OVS Family Tree, Fall 2022

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Nicholas Thacher (L60), Chair

Patricia H. Farber, Treasurer

Andrew Helman, Secretary

James Casey (L95)

Kimberly Cluff (L83)

Robert G. Cooper Jr. (L61)

John B. De Nault III

Ousmane Fofana (U09)

Spencer Garrett (L62, U65)

Craig Marcus

Sally McClenahan Dyer (L87, U91)

Gail “Gigi” Ordway (U78)

LEADERS HONORED FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE:

CHAIRMAN

A. Carl Kotchian

PRESIDENTS

Edward Yeomans

Michael D. Hermes (L53)

HEADMASTER

Wallace Burr

TRUSTEES

Robert E. Chesley

David J. Donlon

Benjamin E. Nordman

Anson S. Thacher

William Hair

CONTRIBUTORS

Thank you to Upper Campus journalism teacher Fred Alvarez and his writers, current and past, for their contributions to this issue, including Avery Colborn (L16, U20), Brody Moller (U22), Sarita Guede Hallock (L19), Zachary Danino (L19) and Zimo Zeng. Thank you to photographers Misty Hall, Zach Byars, Darcie George, Ted Tambakis, John Boyd and Alex Alvarez (L18, U22); designer Logan Hall of Sideways 8 Creative; contributing writers Lars Kuelling, Nicholas Thacher (L60), Liza Cass White (L61), Elizabeth Rose, Brian Schlaak, Misty Hall, Alex Rothwell, and Wendy Tremiti; and editors Fred Alvarez, Tracy Wilson, Terry Wilson and Misty Hall.

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Thirteen members of the senior class and three faculty members ventured 600 miles to southern Oregon in May for an eight-day rafting trip on the Rogue River. It was the final Outdoor Education trip of the school year, and the last adventure for members of the Class of 2022.

This spring, sixth graders had their first ever OVS backpacking trip into the Sespe Wilderness, visiting sites long established by past Spuds. Swimming holes, stories and bonding sessions framed this important (and fun) rite of passage for OVS middle schoolers.

Putting Roots in the Ground

In one of my many welcome meetings to the Ojai Valley this summer, an OVS alum and I were talking about the strength of the OVS community, the school’s deep ties to the land, and its unflagging belief in each individual. He asked if I had read Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I hadn’t, though I’m now working through it and finding it to be an engaging read.

In the book, Kimmerer observes: “Sweetgrass is best planted not by seed, but by putting roots directly in the ground. Thus the plant is passed from hand to earth to hand across years and generations. Its favored habitat is sunny, well-watered meadows. It thrives along disturbed edges.”

I love that idea, of putting roots in the ground, of being passed from hand to earth to hand in a continuous cycle, of the intentionality of a purposeful, nurturing cycle instead of the random successes of a disjointed approach that is all too often seen in educational circles today. And, as an educator who has observed students thriving when placed in challenging or unsettled situations, the concept of disturbed edges being a location where they can thrive resonates as well.

Intent, nurture, disturbed edges: good for sweetgrass, and good for children.

So what then to make of how an OVS education helps children put roots in the ground? And what then of a newly arrived Head of School, one fresh from the snowy environs of upstate New York (and very happy to have used his last set of snow tires!); what will he bring to the school community to further that common purpose?

I think you will find in me a commitment to community, to the land, to the pursuit of academic excellence, and to the possibility embodied by each student, a shared commitment heard again and again in my conversations with OVS constituents.

When we speak of community, it is often evidenced in many small ways: the warm greetings teachers and students exchange, the confident announcements directed by student leaders at All School meetings, the life-long friendships students and their families form while at OVS, and myriad other ways.

The commitment to the land is found in distinctive OVS elements such as our Outdoor Education program, the hands-on-the-land restoration work with the

Channel Islands National Park and the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, our deep ties to the local agricultural community, and our commitment to sustainable practices with solar and the reuse of fallen wood in our century-old woodshop.

And, of course, our promise to the possibility of each student is found in challenging programs in academics, the arts, athletics, and our collective willingness to support student interests and passions.

As Nick Thacher, Chair of the Board of Trustees, notes in his adjacent article, there is much to celebrate at this point in the Ojai Valley School’s history, and there is a lot of inspiring work ahead as we chart a course forward from full accreditation, to enrich and diversify our community, maintain a healthy enrollment, and strengthen our educational program.

OVS Founder Edward Yeomans said: “Unless a community is a good place for children, unless it can take care of their growth intelligently, it cannot stand the test of time.” It is my hope that our time together will be marked by its commitment to each child, to a set of timeless values embodied in our mission, to an intentional, nurturing, and challenging approach, and that as we work hand to hand, these values will be able to take root.

All the best,

Lars Kuelling Head of School, Ojai Valley School

Head, Hand and Heart

By Nicholas Thacher (L60), Board Chair

The ancient epistolary greeting — “I take pen in hand” — seems curiously inapposite in these days of wordprocessing and e-mail; yet I have been thinking about the phrase as I embark on the challenge of serving as Jack De Nault’s successor as Chair of the OVS Board of Trustees.

First things first: On behalf of the broad constituencies of our school, I offer our deep collective gratitude to Jack for more than three decades of service and leadership of the Board. Working closely with our departing President, Michael Hall-Mounsey, he guided us through a period of enormous challenges, not least of which was the devastation of the Thomas Fire. Now, it seems, blessings are upon us; thanks to the hard work and extraordinary generosity of so many loyal OVS alumni, staff, parents and community friends the Upper Campus wreckage has happily receded into the past.

“Pen in hand” I can report that these are exciting times for the Ojai Valley School: settling into our impressive new facilities on the Upper Campus and planning significant improvements on the Lower Campus, welcoming a dynamic new Head of School, celebrating the successful conclusion of our fullterm accreditation by the California Association of Independent Schools and addressing a variety of major recommendations issued by our CAIS visiting team. The Board has prepared a formal “charge” for our new leader, Lars Kuelling; it will be shared with all constituents when our school year is launched in September.

What will come as no surprise is that fundamentally the “charge” from the Board is grounded in the

longstanding progressive mission of our educational community, what we might call the “eternal values” first articulated by Edward Yeomans nearly a century ago. In 1938, in Talks In and About Schools, Yeomans complained that “For a long time society has put a premium on the head and dethroned the hand.” But, he added:

In order to make our little — our very little contribution … we people in the newer sort of school make more of handwork than they do in the conventional school ... My own conviction is that half the time of schools should be devoted to handwork, associated with the head work, with history, literature, mathematics, music and dancing and arts in general.

“Pen in hand,” he makes an ambitious claim for what he terms handwork:

I am thinking more of its value in producing a symmetrical life — and the sense of competence which makes a man or a woman feel peculiarly, and joyously, at home in the world — and more than willing to promote good will and peace on earth.

Students of history may find the reference to “peace on earth” explicable, even gently ironic, given the 1938 lurch towards war; but what struck me as I read Yeomans’ short essay was his abiding commitment to “symmetry,” a term which has suffused the Ojai Valley School mission since its inception and continues to exert its siren call to us all as we embark together under new leadership in common stewardship, seeking to retain the delicate educational equipoise between head, hand, and heart.

Ousmane Fofana joins OVS Board

Ousmane Fofana was appointed to the Board of Trustees in June. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Howard University and a Master’s degree from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Fluent in French, English, and Bambara, Fofana has worked for non-profit, private, bilateral and government agencies from West Africa to Japan. He currently serves as a Senior Program Officer for Population Services International (PSI), particularly the Impact Malaria Program, which was awarded at about $160 million over five years to advance progress in malaria service delivery and operational research in countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Fofana and his wife, Miku, live in Maryland and look forward to more frequent visits to California to visit friends and participate in OVS events.

In the OVS Kitchens, Fresh and From Scratch Are a Way of Life

By Misty Hall

When it comes to cookies, Gina Fontana doesn’t mess around. And neither do her legions of fans — whether they be wide-eyed third graders in the lunch line, or fully grown adults bidding thousands of dollars at the Gala’s live auction, all for the chance to win a monthly platter of her confections.

Fontana has perfected her cookie recipes over 25 years as Ojai Valley School’s Director of Food Services. But it is the wholesome, fromscratch foods she and her team prepare and serve up daily that has the biggest impact. They feed more than 400 mouths, five days a week, across two campuses. And that’s just for lunch.

As it turns out, this is becoming increasingly rare in the world of education. According to a 2015 USDA study, 20% of school districts outsource their food services to large corporations. But in the days when more and more schools are shuttering their traditional kitchens, OVS has leaned in, expanding its food options to be more inclusive, constructing an outdoor servery at

the Lower Campus, and building a new kitchen and servery as part of the $16.5 million Upper Campus rebuild.

And the reason for this is simple: Healthy food supports healthy bodies and minds. It also creates a sense of community at a boarding school where resident students in grades 3-12 gather like a big family for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Fontana strives to create menus that will appeal to boarding and day students across the grade levels, and please the palates of their adult educators, too. Picky kindergarteners, vegan teachers, international students — everyone finds plenty to fill their bellies, thanks to the folks in the OVS kitchens.

eaters avoid problematic ingredients. Menus change each week, and cater to the tastes and preferences at each campus. Kid favorites like mac ’n’ cheese and PB&Js are served alongside perennial favorites like chile Colorado burritos, tomato pesto pizza, Greek chicken pitas with tzatziki sauce, snapper Veracruz, chicken curry salad, fried chicken, egg drop soup and grilled teriyaki salmon.

And with remarkably few exceptions, it’s all made by hand, from scratch. “If we want watermelon for dessert, we’ll buy cases of watermelon and cut it up. Same for cantaloupe, strawberries, whatever,” said Fontana. “And the salad — we don’t buy pre-mixed salad. It’s not a bag

On any given day, incredible smells waft across the campuses as the staff hand-makes falafels from garbanzo beans, or rolls individual meatballs, or tops their droolworthy focaccia with fresh herbs from the garden. Walk into the Lower Campus kitchen on a Wednesday morning and you might find Holly Jones and Alicia Diaz prepping Mexican food. A variety of school-grown chiles, which Felipe Gonzalez lovingly tends and roasts himself, become the base for their salsas. Avocados — often local and courtesy of the Wayman-Dalo family — are combined with fresh-cut lemon, onion, tomato, cilantro and spices for the guacamole. At the Upper Campus, the staff might be making Chico Covarrubias’ secret homemade salsa recipes. Chico retired this summer after 40 years at OVS (see story on page 40), but his salsa remains the stuff of legend.

Although Fontana’s crew has it all down to a science (you have to, when feeding this many people), she leaves room for creativity and innovation. “That’s one of my favorite parts of the job!” she said. “You can experiment, and you get instant feedback from the kids.”

Recently, the Upper Campus dining staff created a gourmet burger bar with brioche rolls, eggs, bacon, chipotle mayo, arugula, and loads of other toppings. At the Lower Campus, she teamed up with Jones to craft the ultimate homemade granola bars. “That was so fun!” Jones said of the process. “We started with, ‘What’s a pre-k kid and eighth grader going to like, what will the staff like, and what’s going to fill them up?’ Then, what do we need to cut for food allergies? And we went from there.” Pumpkin seeds replaced peanuts; golden raisins, honey and coconut replaced refined sugars; oats and rice cereal gave it weight and substance. The result was a Goldilocks story — light and crispy but not too crumbly, sweet but not full of sugar. (Bonus: they’re vegan and gluten free.)

Sometimes, their culinary creativity is borne out of a need to speed up a process (as it turns out, cinnamon rolls made with biscuit dough actually taste amazing, and don’t require hours to rise). Sometimes, the challenge is to find replacements for allergy-causing foods, or to incorporate new ingredients inspired by evolving eating habits. They’ve begun offering things like overnight oats and nut milks, which have been especially popular at the high school. “We’re also trying to eliminate cream from our soups. And, we no

Chico Covarrubias checks the temperature of his teriyaki salmon in the new Upper Campus servery.

Holly Jones prepares fresh guac at the Lower Campus.

longer use gluten in our soups,” Fontana said. “We’re using potato flour and rice flour instead.”

Often, the kitchen’s creativity comes out of a desire to use up leftovers. Extra ground beef from tacos can be combined with sautéed onions and cheese for beef sliders;

years, then coming back as a staff member, the kitchen staff greeted me as though I had never left … I have so much appreciation for how hard they work.”

Head of Upper Campus Craig Floyd (U83) feels the same way. “They take such good care of us,” he said,

— Gina Fontana, Director of Food

mini bagels from snack can be transformed into croutons for chef’s salad. Everything else tends to find its way to smorgasbord day.

Not surprisingly, this all culminates in some pretty epic meals. “Through the course of a very satisfying 36year career, working in nine different schools, I can unequivocally say that the food at OVS is head and shoulders above anything else that I have encountered in a school setting,” said Director of Development Brian Schlaak. “Gina and her team are miracle workers.”

For these miracle workers, Fontana said, this is more than just a job. “They are incredibly dedicated. We’re really proud of our Food Services. We all love what we do.”

And that dedication doesn’t go unnoticed. “The best part about the food at OVS is the staff,” said Destani Cuccio (L13), now a Lower Campus dorm parent. “Attending this school as a student for over 10

“and they take such pride in what they do. It really shines through. They are absolutely part of our family.”

Their job goes well beyond food preparation, carrying over into education, etiquette, and even sustainability. It’s not unusual to hear the kitchen staff gently encouraging students to try a new food. “I know who will just want two carrots, but we’ll say, ‘Hey, want to try a beet today?’” Jones said. All students are asked to have a fruit, a vegetable and a protein, but younger students might not know the difference. “We might look at a plate and say, ‘Well, you need a protein,’ but then you can explain that we have seeds, nuts, edamame, peanut butter, yogurt, or almond milk,” along with the entrée offerings, Fontana said.

The staff also knows that sometimes, our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, so students are encouraged to take only what they’ll eat — and to scrape their

plates into the compost bin when they’re through. “We’re teaching them early about conservation, recycling, not wasting,” Fontana said. Both campuses participate in composting programs, and steer clear of single-use items. They have even begun setting aside apple and carrot scraps for the equestrian program to make horse cookies.

The culmination of it all belies the term “Food Services,” Fontana said. “When you look at that term, Food Services, it sounds so industrial, so commercial, so automated. But what we do is so much more than that. This is really home cooking. It’s the comforts of home. It’s about connections, relationships. It’s about community.”

OVS Food: Fast Facts

15: Total kitchen staff on both campuses

406: Number of students and staff fed daily during the school year

10,720: Pounds of oranges, tangerines and apples consumed annually

13,500: Number of cage-free eggs consumed annually

17,760: Number of milk cartons kept out of the landfill, thanks to reusable cups and six-gallon milk dispensers

Fresh roasted veggies

Local citrus, from Friend’s Ranches

Curried chicken with steamed broccoli

WE DON’T BUY PRE-MIXED SALAD. IT’S NOT A BAG WE OPEN. WE WASH, CHOP, AND MIX FOUR KINDS OF LETTUCE, EVERY SINGLE DAY.”

Services

Gina’s Lemon Bars

A refreshing treat that celebrates Ojai’s most famous export: citrus!

Crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and powdered sugar to combine. Make a well in the center and pour in the melted butter and vanilla. Stir to combine well. Press this into a 13” x 9” pan and work the dough up the side of the pan about 1/2 inch and smooth the bottom. Bake the crust until set and slightly brown. Remove from oven and set aside while you prepare the filling.

Filling:

6 large eggs (at room temp.)

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)

zest of 4 lemons

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whisk the eggs and sugar until well combined and the sugar has slightly dissolved. Whisk in the vanilla to combine.

2. Stir in the zest and juice from the lemons.

3. Sift the flour onto the top of the lemon mixture. Blend until fully combined (no lumps).

4. Carefully pour this onto the crust base. Bake until set, approx. 30 to 40 minutes.

5. Garnish with powdered sugar (optional). Cool completely before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers.

Moroccan Vegetable Soup Chicken Curry Salad

A hearty fall favorite sure to please vegans and carnivores alike.

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 small butternut squash or 1/2 large squash

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick quarters

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

2 to 3 zucchini diced

1 29-oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes, rough puree

2 cups garbanzo beans, rinsed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon coriander, ground

1/2 teaspoon allspice, ground

1/2 cup olive oil

Vegetable broth, 1 to 2 quarts

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped Salt and pepper to taste Optional: red pepper flakes

1. In a large soup pot on medium heat, add the olive oil and onions and sauté until softened. Lower the heat and stir in all the dried spices. Cook until fragrant. Add garlic and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and squash. Pour in the vegetable stock to just cover the vegetables. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Turn heat up to medium and bring to a low simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Add the zucchini and cook until all vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper if needed, and red pepper flakes if you like it spicy (optional). Add cilantro just before serving.

A fan favorite at both campuses, this salad is great on its own, in a wrap, or on a croissant.

2 bone-in chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

Fresh-squeezed juice from 1 small orange

1/4 cup mango chutney, pureed

3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon curry powder (or to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the mayonnaise, curry powder, juice and chutney in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Add chicken, onions, celery, and parsley. Stir to combine well. Add salt and pepper if needed.

4. Fold in cranberries and slivered almonds.

Serve on a bed of lettuce mix, in a croissant or sliced bread.

ATHLETICS

The baseball team clinched the Omega League championship this year and then advanced to the second round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs, a historic moment for an OVS team. But with COVID illness hammering the roster, the Spuds ended the post-season with a heartbreaking loss to Hueneme High School. Overall, the first full year in the Omega League was very good for OVS. The Spuds won league titles in four sports: boys cross country, boys soccer, baseball, and golf. Three of those teams — cross country, soccer and baseball — went on to compete in CIF playoffs. Girls and boys volleyball, boys basketball, and girls individual cross country also earned CIF playoff appearances in the 2021-2022 school year. “It’s been very successful,” said Upper Campus Athletic Director Doug Colborn. “We are blessed right now with a solid group of student-athletes.”

PERFORMING ARTS

The Upper Campus theater program staged an original musical, Trouble in Oz, this past spring by blending stories and songs from Wicked, The Wizard of Oz, and The Wiz. Because the Wicked script was unavailable, theater director Carmen Doane-Barkan created a

new story that combined elements from all three stories. It was the first in-person musical staged by the Upper Campus since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last spring, the high school students produced a video musical, A Killer Party, in which each actor was filmed

individually to avoid potential virus transmission and then the show was masterfully edited to create the illusion of an ensemble cast. This year, the cast and crew were thrilled to be back on stage in front of live audiences in the Greenberg Center.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

OVS students are embracing conservation efforts to welcome back a new generation of Western monarch butterflies to the Upper Campus. A decade ago, the high school campus supported a thriving population monarchs. Key to those conservation efforts were clusters of Narrowleaf Milkweed plants that used to grow in abundance in front of the former science and tech building. The entire lifecycle of a Monarch is

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

dependent on milkweed as females lay their eggs on the underside of the milkweed leaves. It is the only plant on which Monarch larvae feed. Tragically, the milkweed habitat was devastated by the Thomas Fire and new construction made it difficult to create a safe zone for the delicate butterflies. Now, with the campus rebuilt, students and teachers have begun planting a new patch of milkweed in hopes of luring the imperiled insects back to campus. English teacher and Assistant Head of Campus Crystal Davis, who organized the effort, said students are enthusiastic about helping Monarchs, which have suffered significant habitat loss due to development, climate change, and pesticides. “The beauty of this project,” she said, “is when I begin to see students take on the project as their own and become invested in it. That’s what I’m hoping will happen again.”

Ojai Valley School has adopted two sections of Highway 33 and is encouraging students, parents and teachers to join in litter-removal days to beautify the community and protect the environment. Litter discarded along highways, particularly in coastal areas, can get into the watershed and harm birds, animals, fish and marine mammals. Spanish and AP Environmental Science teacher Steve Risser got tired of seeing trash on the highway during his daily commute to Upper Campus. He led the effort to join the state’s Adopt-AHighway program, which was launched in 1989 to provide an opportunity for individuals, organizations and businesses to help maintain sections of roadside within the California highway system. OVS adopted two sections of Highway 33. One section runs between Oak View and the intersection of Highway 33 and Highway 150, while the other section is located south of Casitas Springs.

SENIOR CAPSTONES

Each spring, OVS seniors present their Capstone Projects and this year members of the Class of 2022 had a beautiful venue — Boswell Hall in the new Littlefield

Student Commons — to speak before an audience of peers, faculty and family members. Capstones represent the culmination of the school experience as seniors reflect on their time at OVS, identify a topic they are passionate about, and then give a presentation that includes photos, video, and research. The Capstone presentations began in March as seniors focused on personal journeys in art, music, fashion, environmental studies, sports and even scuba diving. “It was really cool to be able to make a project out of something I’m passionate about,” said senior Erik Hately, whose capstone focused on making clothes from recycled materials. “Sustainability is a big part of OVS and the fashion industry has done some pretty horrible things for the environment, so I want to do my part to help reverse that.”

VISUAL ARTS

Art teacher Patty Campbell is always looking for ways to inspire her students, especially projects that draw on perspective and, in the case of her 8th grade students, encourage self reflection as they prepare to enter high school. Last summer she saw a car that had been whimsically painted, including the rearview mirror. It gave her the idea to have the 8th graders paint their own rearview mirrors for a project entitled, Hindsight. “We talked about perspective and how it can be the way you look at something or the way you feel about life in general, and we connected that to the idea of what we leave behind us, or what we have seen in our rear view mirror of life,” she said. The tricky part was tracking down 19 mirrors from old cars, which the students then painted and mounted to a mural depicting a winding road into the hills.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Across the grade levels, students ventured near and far this past spring to explore rivers, canyons, mountains and meadows as part of the Outdoor Education program.

middle school backpacking trips in the local Sespe and Dick Smith Wilderness areas. Our kindergarten class even hiked through the cave at Rose Valley Falls — an

HIGH TEA

Thoughtful. Respectful. Gracious. These are just a few of the character qualities that we strive to instill in all our students, and those traits were evident during the 31st annual High Tea last spring. Continuing

an Ojai Valley School tradition, children in grades PK-2 dressed in their finest attire and demonstrated good manners and gratitudes while joining more than 200 guests on the Hermes Quad. Students and

their families enjoyed musical performances representative of cultures from around the world, sipped tea and lemonade, and nibbled tiny tea sandwiches and giant strawberries.

Earlier this spring, OVS middle schoolers staged an epic re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings, continuing an annual tradition that brings history alive for our students. Social studies teacher John Rowan has orchestrated the battle for the past 10 years. Using the Bayeux Tapestry as a guide, Rowan’s students re-enact the events on the Hermes Quad. First, the archers’ volley starts the battle. The Saxons resist, their lines break and the Norman cavalry encircle the disconnected foot soldiers, galloping pretend warhorses in formation. The Norman knights finish the fight victorious. William, the Duke of Normandy, defeats King Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon King of England. However, unlike the 1066 combatants who crafted their armor and weapons from chain mail and beaten metal, these soldiers wrought their armaments from duct tape and cardboard boxes. This year, Rowan added Vikings into the mix because before King Harold headed south to fight William he had to head north to defeat the Vikings. Just another example of hands-on learning at Ojai Valley School!

Ojai Valley School welcomed more than 250 parents, alumni, faculty and friends to the Lower Campus on April 30 for a 1920s Gatsbythemed Gala and Auction. It was the largest attendance to date and the most successful fundraising event to date, raising more than $197,600 to benefit the OVS Annual Fund. Proceeds included $16,400 from the Silent Auction, $74,600 from

the Live Auction, and $65,100 from the Fund-A-Need paddle raise. Additionally, the school received $41,500 in direct donations to the Annual Fund through the Gala, including a generous $32,000 gift restricted for scholarships.

Taken together, these contributions will support our students with financial aid and scholarship grants,

campus improvements, enhanced co-curricular and academic programs, and enrichment grants for teachers. Beyond fundraising, it was a beautiful night to gather with friends and enjoy a wonderful dinner that featured local vintners, brewers and bakers. We look forward to next year when the Gala will move to the Upper Campus. Mark your calendars for May 6, 2023!

Class of 2022

OVS has given so much to us over the past years. Whether it was just a year or 15 years, this school has changed us.”

– Ryan Farrell (L18, U22)

We have made memories upon memories with one another. From our freshman camping trip to Monterey, to our senior rafting trip on the Rogue River in Oregon, all the way to sitting on this amphitheater stage in front of our friends and family, awaiting the steps we have been so carefully prepared to take.”

– Paige Muller (L18, U22)

Head of Upper Campus Message

By Craig Floyd, Head of Upper Campus

Class of 2022 — what a wild four years it has been for you. You arrived as ninth graders to a campus reeling from the Thomas Fire. You took classes in every available space that we had to use for classrooms, the girls lived in dormitory trailers, and there was a long-term promise of new buildings to come. Approximately one-third of you came from Lower Campus, already having forged friendships and bonds while there. One-third of you started in 9th grade as new OVS students trying to figure out how to blend with the Lower Campus crew. The other third of the class trickled in over the following years.

For the 13 of you who started as freshmen, you took part in new student orientation, started classes, played sports, began the Upper Campus Outdoor Education program and were well on your way. In January 2019, Mr. Weidlich and I took your class on a camping trip to Monterey to delve into the world of John Steinbeck. To say the trip was eventful would be an understatement. What truly set this trip apart from others was the torrential rain, or something I have come to call the “Deluge.” In true OVS spirit, the class rose to the challenge and overcame the difficulties caused by the Deluge. Grit and perseverance were key, as were several trips to the Laundromat to dry clothing and sleeping bags. What none of us knew after that trip was that your class would have another Deluge in a year’s time.

As you finished your freshman year, some among us had concerns about the identity of your class. Who were you academically and socially? Would you be able to gel and come together as a class? Were you ready to invest in your school and lead?

You started your sophomore year much like you finished the prior year. Questions persisted. Then, in March of 2020, the new Deluge hit. The COVID pandemic brought much of the world to a halt. But at OVS, while we closed our buildings, we never closed our school. After missing just one day of classes, students resumed their academics remotely. The flexibility, grit and resilience of the OVS community showed through. While students returned to their homes around the world, isolated from direct, in-person interactions with

their friends, something special began to take place. The OVS community figured out how to have co-curricular interactions. Virtual advisory, virtual campfires and virtual team competitions were some of the major innovations developed by students and faculty to interact in a non-academic format.

When in-person classes resumed in the fall, not all members of the Class of 2022 were able to return due to travel restrictions or health concerns. Those who were able to be on campus flourished, drawing energy from being back in person and interacting with their peers. Over the year, as more students returned, the Deluge of the pandemic flipped a switch in this class. They became more cohesive and thirsted for personal connections. They felt they were ready to take on the world because they knew everything.

Unfortunately for them, they quickly learned late in their junior year that they did not know everything, as the faculty dodgeball team relished the opportunity to put them in their place. Did the class take that loss and mope? Heck no, it had the opposite effect. They grew stronger.

When school opened this past fall, when this class behind me stepped foot on campus, there was one final Deluge, except this time it did not have a negative connotation. The Deluge was this class arriving, ready to put their mark on the school. They arrived two days before school was scheduled to open and were welcomed with new buildings that had no furnishings in them. Undaunted, they worked tirelessly to get the campus ready for all the students to arrive. Soon, they all went camping to the Channel Islands and local beach locations. Upon returning from camping, the real work began. AP classes, college applications, athletics and more outdoor ed experiences. Did this class succeed? You better believe it. Academically they took a wide range of classes, challenging themselves along the way. Athletically, this class led the school to four league championships, seven CIF playoff appearances, and many All-League honors. They performed on stage, provided service to their school and their community, and showed they are prepared in every way to be part of the world off The Hill.

Upper Campus Major Awards

WALLACE BURR AWARD

Eugene Fisher, India Getty-Pruss

Established to recognize the student, or students, who have made a significant impact on the OVS community by giving unsolicited service.

ROBERT G. COOPER AWARD

Charlotte Ferrier

Honors the senior who has demonstrated the most growth during his or her senior year.

A. CARL KOTCHIAN AWARD

Catherine “CatieJo” Larkin

Awarded to the most outstanding scholar, not only for academic achievement but also for this student’s level of effort and intellectual curiosity.

ANDREW KILLE AWARD

Catherine “CatieJo” Larkin

Given to the senior who has demonstrated himself or herself to be a leader with a strong sense of community; one who has been consistently hard working, helpful, friendly, and who has exhibited a good sense of humor.

DOROTHY BURR LITERARY AWARD

Hyunung Choi

Recognizes the student for outstanding writing based on the submission of written work.

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

Ryan Farrell, India Getty-Pruss

Given to the athletes who have most demonstrated integrity, leadership, and, above all, good sportsmanship.

JB CLOSE AWARD

William Ramsay

Recognizes the student, or students, who have exhibited the most enthusiasm and active participation in the outdoor program.

CARL S. COOPER AWARD

Tigran Nahabedian

Recognizes the underclass student, or students, for their leadership and character. It is an award that neither dwells in the past nor predicts the future. It honors the individuals for who they are, here and now.

Tigran Nahabedian, with the Carl S. Cooper Award.

Head of Upper Campus Craig Floyd presents Eugene Fisher and India Getty-Pruss with the Wallace Burr Award.

ALEXANDRA ALVAREZ – BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC

In the Class of 2022, no one attended OVS longer than Alex, starting here at age three. Anyone who knows her knows that her first love is music, and it is in this capacity that she set herself apart. She was the heart and soul of the OVS Garage Band, shined in talent shows and played the lead of Elphaba in the spring musical, Trouble in Oz. Her main instrument is her voice, which can mesmerize and inspire. She is largely self-taught in guitar and piano, but in recent years she studied Music Theory and Composition at OVS, and in her senior year was one of a handful of students pioneering one of the newest course offerings, Guitar. At the voice recital the night before graduation, she gave a tour de force performance with her voice and guitar that demonstrated the depth of her talent. Alex worked hard to carve her own path as a high school student, no easy task given that her parents and her grandmother work for the school. She was solid in the classroom, taking on a range of challenging AP courses, and her teachers over the years praised her work ethic, noting most specifically her facility with the written word. For the past two years she served as yearbook editor, pushing our small yearbook staff to meet deadlines and produce a quality product. Alex was the best of the best, a lover of the outdoors, a fierce competitor and a student leader in many areas.

MARLEY BURROUGHS – SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE

There was no one more spirited than Marley in the Class of 2022. Indeed, Marley was boisterous, emotive and plugged in: her energy was infectious and she was the kind of the person you wanted supporting your team. To see her at a baseball game or on a soccer pitch or on the sidelines of a dodgeball game was to bear witness to a force of nature. If you had seen her on stage at the year-end recital, rocking hard to Metallica’s “Sad But True,” you would have understood just how much energy this young woman possesses. In her years at the Upper Campus, she was seemingly everywhere. She has been a rocking bass player for the school’s Garage Band, a class representative to Student Council, a tough-nosed goalie on the soccer team, and a ready and willing volunteer for countless school and non-school activities. She charmed us with her performance as Dorothy in the spring musical, Trouble in Oz. She ran track, played volleyball and walked laps to raise money for cancer survivors. For her Senior Capstone, she gave us a wonderful glimpse into the wonders of SCUBA diving (a master of puns, Marley might say she took a deep dive into the subject), and throughout her years at OVS she reminded us often of the need to be socially conscious and deeply aware of issues surrounding gender and racial inequality in our high school community and beyond.

NICOLAS CILIA – COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO

Few students demonstrated as much maturation and growth as Nic did in his four years at the Upper Campus. He was a scholar and an athlete, a contributor anytime he was asked and often even if he wasn’t. He grew into leadership positions in the Outdoor Education program and in the dorms — he’s the guy teachers and staff knew they could count on if they needed to get something done. A shrewd investor, he flourished in Business Math. A smooth gambler, he often raked in piles of chips during the H Block Board Game elective. A born negotiator, he thundered away as a prosecutor during the Mock Trial that culminated the senior year Law and Society class. But make no mistake, sports — particularly baseball — are his passion. His Senior Capstone presentation was on the benefits of competitive sports. Unless you have a lot of time on your hands, don’t get him talking about his love for his Bay Area sports teams. Closer to his home away from home, Nic played multiple positions on the Omega League championship baseball team, earning first team All League honors this year. At one point in the season, he was one of the hottest hitters in Division 7 for CIF’s Southern California section. He hopes to go on to play college baseball next year, and we wish him the best of luck in that endeavor.

LOGAN DAILY – UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS

Since arriving as a freshman, Logan steadily found his stride as a student and contributor to the OVS community. He worked hard in many of his classes, and he took advantage of co- and extracurricular activities outside the classroom, plugging into the many offerings at our school and demonstrating substantial growth in many areas. Over the past four years he developed good work habits and learned to perform at his optimum. But it was outside of the classroom where Logan really shined. He managed to plug into a range of co-curricular activities, thriving, for example, as a contributor in our Outdoor Education program. Whether it was backpacking, surfing or hiking, Logan was in his element when exploring the world around him, and he emerged as a quiet leader, helping his younger, less experienced peers find the same wonder and joy he did. That growth was evident in the sports arena. He learned a lot about himself through his experiences on our soccer and basketball teams. However, where he really established himself, through dedication and hard work, was on the golf course. He spent countless hours working on his game and established himself as the top athlete on our golf team, leading it to the Omega League title this past season. Ultimately, it was his passion for golf that led him to UNLV to pursue a degree in hospitality with an emphasis on golf management next year.

RYAN FARRELL – CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY

A member of the OVS community since Kindergarten, Ryan emerged as a tenacious student and athlete. Hard working and motivated, his teachers and coaches witnessed the fervor with which he pursued his goals. His many years within this tight-knit community provided him the opportunity to blossom into a contributor on his campus and in his community. His drive and doggedness were apparent in the classroom, where he flourished in a number of challenging classes. A curious and conscientious student, he pursued academic questions for the sake of learning, not just to earn a grade. Perhaps as a result, leadership became one of his strong suits. On a vote by the faculty, he was selected to participate in the California Boys State Program and the Pepperdine Youth Leadership Seminar, both of which aim to bolster student service and citizenship. And he was consistently chosen by teammates to serve as captain of the varsity baseball and soccer teams, an emphatic nod to the esteem in which he is held. Indeed, it is in the athletic arena where Ryan truly shined. He was a relentless competitor who played hard but played fair. He led the soccer and baseball teams to CIF playoff appearances, and was recognized as the league MVP in baseball the past two years and the soccer MVP this year. He also in back-to-back years earned the school’s Sportsmanship Award, one of the highest honors OVS bestows on its students.

CHARLOTTE FERRIER – SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY

Charlotte is a fiercely independent young woman, a student who is strong, ethical and socially conscious. She is the kind of person who won’t tell you what she does well, but rather will let her talents and contributions speak for themselves. During her time away from campus during the pandemic, Charlotte had to decide whether she wanted to devote the time and effort to being the best student she could be, and whether she was ready and willing to make the investment to be a contributing citizen to the larger world. The answer was an emphatic yes! Going all-in, she challenged herself with rigorous coursework and created ways to contribute. She founded and secured money to operate a chapter of Bring Change 2 Mind, a group dedicated to raising awareness and generating support for students struggling with mental health issues. She worked with the junior board of Doctors Without Borders, and this past year served as president of that board, which organizes fundraisers and otherwise supports the group’s global efforts. That is Charlotte in a nutshell – she finds her passions and then dedicates herself to mastering them. She cares deeply about all that is in her world, and in her years at the Upper Campus she cared about the world beyond her school on the hill. At graduation, she was honored with the Robert G. Cooper Award, which recognizes the senior who has demonstrated the most personal growth. It was an honor well deserved.

ERIK HATELY – FASHION INSTITUTE OF MERCHANDISING

Creative, committed, cerebral and curious, Erik sought distinctive and diverse opportunities to explore his interests, develop new skills, and engage with those around him in his four years at the Upper Campus. In his senior year, he was a key member of the Omega League championship golf team and a staff writer in the award-winning OVS journalism program. He was a highly accomplished student. As a matter of fact, his teachers extolled his commitment and contributions, verbal and written, to his classes, especially in subject areas that were his strengths, which included English and history. In his classes, he delivered keen insight and made connections other students tended to miss. Overall, he challenged himself by taking seven AP and honors classes over the course of his high school career, distinguishing himself throughout the college-level curriculum. On top of that, he was a talented artist, demonstrating his gifts for drawing and fashion in the classroom by taking advanced courses in those subjects, and by taking summer courses aimed at furthering his knowledge and expertise. His Senior Capstone was a presentation true to his passion, providing a master class on up-cycling clothing so that the extreme waste in the clothing industry would be minimized. A young man of depth and substance, Erik is moving on to fully develop his artistic gifts, and the world off the hill will be the better for it.

KAI TUN “CARLTON” HSU – SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Cool and calm, quiet and cerebral, Carlton was a student who stood out in many regards. He was selfless, funny and kind. He was a deep thinker, a student who was curious about the world around him and his place in it. He possessed a maturity and wisdom well beyond his 18 years. He found his passions and then dedicated himself to mastering those. He cared deeply about all that was in his world, and he was a go-getter, always prepared to let his actions speak louder than his sentiments. Carlton challenged himself in the classroom, the sports field, and the outdoors. He took a number of Advanced Placement classes and won the respect of his teachers, who praised his dedication to developing deep understanding in a broad range of courses. He competed on the football field and soccer pitch. But most of all he was an artist and an innovator. Carlton is a phenomenal dancer, wowing his peers and faculty on many occasions. Additionally, he has taught dance in his native Taiwan, and here at OVS, and he has used it to break down age and cultural barriers. At the year-end awards ceremony, Carlton was recognized for one of his greatest strengths, as he earned a joint award in journalism and video production for the work he put in to chronicling the people and events that made up the year at the Upper Campus. His contributions were invaluable and appreciated.

HONGJU “DARREN” JIN – UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Darren made the most of his time at OVS, engaging in the wide range of opportunities offered in outdoor education, resident life, athletics, and college preparatory academics. He was a programmer on the robotics team, played varsity soccer and ran cross country. In the spring of his final year, he led the charge to revive the Senior Snack shop to raise funds for the class gift and for the class to receive its senior privileges. He earned various class awards as the outstanding student in courses including Algebra II and Spanish. A naturally gifted student and strong thinker, Darren’s teachers commented on his many contributions to those classes that held his interest, noting that he regularly demonstrated his intellectual precision and an impressive motivation to further his knowledge and understanding of the course material. He took on the challenge of seven Advanced Placement classes during his time at Ojai Valley School, and rounded out his academic work with courses that tapped his true talents, such as video production and art. Indeed, it was his artistry that punctuated and elevated his academic career. That artistry was on full display this year in Darren’s Senior Capstone project, for which he created a children’s fairy tale book depicting his journey from Korea to California. In many ways, his journey is just starting, and we can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

NICOLAS JUGAN – COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Nic – full of spirit, opinions, and conversation – was an incredibly deep thinker, and downright brilliant in many ways. In the classroom or at the lunch table, he could hold forth on any number of subjects that sparked his interest, demonstrating a true thirst for learning and an abundance of intellectual curiosity. He soared in those classes where he was most plugged in, and over the years he earned year-end class awards as the outstanding student in courses including English and Biology. More impressively, as he matured as a student, he chose to challenge himself academically, taking on Advanced Placement classes. Additionally, he was a writer for the award-winning journalism program, and went so far as to be an investigative journalist when he took on the Tik Tok One Chip Challenge. Needless to say, it provided for good video. He experienced various non-academic offerings that OVS offers, including going all-in as a golfer on our varsity squad, becoming one of our most improved players, and one of our most competitive. As a participant in the school’s Outdoor Education program, he developed a great interest in the outdoors and completed a solo trip to the Channel Islands for his Senior Capstone project. That was Nic in a nutshell. He found his passions and then dedicated himself to mastering them. He found the grit and guts to work through challenges, and we are confident that his strength of will and growing intellectual acumen will serve him well in his next chapter.

ALDEN KOSKOFF – UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

Possessing the soul of a poet, the spirit of an explorer, and the tenacity of an old school journalist, Alden is truly a Renaissance man. Arriving at Ojai Valley School his junior year, he added much as a student and contributor to our small campus. Animated, gregarious, and self-assured, his teachers and coaches praised his ability to work hard to pursue understanding and express himself confidently in class and through his work. He was remarkable in his advocacy for the issues that meant the most to him: environmental stewardship and the power of connecting with the outdoors to name a few. He is a rare learner who will surprise you with the depth of his thought and the power of his perception. He is also a leader and a doer in so many capacities, serving in his senior year as the Student Council’s outdoor education representative, a vital, frequent contributor to the school’s award-winning journalism program and a key member of the varsity golf team. Academically, he was especially drawn to history, political affairs and languages, and his teachers praised his keen intellect and curiosity. Creative and cerebral, Alden took full advantage of all the school had to offer, whether it was hiking the Sespe, surveying the ecosystems of the Channel Islands, or standing in at goalie on the Omega League championship soccer team. His contributions were many and they will be missed.

CATHERINE “CATIEJO” LARKIN – SMITH COLLEGE

By every measure, CatieJo was an exceptional student and citizen at Ojai Valley School. Selfmotivated and driven at all times, and in all instances, to perform at her highest level, no matter the task in front of her, she possesses a keen intelligence and an inquisitive curiosity for knowledge. She extended many of her academic passions beyond the classroom, especially as they pertained to the need to address climate change and develop sustainable practices. Just as impressively, she maintained these high-powered pursuits while holding a variety of leadership positions and actively engaging in virtually every aspect of the school’s cocurricular and extracurricular program. During her high school career, she served as yearbook editor, worked backstage to support school musicals and theatrical performances, and served as a student leader. She brought toughness, grit, and perseverance to everything she did. It was evident in the classroom where she tackled a challenging course load, and on graduation day she was recognized with the Carl Kotchian Award as the top scholar and the Andrew Kille Award as the top all around senior. It was evident in our Outdoor Education program where she scaled rock faces and hiked steep trails with determination. And it was evident beyond the classroom, where she joined forces with other students to launch initiatives aimed at healing the local watershed and reversing other effects of climate change. Integrity, determination and intellectual curiosity are all qualities that earned her the respect of her peers and teachers.

DONGHYUN “DANNY” LEE – BOSTON UNIVERSITY

A naturally gifted student and strong thinker, Danny demonstrated a broad range of academic interests that, in addition to math and science, included Advanced Placement exploration in history, English and Spanish. Danny made the most of his time at OVS, engaging in the wide range of opportunities offered in outdoor education, resident life, athletics, and college preparatory academics. He participated in a diverse range of experiences, proving to be a strong contributor to our varsity cross country, track and soccer teams, the latter of which he helped lead to two CIF playoff appearances. A bit on the quiet side, Danny’s teachers say he regularly demonstrated his intellectual precision and impressive motivation to further his knowledge and understanding of course material, and it is that commitment that has earned him a perpetual place at the top of the OVS Honor Roll. Now, because he is on the quiet side, imagine our surprise when we learned during his Senior Capstone project that he actually has an alter ego: DJ Danny. During that presentation, he joined with a fellow student to showcase a project where he essentially revealed his ambitions to be a music producer. He called it his “Music Dream,” and it included a business plan to create and stream music on Soundcloud. The project was really impressive. And we just have to send him off by saying this: DJ Danny, Keep Dropping That Beat!

ALEXANDER MANNING – UCLA

Strong, ethical and self-aware, Alexander is the kind of person who won’t tell you what he does well, but rather will let his talents and contributions speak for themselves. His teachers praised his ability to work hard to pursue understanding and express himself confidently in class and through his work. And those who coached him or worked with him outside of the classroom praise his willingness to invest, to help make others better, and to wake up early to support service projects and lead outdoor education endeavors. He arrived at Ojai Valley School at the start of his junior year, and he quickly earned a reputation as a devoted student, athlete and participant in this community. Alexander’s character of discipline and careful attentiveness to detail was evident in every task he took on, inside and outside of the classroom. Despite his short time at OVS, his peers elected him student body president, and he was selected by American Legion representatives to serve in the California Boys State program. Always pushing himself to be better, Alexander’s commitment to excellence was never clearer than when he was on the athletic field. At OVS, he was a varsity cross country runner, the quarterback of our flag football team, a starter on the varsity soccer squad, and a starting outfielder on the varsity baseball team. His Senior Capstone project, reflecting on a service trip to the Dominican Republic, exemplifies the person he is: hard-working and always giving back to the community.

BRODERICK MOLLER – MENLO COLLEGE

Brody lived his OVS years to the absolute fullest, leaving no corner of his high school experience untouched. On the baseball field, in the Student Council room, in the journalism newsroom, on outdoor excursions, and in the classroom, he did it all. His resume is a testament to his love for our school community, but it is also evidence of the curiosity and commitment he infused into everything he did at the Upper Campus. A natural leader, he served as the Student Council’s athletic and public relations representative, served on our school’s Leadership Council, and served as a class representative. He was selected by the faculty to represent OVS in the Boys State leadership program and in the Charles B. Runnels Youth Citizenship Seminar.

However, it is in the athletic arena where Brody truly shined. He helped the boy’s basketball and baseball teams to multiple CIF playoff appearances. He was named a first-team All League selection in baseball this year, and his work behind the plate as catcher was instrumental in helping the team have its most successful post-season run ever. His love of sport and competitive desire also contributed to the Senior Class team winning the school’s Dodgeball Tournament by knocking off the faculty team for the championship. Off to Northern California on an athletic scholarship to play baseball, Brody is living a dream that reflects the hard work and commitment he puts into all he does.

ALANA “ALI” MOLLISON – UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO

She arrived at Ojai Valley School at the start of her junior year and quickly got busy engaging in the wide range of opportunities offered in outdoor education, resident life, athletics, and college preparatory academics. It took some time for Ali to gain traction in her classes, but by her senior year her teachers described her as an enthusiastic learner, one who was genuinely curious about the work at hand. She flourished as an essayist in her English classes, and was an inaugural member of one the school’s newest offerings, Equine Science. For her Senior Capstone project, she put together a wonderful presentation on handling finances and credit. The presentation was so well done and is one that the Upper Campus is likely to adopt it for the Freshmen Seminar class. Ali’s commitment to excellence was never clearer than in the equestrian arena, a sport she loves and worked hard to master. She held a number of jobs, internships and volunteer positions outside of school, and most of them involved horseback riding in some way, including working at a feed store and in a veterinarian’s office. Moreover, with outdoor education being core to our curriculum, Ali went on multiple horseback riding excursions, exploring the outdoor world from a saddle. Eager to take the next step onward to college, she is prepared and well equipped to do so.

PAIGE MULLER – OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Cross county league champion. Award winning ceramicist. Wrangler of seniors slow to finish their senior pages for the yearbook. In her years at the Upper Campus, Paige experienced the breadth of what the OVS program has to offer, and she was the better for it. To be sure, there were times when it wasn’t easy. I mean how could it be. Her entire family is so deeply embedded in Ojai Valley School – her mother, father, brother, grandfather, two cousins and two aunts all graduated from the Upper Campus. And in case you didn’t know, her uncle is a graduate as well, and now serves as head of the high school campus. That’s a lot of OVS for any young person to handle. And still, Paige persevered, taking ownership of her academic and co-curricular career. She is a cross country champion, leading the league final from start to finish in her freshman year to take that crown. She took Advanced Placement courses in English, Environmental Science and Psychology, performing at a high standard that demonstrates she is ready to handle a college course load. She contributed to the soccer team and the equestrian program, and in her off hours worked at a private ranch feeding horses and mucking stalls. Those activities and interests fit perfectly with her goal of pursuing a career in veterinary science, and we wish her all success and she begins the next chapter of her exploration.

LUCIA RODRIGUEZ CLEMENTE – SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE

Although she was the last of the seniors to join Ojai Valley School, arriving at the Upper Campus at the start of this school year, Lucia wasted no time settling in and making the Upper Campus her home away from home. It seemed to happen so effortlessly for her –with that wide smile and wicked sense of humor, she made friends easily across all grades. In this one short year, her contributions were plentiful. That was especially true on the sports field, where Lucia quickly set herself apart as a participant and competitor. Here’s what you need to know about Lucia – it doesn’t matter what game she was playing, she played to win. It was as true on the four square court in front of the Garrett Family Steps as it was on the basketball court, where she served as captain of the OVS team. If you have ever seen her play, then you know she is relentless on the court, the personification of “Tenacious D” on defense and a sharpshooter from behind the three-point line. But perhaps more impressive is the tenacity she has shown this year in the classroom. In the complex world of academic requirements, Lucia had to take a range of rigorous academic classes that included two math classes and a study of the history of the United States. She added much to our community, and we are certain she will do the same as she moves forward.

ZITENG “DANNY” WANG – SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Don’t let his calm, quiet demeanor fool you. Danny was an athlete and a scholar in his years at the Upper Campus, a young man who demonstrated his focused and steady character throughout his years at Ojai Valley School, which began as an eighth-grade boarding student at the Lower Campus. Living apart from family and studying in a second language can be challenging for anyone, not to mention the challenges of transitioning to a new school and group of adolescent peers, but Danny managed it all, and is now ready and well equipped to move on. He grew much as a student, emerging out of our ESL program to take on the challenge of AP Physics and Honors Calculus. Outside of the classroom, he ran cross country and track, working his way up to varsity competition in both sports. He also participated in his home country in a variety of competitions and service projects, including earning top awards in a competition to employ synthetic biology to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. In his senior year, he served on the yearbook staff and demonstrated his talent in video production, contributing to the community in ways that often weren’t highly visible but that were highly valuable to us all.

College Acceptances for the Class of 2022

Matriculations are noted in bold

American Richmond University in London

University of Arizona

Berklee College of Music

Boston University

Cal Lutheran University

Cal State University, Channel Islands (3)

Cal State University, Chico (2)

Cal State University, Humboldt (2)

Cal State University, Los Angeles

Cal State University, Monterey Bay (2)

Cal State University, San Marcos (2)

Cal State University, San Francisco (3)

Cal State University, San Jose

Cal State University, Sonoma (2)

California University of Pennsylvania

University of California, Davis

University of California, Los Angeles (2)

University of California, Merced

University of California, Riverside

University of California Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Cruz (2)

Case Western Reserve

Clarke University

Colorado State University (5)

Concordia University (2)

University of Colorado, Boulder (3)

University of Colorado, Denver

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising

Fordham University

George Washington University

University of Hawaii, Manoa

Holy Names University (2)

University of Illinois (2)

Indiana University

Loyola Marymount University

Menlo College

Montana State University

New York University

University of New Hampshire

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Northeastern University

University of Oregon (4)

Ohio State University

Oregon State University (2)

Oregon State University, Cascades

Otis College of Art and Design

University of the Pacific

Penn State University (2)

Pepperdine University

Reed College

University of San Francisco (2)

Saint Mary’s College of California

Santa Clara University (ED)

Seattle Pacific University

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago

School of Visual Arts

Skidmore College

Smith College

SUNY Courtland

Syracuse University (4)

Union College

University of Utah

Wesleyan College

University of Wisconsin (2)

Senior Farewell Address

By Alex Alvarez (L18, U22)

I’ve been tasked with giving the farewell speech, and I have found this assignment a bit difficult. We live in troubled times, times where, for too many, the farewells have been permanent. We live in times where school shootings, questions about our fundamental rights, and the rage of a pandemic have left us distressed about the world we are about to head into. We see these headlines pop up all the time. They are anguishing. Confusing. Alarming. And I think it is important for the Class of 2022 to stop and reflect as we are on the cusp of adulthood. It is important to understand the world we are going into, to determine our purpose going forward. And it’s important to remember that all we’ve been through, all we’ve accomplished, is worthy of celebration.

The 19 of us up here on this stage have been through fire, learning during a global pandemic, and now graduation. This is worth celebrating. Making it to this stage, despite the adversities, might seem like such a small thing in comparison to the troubles of the world at large, but this is worthy of celebration.

The senior dodgeball victory, taking down the faculty. Worthy of celebration. Our class not drowning each other on the senior trip down the Rouge River. Worthy of celebration. The defense winning this year’s Mock Trial. Worthy of celebration.

AP exams, SATs, Capstones, final exams, negative COVID tests, college acceptances, CIF playoff games, yearbook signings, graduation rehearsal — all worthy of celebration. The things we get to do in this insular protected place should be celebrated. And in this day in age, in these troubled times, that is especially true. It is important for us to remember how special this place is, and even through our grumbling (we all remember the hot mess that was the freshman trip) it is important to understand how good we’ve had it.

My dad has always described the Upper Campus as a magical place, and that’s sometimes hard to see. It’s hard to see this when we don’t want to get up to go to classes. It’s hard to see this when the faculty enforces dress code. It’s hard to see this when all of us up here are so ready to make the transition to the next phase in our lives. It’s hard to

see the magic. You have to look hard for it. But I know there’s magic in the 40+ years that Francisco “Chico” Covarrubias has been making magic in the kitchen. He is retiring this year, and I know that is well worthy of celebration. There’s magic in the work my grandmother has done in her 30+ years at the Upper Campus. I know I’m biased, but I also know she’s one of the best teachers up here. There’s magic in Mrs. Colborn, who seems to do 50 jobs and then on top of that has to deal with our Law class, which is like herding cats. You sometimes have to work hard to find the magic but it’s here. It’s everywhere. It’s easy to be cynical. It’s easy to be judgmental. It’s easy to get wrapped up in our own provincial lives, but for the Class of 2022 our job is to maintain perspective. From my perspective, as the OVS student who has been here the longest, and thus gets to sit in the last seat, I want to say this:

I did not get to share the memory of my first day with you (Ryan, you were off by a couple of years). However, I am able to share the memory of my last day with all of you. And here it is. We are a class filled with individualists, artists, musicians, and baseball boys. We are a class that is ready, a class that has gone through the fire (quite literally), and a class that has come out the other side, stronger and ready to take on the world. Thank you.

Undeclared

Charlotte Santa Clara University English

Marley Santa Barbara City College Psychology

Erik Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Fashion Design

Logan University of Nevada Las Vegas Hospitality & Golf Management

Lucia Santa Barbara City College

Nicolas College of San Mateo Economics/Marketing

Broderick “Brody” Menlo College Sports Management

Alexander UCLA Undeclared

Alana “Ali” University of San Francisco Undeclared

Paige Oregon State University Animal Science

Ryan Cal Lutheran University Sports Management

Nicolas Colorado State University Communication Studies

Alden University of Wisconsin Geography & Journalism

Hongju “Darren” University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Graphic Design

Kai Tun “Carlton” Syracuse University Information Management and Technology

Ziteng “Danny”

Syracuse University Business

Catherine “CatieJo” Smith College Environmental Science

Alexandra Berklee College of Music Vocal Performance

Donghyun “Danny” Boston University Entrepreneurship

Class of 2022

EIGHTH GRADE GRADUATION

Head of Lower Campus Message

By Laurie Clark, Head of Lower Campus

It is my pleasure to welcome all the parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors, teachers, administration, and members of the Board as we celebrate our Eighth Grade Commencement for the Class of 2022. I would like to say Thank You to the families for their understanding and support during this trying year. We appreciate your patience, acceptance of change and your overall support and understanding of the decisions we had to make to keep all of us safe — and open.

To the 19 graduates seated before us, you have accomplished a significant milestone in your lives. We are here today to honor you, recognize your achievements, and celebrate your journey. Today we look ahead with confidence, knowing that we have positioned each of you well for the next part of your journey. You will be an OVS eighth grade graduate, and you are well prepared for whatever your future may hold.

Back in early May, during our traditional Pons Dinner, CatieJo Larkin (L18, U22) had a wonderful speech in which she wrote: “During my time at Lower we were always encouraged to ask for help to voice our needs.

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

David Thele

The people that supported you through the time you are on Lower Campus don’t disappear once you graduate. Some of the most influential mentors, even to this day, are people from my times at Lower Campus.”

So from a senior headed off to university, listen to her words and know we will always be here for you and hope you come back You will soon look back on your time here at Lower and reflect on all the different things you participated in and all that you accomplished, the fun you had with friends, teachers and dorm parents, and I hope that you smile and think it was a pretty cool experience.

You leave here having learned a lot, but you have much more to learn in the years ahead. Be willing to keep on learning — from your teachers, coaches, parents and friends. Maintain a positive attitude, a helpful disposition, a willingness to try new experiences. Keep reading, be helpful, clean your rooms, practice your instruments, be good to each other, be good to yourself and keep smiling. Best of luck in your future and be sure to come back and visit.

Major Awards

The highest honor we can give an eighth-grade student. Its purpose is to commend the student who, with his or her actions and attitude, contributed to the school community in a sensitive and constructive manner in all phases of school life.

HEAD OF SCHOOL’S AWARD

Stirling Wallace, Lily Quinn, Liv Henderson

Given for the significant contributions an eighth graders, or eighth graders, have made during their years at Lower Campus.

MICHAEL J. HALL-MOUNSEY AWARD

Shun Tateno

Honors the boarding student who has consistently

served as an outstanding role model for his or her peers and who has demonstrated initiative, leadership, and responsibility.

JB CLOSE AWARD

Miles Ramillosa

Given each year to the student who best exemplifies the goals of the OVS Outdoor Education program. His or her consistent contributions to camping, backpacking, and rock climbing trips, love and respect for nature, and commitment to helping others in the face of adversity set this student apart.

MICHAEL D. HERMES AWARD

Kayiba Johnson, Arya Samadzadeh

Given to the most outstanding eighth-grade student athletes.

Cheers!

Retiring president Mike Hall-Mounsey Reflects on Four Decades of Service to the Ojai Valley School Community

By Elizabeth Rose

unning a school is not for the faint of heart. Not everyone is going to appreciate, or even know, the decisions that are made. And as a leader, sometimes you have to make decisions that are unpopular. But when guided by the principal questions: what is best for the kids, what is best for the school, you’re going to get it right most of the time — whether anyone sees those decisions or not.

This, in a nutshell, sums up Michael Hall-Mounsey’s tenure as the leader of Ojai Valley School for the past 40 years. When Upper Campus burned down, it was about the kids getting back to school — and then rebuilding. When the pandemic hit, it was about keeping the students safe and educating them to the highest level possible despite the virtual parameters. And then it was about charting a path to reopen for in-person learning, even as other schools stayed remote.

“We are fiercely independent,” HallMounsey said of the school. “We’ve not bowed to fads, fashions, trends. When the Thomas Fire came through, we guaranteed that we were going to finish teaching these kids. And when the pandemic hit, we pivoted in a weekend for these kids and took our community into cyberspace, teaching online. We have quietly been in that realm of creative innovation from the inception of this school. Our roots are deep, and they are sincere.”

One of the themes that kept coming up during my interviews with the OVS community while creating the book, Family and Fortitude — the Heart and Spirit of Ojai Valley School, was this underlying belief that everything was possible and everyone was capable of stepping up, grabbing each opportunity, and running with it.

It was this spirit that first drew Mike and his wife, Carol, to OVS in 1981. They were both teachers in England, eager to find a setting more aligned with their own educational philosophies. During a visit to OVS, they were struck by the way the school addressed each individual child, supporting positive selfesteem and empowering risk-taking academically and socially. After they returned home, Phil Bryan, the Head of Lower School at that time, called and offered them a job and they accepted.

“We showed up in Ojai in August 1981 with six suitcases of wooly clothes and jackets, all of it inappropriate and not suitable for Southern California,” Hall-Mounsey recalled. “I walked into OVS and there, in a faculty lounge mailbox with my name on it, was a contract to teach for the upcoming year, which started in two weeks. I came with Carol and two babies under three, across the world, on a handshake over the phone.”

Hall-Mounsey quickly embraced the school culture, first by teaching social studies and coaching soccer and later by stepping into leadership roles, including Assistant Headmaster and Headmaster of Lower Campus. Matt Inman, Outdoor Education Coordinator at Lower Campus, recalled that Hall-Mounsey’s first year as Headmaster was Matt’s first year of employment and Matt, along with his friend, Jim McCune, were Mike’s first two hires.

“Mike always showed up in support of ideas. Certainly, there are financial limitations that the school was working with and a budget to consider, but Mike was very empowering, which I totally appreciated,” Inman said. “I was a new guy, fresh out of college, and developing my craft as a teacher. And if I approached him, and said,

‘Hey, what do you think about this idea,’ he was always receptive. It wasn’t an automatic thumbs up and a ‘Go do whatever you want.’ There would be questions, and there would be implicit advice in some of those questions. And there was constant support to innovate. If you had an idea, he was always halfway to ‘Yes.’ And he wanted you to be excellent at what you wanted to do. Mike very much had the door open to, ‘Let’s do things and let’s do them really well.’”

Along with a commitment to support his teachers, Hall-Mounsey constantly considered what he could bring to the school and its programs. “Mike has this almost uncanny ability to see the big picture,” said Shelley Hermes (U77) who taught third and fifth grade from 1989 to 2012. “His mind works so quickly he just sees a program or an opportunity and will often point somebody in the right direction saying, ‘I think this is a great idea. Let’s go for it.’ Sometimes these ideas would pan out and work really well. Other times, not so much. Mike was willing to do that. To take those risks, to say, ‘Let’s go try.’”

With this mindset, Hall-Mounsey brought a number of programs to the school. He founded the Britannia Soccer Camp at Lower Campus. He founded the Pons dinner, honoring the graduating eighth graders and recognizing Lower Campus alumni while still in high school. With Mike Hermes (L53), he helped establish the Morimura and Tamagawa Summer Camp programs and grew the international and domestic student enrollment to its zenith in the late 1980s, which created a robust and diverse student body on both campuses.

After Hermes retired, Hall-Mounsey became President/CEO in 2009 and led the school for 13 more years until his retirement in June. Nick Thacher

(L60), incoming Chair of the Board of Trustees, shared this reflection on Mike’s success: “One of the things I’ve found really admirable about Mike’s work in the time I’ve known him is the way he built a really effective administrative team. OVS is an odd duck organizationally with two campuses, Upper and Lower, and junior boarding. There really is no other school like us. It’s not an easy school to manage and one of Mike’s amazing strengths is he built such a strong administrative team that managed to overcome just a mind-boggling series of disasters, one after the other and successfully surmount them. Mike and his administrative team rallied our community in a way that was amazing to me. I’ve seen a lot in independent schools, but I’ve never seen anything quite so thrilling as that recovery from the Thomas Fire.”

***

Wildfires are part of the landscape in California and the Upper Campus has been threatened by several over the years – but none came close to the destruction wrought by the Thomas Fire on December 5, 2017. Fueled by powerful winds, the fire blew over the ridge from the east and swept up and into the Lucila Arango Science and Technology Center and the nearby Grace Hobson Smith House. A small team of firefighters were the only crew on site to try to hold back the flames, which also consumed the maintenance yard and the ceramics studio next to the Head’s house. The flames burned so hot that pieces of machinery were later found liquified.

But there was no question about reopening. In an email to the school community that same day, Hall-Mounsey stated: “In the spirit that has long guided Ojai Valley School, we are confident that we will recover, rebuild, and become stronger as a school and a community.”

On January 5 and 6, hundreds of alumni, parents, students, current and past teachers from both campuses showed up to help reopen the school in temporary dorms and classrooms. Meetings with architects, county planners, building contractors and donors followed.

Construction was underway when the next blow hit on March 13, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly forced the school to close for in-person instruction. All but a few boarding students returned home. Teachers pivoted to distance learning, but the future was uncertain.

“The pandemic was hard,” said Tracy Wilson, Director of Advancement and Admissions. “We had a period of time, weeks where we didn’t have any students on campus, yet we kept everyone employed. There were dorm parents even though there weren’t resident students. There was kitchen staff even though they weren’t feeding anyone. There was maintenance staff even though there weren’t kids on campus. The school made a commitment to keep everybody employed during that time and that took real leadership. And that came from Mike.”

***

The British reserve, it’s there. Yet, there is also a softness and open-hearted nature to Hall-Mounsey that shows up, especially in times of crises, that many people don’t see.

“I’ve had this conversation with a number of people when they had a family crisis of some kind whether with a spouse or a child or a death in the family, and Mike is always supportive of that person and whatever they need,” Shelley Hermes said.

Robert Williams, Maintenance Supervisor at Lower Campus, has been at Ojai Valley School since 1999. In recent years, he struggled with significant health challenges, culminating in a kidney transplant after 10 years of dialysis. Mike supported him through it all.

Mike Hall-Mounsey with Lower Campus students, circa 1984.

Breaking ground on the Upper Campus rebuild, alongside architect and current parent, Fred Fisher, in 2019.

THERE WAS CONSTANT SUPPORT TO INNOVATE. IF YOU HAD AN IDEA, HE WAS ALWAYS HALFWAY TO ‘YES.’ AND HE WANTED YOU TO BE EXCELLENT AT WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO.”

— Matt Inman, Lower Campus Outdoor Education Coordinator

“When I was on dialysis there were many days where I would come to school in the morning and have to leave midday. This went on for 10 years, and Mike was always supportive of whatever I needed to do for my health,” Williams said. “A lot of people don’t know this side of him. It is not something he shared to others, he just showed up and supported me when I needed it. I will always be grateful for this.”

Nick Thacher also offered a window into this private side: “I’ve gotten fairly close to Mike over the last couple of years, and we worked together on the search for the new Head of School. That’s an awkward position to be in when you’re the outgoing Head, as you want to be supportive of the search. Michael Hall-Mounsey has been so gentlemanly through this whole process; he’s just been remarkable.”

truly allow them to step into this next part of their lives. She said: “Mike’s role was a full-time commitment. OVS was his life, and he did it for so long. And we loved it. Absolutely loved it. But we’re getting older. And I think it’s going to be wonderful to slow things down where we can just focus on our home, our family, and our relationship. We’ve worked together our whole lives and for us being together has really been a blessing. We are a great team. We always have been.”

When the Board of Trustees considered how best to honor Hall-Mounsey, the opinion was unanimous: the Lower Campus athletic field would become Hall-Mounsey Field in honor of the place where he found the most joy – with the kids playing his favorite game.

I met Carol and Mike Hall-Mounsey at their home on June 30, his final day as President/CEO. Relaxed and ready to step into retirement, he smiled and said: “It’s a wonderful feeling. To have spent all my working life and Carol’s working life at one school. It’s been a joy. And today is a happy day, because we feel it’s time.”

For Carol, who retired in 2019, Mike’s retirement will

“It was pretty clear to me, in conversations with Mike, that this was something he would love,” Nick Thacher said. “He’d been a legendary soccer player — well, football really, from his point of view — a player and a coach and a football referee on those fields with kids for years. I can imagine that probably brought out the best in him.”

Matt Inman echoes this sentiment: “The field is where Mike allowed himself reckless abandon. He had joy, he let his guard down. Soccer is absolutely Mike’s happy place. It’s so appropriate that the soccer field be named in his honor. He created this incredible soccer program at OVS. When he’d be in soccer camp, he’d be walking around, literally bouncing and humming and singing and handing out candy bars and quizzing the kids as they walk to lunch, juggling balls. Naming the field after him, this is exactly the right choice.”

The field will be dedicated on November 10. The Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, and students of HallMounsey’s era will be there to celebrate with his family.

“This was more meaningful than I realized, because I did spend some of the happiest times teaching and coaching on that field,” he said. “I couldn’t think of anything more meaningful to me.”

Elizabeth Rose is the author of the forthcoming book, FAMILY and FORTITUDE — The Heart & Spirit of Ojai Valley School.

Carol and Mike at the 2019 Spring Gala at Upper Campus.

Savoring Retirement

Chico Covarrubias Hangs Up His Apron After 40 Years in the OVS Kitchen

By Sarita Guede Hallock (L19)

Light streams over the horizon and bathes the cornfields in orange rays.

It’s a beautiful day in Tonaya, Mexico, and Francisco “Chico” Covarrubias’s face turns golden from the sun. He breathes in deeply, taking in the towering corn stalks, the roaming herds of cattle and the mountains that don’t look too different from those in California, except for that they overlook Chico’s homeland rather than the Ojai Valley.

It’s summer of 2022, and after 41 years of service to Ojai Valley School, Chico is now retired. And he is home.

Since 1981, Chico — as he is affectionately known by alumni, staff and students — has been an invaluable member of the OVS community, working his way up from a member of the kitchen staff at the Lower Campus to head of the kitchen at the Upper Campus. He has been nothing short of a culinary wizard, creating over the years a range of unforgettable, mouth-watering dishes that have provided generations of students, faculty and staff some of their fondest memories of their time at OVS.

But for many, it’s been about so much more than just food.

For all of these years, Chico has been the physical embodiment of the Upper Campus, a kind, smiling, comforting presence who, year in and year out, has demonstrated the meaning of hard work, humility and contribution.

And now he has put up his apron for the final time, allowing him to return to his 700-acre ranch in the Mexican state of Jalisco, where he will work and live part time, tending some 200 head of cattle and

enjoying time with family. He will miss OVS, of course, but he knows that his former work family will continue to support him from afar.

“I don’t know what my life is going to be, [but] I know I’m going to miss my job so much,” Chico said as the final weeks of the school year wound to a close. “All these years feel good to me … and I’m going to remember everybody.”

Before joining OVS, Chico worked at a restaurant in Oak View named Arturo’s. When a friend mentioned a job opening at Lower Campus, Chico jumped at that opportunity and then that same year transitioned to a similar position at the Upper Campus. Since that time, he became a well-loved and respected figure in the school community. Students, staff, and faculty alike think fondly of him even when they’ve moved on from OVS.

“I know Chico feels like we do, that OVS is his family,”

Chico plates teriyaki salmon with rice and fresh vegetables in the new Upper Campus kitchen.

said Assistant Head of Upper Campus Crystal Davis. “He understands how much we love him, and I suspect he feels the same way toward us.”

Alumnus Cooper Hefner (U09) looks back affectionately on memories of day-to-day interactions with Chico. Whether it was saying hello, getting a hug, or having a short conversation while passing through the lunch line, Hefner will always cherish those simple moments. “Chico doesn’t just lend his presence to the dining hall,” Hefner said. “He lights up the entire campus in a modest and humble way, that so many, whether it be students, faculty, parents or administrators, benefit from and revere.”

This sentiment is shared by many other alumni including Sally McClenahan Dyer (L87, U91): “There was one weekend that we went on a deep sea fishing trip. We brought back so much seafood. That night Chico fired up the grill and cooked all of this fish to perfection and that was dinner. It was amazing!”

Dinners are always a special time at OVS. Resident students get to reconnect after long days and on special occasions day students get to join them as well. The tradition of the Saturday night family-style dinner in particular was one that was treasured by many. Due to COVID-restrictions, these meals haven’t happened in a while, but Davis recalls them as if they never stopped: “We would bring our families, and it was like a traditional family meal but with our OVS family. That was all facilitated by these beautiful meals that Chico

Over the years, Chico has met hundreds of students, and he has been able to bond with them, watch their growth and then watch them move on to do great things.

“Every year is different with students, and I like to see the new faces,” Chico said. “They make me happy when they say, ‘Thank you!’ and say, ‘Thank you, thank you for the food!’ You know, I like it.”

Head of Upper Campus Craig Floyd, who was a high school student in Chico’s early years, said he hopes Chico understands how important he has been in the lives of so many students and teachers. As evidence, he points to a video tribute put together at the end of the school year that featured testimonials and well wishes from dozens of current and former members of the community. Said Floyd: “For so many people at OVS over the years, Chico was the constant for them. He’s a very humble man, a very prideful man, and it was just great for him to be able to watch that video and feel the love.”

Now that he is retired, he’s going to live part time in Ojai with his brother and part time in Mexico on his ranch with his mother and sister. His father originally bought the ranch and since then Chico, his mother, and his brother have come to own it together. They’ve bought more land and expanded, which has been perfect for their cattle and cornfields to prosper.

would bring to us, and they always had a special flair.”

Chico’s cooking is almost as renowned as his kindness in the OVS community. Often, both were combined.

“He used to put aside extra jalapeños for me every time they served Mexican food,” said Nick Koskoff (U90), who remembers Chico as a confidant who always looked out for every student. Koskoff is one of many alumni who adored OVS food. When he and others were asked their favorite meals at OVS, they all responded with a resounding vote for Mexican meals: Tacos, enchiladas, and a salsa – “Chico Salsa” – were deemed the best.

Chico knows it will take some adjustment to be away from OVS, but he’s looking forward to the future. Even though he isn’t sure where his path will lead him, he does know that everyone is happy for him, loves him, and wishes him the best.

As a close friend to Chico, and a longtime faculty member, Davis is especially happy for his retirement. It’s a bittersweet parting, but after working together for 30+ years, she is delighted that he is looking forward to moving on.

“I want him to know that we will miss him,” Davis said. “But I am so excited for him to be living the next chapter of his life with his hands in the soil and watching sunsets at his ranch with his family. I will be thinking about him in those moments.”

HE LIGHTS UP THE ENTIRE CAMPUS IN A MODEST AND HUMBLE WAY, THAT SO MANY, WHETHER IT BE STUDENTS, FACULTY, PARENTS OR ADMINISTRATORS, BENEFIT FROM AND REVERE.”

— Cooper Hefner (U09)

ChangingCourse

Myr Slosberg Returns to the River after a Career Guiding Middle Schoolers

By Avery Colborn (L16, U20)

In a way, it was the river that brought Myr Slosberg to Ojai Valley School.

It was 1998. After years of being a summer camp counselor and rafting guide, Myr (then McGregor) was teaching science and math at a Bakersfield public school, located only about 45 minutes away from the Kern River. Despite their proximity to it, many of her students had never been to the Kern before; so, she proposed to her principal at the time her idea to take a group of students rafting for the day.

He told her it would never work. A rafting trip would never be approved by the district superintendent. However, he told her that if she stated on the transportation request that the event was simply “team building,” not explicitly river rafting, they would be able to go.

So she did. The rafting trip went out, and it was a great day on the river. But when the superintendent found out, he was livid.

“I wanted [the outdoors] to be part of my teaching,” she said. “And when I realized that to do that, my principal had to have me lie, there was something wrong with that picture.”

She had always wanted to teach. But after that incident, she knew

that she needed to be at a school where she would not have to lie to share her love of the river with her students. She needed to find a

place where outdoor education was embedded within the curriculum and philosophy of the school. A colleague who knew about Ojai

The Slosbergs, with their dog Nala, in their happy place — on the river.

Valley School recommended that she apply. So, she packed her bags, moved to Ojai, and the rest is history.

“When I came to OVS, I just felt like I had found my spot,” she said. “I felt like it was a really good fit for me, and it was a great place for kids. And I just knew that it was the kind of place where I would want my own child to go when I had my own child.”

able to get through my middle school years without Mrs. Slosberg’s learning center,” said CatieJo Larkin (L18, U22), a recent graduate. “Every day we walked into her classroom we were met with all the academic, but more importantly, the emotional support we needed.”

Indeed, she and her husband, Charles, whom she met guiding on the Kern, had a daughter, Bella, and raised her at the school.

MYR

NOT

Bella (L17, U21) is now a college student and after 24 years at OVS, Myr is moving on to the next chapter of her life as well. She and Charles plan to return to rafting, starting this summer with a trip on the Rogue River. They want to explore the U.S. in their 1985 Volkswagen Westfalia van, and Slosberg hopes to pursue her longtime goal of writing and illustrating children’s books.

“I want to take the stories that I’d made up and told to Bella when she was a little girl and kind of take those to a whole new level,” she said. “I really want to delve into that project.”

During her tenure at OVS, Slosberg played many roles, including trip leader, middle school math teacher, dorm parent, and Dean of Studies, a job that required tackling the ever-changing puzzle that is scheduling and course planning at the Lower Campus. But it was her role as coordinator of the Learning Center, where she provided individualized tutoring to students who needed extra support, where she was perhaps most impactful.

“I honestly think that I would not have been

“Myr has organized not only kids’ binders but literally their minds for decades,” said former Headmaster Gary Gartrell. “She helped countless students not only survive the academic rigors of OVS, but helped them become more organized and better prepared for life.”

In thinking back on her time, Slosberg said the most rewarding experiences always came down to the students, the connections she made with them, and the feeling that she made a difference in their lives. And for that she is deeply grateful.

“I think that would be the thing I want to express most,” she said. “I’ve spent 24 years there, so that’s a mighty long time. And they’ve been really good years. I’m really happy that I found OVS and got to work at Lower Campus. It’s been fabulous. And now it’s time for me to move on to my next adventure.”

HAS ORGANIZED

ONLY KIDS’ BINDERS, BUT LITERALLY THEIR MINDS FOR DECADES.”

— Gary Gartrell, former Head of Lower Campus

Myr on the 2022 spring backpacking trip, with a group of sixth graders.

This year marked the 26th annual Pons Dinner, which celebrates the bridge between middle and high school. It is also a time to recognize the Lower Campus graduates, now in their senior year, as they prepare to transition from high school to college.

This year, alumni guest speaker and OVS Trustee Sally McClenahan Dyer (L87, U91) talked about the friends, teachers and experiences that made her years at OVS memorable. It was at the Upper Campus where she met her husband, Patrick Dyer (U91). The couple still maintain close ties with many of their classmates.

“The single most important element that sticks with me today are the OVS friendships that I have in my life,” she told the students. “That is not to say that your education is not the critical element of going to school. I don’t want to upset all your amazing teachers and parents by omitting the fact that OVS is, in fact, a place of learning.”

But, she said, part of the OVS journey is about facing challenges, working through them, and having meaningful shared experiences with friends. “It is,” she

said, “the uniquely OVS environment that is created by all the people sitting behind you.”

Senior Ryan Farrell (L18, U22) delivered a speech written by classmate CatieJo Larkin (L18, U22), who was unable to attend. In her speech, CatieJo reflected on the skills she learned at Lower Campus and the teachers who helped prepare her for life beyond middle school. Those teachers don’t disappear once you graduate, she wrote, concluding: “For many graduates, including myself, some of our most influential mentors, even to this day, are people from our times at the Lower Campus.”

McIntosh shares grad wisdom at Senior to Alumni Dinner

Before graduation, members of the Class of 2022 took a break from final exams and gathered for a casual pizza dinner at Boccali’s restaurant in Ojai to celebrate their transition from seniors to alumni.

Guest speaker Jenna McIntosh (L11, U15), a graduate of College of Charleston who is now headed to law school, encouraged the seniors to open themselves up to new opportunities once they arrive at their college campuses. Jenna said she felt well-prepared academically when she left OVS, but struggled to make connections on a campus of 12,000 people.

“I was really glad those first few months of college to still have my friends and community at OVS,” she said. “And in all reality, it only

took me two months to hit my stride in college.”

Among her words of advice: “Talk to your OVS friends once a week: It’s really easy to get wrapped up in college and what is happening

right in front of you, but the people you know at OVS will be the people you have for the rest of your life … they helped lay the foundation to become the person I am today. Those are the type of people you want to keep close.”

Caleb Carver (L19), Eric Schmidt (L20), Tigran Nahabedian (L19), Sully Rothwell, (L20), Ben Manning (L20) and Gavin Gonzalez (L19) catch up at Pons Dinner.

Class of 2022 with Mr. Hall-Mounsey, Mr. Floyd, Mr. Alvarez and Jenna McIntosh.

Sedona group reunites at Alumni Weekend

By Liza Cass White (L61)

Thirty years ago, Frances/Fanny/ Casey Case (L61) had an epiphany. She was running a children’s chorus in Tucson, Arizona, and encountered a previous member who said that his time in chorus was a wonderful part of his young life and that even as an adult, he still loved the chorus. Fanny thought about that and zeroed in on the problem: “You live close to us; so why don’t you participate with us now?” The comment kept resonating in her mind regarding her own 7th-9th grade “wonderful” OVS experience. So, in 1992, Fanny decided to reinvolve herself with OVS and the valuable friendships she’d made there; hence, the birth of the Sedona/ OVS gatherings, solidifying the OVS affinity of yesteryear. That affinity was a loosely constructed idea including people from four classes (L59 thru L62) and promotion of what made OVS life fun.

The school provided ancient contact information and Fanny found the quintessential OVS-oid gathering spot near Sedona, Arizona, called Living Springs Camp: cot-tent/grass camping; bathrooms with showers, large group kitchen, nearby, hikeable swimming hole, grass field for egg toss/volleyball/soccer, and big sky magnificence for evening songs, for ridiculous awards (Fickle Finger of Fate) for even more ridiculous contests (macho arm wrestling), and for long chats under the stars. Families, friends and teachers were welcome. We met every four years, careful not to coincide with the summer Olympics because there wasn’t TV to watch and then truly poor WiFi to connect to. We met on Friday and left on Sunday and shared an immutable menu of tacos and steak/chicken BBQ for 2 dinners and breakfast/lunch food supplied, but without organization. Needless to say, it was BYOB.

Everyone who joined, even once, was captured by the mood of joy and by Fanny’s tenacious vow to connect with OVS-ers. No one was or is beyond her reach nor her capacity to implement for the group.

We have shortened our gathering times from 4 to 3 to 2 to 1 year as we’ve grown older. This year, 2022, we knew we couldn’t get up and down those 23 steps to the kitchen/bathrooms under that star-filled but black

sky, nor climb over the boulders to get to the swimming hole, nor be anything but crippled by cot/grass camping, nor guarantee that the rattlesnake of 10 years ago wouldn’t appear again. So, this year we gathered after the OVS Alumni Weekend (Sunday dinner of tacos, Monday evening BBQ, and Tuesday departure) and were housed in the new Upper Campus girls dorm and common room. What a generous and timely opportunity. We hiked to the Sespe without finding the 10’ Hole so we returned to swim in the heated pool. We played ping pong instead of egg toss and sat underneath the magnificent Ojai sky each night and talked, and talked, and talked. What is humor? Is spirituality hard wired into humans? Who was it that broke his finger in Sedona, rope swinging out over the swimming hole? Who was there when Wick sang Gaudeamus Igitur a capella?

We are people who were blessed with OVS to help raise us — and a friend who knew to keep what is precious to each of us alive.

From left to right: Birgitta Smith, O.J. Beaudette, Liza White, Jim Churchill, Casey (Fanny) Case, Bob Anthony, Selby Smith, and Rick Paige.

Sedona attendees in 1996. For a full list of attendees in this picture (too many to list here), see www.ovs.org/alumni.

Alumni Weekend 2022

OVS Alumni spanning seven decades gathered for Alumni Weekend 2022 this summer on June 10-12. The annual reunion was held at the Lower Campus and included a celebration dinner recognizing retiring President/CEO Michael J. Hall-Mounsey for his 40 years of service.

During the dinner, Hall-Mounsey presented the Founder’s Alumni Award, which was created to honor alumni whose achievements exemplify the school’s principles and values, such as good character, respect for other people, and a balance of accomplishments at a level that has had a positive and broad impact on the school or broader community. Past recipients have been recognized for outstanding contributions in

education, diversity, health, and environmental stewardship.

For 2022, the Founder’s Alumni Award was given to Ed Littlefield (U67), whose philanthropic support, Hall-Mounsey said, “quite literally saved the school. His $1 million matching challenge to other alumni, past parents and friends allowed the Upper Campus to rebuild after the devastating Thomas Fire, and did so in a way that inspired others to join him in supporting the rebuilding we have today.”

Littlefield, a principal member of the band Marley’s Ghost, was performing in Northern California and was unable to attend Alumni Weekend to accept the award. School leaders hope to present it to him this fall.

Alumni are encouraged to mark their calendars for Alumni Weekend 2023, which will be held June 9-11 at the Upper Campus. Registration will open in February. For more information, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@ovs.org.

Ed Littlefield (U67)

From left to right, Todd Gold (L86, U90), Loc Briggs (L86, U90), Monica Casey (L70, U73), Robin and Randi Devoli (L69, U72), Catherine Sharkey (U72), Michi Thacker (U72), Rene Briggs (U68) and Craig Floyd (U83).

Above left: Bob Cooper (L61) and Richard Paige (L61). Above right: John (L89, U93) and Tracy (Fryer) DeNault (U93), Cole McIntosh (L10, U14) with daughter Harper, Jenna McIntosh (L11, U15), Ali (Fortier Weller) McIntosh (L11, U15) and daughter, Kate.

Above left: Cliff Martinez (L72), Michi Thacker (U72) and Kenan Block (L69, U72). Above right: Caitlin (Black) Cooper (L97), Nate Cooper (L91, U95) and Ben Smith (L91, U95).

At right: Liza (Cass) White (L61), Bob Anthony (L60), Jane McNealy (L60), Bob Cooper (L61), Caren Olsen (L61), Frances Case (L61), Richard Paige (L61), Ariane Pike, and Jim Churchill (L61).

1950s

Mark Beales (L59) has enjoyed a banner year, he said, “as it’s been 25 years since I retired from the daily grind of the Mortgage Banking business to pursue a more leisurely life volunteering on various Boards, Commissions and Committees at local, county and state levels. Coordinating those time commitments has worked well around our travel schedule thereby allowing us freedom to see the world, spend more time with children and grandchildren and still meet required volunteer obligations.” In August, Mark and wife Juliann will celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary at the Post Hotel in Leavenworth, WA. In June, Mark flew from Seattle to central California to celebrate his 60th high school class reunion at Stevenson School in Pebble Beach. He said: “Although I was the only alum from 1962 (there were only 22 in my graduating class), I enjoyed visiting the school to see how much it has changed, not only in the number of students attending the school (now 400+) but how the campus has expanded facilities

to accommodate the increased number of both boarding students and the student body as a whole, and the athletic facilities supporting swimming, football, track, none of which existed when I was there. The school became co-ed in 1987. It was worthwhile. I look forward to visiting OVS again in the future, maybe for the 65th reunion for the Lower School class of 1959.”

1960s

Jay Huyssoon (U65) and his wife, Patty, are members of the Rio Vista Rotary Club in their hometown of Rio Vista, CA. Since retiring from the fire service, Jay has been involved in an international project to bring supplies and fire equipment to various towns in Baja California, including Vizcaino, San Ignacio, Heroica Mulege, Santa Rosalia, and others. “When equipment and fire apparatus can no longer be used in the U.S., we obtain the equipment, have it made serviceable or repaired, and supply the equipment to various towns that have absolutely no fire equipment,” Jay said. “In one town, I actually witnessed the town’s

residents carrying plastic buckets of water to put out a fire. I have delivered protective equipment, breathing apparatus, as well as fire engines to the various locales.” Jay is pictured above in front of one of the engines he delivered. “We have made wonderful friends in Baja Sur,” he said, “and we will continue to do this as long as possible.”

1970s

Kelly Somers (L73, U77) attended Alumni Weekend in June, which rekindled memories from her time at OVS. She writes: “I remember a song called Friends by Elton John. We used to sing to everyone with (music teacher) Scott MacDonald in our chorus, and it goes like this: ‘It seems to me a crime that we should age / these fragile times should never slip us by / a time we never can or shall erase, as friends together watch their childhoods fly.’”

1980s

Hilgard Muller (L88, U92) see Upper 1990s

Mark Beales Jay Huyssoon Jen, Paige, Hilgard & Corbin Muller

Katharine Tennery-Chasteen (U87) has graduated Magna Cum Laude from Colorado Technical University with a BS in Criminal Justice. She will begin working on her Masters Degree from Colorado Technical University this fall.

1990s

Hilgard Muller (L88, U92), Jen (Whipple) Muller (U95) and Corbin Muller (U20) celebrated another family milestone in June — the graduation of Paige Muller (L18, U22) . In her welcome speech during the June 3 ceremony, Paige referenced the legacy of Whipple, Muller, and Floyd family members who have also walked the graduation stage, saying: “I could go on for hours about everyone else that has graduated from OVS in my stupendously large family … Ojai Valley School is in my blood.”

Yuka Aihara (U92) is living in Tokyo, Japan. After eight years of being a member of the Toastmasters, she recently earned first place in a speech competition of English humor. She said the speech was about three strong-

tasting soft drinks – Cherry Coke, Dr. Pepper, and Root Beer – that she encountered during her years in California. After graduating from the OVS, and going back to Japan, she avoided them for almost 30 years. Then, while she was writing “about these bad tasting American drinks,” all the memories from the time she spent at OVS came back. “One of my roommates at the Lower Campus, a beautiful American girl, Colleen, shared her favorite Root Beer floats with me. It tasted awful to me, but all I remember now is her sweet and kind smile,” Yuka said, adding that she relied on skills she learned in her speech class at Upper Campus during the competition. “At that time I knew nothing about speech and it was just a pain in the neck to speak in front of audiences,” she said. “But now, I’ve learned the joy of speech and I understand what Mr. Temple wanted me to learn … Life has so many flavors. It can be bitter, sweet, good, and bad tasting. After 30 years, I think the mixture of these flavors made my life so rich.”

2000s

Max Wheeler (L06, U10) see Upper 2010s

Evan Cooper (L08, U12) see Upper 2010s

Miles Munding-Becker (L09, U13) see Upper 2010s

Jason Coudray (L00, U04) and wife Emily welcomed their first child, Logan Daniel Coudray, on April 26.

Rachel Donnelly Carter (U06) welcomed daughter Lillian Margaret on March 31, 2022. Big Sister Eleanor is so thrilled!

Parker Colborn (L05, U09) and wife Kayla welcomed their first child, son Beckett Calloway Colborn, on May 16. Parker, Kayla, and Beckett are happily adjusting to their new family of three at their home in Irvine.

Ousmane Fofana (U09) joined the Ojai Valley School Board of Trustees in June. (Read more on page 5.)

Yuka Aihara Jason Coudray

Rachel Donnelly Carter Parker Colborn

Cooper Hefner (U09) and wife Scarlett welcomed twin girls Marigold Adele Hefner and Blossom Pearl Hefner on March 26. Marigold and Blossom are happy and healthy at home with their older sister, Betsy, who will celebrate her second birthday in August. “We are counting our blessings as a family as we sit in the extended love we have been gifted with,” said Cooper.

2010s

Max Wheeler (L06, U10) married longtime girlfriend Lauren Mamaril on May 21 in Newport Beach. The ceremony took place atop a coastal bluff backdropped by the Pacific Ocean, and the reception followed inside with many OVS faculty and alumni in attendance. Alumni Parker Colborn (L05, U09), Arya Torab (L04, U08), Cooper Hefner (U09) and Hunter Helman (L04, U10) made up four members of Max’s wedding party. Other guests included Ousmane Fofana (U09), Evan Cooper (L08, U12), Gunnar Helman (L08, U12), and Bob Zheng (U09).

Evan Cooper (L08, U12) graduated from Georgetown University in 2019 with a masters in Security Studies, and is now a fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington D.C. think tank in international affairs, where he focuses on demilitarizing U.S. foreign policy. Evan says he is still playing soccer, but is receiving far fewer red cards than he did while playing at OVS.

Miles Munding-Becker (L09, U13) recently completed his Masters in Environmental Systems at Cal Poly Humboldt, where his work focused on fluvial systems and hydrogeology. In his research, he has studied how effectively Beaver Dam Analogs (which are essentially human-built beaver dams that mimic the benefits of a natural beaver dam) store water and interact with groundwater storage. Miles has spent the past year finishing up his thesis in Arcata, CA, where he spends time working on his permaculture garden, surfing and foraging for edible mushrooms. Starting this fall, he will move back to Ojai to teach Chemistry and Marine Science at the Upper Campus and

hopes to eventually teach more subjects relating to environmental restoration and water resources. He is excited to spend the next few years teaching and spending time with friends and family back home.

Cole McIntosh (L10, U14) and Ali (Fortier-Weller) McIntosh (L11, U15) welcomed daughter Harper on March 10. Big sister Kate is over the moon. Ali and Cole wed on May 5 in a private ceremony in Santa Maria. They are living in Los Alamos and loving raising a family together.

Jenna McIntosh (L11, U15) is headed to Southwestern Law School this fall to pursue a career in public interest law. Jenna recently served as guest speaker for the Senior-to-Alumni Dinner (see page 44) and was accompanied by her classmate (and now sister-in-law) Ali McIntosh (L11, U15). “OVS is something that can and should remain a constant in your life,” Jenna told the seniors. “For me, OVS is more than just a school, it’s family. Quite literally. My uncles went to school here in the ‘90s, my brother graduated in 2014, and

Cooper Hefner

Max Wheeler

Miles Munding-Becker

now my sister and cousins are also at the Upper Campus. I even have my best friend here today who graduated Lower and Upper with me and is now my sister-in-law and the mother of my two wonderful nieces.”

Daphne Psaledakis (U15) is living in Washington, D.C., and working as a reporter on the foreign policy team at Reuters, where she focuses on U.S. sanctions policy and foreign policy toward Africa. “I’ve had the opportunity to report on a range of issues during my time on the foreign policy team the past few years, including U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in Ethiopia,” she said. Originally from Aspen, Colorado, Daphne got her start in journalism at the Upper Campus, writing and serving as editor of the award-winning student newspaper On The Hill. She went on to earn a journalism degree from the University of Missouri, where she received the prestigious Overseas Press Club Foundation Scholar Award. The OPC Foundation is the nation’s largest and most visible scholarship

program encouraging aspiring journalists to pursue careers as international correspondents.

Sarah Silver (L11, U15) has earned her master’s degree from Pepperdine University in Behavioral Science with an emphasis in applied behavioral analysis.

Leila Giannetti (L14, U18) recently moved to Machipongo, Virginia to work at The Little Farm Rescue and Sanctuary, a non-profit animal rescue that provides a home to abused, neglected and unwanted animals. There are currently more than 120 animals at the sanctuary, from horses and sheep to geese and alpacas. When Leila isn’t helping with chores on the farm, she is honing her skills in the lengthy practice of wood-fired pottery. She also teaches pottery classes to kids at a local summer camp and works at a local arts center.

Emma Gustafson (L14, U18) has graduated from New York University with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication and a minor in Business Entertainment, Media and Technology.

Andrew Meng (U18) has graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Economics, Financial Applications and Sports Management. He is planning on staying in the Dallas area and working in Texas.

Joshua Hsu (L20) is pursuing a Business degree at Michigan State University and recently landed a summer internship at Ogilvy, a major advertising, marketing, and public-relations agency. His work focuses on sales and marketing. Joshua is also excited to adopt a mini Australian Shepherd puppy in the coming months.

Corbin Muller (U20) has been continuing to pursue his passion of landscape photography while he studies at Oregon State University Cascades. Corbin says he has been taking advantage of the extraordinary opportunities to explore the outdoors in the Pacific Northwest: “There’s so much to experience and photograph. It’s been an endless adventure so far.”

Aaron Wolf (L16, U20) is working

Cole & Ali McIntosh Daphne Psaledakis

Sarah Silver Leila Giannetti

as a research analyst on a project for the UCLA Anderson School of Management. He is part of a team that gathers data from the last four years on corporate sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) metrics on all Fortune 500 companies. Aaron’s research team uses these qualitative and quantitative metrics to provide a way to evaluate a company’s values regarding social issues. The end goal of the project is to create a public database that consumers and shareholders can use to inform conscious investing decisions, and to compare each company’s metrics for every year measured.

Logan Wallace (L19), who will begin his senior year at Upper this fall, led his own outdoor adventure this summer for his upcoming Senior Capstone project. After six months of planning and organizing, Logan and friend Ben Manning (L20), father Duncan Wallace and Outdoor Education Coordinator Matt Inman embarked June 27 on a thru hike of the John Muir Trail. After climbing Half Dome in Yosemite Valley, they walked 240 miles over 21 days, through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Mt. Whitney, where Ben celebrated his 17th birthday at the 14,505-foot summit. Ben’s dad, Ted, and classmate Emanuel Zagata hiked in to meet up on their last

night, and Scott Inman (L16) hiked in the last resupply and joined for the last 5 nights. But, as planned, after their third resupply of food on Day 11, the boys completed 6 days completely on their own. “The boys displayed the necessary skills acquired over many outdoor trips and Inman and I were fully confident in their ability to be successful on their own,” Duncan said. “It was an epic adventure for us all and I was honored to be a part of it. Many thanks to all who supported us along the way. The guys definitely have a love of adventure and this trip absolutely fed into that love. It even sparked new ideas for what will be next trip!”

Emma Gustafson

Andrew Meng

Joshua Hsu

Corbin Muller

Aaron Wolf

Ben Manning & Logan Wallace

Ojai’s famous Pixie, and OVS alumni, featured on KQED

Ojai’s citrus industry has been battered in recent years by drought, fire, climate change, and now sky-high real estate prices, which have resulted in a loss of farmland and concerns about the viability of farming in a valley whose agricultural roots run deep.

In July, alumni Jim Churchill (L61), Tony Thacher (L53) and Emily Thacher Ayala (L86) were all featured in a national story produced by the

Food and Environment Reporting Network in collaboration with KQED’s The California Report and California Foodways about the threats to Ojai’s citrus industry.

Read the full story online by following any of the links below:

• www.thefern.org

• www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine

• californiafoodways.com/

Coming This Fall: New OVS book

Ojai Valley School is pleased to announce the publication of Family and Fortitude — the Heart and Spirit of Ojai Valley School. In this new book by author Elizabeth Rose, members of the OVS community — from the faculty and administration, to the cooking, maintenance, and equestrian staff, to students, alumni,

and parents — were asked three questions: How did you get to Ojai Valley School? What are some of your favorite or most important or most touching moments? And, Why do you love this school? The result is a collection of interviews and reflections that answer the overriding question: What is it that

makes OVS so special to so many? Step into each person’s narrative as they share the memories and experiences that define the Heart and Spirit of Ojai Valley School. The book can be purchased for $60. Now accepting pre-orders. Please email alumni@ovs.org for more information.

Jim Churchill (L61), above left, and Tony Ayala, husband of Emily Thacher Ayala (L86), right. Photos by Lisa Morehouse.

Please join us at one of our upcoming Alumni Events, or if you happen to be in the Ojai area, please stop by!

OCTOBER 2

San Francisco, CA

Regional Alumni Gathering

OCTOBER 13

Boulder, CO

Regional Alumni Gathering

NOVEMBER 12

Seattle, WA

Regional Alumni Gathering

DECEMBER 10

Soule Park Golf Course, Ojai, CA

Spud Classic Golf Tournament

FEBRUARY 11, 2023

OVS Upper Campus Alumni Soccer and Basketball Games

MAY 6, 2023

Gala and Auction

OVS Upper Campus

MAY 20, 2023

OVS Upper Campus

Alumni Baseball Game

JUNE 9-11, 2023

OVS Upper Campus

OVS Alumni Weekend

Contact the Alumni Office for more information and to RSVP: alumni@ovs.org

In addition to these social gatherings, OVS will be on the road this fall meeting prospective new students and families in Mexico City, Tokyo, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. If you know a family interested in learning more about OVS, please reach out to the Admission Office at admission@ovs.org.

Gilman Ordway, former OVS Trustee and beloved parent of OVS alumni, passed away in the company of his family on May 30 at his Fish Creek Ranch home outside of Jackson, Wyoming. He was 97. Gil was a visionary land preservationist, conservationist and prolific philanthropist. Well ahead of his time, Gil bought the ranch in 1955 and in later years continued to buy land in the region surrounding Jackson Hole to save it from development. As a result, he went on to become one of the largest landowners in the area, preserving that acquired property in its pristine state. He was one of the founders of the Jackson Hole Land Trust. Through Gil’s efforts, well over 1,000 acres were preserved for future generations. Indeed, the Teton Raptor Center makes its home on part of the land that Gil was able to save.

“I’ve been called a tree hugger,” he told the Jackson Hole Guide in 1989. “But on a local and world scale, I think we’re continually threatened with becoming another intensely tourist area.” In talking about his Wyoming ranch, Gil said: “We like to think that 100 years from now the place will be relatively the same…It gives us great satisfaction to know that we have done everything possible to keep Fish Creek Ranch as we have known it in our lifetime … and well into the foreseeable future.”

“You’d be hard pressed to find somebody who had more impact on land preservation here,” said Max Ludington, President of the Jackson Hole Land Trust. “He understood early on what a special place it was…and he’s been among the most influential people in this valley for our organization.”

Witty, intelligent, generous, quiet and gentle, Gil was determined to live a life that reflected his passions, values and beliefs. Those passions encompassed devotion to his family, and a deep compassion and fierce love for Jackson Hole specifically, and the conservation of the natural world more broadly.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Gil grew up outside of New York City. He graduated from Yale University in 1948, taught in an independent school for two years, earned a law degree and finally came west, “stumbling on” Jackson Hole in 1953. He ran Fish Creek Ranch as both a working and dude ranch until 1977, when he turned his guest quarters into modest rental cabins for those, like himself, who appreciated humble lodging in world class surroundings.

Indeed, daughter Kitty related that, “He drove a Subaru held together with duct tape.”

In 2004, Gil and his beloved wife of 50 years, Marge, were the recipients of the Heart of the Tetons Award in recognition of their broad philanthropic efforts in the region. Through the course of the evening’s proceedings, Gil and Marge were acknowledged by The Learning Center, the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Soroptimist, the Nature Conservancy, Off Square Theater, Dancers’ Workshop, the Community Children’s Project, Grand Teton Music Festival, City Kids Wilderness Project, Teton Youth and Family Services, the Land Trust and Teton County Library, where Ordway Auditorium is named in recognition of Gil and Marge’s generosity. Ordway also served on the Board for Defenders of Wildlife, and as a council member for the Environmental Defense Fund.

Gil served on the Board of Trustees for Ojai Valley School from 1975 to 1979 while daughter Gigi (U78) was at Upper Campus and son Griff (L78) was at Lower Campus. Michael D. Hermes had just taken the reins as the first President of Ojai Valley School, still very much under the financial strain of completing and operating the new high school campus, even more so in that era of declining enrollments. As a businessman and parent, Gil was keenly aware of the school’s most pressing capital and operational needs, and made generous targeted contributions each year where needed most. But even more revealing about his character was his genuine deep concern for the school’s advancement even after leaving the Board. He maintained many years of meaningful correspondence with Mike Hermes and supported projects he thought would improve the student experience, such as the Tennis Courts and Ropes Course at Upper Campus.

Today, the landscaped park area and open space between the new Littlefield Student Commons and the rebuilt Grace Hobson Smith House dorm is dedicated as Ordway Park, an honor his family thought fitting for a man whose life was committed to preserving the outdoors for others to enjoy.

In addition to his wife Marge, Gil is survived by his daughters Kitty and Gigi, son Griffin, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. His daughter Gigi Ordway is a current member of the OVS Board of Trustees.

Gilman Ordway

Parents of Alumni:

If your son/daughter no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office (805-640-2578) of his/her new mailing address.

Saturday, September 17, 2022

GATES: 5:00 P.M. | FILMS: 7:15 P.M

TICKETS: WWW.OVLC.ORG