Priorities #61: Spring 2015

A Magazine of the Priory ¡ Issue #61

¡ April/May2015

Legacy Alumni, Andy Schilling reflects on Priory and its influence on his life and family.

See article on page 14

TOC

Board of Directors Abbot Mark Cooper, OSB Father John Fortin, OSB Father Maurus Nemeth, OSB Father Martin Mager, OSB Father Benet Phillips, OSB

Woodside Priory School ¡ Celebrating 57 Years of Benedictine Education

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

20 -23 10-13 26 -29 14-18 6-9 Stewards

Athletics

Fall at a Glance

Andy Schilling: All in the Family

Alumni News & Notes

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Board of Trustees

34- 37 41 38-40 Robotics

Monastery News

Christine Muir Parker

Brian Axe Dave Brett John Brew Jennie Chiu Laura Cornish Craig Dauchy Eileen DiGiorgio Mark Gainey Cathy Gawne Sally Harris Andy Koontz Steve Krausz Bob Larson Bob Latta Father Jonathan Licari, OSB Susan Light Bruce McAuley Bud McElroy Cecelia Montalvo Jami Nachtsheim Guy Nohra Stan Pierson Stewart Putney Ray Rothrock Maureen Sansbury Bill Souders Keith Van Sickle Pamela Weiss

Priorities magazine is published in March/April, June/July, and December/January by Woodside Priory School for its alumni, parents, students, neighbors, and friends. Contact the Communications Office at 650-851-6193 or the school at 650-851-8221.

Editor: Sean Mclain Brown Contributing Writers: Sean Mclain Brown, Karen Macklin Design/Production: Jim Kirkland, Copperline Multimedia Photos: Jim Kirkland, Sean Mclain Brown, Shawn Matson, Kelly Sargent Printing: Colorprint, Mark W. Allen

Chapel Services

Masses at 7:15 a.m. Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sunday Hungarian service All are welcome.

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

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Dear Priory Community,

Looking Forward The sound of progress and innovation is everywhere on campus! Our buildings in Benedictine Square have a roof, an elevator shaft, beautiful overhangs and some spacious areas for our community to gather.

We are on schedule for a June unveiling. The building, the space, the new Saint Benedict statue and the solar panels create new learning spaces that meet the needs of every Priory student now and into the future. Mark your calendar for our official opening ceremony held on Friday, August 16 at 6 pm in the new square.

The other sounds you may have heard are the screaming fans that cheered our boys basketball team to their first ever CCS championship. The win this year against Pinewood -50-47- goes down as one the Top 10 Priory athletic highlights of all time. Congratulations to the team, coaches, parents and students for their tremendous support.

Adding to our list of successes this year, the Priory earned a Gold Medal from the Department of Education and Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘Green Ribbon Schools’ [GRS] Award. The school earned Gold level recognition based on its commitment to sustainability. This commitment includes the school’s energy and resource conservation programs, which includes solar electricity production, drought tolerant landscaping, and robust compost and recycling efforts. We will continue to educate our students and staff so that they will be “lifelong learners and stewards.”

Looking Back From time to time I find myself picking up “Beginnings: The Founding of Woodside Priory” the book written by Father Egon about the long journey to find this location and begin a Catholic, Benedictine school in California. He started in New Jersey, which was his first stop when fleeing, Hungary. Father Egon was given the assignment of finding a home and so his travels began. He drove across the U.S. looking for a diocese and a location where his community could begin their ministry.

The Priory’s mission has always been to educate students as lifelong learners, help them to explore tools for the 21st century, find ways to ignite change in their personal and professional environment, live as citizens of the world, be global stewards, and relish the diversity of student life.

Once here, the task at hand was to get permission from Archbishop Mitty to start a school and then find a site. I often mention to our parents that one of the comments from the Archbishops was “yes you can start a school but make sure it does not compete with my schools, it has to be small and expensive.”

Father Egon looked at property in the Central Valley and Marin before a friend mentioned there was a ranch for sale in Portola Valley and he should take a look. The Gilson Ranch on Portola Road consisted of a ranch house, a small stable and 16 acres (the Priory today is 51 acres). Father Egon began, in 1956, the one year task of preparing the ranch house for the other six Monks and the first class of students – which totaled nine – and he did not have to worry about an enrollment cap.

There was no mail service in Portola Valley in 1956, so the Monks rented a post office box in Redwood City. An interesting note, because of the post office box and not knowing the exact geographical location, some friends in Hungary thought the Priory was far out in the wilderness and the Monks would be doing “missionary work.” Those reading Western novels asked many questions about cowboys, sheriffs, gold, jail and the lawless conditions of the “Wild West.” I find myself laughing at all of that right now but as we all know this was pre-Silicon Valley and the Priory for all practical purposes was a long way out from Palo Alto.

The last paragraph of the book says “The seven exiled refugee Hungarian Benedictine monks settled happily in their new home in Portola Valley, California and opened their college preparatory school in 1957."

Their hearts were full of gratitude and joy. They thanked in fervent prayer the goodness of the Almighty God, who guided their footsteps from Russian occupied communist Hungary into the hospitable shores of the United States where they could continue their monastic life renewing the Benedictine motto “Ora et Labora;” they prayed and worked at Woodside Priory.

The Priory is an amazing “startup,” well ahead of the times and we continue to be thankful to the vision and perseverance of Father Egon and our Founding Fathers for blessing us with a location and school like no other.

Always We Begin Again,

Tim Molak Head of School

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AT A GLANCE 7

WINTER

The Junior Retreat took place in the San Francisco Tenderloin. Under the direction of Project Open Hands, students stayed 2 days, serving food, cleaning, washing dishes as well as food preparation and serving the homeless.

Left: This is a mural depicting the real place and the utopian version.

The students had a great conversation with Angel, a homeless man who spends most days of his life below the mural. He knows the identity and story of many people represented in the mural, and says he prefers the real version of the mural.

The cast and crew of the high school production, "The American Clock".

Above: Mr. Roth and Mr. Sugden in their Great Depression roles from The American Clock.

Fr. Gregory Bakos, visiting from Hungary, attends the 6th grade Introduction to Mandarin class.

Left: Eva El Fishawy with her 9th grade science bridge project.

Mr. Trudelle says in the 30 years he has given this assignment, no bridge has held as much weight... they stopped piling it on after 267.5 lbs!

Ava Rust 7th grade science bridge project that came in second place for holding the most weight.

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AT A GLANCE

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WINTER

Right: 7th grade retreat hike to Windy Hill.

Below: Boys basketball supporters at the CCS playoff, Tim Molak, Alwyn Lansing (‘12), Cynthia Sleight (‘05), Scott Kimball (’03), Al Zappelli

Sophomores Daniel Giarrusso, Gianna Morales, Nicolas Tan and Lilly Weidhaas volunteering during Service Week.

Matthew Carusi (’17) and a blindfolded Kevin Liu (‘17) performing an exercise in student trust and sensory deprivation.

Drawing and Painting class Megan Buiocchi (’16), Christian Fotre '17), Lexi Kastanis (’16) and Tatiana Reese (’18).

Dr. Nikolas Blevins (father to Maya Blevins (’20) demonstrates a virtual reality “Surgical Simulation” to students during a Science Friday Talk.

Winter 'Pops' Concert

Priory Community Ensemble with Castilleja ensemble group perform at the Stanford Shopping Center. Pictured are Nicolas Tan (’17), Betty Chen (’18), Jimmy Kang (’18) and Richy Chen (’16).

The faculty held a talent show and MC, Adam Siler, handed out 'Golden Monkey' awards .

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ATHLETICS

WINTER

Scott Harris earned Athlete of the Week honors from the San Jose Mercury News for his scoring and hard driving play.

The road to the Priory’s first Central Coast Section (CCS) Championship started with our one point loss to Pinewood in the 2014 CCS title game.

Highlights of the preseason included a 40 point performance by Scott Harris versus Oceana. The Panthers also won the Don and Martha Memorial Christmas tournament with a 65-61 win over host school Monta Vista Christian.

Our team had momentum now and were enthusiastically looking forward to their grueling West Bay Athletic League (WBAL) season. However, injuries and illnesses took its toll, as the team finished two games below .500. Sam Ogunleye, Nicholas Arslaner and Zach Weiss, solidified their roles as starters and added some continuity going into the CCS Playoffs. After a tough loss to Harker, Coach Moseley increased the intensity at practices and used pressure defense in the games playing more to the team’s strengths. These changes propelled the team to a 25 point win over The King’s Academy to end the regular season and confidence going into the playoffs.

In the semifinals of the CCS playoffs, the Panthers found themselves down by 22 points at half against Pinewood, but rallied behind 25 pts. from Scott Harris and a double, double from Andy Isokpehi to win 60-57.

When asked about the semi-final match and win against rival Pinewood, Coach Moseley said it was, “one of the most exciting and proud moments in my basketball career.” In the CCS Championship game versus Stevenson School, the Panthers took care of business and road Chris Perez’s 4 three pointers and 18 points to the school’s first CCS Championship to win 64-58. Andy Isokpehi was the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) player of the game with 11 pts. 10 rbs. and 8 blks.

With the win, the Priory also secured its first NorCal Playoff home game versus Mariposa County. The Panthers came up victorious in front of a blue legion of fans 66 to 55 in a game were the team hit 7 three pointers and Andy Isokpehi had a crowd pleasing two handed slam dunk.

Unfortunately, the roller coaster ride ended in the quarter finals of Nor Cals with a 53-49 road loss to Brookside Christian. Highlights included Scott Harris' first in game dunk and a 6 point half time lead. However, getting out rebounded and shooting poorly from the free throw line was too much to overcome.

Coach Moseley says he is “extremely proud of coaches and players for their grit, determination, and perseverance.” In addition, Coach Moseley gave special thanks to Athletic Director Mark Stogner and Middle School Athletic Director Doug Sargent for their continued support, as well as for the guidance of Athletic Trainer Korinn Myers and Head Strength Coach Sofia Proano and the rest of the Priory community.

Above Left: Andy Isokpehi scores.

Above: Chris delos Santos goes full throttle.

Left: Coach David Mosely and assistant coach Mike Loftis.

Right: Sam Ogunleye drives.

11 Left: Matt Galloway takes a swing Below: James Phelps heads for third.

Left: Priory swim team before a meet held at Sacred Heart Prep Below: Kelsey Gosling smiles after winning her heat.

ATHLETICS

WINTER

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Left: Despite a broken arm, Brenda Uribe plows through defenders.

Below: Goalie, Julia Teymourian, makes a stop.

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Left to right: Tatiana Reese, Zoe Weiss, and Delara Fotovatjah.

Left: Alex Oberman zeros in on the ball.

Below: Sergio Lopez shows some footwork.

Katie Nachtsheim catches as Lilly Weidhaas pitches the heat.

Top: Michael Rapoport returns a serve and Mike Fitzgerald takes an over-hand shot.

Coach Corie Fogg instructs her team.

Ross Cory with his parents as he signs a athletic scholarship acceptance letter to Santa Clara University.

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All in the Family Priory Alumni Andy Schilling has never forgotten Priory. And now, neither will his daughters. Andy Schilling graduated in 1978, but Priory has always been a dear friend—to him, his wife, and, his three daughters.

by Karen Macklin

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When Andy Schilling first stepped foot onto the Priory campus as a high school freshman 40 years ago, he assumed that his relationship with the school would last four years. But, he was in for a surprise. In the years that followed high school, as Andy attended college and then pursued a career in investment management, he also went on to become an active Priory alumni, a trustee, and, most recently, a Priory parent (three times over). In fact, his relationship with Priory has been one of the most defining relationships of his life. And it all started on a bucolic Woodside campus in the fall of 1974.

“Back then it was a very different place than it is now,” says Andy, speaking from the office in his investment company in downtown San Francisco.

At the time, the school, he says, held only 120 students, most of the teachers were monks, and all of the students were male— and had to wear ties. The vibe was also much stricter, which encouraged the students of the 1970s anti-establishment era to rebel. “The students were often noncompliant,” Andy remembers, with a laugh. “There was a tussle back and forth between faculty and students. My class was a little rough on our teachers—always pushing the edges.”

But, at its heart, Andy says, Priory really was the same school it is today. The academics were top notch, the staff was thoughtful and caring, and the teachers were always looking for ways to help each student develop his own personal talents and capitalize best on his interests.

The education Andy received at Priory certainly helped set the course for the rest of his life.

Even as a kid, Andy, who grew up in Atherton, was a budding entrepreneur, always looking for a way to fill a need in the community with a service he could provide. He didn’t especially need the money—his family gave him an

allowance—but he loved the idea of creating something of value for the people around him. The financial proceeds that came from his efforts also helped him to gain greater independence, a true gift for any independence-minded teenager. “I did gardening services, babysitting, cat sitting,” he remembers. “I was a one-man concierge to the neighborhood.”

So, when he decided he wanted to start up a car washing and detailing business out of his parents’ garage, he asked Father Martin for some advice. Father Martin (who decades later went on to teach all three of Andy’s daughters), taught Andy how to create fliers through screen printing, and how to properly market his new business. The Priory monks also helped Andy and his friends start an auto club, giving the teen boys money and garage space to buy and fix up an old BMW. In Andy’s senior year, when it came time to create the yearbook, the Priory monks realized the school was low on funds and couldn’t allocate much to the task. So they sought Andy’s help.

“Headmaster Father Jude came to me and said they didn’t have a budget for the yearbook that year,” Andy recalls. “He had gone on field trips with me and knew that I always logged in the gas that I put in the car, and calculated the miles per gallon. Knowing I was responsible with money, he asked if I would be yearbook editor. They were not going to provide any financial assistance, so its production would rely on my having to sell ads.” Andy took the position and made the yearbook happen.

Before Andy was even 18, he’d run a few successful businesses, learned how to raise money, and gained skills in marketing and promotion. After he graduated Priory, he did a double major at Bowdoin College, studying

“There was a tussle back and forth between faculty

and students. My class was a

little rough on our teachers— always pushing the edges.”

Government (and Legal Studies) and Psychology. Later, he became more interested in finance, and went to work for Rolm Corporation, a Silicon Valley technology company, as a financial analyst in the 1980s.

“It was the Google of its day,” he says. “Rolm grew from being a startup to a fortune 500 company in seven years. We worked in a campus in Santa Clara that was the equivalent of the Googleplex. We had an athletic center, swimming pools, basketball courts–it was an amazing place to work.”

Andy later moved into the field of investment management, and in 1997, he and his wife, Leslie Tang Schilling, founded Union Square Investments, an SEC registered investment advisor firm that works with ultrahigh net worth families on a wide range of investment strategies and management. (Currently, he is the chairman and she is the director of the company.)

But though Andy’s career moved forward at a rapid clip, he never lost contact with Priory. In the late ‘90s, the school was looking for its first alumni rep on the board of trustees, and Andy stepped up to the plate.

He took a seat on the Executive Committee and also became chair of the Finance and Investment Committee, advising on the financial health and performance of the school as a whole. During that time, his oldest daughter, Alec, started attending Priory. His two other daughters, Lauren and Elizabeth, soon followed suit. Today, Alec, 25, is working for a startup skin care company in San Francisco; Lauren, 23, is working in Washington, DC, for the nonprofit Conservation International and preparing to go to the Peace Corp; and Elizabeth, 18, is getting ready to graduate from Priory and head off to her dad’s alma mater, Bowdoin College.

In addition to serving on the board, Andy, along with his wife Leslie, have frequently contributed to Priory’s evolution through donations made to the school. Andy says he made his first donation to Priory upon his high school graduation as a way of saying thank you for all the time the school had invested in him. Today, he and Leslie, continue to give because they believe so strongly in Priory’s mission—and in education, in general.

“My family is very passionate about education,” says Leslie, who, in addition to being director of Union Square Investments, is also director of the Asian Art Museum, and has served in the past as director of KQED, Inc. and Golden West Financial Corporation. “My family came from China. My grandfather lost everything twice – first to the Japanese and then to the communist revolution.

He had studied chemical engineering at MIT, and always credited a good education to his ability to start all over again and be successful.”

The Schilling family circa 1978 : Robert, Barbara, Mike and Andy.

Alec, '08, Elizabeth, '15, Lauren, '10

18 Leslie grew up and went to high school in Hong Kong, and then studied Economics and Political Science at UC Berkeley. She started working for Wells Fargo bank after college in portfolio management, and has remained in the investment business throughout her career. In 1986, she became the first woman president of the Asian Business League of San Francisco, and, in 2005, she became the first Asian woman to be appointed to the Board of Regents of University of California.

Though the Schillings allowed their daughters to choose what school they would attend, Leslie agreed that Andy’s alma mater was a unique destination for learning. “What I found very attractive about Priory was the ethics it instills,” she says. “I think, in this day and age, it’s really important for kids to learn to be ethical people.”

Though Leslie admits that her busy schedule has made it hard to volunteer time at Priory, she feels strongly about helping to support the school financially, and tries to specifically direct the family’s funds toward scholarships. “It’s important that the Priory have as much diversity in its school population as it can. It would be very easy to load up the Priory with white, middle class kids—which is basically what the surrounding community is made up of—but that’s not the real world.” In addition to Priory, the Schillings are also major supporters of UC Berkeley, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, as well as other educational and community-based institutions.

As for their three daughters, they’ve all taken lead roles in giving back to the community. Alec has started to promote the use of a written ethical ethos (like Priory’s) to her work colleagues; Lauren is heading off to the Philippines to do volunteer work for the Peace Corps; and Elizabeth regularly volunteers in the childcare program at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. “All of our kids have been very conscious of giving back,” says Andy.

Thinking back to his Priory days, Andy suddenly has another memory, one which exemplifies the individual support and attention he received at the school as a teen. In his senior year, Andy received a speeding ticket in Oregon, and was mandated to return to the state at a later date with a legal guardian to fight it.

The Priory senior field trip was to Ashland, Oregon, so Father Jude (who was acting as one of the chaperones) told Andy’s parents he would be happy to escort Andy to court so that his parents wouldn’t have to make the trip. “The morning of my court appearance, Father Jude appeared in his full monk’s regalia to escort me to court,” Andy remembers. “I will never forget waiting for a couple of hours in the large waiting room of the court with hordes of other teenage scofflaws and their parents. I was the only one who had my own monk.”

When Andy and Father Jude were finally called to the bench, Father Jude shared a few words with the judge, testifying to Andy’s great qualities and ensuring that Andy had learned his lesson. The judge dismissed the ticket.

Andy did come away that day having learned a lesson about the repercussions of speeding. But the more profound lesson was about how important it is to know that someone really believes in you. Priory taught him that—and his three daughters, too.

Priory Earns Gold Medal in National Green Ribbon Schools Award Program

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“What I found very attractive about Priory was the ethics it

instills,” she says. “I think, in this day and age, it’s really

important for kids to learn to be ethical people.”

Leslie and Andy

by Hovey Clark and Sean Mclain Brown

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riory earned a Gold Medal from the Department of Education and Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘Green Ribbon Schools’ [GRS] Award for its robust commitment to sustainability. This commitment includes the school’s energy and resource conservation programs, which includes solar electricity production, drought tolerant Fishing for Brown Trout grown in the hydroponic tank. landscaping, and compost and recycling efforts.

Additionally, the school’s activities such as community service food drives, partnership with Kenya’s all-girls Daraja Academy, the counseling department’s focus on reducing stress and bullying, as well as our efforts to serve healthy, locally sourced organic food in the cafeteria contributed to the Priory’s Green Ribbon success.

In the course of completing the application, the school developed an EPA Energy Star benchmarking portfolio. This tool, in conjunction with similar tools from the school’s solar contractor, as well as energy and water utilities, allows the school to monitor resource use across the campus, and to make adjustments to buildings and areas that work less efficiently than other The filtration system spaces. This helps the Priory to focus on ‘progressive efficiency,’ maintenance and improvement upon stringent energy conservation goals.

The school’s Sustainability Coordinator, Hovey Clark, who oversaw the application process, says that the school’s success in the GRS award program is the result of several years of organization, as well as the dedication and hard work from teachers and students throughout the school. Clark says, “People here have worked together to fulfill the school’s mission, in which ‘lifelong learning and stewardship’ are core values. Our programs show commitment to stewardship and healthy living and we want to continue this work into the future. It's what being Benedictine is all about.”

Growing vegetables in the Priory green house.

Johnson Lilly

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Serving a World in Need of Her Gifts

by Sean Mclain Brown “You can't judge people by face value,” says Lilly Johnson about her work with the non-profit Table of Plenty where she volunteers serving food to the homeless. “I really, really, really, want to work with people who feel down in the dumps. I want to be able to have an open mind. I'm really interested in psychology and social services.”

Lilly was the January Steward of the Month and has been involved in a number of different types of Community Service since elementary school. She spent the last four years volunteering at Christmas time with Samaritan House, where she helps set up and distribute food to families during the holidays. In addition, she has done extensive work through her local parish, Our Lady of the Pillar Church in Half Moon Bay. As if that wasn’t enough, Lilly also spends every Sunday assisting in religious education for 2nd graders, and for the last two years, she has volunteered at least once per month at Table of Plenty, a weekly supper service hosted by the church, where she serves meals to the needy.

Lilly talks about her work with others with a passion and excitement that is palatable and she makes connections about how people become homeless and wants to work in prevention of mental and psychological illnesses.

Lilly says, “I’ve learned not to judge people by their appearance and be more understanding of situations that lead to unfortunate circumstances. It’s been a unique experience to see different people sharing a meal not just for nourishment but for company. They sit together and are treated with dignity and respect, bringing some comfort in their lives.”

The Priory’s mission is to help teach and guide students to “productively serve a world in need of their gifts.” Lilly exemplifies this virtue with boundless enthusiasm and certainty. To her peers and teachers, it’s clear that this is her personal calling, though that calling is not without its challenges.

She says, “The homeless folks who sit in the back. They sit on table 13, and I like to serve that table. They're telling me their backgrounds and how they had amazing potential. This woman's a great poet. This guy, I don't know, you can just see everything in their eyes. They had potential and they kind of lost it. As a person, I'm really empathetic. Sometimes I would go home and cry because that just breaks my heart. I want everything for people. If I could fix that for someone it would make everything worthwhile.”

Indeed, the world needs more people like Lilly to go boldly forward and “serve a world in need of their gifts.”

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Shattering the Silence

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Working to End Domestic Violence

by Sean Mclain Brown “People don't talk about domestic violence,” says Nick Jaeger, the Priory’s 2014 October Steward of the Month. “I think this is an enormous part of the problem.” Two years ago for a theology assignment in Ms. Buccola’s class, Nick Jaeger began working with CORA (Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse) an organization that combats domestic violence.

Nick’s passion and enthusiasm for speaking out against domestic violence is serious yet hopeful. He rattles off domestic violence statistics like a veteran yet grounds his data in real-life experiences that he has witnessed and heard throughout his work with CORA. Nick says, “People aren't familiar with how common abuse is. If you look at the statistics, it's staggering. People have no idea that it's not just something that afflicts the poor and the rich, whatever race, whatever sexuality. It's universal. It's so common. It's so unacceptable.”

Nick started a fundraiser that raised over $60,000 for the organization. In addition he also speaks to students at other schools to raise awareness and educate his peers about domestic violence and abuse with a message of hope.

“At CORA they work on not only saving a person but really giving them a future,” Nick says. “Once we start to learn that and learn that it's so common, 1 in 3 and then, depending on the environment, 1 in 5, people experience some sort of abuse. If you look at college campuses, if you look at it globally, the numbers are enormous. I tell people this isn't something to be ashamed of. It happens and is unacceptable."

In light of recent media attention to domestic violence and abuse in professional sports, Nick has a few thoughts. He says, “My goal is not to have a brief moment where we do talk about domestic violence but to have communities that do talk about domestic violence and don't talk about it for a few months around a big scandal. The NFL, they tried to shut it down and stop talking about it. Violence doesn't go away. The bruises are still being covered up. It's really finding a way to make a conversation lasting by asking what can I do next? What can we do as an incredible advanced, caring community to end domestic violence?”

Most recently, in recognition of his work with CORA, he was flown to New York to receive the highly regarded “Breakthrough Changemaker Inspiration Award” at an event where six people from across the country were honored, among them the CEO of Mastercard and Pepsi. He spoke at the event and was even interviewed live by Fox Business News.

Nick doesn’t like to talk about awards and personal achievement, even when pressed, instead he turns his attention to the people he serves; those affected by domestic violence and abuse.

Saint Benedict would be proud, as is the Priory, of students like Nick that work hard to make a difference in the lives of others.

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Dear Priory Community,

and inspire inventiveness, creativity, innovation, and perceptiveness. We strive

Priory is in the strongest position in our history. Applicants

to enable each child to achieve his or her maximum potential by investing in

for admission are at an all-time high, showing that so many

collaborative, modern spaces where our students can learn from each other and

families value a first-rate education rooted in timeless

our teachers can incorporate ever changing technology into their teachings.

Benedictine values. Additionally, we are in the unique

We are BUILDING INGENUITY by modernizing the classroom learning

situation of being the only school in Silicon Valley that

experience while strengthening the school community. By the fall of 2015 our

provides on-campus housing to faculty and staff. This

first new classrooms in over 40 years will be in full operation! This new learning

allows us to recruit and retain the best teachers and staff

environment will consist of 10 new upper school classrooms, a faculty lounge

who otherwise may not be able to teach and interact with

and a large communal gathering area in the plaza. We are in discussion with the

our students every day.

Town of Portola Valley about plans to create a new STREAM (Science Technology

Our focus of the next five years is to build upon

Robotics Engineering Art and Math) Center. This would include the creation of

our strengths by continuing to offer students countless

new science labs, a robotics lab and art classrooms allowing for more project and

opportunities to develop the skills and values needed to

inquiry based learning.

navigate a dynamic world. After conducting an extensive

Feasibility Study several years ago, our Board of Trustees concluded that our teachers’ and students’ maximum potential has become limited by the inflexible physical

space and impractical technology. The good news is that we recognize these challenges and are taking multiple

steps to match our innovative teaching styles and advanced

learning strategies with our facilities and surroundings.

In the next five years we will focus on fostering and

BUILDING INGENUITY in each and every one of our students. Staff, teachers and buildings will all promote

When asked what we are building, the response is simple - we are BUILDING

We are BUILDING INGENUITY by modernizing the classroom learning experience while strengthening the school community.

INGENUITY. Thank you to the many families who have demonstrated their commitment to our vision to bring these plans to fruition.

Sincerely,

Siobhán Lawlor

Director of Development

Members of the Campaign Leadership Team leave their mark on the new construction.

Left to right: Siobhan Lawlor, Mike Calbert, Jeannie Chiu, Michelle Galloway, Tim Molak, Jami Nuchtshein and Stewart Putney.

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CLASS NOTES 27

ALUMNI

Note: If you would like to become a Class Agent for the upcoming reunion, please contact the

Alumni Office at alumni@prioryca.org or (650) 851-6138. And remember to check out Woodside Priory Alumni Association on Facebook for additional photos and updates!

Reunion Years

1965

50th Reunion

1970

45th Reunion

1975

40th Reunion

1980

35th Reunion

1985

30th Reunion

1990

28th Reunion

1995

20th Reunion

2000

13th Reunion

2005

10th Reunion

2010

5th Reunion

1981

1985

1981

Faustino Alvarez, wife and son came to visit Priory in December, all the way from Mexico.

Pride.

You’ve got it.

1985

George A. Willman was awarded the Raymond E. Miles Alumni Service Award from the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business in November of 2014. George, who received his MBA from Berkeley-Haas in 1993, is actively involved in Berkeley-Haas, including as Co-President, Chairman of the Board, and Founder of the Berkeley Angel Network. George is a partner in the intellectual property practice at the international law firm Reed Smith LLP.

1999

Tom Alexander’s company PK4 Media is continuing to receive accolades from the media. The company appears on the Forbes 2015 Most Promising Companies List for the second year in a row. The list is published online and in print in the February 9, 2015 issue.

You know it.

Keep it alive.

prioryca.org/give

1999

2003

Mike Yost won an online competition to get this picture of him in HeliOps magazine. Mike is a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot in China Lake, CA, and a proud Priory graduate. His friend Ian took a picture during his Search and Rescue Mission Commander check ride. Priory posted the contest to the Alumni Facebooks group and YOU voted! Thank you everyone for supporting him. That’s what we call a ‘Panther Rally’!

2006

2006

Al Zappelli met with alumni Eric Park and his parents, Sang Joon Park and Wendy Oh in November on his trip to Korea.

2003

2009

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Liz Thomas and Nathaniel Rothrock ‘08 are pictured after his performance in the play Urinetown at Cabrillo College.

2010

A - Joshua Nimer stopped by Priory.

2009

A-2010

B - Lauren Allen (shown with Dad, Mark) graduated from Claremont McKenna College in May 2014 with a dual major in Econ-Accounting and Psychology, as well as Magna Cum Laude Honors and a membership to the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society. After graduation, Lauren backpacked through Europe for a month with her college roommate and friends visiting Scotland, England, Belgium, France, and Italy. Following her trip, she passed the CPA exams, and has been working as an Auditor at Ernst & Young in Los Angeles, CA, since January 2015.

Maia Thielen recently received news that she had a successful audition for "AIMS in Graz," an esteemed music program. She will be studying voice and German for six weeks in Graz, Austria this Summer.

2013

2011

Melanie Conde finished her eleven-year volleyball career in November at Clark University. She has been named to the NEWMAC (New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference) Academic All-Conference Team two years in a row. Mel is now coaching at a volleyball club in central Massachusetts. She was also named assistant coach of the Clark varsity volleyball team for the 2015 fall season as she completes her Master's degree at Clark.

B-2010

2012

Jennie Christensen recently got back from her second study abroad trip. She was in Shanghai for four months, taking classes and working as a Market Research intern for the company YouGov. Traveling and working in China was a great experience and she hopes to be able to go back someday.

Allegra Thomas has been working with Cinequest, an arts and entertainment company in San Jose since May, doing graphic design and marketing. She worked on the prep for the 25th annual Cinequest Film Festival.

2013 A

B

Back for the Holidays, Louis Stromeyer looks over the plans for the Priory's new STREAM building and the proposed Robotics lab with Tim Molak.

Shoshana KT Levitt’s NYU a cappella group Ani V'Ata toured Northern California and performed at the Priory!

Alumni Events

The Priory Alumni Association has been busy having fun.

A - Washington, DC – Fr. Martin hosted dinner in our Country’s capital. Pictured (L to R); Marcus Stromeyer '11, James Medica '88, Kevin Kasenchak '88, Paul Hailey '11, Alicia Wittmeyer '02, Bobby Christian '01.

B - Home for the Holidays – Young Alumni came home and enjoyed Fr. Martin’s famous pizza.

C

D

C - Young Alumni Dinner in Los Angeles – Fr. Martin and Erin Irber hosted a young alumni dinner. Pictured (L to R); Cary Hampton '11, Fr. Martin, Cullen Mo '13, Avery Minor '13.

D - Alumni Social in Los Angeles – Tim Molak, Fr. Martin and Erin Irber hosted a happy hour. Pictured (L to R); Scott Bagley '86, Peter Schink '82, Larry David '62, Lauren Allen '10, Fr. Martin, Hayden Schooler, Garth Schooler '84, Karen Schooler, Erin Irber.

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Supporting our exceptional college preparatory education within an environment where students are encouraged to discover their passions and grow in mind, body and spirit. All rooted in our Benedictine values.

The Priory we know and love has come a long way since 1957. Although the Benedictine values are the same and the valley is just as beautiful, the quality of a Priory education has been enhanced, year after year, through dedicated philanthropic support of the Annual Fund. Our parent community is consistently committed. In fact, outstanding charitable support is an established tradition at the Priory.

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Priory Annual Fund supports every student every day through the operating budget, making up the difference between tuition revenue and the cost of an education at the Priory.

The Priory Annual Fund is launched in the fall, at the same time as our families are adjusting to the beginning of a new school year. To shepherd this effort throughout the entire school requires a dedicated collection of enthusiastic Priory parents. These Annual Fund volunteers demonstrate their belief in the mission of the school by reaching out to other parents to encourage involvement in the Annual Fund each year.

As Class Chairs or Founders Club Ambassadors, the success of Priory’s Annual Fund is based on the time and talent of these parents.

14-15 Class Chairs Utility Chair – Alex Gillis Class of 2021 6th Grade – Martha Deevy and Judy Zafran

"My son has been given a wonderful opportunity. As he moves out into the world with a Priory education his choices will be so much greater than I ever imagined. That is why, along with the tuition I pay, I also made a gift to the Annual Fund. This is a way I can show I am committed to my son’s success and demonstrate my gratitude to the school."

Dina Abarca Parent of Derek ‘18 Gratitude is more than an attitude at Priory.

Our community is small by design, providing the opportunity for every student to feel uniquely known and loved. Every gift is important. Every gift is significant. There is no single gift more important to Priory than a gift to our Annual Fund. Our gratitude is manifested through the programs and projects of talented faculty and students.

Priory Annual Fund gifts are a tangible demonstration of the loyalty, commitment and generous spirit of our Priory community.

Every member of our Board of Trustees supports the Annual Fund with a generous gift.

Priory Kitchen Staff were the very first donors to this year’s Annual Fund.

Class of 2020 7th Grade – Brian Axe and M.J. Castelo Class of 2019 8th Grade – Donna Chandra and Patti Lee-Hoffmann

Every single member of the Faculty and Staff made a gift to the Priory Annual Fund.

Class of 2018 9th Grade – Laura Cornish, Kaleo Serughetti-Waxman and Stewart Putney Class of 2017 10th Grade – Kari Rust and Sally Ann Reiss Class of 2016 11th Grade – Lisa Royals and Maria Johnson

For the second year in a row, the Class of 2019 – the 8th grade, was the first to achieve 100% participation.

Class of 2015 12th Grade – Rebecca Hickman and Trixie Putnam 14-15 Founders Club Ambassadors Catherine Boyle Jennie Chiu-Schaepe Gretchen DeStefano Michelle Galloway Anne and Eric Harrison Paula and Greg Hughes Mark Peek

Class Participation pencil graph:

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ROB OTICS 35

Take an automated ride with the

Team

by Richard Paige, Priory Robotics mentor

Designing a robot from scratch is a daunting task. Meticulously hand crafting your creation from the ground up so that it is capable of operating delicate tasks against opposing far larger, more financed and experienced teams in a large, public competition can be downright intimidating. "Run, Will Robinson, run!" echoes through the arena. But the ever-cool Priory Robotics Team cowers from NO mechanical nemeses...

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The Priory Robotics team did well at Madera in the Central Valley Regional competition, placing in the middle of the pack at 34 out of 50 teams. Unlike previous years, our robot was on the field and working every single match. We scored autonomous mode points in every single match. Unfortunately, stacking totes (yellow and gray rectangular plastic storage containers) on the scoring platforms did not go as well; we had very little testing time under our belts and were besieged with a host of problems during the tournament. But the bright spot was just how well the team worked together.

After every single match we discovered yet another issue with the capabilities and the functioning of our robot. And every time the team pulled together to find a quick, pragmatic solution to the problem and went back out and tried again only to discover another issue. Team Priory did not get discouraged and met each new challenge with vigor. So it was a proud moment when I saw them stack totes and place them on the scoring platform in their penultimate match.

The competition was dominated by several powerhouse teams: we were up against Bellarmine, who won the Nationals last year and Citrus Circuits who was runner-up. These are very large teams that have twice as many mentors as Priory has students on our team. Their robots are professionally designed and built. The judges were very impressed to find out that our robot was entirely designed and built by such a small band of students, without any hands-on work done by mentors or parents, and that we did not send any parts out for fabrication at a machine shop.

A quick summary of some of the issues we encountered:

Working on the robot in the pit (Liam is very trusting of our new cart).

Our robot was sizeable with a very large gripper mechanism protruding out the front. This hampered our ability to move around the field and got in the way of other robots on our alliance. We did not anticipate that the gripper would be pointed down (or up) depending on how the robot was positioned on the scoring platform when attempting to grab totes out of a landfill, an area in the center of the field containing totes and recycle bins to be stacked on the scoring platforms. This curtailed our ability to pick up totes. The gripper mechanism requires that the driver precisely position the robot — something that is difficult to do when the operator is many feet away from the robot and in the heat of match. There were some structural support issues with both the gripper and the elevator mechanism. The point here is to show what the team had to deal with during the competition. The fact that they were able to resolve each issue well enough to score totes by the end of the competition is amazing. Even though we had more time to exercise the robot on “bag night” (the very last day of build season when all teams must stop working on their robots at midnight. At that point the robot must be put into a very large plastic bag with a seal) than ever before, demonstrated that we really need several days at the end of build week to iron out problems like these before competition — a lesson learned for next year.

We also discovered a strategy that was not apparent before attending this competition. The very strong teams were quite good at taking totes from the feeder stations quickly, stacking them (quite high) and scoring. At this time such mastery of machinery is beyond our team. But time will tell.

Bagging the robot - it has to stay in this sealed bag and only comes out during the competitions.

Like the ‘Borg’, we learn and quickly. We realized that a few robots can claim totes from the landfill area in the center of the playing field, avoiding the faster, skilled robots. So we started to concentrate on this during the competition (in fact, it is how we scored our points) and came up with some very good ideas as to how to make the current robot more adept.

We will eliminate the grippers and attach a “rake” or “comb” to the elevator, the fingers of which will fit under the lip of the totes. We can then drag totes from the landfill area onto the scoring platform. So between now and the Silicon Valley Regional, we will implement this strategy. Last week we found a garden rake behind the barns and verified that this will work and started fabricating a rake which can be mounted on the elevator.

A couple of other highlights from the competition: our lapel button was among the most popular at the competition — we exhausted our supply. Thanks to Carolyn Akers for a superb job designing them.

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The robot (Team 751) on the field at the start of one of the matches.

The team at Central Valley Regional (CVR) in Madera.

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Christine

Muir Parker

Christine Muir Parker certainly follows in her namesake’s footsteps, naturalist John Muir, although no relation, she exemplifies all of his exuberance for the natural world and shares that passion with her students. She has led programs with students in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Honduras, and Costa Rica to name a few. In addition, she formerly held the McGraw Family Fr. Maurus Faculty Chair for Science.

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What makes you excited about teaching Science at the Priory?

Priory students are curious and willing to try new activities. They are open to new experiences and enthusiastic. This positive attitude makes labs, case studies, and experiential learning exciting. As a class we are on a journey together and I am able to design learning experiences that foster critical thinking. Also, my science department colleagues and the facilities on campus are amazing. The natural setting of our campus encourages hands-on learning in science and the conscientious colleagues that I work with inspire me to try new projects with students. I am passionate about leading the summer science study abroad field program which allows for authentic, multi-disciplinary science immersion experiences for students.

Can you think of an anecdote that illustrates your answer to question #1 Since coming to the Priory I have run the summer science field study abroad program which is place-based, thematic, multi-disciplinary science curriculum. We have studied watershed ecology in Belize, sustainability and biodiversity in Costa Rica, coral reef ecology in Honduras, wildlife management in the Galapagos, and human cultural and biological diversity in Kenya. These programs are designed to be transformative, hands-on, rigorous, field-based learning and research, grounded in the culture and economics of a region. Each program pushes students just slightly outside their comfort zone intellectually, physically, and socially. Priory students continue to amaze me with their enthusiasm to work with scientists in the field, participate in homestay programs, volunteer with local schools, and work with each other. Even when tired after a long day in the field, students never shy away from trying new experiences during our evening programs.

Students have enthusiastically bathed in rivers, slept in bunkrooms in the rain forest, called to howler monkeys, tried new foods, and spoke foreign languages. In the Galapagos, students were offered the opportunity to “try on” (climb into) a Galapagos tortoise shell to better understand the size and weight of the tremendous shell. No one turned down the opportunity and students even managed to do push-ups while “wearing” their shell!

In reflecting on your time at the Priory, can you elaborate on what makes the Priory special for you.

What contributions you hope you’ve made, and what do you think is most special about your time here at the Priory?

Balance and community.

Balance Priory makes all of its decisions based on what is best for students and their learning. The idea of balance – Ora et labora – is the type of balance we want for our students in terms of their educational experiences at Priory and want in our students in terms of balance in their daily lives. As a faculty we want students in strive to be their best selves in their academic classes, while balancing extracurricular activities and family/friends at home. We want to educate the whole child.

Priory students continue to amaze me with their enthusiasm to work with scientists in the field, participate in homestay programs, volunteer with local schools, and work with each other.

40 Community Together we find strength and purpose in supporting one another. I see this every day at the Priory in our students’ interactions with each other and the way our faculty support our students.

I think some of my greatest contributions to the Priory are in supporting students who struggle in science to believe in themselves and their abilities. Helping students achieve the “aha moment” in which they suddenly understand a complex idea is exciting, however helping the student believe in themselves when they have self-doubt is even more rewarding, as it can be life-changing. I aspire to help students to believe in themselves and want to foster their curiosity and wonder in the natural world.

Which Benedictine value do you most identify with and why?

Integrity. I think integrity is a cornerstone of human development.

Start volunteering now. If you are interested in science as a career, you need to experience science outside of a textbook.

What advice do you have for students who are curious about pursuing a career in Science?

Start volunteering now. If you are interested in science as a career, you need to experience science outside of a textbook. Volunteer in a research lab, take an in-depth, hands-on lab course, intern at a zoo, aquarium, or museum, join a club, go to free lectures at the library – whatever you do – get involved. Come to Priory’s Science Friday lecture series bimonthly to learn from Bay Area scientists about cutting-edge research and their career paths. Once you volunteer and learn more about careers in science, you will be inspired to do the hard work required in science courses at the college level and beyond to enable you to work in the field.

What is your earliest memory when you first became interested in science? (or how did you become interested in pursuing science as a career as well as teaching?)

I became interested in science from spending time with my father, who is a retired surgeon. I spent many Saturday mornings at his office playing with simple medical tools and specimens in jars, while he made rounds (visited patients) in the hospital. I was also very curious about nature. My father is physically handicapped, so we were not able to go outside and play when I was a child. Instead, he would invite me to watch nature programs with him on television to bond. We would learn together and be virtually transported to foreign countries while watching National Geographic programs about ecosystems, animals, and the natural world. I was amazed and inspired to learn more about nature and the living world around me.

What do you find most fascinating about the field of science?

“Always we begin again”, our Benedictine motto, could also be thought of as the foundation of the scientific method. Problem-solving and critical thinking are skills that reach far beyond science as a discipline and relate to all aspects of life. I think these are life-long skills that can help a student become more self-confident and self-aware in their daily interactions. Resiliency, the ability to cope with, adapt to and overcome challenges, is intrinsic in the scientific method and essential in life.

I am fascinated with the breadth and depth of scientific knowledge, and the fact that it is ever expanding. I am also absolutely in AWE of the beauty and power of nature. I constantly want to understand more of how and why.

NEWS

MONASTERY

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Here are a few fun facts that you might not know about our men in black

Fr. Pius — Laszlo Horvarth • One of young Laszlo’s teachers in Hungary was Priory’s own Fr. Christopher.

• Borderlines were redrawn after WWII and Laszlo’s village was suddenly located in what is now Slovakia. So Laszlo often had to swim the Danube River to take school exams. This made his crossings quite daring — not to mention illegal. During one winter he walked across by hopping from one chunk of ice to the other.

• From the 7th grade on Laszlo tutored other children and thus earned his own tuition money. Fr. Pius credits this experience with his passion for teaching.

• Escaping Communist Hungary, Fr. Pius finished his university studies in Switzerland. After graduation, Rome sent word that he had been assigned to a church in Brazil. This was the LAST place he wanted to go. He didn’t want to go to America either, but heard that Fr. Christopher and three other monks he knew had started a school in California. He convinced Rome to send him to Woodside Priory School instead.

Fr. Maurus — Bela Francis Nemeth • Bela was nearly expelled from high school during his senior year for going to church. The Communists, an atheist government, forbade such activity for youth. Ultimately, he was allowed to graduate.

• At the age of 18 Bela found himself in the middle of the 1957 Hungarian revolution. As a result he had to abruptly leave Hungary before the authorities arrested him. Now a refugee, he had to find a new home. The refugee quota was full for the United States so he boarded a cargo ship bound for Canada. Arriving in Quebec, he and some friends joined a group of Hungarians and started to travel west. He eventually settled in Vancouver.

• Some of the jobs Bela had while in Canada: Strawberry picker, railroad laborer, lumberjack, and flower nursery attendant before coming to the Priory in 1964.

Fr. Martin — Joseph Anthony Mager • Joe grew up with a strong, blue-collar work ethic. He worked all through high school years as a grocery clerk. Then he landed a job in a meat warehouse — Jimmy Hoffa's union — where he enjoyed hefting full sides of beef.

• While attending college at St. Anselm, Joe joined the Army Reserves. There he learned to drive a tank and other large vehicles, establishing his love for operating heavy machinery. It was also during boot camp that he realized the ammunition in his rifle was designed to do one thing — kill people. This experience led him to a philosophy of pacifism.

• Fr. Martin was sent to Priory in 1975 along with four other monks from St. Anselm’s to infuse some younger American monks among the aging Hungarians.

• Fr. Martin used to enjoy riding his bicycle from Priory to San Francisco.

• Fr. Martin is famous for his wood craftsmanship. He has now built 31 grandfather clocks (of his own design) for the annual auction. He also built the pews in the Chapel, countless musical instruments, canoes, stylized bishops staffs called 'crosiers', and other fine wood items.

Watch full interviews about the lives of Fr. Pius, Maurus, and Martin in the documentary, “Being Benedictine”, available through Sean Mclain Brown, Director of Communications.

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Beyond the Brick

An investment in the Priory’s future.

It is a Priory tradition to create and install a commemorative brick for every senior whose family makes a donation of $500.00 or more to the Annual Fund. A symbol of the building blocks Priory has provided to launch our graduates into a world in need of their gifts. Each brick is inscribed with the graduate’s name and class year - tangible evidence of the mark each student has made on the school and the students who will follow in their footsteps.

Since 2012 a portion of senior parent gifts to the Annual Fund have been used to establish a Class Legacy Fund Endowment. These endowed funds are invested and remain intact until sufficient assets have been accumulated.

The Class Legacy Fund Endowment will provide the opportunity for a new generation of Panthers to reach beyond their grasp while at the same time, ensuring the long term strength and viability of the Priory.

A CLASS LEG CY FUND

Parting Shots Can you guess who this young musical fellow is?

Hint: he still is.

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Answer: Fr. Martin

Woodside Priory School 302 Portola Road Portola Valley, CA 94028 (650) 851-8221 fax (650) 851-2839

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Celebrating Our 56th Year

SAVE THE DATE! Reunion 2015 alumni weekend September 11th-13th 2015

Your classmates. Your memories. Your Priory.