Alumni Perspective, August 2019

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

KENT DENVER SCHOOL

PERSPECTIVE August 2019

CE LE BRAT E! SEE WHY ALUMNI GET-TOGETHERS ARE MORE FUN THAN EVER, p.4

AUGUST 2019

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TRIBUTE

MAY DAY 1950

Tribute

From its earliest days as the KENT DENVER SCHOOL FOR GIRLS and DENVER COUNTRY DAY, students, alumni and families gathered to celebrate their school community. Join us in continuing this legacy with a NEW tradition: Alumni Weekend + Homecoming = The Best Alumni Homecoming Weekend Ever! We’re looking forward to seeing you, October 11–13, 2019!

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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE

IN THIS ISSUE

KENT DENVER SCHOOL

PERSPECTIVE August 2019

From the Director of Alumni Programs I T ’ S G O I N G T O B E A G R E AT Y E A R !

Features

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ALUMNI YEAR IN REVIEW

It’s always a great time to be KDS alumni, but this past year was particularly special. Enjoy photos from terrific events that included wine tastings, happy hours, private museum tours, building grand openings and lunches.

COUNTDOWN TO 06

HOMECOMING 2019

Plans are coming together for this year’s combination Homecoming-Reunion Weekend. Learn how alumni feedback about past events helped create the concept for this redesigned, sure to be fun experience.

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If you haven’t visited

ENHANCING OUR LEGACY

campus recently, the exciting Campus Transformation underway will astound you. But changes aren’t just happening to buildings. Discover how Kent Denver’s focus on creating a world-class learning experience will help redefine education for the 21st century.

Departments 2 Tribute 8 From the Head of School 11 Alumni to Alumni

CONNECT

Dear Alumni, As you’ve hopefully heard, Alumni Weekend and Homecoming are merging this year! We will be celebrating the entire Kent Denver community—including our milestone reunion classes ending in 4 and 9— from October 11–13, 2019. We made this decision after getting extensive feedback from alumni about what you most wanted to see and do during reunions. The Alumni Board has been hard at work planning for the weekend, and we’re excited to give alumni a chance to reconnect with each other and with teachers, engage with current students, and see campus at its liveliest!

In honor of our inaugural Alumni Homecoming Weekend, we wanted to dedicate a summer issue of Perspective to our alumni community and announce our plans for the upcoming year. As you read on, you’ll find a schedule of activities for Alumni Homecoming Weekend, as well as throwbacks to Alumni and Homecoming Weekends of the past.

We also want to celebrate all of the events that brought our alumni community together in the last year. We love seeing alums from every generation at events like our Lifelong Learning events, regional reunions around the country, and at the Upper School farewell party. We were also thrilled to welcome accomplished alumni—including the 2019 Kent Denver Distinguished Alum and current U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Sarah MacDougall Hirshland ’93—to campus to advise and encourage our students.

On a personal note, I am writing this letter on the one-year anniversary of my first day as Kent Denver’s Director of Alumni Relations. I so appreciate your kindness in welcoming me, your love for this school, and your generosity in giving back to it. I look forward to another year of engaging conversations and exciting events, starting with Alumni Homecoming in October!

Sincerely, Elyse Rudolph Director of Alumni Relations and Special Events

Visit Kent Denver social media to learn more about what’s happening on campus.

facebook.com/kentdenverschool facebook.com/kentdenveralumni twitter.com/KDSsundevil vimeo.com/kentdenverschool instagram.com/kentdenverschool

Members of the Class of 1976 gathered for lunch on campus with Elyse Rudolph, Director of Alumni Relations (second from right).

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F E AT U R E Photo: E. Rudolph

Julie Egan ’83, David Duncan ’84, Dana O’Brien ’83, and Michael Connelly ’83 enjoyed catching up over a glass of Silver Oak wine following David’s presentation.

ALUMNI YEAR IN REVIEW: 2018–19 We’re glad we got to see so many alumni on campus and around the country this year. In fact, most of our events were at maximum capacity!

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OCTOBER 2018 – SILVER OAK SUSTAINABLE WINE MAKING LIFELONG LEARNING EVENT

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Photo: L.Mortell

Proprietor/Chairman & CEO of Silver Oak Cellars and Twomey Cellars David R. Duncan ’84 and current Kent Denver Trustee (and former Chair of the KDS Board of New York is home to one of the largest Kent Denver alumni communities outside Trustees) Kevin V. Duncan ’81 brought some of their of the Denver area. Head of School Rand world-class wines to campus for a tasting and talked to Harrington flew out to New York to meet alumni about environmentally responsible winemaking. with some of these alumni at a happy hour organized by alumni board member Annie Rapson ’02. Attendees ranged from a 1968 DCD graduate to a big group of 2013 classmates.

OCTOBER 2018 AND FEBRUARY 2019 – PRACTICE COLLEGE INTERVIEWS

FEBRUARY 2019 – WESTERN ART AND HISTORY LIFELONG LEARNING EVENT AT THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART

Sarah Anschutz Hunt ’89 hosted a cocktail reception for over 130 Kent Denver alumni at the American Museum of Western Art. In addition to getting exclusive access to the world class art collection, alumni also got to hear from guest lecturer and Kent Denver teacher and dean Wes Ballantyne about how he’s engaging students with Colorado history & ecology.

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MARCH 2019 – UPPER SCHOOL FAREWELL PARTY

Alumni, including alumni board member Lucy Stookesberry Chused ’02 (far left), said their goodbyes to the Upper School building in Kent Denver gear.

This spring, the original Upper School building was closed for extensive renovations funded by The Next 100 Years Campaign. Before the sledgehammers started flying, over 100 alumni and current and retired teachers came back to campus to say farewell to the building that housed generations of students and teachers.

Alumni board members Christina Fakharzadeh and Miya Murata Dickman struck a pose for the Upper School farewell party photo booth. Both were members of the Class of 1994, and in addition to volunteering on the alumni board, now work for Kent Denver!

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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE

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JANUARY AND APRIL 2019 – GRAND OPENING CELEBRATIONS FOR THE NEW VISUAL ARTS BUILDING AND THE NEW UPPER SCHOOL BUILDING

Hopie Connors ’81 and her mother Hope Connors celebrate the Visual Arts Center opening. Hopie’s father, beloved art history teacher Ed Connors (not pictured), was also in attendance!

Thanks to The Next 100 Years Campaign, more than 80% of campus learning spaces are being transformed! Two of those spaces—the Visual Arts Building and the new Upper School Building (which includes the Bruce McGrath Welcome Center, named for a class of 1972 alum)—opened to the public this spring.

Photo: A. Vucci

Dozens of alumni volunteered to conduct mock interviews with our juniors and seniors in preparation for the college application process.

Photo: A.Vucci

Jaime Miller Altman ’00 spent a morning on campus helping KDS students practice their interviewing skills.

Photo: L. Mortell

JANUARY 2019 – SUN DEVILS IN NEW YORK HAPPY HOUR

A YEAR IN REVIEW

Photo: J. Thomas ’76

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APRIL 2019 – RECOGNIZING 2019 DISTINGUISHED ALUM SARAH MACDOUGALL HIRSHLAND ‘93 Photo: L. Mortell

We recognized current U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Sarah MacDougall Hirshland ’93 as this year’s Distinguished Alum. Sarah was the keynote speaker at the all-school Ethics Day assembly, then We had our met with Head of School Rand Harrington and largest group MAY 2019 – LEGACY LUNCH various student groups. of alumni CELEBRATING ALUMNI WITH and students CHILDREN IN THE KDS CLASS at this year’s OF 2019 lunch with We know it reflects a deep 12 families represented! appreciation for the school when an alum chooses to send his or her own child to Kent Denver.

The Alumni Association celebrates this generational bond at the annual legacy lunch, which recognizes alumni parents and their graduating seniors.

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JUNE 2019 – ALUMNI LUNCH IN CONNECTICUT

DCD alum Wid Moore ’64 kindly offered to host a gathering for alumni in southeastern Connecticut.

Head of School Rand Harrington joined the group to learn about the school’s impact on its alumni and to share our plans for the future of Kent Denver.

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MAY 2019 – MORGAN MCGONAGLE ’14 TALKS WITH 8TH-GRADERS ABOUT DESIGNING FOR LIFE ON MARS

Morgan McGonagle ’14 visited the Middle School to talk about the awardwinning greenhouse she helped design for NASA’s Mars missions.

Morgan McGonagle ’14 was part of a Dartmouth team that won the 2019 NASA BIG Idea Challenge.

Her team designed a greenhouse for future colonists on Mars. KDS 8th-graders work on their own Mars projects every spring and were able to ask Morgan questions about designing for life on Mars when she visited campus.

Photo: E. Rudolph

Photo: A. Goldblatt ’19

Before the all-school assembly, classmates and friends gathered on campus to celebrate Class of 1993 graduate Sarah MacDougall Hirshland’s accomplishments. Sarah is in the center in the red blazer.

Head of School Rand Harrington, Betsy Witwer Feiner ’91, Cordy Gould Kelly ’74 and Wid Moore ’64 gathered in Darien for lunch and conversation.

JUNE 2019 – SUN DEVILS IN LA HAPPY HOUR Our final event of the 2018–19 school year was an alumni happy hour in Los Angeles. Thanks to Mandy Raeder ‘11 for organizing the event and to Loni DesJardin, current chair of the Kent Denver English department, for representing the school at the gathering.

ALUMNI WISHLIST In conversations with alumni, including an alumni engagement focus group that met in 2017, we heard three requests consistently for ways to enhance the Sun Devil alumni experience: 1) Alumni want to connect with and learn from other alumni, 2) Alumni want to interact with current students, and 3) Alumni want reasons to come back to campus.

It was our goal this year to plan a robust schedule of programs that would give our alumni community the experiences they’ve asked for, and we’re delighted to hear from so many of you that we accomplished that goal!

For more details about alumni opportunities in 2019-20 visit kentdenver.org/ alumni

We want to keep drawing big crowds to alumni events in 2019–20, starting with Alumni Homecoming Weekend from October 11–13.

Got an idea? We welcome your suggestions for topics you’re interested in or accomplished alumni we should feature at events. Contact Elyse Rudolph, Director of Alumni Relations, by phone at 303-770-7660 ext. 228 or by email at erudolph@ kentdenver.org to share your ideas.

AUGUST 2019

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1969

COUNTDOWN TO

KENT DENVER SCHOOL

ALUMNI WEEKEND & HOMECOMING 2019

Whether you regularly get together with your classmates or you haven’t thought about Kent Denver since you received your diploma, we invite you to be part of the 2019 Alumni Homecoming Weekend.

Photo: E. Rudo

lph

1974

was an incredible experience and forged lifelong friendships.”

Graduates from classes ending in 4 or 9 will celebrate milestone reunions with class parties, but Alumni Homecoming isn’t just for graduates in our milestone classes. We invite EVERY member of the KDS alumni family to join us for Saturday’s events. Many activities will be family-friendly, too!

WHY WE COME BACK 1979

CLASS OF 19 78

Last June, the Kent School for Girls Class of 1968 gathered in Denver to celebrate their 50th reunion. Two classmates who couldn’t attend in person even dialed in by Skype!

Attendees swapped life updates, laughed at old photos in the 1968 yearbook, and reminisced about beloved traditions like the athletic contests between the silvers and blues, the May Day celebration, and the yearly Christmas program.

This desire to connect—even after all this time—is a testament to the bonds formed among Kent Denver students during their time at the school. As Sudie Smartt ’68 recalls, “We were just trying to be the best each of us could be. We were all so different; yet we were very accepting of each other.”

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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE

Sudie’s classmate Crissie Sontag Snow adds, “Going to Kent Denver

Members of the Kent Class of 1968 gathered in 2018 to celebrate their 50th reunion.

WHY WE’RE EXCITED FOR 2019 The Alumni Board spent the summer hard at work on the schedule of activities for Alumni Homecoming Weekend.

Alumni Homecoming Committee chairs share: “We are REALLY excited about combining Alumni Weekend with Homecoming. We have an opportunity to make the weekend an all-out celebration of the entire Kent Denver community, in addition to celebrating class reunions. We will make sure our first annual Alumni Homecoming Weekend is a great one and the start of a new tradition for the Sun Devil community.”

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COUNTDOWN TO HOMECOMING

2009 Photos Courtesy Kent Denver Photo Library

CLASS OF

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1994

JOIN US ON CAMPUS FOR THE FIRST ANNUAL ALUMNI HOMECOMING WEEKEND: OCT. 11–13, 2019!

EVENT PREVIEW We are excited to showcase the campus to the entire alumni community during Alumni Homecoming Weekend. Most activities will take place during the day on Saturday, October 12, with bonus events on Friday, October 11 and Sunday, October 13. Highlights include: • Campus tours • Opportunities to hear from school leadership, current faculty and students about the transforming campus and the future of Kent Denver

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CLASS OF

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• Showcase featuring alumni-authored books, plus artwork from our student archives • Cookout with family-friendly booths, activity tables, and more • Homecoming football game on Saturday, with additional sports teams competing on Friday and Saturday

MILESTONE REUNION PARTIES In addition, alums who graduated in a year ending in 4 or 9 will be invited to special milestone celebrations with their classmates. Class parties will take place on Friday, October 11 and Saturday, October 12. Invitations will be mailed with your class party details, or you can find additional information on the Alumni website: www.kentdenver.org/alumni/alumni-events.

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CLASS CHAIRS: Alumni Reunions 2019

1964 - 55th | Linda Remley 1969 - 50th | Terry Tomsick, Jim Arneill, Dave Wells 1974 - 45th | TBD, Don Delmendo 1979 - 40th | Julie Grow Olson 1984 - 35th | Marc Carmain, David Duncan 1989 - 30th | TBD 1994 - 25th | TBD 1999 - 20th | Erin O’Shaughnessy Powell 2004 - 15th | TBD 2009 - 10th | Grace Duboc 2014 - 5th | Mia Tangel

1989

For a more detailed schedule of events, visit us online at www.kentdenver.org/alumni/alumni-events

AUGUST 2019

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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

From the Head of School ENHANCING KENT DENVER’S LEGACY

Dear Alumni, I recently celebrated my fifth year at Kent Denver School, and I couldn’t be more proud of this amazing learning community.

From our position as Colorado’s No. 1 STEM school to the Speech and Debate team’s latest state titles, three state athletics titles, the April grand opening of the Bruce McGrath Welcome Center and north Upper School Building, and the individual accomplishments of our newest alumni, the Class of 2019, we all have much to celebrate.

I am even more excited about what’s to come as we continue to redefine education for the next century.

In the coming year, we’ll implement curricular enhancements, launch our Institute for Experimental Research, complete several construction projects, and increase investments in people and programs.

The current successes in our Kent Denver community are built upon the strong educational foundation formed by the Kent School for Girls, Denver Country Day, and Kent Denver School communities. In planning our Campus Transformation and recent programmatic changes, we were mindful to retain the fundamentals of what makes a Kent Denver education exceptional.

Our continued success will be fueled by The Next 100 Years Campaign, and it will take the support of the entire Kent Denver family to make that bold vision a reality. I look forward to partnering with you to achieve that goal!

Rand Harrington, Ph.D. Head of School

Tradition continues!

June 4 was a beautiful spring day as hundreds of delighted family, friends, teachers and Trustees gathered in Chenery Theater to welcome our newest alumni, the 119 members of the Class of 2019.

Photo: L. Mortell 8

KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE

ENHANCING KENT DENVER’S LEGACY

So Much to Celebrate

$31 Million Goal

We have already celebrated several milestones in our Campus Transformation, and we’re not done yet!

$26.8 Million Raised

The Next 100 Years Campaign will fuel these changes.

As of June 30, 2019

“In my 30 years of teaching, I’ve never seen a transformation like this.

Learning should be interactive, and my new larger classroom has space for kids to spread out and for me to move around to work with them, either one-on-one or in groups. I love teaching in this space, and kids love learning here.”

—Bruce Collamore, Teacher 7th Grade Math

100,000+

We’re adding square feet of new and renovated space. Classrooms now have more natural light and are twice as large.

Achievements To-Date April 2017

Middle School groundbreaking kicks off three-year campus transformation

August 2017

Rollins Institute for Technology and Design launches

March 2018

New Middle School opens 35,000 square feet of classroom and community space

August 2018

Hunt Family Institute for Entrepreneurial Education launches

January 2019

Visual Arts Building opens 11,000 square feet of studio and gallery space

April 2019

Bruce McGrath Welcome Center & Upper School Building opens 29,000 square feet for learning and gathering

“Kent Denver School offers incomparable opportunities to its students, and it continues to transform for the better. The Next 100 Years Campaign will allow future students to grow and become leaders. We are very grateful.”

—Emma Adelstein, Class of ’19, All-School Co-President

See our Campus Transformation in pictures: www.kentdenver.org/ support/next100 AUGUST 2019

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ENHANCING KENT DENVER’S LEGACY

Still to Come: Fall 2019 This fall, we will invite the entire Kent Denver School family to show their school pride through support of The Next 100 Years Campaign. A combined Homecoming & Reunion Weekend will bring students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff together for a new tradition that promises to be the school’s biggest-ever celebration. With your help, we will complete the new athletic administrative suite and the Scobie Center for Student Life, as well as the Hunt Center and Rollins Center, which will be the new home of our Institutes.

“This new space will make a clear statement about the importance of athletics in our school and in daily life.

Athletes will gather here to meet with coaches, do homework and spend time

Athletic Administrative Suite

Scobie Center for Student Life

Remodeled offices and new gathering and conference space for coaches and athletes

New offices plus meeting spaces for students, families and counseling staff

Hunt Center & Rollins Center 5,200 square feet of renovated space for Kent Denver School Institutes

together. Parents, athletic officials from other schools, prospective student athletes and their families will visit us here and feel the tradition of excellence.”

—Scott Yates, Athletics Director

Still to Come: Spring 2020 Spring will bring the opening of the renovated Upper School Building—the last of our construction projects. And, with the support of the whole Kent Denver community, we will celebrate the conclusion of The Next 100 Years Campaign.

Upper School Renovation Transformation of 25,000 square feet of 1960s-era classroom space

“The Scobie Center for Student Life will be an inviting space for student wellness.

Support, care and consultation for students, parents and faculty will have a home here.”

—Jackie Dauw, School Counselor

People Make It Possible The transformation of Kent Denver School is being fueled by the leadership, passion and generosity of every donor to The Next 100 Years Campaign. We look forward to talking to you about your family’s role in this historic effort.

Thank you!

Ready to learn more?

Contact Tricia Radford Associate Director of Development (303) 770-7660 ext. 252

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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE

The Next 100 Years Campaign: www.kentdenver.org/support/next100

ALUMNI TO ALUMNI

Why I Gave to The Next 100 Years Campaign: ALUMNI TO ALUMNI

BY DENNY COUGHLIN ’93

me to this day.

From my very first day on campus for fall sports, what I discovered was an open and welcoming community with teachers, coaches and classmates who brought out the best in me. I experienced the academic structure and found support from the entire Kent Denver community that allowed me to thrive in high school, college and beyond. I was given the encouragement to find my voice and ample opportunities to use it. I found friends and mentors who gave me confidence in my ability and inspire

3 Kent Yearbook

Before I arrived at Kent Denver in ninth grade, I was—at best—an apprehensive Sun Devil.

Many of my friends from West Middle School were moving on to public high schools, and I honestly did not know what would await me at 4000 E. Quincy Ave.

Getting to know today’s Kent Denver through the Alumni Board has shown me that current students are sharing in the same essential experiences and community that I treasured so deeply. I have also seen that the school is committed to continually innovating, evolving and improving to meet the needs of students in a changing world.

Photo Courtesy 199

Photo: L. Mortell

My Kent Denver experience formed an unshakable foundation that has impacted my life in ways I am still realizing, and for that, I will always be grateful.

Now more than ever, I understand that during Kent Denver’s long history, there have been many key turning points at which the generosity and investments of our community created the institution that brought each of us such amazing benefits. The Next 100 Years Campaign represents one of these key moments as it powers the most significant transformations to our campus and programs since the move to Blackmer Farm in the 1960s.

for generations to come—I was excited give back. And I hope that all alumni will join me in making an unprecedented investment in Kent Denver’s campus, programs and people. Our support will ensure that Kent Denver’s future is bright as we approach our 100th year.

In October, alumni will be welcomed back to campus for a new and improved Alumni Weekend and Homecoming. You will see a thriving school that, thanks to The Next 100 Years Campaign, is evolving in extraordinary ways. And you will also see that what truly sets Kent Denver apart—our welcoming community, extraordinary teachers, impressive students, time-tested traditions and beautiful campus—is just as strong now as it was when we attended.

I look forward to seeing you on campus this fall and sharing more about this historic campaign in the near future!

To learn more about The Next 100 Years Campaign, visit www.kentdenver.org/ next100 or contact Tricia Radford at (303) 770-7660 x252.

There has never been a better time for alumni to rally around Kent Denver. When given an opportunity to make a gift to The Next 100 Years Campaign—which will extend the benefits of Kent Denver

AUGUST 2019

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Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Denver, CO Permit No. 152

KENT DENVER SCHOOL

PERSPECTIVE 4000 East Quincy Avenue • Englewood, CO 80113-4916 Change Service Requested

Kent Denver Alumni: Keep In Touch Don’t miss out on updates about Alumni Homecoming Week and all the events we have in the works in 2019–2020! To get the latest news from campus and receive invitations to alumni-only events:

Keep your contact information updated!

You can submit updates online at www.kentdenver.org/alumni, then select Connect.

Or email Elyse Rudolph, Director of Alumni Relations, at erudolph@kentdenver.org with your preferred email, phone and mailing information.

Read the monthly Alumni Connection e-newsletter.

Event invitations, job opportunities and campus news are usually shared here first.

Like the Kent Denver Alumni Association on Facebook.

Follow Kent Denver on Instagram and Twitter.

Get daily updates on athletics, school news and alumni events.

/kentdenveralumni

@kentdenverschool

Thank you for being part of the Kent Denver legacy!

We hope to see you at an alumni event soon.

@KDSsundevil