increasing enrollment. The school purchased Trail Creek Campus in 1985, thanks to the generosity of donors and Sun Valley Center for the Arts, who sold the property to the Ketchum-Sun Valley Community School.

In 1987, Community School hired Jon Maksik, who would go on to oversee the school’s largest period of growth. Jon stepped into the role of Head of School following the ignominious resignation of a previous head, a situation that had resulted in dropping enrollment numbers. Mike Wade, Upper School math and science teacher, said the school was in need of a “fearless and aggressive” leader in order to ensure the school’s survival.

Under Jon’s leadership, the school joined with The Mountain School, an elementary school in Elkhorn. The Mountain School had been started by Board Director Michael Engl and others, so the merger seemed a natural fit. For the first time, the school served kindergarten through twelfth grade students, and the name was shortened to The Community School.

Upper School Math and Science Teacher Mike Wade, who has worked at the school since 1983, said Jon was a strong leader of both students and faculty, but was not above dressing up for Halloweeen or Groundhog Day.

It became clear in the 1990s that the campus needed to improve its facilities in order to continue to attract new students.

Thanks to $8 million raised by donors, Engl Hall, named after the Engl family, opened in 1996. Dumke Middle School, named for Community School philanthropists Ed and Carol Dumke, was renovated the same year.

The gym and theater, also built in 1996, were completed due to the efforts of many generous donors who recognized the importance of giving students athletics and performing arts space. But construction costs proved larger than estimates, and the school found itself short on funds just shy of the building’s completion.

“We had stopped ordering supplies,” Mike said. “We didn’t have the money to complete the building, so the plan was to open part of it and maybe try again the next year.”

Actors Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, whose three daughters attended the school, gave a final gift to ensure the vision of all the theater’s donors could be fulfilled.

In 1998, the campus expanded once more with Ed and Carol Dumke’s donation of the Sagewillow Campus, a 30-acre farm in Elkhorn. The school faculty and board had dreams of expanding into that area in the future, but turned much of the area into athletic fields for the time being.

Two subsequent campaigns raised $8.7 million and $11.2 million, respectively, adding to the school’s endowment and allowing for a massive upgrade to the Trail Creek Campus in 2006.

Jon retired that year, and the Great Recession hit soon after, causing Community

School to struggle with dropping enrollment and other financial difficulties. Head of School Andy Jones-Wilkins continued Jon’s legacy of student-centered leadership, but left the school in 2011.

The school’s challenges did not deter the school’s strongest supporters, nor Head of School David Holmes from accepting a leadership role in 2011.

“This was a school with incredible foundations that had fallen into a difficult financial situation,” he said. “It was exciting, seeing this school with an incredible vision for the future and realizing I could help make it happen.”

The school began to regain its financial footing and began its boarding program in 2011. Sun Valley Ski Academy, a partnership between Community School and the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, launched that same year, allowing student athletes to compete on a high level in snow sports while completing the school’s rigorous college prep curriculum.

The Outdoor Leadership Academy was also created in 2011, boosting the school’s already-impressive Outdoor Program.

The Residential Program grew to about 25 students this year, and the school itself has set enrollment records for the past three years — 377 students enrolled this year.

David said the parent body, the faculty, and the Board of Directors all have high aspirations, striving to become one of the best independent schools in the nation.

“We’re always building on the foundations Sam laid in 1973,” David said. “We’re always improving, and always trying to find ways to become better at what we do.”

by Caleb Baukol

P hotography By: (Left) Tal Roberts (Right ) Will Wissman ( Bot t om) Hilla r y Ma yb e r y

Handmade Custom Ski

Big Wood Ski™ is an environmentally conscious company crafting custom skis tailored specifically to each riders’ individual measurements and skiing style. Each ski is made to order by The Ski Shaper™ Caleb Baukol and is guaranteed for materials and craftsmanship for two years.

B I G WO O DS KI.C OM

208•481•8013

Genuine, Handmade, Custom Ski co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

53

This summer, always-effervescent Director of Athletics Richard Whitelaw spent time between seasons taking stock of spring results and looking forward to fall sports.

“Overall, we had a good spring in Cutthroat sports,” he said. “We fielded boys’ and girls’ tennis teams, a golf team, and had students participating in track.”

Junior Sydney Hagenbuch enjoyed a particularly distinguished track season. She streaked past the competition in Jerome, Idaho, at the District 1A Division Finals, claiming the 400-meter title in 61.6 seconds. This qualified her for the state track finals.

At the end of May, Sydney earned All-Conference and All-District distinctions. Sydney finished sixth overall in the 400-meter race at state finals near Boise.

“Sydney was one of the younger runners at States,” Richard said. “We were all really proud of her. She was the only runner representing Community School, and she did really, really well.”

Cutthroat tennis players also finished strongly.

The girls’ team placed third at the Idaho High School Activities Association state tennis tournament, with

54

c o mm unity s c hool. or g

Attack

Olivia Ott securing fourth place in singles. Boys’ tennis placed fifth overall. Sophomore George Everitt won twice in boys’ singles. The dynamic brother duo of then-junior Doug DuFur and then-sophomore Daniel DuFur also racked up two wins. Both girls’ and boys’ squads were young teams without any graduating seniors, and are only expected to get better.

As always, participation in all of Community School’s team sports is what matters the most.

Richard congratulated all the athletes who sported blue and white and represented Community School so well this spring.

Looking forward to fall, Richard said he anticipated a strong soccer season for the Cutthroats.

“The girls’ soccer team is a powerhouse,” he said. “Senior players include Hannah Dies, Whitney Engelmann, Katie Feldman, Jordan Fitzgerald, Erin Hennessy, Hayley Murach, and Lena Perenchio. They have been playing together for years, and we expect them to have a stellar season.”

As for the boys, Richard said this year’s team is young, but talented. “We graduated ten seniors in the

spring and only Bobby Corker has been on the varsity team before,” he said. “It will be a building year, for sure, but it should be a really good year.”

Richard said Nate Nasvik, Annika Landis, and Nate Thomas will be the ones to watch in cross-country this fall.

Girls’ volleyball will welcome back a strong group of players, including Jolie Blair, Darby David, Emily Ehret, Allison Fleutsch, Caroline Jones, and Devon Sherrerd. “These girls bring experience and good skills to the court,” Richard said. “It promises to be an exciting season.”

Younger and new players are always invited and encouraged to come out for teams, many of which have a junior varsity option. “We always like to see as many students involved in team sports as possible,” Richard said. “Everyone has something to offer.”

ABOVE (left to right): Junior Sydney Hagenbuch shows off her medal after finishing sixth overall in state finals; The boys’ and girls’ tennis teams finished strongly this year, placing fifth and third overall (respectively) at the Idaho High School Activities Association state tennis tournament in May.

photography: COURTESY OF RICHARD WHITELAW

Cutthroats

athletics

openroomfurniture.com

FURNISHINGS FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR LIVING

200 SOUTH MAIN KETCHUM • TRAIL CREEK VILLAGE • 208/622/0222 co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

55

Girls and their

Horses Five days a week, for three to four hours a day, Community

School’s dedicated equestriennes can be found at the barn pursuing their greatest passion: horseback riding.

ABOVE: Senior Lily Gillespie spends three to four hours a day, five days a week training to compete at a high level with her American Quarter Horse, Wellington. Though competitive riding requires a great deal of time above and beyond school, many Community School students say it’s worth the trouble.

56

c o m m unity s c hool. or g

Seniors Lily Gillespie, Caroline Jones, and Devon Sherrerd and eighth grader Miren Sanchez-duPont have been serious horseback riders since they were little girls.

The girls’ dedication has certainly paid off. Lily is the 2012 90-meter Jumper Champion, the 2011 Idaho Hunter Jumper Association (IHJA) 2’6” Jumper Champion, and the 2011 IHJA Pre Children/Adult Amateur Equitation Reserve Champion. She has been riding her 9-year-old American Quarter Horse, Wellington, since she was 12 and also rides a pony, Cade.

Caroline rides Cass, a grey Oldenburg gelding, and holds champion and reserve champion titles.

Devon’s bay thoroughbred, Pilot, has helped her earn a championship in Pre-Children’s Equitation Over Fences Reserve.

Miren has not won a championship yet with her horse, Brighton, but has earned numerous other awards.

Riding has informed how these students manage their time and organize their lives.

“It necessitates making decisions about your social life outside of the barn, but those of us who have stuck with it to this level love it so much that there is no resentment toward that committment,” Caroline said. “I’d rather be at the barn than anywhere else. Horseback riding teaches you an incredible amount of responsibility and willingness to work hard, so homework has never been an issue for me.”

“I go to the barn right after school so I can ride, then go to dance,” said Lily, who is also a ballerina. “I usually don’t start my homework until around 9 p.m. It doesn’t leave much time for anything else!”

Devon said she is at the barn until about 8 p.m. most nights.

“It definitely takes a lot of planning and organization to keep up with riding and school at the same time, but I would not have done high school any differently,” she said. “Riding has kept me grounded and been a great stress relief.”

Last year, Caroline missed three weeks of school to compete in Palm Desert, California. She was able to keep up with schoolwork through online learning, a resource also used by competitive skiers and snowboarders.

“I couldn’t have done it without the school’s flexibility and support,” she said.

Devon hasn’t missed school for competitions yet, but she has taken advantage of summer term offerings to make her training easier.

“The summer between freshman and sophomore year, and the summer between sophomore and junior year, I took classes so that I could take more electives during the year and keep up with both the rigorous academic expectations and riding five days a week,” she said.

Miren, who goes to the barn three days during the school week and all day on Saturday, has been riding since she was four, and competitively since fourth grade. A hunter/jumper, Miren said her sport has not interfered with her schoolwork, but she realizes it will get more challenging to balance riding and academics once she reaches high school. But the sacrifice and fierce discipline is worth it for these young women.

“Riding is the most rewarding thing I do in my life,” Caroline said.

“I just love everything about it,” Lily added. “It’s just me and my horse.”

photography: ELLEN GILLESPIE

athletics

Looking for Real Estate?

Jed Gray

As a lifelong resident of Sun Valley, Jed has been in real estate since 1981. During that time he has served as President of the Sun Valley Board of Realtors and was a founding member of the Western Mountain Resort Alliance. He has done both sales and development throughout the Wood River Valley creating a wide range of experience and understanding of the entire Sun Valley real estate market.

Alex Higgins A TRADITION IN THE W O O D R I V E R VA L L E Y

A member of the California and Colorado bar, Alex moved to Sun Valley in 1976 and offers years of experience in the Sun Valley area real estate market. Involved in the community, Alex has served as President for the Sun Valley Board of Realtors, President of the board for the Montessori School, and Vice-President for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation.

Tom Monge

Tom moved to Sun Valley in 1977 to open the first mortgage banking firm in the area. He also opened a real estate appraisal firm and a small real estate brokerage office. Tom joined Sun Valley Associates in 1996. Because of his background in all aspects of the real estate industry, Tom has long been one of the most noted and respected real estate experts in the valley.

Jim Figge

A Sun Valley devotee since 1976, Jim has served three terms as President of the Sun Valley Board of Realtors and Vice President of the Western Mountain Resort Alliance. His history here and travel experience give him a wealth of knowledge about other resorts and Sun Valley’s unique standing among them.

Jim and Barbara are grateful to be raising their three children in the Valley.

Terry Palmer

A former Olympic ski racer, Terry traveled the world racing before he settled in Sun Valley. Terry moved to the Wood River Valley in 1974 and he has practiced real estate in the Sun Valley area for over 14 years. Terry’s experience, local knowledge, love of the area, and commitment to service will more than satisfy your real estate needs.

Jason Buck

A Sun Valley resident since 1998, Jason moved here to work as a hunting, fly fishing, and rafting guide. His love of the outdoors led him to real estate. He enjoys working on recreational property transactions where his experiences provide him with valuable insights. Jason became a licensed Realtor in 2003, and is currently a board member for the Sun Valley Board of Realtors.

View all area listings at svassociates.com 208-622-4100 700 Sun Valley Road, Ketchum, ID 83340

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

57

photography: james bourret / gia Guddat

athletics

Skaters’ winning summer Cutthroat figure skaters dominated competitions this summer, with one group from the Sun Valley Figure Skating Club winning gold at National Showcase and another taking first place in the Sun Valley Summer Championships. Three Community School skaters, Joyce Chan, Alexandra Harten, and Blake Letourneau, also returned to campus this fall as reigning National Showcase champions in their divisions.

In early August, a group of ten skaters, nine of whom are Community School students, traveled to Cape Cod, Massachusetts to perform at National Showcase, a highly competitive theatrical skating competition. The group performed an energetic and hilarious program choreographed by Gia Guddat that highlighted Idaho’s most famous export – the potato.

The routine proved too hot to handle, winning the coveted first place spot over eight other clubs from all over the nation and bringing the packed audience to its feet.

At Nationals, Junior Alexandra Harten took first place in Light Entertainment at the Novice level with a self-voiced comical program about trying to find the perfect performance music.

Junior Joyce Chan won the Dramatic Entertain-

58

c o m m unity s c hool. or g

ment division at the Intermediate level with a lyrical and graceful interpretation of the song Skyfall, and seventh grader Blake Letourneau took gold in Light Entertainment at the Pre-Juvenile level, skating with a mannequin male partner with whom she wasn’t exactly getting along.

Alexandra, Joyce, and Blake also qualified to skate in a final best-of-the-best showdown. At the Intermediate level and above, Joyce won the prestigious silver medal, and judges voted Alexandra fourth best overall, out of 125 skaters. Blake took home fifth place overall out of the 236 skaters competing through the Juvenile level. For complete results, visit http://tinyurl.com/nkh2ths.

On home ice in July, many Community School skaters participated in a comical Group Showcase

number at the Sun Valley Summer Championships.

The program, choreographed by Shayna Moellenberg, class of 2013, was set to the song “Who Let the Dogs Out,” and proved to be a huge crowd pleaser.

The talented and vivacious group included skaters from the Elementary School through the Upper School who glided, spun, and jumped into first place. Many Community School skaters also competed in individual events over the course of the four-day competition, winning numerous awards. For a full list of competition results, please visit http://tinyurl.com/lvuu3lw.

TOP: Sun Valley Figure Skating Club performers BOTTOM: Back row, left to right: Alexandra Harten, Joyce Chan, Antonia Avery, Emma Stuessi, and Lane Letourneau. Middle row, left to right: Isabella Bourret, Blake Letourneau, and Katie Peters.

Front row: Sage Curtis and Alex Stuessi

NOW SCHEDULING FALL TREE CARE AND HOLIDAY LIGHT INSTALLATION

Caring for our community since 1997

Owners and proud Cutthroat parents Kris and Bill Josey (ISA Certified Arborist RM-0715)

P. O . B O X 3 9 7 • H A I L E Y, I D A H O 8 3 3 3 3 • 2 0 8 . 7 8 8 . 1 6 1 1 • F A X 2 0 8 . 7 8 8 . 1 6 1 0 W W W. S U N V A L L E Y T R E E . C O M • E M A I L : K R I S @ S U N V A L L E Y T R E E . C O M

fathoms

below

Under the sea was the place to be last April, as Middle School students morphed into mermaids, tropical fish, electric eels, and other spirited characters to perform two sold-out performances of “The Little Mermaid, Jr.” More than 40 students made this well-loved Disney classic their own with the guidance and inspiration of Director Joel Vilinsky, Musical Director Alyssa Hershey, and Choreographer Nancy Parsons-Brown. Upper School student Whitney Englemann stepped in to design the sophisticated sets, and Maria Gerhardt spent countless hours sewing shiny, splashy costumes for the children, helping to bring to life the tale of a mermaid who wishes to be human.

d

ABOVE (left to right): A bevy of Middle School mermaids strike a pose at the end of a musical number; Elementary School students wait for a cue during The Composer is Dead.

60

c o mm unitys c hool. or g

Principal roles saw Libby Lindstrom as Ariel, Travis Flynt as Prince Eric, and James Mahedy as Sebastian the crab. Other scene-stealing performances came from Alex Stuessi as Scuttle the seagull, Anik Zarkos as Ursula the sea witch, Christine DuFur and Chloe Khosrowshahi as two slippery eels, Tillie David as sidekick Flounder, and Lane Letourneau as Chef Louis. A strong cast rounded out a production that went above and beyond everyone’s expectations.

“Taking on a popular animated movie with well-known and timeless characters is difficult,” Joel said. “The stage production calls for extraordinary costuming, multiple

sets, and high demands on the actors. But nothing broadens a smile more than turning a speck of an idea into a towering structure.”

Joel offered congratulations to all of the talented students, the dedicated faculty, and the behind-the-scenes production, stage, lighting, and sound crews, as well as the many volunteers who made The Little Mermaid, Jr. possible.

Elementary School thespians put on an ambitious show last spring with a staging of The Composer is Dead. This sophisticated whodunnit was not a typical show for young students to perform.

“The format of this production is an

photography: Christina Carlson / Krista Detwiler

the arts

21music st century

adventurous, student-driven break from our traditional musical theater format,” said Elementary School Head Janet Salvoni. “We were excited to support our students and teachers of the arts as they stretched themselves on stage.”

And stretch themselves they did. The play was written by Lemony Snicket, best known for his blockbuster book series, A Series of Unfortunate Events. The script is filled with clever dialogue, puns, and inside jokes about orchestras and musicians.

Through this play, the students learned a great deal about both without realizing it. The excitement about the play reached across disciplines, extending into weekly dance classes.

“The children had very definitive ideas about how each instrument would move,” Janet said. “So [dance teacher] Hilarie Neely did what all good teachers do — she provided some set choreography to the music and opportunities for structured improvisation in other sections. Then she gracefully moved to the side and let the students do their work.”

The Composer is Dead was directed by Tom Nash, with musical direction by Alyssa and choreography by Hilarie.

The first thing you notice when walking into Brad Hershey’s Music Technology class, an Upper School elective, is how quiet it is. Where the expectation is to hear decibels appealing only to a teenage ear, students work silently, intently – heads bowed over laptop computers, headsets covering their ears.

But the peace is deceptive. On the screens of “B-Rad’s” student’s iPads and laptops, a virtual rock concert is taking shape. With the help of popular software such as Garage Band, Music Technology allows students to play all kinds of music — loud or otherwise — which, according to Brad, presents a huge opportunity.

“Many Upper School students don’t want to sing or haven’t played an instrument before,” Brad said. “Today’s software allows non-musicians, in the traditional sense, to create music. This is one way we open the music curriculum up to everyone.”

The technology also incorporates music created on real instruments. During a class last spring, Brad and student Gil Viesturs popped into the soundproof studio adjacent to the classroom to lay down some drum tracks. Gil, who is self-taught on drums, worked with Brad to achieve the beat and sound he wanted to incorporate into the piece he was composing on the computer. Others weave in their voices, guitar, piano … anything goes.

“This is a great format for teaching,” Brad said.

“Students really get to go at their own speed and incorporate their talents, tastes in music, and other in-

terests into what they are composing. It’s not a class where I say, ‘Today we will be learning the opening bars from this piece of music.’ Instead, it allows each student to explore music in his or her own way.”

Opportunities to work with students outside class also give Brad’s musicians additional room to create and explore. Last year, a student from Music Technology teamed up with a friend in the Video Production class down the hall to collaborate on an original soundtrack. In the spring, a group of students even started an iPad band, playing together after school and on weekends.

“I chose it because I thought it might be something valuable that I could use in the future,” said Evan Marks, who took the class last year as a freshman. “I am interested in music and filmmaking and this might help in my career choice. I learned about song theory, about microphones and equipment, and about different artists and their style of music.”

In addition to Music Technology, Brad offers electives in string instruments, guitar, choir, and songwriting. But for a student that doesn’t really consider him or herself a musician, Music Technology is an intimidation-free introduction to composing for technologically savvy teens.

“This class gives people like me who don’t play an instrument an opportunity to create music,” said junior Joyce Chan. “The class was really fun and informative, and I learned how to use music software in many new and different ways.”

from LEFT: Joyce Chan, Gil Viesturs, teacher Brad Hershey and Gunner Gibson in the Music Technology classroom.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

61

outdoor program

Come sail away On The Adventuress, a 100-year-old schooner, night watch changes hourly. During the fifth grade outdoor trip aboard this historic ship last May, the handover of duties went smoothly. Those finishing watch gently roused classmates to take their turn on deck before falling into a deep sleep, lulled by gentle waves. Students wriggled out of warm sleeping bags, slid off their bunks and, depending on the changeable weather in the Pacific Northwest, either layered up in fleece and down or in fully waterproof pants and jackets.

62

c o m m unity s c hool. or g

photography: COURTESY OF BEV MCNEAL

Fifth graders embark on The Adventuress

photography: COURTESY OF BEV MCNEAL

photography: COURTESY OF BEV MCNEAL

opposite: “The Adventuress” heads for the open seas; ABOVE: The Cutthroat Crew poses with members of “The Adventuress” crew at the end of an exciting trip.

“The cheap ones work best,” said teacher Bev McNeal. “Raingear for this trip needs to be impervious plastic. GoreTex doesn’t cut it!”

This trip is the highly anticipated fifth grade spring voyage on The Adventuress. Last spring, Bev boarded the 133-foot, two-mast schooner with a 110-foot rig with her 17th class. Like so many programs at Community School, this perennial favorite was inspired by the passion of a group of Bev’s students.

“There was never a big trip in fifth grade until one year, my class, who all loved marine biology, created it,” Bev said. “Our science teacher at the time helped us find Sound Experience, the organization that oversees The Adventuress, but we had to get special permission to book it because fifth graders were considered too young for the excursion. They agreed to give us a trial sail.

To this day, they say that we are their favorite group of the year.”

Though this outdoor trip takes to the seas rather than a river, desert, or rock face, the

mission of Community School’s Outdoor Program could not be more clearly present.

The novice sailors learn about Puget Sound ecology and history by participating in six hands-on discovery stations: plankton, marine life, watersheds, ocean acidification, nautical skills, and life aboard ship. Students search for colorful sea stars and plentiful marine life in the cold waters.

On board, students acquire navigation skills and learn sail theory as they assume active roles as members of the crew.

“By the afternoon of the first day, when the kids hear, ‘I need you to man the main sheet,’ they know what to do,” Bev said.

“The crew on The Adventuress is amazing.

Not only are they wonderful teachers, they bring excitement and delight to every endeavor. In addition to educating the students about sailing and marine biology, they teach sea shanties and create opportunities for storytelling and dressing up. They are masterful — engaging the students with co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

63

“

Within the first hour of being on the ship, Bev and her extremely well-prepared fifth graders started hoisting up the main sail while singing a sea shanty called ‘Heave away, Santiago.’

—Tory O’Connor ’85 Parent and chaperone

64

c o m m unity s c hool. or g

”

everything that is happening on the ship.”

Unlike other outdoor trips, this one invites parents along for support. Every year, the trip is so popular that interested parents enter their names in a lottery and chaperones are drawn at random.

Tory O’Connor ’85 came up a winner in the lottery last spring, joining her son Andrew on the trip. Even though she has known Bev for years, she was surprised and impressed by what she saw.

“Within the first hour of being on the ship, Bev and her extremely well-prepared fifth graders started hoisting up the main sail while singing a sea shanty called ‘Heave away, Santiago,’ that Bev had taught them in the classroom before they left. It was priceless,” Tory said. “I enjoyed watching the respect that the students and Bev have for one another. I wish every parent could experience a Community School outdoor trip. The things that happen between the kids and the teachers are truly remarkable.”

Leadership skills are also cultivated as each student takes responsibility for their watch, for navigation, steering, and keeping everything shipshape.

With this comes a focus on self-reliance, independence, risk-taking and pushing personal limits, all in a safe environment.

Katharine Weekes, who accompanied her son, John, this year, said each student embraced the challenges.

“The finest part of the voyage was sharing the experience with this special group,” Katharine said. “To see the kids in action, stepping up, taking risks, and navigating their way through various challenges was so rewarding. They embraced every Adventuress tradition, whether it was hoisting the sails, taking a night watch at 2 a.m., or simply washing dishes up on deck in the rain. To see these fifth graders laughing together, encouraging each other, or cheering for those brave enough to perform during the evening programs, it was truly Community School at its best.”

photography: COURTESY OF BEV MCNEAL

outdoor program

photography: COURTESY OF BEV MCNEAL

For Brad Cleveland, who went on the adventure this year with his daughter, Grace, this outdoor trip represents a very special time, when the students are in transition between childhood and adolescence.

“Having this time with Gracie and her classmates as they are poised to begin Middle School is bittersweet because they are growing up, but it is really exciting,” he said. “I witnessed young adults in the making. They are smart, sweet, funny, and witty. The trip exceeded my high expectations in every way.”

This spring trip is not all sea shanties and climbing the rigging, though. An urban experience in Seattle complements the nautical one. In addition to two nights aboard The Adventuress, students and chaperones enjoy three nights in the big city.

Chaperone Dave Whorton, who traveled this year with his daughter, Rylee, said, “I couldn’t imagine packing in more diversified experiences in a week than Bev pulled off.

Museums, the aquarium, the Space Needle,

meals, swimming, and The Adventuress — we did it all. If she meant it as a test of stamina, doggedness, and grit — while learning and having fun — she nailed it.”

“From Pike’s Place Market and the Experience Music Project to a tour of the Chihuly Glass and Garden Exhibit and the Pacific Science Center, it’s a big city experience,” Bev said. “We take the light rail from the airport, stay downtown, and enjoy much of what makes Seattle special.”

As special as The Adventuress is, everyone who has been lucky enough to climb aboard credits Bev with creating an experience that many graduating seniors still mention in their Senior Reflections.

“Bev has created one of the greatest Community School traditions in this trip,” Katharine said. “More importantly, she lays the foundation all year in her classroom. Bev connects with each child, creating a culture of trust and respect that brings out the best in our children.”

opposite (left to right): Charlie Stumph and James Everitt look right at home on the sea; Andrew O’Connor clings to the rigging high above the deck. ABOVE (left to right): “The Adventuress,” a 133-foot, two-mast schooner with a 110-foot rig. This year’s class is the 17th to set sail on the only Community School outdoor trip set mostly on the sea; Jasper Mott swabs the deck, showing off the seafaring skills the fifth graders learned throughout the trip.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

65

community service

‘WOW’is right At a rousing final Community Meeting in May, Elementary School Head Janet Salvoni announced that students in kindergarten through twelfth grade donated a total of $8,975 as part of the WOW projects initiated in the fall.

ABOVE: Three classes worked together to help the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley, presenting a check for $2,550 as well as helping with three long-term shelter projects.

66

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

Project WOW, under the leadership of Wood River Foundation Chair Morley Golden and WOW director and Community School parent Louise Stumph, gave each school-aged child in Blaine County $25 to invest in local nonprofit organizations.

Expanding upon its long tradition of serving the community, Community School took Project WOW one — or perhaps even ten — steps further, asking each class in kindergarten through eighth grade to collectively choose a project for the year in which to invest their money, energy, and time.

Upper School students were invited to hear presentations on each of the chosen projects from the lower schools, and buy in to one with their $25 while contributing their time and support.

At the Community Meeting, Kathy Gibson’s third graders proudly announced that they completed their first installations of public art at St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center. Beverly McNeal’s fifth graders lined up to show examples of the backpacks they created for children going into the Advocates’ shelter for victims of domestic violence.

These included necessities like toothbrushes, blankets, and combs, and extras like arts and crafts materials – anything they thought might help children feel happy and safe.

Jo-Anne Dixon, executive director of the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley, attended the meeting to personally thank the children on behalf of shelter animals.

Hannah Young’s first graders worked on behalf of the Marmaduke Society to help animals find homes. Tricia St. George’s second graders held a movie and popcorn night to help raise extra funds for Dollars for Collars, promoting proper licensing of dogs. Trent Herbst’s fourth graders made and sold wood-

community service en skis to support their Give Me Shelter project, which funds outdoor shelters for dogs.

Former Community Service Coordinator Melissa Elkins said 5,800 community service hours were dedicated to these and other community service projects during the year.

Morley thanked the teachers and students on behalf of the board of investors of the WOW project, emphasizing that the children’s commitment and willingness to go well beyond the parameters of the program made for one “fabulous journey.”

service learning

hands-on & eye-opening

This year’s projects + Kindergarten

The Lorax Project Wood River Land Trust

+ First Grade

Marmaduke Society Project Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley

+ Second Grade

Dollars for Collars Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley

+ Third Grade

Student Art Installation St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation

+ Fourth Grade

Give Me Shelter Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley

+ Fifth Grade

Pajama Project Advocates for Survivors of Domestic Violence

+ Sixth Grade

Pollinator Garden Project Sawtooth Botanical Garden

+ Seventh grade

Wetland Boardwalk and Trail Project The Nature Conservancy

+ Eighth Grade

Various projects Idaho’s Bounty

As part of a traditional weeklong community service learning trip, Community School’s ninth grade traveled to Salt Lake City in April to see firsthand the challenges many face. Students examined the impact of issues such as poverty, food insecurity, lack of shelter, illiteracy, and living as a refugee in a foreign land.

By working on a farm, volunteering at a homeless shelter, touring a food pantry, and serving meals at the food bank, the freshman class experienced an eye-opening glimpse into the broader world.

Upper School Language teacher Calysta Phillips accompanied the class to Utah.

“The freshman trip was a wonderful opportunity for the class to reach out of their comfort zones and experience poverty firsthand,” she said. “The students impressed us so much by rolling up their sleeves. They worked all day in a refugee garden doing hard manual labor, and they served more than 700 meals in an hour and a half in the biggest soup kitchen any of us had ever seen.”

Student Autumn Fleutsch said the impact of this trip was profound.

“The ninth grade service trip to Salt Lake City isn’t like the other outdoor trips at Community School,” she said. “There is no sleeping in snow structures, or hiking through heavy rain. But it is as life-changing as these other adventures, if not more so. I will never forget the time we spent at the

local soup kitchen. After hours of work serving food, cooking, and organizing the pantry, a large group of students gathered around three men in the corner of the large cafeteria. They told us about their pasts, about being in the army, and about the places they had lived. For that time, probably about half an hour, I didn’t view these men as homeless or poor. I saw them as people who had obviously seen many places and done many things.”

Calysta added, “We could see the light go on as students started understanding different shades of poverty. I think the biggest ‘a-ha’ was that many people who are not homeless still live in extreme poverty. The students started to understand that people struggle not because they are lazy, but because there are so many other factors involved.”

“This trip is a rite of passage for students,” Autumn said. “We are growing up in such a beautiful place and sometimes need a reality check. As sad as it was to see the three-year-old getting a meal at the soup kitchen, her only hot meal of the day, it is very comforting to know that we played a part in putting that meal in front of him, and that there are so many other ways you can help him and the next person in need.”

ABOVE: Grace Palmer and Autumn Fluetsch take a break from working hard in a garden that helps grow food for refugees near Salt Lake City.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

67

residential program

teacher training

academy The first year of the Teacher Training Academy (TTA), a program that brings talented young people interested in becoming educators to Community School, was such a success that three of the first

ABOVE: From left, interns Hannah Mangham, Brian Johnson, Sarah Thompson, Connor Wade ’05, and Sarah Higgins.

68

c o mm unitys c hool. or g

Connor Wade ’05 accepted a position to follow in his father Mike’s footsteps as an Upper School math teacher as well as the Middle School boys’ basketball coach. Sarah Higgins will serve as the new Residential Coordinator, working with Director of Institutional Advancement Todd Ormiston to oversee the day-to-day operations of the dorm. Melanie Palmer, who joined the group in January 2013, will partner with Hannah Young in first grade until the winter term.

Whether they are moving on or staying in Sun Valley, this inaugural group of teachers in training will carry with them memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.

Seventh grade TTA intern Brian Johnson may have had the most dramatic year, as he was accused of “murder” by the eighth grade during their forensics unit last spring. Called a liar, a killer, and many other non-resume-worthy names, Brian was handcuffed and taken off campus by the Sun Valley Police. After a heated twoday trial, Brian’s name remained uncleared when a hung jury comprised of parents could not find him guilty or innocent.

Life in the Residence Hall and in the classroom may not have been quite as dramatic for the other interns, but it was never dull. They honed their sous chef

photography: Hillary Maybery

six interns decided to stay.

photography: Hillary Maybery

residential program

photography: christina carlson / HILLARY MAYBERY

ABOVE (left to right): From left, RA and new Mandarin Teacher Weixia Han with new TTA interns Caitlin Skufca, Oliver Bierman-Lytle, Annie DeAngelo, and Melanie Palmer; Intern Connor Wade ’05, left, said the most rewarding part of his experience was coaching basketball with his father, Upper School teacher Mike Wade, right. Connor will stay on to teach math and coach Middle School basketball.

skills, acted a surrogate parents, helped with homework, and became more confident teachers.

Connor said the highlight of his year was being able to work alongside faculty he remembered from his student days.

“Chad Carlson — my mentor — Nancy Parsons-Brown, Phil Huss, and especially my father, Mike Wade, taught me more than I could have expected,” he said.

Another highlight was coaching basketball with his dad, an experience he called “tremendously meaningful.”

Getting to know students was also edifying for the interns.

“I learned to skate ski with the help of Mike Schley, Kathy Gibson, and 14 very talented and speedy third graders,” said Sarah Higgins. “During two days spent on the snow, they cheered me on the whole way! Even though I was sweaty and tired and fell down a lot, they kept their laughter mostly hidden.”

Sarah Thompson shared one student shopping experience.

“One of the best parts of the year was taking a trip to Boise for prom dresses,” she said. “We had one student with us, Kingzer Zhou, who had really been pretty quiet all year. We got to know a whole new Kingzer that day! He never stopped talking!”

Changing of the interns Swept in by the momentum of a highly successful inaugural year of the TTA, the

sophomore class of interns has arrived on campus and in the Residence Hall.

The first thing you will notice about new intern Oliver Bierman-Lytle is his height.

Standing taller than 6’ 7”, Oliver was a starting offensive tackle at Kenyon College.

But he is also a scientist, a sailor, and an environmental advocate.

At Community School, Oliver will work with eighth grade team teacher Scott Runkel in the classroom and with the Green Team. Oliver is certified as a NOLS Wilderness First Responder, so he will take on a prominent role in the Outdoor Program. Ask Oliver about his amazing travels, including significant time spent in the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Singapore, Turkey, Greece, and many more points around the globe.

Annie DeAngelo comes to Sun Valley via Harvard University, where she received her B.A. in government with her secondary field in environmental studies and public policy. Last year, she remained in Cambridge, working as a teaching assistant for two science classes. She will work primarily in the Upper School with Chad Carlson.

A passionate advocate for sustainability, Annie will also share her knowledge with the Green Team. A strong leadership background in Harvard’s outdoor programs qualifies her to work with Rob Landis and the Outdoor Leadership Academy.

Melanie Palmer served as a TTA intern starting last January and returns to the Elementary School this fall. Having worked for five months with fourth grade teacher Trent Herbst — an experience she called “one unlike any I’ve had before!”

— she now moves downstairs to the first grade classroom to assist teacher Hannah Young. Melanie joined the TTA program after graduating from the College of Idaho in 2012. She’s from southern California, but loves living in the mountains. She also loves working with Elementary School students and living with those in the Upper School. Melanie is the oldest of five children and a natural, nurturing leader.

Caitlin Skufca was a resident assistant at the College of Idaho and learned about the TTA program from Melanie. Caitlin has a degree in kinesiology and a minor in coaching. As a student, she served as the school’s outdoor program director and captain of the successful College of Idaho alpine ski team, which recently won the national championships. Caitlin will serve as the Sun Valley Ski Academy learning specialist intern.

According to Assistant Head of School Ben Pettit, the TTA program has taken off. “For this school year, we received 89 inquiries,” he said. “Fifty people completed the application process and from those, we chose these four amazing young people who will bring a great deal to every aspect of school life this year.” co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

69

todd ormiston Former admissions head joins faculty

Todd Ormiston joined Community School’s faculty this summer as the Director of Institutional Advancement. Todd is a recent transplant from the East Coast, where he was Assistant Head for Enrollment Management at Gould Academy in Maine. Community School Magazine sat down with Todd this summer to gain some insight into this new position.

CS: Your job is a new position at Community School. What does it entail?

TO: My job will be to continue to promote Community School and its programs. I have experience in boarding school administration, attended a ski academy, and ski raced at the collegiate level, so I’ll be able to identify opportunities for Community School to become a recognized industry leader. I’ll also focus on developing the residential program and the Sun Valley Ski Academy, which should result in a stronger high school experience for all of our students. I am also looking forward to working with the administrative team and board on the exciting short and long-term initiatives described in the strategic plan.

70

c o mm unity s c hool. or g

CS: Previously, you oversaw admissions at the Stratton Mountain School, a ski academy in Vermont. What is most important in balancing top winter sports opportunities with sound academics?

TO: Student athletes are much more productive when they are busy. They must find balance within a hectic winter schedule and rigorous academic program, which are not mutually exclusive. At Stratton, we cultivated strong learners and community members. When they went on to college, they were successful because they had become independent thinkers, were goal-oriented and eager to ask for help when they needed it.

CS: What was your first thought when visiting campus and touring the Residential Hall?

TO: When I first came to campus, it just felt comfortable. I was always welcomed with a smile.

My first response to the Residence Hall was, “Wow, you can walk to the lifts from here!” Once inside, I had the chance to meet the residential assistants who are part of the Teacher Training Academy. I quickly recognized the warmth of the building and the value of the intern faculty. The students were engaging, asking me questions and providing honest, thoughtful feedback on their experience in the Residence Hall.

CS: What is the most compelling aspect of Community School’s boarding program?

TO: My marketing side jotted down the line, “I can go to boarding school in Sun Valley, Idaho?!” even before I visited. After my visit, I realized the experience was much deeper than an outstanding setting and amenities. Community School is celebrating its 40th year of educating students in a remarkable way. The combination of experiential and project-based learning in an academically rigorous environment is one to which many boarding schools in the United States aspire.

CS: Will you miss the East Coast?

TO: I know my family and I will enjoy the mountains of Idaho and exploring the Northwest, but I also know we will need to get back East to spend some time near the ocean and friends and family.

There are also important aspects of the East Coast that I hope to share with my colleagues and friends. Among others, I am a diehard Boston sports fan and am always looking to convert someone to become a Red Sox or Bruins fan!

photography: COURTESY OF TODD ORMISTON

residential program

Enroll in the school of Life

Wood River Land Trust

Student Conservation Council If you wish to explore, restore and protect our local lands and rivers, join Wood River Land Trust’s Student Conservation Council. You’ll gain lifelong credits.

• • • • •

Make a difference in local land and river conservation Learn about non-profit governance Add an extracurricular to your college app Earn community service hours for school Learn to fly-fish with Lost River Outfitters

Information and applications can be found at woodriverlandtrust.org/student or scan QR code for quick access. Limited space available, apply now.

Student Conservation council co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

71

sun valley ski academy

defying

SVSA athletes soar on and off snow

To the uninitiated, it looks terrifying: two young men soar into the air, turning backflips, performing sideways rolls called “Lincolns,” and launching into corkscrew-like moves.

But for mogul skiers and Sun Valley Ski Academy juniors Cutter Grathwohl and River Curtis, it’s just another day of training at the Air Barn.

The Air Barn is an indoor year-round training facility located in the Dumke Barn in Elkhorn’s Sagewillow neighborhood. “Air” in this case refers to elevation, as in “catching big air,” accomplished through the use of wide-sweeping ramps and tightly sprung trampolines.

Community School owns the barn, but training is offered through a partnership between SVSA and the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF).

“Training at the Air Barn allows us to

72

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

push ourselves to try new things and to get better at tricks without the risk of injury like there is on the snow,” Cutter said in between bounces on one of the trampolines.

The vast wooden structure that was formerly home to the Barn Sale now houses two Olympic-size trampolines, including one next to a foam pit; a 40-foot roll-in skateboard and rollerblade ramp, also ending at the foam pit; a 32-foot wide skateboard half-pipe; three Skier’s Edge skiing simulator machines; and six Fitwalls, vertical training

photography: Jamie Bourret

gravity

photography: Jamie Bourret

systems that provide a full-body workout.

While it looks like a massive indoor playground for big kids, the training that goes on there is serious.

“The Air Barn is amazing,” said Andy Ware, head freestyle coach at the SVSEF. “It gives us a nearby centralized place to set up trampolines and ramps indoors for yearround use. It’s designed with freestyle athletes in mind, but cross country and alpine skiers use the barn, too.”

“When freestyle or snowboard athletes visit Community School for a tour during the application process, there are three main things I show them: campus, the Residence Hall, and the Air Barn,” said SVSA Director of Recruitment Jonna Mendes. “They expect the school and the dorm to be as great as they are, but they are always totally knocked out by the Air Barn. They don’t really understand what a cutting-edge facility we have until they see it.”

Five years ago, all the equipment that is now in the Air Barn was at a location well south of Bellevue.

Chase Josey ’13 was named to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Rookie Halfpipe Team in May and will be deferring at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. Chase will compete in World Cup, NorAm, and Grand Prix events as a member of the U.S. team.

“Next year will be a little crazy with all of the Olympic qualifiers,” said Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Snowboard Coach Andy Gilbert.

chase josey soars

“The U.S. team wants to get everyone in them so they can figure out the U.S. Olympic team.

He could potentially get an X Games spot and even go to the Olympics. The cool thing about the Rookie Team is it is wide open.”

Last season, Josey earned four World Cup starts, including one at Sochi, Russia, site of the 2014 Winter Olympics, and posted two top10 finishes with an eighth at Copper Mountain and a ninth at Sierra Nevada, Spain.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

73

sun valley ski academy

“

We can pop in after school to warm up and practice tricks, then be on the chair on Dollar in literally 15 minutes.

”

“It was hard to get there, so we shut it down,” Andy said. But with the creation of the SVSA and a big push from Community School board member Jim Milgard, the Air Barn found a new home.

“This is a perfect example of the productive relationship between Community School and the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation,” Jim said. “By working together, we can achieve great things for our athletes.”

Now, the equipment is located just over the hill from campus and in the shadow of Dollar Mountain’s back slopes. This, according to Andy, enhances training in many ways.

“The 22-foot superpipe on Dollar and the mountain’s amazing terrain park are a huge boon to our athletes,” he said. “With the barn half a mile away, training on and off snow becomes symbiotic. We can pop in after school to warm up and practice tricks, then be on the chair on Dollar in literally 15 minutes. The proximity is really making a difference in our skiers’ and snowboarders’ training.”

Athletes from the competition and travel teams train at the barn throughout their season, which begins in the fall. This allows skiers and snowboarders to be much more prepared on the hill.

74

c o mm unity s c hool. or g

“From seven-year-olds to the high school skiers, they all want to launch a back flip in a mogul run or off a jump,” Andy said.

“Instead of hucking themselves off a cat track to learn this trick, the Air Barn allows coaches to safely instruct the back flip,” he said. “We start at the edge of the foam pit and spot them to land in there. They can perfect the move before they get anywhere near the snow.”

For snowboard athletes, the skateboard ramps offer the best off-snow simulation available. Even the pros have gotten in on the action. Red Bull-sponsored elite athletes used it for training last winter when they visited Sun Valley to shoot segments of a National Geographic special. Red Bull coach Matthew Christensen called the barn a “top-notch” training facility.

“I had no idea such a world-class facility was in the making at Sun Valley,” Matthew said. “We were able to spend many hours each night training our athletes at the barn on the ramps and tramps. The barn is without a doubt one of the best training environments I have yet to see for development athletes.”

“Word is getting out about the Air Barn,” Jonna said. “It’s an amazing resource and a huge draw for our athletes.”

photography: Ben Girardi

—Andy Ware Head freestyle coach at the SVSEF

photography: Ben Girardi

sun valley ski academy

Kyla Miller Online learning with SVSA

Kyla Miller, a junior at the Sun Valley Ski Academy, moved to Community School from Stevens, Washington a year ago. A boarding student and alpine racer, Kyla had an outstanding winter last season, placing second at the U18 National Championships in the Super-G as well as third in downhill.

While on the road, Kyla used Community School’s unique online learning program to stay ahead of her schoolwork. At Community School, every class has a web page that students can access anywhere. During the winter term, teachers post 10-minute videos online that outline the main ideas of lessons, as well as videos of each of their classes. While they are available for all students to use, winter sports athletes rely on them heavily as they travel all over the region to compete.

Claire Cassidy, Upper School Math Teacher, said these methods help her student athletes keep up.

“They have been some of my best students,” she said. “They realize they have a unique opportunity [to learn] that other racers don’t have.”

Summer learning with Nate Thomas Nate Thomas, a senior skier on the Nordic competition team, misses a lot of school during his competitive season.

“Every two weeks in the winter we have National qualifiers, and each is three to four days long,” he said. “I end up missing quite a bit of class time.”

This summer, in order to lighten his winter load, Nate attended summer school, completing an art elective in Photography. This was one of more than

Community School Magazine asked Kyla for a firsthand account of how Community School’s online learning opportunities have impacted her academics and ability to compete at a high level.

During the ski season, due to my travel schedule, I usually miss school... …about 70 days a year.

Last winter, I kept up with missed classes… …with my Internet card in hotel rooms, during van rides, or even in between runs in the lodge.

I used these online learning resources in my classes... …videos, Skype, and online calendars and textbooks.

I am usually able to catch up on my work… …during long van rides when everything is quiet and there is nothing else I need to do.

Having the ability to catch up with class work online has made a difference… …in my academics as well as skiing. It releases stress when returning to school and it’s an easy transition back into class. As a result, I can race without worrying about falling behind in school.

In addition to online class lectures, I have… …used time with teammates to keep up with my work. We have mandatory study halls at races for all student athletes with our traveling tutor.

My courses that offered online support for winter sports athletes were… …all of them — math, science, history, and Spanish.

22 for-credit courses that were offered during a three-week session, including English, history, math, science, art, and music classes.

Nate studied Photography with teacher Anne Aganon for ten hours a week. He said that when he came to Community School as a junior, he was short on art credits, so summer school also helped him catch up with requirements for graduation. “I really like the format of summer school, too,” he said. “It’s nice to be more face to face with your teachers and classmates.”

Completing this course “bought” him an extra free period during the winter term.

“Summer school is great because it lets me focus

more on core subjects in the winter when I’m really busy,” Nate explained. “It reduces my stress in both my academics and skiing.”

Having made it to Nationals in cross country as a sophomore, Sun Valley Ski Academy’s flexible and accommodating schedule was the primary draw for Nate to attend Community School.

“SVSA lets me excel in both my studies and my sport,” he said. “I would really encourage all the Nordic skiers to take advantage of summer school courses. It makes the entire year much better.” co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

75

parents’ association

Back row: Brooke Wojcik, Susie Ring, Riley Mott, Karen Holzman, and Kris Josey Front row: Molly! Goodyear, Chrissie Huss, Molly Page, and Beverly Robertson

ahead

It’s shaping up to be another fun and productive year for the Community School Parents’ Association. Co-presidents Karen Holzman and Molly Page have been working together since last spring to create events that will bring the community together and develop effective ways to keep parents active in all that is happening on campus.

PA Golf Scramble The Annual Parents’ Association Golf Scramble has been postponed due to the Beaver Creek Fire. Stay tuned for more information on the Parents’ Association webpage, http://tinyurl.com/kgxoq6c.

76

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

The Parents’ Association is open to all Community School parents and guardians interested in promoting cooperation and communication among parents, students, administration, faculty, and the school’s Board of Directors.

The Parents’ Association sponsors several fundraising events throughout the year.

This year, the association looks forward to winter’s Cutthroat Bingo event and the spring Auction and Fundraiser. The association also sponsors an annual Elementary School Read-A-Thon. Volunteers are welcome and needed for all of these events, which raise money for the school’s operating budget.

Committee Chairs for the 2013-2014 school year include Elinor Jannotta, Sheri Thomas, Lauren Street, and Mimi Griswold

for the Golf Scramble; Pirie Grossman and Louise Stumph for the Annual Fund; and Tracy Caraluzzi, Molly! Goodyear, Julie LaFleur, and Sheri Thomas for Bingo night. Chrissie Huss will chair the Reada-Thon.

Each division also has an Executive Committee composed of parents who act as liaisons among division heads, room parents, and the greater parent body. This year, the Executive Committee includes Karen Holzman and Molly Page, Co-Presidents; Kris Josey, Treasurer; and Chrissie Huss, Secretary.

In the Upper School, the Vice Presidents are Beverley Robertson and Eva DeWolfe.

Brooke Wojcik and Kathryn Guylay will serve in the Middle School, and Susie Ring and Riley Mott will represent Elementary School parents.

Questions? Want to be more involved?

Please attend the regular meetings that are announced on the school calendar and in division newsletters, or email Karen at svskibum@gmail.com or Molly at mollypage@gmail.com.

photography: CHRISTINA CARLSON

A great year

In the Heart of the Idaho Wilderness www.middleforklodge.com

giving The Trail Creek Society recognizes and honors those individuals who have remembered Community School

the

Trail Creek society

in their estate plans through a bequest intention, life insurance provision, or charitable lead trust. Trail Creek Society members ensure that future generations of Cutthroats will benefit tomorrow from the generosity of the plans they have put in place today. By making a provision for Community School in your planning, you become a member of the Trail Creek Society.

An extraordinary man an extraordinary gesture Inspired by beloved board chair Tom Unger’s generous bequest, Community School has formed a society designed to recognize and honor those who remember Community School in their estate plans. By including Community School in his planning, Tom ensured that generations of Cutthroats will benefit from the generous plans he had put in place.

78

c o mm unitys c hool. or g

Tom Unger was well known and beloved as a chair and member of Community School’s Board of Directors and a tireless advocate for the school.

Tom and his wife, Charlotte, enrolled their sons Geoffrey ’97, Graham ’99, and Spencer ’03 at Community School after moving from Seattle in 1993.

Charlotte said she began volunteering and supporting the school, and Tom took a great interest in the school once he retired as President of Tyee Aircraft.

“His boys were there, and he saw a chance to participate in an amazing community and culture at the school, to support the school in the ways that he was so capable of doing,” she said.

Soon, Tom took a leading role in the acquisition and renovation of Sagewillow Farm, a beautiful 30-acre property in Elkhorn generously donated to the school by Ed and Carol Dumke. Charlotte said the role perfectly suited Tom’s skills.

“He knew there would be difficulty in finding people with the time to commit to overseeing the

giving

IR ARY BOARD CHA AN EXTRAORDIN ment enormous commit es ir qu re r ai Ch ol Board t: the ability independent scho e readily apparen ar ls il sk e os th To be a successful of y to put a e tion of skills. Som of view, the abilit ts na bi in m po s co ou re ri ra va a and listen to ely… sus, the ability to gently but decisiv ad to achieve consen le to of his success y it il ab e th , but at the hear t at ease, le ies it op al pe qu of r y he et ot ri d ork va these and myria respect for the w ed ep ess de ss a po d er an , ng en U dr Tom ts and and chil owth in its studen anding of schools lay a deep underst ew that a good school stimulates gr nd, but that be financially sou He kn . st u do m rs s he ol ac ho te sc at at th that many people ooth. He knew th ew sm kn ly e re H . ra es is ness th si ow or r bu that gr ot “run” the school al ways from othe n ci u do cr ey in th nt — re ds ffe they are di t school boar he could Tom did all that role of independen y. e lt th cu d fa an st or er ts nd en ol, u ud mis is to a healthy scho ions concerning st e is pl ci dec in l pr na is io at th t er make op w importan nse. munity about ho d firm in its defe d an to educate the com st to y ar ess ec those who knew an it was n in en ed ir wh sp in ew kn om T arhe at and to accomplish, app s, was the trust th y it ap il rh ab s pe hi ng d ki an ri st Most not what s intelligence ’s competence was . They trusted hi om m T hi t h Bu it s. w sk d ta ke or of ident r w tounding numbe s humanity, an ev as hi as an w y, sl om es T tl to or le eff t ently ity was his greates r, what drew peop he an at m R . hu m at hi th to h it le drew peop ng the school w l goodness. Infusi ta en am nd fu d onship an and subtle relati al him there. ti ew en kn ess o e th wh d l oo al gift to underst a professional t personally, Tom air. It is, at once, Ch d ar Bo s Finally, and mos hi d al recandor and mutu the Headmaster an g n in ee ir w qu bet s re ist ce ex an li that ex al rtnership, a compl and a personal pa y lucky. er with many ndship if one is v ty School, I served ni u m m Co e Th spect—and a frie of I am es as Headmaster Tom Unger, and ad an th dec o on tw rs pe ng r ri u ne D was a fi . Not one of them fine Board Chairs own him. er Head of School grateful to have kn Jon Maksik, Form

construction and excavation that was going on at the site while they were building the fields,” she said. “Tom had construction experience and contracting experience, and he saw this as a place where his skills could be used to good advantage.”

As he did with all things, Tom carried off the renovation with aplomb — perhaps making it look too easy.

“He was always very thorough and methodical in the way he did things, so there were no details that were overlooked,” Charlotte said. “He enjoyed the whole process, working with Mr. and Mrs. Dumke and the crews that came to excavate, working to make Sagewillow something the school could really be proud of.”

Upper School Math and Science Teacher Mike Wade said Tom was the “father” of the soccer fields.

“He was out at Sagewillow every day during the construction, demanding that the fields be built

to the very highest standards,” Mike said. “The School continues to benefit from his meticulous commitment to that whole process. We have what is, without a doubt, the best soccer facility in the valley and one of the best in the state. That would not have happened without Tom.” Tom served on and chaired the Community School Board from 1998 to 2005 while also serving on the boards of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, the Wood River YMCA, and the Ketchum Community Development Corporation. Charlotte said Tom had a gift for bringing people together.

“He was just a good manager and a really capable leader, helping to bring people to the table and come to an agreement on decisions,” she said.

“He was truly such a good listener, taking in everyone’s approach and ideas and opinions and bringing them to a synthesis that everyone could

stand behind and be proud of. It served him well.”

Mike said Tom’s leadership style was defined by calmness and respect for those he led, never resorting to aggressive management.

“Being a gentleman came first with him, and he never let anything get in the way of being courteous to others,” he said. “Tom would say what needed to be said, in just the right way, and move us forward. His quick smile and a light quip would keep us all at ease.”

Though Tom left the board in 2005, he continued to be a strong advocate for Community School.

Tom died suddenly in 2012 after a brief but intense bout of cancer, saddening the entire Community School family. However, his generous gift to the school’s endowment allows Community School to continue to educate students in a profound way. co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

79

class notes

class notes Hello,

Class of

Kevin Crisp Finishing the second year in a three year posting at Embassy Luxembourg. The weather has been great, and we just got back from a cruise in the Baltics.

Ten years in the State Department has given me a chance to live in some interesting places. The list so far is Serbia, Mexico, Iraq, Canada, and Luxembourg. We’ll see how interesting the future will be.

Julie Wiethorn I became a grandmother on Valentine’s Day of 2012. My daughter Elke (Class of 2003) and her partner Nicholas Giftai have been on several epic adventures with their son Gabriel Kaimana Giftai that I have also been able to be part of. Being a grandmother has expanded my life and my capacity for love more than I could have ever imagined.

fellow alums!

This October will mark my first full year working at Community School. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be on campus and feeling that same excitement of going back to school that I had six years ago.

My primary goal this past year has been to communicate with all of you in an honest and consistent manner. I promise to continue that communication, and I hope to bring alumni speakers to campus, host more regional gatherings, develop a networking database, and continue our Alumni Council and Cutthroat newsletter.

I look forward to meeting more of you in the future. You are all so impressive, and I love learning more about you! Please don’t hesitate to email, call, or stop by campus.

For daily alumni updates, you can also like “Community School Alumni Association” on Facebook.

Class notes are printed twice a year, but I am happy to collect them any time. Contact me at kdetwiler@communityschool.org or (208) 622-3960.

Keep in touch, and GO CUTTHROATS!

Best,

Krista Detwiler ’07

1978

Class of

1985

Trevor Norris Claudia and I are doing well (but shivering now in mid-winter while you guys are in summer!) with not a tremendous amount of 5B-relevant news to report.

It was great to have John Valenzuela’s (‘84) stepdaughter Keah come down and stay with us while she learned Spanish, helped build community kitchens in a “challenged” neighborhood, and surprised (impressed) us that her reading hours outpaced her TV hours by 100:1.

Barb Pendl I live in Burlington, Vermont, and work as a photographer/webcasting technician primarily for universities, and educational and government entities. I keep my own schedule and spend free time inventing steampunk-inspired jewelry and visiting interesting places via bicycle or other human-powered means

80

c o mm unity s c hool. or g

class notes of transportation. Pet causes include Vermont’s sustainable food systems movement, the integration of digital technologies into tomorrow’s classrooms, and the end of single-occupant car commuting.

Class of

1993

Jack Weekes I plan on summiting the 123rd highest peak in Blaine County this summer, which I believe is on Saddle Rd. Wish me luck.

Minnie Wright Living in the Bay Area with my two children, Sydney (8), and Tyler (7).

Class of

1991

Liam Grant Sharon and I had a baby boy on May 24. His name is Alexander Patrick Grant.

Jonathan Mills All – big year. The happiest occasion was my marriage to fellow alum Elizabeth Zimmerman ’95 in May! However, it’s been a good year professionally as well, with a feature film in select theaters OCTOBER 4! It’s called NOTHING LEFT TO FEAR, and was produced by legendary Guns and Roses guitarist SLASH. I continue to work in Hollywood as a screenwriter and director and make trips back to the valley to see friends. It’s worth noting that our twenty-year reunion was this summer, and many of the closest people I have in my life are the ones I met at Community School and in the Wood River Valley.

Kara Mullane My husband, Matt, and I are living in Denver, Colorado, with our two very energetic 4 and 5-year-old boys. I have been a photographer for 13 years and partnered with another photographer this year to create Studio DK (www.studiodkdenver.com). We love all the outdoor amenities of living here, especially skiing!

Class of

specialize in retail leasing and sales. We love San Diego but miss the Idaho outdoors, friends, and family. I still spend a lot of free time fishing and hunting with my mountain man brother Benji (Class of ’93) and Dad, Jimmyjono. We also spend a lot of time with Erika Connelly ‘03’s family in Whidbey Island, Washington.

Class of

1998

1994

Hilary Parkinson Life is great in Bozeman with my husband, John, and the dogs Luther and Hayduke. I got a Master of Science back in 2008 in plant ecology and now work for Montana State University identifying plants, writing publications, and conducting a bit of research here and there. I hope everyone is doing well.

Class of

Xander Maksik My second novel A Marker to Measure Drift came out on July 30 from Knopf. (Visit http://tinyurl.com/ kzxole7 for reviews of the novel.)

1996

Aaron Hill I live in San Diego with my wife Erika (we just had our five-year anniversary in Ketchum at the Pio), and we have two girls (Ellie Louise, 2 years, and Georgia Gene “Gigi,” 2 months) and our 11-year-old Lab, Red. I work in Commercial Real Estate at Cushman & Wakefield where I have been for ten years and

Tenaya Plowman Kolar We moved from Santa Cruz two years ago, and we are buying a new house in Hailey. It’s a total construction zone. Our son Dash is 4 in September. My mom owns Owl House Children’s Sanctuary in Hailey.

co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

81

class notes Class of

1998

Estibaliz McCoy Life is busy but wonderful. I have reached the halfway point in my nursing school program and I am looking forward to graduation next May. I did lots of cross country and alpine skiing with our 5-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter this winter. Sometimes that meant one kid on shoulders, and another behind in a sled. We’re planning a camping trip to Acadia this summer to recharge. My better half is ‘hooked’ on fly fishing, so I won’t have too much convincing to do to get out there for a visit next summer before I jump into a new job. I hope to get a chance to catch up with CS folks! If anyone heads out East, get in touch.

Class of

1998

Alex McCoy I moved to Boise to start work on a couple of long-awaited ventures... has been exciting reconnecting with friends and family back home in Idaho.

Rob Rutherford My L.A.-based film & TV lighting startup, Hive Lighting, recently used our energy-efficient plasma lights at the Sundance Film Festival, the red carpets at SXSW, and for over 100 different Film & TV productions. Hive was also profiled in the L.A. Times in August.

I recently proposed to the lovely and talented Rachel Morris of Sarasota, Florida. Read the next issue’s Class Notes to find out what she said...

Class of

2002

Class of

2004

Montana Burns I just received my Master of Science in Oriental Medicine, a four-year program at Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, Colorado.

Class of

2006

Hilary Parkinson Life is great in Bozeman with my husband, John, and the dogs Luther and Hayduke. I got a Master of Science back in 2008 in plant ecology and now work for Montana State University identifying plants, writing publications, and conducting a bit of research here and there. I hope everyone is doing well.

Class of

2001

Graham Donald Graham is in his fourth year of surgical residency at UCLA, operating and doing research in pancreatic cancer therapy. He lives in Venice and frequently sees other Cutthroats including J Welsh ‘01, Claire Cetera ‘01, Rob Rutherford ‘01, Rory Donald ‘00, and Will Roos ‘96.

Emily Hogan Emily is living in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter, who just turned 2. She teaches paralegal courses and runs her own law firm specializing in estate planning and small business planning.

82

c o m m unitys c hool. or g

Josh Kantor My wife and I are expecting a baby boy, due in November! In August, I’m running the Whistler Ironman, and we’re otherwise enjoying living in Warm Springs.

Amanda Withington My husband and I just moved from Chicago to Denver, and we love being back in the West. I am almost done with my thesis and will soon be receiving my Master’s in Public Policy and Administration. I just found a job working with a nonprofit, AfricAid, which supports girls’ education in Tanzania. I hope to introduce it to Community School and maybe start a school club or spark an idea for someone’s senior project. On the side, I am teaching Bikram Yoga and biking around outside!

class notes Class of

2006

Emily Stephens Hard to believe it’s been seven years since graduating from Community School! After graduating from Middlebury, spending a year in San Francisco, and a couple years back in the Valley, I decided to take the plunge and move to Los Angeles. I am maintaining my role as the Marketing Director at Marketron (headquartered in Hailey) but will also be starting a part-time MBA program at UCLA Anderson. Looking forward to this next new adventure and coming back to Idaho for the holidays to see the Community School family!

Class of

2007

Oey Parker I recently spent five weeks in South Africa in the bush learning how to track people and animals with the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAFP).

It was life-changing, to say the least. I’ve decided to put graduate school on hold, and I’m moving to South Africa to start a mounted (horseback) anti-poaching unit with two Australian horse-breakers.

We will be operating under the IAPF once we raise $20,000, and we will then be contracted out to vulnerable properties and hopefully national parks.

Our goal is to be at the forefront of conservation and combat the demise of rhinos and other African wildlife due to poaching. I’m doing this in exchange for a tent, some food, and a good conscious. You can learn more, help us reach our goal, and save the rhino population at https://give.everydayhero. com/au/IAPFmountedrangers

Bronwen Raff

Class of

2009

Bronwen Raff This August, I will move to the Dominican Republic to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer for 27 months.

I will be working with mothers and youth as part of the Peace Corps Healthy Communities program.

After three months of training in the capital of Santo Domingo, I will be placed in a rural village for the remaining 24 months of service.

I’ll be keeping a blog, and if you’re interested, check it out at bronwenraff.blogspot.com.

Class of

2010

Ricki Eshman I’m working as an Associate in the Office of Correspondence at the White House this summer.

It’s been really fun and interesting, especially after helping with the campaign in the fall, and it’s great to be working in another part of politics. The Office of Correspondence deals with the President’s correspondence with the American people, including all the letters, gifts, emails, and phone calls people give and make to him.

It’s been a great experience, and I’m sad it’s drawing to a close!

Class of

2013

Minghao (Kingzer) Zou This is such a fun class.

trip memories

TRIP MEMORIES Kevin Crisp ’78 I didn’t experience it, but I remember hearing stories of Pat Cudahy ’78 going on the annual camping trip, not taking any food, just bringing a knife, fork, and spoon...

Julie Wiethorn ’78 My introduction to Community School was its inaugural allschool camping trip. To say it was a great social experiment would be to put it mildly. I will never forget John Beaupre bagging a grouse with a sling84

c o mm unity s c hool. or g

shot and sharing his “at home in the wilderness” skills with us at that formative moment.

Christl Colven ’82 Was it Senior Seminar with John Rember at the cabin in Stanley when we slept in the snow cave we built? Good times :)

John Valenzuela ’84 Spring of 1982, the entire tenth grade did an incredible seven days of backpacking in Hells Canyon. Best memory #1: Jimmy Grossman, Andy Lesher, Slater Crosby, and James Coyle (sorry if I’m remembering the wrong people) had to carry double

trip memories

packs over Suicide Point as punishment for hitching a ride with a jet boat.

Best memory #2: After seven long days, we got back to the school Sunday night and decided we’d just set up tents and camp in the hallway of the main building (which meant a great party that night, and hilarious responses as the faculty and staff started showing up Monday morning)!

(I think Todd Ackerman ’82, maybe Bobby Zuetell ’81or Jaime Zuetell ’81) precisely how “accidental” it really was... I’m pretty sure that Sam and Richard never really bought that story...

One thing is certain: In Shelia Carney ’85, I found a perfect “food partner.” She, like I, was always willing to carry the heaviest packs, and watching everyone eat their Ramen noodles while we enjoyed tenderloin with melted Roquefort sure made it all worth it. I think that menu was on the Box Canyon trip where Kara Farmer (or was it Ann Reed ’85?) discovered just what a tick looks like, and the rest of us suffered permanent hearing loss.

Jana Dean ’85 Hell’s Canyon with Barb Pendl ’85 and Kim Webster ’85. Kim put bones in her hair to look like Pebbles, and I kept up with Barb Barb Pendl ’85 My favorite Community School outdoor trip memory the whole time. I still have the is the physical challenge we endured together same backpack and used it in on any given day. Trekking unforgiving ‘scapes, Northern California’s Marble Moun- slinging rocks of finites we scarcely could haul, and tains with my own tenth grade son real-time living with the consequences of all we did (or did not) choose to do. The metaphors about last summer.

Trevor Norris ’85 Far too many to limit to one! Snow caves at Perkins, for example. I can’t say that the tent catching on fire in Yellowstone was my “favorite” but the image of Dean Paschall flying through the air to make sure all were safe while I found my fire extinguisher was perhaps the most “memorable.”

Of course, I fondly remember my seventh or eighth grade trip, when I was the youngest part of a group that “got lost” and “separated” from the chaperones out East Fork. I think someday we need to hear from Jon Mortimer ’81, and the gang

life I associate with our CS outdoor adventures will always cause my mind to soar and my weary body to do everything it can to follow.

Jack Weekes ’85 Dean Paschall was, still is, and will always be the master of all things outdoors.

Minnie Wright ’85 One of my favorite memories is when our class was hiking and camping along Hells Canyon. On one of the days, while hiking along the trail (which we thought was grueling at the time), several of us

look down and see a boat going up the river. We all wave at the boat and then continue on our hike to our next camp site...only to find out later that two of our classmates were hiding in the back of that same boat catching a ride instead of hiking...it was a classic moment and an equally great memory.

Makes me laugh just thinking about it...

Jonathan Mills ’93 On our solo it snowed. I was huddled in a quasi cave with a Starr Bar, “Desert Solitaire,” and some water, watching white flakes settle on red rock. I will never, ever forget it.

Estibaliz McCoy ’98 Grand Gulch, Utah, eigth grade, 1993: Huddled with classmates in an alcove to escape a flash flood we had hiked an extra 8 miles to get ahead of; feeling excited, exhausted, and totally content.

Alex McCoy ’01 On the hunt for Anasazi petroglyphs in Canyonlands National Park: the feeling that almost anything could be found just around the next corner...Who were these people, what was life like, and what happened to them? co m m u n it ys ch o o l.o r g

85

trip memories

TRIP MEMORIES continued

Chadd Montgomery ’02 Josh Stanek ’02 and I formed a Senior Dream Team on the fall 2001 trip to Alice Lake and set a fine example by packing basically nothing except eggs, bacon, a queen-sized air mattress, and the desire to get radical in the woods. Eggs, bacon, and getting radical proved to be of limited use when we got two feet of snow and woke up Pilar Lindahl with a string of expletives that would have made a sailor blush. We spent the rest of the trip not sharing our bacon and eggs, pleading with Nigel Whittington to let us leave, commiserating over dashed dreams of an early September weekend spent catching alpine rays, and spinning yarns of our legendary status in the annals of Community School history.

Josh Kantor ’02 Too many to list.

Christopher Cook ’03 Not necessarily my favorite, but possibly one of the more vivid: Canyonlands trip, on one of the final days of the trek, Beth Bagley ’03 had just discovered that she was the one who had hidden the block of cheese deep inside her backpack, and I just spilled peanut butter and jelly onto a rock. I was instructed to lick the PB&J off the rock and to enjoy some of the cryptobiotic soil that went with it, and Beth was attacked by the rest of the group over the last remaining food source.

86

c o mm unitys c hool. or g

Reed Boeger ’05 I’ll never forget our Senior Quest backpacking trip in the Pariah Canyon. How often do you get to hike through knee-deep water in a slot canyon, have a mud fight, and explore natural rock arches with your best friends and favorite teachers? What an unbelievable way to finish out the Community School experience.

Amanda Withington ’06 All the best trips were around Moab—the heat, the scenery, the connection (even if it involved the solo trip), and the energy of the environment.

Seeing the power of nature in the canyons and how nature can truly determine the essence of the trip was awe-inspiring. I guess bringing a Costco-sized tent for the group on the eighth grade Grand Gulch trip in which our excursions were limited by the lack of water and the high energy level of our group will always be a positive memory!

Emily Stephens ’06 Backpacking and river rafting in Utah for Senior Quest. Great times with best friends in a beautiful setting.

Krista Detwiler ’07 Coming to a clearing on a certain overland pass a few steps ahead of my group during Coast Trip sophomore year at the exact moment a giant bald eagle took flight right above me and flew over the majestic ocean landscape below...I will never forget that.

Zachary Lindahl ’13 Senior Quest in Death Hollow was my favorite trip in Upper School. The trip was both fun and challenging. If I am given the opportunity to do the trip again, I will.

Minghao (Kingzer) Zou ’13 My favorite memory is the last trip, the very last time we shared our thoughts together.

You might not know what you’re looking for, but now you know where to find it.

Sue Engelmann with Sun Valley Sotheby’s International Realty presents a selection of her luxury listings in the Sun Valley area.

SUN VALLEY PANORAMA | $4,195,000

RECREATION AT YOUR DOOR | $2,850,000

PRIVATE OASIS | $1,545,000

RIVERFRONT RETREAT | $4,375,000

HULEN CONTEMPORARY | $2,750,000

SNOWCAPPED MOUNTAIN VIEWS | $2,500,000

SUE ENGELMANN ASSOCIATE BROKER

208.720.0680 | www.sueengelmann.com sue.engelmann@sunvalleysir.com Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Celebrating

40

of exCellenCe

Years

Community sChool 2013-2014 annual fund For forty years, Community School has provided students with an exemplary education. Please support our commitment to excellence and continuing progress. Every year, the Annual Fund raises critical, unrestricted dollars to support those programs that make Community School unique – the unrivaled Outdoor Program, the wide variety of arts, community service, and athletic programs, and teacher and classroom enrichment. Your participation advances these causes and ensures our success in educating every student in a profound way.

every fish in the sChool Counts!

40

rs

Yea

ChamPions of the annual fund Present the seCond annual running of the trout $100,000 matChing Challenge

Begins on septemBer 23 | ConCludes on oCtoBer 14 every gift and pledge Will Be matChed up to $100,000 pledges for the 2014 fisCal year gladly aCCepted

Annual Fund

Please mail gifts to: Community School | PO Box 2118 | Sun Valley, ID 83353 Give online at www.communityschool.org/development For more information regarding this challenge or ways to support Community School, please contact Becca Hemingway at bhemingway@communityschool.org | 208.622.3960 ext. 164

we are

community Our office has strong and deep connections with Community School.

We look forward to serving all your real estate needs.

BRAD DUFUR Current Parent

SUZANNE WILLIAMS Past Parent

CINDY MCCOY Past Parent

ALEX HUGHES Past Parent

TOM DROUGAS Past Parent Past Grandparent

SALLIE CASTLE Current Parent

MARLOW GEUIN Supporter

DAREN PENNELL Supporter

LISA STELCK Past Parent Past Board Member Past Administrator SANDRA CAULKINS Current Parent LEISA PADGETT BRAIT Supporter CINDY WARD Supporter

www.sunvalleyrealestate.com | 208-726-6000 | 300 North Main Street | Ketchum, Idaho

Sawtooth Mountains, 1980s

Stocking Cutthroat backpacks since 1973