Seven Hills School 2020 Spring Magazine

SPRING SEMESTER 2020

p a g e 10

pa g e 18

Contents

04 06 10 16 18 36 47 63

Column

Spring Semester 2020

By Head of School Christopher P. Garten

Class of 2020 How Seven Hills Rapidly Reinvented Education During Quarantine By Karla Dejean School News Agency and Impact: Seven Hills Students Who Lead

By Karla Dejean

School News - Sports Alumni News and Class Notes Upcoming Alumni Events

Special thanks to Keith Neu for his sports photography.

Christopher P. Garten Head of School Margo Kirstein Director of Development

Chris Hedges Director of Marketing & Communications

Karla Dejean Writer & Project Manager, photographer

Sarah Ott Lautar ’05 Director of Alumni Engagement

Taylor Evans Communications Specialist, photographer Š 2020 The Seven Hills School

SEVEN HILLS CL ASS OF 2020 Our congratulations and very best wishes go with the members of the Class of 2020, who will be attending the following colleges and universities in the fall.

S E V E N

H I L L S

C L A S S

O F

2 0 2 0

M A T R I C U L A T I O N

L I S T

Arizona State University

Emerson College

Scripps College

University of Oregon

Belmont University

Georgetown University, 2

Syracuse University, 2

University of Pittsburgh

Boston University, 2

High Point University

Transylvania University

University of Richmond

Bowling Green State

Indiana University

Trinity College

University of Rochester

Loyola University/Chicago

Tufts University

University of Southern

Miami University

Tulane University

Middlebury College, 2

University of Aberdeen

University Bryn Mawr College Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University, 3 College of Wooster, 2 Cornell University DePaul University DePauw University Dickinson College Duke University, 2 Earlham College Elon University, 2 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

New York University North Carolina State University Northern Kentucky University Ohio Northern University Ohio State University, 10 Parsons School of Design

(Scotland)

University of Utah University of Vermont

University of Alabama

University of Wisconsin, 2

University of California/Davis

Vanderbilt University

University of California/

Washington University in

San Diego

St. Louis, 4

University of Cincinnati, 7

Webster University

University of Colorado/

Xavier University, 3

Boulder

Pratt Institute

University of Dayton, 2

Purdue University, 5

University of Michigan, 6

Savannah College of Art

University of North Carolina

and Design (SCAD), 2

California

Yale University

at Chapel Hill

3

Christopher P. Garten HEAD OF SCHOOL

Over recent weeks, the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have brought a new sense of urgency to a long-overdue national conversation about social justice in our country.

What began as an impassioned cry for justice in policing has broadened into something even more complex, as institutions around the nation have begun to examine, much more honestly, their own role in perpetuating long-standing injustices in our society.

Many of our constituents, students, parents, teachers, and alumni, have reached out to ask what Seven Hills is doing to combat systemic racism.

The honest answer, regrettably, is not enough.

Recently, the Boston Globe published a harrowing account of the racism experienced by Black students at some of the nation's most prestigious schools.

In a similar vein, the editors of Canvass, our Upper School newspaper, devoted the final issue of the year to providing a

4

forum for our Black students and faculty, saying, “Now more than ever, it is our responsibility to listen to the voices of the Black community and the Black Seven Hills community.”

In these heartfelt reflections, many members of our community expressed their pain and frustration at the racism and injustice they experienced, both in this country and within our own community.

One recent graduate wrote: “Personally, I have seen some very racist things happen at our school, both in and out of the classroom. I have experienced [everything from] being called the ‘n-word’ to having to speak for the entire Black race in the classroom setting…The best way for the Seven Hills community to support Black people is to examine your privilege and hold your peers accountable for the racist behavior.

Society cannot change until we do.”

Another added: “Seven Hills needs to rally around its Black students and faculty and show that this problem is more important than a reputation and should not be thought of as ‘controversial.’”

Some of our Black teachers echoed this call to action: “In general, racism is not acknowledged as a human rights issue.

It is rather viewed as a political issue.

We at Seven Hills teach everything, but when it comes to race, we don’t want to touch it because it is very controversial.

I hope this time we will.” And another: “We need to be willing to start having conversations about race from earlier on. If Seven Hills could move into that space, where it’s really trying to promote teaching younger kids about race that would be very helpful.”

It is painful, of course, to read these deeply felt appraisals of an institution we all love so dearly, but clearly, no real progress will come — in our school community or in our nation as a whole — until we are willing to hear these voices and to make a sincere and sustained effort to understand their experiences.

With that in mind, in the coming months, in keeping with the commitment the Board has recently reaffirmed in the Strategic Plan of 2019, we want to engage this entire community in a probing examination of the equity and justice of our own community. We also want to look at what we can do to educate our students even more fully about the historical, political, and economic forces that

“

Now more than ever, it is our responsibility to listen to the voices of the Black community and the Black Seven Hills community.

- from Canvass, our Upper School newspaper

make it so much more difficult for African-Americans — and other people of color — to thrive in this country.

Obviously, this kind of honest reappraisal of our community will not be an easy or comfortable process. The questions we must ask ourselves will be difficult, even painful. To gain a clearer perspective on our own community, we will likely have to engage the services of outsiders, who can help us look at ourselves with fresh eyes.

So, to establish a baseline understanding of how our constituents view their experience here, we plan, sometime next year, to conduct an National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Diversity Audit. We will use that process to gather perspectives from all of our stakeholders:

students, parents, faculty and staff, and alumni, about how just and inclusive they find this community. Depending on the results, we will likely engage outside consultants to help us study and assess various aspects of school life and to plan necessary changes.

In the meantime, our faculty will devote some time to educating ourselves about some of the latest thinking in the field of anti-racism. With guidance from our Equity and Justice team, we have chosen four books that, we believe, provide a powerful introduction.

1. How to Be an Antiracist

by Ibram X. Kendi 2. White Fragility

by Robin DiAngelo 3. So You Want to Talk About Race

by Ijeoma Oluo 4. Me and White Supremacy

by Layla Saad At their core, these writers define racism quite differently than many of us are used to, not just as overt acts of prejudice or discrimination, but as our complicity in, or benefiting from, long-established systems that we know to be unjust. In

one of the most provocative chapters of How to be an Antiracist, Professor Kendi compares racism to a cancer which "has literally spread to every part of our body politic." He maintains that, like an advanced disease, racism can be seen in every element of our society, from job security and housing to economic inequality and education. Given the seriousness of the illness, he urges us all to become not just well-meaning, progressive bystanders, but ardent "antiracists," who "express anti-racist ideas" and "support anti-racist policies with our actions." As an institution committed to the values of equity and justice, we believe that these are critical issues to discuss, both with each other, as colleagues, and with our students.

As the Board’s Strategic Plan outlines, I expect that this process of selfexamination and reflection will, in the end, impact every aspect of school life, from the makeup of our student body, faculty and staff, to our curriculum and co-curricular programs. Indeed, because of the passion and commitment of our faculty, a great deal of progress has been made already in a number of key areas. But we have — it is clear — a long way still to go, and we are committed to doing what it takes to get there.

5

SCHOOL NEWS

TH

•

B

Y

EN E N H TI LHLES SCEL V AS S HILLS

V SE

2020

E

C L A S S OF

T

H

E

CLASS OF

N

U

M

B

E

O

F

R

S

•

ON JUNE 5, SEVEN HILLS HONORED THE CLASS OF 2020 DURING THE SCHOOL’S FIRST-EVER VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY. THE CLASS OF 2020 INCLUDES A DISTINCTIVE MIX OF SCHOLARS, ATHLETES, ARTISTS, AND VOLUNTEERS, EACH OF WHOM CONTRIBUTED RICHLY TO THE SEVEN HILLS COMMUNITY. SEVEN HILLS CELEBRATES A TALENTED, CLOSE-KNIT CLASS OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE MADE US VERY PROUD AND LEFT A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE. HERE’S A SNAPSHOT OF OUR UNIQUE GRADUATING CLASS.

.

GRADS AT T E N D E D D O H E R T Y LOWER SCHOOL

19

.

56

102 -S T U D E N T S THE LARGEST G R A D U AT I N G C L A S S I N T H E H I S TO R Y O F THE SCHOOL

27

60

UNIVERSITIES TO W H I C H S T U D E N T S WERE ACCEPTED

178

GRADS JOINED SEVEN HILLS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND UPPER SCHOOL

GRADS ATTENDED LOTSPEICH LOWER SCHOOL

THREE-SPORT STUDENT ATHLETES

48

UNIVERSITIES STUDENTS WILL AT T E N D I N FA L L 2020

FOLLOWING A WIDE RANGE OF COURSES OF STUDY, OUR STUDENTS WILL MA JOR IN ENGINEERING, BUSINESS, ARCHITECTURE, ART RESTORATION, ASIAN STUDIES, AND MARINE BIOLOGY, TO NAME A FEW. .

C A P P I E S T H E AT R E AWA R D S W O N B Y SENIORS DURING THEIR F O U R-Y E A R U P P E R SCHOOL CAREER

2

.

STUDENTS COMMITTED TO P L AY S P O R T S AT T H E UNIVERSITIES THEY’LL B E AT T E N D I N G

7

6

4,000

VOLUNTEER HOURS SERVED BY THE CL ASS O F 2 02 0 D U R I N G T H E I R F O U R-Y E A R U P P E R SCHOOL CAREER

80%

OF THE CLASS OF 2 02 0 PA R T I C I PAT E D I N AT H L E T I C S

100% O F T H E C L A S S O F 2 02 0 PA R T I C I PAT E D I N F I N E AND PERFORMING ARTS DURING THEIR F O U R-Y E A R U P P E R SCHOOL CAREER

STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS DURING THEIR SENIOR YEAR

56

SCHOOL NEWS

A CLASS OF COMMUNITY: THE CLASS OF 2020 A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. CLOSE BONDS. RESILIENCY. STRENGTH AND SPIRIT.

“The Class of 2020 is a really incredible group

in October. And students across grades

of young people,” said Head of Upper School

organized important discussions about Black

Matt Bolton. “They're the biggest graduating

Lives Matter and issues of equity and justice.

class in the history of the school, but it is the

Members of the Class of 2020 also planned

quality of this class, not their quantity, that

Cubing for Kyle in memory of their classmate,

I so prize about them.”

Kyle Plush. The Rubik’s Cube competition

The Seven Hills Class of 2020 can be recognized for these qualities.

Throughout their Seven

As a class, these graduates had a profound

Hills careers, the students celebrated many wonderful moments and victories, faced challenges, and learned together.

impact on the Seven Hills community. They excelled in academics, arts, and athletics.

raised money for the Kyle Plush Answer the Call Foundation, an organization that promotes best practices in the 911 industry.

They were leaders in and out of the classroom.

Despite the challenges of remote learning,

Members of the Class of 2020 earned

they stayed connected in innovative ways and

National Merit recognition, designed a new

maintained the spirit of the Class of 2020.

peer tutoring program, competed in state championships, and performed “Hairspray” in The Schiff Center to the largest audience in the theater department’s history.

“These students are exceptionally kind and supportive of each other, and they are so brave,” Bolton said. “In the face of the loss of their last few months together as a class, they

Students gave back to the community in

have found ways to support each other and to

powerful ways. Seniors participated in the

pick each other back up.”

Upper School’s citywide Day of Service

Class of 2020 C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S

7

SCHOOL NEWS

THE CLAS S OF

2020

IN PHOTOS The Class of 2020 created and enjoyed many memorable moments throughout the 2019-20 school year!

1

2

1. Seniors form a tunnel at the beginning-of-school pep rally.

2. Upper School students attended “The Defamation Experience” in The Schiff Center.

3. We celebrated 2020 National Merit Finalists, seniors Nina Martinez Diers, Madeleine Magruder, Chase Young, Stephen Walsh, Yash Gaitonde, Madeleine Creech, Kevin Wang, Kayzad Bharucha, Rajiv Raman, and Andrea Stancescu.

3

4. Books for Lunch author Christina Baker Kline speaks to students in the Young Family Library.

5. Showing Seven Hills spirit!

6. Students perform in the Upper School fall musical, “Hairspray.”

7. Head of Upper School Matt Bolton speaks at the virtual Upper School Awards Day. 8. Homecoming 2019 shoot out!

9. Student Government President Rosalind Roland addresses the Class of 2020 during the virtual graduation ceremony.

10. Seniors say goodbye to faculty and staff during a special drive-through parade.

8

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

9

A

WO

RTH

Y A DA P TA

TIO

N:

H OW SEVEN HILLS

R A P I D LY R E I NVE N TE D E DUCAT ION During Quarantine

By Karla Dejean

On March 16, 2020, Ohio educators faced an unfamiliar dilemma.

Gov. Mike DeWine shuttered school buildings as a response to the spread of COVID-19. Within days, private and public schools were ending face-to-face programs and quickly rolling out a number of teaching models for hundreds of thousands of students in the state.

At Seven Hills, teachers, administrators, and our technology team researched modalities, consulted each other,

screens, the finished product—

fresh, robust curriculum that would

powerful learning at a distance—

become exhibitions of energy,

first encompassed academic

rigor, and intentionality.

wisdom married with novel We are achingly close to realizing this, the latest iteration of our dream Seven Hills’evolving remote learning concepts, thoughtful planning, of Seven Hills’ future...And when our work is done, we can all take pride in what program became an innovative online, daily program that engaged and careful revisions.

Within a we have built, not only for our current students, butand forreplicable the generations model for the role students ages 2 through 18. shortthese weeks just of young people who willfewwalk hallsbefore longandafter we have left our mark. and use of technology in teaching and collaborated to build a new,

10 4

From faculty members’ laptops and

during spring break 2020, Seven

home classrooms to your students’

Hills faculty hashed through a

students at a distance.

Join us in taking a look …

Middle School Teachers Create Curricular Serendipity Out of Necessity While remote learning distanced

have been able to have without live

all components of The Seven Hills

meetings,” said Licata. “I feel like as

School—students from friends,

disconnected as we were physically,

teachers from students, students

doing live classes each day allowed

from their classrooms—the situation

us to get to know each other on a

brought in closer view other aspects of

personal basis, in our homes. And that

interpersonal relations associated with

made it even more special.”

a new kind of learning experience.

Licata said her mastiff mix, Bruiser,

In Middle School, sixth-graders

made his way into Licata’s virtual

logged on daily to attend all their

classroom each class. And just as

classes, including their science classes

the students cozied up to the screen

taught by Karen Glum and Jen Licata.

to see Bruiser and collaborate via

In many ways, class was the same;

breakout rooms, Licata said she

students were expected to process

became more familiar with her

rigorous and relevant concepts,

students’ favorite breakfast foods,

engage in discussion about those

sibling interactions, pets, and their

concepts, and apply their knowledge

overall home rhythms.

in practical situations. But this time, their portal to knowledge was vastly different and, strangely, at times more personal.

In preparation for their remote learning curriculum, Licata said she and Glum considered the concepts they would have taught in a face-to-

“With remote learning, the ability

face program and worked through

to see my students and interact

ways to teach the same content to

live with them brought a level of

Middle School students at a distance.

personal connection we would not

While the human body was one focus

“We came together and said, ‘We have to do this’ .”

Seven Hills’ Technology Department Laid Groundwork for Remote Learning Success Early On At the time when Ohio schools closed in mid-March, Seven Hills was about to go on a two-week spring break. The break was beneficial in giving teachers and administrators an opportunity to rework learning programs and operations without disrupting the school year schedule. But the two weeks flew by and teachers were well aware that class would be in session remotely, on March 31.

Before spring break, Head of School Chris Garten attended remote learning conferences and Director of Technology Scott Cagle was already tapping into the technology networking across the country. Cagle took advantage of resources and the advice of industry connections in California schools, where teachers and administrators were already reacting to running schools in quarantine. Before school started back in remote fashion, Cagle and his team, which includes Aaron McIntosh and Dan Dinger, were already running dozens of scenarios with teachers and students, troubleshooting several video conferencing platforms, and building a technological framework and scaffolding that would hold up under the pressures of fluctuating, unforeseen circumstances.

Continued on8page Continued on page

13

11

for their spring curriculum, Licata and

to left, in order to represent the

Glum knew they couldn’t go the usual

oxygenated and deoxygenated

route, which would have included a

blood cells moving through the

heart relay race that transformed

cardiovascular system. Their

students into deoxygenated and

movements appeared to link up with

oxygenated blood cells and sent them

the next student’s movement.

running through physical spaces in the

Another serendipitous virtual learning

Middle School Commons set up to be

experience came from Licata and

the chambers of the heart.

Glum’s plant reproductive lesson,

“We started seeing the social media trend of the #Pass the Ball challenge videos on various social media platforms that appeared to connect each person to an action with one

in which students were traditionally assigned the task of building a flower model using what they could find in the classroom. In quarantine, however, the outcome of the project was richer.

another,” said Licata. “We thought we

“Our students’ work on that project

could capitalize on something the kids

was more creative, interesting, and

were seeing and learning and used that

sustainable,” said Licata. “Instead of using paper and markers they found in our classrooms, students were using unique materials they found in their homes. Students were so creative in their final product, we may just have them do the projects at home even after we are back at school next year.”

Licata said the surprise gifts that arose from a tough moment in history were made possible because students and faculty allowed themselves time and space to accept that some things

Student Flower Model

concept to teach students about the blood’s circulatory path through the body.”

12

would be lost and others gained.

“For me, the word that comes to mind is balance,” said Licata. “I tried to find a balance between giving the students work that was productive and meaningful but not adding

The virtual interactive project yielded

stress. Through that balance, I was

a striking visual image—videos of

able to connect with them. This was

students individually moving their

about academics and teaching but

iPads displaying large blue and red

also trying to maintain the sense of

circles from left to right, or right

connection that we value so much in

our community. Also, a lesson for us all was about balancing life and helping our students maintain some of the structure of school without losing some of the benefits of quarantine, like more time with family to enjoy the outdoors and have family dinners.”

Licata and Glum’s classes offered just a snapshot of the close-knit dynamic of curriculum shifts and innovations throughout the Middle School.

On the other side of the screen, their curriculum delivery was so strong that almost 90% of parents surveyed in the Middle School responded with glowing feedback about Seven Hills’ remote learning program.

That same dynamic innovation played out across all divisions because, years before COVID-19, Seven Hills teachers were prepared. Here’s how preparation, planning, and creativity translated into meaningful remote learning experiences in our Lower schools and Upper School as well.

D I A RY O F A C ATE R P I L L A R :

Engaging the Youngest Minds in Moments of Discover y at Doher ty Earth Day took place during quarantine,

“Throughout our discovery, our

and as part of a late-April focus on the

kindergarteners documented

environment, kindergarteners on the

metamorphosis by journaling,

Doherty Campus began a scientific

illustrating, and reporting,” said

exploration of metamorphosis

Pietroski. “With this intensive study

that brought their remote learning

of the butterflies and other science

experiences to life.

topics, it was actually nice to be able to share screens with our students and pause videos and freeze frames in certain areas and slow down experiences when we knew it would be helpful to repeat certain concepts.”

The teachers’ butterfly releases captured a special moment in time as students watched with rapt attention.

Kenyon said she missed face-to-

Kindergarten teachers Lindsay Pietroski and Cyndi Kenyon said they decided to teach their life science unit by designing interactive lessons that incorporated weekly check-ins with students and ongoing, daily pre-recorded lessons delivered on the SeeSaw platform.

Using small terrariums housing several caterpillars, Pietroski and Kenyon guided their students through an in-depth, six-week unit that followed every aspect of the metamorphosis.

During each online class with their students, the teachers showcased the progression of the caterpillars and encouraged students to engage in scientific discussion.

face contact with her students, but appreciated the opportunity to connect in new ways.

“Even though we were not with our students, I am so grateful for the technology that brought us together,” said Kenyon.

Tech Department Cont.

“It was all about being prepared and creative,” said Cagle. “The entire week before spring break, our Middle and Upper schools were using one or two blocks per day to get students used to learning remotely.

We also met with fourth- and fifth-grade faculty to go over the social learning platform, Schoology, for about two to three hours a day, for several days.”

Cagle said the success of Seven Hills’ remote learning program is also due to students’ comfort levels with technology. At Seven Hills, kindergarteners through fifth-graders are each assigned iPads for learning purposes.

Students in grades six through 12 are expected to take their iPads home and use them daily. On the Doherty Campus, teachers were already using the SeeSaw platform on a daily basis. Their ease with using SeeSaw became very helpful when they decided to use it as their primary delivery system for daily curriculum for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.

Cagle said he and his team were inspired by the work of teachers who pivoted to innovate their programs and deliver entirely new course material.

“Middle School French teacher Jacky Kalubi was using Zoom and cooking with her students during lessons,” said Cagle. “That was amazing. It was curriculum-based but also hugely creative. She was able to work with her students while at the screen and also have them interact with each other. That lesson really struck me.”

Cagle also pointed out Upper School Dean of Students and math teacher David Brott’s geometry classes, which incorporated a book discussion. “David Brott is a geometry teacher, but he also had his class read the Continued on page 10

Continued on page 15 13

T H E P OW E R O F C O N S TA N C Y:

Seven Hills Teachers Tapped into Comfort and Routine to Connect with Younger Students at Lotspeich

When the world of Lower School education at Lotspeich turned upside down with remote learning, some Seven Hills Lower School teachers made a conscious effort to weave normalcy into their learning programs.

When early childhood students and their parents logged onto Lotspeich librarian Lori Suffield’s Zoom link for class, it felt familiar. Just as they did with face-to-face learning, Suffield started off with a song they knew and followed up with her routine of reading picture books.

“Our pre-kindergarteners needed consistency and routine,” said Suffield. “I decided to keep much of my program the same. I think it was

comforting for some of my students to do what I have always done.”

Suffield said she reinvented her program to coordinate with online learning but she continued to incorporate a theme for each class and selected books on that theme.

Her students were able to grasp 14

concepts and advance in their learning because they were working from a foundation of comfort and familiarity.

“I made certain to support my students’ love of reading, the theme of the day, diverse authors, and movement into my early childhood classes,” said Suffield. “All of these things are pieces of what a good pre-kindergarten library class would look like live, and, with planning and preparation, I was able to deliver it via Zoom.”

Suffield also worked alongside fourthgrade teacher Sarah Snyder and project math teacher Laura OGrady to deliver seamless technology support to Lotspeich teachers.

In addition to teaching classes, they worked collaboratively with colleagues and their students’ parents to deliver lessons and activities that engaged students and accommodated different learning styles.

Suffield built several ageappropriate virtual libraries for her students—something parents have shared they would use throughout the summer. For her older Lower School students, she also recorded herself reading three chapter books in order to provide a resource for her virtual book clubs.

“I knew some of my students didn’t have the books we were reading and libraries were closed at the time due

to COVID-19,” said Suffield. “I read the books for them so everyone could participate if they wanted to without searching for the book.”

DI

D YOU KNOW

?

Synchronous Learning Was a Hit for Middle and Upper School at Seven Hills!

One of the components that teachers believe made Seven Hills’ remote learning program successful was the choice for Middle and Upper School programs to continue with synchronous learning, which means students and teachers were online together in real time, doing class together every day. Under an asynchronous learning program, students would learn at different times and not necessarily in the same place. “Most parents I’ve heard from were very thankful we were synchronous,” said Middle School science teacher Jen Licata. “Some of our parents were hearing that others outside of Seven Hills were basically relegated to homeschooling because many students who were attending schools elsewhere were on asynchronous schedules where they had little direction and interaction from teachers on a daily basis. Our students had the opposite experience. Parents found that our Middle School students being at home didn’t make their lives any more difficult as a parent, in terms of school. When students were in class, we had them in class. The parents didn't have to be involved.”

M A K I N G T H E C U T:

Upper School Histor y Teacher Chose Depth Over Breadth to Deliver Power ful Lessons

Upper School history and economics teacher Eric O’Connor said his success in remote learning came from his ability to be largely selective with his material.

“Focusing more on less allowed students to sustain over longer periods of time,” he said, adding that he also incorporated worksheets, podcasts, movies, and written discussions.

O’Connor also set up blog-style lessons, in which students were assigned to make comments on each others’ posts. The variety of lesson plans allowed O’Connor to continue to deliver rigor with full engagement from afar. One of his students’ favorite learning activities in quarantine was a time capsule project.

“I asked my sophomores to come up with items they would put in a time capsule for future historians to help

them understand the world during COVID-19,” said O’Connor. “Many students took pictures of their home school set up—their bedrooms and couches and things their lives revolve around now.” O’Connor said the exercise also helped students to process current events throughout the course of the project.

“I turned our economics class into an economic catastrophe class and the students started looking at real-world indicators, such as unemployment rates and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation, and deflation,” said O’Connor. “We looked at the strategies for what the government could do in these times and we discussed everything from stimulus checks to the federal budget.”

O’Connor said he joined his students with enthusiasm and focus every day in the world of video conferencing to make each class worthwhile in the face of uncertain experiences.

“That remote learning in the Upper School was such a success was a testament to our students,” said O’Connor.

“As a school, we didn’t move to a pass-fail model and that mattered. We continued to provide a rigorous program.

Grades were fair and worthwhile and our students continued to work hard to achieve their grades.”

Tech Department Cont. book, “Flatland” by Edwin A. Abbott, that added to the curriculum but wasn’t straight geometry,” said Cagle.

Cagle, a Seven Hills parent, said he also noticed that Upper School art teacher Jason Knarr was still engaging students on a daily basis in his drawing class. “Teachers adapted immediately,” said Cagle. “They expected it, and the students delivered.

They just took pictures of their work, submitted their work on Schoology, and Knarr shared their work on Zoom.”

Cagle said Seven Hills faculty and administration continued to collaborate on a daily basis, holding each other accountable and supporting each other.

That fortification manifested in a number of ways, including Middle and Upper’s ability to maintain a daily schedule.

“We continued to function on a 10-day rotation and A-B schedule as we always had before,” said Cagle. We adjusted the running time of the classes but overall, teachers maintained the same engagement every day for several weeks.”

“We knew it would be hard work to reconfigure the program across four divisions, but we also knew, early on, that we needed to make Seven Hills’ remote learning program a new kind of school as best we could, and we delivered,” said Cagle. “Seven Hills set the bar high and it all came together because we have really talented teachers from prekindergarten through 12th grade who are hard-working and resourceful. We all made it work because we all said, ‘We have to do this. We have to continue to deliver a strong, engaging, and relevant program for our students.’ ”

15

SCHOOL SCHOOLNEWS NEWS

AP SCHOLARS

98% of AP Exam scores qualify for advanced standing in college Of the 147 Seven Hills students who took 363 Advanced Placement exams in 16 subjects in May 2019, 98% qualified for advanced college standing by receiving a score of 3 or higher on the 1-5 national scale on at least one exam. Among those who qualified, 88 were named AP Scholars, based on scores received by Seven Hills in August 2019, by the College Board for their exceptional achievements of scoring 3 or higher on more than three exams.

* Students whose names were inadvertently omitted from the AP Scholars article published in the fall 2019

Seven Hills magazine.

Receiving National AP Scholar Awards for average scores of at least 4 or higher on all AP Exams taken and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more are 2019 graduates Ariel Gleich, Greg Kalin, Felix Karthik, Aryan Katneni, Amisha Mittal, Christopher Nathan, and *Max Yuan.

Receiving AP Scholar with Distinction Awards for average scores of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and scores of at least 3 or higher on five or more are junior Junye Gai and seniors Jorge AmadeoMuniz, Yash Gaitonde, Alexander Grass, Ajay Gupta, Avital Isakov, Madeleine Magruder, Megan McLennan, Anika Parameswaran, Suraj Parikh, Rohan Patil, Rajiv Raman, Hannah Wang, Kevin Wang, and *Chase Young. Class of 2019 graduates who received AP Scholar with Distinction Awards are Emaan Asghar, Andrew Brown, Dottie Callard, Brennan Callow, George Eng, Daniel Gleeson, Siddhant Gupta, Edward Hatfield, Patrick Kilcoyne, Max Lane, Abigail Markworth, Rachel Michelman, Michael Nordlund, Varshini Odayar, Stratton Papakirk, Rohan Sachdeva, Andrew Santamarina, Susanna Spooner, Neda Tehrani, Aishwarya Varma, Grant Veldhuis, Ian Venerable, *Belinda Wang, and *Michael Weirich.

16

Receiving AP Scholar with Honor Awards for average scores of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on four or more are seniors Annika Alper, Caroline Corbett, Krish Gupta, Madelyn Kennebeck, Sufwan Safdar, James Sammarco, Avani Seshiah, Linah Uchiyama, Matthew Wabler, and Stephen Walsh. Class of 2019 graduates who received AP Scholar with Honor Awards are Claire Harrison, Jamie Holcomb, Gengchen Liu, Maya Patel, Emma Shuppert, and Andrew Vecellio.

Receiving AP Scholar Awards for scoring 3 or higher on three or more exams are junior *Andrew Yang and seniors Kayzad Bharucha, Adam Chen, Ruolan Chen, Max Creech, Colin Curnow, Emma Dorsch, Santosh Hanumanthu, Hannah Levin, Qingyi Li, Ella Samaha, Benjamin Skibo, Jocelyn Spanbauer, Andrea Stancescu, and Michael Stein. Class of 2019 graduates who received AP Scholar Awards are Avery Dorsch, Michael Glum, Madeleine Jay, Jonas Keller, David Labrie, Aoru Li, Jessica Morse, Sydney Pelnick, Annabel Stanley, Alexander Stevens, and Fandi Sun.

SCHOOL NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS! Seven Hills continues its tradition of excellence with several students receiving recognition from the National Merit Scholarship program. Ten students were named Finalists and eight were named Commended Students in the 2020 National Merit Program.

National Merit Finalists

Ten Seven Hills seniors were named National Merit Finalists in 2020. The National Merit Scholarship Program honors talented U.S. high school students each year for academic excellence. The Seven Hills School congratulates the following National Merit Finalists: Kayzad Bharucha, Max Creech, Yash Gaitonde, Madeleine Magruder, Nina Martinez Diers, Rajiv Raman, Andrea Stancescu, Stephen Walsh, Kevin Wang, and Chase Young.

National Merit Scholarship Winner

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation named senior Kevin Wang a 2020 National Merit Scholarship winner. Wang will receive a $2,500 scholarship award.

FROM L TO R: NINA MARTINEZ DIERS, MADELEINE MAGRUDER, CHASE YOUNG, STEPHEN WALSH, YASH GAITONDE, MAX CREECH, KEVIN WANG, KAYZAD BHARUCHA, RAJIV RAMAN, ANDREA STANCESCU

FROM L TO R: CAS KOMINAR, KRISH GUPTA, MADDY KENNEBECK, SUFWAN SAFDAR, AJAY GUPTA, RHEA SRIVASTAVA, MEGAN MCLENNAN (NOT PICTURED - JORGE AMADEO-MUNIZ)

National Merit Commended

The Seven Hills School continues its tradition of excellence with eight seniors, who were named Commended Students in the 2020 National Merit Program. The Seven Hills School congratulates the following National Merit Commended Students: Jorge Amadeo-Muniz, Ajay Gupta, Krish Gupta, Maddy Kennebeck, Cas Kominar, Megan McLennan, Sufwan Safdar, and Rhea Srivastava.

College-sponsored National Merit Scholarship Award*

Congratulations to two seniors who received College Sponsorship of National Merit Scholarships, as of early May. Andrea Stancescu received a National Merit Scholarship to Purdue University.

Stephen Walsh received a National Merit Scholarship to The University of Utah. Colleges and universities sponsor National Merit Scholarship that are

renewable and cover up to four years of undergraduate study at the sponsor institution. Stipends range from $500 to $2,000 per year. Within those limits, officials at the college determine each winner’s annual Merit Scholarship stipend.

Corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship Award*

Congratulations to Adam Chen, who received an Archer Daniels Midland Company National Merit Scholarship.

*The college- and corporate-sponsored scholarships reflect information that was available as of early May 2020.

17

SEVEN HILLS STUDENTS WHO LEAD

By Karla Dejean

T

H E Y U S E D T H E I R E M OT I O N S TO J U M P S TA R T A W O R L D W I D E N E T W O R K T H AT P R OV I D E S S H O E S F O R C H I L D R E N , D O M E S T I C A N D A B R OA D. A N OT H E R S T U D E N T D EC I D E D TO

D E S I G N A N AC A D E M I C A S S I S TA N C E S E R V I C E F O R H E R P E E R S . A 17-Y E A R- O L D N AT U R A L I S T T R AV E L E D TO CO S TA R I C A TO T E AC H P EO P L E A L L OV E R T H E W O R L D A B O U T I N D I G E N O U S B I R D S P EC I E S . A N D O N E S E V E N H I L L S J U N I O R M A D E R E A D I N G P O S S I B L E F O R A L AW S T U D E N T W I T H V I S UA L I M PA I R M E N T I N I N D I A . A S PA R T O F T H E U P P ER S C H O O L’ S F O C U S O N S T U D EN T- C EN T ER ED, T E AC H ER- G U I D ED C U R R I C U LU M , S E V EN H I L L S I S F E AT U R I N G F O U R S T U D EN T S W H O O F F ER A S N A P S H OT O F H O W T H E Y A N D T H EI R P EER S A R E T H R I V I N G I N T H EI R S C H O O L CO M M U N I T Y. R E A D O N TO L E A R N H O W T H EI R E X P ER I EN C E S A R E T H E P R O D U C T O F P R O G R E S S I V E C U R R I C U LU M , T E AC H ER-S U P P O R T ED I D E A S , A N D B EL I E V I N G I N T H E M S ELV E S A N D T H E W O R K T H E Y S E T O U T TO D O.

18

We are achingly close to realizing this, the latest iteration of our evolving dream of Seven Hills’ future...And when our work is done, we can all take pride in what we have built, not only for our current students, but for the generations

THE COMMUNICATOR JUNIOR SHRIYA KILARU—CLASS OF 2021 When junior Shriya Kilaru was a Seven Hills eighth-grader, she walked into a recording studio in Hyderabad, India, and paused to look at the 400-page academic book she would be reading—cover to cover.

The sense of pride she felt in the work she was about to do in 2016 continues to inform her sense of purpose today. There, at LV Prasad Eye Institute, Kilaru read for three to four hours a day, where her reading became a summer routine. Her work wasn't methodical, nor was it perfectly executed. But it was thorough and clear. She stumbled over some words and some she didn’t even know how to pronounce. But she read them. And even when the words were too unwieldy, she sounded them out.

A month later, Kilaru had recorded the tome in English. The product of her work was a book recorded in its entirety for law student Avinash Sekhar, who has visual impairment.

“I did not understand at all what I was reading but I knew what I was saying was going to help him, so I just focused on that,” said Kilaru. “It was interesting for me to know how much he needed the book and how he would hear this book rather than read it and that I was his way of studying for something very important to his education.”

Since seventh grade, Kilaru has visited the eye institute directed by her grandfather, Gullapalli N. Rao, almost every year. She started out recording shorter books and poetry for patients who are blind, as well as teaching English.

More recently, Kilaru’s grandfather asked her to ask the patients how their lives were affected by their impairment. Over the span of several years, Kilaru has now experienced working with people who are visually impaired from a number of approaches, including medical, technological, and social.

“I was more interested in the interaction with the patients, rather than the technical aspect of it. I liked the interaction part better,” said Kilaru.

“I liked being able to communicate with people and I got a better understanding of what their lives were like. I loved talking to them.”

Head of Upper School Matt Bolton said Kilaru’s service speaks to her sustained dedication

and inherent leadership. He said Seven Hills’ Upper School program, which incorporates experiential learning, May Term, and Personal Challenge projects supports students like Kilaru in a environment that allows them to take on leadership roles over the course of their four years in the Upper School.

“I think leadership is so closely tied to service, and being a leader is ultimately a way of serving others or of serving a worthy cause,” said Bolton. “I hope that our students learn, over the course of their time in Upper School, that they have a responsibility to be this kind of leader.

I hope they will see themselves as agents of change and as people who are in a position to make the world a better place.”

Halfway across the world, Kilaru’s deep learning of ocular studies resulted in her work with a tech team at Prasad. Throughout the summer of 2019, she shadowed a team of app developers who were working on ways to help

“I hope that our students will see themselves as agents of change and as people who are in a position to make the world a better place.”

- Head of Upper School Matt Bolton

Hyderabad citizens detect retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a genetic disorder of the eyes that causes loss of vision. The smartphone app would help scores of families because many do not have the wherewithal to pay for transportation to the city to participate in the screenings in person.

Along with Kilaru’s exposure to the mechanics and technology around the medical aspects of eye health, she developed a keen sense of a straightforward, highly teachable tool that could not be buffered by technology-so much that she decided to build it into her Personal Challenge project.

Through the stories she has gleaned through interviews with more than 50 eye institute

patients over the years, Kilaru has learned the importance of maintaining a working knowledge of braille. Although people with visual impairment often use technology, such as digital books for reading, Kilaru learned early on that braille is still important because it is foundational.

For months, she has been building on her knowledge of braille by using a computer application that trains the eyes to see a configuration of dots that resemble braille on her computer screen. Kilaru uses the electronic braille program to type out letters in braille using her QWERTY keyboard, which features keys embossed with dots. For example, she types the letter K by tapping the S and F keys.

Kilaru is now able to write several words in braille, using the computer program, which helps her to recognize the braille in real-life situations, such as on an elevator panel, on ATM keypads, or on business cards.

Kilaru also reads TV listings on Wednesday mornings on her phone on a system called Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI). TV viewers who are visually impaired access her readings throughout the week to hear TV listings. Through her intensive studies and horizontal exposure to the needs of those with visual impairment, Kilaru has also learned she enjoys connecting with people and she is invested in continuously learning more about their daily experiences.

“The feeling I get when I am helping someone is just really enlightening and it’s interesting what people go through,” said Kilaru. “Being able to understand it as much as I can is something I am really passionate about.”

19

S E V E N

H I L L S

S T U D E N T S

THE PROVIDERS CURTIS HARRISON AND SPENCER BOYD—CLASS OF 2020 In a car ride to a fundraiser in 2015, a life-changing idea was brewing. Seven Hills seniors Curtis Harrison and Spencer Boyd, as well as St. Xavier student Kellen Newman, were listening to Boyd’s mother talk about the lack of shoes available to some children in Jamaica.

“We were talking about the latest Jordans, Lebrons, and Adidas shoes and how they

“ The exposure to community service at a young age and to so many inspirational guest speakers and entrepreneurs have helped shape my view of nonprofit efforts that change lives.”

- Senior Spencer Boyd

cost about $200, and my mom told us a story about when she was in Jamaica, she saw kids wearing cardboard boxes for shoes,” said Boyd. “We heard this and wanted to do something. So, we decided to start sending the shoes we outgrew to Jamaica. That turned into a decision to start collecting other shoes, as well.”

Boyd, Harrison, and Newman worked collaboratively to organize their mission and design an outreach program that would become Sole Bros, a nonprofit organization that provides shoes for children in need here, near, and far.

Both Boyd and Harrison said the Middle

20

and Upper School’s variety and quality of visiting speakers and seminars have inspired and encouraged them to continue their work.

“The exposure to community service at a young age and to so many inspirational guest speakers and entrepreneurs has helped shape my view of nonprofit efforts that change lives,” said Boyd. “The support from the community has helped me in so many ways as well!”

Harrison said his daily academic experience at Seven Hills has also prepared him for the many opportunities he has had to tell the Sole Bros story publicly, both locally and nationally. “Over the years, Seven Hills has taught me public speaking, not to take things for granted, and to seize the day,” said Harrison.

The Sole Bros have their sights on the future, and it involves continued work in social entrepreneurism.

“I’m looking forward to both of us taking Sole Bros to each of our campuses in college and seeing what the colleges will be able to do for us,” said Boyd. “It will be a great experience to be able to run Sole Bros and expand it more.”

Since their initial launch, Boyd, Harrison, and Newman have collected hundreds of new and gently used shoes for children locally and across the country, as well as in Jamaica, Ghana, and Haiti. Boyd said the work of Sole Bros is multi-fold. The young men are learning all of the ins and outs that come together to maintain a successful nonprofit organization. They have been the subject of local and national

news stories, written their own book, and they make regular appearances throughout the Cincinnati area to raise awareness for their cause.

But one point of their purpose is poignant and simple.

“We want to give each kid that sense of self-worth and self-pride that we get when we get a new pair of shoes,” said Boyd.

“I want to bring more joy into kids’ lives through something I take for granted but also appreciate so much.”

“Over the years, Seven Hills has taught me public speaking, not to take things for granted, and to seize the day,” - Senior Curtis Harrison

We are achingly close to realizing this, the latest iteration of our evolving dream of Seven Hills’ future...And when our work is done, we can all take pride in what we have built, not only for our current students, but for the generations

W H O

L E A D

THE GUIDE SENIOR ETHAN RISING—CLASS OF 2020 There hasn’t been a time that Ethan Rising hasn’t focused on nature, and he can easily pinpoint how it all began 11 years ago with a Lotspeich teacher.

“I was hooked on bald eagles and raptors in preschool,” said Rising. “Mrs. (Margaret) Vitz’s son, Andrew Vitz ’92, was a bird bander in Pennsylvania, and she said, ‘You have to visit him.’ So I visited him in first grade and I got to hold a bird in my hand.

For me to be such a young kid and see a bird up close, that was it for me.” Soon after his bird-banding experience, Rising joined the Ohio Young Birders’ Club while he was in early elementary school. Coincidentally, Seven Hills alumnus Andrew Vitz is now Massachusetts’ state ornithologist.

Rising has built upon his childhood interest in raptors to become a birder and later, a naturalist—someone who intently studies the impacts of different species on each other and the environments in which they live.

He said his intense focus on birds in Lower and Middle School was also the springboard for his interests in the environment, which were further supported when he took a new environmental studies course co-taught by Upper School history teacher Brian Wabler and science teacher Bryce Carlson.

“Environmental studies class is one of my favorite Upper School classes. It was about environmental policy, history, and the impacts they have on the world,” said Rising, who also built upon that class by taking a full semester course in Wisconsin during the second semester of his junior year, which included an AP environmental studies class.

Rising’s interests, combined with his exposure to Seven Hills environmental studies class and further pursuit of a semester course, illustrate how Seven Hills allows for a great deal of student choice and agency, said Head of Upper School Matt Bolton. “We want students to build on the experiences that they've found most compelling or rewarding, and, in so doing, to develop a sense of purpose and direction,” said Bolton. “In the classroom, our teachers pose questions, present challenges, and call on students to find answers and solutions.

I think this is a critical factor in helping our students to see themselves as active solvers of problems, rather than passive receivers of information.”

“ Environmental studies class is one of my favorite Upper School classes. It was about environmental policy, history, and the impacts they have on the world.”

- Senior Ethan Rising

To date, Rising has led ecotours in Turrialba, Costa Rica. He has participated in several birding and naturalist conferences, symposia, and tours all over the world, including in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin; the countries of Costa Rica, Ecuador,

Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico; and the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, to name a few.

In 2018, Rising worked with a National Geographic photographer. He has also emceed and spoken several times at Ohio Young Birders Club conferences and events. He was the keynote speaker at the Indiana Young Birders Club in 2016, and he currently organizes statewide trips for the Ohio Young Birders Club. He also had planned to serve as a guide at The Biggest Week in American Birding Festival during the summer of 2020.

But with all of his travels, Rising encourages others to take just a step outside to see scenes worthy of a naturalist’s attention.

“People underestimate how many species are nearby,” said Rising. “You would be amazed what you can find in your backyard.

I think it is important for people to open their eyes a little, walk around the backyard and kind of look a little closer at the world.”

21

SEVEN HILLS STUDENTS WHO LEAD

THE NETWORKER ANIKA PARAMESWARAN—CLASS OF 2020 Seven Hills senior Anika Parameswaran saw a need.

She saw a number of students who weren’t receiving formal tutoring but still wanted help with their schoolwork. And she knew students who wanted to help them.

“For upperclassmen to take on the role of a tutor, it helps them to develop leadership skills.

If they have a passion for teaching, it will allow that skill and interest to blossom as well.”

- Senior Anika Parameswaran

Parameswaran met with students to find out more about their needs. She met with teachers to learn more about teaching techniques, as well as with Upper School administrators to gain a sense of how to build a peer tutoring schedule into the school day. She also brainstormed with Director of College Counseling Susan Marrs.

After participating as a teaching fellow in the nonprofit organization Breakthrough Cincinnati during the summer of 2019, Parameswaran’s plan began to take shape.

22 4

While spending her summer with Breakthrough, a six-week international academic program that prepares students in the middle and upper schools for high school and college, Parameswaran saw, firsthand, how effective peer learning was for her young students.

“When I was in Breakthrough, a lot of the lessons focused on students pairing up and helping each other,” said Parameswaran.

“I thought about the fact that at Seven Hills there is a group of students who don’t have tutors or they need a little help or they want to ask someone who has more knowledge about the subject.”

Parameswaran built her program model by meeting with a faculty committee, including Head of School Matt Bolton and teachers Caleb Paull, Tricia Hoar, Ann Griep, Cassie Levesque, and Meredith Brown.

“It was interesting to see, from an administrative side, how much work goes into starting a program like this,” she said.

Parameswaran said she learned early on the importance of having realistic goals.

She decided to pare down her program’s offerings to tutoring in two subjects only— math and world language. The program provides services for 35 minutes twice a week at the end of the school day. She said she hopes to design a sustainable system that will allow Seven Hills to benefit from

her project after she graduates, as well as grow the program to increase tutoring for all academic subjects.

Parameswaran, who manages a total rotating roster of about 20 student tutors and about 20 tutees each week, said she is pleased her program is providing a service that brings students together.

“It’s just another opportunity for students who might not have access to professional tutors but still need that extra bit of help,” said Parameswaran. “For upperclassmen to take on that role, it helps them to develop leadership skills. If they have a passion for teaching, it will allow that skill and interest to blossom as well.”

We are achingly close to realizing this, the latest iteration of our evolving dream of Seven Hills’ future...And when our work is done, we can all take pride in what we have built, not only for our current students, but for the generations

SCHOOL NEWS

CREATING CONVERSATIONS SPEAKER SERIES The Seven Hills School's Creating Conversations is an annual speaker series designed to engage as a community, with each other and with the help of experts in their fields, about raising bright, healthy, happy children.

MAINTAINING HEALTHY HABITS IN THE AGE OF INTERNET ADDICTION Lindner Center of Hope’s Dr. Chris Tuell offered parents and friends insights on the world of internet addiction in March 2020, during Seven Hills’ counseling department’s final event in the Creating Conversations parenting speaker series of the 2019-20 school year. Tuell, a clinical director of addiction services, taught parents the signs of internet addiction and offered ways to address and treat it.

Tuell used the five points—chemical imbalance, unresolved issues, belief, inability to cope, and stimulus-response relationship (CUBIS)—to explain primary aspects of addiction. He said treatment for internet addiction may result in the need for medication management, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, new skills, and education, but one of the most helpful remedies is engagement.

“Maybe the opposite of addiction is not only sobriety,” said Tuell. “Maybe the opposite of addiction is also connection.”

STARTING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT ANXIETY

“The idea that something children loved and now think is boring is actually a scientific fact,” said Tuell. “Sometimes that lost interest manifests when people are overexposed to a certain stimulus, the level of dopamine in the brain has increased so that anything below that is boring. They don’t get that effect, and as we know, increased tolerance happens.”

Seven Hills parents and friends listened to and interacted with a panel of mental health professionals and therapists who discussed dealing with anxiety, during a midNovember Creating Conversations event in the Young Family Library on Hillsdale Campus.

Tuell also encouraged parents of young children to check their children’s digital devices, such as Nintendo Switch and Amazon Kindle Fire, for the devices’ capability to access the internet. Tuell also advised parents to sit down with their children and ask them the simple question, “What are you doing when you are using this device?” and allow the child to describe their activities.

The panel consisted of Dr. Julia Anixt, director of The Kelly O’Leary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Wendi Lopez, staff psychologist for Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Glenn Hall, an addiction specialist with Freedom from

Chemical Dependency; clinical social worker James Pease; and psychologist Brian Riker.

During the panel discussion, parents’ key focus centered around how to address their children’s responses to anxiety in real time, especially in cases when children are paralyzed by their fears or take the first step toward trying something new.

“Once parents help their kids to cope with anxiety by building skills in a safe environment, they can honor their anxieties and still help children push through it,” said Lopez.

The Creating Conversations speaker series is hosted by Seven Hills’ counseling department.

The Seven Hills School Speaker Series

23

SCHOOL NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS TO NEW MEMBERS OF CUM LAUDE SOCIETY The Upper School honored its new inductees into the Seven Hills chapter of the Cum Laude Society, during Seven Hills’ virtual Upper School Awards Day in early June. Cum Laude is a national honor society that recognizes academic excellence.

New members are juniors Kurt Drath, David Kiley, Catherine Kogan, Uma Shenai, Megan Tan, Christina Torlone, Andrew Yang, and Meg Yuan; and seniors Caroline Corbett, Colin Curnow, Avital Isakov, Madeleine Magruder, Ethan Rising, Sufwan Safdar, Linah Uchiyama, Matthew Wabler, Stephen Walsh, and Kevin Wang. The event also honored the members who were inducted last year as juniors: Annika Alper, Kayzad Bharucha, Alex Grass, Allison Huffman, Nina Martinez Diers, Megan McLennan, Kristen Porter, Katie Remaklus, Ella Samaha, and Andrea Stancescu. Retiring French teacher Wynne Curry announced the names of all Cum Laude inductees during the virtual ceremony.

As part of the annual Cum Laude Society induction ceremony, it is tradition for faculty members of the Cum Laude Committee to address each new member with remarks compiled from quotes from the students’ teachers.

For a direct link to the remarks, type in this link, 7hills.org/2020cumlauderemarks or download a QR Code app to your smartphone and scan the code on this page.

24

SCHOOL NEWS

BOOKS FOR LUNCH 2019 WELCOMED CHRISTINA BAKER KLINE Books for Lunch author Christina Baker Kline shared her love for literature with students, parents, and community members who attended several Books for Lunch events in February. The New York Times Bestselling novelist’s latest work is “The Exiles,” which is scheduled to be released this fall.

“

“Until you find the feeling of a story, you are not going to have a story that springs into place on the page.”

-Christina Baker Kline

“My mother-in-law pulled a book off the shelf she had never looked at. It contained newspaper articles,” said Baker Kline. As her mother-in-law continued looking through the book, she realized several of her family members were featured in the newspaper articles for being orphans on the Orphan Train.

“She almost fell out of her chair,” said Baker Kline, adding that the subject for her book found her, not the other way around.

During her Seven Hills visit, Baker Kline also spoke to Upper School students during a special assembly, where she told students, “Until you find the feeling of a story, you are not going to have a story that springs into place on the page.” Baker Kline’s visit concluded with a conversation-style interview with award-winning novelist Curtis Sittenfeld

Pictured above, from left, Head of Upper School Matt Bolton, Books for Lunch co-chair Nupur Anand, author Christina Baker Kline, Books for Lunch co-chair Karen Wilger, and Head of School Chris Garten.

’93, at The Summit Hotel.

Christina Baker Kline speaks to Upper School students during a visit to the Young Family Library.

Seven Hills parents Nupur Anand and Karen Wilger co-chaired this year’s Books for Lunch program, which has brought renowned authors to Cincinnati for 34 years, including Jane Smiley, Thrity Umrigar, Alexandra Fuller, and Colum McCann. The 2020 Books for Lunch event was made possible by Presenting Sponsor Molly Garber. The event committee included Halle Quinn, Lisa Briquet, Lauren Crandall, Sandhya Shenai, Rica Ligeralde, Marsha Firestein, and Marni Greenwald.

Baker Kline’s visit with the Seven Hills community began with an event at the home of Seven Hills parents Kari and David Ellis.

She shared personal stories about her muse for writing the New York Times bestseller “Orphan Train” about the welfare program that transported orphaned and homeless children from crowded Eastern cities of the U.S. to foster homes in the Midwest from 1854 to 1929.

Authors Christina Baker Kline and Curtis Sittenfeld, Head of School Chris Garten, and Head of Upper School Matt Bolton stand with Upper School journalism students, from left, David Kiley, Grace Copfer, and Anika Parameswaran, who were the special guests at the Books for Lunch event at The Summit Hotel.

25

SCHOOL NEWS

TEACHERS ARE THE DIFFERENCE Teachers control the climate of their classrooms. They shape what students learn, when they learn, and how they learn it. Together, we are celebrating our amazing teachers in this magazine installment, which features JOYFUL LEARNERS, L ASTING CONNECTIONS AMY KULHAVIK INSTILLS CONFIDENCE, INSPIRATION IN DOHERT Y FIRST-GRADERS Doherty first-grade teacher Amy Kulhavik makes quite an impression on her students, from back-to-school moments when they cautiously walk through her classroom door to springtime, when they move through routines with confident, snaggle-tooth grins.

And, although she keeps a tidy classroom, Kulhavik has a philosophical mainstay that keeps her grounded.

“I know no matter what we do, it’s going to be messy,” said Kulhavik. “I tell myself, a messy room equals a great day!”

Kulhavik’s impression on her students is lasting. She often has several visitors— current and older students alike—darting in and out of Jones Hall Room 4 to see her just before school begins each day. On occasion, they have opportunities to stop by to see her during cross-divisional presentations that have brought Middle or Upper School students to Doherty for the day.

“When I was in first grade, Mrs. Kulhavik knew I really wanted to be a teacher. She would always give me old worksheets so that I could pretend to be a teacher at home,” said freshman Anna Papakirk. “I miss her positivity and enthusiasm. She really knows how to engage young students and make them excited to learn.”

Kulhavik continues to focus her energy on guiding her students through learning experiences. She said she always enjoys watching her students discover and exercise their independence throughout the school year.

26

Her first-graders demonstrated leadership this year when, after studying the impact Australian wildfires had on the livelihood of koalas, they decided to donate proceeds

THINGS I LEARNED FROM A FIRST-GRADER Doherty first-grade teacher Amy Kulhavik

5. Messy rooms are a good thing.

4. Putting my money into a savings account at a bank is important!

3. Hugs make almost everything better!

2. Glue sticks are magicians!

They disappear daily.

Literally!

1. And most importantly, I have the BEST job ever!

At the BEST school ever!

from their baked goods sale to the World Wildlife Foundation to help preserve eucalyptus habitats.

“They start first grade as wide-eyed humans and later in the year, they become leaders and experts in different areas,” said Kulhavik. “They develop independence very quickly throughout the year.”

Lisa Briquet, mother of one of Kulhavik’s firstgraders, Eulalie, called Kulhavik “cohesive and flexible” in her approach to guiding and teaching young students.

“She’s so invested,” said Briquet, also mother of a Middle Schooler, Thibault, and Upper School student, Ariane. “She was one of the first teachers I met when we toured the school. She is invested in each person and in meeting them where they are. If there is something the students are interested in, she’ll often shift gears and turn her lesson to the children.”

Whether she is conducting one-onone leveled reading assessments with her students, discussing a visit to Drake Planetarium, or laughing at one of her students’ original jokes, a peek inside Kulhavik’s classroom explains her magnetism. She welcomes her students with a balance of reality and clear expectations.

Using that blend, she perceives each day to be a fresh start and that energy transfers as agency to her students, who feel safe in the way they learn, and with the questions they ask.

“Things in my classroom change—every day,” said Kulhavik. “You can write lesson plans for simple fractions and a student will find a turtle on their way to school and they’re going to want to talk about that turtle. Every element of every moment can become a powerful lesson.”

SCHOOL NEWS

Doherty first-grade teacher Amy Kulhavik and Lotspeich fourth-grade teacher Sara Snyder. It’s easy to see why, at Seven Hills, #TeachersAreTheDifference.

A GREAT SPORT SARA SNYDER SL AM DUNKS ON REAL-LIFE LEARNING APPLICATIONS IN LOTSPEICH FOURTH GRADE

NFL? NCAA? MLB? While the acronyms may bring a slew of professional sports franchises to the minds of some, they spell out one thing for Lotspeich fourth-grade teacher, Sara Snyder—M-A-T-H. “Sports statistics offer such an amazing tap into math education,” said Snyder. “I know not all students like math and they may not all be football or basketball fans, but I try to make it fun and approachable and demystify it.”

Snyder starts out the school year with lesson plans on fractions using National Football League wins and losses, which equip her students with the skills needed to build pie charts and convert fractions into decimals and percentages.

By the time winter rolls around, her students are studying the National College Athletic Association’s AP top 25—and learning how to construct bar graphs, incorporating median, mode, and average for each team.

The spring season ushers baseball stats into Snyder’s classroom. They work on batting averages and ERAs. They also make a picture chart of walks, homeruns, and stolen bases and keep track of wins and losses.

Snyder’s love of sports is one of the reasons she is such an MVP with her former students. Freshman Jack Ringel said he remembers missing a few school days of fourth grade to attend the 2015 national championship, Ohio State vs. Oregon.

of ways to explore information and apply knowledge. She often breaks her assignments into stations, allowing her students to grasp and practice concepts through the use of traditional work, abstract ideas, computer application, art projects, and academic games.

“Mrs. Snyder made me a packet of makeup work—and she decorated it with the Ohio State and Oregon logos,” said Ringel. “She made learning math fun and always incorporated fun stuff.”

Fourth-grade parent Tysha Wilder said she appreciates the way Snyder helps her daughter, Karringtyn, apply her knowledge to real-world situations.

“Sara took an opportunity to do a deepdive into the impeachment process and explain this historic event to young students,” said Wilder. “Karringtyn was able to have a very in-depth conversation about the impeachment process later during a family outing.

She included so many details, some of the adults in the room said Karringtyn taught them something about it. Sara took this real-life thing going on and submerged those kids into it and our students walked away truly knowing all about it.”

“In my classroom, you can look around and see students learning in so many ways,” said Snyder. “They are all learning the same thing, but students need to have access to different ways to learn and understand what they are learning. It is a given to teach how things work. I like to teach them the why.”

THINGS I LEARNED FROM A FOURTH-GRADER Lotspeich fourth-grade teacher Sara Snyder

5. Creativity 4. Kindness 3. Patience 2. Perseverance 1. Each student has a different way of learning and, as I get to know my students each year, I gain new insights into how to be a better teacher!

Snyder said she strives to learn something from her students every day and she believes their success depends, in part, upon having access to a number 27

SCHOOL NEWS

MATH IN THE MIDDLE When it comes to teaching math, there’s a formula Seven Hills Middle School teachers follow. From the first day of pre-algebra in sixth grade to the last day of algebra or geometry class in eighth grade, students become abstract thinkers along the way.

either pre-algebra 6 or advanced pre-algebra 6, both taught by Theresa Keller.

“Our goal in Middle School— and I think it’s our goal at Seven Hills—is to place students in the class in which they can be both challenged and successful,” Keller said.

Fresh out of the Doherty and Lotspeich Lower schools, sixth-graders begin their journey through Middle School math in

Placing students at the right level is key.

Keller works with Carri Haskins, who teaches seventh-grade pre-algebra and algebra, and Kristina O’Connor, who teaches seventh-grade algebra and eighth-grade algebra and geometry, to find the best fit for incoming seventhgraders. In turn, Haskins and O’Connor work with eighth-grade algebra teacher Stacy Wilson.

In sixth and seventh grade, Keller, Haskins, and O’Connor lay the foundations of algebra using more concrete concepts, such as converting recipes or analyzing and representing data gathered by Upper School

28

environmental science students in different ways. In eighth grade, students begin to delve into more abstract concepts such as surface area or geometric transformations.

Keller, Haskins, O’Connor, and Wilson frequently collaborate on lessons.

O’Connor said the department is “a strong team” willing to try new things and find lessons that fit students of all math levels.

The teachers foster a student-focused environment, optimized for Middle Schoolers to learn math and foster a love of learning the subject. Students are challenged through classroom work and interesting projects that connect math to life outside Seven Hills, such as calculating gallons of paint needed to cover a room or

SCHOOL NEWS

“I’ve tried to create a classroom where everyone feels welcome to ask a question,” Wilson said. “My classes are fairly small, which I love. We try to create a very positive environment where no one feels that there’s a question they shouldn’t ask.”

percentages for credit card interest rates.

“The Seven Hills student is really special,” Wilson said. “I feel lucky I get to work with these students who want to be challenged and who want to learn more.”

Each teacher follows a classroom routine.

Haskins writes the day’s agenda on the board. Keller starts her class with a quick review of the previous lesson. Wilson incorporates lots of partner and group work into her classes.

The teachers also have different ways to strengthen the links to their lessons.

Haskins sometimes likes to take a more comedic approach, using cheesy mnemonic devices or funny phrases to drive a lesson home.

“Students all mature so differently when it comes to math,” Haskins said. “That’s why I like to accommodate the variety of learning styles and skill levels to support my students.”

All four teachers have seen their students experience that “Aha!” moment that comes with learning, whether it’s a student getting over her fear of fractions or another student getting the hang of integers.

Sometimes, those exciting moments happen outside of school hours. Twice a week, Keller holds optional, before-school math practice sessions. One sixth-grader was struggling and came to the practices to hone her skills. As the student’s math skills improved, so did her confidence and excitement for the practices.

“It’s great students accomplish something new,” Keller said. “It’s because of their hard work and dedication to coming in.

It’s not me. I just give them the space to do it.”

Math Club

Every Thursday, the math department hosts Math Club during lunch. Math teacher Kristina O’Connor said the students are given challenging problems to take their practice of math above and beyond. All Middle Schoolers are invited to attend Math Club.

“We want every student to be a part of it,” O’Connor said. “It doesn’t matter your math skill level. We want students to attend and we’re happy to see them.”

Some students in the club also travel to MATHCOUNTS events.

MATHCOUNTS is a national middle school math competition done in beestyle contests across the United States.

In early March, eighth-grade Math Club members Mikul Wyer and Oliver Szabo traveled to the state competition and placed 18th and 14th, respectively.

“We are so proud of Oliver and Mikul!”

O’Connor said. “They worked incredibly hard to achieve such amazing success.”

Ultimately, the teachers empower and encourage students to participate.

29

SCHOOL NEWS

A HARDWORKING BUNCH: Good Apples Program Has Assisted Teachers for More Than Three Decades For 31 years, fifth-graders at the Lotspeich and Doherty lower schools have given back to the Seven Hills School community and served as role models for their younger peers through the Good Apples program.

now runs the Good Apples program at Lostpeich. Fifth-graders can choose to help with collecting recycling in all of Lotspeich’s buildings or assist teachers in the classroom.

Schomber said students have a true sense of ownership of their jobs and they learn how to best utilize their skills to help teachers.

“It’s an opportunity for the oldest kids in our school to be leaders,” Schomber said.

“The kids are wonderful. They really enjoy taking part in Good Apples.”

Good Apples, a tradition launched by retired school counselor Judy Arnold, is a voluntary program that invites fifth-graders to assist Lotspeich and Doherty teachers once a week during students’ recess time. Arnold started Good Apples when she was a school counselor at Lotspeich and Doherty.

“The purpose of the program is to foster responsibility in the fifth-graders, as leaders of their division, and provide help to classroom teachers to do tasks—like organizing, filing, cleaning, and pet care— that take time and aren’t directly serving kids,” Arnold said. “It is also a way to reunite students with previous teachers and nurture those connections.”

Almost every year of her tenure at Seven Hills, Arnold said 100% of students, or very close to 100%, participated in the Good Apples program, which remains true for both lower schools today.

School counselor Seraphine Schomber 30

Unit III teacher Dana Pease, along with Unit III teacher Bill Schmidt, are in charge of Good Apples at Doherty Campus. At the beginning of the year, Pease and Schmidt identify teachers around campus who need a little extra classroom help and students are assigned to those teachers.

Students may sort papers, take down bulletin boards, or even help calm the youngest Doherty students during naptime.

Pease noted that students take their volunteer assignments very seriously.

“We do not remind students to go, and they know when they are expected,” she said. “They

are learning about responsibility. They are also learning to manage their time. The result is a feeling of pride and accomplishment.”

Doherty Unit II teacher Julie Guminey, who previously taught Unit III, has seen many students participate in Good Apples. She said students value and work hard for the teachers.

“It gives fifth-graders such a sense of responsibility and gives them a rewarding connection to teachers and students in the Doherty community,” Guminey said. “The younger students truly see the Good Apples as role models and they can’t wait to be Good Apples themselves when they get to fifth grade!”

Retiring Lostpeich fifth-grade teacher Karla Balskus said volunteering for Good Apples prepares students for volunteering in the Middle and Upper Schools. Weekly volunteering for Good Apples embeds service in students’ routines and sets the tone for their interests in community service beyond the campus. Students learn the importance of helping others and develop a sense of empathy.

“It’s like a special fifth-grade responsibility,” Balskus said. “Kids do step up and grow. In helping other people, your world widens and your heart deepens.”

SCHOOL NEWS

THANK YOU! The Seven Hills Development Office gratefully acknowledges and thanks the more than 230 volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to ensure The Seven Hills School is able to continue providing the rich learning experience and tight-knit community that defines a Seven Hills education.

2 0 1 9 - 2 0

D E V E L O P M E N T

Karin Anderson Abrell ’88 Fleming & Dobbs Ackermann Emily Addy ’14 Julie Albright Janet Allen-Reid ’76 Janet Allgaier Nupur Anand Lynette Andersen Sarah Anderson Libby Andrews Dulany & Rob Anning ’86 Sydney & Bob Anning Jim Anthony ’93 Angie Apple Nancy Pechstein Aubke H’67 Steve Baggott Gay Seybolt Bain H’51 Shelly & Nolan Bean Nicole Benzinger Bryan Bibler ’04 Jack Binkley Rose Bitsoff Ann Bartlett Blemker C’65 Wendy Braff Aideen & Payson Briggs ’87 Kenya Brock ’98 Bruce Brown Angela Buckley Sumbol Budhani Terri Cain Madeline Caldemeyer ’11 Karen Bidlingmeyer Callard ’80 Sunnie Cao Scott Carroll ’85 Peter Cha Lalitha Chunduri Terry Clayton Marilyn Collins Dorothy (Kim ’84) & Evan Corbett ’82 Jennifer Dauer Marjorie Davis C’65 Paige deBuys Caroline Decker ’02 Ron DeLyons Alex Derkson ’03

V O L U N T E E R S

Amy DeWitt Lisa Diedrichs Tiffany Domet Peter Dumbadze ’06 Priscilla Dunn Anne Scherz Durket H’72 Colleen Dwight Tara Eaton Margaret Kent Edson ’04 Sharon Elikan David Ellis Lisa Eng Susan Esler Merry Ewing ’76 Lisa Fender Andi Ferguson Meredith Edwards Ficks ’98 Ginny Fisher Marc Fisher Rachel Foster Jennifer Frey ’99 Vicki Gaffney Tom Garber ’96 Raji Ghosh Ben Glassman ’93 Jan Fullgraf Golann H’67 Elizabeth Goldstein Tammy Gravitt Ben Greenberg ’06 Linda Heldman Greenberg H’71 Krista Gubanich Brooke Guigui Tom Hayes Henry Head ’13 Louise Atkins Head H’56 Karlene Herman Debbie Hill Grace Allen Hill ’80 Wendy Ten Eyck Hites H’67 Jill Acomb Hoff H’63 Allie Horwitz ’10 John Humphrey ’84 DeeAnne Schroeder Hunstein H’57 Dianna Icenhower

Kay Ilg De'Yana Jackson Judy Jackson Clay Jamison ’06 Rose Johnson Sarah Johnson Evan Joiner ’03 Jim Jurgensen II Marielle Kabbouche-Samaha Jacky Kalubi Tshiunza Kalubi ’02 Amy Bulger Kattman ’89 Susie Keller ’04 Lair Kennedy Sashi Kilaru Sarajane & Richard King Andrea Knarr Meera Kotagal ’99 Jennifer Kreines Susan Steman Laffoon H’57 Jutta Lafley John Larkin ’13 Margaret Avril Lawson ’75 Laura Hoguet Leonard ’06 Peter Levin Sally Leyman Rica Ligeralde Sylvia Lotspeich Greene L’55 Melissa Lounsbury Audrey-Lin Lozares Anni Eleonora Macht C’70 Jackie Mack Eryn MacKenzie ’14 Zola Makrauer Bobby Marcus ’97 Suzy Marquard H’68 Mike Marrero Josh Martin Nicki Martin ’09 Kathy Robertson McCord H’69 Robert McCoy Trish McDonald Diana & Henley McIntosh Jessica McLennan Katie McNamara ’11 Lois Mentrup

Karen Meyer Robbie Michelman Charity Moeller Murray Monroe ’84 Melissa Morelli ’85 Velma Morelli Jennifer Moriarty Mitzie Moser Nancy Maxwell Mullen H’71 Harrison Mullin Sybil Behrens Mullin ’83 Alisa Murph Asia Reid Narayan ’05 Bev Narburgh Theo Nelson Alex Niehaus Mark Niehaus ’12 Michael Nordlund Stephanie Norton Bill O'Neal David Osborn L’72 Barbara Osher Libby Warrington Ott ’78 Jim Papakirk Sarah Pearce Phipps ’96 Jenny Pierani Polly & Bill Pierani Tasha & Terrence Porter Dick Quimby Alex & Andrew Quinn Lisa Raimondo Amaranta Ramirez-Almaraz Jessalyn Reid ’08 Chris Rice ’88 Patricia Rouster Susan Abrahamson Routh ’84 Cinny Hastings Roy ’75 Sunny Bowman Saelinger C’61 Laura Lindner Sankey ’82 Missy & Chris Schade Walker Schiff ’10 Dan Schimberg ’80 Max Schimberg ’09 Allison Schneider John Schneider

Katie & Ran SenGupta Dennis Shiels Mary Jo & Bill Simpson Curtis Sittenfeld ’93 Jo Sittenfeld ’98 P.G. Sittenfeld ’03 Tiernan Sittenfeld ’92 Erin Snelting Jennifer Stein Kelli Stein Kiki Steinman ’10 Sarah Steinman Margo Taft Stever H’68 Scott Stough ’06 Elizabeth Stock Jane Sutton Kim Takahashi Sharon Worthing Vaino C’70 Benjamin van der Horst ’05 Kirsten Van Dyke Anne Sheffield Vanoy C’73 Heather Zaring Vecellio ’92 Jacky Villar Brian Wabler Elizabeth Walker Sharonda Washington Liza Martindale Weiner ’99 Joy Whinery Katherine Oechler Whitbeck H’67 Russell White Taylor White ’10 Vanessa Whiteford-Wayne Jim Wiesmann Judy Wiesemann Pam Williams Laura Welles Wilson ’84 Lisa Collins Winick ’85 Nan Sikes Witten H’68 Peter Wojda ’06 Abbey Wood ’08 Hillary Wood Chris Wyant ’01 Sharon Yosafat Mary Wulsin Zema ’05

31

SCHOOL NEWS

MIRIAM TITCOMB MEMORIAL FUND

Grants for Enrichment Since 1978, the Miriam Titcomb Fund, an endowed enrichment fund established by alumnae, has made it possible for more than 100 Seven Hills faculty and staff to have meaningful travel and study experiences. These adventures are personally and professionally inspiring for our faculty and staff.

Their increased scholarship and enthusiasm enriches the entire school community. We are pleased to share the stories of 2019 recipients Karla Balskus, Nick Francis, Barbara Hepp, Amaris White, and Russell White.

Karla attended the christening of her granddaughter, Nora, in County Mayo on the west coast of the country. Karla and her family saw amazing sights, and she enjoyed the challenge of illustrating her travels in journals along the way.

“Memorable travel moments included an educational and entertaining sheepherding demo; time spent wandering through Connemara’s impressive Kylemore Abbey; the college town of Galway; and the informative National Museum of Early Life,” Karla said. “We also enjoyed a night of traditional Irish music at Matt Molloy’s. Lotspeich art teacher Jody Knoop and her mandolin would’ve fit right in!”

Karla, her husband, son, daughterin-law, and baby Nora then flew to Lisbon, Portugal, to continue their European adventure. The group saw many landmarks, including Sintra’s Pena Palace and the 1,000-year-old Moorish Castle, and they enjoyed the unique character of Portugal.

“There were colorful tiles everywhere!”

Karla said. “The food, which included the tasty traditional Portuguese custard tarts

KARL A BALSKUS RETIRING LOTSPEICH LOWER SCHOOL FIFTH-GRADE TEACHER Karla Balskus was awarded a Titcomb grant for her experience, “Journaling My Way from Ireland to Portugal.” In Ireland, 32

Pasteis de Belem and over 300 flavors of canned sardines, the murals, and the music were all a feast for the senses.”

Karla offers this advice for faculty and staff at Seven Hills: “I encourage everyone to apply for a Titcomb trip during your tenure at Seven Hills, for travel truly widens and changes our world!”

NICK FRANCIS DIRECTOR OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Nick Francis was awarded a Titcomb grant for his experience, “Off-road Biking Across England.” Nick traveled

SCHOOL NEWS

to England to bike the Wessex Way with two friends from college. The Wessex Way took Nick and his friends on a challenging, 250-mile journey across the English countryside, from Westonsuper-Mare to Eastbourne.

“I hope it’s clear that this trip energized me in multiple ways,” he said. “I am very grateful to the Miriam Titcomb Fund and the people behind it.”

“We worked hard on the trail—harder than expected—but it was worth it.

Riding mostly off-road was a challenge, but it allowed access to remote areas and provided a different perspective,” Nick said. “I could have taken a photograph every 10 minutes—beautiful countryside,

BARBARA HEPP UPPER SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Barbara Hepp was awarded a Titcomb grant for her experience, “A Family Historical Exploration of County Tipperary.” Barbara discovered her family’s roots with a journey to the southern counties of Ireland.

“It was a pilgrimage of sorts,” Barbara said. “A cousin started our ancestry search several years ago and what began as a hobby became an obsession. His perseverance resulted in a wonderfully detailed family tree, which is still growing.”

quaint villages, thatched roofs, country pubs, and quintessential English tea rooms. There were moments when it was almost surreal.”

Barbara and her husband began their travels in Ireland in the country’s capital, Dublin. The Hepps then rented a car to travel the countryside. Barbara has some

travel advice for driving through the Irish landscape.

“Be prepared to travel on roads that are only fit for a bicycle, locals walking their dog, or herds of sheep,” Barbara said.

“The number of times we encountered these, including threshing machines and tractors three times the size of our little Volkswagen, was too many to count, but it was worth it!”

Barbara and her husband logged more than 600 miles and saw many castles, abbeys, and beautiful natural sights. The Hepps ended their journey in in County Tipperary, visiting a cemetery with graves

Nick kept a journal throughout his trip, chronicling his time in the country. “Often I found myself looking around to soak it all in, saying to myself how amazing it was,” he wrote. “The English countryside is just incredible. The villages all seem to be picture-postcard.”

Nick, who grew up in England, also had the opportunity to catch up with old friends and family, including his younger brother.

33

SCHOOL NEWS

MIRIAM TITCOMB MEMORIAL FUND

Grants for enrichment, continued of ancestors dating back to the 16th century. In Pallasmore, they visited the Holy Spirit Catholic Church where a distant cousin, Father O’Brien, is the parish priest today. The highlight of the adventure ended with a visit to the ruins of the Keogh family cottage in the small village of Nenagh.

“And the rest is history…our history,” she said. “Ancestors are important.

Without them, we would be nobody.”

AMARIS WHITE UPPER SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER, LEARNING SPECIALIST, AND DIVERSIT Y INITIATIVES Amaris White was awarded a Titcomb grant for her experience, “Language Immersion in Colombia.” Amaris traveled to Medellín, Colombia, to improve her Spanish language skills and support the local community, with a particular focus on women and AfroColombians.

“I was able to do this by volunteering in the evenings teaching English to Colombians interested in working in Medellín’s emerging tourism economy and by supporting local Afro-Colombian women entrepreneurs,” she said. “These interactions were 34

essential in my forming strong connections with the local population and ultimately having a more authentic experience.”

Through her volunteerism, economic engagement, and her Spanish language school, Amaris said she was consistently challenged to embrace the extroverted elements of her personality. The people she met encouraged her to push the limits of her conversational Spanish, climb hilltops, and enjoy the slower pace of rural areas outside of Medellín.

“Ultimately, what proved to be most valuable was being able to witness the social and economic activism being spearheaded by women and Afro-Colombians,” Amaris said. “I can’t adequately express in words how transformative this experience was and how fortunate I was to have found a space within this global community as a student, teacher, and friend.”

RUSSELL WHITE LOWER SCHOOL CREATIVE DRAMATICS TEACHER Russell White was awarded a Titcomb grant for his experience,

SCHOOL NEWS

characters and stories.”

Russell shared that one cornerstone of the workshop was practicing ethnodrama, which requires artists to dive into a community and learn about its people in order to create a performance. Working in groups, seminar participants learned about Lavrio’s history by talking to its residents. The stories they collected were then brought together to create a play.

“The piece was designed to be done as street theatre, where you actually go out into the community and perform,” Russell said.

“Lighting the Fires: A Journey into Stories, Images, and Theatrical Creation in Greece.” Russell traveled to Lavrio, Greece, to take part in an immersive, weeklong theatre seminar.

characters that we embodied and brought to life. In a land filled with ancient sculptures, we also used our bodies to create living sculptures or images that expressed themes,

As the show was performed in the streets of Lavrio, an audience followed.

“It was so immersive and emotional on many different levels,” he said of his experience in Greece. “I just grew as an artist so much. I grew as a playmaker and collaborative story builder—all these things I’m using at Seven Hills now.”

Russell’s seminar was titled “The Sea and Sun—Metaphors, Myths and Masks: Meaning Making through Images.”

Along with his wife, he worked closely with people from around the world to experiment with many different dramatic techniques while creating performance pieces based on their own life experiences.

“Our workshop site, overlooking the Aegean Sea, just north of the Temple of Poseidon and west of Athens, inspired our explorations,” Russell said. “For example, using simple paper masks, we created our own archetypal mythological

35

SCHOOL NEWS - SPORTS

WINTER SPORTS HONORS

From competing in state tournaments to Miami Valley Conference Players of the Year, winter was a successful season for Seven Hills athletics.

The Seven Hills girls swim team traveled

to the state meet in Canton in February and secured a seventh-place finish overall.

Sophomore Ella Jo Piersma won both the 200 freestyle and the 100 freestyle to become a two-time state champion. Senior Jocelyn Spanbauer placed eighth in the 200 freestyle. Sophomore Corinne Kieser placed 11th in the 100 freestyle. The girls team, which included Piersma, Spanbauer, Kieser, and freshman Carolyn Wolujewicz, placed fourth in the 200 free relay. The Miami Valley Conference (MVC) named Piersma, Kieser, Spanbauer, Wolujewicz, and junior Holly Weisfelder First Team, All-League.

The boys swim team placed eighth overall at state and earned the title MVC Champions.

Junior Tim Kalin was the state runner-up in the 100 backstroke and fifth in the 100 butterfly. Junior Chris Maring placed eighth in the 100 breaststroke. The boys team, which included Kalin, senior Spencer Boyd, freshman Sam Adams, and Maring, placed fifth in the 200 medley relay and eighth in the 200 free relay. Kalin was also named the MVC Swimmer of the Year. Adams, Boyd, Kalin, and Maring earned the titles of First Team, All-League in the MVC. Brandon Williams was named the boys swimming MVC Coach of the Year.

The girls basketball team ended the season as Miami Valley Conference Champions after finishing the season with a record of 8-2 in the conference. The team was also named sectional champions. Sophomore Riley Jones and senior Laura Shuppert earned the title of MVC First Team, AllLeague. The Miami Valley Conference also named Tyler McIlwraith as girls basketball Coach of the Year.

36

Boys basketball team senior captain Curtis Harrison earned a spot on the District 16 First Team and was named Senior District 16 All-Star Team Member. Harrison was

named First Team, All-League, junior Nolan Loring was named Second Team, All-League, and junior captain Joe Moses and senior captain Spencer Bain received honorable mentions.

Indoor track and field kicked off its inaugural season with many students participating. Two runners, Mackenzie Hartman and Abby Heck, competed at the indoor track state tournament. Hartman placed eighth with a personal record of 9.17 in the 60m hurdles. Heck placed 10th with a personal record of 60.45 in the 400m.

The girls and boys bowling teams ended the winter with solid seasons. The boys finished with a record of 11-0 and the title of Miami Valley Conference champions. Senior Adam Firestein, sophomore Noah Kocher, freshman Jonny Osman, and senior Ted Zhang were named First Team, All-League.

Firestein, who led the MVC with a scoring average of 194.3, was the Miami Valley Conference’s Player of the Year in bowling. Randy Wilson was named the MVC boys bowling Coach of the Year. The girls bowling team traveled to sectionals and had a number of new bowlers on the team.

The gymnastics team placed 10th in the city and 14th in the Southwest Ohio District. The team also broke a team score of 100 at every meet. Senior Caroline Corbett was named to the All-City Team.

The cheerleading team included senior Allison DeWitt and Fiona Ma; junior Riyah Vaughn; sophomores Laeticia de Cavel, Mackenzie Hartman, Addie Wilger, and Paris Weems; and freshman Diairra Daniels. The team created several new cheers this year. DeWitt was named First Team, All-League by the MVC.

Sophomore Riley Jones received the Dick Snyder Sportsmanship Award, which is awarded to students who display integrity and general sportsmanship throughout the season.

Seven Hills had a total of 82 All-Academic award recipients in the winter season. To qualify, recipients must have a 3.495 GPA or above.

Gymnastics Team

Cheerleading

Girls Bowling

SCHOOL NEWS - SPORTS

Boys and Girls Swim Team

Ella Jo Piersma

Boys Basketball

Girls Basketball

Boys Bowling

Indoor Track

Tim Kalin

Curtis Harrison

Indoor Track - Abby Heck and Mackenzie Hartman

37

SCHOOL NEWS

STINGER MADNESS and Seven Hills Day of Giving Throughout the first week of March, the Seven Hills Doherty and Hillsdale campuses were abuzz with two important yearly events that support The Seven Hills Annual Fund—the weeklong Stinger Madness, which ran from March 2 through March 6, and Day of Giving, which ran for 24 hours on March 5. In the bustle of that busy week, emails, letters, and videos flowed out from our volunteers and out of the Development Office, and gifts from across town and around the world flowed in.

Stinger Bees Filled the Hills!

As Stinger Madness and Day of Giving gifts poured in, campus lawns filled with Stinger bees, each with the name of those who made the gift.

Stinger Madness

Our weeklong Stinger Madness brought together families of current Seven Hills students. This year was a little different from years past. We took a year off of our annual competition between divisions. In the spirit of community, we asked all four divisions to come together to reach our goal!

38

SCHOOL NEWS

Seven Hills Day of Giving During our 24-hour Day of Giving, friends of the school—alumni, grandparents, parents of alumni, and many others— showed tremendous support as they made their gifts to the Annual Fund. As always, it was a great pleasure to hear from so many friends of Seven Hills.

Thank YOU for Filling the Hills!

Our grateful thanks to our donors and Annual Fund volunteers, whose encouragement helped us fill the hills during Stinger Madness and Day of Giving! A grand total of 169 friends and families of Seven Hills made Annual Fund gifts during these events, joining more than 1,300 donors who had already supported the 2019-20 Seven Hills Annual Fund. Our thanks to you all for such a wonderful outpouring of support!

39

SCHOOL NEWS

S A M P L E S

FIRST-GRADERS ENJOY A PRESENTATION FROM FAB FERMENTS In early January, first-graders studied microbes in Lotspeich teacher Kate LaBare’s science class, conducting a variety of experiments for an in-depth exploration.

“Together, we explored handwashing with a black light experiment, showing how effective handwashing is, shaking hands with glittery palms to show how germs can spread, and cultured a cut apple by rubbing samples in several classroom locations to see what grew,” LaBare said. Jordan Aversman and Jennifer De Marco, owners of local fermented food and kombucha company Fab Ferments, spoke to firstgraders about good microbes,

fermentation, and healthy guts. “Students were able to sample sauerkraut, beet kvass, and yogurt—all fermented foods filled with beneficial microbes!” LaBare said. “This led us into exploring how different colors of fruits and vegetables provide us with different nutrients.”

40

F R O M

O U R

KINDERGARTENERS SHARE PENGUIN PRESENTATIONS Every year, kindergarteners in the Early Childhood Center complete a comprehensive study of penguins and Antarctica. In late January, the lesson culminated with parents and guests visiting the kindergarten classrooms to complete penguin-themed activities then enjoy a show about the birds. During the presentation, kindergarteners donned penguin hats and stood up one-by-one to share a fascinating fact about the flightless fowl. They also sang songs about the animals to the tune of popular children’s songs.

Special guest Stuart Clemens, father of kindergartener Mya and second-grader Zoe, joined students in a penguin dance at the end of the program and taught the audience the moves!

DOHERTY UNIT I STUDIES STARS AT DRAKE PLANETARIUM Doherty Unit I students took a field trip to Drake Planetarium in early January. Unit I teacher Amy Kulhavik said students have been studying stars and constellations in

O N L I N E

N E W S L E T T E R

class, including their history and where to find them in the night sky. They listened to stories about the origins of the names of constellations, as well as about the meanings behind the names. “When exploring stars, students learned why stars are different colors, such as red, yellow, and blue, due to the amount of heat and age,” said Kulhavik. “Our presentation at Drake focused on a story called, “The Drinking Gourd,” by F. N. Monjo. The book tells the story of how slaves used the North Star, a part of the gourd-shaped Little Dipper, to find their way to freedom.”

S A M P L E S

F R O M

O U R

N E W S L E T T E R

work to a panel of evaluators, including teachers and professionals from around the Cincinnati community in early January.

STUDENTS CELEBRATE THE WORK OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Fourth- and fifth-graders on the Doherty Campus held a January assembly to celebrate the civil rights work of Martin Luther King Jr. and others in history who inspired change. The students designed a PowerPoint presentation that included a video clip of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1963. The presentation also included others who have fought in the struggle to achieve fairness and equality, including Ruby Bridges, the

first African-American child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana, non-violent Indian anti-colonial leader Mahatma Gandhi, and Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for women’s education. The students also discussed the concept of discrimination and talked about how they can strive for fairness in their daily lives.

O N L I N E

SEVENTH-GRADERS DESIGN BOARD GAMES FOR KINDERGARTENERS Seventh-graders took a new approach to design thinking projects during the fall semester. In the past, design thinking students would find a real-world problem and work in the Innovation Lab to develop a prototype to solve it. “Seventh-graders were asked to design educational board games for the kindergarten students in the Early Childhood Center,” said teacher Karen Glum. “Kindergarten families offered to playtest games and provide feedback.” Earlier in the year, students observed kindergarteners as they played and asked them questions about the games. “A key component of design thinking is empathy,” Glum said. “It was important for students to understand the types of games kindergarteners enjoy playing and how they play.” Students presented their

SIXTH-GRADE SPANISH STUDENTS STUDY NUMBERS AND DATES As part of their study of numbers and dates, sixth-graders in Kathryn Rosenberg’s Spanish class used a calendar as a board game, reinforcing their studies. Students rolled a dice. When they landed on a day, they said the date, month and day, out loud.

Rosenberg said the game is part of a unit called “When do I…?” Students focused on numbers and dates as the primary vocabulary and grammar topics (using the past, present, and future tenses), while incorporating the cultural aspect of celebrations around the Spanish speaking

Continued on page 42

41

SCHOOL NEWS

S A M P L E S

world, such as the quinceañera and various New Year’s traditions to compare those to the celebrations and traditions the students practice in their own homes.

“Students are now able to construct complete sentences with the day of the week, month, and year, mostly without referencing notes,” Rosenberg said. “By the end of this unit, the goal is that students can ask for and provide dates of events, give and receive information about phone numbers, and recognize numbers being used in contexts such as instructions of forming groups, playing card games, doing math in Spanish, counting in patterns, and other activities.”

UPPER SCHOOL COMPUTER ENGINEERS COMPLETE SMART HOMING PROJECT Upper School Computer Engineering students wrapped up the fall semester with a collaborative project that blended 3-D printing, web design, programming, and mechatronics. Building on their challenge by teacher Marcus Twyford to automate a children’s toy, students began their quest using a GeoTrax train set.

The student computer engineers identified the various tasks of mapping the track, designing solutions to automate the

42

F R O M

O U R

O N L I N E

N E W S L E T T E R

operation of the switches with servos, Arduino-like micro-controllers called ESP8266’s, and a 3-D printed design to hold all the pieces together.

JUNIOR U.S. HISTORY STUDENTS INTERVIEW LOTSPEICH THIRD-GRADERS As part of their study of the civil rights movement in the United States, juniors in Dan Polifka’s U.S. history class visited Lotspeich to interview third-graders about their knowledge of various civil rights movements in history and ask third-graders what questions they had about history. Juniors used the information from the interviews to write children’s books. “The idea of the unit was to take stories that are often portrayed as too simplistic, learn about their complexity, and

then figure out how to communicate that clearly in a way kids can understand,” Polifka said. “Communicating clearly is a really big challenge, and my students did a great job!” Juniors interviewed the younger students about African-American, Latino, Native American, feminist, and LGBTQ+ movements.

Doherty Learning Specialist 38 YEARS OF SERVICE

“

“If I had it my way, Judy would never be allowed to retire! I can’t imagine Doherty without her and I know I am not the only one. Judy will undoubtedly be missed by all, not only at Doherty but across the entire Seven Hills community. Judy has dedicated 38 years of her life to teaching, helping, advising, and loving all those with whom she comes into contact. She goes above and beyond to make sure the students, parents, and teachers have the resources needed to make the learning process fun, engaging and appropriate. Judy is a wealth of knowledge and is always willing to share. When you walk past her room, it’s never empty. Students, teachers and parents can be found in her presence, seeking guidance. She never turns people away and often uses her free time to assist others. Whether finding good, relevant articles for parents, new and exciting resources for students, or helpful strategies and tools for teachers, she spends her time always looking for ways to support others. Judy’s love for teaching, her students, and Doherty are evident. Although, she’s retiring, I know she’ll always be around to lend a helping hand. That’s just the Judy we all know and love!”

– Amy Kulhavik, Doherty first-grade teacher

GINGER RUBIN

Doherty Pre-kindergarten Teacher

retirements

JUDY DAVIS

35 YEARS OF SERVICE

“

“Ginger Rubin has been a trusted teacher to so many lucky students and I am thankful my own children had the privilege of learning in her cozy classroom.

Beyond my gratitude as a parent, I am grateful for her mentorship. Through her tenure she has also been teaching the teachers; she is our ultimate role model, instilling calm, careful thinking into our days. Ginger’s influence, wisdom of the profession and sincere respect for our youngest students will continue to guide me as I know it will for anyone who has had the honor of teaching alongside her.”

–Katie Dawson, Doherty pre-kindergarten teacher

43

Upper School French Teacher 34 YEARS OF SERVICE

“

“Wynne has a magical impact on students: a genius for making learning both relevant and fun, for trying new approaches, and for drawing on her enormous storehouse of good humor, energy, and moral fiber to inspire kids to rise to her high expectations of them. I have literally millions of fabulous memories of the many, many years Wynne and I have worked together, as college counselors, as teaching colleagues, and as friends. My most recent favorite is of her playing tag many mornings in the Upper School hallway with James Levesque, my grandson, when she’s checking off her advisees for morning attendance and James is just hanging out before he starts his day as a Lotspeich third-grader.”

– Susan Marrs, assistant head of school, director of college counseling, and director of studies

ED WISEMAN

Doherty Physical Education Teacher 34 YEARS OF SERVICE

“

“Anyone who has ever met Ed Wiseman knows that his quick-witted humor is unrivaled. He has made Doherty School laugh every day for 35 years! But, as you really get to know Ed, you realize that he is guided by a deep sense of integrity and he always acts with kindness. Since 1985, when Ed arrived at Doherty, he has been a master at teaching Lower School P.E. and coaching Middle School basketball, imparting fairness, fun, and sportsmanship in every class and practice. With his colleagues, he is the first to offer help, whether it is lunch duty, setting up for a program, assisting with 2-year-olds, or teaching an extra class. We wish Ed much happiness in his retirement, but we will truly miss his positive attitude, good nature, and friendship! ” – Marty Gerhardt, Doherty physical education teacher

44

retirements

WYNNE CURRY

ANNE VANOY

Lotspeich Lower School Reading Specialist

“

“Seven Hills has always been a part of Anne’s life—as a student, parent, and teacher.

Anne is a Seven Hills legend and she is a vital part of the Seven Hills’ community. She’s kind, caring, and always committed to helping others. Anne is knowledgeable about reading and teaching children to read; much of which comes from her mother, who started the reading specialist position at Lotspeich. Anne has followed in her mother’s footsteps and shares her mother’s passion and talents. She has a gift for meeting her students where they are, helping them realize their potential, and instilling the confidence they need to succeed. As one parent said, ‘Anne is truly magical.’ ” – Aimee Burton, Lotspeich first-grade teacher

MARILYN BRAUN

Lotspeich First-grade Teacher 31 YEARS OF SERVICE

“

“Marilyn is patient, understanding, and supportive. She can inspire even the most reluctant learners to believe in themselves. Her influence goes beyond the classroom.

Students she’s had years ago remember her and the impact she had on them. When I started at Lotspeich five years ago, I had Margaret Vitz’s big shoes to fill. I remember how easily Marilyn and I clicked as a team. I’m going to dearly miss working with her.

Beyond that, Lotspeich is going to miss her friendship and dedication. She’s had a lasting impact on all of us—teachers and students.”

– Aimee Burton, Lotspeich first-grade teacher

retirements

33 YEARS OF SERVICE

RICK QUESTA

Doherty Campus Maintenance 30 YEARS OF SERVICE

“

“You could take any single one of Rick’s roughly 10,000 work days, and see why he is so special and will be so missed. Simply put, Rick shows up and works. He has always been ready to tackle whatever job was required and quietly got it done with a positive attitude. He has taken pride in his job. And he has earned the respect of our community. For 30 years he has repeated and performed his medley of jobs, and hundreds more, with pride in his skills, with respect for his co-workers, and with the reliability that you only find in those who truly love what they do.”

-Robert Horne, director of finance and operations

45 37

KARLA BALSKUS

Lotspeich Fifth-grade Teacher

“

“Karla truly embodies the philosophy and vision held by Helen Lotspeich, that students find joy in learning. Over her many years at Lotspeich, Karla has enthusiastically shared her knowledge and experience through her animated and kind nature and has encouraged students to embrace their work with excitement and a sense of adventure. A cornerstone of Lotspeich, Karla will undoubtedly be missed by students and colleagues alike.”

– Lotspeich colleagues and friends

ANN SIDOR

Lotspeich Lower School Pre-kindergarten Assistant and After School Program Leader 23 YEARS OF SERVICE

“

“What can you say about someone who has given so much energy and time to a place—23 years in fact! It's hard to put into words the type of dedication Ann has shown to Seven Hills. We have been amazed by how much Ann gives to her job.

Through watching her come with crafts for her two-year-olds, or the way she greets families at after school care, to the positive attitude she brings to work each day, Ann is the definition of caring.”

– Jill Romerill, director of enrichment and summer programs, and Christina Zaffiro, assistant director of enrichment and summer programs

DONNA BREITENSTEIN Doherty Art Teacher 5 YEARS OF SERVICE

“

“I consider myself extremely blessed and fortunate to have Donna as my colleague and as my dear friend. She is extremely creative, an amazingly talented artist, down-to-earth, and an imaginative educator. In her art classes, the students' educational needs always come first. She is a good friend and someone who consistently finds the good in others. She is one of the first to offer a helping hand whenever it is needed. Donna makes art so exciting and I have told her on many occasions how much I wished she had been my art teacher in elementary school.

I will sincerely miss working with her. I wish her only the best in her retirement.”

– Maria Eynon, Doherty music teacher

46

retirements

29 YEARS OF SERVICE

ALUMNI NEWS

YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD WINNER GABE DAVIS ’03 SPEAKS AT UPPER SCHOOL ASSEMBLY community outreach events to reduce health

Addressing the Upper School student body,

disparities in the city. He then attended

Davis credited Seven Hills for preparing him for

Harvard Law School, after which Davis worked

life beyond the school by asking more of students

in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in

than rote memorization of facts.

New York City, where he prosecuted crimes

“Here at Seven Hills, they teach critical thinking, they teach creativity, they teach us to find out

“North Stars” From Gabe Davis

Established in 2018, the Young Alumni Award is given annually to an alumna or alumnus under the age of 40 who has made outstanding contributions in his or her area of endeavor or community, exemplified the Seven Hills values in a wellrounded life, demonstrated the value of a Seven Hills education, and shown leadership among peers.

On Jan. 14, the Upper School had the pleasure of hearing from Young Alumni Award recipient Gabe Davis ’03, who visited Hillsdale Campus to accept his award from Head of Upper School Matt Bolton and address the students at assembly.

Davis graduated from Seven Hills in 2003, matriculating at Yale University for his undergraduate studies. After graduating, Davis returned to Cincinnati and served as an AmeriCorps volunteer, helping to plan

In his address, Davis shared several pieces of advice he encouraged students to keep as their north stars over the course of their educational and professional lives:

who we are in the course of wrestling with facts,” Davis said.

This engaging approach to learning served Davis well in his career as a prosecutor, saying, “I

1. Aim high. You should never tell yourself no.

And don’t negotiate against yourself, ever. Set big targets, believe in yourself, and aim high.

2. Stay curious. The world is a big place. One of the things you learn at Seven Hills is to ask the right questions, and that there’s value in asking those questions. Keep learning over the course of your career. Keep reading. Keep doing math.

Keep learning languages.

3. Challenge yourself. There is so much value and confidence to be gained from pushing yourself to see what you can do.

4. Enjoy what you do. One of the greatest gifts I was given by the teachers in this community was seeing they love what they do. I encourage you to find what it is that you enjoy about the world and about what you study, because that’s what’s going to carry you through.

5. Get in the game. Get in the game; don’t just sit on the sidelines. And be prepared to give back.

Life is not a spectator sport. Don’t just sit on the sideline. We can’t afford not to have you out here, in the community and in this world, making it better.

would go into court every day, to argue cases and argue hearings in front of judges who were tough. It’s because of what I learned here that I was able to do that work. Having to make an argument, having to think on my feet, having to be creative—that came because of the skills I learned here.”

Along with stories from his own career and time at Seven Hills, Davis shared advice with the

from domestic assault to forgery and robbery.

Davis then went to work for the Department of Justice as a federal prosecutor in the Civil Rights Division, investigating and prosecuting hate crimes and police misconduct around the country. After more than three years as a federal prosecutor, he returned to Cincinnati to practice at Frost Brown Todd as a civil litigator.

students, encouraging them to maximize the gift of their Seven Hills education and be active participants in their lives. He emphasized that the challenges of the world present an opportunity for their generation to “apply new energy to old problems.” Davis’ talk resonated, as students lined up on the stage afterward to ask questions about his work.

47

ALUMNI NEWS

CATCHING UP WITH JILL DONENFELD ’02, CO-FOUNDER OF THE CULINISTAS “ I’ve written cookbooks and traveled extensively in pursuit of culinary knowledge, working in Madagascar, India, Japan, Sweden, and Italy.”

Q: Please tell us about your education A: Seven Hills, to me, seemed like a and career path after graduating from Seven Hills.

A: I went to Barnard College in New

York City after Seven Hills, which set the foundation of my career. Throughout my time at Barnard I worked in culinary and hospitality, at restaurants, in catering, as a personal chef, and as a food writer for the New York City publication, TimeOut. After I graduated, I started a personal chef services company called The Culinistas, which matched chefs to cook in homes for weekly fridge stocking and special occasions. Today, The Culinistas has grown into a business with 12 employees and more than 100 freelance chefs across New York and Los Angeles. Throughout that time, I’ve written cookbooks and traveled extensively in pursuit of culinary knowledge, working in Madagascar, India, Japan, Sweden, and Italy.

Q: How do you stay involved in your community today?

A: Community is a tough thing to

define in a city like New York. Or maybe it’s tough to define as one gets older and relationships over the years, though strong, are stretched across the map. I keep in close contact with my Seven Hills friends through a group chat and a yearly trip to Cincinnati.

Q: In what way did your time at 48

Seven Hills influence your choice of career or field of study?

knowledge-focused place, not so much career-focused. This gave me the freedom to explore without much thought of “making a living,” while at the same time understanding that, whatever I chose to pursue, I must do it wholeheartedly. Moreover, spending time with my friends hanging out at my house, I was always cooking. I saw, firsthand, that food had the capacity to unite people in a special way.

Q: If you could give your high school

self one piece of advice, what would it be?

A: I love my teachers from Seven Hills

tremendously. They are so incredibly equipped and I wish I’d thought to take more advantage of this unique time dedicated to learning. I wish I’d been more vocal when I didn’t understand something, instead of, perhaps, glazing over it or simply memorizing the concept. So, my advice to myself would be to make sure to ask about anything confusing or that I missed and would like explained again.

Q: Please tell us about one of your favorite memories from Seven Hills.

A: A favorite memory includes Patty

Flanigan, the best teacher I ever had in my life. She took me and my best friend to the Resale Shop in search of anything lace that could come off as Victorian for the costume closet—what she called

Jill Donenfeld ’02

“pretties.” The mundane act of sifting through old clothes could be turned to magic and help create a universe on stage. This was an important lesson that proved incredibly valuable to my understanding of how to build anything— friendships, a company, the decor of an apartment, even a meal.

OUR DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT, SARAH LAUTAR ’05, CAUGHT UP WITH SEVEN HILLS ALUMNI JILL DONENFELD ’02 AND

ALUMNI NEWS

CATCHING UP WITH PETER DUMBADZE ’06, ARCHITECT “ (Seven Hills) courses which would not appear to have any immediate connection to architecture, like a seminar on Latin poetry or playing clarinet in the concert band, helped to show me that I can find beauty in unexpected places.”

Q: Please tell us about your education after graduating from Seven Hills.

A: I remember writing in my

application to Kenyon College that I knew I wanted to be someone who designed buildings. During my time at Kenyon, I wanted to synthesize my interests in visual culture, history, and philosophy, which led me to major in art history.

After moving to Brooklyn and interning in a small architecture studio in the city, I matriculated to the architecture department at the University of Michigan, where I dived deeper into exploring how culture, history, politics, and the built environment come together in a messy, frenetic vortex.

Returning to Brooklyn following my graduation from Michigan, I have worked for three offices. I have learned to synthesize my intellectual interests with the realities of the discipline: building codes, costs, and clients. These factors aside, I have come to realize that, no matter what the project is, it is an opportunity to create an environment that engages with a multitude of senses and characters.

PETER DUMBADZE ’06 TO ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES SINCE GRADUATING FROM SEVEN HILLS.

Q: How do

you stay involved in your community today?

A: I have been

helping lead the curation and design of an upcoming event in Gowanus, Brooklyn. The event will look

at how the neighborhood’s changing character is endemic of larger issues in the borough. Our team of young architects is studying ways to engage with the neighborhood and hope to create an event that allows for those in Gowanus to affect change via architectural means.

Q: In what way did your time at

Seven Hills influence your choice of career or field of study?

A: I can say that a class like Mr. [Bob]

Turansky’s history or political theory seminars, or Mrs. [Betsy] Sittenfeld’s art history lectures, helped to demonstrate how individuals and communities engage with historical dialogues. But I can also say that courses which would not appear to have any immediate connection to architecture, like a seminar on Latin poetry or playing clarinet in the concert band, helped to show me that I can find beauty in unexpected places. Seven Hills provided me the space to indulge in my curiosities and eccentricities.

Peter Dumbadze ’06 Photograph by Derek Chang, ©2017 (used with permission)

best concert we each had seen that year to our continued disappointment with the Bengals. It was one of those uniquely Seven Hills experiences that lives well beyond the Doherty and Hillsdale campuses. I left for home that night with a broad smile. We also vowed to bring a large bag of shredded cheddar cheese the next time we go to this restaurant.

Q: Please tell us about one of your

Q: If you could give your high school

A: On a cold, rainy night in Brooklyn

A: For as long as I can remember, my

favorite memories from Seven Hills.

this past December, I sat with two dear friends from my graduating year, Nate Gilman ’06 and Dan Filardo ’06. We were trying out a new restaurant that claims to have their own version of a Cincinnati-style chili four way. We pored over our time growing up together and talked about a variety of topics, ranging from the state of American politics to the

self one piece of advice, what would it be? father has reiterated, “Enjoy the process.” This phrase has served as a mantra for me, especially in moments of self-doubt. You have to take time to explore and experiment. I would also add that you will likely fail along the way, but failure is part of the process, and it should not scare you.

49

L S I L

Reunion 2020 & Reunion 2021

R E U N I O N

CPS & HILLSDALE classes of 1940, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1955, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1970, and 1971 LOTSPEICH classes of 1939, 1940, 1944, 1945, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1969, and 1970 SEVEN HILLS classes of 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2000, and 2001

April 16 &17, 2021

ION 2 0

1

• • • • •

A N D

UN

0

50

C P S

E

20 NI O N

1970

2

U

H I L L S DA L E

HILLSDALE

2

1970

T H E

E

R

CPS

TO

All events are free of charge, courtesy of your Alumni Association & the development office.

R

The classes of 2005, 2010, and 2015 will celebrate your reunions over Thanksgiving weekend on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. The classes of 2006, 2011, and 2016 will celebrate your reunions on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021.

As with so many events at this time, Seven Hills Reunion Weekend has been postponed in response to health and safety considerations resulting from COVID-19. Seven Hills will be hosting a combined Reunion next April 16-17, 2021, when we’ll celebrate all the classes listed to the right. We apologize for any inconvenience the change in plans may cause, but we’re looking forward to celebrating reunions with you next spring, and hope you will join us for festivities in April 2021!

CO N G R AT U L AT I O N S

C L A S S E S:

• • • • •

S E

V

E

N

H

C L A S S E S

Spouses, guests, and families are welcome.

All information is available at www.7hills.org/ reunion.

O F 1970

ALUMNI NEWS

Schedule of Events: Friday, April 16, 2021

Saturday, April 17, 2021

11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m.

RESERVED FOR CLASS EVENTS – There will be information to come from your Class Rep!

CLASSICS LUNCHEON celebrating the CPS & Hillsdale

classes of 1930-1970 and Lotspeich classes of 1930-1964 This event will include the State of the School from Head of School Chris Garten Cincinnati Country Club 2348 Grandin Road, 45208

Hotel and travel information is available at www.7hills.org/reunion.

Class Reps are still needed to help plan events for classes ending in 1 and 6.

The more, the merrier – gather some friends to help with planning. For questions or to volunteer to help plan a class event, please contact Director of Alumni Engagement Sarah Ott Lautar ’05 at sarah.lautar@7hills.org or 512.728.2432.

1:30-2:30 p.m.

CPS TOUR OF DOHERTY CAMPUS

with Head of Doherty Tracy Murch 2726 Johnstone Place, 45206

HILLSDALE

1971

5-6 p.m.

TOUR OF HILLSDALE CAMPUS , including new buildings The Schiff Center and the Field House 5400 Red Bank Road, 45227

6-7:30 p.m.

REUNION RECEPTION for Reunion classes and local alumni The Schiff Center Hillsdale Campus, 5400 Red Bank Road, 45227

A N D

1 9 7 1

O N

C E L E B R A T I N G

Y O U R

5 0

T H

C L A S S

R E U N I O N S !

CPS

1971

51

ALUMNI NEWS

WISE ADVICE AND GOOD STORIES FROM THE ANNUAL ALUMNI PANEL DISCUSSION

The Alumni Association kicked off the new year with its annual Alumni Panel Discussion in early January in The Schiff Center on Hillsdale Campus. Several common themes were threaded through the discussion, including the importance of hard work, resilience, and being proactive. The panelists agreed that Seven Hills prepares its students for life after graduation, and encouraged audience members to make the most of their education by putting in the hard work and capitalizing on opportunities that come their way.

Maddie Caldemeyer ’11 observed that the privilege of a good education is just a start. “There are a lot of smart people in this world, and not a lot of hard workers.” Kenya Brock ’98 echoed Caldemeyer’s emphasis on work ethic, and further urged the audience to apply it to their career paths by being thoughtful with professional choices.

“Chart your own course,” Brock advised. “You are in charge of your career. Do not think that someone else is going to chart that course for you and pull you along.

You’ve got to put in the work, and that’s the only way you’re going to get where you want to be.”

Dan Schimberg ’80 again touched on the theme of making the most of opportunity, relaying the advice he gives his own kids. “Life is not a dress rehearsal. Every day counts.”

Schimberg said, “Follow your passion and make sure you’re enjoying what you’re doing. Apply integrity and work ethic to everything you’re doing, and it will work out.”

A number of speakers addressed the inevitability of failure and the importance of taking it in stride. As David Osborn 52

L’72 described it, “That path in your career is very rarely a straight line. It is a series of zigs and zags, good surprises and bad surprises. You’re going to go through a series of failures and changes and things outside of your control, and it’s important to keep a positive attitude moving forward.” Meera Kotagal ’99 similarly said she would advise current students to, “cultivate resilience. Build your muscle that helps you bounce back.”

As Alex Derkson ’03 summed it up, “Seven Hills has prepared you for whatever comes. Fact. Period. Hard stop. You can do it. That’s not to say that it’s going to be easy, but whatever it is, you have all the tools to attack the problem.”

Many thanks to our moderator, Ben Greenberg ’06, and this year’s panelists for sharing their, time, experience, and expertise: • Kenya Brock ’98 – director, digital operations and marketing at Katz Networks (The E.W. Scripps Company) • Maddie Caldemeyer ’11 – senior product owner at 84.51° • Alex Derkson ’03 – attorney at Frost Brown Todd • Meredith Edwards Ficks ’98 – director, customer strategy at 84.51° • Meera Kotagal ’99 – physician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital • Murray Monroe, Jr. ’84 – architect at THP Limited, Inc. • David Osborn L’72 – investment advisor at Osborn, Williams & Donohoe • Chris Rice ’88 – creative director, copy at The Kroger Co. • Dan Schimberg ’80 – president of Uptown Rental Properties

ALUMNI NEWS

DOES THE SCHOOL STILL … ?

Alumni often ask us if the school maintains events and traditions that they remember fondly from their own years at the school. Many times, our answer is, “Yes, we still do that!”

DOE S T HE HE A D OF LOT SP E ICH ST I LL R EA D TO STUD ENT S IN H ER OF F I C E? Yes, Head of Lotspeich Carolyn Fox reads to students in her office! Fox tells us, “The long tradition of reading to students by the principal was a welcome practice I embraced when I became Head of Lotspeich. Students now come to my office weekly, from the age of 2 to third grade.”

Mrs. Helen Lotspeich began the tradition, by reading to students in her living room when the family residence still housed her school. Former students remembered her

reading “The Song of Hiawatha” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, and “The Last Days of Pompeii” by Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

Subsequent heads of Lotspeich continued the tradition of making time during their week to read to students.

Beth Archibald, who was Lotspeich

principal from 1991 to 2002, fondly remembers reading to students each week as a “highlight” of her time at the school. Archibald went to each preschool and kindergarten classroom weekly to read to the youngest students; the first-, second-, and third-graders all visited her office weekly to find out what happened next in favorite books.

“It was a relaxing, wonderful sharing time, for everyone from the little four-yearolds to the big third-graders, reading from authors like Eric Carle to Roald Dahl and C.S. Lewis,” Archibald said.

“I watched the children grow each year, not just in stature, but in listening, understanding, maturity, and love of stories.”

and sneaker clad feet, getting closer to them and sharing a variety of picture books,” Fox said. “We love books by Javaka Steptoe, Matt DeLaPena, the Big Bear books by Maureen Wright, and stories by Mo Willems, especially the Elephant and Piggie tales.

Each year I read “Lafcadio The Great”

by Shel Silverstein, which brings unstoppable laughter throughout the story, one of my favorites.”

It’s a time that is important to both students and Fox. “I would change anything on my calendar before ever considering a change in our shared reading times,” Fox said. “It is a pleasure and privilege to sit together, share a story and feel a true connection with students as they grow and change from babies to very independent elementary students.”

The tradition continues today, as Fox welcomes students into her office for some much-beloved reading time. “With the early childhood students, I pull out my special stool that has legs with jeans 53

ALUMNI NEWS

Young Alumni Holiday Party at Rosedale The annual Young Alumni Holiday Party took place at Rosedale in Over-the-Rhine this year.

Upper School Dean of Students and math teacher David Brott ran a competitive trivia game including categories of Seven Hills, Harry Potter, and Star Wars trivia, which came down to a tiebreaker between two teams.

Thanks to all of our hosts and Mr. Brott for helping to make this year’s party a lot of fun!

Event Hosts: Nicki Martin ’09 Walker Schiff ’10 Kiki Steinman ’10 Taylor White ’10 Maddie Caldemeyer ’11 Katie McNamara ’11 Mark Niehaus ’12 Henry Head ’13 John Larkin ’13 Emily Addy ’14 Eryn MacKenzie ’14

54

ALUMNI NEWS

Fall Reunion Celebrations Bring Classes of 2004, 2009, and 2014 Together The Class of 2004 celebrated its 15th reunion at Rhinegeist Brewery on Nov. 30, 2019. A big thank you to Susie Keller for helping to gather classmates for their reunion celebration!

The Class of 2009 celebrated its 10th reunion with a gathering at Queen City Radio over the Thanksgiving 2019 weekend.

Many thanks to Nikki Martin and Max Schimberg for organizing the event!

Also at Rhinegeist Brewery on Nov. 30, 2019, were members of the Class of 2014, who gathered to celebrate five years since graduating from Seven Hills. Planners Eryn MacKenzie and Emily Addy put together a fun evening for everyone to reconnect, and their efforts were much appreciated!

2009 2014

55

ALUMNI NEWS

Alumni Basketball Games The annual alumni basketball games held over Thanksgiving weekend in November 2019 had a great turnout! Players and spectators flocked to the new Field House on the Hillsdale Campus to check out the beautiful facility and catch up with old friends. The men’s and women’s

games took place simultaneously, and both were hard-fought.

Despite trailing at halftime, the men’s Blue Team pulled out a victory over the men’s Grey Team, which was made up of many players from the Class of 2019.

2002

56

Our women’s alumni team had a great game, but the varsity team eked out a victory over their own coach, Tyler McIlwraith, and her alumni teammates.

With two competitive games, spectators never had a dull moment!

ALUMNI NEWS

Seven Hills Roadshow Docks in Naples In January, Seven Hills alumni and friends in the Naples area enjoyed a luncheon with Head of School Chris Garten, generously hosted by Kathy Oechler Whitbeck H’67 at the Naples Yacht Club. Guests enjoyed hearing an update on the school and socializing with fellow alums in a beautiful setting.

Alumni and friends in attendance included: Lawsie Pennington Coler C’65, Marjorie Wood Drackett H’40, Lanie Pauly Grever H’69, Poppy Yeiser Hawkins H’67, Elinor Adick Kline H’58 and Steve Kline, Sue King Kountz C’57, Jill Johnston Lutz C’68, Tom Mackelfresh L’41, Rita Lillard Picton H’66, Mary Dryden Richards C’61, Melody Sawyer Richardson C’61, Kathy Oechler Whitbeck H’67, and, parent of alumni, Sarah Johnson.

57

ALUMNI NEWS

ALUMNI NEXT CHAPTER EVENT: Heather Zaring Vecellio ’92 Welcomes Alumni to Miller Gallery

Alumni Enjoy Arts and Good Company at Cincinnati Gathering On March 4, alumni gathered at Miller Gallery in Hyde Park Square for a reception hosted by gallery manager, Heather Zaring Vecellio ’92, to socialize and view the work of sculptor Mark Chatterley. Chatterley creates large figurative sculptures from ceramic at his studio in Michigan. The pieces on display in the gallery—including large dogs, a group of crows on the wall, and flocks of sheep—provided an interesting background and great conversation starters for the alumni and friends in attendance. Many thanks to Heather for hosting the event!

58

ALUMNI NEWS

ALUMNI NEXT CHAPTER EVENT: Seasonal Flower Arranging Workshop

Next Chapter events bring alumni together in the spirit of lifelong learning.

In early November, alumni gathered at Hillsdale Campus to participate in a floral design workshop with local florist Timothy Lieber, who is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers and has more than 40 years of experience. Tim and his assistant, PJ Karpew, walked attendees through the principles of floral arranging and shared tricks of the trade to keep arrangements fresh. Not only did guests learn to create their own floral masterpieces, but everyone left the evening with an autumnal arrangement to brighten their homes.

The new Alumni Next Chapter series offer classes, speakers, and events that bring alumni together for fun, educational programs.

We hope you’ll join us for a future Alumni Next Chapter event!

59

ALUMNI NEWS

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: LAURA HOGUET LEONARD ’06

Q: In what ways have you given

teachers who inspired me to become a

the past?

teachers to whom I still reach out for

A: Since graduating, I’ve given back to

educator. And, most importantly, I met

back to Seven Hills, both today and in

teacher and coach, as well as a few mentorship, as I find my way as an

Seven Hills financially and, just as

my husband at Seven Hills! Giving back

important and rewarding, I’ve given back

to Seven Hills is the least I can do.

with my time. I’ve served as a class representative, reunion chair, and host for alumni events in Boston and Denver.

With classmates spread all over the country, I enjoy reconnecting through these experiences. We relive stories from

There are a number of ways to volunteer your time to Seven Hills, and even more reasons to do so!

We asked alumna Laura Hoguet Leonard why she chooses to give back to Seven Hills.

Q: How did you first get involved with Seven Hills?

A: I first got involved with Seven Hills as a class agent during senior year, and I

the senior lounge, classes with our top-notch teachers, and memories from sports fields or performance stages. And, every once in a while, there is a good

The Development Office is grateful for the support we get from our volunteers.

If you’d like to join our team of volunteers, we’d be very happy to have you!

HELPING HANDS

song thrown in.

Join fellow alumni and friends of Seven Hills who assist with occasional development office mailings.

Q:.Everyone has a lot going on and

ANNUAL GIVING COMMIT TEES

“Stinger Rumble” or Doherty holiday

many worthy causes competing for

their time. Why do you continue to give of your time to Seven Hills?

A: Seven Hills helped me develop as a

have been involved ever since. My

child and young adult. So much of who I

parents have been great role models for

am today can be attributed to the loving

me in giving back to Seven Hills as well as

and supportive faculty, as well as the

the schools they attended. They taught

special experiences I had as a Seven Hills

me at an early age the importance of

student. My Seven Hills education not

giving back to the places that helped

only provided the springboard for the rest

nurture you.

of my life, but it also still impacts much of my life today. I am indebted to the

60

We’re Thankful for Volunteer Support

Help support the Annual Fund by writing notes or making calls to encourage Seven Hills families and friends to make a gift.

C L A S S R E P R E S E N TAT I V E S

Help keep your classmates connected to each other and to the school with information about upcoming events, sharing classmates’ news, and encouraging Annual Fund support.

To volunteer, please contact the Development Office at 513.728.2430 or development@7hills.org.

ALUMNI NEWS

CLASS NOTES News from Our Alumni 1966

decision to step away from his position leading Stanford University’s Center for

Dr. Will Sawyer (L)(Cincinnati) was

Automotive Research to take a new job as

quoted in a New York Times article on

Chief of Policy Development for Ellis &

March 2, 2020, discussing the importance

Associates, guiding the development of

of washing your hands and avoiding

software for cities to manage modern

touching your face when it comes to

transportation systems.

preventing the spread of viruses.

2004 Congratulations to Susie Keller

SHARE YOUR NEWS

(Washington, D.C.) and her husband Jake

New job? Recently married?

Written a book? If you have stories to share, please don’t hesitate! Go to www.7hills.org/alumniupdates.

Drop us a line and send high resolution photos (.jpeg format) to sarah.lautar@7hills.org.

1991 Peter Matthews (Dayton, Ohio) was

Westermann on welcoming daughter 1

New Yorker, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. She has also worked as a staff

Clementine Hope Westermann on September 4, 2020, weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce and 21 inches long.

1

editor for The New York Times’ NYT

2006

Parenting section.

Several members of the Class of 2006

1997

gathered at the home of Patti Scifres

Stephen Zoepf (Redwood City, California)

Kalnow Shemony and Amir Shemony’s

recently published an article in Wired about his changing relationship with cars and his

Jamison H’68 to celebrate Caroline baby shower. Many thanks to Patti for sharing the photo; pictured from left to

among 10 alumni honored with a Denison University Alumni Citation this year. The citation was conferred during Denison’s Reunion Weekend. Peter was also recently elected to serve on the Board of Trustees for Denison.

Congratulations, Peter!

1995 Katherine Zoepf (New York) was recently named a senior editor at Foreign Affairs magazine. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The

2

61

In Memoriam Our condolences to the families and friends who have lost loved ones.

1929 Louis Prince (L)(Cincinnati) passed away on March 1, 2019.

3

1943

Martha Whitaker Jones (H) (Cincinnati) passed away on Feb. 13, 2020.

1964

Helen Chatfield (H) (Cincinnati) passed away on March 22, 2020.

1965

Martha “Marney” Millan Upson (C) (Red Lodge, Montana) passed away on May 7, 2020.

1967

Mildred Culp (C)(Crete, Illinois) passed away on Feb. 24, 2020. right in the photo are Kyle McNeil, Jake

Nicaragua while Rachel was in the country

Shifman, Laura Houston, Caroline Kalnow

doing social work.

4

Shemony, Clay Jamison, Nate McNamara, and Nick Bohlke ’07.

2

2007

1970

Adrienne Humphrey (H)(Oakland, California) passed away on Dec. 11, 2019.

1979

Sarah Margaret Gibson (Glasgow,

John Erhardt (Cincinnati) passed away on May 4, 2020.

Scotland) and her husband Lee Craigmile

1992

have opened the Glasgow Academy of Fine Art. The academy is open to students interested in full-time and part-time programs and focuses on teaching representational drawing and painting techniques in the tradition of a European atelier.

3

2013 Best wishes to Rachel White Kuhrt (Cincinnati) on her marriage to Johannes Kuhrt on Feb. 22, 2020. Rachel and Johannes, who is from Germany, met in

62

4

Delle Christensen Jones (H)(Cincinnati) passed away on July 21, 2020.

John “J.J.” McHenry, Jr. (Cincinnati) passed away on May 19, 2020.

2003

Sabina Jones (Cincinnati) passed away on March 15, 2020.

2012

Kaleb Brill (Cape Coral, Florida) passed away on April 11, 2020.

Friends of Seven Hills

Adele Roehr Schiff (Cincinnati) passed away on April 22, 2020.

John Steele (Cincinnati) passed away on April 12, 2020.

ALUMNI NEWS

Alumni Calendar 2020-21

Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020 Career Panel Discussion 6 p.m.

The Schiff Center, Hillsdale Campus Friday, Nov. 27, 2020: Young Alumni Holiday Party 5-8 p.m.

Location TBD Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020: Alumni Basketball Games Women’s: 10 a.m.

Men’s: 12 p.m.

Field House, Hillsdale Campus 5th Reunion – Class of 2015 Location TBD

10th Reunion – Class of 2010 Location TBD 15th Reunion – Class of 2005 Location TBD

Friday, April 16 & Saturday, April 17, 2021: Reunion 2021: Classics Luncheon, Tours of Campuses, and Taste of Seven Hills Reunion will combine the celebration for the classes who would have celebrated in 2020 with those celebrating in 2021.

INTERESTED IN BEING A REUNION REP FOR YOUR CL ASS?

Please Contact Sarah Ott Lautar ‘05, Director of Alumni Engagement

save the date

With the health and safety of everyone in mind due to COVID-19, we are developing virtual events for alumni and evaluating potential in-person events for the year, as well. We do not have out-of-town events scheduled at this time. Additional events and updates will be shared by mail, email, and at www.7hills.org/alumni.

sarah.lautar@7hills.org 513.728.2432

63

The Seven Hills School Hillsdale Campus 5400 Red Bank Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45227

Class of 2020 College Matriculations

CONGRATULATIONS TO SEVEN HILLS CLASS OF 2020!

Annika Alper Jorge Amadeo-Muniz Erika Au Spencer Bain Poppi Baylor Olivia Bell Giulia Bennett Gargi Bhalerao Kayzad Bharucha Spencer Boyd Adam Chen May Chen Henry Cook Grace Copfer Caroline Corbett Madeleine Creech Colin Curnow Linley Dawson Allison DeWitt Egan DeWitt Tavon Dixon Emma Dorsch Tauriel Duan Jasmine Fan Adam Firestein Bryan Fisher

Class of 2020

Yash Gaitonde Chloe Gardner Laynie Gerhardt Alex Grass Taylor Greenwald Ajay Gupta Krish Gupta Annie Halonen Courtney Hammonds Santosh Hanumanthu Curtis Harrison Emma Harrison Taylor Hauter Allison Huffman Avital Isakov Hugh Jacks Hannah Kelly Maddy Kennebeck Cas Kominar Maya Kool Annie Leeper Hannah Levin Jim Li Freya Li Preston Luniewski Fiona Ma

Madeleine Magruder Gus Mandel Naina Manocha Nina Martinez Diers Katharine McDonald Megan McLennan Christian MuellerC O Aliyah Murph Lukas Neidlein-Dial Josh Nelson Nick Norton Anika Parameswaran Suraj Parikh Rohan Patil Kristen Porter Rajiv Raman Jack Rauh Katie Remaklus Cameron Riley Ethan Rising Rosalind Roland Emma Rooney Suf Safdar Naail Sajjad Ella Samaha James Sammarco

Jake Schimberg Avani Seshiah Geereesh Shankar Laura Shuppert Benjamin Skibo Jocelyn Spanbauer Alison N GSpeicher R A T Rhea Srivastava Andrea Stancescu Ethan Stanley Michael Stein Peter Stein Linah Uchiyama Matthew Wabler Stephen Walsh Hannah Wang Kevin Wang Oscar Wilhelmy Andy Xiao Eleanor Yi Chase Young Emma Zelkind Benny Zhang Ted Zhang

U L

Arizona State University Belmont University Boston University, 2 Bowling Green State University Bryn Mawr College Mellon ACarnegie T I O N University S Case Western Reserve University, 3 College of Wooster, 2 Cornell University DePaul University DePauw University Dickinson College Duke University, 2 Earlham College Elon University, 2 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Emerson College Georgetown University, 2 High Point University Indiana University Loyola University/Chicago Miami University Middlebury College, 2

New York University North Carolina State University Northern Kentucky University Ohio Northern University Ohio State University, 10 Parsons School of Design Pratt Institute Purdue University, 5 Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), 2 Scripps College Syracuse University, 2 Transylvania University Trinity College Tufts University Tulane University University of Aberdeen (Scotland) University of Alabama University of California/ Davis University of California/ San Diego University of Cincinnati, 7

7HILLS.ORG University of Colorado/ Boulder University of Dayton, 2 University of Michigan, 6 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Oregon University of Pittsburgh University of Richmond University of Rochester University of Southern California University of Utah University of Vermont University of Wisconsin, 2 Vanderbilt University Washington University in St. Louis, 4 Webster University Xavier University, 3 Yale University