Aerie 2012 Summer

SU MMER 2012

Daniel Omachonu ‘12, Danny Reynolds and Daniela De Sola ‘18 Photo by: Marina Mougios

PA R E N T S , A L U M N I A N D F R I E N D S o f PA L M E R T R I N I T Y S C H O O L

Graduation: Class of 2012

Class of 2012 Perspectives

Alumnae Viewpoints

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.

EDITOR

Suzanne Gottlieb Calleja ASSISTANT EDITOR

Jennifer Agress EDITORIAL ADVISORS

Ben Hoke Katrina Murphy Bruce Musgrave Monica Sanchez DESIGN

R+M Collaborative EXECUTIVE STAFF (alphabetical)

Suzanne Gottlieb Calleja, Director of Communications and Community Relations Vivian Cerione, Registrar Laurette Cestare, Head of Middle School Jose Chao, Director of Finance and Operations Ashley Chapman, Head of Upper School Rita Feild, Counselor Ben Hoke, Director of Development Julian Lentz, Chaplain Susie Loiacono, Executive Assistant to the Head of School Sean Murphy, Head of School Bruce Musgrave, Assistant Head of School for Academics Danny Reynolds, Director of Admission, College Counseling, and Financial Aid Gus Sabogal, Director of Technology Jake von Scherrer, Director of Athletics

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2011–2012

Joseph J. Kalbac, Jr., Chairman Susan Ludovici, Vice-Chair Michael Baiamonte, Secretary Charles Klenk, Treasurer Ricardo Albarran Susan Benenati Paula Brockway Teresa Carreno Rev. Frank J. Corbishley (Bishop’s Designate) Jim Davidson Rt. Rev. Leo Frade Anne Jackaway Mitchell Kaplan William Morrison Vicki O’Meara Tina Portuondo Rev. Jennie Lou Reid Isabel Rodriguez Magdalena Rothfeldt Bronwen Rutter Bishop Calvin Schofield Gary Tarbe Jo-Ann Titley Michelle Torbert

DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

Susanna Cetta, Director of Annual Fund Lauren Dowlen, Development Officer Peg Musgrave, Assistant to Development Monica Sanchez, Director of Alumni Relations and Events

ADMISSION ADVISORY BOARD 2011–2012 (alphabetical)

Heather Almaguer Jorge Arce ‘97 Charles Baumberger ‘94 David Carache-Guzman Katrina Campins ‘97 Monica Cevera-Sijan ‘96 Lynley (Walker) Ciorobea ‘96 Evans (Dunwody) Crews ‘91 Joanna de Velasco ‘98 Daniel Diaz-Leyva ‘98 Preston Dickerson ‘98 Hadley (Nichols) Foreman ‘93 Dr. Efrain Garcia Nichole Gaytan Amber Goethel ‘96 Carlos Gonzalez ‘97 Corey (Krissel) Gonzalez ‘95 Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda ‘98 Costa Grillas ‘97 Mason Harris ‘89 Susan Klock ‘00 Sarah (Fernandez) Mendoza ‘95 Laurence Moser ‘80 Patrick Murphy ‘01 Anne Beaumont (Nichols) Neithhardt ‘95 Leanne Romanchuk Margaret Rosas-Guyon ‘93 Beth (Brockway) Serrate ‘85 Lee Sterling ‘81 Zachary Sulkes Amanda (Chrycy) Thompson ‘96 Elkie (Smoleny) Wienczkowski ‘88 Holly (Lee) Zawyer ‘97 Nathan Zeder ‘98

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

Mike Pena, Web and Content Manager ABOUT AERIE

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 full-service 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.

Special thanks to RMC (www.rmcollaborative.com), a strategic design and brand innovation company, who continues to take the image of Palmer Trinity School to the next level.

Finally, we would like to thank Original Impressions, especially our Account Representative Lori Casner, for their continued dedication to Palmer Trinity School.

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EDITOR'S NOTE

Next steps.

It’s sort of staggering when you stop to think of all the steps our students have to take from the time they begin at Palmer Trinity School to the day they graduate. There are the academic steps—the intellectual growth and curiosity, the homework, the tests, the projects, the grades. There are the physical steps—what our athletes repeatedly do in an effort to successfully represent themselves and our school. There are the external steps our students take to really see what is happening in their community, and more importantly, assess how they can help. There are the steps they take to bridge understanding between each other—no small feat in a school that boasts students from 37 countries. And finally, there are the literal steps they take all around our beautiful campus during their time at Palmer Trinity School, and then out into the world beyond our gates, post-graduation.

The theme of this issue of the Aerie is “next steps.” Like past editions, we want to use this issue to explore the many ways our Palmer Trinity School community continues to move forward, hearing from both current students and our ever-growing group of alumni. This gives us a chance to reflect on the campus from the perspective of its very soul—our students—and consider their enormous accomplishments, their challenges, and their hopes over the past forty years.

To say that Danny Reynolds, this issue’s VisionAerie, understands the accomplishments, challenges, and hopes of the students is a considerable understatement. As the Director of College Counseling, Danny provides individual advising and group workshops to every student in Palmer Trinity School’s Upper School. Each year, he and his colleagues arrange for over 150 college and university representatives to meet with PTS juniors and seniors. They help prepare the students academically and advise them of their choices. As Director of Admission, Danny educates new families about the uniqueness of Palmer Trinity, throughout the school year, and introduces them to the opportunities that await.

While we focus on our current students, we also celebrate the precedent that was set by those who came before them: our remarkable past students, our Alumni. Inside, read the profiles of four young female Alumni—all in media—and discover how the steps they took at Palmer Trinity School compelled them to lead exciting lives both in front of, and behind, the camera. With more than 600 students and our staff and faculty, so many different shoes—and steps—cross our campus each day.

Wherever your steps may lead you, Palmer Trinity School is grateful for the time we’ve shared.

Happy Reading, Suzanne Gottlieb Calleja

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contents BIRD'S EYE VIEW 04 CURTAINS UP: PTS TAKES THE STAGE! 04 STAR ATHLETES 05 ENRICHING LIVES: BREAKTHROUGH MIAMI

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34 DEPARTMENTS

05 EXPLORING RELIGIONS: PETER MASTELLER

01 EDITOR’S NOTE

06 IN THE SPOTLIGHT: MARK HAYES

03 HIGHLIGHTS

06 STUDENTS GO MOBILE: PTS ON THE EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY

DEVELOPMENT 31 Thank You for Leading the Way

07 YOUNG ARTISTS

39 1 st Annual Volunteer Appreciation Breakast

08 GLOBAL LEARNING AT PTS 08 ROLANDO “ROLI” GARCIA: BEHIND THE FALCON PERSPECTIVES

39 Legacy Giving EVENTS 32 12 th Annual International Festival 38 21 st Annual Book Fair

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10 LOST ANDREA ORTIZ ‘12 12 IV SKATING ANTHONY SCHIAPPA PIETR A ‘12

ALUMNEWS

14 TOE JAM ASHLEY K ALBAC ‘12

42 CLASS NOTES

16 TWO WORLDS: ONE COMMUNITY BIR A AJ MAHAJAN ‘12 18 COLD FEET BRYAN FUSFIELD ‘12 20 THE WALL MARY ANN CASAS ‘12

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43 REUNION WEEKEND 49 PTS REMEMBERS: PETER DLUHY ‘02 57 ALUMNI HOLIDAY PARTY 61 ALUMNI COCKTAIL RECEPTION 62 ALUMNI COLLEGE AND CAREER DAY

22 MY LATEST DISCOVERY SEAN R AMR AS ‘12

65 2 ND ANNUAL TONY TROT 5K

CLASS OF 2012

68 RETIRING FACULTY: KATHY VALE

24 CLASS OF 2012 SAYS...

27 CLASS OS 2012 YEAR-END AWARDS 28 GRADUATION

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40 Sandy Golf Tournament and Tennis Tournament

30 COLLEGE MATRICULATION ACCEPTANCES

ALUMNI PROFILES: Almunae Viewpoints 46 TANYA MANFREDIZ ‘00 50 REBECCA RAY ‘02 54 TAMARA RUTTER ‘02 58 JENNA PIMENTEL ‘04

VISIONAERIE 34 Q&A: A DAY WITH

DANNY REYNOLDS SUZANNE GOTTLIEB CALLEJA

Director of Communications and Community Relations

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JENNIFER AGRESS

Assistant to Director of Communications

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HIGHLIGHTS

Sean Murphy Head of School I have received only a handful of real letters from my family members over the years, but once long ago my sister sent me a card that asked, “Does your path have a soul?” At the time, I wondered why she sent me that. Had I made some obvious misstep? Had I drifted so far afield as to be in danger of falling into outer darkness? If I had, how could I not know it myself? Did I need a gentle warning? I still don’t know why she mailed that question to me. Today, twenty-five years later, it doesn’t matter. The card has long since been lost along with many other treasures. But the question remains, and I remember it often.

While cleaning out an old dresser in the cabin we go to every summer on the shores of Cable Lake in Wisconsin, a cabin that my family has been summering in for five generations, I came upon a pamphlet, published in 1965, a tribute to my grandfather. Edwin Jonas Cooper retired from his lifelong career as an educator as the Superintendent of the fourth largest school district in Minnesota, Robbinsdale, which at the time served over 22,000 students, but at the beginning of his career he was Principal of a school of 1,100 students grades – K-12, a school very much like the one contemplated for Palmer Trinity in its master plan. Unbelievable. All this time, I thought I was forging my own path through life, making plans, making choices, while unbeknownst to me, I was retracing a path travelled over eighty years ago by my grandfather! If you want to make God laugh, tell him your future plans.

Even stranger, as I read the tribute to my ancestor, I came across phrases and ideas that I thought were my own. “There is a lot of religion in everything worthwhile,” reads the quotation under his portrait. I knew my grandfather pretty well, and I would not have described him as a religious man. “All we are here for is to teach. The only thing that really counts is the children in the classroom,” he said in his farewell address. Granted, these are not revolutionary ideas; they are not even uncommon. I suppose almost every educator who ever lived has said them, but with all the talk we hear about how the world is changing and how everything is different nowadays, how education must be revolutionized, how we must prepare students for an unprecedented future—I wonder. Is there anything really new under the sun?

Under a photograph of my grandfather as a middle-aged angler holding up a stringer of walleyes, the caption reads, “Many weekends in the summertime are spent at the family cabin near Cable, Wisconsin. His fondness of nature and the out-of-doors has acted as a stimulant, sending him back to his demanding pace as an educator, refreshed.” My grandfather spent his life, beginning over one hundred years ago, as a teacher, a coach, and a principal. He taught, hired teachers, built schools, all the while saying things like “buildings are important, but a good school means a good staff.” While reading my grandfather’s retirement testimonials, I could have been reading my own obituary. But all this comes in retrospect. For the first thirty years of my life, I had absolutely no intention of becoming a headmaster. In a million years, I could not have predicted the path I have taken.

When I asked my wife, Katrina, what my message for this issue of the Aerie ought to be, she answered instantly, “Be grateful for your feet.” Like that cryptic question delivered to me years ago by my sister, and the odd messages from my grandfather’s retirement brochure, this message from my muse made me wonder for a while.

What I think I know now is that things completely strange and absolutely unknowable lie ahead, but walk we must. We make plans, and God may laugh, but there is no harm in it. We know He loves us because He gave us our feet. So, walk faithfully upon the path, with soul, in the spirit of the one who said, “Follow me.”

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bird’s eye view

Curtains Up: PTS Takes the Stage!

Isabella Victoriano ‘14, with PTS staff and students in Once Upon A Mattress

During the 2012 Spring semester, our PTS Theatre Department put on a wonderful production of The Princess and the Pea’s musical alter ego, Once Upon A Mattress. Directed by Mrs. Phebe Hibshman, this production featured our

talented PTS students and select members of our faculty and staff, including: Ashley Armato, Patricia Almodovar, Brian Diaz, Emily Rolling, Danny Vega, Iraida Robledo and former PTS drama teacher, Richard Rosen. Putting on six shows, including a special Faculty Preview, the cast was led by lead actors Isabella Victoriano ‘14, Roberto Morean ‘13, Melinda Klenk ‘14 and Andrew Miller ‘13. With set design by Michael Gellatly and art teacher Tilly Strauss, costume design by faculty member Patricia Almodovar, choreography by 8th-grade Lead Teacher Cristie Vassilaros, and musical direction by Department of Performing Arts Chair Tim Lester and Board member Bronwen Rutter, the spring production of Once Upon A Mattress was both a community effort and a huge success.

Andrew Miller ‘13, Biraaj Mahajan ‘12 and Cassie Plunkett ‘16

Leila Khatib ‘14 and Roberto Morean ‘13

Star Athletes On Friday, May 11, 2012, Palmer Trinity School students, parents, coaches and friends gathered in the PTS gymnasium for the 2012 Spring Sports Awards. This awards ceremony—which honors outstanding student athletes

from the Spring sports season each year—featured presentations by PTS Athletic Director, Jake von Scherrer; Boosters Club President, Beth (Brockway) Serrate ‘85; and team coaches. Individual athletes from each Varsity team received Most Valuable Player, Falcon and Coaches awards, while Elizabeth Newman ‘12 and Trent Barnes ‘12 were selected as Miami Herald Scholar Athletes.

The biggest award of the night, Athlete of the Year—honoring one male and one Due to his academic success, female student from the entire PTS Athletics Trent Barnes ‘12 was named a Miami Herald Scholar Athlete. program—was given to Bailey Evans ‘12 and Jerry Stacks ‘12. Jerry was a key player in PTS Varsity Boys Football, Lacrosse and Wrestling teams this year; while Bailey Bailey Evans ‘12 was awarded both Varsity Girls Softball collected a total of fourteen Varsity letters during her sports career as a Falcon Most Valuable Player and PTS Female Athlete of the Year. and received All-County honors in three sports: volleyball, softball and soccer.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Enriching Lives: Breakthrough Miami With the conclusion of Breakthrough Miami’s first school-year program at Palmer Trinity School, 50 new 5th-grade students are now on the PTS campus for Breakthrough Miami’s 2012 Summer Institute. This 2nd-annual program comes at the end of a very successful year, which included fourteen Breakthrough Saturdays filled with writing and math enrichment, arts and crafts, drama and debate classes all taught by high-school students from Palmer Trinity School, Coral Reef Senior and Palmetto Senior High. Outside of Breakthrough Saturdays, Breakthrough students completed service opportunities on Teacher Work Days, including a “Save the Mangroves” service-learning project at Deering Estate Park, where these young students grabbed trash bags, a pair of gloves and a partner, and helped clean the park to ensure that this natural preserve remains safe for all who visit.

“Breakthrough Miami’s ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award was presented to Palmer Trinity School’s Leonardo Rocchiccioli ‘14 on our last Breakthrough Saturday of the 2011-2012 academic year.”

Breakthrough Miami’s “Volunteer of the Year” award was presented to Palmer Trinity School’s Leonardo Rocchiccioli ‘14 on our last Breakthrough Saturday of the 2011-2012 academic year. Through his involvement in the PTS Breakthrough Miami Club, Leonardo demonstrated outstanding leadership skills, and with other members of the club, volunteered more than 900 community service hours

On Breakthrough Saturdays, students often visited Deering Estate Park to study local wildlife.

mentoring and tutoring students in public elementary and middle schools throughout Miami-Dade County. This summer, Breakthrough Miami is excited to welcome four new teacher interns from Palmer Trinity School: Julian Del Prado ‘12, Arissa Baiamonte ‘13, Melinda Klenk ‘14 and Hallie Parten ‘14. As a charitable institution, Breakthrough Miami not only gives young students the opportunity to share their creativity, curiosity and motivation with classmates from all over South Florida—but it also allows high school students, like those at Palmer Trinity School, to practice potential careers in education.

Exploring Religions: Peter Masteller PTS Religious Studies Department Chair, Peter Masteller, has been selected as one of thirty teachers and college professors from across the nation to attend the 2012 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Summer Institute. This July, Mr. Masteller will spend three

Peter Masteller, PTS Religious Studies Department Chair

weeks at the Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan, where—through his seminar, “World Religions in New York”—he will explore the religious diversity of New York City, using local resources to experience them firsthand.

While at this seminar, Mr. Masteller will not only be able to learn from other teachers in his field, but he will also have the opportunity to work with professors whose works have inspired him throughout his career. Most importantly, he wants to use this experience to discover how to incorporate local religious communities into the classroom at Palmer Trinity School. “I want to make sure religion doesn’t become something you just read about in books,” he says. “If you don’t keep learning, you’re behind the times.”

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bird’s eye view

In the Spotlight: Mark Hayes Besides serving as Upper School English teacher, Class of 2012 Lead Advisor and Director of the Center for Writing, Palmer Trinity School teacher Mark Hayes can add another achievement to his list: radio producer.

For the better part of eight years, Mr. Hayes has worked with 88.9 FM WDNA as the station’s “critic-at-large”—writing and producing Passing Notes, a weekly radio show that discusses books, music, current events and more each Friday morning. Most recently, he debuted the Sunday Time Warp, a new show that features jazz, blues and a little funk, interspersed with bits and pieces of pop culture. To complement his shows, Mr. Hayes also maintains two websites—Passing Notes, which contains much of the same content from his radio feature, and MortVivant, a blog concerned primarily with zombies in popular culture.

From 2008 to 2010, he took a hiatus from radio work to focus on a new family as well as the Class of 2012— his family away from home.

Today, Mr. Hayes lives in Cutler Bay with his wife, actor Pamela Roza, a teacher at New World School of the Arts, their two sons Cole and Evan, two cats, and a dog named Lou.

Mark Hayes, PTS English Teacher and Class of 2012 Lead Advisor

His reviews, essays, and poetry have appeared in a range of notable publications, including The Miami Herald, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The St. Petersburg Times, The Boston Herald, eJazzNews, Flak, Southern Humanities Review, Elysian Fields Quarterly, High Country News, Rattle, Opium and Spitball, among others. In 2007, his adaptation of “Cyrano de Bergerac” was performed by the Promethean Theater.

“From 2008 to 2010, he took a hiatus from radio work to focus on a new family as well as the Class of 2012—his family away from home.”

Throughout his life, Mr. Hayes has always had an interest in music.

Once an avid performer, he has sung and played guitar and bass in multiple garage bands, such as The Elastic Waste Band and Ninja Monkeys Attack! In 2006 and 2007, he hosted two more shows on 88.9 FM WDNA—Early Jazz Weekend Session and Straight, No Chaser.

“I’m always working on something,” he said. “Being active as a writer and critic certainly helps keep me sharper as a teacher.”

Students Go Mobile: PTS on the Edge of Technology This year, the Palmer Trinity School Department of Academic Computing set the standard for technology in secondary schools—teaching mobile application software to PTS Upper School students to allow them to create their very own mobile applications. Launched in summer 2011 by MIT, App Inventor

for Android—a programming system that makes it easy to create mobile apps for Android smart phones—was initially taught at Wellesley College, the University of San Francisco, and a select group of other tech-savvy colleges and universities around the country. By bringing Preston Michelson ‘13 creates his mobile app from a “virtual phone” on his computer.

the curriculum to PTS, Academic Computing teachers William Stanard and Frank Hernandez have made Palmer Trinity School the only secondary school in Florida to teach this program, and one of only 20 throughout the entire United States. To make App Inventor for Android accessible to students at PTS, Stanard and Hernandez created six remote servers, through Amazon and Google, to support five Upper School sections of App Inventor for Android. Furthermore, due to the school’s laptop program, Frank Hernandez, PTS PTS students do not need to Academic Computing teacher own their own Android phones to participate in the class. Instead, Stanard and Hernandez have worked closely with the PTS Techzone to make it possible for students to use “virtual phones” on their laptops.

With this addition to the curriculum, Palmer Trinity School is once again on the cutting edge of technology. By creating a unique learning environment, PTS faculty and staff continue to give students the opportunity to think, dream and create every day— incorporating virtual learning into the classroom with state-of-the-art technology, advanced software and an original laptop program.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Young Artists TEXTILES Under the guidance of Mrs. Blossom Gross, our upper school art students were challenged to think in terms of abstract sculpture—creating “soft sculptures” inspired by the work of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse.

Printing fabrics on pieces of foam board they texturized themselves, students were taught how to create two-dimensional surfaces with paint; later using this printed fabric to build three-dimensional sculptures of their own design.

Sabrina Yanes ‘15

MIXED MEDIA As part of the philosophy behind Ms. Tilly Strauss’ Mixed Media class, middle school students at PTS are encouraged to question every

Soft Sculptures created by Upper School students in Textiles class (clockwise from bottom left): Laila Khatib ‘14, Madison Rosen ‘14, Giorgia Benni ‘12, Galicia Rothe ‘14 and Ana Casariego ‘13

high-level of creativity and precision.

As the study of pottery often leads to the study of Japanese artistry, these young potters are inspired by images and artifacts from Japan on a daily basis—cultural reminders that aid them in their craft.

Middle School Mixed Media students blend materials to create paper.

3D ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES Under the guidance of Mr. Robert Moorhouse, students in 3D Architectural Studies designed and constructed their

piece of material used—placing brushes, paint, ink, and even a piece of paper under scrutiny. This year, our art students used this new perspective to create paper out of various materials, including junk mail, powdered lint, and eventually, live plants. Using a combination of plants found on campus—most notably, palm fronds—these students foraged, boiled, chopped and blended the greenery to create a fluid pulp later screened for individual sheets of paper.

CERAMICS In Ceramics with Mr. Robert Moorhouse this year, students have created a large collection of beautiful, quality pieces that demonstrate a

DRAWING This year, art students in Mrs. Sandi Wood’s Drawing classes experimented with scratchboard—a unique material that requires students to use special tools to scratch through a black coating to reveal a white background underneath. By allowing students to draw white lines on a black background, as opposed to using a typical pen or pencil to write on a white page, they were challenged to reverse any skills they learned previously regarding the creation of three-dimensional space and line quality.

Camila Salazar ‘12

Karla Rosado ‘14 and Elizabeth Eversole ‘13 put the finishing touches on their 3D architectural model.

Ashley Kalbac ‘12

own environmentally-sensitive homes, using new architectural masterworks in the Miami area—like the 1111 Parking Facility on Lincoln Road and Frank Gehry’s complex for the New World Symphony on Miami Beach—as their inspiration.

Creating three-dimensional models of their design, these students had to design their homes based on sustainability and environmental factors.

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Global Learning at PTS Stemming from Palmer Trinity School’s involvement in the Global Education Benchmark Group, of which Palmer Trinity School was a founding member, select PTS Upper School students interested in international relations gained the opportunity, during the spring 2012 semester, to participate in a live webinar with other high schools from across the globe. During the Spring semester, eight students—Andrea Ortiz ‘12, Nathalia Penton ‘12, Nicolas Joseph ‘12, Cristina Hernandez ‘12, Camila Salazar ‘12, Sebastian Nichols ‘12 and Steven Angueira ‘13—met in the Private Dining Room (PDR) before school each Wednesday to discuss issues pertaining to the Middle East with students from Hotchkiss School (CT), Cape Henry Collegiate (VA), Hathaway Brown (OH) and Roberts College in Istanbul, Turkey. Lead by PTS Religion teacher Pete Masteller and Director of Admission and College Counseling Danny Reynolds, these PTS students held open discussions about Israeli/Palestinian relations, Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. involvement in the region and more.

Emphasizing the importance of diversity and international education, Palmer Trinity School constantly seeks academic opportunities, like these, that give our students the chance to interact with other students from around the world. We were proud to be able to offer students this course here at PTS, and look forward to another webinar during the 2012-2013 school year. This second semester-long experience, which will focus on issues pertaining to Cambodia and Southeast Asia, will conclude with a two-week trip to Cambodia to discover firsthand the topics discussed throughout the course.

During the Spring 2012 semester, students gathered each week for a live video chat with students from schools all over the world.

“Emphasizing the importance of diversity and international education, Palmer Trinity School constantly seeks academic opportunities, like these, that give our students the chance to interact with other students from around the world.”

Rolando ''Roli'' Garcia: Behind the Falcon Moving from Cuba to Miami when he was only ten years old, Rolando Garcia—or ‘Roli,’ as he is affectionately called at PTS—has been living in South Florida since 1970. Working at Palmer Trinity School since 1997, Roli has become a vital part of the PTS Maintenance Staff, doing everything from setting up for events and painting the athletic fields, to fixing lights and maintaining the grounds.

Working “behind the scenes” to make a difference for students and teachers each day, Roli has now been a part of the PTS family for fifteen years. “It’s not work—it’s my second home,” he says. “Here, everyone treats you like family. It’s paradise.”

“It’s not work— it’s my second home.”

Roli Garcia, PTS Maintenance

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NEW ALUMNI

Class of 2012 Perspectives In This Section: As our Class of 2012 gets ready to take their own next steps, seven new alumni stop to reflect on perspectives they have gained while students at Palmer Trinity School.

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Perspectives

LOST By: ANDR E A ORTIZ ‘12

I was alone and the hallways were dark, lighting up only when a person walked by a certain check point.

The more I walked—half in light, half in dark—the quicker the desperate and anxious hole in my gut grew larger. I was late to my French geography class and I had absolutely no idea where I was. I couldn’t even remember how to get to the office my French host had showed me on my first day at my French school, not that I would even know what French words to use to explain my situation. That day, I spent fifty minutes blindly roaming the empty hallways, until I gave up and decided to wait outside for a familiar face. I remember looking at my French high school then, Lycee Georges Duby, through waterfilled eyes and seeing only a huge concrete prison. As traumatizing as that day may have been to a fifteen-year-old girl in a foreign country by herself, I look back to that day and realize that sometime between the day I left the Miami airport for France, and today, I fell in love with being lost. In fact, I would give anything to be lost forever.

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NEW ALUMNI

Andrea by the Arc de Triomphe during a weekend trip to Paris Opposite Page: During the fall 2010 semester, Andrea studied abroad in Southern France.

Every time I find myself sitting at the taqueria on my Aunt’s street in Mexico, that nervous feeling in my stomach starts again. I’ve had tacos millions of times and I’ve been traveling to Mexico twice a year for a month or so to visit family since I left Mexico when I was three, but there’s always something on the restaurant menu that I can’t identify. My cousins always make jokes and talk about Latin celebrities that I have never even heard of and I always forget what they call the traditional Mexican pasta made of corn fungus. The feeling of being lost and being uncomfortable creeps up in my own hometown, because there are so many parts of the Mexican culture and lifestyle that I don’t know and probably will never know until I live there again. Although the immediate feeling I have when I realize how out of tune I am with people that are part of my own family is sadness, I still love feeling lost. That is why every time I go back to that taqueria, I order the one thing I can’t identify, so the next time I might just be able to help my little brother order his meal.

we all live with a thumbtack somewhere in the chair we’re sitting in that pokes us every time we feel like settling. That thumbtack keeps me on a constant quest for knowledge. When that anxious feeling of being lost floods my body, something inside me pushes me to find that little piece of knowledge that will bring me back to the surface.

That overwhelming sense of accomplishment and relief that comes with a drowning person’s first gasp of air is what has motivated me to continue swimming through a world of endless information for my entire life. I know that sea of knowledge is endless, but I also know that I want to learn forever and, more importantly, I hope to always be desperately, totally, and completely, lost.

Moving to the United States from Mexico when she was only three years old, Andrea returns to her Mexican haunts twice a year to visit family.

Andrea Ortiz ‘12

Feeling lost means being uncomfortable and being lost means not knowing, but not knowing makes you want to know. In life, there will always be things foreign to us and things will always be changing. It is almost preposterous to think that anyone in such a rapidly-growing and diverse world would ever feel found or comfortable, even if they remained in the same brick house for their entire life. I felt lost for five months in France and in many intellectual conversations at the Telluride Association Summer Program this summer. I feel lost right now, just thinking about the millions of different people living their lives as I’m typing this, and all the countries, cultures, religions, and ideas they represent; but I will always be lost. I have accepted it. In fact,

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Perspectives

IV SKATING By: ANTHONY SCHIAPPA PIETR A ‘12

We both knew you were not supposed to skate in the halls, but I kept quiet all the same.

After all, without his antics my afternoon sit-downs on the couch outside the ward would have been rather boring; so I entertained myself by watching him come and go. It was possible, I discovered, to close your eyes and determine the exact time when he would come speeding across my path solely by listening to the squeaking of his wheels and the flapping of his IV bags.

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Anthony Schiappa Pietra ‘12 12

NEW ALUMNI

Watching the other kids enjoy themselves in the hallways, I managed to find what some people spend their whole lives looking for, a reason to continue through life's difficulties.

Then, when the sound trailed away, I could look up and he would already be a speck in the distance, the light from the fluorescent hospital lamps shimmering off his bald head. It quickly became a game, a way to pass the time during our stays in the hospital, with him running the whole show and me trying to learn something.

His chemotherapy was always tougher than mine, though.

Sometimes, when we shared a room, I would lie awake and hear him cry in pain as the medicine trickled down the tubes and into his veins.

Lymphoma had turned a blind eye to our age difference and had given him, the younger one, a harder battle to fight. I always felt guilty for that.

pain and laugh when I can. The drip from a warm IV bag doesn’t hurt as badly if I’m surrounded by my friends or if I’m reading a good book. It’s something I never would have learned anywhere else. Watching the other kids enjoy themselves in the hallways, I managed to find what some people spend their whole lives looking for, a reason to continue through life’s difficulties. I continued because of them—or at least, because of what they taught me when they went skating in the halls.

In 2011, Anthony started the Tony Trot 5K, an annual event that raises money for cancer research through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

Anthony with his parents and two younger sisters, Karina ‘14 and Tiana ‘17

But I could count on seeing him IV skating the next afternoon, and that kind of thing was enough to get me out of bed no matter how worn out I felt. That’s how I learned to enjoy the little things. An IV wasn’t just an IV; an ice cream cone wasn’t just an ice cream cone; a smile from your nurse wasn’t just a smile from your nurse; a hug from your mom wasn’t just a hug from your mom. All of these minute details of life are what hold it together when something as difficult as cancer arrives. Wars are fought, economies turn, relationships fall through, and the earth gets warmer, but we keep life from overwhelming us by hanging on to the small stuff.

I guess that’s what you could say I learned from being a cancer patient in a children’s hospital. I take the

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Perspectives

Ashley spent a summer working with an orthopedic medical mission team at the Kausay Wasi Clinic in Peru.

TOE JAM By: ASHLEY K ALBAC ‘12

That first day at the Kausay Wasi Clinic in Peru, I had no forethought of what or who I would encounter.

I routinely began my job of assisting the nurses to prepare the operating room for their patients’ impending surgeries, and comforting the patients before and after surgery. I was part of a team of sixteen surgeons, nurses and “non-medical personnel” on an orthopedic medical mission trip in a remote Peruvian village, in the middle of the arid Andes.

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Ashley Kalbac ‘12

The first few patients rolled in and out of the O.R. with ease. The last patient of the day, a thirteen-year old girl named, Marissa, then only two years younger than me, entered the clinic with a familiar, yet unique, hope of being cured. She quickly became not just another patient, but a girl like me. Her bare feet had been disfigured in a fire. Her big toes curled under and attached to the soles of her feet like an orchid’s roots to a tree. Because of her deformity, she was unable to wear protective shoes and could barely walk without constant pain.

The Andes Mountains

He couldn’t just abandon the mission. We had set out on this mission to Peru to help people in need, and this girl was clearly in need.

As we prepped the O.R., I became very aware of all the details of the operation. Marissa slowly dozed off from the anesthesia and surgery began.

The usually-confident doctor seemed especially focused and pensive performing this difficult procedure. I silently read his deliberate motions, praying for success since Marissa might never have an opportunity like this again. Thirty minutes later, Marissa’s feet began to look

I looked with relief and amazement at the doctor. In that moment he became not only Marissa's hero, but mine as well. It was then that I realized what I wanted to spend my life doing—bringing hope to those who would have none otherwise.

The new hope that she and her mother found when they heard that an American orthopedic team was visiting drove them to travel, by foot and train, for three days across mountainous terrain to seek treatment. The doctor first examined Marissa’s feet and feared he would not be able to perform this rare, and very dangerous, surgery. However, after seeing her mother’s pleading eyes swell with tears and listening to the team’s encouragement, his heart melted. I said, “Doctor, we have to try. She can’t walk. I know we can help her!” He knew he had to at least try to fix this young girl’s feet.

somewhat normal, at least as good as feet can look after having metal rods drilled into them.

As the surgery proceeded, I watched and waited with determination and eager anticipation. The solemnity in the O.R., when compared to all the other surgeries we had seen so far, testified to the significance of this surgery for Marissa. Now feeling invested in this young girl’s life, I began praying for success and Marissa’s recovery. I could never imagine myself in her situation, nor could I picture myself possessing the maturity with which she handled it all. She truly inspired me.

Finally, it was time to suture Marissa’s right foot back up. Dr. Dan became a skilled seamstress, pulling layers of skin together as if they were layers of fabric being stitched together along a clean seam. It seemed to be going smoothly, but there was still a flap of skin that was not big enough to close the wound. We had come too far to give up now. Mary, the nurse from the clinic, used her general surgery training to take a skin graft from Marissa’s right hip and placed it on her foot in order to finish the surgery.

After the tourniquets were let down, we waited many long minutes staring at her toes and waiting expectantly for blood to flow into her foot, changing the color from pasty, anemic white to a healthy pink. Struggling to remain hopeful, each of us held our breath, and bowed our heads in silence. Finally, Marissa’s toes miraculously regained a beautiful, lively pink tint.

I looked with relief and amazement at the doctor.

In that moment he became not only Marissa’s hero, but mine as well. It was then that I realized what I wanted to spend my life doing—bringing hope to those who would have none otherwise.

After returning to the States, I could not forget Marissa and those who had impacted my life. My heart could not forget what I had felt and seen while in Peru. Wanting to prevent more situations like those we encountered, I began a shoe drive to collect and send shoes to Peru with the next mission team. I plan to return, knowing now that I want to be a doctor. I want to offer my abilities and care to ease the pain of others like Marissa.

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Perspectives

TWO WORLDS: ONE COMMUNITY By: BIR A AJ MAHAJAN ‘12

The thought of traveling to Managua, Nicaragua was exhilarating. Although the adventure had been classified as a community service trip, I knew the experience held much more in store than the name let on. >> 16

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Community service often deceives people into thinking that they give but do not receive. I understood that the Nicaragua trip would simultaneously build a better community in the distant land of Managua and fortify the community of Palmer Trinity School.

What appealed to me the most about this trip was that it focused on the concept of “we” rather than “I.” For a week, a group of eighteen individuals from different backgrounds and experiences were going to be united for a single purpose. We were to construct a house out of cinderblock and cement, but in constructing that house, we soon found ourselves building a home.

Eighteen individuals came together and labored together out of love. We ate together, we played together, we laughed together, and we loved together.

Being immersed in a different culture, I expected to experience a few hindrances. Although I had some command of the Spanish language, I was shy about conversing with Nicaraguans for fear of making a mistake or offending someone while speaking. As a result, I wasn’t able to express my ebullient personality for some time. I had been transformed into an introvert in a foreign land overnight. Most of the time, I stayed close to the group of eighteen, thinking that if I stayed amongst members of the Palmer Trinity community, I wouldn’t have to converse with the people of the neighborhood.

Biraaj Mahajan ‘12

Going to Nicaragua made me realize that venturing out and taking risks is essential to life because without risk, change is impossible—and life becomes a routine. Life is not for settling into a routine, but for constantly experiencing the new and unusual.

One day, while at the worksite, I wandered over to the water cooler, where two Nicaraguan women stood under the shade of a tree, admiring the work being done on their neighbors’ house. As I bent down to fill my water bottle, a cheerful, “Como estas?” or “How are you?” was offered by one of the women. Not wanting to seem rude, I stood up and answered, “Bien gracias, y Usted?” I had done it. I had broken my self-imposed vow of silence. From then on, Spanish words poured out of me as if I had been speaking it my whole life. The language barrier had been breached, and I had made contact with the other side. I ecstatically carried on the rest of the conversation, answering every question they asked and posing a few of my own. Spanish allowed me to reach out and connect with the Nicaraguan community. It also helped convey my personality. An American-born Indian boy and a Nicaraguan woman shared a bond. We had started to form a community.

I had expanded my community to include the people of Nicaragua and they had expanded their community to include the students of Palmer; both of us made lasting relationships. Going to Nicaragua made me realize that venturing out and taking risks is essential to life because without risk, change is impossible—and life becomes a routine. Life is not for settling into a routine, but for constantly experiencing the new and unusual. Life is about constantly stimulating the senses and exploring the world around us.

Opposite Page: Biraaj takes a break from building to play with two little girls in Nicaragua.

Biraaj and Giancarlo Falconi ‘12 enjoy the local wildlife in Managua.

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Perspectives

COLD FEET By: BRYAN FUSFIELD ‘12

Every day, I wake up with cold feet; I can’t seem to find a blanket long enough to cover them.

I roll out of bed, stumble through my bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling doorway into the bathroom, ducking my head as I go; old habits die hard. Propping myself against a wall, I let the “rainfall” showerhead transform me from a zombie into a person. I savor the fact that I now stand straight up while washing my hair; something I haven’t done since the ninth grade.

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Bryan Fusfield ‘12

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NEW ALUMNI

Awake and clean, I go back to my room, where I fearlessly slide a tee shirt over my head, no longer afraid of mangling my fingers in the ceiling fan. These adjustments may not seem like a big deal to others, but to me they are huge. My parents, who tend to spoil me when it comes to accommodating my size, surprised me while I was away this summer. They raised my bedroom’s doorframe seven inches, added two feet of height to my shower head, and removed my digit-eating ceiling fan from my bedroom; loving gestures to make their super-sized son feel like an average person.

Despite my father being 6'7" tall, my growth spurt threw us for a loop. I grew from 5'6" in the seventh grade, to just under 6'8" as a sophomore. Making practical changes to my home was the easy part; redefining my self-image was the greater challenge. Poise and confidence are assets that everyone desires, but especially when you are 6'8" tall. “You can’t teach or learn height,” my father advised, “Make it work for you.” When I began to “stand out in a crowd,” I made it my mission to put people in my presence at ease by being confident and engaging. I didn’t want to be the very tall awkward kid in the back of the room.

My friends, family and teachers tell me that I come off as an authentic, collected guy with a great sense of humor and a good selfimage. Feeling good in my own skin gives me the confidence to treat those I encounter with the utmost candor and respect.

My height has also helped me to accomplish almost everything I am proud of. I am viewed as a leader; younger classmates and teammates look up to me, literally and figuratively; not for how tall I am, but for who I am. In nearly everything I do, there are eyes trained on me—I do not blend in. Because of this, I carefully evaluate the choices I make and the actions I take, knowing that many will follow.

When I crawl into bed each night, I recall how many times during the day my height was either referenced, or strategically utilized. I also remind myself of the myriad of benefits my built-in icebreaker has afforded me with teachers, coaches, and friends. However, I am humbled by the one constant in my life: I start and end every single day with cold feet.

Despite my father being 6'7'' tall, my growth spurt threw us for a loop. I grew from 5'6'' in the seventh grade, to just under 6'8'' as a sophomore.

Top: Bryan, his sister Jenna Fusfield ‘14 and their parents, Susan and Glenn Bottom: The Fusfield family at Red Rock Canyon, just outside Las Vegas, Nevada

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Perspectives

THE WALL By: MARY ANN CASAS ‘12

As I stared straight into the mass of bricks and concrete in front of me, I discovered something that I had never experienced. I knew then that this was not some ordinary wall between rooms or surrounding an office building. It looked run down and torn apart—it was a perfect example of imperfection. Why the heck was this wall so special?

The Great Wall of China symbolizes everything people yearn for in a life. It represents endurance, strength, power

and beauty. It represents me. Even though I was more than seventy-five hundred miles away from home, I never felt so close to who I was as a human being. The wall is culture, and so am I. In my life, culture hits me from every angle. My mom is part Irish and German, and my dad Venezuelan. I experience a combination of cultures every day through food, conversation and just pure being.

Culture is not something you can buy at the supermarket or win at an auction. It’s something to gain or explore.

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Mary Ann Casas ‘12 20

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What I discovered that chilly morning in Beijing was that walls are built, destroyed, torn apart, and used to separate property; but they can never divide us. It is my understanding that human beings are made to live together—to love, to care for and to nurture each other.

No wall, not even the greatest one in the world, can separate people that are bound and destined to be together and progress as a world of neighbors. On this day, I discovered the importance of knowing other people, cultures, religions and languages. This wall showed me that there was a whole other side of the world waiting for me to discover it.

The Great Wall of China is not just a wall. It is a memory, a home and a survivor. This wall has the ability to unite people from around the globe. It has the ability to make people question themselves and their miniscule size in this world. For the first time in my life, I realized that I was miniscule and that we, the people of this earth, must come together to make our home the place we want it to be.

We are not so different after all. No matter what skin color, religion or traditions we may adhere to, people strive for the best. When I went to China, I did not know a word of Chinese, nor did I know their cultures and customs. But, I did understand one thing: a smile is the same in every language. We all yearn for happiness and peace, and above all, a place where we can be the person we truly want to be.

Returning back to the U.S., I made sure to bring a piece of that wall home with me to symbolize that I was just one part of a Great Wall of being.

During her junior year, Mary Ann visited the Great Wall of China on a music trip with PTS students and faculty.

In China, Mary Ann had the opportunity to experience many different aspects of Asian culture, including Buddhism.

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Perspectives

On a trip to Israel, Sean had the opportunity to visit the Ramon Crater, in the small town of Mitzpe Ramon.

MY LATEST DISCOVERY By: SE AN R AMR AS ‘12

Many people discover new things outside their normal realm or find a groundbreaking scientific discovery—however, little did I know, my latest discovery was in front of me the whole time.

Being an active congregant in my synagogue and attending an Episcopal high school has been a unique and enlightening experience. Although these two entities seem to be diametrically opposed to one another, they are actually more similar than they are different.

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NEW ALUMNI

The tenants of my faith have taught me that it is a moral obligation to help others, and they inspire my decision to serve my community.

During his junior year, Sean traveled to Nicaragua with PTS to build a house for a local family.

My whole childhood revolved around my synagogue. It is where I attended elementary school, built my first true relationships and learned the tenants of the Jewish faith—specifically the importance of ‘mitzvot,’ or good deeds, for others. I have volunteered at a small car wash to raise money for local charities, and gone with the Jewish Culture Club, which I co-founded, to prepare Thanksgiving dinners for those who cannot afford them. While traveling throughout Israel with the National Federation of Temple Youth last year, I took the opportunity to participate in a service project in Jerusalem.

While there, we planted a small vegetable garden, creating a tranquil atmosphere for a young Jewish community to enjoy. The tenants of my faith have taught me that it is a moral obligation to help others, and they inspire my decision to serve my community.

Sean Ramras ‘12

Palmer Trinity, my Episcopal high school, promotes similar teachings.

Much like the teachings of my temple, Palmer Trinity thrives on the notion that doing community service is about helping others, not your résumé. For this reason, I am constantly inspired to volunteer—whether it be assisting an elderly person across the street, or participating in a walk for cancer research. My most notable participation was with my school’s annual Nicaragua Mission Trip, where we built homes for people in poor rural communities who otherwise could not afford them. Though the trip stems from a denominational organization, I feel completely immersed within the group. We, the students from Palmer Trinity, look past our different beliefs and work together to help a family find a permanent shelter and better their lives. In the end, all volunteers share the same ultimate goal.

The commonality between these religions seems so obvious, yet I missed its discovery for so long. I now see more than simply black and white, or shades of gray, between these two entities; I see bright spots that illuminate with their cohesiveness. This illumination draws a connection between two religions that seem so outwardly different; both a concern for my fellow human beings and a call to service. I hope to, in the rest of my years, continue searching and finding connections that are often overshadowed by emotion, fear and bias. To appreciate how all things in life connect with each other, one need only look with an open mind and heart.

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Class of 2012

Class of 2012 Says...

In anticipation of our 40th Anniversary next year, members of the PTS community wanted to know:

“Class of 2012, forty years from now, what will you remember most about Palmer Trinity School?”

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“I’ll remember that Palmer Trinity gave me the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Sydney, Australia.”

“ The wonderful community of Palmer Trinity School. When my brother got very sick, they supported my family in many ways and people truly cared for us. I am forever grateful.”

“I will remember the optimism.”

Ashley Kalbac

Daniel Omachonu

Camila Salazar

“Our ever-cheerful maintenance staff.” “ Being the tallest kid in school since freshman year.”

Biraaj Mahajan

“ Wonderful and unique opportunities, like studying abroad and community service, that allowed me to grow as a more compassionate, sensible young woman.”

Bryan Fusfield

Christina Santilli

“I will remember what the class of 2012 contributed to Palmer Trinity: a family, a home, and a place to thrive, academically and socially.”

“ The music trips.”

Daniel McCain

Jonathan Chang

“ The endless love and compassion that I received from the student body, the faculty, and the administration.”

“ The teachers, the faculty and staff who have always believed in me and supported me, and the lifelong friends I have made here and have come to love. They are my PTS family and will always, always be in my heart.”

Cristina Hernandez

“The great friendships I made with all of my sports teams, and the history we made becoming State RunnerUps in Varsity Girls Soccer.”

Frank Nespral

Elizabeth Newman S U M M E R

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Class of 2012 “All the opportunities that PTS has given, and will give, me. Without this school, I don’t know where I’d be.”

“I will never forget how passionate, friendly, and willing the teachers were to help us learn and succeed.”

Margaret “Bug” Franklin

Diana Fernandez

“Gathering with friends by the (Britto) Apple, during lunch, and enjoying the sun.”

Marcelo Guerra “I will remember that I traveled all over the world with Palmer Trinity.”

Sean Ramras “I will remember all the friends I made and the different people I got to meet as a student at Palmer Trinity.”

Trent Barnes

“I’ll remember how sweet the lunch ladies were.”

Nathalia Penton

“I will remember the genuine nature of the class of 2012.”

“ The people.”

Anthony Schiappa Pietra

Sebastian Nicholls

“ Meeting in the Senior Chickee after lunch.”

Vanessa Zabala

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“ How I learned about the world around me.

Palmer Trinity gave me the opportunity to travel to Spain, China, and Nicaragua. I loved every second of being at Palmer Trinity with all of the amazing people I met.”

Mary Ann Casas

NEW ALUMNI

Class of 2012

ATHLETIC AWARD WINNERS:

Year-End Awards SILVER KNIGHT AWARD WINNERS:

SILVER KNIGHT AWARD HONORABLE MENTIONS:

TRENTON BARNES

Scholar Athlete, The Miami Herald

VICTORIA ALVAREZ-ARANGO

Art

SEAN RAMRAS

Music and Dance ELIZABETH NEWMAN

Scholar Athlete, The Miami Herald

ANTHONY SCHIAPPA PIETRA

Athletics

CRISTINA HERNANDEZ

World Languages

MARGARET FRANKLIN

Girls Varsity Lacrosse “Player of the Year,” The Miami Herald S U M M E R

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Class of 2012

GRADUATION Class of 2012

The Class of 2012 celebrates their success with the annual Graduation hat toss.

Sebastian Calderon and Kayla Campbell

Stefano Aime, Gerardo Aguirre and Nader Abarra

Frank Nespral, Elizabeth Newman, Sebastion Nicholls and Daniel Paz 28

Daniel Beauperthuy

Daniel Omachonu and Stefan Drakulich

NEW ALUMNI

Photos by: Anais Ganouna

“I’ve realized that the greatest things in life don’t have a purpose.

That it’s not the end product that matters; it’s the process, and more importantly, those random memories that become such an important part of the process.”

Andrea Ortiz, Valedictorian “ No matter where you go or what you do, I urge you to stop pursuing success. Forget about success for a moment. Instead, strive for excellence and success will follow.”

Biraaj Mahajan, Senior Reflection Jokari Birdsong gets a yellow rose from Board of Trustees Chair, Joe Kalbac, before receiving his diploma.

Luis Asensio, Trenton Barnes, Matthew Barr and Daniel Beauperthuy

“ These are some things I will miss: the lunches on the grass, the intellectual conversation, the time spent with good boys and good girls, the laughter, the tears, the comforting and discomforting knowledge that our time as students was limited, the unity, the belonging, the hopes and dreams and congratulations, the aggregate of our joy and suffering, that all happened here, in one place: Palmer Trinity School.”

Anthony Schiappa Pietra, Senior Reflection

“If I ever look back over my life when I’m eighty years old, I won’t remember—or even want to remember—how many AP’s I took or what my SAT score was or what rank I had in high school. I’ll want to remember what made me happy and who I shared cherished moments with; whose lives I was an important part of and in what way. I’ll want to evaluate if I really did make a difference for good in the little piece of the world I got to live in. And I think here, I did. I think we all did.”

Camila Victoriano, Salutatorian S U M M E R

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Class of 2012

COLLEGE MATRICULATION ACCEPTANCES Class of 2012 100% OF PALMER TRINITY SCHOOL GRADUATES ATTEND FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

American University* Amherst College* Arizona State University* Auburn University* Babson College* Bard College* Barnard College* Bentley University* Birmingham-Southern College Boston College* Boston University* Case Western Reserve University Chapman University* Clemson University* College of Charleston* Colorado State University* Columbia College* Columbia University* Connecticut College* Cornell University Dartmouth College* Davidson College Dickinson College* Dominican University of California Drexel University* Duke University* Eckerd College* Elon University* Emerson College* Emory University* Florida Atlantic University* Florida Gulf Coast University* Florida International University* Florida Southern College Florida State University* Fordham University* Franklin and Marshall College Freie Universitat Berlin Furman University Georgetown University*

Multiple acceptances* 30

Georgia Institute of Technology* Guilford College Hamilton College - NY Hampton University Harvard University* High Point University* Hobart and William Smith Colleges* Hofstra University* Howard University Illinois Wesleyan University Indiana University at Bloomington* Johns Hopkins University* Juniata College Lehigh University Louisiana State University* Loyola University Maryland* Loyola University New Orleans* Macalester College Marquette University Marymount Manhattan College* McGill University* Merrimack College Miami Dade College Miami Dade-Honors College Michigan State University* Morehouse College New College of Florida* New York University* Northeastern University* Northwestern University Oglethorpe University Oxford College of Emory University* Pace University, New York City* Pennsylvania State University, University Park* Pepperdine University* Princeton University Providence College*

Graduates actually attending

Purdue University* Rice University* Roger Williams University Rollins College* Saint Joseph’s University Santa Barbara City College Santa Clara University* Sarah Lawrence College* Southern Methodist University* St. John’s University Suffolk University* Syracuse University* Texas Christian University* The Catholic University of America* The George Washington University* The King’s College The Ohio State University* The University of Alabama The University of Arizona* The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill* Trinity University Tufts University* Tulane University* Universidad Autónoma de Madrid University of British Columbia* University of California at Berkeley* University of California at Davis* University of California at Irvine* University of California at San Diego* University of California at Santa Barbara* University of Central Florida* University of Colorado at Boulder* University of Connecticut* University of Delaware* University of Edinburgh* University of Florida* University of Georgia*

University of Kansas* University of Kentucky* University of Maryland, Baltimore County* University of Maryland, College Park* University of Massachusetts, Amherst* University of Massachusetts, Boston* University of Miami* University of Michigan* University of Mississippi* University of Missouri Columbia* University of New Hampshire* University of New Mexico* University of North Florida* University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania* University of Rhode Island* University of San Diego* University of San Francisco* University of South Alabama University of South Carolina* University of South Florida, Tampa* University of St. Andrews (Scotland)* University of Vermont* University of Virginia* University of Washington* University of Wisconsin, Madison Ursinus College Vanderbilt University* Villanova University* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Wake Forest University* Warner University Washington University in St. Louis* Wellesley College Wentworth Institute of Technology Williams College* Xavier University

Thank you

FOR LEADING THE WAY 2011-2012 Lead the Way Annual Fund We would like to extend our gratitude to all of our parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty, staff, alumni parents, board members, past board members, and friends in our school community who made a generous donation to the 2011-2012 Lead the Way Annual Fund.

We surpassed our annual goal of $500,000, exceeded our parent participation goals, and are truly grateful for your support. Also, we share our sincere appreciation and thanks to over 40 Annual Fund Ambassador volunteers who worked tirelessly throughout the school year.

“

Palmer Trinity School is committed to the moral, spiritual, intellectual, physical and creative growth of all members of our school community.

Philanthropy and giving to the Annual Fund each —John F. Kennedy year supports our efforts to inspire our students and alumni to lead lives of honor, integrity, and social responsibility. While it continues to be a challenging economy, we thank you for your loyal support and commitment to our school.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

”

Thank you for being an important part of our community.

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events PALMER TRINITY SCHOOL’S 12TH ANNUAL

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL Gladys Miller, Michelle Brockway, Beth (Brockway) Serrate ‘85 and Nancy Michelson

Throughout the day, more than 1,000 PTS students, faculty members and friends enjoyed various student performances.

Photo by: Scott du Feu

The International Festival is an annual event that celebrates Palmer Trinity School’s vibrant multicultural community and ongoing commitment to global sustainability and environmental initiatives. On Saturday, February 25th, 2012, more than 1,000 campus visitors enjoyed savory food choices and worldwide handicrafts from more than 50 unique food, student and vendor booths. With more than 100 student volunteers, this year brought the highest student involvement ever recorded for this event. Both middle and upper School students participated in jazz, classical and rock music performances, creative arts activities, and dance and theatrical performances in our school courtyard, while community service booths gave students the opportunity to sign up for various service initiatives. Our annual International Parade of Flags, the main event of the day, featured students carrying flags from more than 70 countries throughout campus. Proceeds from this event support our commitment to multicultural initiatives and diversity, as well as Palmer Trinity School’s longstanding relationship with a Colombian children’s organization, Fundacion Nutrainfantil.

Jazz Band Ensemble

International Festival Chairs

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Samantha Ostwald ‘13 Photo by: Scott du Feu

Biraaj Mahajan ‘12 was one of our emcees for the event, along with Andrew Miller ‘13.

Photo by: Scott du Feu

Sustainability at PTS Club

Dominican Republic Booth Photo by: Scott du Feu

Colombia Booth Photo by: Scott du Feu

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visionaerie

By: SUZANNE GOTTLIEB CALLEJA Director of Communications and Community Relations JENNIFER AGRESS Assistant to Director of Communications

Danny has been a part of the Palmer Trinity School family for 20 years.

Photo by: Marina Mougios

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From the classrooms to the athletic fields, the music building to the PTS Theatre, Palmer Trinity School has become synonymous with student accomplishment. Behind every student, however, is a team of mentors who helped them get to where they are today: their parents, their teachers, respected leaders and friends. At Palmer Trinity School, the Office of Admission and College Counseling guides our students from inception to graduation—even remaining a source of advice and inspiration after they leave our iron gates for colleges, universities and opportunities beyond.

Our Admission team, led by Director of Admission, College Counseling, Financial Aid and Study Abroad, Mr. Danny Reynolds—who has been a part of the PTS family for nearly 20 years—works behind-the-scenes to find unique students who, as a result of their many talents, have gradually made Palmer Trinity School one of the most respected schools in South Florida.

Hailing to us from the Admission Office at Georgetown University, Mr. Reynolds met us recently to share some insight into just what it is that makes our students so special. Read his answers below to learn about the history of Admission and College Counseling at Palmer Trinity School, and most importantly, what has led to its success today.

What did you do at Georgetown University?

When I first got there, I was an Admission Counselor. I was responsible for all of the Southern states, so I was always traveling for five weeks at a time, doing programs and visiting high schools. I chaired the Business School Admission Committee, the Committee for the School of Foreign Service and I was in charge of transfer for the Admissions College of Arts and Sciences. After the third year I was there, I became the Director of International Admission, so I would travel to Europe, plan studentparent meetings, and visit high schools. Aside from all that, I was also still in charge of the applicants from Alabama and Mississippi.

Is this what got you interested in Global Education?

The international bug definitely came from my job. The first time I ever went to Europe was because of work, and I loved it because I was able to see the educational systems of other countries firsthand. While I was at Georgetown, I admitted the first student from a communist country, a student from the Soviet Union. That was way before e-mail, so to work with them, the foreign students and I had to fax each other and speak on the phone. That was in 1989.

Tina Lane, Ned Dougherty and Mike Ferguson for a position at Palmer Trinity, and they hired me right away. That was December of ‘92.

When you first got to PTS, how many people were in the Admission Office?

Just me. I shared an office with the Receptionist for the school, Carmen. She was Manuela Flores’ daughter. Carmen took care of me, but the department was basically just me.

Has the admission process changed over the past 20 years?

In some ways, it has. Each year, my office sits down after everything is over and tries to find a way to make the process better. We ask ourselves, “How can we make the admission process easier for parents, and still have them provide the information we need to let us make the best decision?” It’s great for me because I’m not the only one who makes decisions—I have a team of eight teachers and other members of my staff. Unlike other schools, our Admission process today allows applicants to spend an entire day here on campus. It takes up a lot of time, and a lot of organization, but I want teachers to feel like they’re involved in the process. At one point, the applicant pool was so small that we interviewed parents—but there’s just no way we can do that now.

The international bug definitely came from my job. The first time I ever went to Europe was because of work, and I loved it because I was able to see the educational systems of other countries firsthand.

What do you look for in an applicant?

We look at many things. The most important thing to me is to get to know as much about a student as I can. At some schools in the area, kids are nothing more than a test score—but with us, everything counts. First and foremost, we need to make sure they can make it academically. Second, we look at their family. We need to know if this family believes in the mission and values of Palmer Trinity School. If they’re in sixth-grade, you can look at their potential and other qualities. We also want to know if they’re just nice kids. When you have a sixth-grade teacher that says after the student’s day on campus, “You know, I’d really love to teach this kid,” that’s compelling to me.

How did you get to Palmer Trinity School?

My job at Georgetown sounds really glamorous because of the international travel, and I loved what I learned there, but it burns you out. Through my position, I basically had to read 3,000 applications in a six-week period.

There were times when I would spend the night on the sofa in my office, go to the gym to take a shower, and come back to the office to work a full day. I was thinking I was ready for a move, so I started putting feelers out there for a position in South Florida. I got a job with a marketing firm in Miami, but on my way down here, the firm filed Chapter 11— so by the time I got to Miami, I had nothing. I worked at FIU for about 15 months, but I was ready to work on the high school side. I interviewed with

You started our Study Abroad programs at PTS. How did that begin?

Ten years ago, I went on vacation to Australia for three weeks. While traveling, I got this bright idea that Australia would be such a great place to send our kids on an exchange. I asked Judy Andrews, the Head of School at the time, if it would be okay if I looked into exchange programs, and she told me I could.

I visited the Chamber of Commerce of New South Wales, and asked them to give me the names of the best Anglican schools in the city. I visited eight schools and when I returned I wrote to them to see if any would be interested in an exchange with Palmer Trinity. The Head of Abbotsleigh School was going to be in the country in the fall, and they wanted to come by and see S U M M E R

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visionaerie As Director of Admission, College Counseling, Financial Aid and Study Abroad, Danny has the opportunity to work with all students in grades 6 through 12. He is pictured here with 6th-grade student Dani de Sola and senior Daniel Omachonu.

Photo by: Marina Mougios

PTS. When they came, they fell in love with the school and wanted to start right away. During our first year, we had four Abbotsleigh students here and we sent four students to Australia. Through colleagues Laura Massa, Raul Gonzales, and Caroline Goodwin at PTS, and their connections with Spain and France, we started things in those areas as well. Before we knew it, more and more kids were signing up to study abroad. They loved it. I think the global education program is one of the many things that separate us from other schools in our area.

Winning the Global Education Award last year was a huge deal.

It says a lot about who we are, and that we really want the kids to reach out and become a part of the global community—especially in Miami.

What is your proudest accomplishment at PTS to date?

There was this group beginning, the Global Education Benchmark Group, that was made up of schools like ours that had study abroad programs and believed in international education. We met once a year to talk about global education and how it could be incorporated into schools. Today, it has twenty schools— like Lawrenceville, Hotchkiss, and other really high-end, well-known schools from around the country—and together we help other schools that want to start these programs. We were on the ground floor of what has become a great organization, and from that, we were able to start a video-conferencing class with schools in our group and schools in other parts of the world to discuss relevant topics like the conflict in the Middle East, among other things. I’m very proud that that has become a part of our program. Winning the Global Education Award last year was a huge deal. It says a lot about who we are, and that we really want the kids to reach out and become a part of the global community— especially in Miami. Sean Murphy always says there are a lot of smart kids, but there aren’t a lot of smart kids with a good heart. I think our kids reach out to the world because inside, they’re nice kids. They want to do good things.

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In your opinion, how have you seen PTS change over the past 20 years?

I think the caliber of student has changed a lot, but the feel of the place has stayed the same. When I got here, it was a really rough time because Palmer School and Trinity Episcopal School had just merged to become Palmer Trinity School. Parents were rude to each other, but for the most part, the kids were just really nice, well-rounded kids who were happy to be here. That feeling hasn’t changed. It’s really neat to see those parents who had such a difficult time with the merger see the school now, and hear them say, “this school is better than either of those two schools were, and has the best qualities of both”—which I think it does. When more and more of those people who were upset about the merger come back and see the school, they’ll see that their diploma is worth so much more now than it ever was. It’s a much better place, and yet the kids still have that same spirit they always had.

Now, you’re the Director of Admission and College Counseling. How does it feel to both bring kids in, and get kids out?

It’s great for me because I get to promote the school from the front end and the back end—our office is the bookends of the school. I love doing both—it’s so fun for me, and I think it gives me a different perspective. So many of our kids are here from 6th through 12th grade now. I can pull out the little notes that I wrote when I interviewed them, and I can still remember when they sat on my sofa, very shy, and all of the crazy things they said. Then I’m in junior year, talking to the same kid, and I can see how much they’ve changed and how great and well-spoken they’ve become. It’s really amazing for me to see that. I think it’s that unique perspective that helps me with their letter-writing for college, because I have seen them all the way through and I do have that special relationship with them.

With so much going on from 6th grade to 12th, sometimes you lose touch; but you see little sparks of them on the playing field, or in drama or band, or convocation. It gets hectic doing both, but the key is having great people that work with you who can pick up the slack when you’re having a hard time doing it. I work with extraordinary people who make my job easy.

Danny with Susan Patterson, former English Chair, at one of PTS’ annual school auctions

I work with extraordinary people who make my job easy.

Has the College Counseling process changed?

It always changes. Universities change. Schools get competitive or noncompetitive and you have to keep up. I think we’ve changed a little bit too, since I first started here, because over the past 20 years, more and more kids are open to going away. I remember when I had to sit with kids and their parents and say, “Come on… let them go to Smith, let them look at Wellesley or Boston College, let them see what’s out there.” Ten years ago, we started a pipeline to certain schools, and kids would go and have great experiences and come back and tell their friends. Over the past twenty years, I think kids have gotten a lot more open to going away to schools than they used to be. Today 80% of our kids leave Florida.

Why is being the Director of Financial Aid so important to you?

Palmer Trinity School is really generous: more than 22% of its students receive need-based financial aid. You look at other schools, and they may have more money, but they don’t have as many kids on financial aid. I’m very lucky that—from Laura Walker, to Judy Andrews, to Sean Murphy— they have always believed financial aid is important. Being an Episcopal school, they believed that it’s about being diverse—not just racially or religiously, but socio-economically too. I’ve never heard the word “no” from them when it comes to financial aid. If it’s a great kid, and I can make a compelling case for them, they make it happen. They always have.

What makes PTS students stand out from students at other schools?

One of the hallmarks of a Palmer Trinity education is that kids feel very comfortable speaking up in class, giving presentations and being civil in their discourse with their fellow classmates—something I think is a real life lesson.

Being comfortable in saying what you think, but also being civil when you disagree with someone is something that is really lacking in our country right now, and we’re trying really hard to teach confident civil discourse. Our students also have a commitment to give back to the community. I think a lot of schools feel they do the same, but with us, it’s different. We have students building two houses in Nicaragua a year, doing medical missions to Peru and Colombia, as well as all of the other things they do, and it’s not even a requirement.

They do it because they see a need and have a genuine concern for others.

Danny with Iraida Robledo, PTS College Counselor, during a special Halloween convocation

In your opinion, what makes PTS unique in the South Florida market?

I tell prospective parents that we are the only Episcopal middle and high school in town, and I think parents want the values-orientation part that comes with that identity. Our students may not all be Episcopalian, but there’s spirituality, honor, integrity, character and other very important qualities that come along with that. We spend the first few weeks of school talking about honor, something I don’t think schools talk about enough. No matter what your faith is, even if you don’t have any, you would feel really comfortable here. Parents are looking for their child to be taught what’s right and wrong, to be kind to others, and to have honor and integrity in what they do and really care about it. When a student graduates from PTS, I think they have four common elements: They can think analytically, read comprehensively, write well, and genuinely care for others.

In 1993, Danny dressed the part for Palmer Trinity School’s annual Renaissance Festival Day. Here, he serves themed food to students Kate Fleming ‘97 and Marta (Hernandez) Hardyman ‘97 with Betty Huck, past PTS College Counselor.

Do you keep in contact with Alumni?

Do they say they were prepared for college?

Definitely. We have kids at top universities who come back and tell me their chemistry and biology books are the same ones they had here. Alumni tell me their grades their first semester were better than they ever had at Palmer Trinity. Of course, it’s different the second semester, but a lot of kids find that what they’re doing their first semester, they’ve already done here. Because of our laptop program, I also hear that they didn’t have that hurdle of working with their computers so much because they already learned all that here. Most importantly, I think that coming from a smaller school, they’re not afraid to go up to a teacher or go to an office. They’re used to building a relationship with the teacher, because they could do that here. Even if they’re at the University of Florida, and have 800 students in a class, they try to build that relationship with their teacher, or the TA, because they’ve been doing it since sixth grade.

What advice do you give seniors heading to college?

Don’t take any 8 o’clock classes! College is a lot later. You’re going to be staying up late, and you’re going to be socializing with your friends. I also say that during your first semester, only take four classes. You’re trying to find your way, you’re away from home for the first time, you’re going to have roommate situations you need to deal with, and you’ll need to have good time management. Get along with your roommate, get your mother to show you how to do laundry, and have a great time. You’re going to love this time of your life. Be open and accepting of everybody–people are going to be a lot different than you. You don’t have to fall over to the dark side, but this is the time for you to live and challenge things. The friends you make in college will be your friends for a lifetime because you’re going to be living with them.

What do you hope to see in the next 40 years?

I want the new property developed, and I want to see buildings on that property. I would also love to see more facilities, like a pool, a diving well, more fields, another gymnasium, and a separate middle school and upper school faculty so our kids don’t have to run on the same bell schedule. There aren’t a lot of schools like ours down in this part of town, and I would love to admit elementary students and see them go all the way through from kindergarten to senior year. Personally though, I don’t want Palmer Trinity to get too big, and I really don’t want to lose that feel that we’ve always had. I think these kinds of things would be nice. Of course, forty years from now, I hope I’ll be seeing these things from a retirement home in Miami Beach or Sydney, Australia.

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PRESENTING CARL HIAASEN After the Book Fair, Mr. Hiaasen signed copies of his books for eager fans.

On Monday, April 16, 2012, Palmer Trinity School hosted its 21st Annual Book Fair. This year, almost 300 guests visited the PTS campus to enjoy a delicious brunch, view table decorations, participate in a raffle—and of course—gain the opportunity to meet esteemed author and Florida native, Carl Hiaasen.

The author of a collection of popular novels—including Tourist Season, Skinny Dip, Stormy Weather and Star Island—Carl Hiaasen has written eight national bestsellers, becoming most-known for his ability to capture life in Florida at its strangest. A past reporter for The Miami Herald, Hiaasen has received numerous honors for his journalism and commentary. Awarded a Newbery Honor for his children’s book debut, Hoot, Hiaasen went on to create three more: Flush, Scat and most recently, Chomp. In 2011, the Florida Humanities Council presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing. Prior to speaking with Book Fair guests that morning, Mr. Hiaasen spent an hour with our sixth-grade class, who read Flush earlier that year.

The immense success of the annual event this year could not have been achieved without the help of our PTS parents, staff, Books and Books— and of course—our 2012 Book Fair Committee, all who helped raise funds benefiting the Palmer Trinity School Matheson Library.

Before the event, Carl Hiaasen spoke with our 6th-grade class, who read his book, Flush, in the fall.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2012 BOOK FAIR CO-CHAIRS:

Claudia Diaz-Barandiaran Co-Chair

Kitty Koch Espinosa Co-Chair

Diane Lary Co-Chair

Rachelle Kaplan Honorary Chair

Rachelle Kaplan, Kitty Koch Espinosa, Mitchell Kaplan, Sean Murphy, Carl Hiaasen, Claudia Diaz-Barandiaran and Diane Lary

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LEGAC Y GI V ING 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.

“The greatest gift we can give Palmer Trinity School and our students is the gift of education.”

— JACK BRUMBAUGH, Past Board of Trustee Chair

Contact Lauren Dowlen, ldowlen@palmertrinity.org or (305) 969-4282 for more information about leaving a legacy for Palmer Trinity students.

Palmer Trinity School's 1st Annual Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast On Tuesday, May 8, 2012, Palmer Trinity School hosted its inaugural Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast. Set in the brightly decorated Main Dining Room, this event honored volunteers from the entire school community—including our PTS Board of Trustees, PTPA and Booster organizations, Special Events committees, Alumni Association leaders, Annual Fund Ambassadors and more—who helped make the 2011-2012 academic year a success. With a delicious breakfast prepared by SAGE Dining, guests had the opportunity to relax, enjoy performances by PTS student musicians, view a year-in-review slide show, and reflect on words of sincere gratitude from Board of Trustees Chair, Joseph J. Kalbac; Development Committee Chair, Michael Baiamonte; and the Development office. To conclude the event, Head of School, Sean Murphy, raised his glass and toasted to the commitment of our volunteer community.

On behalf of Palmer Trinity School, we would like to thank our volunteers for all they have done this year, and continue to do, for Palmer Trinity School.

Top, Clockwise (L-R): Rita Feild, Laurie Hill, Laura Miguel, Luly Sardinas and Chirine Mneimneh Far right: Joseph J. Kalbac, Alejandro Rodriguez, Susi Cetta and Anabel Gerbasi Right: Claudia Rey and Diane Lary

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events Sandy Tennis Participants

This year, Palmer Trinity School hosted its 11th Annual Sandy Golf Tournament and 2nd Annual Tennis Tournament. For the past eleven years, proceeds from this premier golf and tennis tournament have benefited recipients of the Sandy Block Financial Aid Award, enabling an outstanding student to attend Palmer Trinity School and receive needbased financial aid. Having grossed more than $44,000 as a result of this year’s event, we would like to extend our gratitude to Presenting Sponsor Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables and Cutler Bay, a Bill Ussery Motors company, Paula and Bob Brockway, and all of our generous sponsors, underwriters, donors, participants, countless volunteers, and student golfers and tennis players for supporting this successful tournament.

Pat Brockway and Beth (Brockway) Serrate ‘85

Juan Elwaw, Eddy Saade, Ricardo Albarran, Alejandro Rodriguez

2012 S A N DY G OL F A N D T E N N I S C OM M I T T E E Co-Chairs: Brian Gershen ‘98 Chuck Klenk Magdalena Rothfeldt Nathan Zeder ‘98 Tennis Chair: Sonnia Viyella Honorary Co-Chair: Chris Block ‘96

Committee: Michael Baiamonte Jim Block Bob Booth Paula Brockway Sally Franklin Joseph J. Kalbac, Jr. Lourdes Sardinas Michael Uzquiano Howard Wolofsky ‘81 Sandy Tournament Co-Chairs

David Vernon, Chip Walter ‘95, Will Morrison ‘07, Ian Wogan ‘04 and Head of School, Sean Murphy

Brett French ‘97, Preston Dickerson ‘98, Brian Gershen ‘98 and Jon Lawrence ‘98 40

28 men and women participated in the 2012 Sandy Tennis Tournament.

Corinne Kayal and Cindy Slaman

PA S T S A N DY BL O C K E N D OW M E N T R E C I PI E N T

E V E N T SP ON S OR S A special thank you to our following sponsors for supporting Palmer Trinity School’s Sandy Golf and Tennis Tournament: Presenting Sponsor Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables and Mercedes-Benz of Cutler Bay, Bill Ussery Motors Companies Paula and Bob Brockway Event Reception Sponsor Bilzin Sumberg Attorneys at Law Golf Cart Sponsor Rockwell Island Beach Front Estates Bimini, Bahamas Hat Sponsor BankUnited Golf Ball Sponsor Morris & Reynolds Insurance Eagle Sponsors Bal Harbour Shops BNY Mellon Wealth Management Joseph J. Kalbac, Jr. and his partners at Colson Hicks Eidson Mr. and Mrs. William Morrison Overholt Construction Corporation Preferred Care Partners Richman Greer, P.A. Stewart Tilghman Fox & Bianchi, P.A. Trial Lawyers Unicco Service Company The Weiss Family Foundation Birdie Sponsors The Berk Family Camp Lenny Foundation The Samas Family The Serrate Family Torbert Produce

Net Sponsor Bennett Aiello & Cohen The Lowe Family Peterson Harley Davidson South Underwriting Alarm & Electronics Systems LLC Mr. and Mrs. David Andrews Bacardi Bay Plumbing Company Teresa Carreno and Humberto Casariego Don Bailey Carpet French Gershen Lawrence Zeder Partnership Foundation Trust Furniture Systems Plus GenEx Builders Geomantic Design/Robert Parsley, Landscape Architect Jeffry Gillman, C.P.A. Hurricane Protection Inc. Ingelmo and Associates LIONSDEN Graphics & Signs LRG Construction Pilon Cafe Planet Golf Puerto Viejo Wines Ramon Carpet Services R.B.S. Enterprises, Inc. SAGE Dining Services Smart Air Systems, Inc. Sports Grill Stop & Shop THH Construction Inc. Trinity Air Conditioning UV Wear Sun Protection Verdeja & De Armas LLP

N A M E : Jaquen Castellanos ‘11 C OL L E G E : Columbia University M AJOR / M I NOR /C ONC E N T R AT IONS: Double Major in English and Political Science

W HO I N SPI R E D YOU MO S T AT P T S ?

Mr. Rachelson. His class was the first time I was encouraged to question assumptions I held about the world.

W H AT D O YOU PL A N TO D O A F T E R G R A DUAT ION ?

I am currently interning at MSNBC’s NOW with Alex Wagner. I hope the internship will give me insight into whether I wish to pursue broadcast journalism or production.

W H E R E D O YOU SE E YOU R SE L F IN TEN Y E A R S? In New York! I’ve fallen in love with the city, and I don’t plan on leaving any time soon.

Lenny Roberts foursome

W H E N W I L L YOU G R A DUAT E ?

In one year—which is hard to say, because I never want to leave.

Graduate school perhaps?

HOW H A S T H E S A N DY BL O C K E N D OW M E N T H E L PE D YOU PU R SU E YOU R DR E A M S TODAY ?

Bixie Reddick, Chris Block ‘96 and Gwen Lazenby

Palmer Trinity School prepared me for Columbia, and without the Sandy Block Endowment I would not have been able to attend. I really appreciate the scholarship and what it did for my education.

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AlumNews

class notes

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.’

Keep the updates coming!

Monica Sanchez, Director of Alumni Relations (305) 969-4210 | msanchez@palmertrinity.org

Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ptsfanpage and “like” our page!

Class Agents as of 5/30/12 1973

DAVID WOOD

1989

mdavidwood@comcast.net 1974

JULIE (COLEMAN) MANSFIELD

1990

juliemansfield@comcast.net 1975

1977

CRAIG ZIMMETT

1991

TOM MAGENHEIMER

1992

LORI (FOGEL) LA FORGIA

1993

DEREK FISHER

JOY (BERG) JOHNSON

DAWN (HOYT) KIDD

LEE STERLING

luckmann.e@neu.edu

CHARLES BAUMBERGER

amandaom22@gmail.com 2007 WILL MORRISON

willmorrison07@yahoo.com

KAITLIN BLAZEJACK

2008

aem2178@columbia.edu

LYNLEY (WALKER) CIOROBEA

megan215@gwu.edu

lynley3@yahoo.com

tracy@martintabor.com

2009 JESSICA MAZON 1997

MARY (JOYCE) WILBURN

BRETT FRENCH

jessica.mazon@gmail.com

brettfrench@yahoo.com

marywilburn@bellsouth.net 1998 PETER CUTTER

guycutter@aol.com

1999

marcelc28@aol.com

briangershen@gmail.com

NATALIA MATALLANA

NATHAN ZEDER

natismata@hotmail.com 2010

2011

seklock@gmail.com

jwagshul@aol.com 2001 1987 1988

CLASS AGENT NEEDED ELENA (ESSEN) ENDARA

partyuv5@bellsouth.net

42

2002

KATIE DIFEDE

krdifede@loyno.edu

WES FARRELL

wesfarrell@floridaattorney.com ADRIA (JENKINS) YOUNG

juiceeasapeach@aol.com

ALEXA CAJIGA

acajiga@gmail.com

2000 SOOZIE KLOCK JOELLE (WAGSHUL) STEINBERG

VICTORIA FERNANDEZ

vifer18@gmail.com

BELINDA FRIERI

belifrieri@yahoo.com

jcmalloy@malloylaw.com

MARCEL CONTRERAS

BRIAN GERSHEN

nz1305@aol.com

DALE BENNETT JOHN MALLOY

1986

ARIEL MOGER MEGAN CUNNINGHAM

TRACY (TABOR) SHELOWITZ

RB9999@aol.com

bmcnary@citco.com ED LUCKMANN

kkblaze@gmail.com 1996

1985

2006 BRANDON MCNARY

cwalker@lincolnharris.com

psports@bellsouth.net

1984

katey613@yahoo.com

catcay@yahoo.com

1995

1983

KATEY O’REGAN

AMANDA OMACHONU 1994

dawn_kidd@teachnet.edb.utexas.edu

1982

2005

AMANDA MATALON

CAMPBELL WALKER

1981

celopez721@gmail.com

amatalon@arnoldoil.com

ljlaforgia@gmail.com 1980

2004 CORINA (LOPEZ) MINERA

jeremyandjoy@yahoo.com

tmagmai@aol.com 1979

laura.ateca@gmail.com

derekfisher7@gmail.com

cazfla@aol.com 1978

dax.tejera@gmail.com

Pimentel@bellsouth.net

hesstang@aol.com

DAX TEJERA LAURA ATECA

PETER BAUMBERGER ALDEN (DUNWODY) PIMENTEL

LISA (LOMBARD) HAYDEN

ANDY HESSEN

2003

psb@rbrlaw.com

lisa@2haydens.com 1976

SCOTT SHELFER

scott@exactaland.com

2012

BIRAAJ MAHAJAN

bmahajan@bu.edu

compensation and benefits issues related to corporate acquisitions, divestitures and restructurings, as well as extensive experience with IRC Section compliance. Prior to joining Pearl Meyer and Partners, Margaret served as a Principal in the Human Capital group of Arthur Andersen LLP. Ms. Black is a member of the California Board of Accountancy. She graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1980, and the University of Southern California with a Master’s in Business Administration in 1987.

JULIE (COLEMAN) MANSFIELD '74

1974

Julie (Coleman) Mansfield attended our Palmer Trinity School reunion in May 2012. She writes, “In the few days of our reunion, there was an unmistakable comfort level and support among the diverse ‘melting pot’ that was our class. It was lifealtering to mingle again as adults and catch a brief glimpse into the souls and citizens we’ve become.

The familiar laughter was powerful.”

Julie would like to thank some of

her former classmates for helping her locate missing members of her class. She looks forward to hearing from her Palmer classmates.

1975

Margaret Black is Managing Director at Pearl Meyer & Partners in California. She has consulted for over 20 years in the tax field, and over 15 years on all aspects of compensation and benefits matters.

She has particular expertise in

n o i n u Re d n e k e We

1977

Joe Pallot is currently General Counsel for HEICO Corporation.

LORI (FOGEL) LA FORGIA '79

1976

Janet Smith Donnangelo, who closed down her art gallery of 18 years in 2006 to pursue her passion for pottery full time, now travels to fine arts and craft shows and exhibits her work in local galleries. She writes, “My interest in pottery started at Palmer from teacher, Alan Snyder.”

To checkout some of her work, visit www.donnangelopottery.com.

1979

The greatest gifts we can give our children are love, compassion and understanding for themselves and others. Brilliantly written, Lori (Fogel) La Forgia’s series, Everybody Has a Story, gives readers an entertaining and educational message that every student, parent, teacher and counselor will benefit from. Already

35th-Year Reunion 2 01 2

CLASS OF 1973-1979 HONORING THE CLASS OF 1977 AT PEACOCK GARDEN CAFÉ

Frederick Nin ‘77, Monica Sanchez, Donna Zimmett, Craig Zimmett ‘77, Lori (Fogel) La Forgia ‘79 and Vincent La Forgia S U M M E R

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class notes the New York Times bestselling author of I Love You More and You Are a Gift to the World, Lori wrote Everybody Has A Story to address issues concerning today’s generation of children, who face more challenges than ever before.

Namely, recent economic hardships, increases in ADD/ADHD, autism, and other behavioral issues have caused teachers to “mainstream” classes. This book captures the day-to-day sense of what goes on with 8-11-year-old children in every teacher’s classroom; it offers parents the opportunity to talk about the things children confront in their world every day; and it provides children with an understanding of the different people and situations they may encounter in their lives. More importantly, the characters and their “stories” give readers a chance to laugh, chuckle, gulp, and perhaps even shed a tear.

1981

Jay Freedman is President of NFuse Marketing and lives in Parkland, FL. William K. Meakin lives in Greenville, SC and works as a Software Developer for Fluor Government Group.

Bobbi (Hall) Pohlman-Rodgers is a Project Coordinator for G4S Youth Services, LLC. She is associated with the following associations: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Consultant, American Correctional Association (ACA), Correctional Accreditation Manager’s Association (CAMA), National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), Florida Sheriff’s Association, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Peer Auditor, Guardian ad Litem.

Bobbi writes, “I work with State agencies within the juvenile justice system to ensure compliance with the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act. I also write, revise and maintain all company policies.”

Barbara R. (Donnangelo) McCue and husband, Scott, currently live in Lawrenceville, GA and look forward to visiting Miami in the future.

Bill Fogarty is an Operations Manager at Modlin Center for the Arts at the University of Richmond.

Ed McLean is a General Manager at Royal Flowers Inc (RFI). RFI is one of the world’s largest growers of high-quality roses. They grow, import and distribute various freshcut flowers from their Miami sales and warehouse facilities. Ed writes, “As General Manager of RFI, I’m ultimately responsible for all facets of our Miami operations, including the warehouse and product distribution, as well as all sales and marketing activities and product development.

I’m also in charge of procuring various floral products from additional sources in South and Central America, as well as European growers. I have been actively involved in Miami’s fresh-cut marketplace for the past 25 years.”

1982

Hart Baur lives in Miami, FL, where he runs www.InsideCelebrities.com and is currently filming “Skum Rocks,” a full-length feature documentary about the rise and fall of one of the strangest acts in rock history: SKUM. Narrated by Alice Cooper, this film will feature rockstar Pheonix Benjamin, as well as cameos by celebrities like Steven Bauer, Jon Stewart, Fran Drescher, Phil Donahue, Luther Campbell,

Bruce Hornsby, Paul Rodgers, Vince Neil, Paul Stanley and more. Earlier this year, Hart and Pheonix visited campus with their film crew, where they had lunch with Sean Murphy and members of the Development Office.

portfolio management and in-depth personal financial planning.

1983

Senate candidate, Andrew Ian Dodge, recently published a book on cancer in memory of his father, Arthur Irving Dodge, who died from the disease. A portion of the proceeds of all book sales will benefit the Maine Cancer Foundation. In honor of his father, Andrew writes, “We all may have our differences, but fighting cancer is something I hope we can all agree on.”

Laura Sayegh is Senior Art Director at Kobie Marketing, a company specializing in loyalty marketing, in St. Petersburg, FL. James Robertson is currently working as a Country Director for the India HIV/AIDS Alliance in India. This organization is a diverse partnership that brings communities and dedicated organizations together to support sustained responses to HIV in India. Complementing the Indian national program, they work through capacity building, knowledge sharing, technical support and advocacy to support the delivery of effective, innovative, communitybased HIV programs to key populations affected by the epidemic.

Kevin Russo is a Business Development Manager for Cisco Systems Inc. in the Caribbean and Latin America.

ANDREW IAN DODGE '85

1984

Lani Kane Hanan is EVP of Resort Planning & Development, Inventory & Revenue Management, and Product Innovation at Marriott Vacation Worldwide in Orlando, FL. LANI KANE HANAN '84

1987

Eddy Martinez is Owner and Creative Director of Natural Impression Design. They design highend custom invitations and stationery for weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and parties. His invitations and stationary are sold in retail stores nationwide.

ELKIE (SMOLENY) WIENCZKOWSKI '88

HART BAUR '82 WITH HIS SKUM ROCKS FILM CREW

1985

Betty Matz is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Couples Therapist in Miami Shores, FL. She also is a Licensed Real Estate Associate for Beachfront Realty in Aventura.

James McGehee is President/ Owner of McGehee Wealth Advisory Group, Inc. He assists high-networth individuals and families in the growth, protection, utilization and transfer of wealth. Among the services he offers are active investment/ 44

1988

Elkie (Smoleny) Wienczkowski is a Senior Campaign Developer for Automatic Data Processing (ADP,

Inc.). She writes, “I work for a Fortune 500 company in the Worldwide Demand Generation division. I create and execute complex marketing campaigns for the organization’s different product divisions and manage different teams for each project. These teams generally include Content Developers, Graphic Designers/Ad Agencies, Campaign Technologist and Campaign Analytics Consultants.”

BRETT FRENCH '97, JON LAWRENCE '98 AND NATHAN ZEDER '98

Ted Natsui and his wife, Sita Whitaker-Robinson, gave birth to their first child, Cianna Rose Natsui, on November 5, 2011.

They currently live in Seattle, WA but plan to visit Miami soon.

Brad Sensale is Vice President of Aviation-Instrument.

1989

Sean Murphy is VP of Operations at Coastal Construction. He and his wife, Stephanie, have three kids.

They currently live in Pinecrest, and look forward to getting involved with future Alumni activities.

1990

Jay Younger is Managing Partner & Chief Consultant at McKinley Advisors in Washington D.C. Allison P. Maguire is working as a Learning and Adoption Manager at Mars Inc. She writes, “Through my position, I promote effective knowledge management and enterprise social networking through the successful adoption and use of enterprise collaboration (e2.0) tools.”

Louis Rosas-Guyon lives in Miami, FL, where he is President of R-Squared Computing, Inc. He is also a business technology consultant, author and speaker.

1991

Daniel Garcia-Diaz is Acting Director of Financial Markets and LOUIS ROSAS-GUYON '90

operates a real estate company focused on property management, industrial warehouse, retail leasing and commercial and industrial sales throughout South Florida.

Anne Beaumont (Nichols) Neithardt and husband, David, gave birth to twins in summer 2012.

Community Investment for the U.S. Government Accountability Office. He leads a portfolio of work assessing banking regulations, housing assistance, and economic development in response to congressional requests and mandates.

Denise Cipriano-Hinman is working as an Interactive Campaign Manager for The Miami Herald.

She works in the advertising department for MiamiHerald.com helping clients maximize their advertising dollars through internet optimization across all The Miami Herald market products.

Corey Hunter is an Interventional Pain Management doctor in New York City. He currently works with a small private practice and will be starting his own practice within the next year.

COREY HUNTER '93

Chip Walter is working at Shaw Contract Group in Miami, FL.

1996

Monica F. Eulitz is a Sales Director for The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation in New York, NY. Currently, Monica represents the estate of a deceased photographer, through which she oversees the sales strategy of works of art in the estate holdings and overall market activity.

KRISTEN '98 AND MATTHEW LAZENBY '96

1992

Patricia Balestra lives in Washington DC with husband, Randy Huggins, and son, Benjamin. She received her BA from Mary Washington College and a Masters from NYU.

1993

Maggie Rosas-Guyon is a mathematics teacher at St. Brendan High School. She teaches Algebra I, Geometry, and Math Analysis.

1994

Charles H. Baumberger, Jr. is VP Account Director for Crispin Porter + Bogusky Advertising in Coconut Grove, FL.

1995

Frank Valdes is a Realtor for Caribe National Realty Corp. He

Matthew Lazenby and wife, Kristin (Arbuckle) Lazenby ‘98 gave birth to their first child in summer 2012.

CHRISTINA (ROSAS-GUYON) HART '97 AND FAMILY

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class notes

Alumnae Viewpoints: Tanya Manfrediz '00 Starting at Palmer Trinity School as a 7th-grade student, Alumna Tanya Manfrediz stayed a Falcon for six more years—graduating in 2000 to attend college at Lynchburg College and Northern Arizona University. Earning a Bachelor of Science in Photography with an emphasis in Photojournalism, and a minor in Visual Communications, Tanya now works for international icon Peter Lik, of Peter Lik Fine Art Photography, and also serves as a freelance photographer for various publications, including National Geographic.

Tanya outside a LIK MIAMI™ studio event, where she works full-time

46

ALUMNEWS

Tanya first discovered her passion for photography when her father gave her his film camera—the first she had ever owned. By the time she took her first photography class in college, she was hooked. “It was an obsession at first.

There is something really special about developing and printing your own photographs,” she says. “The best part about the whole process was watching your prints magically appear before your eyes.” Taking photographs for the school and a local newspaper, Tanya found her inspiration from people she met, places she saw, and different cultures she encountered on her assignments.

“Through my teachers at PTS, I was introduced to Dr. Brady Barr, who hosts a television series on National Geographic, and was able to join them on some expeditions,” she remembers. “It was truly a dream come true.”

Taking photographs for the school and a local newspaper, Tanya found her inspiration from people she met, places she saw, and different cultures she encountered on her assignments.

As talented as Tanya is, getting your photography noticed is not an easy task.

“I would love to have my own gallery one day and display other artists’ work,” she says. “There is amazing amount of art out there, and I would love to help these artists grow.” As Tanya continues to develop her own portfolio, she has had the opportunity to travel around the world with, and learn from, one of the greatest living landscape photographers of her time: Peter Lik. “Peter Lik is the Ansel Adams of color photography,” she says. “It is a very exciting time for him, and I am happy that I get to be a part of that.” One of her favorite aspects of her job is the opportunity she has to teach others about his work.

“Different people visit the gallery from all over the world, and part of my job is to introduce them to Peter Lik’s work,” she says. “In a way, I get to teach them about photography, the art world and the collectability of Peter’s photography.”

Tanya traveled to Costa Rica to take photos for a documentary about crocodiles.

As a Falcon, Tanya was involved in many extracurricular activities. When she wasn’t running with the Cross Country team, playing Varsity Girls Softball or Soccer, performing in plays or writing for her Journalism class, Tanya could probably be found sidelines at football games—where she often dressed as “Freddy the Falcon,” the Palmer Trinity School mascot, to cheer for her friends.

Involved in so much, Tanya had the opportunity to get to know different members of the PTS faculty and staff, many of whom shaped her experience at Palmer Trinity School. “I can’t say that there was only one individual teacher or coach that impacted me during my time at PTS,” she recalls. “I believe we are all molded by a handful of our teachers, each of whom teach us about so many different things.” That said, there are a few, specific individuals who continue to impact her, today. “I still keep in touch with Mr. Donald Cramp, Sarah Kemeness, and AJ West,” she says. “Even though some of them never coached or taught me directly, they were always there to give me advice.”

Though she has had so much success already, Tanya’s journey has only just begun. “As much as I would love to own my own gallery, I would also love to be a known photo-journalist,” she says. “I want to travel to different parts of the world and share my experiences through my photographs with others.”

The freelance work she has done with National Geographic is already paving the way towards that goal. “Working with National Geographic has always been a dream of mine,” she says. “I have only scratched that surface, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed.” As she continues to make her own dreams come true, Tanya encourages current PTS students to have faith in themselves

Tanya took this photo of a hog cooling off in the mud during an excursion with “Dangerous Encounters” for National Geographic. Photo by: Tanya Manfrediz ‘00

and do the same. “Always follow your heart and dreams, and don’t be afraid to explore,” she says. “Read a lot, learn a lot, listen to your elders, be respectful, be humble, be honest and most importantly, don’t forget to give back. It is nice to do something for someone else—it goes a long way.”

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class notes

1997

Brett French and his family have moved back to Miami, where they are thrilled to be surrounded

by PTS friends and family.

& Wilco, P.C. in Atlanta, GA. He writes, “I specialize in representing community associations, primarily with collection litigation.”

DANIEL DIAZ-LEY VA '98

Christina (Rosas-Guyon) Hart and husband, Jason, are expecting their first child in September 2012.

1998

Shane Kilpatrick is in his second year of law school at St. Thomas University.

Marc Thomes is working with the law firm Weissman, Nowack, Curry MARC THOMES '98

and currently works as an Associate General Counsel at Frontline Homeowners Insurance.

Jayne Truckenbrod is currently a Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellow, Clinical Instructor for The George Washington University School of Medicine along with the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. In addition, she works as a Pediatric Hospital Attending Physician and is furthering her own education in her fellowship and MPH degree.

1999 Daniel Diaz-Leyva and wife, Cristy Musibay Diaz, welcomed their first child in February 2012.

Daniel continues to work alongside State Representative Jose Felix Diaz.

Daniel writes, “I am privileged to serve as his Campaign Chair again, and I look forward to working with all of our friends and volunteers to secure his victory in August 2012!”

Amanda (Vendittelli) O’Dell received her JD from UF in 2009,

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JACLYN VARELA '99 AND BRITTNEY (HOFFMAN) M C CABE '99

Patrick Oliver is working as a DJ in Singapore.

Winter Wheeler-Young and husband, Tom Young, gave birth to a son, Roman Charles WheelerYoung, in summer 2011. They are currently living in Atlanta, GA. Brittney (Hoffman) McCabe is the Program Coordinator at YES Institute. Through her position, Brittney serves as a trained course leader and community presentation

facilitator; is responsible for the recruitment, hiring, and managing of all fall, spring, and summer interns; and is the Chief Registrar for the institution’s educational courses. She writes grant requests to foundations; creates original content, edits guest contributions, and oversees the design of their quarterly newsletter, ReVision; and often serves as Executive Assistant to Director Rachel Sottile to facilitate event planning, board meeting preparation, and fundraising strategy.

Quincy Walker lives in Oakland, CA and works for TSA.

30th-Year Reunion 2 01 2

CLASS OF 1981-85 HONORING THE CLASS OF 1982 AT CALAMARI

30th-Year Reunion at Calamari

Top: Hart Baur ‘82 and Doug Moore ‘82 Bottom: Mike Ferguson and Beth (Brockway) Serrate ‘85 48

(continues on page 48)

PTS Remembers: Peter Dluhy '92 In June 2010, the Dluhy family mourned the sudden loss of their son, Peter— a student at Trinity Episcopal School from 1987-1991, and a resulting Palmer Trinity School graduate in 1992. He loved Reverend Dougherty and all the teachers; namely Katherine Vale, Coach Nadaskay, and Mr. Frieze.

Peter was a sports enthusiast. As a student, he participated in ski trips to Montreal, Varsity Boys Basketball and various baseball teams. During his time at Palmer Trinity School, Peter went on numerous camping trips, as well as the Outward Bound trip to the Everglades. Trinity Episcopal and Palmer Trinity School Alumni will remember Peter for his wit and humor, his kindness and loyalty, his capacity for empathy, his sense of integrity and his courage and grace when faced with any kind Peter Dluhy at Key Biscayne’s Crandon Park, of adversity. Peter truly just one month before his unexpected passing loved Trinity Episcopal School, and after the merger, he embraced the opportunity to make new friendships with members of his new Palmer Trinity School family. Upon graduation, Peter attended Barry University, where he majored in Exceptional Student Education. He anticipated a career in special education for

Jaclyn Varela is an Assistant State Attorney at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. She prosecutes felony cases, and has recently joined the Admission Advisory Board for PTS.

2000

Luis Hernandez and wife, Tatiana Munive, have one son, Vale Hernandez.

Felipe Pires is married and has two children.

Katherine Taylor and husband, David, live in Colorado with their three children.

Loreana von Plocki ‘05 and husband, Horacio Rodriguez ‘00 welcomed their baby, Isabella Sofia Rodriguez, in Los Angeles on November 2, 2011.

LOREANA VON PLOCKI '05 AND HORACIO RODRIGUEZ '00

Roberta Ehlers is the Director of Global Financial Planning & Analysis for Burger King Corporation in Miami, FL. Soozie Klock is an Associate at the Fort Lauderdale office of Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP. She practices complex commercial litigation, specializing in securities, antitrust, and complex contracts. She also does litigation involving banking law, products liability, contracts and legal malpractice defense.

young children. Upon graduating from Barry, Peter moved to Southport, North Carolina with his family, where he worked for the Brunswick County School System for eight years. Working as a Media Specialist for the majority of his years there, Peter Dluhy, at his 1992 Peter simultaneously took classes at Palmer Trinity School graduation the University of North Carolina in Wilmington to complete a Master’s degree in special education. Peter became a marathon runner, earning medals in four marathons, including the New York Marathon in 1997 and the Atlanta Marathon in 1998. Peter was an avid movie critic, an accomplished golfer, black diamond skier in Colorado, tennis player, sailor and kayaker. Peter excelled at everything he tried—he was not only an excellent athlete, but also a sports expert. We will all remember Peter’s amazing courage, kindness, empathy, sense of humor and loyalty. We will all miss Peter, and we will always remember the inspirational role he played in all of our lives.

The following book was published in honor of Peter’s life: Peter Christopher Dluhy A Tribute to a Real Hero 1974–2010

Business Administration in Finance and a minor in Spanish.

Sarah Hanners just finished another contract in Bolivia as an Administrator for a wildlife refuge she has been involved with for the past five years.

She writes, “I hope all is well at Palmer Trinity School. I do miss that place!”

Medicine & Infertility Associates, a company she has worked for since 2006. She is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine and recently became certified as a Technical Supervisor in the field of Embryology (AAB). As an employee, Alison has the opportunity

SARAH HANNERS '00

Alvaro Pinzon currently lives in Miami, FL. He writes, “Having had such great experiences at PTS from ‘95-‘00, I have decided to continue to help the school by becoming Assistant Coach of the MS Boys Lacrosse team.

I look forward to once again spending time around the PTS campus.”

Kane Tuma recently left Camillus House, where he was Manager of Development for a couple years, to become a Regional Supervisor for Latin America Fundraising & Communications at Best Buddies International. Kane graduated with honors from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of

2001

Alison Steed is a Human Embryologist at Reproductive

to assist patients from all over the world using advanced technologies and extremely personalized care.

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class notes

Alumnae Viewpoints: Rebecca Ray '02

Rebecca had the surprise opportunity to interview Charlie Sheen at the premiere of “The Way”.

50

ALUMNEWS

Beginning as a 6th-grade student at Palmer Trinity School, Alumna Rebecca Ray stayed a Falcon through her senior year. After graduating in 2002, she left sunny South Florida and headed north to Philadelphia’s Villanova University, where she graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a double-minor in Business and Spanish. Currently, Rebecca lives in Los Angeles, CA, where she is an Associate Field Producer for NBC’s Access Hollywood.

As a student at Palmer Trinity School, Rebecca was overly-involved in a variety of extracurricular activities. Participating in the Student Government Association as early as middle school, Rebecca went on to serve as Freshmen Class President and Student Government Vice President during her junior and senior years. After school, she served as a Peer Counselor and played on multiple sports teams— from cross country and cheerleading in Middle School, to volleyball, soccer and softball through graduation. Most importantly, Rebecca was very involved in the PTS Theater Department, and either performed or assisted with the production of nearly twenty plays and musicals throughout her time as a student.

Now an Associate Field Producer, Rebecca is responsible for writing daily television news content, producing live shoots of major events and reporting on-camera for Access Hollywood and www.accesshollywood.com— difficult tasks that require a lot of hard work and dedication.

Now an Associate Field Producer, Rebecca is responsible for writing daily television news content, producing live shoots of major events and reporting on-camera for Access Hollywood and www.accesshollywood.com—difficult tasks that require a lot of hard work and dedication. “TV is highly competitive, and with so many news outlets around today, it becomes all the more challenging to make content more interesting and unique,” Rebecca says.

“Getting celebrities to open up and answer tough questions is a challenge I face every week.” What makes it all worth it, however, are the rewards.

Through her work with Access Hollywood, Rebecca has the opportunity to meet and work with accomplished actors on a daily basis. Working the Red Carpet for a variety of high-profile events—including movie premieres, the Golden Globes, Emmys, Grammys and even the Oscars—she has been able to interview popular celebrities like George Clooney, Tom Hanks, John Travolta, Will Smith, and her favorite interview to date, Charlie Sheen. “He showed up unexpectedly to the premiere of his father and brother’s film, ‘The Way,’” she remembers. “He talked to me all about his family, his surprise appearance at the Emmys, Ashton Kutcher taking over for him on ‘Two and

Rebecca reported for Access Hollywood on the red carpet at The Grammy Awards.

a Half Men,’ his memorable Comedy Central Roast, and how life had taken quite a turn for him at that point! It was definitely a standout interview.”

Looking back on her memories as a Falcon, Rebecca believes her success today is due, in large part, to the people she met and learned from at Palmer Trinity School—namely, Mr. Richard Rosen, past PTS Theater Director. “He had an incredible impact on me during my time at Palmer Trinity,” she remembers. “I have been able to use the public speaking and communication skills I learned in his drama class every day at work. Another essential part of my job is being able to think on my feet and maintain a strong level of confidence during stressful situations—additional qualities that Mr. Rosen helped me strengthen.”

Despite her tremendous success already, the road does not end here. In the next ten years, Rebecca hopes to earn the title of Senior Producer and settle down with a family in L.A. “I am a firm believer in pushing one’s self to achieve goals, constantly seeking improvement and always looking towards the future,” she says. To make their own dreams come true, Rebecca encourages current PTS students to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities PTS provides them. “Take as many advance courses as possible, get involved in several activities, and most importantly, enjoy your time with your friends and the wonderful faculty at Palmer Trinity School.”

Working the Red Carpet for a variety of high-profile events—including movie premieres, the Golden Globes, Emmys, Grammys and even the Oscars—she has been able to interview popular celebrities like George Clooney, Tom Hanks, John Travolta, Will Smith, and her favorite interview to date, Charlie Sheen.

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class notes HEIDI (GLICK) RUTLAND '01

Through their work, over 150 children were able to receive brand new toys at ConnectFamilias’ annual holiday event on December 19, 2011, where families in Little Havana gathered for food and fun at Riverside Park.

Juan Camilo Maldonado is currently the local news editor of El Espectador newspaper, the oldest and second-most-read paper in Colombia. He just finished a Masters in Latin American Studies from Universidad de Salamanca in Spain, and is working on his thesis on the political governance of the net.

Heidi (Glick) Rutland and husband, Dan, are living in Orlando, FL with their ten-month-old son, Tommy.

Yolanda Frieri currently leads ConnectFamilias, an organization dedicated to increasing community awareness to promote family and community safety for families in Little Havana. This past December, Yolanda’s younger sister, Gabriella Cruz ‘14, and the PTS sophomore class donated toys to this project.

Santiago Tenorio recently moved to London to pursue a new Internet venture, www.epicurely.com.

Prior to this, Santiago lived in New York, where he worked in financial services. He writes, “It’s exciting to be living in the UK. I identify with the European lifestyle quite well.”

Bryan Wisotsky was recently engaged to his girlfriend of five years, ALEJANDRO SARDI '02

2002

Rodrigue Alexander graduated from Georgetown with a major in Psychology. He is currently applying to graduate school to study public policy.

Alejandro Triana works for Merrill Lynch Global as a Registered Client Associate in the Miami International Complex.

Alejandro Sardi works for BoConcept in Panama.

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Will Pittinos is currently the Editor of the alumni magazine at Lake Forest College, and manages the school’s website.

Julie Rodriguez. He graduated from American University in 2006 with a Major in Business Administration, specializing in Marketing and Management. He founded a search engine optimization and internet marketing company, Sky SEO Miami, in 2008. For more information about his company, visit www.SkySEOMiami.com.

Morgan Cardet is engaged and will be getting married in November 2012. She writes, “I deal with rare vintage time pieces, as well as high-end modern watches.”

Shradha Ramchandani and husband, Monty, are currently settled in Spain. They are thrilled to be expecting their first child.

Jennifer Mitchell is a Public Health Advisor at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA. During multistate foodborne and zoonotic outbreaks, Jennifer develops and facilitates communication, media, and health education messages and materials.

20th-Year Reunion 2 01 2

CLASS OF 1992 AT CALAMARI

Top: Michael Ferguson, Katherine (Hassan) Wittenmyer ‘92, Yassi Oreyzi ‘92 and Nicole Sieb ‘92 Left: Class of 1992 Reunion at Calamari 52

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2 01 2

10th-Year Reunion CLASS OF 2002 AT THE GROVE SPOT

Graina (Michel) Jacobson, Elsa Frieri, Ricardo Rodriguez, Daniel Sandoval, Rebecca Ray, Peach Jenkins, Victoria Stienstra, Fernando Ferro, Veronica Benitez, Alejandro Sardi, Morgan Cardet and Brian Wisotsky

position, James conducts Performance Audits on a broad range of Federal Aviation Administration programs and helps the Inspector General prepare for Congressional hearings.

CIARA MICHEL '03

Jose Ignacio Rodriguez received a Master of Science in Finance from FIU in August 2011, while simultaneously working full time at DRRT, a securities litigation firm

headquartered in Miami, FL, where he has worked for the past four years. This firm represents affected institutional investors in securitiesrelated cases, including U.S. class action settlements and private actions, both in the U.S. and abroad. During his tenure at DRRT, he has had the opportunity to attend workshops and work with offices in the Netherlands, France, Germany, India and the UAE.

JAMES OVELMEN '03

2003

Jake Davis is currently stationed near New Orleans with the United States Coast Guard.

After graduating from PTS, Ciara Michel went on to play volleyball at the University of Miami, where she was a starter all four years. She then played for an Australian team before she headed to Germany to play for the national German team. Now, Ciara will represent the National British volleyball team at the Olympics in London in July 2012!

Patricia Colomina is working as an Event Photographer and Production Coordinator for Amaro Production in Miami, FL.

James Ovelmen is a Program and Management Analyst at the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. Through his

Michael Bassett graduated from UMSL with a BA in Economics. He and his wife, Jennifer, live in Clayton, Missouri, where Michael works for West Asset Management as an Analyst.

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class notes Tamara Rutter is a reporter for www.TheMotleyFool.com

Alumnae Viewpoints: Tamara Rutter '02 Attending Palmer Trinity School from her 8th-grade year through graduation, Tamara Rutter ‘02 left South Florida to attend college at Indiana University, where she earned a double-major in Telecommunications and Communications and Culture. Today, Tamara is a full-time analyst and writer for The Motley Fool, a multimedia financial-services company, in Washington D.C. 54

After graduating from Indiana University, Tamara spent four years working as a Copywriter in the Advertising field. “Social media was a natural fit for me,” she says. “Being a savvy social media user also turned out to be a lucrative hobby, and before long, I was advising small businesses on how to use social media to generate leads and drive sales.” Though she continues to manage two social media accounts, her position with The Motley Fool is her primary focus. Forced to keep up with innovations in business—which is not an easy task—Tamara believes the rewards of her position as “a Fool” far outweigh the challenges. Constantly helping people become better investors, her videos and stock reports are often published on sites like CNN Money, AOL Daily Finance, Yahoo! Finance and more. As if that weren’t enough, “the last day of every month is pizza day at Fool HQ,” Tamara says. “That’s definitely a perk.”

Constantly helping people become better investors, her videos and stock reports are often published on sites like CNN Money, AOL Daily Finance, Yahoo! Finance and more.

While a student at Palmer Trinity School, Tamara worked with the PTS Theater Department, played Varsity Girls Softball and Basketball, and cheered for the Falcons as a Varsity cheerleader. Participating in so many activities gave Tamara the opportunity to meet and learn from different teachers, namely A.J West. “Coach West taught me that I had what it took to go the distance,” she recalls. “First in the classroom as my Government teacher, and later on the softball field as my coach.” Looking back, Tamara believes that her fellow classmates, and the diverse student body she encountered at Palmer Trinity School, helped prepare her for her work, today. “Having friends from all over the world and from all types of cultures enabled me to comfortably talk on a variety of subjects,” she says. “It also helped me confidently meet new people, after graduation, when I left my Palmer Trinity School family.”

Tamara with boyfriend David Walsh in Washington D.C.

Ten years down the road, Tamara hopes to accomplish even more than she has already. “I’ll be a wiser version of my current self,” she says. “Hopefully with a healthy family and multiple book deals underway.” With these goals and a wealth of experience behind her, she advises current PTS students to make wise choices as they begin to plot their own futures. “Be flexible, because life is unpredictable,” she says. “And surround yourself with those who inspire you.” Most importantly, Tamara warns them never to forget the people who led them at Palmer Trinity School. “Build relationships with your teachers and coaches,” she says.

“You’d be surprised how much of a difference they can make in your life.”

Looking back, Tamara believes that her fellow classmates, and the diverse student body she encountered at Palmer Trinity School, helped prepare her for her work, today.

Tamara with PTS Alumni Ashley Pruitt ‘01 and Tracey King ‘00

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class notes

2004

Ian Wogan is co-founder and managing member of Garden of Ian. Garden of Ian designs, installs and maintains sustainable livingscapes—such as organic gardens, tropical fruit trees, native plants and rainwater collection systems—to create environmentally-friendly landscapes in South Florida.

Astro Araujo is an Affiliate Manager for Limos.com in San Francisco. Here, Astro manages 500+ Limousine company accounts throughout the Midwest, Florida and Central/South America.

RYAN JURNEY '04, JON LAWRENCE '98 AND CLINT JONES

Lisa (Migliaccio) Haynes is an Account Executive at Ronin Advertising Group.

She lives with her husband, Alex Haynes ’04 in Miami, FL

IAN WOGAN '04 LISA (MIGLIACCIO) HAYNES '04 AND ALEX HAYNES '04

Stuart Smyth recently finished his second Master’s degree in Education at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and has moved back to the United States.

Quint Henriquez works as a General Manager at Spanish Water Resort N.V. in Curaçao.

Tiffany Glick works at Channel 10 in Miami, FL. She is currently working as a Web Producer for PostNewsweek’s six television stations: KPRC in Houston, KSAT in San Antonio, WDIV in Detroit, WJXT in Jacksonville, WKMG in Orlando, and WPLG, the ABC affiliate here in South Florida.

Daniel Ibarra-Scurr is the Director of Band and Orchestra at Centennial High School in Franklin, TN. He graduated from Vanderbilt University and received his undergraduate degree in 2008 and his Masters in 2009.

Corina (Lopez) Minera married Frank Minera on November 26, 2011.

CORINA (LOPEZ) MINERA '04

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Ryan Jurney passed the Florida Bar in July 2011. He now works as an Assistant Public Defender in the Miami Dade Juvenile Division and is a member of U.S. District Court – Southern District of Florida.

Paz Futbol Club, soon after graduating from College of the Holy Cross in 2009 with a degree in psychology.

ALEJANDRO MELEAN '05

Alejandro Meleán is currently living in Bolivia, where he plays professional soccer for powerhouse club team Oriente Petrolero. Firmly established in Bolivia, with 81 top-flight appearances to his name, Alejandro is now being considered as a potential member of the Bolivian national team.

Alejandro first made his professional debut in April 2010 with Bolivia’s La JULIE DAVIS '05

2005

Mariana Foley works as an Architectural Interior Designer at Lynne Hunt London. She writes, “I am an Interior Designer for hotels and resorts around the world. I mainly work on design development and F.F. & E., focusing on the concepts and schemes that set the tone for our projects.”

Julie Davis is currently a Speech Pathologist at a nursing home facility in Merritt Island, where she loves working with the older population.

2006

Samantha (Evans) Moore and Robert Moore ‘05 were married in Miami in January 2012.

Sam is a Graduate Student at Tufts University, specializing in Occupational Therapy. Robert is an Environmental Specialist at Triumvirate Environmental in Boston, MA. Through his position, Robert works with facilities and laboratories SAMANTHA (EVANS) MOORE '06 AND ROBERT MOORE '05

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ALUMNEWS

Alumni Holiday Party EGG & DART RESTAURANT — DECEMBER 2011 The annual PTS Alumni Holiday Party was held on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at Egg & Dart Restaurant, owned by PTS Alumnus Costa Grillas ‘97, in the Design District. At this exciting event, more than 75 Alumni and several faculty members came out to catch up, reflect on the good times at PTS and enjoy delicious Greek cuisine.

Breton Applebaum ‘97, Elena De Villiers, Adria (Jenkins) Young ‘02 and Evan Zeder ‘01

Andrea Santamaria ‘01, Yolanda Frieri ‘01 and Maria Vanegas

Ed McLean ‘81, Madeline Barr, Hart Baur ‘82, John Malloy ‘85, Marta Perdomo Alday and Roy Weinfeld ‘84

Sergio Mendoza, Cristina and Andrew Bennett ‘95, Brittney (Hoffman) McCabe ‘99, Sean Murphy, Brittney (Hoffman) McCabe ‘99, Yiannis Zavitsianos Sarah (Fernandez) Mendoza ‘95 and Danny Reynolds Marco Carega ‘99 and Brian Gershen ‘98 ‘99, Elena DeVillers and Louis Rosas-Guyon ‘90

Caroline Goodwin, Monica Sanchez, Daniel DiazLeyva ‘98 and Marty Migliaccio

Class of 2001 Alumni Jacob Fuerst, Oscar Prat, Yolanda Frieri, Wes Farrell, Eduardo Abreu and Evan Zeder

Donna and Craig Zimmett ‘77, Sean Murphy and Costa Grillas ‘97

Ian Wogan ‘04, Olee Fowler ‘05, Michael Contreras ‘04 Lee Sterling ‘81, Jim Beverly and Hart Baur ‘82 and Maria Vanegas

Sean Murphy, Beth (Brockway) Serrate ‘85 and Phil Serrate

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class notes

Jenna visited the beaches of China during an assignment with Azamara Club Cruise.

Alumnae Viewpoints: Jenna Pimentel '04 Starting at Palmer Trinity School as an eighth-grade student, Alumna Jenna Pimentel graduated in 2004 and headed west to Santa Clara University, in California’s Silicon Valley, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art. Upon graduation, she pursued her

education further by obtaining a Masters of Fine Art in Photography from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA. Today, Jenna works as a freelance photographer—living out her dream as she travels the world and takes photos of popular cities, celebrities and business icons alike.

Even as a child, Jenna always had a love for photography. “From a young age, I remember setting up photo shoots with my Barbie Dolls,” she recalls. “I never 58

realized it would actually become my profession.” With aunts and uncles who worked as professional photographers and a grandmother who loved art, she was always encouraged to explore her creativity. It wasn’t until her freshmen year at Palmer Trinity School, however—after her mother passed away— that she really developed a passion for photography. “I was going through pictures and I realized that my Mom was almost always on the other side of the camera,” Jenna remembers. “Though her spirit lives in every single one of those pictures she took, it still made me sad I couldn’t see her face. I vowed from then on that another memory would never go unphotographed.”

Now a freelance photographer, Jenna is responsible for taking and editing photos for a portfolio of clients all over the world. With the added pressure of having to find your own employment, it’s a tough job to have—but for Jenna, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. “I can create my own schedule, choose my clients and work on what I want to work on,” she says. “It keeps a fire under me and

ALUMNEWS

As a freelance photographer, Jenna has had the opportunity to photograph various celebrities, including Ryan Seacrest.

Photo by: Jenna Pimentel

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Photo by: Jenna Pimentel

The Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy Photo by: Jenna Pimentel

Catherine Palace in Pushkin, Russia Photo by: Jenna Pimentel

forces me to stay on top of my game. I was never great at being idle anyways.”

Working with Azamara Club Cruise since she was in graduate school, Jenna has had the opportunity to travel the world and pave the way for her career.

“It has opened the doors for me to work with amazing companies like Royal Media Partners (RMP), which produces lifestyle magazines for staterooms in ships. RMP has allowed me to shoot some amazing people, including Ryan Seacrest and Jeffery Katzenberg, Founder & CEO of Dreamworks, to name a few,” she says. Through it all, Jenna has learned that it is always important to have faith in your own abilities. “I think by far the hardest part is talking about yourself and trying to convince people why you’re worth hiring and why your photography is better than the rest,” she says. “It’s awkward, but at the end of the day, if you don’t value your own work, neither will anyone else.”

Reflecting on her success, Jenna believes it was her great strength and determination that got her where she is today—a strength and determination

she credits to Palmer Trinity School. “Palmer expects nothing less than greatness from their students,” Jenna says. “It has made me expect that of myself.” Throughout her career, Jenna has had to face oppression from many people who didn’t think she could be successful as an artist. Ignoring their concern, Jenna now encourages all PTS students to take risks to make their dreams come true. “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore,” she says. “So jump in, take a leap of faith and listen to your heart.” With dreams to “conquer the world—literally,” Jenna hopes her future will continue to allow her to travel, discover new things, and most importantly, make an impact on those around her. While she understands that this won’t be an easy task, Jenna knows she has the power to achieve it.

“Palmer has given me a ‘no excuse’ attitude and a fight to accomplish the things I want out of life,” she says. “By no means am I perfect; but thanks to Palmer Trinity School, I have a solid foundation on which I can work things out.”

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class notes to assess their environmental safety procedures. He also performs chemical inventories and audits for clients.

MORGAN SLEEPER '06

she hopes to work in prosecution in Miami after graduation.

Kyra Wehby is currently studying Art Direction for Advertising through Miami Ad School and the Florida International University graduate program.

Shawn Adderly is working at IBM in Burlington, VT. Through his position, he works on supporting the fab and optimizing yield, and often travels to California and New York to support customers and technology development.

2007 Morgan Sleeper graduated from Macalester College in Minnesota in May 2011, and received a Watson Fellowship to travel to all of the Celtic countries and two diaspora regions to study how people use music to help revitalize endangered languages.

Thus far, she has traveled to Wales, the Isle of Man, Argentine Patagonia and Brittany, and will be heading to Cornwall, Scotland, Ireland, and Nova Scotia before her year is up this July. Throughout her journey, she has had the opportunity to meet some of her favorite musicians, go to lots of concerts and festivals, work on her own Irish-language punk and ska songs, and learn how to speak Welsh, Manx, Irish and Breton.

Will Keunen earned a Masters in Environmental Impact Assessment Management from The University of Manchester.

Edward Luckmann is currently taking classes at the Architectural Association School of Architecture, in London, where he is studying to receive a Masters in Architecture.

Paola Granados currently lives in Arlington, VA. She attends the American School of Professional Psychology, Argosy University, Washington, D.C., where she is studying to receive a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

Manuel Contreras is currently doing an internship with JPMorgan in Singapore.

Patty Lehtinen is currently in her second year of law school at the Georgetown University Law Center. Having completed a federal judicial internship and state and federal prosecution internships, 60

Courtney Clark is Assistant Editor at Springer Science + Business Media, where she facilitates the book publishing process with various authors.

COURTNEY CLARK '07

Kit Faiella works in the Marketing Department of the Advisory Board Company in Washington, D.C., which consults with various hospitals and universities.

the ICU or Critical Care Unit at a hospital in the Miami, Broward, or West Palm Beach area.

EMILY '16, ASHLEY '12 AND BRITTANY KALBAC '07

Kerri Kilpatrick lives in Washington, D.C., where she works with an allergist while preparing for her MCATs. Tarun Gajwani graduated from SMU and is now living in Miami, FL, where he plans to start his own business.

Ashley Pemsler is currently a student at the Margaret Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester. She currently interns at a chemical dependency inpatient unit, and will attend graduate school at the Warner School to receive a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling.

Nicolas Guerra Mondragon graduated from Purdue in May 2012 with a major in engineering.

Brittany Kalbac is currently a student in the Post Baccalaureate Pre-Med Program at FIU.

MELISSA HEW '07

Alejandra Tovar currently lives in New Orleans. She works for Madison Productions, a production company, and does freelance video production, web design, and photography.

Wesley Davidson works in BBVA Compass’s Institutional Real Estate Group in Dallas, TX. CLARE ALSTON MURRAY '07

Clare Alston Murray graduated from Texas Christian University in December 2012 with a BSN. She looks forward to working in

Melissa Hew is a student at Tulane University, where she works with the recycling program at the Office of Environmental Affairs. With her help, Tulane’s collection of recyclable materials in 2011—including cardboard, paper, plastic bottles and metal cans—topped figures in previous years. The estimated total of recycled and donated materials in 2011 added up to nearly 1,540 tons of materials.

Christian Alfonso graduated from FIU and plans to pursue a Masters at the University of Miami in Public Health Administration before attending medical school. Last summer, Christian worked with Breakthrough Miami as a (continues on page 63)

Alumni Cocktail Reception JUNE 1, 2012 On Friday, June 1, 2012, more than 125 Alumni returned to campus to kick-off the 2012 Reunion Weekend with our first Alumni Cocktail Reception! Giving visiting Alumni the opportunity to catch up with old friends and former teachers, this evening also honored five special faculty and staff members who have been at PTS for more than 25 years: Elena De Villiers, Manuela Flores, Caroline Goodwin, Marty Migliaccio and Kathy Vale. During this event, Head of School, Sean Murphy, gave a presentation, and each of the honored women shared a few words of appreciation.

Lee Sterling ‘81, Joakim Nordqvist ‘79 and Allison Drexler

Victoria Stienstra ‘02, Ricardo Rodriguez ‘02 and Julie Suris

Marty Migliaccio, Caroline Goodwin, Sean Murphy, Elena De Villiers, Manuela Flores and Kathy Vale

Elsa Frieri ‘02, Graina (Michel) Jacobson ‘02, Rebecca Ray ‘02 and Alejandro Sardi ‘02

Lisa (Migliaccio) Hayes ‘04 and Chris Migliaccio

Philip Serrate, Beth (Brockway) Serrate ‘85 and John Malloy ‘85 S U M M E R

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class notes

Alumni College and Career Day On May 11, 2012, Palmer Trinity School was proud to host its 4th annual Alumni College and Career Day. During this event, 16 PTS Alumni came back

Christopher Block ‘96 and Hart Baur ‘82

to campus to speak with the Class of 2013 about their careers, share their first impressions of college, and of course, reflect on their memories of Palmer Trinity School. Following a special welcome by Head of School, Sean Murphy, our guests divided into classrooms to meet with six different groups of juniors in a roundtable setting. When the discussions were over, members of the Palmer Trinity School faculty and staff gathered with the visiting Alumni in the Private Dining Room (PDR) to enjoy refreshments provided by SAGE Dining and catch up on the years that have passed since their time together at Palmer Trinity School.

Nathan Zeder ‘98, Danny Reynolds and Elena De Villiers

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING ALUMNI, WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE EVENT:

Steve Veingrad ‘79, Ben Hoke and Lee Sterling ‘81

Susi Cetta and Jon Lawrence ‘98

Craig Zimmett ‘77 Steve Veingrad ‘79 Lee Sterling ‘81 Hart Baur ‘82 Elkie (Smoleny) Wienczkowski ‘88 Christopher Block ‘96 Brett French ‘97 Daniel Diaz-Leyva ‘98 Nathan Zeder ‘98 Jon Lawrence ‘98 Brittney (Hoffman) McCabe ‘99 Jacklyn Varela ‘99 Ryan Jurney ‘04 Laura Portuondo ‘10 Luis Lopez-Blazquez ‘10 Carter Hopkins ‘11

62

Carter Hopkins ‘11, Laura Portuando ‘10 and Luis Lopez-Blazquez ‘10 speak with members of the PTS junior class about their college experiences.

Elkie (Smoleny) Wienczkowski ‘88 and Marty Migliaccio

chemistry and Italian teacher for their Summer Program at PTS. CHRISTIAN ALFONSO '07 WITH UPPER SCHOOL TEACHER, ELENA DE VILLIERS

Sarah Henderson lives in NYC, where she works for Google in their University Programs Department as a Coordinator. At Google, she assists with their Internship Program, the Engineering Practicum Program, the Ambassador Program (North America and South America), and Latin America Campus Outreach. Sarah writes, “I absolutely love the company and the nature of the work I do. I am working to build a strong pipeline for tech students from a young age to get them prepared for the nature of the work they should expect when applying for Google opportunities.”

2008

Ariel Moger graduated from Columbia University with a degree in political science. As a student, she also served as President of the Bach Society, a classical music performing group; sang in the Bach Society chorus; and was a member of CIRCA, a club similar to Model UN. Last summer, Ariel studied abroad in Paris with Columbia’s Reid Hall Program.

Joey Coulter was named “Sunoco Rookie of the Year” in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in November 2011. Sponsored

by Richard Childress Racing, Coulter made his NASCAR debut in 2011, driving the No. 22 Chevrolet in multiple races throughout the United States. He writes, “It was really cool to be in such a competitive battle, because it makes the award more significant.

It means more to win against the people I raced with all season long, knowing how talented they are.”

JOEY COULTER '08

JP Gilbert graduated from UCF in 2011 and is currently a law student at Stetson Law School in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Raquel Quinones currently lives in Rome, Italy, where she teaches English. She has spent the past two years working with people with autism, and participated in the Rome Marathon, this past year, which raised money for “Autism Speaks.”

Will Morrison is now an Associate at Studley, a commercial real estate consulting firm in Miami, FL.

FABRIZIO PITTALUGA '08

NY in May with a degree in BioPsychology. Ricky played on the Wagner football team (FCS Div-1AA) all four years, was a member of Phi Epsilon Alpha BioPsychology Honor Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and was named to the All-Northeast Conference Academic Honor Roll.

RICKY MORGAN '08

Week” and Landmark Conference Baseball “Player of the Week.” During his time at Moravian, Gregg was invited to join Omicron Delta Epsilon, the International Honor Society in Economics, and served as President of the Moravian chapter of Hillel. Gregg graduated from Moravian College in May with a degree in Economics.

Alex Sachs graduated from Fordham University as a History major in May. He will begin attending graduate school at King’s College London in September 2012, where he plans to attain a Masters in World History and Cultures. He has been nominated as one of ten MAISA All-Conference Coed Skippers, and competed in the Miami Rolex OCR regatta last January in the 49er class.

ALEX SACHS '08

Senior third baseman and team captain Gregg Steinman, of the Moravian College baseball team, was named the NCAA Division III “Hitter of the Week” in March 2012. This title, which is voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, was the third honor for Gregg, as he was also named ECAC Division III South “Hitter of the GREGG STEINMAN '08

George Keunen graduated from Fordham University, where he was Captain of Club Lacrosse.

He just completed an internship with Merrill Lynch in NYC. Abe Brovold graduated from FSU with a degree in Jazz Studies.

The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced Fabrizio Pittaluga as the winner of the December 2011 Open Tryout. The midfielder traveled over 1,300 miles and emerged from a group of 160 players, representing ten different countries, and joined the Fire for their first phase of preseason training in Ave Maria, FL in January 2012.

Alessia Bachrach graduated from Haverford College with a B.A. in Psychology. She has since then moved back to Miami to work as a full-time behavior therapist, at an Early Intervention Center for Autism, with children aged 2-8.

Currently, Alessia is also studying to receive her Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst certificate.

ALESSIA BACHRACH '08 AND FAMILY

Ricky Morgan graduated from Wagner College in Staten Island, S U M M E R

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class notes Stephen Ludovici finished his first year at University of Florida Law School. This summer, he will intern with Paul C. Huck, Senior United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida.

Lillie Carroll is a student at Duke University, where she majors in Cultural Anthropology with a minor in South Asian Studies. During her time there, Lillie has worked at the Duke Women’s Center, taken several semesters of Hindi in India, and spent a summer in Jaipur, India, to work at both an orphanage and a program for women’s empowerment.

2009

Laura Posada plays volleyball for Chapman University. The Chapman University volleyball team opened the first round of NCAA Regional play in November 2011.

LAURA POSADA '09

In December 2011, Laura Vogel visited the Palmer Trinity School campus to give a workshop on data analysis and water quality. As part of a graduate class at the University of

Miami, Laura and fellow researchers participated in PTS shark trips, this fall. In addition to the shark tagging and blood sampling, the UM students used these trips as an opportunity to teach student volunteers how to collect water samples. They emphasized the importance of water sampling and analysis, and described several laboratory tests that measure human impact on our oceans—all a vital part of a continuing conservation effort that will help us better understand the complexity of the ocean. From these tests, we can analyze results and understand what they mean to better protect human health. Laura’s visit to campus offered PTS students the chance to follow up with the field exercises conducted on their last shark trip by giving them the opportunity to work with real data they collected.

Through this workshop, Upper School students learned how to enter the data into a spreadsheet and graph the results. The results of the data analysis will be added to other sampling results, both past and in the future, allowing the Marine Science and Environmental Engineering departments at the University of Miami to better understand the changing quality of the waters around us. Laura has also been published as the co-author of the article, “Spatial and Temporal Variation in Indicator Microbe Sampling is Influential in Beach Management Decisions” in the February 2012 issue of the journal Water Research. She has accepted an internship offer for the summer of 2012 from the Coral Gables firm Hazen and Sawyer, a technically-focused environmental engineering firm specializing in the water environment. Laura will be working both in the design laboratories and the field on projects involving providing safe drinking water and controlling water pollution

and its effects on the environment.

Jasmine Glick just finished her junior year at the University of Arizona, where she is a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority.

Nadia Adside just finished her junior year at Duke University’s Trinity College, where she majors in Evolutionary Anthropology and is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. After graduation, Nadia hopes to attend medical school to study dermatology.

Stephanie Silva is a student at American University. After spending her fall 2011 semester in Rome, Italy, Stephanie returned to the United States to work two internships simultaneously: one with Discovery Communications, where she is a social media intern, and another NBC4 Washington, where she writes for their blog, “The Scene.”

She will graduate next spring with a BA in Public Communication and International Studies, and plans to stay in D.C. to complete her Masters at AU in Public Communication.

have made significant contributions to the school. Though there are many levels of this award, as a sophomore, he qualified for the “Bronze Award.”

He has worked very hard this past year in many leadership roles, and will stay in NYC for summer 2012 to work for Grassroots, Inc. Annie Morrison is studying Linguistics at Georgetown University, with a minor in French.

Outside of her classes, Annie plays club soccer and serves as a member of the Latin American Student Association (LASA).

Erin Benson coaches Varsity Cheerleading at Palmer Trinity School. She is currently a student in the University of Miami School of Business Entrepreneurship Program, and interns for the Hurricanes Football Program, as well.

ERIN BENSON '10

2010

Camila Aime is currently studying Business Management, with a minor in International Marketing and Finance, at the University of Miami.

She was recently selected to work as a marketing intern with the UM tennis team, and plans to start an online business with a classmate this fall.

CAMILA AIME '10 AND STEFANO AIME '12

Christina Ludovici is a math major and urban design minor at NYU. This fall, she will study abroad in Berlin, Germany.

Landon Michelson will transfer to Rice University with CHRISTINA LUDOVICI '10

LAURA VOGEL '09 AND FAMILY

Adam Wilson was awarded Columbia University’s King’s Crown Leadership Award at Columbia University, given to students in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and General Studies who 64

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More than 125 participants walked a modified course around Palmer Trinity School’s South Campus.

Tony’s father, Manuel Schiappa Pietra, and youngest sister, Karina ‘14, the morning of the race

2nd Annual

Tony Trot 5K JUNE 2, 2012 On Saturday, June 2, 2012, more than 200 PTS friends and families joined recent Palmer Trinity School graduate, Tony Schiappa Pietra ‘12, and his family—sisters Karina ‘14 and Tiana ‘17, and parents, Manuel and Debra—for the 2nd Annual Tony Trot 5K. During this event, participants walked and ran a modified course on the PTS South Campus to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

Photos by: Suzanne Gottlieb Calleja and Dave Cutler

Sean Murphy and Tony Schiappa Pietra ‘12

Tony created the Tony Trot in 2010, after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Since its inception, this event has raised more than $34,000 for LLS. As it did last year, the 2nd Annual Tony Trot attracted participants from all over the world. This year alone, after only a few months of fundraising, this event raised more than $13,000 in donations and registration fees.

Special thanks to all those who came to walk, run, volunteer, donate or simply be a part of this memorable day. We would also like to thank our sponsors—Mercedes Benz of Coral Gables and Cutler Bay, SAGE Dining, and Kings Bay Athletics—for their generous support.

On behalf of Palmer Trinity School, we wish Tony the best of luck as he heads off to his first semester of college this year. We look forward to seeing him, and all of our participants, back on campus for the 3rd Annual Tony Trot 5K next spring.

Early that morning, students gathered at PTS to register for the event.

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class notes LANDON MICHELSON '10 WITH THE BIRMINGHAMSOUTHERN COLLEGE MEN'S GOLF TEAM

SOPHIA FAIELLA '11

an athletic scholarship to play Division 1 golf this fall.

working with other students to launch an on-campus radio station. In the future, Carter plans to become an audio engineer and music producer.

2011

Juan Camilo Nicholls is a member of the rowing team at Dartmouth College.

Wilson A. Valle is currently pursuing an engineering degree at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Last fall, Wilson competed in the annual Navy Day Regatta and Rutgers Classic, where his freshmen 4-man and 8-man boats placed first, and the Princeton Chase, where they placed third. As a student, he had the opportunity to meet the recentlyretired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, who gave his farewell address at the Academy. This summer, Wilson will spend time on a submarine and a destroyer as part of his training.

WILSON A . VALLE '11

Brenda Aguera is currently recording an album as a singer, and looks forward to releasing her first Spanish single next year.

Marcel Apple is a student at Wheaton College, where he enjoys his close proximity to both the Boston and Providence area.

Carson Zachar is a student at FSU, where she plays club volleyball, is a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, and was named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2011 semester. She was also selected to join Sigma Alpha Lambda, a national leadership and honors organization dedicated to promoting and rewarding academic achievement and providing members with opportunities for community service, personal development, and lifelong professional fulfillment. To practice her Spanish, Carson volunteers with the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium (PAEC), where she works with non-English speakers during English classes to help them with their classroom assignments.

Sophia Faiella just finished her freshmen year at Eckerd College, where she is pursuing a doublemajor in theatre and human

ISABELLA LEONI '11 WROTE AN ARTICLE FOR JAIPUR NEWSPAPER

MARINA BERTRAND '11, MATIAS FAILLACE '11 AND KATIE DIFEDE '11

development. Last fall, she earned a part in the school’s major fall production “Passion Play.”

Isabella Leoni currently lives in India, where she teaches math at a local school and works with an orphanage for children with AIDS. She recently wrote an article about tourism and work life in India that was published in India’s Jaipur Newspaper.

CARTER HOPKINS '11 AND MARTY MIGLIACCIO

Angela Audie is a student at Loyola University in Chicago.

Emily Keunen loves being a student at Boston University, and hopes to take a class in London in summer 2012.

Carter Hopkins is a student at Belmont University, where he is 66

Marina Bertrand is currently a Phi Sigma Kappa at FIU. Sarah A. Feliu is majoring in psychology at FIU.

Alexis Ferraro is a student at Babson College, where she is a member of the women’s tennis team.

Nicolas Cadena just finished his first year at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.

GENA ROBERTS '11

MATTHEW COCHRAN, FORMER FACULTY

member of the North Brunswick First Aid Squad, Raymond was passionate about tennis, baseball, travel and his children. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, the former Sharon Longstreth, his son Scott ‘03 in New York City, and his daughter Lauren ‘08 in Miami. He is predeceased by his father, Rocco Adamo, and survived by his mother, Concetta Adamo, of North Brunswick, NJ. DARLENE SCHWEITZER-RAMRAS

Shirin Razdan is a biology major, with minors in chemistry and Spanish, at the University of Miami. As a member of the Indian Fusion dance team, Thaalam, Shirin competes and performs in showcases on campus and throughout Florida. This summer, Shirin will visit India to volunteer in local Delhi hospitals.

Gena Roberts is a biomedical engineering major at Case Western University in Cleveland, OH. As a member of their softball team, she has received University Athletic Association “Hitter of the Week” honors and was one of three CWU softball athletes selected to the 2012 All-University Athletic Association team. Even as a freshman, Gena started all 39 games and led the team with a .431 batting average, a school-record-tying 53 base-hits, seven homeruns, 29 runs batted-in, 31 runs scored and nine doubles. Overall, she ranked second in the UAA in average and tied for first in homers.

performances at The Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Ft. Lauderdale, The Listening Room in Nashville, The Miami Music Festival, Puckett’s in Nashville, and the NBC 6 Miami Live Show in December. They were also the headlining act at the City of Homestead’s 2011 4th of July celebration at The Homestead-Miami Speedway. Their first single, “Breathe Slow” has achieved regular airplay on country and rock radio in the Florida Keys with heavy airplay on WCTH Thunder Country and WFKZ Sun. The song was also featured on the nationally acclaimed adult album alternative radio compilation A Taste of Triple A – #73. They divide their time between Miami and Nashville, where they perform weekly, all to take their music to the top of the charts.

Check out their website and blog at www.themannsisters.com for future appearances.

After a courageous battle

In Memoriam with breast and brain cancer, RAYMOND ADAMO

LAUREN AND ALEXANDRA MANN '11

Adam Block is currently attending the University of Alabama, The Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business. He is a member of the Phi Eta Sigma National Freshman Honor society and is on the President’s List with a 4.0 GPA. Adam is an active member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and loves Alabama football. This summer, Alex will complete his Dive Master Certification, work as an intern at Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited, and travel with his family to the Mediterranean.

Lauren and Alexandra Mann have been performing in their band called The Mann Sisters for several years now. The Mann Sisters are deeply rooted in American rock and country music, with four songs written by the sisters. They have been performing all over the country with acclaimed

Matthew Cochran is a faculty member at Darton College and Albany State University. He is a singer, guitarist, and composer, and performed in March at the First Tuesday Concert at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Matthew has held teaching positions at Bainbridge College and Finger Lakes Community College.

During the 2009-10 concert season, Matthew performed at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in a Gala Concert with the Grawemeyer Players of the University of Louisville.

Former Faculty

Martin L. Kokol, Ed.D. was married in July 2011, and currently lives in Jackson, WY, where he teaches on-line classes for NYC’s Touro College.

Raymond Adamo, 56, Miami, FL and Singapore. Raymond was born in New Brunswick, NJ and throughout his life, lived in North Brunswick, NJ; Miami, FL; Canada; Australia; Singapore; England; Saudi Arabia; South Korea; China; and Hong Kong. On Friday, June 10, 2011, Raymond passed away in Miami, FL, with his family at his side, after a courageous battle with cancer. He spent 34 years working at Citibank, most recently as Singapore Chief Financial Officer and Asia Regional Franchise Controller. A former

Darlene Schweitzer-Ramras, 48, passed away on June 18, 2012.

A devoted mother and wife, Darlene is survived by her husband of 25 years, David Ramras; and her two sons, Sean ‘12 and Dylan ‘15. As the youngest Board Certified Family Attorney in Miami-Dade County, Darlene was an esteemed family lawyer, and her love for the law, as well as her clients, made her a driving force in the Miami area. Aside from her career accomplishments, Darlene was also very involved in the Congregation Bet Breira and Palmer Trinity School communities.

In light of her passing, Darlene will be remembered by all as a loving wife, a devoted mother, a respected lawyer, and a caring friend—and her generosity of spirit will continue to touch the lives of all who knew her.

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class notes

Retiring Faculty:

Kathy Vale

Kathy used her students’ outfits to help teach them French words for different pieces of clothing.

Photo by: Marina Mougios

Starting as a French teacher at Trinity Episcopal School in 1983, Mrs. Kathy Vale has been a part of the Palmer Trinity School faculty from the very beginning. During her time at both Trinity Episcopal and Palmer Trinity School, Kathy has taught French, ESL and 7th-grade English, served as both Admissions Assistant and Admissions Director, led students on different camping trips, and helped start the drama program. Now, after completing her 28th year at Palmer Trinity School, Mrs. Kathy Vale has retired.

Doing service helps instill the right values in students of all ages. Community service is an important part of education.

Over the past three decades, Kathy has developed many fond memories—but her most pivotal memory came in 1991, during a faculty meeting, when Dr. Ned Dougherty, the Head of School at the time, told her that Trinity Episcopal would be merging with Palmer School. This information came just one day before she would host an open-house at Trinity Episcopal School and take her Trinity students, as she had every year, on a ski trip to Canada. Other memories that stick with Kathy are all the community service experiences she participated in with her students. “Doing service helps instill the right values in students of all ages,” Kathy says. “Community service is an important part of education.”

Kathy was a teacher at Trinity Episcopal and Palmer Trinity School for a combined 28 years.

In short, what Kathy will miss most about her years at Palmer Trinity School are “the people.” “Each person adds intellectual stimulation, energy, adventure and vitality,” Kathy explains. “This school is an exciting place to work.”

Kathy’s plans for retirement are simple—she wants to spend time with her husband, read some good books, travel and take time to appreciate the arts with close family and friends.

No matter where she goes after Palmer Trinity School, one thing stands true: Kathy, you will be missed.

Kathy was honored for her years at PTS at the 2012 Alumni Cocktail Reception.

Kathy Vale and Sean Murphy at our PTS Faculty and Staff Year-End Luncheon 68

Celebrating 40 Years of Scholarship, Service and Community

We look forward to seeing you at the following school events: September 29 Day of Service October 26 Boosters Reunion Honoring Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees PTS Falcon’s Nest, 7:00 pm October 27 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Alumni Soccer Game, Alumni & Family BBQ, Homecoming Game 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

November 21 Alumni Give Back

Lunch and a service project with teachers and friends 11:30 am - 2:00 pm

December 12 Alumni Holiday Party Location TBA

For more information, or to get involved, please contact Lauren Dowlen, Development Officer, 305.969.4282 or ldowlen@palmertrinity.org

January 28 12th Annual Sandy

Golf & Tennis Tournament Benefiting the Sandy Block Financial Aid Endowment Fund Deering Bay Country Club 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

March 16 13th Annual

International Festival 11:30 am - 4:00 pm

April TBA Student Literary

& Arts Showcase

April 22 22nd Annual

Book Fair Brunch 8:00 am

May 31 - June 1 Reunion Weekend

palmertrinity.org/40

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Visiting Alumni for PTS’ 4th annual Alumni College and Career Day