Highlander Winter 2009

winter 2009

our founding faculty

30 student clubs

30 Years of Service

tribute to father sillers

St. Margaret’s

departments

volume 21, number 2 winter 2009

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Guideposts Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut invites you to

Open Spaces: Student Poetry and Artwork

participate in Celebrating Community,

Drawings, photography and poetry

St. Margaret’s 30th anniversary celebration

intermingle, showcasing student talent

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of service

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News & Notes

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Where at SMES? Test how well you know your campus

Get the scoop on what’s been happening at St. Margaret’s lately 32 8

Alumni Perspective This alumnus has learned the importance of

Side by Side

five things he thought he might never use again

Students and a teacher analyze contemporary artwork 33

Class Notes Find out what your cohort is doing now

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By the Numbers: A Sporting Chance Learn the stats on the athletics program

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Looking Forward A student reflects on the future of sustainable alternative energy

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A Day in the Life Of . . .

Special Camp See how campers and counselors spend Mondays

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Looking Back A photograph from our school’s past shows us where we’ve been

features

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Breaking Through Barriers Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano provides opportunity for local students and student teachers from throughout the United States

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Marcus D. Hurlbut, Headmaster Highlander magazine is published by the Communications Office as a St. Margaret’s Episcopal School community magazine.

Communications Director

Anne Mack Editor

Andrea Canfield

Founding Faculty These cornerstones of the St. Margaret’s community were here in the beginning

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Editorial Board

Andrea Canfield, Jeannine Clarke, Kathi Coleman, Stephen Harrington, Marcus D. Hurlbut, Anne Mack; Adjunct members: Chriss Bonhall, Cortney Carlisle Contributors

Ingrid Andrews, Natalie Bonhall, David Boyle, Cortney Carlisle, Howard Emond, Lindsay Eres, Andy Forquer, Alyssa Hopper, Tyler Horgan, Marcus D. Hurlbut, Hanna Hurr, Meaghan Hurr,Tessa Hurr, Kasey Jong, Armen Keuylian, Anne Mack, Susie Maga, Lisa Merryman, Barbara Nelson, Rian Otto, Ted Parker, Jennifer Perez, Cristina Poindexter, Susan Remsberg, Ian Tacquard, Simran Virk, Laura Whitney, Tiffany Young Please send comments, questions, letters and submissions for “Open Spaces” to:

30 Student Clubs There’s a group for everyone, from animal-lovers to filmmakers

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Highlander magazine St. Margaret’s Episcopal School 31641 La Novia San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-2752 (949) 661-0108 communications@smes.org; www.smes.org Please include your name, address, e-mail address and phone number with your letter or submission.

Letters and “Open Spaces” may be edited for content and grammar.

St. Margaret’s publishes responsibly. Highlander magazine is printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper that contains 25 percent postconsumer recycled content, using soy-based inks made from renewable resources such as natural pigments and vegetable oils.

Highlander, Volume 21, Number 2. Winter 2009.

Parlez-Vous Français?

Natalie Bonhall tells of her time studying abroad in France

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St. Margaret’s Episcopal School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational or hiring policies, admissions policies, financial aid, athletic or other school-administered programs.

ON THE COVER

St. Margaret’s Upper School students packaged and delivered 3,200 pounds of beans and rice in meal-size portions to Father Serra’s Pantry in San Juan Capistrano, during the week of service launching Celebrating Community, a yearlong, school-wide community service effort commemorating the 30th anniversary of St. Margaret’s. Read more about Celebrating Community on page 4.

G U I D E P O S T S

By Marcus D. Hurlbut, Headmaster elcome to the winter 2009 issue of Highlander, the magazine for the St. Margaret’s Episcopal School community. Within the following pages, this issue celebrating the 30th anniversary of the school brings the past and the present together. We keep you informed about current St. Margaret’s events and tell you what is happening in the lives of our alumni, and we also take a look back with a photograph from the Archives and pay homage to The Reverend Canon Ernest D. Sillers, our founder. We also acknowledge the four founding faculty members who are still active at St. Margaret’s.

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When we considered how to commemorate our 30th anniversary in a meaningful way, we reflected on our mission of educating the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership and service. Our strong community and our commitment to service have been central to St. Margaret’s throughout our 30-year history. This fall, we continued that tradition by launching Celebrating Community, a yearlong, school-wide community service effort in which you are all welcome to participate.

Celebrating Community began with service to local charitable organizations, including Father Serra’s Pantry food bank, The Ark of San Juan Capistrano animal fostering organization, Project Linus and Operation Little Hero. Throughout the year we will be focusing on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Through this effort, we hope to advance our longstanding commitment to service as a community, provide new and foster existing service learning experiences for our students, and help those in need in our local community and far from home. You can read personal stories of service and contribute your own online at 30th.smesnews.org.

Our student body, like the entire St. Margaret’s community, strives to improve life for themselves and others, through academics, athletics, the arts, and community service. These pages bear witness to the talent, the devotion and the self-confidence of the students of St. Margaret’s.

In “News & Notes,” you can read more about Celebrating Community, and photograph galleries and feature stories are available in the Tartan Today online newsletter, at smesnews.org/today. Students continue to support service projects individually and in groups, as you can read in the feature story highlighting 30 school clubs.

“When we considered how to commemorate our 30th anniversary in a meaningful way, we reflected on our mission of educating the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership and service.”

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N OT E S

The St. Margaret’s community and students from Preschool through Upper School are putting their hearts, minds and hands to work on service projects to commemorate the school’s 30th anniversary. Celebrating Community is a yearlong, school-wide service effort, and St. Margaret’s encourages all members of our community to commit the 2009–2010 academic year to service, with a goal of 30,000 total combined hours. Through this effort, we endeavor to advance our longstanding commitment to service and community, and provide new and foster existing service learning experiences for our students and help those in our community. To read about the students’ service projects and share your own stories, visit Celebrating Community online at 30th.smesnews.org.

Celebrating Community

N E W S

Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez United Nations Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez, former director of the United States Peace Corps, visited St. Margaret’s during the 2008–2009 school year to bring Upper School students a message about the importance of education and service. He asked students to be thankful for the prosperity of our country and our opportunities, and to reflect on the plight of those in impoverished nations. Mr. Vasquez said that all levels of service are valuable: “Somewhere, somebody needs what you have to give.”

The Critics and Awards Program for high school theater (CAPPIES) celebrates writing and performing arts in America’s high schools. Last June, at an annual award ceremony at the Grove of Anaheim, St. Margaret’s students won awards in 10 areas including featured actress, sound, female dancer, ensemble in a musical, cameo actress, lead actress, best song, best sophomore critic, best junior critic and best critics’ team.

CAPPIES Awards Gala

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State Science Fair Winners In May, four grade 8 students won awards at the 58th California State Science Fair. Kelsey Patch (below) won first place in cognitive science, Austin Russell won first place in environmental engineering, Mary Raymund won second place in mammalian biology and Julia Solazzo won fourth place in materials science. Middle School Principal Jeannine Clarke expressed: “I’m very proud of the hard work, determination and inventiveness that all of our students displayed through the Science Fair program . . . this is an unprecedented level of success.”

For more than a week last spring, the Highlander Chorale and members of the Concert Band traveled though Italy for a concert tour in Rome, Florence, Lucca, Montagnana and Venice. Choir Director Stacey Wentzel orchestrated this trip “to give our musicians the opportunity to perform in some of the most beautiful and historical venues in Europe.” For seven months, the choir practiced 10 selections in several different languages, all unaccompanied, because no instruments are allowed at Mass in the Vatican. The Concert Band, under the direction of George Ko, then grade 10, performed with the choir in the Church of San Romano, in Lucca, and in Montagnana.

In May, “A Gathering of Friends,” the 28th annual Library Luncheon, was presented by the St. Margaret’s Parent Teacher Fellowship and event cochairs Linda Garcia, Gloria Luna and Tanya Ebner. While friends gathered around festively decorated tables, funds were raised on behalf of the school’s Library and Media Center with an opportunity drawing, a giving tree, and other opportunities that brought the community together in the spirit of philanthropy. Table themes were based on books and ranged from The Empty Pot to Gift From the Sea.

Scholar Athletes

To read more St. Margaret’s news, visit Tartan Today online at smesnews.org/today.

Choir and Band in Vatican City

During the 2008–2009 school year, mentored by life science teacher Mr. Eric Harrington, the then grade 7 “Toxic Busters,” Julianna Coleman, Lauren Golledge, Amanda Pasternack and Lara Ohanesian, entered the QuikSCience Challenge sponsored by Quiksilver and USC. The group’s project focusing on environmental hazards won an award for best community service. Lauren Golledge recalls, “The experience was fun because we all learned so much about what can hurt our planet in our home.”

Library Luncheon

Toxic Busters: Best Community Service Project

To be considered for Annual CIF Southern Section Academic Awards, teams needed a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in college-preparatory courses during the first semester of the 2008–2009 school year. Of those teams that qualify, the one with the highest GPA is named the winner. In that year, the Girls Swim team (3.905 GPA), the Boys Soccer team (3.792 GPA) and the Tartan Football team (3.611 GPA) all won this prestigious honor. The Boys Volleyball team came in second, the Wrestling team placed third, the baseball team placed fourth, and Girls Track and Field and Girls Volleyball both placed fifth.

Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day Grandparents and special friends of students from Kindergarten through grade 5 visited school in May for breakfast, a Chapel service, musical performances, a greeting from Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut, and classroom visits. Students, grandparents, special friends, school administrators and teachers enjoyed this event that was organized and supported by more than 70 parent volunteers. winter 2009

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Breaking Through

Barriers Local students, staff mentors and student teachers combine in Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano

By Andrea Canfield

hat do you get when you add 51 local middle school students, 16 student teachers from schools throughout the nation, and four public school teachers?

That equation, resulting in Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano, equals increased chances of college success for middle school students, teaching experience for bright young adults who might not otherwise have considered teaching as a career, and a great positive impact for all those involved in this program that St. Margaret’s sponsors.

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Part of a national program called Breakthrough Collaborative, this rigorous tuition-free academic enrichment program that follows students from grade 7 through high school began at St. Margaret’s in 2006. Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut believes its returns are significant. He says, “Breakthrough has a proven track record of changing lives. I have seen it firsthand, and I have witnessed the enormous benefits it has brought to San Juan Capistrano and the St. Margaret’s community.”

The commitment is year-round, but during the summer, these groups join Director Diosa Adams and Assistant Director Erica Korzep at St. Margaret’s for six weeks, eight hours a day, for instruction in math, English, history and science, and for educational field trips to colleges and museums.

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Why middle school students? Ms. Adams explains, “Most high school students formalize their educational plans between grade 8 and grade 10, suggesting that our efforts to positively influence a student’s educational aspirations are most likely to succeed if they happen by grade 8.”

Visiting student teachers stay with St. Margaret’s host families, and when the summer ends, they depart back to their own schools, including, in 2009, Harvard, Notre Dame, Barnard and the University of California, Berkeley. This year, two teachers had a shorter commute: St. Margaret’s seniors Jennifer Gonzalez and Nohemi Moctezuma. Breakthrough students continue to participate in learning workshops twice a week during the academic year. While grade 7 students have their sights set on coming back next summer, grade 8 students continue with their long-term sights set on college, with the confidence and skills to do well in college-preparatory high school courses.

Amid daily academic challenges and community-building, three summer events reveal students’ enhanced self-confidence, teamwork and academic skills: Visitors’ Day, Breakthrough Olympics and Breakthrough Celebration. Students continue to meet the program’s high expectations throughout the six years by facing challenges with the help of Breakthrough’s support network.

The community is welcomed to participate in Breakthrough’s morning group meeting, in which each student is greeted individually during roll call. Afterward, during classroom tours and student and teacher panels, guests meet the students, learn more about Breakthrough’s goals and see them in practice.

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Visitors’ Day

Breakthrough Celebration At the celebration concluding the summer portion of Breakthrough, community visitors enjoyed a gallery of student work, a slideshow presentation by Breakthrough teachers, class skits imaginatively presenting summer learning, and student speeches. In his address to the community, Vinson Muhammad, Morehouse College student and Breakthrough English teacher said, “Being a teacher has taught me the great importance of education and the positive effect it can have when it is given with care. It has also taught me how to better appreciate and respect the differences of other cultures by working with teachers from several different backgrounds, communities and ethnicities.” In a student testimonial, Andrea Almejo told the crowd, “Breakthrough has changed my life by letting me believe in whatever I want. It taught me to do the best I can and how to do it right. I turned my mind from negative to positive, and it feels great. Before Breakthrough, I did not want to go to college . . . Breakthrough made me realize that college is important, exciting and challenging.

I look forward to being challenged because it makes me feel accomplished.”

Breakthrough Olympics Competitions combine athletics with English, math, science and history quizzes as teams challenge each other in games such as math basketball. This year, the red team won first-place medals. Red team teacher Renee Stump, who is majoring in elementary education, shares: “Breakthrough reassured me of my desire to be a teacher. The students mastered the material, which encouraged me to keep doing what I was doing. I think the kids will always remember the Olympics—the competition was fierce, but every student was eager to prove his or her knowledge through the games!”

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S I D E

B Y

S I D E

Getting Art From Art B y B a r b a r a N e l s o n , F i n e A r t s Te a c h e r s students move through art courses at St. Margaret’s, they are learning much more than how to draw. Analytical thinking is a major part of the learning process that takes place in our art classrooms.

Every time a student picks up a pencil to draw, he or she is faced with hundreds of decisions that go into placing those first marks on paper.

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In addition to making art, our students look at, think about and discuss artwork they have personally created as well as works made by their peers. Our students are also exposed to artwork by the great masters. From an early age we ask our students to consider how and why artworks were made. We ask them to think about what makes a piece interesting or exciting, and to look for any indication of emotions that the artist might be expressing. As students move into Upper School classes, instructors begin to teach the connections between artwork viewed in class and the context of the times and places in which they were created.

In grade 5, students are focusing on the question, “What ideas can we express through art?” Classes view different works of art, ask this question, write about the topic, and create their own artwork, applying the same analysis afterward. This process ensures that students consider the context and impact of their own artistic choices before they make those decisions and while they are creating their work. When the piece is finished, the artist can intelligently express the motivations and goals for the work, and explain whether the finished piece successfully expresses the intention or inspiration from which it arose.

In the Upper School advanced placement art classes, including advanced placement two-dimensional design, advanced placement three-dimensional design and advanced placement drawing, students are assigned a project that combines research with technique. Students research styles of various master artists, select several works to emulate, and then craft

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a work of their own based on the ideas and elements they have drawn from the art they researched. Parts of the works are arranged in a new way, and they learn that with this arrangement comes new meaning. The original elements of the masters’ paintings are transformed as images are juxtaposed in new ways.

As an assignment in this year’s advanced placement classes, students regarded a pastel drawing, Art From Art, pictured above, created by Cristina Poindexter, Class of 2009.

For this piece, Cristina combined elements from three different existing artworks in a pastel drawing. Her focus was on style, composition and meaning. The three original works were The Life Line by Winslow Homer, Flaming June by Frederic Leighton and The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí. Just as the original by Salvador Dalí leaves the viewer questioning meaning, Cristina’s artwork leaves us in a similar state of uncertainty and perhaps unease.

The following student essays interpret Art From Art. These short essays contain insights and observations that the authors, Laura Whitney, grade 11, Tyler Horgan, grade 5, and Armen Keuylian, grade 5, formed independently using the analytical skills developed during instruction in their art and other classes.

Opposites Connected: Finding Meaning in Disparate Elements

By Laura Whitney, Grade 11

he artist of Art From Art, Cristina Poindexter, Class of 2009, has combined in this work three well-known pieces, all in opposite realms of meaning, done in different time periods, originating from different cultures, and using divergent artistic styles. She has tied these different images together to create a picture that portrays the contrast of chaos and rest.

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The central focus becomes the sleeping woman, because of the color contrast compared with the rest of the painting: The overall palette consists of hazy grays, whites and greens, while the sleeping woman stands out in an exuberant coral color. This not only draws the viewer’s attention to the woman but to the incongruity of the elements, leading us to contemplate the differences and similarities of chaos, relaxation and time.

In Flaming June by Frederic Leighton, the overall feeling of the piece is restful, as it shows a woman reclining, asleep. Her body is completely relaxed and the space behind her seems to be a lavish Roman-style building. In an ironic decision by the artist, Cristina made this sleeping woman a focal point set into the dramatic landscape of The Life Line by Winslow Homer. Cristina has also incorporated a clock from the surrealist painting The Persistence of Memory, by Salvador DalĂ­.

The landscape of The Life Line is the complete opposite of the landscape of The Persistence of Memory. In The Persistence of Memory, a barren desert with huge empty spaces is the backdrop for a melting clock hanging from the branch of a dead tree. The painting is very surreal, with hallucinatory qualities and an unclear meaning. Why Cristina chose to assemble these divergent pieces is also unclear, but this combination of elements together produces new meaning, swirling together as in the whitewashed tides of the storm that outlines the composition.

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In the Lower School, art instruction at St. Margaret’s enables students to consider works of art from different perspectives. Instead of simply describing what they see in a picture, students reflect on what the author might have intended them to see, and what emotions the images invoke. Using these observations, students form their own interpretations of artwork. These two grade 5 students share their assessment of the meaning of Art From Art.

The Ticking Time of Our Lives

By Armen Keuylian, Grade 5 In this drawing, Art From Art, by Cristina Poindexter, I think that the person on the zip line has been there for a long time, and time is ticking away. The drawing is probably about how our life is dangling and time is ticking away in our life.

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Clocks and Rope: Metaphors in Pastel

By Tyler Horgan, Grade 5 I think this picture, Art From Art, shows that time is not a factor for what you’re doing, and that you should always take as much time as you need. I think the lady on the rope is the artist’s way of saying that she wishes she was rescued by someone.

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St. Margaret’s offers

T H E

N U M B E R S

23 sports, with 35 teams, including cross-country, football, golf,

tennis, equestrian, cheerleading, basketball, soccer, wrestling, baseball, lacrosse, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball in the Upper School.

All students are eligible to

participate, and there are no formal tryouts: interested young athletes train with a coach who places them on a team. A very high percentage of St. Margaret’s students participate in the

athletics program.

Director of Athletics Susie Maga says that “Our athletics program helps our young athletes continue their development from the Middle School through the Upper School. Since the program allows our students the flexibility of practicing during the school day, participation continues to increase.

In 2008–2009, 98 percent of Middle School students and 82 percent of Upper School students participated in at least one sport during the school year. The growth and development of these hard-working student athletes made for a memorable year.”

82% 305 100% 33 19 17

of Upper School students played a sport

Middle School students played a sport

of grade 8 students played sports

Upper School female student athletes played tennis

Individual CIF Championships in the history of St. Margaret’s

Team CIF Championships in the history of St. Margaret’s

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Our

Founding

Faculty

Here From the Start: Ingrid Andrews, David Boyle, Lisa Merryman and Susan Remsberg

By Andrea Canfield These pillars of the St. Margaret’s community have enriched the lives of students and guided their learning during a time of great advances in instructional philosophy and technology.

They have grown along with the progress from chalkboard to interactive white board, from wide-ruled paper to laptop computer stations. Even during 30 years of change, the school’s mission has remained steadfast, and these and other St. Margaret’s teachers continue to educate the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership and service.

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hey were here with The Reverend Canon Ernest D. Sillers, founder of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church and School, during the first years of instruction. They were here at the 30th anniversary celebration, as the school sang “Happy Birthday” to Father Sillers for his 99th birthday. And, when Father Sillers was called home on October 15, 2009, they were here with the community to commemorate and mourn.

Mrs. Ingrid Andrews, Mr. David Boyle, Mrs. Lisa Merryman and Mrs. Susan Remsberg were founding faculty at this community that began with 79 students and today welcomes 1,200 eager learners from infants through Preschool and on through high school.

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For some, roles have changed during the years: Mrs. Merryman began as a substitute, then taught history, science and other subjects, and is now the school archivist. Mr. Boyle began teaching math and science while coaching soccer, basketball, football and softball; he is now the Upper School principal. For others, the calling was more specific. The Preschool is where Mrs. Andrews began; the Preschool is where she is in 2009, guiding young Tartans to be self-confident and ambitious learners. In December of that first year, third-grade teacher Mrs. Remsberg provided musical accompaniment to the young performers at the Service of Lessons and Carols; in December 2010 she plans to produce the 31st such service, and she is still teaching music to children in the Preschool and grade 3.

students and among each other. Whether it was teachers taking turns heading to downtown San Juan Capistrano to bring back lunch, or a more ceremonious gathering, the group found camaraderie, humor, and growing and learning experiences around every corner. Mrs. Merryman remembers, “In 1986, the entire school paraded to the field for a groundbreaking ceremony where the new Early Childhood Development Center building was to be constructed. Amid the pageantry of bagpipes and assembled dignitaries, the student body was ready to sing the opening hymn, when all of a sudden, the automatic sprinklers that watered the grass beneath us came on, and we were all drenched.” Despite this small setback, the ceremony continued, out of the reach of the sprinklers.

Looking ahead, Mrs. Remsberg recalls, the school’s potential was unlimited. “I had such a special feeling that first year at St. Margaret’s. We were a part of something brand-new, with all the dreams and possibilities ahead of us. I don’t think that I imagined that we would become so large and strong so quickly. I remember literally doing everything for my classroom that first year, including unpacking the new desks from their huge boxes and setting them up.” Today, St. Margaret’s is living up to those expectations. Mr. Boyle attests, “We developed momentum and credibility. Our headmasters have developed a mission worth standing behind, and we have attracted more and more smart, decent people to our common cause. There has never been a dull moment.”

Early faculty found themselves interlaced in a network of connections built around St. Margaret’s. Mrs. Merryman elaborates, “From the very first year, over and over I discovered that people who knew each other in the past were now a part of the Tartan family. Susan Remsberg and I are good examples: We were counselors together at the Episcopal Camp in Julian, California, during our high school years. I did not see her again until October 1, 1979, when I enrolled my children at St. Margaret’s and discovered that she was my son’s third-grade teacher. Charlotte Newman, a Tartan mother of four alumni, had been my friend when we were campers at Camp Stevens during the 1950s; then, in 1990, Charlotte and I rediscovered each other when she enrolled her children at St. Margaret’s. Today, I am the school archivist and Charlotte is a volunteer in the archives. We are not the only Tartans who have found that the St. Margaret’s community extends from the past through the present, and connects us all.”

The school’s commitment to progress has not slowed, and today classrooms promote 21st century learning, interactive media, and creative approaches to instruction on subjects that will be relevant for generations to come. These instructional goals are supported by a caring, giving atmosphere of support and service to the community, and bonds that have connected past Tartans continue to connect current and past students, parents, teachers, staff and generations of alumni.

Where there were no preexisting bonds and connections, the community of faculty set out to build them, among the

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David Boyle, Susan Remsberg, and Ingrid Andrews are treasured friends and colleagues from those early years. I will say that our collective sense of humor got us through many issues then! They are Tartan treasures in every sense of the word: dedicated, flexible, enthusiastic, and profound.

—Lisa Merryman As a teacher, and now as an administrator, it is such a joy to see the preschoolers I’ve worked with as they grow and thrive through the years at St. Margaret’s. I wouldn’t have had that opportunity at another school.—Ingrid Andrews I directed the first three musicals at St. Margaret’s, and during the third year we performed The Wizard of Oz. Our lead that year was Jeannine Clarke, now the Middle School Principal, playing the part of Dorothy. She was marvelous!

—Susan Remsberg Ingrid’s laughter and sense of humor invariably lighten my day. It is a rare gift to work with someone like her. Ingrid empathizes so well with little children, and her anecdotes can help me experience that same compassion and understanding for their viewpoint. She sets an example for all of us to be student-centered.—David Boyle

David Boyle was an innovative teacher. I have clear memories about his very extensive class system, in which students were rewarded “Boyle Bucks” for positive behavior, and then allowed to trade the bucks for snacks at the end of the week.

As I now look back on this, I realize it was an elaborate attempt to negotiate classroom management issues—but we loved it. He was interesting and found ways to connect to our lives and build authentic relationships with his students.

—Jeannine Clarke, Middle School Principal, Class of 1987

In Preschool, Mrs. Andrews wrote my name on a paper airplane and helped me color it, so I could learn how to spell my name!—Brent Cahill, grade 7 Whenever Mrs. Remsberg plays the piano, all the students are really into it, as she makes the words come to life.

—Sam Geller, grade 7 Mrs. Merryman was a great teacher! I had her for world geography. One thing that has stuck with me was being able to draw the world. I never thought I could do that!

—Natalie Bonhall, Class of 2007

St. Margaret’s:The Early Years

1979–1980

1981–1982

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Melissa Bonhall Linda Bratcher Mary Carroll Jody Holland Susan Remsberg (LaRue) Lisa Merryman Holly Procopio Victor Samano Sharon Sarpa Canon Ernest D. Sillers Ruth Tomlinson Lisa Weatherby (Stickles)

Ingrid Andrews Christine DeWitt Pat Dunlap Steven Frey Jan Jones (Babcock) The Rev. Don Lewis Melissa McConica (Christian) Charlotte Milam Carolyn Stevens Aldine Sillers Sam Smith David Stankey Margaret Thornton Patricia Wilson Peg Wolfe

1980–1981 ........................

Debbie Baumgartner David Boyle Marilynn Boyle Gina Brewington Astrid Janusz LuAnne Kreutzer Pat Lamont Jody Parsons (Prichard) Canon Kim Saville Suzanne Tomin Linda White

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The Reverend Canon Ernest D. Sillers, St. Margaret’s Founder, and Headmaster from 1979 to 1985, is pictured here with Mrs. Susan Remsberg and her grade 3 students during the school’s first academic year.

In Memoriam: ather Sillers was born on October 2, 1910, and he passed away on October 15, 2009. He touched the lives of thousands, and the community both mourns his passing and celebrates his life and accomplishments.

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Marcus D. Hurlbut, St. Margaret’s Headmaster, remarks, “Father Sillers’ vision is deeply imbedded in the life of St. Margaret’s. His lasting legacy is best exemplified in our mission, to educate the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership and service, and in our 1,200 students and 1,300 alumni who, when tested, find strength from their St. Margaret’s foundation, just as Father Sillers intended 30 years ago.”

Our Founder Markham B. Campaigne, St. Margaret’s Headmaster from 1985 to 2002, shares, “Even at 99 years old, ‘Father Ern’ was inspiring a group of individuals to start another school in this area. One of his favorite sayings was, ‘It is better to build children than to repair men,’ and he set about doing that virtually his entire life.”

Visit the Tartan Today online newsletter at smesnews.org/today to read articles about Father Sillers and to post your remembrances. Read Lisa Merryman’s book Ernest Sillers: Story of a Visionary, published in 2006 by Cathedral Center Press, to learn more about Father Sillers’ life.

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30Clubs

30 Lines About

Student organizations help young leaders find their niche

By Andrea Canfield

Soccer cleats, school books, clean water. We might not think twice about these amenities, but St. Margaret’s students do: and not just for themselves, but for others.

Student leaders carefully consider the goals and objectives of organizations they form. Working with faculty advisors, they often focus on helping to improve the lives of their peers both nearby and around the world.

There are more than 50 student clubs in the Middle School and Upper School at St. Margaret’s. Some are part of a larger organization, such as the Middle School Project Linus Club, which provides handmade blankets for Orange County children in need of comfort; and Big Brothers Big Sisters, in the Upper School, which strives to mentor kids attending San Juan Elementary School. Other groups set their own goals, such as the Malawi Club, which plans to write and publish a children’s book to be distributed to preschools in Malawi.

Some groups aim to enrich the lives of animals, such as the Adopt-a-Panda Club or the Middle School Animal Awareness Club. Some provide for the appearance or hospitality of the

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campus, such as Admission Ambassadors or Hug A Tree.

Others strive to increase students’ understanding of the world around them, such as Chinese Club, Model United Nations, and Middle Eastern Club. Even groups that are not strictly charitable provide service to the community: The Sweded Short Films Club produces movie spoofs, but the proceeds from their film festival are donated to a charity selected by the creator of the winning film.

At club fairs in October, Middle School and Upper School student leaders set out displays and sign-up sheets for new members. Their goals are ambitious, but with the guidance of their faculty advisors and their own momentum, no one doubts that they have the skills and ability to achieve them.

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Acres of Love was founded to increase awareness of African children affected by AIDS and to provide comfort by giving toys and blankets.

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Middle School Admission Ambassadors greet campus visitors at special events, conduct campus tours, visit local schools and develop leadership skills.

10 Cleats for Kids collects slightly used athletic shoes and distributes them to kids who cannot afford them.

11 Con Corazón will travel to Tijuana to build a home for a family.

12 Fellowship of Christian Athletes provides a network for student athletes as they grow in faith and set good examples.

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Adopt-a-Panda raises funds to help support pandas in China.

4

Middle School Animal Awareness Club promotes education about animal welfare and collects supplies for local animal shelters.

13 Heart to Heart supports the Children’s Hospital of Orange County by providing financial assistance to parents who cannot afford cancer treatment, and by sending Christmas gifts to patients.

5

Astronomy Club brings people together who are interested in learning more about the celestial bodies.

14 The Hockey Club hopes to provide training and establish a hockey team.

6

Big Brothers Big Sisters pairs mentors with local little brothers or sisters, as part of the national organization.

15 Hug A Tree raises funds to plant trees on campus, while educating the community about water conservation and the importance of recycling.

7

Middle School Book Club aims to increase understanding of literature to add to the fun of reading.

Charity: Water helps build wells in areas where there is no access to clean water.

8

Chinese Club enhances understanding of Chinese culture, history and economy, and provides interaction with the current exchange students from China.

9

16 International Princess Project Club advocates for enslaved children in India.

17 Invisible Children raises awareness of the plight of child soldiers and supports the campaign to keep Ugandan children safe.

18 Khushi Club sponsors educational opportunities in impoverished areas of India.

>> 13

7

11

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19 Middle School Latin Club brings kids together to practice Latin.

20 The Malawi Club plans to publish a children’s book and donate copies to preschools in Malawi, and raise money for scholarships.

21 Middle Eastern Club provides educational lectures about Middle Eastern culture and finance.

22 Model United Nations allows an opportunity to represent different countries and their interests at conferences while developing public speaking skills.

23 Mu Alpha Theta is a chapter of a national mathematics honors society that publishes student projects online and awards scholarships and grants.

At St. Margaret’s, we believe in recognizing each child’s unique contribution to the school community while nurturing their individual strengths. Whether they are interested in sports, fine arts or drama, students have the opportunity to try new things and they are encouraged to do so. In the Middle School, club membership is studentdriven. When students are interested in starting a club, they first find a faculty sponsor and then coordinate with the activities director to set a meeting time. In 2009–2010, our club membership is as varied as our student body: Spanish/French Club, Latin Club, Animal Awareness club, Table Tennis Club, Book Club, Photography Club, Math Club, Project Linus Club, and Admissions Ambassadors. As the year goes on, more clubs will be created to meet our students’ interests.

A m a n d a H u d s o n , Middle School Director of Community Service and Activities

The Photography Club spreads interest in photography through “photo walks” with the introduction of a new skill on each trip.

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25 Middle School Project Linus makes blankets for children in need of comfort.

26 Saferides is part of a larger organization that coordinates safe rides home for students from their peers.

8

30 27 The Snowboard Club hopes to generate interest in and provide education about snowboarding.

28 Surf Club aims to help students become safer, better surfers and increase environmental awareness.

29 Sweded Short Films produces student-written movie spoofs and donates film festival proceeds to charity.

30 Volleyball Club brings together interested players to practice and improve playing technique.

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Emily Moore, grade 10, is copresident of Charity: Water with Caroline Walters, grade 10. Together with their club members, they are working to raise funds to build a well providing access to clean, sanitary water in an undeveloped part of the world. Caroline explains, “A simple cup of water is something that we as a community don’t think twice about. We’d like to provide this basic necessity to impoverished areas that don’t have the resources for access to clean water that people need to survive. With communication, teamwork, determination, and ambition, we can meet our goals.”

17 Asako Mikumo, grade 12, and Beatriz Stambuk, grade 12, are copresidents of Invisible Children’s Club.

Asako says, “I was horrified about the tragedy that was occurring on the other side of the earth, and struck by how fortunate we are to have a place to live, to attend school, to have parents, and to be able to sleep every night without any troubles. When I was 10 years old, I did not know anything about guns or mortality, but kids in Northern Uganda are victims used as weapons.

Beatriz and I were shocked about this truth. We decided that everyone must know. Our hope is not to raise money, but simply to raise awareness of this ongoing tragedy.”

22 Kate Walters, grade 12, is secretary general of Model United Nations. She believes that this longstanding club benefits St. Margaret’s students in many ways: “Our goal for this year is to get more students involved, to enjoy what Model United Nations has to offer them in their academic career and in their everyday life. We all learn so much about different issues that affect our world. We also develop skills that help us with our class discussions and public speaking.”

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DAY

I N

T H E L I F E O F. . .

S P E C I A L C A M P

“We will never forget our son’s days at Special Camp; these were probably the happiest days of his life.”—The Koehler Family

By Andrea Canfield pecial Camp for Special Kids is a St. Margaret’s Episcopal School summer program founded in 1992 by Reverend Mike Wallens, a former St. Margaret’s Chaplain, to benefit kids age six to 21 with special needs. Special Camp is supported by generous grants and donations, and though there is a small tuition fee, scholarships are available. Campers are paired with volunteer student counselors, and for four sessions during the summer, 200 Campers come to St. Margaret’s to participate in activities supporting social interaction, hand-eye coordination, trust-building, artistic expression, and reading and listening comprehension.

S

Throughout the weeks, Campers experience field trips to beaches, bowling alleys, Knott’s Berry Farm, the Long Beach Aquarium, the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Wild Animal Park and other locations. But every Monday, the Campers spend their day at St. Margaret’s in a series of activities that support intellectual and motor skills, with a focus on friendship and social interaction and development.

Mrs. Lindsay Eres, executive director of Special Camp, is an expert in nonprofit educational programs, having supervised both the Los Angeles and Orange County branches of

>> M O N D AY S

> > 8:15 a.m.

Counselor meeting. Volunteer counselors arrive at St. Margaret’s for their morning meeting, led by the Counselor Coordinator, a Special Camp staff member designated to work closely with the volunteer counselors.

9 a.m.

10:15 a.m.

Special Campers arrive and are greeted by their counselors. Each counselor works one-on-one with a designated Camper throughout their session of Special Camp, forming a close bond.

Snack time.

9:30 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

Camper and counselor pairs sing camp songs and play getting-toknow-you games.

Time in classroom activity centers.

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Special Cam

Best Buddies International. As a St. Margaret’s student, she was a Special Camp counselor during grades 8 through 10, and her experience with Special Camp continued as she remained involved as a staff member, even after graduation, during summers while she was attending the University of Southern California.

Mrs. Eres has found her mission here. She says, “my history with Special Camp has truly shaped my career and my life.

As I continued to volunteer and then work for Special Camp, I realized how I wanted to shape my career around working with people with disabilities.”

Camper parent Joe Sorrentino wishes that there could be more camps like this one throughout the world: “Special Camp for Special Kids is a unique and amazing experience for kids with difficulties. I can say without a doubt it helped our child grow and overcome some issues in a short time that we have been working on for years.

In just one week, we noticed a remarkable change in his confidence and growth in areas of social connect. It is a remarkable program that I wish could be duplicated and offered to all children suffering from these types of disabilities. Every day James arrived home excited about his day and looking forward to the next.”

Progress like this happens every day at Special Camp.

Counselor meetings.

Special Camp counselors are high school and college students who have the qualities necessary to fulfill the role of a counselor: patience, responsibility, maturity, quick thinking and a willingness to help others. The St. Margaret’s education, which emphasizes the importance of community and service, helps develop the traits required to be a counselor. In 2009, 80 of the 205 carefully selected volunteer counselors were St. Margaret’s students.

Guided by the 10 Special Camp staff members, counselors meet in the mornings and late afternoons to discuss the day’s activities and any special concerns, and to complete daily journal entries documenting each Camper’s experiences and progress.

Classroom activity centers.

In St. Margaret’s Middle School classrooms, five activity centers offer experiences that range from hands-on to speculative, quiet to expressive, and which are all designed to help Camper and counselor pairs have a full range of options for their time as they interact by playing, learning and having fun together. The five activity centers are: the entertainment center, the games and reading room, the sensory integration room, the arts and crafts room, and the sports center.

Entertainment center.

In this activity center, Campers play instruments, sing along with a karaoke machine, and try on options from a rack of dress-up outfits, creating social networks and working collaboratively as they play roles from princess to rock star.

12 p.m.

1:45 p.m.

Lunchtime.

Performance time. Performers entertain and engage Campers and counselors. On one occasion, a linedancing instructor demonstrated and taught standing and seated Western group dances to all Campers.

11:45 a.m.

1 p.m.

Obstacle course. Campers and counselors maneuver together as a team through obstacles, before relaxing together during lunchtime.

Story time. Volunteers from Sunshine Readers, an organization that is part of the National Charity League, read stories to Camper and counselor pairs.

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2:15 p.m.

Snack time.

Arts and crafts room.

The possibilities here are limited only by imagination. Campers work on guided projects or make creations of their own design, using markers, crayons, construction paper and beads.

Games and reading room.

Campers and their counselors read books, play games in pairs or teams, and use interconnecting blocks to build structures large and small.

Sports center.

This area accommodates team and individual activities, as Campers play with basketballs and soccer balls, sidewalk chalk, Frisbees, Hula-Hoops and a cloth parachute during group sports and free play with their counselors.

Sensory integration room.

Some Campers experiment with touch, petting fuzzy wall hangings and making patterns in foam on shaving-cream covered tables. Others bounce on a trampoline, immerse themselves in packing peanuts to be “discovered” by their counselor, or use molds to create structures out of sand or modeling clay.

2:30 p.m.

4 p.m.

Carnival time. The carnival’s “tattoo parlor” and hair-decorating and face-painting stations establish a festive atmosphere while Campers build motor and other skills by fishing for prizes, lassoing a saddle and learning how to juggle.

Camp is done for the day. Parents arrive and discuss the successes and challenges of the day with counselors before departing with their Campers.

3:45 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

Crafting time. Campers paint picture frames, and at the family picnic when camp concludes for the week, frames are presented back to them with a photograph of their Camper and counselor pair.

Counselor meeting.

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O P E N

S PA C E S

Tessa Hurr, grade 8, Meaghan Hurr, grade 10, and Hanna Hurr, grade 12, have composed a trio of poems that focus on sensory perception of the natural world, each with a sense that there is something beyond the grasp of human investigation that we must aspire to understand and experience. These poems are presented alongside work by artists Alyssa Hopper, Class of 2009, Howard Emond, grade 2, and Tiffany Young, Class of 2009.

In her work “Winter Wonderland,” Tessa Hurr paints a literary portrait of a moment in time that exists without any human observer.

The poet’s vivid description of the fragile and delicate flakes of snow dancing to the wind’s music invites us as readers to provide an audience for nature’s quiet gala.

Winter Wonderland

By Tessa Hurr, Grade 8

Delicate snowflakes, Garbed in white silk dresses lined with silver, Twirled to the music of the wind, creating a shimmering winter wonderland.

The soft wind sang in a melodious voice, So fragile A tiny shard of glass could break it.

All was still in this winter wonderland, Except for fox-trotting snowflakes, Which swirled across the elegant ballroom of the sky.

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S n o w d r i f t , b y A l y s s a H o p p e r , Class of 2009 winter 2009

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Meaghan Hurr’s poem “Wishes From Heaven Above” expresses the broader consequences of choices we make as individuals between “love, compassion, peace, and faith” and “war, violence, and revenge.” Meaghan states that, to her, the poem “speaks of how we can make the world what we want it to be. It is up to us to decide what to do.”

Wishes From Heaven Above B y M e a g h a n H u r r , Grade 10

Wishes from heaven above Flood the earth with their glory and shine But shooting stars that sail, surrounding the sky, Also crash into the depths of hatred.

Soaring shooting stars of Love, compassion, peace, faith Fly through the night, Sprinkling their sparkle onto people But unity takes a nosedive and clashes with The stone-cold grey granite faces of war, violence, and revenge.

Society panics frenetically Gazing at the shooting stars But we can’t just stand stock-still.

Desire to empower ourselves Long to feel a fiery explosion rushing around our beating hearts.

We are capable of flying into the sky together, Seizing the shooting stars of love, compassion, peace, and faith.

It can be done.

People have stuck their tongues out at each other But now chatter together like sparrows in the sky.

Let’s catch God’s wishes And use their power To have the world blossom for all of eternity.

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M i l k y W a y , b y H o w a r d E m o n d , Grade 2 winter 2009

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Although Hanna Hurr was inspired to write her poem “Kansas” by a printed map, she does not use formal directions to lead the reader through this visceral road trip. Instead, Hanna’s poem guides readers along from Wakarusa to White Cloud on a reflective journey informed by sensory experiences. Although the poem is set within the framework of human perceptions, it also questions the significance of our temporal perspective compared to the timeless perspective of God.

Kansas B y H a n n a H u r r , Grade 12

Start at Wakarusa.

End at White Cloud.

These are your instructions.

Shoot without a script, Read the land: this is genuine rust, This is rotten ream.

Watch the fine drip from the apple vines; They sag but they are strong and porous— The water they drink flows out red.

As you drive past the acrid lore of Indian reservations, The gin jury that is the Missouri speaks, And the car around you fills with humid respect; Cloying, perfumed, a most agonizing fragrance, Your only offering to a world that passed away.

Escape the river, take the 73 instead, Grow sand skin—this is the dust bowl, after all.

Suckle the light glancing off the corn; It holds the aroma of peeled greed.

You are a subject, a peasant, an itch, A fly sucked into a pillar of fire.

This land may be your land, May be my land, But we are only rinds on the flesh of a melon, Collapsing into liquid Under the pearly slice of God’s teeth.

When you awake in White Cloud, blind, You will regret: maybe, This was all an unjustifiable dream.

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D e t a i l f r o m S t i l l L i f e W i t h C o r n , b y T i f f a n y Y o u n g , Class of 2009

Students, submit your work for consideration for publication in “Open Spaces.” Send your poem, short story, essay, photograph, artwork or other submission by mail to: Highlander Magazine, St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, 31641 La Novia, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-2752, or via e-mail to communications@smes.org.

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W H E R E

AT

S M E S ?

At St. Margaret’s, four school divisions accommodate learning for students from Preschool

areas for activities ranging from tetherball to lacrosse, and from drawing with pastels to recording a video. There are computers for online learning and video conferencing, and students can hold group study sessions or read quietly by the fountain. There are rooms for practicing instruments, for holding Chapel services, and for community gatherings. The Library and Professional

through Upper School. There are

?

Development Library offer students, teachers and parents the resources they need for lifelong learning. For

30 years, St. Margaret’s has provided facilities to support

“lives of learning, leadership and service.”

Do you know where these places are? Check your answers below.

Answers, left to right: This tree overlooks the Middle School parking lot outside Highland Hall; a depiction of the Church’s Rose Window outside the Church offices; a detail of the mural painted on the Nurse’s Office.

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P

arlez-Vous

Français?

A French class at St. Margaret’s sparks a lasting interest and a course of study

By Andrea Canfield

When Madame Bauge, French professor at Northern Arizona University, asked Natalie Bonhall, Class of 2007, if she would consider studying French in a total-immersion setting in Annecy, France, she answered, mais oui! Though Natalie studied Spanish for four years at St. Margaret’s, her one year of French instruction with Mr. Gregory Richardson during her senior year opened her eyes—and her vocal cords—to an appreciation of the French language. > >

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Today, that interest continues, and Natalie’s studies in political science at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, have taken an international turn. With a minor in international relations and a focus on French language, her career goals of working with the European Union or U.S. State Department will be well served by her course of study. Her interest in French language and culture originated in Mr. Richardson’s class in 2006. Natalie says, “I enjoyed the class so much that I have now studied college French for the past two and a half years.” She had been interested in traveling to France for years, so she set her sights on a college study abroad program. to enter college equipped to focus on achieving their individual goals. The St. Margaret’s education also prepares students to enter a global community like the one that Natalie found abroad, in a class with students from throughout the world. There she befriended fellow students from Sweden, Canada, Japan, China, Korea, Switzerland and Mexico, among other nations.

Her St. Margaret’s education in French language and geography, as well as general instruction in analytical reasoning and problem-solving, helped Natalie to appreciate her surroundings while studying in France. An early understanding of her own interests and career path, formed from a focus on preparation and goal-setting, helped her to choose experiences that fit well into her long-term goals. Read on for Natalie’s personal account of her time abroad.

Some believe that total immersion in a language can accelerate the learning process, and, following that path, during her sophomore year in college, Natalie traveled with Madame Bauge and nine other French students to Annecy, France, for a month of full-time instruction at the Institut Français des Alpes. Natalie explains that this course does have a noticeable side effect: “Immersing myself in the language in Annecy for a month served to automate my French . . . and no doubt I now have an accent common to that part of France.”

Natalie’s experience is echoed by that of many St. Margaret’s students. With a curriculum that supports broad academic interests, active student clubs, and numerous opportunities for interdisciplinary involvement, St. Margaret’s prepares students

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“Immersing myself in the language in Annecy for a month served to automate my French . . . and no doubt I now have an accent common to that part of France.”

All About Annecy

By Natalie Bonhall, Class of 2007

A

nnecy, where I traveled for a month of French studies at Institut Français des Alpes, is in the Rhone-Alps region of Southeastern France, near the borders of Switzerland and Italy. This medieval town is the capital of the “department” (what we would call a state) of Haute-Savoie. It is on the shores of Lake Annecy at the foot of the French Alps, about 35 kilometers south of Geneva, Switzerland. The town is very appealing, with canals and a beautiful old-town area, which has interesting and attractive architecture, including a 12th-century prison and a 16th-century cathedral.

In Geneva, we visited and toured the United Nations building.

I particularly enjoyed the tour because of my interest in international relations, and I also appreciated both the view of Lake Geneva and the taste of authentic Swiss chocolate.

My whole time in France was fun and enlightening. Among other activities, my school friends and I attended an animation festival, the Festival International du Film d’Animation d’Annecy, which features animation from all over the world.

One of the films we enjoyed, “La Maison en Petits Cubes,” later won the 2008 Academy Award for best animated short film. My time exploring Annecy and practicing French was so fulfilling that next year I plan to spend two semesters in Europe . . . destination as yet unknown.

I strongly encourage all St. Margaret’s students to study abroad in college, regardless of your career goals. Whether for the summer or a semester, it’s an experience that will broaden your range of cultural and linguistic experiences, with memories you’ll always cherish. ●

While I studied for a month at the Institut Français des Alpes, I stayed with a host family, the Lambottes, in Seynod, a suburb of Annecy. Madame Lambotte is a high school French teacher, and Monsieur Lambotte is an engineer; they have hosted many foreign students over time. A Japanese student joined us for part of my month there, and we learned about each other’s culture each day as we ate breakfast and dinner together.

During the month, my fellow students and I took excursions to Geneva, which is the closest major city, and to Chamonix, France. A popular skiing destination, Chamonix is at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe, reaching about 15,780 feet above sea level. Chamonix hosted the first Winter Olympics, in 1924. We traveled up the side of Mont Blanc on the Aiguille Du Midi-Mont Blanc gondola, then hiked to a small lake called Lac Blue.

Annecy

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A L U M N I

P E R S P E C T I V E

My SMES Toolbox

By Andy Forquer, Class of 2004 fter reading the transcripts of debate preceding the passing of the Clean Air Act, I realized two things: Legislators charged with regulating pollution were largely unprepared, laughing as they tried to recollect their high school chemistry lessons; and, for some subjects, a high school degree will be the capstone of your education, not the foundation. In cases when the latter is true, pat yourself on the back, because you are well prepared. The following is a list of tools I acquired at St. Margaret’s that find surprisingly frequent application in this demanding world.

A

1. Drawing the Earth Courtesy of grade 7 geography.

One of my most unusual finals during middle school was to draw a global map from memory and label 100 countries and 100 geographical features (for example, “freshwater sharks live in Peru’s Lake Titicaca.”) I am confident if asked, “Where are the pyramids of Giza?” I could not only reply “Cairo,” but furthermore sketch the African continent (shaped vaguely like a lopsided ice cream cone) on a cocktail napkin and pinpoint their location due west of the Suez Canal.

2. Applying Calculus Limits Courtesy of grade 12 calculus.

Architectural decisions in the “green building” field can be complicated. Consider making a decision based on the information that bamboo floors are renewable and attractive, but tax credits are available for using reclaimed lumber instead. Or imagine that 65 percent recycled drywall is available locally, but at twice the cost of your budget allocation. I was giddy to be able to translate green certification formulas into limit problems for straightforward optimization on environmental and budgetary constraints. That’s what I call integrated design.

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3. Spotting Fallacies Courtesy of grade 10 philosophy.

Clearly stating your own arguments is important, but having a methodology for deconstructing adversarial positions can be equally valuable. When asked, “Is averting climate change worth damaging our vulnerable economy?” I can retort that their Plurium Interrogationum (loaded question) elides projected job-growth in the clean-tech sector. Employing Latin also imparts credibility to my argument, which leads to . . .

4. Seven Lines of The Aeneid Courtesy of grade 6 through grade 11 Latin.

Even the first stanza of the Virgil classic has pulled its weight.

When I recently watched the Broadway production of Spring Awakening, the actor blundered his declensions in line three, and no one in the theatre laughed harder or earlier. No one.

It took six years to earn that moment, but if you can squeeze out those lines in polished dactylic hexameter at a party, you’ll gain instant rapport with post-prep individuals.

5. Clean-Shaven Is a Good Look Courtesy of the Principal’s Office, beard-growing age through grade 12.

As a perpetually stubble-ridden student, I admit this begrudgingly. Following graduation, my revolutionary appearance approximated that of Michael J. Fox in Teen Wolf.

However, I shaved it off entirely only weeks into college in a feeble attempt to woo a girl who didn’t like beards. The elderly poll-booth volunteer at the 2004 presidential elections looked up from my student I.D. and dispassionately remarked, “100 percent improvement.” Why hide a chiseled face? ●

C L A S S

N OT E S

By Cortney Carlisle, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations

We are excited to announce Ashlea Scott Meggers as the newly appointed Tartan Alumni Association (TAA) President.

Ashlea Scott Meggers grew up in Newport Beach and began attending St. Margaret’s in grade 8. Ashlea’s sister and brother, Amy and Spencer Scott, are fellow Tartan alumni. While attending St. Margaret’s, Ashlea participated in theatre productions such as Fiddler on the Roof, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors, The Wizard of Oz, and The Matchmaker. After graduating from St. Margaret’s in 1998, Ashlea attended Loyola Marymount University and graduated in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She then received her law degree from California Western School of Law in 2004, and her master’s in business administration from Loyola Marymount University in 2007. Ashlea practices law with her father at the Law Offices of Robert K. Scott. In March of 2007, Ashlea married Albert Meggers near Lake Louise, Canada.

They welcomed their son Quincy in June 2008. Ashlea and her family live in Marina del Rey, California, with their dog and two cats.

Acting in her new role, Ashlea will be moving the TAA forward by heading up alumni initiatives such as networking and regional events, partnering with the Class of 2010 for their independent senior projects and sparking the Parents of Alumni Association into action. Ashlea brings a fresh new alumni perspective to the Advancement Committee, as she will sit on the Board of Trustees as a voting member during her term in office. We warmly welcome Ashlea back to her home stage, where we know she will shine in her new role.

Contact Ashlea and the TAA by e-mail (tartan.alumni@smes.org), or get up-to-the-minute updates by joining the Tartan Alumni Association on Facebook.

Keep us and your fellow St. Margaret’s alumni informed about what is happening in your life by submitting your update for “Class Notes” to us via e-mail (cortney.carlisle@smes.org).

Class of

1986

................................

Stephanie Cordova Harvey Stephanie and her husband, Bud, have three boys: Keith, who is six years old; Sammy, who is four years old; and Beckett, who is one year old. Bud is a firefighter at San Onofre, and he also owns a rain gutter company. Stephanie prepares flowers for corporate and school events, and loves it! Her sister is Middle School Principal Jeannine Clarke, and their boys love hanging out with their cousins Gavin and Avery. They all get together as much as they can, and they love returning to St. Margaret’s to see old friends, attend events and remember all the great times.

Class of

1987

................................

Emily Munro Acosta Emily is currently on her third career: raising a family! She was married in 2006 and started a family right away. They adopted a son, who is now 16 years old, and they also have Dilan, who is two years old, and Mateo, who is one. Emily and her husband are avid road and mountain bikers, and they also enjoy the Colorado Mountains in the winter for skiing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing. Emily’s parents moved to Colorado in 2000, and her sisters and their families also live in Colorado now.

Jennifer Bourguignon Blount Jennifer writes that “we welcomed Beau Joseph Blount into the world on June 29, 2009. He weighed 7 pounds and measured 19 inches.” Beau started as a Wee Tartan in November.

Jennifer Risner (Ramsey) Jennifer has accepted the new Director of Admission position at St. Mary and All Angels School in Aliso Viejo, California.

St. Mary’s is one of the three other schools that Father Sillers founded in Orange County. It currently serves almost 800 students in preschool through grade 8.

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Class of

1991

Class of

1995

................................

................................

Wendy McCaffery (Tacquard) Wendy and Michael McCaffery are pleased to announce the birth of their second child, Judd Ballard McCaffery, on June 3, 2009. Judd weighed 9 pounds 7 ounces, and measured 22 inches.

Ann-Marie Millard Furgeson Ann-Marie has been married for nine years, and is the mother of two children. Kylie is almost five years old, and Brennon is two. She hopes they will be future St. Margaret’s students!

She has taught at The Prentice School since 2001. She works with children who are dyslexic and/or have other learning differences.

Thomas Hamilton Thomas, who attended St. Margaret’s until grade 8, currently lives in Thailand with his wife and daughter. He teaches at a university in Bangkok.

Class of

1992

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Mark Merryman Mark Merryman and his wife, Debbie, have two daughters: Tori, who is five, and Maggie, who is two-and-a-half years old. Mark and Debbie are both teachers in Simi Valley, California.

David Moatazedi David and Dina Shaban (Class of 1996) are married with two children, Gavin and Sienna, and they live in Newport Beach, California.

Class of

1996

................................

Class of

1993

................................

Ryan Hamilton Ryan Hamilton is alive and well and loving life in Colorado with his wife Leslie and two daughters, Quinn and Adeline, and their two dogs. He is a cartographer, and his company, Intermap, just built an application that can provide embedded maps for the entire country that can be stored on an iPhone.

Ryan also races mountain bikes, specializing in ultraendurance races.

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Dave Gottwald Dave received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from California State University San Marcos in 2001, but his work experience for more than nine years has been in the field of graphic design. Until beginning graduate studies at the Academy of Art University in 2005, Dave worked at a variety of service bureaus and in-house art departments before becoming principal of his own multimedia firm, Optional Design Group. After serving on the AIGA San Francisco board as Student Liason for three years, Dave became Education Co-Chair upon completion of his Master of Fine Arts in graphic design in May 2009. As Education Co-Chair, he strives to further reach out to both students and design educators in the Bay Area by coordinating AIGA Portfolio Day, the Enrichment Scholarships and other educational programming. Dave is currently working for the Oakland Museum of California, preparing their new history exhibit, Coming to California, which is set to debut in April 2010.

He also teaches periodically at the Academy of Art University.

1998 ................................

2002 ................................

Class of

Class of

Brian Paul Wilson After graduating from St. Margaret’s, Brian moved to Atlanta to go into the nursery and garden center business with his brothers. In 2001, he opened a landscape design division and now does residential and commercial landscape design throughout Atlanta. He was married on May 9, 2009.

Michael Boyle Ensign Michael Boyle is finishing flight training at NAS Norfolk, Virginia. He will become a Naval Flight Officer on the E2-C Hawkeye, a carrier-based surveillance plane. Michael will graduate from flight school in early 2010 and will then be assigned and deployed to an aircraft carrier.

Class of

1999

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David Forrest David received his degree from the University of California, Irvine, in 2003, and started his career as a software engineer in game development. He was married in June 2007, and moved to the mountains above Boulder, Colorado from Southern California. This June he and his wife had a daughter, Ella Mae Forrest.

2001 ................................

Class of

Brianna Behnke (Fohrman) Brianna married Charles Behnke on April 3, 2009, in Silverado, California. Fellow St. Margaret’s alumni in the wedding party included Michelle Legro (Class of 2001), Sara Palmer (Class of 2001), Janene Koerner (Chrispens) (Class of 2001), and Michael Fohrman (Class of 2005). Charles and Brianna live in Foothill Ranch, California.

Brian Dapelo Brian is finishing up his master’s degree in business administration at Instituto de Empresa Business School in Madrid, Spain. He plans on pursuing a career in investment banking or asset management. He also travels and surfs around the world, especially in Europe.

Elin Mannix Elin attended Villanova University, in Pennsylvania, received a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and is currently attending Azusa Pacific University, studying for a master’s degree in education counseling. She lives on Balboa Island, in California.

Elin is very active in the animal protection nonprofit organization Pinups for Pups.

Elizabeth Murray Elizabeth recently purchased her first home. She lives in San Diego and works as a financial analyst at Broadcom.

Ian Tacquard Ian is in his fourth year working in the Advancement Office at St. Margaret’s. During the summer he vacationed in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and in New York, visiting with his sister, brother-in-law and baby niece and nephew. In Cabo, he visited with fraternity brother Jerry Nelson (below).

Robert Kelly Robbie graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2006 with a degree in English. He is an insurance broker with Arroyo Insurance Agency, specializing in property and casualty. He lives and works in Los Angeles. Robbie and his brother Joey spent a recent weekend with Matt Tyler (Class of 2001), who was visiting from Wisconsin.

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2003

2006

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Maxwell Moholy Maxwell was married two years ago and is currently attending graduate school at Idaho State University.

Kevin Maghami Kevin is a senior majoring in mathematics at New York University. In April, he qualified for the World Paper Airplane Championships hosted by Red Bull. He had the farthestthrown distance on the East Coast and competed in Salzburg, Austria, with other paper airplane engineers from all over the world.

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Josephine Comas Bardot Josephine is currently attending Medical School in Argentina, her home country. She lives in Buenos Aires with a great roommate from New York. She tells us that it was a huge adjustment, but that she absolutely loves the city and having the opportunity to meet so many people from around the world.

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2005

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Nicole Hughes Nicole recently completed her second degree from the University of Southern California, in business administration and Japanese, and she is pursuing two event-planning certifications: International Event and Wedding Professional (IEWP) and Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP).

Joseph Kelly Joey is a senior at the University of California, San Diego, majoring in international relations, with minors in environmental studies and law. Joey and his brother Robbie spent a recent weekend with Matt Tyler (Class of 2001), who was visiting from Wisconsin.

David Milburn David recently graduated from the University of Southern California, and he was one of the founders of an international private equity company for businesses in developing countries that impact the lives of the less privileged by targeting the market needs of the poor. Currently he is in New Delhi, India, as part of a business trip exploring the possibilities of introducing several new American building technologies into the Indian and African affordable housing markets.

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Hallie Mayer Hallie performed in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas in Fullerton at the Fullerton Civic Light Opera in October and November 2009.

Justin Martos Justin is currently studying in San Sebastian, Spain.

Hannah Ng Hannah traveled to New Orleans over the summer and learned about the issues still plaguing that city today.

Milana Trimino Milana is team captain of Texas Christian University’s Equestrian Team. She has traveled with the team to Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Kansas and South Dakota. She says, “It has been nice to continue riding for a team since I also rode for St. Margaret’s equestrian team during my high school years.” Milana is majoring in environmental science and plans to go on to veterinary school.

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St. Margaret’s Episcopal School community welcomes the Class of 2009 to the Tartan Alumni Association.

We wish you well as you embark upon your first year of college and beyond.

Margo Jacobsen Margo is living and working in Istanbul, Turkey.

Chase Smith Chase is studying at Arizona State University and looking forward to playing intramural sports this year. He has taken up golf and likes it so much that he played several days straight in 111-degree August heat.

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L O O K I N G

F O RWA R D

A student offers her perspective on the future of the search for sustainable alternative energy

By Simran Virk, Grade 12

he 18th and 19th centuries introduced the ideas of mass production, iron founding, and steam power, which lead to a level of industrialization that has had lasting effects on the world we live in now. Today, to respond to these effects, the world as a whole must learn to cooperate to face our next frontier: the search for alternative energy sources.

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This challenge to world leaders must be addressed as soon as possible, in the most efficient way possible, to support the ongoing viability of human existence. Traditional energy sources are largely derived from fossil fuels: coal, oil and gas.

Consequently, our two biggest problems are: first, global warming caused by the effects of these fossil fuels on our atmosphere, with possibly fatal results for our planet and mankind. And, second, even if you question global warming, we are currently running on a finite supply of fossil fuels and there is an exponentially growing world demand for these resources, driven especially by development in Brazil, Russia, India and China.1

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Here in the United States, the value of carbon dioxide emissions was 5.49 metric tons per capita in 2005. In China the value was 1.11, and India’s was 0.29 metric tons per person. But in the past few years, the development of India and China has resulted in an ever-increasing carbon footprint.2

Globally, nations around the world have taken control of aspects of the search for alternate energy, perfecting their particular source—solar power in China, wind power in Germany and nuclear power in France. In general, “going green” has become financially prudent, as large companies realize it is more beneficial to utilize solar panels to alleviate the use of fossil fuels instead of using the sun’s energy during the lit hours in which they work.

We must all concern ourselves with this increasing impact, not just for ourselves but for communities around the world.

As St. Margaret’s Celine Toubia, grade 12, put it: “We only have one Earth, and you can’t really kill it and move somewhere else.” As our home expands, and as developing nations multiply their carbon footprint, we must focus and sustain our attention on the search for alternative energy.

Close to home, at St. Margaret’s, recycling and reducing energy use is taken seriously. For the most part, students and staff members find themselves recycling naturally. These goals have made their way into our ordinary life even in the details, such as using energy-efficient light bulbs and reducing consumption, such as by using less hot water and putting inactive computers on sleep mode.

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What can we do in the future?

On a national basis, I believe that the key to success can be found in a partnership between the public sector and private sector. Government action is necessary, because officials are elected to face these larger problems, looking above their self-interest and acting for the greater good. The action of private individuals is necessary, because those driven by fear of these problems, pursuit of financial gain, and entrepreneurial ambition have sparked the flame of competition between innovators to come up with the next idea to assist the world.

As in any period of crisis, opportunities are created in the process of recovery.

In five years, I believe there will be an increasing consciousness of the immediate effects this energy crisis is having on us. We must begin to consider our life paths; if we are involved with a business depending on fossil fuels, will that business exist in five years? For example, perhaps current gas station owners should consider instead owning electric car recharge stations.

I believe that more major companies and individuals will be getting involved with this issue. An awareness of the issue is making its way into everyday life, with the popularization of fuel-efficient and hybrid cars, and new products promoting their eco-friendly characteristics. As energy inefficiency and burning of fossil fuels become major faux pas, a wider variety of people will be paying attention to the large and little things they can do to conserve energy and protect the environment.

Within the past few years at St. Margaret’s alone, recycling has increased greatly, and there are recycling bins in classrooms and offices, and throughout the campus. We are making strides to put publications online, such as the SMES Express newspaper, and to conserve paper. Students are leading the way with energy-conserving projects, and getting involved in environment-related clubs. I expect this trend will continue into the future.

In 10 years, this focused and driven scramble to help minimize environmental harm and emphasize action toward finding alternative energy will have permeated a wider audience. I think this crisis will reach homes throughout America, so that all individuals will be making a conscious effort to conserve energy, whether their motivation is financial or environmental.

“We must all concern ourselves with this increasing impact, not just for ourselves but for communities around the world.”

Through this time, I am confident St. Margaret’s will be able to stand as a leader in this cause. Help from parents and faculty, combined with concern and passion by the students, will create a setting in which St. Margaret’s can be especially influential. Our community will be capable of not only helping the environment, but also our students, from Wee Tartans to the Upper School, by educating them about the importance of appreciating and protecting our environment. ● 1. To read more about the BRIC nations, Brazil, Russia, India and China, visit www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bric.asp.

2. To view data regarding carbon footprints by country, 1980–2005, visit http://www.photius.com/rankings/carbon_footprint_of_countries_per_ capita_1980_2005.html.

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L O O K I N G

B A C K

In memoriam: The Reverend Canon Ernest D. Sillers, Founder, St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. October 2, 1910–October 15, 2009.

Ground was broken for St. Margaret’s Episcopal School on August 5, 1979, and classes began on October 1, 1979, with 79 students enrolled in Kindergarten through grade 6. In this photograph taken during August 1979, The Reverend Canon Ernest Sillers, Pam O’Neill and Marianne Mays regard the blueprints on the building site. At the beginning of the 30th anniversary school year, 2009–2010, St. Margaret’s Episcopal School enrolled 1,221 students from preschool through grade 12.

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“. . . to educate the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership and service.”

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