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Summer 2009 • Noble and Greenough School The

Noble and Greenough School

10 Campus Drive Dedham, MA 02026-4099 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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T H TE H NE O NB OL B EL S E BS U BL U LL EL TE I N T I N

NOBLES Bulletin

The

NO OBLES Bulletin

Households that receive more than one Nobles Bulletin are encouraged to call Kathy Johnson at 781.320.7001 to discontinue copies.

N O NB OL B E L AE N AD N GD R GE R EE N EO NU OG UH G SH C H ER S CO HO OL O •L W • I SN UT M M E2R0 02 50 –0 29 0 0 6

“Off to New Waters” MOTLEY POND BY GORDON ECCLES ’09

The

NOBLES Bulletin Noble and Greenough School Summer 2009 Editor Joyce Leffler Eldridge DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Assistant Editors Julie Guptill ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Lauren Bergeron COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Design David Gerratt/DG Communications www.NonprofitDesign.com

Photography David Arnold Lauren Bergeron Joyce L. Eldridge Amanda Fiedler Julie Guptill Joel Haskell John Hirsch Leah Larricia Bob Moore Kim Neal

The Editorial Committee Brooke Asnis ’90 Kate Coon John Gifford ’86 Tilesy Harrington Bill Kehlenbeck Sarah Snyder

The Noble and Greenough Bulletin is published three times a year for graduates, past and current parents and grandparents, students and supporters of the Noble and Greenough School. Nobles is a co-educational, nonsectarian day and partial boarding school for students in grades seven (Class VI) through 12 (Class I). Noble and Greenough is a rigorous academic community that strives for excellence in its classroom teaching, intellectual growth in its students and commitment to the arts, athletics and service to others.

For further information and up-to-theminute graduate news, visit our website at www.nobles.edu.

Letters and comments may be e-mailed to Joyce_Eldridge@nobles.edu, Julie_Guptill@ nobles.edu or Lauren_Bergeron@nobles.edu.

We also welcome old-fashioned mail sent c/o Noble and Greenough School, 10 Campus Drive, Dedham, MA 02026.

The office may be reached directly by dialing 781-320-7014, 7264, or 7267. © Noble & Greenough School 2009

Letters to the Editor More than One Way . . . he algebraic solution offered by ERIC NGUYEN to the problem posed on page 16 of the Spring Bulletin is elegant and, if representative of what is being taught in Fifth Class math, impressive.

I wonder if any of the students considered that a quick solution could be found using logic and examination, i.e.: • The father is older than the son • The father’s age is a whole number divisible by three • The sum of the ages of the two is 55 There are a finite number of pairs of ages that satisfy these criteria. Logic suggests that one of the pairs in the middle of the range will be correct (for example, the father must be at least 30 to be older than the son, and the 30/25 and 33/22 pairs are ruled out as the father would be too young to conceive a child). Further, the problem tells us that, give or take a few years, the father’s age is approximately twice the son’s age, so this tends to rule out pairs like 54/1 or 51/4. The closest approximation to the “roughly double” hint would seem to be the 39/16 pair. And upon examination, this pair satisfies the other conditions.

You might add that after solving Mr. Nguyen’s problem the “easy” way, I decided to risk embarrassment and see if I could come up with an algebraic solution. The trick to this question, it seemed to me, is that it contains not two but three unkowns— the two ages of course, but also the ambiguous time interval defined by the age the son “was.” So I decided to see if I could solve for this third term, calling it ‘z’, with the father’s age ‘x’ and the son’s age ‘y’.

The resulting equations were: x = 3(y-z), and x-z = 2(y+2) Then, substituting 55-x for y, I had two simultaneous equations with only two unknowns. Since z was the mystery term, I solved for it (answer: 3), then the remaining terms were easy. It probably would have been faster to solve for x directly, but either route supplied results for all three terms.

Would this solution pass muster in Mr. Nguyen’s course?

I’m not sure I could have solved the problem the algebraic way when I was in the Fifth Class, and my hat goes off to any student who did. But the “easy” way noted above took me about 30 seconds. Fifty years of trying to solve problems the easiest way must be good for something.

Thanks for an interesting and informative issue of The Bulletin.

T

John Merrill ’61

continued on page 29

IN TIMES LIKE THESE . . .

IT’S ACTUALLY A TERRIFIC TIME TO CONSIDER A DEFERRED GIFT TO NOBLES. Many people look at their 401Ks and asset portfolios today and think that now is the worst time to consider making a capital contribution to a charity they care about. Actually, there are many excellent opportunities right now to make a real difference in the causes you care about while making smart financial decisions.

MAKING A BEQUEST INTENTION TO NOBLES It’s the simplest, easiest way to make a gift to Nobles far beyond what you might otherwise be able to consider at this time. Irrevocable bequest intentions can range anywhere from $5,000–$100,000 or more, and have a huge impact on Nobles and its future.

Whatever the amount . . .

• Whatever the designation, be it unrestricted or directed to a specific project . . .

• Whether you are adding to an existing fund that you care about, such as an endowed family fund . . .

• Or starting something new, such as a new endowed scholarship fund . . .

About Our Cover

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hen invited to create a photographic image for the Graduation Bulletin, GORDON ECCLES ’09, recipient of the Shillito Cup for Photography, envisioned the small length of the Charles River which curves around the Nobles campus. “I have spent six seasons rowing on this stretch of river and now, with my high school career at an end, I’m off to new waters [Carnegie Lake, Princeton University]. For this cover, I tried to capture the river that I’ve become so accustomed to over the past six years.” A veteran of Photography I, II, and AP courses at Nobles, Eccles and classmate SPENCER OMUEMU also completed a photography-related Senior Project, photographing each member of the senior class, trying to display a To view the slide show, visit characteristic unique to that person. www.nobles.edu/tribute09.



• Or adding to a fund such as the Graduate Chair for Faculty, an endowed faculty chair which pools the gifts of hundreds of graduates, regardless of the size of their gift . . .

A BEQUEST INTENTION is simple, easy and will help keep Nobles vibrant for generations to come.

For more information or to discuss options, please contact: George Maley, Director of Development Noble and Greenough School, 10 Campus Drive, Dedham, MA 02026 (781) 320-7019 • george_maley@nobles.edu

CONTENTS SUMMER 2009

2

8 FEATURES

30 DEPARTMENTS

2 CLASS OF 2009 GRADUATION FESTIVITIES REFLECT EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESSES AT NOBLES Emotions, Achievements, Performances at High Level

6

Awards and Prizes

7

College Matriculation List

7

Distinction Lists

8 CLASS I PROFILES HIGHLIGHT RANGE OF TALENTS, INSIGHTS, ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS Twelve Seniors Describe Their Time at Nobles

23

Admission Report

28

Class I on the Ropes

38

Alumni/ae Game Photos

42

Spring Musical Review

44

Graduate Journalist Thanks Katrina Volunteers

46

Keeping You Up-to-Date

48

On the Playing Fields

50

Class Notes

19 CLOSING RECOGNITION BANQUETS HONOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES Cum Laude, Freeman Legacy, Boarding, Senior Arts, Senior Projects 24 MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASS OF 2013 ‘STEPS UP’ THE INCLINE TO THE UPPER SCHOOL A Literal Move from Pratt Middle School to Shattuck Schoolhouse 26 DREW MCCOURT ’00 INHERITS THE DODGER LEGACY Young Graduate Shapes the Business/Development Side of the Team 30 HUNDREDS RETURN TO CAMPUS FOR NOBLES REUNION Special, Day-Long Festivities Held for Grads of the ’40s 41 NOBLES PREPARING TO CREATE ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME Nominations Now Being Accepted through Sept. 30, 2009

GRADUATION 2009

Class of 2009

GRADUATION SPEAKERS

Excerpt From President Obama’s Commencement Speech at Arizona State University:

“I come here not to dispute the suggestion that I haven’t yet achieved enough in my life. I come to embrace it; to heartily concur; to affirm that one’s title, even a title like President, says very little about how well one’s life has been led— and that no matter how much you’ve done, or how successful you’ve been, there’s always more to do, more to learn, more to achieve.”

2 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

Lining up for the formal Class of 2009 portrait

GRADUATION 2009

SPARK THOUGHT

Will Macrae, left, and Karan Lyons

Nobody’s Going to Rain on Their Parade

by Joyce Leffler Eldridge

F Kate Coon and Maddy Petrini From left: Erin Twohig, Dave Ulrich, Tomoko Graham, Shannon Clark, Chris McDonald ‘09

rom the humorous to the most serious, advice abounded at the Nobles Graduation this year, as three student speakers, the Head of School and the Director of Diversity Initiatives addressed the 111 graduates.

Elected student speaker Suzanne Sullivan recalled the legacy of her grandmother, in the audience, who always showered her with food, small amounts of money, rides to and from school, etc. “I need to give you what I can while I can,” her “Mimi” would insist. “This is very much like our teachers here,” Suzanne observed. “Our teachers know our time on campus is limited, so they give everything they possibly can while we’re here.”

Manny Perez, also elected by the students, recalled the words of a math teacher who advised: “Never limit yourself; you can make this world a better place.” Manny’s own piece of advice is to learn from the inevitable mistakes everyone eventually makes. “Mistakes are a huge part of human character and, in some ways, the more [mistakes] we make, the more we learn [from them],” he theorized.

Student body President Maddy Petrini described some of the travails she had encountered in her time at Nobles. By the end of her remarks, however, she shouted the popular rallying cry, “This is our moment.”

At a pre-graduation Assembly, Provost Bill Bussey set the tone by reminding students, “It’s hard to realize how good you have [had] it. It doesn’t get much better than this.” Student performers gave vocal and instrumental renditions with titles expressing such sentiments as SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 3

GRADUATION 2009 Head of School Bob Henderson congratulating Kristy Giandomenico as math teacher Nick Marinaro looks on.

Manny Perez

Shabrina Guerrier and Bob Henderson.

From left, Arianna Brown, Megan Bunnell, Tory Cameron

[These Are] “The Best Days of Our Lives” and [I Want to Be] “Forever Young.”

Head of School Robert P. Henderson Jr. ’76 P’13 addressed the students in their new role as graduates, who will, he speculated, remember their years at Nobles slightly differently as time elapses. “Over the years, when you come back and visit, the school will feel smal-

ler,” he said. “Yet at the same time, it will loom ever larger in your memory …. You will come back to this campus and recapture the unique and powerful sense of place…. You will forever have this special place as a part of your soul and being.”

An historian himself, Henderson quoted Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough who has found

4 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

(in researching and writing his profound biographies such as that of John Adams) that “no one is or ever was self-made. We are all what we are in large degree because of others who have helped, coached, taught, counseled, who set a standard by example, who’ve taken an interest in our interests, opened doors, opened our minds, helped us see, who gave us encourage-

GRADUATION 2009

Steven Tejada, Director of Diversity Initiatives Suzanne Sullivan

From left: Chris Lehman, Matt O’Leary, Jerome Tse, Evan Altman, George Tall, Stone Cao, Nick Thierry.

ment when we needed it, who reprimanded or prodded us when we needed it, and, at critical moments, inspired.”

Faculty speaker Steven Tejada, elected by the graduating class, praised the students for their creativity (e.g. calling a favorite, central patch of grass “the Beach” even though it has neither sand nor ocean) and asked them to keep their priorities straight when leaving Nobles. “Material goods and money can’t replace [relationships with] people or love,” he reminded them. “Put people first and believe in yourself. I look forward to seeing you change this world.”

He asked the graduates to repeat these three mantras after him: I will continue to be creative.

I will continue to gain perspective and believe in myself.

I will always put people first.

For full texts of Suzanne Sullivan’s, Manny Perez’s, Bob Henderson’s and Steven Tejada’s graduation addresses go to www.nobles.edu/2009speeches.

8

Class of 2009 Soars from Nobles to Beyond

S

eventy-five percent of the Class of 2009 was accepted to the college they designated as their “first choice.” Another statistic that speaks for itself: 51 percent of the class received For a list of schools attended not a single denial. by graduates over the past For the full list of schools at five years (2005–’09), visit which Nobles graduates will matricwww.nobles.edu/collegelist. ulate, turn to page 7.

The five-member College Counseling office obviously deserves a fair share of the credit for these extraordinary results. “We’re just doing our job,” Counseling Director Michael Denning said self-effacingly.

Other statistics that underscore the intellectual depth and well-rounded breadth of the Class of 2009 include the unprecedented number of students who will attend an Ivy League school: 37 (33 percent of the class). An additional four declined Ivy offers to accept other academic opportunities.

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SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 5

GRADUATION 2009

2009 Awards and Prizes (All Class of 2009, unless otherwise stated)

Alumni Prize (for excellence in history)

Carey Favaloro Bramhall-Bridge Purchase Prize (in art)

Hanna Atwood, Eliza Dawson, Kelsey Lawler, Henry Mauck G. Leighton Bridge Award (for excellence in ceramics)

Little Memorial Essay Awards (Fiction/Literary Crit.)

Volkmann Medal (for excellence in modern languages)

Sutherland Plaque

Non-Fiction: Emily Scioscia Fiction/Poetry: Meghan Palmer Literary Criticism: Eric Chang

Spanish: Nadia Mahmoud French: Maria Montes Japanese: Evan Altman

The Trustee Prize for Scholarship

C. Lucille (Lucie) Wright ’10 The Nash Award (for executive ability)

Jessica Anderson-Nelson

Peter Kerns and William Warren Prize for excellence in Tech Theater

Nathaniel Nash Prize for Journalism

Karan Lyons William Macrae

William Randle The Davis Cup (for sportsmanship)

Henry Mauck Kelly Cooke Grandin Wise Award (for excellence in community service)

Alexandra Piersiak The Nobles Shield (most respected male and female athletes)

McCallum Foote Casey Griffin

Hannah Weber Reginald Davidson Music Award

Jonathan Held ’10 Public Speaking Award

Sophia Tyack Sydney Lovett Eaton Prize (for excellence in Directing and/or Acting)

Shabrina Guerrier Madeline Petrini Scudder Prize (for excellence in fine arts)

Eric Chang

Jessica Anderson-Nelson

Sheldon Prize (for excellence in science)

Greenough Prize (for excellence in Mathematics)

Alexandra Geanacopoulos Zachary Greenberg

William Macrae Zachary Greenberg Harvard Book Prize

Eliza Goode ’10 Daniel Samost ’10

Wiswell Prize (for excellence in English)

Meghan Palmer The Thomas S. Resor Coaching Excellence Award

Alex Gallagher, faculty Williams College Book Award

Daniel Greenberg Epes Sargent Dixwell Medal (for excellence in Latin)

Princeton Book Award

Shillito Cup (for excellence in photography)

Gordon Eccles IT and Media Department Award (for excellence in computing/media)

William Macrae 6 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

Class of ‘98 Flag (presented to a member of the senior class who embodies concern for others)

Ellen Crowley Swayze/Mabley Boarding Art Purchase Prize:

Vinesha Baker Nadia Mahmoud Robert J. Agostini Award (for athletic contribution as a non-competitor)

Jeffrey Wong ’12

Class VI: Julia Fitzgerald Class V: Catherine Beer Class IV: Juliana Wright Class III: Ben Kirshner Class II: Matt Antoszyk Class I: Alexandra Geanacopoulos Slawsby Award (for excellence in computing)

Karan Lyons Wiggins Prize

Non-Fiction: Lucie Wright ’10 Fiction: Carly Rosenfield ’10 Literary Criticism: Sharon Roth ’10 Edward S. Gleason Award (for distinguished academic record)

Meghan Palmer The Miller Medal (for excellence in scholarship and athletics)

Andrew LoRusso Russell B. Stearns Achievement Award (for scholastics, character, and leadership)

William Randle

Maria Montes Paul Toribio

Edward L. Bond Jr. Memorial Prize For Improvement

The Head of School Prize

Class VI: Justin Jimenez Class V: Spencer Thompson Class IV: Tyler Zon Class III: Philip Hession Class II: Curtis Rheingold Class I: Victoria Cameron

Timothy Chang Vernon L. Greene Award

Marcela Maldonado, faculty

GRADUATION 2009

Matriculation List For Class of 2009 8 - Brown University 7 - Harvard University 5 - Dartmouth College 5 - Duke University 5 - Princeton University 4 - Boston College 4 - Bowdoin College 4 - Colgate University 4 - Columbia University 4 - Cornell University 3 - Bates College 3 - Boston University 3 - Syracuse University 3 - Tufts University 3 - Vanderbilt University 3 - Yale University 2 - Colby College 2 - Davidson College 2 - Georgetown University 2 - The George Washington University 2 - Northwestern University 2 - Occidental College 2 - Roanoke College 2 - Swarthmore College 2 - Trinity College 2 - Wellesley College One student is matriculating at each of the following institutions: Bard College, Bridgewater State College, Bryn Mawr College, Bucknell University, Carnegie Mellon University, College of the Holy Cross, College of William & Mary, Colorado College, Elon University, Emerson College, Hamilton College, University of MassachusettsAmherst, The University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, University of Puget Sound, University of Richmond, Skidmore College, University of Southern California, University of St. Andrews, Tulane University, Union College, Wesleyan University, Williams College

Graduating with Highest Distinction Jessica Anderson-Nelson Alexandra Geanacopoulos Kristina Giandomenico Zachary Greenberg Meghan Palmer

Graduating with High Distinction Evan Altman Andrew Bishop Jennifer Donnelly Eric Greenstein Jake Greenstein Christopher Lehman Andrew LoRusso Devan Luster William Macrae Tyler Parsons Anuj Patel Scott Prozeller Hadley Stein Sophia Tyack Anisha Vishwanath

Nubia Smith-Whitaker

Graduating with Distinction Vinesha Baker Megan Bunnell Stone Cao Eric Chang Elizabeth Dawson Sarah Dec Gordon Eccles Carey Favaloro Ian Graves Daniel Greenberg Brooke Hammer Robert Kelly William Kiplinger Scott Kirschner Emmett Mercer Alexandra Piersiak Hannah Roman Jamie Shulman Earl Smith Nubia Smith-Whitaker Natasha Tyagi Lucas Zullo

From left, Jessica Anderson-Nelson, Anuj Patel, Anisha Vishwanath

English teacher Vicky Seelen congratulates her step-daughter Jen Lawrence.

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 7

CLASS I PROFILES

CLASS I Just the Start of a Lifelong Friendship EVAN ALTMAN Admitted from Pollard Middle School (Needham) Attending Brown University TUCKER JOHNSON Admitted from The Fessenden School (Newton) Attending Colgate University

W

hen Evan Altman and Tucker Johnson first met during the Class IV retreat, neither could have fathomed how four formative years at Nobles would beget what has become, and what will continue to be, a great bond.

Between the Class IV ski trip and English class, their friendship took flight and, over the years, has become an unbreakable alliance. “We have enjoyed our Nobles experience immensely and we hope that our friendship has left an indelible mark on the school community,” said Evan.

With little extending beyond the scope of their shared interests, the dynamic duo has collaborated on a laundry list of activities and projects, but are most notoriously known for their comical appearances in morning Assembly. “We just really like to make people laugh,” Evan said. Whether through publicizing upcoming schoolwide events or unveiling one of their memorable films, the two never fail to amuse the 8:00 a.m. crowd.

Their well-received movies sparked the creation of their own production

8

To read more about Evan and Tucker, please visit www.nobles.edu/ evanandtucker.

company, Green Tea Films, for which Evan and Tucker write, direct, edit and act in original films. For their joint senior project, the two worked closely with Director of Diversity Initiatives and actor Steven Tejada, exploring the process of filmmaking.

Other activities include spearheading the Dharma Initiative, a club that meets regularly to watch, debrief and theorize on the perplexities of the ABC TV show LOST. They also teamed up last semester in the production of the spring musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie (see page 42 for story). Of the bond formed through their shared athletic endeavors as co-captains of the JV Squash team, Tucker quipped, “There’s just something about being in a box for two hours a day with Evan….”

Although Nobles has provided the pair with the opportunity to unite on a myriad of fronts, Evan and Tucker have also explored their separate interests. Evan’s fascination with “all things challenging” propelled him to travel with Nobles to Sapporo, Japan, last summer to practice the complex language. He reflected, “The trip taught me that you don’t need to speak someone’s language perfectly in order to build a lasting relationship with them.” Tucker, meanwhile, further pursued his love of cycling and, with classmate Henry Mauck ’09, started an unofficial Nobles Cycling Club. And although they are each involved in music inde-

8 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

pendent of one another—Evan plays piano; Tucker, the guitar—that didn’t keep these best friends from performing a piano/guitar duet in a “timeless” rendition of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” at this year’s Valentine’s Day Assembly.

Perhaps the experience from which their friendship grew the most came during their Class II year when they both lost in the SLC presidency race. Evan commented, “Looking back, it’s really better that one of us didn’t win because we were able to devote more time this year to filmmaking and Assembly appearances.” When asked whether it was strange campaigning against one another, Tucker said, “Not at all. No matter what, we would always vote for each other.”

—Lauren Bergeron

Tucker Johnson, left, and Evan Altman

CLASS I PROFILES

PROFILES Service To Others Reflects Family Ties HANNA ATWOOD Admitted from The Park School (Brookline) Attending City Year, Boston; deferred Colgate University

I

f you open the Atwood family album, you’ll find typical vacation photos— smiling, sun-kissed faces posed in front of popular tourist hotspots. But as you flip through the pages, what you are more likely to see are pictures of community service trips that the family has embarked on together.

Hanna Atwood has understood the importance of community service for as long as she can remember. As a family, the Atwoods have made service a priority, dedicating weekends and vacation time to volunteering, both close to their home in Dedham and in countries like South Africa, Bhutan and Guatemala. Hanna’s mother, Kristen, is a founding member and current trustee of City Year, an organization dedicated to providing young adults with the opportunity to commit to a year of service. Hanna’s older sister, Kylie ’07, chose to defer a year at Middlebury College in order to work with City Year, Boston; next year, Hanna will follow in her footsteps, deferring at Colgate University. “My passion for service was definitely ignited by my family,” she says. In addition to her parents and older sister, Hanna also has two younger sisters, Sophie ’12 and Chapin ’14, and a younger brother, Teagan, in fourth grade.

“Hanna and her family are a living testament to the famous Gandhi quote, ‘You must be the change you wish to see in the world.’ They see where injustice occurs and they work as a family, with their schools and at City Year, to overcome those injustices,” says Hanna’s advisor Alex Gallagher ’90. “Their family has been an inspiration to me and countless others while I have known them.”

When Hanna arrived at Nobles in the ninth grade, she fittingly became involved with the Community Service program’s core group. (All students complete an 80-hour service requirement, but some students choose to join the Community Service Core.) “It was fun to find a club in which everyone shared similar interests,” says Hanna. “We try to teach people that community service is so easy to do, yet means so much to so many.”

One of the things Hanna says she draws most from community service is the ability to meet different people from all walks of life. It has been the relationships that she’s developed which inspire her the most; she identifies these strong relationships with each of the things she loves most about Nobles. “I have had an amazing time with all of my teammates and coaches and I’ll always cherish those friendships,” says Hanna.

Nobles’ commitment to hiring adults with whom students can form true relationships is one reason why Hanna plans to stay connected with the school. “I believe in what they do here, and when I come back in 25 years, I hope it’s not the first time I’m seeing people again. I really want to stay in touch,” she said. Of Hanna’s potential, Gallagher puts it best: “I cannot even begin to imagine the lives that Hanna will change for the better in the years to come.” —Julie Guptill

Hanna Atwood ’09 attended a leadership workshop in Guatemala, where she worked in one of the local schools.

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 9

CLASS I PROFILES

Determination, Risk-Taking Leads This Scholar to the Big Apple VINESHA BAKER Admitted from St. Kevin’s School (Dorchester) Attending Columbia University

I

f Vinesha Baker were to leave Nobles carrying with her only one piece of advice, it would be this: Never let a great opportunity pass you by.

From her entry to Nobles as a Steppingstone Scholar to spending a semester with New York’s CITYterm to pursuing her dream of attending Columbia University, Vinny has drawn upon her academic experience, coupled with excellent advice and a tenacious drive.

Prior to her acceptance to Nobles and in addition to her regular course work at St. Kevin’s School, Vinny successfully completed a rigorous 14-month-long academic-preparation program with the Steppingstone Academy in Boston. The non-profit foundation, whose goal is to prepare motivated urban scholars for acceptance to top independent and public schools, praised Vinny for her “calm intensity and poised, confident composure.” Of the experience, she said, “Steppingstone was extremely helpful, especially the mentorship I received from high school-aged alumni/ae during the summer months before I came to Nobles.”

The mentorship didn’t stop there.

Vinny took the advice of history teacher Jenny Carlson-Pietraszek during her Class IV year to travel with Nobles to South Africa, during which she volunteered at the St. Brendan’s School and other youth programs in Kliptown. She admitted that the experience was eye-opening, “I can remember times from before the trip when I would just want to put my head down and get through the day, but South Africa helped me to realize and appre-

Untitled by Vinesha Baker

ciate all the opportunities available at Nobles.”

Her newfound interest in travel led Vinny to pursue a semester away with CITYterm in New York. Learning that one opportunity often leads to another, Vinny attributed her successful semester in the Big Apple to her experience in South Africa. “I would not have had the courage to leave Nobles for a whole semester had it not been for South Africa,” she said. CITYterm, which uses New York City as its classroom and laboratory, encourages students to connect classroom learning with city experiences six days a week.

“I consider myself pretty shy,” she said, “but CITYTerm helped me to break out of my shell.” Vinny went on to recount the lofty challenge of approaching strangers to initiate spontaneous conversations on topics such as immigration and the environment.

Through CITYterm, Vinny developed an admiration for the city’s vastness in terms of both architecture and diversity, which she expresses through artwork. Her contribution to the AP

10 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

Student Art Show in Foster Gallery included a moving depiction of her relationship with NYC. She reflects on her untitled charcoal drawing, above, saying, “The New York City you saw yesterday is completely different from the one you see today.”

Vinny is headed back to the Big Apple this fall to tackle more of life’s challenges at Columbia University.

She credits the unbridled support of her parents, who helped her to overcome having “cold feet” during the application process. “My parents are my inspiration. They immigrated here in their 20s from Jamaica and Dominica; from that and many other experiences, they didn’t want me to miss out on an opportunity like Columbia.

They’ve always encouraged me go for my dreams.” And Vinny has found— through faculty mentorship and with encouragement to try new things— that Nobles reiterates many of her parents’ sentiments.

—Lauren Bergeron

CLASS I PROFILES

Lessons On and Off the Court DERICK BERESFORD Admitted from Lovejoy High School (Georgia) Attending Wesleyan University

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hen Georgia native Derick Beresford traveled to San Diego to play basketball during the summer after his freshman year, he had no idea that it would eventually lead him to Dedham, Mass. At the time, the thought of leaving behind his life in Hampton, Ga., to attend a New England boarding school had never crossed his mind.

“I met Tucker Halpern ’09 and his dad at the camp. His father and my father got to talking about Nobles, and we thought that it could be really great for me,” says Derick.

Derick transferred to Nobles as a junior and joined the boarding community. Since Nobles offers five-day boarding and his family remained in Georgia, he spent weekends with newfound friend and teammate, Tucker.

“Being new to Nobles so late in high school, I was definitely worried about making friends. I thought that everyone probably had a circle of friends formed already, and might not be willing to let me in,” admits Derick. “But it wasn’t the case, and people here were so friendly and open. Having ‘readymade’ friends on the basketball team really helped.”

Basketball proved to be pivotal in several ways for Derick. He started playing at the age of 6, after watching NBA all-star Michael Jordan play in the 1996 finals. Besides the clear love of the game and camaraderie of the team, Derick says that basketball has provided many life lessons for him.

“I had to learn time management very quickly; playing a varsity sport and

Derick Beresford

really committing so much to it, while also staying committed to my studies, took balance.” Derick also noted that the competitive aspect of playing a sport carries over to the classroom. “I wanted to push myself in the classroom, and it’s the same drive I have on the court that helped me do it.”

Although basketball has remained a constant in Derick’s life, he doesn’t define himself by it. Since arriving at Nobles, he has been involved in a number of activities and groups, including The Nobleman, Brother 2 Brother and the Multicultural Students Association (MSA). “If I could go back and do things differently at Nobles, I’d get involved in even more things,” he says. Derick considers the leadership roles he has assumed this year a way to “pay back” those friends who welcomed him when he arrived. “I tried to use the leadership positions to become a friend to

anyone who might need one, just like I needed friends when I first came to Nobles.”

Headed to Wesleyan University in Connecticut, where he will play basketball, Derick isn’t sure what else he’ll continue to do there, or what new things he’ll want to try. He would love to stay involved with groups devoted to diversity, like MSA. He knows that when making those decisions, he’ll draw from the lessons he has learned here. “Before coming to Nobles, I didn’t consider myself an ‘English buff,’ but Ms. [Julia] Russell’s and Mr. [Bill] Bussey’s classes were two of my favorites. I wouldn’t have known how much I liked them until I tried.”

—Julie Guptill

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 11

CLASS I PROFILES

Hitting the High Notes, Learning from the Low TIM CHANG Admitted from Meadowbrook School (Weston) Attending Occidental College

F

rom an early age, any time Tim Chang exited the stage after a musical performance, he did so to the sound of roaring applause. A seasoned pianist (he began playing at age 5) and violinist (age 6), Tim developed a passion for music long before coming to Nobles. When he entered Nobles in the ninth grade, he immersed himself in the performing arts program and, encouraged by the music faculty, even decided to try something new— singing.

During his junior year, Tim began to take singing lessons and decided to audition for the Massachusetts Eastern District Music Festival, a high school choral and instrumental concert. After months of practicing, Tim auditioned but didn’t make it. Accustomed to accolades after a performance, he was disappointed by the rejection, but decided that he would try again, vowing to himself that he would audition in his senior year. The following year, he not only qualified for Districts, but also auditioned for and was accepted to the All-State Chorus, performing at Symphony Hall during the culminating concert of the festival.

“It might sound clichéd, but that moment of failure really motivated me to work hard for what I wanted. It was so much more satisfying when I finally made it,” says Tim. “I try to take the same discipline to tennis practice or to the classroom.”

It hasn’t always been easy to maintain such a positive attitude. Tim says that as a young student he struggled with acclimating to “life at Nobles,” while still maintaining his individual-

Tim Chang ’09 (center stage) performs with co-ed a cappella group, Noteorious.

ity and, in particular, his Asian culture. “When I was a freshman, I used to roll with off-color comments other students made about Asians. It didn’t

“It might sound clichéd, but that moment of failure really motivated me to work hard for what I wanted. It was so much more satisfying when I finally made it. I try to take the same discipline to tennis practice or to the classroom.”

—TIM CHANG

feel right, but I did my best to brush it off,” admits Tim. “I finally realized that I didn’t want to be someone who sat back and let negativity and stereotypes persist around me, so I became more involved with groups like ACC (Asian Culture Club) and A2A (Asian 2 Asian).”

It would make sense if Tim seemed frazzled from time to time, having to

12 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

balance school work, tennis, singing and other activities, but those who know him say that it’s just not Tim’s style. Calm and laid back, Tim has the presence of a Californian surfer— which might help make the transition to Occidental College easier in the fall —combined with the high energy and fast pace of any New Englander.

He knows how to harness his energy, often bringing intensity to the tennis court. The sport has played a huge role in Tim’s life, and he has helped lead this year’s team through an amazing season. “I’m so proud of the team,” Tim beams. He plans to play at Occidental next year.

“Tim’s energy is palpable,” says Acting Dean of Students and College Counselor Kate Ramsdell. “He doesn’t just participate in activities; he is often the organizing force behind what’s happening on campus. Tim’s graduation has left many holes to fill in our community…. Occidental is gaining a tenacious leader, student, musician and athlete.”

—Julie Guptill

CLASS I PROFILES

Sharing Lessons Learned, Eager for More CAREY FAVALORO Admitted from The Lincoln School (Lincoln) Attending Middlebury College

A

sk any student, faculty member or graduate to name a memorable Assembly and everyone can come up with at least one that made an impression. For Carey Favaloro, an Assembly during her sophomore year ultimately led her to make a decision that would change her Nobles experience. “I had never considered going away, but when I saw a video clip in Assembly about the Mountain School, I knew I wanted to go,” said Carey.

Both Carey and her parents were reluctant at first, not knowing anything about the program. After learning more about the Mountain School, a program for students interested in living and working on an organic farm in Vermont, her parents were on board, but Carey had reservations. “I started having second thoughts about leaving for a semester. But faculty members like Mr. [Ben] Snyder and Ms. [Vicky] Seelen really encouraged me to do it. It is scary to do something different, but I’m so glad I decided to go,” she said.

Carey’s advisor, Marcela Maldonado, wasn’t surprised by her decision: “Going away for the spring semester is a gutsy move, but I would expect nothing less from Carey. She is constantly looking for challenges big and small. She is intellectually curious, engaged, and in search of her place in the world.”

Carey enrolled in all honors classes at the Mountain School and, just as she was at Nobles, proved to be a pleasure to have in class. Carey’s Mountain School advisor Kathy Hooke said, “She

Carey Favaloro enjoys sugaring season at the Mountain School.

brought a rare mix of diligence, brilliance, and enthusiasm to her work.

She responded earnestly to feedback as she strove to write with greater clarity, solve the toughest pre-calculus problems and play just the right role in class discussion.” Carey also excelled at the Mountain School’s afternoon work program, easily bringing people together with her positive attitude and disposition.

Carey was amazed at the program’s emphasis on sustainability, an issue she now considers one of many passions.

Carey says that she has always enjoyed the outdoors, and was thrilled to be able to combine that love with a classroom experience. She wanted to share what she learned at the Mountain School with the Nobles community and teamed up with classmate Alex Piersiak ’09 on a sustainability project. (See page 17 for profile on Alex) When Carey returned from the Mountain School, she seemed to pick up where she left off—happy to jump back into her favorite activities, like

“She is constantly looking for challenges big and small.

She is intellectually curious, engaged, and in search of her place in the world.”

—MARCELA MALDONADO, FACULTY

Varsity Soccer and Junior Varsity Ice Hockey, and eager to try new things, like auditioning for (and earning!) a part in the spring musical. “I never thought that I’d be singing and learning dance steps, but I’m so glad that I was able to do the musical during my senior year,” she said.

Carey will head back to the Vermont countryside next year to attend Middlebury College, where she hopes there will be new and interesting things to try. Whatever she decides to take on next, no doubt she’ll do it with a positive outlook and a genuine smile.

—Julie Guptill

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 13

CLASS I PROFILES

A Perfect Representative of the Jolly Association of Musicians DANNY GREENBERG Admitted from The Hillside School (Marlboro) Attending Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering

D

Greenberg is one of those young men who seem omnipresent. He resides on campus as a boarder; he is on stage at Assembly, frequently, with the Guitar Ensemble, the Jazz Band, the Blues Band, soloing or with his own band, The Band.

He ran the sound board for the play, The Theatre, when it debuted at Nobles two years ago, cropping 30-second clips into a riveting montage. During his junior year, he wrote original music for the opening of the Nobles Theatre Collective’s (NTC) play The Learned Ladies. He also built sets for the NTC and ran the tech end of various shows.

He credits his advisor in particular, Senior Master and math teacher Nick Nickerson, for his success at Nobles.

“Mr. Nickerson has been a great advisor; he never steered me wrong and he has always been there for me.” Similarly of English teacher Vicky Seelen, anny

Danny said: “Thanks to Ms. Seelen, my writing, during my sophomore year, saw its biggest improvement ever.” In fact, Danny has good words for all the faculty and staff: “The teachers are great and I thoroughly enjoyed the discussions we have had in class,” he said.

Danny recently co-founded Nobles’ JAM (Jolly Association of Musicians) Club and has been involved with other clubs, including the Knowledge Masters Open and the Math Club. This spring he played Ultimate Frisbee, Nobles’ newest addition to its club roster. He has also worked hard and successfully on both the Varsity and Junior Varsity Tennis teams.

For his Senior Project, Danny created a business to manufacture, market and sell a new musical instrument that he designed and patented. It is a hybrid instrument that features a normal guitar on one side and a keyboard on the other, thus allowing a musician to switch between the two without any extraneous physical movement.

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For a look at this remarkable, synthesized instrument, check out www.dualityguitars.com.

Saying good-byes to faculty

14 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

There are four principles by which Danny chooses to live his life: adherence to the Golden Rule (“Do unto others…”), try not to judge, live with the bad days knowing they will pass, and remember there’s a happy [Greenberg] family at home in Lexington to fall back on.

One other phenomenon in his young life has made him stronger, he believes. He has struggled with Tourette’s Syndrome since fourth grade.

“I never wanted to call attention to it but now that I’m leaving Nobles, I think it’s an appropriate time to leave this behind, too.”

He believes, in some ways, that having Tourette’s has allowed him to do all that he has done at Nobles. He has needed to persevere and focus in ways uncommon to most adolescents.

He credits many, particularly his parents, for the successes he has obviously enjoyed and feels fortunate that he had the opportunity to attend Nobles.

“Nobles has allowed me to reach my full potential,” he said succinctly.

—Joyce Leffler Eldridge

CLASS I PROFILES

From Center Court to Center Stage or Backstage KELSEY LAWLER Admitted from Mt. Alvernia (Newton) Attending Skidmore College

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cting Dean of Students Kate Boyle Ramsdell summed up Kelsey Lawler’s contributions to Nobles in two concise sentences: “Kelsy is one of the most beloved and respected students in the Class of 2009. She held eight major leadership positions as a senior, ranging in scope from Prefect to President of the Nobles Theatre Collective to lead Shield Head to captain of the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team.”

With this litany of credentials, where is there to go? That’s what Kelsey is about to find out as she leaves Nobles and much of what constituted her life here for a highly regarded theatre program at Skidmore College. She will be the first member of her immediate family to earn a four-year college degree. What she’s removing from her future life is her dedication to sports in general and basketball in particular.

“She reaches out to kids from all backgrounds and of all interests and makes them feel a part of the Nobles experience.”

—KATE BOYLE RAMSDELL

At Nobles, she not only led the Varsity Basketball team to three ISL championship titles and berths in the New England Class A tournament, but she also played AAU basketball and rowed on the Varsity Crew team for two years. But her passion was most significantly ignited by tech theatre and by acting. She performed in The Complete

Kelsey Lawler, left, in a scene from the fall 2008 production of The Learned Ladies (with Sarah Mitchell ’09)

Works of Shakespeare Abridged, The Theatre, and Moliere’s The Learned Ladies.

Regarding Kelsey’s importance to the Peer Help Group, where she worked to educate fellow students about issues pertaining to adolescent health and wellbeing, Ramsdell says Kelsey is “the mother hen of the group, never pecking but instead encouraging, cajoling, motivating a group of wildly creative and empathic but often less-than-organized juniors and seniors…. She reaches out to kids from all backgrounds and of all interests and makes them feel a part of the Nobles experience.”

With all this leadership, talent and “rah-rah” spirit, Kelsey could be presumed to come from a family in show business or the like. Nothing could be further from fact. Her father and uncle own a funeral parlor in West Roxbury, left to them by their father. Among some of Kelsey’s assigned duties are vacuuming and cleaning the public

areas and greeting visitors at the door.

Her college advisor said, “Kelsey has a matter-of-fact way of talking about death, describing what she does to get a room ready before a service.”

How much has Kelsey enjoyed her four years at Nobles? “I cannot imagine what this place will be like without us. I almost don’t want it to go on.

Most of my classmates feel the same way.” In a moment right out of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, she concluded: “I want to go up to every freshman and implore them: ‘Take advantage of this place. Don’t let it pass you by.’”

—Joyce Leffler Eldridge

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 15

CLASS I PROFILES

Depth of Insight Plus Clarity of Expression MEGHAN PALMER Admitted from Meadowbrook School (Weston) Attending Yale University

H

er advisor, English teacher Dick Baker, describes her as “brilliant, hard-working, well-focused, personable, humble, good-humored and radiant.” The Head of College Counseling, Michael Denning, refers to her intellect as having “a potential seemingly without limits.” But to meet Meghan Palmer is to be introduced to a quiet, modest young woman whose poise and precision belie her high school years.

She brightens considerably when discussing any of her numerous passions, particularly creative writing. For her Senior Project she studied independently with Baker who assigned her various authors to read over a two-week period, then asked her to write an assigned number of pages of prose in the style of one or more of these writers.

She had just finished three highly dissimilar plays (Eugene O’Neill’s

Strange Interlude, Peter Schaffer’s Equus and Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot) and had begun to write her own play about a pregnant waitress, waiting at a diner for her husband to pick her up.

(Editor’s note, courtesy of Meghan: The husband will not be coming.)

What Meghan thrives on in this process is “receiving Mr. Baker’s feedback.” He in turn finds “her creative papers always have a telling voice; often the voice is the same—not exactly Meghan’s but a part of Meghan deep inside.... She doesn’t just tell the story, she shapes it . . . she plays with words.

Her best writing . . . sparkles with telling detail and precise language…

What distinguishes her writing is the combination of depth of insight and clarity of expression; some other students match her in one of those two areas but none in both.”

Her brilliance with language also shone through on The Nobleman where she served as editor-in-chief; she enhanced her journalism credentials by studying photography in the Visual Arts department. She found fun even during the grueling work that goes on during layout weekends for the school paper. “They’re awesome,” she said, referring to the close friendships she established among the full editorial board.

She and Sarah Dec, also a senior, founded the school’s robust Habitat for Humanity chapter. She devoted numerous hours over her four years here to service projects: locally, at The Roxbury Prep Charter School and nationally in helping to rebuild New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and working on the Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. She rounded out her Nobles travel by joining an oceanography trip to Honduras.

16 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

“Her best writing… sparkles with telling detail and precise language….

What distinguishes her writing is the combination of depth of insight and clarity of expression . . . .”

—DICK BAKER

Although she was offered an ultraprestigious Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia, Meghan selected Yale (where she was admitted early).

The best description of this focused and centered young woman comes from her advisor, Baker, who has worked closely with her for several years now.

“When she smiles, she lights up the world around her and exudes a sense of joy that I rarely have seen in other students.”

—Joyce Leffler Eldridge

CLASS I PROFILES

The Environmentally Aware Scholar-Athlete ALEX PIERSIAK Admitted from Pollard Middle School (Needham) Attending Brown University

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s an eighth grader, Alex Piersiak came to Nobles to play hockey. Now, she’s off to Brown University having expanded her repertoire to include a panoply of experiences, passions and unleashed talents.

After acclimating herself to Nobles’ rigorous academic culture, Alex began chipping away at the school’s endless offerings, bouncing from the spring musical, to rowing on Motley Pond, contributing as a news writer for The Nobleman and everything in between.

Acting as a paradigm for future scholar-athletes, Alex said, “I’m proud that I branched out. It gave me a chance to try new things and to meet friends who share my many interests.”

After performing in the musical her Class III year, Alex opted to further

Alex, holding trophy, stands with fellow seniors, from left, Kelly Cooke, Casey Griffin, and Corey Stearns after winning the 2009 New England Hockey Championship.

explore her passion for singing. She became a member of both the Greensleeves, a female a cappella group, and the Blues Band. She said, of singing the blues, “It’s a blast. All of my peers in the Blues Band have so much energy and it’s a pleasure to sing with them.”

Of leading the 2009 New England Champion Girls’ Ice Hockey team as captain, the All-ISL defense-woman said, “Winning my senior year was really special for me. Even though the team has done well in the past (three Class A New England titles and five ISL titles in Alex’s five years on Varsity), being able to stand on the blue line and share the trophy with some of my best friends was incredible.”

How did she juggle such a busy schedule? “It was definitely a challenge and it’s one of the reasons why I aspire to be like one of my favorite teachers, Mr. [Tim] Carey. No matter how hectic life gets, he always finds time to sit back and enjoy it.”

Of the many risks Alex has taken in her five years at Nobles, perhaps the most rewarding was the semester she spent at the Cape Eleuthera Island School in the Bahamas. But mustering up the courage to go was not easy. “I was really nervous to leave my family and friends because those are two things I value most,” she said. Limited to just a few short minutes of telephone use and no Internet access, Alex relied on sending and receiving “lots of letters.”

While at the Island School, a program designed for students who seek to challenge themselves academically and physically, Alex took six courses, completed a four-mile, open ocean swim and earned her SCUBA certification. She also conducted field-based scientific research and conservation work. She said, “Living at the Island

Alex takes a moment to play with a puppy during her time at the Island School.

School allowed me to live sustainably and understand my relationship to the Earth.” Admitting that prior to her journey she did not think twice about turning lights off when leaving a room, Alex has come full circle in her environmental consciousness.

Since returning to Nobles, Alex has added a commitment to sustainable living to her overflowing plate.

She joined the Environmental Action Committee, spearheaded research on the geothermal heaters in the Pratt Middle School and enrolled in Deborah Harrison’s Advanced Topics in Environmental Science and Sustainability course. She will leave Nobles with a “greener” outlook, as her Senior Project —completed with classmate Carey Favaloro—promotes a Nobles compost collection, extracting fruit cores and peels, tea and coffee bags and egg shells from the Castle dining waste to be converted into rich soil.

—Lauren Bergeron

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 17

CLASS I PROFILES

Passion for Learning Sets His Course PAUL TORIBIO Admitted from Leonard Public School (Lawrence) Attending Harvard University

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Toribio’s education began in one of the Commonwealth’s most challenged school systems (Lawrence). This fall he will enroll at one of the world’s most prestigious universities (Harvard). He made this transition using the same tools that have helped him throughout his life: a passion for learning, prodigious preparation and uncommonly gifted abilities.

Paul entered Nobles in Class IV, close on the heels of his sister Loris ’06, now at the University of Pennsylvania and herself a graduate of Nobles’ Upward Bound program. Their parents, both immigrants from the Dominican Republic, live in Lawrence, where Paul returns every weekend at the close of the five-day boarding week. aul

Receiving an award from Class I Dean Meg Cleary Hamilton.

Paul sees the boarding commu- nity as his primary Nobles family and Nobles as his extended family, particularly citing his advisor, Head of School Bob Henderson, and his ethics teacher, Marcela Maldonado, for being so caring. “I want to thank Nobles for all it has given,” he said more than once. “It has truly been my home away from home.”

Henderson said of him: “Paul deals with everyone with astonishing kindness and equanimity. He has used his culture as an asset, drawing others to him while also approaching others with genuine curiosity and respect. He is utterly loyal, remarkably reliable, and keenly insightful in regard to character and human nature. Beyond his considerable intellect, it is these qualities of character that have built such affection and admiration for him in this community.” As his advisor and AP European History teacher, Henderson also cited Paul’s wit, humor and demonstrable awareness of irony and hubris. In addition, Henderson noted that “Paul is also respected deeply for his views on social justice and diversity,” reflected in many organizations including the Multicultural Students Association, which he serves as secretary.

Of his academic plans while at Harvard, he admits to being “strongly influenced by Ms. Maldonado’s class in Politics and Ethics…. I want to study different ways of thinking…distinct ways of looking at life.” To this end, he intends to pursue linguistics and philosophy. Of linguistics, he observed: “I like how people of different cultures use words differently to communicate, and I also like how each culture has its own interpretation for any given word or phrase.”

Paul is admired among his peers for entering Nobles with minimal

18 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

“I’ve learned to be openminded, to take risks and to be a caring person.”

—PAUL TORIBIO

mathematics background and working resolutely to catch up. He studied math with Maura Sullivan in the Nobles Upward Bound program one summer between ninth and tenth grades, then retook Geometry and Algebra II in order to end up prepared for Advanced Placement AB Calculus his senior year.

Paul is clear about the profound legacy that Nobles has left to him: “I’ve learned to be open-minded, to take risks and to be a caring person.

Everyone here is so wonderful that it’s virtually impossible to fail.”

—Joyce Leffler Eldridge

GRADUATION 2009

Preparation, Risk, Opportunity: The Nobles Legacy

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uzanne Priebatsch P’03 ’07, a senior vice president in wealth management at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, welcomed the new inductees of the Cum Laude Society by reassuring them that their Nobles education has prepared them with “the vision and perspective to make wise choices.”

She quoted former Head of School and longstanding English teacher Dick Baker who told students and parents more than a decade ago: “Your Nobles education prepares you for jobs that don’t yet exist” in a world that has yet to be created.

The Priebatsches’ own children, Daniella and Seth, have proven to be cases in point, Suzanne Priebatsch said. Daniella obtained a job with Google, a company founded only a year after she entered Nobles, by passing a test based on creative problemsolving, “with no right answers.” Seth recently took a leave from Princeton so he could market the first of two new technology-based devices he created, one for a Princeton entrepreneurial competition and the other that began as a Nobles senior project.

“Be open to opportunities,” she advised the group. “Nobles prepares you for this; openness to risk is a core value. Continue to take on experiences outside your comfort zone.” Above all else, she said, “Remember that an occasional stumble may create a challenge leading to opportunities that were previously invisible.”

The new inductees from the Class of 2009 are as follows: Evan Altman, Jessica Anderson-Nelson, Andrew

From left, Jake and Eric Greenstein and Chris Lehman

Suzanne Priebatsch Head Robert P. Henderson Jr.

Bishop, Megan Bunnell, Eric Chang, Sarah Dec, Jennifer Donnelly, Ally Geanacopoulos, Kristy Giandomenico, Zachary Greenberg, Jake and Eric Greenstein, Christopher Lehman, Devan Luster, Will Macrae, Meghan Palmer, Anuj Patel, Scott Prozeller,

Alexandra Piersiak, Hadley Stein, and Anisha Vishwanath.

—Joyce Leffler Eldridge For the full text of Suzanne Priebatsch’s speech, visit www.nobles.edu/ 2009cumlaudespeech.

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SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 19

GRADUATION 2009

One-Fourth of Class I Feted at Freeman Legacy Dinner

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ead of School Bob Henderson ’76 P’13 reported to the standing-room-only crowd at the Freeman Legacy Dinner that the efforts of many, on behalf of diversity, have made Nobles even stronger than the school that existed 12 years ago, when the dinner was established.

He cited, among others, retired artist-in-residence Bob Freeman, for whom the Legacy Dinner is named.

“Through his persistence, strength of character and love for the school, this brilliant teacher, inspiring artist and steady guide on diversity helped make Nobles what it is today…the sort of place of which the early pioneers only dreamed,” Henderson noted.

Nobles’ Head recapped a timeline of the diversification of the school, starting with religious diversity in the first half of the 20th century, followed by ethnic diversity, with AfricanAmericans arriving in the 1960s, and Asians, and Latinos, follwed by women, in the ’70s.

The guest speaker was a classmate and longstanding friend of Henderson’s, Andre Stark ’76, an independent

Melissa Centeno ’09 with parents Jose and Nirva

Bob Freeman, left, for whom the Legacy Dinner is named, with Provost Bill Bussey.

filmmaker for Public Broadcasting, Fox, HBO, the Sports Exchange and other domains. Stark is also a member of the Board of Trustees.

Stark recalled his Class of ’76, which had three students of color. He was fortunate, he said, in that when he arrived here, 11 of his Dexter classmates came with him so “the isolation issue wasn’t a factor.” He cited faculty members Peter Mansfield, Fred Sculco and Joe Swayze for encouraging him “to take risks, leave my comfort zone and learn to think on my feet…This is a faculty that recognizes the value of a diversity of interests, tastes and learning opportunities,” he concluded.

Director of Diversity Initiatives Steven Tejada commended the 25 graduates of color in the Class of 2009, saying “You have left a great legacy;

20 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

Guest speaker Andre Stark ’76

we are so proud of the ways you’ve enriched the community.”

The honored students were Zach Allen, Vinesha Baker, Derick Beresford, Stone Cao, Melissa Centeno, Eric Chang, Tim Chang, Donna Farizan, Shabrina Guerrier, Andrea Holland, Karan Lyons, Julia Luscinskas, Nadia Mahmoud, Maria Montes, Spencer Omuemu, Anuj Patel, Manny Perez, Cynthia Rivas, Nubia Smith-Whitaker, Paul Toribio, Jerome Tse, Natasha Tyagi, Anisha Vishwanath, Max White and Lucas Zullo.

—Joyce Leffler Eldridge

GRADUATION 2009

Talents and Passions Revealed at Class I Projects Night

E

very seat and virtually every inch of standing room in Towles Auditorium was occupied at the Class I Projects Night, as parents, faculty and students came to enjoy nearly 30 presentations. With Chris Smick, Doc Channonhouse, and Jessica Anderson-Nelson ’09 working behind the scenes and Acting Dean of Students Kate Ramsdell serving as the master of ceremonies, the performances, videos, and PowerPoint presentations were seamlessly displayed, as students recounted their studies and findings. The event was catered by seniors Maddy Cohen, Brooke Hammer, Claire Hickey and Andrea Holland, who concentrated in culinary art and pastry for their projects.

The crowd enjoyed performances of both music and dance, including duets by faculty member Bill Kehlenbeck and Juliana Cusack, who learned the mandolin, and Tim Chang and Maria Montes, who learned to dance the samba.

Young Nobles entrepreneurs were also on hand to showcase their start-up companies. Danny Greenberg presented Duality Guitars, a company which sells his unique invention, a patented guitar that flips to reveal a keyboard. Later, Evan Altman and Tucker Johnson promoted Green Tea Films production com- pany with an entertaining video of the Kehlenbeck-mathequation-induced hallucination of Kenny Yang ’10.

Seniors who wish to pursue a senior project are allowed to explore a topic in lieu of one or more academic courses. They’re assigned to a faculty advisor who mentors throughout the process.

Ramsdell said of the projects, “As an academic swap, seniors must choose topics that align with the school’s mission and they must provide academic rigor commensurate with that of any offered course.”

A poignant example of this came from Emily Scioscia’s large oil painting of her late father, John, whom she lost during her time at Nobles. Emily was able to use the Class I project as a way to reconnect with her love of painting and to find closure from her loss. “It was a cathartic process. My dad was shy, so I chose to paint his face on a large canvas as my way of keeping his spirit alive and introducing him to my friends who never got to meet him.” She credited her advisor (both academic and senior project) Betsy VanOot for her support, “She was there for me when my dad passed away, and she understood where I was coming from artistically.”

—Lauren Bergeron

Emily Scioscia ’09 stands with the portrait of her late father, John Scioscia.

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 21

GRADUATION 2009

C

Senior Arts Night

oncluding with its now traditional bedtime story read by Senior Master Nick Nickerson, the Class of 2009 presented a mix of music, dance, storytelling and multi-media presentations. While last year Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” was read, this year a group of faculty and the author’s father (Ben Dawson ’78) read a story penned by Eliza Dawson ’09 for her Senior Project.

From left, Steven Tejada, Sue Kemalian, Kate Boyle Ramsdell, Lisa Jacobson Emmett Mercer playing “Sweet Sandias”

Boarders Celebrate Their Time Together

T

he members of the Class of 2009 who were boarders enjoyed their traditional end-of-year lobster fest on Memorial Day, saying good-bye to what has been home, to some, for four years. Annual boarding awards were presented at the banquet. The awards and their recipients are as follows: Deborah Harrison Boarding Prizes: Dahyanira Ramirez, Tung Nguyen, both ’11; Swayze/Mabley Boarding Art Purchase Prizes: Vinesha Baker, Nadia Mahmoud, both ’09; The Mark and Tilesy Harrington Boarder of the Year Award: Will Randle ’09.

For a full boarding banquet slide show, go to http:// picasaweb.google.com/karen joangallagher/2009BoardingBanquet#.

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Boarding seniors, kneeling, from left: Nadia Mahmoud, Vinesha Baker, Derick Beresford; standing, from left: Kelly Cooke, Richie McCormack, Cynthia Rivas, Spencer Omuemu, Robby Spalding, Danny Greenberg, Will Randle, Kaitlin Spurling, Brett Hayes, Paul Toribio, Corey Stearns, Melissa Centeno, Andrea Ross.

22 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

GRADUATION 2009

A TO U G H E CO N O M Y

No Match for Nobles’ Admissions So Far

W

ith the economy at the forefront of everyone’s concerns, the Office of Admission faced uncharted waters this season, questioning whether a Nobles education would be deemed too lofty an investment for interested families.

Dean of Enrollment Management Jennifer Hines and her department are happy to report that the worry was all for naught: “We had another great year.” As it turns out, more families decided that Nobles was the perfect choice for their children, as the enrollment yield increased significantly over last year’s numbers. With the surprisingly high record yield arrives the largest student body in the school’s history this September. “I am thrilled about the numbers because it means that people are really interested in Nobles,” said Hines.

In an exit poll of families who visited Nobles but did not follow through with their applications, not a single family reported that finances played a role in their decisions to search elsewhere. “Many of these students,” Hines said, “find a better match at a seven-day boarding school, or a singlesex school. It wasn’t about the recession as far as I could tell.”

She would be the first to admit, however, that the school is, by no means, recession-proof. The economy, which isn’t expected to improve anytime soon, still looms over the Admission Office as next year’s admissions season approaches. “[The effects of the economy] are a big question mark. We have no idea what could happen in the next year. Chances are the recession may be felt more so next year,” Hines speculated.

The Office of Admission—top row, from left, Milena Pirint, Dan Matlack, Jennifer Hines, Connie Yépez; bottom row, from left, Cassie Velazquez, Nan Bussey, Amy Joyce and Thanae Cooper.

Despite the unknowns for next year, Hines still has a lot to be confident about. “The quality of our applicant pool is so deep that we will always fill the school with outstanding students,” said Hines. For a preview of the incoming students, she mentioned a few unusual facts: “We have students hailing from Connecticut and Pennsylvania; we are also welcoming three sets of twins.”

—Lauren Bergeron

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 23

A crowded Morrison Forum

NOW’S THE TIME IN LIFE TO

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“STEP UP”

oting the slight slope of campus requiring Middle Schoolers to literally “step up” toward the Upper School, Head of the Middle School John Gifford ’86 asked Middle School families, faculty and students to concentrate instead on the more subtle meaning and true significance of the annual “Step Up” Ceremony. On Thursday, June 4, a crowded Morrison Forum was home to the event, held at the end of year to celebrate Class V’s transition to the Upper School.

“There will be many times throughout your life when you’ll have to make a decision to ‘step up’ and do the right thing,” said Gifford. “You’re making

decisions now that will help you make tougher ones as you get older. We pause today to mark this transition, because it is a significant moment.”

Class V students also heard from Head of School Robert P. Henderson Jr. ’76 P’13 about the importance of summer vacation as a time to reflect.

“I really believe in summer. You get to a point when you’ve worked hard all year and need to break. Consider the summer a time to rest, but also a time to reinvent yourself.” A parent to a member of the Class of 2013, Henderson pointed out that, come fall, the class will double in size. “How will things be different for you—both academically and socially?”

Middle School mentor and recent

24 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

Nobles graduate Vinesha Baker ’09 shared a similar piece of advice, encouraging the students to build on their Middle School experiences and work on who they will become in the Upper School. “Take advantage of everything this school has to offer you,” she said.

Although the ceremony is a chance to celebrate the achievements of the entire Class V, Gifford noted the success of two individual students, as he awarded two prizes. The first, the Middle School Art Purchase Award, was given to Catherine Beer, who, according to Gifford, “approaches art just as she does life—with determination.”

The second prize is the Middle School Character Award, given each year to a

student “who thinks of others and always is willing to lend a hand to her peers.”

Established eight years ago, the award recipient is voted by Middle School faculty, who admittedly found it difficult to narrow down a choice this year because so many in the Class of 2013 exemplify these qualities. The winner, Maya Getter, who was home sick, joined the ceremony via the computercast technology, Skype. “Maya is generous with both her time and spirit,” said Gifford. “She does everything with grace and compassion.”

One of the most poignant moments of the ceremony happened when student speakers Alison Grogan and Caleb Kirshner addressed the audience, offering lessons learned from personal experiences and advice to their peers.

Quoting Latin teacher George Blake, Alison said, “When you leave here, people won’t remember you by your grades, but by how you treated people.”

First noting the many successes of his classmates, Caleb added, “It’s important to remember that failure will also happen, and you have to learn from those mistakes. We’ve all been under pressure at one point or another.”

Before Head of Upper School Ben Snyder could hand out the “Step Up” certificates, Gifford took time to give thanks to the many teachers and parents who helped make the school year run so smoothly. Also, several students helped bid farewell to Middle School faculty members who will not return next year: Eric Nguyen, Heather Peterson ’03, and Amir François.

At the closing of the ceremony, each student accepted his or her certificate from Snyder, dropped a memento into a class time capsule (to be opened during the class’ Senior Arts’ Night in 2013), and made his or her way through the faculty receiving line, which, incidentally, sloped right up toward the Upper School.

—Julie Guptill

Head of Middle School John Gifford ’86 gives Maya Getter ’13 (joined via Skype) the MS Character Award.

Belle Tuttle ’13, performing during the 2009 Step Up ceremony

Shanti Gonzales ‘13 accepts her Step Up certificate from Head of Upper School Ben Snyder, as Head of Middle School John Gifford ‘86 looks on.

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 25

DREW McCOURT ’00 NOW LEAVES HIS MARK ON THE DODGERS

BY JOYCE LEFFLER ELDRIDGE

The early Dodgers legends, from left: Jackie Robinson, Maury Wills, Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax 26 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise exudes legend— from its fabled Brooklyn beginnings through the historic arrival of Jackie Robinson and the controversial move to the West Coast to the success it has enjoyed on and off the field ever since.

For decades, four 30-foot-high murals at the entrance to Dodger Stadium illustrated all this tradition, greeting visitors with the instantly recognizable faces of Robinson, Maury Wills, Don Drysdale, and Sandy Koufax (bottom picture).

The history of diversity in professional athletics was exemplified right there. This spring, in a nod to a new generation of players and fans, the murals have been replaced by a current pantheon of Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, Russell Martin and Manny Ramirez.

Dodger Stadium is the third oldest major league ballpark still in use, thanks to so many implosions and stadium replacement projects, most notably the venerable Yankee Stadium.

Only Boston’s Fenway Park (1912) and Chicago’s Wrigley Field (1914) can claim earlier “birthdates.”

New ideas and youthful energy have revolutionized the team lately, thanks in no small part to Drew McCourt ’00, Development Director of the Dodgers and President of John McCourt Real Estate Development, which owns most of the McCourt family properties, including the stadium.

McCourt is now heading up the franchise’s immense “Next 50” construction project, which will create a “Yawkey Way feel,” in his words,

W H E R E ’ S D R E W ? T U C K E D A M I D T O D AY ’ S S TA R S

D R E W M c C O U RT

rimming the Los Angeles stadium in preparation for its 50th anniversary in 2012. This project includes three components: Dodger Way, the Green Necklace, and Top of the Park. Dodger Way will feature a tree-lined entrance leading to a landscaped garden plaza, beyond centerfield, where fans can gather. This area will connect to restaurants, shops and a Dodgers Experience Museum.

Top of the Park will be an outdoor plaza that will offer 360-degree views of Los Angeles. The Green Necklace will connect Top of the Park and Dodger Way, by transforming acres of parking lots into a landscaped walkway to allow fans to amble around the exterior of Dodger Stadium while remaining within the stadium gates.

Inside the stadium McCourt has already finished the Dugout Club expansion, installed a number of baseline box seats, and replaced 50,000 stadium seats. His job encompasses dealing with concessions, unions, city planning and renovations. He believes firmly that “franchises with the most history and newest facilities impact attendance positively.”

What makes McCourt’s L.A. “gig” especially meaningful, he said, “is the passion that this city shows to the Dodgers and the fact that I can share this with my entire family, particularly my Mom and Dad who are here.”

McCourt and his family are involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors in their adopted city. [As Boston residents, they had tried to purchase the Red Sox the last time the team went up for sale, but were unsuccessful.]

They launched “Think Cure” for cancer research in 2007, designating proceeds from a game against the Red Sox to kick off the endeavor. Played in the team’s former Coliseum home because of its larger capacity, the game attracted 102,000 patrons. The senior McCourts said at the time that they hoped this charity would eventually consume Los Angeles in the manner that Boston has embraced the Red Sox’ Jimmy Fund, which Drew’s greatgrandfather helped launch.

A couple of years ago, Nobles graduates in the L.A. area were invited to a school reception in the stadium boxes, hosted by McCourt.

What lies in the future? “I’d love to see a Red Sox-Dodgers [World] Series,” McCourt said, responding without hesitation. He is also interested in founding a museum that will embrace the history of the Dodgers. “We have lots of history unique to baseball,” he said. “Our team has had the first or among the first players from Mexico, Japan, Korea and, of course, the first African-American.”

Asked whether there’s any connection between his years at Nobles and

beyond (including a degree in astrophysics from Columbia University) and his accomplishments on behalf of the Dodgers, McCourt said: “My whole life I’ve been supported by great people who have been great teachers.”

He singled out former Head of School Dick Baker and current Dodgers Special Advisor to the Chairman, Tommy Lasorda, “one of the most brilliant men who ever worked here,” in McCourt’s words.

Of Lasorda, McCourt stressed his loyalty and value to the team over 55 years, starting as pitcher and eventually as manager for 20 years, leading the team to eight division titles, four pennants and two World Series championships en route to induction into the Hall of Fame.

Of Baker, McCourt conceded: “Baker was a mentor and a great resource for me while at Nobles.” When recalling Nobles, McCourt remembers the energy he invested in football and hockey; today, that energy has been translated into kite surfing. “My time on the water offers peace and quiet… allows me to set a less intense pace for myself.” He also attributes to Nobles his respect for “patience, a willingness to learn and to ask questions about whatever you don’t know,” and to believing in making time for things that are important in your life.

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 27

Class I Makes Great Leaps and Bounds ON THE ROPES COURSE

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enior Master Nick Nickerson spent one of his final class periods treating his senior AB Calculus students to a ropes course outing for one final “jump” on the zip line. “I wanted to do something both fun and meaningful with my students who mean so much to me.” Tackling the ropes course is one of the first of many challenges an entering sixie must face. Nickerson remembers “showing the ropes” to his seniors when they were sixies. “I hope this experience serves as a natural bookend,” he said.

Brooke Hammer ’09 reflected on the two experiences, “Looking back, the ropes course was scary for a sixie who was nervous about a lot of different things. Now, I have so much trust in Mr. Nickerson and my classmates.

The ropes are really fun.”

Nickerson sees the zip line in particular as a metaphor for students leaving Nobles and taking the next “leap” in their lives. “The greatest thing students can take away from their Nobles education is a strong core belief in themselves,” he concluded.

—Lauren Bergeron

Will Kiplinger

Kaitlin Spurling poses on the zip line.

Paul Toribio and Richie McCormack look on as Nick Nickerson jokes around.

28 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

Letters to the Editor

Continued from inside front cover

Clarification ice job on the Spring Bulletin.

I’m particularly happy that this issue was used as an opportunity to highlight some of our hotter, newer science teachers.

As for p’s and q’s, I’d like to make two corrections: 1. I have been teaching for 21 years (15 at Nobles, 6 at Exeter). In the piece on pp. 6–7, you write that I have only been at Nobles for nine years. Students whom I have dragged over the coals in Nobles classrooms from 1994–2000 would beg to differ!

2. On the cover, your caption suggests that the balloon image was captured “seconds” after the skin was ruptured.

I would be remiss not to point out that “seconds” after the skin is ruptured, all you’ll see is a big puddle on the floor. The nature of our work in Advanced Projects is to be clever enough (and we are!) to capture images milli-seconds (those are thousandths of a second!) after impact. To the diligent humanist, seconds and milli-seconds might feel quite the same, but to a diligent scientist the scales are very different!

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Chris Pasterczyk, Science faculty Setting the Record Straight received the Nobles Bulletin a couple of days ago and noticed something that’s always elicited a (totally) knee-jerk reaction from this old former academician, so consider the source. Anyhow, in the early ’80s, President Reagan finally did away with federal funding of undergraduate studies. Suddenly, a requirement for college was a certain degree of compliance without the federal subsidies. It became nearly impossible for kids to define their own way; they needed someone to support them. Thus, it didn’t pay to be too independent. The vast majority of the independent ones wound up in trade school regardless of their abililties.

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Research in the basic sciences was substantially hurt as a result.

After tuition got out of reach for the full-time undergraduate, part-time employee, what I found coming into my lab as undergraduate assistants were kids who had every expectation of succeeding (or at least making a contribution) in a very complex field (sensory physiology) but who had neither the inclination nor ability to think “outside the box.” They were good at doing prescribed tasks, but as time went on, it became obvious they would always need help relating their data to the research questions their study was designed to approach.

My observation: schools like Nobles feed colleges all over the country. In my day, the vast majority of students went to one of the Ivy League schools either on the strength of their own performances, the performance (and/or “recommendation”) of someone the university thought enough of to listen to or, (like our justretired President) they were admitted… on the basis of their family connections (legacies) regardless of their academic credentials (Mr. Bush got turned down flat at the University of Texas, but was accepted at Yale).

The experiment depicted on the cover of the Bulletin illustrates precisely why this isn’t such a good idea. The physics demonstration is a good one. I presume a very brief strobe was synched with the paintball “event” within the shutter time of the (old-fashioned) single lens reflex camera. I also assume the strobe was shorter (by orders of magnitude, probably) than the time the shutter was open. The trick? Figure out how to time the strobe to coincide with the “event” you want to photograph. In the present case, that’s shown beautifully, in a captivating photograph of an event the physiology of your eye would prevent you from “seeing” in this way.

But the caption on the cover says “the moment, seconds after a water balloon’s skin…” This description sim-

ply misses the point. Everything about this demonstration is about thinking about ways to catch events in a time frame human physiology is probably not very good at recording with any precision. I don’t know the velocity of the paintball (it can and probably was calculated using the same or a related technique) but surely, the longest time frame applicable to the photograph is a few milli-seconds (ms), not a few seconds. It’s a brilliant example of a population with plenty of resources to do relatively complicated demonstrations in real time, but which somehow just can’t get beyond the “visual”. The explanation is an amazingly clear admission that whoever was responsible for presenting this demonstration to the public hadn’t the faintest idea what it was all about.

I’ve always wanted the young, bright, cocky ones in my lab. We all learned together. Kids who do as they’re told aren’t nearly as interesting. End of rant.

John M. Martinez ’66

EDITOR’S NOTE: I want to absolve Christine Pasterczyk and her promising students from contributing to the “milli-second” snafu alluded to in the above letters. This was a Communications Department mistake that would generally be caught in our several rounds of proofreading, but cover copy is frequently written at the 11th hour and seen by few, if any, outside the department.

Maternal Pride The years that we Bowmans were at Nobles were special, so reading The Bulletin has always been a treat. I am writing to tell you how much I have and shall continue to enjoy the fruits of your labors! Had to let you know what a special treat it is to read about a daughter as the world sees her (see “Talent and Timing Take Grads to Highest Echelon,” Spring 2009, p. 27.) Thank you! I am proud, happy and grateful.

Anne L. Bowman P’79 ’80 ’82

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 29

NOBLES

REUNION 2009

Turnout, Weather, Good News Spark 2009 Reunion

Cam Marchant ’02 takes in the action with his goddaughter, Cameron Herring, and her mom, Deb Herring, wife of Nobles faculty member, Michael Herring

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obles is on solid footing and so are the more than 500 graduates and their 200 children who flew in from as far as Denmark, England, Guatemala and Jakarta to attend their Reunion celebrations on May 8 and 9. 

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Keeping You Up-to-Date

L-R: Kristen Danforth, Sasha Kukunova and Nicole Maynard, celebrating their 5th Reunion with the rest of the Class of 2004

Enjoying the carnival

Scott Marr, left, Christine Hegenbart Todd and Clark Munnell, all Class of 1984, celebrating their 25th Reunion

John Gibson, left, and Rudy Busé, both ’59, viewing 50th Reunion memorabilia

Adam Franklin ’99 and his fiancé, Alana Ugell.

Adam and Alana got engaged three days after Reunion!

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NOBLES RE Coggeshall Award winner Richard T. Flood Jr. ’53

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pirits were buoyed by tours of the campus, whose footprint has changed considerably since most were enrolled here.

Singled out for special recognition at the annual meeting of the Nobles Graduates’ Association on Saturday morning were Ned Lawson ’64, recipient of the Distinguished Graduate award; Beth Reilly ’87, Esq., former history teacher and trustee here, recipient of the Lawson Service Award; Charlie Long and Bob Puffer, both agents for the Class of ’58 who traditionally garner 83-88 percent participation from their class; and Starr Glidden Peteet ’94, a third-generation Nobles graduate and founder of Boston Trinity Academy, whose election as graduate trustee was announced that morning.

The emotional highlight of the morning was the presentation of the 2009 Coggeshall Award to Richard T. Flood Jr.’53, former Dean of Nobles, who went on to become Head of the Salisbury School in Connecticut. Flood described his 39 years at Nobles (18 from birth to graduation in 1953; another 21 from 1967 to 1988 as teacher, coach and administrator). Given each year by the 25th Reunion class, the Coggeshall Award was presented by representatives of the Class of 1984 who affirmed, again and again, that “Dick” or “Floodo,” as he was affectionately known, “was an inspiration to the entire Nobles community.”

Of receiving the Coggeshall Award (“one of the most meaningful moments of my life”) and his return to the Nobles stage with his wife Sally beside him, Flood said: “This gesture and this honor are a real bridge for our entire family to fully reconnect with this school and 39 years of my life.”

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Ginger Miller

Beth Reilly ’87 with son Ryan

Andy Pritchard ’84, left, checking out his class picture in Shattuck Schoolhouse with his parents, Kathryn (hidden) and John, and his 11 year-old son, Alexander

U N I O N 2009 Harry Elam ’74 with his daughter, Claire Patterson, and his wife, Dr. Michele Elam.

Alex Keally ’94 and his daughter, Hadley.

We love the Nobles t-shirt!

Head of School Robert P. Henderson Jr. ’76 P’13 fielding questions from graduates in Gleason Hall

1959

50th Reunion Back Row (L to R): Chris Noble, Ted Mann, Ted Miles, Steve Lister, Bill Cutler, Steve Grant, Henry Schwarz, Borden Snow, Chip Morse, William Taylor, Bill Frederick, Selden Edwards.

Middle Row (L to R): Rudy Busé, Dave Perry, Tom Quigley, Whit Bond, Ted Bennett, Bill Andres, Renny Damon, Buzz Gagnebin, Dick Frazee, John Gibson. Front Row (L to R): Ileana Jones, Annie Welles, former faculty members Kim Jones, George Welles, and Tim Coggeshall, Caroline Coggeshall Banta ’76, Mike Deland, Rob Ladd. Missing from Photo: John Hitz, Jim Wood.

Much of the lore as well as the most recent vital news about Nobles was transmitted by Head of School Bob Henderson ’76 who reported ebulliently that “Nobles is a happy place and the experience here is extraordinarily positive.” He said that he is quite proud of the quality of people he hires as faculty and administrators. “My job is to get the most out of them by unleashing their creative genius.”

Of the school’s fiscal status, he reported: “I spent my whole career trying to build endowment. Now I’m quite relieved that Nobles is not that endowment-dependent.”

In a spirited question-and-answer session that lasted more than an hour, Henderson

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 33

NOBLES RE was asked to identify the most interesting trend among grads in the past 20 years.

He responded that many more graduates enter the non-profit sector, probably because the community-service program today is “more part of everyone’s life.” He also noted that all independent schools today deliver accelerated services at accelerated rates (counseling, tutor-ing, etc).

Asked whether the Charles Wiggins model of leadership still prevailed, Henderson responded that leadership today is more eclectic, “many different styles.”

Of his own myriad of responsibilities each week, he cited his classroom teaching of AP Modern European History as his favorite time. “It’s the only 45-minutes- a-day that I have the illusion I’m in control,” he joked.

An overview of Nobles investment and involvement in community service was provided at a Saturday morning session presided over by former faculty member Ginger Miller, who spearheaded the community service initiative here in the late ’70s to mid-’80s, and Sandi MacQuinn, Dean of Faculty, who led the effort until recently. Their remarks indicated that although Nobles’ venue has expanded exponentially onto the national and international stage (including service-related trips to Montana, New Orleans, Romania, India, South Africa, for example), the program is solidly rooted in core values and practices dating back at least four decades.

According to Miller, who now serves as college counselor and senior English teacher at the Landon School for Boys, Head of School Eliot Putnam wished to “awaken boys to their responsibilities to reach outside themselves.” Two-thirds of

1964

45th Reunion (L to R): Mike Wiggins, Art Watson, Frank Reece, Frank Cobb, Sandy Darrell, Clint Smith, John Axten, Joel Richman, Ned Lawson, Maurice Hamilburg, Ned Bigelow, Topher Cutler, Steen Rydahl, David Brooks. Missing from Photo: Ken Morse.

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3 7

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1969

40th Reunion (L to R): Stew Young, Peter Gates, Toby Talbot, Edward “Wigs” Frank, David Brown, Peter Pach.

Missing from Photo: Jeff Lawrence, David Polk, Brad Wilkinson.

U N I O N 2009 1979

30th Reunion Back Row (L to R): David Vogel, Tom O’Brien, Tim Mansfield, Fiona Jarrett Roman, Nancy Pratt Hurley, Holly Goldsmith Starr, Jim Morse, Dan Corcoran.

Middle Row (L to R): Bruce Weber, Patsy McCormick DiGiovanna, Donna Giandomenico Murphy, Alex Childs Smith, Vicki Palmer Chase, Phil Rueppel, Joe Selle, Virginia Aldous Emerson, Ellen Hatfield Towne, Tom Elcock, Phil Eure, Dan Rodgers.

Front Row (L to R): Scott Leland, Bill Bliss, John Stimpson, Charlie Dow, John Almy, Harrison Miller.

1974

35th Reunion Front Row (L to R): Seth Tower, Doug Harvey, Ben Johnson, Harry Elam, Ted Wales, Jeff Grogan, Jim Baird, Don Breen, Paul Ayoub. Middle Row (L to R): Andy Halford, Bill Chandler, Geoff Brooks, Chris Christopher, Dave Ojemann. Back Row (L to R): Jim Vogel, Alan Schmid, John Howe, Jim Draper, Kevin McCarthy, Mike Tolman, Tom Sleeper, Dan Brown. Not pictured: Hap Garritt, Gary Markoff.

Ethan Goldman, Jan Jelleme, Rick Holway, Bob O’Brien, Harris Thompson, Collis Townsend, Eric Gutowski, Steve Nelson

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 35

NOBLES RE Noblest from the ’40s Present Similarities

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his year the Class of ’44, spearheaded by Gordon Johnson, invited members of classes before and after to join them for a special “Vintage Years” roundtable luncheon, followed by an all-afternoon talkfest in which the returning octogenarians shared their reminiscences of life at Nobles in the ’40s, as well as recaps of their lives during the past 60-plus years. A commitment to national service and public purpose (Johnson, for example, met his wife Frances while working on behalf of the Marshall Plan in 1950 to assist Europe in its recovery from WWII) was evident as the discussion proceeded, along with an emphasis on lifelong learning that, they all noted, began on the Nobles campus.

Most Nobles grads back then went on to Harvard, but the war and military service changed that pattern for many. Some went immediately to Harvard, such as the Class of ’42, then left to join one of the military services. Others went directly into military service from Nobles. Some entered college officer-train- ing programs. Some later returned for more Harvard education, whether at the Business School or the Law School.

Johnson recalled checking “the Harvard box” when asked where he wanted to matriculate. “Somehow, I ended up in the

Navy’s V-12 officer training program at MIT,” he said. Deviation from the expected course was a common theme that all these draft-eligible graduates shared. Bob Lawrence ’44, for example, found himself in Navy uniform at Williams and was transferred to Yale under the G.I. Bill at the end of the war, finishing there as a civilian.

Within the august group, most played football, five were former Varsity Hockey players and three were coxswains. Most had been married for 40 to 50 years to the same women they had fallen in love with either in college or shortly thereafter. Most have four to five children. Two of the wives who were present had gone into the field of nursing, a not uncommon choice for women during wartime.

Patsy Lawrence, whose husband, Bob Lawrence, was Board President and longtime trustee at Nobles, was one of the women who opted to become a nurse. Like Jane Shattuck, widow of Mayo A. (Jim) Shattuck ’44, for whose family the Shattuck Schoolhouse is named, Patsy continues to supplement her education with courses at the Harvard Institute for Learning and Retirement.

Bob Lawrence, three of whose four children went to Nobles,

L-R: Bob Lawrence '44, Patsy Lawrence, Bob Almy '46, Jane Shattuck, Putty McDowell '42, Frances Johnson, Arthur Snyder '44, Gordon Johnson '44, Arnold Garrison '42, Sam King '45, Henry Keene '44, Fred Richardson '44, Inge Richardson.

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U N I O N 2009

L-R: Fred Gardner '44, John Hemenway '42 and Bob Lawrence '44. described his life as “filled with undeserved blessings and good luck.” He has devoted much of his time to educational endeavors, sitting on the Boards of Nobles, Wellesley and Yale, his alma mater.

Fred Richardson ’44 spent his 31-year teaching career at Belmont Hill. His wife, Inge, who accompanied him to the Reunion, was trained as a nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, returning to the profession after raising five children. When he retired in 1990, an annual chemistry prize was named in his honor. Seven years later, the chemistry lab in the school’s science center also was also named for him.

After comparing their post-Nobles experiences, the group moved on to describe special Nobles memories. All agreed that one of the highlights was former Headmaster Charles Wiggins’ frequent morning reading of “Definition of a Gentleman,” which is reprinted here by unanimous request of the Noblest classes: “A Gentleman is a man who is clean inside and outside; who never looks up to the rich for his riches or down on the poor man because of his poverty; who can lose without whimpering; who can win without bragging; who is considerate to all women, children and old people – or those who are weak or who are less fortunate than he is. A man who is too brave to lie; too generous to cheat; whose pride will not let him loaf and who insists on doing his share of work in any capacity; a man who thinks of his neighbor before he thinks of himself and asks only to share equally with all men the blessings which God has showered on us.”

the students at Nobles in this period were involved in some form of community service.

“Nobles very much believed in developing the mind, body and spirit by way of a life of service,” Miller acknowledged.

“This was the Nobles tradition and was believed to be the right thing to do.”

Today’s students, MacQuinn reported, fulfill an 80-hour service obligation before graduation. More and more clubs, teams and organizations are opting to complete some of this good work together. For example, this past year the Boys’ Varsity Hockey team worked at the Boston Medical Center painting 10 murals for the pediatric unit.

For the fit and fleet, men’s and women’s graduate lacrosse games allowed grads to participate in a sport that many had imprinted on their muscle memory. Others enjoyed watching from the stands. A preview of the spring musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, was also available. Scores of graduates also stopped by the Nobles headquarters for the Stamp Out Hunger food drive, organized for the past 10 years by the Nobles Community Service Board and staff advisors.

In the evening a number of class dinners, housed in the Castle, the Arts Center, Shattuck Schoolhouse, and the Morrison Athletic Center (MAC) transformed the beautifully appointed campus into a culinary wonderland.

— Joyce Leffler Eldridge

—Joyce Leffler Eldridge

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For an interesting study of Harvard graduates of the same era, see the June issue of The Atlantic Monthly, “What Makes Us Happy?” http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200906/happiness.

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 37

NOBLES RE 1984

25th Reunion Back row (L to R): Tim Anderson, Jim Bride, Coup. Fifth Row (L to R): Scott Marr, Leanne Gould Bernat, John Osborn, Ed Fenno, Bruce Osler.

Fourth Row (L to R): Andy Janfaza, Michele Simeone Abrecht, Eric Freeman, John Stephenson, Katharine White MacPhail, George Lee, Elinor Doty Juviler, Nick Sowles. Third Row (L to R): Heather Alker, Lauren Petrini Hentschel, David Shagoury, Johanna Nackley Hayes, Rob Travis, Tracey Duffy. Second Row (L to R): Bill Allen, Tamar Newell Taffaro, Peter Glovin, Ellen McCarthy Mueller, Jim Michals, Sydney Cook. Front row (L to R): Clark Munnell, Christine Todd, Andy Pritchard, Lou Hoffmann, Allison Sellers Blake, Suzie Tayer Montgomery, Rob Strang, Rod Walkey.

Alumni/ae Games Curt Stevenson ’88, left, and Bob Waldinger ’64

George Lee ’84, left, and Geoff Smith ’83 preparing to do battle in Rappaport Gymnasium 38 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

Meg Lawson Hyde ’95 and Janet Lawson P’95 ’99 ’00 ’08

U N I O N 2009 1989

20th Reunion Back Row (L to R): Chris Coutu, Jeff Baron, Peter Kolovos, JP Plunkett, Scott Govoni, Anne Read Roy, Johnine Pietroski, Nate Bride, Rachel Spencer, Lise Wold Noble, Tara Manley Miller, Tim Jones, Kirsten Saletta Zelhof, Dave MacTavish, Janet Barringer Pezzulich, Derek Boonisar, Nick Lundgren, Amy Morse Winslow, Jack Higgins, Julie Guillemin.

Front Row (L to R): Chris Kenney, Paul Stanton, Mike Reed, Morgan Ley, David Hiller, Mark Epker, Josh Struzziery, Beth Carney, Brian O’Neill, Sue Weintraub Stein, Jeff Foresman, Eric Aronson, Chris Havlicek, Craig Burns.

1994

15th Reunion Back row (L to R): Jim Hampe, Starr Glidden Peteet, Phil Higgins. Fourth row (L to R): Mike Ackil, Matt Glassman, Lisa Zeytoonjian Glenn, Carrie Goldman. Third row: (L to R) Katherine Lieber, Dan Primack, Justin Alfond, Elizabeth Geuss, Monica Ramirez, Alissa White.

Second row: (L to R): Karen Anderson, Heidi Notman, Lawson Allen Albright, Andra Voldins, Keira Lapsley Rogers.

Front Row (L to R): Andy McPhee, Joe Cooney, Hunter Woolley, Serena Mah.

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 39

N O B L E S R E U N I O N 2009 1999

10th Reunion Back Row (L to R): Dan Byrnes, Ambrose Faturoti, Jeff Raider, Dave Costello, Gary Sherman, Joshua Police, Morgan Sandell, Kate Treitman, Amanda Tripp, Elena Raptopoulos, Maggie Goedecke, Justin Gaither, April Levin, Dan Weinstein, Eric Hanson, Will Macpherson. Front Row (L to R): Adam Franklin, Reis Alfond, Amanda Green, Meagan Rock, Stephanie Trussell, Stefanie Alfond, Kristin Harrison, Gabriela Hermann, Leanne Gallagher, Olivia Achtmeyer, Alex Dyson, Jennifer Flynn, Walter Siggins.

2004

5th Reunion Back Row (L to R): Dan McGoff, Ben Maslowski, Ari Press, Kevin Tarrant, Eric Muther, Emily Rafferty, Nick Del Vecchio, Sam Barcelo, Carolyn Sheehan, Rory Silva Kelly, Courtney Samuelson, Caroline Spillane, Justin Masterman, Joe Capellano, Will Kryder. Middle Row (L to R): Chris Trovato, Andrew Hayes, Chris Poli, Aryn Chudnow Penn, Jenna Gomez, Jess Baylor, Becca Loucks, Elizabeth MacLeod, Austin Lord, Whitney Davis, Chris Burns, Brittany Burke, Rob Linsalata, Zack Smith, Matt Plitch, Sam Chud. Front Row (L to R): Adam Marino, Alex Bain, Tara Ryan, Sasha Kukonova, Nicole Mayard, Kristen Danforth, Eleanor Lawson, Lilah Aubrey, Sarah Banco, Erin Summe.

40 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

NOBLES TO UNVEIL

Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010 Nominate Your Fellow Graduates!

H A L L O F FA M E M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

The Hall of Fame honors and celebrates the proud athletic tradition of Noble and Greenough School; reflects a standard of excellence to which current Nobles students might aspire and emphasizes the character, leadership and teamwork that are fundamental to the Nobles definition of athletic distinction.

A

N ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME HAS BEEN ON THE MIND of Director of Athletics Bob Moore for years. Since last summer, Moore and his staff have committed significant time and energy to researching how other schools and colleges have organized their Halls of Fame. A focus group was convened last winter to explore further the possibility of establishing a Hall at Nobles and to define the mission statement (see above), the criteria for eligibility, the process for selecting inductees and how the Hall of Fame Committee will work. The final proposal was recently approved by Head of School Bob Henderson ’76 P ’13, and the first class will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during Reunion weekend in May 2010.

“Athletes, coaches, athletic staff members and teams will be eligible for induction according to a clearly defined set of criteria,” explains Moore. “We will be accepting nominations for the inaugural Hall of Fame class from now until Sept. 30. We encourage graduates to read the criteria and to submit their nominations online.” (See below.)

A Hall of Fame Committee will be charged with reviewing the selection process annually, considering all nominees and electing the class of inductees.

“Visitors to the Morrison Athletic Center see the trophy case, the championship banners and the pictures of athletic teams,” explains Director of Graduate Affairs Brooke Earley Asnis ’90. “The Hall will give us a chance to tell some of the personal stories of the athletic program. Kevin O’Marah ’80 served on our focus group, and he made a comment in our first meeting that resonated with all of us. He said, ‘This will be fun. Let’s not lose sight of this. We are doing this to celebrate something great about Nobles and to make sure that everyone enjoys the process.’”

“This Hall of Fame is a great way to recognize some of the men and women who helped shape the school’s athletic program and to acknowledge publicly that athletics are part of the history as well as the present fabric of this school,” explains Henderson. “The time is right for us to make the Hall a reality, and we all look forward to the first induction ceremony next spring.”

8

We encourage graduates to read the criteria and to submit their nominations online by visiting www.nobles.edu/halloffame.

Bill Bliss ’48, Matt Earley ’85, Laurie Harrison ’91, Bill Kehlenbeck, Kevin O’Marah ’80, Martha Schneider ’90, Maura Sullivan, Deb Sturtevant White ’78

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 41

Students Help Bring Millie to Life

W

hen the Nobles Theatre Collective advertised a student production of the spring musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, it delivered just that—a play for which, from start to finish, each component was touched in some way by a student. From on stage to behind the scenes, from the choreography to costume design, students worked alongside faculty, staff and professional musicians to deliver an unforgettable production.

As the house lights came down (courtesy of the production team) at the start of the show, in the darkness of Vinik Theatre, audience members were transported to 1920s Manhattan. The first-rate orchestra, a band of 20 professional and student instrumentalists, played the perfect score—music that did as much to set the mood as did the elaborate scenery, which included suspended New York skyscrapers. As the first spotlight lit center stage, the audience watched the story of young Millie Dillmount (Andrea Ross ’09) unfold. New to the city in search of a life full of excitement, Millie sets out to meet and marry a man to take care of her. After finding a room at the Priscilla Hotel, run by the devious Mrs. Meers (masterfully played by Haley Deluca ’11), Millie meets new friends (Miss Dorothy, played by Annelise Baker ’10, and Jimmy Smith, played by Chris Collins-Pisano ’12) and lands a job.

It’s a New York full of intrigue and jazz — a time when women were entering the workforce and the rules of love and social behavior were changing forever. Millie navigates through it, learning several valuable lessons along the way. Loosely based on the popular 1967 movie, the stage version of Thoroughly Modern Millie includes a full score of songs and bright dance numbers.

The NTC production was led by a mixed student/ faculty team of 15 directors, designers, choreographers, music directors, and stage managers. Costumes, lighting, scenery and sound were built and run by 10 student technicians while a cast of 40 Nobles students performed.

The leadership and guidance of performing arts faculty members Dan Halperin (Director), Todd Morton (Scenic Designer), Jon Bonner (Lighting Designer) and Kelly Jean Lynch (Choreographer) were reflected in the professionalism and expertise of each and every student involved with the production.

—Julie Guptill

Andrea Ross ’09 as Millie Dillmount

The ladies of the Priscilla Hotel

42 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

Andrea Ross ’09 and Christopher Collins-Pisano ’12

Manny Perez ’09 spins Annelise Baker ’10.

Haley Deluca ’11 as Mrs. Meers

Cast members show off the show’s impressive choreography.

Annie Winneg ’11 (standing) commands the stage.

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 43

Nobles Grad Expresses Thanks Stephanie Grace ’83, a columnist for the Pulitzer-Prize winning Times-Picayune, wrote this column upon spending time with the Nobles group which worked in New Orleans during spring break to restore the city after the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. Grace invited the students and faculty of her alma mater to tour the newspaper’s offices and join a question-and-answer session with various reporters. Grace then joined the group for dinner. Although she did not cite Nobles specifically in the context of her column, reprinted below, she did write to the Bulletin as follows: “The Nobles group was my inspiration! I was watching as everyone from the [Times-Picayune] paper thanked them profusely. I wanted to put it [the students’ help] in context for them, and for everyone like them.”

Dear Spring Breakers: “Thank you for coming.

I’m guessing I’m not the first person to say that to you.

You’ve probably heard it a lot during your time here in the New Orleans area, from the people whose homes and schools you’ve worked to put back together and whose favorite public spaces you’ve helped revive, or from those who’ve just crossed your paths somewhere along the way. You may have also heard some variation on the theme, based on the memorable line from Streetcar Named Desire about relying on the kindness of strangers.

Perhaps it’s grown old by now.

But be patient. Please indulge us for getting emotional at the sight of a busload of you, heading out for a long day of work or treating yourselves to ice cream after a job well done. It’s just that we find it kind of overwhelming that you’re back again, or here for the first time, after three and one-half years.

Think about that; at your age, three and one-half years is an awfully big chunk of time. It’s probably hard for you to fully appreciate how it feels to be well into 2009, yet still living amid the wreckage of 2005.

You also might not grasp what it’s like to feel as if the rest of the world moved on a long time ago. We keep hearing about Katrina fatigue—honestly, don’t you think we have it too?

Yet we work hard to remind people that the vast majority of the Katrina victims aren’t scam artists. They’re just regular people whose only sin was thinking that the federal government’s levees wouldn’t disintegrate, homeowners fighting to get back to where they were on Aug. 28, 2005, when they still had houses and communities.

So thank you for not needing to be reminded.

44 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

A Nobles student stands at the edge of the Mississippi River during a service trip to New Orleans

on behalf of Entire Community “You met people whose lives are very different from yours, and you showed them the respect and appreciation they deserve. ” —STEPHANIE GRACE ’83

Nobles students serve St. Patick's Day dinner at a New Orleans community center.

You are not unique or even unusual for being here, but that doesn’t make you bit players. You are part of something enormous, something powerful. Every time you roll up your sleeves and pick up a hammer or screwdriver or shovel or paintbrush or garden hoe or ladle, you move a mountain.

Collectively, you’ve helped to save a way of life. My colleague Bruce Nolan, who writes about the flood of volunteers that hasn’t let up since the storm, swears that some of you have actually saved lives, literally, by showing up at exactly the moment when someone was ready to give up hope, and asking what you could do to help.

And you didn’t just help. You let people tell you their stories, allowed them to get some of the hurt out. You met people whose lives are very different from yours, and you showed them the respect and appreciation they deserve. You found joy in what’s quirky and wonderful about this place, and you gave it back to those who need it most. You listened, and for that, we thank you.

And there’s one other thing. You’ve shown enormous heart, even when [the nation’s] leaders have too often been heartless.

It was bad at all levels of government, but worst at the top, among the crowd that was in charge when the storm hit.

From the early days when they dithered while the city drowned, through years of bureaucratic fighting over rebuilding projects, they tried to distance themselves from the tragedy. They didn’t want to deal with it. They thought the people they represent all over the country didn’t have the will, or the interest, or the attention span, to rebuild an essential American city.

They talked down to you, in assuming you’d forgotten, or were too self-involved to care after the cable news moved on to the next big story.

You proved them wrong. And for that, we thank you most of all.”

—Stephanie Grace ’83

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To see more photos from this year's trips please visit www.nobles.edu/2009trips.

Nobles students meditate during a service trip to India, one of several service trips that Nobles sponsored this year.

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 45

Keeping You Up-to-Date Telling All Fred Hitz ’57, former inspector general of the Central Intelligence Agency who will speak at Nobles in September, has a new book on the current state of American espionage: Why Spy?: Espionage in an Age of Uncertainty. Hitz described the numerous issues facing spy operations amid the war on terror and discussed the release of the Justice Department memos on interrogation techniques.

He was interviewed on C-SPAN2 in late spring by Peter Earnest, former CIA operations officer and current executive director of the International Spy Museum.

The Yangs

(plus out-of-state boarding schools) and colleges that include Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Columbia.

Retracing the Journey of the Wampanoag Tribe

“whatever else their whiteness is, it is also somehow black!” In an elaborate exposition, Roane reveals how “Obama’s biracial heritage represents the genetic complexity potentially lying in every American… The challenge is for whites to see his blackness as a reflection of the similar complexity lying within themselves.”

8

The journal is available online at www.springerlink.com.

Prefects Named Runs in the Family Siblings Kenny (Class II) and Maggie Yang (Class IV) competed in the Massachusetts Music Teachers Association’s 2009 Bay State Contest at Fitchburg State College. Kenny won the third-place award in the piano division for ages 17–18 and Maggie won the third-place award in the piano division for age 14. Both of them have enjoyed playing piano since kindergarten and have made several individual appearances in the morning Assemblies showcasing their latest challenging pieces.

Writing About “Whiteness in the Age of Obama” Art teacher David Roane has published a piece in the June 2009 Journal of African American Studies that attempts to uncover complex heritages within any given racial category. Roane postulates that, in post-election America, the next step is for whites to acknowledge that

The following members of the rising senior class will serve as Prefects in the 2009–2010 school year: Gordie Bailey, Willy Bliss, Greg Corrado, Colin Coughlin, Cassandra Desrosiers, Holly Foster, Marissa Gedman, Eliza Goode, Mahlon Henderson, Scott Mahoney, Kaveh Veyssi, Lucie Wright Jackie Young, plus Matt Antoszyk, who serves by virtue of his election as Student Life Council President.

Making Good and Giving Back Diversity Director Steven Tejada, a 1989 graduate of De La Salle Academy in New York City, an independent school for academically talented and economically disadvantaged students in grades six through eight, was the alumnus guest speaker at a gala honoring DLS’s 25th anniversary. Tejada shared the dais with host Soledad O’Brien, CNN anchor; Richard Parsons, Citigroup Board Chair, and Dr. Laura Parsons. DLS graduates go on to New York independent and exam schools such as Collegiate, Dalton, Fieldston and Stuyvesant

46 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l SUMMER 2009

Nik Tyack ’07 undertook a three-day, 72-mile canoe trip from the mouth of the North River on Massachusetts Bay to Narragansett Bay via the North and Taunton Rivers on June 2. The arduous ride was replete with mosquitoes, poison ivy and briars, according to the North and South Rivers Watershed Association (NSRWA) which sponsored the event.

Tyack completed the journey as a fundraiser for the Watershed association, building on his experience with the Charles River Watershed Project at Nobles.

Last summer Tyack served as an intern at the River Adventures Camp, which gave him a keen appreciation of the need to keep the rivers clean and maintain the wildness and beauty of the watershed for those living nearby.

8

For more information, go to http://www.tauntonriver.org/ wamppassage.htm.

Sports Trivia Question A Nobles sports trivia question from English teacher Alden Mauck: For two years in a row, a Nobles graduate has been on the NCAA men’s hockey championship team. Name the players and the years.

Answer: Andy Glass ’08, forward for Boston University, 2009 NCAA hockey champions; John Muse ’07, goalie for Boston College, 2008 NCAA hockey champions.

From WorldRowing.com The 155th Oxford vs. Cambridge Boat Race, held on the London Thames River, traverses 4.25 miles of hard-to-navigate water due to the tides, its current and bends. Benjamin Harrison ‘03, part of the eight-man Oxford University Dark Blue crew, shared with World Rowing how he juggled academics and preparation for The Boat Race. Harrison weighed in as the heaviest competitor at this

Keeping You Up-to-Date teacher and Upper School Head Ben Snyder, who teaches a very popular course on Genocide of which Kate is a graduate. Her study of genocide at Nobles was highly instrumental in her being hired to work on Hove.

Carrying the Nobles Banner

Ben Harrison ’03 year’s Boat Race at 106.4 kg.

The balance of academics and rowing “is really tough, 12 practices a week,” Harrison said. “If you include driving time, it’s about 50 hours a week. I leave at 6:40 in the morning, get back around 9, then attend lecture, and then leave again around 1:30 p.m. for practice. I wish I had 10 more hours a day.

“The unique thing about this race is that being really good is helpful, but all that really is important is being better than Cambridge, and you don’t really know how good the other crew is until you get into the race. We don’t race any of the same crews,” Harrison continued.

The preparation starts in September with testing on the ergometer and continues into the long English winter, when the final selection process begins. “There are helicopters, people everywhere, boats, it’s something different. But at the same time everyone in the boat is experienced in dealing with that kind of stuff.”

Oxford did grab the victory, with a winning time of 17 minutes, 12 seconds ahead of the Cambridge crew. The Boat Race was watched by 10 million viewers in the UK and 100 million worldwide.

Another 300,000 spectators lined the banks of the Thames.

It may not have been a grudge match and it may not have been a matter of revenge, but in the high-stakes competition of Nobles vs. Roxbury Latin, a return chess match took on monumental proportions. Upon losing 4-6 to RL in the first go-round, the Dawgs trounced the Foxes 5-0 in a rematch.

Mary Poppins and friends Katherine Doherty ’12 joined Broadway stars from The Little Mermaid, Wicked, Beauty and the Beast, Xanadu, and Candide at the Wheelock Family Theatre where she performed “Broadway on the Riverway” in a benefit performance to raise funds to subsidize tickets for children unable to afford the experience. Katherine was also one of three girls to alternate the role of “Jane Banks” in Mary Poppins on Broadway recently.

Former Trustee/Parent Recognized for His Judicial Significance The Hon. Harry J. Elam P ’74 ’82, former Nobles trustee and Boston’s first Black Superior Court Justice, appointed in 1971, has been designated “The Community’s Judge,” per order of Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. A bronze plaque with his portrait has been framed and was unveiled at a reception in Judge Elam’s honor in the South End.

Kate Harrington ’00 and Claude Kaitare

Former Band Connection Leads to Benefit Concert Patrick Fitzsimmons and his band performed at a benefit concert at Nobles thanks to economics teacher and Boys’ Varsity Hockey coach Brian Day, who years earlier managed Fitzsimmons’ band in New York City. Among others, the band has shared the stage with Bob Dylan and Dave Matthews. The benefit

For Nobles, It’s a Small World After All Kate Harrington ’00, who has spent the past year in Nyamata, Rwanda, teaching English at Maranyundo School for Girls, ended up hosting Claude Kaitare, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide who has spoken more than once before Ben Snyder’s Genocide course. Snyder initiated the meeting at the Maranyundo School.

Students for the Treatment of AIDS Today Gives Gift to AIDS Hospice

Genocide Course a Credential for Film Making Kate Zabinsky ’07, a first-year student at NYU Tisch School with a focus on film, is presently working on the film Hove, which has been nominated for some significant awards. According to history

performance, called “Come and Celebrate,” raised hundreds of dollars for the on-site chapter of Campuses against Cancer (CAC).

STAT representative Sakile Braithwaite-Hall ‘10, left, presents Clea Winneg P’11 with a $500 check

Guest speaker Clea Winneg P’11 shared her recent experience volunteering at an AIDS hospice in Kliptown, South Africa.

Members of Students for the Treatment of AIDS Today (STAT) presented Winneg with a check for $500 to be sent back to the hospice. The donation came from proceeds earned at December’s AIDS Art Sale.

—Joyce Leffler Eldridge

SUMMER 2009 l THE NOBLES BULLETIN l 47

ON THE

Playing Fields

Spring Varsity Sports Results and Awards

BASEBALL Overall Record: 9-8 ISL Record: 9-6 (5th Place) All-ISL: Andrew Bishop ’09, Mike Reardon ’11 Honorable Mention: Nate Ellis ’10, Matt Whiting ’11 John Eliot Cooke Award (significant improvement, devotion to the team, and a genuine love for the game): Bobby Kelly ’09 and Andrew LoRusso ’09 The Lovett Medal (for excellence in baseball): Andrew Bishop ’09 2010 Captains: Mark Hourihan ’10, Nate Ellis ’10, Mike Reardon ’11

(spirit and dedication exemplify the ideals of Nobles Rowing)—Sophie Tyack ’09; AC ‘Clint’ Allen Bowl (for competitive, tough spirit in rowing)—Jennifer Lawrence ’09 2010 Captains: Caitlin Fai ’10, Juliet Hollingsworth ’10

BOYS’ CREW NEIRA Championship Results: 1st Crew: Finals: 3rd Place 3rd Crew: Finals: 5th Place 2nd Crew: Heat: 4th Place 4th Crew: Heat: 5th Place U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships: Gold Medal, 1st Boat Awards: The Taylor Shield (for sportsmanship in rowing)—Stone Cao ’09; The Watson Medal (overall contribution to rowing)—Matt O’Leary ’09 2010 Captains: Cam Dupré ’10, Andrew Kouri ’10

BOYS’ LACROSSE Overall Record: 9-7 ISL Record: 9-6 (5th) All-ISL: McCallum Foote ’09, Sean Shakespeare ’11 Honorable Mention: Bill Arnold ’11, Alex Owen ’11 Awards: Arnold Lacrosse Prize (skills, dedication and enthusiasm most reflect a love of the sport)—McCallum Foote ’09; The Samuel P. Dawson Award (demonstrated significant improvement, sportsmanship, and a genuine love for the game)—Emmett Mercer ’09 2010 Captains: TBA

GIRLS’ CREW NEIRA Championship Results: Team: 1st Place—New England Champions 1st Crew Finals: 1st Place 3rd Crew Finals: 2nd Place 2nd Crew Finals: 1st Place 4th Crew Finals: 4th Place US Rowing Youth National Championships: 7th place, 1st Boat Awards: The Janice L. Mabley Award

GOLF Overall Record: 4-6 ISL Record: 4-5 (6th) ISL Championship Tournament: 6th Place Awards: Dewey Golf Award (overall contribution to Golf )—Billy Burchill ’10 2010 Captain: Julian Phan ’10

GIRLS’ LACROSSE Overall Record: 16-1 ISL Record: 12-1 (1st) ISL Champions (3rd Consecutive) ISL MVP/Globe All-Scholastic/Globe NEPSAC Female Athlete of the Year: Casey Griffin ’09 U.S. Lacrosse All-American 1st Team: Casey Griffin ’09 (2nd Year) and Lauren Martin ’09

48 48 l THE THE NOBLES NOBLES BULLETIN BULLETIN l SUMMER SUMMER 2009 2009

Casey Griffin ’09

U.S. Lacrosse All-American Honorable Mention: Brett Hayes ’09 All-ISL: Casey Griffin ’09, Brett Hayes ’09, Chelsea Landon ’11, Lauren Martin ’09 Awards: Girls’ Lacrosse Bowl (contributed significantly both in spirit and performance)—Hanna Atwood ’09 Career Points Record: Casey Griffin ’09—309 points (181 goals, 128 assists) 2010 Captains: Kirsten Karis ’10, Jackie Young ’10, Chelsea Landon ’11 SAILING MBL C Division 420 Fleet Racing: 3rd Place MBL C Division Mercury Fleet Racing: 8th Place Awards: The Sailing Award (overall contribution to sailing)— Adam Keally ’11 2010 Captains: Scott Chaston ’10, Sam Cheney ’10 SOFTBALL Overall Record: 13-0 ISL Record: 11-0 (1st) ISL Champions All-ISL: Sarah Duncan ’10, Marissa

L-R: Ian Graves ’09, Cam Dupré ’10, Matt O’Leary ’09, Gordon Eccles ’09, Stone Cao ’09

Michelle Picard

Awards: C. F. Olney Prize (for enthusiasm, skill, and sportsmanship)—Katie Helfgott ’09 2010 Captains: Meghan Borden ’10, Julia Hermann ’10 Those Earning a Nobles Varsity Letter for the First Time:

Baseball: Tom Ragno ’10, Andrew Raposo ’11

Gedman ’10, Tori Goyette ’10, Michelle Picard ’11, Katie Puccio ’11 Honorable Mention: Hannah Graham ’10, Nora Kelly ’11 Awards: The Bird Bowl (greatest contribution to the softball team) —Tori Goyette ’10 and Michelle Picard ’11 2010 Captains: Tori Goyette ’10, Marissa Gedman ’10 BOYS’ TENNIS Overall Record: 15-1 ISL Record: 14-1 (2nd Place) All-ISL: Tim Chang ’09, Max White ’09 Awards: Rice Cup (for enthusiasm, skill, and sportsmanship)— Tim Chang ’09 2010 Captains: Will Shames ’10 GIRLS’ TENNIS Overall Record: 10-5 ISL Record: 8-4 (4th) All-ISL: Katie Helfgott ’09 Honorable Mention: Gigi Anderson ’12

Crew: Daria Ameri ’10, Hannah Birnbaum ’10, Dorothy Burns ’10, Juliana Cusack ’09, Dana DelVecchio ’10, Jeff Fishman ’11, Sophia Geanacopoulos ’12, Caroline Giandomenico ’11, Dean Makino ’11, Karly Moore ’11, Lucie Wright ’10 Lacrosse: Hope Hanley ’12, Jack Palmer ’11, Brad Rigoli ’12 Softball: Jackie Garrahan ’12, Amanda Gonzalez ’14, Ann-Marie Ott ’12 Tennis: Stephanie Dawson ’11, Maria Montes ’09, Anthony Laurencio-Twymer ’12, Cam Smith ’12

The Greg Monack Passing of the Shield Tradition: Class of ’09 Representative Captains—McCallum Foote and Casey Griffin; Class of ’10 Representative Cap-tains—Mark Hourihan and Jackie Young Senior Three-For-Three Award (recognizing commitment to a varsity sport in each season)—Kelly Cooke, Ellen Crowley, McCallum Foote, Ian Graves, Casey Griffin, Ben Knott, Chris Lehman, Andrew LoRusso, Devan Luster, Peter Owen, Alex Piersiak, Matt Samost, Earl Smith, Kaitlin Spurling Three Student-Athletes Part of ISL Title Team in Each Season Nora Kelly ’11, Chelsea Landon ’11, and Molly Parizeau ’11 END OF YEAR AWARDS The George Washington Copp Noble Cup (awarded each year to a boy and girl from the Fifth and Sixth Classes for sportsmanship in athletics)—Class V: Caleb Kirshner ’13 and Mackenzie Turner ’13; Class VI: Audra Fitzgerald ’14 and Anthony Wyse ’14 The John Paine Award (awarded to a JV or third level participant for sportsmanship and consistent work in athletics—Michael Mussafer ’11 and Julia Diaz ’12 The Davis Cup (awarded to a male and female member of the First Class for sportsmanship and consistent work in athletics)—Kelly Cooke and Henry Mauck See page 6 for other prominent end of year awards.

Tim Chang ’09

SUMMER SUMMER 2009 2009 l THE THE NOBLES NOBLES BULLETIN BULLETIN l 49 49