Newark Academy LUMEN – Winter 2021

WINTER 2021

LUMEN THE

MAGAZINE

OF

NEWARK

REIMAGINING THE

NA EXPERIENCE

ACADEMY

W I N T E R 2 0 21

31 CONTENTS

F E AT U R E S

24 NA Charts a Course for Athletic Excellence

31 Two Courageous Paths…

One Promising Future: A Pair of NA’s Black Alumni Reflects on Their Experiences

IN THIS ISSUE

2 Perspectives

4 NA News

30 Admission

40 Alumni News

48 Class Notes

24 VISIT NA on the web at www.newarka.edu LIKE NA on Facebook @newarkacademy FOLLOW NA on Twitter @newarkacademy FOLLOW NA on Instagram @newarkacademy

LUMEN

PERSPECTIVES

W I N T E R 2 0 21 Donald M. Austin Head of School

FROM DONALD M. AUSTIN, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Lisa Grider Assistant Head of School for External Affairs EDITOR

Renée Walker, Ed.D. Director of Communications and Marketing ASSISTANT EDITORS

David Beckman Lisa Grider Matt Sugam CONTRIBUTORS

Evan Nisenson ’99 Jeff Vinikoor BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Executive Committee Samuel W. Croll III ’68 Chairman Lawrence G. Cetrulo ’67 Secretary Marika Alzadon ’89 Donald M. Austin John H. Bess ’69 Patricia Budziak

Lauren Hedvat ’01 Wayne D. Kent ’85 Robert Marcus Larry Wiesneck

Navigating Change Through Shared Experiences

Trustees Millwood Hobbs, Jr. David Castelblanco Andrew Kogan ’90 Lara Coraci-Basile ’88 Lisa Powers Ajay Dhankhar Valerie Radwaner Virany Cuong Do Michael Rockoff ’87 Robin Eichler Melissa Tassé Robert Fink Glenn A. Waldorf ’90 Anjali Gupta Elizabeth Christou Woodall Karen Guy-Smith Emeriti Louis V. Aronson II ’41 Nancy Baird Harwood ’75 Paul Busse ’38* K. Kelly Marx ’51 Robert Del Tufo ’51* John L. McGraw ’49 William D. Green ’69 Robert S. Puder ’38* William D. Hardin ’44* Gary Rose William T. Wachenfeld ’44

Just a few weeks ago, as 2020 finally drew to a welcome

close, our school community looked expectantly toward

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF GOVERNORS

better days ahead. Coronavirus vaccines were being

Glenn A. Waldorf ’90 President Amanda Addison ’06 Nicole Andrzejewski ’13 Rohit Bawa ’93 Michele Chiles-Hickman ’86 Asha Talwar Coco ’99 Daniel D. Cronheim ’72 Christopher Davis ’12 Rebecca Moll Freed ’94 Justin Garrod ’93 Kumar Ghafoor ’10 Susan Goldberg ’79 Peter Gruenberg ’81 Rasheea Williams Hall ’95 Jade-Addon Hall ’98 Shannon Hedvat ’03 Sydney Hershman ’11

distributed, a contentious national election was behind

Allison Hyans ’11 Lauren Jacobs-Lazer ’98 Gillian Javetski ’07 Jordan Jett ’11 Katherine “Katie” Johnson ’11 Lauren Kaplan ’09 Jacqueline Lipsius ’93 Steve Lozowick ’63 Kathleen Mangunay Pergament ’95 Ed Pursell ’02 Jed Rosenthal ’93 Brett Finkelstein Rubin ’05 Lena Hill Ryals ’94 Alex Senchak ’02 Alexandra Swanson ’09 Pamela Helfant Vichengrad ’94

us, and Newark Academy had successfully completed a

semester of on-campus teaching, learning and working.

Now it appears that 2021 will offer us even more emerging challenges, to which we will respond by continuing to make adjustments to provide our students with

the safest and best possible education.

Emeriti Lance Aronson ’74 Leo Gordon ’69 J. Richard Beltram ’41* Jeffrey Silverman ’82 John H. Bess ’69 William Stroh ’48* Richard Watson ’50 Newark Academy Office of Institutional Advancement 91 South Orange Avenue, Livingston, NJ 07039 Telephone: (973) 992-7000 Email: communications@newarka.edu www.newarka.edu *Deceased

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In a period that has upended fundamental norms and assumptions about our lives – such as the ability to visit with

family and friends, to have a social life

at college, to follow a predictable career

path – I am proud that Newark Academy remains a steady and stable presence in

the lives of our students, faculty, alumni and parents. Through unprecedented investments of both time and money related to COVID-19 risk reduction,

Newark Academy was able to open our

campus for classes on September 8 last

year and, with the exception of a few days during the semester, classes and activities carried on until we concluded the

semester on schedule on December 18.

The spring term began with two weeks of remote learning and resumed in-person teaching, learning, and working on

January 19. Working together with our

dedicated faculty and engaged students, we succeeded not only in providing a

high-quality education but also making significant progress on the other major

issue that emerged in 2020: the need to

‘‘

In a period that has upended fundamental norms and assumptions about our lives … I am proud that Newark Academy remains a steady and stable presence in the lives of our students, faculty, alumni and parents.”

address the call by students and alumni

for greater racial equity and inclusion.

Although Newark Academy has, over the

past 52 years, made progress in becoming

a more welcoming community to students of color, in the summer of 2020

we made a deep institutional commit-

ment to address systemic racism within

deliver the usual quality NA education

and maintain strict COVID-19 protocols.

Two of our TAs, Alyssa McPherson ’13 and

Gebereal Baitey ’15, offer their thoughts

on “coming home to NA” and the changes

they see since their time as students.

Finally, this issue of LUMEN honors two of

Newark Academy’s oldest alumni: Donald

our school. In this issue of LUMEN, we offer

Schlenger ‘39 and Jerome Bess ’40. In true

who graduated 50 years apart. The differ-

enjoyed remote celebrations of the 80th

we have come, but the similarities make

These men attended Newark Academy in

you two perspectives from Black alumni

ences in their experiences reveal how far it abundantly clear that we have much

more work to do. The reflections of these

two alumni demonstrate that Newark

Academy functions as both a mirror of

our larger society and a window through

which our students and alumni learn

and grow by coming to understand the experiences of others.

This issue also celebrates a small number of young alumni who are now serving as Teaching Assistants (TA) at Newark Academy. While our academic leaders have long

discussed developing a TA

program, it became a real-

COVID-era fashion, Donald and Jerome

reunions of their respective NA classes.

another time of great upheaval, just prior

to World War II, and both have carried the

values learned at Newark Academy throughout their lives.

I hope that you find these stories of

personal resilience and the lasting

value of relationships with teachers

and classmates to be antidotes to the

persistent hardships facing us in the

early days of 2021.

Thank you for your loyalty to Newark

Academy and your ongoing support

as we continue to navigate our

collective future.

ity only when our faculty

and staff needed “extra

hands” in order to both

NEWARK ACADEMY

3

NA NEWS

Newark Academy Welcomes New Trustees David Castelblanco and his wife Laura have two

across a broad range of industries, including growth equity investments in early and later stage companies.

David is a Managing Director and Head of Latin America Private Equity for the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division. The Merchant Banking Division is the primary center for the firm’s long-term principal investing activity and is one of the leading private capital investors in the world. David focuses on the firm’s private equity investments throughout Latin America and established the Merchant Banking Division’s first office in the region in São Paulo. His experience at the firm has included investments in the U.S. and Latin America

Robert Fink and his wife Rachel (Bier) have three children at NA – Kyle ’23, Chase ’25 and Madeline (Maddie) ’27. Kyle, Chase and Maddie were the third generation of their family to attend what was formerly the Solomon Schechter Day School (now the Golda Och

children at Newark Academy – Henry ’24 and Lydia ’26.

David is a member of the Finance Committee and Strategic Planning Committee of the Newark Academy Board of Trustees, and has recently accepted an appointment to chair the Board’s Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee. He also sits on the Investment Subcommittee.

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David is currently a board member of Oncoclinicas do Brasil, S.A. and Paige.Ai. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board for Tienda Inglesa. In addition, David is a board member of Union Settlement Association, a nonprofit services organization in East Harlem, and a member of the Stanford Law School Board of Visitors.

David earned a B.A. in History and Economics from Brown University, a J.D. from Stanford Law School and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Academy). Rob is the Global Sales Manager for West Corporation (based in Parsippany), a global provider of communication and network infrastructure solutions.

Prior to his career at West, Rob was Senior District Manager with WinMill Software; Channel Sales Manager for Convad Communications and Senior Channel Manager with XO Communications. Rob holds a B.S. degree in Marketing from the University of Maryland – College Park. Rob has been a very active NA parent – serving on the Minuteman Golf and Tennis Invitational Committee and serving as a parent volunteer for the annual Day of Giving. Rob is serving as the Chair of the Annual Fund for the NA Board of Trustees.

Milwood Hobbs, Jr. and his wife Kimberly have a son, Corey, who is in Newark Academy’s Class of ’26.

Milwood is the Managing Director of Oaktree Capital, where he heads Oaktree’s North American Sourcing and Origination (S&O) group, which focuses on private credit sourcing and deal-origination for the firm’s U.S. Private Debt, Strategic Credit, Special Situations and Distressed Debt investment teams. Previously, he sourced and originated private debt opportunities across Oaktree’s credit strategies.

Prior to joining Oaktree in 2013, Milwood was an executive director at Natixis Securities focused on building the high yield sales and trading franchise. He also spent spent five years at Goldman Sachs as a vice president in leveraged finance origination and sales. Before joining Goldman Sachs in 2007, Milwood was a director in Leveraged Finance at Deutsche Bank Securities, which he joined in 2000. Additional experience includes regional account management focused on fleet financing at GE Capital Corporation and controller for Leveraged Finance at Bank of America.

Milwood received his M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a B.S. degree in accounting from Rutgers University. Milwood is serving on the Finance Committee of the Newark Academy Board of Trustees.

Robin Eichler and her

husband Joel have one child at Newark Academy – Jonathan ’23.

They also are the proud parents of two daughters – Emma, who is a recent Washington University (St. Louis) graduate and Sophie who is currently a sophomore at Wash U. Robin attended Smith College as an undergraduate and earned a B.A. in English Literature. She went on to study law at Albany Law School of Union University, from which she earned a J.D. Robin practiced law in Albany, NY and New York City before moving to New Jersey. She began her service to Newark Academy as a volunteer for the Newark Academy Parents Association (NAPA) shortly after Jonathan enrolled in the NA Middle School. In July 2019 Robin became NAPA’s First Vice President, where she was responsible for all programming related to NAPA’s highly successful Speakers Series.

Also in her VP role, she represented NAPA at NAIS’ People of Color Conference in Seattle, Washington. In 2020, Robin became President of NAPA. She is also on the Constituent Relations Committee of the Board of Trustees. In addition to her volunteer leadership roles at NA, Robin manages private real estate holdings.

Elizabeth Christou Woodall and her husband Steve are

proud parents of four children – Katie, James, Mary and Annie – all of whom attend or attended independent schools. A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, Liz began her work as a teacher in the South Bronx and East Orange before spending 28 years at Kent Place School. Liz taught seventh and ninth grade English. She started the school’s Writing Center, was the school’s first Dean of Students and then led the Upper School. She was also co-founder and co-director of the Girls’ Leadership Institute, and she helped on two major construction projects with design, moving, and improved instructional practices.

With a deep understanding and respect for the school’s history and tradition, Liz pushed for more inclusive programming and teaching practices.

She brought ethical and cultural competency leadership, Project Adventure, and women’s studies among other changes. Liz currently works at Bridges Outreach as their founding Director of Development, helping to bring necessities and housing equity to those experiencing homelessness locally.

NEWARK ACADEMY

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NA NEWS

MEET THE NEW DEAN OF FACULTY

Traci Osterhagen Brock Interview by Jeff Vinikoor

On July 1, Traci Osterhagen Brock became Newark Academy’s dean of faculty, the senior administrator charged with recruiting faculty, supporting the work of the academic department chairs, and maintaining the high professional

standards that distinguish the NA faculty. Traci replaced Frederick Von Rollenhagen, who served in the position for

two decades before returning to the classroom full-time in Fall 2020. LUMEN interviewed “Von” and Traci in order to understand their perspectives on the role, its evolution, and the future of the NA faculty.

LUMEN: Tell us about your background.

Most recently, where are you coming from?

explored Hiroshima by walking a line that reflected the damage from the center of the blast, and visited the Tripitaka Koreana (which includes over 81,000 wood tablets carved with Buddhist scripture in

Traci Osterhagen Brock (TOB): Most

the 13th century), the impact of global

recently, I was the middle school principal

decisions and our connectedness is

at St. George’s Independent School outside

tangible. Korea will always be a special

of Memphis, Tennessee. I was there for

place to our family.

four years.

LUMEN: What drew you to Newark Academy?

LUMEN: You previously worked at Korea International School in Seongnam-si, Korea. How did that experience shape your understanding of internationallyminded education?

TOB: When my husband and I decided to explore international opportunities as educators, we were understandably

TOB: Among the many things that drew me to the role was meeting the faculty on the day I interviewed. There was a genuine concern to get this hire right. The quesTraci Osterhagen Brock

6

Spanish, I thought for sure we would find

simply became a smaller place, as well.

a school in Central or South America.

The school community included families

We were offered two positions in Korea.

who had lived in multiple countries, and

We decided to embrace a new adventure,

many students were “third culture kids”

sold our house, and got on a plane with

whose identities were not tied to place.

our children. We have never regretted

When getting to know someone you might

taking that opportunity that allowed us

ask, “What is your passport country?” as

to do what we love as educators while

someone may be an Australian national,

traveling throughout the world and

ethnically Indian, born in Hong Kong,

making lifelong friends at the same time.

living in Korea, and going “home” to Australia during long breaks.

School shaped my thinking about being

The idea of living and working anywhere

internationally-minded in many ways.

in the world is possible, and is no longer

I spent much time considering the benefit

something that is exotic or limited to a

of being multilingual. While I struggled

few. Being globally-minded also connects

to learn basic vocabulary to navigate my

us beyond the needs of neighborhood,

day-to-day life, many of the people I

state, region and country. When a person

worked and interacted with were profi-

has been welcomed by a street vendor in

cient in three or four languages. The world

Bangkok, hosted in a ryokan in Kyoto,

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community-oriented. Many worked to share pride in both the school and the

nervous. With a basic understanding of

Our three years at Korea International

tions I was asked were thoughtful and

work they do. There was an ownership of the ongoing success of the school that was clear from everyone. The school itself is beautiful. I interacted with a small handful of students who were both academically impressive and grounded. I was also happy to return to the Northeast and all this area has to offer!

LUMEN: What has it been like to join the senior administration of the school in the midst of the pandemic?

TOB: I believe you can tell much about people and teams when they face challenging times. Over the last several months, I have witnessed a team leaning into the work, owning the health and safety of all involved with the school, and looking to the best advice they could find

LUMEN: What advice would you give to Traci as she begins her tenure?

to inform decisions. I think because of the need to act quickly, there wasn’t a soft start or lots of onboarding for me; I was

FVR: I wouldn’t presume to give Traci any

simply integrated into the team and the

professional advice on the job – I’m sure

task list started!

LUMEN: You are also pursuing your doctorate. Tell us about your research.

TOB: I have been working on my doctorate

she knows what the challenges are and how best to handle them. As a long-term New Jersey resident, though, my advice is Frederick Von Rollenhagen

tation”) stage and only have to finish analyzing my research and writing the last two chapters. My research focuses on how trust is built or diminished among Black parents and White administrators in historically, predominantly White independent schools. I came to this topic through wondering about participation and engagement of families of color and a desire to create more inclusive and welcoming school communities. I hope that my findings, based on my data, will inform school administrators and help them better understand where the engagement and trust of some parents is lost, and where trust is built. I am working to carve the time to finish the analysis, findings, and application.

LUMEN: What are your hopes for the future of the NA faculty?

TOB: Our faculty have responded to shifting and uncertain demands over the past nine months with such grace. They have demonstrated a willingness to get the job done, and have created multiple timelines, assessments, projects and expectations preparing them to shift as needed to external demands. While this is always the job of a teacher, the depth of consideration to inspire learning while maintaining the health and safety of our community has been embraced by our faculty, and I hope we can work to support their needs to seek balance in their own self-care as they care for our children. We all know that maintaining a level of work-life balance is a challenge for many of us, but it is especially important during this time. I will work to express appreciation for this effort and continue to support the professional

opportunities this state has to offer: shore towns to suit any taste, proximity to New

in education leadership for several years.

I am at the dreaded ABD (“all but disser-

to take advantage of all the wonderful

LUMEN: During your tenure, in what ways did Newark Academy as an institution and the NA faculty in particular evolve?

York City, lakes and streams and the Appalachian trail, not to mention real deli food and real bagels. It’s a great place to live and raise kids!

English or humanities, science or math,

LUMEN: As the parent of two NA alumni – Zoe ’14 and Sam ’16 – how did your understanding of the school as a parent shape your work as Dean of Faculty?

and coach a few sports. While we still have

FVR: I don’t think being a parent shaped

well-rounded faculty who can teach and

my work as much as being Dean made it

coach, the expectation from parents and

sometimes tough to negotiate parenting.

students is that teachers are expert in

It’s natural that my kids would want to

their fields, and, if they coach, that they

know about this event or that teacher,

have been trained to be expert coaches

but I could not share with them thoughts

as well. The days of having a head coach

on these matters. Zoe and Sam feel

who simply played the game at one point

indebted to NA for some of the successes

are over.

that they experienced in college, and we

LUMEN: What aspects of the role did you find most fulfilling?

Most challenging?

know that the academic preparation they

Frederick Von Rollenhagen (FVR): I think the biggest shift was the move away from the generalist – someone who could teach

FVR: I loved the hiring process, figuring out what it was that we were looking for with chairs and academic staff, and then meeting candidates who might add something exciting to the mix. I found it a great privilege to speak on behalf of Newark Academy and share with candidates the unparalleled support that faculty receive

received was exceptional. I can understand, though, why teachers – especially administrators who teach – would want their children to attend another school.

Mingling work and parenting can get messy at times.

LUMEN: You have returned to full-time teaching. What courses are you teaching this year? How does it feel to be back in the classroom full-time?

from the administration and the Board of

FVR: I’m teaching 10th-grade American

Trustees. The challenge, of course, is when

Literature and 11th-grade IB English SL,

we have made a hire that for whatever

two courses that I’ve taught multiple

reason does not work out. The job is to

times over the past ten years. I’m excited

help the teacher find success, but when

to be back to teaching full time, though

that cannot be achieved it became my

the current circumstances are not what

responsibility to let people know that

I (or any of us) imagined. The students,

they would not continue at NA. It doesn’t

as usual, have been wonderful, but I’ll be

happen often, but when it does the effect

a lot happier when we can get back to a

of the separation is sometimes hard for

circular classroom formation and dispense

colleagues as well.

with the masks!

growth of each member of our faculty.

NEWARK ACADEMY

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NA NEWS

FIVE NEWARK ACADEMY STUDENTS ARE

NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS

More than 1.5 million students across the United States entered the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program, and five students from Newark Academy have made it to the semifinal round of the prestigious academic competition, representing less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced that members of the NA Class of 2021 Elaine Choy, Annika Inampudi, Samantha Parelli, Eric Weng and Andrew Zabelo are semifinalists in the 2021 competition.

With outstanding academic records throughout their high school careers, and with SAT or ACT scores that confirm their earlier performances on the qualifying test, the five NA students will move forward in the competition for a chance of obtaining one of 2,500 National Merit Scholarships, worth $2,500 each.

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MEET THE NEW DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING: DR. RENÉE WALKER

In January 2020, Renée Walker, Ed.D. joined the Newark Academy administrative staff as Director of Communications and Marketing. In this role, Dr. Walker has primary responsibility for managing Newark Academy’s public identity and brand. She also develops strategies and executes institutional communications for all constituencies that consistently and accurately reflect the school’s mission, vision and values. LUMEN interviewed Dr. Walker to learn more about her first year at NA and experiences in her role during 2020.

LUMEN: Tell us about your experiences prior to joining Newark Academy.

What is your background?

Renée Walker (RW): Coming from a family of educators, I have always valued education and centered my career in the education field. I worked in communications and marketing at The Pingry School, Columbia University and Rutgers University, where I was most recently a Director of Communications and Marketing for RU’s School of Management and Labor Relations. I have also had the fortune of teaching and mentoring adult learners while at Columbia and Rutgers.

Prior to joining NA, I completed my doctorate in education. My research focused on institutional racism in education and its impact on Black, male students. I have also done brand consulting and coaching for entrepreneurs.

LUMEN: What brought you to Newark Academy?

RW: I was already aware, through my prior work experiences, that Newark Academy students are sharp and the teachers are innovative – all aspects that I thought would be fun to market! I was seeking a way to merge my background into an ideal role that can create a direct impact on students, so I naturally jumped on this opportunity.

LUMEN: You were nearly three months into your role when NA closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What was that like for you?

RW: I had previous experience with crisis communications, but this was different.

The pandemic wasn’t something that was just dealt with at the office. These conversations carried into the home and were given layered perspectives from my family.

My stepson, who is now in his senior year of high school, reminds me of the impact on

NA students and how they are perceiving this “new normal”.

In my role, I held onto additional perspectives. I was also surprised and appreciative of the response from fellow administrators, faculty, staff and students. Everyone brought their A-game to ensure that we could carry on with an educational experience that was as safe as possible. I worked closely with the rest of the administration, as clear and consistent communication became important, given the many uncertainties at that time.

As the school continued to be adaptable and pivoted as needed, I had to be equally flexible and creative in our outreach.

LUMEN: Last year, as the Black Lives Matter movement came into the forefront, NA community members called for greater equity and inclusion at the school. How does this relate to your role?

RW: It was deeply painful and disturbing to hear the stories that were shared by NA alumni and students who experienced racism and microaggressions. I applaud them for their courage in revisiting those experiences and bringing them to the administration and The Board of Trustees’ attention.

I was also impressed by the school’s honest and transparent response as well as its commitment to change. This was personally and professionally meaningful to me. I knew that I had to, and continue to, make sure that our communications reflect that NA is listening, learning and remaining dedicated to being a place where everyone feels that they belong. Whether it’s in our publications or through our social media, that message needs to come through.

LUMEN: It looks like NA has a new look to its website. What’s behind this change?

RW: Yes! This has been an exciting project to work on. After a great deal of input from students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff, we have updated all of the graphic images and verbal taglines describing NA. In short, we’ve updated our “brand”. As part of this effort, we created a new tagline that attempts to succinctly describe the NA educational experience – “Reimagining Rigor” – which truly says what we are doing every day at NA. This new statement tells the world that NA is embracing its reputation for academic excellence, while creating joyful learning experiences for students. It hones in on how an NA education is unique.

While this new tagline and graphic images were created before COVID, they actually speak to the current moment in a powerful way. Who knew exactly that we would have to completely reimagine rigor in order to continue to give our students an outstanding educational experience during the pandemic? The new brand is woven throughout the school’s completely redesigned website and may also be seen in our publications, newsletters and advertising. It’s a succinct way of explaining and showcasing what is already here at the school – the magic that happens inside and outside of the classroom.

What are your hopes for NA’s future?

RW: I’ve learned throughout the past year that NA is at many people’s hearts. My hope is that the school continues to evolve and thrive, and I look forward to playing a role in that through clear communications that are easily accessible.

SEEKING INFORMATION ON NA NEWS, EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS? Seek no further than our newly launched website! We encourage you to take a tour at www.newarka.edu.

NEWARK ACADEMY

9

NA NEWS

NA and the 1918 Spanish Flu

BY GARRETT CALDWELL NEWARK ACADEMY ARCHIVIST

In

the fall of 1918, the United States was hit by a deadly strain of influenza A (H1N1) that came to be known as the “Spanish flu.” It was believed that American troops brought the disease home with them when

they began returning that September from the war in Europe.

Several dozen cases appeared at a naval training base in Caldwell, New Jersey, 12 miles from Newark Academy’s location on Newark’s First Street. By early October, new daily cases had risen to a reported 150, many in Newark.

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The October 1918 edition of The Polymnian, NA’s student news-

Like most institutions in New Jersey, NA was slow to respond

paper, reported two recent deaths of NA alumni. One died

to the crisis. Efforts to educate the school community were

fighting in France; the other, Gilbert R. Glorieux ’13, was

largely limited to the distribution of bulletins issued by the

reported to have died from pneumonia at Camp Zachary Taylor

New Jersey Department of Health. Meanwhile, NA families,

in Louisville, Kentucky. Because influenza was not added to

like most in the nation, were intensely focused on the devel-

the official list of reportable diseases until October 1, Mr.

opments of the war. The Polymnian in October and November

Glorieux may have been the NA community’s first casualty of

1918 mostly included news from the front, updates on NA

the influenza outbreak, at least on this side of the Atlantic.

alumni serving overseas, and student-authored fictional sto-

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Medical workers wore masks to avoid the flu at a U.S. Army hospital, November 1918, during the 1918–19 Spanish Influenza pandemic.

ries on topics such as German submarine sightings and the

It took about 10 days after reopening for NA life to return to

outing of subversive German-Americans.

normal. Head of School Wilson Farrand and Football Coach R.

The Department of Health ordered all New Jersey schools to shut down on October 11, and NA remained closed for 10 school days until October 28. Classes and extracurricular activities were suspended – for the most part. While the upcoming football game against Pingry was cancelled, the team still held practice every morning at 10 a.m. A student editor for The

E. Ikas spoke at the annual fall meeting of the NA Athletic Association on November 6, and attendance was good, as was typical for the event. NA’s fall athletic successes were highlighted in the speeches, and officers for the upcoming year were elected; left unmentioned were the recent influenza outbreak and school closure.

Polymnian wrote that “either because of sickness or indisposition, the attendance [at football practice] was smaller than should have been the case.”

The decision to reopen was made when, according to NA school officials, “the danger of contracting the disease was officially declared to have passed, there having been only five thousand

‘‘

The decision to reopen was made when, according to NA school officials, ‘the danger of contracting the disease was officially declared to have passed, there having been only five thousand new cases reported the day before.’”

new cases reported the day before.” Classes and activities resumed without missing much of a beat. It was reported that more football players attended practice on reopening day than on any other day all season, and the team defeated Orange High 24-0 a few days later.

An anonymous student in the November edition of The Polymnian chaffed, “There was much discussion among the members of the study hall over Ross Waterbury’s strange dis-

Gathering indoors in large groups, though, had to wait a little

appearance during the ‘flu’ vacation.” Another student wrote,

while longer. A school-wide rally was held in the NA gym four

“For once in the history of Newark Academy the members of

days after reopening to stir up school spirit for upcoming

the study hall talked out loud during a study period. This was

sporting events, but attendance was sparse. The traditional

when the whistles of every factory of the city were proclaiming

rally-ending cheers must have rung hollow. An NA student

the surrender of Germany on November 11.” By mid-November,

reporter admonished, “There was too much unoccupied space

with the influenza outbreak and war behind them, NA’s active

in the gym…Get out to those meetings!”

– and playful – student culture had reasserted itself.

NEWARK ACADEMY

11

NA NEWS

I

COMMUNITY SERVICE

LIVING THE DREAM

NAPA Seeks to Build Belonging Through Engagement and Service Last summer, the Newark Academy community listened

and learned from alumni and students about the impact of racial inequality both on campus and off. For the Newark Academy Parents Association (NAPA), this was the next step in a multi-year effort to shift the organization’s

mission from fundraising to community-building within

NA’s diverse parent body.

Prior to July’s Equity and

President Robin Eichler – have

Equity and Inclusion Summit

more than 150 parents partici-

ing the National Association of

tance of making authentic con-

People of Color Conference.

the city of Newark. According

Inclusion Summit, in which pated, NAPA had already

launched a number of initiatives aimed at making every NA parent and family feel a

sense of belonging in the school community. These initiatives included the following:

n

Offering budgetary support to NA’s Black and Latino Families Network and partnering with that group for programming

n

Establishing two new parent

affinity groups – one for

families wishing to connect with others in the LGBTQ

community and one for first-

generation American families

n

Increasing the racial, ethnic and gender diversity of the NAPA Executive Board

n

Adjusting meeting times from mornings to evenings in order to include more parents

In addition, NAPA leaders –

including former Presidents

Lisa Powers, Nino Badridze and Mae Hacking, and current

12

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I WINTER 2021

been part of NA cohorts attendIndependent Schools’ annual

“Attending the People of Color Conference gave me a whole

new perspective on the importance of having every family,

regardless of how they identify, feel that they truly belong at

NA,” Robin says. “We knew we had lots of work to do, and the

events of last spring and summer just made the urgency of this work clear to me.”

One insight gained by the members of the NAPA

Executive Board during the

‘‘

centered around the impor-

nections with organizations in

to Robin Weidhorn, who chairs community service initiatives for NAPA, “I think NAPA once

had a ‘fix-it’ mindset when we

sought to work with organiza-

tions in Newark. While it might make the ‘fixers’ feel good,

action rooted in performance

does not build understanding, and it typically does not result

in meaningful connection. We

knew we wanted to establish a

true partnership with an organization to combine the energy

and talents of NA parents with

the expertise and understand-

ing that the organization could teach us about the needs, the

culture and the strengths of the

Newark community.”

NAPA found its organizational partner in the I Have a Dream

Foundation-New Jersey (IHDF-

NJ) team in Newark. Founded in 2006, IHDF-NJ works to

empower children (whom they call “Dreamers”) in Newark to pursue higher education and

fulfill their potential. IHDF-NJ

pairs cohorts of Dreamers with

groups of volunteers who

develop long-term relationships with the children and their

families to provide academic

Attending the People of Color Conference gave me a whole new perspective on the importance of having every family, regardless of how they identify, feel that they truly belong at NA. We knew we had lots of work to do, and the events of last spring and summer just made the urgency of this work clear to me.”

to lean on NA parents to read

and social-emotional support.

The children in NAPA’s cohort

storybooks (via Zoom record-

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School

kindergarten through second

ings) for children in pre-

are from the Thirteenth Avenue/

grade. In addition to partnering

(pre-kindergarten through

in joint speaker series, NAPA

eighth grade) in Newark.

also hopes to engage NA dads

“We began working with the I

to join a fathers group with

Have a Dream Foundation over

Thirteenth Avenue School dads

the summer to address issues

to discuss the triumphs and

of food insecurity among

challenges of helping their chil-

Dreamer families that have

dren navigate the educational

been so negatively impacted by

restrictions due to COVID.

COVID,” Robin Weidhorn says.

“It doesn’t matter where you

“Working well with both the

IHDF-NJ staff and the leaders

live – raising children and

we knew quickly that this part-

hard work,” Robin Eichler says.

helping pre-teens learn is

of Thirteenth Avenue School,

“NAPA gives our families a

nership had much more to offer

strong network to lean on.

us all. The benefits of the part-

nership offer an opportunity to

foster authentic relationships

by means of listening, learning

and collaborating with one

another. There is so much to

gain from working together.”

NAPA recently worked with

administrative staff from the

Thirteenth Avenue School on an ambitious Thanksgiving food

drive for 100 Dreamer families.

Robin Weidhorn notes that

what may seem like a tradi-

tional service project is simply

Other initiatives in the partner-

effort. “Food insecurity due to

YouTube channel that will

the first step in a longer-term

COVID-related unemployment and reduced work hours is

ship include a “NAPA Reads”

enable busy Dreamer parents

This partnership broadens our

network and allows us to share

our strengths. The possibilities

are really endless.”

affecting families now more

than ever,” she says. “Children cannot effectively learn if they are hungry, and parents who are hungry cannot provide

the academic support their children require.”

NAPA with members of the I Have a Dream Foundation (left) collect items (right) to support families in Newark.

NEWARK ACADEMY

13

NA NEWS

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FACULTY FOCUS

Innovating and Adapting Professional Development at NA

As part of Newark Academy’s 2019–2023 Strategic Plan, the school committed to the ongoing education of its faculty in order to enrich the classroom experience and to enhance teachers’ understanding of their craft and discipline. With

this commitment in mind, the school’s Professional Development (PD) Committee sought to examine NA’s program and

offerings to better support the growth of the entire faculty.

Led by Director of Institutional Research and Strategy Lou Scerra, who chairs the PD Committee, the group reimag-

listening and thoughtful

Newark Academy’s Instructional Coaching Program

ined the school’s PD program to create a range of offerings focused on individualized feedback closely connected to

Instructional Coaches Betsy LaPadula

Professional Development Committee Rob Downes Gardy Guiteau Stephanie Hammond

Traci Osterhagen Brock Rachael Reeves Megan Rezvani

Lou Scerra Abby Taylor Jeff Vinikoor

the classroom experience.

The cornerstone of NA’s

in in-depth conversations,

serve as NA’s first instruc-

reimagined PD program is an

visiting classes, identifying

tional coaches.

instructional coaching pro-

resources and serving as criti-

gram currently in its second

cal-thinking partners. After

year. Through this program,

an application and interview

trained members of the NA

process, veteran NA English

faculty serve as coaches for

teachers David Beckman and

their colleagues, engaging

Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) Barbato

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teaching. Instructional have all of the answers; instead, they focus on helping colleagues reflect on their practice and consider new

LaPadula were selected to

14

is closely related to great coaches aren’t supposed to

2020-21

David Beckman

questioning. Great coaching

“We’re extremely fortunate to have Betsy and David as our instructional coaches,” says Lou. “As excellent classroom teachers themselves, they understand the power of active

ways to grow and learn.”

The coaching sessions are private and confidential, with David and Betsy working oneon-one with their colleagues for approximately seven weeks each. Together, teacher and coach focus on identifying and closing gaps in the teacher’s

‘‘

At the Academy, what we do as coaches is to listen – deeply, honestly, without judgment or agenda.

Then we hold our colleagues in our minds as we speak with them for about two hours a week – hours that are reserved for only their work, their thoughts, their aspirations, their ways of being. As we observe, we constantly consider how we can bring out what shines within our colleagues. Every coaching relationship is a promise kept, and, ideally, holds within it new visions for the school as a whole.”

– Dr. Elizabeth Barbato LaPadula

skills and development as an

reserved for only their work,

a welcome change from tradi-

Yao says. “Betsy has a way of

educator, and enhancing

their thoughts, their aspira-

tional PD. “It was so refreshing

repackaging my thoughts and

current practices with new

tions, their ways of being.

to meet with my coach twice

adding meaningful direction.

knowledge and strategies.

As we observe, we constantly

per cycle to just talk shop,”

It has been an honor to have

David and Betsy have found

consider how we can bring

Tim says. “David brought in

Betsy to confide in and learn

that, as they visit the partici-

out what shines within our

new and fresh perspectives,

from about myself and my professional skills and goals.”

pating teachers’ classes and

colleagues. Every coaching

and I could share with him

meet with them regularly,

relationship is a promise kept,

hopes and visions and receive

their relationships with their

and, ideally, holds within it

immediate, concrete and

new visions for the school as

constructive feedback.”

colleagues grow.

“At Newark Academy, what we

a whole.”

With the onset of COVID-19 in Spring 2020, the coaching program, much like the aca-

Shun-Yao Chang, also in

demic experience for students,

do as coaches is to listen –

This sentiment has been

his fourth year at NA in the

had to adapt to the school’s

deeply, honestly, without

shared by many faculty mem-

Language Department, echoes

new mode of teaching and

judgment or agenda,” says

bers who have participated

Tim’s appreciation for the

learning remotely. “Coaching

Betsy. “Then we hold our

in the coaching program.

opportunity to reflect on his

during quarantine provided a

colleagues in our minds as we

Tim McCall, who began teach-

teaching practices. “The

lifeline for me – and, I hope,

speak with them for about two

ing humanities at NA in 2017,

coaching program with Betsy

for the teachers I worked

hours a week – hours that are

notes that the experience was

has been invaluable,” Shun-

with,” says David. “At a time when we are all, by necessity,

Director of Studies and Class of 2024 Dean Jeff Vinikoor, along with Arts Department Chair

having to reconsider and reimagine our pedagogical

Elaine Brodie, presented best practices for hybrid teaching to a group of 75 faculty members

approaches, coaching con-

approaches and techniques that made NA’s programs successful this fall.

stimulating and invigorating

at Flintridge Prep, a top independent school in Los Angeles. Among their topics were

versations have provided opportunities to connect with my colleagues and share ideas about the work we are all passionate about, with immediate impacts on teaching practice.

Coaching has the potential to transform not only an individual teacher’s work, but the very nature of faculty relationships and even school culture.”

As the Spring 2020 semester drew to a close, members of the PD Committee focused

(CONTINUED)

NEWARK ACADEMY

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NA NEWS

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FACULTY FOCUS

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15)

on developing another new

to help faculty prepare for the

initiative: an online course

Fall 2020 semester and the

to support the faculty’s

possibility of more remote or

summer work on curriculum

hybrid (partly in-person

“Designing the Online Student

adapting PD offerings at NA

Experience” and “Encourag-

and to continue prioritizing

ing Collaboration,” led by

faculty voices. Additional

Director of Studies and Class

teachers will rotate into the

of 2024 Dean Jeff Vinikoor;

instructional coaching posi-

“Promoting an Inclusive

tions, and the modules will

Learning Environment,”

remain accessible for faculty

led by Director of Equity and

to reference throughout the

Inclusion Gardy Guiteau;

academic year.

development, based on faculty

and partly remote) classes.

and student feedback on the

Modules included “Designing

remote learning experience.

Instruction for a Flexible

Consisting of eight modules

Teaching Environment,”

Lou Scerra.

created by PD Committee

led by Instructional Technol-

members, the course sought

ogist Stephanie Hammond;

The committee’s plan is to

coaching program at the

continue innovating and

National Association of

and “Engaging Students with Interactivity,” led by

“Our goal as a committee is to be flexible,” says Lou, who presented NA’s instructional

Independent Schools’ annual

‘‘

conference in Philadelphia in

Our goal as a committee is to be flexible. We know that our faculty share the same ‘passion for learning’ as our students, and we’re excited to continue to empower their growth and development.”

– Lou Scerra

February 2020. “We know that our faculty share the same ‘passion for learning’ as our students, and we’re excited to continue to empower their growth and development.”

NA teachers engage in

professional development

sessions (at left and below).

16

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SUMMER ADVENTURE Veteran Educator Nancy Celente is the New Director of the NA Summer Program

“How do you follow a legend?” That’s the question on Nancy Celente’s mind these days as

she steps into the role of director of Newark Academy’s highly successful Summer Program.

Nancy assumes the role with the retirement of Robert (Bob) Mallalieu, NA’s director of library services, who has been the driving force behind the NA Summer Program for the past 36 years.

(CONTINUED)

NEWARK ACADEMY

17

NA NEWS

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FACULTY FOCUS

successful in the past. My job is to make

NANCY CELENTE

sure we continue to give our students an outstanding experience. When we do

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17)

“As soon as I started, I loved it.

Working in the Summer Program

allows me to do things that I don’t

get to do during the school year.

And I get to work with people –

particularly students – who don’t

know just how special Newark

Academy is. I am very proud of

the fact that each year we get an

that, meeting fiscal goals is just one of

“At its root, our Summer Program is about educating children.

We can never, ever lose sight of that.”

– Nancy Celente

increasing number of students

applying to NA because of the experi-

Nancy also looks forward to the

challenge of making sure the program remains flexible and con-

tinues to grow. “I’m working with

the team to explore several ideas,

such as expanding our JumpStart

(kindergarten through second

grade) offerings, increasing the

number of skill-acquisition sports

offerings, and adding more STEM

ence they have in our Summer Program.”

programs,” she says.

already begun. Her early tasks include

of her summer adventure come from

Nancy notes that some of the best parts

Nancy’s work for Summer 2021 has

recruiting more than 75 faculty mem-

bers and planning the complex schedule

that allows students to choose from

advanced academic courses (NA does

not offer remedial education), multi-

week enrichment courses, and NA-X,

mini-courses taught exclusively by full-

time NA faculty and administrators. All

the while, she will be keeping a watchful

eye on the summer enrollment process

and the financial bottom line, which

typically brings nearly $2 million annu-

ally to NA’s operating budget. Nancy

attributes much of that success to the

program’s guiding principle of student-

centered decision-making.

“At its root, our Summer Program is

about educating children. We can never,

ever lose sight of that,” Nancy says.

“Every student and his or her parents are

coming to this program with a specific

need or interest in mind. As has been the

case under Bob’s leadership, we’re going

to focus first on serving the students’

Summer 2021 Learning Experiences at Newark Academy

June 28 - August 6

• Grades 1 - 12

Students will: Increase their skill-level, so they are better prepared

for a return to school in the fall

•

Engage in experiential learning

opportunities for leadership development

•

Gain new perspectives from

peers and instructors, to encourage participation and growth

Apply online today! www.newarka.edu/summer

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I WINTER 2021

smaller details – such as helping a par-

ent navigate the notorious car pick-up

line or providing a bagel breakfast to the

faculty each morning. “This job is really

about taking care of people,” she says.

“We have faculty members from other

schools who teach in our program who

tell me that teaching in NA’s Summer

Program is the highlight of their whole

school year. That is powerful. I plan to

keep it that way.”

best interests. That is what has made us

Step Ahead & Sharpen Your Skills:

18

the benefits.”

Choose among several offerings, including: Academic & Enrichment Programs

Meaningful discovery & skill development in advanced credit classes, STEM, arts, writing, sports, SAT/ACT Prep

NA-X Courses

EXclusively taught by NA faculty and administrators, with EXploratory courses in languages, financial literacy, philosophy, anatomy, coding

… and MORE!

Amy Emelianoff Takes a Final Bow at NA

After 31 years spent conducting countless musical performances, teaching hundreds of students and creating unforgettable memories, Amy Larkey-Emelianoff, Newark Academy’s beloved music teacher, retired in Spring 2020.

Before arriving at NA in 1989, Amy

Eventually, based on a recommenda-

“At that time, the music program

spent two years as a French horn per-

tion from a family whose sons she

was struggling,” Amy recalls. “There

formance major at the New England

privately tutored, Amy applied for

was no music program for sixth

Conservatory of Music in Boston and

a teaching position at Newark

graders or string players, students’

then transferred to Montclair State

Academy.

University in New Jersey, where she

(CONTINUED)

learned to play, remarkably, 11 additional instruments. She went on to spend seven years at the university as an adjunct music professor, teaching brass methods courses and horn lessons, conducting the orchestra, and creating and directing a brass chamber music ensemble that performed at numerous school functions.

‘‘

At that time, the music program was struggling. There was no music program for sixth graders or string players, students’ music reading skills were at the rudimentary level, and the complexity of the music that the Upper School band was playing was at a sixth-grade level.”

– Amy Emelianoff

NEWARK ACADEMY

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AMY EMELIANOFF (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19)

music reading skills were at the rudimentary level, and the complexity of the music that the Upper School band was playing was at a sixth-grade level.

Teachers and administrators told me they would cringe at the concerts because they were so out of tune!”

Amy received and accepted the position, eager to renovate the program.

“I had a vision, so I stuck to it,” she says. It took seven years before Amy’s vision fully came to light.

Throughout those rebuilding years,

performed in Seattle, Philadelphia,

ing and surprising, while developing in

Amy encountered apprehension from

Boston, New York City and

her students a love and a deep connec-

students newly challenged by the

Washington, D.C., and at the New

tion to music in all of its styles.”

music reading requirements. Despite

Jersey Performing Arts Center. The

the difficult adjustment, though, NA’s

orchestra has also commissioned

music program eventually thrived and

works from numerous New Jersey

expanded, with the introduction of a

composers. Amy attributes a great deal

wind ensemble, full orchestra, Middle

of the success of NA’s young musicians

School string ensemble, sixth-grade

to the school’s unique after-school

“borchestra” (a combination of band

music lesson program, which

Dean of Students Pegeen Galvin, who has known Amy since she first came to the school, also applauds her contributions to the arts at NA. “Amy’s elevation of classical music at Newark Academy is nothing short of triumphant – a tribute to her love of music and

‘‘

her dedication to

The teachers who changed my life were smart, scientific, and didn’t talk down to me. I wanted to give back to the next generation. I love music so much that I wanted people to feel what I feel.”

educating young people,” Pegeen says. “Amy moved easily between performing and teaching, as they are both callings for her. She thinks of herself as con-

and orchestra), marching band, pit

enables players to study privately

band for musicals, and several jazz

with the area’s top musician-teachers.

ensembles – including Chameleon, the school’s most advanced jazz band, which now touts its tenth-straight championship win under the current direction of Julius Tolentino.

20

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“Amy was visionary,” says Arts Department Chair Elaine Brodie. “She had a strong sense of what an education in instrumental music should look like – and sound like. She was an

Amy is most proud of the 45-piece

innovative and inspirational teacher,

Upper School Orchestra, which has

choosing repertoire that was challeng-

I WINTER 2021

tinuing the legacy of her own teachers, to whom she is deeply grateful. Nonetheless, she is singular in her talents as a performer-educator.”

When asked what drives her love of teaching music, Amy recalls her experiences growing up under the tutelage of both “horrible and great teachers.”

She remembers her own struggles to

LISTEN!

understand the physical adjustments

think I would have switched to the

needed to perform with a new instru-

horn if she did not push it. I wouldn’t

ment. “The teachers who changed my

have been exposed to different types of

life were smart, scientific, and didn’t

music and got into the conservatory.”

talk down to me,” she says. “I wanted to give back to the next generation.

I love music so much that I wanted people to feel what I feel.”

That shared love of her craft was

Pravan Chakravarthy ’21 also believes that Amy shaped his growth as a musician. Pravan took Amy’s June Term course, Musical Composition as Self-Expression, while in ninth grade,

deeply felt by Amy’s students.

and the class introduced him to a new

Peter Solomon ’00, now principal

passion. “I really enjoyed it because

French horn player with the Shanghai

Mrs. E made it really fun and informal,

Symphony Orchestra, recalls his

but she also taught me everything I

10th-grade orchestra trip with Amy,

wanted to know as a beginner – a great

when he was able to hear the Seattle

opportunity to dip my toes into the

Symphony rehearse. “I was blown

water,” Pravan says. “I was inspired

away by it – hearing the orchestra,

to write more throughout that summer

being exposed to Amy’s passion for

and beyond, exchanging some of my

music and to different kinds of music,

later musical ideas with Mrs. E.”

and having fun,” he says.

Pravan Chakravarthy ’21 wrote “Pieces of Spontaneity” under the guidance of Amy Emelianoff during June Term in Spring 2018. Pravan is planning to conduct a live version of his piece in 2021. Listen to a computer-generated recording by clicking here.

process, getting tips from her about which musicians to feature or what musical direction to follow in each section of the piece. I’m very thankful for her feedback and love how it’s turned out.” Pravan wrote the piece with the intention of having it performed at the May 2020 orchestra concert, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pravan holds a deep appreciation for

Pravan went on to write his first com-

Peter also credits Amy with his current

position for a large group of players,

love of the horn. It was Amy who

“Pieces of Spontaneity,” in Fall 2019.

encouraged him to switch from play-

Amy’s impending retirement served

ing the trumpet after noticing that

as an important motivation for the

his talents were more conducive to

composition. “I wanted to make it

the horn. He followed her recommen-

extra special to show my gratitude for

Amy’s assistance with improving his musical abilities. “Overall, I wouldn’t be in the same spot today, not only as a composer and violinist, but also as an admirer of all kinds of music, without having Mrs. E as a mentor throughout the past seven years,” he says.

dation and found the right fit. “I owe a

everything she’s taught me over the

Although Amy Emelianoff’s presence

vast majority of my career to my expe-

years,” Pravan says. “I consulted her

will be missed, her legacy at Newark

riences at NA,” Peter says. “I don’t

several times throughout the writing

Academy and connection to the NA community remain.

“Amy has been a wonderful colleague and a dear friend,” says Elaine Brodie.

“I have so admired her incredible passion for teaching and her boundless energy for the work. She cares deeply about her students, the music program, and Newark Academy.”

WATCH!

A few years ago, in celebration of Amy’s 25th year at NA, students and alumni recalled fond memories of their time in Amy’s classes. Click here to watch the video.

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FACULTY FOCUS

Convocation/Faculty and Staff Milestones On September 16, 2020, Newark Academy came together

virtually, while on the NA campus, in a celebration of the

5

Y E A R S

247th Convocation. The annual ceremony brought

together NA students, faculty, administrators and staff to commemorate the start of a new academic year and to recognize long-serving faculty and staff.

Due to COVID-19, the time-honored tradition was live-

Catherine Krtil

streamed through the NA YouTube channel, with students watching in individual advisor groups.

10

Head of School Donald M. Austin addressed the students,

as did Student Council President Mikey Marcus ’21. Dean of

Faculty Traci L. Osterhagen Brock recognized the faculty

Y E A R S

and staff longevity milestones, marking every five years.

NA’s faculty is noteworthy for its longevity, with current

tenures averaging more than 10 years – demonstrating that once they become a part of the community, teachers tend

to want to stay. At Convocation, the following faculty and

Andrew Alford

staff members were recognized for longevity milestones:

FIVE YEARS

Catherine Krtil Evan Nisenson Barbara Sine Joey Yow TEN YEARS

Andrew Alford David Beckman Tara DelRusso Drew Kesler Carlos Trujillo

FIFTEEN YEARS

Liz Bona-Beach Annette Brennan Andrei Ionescu Sal Quintos Scott Robinson Debra Ronan

TWENTY YEARS

15

Brian Stephenson Jay Torson

Y E A R S

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS Jean Moroz

THIRTY YEARS

Sam Goldfischer Bobby Kapps

FORTY-FIVE YEARS Anthony Ungaro

Liz Bona-Beach

20

Y E A R S

Brian Stephenson

22

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Jay Torson

Evan Nisenson

Barbara Sine

Joey Yow

David Beckman

Tara DelRusso

Drew Kesler

Carlos Trujillo

Annette Brennan

Andrei Ionescu

Sal Quintos

Scott Robinson

25

45

Y E A R S

30

Y E A R S

Y E A R S Jean Moroz

Debra Ronan

Sam Goldfischer

Bobby Kapps

Anthony Ungaro

NEWARK ACADEMY

23

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ATHLETICS

CELEBRATING CHALLENGE:

NA Charts a Course for Achieving ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE For the past 15 years (and perhaps longer), many conversations have occurred and many opinions espoused regarding the state of the athletics program at Newark Academy.

Across all constituent groups – from the oldest alumni to prospective students –

conversations around NA Athletics are, arguably, the most intensely debated topics within the community.

Several times during the past two decades, formal groups have been established to pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges for the program, but these discussions have resulted in little to no lasting progress.

The state of NA Athletics emerged as an important issue again in 2018–2019 during the Board of Trustees’ most recent

24

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hand from former Board of Trustees Chair (and highly successful former NA track and cross country coach) Jon Olesky ’74. The trio approached the project in three stages, including: n

Athletics myth or reality? n

strategic planning process.

While opinions varied widely regarding the quality, value and importance of the athletic program, the Board agreed that NA athletics did not exhibit the same standard of consistent excellence that is evidenced in academics and the arts. Having reached this consensus, the Board then included a directive in the

2019–2023 Strategic Plan to define athletic excellence and to pursue that excellence in a manner consistent with Newark Academy’s mission and values.

That process was led by Assistant Head of School for External Affairs Lisa Grider and Director of Athletics John Amosa, with a helping

Metrics review: Is the current perception of NA Focus groups: What do NA Athletics’ key stakeholders say about the program?

‘‘ n

for the pursuit of excellence

Through the course of each session, one sentiment that was consistently expressed was that Newark Academy students deserve to be offered an outstanding athletic experience just as they are in the classroom and in the arts.”

– Jon Olesky ’74

Creating and testing: Does this new definition ring true?

In the metric review phase, 10 years (2009–2019) of data were gathered in a number of categories, including overall participation in athletics by the student body, team success rates, success in contact versus non-contact sports and attrition rates of both coaches and student-athletes.

According to Director of Athletics John Amosa, analysis of the data confirmed much of the anecdotal comments that he was hearing since he joined NA in July 2019. “The review of these core metrics indicated that there are ‘pockets’ of excellence within Minuteman Athletics,” Amosa says, “but the overall metrics did not show consistent excellence, as measured by the increase or decline in team rosters, team and program winning percentages over 10 years, post-season successes and the length of time that our head coaches stay in their positions.”

members including current student-athletes, alumni student-athletes, other alumni, parents, alumni parents, coaches, faculty members, athletic staff members, administrative leaders and Trustees. Each focus group (was asked to consider the following questions:

n

n

n

n

What does athletic excel-

What aspects of NA’s current athletic program illustrate excellence?

n

What are the elements that must be in place for NA to pursue and achieve athletic excellence?

n

How should athletic excellence at NA be measured?

Could excellence be attained

lence look like for a school

in other areas of NA and

with Newark Academy’s

serve as a model or guide

characteristics?

for the pursuit of athletic excellence?

What examples from NA’s past demonstrate athletic

n

What examples from other

excellence and how was

schools or organizations

that achieved?

might be useful as a guide

in NA athletics? n

What are “non-negotiables” in the pursuit of athletic excellence for NA?

The focus groups and individual interviews were conducted

by Jon Olesky ’74. “Our goal in these conversations was to gain a wide range of perspectives on NA Athletics,” Olesky says. “We were very clear that we were not trying to gain consensus at this stage. Instead, we were trying to identify consistent themes that emerged in all the discussions.”

Olesky notes that initially, some participants expressed concern that the pursuit of athletic excellence would require that Newark Academy compromise its values. “The discussions’ emphasis on defining excellence within the school’s existing culture resolved most of those concerns,” Olesky says. Some constituents came to the

(CONTINUED)

The second phase of the project featured a series of focus groups, conducted over a six-month period, with more than 100 NA community

NEWARK ACADEMY

25

ATHLETICS

program by the athletics

Other consistent themes that emerged from the focus groups included:

administrative staff n

Inconsistency in NA’s approach to athletics in the past 25 years

n

Admission

Administration

ti v

Qua

o cy en

lity Coaching

er-Oriented act ar S Ch

als

u

Serious

E

ns

is

t

iv

Ac

co

un

of

NA

m p e t i ti v e

g hl

y-O rga niz

ed

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The vital role of quality coaches

NEWARK ACADEMY’S STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR ATHLETICS

26

The role of the Middle School in athletic excellence

n

Athletic excellence at Newark Academy is defined as offering an outstanding experience for every student-athlete, at every level, through a program of serious and competitive teams which are highly-organized, grounded in solid fundamentals, character oriented and emotionally rewarding, resulting in school unity and reputational strength.

The need for professional management of the

rt s

exercise with significant skepticism that anything would change. “Through the course of each session, one sentiment that was consistently expressed was that Newark Academy students deserve to be offered an outstanding athletic experience

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just as they are in the classroom and in the arts.”

po

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25)

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NA NEWS

st ini

A dmi n i st ra t ion

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ti

Consensus did emerge from the focus groups on one important concept – that any definition of excellence for Newark Academy must be grounded in the student experience.

The belief that NA is, first and foremost, dedicated to student learning, growth and development, was reinforced repeatedly by the participants. Although other institutions might build a definition of athletic excellence around victories, championship trophies, the number of NCAA Division I and professional athletes in the alumni body, the participants stated that Newark Academy can and should pursue student-centered athletic excellence.

Armed with reams of data and hundreds of pages of quotations from focus group participants, the Defining Athletic Excellence team presented the project’s result to the NA Board of Trustees in January 2020. After thorough discussion and consideration, the Board approved the statement of Newark Academy’s standard of excellence for athletics: Athletic excellence at Newark Academy is defined

as offering an outstanding experience for every studentathlete, at every level, through a program of serious and competitive teams which are highly-organized, grounded in solid fundamentals, character oriented and emotionally rewarding, resulting in school unity and reputational strength.

This definition is illustrated (as seen on page 26) and further described through a series of concentric circles that places student-athletes at the center of all efforts and initiatives. According to Assistant Head of School Lisa Grider, this definition of athletic excellence gives Minuteman Athletics a clear roadmap for the future and a way to measure progress toward achievement. “This definition is ambitious but absolutely achievable,” Grider says. “We’ve now put a stake in the ground about our expectations – for our policies, our practices, our coaches – and it all comes back to the student-athlete experience. We will measure

everything against this definition.”

Athletic Director Amosa will work alongside other members of the NA administration and the athletic staff on a number of new strategies and initiatives in pursuit of excellence. “We began implementing new initiatives – such as new coaches and student-athlete guidelines, procedures for studentathlete recognition and

‘‘

We’ve now put a stake in the ground about our expectations – for our policies, our practices, our coaches – and it all comes back to the student-athlete experience. We will measure everything against this definition.”

– Lisa Grider

revision of the coaches’ evaluation process – right away,” Amosa says. “We have a number of other initiatives that will be rolled out over the next

24 months or so to bring us up to this level of excellence.

Then, we will continue to evaluate our teams each season and our overall program

each year so that we can identify opportunities for further improvement. There is no doubt in my mind that in a relatively short period of time athletics at Newark Academy will be considered a strength – both for students and families within the school and for prospective students and families.”

Amosa and his staff have developed a list of action items and timelines in order to regularly and consistently report to the Board and the larger community progress in pursuit of this ambitious and achievable goal.

NEWARK ACADEMY

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NA NEWS

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ATHLETICS

COACHES IN THE BUILDING

Lead to Lasting Results While Newark Academy athletic practices run from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. each day, the coaching of the

Minutemen athletes extends well beyond that time.

From advisor groups to classes and clubs, many NA

coaches are in the building full-time, making them omnipresent in the student-athletes’ lives.

“That offers some real

feel comfortable talking with,

Director John Amosa says.

connection with coaches just

stability for kids,” Athletic “Throughout the day, if they need to see a coach and it’s

an emergency – as opposed to maybe texting, hoping

your coach sees that text –

you know where to find them.

You can find your assistant coaches around the place.

I think that is what it really

offers kids. It offers a little bit of consistency.”

NA’s student-athletes reap

the benefits of that consis-

tency. Kate Fishbone ’22 is a

three-sport athlete, excelling in soccer, basketball and

lacrosse and receiving postseason honors in all three

sports. Kate values being able to see her soccer head coach,

Scott Rowling, after school as well as in his role as an Upper

School math teacher. She also appreciates seeing her bas-

ketball head coach, Liz Bona, in the hallways or her office, where she serves as NA’s

associate athletic director.

“It’s obviously really important for students to have

adults in the building they

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and you already have the

from sports, but having them in the building too means they’re always available,”

Kate says. “Especially Coach

Rowling and Coach Bona are always open if you want to go to their offices and talk to them in the middle of

the day about anything –

it doesn’t have to be sports.

They’re always there, which

Kate Fishbone ’22 excels at being a three-sport athlete, with assistance from her NA coaches.

‘‘

It’s obviously really important for students to have adults in the building they feel comfortable talking with, and you already have the connection with coaches just from sports, but having them in the building too means they’re always available.”

– Kate Fishbone

is nice because you can’t get that from a coach who’s not in school.”

Given that these coaches are

in the NA building, they have a much better feel for the

culture of the school and the rigors that come with the

high standard of academics.

One example Kate cites:

Coach Bona will lighten up

the practice schedule during

finals in December – an espe-

cially stressful period – to give students extra time to study.

Above all else, though,

the greatest value comes from the relationships between coaches and student-athletes.

Liz Bona supports her athletes as a coach and the full-time associate athletic director at NA.

“The other advantage is you

As the number of NA coaches

pulse. You see them grow

employees continues to grow,

always have a finger on the

“Like teaching – and most other professions – coaching is all about relationships.”

– Lou Scerra

through middle school and

who are also full-time NA

so do the benefits for student-

your relationship grows. You

athletes and the Academy as

So when they do become

“Having coaches that are in

create a rapport with them.

freshmen and sophomores,

a whole, as John Amosa notes: the building helps not only for

the program’s not starting

my relationship with the kids,

a cyclical transition. As sen-

the institution.”

from zero, but it’s almost just iors graduate, these freshmen

but for relationships with

and sophomores are ready to

compete. So we’re in a very, very good spot right now.”

“Like teaching – and

most other professions –

coming into the

school and students that

coaching is all about relation-

went through the Wilf Middle

is the girls’ and boys’ varsity

in being able to plan out what

ships,” says Lou Scerra, who

tennis head coach, an English and humanities teacher,

and NA’s director of institu-

School, you get a head start your program is going to

look like,” Hernando says.

tional research and strategy.

“It’s so much easier to build relationships when players and coaches spend the day together. Through team

lunches, informal check-ins

and more, we’re able to forge relationships, build our team culture, and grow closer as a team.”

For someone like Hernando Santamaria, an NA Spanish

teacher who has recently taken on roles as boys’ varsity soccer head coach and Middle School equity and inclusion coordinator, the dual faculty and

coaching positions enable him

to build stronger relationships.

“A prime example is this year: having seven freshmen and a

combination of new students

Hernando Santemaria guides the boys’ varsity soccer team both on and off the field, with roles as a teacher and equity and inclusion coordinator.

NEWARK ACADEMY

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NA NEWS

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ADMISSION

REIMAGINING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:

NA Admission Provides Greater Access to the NA Experience Each year, Newark Academy receives approximately 600 applications from families seeking the NA experience. From this pool, between 112 and 115 new students are admitted and enroll for the upcoming academic year.

While interest in attending NA remains at an impressively high level, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of prospective students and families who need financial assistance to help with the cost of tuition and fees.

Recognizing this shift early in the pandemic, the Office of Financial Aid redesigned its communications to families seeking financial aid. This newly packaged information is part of the department’s overall effort to reimagine the admission process in light of social distancing and a campus that is closed to visitors.

“In general, the admission process for an independent education can be overwhelming, particularly for those families who are considered private schools for the first time. Choosing a school is a personal decision and a real financial commitment for families,” Director of Admission and Enrollment Management Keith Fischer says. “With the greater need for financial assistance, we saw the opportunity to better serve prospective families by adjusting our processes.

The changes we have made make our staff much more customer-focused and ensure that prospective families can make informed decisions about the advantages of an NA education.

One important part of this is helping our families understand the opportunities are available for assistance with paying for a Newark Academy education.”

Led by Director of Admission Operations and Financial Aid Alexis Sommers, NA did a complete reassessment of its overall financial aid picture. Two areas of improvement were identified in that

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exercise. The first was the need for greater clarity in communicating to prospective parents the levels of household incomes that likely qualify for aid. “We noticed that many prospective families were unaware that they qualify for need-based financial aid, so the opportunity for assistance was being missed,” Ms. Sommers said. “We realized that we needed to take a more personalized approach with our prospective families in order to increase their awareness around the affordability of an NA education.”

Affording a Newark Academy Education video

To demystify the financial aid process during this year’s admission cycle, the Office of Admission and Enrollment Management hosted several dedicated webinars to share information and answer questions regarding financial aid. Families also have the option of having virtual one-on-one meetings with a member of the Admission staff to address their individual circumstances.

In addition to these events, the Office of Admission and Enrollment Management completely redesigned the admission portion of the school’s website and added a new video that uses engaging graphics to share essential information

about NA’s financial aid process The new webpages also include virtual campus tours, led by current NA students, and an interactive, 360-degree overview of the school’s facilities.

The second issue that emerged from the Admission process review was the need to provide more information to families about costs beyond tuition and fees and the extent to which Newark Academy can assist with those. Costs beyond tuition include necessities such as books, transportation and technology equipment, as well as highly desirable “extras” like athletic team (non-required) apparel and club/activity/sport offcampus trips. “We review these costs beyond tuition each year and make a concerted effort to keep those costs down,” Alexis said. “Most recently, we have partnered with the Department of Athletics to develop a voucher program that allows our student-athletes who receive financial aid to be able to purchase auxiliary team gear.” Also in the works is a firm limit on the cost of athletic pre-season training trips.”

“Every student at Newark Academy should be able to enjoy the full experience,” Alexis said. “By being transparent with our families about what these costs are and the extent to which NA can help them with those costs is an important part of our financial aid program.”

Though the impact of these changes to NA’s admission communications won’t be measured until the 2021–22 admission cycle concludes in early April, early feedback from prospective families has been very positive. “The response has been great. Many families have said that these are helpful additions,” Keith says.

“When these families thank us, we remind them that it is because of the generosity of our community – our parents, alums, faculty and staff – that we are able to offer financial aid. By doing this, we aren’t just issuing a decision about financial aid, we’re building the future – for their child and for Newark Academy.”

TWO COURAGEOUS PATHS (50 YEARS APART)

’69 ’19

DR. ELEBY R. WASHINGTON III

IVY BETHEA

ONE PROMISING FUTURE

A Pair of NA's Black Alumni Reflects on Their Experiences

NEWARK ACADEMY

31

IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY, THERE’S ONE TRUTH TO CLING TO: Change is challenging, uncomfortable, and inevitable. Newark Academy graduates of all generations make their way through enormous change — personal, professional and societal.

IN

the wake of events last summer that drew the

The times were challenging, says Eleby. His paternal

nation’s attention to issues of equity, inclusion

grandfather was killed by the Klu Klux Klan and his father –

and racial justice, LUMEN sat down with two

also an orthopedic surgeon – had to move around a lot to

Black alumni (and their friends), who graduated 50 years

find places to be trained after he served in the military and

apart, and asked them to reflect on their Newark Academy

graduated from Howard University. “We were in the south,

experiences and the school’s progress toward diversity,

and that’s pretty much how it was,” says Eleby.

inclusion and equity.

Eventually, the family moved north and his father became

California orthopedic surgeon Dr. Eleby R. Washington III,

the first African American orthopedic surgeon to practice

a member of NA’s Class of 1969 is the first African-

in Newark. From there, Dr. Washington found his way to

American graduate of Newark Academy. Dr. Washington

Newark Academy.

has been living with change since the day he was born at the only hospital in Greensboro, NC, where a Black woman could give birth or get modern medical attention.

“Greensboro was a hotbed of the civil rights movement,”

Nearly 50 years later, Ivy Bethea, a member of NA’s Class of 2019, also found her way to Newark Academy, where much had changed and much had stayed the same since the days Dr. Washington walked the halls. Ivy, whose family

Eleby recalls. “There weren’t any medical facilities for

lives in Roselle, arrived at NA on the heels of her sister,

Black and brown people where I lived. My uncle – a promi-

Ahlia Bethea ’13. “My older sister attended NA and from

nent civil rights leader in the south – later fought that in

what I saw from her experience, I thought it would be a

the Supreme Court and won [Simkins vs. Moses Cone

good fit for me,” Ivy says.

Memorial Hospital].”

LUMEN: What do you recall about your first days at

and eventually became successful judges, Eleby remained

Newark Academy?

at NA, matriculating to Brown University for his under-

ELEBY WASHINGTON ’69: “The mid-50s was the beginning of white flight (out of Newark and surrounding urban

Physicians and Surgeons for his medical education.

areas),” Eleby says. “Newark was becoming a chocolate city,

“I came to NA when I was in 5th or 6th grade,” Eleby says.

a Black city, and Newark Academy was wrestling with

“I was not initially prepared for the academic rigor of the

whether they should admit Black children …“My cousin,

school, but I had a teacher, Mrs. Catherine Lynam, who

Richard Bland, was one of the first Blacks to be allowed to

taught me how to think on my feet. When I got there, I had

attend NA,” Eleby says. “My father thought it would be a

to catch up. She would ask me math questions over and

good place for us,” he says. While Eleby’s brother and

over again,” he recalls.

cousin transferred to other schools from Newark Academy

32

graduate degree and Columbia University College of

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Dr. Eleby R. Washington III ’69 at home in Los Angeles.

IVY BETHEA ’19: “There were a small percentage of Black

‘‘

students, less than 10 percent, in my graduating class and a few Hispanic students,” Ivy says. “Considering that it was

I wasn’t sure I was fitting in … it was all white.

But I gradually caught up and developed friendships through sports and I tried to fit in. These friends let me do that – and we’ve remained friends over the years.”

– Dr. Eleby Washington III

2015 or so, there wasn’t as much diversity as there could have been.

“Our class only had 60 members,” Bill Simon recalled, “so LUMEN: Do you recall feeling “other” or did you

you pretty much knew every person in your class. Eleby and

feel welcomed?

I developed a very, very strong friendship,” Bill says. “I’m

ELEBY WASHINGTON ’69: “High school was a somewhat confusing time for me. There was a lot going on – the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement,” Eleby says.

sure it was different from his standpoint as the only African American.” Today their friendship remains strong, helped along by the fact that they both reside in Los Angeles.

“I wasn’t sure I was fitting in … it was all white. But I

Leo also cherishes his friendship with Eleby and with all the

gradually caught up and developed friendships through

members of the Class of ’69. “It’s hard for me to imagine

sports and I tried to fit in. These friends let me do that –

what it was like to be an African American student in a pre-

and we’ve remained friends over the years.”

Among Dr. Washington’s many friends in the Class of ’69, he asked to recognize two in particular — William E. (Bill) Simon and the Honorable Leo M. Gordon, both of whom are former members of the Newark Academy Board of Trustees.

Eleby’s friendship with Bill Simon was forged on the football field and tennis court at NA. Today Eleby and Bill maintain their friendship as fellow residents of Los Angeles.

dominantly white environment,” Leo says, “Nevertheless, hindsight enables us to now understand that Eleby’s experiences at NA, while similar in many ways, had to be different.”

IVY BETHEA ’19: While Ivy voiced appreciation for much of her Newark Academy experience, she recalled a less-than-positive time during and after the 2016 presidential election.

(CONTINUED)

NEWARK ACADEMY

33

“Following that election, I felt as if there was a culture shift within the hallways.

I personally saw students speaking more openly about their views on a number of topics (including racial diversity) and that in turn transformed into a somewhat negative environment at times. During Spirit Week, a student brought a flag to school (the Gadsden flag, which has been used as symbol by white supremecist groups).”

Like Eleby, Ivy’s strong friendships with fellow students, teachers and coaches were significant in making her feel a part of the NA community. “My fondest moment as a NA student was scoring 1,000 points [basketball] on Senior Night,” Ivy says. “It

now be called a community service project. Teaming up with a member of the English faculty, Eleby recalled: “We were able to get some of my classmates involved and initially we went down to the church in Newark to tutor younger students. Eventually, arrangements were made to bring the children to the campus in Livingston for the tutoring program. We expanded it to participating in physical activities with the students, including swimming in the Olympic sized pool, which the kids loved,” he says. “I would say that this was my first exposure to the pipeline concept in which if you are given an opportunity it's incumbent upon you to reach back and give others like you an opportunity.”

LUMEN: Which members of the NA faculty had the most impact on you?

Eleby Washington ’69: “Bob Hendrickson, my physical

was magical because all of the people

education teacher and coach, was a good gentleman,”

I love dearest were there to support me.”

Eleby says. “He completely treated me as just another

She cites her 9th grade Ancient World teacher,

student. I always appreciated that.”

Kirsti Morin, and her volleyball coach, Bella Galvez, among

Ivy Bethea ’19: Having already mentioned Ms. Morin and

her closest friends and allies at NA. “Ms. Morin and Coach

Coach Galvez, Ivy noted that she remains in close contact

Galvez helped shape me in so many ways,” Ivy recalls.

through an online group called “NA VB Never Dies,” where

“I love them, and I still call on them when I need to navigate

she gathers with Coach Galvez and volleyball teammates

this crazy world of being an adult.”

for regular check-ins. Despite being the only Black alumni

LUMEN: Beyond the classroom what kinds of activities did you get involved in at NA? Ivy Bethea ’19: A two-sport (basketball and volleyball) captain and a member of the Minuteman Society and the Honor Council, Ivy noted that “the dynamic of a team and the leadership responsibilities that came with being a captain gave me skills that I use every day.” Further she said that through her work on the Honor Council, she

‘‘

NA helped me learn how to advocate for myself. I felt as though it prepared me for an independent adult life. I have been able to handle and deal with tough situations that other incoming freshmen might not have been able to handle.”

– Ivy Bethea

learned to “put personal biases aside and to to separate the case from the person.”

She also cited serving as a Peer Leader as particularly

within the group, Ivy comfortably and openly shares her

helpful in equipping her with the teamwork, team building,

thoughts on racial equity issues at NA. “Hearing from Ivy

and conflict resolution skills that are “all really important

when our group met over the summer was interesting and

things to have in life. Talking to people younger than me and

powerful at the same time,”Coach Galvez said.

being a Peer Leader prepared me for being an R.A. (Resident Assistant at Pennsylvania State University's Harrisburg

LUMEN: What life skills did you gain from your

residence halls) and for my major (psychology),” she says.

NA education?

Eleby Washington ’69: A three-sport athlete, basketball

Eleby Washington ’69: “NA did an excellent job in prepar-

team captain and member of the School Council and the

ing me for the future,” Eleby says. “It gave me a solid

Key Club, Eleby also led his fellow students in what would (CONTINUED)

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Ivy Bethea at Pennsylvania State University’s Harrisburg campus.

NEWARK ACADEMY

35

foundation which helped me succeed academically. It allowed me to have a platform for understanding conceptual ideas, which has improved my reasoning skills. If it hadn’t been for the people who went ahead of me, I wouldn’t be where I am.”

Ivy Bethea ’19: “I learned to stand up for myself and speak out about things that were morally wrong,” Ivy says.

“NA helped me learn how to advocate for myself. I felt as though it prepared me for an independent adult life. I have been able to handle and deal with tough situations that other incoming freshmen might not have been able to handle.”

LUMEN: What were your impressions of Newark Academy’s responses to last summer’s calls for equity, inclusion and racial justice by its students and alumni?

the Greater Newark Urban Coalition) came to speak.

Those were interesting times, just like now. I remember him getting booed. There absolutely was institutional racism at NA.” When looking back on NA’s history and its path ahead, Eleby encourages the school and its alumni to embrace change. “NA is an interesting institution. It has the history to become great. This is not about destroying the institution, it’s about moving it forward,” he says.

Ivy Bethea ’19: “I am living through another time when police brutality is more prevalent in the Black community,” she says. “I can see myself and my family members in those situations and it could have been any of us.” She continues, “NA is going in the right direction, but like any change of this magnitude, there is still more to be done. From what I have seen through alumni communication, it seems as

Eleby Washington ’69: “I remember, from when I was an

though NA is doing more to address racial issues and better

NA student, when Gus Heningburg (Founding President of

support the student body.”

‘‘

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The greatest thing Newark Academy offered me was an opportunity. The sky can be the limit when people are just given an opportunity to succeed.”

– Dr. Eleby Washington III

Ivy cited some recent examples of this “right direction,” including the July 2020 Equity and Inclusion Summit, as well as a letter to all alumni from Head of School Donald M. Austin that reinforced NA’s commitment to the values of inclusion and outlined next steps toward becoming a more equitable and inclusive school. “It was heartwarming to see (at the Equity and Inclusion Summit) so many of NA’s alumni

‘‘

Speak up and stand in your truth. And take advantage of all the resources available. It is important to expose yourself to as many people and clubs as possible because that is what the real world is like.”

– Ivy Bethea

of all races speak out about racism and then offer ideas on how Newark Academy can increase awareness of racial issues impacting the Black and brown community,” Ivy said.

LUMEN: What advice would you give to Newark Academy, and its students, to become a more equitable and inclusive school?

he says. “Our students and alums are focused on the issues, but they need to be able to see ahead, into the future, and be on the cutting edge, making changes before others, particularly when it comes to leadership and board membership.

You need diversity, mutual experiences, and the under-

Ivy Bethea ’19: Ivy stresses the importance for alumni

standing of all people.This is a constant work in progress.

staying connected to NA, “especially if they want to chime

All we can hope is to take small steps forward,” he says.

in and contribute to making decisions about how the school should move forward.”

As for current NA students, Ivy advises them to “speak up and stand in your truth. And take advantage of all the

LUMEN: Any final thoughts about Newark Academy or your NA experience?

Eleby Washington ’69: “The greatest thing Newark

resources available,” she says. “It is important to expose

Academy offered me was an opportunity. The sky can be the

yourself to as many people and clubs as possible because

limit when people are just given an opportunity to succeed.”

that is what the real world is like.”

Ivy Bethea ’19: “Newark Academy will always be my home,”

Eleby Washington ’69: “The nature of change is uncomfort-

Ivy adds. “I’ve met some good people there and I want to

able. The arc of justice is long. The time to get on board is in

keep those relationships alive.”

the early stages, not after others have already set the path,”

LUMEN: Where are they now?

Eleby Washington ’69: Eleby resides in Los Angeles with

who will return to practice and serve their own Los Angeles community. He also has a special place in his heart for NA.

his wife, Pam. They have a son and two daughters. He is still

Ivy Bethea ’19: Ivy is a sophomore at Penn State

trailblazing and giving back. After many years in private

University’s Harrisburg campus, where

practice, he now serves as Professor and Chairman of the

she is a part of the 2+2 program

Department of Surgery and Orthopedic Surgery at Charles R.

that allows students to complete

Drew University of Medicine and Science. He is also the

their final years of studies at

Lead Physician and Director of Orthopedic Service at the

another Penn State campus. Ivy

Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center and the Director

will transition to the main cam-

of Orthopedic Service at Martin Luther King Jr. Community

pus, University Park, where she will

Hospital in Los Angeles. In 2019, he was awarded the

finish her undergraduate psychology degree with

Martin Luther King Lifetime Achievement Award by the

a focus on genetics. “My goal is to be a genetics

Cooperative of American Physicians for his “commitment to

counselor. I always had a passion for talking with

serving the underserved and inspiring the next generation.”

Eleby devotes much of his time overseeing pipeline programs to train the next generation of doctors and surgeons

and helping people and I always enjoyed biology, so these fields just made sense,” she adds.

“I am fascinated by how things work.”

(CONTINUED)

NEWARK ACADEMY

37

Alums Dr. Washington, William B. Simon, Jr. ’69 and John Newman ’69 enjoy a memorable tennis competition against the NA girls’ tennis team during their 50th reunion in 2019.

LUMEN: What do others say about Eleby and Ivy? NA Faculty Member and Middle School Counselor Kirsti Morin on Ivy Bethea: “Ivy is incredibly compassionate. She was one of those students whose smile stays with you. She has a warm and friendly approach to life and she has a great sense of humor, which makes for lots of laughter when you

to California over the years and we always catch up with Eleby,” Leo said. “At our 50th Reunion (October 2019) Eleby, Bill Simon and John Newman played in a few memorable tennis sets against the NA’s girls’ tennis team.

That was just great!”

are in her presence. What set Ivy apart as a learner at NA is

Bill Simon ’69 on Eleby Washington: “Eleby is and always

that she jumped into new experiences that forced her to

has been a very good guy, a gentleman, one of the finest

challenge herself. She took healthy risks in the classroom,

human beings I have ever met personally and profession-

from leading a debate to taking an essay to the next level.”

Leo Gordon ’69 on Eleby Washington: “We never lost track of Eleby over all these years. He’s one of our guys. We’ve always cheered for each other and pulled for one another, as members of the Class of ’69. The bonds we developed at NA as classmates, and more importantly, as friends have stayed with us for 55 years. Will Green (classmate and former

38

Chairman of the NA Board of Trustees) and I have traveled

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I WINTER 2021

ally.” Noting Eleby’s generosity of spirit, Bill said: “Eleby continues to use his experiences towards helping … He’s looking for ways to make a difference, particularly in this time of COVID. He is a reminder of what really matters in life. It is not all the diplomas on the wall. It’s the people you’ve helped and Eleby gets the gold.”

STEADY PROGRESS:

An Equity & Inclusion Update In summer 2020, the national protests surrounding the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and

Ahmaud Arbery spurred critical conversations about institutional racism, racial equity and social justice among members of the Newark Academy community.

These honest conversations with students, parents,

important that we model support for diversity, inclusion,

and Inclusion Summit, which took place on July 1 and 2.

The training provided us with tools to improve the speed

alumni, faculty and staff culminated into NA’s Equity

Following the summit, the NA community produced 12 key recommendations and supporting strategies to create a more inclusive community, which are outlined in the Summit Summary Report.

Since the Equity and Inclusion Summit, Newark Academy

equity and justice for every member of our community. and scope of our progress and elevate accountability for results. I’m excited about the formation of a new

Trustee sub-committee that will help us become a fully inclusive institution,” Lisa says.

has taken several action steps to fulfill these commitments.

This includes the introduction of a community pledge

entitled the Community Commitments for Belonging;

the establishment of a series of protocols designed to both

prevent and interrupt bias-related incidents in and outside the NA classroom, entitled the Bias Response and

Education System (page 49); and trainings for students, employees and volunteer leaders (Board of Trustees, Alumni Board of Governors and NAPA).

The NA administrative leadership team was trained on best practices for implementing equity and inclusion

goals and actions. Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee, a noted equity and diversity trainer and the faculty member/Outreach

Newark Academy’s Quarterly Equity & Inclusion Report

Coordinator at Seattle Girls School, presented to the

administrative leadership team and guided their discussions during the training.

Another highly regarded diversity trainer, Dr. Harold Eugene

Batiste III, Chief Diversity Officer at St. John’s School, in

Houston drew from his more than 20 years of experience to lead the Newark Academy Board of Trustees in two training sessions during October and November 2020.

According to NA Director of Equity and Inclusion Gardy

Guiteau, “The Board of Trustees invested significant time

participating in the training to advance the entire school’s engagement on these issues. It was a welcomed effort to

sharpen our minds around equity and inclusion within NA as well as its wider implications.”

Lisa Powers, a current NA parent and Trustee, stressed the

importance of the Board of Trustees, as the leadership body

Through the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Newark Academy will be reporting regularly to the community through a

formal reporting system. The first Equity and Inclusion

Quarterly Report was produced in November 2020.

The report and the Equity and Inclusion Dashboard are

accessible through the Newark Academy website.

of the school, actively participating in equity and inclusion efforts. “As the governing body of Newark Academy, it is

NEWARK ACADEMY

39

ALUMNI NEWS

New Alumni Board of Governors for 2020–2021 The Newark Academy Alumni Board of Governors welcomed six new members to the group for the 2020–2021

school year. This expansion allows the board to increase its engagement with the NA alumni of all ages.

Meet the new members:

Nicole Andrzejewski ’13 New York, NY

In 2017, Nicole moved to New York City to start her career in healthcare consulting.

She now works on the strategy team at Maven Clinic, a healthcare start-up focused on women’s and family health. While a student at Newark Academy, Nicole served as the school council president and ran cross country and track. She then attended Washington University in St. Louis, where she double majored in international studies and economics and strategy. Nicole serves as as NA Class Ambassador and has attended a number of alumni events.

Jade-Addon Hall ’98 Los Angeles, CA

Jade-Addon Hall is the Director of Current Series at Lionsgate TV, where he oversees shows currently on air, working with writers and showrunners to mold their pilots into multiple season shows. In this role he staffs writers and directors across multiple series, in addition to making a host of creative production related decisions. Jade is known for his work previously in premium television at BET which includes developing and overseeing season one of “Twenties” with Lena Waithe, and helping to launch BET’s first premium streaming network, BET+. He also shepherded and developed BET+’s first two scripted original series,

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“First Wives Club” with Tracy Oliver and “Bigger” with Felischa Marye. Prior to working at BET, Jade developed television for the Disney Channel and Disney XD. While at Newark Academy, Jade was a three sport athlete and following NA, he earned his B.A. in Psychology and MFA in Television Radio and Film from Syracuse University. He is a consistent supporter of NA and an attendee of alumni events.

Sydney Hershman ’11 Durham, NC

Sydney has worked in digital marketing in New York City for several companies, including American Express, Travelers Insurance, Comcast and most recently Mastercard. She studied Spanish and journalism at the University of WisconsinMadison and is currently an MBA student at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Throughout her time at Newark Academy, Sydney participated in a variety of activities, from varsity swimming to IB Art. She also participated in the first-ever immersion trip to Pontevedra, Spain.

Post-college, Sydney was a student leader on that same trip and had the opportunity to connect with then current students and share her love of foreign language and culture – which were developed from her time with Spanish teachers at NA. Ultimately, this passion is what led her to become a Spanish major in college, and she still keeps in touch with her friends in Pontevedra – 10 years later. Sydney serves as a class ambassador.

Jordan Jett ’11 New York, NY

Jordan began his career in 2015 at Bain & Co., where he has been involved in a variety of areas, including customer experience, private equity due diligence, and growth strategy. In 2018, Jordan moved to a middle market private equity fund at AEA Investors, in its value added industrial products group. In addition to his work within different industries, Jordan is heavily involved in the firm’s mentoring program, partnering with high school students and helping them throughout their college process. Jordan was a member of Newark Academy’s football, basketball and track teams. In college, he studied entrepreneurship, marketing, and operations at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. At UPenn, Jordan participated in varsity track and field; the Black Wharton Undergraduate Association (BWUA), helping Black students at Penn prepare and succeed in the workforce; and the Big Brothers-Big Sisters program. Jordan is a frequent attendee at NA events and has volunteered for NA by helping with college interview preparations, attending networking nights, participating on alumni panels and serving as a class ambassador.

Kathleen Mangunay Pergament ’95 Montclair, NJ

After attending Newark Academy, Kathleen earned her B.S. in biopsychology from Vassar College and a master’s from the Yale School of Public Health.

She received her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

A faculty member of the Department of Medicine

at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, Kathleen provides compassionate, individualized primary care to her patients. She also performs cervical and breast cancer screenings for uninsured women in Essex County through Rutgers’ SAVE Program.

Her clinical interests include overcoming barriers in women’s health. Kathleen’s favorite classes at NA included English with Ms. Mahoney and AP art history with Ms. Galvin. She credits the late Mrs. Newman with being a wonderful mentor to her and helping her “find her voice.” Kathleen is an active NA volunteer, which includes her services as a Class Ambassador since 2015.

This year she recruited classmates to attend the 2020 virtual reunion and mentors Newark Academy alumni interested in medical careers. She lives in Montclair with her husband and three sons.

Rasheea Williams Hall ’95 Los Angeles, CA

Rasheea has served as the Vice President, Broadcast Standards & Practices (BS&P) for Fox Broadcasting Company, since November 2015. In this role, she helps protect the TV network from potential Federal Communications Commission infringements and fines by ensuring all entertainment programming is appropriate for primetime broadcast distribution.

Prior to joining Fox in 2006, she worked for MTV and PBS. Rasheea is an active Newark Academy alumna, regularly attending regional events and each of her milestone class reunions, and she was the recipient of the 2020 Alumni Achievement Award. While at NA, Rasheea participated in the school council, speech and debate, The Minuteman, chorus and band. Originally from Newark, Rasheea earned her B.S. in psychology from Wellesley College (magna cum laude) and her master's degree in broadcast journalism from Columbia University. Now a resident of Los Angeles, she and her husband have two daughters, ages 7 and 9.

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Donald Schlenger ’39 and Jerome Bess ’40 R E F L E C T O N N E WA R K A C A D E M Y A N D B E Y O N D Classmates and friends Donald Schlenger ’39 (left), and Jerome Bess ’40 (right), recently celebrated their 80th reunions. Here they reflect on their time at the Academy and how it set the foundation for the rest

of their lives, which included fighting in World War II, before successful careers, and meaningful personal lives.

NEARLY HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY,

Donald Schlenger ’39 Fondly Recalls NA When Donald Schlenger ’39 was a freshman at Columbia High School in South Orange, New Jersey he didn’t enjoy going to school and missed being with his friends, many of whom, like Jerome Bess ’40 (see story on page 43), had left the local public school for

private schools in the area. Convincing his father to let him attend Newark Academy,

Mr. Schlenger began taking the train from Maplewood to the First Street school building in Newark. It was the place where he found happiness.“It was such an amazing place,” Donald said. Looking back as he celebrated the 80th Reunion of his NA graduating class, Mr. Schlenger especially noted the impact of his teachers, “English teacher Albert Davis was my favorite. He was the finest gentleman,” he said.

In special recognition of Mr. Schlenger’s 80th Newark Academy Reunion, the Office of Alumni Relations sent him a speciallycreated “Reunion in a Box” and made plans, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, to visit Mr. Schlenger in Florida to help him celebrate. Unfortunately, the trip has yet to be made. According to Assistant Director for Alumni Annual Giving Noelle Shirey, the NA Advancement Office staff is as disappointed as Mr. Schlenger is that they were not able to celebrate this huge milestone with him in person. “Getting to know Mr. Schlenger over the telephone and through his wife Linda has been wonderful. He is celebrating his 100th birthday in May 2021 and I’m still hoping that we can get the pandemic behind us, so we can visit with him and help celebrate,” Noelle said.

In conversations with the NA Advancement staff, Mr. Schlenger noted that he kept in touch with many of his classmates

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through the years. He fondly recalled classmates, including Albert Goldman ’38, D. Brainerd Holmes ’39, and Robert Puder ’38 and said that he held them in high regard. “Everyone at Newark Academy was so smart and they all went on to be extremely successful,” Mr. Schlenger said.

Echoing the comments of many much younger Newark Academy graduates, Mr. Schlenger says that NA taught him time management and the benefits of hard work.

He recalls supporting his friends on the Minuteman basketball Donald Schlenger ’39 during moments of professional achievement.

team and his teammates on the NA track and field team. Mr. Schlenger was an accomplished track athlete and went on to be part of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill track and field program while in college.

Mr. Schlenger’s pursuit of an undergraduate degree in business at UNC was disrupted after three years when he left to join the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He served his country and represented Newark Academy as an officer in the 570th Air Engineering Squadron.

Following the war, Mr. Schlenger joined the family business, eventually becoming president of that business – R&S Stores, which served the automotive specialityequipment industry. Under his leadership, the company grew to 90 stores, eventually acquiring Strauss Stores in 1979, which is today known as Strauss Discount Auto. In addition to his professional role with R&S, Mr. Schlenger became an active member in The Aftermarket Foundation, an automotive industry

focused association. The Foundation has a unique mission to support individuals and families within the automotive aftermarket who experience financial hardship.

Mr. Schlenger served as the Chairman of the Aftermarket Foundation for 25 years and, in 2006 was honored nationally with the President’s Service Award from the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) at that organization’s annual awards banquet.

Throughout his successful career, Mr. Schlenger maintained his connections to Newark Academy and to his friends and classmates. He continues to enjoy watching the school’s growth and changes, noting how impressed he was when NA made the move from Newark to Livingston in 1964. “My office in South Orange was just down the road from the new campus. I was so happy to see that.”

“I’m such a proud alum,” Mr. Schlenger says. “NA has shaped my path. If it weren’t

ONE FOR THE AGES

An Interview with NA Alumnus Jerome Bess ’40 A brand new building and shiny floors made a lasting impression on Jerome Bess of

the Newark Academy Class of 1940. That new building was the Academy’s First Street campus in Newark and the shiny floors caught his attention as a new student.

For Mr. Bess’ parents, it was the “classical education” and well-known faculty that prompted them to move him from his local public school in Bayonne.

Approaching the 80th Reunion of his graduation from Newark Academy, Mr. Bess welcomed NA Director of Development Lisa Mulligan to his Arizona home last year to reminisce about his NA school days and the lasting impact that Newark Academy had on the rest of his life. “Getting to travel to meet Mr. Bess is a career highlight for me,” Lisa said. “First, it is amazing to be able to sit down and talk to someone who graduated 80 years ago. But the best part was seeing how he still considers Newark Academy such an important part of his life. I’m really glad we decided to video our conversation so that we can share it with other alums and our students.”

Mr. Bess noted, during the visit, that he can remember the names of every one of his NA teachers and even recalled his English and History teacher Albert Davis’ daily attire, right down to the Phi Beta Kappa key! Readily admitting that he wasn’t “the top student” during his NA days, he said that he truly enjoyed all his classes and came to have a much greater appreciation

for education because of his Newark Academy experience.

for Newark Academy, my life would have turned out much differently.”

When asked if he had any advice for Newark Academy’s current students, Mr. Schlenger recommends that they approach everything they do with love“Today is a crazy world and it could use a little more love,” Donald said.

“Love each other, and look for the best in every day and you will have a happy and successful life.”

in 1946. During the war, he served as a 1st Lieutenant and a C-47 (military transport aircraft) pilot in the Allies’ Italian Campaign.

After the war, Mr. Bess was drawn to the newly emerging television broadcast industry. In 1969 he became president of the Sawdon & Bess agency, which became a subsidiary of Ted Bates Worldwide.

He was also active in a number of professional organizations including the International Radio-Television Society and The Friars Club.

Recalling that the presence of the Lackawanna commuter train line enabled students to travel into NA’s Newark campus from as far away as Far Hills and Gladstone, Mr. Bess said he enjoyed his group of friends made through days on the basketball and track teams. He also admitted that he occasionally had a hard time keeping quiet in study halls.

Mr. Bess has continued his relationship with Newark Academy through 80 years, thanks in large part to his son, John Bess who is a member of NA’s Class of 1969.

John served for many years on the Alumni Association Board of Governors (BOG) and led the BOG as its president from 2012–2015. John is currently a member of the Newark Academy Board of Trustees.

Upon graduation from NA, the elder Mr. Bess attended Indiana University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business.

In 1943, he left IU to enlist in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, returning to IU to complete his degree

Jerome Bess ’40 reminisces about his NA school days.

While the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible for Mr. Bess to celebrate his 80th Class Reunion on campus, he was willing to offer today’s Newark Academy students some succinct advice: “Enjoy what you’ve got now,” he said.

“You’re going to need it later.”

To view the full interview with Jerome Bess ’40, please click here.

NEWARK ACADEMY

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ALUMNI NEWS

Coming Home To NA This school year, Newark Academy welcomed four alumni to serve as teaching assistants. Gebereal Baitey ’15,

Takiyah Bethea ’15, Alyssa McPherson ’13 and Chloe Yu ’17 returned to the NA campus in this new role. Alyssa and Gebereal share their experiences shifting from former NA students to becoming the school’s educators.

Alyssa McPherson ’13

thinking and affinity for seminar-style

Union. I attended the 2012 People of Color

dialogues were fostered at NA as well. NA

Conference in Houston and helped lead

Returning to Newark Academy as a teach-

gave me the courage to use my voice and

discussions on microaggressions and the

ing assistant has been a welcome home-

the means to articulate and substantiate

forms they can take.

coming, especially during this time of

my ideas with conviction. As a sophomore,

unprecedented upheaval for so many.

I got my first glimpse of a broader per-

It feels strange to walk these halls as a

spective of the world outside of the U.S.

faculty member, when my memories of

during an immersion trip to northern India

being an NA student are still so salient.

that was led by Alex Mahoney and Neil

It is an odd feeling to recognize some of my

Stourton. Perhaps most strikingly, looking

favorite parts of the school – the library,

back on those years from this current

the dining hall, the courtyards – with

political moment, my awareness of my

nostalgic clarity, while acclimating to the

positionality as a young, Black academic

newer additions to the campus. This is an

began at NA. It was seeded in discussions

ongoing process of retracing old paths and

inside and outside of classrooms, between

learning new ones. Had someone told me

friends and peers, with faculty members of

in 2013, as a fresh NA graduate heading

color, during conferences, in club spaces

into my first semester at Brown University,

and as part of Morning Meeting presenta-

that I would return to the campus where

tions. While at NA, I was a board member

I spent some of the most formative years

of what was then called the Umoja Club

of my life – and it would be amidst a global

and recently renamed as the Black Student

pandemic, assisting teachers as they

English, literary arts and Africana Studies, among other disciplines. I co-founded a diversity and inclusion board at my coed fraternity and participated in the many sit-ins and dialogues around the university’s obligation to examine its history and actionably address its present as an institution. Like most other institutions of higher learning in the United States, Brown actively benefitted from the oppression and silencing of marginalized groups, inside and outside of its campus.

This is hard, ongoing work. I have been heartened to see the same work ever continuing at NA through the efforts of the Equity and Inclusion Team and the

navigate remote teaching behind masks,

various student groups centered on

screens and several feet of distance –

those experiences.

I certainly would not have believed it.

While I am not entirely sure where

Strangely, there is comfort in this. To face

my career path will take me, I am

an ever-fluctuating present and more uncertain future, it is often useful,

incredibly grateful for the opportunity

even crucial, to seek solace and under-

to immerse myself in the world of

standing in one’s beginnings. I am

secondary school education from the

lucky to get to do so among the

other side of the desk and to provide

students and faculty at NA – many

support for faculty that have done

of whom helped me to grow as a

the same for me over the years – and still do. I loved meeting my colleagues

lifelong learner.

and forming strong bonds of mutual

My love of writing and literature was

support. Best of all, I have been so glad

forged at NA, around sorely missed

to get to know NA’s current student body,

Harkness tables and under the skilled

who delight and impress me daily with

tutelage of several teachers who are now

their capacity for adaptability, good will

colleagues. I still have to remind myself

and myriad forms of intellectual bravery.

daily of this shift in roles and I have not stopped learning from my colleagues at every turn. My capacity for critical

44

As an undergraduate at Brown University, I pursued these interests in my studies of

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That bravery will come in handy now Alyssa McPherson ’13

more than ever as we face the months ahead together.

Gebereal Baitey ’15

administration’s attention the experiences of inequality and discrimination that we faced as students. When I

During my high school search, Newark

accepted the TA position, I took a new

Academy demonstrated not only the

sense of ownership over those issues.

ability, but also the desire to eliminate

Those stories, along with my own

many of the barriers that typically

lived experiences as a Black man

keep low-income and minority stu-

navigating multiple primarily White

dents like me out of such prestigious

institutions, took on new significance

institutions. As if that weren’t enough,

once I became part of the institution.

the academic standard of excellence was

Instead of shying away from the issues of

so evident that NA promised to be the

discrimination that arise at NA and many

best place for me to have a unique high

similar schools, I decided that I would do

school experience – one that would

whatever I could to communicate to our

thoroughly prepare me to make the leap

students from traditionally underrepre-

into higher education.

sented backgrounds that not only are

While at NA, I found a few interests that

welcome here, but also their presence in

have had a profound impact on my educa-

these spaces is needed.

tional and professional journey. Through countless lively discussions in Sarah

Gebereal Baitey ’15

Fischer’s humanities classes, I discovered my fascination with history and my

I once was in. I am able to share the knowl-

passion for social justice for marginalized

edge I have gained along the way through

groups. I believe that those classes, in

my interactions with my students.

tandem with my literature studies, led me to employ my love of reading and writing for research. They also fueled the completion of my 80-page undergraduate honors thesis on labor exploitation in the NCAA. Similarly, my four years on the NA football and basketball teams both imbued me

As a result of the shift in my relationship

Next year, I plan to return to Australia to continue competing on the NBL1 professional basketball circuit. Until then, here at NA, I hope to take on additional responsibilities in leading classes and working to support students, so I can develop sustaining skills and strategies for

with NA (by becoming a TA), the way I

a future career teaching in the humanities.

view the school has changed dramatically.

I am also coaching basketball and using

This was apparent during summer 2020.

my experiences to encourage our players’

I worked with a group of other minority

development, both on and off the court.

students and alumni to bring to the NA

with confidence and humbled me on innumerable occasions. The skills and work ethic that I acquired at NA took me to four straight Division III NCAA tournaments at Emory University as well as to professional stints in the United Kingdom and Australia.

After returning to the United States, becoming a teaching assistant (TA) at Newark Academy was a no-brainer.

I jumped at the opportunity because it combined so many of my interests into a singular “jack-of-all-trades” role.

Not only do I get to accumulate hours of classroom experience, I also get to engage with both students and faculty in an ongoing process of teaching and learning about meaningful subject matters. In addition, I have the opportunity to give back through coaching.

As a former NA student-athlete with both collegiate and professional playing experience, I know that I have a lot to offer students who are in the very same position

45

ALUMNI NEWS

Newark Academy proudly debuted

“NA Voices,” a new podcast hosted

by Head of School Donald M. Austin

and featuring notable NA alumni.

The premiere episode features Dr.

Adrien K. Wing ʼ74, associate dean for International and Comparative

Law Programs and the Bessie Dutton

Murray Professor at the University of Iowa College of Law, where she has

taught since 1987. Adrien also serves

as the university’s director of the

Center for Human Rights and direc-

tor of the France Summer Abroad

Program. Listen to all episodes of

“NA Voices” here. You can listen

to “NA Voices” anywhere you get your favorite podcasts including Spotify, iTunes, etc.

Mark Your Calendars & Join Us! All Newark Academy alumni are invited to reconnect with the NA community at our upcoming live virtual events.

We can’t wait to see you soon!

To view all upcoming alumni events, click here.

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THANK YOU to Newark Academy’s Super Sponsors!

NEWARK ACADEMY

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C L A S S N OT E S

achievements and his dedication to NA’s athletes as team manager.

1952 CONTACT:

William (Bill) Van Winkle billvw7334@aol.com

1944 CONTACT:

robert lee (561) 747-4331

1946 CONTACT:

robert Cronheim rdc@cronheim.com Alan S. Moskowitz ran into Steve Boyle on the beach in Long Beach Island (LBI).

Steve lives in Florida and spends his summer in LBI with his son. They spoke about the Korean War, during which Steve saw heavy duty action.

The NA Class of 1952 held its first Zoom Meeting on Saturday, September 26, 2020. Al Levin, MD was the host and 10 classmates participated. The overwhelming sentiments were of a high level of gratitude for the solid grounding that each alumni received while at Newark Academy, which helped them to get through life and become successful, both personally and professionally.

CONTACT:

Stephen Knee shknee@hotmail.com

1959 CONTACT:

douglas B. Slade Dslade542@aol.com dr. James d’Angelo was recently presented with an appreciation award by members of the Fort Daniel (GA) Foundation Board.

2020–2021

NA ANNuAl FuNd 48

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Frederick Katz, Jr. katzjr@optonline.net

Michael r. Yogg michaelyogg@gmail.com

1965 CONTACT:

Van S. Stevens drvanstevens@gmail.com

1966 Warren G. Soare wsoare@optonline.net

1967 CONTACT:

Matthew leone mleone@colgate.edu

1961 Curtis Cetrulo Curt.cetrulo@gmail.com

1958

CONTACT:

CONTACT:

CONTACT:

K. Kelly Marx (973) 376-0777 Mercer Blanchard reports that fellow classmate Frank Greatorex passed away in November from complications of a brain tumor.

Mercer and his wife, Mary Louise, enjoyed their gettogethers with Frank and his wife, Ardy, as they reminisced about their NA days.

They will greatly miss him.

Frank will always be remembered for his academic

1960

CONTACT:

CONTACT:

1964

CONTACT:

1955 Edward l. levitt ezyed@comcast.net

1951

At the end of 2019, Jim “retired” as President of the Foundation after 20 years in office. “His planning, leadership and focus has established Fort Daniel as an important historic presence in Gwinnett County.”

The Foundation and the Gwinnett Archaeological Research Society, both of which D’Angelo founded, thanked him for his important contributions to local and state history.

peter papademetriou papadem@cs.com MacKinnon Simpson MacKinnon96816@gmail.com

1962 CONTACT:

Bernard J. d’Avella, Jr. bud@davellafamily business.com

1963

In August , larry Cetrulo welcomed his 8th grandchild, Lily Diana Cetrulo. His son Nick, a general surgeon, and Nick’s wife Kayla, an OB/GYN who lives in Seattle, have weathered the COVID-19 storm. “Thank goodness!” he said.

Bob Good published a new book, The Matrix of Consciousness: The Mathematics of the Science of Reincarnation.

He could not have written it without the education he got at NA.

CONTACT:

Charles A. Fischbein cafpac@Earthlink.net

Every gift makes a difference every day.

Support NA: www.newarka.edu/donate

1968

1972

CONTACT:

CONTACT:

Stephan G. Kravitz sgkravitz@gmail.com

daniel d. Cronheim ddc@cronheim.com

Franklin C. phifer, Jr. fphifer@hecht.com

Harry Hazelwood III drhazelwood@massmed.org

Classmates Barry Higgins and roy Alvarez attended Yankee spring training workouts last spring at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

It was great fun.

Frank phifer hosted a reception in October for many friends after the memorial service for a good friend Mark Plotkin, a noted political commentator and leading activist for D.C. statehood.

John ritota celebrated 40 years since opening Delray Dental, his practice with his brother-partner Ted Ritota. peter Schwartz is still working one day a week at a medical center serving the uninsured and underinsured in Bucks County, PA. He plans to hold onto his medical license and keep working on this limited basis until the summer of 2021. The COVID-19 outbreak has limited his clinic’s ability to serve people but they are managing with video and telephone visits. His hobbies otherwise keep him occupied during his partial retirement.

Fortunately, they can be done in isolation for now.

1969 CONTACT:

John H. Bess bessjh@gmail.com leo M. Gordon gordon43b@gmail.com

1971 CONTACT:

William d. Hardin, Jr. whardin@ptd.net

1974 CONTACT:

lance t. Aronson lancetrezevant@aol.com

1

1975 CONTACT:

William J. York wyork@smallfeat.org

2

3

1976 CONTACT:

donald C. deFabio drdefabio@aol.com robin lechter Frank ontheqt1231@aol.com robin lechter Frank has been elected president of the board of control at The Art Students League of New York. The League was founded in 1875 and has been located at its present location at 215 West 57th Street in New York City since 1891. Robin is the fourth female president in the history of the League and her 2020 appointment makes it even more significant since it coincides with the anniversary of the women’s right to vote.

The historic Art Students League has trained innumerable esteemed artists including Jackson Pollock, Frederick Remington, Louise Bourgeois, Ai Weiwei, Robert Rauschenberg, Thomas Hart Benton and Norman Rockwell, just to name a few.

4

1. Dr. James D’Angelo ’59 receives an appreciation award from the Fort Daniel Foundation founding members.

2. Larry Cetrulo ’67’s son, Nick, and granddaughter, Lily 3. Tom Louthan ’66, Eric Senkowsky ’67, Frank Phifer ’68 and David Drake ’69 at the City Tavern Club in Georgetown, Washington D.C. 4. Robin Lechter Frank ’76 at The Art Students League of New York

Mark Menza menza613ha1@aol.com

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C L A S S N OT E S

tHE oNES WE’VE BEEN WAItING For: HoW A NEW GENErAtIoN oF lEAdErS WIll trANSForM AMErICA. Charlotte Alter ’07, Author An optimistic look at the future of American leadership by a brilliant young reporter A new generation is stepping up. There are now twenty-six millennials in Congress – a fivefold increase gained in the 2018 midterms alone. They are governing Midwestern cities and college towns, running for city councils, and serving in state legislatures.

They are acting urgently on climate change (because they are going to live it); they care deeply about student debt (because they have it); they are utilizing big tech but still want to regulate it (because they understand how it works). In The Ones We've Been Waiting For, TIME correspondent Charlotte Alter ’07 defines the class of young leaders who are remaking the nation – how grappling with 9/11 as teens, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, occupying Wall Street and protesting with Black Lives Matter, and shouldering their way into a financially rigged political system has shaped the people who will govern the future.

Through the experiences of millennial leaders--from progressive firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg to Republican up-and-comer Elise Stefanik – Charlotte Alter gives the big-picture look at how this generation governs differently than their elders, and how they may drag us out of our current political despair. Millennials have already revolutionized technology, commerce, and media and have powered the major social movements of our time. Now government is ripe for disruption. The Ones We’ve Been Waiting For is a hopeful glimpse into a bright new generation of political leaders, and what America might look like when they are in charge. Charlotte shared excerpts from her book with NA students on January 28 as part of Newark Academy’s Global Speaker Series.

1979 CONTACT:

Michael Schneck Mschneck@schnecklaw.com

1980 CONTACT:

Kim S. Hirsh KHirsh@jfedgmw.org

1981 CONTACT:

Arthur (Artie) Williams IV artiekid@aol.com

funded by NASA and managed by the California Institute of Technology, to view the next-generation Mars 2020 rover, Perseverance.

She also got a first look at the fully assembled James Webb Space Telescope at Northrop Grumman, which launches this year and will peer into the ancient universe. Both stories appear in Fast Company.

Artie Williams and Mac Harris visited a plant in Michigan that turns plastic bottles into diesel fuel.

1985 CONTACT:

Kimberley Griffinger Wachtel kgwachtel@gmail.com

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1984 CONTACT:

William E. Markstein WEMarkstein@gmail.com

1989 CONTACT:

1986

Stacey Bradford stacey.bradford@gmail.com

CONTACT:

Betsy dollinger Bernstein bdb1@mac.com James C. Schachtel Jschachtel@verizon.net

1988 CONTACT:

Susan Karlin was among a group of journalists invited to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a research and development lab federally

Melissa dollinger Shein msheinus@yahoo.com

lara Coraci Basile ljc@norpak.net Matthew Mctamaney mattheynow@yahoo.com

1990 CONTACT:

Glenn A. Waldorf gwaldorf@bellenvironmental.com Some of Bree Gelber Heitin’s happiest times are when she gets together with her NA besties – Tori Agresti, Kim Auerbach, Marisa Facciponte, Marta Ravin and Joelle Tutela – to celebrate all of their

birthdays and milestones every year. They kept it going this past summer even during quarantine. They were disappointed that their 30 year reunion had to be canceled due to COVID, but hope to rally the class of 1990 next year to celebrate their 30 year reunion one year later. “Hoping everyone is staying healthy and safe!” she said.

1991 CONTACT:

richard l. Worth richardworth2001@ yahoo.com

1992 Salamishah tillet is featured in the book, Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619–2019, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain. Salamishah joins 90 of the best Black writers and thinkers in the nation who were given a decade in African American History to reflect on. In her essay, she writes about attorney and educator Anita Hill’s sexual harassment allegations against United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas.

Her new book In Search of the Color Purple, was just published by Abrams Press.

1993 CONTACT:

timothy E. Herburger burgermac@mac.com Jed S. rosenthal jedrosenthal@gmail.com Jordan Garrick continues to shoe horses and lives in California. His daughter, Chloe, is five years old. He still has – and wears – his varsity soccer jacket from 1989. He thinks it took him six rounds of golf caddying

to pay for it, but it was the best $250 he ever spent!

1994 CONTACT:

pamela Helfant Vichengrad pamelavich@hotmail.com

1995

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CONTACT:

Evyan turner evyanturner413@gmail.com

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rasheea Williams Hall and Kathleen Mangunay pergament joined the Newark Academy Alumni Board of Governors.

On January 25, 2020, Nihal Mehta and his wife, Reshma welcomed their son Sai Nihal Mehta-Saujani to their family.

1996

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CONTACT:

Jason S. Granet grizo1222@yahoo.com Andrew Slutzky andrewzky@gmail.com Jason Granet is involved with the charity, Fairybricks, which was able to deliver 32,000 LEGO sets to front line worker families. The toys were delivered across the United Kingdom to National Health Service workers’ children. He also arranged for a delivery to St. Barnabas!

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Ami Sheth and her husband, Miraj, welcomed their baby, Bodhi Miraj Patel (pronounced “Bo-thee”), who was born on November 18, 2020.

5. Susan Karlin ’81 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California

Allegra Blackburn-dwyer and her husband, John, welcomed their baby boy, Wilder James O’Neill, who was born July 22, 2020.

6. Bree Gelber Heitin ’90 is joined by Tori Agresti ’90, Kim Auerbach ’90, Marisa Facciponte ’90, Marta Ravin ’90 and Joelle Tutela ’90. This photo was taken pre-COVID. 7. Jordan Garrick ’93 and his daughter, Chloe

1997

8. Lisa Podell Boss, her husband, and their son, Parker Podell Boss

CONTACT:

9. Elliot Schottland, his wife Kim, and baby Zachary Alexander

Amanda rubinstein Black amandahblack@gmail.com

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1998 CONTACT:

Jack A. Hyman jahyman@gmail.com

We Fondly Remember George Simms Jr. ’51 February 10, 2018

Joseph Rosamilia ’61 April 13, 2020

George Kondak ’54 September 22, 2018

Paul Ronald Joseph ’49 April 23, 2020

Carl Quillen ’60 January 28, 2019

Sanford “Sandy” Hickok ’69 May 18, 2020

William Elder ’61 March 6, 2019 Robert Kanter ’51 June 13, 2019 Everett Schuldt '56 June 16, 2019 Jon L. Sherman ’56 August 22, 2019 Donald M. Aronson ’59 September 20, 2019 Hugh Jamieson ’43 October 26, 2019

Joseph Naporano ’59 December 10, 2019

Morton Roseman ’38 December 27, 2019

Allan B. Kime Jr. ’52 February 11, 2020

George Gering ’51 March 21, 2020

Deane Felter ’56 May, 2020

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Smita ramanadham smitar2280md@gmail.com Jenna Smith Schwerdt jenna@smithdesign.com In July 2020, lisa podell Boss and her husband welcomed their son, Parker Podell Boss.

1999 CONTACT:

Asha K. Coco asha.talwar@gmail.com

Nicholas E. Caprio ’54 June 30, 2020

Dr. Roger Cracco ’52 July 30, 2020

Jessica DeSanta (NA faculty member from 2013 to 2019) December 6, 2019 View article in “The Minuteman” and the Virtual Coffeehouse in Dr. DeSanta’s Honor.

Judith Dougherty (NA reading, learning and testing specialist and director of community service from 1973 to 2013) July 30, 2020 Robert Hendrickson (NA employee from 1957 to 1979) September 3, 2020

Renate “Frau” Wels (NA faculty member from 1987 to 2010) January 7, 2021

John K. Simms ’53 April 6, 2020

Bernie Leroe ’61 April 8, 2020

lauren Jacobs-lazer laurenjacobslazer@gmail.com

John Gregory Jcg681@gmail.com In early March 2020, Michael d. Guido and his wife, Carey, welcomed their son, Michael Anthony Guido Jr. On July 6, 2020, Asha talwar Coco and her husband welcomed baby boy Enzo Talwar Coco.

Mark Forscher joined Bison Trails, the leading blockchain infrastructure provider, as Head of Brand & Design. david Green was recognized with the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine’s 2020 Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence.

Throughout the pandemic, Matt Steenberg worked seven days a week as an emergency medical services (EMS) physician with MD1, a charity that brings doctors to the sites of emergency situations for patients who cannot get to the hospital.

2000 CONTACT:

Steve Miller (NA staff member from 1988 to 2021) January 12, 2021

Alison poole lasher alisonklasher@gmail.com

On February 22, 2020, Jared I. Gottheimer and his wife, Alex, welcomed their baby boy, Judah Barry. taffi Woolward Ayodele and her husband, Jibolu, welcomed their twins, Omolara and Omotara Ayodele.

On April 27, 2020, Alison poole lasher and her husband, Dan, welcomed their baby girl, Mackenzie Louise.

2001 CONTACT:

Colin r. Griggs cgriggs13@yahoo.com Brian McGaughan bmcgaughan@gmail.com On November 11, 2020, Blake Neiman and his wife, Emily, welcomed baby, Adeline Jane, into their family.

2002 CONTACT:

Joshua Jacobs joshua.s.jacobs@gmail.com Marcelo C. porto mark.c.porto@gmail.com Alexander C. Senchak alex.senchak@gmail.com Ed pursel and his wife, Sarah Guelich, welcomed their baby girl, Harper Jane, into their family.

Elliot Schottland and his wife, Kim, welcomed their baby boy, Zachary Alexander! Go NA! Finley B. Miller welcomed his baby girl, Madelyn Grace, on November 12, 2020.

James Solomon and his wife, Gabrielle, were overjoyed to share the news of baby girl, Corinne Maria Solomon.

2003 CONTACT:

lauren H. Anderson lauren.h.anderson@gmail.com

david N. rattner drattner07@gmail.com

2005 CONTACT:

Evan p. Sills evan.sills@gmail.com

Jonathan Allocca jonathan.allocca@gmail.com

George Brandley was named Assistant United States Attorney at the United States Attorneys’ Offices in Newark.

Gabriel Gaviola gabe.c.gaviola@gmail.com

Shannon Hedvat was named to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Bar Association’s inaugural list of Top 50 Women in PTAB Trials.

Aja Nisenson completed her MFA at The Iowa Playwrights Workshop in May 2020 and was recently awarded a fellowship at The Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

John F. Glass and his wife, Allison, were thrilled to welcome their baby girl, Nora Eileen Glass, on January 7, 2020.

Molly McGaughan molly.mcgaughan@gmail.com Bridget duffy raines Bridgetpraines@gmail.com Justin Silver and his wife, Sarah, welcomed a baby boy.

Nina Suda had a COVID-19 wedding that was featured in the New York Times.

2006 CONTACT:

Julia Appel appel.julie@gmail.com

Sarah Marcus Hansen sarahmarcushansen@ gmail.com Brandon Hedvat bhedvat@gmail.com Ilana Mandelbaum Sterling ilana.mandelbaum@ gmail.com Asia Stewart asiamstewart@gmail.com Ben Cohen, a sports reporter for the Wall Street Journal had his book published last March titled, The Hot Hand: The Mystery and Science of Streaks.

Sarah Marcus Hansen and her husband welcomed their first child, Charlotte, on November 2, 2019. raquel Alonso Jordan and her husband welcomed their second child, Eli Joshua, to

the world on May 26, 2020.

Their daughter, Gabriela, is loving being a big sister and is a great helper.

Ilana Mandelbaum Sterling and her husband welcomed baby Logan Mandy Sterling on March 18, 2020.

2007 CONTACT:

david doobin doobind@gmail.com Catherine pfeffer catherine.pfeffer@gmail.com Emily Crystal emily.c.simon@me.com Andrew Somberg asomberg@gmail.com In May 2019, Andrew Allocca gave his Ph.D. dissertation in theoretical physics at

2004 CONTACT:

danielle Grunebaum Barrett dlsimon85@gmail.com Kathryn pagos katie.pagos@gmail.com Stephanie reingold simma.reingold@gmail.com louise Ball Schutte louisehira@gmail.com tim Hwang has a new book published entitled, Subprime Attention Crisis: Advertising and the Time Bomb at the Heart of the Internet. tiffany Shumate was featured in the San Francisco Business Times for the work she is doing as executive director of Hack the Hood, an organization that empowers under-resourced youth of color with knowledge, skills and relationships needed to succeed in tech careers.

Sarah McGrath Bloom ’11 and Jack Bloom ’11 were married on September 26, 2020. Several Newark Academy alumni were in attendance, including: Sheila Beljan ’83, Charlie Bloom ’08, Matthew Bloom ’13, Ruth Bloom ’80, Andrew Brummer ’12, Hannah Davidson ’11, Emily Heller ’11, Sydney Hershman ’11, Christina Kovar ’11, Callie Marx ’11, Brian McGrath ’84, Kimberly McGrath ’16, Joseph McGrath Jr. ’81, Joseph McGrath III ’12, Paul Redmond ’79, Rick Redmond ’77, Rob Redmond ’74, Scott Redmond ’09, TJ Redmond ’11, Neil Sethi ’11 and Nicholas Szuch ’11.

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the University of Maryland.

His thesis was titled “Casimir: an optical phenomena in 2 dimensional systems”. He is now a postdoc in physics at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, doing research in the Cavendish Laboratory.

2008 CONTACT:

david Frank david.frank44@gmail.com

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Alexa Gruber Kitchin alexa.gruber@richmond.edu

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Maximilian C. Staiger mstaiger41@me.com

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Since graduating in 2008, Charlotte rosen has enjoyed her continued study, performance, and teaching of dance with a specialization in West African dance.

She has taught at private, boarding, and public charter schools in Indiana, Massachusetts, and most recently, Florida. She is currently writing a book about taking up space and reframing negative thought patterns to help lead a happy, full, and optimized life.

2010 CONTACT:

lisa Fischer lisasuefischer@gmail.com patrick Kelly patrick.o.d.kelly@gmail.com Brian McHugh mchugh.brian10@gmail.com

2011 CONTACT:

Sydney Hershman Smhershman@gmail.com Jordan I. Jett jordanjett13@gmail.com Jennifer Mandelbaum jmande15@bu.edu Jourdan McGhee jourdan.mcghee@gmail.com Brenna Gormally finished her Ph.D. in biology at Tufts University in February 2020 and is now a teaching and research fellow at Chapman University in Orange, CA. Sydney Hershmann and Jordan Jett joined the Newark Academy Alumni Board of Governors.

2012 2009 CONTACT:

Andrew S. Binger abinger1990@gmail.com Christina A. Colizza christina.colizza@gmail.com rebecca Curwin rebecca.curwin@gmail.com

10. Evan Sills’ ’03 twins wear their NA onesie 11. Tim Hwang ’04 shares his new book 12. Tiffany Shumate ’04, featured in the 13. Eva Ostrowski’s ’05 children, Eddie and Lola 14. Sarah Marcus Hansen ’06 welcomes her first child

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Shannon lam Webster shannonrlam@gmail.com Brian l. Silver briansilver0711@gmail.com

CONTACT:

Christopher p. davis davis.cp@gmail.com Shane S. Neibart ssneibart@gmail.com Carissa E. Szlosek szlosek@wisc.edu priya Shah is currently a third-year dental student at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. She has partnered with the New Jersey Medical Student Coalition (NJMSC), a group of 100+ medical and dental students, to help serve patients, healthcare professionals, and the community as

a whole. She collaborated with the Bergen Makerspace to design and deliver plexiglass barriers to local dental offices and clinics and has been speaking to students and younger children regarding proper oral care.

Coleman Hughes was a guest on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” and currently hosts a podcast, Conversations with Coleman.

Zachary taffet married Arden Anderson on July 20, 2019 in the company of their family and friends in Whitefish, Montana The couple met at the University of Richmond.

Maia Yoshida is a researcher in a bioengineering lab, engineering immune cells to better fight cancers. She is a recipient of the University of Pennsylvania’s 2020 Thouron Award to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom.

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2013

2015

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CONTACT:

CONTACT:

SaVonne Anderson savonneanderson@gmail.com

Madeline delamielleure maddydelamielleure15@ gmail.com

Nicole Andrzejewski nicole@go.wustl.edu Matt Cowen mcowen95@gmail.com Nicole Andrzejewski joined the Newark Academy Alumni Board of Governors.

2014 CONTACT:

Jai Ghose jghose@andrew.cmu.edu thomas pan tpan14@gmail.com lauren Whelan lmw025@bucknell.edu

Jasmine Gamboa jgamboa19@amherst.edu Nicholas Murray nsm407@gmail.com Zachary persing zcpersing@gmail.com Matthew thekkethala matt@learnforlife foundation.org Matthew thekkethala released a podcast, called Redeem, which gives listeners a compassionate glimpse into the lives of formerly incarcerated Americans and shares their stories.

Jacob Wieseneck jwieseneck@gmail.com

15. Zachary Taffet ’12 and his wife, Arden Anderson, at their wedding 16. Coleman Hughes ’14 at HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher”

2016

2017

CONTACT:

CONTACT:

Courtney Cooperman courtneycooperman@ comcast.net

Chloe Yu chloeyu@college.harvard.edu

Jacob Furst Jacobfurst20@gmail.com

2020

Joshua Martin Martinjoshua029@gmail.com

BECoME A ClASS AMBASSAdor!

Class ambassadors perform a valuable service to the NA alumni community: they communicate school and class news, support key initiatives such as Reunion, and encourage participation in the Annual Fund. Sign up online at www.newarka.edu/classambassador.

Elizabeth Merrigan Elizabeth.merrigan16@ gmail.com Samuel Vazir samvazir@gmail.com Bryan Wilensky bryanwsemail@gmail.com

Jess Zheng’s college essay was selected by Johns Hopkins University as one of their “Essays that Worked.”

She is one of a handful of JHU freshmen to have their essays published on the JHU website for the world (and future applicants) to read.

Mackenna Woods Mackennavalle@gmail.com

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Newark Academy

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2021 REUNION Celebrating years ending in 1 and 6

Celebrate and Reconnect with NA! LEARN MORE: www.newarka.edu/alumni