Ojai Valley School Family Tree, Spring 2024

4 Head of School’s Message Strategic Planning 6 Blue Ribbon Year OVS riders head to IEA Nationals

12 College Bound Seniors look to the future

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Lars Kuelling, Head of School

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) Craig Marcus Sally McClenahan Dyer (L87, U91)

Vahagn Nahabedian

Gail “Gigi” Ordway (U78) Gretchen Schuette

Katharine Wang Bob Zheng (U09)

Sports Update Big wins for cross country, soccer

Performing Arts

Highlights from Upper & Lower campuses

Alumni News & Alumni Weekend

Alumni updates & the biggest weekend of the year

Honored for Distinguished Service

CHAIRMAN: A. Carl Kotchian

PRESIDENTS: Edward Yeomans and 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 students for their contributions to this issue, including Alula Alderson, Vlada Antipkina, Tallulah Bell, Bohdan Cherkai, Andrew Little, Scout Mortensen, Donahi Soriano, Mieke Wells, and Allyanna Westcott. Other contributors include Zach Byars, Caitlin Cooper, Meline Ellwanger, Misty Hall, Brian Higgs, Lars Kuelling, Nicky Longwill, Tyson Luneau, Kate Pepper, Ted Tambakis, Wendy Tremiti, Terry Wilson, and Tracy Wilson. Thanks to graphic designer Logan

ON THE COVER THIS PAGE

Fourth-grader Avalon Longwill (pictured with Lily the pony) and six more OVS riders in grades 4-11 competed in April at the IEA National Championships in Tryon, North Carolina. Read more about the school’s return to competitive riding in this issue.

First graders and sixth graders went to the Ellwood Butterfly Grove in Goleta in January to observe migrating monarchs, then explored tidepools at Hendry’s Beach in Santa Barbara. The trip reinforced science units in both grades and is part of the school’s emphasis on field studies.

Hall of Sideways 8 Creative.

FORWARD

thinking

Dear Alumni and Families,

Spring has arrived in the Ojai Valley! Wisteria blossoms are bursting on the Wallace Burr Pergola and rainsoaked hillsides are awash in new green growth. The transformation from winter to spring invites students to get outside and our Outdoor Education programs have kicked into high gear as middle and high school backpacking trips venture into the Sespe Wilderness and beyond.

Many OVS students will hike the same trails, and jump into the same swimming holes, as countless alumni who came before them. It is rare for a school to have such deep ties to outdoor places – where trail names are as deeply embedded in the collective memory as the writings of Shakespeare or Homer. School Founder Edward Yeomans wrote: “This school is only a part, and a small part, of your preparation for life. The rest of it is out of doors … on the hills, along the rivers.”

This connection to the outdoors is a core theme in our new Strategic Plan, Authentically OVS: Rooted in our Past, Focused on our Future. The Plan is the outgrowth of work by engaged members of our school community to chart a course for the future – one backed by a set of priorities that are grounded in our mission, philosophy, core values, and history.

The Strategic Plan begins with our “roots” as a child-centered school under the guidance of Yeomans and his focus on developing critical, careful observation skills and meaningful hands-on experiences. Our roots also include a commitment to the arts, a robust academic curriculum led by exceptional teachers, and a focus on providing a warm, welcoming community for our boarding and day students. As we look to the next century of Yeomans’ legacy, these are the endearing values which must be kept at the center of an authentically OVS education – one that is rooted in our past, yet focused on our future, one that takes “the head” and combines it with “the hand,” and one that is challenging, empowering, and ultimately, transformative.

Authentically OVS is our central theme and it includes five key components:

1. Teaching and Learning

2. Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

3. Land and Climate

4. Finance, Operations and Governance

5. Community and Belonging

The goals and priorities identified in the Strategic Plan were formed through an in-depth and inclusive process over a two-year period with contributions from trustees, parents, alumni, faculty, and students, as well as

through our accreditation process and other planning sessions. The Board of Trustees updated and reaffirmed the central tenants of the Plan in June 2023 and the document was finalized in the months that followed in collaboration with key stakeholders.

The Strategic Plan is available in print and on the school’s website. A recording is also available online of the State of the School address in February during which we first presented the Plan. For our interested alumni, we will have a presentation highlighting the key goals and initiatives during Alumni Weekend in June.

I want to thank everyone who participated in this planning process. I think when you look at the Strategic Plan you will see that it holds true to our fundamental values. It is us. There are goals and metrics, but it is not a checklist. Rather, it is a work in progress that continues to evolve.

There is much work to be done as we pursue our future goals, and we hope you will join us on that journey.

Best regards,

Lars Kuelling OVS Head of School

Authentically OVS: Rooted in our Past, Focused on our Future, is a forward-looking road map to guide the school confidently into the future. The Plan is the result of a collaborative effort led by the Board of Trustees with the involvement of teachers, administrators, alumni, students, and parents. The Plan is available in print and on the school’s website at ovs.org/strategic-plan

Blue Ribbon Year

OVS riders advance to IEA National Championships

By Tracy Wilson

Fourth graders Kendall Casey and Avalon Longwill arrived at the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) National Championships wearing huge smiles and matching Ojai Valley School flannel pajamas — fitting for an event that felt as much like a tween sleepover as a major horse show.

The day before, the girls were focused on essays about the California Gold Rush and prepping for spring camping trips. They also had been riding every pony in the barn to get ready for the distinctive aspect of IEA competition: climbing on an unfamiliar mount and riding it into the show ring with just minutes to prepare in the warm-up arena.

“I’m excited, a little nervous,” Kendall said. “It’s going to be really fun!”

Seven equestrians from the Lower and Upper campuses participated in the IEA National Championships in late April, marking the first time the school has taken riders to compete at the sprawling Tryon International Equestrian Center in the mountains of Mill Spring, North Carolina. The event drew more than 700 of the nation’s leading middle and high school equestrians, who competed for top honors in hunt seat and dressage.

Kendall and Avalon, both age 10, along with fifth grader Astrid Vadas, age 11, were among the youngest riders competing in the middle school team

dressage championships. Freshmen Danika Carver (L23), Frances Willsrud (L23), Enzo DeMartini, and junior Min Lee (L21) competed in the individual dressage championships.

Frances placed first in Varsity Intermediate Dressage Seat Equitation, earning the title of national champion. Danika, Frances, and Enzo earned ribbons for finishing in fourth, fifth and sixth places, respectively, in other classes. Kendall and Astrid finished with seventh-place ribbons. All the riders went home with medals for making it to nationals — a major accomplishment after they earned qualifying points at two California shows and the IEA Regional Championships in Oregon.

“As I said to the team members, it will be their photo that is up in the barn as the first OVS team that went to the National Championships,” said Head of School Lars Kuelling. “A fantastic first season.”

A year ago, Mr. Kuelling made the bold decision to re-launch the competitive riding program at Ojai Valley School with the goal of recruiting top riders from around the world and, in doing so, elevating the school’s reputation as the premier equestrian day and boarding school on the West Coast.

He started by hiring George Halkett, a native of Scotland, who previously served as the Director of the Stoneleigh-Burnham School

Equestrian Center for 15 years. While there, Mr. Halkett coached students to multiple national IEA individual and team championships. He also coached at two colleges, the Savannah College of Art & Design in Georgia and Albion College in Michigan.

“The Equestrian Program is central to the OVS experience and George is an accomplished coach and a respected leader in the equestrian world,” Mr. Kuelling said in announcing the hire. “We are thrilled our students and equestrian staff will have the opportunity to work with a top-notch instructor as we look to rebuild our competitive riding program.”

Above: Kendall and Avalon. Opposite page: Kendall and Equestrian Director George Halkett at nationals.

Mr. Halkett follows a notable line of riding directors at Ojai Valley School.

In 1950, Headmaster Wallace Burr hired wrangler Paul Pittman to develop a riding program. Mr. Burr had bought a horse upon arriving in Ojai and had observed the way students connected with the animal. Horsemanship aligned with Mr. Burr’s approach to teaching and learning, namely that hands-on experiences would build character and provide lessons beyond the traditional classroom.

In the years that followed, the student experience included Western and English riding. Joe Singleton served as riding master from 1958 to 1966, teaching students how to care for the horses and leading pack trips into the Sespe Wilderness. With the addition of a new high school campus, the school began to offer riding classes three days a week and a gymkhana team.

Riding master Sandy Ballou came on board in the 1970s and continued to emphasize horsemanship and a love of the outdoors. The Paul Pittman and Sandy Ballou equestrian awards annually recognize the students on each campus who demonstrate good horsemanship and active participation in the Equestrian Program.

It was during the 1980s that the school pivoted to competitive riding. Terry Wilson, a UC Berkeley graduate and a credentialed English teacher, was a competitive dressage rider and had directed a large chapter of the U.S. Pony Club in Woodside. She was hired by former OVS President Mike Hermes, and during her 25-year tenure the program expanded and became nationally recognized. New barns were built on both campuses. The equine herd grew to 80 horses and many riders brought their own horses to school.

An experienced staff taught all types of equestrian sports — eventing, dressage, hunter jumpers, Western, vaulting, and quadrille. Trail riding and camping continued to be part of the program in developing the character skills at the heart of the school’s mission and philosophy.

“Working with horses requires patience, sensitivity, and good judgment – qualities that OVS tries to instill in all students,” said Mrs. Wilson, who retired as Equestrian Director but continues to teach English and U.S. History at the Upper Campus.

Champions emerged throughout the years, but the most renowned

was Tiana Coudray (L02), the U.S. Equestrian Association’s Young Rider of the Year and member of the U.S. Equestrian Team that competed in the 2012 London Olympics. A horse magazine writing about her noted, “it was her very unique little school in Ojai that gave Tiana a solid foundation.”

In recent years, that “little school” faced big challenges.

Boarding enrollment declined following the devastating Thomas Fire in December 2017. It got worse amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The school kept the Equestrian Program going, despite a decline in riders, but it had not invested in purchasing showcaliber horses. Interest in competitive riding waned.

Former Equestrian Director Stephanie Gustafson, who took the role after Mrs. Wilson, led the program through the twin challenges of the fire and the pandemic, including safely evacuating the Upper barn amid a firestorm and then opening socially-distanced riding opportunities for children at Lower when the school was closed to inperson learning.

When Mrs. Gustafson retired in 2023, Mr. Kuelling had to make decisions

Left: Astrid Vadas and Addisen Hollon at an IEA show in Watsonville. Right: Frances after her first-place ride at the national finals.

about the future direction of the program –— and the investment needed if it were to jump back into the competitive arena.

For him, it wasn’t a hard call.

“It is a truly distinctive program in the landscape of independent schools and wholly consistent with our ethos,” he said. “It has the potential to attract equestrians from around the world, and especially the western United States.”

Campus team included senior Adelynn Todd, juniors Scout Mortenson (Team Captain), Addisen Hollon, and Min, sophomore Ana Sophia Samano, and freshmen Enzo, Danika, and Frances.

Riders from the Upper team would compete in higher-level varsity and junior varsity classes, while younger riders from the Lower team would compete in “future” classes. Team scoring would be based on riders’ individual performances.

in their first IEA shows. Twelve riders earned qualifying scores to advance to the IEA Regional Championships, and then seven qualified for the National Championships.

Mr. Kuelling attended every show.

At the start of the 2023-24 school year, Mr. Kuelling and Development Director Brian Schlaak visited alumnus Ed Littlefield (U67) and his wife, Mary, at their home in Petaluma. They discussed a variety of fundraising opportunities.

Mr. Littlefield, who owns horses on a farm in Arlington, Washington, saw the potential for a revitalized Equestrian Program. He made a $1-million commitment from his Sage Foundation that included $500,000 for the immediate purchase of new horses and stable improvements. The Foundation pledged to contribute an additional $500,000 after the school secured matching support from other donors.

Meanwhile, Mr. Halkett and his staff — composed of Alex (Pacic) Metz (L05), Jose Maldonado, Caty Winter and Lilly Armstrong — focused on getting their young riders ready for show time. Their plan was to field two IEA dressage teams in the first year, followed by both dressage and hunter jumper teams in the second year. The new teams consisted of eight riders in grades 4-6 and eight riders in grades 9-12.

The Lower Campus team included sixth grader Lennon Bouvier, fifth graders Abigail Adams, Soren Bouvier, Paige Kircher, Astrid (Team Captain), and fourth graders Adeline Collins, Kendall, and Avalon. The Upper

“If you are successful as individuals, your team will be successful,” Mr. Halkett explained to the riders, most of whom had never been on an equestrian team or even to a horse show.

All of the riders on the Lower team were paired with a mentor from the Upper team. The primary aim of the mentorship was for the older riders to act as a support system for the younger riders.

In December, both teams competed

“I was fascinated by how the tests work and the challenge it represents for the students as a measure of their skill as riders,” he said. “It was particularly heartening to see that the entire experience went far beyond the riding itself and embraced the best parts of athletics. Riders supported each other throughout the competition, cheering on their teammates when they placed well and supporting each other when a ride didn’t go quite as planned.

“These were the moments,” he continued, “that reminded me of the positive value of competing and being challenged, and I was glad to see our equestrian teams have the same sort of opportunities as we see in other sports.”

The Blue Ribbon Challenge: Equestrian Excellence at OVS was launched in January 2024 to raise the $500,000 “match” required by the Sage Foundation.

As luck would have it, Tiana Coudray, Mrs. Wilson’s former riding student now based in England, was visiting Ojai and agreed to speak at a January event that celebrated the legacy of the Equestrian Program and announced the Blue Ribbon Challenge.

Before a packed audience of current students, their parents, alumni and friends, Ms. Coudray talked about the support she received at OVS, including riding at the Upper Campus while in middle school.

“We had access to higher-level lessons and higher-level horses that we could learn on,” she said. “It also meant that we had a longer time period, which meant we could ride two or three horses a day, which was heaven for me.”

When she outgrew the school horses, Ms. Coudray rode Mrs. Wilson’s horses. She later purchased her own topcaliber eventing horses and moved to

Europe to compete full-time in hopes of securing a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, which she did.

“I was, by a mile, the least experienced,” she said. “If I hadn’t had the training, and if I hadn’t had the support behind me, then I wouldn’t have been ready.”

Ms. Coudray’s speech was followed by remarks from alumnus and school trustee Sally McClenahan Dyer (L87, U91), who started riding at age 7 at the Lower Campus. She too wanted to be an Olympian, but found a successful career in the biotech industry. Teamwork, tenacity, navigating the unpredictable — these were all skills she learned in the barn that have paid dividends in her professional career.

She also recited a list of names — Tinkerbell, Westin, Tomboy, Ajax — beloved school horses and ponies who taught OVS students countless lessons over the years. She told the students in attendance, “always remember all the horses and all the things that they teach you everyday.”

After her remarks, Mr. Kuelling shared photos of five horses who would be the next names to be remembered.

With the support of the Sage Foundation, Mr. Halkett and Mrs. Metz had flown over the holiday break to Ireland to find horses for the program. It was less expensive to buy and ship horses from Dublin, Mr. Hackett said, than to purchase them in California. Five imported geldings — Max, Hector, Gunner, Chilli and George — soon arrived at the Upper Campus. A second group is scheduled to arrive in May.

It has been a momentous year for the program. For Mr. Halkett, the highlight has been working with the young, enthusiastic elementary riders who find joy in every experience — whether in the show ring or daily practice.

“They love every horse that they touch,” he said with a chuckle.

For her part, Kendall would give Mr. Halkett an A+ for his first year.

“He’s a great teacher,” she said. “Riding was fun before, but [he] has brought it to a whole new level of fun.”

Junior Scout Mortenson and teacher Terry Wilson contributed to this story.

Frances rides Hector, one of the new Irish sport horses, at the Upper Campus.

OVS Welcomes two new Trustees to the Board

Vahagn Nahabedian

Past parent Vahagn Nahabedian was elected to the Board of Trustees in November 2023. His connection with the school began nearly 14 years ago when his son, Tigran (L19, U23), started attending the school as a Kindergartner. “OVS has been a place with a culture and traditions that I believe make children flourish,” he wrote in a statement to the Board last year. “I have always been impressed that teachers and administration always worked toward ‘yes’ when we presented them with a request … and we always felt extraordinary support.”

Mr. Nahabedian grew up in Woodland Hills and Ojai. He attended UCSB and earned a BA in Political Science and Anthropology. He also studied abroad at Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan. A fourth generation oilman, he has consulted for oil, agriculture and water companies and most recently served as the Senior Vice President for Shadow Wolf Energy, pursuing green energy solutions combined with traditional energy extraction.

An avid outdoor enthusiast, Mr. Nahabedian also volunteers and serves as a board member of the Channel Islands Park Foundation. His son, Tigran, graduated from Upper Campus last year and is currently a freshman at Stanford University.

Katharine Wang

Current parent Katharine Wang was elected to the Board of Trustees in November 2023. Her connection with the school began four years ago when her daughter enrolled as a 7th grade boarding student at the Lower Campus. “Since then, my family has developed a deep connection with this school and its community, which has become an integral part of our lives,” Ms. Wang wrote in a statement to the Board last year. “I am so excited about the possibility of giving back to the OVS community and contributing to the school’s further success.”

Ms. Wang brings extensive experience in law, cross-cultural communications and finance to the Board. She is a partner of DeHeng Shanghai Law Office practicing in banking finance and international trade, and previously served as an in-house legal counsel at JP Morgan Chase Bank (China) Co., Ltd, Australia and New Zealand Bank (China) Co., Ltd and other foreign-invested banks in Shanghai, China.

Ms. Wang is currently living in California and studying in the Master of Laws (LL.M.) program at the UC Davis School of Law. Her daughter, Rory (L21), is currently a junior at the Upper Campus.

Support our Growing Equestrian Program

The Blue Ribbon Challenge: Equestrian Excellence at OVS was launched in January 2024. The Sage Foundation will contribute an additional $500,000 after the school secures matching support from other donors — which means your gift will be matched dollar for dollar to improve our stables and support our riders and horses. All donors who contribute will be gratefully acknowledged on commemorative plaques at the Lower Campus and Upper Campus stables.

Contact Brian Schlaak in the Development Office at bschlaak@ovs.org or call (805) 646-1423 ex. 1276 for more information or to make a contribution to the Blue Ribbon Challenge!

Vahagn Nahabedian

Katharine Wang

Student Spotlight: Bohdan Cherkai

By Alula Alderson

Salt water stung his eyes. His hands and feet had gone numb. He clung to the surfboard for dear life as icy waves crashed over his head, but he still wore his signature grin.

Ojai Valley School senior Bohdan Cherkai is always smiling. Since he joined OVS this year, he’s taken advantage of every opportunity that comes his way with enthusiasm. His answer for most questions is “why not?”

He has joined the Robotics team, signed up for every camping trip he can, been mountain biking in torrential rain, and even tried surfing for the first time, despite barely knowing how to swim.

From his cheery appearance, you would never guess the truth of Bohdan’s circumstances.

Bohdan first came to the U.S. from Shostka, Ukraine, in his sophomore year of high school. A friend had mentioned a program called Future Leaders Exchange to him a year earlier and he had thought it would be fun to study abroad.

“As a 15-year old, I was going on an adventure,” he said. “I wanted to have independence and that was my chance.”

He was thrilled to be accepted as one of 200 students from an applicant pool of 10,000. A family in Perham, Minnesota hosted him. Though at first he found it challenging to adapt to a new environment with a different language, culture, and customs, it ended up being a great experience for him.

really think that war can really affect you. You think … it’s definitely not going to be me.”

And yet, it was.

The first month was the hardest. It took time for Bohdan to process and accept that this was his new reality. Then, he became entirely engrossed in the war, thinking about it constantly, calling his family daily, and checking the news regularly. His dad was drafted along with all other men over the age of 27, and there was even speculation that Ukrainians outside of the U.S., like Bohdan, could be conscripted if the war continued.

Bohdan also saw reports of missile airstrikes hitting his hometown and destroying buildings.

“It’s a cycle where you get a piece of content and you get angry … and you get more, and you just keep getting angrier and angrier,” he said. “You know you can’t affect [the war]. It’s out of your control, but you keep consuming it. It’s a really dangerous thing.”

“I’d come in, in the mornings, and he’d be here working on applications before school; I’d come in on the weekends when I had weekend duty, and he’d be here working on applications. He worked incredibly hard to accomplish what he wanted.”

- Fred Alvarez, College Counselor

Then, he received devastating news. On the night of February 23, 2022, Bohdan was sitting in bed, about to go to sleep. He scrolled through his phone, checking his messages and emails — and that’s when he saw the headline: “Russia declares war on Ukraine.” His heart stopped. There had been talk in the weeks prior about the possibility of a war, but the general consensus was that it wouldn’t happen.

“Nobody expected it,” said Bohdan. “I was shocked.” War had felt like a distant concept to Bohdan. “You don’t

Bohdan started to limit his media consumption to protect his mental health, though he admitted it was hard, as the Russo-Ukrainian war has received more online documentation than any other.

But time went on, and so did he. Unable to return home to Shostka, Bohdan signed up for another exchange year and moved to a new school and residence in Pierz, Minnesota. Sara and Zak Otremba, a young couple who wanted children of their own, hosted him. They quickly became like a second family to Bohdan.

“We’re really, really connected,” he said. “I think it’s like a lifetime bond.”

Sadly, they could not host him for longer than a year, so Bohdan began looking into boarding schools. That’s how he ended up at OVS, which extended a healthy scholarship that enabled him to attend. He transferred schools for the fourth time in his high school career and almost immediately began to apply for college.

“I had to use my chance of being here, and I decided that the best way to do it would be to get an education in college,” he said. “Questbridge seemed like the best option … financially and opportunity wise.”

Questbridge is a very selective program that provides low-income students, especially those in extraordinary circumstances like Bohdan, a full ride to a college.

OVS college counselor Fred Alvarez, who supported Bohdan throughout the application process, was taken aback by his incredible work ethic.

“I’d come in, in the mornings, and he’d be here working on applications before school; I’d come in on the weekends when I had weekend duty, and he’d be here working on applications,” he recalled. “He worked incredibly hard to accomplish what he wanted.”

On December 1, 2023, Bohdan opened his decision letter and was delighted to be matched with Washington and Lee University, where he will begin attending next fall.

“I was hopeful that he would receive some good news and when he received the good news, I was like, ‘Man, no kid deserves it more,’” said Mr. Alvarez.

The Otrembas were equally proud of him. “He’s made the most of his situation, and he’s just taking every opportunity that comes with it,” said Sara Otremba. Bohdan stayed with them over the winter break and will again over the summer vacation.

“We expect him to be a part of our lives for a very long time, if not the whole future,” said Mrs. Otremba.

Apart from their weekly FaceTime video calls, it’s been three years since Bohdan has seen his real family, and there’s no telling when he will again.

Even in this situation, Bohdan remains positive. In fact, he says the war has made him more of an optimist than he ever used to be. He recognizes that he still has a lot to be grateful for and that he could have it a lot worse.

“I happened to leave Ukraine to come to the U.S. … three or four months before everything started,” he said. “I could have been there right now — on the front. So, I got it much easier than most others.”

Bohdan is fighting for his country in another way.

“For me the bright future looks like this: gaining my education in the States and then using it to help my own homeland prosper,” he said.

And so, Bohdan continues to smile.

Bohdan and classmates work on a Field Studies project.

Bohdan strategizes with his robotics teammates.

Bohdan, dancing with friends at Prom.

Exceptional acceptances

For the Class of 2024, the dust is finally settling after a whirlwind college admissions season.

Thirty seniors earned 155 college acceptances before Spring Break. They face lots of good choices with offers pending from large universities that include Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Northwestern and NYU, as well as smaller liberal arts colleges like Occidental, Sarah Lawrence, Scripps, and Middlebury.

For five seniors, decision-time came early.

Bohdan Cherkai, Tristan Phelps (L20), Kate Huey (L20), and Mariana Thacher (L20) are already committed to Washington and Lee University, Menlo College, Pitzer College, and Scripps College respectively.

Cherkai was the first student committed to college in the Class of 2024 – and admitted to a selective university with a full ride, no less. Cherkai applied to Washington and Lee University, among other colleges, through a program called Questbridge, which grants its selected students a full-ride scholarship. For this program, Bohdan wrote countless essays.

“It was like a college application… on steroids,” he said.

On December 1, 2023, Cherkai said he might have checked his email 20 times, knowing the decision would come through. His application was binding. Whichever school Questbridge placed him in, he was required to attend. He finally got the email in the afternoon: Washington and Lee University. Cherkai plans to study computer science, and has a wide selection of opportunities available to him including summer internships, study abroad programs, and more.

On that same day, Phelps got an acceptance and a scholarship offer from one of his top schools, Menlo College, where he intends to pursue a degree in business.

Huey was sitting in her car with her best friend on December 13 when she received her acceptance from Pitzer College. An Early Decision agreement binds her to Pitzer for four years. She likes the environmental focus of the school, the smaller community within Pitzer, and the larger community of the other four Claremont schools.

Classmate Mariana Thacher was cleaning her room when her watch notified her that she had an email. It was from Scripps College — her top school — and it was good news.

“I just knew, immediately,” Thacher said. “I got the email and I was like, ‘Oh my god. This is it.’”

Seniors Alula Alderson, Matt Galgano (L20), Ben Manning (L20) and Mariana Thacher (L20) in their college gear.

Destination: Chile

A crew of adventurous students and teachers returned in March from an 11day excursion to Patagonia National Park in Chile, continuing a decadeslong tradition of international school travel. Students have previously ventured to Iceland, Peru, Costa Rica, and other destinations.

But the Patagonia trip was unique for the breadth of its outdoor experiences and opportunities to work with regional volunteer projects on restoration initiatives.

The adventure began with a threeday, 33-mile trek through the heart of Patagonia National Park. Students faced all varieties of weather from freezing mornings to bright summer sunshine that inspired much needed plunges in glacial runoff. After exiting the hike in the Chacabuco Valley, students shifted gears and joined up with Rewilding Chile for a day of restoration across the border in Argentina, removing obsolete corrals and fencing.

Dirty, dusty and worn out, the group then drove south to set up for a

55-kilometer paddle on the iconic and powerful Baker River.

“The Baker delivered and the students confidently kayaked through beautiful big water and a few class II rapids,” said Zach Byars, the Outdoor Education coordinator for the Upper Campus and an experienced swift water guide. “With waning daylight, the paddlers landed at the takeout at the confluence with the Los Nadis River and carried the boats up to the ranch house. The smells of a traditional Chilean asado filled the air and the group readily settled into a cultural experience they won’t soon forget.”

The final stop on the trip was on the banks of Lago General Carrera, where students spent two days and nights at the Alma Verde permaculture school and eco-campground. Between permaculture lessons and discussion, the students lounged in hammocks, explored the garden, and let the magnitude of the trip sink in.

“It was an incredible and powerful experience,” Byars said. “It was a trip

of firsts, and one that proved that our students are stronger together than apart.”

Seven students joined Mr. Byars, Spanish teacher Gretchen Wachter, and Admission Associate Director Ted Tambakis on this first-ever trip to Patagonia. Wachter previously led school treks to Peru, Spain, and Costa Rica. But this trip was distinctive.

“It was different in that the focus was more on the outdoors and sustainability,” Ms. Wachter said. “And because we were backpacking we also had the personal growth aspect that comes with camping and hiking in difficult weather and terrain.”

For Tambakis, highlights of the trip included partnering with Rewilding Chile on restoration work as well as working with their in-country river and wilderness guides, who taught students about the local ecology, river systems, and cultural heritage.

“You could plug any group into that trip and come away with a transformative experience,” he said. “It went better than we could have expected and I would love to see the trip done again.”

Field Studies: Hands-on Education

Submerging a thermometer in the sun-warmed water, junior Rory Liu (L21) measured the temperature of a local river as part of an effort to help monitor the health of the freshwater ecosystem. In doing so, she learned a lesson that plenty of other OVS students have learned over the years: getting outside is much more fun than sitting at a classroom desk.

“We learned about how different factors affect the temperature of streams, which then affect fish,” Liu said. “So that was really cool.”

Similar comments have come from other students this year who have taken part in the school’s new Field Studies program, which taps into the long-held OVS ideal that students learn best when they are outdoors and exploring the natural world around them.

As the new Field Studies Coordinator, science teacher Miles Munding-Becker (L08, U13) is responsible for creating and maintaining partnerships with local organizations to advance the school’s Land & Climate curriculum, supporting teachers with field studies opportunities, and tracking units across the curriculum.

Currently, there are three projects underway: water quality monitoring with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, which includes measuring dissolved oxygen, pH, and stream temperatures; taking discharge measurements at a local creek to record invasive species present; and advancing a sustainable agriculture program that includes soil composting and native plantings.

Mr. Munding-Becker recognizes that this experience is not for everyone, but hopes students embrace the opportunity to learn and have fun. “Some people will be like, ‘Oh, man, I’m not really interested in water,’ or like, ‘I’m not really interested in agriculture,’” he said. “But they’ll still be exposed to something different.”

Environmental History explores Salton Sea

This year, OVS added semester-long courses in Environmental History and Environmental Justice to the high school curriculum. Environmental History students began their coursework by analyzing the consequences of industrialization, development of the American West and the emergence of the environmental movement in the 1960s.

As part of that study, history teacher Tyson Luneau spent two weeks focused on one unique location: the Salton Sea. This shallow, landlocked body of water in Riverside and Imperial counties “is an accident of history,” Mr. Luneau said, forming in 1905 following a swelling of the Colorado River that sent massive floods into the California desert.

“The newly created sea sparked the proliferation of agriculture and tourism in the Imperial Valley in the midtwentieth century,” Mr. Luneau said. “However, gradual evaporation of its waters has sparked an environmental crisis, decimating a once-thriving tourism sector and threatening the viability of agriculture in the region.”

Luneau’s students embarked on a three-day journey to the region along with students in the AP Environmental Science class. They explored geothermal mud pots, waterfowl migration areas, obsidian rock formations, and eclectic folk art installations. They also had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Tim Krantz, professor emeritus at the University of Redlands and a renowned expert on the Salton Sea.

“The opportunity to combine rigorous classroom analysis with experiential, on-site learning is one of my favorite aspects of teaching at OVS and this trip was a perfect representation of it,” Mr. Luneau said. “The lived experience of these trips gives students a deeper understanding of the environmental challenges we face today, a fact that was reinforced by the feedback I received from students on the four-hour drive home.”

Class Hikes

Students in grades PreKindergarten to Eighth enjoyed fabulous weather and excellent trail conditions for Class Hikes, venturing into our nearby mountains and meadows for a day of exploration on the trails. This muchloved annual tradition is the culminating day of the first semester at the Lower Campus. Students arrive at school in their outdoor gear, make their own sack lunches at the Wallace Burr Pergola, and then head to their designated trailheads. It’s a fun way to end the semester!

Cross Country Takes League

Back-to-back-to-back! Last fall, the OVS boys cross country team won its third Omega League championship in a row, earning a near-perfect score in the league final held at the flat-and-fast Soule Park course in Ojai.

The Spuds took five of the top six spots to complete the three-peat, led by senior Eli Roston (L20) who set a course record to earn the first individual cross country league title for an OVS male in at least two decades.

Eli completed the 3-mile course in a personal best time of 16:47. But he was not alone. Each of the other top five runners for OVS set personal bests, including sophomore Kai Ishikawa who finished third, senior Soren Saye who took fourth, freshman Russell Zhang who finished fifth, and senior William Ramsay who took sixth place.

All runners in the top ten earned individual medals, and First Team and Second Team All-League honors. As winner of the race, Eli was named Omega League MVP. On the girls side, runners Adele Erk and Anna English (L20) placed third and fourth, respectively.

“We worked for months to get to this point,” said coach Fred Alvarez. “We train so that we can do well here, and they exceeded my expectations. I couldn’t be prouder of the way they competed.”

Middle School Boys Soccer Clinches League Title

The Lower Campus boys soccer team clinched the league championship in November and ended the regular season with a record of 7-1. The Spuds capped their season with a championship 3-2 win over Crane Country Day School with goals from 8th graders Liam Sears, Scotty Hatton, and Ramon Covarrubias. Coached by

alum Callen Gartrell (L01), and led by 8th grade captains Archer Moller and Scotty Hatton, the team ended the season with the highest goal differential in OVS history. “This team has defined leadership at Ojai Valley School,” Gartrell said. “The team in its entirety has been the epitome of class, effort, and sportsmanship.”

High School Boys Soccer Advances to Playoffs

The Upper Campus boys soccer team faced wind, rain and Azusa High School in the CIF-SS playoffs. Although OVS did not emerge with a win, Coach Adam Woll (L14) said it was “great to see us get so far, and hopefully this will

prove to be the start of a great and revamped soccer program.” Key performances during the season came from freshman scorers Renji Hanai and Matthew Bowden (L23), as well as sophomore Kai Ishikawa and senior Soren Saye.

Performing Arts Lights Up the Greenberg Center

There are numerous opportunities for students to showcase their talents and build confidence through singing, acting, and dancing at OVS. This was evident last fall as our elementary students staged a wonderful production of “Circus Olympus,” which put a modern twist on ancient Greek myths. The show was written and produced by Emmy Award-winning Performing Arts Coordinator Andy Street and featured two dozen students in grades 3-5.

Upper Campus theater students took the stage weeks later for a winter performance of “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Set in the early 1940s, the play featured comedic and musical

performances by students in grades 9-12 in the Greenberg Center at Lower Campus.

In March, middle school students took audiences on a wild adventure through Victorian England while performing “Oliver!” for their spring musical. Adapted from “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens, the musical production required hours of rehearsals as well a dedicated crew of students, parents, and teachers who helped with sets, choreography, costumes, lighting, and more. Thank you to everyone who supported these shows and the performing arts at Ojai Valley School!

Campuses Celebrate Lunar New Year

OVS welcomed the Year of the Dragon in February as students, teachers, and families from both campuses enjoyed a sumptuous meal at the Littlefield Student Commons at Upper Campus.

During the dinner, middle school students from the English Language Development (ELD) program at Lower Campus bravely stepped up to share stories about their own cultural traditions. They also led a trivia game show for prizes and rice cakes, and showed confidence in teaching their older peers about the Year of the Dragon. Fun fact: the dragon is the only mythical creature in the 12-animal Chinese zodiac and is believed to foster growth, progress and abundance.

Boys Dorm Lounge Gets Facelift

At the Upper Campus, we completed a long-awaited remodel of the boys dorm lounge, including adding a kitchen with a stove, microwave, refrigerator, sink and dishwasher. The remodel also includes new laminate flooring and new furnishings. The adjacent Outdoor Education storage area was also expanded and reorganized. The improvements will provide our resident boys with a homier setting to be together on evenings and weekends. Having a dedicated lounge space to relax with friends is an important part of the boarding school experience, and we are excited to provide this new and improved space! The improvements to the boys dorm were generously funded by past parent Janis Black Warner and the OVS Annual Fund. Thank you!

Senior Allyanna Westcott (L20) captured the dragon’s fierce spirit with a digital drawing that won the annual Lunar New Year greeting card contest.

OVS Middle, High School Students Volunteer with Ojai Valley Land Conservancy

More than 150 students and teachers worked in the rain in March to help the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) remove invasive plants from two of its open space preserves. It was a wet, muddy enterprise as students uprooted mustard and curly dock plants. Earlier in the year, Upper and Lower Campus students, faculty and parents

participated in restoration efforts to remove traces of a former kiwi orchard at the Ventura River Preserve. Their work included removing old fencing, irrigation tubing, and other debris. Lower Campus Outdoor Education Coordinator Matt Inman summed up the value of the student work by saying to the assembled group: “We

mountain bike on this land. We ride horses here. We take elementary hikes through this preserve. All of these activities occur thanks to the OVLC and their commitment to preserving the natural world, and now you students have found a way to give back to them and help restore the river bottom. Well done!”

Upper Campus Adopts Food Share of Ventura County

Since the start of the school year, Upper Campus students and teachers have regularly volunteered with Food Share of Ventura County by packing food boxes that provide hunger relief to local residents. One in four people in Ventura Country suffers from food insecurity, according to Food Share, which annually provides approximately 16 million meals to those struggling.

Due to the great need, Upper Campus has adopted Food Share as one of its primary community service organizations, in addition to the work OVS does with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy and other local nonprofits. In the

coming weeks, spring sports teams and the entire freshman class will volunteer in support of Food Share’s activities.

One of those activities is working at the food distribution center at Oxnard College. The track and golf teams recently handed out more than 1,000 food boxes to needy families from throughout the region.

“You guys made a lot of people happy today,” Food Share’s Kevin Herold, the nonprofit’s food sourcing supervisor, told the OVS volunteers.

“It should do your hearts good to feed this many families.”

Saturday,May11,2024

Cocktails at 5 p.m. Dinner at 6 p.m. Live Auction at 7 p.m. at the OVS Lower Campus

Help support our world-class Outdoor Education program!

For silent auction bidding and to donate: OVS.ORG/GALA

Help support OVS Outdoor Education at the Gala

By Lars Kuelling, Head of School

For the past 100+ years, OVS students have hiked, climbed, paddled, and explored the great outdoors as a part of our first-class Outdoor Education program. Where most school’s programs entail day hikes or some car camping at a grade level or two, every OVS student from Pre-Kindergarten to grade 12 is immersed in the scenic beauty and glory of the outdoor world surrounding Ojai and beyond.

School Founder Edward Yeomans articulated the value of the outdoors to a child’s healthy development when he wrote about Nature as a person’s “most permanent source of strength and happiness” a century ago. Ojai Valley School’s unique commitment to educating students in the natural world has been safeguarded over the generations. In the 1950s, former Headmaster Wallace Burr sought teachers with a willingness to camp and a shared belief that as many lessons are taught outdoors as in a classroom. Alumni fondly remember camping trips with JB Close and his Bristol Highlanders, backpacking in the Sespe with Shawn Sampson and Crystal Davis, and countless trips led by our current generation of Outdoor Ed leaders, Matt Inman, Duncan Wallace, Zach Byars, and Devyn Reynolds.

Today, this crew works diligently with their available resources to purchase and maintain equipment which is reliable and

Enhancements could include:

Equipment

• 10 soft-top surfboards for increased surf instruction - $2,500

• Two bike cargo trailers for mountain bike camping - $1,000

safe and supports the varied facets of our program. Many times this means they rely on donated equipment or repairs to items such as ripped tents or blown out sleeping bags. Funds raised at this year’s Gala will directly benefit our students by broadening the experiences and special programs and supplementing the outdoor gear they need to paddle on, climb on, hike with, bike with, sleep in, and cook on!

• Set of Packrafts and paddles for hybrid hike/float trips - $6,500

Facilities

• Refurbish and upgrade the Lower Campus Climbing Wall - $5,000

• OVS has partnered with Green Valley Project to install an outdoor learning space at the foot of Split Rock on our Upper Campus as a “base camp” for our Outdoor Education and Field Studies programs. Though the base camp will come at no cost to OVS, we would like to develop a series of trails — for foot, bike and horse traffic — on the school’s 150+ acres adjoining the Los Padres National Forest. As envisioned, this new trail network could be utilized by students across the grade levels as well as OVS families and friends. Estimated cost of trail system - $12,000

Special Programs

• Fund ongoing Channel Islands trips and restoration activities - $4,200

• Fund NEW adventures to destinations outside of our normal spring backpacking trips such as the Grand Canyon, Lost Coast and Escalante National Monument - $5,400

• OVS currently has two Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and 25 Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certified faculty members. WFR certification comes at the end of a rigorous 80-hour class in medical intervention in outdoor scenarios and is industry standard for professional wilderness guides; WFA training teaches advanced skills to be used in emergencies when help from professional first responders may not be immediately available. Cost to recertify three additional OVS leaders in WFR training - $6,500

With your support, we hope to raise at least $75,000 to invest in this core program of an OVS education. Please join us in raising your paddles high for OVS Outdoor Ed! You can make a donation online at ovs.org/give.

Saudi Songstress

Reem Altamimi Talks About Her Boundary-Crossing Music and Journey as an Artist

By Allyanna Westcott (L20)

Among her many accomplishments, singer-songwriter Tamtam, or Reem Altamimi (U10), has these achievements on her list: article after article in Vogue (including a cover photo of Vogue Arabia’s music issue and collaboration with Cartier), music production sponsored by Coke at the Qatar World Cup, and a high school diploma from Ojai Valley School.

Reem grew up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She came to OVS in her sophomore year and graduated in 2010. Now, she is a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and author of thoughtprovoking and socially-aware music who splits her time between California and Saudi Arabia.

Reem loved to sing when she was little. “When I turned 11, my friends at school started telling me that I actually have a good enough voice to sing,” she said, “and I remember that made me so happy!”

However, she didn’t know she could follow this passion. “I

didn’t have examples of Saudi female artists who sang in English or in a Western style, so I really thought this was just going to be a lost dream,” said Reem.

The first time Reem performed live was singing a medley of Michael Jackson songs at an OVS talent show with the school choir. Lisa Boyd, the former OVS choir teacher, recalled that Reem was a big fan of Michael Jackson’s music, and Reem cites Michael Jackson as an inspiration in interviews with other news outlets.

It was a hit.

“She did an excellent job of singing solos on the songs Thriller and Beat It, and she danced while she sang,” Mrs. Boyd said. “People loved it!”

This was the instant Reem knew she wanted a musical career. “It was the first time I ever performed live, and it was a feeling

Reem “Tamtam” Altamimi in Vogue Arabia.

Photo by Brian Higgs

I had never experienced in my life,” she said. “I knew that evening that I wanted to do music, and I was going to do whatever it took to get there.”

What Reem loved most about OVS was the acceptance within the school.

“Although I was the only Saudi student, and one of two Muslim students at the school, I always felt that my differences were celebrated and appreciated,” she said.

She also enjoyed meeting people with new world views. “I loved meeting people who were different to me and who had their own ideas about the world and life,” she said. “It really taught me that diversity in the world must be celebrated, and we can all truly coexist beautifully.”

Reem also performed in musicals at OVS. In 2009, she played Buddy Holly’s wife in Buddy. The next year, she sang a song in the style of an opera singer as Miss Dorothy in Thoroughly Modern Millie

“While she was at OVS, I knew she loved to sing, and she was a natural performer,” said Mrs. Boyd, who also oversaw the musicals. However, she didn’t know Reem wanted to pursue a musical career. “I had no idea! I was so surprised and excited when I first discovered her videos on the internet. I felt very proud of her,” Mrs. Boyd said.

way to be authentic with my art: by being vulnerable in my truth,” she said.

Her activism shines through much of her music. For example, her second single, “Gender Game,” is about gender equality and her own story trying to become a singer. The song went viral in the Middle East. According to her interviews with About Her and Voyage LA, award-winning actor and CEO Geena Davis invited her to perform at three symposiums for her non-profit, See Jane, which advocates for gender equality in media.

Reem also loves collaborating with other artists in both English and Arabic. One memorable collaboration is with artist Felukah and a little company named Coca-Cola. In 2022, Coca-Cola chose TamTam and Felukah to sing the Coca-Cola theme song “A Kind of Magic‘’ by Queen at the Qatar World Cup. They produced a cover of the song in addition to performing live.

“I was really proud when I got to sing at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022,” Reem said. “It was such an amazing experience and I’m truly grateful!”

It may seem unbelievable that a former OVS Spud is now such a star. How did she get so far?

Reem began singing Michael Jackson, but now she writes and sings her own music, available on Spotify and Youtube. “I like to write about my experiences because that’s the best

“By doing it everyday, learning from my experiences, making little changes here and there and taking notes of the different outcomes,” Reem said. “Most importantly for me it has been about persevering, being patient, and recognizing that vulnerability is a strength. I still have to remind myself of that every day.”

Caitlin Cooper Joins Alumni Relations Team

We are excited to introduce Caitlin (Black) Cooper (L97) as our new leader of Alumni Relations! Caitlin is a proud OVS alum, former member of the Equestrian staff, and a parent of two children at Lower Campus.

Her enthusiasm and deep connection to OVS make her the perfect person to take

on the new role as Associate Director of Development for Alumni Relations and Constituent Engagement.

Email her at alumni@ovs.org with any alumni-related inquiries or updates! We look forward to seeing our alumni community thrive under Caitlin’s leadership.

Reem with classmate Andrew Town (U09) in their Upper Campus production of Buddy.

Ellwanger wins international photo award

By Vlada Antipkina

Few would consider the Arctic a bucketlist travel destination. But for Ojai Valley School alum Meline Ellwanger (U21) it offered a chance to capture a photo of the often elusive polar bear. Day and night, she tirelessly searched for the perfect shot, culminating in a breathtaking moment when a curious polar bear poked its head out of a cabin window.

From this one photo, Meline, who began her OVS journey in 10th grade, has recently found success — winning Nature’s Youth Photographer of the Year award, one of the most highly respected international nature photography competitions in the world.

Photographers around the world compete for the award by taking pictures that spread awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation. The competition culminates in all mediums, from wildlife portraits to

underwater photography. It is highly prestigious, as a jury of professional photographers determine which images provide the most value.

Meline came to OVS as a sophomore in 2018 from Germany. While she was only supposed to spend one year abroad, she stayed for the rest of her high school career, excelling at OVS and graduating in 2021.

“I loved the small community that OVS provided, and I had always been passionate about the outdoors, so the outdoor program fascinated me,” she said.

The Outdoor Education program that OVS offers partially explains why she became a professional wildlife photographer. She also emphasizes the importance community support has had in her success.

“The support I got from faculty and

friends is what pushed me to pursue wildlife photography,” she said.

Currently, Meline is attending Montana State University in Bozeman, where she is pursuing a degree in fish and wildlife ecology. The college offers a happy medium for her as it allows her to ski and take award-winning photographs all in the same day.

However, she did have some difficulty adjusting.

“Our winters here are pretty rough with temperatures often dropping to -20,” she said.

Despite the often harsh environment, Meline is focused on creating a connection to wildlife, as a photographer and an ecologist. From her years at OVS, she cites her evolution. “When I started, my goal was to get as many pictures as possible without paying attention to details — I was most focused on just getting a picture of the animal,” she said. “Now I try to incorporate environments with my subjects, and I try to make my subjects stand out as much as possible.”

Beyond simply emphasizing the details, she wants to convey the animals in their state, putting much more emotion into her work.

At the moment, Meline is in her second year of college, working toward her bachelor’s degree and eventually planning to get a master’s degree in Wildlife Ecology. After that, she wants to study mountain lions in Chile and the U.S., with her most recent trip having had a significant impact on her.

“I have completely shifted my focus on pumas,” she said.

Beyond the study of pumas, she wants

Meline’s award-winning photo.

to advocate for better co-existence between ranchers and wildlife, especially in Montana, where she resides currently.

Meline has much planned for her future in photography and ecology.

“I am going to Alaska this year, and I am returning to Chile and the Arctic in 2025,” she said.

Meline also started a professional website where she hopes to sell her prints and guide future

photographers in the industry. For those interested in photography, Meline emphasizes the importance of cultivating a unique style. While photography is difficult and often has its ups and downs, she cites the fact that there is much value in that pursuit.

“Photography is an endless journey of learning,” Meline said. “No matter what your skill level is, there is always room to grow … Above all, patience is key to success in this field.”

Mendoza Heads to Midwest to Play College Baseball

By Andrew Little (L21)

He started as a Little Leaguer and played baseball throughout high school and then community college. But now, after tireless years of work and commitment, Ojai Valley School alum Derek Mendoza (U21) has hit the big time.

The left-handed pitcher signed to play this year for Doane University, a private college in Crete, Nebraska. The small NAIA school has been a perennial powerhouse in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, winning its third conference title in a row last season.

For Mendoza, who for the past two years had been pitching for Oxnard College, the move up to universitylevel baseball is the culmination of a

lifetime of dreams and ambitions, even if he achieved his goal in a way he never expected.

“I did expect myself to be playing in college,” Mendoza said. “Did I expect to be playing college baseball in Nebraska, at a school that I hadn’t heard of until five months before attending? Absolutely not.”

Mendoza was born and raised in Ojai. He was introduced to baseball at a young age through Little League and he continued his athletic journey through high school.

It was at the Upper Campus when Mendoza said he knew he wanted to take baseball to the next level. He attributes his success to his former coaches who taught him how to push himself on and off the field. At OVS, Mendoza would go on to win Omega League MVP, and First-team and Secondteam All-League honors.

Former Baseball Coach and Athletic Director Doug Colborn said he saw tremendous growth

in Mendoza throughout high school because of all the hard work he put in.

“He was baby-faced, very timid, and lacking self confidence,” Colborn said, recalling Mendoza’s first year. “Three years later he became an integral part of a very successful team.”

After graduating high school, Mendoza went to Oxnard College, where he continued improving his game. As a Condor, he appeared in 13 games, starting six and posting two wins and one save. He averaged 3.5 strikeouts per game, and ended two years of conference play with an excellent 2.45 earned run average.

Those statistics caught the eye of the pitching coach at Doane, who contacted Mendoza about the possibility of playing in Nebraska. After some talk between coach and player, Mendoza decided to tour the school and eventually ended up signing a letter of intent to play this year. Doane’s season started in February and Mendoza is excited about the journey ahead.

“You can’t play forever and one day my journey will end,” he said. “I just hope that’s not soon.”

Skye’s the Limit

Singer-songwriter hits her stride in Boston music scene

By Tallulah Bell

It’s a night she will never forget.

With colorful lights flashing and the roar of an audience packed in to get a good view, OVS alum Alex Alvarez (L18, U22) launched into the first number of her first professional musical performance, a mashup of a cover of “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by the group Lettuce and Alex Isley’s “Two Step In The Living Room.”

Alex Alvarez, who goes by the professional name Alex Skye, is currently a sophomore at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Growing her talent from a young age, she began songwriting in high school, and has continued to incorporate her passion for music into her everyday life.

All of that talent, energy and experience came together on January 26, when Alex staged her first headliner show at the Secret Island musical oasis in Allston, Mass. Alex and her sevenpiece band played an hour-long set, blending her vocal prowess with the dynamic sounds of R&B fusion generated by a guitar, piano, bass, trumpet, saxophone, and drums.

Alex performed a mix of covers and some of her original music, including a preview of her first single, “Medicine,” which was released on Spotify and other streaming platforms on April 12.

“It was really fun,” she said. “We sold out the entire place, and it was completely packed. For a house show, the capacity is usually 150 people, but there were people out the door.”

Alex has formed a tight bond with her bandmates, and the lead guitarist has

become one of her best friends. The two first started having conversations about performing live as they realized that there were many people starting to take interest in their music. The two are the band leaders, arrangers and co-writers on all of the original music.

“We had a lot of interest from people who knew me around school,” Alex said. “The band kind of formed itself.”

Alex did not always know that she would pursue music. In her sophomore year at Upper Campus, she started to take an interest in performing, learning piano and guitar to back her vocals. Through junior and senior year, she commanded the stage in school musicals and other performances.

The music program at Ojai Valley School allows students to find a niche, and then follow it. Alex credits music teachers John and Lisa Boyd, who have since retired, for helping her progress.

Somewhere along the way, Berklee became her dream school, and she and her family were elated when the admission offer came Alex’s senior year. What didn’t come, however, was a lot of financial aid to help pay the way. Alex’s parents figured they had enough money to get her through a year at Berklee, with the hope that she would be able to earn a scholarship while she was there.

That hope became reality last summer when Alex received a full-tuition scholarship at Berklee for the next three years.

Alex has taken full advantage of that opportunity. She works in Berklee’s

Admissions Office, giving tours to prospective students. She was recently promoted to assistant director for Berklee auditions.

She plays live whenever and wherever she can, most recently taking her band to perform a one-hour set on the Tufts University radio show, Post Adolescent Glow. She’s landing paid gigs, writing her own music, and enjoying the collaborations that come with playing with gifted musical artists who come from around the world to attend Berklee.

“I’ve always been proud of Alex, but I have been amazed at the breakthrough performances she has had this year,” said her father, OVS teacher and college counselor Fred Alvarez.

Alex’s journey illustrates what happens when someone keeps working hard.

Not only does her family recognize her success and perseverance, so does her best friend and OVS classmate CatieJo Larkin (L18, U22), now a sophomore at nearby Smith College. he was on hand at Alex’s first professional performance, snapping photos and cheering her friend’s success.

“Watching Alex’s musical growth has been a gift,” CatieJo said. “I always tell her no matter what, I am her forever number 1 fan. It is so impressive to see how far Alex has come, but not at all surprising.”

OVS Alumni Weekend 2024

Alumni Weekend is a great opportunity to reconnect with former classmates and explore the new and nostalgic aspects of Ojai Valley School. This year we will host a special celebration of the 65th, 50th, 25th and 10th reunions for the classes of 1959, 1974, 1999 and 2014. Check out the full schedule of events – and a few throw-back pictures below! Register soon at www.ovs.org/aw or fill out the form on page 35. We look forward to seeing you at the Upper Campus on June 7-9!

Alumni Weekend Schedule

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

3 to 6 p.m.

5 to 6 p.m.

Spuds N Suds Golf

Location TBD

Alumni Weekend Check-in

Pool and Activity Center

Wine & Cheese Welcome Reception

Pool and Activity Center

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

8 to 10 a.m.

8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

10 a.m. to Noon

11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Noon to 1 p.m.

1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

4 to 4:30 p.m.

4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Continental Breakfast

Boswell Hall

Guided Hike

Meet at Littlefield Commons

Alumni Weekend Check-in

Pool and Activity Center

Rock Climbing Wall

Ropes Course

Pool Open

Pool and Activity Center

Lunch

Boswell Hall

Paint and Sip Class

The Studio Pickleball Tournament

Location TBD

Campus & Stable Tours

Classrooms & Stables

State of the School Presentation

Seminar Room

Reunion Reception

J.B. Close Library

Enjoy golf in Ojai! Check-in at 10:00 a.m. Tee time at 11:00 a.m. Pre-registration required

Pick up your name badge and get your dorm assignment if you are staying in the dorms

Enjoy a delectable spread poolside at the Upper Campus. Dinner on your own in town

Enjoy a continental breakfast with your classmates

Join a local Ojai hike for all ability levels. Location to be determined based on trail and weather conditions. Transportation provided Pick up your name badge. Shop the OVS Alumni Store

Embark on a climbing adventure! Our experienced instructors will guide you every step of the way, ensuring a safe and fun experience for climbers of all levels

Enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool with friends

Enjoy a buffet lunch

Paint your own masterpiece while enjoying mimosas or chilled wine in a class led by alumna Michele Floyd (L84) in the new art studio Participate in a Pickleball Tournament with other alumni

Visit classrooms to learn more about academic offerings, then head to the Stables to learn more about the current Equestrian Program Head of School Lars Kuelling gives a presentation on the new Strategic Plan and the school’s vision for the future Special reunion reception for the classes of 1959, 1974, 1999 and 2014

THE MAIN EVENT: GRAND CELEBRATION DINNER AND MUSIC

Enjoy the 2024 Alumni Weekend Celebration Dinner at the Littlefield Student Commons as we celebrate the 65th, 50th, 25th and 10th reunions for the classes of 1959, 1974, 1999 and 2014. Dressy casual attire. Adults only. Child care available with registration.

5:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

7:45 to 9:00 p.m.

Social and Class Photos

Top of the Hill

Celebration Dinner

Top of the Hill

Music and Dancing

Top of the Hill

SUNDAY, JUNE 9

9:30 to 11 a.m.

Join us for wine, beer, and music. Adults only. Class photos begin at 6:00 p.m.

Enjoy dinner at the Littlefield Student Commons

Dance under the stars with music from our reunion eras

Closing Day Brunch Boswell Hall

Say farewell to your classmates & enjoy a final brunch at Boswell Hall. Pre-registration required

Reminder: We love pets, but they are not allowed at Alumni Weekend events.

Name:

Address:

E-mail:

Alumni Weekend REGISTRATION FORM

JUNE 7-9, 2024

To register, visit www.ovs.org/aw or complete the form below with payment to: OVS Alumni Office, 723 El Paseo Road, Ojai, CA, 93023

Class of:

Home phone:

Name(s) of adult guest(s):

Name(s) & age(s) of child(ren):

Cell phone:

ALUMNI WEEKEND REGISTRATION:

The 2024 Alumni Weekend Main Event Dinner is a seated event; we strongly encourage you to purchase your ticket(s) in advance, as this event is likely to sell out. All meals, childcare, and activities are included in your Alumni Weekend registration. Dorm accommodations at Upper Campus are available for an additional cost per person.

$75 per person, adult ticket Total: $

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Alumni and families can stay in the Upper Campus dorms for an additional $100 per adult or $175 per couple. The school will provide towels, pillows, and bedding, but you are also welcome to bring a sleeping bag or own bedding. No pets allowed.

Number of guests:

Name(s) of guests staying in dorm:

Total: $

ACTIVITIES:

Please let us know in which Alumni Weekend activities you would like to participate, and the number of people in your party. Check all that apply:

Pickleball Tournament

Climbing Wall

Childcare for June 8 Dinner (Children must be potty-trained and pre-registration is required)

Cornhole Tournament

Paint and Sip Class

Guided Hike in Ojai

Closing Brunch

Spuds N Suds Golf - Friday, June 7, in the morning (Additional $100 per person for green fees; must RSVP by May 25)

ROUND UP FOR OVS!

Your tax-deductible gift supports the OVS Annual Fund, which funds new educational initiatives, faculty enrichment grants, improvements to our equestrian, athletic and outdoor education programs, as well as increased scholarships and financial aid. Supporting the Annual Fund is the best way to have a positive impact on the daily life of our students and faculty.

$25 $50 $100 $200

PAYMENT:

Check Enclosed. Please make your check payable to Ojai Valley School.

Other: $

Credit Card. To pay with a credit card, please visit www.ovs.org/aw or call (805) 640-2578.

TOTAL: $

Alumni Notes

Frances Case (L61) is once again calling on alumni from the 1950s and early 1960s to attend “The Gathering of the Ancients” immediately following Alumni Weekend. This tight-knit group previously gathered in Sedona for a reunion every four years, but moved their gathering to the Upper Campus last year and the year prior. “Our first gathering was in 1992,” Frances said. “I believe this is about the 12th gathering, the first of which included a number of our teachers too.” Frances said alumni of her era should contact her directly by email, caseyintucson@gmail.com, or by cell to call or text: (520) 488-5904.

Jody Cooper (L71, U74) is rallying her classmates to attend Alumni Weekend for their 50th reunion on June 7-9, 2024, at the Upper Campus! Jody, who is still teaching ceramics and selling her pottery locally, and husband Carl Cooper (L64, U68) are living in Ojai, raising a young yellow Lab, Goose, and enjoying time spent outdoors and with grandchildren Stella and Finley, who are both students at Lower Campus. Jody’s work will be featured

at the OVS Gala May 11, along with the work of her former colleague and current Upper Campus ceramics teacher, Crystal Davis.

Charlie de L’Arbre (L01) shared the following update: “I married my wife, Jaz, in 2021. We met at Dunn School in 2003. I completed my B.A. at UCSB and worked in Archaeology for a while before I became a Chef. I was the Executive Chef at Toma Restaurant & Bar in Santa Barbara before moving to Spokane in the PNW in 2022. We own a pottery business called Bones and Bouquets, and I’m currently working towards opening a food truck!”

Naum Nasif (L96) visited Ojai recently to show his children and wife, Emma, where he spent his formative middle school years. Naum posed for a picture with classmate Nicole (Gartrell) Ferro, her parents, Linda and Gary Gartrell, sister Kelsey (Gartrell) Bailey and former staff members Tami Scott, Sophocles Cotsis, and Eleanora Burright, and her husband, Chuck.

Tiana Coudray (L02, U06)

recently returned to the Upper Campus for a special Equestrian event. More than 120 guests packed Boswell Hall as Tiana recounted her path from beginning rider in the OVS barns all the way to the London Olympics in 2012. She spoke about the commitment, grit and tenacity necessary to become an Olympiclevel rider — and expressed gratitude to her coaches for giving her opportunities to find her life’s work. Tiana is now living in England and working as a professional trainer and three-day event rider.

Molly Baker (U10) lives in Agoura Hills with her husband, Andre, and their son, Teo, who was born on May 16, 2023. Molly writes: “Andre and I met at Apricot Lane Farms in Moorpark where I was teaching and he was filming wildlife. We got married at the Ventura courthouse in November 2023.”

Angus Beverly (U10) is engaged to fiancee Emily Palmer. The couple plan to marry next year in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Angus graduated from UCLA and then UCLA Law

School. He is currently working for a law firm in Los Angeles.

Cameron (Davis) Wickenhaeuser (U10) and James Wickenhaeuser (U10) celebrated the first birthday for their son, Wren, in March. On hand for the party were six classmates (pictured from left to right): Evan Graham Arango (L07, U10), Hunter Helman (L07, U10), Angus Beverly (U10), Kili Behlman (U10) with daughter, Ivy, Molly Baker (U10) with son, Teo, and Reem Al-Tamimi (U10). Read more about Reem’s flourishing music career in the Alumni News section.

Miles Munding-Becker (L08, U13) took on a new role this year as the Field Studies Coordinator for Ojai Valley School. In addition to teaching AP Environmental Science and Marine Science, Miles is responsible for creating and maintaining partnerships with local organizations to advance the school’s Land & Climate curriculum, supporting teachers

with field studies opportunities, tracking field studies units across the curriculum, and showcasing student work from grades Pre-Kindergarten to 12. During his undergraduate study at the University of Redlands, Miles went to Peru to study dendrite climatology. He later worked in hydrology while earning his master’s degree at Cal Poly Humboldt. Field Studies projects this year have focused on water quality monitoring with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, taking discharge measurements at Reeves Creek and developing a sustainable agriculture program.

Carolita Landers (U14) and Keaton Shiffman (L10, U14) have both registered for Alumni Weekend and are rallying their classmates to come back to Upper Campus for their 10-year reunion! Contact Caitlin Cooper in the Alumni Office to learn more or register online. We want to see the Class of 2014 represented!

Motoko Akabe (L10) visited the

Lower Campus in October during a fall trip to Southern California. She happened to stop by during Family Weekend and got to see many of her former teachers – and she held out the award she won at her 8th grade graduation as the outstanding resident student. She also brought yummy snacks to share with current Japanese boarding students! Motoko is living and working for Morgan Stanley in Tokyo. For the past two years, she has served as a translator for OVS at The Association of Boarding School’s fall recruitment fairs. Thank you Motoko!

Kolby Saucedo (L10, U14) has had a big year! After graduating from OVS, Kolby went on to attend the California Maritime Academy where he received his Bachelor’s in Global Studies and Maritime Affairs. He later went on to become a paramedic where he worked for Gold Coast Ambulance in Oxnard in 2021, he met his now wife, Annie, while she was working as an emergency department nurse at St. John’s Regional Medical

Center in Oxnard. They began dating in 2022. In August 2023, Kolby and Annie relocated to Washington State where Kolby received a firefighter/ paramedic job with West Pierce Fire and Rescue. On January 8, 2024, they welcomed their daughter, Charlotte Mae, into the world. They got married on February 17, 2024, surrounded by close family in a small ceremony. A month later Kolby graduated from the fire academy. Kolby’s parents and grandmother are long-time residents of Ojai. His grandma, Sharry, worked at OVS for many years and his dad, Gil, currently works in transportation. Kolby started in Pre-Kindergarten at OVS. During his time at the school, he played baseball and football and worked on campus during the summers.

Jack Gentry (L12, U16) stopped by the school for a recent visit. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder and is now working in CVT streaming technology.

Adam Woll (L14), an awardwinning UC San Diego music student and graduate, is teaching at the Upper Campus. Adam teaches five classes this year, including music theory and composition, introduction to music making, piano, as well as helping to lead the garage band. Adam majored in music with an emphasis in jazz piano performance. He was awarded The Cheetham Prize in recognition of his efforts in both the jazz band at UCSD.

Max Wu (U19) traveled to visit family in China last fall for the first time since the pandemic. While he was there, Max assisted Head of School Lars Kuelling and Head of Upper Campus Craig Floyd (U83) with outreach and translation at recruitment fairs in Beijing and Shanghai. “Max was a fantastic host, acting as our in-country concierge,” Craig said. “He actively engaged at the school fairs talking with families about his experiences, and helped show Lars

and me around to local areas and dining options. Having a local alum to help with these processes was a tremendous help.”

Ethan Gao (L17, U21) and Jenny Han (L17) were in Ojai for spring break and toured their favorite Lower Campus spots — the dorms, the Wolf Den tech booth, the woodshop, and art room. They reminisced with teachers while enjoying lunch, and then chatted with our current 8th graders. Both juniors in college now, Ethan is studying computer science at UC Berkeley and Jenny is studying chemical engineering across the Bay at Stanford University.

Derek Mendoza (U21) is playing baseball this year for Doane University, a private college in Crete, Nebraska. The small NAIA school has been a perennial powerhouse in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Read more in an alumni news story in this issue.

Ella Schuette (U23), CatieJo Larkin (L18, U22), Alex Alvarez (L18, U22) and Jordan Street (L12) met up with OVS representatives during an alumni event in Boston last fall. Ella and CatieJo are in their freshman and sophomore years, respectively, at Smith College in nearby Northampton, Massachusetts. Ella is pursuing a degree in Education and CatieJo is majoring in Geosciences with a minor

in Environmental Science & Policy. She is also playing on the Smith ice hockey team! Alex is pursuing Professional Music and Songwriting at the Berklee College of Music. (See story on page 32) Jordan graduated from Wellesley College. She is currently working in the cardiology department at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston.

Tigran Nahabedian (L19, U23)

is almost through his freshman year at Stanford University studying computer science and participating in Navy ROTC. Tigran recently visited teachers and staff members on both campuses while home in Ojai for Spring Break, including art teacher Patty Campbell (pictured). Teacher John Rowan even convinced Tigran to be a guest speaker in his middle school social studies class!

OVS Alumni!

Getting married? Graduating this spring? Got a new job? Send us your updates! Alumni Notes received before July 1, 2024, will be included in the fall edition of Family Tree magazine. We especially want to include college graduation news and recognize our alumni who achieved educational milestones. Please submit your update with a high-resolution photo via email to alumni@ovs.org.

By Fred Alvarez

Remembering Santiago

There is an award on Graduation Day that goes to the student who exemplifies the “best of the best” at Ojai Valley School, that individual who consistently demonstrates the values of commitment, contribution and collaboration that are central to the OVS experience.

If that award had ever been extended to the OVS faculty and staff, it most certainly would have wound up in the hands of Santiago Soriano Palencia.

Before his passing on March 17 at the age of 50, Santiago embodied all that is good and valuable about the school community he loved, and that loved him in return.

He was never a formal classroom teacher, but he taught enduring lessons in his 13 years working on the maintenance crew on both campuses, including teaching a group of eighth graders from the Class of 2018 how to rebuild a wooden footbridge at the Upper Campus destroyed by the Thomas Fire.

He wasn’t a dorm parent, but he took time to get to know the boarding students and always made them feel welcome at their home away from home. He wasn’t a coach, but he was always quick to jump into a game of hoops. He wasn’t an Outdoor Education leader, but he joined outdoor trips, brightening those excursions with good humor and a zest for life that was palpable.

camp … the pride in my father’s eyes was matched by the cheers erupting from his mouth as he was the loudest in the crowd.”

As she continues on that track, planning to pursue music in college next year, Donahi knows her father will be alongside her.

“I won’t give up on music, it’s something that will always be a part of me,” her essay concluded. “Music flows through my lungs and into my heart. I am a singer, that’s what I am. Just ask my dad.”

Donahi announced her father’s passing in an Instagram post highlighted by images of Santiago, including one where he is triumphantly holding up his beloved mountain bike, one of his favorite pastimes. He also loved to dance, loved playing basketball and loved talking to people. And he was a foodie at heart, often searching out restaurants that cooked up cool and strange offerings, such as oversized quesadillas. On her Instagram post, Donahi noted that Santiago would be taken to his hometown in Oaxaca, Mexico, to be buried next to his parents. And she urged those who knew him to check in with each other and share the memories they had made with him.

He knew people by name — kids and adults alike — and he greeted all those he knew with a wide smile and, if you had the time and were lucky enough, a good story. He never said “no” when asked to take on extra tasks, to help build a set for a performance or multiplication boards for second graders. And, as was evident upon his passing after a prolonged battle with COVID, and the various issues that arose from that fight, he loved deeply and was deeply loved.

“Santiago was a devoted father, a friend to all, and always had stories to tell,” said Head of Upper Campus Craig Floyd. “He will be greatly missed.”

“Heart broken,” said veteran science teacher and Outdoor Education Coordinator Matt Inman. “What a loss to humanity.”

Added longtime art teacher Patty Campbell: “Santi’s spirit was that of an artist, dreamer and builder. His heart was wrapped around his daughter, Donahi, and the OVS community. We will forever miss his glowing smile and warm greeting every time we saw him.”

Indeed, Santiago’s bond with his daughter was something special to witness. Donahi, who started at OVS at age 3 and who is now a senior at the Upper Campus, wrote about that relationship in her college essay, telling admission readers that it was her father who inspired her love of music.

“He’s the reason I grew an obsession with Latin music — every car ride turned into a world tour, every song at a different venue with millions of screaming fans, and of course my father in the front row,” she wrote. “I remember one of my first performances at summer

“Just know he loved you all and I know he would want you to continue smiling, laughing, having fun and bringing joy to others like he brought to so many people,” Donahi wrote.

Those who knew Santiago have shared plenty, most often speaking of his kindness, compassion and innate ability to make everyone smile. Many spoke of Santiago as craftsman, noting the string of projects he helped produce on both campuses, including in 2018 when he led a group of eighth graders to reconstruct the footbridge at the Upper Campus that connects the pool area to the amphitheater stage, where graduation is held.

Taking nothing away from the kids, it was Santiago who powered that project to fruition, creating the foundation, installing the framework and constructing the stairway. The bridge stands today as a symbol of strength and unity between the OVS campuses, but it also stands as a reminder of the man who worked humbly behind the scenes to make his community a better place to learn, laugh and love.

It is fitting then that as we approach another Graduation Day, and seniors prepare once again to cross that footbridge to pick up their diplomas, that plans are underway to dedicate that structure in Santiago’s memory. At that spot, below the shade of gnarled oak and the songs of wild birds, a plaque will be installed to reserve a permanent place for Santiago’s brilliant, gentle presence.

“As their class gift, the eighth-graders in the Class of 2018 helped rebuild the amphitheater walkway destroyed by the Thomas Fire,” the plaque will read. “Their work was led by beloved staff member Santiago Soriano Palencia, a craftsman, father and friend, and serves as a remembrance of him and the strength and resilience of the OVS community.”

A memorial service for Santiago will be held at the Upper Campus amphitheater on May 26 at 4 p.m.

Santiago Soriano Palencia

Margaret “Peggy” Chase (L59) passed away in December 2023. She was 78. Peggy was born in Sterling, Kansas, to her father Newton “Newt” Kimball Chase and her mother Elizabeth “Betty” Kilbourn. She was the second of four children. In 1949, the Chase family moved to Ojai and Newt became headmaster of The Thacher School. As a girl, Peggy may not have been able to attend Thacher, but she was steeped in its culture: meals at the dining hall with students and staff, learning to ride and care for the horses on campus, and taking part in many of the Thacher traditions she would later share with her children.

As a child, Peggy insisted she was not going to Kindergarten and jumped straight into first grade at San Antonio School and then at Ojai Valley School for grades six to eight. She later attended and graduated with academic honors from the Katherine Branson School in Marin County and then headed East to study English at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. After graduation Peggy moved back to California with the intention of attending graduate school. She briefly taught Latin and grammar at OVS, and soon met Tim Carey who was teaching at Thacher. They were married in Thacher’s outdoor chapel a few years later.

Peggy and Tim moved East to live in Middlebury and then Cornwall, Vermont. While there, Peggy worked at the Counseling Service of Addison County where she ran Big Brothers Big Sisters and helped develop innovative programs such as a Teen Center, Friendly Visitors (teens visiting the elderly)

Zachary Wayne Griffin IV (L18) passed away on January 18, 2024. He was 20. Known as “Zee” by family and friends, he was born in Ventura in February 2003. He attended Ojai Valley School and later Epic Charter School, where he graduated in 2022 with an emphasis in mechanics. He was currently enrolled in courses at Ventura College. Zee is survived by

and Women Organized for Work, which supported women entering the workforce. Peggy and Tim hosted many raucous potluck dinner parties in their Cornwall farmhouse, many of which involved hats and costumes and lots of laughter. She, Tim, and their friends also performed in several local theater productions in town. In 1972 they had their first daughter, Elizabeth “Farr” Carey, and then Edith “Edie” Chase. Peggy later joined Work Family Directions and was an impassioned expert in her field. She once lent her expertise to a piece about work/life balance on NBC Nightly News.

Peggy was married to her second husband, Dick Barry, from 1984-1992. She adored his three children: Mark, Brian and Kim, their spouses and his grandchildren. In 1992 Peggy relocated to Littleton, Colorado, where she later met Tony Mueller. They moved to Boulder and were married in their backyard. They later moved back to Peggy’s roots, just down the road from her childhood home in Ojai. She and Tony enjoyed a bi-coastal life between Ojai and Wiscasset, Maine for many years. Peggy moved to Colorado Springs in 2017 and built a life around her youngest grandchildren, Luca and Emmy, while continuing to make frequent visits East to spend time with Farr’s children, Sadie and James. Peggy loved all four of her grandchildren more than anything, and those who had the pleasure of knowing her will miss her tremendously. She is survived by her daughters, grandchildren, as well as many extended family, countless friends and her beloved cat, Edwin. Memorial services are planned for summer.

his parents and sisters, Clover and Lucy Jo, both Lower Campus alums.

“Zee was a soul who paused his world to play with small children and help anyone in need, earning the endearing title of gentle giant,” his family wrote in a notice after his passing. “His compassion knew no bounds.”

Ei (Hamamoto) Okado (L92, U96) passed away in December 2023 from breast cancer. She was 46. Ei lived in Tokyo, Japan. She graduated from both campuses and went on to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

Classmate Tomoko Hotema said, “Ei was like a little sister to me. She was a bright burst of sunshine, always laughing out loud, her gestures grand, lighting every room she entered. She loved everyone and was always so friendly; she lived

unapologetically and proudly. I absolutely loved that about Ei. But I know underneath that biggerthan-life demeanor and say-it-like-it-is attitude, Ei was also fragile. I loved that about her, too. I saw her last before her diagnosis, and she was still the brightest sunshine I knew in high school. We caught up on life, laughed, and reminisced on the good ‘ol days in Ojai. I miss her painfully, but I know she is shining down on us from heaven and watching over us. Thank you, Ei, for making our lives brighter.”

Margaret “Peggy” Chase (L59)

Zachary Wayne Griffin IV (L18)

Ei (Hamamoto) Okado (L92, U96)

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.

723 El Paseo Road, Ojai, CA 93023 | 805-646-1423 | development@ovs.org | www.ovs.org