What is Global Citizenship?
Alumnus, Santiago Tenorio ‘02 on the importance of developing international awareness
Editor Suzanne Gottlieb Calleja
Assistant Editor Daniel Mutter
Editorial Advisors
Lois Chumbley, Monica Sanchez, Katherine Vale, David Cutler, Scott du Feu, Jenny Agress, Maia Suazo-Maler, Anais Ganouna Photography
Design RMC
A DM ini S t RAtion
Head of School Thomas J. Reid
Head of Upper School
Ashley Chapman
Head of Middle School Laurette Cestare
Admission, College Counseling, and Study Away
Danny Reynolds
DEVEL o PME nt oFF i CE
Director of Development Susana Cetta
Director of Annual Fund Lauren Dowlen
Director of Alumni and Events Relations
Monica Sanchez
Development Assistant terri Agress
Bo ARD o F tR u S t EES 2013-2014
Chairman Michael Baiamonte
Vice-Chair Bronwen Rutter
Secretary Ricardo Albarran
Treasurer Charles Klenk
Donna Abood
Susan Benenati
Bishop’s Designate Rev. Frank J. Corbishley
James Davidson
Rt. Rev. Leo Frade
John Fumagalli
Anne Jackaway
Mitchell Kaplan
Lynne Keller tina Lane
Susan Ludovici
William Morrison
tina Portuondo
Rev. Jennie Lou Reid
Alejandro Rodriguez
isabel Rodriguez
Rt. Rev. Calvin Schofield
Beth Brockway Serrate
Gary tarbe
Heather Almaguer
Jorge Arce ‘97
Charles Baumberger ‘94
David Carache-Guzman
Katrina Campins ‘97
Monica Cervera-Sijan ‘96
Lynley (Walker) Ciorobea ‘96
Evans (Dunwody) Crews ‘91
Joanna de Velasco ‘98
Preston Dickerson ‘98
Adrian Foley ‘02
Hadley (nichols) Foreman ‘93
olee Fowler ‘05
Dr. Efrain Garcia
nichole Gaytan
Brian Gershen ‘98
tiffany Glick ‘04
Amber Goethal Seidlin ‘96
Carlos Gonzalez ‘97
Corey (Krissel) Gonzalez ‘95
Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda ‘98
Costa Grillas ‘97
Mason Harris ‘89
Ryan Jurney ‘04
Susan Klock ‘00
Sarah (Fernandez) Mendoza ‘95
Jan Morrison
Laurence Moser ‘80
Patrick Murphy ‘01
Anne Beaumont (nichols) neithhardt ‘95
Amanda omachonu ‘06
Leanne Romanchuk
Margaret Rosas-Guyon ‘93
Beth (Brockway) Serrate ‘85
Lee Sterling ‘81
Zachary Sulkes
Amanda (Chrycy) Thompson ‘96
Holly (Lee) Zawyer ‘97
nathan Zeder ‘98 K EEP in tou CH
Palmer trinity School is committed to the moral, spiritual, intellectual, physical and creative growth of all members of our school community. our dedication to excellence and respect for diversity inspire students to seek enlightenment and lead lives of honor, integrity, and social responsibility.
The Aerie is published twice a year by Palmer Trinity School for alumni, parents, grandparents, students and friends. The E-newsletter informs the community of campus events and student and faculty accomplishments. Send story ideas or comments to scalleja@palmertrinity.org or Webmaster Mike Pena at mpena@palmertrinity.org.
Palmer Trinity School offers a fullservice website – www.palmertrinity.org –where you can look up friends in a searchable directory, find out about the latest news and events, and connect with our Alumni office. We also post back issues of our PTS e-newsletter and Aerie magazines online.
For details on Alumni benefits and services, please contact our Director of Alumni Relations and Events, Monica Sanchez, at msanchez@palmertrinity.org or (305) 969-4210. The Aerie welcomes submissions and suggestions for magazine departments. If you have an idea for a feature story, please contact our Aerie editor at scalleja@palmertrinity.org.
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The global Citizens Initiative (www.theglobalcitizensinitiative. org), whose goal is to build a sustainable, values-based world community, defines being a global citizen as “someone who identifies with being part of an emerging world community and whose actions contribute to building this community’s values and practices.”
Is there such a thing as an emerging world community? Communities, historically, are built on a group of people with something in common. Farmers with farmers, journalists with journalists, mothers with mothers. But, with today’s technology, the farreaches of the world that Margaret Mead and other anthropologists studied are accessible in new ways.
At Palmer Trinity, many of our students have an awareness of the delicate balance between their choices as consumers and the environmental conditions across the globe. One cannot help but think this sort of understanding is part of what makes a global citizen.
In this issue of the Aerie, contributors tangle with the tricky nature of how to foster both our sense of shared community here at PTS as well as a sense of global citizenship: Peter Masteller writes about Episcopal identity and global responsibility (page 22), Laura Massa writes about women’s studies in a global environment (page 28), and alumni parent and Congresswoman, Ileana RosLehtinen, this issues VisionAerie, shares her memories of how PTS shaped her children’s global education (page 18).
There was an educational video years ago that showed a couple picnicking in the park, which then pulled back to reveal the whole park with the couple smaller on their blanket, then pulled back further to show the town they lived in, the country, the Earth, and, finally, space with its infinite possibilities. This wider view is a goal here at our school, because how else could we even recognize the signs of an emerging world community?
As a child, my sense of global community was developed when my parents invited musicians from different countries to stay with us while they were playing at local venues. It grew wider still with the many exchange students we housed, and then even more when I studied for a year in France, and taught for four months in Africa. This exchange of ideas is just part of it. Once we learn what is out in the world, how, then, do we give back at home? How do we develop and nurture personal and community enhancement? Asking these questions and working toward the answers together is integral to the shared identity of Palmer Trinity. In the words of Gandhi: “As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. We need not wait to see what others do.”
Enjoy this issue,
Suzanne Gottlieb Calleja
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PTS Alumnus Santiago Tenorio ‘02 visits Shibuya Crossing while studying abroad at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. a Tale o F TWo School S by Ethan and Allegra Hill {PG. 26}
VISI onaer I e: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen {PG. 18}
mak I ng a DIFF erence: by Raúl González {PG. 12}
In my early years as a headmaster, a friend and former head (he had gone into consulting) would ask me whenever we bumped into each other, “So, what is the newest buzzword, newest trend? w hat has been repackaged to sound new? w hat stunningly obvious bit of information about behavior and learning has been discovered by researchers and is sure to influence all schools and all learning?”
Was he a cynic? Yes, but his questions were not fully off-base. When I peeled back the cynicism, and, knowing his heart was in the right place, I had to grant him that his questions were valid challenges to much of educational research, writing and practice.
Over the past twenty-five years that has continued to be true. Nevertheless, there is one term that has been prominent in educational literature that surpasses trendiness tests: global education. The concept has many names; it might be titled global awareness, global citizenship or some other term to describe the recognition of a more mobile, international and multi-cultural world citizenship. In all its forms and under its many names, this movement recognizes and attempts to address the need to prepare students to live in a very different world than we have experienced.
Growing up in a small town in the Midwest, my international experience was limited to a few trips to Canada. My exposure to multi-culturalism in high school was knowing a few African-Americans and two boarders from Mexico. Though not conscious of it at the time, having attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through high school, I had only a few friends who were not Catholic. Fast forward roughly twenty years to the dramatically different experience of my children growing up on Long Island. Theirs was a multi-cultural experience I could not have imagined. They had classmates who were born in the Middle East, India, and Korea. They went to Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, celebrated Diwali, and attended Presbyterian Christmas services at a Jamaican church.
I feel fortunate that my children had that experience and know that their children will live in a world even more diverse in every way. How fortunate they will be. And, how important for us to make sure that we do all we can to educate children to live in that world. Thus, the value of global education. It is not a temporary trend or buzzword. It is an essential. It is not fully formed, nor should it be. I hope you enjoy it.
Tom Reid Head of School
A Passion for Art
Written by D A ni ELLE Bu RKE ‘14
From a very young age I’ve enjoyed making art. My mom always said that ever since I could hold a pencil I’ve been drawing. In the second grade, I entered the art magnet program at R.R Moton Elementary and then went to Southwood Middle where I continued in the art magnet in the 6th grade. I changed schools in 7th grade and enrolled in Palmer Trinity School where there was no longer an art magnet that I could take; instead there were electives.
Throughout my years at Palmer Trinity, I’ve taken countless art classes; from Drawing and Painting to Mixed Media, even putting down my pencils and picking up some clay in the Ceramics class. When I reached my 11th grade year, I took the AP Art course that PTS offered. While the AP class was a little challenging at first, this course required much more discipline and self-reliance than my previous experiences in the other art classes and I enjoyed myself with the freedom this class gave me. Moreover, it allowed me to discover and develop new parts of myself that waited so long to be expressed.
I was fortunate enough to be able to enroll in the AP Art course again during my final year at Palmer Trinity School. I plan to continue developing my skills at an art college once I graduate, studying something along the lines of illustration and graphic novels. I was recently accepted by the Savannah College of Art and Design as well as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and am very much looking forward to the future!
Building World Peace: One Tile at a Time
Written by E B ony R H o DES , PtS Breakthrough Miami Site Director
“For the authentic self, Peace is a verb.” This is the simple, yet powerful message of the world wall for Peace, which was chosen by Palmer Trinity’s Senior Class of 2014 as their class gift.
As part of their project, an especially committed group of seniors, led by Gabriella Cruz ‘14, has decided to bring the message of
peace to Breakthrough Miami’s seventh grade scholars during Saturday programming.
The group is teaching the peace empowerment course developed by World Wall for Peace, which relates the elements of earth, air, fire, and water to real life situations and feelings that a person might go through when confronted with negativity or violence. During one Saturday session, the Breakthrough students were led through a meditation exercise, which asked them to visualize a space where the air is polluted, and then to connect this image to the experience of walking into a room where people are treating you poorly – an emotionally polluted space. Afterward, the class reflected on the
power of respect, acceptance, and belonging in contributing to a peaceful environment.
The course will culminate in Breakthrough students joining Palmer Trinity students in creating a tile mosaic peace wall on campus.
The building of this wall is symbolic of Palmer Trinity’s connection to other students, schools, and communities around the world who have gone through the same peace empowerment course. By including the Breakthrough students’ voices in the finished product, the Senior Class of 2014 will illustrate the importance of engaging with students who come from diverse communities and cultural backgrounds that are different from their own.
Gabriella is proud of the fact that “Palmer puts a lot of thought into how important it is to be intelligent and smart, but also how important it is to be able to control your own feelings.” This balance generates peace, as the course teaches. The result, as Breakthrough scholar Courtney Robb has discovered, is that “I’ve learned more about myself and how to express my feelings.”
Turning Trash Into Treasure
Written by S A n D i Woo D , Visual Arts Department Chair
For over 12 years, the Palmer Trinity community has sent a group of students and teachers each spring to build simple, safe homes alongside partner families in Managua, Nicaragua. The program envisions a world where everyone has a decent place to live and inspires students to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying themselves with the global community as well as with their own local communities.
While working on building homes in Nicaragua, the group often bonds with the partner family and observes their way of life. In recent years, Mrs. Truby and Dr. Llinas have noted that the families have a habit of burning their trash, which frequently contains a variety of plastics that are quite toxic when burned. Searching for a solution, they approached my Mixed Media class with a challenge: What if the trash could be transformed into something valuable that could
create a source of income for the family, while simultaneously sparing them from the toxic fumes?
The Fall 2013 Mixed Media class was excited to help figure out how to make this happen! They set about researching “upcycled trash” and each student came up with an innovative way to create something beautiful from trash (often using materials such as chip bags or cookie bags). The students created prototypes, which they presented to this year’s Nicaragua Mission Trip group, and taught the techniques used to make them so that the group could then pass on the skills to their partner family. The resulting products could be sold both within their own community in Managua and here at PTS, with proceeds sent back to the partner family.
This community service/art class collaboration was an excellent experience for all involved, and was a great opportunity for a larger part of the Palmer Trinity Community to be able to contribute to this excellent cause. Be on the lookout for some awesome “upcycled” merchandise, hand-made in Nicaragua, in the coming months!
1. Madelyn Spies ‘16.
2. Hannah Aspinwall ‘16.
3. Alessandra Longo ‘16 and Isabel Lopez ‘16.
4. Salma Atassi ‘17.
Behind the Mask
Written by Ko RE é Hoo D , Diversity Coordinator
It was magical. It was an experience that changed the way we felt about ourselves and others. In three days, we had become family. we were able to take off our masks, share our untold personal stories, shed tears of struggle and admit our shortcomings without a hint of judgment. Indeed, the People of Color Conference and Student Diversity Leadership Conference welcome all to come as you are.
Last December, eight faculty members and six students from Palmer Trinity traveled to Washington D.C., to attend conferences that are designed to promote inclusivity within Independent Schools. Both the People of Color Conference (POCC) and Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) are designed to acknowledge, discuss and ultimately affirm differences. The conferences have been held in tandem in a different city every year for the last 25 years.
For teachers of color, the conference is often affirming and an opportunity to share and understand issues that uniquely affect them. For others, it is often an eye-opening experience that creates a consciousness about the impact of societal and
systematic privilege. School Learning Specialist Katie Lamiell stated, “This conference reminded me that in order to grow, both personally and professionally, we must work through the inevitable discomfort, but the end result is both energizing and gratifying.”
Students who attend the SDLC never return the same—ever. The facilitators are masterful in their ability to create an immediate sense of community with the 3,000 students who attend. Without the social restraint endemic to many of their school environments, the students are able to take off their masks and be their authentic selves. Over 3,000 students of different ethnicities, religions, sexual identities, and socioeconomic backgrounds assemble and “keep it real.” They are allowed to discuss their internal and adolescent struggles that are often unseen by adults and unpopular with their peers. Additionally, what truly changes the students is being able to hear the stories of others and realizing that they are not alone. Freshman Tiago Rachelson stated, “I’ve never felt so connected to people,” and Freshman Maddie Herron said, “My life has been changed forever.”
The bonds created between faculty and students were the most sentimental aspect of the trip. While on campus, we often operate through titles of teacher, student, administrator, coach, and advisor to name a few. Titles were left at the door when we sat on the couch at 2 a.m. in the hotel lobby and unmasked who we truly are as human beings; the teacher who shared the struggle with family, the student who felt unworthy to share his pain. We came, we saw, we loved. Math teacher Jeff Rose expressed the journey best, “One of the most powerful and enjoyable 4-day experiences of my life.“
Above: Students, faculty, and staff get ready to head off to Washington D.C. for the 2013 People of Color and Student Diversity Leadership Conference. From left to right: (back row) Micah Whitley, Jennifer Pangeni, Ashley Armato, Koreé Hood, Erica Cerione, Jeff Rose, Katie Lamiell, Corey Harvin (front row) Tiago Rachelson, Jacob Waldman, Miranda Ricart, Raul G. Gonzalez, Madison Herron, Daniel Chumbley
PTS Singers Take on Carnegie Hall
Written by t i M ot H y L ES t ER , Music Director
On Friday, February 14, the Palmer Trinity Singers departed Miami for New York City to participate in Manhattan Concert Productions’ National Festival Chorus. Comprised of six high school choruses from across the United States, the Festival Chorus had 160 singers. Students learned the music in advance and then spent several hours each day rehearsing together in New York, where they were directed by well-known choral conductor Dr. Jefferson Johnson. The weekend culminated in a performance at the legendary Carnegie Hall on Sunday evening, February 16.
In addition to rehearsing and performing, the Palmer Trinity Singers had some time to explore the city. On Saturday evening, we saw the Broadway show Matilda. We also explored and shopped around Times Square, had a guided tour of Carnegie Hall, spent several hours at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and went to Central Park. The kids loved seeing all the snow! As a matter of fact, it snowed very hard on Saturday, turning New York into a virtual Winter Wonderland. Some of our students
A Bright Future For Falcons Football
Four Middle School students gained national recognition in February, after competing in the NFL Flag Football National Championships at Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
Palmer Trinity School’s Sean Moore ‘19, Madison Haggard ‘20, Jalen Sloan ‘19, and Dylan Dylewski ‘19 are all members of the Alexander Montessori School RYAN Football Team U12 Division (ages 11-12). The team fought their way through a bracket of 16 teams and freezing weather, coming out undefeated (6-0) and winning the Regional Championship in Houston, TX. After their Regional Victory, the U12 Team went on to win 3rd place at the National Championships in Arlington, TX.
For U12’s only girl player and PTS Middle School student Madison Haggard ‘20, it was an exciting experience playing in the National Championships at Dallas Cowboys
Stadium. “It was nerve wracking but it was also super fun because there were all these new teams we’ve never played against, so it was an awesome experience,” said Haggard. Madison enjoys surprising the other boys with her explosive tackling power. “I’m the Rusher, so I get to sack the boys some times and it’s fun showing them that girls can play football too.”
PTS 7th and 8th Grade Football Coach
Donnie Harvey sees a bright future for these talented young student athletes.
“Sean Moore did a great job for us this year as Quarterback,” said Harvey. “He was the backbone of our team and he’s got a heck of a chance to be a good Varsity Football player.”
had never seen snow before and were mesmerized by the beauty of it all. It was indeed very cold in New York, dipping into the ‘teens at night. Our hotel was located directly across the street from Carnegie Hall and within walking distance to the subway and Times Square, which was ideal. We ate at some wonderful establishments, including The Hard Rock Café Times Square, The Carnegie Deli, and Don Giovanni Italian restaurant. There was also a post-concert reception at Planet Hollywood on Sunday evening.
Many thanks to our chaperones Mrs. Bronwen Rutter and Ms. Elizabeth Galvan for all of their help during this trip!
It is my sincere hope that this is an event that the students will remember for the rest of their lives. For many people, performing at Carnegie Hall is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Once the students saw the hall, and learned its amazing history, they were awestruck. All of the students performed beautifully and I could not have been more proud.
players to get their sea legs, but Jalen got his and by the end of the year he really was a major contributor to our team. Dylan is also a tough little guy. He battles his tail off, holding his own against guys 6-7 inches taller than him.”
Coach Harvey also looks forward to seeing Middle School Running back/Cornerback Jalen Sloan and Starting Cornerback/Wide Receiver Dylan Dylewski play next year. “Sometimes in 7th grade it takes a little time for
Falcon fans should definitely keep their eyes peeled for these talented future Varsity Football stars.
The ryan Football U12 Team celebrates a regional championship victory in arlington, TX.
Falcons Fly High
For the first time in Palmer Trinity School history, all 5 winter Varsity Sports Teams progressed beyond District Tournament play. Falcon fans witnessed records broken, jaw dropping victories, and acts of teamwork and sportsmanship never to be forgotten.
Perhaps one of the most memorable victories of the season goes to the Boys Varsity Basketball Team, who beat Westminster in double overtime, qualifying them to move on to the Region IV Tournament. “Our varsity boys basketball season was a roller coaster ride to the very end,” said Coach Robertson. “Our four amazing seniors did all that we asked of them. Brandon Vasquez, Joseph Chao, Michael Vega-Sanz, and Matthew Vega-Sanz helped give the Palmer Trinity Boys Basketball Program the best gift of all, what it feels like to win a big game.”
Despite 2 ACL tears, 2 concussions, 1 ACL sprain, and 3 ankle sprains, the Girls Varsity Basketball Team gained a District victory for the second year in a row. Kyrah James ‘16 broke the single game scoring record with 33 points, Samantha Waldman ‘15 broke every shot blocking record in the program, and Claire Hebb set the single season scoring record with 523 points and the free throw percentage season record with an incredible 83% made this season.
The Boys Varsity Soccer Team also enjoyed a District victory after beating Archimedean Conservatory in the District Finals with a score of 3-0. “The team had a remarkable
ratio of 90 goals scored versus 26 goals scored against and they were never beaten in the regular season by more than one goal. Seniors Alejandro Rodriguez-Santilli, Alex Salgado, Alejandro Martinez-Oletta, Daniel du Feu, and Nicolas Moscoso were all chosen to play at the Miami Dade 1A-5A Senior All-Star Game. In addition to an amazing season of student achievements, Coach Scott du Feu also enjoyed his 200th Career Victory as Head Coach of the Boys Varsity Soccer Team.
For Phillip Gentles, it was an incredible first season as Head Coach of the Girls Varsity Soccer Team. Gentles coached the Middle School Girls Soccer Team last year, leading them in an impressive 14-2 season, which ended in a post-season Championship game loss against Ransom. This season, Coach Gentles led the team to a Regional Championship and State Final Four competition. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my varsity coaching career,” said Coach Gentles. “We were the only girls’ team in Miami Dade County (1A - 5A) this season to qualify for the State Final Four, and even though we didn’t win it all, it was a tremendous honor to make it as far as we did. It was an amazing experience, one that I will never forget.”
Senior Sarah Medina finished among the Top 5 in Miami Dade, scoring 46 goals and 24 assists. She also broke the School’s single-game scoring record with 7 points against Boca Raton Christian. Freshman Victoria Rosales also had a great season, setting the School’s single game record for most assists with 5 in one game.
It was also one of the best seasons in PTS history for the Boys Wrestling Team. Most of the team qualified for the District Championship, and of that group, five qualified for the Regional Championships. Junior Raul Gonzalez barreled his way through Regional Semi-Finals, earning a spot in the State Championships in Lakeland. “As a junior, the entire experience will undoubtedly propel Raul ever higher next season while energizing our team as we move forward together,” said Coach Zamarippa.
without a doubt, this winter sports season has been one for the record books. The success of this season has been a reflection of our kids’ and our coaches’ commitment and dedication,” said Athletic Director Jake von Scherrer. “The kids work hard under demanding conditions. They get no extra credit, and they don’t get paid anything, but they still spend countless hours achieving outstanding grades in their classes while also leading the way in community service projects. These are true student athletes embracing the highest ideals of competition, sportsmanship, and honor. And oh, by the way, they also w IN!”
Celebrating Service Leadership
The American Red Cross Spectrum Awards for women annually recognize outstanding women whose efforts have made significant contributions to the quality of life in South Florida. These leadership awards acknowledge the humanitarian principles of the American Red Cross: Humanity, Impartiality, Independence, Unity, Neutrality, and Voluntary Service.
This year, the American Red Cross has chosen Palmer Trinity School Junior Maia Suazo-Maler as one of two recipients of the prestigious Red Cross Spectrum Swanee and Paul DiMare Youth Award. The award was presented by PTS grandparent, Swanee DiMare. As a freshman, Maia began a grassroots organization called Project Feel Good. With her mission being to spend days with children at local child enrichment centers, hoping to brighten their days, it wasn’t hard to recruit her classmates and peers to help. Maia was able to build a relationship with Coconut Grove’s St. Alban’s Child Enrichment Center and Project Feel Good now regularly visits the center. Outside of Project Feel Good, Maia has been an executive member of Palmer Trinity School’s Student Government Association since her freshman year.
“I am delighted to have been part of the nomination of many young ladies from Palmer Trinity over the years,” said Director of Student Activities Elena De Villiers. We can boast about having five winners in the past 16 years and three in the past four! These outstanding young women have served their community since their days at PTS and continue to this day to exemplify the values of this prestigious recognition.” Maia is the 5th Palmer Trinity School student to receive this distinguished award. Past recipients include: Rosa Gonzalez (1998), Jessica Novak (2004), Christina Hernandez (2011), and Marina Bryant (2013).
Susan G. Komen Foundation Honors PTS
The Palmer Trinity School Community was honored on Thursday, February 6 th, for its outstanding participation and fundraising efforts during the 2013 Susan g . Komen Race for the Cure.
Through various fundraising events during the month of October, also known as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Palmer Trinity School Community raised more money than any other High School Team in Miami-Dade County with almost $3,000. They also had the largest High School Team at the Race for the Cure with 48 members!
Executive Director for the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Affiliate Cathy McCarthy and Race for the Cure High School Teams Liaison Patti Morgan presented the awards on a sunny afternoon in the Palmer Trinity School courtyard. The School was presented with two plaques: High School Team with Most Participants and Top High School Fundraising Team.
Palmer Trinity School Senior Sara Abbassi began fundraising for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation in her 6th grade year.
“When I started at Palmer Trinity, I would go door to door and ask for small donations,” said Sara. Her commitment to the organization grew from there, eventually spearheading Dig Pink—an evening Volleyball Tournament with all proceeds to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation. This year’s event raised nearly $1,000.
“There is a huge community feel at Race for the Cure because everyone is there for one purpose, to end breast cancer,” said Sara. “The school has been really supportive, and they have made it easy for me to get involved. Thank you to everybody who helped contribute to our incredible team this year.”
Making a Difference
Written by R A ú L Gon Z á LEZ , Haiti Partnership Program Coordinator
“From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however makes a life”
– A RTHUR A SHE
One morning as I arrived at school, I overheard one of our seniors and President of the French Honor Society, Lea Aftimos express interest in developing a mission trip to Haiti. We spoke briefly about it and after careful consideration, I decided to explore this idea. At first, I realized that a trip to Haiti might be difficult to implement due to safety travel concerns. Following advice from Mr. Masteller, I looked to the National Association of Episcopal Schools and discovered that NAES has had a partnership program between schools in the USA and schools in Haiti for the last 32 years. I contacted Reverend Roger Bowen, US Liaison to the Partnership Program and was surprised to learn that over 30 schools throughout the nation currently participate in this partnership.
As part of our efforts to continue developing our commitment to service and our Episcopal identity, Diversity Coordinator Mr. Korée Hood, College Counseling Administrative Assistant Mrs. Fabiola Mathelier, and I took a trip to Haiti to visit St. Thomas School and meet with the students, teachers and local
community. I have had the opportunity to travel to many countries, but I have never experienced such extreme poverty combined with extreme kindness. We were deeply touched by the level of appreciation and unconditional love with which we were received. It was moving to be made part of a community and a grade school of 300 students who were eager to make us feel safe and at home. For the students, we brought 300 bags of school supplies put together by the PTS Community. These supplies were received with so much love and enthusiasm.
After our return, we met with Head of School Tom Reid, Study Away Director Danny Reynolds, and Upper School Head Ashley Chapman, and we agreed to enter into a partnership with St. Thomas Lamecette in order to help the school develop into a center which has all the basic needs a school should provide. Our first project was to raise $800 to pay for the construction of a well. For members of this community, water means life and the town’s closest source of water is about one and a half hours away by foot, which made this project a major priority. After a successful schoolwide Shed Your Threads Day, we were able to raise nearly $1,000.
On March 26, we embarked on our first official school trip to Haiti with a group of nine students and three chaperones. During this four-day trip, our students assisted the teachers with classes and cultivated relationships with the youth through crafts, sports, music and dialogue. We brought toothpaste and
toothbrushes for every student and community member and it was amazing watching everyone pay close attention as our kids gave a lesson on how to properly brush your teeth.
With money raised by the PTS community, the town was not only able to build a well but construct an entirely new indoor classroom building. Thanks to solar panels donated by the PTS Science Department, the town received a permanent source of electricity for the first time. Our students arrived ready to give and walked away receiving so much more. The unconditional love of the children and the community blew our students away. We left with our hearts full of anticipation and returned with our hearts full of love. After their visit our students understood why this is more than a Mission Trip, it’s a Partnership. They came to the realization that the people of Haiti need us, but we need them too. Needless to say, it was a life changing experience.
Our long term goal is help them build a school with nine classrooms, a resource room and an office that have all the basic facilities and can provide the students with the necessary supplies and equipment that will create the ideal learning environment. We also hope to develop a program that will provide daily hot meals for students because most of them have very little to eat at home. This will be a long-term partnership that will benefit both communities and further develop the global experience and awareness Palmer Trinity is known for. I am certain that the Palmer Trinity community will embrace this unique service learning opportunity.
2ND ANNUAL
a Day o F g IVI ng
The PTS community joined together for a day of service.
Over 250 members of the Palmer Trinity School Community came out on Saturday, September 28th for PTS gives Back— a day of social responsibility, community fellowship, and learning. During this event, students, faculty, staff, parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends participated in ten service projects, both onand off-campus, to benefit the greater Miami-Dade community.
Volunteers hosted a cupcake party for children at Chapman Partnership for the Homeless, worked on arts and crafts projects with patients at Miami Children’s Hospital, cleaned and landscaped at Atlantis Academy, set up a new library at Children’s Home Society of Florida, planted a garden at St. Alban’s Child Enrichment Center, and participated in animal therapy exercises with autistic children at La Ventana de Los Cielos Animal Clinic.
Other participants completed a number of on-campus projects, including: writing letters of appreciation to the troops, assembling stress balls for cancer patients, creating posters and teaching aides for Breakthrough Miami, and hosting a Best Buddies field day for intellectually disabled club members.
This event—which commemorated Palmer Trinity School’s long-standing commitment to teaching the importance of compassion and social responsibility—gave members of the PTS Community the opportunity to come together, make a difference, and do what they do best: Serve others
2013–2014
It All Matters: The Power of Participating in the Annual Fund
At the beginning of this school year, Head of School Tom Reid shared a motto with the Class of 2014 that has permeated our school’s focus this year: It All Matters. What about Palmer Trinity School matters to you? How can you support what is special to you? Each school year, Palmer Trinity asks parents, alumni, grandparents, board of trustees and faculty and staff to donate to the “Annual Fund.” These monies offset the operations of our school and thus benefit every single student, and the special things about PTS that matter to you.
Do tuition and fees cover the school’s operations? The answer is: partly. Most independent and private schools in the United States use donations to offset their budgets. This practice allows for anyone to “invest” in the institution and its mission. Last year at Palmer Trinity, over 60% of our current parents made donations of $1 – $25,000 to the Annual Fund, which all together totaled over $500,000! These monies allow Palmer Trinity to spend resources on what matters - our students and faculty.
Thanks to those of you, who have given a donation to this year’s Annual Fund and for the many ways you support Palmer Trinity students and teachers! To make a donation to the 2013-2014 Annual Fund, please see the attached envelope in this magazine or call Director of Annual Fund, Lauren Dowlen, at 305-969-4282.
e X am P le S o F ho W T he S e D onaTI on S are SP en T F or o U r comm U n IT y
Palmer Trinity hosted Martin Luther King, III during a special all-school assembly.
All student athletes at Palmer Trinity are provided with athletic uniforms. Every few years, each team receives an updated uniform.
Students bond during trips. Alumni may remember SeaCamp, Outward Bound, French Congrès, Spanish Conferencia, mission trips to Nicaragua, or serving dinner to the homeless together at Chapman Center.
Celebrating t he Past and l ooking to the Future
This spring, Palmer Trinity celebrated former Head of School Laura walker with a re-dedication of the magnolia tree planted in her honor near the Library. Laura Walker served as Head of School from 1995-2003 and has since become a renowned educational consultant both locally and with the National Association of Episcopal Schools.
Jack Brumbaugh, Rev. Mary Ellen Cassini, Dr. Jennie Block, Rev. Roger Tobin; Rev. William Walker, Laura Walker, Lynley Walker Ciorobea; Ashley Chapman, Laura Walker, Lynley Walker Ciorobea ‘96, Vivian Cerione, Adriana Truby
LEGACY GIVING
The best way to ensure the gift of education for generations of students is through a legacy gift. This type of gift keeps on giving, providing funds to prolong our mission to inspire students to lead lives of honor, integrity and social responsibility.
How does a gift keep on giving? By making a legacy gift to our school’s Endowment fund, the interest earned on your gift may be reinvested in the school. Anyone can make a legacy gift. no matter the amount, each gift builds our Endowment and provides a lasting source of funding for our students and faculty.
We often refer to charitable gifts made through a will or trust as “planned gifts,” as opposed to outright gifts for building and renovation or Annual Fund gifts for ongoing operations. Through a planned gift, you are leaving a legacy for the life of your School beyond your own time.
— JACK BRUMBAUGH, Past Board of Trustee Chair Contact Lauren Dowlen at ldowlen@palmertrinity.org or (305) 969-4282 for more information about leaving a legacy for Palmer Trinity students.
Founders’ Forum
n o V ember 14, 2013 Members of the past and current Palmer Trinity Board of Trustees gathered at a “Founders’ Forum” and Reception this fall. The spirit of the event celebrated the vision and energetic leadership that has advanced our school’s mission for over 40 years. Head of School Tom Reid shared a brief update on the state of the school, and attendees were treated to a video showing a slice of life at Palmer Trinity. Special thanks to attendees, Laura Walker, former Head of School, and to the Host Committee including past and current Trustees: Monica Betancourt, Jack Brumbaugh, Marlene Carbonell, Dan Forman, Andy Haggard, Susie Krissell, Tina Lane, Tom Magenheimer, Marian Milgram, Jan Morrison, Sue and Alan Nichols, Sonia O’Donnell, Gordy O’Neil, Alejandro Rodriguez, Bronwen Rutter and Bill Walker.
the toP Natalie Baiamonte, Alejandro Rodriguez, Michael
Irvin; Gordy O’Neil ‘84, Tom Magenheimer ‘78, Steve
Febr U ary 12, 2014
Earlier this winter, Palmer Trinity Parents, Alumni Parents, Trustees, past Boards of Trustees, Faculty, and Staff gathered to celebrate and recognize donors to the Imagine Campaign for Palmer Trinity, which raised nearly $6 Million for our school’s general Endowment.
Vicki O’Meara, Trustee and Imagine Campaign Chair, and Michael Baiamonte, Chairman of the Board, shared very moving words about our donors’ generosity and the impact of their gifts to the School. Director of Development, Susana Cetta, and Board of Trustees Chair Michael Baiamonte unveiled a beautiful donor wall of names honoring all those who made gifts to the Imagine Campaign. In addition, over 55 Name a Native Tree dedication plaques were unveiled in the Upstairs Library. These donor plaques will be placed on newly planted trees on the South Campus honoring families who donated funds to the Name a Native Tree south campus initiative.
from
Baiamonte, Greyhni Rodriguez; Kathy Vale, Jack Brumbaugh and Mary Frances
Magenheimer, John O’Neil and Tom Reid; Laura Walker, Jo-Ann Titley, Marian Milgram
clockwise from to P Rt. Rev. Calvin Schofield and Tina Lane; Riva Steinman and Vicki O’Meara; Joe Sanz, Maria Vanegas, Joan San; Beth Brockway Serrate, Ricardo Albarran, Tina Portuondo
Shaping global Citizens
Written by Su ZA nn E Gott L i EB C ALLEJA
We knew when we chose global citizenship as a theme that it would be a challenging topic to define. What does it mean exactly to be a global citizen?
Less complicated, however, was our decision to spotlight Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen as this issue’s VisionAerie.
Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen and her husband, Dexter Lehtinen, are the proud parents of Palmer Trinity graduates, Amanda and Patricia. Although I knew that the Congresswoman represents Florida’s 27th Congressional District, I discovered that her district includes the following neighborhoods: Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Hialeah, Key Biscayne, Little Havana, Miami, Pinecrest, South Miami, and Westchester.
Ileana Ros Y Adato (Lehtinen) was born in Havana, Cuba. She received her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Education and her Ph.D. in Higher Education. She was the first Republican woman elected to the House from Florida, and is currently the most senior Republican woman in the U.S. House. No matter what side of the aisle one’s political views tend toward, these are impressive statistics for a woman who decided to go into politics at the age of 31.
Why DID yo U chooS e Palmer Tr I n IT y School?
Ro S Leh TIN e N : Our kids had gone to St. Thomas Episcopal School and it seemed like the natural progression for them to finish there and go on to Palmer Trinity. We never gave it a second thought—Palmer was our first, second, and third choice. The School wants to improve the community, they teach kids how to be good leaders, and it’s a school where everyone is treated with kindness and respect no matter who you are and what your background is.
I was pleased to meet Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen at her Miami office, and even more struck by her enthusiastiasm and love for Palmer Trinity, and the community (students, staff, faculty and parents) that inhabits our campus.
When I told her she was chosen as our Vision Aerie, she exclaimed with delight, “I’m a global visionary of Palmer Trinity School!”
Overriding everything is the character development of the students. They really take the time to get to know each student— it’s got the right mix of small school, but big plans. Every child feels special, every child feels like “this is my home.” And that is how our children felt. You go to Palmer Trinity if you want to be a good student, achieve your goals, be serious about your schoolwork, but have lots of fun.
oU r I nTer I m hea D calle D IT
‘rela Xe D S er I o US ne SS .’
Ro S Leh TIN e N : [laughing] That is a great phrase: ‘relaxed seriousness!’ He got it right. There’s something for everybody. I just think Palmer Trinity is a great school for any type of child, from a straight A to a struggling C. There’s no sliding down. The scales only go up at Palmer Trinity. They encourage you in a loving, but serious way. Our faculty has expectations, so students improve.
clockwise from toP left Congresswoman Ileana RosLehtinen presents certificate and flag at a Civil Air Patrol ceremony in the PTS Gym; Patricia playing Varsity Soccer for Palmer Trinity; Senior Amanda, member of the Amnesty International club.
below Senator Ileana Ros-Lehtinen signals her vote on the bill - Tallahassee, Florida.
Th IS ISSU e IS abo UT global cITIzen S h IP. oU r comm U n IT y’ S 51% l aTI n noW
Ro S Leh TIN e N : Yes, lots of kids from Brazil, from Venezuela, Colombia, not just Cuban, from all over. There were kids from France when we were going there.
Tell me abo UT yo U r e XP er I ence WITh ThaT “ SP ecIal q UalIT y” yo U menTI one D aT PTS:
Ro S Leh TIN e N : Yes, that is a great part of Palmer Trinity—where it’s located you would think that only the people who just live around the neighborhood would go there and it would be a very homogenous type of school and that’s not true. It’s a very mixed community—the student body cuts across all socioeconomic levels as well as kids coming from every corner of the world. I think that’s very beneficial. For example, the International Festival is one of the best events at Palmer Trinity! The yummy food, made by parents from all different cultures, and made by the kids from all corners of the world, truly exemplifies who Palmer Trinity is. And Palmer Trinity also has a great program where you can study abroad for a few weeks or a few months.
The School is a founding member of the Global Education Benchmark Group, which was founded to create nationwide standards
for global education both on and off campus. In addition, next year, Palmer Trinity will have a new position entitled the Director of Global Studies. So, although the School has always had a global outlook on education, allowing students and teachers alike to spread their wings and understand people from different cultures, they have decided to step up their work and make global education a priority.
It’s a very international student body and that is very healthy for kids. When you learn about other cultures and other languages and other ways of living it’s just like a study abroad program right on the campus of your own school.
The School acts locally, but thinks globally.
D ID yo U r ch I lD ren Par TI cIPaTe I n any STUDy abroa D P rogram S ?
Ro S Leh TIN e N : Our oldest went to Japan twice. I’ve never even gone to Japan, and my kids have gone to Japan! It was truly an eye-opening experience for our kids. Thanks to great faculty members and the leadership of the school, students have educational opportunities that are not easily available. My kids also loved participating in the Model UN Club. It was an incredible way for our students to learn about the global community.
Photo by Donn Dughi, May 10, 1989 Photo courtesy of State Archives of Florida.
c an yo U Tell US a lITTle b IT abo UT Why yo U goT I nVolVe D WITh P olITI c S ?
Ro S Leh TIN e N : I never thought that I would have gotten involved with politics, ever. Our youngest one was in student government at Palmer Trinity, and that was more involvement in politics than I ever had when I was younger. But I grew up in a household where we talked about freedom and democracy and antiCommunism [She was born in Havana in 1952.], so we talked about the bigger issues, but I never thought that I would run for office. I always wanted to be a teacher. I graduated from Miami Dade—I got my doctorate in education from the University of Miami, so teaching is what I always wanted to do.
It was because I was a teacher, getting involved with the parents at the school and helping them with problems that somebody said, ‘You know, rather than helping them one-on-one, you could set the policy so that they wouldn’t have those problems,’ and I said ‘Well, how do you do that?’ and they said, ‘You run for office.’
So my dad and I signed up for a campaign school, really, and found out about how to run a campaign. We were the best students because we knew nothing about politics, but I decided to run for office anyway, because I thought it was important, and I was elected,
met my husband, and had kids. All of that happened thirty years ago. I’ve been in elective office for thirty years. It’s really is amazing.
WhaT D oe S IT mean To yo U To become The FI r ST l aTI na congre SSWoman?
Ro S Leh TIN e N : I had no idea that I was the first Latina congresswoman until I got elected. The computers, of course, broke down, and it was three in the morning when they were finally figuring out the results and we had gotten a call from the Today Show that Katie Couric wanted to interview me. Her first question: ‘How does it feel to be the first Latina in Congress?’
I said, ‘What? I like that I won, but I don’t think I’m the first Latina in Congress. I’m sure that there have been many others,’ and she said, ‘oh, no. We did the homework and you are the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress.’
We had no idea that that was actually true. I knew that I would be the first CubanAmerican, but I thought for sure that there had been other Latinas elected. I always said I’m not the only, I’m just the first and there’s going to be many others to follow. Sure enough, we’re getting more Hispanics and more women elected every year. We started a trend and I hope that it continues.
We have an opportunity and a unique perspective to help other countries live free, and that does not mean that we should impose our will on other people or nations, but understand that there is not a person in the world who does not want to be free.
WhaT Wa S yo U r greaTe ST accom P lIS hmenT a S The chaI r o F The Fore I gn r elaTI on S comm ITTee?
Ro S Leh TIN e N : I believe as a naturalized American, and you know what that means, right? A naturalized citizen is one who, being born an outside of the US, has lawfully become a citizen of the United States under the c Constitution and laws. He or she has all the rights of a natural born citizen, except that of being eligible as to become president
or vice-president of the United States. So, being a naturalized American, I had the opportunity to show folks that one could head an important committee dealing with US foreign policy and address global issues. This country is unique, and truly stands apart from other countries because of our ideals that we represent. It was a wonderful experience, to be given the opportunity, to be able to work on and try to resolve the international issues plaguing the United States.
from toP Marriage of Ileana Ros and Dexter Lehtinen. They were married on June 9, 1984. Photo courtesy of State Archives of Florida; Sisters, Amanda and Patricia Ros-Lehtinen; Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen. Photo courtesy of State Archives of Florida
In yo U r o PI n I on, WhaT make S a global cITIzen?
Ro S Leh TIN e N : I believe that being involved in the domestic affairs of this country makes you appreciate what great benefits and responsibilities we have as one of the leading democracies in the world. We have an opportunity and a unique perspective to help other countries live freely, and that does not mean that we should impose our will on other people or nations, but understand that there is not a person in the world who does
not want to be free. People want to live under a government that respects human rights, and values human freedom, that respects the rights of Assembly, freedom of the press, separation of powers, and the rule of law. Those are American values upon which our country was founded, but they are global values as well. So, what I’m saying is that being a global citizen is not about particular countries, but it is about people, it is about us as human beings. Each of us in the United
States has the same aspirations as those in the Ukraine, Cuba, or Australia. We all want to breathe freely and live freely. These are global ideals. What defines us all as global citizens, is that there should be no boundaries when it comes to human rights and democracy. We are one world, and we are united, and what binds us together, what is the common glue for all of us is our yearning for freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. These are global values, not American values.
CoNgR e SSWoMAN Ro S-Leh TIN e N ’ S VISIoN
is consistently to find out where there is need and to fight hard to eradicate it. She wrote the largest pre-paid college tuition program in the nation, the Florida Pre-paid College Plan. Because of this plan, more than one million (and counting) Florida families have been able to send their children to college. She is the Chairperson Emeritus of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Chairperson of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and north Africa. She uses this platform to support human rights, the state of israel, and disenfranchised populations. She also supports free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea.
over the years, the Congresswoman has received countless awards and honors for her service, including in the last year alone: the Humanitarian Leadership Award from EMunAH of America, The Edward R. Roybal Award for outstanding Public Service, The Friend of israel Champion of Freedom Award, The Close up Civic Excellence Award, The Excellence Award for outstanding Public Service from the Dade County Bar Association, The Living Legend Award from Miami Today, The American Association of Community Colleges’ outstanding Alumni Award, The u.S. Chamber of Commerce
Spirit of Enterprise Award, The Latino information & technology “Campeones” Beacon Award,and The Americans for immigrant Justice Shining Star Award. it is to this list that we honor her as our VisionAerie. Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen has given us an opportunity to reflect on what she has done as a global citizen, and how Palmer trinity School can work to help shape each student for the future.
Janis Tobin, Ashley Chapman, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Danny Reynolds, and Judi Jennings.
Governor Jeb Bush and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen visit National Guard members at Key West High School after Hurricane Wilma. Photo by Dale M McDonald, October 25, 2005. Photo courtesy of State Archives of Florida.
Global Citizenship: How We Live Our Episcopal Identity
Written by P E t E M AS t ELLER , Religious Studies Department Head
w hen I ask my students what Palmer Trinity’s Episcopal identity means, they generally say one of two things. Some students talk about how we pray and sing hymns at convocation, while other students connect our Episcopal identity with acceptance and openness. Both of these answers are correct, but they are not sufficient. Religion is not merely something that people recite or sing, and it entails more than creating a diverse community. Christian ritual and inclusivity are both hallmarks of the Episcopal tradition, but the core of Palmer Trinity’s Episcopal identity is our commitment to global citizenship. By “global citizenship,” I mean the things we do inside and outside the classroom to understand and address global problems. Global citizenship stands in opposition to the
tendency that most of us have to focus on our own desires and well-being. Although Palmer Trinity exists in order to help students cultivate their potential, our students are taught that education is not just a way to increase their own standing but rather a means for them to be powerful forces for positive change. Episcopal schools like Palmer Trinity recognize that a self-centered lifestyle is exactly what Jesus preached against in the Gospel of Luke when he identified the Kingdom of God with those who are poor, hungry, or weeping, which is why members of our community are taught that their privilege entails a sacred responsibility to better understand and support people who are suffering. Best of all, Episcopal schools like Palmer Trinity also recognize that although global citizenship is thoroughly Christian,
it is not exclusively Christian. The inclusive nature of the Episcopal tradition assumes that all of the members of our diverse community can fully participate in global citizenship initiatives while retaining and drawing from their own religious or secular convictions.
Sometimes we practice global citizenship academically. For example, courses such as “Ethics,” “Peace and Justice,” and “Women, Culture and Development” enable students to better understand and take responsibility for global problems such as violence and oppression. Palmer Trinity is working to expand this facet of our curriculum: next year, students will be able to take “Religion, Globalization and Sustainability” and “Social Entrepreneurship,” a course in which students design and launch their own social change
ventures. However, by definition, global citizenship cannot remain a merely academic matter. Outside the classroom, students and faculty collaborate on many different global citizenship projects. In November the Palmer Trinity community donated over $1,400 to people in the Philippines who were devastated by Typhoon Haiyan, and in December students and faculty held a garage sale which raised more than $3,200 to support our Nicaragua service learning trips. On the surface, these global citizenship projects could be viewed as secular; indeed, the ideal of “citizenship” is a secular one. However, what is special about the Episcopal tradition is that it provides communities like Palmer Trinity with a Christian foundation without excluding those who don’t identify as Episcopalian, Christian or even religious. We can confidently talk about how we strive to manifest the love of God and how we strive to be good global citizens because, for practical purposes, the two actions are identical. This is exemplified during our service trips to Nicaragua when we take students of various (and no) religious affiliations to live for a week at an evangelical Christian mission; the work that we do there is simultaneously God’s work and work that transcends religion. Religion is what we do, not just what we believe.
Over the next few months and years, Palmer Trinity will be redefining itself. The faculty and staff are currently hard at work producing our Self Study in preparation for re-accreditation this fall, and in April members of the Palmer Trinity community, including the Board of Trustees, will convene to create Palmer Trinity’s new Strategic Plan. This fall, we will be joined by our new Head of School as well as our new Chaplain. In this transformative moment of Palmer Trinity’s history, it is crucial that we recognize the centrality of global citizenship to our mission as an Episcopal school. If we do this intentionally and strategically, in a few years Palmer Trinity students will answer questions about our Episcopal identity with precision, depth, and pride.
this PAGe from toP to bottom: Students participate in animal therapy exercises with local autistic children at Los Ventanas de Los Cielos Animal Clinic; Students play a practical joke on Mr. Mastellar during a Nicaragua mission trip house build; Senior Lea Aftimos teaches an English class during her visit to Tanzania; Elementary School students in Tanzania received uniforms and school supplies donated by the Palmer Trinity School Store. Thanks to PTS Parent Lynne Keller and Africair Inc., these donations were able to make it overseas to those in need.
oPPosite PAGe: Sophomores Philip McMichael, Sophia Sardinas, Lynn Van Wey, Osmel Alvarez, and Hannah Aspinwall
Education for All
Written by DR. L E o P o LD o L L iná S , Sustainability Coordinator
Palmer Trinity School partnered with Colegio Aquileo Parra, in Bogotá, Colombia to participate in the NAIS Challenge 20/20 program. Together, the schools chose the global problem “Education for All” to work on identifying and proposing local solutions. The NAIS Challenge 20/20 program is an Internet-based international education program that partners schools from the United States with schools from other countries to work together on one of the 20 global problems described by J.F. Rischard in his book, High Noon: 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them.
Under the guidance of Dr. Llinas and Ms. Zayra Vargas at Aquileo Parra, students collaborated to learn about and find solutions to the global problem Education for All. Students created the Desafio 2020! Facebook group to communicate with their counterpart classes and shared ideas via Skype.
Students discussed documents by UNESCO and the World Education Forum and read passages from Jean François Rischard’s book. They conducted further research on the chosen topic by looking for inconsistencies or categorical statements made by different theorists and scientists. They analyzed the failures of the American public education system by viewing and discussing the 2010 documentary film Waiting for Superman that follows several students as they strive to be accepted into a charter school.
Students were inspired by stories of people like Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani school pupil known for her activism for rights to education and for women. At the age of 15, Yousafzai was shot in the head in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen while returning home on a school bus. The United Nations launched a petition using the slogan “I am Malala,” demanding that all children worldwide be in school by the end of 2015.
Education By Students For Students
The students and teachers who participated in this program became part of a global movement committed to provide quality basic education for all children, youth and adults. After numerous discussions of this global problem and analyzing the pros and cons of their proposed solutions, students selected a pilot project: Education By Students For Students Education By Students For Students is a video sharing educational project. The idea is simple: Students create educational videos for other students. Each video is a 10-minute class where students share what they know about a specific topic or interview experts on the field.
colomb Ia IS back After decades of civil conflict, Colombia is now safe to visit. Through this series of videos, students from Colegio Aquileo Parra in Bogotá, Colombia, invite viewers to discover a new Colombia and see what they are missing. See the cultural side of Bogotá with your own eyes, learn about Ciudad Bolívar and take a virtual tour of the National Park Montaña del Oso.
g lobal FlaVor S The Global Flavors videos educate viewers about different cultures around the world through the lens of food dishes. These videos also serve as food lessons viewers can do at home or share with families and friends. Understanding different cultures is important to appreciate and embrace the diversity of our world. Learning about different cultures can open one’s mind in order to better see our own flaws and learn tolerance.
mar I ne ScI ence I n So UTh
Flor IDa Marine Science in South Florida is a series of educational videos describing different locations used for marine biological research. The locations include Miami Beach, Key Biscayne, Matheson Hammock, The Everglades, and The Florida Keys. We can appreciate research facilities and programs dedicated to the study and preservation of the marine ecosystems of South Florida and the native plants and animals. We visit places such as the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami and talk with professors and researchers working there. We also learn about national and state parks and the effects of anthropogenic pollution on natural ecosystems. mIam I cU lTU re The overarching theme of these videos is the local culture of Miami. We visit sites cherished by locals including Stiltsville, Miami Metro Zoo, Fairchild Tropical Garden, and Art Basel and explain their greater significance. We talk about the history and explain why they play an increasingly important role in the local culture among other topics. We hope by watching our videos, the viewers will have a better understanding of what Miami has to offer.
Shor T S Tor I e S an D Sonne TS
The purpose of the Short Stories and Sonnets educational videos is to enhance students’ understanding of famous short stories and sonnets taught in American schools. By watching the videos, viewers learn about famous authors’ backgrounds, listen to stories and sonnets, and understand important themes within texts. The videos include explanations of style and figures of speech in the writings, so viewers can appreciate these classic stories and sonnets while improving their English vocabulary.
WorlD o F Soccer The World of Soccer videos explain the sport of soccer and all of its different aspects. These include the technical aspects, its history, its effect on society and more. The videos offer information and opinions of two high school students who are fairly knowledgeable about the topic and will hopefully give viewers a deeper idea of the richness and depth of the sport.
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A Semester in Provence
Written by So PH i A S ARD in AS ‘16
Catherine Dos Santos and I boarded the plane for our three-month journey abroad to Aixen-Provence, France with Palmer Trinity’s Study Away program. My French teacher, Mme goodwin, had introduced me to the program and to our exchange school, Lycée International georges Duby Luynes, where we were to take regular French courses just like French teenagers. She also explained the procedure for picking the host families and after several waivers and pieces of paperwork, we were ready to go!
When we arrived, we were both nervous and excited; this would be the first time away from our families, and spending 12 weeks away from them seemed like too much. We started school on September 3rd, and I was amazed at how quickly the other students welcomed me and how well I adapted to the French school system. We quickly made friends and were continuously improving our dialogue. In the Lycée, we had class from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and often had 3-4 hour lunches in between. During our long lunch breaks, we often took the public bus to Aix-enProvence where we would eat at cafés, shop in small boutiques, and walk around the city center.
My exchange student, Clémence Bahout, was very kind, loving, and caring toward me and even took out the time to introduce me to her friends so that I wouldn’t feel so out of place at school. I know that our friendship will last a lifetime. My host parents quickly made me feel at home and treated me like their second daughter. Toward the end of our experience, Cathy and I noticed how fast the three months had gone by and how much we would miss France upon our return. On December 7th, saying goodbye to our friends, families, and sisters was not easy, but we knew we would be visiting them again soon.
I am so fortunate to have experienced the French culture, cuisine, and language firsthand, and would definitely do it again if I had the opportunity. I am ecstatic over the amount of improvement I have made with the French language and I could not be happier with the trip as a whole. I would like to thank Mme Goodwin, Mr. Reynolds, and all other Palmer Trinity staff who made this trip possible. Without your help, I would have missed out on the best experience I have ever had. I am looking forward to July, when Clémence will be staying with me for two months!
1. Sophia enjoys the view of Marseille from the steps of a church with study away correspondent Clemence Bahout.
Camping in Les Calanques with host family and friends.
A visit to the parliament house in Lyon.
A Tale of Two Schools
Written by Et HA n Hi LL ‘17 with the assistance of A LLEGRA Hi LL ‘15
A school, not unlike Palmer Trinity, where the chatter of students once resonated, is silent. A school, not unlike Palmer Trinity, whose rooms were once packed with young people learning, is empty. within these walls once covered in chalkboards, a visitor does not hear the echoes of children laughing, but, rather, is haunted by the posthumous screams of the victims of the Khmer Rouge. Tuol Sleng, this former school turned torture camp in Phnom Penh, is merely a reflection of the rest of Cambodia. Like the school, rich in learning, Cambodia was once a rich country in many respects, but is now, like the school turned torture camp, tormented by its brutal, all too recent past.
Last summer, as my sister and I gazed at the photographs of thousands of faces of the victims of the Killing Fields, we wondered a very simple question: Why? Why did this atrocity happen? Why was no one there to stop it? Was it because nobody really thought about this poor, small country on the other side of the world, with a foreign name that you would only remember if it was on a World Cultures’ test? Why did the rest of the world turn its back on Cambodia?
Palmer Trinity teaches its students not to ignore the rest of the world, but rather to learn and connect to the global community. It is supportive of students’ efforts to reach out into the world to make their impact. In convocations, students are made aware of the massive world community they live in and are empowered to make a positive impact on it. We see this school personality in the International Festival, where students raise high the flags of nations from all over the world, regardless of whether their names are hard to pronounce.
My family bore witness to this spirit last year, when the Palmer Trinity community threw its full support behind our efforts to raise money to build houses in Cambodia. The willingness of the students and
Ethan with a new friend.
Allegra and Ethan nailing in the bamboo slat floor for one of the houses.
staff to help make an impact was astonishing and humbling. We raised more than enough money to build two houses, with the de Sola family donating the cost of one house themselves!
In August, my family united with several other families from around the world to build houses in a small village in Cambodia with an NGO, Tabitha Cambodia. There was no electricity or running water, with only one well for more than 200 people. It was the monsoon season and the roads were knee-deep with mud. Mosquitoes hummed through the heavy air while we worked side by side with the Cambodian families, pounding nails and raising walls. The Palmer Trinity Community was working beside us, if not in body, then in spirit. Our school was connected to the people we were helping.
Right now, hanging on the walls of Tabitha’s modest headquarters in Phnom Penh, are two framed posters. Written
across their surfaces are the signatures of hundreds of Palmer Trinity students and staff who made a difference in the lives of eleven families. This very night, these families can lie down in houses that are not falling apart, and we at Palmer Trinity can go to sleep knowing that we helped make that happen.
“Palmer Trinity teaches its students not to ignore the rest of the world, but rather to learn and connect to the global community.”
Allegra and Ethan with children of the village with the Palmer Trinity signed posters.
Bringing a Gender Lens into the Classroom
I could never have anticipated the impact that my course, Global Studies: Women, Culture, and Development, was going to have upon my students. While they read, reflected, and discussed gender and its social constructions, they experienced a continuous process of inner transformation which affected their core identity. The course examined the differences between the situation of women in both Developed and Developing countries, and how they have been affected by their socioeconomic level and cultural values. By applying an intersectional approach to gender, ethnicity, and economic development, students acquired tools to analyze the social constructions of gender, the relationship between gender and power, and the different gender roles ascribed by society.
Written by LA u RA M ASSA , History and Humanities Department Chair
o ne of my fem A le students reflected on this to P ic “Everything I have been taught about dressing, or manners, or gestures or anything else have all been taught to me because I boil down to one thing: girl. There are many other aspects about my identity but the main one that is the foundation of all judgments is the fact that I am a girl. As for social constructions, every action, gesture, material item, even hairstyle is associated with not only gender, but also sexuality. For example, sitting with your legs spread apart is considered masculine, whereas painting our nails is feminine. A sports car is masculine but a Lexus RX is a “mom” car. Long hair is feminine and short hair is masculine, and if you disobey any of these unwritten rules you are labeled gay. Even expectations that are laid out for you are different. Everything that you do and say is shaped by gender, and our perception of gender is definitely a social construction. Had I grown up in Guatemala or Afghanistan, my ideas and aspirations would be much different than they are now. The fact that we live in a patriarchal society also casts women in more submissive roles. Jobs that are associated with women are also more submissive, like a nurse as an aid to a doctor- typically a male. These past few weeks I have seen just how deeply gender affects our lives.”
left: Jessica Getz speaks to students about international opportunities with Planned Parenthood.
Above: From left to right (standing): Laura Massa, Leo Rocchiccioli ‘14, Kailin Brousseau ‘16, Roberta Marcondes ‘14, Isabel Signoret ‘14 (sitting): Sofia Pedroso ‘14, Lea Aftimos ‘14, Camille Plunkett ‘14, Anabel Danon ‘14 (absent): Pedro Domit ‘14 and Gabriella Cruz ‘14
Male students also recognized that gender shapes their behavior since they cannot escape from the relentless pressure to conform to societal norms and expectations, as is emphasized by the media. The construction of masculinity is associated with dominance and violence, visible in action games, films, and some sports. Likewise, that dominance was expressed in the body size, which has dramatically changed in the last decades showing men looking more aggressive with big biceps, whereas women are depicted exactly the opposite, with slim bodies.
A student wrote in her journ A l “I had always thought that girls were the only ones who felt pressured by society to look a certain way. Men are expected to have big, buff bodies to make them appear more “manly”. They are expected to act tough and not cry so they do not appear weak. These societal pressures or norms cause each new generation of men to become more violent than the previous one.”
A m A le student reflected on the role mediA P l Ay in the construction of G ender im AG es A nd beh Avior
“In almost every television program, the protagonist is a strong, good looking man, which puts the idea into boys’ heads that to be a man, you have to be strong and good looking. But the reality is that not every man looks like that, and when men see these shows and realize that they do not look like this man, they begin to feel emasculated. The media influences the way men are portrayed, which is bad because this idea of what a real man is, strong, womanizer, good looking, successful, and heterosexual, is wrong. Just because a man is not into sports, does not mean that he is any less of a man. Just because a man is in love with another man, does not mean that both of these men are not real men.”
The portrayal of men as violent and women as entitled is a cycle that needs to be broken by learning about media literacy and the sexual objectification of women. As an educator, I believe that a feminist lens provides a theoretical framework that enables students to be aware of topics of gender. By raising awareness and assuming a critical approach, students can be agents of change in our society.
o ne student commented
“A more accepting society would prevent men from feeling pressured to prove their masculinity through exhibiting violent dominance to gain respect. Additionally, the image of the “perfect” man (someone tall, rugged, handsome, muscular) has evolved similarly to the image of the “perfect” woman. These images constructed by society cause people’s want for the ideal to lead them into doing irrational things to gain respect as a man. This could be changed substantially simply with an alteration of advertisements on TV, and by allowing our young men to express their feelings without being made fun of for being less of a man (man up, don’t cry).”
As one student eloquently exP ressed in A journ A l entry
“We need to continue spreading the word about the horrors of child labor and mistreatment of women in factories. If each incident is reported and publicized, then there is great hope for the future. Even if it is just publicized within Palmer, that would still make a huge difference because many children here are buying brand name clothes that are made in the factories. I want to make a difference in the world and help people. I think bringing this subject to light could do just that.”
To engage students in activism, I invited two speakers from different NGOs to share their work. My students were moved by the nature of the conversations as it happened when Mrs. Fran Katz from Women’s Fund revealed shocking statistics about sex trafficking in the U.S. and Miami during the high sports season, or when Mrs. Jessica Getz from Planned Parenthood shared with us the fruits of her work in Honduras. Many students expressed interest in pursuing a professional career in the field of International Relations, Human Rights, Gender Studies, or Social Justice to advocate for women. Ultimately, the goal of this course is to empower women and men in our community to be agents of change, to be up standers instead of bystanders. These students, who studied the situation of women in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, called their State senators during class time to support the Military Justice Improvement Act, and presented a proposal to reduce sports gender inequality on campus, testament of their commitment to think globally and act locally. Bridging what they learned in the classroom with their own lives becomes an experiential learning. Gender studies courses are offered at college level, though are rarely taught in secondary education. Palmer Trinity is one of the few schools in the country which offers this possibility to its students. Teaching them the proper language of gender is to empower them with a potent voice. As Oprah Winfrey said: “In order to get people’s attention you got to blow a loud trumpet, you got to beat the drum loudly. Nobody listens to you when you go quietly into the night.”
Another aspect studied in this course was the abusive labor conditions of women who work in some multinational corporations in developing countries. Students realized how crucial it is to be informed consumers and responsible global citizens. By exercising their power they can make right choices and produce irrevocable changes.
Laura Massa and Sofia Pedroso listen on as Mrs. Fran Katz from Women’s Fund speaks to the class.
Study Abroad in Salamanca
For six consecutive years, 136 students from Palmer Trinity and Colegio Marista Champagnat in Salamanca, Spain, have participated in an experiential learning program that has shaped their attitudes and enriched their perspectives to better comprehend our world. Semester exchange and summer exchange programs, based on a homestay modality, are available for our students in an attempt to raise global interconnectedness and develop a sensitive and unprejudiced approach to other cultures. With the voices of two students and one parent, their transformative journey is recalled.
A Life-Changing Experience
Written
As a parent of a student who had the opportunity to experience the Salamanca exchange program this year, I can say, without a doubt or hesitation, that it has been one of the best experiences my daughter, and our family, has ever had the opportunity to go through while attending Palmer Trinity. Sending a 15 or 16 year old off on a journey to a foreign country can be incredibly daunting and intimidating. However, as our world continues to grow globally, the chance to immerse herself in another culture, improve her Spanish speaking skills and to live with a host family who opened their home and hearts not only to her, but to all of us, is an invaluable and life-changing experience that I wish everyone could have an opportunity to participate in.
After just one semester abroad, our daughter returned more confident and mature, knowing that she now has the ability to adapt to and be comfortable in other cultures and in other academic and social environments.
I feel that one of the greatest benefits of this program is that it helped build her confidence in her ability to confront personal and educational challenges outside of her familiar comfort zone and support network of her family, friends and teachers, while having the best time of her life! The education, the global awareness, the personal growth and the lifelong friendships that have been formed through this experience are truly priceless.
It is now our chance to offer the same experiences and opportunities to our Spanish exchange student, in the hopes that her adventure here will be as rewarding and memorable as it has been for our daughter. I can truly say that this experience has been an invaluable educational, cultural and personal growth journey of a lifetime for all of us! And if given the opportunity to do it again, we would definitely embark on this road again! Thank you, Palmer Trinity, for providing such an exceptional learning experience for us!
by M RS . D EB o RAH E LWAW , parent of isabella who participated in the exchange program 2013-14
from left to riGht: Alex Perera ‘16, Daniela de Marchena ‘17, Maria Perez-Hickman ‘16, Isabella Elwaw ‘16, Alejandro Gallart ‘15, Nicholas Leira ‘16, Paulina Ramirez ‘14, Daniela Littke ‘14, Ivan Robledo ‘15, Ashley Quero ‘17, Alex Glass ‘16
An Unforgettable Experience
Written by oSMEL A LVAREZ ‘16
About a year ago, when I was in 9th grade, I heard about the semester exchange program to Salamanca, and it immediately caught my attention. I soon expressed interest in applying for the program with Mrs. Massa. However, I needed to convince my parents. At the time of the application, I thought I was only going to Spain to improve my Spanish skills and learn about Spanish culture.
Although at first it felt a bit odd to live in someone else’s house for so long, my gracious host family made me feel right at home. They treated me like another member of the family. Thanks to their generosity, I was able to visit many places across the Iberian Peninsula, such as Granada, Cordoba, Toledo, Segovia, and Lisbon in Portugal, but more importantly, they showed me all of Salamanca. My new family took me to see several historic and famous sites, such as the Alhambra of Granada, the Mosque of Cordoba, and the Roman aqueduct of Segovia, just to name a few. My host family also introduced me to the delicious Spanish cuisine and interesting customs. I am very thankful to have stayed with them, because they made my experience extremely enjoyable and memorable.
My experience at the school in Salamanca, Colegio Marista Champagnat, was exceptional. The teachers, who were all very friendly and approachable, always made sure I understood the material and that I got help if I needed it. The students were very welcoming as well, and were also helpful with anything that I needed. Of course, all classes were in Spanish. Thus, over the course of the semester, I improved my Spanish skills so much that people were even saying I was starting to lose my Cuban
accent. I was speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish more than I ever had in my whole life. Additionally, I was part of the school’s soccer team, and my teammates played a big role in the improvement and development of my soccer skills. They were all very supportive and always ready to assist me during practice, regardless of whether or not they were better than me.
One of the most important components of the experience was the city itself. Salamanca is a small, ancient city, filled with old and historic sites and buildings. It has an ancient Roman bridge, which is still used today, an enormous medieval cathedral, and a large, beautiful city square called “Plaza Mayor.” Furthermore, I visited the University of Salamanca, which is the world’s fourth oldest existent university, founded in 1218. I was able to behold, firsthand, the Gothic and Romanesque architecture of some of the medieval cathedrals and churches of Europe, which, coincidentally, were the subject of my research paper for Mrs. Massa’s History class in 9th grade. My semester in Salamanca was spectacular, exceeding all my expectations. I know that I will always remember this experience. I am extremely glad that I decided to participate in the exchange program and encourage others to apply. I have improved my Spanish skills a great deal, immersed myself in Spanish culture, lived in an old but exciting Spanish city, and made many everlasting friendships.
An Extraordinary Experience
Written by M AR i A P EREZ -Hi CKMA n ‘17
My experience in Salamanca is one I will never forget. For the first time in my life, I was away from home for almost four months. At first, I really didn’t want to go
because I was terrified about being away, missing my friends, having to start a “new life” in Salamanca, having to meet new people, make new friends, and starting at a new school.
My reason for traveling abroad to Salamanca was to perfect my Spanish by learning how to read and write faultlessly. Being a native Spanish speaker facilitated my understanding of the language, but I did struggle quite a bit at the beginning. One of my greatest challenges was familiarizing myself with the Spanish educational system, which is completely unlike the American
system. But like everything in life, you learn to adapt, and then everything gets easier. I was very comfortable in the school environment and pleased by the way I was accepted by my peers, as well as with the help that they provided me while I was there. I am thankful for the faculty, because they were always attentive to my needs, and so eager to enhance my studies at their school.
Overall, my experience in Salamanca was really positive. It was a remarkable opportunity and I encourage everyone who has a chance to take it.
A World of College Opportunities
Written by D A nny R E yno LDS , Director of Admission, College Counseling, and Study Away and edited by K A t H y V ALE
i was fortunate to be invited with 17 other north American college counselors to visit two public universities in Scotland and seven in ireland. Because of Palmer trinity’s international student body and our membership in the premier Global Education Benchmark Group, the Ministry of Education in those countries thought students from Palmer trinity would be a perfect fit for their prestigious universities.
Most folks don’t realize that the U.S. higher education system is derived from the Scottish system, where one starts in a general academic area, and then courses become more specific in the latter years of a degree. University studies in Ireland and Scotland are less rigid than the course of study in England, where students have to apply to the exact program they wish to study during their college career, and it is very difficult to change. Their flexibility makes universities in Ireland and Scotland a great option for Palmer Trinity students, most of whom aren’t exactly sure what they want to study in college.
We began our tour at the U NIVERSITY OF E DINBUR g H , which was founded in 1583 in a medieval town with Edinburgh Castle at the highest point. The university is mid-sized with 20,000 undergraduates in three colleges: the College of Humanities and Social Science, the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine and the College of Science and Engineering. As a city school, it reminded me initially of Boston University or George Washington University.
The university has a large international population and is always ranked as one the top 100 in the world. Edinburgh is easily accessible to London via train or plane. The students are cosmopolitan and stylish.
S T. A NDRE w S , the oldest university in Scotland, has always been one of my favorites. I have often said, “If I had it to do over again, I would attend St. Andrews.” Medieval ruins of a castle and a cathedral are testimony in part to the span of history on campus. Founded in 1413, the university celebrated its 600th anniversary last year. Only a 30 minute train ride from Edinburgh and closer by car, St. Andrews sits beside the North Sea. It is a true college town, where students and faculty comprise half of the population. The faculty is engaging, and there are many students from North America, either in a full degree program or junior year abroad. St. Andrews is consistently rated among the top 20 universities in the world. Two of its more famous alumni who will be known to our students are the future king of England, Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton. The four colleges at the university are: Arts, Medicine, Divinity, and Science. One of the amazing treasures of St. Andrews is its rare book collection. I was able to leaf through original copies of books signed by Leonardo Da Vinci and Benjamin Franklin. The town is very safe and is fantastic if you are a golfer. Students wear red robes to take exams, and you feel very much as if you are in a Harry Potter movie. St. Andrews is also on the common application,
Danny with Ivar Molar, Palmer Trinity’s representative at St. Andrews in Scotland
which makes its application very easy to complete along with those for US colleges.
Scottish universities are quite affordable and typically cost about 42,000 US dollars including tuition, fees, room and board and also 2 trips home a year. This is a bargain, considering that NYU costs almost $70,000 a year. Scottish Universities also take US federal financial aid. These universities are recognizable all over the world and many graduates attend top graduate schools in the US after they return, although 40% of North American students end up staying and working in Europe after graduation.
All seven public Irish universities are included in the world’s list of university rankings. Four are located in or near Dublin. There are many similarities to US colleges, and the lower price tag (approximately $35,000 for tuition, room and board) makes them attractive to North American high school students. Irish universities vary in qualifications for admission, but most are looking for a good “B” average student with at least a 1750 on the SAT. Popular programs like medicine and
law are more competitive and require stronger academic work. Students apply directly to the university, with transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation and a solid personal statement. The personal statement is among the most important documents. Forty percent of the population of Ireland is under the age of 25, so this makes Ireland a great destination for an initial degree or junior year abroad.
My first visit was to T RINITY C OLLE g E , founded in 1592, Ireland’s oldest university with 12,000 undergraduates. Trinity is the urban version of St. Andrews, located in the heart of Dublin. Three undergraduate faculties: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Engineering. Mathematics and Sciences; and Health Sciences make up Trinity. Students may earn a Bachelor of Arts degree after four years of study. Typically about 20% of the students at Trinity are from North America. The library at Trinity is a legal depository for Ireland and holds over 5 million volumes, including the ancient Book of Kells. Juniors and seniors live on campus in plush, old world accommodations, but first and second year
students live off campus in fully furnished apartments. Organizations and sports are very popular at Trinity, and it is easy to participate. Trinity is the alma mater of some of the world’s best writers, such as Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett.
U NIVERSITY C OLLE g E D UBLIN , founded in 1854, is the largest of Ireland’s universities with 17,000 undergrads. UCD has 3000 international students. It reminded me of the University of Florida. The 500 acre campus is in a residential area of Dublin, giving it a small town feel. The university has seven colleges and a prestigious College of Veterinary Medicine that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medicine Association. A vet degree at UCD is equivalent to any vet school in the USA. The program is competitive and only 5 years long as opposed to the 8 year degree required in the States. The business and law programs at UCD are the most competitive. Sports are very popular at UCD with many of their teams winning national championships. The school offers athletic scholarships but also has 57 club
Trinity College in Dublin
National University of Ireland at Maynooth
sports with almost 6000 students participating annually. Last summer PTS alumnus Matt Benenati studied at UDC through a program with Notre Dame, and senior Brittney McDonough participated in their program for high school juniors. These students would be great resources on this fine Irish school.
D UBLIN C ITY U NIVERSITY, founded in 1989 with 11,000 students, prides itself in being the Irish university with the highest number of graduates who are employed directly upon matriculation. The school has a heavy focus on business and has an articulation agreement with Northeastern University in Boston. Students spend 2 years at DCU and 2 years at Northeastern in transatlantic studies and global business. The school also places 95% of its students in work placement internships throughout the world. International politics is a popular major, along with economics and law. Although this is a fairly new university, 1000 students live on the 85 acre campus in Dublin.
We spent the night at the N ATIONAL U NIVERSITY OF I RELAND AT M AYNOOTH , which is 15 miles from Dublin, and students can take the train into Dublin from the campus for a minimal fee. This school’s architecture combines the old and the new. We stayed in the old seminary that was established in 1795 and is now surrounded by many 19th century buildings. A few yards away, the north campus sits on 100 acres with a glass building, theatres, a campus pub, a sports complex and plush accommodations. It is Ireland’s fastest growing university with 9,000 students, but also the smallest. Maynooth has three faculties: Arts, Celtic Studies, Philosophy; Science and Engineering; and Social Sciences. Later this year the university will add a faculty in education, which will be unique among Irish universities. Maynooth is the only university outside the US to be included in the Princeton Review of the Best Colleges. A student with a 3.00 GPA, a 1600 on their SAT,
and 23 on the ACT would be a good match for most programs at this Irish university. On the west coast directly across from Dublin, T HE N ATIONAL U NIVERSITY OF I RELAND AT gALwAY was founded in 1845 and is home to 13,000 undergraduate students. Galway has five faculties: Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies; Business, Public Policy and Law; Engineering and Informatics; Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences; and Science. There are both three and four year degree programs at Galway, including a six year medical degree. Students spend only about 20 hours a week in class and less time with continuous assessment. There is a culture of independent learning at this institution with options to create double majors and honors degrees. Typically, students study four subjects in one year and then narrow their focus to two subjects. The school has a tremendous BA program in drama which has produced multiple Tony Award winners. Creative writing and journalism are also top programs. Galway typically requires a 3.0 GPA and 1700 on the SAT. Many programs also prefer applicants to submit two SAT 2’s or two AP exam results. Founded in 1972, U NIVERSITY OF L IMERICK has 11,000 undergraduates and is one of the newest in Ireland. Many students participate in the Co-Op program. Limerick was the first in Ireland to develop this 8 month work placement program as part of their degree requirement. With four faculties: Health Science; Science and Engineering; Business; and Arts, Humanities and Letters, University of Limerick is also home to the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. While on campus we were treated with performances by students with Irish dance and song. One of the students was from the Panhandle of Florida. She had come to Galway on a school trip, ended up falling in love with Limerick, and decided to apply to the university. My interaction with the students led me to believe that this university was very personal. Students and faculty knew each other. Many students lived in university housing, and most had studied or worked abroad during their degree. Limerick, a riverside town southwest of Dublin, is easily accessible to Shannon, which has daily non-stop flights to Orlando. South of Limerick on the southwest coast, U NIVERSITY C OLLE g E C ORK was my last stop. Founded in 1845, the university is the home to 12,500 undergraduates in
University of Limerick
four faculties: Arts, Celtic Studies, and Social Sciences; Business and Law; Medicine and Health; and Science, Engineering and Food Science. UCC is Ireland’s leading research institution and has been named the Irish university of the year three times. The school prides itself on being environmentally friendly. In fact it received Ireland’s “Green Flag” which is the same as “LEED” certified. Cork also has a Confucius Institute. UCC majors include many programs where the third year of college involves a year of work placement in Europe as a part of the four year degree. The school also is one of the few in Ireland that guarantees four years of on campus housing in apartment style. UCC has had a working observatory on campus since 1880. The interesting thing about the UCC campus is that it is built around many megalithic sites like Stonehenge. As you enter the main administrative building, there are large stones along the expansive hallway. The stones are written in Ogam, which is the earliest written source of the Irish language from the 7th century. The minimum qualifications for UCC are a 3.0 GPA and a 1750 on the SAT and 26 on the ACT.
ScoTlan D: Approximate cost $42,000 US includes tuition, fees, room and board, two trips home.
All of these universities are for students who are driven and independent. In Europe students are not in class as much with professors and are expected to attend tutorials. Assessments are much less frequent than for most college courses in the US. Some classes may only have two papers with no test or quizzes for the entire semester. The Irish universities have the work component, so you spend your third year working at a company in your area of interest which tends to make you more marketable to employers after graduation.
University College Cork
These universities want American students and a student who may not be admitted to the University of Miami or Florida State, but could possibly be accepted to the University of Edinburgh or University College Cork. If you have any inclination to study international business or international relations, these European schools could be a bonanza for you. Ireland has a very low corporate tax (11.5%) and many companies base their European headquarters here: Google, Amazon, and Facebook have offices in Ireland. These companies are looking for students educated in Ireland and Scotland. Dublin, Shannon and Edinburgh have major international airports with direct 7 hour flights. It would take longer to travel from Miami to a school in upstate New York. The Scottish and Irish universities also tend to be at least a third to one half cheaper that most US private institutions. For our international student body at Palmer Trinity, Ireland and Scotland are great alternatives.
Irelan D : Approximate cost $35,000 US includes tuition, room and board.
National Univ. Maynooth
National Univ. of Ireland galway
University of
Urban, 85 acres
Urban, 15 miles from Dublin, connected by train
West coast
Midwestern city on Shannon River
from North America, library holds vBook of Kells, off campus housing for freshmen and sophomores; plush on campus housing for juniors and seniors, sports and organizations popular
3,000 international students, 5 year Veterinary College degree, business and law most competitive, national championship sports teams, athletic scholarships, PTS alum Matt Benenati and senior Brittney McDonough did summer work there
International work placement internships for 95% of students, articulation with Northeastern Univ. for transatlantic studies and global business, 1,000 live on campus
Combines historic and modern architecture, smallest and fastest growing Irish research univ., only non-U.S. university included in Princeton Review, will add faculty in education
Flexible independent learning options, Tony awardees among drama alums, 6 year medical degree, 3 and 4 year degree programs
Co-op program with 8 month work placement, Irish music and dance, study or work abroad, friendly campus with personal interactions with students
Leading research institution in nano electronics/ food science/environment, observatory, junior year work placement, Confucius Institute, megalithic sites on campus, guarantees 4 year campus housing
Rare book collection, medieval ruins, castle, cathedral, golf, common application, one of world’s top 20, ties to North America
homecomIng Day
celebrAtinG fAlcon Pride At Pts
On Saturday, October 26, 2013, Palmer Trinity School students, alumni, faculty, staff, families, and friends came to campus to take part in the 2013 Homecoming Day festivities.
The day kicked off with the very popular Alumni Soccer Game, coached by former Athletic Director and current Varsity Soccer Coach Scott du Feu. Alumni enjoyed playing with old friends and showing off their skills against current PTS students. Following the game, three talented Alumni and one beloved Athletic Director were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
New to Homecoming Day this year, was the Alumni Basketball Game. Several Alumni—
including recent Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Kevin Sanz ‘01—banded together for an intense game against current PTS students, coached by Carl Rachelson and Ernest Robertson.
That afternoon, the PTS Booster Club hosted a delicious BBQ as the Falcons took on the Zion Lutheran Lions. During halftime, Head of School Tom Reid helped crown members of the 2013 Palmer Trinity School Homecoming Court.
An incredible week of Homecoming events concluded with an elegant Great Gatsby-themed Homecoming Dance, which took place that night at Alcazaba Lounge, in the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables.
toP row / left to riGht Head of Upper School Ashley Chapman and Nathaniel Tobin ‘97; Virgil Guma ’90 and Peter Baumberger ‘90; Interim Head of School Tom Reid and his wife Ann bottom row / left to riGht Thank you to our Unicco Maintenance Staff; Phil and Trustee Beth Serrate, Pat Brockway, John and Michelle Brockway; Middle School girls show their Falcon spirit
toP to bottom
Falcons battle against the Zion Lutheran Lions; PTS Varsity Cheerleaders amp up the crowd during halftime; Laura Portuondo ‘10, Trustee Tina Portuondo, and Bernardo Portuondo; Ines Nicholls and Jenny Chao; Booster Volunteers serve delicious food at the PTS Booster BBQ; Homecoming King Daniel du Feu and Queen Amanda Simon
Palmer Trinity Parent Association (PTPA) Holiday Party
To celebrate the beginning of the holiday season, nearly 200 parents gathered at the home of James and Cynthia Slaman, parents of Katrina ‘16 and Konrad ‘19, to enjoy delicious food and drink and spend time with one another before holiday break.
Sariah and maria attasi with chalece and John erixon
edgar belaval ‘85, rebecca haggard ‘88, michael haggard, and leanor belaval
alan kyle and PTS Parents
Jim and cynthia Slaman with Tom and ann reid
heidi nosich, Silvia rodriguez, and michelle Font
guest with ed Patricoff, rev. calvin and Trustee elaine Schofield
masahiro and kanako Waki with Shuko and Fabian Torres
bernardo and Trustee Tina Portuondo with Trustee beth Serrate
Trustee lynne keller, Jim and cynthia Slaman, and John keller
Jim and cecilia Scullin, carla and Trustee ricardo albarran
Sera and Jared azcuy, kenneth and margaret Valentina, claudia barandiaranDiaz, and erwin Diaz-Solis
Steve and ann elson with John opaciuch
Middle School Grandparents Day
Over 100 grandparents filled the PTS gym on Friday, February 7th, for Middle School grandparents Day. Grandparents were treated to a program led by the officers of the Middle School Student Government Association with speeches by Haley Valentini, John Malloy and Vittoria Barreto. The Middle School Chorus performed Festival Madrigal by Dave and Jean Perry, and 8th grade pianist Ricky Albarran treated the audience to an original composition entitled Wind. Following the entertainment and delicious breakfast provided by SAGE Dining, grandparents got the chance to visit several morning classroom sessions. Thank you to our volunteers
Pilar Dangond, Nikita Chugani, Nany Gamboa, Ines Nicholls and Ana Martin, as well as all of our Faculty and Staff who helped put on this great event! To view photos from Middle School Grandparents Day, visit our Media Gallery.
Samas Family
Sokol and katz Family (legacy)
Dagostini Family
albarran Family
acebal Family
kujawa and Sulkes Family
Shodell Family
rush and malloy Family (legacy)
belaval Family (legacy)
Stoner Family
2014 Sandy Golf and Tenni S Commi TT ee
TOURNAMENT CO - CHAIRS
Brian Gershen ‘98
Lynne Keller
Chuck Klenk
nathan Zeder ‘98
T ENNIS T OURNAMENT C HAIR
Bill Bailey
Sonnia Viyella
H ONORARY C HAIR
Chris Block ‘96
C OMMITTEE
Michael Baiamonte
Simon Baker
Edgar Belaval ‘89
Jim Block
Bob Booth
Brett French ‘97
Sara Fumagalli
Bekki Haggard
Joseph J. Kalbac, Jr.
Jon Lawrence ‘98
Will Morrison ‘07
Maggie Porto
Regina Sandilands
Beth Serrate ‘85
Zachary Sulkes
On Monday, January 27, Palmer Trinity School hosted its 13th Annual Sandy golf Tournament and 4th Annual Tennis Tournament. Held at Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club, the event proceeds support the Sandy Block Financial Aid Fund, which enables outstanding students to attend Palmer Trinity School by receiving need-based financial aid. We would like to extend our gratitude to Presenting Sponsor Northern Trust for their incredible support and leadership. This year, we had more event sponsors than ever! Thank you to our generous event sponsors, underwriters, donors, participants, volunteers, and students, golfers, and tennis players for supporting this remarkable tournament.
new head of School Patrick roberts, Trustee beth Serrate, Pat brockway, and Trustee chair michael baiamonte
Participants of the Women’s Tennis Tournament
brian gersher ‘98, luke Savage, marc Thomes ‘98, and Jon lawrence ‘98
PTS Tennis coach John hainline
Sonnia Viyella, erin bauer, Trustee lynne keller, Paula herron, Debbie Friedlander, and Tracey Waldman
Trustee ricardo albarran and Joann Titley
T HANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
PRESENTINg SPONSOR
The Morrison Family
ACE SPONSOR AUCTION SPONSOR PAR SPONSOR
EVENT RECEPTION SPONSOR g OLF CART SPONSOR
HAT SPONSOR g OLF BALL SPONSOR
EAgLE SPONSORS
BBVA Compass Bank
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Tennis Tournament winner becky mccarron with lynne keller
camilo and Sylvia montana put in their winning bid during the charity auction honorary co- chair chris block ‘96
Class Notes strengthen the connection of our Alumni community to their classmates and their alma mater.
AlumNews is the first section Alumni turn to when they receive the Aerie Magazine, so this section is full of exciting and updated information. To send us news for our next issue, please log on to www.PalmerTrinity.org and click ‘Alumni.’
Monica Sanchez, Director of Alumni Relations (305) 969-4210 | msanchez@palmertrinity.org
Class Agents
as of 4/1/14
1973 DaVID Woo D mdavidwood@comcast.net
1974 J U l I e (c oleman) m an SFI el D juliemansfield@comcast.net
1975 lIS a ( l ombar D) h ay D en lisa@2haydens.com
1976 a n Dy h e SS en hesstang@aol.com
1977 c ra I g zI mme TT cazfla@aol.com
1978 Tom m agenhe I mer tmagmai@aol.com
1979 l or I (Fogel) l a Forg I a ljlaforgia@gmail.com
1980 DaW n ( h oy T ) kIDD dhoytkidd@gmail.com
1981 l ee S T erl I ng psports@bellsouth.net
1982 Tracy (Tabor) SheloWIT z tracy@martintabor.com
1983 m ary (Joyce) W I lb U rn marywilburn@bellsouth.net
1984 Pe T er cUTT er guycutter@aol.com
1985 Dale b enne TT RB9999@aol.com John m alloy jcmalloy@malloylaw.com
1986 Joelle (Wag S h U l) S T e I nberg jwagshul@aol.com
1987 cla SS agen T nee D e D
1988 e lena ( eSS en) e n Dara partyuv5@bellsouth.net
Keep the updates coming!
AlumNews class notes
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1989 Sco TT Shel F er scott@exactaland.com
1990 Pe T er b aU mberger psb@rbrlaw.com
a l D en (D U n Wo Dy) P I men T el Pimentel@bellsouth.net
1991 Derek F IS her derekfisher7@gmail.com
1992 Joy ( b erg) John S on jeremyandjoy@yahoo.com
1993 a man Da m aTalon amatalon@arnoldoil.com
1994 c harle S b aU mberger catcay@yahoo.com
c am P bell Walker cwalker@lincolnharris.com
1995 k a IT l I n b laze Jack kkblaze@gmail.com
1996 lynley (Walker) cI orobea lynley3@yahoo.com
1997 b re TT French brettfrench@yahoo.com
1998 b r I an g er S hen briangershen@gmail.com
Pre ST on D I cker S on prestond@hotmail.com
n aT han z e D er nz1305@aol.com
1999 b el I n Da Fr I er I belifrieri@yahoo.com
2000 Sooz I e k lock seklock@gmail.com
2001 We S Farrell wf159@aol.com
2002 aD r I a Jenk I n S mz.adria@gmail.com
2003 Da X Te J era dax.tejera@gmail.com
l aU ra aT eca laura.ateca@gmail.com
2004 c or I na lo P ez celopez721@gmail.com
2005 k aT ey o ’ r egan katey613@yahoo.com
2006 b ran D on m c n ary bmcnary@nigcapital.com
eD lU ckmann luckmann.e@neu.edu
a man Da o machon U amandaom22@gmail.com
2007 W I ll m orr IS on willmorrison07@yahoo.com
2008 a r I el m oger aemoger@gmail.com
m egan cU nn I ngham megancunningham215@gmail.com
2009 Je SSI ca m azon jessica.mazon@gmail.com
m arcel c on T rera S marcelc28@aol.com
n aTal I a m aTallana natismata@hotmail.com
2010 V I c T or I a Fernan D ez vifer18@gmail.com
2011 a le X a c a JI ga acajiga93@me.com
k aTI e D I Fe D e 91difede@cardinalmail.cua.edu
2012 bI raa J m aha Jan bmahajan@bu.edu
2013 cla SS agen T nee D e D
1980
Joe Hanko was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame during Homecoming Weekend in October 2013. Many of his peers came to pay tribute to his time at Palmer. After graduating from Palmer School, Joe received a full scholarship to play football at Southeast Louisiana. He did not finish playing his last two years due to an injury, which put an end to his football career. After college, Joe served as an officer for the United States Marines for five years. Tragically, in 1991, Joe passed away during a farming accident. He will always be remembered by his teammates as one of the most talented and hardworking athletes of Palmer days.
1981
Burford Smith, a resident of Atlanta, GA, returned to be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Lee Sterling ‘81, Ed McLean ‘81, Hart Baur ‘82 and many other were there to congratulate him.
1984
Suyain george is enjoying her work as a realtor and has agreed to help
with the Reunion planning once again! Contact Suyain for more details about the 30th Class Reunion!
1988
Leslie (Traba) King is Communications Manager for Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network in Durham, North Carolina. The Network’s mission is to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Research Triangle through a unique partnership between UNCChapel Hill, NC State University, Duke University, NC Central University and the Council for Entrepreneurial Development. Prior to moving to North Carolina in 2007, Leslie spent 11 years in Atlanta as an Executive Producer at CNN Headline News and Director of Communications at SCAD-Atlanta. Her husband Sam is Director of Sales and Marketing for an institutional investment firm and is a proud Tar Heel, and
8-year-old daughter Madeline is ready for March Madness! Leslie lives in Durham with her family and their dog, Mack.
1989
Scott Shelfer and his wife, Carrie, welcomed their third child, Spencer, (named after her aunt) in December 2013. Big sister, Cami (age 5) and big brother, Beck (age 3) were thrilled to have Spencer join the family!
1990
Christine Kincheloe is living in South Carolina with her two children, Katie (age 11) and Alex (age 7). She is a Special Education Teacher at South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind. Christine writes, “Working on my Masters in Education Administration/Supervision at Converse College, graduating in 2015. I won the South Carolina School for the Deaf
Alumni Soccer Game
Teacher of the Year and S.C. District Teacher of the Year. I will be competing with all S.C. District Teachers of the Year in the spring of 2014 for the State Teacher of the Year.” She graduated with her Bachelors from LenoirRhyne University.
1993
Michael O’Hara will be moving to Charleston, SC in March 2014! He has been working as a firefighter the last few years in Miami.
Sam Taylor was awarded the Amy Lowell Traveling Scholarship, which will support him to travel the world for a year and write about his experiences. He writes, “I am incredibly humbled, honored, and still shocked!” Sam also published his second book, Nude Descending an Empire, which includes some poems, which had been previously published in Pank Magazine.
1994
Charles Baumberger is working hard with the Alumni Office to help organize the upcoming 20th Class Reunion! Save the date March 30th and 31st and contact Charles for more information.
At 9 a.m. on Homecoming Day—October 26, 2013—more than thirty Alumni gathered at Falcon Field for Palmer Trinity School’s annual Alumni Soccer game. Led by PTS Varsity Boys Soccer Coach Scott du Feu, Alumni enjoyed playing with old friends and reminiscing about their times as athletes at Palmer, Trinity Episcopal, and Palmer Trinity School.
L ESLIE T RABA K ING ‘ 88
S COTT S HELFER ‘ 89
1995
Andrew Bennett is now working as a Controller for Luxury Brand Partners. Corey (Krissel) gonzalez and Anne Beaumont (Nichols) Neithardt had a great time catching up at the Alumni Holiday Party at Peacock Garden Café.
1996
María Ines Leannez, Chairman of the Humanities Department at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, teaches English and Art History, which were her majors at the University of Miami where she earned her BA and MA.
1997
James Campbell got married and started his own boutique PR company. He is the CEO and Founder of What You Say – James Campbell Consulting, Inc. in New York.
Katrina Campins says “the business skills learned from my experience in The Apprentice helped me in founding Campins, a luxury real estate company that’s recently expanded from Miami to Boca Raton. There’s no better feeling than helping people find their dream homes and being able to help the spouses and children of celebrities and professional athletes is a blessing. My high-end clients often have special needs that can be intuited by a smart and caring broker. I’ve always had a knack for it. I’ve always been intrigued with finance, numbers, and being a people person.” She’s worked as a correspondent for Fox News and has been featured on NBC, BBC, MTV, and several other channels.
Nathaniel Tobin and his wife, MaryAnn, welcomed their daughter, Genevieve, into this world in March 2013. They are thrilled to be celebrating her first birthday soon! Nathaniel works for The Barthet Firm in Miami.
1998
Daniel Diaz-Leyva writes, “It is with great pride that I announce that Governor Jeb Bush has endorsed me in my campaign for the Florida House of Representatives for District 112. I am truly humbled and honored to count on the Governor’s support. I look forward to collaborating with each and every one of you in this effort. To get involved send me an email at ddiazleyva@yahoo.com.
1999
Brittney (Hoffman) McCabe and her wife, Kara, are enjoying their time with their son, Jackson. Brittney will be helping with reunion plans once again so contact her for more information!
Jaclyn Varela got married to Tony Gill.
winter w heeler-Young and her husband, Thomas, welcomed their second son, Rex, into this world in December, 2013. Their older son, Roman, is two years old and the family is doing great in Atlanta!
2000
Jason Hingerton and Joseph Santilli ‘10 happened to meet by chance in Atlanta as Joseph was looking for an apartment and they realized their PTS connection!
2001
Kristin (Hayden) Hebert and husband, Marty, are expecting their first child in July!
Patrick Erin Murphy is up for reelection as Congressman for the 18th Congressional District of Florida. To contact him or get involved with his campaign go to www.patrickmurphyforcongress.com.
Nathalie Pozo is now a news correspondent for FOX in Atlanta, GA.
Tatiana Suarez’s works remind us a bit of the doe-eyed kids painted by San Francisco artist Walter Keane. But while Keane painted eyes with a sort of vacant yet menacing look, the pupils of Suarez’s subjects twinkle with femi-
ninity and emotion — something she doesn’t apologize for. “I’m not a graffiti artist; I didn’t start out doing this. I’m just inspired by women,” the 30-yearold Miami native admits. “I think women are beautiful. They are always adorned with something from nature, and it goes back to Mother Nature and stuff like that.” The inspiration for her work goes beyond the XX chromosome. She also takes cues from her heritage. “I’ve been inspired a lot from my background — my mom is Brazilian and my dad is from El Salvador. It’s the natural mythology and folklore from these cultures — primarily my Brazilian background — that I’m getting inspiration from, whether it’s the face paint or how they are adorned.” Shortly after graduating from the University of Miami with a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and illustration, Suarez worked at an advertising agency. Then she figured painting was her future. “I have loved art since I was in elementary school and throughout high school,” she says. It was around 2009 when Suarez took her work to the streets. It’s an unusual trajectory for an artist — most begin as street artists and graduate to showing work in a gallery. Though she still creates murals, including one for the Downtown Hollywood Mural Project, she doesn’t hesitate to say which kind of work she prefers. “I definitely prefer my gallery work,” she laughs. “When I’m at work on [gallery pieces], I’m in the privacy of my own studio. I’m still not comfortable painting in the streets and having an audience witness my mistakes. It gets me nervous, plus the extreme conditions here — you’re on a ladder, it’s hot. Then there is the nature of the street: You can’t get attached to it — it will get vandalized.” Still, Suarez realizes she can inspire other women to join the maledominated street art culture.
W
J
Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame
h omecomin G dAy | o ctober 26, 2013
Joe Hanko was one of the finest tight ends and defensive ends to ever play Class 1A Division Football. Joe joined the Baseball team and for three straight seasons he was one of the top 3 pitchers in Dade County 1A-3A Division. He also played goalie on the Soccer team his senior year. After graduating, Joe received a full scholarship to Southeast Louisiana and played TE. An injury put an end to his football career. After college, Joe served as an officer for the US Marines. Tragically in 1991, Joe passed away during a farming accident. He will always be remembered as one of the most talented and hardworking athletes of Palmer days.
Each year, Palmer Trinity School honors exceptional athletes and coaches in the School’s history by inducting them into the Athletic Hall of Fame. On Homecoming day, four inductees—three students and one coach—were honored at the Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Prior to Homecoming Week, the Athletic Hall of Fame Selection Committee meets, reviews nominated candidates, and votes to decide who will be inducted. Congratulations to 2013 Inductees Joe Hanko ‘80, Burford Smith ‘81, Dave Hewett ‘83-‘00, and Kevin Sanz ‘01.
Nobody spent more hours working to make sure that every athlete was taken care of than Burford Smith. Jeffrey Capparelli writes: “Since this seems to be a year of recognition and celebration of service, Burford Smith truly should be celebrated. I am positive that no one in the school’s history has participated and contributed to the school’s success as he did in a voluntary service role. If there were an All-Conference selection, an All-County selection, an AllState selection, Burford would be that. In fact, if I had anything to do with it he would be an AllAmerican. Thank you Burford for all you did for the Pirates.”
Kevin Sanz has always been seen as a leader by his coaches and peers. In his senior year Kevin was chosen as both Football Team Captain and MVP, playing Running Back and Linebacker. Kevin was also Men’s Varsity Basketball Team Captain, leading them to District Championships, and played as goalie on the Lacrosse team. After graduating, Kevin went on to play football for four years at Boston College, where he received a Bachelor’s of Finance. He then earned a Master’s of Science in International Real Estate at FIU. Kevin is currently working in Commercial Real Estate with Orion Investment and Management Ltd. Corp. and enjoys playing tennis, boating, fishing, traveling and golf.
D AVE
Dave Hewett served as Athletic Director for Palmer from 1983-2000. During that time, Palmer Trinity won state championships in both Cross Country and Lacrosse, as well as the South Shore Conference Sportsmanship trophy several times. Coach Hewett has spent over 30 years in Dade County coaching, mentoring, and teaching valuable life lessons to the athletes who had the privilege of coming under his supervision. “Dave Hewett’s career will ultimately be defined by consistency, loyalty, and the highest ethical standards,” said Claude Grubair ‘89. “His teams will always be remembered for their consistent effort and preparation.” Dave is now enjoying retirement in the Keys with his wife, Maria.
Jo E H A n K o Class of 1980 Football, Baseball and Soccer
Bu RF o RD S M it H Class of 1981 Athletic Department Manager
K EV in S A n Z Class of 2001 Football, Basketball and Lacrosse
Co ACH
H EWE tt 1983-2000 Coach and Athletic Director
SanTIago TenorIo 2002
I have warm memories of my time at Palmer: of the beautiful campus, of my classmates and teachers, and of so many special moments shared. I made life-long friendships at PTS and had the fortune to meet teachers who really cared about my development; some of them even continued mentoring me beyond graduation. Reminiscing about those years brings back memories of passionate literature debates in Mr. gonzalez’s class and deep philosophical discussions in Mr. Rachelson’s Humanities class. How could I forget walking into Ms. De Villiers’ math “Queendom” for the first time? Or guitar practice with Mr. Friedman as we perfected our Sevillana for the upcoming performance? My teachers inspired me to believe in myself and gave me the ability and confidence to be proactive in making a positive difference in the world.
The cultural diversity at Palmer Trinity and the international exposure I received while studying there were truly unique. The school placed importance in cultural and international awareness and the subjects were often topics of discussion in and outside of class. I attended the Model UN Conference as part of PTS’s delegation, for example, and thought that was a valuable program to raise awareness of various international issues. During my junior year, I had the privilege of joining about a dozen other students and a few teachers in a trip to Japan organized by Mr. Rachelson. We visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone and a small town north of Tokyo called Omiya. We were in Kyoto during the cherry blossom season and it was gorgeous. This twoweek adventure developed in me a fascination for Japanese culture that influenced important academic and career decisions in years to come.
After graduating from Palmer Trinity, I studied at the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, I enrolled in Japanese language courses every semester and participated in their study abroad program. During the second semester of my junior year, I studied at Sophia University in Tokyo. I hadn’t been to Japan since the holiday with PTS and I took great joy in rediscovering some of the same spots where we had been to together. Knowing some Japanese this time around made a big difference, of course. My 6 months in Tokyo were a wonderful experience. I traveled the country, advanced my Japanese language skills and understanding of the intricacies of Japanese culture, made some friends, and had amazing food (everyday!) I’ve been visiting Japan every couple of years since then, and I even went back for work for another 6 months a few years later.
cU lTU re or enVIronmenT IS one The beST WayS To e XPerIence The rIchneSS an D DIVerSIT y oF The WorlD We lIVe In.
In my mind, a global citizen is someone who is open to different ideas, and who respects and values diversity, actively seeking to learn about and experience new cultures. A global citizen is also informed about issues around the world and has a sense of how the world works politically, economically and socially. They should strive to make a positive contribution to the community and lead by example. I think it’s very important for students to be exposed to different ideas and cultures as well as to international issues from a young age. The world is becoming increasingly global, so it’s ever more important to invest in developing international awareness, which can begin with an appreciation of cultural differences among students and teachers at the school.
Immersing yourself in a different culture or environment is one the best ways to experience the richness and diversity of the world we live in. It opens your mind to new possibilities and to completely different ways of thinking
about life. It also develops a sense of awareness of your place in this world and of the fact that you were born into a specific context. You realize that there are people in other parts of the globe who live in a contrastingly different environment and think about everyday life and global issues quite differently than you do. Whenever I think back to the most eye-opening and enriching experiences I’ve lived so far, the year I spent in Tokyo or the 4 months I lived in Bombay in 2008 are always at the top of the list. If you have an opportunity to study or work abroad, take it. It’s ok to feel anxiety about the idea of leaving home to go to a “strange” land. It’s human nature to feel uneasiness when you’re placed outside of your comfort zone, but these are the experiences that truly broaden your mind and develop your understanding of the world. If you really embrace the experience, you’ll have the time of your life!
this PAGe:
Visiting the Dhobi Ghat in Bombay while working abroad in India. The Dhobi Ghat is an impressive open air concrete laundromat where local workers (“dhobis”) wash in the open tons of clothes from the surrounding residents, hotels and hospitals, Spring 2008; Meeting chefs at Trattoria Da Romano in Burano, Italy, Spring 2012; At Saatchi Gallery in London after his move to the United Kingdom, Summer 2012.
oPPosite PAGe:
Admiring the sunrise from the peak of Mt. Fuji while studying abroad at Sophia University in Japan, Summer 2005; Admiring a menu at a local sushi restaurant in the Ueno district of Tokyo during a 6 month rotation in Japan with the asset management firm, BlackRock,Summer 2007.
Rachael Ferguson Brown writes: “I work for Selah Freedom, a not-forprofit organization that has a residential facility for women who were sexually trafficked. We serve the Tampa Bay Area. I work in the house with the women and I’m half of our corporate development team.”
Adrian Foley, along with the help of the Palmer Trinity community, helped raise funds toward the Philippines relief efforts. The Aboitiz Group, through its social development arm, Aboitiz Foundation, is raising money for the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda. Adrian, Mariana ‘05, and the entire Foley Family are grateful for your support!
2003
Fahim Hemani works for LCM Enterprises, Inc. as a Director of Business Development. He received his BBA Finance/International Business from GWU and his J.D. from the University of Maryland.
Ciara Michel is playing professional volleyball in Italy.
2004
Michael Contreras graduated with his Masters from the UM School of Business Administration.
Jessie gross and Max Undorfer ‘07 were married in December, 2013. Many of their PTS friends were present to celebrate this great moment in their lives.
2005
Julie Davis is living in Orlando and is a Speech Pathologist at a Rehab Facility. She studied Communication Sciences Disorders at UCF and has worked with children and the elderly. Taylor Deva Cohen graduated from Florida Gulf Cost University Magna Cum Laude. She later earned a master’s degree in Family Policy from the University of New Hampshire.
Joelle goodwin-Marr is living in Orlando and is working for Ellis & Associates teaching a National certified Pool & Waterpark Lifeguard Training course. One of the things she loves about her job is that it makes such a meaningful impact on the safety of others.
2006
Eva (Adan) Rengstl writes: “This past year has been the best year of my life. I feel so blessed. I met the man of my dreams, Patrick Rengstl, an attorney, in November of 2012. After just two months of dating, he proposed. We were married in June at Epiphany Catholic Church. We wanted to start a family quickly and are so blessed because we are expecting a baby girl any day now! She is due in early March. We are counting down the days to having her in our arms!”
Sam (Evans) and her husband Robert Moore ’05 are welcoming their first child this summer! They look forward to moving back to Miami to be with friends and family.
Julio Ligorria is living in Washington, D.C. and in September his dad, Julio A. Ligorria, was presented with his credentials as the new Ambassador of Guatemala.
2007
Maria Caraballo is living in San Francisco and works for Credit Suisse in Private Banking.
Taryn Dana Cohen graduated from USF Cum Laude. Taryn earned her master’s degree in Applied Anthropology from Cal State University Long Beach in the summer of 2013.
Kerri Kilpatrick graduated from High Point University and is now in her first year of medical school.
2008
Nicholas Betancourt wrote: “I graduated from UF last spring with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. I moved to Houston, and I’m working in New Product Development for Schlumberger (an oil services company). Houston is great, and I’m so grateful to PTS and everyone there for putting me on track for this to happen.”
Cori Capik has kept herself extremely busy after graduating from Columbia University in 2012! She recently wrote an article in The Huffington Post titled, One Step Closer to Crowdfunding Investment, discussing the JOBS Act passed in April, 2012 and the great impact it will have on individuals and businesses. She writes, “In theory, it gives the average Joe the ability to support small business and have a piece of the pie. At its core, equity funding is a very American concept.” To read more about it, take a look online at www.huffing-
tonpost.com/cori-capik. Cori also worked as the producer of SPEARS, The story of Jesus Christ through Britney Spears music, played on November 7th at the Snapple Theater. Tickets to the first production sold out in under one minute.
gregg Steinman is busy pursuing his law degree at University of Miami.
2009
Laura Chumbley is currently living in Denver, after graduating with her B.S. in Psychology from CU-Boulder. She is working at Sky West Airlines and is enjoying her flight benefits.
“The first advocacy competition I competed in was the Phi Alpha Delta Opening Statement Competition. Sixty-two first-year law students competed and I placed second, winning $500 off my bar prep course certificate, and a gavel. The (continues on page 52)
Alec McCluskey filmed an ad for Brazil CCMA which also featured Jessica Alba. Check out the ad on YouTube!
Alexandra Davis visited the PTS campus when she was in Miami from Australia.
Hannah Ibañez is a 2016 J.D. Candidate at Stetson University after graduating from Simmons College in Boston. Hannah writes:
A DRIAN FOLE y ‘ 02 AND MARIANA FOLE y ‘ 05
J ESSIE G ROSS ‘ 04 AND M A x uNDORFER ‘ 07
Ju LIO L IGORRIA ‘ 06
A LEC M C C L u SK y ‘ 06
C ORI C APIK ‘ 08
LA u RA CH u MBLE y ‘ 09
A LE x ANDRA D AVIS ‘ 09
young Alumni Town Hall
Seniors were treated to a special “town hall” style meeting with young PTS Alumni in the Private Dining Room on Friday, January 10th. 16 Alumni from the classes of 2009-2013 came to talk about their college experiences and to answer questions from current PTS students. Seniors enjoyed catching up with old friends and learning what to expect at college next year.
Biology
a Minor in Chemistry and Spanish
“Exploring is fun but at the same time, keep in mind that you are going to college for a reason. Try to use your time wisely. I spent my freshman year trying out the Indian Students Association and being on a dance team. It took me that year of adjustment to realize that really wasn’t for me. Then my sophomore year I got involved with research. I am currently working in 2 different labs, and that’s a much better fit for me. So college is like a trial and error process but you shouldn’t give up on the trial error. Just keep going until you find something that you like.”
Thank you to all of our young Alumni
“My advice for kids going to college would be to really think about where you want to be before you choose. It’s really important to find a school that fits you because it makes your experience all the better.”
Cornell University mA jor Industrial Labor Relations
“When you move to college, you just have to accept the fact that you’re going to spend a lot of time in the library studying, doing your homework, and you’ve got go to class. Once you get past that, everything is manageable. I think it’s important for incoming freshman to realize that and I’m sure especially coming from a school like PTS, which prepared me very well, they’ll be able to do that.”
who came to speak: Laura Vogel ‘09, Felicia Burke ‘11, Taylor Haas ‘11, Shirin Rashdan ‘11, Daniela Roger ‘11, Diana Ruiz ‘11, Stefano Aime ‘12, Marcelo Guerra ‘12, Biraaj Mahajan ‘12, Alex Block ‘13, Eric Koffler ‘13, Rodolfo Martinez-Don ‘13, Andrew Miller ‘13, Roberto Morean ‘13, Samantha Ostwald ‘13, and Carlos Singer ‘13.
C ARLOS S IN g ER ‘13
S AMANTHA O ST w ALD ‘13 Tisch School of the Arts at NYU mA jor Dance
S HARIN R ASHDAN ‘11 University of Miami mA jor
with
VIrgIl gUma 1990
I remember as a child reading my green card that said “Resident Alien.” I was offended by that notion then and I find it ridiculous now. If there is one thing I have learned from my smoke filled room negotiations in Moscow to my walks through tea plantations in Malaysia, it’s that people are all surprisingly similar. A global Citizen recognizes that people from all over are only different from those who are right here at home in very marginal ways. At our core, we all share the same hopes and dreams and aspirations. we all have the same fears. To understand the world community as fellow citizens is to better understand ourselves and from a different perspective.
I have many fond memories from my time at Palmer including meeting my wife Kelly. In 1990, when we fifty students graduated, the world seemed a daunting place. Since then, the historic events that have transpired have left me looking back with quaint nostalgia at a much more innocent time and place. Through it all, my fondest memories at Palmer were less about any one particular moment or even triumphs on the field or in the classroom. My fondest memories of Palmer are not intellectual but emotional and one thing that has never changed is the way I feel about our school.
Often our most vivid memories are stirred by feelings. I get a sudden sinking feeling as I walk by the bleachers where I watched the last flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger in the gym. The fields where I shared in triumph and defeat with brothers in arms who remain even today (nearly a quarter century later) my closest friends. My fondest memories are of a place that created a relaxed gathering of clever and graceful peers and teachers alike. It was an environment in which I was not allowed to just get by but where I could thrive. One
of my most inspirational teachers was my History teacher, Mr. Stone, who predicted the collapse of the Soviet empire in an ad lib lecture in class two years before the Berlin Wall fell. I’ll also never forget Mr. Motter, my Marine Biology teacher, who once hand wrote me a personal letter on a stack of sticky notes he had jotted on during lunch that started “Success: Those who can’t don’t. Those who can but won’t also don’t. The result is the same. The difference is the wasted potential of those who can.” Those words stayed with me and made a real difference in my life.
After high school, I attended Barry University and earned a BS in Business Administration. I worked with my dad and on my own during college. In 1998, I leveraged my work experience and degree to land a job as an analyst with a major oil company in Texas on the crude oil trading desk. My career gave me the ability to meet and work with people from all walks of life. I had the opportunity to visit two refineries in Venezuela and crawl into the bowels of a tanker ship with an inspection company. It was early in my
stArtinG from the left: Egypt in 2007; Living in London; Singapore in 1999; the English Countryside with wife Kelly and children; In Iceland with wife Kelly in 2001
my Fon DeST memorIeS are oF a Place
ThaT creaTe D a rela Xe D gaTherIng oF cle Ver an D grace FU l PeerS an D TeacherS alIke. IT WaS an enVIronmenT In WhIch I WaS noT alloWe D To JUST geT by b UT Where I coU lD ThrIVe .
career and this was a time I spent learning the oil business from the ground up. I also worked in an international trading company and then a containership company moving cargo all over the world. I have since been blessed with the opportunity to have worked and lived in Texas, Europe and even in Asia, trading crude oil both physically and with its financial derivatives. The experience of independent success in an unfamiliar surrounding has amazing results in terms of the formation of a young person’s confidence. In my experience, the greatest fear is that of the unknown. An understanding of people from all over has had a profound impact on my life. I was once a very shy and introverted “resident alien” with locked up potential. Familiarity breeds a certain charisma in people and promotes a sort of social fearlessness in moving about the world.
In the fall of 2014 my son Nicholas starts in the 6th grade at Palmer Trinity. Three of my most inspirational teachers still make their way through the halls there: Ms. De Villiers, Mrs. Goodwin and Mrs. Migliaccio. All of them inspired me and continue to hold a warm place in my heart. My soccer coach still blows his whistle and shouts at his players with that
unique English humor. Coach du Feu still comments on my Facebook page even today and when I share photos of a vacation with the kids, he even drops the occasional “adopt me” comment. When I showed up at one of the first Alumni Soccer games, Coach pulled out a ceramic head that I sculpted in ceramics class in high school. It was a crude but identifiable bust of his head, which makes me laugh even today. Apparently, it now serves as the unofficial trophy of the Alumni Soccer game. My memories of making that bust are long gone but the bonds formed at Palmer have withstood the test of time. My feelings for this school and the people remain exactly the same.
Our fondest memories that lie in Palmer’s tree lined courtyard and among fern lined walkways will be picked up by Nicholas at Palmer Trinity this fall. Although some of the names have changed and the Pirate has sprouted wings and morphed into a Falcon, my memories are alive on that campus and with those people. And now my own DNA will slam his locker closed once again and hurry along joyfully with good friends to his classes. My fondest memories of all are the ones yet to come.
second advocacy competition I competed in was the Expert Witness Direct Examination Competition. I placed first, winning a ‘bye’ to the final round of trial team tryouts, which is a big deal because Stetson has the number one trial team in the country!”
Alejandra Iglesia is a law clerk at Barakat Law, and is currently working on a big federal criminal case and applying to law school.
Michael Kjelson graduated from UM with an Engineering Degree and now in Pittsburgh with an internship with GE.
Brooke LeMaire recently received her B.S. in Public Relations and Psychology at the University of Miami. You can see her face on banners around the UM Campus.
Jessica Mazon graduated from FIU with a degree in Communications and is working for a Boutique PR Firm in Miami. Contact Jessica if you want to help with the planning of the 5th year Class Reunion!
Hugh Morrison is living in Queensland, Australia, in addition to traveling and studying throughout Southeast Asia this year.
Alex Strasser spent last year studying in South America and returned to Germany in January to finish his bachelor’s degree.
Laura Vogel is living in Canada for the next 3½ years, in order to work on her PhD in Environmental Engineering.
2010
Matyas Bartha writes, “I study Horticulture & Business Management at HAS University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, and plan to come back to the US soon after I finish the final year of my Bachelor degree. With that I hope to become a part of the community involved in getting you fresh and healthy fruits, vegetables and flowers. To do that, for the past three years I have had the chance to travel through three continents, complete projects for European companies and participate in two 15-week internships; in order to gain experience from outside and bring the knowledge back.
Christina Ludovici is a senior at NYU, majoring in Mathematics and minoring in Sign Language. She hopes to find a full-time job in NYC, but if not, she’ll welcome the opportunity in another large city!
Kirsten Marbert created a dance team in Los Angeles called Fastco LA.
Annie Morrison is finishing her last semester at Georgetown University and has enjoyed her internship working for the Department of Justice.
Laura Portuondo was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa at Yale. She is Majoring in English.
The PTS Volleyball Team was inspired by the campus visits of Kristen Titley, a Senior at Bucknell, and Paulina Prieto ‘12, a Sophomore at Penn State.
A u LINA P RIETO ‘ 12 AND K RISTEN T ITLE y ‘ 10
Alumni
Booster Party
s e P tember 6, 2013
2011
Alexa Cajiga worked at Zubi Advertising in Coral Gables as a Social Media Intern during the Fall semester. She is studying at Northeastern University in Boston, MA.
Katie DiFede is a sophomore at Catholic University of America, majoring in International Business. She is studying abroad in Madrid for the spring semester of her Junior year.
Savannah Dominguez is currently a Junior majoring in Marketing at Bentley University in Waltham, MA. She earned an athletic scholarship to attend Bentley and play volleyball. Savannah’s parents write, “We attribute her achievements greatly to Palmer Trinity School and to William Gonzalez’s dedication to the sport of volleyball. I am very proud of being affiliated with Palmer Trinity as well as with William Gonzalez. I am grateful for what they have done for my daughter and I believe her success is a great tribute to your school and the kind of student athletes it develops.” Savannah made the 2013 Northeast-10 All-Conference First Team and this
The Boosters Organization and Alumni Office hosted a party on Friday, September 6th, inviting current parents, alumni parents, former alumni athletes, and coaches. The gathering was held on campus in the Falcon’s Nest area. All who attended had a great time joining together, sharing memories, and celebrating together the many years served on the Boosters organization. It was the perfect way to kick off the upcoming athletic season!
C HRISTINA Lu DOVICI ‘ 10, Suz ANNE C ALLEJA , Ru THANNE
V OGEL , L Au RA V OGEL ‘ 09 P
Alumni Basketball Game
year she had 148 career sets, and hit .244 while averaging 1.71 kills, 0.66 blocks, 0.62 digs and 0.28 aces.
2012
Darin DiBello, Jr. #44, is playing linebacker at Hamilton College in upstate New York.
Sebastian Nicholls is studying at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.”I’m working as an Economics Teaching Assistant and am a finalist for an internship next year with the U.S. Secret Service.”
Andrea Ortiz, a sophomore at Harvard University, is studying Social Studies with a focus on inequality and immigration in Latin America, with a secondary minor in Economics. She is currently the Student Development Chair for the largest service organization on Harvard’s campus, Philips Brooks House Association, as well as the Community Action Committee Chair at the Institute of Politics. She spent some time this year peer counseling, as well as participating in a bilateral forum on US-Mexico relations with Stanford and Mexican University “ITAM.” She has recently been awarded the Liman Fellowship from Yale Law School to do public interest law this summer and hopes to continue doing research on international development and corruption at the Institute of Quantitative Sciences with the MIT & Harvard social science program. She is passionate about social change and has been doing a lot
Following the Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Alumni filled the PTS gym for the 1st Annual Alumni Basketball game.
Varsity Basketball Coach Ernest Robertson and Assistant Coach Carl Rachelson hosted the exciting game between Alumni and current PTS athletes. Thank you to everyone who came out to play. We look forward to seeing even more Alumni come out next year!
of work in community organizing in different communities in Boston, as well as volunteering at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter, a refugee youth enrichment program, a gender empowerment mentoring program, and an after school program in the East Boston community.
Paulina Prieto Cerame was a part of the Penn State Women’s Varsity Volleyball team for their NCAA Division 1 National Championship victory over the University of Wisconsin.
Paulina was a star player on the Falcons Girl’s Varsity Volleyball team, and her coaches have regarded her as one of their hardest working players.
Sam Forristall, a cadet at U.S. Naval Academy, (back center), where he did
the Falcons proud during a push-up demonstration at the Air Force vs. Navy Football game in Annapolis, Maryland.
Michelson is dominating the airwaves at Northeastern University! Check out his segments: https:// soundcloud.com/wnur-sports/kickoff-show-o-line-pushes-on
Former Faculty
Carl Rachelson, “Last Saturday evening, I attended the marriage of former teacher gregg Lightfoot as he joined Elizabeth Hunt in holy matrimony. He is teaching in Orlando and completing his doctoral studies at Cornell. She has accepted a position as a librarian in Baltimore where they have purchased a home. Gregg sends his best wishes to all who remember him.
Preston
S AVANNAH D OMING u E z ‘ 11
D ARIN D I B ELLO ‘ 12
P A u LINA P RIETO CERAME ‘ 12 S
Shea aDam 2008
There were many people who inspired me at Palmer Trinity School—and they did so in so many ways. Mrs. Lamiell, a constant presence for me in Middle School, has truly been one of the kindest people I’ve met to this day. Mrs. Truby, my English teacher, always encouraged me to keep studying; even if, at the time, I didn’t think English would contribute to my future career. Dr. Regalado—or as I knew him, Super Man—sparked a love of history in my life, which I later pursued in college as a second degree.
When it came to character, “Ms. K” and Coach McGlynn were my role models. Mrs. Bonner taught me that math isn’t evil, and Ms. De Villiers backed her up. Most importantly, through Coach Jennings, I learned about the power of a smile. When we saw her each morning, we were always greeted with laughter and a smile; and what a beautiful thing that was. I’ve carried that optimism and positive attitude into my career today, and it’s only helped me.
After my days as a Falcon, I left Miami and attended college at Florida State University. When I started my college career, I always felt like I was more academically prepared, and more aware of my surroundings, than some of my peers. I know I owe that to Palmer Trinity School. With the sense of discipline that PTS instilled in me, I earned two degrees—one in history and one in creative writing—in just three years. When I was growing up, my dad raced cars and my mom was a news anchor, so I was born to be a pit reporter. The idea of this career path never really occurred to me though, until I met my current employers at Radio Le Mans. I’ll never forget the first time we met. It was right after graduation when they sat down on my couch and asked if I’d be interested in going to France to cover the biggest race of the year. I naturally jumped at the chance. I now report for radio and television in England, France, Germany, Australia, and the US. I also report on IndyCar racing for Canadian television, a door that was opened due to my reporting on the radio. There’s nothing better than standing feet away from cars, flying by at speeds greater than any legal limit in the US. The smells of a race track are intoxicating. The music of the engines, flowing in harmony can be mesmerizing. And it’s my job to tell the rest of the world what’s happening. It is such a great feeling to share
knowledge with the rest of the world, and tell stories that otherwise wouldn’t be told. Plus, there’s no better way to cheer on friends than to be able to interview them after winning a race they’ve dreamed of winning their whole lives. It’s a very, very happy environment to work in and I’m so fortunate to call paddocks around the world my second home.
Having been on television as a reporter for automotive racing in Canada, Australia, Great Britain and the entirety of Europe, I have learned that being open-minded to other cultures outside of your own is truly pivotal to a successful life. Going to school at Palmer Trinity with students from other parts of the world allowed me to learn from different cultures early on. It also opened my mind to studying cultural nuances, which has allowed me to get better interviews. Most of the people I interview don’t speak English as a first language and knowing how to say “hello” or some fun fact about their country can work as a great icebreaker.
When I was a student, I never had any interest in learning French—that is, until I went
to France in 2012 to report from the most important race of the year. Now, I’m studying French and German just so I can interview drivers that don’t speak English and expand my broadcasting skills even more. I love that I am viewed as a pit reporter, not just an American pit reporter. Self-identification is important; but extending your preconceived notions on global absolutes is far more valuable. If you get the opportunity to go abroad for work—or for any reason—don’t hesitate to say “yes!” If you spend your whole life in one spot, with one understanding of the world, you can’t possibly begin to understand how anyone else’s perspective of the world could be correct. Opening your passport opens your mind, and most importantly, makes you a better person.
below
Working as a feature reporter at the Toronto
races. oPPosite
Interviewing the late Allan Simonsen in Australia, 2012.
The pit lane can be loud at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Providing some in booth commentary at 24 Hours of Le Mans with the legendary John Hindhaugh and Graham Goodwin.
IndyCar
alumni holiday party alumni holiday party
december 18, 2013
Alumni, old and new, met at Peacock garden Café in Coconut grove for this year’s Alumni Holiday Party. Over 200 Alumni gathered together to celebrate the holiday season, catch up with friends and faculty, and reminisce about good times together at Palmer, Trinity Episcopal, and Palmer Trinity School.
Francesca Fuertes ‘11, Sara Strickroot ‘11, Tim cassel, carson zachar ‘11
Fred Truby, Scott du Feu, David cutler
evans (Dunwody) crews ‘91, george ciorobea, lynley (Walker) ciorobea ‘96
edward burnham ‘03 and adria Jenkins ‘02
Sarah Ferguson-brown ‘03 and connor Jacobson ‘03
aleck Dagrosa ‘09, David omachonu ‘09, Tristan Tigertail ‘09
Sophie Policastro ‘08, carl rachelson, annie morrison ‘10
lauren buss ‘11 and Savannah Dominguez ‘11
alex ‘04 and lisa (migliaccio) haynes ‘04
andrea Santamaria ‘01, yolanda Frieri ‘01, elsa Frieri ‘02
rebecca Williams ‘00 and brittney (hoffman) mccabe ‘99
corey (krissel) gonzalez ‘95 and michael (odie) o’hara Diaz ‘93
lisa (migliaccio) haynes ‘04 and marty migliaccio
Stephen ‘93 and montsy Smithies
andrea Farah ‘07 and sister
Sophie Policastro ‘08, andres Policastro ‘10, montey Sibley ‘07, hugh morrison ‘09, eric Sanabria ‘10
kyra Wehby ‘06 and morgan Ferris ‘06
zachary Schwartz ‘10 and landon michelson ‘10
brittney (hoffman) mccabe ‘99, yannis zavitsianos ‘99, David malek ‘99, max martinez ‘99, and guest
katie lamiell, zachary Sulkes, marty migliaccio
Dax Tejera ‘03 and rebecca Williams ‘00
megan cunningham ‘08, carl rachelson, karyn cunningham, lauren Dowlen
As Palmer Trinity School begins the next chapter in its history, we are excited for the arrival of our new Head of School, Mr. Patrick Roberts, and his family this July.
When defining our success in our daily work, we often point to test scores, graduation rates, college rankings and statistics, that, while necessary and important markers, do not tell the complete story. Accordingly, I simply state that we are doing the necessary work to prepare our students to be leaders. Truly great independent schools provide the foundation for which students may take appropriate risk, experience failure, and garner the mental fortitude necessary to spring forward – ultimately with the confidence and necessary skills for personal achievement and service to others. Steeped in the Episcopal tradition, Palmer Trinity must continue to place character development at the top of that list, encouraging the development of honest self-awareness, integrity and the ability to connect to the greater world. By doing so, it emphasizes how crucial our role as a contributing community member can be. Our intentions have meaning, and our students must be trained for their call to action in the greater world. We must act wisely, always in accordance with the values that we seek to instill in our daily lives. We have good and meaningful work to do, and our efforts will be with the most noble of intentions.
— Patrick Roberts I NCOMIN g H EAD OF S CHOOL
Look forward to our next edition of the Aerie to find out more about Mr. Roberts’ vision for our Palmer Trinity School community.
Patrick Roberts with his wife Laura and their children, TJ (age 21), Cook (age 6), Hagan (age 4), John Patrick (age 3), and Katherine Anne (age 2)
Reunion Weekend
Friday • May 30, 2014 • 7pm - 10pm
Cocktail Reception in the PTS Dining Room (All Alumni ages 21 and over welcome)
saturday • May 31, 2014
Class Reunions and Organizers
30 th Reuni O n
- Class Of 1984Suyain George – suyain@bellsouth.net Roy Weinfeld – rlw@weinfeldlaw.com
20 th Reuni O n - Class Of 1994Charles Baumberger – baumberger16@gmail.com
15 th Reuni O n
- Class Of 1999Brittney (Hoffman) McCabe – jenderbias@gmail.com
10 th Reuni O n - Class Of 2004Michael Contreras – contremich@gmail.com Corina (Lopez) Minera – cminera@ymail.com
5 th Reuni O n - Class Of 2009Jessica Mazon – jessica.mazon@gmail.com
If you would like to help your Class Reunion, please contact Monica Sanchez, Director of Alumni Relations, at (305) 569-4210 or msanchez@palmertrinity.org
WWW. PALMERTRINITY.ORG
Flag Parade at the 14th annual International Festival