2016 Landon Spring Magazine

L A NDON SP RIN G 2016

THE MUSIC OF MOTIVATION Kai Kight ’10 inspires with a unique blend of original music and personal storytelling

The Fight to Save Forests 24

I Alumni News 28 I The Science Behind the Criminal Mind 34

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What’s Inside Our Mission

Landon School prepares talented boys for productive lives as accomplished, responsible and caring men whose actions are guided by the principles of perseverance, teamwork, honor and fair play.

24 On Our Cover Kai Kight ’10, photographed for our cover during a visit to Landon in October, treated students and faculty to one of his signature performances, which combines original violin music with inspirational speech. For more, read the story on page 18.

Cover photo: Edgar Artiga

Features

18 | The Music of Motivation

Landon School Board of Trustees

Kai Kight ’10 inspires athletes, artists, professionals and students with a unique blend of original music and personal storytelling.

Chairman: Joseph A Kenary Jr. ’82 Vice Chairman: H. Keith Powell President: Jim Neill Secretary: Michelle L. Freeman Treasurer: Dale B. Wolf

24 | Into the Woods

MacArthur Award-winning conservationist Michael Jenkins ’74 and his nonprofit organization Forest Trends fight to save the world from deforestation.

Trustees Emeriti:

Peter J. FitzGerald ’50 Knight Kiplinger ’65 Lawrence Lamade ’65 Samuel M. Lehrman H ’09 Russell “Rusty” C. Lindner ’72

28 | A Better Connection Alumni Board aims to strengthen alumni's ties with each other and the school using results from last spring's survey.

Trustees:

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Anderson J. Arnold ’78 Michael S. Banks ’92 Michael I. Connolly ’75 Matthew A. Coursen ’99 Francis “Mike” O. Day ’94 William C. Eacho III ’72 Robert H. Edwards Jr. Peter Jerry “Chip” FitzGerald Jr. ’83 Scott S. Harris ’84 Kenneth W. Jenkins ’78 Aranthan “Steve” Jones II Douglas C. Kiker ’93 Rev. Steve Klingelhofer ’60 Douglas H. Lagarde Steven C. Mayer Amy R. Mehlman John P. Oswald Tushar Patel ’81 N. David Povich ’54 Katheryn P. Wellington Martin J. Weinstein

Landon Magazine Headmaster Jim Neill

18 Departments 3 School News 11 Arts 14 Athletics 30 Alumni News SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

Editor Meredith Josef

Assistant Editors Tom DiChiara Dartha Dragnich Daphne Kiplinger

Contributing Writers Tom DiChiara Derrick Chengery Designer Hillary Reilly

Photography Edgar Artiga Tom DiChiara Derrick Chengery GoLandon.com Laura John Kai Kight Productions Daphne Kiplinger Wendy Steck Merriman Brad Rose

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HEADMASTER'S LETTER

My Year of Listening and Learning

Dear Landon Community,

W

hen I wrote to you in the fall, I shared that

my goals for this year

were to listen and learn about Landon’s

rich history, the culture that defines it, its

people and their stories, its challenges and its

limitations, its potential and its opportunities.

titles were won — with the boys working with and for one another,

together as brothers, and respecting their opponents in the process. Our Lower School's recent and amazingly creative presentation of The Lion King Jr. highlighted the multidimensional talents of our boys and gave

up nothing in artistic creativity to the famous Disney film. Through the Mini-Mester program, Middle School boys fanned out across the D.C. area for a rich array of experiential learning opportunities, representing the Landon name with pride and dignity as they did so.

I can testify that there is a palpable and positive energy at Landon

I have spent much of this year doing just that, and several themes

right now, that it is filled with a sense of opportunity and purpose as

and authentically focused on an emphasis on ethics, character, and honor.

look like, and what initiatives those years will include. All of this will

have struck me as prominent. First, Landon is a place uniquely driven by It is a place where the kind of men the boys become is paramount, where all the students are asked to commit themselves to the important ideals of regular hard work (we call it perseverance), collaboration (we call it

teamwork), and integrity and respect (we call it fair play), and then asked to spend their days striving towards these values. It is a place where our

we begin to think about, identify, and name what the coming years will be crucial work as we enter the beginning stages of a strategic planning

process, about which I will write the community with more information in coming months, the product of which will be the roadmap for that next chapter in our school’s history.

In closing, I encourage each of you to stay connected to the place and

dedicated faculty are engaged as teachers, mentors, and coaches — both

to one another, to share with us your good news and visit campus when

the day are seen by these dedicated professionals as teaching moments

planning process when the time comes. We will continue to make good

in the classroom and outside of it. It is a place where all moments in

and where every part of the robust and balanced program is seen as an arena for teaching life lessons. It is a place where the boys, with the

encouragement and guidance of these same educators, pursue balanced

you can, and, indeed, to share your voice and engage in the strategic on the commitment articulated in our school song: “Each loyal son

pledges her his heart and hand. Landon united we as brothers stand.”

I hope you enjoy the glimpse into Landon that this magazine affords,

excellence as students; as athletes; as artists, actors and musicians; as

and I wish the entire community a happy spring.

about others. It is a place fully and genuinely dedicated to developing,

Sincerely,

active members of their community, and as leaders who are taught to care as our mission states, “responsible and caring men” who are intent on

making a positive impact in their local communities, as well as in the global community in the years and decades to come.

To be sure, Landon is a busy place, a place where good and important

work is happening on a daily basis. Examples of this abound. On a cold January day, members of the Landon community packed thousands of

Jim Neill

Headmaster

meals for the non-profit Stop Hunger Now, which seeks to feed needy

children in schools and orphanages in Haiti. I watched our accomplished varsity hockey team celebrate an 11th straight IAC championship and a second straight Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League state championship, accomplishments that made me especially proud because of how these

2

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

Lower Schoolers Win State at Robotics Competition

T

his December, while a robot named BB-8 won over audiences across the galaxy in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Lower

School boys programmed two other robots, Dash and Dot, to

compete against 1,150 teams from across the country in the first-ever Wonder League Robotics Competition — and the force was strong

with the team of fifth graders Connor, Matthew, Gabe, Michael, Teo and Seth. These boys, one of six Landon teams to compete, finished first in Maryland and 16th in the nation.

To do so, they worked together for two months to use the “Wonder”

iPad application to write code and program their robots to complete a six-mission, space-exploration-themed quest that, as the Wonder

League blog states, required them to “design solutions to real-world science and technology challenges.”

According to Lower School academic technologist Michael Fisher,

who acted as the boys’ advisor, Dash and Dot robots were the perfect

way to give his students hands-on robotics and computer coding expe-

LOWDOWN Blasey ’16 Named ‘Extraordinary Teen’

N

ick Blasey ’16 is a winner in

valuable lessons they can apply to life in general.

“In our technology-driven world, it is more important than ever to

introduce boys to these concepts early on,” Fisher said. “Coding isn’t easy — it takes grit and determination to do this. And these team competitions show the boys that if one person doesn’t understand

something, the value of the group is that they can ask another member

Bethesda Magazine’s seventh

and understand that they are in this together and that more than one

annual “Extraordinary Teen

mind working together is better than just one.”

Awards.” From a pool of more than 100

“We learned to really work together because there were some chal-

nominees, Blasey earned a spot among

lenges where you didn’t quite get it, so you passed it on to the next

12 Montgomery County teenagers

person to correct it,” Connor said.

highlighted in the publication’s March/

April issue because they shine inside and outside the classroom.

The Dartmouth College-bound senior

is winner of the 2015 Johns Hopkins Book Award (given annually to one junior who exhibits scholarly promise and strength of character) and a

talented rugby player and downhill ski racer. But, according to Associate Headmaster John Botti, what makes Blasey truly extraordinary is his

empathy for others. “[Nick’s] kindness, humanity and passion are not for

artifice; they are essential parts of who he is,” Botti told Bethesda Magazine.

These qualities find an outlet in Blasey’s work with the website

SPINALpedia.com, which provides a mentor support network and how-

to videos for people with spinal-cord-related paralysis. Nick got involved with SPINALpedia after his cousin was paralyzed in an auto accident in

2010. As the website’s director of community outreach, Blasey spends his weekends speaking at conferences, adaptive sports events, and support groups for people who have been injured.

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

rience at a crucial time in their educational lives — and to teach them

3

Matthew said this was the case during the competition’s difficult

Mission 6. “We had to program the robot to collect cups from around the room, so it was very hard to get the right coordinates,” he said.

Gabe added: “We had to work together to get it right.”

LANDON LOWDOWN

AP Chemistry Students Score Top National Marks

W

hen Science

their 100 percent pass rate well

Chair Sacha

52 percent.

Department

Place received the results of

outpaced the nationwide mark of “I have been teaching AP

the 2015 Advanced Placement

Chemistry for more than a

approach the boys took to

great enthusiasm for science and

ecstatic: The 16 students in her

always been very proud of all that

the things this group of students

challenging moments the most

(AP) Chemistry exams, she was class had all passed the test,

which determines college course credit. Even better, their average score of 4.65 (out of a potential

5) was significantly ahead of the national average of 2.62, and

decade now, and while I have

my students learned, I was simply blown away by how well the

2014–15 AP Chemistry students did on their exams,” Place said.

Just as impressive, according

to Place, was the collaborative

Love at Landon

I

n February 2015, at a dinner to

celebrate his birthday, Middle School

chemistry in the end; it’s about

collaborating on problem sets

knowing that anything can be

and in the laboratory,” she said.

learned.”

“As a group, they demonstrated a

her spouse: “There is so much about work that I wouldn’t be able to explain to most people — a lesson not

Bill & Jennifer Reed

turning out the way I had hoped or what to do with an advisee in a certain situation — and Christian just understands.”

“It’s nice to have someone who’s not only in your field

things for my birthday, but there’s only

but also knows the same people and same kids,” added

one thing I want.” He proceeded to get

Tara Northcott, who has a son Brendan and another baby

down on one knee and propose... to Middle

on the way with husband Blair. “And it’s nice to

School Chinese teacher Elizabeth Tredeau.

every once in a while have lunch together.”

When the two were married in November 2015,

Indeed, working together provides

Christian & Elizabeth Sears

Head of Upper School Hans Farnstrom and Upper

the benefit of added face time with one’s significant other. “If I have

free time, I like to drop by Mirian’s

School English teacher Lora Farnstrom, Director

class, and she does the same with my

of Athletics David Holm and Lower School librarian

classes,” Norman said. “The boys seem

Evelyn Holm, Middle School Spanish teacher Jeremy

to get a kick out of watching us speak

Norman ’92 and Lower School Spanish teacher Mirian

Spanish and interact with each other.”

de Ossorno, Upper School science teacher Blair Northcott and

Jennifer Reed — whose son Willis ’23 is

Upper School academic technologist Tara Northcott, and History

Middle School math teacher Jamie Matthews and Upper School English

it’s not so much about learning

worked together constantly,

“I’m sure you got me a lot of great

Department Chair Bill Reed and School Store manager Jennifer Reed.

discouraged by failure... After all,

science to each other. They

Sears ’01 told his then-girlfriend,

works at Landon. The list also includes Assistant

rewarding. They simply weren’t

did very well was explaining

earth science teacher Christian

they became the sixth married couple that currently

often seemed to find the most

preparing for the exam. “One of

a fifth grader and whose daughter attends Holton

— joined the Landon staff last year and saw instant

advantages to being the spouse of the History Department

teacher Emily Piacenza are engaged to be married this September.

chair and head varsity soccer and baseball coach. “The boys love that

believes there is a good reason he met his match inside the White

he thinks I’m doing a great job, so he’s a nice cheerleader for me.”

That may sound like a lot of couples for one school, but Sears

Rocks. “One of the nice things Elizabeth and I have in common is how

I’m married to Bill,” she said. “[And Bill] thinks the store is great, and According to the teachers, another advantage to being a couple at

much we like working with the boys,” he said. “It really is a focal point

Landon is how supportive the boys and their parents are. “Some of

members of the community.”

getting married,” Piacenza said. “Two students have volunteered to be

of our lives, making sure that the boys are developing into good, solid Tredeau (now Sears) sees another big benefit to working alongside

4

the students are more excited than our friends that Jamie and I are our best man.”

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

Simms ’16 Earns Scholarship to Football Powerhouse Oregon

K

eith Simms ’16 has earned

a diverse

University of Oregon, where

coaches

a full scholarship to the

he will play Division I football

this fall (see sidebar for a list of 16 seniors playing college sports).

Simms — a linebacker who had

more than 40 scholarship offers

from colleges including Stanford, the University of Maryland, and

Virginia Tech — says his Landon

person. My emphasized that there are a lot

of things in your life other than

sports, and that’s something I’m going to carry on in my life no

matter which level I’m playing at.”

Simms’ father Patrick said this

teacher-coach-mentors helped

was a big reason Keith transferred

maximizing his potential in the

a sophomore. “Landon was the

pave the path to Oregon by

classroom and on the gridiron.

Coach Padalino has always kept me grounded and kept me focused, and he’s always believed in me.

– Keith Simms ’16 “[Head] Coach [Paul]

Padalino and assistant coaches [Rob] Bordley ’66, [Charles]

Harley, [Conor] Cassidy ’06 and

[David] Holm have all had a huge impact in my life,” Simms said.

to Landon from St. Albans as best academic and athletic fit for Keith,” Patrick said. “It’s

not so much the football or the scholarships — I have been a

really proud parent watching him

coaches’ focus on balance. “Coach Padalino has always kept me

a lacerated liver cut short Simms’ senior football season.

“It was tough to be on the

sidelines at first,” Keith said, “but I feel like it made me a better teammate and a better leader

because it showed me what it

takes to inspire a team even when you’re not on the field.”

“What I saw come out in

for his peers emotionally when

said. “That transition said more about him as a person and his

experience at Landon than just his

performance on the athletic field.”

“The measure of who we are

grounded and kept me focused,

is how we deal with adversity,”

Simms said. “Going to Landon,

responded to losing his senior year

and he’s always believed in me,” you become a diverse student,

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

WATER POLO Isher Gill George Washington University Rahul Gill Connecticut College

That growth was evident when

he couldn’t physically,” Padalino

Simms is also thankful for his

LACROSSE Griffin Brown Colgate University Justin Conner Cleveland State University

SOCCER Charles Branche III Ohio Wesleyan University A.J. Miele Dickinson College

the happiness in him.”

concepts my coaches instilled in way.”

FOOTBALL Mark Ebo College of the Holy Cross Joseph Gagnon Washington and Lee University Keith Simms University of Oregon Jacob Wright Ohio Wesleyan University

Drennan Green United States Military Academy Eriksen Johansen Denison University Tyler McTague Ohio Wesleyan University Brian Menendez Salisbury University

three years at Landon, just seeing

Keith was this ability to be there

me are going to carry me a long

BASEBALL Matthew Brady Carleton College Patrick Lightner Marist College

grow as a young man over the last

“I still have a lot of improvement

left, but some of the skill sets and

CLASS OF 2016 COLLEGE ATHLETES

Bordley added. “The way Keith

is a wonderful testament to him.”

5

LANDON LOWDOWN

Landon... In Your Words

The Bear Blog on our website gives alumni, students, teacher-coach-mentors and parents a platform to share their perspectives on Landon. The following are excerpts from three recent posts. To read the full posts, as well as many more from members of the community, please visit landon.net/bearblog.

ETHAN FREED ’11 SHOWED WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BEAR The following blog is an excerpt from the ethics speech that Spanish teacher Jeremy Norman ’92 delivered to Middle School students and faculty in September. In it, Norman spoke about how Ethan Freed ’11, who passed away in 2006, embodied what it truly means

S

to be a Landon Bear.

ometimes teachers and coaches can inspire their students and their athletes in myriad ways — passion for acting, art, math, language, music, community service, wrestling,

water polo, and so on and so on. I see it [at Landon] every day, and it is what makes this place special.

The relationships, the development and the lessons.

What you boys may not realize is that often

you equally inspire your teachers, your coaches,

and the members of the Landon community. You inspire your peers, both young and old, with your

Ethan ‘made it cool to be kind.’

– Jeremy Norman ’92, Spanish Teacher

himself. He was always fair. Ethan had a magnetic personality.

Always with a smile and a friendly hello. He was a natural leader,

intellect, your thoughtfulness, your altruism, your athletic

and his positive attitude would rub off on his classmates and peers.

persevere.

School... Former Middle School head Doug Norry used to speak

prowess and your artistic talent. You boys succeed, you fail and you Ethan Freed was a young man who routinely inspired his peers,

his teachers, his coaches, and all of those who were fortunate to have known him. He did so by his daily approach to his academic and

He had groups of friends, but he rose above the cliques of the Middle about Ethan’s positive impact on the Middle School, and of how Ethan “made it cool to be kind.”

I want to stress that it was not easy for Ethan to always be caring

athletic challenges, but even more importantly by how he treated

and considerate, to work to the fullest of his potential, to practice his

loved his parents, Jeffrey and Susan. He loved his brothers — Adam,

purpose. It was not easy for him to treat all of those around him with

everyone with respect, attention and care. Ethan Freed loved life. He who graduated from Landon in 2013, and Alex, who is currently a

Form IV student and is the varsity soccer goalkeeper. Ethan loved his friends and he supported all of his classmates. He exuded a positive

attitude, and it was infectious. He always demonstrated the courage to rise to challenges again and again. He had the courage to always give his best effort.

For Ethan, giving his best extended well beyond the classrooms and

athletics fields. Ethan Freed gave his attention. He gave advice. He

offered friendship, a smile and a shoulder to lean on. He recognized his weaknesses, he heeded advice, and he always strived to do better. He was always kind to all. He was respectful of his peers, his school and

6

hardest, and to turn his weaknesses into strengths. He did so with

respect. It was intentional. It was not easy for Ethan Freed to be a great listener, and to always be inclusive of everyone, yet he did so day in and day out. He did so with humility and a smile.

Ethan Freed made a point out of living his life as he did, and that is

why I am making a point of sharing some of his story and legacy with you today. I am making the point of sharing the example that he set...

with the hope that you can, in your own way, make his example a point in your own life... with your family, friends, peers, and everyone in this

community. If you have the courage to follow Ethan’s example, you too can accomplish great things, and you can make yourself, Landon and the world a better place.

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

HOW LANDON LED ME TO A LIFE OF SERVICE

LANDON’S EMPHASIS ON BALANCE HAS SERVED ME WELL Jack Strabo ’10 wrote this post. At Landon, Jack was the Class of 2010

David Poms ’06 wrote this blog

valedictorian and captain of the lacrosse and cross country teams. He

post. A 10-year Bear, David

was also captain of the Princeton University lacrosse team and is now an

parlayed his passion for community

investment banker in New York City.

M

service at Landon into a college scholarship and now a career with the Capital Area Food Bank.

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That is something that is very unique to Landon and that, moving on to

from Landon, matching

college and now to the real world, I have carried with me and found to

the number of years I spent as a

be extremely important and helpful.

student at 6101 Wilson Lane — and

The Landon education and work ethic prepared me well for college.

the values and education I received

Going to Princeton, I felt that I was considerably better prepared than

at the school continue to influence

my classmates from other high schools... That stress on hard work is

my life.

something that has also served me well working as an investment banker

At Landon, thanks to so many

in New York City for Morgan Stanley’s power and utilities group.

wonderful teachers, I received a nation’s capital and suburbs...

More than 540,000 people — 12

nurtured my desire to serve our

percent of the region’s population

Washington, D.C., area community

— receive food from us through

and prepared me for a lifetime of

our network of 469 partners. We

service. I learned that as young men

deliver meals to 9,000+ seniors

of character and integrity, it is our

monthly, provide 3,000+ warm

responsibility to be caring leaders

evening meals to children, and

who lead by example, and I live that

serve 7,000+ families with fresh

out every day as the director of

fruits and vegetables at school-

education at the Capital Area Food

based markets.

Bank in Washington, D.C. Through time spent

My teachers, coaches and advisors at Landon were amazing and really

helped to drive home the lesson that hard work pays off in everything

you do... My cross country coach Addison Hunt (pictured below left) and lacrosse coach Rob Bordley ingrained in me the importance of always trying your hardest for the benefit of the team...

My hope is that Landon students appreciate their time at the school,

appreciate the experience, and appreciate all the friends and all the

teachers. This is an experience that not everyone gets to have. And I

think that you don’t realize how special it is until you have left. It’s like Steve Jobs said: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.”

Because Landon is where I learned that it is important to lead

volunteering and learning at

by example, I encourage members

Landon, I qualified for the

of the community to support the

Bonner Scholarship at Davidson

Capital Area Food Bank by joining

College. This service-based

the movement.

college scholarship program

how important it is to do well not just in academics but in

the classroom, on the sports field, in the arts, and in your personal life.

year since I graduated

and leadership opportunities that

biggest thing I took away from my time at the school was

all aspects of your life — to be a well-rounded person who excels in

ext year will mark the 10th

high-quality liberal arts education

y Landon experience was amazing in so many ways, but the

As I reach the Class of 2006’s

recognized and nurtured the ethic

10-year mark next year and look

of leadership and service I built at

forward to the next 10 years, I

Landon. After college, I returned

anticipate continuing to serve and

to the D.C. area to work for an

improve the lives of our neighbors

AmeriCorps program in D.C. Public

on the strength of my experience at

Schools before coming to the

Landon and beyond.

“The biggest thing I took away from my time at the school was how important it is to do well not just in academics but in all aspects of your life.” – Jack Strabo ’10

Capital Area Food Bank, where we are working to end hunger in our

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

7

LANDON LOWDOWN

Jack Duquette: Teacher, Coach, Mentor... Painter

U

pper School English teacher Matt Dougherty is also a professional actor who last fall earned rave reviews for his performance in The Cripple of

Inishmaan, staged at the ATLAS Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C. Dougherty’s own acting career isn’t the only one he’s launched. While teaching at Delbarton School in New Jersey, Dougherty gave an aspiring thespian there named Peter Dinklage his first leading role in the play Sharon’s Grave. In a 2003 profile in The New York Times, Dinklage — now a twotime Emmy winner for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister on HBO’s Game of Thrones — said it was Dougherty who made him truly believe he could be an actor.

Dougherty continues to encourage young actors at Landon, where he is the advisor to the improv troupe and Directors Workshop. In a blog post for the Landon website, Dougherty explained why he believes theater is important: “To be in something that connects a human condition to another human is another way of saying that we’re all in this together,” he wrote.

L

I

n his four decades at Landon School, Jack Duquette has

inspired students as a science

teacher, an advisor, and a

championship-winning golf, track, football and wrestling coach.

Duquette has also been inspired —

by talented colleague Walt Bartman, the school’s Visual Arts Department chair. Bartman has helped Duquette develop a talent for painting that

resulted in Duquette’s first solo art show, which displayed in Landow Gallery this fall.

Duquette dabbled in painting in high school, but it wasn’t until

Bartman invited him to one of his art classes seven years ago that

Duquette rediscovered a long-dormant passion and aptitude for the medium. He began painting regularly, and he hasn’t stopped.

“Walt is the man, and I’d be lost without him,” Duquette said. “He

shows me different techniques. I bring him my work for criticism, and

he tells me how to make it better. He has really helped my development ower School academic technologist Michael Fisher owns a therapy dog named Coco, who is trained to provide comfort and affection to people

suffering from stress, trauma or loneliness in hospitals, schools, homes for the

as I grew as a painter.”

“I love it when Jack runs upstairs and brings a painting and wants to

share it,” Bartman said. “I’m excited about his work. His use of color is amazing, especially the way he paints water and uses complementary

elderly, and other venues.

Fisher had Coco certified as a Pets on Wheels therapy dog in 2010. Since then, Coco has lifted spirits with visits to an elderly care home; to a men’s shelter; and, in the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, to Sandy Hook and nearby schools.

According to Fisher, that last experience was particularly powerful. “There was a teacher at the high school who was in tears

and contrasting colors to capture the light. The evidence of his talent and his hard work is in the paintings. I think sometimes as much as Jack thinks I might be inspiring him, he’s inspiring me.”

Indeed, the two men agree that it is not uncommon for Landon’s

teacher-coach-mentor philosophy to bleed over into faculty members’ relationships. “We learn a lot from each other,” Bartman said. “I think painting has helped to bring Jack and me together as colleagues and friends outside the classroom.”

and said that out of everything it was the dogs that brought the most healing to the students,” Fisher recalled. “He said that having all these dogs around was a great way to get the kids back in the school and to feel safe.”

Fisher has also brought Coco to Landon to visit with his students in a nontherapeutic capacity. Fisher marvels at her effect on his students. “It’s amazing how many boys who have been afraid of dogs have been able to totally change around and now ask when Coco is coming,” Fisher said. “It’s a very powerful experience for the kids and the dog.”

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LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

13 Students Win Scholastic Art Awards

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hirteen Bears from the Middle and Upper Schools earned

honors for their paintings, drawings and photographs at the

2016 regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, which draws

his rendering of birds in flight; Joseph Koegel ’19 for his vibrant moose portrait; and Middle School artist Alex Kapelina ’20 for the wooly mammoth painting All of My Friends Are Gone (see back cover).

Matthew Lowrie ’18 and West Shaw ’18 showcased their talent

some 300,000 submissions annually.

behind the lens of a camera. Lowrie received honorable mention for his

for the national competition by winning Gold Keys, the highest

mention for his sleek snapshot of a car.

Middle schoolers Landon Sells ’21 and Coby Shrensky ’21 qualified

regional award, for their abstract paintings. Franco

striking photograph of New York City, while Shaw earned honorable In the drawing category, two middle schoolers

Abdala-Arata ’16 scored a Silver Key, the second

scored honorable mention: Michael Gilbert ’20 for

Francis, and fellow Upper School student Will Jarrett

’21 for his eye-catching rendering of a compass.

highest regional award, for his portrait of Pope

the subtly shaded Cleansing Clarity and Jordan Rose

’19 also earned a Silver Key for When a Hipster Dies.

Past winners of the Scholastic Art & Writing

Several other Bears received honorable mention

Awards include painter Andy Warhol, photographer

for their prowess with a paintbrush: Sky Cui ’18 and

Richard Avedon, author Stephen King and

Andrew Engel ’18 for their still-life paintings; Luke

filmmaker Lena Dunham.

Glenn ’16, also a Scholastic Art honoree last year, for

Franco Abdala-Arata ’16

Matthew Lowrie ’18 Jordan Rose ’21

Coby Shrensky ’21

Landon Sells ’21 Joseph Koegel ’19

Michael Gilbert ’20

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

Will Jarrett ’19

West Shaw ’18

9

LANDON LOWDOWN

Michael Soraci ’16 Named IAC Hockey Player of the Year

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kill, leadership and sports-

five goals from their captain.

three qualities Interstate

but he does more than lead by

manship. These are the

Athletic Conference (IAC) var-

sity ice hockey coaches took into

consideration as they selected the first-ever IAC Hockey Player of

the Year at their 2015–16 season-

“Michael is soft-spoken,

example,” Head Coach Hans Farnstrom said. “The other guys [on the team] look up to him.”

According to Farnstrom,

end meeting. Every coach agreed

what truly wowed both Landon

the award: Landon senior captain

not just Soraci’s leadership and

that there was a clear choice for Michael Soraci ’16.

On the ice, Soraci contributed

31 goals and had 21 assists to

coaches and rival coaches was

prowess on the ice, but also his genuine sportsmanship.

lead the 21–3 Bears to their 11th

Player of the Year, we got to

and second straight Mid-Atlantic

assistant coach, and he said,

consecutive IAC championship

Prep Hockey League (MAPHL) title (for more on their season,

see p. 16). Perhaps Soraci’s most

impressive performance came in the first round of the MAPHL

tournament against Archbishop Spaulding, when the Bears

prevailed 7–4 on the strength of

Michael is soft-spoken, but he does more than lead by example.

“When we were discussing

the St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes ‘Soraci, hands down. When we lost to Landon 3–2, Michael found us and told us that we

played with so much heart — it

– Head Coach Hans Farnstrom

was completely complimentary

is not just a kid that the three

and the stuff he does on the ice,

all the other coaches agreed,”

he is someone who represents

the ice. He’s just a classy, classy

and unsolicited.’ After that...

Farnstrom recalled. “Michael

ART & MUSIC CAMPS

Landon coaches love as a leader; the league well with his ability

ACADEMIC CLASSES

2016

JUNE 13–AUGUST 26

LANDONSUMMER.COM 10

as well as all the stuff he does off human being.”

DAY CAMPS

BOYS & GIRLS, AGE S 3 ½ – 17

SPORTS CAMPS

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

Performing Arts Bear Talent Roars to Life on the Stage and In the Studio

T

his fall and winter, Bears won awards

for their dynamic art,

entertained audiences with

PETER PAN JR.

ARTS

theatrical performances, and

earned ovations for their musical prowess. Middle School actors

to Neverland with Disney’s Peter Pan Jr. Upper School thespians

collaborated with their HoltonArms peers for a powerful

production of Aaron Sorkin’s

military courtroom drama A Few Good Men, and also directed and staged a series of short plays for

the annual Director’s Workshop.

And Lower School entertainers

felt the love when they performed the musical Disney’s The Lion

King Jr. in Coates Auditorium.

Middle schoolers perform at MAD Day

A FEW GOOD MEN

took audiences on a musical trip

Chamber Singers perform at Washington National Cathedral

Musicians from all three

divisions and numerous disciplines — including handbells, band,

strings and chorus — showcased their talents at school assemblies

throughout the year, as well as at a series of concerts in the Mondzac Performing Arts Center this winter. Michael Berkowitz ’18 was one of just 200 students from the state chosen to perform in the Maryland Senior All-State Mixed Chorus. The Lower School

Chorus sang at National Cathedral, and Upper School musicians traveled to New York to compete, as well as to perform at a New Jersey Devils hockey game.

On the coming pages, there is a sampling of works from our

talented studio artists. For example, 22 Lower School artists

displayed their work at Baltimore’s Walters Art Museum as part of

an Association of Independent Maryland and D.C. Schools exhibit.

Thirteen Middle and Upper School artists received honors for their paintings, photographs and drawings in the prestigious Scholastic

Art & Writing Awards, and five more had their work juried into the Congressional Art Exhibition.

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

THE LION KING JR. 11

ARTS

Visual Arts Gallery

Graham Hertzberg ’21

Nic Lebron ’23

Lochlan Matheson ’23 Will Nussbaum ’20

12

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

Luke Glenn ’16

Brett Gallagher ’18

Adam Hsu ’20

Jack Bradley ’20

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

13

ATHLETICS

Fall Sports 17 BEARS EARN FALL SPORTS HONORS

T

his fall, 17 Landon student-athletes in four sports earned

individual accolades, including 10 All-IAC (Interstate Athletic Conference) honorees and two Academic All-Americans.

CROSS COUNTRY HIGHLIGHTS Captain Ben Gilbert ’16 and IAC individual runner-up Wesley Feldman ’17 led the Bears to second place at the IAC Championships. The runners also finished second in the Montgomery County Private School Championships. In addition, Gilbert became the first-ever male runner to earn All-Montgomery County Private School (All-MoCo) accolades four years in a row. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Jack Chlopak ’17: All-MoCo; Wesley Feldman ’17: All-IAC, All-MoCo; Ben Gilbert ’16: All-IAC, All-MoCo, Captain; Kevin Tsai ’18: All-MoCo FOOTBALL HIGHLIGHTS Five seniors and one sophomore notched spots on football’s All-IAC roster in a hard-fought season that saw the 4–6 Bears defeat Walt Whitman and Bethesda-Chevy Chase. They closed out their 2015 campaign with a decisive 42–14 victory over St. Albans.

INDIVIDUAL HONORS Griffin Brown ’16: All-IAC; Mark Ebo ’16: AllIAC; Steven Gee ’16: All-IAC; Josh Hunter ’16: Co-Captain; Keith Simms ’16: Co-Captain; John Slowinski ’16: All-IAC; Brian Menendez ’16: AllIAC; Joey Epstein ’18: All-IAC SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS All but two games were decided by one goal this season. Led by A.J. Miele ’16 and Zach Johnson ’18, the 4–7–3 team won regular-season victories over IAC rivals Georgetown Prep, Episcopal and St. Albans, with the latter two coming in dramatic fashion in overtime on what Coach Bill Reed termed “golden goals.” INDIVIDUAL HONORS Charles Branche III ’16: Captain; Zach Johnson ’18: All-IAC; A.J. Miele ’16: AllMet honorable mention, All-IAC WATER POLO HIGHLIGHTS With 14 seniors among the 20 players on the roster, water polo scored second place in the D.C.-area Metro Championships and secured sixth-place finishes in the Eastern Prep Championships and Beast of the East Tournament. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Hayden Fralin ’16: All-Beast of the East; Isher Gill ’16: All-Metro, Co-Captain; Rahul Gill ’16: All-Metro, Co-Captain; Clayton Henschel ’16: USA Water Polo Academic All-American, All-Metro, AllEastern Prep; Harry King ’16: Co-Captain; Noah Thomas ’16: USA Water Polo Academic All-American

14

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

15

ATHLETICS

Winter Sports ICE HOCKEY’S 2ND STRAIGHT STATE TITLE CAPS WINTER SPORTS SEASON

T

his winter, ice hockey won its second straight Mid-Atlantic

Prep Hockey League (MAPHL) state title (their fourth in six years), and two wrestlers earned trips to Nationals.

BASKETBALL HIGHLIGHTS The 7–16 basketball squad finished second in the Yellow Jacket Christmas Classic, a tournament that pitted the Bears against tough competition from North Carolina public schools, and notched regular-season victories over Sidwell Friends, Georgetown Day and The Heights. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Mark Ebo ’16: Co-Captain; Donnell Frayer ’16: Co-Captain; Grant Hani ’16: Co-Captain ICE HOCKEY HIGHLIGHTS The 21–3 Bears earned their 11th straight IAC championship and second consecutive MAPHL state title. They cinched the MAPHL championship with a decisive 8–1 victory over Gonzaga on the strength of cohesive team play, a hat trick by sophomore Patrick Giles, and a 30-save performance from senior goalie Jack Concannon. In addition, captain Michael Soraci ’16 earned the inaugural IAC Player of the Year award (for more on this, see story p. 10). INDIVIDUAL HONORS Ben Gilbert ’16: Assistant Captain; Patrick Giles ’17: All-Met second team, All-IAC, All-MAPHL first team; Drennan Greene ’16: All-Met honorable mention; Brian Jordan ’16: All-Met first team, All-IAC, Assistant Captain; Michael Soraci ’16: All-Met first team, IAC Player of the Year, All-MAPHL first team, Captain INDOOR TRACK & FIELD HIGHLIGHTS Wes Feldman ’17 ran the second fastest indoor 1,600 meters ever by a Bear. Ari Chadda ’18 landed at No. 2 all-time in the 3,200 meters, No. 3 in the 1,000 meters, and No. 5 in the 1,600 meters. And Matthew Lowrie ’18 earned spots on the 1 mile (No. 4) and 1,000-meter (No. 6) lists. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Eric Shalloway ’16: Co-Captain; George Shalloway ’16: Co-Captain RIFLERY HIGHLIGHTS With six rookies among its 12 members, the 1–9 riflery team shot a season-best 1,063 (out of a possible 1,200) against Lake Braddock. Harrison Smith ’18 shot 551 (272.5 average) at the Potomac High School Rifle League Regional Championships, where the Bears finished ninth overall. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Amil Agarwal ’16: Co-Captain; Jack Pingle ’16: Co-Captain SQUASH HIGHLIGHTS In the first season with Coach W.T. Miller ’86, the 4–5 squash team scored a win over Sidwell Friends and edged out the tough Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School team.

16

SWIMMING & DIVING HIGHLIGHTS This winter, the Bears (3–3 in dual meets) finished fourth in the IAC, ninth in the Washington Metropolitan Prep School Swim Dive League (WMPSSDL) Championships, and 19th in the Metro Championships. Jason Tang ’17 took fifth at Metros in the 500-meter freestyle. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Hayden Fralin ’16: CoCaptain; Clayton Henschel ’16: Co-Captain; Charlie Lederberg ’16: Co-Captain; Jason Tang ’17: All-IAC WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS After going 11–11 in dual meets, wrestling finished third in the IAC Tournament and 16th at the Maryland Independent State Tournament. At States, four Bears placed in their divisions, the most since 2006: Brendon Gallagher ’18 was fourth to qualify for the National Prep Championships for the second year in a row; Ben Goodfriend ’16 was seventh and also qualified for Nationals. Goodfriend finished his varsity wrestling career with 106 victories, tied for fifth most in Landon history. INDIVIDUAL HONORS Brendon Gallagher ’18: All-Met honorable mention, Maryland State Wrestling Association (MSWA) AllAcademic Team, Co-Captain; Brian Gelb ’16: All-IAC, Co-Captain; Ben Goodfriend ’16: All-IAC, MSWA All-Academic Team, Co-Captain

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

17

FEATURE | KAI KIGHT

18

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

T HE

M UOFS I C

K AI KIGHT ’10 INSPIRES ATHLETES, ARTISTS, PROFES SIONALS AN D STUDENTS WITH A UNIQUE BLEND OF ORIGINAL MUSIC AND PER SONAL STORY TELLING

by Tom DiChiara

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

19

FEATURE | KAI KIGHT

hen the National Football

League’s Seattle Seahawks

needed to regain their confidence

after a crushing loss in Super Bowl

XLIX and when the Walt Disney

Company wanted to kindle the creativity

of its animators and designers, they reached out to the same man to

Kight evokes the example of Mozart to explain. “These days there

are 1,000 rules to playing Mozart, and people get upset if you break them. But back when he was making music, people thought he was

crazy,” Kight said. “We get so locked into the product that these people created that we forget the spirit of it. If you were actually trying to be like Mozart, you would try something different and take risks.”

In the year since Kight launched the enterprise with the help of his

inspire them: Landon graduate Kai Kight ’10.

girlfriend Zippy Guerin — a classmate at Stanford who also serves as

design school, the Los Angeles-based violinist, composer and

of thousands. Kight has booked more than 50 engagements, has

Two years after he graduated from Stanford University engineering

inspirational speaker admits that he might not seem the most obvious choice for the job. He plays music. He tells stories. He offers advice.

What would a 23-year-old know about perseverance and teamwork?

Kight says his success as an inspirational speaker is, in fact, inspired

by a valuable lesson he learned at Landon: Find common ground.

“Something really important that I took away from Landon was the

his marketing/business manager — Kai’s message has reached hundreds delivered TEDx (Technology, Entertainment and Design) talks on his innovative ideas, and has performed for audiences in Mexico, Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany, and this fall will lead a

learning excursion cruise to the Mediterranean for Stanford alumni.

MUSIC DREAMS & HOOPS LESSONS

ability to do different things and still be me — to not categorize myself

Kight learned to play the violin at age 3. From then through his time

always have the mindset that there is a way to connect with them, that

goal: to play with a professional symphony orchestra. In pursuit of

as one thing,” Kight said. “Any group of people that I’m talking to, I

there are certain things I have experienced as a musician or in my life

that they can relate to… I’m only 23, so I don’t go into a company like Disney and say, ‘I have the answers on how to do this, this and this.’

That’s not true, and no one is going to buy that. I just talk about things that I have felt and trust that other people will have felt those same things in their lives.”

Kight’s original music is a unique fusion of classical, hip-hop and

jazz. Each piece is interspersed with lessons he has learned on his

at Landon (beginning in fourth grade), Kight had one ultimate musical this dream, he played with the school’s Strings Ensemble, as well as with multiple outside groups (including first chair in the National

Symphony Youth Orchestra), and studied classical music under the concertmaster of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. He

and fellow musician Patrick Belaga ’10, a cellist, even put ads in the

newspaper and on the website Craigslist to book their first “professional gigs” at local parties and events.

According to Belaga, Kight was an exceptional musician whose

journey from an overachieving youth focused on excellence alone to a

mathematical aptitude made him a whiz at music theory and

possible impact on the world. The overriding message: Don’t be afraid

spirit and his desire to help those around him become their best selves.

mindful adult focused on doing what he loves and making the greatest to pursue your passions and take risks — because that is how true creativity and innovation occur.

20

composition. But what Belaga says really set Kai apart was his generous A prime example of this occurred when Patrick and Kai teamed up for their Independent Senior Project in spring 2010. The two decided to

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

“SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I TOOK AWAY FROM L ANDON WAS THE ABILIT Y TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS AND

STILL BE ME — TO NOT CATEGORIZE MYSELF AS ONE THING.” – Kai Kight ’10

21

FEATURE | KAI KIGHT

Kight performs at the Disney SPARC Symposium in Glendale, California, April 2015.

learn to play the piano and then write and perform their own pieces of music that incorporated piano, violin and cello. Belaga struggled with composing, and Kight selflessly came to his aid.

“Kai was so generous with his knowledge and his time despite the

fact that I was behind him in my grasp of music theory and composing — he was more than willing and happy to take his time to help me with my side of the senior project, to help me compose, to edit my

stuff,” remembered Belaga, who is now a professional cellist in Los

Angeles. “It has always been an amazing aspect of Kai that despite his

self-designed extremely busy schedule he somehow finds time to help out

Botti cites Kai’s transition from junior varsity basketball star to

varsity sub during his junior year as a very telling one. “This is a guy

who in every other walk of Landon life was not just a star; he was the star,” Botti said. “But in basketball, he found himself in a situation

where he was not the best player, not the best point guard, and the

way in which he segued into another role in service of a greater good reaffirmed what I thought I knew about Kai, which is that he was an

authentically giving, genuinely self-sacrificial guy. Some guys are great stars but not great teammates — he was both.”

Luther remembers the tone Kight and Wellington set for the team

the people in his life that matter to him and that he cares about.”

each day before practice when they warmed up with no-holds-barred

player,” said Performing Arts Department Chair Earl Jackson, who

into each other and make each other better,” Luther recalled. “The

“Kai is a very self-motivated young man, a great kid and a great violin

bonded with Kight outside the classroom thanks to a shared love of

college basketball. “He has a great ear and a great sense of time. He knows what to play when, which is really what works for him as a musician.”

In addition to being an outstanding violinist, Kight won the

Headmaster’s Award for general excellence and served as Student Council president his senior year and class president his other three years in the Upper School. His teacher and advisor, Banfield Ethics Chair John

Bellaschi, said, “Kai sets the gold standard for kindness, decency, honesty, respect, humility, patience, grace and love.”

These qualities also shone through on the basketball court, where Kight

one-on-one games. “They loved each other, but they would just tear

tenacity they had and the attitude that they showed really helped make us the team that we were.”

Wellington looks back fondly on that ritual, but it was Kight’s

behavior off the court that helped them forge a friendship that endures to this day. “Kai was always the type of person you could look at and just know that he would make the right decision, which is why a lot

of the things he does now speak toward that,” Wellington said. “The inspirational speaking draws from his life experiences being able to navigate his way through Landon and through college as a leader.”

made an indelible impression on his Upper School coaches John Botti

BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY

helped the team win back-to-back IAC championships in 2009 and 2010.

mentors and classmates for his leadership and character, he had a

and Andy Luther and teammates, including Delonte Wellington ’10, and

22

While Kight earned the respect of his Landon teachers, coaches,

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

“I HAD A TON OF GREAT EXPERIENCES AT L ANDON. I THINK NOW I WOULD DO SIMIL AR THINGS, BUT I WOULD APPROACH IT FROM A

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE — I WOULD USE THE AMA ZING RESOURCES AT L ANDON A LIT TLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.” – Kai Kight ’10

surprising and important message for Landon students when he

returned to campus October 21 to deliver the keynote address at the

Boiardi Forum for Ethical Reflection. In retrospect, he said, he doesn’t

feel he was a true leader at Landon because he was too concerned with

able to reflect on who we really want to be and how we want to live our lives. It’s been so rewarding to go through that journey together.”

A GREATER CALLING

pleasing others and living up to a vision of who he should be.

Today, Kight has streamlined his existence so that he usually spends

right things so that I could get that validation, that applause,” Kight

content for his speeches.

“I was doing everything I could to hit the right notes, to do all of the

said, recalling an incident in which he remained silent as his fellow

each day doing three things: meditating, creating music, and writing For Kight, these powerful presentations are just the beginning, and

students insulted another. “I knew it was wrong, but I wouldn’t say

the ultimate goal is to positively affect as wide an audience as possible.

keep up that appearance. Is that leadership? I don’t think so. It’s more

because there is something greater, a bigger calling that I know I can

anything because I was trying to keep everything cool, I was trying to of a performance.”

This “performance” continued when Kight attended Stanford

University, put his dream of playing the violin professionally on the

backburner, and decided to accept admission to the Stanford Engineering School’s highly selective Design Program. Although he appeared to be “on the way up,” he told Landon students he was depressed... until he finally realized that he had the power to change his trajectory.

Kight received his degree from Stanford, but with the help of a

“I’m not content with saying that I’m just going to do this forever

use my skills toward,” Kai said. “Landon taught me to do things for the greater good, and one of the biggest problems with the world

is when people are super smart but don’t use it for good,” he said. “I

think that’s a huge reason so many problems that seem solvable aren’t

solved. I want to structure my business that way, where I’m only going to succeed by helping people do what I have found to be right and effective.”

In the meantime, Kight says that current Landon students can learn

therapist and encouragement from Guerin, he decided that what would

from his experiences. “I had a ton of great experiences at Landon. I

people. Together, he and Guerin launched the enterprise that now makes

different perspective — I would use the amazing resources at Landon a

truly make him happy would be to use his love for music to inspire

him so happy. “Zippy is kind of like my sensei [teacher],” Kight said. “We

have all these really great conversations, and she pushes me to go further.”

Guerin says she wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. “The best

part is that both of us have grown so much,” she said. “We have been

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

think now I would do similar things, but I would approach it from a

little bit differently,” he said. “I wouldn’t really care about awards; I’d care about: Who am I impacting? What am I really trying to say? Everyone’s

trying to learn those lessons, but if I could go back, that’s the one thing I would change.”

23

INTO THE WOODS FEATURE | MICHAEL JENKINS

MacArthur Award-winning conservationist Michael Jenkins ’74 and his nonprofit organization Forest Trends set their sights on saving the world from deforestation

by Tom D i Chi a ra

24

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

W

hen Michael Jenkins ’74 enrolled at

Jenkins and his brothers were part of the tennis dynasty Mac Jacoby built at Landon in the 1970s.

Landon in the seventh grade in 1968, he

had seen more of the world than most. He and his brothers Peter ’71 and Tim ’75, P ’06 ’08, had lived in Russia, Germany

and Thailand because their father worked

in the U.S. Foreign Service. The family had spent the past three years

in Venezuela, where the boys were nationally ranked age-group tennis

players. But even with all this worldly experience, Michael remembers the challenges he faced to adjust to life within the White Rocks.

“My English and my reading weren’t very good when I got to

Landon. That made academics a challenge and also made it hard to

make friends, especially since most of the kids had been best buddies

since fourth grade,” Michael said. “But through tennis I learned to form friendships, and [English teacher] Ann Sundt tutored me and helped my reading and writing improve.”

The ability to build relationships has been critical to the success

of Forest Trends, the international nonprofit organization Michael founded in 1998 to find solutions for environmental conservation.

Guys like Mac Jacoby and Tom Dixon… recognized the light that was in every one of those Landon kids and helped them find ways to let it be expressed — and break the mold.

Forest Trends (forest-trends.org) works specifically to battle

of acres of forest globally each year as a result of agriculture, logging

chefs in Peru, as well as 20 conservationists, business leaders and

The players involved — from governments and conservationists to

was to figure out ways to use the popularity of Peruvian cuisine to

deforestation, a process that results in the loss of hundreds of thousands and urban sprawl, the repercussions of which include global warming. local residents and banks — often find themselves at odds on the issues and the potential solutions.

“To me, what is really critical in conservation is when you can forge

coalitions between different, unusual partners,” Jenkins said. “To solve

– Michael Jenkins ’74

financial backers, for a boat trip down the Amazon River. Their goal conserve the natural ecosystems of the Amazon, improve the lives of

the indigenous people who live along the river, and supply restaurants with the necessary food products.

Forest Trends pioneered this environmental initiative, which aims

the climate change problem, you need to be working with business,

to take the natural services that forests provide — such as filtering and

with local communities, indigenous peoples, financial institutions... I

and preserving fertile soil — and make them a financially valuable part

you need to be working with governments, and you need to be working like to say that our guiding principles at Forest Trends are to be small, global and nimble.”

A NATURAL MARKETPLACE Michael’s relationship-building prowess impresses longtime friend David Laird ’73, P ’11 ’14. “When you consider how diverse and

obstinate and recalcitrant to compromise the participants in that

supplying clean water, slowing global warming, promoting biodiversity, of our economic system by delivering unbiased information about the markets and payments for these services.

“The goal is to create markets around the functions that forests and

wetlands provide,” Jenkins said. “We build out models where you can

make those natural services financially valuable and, in giving them real value, you conserve them.”

whole debate are, Mike has always been a man who, by his own pure

CREATIVITY HAS ITS REWARDS

said. “He got to know elements from the factions of this debate —

one of the Schwab Foundation’s Social Entrepreneurs of the Year. And

personality, is able to bring these disparate interests together,” Laird

In 2015, Jenkins’ work with Forest Trends earned him recognition as

the companies, the banks, the countries and people involved, and the

Forest Trends received a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective

environmentalists — and he was able to bring them together.”

For example, in November 2015, Jenkins convened 10 of the finest

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

Institutions, a prestigious $1 million grant the MacArthur Foundation gives annually to a handful of organizations that embody its mission:

25

FEATURE | MICHAEL JENKINS

“to defend human rights, advance global conservation and security,

make cities better places, and understand how technology is affecting children and society.”

a conservationist career path — but the seeds for his passion were planted during his childhood and his time at Landon.

“Growing up in all these different places around the world, we lived

For Jenkins, the honor made clear just how far Forest Trends has

around woods a lot — in Venezuela, there was a big forest behind our

MacArthur Foundation and used a small amount of seed money from

an important early influence,” Michael said. “And at Landon, I was on

come since its inception in the 1990s, when Jenkins worked at the the foundation and the World Bank to start Forest Trends.

Forest Trends was a four-person operation back then, but today

the organization boasts 52 employees, and its international reach was recently confirmed at the COP21 climate talks in Paris. The historic

global climate agreement signed there included a commitment to make forest protection a priority with financing to back it, and Jenkins and

his colleagues helped to formulate the language and terms included in the accord.

THE SEEDS OF A CONSERVATIONIST FUTURE Jenkins says that working with the Peace Corps in Paraguay and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in

Haiti were the transformative experiences that led him to attend the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and set him on

house and even in Washington we lived in Wood Acres — so that was the tennis team back in the heyday when we were nationally ranked.

Mac Jacoby would take us to play against college J.V. teams at the

Naval Academy, Army, Duke, UNC and Princeton, and that helped us

to understand what the next step in life was going to be like and that if we worked hard we could achieve great things.”

Landon also helped provide Michael with direction at a time in his

life when he desperately needed it. During the fall of his sophomore

year, his mother Cecile passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer.

All three Jenkins boys were devastated, and Michael left Landon for

Walt Whitman High School for a year before returning to the White Rocks for his senior year.

“Mike was a quiet leader at Landon — warm, friendly, with a great

sense of humor and a strong intellect,” said longtime friend and fellow

tennis player Bruce McNair ’73, “but he was hit hard by his mother’s loss.”

Jenkins during his time with the Peace Corps

26

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

Mike’s inspiration and support led me to make my very small part of the world as sustainable as it could be.

– Peter Jenkins ’71, Michael’s older brother

spent a lot of time with Mac because of tennis and all the traveling we

were doing. He took us under his wing, took care of us, and kept an eye on us back in the day when we all needed some supervision.”

“Mike was a bright guy and had his own ideas and own path to

follow and encouraged others to do the same,” Jacoby recalled. “I just tried to be there for him the best I could.”

A BIG (AND SMALL) IMPACT Michael emerged from Landon with a desire to make an impact on the world. He traveled with the Peace Corps to Paraguay, where he worked in agroforestry, and with the USAID Agroforestry Outreach Program Jenkins during a Forest Trends trip to Costa Rica in 2016

to Haiti, and he learned the languages of Guarani and Creole along the way (he is fluent in five languages).

“That was an eye-opening experience for Mike,” Peter, Michael’s

older brother, said. “He realized that you don’t have to be in poverty to

live close to the land because fundamentally we all live close to the land.”

These experiences were key to Michael’s eventual decision to found

Forest Trends. “What I realized was that making grants, even on the scale of MacArthur, was really a drop in the bucket to solving the problem,”

Michael said. “I wanted to send a more powerful signal, which is about building value into these environmental services, creating markets for these goods and services where they are going to be competitive.”

In the years since, Forest Trends’ influence has touched the far reaches

of the world — but has also had a profound impact close to home.

“Through Mike’s personal influence, he encouraged me to buy

a piece of land in Gill, Massachusetts, that has almost 100 acres of Three generations of Jenkins: Michael (second from right) with his father, brothers and nephews

“That was a really hard time in my life,” Michael said. “Guys like

Mac Jacoby and Tom Dixon kept an eye on me and really cared about

protected woodlands connected to it,” Peter said. “We have solar panels

on our barn that power our entire home. Mike’s inspiration and support led me to make my very small part of the world as sustainable as it could be.”

While this brings Michael pride, he won’t be content until the

me. Those guys recognized the light that was in every one of those

ecosystem marketplace is the norm.

break the mold.”

a mirror of the stock market for the services that the natural world

their father, had an especially big impact on Michael.

clean air and water, a financial value, we could ensure that investment

Landon kids and helped them find ways to let it be expressed — and Jacoby, who coached all three brothers in tennis and was close with “Mac was a mentor figure to my brothers and me,” Tim, the youngest

Jenkins brother, said. “After our mother died, my dad was working very long hours for the Foreign Service at the State Department, so we

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

“The long-term goal is for us to be able to say that we have created

provides,” Michael said. “By giving those services, such as providing

flows into all of these natural infrastructure ideas — and in doing so we could conserve them. It will take my lifetime for sure, but I believe we can get there.”

27

ALUMNI

Alumni Board Aims to Reconnect Alums With Landon and One Another BELOW IS A MESSAGE FROM ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT MATT COURSEN ’99.

I

n May 2015, the Alumni Board sent a survey to all alumni to gather information about their experience as Landon alums. More than 400 alumni responded, and many of you took the time to provide helpful and insightful comments.

Thanks to you and to your survey feedback, we have identified themes, marked issues, and charted our course to refining the purpose of the Landon Alumni Association and its Board of Directors. During analysis of the data, we found that the majority of alumni wanted to do two things: strengthen their connection with Landon and strengthen their connection with other alums.

In response to these findings, we have reviewed the Alumni Board’s strategic plan and adjusted it accordingly to ensure we serve you, our fellow alumni, in the most effective way. Our goals and action plans to accomplish them are listed below.

400+ ALUMNI RESPONDED

WE HEARD FROM CLASSES INCLUDING

1943 & 2014 — AND MANY IN BETWEEN

28

1. Refine our purpose to the alumni body by creating transparency with our process, our goals and our mission.

Our aim is to ensure the Alumni Board and the Alumni Association are aligned in our goals and to enact procedures that will maintain checks and balances on the association and its directors.

Results: We have amended the Alumni Association Constitution, written an updated Purpose Statement, and published information regarding how Alumni Board members are nominated and selected. All of this content is live for you to see on the Landon website. By refining these important organizational documents, we are adapting to the changing times while remaining respectful of Landon’s rich history.

2. Reconnect alumni with the Landon community. We want to reconnect alumni with key constituent groups and leaders on campus to strengthen relationships and remind them that the Alumni Board is an impactful association of loyal and passionate members willing and able to help ensure the long-term health of the school.

Your Ideas: Career Day, Innovation Day, customizable alumni newsletters, social media outreach, improved on-campus events, ambassador program for the Admissions Office

OF RESPONDENTS Action Plan: To build on what FEEL CONNECTED we started last year with the first TO LANDON Landon Alumni Board Visiting Day, we will execute more direct outreach to key leaders, plan more engaging and more diverse events both on and off campus, and work with the Alumni and Communications Offices to develop innovative approaches to serving as a resource for the school.

Results: In 2015 and 2016, we have held two Alumni Board Visiting Days, created the ability for alumni to customize Landon news alerts by area of interest, taken steps to improve the online alumni contact database, and improved Homecoming and Reunion Weekend by working with the Alumni Office to add a tent on the hill for an alumni

80%

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

gathering during the game. In addition, the Communications Office has given alumni from the 1950s through the Class of 2015 a platform to share their Landon experiences through the website’s Bear Blog.

To date, nearly 20 alums — from a former U.S. ambassador to Austria and a Navy nuclear engineer to a Silicon Valley tech guru and college basketball coach — have written eloquent and powerful posts about how Landon has shaped and continues to shape their lives.

3. Reconnect alumni with one another locally and across the U.S. and the world.

This includes increasing the visibility of the Alumni Board and Association in the Admissions process and the community at OF RESPONDENTS large to improve the LIVE OUTSIDE Landon brand and represent THE D.C. METRO AREA the most impactful area of differentiation: the Landon alumni network.

50%

Your Ideas: Young alumni networking opportunities, regionally focused networking events, online tools to improve professional networking, improved contact management system, more frequent professional networking events, better reunions and on-campus events Action Plan: We heard you loud and clear that you want more opportunities to network with each other inside the Beltway and beyond. We will focus on a three-pronged approach to improving the bond among the alumni. The first priority is hosting convenient, compelling and dynamic events both on and off campus. The next priority is beefing up our professional MORE NETWORKING networking opportunities OPPORTUNITIES both through events and online. And the final priority is

MOST COMMON REQUEST:

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

the way we use social media and other technology solutions to increase brand awareness and promote positive news ALUMNI ASSOCIATION’S of what our alums are doing around the world.

KEEP ALUMS INFORMED Results: In addition to a OF LANDON NEWS much-improved Homecoming Weekend in 2014 and 2015, we hosted a third successful Thanksgiving Eve Roast event and created new events such as the paddle tennis tournaments in D.C. and NYC. We hosted two professional networking events that were well attended, and we have another planned for later this spring at the Supreme Court of the United States. While these events offer an opportunity for face time with fellow Bears, our Communications Office also makes sure alums stay connected online: Since September, we have featured more than 60 alumni posts on Facebook alone. These run the gamut from reminders about networking events... to photos from Homecoming & Reunions... to captivating stories about alumni who front rock bands, play college hockey or run schools.

NO. 1 SERVICE:

Along with the Landon Alumni Office, the Alumni Board embraces the opportunity to serve you and to be even better at informing, entertaining and inspiring you.

There is good work to OF RESPONDENTS do, and we are energized FEEL POSITIVELY ABOUT LANDON TODAY and ready to do it!

93%

29

1942

July 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015

CLASS NOTES

ALUMNI

1945 Ralph Meima writes: “Alive and kicking, enjoying the

years with my wife Barrie at the wonderful Heron Point

retirement community in colorful Chestertown, Maryland.”

1948 Gilbert Bogley writes: “I’m still enjoying playing ‘IT’S YOURS’

tennis, but still haven’t managed to shoot my age (84) in golf.

Pathos!”

At the Landon-St. Albans football game on November 14, 2015, John

1950

Gill (pictured above left) shared a photo op with Jon Ogden (St.

Jerry FitzGerald writes: “In

Albans, UCLA and the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. Mr. Gill has attended

built a one-room school and

Albans ’92, above right), an NFL Hall of Famer who played for St. almost every Landon-St. Albans football game since 1937!

1944

2013–14, my family funded and adjunct library in Cambodia to teach the children English. We

now have an enrollment of over 500 children per week. Gave

them an American flag for the wall to remember the USA. In addition, we pay all teachers’

salaries and operating expenses.”

1952 Class agent Bill Gawler writes: “Just received a very nice email from Lloyd ‘Tuffy’ Kriner

telling me he was concerned Theodore P. Wright Jr. (whose wife Susan is pictured above) writes:

“We spent a delightful Labor Day weekend at the Adirondack Loj on

Heart Lake. Hiked to Marcy Dam and up Owlshead in Keene Valley as well as canoeing around the lake twice. The loj was built in 1927 by the

Adirondack Club to replace one burnt down by the great fire of 1903. In November, we went on a marvelous, if strenuous, two weeks in Ethiopia

with Road Scholar group. Africa’s only Christian nation since 300 A.D.”

30

about Charlie Griffin [because of a storm headed his way], so he called him and found that

bad weather bypassed and that

otherwise he is doing well, and

same for his new wife, Blossom.

Thanks, Tuffy! I am aware that Lloyd has experienced heath

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

challenges this year but is fully

1955

recovered. In the spring, called

Jerry and Skip Rideout celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary

reminiscing with him... [Editor’s

operate the Mill Street Inn. Cora and Murray Simpson celebrated

Jay Phelan and had a long

note: Sadly, Jay passed away in December 2015.] Hear from

over the August 21–22 weekend in Cambridge, Maryland, where they their 55th the same weekend.

Henry Ravenel on occasion —

Over the October 24–25 Reunion Weekend, a total of 22 classmates

and Lee Derrick in Florida in

Landon and dinner at Pizzeria Da Marco in Bethesda. Sam Milliken

he and Alicia both well. Saw Jan the spring as usual for a great

visit. They have relocated from

and wives celebrated the Class of 1995’s 60th reunion with events at brought his son Rudy — Sam has fathered twins!

Pennsylvania to Annapolis. And,

Mark Page with wife Mary (both retired from accounting and computer

appear on the doorstep but Buck

Mark is treasurer of the local Kiwanis Club.

six months ago, who should

Buchanan and his wife! I believe

systems careers) now operate an antiques business in Berlin, Maryland.

Rody Davies ’51 was with them:

Laura and Dick Dortzbach split their time between Madison,

Wisconsin, and Princeton, New Jersey, to be closer to their kids

and grandkids, who live and work in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Westport, Connecticut.

Jack Kneipple recently moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he lives with his daughter.

Charlie Hayes, Nick Kolb, Mark Page, Skip Rideout, Murray Simpson and Ted Prince

attended the December funeral of

another great reunion! Buck is

Bob Leahy.

going to relocate from Portugal to

the U.S. and, by now, may be here.

1959

from a four-month absence to

Bart Barbee writes: “At 75, I

mountain home; traveled (other)

my son Randy: Commonwealth

Marge and I have just returned

North Carolina. Finally sold our

have opened a new business with

North Carolina mountains in

Motor Sports, a dealer for Polaris

our RV, and finally settled in the

Industries and also selling antique

town of Waynesville, where we

purchased a lot and fifth-wheel

collector cars.”

trailer in a small community. (It

Murray Simpson, Doug Hotvedt ’80, Walker Simpson ’81 and Quinn

Jim Cavanaugh writes: “I was

in Asheville, so we will try to get

Simpson and Sarah Hotvedt’s graduation from Wake Forest University

Kupka ’64 Distinguished

occurs to me that Al Long lives

in touch, Al). As some of you are

aware, Marge has been diagnosed

Simpson ’11 (pictured L to R above) posed for this photo at Quinn in May 2015.

with dementia, but so far we are

Steve Robin was recently honored as a founder and first president of

our mid-80s — can’t believe it!”

has more than 800 members. Steve and his wife Martha are active

coping well as we soon approach

1953 Kim Alfaro writes: “All’s well

now that El Nino has brought

rains and snows to the Sierras.

the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia Association, which now supporters of the Loudon County Symphony Orchestra.

Charlene and Bob Ring still live on his family’s farm in Williamson

County, Tennessee. They travel widely, including locally in an RV and

honored to receive the Anthony Alumnus Award at the Landon

Alumni Luncheon on December 18, 2015. I also had a nice

discussion with Headmaster

Jim Neill earlier in the day. He

was a fine choice!” (For more on Cavanaugh, read the profile on p. 34.)

abroad on small ship cruises.

Greetings to all.”

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

31

ALUMNI

ALUMNI EVENTS Homecoming, Reunion, Holiday Lunch, Paddle Tennis Tournament and More!

1

2

3

4

7

8

5

6

9

10

1. Members of the Class of 2007 watch the Homecoming game from the hilltop. 2. Jack Duquette (far right) catches up with alumni at the annual Holiday Luncheon in December. 3. David Armstrong (left), with Headmaster Jim Neill at Homecoming, became an honorary alumnus in October. 4. Alumni Board President Matt Coursen ’99 (center) mingles with NYC alumni in February. 5. Jon Schiller ’65 with Barbara Goodwyn and George Pappas ’82 at February’s New York Alumni Reception. 6. Alumni compete in Landon’s inaugural D.C. Paddle Tennis Tournament in January. 7. Class of 2010 Bears reconnect at the tent party at Homecoming.

8. Headmaster Jim Neill (center) with Banfield Award Winner Marcos Williams ’65 and Kupka Award Honoree James Cavanaugh Jr. ’59 at the Alumni Holiday Luncheon. 9. Members of the Class of 2005 congregate at Homecoming. 10. The Bearitones perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Homecoming .

32

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

1960 Bob Buchanan is chair of the

recently approved Montgomery

County Economic Development Corp. The corporation, to be

funded by the county, was created under the philosophy that the

private sector is better positioned than a government agency to market the county nationally

and globally, to foster a business-

wide-ranging professional career, Peter has recently reactivated a

long-dormant interest in writing.

Mike Heid’s career has also

ranged widely: teaching English,

coaching soccer, with a side career in radio announcing. He and

Laura live south of D.C., east of

the Potomac, with a view north to Washington and Alexandria.”

friendly legislative and regulatory

1961

business and create jobs.

George Barbee’s new book, 63

Bill Ruddiman writes: “The

good start with national publicity

environment, and to grow

class of ’60 bid fond farewell

to two members in 2015. John

Hazard (in Indianapolis) [died]

of complications from Parkinson’s disease. Known to most of us at

Innovation Nuggets, is off to a

(For more, see “Bears in Print,” p. 40.)

he held that positive attitude

Frank Kilpatrick writes: “I’m

John Woodside (in Brooklyn),

44-year career in medicine. I’m

who at Landon seemed like a

countercultural Goth, but went to Yale and had a successful

reunion at Homecoming & Reunions Weekend in October.

Forbes, Inc., and Fast Company.

1962

right to the end. [We also lost]

Members of the class of 1965 (pictured above) celebrated their 50th

and positive reviews in Fortune,

Landon as ‘Smilin’ Jack’ because of his wonderful disposition,

1965

happy to have retired from a

enjoying being a grandparent and working with two charities.”

career editing and publishing.

Among the many-of-us still

extant: Pat and Tony Sweet are near Avila, a lovely unspoiled

beach town in the central coast

George Wenchel (pictured above with his granddaughter Josie)

Francisco and L.A. We aging ’60s

see Europe’s Christmas markets in December. The trip included seeing

area of California, far from San

geezers should go visit them and overrun their piece of paradise.

Wendy and Peter Gibb moved to Ashland, Oregon, a small college town with an active art scene

and outdoor activities. After a

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

traveled with his wife Rosemary and Josie (daughter of Adam ’92) to Nuremberg, the largest Christmas market in Germany, as well as

Neuschwanstein Castle, the inspiration for Cinderella’s castle. They

went to Sound of Music sites in Salzburg and Zugspitze, a mountain on the border of Germany and Austria. Josie loved the fashions, and Grandpa enjoyed the beer tastings.

(1965 notes continued on page 35)

33

ALUMNI

Grizzly Bear A Beautiful Mind

J

ames Cavanaugh Jr. ’59 has dedicated his life to treating the mentally ill and says it was his time at Landon that taught him to use his

talents to help others.

“The Landon credo of honor, perseverance, fair

play and teamwork became my guide for the rest of my life,” said Cavanaugh, a graduate of Williams

College and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. “Williams broadened my intellectual

capacity, the University of Pennsylvania gave me my profession, but Landon gave the drift of a driving

Landon was not just a wonderful education, but a total life experience that changed me, helped form my character, taught me to deal with both victory and defeat, and provided the foundation to live a life of honor.

– James Cavanaugh Jr. ’59

dream to be the best I can be.”

Cavanaugh is one of the leaders in the fields of

forensic and legal psychiatry, in which doctors work with the legal system to evaluate and treat those

accused or convicted of crimes. He has been involved in psychological profiling — a method used by

investigators to identify character traits that can help find and apprehend criminals.

Profiling can help solve crimes and, in some cases,

prevent them. As an expert consultant, Cavanaugh

has worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Secret Service and the Chicago Police

His experience as a psychiatric resident at the

University of Pennsylvania inspired Cavanaugh

to work at the largest community mental health

program in the United States. And after treating patients with mental illnesses from the Vietnam

and Korean wars, Cavanaugh accepted a leadership position with the newly formed Rush Medical

College in Chicago in 1973. He created a large

forensic psychiatry program at Rush and founded the school’s division of law and psychiatry.

Cavanaugh and his staff developed “fitness for

duty” evaluations for police officers that are now considered the industry standard. In 1985, he

founded Cavanaugh & Associates, a consultancy firm devoted to assisting trial lawyers with cases involving behavioral science issues.

In addition to his professional work, he continues

to give back to the community. His nonprofit

organization, the Isaac Ray Center, helps provide adults and children in need in Chicago with

psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and mental health professionals.

“These are very sick, mentally disturbed

Department. He has also evaluated well-known

incarcerated people who broke the law, but it

Gacy Jr. and John W. Hinckley Jr., who attempted to

Cavanaugh.

criminal defendants such as serial killer John Wayne assassinate President Ronald Reagan.

was a manifestation of their mental illness,” said The center’s primary goal is to reduce the number

What led Cavanaugh to enter this field long

of mentally ill people in detention centers. When

made the practice seem mainstream? During his

Chicago’s youth, the juvenile detention center in

before Criminal Minds and other television shows residency at the Hospital of the University of

Pennsylvania, Cavanaugh worked in the community

and social psychiatry department where he witnessed

Cavanaugh and his staff began working with

Cook County housed about 800 children. Today, it holds about 300.

Cavanaugh says he would not have accomplished

a system that did not serve those in need.

any of this had it not been for the foundation

but when they’re discharged where do they go?”

wonderful education, but a total life experience that

“[The mentally ill] might get hospitalized fine,

said Cavanaugh. “They have to go out into the

community where there are no services, they don’t

get their medication, and they drift downward. Then they come to the attention of law enforcement and

he received at Landon: “Landon was not just a

changed me, helped form my character, taught me to deal with both victory and defeat, and provided the foundation to live a life of honor.”

end up in prison.”

34

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

1965

1969

1975

Landon’s school store is now online!

Ted Wright is currently in

remission from leukemia. He

is working full time again as a

pastor in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and likely will retire in the latter half of 2016.

1970 David McConnaughey writes: “All is good in Connecticut.

Sandy Murdock (pictured above) writes a blog, BearSportsNews,

which posts stories on some, not

all, Landon sports soon after the game. You can find it at

bearsportsnews.wordpress.com.

Enjoyed seeing Class of ’70

Stephen Gordon and his family

of retirement and back to the

they snapped the photo above at

classmates at the reunion. Out grind as COO of the PlowShare

Group. Look us up on the web at plowsharegroup.com.”

As the photo shows, he has found

1973

Bear (man) cave to protect him

Glenn Scoggins writes: “I

his game summaries.

since 1977: teaching Japanese

the ideal all-weather portable

from the elements while he writes

Bob Tupper’s new book, Drinking In the Culture: Tuppers’ Guide to

Exploring Great Beers in Europe,

is the first-ever guide to finding

not just good beer but also good places to drink local beer in two dozen of the best cities in the

world. (For more, see “Bears in Print,” p. 40.)

John Hanks writes: “Good

to see many ’65 classmates at

our 50th. A sincere thanks to

George Wenchel, Hap Holladay and Larry Lamade for their organizational skills.”

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

went on vacation to France, where

Bear Essentials is your only source for official Landon gear. $10 flat-rate shipping to continental U.S. Visit Landon.net/store

the Hotel Eden-Roc in Cap d’Antibes.

Hats Apparel

continue the same job I have held

Ties

and Chinese history in the

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme at Saint

Smathers & Branson

Maur International School in

Yokohama, Japan. As the college

counselor at Saint Maur, I visited

Cufflinks

the U.S. this summer for the first time in eight years to attend a

counseling conference in Oregon,

Rain or shine, Frank Fowler

reunion.”

miles per week on his bicycle.

coupled with a Scoggins family

(pictured above) likes to ride 100 Frank rode to Landon to visit

with the rugby coaches, offering

Specialty Bags & Backpacks Key rings

his coaching skills for the spring season.

...and so much more at

35

ALUMNI

1976

1980

Members of the Class of 1976 reunited over summer 2015 for a

Jon Strain, his wife Patty and three sons joined longtime teacher-

above photo to commemorate the occasion. Front row (L to R): Marc

preseason sport practices (pictured above).

weekend of sailing in Annapolis, Maryland. David Simms took the

Witowski, Doug Kinney, David Reeves, Doug McGuire. Back row (L to R): Calvin Cobb, Chris Belcher, Steve Hollman, Dek Potts, Tom Carr, Geoff Davis, John Williams.

Henrik Parker writes: “On October 10, my daughter Katherine

coach-mentor Mac Jacoby for a tour of the Landon campus during fall

After 16 years at Sony Pictures, Greg Economos decided it was time to make a transition and created his own consulting company called Brand Licensing Solutions.

married Andrew Lewis. A beautiful weekend in all respects. In

attendance were Katherine’s godparents Leslie and Tom Carr and Therese and Dave West.”

1977

Colie Matheson, Michael Farr, Frank Saul ’81 and Cary Simmonds

posed for the above photo on November 4 at Gillionville Plantation in Albany, Georgia, where they were about to finish their quail hunt.

Alex Berry writes: “Having a great time with Car Show TV, my threeIn July, Andy Freese and Carolynne Ehrlich were married at their

home in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. They were joined by Andy’s

year-old company. We travel to the best car shows in the USA and tell the stories behind the coolest cars in the world!”

three sons and daughter and Carolynne’s daughter and son (pictured above with the happy couple).

36

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

1981 Jerry Palmer writes: “My wife

Diane and I lived with our three

kids in Waterford, Virginia, until 2011, when I was offered a job at a startup in Santa Monica, California, so we moved to

Marina del Rey on the west side (beachside smile emoticon of

sister Cannon Pappas, along with

1990

parents George Pappas and Amy Kitzmiller.

Scott Johnston married Erin Brody on October 9, 2015.

1985

L.A.). We sold that company to Verizon in 2013. I left Verizon last February and did some

consulting with Microsoft. They hired me to manage long-range

Members of the Class of 1990 Taylor Simmers, Harmar Thompson,

and moved me up to soggy

Upper School Hans Farnstrom at their class reunion party in October.

strategy for Azure cloud services

David Peikin and Tommy Castiello caught up with Assistant Head of

Seattle. My kids are now grown

Canterbury School and Head of

oldest daughter is 26 and is a

(pictured above left) welcomed

and spread over the country: My teacher in Lexington, Virginia;

my middle daughter manages a

tech support team at Ring.com;

and my son is working for BMW in New Jersey. If any alums are in the Seattle area, I’d love to hear from you.”

1982

School Rick Kirschner ’83

Pictured above (L to R) are Simmers, Farnstrom, Thompson, Peikin and Castiello.

Neil Phillips (above right) as the third guest in Canterbury’s

Speakers Series. Phillips is a national thought leader and

renowned speaker on black male

achievement, minority education, character development and youth empowerment.

1987 Patrick H. Breen published The Land Shall be Deluged in Blood

Members of the Class of 1990 (pictured above) reconnected at their

Turner in 1831. (For more, see

to R): David Peikin, Mike Gorelick, Andy Goldman, Scott Koonce,

about the slave revolt led by Nat “Bears in Print,” p. 40.)

25th reunion party in October. First row: Fred Regan. Second row (L Darren Lubetzky, Harmar Thompson, Taylor Simmers. Third row (L to R): Neil Cantor, Eric Atherton, Ed Pokorny, Jamie Rooney, Brian Anger, Mike Smith.

Keller Pappas (pictured above),

born February 22, 2015, joins big sister Karis Pappas and bigger

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

37

ALUMNI

1991

Peter Corrigan writes: “In the annual summer Bearsapalooza get-

together, an unusual occurrence reared its victorious head similar to the 17-year surfacing of the cicada, with a victory on the hoops blacktop of Team Dainty (in white) over Team Bruiser (in brown). Spectators

traveling from all corners of the U.S. grumbled that the difference was

due to the extra sub for the white team, but naaaah... the true X-factor

After 15 years of working on the issues of public education and school reform, Tony Gerdes (pictured above with his family) has spent the

last two as a technology trainer at a regional law firm. In June, he and

his wife Sue celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary, joined by their seven children (ages 7–18). Tony has also recently produced a website, called Lunatic or Lord, available at lunaticorlord.com.

and hero should have been scouted out by the brown team during

1992

‘One and Done Sophomore Sensation’ of Jon ‘Wags’ Wagner tapping

Mac Hooks writes: “Wendy and I have been blessed with a son, Peter

trees in Darien, Connecticut, negotiated their way back in time,

Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was greeted by many

warmup drills with the aggressive and focused determination of the

into that remarkable varsity Landon hoops season of ’89. It was as if the fastening themselves to the hallowed walls of Riddleberger Gym,

witnessing and then spiritually reverberating the deafening chants of,

‘sophomore, sophomore, sophomore...’ Then again, perhaps it was the black high-tops? Nonetheless, a solid victory by the white team! Go

Zhang Hooks (also

), born October 9, 2015, at Johns Hopkins

members of the Hooks family (grandparents Bill ’57 and Susan, Uncle Jon ’92, Aunt Liz, and cousins Max and Emi). Mom and baby are

doing well and have moved with dad to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.”

Bears!” Pictured above (L to R, sporting the Bear sign): Michael Banks

Adam Wenchel is vice president for cyber and technology analytics

Boehly, Art Rosen.

infrastructure.

’92, Zach Warren, Peter Corrigan, Jon Wagner, Jeff Lamkin, Todd

at Capital One, where he is rebuilding their cybersecurity data

1994 Tom Foley writes: “Moved to Portland, Oregon, last August to

start a Ph.D. program in community health. My focus area is health promotion and disease prevention and, more specifically, preventing

and treating chronic illnesses such as coronary artery disease and typeII diabetes through physical activity and dietary intake. The area is great. Visitors are welcome.”

38

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

1996

1999

PLEASE SEND US YOUR NEWS! Submit your update to: landon.net/ classnotes Alex D’Amico writes: “Maggie

and I are still enjoying life in New

Michael Boyd married Liza Tanner (Holton ’99 and the director of the

first child, Hamilton Howe

above). Peter Boyd ’96, Erik Vachon, Bion Bliss, James Langdon and

York. We recently welcomed our D’Amico (pictured above), into the world on August 30, 2015.

Hamilton is doing well and is

Landon Fund) on October 3, 2015, in Chestertown, Maryland (picture Cabell Hobbs were groomsmen, and Thad Minshall was a reader.

Many other Landon alums were there to celebrate.

clearly a fan of Zoolander, as

Mychael “Myke” Cohn married Allison Rishty on July 18, 2015, in

flash ‘Blue Steel.’”

MacDonald, Mike Rutenberg, Ravi Pillay and Scott Hettermann

1999

and Allison live in Washington, D.C.

evidenced by his proclivity to

Photos are appreciated!

Charlottesville, Virginia. Landon friends Bobby Higgins ’00, Will

were groomsmen, and many more Bears were there to celebrate. Myke

2000

Daniel Freer posed for the above photo with his wife Katie and

daughter Charlotte after Landon’s annual Alumni Hockey Game

played during Thanksgiving break.

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

Members of the class of 2000 (pictured above) celebrated their 15th reunion in October.

39

ALUMNI

BEARS IN PRINT

2000

Looking for a good read? Check out these recently published books authored

by Landon alumni...

award. The program recognizes 40 emerging leaders under the age of

George E.L. Barbee ’61

Patrick H. Breen ’87

George’s 63 Innovation Nuggets

In his nonfiction work The

insights culled from his 45-year

Patrick explores the terrible

PepsiCo and other Fortune 500

the local black community

Kevin Shooshan received a Leadership Arlington “40 Under 40”

40 who demonstrate impact personally and/or professionally through their exceptional leadership in the D.C. metropolitan region.

2001

provides aspiring innovators with

Land Shall Be Deluged in Blood,

career with General Electric,

choices faced by members of

Matt Schiffman married Samantha Bichler on June 27, 2015, at

companies.

during the bloody slave revolt

“Huge turnout from Landon ’01 and ’00. David DiBianco was my best

Bob Tupper ’65

led by Nat Turner in 1831.

Have you recently published a book?

TriBeCa Rooftop in New York City (picture above). Matt writes: man, and Mike Petrash and Fitz Holladay were groomsmen.”

2002

Let us know at communications@ landon.net!

Beer lovers will want to drink in Bob’s Drinking In the Culture:

Tuppers’ Guide to Exploring Great

Beers in Europe, a guide to finding the best beer (and beer-drinking spots) in Europe.

40

George Williams and his wife Caitlin welcomed a baby boy, Thatcher Macleod Williams (picture above).

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

2002

2003

WANT MORE ALUMNI NEWS? Follow Landon on social media to stay up to date with your fellow alumni!

Nick Katz (pictured above) is

co-founder and “chief housemate”

Phil Mills married Hilary Lawsing in Newport, Rhode Island, on

property technology startup that

Phil works for a company called Chubbies (chubbiesshorts.com). They

of Spittable, a London-based

helps young renters manage their shared expenses through an app.

The company recently closed a

August 23, 2015 (picture above). Hillary is a nurse practitioner, and recently moved to Tiburon, California, just over the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco.

$1.2 million investment round

2004

Seedcamp, Playfair Capital and

Matt Harrigan writes: “I am still consulting NPOs and just moved to

Fund, which is backed by the

for the Diocese of Buffalo. It should be completed in mid-2017.”

from venture capital groups

the London Co-Investment mayor of London.

Jimmy Rhodes writes: “About

Buffalo, New York, where I am working on a $100 million campaign

2006

three years ago I left my booking job at The Rock and Roll Hotel,

and DC9 in Washington, D.C. It was a very bittersweet departure, as I was hired by Live Nation to

be the talent buyer for their clubs & theatres division in the Mid-

Atlantic. Some of the venues that I now book include The Fillmore

On August 15, Jacob “Jake” Kaden married his longtime sweetheart,

Baltimore Soundstage, Sixth &

in attendance were classmates Chris Dodson, Joe Luchs, Zach

Silver Spring, Warner Theatre,

I, and many, many more. I’m still playing drums in a band called Black Clouds. We released our

second record, Dreamcation, on Collect Records. You can find that just about anywhere.”

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

Kira Loretto, at Salt Air Farms in Greenport, New York. Landon alumni Eisemann, Andy Gagarin, Jeff Soffen, Jamie Altman, Will Quartner,

Alex Lynch, Greg Marks and Jake Alter ’07. Also there to celebrate were Patrick Kaszubski and Will Hanlon, who attended Landon for a few

years. Jake K. and Chris also took on the challenge of playing Bethpage Black with Jake’s father Alan and brother Zack (who also attended

Landon for a few years). All four were able to break 90! Photo above

(L to R): Luchs, Hanlon, Kaden, Eisemann, Dodson, Gagarin, Soffen.

41

ALUMNI

2009

2015

Joshua Mendelson works for the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America Tour in Ponte Vedra, Florida.

2010

Ben Levinson and Steven Liu (pictured above) are enjoying Northwestern University.

Jones Lindner is president of his Chi Phi pledge class at the University Members of the Class of 2010 (pictured above) celebrated their fifth reunion in October.

Austin Dabney graduated from the University of Virginia and works

of Georgia (UGA).

Ian Dabney is attending the University of Virginia (UVA) and having a great first year.

for a law firm in Washington, D.C.

Will Gibson is playing baseball at Gettysburg College.

2011

Matt Wellington is at Davidson College, where he is roommates with

Darion Atkins signed a contract to play for the National Basketball

fellow Class of 2015 Bears Mike Blasey and Parker Smith.

Association’s (NBA) New York Knicks. Atkins was the 2015 Atlantic

Coastal Conference (ACC) Defensive Player of the Year when he played

for the University of Virginia. He was also the Portsmouth MVP and a key figure in the San Antonio Spurs Summer League Championship.

Alumni Hockey Game

2014

Saturday morning of the Thanksgiving holiday break brought several Walter Spak is now a member of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Spirit Squad.

42

Landon alumni together for the annual Alumni Hockey Game (pictured above). Landon won!

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

IN MEMORIAM Helen Holt, mother of Rush ’66. July 12, 2015.

Harriet Constance Leppanen Levy, mother of David ’80. July 17, 2015.

Ellen Proxmire, mother of Doug ’80. August 2, 2015.

Edward C. Bou, father of Christopher ’76, Stephen ’78 and Lawrence ’83, and grandfather of Teddy ’19, Will ’19 and Stephen ’21. August 18, 2015.

George Henry Watson III ’98. August 19, 2015.

Bob Strain, father of Jon ’80. August 24, 2015.

Stephen Mark ’82. August 30, 2015.

Margaret M. Collins, mother of Matt ’85 and grandmother of Conor ’13. September 3, 2015.

Stephen Muir ’88, father of Jack ’24, son of Cassin ’58, and brother of Brad ’93.

September 4, 2015.

Joseph Guarnieri, father of Patrick ’00. October 13, 2015.

Michael Stevens ’85. October 15, 2015.

John Henry “Jack” Hazard Jr. ’60. October 23, 2015.

John Hardisty ’58, father of Kirk ’97. October 29, 2015.

Joe Sears ’54, brother of Ed ’61 and John ’65, and uncle of Teddy ’95, Ricky ’99 and Christian ’01. October 31, 2015.

Robert Beale Leahy ’55, father of Bill ’79 and Chris ’82. November 1, 2015.

John Samuels Pontius, father of James ’00 and John ’98. November 8, 2015.

Bradley Stephen Jones ’02. November 11, 2015.

Charles M. Boteler Jr. ’41. November 13, 2015.

John Woodside ’60. November 15, 2015.

Austin H. Kiplinger, father of Todd ’64 (deceased) and Knight ’65, and grandfather of Brigham ’99 and Daphne (Landon’s graphic designer). November 20, 2015.

Arthur “Jay” Phelan Jr. ’52, brother of Howard ’54. December 9, 2015.

Ruth Headlee Potter, mother of Stephen Niles Potter ’75. December 9, 2015.

Dr. Herbert Ernest Klingelhofer, father of Steve ’60, Eric ’67, Victor ’69, Philip ’75 and Marty ’77. December 31, 2015.

SPRING 2016 | LANDON SCHOOL

43

FROM THE ARCHIVES

ALUMNI

OLD-SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY. Before Landon had iPads and 3-D printers, Bears learned how to use this early digital-age computer. Can you name the teacher, any of the students, or year? Send your best guess to communications@landon.net!

“Yule Tied 1957” Archive Photo Identified Thanks to Bill Prindle ’65, Hap Holladay ’65, Fred Hunt ’66 and Bill Ikard ’64 for writing in to

identify many of the members of the Lower School Boys Chorus, pictured here performing at the

opening of the 1957 Christmas Greens Exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. All four men were members of the chorus, which also performed at the White House, at Constitution Hall with the

National Symphony Orchestra, and at the National Gallery of Art. Bonus for Prindle, who correctly

identified the Landon teacher-coach-mentor(s) among their ranks. “It’s [Rob] Bordley ’66, of course...

There is another future Landon teacher in this group, John Hurd ’64, who taught music at some point at Landon,” Prindle wrote, and then added: “As anyone in that photo can testify, those vestments were hot to wear, and we had to recruit a lot of extra help to tie those floppy black ties.”

44

LANDON SCHOOL | SPRING 2016

Can we count on you?

Coach Barton did his part to leave a lasting impact on Landon.

You can help make Landon Forever.

Make a planned gift and join the Legacy Circle.

Include the school in your will or name Landon as the beneficiary of your retirement account or insurance policy.

Ed Barton Beloved Landon athletics director and coach

To make a planned gift, please contact: George Pappas ’82, Director of Planned Giving 301-320-1005 or George_Pappas@landon.net

N O N - P RO F I T O RG A N I Z AT I O N U.S. P O STAG E

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PA I D

BETHESDA, MD 20817

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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

SAVE THE DATES

Parents: If this issue is addressed to a son who no longer maintains an address at your home, please send current address information to the Alumni Office at alumni@landon.net.

Alumni Golf Tournament

Friday, June 3 Reunions

(Classes ending in ’6 and ’1)

Thursday–Saturday, November 10–12 Homecoming

Saturday, November 12

Painting by Alex Kapelina ’20

communications@landon.net