NFA The magazine for Norwich Free Academy Alumni and Friends
Fall 2015
Forty-Five Years of Outreach
Autumn’s brilliant color palate reminds us that this beautiful campus is an inspiration in all seasons, in all times, not only in the spring when the cherry blossoms carpet the sidewalks with pink. 2
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History Lessons
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Forty-Five Years of Outreach
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The Levanto Legacy Fall 2015
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NFA
Since 1856, Norwich Free Academy has adhered to the philosophy of its founder to “return to our hamlets and our homes its priceless freight of youthful minds, enriched by learning, developed by a liberal culture, refined by study of all that is beautiful in nature and art, and prepared for the highest usefulness and the purest happiness.”
Fall 2015
EDITORS Kathleen McCarthy Director of Institutional Advancement
Founder, John P. Gulliver NFA Dedication Ceremony (1856)
Geoffrey P. Serra Director of Communications & Public Affairs MANAGING/COPY EDITOR Molly Hudson ALMA MATTERS EDITOR Linda Clang Ververis ‘78 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Nicholas Bolt ‘96 PHOTOGRAPHY Brian Ambrose Photography Robb Cyr Photography Laura Howe CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jeff Brown ‘95 Karen Cyr Cook ‘89 DESIGN Lavender Design PRINTER The Pyne-Davidson Company
NFA magazine is produced three times a year by the NFA Foundation, Inc. and the NFA Office of Communications & Public Affairs, 321 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360. Phone 860-887-2507 • Fax 860-889-4363 Email: communications@nfaschool.org Letters to the editor, comments, class notes and address changes may be sent to the NFA Foundation, Inc. 321 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360 or alumni@nfaschool.org Views expressed in the NFA magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the NFA Foundation, Inc., the NFA Alumni Association, Norwich Free Academy or the editorial staff.
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s you know from your personal experience and my prior written proclamations, Norwich Free Academy is a mission driven school. NFA’s highly unique, liberal arts mission expresses our core values and provides a philosophical structure and charts a steady course to make us a place of purpose, deep learning, and character development for our students and loyal partner communities. NFA’s independent governance model and private endowment have allowed the Academy to persistently and steadfastly remain true to a purpose first voiced almost 160 years ago by our founder, John P. Gulliver. Although the language of our mission is “old fashioned,” the principles are not. We exist to serve students, the treasures of our communities. Providing a liberal arts education and developing character are our goals, and returning educated citizens to participate actively, usefully, and happily in community life fulfills the intent of our mission. NFA Magazine brings to you in this issue, along with all the features you have come to expect, several stories of community involvement and partnership because these stories represent the essence of the Academy’s mission. At the center is the story of 45 years of Project Outreach participation, but also are stories of the individuals and projects that demonstrate the interdependent and dual nature of NFA’s mission. Here are stories about serving others and of the great good that comes of the bonds formed by and the learning and personal development that result from such service. The pieces in this edition present NFA’s mission in action, and we are enormously proud of them, and of the individual stories of each of our students, and of you our alumni and supporters.
David J. Klein Head of School
readers matter Hi, And thank you for the new NFA magazine. I hope to get it often. Of course there isn’t much news about Class of 1939 Graduates, but it’s good to know the latest. Every once in a while I still get to visit Slater Museum. Mariea Doherty Spencer Class of 1939 Quaker Hill, Connecticut
Hello to all, It was a nice surprise to find the “new” NFA magazine in my mail box. Thank you much; I enjoyed reading it all. I still have my 1940 yearbook and now and then have a look there. Excellent job to the staff who created this book. Many thanks and best wishes, Christina Argenti Yeitz Class of 1940 Lincoln, Nebraska
Letters to the editor, comments, class notes and address changes may be sent to the NFA Foundation, Inc. 321 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360 or alumni@nfaschool.org
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Campus AROUND Ellis W. Ruley Scholars The first group of Ellis W. Ruley Scholars – 12 third graders – started Saturday Morning Children’s Art Classes September 12. The program introduces students to the visual arts in a variety of media and techniques including mixed media, painting, design and printmaking, watercolor, observational drawing and clay. Classes meet for 22 sessions throughout the academic school year and culminate with a popular student art exhibition in the spring. In its first year, the Ellis W. Ruley Memorial Scholarship Program provides support to students who may otherwise have been unable to attend the fee based program. Norwich native Ellis Ruley, was a self-taught artist who died of mysterious circumstances in 1959 at age 77.
Students Hear From Speaker John Franklin Stephens John Franklin Stephens, a young man with Downs Syndrome, spoke to students on November 11, including 300 elementary and middle school students from Preston. The Virginia resident and Special Olympics athlete became a national spokesperson and global messenger about the derogatory use of the word “retard.” In August 2008 he published “The Term ‘Retard’ is a Big Deal to People Like Me” in the Richmond Times Dispatch. Stephens was thrown into the public spotlight in 2012 when he wrote an open letter to national political commentator Ann Coulter, condemning her use of the term “retard” to refer to President Obama. Stephens’ response went viral on social media. Stephens is accomplished. He has met the President and has dined at the White House, walked the red carpet, acted in a movie, interviewed on CNN, and written a screenplay. After his visit, Stephens posted the following on his Facebook Page: “There is family that you are born into and there is “like family” that you make. It’s hard to leave either one. Part of my heart will now always be at NFA.”
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Brickview Inn The Brickview Inn, NFA’s studentrun restaurant, opened last month for the 25th season. The capstone course for students following culinary arts career-cluster, or for those merely interested in foods, is directed by consumer and food sciences teacher Janel O’Neil. Students learn about the full spectrum of the food industry from planning and preparation, to front-line service and business management. The program offers a sequence of study including World Foods, Gourmet Cooking, North American Regional Cuisines, and Restaurant Management. Next year, the department plans to offer an additional course, Bakeshop. On the ground level of the Cranston Building, the Brickview Inn serves lunch, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays; the public is welcome in the intimate, bustling venue on campus.
Annual Corporators’ Meeting About 50 NFA Corporators and Trustees gathered Thursday, November 5, 2015, for the Annual Corporators’ Meeting. A yearly “state of the school” governance and financial update, the meeting honored new and retiring corporators, and featured reports from the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Theodore Phillilps, Foundation Board President, Glenn Carberry, Chief Financial Officer, Cyndee Finger, and Head of School David Klein. Reports focused upon three themes: NFA is a mission driven school focusing upon civic leadership, partnership, and responsibility in addition to academic excellence; Independent governance and private endowment support allow unwavering fidelity to the mission; and, NFA is a good, solid, affordable financial deal for partners, even in economically challenging times. “There is not a high school in this region or perhaps the state that offers the opportunities and choices that NFA students have access to,” Klein said. “This is a liberal arts education, and these (opportunities) allow NFA to be a transformative experience for students….”
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HISTORY LESSONS
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How could we honor the sacrifices of soldiers 150 years ago, but fail to
The bond between Norwich Free Academy and the U.S. military traces back to the Academy’s roots. Fiftysix Academy students enlisted to fight for the Union in the Civil War, just a few years after NFA’s first graduation in 1858. A plaque in the Tirrell building honors those early veterans. Between 2011-15 events marked the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, and locally, NFA students engaged with the community in re-enactments, dedications and ceremonies. Students learned why Norwich and the surrounding communities should be so proud of our history. The experience made NFA students and faculty more mindful of the many veterans living in our area, of NFA’s rich tradition of military history, and of our need to honor NFA students and alumni who have served the country in every conflict since our school’s founding. Other plaques on campus honor the military contributions of alumni, including one in Tirrell given by the Class of 1923 memorializing by name those who lost their lives in World War I and honoring 344 others who served
in armed forces between 1914-1919. The Tirrell House Council in 1985 dedicated a third plaque in the foyer to NFA graduates who served in Korea and in Vietnam. With the approach of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, History and Social Studies Department Head, Karen Cyr Cook ‘89, and social studies teachers Bill Howard ‘90, Michael Murphy, Jemal Davis ‘90 and Marisa Haralson teamed up with Student Affairs Director John Iovino, Student Affairs Secretary Laura Howe and Vietnam Veteran, Tom Burke ’65, to honor all NFA Vietnam Era alumni and teach students of the historical complexity of the times. “How could we honor the sacrifices of soldiers 150 years ago, but fail to remember all the members of our community who played vital roles in the Vietnam Era?” asked Cook. When Congress authorized a national commemoration, NFA committed to being an Official Commemorative Partner by pledging to hold two commemorative events in each of the next three years. “With the help of alumni who lived through this era, we recognized the tremendous opportunity to thank our veterans and to reflect on the Vietnam War,” says Cook.
On March 8, NFA partnered with local veteran groups, including the Vietnam Veterans of America, to sponsor a “Boots on the Ground” ceremony before the Vietnam Memorial on Chelsea Parade. On this day, 50 years earlier, 3,500 US military combat troops landed on Vietnam’s China Beach to defend an American air base at Da Nang. Students honored both Norwich men and NFA alumni who died in Vietnam by reading their names and military honors. Following the event’s conclusion with a wreath laying ceremony, NFA students, faculty, veterans and families gathered for a reception in the Edwin Land Library. The Social Studies Department welcomed veterans back to campus in June to participate in two panel discussions about their Vietnam experiences. Henry Barry, Jr., Dominick Cortese ‘67, James McKibben, Michael Waggoner ‘66, Stephen Holmberg ‘65, Jerry Donat ‘65, Sandy Noyes ‘65, and John Waggoner ‘63 shared their experiences in various branches of the military. They dispelled myths commonly found in textbooks and believed by today’s youth.
17 months in Germany and the remainder of his tour of duty until his 1968 discharge in Chu-lai, Vietnam. Burke was impressed by Li’s interest, level of commitment, and hard work. “Vincent threw his heart into this project,” says Burke, praising the young man’s desire to seek out information, make appointments, and follow through. When the paper was written, Li had Burke read the draft before putting it in final form. “I saw Mr. Burke’s passion and patriotism,” said Li. “He cried when he told me of his experience…it was hard for him, and it was very sad… but he really wanted me to be enlightened.” As Li entered the college admission process this year, it was to Burke he turned for a letter of recommendation. “I speak with him every now and then. I check in with him and see how he’s doing, and just talk. He knows a lot about life and stuff,” comments Li. It is clear the benefits of this association have far surpassed that of a primary source for a research project.
remember the members of our community who served in Vietnam?
– Karen Cook, Social Studies & History Department Head
One student, senior Vincent Li, found the experience very helpful. The discussion “amplified my perception of the issue,” said Li, who thought much of the discussion about the era was “deep on many levels.” When Li, a student in Cooks’ Advanced Placement History Class, decided to write a research paper about the Vietnam War, Cook introduced him to veteran Burke, who was working with the NFA group on the commemorative project. “I was excited because talking with Mr. Burke gave me a primary source,” said Li, “and primary sources, like interviews, are really important in understanding history.” Li learned a great deal “about the U.S. government during the Vietnam War Era and about the veterans, how many were treated when they returned, and about the protests and controversy that surrounded the entire war.” Of Li, Burke says, “I am pleased to call him my friend.” Burke annually visits Howard’s U.S. history classes to talk about the Vietnam War. Burke was 19 years old when he started his military service in the U.S. Army. He spent
“You know,” says Burke, “Vincent kept thanking me, but really, Vincent, I thank you.” Cook is emphatic about the benefit of inter-generational studies. It wasn’t all about the military, or the war. A pleasant consequence of the Vietnam Era project is that students gained a glimpse of life at NFA in the 1960s from veterans. “We connected with truly outstanding people who generously shared their stories and experiences with our students,” says Cook. In fact, for some students this kind of interaction helped them more fully understand the very complex interplay of the war, the soldier, and the anti-war protester. “Students realize tremendous value in taking the time to know and listen to our veterans and alumni,” reflects Cook. “By examining the diverse perspectives from our region, we learn history with greater meaning and complexity.” The committee looks forward to planning events in 2016 and to reaching more alumni who may share their remembrances of this era with our students.
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OUT
“There was a young man who started at Norwich Free Academy. He spoke in just a few words like,
TO CHANGE THE
‘Yup’ or ‘Nope,’ ‘I don’t know,’ ‘I’m not sure,’ and ‘Good,’ and that was basically all he said throughout his first year. Now people can’t keep him quiet because of Unified Sports and Unified activities. They opened a new world for him, and taught him that he can do anything if he puts his mind to it. That young man is me....” Jeffrey Hynds Address to Special Olympics National Generation Leadership Summit July 25, 2015 Los Angeles, CA
WORLD On July 23-27, as 7,000 athletes from 177 countries convened in Los Angeles during the Special Olympics World Summer Games, two NFA students were among 150 chosen leaders to learn from 30 global change mentors in the concurrent Generation Unified Leadership Summit. The conference trained young people with and without intellectual disabilities to become change agents to create a Unified culture in the future. Participants were chosen through a national competitive application process. Applicants were required to be between the ages of 16–25, apply as individuals or pairs, and be enrolled in a school at some level, be in a community program, or be employed. Most importantly, applicants submitted
project proposals demonstrating how they will become agents of change to create an inclusive culture for people with disabilities in their community. The conference offered applicants opportunities to gain the funds, training, mentorship, and a support network to turn their ideas into real action with genuine impact. “I would like to pay it forward and help other people like me have the same life changing opportunities I have had,” said Jeffery Hynds ‘14. “I went from a quiet shy scared boy who did not have any friends, had never joined a sports team and had never stayed after school for a club. Now I am a confident proud man who has many friends, has a driver’s license, and is attending college this year.”
Hynds and senior partner Connie Ma, both veteran participants in NFA Unified Sports, classes and activities, were chosen to attend. Their project, judged as one of the top ten nationally, is to extend NFA’s Unified culture and spirit to each of NFA’s partner districts. As part of their submitted proposal, they cited preliminary planning with the Preston school district. A Unified culture is one which does not sort and group students by disability; rather, it pairs peers with and without disabilities to learn in classes, compete in athletics, and socialize. The result is an open environment in which all individuals are accepted and respected for their strengths.
Ma and Hynds are such a pair. A high-performing academic student, Ma has a schedule filled with honors and advanced placement classes. She is driven to succeed and balances a full complement of co-curricular activities with outstanding grades. Passionate about sciences, she began her four years at NFA in ninth grade running for class office, and she hasn’t stopped running since. In NFA’s Independent Living Skills Program, Hynds received specialized instruction in core
academic subjects moving more and more into mainstreamed classes. Noted for his expertise using Legos, Hynds has created models of buildings on the NFA campus and fashioned an intricate Lego representation of the NFA seal. That creativity is a window into his great potential. Hynds also interned for two years and was hired last summer to work in the NFA IT Department developing his facility for technology.
The trajectory of his progress in four years at NFA is nothing short of remarkable. He has improved his academic and social skills to a standard which qualified him as an applicant for Generation Unified. Today, in the gregarious, engaging, curious, and confident young man, there is little left of the shy, retiring ninth grader. “My dream is to live in a world where we don’t have to call it Unified and it would just be the way things are.”
In fact, Hynds is a significant special education success story. Fall 2015
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Both are experienced Unified Sports participants. Hynds and Ma knew one another, and had collaborated in NFA’s Student Advisory Board. They both had taken a Unified MultiRacial class co-taught by social studies teacher Henry Laudone and NFA Special Educator Kathryn Kavanaugh Beit ‘77. The class is a perfect example of generation Unified; in it, young people of all intellectual abilities learn together, pushing one another to learn even more.
Ma is emphatic about the trip’s effect upon her. “My life was changed there…I watched myself grow to lengths I would never have imagined. In Los Angeles,
Hynds continues to be involved in the program; he and Ma have made great strides in Preston this year. They have met with administrators and PTO members, and are arranging for student volunteers from campus to assist in their awareness campaign at Preston Elementary and Middle Schools. Beit, Hynds, and Ma have also presented to the NFA Alumni Board about their project and their plans.
This year Hynds has moved on to a specialized program at Mitchell College, while Ma, now in her senior year and president of the National Honor Society, is in the throes of the college admissions process. They do, however, meet up frequently and regularly to execute their ambitious plan to spread the goodness of a generation unified to NFA’s partners.
The effect is not just local. In early November Beit had a visit from Laura Baumgardner, a special educator from Pontiac, Illinois, whom the trio met in LA. She was in Norwich to observe NFA’s Unified culture, with special focus upon inclusive classes in which regular and special education students learn together. Baumgardner heard both Hynds and Ma speak at the Summit, and their enthusiasm caught her attention. Also, during the same week as Baumgardner’s visit, Hynds and Ma visited the New Haven chapter of The Future Project, a national movement that inspires young people to live lives of passion and purpose – and learn how to change the world.
Their application states, ‘We are passionate and committed to spreading the powerful values of Generation Unified throughout our communities. Sharing our own Unified experiences with children is an inspiring opportunity that we do not take lightly. One by one, we will build upon our initial success until all students in all of NFA’s eight partners have Unified Clubs and activities.’ In Los Angeles, Hynds and Ma, accompanied Beit, attended workshops, listened to influential speakers, and presented their project to a VIP panel. More importantly, the Special Olympics World Summer Games Opening Ceremony infected the three with enthusiasm and energy; they enjoyed the overwhelming joy of meeting many, many others focused upon promoting social acceptance and athletic activities for all.
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of her growth in self-confidence, and as she does so, her passion is electric. “I want to bring this project to any university, to begin a ‘best buddies’ program. NFA is already so far ahead of other places in our Unified culture. I need to bring that to other places,” she says, as she describes how the experience has solidified her desire to work in education.
I reinvented myself.” She talks about the transformative effect of participating in planning to be an agent of change, and she speaks
Ma says, “My ultimate goal is to spread this message…we are all agents of change, and we just have to go for it.”
Forty-Five Years of Outreach Founded in 1970, Project Outreach continues to help the community
Project Outreach is a diverse group of inspired student volunteers working together to motivate the school and community, to raise student awareness of current social issues, and to promote acceptance of individuality in a safe atmosphere. – Project Outreach Mission Forty-five years after its founding, Project Outreach (PO) still fulfills its original mission.
In fall 1970, Eleanor “EB” Read,
who taught history and social studies at NFA for two decades and is remembered as a lifelong volunteer, became the first coordinator of PO when it was formed as a club. The 1970-71 yearbook says, “Project Outreach is a student volunteer project to help other people both at NFA and the community . . . Students in Project Outreach believe that if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. They care and therefore makeup a positive contribution towards changing their world for a better future.” In 20 years, the after-school club, then advised by Carolyn Shattuck DeVore ’51, grew so large that it became a full-time service organization, and in 1990 DeVore left the Home Economics Department to become Project Outreach’s first full-time coordinator.
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“The school converted a classroom into a Project Outreach lounge, where students from every grade and from a variety of economic, linguistic and ethnic backgrounds work together,” explains a case study which spotlights NFA’s unique program in the
2015 publication Generous Genes: Raising Caring Kids in a Digital Age. Two years later when DeVore retired, Cathy Meiklem ’67 was hired as PO’s third coordinator and held the position until she retired in 2004. Elaine Porter took over for a year before a familiar face returned.
FROM STUDENT COORDINATOR TO COORDINATOR “Project Outreach was what I did when I was a student,” said Jodi Perkowski Vara ’92 who was in the organization throughout her entire high school career, serving as a student coordinator as an upper and senior. She says her biggest accomplishment was FAST (For All Starving Today) Day, a Saturday students came together to raise money to benefit the hungry and to collect food for the local food pantry. She also helped start a newsletter to keep PO students informed of projects, volunteer opportunities, and aware of social issues. “Jodi was extremely involved and very, very community minded,” recalls Meiklem of Vara’s time as a student coordinator. “She would do anything.” Vara aims to teach students the value of volunteering and helping others.
The mission of the organization functions in dual directions by design – the act of serving others reaps tremendous benefits for those who serve, not just for those who are served. Project Outreach has since its inception been a place for NFA teens to discover themselves, to develop character and personal and leadership skills, and to try things out. Tenth grader Sydney Byrd, who started with Project Outreach in the Norwich Youth Teen Leadership Program, and then became a PO coordinator, has helped plan food drives and homeless events. She says “I feel better-rounded because of Project Outreach. I’ve met a lot of people through the events….Kids are used to being guided through everything they do at school, but Ms. Vara leaves us in charge and checks in on our project every now and then.”
PROJECT OUTREACH TODAY Today, Project Outreach has 22 student coordinators, and over 500 students volunteer each year in numerous ways both on and off campus. “Project Outreach gives students exposure to the community that they wouldn’t normally have,” said tenth grader Allison Reguin, a student coordinator. “But it’s not just about helping the community, it’s about helping the school.”
“I enjoy being able to experience NFA through the students’ eyes - seeing how it’s changed and how it hasn’t,” she said. “And I enjoy teaching kids that there’s more beyond NFA. That there are people out there who need help and our students have the ability to impact them.” Vara’s dedication to the program impacts her students, too. “Ms. Vara is really a kind, helpful person,” says tenth grade coordinator Zach Dionne. “If anyone needs help around campus, she’ll either help you herself or find someone who can.” A member of the fencing team, Dionne, continues “It’s just a lot of fun to help others and give back.” Fall 2015
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During the school day, students can volunteer during their study halls to run passes to other students, help teachers, work in the museum, stuff and stamp envelopes for school-wide mailings, provide tours for alumni and prospective students, translate for non-native speakers, assist in the library, and more. “I think that Project Outreach is always changing,” says Vara. “There’s always something new, always something we can add.” Students plan events like the annual Fall Food Drive, Homeless Event, Reading Buddies, Pennies for Patients, trips to nursing homes and mentoring at middle schools. “To increase the number of students who participate, and who can volunteer, we have to increase and vary the opportunities so we have something that interests each student.” Since school started September, PO students have already volunteered at dozens of community events including the Reliance House Harvest Festival, Norwich Bully Buster Walk, Voluntown Fall Festival, Mystic Aquarium Penguin Run, Norwich Cemetery Ghost Walk, and Senior Citizen Outreach Activities. PO volunteers painted a mural on the Market Street Parking Deck in Norwich. The spring will be busy, too, as students are slated to help with the Juvenile Diabetes Walk, Larry Pontbriant Memorial Run and Rotary Duck Race. Project Outreach volunteers will also help Habitat for Humanity build a house in Norwich this year. “No matter how little you have, you always have something to give: your talent, your time,” Vara says. “Everyone has something they can give no matter what they really have. That’s the true spirit of Project Outreach.”
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“THE HUTCH”
check out By Jeff Brown ‘95
T
he new place to be on the NFA campus is the Hutchison Room at the front of Norton Gymnasium. Dedicated to NFA’s second principal, the late Reverend William Hutchison, the space is the campus’ new cardio room.
Over the years the Hutchison Room has had many functions. Most recently, it was a storage space. Realizing that it would be a perfect space for cardiovascular equipment, NFA’s physical education staff and Department Head, Sue Hopkins Terrell ‘78, began investigating possible uses for this large area in Norton Gym overlooking the front campus lawn. During the summer, a wall was taken down and new flooring was installed. Air conditioning was filtered in, and the room was wired for TVs and surround sound. The room now holds six elliptical walkers, 25 stationary bikes and one UBE upper body trainer; it can accommodate up to 30 students -- all of whom are able to work at their own cardiovascular machine. The machines are state-of-the-art and measure the student’s time, distance, heart rate and much more. Three years ago, a plaque was discovered inside the room, leaning against a wall. It was a dedication to Hutchison. The PE Department has now hung this plaque outside of the new cardio room, creating a space officially dedicated, not only to a former NFA administrator, but also to the parent of a seasoned athlete, who most definitely would have approved of the latest addition to the Wildcat physical education program.
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Hutchison was the Academy’s second principal, serving from 1865-1895. A graduate of Yale University, he earned a doctorate in Divinity. Ordained a missionary, he traveled to Constantinople, but returned when the climate affected his wife’s health. Professor Hutchison served as principal at Lawrence Academy (Massachusetts) prior to coming to Norwich. At NFA, staff and students spoke of Hutchison as someone who “looked to the creation of worthy aspirations and ambitions,” someone who “understood the young and how to reach them.” His influence helped NFA gain recognition as one of the best schools in the land and as a superior place for college preparation. During Hutchison’s tenure at NFA, his son, William Forest Hutchinson, Class of 1875, was one of the Academy’s top Varsity Baseball players. He went on to play at Yale, where he led the Bulldogs in battle and was a great defensive shortstop. His exemplary performance earned him a spot in the majors in 1889 when he signed with the Chicago White Stockings/Colts, now the Chicago Cubs. He was the club’s first college graduate. William held some pretty impressive statistics for the time including three-time National League Leader in Wins (1890-1892), three-time National League Leader for Games Pitched (1890-1892), National League Leader in Saves (1890), and three-time Leader in Games Completed (1890-1892). Even more impressive, were his 36 wins, a record tied by the National League’s top pitcher that year, Cy Young.
William may have been the first Wildcat to become a professional baseball player. Recently NFA and southeastern Connecticut have boasted about the area’s Major League baseball talent. Not only was Hutchison a memorable member of NFA athletics history, but may have also been the first MLB player to come out of this region. Physical Education teacher and Varsity Baseball coach Luke Gabordi says, “It’s exciting that while working to create a new fitness facility for our students and staff, we uncovered a piece of NFA history about our former principal Rev. William Hutchison and his son ‘Wild Bill,’ one of the most successful baseball players in our program’s history.”
Reverend William Hutchison oversaw the original construction plans for the Slater Building after William A. Slater, NFA Class of 1875, came forward with a plan to memorialize his father, original NFA Corporator, John Fox Slater in a building on the NFA campus; however, Hutchison died before construction of the building was completed and the building was dedicated in 1886. After a December 1884 duck-hunting excursion to North Carolina, Hutchison returned with a severely aggravated cold. He died unexpectedly on January 6, 1885, at his home in Norwich.
It is fitting that the Hutchison Room has become a state of the art athletic training facility for Academy students. NFA records and newspaper clippings indicate that Norton Gym had its origins in a Class of 1883 initiative to raise funds to create a fitness center in honor of Hutchison. They raised $9,000. Less than 50 years later in 1929 when Ella Norton donated money to build a health center in memory of her father, original NFA Corporator Henry B. Norton, the Class of 1883 funds were combined with the donation from Ella Norton to build the Norton Gymnasium. In recognition of the Class of 1883, the Hutchison Room was dedicated at the building’s opening in 1930 and the plaque hung to honor the donors’ intent.
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Levanto Legacy
The
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hen we talk about those who have shaped this great institution, the founders and figures from NFA’s early history come to mind. There are, however, many of our own time who impacted Norwich Free Academy, people whom our history will recognize as notables with a lasting influence. Joseph Levanto, NFA’s eighth Principal, and first to hold the title of Principal/Superintendent, is one. He died unexpectedly and peacefully, September 22, 2015; his influence upon the Academy will be permanent.
Since his retirement in 1988, Dr. Joe, a 1947 alumnus, was a frequent visitor on campus and an active NFA supporter. He faithfully attended Corporators’ meetings and athletic and alumni events. Most recently, Levanto participated in Class Night, June 11, and attended the Class of 1960 Reunion in August. His lifelong association with the Academy began with his own school days. Levanto received an A.S. from Mitchell College, a B.A. from American International College; and an M.A., Professional Diploma, and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. Joe Levanto met Dorothy Eyberse ‘51 of Norwich at Bee Bee’s Dairy in Norwichtown, and they were married on January 26, 1952. “Dottie” passed away October 13, 2015, just 21 days after her husband of
63 years. Levanto had dedicated his memoirs to “my devoted and lovely wife, Dorothy, mother of our children…who has been my guardian angel and is my nominee for sainthood.” She was a true, generous, loving, and equal partner in the Levanto team. In 1954, Levanto returned to NFA to teach, and during his career, he taught English, mathematics, physics, industrial science, first aid, biological sciences, and general science. He coached football and baseball. While serving as Assistant Principal to Charles P. Hamblen ‘34, Levanto devised and implemented an attendance policy that gained national recongnition. He became Principal/Superintendent in 1975. That year, the father of four – Jacqueline Sullivan ’70, Jeannette Starzyk ’72, June Levanto ’74 sand Joseph Levanto, Jr. ’78 – and Dorothy moved into Teel House on Chelsea Parade. He became, like those before him, one of NFA’s great Headmasters. Alumni Gymnasium, NFA’s allweather track, and the observatory and planetarium became part of the campus landscape under Levanto’s tenure and leadership. He guided NFA through the Blizzard of 1978 and the fire in the Bradlaw Building that destroyed 22 classrooms at the
height of that storm. Dr. Levanto oversaw the reorganization of the Academy’s corporate structure to preserve NFA’s governance as a privately endowed, independent academy. He also managed the purchase of a private home on the corner of Carroll Avenue to expand the campus with a home for the Alumni Association and the NFA Foundation, Inc. On January 12, 2001, the NFA Board of Trustees dedicated and renamed that building the Levanto Alumni House to honor Levanto’s years of service and leadership. Levanto ushered in technology, and became a great change agent at the Academy, as he initiated the computerization of grade reporting. Within the bounds of NFA tradition, Levanto found ways for innovation and change to make NFA continually reinvent itself to meet the challenges and needs
of students and changing times. He continued the great spirit of change beginning in the 1950s which had introduced driver’s education, expanded guidance and student services, and opened a campus medical center. Dr. Joe was also the first NFA Principal to be inducted into NFA’s Athletic Hall of Fame, in recognition of his unwavering support of athletics and his role as Assistant Coach of the 1961 State Championship Wildcat Baseball team. In retirement, Levanto did not slow down. The child of Italian immigrants, he was enormously proud of his heritage and, in 2002, published his memoirs Giuseppe: Only in America, a collection of almost one-hundred touching, humorous, and sad vignettes and anecdotes, recounting his rise from non-English speaking child to civic
leader, and, in his words, “the richest man in the world.” He served as Assistant Professor and Director at Sacred Heart University; Supervisor of student teaching at Southern Connecticut State University; University LecturerDoctoral Studies Program at University of Sarasota; and School Expulsion Hearing Officer for the State of Connecticut. He continued to be active and serve in handfuls of community organizations. Upon retirement Dr. Joe wrote a touching letter to the Class of 1988, and it, despite his many accomplishments and his unwavering stewardship and leadership, lends insight into his character. He says, “always look for the good in people, be kind and considerate, dream a little – reach for the stars. You can be what you want to be.” Photos courtesy of the Levanto Family
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leadersmatter
W
ith the presentation of the George Ripley Student Humanitarian Award on the opening day of school, the NFA Alumni Association honored three extraordinary seniors. Nominees were Marissa Fitzgerald and Connie Ma. The award recipient was Cichen Lamu.
Teachers and peers alike recognize Lamu for her commitment to human rights, her great empathy for others, and her active efforts to improve our world at local and international levels.
Ripley Award nominations recognize a select segment of the senior class – talented, The NFA Alumni Association established committed, involved, multi-dimensional the George Ripley Student Humanitarian students. Ma was nominated for her work Award, given annually since 2009, to with Unified Club, Special Olympics, school recognize academic and personal climate committee, Student Advisory accomplishments and qualities of Board, and the National Honor Society. commitment, selflessness, She was the recipient and integrity in service of the National Youth to others. Ripley, one Service Award – Norwich “Treat others the way you of the Academy’s first Area, and was selected want to be treated back. graduates in 1858, was to attend the national It’s common sense.” the Alumni Association’s Generation Unified Leadfirst president. ership Summit in Los – Cichen Lamu Angeles this past July. When she was six and a half years old, Lamu came Fitzgerald is one of NFA’s to the United States from Tibet. Now, on student ambassadors, assisting with campus Friday nights she runs a Tibetan school from tours, orientation, and Wildcat Beginnings, her home, teaching nine younger children a summer program to familiarize incoming her native language. During the school freshman with campus and NFA life. She is a week, she is busy with her classes and leader in Project Outreach, has an interest in involved with the Business Club, the Cat video journalism, and is an active member Shack, Project Outreach, the Chinese of the yearbook staff. National Honor Society, and the Asian Lamu’s advice to younger students is simple, Culture Club. However, it is her work as but it is meaningful to people of all ages –“Be president of the Amnesty International yourself, find your friends and be confident.” Club and her passion and advocacy Lamu is proud of this recognition. She for human rights that brought forth her believes the Ripley Award proves that she nomination for the award by faculty has accomplished something meaningful. members Karen Cyr Cook ‘89, Kelley Coull The Alumni Association believes that the and Kasey McNatt, all members of the recognition is only a glimpse into the promise Social Studies Department. of the accomplishment and achievement “Cichen possesses a great interest in the of a bright future to come. world around her . . . ” wrote Cook, “feels “When I’m older I can look back and say, ‘I compassion for others and views herself as did something in the past, why not now?’” an active participant in global change.” Fall 2015
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ALMA 42
Lorraine Taylor Svertesky resides in Ocala, Florida, near a horse farm. She says there’s something new every day in the “Horse Capital of the World”.
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Richard Curland is a columnist for the Norwich Bulletin (8 years) and Norwich Magazine (3 years). He is owner of October Productions (59 years), an entertainment agency and has been an educator (57 years). Donald & Catherine Shaver Leone write that they attended this year’s Homecoming Celebration and highly recommend that fellow alumni attend next year to enjoy the truly exciting day.
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Richard Isper is fully retired from military and U.S. government service and says “Hi” to some of his former classmates -- Cleon George, Charles Connell, Betty Courey, Marilyn Cosentino, Ed Habert, Lenny Hertz, Harold Horden, Dick Karkutt, Daniel Leone, Bill Oat and Donald White.
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George Schwartau’s wife, Lois Duff Schwartau ’54 passed away
Matters
on September 13 in Wichita Fall, Texas, 11 days after their 60th wedding anniversary.
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Robert & Betty Thiel Schmidt are grandparents to Macayla Schmidt ‘16 and Hannah Schmidt ‘19. They welcomed their first great-grandchild Brayden J. Moore on September 15.
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Helene Zimmer-Loew received an honorary doctorate from Middlebury College. On August 14, President Laurie Patton bestowed this honor on Helene at the Middlebury Language Schools Commencement in Vermont, stating, “Helene ZimmerLoew, distinguished alumna, global citizen, champion of German language and culture. You have dedicated your life to the advancement of international fluency, driven by a passion for the
in language and education, and, perhaps most prominently, as the executive director of the National American Association of Teachers of German between 1985 and 2011. She is currently serving as the chair of the AATG National Fundraising Committee.
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William (Bill) Pedace and his wife Donna returned to the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area where Bill has returned to work for BMW Service.
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Dr. Virginia Hill Rice has retired as a Professor Emeritus after 30 years of teaching, research, and service at the Wayne State University College of Nursing and the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Saul Rosenstreich has been pursuing a second career in art since retiring from a gastroenterology practice in 2000. His work can be seen at saulrosenstreich.com.
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Calvin Lewerk writes that it is hard to believe that in 2016 it will be 60 years since he graduated!
world’s languages and cultures and propelled by a fierce determination to provide educators with the necessary tools to achieve our vision.” Helene’s illustrious and multifaceted career has included serving in many leadership positions
Diane Albertine Norman retired in 2014 from Otis Library in Norwich, Connecticut, after 32 years in the Reference Department. She now works as a genealogy researcher focused on New London County (CT).
Linda Chadow Roth retired in 2014 as Managing Broker of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s Scarsdale, New York, office. She resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Richard Siegel is retired and currently residing in Arizona.
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E. Turner Lewis is a veterinarian who has volunteered his services on 36 marathon sled dog races in Alaska, Yukon, New Hampshire, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana and Oregon. Twenty have been with Alaska’s Iditarod. Turner is retired but continues to do relief work as needed. He celebrated 50 years of marriage in August and loves living in Vermont.
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Sue Gough Sullivan has been the class historian for the Class of 1960 for many years, sharing information on the changes in the lives of their classmates. Her classmates would like to thank her for the time and effort she puts into keeping track of their class.
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Judith Despin Daley has recently published the second edition of Project M3 Mentoring Mathematical Minds, an award winning program for gifted mathematics students. She has 14 grandchildren and lives in Quaker Hill, Connecticut.
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THE ST ANNUAL JUBILEE REUNION The 21st Annual Jubilee Reunion, in honor of the Classes of 1927 – 1955, was held Thursday, July 16 at the Norwich Holiday Inn. Over 300 alumni and guests gathered for a luncheon and afternoon reminiscing with fellow alumni.
Red &
White REUNION
Members of the Classes of 1956-1964 gathered at Langley’s at Great Neck Country Club in Waterford on Saturday, August 15 to celebrate the 5th Annual Red & White Reunion. Over 125 classmates and guests traveled from all over New England, Florida, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland to join the festivities.
Warren Osik attended a Civil War conference in Richmond, Virginia in June. It was hosted by the Civil War Trust which recently reached a milestone of 41,000 acres of battlefields preserved for future generations. He visited 8 battlefields in the Richmond area during the conference.
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Judy Mirkin Strom and her husband Rob are proud of their 7-year old granddaughter, Juliet Strom, who performed in Meet Me in St. Louis during November at a high school in Virginia. Fall 2015
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Barbara Mrowka Brown says hello to all her classmates and friends. She hopes you all are well and keeping active.
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Michael Goldblatt and wife Rosa, vintage car collectors, both received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the Norwich Classic Car show in September. Mike continues to enjoy the informal lunch gatherings with members of the Class of 1964 held monthly at the Steak Loft in Mystic.
collegiate levels. She looks forward to continuing to be connected to public education through volunteering.
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In June, Arlene Rubenstein celebrated the graduation of her daughter, who now attends Pace University in New York. Arlene, who lives in Seattle, counsels women and tutors students with learning disabilities.
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Dr. Mary Ann Norman retired after over 30 years in education at the elementary, secondary and
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Eileen Kingsley Lemelin and her husband, Dave, retired and moved to North Fort Myers, Florida, in April. Nazly Guerra Buxton’s oldest son was married in April, and her other two sons are a senior and a freshman. Marla Schlessinger Tapper recently toured Italy, Germany, Austria and Iceland. She went to Walt Disney World with her sister Reva Schlessinger Winston ’83 and four of her friends for her 50th birthday celebration.
April Cobb Campbell and husband David of Raleigh, North Carolina, welcomed their tenth grandchild on April 20. Anne Adamcewicz Simpkinson is managing editor in the marketing communication department of Medtronic, a global medical technologies services and solution corporation. She resides in Old Saybrook.
home of the University of Florida. She writes that life is a neverending adventure!
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Paula Tamborra Berglund is celebrating her 29th year of teaching and is grateful for the excellent educational foundation she received at NFA.
Diane Ward Cordes has left Connecticut for the warmer temps of NorthCentral Florida and has settled in a small town near Gainesville,
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Larry Balsley retired in March as Captain of the Norwich Fire Department where he was employed for 25 years.
HOMECOMING
2015
Alumni and friends returned to campus on October 17 for Homecoming. The NFA Alumni Association hosted tailgating in the Shattuck parking lot, providing entertainment and holding a food drive for the local food pantry. The Class of 1950 won the Red & White School Spirit Contest, decorating its tailgate area in true Wildcat style with Wildcat Football player mannequins and tons of red and white! They were awarded this year’s Tailgate Champion Flag to add to their collection and proudly display at future NFA events.
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Joe Lewerk, social studies teacher at Killingly High School, participated in two professional development opportunities last summer. During two weeks in Germany with the Transatlantic Outreach Program, sponsored by the Federal Republic’s Goethe Institut, he explored historical and contemporary aspects of Germany including visits with students in elementary and secondary schools. Following the program, he traveled with his wife, Annaliza, and daughters, Moira ’14 and Margaret ‘17 in the south of Germany and Berlin. He then joined American and British teachers for a two-week residency exploring the role of the U.S. Army Air Force in Europe during World War II, sponsored by the American Air Museum, located at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire. The residency offered the opportunity to visit various sites connected to World War II in the south of England. He looks forward to sharing his experiences with current and future students.
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Ross Levanto was selected as one of 40 Under 40 by PRWeek/ Haymarket Media, Inc. He works as a technology and security specialist for MSLGroup in Boston, and he’s at the epicenter of the firm’s technology business in North America. Ross plays an active role in local and state politics and is a community organizer for the Democratic Party. His interest in politics began when he was an intern at the White House for Vice President Al Gore. In 2012, he was elected to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte and is currently the chair of the Boston Ward 5 Democratic Committee.
00
Christopher M. Cagle, son of Jerrilyn Jenkins Cagle ’76 and Ernie Cagle ’67, made his acting debut in the recently released film, The Murder Pact, a modern day thriller based on Edgar Allen Poe’s The Telltale Heart. Chris is working on a feature film due out next year.
Stephen Fan writes that SubUrbanisms, the traveling exhibit that he curated about the Chinatowns of Montville and Norwich, until January 31, 2016, is on view at the Museum of Chinese in America in New York City. He encourages NFA alumni to check out this award-winning exhibit, with graphics by Shane Keaney ’00. The exhibit addresses the American dream for Chinese immigrants in Southeastern Connecticut.
03
Tanya Robbin Daniels and her husband, Michael Daniels Jr., welcomed their first child, Madison Rose, on April 8, 2014.
04
Jason Nall, of Cheshire, received a Master’s degree, summa cum laude, from Bridgeport University, in June 2014. Jason is a Physician’s Assistant for the Cardiology Department, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford. Jason and his wife, Marissa, welcomed a daughter, Catalina Marie, on August 5.
Saveria Huffman Gagliardo ‘74 was the winner of the Best Red & White Dessert Contest creating not one or two, but three scrumptious desserts. Her white chocolate mini bundt cake, red velvet football whoopee pie and red chocolate teacup and saucer filled with tiramisu and white chocolate whipped cream that had our judges wanting more! Renee Bernier D’Elia ‘77 was the door-prize winner.
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James Nall, of Hamden, received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Boston Architectural College in December 2014. He received the Architecture Degree Project Studio Commendations for facade design of his Parcel 16 Recreational Training Center. James is a Junior Designer for Silver Petrucelli & Associates.
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Lydia Bowers left her job at the progressive policy think tank at The Roosevelt Institute in August, and, after traveling for several months, joined the New York City-based financial services startup Ellevest as Operation Manager. Ellevest is redefining investing for women and giving them the tools to reach their biggest goals.
REUNION News
Class of
1950
Submitted by Sis O’Neil
The Class of 1950 held its 65th reunion on September 26 at Acorn Acres Campground in Bozrah. Sis O’Neil welcomed classmates and friends to her campground where they enjoyed a delightful fall day that included a delicious luncheon, followed by a horse-drawn carriage ride, reminiscing about NFA and Norwich grammar school days and singing the Alma Mater. Plans are underway for a Class of 1950 Open House at Acorn Acres on New Year’s Eve. Classmates who are interested in attending this New Year’s Eve event can contact Sis O’Neil or the Levanto Alumni House.
Leah Klein married Brian Auvil at NFA in October. Leah, a graduate of the NFA Fine Arts program, is a graphic designer. Leah and Brian reside in Boston.
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Drew Brigner, a linebacker for Westfield State (MA), was named D3 Defensive Hero of the Week after recording 20 tackles in a 41-34 Westfield victory over Mass Maritime in October.
Class of
1955
Submitted by Anna Brucoli Hansen The Class of 1955 held its 60th reunion on September 19. Sixty-one classmates gathered for a lunch at NFA’s Sidney Frank Center. Attendees were entertained by classmate Russ Beetham who shared anecdotes about 1937 alumnus Sidney Frank. Mildred Sadernsky Goldstein led the singing of the Alma Mater. Hal Buckley of Scottsdale, AZ traveled the furthest to attend the reunion and was awarded a Halloween bowl, hand-carved by Chris
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1969
Class of Southern Mini Reunion Submitted by Pat Bowman Moravek
Lillibridge. Rose Morin Lewis was the second furthest traveler, one of several classmates who made the trip up from Florida. Jerry Navick announced that the Class Gift would go to the NFA Foundation’s Reid Fund.
Class of
NFA Class of 1969 held a mini-reunion at Hilton Head, South Carolina, Oct. 9-12. Many flew from Connecticut to attend, and others traveled from across the country.
1960
1970
Submitted by Rosemary Southworth
Class of
The Class of 1960 was honored to have Dr. Levanto and his daughter Jackie Sullivan ’70 at the August 8 reunion luncheon at Port & Starboard in New London. Dr. Levanto had attended every one the Class of 1960 reunions and will be sadly missed.
Meg Caulfield Soulas
Class of
1969
Northern Mini Reunion
Submitted by Pat Bowman Moravek
The Class of 1970 teed off its reunion weekend with golf at the Norwich Golf Course and a wine tour at Sea Grass Vineyard & Stonington Vineyard. On Saturday, August 15, 102 classmates and guests enjoyed a summer barbeque under twinkling lights and red & white balloons at the Bozrah Moose. The celebration kicked off with music by Joe Vaz. A night of dancing and reminiscing was enjoyed by classmates who traveled from Maine, Florida, South Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Hawaii. A raffle resulted in a donation to the NFA Foundation. The Reunion Committee is comprised of President John Twomey, Karen Shaughnessy Twomey, Betsey Cummings Clarke, Jay Furlong, Kathy Burke Kutia, Jacquie Pianko Burzycki, Mike O’Connor, Betty Pendola Eccles, Dave Figarsky and Meg Caulfield Soulas.
The Class of 1969 held a mini-reunion at Illiano’s Restaurant on August 12. The event was created through the efforts of the class Facebook group and Kathy Haviland Griffith, who resides in West Virginia, but was planning a trip to Norwich.
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REUNION
News continued
Class of
1973
Class of
Members from the Class of 1985 celebrated their 30th reunion on October 17 at the Harp & Dragon in Norwich. Classmates enjoyed the evening and the opportunity to reconnect with one another.
Submitted by Susan Selvidio-Stanley What could be better when turning 60, than to celebrate with NFA classmates in South Florida? Siesta Key Beach, St. Armond’s Circle, The Ringling, Sarasota Bay Sunset Cruise, and a huge Birthday Bash were just a few highlights of the four day Columbus Day holiday weekend. The sun was shining every day and the best part was enjoying our friendships and NFA bonds.
Class of
1980
1985
Class of
1990
Submitted by: Tara Ludlow Hurt The Class of 1990 celebrated its 25th class reunion on August 29, 2015 at Mohegan Sun Country Club. Name tags, with high school photos, were the talk of the evening and guests were amazed that they all looked the same as they did 25 years ago! An after-party was hosted at the home of one of the classmates.
Submitted by Maria Fells Lavin & Sa-on Loilert Morse The Class of 1980 held its 35th reunion on Saturday, August 1 at Prime 82 Restaurant. Over 75 classmates and guests attended the reunion, with classmates traveling from Florida, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, and California to attend. George Wezner and his brother provided background music, to which several classmates enjoyed dancing.
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Class of
2000
Submitted by: Crystal Hust Ortega The Class of 2000 celebrated their 15th class reunion with family and friends at the Mohegan Park Field Pavilion on August 15. There were activities to keep all the guests busy throughout the day and a catered lunch was provided.
FACULTY & STAFF World Language teacher, Robert Osko, attended the Arabic Teachers’ Roundtable at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha, Qatar November 2 – 5, 2015. The roundtable focused on the pre-university learning needs of Arabic learners in high school and culminated in a draft articulation of principles for the effective teaching of Arabic at the high school level. Physical Education teacher, Luke Gabori married Kara Kovach on July 24, 2015.
News
Dance teacher, Meaghan Sawyer ‘04 and Prentice Tracy ’02 married on August 8, 2015.
English Teacher, Bryan Burdick and his wife Melissa, welcomed Tessa Catherine on September 29, 2015.
Sign Language teacher, Nate Wheeler ’08 married Heather Czapla on August 21, 2015.
School Guidance Counselor and Boys’ Soccer Coach, Robert Briones and his wife Regiane, welcomed Felipe Alonso Briones on October 10,
Social Studies teacher, Molly Palmer married Drew Colati on July18, 2015
YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
Every gift to the NFA Fund ensures that students are provided with unique opportunities & choices. Fall 2015 33 Make your gift today at www.nfaschool.org/giving
2016 UPCOMING
REUNIONS
Watch Your Mail for Additional Information
Florida – East & West Coast Reunions February 2016
1961
Class of : 55th Year Reunion September 17, 2016 The Spa at Norwich Inn
1966
Class of 50th Year Reunion Weekend of June 10, 2016
1976
Class of 40th Year Reunion August 20, 2016 The Spa at Norwich Inn
1996
Class of 20th Year Reunion August 13, 2016 Norwich Holiday Inn
ALUMNI FRIENDS
&We Will Miss
We express our deepest sympathy to the families and classmates of the following NFA graduates who are known to have recently passed away. They will be missed.
1932 Nannette Muscatine Bernstein 1933 Lillian Golub Seder 1935 Eleanor Brown Conary Alice Papinski Connelly Miriam Krieger Kramer 1936 Elizabeth Barry Catlow Bernard Ryan 1937 Frances Gilbert Russell 1938 Helene Greenman Manning 1939 Yvonne Bates Abrams Alma Jones Collins Edward Ellsworth Charles Gilbert Ruth Savage Kirsch 1941 Grace Scovel Gray 1942 James Duff Dorothy Grattidge Kelly-Fenelon Elizabeth Thompson Lozier Eileen Coughlin Lychack Genevieve McDonnell Rich
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1943 Alice Burdick Norris Alys Brown Pfannenstiel Joseph Shugrue 1944 Shirley Wright Miller Frank T. Ritacco 1946 Frank Barbarossa Bettylee Chambers Marshall Marilyn Blackburn Gordon 1947 Joseph Levanto Charles Walker 1948 Caroline Marchiel Kapinos David Krug Nancy Desmond Morgan Bernice Fishbone Nadler Muriel Tefft Newbury 1949 Norman Caron Anthony Fatone Elizabeth M. Thompson 1950 Joan Anderson Atterbury John Finegan John Geragotelis Lucille Larose Gignac-Smith
1951 Richard Baronowski Shirley Whiting Kearney Viola Fedorczyk Margarones Dorothy Eyberse Levanto John Smiley 1952 Richard Donahue 1954 Barbara Lasiewicz Kuzia Olive Vachon Lyman Paul Murphy Lois Duff Schwartau 1955 Marietta Johnson Bellucci Irene Godfrey Simpson 1956 Madonna Meyer McAvoy William Shavce 1957 Richard Walenda Michael Wenzel Constance Wojcik 1958 Francis Brennan Dixie Robinson Santerre 1959 Patricia McCormick Andrews Juliana Stencel Jolly Mary Rodgers Topliff 1960 Mildred Ludlow Maine 1961 Joseph Walukiewicz 1962 Alan Balawender Dorothy Galligan 1963 James Moulton
1964 Paul Blanchette William Jervis Gail Buddington Shea 1966 Louise Rist Gifford 1969 Kathleen Kingsley Wheeler 1970 Michael Arpin Louis Beams Joseph Burns Robert Gulomb Jane Dembinski Kane 1971 Jeffrey Scott 1973 Loretta Howanec Tefft 1974 Cindee Wydra Winski 1976 Susan Winton 1979 Oliver Bray 1980 David Greenfield 1987 James Hubbard 1989 Stacey Bernal O’Connell 1999 Taylor Yasukochi Retraction: We sincerely apologize to Elizabeth Walker Thompson, Class of ’64, who was inadvertently included on the deceased listing in the summer magazine.
Patricia (Hildick) Bazemore Maxson ’58 passed away on April 16, 2015. She received a B.S., cum laude, from Radcliffe College of Harvard University in 1962 and an M.D. from Yale University in 1968. Her medical career and personal life were guided by compassion for those who struggled. She served the mentally ill population for the majority of her career, giving voice and meticulous care to their medical needs. She pioneered the recognition, treatment, and prevention of swallowing disorders and choking in the mentally ill. She was Chief of Medicine at Worcester State Hospital from 1988 to 2010 and at Taunton State Hospital from 2010 to 2013. She was also Associate Professor of the Departments of Family Medicine and of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She served for many years as a member of the Admissions Committee of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and as preceptor for the Physician’s Assistant Programs at The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, Springfield College and Towson University. Over the years, she and her husband, Stephen, traveled to Scandinavia, Scotland, England, The Netherlands, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Malta. She loved France, especially Paris, and she was passionate about French language and culture. Fall 2015
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MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT 2015 O ver 50 veterans, active duty and retired military personnel were in attendance for NFA’s Military Appreciation Night on Friday, November 13, 2015 before the Wildcats football team played the Stonington Bears.
The honored guests were treated to a reception in the Atrium prior to their special introductions during a pre-game ceremony that included a moment
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of silence and the National Anthem performed by Senior Allison Aspinwell. Alumnus David Tongren ‘35 lead the color guard and veterans onto the field. World War II veteran Paul Boyer delivered the game ball and alumnus John Waggoner ’63 performed the ceremonial coin toss. The Wildcats defeated Stonington 27-6.
VETERAN AND ALUMNUS:
DAVID TONGREN F
or many, the lasting image of the Battle of Iwo Jima is the iconic photograph of five United States Marines and a United States Navy hospital corpsman raising a U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi, on February 23, 1945. David Tongren, Class of 1935, was a U.S. Marine on Iwo Jima and was an eye-witness to the event and a participant in that important battle in World War II. When asked about his experience, he immediately remembers the over 6,000 U.S. soldiers who lost their lives. Tongren is known to many in Norwich as the proprietor of Tongren’s Shoe Store once located on Main Street. He proudly returns to Norwich Free Academy to attend Homecoming, where he enjoys watching the marching band perform; he is an engaged participant at the annual Jubilee Reunion. “I always win a prize for being the oldest one there!” he boasts. Tongren recently celebrated his 99th birthday. When asked the secret of living a long life, he said, “Oh, I don’t know - eat lots of vegetables. And some fruit. And keep easy hours. But, you know, I have good genes.”
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peoplematter AMY CORREIA TEACHER OF THE YEAR At the Opening Day ceremony for the
In her inspirational speech, based
school year, Amy Rygielski Correia ’01
on a Virginia Woolf quotation,
was named NFA’s 2015-16 Teacher of the
Correia addressed “the collective”
Year. Correia, English Language Learner
strength and power of education
Team Leader, has been instrumental
and support. She ended by reading
in advancing the cause of language
the NFA mission statement.
acquisition for NFA’s non-native speakers. She is a strong advocate for NFA
“I’m overwhelmed,” said Correia.
students who arrive at the Academy
“Eighteen years ago as a ninth grader,
eager to learn, sometimes speaking two
I never imagined I would be in this
or three different languages, but little,
position. It is amazing what NFA does to
if any, English.
transform people. I love what I do, I work with great people, and together we do
Last year, she shepherded the
really great work here. To represent my
implementation of the New Arrival
colleagues is a great honor.”
Center, an immersion program for students arriving at NFA with little English
Gail Sanborn Rygielski ’72 and Stephen
language experience. The program helps
Rygielski ’70 were proudly on hand
students learn English while not falling
for their daughter’s honor as were
behind in subjects like mathematics
grandmother Mary Koronowicz Sanborn
and science. A component also helps
’46, sister Erin Rygielski Arcangel ’99,
the newly-arrived learn and adapt to
husband Jack, three-year-old daughter
American culture and life.
Libby, and eighteen-month-old son Jack.
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NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID HARTFORD, CT PERMIT #4145
Change Service Requested
NFASchool.org/calendar John Meyer of Norwich: An American Original Until January 15, Converse Art Gallery Core Plus Financial Aid Night February 3, 6-8 p.m., Slater Auditorium 72nd Annual CT Artists Juried Exhibition Opening & Awards February 7, 1-3 p.m., Converse Art Gallery West Coast Florida Alumni Reunion February 22, Venice East Coast Florida Alumni Reunion February 24, Boynton Beach Spring Food Drive March 9 - 27, NFA