Seven Hills Semester in Review for Fall 2015

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As we close the fall semester of 20152016, we look back at some of the outstanding accomplishments that marked the first half of the school year.

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Class of 2016 National Merit Semifinalists

Outstanding academic achievements and more

SEVEN HILLS CLASS OF 2016 P R O D U C E D T H E H I G H E S T P E R C E N TA G E O F N AT I O N A L M E R I T S E M I F I N A L I STS I N C I N C I N N AT I

After an extensive analysis of the percentage of students named National Merit Semifinalists based on the graduating class size of schools in Cincinnati, Seven Hills, last fall, announced that the Class of 2016 produced the highest percentage of National Merit Semifinalists in Cincinnati, with 9.6 percent of the graduating class receiving this prestigious recognition. “ We are very proud of the Class of 2016 for many reasons, just one of which is their terrific scores,” said Assistant Head of School and Director of College Counseling Susan Marrs.

“Twenty-nine percent of our graduating class has earned National Merit recognition and we’ve just learned that 9.6 percent of them are Semifinalists, giving them the distinction of having the highest percentage in the city!” *We dedicate this page of academic accomplishments in memory of Ben Nordmeyer (1997- 2014)

Congratulations to eight students who have been named National Merit Semifinalists. They are: Fatima Anwar, Katherine Coley, Tigar Cyr, Alex Jiang, Bennett Smith, Zachary Sorscher, Claire Stewart, and Kathleen Wang. The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes students who are among the highest scorers in the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). In order to be considered for a National Merit® Scholarship, Semifinalists

must advance to Finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards, as well as a number of additional academic requirements.

The Seven Hills School continues its tradition of excellence with 17 seniors —19 percent of the 2016 graduating class—who were recently named Commended Students in the 2015 National Merit Program. The Seven Hills School congratulates the following National Merit

Commended Students: Maria Bobbitt Chertock, Brandi Bryson, Abigail Clark, Matthew Clayton, James Coyle, Elliot Glum, Ada Huang, Jacob Lautman, Matthew Marquardt, Mike Nazzaro, *Ben Nordmeyer, Kenneth Remaklus, Hayley Samson, Andrei Savu, Nicole Tiao, Camille Williams, and Jai Williams.

Middle and Upper school Latin students placed in a Certamen meet at Summit in December.

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• 9.6 % NM Semifinalists • 19% National Merit Commended • Certamen Meet •

Creating Conversations SPEAKER SERIES

The October kickoff speaker for Creating Conversations was Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore, who offered parents ways to help their children

overcome the struggle with perfectionism and find joy in their everyday lives. In an interactive presentation, Kennedy-Moore walked dozens of parents in the audience through a number of case studies involving children having trouble navigating social arenas at school, not reaching their goals, and dealing with homework. “Parents, don’t do your children’s homework,” said Kennedy-Moore. “When you do their homework, it sends a confusing message that it isn’t OK to make mistakes, it blurs the line of understanding between who is responsible for their homework, and it hampers communication between the student and the teacher.” Creating Conversations is presented by Seven Hills’ school counseling department.

Outstanding academic achievements and more

(continued)

Certamen results: Novice Level (grade 8): Alex Grass, Krish Gupta, and Kevin Wang—finished in third place.

Novice Level (grade 8): Rohan Patil, Kyle Plush, and Matt Wabler—finished in fourth place.

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10th grade girls Mary Grace Ramsay – 2nd place Yuou Wang – 6th place

Intermediate Level (grade 9): Greg Kalin and Renee Stieby, as well as students from Mariemont—finished in first place.

Carrie Cheng – 7th place

Tigar Cyr was selected to receive the HondaOSU Partnership Math Medal Award for the Class of 2016 from Seven Hills. He was selected based on his academic performance in mathematics through his junior year. Tigar was recognized along with other area winners at a special breakfast ceremony last fall at GE Aviation in Cincinnati with a pewter math medal, a $100 gift certificate, and the opportunity to apply for a $3000 scholarship at the Ohio State University College of Engineering.

Devi Namboordiri – 6th place

Seven Hills participated in the Rose Hulman math competition in mid-November. Twenty-two Seven Hills students were among the 202 participants.

Recognitions are based on grade and gender, given to top 10 finishers at each location.

9th grade boys: Max Yuan – 3rd place Felix Karthik – 4th place Christopher Nathan – 7th place 9th grade girls Ewai Cay – 1st place Ari Gleich – 4th place

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Amisha Mittal – 6th place

11th grade girls Rae Zhang – 1st place

12th grade boys Tigar Cyr – 1st place Alex Jiang – 9th place Andrei Savu – 10th place Nine students were selected to play in the highly competitive Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestras (CSYO): violinists Samantha Chun, Nick Purple, Aishwarya Varma (also viola), Kathy Wang, and Sarah Zhang; cellists Nina Fatuzzo, Ada Huang, Meg Yuan; and violist Max Yuan. Under the umbrella of CSYO, Chun, Fatuzzo, Huang, Purple, Wang, and Yuan will play in the Philharmonic Orchestra, while Varma, Yuan, and Zhang will play in the Concert Orchestra. The CSYO holds auditions for student musicians in grades 9-12, and, in grades 7-12, for the CSYO Concert Orchestra. The CSYO is under the direction of CSO Assistant Conductor Gene Chang. Both the Concert and Philharmonic orchestras performed in December. The two orchestras will also play at varying times early next year and in the spring.

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• Rose-Hulman Math Competition • Honda-OSU Math Medal Award • CSYO

Examples

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learning through inquiry, hands-on discovery, technology, collaboration

After studying Bernoulli’s Principle that the pressure and density of fluids are inversely related, fourth graders had the opportunity to create an airfoil, or wings of an aircraft, using various materials, including balsa wood, fabric, cardboard, and different weights and widths of wire. “The only limit was that the airfoil could not measure larger than 3” by 6”,” said Unit III teacher Patty Dawson. “After much sanding, bending and assembling, the students were ready to test their work in December. They attached their airfoil to a balsa cube, measured the weight in grams and then applied a push and pull of ‘wind’ through a homemade wind tunnel to see if there was a difference in weight.” Dawson said the students also tested their airfoil for lift with an angle of attack, which they measured and recorded.

Students in Theresa Keller’s sixth grade class honed their math skills by writing and evaluating algebraic and numeric expressions during a September project. They also worked on multi-step expressions using Order of Operation

rules to simplify. Keller said she has found that her students enjoy interacting and moving through the classroom during her math classes, so she often asks her students to write their work on the board at the front of the room. “The students love displaying their work, as well as getting feedback from their peers,” said Keller. “Allowing them the opportunity to explain why they agree or disagree with each other offers the opportunity to truly understand the material.”

As part of their second Socratic seminar for the school year, fifth graders in Karla Balskus and Robin Vanover’s classes discussed a number of points based on the history of the Columbian Exchange,

which is the name used to describe the historical movement of people, plants, animals, and germs across the Atlantic Ocean. In December, students, who sat in a circle, with their teachers as the facilitators, used the Socratic method to observe the discussion (without criticism or interruption). Students in each fifth grade class engaged in content-rich discussions for about 40 minutes, using the Socratic Seminar rules, which were designed by the students. Some of the rules, which varied by classroom group, included “be respectful,” “discuss, don’t debate,” “include everyone,” “use kind language,” “participate as a critical thinker,” and “share the air” (give others a chance to speak). continued on page 4 . . .

Creating Conversations S P E A K E R S E R I E S co nt .

Creating Conversations speaker Shannon Jensen shared ways parents and families can incorporate mindfulness and self-compassion into their everyday lives, and teach their children to do the same. Jensen’s November presentation, entitled “Mindfulness in Everyday Living,” included a number of tips, such as going on a walk with children and asking them to just listen to the sounds they hear. “After a brief moment of that, ask them to tell you what they heard.” Jensen, a therapist at Lindner Center of Hope, also recommended that parents take time to have longer, more general conversations with their teenagers. “You would be surprised how these conversations can lead you to the real issue at hand, rather than just pointedly asking the question you really want to ask,” said Jensen.

For more information visit : www.7hills.org/CreatingConversations

The Seven Hills School Speaker Series

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• Creating Conversations Series • Socratic Seminars • Bernoulli’s Principle

Examples

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learning through inquiry, hands-on discovery, technology,

As part of a yearlong addition to the kindergarten curriculum at Lotspeich, students are taking learning outdoors once a week for “Terrific Tuesdays.” The weekly program incorporates all of the indoor learning experiences students have daily—only they will take place outdoors. Teachers Theresa Cohen and Diane Schulteis, along with early childhood director Kara Meador, introduced the formal outdoor education program to students this past fall.

Unit I student architects built structures for an experiment using toothpicks and gumdrops.

After measuring the projects, Unit I teachers Amy Kulhavik and Kirby Schuchter tested the soundness of the structures by shaking them. The gumdrop models passed the “shake and quake” test if the structure remained standing. The project ran in conjunction with the Unit I study on cities.

Middle School students conducted a waste audit of all the classroom material that is disposed of in the Middle School building. The Waste 4

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about their perception, knowledge, and habits regarding disposing of waste products.

Audit, which began in mid-October, continued for a week. At the end of each day, students collected all trash and recycling from waste/ recycling bins in the building, excluding the bathrooms. Students then sorted and weighed the items, which led to informed discussion, said seventh grade science teacher Jocelyn Coulter. “The students gained a bigger picture of what we use and how we choose to dispose of it,” said Coulter. They created tables and graphs for recording their data and communicating their findings.

The Middle School waste audit was a part of a larger initiative, including a survey launched by Seven Hills’ Upper School Sustainability Team, led by Seven Hills senior Matthew Marquardt. The survey asked students and faculty a number of questions

As part of the Personal Challenge event, Upper School students shared their learning experiences with the school community in November. The event is the culmination of the research, exploration, and commitment needed to produce their final product. The projects ranged from building a simulated engine to directing and producing a play on a dime, to the sport of orienteering in Scotland. The Personal Challenge project is a required experience for every Seven Hills Upper School student. Each student designs an original project that helps define the student’s interests and stretches him/her beyond

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Terrific Tuesdays • Shake and Quake • Waste Audit • Bridge Construction

collaboration his/her comfort zone. The second part of Personal Challenge will take place in the spring.

Lotspeich second graders wrapped up an extensive four-month unit on Bridges in midDecember. Students honed their geography and map skills by studying a bridge in their city, state, country, continent, and world. “After spending time during project math further exploring and constructing various types of bridges, students used their observations from previous bridge and structure challenges to identify common types of bridges, supports, and structures,” said second grade teacher Danielle Necessary. “Students discussed how they are helpful and when they are used in bridge construction.” As a culminating project, students selected a bridge, created a visual representation of the bridge, and presented their project during class time and the annual “Morning with the Bridges” with visiting parents and students.

English 12 students recently worked in small groups to study the debate over the rationale for slavery, as it was presented in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself. The project, designed

by English teacher Nate Gleiner and taught

by Gleiner and English teacher Mark Beyreis,

asked students to first analyze historical, primary sources advocating slavery, including preCivil War essays, letters, pamphlets, and court documents written by pro-slavery politicians, legal experts, scientists, and clergy. The students then read Douglass’ narrative, focusing on how Douglass deconstructs the rationale for slavery.

“The students carefully unpacked the language in the Douglass memoir and analyzed how he undermined pro-slavery arguments in order to win the upper hand in the national debate over slavery,” said Beyreis. Gleiner designed the unique course with a Seven Hills summer curriculum grant, which supports faculty development and innovative, new curriculum.

Sixth graders completed a literary project with a twist in November when they retold a favorite fairy tale from their childhood from another character’s point of view. “The focus of this

assignment was to reinforce the concept of point of view, which sixth graders focus on in their English class,” said Head of Middle School and sixth grade writing workshop teacher Bill Waskowitz. “In preparation for this project, we read Jon Scieszka’s The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, which is told from the Wolf ’s point of view. As students weaved their newly-conceived tale, they were asked to be mindful of their character’s reason or motivation for his or her story.”

Once the students finished their projects, they performed them for Lotspeich second graders, who also had been studying fairy tales.

Pre-kindergarten for 2-year-old teachers Julie Brackett and Nikki Ravenscraft invited Indian dancers to share a number of steps with their students. The visit was part of Doherty’s study of India, an annual intensive, yearlong focus on the language, culture, geography, and history of a country that is selected for this yearlong lesson.

These studies culminate in Cultural Week, which takes place in the spring.

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Personal Challenge Project • Douglass Memoir • Fairy Tales • Cultural Week

Examples of learning through inquiry . . . (continued) Seven Upper School students, accompanied by director of experiential learning Nick Francis and English and journalism teacher Erich Schweikher, participated in the 16th Annual Mayerson Student Service Leadership Workshop at the University of Cincinnati in mid-September. Organized and presented by the Mayerson Foundation, the workshop offered nearly 550 students and teachers from around the tri-state the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals from high schools and colleges, attend three breakout sessions on a range of topics, and speak with representatives of more than 90 nonprofit organizations. Student participants in the workshop were: Maria Bobbitt Chertock, Carly Cohen, Grace McVey, Varshini Odayar, Nia Page, Claire Stewart, and Kaylan Young.

Middle School students studied latitude and longitude in a very hands-on way in Andy McGarvey’s geography class in September. When McGarvey gave the students coordinates —such as 30º N by 60º W—the students drew a global map on the floor and used the tiles as the lines of latitude and 6

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longitude. “While introducing geography, we were in the beginning stages of understanding the theme of location and absolute location,” said McGarvey. “Geographers use latitude and longitude to pinpoint a physical feature on the Earth. I gave them coordinates and they figured out where it is on their floor map. It made the lesson more physical by having the larger space and moving around to find locations rather than on a piece of paper.”

Last fall, Upper School students learned how to manipulate breadboards and Arduinos in Brian Arnold’s computer engineering class—the first of its kind in the history of Seven Hills. The students first learned how to safely navigate the lab, equipped with professionalgrade equipment. “We want to give students an opportunity to develop unique and valuable skillsets for understanding the language of the building blocks for computers,” said Arnold.

While the students work throughout the school year, they are also gaining more knowledge on a subconscious level. Arnold has labeled each of the student’s working stations with real names of streets in Silicon Valley, where it all began.

Fifth graders and their first grade buddies at Lotspeich enjoyed a project that incorporated cooking, friendship, and mouth-watering treats in early October. As part of the beloved

tradition, “Biscuits with a Buddy,” the younger and older students shared homemade biscuits and made apple butter cooked over the fifthgrade campfire.

As part of a new science program for early childhood learners on the Hillsdale Campus, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students used the kitchen classroom to explore a number of reactions, tactile activities, and observations.

Using food coloring, vinegar, and baking soda, Lotspeich science teacher Natalie Williams explained the effects of carbon dioxide, as well as the relationship between oil and water, and color mixing.

Fifth graders at Doherty spent an afternoon in late August immersing themselves in activities that correspond to the social studies curriculum. Through various handson activities, simulations, and cooperative

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Student Service Leadership Workshop • Latitude and Longitude • Breadboards &

learning opportunities, students explored early American history. “They discovered what it was like to be part of the militia by marching in a Revolutionary War drill, they learned about the importance of dancing in the late 17th century, and learned the steps and music to Gathering Peascods,” said Unit III teacher Claire Laughlin. “They also explored ancient artifacts in an archaeological dig. With the help of parent volunteers, the students had a fun-filled day that piqued their interest and prepared them to delve right into the curriculum.”

In order to gain a broader understanding of the Spanish language, students in Maggie Walker’s Middle School Spanish class researched the culture and routines of schools in other countries, such as Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, and Chile, in November. Walker said the students are especially interested in schools south of the Equator, that break for the summer from December until the end of January. “At this age, they are kind of in their own worlds,” said

Walker. “I think this exploration and research will open students’ eyes to the lives and customs of other people their age.”

Using models of materials such as oil, water, dirt, and rocks, third graders on the Doherty Campus incorporated engineering and design to develop a way to clean an oil spill in a body of water, such as a river. “They have

tested various materials to help them decide what materials they want to use and how they want to use them,” said Unit II teacher Joan Claybourn. “They have a budget that they must not overspend for materials.” Claybourn said the process the students have been using along the way includes the following steps: ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve.

Upper School students had an opportunity to serve their community by putting on a science presentation for children and their

parents in late October. Upper School science teacher Linda Ford took six sophomores to the Clifton Library to do hands-on activities and chemical demonstrations for children and their parents as part of National Chemistry Week. The students were required to practice their activities prior to the library visit. “They did a wonderful job interacting with the children, ages 5 to 14,” said Ford. “The theme of this year’s event was ‘Chemistry Colors Our World.’ ” Ninth graders in Katie Swinford’s World History I class studied artifacts excavated from the ancient city of Troy, in October. Swinford, also a Latin teacher, started off the layered project with a lecture on the Trojan War, followed by a review of the artifacts.

“We’re interacting with these objects to help the students further understand a richer historical landscape of Ancient Rome,” said Swinford. “We will conclude our study with a discussion regarding whether the students believe the Trojan War really happened based on what they know about Homer’s epic poem, the Iliad, and the archaeological evidence for the war.” Swinford, a Ph.D. student in the classics department at University of Cincinnati, borrowed the artifacts from UC. 7

Arduinos • Biscuits with a Buddy • National Chemistry Week • Archaeological Dig

Celebrating outstanding sports achievements

Laney Saggar

Seven Hills student athletes and coaches earned a number of rewarding accolades in cross country, golf, tennis, volleyball, and boys soccer.

Tennis coach Tim Drew and golf coach Doug Huff received the Miami Valley Conference (MVC)

named All-American. She joined 40 of the nation’s girl’s high school soccer players from fall-playing states to take part in the third annual High School All-American Game in early December.

fifth. Both Gardner and Marquardt competed in the Division III State Cross Country Championship.

Gardner finished in 26th place and Marquardt finished in 61st. Marquardt has committed to swim for Princeton University in the fall.

Alyssa Akiyama

In a record-breaking season, the boys and girls cross-country team ran at Voice of America in Mason, Ohio, in the Miami Olivia Silverman Valley Conference (MVC) Cross Country Championship. Chase Gardner won the meet in the boys division setting a new school record of 16.17.19 in the 3.1-mile race. Gardner earned MVC Runner of the Year for his performance. Matthew Marquardt finished in third place and Matthew Maring finished in 12th,

The varsity golf team carried an outstanding season, winning the MVC Championship for the third year in a row, and advancing to district championships.

Congratulations to Alyssa Akiyama, who earned Second Team All-State, and to Jack Lane, who moved on to play the Scarlet course at The Ohio State University in midOctober.

Coach of the Year Award, while junior Laney Saggar received the Dick Snyder Sportsmanship Award.

Several students received the Southwest Ohio High School Soccer Coaches Association’s Academic All Southwest recognition award. These students have maintained a 3.7 cumulative GPA during the soccer season: Brice Hill, Trey Kieser, Nate Rising, and John Stewart, of the boys varsity soccer team; and for the girls varsity soccer team, Dottie Callard, Maggie Kersting, Grace McVey, Jessica Nordlund, Mary Grace Ramsay, and Alexis Tucker.

Boys soccer finished: 10-6-2. Girls soccer finished: 10 -8. Senior Olivia Silverman, who committed to play soccer for St. Louis University in the fall, was

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Chase Gardner and Matthew Marquardt

earning each of them All-MVC honors. On the girls side, Nia Page finished with a team best, 27th place. The cross-country team was district runnerup, with Gardner being named district champion, Marquardt placing second, and Maring placing

Jack Lane

The varsity girls tennis team put forth consistent and focused effort throughout the season, winning the MVC Championship, advancing to compete in the doubles district championship, and showing strength in doubles and singles.

Lauren Saggar was named MVC player of the year.

Volleyball finished on an outstanding note, with a record of 12-12 and 7- 6 in the MVC. Senior Sydney Lewis earned MVC First Team Honors.

photos by Keith Neu

• Sportsmanship Award • Soccer • Swimming • Golf • Cross Country • Tennis

Seven Hills arts sampler Upper School students sang beautifully in the Winter Choral Concert in December. The students performed in a men and women’s chorus format, as well as a chamber ensemble.

The concert took place just after a whirlwind choral tour at the Doherty Campus, a visit to the Twin Lakes Retirement Community, then to the Lotspeich and Middle schools.

In a stunning November performance that rocked sold-out audiences in the Black Box Theater, the Upper School theater cast delivered a winning original play Maelstrom, written by our technical theater teacher, Trey Tatum. The performance was directed by Upper School theater teacher, Stephanie Park. The performance may also be up for a nomination from the Cappies of Greater Cincinnati, a prestigious non-profit organization of student judges that seeks to inspire and advance the talent and creativity within high school theater. The Cappies awards are judged and named in the style of the Oscars.

Student musicians in the Middle and Upper School symphonic ensembles, as well as the contemporary ensemble, all directed by instrumental music teacher John Rising, played from a broad genre of compositions during their instrumental concerts in December.

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Choral Concerts • Maelstrom • Symphonic Ensemble • Contemporary Ensemble

Seven Hills arts sampler The Middle School theater produced and performed the horrifically hilarious comedy Twisted Tales of Terror in late October. The 53-cast production delivered a strong, six-story tale that had the audience howling with laughter. “I was very pleased with the energy that all the students brought to their roles. Their enthusiasm really helped the comedy shine through,” said Middle School theater teacher Jacob Hauser.

Dazzling the audience with show-stopping tunes, Lotspeich fifth graders put on a spectacular revue entitled, “Broadway Beat.” The students performed a number of songs from various musicals, including The King and I, Rent, Wicked, The Music Man, Grease, A Chorus Line, and Hairspray. Congratulations to our fifth grade artists, music teacher Robin Wilson, and Lower School drama teacher Russell White, who wrote the script for the October performance.

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Congratulations to our Middle School chorus for a fantastic November performance. The vocal concert included an expansive repertoire, from spirituals, to old world folk music. Congrats to our Middle School students and to fine arts department chair Tina Kuhlman and accompanist Lynne Miller.

Seven Hills arts sampler Doherty students took audience members on a multicultural journey during their annual blockbuster holiday program in December. “Our songs focused on a number of cultural observances, from Las Posadas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas,” said Doherty music teacher Maria Eynon. Students from pre-kindergarteners through Unit III fifth graders sang a number of selections with a culmination of an all-school sing-along.

Starting off their project from the very first day of school, Middle School students built a brilliantly appointed Seven Hills float in August, that adorned the Kennedy Heights Arts Center parade to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Kennedy Heights Cultural Campus. Art teacher Elissa Donovan explained that the students applied papier mache and paint to bouncy balls, added a few PVC pipes and tubes to each, and created Stingerbee “bodies” to attach to the float. Collaborative art is a central part of Donovan’s extensive arts curriculum.

Upper School art show at the Donovan Arts Center

Sixteen young string musicians performed beautifully in The Sassmannshaus Tradition at Seven Hills strings recital in December.

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Seven Hills arts sampler, cont.

The accomplished works of visual art students were on display in the Donovan Arts Center for the Upper School art show in December. The art on display ranged from line drawings to graphic design to slab pottery to animation. The students’ work was presented by art teachers Jason Knarr and Daniel Vance.

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Š 2016 The Seven Hills School