The Marymount Magazine, Spring 2016

THE ART OF

Collaboration

The Marymount Magazine | Spring 2016

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The Marymount Magazine | Spring 2016

ON CAMPUS 2 Snippets 3 Head’s Reading List 30 Athletics Update 32 A Focus on the Arts 34 Student Life 44 Show Your Work

FEATURE STORIES 8

Collaboration From the Inside Out

Take a peek into six of our classrooms and co-curricular academic programs to learn what collaboration means to our faculty in their own words.

ALUMNAE NEWS 48 Watch Our Women Alumnae Series Featuring Alison Cornyn '83 & Shana Muldoon Zappa '95 54 Inspiring Boldness Speaker Series with Giada De Laurentiis '89 56 Alumnae Career Exploration Event 58 Alumnae & Les Anges Events

20 Student

Perspectives

How Far Can You Go When You Collaborate Instead of Compete?

Five students from all grade levels reflect on the importance of sisterhood, support, and solidarity.

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An Identity Built on Collaboration

What Does it Mean to be an Independent, Catholic School?

Head of School Jacqueline L. Landry explores the nuances of this distinction, which has enriched our community for over nine decades.

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Collaborators For Over 30 Years

This special interview celebrates four beloved faculty members who have served the Marymount community since the 1970’s.

62 Class Notes & Transitions 66 Let’s Stay Connected!

THE ART OF

Collaboration

The Marymount Magazine | Spring 2016

On the Cover With many thanks to Visual Arts Department Chair, Ms. Jae Perez, the cover of this magazine was designed by the talented students of the AP Visual Arts Class. The students were inspired by the beauty of abstract watercolors, and how fluidly they come to life when more than one artist contributes. The students decided to create an abstract watercolor in our ‘Marymount blues’ using their paints, water, and alcohol to generate a large-format print, ultimately meant to inspire a feeling of serenity and flow.

THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

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Snippets 1. DIVERSITY ROUNDTABLE

DISCUSSION WITH MS. LANDRY

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After attending the NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference with more than 5,500 students from Independent schools across the nation, our six Marymount representatives debriefed key conference takeaways with Head of School Jacqueline Landry this past January. Students shared their experiences, learnings, and advice on how to best address the complex, and often difficult issues surrounding diversity such as prejudice, privilege, and oppression.

This group looks forward to working with Ms. Landry and a team of staff members, to tackle many of these issues in innovative ways during next year’s academic term.

2. SPIRIT WEEK 2016 The tradition of Spirit Week continued this year with creative class color courtyard decorations and impressively choreographed class dances by all grades. Fun was had by all, and we look forward to seeing more #SailorSpirit throughout the rest of this school year!

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3. LAUNCH OF THE INTERIM MAKERSPACE & WORKSHOPS

The interim Marymount Makerspace launched this year with a resounding sense of excitement and passion from our students. Project workshops are hosted in the space each week by a rotating staff of Makerspace faculty, and various academic departments are exploring new ways to partner with the space to enrich their curriculum moving forward.

We look forward to sharing the evolving Makerspace curriculum for the 2016-17 academic term, as well as updates on the permanent Makerspace and Digital Media Center over the coming months.

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4. INTERFAITH PRESENTATION BY DR. AMIR HUSSEIN, PROFESSOR OF WORLD RELIGIONS AT LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

As part of our commitment to the RSHM goal of “creating unity through diversity,” the Office of Spiritual Life hosted our annual Interfaith Assembly with accomplished author and professorDr. Amir Hussein of Loyola Marymount University. Dr. Hussein shared many insights from his collegiate World Religions classroom, including a variety of topics on the forefront of his students’ minds. Most importantly, Dr. Hussein inspired the spirit of unity in our students, as they asked thoughtful questions about the media’s interpretation of different religious groups, and how to best bring this rich interfaith dialogue outside the walls of our campus.

THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

Head’s

5 5. SANDWICH BUILDERS

Reading List

SERVICE EVENT

Our Student Service Board led a group of 40 committed Marymount community members and friends through making over 950 sack lunches at our February Sandwich Builders Event. Energy levels were high as each package was made to be distributed to different organizations that support the homeless population across the city.

Author John Green once said, “Great books help you understand, and they help you feel understood.”

In need of some inspiration?

See what Head of School Jacqueline Landry is keeping in her book rotation this season!

Daring Greatly

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by Brené Brown

Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain

by Dr. Daniel J. Siegel

6. REGIONAL ALUMNAE

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NETWORKING EVENTS

With a cohort of over 3,600 alumnae across the nation, Head of School Jacqueline Landry and the Marymount Alumnae Office make an effort to visit alumnae in various cities across the country each year.

Pictured are members of the Class of 2010 with Ms. Landry at the 2016 New York Regional Alumnae event, hosted this past February.

The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) 2015-16 Trendbook

Mindfulness

by Ellen J. Langer

7. THE 2016 MARYMOUNT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM Although summer is still a few months away, the 2016 Marymount Internship Program is already in full swing. Over 75 students will participate in the program this summer at more than 25 organizations across the city. New internship opportunities include placements with the Jeffrey Foundation, Imperial Capital, the LMU Youth Theology Institute, and the SHINE Program USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

by Carol Dweck, Ph.D.

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Snippets

’s in What

my ? k c a p k c ba 4

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8. CAMPUS LIFE

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Sophomore students Gabby Kimbrough and Marina Davis enjoy a sunny afternoon stroll on campus.

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9. ESTABLISHING ‘MINDFULNESS MOMENTS’ IN THE CLASSROOM

Chloe Bermejo '19 1. My computer & charger. I can’t imagine a day without my computer because all of my important information like my notes, my calendar, and internet can be found there.

2. Bright highlighters. Sometimes I feel the need to brighten up my day with a simple thing like beautiful colors. 

3. Honey Nut Cheerios. I have a container of these everyday because I love them so much; they really are the perfect snack!

On the way to school, my Cheerios are always my nutritious breakfast, helping to get my day started on the right foot!

4. My phone. When I’m in class, it can always be found in my bag because no one wants their phone to be taken away!

5. Contact case and solution. The last thing that I can’t live without are my contacts, because they bring sight to my eyes. I never know when my contacts may decide to test gravity, so my solution and my case are the true MVPs of my backpack!

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This past January, ‘Mindfulness Moments’ were implemented by the combined efforts of the Student Life Team and Academic Departments at Marymount. These moments allow students an opportunity to be still, reflective, and connected to their breathing for 3-5 minutes at the beginning of each class. Within weeks of implementing these moments, student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and reductions in stress levels have been noted both in and out of the classroom.

10. GRACE RECTOR '17

PARTICIPATES IN MODEL SENATE AT STATE CAPITOL

In February, Junior Grace Rector served as the Speaker Pro Tempore of the House at the State Capitol of California under the YMCA’s 68th Annual California Model Legislature Conference. After participating in the conference for the past two years as a Bill Author & Sponsor, Grace stepped into a leadership role this winter. In her role as Speaker, she presided over, and ran assembly for five days, using parliamentary procedure to call on delegates to sponsor, support, or argue against bills. Of the experience, Grace said, “This program has taught me not only to be more knowledgeable about the legislative process, but also how to be an activist for legal change. Although it takes much time and effort, this program empowers youth to get deeply involved in politics and to raise their voices together to inspire positive change.”

11 11. MOTHER-DAUGHTER LUNCHEON On Sunday, March 6th, over 460 Marymount mothers and daughters came together at the beautiful Beverly Hilton Hotel for our annual Mother Daughter Luncheon.

This event continues to be a wonderful tradition – celebrating the special relationship between our students and their moms, while simultaneously recognizing the achievements of the outstanding women in the Senior Class.

12. PARENT EDUCATION SERIES WITH DR. DANIEL J. SIEGEL

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On Wednesday, March 2nd, renowned Professor of Psychiatry at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine, and New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Daniel J. Siegel addressed an audience of over 100 Marymount parents and community members on the complexities of the developing teenage brain. Citing research from his most recent book, ‘Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain,’ Dr. Siegel opened up an inspiring dialogue on how we can be more receptive and embracing of all factors that make up the ‘essence of adolescence.’

13. 2016 MM-MUN CONFERENCE: ‘ASIA ASCENDING’

On Saturday, March 19th, the Marymount Model United Nations Team hosted the 10th Annual MM-MUN Conference on campus, with 22 of our very own experienced Marymount MUN-ers leading every aspect of the day. Over 220 delegates from schools across California participated in invigorating debates related to this year’s theme, “Asia Ascending,” as well as many other relevant global topics.

14. THE COLLEGE JOURNEY CONTINUES

15. NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS

Two members of the Class of 2016 have been honored as National Merit Finalists for their performance on the PSAT / SAT tests, as well as in the classroom. Seniors Sophie Regan and Ashley Glazier are two of the 15,000 finalists within this prestigious program, selected from a nationwide pool of over 1.6 million students.

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As we near the end of the academic term, we celebrate the impressive accomplishments of the amazing young women in the Class of 2016! These students have been accepted to over 150 colleges and universities to date, including (but not limited to): Barnard, Bates, Brown, Colgate, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Harvard, NYU, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Parsons, Stanford, Swarthmore, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt, Villanova and many other outstanding institutions both domestically and abroad.

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THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

Serene Sisterhood

‘ We’re more than students, friends, or classmates – we’re sisters,’ our girls tell us. The bonds forged at Marymount are unlike any other. Watching this sisterhood bloom through individual friendships, class retreats and team projects, it is a joy to see collaboration go far beyond the classroom, becoming an integral part of the students themselves.

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THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

Collaboration From The Inside Out

H

ave you ever typed the word “collaboration” into a search engine? You end up with over 290 million results! The simple definition of the word per Merriam-Webster is, “to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something.” Workplaces strive for it; schools commonly use the term when describing partnerships, sports, student interactions and transformative experiences; and innovation is driven by the word.

But with a definition so vast, what does it really mean at Marymount?

To get to the bottom of this, we sat down with faculty across departments to find out what “collaboration” means to them: in their own voices, within their own classrooms, or as it relates to the co-curriculars they lead. What we found, was that collaborative activities not only abound in their classes, but that they are actually the driving force behind their lesson planning and curriculum mapping. It is a constant, potent, and demonstrably successful method of teaching, learning, and living, that our faculty consistently seek to instill in each student, both in and outside of the classroom.

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Physics

Classroom H-17

had Vicenik and Ed Eadon have only been colleagues for a year; but these two teachers have not let the little time that they have worked together constrain them from collaborating on the creation of an outof-the-box final project for the sixty students across their four sections of Physics classes.

Choosing to do away with the typical question-and-answer, pento-paper cumulative final exam, Vicenik and Eadon came together to present their students with a first-semester final project that went beyond rote memorization and application of concepts, delving more into the realm of innovation. In order to be successful, students were required to showcase their creative ingenuity alongside their acquired depth of knowledge around foundational physics concepts. Most especially, students were required to experiment and collaborate - both with students from their same classrooms, as well as across other academic disciplines.

Eadon explained, “After teaching the concepts of physics (light, optics, electricity) in the first half of the semester, we challenged students to team up, shift their learning, and take physics to the next level.” Students paired up in teams, making their way to the physics lab and Makerspace to begin creating their final projects, including flashlights, microscopes, laser light beams, lie detectors, sound-cancelling speakers and large format cameras, to name a few.

Eadon and Vicenik, along with Makerspace Coordinator, Adrian Skrentny, and Science Department Chair, Will Walker, supported

the girls in conceptualizing and bringing their ideas to life. Each team was challenged to strongly showcase different aspects of physics concepts learned in the classroom, while also pushing their projects further, exploring new dimensions of science that had not been taught or particularly used before.

Vicenik continued, “Our girls took initiative in the creation of these projects like I’ve never seen before in my teaching experience.

The final project concept was an experiment for Ed and me as well, one that we too are learning from. We’re already brainstorming enhancements to the project structure and guidelines for future years. What our students have done (and continue to do both inside the classroom and out), is pushing us to think about the possibilities for further learning and experimentation beyond what we could have ever expected!”

Beyond teaching the values of collaboration, creation and applied sciences, arguably the most important, was the lesson of persistence our students gained from Eadon and Vicenik’s final project. Eadon shared, “The beauty of this process is going through the frustration…to appreciate the process itself more than the failures that may come. We didn’t care if the things they built actually worked on the day of the final exam; we wanted our students to deeply understand the concepts and think about what they would create if they had unlimited resources. Although many of the teams experienced trials and tribulations along the way, hearing the girls finally figure out how to make their piece work…the yells of excitement that we could hear down the halls, and the hugging and cheering from classmates after a specific ‘part’ of their project came together, now that makes what we do worth it.”

Student Final Projects “Perspectives”: iPhone Camera Lenses, Filters, Mirrors and Distorters Rachel Mills '16, Morgan Williams '16, Rebecca Casey '16

“W

E ALL LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY; HOWEVER, WE WERE MORE INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT WAYS TO MANIPULATE

OUR PICTURES THROUGH THE SCIENCE OF PHYSICS RATHER THAN THROUGH EXISTING PHOTOGRAPHY APPS. IT WAS EXCITING TO SEE OUR VISION TURN INTO REAL, FUNCTIONING OBJECTS.

”

The Perspectives Project was designed and built by using the Autodesk Fusion 360 3D Printing Software. Students measured the dimensions of the iPhone5, then created different types of lenses, polarizers, mirrors, and gratings that could be used with their custom 3D-printed iPhone case. After multiple 3D prints, and several errors along the way, they created a universal sliding piece mechanism that would slide over the camera with each piece (lenses, gratings, polarizers, etc.). The final product included 9 different sliding pieces and effects (including a macro-lens, magnifying glass, and rainbow effect).

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THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

(L to R): Physics teachers Dr. Chad Vicenik and Mr. Ed Eadon

iPhone Microscope Libby Glenn '16 and Emily Massey '16 These two seniors first tackled their microscope project by designing and printing a special iPhone case using Tinkercad (a 3D printing website) in the Marymount Makerspace.

Then, housing a 1mm lens in a small piece of bicycle tube under the camera “hole” of their special iPhone case, the students successfully converted the iPhone camera into a fullyfunctioning microscope. Seen to the right is their functioning microscope lens, magnifying the cells within one blade of grass.

Rainbow Flashlight Mirna Kamel '17 First, Mirna had to understand what concepts of physics would be involved in making the flashlight work (i.e., how the DC Driver worked, how the actual rainbow part would shine through, how to get the most focused light, etc.). After some missteps, multiple refinements in the design process, designing each part on Autodesk Fusion 360, and precise measuring, she printed her flashlight and wired each part to successfully reflect a one-of-a-kind rainbow light source.

“I

AM AN OIL PAINTER AND I’VE ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO PAINT SOMETHING WITH A RAINBOW

COLORED LIGHT SOURCE. WHAT WOULD EVERYTHING LOOK LIKE? WHAT WOULD PICTURES LOOK LIKE? WOULDN’T IT BE REALLY BEAUTIFUL?

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“I

TRULY ENJOY WORKING AS PART OF THIS TEAM. I CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON THE HONOR COUNCIL GIRLS TO

APPROACH EACH TASK WITH ENTHUSIASM, NO MATTER WHAT IT MAY BE. THEY ALWAYS BRING THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE TO THE FOREFRONT AND ARTICULATE WHAT THEY FEEL WOULD WORK MOST EFFECTIVELY.

– Heather Bayle, Honor Council Chair

”

Rachel Mills '16 Abby Nathanson '17 Natalie Barnes '17

MEMBER

MEMBER

MEMBER

Anna Lee '16 VICE PRESIDENT

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Kaitlyn Greta '16 PRESIDENT

Yurika Boyd '17 MEMBER

Malina Yago '18 MEMBER

Cate Rozelle '18 MEMBER

Honor Council

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ervice. Respect. Integrity. Responsibility.

Loyalty. Honor. Human Dignity.

Community. These are the core values that our Marymount Honor Council considers fundamental to their internal sense of truth, and to the life-long virtues of our school.

The Honor Council has been an established group of student leaders since 2007, working together and in collaboration with faculty to uphold a community of leaders, advocates, and innovators. The Honor Council helps to foster a community of trust from within the student body itself. Tasked with a critical piece of maintaining Marymount’s mission and values, these young women are relied upon daily by our students to be the gatekeepers of ethics and morals across campus.

The 2015-16 Honor Council is made up of eight students from all grades, each elected to their position by their peers and all deeply devoted to the Marymount mission. These eight young women convene once a week to brainstorm ways to uphold and honor the highest ethical standards across our school

Classroom B-201

community. Under the leadership of Honor Council Chair, Heather Bayle, and a trusted committee of four faculty advisors, the Honor Council team has recently tackled challenging school issues such as ethical during finals, supportive sisterhood, and keeping our campus clean.

Honor Council Member Yurika Boyd '17 said, “We hold each other accountable, not just within this small group, but across the entire student body. We have the highest standards for our fellow Sailors because we know that is what Marymount students are capable of – being their best selves each day.”

Senior Kaitlyn Greta, Honor Council President, continued, “I truly believe that integrity is one of the most important things in life. When you get out into the real world, you’re held accountable for your actions, no exceptions. I want to make sure that we all learn that here at Marymount before having to face the sometimes harsh realities of life. Marymount girls are not blindsided by life, we are prepared, most especially because of the mission and values of this school that we get to soak up each day. I’m thankful to be part of a group that is able to help cultivate such a strong environment of respect, trust, and values.”

Service Learning

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hat is the need? What can I do?

How can I help? How can I better understand? These are the questions that we challenge our group of 398 driven young women to answer each day inside our Theology classrooms. But what happens when these questions and collaborative classroom learning gets taken off campus?

From the moment students begin their Marymount journeys, we empower them to find their personal passions, while also motivating them to see and do more for the broader world beyond themselves.

“B

3rd Floor Butler Hall & Greater Los Angeles Community

impels our girls to go beyond the act of just seeing and doing. The time dedicated to sharing and reflection allows our students to dig in to the foundational reasons behind many of the social issues they are confronted with, ultimately increasing their understanding to become authentic advocates for social good.

Our students share that they highly value the opportunity to address topics and questions that are complex, and oftentimes, uncomfortable. Director of Spiritual Life, Rebecca Bostic elaborates, “Students really dig in to the nuances of societal issues that they encounter in the communities they serve. Recently in class, they’ve reflected on the disparity between the harsh realities of South Central Los Angeles compared to the safe haven of the Marymount campus, only 14 miles away. Students who participated in our MEND

Y TRAVELING A MERE 30-45 MINUTES, I WAS TRANSPORTED INTO A COMMUNITY THAT I DID NOT RECOGNIZE. I

SAW FAMILIES THAT DID NOT OWN A REFRIGERATOR OR SIMPLE ITEMS THAT HELP PEOPLE SUSTAIN. THE REFLECTION PROCESS HAS ALLOWED ME TO THINK ABOUT MY OWN LIVING SITUATION AND BETTER RECOGNIZE THAT WE MUST DO GOOD TO SUPPORT THOSE OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY. BY PROVIDING ME WITH THESE EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCES, MARYMOUNT HAS GIVEN ME THE TOOLS TO HELP OTHERS LIVE THEIR LIVES TO THE FULLEST.

Our distinctive dichotomy of being both an Independent and a Catholic school (see article on page 26, ‘An Identity Built on Collaboration – What Does It Mean To Be An Independent-Catholic School?’) enables us to uniquely integrate service learning into our four-year Theology curriculum, and to provide students with the essential time needed to deeply reflect and unpack the servicerelated experiences they have across the Greater Los Angeles community. All of this happens within a safe classroom environment that stresses respectful sharing and active listening, so that peers can openly express their thoughts without judgment.

While many of our service learning projects, programs, and experiences occur outside of the traditional classroom at organizations such as A Place Called Home (APCH), the Los Angeles Food Bank, Westside Children’s Center, and MEND Poverty, the discourse that occurs inside the classroom after engagements,

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– Clare Burgess '16

Poverty project told their peers how it felt to walk into a one-room garage that houses a family of six, with the knowledge that both parents are working, yet still cannot afford a bigger place, or even a hairbrush for their children.”

Each day, we are teaching our girls to be global advocates; not only to understand, but to engage with compassion and involvement, and to demand openness and solidarity. We push our students to ask questions, seek answers and demand a better world for all. By exposing them to meaningful service learning experiences that challenge their cultural assumptions and norms, coupled with reflective in-classroom discussions, personal growth abounds in a significant way between freshman and senior year. Through these experiences, our young women are able to engage on all different levels for the pursuit of justice and peace, humanizing what once may have been preconceived assumptions to help combat the injustice and indifference seen across society.

“W

E OFTEN FORGET ABOUT THE IMPACT EACH OF US CAN MAKE IN THE ENVIRONMENT. EVERY MAMMAL AND CREATURE

HAS A PAST. EVERY PRESENT DAY ORGANISM CAME TO BE THE WAY IT IS BECAUSE OF EVOLUTION. I WANTED STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT WHAT ALLOWS ANIMALS TO SURVIVE AND HOW THEY CAN MORPH DEPENDING ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND SITUATION AROUND THEM.

”

– Claudia Gonzalez

Oceanography

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ith a task as vast as the number of sea animals in the ocean itself, teacher Claudia Gonzalez challenged her Oceanography students to think about evolution leveraging technologies that they had never utilized before.

Gonzalez shared, “As I began to look at our curriculum, I knew that I wanted the girls to not only understand evolution as it relates to the sea, but to be able to employ the capabilities that modern technology has to offer in order to visualize what the evolutionary future may bring.”

Gonzalez enlisted the help of STEM Coordinator, Will Walker to begin the feat of introducing 3D printing to her students as part of her lesson about the evolution of sea organisms. During the first half of the semester, Gonzalez asked her students to select a sea organism whose traits they thought would survive (or change) according to the environment 50 million years into the future. Using Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and cross-referencing organisms they had previously researched, students had to write a plausible story about how their chosen creature came to be, explaining the adaptations they expected would allow it to survive the changes in the environment across such an expansive amount of time. Using

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the research gathered during the first semester, Gonzalez is now challenging her students to use Autodesk Fusion 360 to draw, design, and ultimately 3D print the evolved versions of their selected organisms, bringing their predicted evolutionary stories to life.

The idea is for students to not only learn a tool [3D printer] that is the very way of our future, but also to leverage this technology to visually map out the evolutionary process in an entirely new way.

The current second half of the project hasn’t come without challenges, Gonzalez says, “We are teaching girls that have never before touched a 3D printer to execute on printing organisms that only exist in their heads. So we’re starting out simple. We’re teaching the girls Autodesk Fusion 360 from the ground up, starting with how to create a simple object, like a chair, to help them become more comfortable with the software. The goal is for all students to print their future animals by the end of the school year, so that they can walk away with something that they never thought they’d be able to do.”

It’s a challenging process that students seem to enjoy, as Alicia Quille-Strickland '18 shared, “This project has actually stimulated my interest in the STEAM fields because of the amazing things that people are able to create. It’s been a great experience because I’ve been able to learn new and innovative skills [exploring the use of a 3D printer] that can open up a lot of promising doors for me in the future.”

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Art History A – Renaissance Art

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“

ffective and fun collaboration is both a technique and goal in my teaching. In the widest possible view, I believe that collaboration is more than just a strategy.

It is a key to long-term success in life, now more than ever in a constantly evolving and interconnected world.” Art History teacher Dr. Theresa Menard states.

For the past 15 years, Dr. Menard has worked to continuously expand cross-departmental connections through various projects, exhibitions and venues. This year, students in Menard’s Art History A – Renaissance Art class were asked to explore Renaissance Art both thematically, and creatively, all within a contemporary social world context.

Dr. Menard developed a new exercise for students as they researched a 15th century Renaissance painting of Madonna and Child. Students were challenged to interpret the painting as it personally related to them and their worldview. With the support

Kate Zuckerman '16

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Classroom B-307

of Sr. Margaret McKenna, Yearbook teacher and Photoshop aficionado, the girls had to manipulate the original artwork in Photoshop to make the piece relevant to the world today, both in look and content. Sr. Margaret provided the girls with a working knowledge of Photoshop in order to produce their modernized Renaissance piece. Menard then enlisted the support of Director of Digital Media, Chris Botello to teach the girls how to print their artwork on Marymount’s newly added large-format printers.

Students recreated their modern-day versions of Madonna and Child in a variety of ways, including interpretations of Mother and Child amidst war-torn Syria, on the impoverished streets of downtown Los Angeles, and within the toxic culture of communities plagued with gang violence (showcased below). All final pieces were exhibited at the Visual Arts Winter Showcase, where the public response to the thematic mini-show was raved.

Allowing students to truly embrace and create art, rather than just study it, Menard has continued to push the mark on crossdepartmental partnerships. Students have learned how to personally connect to a piece of art that once seemed unrelatable, all while learning new digital editing tools used in today’s professional world.

Maire Burschinger '16

Nora Kilroy '17

Typography

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Classroom B-105

uring the introduction of her second semester Typography class this past February, Visual Arts teacher Jae Perez asked her sixteen eager students, “What do you see when you hear the word ‘collaboration’?”

Perez guided the students through the foundations of typography design, ultimately asking them to conceptualize the word ‘collaboration,’ each in her own unique typography style. The collage of artwork below illuminates a sampling of these students’ work, showing how broad their artistic interpretations and understanding of this one, powerful word are.

CAROLINE ZISETTE '18

SIDNEY GUBERNICK '18

SOPHIE KNEPPER '18

IRENE LEE '18

MADDY MCMAHON '18

JACQUELINE KING '17

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Peer Partnership

Spontaneous collaboration and collective learning abounds in new cross-departmental spaces around campus, as seen here in the interim Marymount Makerspace. As students discover new talents and skills through the multitude of learning platforms both on campus and off, their capacity to teach one another has elevated to new levels. Whether building pieces in the 3D printer, creating a new container for their art supplies, or teaching one another how to etch a new design onto acrylic in the laser cutter, the peer partnership witnessed between our students has brought new meaning to collaboration on our campus.

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STUDENTPERSPECTIVES

How

Far

Can You

Go

…

When You Collaborate Instead of Compete?

Five students reflect on the importance of sisterhood, support, and solidarity.

The Fusion of Joint Collaboration and Individual Self-Discovery

By Julia Hesse-Fong '16

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ollaboration by its very nature is a joint task, taking more than one person to participate in the action.

Yet collaboration is made stronger when the individuals participating also have a strong sense of their purpose or part in the task. It is in this vein that I see collaboration and self-discovery going hand-in-hand.

A great example of this is Marymount’s dedication to the study of Theology; it is intrinsic to every student’s identity, as well as to their ability to collaborate. We listen to each other speak, we respect each other’s ideas and respond to the immediacy of what they say.

We burrow deep in the roots, tradition and relevance of faith, and we nurture an appreciation for the vibrant world around Marymount’s us. I feel that the collaborative interaction in theology class is the basis for a respect of, Theology is and excitement for, every girl. Yet it doesn’t just live in those specific classrooms, it also carries over and enlivens every part of our campus. In science, girls question, diagnose, and extrapolate data based on evidence.

In writing, girls learn to appropriately challenge interpretations and then forge their own. In the visual arts, girls create by synthesizing their outer and inner worlds. Marymount is authentically dedicated to the idea of challenging the self, thus allowing students to collaborate fully and without reservation.

question burning in my mind. They respond with wisdom and often challenge me further. My 11th grade Theology teacher embodied what Marymount is all about, as he revealed different perspectives on faith and added dimension to the way I view religion. When experiencing a period of questioning in my own faith journey, this teacher pushed me to look past rebellion and to delve further into the philosophical and moral dilemmas I was struggling with. With his help, I formed a deeper appreciation of religion beyond what I had learned in school or church, and understood myself even more than I had before.

Outside of the classroom, my personal experience of collaboration brings to mind an acting exercise from the Marymount Players that dedication to I will always remember. For two minutes, two students had to stand in front of each other and become each other’s mirror image. Keeping eye contact and moving together, two bodies united in movement, and after a while, they became perfectly synchronized. In the Marymount Players, we are taught that focus, commitment, and energy are the essence of collaboration, and indeed, this spirit is what makes Marymount so very distinctive.

intrinsic to every student’s identity and ability to collaborate.

Reflecting on my personal experience of this collaboration at Marymount, I see myself going beyond the classroom and into the partnerships I’ve been able to create with many of my teachers.

Although my love for learning did not originate here, Marymount is where I learned not only to question, but to ask the right questions.

Not only to dare, but to dare further. I go to my teachers outside the classroom and ask them about an article or book I’ve read, or a

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Yet what truly makes Marymount unique on a broader scale is its fervent belief that collaboration and self-discovery don’t have to be separate entities. Instead, they are fused together, connate. Because of this, I do not feel competition with my friends, as our academic relationship is one of friendly encouragement and support. Ideas, rather than grades, diffuse into conversation; we know engaging each other causes us all to grow. Marymount girls know how to listen to each other, how to respond, and how to work in teams without sacrificing individuality: powerful abilities in a world that all too often prizes fierce competition. n

STUDENTPERSPECTIVES

Different, Yet the Same: Celebrating the Value Within One Another

By Julia Kozlowski '17

I

We Sailor Sisters share so many moments with each n the words of Audrey Hepburn, “the best thing other where we are able to work, progress, and to hold onto in life is each other.” I believe that triumph together. A personal example for me is being a distinct connection between human beings a part of the “High C’s,” Marymount’s acapella group. exists in the form of love, collaboration, and support.

In most songs, the girls and I are in four sections: We form initial bonds with others that turn into Alto 1, Alto 2, Soprano 1, and Soprano 2; however, irreplaceable relationships with loved ones. These these sections exist as nothing short of parts to a relationships are what keep us going, offering us a whole. How could a song come together without an shoulder to cry on and a hand to hold in times of alto to a soprano? We have distinct voices, distinct distress. Without the embrace of this connection, we notes, distinct melodies, but we come together as are nothing short of an empty void within ourselves. an orchestra of song. Rather than clash and create Without the recognition of our human need for this competition, our parts must collaborate to create love, we are struggling along without someone to lean harmony, serving as a perfect example of why a on in a world of competition and complete isolation. group effort creates a sound So what preserves this connection different than any other. here at Marymount? How do we keep the love between us?

We Sailor Sisters share so many We celebrate the value of Beyond acapella, I see so teamwork – the collective whole moments with each other where many other collaborative being greater than the sum of its experiences – during the parts – in everything that we do. junior year Kingdom Fair

we are able to work, progress, and triumph together.

At Marymount, we consider ourselves as more than peers, but as “Sailor Sisters,” encouraging one another, striving to follow our dreams side-by-side, and guiding one another on the right path. Because of this, we understand that encouragement goes much further than competition ever could.

For me, competition and ‘being the best’ can be a stimulating idea, but it ultimately communicates a reliance on oneself alone, giving the false impression that an individual gain means more than a team victory.

Beyond that, the self-satisfaction gained from being the lone woman standing on the first place podium will always fall short of the triumph and elation I have experienced from team successes. Why take someone down when you can bring them up right alongside you?

In our supportive familial environment, all Marymount girls prove more than confident when it comes to chasing their dreams, especially when they know their fellow sisters are there to push them along.

Without this sense of community within our school, we would lack the capacity to inspire others and would work solely for the benefit of ourselves. Because of Marymount, we hold this love within ourselves and are able to share it with each other.

service learning project, through relays on the track team, or simply just in the day-to-day classroom, as we are always teaching and learning from one another. Because of experiences like these, the girls at Marymount leave school each day with a personal feeling of success and triumph, all because of the loving and caring support of those around them.

“If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid,” Albert Einstein once said. Each Marymount girl is different, none the same; we understand that to be the best, you have to be yourself. We Sailor Sisters embrace our differences and motivate each other to pursue our own unique dreams, without comparing ourselves to others. Because of this warm, welcoming environment, we are individuals with characteristic passions that are celebrated by the loving young women around us. Marymount will always have a special place in my heart: here, I made lifelong friends whom I will remember always for their encouraging words, compassionate hugs, and unforgettable moments. I will always remember Marymount as a place of love and family, never one of rivalry or struggle. n

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STUDENTPERSPECTIVES

Living Each Day as a Mutual Victory

By Catherine Bezerra-Fisher '18

H

igh school: a time to make new friends, expand learning, have memorable experiences, discover your passions, and prepare yourself for the future. It is a time to try new things and broaden your horizons. When people ask: “What was your high school experience like?” I think it would be a pity to simply re-live long nights spent at home studying in preparation for the battleground of test days, competing against all those around me for the best grade. My hope is that my high school memories revolve more around collaboration than competition. To me, high school should be a balance of learning new material, creating lasting friendships, learning to partner with others, figuring out how to work toward joint goals, and exploring what you love alongside peers that always have your back. I’m happy to say that my time at Marymount has very much resembled this.

Conversely, hyper-competitive learning environments drain both ambition and creative spirit, leading students to only fear innovation and new experiences because of the failures they may bring. Unlike many other schools, Marymount better allows us to enjoy the learning process, which only increases our desire to learn more. I’ve met students in other schools where there is more of a sense of learning as a competition – figuring out who can achieve the highest test scores or GPA, and thus losing sight of the real meaning of education.

We cannot merely allow the numbers on our GPA to define who we are! At Marymount, I have learned to view life not as a constant competition, but instead, as a journey to reach my goals for selfimprovement, rather than trying to simply outdo those around me.

As I am writing this, I have just gotten through the often-dreaded finals week; a time many students can relate to as extremely stressful and anxiety-filled due to the fact that a large portion of our grades At Marymount, my peers and I are able to pursue whatever rely on these test performances. Instead however, I feel at ease. our passions may be without the fear of failure. In aggressively Collaboration was the key to my success during this hectic week. competitive high school environments, there are only winners and Each day, my friends and I formed study groups and met at the local losers. In our collaborative environment, each day is a mutual victory, library to study for our various exams, an idea strongly encouraged as everyone implements their ideas, strengths and knowledge to by our teachers. We were able to come together to combine our achieve the best result. Furthermore, we are reminded daily that various study tactics, quiz one another, and we will be using these teamwork and better explore the subject matter. Being able to collaboration skills well into the future. support and help one another at such a nerveWhether on group projects in college or I believe Marymount is genuinely wracking time allowed each one of us to do our in our careers, learning how to build one best on the finals, which directly expresses our another up will surely be critical to our helping us with our future mentality that positive outcomes are a result of future success. accomplishments by partnership and support for one another.

Beyond all of this, I think it is important to acknowledge high school as a time of trial and error, where we can comfortably learn more about ourselves by taking calculated risks, and sometimes making mistakes.

Without this, I don’t think I would be able to fully grow and develop as a student. The environment I’ve experienced here encourages it all – teamwork, collaboration and a supportive network where failure doesn’t have to equal fear.

As Marymount students, being surrounded by such a conducive environment permits us to be open to numerous possibilities, excited to try new things, and to implement our innovative ideas through access to our school’s extensive array of programs, nurturing teachers, and supportive classmates.

instilling the true meaning of teamwork.

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In conclusion, I feel that the idea of Marymount being a “supportive, friendly, tight-knit” school as many of our admission materials describe, could not be closer to the truth. Thanks to many of the factors within our Marymount program, collaboration prevails over competition in our student body, creating a nurturing community full of an incredible group of girls I know I will always be able to rely on for years to come. n

STUDENTPERSPECTIVES

Compositional Collaboration: Marymount’s Peer Writing Labs

By Kate Wegleitner '16

C

My first visit to Writing Labs shocked me. Never ollaboration permeates every aspect before had I seen such a friendly, welcoming, lively of the Marymount community. Joint academic environment. I had gotten a strong sense academic efforts inside the classroom of the supportive dynamic on campus from my – socratic seminars in literature, group math shadow day and various other Marymount visits, projects, science lab reports – yield a natural but I hadn’t realized the true extent of community tendency for Marymount students to work here until I had experienced it first-hand in together even outside of class, tackling difficult Writing Labs. How could I, a ninth grader, have homework problems en masse, and creating shared felt anything but welcomed after walking into a class study guides before a final exam. Beyond room of people I didn’t academics, our tight-knit, yet recognize, excitedly supportive community asking if they could help further manifests itself me edit my first high across various co-curricular Never before had I seen school English essay? activities. Model United such a Just knowing that every Nations, the Conservatory single day at lunch there Arts Program, and our academic environment. was a room with students newspaper, The Anchor, all and teachers willing to depend on the combined help me feel confident efforts of eager delegates, in my abilities, made me feel so authentically actresses, and writers. While all of these examples embraced and lucky to be part of something so greatly express collaboration in its diverse forms, much bigger than just myself. Maybe I wouldn’t my strongest, most personal experience of get and ‘A’ on my first paper, or my second, but teamwork at Marymount takes place within the with their guidance, I knew I would only get better peer writing labs. and better. And then, after refining my structural writing abilities and word crafting skills, it would There I sat in B205 my freshman year, absorbed in be my turn to help advise and welcome the next the frenzy of activity characteristic to Writing Labs: group of wide-eyed freshmen. at least ten different conversations leapt up and

friendly, welcoming, lively

fell at varying rates. The door couldn’t remain still for more than a minute before it was thrown open again, inundating the room with its next onslaught of students eagerly seeking help. Thankfully, from amidst the deluge emerged several writing tutors, one of whom grabbed the open seat beside me and began poring over my essay, offering sage suggestions and tips.

As a freshman and sophomore, I frequented Writing Labs often to work on essays with the student writing tutors, who helped me tweak anything from an Early Global Studies research report to a Writing Workshop paper. As a junior, I spent even more time there after beginning my service as a student tutor. Now, as a senior, I practically live in the Writing Lab. Mostly I assist others – freshmen, sophomores, and sometimes juniors – but I also entreat the advice and wisdom of my peer tutors.

In my opinion, the Writing Labs program genuinely represents Marymount’s approach to learning as a whole, and embodies the very best sense of collaboration. We resolutely commit all of our resources - especially the brilliant minds of the students - to foster intellectual curiosity and passion. We create a collaborative atmosphere and promote comfortable classroom dialogue to foster a genuine interest and desire to participate. We learn how to take diverse ideas into consideration, acquiring more holistic perspectives and worldviews in the process. We communicate our opinions respectfully and effectively. Ultimately, we find a way to work together as a school (not just as individuals), in all that we do, improving ourselves, as well as the broader world around us. n

Sarah Gill '17

“

To me, collaboration means being able to work with different groups of people to produce the best results possible. It means acknowledging that help can come from anywhere - a peer, a teacher, an upperclassman you barely know – and that working with them is infinitely better than working against them.

In my opinion, competitive environments can only serve to fuel animosity between groups of people, leading to loneliness, and little progress in life or at a school. I am proud to say that the world I live in at Marymount is one where students from all grade levels help one another, where teachers are always available to help you do your best work, and where girls always hold one another up instead of tear each other down. In the simplest of terms, teamwork and collaboration make Marymount, well Marymount.

”

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We’re all in this together Marymount has been affiliated with MAC Junior Rowing since 2000, when Athletic Director Liz Driscoll made the timely decision to bring rowing into our Athletics program. Since then, 38 athletes have rowed for MAC, with 9 going on to have successful collegiate rowing careers. This program, in partnership with other athletics and wellness initiatives at Marymount, has diversified the physical education curriculum and offerings for our students, including the opportunity to row alongside young women from other prominent schools in the Los Angeles area. This year, MAC Junior Rowing celebrates its 20th anniversary as a premier West Coast rowing program, with Coach Zohar Abramovitz bringing home 50 medals from National Championships and Southwest Regional Junior Championships, all while promoting the core values of personal commitment, self-discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship.

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An Identity Built on Collaboration:

What does it mean to be an

Independent, Catholic School?

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When asked to think about what “The Art of Collaboration” means to me as the Head of School at Marymount, the first image that came to mind was that of a bridge. I have always loved the metaphor of the bridge, as we often hear societal idioms such as, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” or “Let that be water under the bridge.” Perhaps my favorite bridge idiom however, is one told to me by Sister Monika Hellwig at Georgetown University many years ago:

“If you’re going to be a bridge builder, prepare yourself to walk across to both sides.”

JACQUELINE L. LANDRY, Head of School

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AN IDENTITY BUILT ON COLLABORATION

T

he idea of bridge building is a beautiful example of collaboration, or of the more common terms we often hear as essential literacies of the 21st century: partnership, diplomacy, cooperation.

Yet bridge building has its own nuanced twist on these values; it does not just require ‘meeting in the middle,’ as partnership and cooperation do, it goes beyond, demanding that one go across, being the connector between sometimes opposing sides.

As the leader of 398 gifted, bright and driven young women, I feel that the ability to build bridges – whether across backgrounds, age groups, ethnicities, or religions – is an essential tool not only within our Marymount community, but also for each student’s future. As we prepare our students to be peacemakers, ambassadors, and arbiters for good, in order to empower them to be effective bridge builders, we must simultaneously show

them how to seek integration of thought, break down silos in communication, and reduce sterile habits of thinking.

As Marymount Trustee Sr. Patricia Connor, RSHM, reminds us, we subscribe to a culture of “Yes, and,” not a “Yes, but,” way of thinking.

So what exactly does upholding the value of bridge-building and being a “Yes, and” culture bring to our campus? It empowers us to take on a profound cross-disciplinary learning model – breaking down walls between departments, teaching our girls to easily cut across disciplines, and training our minds to think nimbly across different perspectives (see article on page 9, ‘Collaboration From the Inside Out’). It also infiltrates the social norms of our student culture, teaching them to prize collective victories over individual successes (see student perspectives article on page 20, ‘How Far Can You Go When You Collaborate Instead of Compete?’)

While all strong examples of bridge-building, perhaps the most, ever-present pulse of Marymount’s collaborative spirit can be found within the partnership integral to our identity: Marymount is an Independent and a Catholic school.

While all strong examples of bridge-building, perhaps the most ever-present pulse of Marymount’s collaborative spirit can be found within the partnership integral to our identity: Marymount is an Independent and a Catholic school.

Being an Independent and a Catholic school means that we receive accreditation from three formidable accrediting agencies [The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), and the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA)]. These outside governing bodies ensure that we meet the highest standards of academic excellence and spiritual development, while also ensuring that our mission delivers all that we promote. Not all schools that are Catholic are Independent, and conversely, not all schools that are Independent are religious. In fact, only about a third of schools within the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) are also religious (this includes schools from a multitude of religious traditions).

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AN IDENTITY BUILT ON COLLABORATION

While Marymount maintains a clear and strong Catholic heritage and identity, the school is independently funded, not tied directly to any Parish, and receives no monetary support from the Diocese. Like all independent schools, Marymount’s annual operating budget and financial aid program are reliant upon tuition, as well as support from families, alumnae and foundations. Our student body comes to us from over 25 Catholic elementary schools, as well as over 50 public, charter and Independent schools combined. Our student body identifies as 60% Catholic, with the other 40% representing a rich mix of 17 other religious traditions. The very nature of our student body has been, and is, diversity – their backgrounds, interests, neighborhoods, religious traditions – all blend beautifully in our hallways each day, and will for decades to come.

Our founding Sisters, the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM), have always seen the value of the collaborative nature of our identity. Sr. Colette McManus, RSHM, who headed Marymount from 1973 – 1991, served on the CAIS board for two terms, ensuring that the Marymount voice was represented not only within the Catholic School community, but also within the broader California private school consortium. I have been honored to also serve in her footsteps, having just finished my own six-year term with this distinguished group of Independent school leaders.

Our identity as both Independent and Catholic means that we believe in, and cherish a ‘best of both worlds’ mentality, and are extremely well-versed in the skills required to be effective bridge builders.

As an Independent school, we uphold the highest standards of a college preparatory curriculum, bringing outstanding faculty, a well-resourced academic program, individualized attention and cutting-edge technology to our students. As a Catholic school, we build on the centuries-long, rich tradition of academic excellence,

adding a distinctive layer of spiritual development, a broad four-year study of Theology, and a strong commitment to serving underrepresented populations.

As we look at the current bifurcated state of our world, torn apart by crippling issues – violence, politics, poverty, racism – I cannot think of a time our society has been more in need of our girls, the future leaders and peacemakers of the world. It will take these critical skills of bridge-building and the “yes, and” mentality for them to effectively achieve what Pope Francis calls us to in this year of mercy: to embrace one another, to subscribe to a tolerant mentality, and to bring authentic compassion to all that we do. It is through this that our students, and we as a community, will be able to find a deeper level of understanding on both sides of the bridge, no matter which issue we face, or on which side we stand.

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The Marymount Swim Team works through their competitive season against key rivals in the Sunshine League. Returning four-time Varsity team member Maire Burschinger '16 and newcomer Cameron Kahn '18 look to lead our Sailor swimmers into post-league competition.

The 2015-16 fall and winter seasons brought about many success stories for our #SailorStrong athletes. With these seasons being the last for our 23 senior athletes, we look forward to sending many of them off to collegiate athletic careers this coming fall.

During the fall season, we were proud to see Volleyball take another Mission League title, along with Cross Country nabbing a Championship in the Sunshine League. In addition, standout senior golfer Kristen Soh finished her successful high school career as a Sailor with a second place finish in the Mission League, advancing once again to CIF Individual Northern Regionals.

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Recently wrapping up the winter season, the most notable achievement was attained by our Varsity Basketball team as they took the Sunshine League Championship title, followed by back-to-back appearances in the CIF Southern Section Division IVAA Quarter Finals.

With the spring season now in full swing, our Track and Field, Swim, Softball, and Beach Volleyball teams are primed for league competition and anticipate opportunities to contend for more league titles over the weeks ahead.

Two Athletes, Two Paths, Same Destination.

EQUESTRIAN

Marymount continues to have its fair share of athletes who go on to play collegiate sports, but special are the instances where two Marymount teammates move forward to take their collaboration to the next level together. Next year, current Marymount Senior Hanna Klein and Class of 2015 Alumna Kelly Byrne will reunite on the court, but this time, wearing Fighting Irish jerseys as members of the Notre Dame Division I women’s volleyball team.

All Marymount equestrian riders have placed this season in numerous events at Hansen Dam, including pictured rider Gabriela Kamins '18. Standout rider Victoria Otto '18 has been a leader on the team, achieving several first place finishes in multiple events this year!

Speaking of their Marymount days, both Byrne and Klein understand first-hand how Marymount Volleyball helped take their talents to the next level. “I knew that if I could make it through the tough competition, workouts and schedule at Marymount, all while still loving volleyball, that I would be ready to play at Notre Dame,” Byrne stated. Klein echoed, saying, “Our program at Marymount is a lot more intense than most schools. If you can handle waking up at 5:00am every morning for practice on top of after school practices every other day, then you can handle the most intense Division I volleyball programs out there.”

COACH TONY GREEN Along with the many triumphs over the past two seasons, comes much gratitude for the leadership provided by our longtime Soccer Coach Tony Green.

It is with abundant appreciation that we say goodbye to the third most winning coach in the state of California, and the 25 years of service he provided for the Marymount Soccer community as he takes his next journey into retirement.

While both Byrne and Klein grew up playing the sport, influence came through different avenues. Byrne credits the Manhattan Beach volleyball culture and friends for her successful start, while Klein credits her mom and watching Marymount volleyball practices since she could walk. In the end, both credit great coaching and a strong bond with their Marymount teammates as factors that kept them motivated to keep playing into their college years.

Making the transition from Marymount’s academically rigorous program to Notre Dame has been natural for Byrne – she was accepted into the prestigious Mendoza School of Business and made the Dean’s List her first semester this past fall. “I made the decision to attend Notre Dame because of the school’s excellent academic reputation and because of Coach McLaughlin and Coach Johnson. Their vision for the Notre Dame volleyball program is inspiring, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.” For Klein, as a Marymount Senior, some of the college unknowns are still out there, but knowing one of her ‘Sailor Sisters’ will be there both on campus and on the court, the transition to a new school will be much less daunting. Klein elaborated saying, “It’s definitely an advantage having Kelly already at Notre Dame.

I will be able to learn from her and her experience. Our mutual respect for each other will definitely be a huge benefit as I start this new chapter.”

SOFTBALL Off to a great start, the 2016 Softball Team has a new coach at the helm helping to lead the Sailors in Sunshine League play.

BASKETBALL Rising senior Emily Torp (pictured) looks to lead the Sailors next year as they move into the Mission League.

Congratulations to both Kelly Byrne '15 and Hanna Klein '16 for their accomplishments both on and off the court – we cannot wait to see where this journey with the Fighting Irish will take you next!

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A FOCUS ON THE

Arts From tackling material written in 17th Century France to competing in multiple Drama Teachers Association of Southern California (DTASC) fall competitions, and inspiring an auditorium full of spectators in a love-inspired night of jazz, to galloping into the land of fractured fairy tales, the young women in our Performing Arts Department continue to amaze us with their discipline, dedication, and talent. With over one-fourth of our girls involved in the Conservatory Arts Program (CAP) through either acting, choral music, orchestral music, or dance, the opportunities to perform at Marymount remain endless.

In addition, each student at Marymount has taken some form of a visual arts class during her time on campus.

The Visual Arts continue to be a reigning force of inspiration to all of us at Marymount – the styles, techniques, mediums, and creativity exhibited by our students are truly astounding! From the introduction of our first-ever Digital Film Festival to exhibitions, and prestigious awards to projects serving children across under-served populations, the depth of talent showcased reflects each artist’s continual dedication, service, and character within the visual arts disciplines.

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ARTS UPDATE

1.

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Over 100 students were involved in this year’s Winter Concert and Jazz Café. The selective repertoire drew from classical masterpieces, contemporary favorites, and jazz standards, as well as music and dance from around the world.

2.

Our DTASC Team (Drama Teachers Association of Southern California) was honored as Top 10 in their category during this year’s Varsity Fall Festival, where they competed against over 2,000 students from more than 70 schools in Southern California.

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3.

7 9

Freshman Milani Stiles-White is seen practicing her eye-catching blue violin before school in Dr. B’s classroom.

This year’s orchestra drew in a record number of freshman musicians, bringing vast new talents to the stage!

4.

This March, The Marymount Players took on Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer’s ‘Once Upon A Mattress,’ a musical comedy inspired by ‘The Princess and The Pea.’ Pictured is junior Olivia Kiene in one of the leading roles, Princess Winnifred.

Rebecca Casey '16

5.

This year marked Marymount’s first-ever Digital Film Festival.

Britt Alphson '17, Olivia Dellums '16, Dasha Gladkov '16, Hannah Haas '16, Ruby Lightbourn '17, Charlotte Muth '16, Abby Nathanson '17, Valentina Povolo '16, Kimia Simab '16, Ally Walsh '17, and Hypnus Yao '17 all showcased their 5-minute shorts, followed by a Q+A session from the captivated audience!

Janan Perkins '16

6.

Tiffany Cappellari '16

Dominique Lukow '16, Genna Whittell '17, Janan Perkins '16, Sahra Maxwell '16, and Valory Banashek '17 were all chosen to showcase their artistic interpretations on spirituality at the prestigious Robert Graham Memorial Exhibition, hosted at the Los Angeles Cathedral this spring.

8 7.

The 2016 Winter Visual Arts Showcase featured work from all studio-based arts students including drawing, painting, sculpture, graphic design, digital design, 3D design, photography and digital film.

8.

75 art students participated in The Memory Project, creating over 60 portraits of disadvantaged children from around the world, with plans to send out over 20 more by May 2016.

9.

Rebecca Casey '16, Janan Perkins '16, and Tiffany Cappellari '16 were all Silver Key recipients as part of the 2016 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

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Student Life

Introducing Incoming Associated Student Body (ASB) President Caroline Cooper '17!

Hi everyone! I’m incredibly excited and honored to serve as ASB President for the 2016-17 school year! I cannot wait to plan memorable events such as Spirit Week for my Sailor Sisters, and I look forward to working closely with members of ASB-CC. I am also excited to get to know the newest members of Marymount, the Class of 2020. Marymount is an amazing community and I love being a part of it! –

SNAPSHOTS

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Don’t forget to read The Anchor, our student-written online newspaper!

— www.mhsanchor.org —

Our student-run online newspaper is full of fantastic reporting, photos, and editorials about all things Marymount and beyond! Thanks to the leadership of Editor-in-Chief Lucia Kim '16, and Assistant Editor-in-Chief Clara Lacey '17, the content within this popular resource is regularly refreshed and visited often. Recent features include:

Sailors on the Open Seas A new column exploring the lives of Marymount alumnae by Sloane Leipzig '17 and Taylor Villante '17

My Summer Working at a Fortune 500 Company

R.I.P. Romance: A Reflection on Wuthering Heights

A personal essay about being chosen as one of only two High School CyberPatriot Technical Interns at Northrop-Grumman

by Kat LoScalzo '16

A book review on Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel that she covertly penned under a male name by Julia Hesse-Fong '16

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Synergistic Spirit

As the academic world continues to emphasize the importance of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) fields, especially as they relate to girls’ education and their future careers, Marymount teachers have found relevant synergies between departments, helping to bring these areas to life in new and engaging ways. Whether in the Marymount Makerspace, in the Physics classroom, or as they examine new art forms through digital design classes, our students are deeply engaged in the meaningful cross-departmental collaborations that have cropped up across school (see article, “Collaboration From the Inside Out” on pg. 9).

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Collaborators For

I

nspired by our magazine theme of ‘Collaboration,’ we felt there was no better way to capture the very essence of the word than by interviewing the longest-tenured faculty members on campus. All four of these distinguished teachers, mentors, and friends have worked to serve Marymount students for over 30 years. Collectively, Sister Margaret McKenna, RSHM, Marilyn Bennett, Debra Miller and Tom Zimmerman have spent over 140 years together on campus and have served generations of Marymount graduates from the 1970’s to today.

Q: Hi everyone, thank you so much for sitting down with us to talk about decades past at Marymount! Why don’t we start by having you talk about what this place was like when you all started your careers here?

Sr. M: Colette originally thought that she would be going to Rome, but was instead called from her post at Marymount Paris to travel to Los Angeles. She came here in 1972 really to help the school grow.

Even though there was a small number of students enrolled at that time, the school wasn’t truly thriving, and the physical buildings were in need of repair.

MB: Well Sister Colette hired all of us – even though we didn’t all start at the same time, she was our common thread.

Ma

rilyn Bennet

t

Celebrating her 41st year at Marymount, Marilyn Bennett has been an institutional pillar of the Math Department since 1975.

Originally from the UK, Marilyn has served as Department Chair, and was the first person to ever bring a computer onto the Marymount campus!

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TZ: For example, today we’re sitting in a bright, well-furnished parlor that used to be much darker and in need of many repairs. Marymount then was still beautiful, it just wasn’t like it is today.

Sr. M: Colette saw an opportunity to renew not only the building and the school, but also the community. She started the first Marymount Fathers Club, calling on five students’ fathers to help in

m m Zim erman To Dubbed ‘Zim’ by his students, Tom has taught photography at Marymount since 1976, and still finds that the darkroom is one of our students’ favorite places on campus. One of his proudest moments was hosting a photography exhibit with over 15 Marymount alumnae, and he looks forward to continuing to inspire future generations of Sailor artists.

her efforts to restore the school. These men worked with their companies to start the fundraising process, and the rest is history.

MB: I think it’s important to talk about how academically different Marymount was at that time as well. When I arrived, there was only a 2-year math requirement for our girls. Oh how the world has changed! So not only did Colette really

DM: The girls wouldn’t go up there - they were absolutely convinced that it was haunted.

Q: How about traditions? What were some of your favorites that may not be around anymore?

TZ: Ha! The biggest problem wasn’t that it was haunted, it was that the electricity had been so wonky after years of dorm students using hair dryers and the like!

Once something got plugged in on the third floor, all of the power in Butler would just go out!

MB: The Friday morning Masses and breakfast with the Nuns.

Over 30 Years transform the physical status of the school, she also helped us to significantly grow the foundations of the academic program as well.

Q: She sounds like an amazing leader!

Tell us a bit about the campus and how it was structured at that time.

DM: Well, the original buildings were all standing (Administration Building, High School, Cantwell Hall) and by that point, Pavilion and Butler Hall were here too.

The biggest difference was probably right here in this main Administration building.

Beyond the Chapel there were doors, and that part of the building was dedicated to convent rooms for the Sisters.

MB: At that point, Butler Hall was three (instead of four) stories tall with unused convent rooms and dorms on the third floor.

rgaret McKe

MB: He researched the paints that were originally used on the ceilings, and the stains used in the chapel. He had the tiniest brushes, stencils, the whole bit.

He was a true Michelangelo.

Sr. M: His work is something that most of us take for granted each day, because we assume the building, the painted ceilings and all of the detail of this place has just always been that way. But the work that he put in to restore it for all of us to enjoy all of these years, it’s really something to marvel at.

MB: It was such a special time to bond and connect with one another outside of the hustle and bustle of the school week.

A unique time to truly take a ‘pause’ together as one community.

TZ: While we’re talking about this, we have to talk about the old Christmas dinners!

Q: Tell us more! Is this referring back to the Christmas in Killarney events? When did these start?

Sr. M: Christmas in Killarney was a family affair on campus. Faculty, Staff, their families, and the students’ families all got together for a pre-Christmas celebration.

It was born out of Colette’s Irish heritage; a vision to have families and faculty together in a relaxed, fun setting together.

MB: It was a potluck, families would come, lots of dancing, a real blast.

TZ: Dennis Day was a parent at the time and he sang at the event – it was amazing to see someone who was so big in the 40’s and 50’s giving a personal serenade to our Marymount community. Also important

nn a

a .M Sr

DM: One of the most significant campus transformations was done by a UCLA student, Geoff Muller, who was across the street studying art restoration. He used to help Colette with maintenance projects and such, but at some point when we were getting the building back in shape, he took on the entire restoration of the school’s original beauty.

DM: Every Friday, the Sisters offered a Mass at 7am before school, and then would provide coffee, treats and breakfast for us afterwards. The faculty loved these experiences, whether you went to the Mass or not, most of the community would show up at some point before school each Friday.

Upon her arrival in 1972, Sr. Margaret was the sole History teacher, serving that Department for over 20 years and beginning the first AP History class on campus. Since then, she has taught Yearbook and Photoshop classes to many generations of students. She received her Masters degree from LMU alongside Tom Zimmerman, and is one of the most beloved figures in our Marymount community.

D eb

ra Miller

An English Department sage, Debra came to Marymount in 1985 and has since taught all grades, Yearbook, and served as the Chair of the Sunset Literary Magazine. She values her relationships with students above all, and loves the sense that there truly is a teacher mentor for every student in our community.

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to mention are my memories of a few Chris (Kit) Utz performances at faculty Christmas dinners – not necessarily a Dennis Day, but that guy really knew how to make people laugh and bring them together!

Q: So many fun memories to hear about.

What was the community like amongst the girls back then?

Sr. M: The number of students was definitely much smaller, so in a way I think the girls were closer to each other and to us just because there were less people around campus.

DM: The relationship between faculty and students – as it still is today – was very tight-knit. All of our faculty offices were together in the High School building; everybody knew everybody, almost like a neighborhood.

our culture then was very much of the ‘handmade’ variety, she played a big part in continuing to put the school on a pathway forward.

Q: Tell me more about your teaching, or some of the great teachers that you have seen pass through these doors at Marymount.

Sr. M: She really was a forward thinker.

She brought in AP Classes. She served on the board of the California Association of Independent Schools, and not just on the Catholic School committees.

Sr. M: Sister Celine Cripps, at that time Chair of the English Department (and former Principal), was an incredible English teacher. She was so interesting as a person and as a teacher that our girls used to opt out of taking AP Classes just so that they could take her class. She made things so relevant and interesting to them.

She surprised them with what a TV buff she was! She would watch everything that the girls were watching back in that time, and use all of the show storylines as backdrops to her lesson planning and thematic discussions.

Q: Speaking of technology and moving forward, let’s talk about how that has changed over the years.

MB: What technology? There was no technology! In fact, I was the first person to ever bring a computer onto the Marymount campus. It was from LMU, and it was a dial-up connection to the University. The only programs that were on the computer were ones that were written by people in the LMU engineering

TZ: I think that one of my favorite teaching memories was actually from outside the classroom. I’ve always taught

I think that all of us can say that the power we see in our jobs and why we do what we do, is our drive to help our students find the confidence they have within themselves, and watch them just come into their own. – Tom Zimmerman MB: I think everyone thinks it was more formal back then, but it really wasn’t.

The community really had that ‘handmade’ feel. Not shiny, but still special, with a lot of love poured into it from many different aspects.

TZ: I agree – I think that a lot of it felt like ‘Let’s get together and make a school.’

DM: I think the Sisters were a big part of that at the time. With them living on campus, they truly brought the community together in different ways and were able to keep the focus on that for us.

MB: Now, it’s harder to see each other because so many of us are busy in different ways. The demands on our students are greater, and technology has taken over much of the communication that used to require a walk across campus or a visit with a peer. I think that Colette saw that shift happening, and even though

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and math programs. I wrote some for our students as well, but it wasn’t a class or anything. Really, the computer was solely for students who were interested in this new, ‘weird’ world of computer science.

Sr. M: I ran as far away from it as I could.

I didn’t want to be near that thing!

MB: Funny now, because you teach Yearbook and Photoshop!

Sr. M: Well, I persuaded students to learn the computer programs for me and then to teach me in private so that I didn’t get too overwhelmed all at once. I had a student who left a post-it note ‘tip’ on my desk every day – how to turn the computer on, how to access my files, simple things. She was the reason that I was able to learn and then get interested in the real power of computers. And now here I am, teaching Adobe classes!

Photography and have seen some real talent come through my doors. Through the grapevine, I had heard that a handful of girls, maybe three or four, had gone on to be professional photographers. I came up with the idea of putting together a Marymount Alumnae Photography Show, thanks to a former student’s brother who owned a gallery. When we sent out the call to my former students to participate in the show, it turned out that seventeen of our girls had gone on to be professionals – I was stunned! The show was hosted in 2009, and it was incredible. Alumnae flew in from New York, London, all across the country. It went for eleven straight hours and it was jammed the entire time.

Q: What a proud moment that must have been. Let’s keep talking about successes. What other moments come to mind from over the years when you think about what kind of impact you’ve had on your students, or that they’ve had on you?

Sr. M: I was incredibly honored to be named Mariska Hargitay’s '82 favorite teacher in LIFE Magazine. At the time, I didn’t realize that the interview was for such a huge publication – I thought it was for something local! But regardless, it was a huge honor.

MB: When I think of this question, I think of the personal connections I’ve been privileged to have with former students, and how our friendships have grown outside of their Marymount years and beyond. I’ve had the pleasure of hiring a former student (who used to be such a challenge in the math classroom!) as one of our math faculty, and I’m also the Godmother to a former student’s daughter. These types of connections I treasure – it’s not just a calling to teach, you become a part of people’s lives and families, and that is a special gift.

TZ: I agree. I got the chance to walk a former student down the aisle at her wedding because she had lost her father.

She needed someone to officially give her away, and I was so honored to play that part, it really was a neat thing.

DM: I’ve always been the kind of teacher who can help draw in kids who struggle, or don’t necessarily think they have a ‘set’ place. I haven’t had the easiest life thrown my way, and I think that being able to be a resource and rock for those types of kids is something that I’ve found a deep calling in. The ‘genius types’ definitely don’t come to me (ha!). But in all seriousness, I really like being able to give our girls the feeling that there is an adult mentor here for everybody. It is a truly special aspect of Marymount – the deep connections between teachers and students are extraordinary.

TZ: I think that all of us can say that the power we see in our jobs and why we do what we do, is our drive to help our students find the confidence they have within themselves, and watch them just come into their own.

Q: Let’s end by talking about what you hope our students take away from their Marymount experience.

DM: As an English teacher, I hope that they become competent AND confident writers. On the more intangible side, I hope that they find a sense of belonging like I’ve found in my career here.

MB: Speaking of something you want to be a part of, I think about when I talk to our Alumnae, that the whole concept of the Marymount sisterhood is very real. I hope that our students today keep treasuring that sisterhood with each other while they are on campus, and with the broader Marymount Alumnae network as well.

TZ: Building off of all of that, I simply want our students to know that somebody cares about them. Not that we are paid to just teach them, but that we have a vested interest in their happiness as our students, but also as human beings. I think that is the benefit of a small school like Marymount, that we have a chance to hopefully instill that sense of care and belonging in our girls before they leave.

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Mutual Mentorship

The remarkable partnership cultivated between Marymount faculty and students within the day-to-day academic program and through co-curricular mentoring, drives the success behind Marymount’s comprehensive, whole-child learning model. Individualized attention to each student’s needs and learning style empowers our girls to confidently approach new challenges in a multitude of new ways. Yet the education is not just one-sided. Our faculty also benefit from the partnerships created between teacher and student, soaking up the wealth of knowledge our girls are driving themselves to gather in the burgeoning digital world. Together, Marymount Faculty and students have raised classroom curriculums and discussions to new heights, bringing many of their combined experiences to the forefront in new and meaningful ways.

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SHOW YOUR WORK

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ach day, our Marymount girls create extraordinary work as a result of class assignments, co-curricular activities, and passion projects.

Most of the time, the only people who see their final products are the students behind the creations, or the teachers who have assigned the work.

For some, the idea of self-promotion (getting one’s work in the view of others) can be painfully difficult. Oftentimes, it’s the fear of criticism that holds us back from putting our work out there to the masses. What is often lost, is the concept that sharing your work can inspire countless numbers of people. It lets a whole new group of minds into your world of creativity, talent, and intellect, frequently catalyzing new creative works as a result.

We asked some of our students to put aside any fear that they may have to show you, our community, the amazing projects – of all different mediums – that they are creating behind closed doors.

hel Liao '1 R ac 7

‘FRIDAY AFTERNOON’

“Artists develop their ideas from outward influences, whether it’s nature or other artists. Marymount students (past and present) are some of the most talented artists I have encountered, and they constantly inspire me. I only hope that people who see my work can appreciate the beauty of art and become inspired as well.”

‘FEMININE MASCULINITY’ Me naka ntle '16 Ge

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“I hope that in some way this photo discredits society’s ridicule of the ‘metropolitan man.’ Femininity should not be exclusively for women, just as men are entitled to express themselves outside of the confines of stereotype.”

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Bla

ine Policella '17

‘THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE’ “One can learn so much from seeing through the perspective of another.

Everyone sees beauty in different things and in different ways, so I believe that trying to find beauty in what others see can make the world, and the community, a better place.”

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yers '1

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Smith '1 omi 7 Na

‘NIGHT SKY’ “Although this was a solo project for my ceramics class, the social and peer aspect was probably one of my favorite parts of this assignment. I don’t think that people truly recognize the power of a supportive environment, where we’re not competing for the best design, but rather, helping one another achieve our absolute best.”

Ol

ie ivia K ne '17

‘MY SCARLET LETTER’ “After reading The Scarlet Letter in my English class, we were asked to choose a letter that represents something that we ourselves are not proud of. I chose the letter ‘G’ for “Gossip.” I went to the Makerspace and designed the letter, but I wanted to take it a step further. I wanted to be a part of the final product to connect myself to the letter and meaning I chose.

That’s a 3D scan of myself on the end of the G...It’s amazing what we are able to do with the power of technology.”

‘BLACKOUT SUNGLASSES’

‘BETTER PLACE’

“It was important for me to write a song that portrays the notion that EVERYONE has the right to a fulfilling life. Marymount has instilled that in us. I wanted to show that we, as Marymount girls, have a duty to help others achieve that.”

“Our inspiration for this project was to combine physics, 3D printing, and fashion to create something practical and useful: sunglasses that have a changing polarization filter.

This project taught us to see the range of opportunities that using new technologies can bring.”

Paige Tademaru '16 and Anna Eisenman '16

A NOTE ON THE BOOK THAT STARTED THE MOVEMENT

W

hat do you have to contribute?

What ideas can you share?

What conversations do you want

to start? These are all questions that New York Times bestselling author, Austin Kleon, poses in his simple, yet profoundly transformative book, “Show Your Work!”

Kleon challenges his readers to discover the value of the communal nature of creativity. No matter if you’re an artist, entrepreneur, student or teacher, hobbyist or

professional, Kleon encourages everyone to value ‘the process’ over the ‘final product,’ and most importantly, to continuously share their work. Driven by the notion that being open and freely sharing one’s process can inspire others and drive one’s own following, Kleon has begun a movement across the country in creative empowerment, self-promotion and purposeful action.

Learn more about this movement by visiting austinkleon.com/show-your-work/.

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Alumnae Collaborators Our ‘Sailor Sister’ network now expands across 3,600 women, ten decades and international seas. The strength of this group is defined by the strength of the women themselves – we are proud of the incredible work that they do, the mothers that they are, and their advocacy for positive global change.

Most especially, we are lucky to welcome many of them back over the years for alumnae events, mentoring opportunities with our current students, and as the mothers of future generations of Marymount Sailors.

Pictured are current Marymount students with three of the alumnae who participated in our 2016 Alumnae Career Exploration Event.

From L to R: (back row) Oona Wood '19, Lilly Brodie-Berge '19, Xenia Bernal '19, Julia Burgess '16, Cynthia Reznik '16, (middle row) Maddy Heldman '16, (front row) Celina Kirchner '06, Melissa Weinberger '95, and Katherine Walsh Bruzzo '94

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Watch

Our Women ALUMNAE SERIES

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This series

celebrates

decades of Marymount graduates who have worked tirelessly to affect change in the world around them, each in their own unique way. These women inspire us with their dedication to innovation, determination, creativity and service, and we are lucky to call them sisters in our alumnae community.

We look forward to continuing this series in each issue of ‘The Marymount Magazine’ as well as on our website over the coming years. If you are interested in participating or nominating a fellow Marymount graduate to be featured in this series, please contact alumnae@mhs-la.org.

Alumna Profile ALISON CORNYN '83

• Profession: Artist; Founding Partner & Creative Director of Picture Projects; Founder & Director of the Prison Public Memory Project; Creative Director for the Guantánamo Public Memory Project, Incorrigibles, and States of Incarceration; Faculty at the NY School of Visual Arts’ Design for Social Innovation program

• Education: B.A. from Connecticut College; Masters in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU; M.F.A. from Hunter College • Current Residence: Brooklyn, NY, where she lives with her husband, Gilles Peress, and daughters, Rita (12) and Thelma Rose (10)

S

pending most of her personal and professional endeavors demonstrating an unwavering commitment to social justice, Alison Cornyn '83 has made it her mission to shed light on some of the most pressing societal issues of our day. As an interdisciplinary artist, Alison fosters civic dialogue through her work, which merges art, photography, media, and a deep knowledge of technology to document the experiences of those within the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Alison’s current project, Incorrigibles, focuses on the perspectives and experiences, past and present, of girls caught in New York’s juvenile justice system. Additionally, she is the Creative Director for States of Incarceration, a collaborative project with the Humanities Action Lab at The New School in New York set to launch this April.

As the Founding Partner & Creative Director of the acclaimed Picture Projects studio, Alison partners with non-profits, educational institutions, filmmakers, radio producers, artists and corporations, using an array of different medias to develop strategies and campaigns set out to investigate and transform pressing social issues. The studio’s groundbreaking work, 360degrees.org – Perspectives on the U.S. Criminal Justice System, received numerous industry awards for its scrutiny of trends in the criminal justice system, as well as the emotional effects of incarceration. Their SonicMemorial.org project was the first online project to win a Peabody award.

“

What motivates me is a deep sense of injustice. I identify deeply with those who do not have a voice and who need a space to share their ideas and experiences. My hope is that these individuals can forge both short and long-term communities that are strategic and/or supportive. It has been essential for me to put people into communication with one another who are never likely to have met otherwise, and to team up with people who are often from radically different horizons and very different ethnic, racial and social castes.

What I find most rewarding is to see communities form in spaces that we have created, and to watch them grow and experience a ripple effect – to witness stories as they accumulate, to see people share, and to observe them change the ways they think about an issue. It is my hope that these criminal justice projects continue to challenge preconceptions about who is in prison today and why that is. Ultimately, I want this all to generate ideas– big and small – about how we can make positive change in our communities.

”

In 2011, Alison founded the Prison Public Memory Project, which utilizes history, dialogue, visioning, the arts, and technology to enable the public to critically, and without bias, examine issues pertaining to crime and punishment in the United States. She also

“ What motivates me is a deep sense of injustice. I identify deeply with those who do not have a voice and who need a space to share their ideas and experiences.”

– Alison Cornyn '83

serves as the Creative Director for the Guantánamo Public Memory Project which seeks to build public awareness of the history of the U.S. Naval Station at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Beyond awareness, this project also seeks to foster dialogue on the purpose and future of Guantánamo, as well as the policies it continues to shape.

Outside of her professional work, Alison’s volunteer commitments are equally as significant. She is a board member at Girls Educational & Mentoring Services (GEMS), which aids girls and young women who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking. She also sits on the Board at Conjunction Arts, a non-profit arts organization that seeks to raise critical awareness and motivate individuals to participate in social change.

Editors note: Alison’s mission to spread awareness of the injustices in our society continues to drive the work that she embarks on daily. Her actions, advocacy and artistry have advanced dialogue pertaining to these critical issues. Thank you, Alison, for your drive, passion and commitment to being a global advocate for social justice – your Marymount family is in awe of all you have achieved.

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Shana (MULDOON)

Zappa ' 95

Inspires girls to embrace the power, courage and light within themselves in her ‘tween’ franchise, Disney’s Star Darlings

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n a generation where creating, design-thinking and artistic ingenuity are celebrated across academic curriculums, headlines, and corporate manifestos alike, we found ourselves sitting down with alumna Shana Muldoon Zappa, a member of the Marymount Class of 1995.

Far ahead of this creative cultural explosion, Shana shared her inspiring journey dating back to her Marymount days; discovering herself as an artist, exploring her curiosity for the metaphysical world, and finding different ways to create meaning in physical objects like jewelry or fashion. Also a lover of poetry and artistic journaling, Shana shared how she continually developed her writing as another form of self-expression, ultimately marrying all of these passions together, to launch her current project (and first creative partnership with her husband): an inspiring set of twelve female characters that make up her popular new ‘tween’ franchise, Disney’s Star Darlings.

Picked up in 2010 by Disney and growing by the day, the Star Darlings franchise has blossomed into a series of twelve chapter books, dolls, an app, online animated shorts, music videos and singles, as well as shoes and apparel. This project is ultimately centered on Shana’s wish to show young women that they are powerful and that they can use their voices and talents to be authentic, global advocates for a better future. Shana expanded, saying, “I like to think of Star Darlings as more than a ‘brand’ – I am hoping to create a movement for all ages, an entire new world where young women are called on to save it.”

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Reflecting on her Marymount days, one of the places she began to discover the leadership and confidence necessary to take on such an inspirational movement, Shana told us:

“

Attending an all-girls school, I had the opportunity to see how strong women are. There is something so beautiful about spending your developmental years in that type of environment – everyone in a “big role” at school is a woman. You don’t necessarily see the importance of it as you’re walking through the experience as a student; but looking back now, I realize that when I think of leadership, I see all of these powerful women who have inspired me along the way. Because of this, as an adult I better know my truth. I speak my voice and I don’t care so much about what others think. This is such a gift, and as I became a mother to my daughter Halo five years ago, I knew I had to create something that would give this same gift to others. So was born “Star Darlings,” a series to inspire and empower girls from a young age to embrace and love the power already within themselves.

”

Although she is currently focused on encouraging our next generation of girls to be strong, confident and proud, Shana told us that empowering women has always been a strong undercurrent in her life journey. After Marymount and her time at USC, Shana pursued a variety of creative endeavors, ultimately bringing her artistic talents into the jewelry world.

The launch of “Muldoon” (a bespoke jewelry line featuring bold statement pieces centered on the meaning of the metaphysical world) grew quickly, being featured in Vogue, on the red carpet, and worn by many influential women across society. Shana’s design philosophy for this line was to choose different stones, metals and materials that represented various positive characteristics in the world - hope, wisdom, love, and strength. Each piece was explained through this philosophy so that the wearer could in a way, “hold on” to her confidence and individuality, as well as the metaphysical characteristic she chose, empowered to live it as she wore the jewelry each day.

Self-dubbed as “an artist to the core,” Shana spoke of unexpected bursts of inspiration that have come at different points in her life – even when she was in the middle of successful projects like the cultivation of her jewelry line. As she enjoyed the success of “Muldoon,” Shana began feeling another creativity burst. Like many artists who have come before her, she felt a desire to create in a different way. Getting back to her passions for poetry and journaling, Shana began to write, sketch and dream up a fictional planet (Starland) also tied to her love for the metaphysical, and ideals for a more evolved world.

Through her writing, Shana also began connecting to the broader themes of awareness, individuality, authenticity and responsibility to one another, animals and our planet – all critical pillars in her life.

Around that same time, Shana found out that she and her husband were expecting their first child, daughter Halo (now five).

Knowing that the next generation of her family would soon be coming along, Shana’s passion for the world that our next generation will someday inherit deepened, and she began to take a more critical eye to the media, influencers and messaging available to today’s youth. Through that, she saw an opportunity to more boldly empower children with the courage and confidence it takes to live in a world with more progressive ideals. A world where the environment is treated with respect, where racism and discrimination doesn’t exist, where young women are free to love themselves just as they are, and most importantly, a world where youth can use their voices to change the tides for a better future.

As her writing and ideas congealed, the Star Darlings chapter book series was born (see sidebar on page 52) to reach a critical audience of women: young, developing teens who often struggle with questions about themselves, their friendships and the world around them. Of her budding franchise, Shana says: © Disney

“

Star Darlings takes a different perspective than most other ‘tween’ storylines. It is NOT just your typical good / evil, find your prince and ride off into the sunset story. It introduces an entire new world where girls are called on to save it. The stories of the Star Darlings address many of the complex issues and themes that tweens of today are facing – self-image, environmental awareness, diversity issues, confidence, body image and friendship. The stories of these twelve teenage girls emphasize that positive energy, light and progress in life must come from within us, not just from the swish of a wand. Ultimately, the Star Darlings are challenged to use their voices, show that their awareness matters, stand up for what they believe, and through that, create significant change for a better world.

”

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In closing, when asked what additional advice (outside of the inspirational message of Star Darlings) she would bestow upon our current Marymount students, Shana told us:

“

I want my fellow Marymounters to know that I can relate to what they are likely struggling with, even though I graduated 20 years ahead of them.

It is difficult to grasp that we don’t live in an AgBgCgD linear-type world, and I understand how hard it can be to figure out what you want to do with your life as you look to college and beyond. But challenge yourself to live in the moment and focus on what excites you today. Obviously, calculate the risks and potential paths you want to take, but not so much that you prevent yourself from ever taking the first step. Take time to enjoy the things you love – even if they are as frivolous as fashion and makeup, but also dig deeper and remember how powerful YOU are in your youth. The beauty of being a teen today is that you have the most wonderful tool in social media – USE IT FOR GOOD. We need you to speak up, to shape the future of our planet, not just for yourselves, but also for future generations. Just like the Star Darlings, we need your voices and leadership to make sure the world’s future is the beautiful and magical place it should be for all.

”

Disney’s Star Darlings

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tar Darlings is a Disney franchise, featuring an extraordinary set of twelve teenage girls from the all-girls school, Starling Academy. The franchise brings the stories of these girls to tweens through various channels including books, online videos, digital shorts, music, dolls and an app.

These twelve ‘Star Darlings’ live on the planet of Starland, the brightest star in the sky. Though not a utopian society, those living in Starland do not have to battle with some of the negative societal issues that plague our world. They are not, however, protected from other relatable teen issues such as bullying or self-doubt.

While traveling to sister planet Wishworld, the Star Darlings wrestle with many of the issues often faced by teenage girls, and through it, grow together, learning much about their strengths, weaknesses, and teamwork along the way. Ultimately, the Star Darlings help the girls living on Wishworld to achieve their aspirations, not by wishing, but by reminding them that we already have what it takes inside ourselves to manifest our greatest dreams.

To learn more about this series and its characters, please visit the Star Darlings page on Disney’s website.

Congratulations to Shana on her inspirational success, and outstanding work on the Star Darlings franchise. We are proud of the creativity with which you are reaching the next generation of young women, and are excited to watch your franchise grow and surely influence much positive change!

© Disney

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Inspiring Boldness Speaker Series with Alumna GIADA DE LAURENTIIS '89

The Marymount Anchor’s Editor-in-Chief Lucia Kim '16 and Assistant Editor-in-Chief Clara Lacey '17 reflect on the importance of building a supportive female network after Chef Giada De Laurentiis '89 addressed the student body as part of the 2016 Inspiring Boldness Speaker Series on Monday, March 7.

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s girls walked into Pavilion to take their seats, a certain buzz and excitement for the highly anticipated guest speaker filled the air. Meanwhile, outside, the speaker was feeling a different sort of excitement – a kind of reminiscent awe that can overwhelm you when visiting your alma mater. This feeling can often raise questions such as “Where has the time gone?” or “How did I get to where I am today?” What we learned through that day’s presentation was that the answers to these questions for this particular individual are simple: hard work, commitment, and not being afraid to do the unexpected.

This is Giada De Laurentiis. Since she graduated from Marymount in the late eighties, she has become many things: a savvy entrepreneur, a successful author, an Emmy award-winning television star, a renowned chef, and closest to her heart, a dedicated mother. Yet she started her

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presentation to our community with these words: “If you had told me in high school that I would be on the career path that I am today, I never would have believed you!” Calling herself a shy teen, but a “true Marymount girl,” Giada recounted many memories from years past – from sharing lunch with her friends in Freshman Courtyard (her contribution was always pasta, as she was raised in a large, foodloving Italian family) to running around UCLA as part of track practice, Giada was involved in a variety of activities on campus.

Giada shared that her most impactful memory, however, was not necessarily an activity or a club, or even a particular moment. It was a more intangible lesson she learned over her four years here, something that has often helped her navigate the waters of working in the heavily male-dominated food industry: the power of great female relationships and the

support system they build. Giada expanded on this, telling us that she believes that the all-female environment at Marymount has helped to deeply support her in life, along with countless other young women as well.

“There is a certain confidence gained at this school that is simply harder to develop in other high school settings,” she stated.

When asked about some of the challenges she has faced in her career and life today, Giada spoke of the many gender barriers and confidence inhibitors she frequently faces in her industry. Even though she is a wildly successful chef, entrepreneur, and author, Giada told the audience that she often finds herself asking the question, “Would this be different if I weren’t a woman?”

“I am female, short, and petite, so I don’t really look at all like the average chef.

After college at UCLA, I purposely chose a profession different from what a girl at the

time would have been expected to do, because I was, quite simply, energized by the challenge of doing hard things. Choosing to go to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris was a shocking decision to some of my peers and family. There, I had to discover how to trust myself, learn how to quickly and successfully wield knives, survive insanely long shifts on my feet, learn how to lift very heavy pots, and do many other tasks in the industry that men didn’t think I could do.”

Yet, these challenges and gender stereotypes didn’t dishearten her or hold her back. In fact, Giada told us that they instead have energized her. Since her Le Cordon Bleu days, she has made a name for herself through standout shows on the Food Network, has written many cookbooks, and has now opened a new restaurant, ‘Giada,’ the first female owned and operated establishment on the Las Vegas strip.

Reflecting on the experience of opening her restaurant, she admitted that being the first, and only, woman to ever have owned a restaurant on the strip has not come without its challenges. She is still regularly reminded of her gender, bumping into male counterparts who often don’t know how to deal with, or speak to her as an equal. Giada has taken this challenge in stride, telling our audience that it has motivated her to find new ways to communicate or assert herself differently.

“There will always be roadblocks, but hard work, perseverance, belief in yourself, and support from your girlfriends have the power to get you through them.”

As students, we couldn’t help but attest to the veracity of Giada’s statement: the ‘roadblocks’ we’ve experienced thus far with our Marymount sisters surely won’t measure up to those that may await us in the future, but the special bonds that Giada spoke of are ones we are already quite familiar with.

Just as she said, the girls around us now, are those whom we will count on for support and encouragement in the future, as we each start our individual journeys.

Reinforcing our belief in the power of the sisterhood at Marymount, Giada closed her remarks saying, “Promise that you will stay connected to the girls sitting around you today. Believe me, you’ll be telling stories and sharing your memories years from now. There are so many great times and even more great young women here; hold on to them.”

Giada may have attended Marymount years ahead of us, but it is safe to say that even decades later, many things – like her continued love and appreciation for the Sailor Sisterhood – just never change.

“There will always be roadblocks, but hard work,

perseverance, belief in yourself, and support from your girlfriends have the power to get you through them.

”

THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

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Annual Alumnae

CAREER EXPLORATION DAY

T

Students learn about different paths in the medical field

his past February, the Marymount Alumnae Council hosted our annual Alumnae Career Exploration Day, an event that was introduced last year with rave reviews. Providing students with the opportunity to understand different career paths, tracks, and journeys taken by women who were once in their shoes, this forum allowed our girls unparalleled access into the brains of our talented alumnae.

Over 50 former Sailor Sisters, representing more than 15 industries (for a list of all industries represented, see right hand panel) participated in breakout panel sessions. Groups of students from all grades were able to ask our alumnae questions, learn about their experiences, and hear about the challenges they encountered to get to where they are today. Alumnae were excited to offer eager students advice for their own personal and professional journeys, including taking advantage of Marymount’s vast mentorship and internship opportunities, truly enjoying college and knowing that just because you chose a specific degree, it does not necessarily have to dictate your career path, and to not be afraid to try new things because the learning should not stop once one’s career field is determined.

Students left the breakout sessions feeling energized and excited for the opportunities ahead. Thank you to our fabulous Alumnae who participated in this important event. If you would like to participate in next year’s Alumnae Career Exploration Day, please contact the Alumnae Office at alumnae@mhs-la.org.

56

L to R: Tori Walsh Zimmon '97, Kelly Irvin '07, Alexis Sherman '04

L to R: Sylvia Ashour Abdulian '95, Carolyn Alexander '92, Caitlin Colvard Mehran '01, Deborah Greenlee Neifert '69

L to R: Celina Kirchner '06 and Melissa Weinberger '95

Members of the former Classes of Marymount came together to inspire feature generations of MHS leaders

THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

Alumnae Voices CAITLIN COLVARD MEHRAN '01 Pediatrician at Morningside Pediatrics, Santa Monica

inspired me to go to medical school, “ Mbuty father my Marymount education reinforced the idea of leading a life that would help to serve others.

The road to becoming a physician was a long one, and at times very challenging. Marymount encouraged me to set my goals high and never doubt myself, and that played a large role during my professional journey.

2016 BREAKOUT SESSIONS:

Art / Drawing / Design

Business / Entrepreneurship / Catering

Engineering / Technology

Entertainment / Film / Talent

Environmental Urban City Planning / Local Government

Fashion / Jewelry / Design Finance Law Medicine Operations

Real Estate

Social Services / Counseling Writing

Excerpt from Communications / Marketing Breakout Session:

”

ROSEMARY MILLER '08 Lead Teacher, Los Angeles Unified School District

he faculty at Marymount teaches far more “ Tthan academic lessons. What you don’t realize until you actually leave Marymount is that you are more than prepared for the road that lies ahead. Marymount prepares its girls to be lifelong learners who can conquer anything.

Those who taught me in high school continue to be my role models now throughout my own career as an educator.

Hannah Fahn '18 asked panelists what they felt the role of social media will be for future careers. Kelly Irvin '07, Brand Manager for Casamigos Tequila, responded: “You can’t not be part of the conversation. You all are creating our current social media world. YOUR generation. So when you step into your careers, you will be the most capable of all of us.” Alexis Sherman '04, Digital Marketing Strategist at LBN Tech Solutions, continued, “Be intentional about what you post now. This is your opportunity to showcase and market yourself. Make social media your online reputation and advertise yourself by explicitly and intentionally creating a version of yourself that you want people to see.”

”

VICTORIA WALSH ZIMMON '97 Public Relations and Content Manager, JAMS

and have so much appreciation “ IforlovetheMarymount experience and education I was provided.

I sincerely feel that the teachers at Marymount made me a better writer. My current occupation offers a great blend of writing / editing, client services and media relations, and it’s great to share that enthusiasm with current students.

”

Excerpt from Education Breakout Session:

As students listened to each panelist speak, Julia Burgess '16 stated, “I have no idea what I want to do in my career.

I’m here because this is something I’m interested in, but I don’t know if this is what I want to do. How did you all decide you wanted to be an education major?”

Founder of TeachPlayLearn Jennifer Zehenni '02 answered, “Jumping around has led me to where I am now. I encourage you to try different things, volunteer, even babysit. You’ll have so many opportunities to see if this, or any other field is the right path for you. If you ask questions, if you put yourself out there and take that leap, you’ll find things will start lining up.”

THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

57

Alumnae & Les Anges

Events

L to R Betsy Brady '19, Lexi Westland '19 and Cassidy Capata '19

LEGACY TEA (this page) On September 28, 2015, alumnae mothers, aunts and grandmothers joined their current Marymount students for a lovely tea in the Front Parlor. It is always wonderful to see families with many generations of graduates!

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (right) On December 5, 2015, alumnae, Les Anges and their family members and friends were on campus celebrating the Annual Home for the Holidays Mass and Brunch. Marymount was thrilled to have alumnae representing classes ranging from 1954 to 2011 in attendance! What a great way to kick off the holiday season.

L to R Margaret Smith Brady '89, Kristin Klein Keefe '88, Jo Ann Spillane Klein '65 and Rachel Dunlap Capata '91

L to R Sister Eileen Tuohy, RSHM and Jo Ann Spillane Klein '65

L to R Kimberly Bleak ‘17, Diane Dayton-Bleak '79, Margaret Roach Dunne '80 and Megan Dunne '17

L to R Mimi Stevens Torp '74, Maureen Burke Fimpler '74 and Jeanne '78 58 McDonald-Powers THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

L to R top: Rosebud Smith Bono '77, Jean Roesch Markarian '77, Morgan Markarian '11, Robyn Richard '77 R to L bottom: Carolene Ryan Bookman '77, Lille Benzon and Mary Lou Smith-Reither

L to R: Sarah Falkenstein Musich '97, Maggi Wright and Sienna Musich

L to R: Michelle Youssef-Forgione '94, Anne-Marie Logrippo Esser '94, Theresa Logrippo and Dianne Logrippo '03

L to R: Cara Thomason Slapnicka '02, Jennifer Zehenni '02, and Lisa Purcelli Ohlmeyer '02

L to R: Carly Zieminski '08, Kathryn Zacuto '08, Elaine Quintiliani '08, Mariana Aguilar '08 and Celina Kirchner '06

L to R: Jill Buffano Petty '59, Ginger Reardon della Santina '58 and Sister Pat Connor, RSHM

L to R: Ann Chambers Brunner '74, Laurie MacMurray '74, Diane Wanderer Bancroft '76, Michelle Petrovich Clark '97, Gigi DiRocco Petrovich '71, Ann Davidson '74 and Patrice DiRocco '74

THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

59

L to R: Tyler Spriggs '15, Mia Mason '15, Kendall Ferguson '15 and Kyra Smith '15 visit Academic Advisors Traci Maffei '87 & Lyndsey DeMuro '97

COLLEGE-AGE ALUMNAE GATHERING On January 6, 2016, young alumnae who were home from college took time to come by campus to visit with former teachers and fellow recent graduates (see photo above).

SAN FRANCISCO GATHERING On February 24, 2016, Head of School Jacqueline Landry connected with alumnae for a Bay Area gathering at Pause Wine Bar in San Francisco.

L to R Victoria Kasar '10, Allie Zimnoch '10, Lauren Closson '10, Ryan Murphy '10, Michelle Folan '11 and Candace Farrer '10

L to R Jacqueline Landry, Barbara Marre '63 and Aana Louise Mahoney Pregliasco '64

L to R Kristen Lee '99 and Jacqueline Landry

L to R Jacqueline Landry and Michelle Folan '11

L to R Connie Migliazzo '05 and Ali Pisano '05

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THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

Airley Ogilvie Rooney '04, Kristi Yeung '10 and Jacqeline Landry

Caitlin Gallo '07, Sabrina Benun '07, Madison Wojciechowski '07 and Austin Abram '07 Kristi Yeung '10, Catherine Stanley '10, Jacqueline Landry, Jenna Scilacci '10 and Samantha Hirschmann '10

Lisa Purcelli Ohlmeyer '02, her son Chip and Kathy Purcelli with the easter bunny

Carla Kerr Stearns '79, Katie Hards '00 and Colleen Everett Herzog '05

NEW YORK CITY GATHERING On January 31, 2016, Head of School Jacqueline Landry was thrilled to have the opportunity to host several alumnae for brunch at NORMA’S in New York City.

A wonderful time was had catching up with some of our Marymount family across the country.

ALUMNAE EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA On March 6, 2016, Marymount welcomed alumnae and their families to campus for the Annual Alumnae Easter Eggstravaganza. Children enjoyed the egg hunt, face painting, cookie decorating, egg dying and a visit with the Easter Bunny!

Kids on the hunt for candy!

THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

61

Class Notes 1950’s Jill Buffano Petty '59 shares, “Stephen and I

are truly blessed with a wonderful marriage, great children and amazing grandchildren (4 - 16 years of age). 2015 was a year of travel celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary.

We spent five weeks driving 5,719 kilometers through the countryside in Germany, France, Italy and Austria. It was beautiful at every turn. Among the highlights was visiting the American Cemetery in Normandy on Memorial Day. We were moved to see both French and American flags honoring each gravesite. Upon arriving back in the States, we visited our children Lisa and Scott and their families in Seattle, and returned home via Santa Fe, Phoenix and Palm Springs, enjoying the diverse sights along the way. It was an amazing year filled with photographs of the heart. The adventure continues!”

1960’s Susan Wright Strader '61 shares, “Peggy Benton Hilbrich '63 and I were

surprised when the two of us, along with our husbands, were seated together at the Philanthropy Roundtable dinner in Dallas, TX. Tim Strader and Jerry Hilbrich are each Chairs of charitable foundations which do wonderful work for the underserved in their communities. The Straders reside in Newport Beach, CA and the Hilbriches in Central Florida. Peggy and I, who had not seen each other since our Marymount days, can be found giving of our time and talent as well!”

Christine Walevska '61 shares, “I was an

honoree and performed at The Women’s Making History Gala on March 14, 2016 at the National Women’s History Museum in Washington, D.C. I just finished my latest recording in Montreal and have played in concerts all over the world. I look forward to seeing all my classmates for our 55th Reunion in April!”

Raven Case '65 writes, “I retired in April of 2015. In May, I spent a month in Paris and Nice. I’m enjoying the second half!

Marymount made such a difference in my life.”

Scottie McDaniell writes, “Since I left all

of you (in 1964!) I went to college (U of

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THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

Nebraska and FSU), am a Chi Omega (like my mother, aunt, grandmother, etc.), was a confidential informant for the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) for the US Air Force, had a brain tumor, traveled (all over the US, Europe many times, far East, Guatemala, and more), was an American Business Women’s Association ‘Woman of the Year,’ set up special libraries, and just got my first book, Billy Baud, published (part of a series). I have been visiting Kathy Wadden ‘66 every year for a few decades! I also see Chris Costello ‘66, Pam Powell ‘66 and others during those visits. So looking forward to seeing my other ‘old’ friends at reunion!”

Annette Ranftl McGuire '66 writes, “My

husband and I returned in December from a fabulous 15-day cruise from San Diego to the Panama Canal. It was exciting to see the construction of the new canal due to open this year, as well as to tour Cabo San Lucas where we rode camels on the beach. Next port was Guatemala to see coffee plantations, then to Costa Rica’s gorgeous rainforests and Colombia. Arriving in Florida, we spent ten days relaxing in Orlando and Key West and then back to San Diego. We are enjoying our retirement and especially the time spent with our two granddaughters, Malia, 4, and Brooksley, who is 1. I’m really looking forward to our 50th Reunion. It’s hard to believe that it was that long ago that we were together at Marymount.”

1970’s Nancy Cahill McDonald '77 shares, “Many

generations of Marymount alumnae came together to celebrate the 90th birthday of my mother, Theresa Cahill. It was so wonderful to be together with my sisters Patricia Cahill Hearst '75, Cynthia Cahill Forsyth '72 and Linda Ann Cahill Laugharn '66 for this special celebration.

The reception was held at the beautiful home of Adam and Kristin Klein Keefe '88 and was expertly catered by Maire O’Keefe Byrne '91 and her amazing Thyme Cafe. One highlight of the evening was taking a picture at the reception that included Marymount alumnae from the past five decades!”

Ingrid Majcher Pinheiro '92 shares, “2015 was a challenging year for my family. Our son Luca (now 8) had jaw surgery (2nd in his life) in early June which had a long and painful recovery. Most of our family’s summer was focused on supporting Luca’s recovery. Even his little sister Isabella (3 years old) watched over her big brother with great care. We celebrated Luca’s recovery with a trip to Barcelona in October and spent Christmas and New Year’s with my husband, Eduardo’s, family in Brazil.”

Kelly Leahy Rubio '95 shares, “My husband

Jose and I welcomed a son, Oliver Andrew Rubio on May 19, 2015.”

Melissa Weinberger '95 writes, “I formed

a law firm with a colleague in 2015.

We practice criminal defense and white collar criminal defense.”

Katy Close Roberts '96 writes, “I am proud to be in my fifth year of working in the Development Office at my alma mater, Marymount! It is exciting to see firsthand the innovations happening here, and equally wonderful to see the traditions continue that meant so much to me as a student.

My closest friends from high school continue to be that today. When I was married in May, I was thrilled to have Zoe Heimann Paulson '96, Allison Schwarting Wilson '96, Cristin Brown '96 and Rebecca Harris Skinner '96 stand by my side as maid of honor

and bridesmaids. I look forward to catching up with more of our classmates as we celebrate our 20th reunion this spring!”

Candice Pestano Witek '96 writes, “I

1990’s Katie Wood Powell '91 shares, “Peter Powell and I were married on July 31, 2015, and my Marymount family made an unforgettable day even more special. My maid of honor was my sister, Meghan Wood '02, and my bridesmaids included Christina Overland Monaghan '91, Jennifer Burdett '91, Jennifer Eyraud Burns '91 and Nicole Richards '91.

completed the Malibu Triathlon with my breast cancer doctors team. I am a two-time breast cancer survivor and a certified health and wellness coach. I was honored to have recently been featured on ABC Nightly News for my work. I have had some very difficult years, but have been inspired to help others reach to health and discover the benefits a positive mindset. Check out my new website: www.flourishwithcandice.com.”

1960-70s Susan Wright Strader '61

SPRING 2016

CLASS NOTE PHOTOS

Nancy Cahill McDonald '77

1990s

Katie Wood Powell '91

Kelly Leahy Rubio '95

Ingrid Majcher Pinheiro '92

Candice Pestano Witek '96

THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

63

SPRING 2016

CLASS NOTES

2000’s Michele Campodonico Cahill '03 shares,

“My husband, Matt, and I welcomed our first child, Michael Edward Cahill, in July.”

Christina Woodward Graziano '05 writes, “I married Andrew Graziano on October 10, 2015 at Saint Monica Catholic Church, followed by a reception at Beach Club. My maids of honor were Ashley Woodward '99 and Allie Van Iden '05. Other Marymount alumnae in attendance were Shannon Jones Malik '00, Amanda Thomas '05, Birdie Bartholomew '05, Ali Pisano '05, Kaitlin O’Reilly '05, Betsy Cale '04 and Briana Lane Lange ‘03. We went to Bora Bora

on our honeymoon. Life is great!”

Kathy Volz, mother of Ani Mardirossian '07 and Nora Mardirossian '08, shares, “Ani is studying to become an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at CSU Long Beach in the Masters of Science in Nursing program.

She is currently a Registered Nurse in the recovery room at Kerman-Jobe Surgery Center, and is also an assistant 12-and under coach for Sunshine Volleyball Club. Ani has been living in Hermosa Beach since she graduated from UCLA in 2012. Nora is in her third year of law school at Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. She has been working, while receiving credits, at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, focusing on Business and Human Rights.

Having traveled extensively throughout the world, Nora most recently enjoyed meeting up with classmate Shannon Elliott '09, who was also studying in Switzerland.

Nora will come back to finish her studies in San Francisco in preparation for the California Bar Exam.”

Amy Hilton '11 and Luisa de Carteret '11

graduated from Rice University May 2015.

In June, she vacationed to Belize with her sister, Sally Hilton '09.

Amy Hilton '11 and Luisa de Carteret '11

2000s Michele Campodonico Cahill '03

Amy Hilton '11

Christina Woodward Graziano '05 Head of School Jacqueline Landry with Alumna Ali Park '14

Transitions Virginia L. Benziger, mother of Virginia Benziger Lacy '51 (9/26/15) Charles Ray Butler Jr., father of Stacy Butler Fouche '79 (2/14/14) Ronald Citron, husband of Kathye Jacobs Citron '64 (7/23/15)

Jackie Collins, mother of Tiffany Lerman Sacks '85 and Rory Lerman Green '87 (9/19/15) Sr. Raquel Diaz, E.I.N., aunt of Mary Martinez '92 (12/20/15)

Samantha Fowler Nuwer '03 (10/21/15)

of McKenna Bailey '12 and Madison Bailey '10 (12/8/15)

Patricia Mahoney, mother of Monica MahoneyAdler '83 and Marilee Mahoney '75, grandmother of Ava Adler '16 and Isabella Adler '15 (11/21/15)

Thomas Roger Ranftl, brother of Annette Ranftl McGuire '66 (6/15/15)

Nod Mulville, father of Ann Mulville McFarland '87 (11/26/15)

Bill Richards, father of Arline Richards LoGioco '86 and Nicole Richards '91 (7/30/25)

Soli Munakash, father of Rosana Munakash Angeledes '87 and grandfather of Alexandra Angeledes '18 (11/10/15)

Elizabeth Ryde '60, sister of Mary Ryde Denney '63 (12/9/15)

Gary Nady, husband of Michelle Heiner Nady '56 (3/8/2015)

Jean Di Bona, grandmother of

Charles Sarture, father of Jane Sarture '79 (12/31/15) Lucinda Schiff, mother of Kaylie Schiff Church '01 (12/15)

Cara Di Bona-Swartz '90 (12/27/15)

Phil Nicholson, father of Jill Nicholson-Samuel '79,

Margaret Foley Jagels '40 (1/12/16)

and Amy Nicholson Zimmerman '84 (9/21/15)

Brigid Smith Crosby '56 (3/7/16)

Fred Frederic, husband of Heidi Nardini Frederic '64 (8/14/15)

Renee Martin Nichols '79, sister of Loriann Martin '78 (7/31/15)

Diana Hernandez '02 (10/03/15)

Lauren Nicholson '80, Jennifer Nicholson-Salke '82

Glenn Frey, father of Taylor Frey '09 (1/18/16) Michael Kenney, husband of Allison Yuhl Kenney '73 and brother-in-law of Stephanie Yuhl '84, Jennifer Yuhl Arndt '81, Kathleen Yuhl-Bailey '77, Patricia Yuhl Hunter '75, and Sharon Yuhl Guidarelli '71

(8/8/15) Sandy Kobata, mother of Krissy Kobata '00 (4/6/16) JoAnn LaVigne, mother of Irene LaVigne Fowler '70 and grandmother of

John O’Sullivan, father of Molly O’Sullivan Jancis '88 (10/28/15)

Frank Passarelli, husband of Maryrose Gentile Passarelli '47, father of Lisa Passarelli '68 and Maryrose Passarelli Caspary '70, brother-in-law of Carmel Gentile Passarelli '46, father-in-law of Nancy McGovern Passarelli '78 and grandfather of Alexandra Caspary '07 (12/31/15) Betty Jane Pomeroy, mother of Kathleen Pomeroy-Pryor '81, Lisa Pomeroy '73 and Nancy Pomeroy Kindel '69 and grandmother

Maria G. Ibarra Sierra, grandmother of

Norina Cartusciello Sinclair '62, sister of Christina Cartusciello Caspary '65 and aunt of Cara Cartusciello Kirkpatrick '99 (1/16/16) Carole Lynch Smith '56 (7/19/15)

Pauline “Pat” Trider, mother of Pamela Jean Trider Johnson '59 (8/16/15) Roy Sturdivant, grandfather of Madeline Whitesell '13 and Claire Whitesell '15

(3/10/16)

Marriages

Births

Heather Dutton Bell '06 to Chase Bell (2/6/16)

Aidan Blake to Cara Cartusciello Kirkpatrick '99 and her husband, Adam (1/20/16)

Katie Graham Caldwell '03 to Tyler Caldwell (8/22/15) Christina Woodward Graziano '05 to Andrew Graziano (10/10/15)

Emma Anne to Megan McRoskey St. John '00 and her husband, Geno (12/27/15)

Erin Ogilvie Howard '03 to Matt Howard (10/24/15) Jennifer Dunn Killefer '02 to Joe Killefer (10/3/15) Juliana Tyson Kissick '03 to Ryan Kissick (9/28/15) Briana Lane Lange '03 to John Lange (12/5/15) Emily Hull Davi '01 to Brian Davi (3/5/2016)

Emilie Grace to Michele Lotta LeSieur '94 and her husband, Stephen (8/9/15) Griffin Charles to Haley Jorgensborg Skiba '02 and her husband, Matt (7/30/15)

Nadia Marie to Michelle Youssef-Forgione '94 and her husband, Geoffrey (9/10/15) Oliver Andrew to Kelly Leahy Rubio '95 and her husband, Jose (5/19/15) Oliver Royal to Torrie Takata Asai '02 and her husband, Matthew (2/10/15) Rouya Nour to Thirza Young AliKhan '97 and her husband, Faiysal (10/22/15)

Jack Griffin to Whitney Cale Brejcha '00 and her husband, Pete (12/2/15) Michael Edward to Michele Campodonico Cahill '03 and her husband, Matt (7/16/15)

THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

65

Let’s Stay

CONNECTED!

M

arymount digital outlets aren’t just about being connected, they’re about staying connected to life on campus and to the broader Marymount network!

With the large set of social tools currently available, we seek to grow our Marymount community of students, alumnae, families and friends, engaging in a conversation so we’re not speaking to you, but with you. Read on to learn about all of the ways you can join the conversation, and don’t forget to give us a ‘like!’

Ready to Get Social?

44 likes

mhs-la.org

64 likes

Visit our website as the central resource for the most up-to-date school news, calendar of events and program information. Directories are also available via login!

25 likes

22 likes

Did you know that Marymount has a Social Media presence on many of your favorite accounts? Follow us to stay up-to-date with day-to-day life on campus!

facebook.com/MarymountLA

twitter.com/MarymountLA

instagram.com/MarymountLA

Over 2,750 followers and counting!

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THE MARYMOUNT MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

pinterest.com/MarymountLA

WAYS TO GIVE TO MARYMOUNT Online Make a gift at www.mhs-la.org/give

Cash/Check Make payable to Marymount High School

Credit Card Visa or MasterCard

Stock Call 310.472.1205 ext. 207 for gift instructions

Matching Gifts Double or triple your gift by obtaining a Matching Gift form from your employer Tax ID Number 95-4273507.

Corrections from ‘M’ Magazine, Fall 2015 Edition: • Georgina Grant '15 was honored as a Marian Award recipient at the 2015 Marymount Graduation Ceremony last May. The inclusion of her name and photo were unintentionally omitted during the production of the Fall edition of ‘M,’ and we seek to honor her with this correction note as a notable member of the Class of 2015, as well as a recipient of this prestigious award.

• Kelly Byrne '15 is a member of the Notre Dame Women’s Volleyball team, starting her first season with the Fighting Irish this past September. Kelly’s name was unintentionally omitted from the NCAA Recruited Athletes list in the Fall edition of ‘M,’ and we congratulate her on her first year success with the Fighting Irish!

To learn more about Kelly’s career at MHS and at Notre Dame, please see the Athletics section of this magazine, starting on pg. 30.

The Marymount Magazine is published by the Marketing & Communications Office.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication. If we have made an error or if you would like additional copies of this magazine, please contact the Marketing & Communications Office at communications@mhs-la.org.

Thank you to all the contributors to this publication, including: Photography:

Student Contributors:

Katie Brown Kambria Fischer Stephanie Guerami Sr. Margaret McKenna, RSHM Grace Rector '17 Dawn Regan Michol Roberts '02 Genna Whittell '17

Chloe Bermejo '19 Catherine Bezerra-Fisher '18 Caroline Cooper '17 Anna Eisenman '16 Julia Hesse-Fong '16 Menaka Gentle '16 Sarah Gill '17

Design & Printing: Olivia Kiene '17 Lucia Kim '16 Julia Kozlowski '17 Clara Lacey '17 Rachel Liao '17 Xea Myers '18 Blaine Policella '17

Naomi Smith '17 Paige Tademaru '16 Kate Wegleitner '16 Mr. Eadon’s Physics Students Dr. Menard’s Art History Students Ms. Perez’s Typography Students Dr. Vicenik’s AP Physics Students

Design by Jennifer Spencer Design Printing by Southern California Graphics

Address service requested

10643 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90077 For information about important dates and upcoming events, please visit our website: www.mhs-la.org

PARENTS OF ALUMNAE: Please forward this publication and notify the Alumnae Office of updated address.

Marymount admits students without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights and privileges, programs and activities available to students. It does not discriminate in the administration of educational policies, admission policies, financial aid programs, athletic programs or any other school administered program.

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