the bulletin - Fall 2022

the bulletin

A LEGACY OF TRAILBLAZING YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TEACHING THOSE WHO COME NEXT

FALL 2022

contents 4

Around Campus

Updates, cheers, and wonderous happenings from around campus.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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The Potential Power of WOM

Director of Enrollment Mara G. Kohls discusses the benefits of generating buzz for the School.

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Letter from the Head of School: Trailblazing

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Class of 2022

14

Class Notes

16

In Memoriam

17

Coda

Cover photo: Matthew Cavanaugh

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A Legacy of Trailblazing

Examining a long tradition of blazing trails among Stoneleigh-Burnham students and faculty.

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Alumnae Spotlight

Meet a photographer & author with a passion for people, a corporate pilot who learned to fly while at SBS, and a young aerial straps performer living in the world’s circus hub.

STAY CONNECTED WITH SBS. Tag us on social media! Use the hashtag #SBSOwlsForLife Instagram.com/sbschool Instagram.com/StoneleighBurnhamAlumnae Instagram.com/SBSequestrian

Vimeo.com/StoneleighBurnham

@sbschoolorg

LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SC HOOL

I

love to hike in the beautiful woods and hills of the Pioneer Valley, and I’m always grateful to the folks who set and maintain the trails, making and keeping the way open for others. Their trailblazing makes it easy for more people to experience the beauty of the natural world. Sometimes when I am hiking, I wonder how the trailblazer knew how to navigate the woods and how best to set the trail. I know that some hikers are able to see things in the woods that others miss, and they envision a way through snags and stumbling blocks on their way to a beautiful destination. Trailblazers must start from a single spot, constantly assess their progress and the way ahead, look to all sides, and take their focus through one hurdle to the next hurdle and beyond. All along the way, they must keep the eventual destination of the trail in mind.

Trailblazing is a special kind of leadership and it starts with a single idea. The trailblazer often works as an individual. The trailblazer inherently believes in the power of the future: that even if the present course is arduous, those who come afterwards will benefit from their efforts.

For our purposes here at StoneleighBurnham, I think of trailblazing as venturing into unknown territory and marking a path for others to follow. Trailblazing in this context definitely describes the passionate and determined work of SBS alumnae and our current students. Here too, trailblazers must start with an idea, a passion to reach an outcome, and then they must set intermediate goals, consider and overcome a wide variety of challenges, and re-center and move forward to the desired destination.

Active trailblazing is inherent in the culture of SBS. This school of modest size and lengthy history has long been a place where trailblazing has been central to the School’s identity. Our alumnae, from Mary A. Burnham and Stoneleigh-Prospect Hill, as well as those from more than 50 years of our modern StoneleighBurnham School, are trailblazers. When I talk with them, I am continually impressed by how they have made their way and thrived in new and complicated environments. I am grateful for their efforts to make a way for others to follow; their passion, commitment, and generosity of spirit always comes through.

In our work with current SBS students, we are committed to helping them become trailblazers.

Trailblazing We support them as they:

• Develop an understanding of the world and their ability to impact their community.

• Develop their voices to communicate authentically and powerfully about their idea.

• Think critically and stay focused as they strategize, plan, implement, and adjust.

• Connect by building relationships and helping others move forward too.

In this bulletin you will read about many SBS trailblazers. In each instance, our alumnae found something they cared about, accessed their voices, thought critically, and connected with others. Whether you’re a trailblazer or one who benefits from their work, I hope you enjoy the journey through the pages.

Stephanie Luebbers Head of School

Facebook.com/sbschool Facebook.com/StoneleighBurnhamAlumnae Facebook.com/sbsequestrian

@sbsconnect.org

the bulletin | Fall 2022

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A RO U N D C A M P U S

EDITOR

Charles L. Greene II

Director of Marketing and Communications EDITORIAL BOARD

Stephanie Luebbers Head of School

Susan Mattei

Director of Advancement

Amanda Mozea

Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Kathleen Tuck Fontaine ’83

Associate Director of Advancement

Brittany M. Weiss

Marketing and Communications Manager A DV I S O RY G RO U P

Sam Sattin Torres ’08

Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Cole Whitaker

Assistant to Head of School & Special Projects Manager CONTRIBUTORS

Joyhdae Albert ’01

Stoneleigh-Burnham School Board of Trustees

Mara G. Kohls

Director of Enrollment Management

Nick Noble

Freelance Writer DESIGN

Penny Michalak PHOTOGRAPHY

Matthew Cavanaugh

Matthew Cavanaugh Photography

Tamara Solomson Big Bad Fly Films

Candace Morgan Hope Photographer and Producer

the bulletin is published two times a year by Stoneleigh-Burnham School, 574 Bernardston Road, Greenfield, MA 01301. Printed by Hadley Printing, Holyoke, MA on 10% post-consumer recycled FSC certified paper with vegetable-based inks

We’d like to know what you think!

Do you have story ideas? Send comments on the bulletin and story ideas to communications@sbschool.org

Change of address?

Please send change of address to advancement@sbschool.org

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Stoneleigh-Burnham School

D I V E R S I T Y, E Q U I T Y & I N C LU S I O N

A Place for Everyone AFFINITY GROUPS provide safe spaces for

participants to share their experiences, challenges, and successes by engaging with individuals who share similar interests, backgrounds, and experiences. It is often the case that affinity groups can be places of self-awareness, pride, community, and development of self-esteem in ways that might not be possible in more broadly attended groups or clubs. During the 2021–2022 school year, students continued to run three long standing groups while adding a fourth.

Research suggests that academic performance and AFFINITY GROUPS* community cohesion all MULTICULTURAL increase when individuals CLUB (MCC) can voluntarily gather and for international students engage in conversations STUDENTS OF about how they might COLOR (SOC) address the structures that for students of color push them to the margins.

GENDER AND In turn, these conversations SEXUALITY can also provide impetus ALLIANCE (GSA) to push the School to be for LGBTQIA+ students increasingly inclusive and NEW! LEARNING focused on justice.

DIFFERENCES AND Amanda Mozea, NUERODIVERGENCE ALLIANCE (LDNA) Director of Diversity, Equity for neurodivergent & Inclusion, described students, both diagnosed these groups’ current and and undiagnosed future impact on the SBS campus: “All of these groups together form a distinct Community Alliance. We would love for the students to start engaging across the intersections of these groups while occasionally opening up spaces for the broader community to facilitate learning.”

Ms. Mozea works with the heads of the various groups on developing leadership skills and on finding ways for the groups to come together on a variety of community-focused initiatives.

*List of Affinity Groups for 2021–2022 School Year

© shutterstock/alexmillos

A RO U N D C A M P U S

ON JUNE 4, 2022, Stoneleigh-Burnham

Class of 2022

School celebrated the 153rd commencement ceremony, marking the conclusion of the 2021–2022 academic year. 23 seniors graduated from SBS in a beautiful ceremony that took place on the Oval. The celebration opened with a welcome from the Senior Class President, McKenna Goodson ʻ22 saying, “Thank you for making me laugh, challenging me, helping me (even when I was too stubborn to ask for it), and caring for me.” In the Senior Class Address, Breanna Ellison ʻ22 thanked her classmates for a great six years and challenged them to “Become the greatest in everything that you do, work until youʼre satisfied, and then some.”

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Chair Dr. Mary Maloney ʻ69 offered congratulations and acknowledged the marking of a new chapter in life, offering the first welcome to the class to return for reunions.

While acknowledging the grace with which the graduating class had faced the challenges of the previous two years, Head of School Stephanie Luebbers offered the following: “Without getting philosophical, I hope you will continue to find respite and renewal, both in your own space and with others, by enjoying simple things, as you have often done here on campus.“ Kara Fagan, the Chair of the Humanities department and this yearʼs Commencement Address speaker, offered the graduating class advice by way of a gardening metaphor: “Gardens are full of wonder, and each of us has the power and creativity to, in some way, make the world better and more beautiful.”

the bulletin | FALL 2022

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A RO U N D C A M P U S

THE MUSICAL

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee This winter, the Stoneleigh-Burnham Performing Arts team presented The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a musical by Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn, on the Emerson Hall stage. The show, which centers on a fictitious middle school spelling bee, has become well known for selecting audience members to participate in early rounds of the spelling bee. A particular highlight of the SBS performance was a cameo by Head of School, Stephanie Luebbers, appearing as a slightly less than successful bee participant.

Liz Vollinger, one of three faculty/staff directors for the performance, described the entire experience: “Our students are just plain fabulous. They worked so hard to pull this off, and the result shows on stage.”

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A RO U N D C A M P U S

SBS Dressage Returns to IEA Nationals

Continuing in a long line of the School’s equestrian success.

It has been 20 years since StoneleighBurnham School competed in Dressage within the Interscholastic Equestrian Association. In 2002, when StoneleighBurnham School won the team National Championship, it was called the Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Equestrian Association.

When asked about this year’s performance, Coach and Program Director George Halkett remarked, “At the start of the 2021 – 2022 school year, a student wrote me a compelling letter to ask if we were able to start an IEA Dressage team. Along with Assistant Coach Abby Milewski, we decided that we could put together a team. That said, this is a team effort that includes all SBS staff and instructors as we all play a part in teaching the students.”

Over the course of the year, SBS competed in regional competitions, accumulating points to qualify for the Regional Championships

held on March 6, 2022. The SBS team came away as the Reserve Regional Champions, losing by one point. Coach Halkett acknowledges that it was frustrating to so narrowly miss out on being the Regional Champions. It was also a gratifying finish given the length of time since our last participation in Dressage. While the SBS team did not move forward to Nationals, three Stoneleigh-Burnham riders were Regional Champions and qualified individually for Nationals.

This year, the top riders from all over the United States competed in a week of competitions in Dressage, Hunt Seat, and Western, all held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA. Stoneleigh-Burnham School had three riders attending: McKenna ’22, in open dressage test and equitation, Josie ’22 in JV walk, trot, and Ashe ’25, in JV walk, trot, canter.

Each rider rode against the top 12 riders in the country.

The final results for our riders were as follows (left to right):

Ashe ‘25 Walk,Trot, and Canter National Champion McKenna ‘22 Open Dressage Test 3rd Place Open Equitation 3rd Place Josie ‘22 Walk, Trot National Champion Congratulations to our riders on their successful return to Dressage at the 2022 IEA Nationals. the bulletin | FALL 2022

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The Potential Power of WOM

BY MARA G. KOHLS, DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

WOM is the new acronym in marketing speak. Otherwise known as word-of-mouth, there is a lot of buzz right now about strengthening WOM strategies to increase sales in the corporate sector.

A 2012 Nielson report states that over 90% of global respondents “trust word-ofmouth recommendations from friends and family above other forms of advertising.”

The Enrollment Management Association report, The Ride to Independent Schools 2021–2022, states that 54% of prospective parents look to current parents for referrals, and 46% get referrals from alumni as they begin their research on independent schools.

Our own data show that less than 14% of our enrolled students came from WOM referrals. I would love to increase that!

When I ask for stories about the Stoneleigh-Burnham experience, our families and alumnae speak emotionally and emphatically about the confidence instilled, the lifelong friendships made, and the steps built to pave the way for what happens after graduation. We all have SBS stories to share, and I am challenging the entire SBS community to help us with our own WOM initiative. Being a best-kept secret is never sustainable, so let’s publicly celebrate all that SBS is and the power and transformation it brings to its students. Stay tuned….an official word-of-mouth initiative is coming, and I am going to ask for your participation.

Your homework is to answer this question: “What are your three favorite things about Stoneleigh-Burnham School?”

There are only right answers and no wrong answers. Those three things are your personal talking points. The next

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time you tell someone about where you went to middle or high school, add these three things to the conversation. Post these three things to your social media and use #SBS3FavoriteThings and tag the School.

You will hear more from us about what is coming next, but for now….reflect on your own personal three things and start talking about them when the opportunity arises.

To help get things started, I offer to you my top 10 favorites (in no particular order): •

Voice development is the bedrock of what we do, and we do it extremely well across all grades and in all classes.

•

Our arts shape the soul and expand the creative mind to launch lifelong arts lovers.

•

The Class of 2022 was accepted to a whopping 81 colleges and universities.

•

Our intentional and increasingly diverse community is the springboard for challenging discussions, learning about and celebrating difference, and gaining real-world, global perspectives while also fostering deep friendships that will last a lifetime.

•

Athletics is about healthy minds and healthy bodies, and all students actively participating.

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Our equestrian program sends students to national competitions and also welcomes and encourages students who have never ridden a horse to join them at the barn.

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Our faculty and staff truly have the students front and center within their scope of work.

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The school grounds are an outdoor living art piece all year round.

•

Math Club and the new Learning Differences and Neurodivergence Alliance are cool (as are all the other clubs and alliances!).

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The Debate and Public Speaking Society continues to send students to world competitions every year.

My team is excited about hitting the road (virtually, by car, and by air) to recruit the best Stoneleigh-Burnham students and families from around the world. If you know of families or schools in your town that feel SBS-caliber to you, tap into your top three things and spread the word. We would love to visit, say hello, and help with our own SBS WOM!

You can always reach out to me directly at mkohls@sbschool.org.

BY NIC K NOBLE

A LEGACYof

TRAILBLAZING Y E S T E R DAY, TO DAY, A N D TO M O R R OW

From its earliest origins in 1869 with the establishment of the Prospect Hill School “to prepare girls for the rigors of a college education,” the legacy of the Stoneleigh-Burnham journey has been one of blazing trails. Educating young women was by far the exception rather than the rule more than a century-anda-half ago. At the Seneca Falls Convention for Women’s Rights in 1848, the lack of educational opportunities for women was denounced by speaker after speaker, and it was inspiration from that movement that inspired several schools for young women to open across the country over the next several decades. Examples of the Stoneleigh-Burnham’s pioneering legacy of trailblazing abound. Representing yesterday, today, and tomorrow, what follows are three stories—two alumnae, one faculty member, and an affiliation with a progressive program— which demonstrate that legacy.

the bulletin | FALL 2022

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Y E S T E R DAY

Adelaide Warner Minott A

delaide “Addie” Warner graduated from the Stoneleigh-Prospect Hill School in 1950. She enjoyed her time at school, and in her Reunion Class Profile she would mention Grace Marshall as her favorite teacher and Mary Ann Wiswall as her best friend. Clearly, her Stoneleigh-Prospect experience lived up to its earliest mission, as she was indeed well-prepared for Skidmore College, graduating in 1954.

She would pursue a successful career as an educator, primarily in the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union in southeast Vermont. Addie Warner Minott continued the legacy of supporting young women through Vermont Girls & Women in Sport and as national president of the National Association of Girls & Women in Sports organization of state presidents.

Most significant, however, has been her work to restore and preserve the natural and historic assets of Vermont.

With her husband, Addison Minott, she worked tirelessly on behalf of the Green River Dam and helped to earn the Preservation Trust of Vermont Recognition Award in 1999.

Their work on behalf of the Green River Dam’s restoration was featured in both the Winter 1999 and Spring 2000 issues of Vermont Life. More recently, Addie served as both secretary and president of the Guilford Vermont Historical Society and as a trustee of the Vermont Historical Society.

Her efforts to preserve local historic landmarks echo her endeavors to preserve the environment.

History, she notes, referencing the restoration of an historic covered bridge marker back in 2012, “belongs to the town.”

History, like the environment, has always been important to Addie Minott. Her Stoneleigh-Burnham history is reflected in her dedication as a loyal alumna, serving for a time as a Trustee of the School. Now 90, she resides in Guilford, Vermont.

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Stoneleigh-Burnham School

T O DAY

DR.

D

Ashley

r. Ashley Bulseco, a member of the science faculty at Stoneleigh-Burnham, graduated from the University of Hawaii with her B.S. in Marine Science before earning her Master’s in Marine Science and Technology from UMass Boston, and her Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology as part of the Bowen Lab at Northeastern University. Using a combination of biogeochemistry and microbial ecology, she investigated important ecological questions about salt marsh ecosystem function: How do various disturbances (e.g. nutrients, urbanization, restoration) affect microbial communities, and how does this translate to changes in ecosystem function, such as carbon sequestration and nitrogen removal? Ashley’s dissertation research in particular aimed to determine how nitrate, the dominant form of nitrogen delivery to the coast, affected the ability of salt marshes to store carbon through changes in organic matter decomposition.

Ashley held teaching positions at Eckerd College and at Babson and she would also spend several years as a postdoctoral researcher at the renowned Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts, before landing at StoneleighBurnham.

Why a secondary school with all of her higher ed experience? It was “the opportunity to work collaboratively with students throughout their learning process,” she says.

“After teaching at the college level for several years, I made the intentional career shift to secondary education for the opportunity to

“ Bulseco

The students at SBS are creative, enthusiastic, and dedicated to their own personal growth within the SBS community and beyond.

”

—DR. ASHLEY BULSECO, SCIENCE FACULTY AT SBS

positively impact young minds at an early stage.

I could not be happier with this transition. The students at SBS are creative, enthusiastic, and dedicated to their own personal growth within the SBS community and beyond. I have yet to meet a student without a fierce passion for bettering the world.”

Statistically, only about a quarter of professionals in STEM fields are women.

“Research shows that, while all youth express some level of interest in science, grades 7-12 are when students (particularly young women and people of color) experience barriers to engagement in STEM,” notes Ashley. As part of the Stoneleigh-Burnham community, she hopes to “contribute to the ongoing programming that empowers students to pursue their many aspirations in STEM-related fields without constraint. I see my role as not only an example of what a scientist might look like, but also, as a reminder to those unsure of their capabilities in STEM that they do, in fact, belong. In my classes, we embrace challenges and aim to solve real-world problems relevant to the lives of our SBS community members—it is this connection that I think ties us all together as humans and helps to lessen barriers and biases that perpetuate the sciences more broadly. I do my best to facilitate the many paths students encounter when exploring visions of their future selves, and sincerely learn just as much from the student body as they do from me. I am grateful to be a part of the SBS community, and look forward to growing as an individual, peer, teacher, and scientist.”

the bulletin | FALL 2022

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TOMORROW

Idah Mwongeli Mbithi S

toneleigh-Burnham’s trailblazing legacy impacts the future in so many ways. The powerful potential of those tomorrows is ably represented by Idah Mwongeli Mbithi, Class of 2022, who this fall will be the first in her family to attend college.

Idah came to Stoneleigh-Burnham through SHOFCO—Shining Hope For Communities—a grassroots movement that catalyzes large-scale transformation in urban slums by providing critical services for all, community advocacy platforms, and education and leadership development for women and girls in Kenya. Amy Hutchinson, SHOFCO’s Director of Future Education, notes that her organization “is fortunate to have a large number of supporters within the US who have ties to various boarding schools. Our supporters introduce me to the boarding schools, and those boarding schools refer us to other schools. We look for schools that are able to provide full scholarships for our students, and SHOFCO is then able to cover the gaps. We work closely with the schools to ensure the students find success once they transition.” Stoneleigh-Burnham is among those pioneering institutions working closely with SHOFCO. Idah was born in Kibera, the largest slum in Africa,” Hutchinson relates. “One day while out in Kibera looking for work, her mother stumbled upon an advertisement for a free school for girls that was opening up—the Kibera School for Girls (KSG). Idah’s mother brought her for an interview—where her smile lit up the room, and she demonstrated a natural apptitude for math. Idah was accepted and joined the first class of students at KSG. “Once at KSG, Idah’s basic needs were taken care of by SHOFCO, allowing her to focus on what she loved the most— learning, and especially math. She excelled in the classroom, both academically and socially. Her exuberant, easy nature made the other students feel relaxed, and she became a confidante to many and the one others would turn to in times of trouble.

Despite struggles at home, she remained dedicated to her studies, remaining focused on building a better future for herself, her family, and her community.

“Idah’s mother had become a community health worker at SHOFCO,” Hutchinson continued, “so at the clinic on Saturdays in 6th and 7th grade, Idah was her mother’s ‘medical scribe,’ recording intake information, and learning to take the basic biometric measurements under her mother’s supervision. She

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Your gift this fall to the 2022-23 Annual Fund will have participated in mass polio vaccination campaigns, going doorto-door and to schools distributing oral vaccine and painting fingernails to keep track of who had received the vaccine. Between her exhilarating experiences in preventive care, her fascination with science, and her joy at working with children in any capacity Idah has a clearer picture than most at her age of where she’s headed: she is quietly (and realistically) determined to pursue a career in pediatrics.”

Idah’s exemplary performance in and out of the classroom led to a scholarship to attend the Loomis-Chaffee Summer Program during Grade 7, and her success in the program led to a full scholarship at Stoneleigh-Burnham. Idah quickly found her footing on campus.

She skipped two math classes and one level of French, which was particularly impressive as she had never been exposed to the language before.

Idah acknowledges the significance of being the first in her family to attend college. “My family, they all look up to me, and that puts both good and bad pressure on me because I have to be successful for them. My first goal is to make my Mom proud. I love that woman. Next, I want to study pediatrics because I saw how many children couldn’t afford medical care in my community of Kibera. One day I will be able to go back and help.” A perfectionist, Idah worried about her Bs in French when she returned to school after two semesters away during COVID—until her French teacher asked her to serve as a peer tutor. As her teachers have recognized, she is a quick study, excelling at whatever she puts her mind to— whether whizzing through beginning French, or moving from tennis novice to varsity between her first and second seasons. Borne out by many of her involvements in and out of the classroom, it also seems clear that Idah is a gifted natural teacher and learner.

Idah Mwongeli Mbithi is attending Connecticut College this fall.

During her first week of college, Idah took a moment to reflect on her time at Stoneleigh-Burnham. “My experience at SBS was really great. The community they create makes you feel like you can go out into the world and face whatever challenges may come your way. It was my home away from home.”

DOUBLE THE IMPACT thanks to a generous Foundations & Friends Match.

Watch the mail for your Fall Annual Fund Appeal or use the bulletinʼs enclosed envelope to mail your gift today.

Save the Date! #ReturnToTheNest

Stoneleigh-Burnham Reunion Weekend 2023 June 9-11, 2023 Honoring the classes ending in 3 & 8 Celebrating all alumnae

“Early Owl” registration opens Friday, November 25, 2022

the bulletin | FALL 2022

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A LU M N A E S P O T L I G H T BY SUSAN G. MATTEI, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

(Left) Beverly Mack Hall Billings ‘59 SPH, her husband David Billings, and pets at their Nantucket, MA home.

(Below) Beverly on Nantucket, circa 1960s.

BEVERLY MACK HALL BILLINGS ’59 SPH

A Passion for People Nantucket-based Beverly (Mack) Hall Billings ‘59 SPH has a passion for people and an energetic spirit. The artist and author has blazed a unique path during her life and career, likely with help from the healthy dose of stubbornness and determination she was known for while a student at StoneleighProspect Hill. Beverly says, “I did everything at Stoneleigh, with the exception of skiing because I was at the barn riding horses during the winter.” She played several sports, was Deerfield Formal Queen as a senior, and made lifelong friends. Beverly fondly remembers Mrs. Emerson, the Headmistress of Stoneleigh-Prospect Hill, every year on Mrs. Emerson’s June birthday and visited her often. After SBS, Beverly studied Art History at Columbia University and Creative Writing at Johns Hopkins. She set out for Martha’s Vineyard after college graduation, landed in Nantucket through serendipity, and has built a life and career there. Her home in

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Madaket is surrounded by the gardens she has created over the past 50 years.

When she arrived in1964, there were dilapidated fishing shacks on the island’s Old South Wharf that were being made into small artist studios. She opened the Children’s Gallery there and over time became Nantucket’s premier portrait photographer. Beverly’s work is featured in her books Nantucket: Images of an Island and A Passion for People. Along the way in her career, she returned to formal education and received a Master of Divinity from The Episcopal Divinity School in art and spirituality. “I have come to recognize the spiritual connection between my life and my work, and I now realize that photography has been and continues to be my ministry,” she writes.

Beverly is the creator of a performance project that combines her artistry, her connection with people, and her beloved

Nantucket. Through Hanna in Her Garden at Greater Light, in partnership with the Nantucket Historical Association, Beverly channels Hanna Monoghan. She brings to life this iconic local figure who, with her sister Gertrude, celebrated the arts and culture in their eclectic home during Nantucket’s post-whaling era.

Together with her husband David Billings, Beverly has recently written Passion and Pursuit: The Billings Collection, a book about their collection of 4,000 Asian artifacts collected over 50 years.

Their collection “Asian Treasures” is featured in a special exhibition now on display at the Nantucket Whaling Museum through November 1, 2022.

SERAFINA WALKER ’21

Juggling School and Beyond

SARAH TURNER ’74

It Started at SBS “One day, I was speeding around the corner from lower Mary Burnham and literally bumped into a young guy,” says Sarah Turner ‘74. “He said, ‘Why don’t you join us for ground school in the Red Room, I’m teaching flying lessons.’ So I did.” The Michigan native, whose father was a private pilot, learned to fly at Stoneleigh-Burnham.

Ground instruction was given at the School, with the flying lessons at the nearby Turners Fall Airport. The class required parental permission, and Sarah wasn’t the only student who was able to convince her parents to sign the form. “There were four girls in all,” she says. She graduated from SBS intent on a career in aviation. During college at the University of New Mexico, she bought a Piper Cub and flew it all over the country earning hours.

By her 23rd birthday—the minimum age to qualify—she earned her Airline Transport Pilot’s license. Since then, she has captained three different jet types in her career, has logged 10,000 hours, and still owns the Piper Cub. Along the way she met and married fellow corporate pilot Jack Steen. The couple passed along their interest to son Mike Steen (photo right), who is also a powered aircraft pilot and one of the world’s most experienced paraglider, wingsuit, and speedwing pilots. He’s an integral part of Squirrel Wingsuits, the largest designer and engineering firm manufacturing wingsuits for the recreational sport of base jumping. Sarah says, “It all started at Stoneleigh-Burnham.”

Circus artist Serafina Walker ‘21 specializes in aerial straps.

the bulletin | FALL 2022

© 2018 Marvin Wang

Sarah Turner ‘74 piloting her Piper Cub with her late classmate Abbé Janov Litvack ‘74. The two learned to fly at SBS.

Managing a full academic schedule and the rigors of training as a circus artist is nothing new for Serafina Walker ‘21. While at Stoneleigh-Burnham, she was a six-year performer under the Big Top with Circus Smirkus, a select troupe of 10-18 year olds. Now enrolled in the École Nationale de Cirque (ÉNC Montréal), Serafina is earning a 4-year college degree while specializing in aerial straps and preparing for a professional career in the field. Her classes are taught in French, and she trains with students in new state-of-the-art studios created through a partnership with En Piste and Cirque du Soleil.

Montreal is a circus hub, with several organizations centered there. Serafina says, “I’ve been surprised at the new community I have at circus school. I’ve been contacted by students from other countries, who have reached out to me about collaboration and I have friends from all over the world.” Another aspect of the school she treasures is its focus on professional connections.

She recently was hired by Cirque du Soleil to perform in a promotional video. She says, “Our makeup was professionally done, they dressed us in costumes, and we filmed the performance at least 20 times. We were there for four hours and the clip that appears in the final video is just 5 seconds long.”

What does she look forward to upon graduation? “Ideally, I will get hired by a circus that travels. I love the idea of traveling all over the world.”

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class notes Submit class notes and photos at your.sbschool.org. If you would like to request contact information for another alumna, please call the Advancement Office at 413.774.2711 x317, or email advancement@sbschool.org

1953 MAB Gail Knapp Spell My husband, Lang and I have been living in St. Petersburg, FL for 20 years in retirement. Things we enjoy: the warm weather, family, friends, and our sweet American Hairless Terrier, Minnie. Please write to my email (gailspell@yahoo. com) and I’ll respond.

Gail Knapp Spell

Susan Mattei with David and Beverly Hall Billings on Nantucket.

1959 SPH

Beverly Hall Billings and her husband David toured Advancement Director Susan Mattei through the Asian Treasures exhibit on display at the McCausland Gallery, Whaling Museum on Nantucket. Their collection is on display at the Nantucket Whaling Museum through November 1, 2022.

through Friday and preach whenever and wherever I am invited to do so.

I caught Covid on Insurrection Day and was down for about a month but haven’t been sick since.

Kiki Black ’66 Hi folks! Mandy Burr ’66 MAB and I showed up and were the sole MAB reps and 1966 MAB reps at Reunion, June10 –12. If one person shows up, it may as well be Mandy! We’ve already heard from a few classmates who want to go NEXT YEAR and others who are on board for our (gulp!) 60th. I have yet to see the Bridge of Flowers, but we did take a tour of the stables and fed horses peppermints. The first horse almost took my fingers off, but I was able to give Sweet Pea a peppermint safely.

That was a highlight, as well as the cocktail hours and meals, the awards and speeches. It was good to get out there and look at rolling hills and the Milky Way. Mandy gave a wonderful memorial speech I’m forwarding to a few. Mandy and I took time to spread everything out and look at the 50th (now 56th) reunion book. As you may recall I had a shell displayed at our reunion in 2016. Send a full update or, if you submitted for the 50th, send

1966 MAB Mandy Burr Kiki Black ’66 MAB and I had fun at our 56th reunion. We sang the class song and recited the Burnham letters for anyone who would listen. I am still working. I am a visiting nurse Monday

Mandy Burr ’66 MAB and Kiki Black ’66 MAB at Reunion ’22

nothing or a note. I know a lot of news from classmates, but I’d rather have it in your own words. We may have missed the notes for this bulletin, but let’s get some in the next one, and please send something with photos for our book. Mandy will upload the whole yearbook and digitize it so I can drop entries in. For blank page avoidance, send what you know of classmates we haven’t heard from.

Believe me, we did try with some missing classmates, so even memories would be better than nothing. Even those who didn’t graduate with us or those from other classes--write it all down. And thank you for some prize memories and photos already sent!

You can text it, dictate it, or mail it. I can scan it from my office. Thanks!

1967 SPH Lucia Sanders Beer We have sold our farm of 48 years and moved to a manageable house in Geneseo, NY. No cows, no crops, no huge gardens, no big agricultural contracts. New Phase! Sorry to have missed reunion which conflicted with our move. Thanks for a call from Stella ’24, a current student during a phonathon!

Carrie Mitchum ’83 with Charlotte Newton ’71

1971 SBS Charlotte Newton A thrilling night for me as I attended the opening night on Broadway of Company in December, as well as being present on 45th Street for the dimming of the marquees in memoriam to Stephen Sondheim...very poignant. After a Facebook friendship with Carrie Mitchum ’83 it was a great day when we finally met! We shared a lovely breakfast together as she was on her cross country relocation journey. And then, it was a wonderful visit with Lucy Pierpont ’73! To top it off...a visit with Natalie Cole Lynn ’69 while in California for my grand nephew’s high school graduation. Volunteer activities this year include reading grants for a private healthcare foundation and becoming a member of the Board of Directors of the Sedona International Film Festival.

1981 SBS

Susie Hine ’67 SPH and Sherry Chen ’19

Susie Hine Excerpt from a note received after reunion: “Thank you so much for a wonderful Reunion Weekend. When I went to the registration table saying I had two broken ribs, I was treated like a Queen. My special helper, Sherry Chen ’19, was always there for me.”

Jennifer Jones June gave me the time to spend with classmates and fellow alumnae at our reunion. I am so grateful that I had the chance to return to our school and support the many vast endeavors of current students and alumnae. We had extra time to drive through New England and share many laughs with Janet DeLucia Cimmino ’81.

Debra Van Dyke So glad to be around with all we’ve gone through. Looking forward to new beginnings in the future.

Get Involved The Stoneleigh-Burnham School Board of Trustees is a dedicated group of alumnae, parents, and friends of the School that takes

seriously its role as the governing body of Stoneleigh-Burnham School. We invite members of our community to engage with and become a crucial part of our extended family through various roles at SBS. If you are interested in joining our Leadership Council, Alumnae Board, or the Board of Trustees, please email communications@sbschool.org.

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Stoneleigh-Burnham School

Please submit photos that are at least 500KB in size or they may not be printable.

Lucy Pierpoint ’73 and Charlotte Newton ’71

Class of 1972 Reunion attendees: Cathy Falk Caccioppoli, Cinda Savage Yaremo, Charlotte Lewis-Hankus, and Jennifer Pickering.

Celebrating Their 50th + 2 Reunion, Denise Bruner and Anne Quantrell

Karen Kelley ’86 and Claire ’24

1983 SBS Allison Small Annand After seeing so many faces near and far on Zoom over the past two years, it was fabulous to see people in person at Reunion. I hope to see more next year, June 9-11, 2023. I continue to support SBS by serving on the Alumnae Board. If you would like to join us, reach out to Kathleen Tuck Fontaine ’83 (kfontaine@sbschool.org).

If anyone is in the Nashua, NH area, reach out.

Jennifer Jones ’81 and Janet DeLucia Cimmino ’81

1994 SBS

Vicky Castegren shared these photos (right) from her wedding in Selfoss, Iceland. She and Joe Banner married in July.

Gwen (Wendy) Segal I have just released my first book on Amazon, titled Because of Jim (A Story of 17 Rescues in the height of COVID).

Because of one cat, my partner Nick and I rescued 17 more. I also write a blog, Because of Jim.

1986 SBS

2020 SBS

Karen Kelley ’86 Karen trained the winner of the Sedgefield at the Park $2000 Hunter Derby - Kronos Du Chapitre - owned and ridden by Claire ’24, daughter of Bridget O’Brien ’82, P’24. Karen trained the top three in the class.

Vicky Castegren ‘94

2005 SBS Jessye Siciak Deane In May the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors named Jessye its next Executive Director. She has served on the Board of Directors since 2019.

Jessye and her husband own and operate two award-winning fitness studios. She is an entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in volunteer, community, and nonprofit service. Jessye has been a panelist at SBS for Alumnae Career Day, inspiring juniors and seniors.

1984 SBS

Carmen Jacobson Photography

Sophie Simpson ’20 and Nina Kauderer ’20

Sophie Simpson ’20 and Nina Kauderer ’20 met up during Reunion Weekend. Nina and her guitar joined student volunteers Sadie ’23 and Claire ’24 for a performance during the Saturday evening reception.

Deepen Your Connections Consider a Gift to SBS in Your Will or Living Trust Have you thought of leaving money to Stoneleigh-Burnham School in your will, but want flexibility in case your life circumstances change? You can.

Giving in your will or living trust can help ensure that we continue our mission for years to come, and you can do it in as little as one sentence.

To learn more, call the Advancement Office, 413.774.2711 x 247, or visit our website plannedgiving.sbschool.org.

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SBS EQUESTRIAN WALL OF FAME In July, colleagues, friends, and family, along with current Stoneleigh-Burnham students gathered in Charlotte, NC to honor the 2021 inductees to the SBS Equestrian Wall of Fame. Karen Kelley ’86 and Lorna Conway ’88 were inducted during the 2021 Virtual Reunion Gala. Celebrating in person was delayed due to the pandemic. Susan Mattei, Director of Advancement, presented them with their awards. Karen is owner and head trainer at Silver Hill Farm, LLC in Waxhaw, NC, a gorgeous full-service equestrian facility offering a competitive riding program for Hunters, Jumpers, Equitation, and Ponies. Lorna works for the Burton Family in Huntersville, NC, managing and training their personal horse while showing at some of the most prestigious shows in the country.

IN MEMORIAM

2021 inductees to the SBS Equestrian Wall of Fame: (left) Lorna Conway ’88 and (right) Karen Kelley ’86

1945 MAB

1951 MAB

Nancy Mackay Coffin March 20, 2022

Barbara Bieleh Bellone March 16, 2022

REUNION 2022 AWARDS

DISTIN GUISHED YOUN G ALUMNA AWARD RECIPIENT

1952 SPH

1953 MAB

Joan Polak Stoltz April 20, 2022

Nancy Lowe Diver January 12, 2022

Obehi Janice ’05

DISTIN GUISHED ALUMNA AWARD RECIPIENT

Margaret “Gigi” Altmiller McIntosh ’72 Decorated equestrian, member of the 2016 USA Paralympic Team

Photo credit: Leslie Hassler

Actress, Writer, and Comedian

STONELEIGH-BURNHAM EQUESTRIAN WALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

Kate Echeverria DVM, MS, DACIM-LAIM ’98 Veterinarian and owner of KE Equine (Pictured left with her brother, nieces, and parents)

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Stoneleigh-Burnham School

1959 MAB

1984 SBS

Suszanne Read Trayes May 6, 2022

Amy Lawrence Fitzgerald December 5, 2021

1968 MAB Carolyn Lee Wathey-Lee November 10, 2021

1961 MAB Linda Ryan Jones April 15, 2022

CODA

BY JOYHDAE ALBERT ‘01

100 years later, and women are still fighting for our fundamental rights.

While women have made significant progress since the 19th Amendment was passed and ratified, we have a long way to go before we can attain equality. Women have led protests fighting for the right to vote, the right to body autonomy, the right to get an education, employment equality, and the most fundamental of all American rights, the right to live freely, how we see fit.

Yet today, women are still fighting for fundamental rights. Everyday women.

Women like you and me. Women who need access to health care. Women who need access to reproductive health care. Women who want to make decisions about their bodies and their futures without any input from a man or the government.

This isn’t a new fight and ISN’T going away anytime soon.

Anna Julia Cooper was one of many Black women who were ardent suffragists. She famously said, “It is not the intelligent woman v. the ignorant woman; nor the white woman v. the black, the brown, and the red, it is not even the cause of woman v. man.

Nay, tis woman’s strongest vindication for speaking that the world needs to hear her voice.” Cooper successfully convinced Black women that they needed the vote to dispel the myth that “Black men’s” wants and experiences were the same as theirs—something

that many Black women are still fighting for today.

We’re in a moment of significant change, and now is the time to ensure women’s voices are heard above all others. Together, we can help make sure that our lifelines—Title X funding, HAVA-funded programs, reproductive rights—are not just preserved but expanded upon.

The most crucial aspect of being an advocate is speaking up, whether it be through conversations with close friends and family members or participating in advocacy groups.

Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself and others.

My Stoneleigh-Burnham education taught me about the power of using my voice.

By speaking out for women’s rights, you can dismantle obstacles and raise awareness about issues that affect ALL women.

Joyhdae Albert ‘01 is a recipient of Stoneleigh-Burnham’s 2021 Distinguished Young Alumnae Award, founder of FundBLACKWomen, and a StoneleighBurnham Trustee.

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NON-PROFIT ORG. U . S . P O S TAG E

PA I D 574 Bernardston Road

PERMIT #5860

Greenfield, MA 01301

SPRINGFIELD MA

sbschool.org Families: If this issue is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Advancement Office at advancement@sbschool.org or 413.774.2711 x317

save the date

Upcoming 2022–23 Events VOLUNTEER EMPOWER HOUR

•October 18, 2022 (Virtual Event) LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEETING AND 1869 SOCIETY RECOGNITION PROGRAM •October 21, 2022 BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETINGS

•October 21-23, 2022 •January 20–21, 2023 •April 15–16, 2023 •June 9, 2023 GIVING TUESDAY

•November 29, 2022 ALUMNAE BOARD MEETINGS

•December 3, 2022 •April 15, 2023 •June 11, 2023

REUNION WEEKEND

•June 9–11, 2023

Not receiving our bimonthly Email Newsletter? Contact us at advancement@sbschool.org.