View From The Ridge: Summer 2018

2

On Global Education

FROM THE RIDGE |

4 Bringing Global Issues Local 6 Global Vistas

16

Annual Fund

17

Alumni Highlight

SUMMER 2018

11 Commencement 12 Arts Unlimited 18 Let’s Play Ball

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Chile, Thailand & DC

ON GLOBAL EDUCATION Bob Ogle, Head of School

Being a good citizen today means being a global citizen.

As we see all around us, even the most local aspects of citizenship are informed by policies, relationships and happenings that take place around the globe. For young people growing up in a connected world, fully understanding themselves also requires exposure to, engagement with and reflection upon communities and cultures near and far. At Pacific Ridge, developing global citizenship and helping our students cultivate self-knowledge are essential parts of our mission and teaching.

In this issue of View From the Ridge, you will read about our global education philosophy, an example of how we bring global issues into our middle school curriculum, and several highlights from the 2017-2018 year-end travel program. We’ve also included highlights from Commencement 2018 and insights from students and alumni who have benefitted from our excellent arts program. Finally, you can read about the latest founding experience at Pacific Ridge School – our new baseball team.

We hope reading these pages will give you a glimpse of the curiosity, growth, and joy in learning that our program inspires.

Enjoy!

Tim Betzala Dean of Faculty

During the last six months of 1997, I traveled abroad twice with small groups of people.

The first trip was a Habitat for Humanity building experience in Uganda. It involved working with local residents to help them construct simple houses. After ten days of labor alongside the homeowners themselves, we left the small village on the shores of Lake Titicaca with three newly constructed brick homes – and I took with me a completely changed world view.

The second trip was a high school exchange program. I chaperoned a group of ten students from Utah to China, where they stayed in the dorms of a Beijing high school for a week and with homestay partners for three days. Afterwards, we returned to Utah and the routine of school life – but for many of those students, they never saw the world the same way again.

Those six months, and the two programs that highlighted them, introduced me to the power of global education.

Seeing the world open up for me, for my Habitat for Humanity partners and for my students helped me realize how important this work can be as an educational tool. And, frankly, everything that has happened in the world since 1997 has convinced me that these kinds of educational opportunities are without parallel in terms of impact.

Since the start of the 21st century, the world has become more connected, bringing individuals from across the globe together. Most, if not all, college graduates in the year 2020 will need a variety of cross-cultural skills that 20 years ago may have been important for only a few. Young people today need to draw upon experiences and understandings that will allow them to thrive in a world that is linked technologically, yet often divided culturally. And, they need to feel comfortable in spaces that may have been completely unfamiliar in the late 20th century. This is the work that global education advocates have been endorsing for years, yet most schools have been slow to catch on.

In 2005, I returned to graduate school and wrote my dissertation on global education in independent schools. I studied the growing body of research on the field, and my

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Habitat for Humanity in Uganda, 1994

commitment to deep global education programs programs that are much more than simply travel education – grew stronger.

We opened Pacific Ridge in 2007, and I had the rare opportunity to put theory into practice as we developed the “global engagement” portion of our mission statement. The plan? Combine academic practices (pedagogy, integrated global education curriculum, world language study and college guidance) with co-curricular programming (service learning and travel education) and organizational practices (hiring, admissions, professional development and school partnerships). By weaving global engagement into the fabric of the school, we could aim to graduate students who would be uniquely prepared to enter the world – the whole world.

Eleven years later, I am thrilled to say that the programs we developed around that plan continue to thrive and evolve.

From their first day at Pacific Ridge, students engage in a curriculum rich with global content, from world literature and languages, to global environmental science and history courses such as Middle Eastern Politics, that delve into complex, challenging and relevant issues. We continue to

Pacifi c Ridge sophomores in Yosemite, 2014

hire and admit an academic community with a broad spectrum of international backgrounds and experiences.

In the co-curricular arena, our students graduate with four to six years of service learning work – work that connects them to people and ethical concerns in both local and global communities. We bring global issues to campus through our weekly Community Life program and welcome visitors and exchange students from usually a half-dozen countries each year.

And, each spring, more than 90% of our student body takes part in a developmentally appropriate travel education program that builds local citizenship skills in 7th and 8th grade, world traveler skills in 9th and 10th grade, and then provides the opportunity for individualized travel experiences in 11th and 12th grade.

When I look back at the research I have done on global education over the years, I am reminded of the ten “SchoolWide Global Education Aims” articulated in my dissertation: competency with languages, conflict resolution skills, critical thinking skills, cross-cultural understanding, environmental awareness, ethical responsibility, knowledge of global history and politics, recognition of injustice, sense of community, and understanding of sustainability.

This is the work we do.

Global education has been a driving force at Pacific Ridge for the past decade, and it will continue to guide us. Put most simply, the world requires it.

Dr. Bob Ogle Head of School Learning about global issues in the classroom.

Summer 2018 3

Photo by Soren Schillig ‘23

BRINGING GLOBAL LESSONS LOCAL Seventh graders explore the border While other Pacific Ridge students prepared for year-end travel by packing bags or breaking in hiking boots, in early May, seventh graders got a jump on global connection by visiting the San Ysidro border and San Diego’s Chicano Park.

Stepping off the bus, a number of students excitedly snapped photos of dolphins jumping through the waves, while others were so mesmerized by the imposing fence stretching into the Pacific, they didn’t seem to notice. Only

an hour from campus, the border crossing brings to life many issues addressed in the 7th-grade Social & Community Studies course. Its proximity makes it a perfect off-campus classroom in which to study one of the world’s most pressing issues. The day’s project? Taking pictures and notes for a photo essay about the complex border relationship between Mexico and the United States.

At Border Field State Park, near the San Ysidro crossing, patrol agents spoke with students about their role in securing the border. The agents each had their own opinions on policy and gave students different perspectives to consider.

The conversation was impactful.

"The guards gave us amazing and thorough answers to our questions. They have to go through a lot of training and practice...they have seen a lot," said seventh grader Madison Willis.

Students also toured Friendship Park, normally open only on Saturdays. Situated between the Mexican and U.S. 4 VIEW FROM THE RIDGE

Photo by Soren Schillig ‘23

borders, the park represents a kind of cooperative “no man’s land.” It opens up to people from both countries, allowing for brief reunions. The park provided poignant visuals for the students’ photo essays.

While in Friendship Park, students had a chance to gaze through the fence into Tijuana. Protesters mingled with tourists and regular border crossers, while vendors did their best to sell their colorful wares. Soft Chicano music notes drifted through, mingling with a protestor’s bullhorn as he denounced immigration policy.

Complex? Absolutely.

Afterwards, the group headed to Chicano Park, which lies underneath the Coronado Bridge. Dozens of murals decorate the freeway underpass, creating a vibrant outdoor art gallery.

The park came into being after the bridge was built in

1969. When the freeway pylons disrupted the heart of Barrio Logan, a neighborhood settled largely by immigrants who came to the United States after the Mexican Revolution, residents were promised a community park. However, plans were subsequently made to build a highway patrol station instead. After weeks of intense but peaceful protest during which community members occupied the land, plans for the park were reinstated. Now a national historic landmark, it serves as a tribute to Chicano culture, featuring murals of the Mexican Revolution and offering messages of hope.

Reviewing the art with her peers, Josie Twardowski was particularly struck by the thread of resilience and connectivity that ran through the murals.

“ The overall feeling of Chicano Park was more about human connection, rather than separation and hate,” she said.

The murals’ Aztec imagery nods to Mexico’s ancient history and students learned more about the symbolism represented by different mythical gods in the artwork.

The group gained a strong impression of the cultural pride at the park.

“The sense of community there was great,” said Toby Green. “The murals are truly for the community, a community that celebrates its culture.”

Getting out of the classroom and into San Diego’s diverse neighborhoods brings global lessons home for the seventh graders, who won’t be traveling internationally with Pacific Ridge for another two years.

“ You don’t have to get on a plane to witness and learn about these complex issues,” said Head of Middle School Luke Michel. “ There are lessons to be learned right here in our own backyard.”

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GLOBAL VISTAS Year-end trips send students around the world This year, 600 students and teachers - a record number - participated in Pacific Ridge’s Global Travel Program. Led by faculty chaperones and supported 24/7 by a dedicated crew back in Carlsbad, students augmented their class studies with service work, language immersion and cultural exploration across the globe.

Several of this year’s global adventures are featured on the following pages.

FIREBIRDS simultaneously

in the air

June 8, 2018

256 600 TRAVELERS

35 TRAVEL GROUPS 6 U.S. LOCATIONS 8 COUNTRIES

Austin, TX

Northern Sierras

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China

such as the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. In the evenings, students turned their telescopes skyward and were rewarded with amazing views of planets, moons, stars and constellations, their familiar order reversed in the southern sky.

The adventure earned its tongue-in-cheek nickname, “The Astronomy-Gastronomy Trip,” due to the delicious Patagonian food that fueled the group each day.

However, the incredible hospitality and “Buena Onda” (good vibes) of the Chilean people outshone the cuisine, as well as the shimmering sky and extraordinary vistas of this remarkable land.

CHILE HIL Chile’s contours are breathtaking in scale. From the crags of the snow-capped Andes, across fertile valleys to barren deserts that resemble the surface of Mars, the wilderness is pristine and astonishing.

Students on the Chile trip covered an impressive amount of this terrain, hiking the Andes foothills, biking through the Elqui Valley, running and rolling down epic Atacama Desert sand dunes, and visiting high desert lakes, salt flats, cloud forests and frost-rimmed volcanic geysers. And, while the penguins on Isla de Damas were off hunting during the group’s visit by boat, the trip offered plenty of flora and fauna (rare plants, otters, dolphins, sea lions, flamingos, vicuñas by the dozen) to satiate the budding naturalists.

Lying down under the southern sky and looking at the Milky Way in its whole for the first time - it was one of the most amazing things I have seen in my life. Living in California with all of the light pollution you don’t get to see the stars, so being able to soak in all of the constellations while learning about their history and corresponding legends left me in awe.

- Savannah Streitman ‘19

And that was just during the daytime.

Chile is also home to the clearest skies in South America and some of the world’s most advanced observatories,

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THAILAND Students in Thailand created vivid memories in just ten days: touring the ultra-modern skyscrapers, ancient temples and labyrinthine alleys of Bangkok, hiking the lush jungles and riverside villages of remote Chiang Rai and absorbing the rustic beauty of sleepy Koh Yao Yai. They meditated with Buddhist monks, fed and bathed elephants in a rescue preserve, visited with elementary school students and sampled every flavor of authentic Thai cuisine.

Yet, the trip memory that may linger longest was learning about a human rights issue lightly hidden under the surface of modern Thai culture: human trafficking.

Students visited several nongovernmental organizations working to stop trafficking and assist its survivors. While in Chiang Rai, they met with leaders of Destiny Rescue,

an organization that liberates sex trafficking victims, helps restore them to healthy lives and works to protect at-risk children. At the meeting, Vivian Yun ‘18 shared insights she has gained into San Diego’s own trafficking situation from working with at-risk teenagers in Oceanside, and Sofia Keyes ‘19 met contacts she made earlier in the year to support her own efforts at raising awareness.

The poverty and limited rights of Thailand’s hill tribes make them especially vulnerable to exploitation.

During a homestay in the northern village of Jabusii, students tried to make a small but meaningful difference by helping members of the Lahu tribe construct a water tank and lay pipeline to the community. With the new water system, residents won’t need to trek long distances for fresh water.

In Bangkok, sex trafficking has become normalized and even advertised to tourists. As travelers, it is easy to convince ourselves that the rules of our home country don’t apply elsewhere, rather than consider the potential repercussions of our actions abroad. The bottom line is that sexual exploitation is never acceptable, no matter where it occurs.

- Sofia Keyes ‘19

Global Travel Highlights

American Southwest

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Singapore/Malaysia

Costa Rica

Global Travel Highlights

Martinique

Big Bear

South Africa

WASHINGTON, D.C. Want to bring American Studies lessons to life in a powerful way?

Visit Washington, D.C.!

Eighth graders filled their six-day trip with visits to numerous memorials, an impactful tour of the U.S. Holocaust Museum and an interactive workshop on judicial interpretation. They explored the Smithsonian and the National Mall, toured the Kennedy Center and experienced the powerful serenity of the Japanese American Memorial.

The Newseum offered diverse exhibits about the First Amendment and the media, while the African American History Museum packed 400 years of black history into its powerful displays.

Students also complemented a visit to Capitol Hill with an enthusiastic mockCongress activity about the right to carry concealed weapons.

And, if that history-packed itinerary wasn’t enough, the trip included special sessions that recapped an important

theme from this year’s eighth-grade curriculum: entrepreneurship.

At the Halcyon Incubator, located in Georgetown, students learned how the organization helps social entrepreneurs transform their ideas into sustainable organizations and talked with representatives of three ventures currently in incubation. Given that students spent significant time during the year developing social entrepreneurship “Purpose Projects,” hearing from young entrepreneurs about their ideas, motivations, failures and successes was a highlight for many.

They were especially interested to know that Halcyon has a program to help high schoolers around the country launch projects that will positively impact the world.

For these rising upper school students, considering how they can personally make a difference was a powerful lesson indeed.

I felt that the most impactful site we visited was the Vietnam Memorial. Seeing all of the names plastered on the wall was really saddening, but awakening, and made me appreciate those in the armed forces even more, especially since my grandpa was in the Vietnam War. - Victor Silverman ‘22

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COLLEGE BOUND The list of acceptances below for the 346 graduates in the classes of 2015 - 2018 gives a 4-year snapshot of the colleges and universities around the country and the world that welcome our students. Bold type identifies the schools to which Pacific Ridge students have matriculated; asterisks indicate those institutions that include more than one Pacific Ridge graduate in their ranks.

NORTHEAST

Adelphi University Babson College Bard College Barnard College Bates College Bennington College Bentley University * Boston College * Boston University * Brandeis University Brown University* Bryant University Clark University Colby College Colgate University Columbia University * Connecticut College Cornell University* Curry College Dartmouth College Emerson College Emmanuel College Endicott College Fairfield University Fordham University Hamilton College Hampshire College Harvard University Hofstra University Ithaca College Marist College Marymount Manhattan College Massachusetts Institute of Technology Middlebury College Mount Holyoke College The New School * New York University * Niagara University Northeastern University * Pace University Pratt Institute Providence College Quinnipiac University Rensselaer Polytechnic University Rhode Island School of Design Roger Williams University Rochester Institute of Technology * St. John's University St. Lawrence University Salve Regina University Sarah Lawrence College Skidmore College Smith College State University of New York, Albany Stony Brook University Suffolk University Syracuse University Trinity College Tufts University * Union College University of Connecticut University of Massachusetts University of Rhode Island University of Rochester University of Vermont U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Wagner College Wellesley College Wentworth Institute of Technology Wesleyan University Williams College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Yale University *

MID-ATLANTIC

American University Bucknell University * Carnegie Mellon University College of William and Mary * Dickinson College Drexel University Franklin & Marshall College Gannon University George Washington University * Georgetown University Gettysburg College Goucher College Haverford College Johns Hopkins University * Lafayette College Lehigh University * Muhlenberg College Pennsylvania College of Technology Pennsylvania State University Rutgers University Seton Hall University Stevens Institute of Technology Swarthmore College Temple University United States Naval Academy University of Delaware University of Mary Washington University of Maryland University of Pennsylvania * University of Pittsburgh University of Richmond University of Virginia Ursinus College Villanova University Virginia Commonwealth University Washington College Washington & Lee University * York College

SOUTH/SOUTHEAST

Auburn University Centre College Clemson University College of Charleston Columbia College Davidson College Duke University Eckerd College Elon University Emory University Emory University, Oxford College * Furman University Georgia Institute of Technology Guilford College High Point University * James Madison University Louisiana State University Loyola University of New Orleans Lynn University North Carolina State University Rhodes College Rice University St. Edward’s University Savannah College of Art & Design Southern Methodist University * Texas A&M University Texas Christian University * Trinity University Tulane University University of Alabama University of Miami University of Central Florida University of Georgia *

University of Kentucky University of Louisville University of Mississippi University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill University of North Texas University of South Carolina, Columbia University of Texas Vanderbilt University Wake Forest University

MID-WEST

Carleton College * Case Western Reserve University College of St. Benedict Columbia College Chicago DePaul University DePauw University Denison University Grinnell College Heidelburg University Illinois Institute of Technology Indiana University, Bloomington Kalamazoo College Kenyon College * Lake Forest College Lawrence University Loyola University, Chicago Macalester College Marquette University Miami University of Ohio Michigan State University Northern Michigan University Northwestern University Oberlin College The Ohio State University Principia College Purdue University * University of Chicago * University of Illinois, Chicago University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign University of Iowa University of Kansas University of Michigan * University of Minnesota University of Missouri, Columbia University of Nebraska, Lincoln University of Notre Dame * University of St. Thomas University of Wisconsin * Washington University in St. Louis * Wilmington College

WEST/ MOUNTAIN

Arizona State University * Brigham Young University, Idaho Colorado College Colorado School of Mines Colorado State University Johnson & Wales University Montana State University Northern Arizona University Regis University Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design United States Air Force Academy University of Arizona * University of Colorado, Boulder * University of Colorado, Colorado Springs University of Colorado, Denver University of Denver * University of New Mexico University of Nevada, Las Vegas University of Utah Utah State University Utah Valley University Westminster College

CALIFORNIA

Azusa Pacific University Biola University California College of the Arts Cal Tech Cal Lutheran University Cal Poly Pomona Cal Poly San Luis Obispo * CSU Channel Islands * CSU Chico CSU Fresno CSU Fullerton CSU Long Beach CSU Monterey Bay CSU San Marcos CSU Sacramento

CSU Stanislaus Chapman University * Claremont McKenna College * Concordia University - Irvine Fashion Institute of Design Harvey Mudd College Humboldt State University Laguna College of Art & Design Loyola Marymount University * MiraCosta College * Occidental College Otis College of Art & Design Palomar College * Pepperdine University Pitzer College Point Loma Nazarene San Diego State University San Francisco State University San Jose State University Santa Clara University * Scripps College * Sonoma State University St. Mary's College of California Stanford University * UC Berkeley * UC Davis * UC Irvine * UC Los Angeles * UC Merced UC Riverside UC San Diego UC Santa Barbara * UC Santa Cruz * University of La Verne University of the Pacific University of Redlands * University of San Diego * University of San Francisco * University of Southern California * Westmont College * Whittier College *

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Evergreen State College Gonzaga University * Hawaii Pacific University Lewis and Clark College * Linfield College Oregon State University Portland State University Pacific Lutheran University Pacific Northwest College of Art Reed College * Seattle University University of Oregon * University of Portland University of Puget Sound * University of Washington * Western Washington University Whitman College Whitworth University Willamette University

INTERNATIONAL

The American University of Paris Bard College, Berlin Brunel University, London Cardiff University, Wales Imperial College, London Franklin University, Switzerland King’s College London Kingston University, England McGill University, Canada Minerva Inst. for Research & Scholarship New College of the Humanities, England Quest University, Canada Richmond, The American University in London St. Louis University, Madrid University College London University College Roosevelt, Netherlands University of British Columbia, Canada University of Edinburgh, Scotland University of Glasgow, Scotland University of Melbourne, Australia University of St. Andrews, Scotland* University of Toronto, Canada

COMMENCEMENT 2018

On June 14, Pacific Ridge bid farewell to the 95 members of the Class of 2018 with a joyful commencement ceremony attended by family, faculty, classmates and friends.

In his Commencement address, Dr. Ogle spoke about the importance of making time for deep thought and deep work as a path to continued learning and finding purpose.

The Class of 2018 is well on its way!

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Arts Unlimited Walking across campus, the sights and sounds of Pacific Ridge’s arts program are impossible to miss. A cappella harmonies float from the vocal room atop the Ogle Center, while a play rehearsal’s energy fills Community Hall. Nearby, sculptors bring clay to life and graphic designers click away on their computers. For a school of any size, Pacific Ridge has an impressive arts program that combines a surprising breadth of offerings with the opportunity for students to delve deeply into a favorite discipline.

Here we highlight a few artists who have taken full advantage of the program’s philosophy, dedicated teaching staff and curricular opportunities.

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Nick Hamparyan Discovery When senior Nick Hamparyan was young, he thought theater was silly.

“Definitely a not-cool subject,” said Nick, who has held lead roles in three of the last four upper school musicals as well as this year’s play, and has won several awards for his performances.

“But, when I came to Pacific Ridge, I realized theater was so much more than I thought. It was a way I could show my true creative nature, which is what I’ve always wanted to do.”

According to Nick, the middle school arts program and theater teacher Fredreka Irvine helped him discover his passion.

Seventh and eighth graders rotate through substantive, multiweek courses covering theater, music, dance, visual arts and digital arts. The purpose of the rotation is for students to get exposure across as many disciplines as possible.

Nick also participated in the middle school musical Seussical, Jr., a more sustained experience that sealed the deal for him.

“Ms. Irvine opened me up to the idea of actually getting up on stage, and she convinced me I had room to grow. I think that was the most important part of it all - the arts made me feel like I had potential.”

Nick’s experience is the kind of result Arts Programs Director Steve Dziekonski loves to see.

“As we emphasize in all our middle school programs, we want

students to explore and learn about themselves. We encourage them to appreciate the strengths they already know they have, but to be open to trying things they may not be familiar with or think they may not have an aptitude for. The arts is a perfect area for this kind of discovery.”

Mr. Dziekonski knows that not all students coming out of the middle school arts program become as passionate as Nick, but there is a benefit for all.

“Students gain a greater appreciation for the arts, and the confidence and mindset they develop in the arts apply across the board in high school, college and beyond.”

For Nick, theater at Pacific Ridge may just be the beginning. In the fall he heads to New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts to study theater.

Erica Lin Depth Pacific Ridge families may know senior Erica Lin from the cascading crescendos and nuanced delicacy of her piano performances. However, her journey with the arts is much broader and includes a passion for visual arts.

Like many of our advanced studio artists, Erica has worked with teacher Ray Oakes since ninth grade. After four years of creating in his studio, including developing her AP Studio Art portfolio this year, Erica appreciates the relationship the two have built.

“Mr. Oakes is a great mentor. He is always willing to give a gentle, guiding hand. But, he cares most about what you believe in and what you want your piece to look like. He really values that and I really value that in a teacher.”

The admiration is mutual.

“What strikes me about Erica is how she combines her strong technical skills with great intuition. Her drawings can express so much with an economy of strokes.”

Erica’s ability to progress through four years in a single arts discipline is an opportunity many schools don’t offer. Mr. Dziekonski notes that Pacific Ridge’s upper school arts

requirement is twice the University of California standard, and the curriculum is both broad and deep.

“We go as far as we possibly can with our offerings. There isn’t anything from a national curriculum that we don’t offer to some extent. For example, this year we are adding Digital Music Production and Film 2. We’ve only added to the program over the years, so students like Erica can pursue their passions.”

Erica will flex her artistic fingers in a new arena when she enters UC Berkeley in the fall.

She plans to study architecture.

Summer 2018 13

Anurag Aiyer Connection While many students think about the Global Travel Program as a way to learn about people and cultures, for senior Anurag Aiyer, Pacific Ridge’s A Cappella Ensemble is another path toward global connection.

“You create relationships - you get to know people from different parts of the country and the world.”

Anurag has learned this over his four years singing in the award-winning ensemble. During that time, he has performed at New York’s Carnegie Hall, in San Francisco and in New Orleans, where students soaked up the jazz culture in both formal venues and street concerts.

“What’s so cool about street music is that there’s always a universal message, no matter what the sound is like. The unique aspect about it is that you make relationships through music.”

Pacific Ridge’s Jazz Rock Ensemble, dance and theater groups also travel for festivals and competitions. Anurag believes the experience is a profound growth opportunity.

“You meet with renowned conductors, see performances and develop opinions. You really get your feet wet.”

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This summer, Anurag is building more relationships by singing at the Sydney Opera House with the prestigious Honors Performance Series, which draws top student performers from around the world.

“It will be a great way to make friends from all over before I head off to college.”

UC Berkeley should keep Anurag busy. But you can bet connecting with people through music will be part of his daily routine.

Have a passion for music in middle school? Try our weekly Orchestra and After-School Choir programs!

ARTISTIC DISCIPLINE Unlike most schools, Pacific Ridge includes the arts in its core academic program. Arts classes meet as frequently as other

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Middle School Visual & Performing Arts courses

academic classes and for the same duration.

In addition, music and dance coursework includes a performance component each trimester. These concerts provide a terrific

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Upper School Visual &

opportunity for families to cheer on our

Performing Arts courses

talented and hardworking arts students.

Hungry for more? Be sure to attend our middle and upper school plays, musicals

50% students continue after 2-year

and concerts, and the annual Visual and

upper school arts requirement

Performing Arts Showcase.

2017-2018 Arts Faculty Members

Summer 2018 15

PACIFIC RIDGE SCHOOL

THANK YOU! We would like to thank the Pacific Ridge community for responding generously to the 2017-2018 Annual Fund campaign. Gifts from 607 donors brought this year’s Annual Fund total to $649,981, enriching the educational experience of each and every student throughout the school year.

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ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT Two artistic alumni share current experiences, future plans and how their time at Pacific Ridge still influences them today.

Catherine Ames ‘16 COLLEGE: Bucknell University MAJORING in Theater and Political Science

On surrounding herself with the arts: “At school I’ve been in several productions, most recently playing Polly Baker in Gershwin’s Crazy for You. I sing and write music for my a cappella group and this summer I had the opportunity to do social media and marketing for the San Diego Broadway Awards (previously the Ben Vereen Awards - the regional competition that in 2015 sent Catherine to New York to compete in the National High School Theater Awards).”

On Pacific Ridge’s impact: “I learned the importance of honest acting from Alison Trattner (former theater teacher) and she has been a huge influence on my life. Taking Honors American Lit and AP Lit from Dr. Rosenwong helped me learn how to deeply analyze text and write with specificity. I’ve been doing research on how the plurality voting system in India impacts women and my professors appreciate how I can articulate my ideas on paper.”

On her plans for the future: “First I am headed to New Zealand for a semester to take theater and political science classes at Victoria University of Wellington. When I return to Bucknell, I’ll start auditioning for summer stock theater. After graduation, we’ll see where acting takes me! At some point, I would love to be involved in promoting theater in high schools around the country.”

Daniel Peterschmidt ‘11 COLLEGE: University of Puget Sound, B.A. in Chinese Language CURRENT JOB: Digital Producer, Science Friday

On bringing music into his work: “After college, I interned with NPR and eventually got a job with WNYC’s Science Friday where I write articles and work on their website. They recently launched a podcast called Undiscovered, and the producers were looking for someone to write music. I said “I think I can do that” and they took a chance on me. I’ve found that when you have a lot of people relying on you, you can learn how to do something very quickly.”

On Pacific Ridge’s impact: “Harkness helped me learn how to quickly formulate thoughts and opinions and articulate them civilly. We deal with pretty heady topics sometimes and it’s nice to be able to engage in those conversations along with everyone else. Music with Mr. Dziekonski taught me about composition and theater gave me confidence.

In Improv, we learned how to roll with situations and follow the motto “Yes, and.” It’s a tiny phrase, but when you learn something like that at a young age it opens up so many doors for you.”

On his plans for the future: “I love what I do, so I’d like to stay in New York for a while. It’s the capital of podcasting right now and I really like this field.

It’s new and exciting and it’s growing a lot. I’ve also been able to meet so many interesting and diverse people in this city that I wouldn’t have met anywhere else. It’s a great place to be.”

Summer 2018 17

ALL-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM Owen Beim ’21

LET’S

P lay Ball

ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM Max Olafsson ’20 Abhi Patwari ’21 Emma Kate Wood ’20

New baseball team celebrates its inaugural season

Sometimes getting that first hit is the biggest challenge.

Coach Bob Buscher knows it well. This year, Buscher was tasked with putting together Pacific Ridge’s first-ever baseball team, including finding a field, recruiting players, developing a training regimen and coaching the team through its first season. His players were with him all the way.

“Being willing to start something from scratch and take part in what was a pretty grueling schedule - that was the first litmus test of the players’ determination and willingness to put in effort. Kudos go to them.”

The new baseball team attracted students with a range of backgrounds in the sport, from experience with competitive club ball to faded memories of Little League play from years ago. One Firebird had never picked up a glove before. Three experienced players, who happen to wear their ball caps over pony tails, had to make the transition from softball’s under-hand pitching and smaller field. The one thing this diverse group had in common?

A founding spirit.

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HONORABLE MENTION Grace Li ’21 Thomas Steer ’20

“The group shared a tangible passion. All of the players were committed to embracing the challenges of founding a team as well as leaving a proud, lasting mark on PRS.” said Michael Rattner ‘18.

According to Coach Buscher, accommodating the range of skills was the first step.

“We had a lot to learn as a team, starting with the fundamentals.”

While they were undertaking this learning curve, the players faced early season opponents who considerably outmatched their skills. Halfway through the season, the Firebirds were 0 - 9, playing larger and more experienced school teams. Far from wilting under this barrage, the players stayed positive. They listened to Coach Buscher.

They watched their opponents. They learned from them.

In league play, during the second half of the season, the picture was quite different. Plays started coming together, batting averages climbed and scores got closer. Coach Buscher kept his expectations high.

“We spent the first part of the year learning how to play.

Then we spent the next several games learning how to compete. Then we had to figure out how to win, because it is a progression.”

And like runners rounding the bases, the Firebirds progressed. It took only two more games to notch their first win.

“When we won our first game, which came right after a disappointing loss, we went eight innings to beat Army Navy on their home field. It was so cool - you would think we had just won Game 7 of the World Series,” said Coach Buscher.

“The kids were absolutely thrilled.”

Three more wins followed, earning the Firebirds an in-league season record of 4 - 6 with several losses nailbitingly close.

As for playing on a coed team, the players had only good things to say. Owen Beim ‘21, one of the team’s most consistent pitchers, relied on sophomore catcher Emma Kate Wood’s steady skills.

“She kept me under control, she kept my timing going. She was a great partner to have as a catcher behind the plate.”

Tellingly, Owen’s comments are directed at his teammate’s skills, rather than her gender. According to Coach Buscher, that’s how the Firebirds rolled.

“The team blended extremely well, boy or girl, senior or freshman, it didn’t matter. They were all teammates. That’s who they were and what they were about.”

Looking to the future, Coach Buscher feels this year’s experience was a great launchpad.

“It really positions us well for next year. We have a lot of strong younger players and I’m hoping we can pick up a few more upperclass players who want to play. Seeing the reality of a team and seeing us play and compete - there may be kids who want to hop onto that.”

Founding a new sport, bonding as a team, respecting one another, working hard, winning and losing and embracing them both - Pacific Ridge’s inaugural baseball season sounds like an out-of-the-park home run.

Photography by Anna Pietrowski and Time Stood Still Photography

DOUBLE PLAY Did you know? Coach Buscher also happens to be Pacific Ridge’s Chief Financial & Operations Officer. One of his assistant coaches, Chuck Benner, is Facility Project Manager.

IMPORTANT

DATES

6269 El Fuerte Street Carlsbad, CA 92009

AUGUST 29 OPENING DAY SEPTEMBER 7 COMMUNITY BBQ SEPTEMBER 13 DIGITAL PARENTING SPEAKER EVENT SEPTEMBER 20 BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT OCTOBER 20 FALL FEST OCTOBER 30 MIDDLE SCHOOL SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL OCTOBER 31 HALLOWEEN PARADE NOVEMBER 3 SHOWCASE OF THE ARTS NOVEMBER 17-25 THANKSGIVING BREAK DECEMBER 20 GINGERBREAD BREAKFAST & HALF DAY

PACIFICRIDGE.ORG | 760-448-9820 © 2018 Pacific Ridge School. All Rights Reserved

DIGITAL PARENTING Helping Your Tweens and Teens Stay Healthy in a Social Media World

with

Ana Homayoun

Date: September 13, 2018 Time: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Location: Pacific Ridge Campus RSVP: pacificridge.org/DigitalParenting

Brought to you by Pacific Ridge School and the Parents Association