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NEWS OF NOTE Haney Fellowships: Last summer, five students were selected as recipients of 2008 Haney Fellowships for independent summer study. The Haney Fellowships were created in 1998 by Bill Haney ’80, in honor of his mother, Irene, and his father, the late William Haney, Sr., long-time Portsmouth Abbey teacher, houseparent and coach. The 2008 Haney Fellowship recipients were: Lilli Donahue (pictured, center in white), who spent three weeks in the Caribbean participating in marine reserve studies through a program called Broadreach Academic Treks; Audra Foster, who spent two weeks at UC Berkeley in California attending a creative writing camp called Education Unlimited’s Emerging Writer’s Institute; Elena McCarthy, who traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she took a two-week photography course with a private teacher and studied in some of Buenos Aires’ most renowned photography galleries; Susan Skakel, who traveled to Haiti to work in a community outreach program teaching villagers in remote parts of the mountains to plant and cultivate trees, and working with the Sisters of Charity in Port Au Prince caring for abandoned and orphaned children; and Bobby Skolsky, who was accepted into Westminster Choir College’s highly selective High School Solo Vocal Artist program and spent two weeks of professional training in voice as well as music theory and acting.
Twenty faculty and staff members were honored with a gift and certificate of appreciation in September for their years of service to the School. The awards cited those who have worked at Portsmouth for at least ten years, with special distinction going to our esteemed history teacher J. Clifford Hobbins, who has inspired our students for more than 32 years. Awardees included: Cliff Hobbins (32 years of service), Robert Sahms (28), Nancy Brzys (26), Pam Gorman (26), Cleo Resendes (25), Mitch Kriner (25), Jimmy Walsh (25), John Perreira (23), Robert Rainwater (23), Daniel McDonough (21), Janice Brady (20), Paul Jestings (18), Blake Billings (15), Patrick Burke (15), Geri Zilian (15), Fred Zilian (15), Nancy Weida (14), Clarence Chenoweth (13), Derek Gittus (11), Roberta Stevens (10). Congratulations and thank you to these dedicated faculty and staff members!
effort exceeded all expectations, bringing in a record $10,402.98. The funds enabled the School to provide muchneeded coats, clothing and related items for 355 children and families in the Newport County and Fall River areas. The Clothe-A-Child program has been spearheaded each year since its inception in 1990 by the Infirmary and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).
Clothe-a-Child ’09 Sets New Record: The true spirit of Christmas was alive and well throughout the School community this holiday season, as the 2008 Clothe-A-Child
Holiday Concert Ushers in Christmas Season: The Abbey
Brayden and Trevor Gittus, sons of history teacher Derek Gittus, in front of the hundreds of boxed gifts of clothing purchased by the Clothe-a-Child students and school nurses.
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Singers, under the direction of Music Director Troy Quinn, brought holiday cheer to the campus in December as they presented a special Holiday Concert in the School Auditorium with the Ponaganset High School Chamber Chorus and members of the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy Bands.
P ORTSM O U T H A BB E Y S C HO OL