Postscripts 2021

Postscripts 2021

MAYFIELD SENIOR SCHOOL of the Holy Child Jesus

MISSION STATEMENT

Celebrating God’s presence in one another and our world, and inspired by our founder, Cornelia Connelly, Mayfield’s mission is to provide young women an intellectually empowering learning community of joy and belonging, where students enact their faith and love by transforming the world with their God-given gifts.

Philosophy Statement

As a member of the Holy Child Network of Schools, Mayfield Senior School of the Holy Child Jesus is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women sponsored by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. The school is committed to academic excellence within the context of Christian values. Mayfield’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that knowledge is best gained in an atmosphere of disciplined thought, personal concern and religious awareness. Mayfield fosters each student’s intellectual, spiritual, artistic, emotional and physical gifts, thereby enabling each to find balance and make a meaningful contribution to society. Mayfield also challenges each student to reach beyond herself and render service to others.

EDITOR

DESIGNER

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Lauren Marks ’98

Caroline Halili ’86

Kimberly Gomez Cassandra Gonzales Shanley Kellis Melissa Kobe†

Director of Communications

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We offer a heartfelt tribute to our beloved friend and photographer, Melissa Kobe (1979-2021), who created and captured so many joyful Mayfield moments. We will miss your artistic eye, your contagious laugh and your incomparable ability to celebrate each person’s authentic spirit.

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e Above

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ABOUT THIS ISSUE

and Beyond

Looking back over the 2020-21 school year, it is clear that the Mayfield family didn’t just rise to the extraordinary challenges—our community went above and beyond to reimagine “school as we know it.”

Mayfield faculty and staff went the extra mile every day to engage and support their students. And our students responded by creating entirely new ways to pray, play and serve together. Everyone seems to have been transformed by this unprecedented moment, and even our beloved Strub Hall is undergoing its own transformation. This powerful revitalization is maintaining the ageless beauty that has inspired generations of students and, during this period of change, Strub Hall is like so many of us: being strengthened from within.

Our community draws that strength from our Holy Child mission. What could have been a period of isolation was filled with authentic connections, and a sense of uncertainty about the future was met with deep gratitude for the present and joyful anticipation for what’s yet to come.

Table of Contents 4

Message from the Head of School

36

Hybrid Homecoming

6

Message from the Board of Trustees Chair

38

The Show Must Go On(line)

Meet Our New Trustees

40

A Memorable Year in Cubs Athletics

10

Our Holy Child Mission at 175

42

Strub Hall: Century 2

15

Faculty & Staff Spotlight

51

Financial Year in Review 2020-21

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New Adventures in STEM

52

Congratulations to the Class of 2021

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Strength in Diversity

56

Alum Updates

26

Freshman Year at Home

58

Alums in Action

30

Real-World Learning

60

Class Notes

34

Back to Bellefontaine

66

In Memoriam

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Going above and beyond for each other

Emerging with renewed strength

Meeting “the wants of the age”

Our health care hero, Cathy Cota

Hands-on discovery by design

A year of “transformational conversations”

What it’s like to start high school remotely

Making beyond-the-classroom connections

A long and winding road

How our alums helped us reopen campus

Reimagining pandemic performances

Steve Bergen’s “Top 3” moments

Transforming our beloved home

Celebrations, kudos and news

Taking “Actions Not Words” into the world

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Meage fom the Head of School

ADMINISTRATION 2020-21 Head of School Kate Morin Assistant Head of School for Academics Toi Webster Treister ’82 Associate Head of School for Strategic Initiatives Angela Howell ’76 Director of Admissions Merilisa Ramirez Director of Athletics Steven Bergen Director of Communications Lauren Marks ’98 Director of Development Lela Diaz Director of Facilities Connie Peters Director of Finance Cynthia Riegsecker

“Above and beyond” is the perfect phrase to describe the “Actions Not Words” of our entire Mayfield Senior School community this year—one that saw us summon our deepest reserves of grit and stamina to not just make it through, but also to emerge stronger, more resilient and even more connected. As Cornelia Connelly said, “What one is called to do, she is called to do with all her might,” and I can think of countless times Mayfield has shown that kind of might!

The mighty Mayfield faculty and staff went above and beyond, contributing all their energy, dedication and creativity to keep our students engaged and moving forward—no small task across a computer screen. Even though we could not be together in person for most of the year, everyone worked so hard to keep our connections strong outside the classroom with virtual Spirit Week, Zoom talent shows and regular Friday bingo nights.

Our mighty Admissions Office went totally above and beyond, too, rethinking every part of the process so successfully that we will begin the 2021-22 school year fully enrolled, with an amazingly talented and diverse freshman class. And, our mighty Mayfield facilities crew toiled tirelessly to keep us all safe and healthy, especially after we were finally able to return to campus for hybrid classes in April.

Our mighty Mayfield students adopted an attitude of gratitude, generosity and joy despite so many challenges. They went above and beyond to serve others, delivering more than 12,000 lunches for those in need over the course of the year, even during the height of the pandemic. Our student leaders went the extra mile to support their classmates and boost our collective mood with their daily video announcements. Our Cubs athletes jumped at the chance to return to campus for outdoor conditioning sessions in the fall, ready to step up to the plate for a historic six-sport spring season, and our artists kept us uplifted and entertained with remote concerts, plays and art exhibitions. The high turnout for our outside prayer services, Masses and class retreats renewed our faith and kept our hope and spirits up.

Our mighty Mayfield alums answered the call to help with the reopening of campus in the spring, going above and beyond to get our teachers and students “Back to Bellefontaine.” Our incredibly talented—and vastly overqualified!—alums were integral in overseeing effective social distancing and mask-wearing, as well as proctoring classes and assisting with hybrid classroom technology, among many other challenges. A special shout-out goes to Dr. Leah Carter ’08 for her work with School Nurse Cathy Cota

“What one is called to do, she is called to do with all her might.”

— CORNELIA CONNELLY

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above and Beyond

in our Health Office. Largely thanks to Dr. Carter and Nurse Cota, our Mayfield community stayed healthy and safe, receiving high marks from the Pasadena Public Health Department for our COVID-19 protocols and procedures—a mighty accomplishment!

Our mighty Board of Trustees members stayed the course with bravery and conviction, despite so many variables and unknowns. Because of their dedication and faith, at the start of May, we broke ground on the most extensive building project in the history of the school. We started renovating our beloved Strub Hall from top to bottom while maintaining and protecting the beautiful historic nature of our home.

Our Board went above and beyond, voting to increase aid for families experiencing hardship because of the pandemic and continuing to move forward on our justice, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. I want to express my deepest gratitude to outgoing Board Chair Kelly Nelson Nakasone ’93 for the countless times she served as my thought partner, mentor and friend. I humbly confess that I could not have made it through this year without her abiding love and encouragement.

Finally, to our mighty Mayfield parents, past and present, who believe so deeply in our Holy Child mission that they continue to support our school with generosity and prayers— thank you for always going above and beyond.

As we look back with gratitude at the 2020-21 school year, for all we learned and all the ways we have grown, we also look forward with hope, optimism and joy to the start of the 2021-22 school year, when we can all be together again in our beautiful, newly renovated Strub Hall home.

With Love and Gratitude,

Kate Morin

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Meage fom the Board of Trustees Chair

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2020-21 Chair Kelly Nelson Nakasone ’93 Vice Chair & Treasurer Robert Neithart Secretary Erika Randall Representative for the Society of the Holy Child Jesus Sr. Sheila McNiff ’56, SHCJ Michael Alvarez Brent Callinicos Ferari Domingo-Vu Jane Hawley ’86 John Hotchkis Mark Ladd William Lewis James Lo Coco Michael Maddigan James Muenzer Rev. Wayne R. Negrete, SJ Ana Raptis Carrie Fogliani Richards ’93 Shadi Sanbar Chelisa Vagim Richard Vargas Ex Officio Member of the Board of Trustees Kate Morin Head of School

Although this year has brought tremendous challenges, I focus less on the difficulties and more on the invaluable lessons we learned, and the sense of renewal we feel, as we emerge knowing that we are stronger for all of this. It’s clear to me that this strength was forged by a community of heroes who truly love Mayfield and are dedicated to serving the mission of the school. At the very heart of that mission are our students and faculty, who have proved themselves to be heroic in more ways than we could have imagined. Over the last year, just showing up to take on each day required a very different approach and a flexible mindset.

This letter is a resounding thank you to you, the everyday heroes of our loving community.

I’d like to give special thanks to our Head of School, Kate Morin, for her bravery, faith and selfless dedication to “figuring it out.” Right behind her, I’d like to thank my fellow trustees, who tirelessly reimagined and realigned how we would further our top strategic initiatives in an environment fraught with uncertainty. We remained committed to: 1) safely returning to campus and providing a world-class learning experience; 2) progressing on our work on justice, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; and 3) beginning the critical renovation of our home, Strub Hall. All of this while achieving success in admissions, matriculation and the financial strength of the school!

Informed by the lessons of the past school year, and rooted in our Holy Child values, we also celebrate new beginnings. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am excited to welcome our new Board Chair, Erika Randall, a dynamic and compassionate leader who has worked in higher education for decades at various universities, with a focus on service-learning pedagogy. She received her B.A. in psychology from James Madison University and her Master’s in Education from Harvard University. Her Catholic faith drives her commitment to be of service to others by volunteering her time and energy at Holy Family Catholic Church, the National Charity League, Union Station Homeless Services and serving on the Mayfield Junior School Board of Trustees. Erika and her husband, Kevin, are the proud parents of Tara ’22 and Carter (St. Francis ’25).

I’d also like to extend a warm welcome to our five new trustees: Amber Berrios ’07, Wellington Choi, Alison Jones Gamble ’87, Brittney Dennis Pruitt ’03 and Ryan Squire. Next, I’d like to extend my enormous gratitude to these trustees who are departing the board after six years of service to Mayfield: Mark Ladd, Mike Maddigan and Rob Neithart—you will be dearly missed!

Finally, congratulations to the Class of 2021! Standing with you at graduation, I was overwhelmed by how meaningful this year’s ceremony was, enhanced by a very present feeling of resilience and optimism that only the Class of 2021 could provide. You have shown a remarkable ability to tap into joy, even under the most difficult circumstances. We are very proud of each and every one of you!

With Joy and Love,

Key Nelson Nakasone ’93 6

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Meet our New Trustees Amber Berrios ’07 has been working in finance and real estate since 2011. She

currently serves as Vice President & Associate Director at Majestic Realty Co. She received her B.S. in public policy, management and planning and her M.S. in planning from the University of Southern California. She serves on the Advisory Council at the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and is an active member of the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders – Young Professionals and USC’s Latino Alumni Association.

Amber recalls instantly falling in love with Mayfield on her first visit. She says, “I distinctly remember driving down the driveway after Open House feeling convinced Mayfield was the perfect fit for me.” As a student she remembered the “special unity Mayfield created” and the “respect and admiration” she felt among students. Amber had a “wonderful experience” at Mayfield, and as a new board member, she aims to help foster an environment where every student feels accepted, welcomed and able to access the many opportunities she enjoyed. Amber feels strongly that “Mayfield is a place that allows you to grow and explore who you are, creating confidence in a place full of support, while still keeping you aware of how you can give to the world.”

Wellington Choi grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and graduated from the University

of Southern California with a business degree. He’s currently a senior vice president in sales and distribution for the investment firm Capital Group. He lives with his wife, Felicity, in San Gabriel with their two kids: Andrew, a recent St. Francis High School graduate who is headed to the University of California, San Diego this fall, and Jessica ’23, a rising junior at Mayfield. His volunteer work has included AYSO, Little League and Boy Scouts of America.

As a product of single-sex education, Felicity Choi championed the same approach for their kids, which made the family intentional in their high school searches. Wellington says, “On the surface Mayfield looks outstanding—the staff, the students and curriculum,” but, he adds, “to know an organization, you have to look behind the scenes.” He has been serving on Mayfield’s Finance Committee and after having “an in-depth look at how meaningful decisions are made and budgets are set,” Wellington was impressed, especially with the way COVID-19 aid was distributed to families this year. All of this, he says, “reinforced that this was a high quality institution.”

Although Jessica spent most of her sophomore year in remote learning, Wellington already sees that Mayfield is a place where she will grow in “confidence, independence and compassion.”

Alison Jones Gamble ’87 has served as President of Gamble Jones Investment

Counsel since 2011, having started at the firm in 1993. Her mother, Virginia Schlueter Jones ’64, is also a Mayfield alum, and Alison has fond memories of being on the Bellefontaine campus when she was young, saying that Mayfield was “always where I wanted to be.” Alison received her B.A. from the University of San Diego, and she lives in Altadena with her husband, Mark, her son, Matthew (17), and daughter Grace ’24. She has served as a board member for the Cancer Support Community, and has been on the Mayfield Junior School Board since 2012, serving as board chair from 2019 to 2020.

Though Alison’s time at Mayfield was overwhelmingly positive, it was also marked by tragedy. A few days before her junior year began, her tennis doubles partner, Maureen Shea ’86, died in a car accident. “Our tennis team was one big family that rallied around each other during [that] difficult time,” says Alison, adding that they “spent a lot of time before matches in the chapel.” In spite of the extraordinary grief felt by the community, the team won the CIF Championship and dedicated its victory to Maureen. Alison’s daughter, Grace, has also had her Mayfield journey shaped by larger forces—in her case, a global pandemic. Alison strongly believes that the Holy Child mission, and the tremendous support system within the school, help every student to become “a much more well-rounded human being,” and asks sincerely: “How could you not be inspired?”

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Meet our New Trustees

continued

Brittney Dennis Pruitt ’03 serves as Division Vice President, Corporate Controller

of Pharmavite LLC, where she oversees the day-to-day finance operations and is responsible for corporate accounting. She has served on the Audit Committee at Mayfield Senior School since 2009 and assumed the role of committee chair in 2019. Brittney met her husband, Lawrence Jr., when they were in elementary school at Calvary Christian, and after falling out of touch for years, they reconnected after she finished her degree in business administration at the University of California, Riverside. They live in Altadena with their 2-year-old son, Lawrence III, and enjoy outdoor adventures as a family.

A sense of warmth initially drew Brittney to Mayfield and inspired her to return long after graduation. “Actions Not Words” continues to motivate her, and she says she applies “that motto in every facet of my life.” But her high school experience wasn’t straightforward. She attended Mayfield her freshman, sophomore and senior years—electing to enroll at Monrovia High School for her junior year. She had already made “lifelong bonds” at Mayfield, but she also was keenly aware of socioeconomic divides and sometimes felt out of place, saying, “I didn’t see a lot of people who looked like me.” Brittney’s year away from Bellefontaine gave her perspective, and helped her to discover what she deeply appreciated about Mayfield and, ultimately, make the decision to re-enroll.

She supports Mayfield’s ongoing justice, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and believes the availability of a similar toolkit might have led to her staying at Mayfield as a teen. Drawing on her own unique experiences as a student, Brittney hopes to foster more journeys of belonging as a board member. “We’ve made so much progress, and there’s still progress to make,” she says. “I’m just really excited for what’s to come in the future.”

Ryan Squire has practiced as an attorney throughout California and the nation for over 22 years, primarily in real estate litigation and appeals. He received a B.A. in political science from the University of California, Riverside and his Juris Doctor from Pepperdine School of Law. He lives in Monrovia with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children, Colin (UCLA ’23), Caroline ’23, and Maddie ’25. He is currently in the theology and Christian ministry master’s degree program at Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio), and hopes to teach part-time while continuing to practice law.

Ryan admits he didn’t know much about all-girls’ schools and, initially, his elder daughter, Caroline, wanted to attend Monrovia High School to stay with her friends, but visiting Mayfield changed her mind. “Looking back,” Ryan says, “I think God had this in store for her.” Aspects of Mayfield that continue to inspire Ryan are the “whole child” approach and the school motto of “Actions Not Words.” Ryan credits Mayfield for much of Caroline’s maturity in approaching the complexities of “religion, theology, politics and social justice,” and he’s impressed by “how she has grown into an...empathetic person who advocates for herself and her friends.” Ryan takes particular delight in the fact that “Caroline absolutely loves going to school” and is overjoyed by daughter Maddie’s excitement about starting as a Mayfield freshman.

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Back to Bellefontaine.

We were overjoyed to be able to return to campus for modified in-person learning this spring, thanks to the above-and-beyond efforts of our entire Mayfield community.

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A new type of

A‘ ctions

Not Words’ ministry

Drive-through volunteering builds a ‘habit of virtue’

As we celebrate the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, the Mayfield community has been proving how our Holy Child values continue to enrich our lives in profound and lasting ways. But when it came to volunteering—while people were under restrictions to remain socially distant most of the year—approaching the challenge required some major ingenuity. So we dramatically re-envisioned some of the ways we could be of service to others.

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t’s 8:30 a.m. in front of Pike Auditorium, and it’s uncomfortably hot already, although you wouldn’t know it by watching how effortlessly the masked Campus Ministry team accomplishes its work. Team members are set up under pop-up tents arranged on the driveway. Armed with a clipboard and a smile in her eyes, Theology teacher and Assistant Director of Campus Ministry Carol Fitzsimmons stands next to a sign marked “Loaves and Fishes,” fielding donations of homemade lunches from Mayfield families for Union Station Homeless Services.

Mayfield Senior School has long found its strength as a community of faith. Campus Ministry, theology, volunteerism and service learning are some of the many ways we’ve expressed and explored our Holy Child mission.

But much of that changed when students left campus in March 2020, and a new approach to ministry did not come easily.

“When school went remote...we lost our bearings for a bit,” admits Director of Campus Ministry Teri Gonzales. She knew that any new venture “needed to ground itself again to purpose and

meaning.” And, she says, “The greatest challenge was to reimagine what a beloved faith community can look like and be during these challenging times.”

Amid a landscape of anxiety and widespread suffering, Campus Ministry has been exploring unique ways to nurture the spiritual life of the Mayfield family and beyond. Student retreats went remote, a “virtual chapel” was designed to conduct prayer services online, team members started employing apps like Magnify Your Voice to approach service and civic engagement digitally, and the Loaves and Fishes service initiative was born of an entirely new approach to volunteering.

Union Station has been a longstanding Mayfield community service partner and, before the pandemic, a group of student volunteers would do a regular breakfast shift before their classes.

But the small working kitchen made safe social distancing impossible, so when Union Station advised that it was accepting bagged lunches, the Campus Ministry Council (CMC) jumped at the chance to help. CMC Service Coordinators Gabrielle Owen ’21 and

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FAITH & SERVICE Mia Maalouf ’22 both took on active planning roles. Gabrielle explains, “Since Mayfield has been consistent throughout the years with student and faculty volunteers, we wanted to continue helping [Union Station] in any way possible.”

The first week of Loaves and Fishes brought in 207 lunches; week two, 252; week three, 368; and week four, an astounding 527. This dramatic leap may have been partially linked to a well-timed lesson in Michelle Gergen’s Theology class. She was teaching the story of the “Good Samaritan” to Sophomores and asked the class in what ways that story had played out in their own lives. Kara Garikian ’23 didn’t analyze the parable with a past experience, but with an upcoming activity. Sophomores had been asked to go on campus to pick up their Retreat supplies, coincidentally at the same time as the Loaves and Fishes dropoff.

Kara drew a direct comparison to the biblical story. If a student picked up a bag for themselves but didn’t donate for others at the same time, wouldn’t they be ignoring the needs of those at Union Station, like those who ignored the needs of the wounded person in the parable?

Ms. Gergen said the comment sparked a lively class discussion, which energized a lot of students.

This service initiative also got students’ families involved in deeply moving ways. “It’s taking service home—families doing service together,” says Ms. Fitzsimmons. “The habit of service, the habit of virtue, doesn’t come naturally,” but the very routine of service is transformative because—at some point—it becomes natural, and it encourages “the spiritual balance that comes when we live the Christian call to love our neighbor."

Although this spiritual dimension was never explicitly outlined in the suggestions for lunch preparation guidelines, it seems it was inspiring for many families. Mayfield dad and Board of Trustees member Richard Vargas shares why his family comes back week after week: “With the pandemic and the economic downturn, we know many people are hurting...we enjoy helping our neighbors in this era of physical distancing.” And Mr. Vargas explains how this interpersonal service happens in their household. “I will set out the bags on Saturday and then Sunday we start to fill them with bottled water,

chips, cookies. On Tuesday the fruit gets added, and on Wednesday morning my daughter [Emily ’22] makes the sandwiches and they are added to the bags, and we deliver them to Mayfield.”

Ms. Gonzales strongly believes that doing acts of service together enriches everyone involved. “In a very deep sense that is what faith is all about,” she says. “It is not just personal but relational.” And some families went above and beyond. One student drew red cub paws on the dozens of lunch bags she prepared each week. Another family would consistently include a fresh cloth face mask inside their brown bags, and during the holidays, they also enclosed some cash in ziplock bags.

This unique drive-through service program also attracted alum volunteers who appreciated the need—and the opportunity—to share their gifts with others. “It’s been such an honor to be able to be a part of the Loaves and Fishes program and drop off the packed lunches every week,” says Devon Belter ’09.

“It’s been a great way to reconnect with my fellow alumni and just get back involved.” And when Devon went on the road for work, her mother continued to drop off lunches in her stead.

“It was such a blessing to build out this lunch service and to see families making an effort to reach out and help others in great need,” says Ms. Fitzsimmons. “And so many expressed gratitude to help in some ways during this strange time of isolation.”

Mia is amazed at how the program has grown and, considering its success, she hopes Loaves and Fishes doesn’t remain a COVID-19-specific activity. “We are hoping to implement this initiative year-round once we eventually return to normalcy.”

Mayfield’s Campus Ministry leaders have no intention of stopping this wildly nourishing program, either.

Ms. Fitzsimmons explained there is still a fair amount of work to continue to educate about the issues regarding “food and hunger,” but, she says, “this program is a start, and it makes a real difference in the lives of others.” When she imagines what the school—and the Loaves and Fishes program—will look like this coming fall, she still has some unanswered questions. But when people inquire if the program will be running, her resolve is evident. With a certainty of purpose, she asks sincerely, “How could we not?”

12,000+ Total lunches donated in 2020-21

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Wednesday drive-through days

1,542

Biggest one-day donation (Cornelia Connelly Day)

(Top) Campus Ministry Council Service Coordinator Mia Maalouf ’22 with Head of School Kate Morin; (bottom) faculty and staff deliver lunch donations to Union Station Homeless Services.

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Living Holy Child History

Sr. Sheila McNiff ’56, SHCJ

At 83, Sr. Sheila remains an active Mayfield alum and trustee, and we were thrilled to have her on campus this spring to help during our transition to hybrid learning.

As we celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, we honor the Sisters who have devoted their lives to “Love and Serve” as part of Cornelia Connelly’s educational mission and the Society’s social justice ministries around the world.

Mayfield alum and trustee Sr. Sheila McNiff ’56, SHCJ offers a unique window into the history of the Society, and connects the Mayfield of a bygone age to the Mayfield of the present.

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ayfield has been a part of Sr. Sheila’s life since she was a toddler. The fourth of seven McNiff siblings to attend a Mayfield school in Pasadena, some of Sr. Sheila’s earliest Mayfield memories were marked by a very different international crisis: “When I started school, it was World War II,” Sr. Sheila says. She remembers the global scope and the local impacts, and explained how her mother used to exchange rations with the nuns at Mayfield Junior School. Her mother would give them her flour and sugar coupons, and the nuns would trade their shoe rations. The nuns had less need

The McNiff family’s World War II ration book

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Postscripts 2021

for new shoes, Sr. Sheila says, while the many McNiff children were constantly outgrowing their Oxfords. “I still have my mother’s ration book,” she admits.

In the 65 years since she graduated from Mayfield, Sr. Sheila has enjoyed an expansive and impressive career as an educator, therapist, counselor and chaplain. She has served as a principal at schools in the U.S. and internationally and has been an active member of Mayfield’s Board of Trustees for more than 17 years—first in the 1970s, before she moved to Africa, and again from 2008 through to today.

This year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she joined fellow alums working on campus to make sure the hybrid reopening of the school was safe for every student. Sr. Sheila has relished the opportunity to get to know this generation of Mayfield students a little better. In late May, she piled into a school bus with a group of Seniors bound for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to volunteer with them during their final service project before graduation. She has watched as this new crop of Mayfield students finds their

FAITH & SERVICE own sense of resilience, transforming into new kinds of leaders during this crisis. As the campus undergoes its own transformation, the impressive renovations of our historic Strub Hall home have been bringing up memories of her high school days.

Sr. Sheila recently toured the construction site, where the basement Art Studio is being rebuilt from the ground up for the needs of 21st-century students. The extensive remodeling briefly exposed the original swimming pool underneath. Every single detail, down to the art deco white-andgreen tiles, seemed untouched by the decades—it only lacked water and the diving board! “All of us learned swimming in that pool during physical ed time,” Sr. Sheila says. This perfectly preserved time capsule sparked Sr. Sheila’s nostalgia for the days when she and her sisters used to perform synchronized swimming displays, modeled after the routines of film star Esther Williams, in the indoor pool.

Sr. Sheila was only 17, still a Mayfield student herself, when she felt her calling to religious life. “It was a spiritual experience,” she says. “I had gone with my mom and dad to Mass on a Sunday in November...and when I went to communion I just had this experience of Christ saying, ‘Follow me.’ Well, I don’t think I thought…when I would do it, but I [knew I] would follow Christ.”

With so many of their children educated in Holy Child schools, Sheila’s parents naturally would be expected to be overjoyed by her impulse to join the order. But that was not the case. “My entering the convent was a suffering for my mom,” Sr. Sheila says, adding that her mother “cried every single day” for some time after. Her mother had converted to Catholicism when she married her father, and in her Episcopal tradition, she had only ever imagined her daughters getting married and having children of their own. But “she was a good mom,” who eventually saw the purpose and meaning that the religious order brought into Sr. Sheila’s life.

Sr. Mary Wilfrid Yore, for whom our Mayfield gym is named, was the prefect (principal) of Mayfield at the time, and her reaction to Sheila’s desire to start a religious life was quite different from Sheila’s mother’s: “When I shared [my decision] with Sister Wilfrid, she was thrilled.”

“Mayfield has given me the faith, love and desire to be part of Christ’s mission to transform the world into a community of compassion and infinite creativity.”

— SR. SHEILA MCNIFF ’56, SHCJ

On September 8, 1956, Sr. Sheila entered the community of the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus. And in spite of her mother’s concerns about the way religious life might limit her daughter, Sr. Sheila proved to be an effective educator and lifelong learner.

Her voracious curiosity deepened across many disciplines, and her horizons extended far beyond those of a traditional 1950s housewife.

“We were founded to be an educational order, and since Vatican II we’ve tried to meet the wants of the age,” says Sr. Sheila, paraphrasing the Society’s founder, Cornelia Connelly.

And Sr. Sheila’s multifaceted, servicedriven life has done just that, touching so many parts of our society and so many corners of the world over the past six decades. She served as principal at several schools, institutions as local as Mayfield Junior School (where she

taught Angela Howell ’76, who is now Mayfield Senior School’s Associate Head of School for Strategic Initiatives) and as distant as St. Anne’s Secondary School in Otukpo, Nigeria.

When she returned from Africa in the mid-1980s, she went on to pursue her counseling degree, working with those struggling with drug and alchohol addictions, and later with victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse in Saint Luke Institute in Silver Spring, Md. She became Executive Vice President of Saint Luke’s in 1992 and later the Director of Psychological Services at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, Calif. Sr. Sheila has also served as the Assistant Ministry Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and, most recently, became a chaplain at USC’s Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, although that part of her ministry was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also devoted years to supporting the work of two Holy Child-sponsored social justice organizations in Southern California, the Los Angeles Ministry Project (LAMP) in South Los Angeles and Casa Cornelia Law Center in San Diego.

To celebrate this 175th year of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, the Sisters have been connecting virtually across the globe from England, France, continues on page 14

Sr. Sheila volunteers with Senior students at the L.A. Regional Food Bank in May 2021. Photo courtesy of Melanie Ahn ’21 2021 POSTSCRIPTS

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Italy, West Africa, Nigeria, Chad, and North and South America. “In all the places where we are, we were doing something called ‘retreat in daily life,’ ” says Sr. Sheila. Every day since October 2020, despite COVID-19 restrictions, members of the Society have been “praying with the rest of the world.”

And, when Sr. Sheila thinks about the future of the Society, she thinks both locally and globally. She quotes Cornelia Connelly, who said: “The whole world is my country and heaven is my home.”

St. Anne’s Secondary School, where Sr. Sheila was once principal, is one of 11 Holy Child Schools in Nigeria, a country where many new Holy Child Sisters are committing to religious life. Sr. Sheila expressed deep admiration for these Nigerian nuns, who often aren’t entering straight from high school as she did.

She says they are “college educated,” and many of them already have careers as “doctors or nurses or teachers” when they take their vows.

When Sr. Sheila compares our presentday Mayfield to the Mayfield of the past, she sees a lot of loving similarities.

She even says current Head of School Kate Morin reminds her of Sr. Wilfrid, especially in her dedication to the school and her generosity to everyone. “Kate, when she greets the students as the car doors open, she’s all ‘dear’ and ‘sweetie,’ and very affectionate with each one. That was so Wilfrid,” she says.

A Mayfield education has always emphasized the “whole child” approach, where mind, body and spirit are all nurtured with energy and joy. But more than anything, Sr. Sheila remembers how Mayfield shaped her deep understanding of faith. “At a very early age, spiritual reality was a big part of my education—the relationship with God was real,” she says. “Mayfield Senior School has given me the faith, love and desire to be part of Christ’s mission to transform the world into a community of compassion and infinite creativity.”

After being part of this year of change at Mayfield, watching both the renovation of Strub Hall and the growth of the students, she seems pleased with what she has observed. “The values are passed on in a different world, and they’re adapted to a different world,” she says. In this way, she thinks that the mission of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus is thriving, and she is “very hopeful about that.”

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A lifelong commitment to ‘Love and Serve’ 1944

Enters Mayfield Junior School (then known as Mayfield School)

1978

Becomes Principal of St. Anne’s Secondary School in Otukpo, Nigeria

1985

1946

Begins work as an outpatient therapist for Saint Luke Institute in Silver Spring, Md.

Professes First Communion

1992

1956

Named Executive Vice President of Saint Luke Institute

Graduates from Mayfield Senior School

1996

Appointed Director of Psychological Services at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, Calif.

2002

Named Assistant Ministry Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

2002

Honored with Cornelian Award as Mayfield’s Alum of the Year

1959

Professes vows as a Sister of the Holy Child Jesus (as Sr. Marie Pacis)

1968

Returns to Mayfield Junior School as a teacher

1971

Becomes Principal of Mayfield Junior School

2003

Audience with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican

2008

Re-appointed as a Mayfield Senior School trustee

1973

Appointed to the Mayfield Senior School Board of Trustees

2019

Celebrates 60th Jubilee as a Sister of the Holy Child Jesus

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FACULTY & STAFF SPOTLIGHT

Health care hero Q&A with Cathy Cota O

f all the members of our Mayfield community who went above and beyond this year, we give a standing ovation to our School Nurse, Cathy Cota. Nothing in her 35 years of nursing experience could have prepared her for running a high school Health Office during a global pandemic, but she rose to the challenge, redefining her role as the demands of her job changed exponentially. From the earliest days of California’s “Safer at Home” order, Nurse Cota pioneered a new column in our weekly newsletter to keep our community fully informed on national, state and local guidelines and restrictions, and our Mayfield families relied on her steady tone, sage advice and practical action steps. She became a contact tracer extraordinaire, helped oversee our institutional COVID-19 response teams, constantly engaged with health authorities and officials, and interacted with her peers at other schools to share best practices. Our journey “Back to Bellefontaine” simply would not have been possible without Nurse Cota’s expertise and her “love full of action.”

We talked with Nurse Cota about her experiences over the past year as a health care professional and a Holy Child educator.

Do you remember what you were thinking in March 2020?

I was really worried last March. This was a new virus, and we were learning as we went along. In that sense, it was a bit scary to be part of a new disease that no one had encountered before or knew anything about. I had been reading about the new coronavirus for months and watching it explode. I vividly remember the day I asked to talk with [Head of School] Kate [Morin] and [Assistant Head of School] Toi [Webster Treister ’82] to tell them we’d need to come up with a plan. Initially, I thought we’d be out for six weeks. Never in my wildest dreams or imagination did I think it would get as bad as it did.

What was your goal with your weekly updates?

I wanted to educate our parents about COVID-19 so they could make informed decisions. It was also important for me to prepare them for the harsh realities of what school would be like when we returned [in April 2021]. We would not be going back to the same Mayfield we had left in March 2020.

What sort of feedback did you hear throughout the year?

Parents were really thankful for all the information and education. They appreciated hearing and knowing it the way it really was. Several parents said they knew they could trust what I was sharing with them, that it was unbiased and factbased. That is some of the highest praise I could ever receive as a nurse. Students also expressed their thankfulness. I was especially touched whenever one of them told me to “stay safe.”

What have you learned about the health and well-being of teens that you didn’t know before?

The teens are complicated years. I saw firsthand the importance of teens having contact—in-person contact—with their peers. Everyone responds differently to the same situation, and it was no different for teens. There were a myriad of responses to the pandemic and being remote. The one thing that impressed me the most was how creative teens got with their coping skills.

“I hope to embody the warmth and compassion Nurse Cota shows to everyone that she comes in contact with. She truly embodies a ‘love full of action.’ ” — DR. LEAH CARTER ’08, FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENT

“We are so grateful for Nurse Cota’s compassion, care and diligence. She has been a beacon of light in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, and we’re all so lucky to have her at Mayfield.”

— CYNTHIA COPELAND (AFTON COPELAND SPIEGEL ’23)

What do you think we’re taking away from this experience as a community?

I’ve seen firsthand how much we truly care about each other. How much we’d sacrifice for each other. How much we put others before ourselves. That is the true meaning of being a family, of loving one another. I know I said it a lot in my weekly articles, but we really are a community of “Actions Not Words.” And our actions spoke volumes.

What are you most looking forward to in your remodeled Health Office this fall?

Having a sink with plumbing and a bathroom!

Cathy Cota, RN, BSN, PHN came to Mayfield in 2015 to create a Health Office from the ground up. Being a nurse is “the only thing I ever wanted to do,” Cathy says. “I really believe this is what God wanted, and created, me to be.” Cathy graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Public Health Certificate from California State University, Los Angeles and is mom to two Mayfield alums, Rachel ’04 and Carolyn ’06.

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Body of knowledge

Sports Medicine program spurs interest in health sciences

Science Department Co-Chair Lydia Arguelles, who pioneered Mayfield’s Sports Medicine program in 2014, introduced a popular Anatomy & Physiology course this year.

O

n the evening of Nov. 30, 2020, Science Department Co-Chair Lydia Arguelles was sitting in an emergency room, her foot throbbing. X-rays confirmed what she already suspected: She had fractured her foot. She had played competitive team sports over the years, but this injury was caused by a less-than-active opponent—the corner of her bed. She could only chuckle. Her Sports Medicine class was starting a unit on the foot the next day, so she decided to bring in her own x-rays to see how sharp her students’ diagnostic skills were. Spoiler alert: They aced that test.

And now, at the end of the school year, that class knows a lot about feet.

“It’s really cool to be able to put a name to all the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments that comprise something even as small as the little toe,” says Sarah Tupy ’21.

How unusual is it to have a sports medicine class in high school? Depends on what type of high school it is.

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“St. Francis has a huge sports medicine program,” says Ms. Arguelles. But six years ago, when she established her class, “none of the all-girls Catholic schools had a sports medicine program.”

Ms. Arguelles came to Mayfield in 2009 as a part-time athletic trainer through a local physical therapy practice.

Teaching a Sports Medicine class came entirely organically out of student interest, after then-student Gabriella Ciulla ’15 approached Ms. Arguelles for help with her sports training and became fascinated with the equipment (How do you use ultrasound machines?) and the job (Can you study this in college?).

Six years after Gabriella successfully lobbied the Mayfield administration to add Sports Medicine as an official course, she is now a certified athletic trainer and is pursuing a graduate degree in the field at West Virginia University.

It turned out Gabriella wasn’t the only student who was curious about this health science discipline. That first year,

there were four full Sports Medicine classes, and Ms. Arguelles’ courses continue to attract a devoted following.

“This is by far one of my favorite classes ever!” says Sarah. As a studentathlete, Sarah is also gaining some beyond-the-classroom knowledge during this course. “It’s rare for me to not be injured at any given moment,” she says. “With this in mind, I have taken the lessons from class with me to the orthopedist, and I can now clearly see the intention behind his every note, palpation, and question regarding my injury. This is the type of real-world application that the class prepares us for, and it’s truly eye-opening to see what I’ve learned play out in a professional setting.”

Like several students before her, Sarah is taking this course with a very direct goal in mind. “For as long as I can remember, my dream job has been to become an orthopedic surgeon,” she says.

“With my long history of sports injuries, this passion has only strengthened.”

“I always want them to feel like they were a part of the class, that they contributed to something, that they felt heard as a student...

Ultimately, I really want them to enjoy learning.”

— LYDIA ARGUELLES, SPORTS MEDICINE TEACHER

In the 2020-21 school year, there are still two full classes of Sports Medicine, and Ms. Arguelles has also started teaching a popular Anatomy & Physiology class. “I thought when creating my Anatomy class that it was going to kill my Sports Medicine class,” says Ms. Arguelles, laughing at how wrong she was. Several of her current Sports Medicine students took her Anatomy class last year, and one of her

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HANDS-ON STEM These comprehensive take-home study kits gave Anatomy & Physiology students hands-on learning opportunities during remote school.

students, Jolie Beegle ’21, is taking both courses concurrently this year.

Jolie reflects on how these two courses work hand-in-glove. “One block I learn about the anatomy of bones, and the next block I actually get to learn how to treat any sudden injuries to bones!” Jolie plans to major in biology, and Ms. Arguelles’ classes help her engage with her subject material in a more in-depth way. “The crossover between Anatomy and Sports Medicine is challenging but really aids me in understanding concepts better.”

When Mayfield classes went remote, several teachers created take-home study kits—but Ms. Arguelles’ goodie bags were by far the most striking.

Anatomy & Physiology students took home mini skeletal forms, which they use to mold clay into the shape of muscle groups. The Sports Medicine class all got life-sized CPR mannequins and have been officially certified— entirely remotely—to perform these lifesaving techniques. And, because there are many such practical assessments (stop a bleeding wound, bandage an injured body part), reluctant younger siblings and stuffed animals are often recruited for unintentionally adorable Flipgrid videos that allow Ms. Arguelles to give feedback and students to see one another’s work.

It is hard to say how many of Ms. Arguelles’ students hope to directly enter the medical or orthopedic fields, but the skill sets addressed in her classes span many disciplines, touching on medical, legal, athletic and ethical issues. And she doesn’t think every student will get the same thing from her courses. “I always want them to feel like they were a part of the class, that they contributed to something, that they felt heard as a student,” she says. She hopes these classes spark a curiosity in students, a desire for “further investigation,” even if the knowledge they gain is that these disciplines are not for them. “Ultimately,” says Ms. Arguelles, “I really want them to enjoy learning.”

MAJOR influence Sports Medicine teacher Lydia Arguelles knows firsthand the power of a single class to open up an entire career path. “My high school Anatomy course changed everything about what I decided to study in college,” she says. “And my Human Anatomy course during my undergrad years changed my life!” Here are some Class of 2021 seniors who have been inspired by Ms. Arguelles’ classes to pursue health sciences or a related field in college.

Jolie Beegle ’21

“Ms. Arguelles really helped me to narrow down what type of sciences I want to study and focus on in the future. I took both Anatomy & Physiology and Sports Medicine so I really got a feel for what a science focus feels like.” — JOLIE BEEGLE ’21 “I loved Sports Medicine because Mrs. Arguelles made it interactive. I am an athlete and this class interested me because I wanted to learn more about rehabilitation from injuries. [It] has helped narrow my focus of study for the future of becoming a physical therapist.” — LAURA KATE BYERS ’21

University of San Diego (biology)

Laura Kate Byers ’21 Gonzaga University (human physiology)

Gillian Gorocica ’21 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (biomedical engineering)

Adrianna Greenup ’21 Tulane University (sports medicine)

Danni Murray ’21 Baylor University (public health)

Gabrielle Owen ’21 Azusa Pacific University (nursing & humanities)

“Ms. Arguelles’ Anatomy & Physiology class really pushed me to go for a pre-med track with a major in biology because she presented the most handson version of the human body and how it works. I thank Ms. Arguelles a lot for the motivation to continue with an academic path in biology and hope to continue it throughout my…college and professional life.”

— STEPHANIE RODRÍGUEZ ’21

Kate Parry ’21 Fordham University (pre-health)

Sally Pontrelli ’21 Gonzaga University (human physiology)

Stephanie Rodríguez ’21 University of Nevada, Las Vegas (bio sciences)

Taylor Thorell ’21 University of Southern California (health & human sciences)

Sarah Tupy ’21 University of Southern California (human biology and applied physiology)

“This [Sports Medicine] class showed me how vast the medical field actually is; you don’t need to work in a lab 12 hours a day to help treat people—you can work out on a field, court, or in an office and still do what you love. I want to be able to help athletes return to or achieve peak performance since this has been a large part of my life as well.” — SARAH TUPY ’21 2021 POSTSCRIPTS

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Mind, bodyand spirit: Q&A with Lydia Arguelles

When Lydia Arguelles came to Mayfield Senior School as a professional athletic trainer in 2009, she never imagined she’d end up in the classroom full-time. Now the co-chair of the Science Department, Ms. Arguelles’ popular Sports Medicine and Anatomy & Physiology courses have inspired a wave of student interest in the health sciences. Despite her deeply religious upbringing (“I’m a missionary kid!”), Ms. Arguelles says that her introduction to the Holy Child mission and philosophy has redefined the way she approaches both education and spirituality.

Do you have a teaching philosophy? Or guiding principles?

I honestly have to say that I never sat down and thought of the nitty gritty details behind it. The teachers that have had the biggest impression on me were the teachers that I remember how they made me feel. I love [what I teach]—and I think most teachers who have a really big impact on students…love what they teach, and they love having their students learn about that.

You have had some mentors who have made a strong impression on you at Mayfield, haven’t you?

Of course. What got me to where I’m at today would be Sr. Barbara [Mullen, SHCJ].

Oh, I’m going to cry...I miss her so much. That woman was just a wealth of wisdom. When I was first hired full-time at Mayfield, we had a great conversation and she said, “I would love for you to be part of the senior retreat program.” Little seeds of inspiration have kind of put me into this point.

What is it about the Holy Child educational mission that resonates with you?

Educating the “whole child” means meeting their needs and coming to them where they’re at...Yes, academics are part of it, but education is way more than academics. I think now in these times people are really starting to understand that…realizing that a lot of [students’] needs aren’t just “one plus one equals two”—that they have this social need, and parents understand the importance of the community that happens at school. When you’re a part of Mayfield, you are part of a much larger family, and you don’t even realize how deep it goes until you’ve been there just long enough and it starts springing up on you and you’re blown away by it…I’m still taken aback by the generosity of Mayfield families and the generosity of Mayfield students.

How has working at Mayfield shaped your experience of Catholic education?

My dad is ordained [as a Protestant minister] and taught at Fuller Seminary. What Mayfield has given me on the Catholic perspective has changed my life and, I have to say, has broadened my view of the world. I mean, I am not the person I was. I wasn’t expecting that.

I had some preconceptions in my mind of how [Catholic education] was supposed to be. And it was not at all what I thought it was going to be! It was a joyous, beautiful surprise. And it kind of fits in with my whole philosophy on what I want the students to get out of the classroom: the joy of learning.

About Lydia Arguelles: A Certified Athletic Trainer, Ms. Arguelles received her B.A. in Athletic Training from Azusa Pacific University before continuing on to earn her M.S. as a graduate assistant, CAATE-approved clinical instructor and adjunct faculty member at APU. She has worked with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and elite athletes, and currently volunteers her athletic training services for fundraising sporting events. She lives in San Dimas, Calif., with husband Rene and daughter Ella (5), along with Loba the German Shepherd and Joshua the orange tabby. After Ella was born, Ms. Arguelles decided to trade triathlons and IronMan competitions for family travel and adventure—including learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu together.

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HANDS-ON STEM

New STEM course engineers

‘a totally different way of learning’ Mayfield’s first-ever engineering design course challenges students to solve the kind of real-world problems that professional engineers grapple with, using real-world design processes and solutions.

In this class, creativity and collaboration are just as important as calculations and critical thinking.

E

ngineering teacher Christina Lara ’14 wastes no time in calling her Zoom class to order. “Let’s start diving into the next lesson...if everyone can just make sure they have their engineering notebooks out.” Her Engineering Design and Analysis class is the first of its kind at Mayfield, and the challenges it tackles couldn’t be more timely. Today’s lesson?

Engineering a better face mask. “We’re going to start looking into a new unit with a new problem—which is really cool

in a sense,” says Ms. Lara. “We can see what the engineering aspects are that we can use for the scenario that we’re all living in currently...almost a year under quarantine.”

Unit 1 covered the principles of engineering. Unit 2 dealt with the design process of creating something new. Unit 3 is on reverse engineering—improving on something that already exists. And only five minutes into class, Ms. Lara wants to see some attempts. She sends the students away to watch the CDC’s no-sew mask tutorial, and they then create a mask as instructed. Their task is to report their likes and dislikes of the finished product, ultimately looking for ways to optimize the design.

Ms. Lara allots minimal instruction time for maximum retention. When she sends her students off into Zoom breakout rooms, she watches the progress of every team on a live Google Doc. She insists on assigning a timekeeper and a scribe, roles that will change over time, so everyone has a chance to engage in different roles in this collaborative course. “Engineering isn’t a solo experience, but rather a

culmination of people’s different views, ways of thinking, and ideas,” Ms. Lara explains.

These teams will change periodically, too, but the initial group dynamic is very deliberate. Ms. Lara had students complete a personality assessment at the beginning of the year, so the first pairings were created with people who tended to have the same kind of work ethic. It was a somewhat “homogenic” group by design. But she always intended them to switch this up later, saying, “If you have a group that is more heterogenic, you have more opportunities to brainstorm ideas...no one is thinking the same way!”

Now, the students who made the CDC-designed face coverings are returning to their Zoom classroom, and some model their designs for Ms. Lara. She then sends them off in small groups—in new team configurations— to discuss the pros and cons they encountered in their builds. When they come back to class, the students are bursting with ways to improve on the CDC mask, while keeping the most accessible elements.

Engineering teacher Christina Lara ’14, who also teaches ninth-grade Algebra, is committed to helping usher in a new generation of female STEM leaders.

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The engineering notebook is an essential tool for tracking ideas and iterations. continued from page 19

“We do a lot of group work, and we do not have the typical tests and quizzes.

Instead we do projects. This is a totally different way of learning,” says Sheryl Cheng ’23. “The teacher supports us by giving us the basic information and understanding we need to complete a project, but we as students have to figure out what works or not. I am a visual and tactile learner, so I feel like I understand concepts better this way.”

This highly hands-on course, conducted in conjunction with the University of Texas-Austin, also gives students the chance to earn college credits. As one of a handful of schools in the L.A. area—and the only one in Pasadena— using UT’s innovative “Engineer Your World” curriculum, Mayfield saw a lot of excitement about rolling out the program this year. Ms. Lara was scheduled to attend a three-week professional development session in Texas with high school teachers from around the nation.

Then the pandemic hit. Then Ms. Lara’s training went remote. Then her teaching did, too. So what’s most impressive is how seamlessly this class operates online. It’s hard to avoid kitschy taglines like “Tomorrowland’s Classroom” or “Thoroughly Modern Mechanics” because the fact is this entire course seems remarkably suited for remote learning.

Ms. Lara teaches over Zoom using presentations prepared in PowerPoint.

She directs her students to web-based resources. They upload pictures of their 20

design drafts in Google Classroom for extra credit. When they brainstorm as a class, they use Jamboard, an interactive online whiteboard. And even in a densely packed class, she finds ways to schedule designated screen breaks.

Although the gears of Ms. Lara’s online class appear to mesh perfectly, she would far prefer to be teaching in person. “I feel like the most exciting part with the normal curriculum is the little gadgets and things that you get to play with!” she says. In remote learning, this class relies on common household items.

During their last project, the students created their own “camera obscura” using a cardboard box, a pair of scissors and a box cutter. Again, this minimalism is by design. It is hard to safely oversee the electric work or soldering that might take place in a traditional classroom while students are working from home.

(See page 21 for more at-home projects.)

Ms. Lara is clear that this class is only a primer. It teaches the students how to think like an engineer and to adopt some of the most important tools (like the engineering notebook) and the techniques (like focusing on the process rather than the outcome). “I told them it’s okay to fail…whether or not their project works—who cares?—engineers fail all the time,” says Ms. Lara. “You don’t really learn a lot when you just get it right the first try.”

“I told them it’s okay to fail…Whether or not their project works—who cares?— engineers fail all the time.

You don’t really learn a lot when you just get it right the first try.”

— CHRISTINA LARA ’14, ENGINEERING TEACHER

Ms. Lara has made no secret about her passion to have more female representation in STEM fields, and she hopes to inspire girls to gain confidence in her challenging courses. From the mouths of her students, it seems she is hitting the target with utmost precision.

“After the career fair a few years ago, I switched my interest from medical to engineering...and when Mayfield announced that they were going to offer this course this year, I was ecstatic,” says Keala Sunada ’21.

And having a Mayfield alum helming the course helped Keala envision her own career path more clearly. “This class has solidified my desire to work in the engineering field, especially after hearing about Ms. Lara’s experiences in college,” says Keala, who is headed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo this fall to study biomedical engineering.

Another STEM-focused student, Rebecca Lara ’21, describes how she was drawn to taking this elective as well. “I am on the robotics team so I naturally thought that I would be a good fit for the class and really enjoy it.” Rebecca is also in the unique situation of being the instructor’s younger sister, and during quarantine, they are living under the same roof. When asked if this dynamic is ever challenging, she laughs off the question. “I can hear her teaching across the hall during class,” says Rebecca. “I find it very funny!” The Lara sisters will be parted this fall when Rebecca leaves for Ann Arbor to study mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan.

Karissa Ho ’21, who has been heavily involved in the arts at Mayfield and will attend UC Berkeley as a pre-business major in the fall, is using this engineering course as a way to marry her diverse interests. “I’ve long thought of [STEM] as very objective—but our discussions prove that there is still so much room for diversity of thought and creativity and compassion in such mathematical and scientific fields.”

The way that Ms. Lara approaches the discipline seems to bring out both individual ingenuity and a generous sense of collaboration. “Having different ways of approaching a certain problem and finding different solutions to them is what makes engineering such a diverse subject,” she explains. “It would be boring if everyone thought the same.

Engineering allows unlimited creativity.”

A deep love of her alma mater continues to motivate much of the way Ms. Lara engages with this class. She remarks on how this job has felt like the perfect fit, being able to teach a subject she is passionate about, serving as a mentor in a place that was formative for her, and getting the rare opportunity to come to know her beloved teachers as colleagues. “The thing about Mayfield is that the teachers are just loving, and they care about the job,” she says with unmistakable sincerity. There is no other place she would rather be.

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HANDS-ON STEM

1

No lab?

No problem!

Wearable Camera Obscura OBJECTIVE: Introduction to the general engineering design process MATERIALS: Cardboard box, box cutter, ruler, heavy-duty and/ or transparent tape (plus optional embellishments)

Students learn to improvise and iterate at home

“They were able to conceptualize a product using various brainstorming methods, interview a potential customer (from UT Austin!), and iterate and test out their final products to capture images. The results were amazing and seeing the variation and creativity among my students was inspiring to me as an engineer.”

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Although she’s really looking forward to the camaraderie (and gadgets!) that come with being back in a science lab, teacher Christina Lara ’14 is proud of the way her students embraced complex hands-on engineering projects at home—often with little more than cardboard boxes and a hot glue gun. Here, she walks us through some of her favorite assignments.

“This project really allowed the students to get experience with data analysis using motion-tracking software, applied physics, and also be exposed to the gray areas engineering gets intertwined with —such as the cost of a human life and the ethics of it. The reallife applications were endless.”

Non-Medical Fabric Face Masks

OBJECTIVE: Reverse engineer an existing product (CDC face mask) for improvement MATERIALS: Old t-shirts or towels, scissors, rubber bands, elastic hair ties, hot glue

“It truly was great to be able to allow the girls to see the relevance and the applications of engineering as they were living it.”

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Scale-Model Buildings in Simulated Typhoons OBJECTIVE: Apply complex data analysis and engineering ethics MATERIALS: Pre-cut balsa wood, binder clips, quarters, cereal boxes, corrugated cardboard, ruler, box cutter, hot glue

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SEEDs of change

in social justice education ‘Energizing’ professional development program sows hope for growth

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n the winter of 2019, Mayfield’s diversity practitioners, Cassandra Gonzales and Sarah Briuer Boland, signed up for intensive leadership training with the National SEED Project, a professional development program that Head of School Kate Morin has described as “transformative.” They planned to spend two weeks in the Bay Area the following summer immersed in conversations and workshops with other educators about justice, diversity, equity and inclusion (JDEI) issues.

But the summer of 2020 brought forth many pivots and perspective shifts. The SEED organizers couldn’t have anticipated the pandemic, which moved all the in-person training onto Zoom. And SEED participants couldn’t have predicted the social and racial justice movements that would find new momentum and capture nationwide attention, highlighting the urgent relevance of their work.

The National SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) Project was established in 1987 to promote institutional and societal change by creating “conversational communities” around social justice inside schools and organizations. The idea is that SEED-trained leaders facilitate a series of probing and insightful discussions—on challenging and sensitive subjects—with small groups of their peers.

Ms. Gonzales, Mayfield’s Interim Director of JDEI, explains the way the program is designed: “It’s called SEED because you’re planting these seeds, and then they’re growing, and then they’re starting other SEED groups, until the whole community is having these transformational conversations.”

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And she sees direct benefits for Mayfield students. “Students benefit from faculty and staff members participating in SEED because it makes our community a more just and welcoming place,” she says. “Understanding the links between personal experiences and structures of oppression allow for our community to examine how we can support all students in all aspects of the school.”

So, in the fall of 2020, Mayfield’s first SEED cohort of 15 faculty and staff members embarked on a year-long JDEI training together. Ms. Briuer Boland, Mayfield’s JDEI Coordinator, admits that she and Ms. Gonzales were both worried that “one more Zoom meeting would be kind of onerous” for faculty and staff already facing the demands of this uniquely challenging year. But the reaction was quite the opposite.

“Being in a space of 15 people who came from 15 different life stories, people that I care about and respect— that changed everything,” says veteran mathematics instructor Melissa Tighe. She saw how these diverse perspectives created the kind of vibrant, thought-provoking discussions that inspire creative problem-solving. The possibilities clearly set her brain alight as Mayfield’s Director of Innovation and Community Partnerships. “I want more spaces where different groups of people—they have to be from different perspectives—get brought together and given a common thing to chew on,” says Mrs. Tighe. “That transforms you.”

Mayfield’s SEED meetings happened on the first Monday of each month and tackled a broad range of topics relating to seeing and being seen, race and gender messaging, the limits and segments of self-knowledge. A meeting usually

involved lecture, discussion, engaging in reading materials and video content, and often creating art around the relevant topic. Participants were probed to ask, what makes an environment a safe “nest” versus a restrictive “cage”?

Where are the “mirrors” where you see your culture and the “windows” where you perceive others? Colleagues came to understand “intersecting identities” in themselves and those around them. The complexity of these topics sometimes unearthed deep and forgotten wounds, but in spite of this heavy lift, almost every SEED member affirmed that this work was “energizing.”

Director of Library Services Ann Pibel found the SEED program to be a natural extension of Mayfield’s Holy Child goals, one that was perfectly aligned with the “incarnational theology” of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

As the head of Mayfield’s Mission Effectiveness Committee (MEC), Ms. Pibel was intricately involved in the school’s periodic re-evaluation and recommitment to the Holy Child educational mission in 2019. This deep dive, which involves objective institutional reflection and goalsetting, set a target of expanding JDEI professional development opportunities for staff. “Everyone here made a commitment to [SEED],” said Ms. Pibel.

“I think it was brilliant.”

When it comes to unraveling systematic messaging and unconscious biases, Ms. Gonzales and Ms. Briuer Boland are acutely aware that a single program, even one as lauded as SEED, is not a quick fix. “SEED can’t be the only tool,” says Ms. Gonzales. “But it’s a useful tool.” And much of that comes down to the fact that it’s not a

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purely academic approach, but rather a “relational” one. SEED relies on honoring individual perspectives for growth—deeply aligned with Holy Child Goal 5, which compels our community to foster spaces “based on trust and reverence for the dignity and uniqueness of each person.”

Although Teri Gonzales, Mayfield’s Director of Campus Ministry, had participated in SEED training at her previous school, she embraced the opportunity to connect with her Mayfield colleagues this way. Born and raised in the Philippines, Ms. Gonzales says, “English is my second language, and there are all the insecurities that come with that.”

But working in Mayfield’s SEED cohort “really built my confidence that you are in a community that values what you value, and that we all will continue to grow and know the people who are willing to join you on that journey.”

Cassandra Gonzales is encouraged by the way SEED helps “expand capacity for change” inside an organization— especially in the classroom. “On the more concrete side of things, faculty members were able to learn tools for integrating discussions of diversity,

equity and inclusion into their classroom,” she says. “They also gained more understanding as to why it matters to have a curriculum that serves as both ‘windows’ and ‘mirrors’ to our community.”

“I love the analogies of ‘windows’ and ‘mirrors,’ ” says SEED participant Billy Abdallah, a freshman physics teacher who just finished his first year of instruction at Mayfield. “I think when you compare something simple, it makes talking about it a little bit easier… relaying that to students who are just coming into their own individuality, giving them these terms and giving them opportunity to talk about it, using these different ways. That’s beautiful.”

Ms. Gonzales and Ms. Briuer Boland are already thinking about how to nurture and grow the SEED program beyond these yearly professional development staff cohorts. They see parents leading parent SEED groups, board members leading SEED groups for their fellow trustees, administrators leading SEED groups for their colleagues.

As Ms. Briuer Boland says, “It has to be a group effort, and you need a community to do it.”

Back row: Melissa Tighe, math teacher and Director of Innovation and Community Partnerships; Billy Abdallah, science teacher; Cheyenne Sons, librarian; Ann Pibel, Director of Library Services; Lynn Maloney, Co-Director of College Counseling; Sarah Briuer Boland, JDEI Coordinator and SEED facilitator; Julie Sanchez Brehove ’11, English teacher; Center row: Christin Hablewitz, Director of Instrumental Conservatory; Lauren Marks ’98, Director of Communications; Front row: Emily Baratta Goodell ’99, Math Department Chair and Director of Summer Studies; Krista Ellis, English teacher; Michael Dimen, math and science teacher; Cassandra Gonzales, Interim Director of JDEI and SEED facilitator; Nicole Cosand Burcham, Director of Alum Engagement; Teri Gonzales, Director of Campus Ministry

“Faculty members…also gained more understanding as to why it matters to have a curriculum that serves as both ‘windows’ and ‘mirrors’ to our community.”

—CASSANDRA GONZALES, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF JDEI

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Student Diversity Council:

Decentralized leadership and a mandate for A‘ ctions Not Words’ I

t is the first Student Diversity Council (SDC) meeting of February, and Avalon Dela Rosa ’22 calls the session to order.

Today’s agenda is packed. The plan is to discuss the virtual Black History Month assembly the group hosted online during the advisory period just an hour before. Avalon, who shares the title of SDC Co-Head with Frances Burton ’21, gets quickly to the subject at hand.

“We’re just going to debrief about how the assembly went and you can share something that went well or something to work on for next time,” she says, in a relaxed tone. “We have a lot of people today, so I was thinking about doing a round robin.”

And it’s true—there are a lot of faces in Zoom windows—38 of them. This is easily triple the size of last year’s membership, and includes students from all grade levels. The blossoming of the group this fall seems only natural to SDC member Piper West ’22, who explains, “Kids seemed to be moved by the surge of protests this past summer, and I am glad that they decided to channel that passion into making a difference by joining Diversity Council.”

Caroline Squire ’23 offers the first feedback about today’s presentation, titled “Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity.” “I think the assembly went really well,” Caroline says. She notes that sometimes students are too tired or too shy to speak up during advisory periods—but not

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today. “I think this advisory was really engaging,” she says. Lily Salazar ’23 chimes in: “I also agree that we did have a good dialogue talking about our different experiences.”

Although everyone yearns for inperson events again, Piper notes there are some benefits in delivering their assembly remotely in small groups.

“Advisory group presentations definitely give more room for discussion, and it provides a level of intimacy that is lost in in-person assemblies,” she says. And with that intimacy, Piper hopes there might be a better sense of personal awareness too, saying, “I just hope that people left advisory that day having a better understanding of Black History Month and will hopefully take what they learned past February 28th.”

A couple of council members who had less active conversations in their advisory groups ask their fellow SDC representatives for tips. But, all in all, everyone is pleased with the day’s presentation. And Avalon and Frances make sure to affirm the strong content included in the assembly—the videos on Black history from a kid’s perspective, Black fashion pioneers, and colorism between POC (people of color) were especially thought-provoking. Without exception, the SDC members praise Piper and Lola Falese ’22 for putting this assembly together so well.

Lola enjoys hearing this. “Since I am Black, this assembly was personal

to me,” she says, adding, “I wanted to embrace Black history and show Mayfield how astonishing it is.” Lola is pleased that the work she and Piper put in has been sparking useful conversations. “Getting feedback about how many [advisory groups] loved their discussions and shared their thoughts made me extremely happy and reminded me why I joined Diversity Council, which was to help the Mayfield community understand one another and embrace diversity.”

After the assembly debrief, everyone goes into their subcommittee breakout room to start tackling all the items on their ambitious agenda for this week’s meeting. The newsletter team will prepare the text for Black History Month to be included in the all-school bulletin; the arts group will design a flyer to invite all students to the upcoming Black History discussion; the publicity committee will produce Flipgrid videos honoring Black public figures; the social media group will create Instagram posts for Black History Month, and the clubs committee will explore which other Mayfield clubs might want to partner with the SDC this month.

Avalon reminds everyone that Chinese/ Lunar New Year is coming up soon, and suggests potentially reaching out to the Mandarin classes as well. The leadership may be decentralized, but the efficiency of what this group accomplishes in a single hour is remarkable.

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Latinas Unidas: SDC faculty advisors Sarah Briuer Boland and Cassandra Gonzales are ever-present in these meetings, but they are also extremely mindful of the shared leadership approach favored by the council’s members. Ms. Briuer Boland and Ms. Gonzales make themselves available as resources—sounding boards for ideas and planning and liaisons for outreach to staff and faculty. It’s clear they are pleased with the organic growth of the council this year, and the way the leadership has matured. “They’re amazing,” says Ms. Gonzales. “They are so motivated, all of the students in the council, and it’s also a really, really large number.”

It seems everyone comes to the SDC for a slightly different reason. Madison Rojas ’23 says, “As a Latina, I have sometimes experienced what it feels like to be excluded, and I wanted to make sure that other BIPOC students at Mayfield didn’t feel that way. Equity and inclusion is something I value very deeply, and it is so important to teach high school students about inclusion so that the future generations become more accepting.”

Avalon says, “I feel strongly about the need for inclusion, equity and justice within the Mayfield community. I have a passion and a real desire to make the communities I am a part of better places.”

The work of the SDC isn’t contained to just their conversations with each other—their “Actions Not Words” mandate inspires the group to address issues of equity on a broader scale. This can mean things like holding schoolwide conversations on Native American Heritage Month and Eurocentric beauty standards, and attending the NAIS People of Color (POCC) and Student Diversity Leadership (SDLC) conferences. Madison specifically mentions how her participation in this year’s SDLC conference gave her new tools to address old problems. “We all have the ability to change the world,” she says. “This conference gave me hope that my generation can change how we think about JDEI.” And, in spite of the sheer magnitude of work to be done for justice and equity across every sector of our society, Piper shares a similar sense of hope, saying, “There is a world of systemic injustices that we have to cover, and I am empowered to tackle them all.”

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Celebrating the diversity of the Latinx experience T

he first thing you should know about Latinas Unidas is that it’s a group effort. Unusually, there are five club co-heads—Ale Casillas ’21, Adrianna Greenup ’21, Natalia Rodriguez ’21, Stephanie Rodriguez ’21 and Mariana Trujillo ’21.

Their 30-member club represents a broad mix of the Latinx community with connections to Ecuador, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Columbia, Spain and Mexico. But like the name “Unidas” suggests, this group is all about being unified, showing solidarity even while celebrating differences.

Ale describes her fellow group members this way: “All of us have beautiful traditions to contribute, truly reflecting the diversity of the Latinx community.” Co-head Stephanie concurs: “I believe that being able to all collaborate together and bring different ideas to the table makes the club stronger and more diverse.”

In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, the Student Diversity Leadership Council hosted a virtual all-school assembly in conjunction with Latinas Unidas. Viewers of their digital presentation could click from section to section, introduced by students, with curated video and text content that covered AfroLatinx culture, Latinx artists and Latinx holidays. It even explored the important distinction between terms

like “Hispanic” and “Latinx.” This joyous, energetic approach was not only educational, but also incredibly welcoming and inclusive.

“The importance of the presentation was for others to learn about the culture, promote diversity, and have a bigger appreciation for it,” says Mariana. “I definitely feel like we accomplished that.”

“All of us have beautiful traditions to contribute, truly reflecting the diversity of the Latinx community.” — ALE CASILLAS ’21 The five co-heads see an important role they can play for freshmen in particular. They feel driven to make sure this club offers a nurturing environment in which younger members can tap into a sense of empowerment and embrace their leadership skills.

“Since we are remote it is challenging to feel a sense of community, especially for the freshmen since they have never been to campus,” says Mariana. “We want these girls to learn about the heritage and culture of Latinx as well as being able to express who they are.”

Interview with

TERESA ROMERO

On César Chávez Day this year, we shared an interview that Latinas Unidas Co-Head Natalia Rodriguez ’21 did with Teresa Romero, President of United Farm Workers Union—the organization co-founded by Chávez and Dolores Huerta in 1962. Romero described her own immigrant journey and her special passion for advocating for the rights of female agricultural workers, who, she says, still struggle with gender discrimination. “They can pretty much tell you no, I’m not going to hire because you’re a woman,” explains Romero. “[So] when we can have a woman being hired because she’s competent...it is a step forward because not only we are showing people that women can do the work, we’re showing women who are empowering women to fight for themselves.”

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Challenging concepts, simple connections

Hands-on physics classes help freshman students forge friendships online

Conceptual Physics teacher Billy Abdallah’s highly interactive online classes made for a friction-free transition to in-person learning.

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t’s the first class of the day, the first day of the second semester, and Billy Abdallah is instructing his ninthgrade Conceptual Physics class from his backyard. He checks in with each student one by one—his tone energetic, his gestures expressive. He’s beginning a new unit on motion, which he knows is often a tricky topic for first-time physics students. He introduces the topic of mechanical equilibrium in a way the entire class can readily understand.

He asks each freshman about her “ideal day,” listening and responding, encouraging everyone to understand their own personal sense of what equilibrium is, before moving on to the scientific definitions.

Soon enough, Mr. Abdallah is discussing forces and vectors, tension

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and weight, and leading the class as they do simple equations measured in newtons. The subject material is advanced and could be potentially intimidating for young learners, but Mr. Abdallah bypasses both apprehension and anxiety by putting this Zoom room of near-strangers at ease. ”He always finds a way to make the lesson fun...and he always talks to us and makes us feel comfortable,” explains Natalie Grohs ’24.

It’s clear that the way Mr. Abdallah conducts his course doesn’t make students feel comfortable with just him, but with each other, too. “My favorite thing about Mr. Abdallah’s class...is how he makes us feel that we are in person even though we are not,” says Elisa Milkie ’24. Building community

is no small feat during remote learning, particularly when the subject material is academically rigorous. But, although many of these freshman students have never met in real life, they’re building bonds—and deep knowledge—through hands-on activities and discussions.

In fact, Mr. Abdallah offers such a wide variety of interactive projects that his students can’t settle on a favorite.

Sarah Brennan ’24 mentioned the lesson on optical illusions, Ella Moriarty ’24 liked the presentations on light and color, and multiple students nominated the virtual hockey competition, which illustrated how protons and neutrons work. “This activity brought camaraderie...which is difficult to do online, but Mr. Abdallah does activities like that which brings us closer as a

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During remote learning, freshman students explored the physics of sound by making cardboard ukuleles and Pringles-can bongos.

class,” explains Danica Bachman ’24.

When it comes to class assignments, Mr. Abdallah tries to let his students take the lead whenever possible. “I don’t know how each person learns individually,” he says. “And I think that giving them options for how they want to complete their work or trying different things about what might work for them is so important.” He allows them to work alone, with a partner, or even in small groups, because he strongly believes it’s an invaluable time for students’ self-knowledge, where they can learn their own best study patterns and techniques.

“Starting Mayfield online was definitely not what I envisioned…[but] physics has been phenomenal and it easily became my favorite class.” — DANICA BACHMAN ’24 And Mr. Abdallah has his own favorite assignments, like the “mock concert,” where he asks students to assume the role of a famous musician (including adopting a stage name), throw a mock concert in their dream venue, and play the music on an instrument they built themselves. He sneaks the scientific research element in by having students create posters with infographics explaining how sound is created and how sound and vibrations connect. This indepth project was clearly labor-intensive, yet most of the students submitted it before the deadline. And watching a wall

of Flipgrid videos in which students gleefully pretended to be rock stars with bongos made of Pringles cans and ukuleles made of cardboard, the sheer joy of this learning opportunity is unmistakable.

“Starting Mayfield online was definitely not what I envisioned, and I did not know what to expect from any of the classes,” says Danica. “However, from the beginning, physics has been phenomenal and it easily became my favorite class...you can really see the attention to detail [Mr. Abdallah] gives each student and the level of comfort he has instilled throughout his class, which has made the transition much easier.”

Student enthusiasm for virtual labs has been a pleasant surprise, even to Mr. Abdallah. “I would have never thought that they would have enjoyed simulations, building things on a screen and being able to analyze data that way.

But they love it!” he says.

Although Mr. Abdallah is in his first year at Mayfield, and still early in his teaching career, he has gained a deep appreciation of the Holy Child philosophy and has intuitively tapped into the most essential Holy Child teaching objectives: helping students discover their gifts.

“This class has definitely given me confidence in science,” says Natalie, a refrain that is common among her classmates. Ella describes the way she feels empowered by the class, in spite of the rigor: “I think being a girl interested in STEM can be discouraging at times, but that feeling is never present in this class,” she says. “We also spend so much time working on challenging concepts so

“My favorite thing about Mr. Abdallah’s class...is how he makes us feel that we are in person even though we are not.” — ELISA MILKIE ’24 we feel really comfortable with what we are learning.”

This pandemic has been full of unexpected trials, for students, teachers and parents alike. But if the students of Mr. Abdallah’s Conceptual Physics classes are any indication, an indomitable sense of community, creativity and collaboration persists inside our Mayfield family. And this may serve as a reminder that it is the simple, human connections that are often a large part of solving even the most daunting challenges.

Mr. Abdallah goes above and beyond to help students make the social connections that foster collaborative learning.

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The play’s the thing

Interactive online games spark lively discussions and literary insights When students returned to 500 Bellefontaine this spring, Julie Sanchez Brehove’s freshman English class met in our beloved Strub Hall Living Room, where they had ample room to spread out.

J

ulie Sanchez Brehove ’11’s freshman English class had just finished their reading of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” and the subject of today’s class discussion was “Who’s to blame?” in this tragedy. The Montague or Capulet parents? Friar Lawrence or the Nurse?

The lovers themselves? Mrs. Brehove will soon be giving every student an opportunity to present their best arguments for who was most guilty, and why. She encourages all aspects of the debate, asking everyone to defend and blame at will, and to change allegiances at any point. But before the incrimination-fest begins, Mrs. Brehove primes the day with a game, of sorts.

“Prepare yourselves,” she teases the class, “We are in Kahoot! Mode.”

For those uninitiated to Kahoot!...it is like a quiz. But also a competition. A quiz-petition? Basically it has all of the appeal of a trivia night with the added bonus of reinforcing the course material.

Every student logs in on Kahoot! and question after question is asked about the play. The multiple choice questions 28

are livened up with screenshots from the “Shrek” movies, and points are given for both the most accurate and fastest answers. Striving to win the digital trophy brings out a truly energetic match.

“I really enjoy when we play games as a class,” says Kaitlyn Espinoza ’24. “It really engages everyone, and when I have fun while learning, I tend to retain more material.”

Mrs. Brehove has an effervescent personality, in addition to being a vibrant listener. She has the talent of being able to echo student opinions back to them, and as she amplifies these comments, they are also reliably infused with another level of literary insight. This creates a dynamic class environment, with a lot of keen contributors. The “forbidden romance” of “Romeo and Juliet,” which tends to be a major theme people bring up when discussing this play writ large, is something Mrs. Brehove’s class hardly mentions at all. They are engaging with this material on their own terms, focusing more on the realistic (and more

psychologically healthy!) criticism of the love affair. Lucia Derriman ’24 says that Romeo shares a lot of the blame of the tragedy, explaining that he “was blinded by his infatuation towards Juliet and that kind of caused him to make some risky decisions.” And Emma Mendoza Munoz ’24 agrees. She says Romeo is “impulsive, which makes him high-risk and dangerous.” She continues, “the balcony revealed a lot about his character because he didn’t have any concerns about Juliet’s safety…if they got found out.” Emma explains she “feels bad for Juliet” because she seemed more of a “rebound,” and that Romeo “moved on from that nun lady really fast.”

Mrs. Brehove is visibly tickled that Emma refers to Romeo’s past object of affection, Rosaline, as “that nun lady.”

Mrs. Brehove tells the class that in a different version of this text, she has seen Rosaline referred to as “what’sher-face.” At the beginning of the play, Rosaline has joined a convent, leaving Romeo heartbroken—although he transfers his affections over to Juliet at

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FRESHMAN YEAR AT HOME

lightning speed. Mrs. Brehove builds from this line of thinking, asking the class the next relevant question: “Is it Juliet? Or is it just someone?”

Anna Kingston ’24 synthesizes these elements of the conversation in her own analysis: “I think Romeo was probably more in love with the idea of love, more than being in a relationship with Juliet.”

What is so impressive about this class is how lively their conversation really is. There is rarely a lull. This would be much more understandable if this were a class full of seniors who had known each other for years. But these are freshmen, and although they are gearing up to be on campus very soon, they have never actually been in a physical classroom together. So an engaging class debate like this does double duty, both intellectually and interpersonally. These students have been building strong connections among one another, one Zoom session at a time.

“It’s been hard to get to know each other well with the remote setting, but by talking about how we see things

and connecting over different stories, we’ve been able to learn more about each other,” says Tamtawan Venice Jithavech ’24. “I really enjoy the class discussions. Not only does it allow us to help each other understand the material better, but it also helps us see each other’s different perspectives.”

A former Mayfield student herself, Mrs. Brehove professes a special affection for teaching to this age group: “I love ninth grade. I have had experience working with students at all grade levels and there’s something to love about each of them. I just really connect well with the ninth grade...they are so eager...I love that enthusiasm.”

Part of Mayfield’s faculty “tech cohort,” Mrs. Brehove brings technology into her Zoom classroom whenever possible, not just via Kahoot! There are also Jamboards and digital notebooks and annotation tools, and she’ll try anything once. And when it comes to Shakespeare, Mrs. Brehove allows some of her approach to lean into absurdity.

“I know Shakespeare can be kind of intimidating, and I think some kids dread it because...it’s really hard to understand...there are a lot of words that are unfamiliar, but I think what’s interesting is that they get more and more comfortable with it.” So making fun of mopey Romeo, suggesting that the nurse might have the hots for Paris, or joking about how Friar Lawrence’s “text message” was never sent, seems to have the effect of everyone feeling like they are all in on the same joke.

When these English students are asked their favorite reading assignments of the year, the gamut runs from Jamaica Kincaid to Sophocles. But a surprising number of the class actually choose “Romeo and Juliet,” even though many of them read the story in middle school as well. Monica Zepeda ’24 says, ”This English class is different from my junior high classes because in Mrs. Brehove’s

“It’s been hard to get to know each other well with the remote setting, but by talking about how we see things and connecting over different stories, we’ve been able to learn more about each other.”

— TAMTAWAN VENICE JITHAVECH ’24

class, we focus a lot more on analyzing the text and gaining new perspectives on events, characters’ ways of thinking, etc. We highlight the ‘why?’ and ‘how?’ ” And Lucia expands on that idea. “Being familiar with the story already, I enjoyed reading the tragedy in full and discussing the events as a class. In my junior high classes, there was more of a focus on writing factually...Mrs. Brehove gives us the freedom to express our opinions in our writing freely, and we are encouraged to include our opinions and expand our ideas.”

By the end of this “blame game” from this class, the Capulet and Montague parents are mainly off the hook. The Nurse is treated pretty lightly, too. Friar Lawrence takes some flak. But the group seems to think that Romeo and Juliet are the most accountable for their actions, and Romeo even more so. After class, Mrs. Brehove explains that another section of this class arrived at a different conclusion—and placed much more blame on the adults in the story. But it is a further testament to how the students feel liberated by Mrs. Brehove’s class structure, allowing all the iconoclastic student impressions to surface naturally.

And if Mrs. Brehove appreciates the enthusiasm of ninth-graders, the feeling is mutual. Juliet Esparza ’24 says, “I really enjoyed these activities because they involve the whole class and make the story interesting.” And Kaitlyn wholeheartedly agrees: “I like the way that Mrs. Brehove interacts with us, and creates different ways of explaining, so that we as her students understand the subject well.” Suffice to say, when the class environment shifted over to a hybrid/inperson model, the teacher and students remained very much in cahoots.

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Civilizing civics

How Mayfield students are becoming informed participants in our democracy

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n the 2020 presidential election season, in which the public debate was unusually contentious, Mayfield students found ways to sort through the noise. This doesn’t mean they are disengaged in the issues of the day—far from it! This generation of students is proving to be more civic-minded than any class in recent memory. And, grounded in Holy Child goals, these young women have been developing tools for better discernment and their own empowerment.

Dean of Faculty Tina Zapata has been teaching U.S. Government classes to high school students since 2006, and though she changes up the material every year, the early days of the course are always the same. “I ask the students to write me a letter of introduction at the beginning of the year,” she says. “Some of them respond that the government seems intimidating for them” or that politics “is out of their reach.”

Ms. Zapata encourages a curious, nimble mindset. “I explain to the students the importance of civil political discourse and the importance of both contributing to the discussion and listening.” She emphasizes listening because very often the best lessons are learned from people who disagree with you. Ms. Zapata lays out her motivation in her approach clearly: “I want them to learn that their voices matter and the significance of their political participation in the system, especially as young women.”

Sophia Labrador ’21 explains that one of the main reasons she enrolled in U.S. Government was to find her power as an active citizen, saying, ”Because 2020 is a presidential election year, I wanted to take this class because I knew that there would be a lot of conversation about candidates and elections, and I wanted to better understand the discussions around me.”

In a recent U.S. Government class,

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Ms. Zapata randomly assigned her students to camps, either for or against the use of the electoral college in the presidential election. Students moved into online breakout rooms to hone their points for an in-class debate. When the class reconvened, these seniors were ready to argue their opposing cases, with Ms. Zapata acting as an impartial moderator. They asked nuanced questions, aired thoughtful opinions, and made concluding arguments. Then Ms. Zapata opened the floor for discussion.

Free of their assigned debate teams, students finally had an opportunity to express their honest personal assessments and concerns.

Ellery Hotchkis ’21 spoke up, suggesting “this was a difficult conversation to have” because there was plenty of evidence to “argue for either side and find its flaws.” And Adrianna Greenup ’21, who only moments earlier had made a persuasive closing argument for the electoral college, expressed some of her own personal wariness of the institution. However, she had no complaints about the forum itself. “The thing about this class, it makes it easy to bridge the divide,” says Adrianna, adding, “Ms. Zapata allows for a safe and comfortable space for everyone to express their views.”

U.S. Government classes are not the only places girls are engaging in the political process. There is also the Vocal Voters Club at Mayfield. Though most high school students aren’t eligible to vote, this club works with The Civics Center, a non-partisan, non-profit organization, helping pre-register teens so they are ready to vote on their 18th birthdays. Co-heads Sofia Olona ’23 and Lucia Avila ’22 are quick to point out, “We consider ourselves non-partisan,” adding that “many issues our world is facing today are not a matter of Democrat

versus Republican.” Sofia and Lucia sincerely hope that their club gives Mayfield students “an opportunity to voice their opinions,” because “our world is too complicated to make these issues black and white.”

“The thing about this class, it makes it easy to bridge the divide. Ms. Zapata allows for a safe and comfortable space for everyone to express their views.”

— ADRIANNA GREENUP ’21

Erica Vasquez ’21, a student in Ms. Zapata’s U.S. Government class, makes it clear that “Mayfield students— and more broadly my generation—have been very active with political issues.”

And she has nothing but praise for Ms. Zapata for “keeping the class unbiased,” which allows students “to learn more about the thought process of both sides and more importantly...be able to form our own opinions.”

As tensions abound in public arenas, Mayfield girls are uniquely equipped with Holy Child guiding principles and, with compassion and reverence at the forefront of any discussion, the emphasis is kept on what unifies us as a community of love and faith.

Acknowledging the civic strength of listening, even to an unpopular idea, Ms. Zapata adds, ”Everyone comes from a different background... so they may see the situation differently.” And she offers the timeless advice that it is okay to “agree to disagree.”

In so many ways, Mayfield students are already displaying a strength lacking in more adult forums—taking at least one step forward toward civilizing civics.

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REAL-WORLD LEARNING

Inspiring figures of the past meet history in the making April Garcez’s U.S. History class was about to begin a unit on the Progressive Era, and these 11th-graders were about to be assigned presentations on figures like W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, Upton Sinclair and others who helped shape American history in fundamental ways. But after Ms. Garcez watched the presidential inauguration, she quickly decided to rewrite her next class plan to take advantage of what she considered a valuable learning opportunity. “We had to address the fact that it was momentous to have the first Black, South-Asian Vice President woman and Amanda Gorman as a speaker,” she said. “We had to stop the history lesson as it was.”

It would turn out to be a day of insight and lively discussion, worthy of the pivot on the day’s schedule. This class already had a built-in mechanism when it came to discussing present-day moments through a historical lens in the form of “current events” assignments. To begin the class, Ms. Garcez gave everyone a few minutes to offer their first impressions of the inauguration as a whole, and the topics brought up in the President’s speech.

Ashlynn Hurley ’22 noticed themes regarding the pandemic and racial justice were front and center. Caitlin Dopudja ’22 said that the President could have been a little more reassuring about COVID-19 relief, and Hannah Sherman ’22 felt the speech could have specifically mentioned ways of “overcoming the political divide.”

But this was a conversation among a group of young women in Los Angeles,

and the inaugural poet, Amanda Gorman, was who people wanted to talk about most. Ms. Gorman isn’t much older than these students—and is also an L.A. resident—and she struck a chord deep inside this group. The class’s observations of her went beyond mere artistic admiration—her very presence on such an esteemed stage left many students reflective about their own senses of potential.

“The poem [‘The Hill We Climb’]

by Amanda Gorman was extremely inspirational and impactful,” said Destiny Inzunza ’22. “Her poem, along with her story of growth and success, has made me feel that I can contribute to something larger than myself.”

Le Ahn Metzger ’22 shared a similar feeling: “Amanda Gorman’s poem at the presidential inauguration gave me hope in our generation...her hope reminded me that not all is lost, and that things can and will get better with time and hard work.”

During class, Ms. Garcez played a short PBS profile of Gorman. The piece indicated how issues of racial and gender equity are ever-present in her work, but it also chronicled aspects of her biographical journey. Someone with a speech disorder choosing to become a poet and a public speaker was impressive enough, but achieving the high honor of becoming the first national youth poet laureate and the youngest poet to perform at a presidential inauguration deeply impressed everyone.

Charlotte Potter ’22 felt it was hard to overstate the poet’s grace and tenacity,

Melanie Ahn ’21 was inspired to assemble her photos into this striking collage in response to the closing lines of Amanda Gorman’s poem “The Hill We Climb”: For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.

If only we’re brave enough to be it.

suggesting, “Amanda Gorman is a name that I believe will live on for years after her passing.”

Charlotte mentioned that they had just discussed this same Gorman poem in her English class and she was pleased to be looking at it from a more historical perspective. The poem “really incorporated the American dream,” she says. “You can be anything you want, you can come from any background, and you can still make it to greatness.”

Although Ms. Garcez hadn’t orchestrated these discussions between other teachers beforehand, she strongly encouraged these cross-disciplinary references.

Avalon Dela Rosa ’22 said she had gotten unexpectedly emotional and praised Ms. Gorman’s “rhetorical devices.”

And Kathryn Mechaley ’22 liked the “repetition” and “word choices,” remarking that “the sound of her words... her reading...it is kind of like a heartbeat.”

For the last minutes of class, Ms. Garcez assigned students into groups in preparation for their “progressive reformer” presentations. She gave the initial instructions on how to approach these towering figures, to humanize them and put them in context. What was their early life, and what obstacles did they overcome? What influenced them to become involved in reform? What were their long-lasting contributions to U.S. history? Suddenly, the conversation about Amanda Gorman didn’t seem out of place at all, but rather a primer and a master class in understanding living history.

“The yellow hydrangeas (replicating the iconic color of Gorman’s inaugural outfit) symbolize the ‘American Dream,’ but the window placed among the flowers speaks to the inaccessibility yet seeming tangibility of that dream to Americans from marginalized or minority communities. The placement of Savannah (the little girl, also wearing yellow) outside of the window and among the hydrangeas, then, represents the hope that Gorman provides to little black girls and to any underrepresented individual. Gorman’s presence (her light) empowers Savannah to manifest her own light. The ‘American Dream’ is ours for the making. Also collaged into the image is a photograph of a yellow (yes, again) flower that contains a bee, an insect that exemplifies community, growth and dedication—all of which are necessary in order to be brave enough to be a light.”

— MELANIE AHN ’21

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This ‘humanities-based math’ course is no average STEM class E

mily Baratta Goodell ’99 is talking about “parallel dot plots” with her AP Statistics class, and she wants her students to compare two different graphs. Audrey Leung ’22 points out a similar “shape” in the two. Avalon Dela Rosa ’22 notes the “spread,” without many “outliers” in either. There is some discussion about the limited “variability” in the graphs as well. The terms and approach are all textbook, the actual assignment a little less so. Because this activity is all about Beyoncé.

Mrs. Goodell introduces this project with some background information about the band Destiny’s Child. “I may be dating myself here,” she says, laughing.

She explains that Beyoncé wrote the entire Destiny’s Child song catalogue, and Mrs. Goodell is asking the class to use statistics to determine if Beyoncé was also the author of her international mega-hit “Crazy in Love.” Although the mere suggestion would be nearblasphemy for the most devoted Beyoncé fans (cue the buzzing Beyhive), it makes a stimulating classroom activity, with very enjoyable music breaks.

The concept of “bias” comes up early in this activity. Mrs. Goodell shares the lyrics of “Crazy in Love” and asks the class to select five words from the song, count the number of letters in the words, and calculate the average word length.

The students collaborate on a graph in Jamboard, and the girls start adding their dots for the mean word length using the numbers 1-8. The class ends up with the average (“true mean”) word length of 4.3 letters. However, Mrs. Goodell reminds them that their preferences show bias, so the girls move their attention to the second graph on the Jamboard.

Graph two is still plotting the word length in “Crazy in Love,” but this one employs a random number generator. This randomness reduces bias, safeguarding that every subject in the study population (aka words in this song) has an equal chance of being chosen. And lo and behold, there is a notable difference!

The average word length for this song is settled at 3.53 letters.

The true mean of all of Destiny’s Child’s songs is 3.64 letters. Based on

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the samples supplied, did the class find good evidence that Beyoncé did not write the lyrics for “Crazy in Love”?

Karissa Ho ’21 is careful in answering the question. She Students collaborated in real time using Jamboard, an online whiteboard. doesn’t say that all future inquiries into the question are null and void. But with such a small variance between those two mindset shift while she was taking true means? “We don’t have enough this course: “Once I switched from evidence to say that Beyoncé didn’t write approaching this class like a math class the lyrics to ‘Crazy in Love,’ ” Karissa to approaching it as an English class, says. There seems to be a collective I became a lot more confident in my sigh of relief from the class, as the reasoning and analysis of problems,” she crown of Queen Bey remains relatively says. “It also helps that Mrs. Goodell is a untarnished. great teacher!”

It is easy to see how this subject, and Perhaps one of the reasons Mrs. Goodell this class specifically, appeals to those is so good at relating to her Mayfield who are deeply interested in STEM students is that she was one herself. classes, but also those with a more liberal And she has only praise for that journey, arts bent. saying, “I am who I am and I do what I do “I remember Mrs. Goodell describing because of Mayfield.”

AP Statistics as a ‘humanities’ math Living through a pandemic is putting class,” says Avalon. “More than anything statistics front and center in students’ when deciding to take AP Statistics lives. “AP Stats has definitely gotten me was the uniqueness of the class...a to critically think about what’s going on combination of math and argumentin the news about the coronavirus and based learning.” its vaccines,” wrote Avalon. “This was There are, in fact, a few prerequisites not only relevant in today’s world but before students can enroll in this very interesting to learn about overall.” “humanities-based math.” They need Whether this is the last statistics to meet a minimum grade requirement class her students take or the first of in their math classes, and also in their many, Mrs. Goodell just wants them to history and English courses. Meeting be critical about the way information is the baseline in all three disciplines helps shared with them. She wants them to be promote student success in this dynamic able to pull the story away from the spin. course.

“It is comforting to know that when I read about opinion polls now,” says Taylor Thorell ’21, “I can identify if “When I read about opinion they are substantial and trustworthy in polls now, I can identify if measuring the opinion of the population.

Also, when I research scientific studies, they are substantial and I will be able to better identify how they trustworthy in measuring the are run and work.”

In a time of so much uncertainty and opinion of the population.” doubt, the analytical skills embedded — TAYLOR THORELL ’21 in this statistics course couldn’t be more useful to these students. “I think “Every person comes to the table at a that’s also a testament to Mayfield,” different stage in their understanding,” says Mrs. Goodell. “Empowering us Mrs. Goodell says. “There might be a unit to be strong, independent women and where it clicks for someone, it makes it thinkers and advocates. You’re not going real, it’s relatable, and then they soar.” to tell me ‘no.’ If I want to do this, I can Elise DeGroot ’21 describes her own achieve it.”

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REAL-WORLD LEARNING

The Mayfield Crier finds a new life online There have been both surprises and challenges for everyone. No longer constrained to a firm word count, the team has been enjoying this chance to explore longer-form journalism and columns.

This also means a lot more potential for artwork, photography and embedding easy links to other resources. But Grace Fontes ’21 explains that the amount of screen time during this pandemic is no small issue for students. “We are online for several hours a day for school and continue to have to work online on the Crier, which can be pretty taxing,” she says. Nonetheless, Grace sees a lot of benefits, adding, “I’ve really enjoyed getting to see the process…[of] what it takes to truly run a publication online.”

Mia Maalouf ’22 has noticed the way the online platform doesn’t just change how she writes, but also what she writes.

“In the past, I didn’t pay attention to the readers and what they would respond to,” she admits. “But now that I am able to analyze their receptiveness, my articles are targeted towards a specific audience, which I think makes them stand out!”

Ms. Gomez explains that the “realworld practical lessons” of this new form of the Crier are proving limitless, and she can hardly keep up with the content the team is producing. “The students are on fire!” she says.

o say that the internet changed the face of news is a major understatement. And, like many newspapers, the student-produced Mayfield Crier has endeavored to make the transition from a print-only news source to a hybrid media outlet.

Although the production team had been dipping its toes in digital waters since before 2015, team members had made the choice to focus on print, as the monthly publications were already a major undertaking. Plus, handing out physical copies after assemblies and being able to share in the excitement with classmates and teachers was an unmistakable thrill for everyone involved.

Despite the emotional toll of the abrupt shift to remote learning in spring 2020, the Crier staff realized that this crisis was also an opportunity for growth, and advisor and journalism teacher Kimberly Gomez saw it as a unique chance to finally create a robust online paper. Ms. Gomez knew the students were up to the challenge, saying, “We have a motivated staff who stepped up for leadership roles.”

The overhaul of the existing website was no easy feat. Managing Editor-InChief Grace Sandman ’22 explains: “Over the summer, we spent a lot of time on YouTube and the SNO (Student News Online) website to learn how to insert media elements like photos and videos, design website pages, and find ways to promote the website as a whole.” She adds, “It was definitely a trial and error process, but in the end, it was worth it.”

Social conscience is front and center with the reporting and editorial team in this iteration of the Crier. Instead of hyper-local issues related to campus, which were the mainstay for the print edition, the online version has a more global approach—with articles covering racial injustice and world news such as the devastating blast in a central Beirut port. Several articles focused their attention on the November 2020 election.

Student journalists scoop Scholastic Awards

Our talented Crier staff won high honors in this year’s prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, for both their reporting and their creative writing efforts.

The Mayfield Crier editors also published a special print edition of the newspaper to commemorate our return to campus this spring.

T

Managing Editor-in-Chief Grace Sandman ’22 won two Silver Key awards and an Honorable Mention for excellence in journalism.

Other Crier staff, many of whom are also members of Mayfield’s Creative Writing Conservatory, were recognized for their distinctive literary voices, with an especially strong showing in poetry. Columnist Avalon Dela Rosa ’22 won two Gold Key awards, one Silver Key and an Honorable Mention for her poetry. Staff writer Kristine Ashley Pascual ’21 earned a Gold Key and an Honorable Mention for poetry, as well as a Silver Key in the personal essay and memoir

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Hannah Sherman ’22, the Crier’s Online Editor, received an Honorable Mention in the journalism category.

Columnist Madison Rojas ’23 also earned an Honorable Mention in journalism.

category. Opinion Co-Editor-in-Chief and poetry Silver Key winner Keara Keelty ’21 also earned an Honorable Mention in the critical essay category, as did columnist Ashlee Smith ’22. Congratulations also to Creative Writing Conservatory members Lucy Martinez ’22 and Kathryn Mechaley ’22, who both won Honorable Mentions for their poetry. Lucy was also awarded an Honorable Mention in the flash fiction category.

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Destination Bellefontaine:

a long and winding road HELLO HYBRID Students show their COVID-19 self-screenings at a back-to-school orientation for our hybrid learning setup. (And what a banner day for our ninth-graders, who spent their very first day on campus!)

ASH WEDNESDAY WORSHIP We began our Lenten journeys together with a sun-drenched outdoor prayer service.

After a year of remote school, we merged onto the hybrid learning highway in April 2021, with a host of fun and inventive stops along the way! Now we’re finally getting that windows-down, wind-in-the-hair feeling—it’s so good to be heading back to Bellefontaine for the 2021-22 school year!

RITE OF SPRING Our Class of 2021 received their class rings—almost a year after their scheduled Junior Ring Night!—at a sunset prayer service.

CHRISTMAS IN MARCH

Our twice-postponed Senior MotherDaughter Christmas Luncheon became a joyful springtime celebration.

CHORAL CREATIVITY

Our award-winning Women’s Ensemble sang together for the first time in a year by masterminding an innovative drive-in “car choir” setup!

GO CUBS!

After a year of sitting on the sidelines, our Cubs returned to athletic competition with a series of volleyball matches on the North Lawn.

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FAITH AND FRIENDSHIP Our Junior class enjoyed a modified two-day retreat on campus, which culminated in their own Ring Night ceremony.

WELCOME WAGON

»

We celebrated our Class of 2025 Cubs with a festive car parade and fun photo opportunity.

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BACK TO BELLEFONTAINE SENIOR SEND-OFF

»

The Class of 2021’s limited-seating ceremony was live streamed online so family and friends could get a real-time glimpse of their grad’s big moment.

« GRAD GIFTS Alums spanning six

decades presented the members of the senior class with their Holy Child medallions at the Baccalaureate Mass.

COLLEGE-BOUND CUBS

»

ACCOLADES AND AWARDS

The Class of 2021 decorated their rides to show their college pride. They’re heading to 51 schools across the country, from Santa Clara to Sarah Lawrence, NYU to Notre Dame, Stanford to Fordham, Boulder to Berkeley and beyond!

»

We saluted our students for their above-and-beyond academic accomplishments at grade-level awards presentations.

« BOND BUILDING

The Class of 2024 built precious in-person connections at their first-ever class retreat.

TRANSITION TIME

Our outgoing Student Council leaders, who met the curve-balls of a challenging year with grace and joy, passed the torch to our new ASB officers for 2021-22.

MOTHER-DAUGHTER MOMENTS

»

Students and their moms finally had a chance to swap their sweatpants for sundresses and celebrate their special bond at the Mother-Daughter Mass.

MAYFIELD MORNINGS

We added a much-needed dose of real-life face time with weekly mornings of fun, socially distanced activities in the sunshine.

UNCONVENTIONAL CLASSROOMS »

Social distancing guidelines meant some of our regular classrooms were off-limits, so we took full advantage of our beautiful campus to spread out in style!

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‘Once a Mayfielder, always a Mayfielder’: how alums helped reopen our campus N

o one on the Mayfield administrative team can remember how, or exactly when, the decision was made to invite alums back to assist in the reopening of campus for hybrid learning.

But once the idea was proposed, the decision was unanimous. As teachers and students moved back to campus, there would be more technology needs to be met in the classroom for those still learning or teaching from home. For health and safety reasons, it would be necessary to supervise all the students during their free periods in ways never required before. As Head of School Kate Morin explains, “We needed more eyes and more boots on the ground.”

So why not recruit local Mayfield alums for these paid positions? Many recent college grads or college students had returned to their childhood homes around Pasadena during COVID-19. It was a group of people who were already invested in the school, a kind of readymade brain trust. “Our alums are so impressive, we just thought that was the natural place to start,” explained Toi Webster Treister ’82, Assistant Head of School for Academics, who helped devise and execute the alum plan.

A natural place, indeed, but this was not a tactic other schools were utilizing for their reopening models. It was an initiative unique to Mayfield. And “impressive” was an understatement, considering the talents and abilities that came forth. To name a few, there was Sara Lydon ’19, a student at Dartmouth in biomedical engineering. There was Anna Arboles ’13, a professional musician and tour manager, who graduated from the USC music program.

Emily Monroe ’14 graduated from Santa Clara University with a major in business management, and is now

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Leah Carter ’08 worked in the Mayfield Health Office before starting her residency in family medicine.

in her final year at USC Gould School of Law. Jocelyn Gaona ’15 graduated from the University of Notre Dame, majoring in neuroscience and behavior, minoring in Latino studies, and is heading to Michigan State University College of Human Medicine to pursue her medical degree this fall. Julia Morreale ’15 studied psychology at Drew University and aims to apply to grad schools to pursue genetic counseling.

Leah Carter ’08 graduated with a B.S. in biophysics, the first woman of color to do so in the history of USC, then went on to Trinity School of Medicine, and finished her medical degree a few months ago.

Without a doubt, this was a deeply overqualified group to execute duties that Sara described as “making sure that students are keeping their masks on, remaining socially distanced, and wiping down their spaces after each class.” These tasks weren’t identical for each alum—they adapted to the school’s changing needs. And although all of the alums were accomplished, they weren’t all so early in their careers.

Sr. Sheila McNiff ’56, SHCJ was called to religious life while she was still a Mayfield student, eventually becoming a sister of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. She is not just an alum, or a Sister of the Holy Child Jesus, but she’s also a Mayfield trustee. She’s been a principal

at schools as local as Mayfield Junior School and as distant as St. Anne’s in Otukpo, Nigeria. She is an experienced educator, therapist, counselor and chaplain. But such is Sr. Sheila’s dedication to Mayfield and her “roll up your sleeves” attitude that she sat on the North Lawn almost every weekday morning, overseeing students finishing their homework assignments in the morning mist, six feet apart. (Read more about Sr. Sheila on page 12.)

Most of the positions filled by the alums weren’t exactly glamorous, yet they shared an overall sense of enthusiasm in their desire to help out. Julia describes the moment the invitation from Mayfield “popped up” in her email box: “I was like, perfect, awesome—I can’t sign up fast enough!”

And Leah echoes the sentiment, saying, “I jumped at the opportunity to just get to be back on campus in any capacity.”

There was a communal understanding that there was work to be done, and no job was too small. Mrs. Treister praises the way the alums have played a pivotal role in this unprecedented time, saying they were “critical in their flexibility to just pivot on a moment’s notice.”

Like many alums, Jocelyn remained in Pasadena while widespread COVID-19 restricted her movements. And although she will now be heading to Michigan

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BACK TO BELLEFONTAINE

Jocelyn Gaona ’15 was happy to help out before she heads off to medical school.

Lauren Romo ’15 supervises socially distanced study hall in the gym.

Julia Morreale ’15 says she “couldn’t sign up fast enough” to help out on campus.

to start medical school in person, she had personal reasons to help her alma mater during this COVID-driven pause.

“My younger sister [Vanessa Gaona ’20] graduated last year and I saw how she missed out on being on campus for her final few months. I wanted to aid Mayfield in bringing the students back so that they could enjoy a part of the school year...on campus,” Jocelyn said.

“My Mayfield family has given me so much that I really wanted to help in any way that I could.”

One of the primary joys for these alums seems to have been reconnecting with the Mayfield community. Julia says that “a lot of the other TAs are either from my graduating year or one or two years above mine. So a lot of them are familiar faces...and tons of familiar faces around campus too, since I’m a ‘baby graduate.’ ” And some alums have even found new friends!

Anna and Julie Sanchez Brehove ’11 didn’t know each other well when they were students—Mrs. Brehove is two years older than Anna. But when Anna subbed for one of Mrs. Brehove’s English classes this year, she found herself sharing stories with the class about Mrs. Brehove and her twin sister, Elizabeth Sanchez ’11. Anna remarked that she and Mrs. Brehove have now “struck up a friendship” and says just being at Mayfield makes her feel “welcomed back with open arms.”

There have been professional connections during this alum reengagement too. Leah, who began her residency in family medicine at Charles Drew University in June, shared her time and medical acumen, helping School Nurse Cathy Cota (mom to Rachel ’04 and Carolyn ’06) in the health and

attendance office. Leah explained that they did “contact tracing and COVID-19 test tracking to ensure everyone on campus was as protected as possible.”

During a year in which health concerns were critical for all school operations, having someone with such incredible medical competence was hugely beneficial. “Leah was invaluable to me during the reopening of school,” says Nurse Cota. “I don’t know how I would have done it without her.” (Read more about Leah on page 59.)

reflection among the alums, with some identifying tools they acquired as students at Mayfield that served them later in their professional lives.

Anna works as a musician and with other musicians, but is emphatic that the tactics she picked up from science teacher Theresa Peters are things she uses constantly in her professional life.

“AP Bio really taught me how to navigate a huge magnitude of information, how to approach work...I learned time management...it taught me how to approach information, basically.” She says, “No class prepared me more for the world than AP Bio!” Sara realized that Mayfield gave her “a good foundation for dealing with competitive classes.” And she adds that Mayfield helped her face difficulties in other forms too. “I have a good mindset to take them,” she says. “A growth mindset.”

It was an experiment to employ alums on campus at the end of a very unusual school year, and Mayfield is indebted to these women for the contributions they have made, large and small. It was a remarkable way to see the “Actions Not Words” motto made manifest, time and time again. Or, as Mrs. Morin says, “Once a Mayfielder, always a Mayfielder.”

“Our alums are so impressive, we just thought that was the natural place to start.”

— TOI WEBSTER TREISTER ’82, ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS

Between COVID-19 and the renovation work being done on Strub Hall, the alums also remarked on seeing their old campus in a new way.

Julia loved “so many of the classrooms that I associated with certain things that are completely flip-flopped, like the Living Room being a classroom!”

Sara also remarked on the ingenuity of repurposing spaces, saying, “I thought that moving the Senior Locker Room outside, that was pretty cool. And how they still painted that wall? That took me by surprise.” She added, “It was impressive to see all the outdoor areas used. I always loved spending my free periods outside, so it’s nice that a bunch of people are now outside a lot.”

Returning to 500 Bellefontaine brought up many moments of self-

Special Thanks We also thank Carina Benzinger ’12, Carolyn Lo Coco ’18, Amanda Mar ’20, Claire McDermott ’08 (daughter of social studies teacher Dr. Anne Hartfield ’77) and Lauren Romo ’15 for their assistance. We are also grateful for the contributions of honorary Mayfield alum Olivia Treister, daughter of Assistant Head of School Toi Webster Treister ’82!

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Pure Reimagination:

Remixing the arts

for online audiences

After more than a year at home, our student artists pioneered impressive new ways to rehearse, perform and engage with audiences, with live streamed performances, on-demand video streams and online exhibitions. Regardless of what the future holds, Theatre Conservatory Director Maryanne Householder is confident that Mayfield’s artists “will be ready for the challenge.”

When the going gets tough, musicians get creative.

Our students stayed in sync and found new ways to share their music.

Car choir. What does a group of self-proclaimed “choir nerds” do when health authorities deem singing a high-risk activity? Well, they continue choir rehearsals over Zoom, of course—despite the pesky sound and sync issues—and they keep dreaming of finding a way to sing together safely. Inspired by a choral group featured on NPR, our Women’s Ensemble pioneered the first Mayfield “car choir”—a pandemic workaround that let each student sing from the safety of her own vehicle and get real-time feedback from Vocal Conservatory Director Andrew Alvarez. After a year of singing online, it was harmony heaven! “They were so happy to finally hear what the music is supposed to sound like together,” Mr. Alvarez said. “And they commented how it felt so awesome to sing together again and how much they missed each other.”

Driving beat. To help celebrate this year’s Mission-Driven Benefit at the Petersen Automotive Museum (see page 50), our Instrumental Conservatory musicians recorded a remote (and rocking!) version of Tom Cochrane’s 1991 hit “Life Is A Highway”—a song perhaps best known to younger audiences from the “Cars” animated movie soundtrack.

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So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu…

The Senior Farewell Concert is a bittersweet annual tradition for our graduating Vocal Conservatory members—they get a final shared moment in the spotlight, knowing they’ll probably never sing together again. But this year’s concert was more about the “hellos” than the “goodbyes.” When our singers assembled on the North Porch of Strub Hall, the atmosphere was charged with the joy of reconnecting in person after more than a year of at-home learning.

And, to the delight—but certainly not the surprise!—of our at-home Zoom live stream audience, our vocal artists delivered a crystalclear, pitch-perfect performance, even while wearing face masks.

Brava to our Women’s Ensemble, Vocal Foundation Choir and A-Cubella a cappella group!

Home for Christmas. If home is where the heart is, our spirits were transported to 500 Bellefontaine by a truly heartfelt rendition of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” by our student and young alum musicians at our Virtual Carol Night. We all joined in on Zoom to watch a full program of fun and festive favorite tunes before raising our voices together (remotely!) for some classic carol singalongs.

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THE ARTS

The show must go on(line)!

Shakespeare’s heroines meet up on Zoom.

This year, theatre students embraced an ageless theatrical tradition—they made do.

When the 2020-21 theatre season had to start remotely, Theatre Conservatory Director Maryanne Householder didn’t fuss. Auditions? She could hold them on Zoom. Plenty of actors prepare remote auditions at the best of times.

Rehearsals? A ton of play preparation involves research, which could be done online, too. No sweat. And Ms. Householder’s can-do attitude extended to the selection of the fall production as well. She chose a one-act play without too many technical requirements, dealing with material that she loves to teach, and a story that would make the actors shine.

“When Shakespeare’s Ladies Meet” proved a great fit in every way. It’s a contemporary comedy that revolves around five of the Bard’s best-known heroines trying to convince Juliet to stay clear of Romeo. “I’m a big Shakespeare person. I love Shakespeare,” says Ms. Householder.

And in spite of the pivot the cast was forced to make, these eight young women playing five legendary roles still found ways for meaningful connections with the text—and each other. Olivia de Cardenas ’22, one of the two students playing Ophelia, definitely misses the in-person energy, but is still finding joy in this process. “I love the community we have in theatre,” she gushes.

Following the success of “Shakespeare’s Ladies,” Ms. Householder decided to go all out for the online spring musical with the first-ever “Cubs Cabaret.” This limited streaming event featured Mayfield student artists performing musical theatre milestones in monologue, dance and song. This familyfriendly extravaganza showcased an all-hit songbook from Broadway shows including "Aladdin,” “Wicked,” “Guys and Dolls” and “Legally Blonde.”

Theatre Director Maryanne Householder playfully reminded her students that mask-wearing is an ancient theatrical tradition.

Students recorded their scenes for “When Shakespeare’s Ladies Meet” on Zoom, and audience members were able to stream the show on demand.

We asked Ms. Householder about the challenges and the silver linings of these pandemic performances.

What inspired you to try these new approaches?

My inspiration has, and always will be, the students. Their drive and determination towards the arts is always where I draw my inspiration from. I started seeing large-scale theatres promoting and continuing to work during this pandemic, and I knew that I had to do the same, not only for my students but for myself. I can say without a doubt the reason why theatre has lasted as long as it has is because it adapts to the current situations of the world.

Can you describe what a typical “rehearsal” looked like?

Since the fall production, I have been able to master the virtual rehearsal! I worked with the girls on selecting a recurring time slot each week where we met and went over their pieces. We worked on a variety of things throughout the rehearsal process ranging from voice, breath, movement, pacing, emotion, costumes, etc. Theatre is centered around communication and collaboration. With the help of Zoom, we were able to successfully have rehearsals and create a connection as well. I am forever grateful for the growing resources and technology that has helped myself and my students create theatre.

What about performing online?

As for the performances, it definitely has been a learning curve. The students were excellent about submitting their performances and following the guidelines for filming. Then I had the task of editing hours of footage and piecing together what I hope viewers will enjoy as if they are in a live audience. I definitely can add film editor to my resume after this unique experience!

Thank you, Mr T. This year we bid farewell to longtime Mayfield film and photography teacher Paul Tzanetopoulos, lovingly known on campus as Mr. T. In an interview with the Mayfield Crier student newspaper, Mr. T told Arts Co-Editor-In-Chief Ashlee Smith ’22 that his favorite part of teaching is creating what he calls “epiphany moments” in the classroom. “I really like sharing things and the possibility of bringing things to someone who may just not have encountered it,” Mr. T explained. “I just think it’s so precious and cool to be privileged enough to bring some thoughts or ideas to anybody, but especially students.” We are immensely grateful for the inspiration and knowledge that this renowned artist has shared with our Conservatory students over his 17-year tenure at Mayfield.

We look forward to seeing what Mr. T creates next!

Mr. T hosted Mayfield students for a tour of his home studio in 2017.

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Senior privileges. One of the best things about returning to competition this spring was getting to celebrate our Class of 2021 athletes! The Cubs swim team celebrated their Prep League victory in an oversized way.

Goooooal! Playing soccer at the Rose Bowl was Athletic Director Steve Bergen’s top moment in athletics this year—one that’s sure to rank as an all-time sports highlight for our Cubs, too!

Lucky seven. The Cubs won 11 of the 12 events at the 2021 Prep League finals to secure their seventh straight Track & Field championship title. Go Cubs!

Squash sensation. After (pretty much single-handedly!) introducing the squash program at Mayfield, Frances Burton ’21 is heading to Amherst College to swing her racket for the Mammoths. A self-described STEM enthusiast, Frances won the Thomas P. Pike Award for the highest academic average and the Beverburg Science Award, and plans to major in biochemistry at Amherst.

Congratulations, Frances!

Leader of the pack. Cubs cross country phenom Audrey Suarez ’21, whom Steve Bergen describes as “the greatest athlete in Mayfield history,” heads to Stanford University this fall to run with the reigning PAC-12 cross country champs. Her Stanford signing capped a stellar high school career, made extra memorable with a series of impressive wins during her final few months as a Mayfield Cub. This spring, Audrey dominated the 1600-meter race, winning the Prep League, CIF Southern Section and California State titles, as well as the Arcadia Invitational, the biggest high school meet of the year. She was also the 800-meter champion at both the Prep League and CIF finals meets. Congratulations, Audrey!

40

Making a splash. Gillian Gorocica ’21, this year’s Prep League diving champion and a member of the league-winning Cubs swim team, will join the Varsity swim and dive team at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana this fall. Gillian is an aspiring neurosurgeon who will be majoring in biomedical engineering on a pre-med track. Congratulations, Gillian!

POSTSCRIPTS 2021

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CUBS ATHLETICS

Getting back

in the game

As the 2020-21 school year progressed, it looked increasingly like we wouldn’t have any memorable moments in Cubs sports. Weeks turned into months and, as classes stayed remote, so too did any chance of an athletics season. It was hard to accept that our girls, particularly the Class of 2021, would miss out on an entire year of athletic competition. We began our popular conditioning programs in the fall, and while it was great to see so many girls back on campus getting outside for some exercise, it just wasn’t the same as competing. Then, in February, something unexpected happened—the COVID-19 numbers continued to plummet and the CIF Section Office announced that we would have special seasons for a record six sports: golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field. So, for a few brief moments this spring, our Mayfield Cubs hit the pool, track, field, course and court to create some amazing memories— so many, in fact, that it was particularly difficult to come up with my favorite moments of 2021. Enjoy these highlights from our historic single-season year!

Go Cubs!

Steve Bergen Athletic Director @msscubs

When we walked out of the swim meet at The Buckley School back on March 11, 2020, we had no idea it would be another 358 days before our next Cubs athletic contest.

But on March 4, 2021, for the first time in school history, all three levels of our volleyball program hosted outdoor matches on the North Lawn against Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy and San Marino High School. The results seemed meaningless next to the sheer joy of the moment, as kids got to be kids, playing a game they loved. The Varsity team even came away with a sweep of the San Marino Titans and finished their season undefeated at home—albeit with a 1-0 record!

The Cubs Swimming and Diving team has been through a lot of ups and downs since winning its last Prep League Championship, in 2013. Most of our recent memories have been watching our league rivals jump in the pool to celebrate their wins. However, on May 15, 2021, the Cubs ended their eight-year title drought with their highest-ever score at a league championship. The Cubs went on to finish in the top 10 at the CIF meet, led by Taylor Carey ’22, who won the CIF title in the 100-meter breaststroke race in 1:03.68, an All American time that broke a 19-year-old Mayfield record!

Since we don’t have a soccer field on campus, our girls are used to playing at venues all across the CIF Southern Section. But never in their wildest dreams did they think they would get to play in one of the most famous stadiums in the world—let alone on the same field that hosted the iconic U.S. Women’s World Cup victory in 1999! Yet that is exactly what happened when Pasadena Poly invited the Cubs to play our Prep League match at the Rose Bowl on April 21, 2021. Everyone—players, coaches and fans—had goosebumps as the girls walked down the tunnel onto the storied field. The Cubs were able to stay focused, coming away with a 2-0 win over the Panthers—and lifelong memories of an unforgettable moment.

2021 POSTSCRIPTS

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Strub Hall: Century 2

Deconstruction, Reconstruction, Rebirth.

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“ We’re transforming this beautiful space that enables our girls to be transformed and empowers them to go out and transform the world.”

—Kate Morin, Head of School

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POSTSCRIPTS 2021

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We believe with all our hearts that the world needs more women leaders—Mayfield girls.

Women of confidence, courage and compassion who live to the calling of action not words. Strub Hall is where it starts.

After six years of meticulous planning

The $17.5 million rebirth of Strub Hall is a

and probing to learn what lies beneath

call to the generosity of the Mayfield Senior

this 100-year-old work of art, we’re now

School community. Our leap of faith in

underway on a two-year project to

beginning this work now is supported by

deconstruct, reconstruct and revitalize

seed funding from donors who stepped in

Strub Hall—basement to roof. And we’re

early to propel the future of this exquisite

doing this phase by phase, all while

home and the purpose that shines so brightly

continuing with school on campus.

through her. But we’ve only just begun.

Our goal is to preserve her beauty,

I’ll report back to you soon with more

make her safe and sound, and maximize

details about the transformation of Strub

her ability to provide the collaborative

Hall—as she becomes all that we need

learning and mentoring spaces we need

her to be—and how you might join in

to fulfill our purpose: empower young

this effort. But meanwhile, I’d like to

women to be transformative agents

share an overview of what’s coming in

in the world.

Phase 1 and beyond.

—Kate Morin, Head of School

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“ Strub Hall will always feel like home, but the experience will be different because of who we are and our drive to adapt to the needs of the day. The heart of Strub remains the same—the girls, God, love and joy.”

—Angela Howell ’76, Associate Head of School

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POSTSCRIPTS 2021

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Strub Hall: Century 2 Deconstruction, Reconstruction, Rebirth From

To

A 100-year-old building in need of protection, space optimization and restoration

A building with new bones, muscles and all historic finishes refurbished

An architectural treasure in jeopardy of potential damage from inevitable earthquake movement

An architectural treasure structurally retrofitted with a state-of-the art shear wall system designed to withstand and mitigate the risk of future seismic activity

A lovely historic mansion with century-old plumbing prone to failure

A lovely historic mansion with modern plumbing and adequate restroom facilities

An electrical system designed in 1917 meant to be backup for candlelight

A high-tech electrical system capable of supplying the current and future power needs of a 21st-century school

A school building with an antiquated heating system and no central air conditioning

A school building with an energy-efficient HVAC system capable of providing year-round, comfortable climate control

A basement with abandoned and unusable rooms

A basement where all space is optimized for educational and building systems purposes

Making do with a back-of-house service wing— basement to 4th floor— full of dysfunctional nooks and crannies and inefficient use of space

A reinvented four-story wing—essentially a new building within the building—with a floor plan that opens new spaces for collaborative learning, student mentoring and administrative offices

A charming art classroom cobbled together in a room originally designed for an indoor swimming pool, with former dressing rooms substituting as darkroom facilities

An intentionally designed art studio with an organized aesthetic conducive to creativity and cross-discipline learning that includes state-of-the art dark room facilities, plus a new room: the Media Maker Lab—space for students to explore digital publishing projects

A “senior lounge” that was more of a small cave than a lounge

A larger, brighter, well-appointed space with its own exterior door so Seniors can access the lounge directly from the parking lot

A nurse’s office built in a series of storage rooms and closets

A welcoming health care office with ample space and accommodations, including restroom facilities

A teachers lunch room without walls or privacy

A teachers lounge and dining room providing both private and collaborative meeting space for faculty

A building with 100-year-old windows

A building retrofitted with architecturally appropriate and energy-efficient windows

A building with antiquated and inadequate lighting

A building illuminated with state-of-the art, energyefficient lighting appropriate for modern school facilities without compromising the historic aesthetics of the home

A building with ADA accessibility challenges

A building with easy access for all

For more information, contact Lela Diaz, Director of Development: lela.diaz@mayfieldsenior.org 2021 POSTSCRIPTS

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Legacy gifts secure our future Howard Higholt

1936-2020

After his wife, Carlisle Wrigley Sullivan Higholt ’57, passed away in 1979, Howard Higholt made a commitment to continue supporting her alma mater. For more than 40 years, Howard was a devoted and enthusiastic Mayfield benefactor. He stepped forward as a leadership sponsor for every single Mayfield Benefit, and was a familiar face at those springtime fundraising galas. Over the years, he came to think of our Mayfield family as his family, and looked forward to the annual reunions—he rarely missed a Benefit!

But we certainly missed Howard at our “Rhapsody in Red” Benefit, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Strub Hall. That same evening, on March 7, 2020, the Lord had prepared another banquet for him in Heaven,

Susan Brady Alfaro ’53

where he was finally reunited with his beloved wife, his sons, Marc and Jonathan, and other dear friends and family. But our generous benefactor and friend was certainly with us in spirit.

Howard also supported every Mayfield capital campaign, helping to build the Hayden Building and the Sr. Mary Wilfrid Yore Gymnasium, and supporting various remodeling projects during the Faith in Our Future campaign. During his lifetime, he also became a member of the Bellefontaine Society, Mayfield’s legacy giving group. Howard’s parting gift to Mayfield was a transformative estate gift to boost our endowment fund—a reflection of his strong belief that Catholic education changes the lives of young women.

1935-2020

When Susan Brady Alfaro ’53 joined the Bellefontaine Society in 2007, she was unequivocal about why she wanted to include Mayfield in her estate plans: “ ‘Actions Not Words’ remains my mantra,” she said. After her parents divorced, Susan attended several high schools before arriving at Mayfield—with a very uneven transcript and an “ambitious college list.” She “made a pact” with the nuns: “There was much hard work, extra assignments and drilling to improve my SAT scores,” Susan said, but she got into her dream school—Stanford University. “I still thank Mayfield for their support.”

Ambitious and artistic, Susan had an iconoclastic streak, and a talent for working

with her hands. Her varied career path included time as a graphic artist and a florist, and she also volunteered at a sports center for disabled athletes in Lake Tahoe. She was also devoted to her husband, Kim Alfaro. She cared for him as he battled cancer, before passing away in March 2020. Soon after, Susan received a cancer diagnosis herself and, tragically, died just months later, in August 2020.

Susan’s Mayfield yearbook quote was “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm,” and she certainly exhibited a remarkable zest for life. Susan dedicated her life’s legacy to support three causes dear to her heart: “cancer research, animal rescue and, especially, Mayfield Senior School.”

My Legacy, My Gift Susan, Howard and Missey joined the Bellefontaine Society when they included Mayfield Senior School in their estate plans—a decision that will help Mayfield’s “important work” to endure. You can bequeath a percentage or residue of your estate, a specific dollar amount, or make gifts of life insurance, retirement funds, and other deferred gifts. To learn more about the advantages of making charitable bequests to Mayfield, please contact Angela Howell ’76, Associate Head of School for Strategic Initiatives, at (626) 204-1006 or angela.howell@mayfieldsenior.org.

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OUR LEGAL TITLE IS: MAYFIELD SENIOR SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD JESUS

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Missey Moe-Cook ’71:

Helping Mayfield’s ‘important work’ to endure “ ‘Actions Not Words’? I believe it from the core of my core,” says Marxianna “Missey” Moe-Cook ’71, who attended both Mayfield Junior School and Mayfield Senior School. After attending Cal State LA, Missey worked as a speech pathologist before transitioning into a 30-year career as a hospital marketing executive. However, she says, “I wouldn’t have been able to do half of that if I had not been given the foundation.”

Missey’s mother’s dedication to single-sex education and their shared Catholic faith serve as undying inspirations to her. Missey has spent years teaching Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers and instructing the VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children” program.

Marrying later in life, she chose a partner whose journey was also strongly driven by faith—James Cook, who spent several years as a priest. Missey and Jim have been married for 28 years and, although they never had children together, they are godparents to 12!

Despite living in Connecticut for decades, Missey has stayed involved with Mayfield. She served on Mayfield’s Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2013, and will be the Alum Council Secretary for 2021-

22. She has also worked with classmate Connie Howell White ’71 to coordinate their 10th, 40th, 45th and now their 50th class reunions.

Missey has observed many changes in the school over the years, and, through her niece Caroline Moe ’15, who was Senior Class President, has stayed in touch with the student perspective.

Missey says the leadership during COVID-19 was “nothing short of remarkable...honest to God, I think Kate [Morin] is the best head of school since I graduated 50 years ago.”

In August 2020, when Missey and Jim moved back to California, they revisited their wills and trusts, and Missey says one of her first calls was to Associate Head of School for Strategic Initiatives Angela Howell ’76. Together, they came up with a thoughtful strategy to include Mayfield in their estate giving plans, and Missey wants to inspire more alums to do the same. She says she was “lucky” to attend Mayfield, “and if I can be an example for others, that’s good.” She hopes to help girls have the opportunities her mother gave her, saying, “I want this to go on. It is important work.”

Missey Moe-Cook ’71 (right) with classmate and friend Connie Howell White ’71 at their 40th class reunion.

PUT YOUR IRA TO WORK FOR MAYFIELD Your generous gifts are vital to maintaining a healthy annual fund for today’s Mayfield students and essential to growing our endowment to ensure that our Catholic, Holy Child mission endures for generations to come.

IRA gifts to charity can be used to fulfill your required minimum distribution (RMD).

To complete an IRA Charitable Rollover, please contact your IRA Administrator for their instructions.

Do you have a traditional IRA account? If you are 70½ or older, you may make a tax-free contribution of up to $100,000 from your IRA directly to Mayfield Senior School. While you cannot claim a charitable deduction for IRA gifts to charity, it does reduce your taxable income because the amount of the transfer is not included as part of your taxable income. Also,

Since IRA required minimum distributions are back in 2021, you might consider a gift of some or all of those funds to Mayfield Senior School to lower your taxes. If this strategy makes sense for you or you have further questions, please feel free to contact Lela Diaz, Director of Development, at lela.diaz@mayfieldsenior.org or (626) 204-1028, or consult with your accountant or financial advisor.

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“We all know that this has been a particularly difficult time for many families, and I was so pleased to make a contribution from my IRA to support Mayfield’s Holy Child Financial Assistance program. Together, we can make a difference!”

— ANNE KORTLANDER ’66

2021-08-01 11:53 AM

All revved up for a Mission-Driven night at the Petersen

Our Mission-Driven Benefit was one for the history books! This spring, guests enjoyed a unique drive-in party at the Petersen Automotive Museum from the comfort of their own cars, with delicious food and wine delivered by “car-hop” attendants on roller skates. We extend special gratitude to Cynthia Brooks Catering (Cynthia Trepanier Porter ’79) for a spectacular meal and to sommelier Emily Osterkamp Murphy ’06 for a fascinating wine tasting. It was an unforgettable event, all in support of our Holy Child Financial Assistance Fund. Thank you to all our guests, sponsors, volunteers and supporters!

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POSTSCRIPTS 2021

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the

year in review

2020-21 Total Revenue

2020-21

| $13,128,250 Other Revenue 9%

REVENUE Tuition & Fees

Contributions 11%

Tuition & Fees 80%

$10,488,576

Contributions

$1,156,709

Other Income

$1,482,965

Total Revenue

$13,128,250

Revenue does not include additional Capital Contributions of $3,585,209 and Endowment Contributions of $330,219.

2020-21 Total Expenses | $12,785,000

expenses

Fundraising Expenses 1% Student Programs & Support 7%

Salaries & Benefits 62%

Financial Aid 13%

Salaries & Benefits

$7,926,040

Operational & Plant*

$ 2,151,957

Financial Aid

$1,648,920

Student Programs & Support

$883,083

Fundraising Expenses

$175,000

Total Expenses

Operational & Plant 17%

$12,785,000

*includes depreciation

Endowment (June 30,2021) | $13,095,177

Scholarship 28%

Endowment (june 30, 2021) Scholarship

Unrestricted 63%

Program 4%

$3,745,000

Program

$525,000

Faculty

$620,000

Unrestricted

$8,205,177

Faculty 5%

Total Endowment

$13,095,177

Unaudited figures as of July 15, 2021

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The perfect parking-lot prom

The event that no one was sure would be able to happen turned into a night that no one in the Class of 2021 will soon forget.

Clarabelle Sullivan ’21 donned an ornate celestial halo; Karissa Ho ’21 and Melanie Ahn ’21 (right), who wore a “modernized version” of the traditional Korean hanbok; Elise DeGroot ’21 designed and made her own gown.

Prom 2021 was like no prom before it—an outdoor, ladies-only celebration of a singular Senior year. They arrived solo (no dates allowed!), they wore face masks, and they danced in a parking lot.

Yet the mood could only be described as jubilant. “We’re grateful that it’s happening in the first place,” says Karissa Ho ’21. “I didn’t think it was going to, so everything feels extra special. And I think I appreciate it more.”

Golf carts were on hand to shuttle high-heeled students down the steep incline to the Senior Parking Lot, which was utterly transformed for the night with a temporary dance floor, massive speakers, a big screen, a photo “booth” and a dining area. Everyone seemed to be dancing to the blaring music, and there was a lot of laughter that even a face mask couldn’t muffle. Head of School Kate Morin was overjoyed to see the event play out the way it did. “We are just thrilled the girls get to have so much fun,” she said.

Francesa Puccinelli ’21 captured the general mood of gratitude and relief: “I’m really excited that Mayfield gave us the opportunity to have a senior prom because it’s been a super crazy year, and we’ve lost so much, and it’s just nice to all be able to come together, dress to the nines and look amazing and have fun all together.”

Green screen, college dreams

The zany “gate photo,” where Senior students ham it up for the camera in their college sweatshirts, is a modern Mayfield tradition. In contrast to more formal class photos, this shot lets each student’s personality shine through. With COVID-19 restrictions in mind, the Crossroads yearbook staff and its faculty advisor, Kimberly Gomez, devised an inventive workaround—with the help of Photoshop. So, on a “Wellness Wednesday” in February, 81 members of the Class of 2021 gathered on campus (six feet apart, of course) and struck kooky poses in front of a green screen. These individual portraits were later combined digitally, re-creating the beloved group shot with resourceful flair!

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CLASS OF 2021

CONGRATULATIONS Class of 2021!

The value of hard-fought

joy

After more than a year at home, the Class of 2021’s on-campus graduation ceremony had a real ‘pinch-me-am-Idreaming?’ quality.

I

t was a sunny Sunday afternoon as graduates sat on the North Lawn with their parents in family “pods.” A gentle breeze was in the air as Senior Class President Jolie Beegle ’21 came to the lectern and began her speech with a bit of time travel. “Two weeks,” she said.

“This was the original time frame that we were expecting to spend learning at home in the wake of a global pandemic.”

She remembered how everyone in her class was excited by the extended Spring

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Break vibe and attending remote classes in their pajamas. A lot changed from those early days in March 2020, and Jolie explored how the triumphs and the challenges along the way have shaped this extraordinary class. “We are stronger and more resilient than we knew,” she said. “We are motivated and determined to achieve our goals, regardless of the circumstances.”

Head of School Kate Morin had a theory about the Class of 2021’s admirable resilience. “How did they keep it together despite all the odds?” she asked. “My answer is simple. Through joy.” And this was not carefree joy, but hard-fought joy, joy in the face of the most inhospitable circumstances. Mrs. Morin drew the comparison to Cornelia Connelly, who made joy a cornerstone of her educational philosophy in spite of the many personal tragedies she suffered. It turns out that her approach, and the mission of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, were incredibly well-suited to enduring a pandemic—and when it came to applying these lessons in real life, the members of the Class of 2021 were ideal students.

The commencement speaker couldn’t have been more apt for this graduation, at the end of an academic year like no other. Liesl Pike Moldow ’83 is the co-founder of SafeSpace, a youth-led non-profit that has been changing the discussion about teens and mental

health in the Bay Area since 2016.

SafeSpace is designed to equip young people with the tools and resources to care for themselves and each other.

While encouraging self-advocacy, Ms. Pike Moldow says this organization wants to “give kids a chance to make a difference—to give them the mic.” (Read more about Liesl on page 58.)

In her speech, Ms. Pike Moldow shared a lot of her wisdom with the graduating class, saying: “You discovered an ironic truth, that there is both joy and suffering in our lives, because this beautiful world is a world of duality—a world of opposites” and she reminded the graduates that “to accept duality is to stop fighting life and start living it.”

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Laura Kate Byers

Keara Madison Keelty*§

Gonzaga University

University of Michigan

Kathryn Rose Calderon

Mayfield Award of Merit for Liberal Arts Hamilton Poetry Award

College of the Holy Cross

Julia Rose Kezele§ Alexi Ann Callinicos*§

Loyola Marymount University

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Mayfield Academic Award for Latin

Elise Sophia Kingston University of Washington (Seattle)

Julianna Rose Carranza University of California, Los Angeles

Sophia Oloteo Labrador*§

Mayfield Academic Award for Film & Media

University of Notre Dame

Alejandra Casillas

The Mayfield Award Mayfield Academic Award for Science

Santa Clara University

Rebecca Anne Lara*

Student Body President Mariana Trujillo was this year’s winner of Mayfield’s highest honor, the Cornelia Connelly Award.

Malaika Ahmed Loyola Marymount University

Ashley Naomi Ahn§ Vanderbilt University

Melanie Ahn§ Northwestern University

Mayfield Academic Award for Mandarin Mayfield Academic Award for Technical Theatre Knights of Columbus Pro Deo et Patria Award Annemarie Caroline Aloisio Gonzaga University

Emma Clare Anderson Loyola University Chicago

Hannah Maria Attar University of San Francisco

Isabella Marie Augustine University of Wisconsin—Madison

Hope Maisie Beegle Southern Methodist University

Jolie Carys Beegle University of San Diego

Senior Class President Brigitte Keating Berger§ University of California, Berkeley

Mayfield Academic Award for French Frances Claire Burton*§ Amherst College

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas P. Pike Award (Highest Academic Average) Beverburg Science Award

Esme Maria Chiara§

University of Michigan

North Carolina State University

Mayfield Award of Merit for Math & Science

Elise Grace DeGroot

Emma Collette Leifer§

Gonzaga University

University of California, Santa Cruz

Abigail Margaret Dietz

Alexandra Rose Lewis§

University of Colorado Boulder

Tulane University

Julia Amorette Domingo

Katherine Cecilia Limongelli

Villanova University

Emory University

Danay Tiana Dunn

Amelia Jane Loewel§

University of Maryland

Santa Clara University

Mariam Elrabat

Angelina S. Matar

Chapman University

Loyola Marymount University

Grace Catherine Fontes§

Mariana A. Matar

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Riverside

Mayfield Academic Award for Creative Writing Lindsey Anne Michelena*§ Courtney Nicole Gangi Boyes Award for Voice and Diction

University of California, Los Angeles

Giulia Rosella Moschella Gillian Samantha Gorocica§

New York University

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Lindred Barbara Murphy§ Ava Elizabeth Gray

American University

Indiana University

Danni Rebecca Murray Adrianna Reina Greenup

Baylor University

Tulane University

Camilla Louise Nelson Emma Jane Gunn

Point Loma Nazarene University

University of California, Berkeley

Anna Sophia Ochniak§ Karissa Faith Ho

University of California, Davis

University of California, Berkeley

Mayfield Academic Award for Photography

Mayfield Academic Award for English Gabrielle Jingye Owen Ellery Carter Hotchkis

Azusa Pacific University

Texas Christian University

Kathryn Anne Parry* Ysabelle Imperio-Magat

Fordham University

University of California, Los Angeles

Mayfield Academic Award for Mathematics

Anne Clotilde Pascale Santa Clara University

Eliza Sweeney Jacobs Elon University

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CLASS OF 2021 « Commencement speaker Liesl Pike Moldow ’83 is the co-founder of SafeSpace, a youth-led nonprofit that empowers teens to help each other talk openly about mental health issues.

Senior Class President Jolie Beegle said she and her classmates discovered that “we are stronger and more resilient than we knew.” » Kristine Ashley Que Pascual*

Audrey Jackelyn Suarez

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Stanford University

John and Paula Connolly Award for Creative Writing

Athlete of the Year

Mia Caroline Pippert

Clarabelle Ann Sullivan§

University of Oregon

Loyola Marymount University

Mayfield Academic Award for Social Studies

Mayfield Award of Merit for Fine Arts

Sally Lorraine Pontrelli§

Keala Miyeko Sunada*§

Gonzaga University

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Chloe Lynn Lew Powell§

Mayfield Academic Award for Dance Performance

University of Southern California

Phillip “Duffy” Lewis Spirit Award

Taylor A. Thorell§ University of Southern California

Samantha Paige Pratt

Mayfield Academic Award for Theology

University of Michigan

Academic Athlete Award

Isabella Malia Tiner Azusa Pacific University

Francesca Rose Puccinelli Tulane University

Ezra Renee Torres Santa Clara University

Natalia Andrea Rodriguez Northeastern University

Mariana Anelise Trujillo Valdéz§

Mayfield Academic Award for Spanish

American University

Stephanie Orozco Rodriguez

Cornelia Connelly Award Student Body President

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Grace Amita Vipapan§ California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Kristina-Ferari Domingo Vu Villanova University

Caitryn Jane Wackerly University of California, Santa Barbara

Kathleen Gloria Wijaya§ University of California, Los Angeles

Archdiocesan Christian Service Award Lara Louisa Wilkniss University of Oregon

Mayfield Academic Award for Vocal Music

Sarah Elizabeth Tupy*§ Margaret Yvonne Ryan§

University of Southern California

Northeastern University

Mayfield Academic Award for Science

Olivia Lucia Salazar

Erica Alexis Vasquez

University of Redlands

University of Oregon

*California Scholarship Federation Sealbearer § National Honor Society Member College decisions as of June 6, 2021

Mayfield Academic Award for Studio Art Olivia Rose Sclafani University of California, Santa Barbara

Sophia Serrano California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Malia June Shively Texas Christian University

Michaela Anne Sinclair Pepperdine University

Mayfield Academic Award for Instrumental Music Megan Lindsey Spensiero Colorado State University

Mayfield Academic Award for Theology Mayfield Academic Award for Fitness & Wellness

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Alum Updates

Virtual Career Day, actual career experts Career Day is always an exciting event at Mayfield, and this year’s was even more so. For our first Virtual Alum Career Day, we welcomed almost 60 alum professionals—more than double last year’s number!—to talk about their work in the arts, business, engineering, entertainment, media, journalism, law, marketing, communications, health, medicine and psychology.

“This was my first time attending a Career Day,” says ASB President Mariana Trujillo ’21. “So I really did not know what to expect.” But she found the event enthralling. “It’s truly crazy to think about how the alumni were once in my shoes. They were once stressing about an AP Government test or maybe running down the hill after school for a volleyball game. And now seeing how they are in the workforce exploring who they want to be and making a change in the world was truly inspiring.”

Our students had a chance to connect with everyone from a brand manager at Coca Cola to a pediatric cardiologist, from a reporter at the L.A. Times to a senior software systems engineer at JPL, from a communications director at the U.S. House of Representatives to a federal prosecutor at the Justice Department.

Students got answers to their burning questions and learned about the expansive job opportunities available for Mayfield grads.

“It is always so refreshing hearing about personal experiences from our alums regarding their different fields of expertise,” says Courtney Gangi ’21. “Rather than reciting basic facts about each of their career paths, I have noticed that every Career Day, the alums are very honest with us about their work, and are always enthusiastic about answering students’ questions—no matter how vague or specific!”

And the alums who participated were just as enthusiastic as the students.

“It was an amazing Career Day and so great to connect with fellow alums from around the world,” says Gerianne Sarte ’90, VP Finance at Johnson & Johnson, who served as the moderator on the business panel. “I was so proud of the accomplishments of the alums on the panels and their passion for developing the next generation of Mayfield leaders.

A Mayfield education is clearly an amazing foundation for women of all walks of life to succeed.”

And Alexandra Badie ’14, Magazine Editor for Nellie Gail Ranch, who served as the moderator on the marketing and communications panel, was deeply impressed both by the conversation between alums and students on her panel and on other panels she attended as well.

“The soft skills and personal development Mayfield taught [alums] have allowed them to build impressive careers and become strong leaders,” she says. “It was incredible to see this consistent pattern of strong female leaders who aren’t afraid to be who they are.”

All in all, our Virtual Career Day on Zoom was an unmitigated success that will forever change the way we approach this important alum mentoring opportunity. “With this event being virtual, it has completely changed the way we’ll hold this event in the future,” says Director of Alum Engagement Nicole Cosand Burcham. “When we’re back in person, Career Day will be hybrid so we’ll be able to include alums from coast to coast and beyond!”

Save the date for next year’s Career Day on Feb. 4, 2022!

For more information, or to sign up as a panelist or moderator, contact Nicole Cosand Burcham, Director of Alum Engagement, at nicole.burcham@mayfieldsenior.org or (626) 204-1012.

Alums Zoom in to campus

Our newfound (and universal!) familiarity with online meetings inspired us to welcome a record number of Mayfield alums to campus virtually this year. We are so grateful to all of you who logged into Zoom and shared your experience and expertise with our students!

Musical life after high school. This virtual meeting was a chance for recent grads to answer questions from student musicians about their post-Mayfield musical journeys. Thank you to alum musicians Anna Arboles ’13, Kaetlyn Liddy ’17, Melissa Macedo ’06, Michelle Macedo ’06 and Melody Soong ’18 for sharing your experiences and insights with our Vocal and Instrumental Conservatory students.

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ALUM UPDATES

Upcoming Events Maryland Meetup. Mayfield’s Alum Engagement Office hosted a relaxed Sunday afternoon gettogether at the riverfront home of Head of School Kate Morin and her husband, Skip, in Arnold, Md., in July. It was a wonderful summer afternoon full of food, fun and Mayfield memories! Pictured (L-R) Director of Alum Engagement Nicole Cosand Burcham, Marcela Escobar-Alava ’86, Marylou Lacuesta Holly ’94, Peggy Bland Cloherty ’69, Head of School Kate Morin, Annie Williams ’70 and Gretchen Midgley ’11. Stay tuned for more regional alum gatherings throughout the year!

Save these dates!

We’re so excited to reconnect with our alums over the next few months.

(All events are on campus unless otherwise noted.)

THURSDAY, SEPT. 2 | 5 p.m.

7th Annual Mayfield Night Out Flying Embers Taproom, DTLA (More information to come)

MONDAY, SEPT. 20 | 5 p.m.

New York City Meetup with Kate Morin Cornelia Connelly Center (NYC alums — stay tuned for more details)

SATURDAY, OCT. 2 10:30 a.m.

Keeping the LAMP connection alight. With in-person volunteering curtailed by COVID-19 restrictions, our Alum Council members went above and beyond this year to help the families at South Central LAMP, our sister Holy Child Ministry in South Los Angeles, with donations to its annual fundraising auction.

Thank you to everyone who so generously contributed auction items to benefit the mothers and children at LAMP, and a special shout-out to (L-R) Marylou Lacuesta Holly ’94, Maritess Lacuesta Kinderman ’93 and Carolyn Cota ’06 for stopping by campus to put together the goodie-packed gift baskets.

Alum Council: All are welcome

Our mission is simple: to rally our fellow alums to get together, give from the heart, and serve others with “Actions Not Words.” (Plus, we host pretty great mixers and meet-ups!) We’re planning to continue our virtual meetings throughout the 2021-22 school year, so please join us—on campus or on Zoom—on Sept. 9, Nov. 17, Jan. 11, March 16 and May 17. For more information, please contact Nicole Cosand Burcham, Director of Alum Engagement, at nicole.burcham@mayfieldsenior.org or (626) 204-1012 or Alum Council President Carolyn Cota ’06 at carolyn.cota@mayfieldsenior.org.

10th Reunion Brunch Classes of 2010 & 2011

5 p.m.

50th Reunion Dinner Classes of 1970 & 1971

SUNDAY, OCT. 3 | 10 a.m.

Mass & 60th Reunion Brunch Classes of 1960 & 1961 Presentation of the 2020 Cornelian Award to Susan “Todd” Warner Jackson ’57 and Sr. Anne Kelley ’65

SATURDAY, OCT. 16 10:30 a.m.

20th Reunion Brunch Classes of 2000 & 2001

5 p.m.

30th Reunion Dinner Classes of 1990 & 1991

SUNDAY, OCT. 17 | 10 a.m.

Mass & 40th Reunion Brunch Classes of 1980 & 1981 Presentation of the 2021 Cornelian Award to Leah Carter ’08 WEDNESDAY, DEC. 15 | 6 p.m.

Carol Night Alum Mixer

MONDAY, DEC. 20

Bellefontaine and beyond: college prep talk. It was truly uplifting to hear our young alums talk about how well Mayfield prepared them for the rigors of college life at this year’s virtual admissions Open House. Special thanks to: Kemi Ashing-Giwa ’18 (Harvard), Maddie Biscaichipy ’19 (West Point), Claire Engstrom ’17 (Duke), Trinity Gomez ’18 (USC), Elisa Gonzales ’19 (Harvard), Mary Rose Hawkins ’17 (Stanford), Shannon Larsuel ’17 (Yale), Kaitlyn Maddigan ’17 (LMU), Sofie Raptis ’17 (USC) and Sasha Torres ’19 (USC).

Come take on the Cubs at our annual alum sports match-ups, and then join us at Mijares after the games!

Basketball: 1 p.m.

Sr. Mary Wilfrid Gymnasium Soccer: 3 p.m.

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Liesl Pike Moldow ’83

wants to ‘give teens the mic’ on mental health issues Liesl Pike Moldow ’83 (center) returned to Mayfield with her family, Katherine (23), William (19), husband Charles and Thomas (14), to speak at the Class of 2021’s graduation in June.

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hen Liesl Pike Moldow ’83 got an invitation from Head of School Kate Morin to speak at Mayfield Senior School’s 2021 graduation, she admitted to being “flabbergasted” by the request— but delighted as well. Later, she hopped on a Zoom call with several members of the Class of 2021, where she quickly fell into reminiscing about the time she spent as a Mayfield student herself. Liesl exhibits a genuine ease in talking with this age group, partly because she has children around this age, but also because the Bay Area non-profit she co-founded, SafeSpace, serves this age bracket as well.

Established in 2016, SafeSpace (safespace.org) is a youth-led organization that empowers peer support and self-advocacy, changing the conversation about mental health.

Via campus-based presentations and other outreach efforts, SafeSpace has connected to more than 15,000 students in the Bay Area. From its inception, it was clear the need for an organization like this was great, and during this COVID-19 pandemic, it was only more pronounced. Liesl says the purpose of SafeSpace was to “give these kids a chance to make a difference and to... give them the mic.”

The Pike name is a familiar one on both the Mayfield Senior School and Mayfield Junior School campuses.

Liesl explains that the philanthropy of her grandparents was very specific to “their commitment and dedication to the things that they believed in.”

She fondly recalls spending Sundays with them, when they would take the 10 grandchildren who lived locally to Mass at St. Philip the Apostle and treat everyone to breakfast at Van De Kamp’s afterward. Liesl learned a lot from them

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both, especially “how important it was to serve and to give back.”

Liesl received her B.A. from Stanford, her MBA from Harvard, had some early professional successes in the internet boom, and got married and had children.

But, as she said in her graduation speech, “Good judgment comes from experience. Experience ultimately comes from bad judgement...and I have a lot of experience.”

Liesl was only a student at Mayfield Senior School for a year before her parents moved homes. When she entered a public high school in Orange County with 2,000 students, she encountered her first brush with depression. The topic was never openly discussed in her family, but decades later, as a mother herself, she watched her own teen daughter struggle with overwhelming anxiety, and Liesl wanted to be more communicative and proactive. Her first-born daughter got the help she needed and eventually went on to study at Stanford. But after a heartbreaking number of local teens succumbed to their own mental health emergencies by ending their lives, Liesl felt compelled to do something.

Research suggests that when teens are encountering a mental health challenge, they tend to reach out to another teen first, and Liesl and her co-founders wanted SafeSpace to fill that void.

They wanted young people to be given resources to help themselves and each other as well.

Much of the insight and humility that Liesl brings to her work, and her perspective on life, comes through her varied experiences of motherhood.

When her second daughter, Madeline, was born “mysteriously and profoundly

disabled,” Liesl says she had to “stop mourning the child I’d expected” and embrace the marvels of the daughter she had in front of her. “[Madeline] is a great tactile person.” says Liesl. “She laughs a lot...she loves music. She has no worries. She has no regrets.” Liesl has come to appreciate the divinity constantly flowing through Madeline. “She showed me, ‘Don’t wish for others what they don’t want for themselves.’ ” And in a particular way, Liesl says Madeline reminds her of Mayfield’s motto, “Actions Not Words,” as well. Madeline has never been able to speak, but when Liesl paid close attention to her daughter’s likes and dislikes, she realized that Madeline had been “quietly self-advocating” all along.

There was a period, early in the pandemic, when Liesl and the SafeSpace team worried about how the small organization would survive the challenges of COVID-19. But instead, the non-profit flourished. Liesl was pleasantly surprised that the youth leaders continued to meet and plan, even though they couldn’t gather in person for a long while. “It has engendered this incredible...camaraderie and this commitment to SafeSpace.”

Liesl expresses a lot of faith in this generation, and by having their mettle tested by a global pandemic in this critical period of their personal development, she suspects they may be acquiring the determination and resilience that usually comes much later in life. Liesl admitted, “I always wanted to graduate from Mayfield,” and this June, as our official commencement speaker (see page 53), she helped send the Class of 2021 out into the world with her compassionate wisdom.

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ALUMS IN ACTION

2021 Cornelian Award Winner

Leah Carter ’08:

Healing people—and the health care system— with a ‘service-driven life’ Family medicine resident and health care equity advocate Dr. Leah Carter ’08 is this year’s Alum of the Year.

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arly on, I knew that I wanted to be a doctor,” says Leah Carter ’08, who received her MD from Trinity School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md., earlier this year. And with so many female role models growing up, from her pediatrician to her dentist, Leah admits: “I think I was in the third grade before I found out that men could be doctors!”

Leah was nominated for this year’s Cornelian Award by her longtime friend and former classmate, Jessica Mennis Viets ’08, who praised Leah’s advocacy for equitable health care, including lobbying for federal policy and legislation changes. “She has always been a friend and champion of those who are underrepresented,” Jessica says. “And through her professional work, she has been able to leverage her medical degree to new heights in ensuring equity and inclusion for BIPOC communities.”

In 2012, Leah graduated with a B.S. in biophysics from USC—the first woman of color to do so in the school’s history— and this June, she began her family medical residency at Charles Drew University, located in what she calls “one of the most resource-poor regions in Los Angeles.”

Leah talks passionately about “the social determinants of health” and how health care providers can better support their patients and their communities.

She downplays the advocacy she has

done over the years, saying, “It feels like I fall into these things,” but those around her see much more intentionality. “My mother, as the very Catholic woman that she is, she’s like, ‘No, that’s your calling.’ ” Although still in the early days of her residency, Leah is committed to serving the individual needs of her patients.

“I value every person as a distinct and unique human, and I think that regardless of what they go through, they should have the resources and the support they need, not just to survive, but also to thrive.”

The call to serve others was a family imperative. “My mom instilled community service in us really early on,” Leah says. “I try to live a servicedriven life.” Driven also by her passion for science, Leah decided that practicing medicine was a great way to be of “service to my community,” a commitment that was bolstered by Mayfield’s “Actions Not Words” motto. She was also shaped by Mayfield figures like Sr. Barbara Mullen, SHCJ. Leah vividly recalls a unique piece of guidance Sr. Barbara offered about self-care: “Young women need to be more selfish sometimes!” Insights like that continue to give Leah both the motivation and the endurance for the many ambitious projects she takes on.

By almost any measure, the accomplishments of the Carter family

are impressive. Leah’s sister, Jalen Carter '12, earned her B.S. in neuroscience

from Duke and is now pursuing her Master’s of Public Health at UCLA. Like Leah, Jalen is committed to service and community well-being; she was instrumental in organizing Kaiser’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout in the L.A. area.

With Leah’s residency at Charles Drew in full swing, her schedule is busier than ever, but after so much time on the East Coast, she says she is “thankful that I get to train so close to home.” She also says it was meaningful for her to help in Mayfield’s Health Office during the reopening of the Bellefontaine campus this spring (see page 36). “Being back at Mayfield made me realize what a special place it is,” she says. And, in spite of her many commitments, Leah will serve on the Board of Trustees Admissions Committee for 2021-22. The entire Mayfield community is overjoyed to have her “close to home” again, too!

Leah will be honored as Mayfield’s Alum of the Year and presented with the Cornelian Award for her commitment to “Actions Not Words” service during a special Mass on campus on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, at 10 a.m. (After Mass, the Classes of 1980 and 1981 will celebrate their 40th Reunion Brunch in Strub Hall.)

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Class Notes G H

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1950s

Mimi Auldridge Van de Houten ’54 1 “A few

members of the Class of 1954 met for lunch at Cedar Creek in Orange County in March 2021.” Pictured are Pat Moffat O’Fallon ’54, Sheila Sullivan Conant ’54, Margaret Volken Klecker Miser ’54 and Mimi.

1960s 60th Reunion Mass & Brunch Classes of 1960 & 1961 Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021 10 a.m. in Strub Hall Presentation of the 2020 Cornelian Award to Susan “Todd” Warner Jackson ’57 and Sr. Anne Kelley ’65 Spouses and significant others welcome!

Patricia Smith Kunz Delgatto ’60 “I finally

retired in 2018, at age 75, having worked for 30 years as a Director of Human Resources in health care. My husband is a lung cancer survivor so we started looking for healthy places to live outside of California. We settled on St. George, Utah, and relocated in December 2018.

It is truly a spectacular place to live and just a five-hour drive from Pasadena. I have two sons and two grandsons. My older son is Chief Medical Officer at a Virginia hospital and my younger son

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makes documentaries. I will be attending our 61st reunion in October and look forward to seeing my classmates.” Cornelia Reynolds Gould ’66 “Ed and I have been living the good life—Lake Tahoe in the summers, Indian Wells in the winters.

We have five grandchildren, including twin boys born last summer, who’ve been in Salt Lake City during the pandemic but are about to move to New Jersey. We’ve been playing lots of online bridge, but are starting to transition back to in-person games. I’d love to catch up with all of you.

Perhaps we can have a late 55th reunion?”

Sally McFadden Gordon ’67 “My husband, Steve, and I started the pandemic almost in a fog. Suddenly all the streets in the Napa Valley were quiet and we went out about every two weeks for groceries. It seemed very quiet and falsely peaceful until we started getting the news from New York. So many cities followed suit with truly tragic reports and the good feelings we had evaporated overnight. As the months passed we realized we missed our families more and worried about them accordingly. Santa Cruz seemed like another country and Chicago another continent. In May we finally left home and went to Joshua Tree to see some friends from Los Angeles. We saw my family and then flew to Chicago to see Steve’s clan. What an incredible relief!

The exhale was audible and we are feeling much better but still a little weary.

Steve is painting (thegordongallery.com, if anyone is interested) and I am still working as a life coach. Call me if you need me at (707) 927-8082. Always free for Mayfield alums.” Farley Egan Green ’69 “I wrote a poem last year about one of my favorite teachers and shared it with some of my classmates via Zoom. They encouraged me to send it to you. After graduation, I went on to Scripps College, got a degree in English, and pursued a writing/communications career.

I’m now retired and have returned to writing poems, something I first tried at Mayfield. Have even published a few.

I live with my husband, Tom, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.”

One day in history class Mother St. Charles plants herself by the blackboard.

She lectures the girls on the architecture of France, her long black habit swirling as she moves.

“A grand cathedral!” she says. “Gothic!”

“Our Lady!” “Centuries to build!”

She stretches an arm overhead and leans into the board, hard, channeling the arches of Notre Dame.

“Flying BUTTresses!” she exclaims and of course the students laugh.

Years later, Notre Dame’s flying buttresses withstand the flames that bring down the roof.

They hold the walls steady.

Like Mother St. Charles, who taught school in a world that was starting to shake, where girls got pregnant, a biracial couple went to the prom, and nuns came back in the fall with girlhood names and new outfits.

1970s 50th Reunion Dinner Classes of 1970 & 1971 Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021 5 p.m. in Strub Hall Spouses and significant others welcome!

Missey Moe-Cook ’71 “The Class of 1971

is gearing up for its 50th Reunion celebration, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 2 at Mayfield Senior School, starting at 5 p.m. (See details above.)

Less than four months away (at the time of this writing) many in the Class of ’71 have indicated they will be there that evening. It is sure to be great fun for all. We are still looking for some of our Mayfield sisters. If anyone has any contact information for Kathleen Aiken ’71, Betsy Natzel ’71, Linda Contreras ’71, Shadell Giessinger ’71 or Gwen Schad ’71,

Rock on!

Jim McManus, Head of School, 1980-88 As we were clearing out the basement of Strub Hall for construction, we discovered a mysterious cache of items stored behind the Senior Locker Room. Lo and behold, there were boxes and boxes of rocks! Associate Head of School for Strategic Initiatives Angela Howell ’76 knew exactly who to call for clues—former Head of School Jim McManus. He had a lot of fun returning to campus and rediscovering these rock collections amassed by his Geology students for their final project, which had been sitting undisturbed for almost 40 years! Jim kept a few rocks for posterity and will donate some specimens to other schools. The rest will go back into Mother Earth.

please contact the the Mayfield Alum Engagement Office directly (alum@ mayfieldsenior.org) or me at (203) 9841061. While we are only one graduating class, each has its uniqueness, and each member of every graduating class was given an extraordinary gift with a Mayfield Senior School education.” Peggy Eyler Legault ’74 2 “My husband John and I recently retired and are looking forward to some down time in Sunriver, Oregon.

And also some grandparent time in Dayton, Ohio, where my daughter, Annie Legault Tufts ’06 and her husband, Matt, live with their five-month-old son, Paul. My other daughter, Emily Legault Mauller ’08, and her husband, Jonathan, are in Durham, North Carolina, so we will be wandering over there as well! Mayfield has been so good to me and our practice, providing us with plenty of patients among the current students and also when the alums who have stayed local bring us their babies!

It has been such a blessing to watch the women of Mayfield grow up and head out into the world with successful careers and beautiful families! I will miss it, but it is time to slow down a bit and get some traveling in!” Susan Koening Shiells ’77 “I have a new job with Stray Cat Alliance as the Volunteer Program Manager. And, last year I became a great aunt to a beautiful little girl. Still living in the same house as in high school so come on by!”

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1980s 40TH REUNION MASS & BRUNCH Classes of 1980 & 1981 Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021 10 a.m. in Strub Hall Presentation of the 2021 Cornelian Award to Leah Carter ’08 Spouses and significant others welcome!

Dr. Honora Howell Chapman ’80 has been

appointed Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State University.

Liz Rusnak Arizmendi ’81 3 “Andrew and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary by renewing our vows at our Lady of Guadalupe in Puerto Vallarta this last April. We are so thrilled we had our children by our side—Andrew II, who graduated from Loyola High School in 2012, and Isabella, who graduated from Mayfield Senior School in 2017.”

Megan Lynch ’83 entered UC Davis as a disabled non-traditional Masters student in the Department of Plant Sciences. She banded together with other disabled UC students, staff and faculty to form the UC Access Now coalition, which released their “Demandifesto” in July 2020, on the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Demandifesto sets out examples of systemic ableism within the University of California system as well as action steps to begin to address the university’s lack of compliance with ADA. UC Access Now’s advocacy has led to growing improvements in accessibility

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but, Megan says, “Success depends on the public—abled and disabled— pressuring UC to not just finally comply with ADA, but exceed this minimal standard of accessibility and go beyond to universal design, access and inclusion.”

Megan recently led a workshop for the American Society of Plant Biologists’ 2021 World Summit called Beyond Law—Providing Accessibility & Inclusion Just Because. She says that most approaches to accessibility and inclusion for disabled people in academia and in workplaces focus on legal compliance rather than eagerness to work with and include another human being. Her workshop included tips on making scientific workplaces, processes and communications accessible, and challenged participants to go beyond.

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“Rethinking what our goals really are as communicators, teachers, PIs, managers and scientists can help us redesign for a better, more humane and productive environment for all of us. And that helps make plant science accessible, pleasurable and sustainable to as many people as possible!” Marcela Escobar-Alava ’86 4 and her husband, Giovanni Alava, have moved to Washington, D.C. and she is serving her country as a Presidential appointee for the Biden-Harris Administration as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director Technology for the White House. In her new role, she focuses on enterprise applications across the Executive Office of the President.

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30TH REUNION DINNER Classes of 1990 & 1991 Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021 5 p.m. in Strub Hall Spouses and significant others welcome!

Amie Bettencourt ’98 5 met up

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with Mayfield’s Director of Alum Engagement, Nicole Cosand Burcham, during her visit to Baltimore in July.

Amie is an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University, and her research focuses on the prevention and treatment of disruptive behavior problems in youth. Anne Wilson ’90 “I graduated from Dominican University in River Forest, Ill., with a Master of Library and Information Science in 2013. I also have a son, Sean, who is 19.” Gian Sardar Schwehr ’92 6 “My second novel, Take What You Can Carry, was published in May 2021!”

2000s 20TH REUNION BRUNCH Classes of 2000 & 2001 Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021 10:30 a.m. in Strub Hall Spouses and significant others welcome!

Nicole Sandoval ’00 7 “I am celebrating

five years as a nurse practitioner in family medicine, and continue to provide primary care to people

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experiencing homelessness in the San Fernando Valley. I am thrilled to see the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, both personally and professionally. When I am not working my full-time gig or being mommy to my two little guys, Bryce (7) and Cameron (4), I’m building a side practice in medical aesthetics.”

Things are busy, but very fulfilling, and she hopes to reconnect with some Mayfield pals soon. Tana David ’04 8 “I finally got hitched to my best friend, Cameron Burns, on March 28, 2021.

After two canceled weddings at my parents’ house in the south of France we decided to elope to Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. The date was extra special as it was also my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary!

May we be so lucky! Our big wedding celebration with Mayfield Senior School bridesmaids in tow will just have to wait… Allie Adishian Fazende ’04 9 married Sean Fazende in April 2021 at an intimate celebration in Austin, Texas.

“Our original date was March 21, 2020, just one week after the lockdown hit.

After a couple of postponements, our day finally happened and we feel so grateful to have been able to safely celebrate in person with our family and closest friends.” Tricia Mok Galloway ’04 10 “My husband Tyler and I welcomed our first child, Marleigh, born in Dec. 2020. Many of Marleigh’s aunties are friends from Mayfield!” Tricia is a Program Manager for the L.A. Chapter of the California Society of CPAs. Their family lives in Arcadia, Calif., along with their cat, Wally. Anne Emerson Leak ’04 11 , husband Jimmy, and big sister Hannah (4) welcomed baby Emma to their pandemic bubble in April 2020. Anne is an assistant professor of STEM education at High Point University in North Carolina. She still loves riding her horse, Stetson, and recently met up with lifelong Mayfield friend Kaity Hagen ’04. Kaity Hagen Reece ’04 12 recently completed her first year of studies in the Master of Divinity program at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, Calif.,as part of its low residency program. Kaity, her husband Jarrod, and their daughter, Camille (5), live in Omaha, Neb., where she is a postulant for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska. She also serves as a lobbyist for nonprofit and government entities in the Nebraska

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Legislature, where she works on issues including behavioral health, foster care, juvenile justice and education.

Whitney Willis Visger ’04 13 “My husband Nik and I welcomed a daughter, Olivia Lee, to our family on Nov. 16, 2020! A potential future member of the Mayfield Senior School Class of 2038.” She joins big brother Cameron (3). Sylvana Hidalgo ’05 14 “My husband Dave and I welcomed our second child, Javier Peter Wheelock, on March 18, 2021. Older sister Anabel (2) was thrilled to welcome him to the family, and we couldn’t be happier. I also finally finished my medical training in July 2020 and I am an attending at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center where I practice pediatric cardiology. We recently moved to Pasadena and we are looking forward to exploring our new neighborhood as a family of four!”

Kelsey Boesche Belli ’06 15 married Silvio Belli during the pandemic on May 4, 2020. “Our original wedding was canceled, but when Vegas opened up we drove to The Little Church of the West and got married. It was a whirlwind complete with a Taco Bell dinner and store-bought cake, but it was really lovely! Currently I’m living in Berlin, Germany. While the opera houses are just starting to reopen, I had an online opera premiere in June. It was called ‘Gianni Schicchi’ by Puccini and its setting was a family Zoom call gone wrong.” Maureen Clougherty ’06 16 and her wife, Morgan, welcomed their daughter, Nolan Rose Clougherty, on Feb. 25, 2021. Annie Legault Tufts ’06 17 “My husband Matt and I have had a pretty exciting year! We welcomed our son Paul this past January and our airplane last summer! Here’s our family at the Daytona Air Show. We enjoy having the opportunity to share the joy of flying with Paul and other young people!” Emily Osterkamp Murphy ’06 18 and her husband, Ryan, welcomed their son, Robert John Murphy, on Oct. 21, 2020. Parents and big sister Hannah (3) are in love! Katie Symes Summers ’06 19 “On May 31, 2021, my husband, Jonathan Summers, and I welcomed our first baby, Theodore ‘Teddy’ Stephen Summers. We could not be more excited!” Kayla Yokoyama Dodge ’07 20 graduated from USC’s Iovine and Young Academy with a Master of Science in Integrated Design, Business and Technology. During her studies she collaborated with businesses like Adidas and Children’s

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Hospital Los Angeles to innovate in each realm. Grace Carroll ’08 21 and her husband welcomed their first child, Cassidy Lea Leger, born in Oakland, Calif. on May 11, 2021. She was 7 lbs.

2 oz. and 20 inches long. Mom and daughter are both doing well, happy and healthy. Grace hopes Cassidy might be a future Cub, Mayfield Senior School Class of 2038! Anne Mergenthaler Hokanson ’09 22 “My husband Mark and I welcomed our daughter Elle Sloane Hokanson into this crazy world on March 3, 2021. We are overjoyed with this blessing in our lives and are excited to start this journey together. We want to share our love of the mountains, movement and God with our Ellie.

Go Cubs!”

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2010s 20TH REUNION BRUNCH Classes of 2010 & 2011 Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021 10:30 a.m. in Strub Hall Spouses and significant others welcome!

Rachel Aragon ’10 23 met up with

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Mayfield’s Director of Alum Engagement, Nicole Cosand Burcham, in Baltimore in July. Rachel is a reporter for FOX 45 and works in the field as a morning show correspondent. Julie Sanchez Brehove ’11 24 “On Nov. 23, 2019, I married the love of my life Matthew Brehove (Loyola High School ’06) in the Old San Gabriel Mission. It was a beautiful Mass, with a dinner reception held at Tamayo Mexican Restaurant and Art Gallery. My sister Robyn and my twin sister Elizabeth Sanchez ’11 were my maids of honor.” Michelle Mohr ’11 25 graduated with a JD/MBA from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and the Wharton School. Lauren Banis Burchill ’12 26 and her husband, Scooby, welcomed their daughter, Addison Grace, into the world on Nov. 18, 2020. Addie is the first grandchild born on either side of her family so she gets more than her fair share of snuggles and attention. Who knows, she may be a future member of the Mayfield Senior School Class of 2038!

Venezia Hyland ’13 “After four wonderful years teaching middle school history and English at the Cornelia Connelly Center in New York City, I will be

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attending Teachers College at Columbia University to complete a master’s degree in philosophy and education!” Lora McManus ’14 was recently published in Allies for Education. Her piece, Such a Beautiful Family—Transracial Adopted in A Monoracial-Dominant Society, was published in the May 2021 issue, Vol 3, No. 2, titled Pathways to Radical Change. Emily Monroe ’14 graduated from USC Gould School of Law in May 2021 and has accepted an offer to work at Paul Hastings in the fall of 2021. Jocelyn Gaona ’15 is headed to Michigan to begin medical school at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Julianna Amado ’17 27 graduated from Chapman University with a B.S. in business administration and management and a minor in peace studies. She has accepted a position as a loan partner at Rate One Financial in Sierra Madre. Isabella Arizmendi ’17 28 graduated on May 4, 2021, from High Point University with a degree in international business and a minor in Spanish. She will be pursuing her master’s in communication and business leadership, also at High Point University. Gabriela Morales ’17 29 graduated in May from Gonzaga University with a Bachelor of Arts in digital marketing and religious studies. During her senior year, Gabriela was involved with Gonzaga’s Student Media Board, IDEAS (Inclusivity, Diversity & Equity in the Arts & Sciences) in Action Council, and was inducted into Theta Alpha Kappa, an academic honor society for religious studies majors. Following graduation, Gabriela accepted a position as a recruiter with Aerotek in Spokane, Wash.

Welcome, Class of 2021!

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Thank you to the dozens of Mayfield grads, spanning six decades, who joined us at this year’s Baccalaureate Mass to present the Class of 2021 with their Holy Child medallions. We were touched to see so many alums back at Bellefontaine for this special rite of passage, which officially welcomes the senior class to our alum community.

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In Memoriam 老师 Hwalin Chou 1975-2021 Known to her students as 老师 or “Lǎoshī,” meaning “teacher,” Hwalin Chou made a remarkable impression in the five years she spent at Mayfield. Hwalin joined the Mayfield community in 2014 to pioneer our Mandarin program. Over the years, Hwalin built that program with creativity, enthusiasm and love, touching the lives of her students as she helped the entire Mayfield Senior School community learn about and celebrate Chinese culture with joy and respect. Hwalin was an inspirational teacher who truly exemplified what it means to be a Holy Child educator, earning her a deeply devoted following among her students.

Hwalin’s battle with cancer ended after 18 hard-fought months, and her untimely death remains a tremendous loss to our entire Mayfield family. Her bright spirit will live forever in our memories.

“老师 is by far one of the best teachers I have ever had. I looked forward to going to Chinese class every day because she always filled the room with joy with her infectious smile…She was the reason why I minored in Chinese in college. I am so honored and grateful I got to know her.” — 刘晴欣 KERRI LOW ’17 “I am now in my third year of studying Chinese in college, and my success is all thanks to the training and foundation 老师 provided me and all of her students. 老师 was truly the best teacher.”

— 可亲 CARINA ROBLES ’18

Archangels for the arts Ann Longyear

1925-2021

For over 50 years, Ann Jarvis Longyear blessed our Mayfield Senior School community as a dedicated volunteer. A founding member of Mayfield’s Conservancy Committee, Ann shared her expertise with us from 1994 to 2011, providing wise counsel for the Photo courtesy of The Outlook care and restoration of Strub Hall’s historic architecture, artwork and decor. Her daughter, Teresa Longyear ’72, shared: “She was tiny but liked to think big, and somehow, on a trip to Rome, arranged for an audience with the Pope at the Vatican. That May morning in Rome, she taught us, without a book or lecture, but by being present…about the possibility that great architecture and art could inspire us throughout our lives.” We thank Ann for inspiring us with her deep appreciation of our Catholic tradition and for her care of our beloved Strub Hall home.

Gayle Garner Roski 1941-2020 Our Mayfield family mourns the passing of renowned artist Gayle Garner Roski, wife of former trustee Ed Roski and mother of alums Reon Roski ’82 and Katrina Roski ’94. In her book, The Gift of Los Angeles, Gayle shared: “All my work...has always been about celebration.

Celebration of life. Celebration of a Photo courtesy of USC person. Celebration of a moment…

Through the sharing of stories…we see the parallels in each other’s lives and recognize that our similarities outweigh our differences.” Gayle certainly celebrated the talents of our Mayfield artists. In 2012, Gayle invited Mayfield to be one of three Catholic high schools to launch the annual Robert Graham Memorial Student Art Exhibition at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and, each year, she was there to applaud and encourage our student artists in person. We have always been especially grateful for the two joyful watercolors Gayle gifted to our school—but Gayle was the true gift to Mayfield.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

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I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. JOHN 11:25 Ricardo Joaquin (Kim) Alfaro, II, husband of Susan Brady Alfaro ’53†

Jim Gergen, father of faculty member Michelle Gergen

Susan Brady Alfaro ’53

Alice Godfrey, mother of Emily Bowring ’82

Juan Almaguer, father of Rita Almaguer ’83 and Patti Auchard ’91

Jose Gomez, grandfather of Isabela Esparza ’22 and Juliet Esparza ’24

Paul Ament, father of Bernadette Ament ’06

Dennis Hablewitz, father of faculty member Christin Hablewitz

Nancy Barone, mother of Charlene Jackson ’86

Julia Marlowe Boyes Hanlon ’50

Jose Barriga, grandfather of Sophia Barriga ’23

Dorothy Horman, grandmother of Colleen Clougherty Tripp ’99 and Megan Clougherty Lieb ’99

Patrick Bengford, father of Anne Marie Gaggioli ’08 Anthony Bonfiglio, father of Tracey Bonfiglio ’83 Sergio Bravo, grandfather of Lexi Young ’09 Rev. Jon Bruno, former Bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, father-in-law of Mary Bannan Bruno ’92 Jean Bussard, mother-in-law of staff member Ann Bussard Hwalin Chou, former faculty member Rosa Chrenow, grandmother of Nora Sassounian ’08 and Lara Sassounian ’14 Mary Davis, grandmother of Sara Snider Langley ’11 and mother-in-law of former trustee John Snider Larry Del Santo, grandfather of Joan Elise Del Santo ’11 Connie Diaz, grandmother of Madison Rojas ’23 Fidencio Domingo Sr., father of trustee Ferari Domingo Vu, grandfather of Anastasia Vu ’20, Kristina Vu ’21, Malayna Domingo ’18, Jaylin Domingo ’19, Julia Domingo ’21, Maddie Domingo ’24 and Jenna Domingo ’25 Charles Doud, husband of Anne Van Lahr Doud ’56 and father of Reilly Harris ’78 and Stacy Hamilton ’81 Raymond Elshout, father of Kristin Elshout ’01 Theodora Engen, mother of Marina Kohler ’99 and aunt of Elizabeth Whitt ’92

Frank Jameson, grandfather of Carolyn Pasqualetto ’17

Fr. Alan Phillip, CP Frank Ponnet, former faculty member Herbert Pulst, father of Erika Boyd ’82 and Christine Pulst ’85 John Rasic & Joy Rasic, parents of Ann Grazioli ’79 and Kathleen Dunkin ’79 and grandparents of Christi Addis ’09 Roberto Romero, grandfather of Carrie Cuenca ’20 and Kendall Cuenca ’23 Caroline Galvan Rosebruch ’92 Gayle Garner Roski, mother of Reon Roski ’82 and Katrina Roski ’94

Jay Johnstone, father of MaryJayne Johnstone ’98

Louise Simpson, grandmother of Lindsay Snyder ’23

Myra Johnson ’51

Patricia Doll Sparks ’63

Melissa Kobe, Mayfield photographer

Roger Squire, grandfather of Caroline Squire ’23 and Maddie Squire ’25

Anthony Laco, grandfather of Kelly Laco ’12 Joyce Lake, grandmother of Avalon Dela Rosa ’22 Edith Lenches, mother of Monica Lenches ’86 and Christine Lenches-Hinkel ’88 Cynthia Lewis, mother of Liz Gilfillan ’73 and Cynti Oshin ’78 Ann Longyear, former Parents Board President and mother of Teresa Bull ’72 Conrado Macasero, father of Michelle Macasero ’94 and great-uncle of Sophia Sagara ’22 Sheila Madden, mother of Christine Madden ’76 Julia Majcher, mother of Marley Majcher ’87 and mother-in-law of Kathleen LeRoy Majcher ’90

Kathy Stevens, grandmother of Michaela Gallo ’19 and Ellalena Gallo ’23 Greg Stubblefield, former trustee and father of Nicole Stubblefield ’11 Joseph Sweeney, brother of Pat Bedford ’53, Martha Schnieders ’58 and Carol Spieker ’62, father of honorary trustee Stephen Sweeney, grandfather of Maureen Sweeney ’05 and Megan Sweeney ’09 Maria Zayda Coronel Thiel ’87, sister-in-law of Nina Potter ’84 Paul Thomas, father of Kaitlin Thomas ’20 Jacky Tong, grandfather of Brianna Choi ’24

Helen McDonald, SHCJ

Mary Esther Victor, grandmother of Alana Victor ’12

Nevill Dunn McInerny ’44

Martin Vivier, son of Lupe Delano Vivier ’81

Diane Jelley Miller ’50

Loc Vu, grandfather of Anastasia Vu ’20 and Kristina Vu ’21

Bert Moldow, father-in-law of Liesl Pike Moldow ’83 Marilyn Monaghan, grandmother of Allison McGuire ’05

D.R. Watford, great-grandmother of Lindsey Michelena ’21 and Erin Michelena ’24 Margaret Weckinger, mother of Sandy Kolb ’75

Irma Fortner, grandmother of Alyson Fortner ’07

Francisco Munoz, grandfather of Emma MendozaMunoz ’24

William Fortner, grandfather of Alyson Fortner ’07

Sharon O’Brien Musitelle ’61

Marc Wilmore, father of Brendi Wilmore ’20

Carmen Frasca, grandfather of Tillie VanAken ’23

Corazon Musni, mother of Kristina Musni ’95

Ana Garcia, grandmother of Miranda Garcia ’20 and Alex Garcia ’23

Dean Ninteman, husband of Carol Treadwell Ninteman ’55

Tom Wilson, father of Maura Cotter ’80, Therese Wilson ’82 and Siobhan Wilson ’92

Miguel Angel García, grandfather of Daniela Patino ’22

Carolyn Noring, grandmother of Frances Foy ’24

Raymond Garcia, great-grandfather of Daniela Bachman ’20 and Danica Bachman ’24

Kathleen O’Neill, “daughter” of Tina Johansing ’64 Robert Pernecky, father of Julie Pernecky ’79 and grandfather of Jamison Pernecky ’22

Kurt Weissmuller, father of Kate Weissmuller ’16

Edward Wopschall, II, father of Megan Wopschall ’00 Kimberly Woodward ’85

† deceased

Martha Gergely, sister of Sandy Weckinger Kolb ’75

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A Mayfield Senior School graduate is a woman of... faith, who is grounded in God’s love reverence, who celebrates the uniqueness

and dignity of each person, and of creation

justice, who participates compassionately and

responsibly in her local and global communities

intellect, who shares her gifts to create solutions integrity, who leads with confidence balance, who cultivates spiritual, intellectual, emotional, artistic and physical well-being

joy, who embraces life in its entirety.

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