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T h e R i v e r s S c h o o l • F A LL 2 0 1 6
Riparian Learning Outside the Box
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Be Strategic: Make your Gift Count THE RIVERS FUND • 2016–2017
Vol. XXXI
Number 2
Editor
Christine Martin
Director of Communications and Stewardship Contributor
Jimmy Kelley
Communications Assistant P h o t o g rap h y
Jimmy Kelley, Chip Riegel, Anna Miller, Janet Ciummei/NortheastProPhoto, Joel Haskell, Jennifer Pipe De s i g n e r
David Gerratt
NonprofitDesign.com Printer
Signature Printing & Consulting Brian Maranian ’96
Head of School
Edward V. Parsons Director of Advancement
Krissie Kelleher A s s i s ta n t D i r e c t o r of Advancement
Heather Jack D i r e c t o r o f P ar e n t P r o g ra m s a n d Sp e c i a l E v e n t s
Amy Dunne Director of Alumni Engagement
Marc Stroum ’98
Rivers’ Strategic Plan outlines ambitious goals for the future, but you can help us reach them today. Every gift to THE RIVERS FUND impacts the Rivers experience now. Choose an area you would like to support— or make an unrestricted gift to fund Rivers’ highest priorities. Make a gift to The Rivers Fund at www.rivers.org/giveonline or mail your check or credit card information to Advancement Office, The Rivers School, 333 Winter Street, Weston, MA 02493
S e n i o r A d v a n c e m e n t Off i c e r
Janice H. Hicinbothem
The Rivers School 333 Winter Street Weston, MA 02493-1040 781-235-9300 www.rivers.org
Riparian: “One that lives or has property on the bank of a river or lake.” The Riparian is published twice a year for The Rivers School alumni, parents, students, faculty, and friends. To conserve resources, Rivers has consolidated multiple mailings addressed to the same household so that your home will receive only one copy. If you have reason to receive additional copies at your address, please call Chris Martin at 781-235-9300, ext. 230 Photo: “Leaving Us,” Margo Sugarman ’20
Riparian T h e R i v e r s S c h o o l • fa l l 2 0 1 6
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From the Head of School
Teaching Outside the Box
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alumni Events
Reunion 2016; Golfing for the Green; Summer Solstice
Features 7
Going Green, Growing Greens Lorraine Byrne ’17 spent her summer internship learning the essentials of planting, cultivating, and harvesting—not in a dusty field, but inside a 40’ x 8’ x 9.5’ shipping container.
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Campus News
The Edge Earns First Place; Robotics Team Tours Facility; Volleyball Launched; SISAL Art Awards; Music Ensembles Score Big; Presidential Service Awards; New Trustees; Faculty Enrichment Grants
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alumni profiles
Cara Nicoletti ’04 Jeff Talmadge ’64 Leslie Jackson Judge ’95 Lindsey Cronin Kittredge ’95
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All the World’s a Stage (and Classroom)
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Sampling Science this Summer
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For a decade, Rivers has placed rising seniors in internships at local medical and research institutions. Here’s a first-hand look at their life-changing experiences.
Alumni news
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Parents’ League News
Flying High at Up, Up, and Away Auction
Class Notes; Reunion Photos
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Class of 2016 Matriculation
ON the COVER
Lorraine Byrne ’17 in Freight Farm
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M essa g e from the H ead of S choo l
Learning Outside the Box By Edward V. Parsons
Just a few weeks ago we welcomed 489 students back to campus for our first full year under our new Strategic Plan. Throughout the summer and into the school year, we have been steadily moving forward with some of the initiatives growing out of the Plan as we continue to develop new programs and opportunities to enrich the student experience at Rivers across a range of experiences both in and out of our classrooms. As you will read in this Riparian, students across both divisions and in various disciplines are benefitting not only from the thoughtful integration of new experiential opportunities into our curriculum, but also from the generous support we’ve received from members of our community who are eager to give the Plan an exciting jump start. Middle School and science faculty are beginning the process of conditioning our own Freight Farm, a selfsustaining hydroponic farm capable of
eventually producing over 100 pounds of vegetables a week. Once complete, students will have the opportunity to learn about year-round farming, sustainability, and global food initiatives in an experiential manner. Students in the Upper School Human Anatomy and Physiology classes will be working this year in partnership with Harvard Medical School’s MEDscience initiative, a program that brings high school science students to the Medical School’s Robotics Lab for classes and hands-on training. Our teachers have re-built our Anatomy curriculum to take advantage of this transformative opportunity, and students in those classes will spend one class a week, starting this winter, with the teachers at Harvard’s innovative program. We’ve rolled out several new Interdisciplinary Studies classes— Entrepreneurship, Financial Investment Analysis (II), and Studio Explorations in Anatomy—this year, and continue
to explore fresh ideas for expand- ing that program across our entire student population. This summer, our internship program for rising seniors was expanded and we are in dialogue now with companies who are inter- ested in forging a connection with Rivers, so that we can continue to grow that program. Finally, we’re looking forward to our inaugural season of girls’ varsity volleyball, complemented by a learnto-play volleyball program. We’re also very excited about the groundbreaking this month for the new athletic field to be built at the end of Nonesuch Road. The field should be ready for lacrosse season and we’re very much looking forward to seeing it come online as the spring rolls in. As you can see, Rivers is in full gear as we implement the Strategic Plan. Please join us on campus soon and experience the excitement first-hand. � R
Students across both divisions and in various disciplines are benefitting not only from the thoughtful integration of new experiential opportunities into our curriculum, but also from the generous support we’ve received from members of our community. 2
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C am p us N ews
2015-16 Edge Staff
Cary Corkin ’69 and Robotics team
The Edge Earns First Place Award
Robotics Team Tours Manufacturing Facility
The Rivers Edge earned top honors in its division from the American Scholastic Press Association’s (ASPA) 2016 Scholastic Newspaper Awards last spring. The competition’s awards are based on a scoring system in which a publication can receive a maximum of 1000 points; with a total score of 950, The Edge earned a First Place Award and—as the highest scoring newspaper—was also named the 2015–16 Most Outstanding High School Newspaper for schools with an enrollment of 500 students or less. The paper scored higher than high schools from near (Kingston, MA) and far (Pasadena, CA). According to ASPA, The Edge was recognized as “an excellent school newspaper, which shows the creativity and journalistic knowledge of your editors, reporters, writers, photographers, layout/graphics designers, and advisor.” Editor-in-chief Silvia Curry ’16 and assistant editor Kate ReganLoomis ’17 led the newspaper’s talented staff of students, and Associate Director of Admissions Alex Stephens ’83 was the faculty advisor.
Thoughts of summer vacation didn’t keep members of the Rivers Robotics team from spending the last day of school in June visiting the Entwistle Company in Hudson, hosted by Entwistle president and Rivers alumnus Cary Corkin ’69. Accompanied by science teacher Yoshi Fujita and Assistant Director of Advancement Heather Jack, the students toured the manufacturing facility that fulfills corporate and government contracts for custom parts, producing everything from vehicle arresting barriers to hydraulic systems. Corkin showed the students around the floor of the plant where they were able to see specialized manufacturing processes and machinery that designs, fabricates, assembles, and tests a variety of industrial products. This is not the first time Corkin has hosted Rivers students. In 2014 visiting students saw the company assembling a Defense Department order for shipboard firefighting trucks for Navy aircraft carriers. Students enjoyed seeing some of the design challenges they’d been exposed to in Fujita’s Robotics and Engineering courses played out on a much larger scale. These science electives offer a hands-on, project-based exploration of topics using a “top-down”
approach to problem solving in mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil, and systems engineering, as well as training in the skills required by those disciplines.
Volleyball Launches Inaugural Season Rivers’ Athletic Department was pleased to announce the inaugural season of its girls’ volleyball program this fall. The product of several years of research and planning, the program provides female athletes at Rivers with another opportunity to participate and thrive in interscholastic sports. Coaching the varsity team will be Terence Rowe, who brings more than 15 years of coaching experience in the MIAA to the program. Coach Rowe is a math teacher at Brookline High School and is a coach for SMASH Volleyball, one of the region’s premier club programs. In addition to the varsity program, there will be a “thirds team” that will concentrate on the fundamentals of the game while playing a full game schedule. That program will be led by Theresa Albon, a new member of the science faculty who brings her experience in the sport from her tenure at The Taft School.
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C am p us N ews
Music Ensembles Score Big
Over the summer the floor of Benson Gymnasium was refinished to include post sleeves and lines for two cross-court volleyball courts for practices and one center court for games. The team will play a full varsity schedule this fall and compete in both the Independent School League (ISL) and New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC).
Students Garner 15 Art Awards—and Best of Show—at SISAL Rivers student artists had an impressive showing at the spring Small Independent School Art League (SISAL) annual exhibition, hosted this year by the Bancroft School in Worcester. Thirteen students received a total of 15 awards, and Audrey Connelly ’20 received Best in Show in the Middle School division for her drawing entitled “Ann Barnstable.” More than 400 entries were submitted by 17 participating schools in a variety of media, and were judged in two divisions—grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. Upper School students received one first-place prize, two second-place prizes, four third-place prizes, and four honorable mentions, while Middle
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“Ann Barnstable” by Audrey Connelly ’20 School students also had a strong showing, earning two first-place prizes and two second-place prizes. Recipients were: First Place: Audrey Connelly ’20, Brett Rahbany ’17, and Margo Sugarman ’20; Second: Robert D’Alessandro ’16, Vanessa Edgehill ’16, Keira Harder ’22, and George Reinhardt ’20; Third: Frank Ferrara ’17, David Freedman ’17, Missy Segall ’17, and Ben Snow ’16; Honorable Mention: David Freedman ’17, Emily Ruby Jean ’16, Brett Rahbany ’17, and Kate Regan-Loomis ’17.
The Rivers Big Band wrapped up a very successful year on the competition circuit by earning a Silver Medal in the Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education (MAJE) State Finals, while the Select 1 Combo was awarded a Gold Medal and the Select 2 Combo’s strong performance earned them a Silver Medal. Five of the musicians also received individual musicianship awards at the various competitions: Alex Gomez ’17, Michael Manasseh ’19, Joe Nedder ’18, Charlie Watkins ’16, and Zach Zheng ’18. Additionally, the Conservatory Program Vocal Ensemble earned a Gold Medal at the Massachusetts Instrumental & Choral Conductors Association Small Ensemble Festival. The eight-person Vocal Ensemble comprised of students in The Rivers School Conservatory Program received the highest possible rating, earning rave reviews from the judges. Not to be outdone by the Upper School, the Middle School Select Chorus competed in the annual Music in the Parks Festival and earned first place in its division. In addition, the Select Chorus also received a
Students Earn Presidential Service Awards
Select Combo 1 with their Gold Medal “superior” rating from the judges for the second consecutive year. Finally the Middle School Jazz Band brought home a Silver Medal from the MAJE Northeast District Junior Festival. Closer to home, Rivers Conservatory Program students claimed the top prizes in the A. Ramón Rivera Piano Competition. For the first time in its
26th year history, both prize winners from the competition’s “inside division” were students who are also students at Rivers. Simonida Spasojevic ’19 and Emilia DeJesus ’19 placed first and second in the competition, earning scholarships for their demonstrated excellence at the piano.
Seven Rivers students were presented with Presidential Volunteer Service Awards this spring for their work over the last 12 months. The Presidential Volunteer Service Award was established in 2003 with the goal of recognizing the contributions that volunteers make in their communities and encouraging others to do their part. The Award recognizes those who have achieved a certain amount of service hours over the past 12 months and fall into three categories based on the amount of hours. Recipients were: Gold Level (250+ hours): Holly Glass ’17 and Emily Shen ’18; Silver (175-249 hours): Chloe Smith ’17 and MacKenzie Larkin ’18; Bronze (100-174 hours): Eliza Baldini ’17, Zachary Lisman ’17, and Jianna Voghel ’17.
new trustees Helen Howard is an active member of the Rivers community, volunteering for Admissions events and the host family program. She earned an associate’s degree in finance from Northeastern University and continued her studies in finance and accounting management. An accountant at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, she previously worked in the private sector, mostly at John Hancock Financial Services. Helen has been a trustee of the Eliot Congregational Church of Roxbury, a volunteer for the Needham METCO program, and a member of the Commissioner’s Diversity Council. She has two sons, Kyle ’19, and Michael, a Latin teacher at Boston Latin School.
Alison Monaghan has been an involved member of the Parents’ League for many years, serving as a grade representative, a host family, and an auction volunteer. She and her husband Bill have co-chaired the parent Annual Fund and both participated in the recent strategic plan focus groups. Alison has bachelor’s degree from Duke University and an MBA from Boston University, and is involved in a number of charitable organizations including the Shackelford Family Foundation where she serves as Board chair, the Steppingstone Foundation, and the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. The Monaghans have three daughters at Rivers: Grace ’17, Maggie ’19, and Anna ’22.
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C am p us N ews
A Yurt of Her Own For the past several years, Middle School teacher Laura Brewer has enthusiastically embraced Rivers’ yurt as the perfect place to teach the seventh grade Humanities curriculum entitled “The World Through Story.” As students explore the power of stories to define both individuals and cultures, the yurt has been an off-stage character, drawing students out of their bricks-andmortar Western world and into a setting half a world away. This summer Brewer experienced first-hand the role of the yurt in Mongolian life as she spent two weeks traveling a country that she found to be “wonderful, friendly, and much more interesting than I had even imagined.” Her trip, funded by a Rivers Faculty Enrichment Grant, allowed her to meet various groups of people who live in Mongolia, including nomads, city dwellers, villagers, Buddhists, shamanistic herders, Muslims, and Kazakhs. Her experiences ranged from spending the afternoon with a Mongolian woman who herded yaks and cows and taught her how to make yogurt, to interviewing and giving
Middle School’s spring musical “Shrek Jr.”
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Laura Brewer in Mongolia feedback to university students in the capital city of Ulanbataar who were developing phone apps to improve communication. In between she visited the “reindeer people” in the mountains near Lake Khovsgul, nomads in a Kazakh town in the western province of Bayan Ulgii, and finally the Gobi Desert and Yol Valley.
In addition to Brewer, several other Rivers teachers received Faculty Enrichment Grants for summer travel and study. Assistant Head of School Jim Long undertook the Year of Mercy Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, while Middle School Humanities teacher Steve Paluseo spent three weeks visiting various Civil Rights sites. Ceramics teacher Tim Clark enrolled in a program at the deCordova Museum entitled “Engaging Vessels and Designing Environments in Clay.” David Tierney attended a retreat for organists at the Portageville Chapel in New York, Director of Scheduling and history teacher Carol Davidson participated in the Bennington Chamber Music Conference, and choral director Susan Emmanouilidis attended the Choral Singers Program with Chanticleer at Sonoma State University. Finally Humanities teacher Ari Kaplan participated in the Iowa Summer Writing Festival at the University of Iowa and English teacher and yoga instructor Mary Mertsch attended a yoga retreat at the Kirpalu Yoga Center in the Berkshires.
Going Green, Growing Greens
Pioneer (noun): a person who begins or helps develop something new and prepares the way for others to follow.
This summer Lorraine Byrne ’17 was a pioneer for the Rivers community in one of mankind’s oldest occupations—agriculture. She spent eight weeks learning the essentials of farming—planting, cultivating, and harvesting— not out in a hot and dusty field, but inside a 40’ x 8’ x 9.5’ shipping container at the corporate headquarters of Freight Farms in South Boston.
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ounded in 2010, Freight Farms outfits refurbished trailers with all the tools needed for high-volume, consistent harvests, including innovative climate technology and growing equipment. These self-contained, portable, hydroponic farming operations, which can achieve a perfect environment year-round, could eventually be located anywhere around the globe where traditional farming is a challenge, from city lots to arid deserts.
Now that her internship is over, Lorraine will be able to share her knowledge to help launch Rivers’ own Freight Farm. With the help of an enormous crane and some aerial acrobatics, the green and white shipping container was delivered and installed mid-summer on a concrete pad behind the Lewis Science Center near Nonesuch Pond. One goal is for the Freight Farm to provide experiential learning opportunities for Rivers’ seventh grade science classes, helping to
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“Education is rapidly changing, and it is so important to develop and maintain a curriculum that is hands-on and relevant to today’s world,” said Head of School Ned Parsons. “You couldn’t ask for a more cutting-edge teaching tool.” advance one of the key academic goals of the new Strategic Plan. “Seeing the Farm from the street, you would never guess that inside seeds are germinating and growing into beautiful bunches of lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, and herbs,” Lorraine reported early on in her internship. “After only a few weeks there, I was able to identify some of the different varieties of lettuces and leafy greens. After a harvest, it was so satisfying to make a big salad with the some of the freshest lettuce I have ever eaten. “Like all new Freight Farmers, I was walked through the ins and outs of the farm and the technology during Farm Camp. During my first week, I got to seed, transplant, and harvest— a small taste of what I would be doing for the summer. See- ing everything in the farm was intimidating at first, but it is amazing how user-friendly the technology is inside the Farm. “Most of my days were spent inside the Farm, completing all the day-to-day duties needed to keep the farm running smoothly. After a long and sticky commute, there was nothing better than getting to work in the cool air-conditioned farm amongst all the hanging heads of lettuce. Some of my tasks have included learning how to completely clean the Farm, doing some research about the effects of ethylene on fruiting crops, and checking data tables. “At the Headquarter Farm, large amounts of data are logged to figure out which varieties of crops will grow the best in a given closed environment,” Lorraine noted. “This data is used so that commercial Freight Farmers will be able to get the highest quality yield out of their farm. I’ve learned a lot about what crops can be grown in the same environment or even together, co-planted in the same tower. Everything inside the Farm is designed to maximize the space and the efficiency of the closed system. From the grow plugs, to the towers, to the seedling trough, it is interesting to see how every different piece is utilized and fits together.” In late August, seventh grade science teachers Sarah Freeman and Emily Poland, along with Science Department Chair Maureen Courtney and science teacher and internship coordinator Michael Schlenker, attended their own Farm Camp session, with Lorraine taking part in their on-site training. Rivers’ seventh grade science curriculum is a logical venue for incorporating the Freight Farm project since the focus is on life science and sustainability. In the course of the year, students are introduced to the study of ecology and investigate the complex interactions between all types of organisms and their environments. The Freight Farm can provide additional opportunities to study first-hand the life and nutrient cycles
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of plants, human influence (their own) on the environment, renewable and non-renewable energies, and sustainable living—topics which have traditionally been part of the curriculum. Trustee Todd Dagres first recognized the potential of bringing a Freight Farm to Rivers, and as a result of his generosity, Rivers is the first ISL school to host a “Leafy Green Machine” as they’ve been dubbed. Dagres is providing the funds necessary to install the container as well as operating expenses for five years. Freight Farm was founded by Jon Friedman and Brad McNamara to create the infrastructure for a local, sustainable, competitive food supply to thrive. Freight Farm systems are currently operating in cities across the United States and This is a short caption. Canada, creating year-round access to local, fresh produce Ideally, you willfor keep them restaurants, universities, corporate campuses, hotels, relativelysmall short throughout. businesses, and now a handful of schools. “Education is rapidly changing, and it is so important to develop and maintain a curriculum that is hands-on and relevant to today’s world,” said Head of School Ned Parsons. “You couldn’t ask for a more cutting-edge teaching tool. The Freight Farm will give the students a chance to grow plants in an innovative and sustainable way—and, as a nice bonus, provide the students and faculty with fresh lettuce and greens for lunch.” � R
Emily Poland calibrating the Farm’s temperature
Sampling Science this Summer For the past decade, Rivers has placed rising seniors in internships at local medical and research institutions. This summer’s experiences ranged from shadowing a clinical endocrinologist [Aliza Bloostein ’17] to working in the Simulation Lab at Children’s Hospital [Michelle Ryder ’17].
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t’s hard to know what this summer’s eight science interns value more—the projects they completed or the skills they mastered working side-by-side with professionals. One thing is certain— their experiences were life-changing.Throughout the summer, interns kept journals which capture their excitement and sense of accomplishment. Here is a selection of excerpts.
Cauley Reardon ’17: Bruker Daltonics “Prior to receiving my internship at Bruker, I had never even heard of mass spectrometry (MS) or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). But after mastering the basics, I spent the next month using the HPLC and MS machines to test urine samples for drugs. The project consisted of creating a method to use mass spectrometry to screen urine samples for various drugs prescribed for pain management, depression, and anxiety.
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“Along the way, I tested the method numerous times, changing things like collision energy (how much the ions will be broken up in the instrument) and concentration of the sample to see if the method would work even if the drugs were diluted to different extents. My boss and I made adjustments with every test and it wasn’t until the 52nd version of the method that we had something we could actually send to the company who contracted for the product. “After completing the project, I submitted an abstract to the SciX Conference in Minneapolis. If my work is accepted, I will go and present a poster with my data and conclusions at the conference in late September. It would be an exciting opportunity to share my work as well as learn about new developments in analytical science from scientists across the country. “I have truly surprised myself with how much I have learned these past six weeks. And I think it’s because when I wasn’t preparing samples in the lab or going over data, I was constantly asking questions. I realized very early on that I wasn’t going to get by just nodding and pretending that I knew what I was doing. I’m confident that this is a skill I will use in my future endeavors, science-related or not.”
Robert Gallo ’17: Brigham and Women’s Hospital Robotics Surgery “While I began the summer believing I would be researching solely within the medical field, I see now that research is really the combination of several fields to solve a problem. In the course of my research, I used various disciplines to achieve my goal, including physics, computer science, biology, and mechanical engineering. Since research is about problem solving, I spent my summer focusing on one problem: the accuracy of needle insertion procedures. Needle insertion is used to treat a variety of ailments, since it is not as invasive as traditional surgery, and accurately placing a needle is critical to effective treatment. “But my internship transcended basic research. Perhaps the key skill I came to understand during my internship is the mechanism of scientific problem solving. At Rivers, the process of the scientific method is at the heart of all science classes, and is used as the lens through which the world is viewed. After my experience in the lab, I see that, in a practical sense, the best way to solve problems or figure something out is under the paradigm of the scientific method. This paradigm first involves asking a question—in my case ‘How can a needle insertion device be built that is accurate and safe?’ “I found that the answers to many questions can be found in various published papers written by scientists. With this research, I was able to narrow down my problem so I knew precisely what had to be done. The staff that worked with me in the lab helped me learn the processes of research, and they were the most important factor in finishing it. With their guidance, I was able to finish the first cycle of the scientific method and build the prototype for my device.
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“Thanks to the strong collaborative environment the lab members have created, I learned the skills necessary for a scientist to succeed. Using the scientific method now has a new meaning to me, and I can successfully present my work in a professional manner.”
Nazeli Hagen ’17: Jackpine Technologies “I came to Jackpine thinking I knew something about computer science; it turns out I knew only the basics, the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to CS and software development than meets the eye; knowing the syntax and speaking the language is only the beginning. By the end of the summer, I was writing my own code. “One of Jackpine’s main projects is called CONS3RT, a hybrid cloud orchestration and service management software. When building a deployment in CONS3RT, you have the option to add a test to your build, essentially giving users the option to run different scans on the code in their software assets. My job was to add Sonar to the mix of test tools offered. Sonar is the free software Jackpine actually uses to scan their own code, so they thought it would be beneficial to offer the same software to their customers. “In order to integrate this test tool into the CONS3RT service, I had to write a program to install the software needed, run the scan, and store the resulting report in a specified location. Because I was able to look at and analyze current code, I was able to learn a lot about the structure of the code and how to make my own version of it. “Getting it to work was a whole other issue. Finally, after running several tests myself and much needed help from a couple of the engineers, I was able to import the test tool and
get it to work. Of all I did at Jackpine, that was my favorite project, because now there is actually code in CONS3RT with my name on it. “To have actually created something and to know that I truly made CONS3RT better has made this internship an experience I will never forget and something I will take with me into my future studies and professional career.”
Shahen Hagen ’17: Jackpine Technologies “After initial training in CONS3RT and in-depth learning about the technological side of Jackpine, I began researching their competitors in order to help develop their marketing strategy for the coming months. Jackpine Technologies has a DevOps approach to communication. At most technologies companies, developers and operational workers work separately. One group will tell the other to create code that will accomplish a certain goal, but in many cases the two visions of a product do not match up. Jackpine solves this problem by connecting developers and operational workers. “I researched advertising options, including sponsoring podcasts for the DevOps community and finding DevOps conventions that Jackpine could participate in. Lastly, I worked to find companies that Jackpine could partner with, which could use Jackpine’s superior security, and in return provide storage for Jackpine’s code. My research and conclusions all went into a marketing presentation that compares Jackpine to similar DevOps companies. This research helped me learn more about the company and about the advantages of using Jackpine, which led me to understand the importance of usability in the DevOps community. “This internship has been such a great experience. I have learned so much about working as part of a business and a team. The invaluable knowledge I learned at Jackpine will not just help me with my first job, but will help me throughout my entire professional career.”
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MEDscience for Anatomy Students Students in Rivers’ Human Anatomy and Physiology classes will participate in the MEDscience program during the second half of the year, travelling once a week to Harvard Medical School to experience simulated medical situations that dovetail with the human body systems they study. The goal of the MEDscience program is to encourage teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, and effective communication in the next generation of adults—skills essential in the practice of medicine, but also in every walk of life. Science teacher Jeff Meropol worked with MEDscience faculty this summer to effectively integrate
Thabi Khumalo ’17: Harvard’s MEDscience Program “Spending a week at Harvard Medical School taught me that healthcare is much more than saving lives,” Thabi wrote after her internship at Harvard Medical School’s MEDscience Program, a nonprofit organization geared toward educating high school students with an interest in STEM-related subjects. In addition to providing administrative support for the teaching team, Thabi worked extensively with their simulator dummy named STAN. “My role on the team was to set up STAN for the appropriate simulation and help manage him alongside the teachers,” Thabi explained. “STAN was controlled from a small room adjacent to the main classroom, where teachers spoke into a microphone pretending to be patients of various ages and genders, communicating to the students their pain levels and how they were feeling. Students then had to take an objective assessment of the patient, using the information on a monitor displaying heart rate, oxygen saturation, and other vital signs. “Watching simulations and learning how to effectively and compassion- ately take care of and diagnose a patient was a meaningful experience for me. I quickly learned that it is not only important to pay attention to what a patient is saying and feeling, but also to keep a patient calm and make them feel they are being well taken care of. Trust between a patient and caregiver is the most important part of hospital care. “Taking part in MEDScience helped me to not only explore my love for science, but it also allowed me to give back to the community in a way I never thought possible. I hope to one day work in a medical setting, and after my experience with MEDScience, I have essential patient and diagnostic skills to take with me.” � R
Rivers’ curriculum with theirs. By rearranging the order in which he and fellow science teacher Nick Jordan teach the various systems, they can prepare the students to maximize their experience at HMS. This fall they will cover the major systems that are not a focus of the program, like the skeletal and muscular systems, leaving the systems covered by the MEDscience curriculum until the second semester. Then, for instance, students will study the respiratory system in detail during the two weeks the MEDscience activities involve simulations of respiratory crises. The students will continue to be assigned labs projects at Rivers in addition to having this unique opportunity to train on the same simulators that doctors, nurses, and medical students use. This science initiative is being funded with a generous contribution from Rivers parents Nancy Adams and Scott Schoen.
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All the World’s a Stage (and Classroom)
Rivers has always encouraged students to explore the world beyond the confines of campus, sponsoring cultural, language, and service learning trips each year. This past year was no different, with venues that were new to students and chaperones alike.
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Serenading Croatia and Italy
orty-one members of the Upper School orchestra, jazz band, and chorus as well as six faculty members spent a week of spring break on a concert tour of Croatia and Italy, performing at four venues and enjoying the sights, food, and culture at each city and town they visited. The students were initially based on the east coast of the Istrian Peninsula in the Croatian town of Opatija, known for its blend of Old World culture and modern comforts. After settling in, the students toured two towns on the west coast of the peninsula—Rovinj with the eighth century Church of St. Euphemia and the tomb of St. Ephemius, and Pula where they saw a Roman colosseum and a fairly intact Roman forum. The jazz musicians spent the afternoon rehearsing for an evening concert in Pula’s old Military House before an audience which included students from the local conservatory’s big band. “The Croatians were given the night off from rehearsing to come hear us,” said David Tierney, director of The River School Conservatory and chair of the Performing Arts Department.
“They and their director were very (and appropriately) impressed.” The next day, the students travelled to Motovun, a classic medieval hill town located in the center of the peninsula where they photographed views from the old city walls, and tasted the cheeses, oils, and truffles the town is known for. Back in Opatija that evening, the orchestra and chorus performed at Villa Angiolini in one of its elegant salons. After four days in Croatia, the students travelled to Padua and Venice for the remainder of the trip. They toured Padua’s park, basilica, and university before an evening concert by the jazz ensembles at the Auditorio Cassa della Musica. The following afternoon, the orchestra performed at the Venice Conservatory of Benedetto Marcello, and spent their final days exploring St. Mark’s Square and the basilica, the Doge’s Palace, the Rialto Bridge, and the Murano glass blowers. “We’re excited now about exploring the possibility of setting up an exchange program with the director of the Venice Conservatory,” said Tierney after returning from the trip.
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Exploring Two Sides of China
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y plane, bus, and overnight train, nine Rivers students crisscrossed China for twelve days in June, experiencing everything from the high-rises of Shanghai to tofumaking workshops in the countryside. Accompanied by Chinese language teachers Chris Holownia and Fred Kosak, they visited some of China’s iconic tourist destinations, but also glimpsed life in rural China, including an afternoon at a Chinese school in Jianshui County where they tried out their Chinese and played a little pick-up basketball with their local counterparts. After spending their first days in Shanghai exploring the Bund, Old Town Bazaar, Nanjing Road, and Shanghai Museum, they flew to provincial Chengdu where they watched the locals fishing, playing majiang, and hawking their wares, and enjoyed the authentic Sichuan food so famous for its spicy hotness (麻辣). The group toured the giant panda breeding center where they saw both 大熊猫 (the giant pandas) and 小熊猫 (the smaller red panda variety), visited the giant Buddha (大佛) carved out of the rocky shore in Leshan, and hiked up a mountain to visit a Buddhist temple in Jiajiang county.
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“Perhaps most impactful of all was our experience walking around Leshan city after dinner one night and witnessing the local people (老百姓) dancing and doing tai chi for exercise,” commented Holownia. “It was gratifying to watch our kids interact with the children, practicing their Chinese, taking pictures, playing tag, and generally having a good time.” After a visit to Emei mountain (峨眉山) where the many religions of China interacted, the students boarded an overnight train to Kunming where they spent the day visiting a Chinese school and the legendary Stone Forest (石林). Finally they flew to Beijing and toured Tian’anmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall at Mutianyu, before a last sumptuous meal together at a local restaurant. “We all gained a better appreciation for just how many people live here when we encountered a monstrous traffic jam on our way back to Beijing after hiking on the Great Wall,” concluded Holownia. “It really crystalized for us the contrast between the rural and urban versions of China we’d explored during our trip.” � R
Pa r e n t s ’ L e a g u e A u c t i o n
Flying High at Up, Up, and Away Auction
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he generosity of the Rivers community soared to new heights at the annual spring Parents’ League Auction, raising more than $260,000 for professional development and student technology. Nearly 400 parents, faculty, and staff attended, enthusiastically bidding on hundreds of live and silent auction items, from Rivers- bedecked kayaks to Patriots tickets to a hot-air balloon ride. The evening was capped off with a final appeal to bidders to contribute seed money to support experiential learning initiatives at Rivers. Head of School Ned Parsons spoke about the life-changing potential of student experiences outside of the classroom, and more than $75,000 was raised to kick off these types of opportunities, a key goal of the new Strategic Plan. Co-chairs Lynda Voghel and Janet Correia, honorary chair Carol Kirson, and their committee chairs coordinated more than 100 volunteers over the course of several months, gathering auction items, scheduling table volunteers, and overseeing the venue set-up. Decoration chairs Lisa Larkin and Michelle Puntillo transformed MacDowell Arena into a jet-setter’s dreamscape, from runway lighting to billowing clouds. � R
Tony Solomons and Beth and Grant Freeland peruse the catalog
Co-chairs Lynda Voghel and Janet Correia
Decorations co-chairs Michelle Puntillo and Lisa Larkin
Determined bidding by Mike Thompson
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alumni events
Reunion 2016
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Chip Mandell ’66 and Si Balch ’66 look over the new Class of 1966 Current.
ivers began its second century with a reunion that will be hard to top. From a festive luncheon at the Head’s House for the Class of 1966 and their predecessors, through the reception and dinner in the evening, not a single smile or greeting went undocumented by camera or iPhone. presented to trustee Jamie Carlin ’81, who Head of School Ned Parsons was joined by his wife Susan and brothers Alumni Excellence Award kicked off the day with a presen- John ’83 and Matt ’84. He is also the father recipient Eric Shapiro ’86 tation at lunch about Rivers’ new of Rivers graduates Will ’15, Grace ’16, Strategic Plan, and history teacher and Maddie ’16. and archivist Dave Burzillo talked about Rivers since its Carlin served on the Alumni Council in the 1980s and move to Weston. Younger alumni and their families were 2000s, chairing his 10th reunion and serving on various treated to a barbeque lunch on Hutton Terrace while the reunion committees. He has been a sponsor and participant girls’ varsity lacrosse team took on Newton Country Day in the annual Rivers Golf Tournament and a member of the School and Red Key guides offered tours of the campus. Jarzavek Chair Committee. After serving on the Board’s Edu Reunion classes gathered for the evening cocktail cation Committee from 2008-2011, he joined the Board of reception under a tent on Carlin Green, before moving Trustees in 2013 and is a member of the Facilities Committee. inside for dinner and award presentations. The Alumni The Rivers Alumni Association also presented Mitch Excellence Award was presented to Eric Shapiro ’86 for Coddington ’73 with the Distinguished Service Award for his his achievements as a technology innovator and entreprework as a Decade Chair from 2004–2012 and an Executive neur, and for his philanthropic efforts to advance the use Committee member from 2012–2016. of technology in education, including his role in helping After four years of leading the Alumni Association, Larry Rivers start its 1:1 iPad program last year. Glazer ’86 stepped down from his post. Lisa Raftery ’93, The Rivers Cup, given annually to an alumnus who has one of the pioneering women of Rivers, became the first displayed extraordinary dedication to the school, was female president of Rivers’ Alumni Council. � R
Mark Klett ’71, Jeff Miller ’76, and Mark Kelly ’71 taking the ubiquitous selfie.
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Alumni: Allison Brustowicz, Jenna DiCicco, Elaina Bell, and Caroline Brustowicz, all Class of 2011
Alumni Achievement Award recipient Mitch Coddington ’73
Save the Date
Rivers cup winner Jamie Carlin ’81 (center) with Susan, John ’83, Matt ’84 and Nicole Carlin
Reunion 2017 — May 20
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alumni events
Golfing for the Green
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n Monday, May 9, Rivers alumni, parents, and friends came together at Charter Oak Country Club for the 16th Annual Rivers School Golf Tournament to Benefit Financial Aid. While golfers enjoyed spring sunshine and good camaraderie, the event raised funds to help deserving and qualified students attend Rivers. The success of the tournament is due in large part to the efforts of the Golf Committee, led by Marc Stroum ’98 and Ian Meropol ’98, and the generosity of the Daley Family—Pat ’84 P’13,’15,’18 and Fred P’12,’14,’16—who, once again, donated Charter Oak for the day. Lewis Robert P’16 was this year’s honoree in recognition of his commitment to the tournament. He joined the Golf Committee in 2011 and faithfully recruited players, solicited sponsors, and donated auction and raffle items. The foursome of Scott Barchard ’06, B.J. Dunne ’06, Interim Athletic Director Bob Pipe, and Rivers math teacher Keith Zalaski squeaked into first place with a score of 57. Over the past 16 years, the tournament has raised more than $1 million and has played a significant role in supporting dozens of Rivers students who have gone on to attend top colleges and universities around the world. � R
Co-chairs Ian Meropol ’98 and Marc Stroum ’98 with honoree Lewis Robert P’16 (center)
Tournament winners Keith Zalaski, Bob Pipe P’19,’22, BJ Dunne ’06, Scott Barchard ’06
Mike Aylward, Charlotte Lewis ’02, Jess Toochin ’01, Donny Nicholas ’01, JB Karelitz ’01, Tim Geary ‘02, Brad Karelitz ‘04
Ben Bloomstone P’06,’12, Lewis Robert P’16, Steve Sisselman P’13, John O’Brien
Andy Miller, Pat Daley ’84, P’13,’15,’18, Gary Todd ’84, Jim Corsi
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Summer Solstice What better way to welcome summer than Rivers’ annual summer social at Tia’s on the Waterfront?
Andrew Neuber ’11, Meghan Smith ’11, and Jonathan Garcia ’11
Julia Taylor ’12 and Caroline Griffin ’12
Jamie Lapides ’09, guest, Kaleigh Hunt ’09, Jacqueline Gannon ’09, Cathleen Connors ’09
Below: Steven Valair ’03, Tim Geary ’02 and Marcie Geary. Inset: Faculty member Karin Senior, Taylor Hoffman ’07, and Ashlee Cushing ’07
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alumni profile
Cara N i co l e tt i ’ 0 4
Butcher, Baker, Cookbook Maker
Cara Nicoletti and Jennie Jacoby
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had held this secret in my heart since I was a child—the dream of seeing my name in print,” confessed Cara Nicoletti ’04 last spring to an audience of her former teachers and Rivers students. What she probably didn’t anticipate as a child was that she’d fulfill her dream by combining her passions for reading and cooking into a cookbook that debuted last summer to a flurry of starred reviews, media coverage, and book tours that took her far from her Brooklyn kitchen. The Rivers community welcomed Cara back to campus in April to present her with a Young Alumni Achievement Award. Cara spoke at the allschool assembly about her love for
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literature and food, and how she has managed in the past decade to merge the two into a satisfying and successful career. Cara began by thanking several faculty members—Ms. Jacoby, Ms. Ligon, Ms. Loomis, Ms. Chase, and Mr. McVey—for encouraging her to study English literature and Latin at New York University. She recounted how, while living and studying in New York, she found herself working in restaurants as a way to make money during her off-school hours. “Logistically these jobs made sense—they were the jobs that were most flexible schedule-wise for a student, but the bustle of restaurants also felt comfortable to me,” Cara
said. “I grew up around the food industry—my grandfather and great grandfather owned a butcher shop in Newton, and we spent a good amount of time there when I was growing up. These restaurants, their warmth and hustle, felt familiar to me in a way that I badly needed as a homesick 18-year-old.” “I started at the front of the house, serving coffee, waitressing, bussing tables and washing dishes, and eventually weaseled my way into the kitchen,” she continued. “My first back-of the-house positions were in pastry kitchens—these were usually the easiest jobs for a young girl without any formal experience to get. When I started working in restaurants,
I assumed that my two lives—my life studying English and my life making and serving food—would be totally separate. I never expected that so much of my time in the kitchen would be spent talking to my co-workers about literature, and that so much of my time in the classroom would be spent talking about food.” “When I graduated in 2008, the economy bottomed out, and suddenly people were no longer asking me what I really wanted to do, they were asking me if we had any room in the kitchen,” she admitted. “No one could
handle, she launched a blog, called Yummy Books. “The blog also caught on faster than I was expecting it to, and after a few years of writing it, I was approached by publishers to write a book,” she said. “That book, Voracious, came out last August.” In between stops on her book tour with Voracious, Cara is work- ing five days a week as a butcher in Brooklyn, NY, and developing recipes with another cookbook author. A paperback edition of Voracious is currently in the works.
Literary Inspiration Rivers’ chef Michael Clancy continued the literature-food theme by including several recipes from Cara’s book on the lunch menu that day: clam chowder (inspired by Moby Dick), turkey breakfast sausage (Little House in the Big Woods), buckwheat pancakes (“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”), red flannel hash (“The Best Girl-
“I grew up around the food industry—my grandfather and great grandfather owned a butcher shop in NewtonThese restaurants, their warmth and hustle, felt familiar to me in a way that I badly needed as a homesick 18-year-old.” get a job, not even the people with the most prestigious college internships and connections, and I suddenly felt immensely grateful that I had honed a trade skill, that I was employable in a tangible way.” She also found herself sharing meals with her English-major friends, and was pleasantly surprised by how well-prepared all of the food was, and how seamlessly the conversation switched “from new books to new cast-iron skillets.” She eventually started a book club with her friends, for which she’d prepare a meal based on the book they discussed. They urged her to turn this idea into a supper club, and when the supper club became more popular than she could
Cara concluded her talk by acknowledging that, while high school wasn’t exactly an easy time for her, as an adult she is immensely grateful for the feelings and failures of those years, and for this place [Rivers] that was her home for four years. “The education I was given, both academic and otherwise, made it possible for my childhood dream to become real,” Cara concluded, urging students to write down what they are feeling now. “When you are 30 and well out of the woods of adolescence, I swear you will want to feel those feelings again.” � R
friend You Never Had”), and biscuits with molasses butter (To Kill a Mockingbird).
Created in 2014, the Young Alumni Achievement Award is given annually to a recent graduate who models the spirit and values of The Rivers School as set forth in our mission statement. Through professional, academic, and/or volunteer roles, the recipient has demonstrated leadership, excellence in his/her chosen career, and an interest in and commitment to serving others. Tim Geary ‘02 also received the award in 2016.
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alumni profile
Je ff Ta l ma d g e ’ 6 4
Seeking Sages
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hen Jeff Talmadge ’64 heard last winter that Rivers was looking for alumni to participate in its Sages and Seekers program, he was intrigued. Seven weekly meetings, paired with a Rivers sophomore, just chatting about life. He wasn’t sure what he might have to say, but he’s always enjoyed talking with young people, and he was interested in learning more about today’s Rivers students, so he decided to give it a shot. Every Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. he would join a class of Rivers sophomores for a quick icebreaker or two, before settling in to talk with his Seekers, Meghan Gazard and Sarah Bargamian [a few sages met with two sophomores]. “The icebreakers were wonderful, especially initially when you didn’t know who your Seeker was,” recalled Jeff. “Some of the questions posed during the icebreakers really made you think—they were so subjective— but the kids were not put off by that. I was so impressed by the maturity of
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“I was proud to be helping out, and I was proud of the kids. I’d do it again in a minute.” the kids, by the depth of their answers. But after a few sessions I found myself anxious to get to my one-on-one with my Seekers. “With Meghan, we immediately connected on the importance of family to each of us. She comes from a large, close-knit family and was anxious about the fact that many of her relatives would be moving away from her hometown during the summer. I shared some of my own experiences as a parent, of letting my daughter set off on a cross-country journey, even though I worried about her safety. On the other hand, Sarah seemed more interested in
my business—an online rental company called WeNeedAVacation. com—which is very much a family enterprise.” The Sages and Seekers program wraps up with a “tribute” session, where students read essays that they have composed based on the Sages’ lives and share what they’ve learned from them. Both Meghan and Sarah clearly were struck by the central role Jeff’s family has played in his life. “I was surprised in Meghan’s tribute by her perceptions about my parenting. I was touched that she attributed my son’s success as a parent to my having taught him how to be selfless and caring of others.” While Jeff admits his Rivers experience didn’t really play into their conversations a lot, the three did talk about what Rivers meant to him. He told them that he didn’t necessarily realize it at the time, or even in his 20s, but with distance he saw the impact Rivers had on him. “Being an alum definitely added an emotional level to the program for me,” Jeff concluded. “I was proud to be helping out, and I was proud of the kids. I’d do it again in a minute.” � R [Over the past decade, Sages and Seekers has become an essential component of Rivers’ English 10 curriculum. The program enriches their literary studies and enhances the teaching of writing, and has also had a profound personal effect on the individual students, fostering the development of empathy and social skills. If you would like to participate in the program next spring, please contact Assistant Director of Advancement Heather Jack at h.jack@rivers.org for details.]
alumni profile
L e s l i e J a c kso n J udge ’ 9 5
A Balanced Approach to Life and Food We talk about how pairing different nutrients in a meal or snack gives us more sustained energy and helps us concentrate better or run harder or practice longer.
For the past decade Leslie Jackson Judge’95 has been a registered dietitian and nutritionist whose work has ranged from counseling oncology patients, to writing a nutrition blog for mothers, to advising teenagers. Q: What has prompted your various career moves? A: I’ve always tried to pursue my interests at any given time while finding a balance between work and family life. After graduate school, I completed my clinical training at Newton-Wellesley Hospital (NWH), where I received a strong clinical background in nutrition. I was particularly drawn to oncology nutrition, and after working with acute care patients, transitioned into working with patients undergoing cancer treatment in the outpatient setting, helping them maintain their strength and nutrition status so they could successfully complete treatment. When a position opened at Dana- Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), I jumped at the chance to work there. In addition to caring for patients, I had a chance to give talks to the community and to Boston University nutrition students, which I enjoyed immensely. I finally decided to leave DFCI and work in private practice to allow myself a better life-work balance, and more opportunities to teach. When Rivers’ Director of Counseling and Wellness Ben Liston approached me to see if I’d be interested in expanding Rivers’ existing wellness curriculum to include nutrition classes in the middle school, I was thrilled at the idea. Rivers was (and is) really cutting-edge—it is pretty rare to find middle and high school students receiving nutrition education.
Q: What is your underlying message for Rivers’ Middle Schoolers. A: The Middle School Nutrition 101 curriculum provides the students with a solid foundation in nutrition science, starting with a discussion of the macro and micro nutrients and their roles in the human body. We identify foods that contain these nutrients and talk about how they are digested and what that means in terms of hunger and satiety. Then we branch off and discuss how the food choices we make affect our day-to-day lives. They learn how to read food labels and understand claims made on packaging. We talk about how pairing different nutrients in a meal or snack gives us more sustained energy and helps us concentrate better or run harder or practice longer. Q: How does your advice to Rivers’ athletes differ from the Middle School curriculum? A: After covering the basics, we quickly focus on how to adequately fuel before, during and after sporting
events and practices. We talk about concepts that are relevant to athletes —things like hydration, preventing muscle cramps, timing of meals, muscle building and recovery to name a few. Q: What are the basic tenets you teach that we all could benefit from? A: You could say I’m an all-inclusive dietitian. I always try to convey that what we eat the majority of the time is most important and so we should be picking good, quality foods—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts/seeds, legumes, lean proteins, etc.—for good health and to prevent disease. I believe that good nutrition should be a lifelong pursuit so when I work with clients, my initial work is to steer them away from the latest fad diet and towards small, realistic steps to change current habits. I believe we need to have balance and room for enjoying foods without feeling guilty about it. The balance part is important to me. Food is love, after all. � R
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alumni profile
L i nd sey Cr o n i n Ki ttr e dge ’ 9 5
Developing the Touch
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t the intersection of sports and service is a place where athletes take the lessons they’ve learned and put them to work for the betterment of their community, their country, and their world. Lindsey Cronin Kittredge ’95 has been living in this space for the better part of the last decade through her non-profit organization, Shooting Touch. Shooting Touch uses the power of basketball to empower young people around the world and approaches this goal on two fronts: social development and basketball. Since 2007, Shooting Touch has served more than 11,000 youth globally with the bulk of its programming taking place in Rwanda and Boston. For Kittredge, Shooting Touch blends two of her biggest passions— sports and service—and incorporates aspects of both her time at Rivers and as an athlete at the University of Vermont.
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“Sports was a huge part of my experience at Rivers,” Kittredge said. “The emphasis at that time was on how important it was to participate in athletics and I found a lot of opportunities to succeed. The faculty really exemplified what it meant to go the extra mile for their students, but it wouldn’t be until much later in life that I was able to appreciate that.” The 1995 recipient of the Priscilla Wallace Strauss Athletic Prize, Rivers’ top award for female athletes, Kittredge matriculated at the University of Vermont where she was a member of the women’s D1 lacrosse team and dove headlong into the service opportunities they offered. “I went to Guatemala with a Habitat for Humanity trip that really opened my eyes to the needs of countries around the world,” Kittredge said. “I majored in child development and nutrition and knew I wanted to understand and help at-risk kids, but didn’t really know how to go about it.” After UVM, Kittredge spent time abroad in Australia in the public relations field before returning to Boston and working in PR and real estate. While she found success in those fields, she struggled to grasp the “why” of what she was doing professionally. Around this time, her husband, Justin, left Reebok where he had been director of basketball product, and was spending a great deal of time coaching and creating a grassroots basketball program in South Boston. As that grew to include social development initiatives and the need for this programming became evident, both Lindsey and Justin realized they really were on to something. Since then, Shooting Touch has seen a meteoric rise in both its impact and
its reach, creating sport-for-development programming in four different countries, with their international programming headquartered in Rwanda. “Our overseas program, the Basketball Health Corps, uses the power of sports to mobilize youth to absorb an education they normally wouldn’t receive. Sixty-seven percent of the population in Rwanda is under the age of 25, which makes our work there that much more important. We’ve built five courts in five villages, employed and trained over 20 coaches, created the country’s first youth basketball league, and most importantly provided health education on diseases like malaria, HIV, and water-born epidemics for over 700 youth. Recently we launched an initiative where we provide our players and their families with health care coverage. If our kids are sick, they can’t play. Our programming around basketball is literally saving children’s lives.” Shooting Touch recently launched its latest program, G3 or Getting Girls in the Game, bringing together the Boston Police Department and 75 middle school low-income females from Boston’s charter schools to “provide a safe, supporting, sportbased response to barriers in girls’ health, self-esteem, and access to regularly scheduled physical activity.” “We have found great partners in the BPD and the Epiphany School in Dorchester—among others—to bring the work we have been doing abroad back home. It really is a barrier breaker, and I can’t wait to watch it grow.” � R Learn more about Shooting Touch by visiting www.ShootingTouch.com.
alumni news
Robert Achorn, ’35 celebrated his 100 birthday with family and friends on September 12. Bob, who has eight children, served in World War II as a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy 1940-1945, and then was a Commander in the USNR. His daughter Julie said he still drives and plays golf! He has remained in close contact with, and been a faithful supporter of, Rivers throughout the years. Congratulations, Bob. Robert Hiden ’51 shared fond memories of his brief tenure at Rivers in 1943. “Mrs. Cox was a wonderful teacher and she greatly eased my introduction to Rivers, although I have vivid memories of my first day when she gave a science test. I hadn’t had science before, but to my amazement I scored 100. Mr. Sheehan was our Athletic Director and I remember boxing matched under his supervision with Rennie Little.” Dave Lamb ’58 David S. Lamb ’58 passed away on June 5, 2016. He was a reporter for major newspapers including The Milwaukee Journal, the Okinawa Morning Star, the United Press International in San Francisco, and The Los Angeles Times. His reporting and research produced books on twentieth-century Africa; Arab culture, religion and politics; major league baseball; the American heartland; and Vietnam. He earned numerous awards, including Nieman, Alicia Patterson and Pew Fellowships, and was named Rivers’ 2002 Alumni Excellence Award recipient. Mark Kelly ’71 is finishing his 20th year as the head of school of Annunciation Orthodox School in Houston, Texas. AOS is a co-ed private day school of 685 students, grades preschool through grade eight. “During my time as head,
the school was one of the first schools in Houston to add lacrosse teams for both boys and girls.” Bill Conover ’85 reports, “Back in early May, Kevin Hurley ’85 and I met up for an awesome jazz and Red Sox weekend in New York City. My daughter Nellie’s high school jazz band was in the Essentially Ellington competition at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Sox were in town to play the Yankees. Couldn’t have been a better combo: jazz, baseball, amazing restaurants and just catching up with a great Rivers friend!”
Dan Lane ’04 with Jane Rather
Dan Lane ’04 was married to Jane Rather on August 13 at the Stamford Yacht Club in CT. Bill Conover ’85 and Kevin Hurley ’85 in NYC Bill Bullard ’86 was promoted to Fire Chief of the Graton Fire Protection District in January 2016. Bill continues to serve as the Senior Vice President for The Abaris Group, a healthcare emergency services consulting firm. Alicia Kutner ’03 (now Goldenberg) was recently married to Ted Goldenberg. Grady O’Gara ’03 and his wife Kathleen welcomed a baby boy, Rowan O’Gara, into the world on July 19. Devin Ferreira ’04 got married to Abby McMillin in Michigan last month with many Rivers alumni in attendance.
Rachel Gorman ’05 emailed, “I’ve graduated grad school! I finished the New England School of Acupuncture with a master’s degree in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and will be a licensed acupuncturist as of September 15. I am joining an existing practice in my hometown of Hopkinton, MA called Root & Branch Oriental Medicine.” Nicki Hunter ’05 was married to Michael Schwab at the New England Aquarium on August 27, with several Rivers classmates in attendance. Greg Clifford ’08 got married on June 18 in Lenox, MA to Sarah Goodkind continued on page 2 8
Disclaimer: Rivers welcomes Class Notes from alumni about their jobs, travels, weddings, and births, but does not print information about engagements and pregnancies. Rivers assumes submissions come from the alumni claiming responsibility for them and that they accurately communicate personal news.
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alumni news
1956: Lee Supper and John McConchie
1971: Front: Mark Kelly, Robert Sacks. Back: Ross Palioca, Eric Shaw, Doug Dame, Jack Jarzevek (former faculty), John Graham , Jerry Cohen, Stan Soloway, Mark Klett.
1956: Art Calfee and Steve Alpert
1976: Charlie Lilienthal, Bob Berkman, Jeff Miller, Monty Lovejoy, Bill Miller, Bill Scher, Cliff White, Alan Prince, Stu Montgomery, Marty Nager, Bob Finnegan, Mike Polakoff (former faculty)
1986: Josh Motta, Larry Glazer, Eric Shapiro
1966: Front: John Lafferty, Tom Swaim, Court Dwyer, Si Balch, Rod MacPhie, Bruce Sedgwick. Rear: Warren Ferguson, Jack Willis, Bob Williams, Donald Fairbairn, Chip Mandell, Steve Cline. Not in photo: Peter Foss 26
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1991: Russ Corsini, David Beaver, Frank Twarog, Carolyn Kavanagh-
2001: Carla Manganaro Hurley, Lisa Townley, Samantha Bailey,
1996: Brian Maranian, Jonathan Black, Scott Bartfield, Roy MacDowell,
2006: Front: Dan Bloomstone, Ilan Rodriguez, Colin Butler, Brian Davis,
Gaither, Andrew Kluter, Jon Croopnick
Steve Baldini, Adam Barr
Jason Medeiros
Julia Auster. Rear: Justin Real, Scott Barchard, John Corridan, Evan O’Brien, Zach LeBlanc, Harry Curme, Will Lawton, Masha Dumanis.
2011: Front: Meghan Smith, Samira Yazdanseta, Annie Reardon, Robyn Seresky, Emily Burlingham, Sara Berthiaume, Michelle Durand, Anna Teng.
Middle: Abby Gilmartin, Marissa DelFavero, Becca Greiff, Margo Seresky, Margaret Taylor, Stephanie Lie, Rebecca White. Rear: Connor Dempsey, Sean Gannon, Brendan McNeill, Jonathan Lin, Alex Bunick, Jon Garcia, Jenna DiCicco, Mike Oser, Allison Brustowicz, Caroline Brustowicz, Elaina Bell, Eric Newman, Cara Vanin, Ryan Yurewicz, Mitchell Newcomb, Aaron Behr, Elliot Berman, Charlie Harrison, Andy Gelb, Tanner Powers.
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alumni news
Cristina Lepore Callahan ‘05, Nicki Hunter ‘05, Elizabeth Kohn ‘05, and Lauren Fink ‘05
Michael Swersky ’04, Tim Choate ’04, Will Harris ’04, Brendan Harty ’04, Jennifer Grabler ’04, Jake Olin ’04, Jen Parisi (Jake’s fiancee), Maggie Petri ’04, Abby (McMillin) Ferreira, Brian Mascia, Devin Ferreira ’04, Dave Newman ’04 Nemir Award for Excellence in Pediatrics, was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society, and graduated with honors in research. She will be pursuing residency training in pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, one of the top ranked pediatric hospitals in the country. Marco Eberth ’10 recently relocated to Los Angeles, CA. He was promoted to a senior project engineer with Suffolk Construction, and is currently managing the construction of four towers on Sunset Boulevard.
(now Clifford). “In attendance was dear friend and coach Darren Sullivan, groomsman Derek Kelliher ’08, best man Christian Clifford ’04, and maid of honor Nicolette Clifford ’03. We were joined by many classmates throughout various grades.”
Andrea Schweitzer ’10 emailed, “I’m just finished up my second year in law school at Vermont Law. I’m working towards my JD and a master’s in environmental law and policy. I worked as a summer associate at McLane Middleton’s Manchester office this summer. I am hoping to work in their Woburn office, right off 128 in the same building as Strega Prime, after I graduate. Hope Rivers is doing well!”
Olivia Frosch ’08 graduated from New York University School of Medicine on May 18. She received the Rosa Lee
Taylor Cross ’12 just started her nursing career at Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in Lebanon, NH.
Nicki Hunter ’05 and Michael Schwab
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Marissa Birne ’15 was a summer legislative intern in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and winner of their Summer Intern Essay Contest.
In Memoriam F. Gorham Brigham ’33, Sept. 1, 2016 Lawrence Eastman ’37, July 9, 2016 John N. Fiske ’49, June 12, 2016 David S. Lamb ’58, June 5, 2016 William D. Liddell ’86, Dec. 19, 2015 Deborah S. Petri, Librarian, Sept. 20, 2016 Thomas R. Standwood ’57, March 5, 2016
The Rivers gang celebrating with Greg Clifford ’08 and Sarah Goodkind
Class of 2016 College Matriculation Elizabeth Andre University of Richmond
Courtney Drucker University of Michigan
Matthew Appelbaum Indiana University at Bloomington Theodore Bakas University of Massachusetts at Lowell
Vanessa Edgehill Boston University
Sarah Baker Georgetown University Jackson Barno University of St. Andrews Francis Boie College of the Holy Cross Eleanor Branka Connecticut College Ashley Brown George Washington University Maria Burzillo Harvard University Cara Callahan Bryant University
Samantha Estes Connecticut College Katherine Everett Hamilton College Abby Finn University of Delaware Lucas Florence Washington University in St. Louis Kaitlyn Foley Boston College Benjamin Freeland Colby College Hans Gabriel Colby College Samuel Goldberg Clark University
Christian Capello Bowdoin College
Claudia Gormley University of Colorado at Boulder
Grace Carlin Villanova University
Michael Gurska Junior Hockey
Madeleine Carlin Elon University
Jacob Harris Colgate University
Marcie Lowenstein Tulane University
Isabel Sharpe Tulane University
Connor MacIsaac Washington and Lee University
Alexandria Sidell University of Edinburgh
Elizabeth Magnan Connecticut College
Colby Slifka Georgetown University
Caleb Mahoney Ohio State University
Julia Slifka Georgetown University
Ellen Marius Barnard College
Benjamin Snow Middlebury College
Jack Marsjanik Oberlin College
Jacob Solomons Northwestern University
Edward Martin Boston College
Julia Sprofera Wake Forest University
Alexandra Masiello St. Anselm College
Natalia Sprofera Wake Forest University
Maggie McCabe Babson College
Julia Thissell Providence College
Madelyn McEachern University of Michigan
Kendall Trovato Boston College
Tan Miller University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Marlayeeka Valcourt Northeastern University
Edgar Miranda Hobart and William Smith Colleges Victoria Nedder Dartmouth College John Pappas Wake Forest University
Ross Carter California Institute of Technology
Brooke Heinsohn Duke University
Rashelle Centeio University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Jonny Park University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Itsva Hernandez University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth
Ryan Parsons Bucknell University
Peter Ciccarelli Junior Hockey Scott Correia Lehigh Univesity Silvia Curry Tufts University Robert D’Alessandro Northwestern University Jessica Daley Furman University Kaitlin Davidson Villanova University
Lauren Heuer Williams College
Emily Jean Pitzer College Anne Jennings Georgetown University Yelim Kim Northwestern University Jack Kolis Tufts University Grace Lees University of Michigan
Samuel Denomme Wake Forest University
James Letterie George Washington University
Timothy Dick Georgetown University
Jacob Levin University of Michigan
Alice Pingeon Bates College Clara Pingeon Trinity College Caitlin Reardon Washington and Lee University Jason Robbins Syracuse University Andrew Robert Syracuse University Gabriela Romero Tufts University Emily Saperstone Vanderbilt University
Adrienne Vanderhooft Boston College Olivia Vettel Miami University, Oxford Jasen Voghel University of Massachusetts at Amherst Justen Voghel University of Massachusetts at Amherst Derek Wang The Julliard School Charles Watkins Johns Hopkins University Elizabeth Webber Williams College Jacob Werrick University of South Carolina Alana Willsey Boston College Roger Wirkala Worcester Polytechnic Institute Christine Yang Cornell University Lincoln Zaleski College of William and Mary
Natalie Schoen Yale University
fall 2016
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The Rivers School
333 Winter Street Weston, MA 02493-1040
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Rivers admits academically qualified students of any race, religion, sex, disability, or national origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally available to its students. Rivers does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, color, ethnic, or national origin in our admissions policies, educational policies, financial aid and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.
Please notify us if your phone number, mailing address, or email address changes so that Rivers can stay in touch with you and your family. Contact Cheryl Malcolm at 339-686-2239 or c.malcolm@rivers.org.
