SPA Magazine Spring/Summer 2016

SPRING/SUMMER 2016

The Magazine of St. Paul Academy and Summit School

The Next Step:

Preparing SPA Students for College and Beyond

Scott Streble

>> LETTER FROM THE HEAD

THE NEXT STEP

The St. Paul Academy headmaster John DeQuedville Briggs, who served with such distinction from 1914-1950, made a very important trip to the east coast every year. His briefcase bulging with files, he visited the admissions offices of Ivy League schools and a handful of highly competitive small colleges with a singular mission in mind: to secure the best college placement for SPA’s two dozen graduates in any given year.

Briggs was a persuasive man with an intimate understanding of the cloistered ways and traditions of eastern universities and thus was a superb advocate for his boys. On one occasion he returned to St. Paul and immediately summoned a senior to his office to report to the boy that he had been accepted to Princeton. The young man, somewhat surprised, told Briggs that he had not applied to Princeton. Briggs told him to put aside his worries—the admissions office had already accepted him—but one small task remained: to seal the deal, he needed to complete an application, which Briggs slid across the desk and then sent off to Princeton.

Sarah Converse, the head of Summit School from 1917-1948, demonstrated a similar and marked preference for eastern schools for her graduates. Converse believed that Summit students were unlikely to reach their full potential at a state university or local college. “The eastern schools known as the Seven Sisters—Mount Holyoke, Smith, Vassar, Wellesley, Barnard, Bryn Mawr, and Radcliffe—were as much a part of her educational firmament as the Ivy League’s was of Briggs’,” according to the history of the two schools written in 2000 for our Centennial celebrations.

Those days are, of course, long gone. The process of preparing for, applying to, and deciding on a college has taken on a depth and complexity that would have stunned and confounded Briggs and Converse. It is a process that has the potential to stun and confound today’s students and parents as well, which is why SPA has developed such a comprehensive and careful approach to college counseling. As you’ll read in this issue of SPA Magazine, our view of the college search is centered firmly on our students, and how we support them in identifying those colleges that suit their talents, inclinations, and interests.

Thankfully, the era of believing that there are only a few “acceptable” schools is also well behind us, a fact borne out by the list we compile each spring of colleges and universities our seniors will attend in the fall. The class of 2016 will attend 60 different colleges in 18 states across the nation, including small liberal arts colleges, lvy League schools, large research universities, music conservatories, and engineering schools, among others. It is the sheer diversity of that list that is its most prominent indicator of success. It means that our students, supported by our superb staff of college counselors, are working assiduously to find the school that satisfies their needs and aspirations.

As you’ll read in our cover story starting on page 16, that list represents the final step in a journey that begins well before the senior year—a journey that initially has little to do with selecting a specific college and everything to do with preparing students for the intellectual and emotional challenges of life after SPA. If we are to meet the high ideals of our mission—to shape the minds and hearts of the people who will change the world— we must prepare our students to be thinkers, problem-solvers, and good citizens of their communities. Our curriculum is not rigorous just for the sake of rigor: we are deliberately creating the conditions and demands that mimic, in age-appropriate ways, the kinds of challenges and opportunities they will experience in college and beyond.

At its best, the college search process compels students to think deeply about who they are and who they would like to become.

As one of our seniors, Boraan Abdulkarim, notes, “There’s a lot of self-discovery in the process… A lot of the thinking that went into my college essays and applications actually helped me understand more about my personality and about who I am.”

Boraan’s observation is a testament to our highest aspiration as a school: giving our students the tools and the insights to become successful, autonomous actors who are in charge of their own lives.

Bryn S. Roberts, Head of School

2015-2016 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Contents

OFFICERS

The Magazine of St. Paul Academy and Summit School

Spring/Summer 2016

Charlotte Shepard Johnson ’64, President Mrunalini Parvataneni, Secretary Scot W. Malloy, Treasurer MEMBERS Mark W. Addicks William M. Beadie ’58 Litton E.S. Field, Jr. ’75 Elizabeth Driscoll Hlavka Anne Larsen Hooley Frederick C. Kaemmer ’88 David W. Kansas ’85 Allan Klein ’64 David Kristal Paul S. Moe Tim O’Brien ’77 Ann Ruhr Pifer ’83 Timothy A. Welsh Shannon McNeely Whitaker ’78 Philip W. White ’81 The Honorable Wilhelmina M. Wright

Features

1 Letter from the Head

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On the cover

The Next Step: Preparing SPA Students for College and Beyond

At SPA, college preparation is a blend of rigorous study, academic planning, and support from college counselors. Read more abut how SPA provides students and parents with the guidance and support they need for navigating the transition to college.

24 The Next Step: Alumni/ae Profiles

Three young alumni/ae—Delaney Middlebrook ’11, Dylan Perese ’12 and Rachel Yost-Dubrow ’12— reflect on how SPA prepared them for college and beyond.

Departments 2 Through the Doors 10 Spartan Sports 30 Alumni/ae News 34 Philanthropy 36 Class Notes

Editor >> Ami Berger

St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 651-696-1366 (phone) 651-696-1380 (fax) info@spa.edu www.spa.edu

Contributing Writers >> Laura Billings Coleman, Alex Loveland Principal Photographer >> Scott Streble Contributing Photographers >> Boraan Abdulkarim ’16, Ami Berger, Wendy Bujalski, Heather Fairbanks, Jim Harrison, Greg Helgeson, Walter Kurtz, Alex Loveland, Tom Lundholm, David Matenaer, Amy Moore, Chuck Nields, Paul Phillips, John Severson, David Wheaton, JoAnne Wilcox Design and Layout >> Kimberlea Weeks, Sexton Printing

Follow us on twitter.com/ StPaulAcademySS

47 In Memoriam

On the cover: Rachel Yost-Dubrow, SPA ’12 and Yale ’16, is one of three young alumni/ae who reflect on their college search and how SPA prepared them for college, starting on page 24. Photo by JoAnne Wilcox.

Head of School >> Bryn S. Roberts

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SPA Magazine is published twice annually by St. Paul Academy and Summit School for alumni/ae, parents, and friends of the school.

We welcome your comments and thoughts. Please contact us at spamag@spa.edu with suggestions for stories, news, and photos, or write us at SPA Magazine, 1712 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55105.

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Read SPA Magazine online at spa.edu/ About SPA > News and Media

>> THROUGH THE DOORS

Photos by Heather Fairbanks

DEBATE CONTINUES TO DOMINATE IN STATE, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Sophomores Numi Katz, Adnan Askari, Ben Konstan, and Emilia Topp-Johnson

SPA’s powerhouse debate program had another exceptional season in 2015-16. The team once again dominated in state competition, with the team of Sarah Wheaton ’17 and Adnan Askari ’18 winning the Minnesota State championship in Public Forum debate. This the second year in a row and the third time in the last four years that SPA has won the state title, a feat debate coach Tom Fones calls “extraordinary.” In addition to Wheaton and Askari’s State title, noteworthy performances at the State tournament included Shefali Bijwadia ’17 and Raffi Toghramadjian ’17 reaching the quarterfinals in Public Forum debate and Nadia Goldman ’16 reaching the semifinals in Policy debate.

During the spring season, a four-member, all-sophomore team from SPA made it to the championship round of the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) debate tournament.

This is the second year in a row that a SPA team has made it to the “Final Four” round of the IPPF, which engages high school debaters from around the world in written and oral debates

Sarah Wheaton ’17 and Adnan Askari ’18

on public policy issues. The 2015-16 competition began in October, as teams representing 28 U.S. states and 29 countries submitted qualifying round essays on the IPPF topic, “Resolved: Genetically modified organisms are essential to global food security.” Judges selected the top 64 teams, who then participated in a single-elimination, written debate contest by volleying papers back and forth via e-mail. From October to March, the field was narrowed to the eight teams who traveled to New York for the final round. The SPA “Super Sophomore” team of Adnan Askari ’18, Numi Katz ’18, Ben Konstan ’18, and Emilia ToppJohnson ’18 won in the quarterfinals of the tournament, then lost on a split decision in the semifinals to the eventual champions, Plano (TX) Senior High School.

“For any team to get to the Final Four in the IPPF is an incredible accomplishment,” Fones says, “but for an allsophomore group to get there is exceptional. I’m looking forward to what this group will do in the future.”

SPA LAUNCHES NEW SPIRIT STORE Show your Spartan pride with branded apparel from SPA’s new Spartan Store! The online store offers a wide range of Spartan apparel for men, women, and children, in addition to hats, blankets, bags, and other gifts and accessories. Visit the Spartan Store at spa.edu > Athletics > Spartan Store, or by entering the school name into the search bar at www.sidelinestores.com. Go Spartans!

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SPA senior Anna Biggs is the recipient of two of the nation’s most prestigious awards for academic achievement: the U.S. Presidential Scholar Award and the Cum Laude Society Paper competition.

The 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 Scholars in the Arts, and 20 Scholars in Career and Technical Education. Anna was named Minnesota’s female Presidential Scholar for 2016; her path to the Presidential Scholar prize began as one of 5,600 candidates (out of the three million expected to graduate from high school in 2016) who qualified based on standardized test scores or nominations. The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by President Obama, then asks candidates to submit a series of essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

Anna was also named the national winner of the Cum Laude Society’s annual competition for student scholarship. Anna’s award-winning paper, “Finding Beauty in Sunflowers, 20th Century Music, and Breeding Rabbits: Fibonacci’s Golden Sequence,” was recognized as the most outstanding work of student scholarship among papers submitted by the 380 Cum Laude member schools from around the country for 2015-16. Anna’s paper was written for a non-fiction writing seminar taught by Upper School English teacher Lucy Polk (pictured above with Anna). “This is a wonderful achievement for Anna,” Polk says. “To have her paper honored among the best papers by the best students from the best schools is a testament to her talent and hard work.”

Anna is the first SPA student to win the national prize, which is the most prestigious award bestowed by the Cum Laude Society. Her paper is an analysis of the Fibonacci sequence, a recurrence relation that appears unexpectedly in math, nature, music, and visual art. The paper explores the fundamental underpinnings of beauty, and examines how mathematical patterns can explain and inform both conceptual and literal aesthetics.

“What impressed me most about Anna’s paper was her willingness to think across disciplines, to refine initial ideas, and work until it was right,” Polk says. “She is an amazing scholar and thinker.” Anna will attend Harvard University in the fall of 2016.

Alex Loveland

ANNA BIGGS ’16 WINS TWO NATIONAL AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT RUBICONLINE WINS PACEMAKER AWARD, THE “PULITZER PRIZE” OF STUDENT JOURNALISM The RubicOnline, SPA’s online student newspaper and the digital version of the award-winning Rubicon, won a 2016 Pacemaker Award, the highest honor in student journalism. The Pacemaker is a program of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and is known as “the Pulitzer Prize” of student journalism.

SPA is one of only ten schools from across the country with enrollment of 1500 or less to receive a Pacemaker, and RubicOnline is one of only 25 Pacemakers awarded to a digital publication. SPA was also the only school from Minnesota to be named a winner. Pacemaker entries are judged by teams of professionals based on coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership, design, photography, and graphics.

Kathryn Campbell, Upper School English teacher and Rubicon advisor is proud of the growth of the online news publication. “Nine years ago an online version of The Rubicon was just a conversation,” says Campbell, “and now, it’s one of the best in the country. It amazes me to think about how the website was originally created as a space for content that didn’t fit in the print edition and now it’s a site that updates daily with interactive and timely original content,” Campbell adds. “The RubicOnline and our social media extensions are now our lab. They are the place where the staff showcases passionate, inventive risk as a mode of growth and learning. To see RubicOnline recognized as a website where we “set the pace” for student journalism is an amazing way to honor the staff’s work.”

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>> THROUGH THE DOORS

Paul Benson

Jacey Choy

Linda Brooks

Chris Minns

UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE OLYMPIAD ADVANCES TO STATE

Mike Brown

For the second year in a row, the Upper School Science Olympiad team qualified for the Minnesota state tournament. The team secured their spot in the state competition by placing fourth in the regional tournament at Mounds View High School on Saturday, February 6. In addition to this team accomplishment, two SPA teams earned medals in the individual competition: Liza Buckingolts ’16 and Tessa Rauch ’16 took second place in Astronomy; and Larry Chen ’18 and Adnan Askari ’18 took second place in the Wind Power event.

Patty Paulus

SPA BIDS FAREWELL This spring, SPA will bid farewell to six faculty members who have taught at SPA for more than 15 years. Between them, Paul Benson (MS Fine Arts), Linda Brooks (US Fine Arts), Mike Brown (Athletics), Jacey Choy (MS English), Chris Minns (MS Social Studies), and Patty Paulus (LS Art), have 158 years of service to the school. The six were celebrated at the annual end-of-year gathering for faculty and staff.

MEGHAN JOYCE ’16 TAKES SECOND PLACE IN STATEWIDE POETRY RECITATION COMPETITION

In SPA’s first year of competition, Meghan Joyce ’16 took second place in the statewide Poetry Out Loud recitation tournament. Poetry Out Loud is sponsored by the Loft Literary Center, and gives high school students an opportunity to build self-confidence and master public speaking skills while learning about art and literature through memorization and performance of classical and contemporary poetry. This is the first year SPA has participated in the Poetry Out Loud program, under the direction of Upper School English teacher Philip de Sa e Silva, who is pictured at left with Meghan.

Meghan earned the right to compete at the State level by first winning the SPA competition, and then placing in the top three in the Section competition on March 9. In the final round, Meghan took second place with her recitation of three poems: “Ah! Why, Because the Dazzling Sun” by Emily Bronte; “Quite Frankly” by Mark Halliday; and “Dear Reader” by Rita Mae Reese.

Courtesy The Loft

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Science Olympiad is a competition in which students compete in events pertaining to various scientific disciplines. Over the last 30 years, the event has evolved into one of the premiere science competitions in the nation, providing rigorous, standards-based challenges to nearly 7000 teams in 50 states.

Meghan’s top-three finish earned her a $200 prize for the SPA library’s poetry collection.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAMS COMPETE AT STATE, FIRST TIME IN PROGRAM HISTORY

Courtesy Daniel Sogin

Both of SPA’s Middle School Lego League robotics teams competed in the State Tournament in February 2016. The two teams, known as the “Duplo Squad” and the “Duplo Squid,” both qualified for the tournament by placing in the top quartile of the Section tournament earlier in the year.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT FILMS EARN STATE AND NATIONAL RECOGNTION Three student films created by 10 Middle School student filmmakers earned state and national recognition this year. Two of the films were created in SPA’s summer movie-making workshop, taught by Middle School social studies teacher Bobak Razavi. “Mr. Rudeer’s Shoes,” created by Sameer Bijwadia ’20, Sean Edstrom ’20, Neel Valeti ’21, Henry Vlietstra ’20, and Liam Will ’20; and “Santa Retires,” created by by Lara Cayci ’21 and Ethan Dincer ’19 were both selected for screening at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. One film created as part of a Middle School mini-course in filmmaking, also taught by Razavi, was screened at the James Kennedy Film Festival in Minneapolis: “From the MixedUp Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler” by Gavin Kimmel ’21, Jenny Ries ’21, and Clark Waltz ’20.

The highlight of the State Tournament was the Duplo Squid taking home second place in Robot Programming.

Lego League coach and Middle School math teacher Daniel Sogin says that both he and the students were thrilled to have been two of the 70 teams to qualify for the tournament (of 650 total Minnesota teams). “The kids felt great about their accomplishment of placing in the top 10% of Minnesota teams,” says Sogin, who notes that Minnesota has the largest number of First Lego League teams in the United States. “It was fun to participate in the largest Middle School robotics tournament in the world,” he says.

SPA Summer Enrichment Workshops Mathematical Modeling and Forecasting for the Real World u Creative Science u MakerCamp: Explore-Make-Play u French Cooking and Conversation You Can Write a Novel! u Competition Math A Week at Hogwarts: Writing Workshop Rube Goldberg Machines u Film and Frolic: Movie Making Camp u Techno-Mathematics: Using Technology and Number Patterns to Understand Our World u Chess Camp u Debate Institute

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Amy Moore

SPA’s Middle School math team continued its exceptional work this season, winning its division for the fifth year in a row and qualifying for the State MATHCOUNTS tournament for the third year in a row.

This year’s MATHCOUNTS team of Sam Hanson ’20, Richard Chang ’20, Jack Hlavka ’22, and Alexander Moore ’22 had a strong showing at the State competition, finishing the day in sixth place. Individually, the Spartans had two students compete in the final “Countdown Round:” Jack Hlavka ’22 qualified in 10th place and Richard Chang ’20 qualified in 16th place. The team is also noteworthy for its two youngest members: Jack and Alex were two of only three sixthgraders to compete at the State level.

Two SPA students were selected by Minnesota Public Radio to compete in its sixth annual Minnesota Varsity classical music showcase for instrumentalists, vocalists and composers. Max Zelle ’20 (composing) was named one of five Featured Composers, and Milo Wittenberg ’16 (guitar) was named one of 10 Featured Artists.

To participate in the Varsity Showcase, student musicians ages 14-18 from around the region were asked to submit a recording of themselves performing. Student composers (also ages 14-18) were invited to submit an original score for tenor voice and string trio (violin, viola, and cello), or any solo or combination of those instruments. From those submissions, 10 students were chosen as Featured Artists and five students were chosen as Featured Composers.

Greg Helgeson

MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH TEAM WINS DIVISION FOR FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW, FINISHES IN TOP TEN AT STATE COMPETITION

CLASSICAL MPR SELECTS MILO WITTENBERG ’16 AND MAX ZELLE ’20 FOR MINNESOTA VARSITY SHOWCASE

Wendy Bujalski

>> THROUGH THE DOORS

UPPER SCHOOL SPEECH TEAM GOES TO STATE TOURNAMENT IN INAUGURAL YEAR SPA’s Upper School speech team, which was formed for the first time this year, had a remarkable debut season. Two members of the team, Ben Konstan ’18 and Henry Ziemer ’17, both qualified for the State Tournament in April 2016 in the Extemporaneous Speaking category.

The team opened its season in February 2016 at a tournament which included several hundred competitors from around the state. Despite its relative lack of experience, the brand-new team took top awards in several categories: Navodhya Samarakoon ’16 won first place in Original Oratory; Meghan Joyce ’16 won first place in Poetry Reading; Peter Schavee ’17, Jack Indritz ’17, and 8

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Ben Konstan ’18 took first, second, and third in Extemporaneous Speaking; and Maya Smith ’16 took fourth in Informative Speaking.

Coach Tom Fones, who also coaches SPA’s renowned debate team, calls it “an exceptional showing” for the new team.

The speech team was formed this year due to the interest and efforts of Peter Schavee ’17, a member of SPA’s debate team who kept hearing about other schools’ speech teams during debate competitions. Schavee worked with Fones, assistant debate coach Heather Fairbanks (who competed in speech duirng her high school years), and Dean of Students Max Delgado to start the new team.

MINNESOTA SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS 2015-16: Twenty-six SPA artists earn 47 awards This year’s Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards recognized 47 pieces or portfolios by 26 SPA students.

The pieces were chosen from over 4,500 individual and approximately 400 portfolio entries entered into the contest by students from across Minnesota.

Webster Lehmann ’18

This year’s MSAA winners are Boraan Abdulkarim ’16, Meley Akpa ’17, Henry Burton ’20, Jessica Citron ’18, John Connelly ’17, Katherine Goodman ’21, Claire Hallaway ’19, Ora Hammel ’16, Gabriella Harmoning ’19, Ella Hommeyer ’16, Diane Huang ’17, Jane Jackson ’16, Benjamin Konstan ’18, Webster Lehmann ’18, Thomas Monserud ’16, Lillian Pettigrew ’18, Jenny Ries ’21, A.M. Roberts ’17, Sabrina Rucker ’18, Karsten Runquist ’16, Elizabeth Shaheen ’16, Iris Shaker-Check ’19, Emilee Skadron ’16, Ingrid Topp-Johnson ’16, Jasmine White ’21, and Lauren Woessner ’16.

Lillian Pettigrew ’18

Tommy Monserud ’16

Jasmine White ’21

Diane Huang ’17 Emilee Skadron ’16

Jenny Ries ’21

Lauren Woessner ’16

Iris Shaker-Check ’19

Sabrina Rucker ’18

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>> SPARTAN SPORTS

Photo courtesy SPA athletics

Left to right: State Nordic qualifiers Val Hart ’18 Peter Moore ’19, and Lexi Hilton ’16.

NORDIC SKIING SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: Both the girls’ and boys’ teams placed third in their conference and qualified three skiers for State: Val Hart ’18 Peter Moore ’19, and Lexi Hilton ’16. Moore was also one of eight U16 boys who qualified for the Midwest Junior National Team.

BOYS’ HOCKEY (20-5)

ALL-CONFERENCE: Peter Moore ’19, Val Hart ’18, Lexi Hilton ’18, and Dina Moradian ’18

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: In a historic season for boys’ hockey, the Spartans finished second in their conference and beat Totino-Grace in section finals to qualify for the MSHSL State Tournament for the first time since the MSHSL’s formation. The team beat St. Cloud Cathedral 4-2 in the quarterfinal round to make the State semifinals.

The team finished in fourth place at the Tournament after losing to Hermantown, the eventual champion.

ALPINE SKIING

Jack Johnston ’17 (#19) jumps into the boards in front of the Spartan student section after scoring a goal in the State quarterfinal round against St. Cloud Cathedral.

ALL-CONFERENCE: All-State skier Peter Baker ’16

Katie Brunell ’17 and John Soranno ’17

Andy Beran ’18, Dev McCabe ’18, Noel Parker ’17, and Evan Dahlseide ’16

ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION: Paul Phillips

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Bailey Donovan ’19 and Peter Baker ’16

ALL-CONFERENCE:

ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION:

SPA

The girls’ team finished second in the conference and sent Bailey Donovan ’19 and Katie Brunell ’17 to State. Boys’ alpine finished fifth in the conference and also qualified two skiers, Peter Baker ’16 and Tom Patterson ’18, to the state competition.

ALL-STATE:

Matt Dahlseide ’17, Jack Johnston ’17, Cullen McCabe ’16, and Justin Jallen ’16

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Greg Helgeson

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

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Peter Baker ’16, Lauren Hansen ’17, Sammy Ries ’19, and Tom Patterson ’18

BOYS’ SWIMMING AND DIVING (6-0)

The Trojans were undefeated in the regular season and finished first in the conference.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

David Matenaer

The Trojans, a cooperative team with Highland Park Senior High School won all of their regular season meets and dominated the postseason, finishing first at the Conference Meet and winning the Twin Cities Championships for the second year in a row. Two SPA swimmers, Karsten Runquist ’16 and Sam Matenaer ’16, qualified for State in the 200 Medley Relay and the 400 Free Relay.

ALL-CONFERENCE: Karsten Runquist ’16, Sam Matenaer ’16, Max Chen ’16, Matt Suzuki ’17, and Breandan Gibbons ’18

DANCE

ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION:

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

Jak Kinsella ’18

The team has almost doubled in size and finished in the top six in three out of its five competitions this year.

COACH OF THE YEAR:

MOST VALUABLE: Calla Saunders ’16

MOST IMPROVED: Meghan Joyce ’16

MOST DEDICATED: Ellie Hoppe ’20

The dance team at a tournament in January 2016.

Photo courtesy SPA athletics

Katie Vandam, Trojan Head Coach

GIRLS’ HOCKEY (19-5-1) SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: St. Paul United, a cooperative team with Visitation, capped off an exceptional season by qualifying for the State Tournament for the second year in a row. The team’s run at State included shutting out Alexandria 2-0 in the quarterfinals, a 4-3 win over Warroad in the semis, and a second-place finish to Blake in the finals.

ALL-CONFERENCE, ALL-STATE HONORABLE MENTION: Sena Hanson ’16

ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION: Catherine Johnson ’16, Lauren Boettcher ’17, and Clare Tipler ’17

GOALIE OF THE YEAR FINALIST:

Chuck Nields

Catherine Johnson ’16

Team United in their pre-game huddle before taking on Warroad in the semifinal game of the State Tournament.

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>> SPARTAN SPORTS Boraan Abdulkarim ’16

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL (10-16) The young team, which included 13 underclassmen and two eighthgraders, finished fifth in the conference. Big wins included two nailbiters against rivals Mounds Park Academy and Breck.

ALL-CONFERENCE: Isabelle Denny ’18

ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION:

Photo courtesy SPA athletics

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

Hannah Scott ’18 sinks a free throw against Concordia Academy.

Milo Wittenberg ’16 (right) during a foil match.

Lea Moore ’17 and Hannah Scott ’18

A HISTORIC SEASON FOR SPA HOCKEY The 2015-16 season was a historic one for both boys’ and girls’ hockey at SPA. Both teams powered through exceptional regular seasons, dominated their section competition in the postseason, and finished with dual appearances in the Minnesota State Tournament.

It was the first time the boys’ team had qualified for State since SPA joined of the Minnesota State High School League in 1974-75, and the second State appearance for the girls’ United team (a coop team with Visitation School), which made their first run at State in 2014.

United had its best season since the formation of the coop between SPA and Vis in 1994. The girls finished the regular season with a 195-1 record and went into the postseason seeded #1 in their section.

They showed they deserved the top seed with a 9-1 rout of Henry Sibley High School in the section semis after a first-round bye, and a 3-1 win over South St. Paul in the section finals to qualify for the State Tournament.

United’s run at State was an exciting time for the team and the entire SPA community; students, parents, and alumni/ae packed the stands at the Xcel Center as United continued their winning streak

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all the way to the final game. The girls beat Alexandria 2-0 in the quarterfinals and pulled out a thrilling 4-2 win against #2 Warroad in the semifinal game before losing to powerhouse Blake in the finals. “It’s amazing to see how the program has turned around in the last few years,” says United goalie and SPA senior Catherine Johnson ’16, a Goalie of the Year finalist, “and it’s going to keep going up in the future.”

Two weeks later, it was the boys’ turn at a run at State following their own historic season. The team started the season strong and ended even stronger, with four big wins over Blake, Holy Angels, South St. Paul, and Providence Academy in the final week of the regular season. The Spartans finished 20-5 going into the postseason and were seeded #2 in their section, earning a bye in the first round and going on to dominate their sectional opponents.

The Spartans beat Sibley 6-1 in the quarterfinal; South St. Paul in the semifinal 7-1; and Totino-Grace 7-1 in the final in front of a screaming Spartan fan section at Roseville Arena to earn a spot at the State tournament.

Kent Hanson ’16 drives through the Minneapolis Edison defense.

FENCING SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: After another dominating season, both the boys’ and girls’ fencing teams won the State championship.

This is the third year in a row that the boys have won the title, and the second year in a row for the girls. In addition to the team titles, the Spartans also placed first in the state in women’s saber, men’s saber, men’s foil, and women’s epee.

TOP THREE: Three fencers finished in the top three in their weapons at the State tournament: Colin O’Hern ’17 placed first in mens’ sabre; Willa Grinsfelder ’16 placed second in women’s sabre; and Milo Wittenberg ’16 placed third in mens’ foil.

Once again the Xcel Center was crowded with SPA fans as the #4-seeded Spartans took the ice in the State quarterfinals. Like the girls before them, the boys proved they belonged in the tournament by beating fifth seed St. Cloud Cathedral 4-2, including a water-bottle-shattering goal by Dev McCabe ’18 that was featured on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” The semifinal game against top-seeded Hermantown, however, turned out to be the team’s last stand, with a tough 7-1 loss against the eventual champion.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: Dalante Peyton ’16 set the all-time school record for career points with 1,964, and Kent Hanson ’16 joined the 1000-Point Club, finishing the season and his SPA career with 1,257 points.

The team was seeded #4 in the Section 4AA tournament but lost to New Life Academy in the second round.

Scott Streble

Despite the loss at State, Head Coach Matt Funk sees a bright future for his players, twelve of whom were selected to represent Section 4A in CCM High Performance leagues—programs designed to develop the best players in Minnesota—after the Tournament’s conclusion. “After a fantastic run as a team this season, it is great to see these young men recognized for their hard work and dedication,” Funk says. “This is a huge honor for each of these student-athletes, and it shows that the future of SPA hockey is bright.”

BOYS’ BASKETBALL (17-9)

ALL-CONFERENCE: Kent Hanson ’16, Dalante Peyton ’16, and Emerson Egly ’17

ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION: Angel Smaller ’16 and Tommy Dicke ’17

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MIKE BROWN RETIRES AFTER STORIED SPA CAREER After a 44-year career that has included roles as a teacher, coach, and athletic director, Mike Brown ’66 will retire from SPA at the end of the 2015-16 school year.

Brown’s history with SPA begins even before his career did, when he arrived at St. Paul Academy in 1960 as a student in Grade 7. After his graduation from the Academy in 1966, he attended Hamline University, and returned to in 1972 to teach Physical Education at the recently-merged St. Paul Academy and Summit School. Coaching was not originally part of his job description, but when the school was without a baseball coach just before the start of the spring season that first year, coaching quickly became part of his assignment.

“One year led to the next and I’m still here,” says Brown, who coached his forty-fourth season of Spartan baseball this spring.

Over course of his SPA career, Brown has taught Grades 2, 3, 5, and 6 in the Lower School as well as Middle School math and PE for grades K-10. He has also served as an Upper School advisor, coached football, basketball, and hockey in addition to baseball, and served as Co-Director and Associate Director of Athletics. The reason for Brown’s long career? The students. “The students are the reason I’ve stayed as long as I have,” Brown says. “They have kept me on my toes, and hopefully I’ve done the same for them.

Their zest for learning and beautiful smiles have made each and every day for me.”

Being a teacher-coach has always been important to Brown. “Teachers who are also coaches have a great advantage,” he says. “We see the kids in the classroom, at lunch, in the halls. Teacher-coaches really know what a player’s day is like, how hard they’re working, and if they need support from an adult. It’s a real advantage.”

Scott Streble

Post-retirement, Brown intends to spend time with his family, including his wife Betsy, children Elizabeth Brown Fenton ’89 and Mike Brown ’94, and his grandchildren.

“I have been blessed to have those closest to me be so supportive,” Brown says.

“They have understood the late nights and long days, and now it’s time for me to have more time for them.” Brown says that in retirement he intends to keep following his own personal ‘golden rule’: “Remember to smile at least ten times each day.”

FOUR LONG-TIME SPARTAN LEADERS RETIRE

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Mike Brown

Jim McVeety

Mickey Scott

Jim Tisel

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SPA Athletics will bid a fond farewell to four longtime Spartan leaders and mentors at the end of the 2015-16 school year: Mike Brown (Associate Director of Athletics), Jim Tisel (golf and basketball coach), Jim McVeety (basketball coach), and Mickey Scott (Nordic ski coach). The four, who together have served Spartan athletics for more than a century, will all pursue different paths: Brown is retiring after a 44-year career at SPA (see above); Tisel will teach at a different institution in the fall; and McVeety and Scott will continue teaching at SPA but have decided to retire from coaching.

Scott Streble

SPARTAN FACES IN THE CROWD PETER MOORE ’19: NORDIC SKIING As a freshman, Peter qualified for the Minnesota State Nordic meet by placing fifth in the 10K Pursuit at sections, and was the highest-placing Grade 9 boy in the state. He was named to the 2016 Midwest Junior National Nordic Ski Team, and was also voted the team’s Most Valuable Skier by his Nordic teammates. A twosport athlete, Peter also plays soccer for the Spartans.

JUSTIN JALLEN ’16: HOCKEY Justin was a team captain and a key player in the Spartans historic run to the State Tournament in 2015-16, scoring 19 goals during the regular season and 6 in the postseason, in addition to 27 assists. He scored four goals in the final section game against Totino-Grace to send the Spartans to State, and has a career 140 points (69 goals and 71 assists). “Justin is the epitome of what it means to be a student-athlete at SPA,” says Head Coach Matt Funk. “He leads by example, is extremely humble, and is always willing to go the extra mile.” Justin will attend the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities after a year of Junior Hockey.

Chuck Nields

BRIDGET HOFFMANN ’16: HOCKEY

TWO STUDENT-ATHLETES SIGN NCAA LETTERS OF INTENT Two student-athletes in the Class of 2016 signed national letters of intent with their colleges and teams on Wednesday, November 11, the NCAA’s national signing day. SPA held a signing ceremony for Dalante Peyton ’16 and Catherine Johnson ’16, which was attended by dozens of friends, family, SPA teachers and staff, and coaches. The crowd applauded as Catherine signed her letter of commitment to play Division I hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and Dalante signed his letter to play Division II basketball at Winona State University.

Bridget is a leader as an athlete and as an example to her teammates, who elected her captain of all three sports in which she competes: hockey, soccer, and lacrosse. On the St. Paul United hockey team, she was instrumental in this past season’s march to the State tournament, scoring the short-handed winning goal in the Section 4 championship game. She finished the 2015-16 season with 11 goals and 18 assists, and was the winner of SPA’s 2016 Athena Award and was the recipient of the Girls’ Athletic Bowl in the spring of 2016. She will attend Boston College in the fall of 2016.

PETER BAKER ’16: ALPINE SKIING Peter is a three-year Alpine captain and qualified for the Minnesota State Alpine meet all four years of high school, finishing in third place at State this past season. He is also a four-year All Conference recipient in Alpine and competed in the 2016 Junior Olympic races. A three-sport athlete, he competes in soccer and track as well as Alpine, and was the recipient of the Evan Hiendlmayr award for soccer in the spring of 2016, which is “given to that player whose pride, hustle, and desire reveal a true love of the beautiful game.” Peter will attend Colgate University in the fall of 2016.

Alex Loveland

ABBY LANZ ’19: SWIMMING AND DIVING Abby is a top diver in the St. Paul City league, finishing in second place in Section competition and qualifying for the State tournament as a freshman.

Coach Katy Vandam describes Abby as “a true competitor—she is willing to take risks and work hard.” Abby is a three-sport athlete whose competitive drive extends to basketball and track: she was brought up from the JV basketball team to the varsity this winter, and runs the 100 and 200-meter dashes for the varsity track team.

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Greg Helgeson

THE NEXT STEP:

PREPARING FOR COLLEGE AND BEYOND

BY LAURA BILLINGS COLEMAN

Triplets Alice (far left), Miriam, and Joel Tibbetts are all members of SPA’s Class of 2016. “I honestly don’t know how we would have navigated [the college search] on our own,” says the triplets’ mother Joanie. “The help we got from SPA made it so much less painful than we feared.” In the fall of 2016, Alice will attend St. Olaf College, and Miriam and Joel will attend Grinnell College.

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For SPA parents Steve and Joanie Tibbetts, the college search process was more complicated than for most families—three times more complicated. With triplets Alice, Miriam, and Joel all in SPA’s class of 2016, no prospective college parents at SPA this year had more moving parts to manage.

“We approached the whole college admission process in the same way we’ve approached nearly everything since we found out Joanie was pregnant with triplets—with a low-level hum of pure panic,” says Steve, who started attending SPA’s information sessions with the college counseling staff almost as soon as his three kids moved into the Upper School. “The very second that first session came on the schedule, I was there, because it was clear this process was going to take a lot of problem-solving,” he says. “We were looking at everything from how we were going to pay for it to how the kids should be spending their summers,” he says. “When we started, the whole thing seemed like kind of a nightmare.”

But in the months and years that followed, as the Tibbetts took full advantage of the resources and support SPA provides to college-bound students and their families, their concerns about the college search process began to ease. “They were all so knowledgeable,” Joanie says about SPA’s college counseling staff. “They always seemed to know just the right move, the right suggestion, at the right time.”

“Every meeting had a calming effect,” Steve says. “We always walked out knowing our next move on the Monopoly board.”

Following tips from each of their students’ assigned counselors, they read Colleges That Change Lives and other suggested books about the process, arranged summer vacations to check out campuses from Bard to Beloit to Bennington, and managed the inevitable sticker shock by educating themselves about the financial aid process. As Alice, Joel, and Miriam began taking standardized tests, diving into college websites, and

meeting with college admission representatives, their parents tried to follow the counselors’ advice about taking a hands-off approach with their kids’ decisionmaking and not to let college talk consume every dinner table conversation. Steve admits this wasn’t easy. “You still worry that your kid is going to fall in love with a college you just can’t see them at.”

The worry proved unfounded: as Alice, Miriam and Joel each began to hear from colleges, Steve and Joanie were impressed by how thoughtfully each of them managed the decision-making process. “Joel knew Grinnell was the place right away, and Alice decided the same thing about St. Olaf,” Steve says. While Miriam briefly considered a school on the East coast, she eventually concluded that “Grinnell was Mr. Right,” says Steve.

Now that the process is safely in the rearview mirror, Steve and Joanie say the nightmare they once feared now feels like a very manageable (and memorable) family road trip. “I honestly don’t know how we would have navigated it on our own,” says Joanie. “The help we got from SPA made it so much less painful than we feared.”

PREPARING FOR THE TRANSITION While finding the right college fit for three kids in a single year is an unusual challenge, the big question driving the college search is the same for every family: What’s the best way to prepare a student for the first major decision of adulthood?

Head of School Bryn Roberts says that question informs every part of SPA’s curriculum, not just the college search process. “Our focus is always on preparing students for these important transitions, whether it’s adjusting to school in Kindergarten, moving from the Lower to Middle School, or preparing for the rigors of the Upper School— the college search is simply the next stage in the same

An annual rite of passage: every spring, each SPA senior makes a banner to hang on their locker with the name and colors of the college or university they plan to attend in the fall. Banner photos by Scott Streble

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process,” Roberts says. “We spend an enormous amount of time thinking about how we prepare our students to be resilient in the face of these often challenging moments of change and uncertainty. We’re always asking ourselves, ‘what do we have to do to make sure they’re ready for the next step?’”

“Quite honestly, everything we do at SPA is about helping to prepare students to succeed, not just in the college admissions process, but in college itself,” says Mary Hill, SPA’s Director of College Counseling and Academic Planning. Hill was Dean of Admissions at Colgate University and worked in admissions at Williams College prior to joining SPA in 2000. “The skills and habits you’re learning in the classroom—the ability to be a good communicator, understanding how to manage your time, being proactive with your teachers—all of those skills have bearing on your success as a college applicant and as a college student.”

“A common refrain from our graduates is how well prepared they were for the demands of college, often far beyond their peers,” says Roberts. “SPA students are accustomed to being accountable in every way for their learning, and by the time they graduate, they tend to see their teachers and other adults as mentors and guides in the process. They take these habits with them when they leave us for college,” Roberts says, “and when they get there, they’re not in the least afraid to speak up in class, or seek out mentors, or create opportunities for themselves within their spheres of interest. These are invaluable skills for getting the most of your education.”

When asked, SPA graduates themselves agree with Roberts’ assessment. A survey conducted by the Office of College Counseling in 2014 found that 94% of recent SPA graduates reported feeling better prepared for college work than their college classmates. Respondents pointed

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specifically to their writing, critical thinking, research, and discussion skills as elements of their SPA education that had direct bearing on their success in college. “I was much more prepared than my college peers,” said one respondent, who was “astonished to learn some of my college friends had never written a research essay before.” Another respondent noted that SPA’s discussionbased curriculum “gave me the comfort to speak up in classes. It trained me well to maneuver in discussions: listening, building on the ideas put forth by others, and injecting new ideas into the discussion.” Another noted that the “ability to write clearly and think critically has been extremely valuable to me in college and in my life beyond college as well.”

“It’s very gratifying to know that our graduates leave SPA with a high level of intellectual strength and agility,” says Dr. Andrea Sachs, who works with Mary Hill as an Assistant Director of College Counseling and also teaches Upper School history. For Sachs, the Harkness table and the discussion-based learning it supports is fundamental to her students’ preparation for college.

“The arrangement of the table, with everyone in the ‘front row,’ reminds students that they all play a role in the collective learning experience,” Sachs says. “Good Harkness conversations embody the balance of safety and challenge that SPA is constantly striving to attain.

That balance is what sends our students to college with a strong sense of inquiry and a habit of embracing challenging topics.”

The Upper School’s shift in 2013 to a more flexible block schedule also mimics the academic pace and rhythm of college coursework. Classes meet fewer times per week for longer periods, allowing for deeper inquiry into disciplines and topics. The block schedule also requires that students take responsibility for their out-

of-class time, whether that’s meeting with a teacher for extra help, scheduling a study session with classmates, or figuring out how to manage the time commitment to a team, a musical or theatrical production, or a role in a student organization.

The Middle School follows a block schedule as well, and this alignment with the Upper School is not a coincidence, says Middle School principal Dr. Jill Romans. Neither is the Middle School curriculum’s focus on collaboration, participation, and responsibility—all elements of the academic experience students will encounter in Upper School and beyond. Romans notes that the Middle School curriculum introduces younger students to the collaborative classroom style they’ll encounter in the Upper School, but within a carefully designed and age-appropriate framework of support.

“Every student is expected to participate in class, but we create opportunities that make them feel safe as they’re learning those skills,” Romans says. For instance, individual students might be called on to report to their classmates what they’ve learned about a small piece of a larger topic the classroom is exploring as a group.

“The notion we’re trying to get across is that your work doesn’t just go to the teacher,” says Romans. “It also helps the whole class learn more.”

The independent reflection and critical thinking skills that students will be expected to master in Upper School (and college) are the building blocks of the Middle School curriculum. “From sixth grade on, our students are regularly asked to think about their own learning, rather

than just reporting on what they’ve learned,” Romans says. “They reflect on what went well, what didn’t, and what they might do differently the next time. We are asking them to being accountable for their own learning, rather than always relying on the teacher to show them what they’re ‘supposed’ to do,” she says. “It’s a three-year process, and our goal is that by Grade 8, our students really understand who they are as learners.”

Students’ understanding of themselves as learners is critical to their academic planning when they move into the Upper School. SPA takes a comprehensive approach to this process, aligning academic planning and advising with college counseling. Roberts notes that this alignment was a deliberate shift, made several years ago in response to the growing need for students and families to better understand how their academic and extracurricular choices might influence and inform their eventual college search.

“The whole idea behind academic planning is taking a big picture view of who a student is and where his or her passions and interests lie,” says Upper School principal Chris Hughes. “Once we have a sense of the directions a student wants to pursue, we can then guide that student towards those elements of our curriculum that will show their strengths and seriousness of purpose in the greatest breadth and depth.” Hughes notes that in her academic planning role, Mary Hill is very involved in the course request process (when Upper School students select their courses for the following year), and is a part of conversations with both the Upper School faculty and

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parents about how to help students navigate the many academic paths they might take through their final years at SPA. “Mary has also helped me and the faculty think about the ways in which our Upper School curriculum needs to evolve in order to give students the absolute best preparation they need for college,” says Hughes, who points to the Upper School’s Advanced Science Research course as an example of this evolution. The course requires students to pursue independent, highlevel scientific research guided by a faculty member and “was added to the curriculum due to Mary’s recommendation that our students needed a deeper exposure to more advanced science,” says Hughes.

EXPLORING OPTIONS For every SPA student, the sophomore year is a turning point in this process of learning, planning, support, and reflection. In Grade 10, each student is assigned a dedicated college advisor—Hill, Sachs, or Karna Humphrey, who joined the College Counseling staff in 2013 from the college counseling office at the Bush School in Seattle. For all three counselors, the sophomore year is about building relationships and getting to know the students on a personal level. In their first meetings with sophomores, Hill, Humphrey and Sachs try to tease out what drives students so they have a better understanding of how to steer them through the decision-making process over the next two years. “I want kids to cultivate curiosity not only about the subjects

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they’re studying but also about how they learn,” says Sachs. “For instance, do you like biology because the teacher is funny, or because you love the subject matter?”

In the fall of the junior year, students attend college fairs and meet with a selection of the more than 100 college representative who visit SPA each year.

As students begin to discern what they’re after in a college setting, Humphrey likes to challenge her advisees to get beyond the familiar “brand name” colleges to come up with hidden gems they may not have heard about but that fit their interests even better.

“Of course I have students who will Google ‘The 10 Worst Colleges’ anyway,” Humphrey says, “but they know there’s a lot of information out there, and we talk about why it isn’t always reliable. You have to explore yourself first and foremost.”

That exploration deepens as the junior year progresses.

Each college counselor has a series of one-on-one meetings with their advisees and families to help students process what they’ve learned about various schools and think about how to craft an appropriate and strategic list of colleges on which to focus attention. There is also a set of data points that the three counselors use to help students (and their parents) understand their options: grade point averages and preliminary standardized test results are plugged into Naviance, an online college search tool that allows students to compare their own profiles against the composites of SPA graduates attending the colleges

and universities on their prospect list. “It can be a big reality check for a lot of students,” says Humphrey.

“You could have perfect test scores, a perfect GPA, and have started your own nonprofit, and it would still be a reach to get into Stanford,” which set a new record this year with an acceptance rate of 4.96 percent. Humphrey emphasizes that this doesn’t mean that certain students shouldn’t apply to places like Stanford, “but they should understand the reality of their competition,” she says.

For senior Boraan Abdulkarim, that’s when the college admission process got really interesting. “There’s a lot of selfanalysis involved in the process, and trying to figure out how you can say ‘This is me—this is me at my best’ even when you’re not quite sure who you are yet,” says Abdulkarim.

In August, she and her classmates gathered a week before the start of school to log in to their Common Application accounts for the first time, a shared ritual that also signaled some of the mixed emotions seniors contend with in their final year at SPA. “The worst part is that you’re trying to maintain your focus on this goal while you’re also trying to enjoy this last time with your friends and classmates,”says Abdulkarim, who will attend St. Olaf College in the fall of 2016. “But the best part is that there’s a lot of self-discovery in the process, especially if you’re someone like me, who learns about yourself through writing. A lot of the thinking that went into my college essays and applications actually helped me understand more about my own personality, and about who I am.”

Classmate Maggie Vliestra agrees. “Writing about yourself and bragging about your accomplishments is awkward at first, but it also forces you to get to know yourself really well, and think about what kind of community is going to help you thrive.” Early on in the process, Vliestra, who is passionate about the performing arts and social justice, liked what she

Left to right: Max Chen, Maggie Vlietstra, Milo Wittenberg, and Boraan Abdulkarim. “A lot of the thinking that went into my college essays and applications actually helped me understand more about my own personality, and about who I am,” says Boraan Abdulkarim.

Scott Streble

In the winter of the junior year, students begin attending weekly college seminar meetings, where they learn how to assemble an application portfolio, and how to get beyond the brochure and explore the culture and the curricula of the schools that interest them. In one group assignment, they create a mock admissions panel, reading real college essays and arguing over the merits of a pool of candidates. “It’s an interesting assignment, because each group comes up with a different recommendation, which serves to illustrate the point that there are a lot of variables in this process,” says Hill. “They learn that applications where students articulate the work they’ve done and show growth and development—those are the ones that stand out.” By the end of the year, every junior is given the same summer homework assignment: to write a working draft of an admissions essay that they will bring back to share in August.

SELF-DISCOVERY AND THE COLLEGE SEARCH

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Scott Streble

From left to right, College Counseling team Dr. Andrea Sachs, Mary Hill, and Karna Humphrey

TIPS FROM SPA’S COUNSELING TEAM Don’t rush: Although it may seem proactive to start thinking about the college search when a student enters high school, Mary Hill says Grade 9 is too soon for students to focus on the process. “Developmentally, a freshman in high school is just not ready to think about this information until they’re a little older,” she says.

She advises students to use the Grade 9 year to get involved at school in areas of interest, develop strong relationships with teachers and peers, and sharpen organizational habits and study skills—all of which will factor into the college search.

Let your student lead: Encourage the selfreliance your student will need to succeed in college by allowing her to take charge of as much of the admissions process as possible.

“Before you pick up the phone or set up a

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college tour, stop and ask yourself, ‘Is this something my kid can do?’” advises Andrea Sachs. “Let your student drive the major stuff like planning the college visit, while you do the support work, like planning the driving route or reserving the plane tickets.”

Don’t overshare: “Talking too much about your kid’s college choices—especially with other parents—can sometimes stir up the frenzy of stress that students are already feeling,” says Karna Humphrey, Assistant Director of College Counseling. “Remember that your family isn’t applying to college, your student is, and a lot of students want to keep that information private.”

Don’t believe everything you read: That’s especially true on the Internet, whether you’re reading “College Confidential” (the bane of every college counselor) or an article in the

newspaper. To really understand what differentiates one college from another, SPA’s counselors recommend digging deep into a college or university’s list of majors, extracurriculars and clubs to discover cross-disciplinary programs, travel and internship opportunities, and other unique aspects of a school.

See it in session: Whenever possible, visit college campuses while they’re in session so you can talk to students, meet faculty, drop in on classes, and soak up the character. SPA parent Steve Tibbetts says one college he was sure his kids would love was “immediately dismissed because of some vibe they all got—and that was really valuable in helping us narrow down the list.”

Size doesn’t necessarily matter: “One trend we’re seeing is that big universities and small private colleges have adopted the characteristics most associated with the other,” says Hill. For instance, large universities are launching small honors programs or residential colleges that foster small learning communities, while small colleges are creating more internships and research opportunities.

Forget the rankings: The annual college rankings provide some comparison data, but are not a proxy for thoughtful and deliberative research into schools, says Andrea Sachs. “Don’t put too much stock in what the rankings say,” says Sachs, “and remember that U.S. News and World Report isn’t even a magazine anymore.”

Trust your gut: “People always tell you that when you get on campus it should ‘feel right’ but I had no idea what that meant,” says Maggie Vliestra ’16. “But then I got to Barnard and it just felt right. That’s something you should pay attention to.”

learned about women’s colleges; she was accepted to Barnard College in their Early Decision pool. “When you’re in the process, you’re juggling so many opinions from parents and relatives and friends and teachers, it can be hard to distinguish what feels right to us and what other people think,” she says. “I learned to be an advocate for myself in a way that I hadn’t before, and it taught me first and foremost to trust my instincts.”

As SPA seniors begin to submit applications, they meet regularly with their college counselors, checking in with college representative for updates, and double-checking all of their submission requirements. “I needed to take the TOEFL test and I also had to think about applying to more places, because the rate of acceptance for international students is relatively lower,” say Max Chen ’16, who moved to Minnesota from Guangzhou, China, as a high school student. With acceptance letters from five schools, he turned to his advisor Karna Humphrey to connect with professors and learn more about internship opportunities and post-graduate employment rates at his top choices. He’ll attend Carnegie Mellon University in the fall.

Humphrey says that as the May 1 school decision deadline closes in, one of the toughest parts of her job is helping students get beyond the consumer perceptions about “selectivity” and pick the campus that can really serve their needs as they mature. “That balancing piece is really tricky, which is why we really hope they’ve done a lot of self-reflection during the year,” she says.

“The terrifying feature of the college application process comes from the fact that it feels as if you’re being judged holistically as a person, like it’s a judgment of your worthiness,” says Milo Wittenberg ’16. He managed those fears by creating a solid list of criteria he was looking for in a college—access to a larger city, the chance to continue playing classical guitar without being a music major, and the chance to compete with a solid men’s fencing team or club. “I thought reading the decision letters would be more emotional for me, but in the end, it wasn’t that bad.” This spring, he considered three acceptance offers and eventually chose Cornell University. “I knew I’d be comfortable going to any one of those schools,” he says, “because they all have what I was looking for.”

Mary Hill says seniors who set out from SPA with that attitude have taken the best lesson they can from the college preparatory process.

“Like I tell my students, there is no such thing as a ‘good college’— there are only the colleges that are good for you.”

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THE NEXT STEP: DYLAN PERESE SPA ’12, Harvard University ’16 The most popular course at Harvard University is CS50, an introductory computer science class taught by professor David Malan and a staff of more than 100 teaching assistants. Though the course is already a campus phenomenon, with an enrollment of more than 800 students and spin-offs at other Ivy Leagues, Dylan Perese, SPA ’12, thought CS50 could use an update, and suggested as much to Malan and his team.

“It’s one of the biggest online classes in the world, but it just starts with a fade in and no music? ”Perese asked Malan, whose team worked in the same building where he was directing Harvard’s student-run video production studio. “With an audience of 250,000 people watching all around the world, I just really thought it needed something more.”

Malan agreed, and so Perese composed an original score pairing strings and piano with soaring overhead footage of Harvard’s storied campus. “Now it does a better job setting the scene,” explains Perese, now a senior studying history and literature. “It just needed some ambiance.”

That Perese found a way to make one of the world’s most popular massive open online courses sound better is no surprise to Beth Nelson, the assistant principal of SPA’s Lower School, and the music specialist for kindergarten, fourth and fifth grades. “I can absolutely see Dylan doing that,” says Nelson, who regularly encouraged Perese, a talented pianist, to play without a score. “In our music program, there’s a big focus on student-centered experience and improvisation, and Dylan was someone who took to it from a very young age. He was a very diligent and focused student, but he also really loved cutting loose.”

These early performing experiences, from jamming at the piano during all-school assemblies, to premiering his first string quartet composition, helped Perese explore his growing passion for music, a pursuit that brought him all the way to Russia in 2014 as a member of Harvard’s Lowell House Society for Russian Bell Ringers. “Those experiences at SPA made me feel so empowered and validated as a musician,” he recalls. “If you had a big goal in mind, I feel like everyone at SPA just rose up to help you meet it.”

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Perese says that was especially true at his first meeting with SPA’s college counseling staff, where he shared his hope of attending Harvard, his father’s alma mater. “I started dreaming about it in sixth grade—not forming my entire life around the application, but just beginning to fathom the what if…” he says. “And I knew that at a school that gets 40,000 applicants every year, it was a big what if.”

Though he distinguished himself as a five-year varsity tennis player, a budding composer, and the winner of the Faculty Bowl for academic achievement, Perese knew that was no guarantee to admission at a college that routinely rejects 95 percent of all applicants—many of them just as accomplished. So rather than tailor his application just to “play a math game, where the odds are still against you,” Perese says, SPA’s counseling staff encouraged him to focus on what he was looking for in the right college, and whether Harvard was the right fit him.

“They really want you to think about what makes you tick, how you think, how you view the world,” he says. “I remember thinking, ‘How do they expect us to know that at age 17?,’ but the process does give you some hints about aligning your philosophy with the next right move.” With the counseling staff’s encouragement, Perese went out of his way to connect with professors during college visits, to gain a greater understanding of what each school had to offer. Mary Hill and her staff also encouraged him to look at schools that weren’t on his original wish list, and to include recommendation letters from music mentors who could comment on his growth as a young artist.

“Mary Hill is amazing to me, because she’s working with students on such an intimate level, and she’s always a step ahead, asking the right questions, getting you to think about how to capitalize on your own talents and experience in a way that’s pretty inspiring,” he says. By the time he was ready to start his applications, Perese had a strong and diverse list of college contenders.

One hurdle Perese had to overcome was an initial ACT score that was lower than the composite average of several colleges on his list. Taking courage from “a lot of really long dog walks and watching a lot of inspirational Oprah videos,” Perese spent the month of August preparing and

Jim Harrison

“[My] experiences at SPA made me feel so empowered and validated...If you had a big goal in mind, I feel like everyone at SPA just rose up to help you meet it.” taking practice tests, eventually raising his final score six points.

“I learned that asking yourself ‘What would Oprah do?’ is not really a bad life philosophy,” he says, laughing.

The former talk-show host even figured into one of his application essays, in which he recounted a day he skipped school at SPA to take off on a spontaneous road trip to see her tape a show in her Chicago studio. It’s an experience that still inspires him, as he considers his future as a Harvard graduate later this year. “I’ve been to see the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, too, and I love the action that goes on behind-the-scenes in a studio,” says Perese, who also led a fundraising campaign to rebuild Harvard’s Quad Sound Studio, and served as the studio’s business manager.

Recently, Perese had a chance encounter with the Harvard admissions officer who first read his application. “It was an unusual thing to happen, but when we talked, he told me he actually remembered that piece about Oprah and everything in the application,” Perese says.

Jim Harrison

To SPA students setting out to write the first drafts of their admissions essays this summer, he offers this advice: “The more you put into it the more you get out of this process. Put your best self forward, because there really is someone on the other side reading what you write.”

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“Even though my counselors at SPA knew hockey was important to me, they also encouraged me to think about how I would feel at a school if I wasn’t playing hockey...If you’re a student athlete, that’s smart to think about.”

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THE NEXT STEP: DELANEY MIDDLEBROOK SPA ’11, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ’15 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the nation’s oldest technologic research institute, with a reputation for innovation in the classroom. That reputation was part of what drew Delaney Middlebrook ‘11, who thrived in the school’s intimate seminars and enjoyed its focus on leadership. Middlebrook made the Dean’s List every semester at RPI, majoring in business and management with a focus on communication.

But Middlebrook had another “major” at RPI: hockey.

The school’s Division I women’s ice hockey team was Middlebrook’s home outside the classroom, much as it was at SPA, where she was a leader on and off the ice on the St. Paul United girls’ hockey team. Her college search was a case study in making a student’s priorities central to the process, says Mary Hill. “Delaney never had to choose between being a high-caliber athlete and being a highachieving student, and that’s exactly how it should be,” says Hill.

A respected team captain and six-year varsity player for United, Middlebrook set the still-unbroken SPA record for most points scored by a United defensive player. “I’m kind of an offensive defenseman,” she says. Over the course of her senior year, she earned one hockey accolade after another: she was named All-State and All-Conference, a Pioneer Press Athlete of the Week and SPA’s Athena Award winner for her athletic achievements, and the Most Valuable Player by her United teammates.

Scott Streble

Only her closest circle had any idea she was also competing with a life-threatening congenital heart condition that forced her to take high-dosage beta blockers from the time she was 10 years old, a therapy that kept her heart from beating too fast, but also left her exhausted.

By her senior year, Middlebrook was ready for a better solution, and was willing to risk the possibility of nerve damage and other side effects for a cardiac procedure at the Mayo Clinic aimed at eliminating the need for a lifetime of medicine. “I had the surgery on a Friday and I was back in school on Monday,” she remembers. “No one knew about my condition and that’s how I liked it—I never wanted it to be an excuse for not performing well.”

Though the surgical procedure limits her heart endurance, preventing Middlebrook’s heart from reaching the full 180 beats a minute averaged by other high-caliber athletes, it also kept her in the game. “Surgery was definitely a better

solution than taking the medicine—I was just so exhausted all the time with school work and practice,” Middlebrook says. “Once I had the surgery I felt like a completely different person.”

With her health stabilized and her SPA hockey career coming to a successful conclusion, Middlebrook set her sights on her next goal: playing Division I hockey in college. She spent her freshman year at Niagara University in upstate New York, but changes to Niagara’s hockey program and her own willingness to push herself academically took her to RPI when her coach was recruited there the following year. RPI’s small seminarstyle coursework “was something I already knew how to do,” says Middlebrook. “To be honest, the Harkness tables [at SPA] were never my favorite, but I know that experience was good for me, and it definitely prepared me academically for RPI.” Middlebrook also credits her experience as a student athlete at SPA with teaching her to make the most of RPI’s demanding academics in spite of a tough training schedule.

“You have to put the time and effort into being a good player and good at school, because both of them matter,” says Middlebrook. “Even though my college counselors at SPA knew hockey was important to me, they also encouraged me to think about how I would feel at a school if I wasn’t playing hockey. If I got hurt my and couldn’t play, would I still want to be at a particular college? If you’re a student athlete, that’s smart to think about.”

At RPI, Middlebrook successfully combined her hockey career with a challenging academic program. She majored in business management, including a summer program at the London School of Economics, and was on the Dean’s List and her hockey conference’s All-Academic Team every year at RPI. She graduated in the spring of 2015, but—like her experience leaving SPA four years earlier—she wasn’t ready to give up hockey. After graduation, she moved to Sweden as one of just two American women playing in the Riksserien, Sweden’s elite women’s hockey league.

She calls her year in Sweden “a dream come true”—she loved learning the language and a new style of play on the larger European ice sheet. Now back in Minnesota, she’s interning at a local business and thinking about her next career move. “I don’t know what I’ll do next,” she says, “but I would love to keep playing hockey.”

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THE NEXT STEP: RACHEL YOST-DUBROW SPA ’12, Yale University ’16 As she set out on her first campus tours, Rachel YostDubrow ’12 knew she should look past variables like bad weather or tasteless cafeteria food before forming any opinions about each college on her list. But there was one wild card that did figure prominently in the first impression she took from every visit—the tour guide.

“It’s probably not the best tool for trying to understand a college, but it was something I cared about because the tour guides are the first example of a student at that school, and I think it tells you something important,” she says. In fact, the negative vibe she got from her guide at MIT put her off applying, in spite of her strong skill set in math and science. “I just knew it wasn’t for me.”

Yost-Dubrow’s final list was relatively small but also fairly diverse; it included a few smaller liberal arts colleges as well as large research universities, all with strong programs in math and science. It also included one or two “reach” schools about which she was hopeful but realistic. One of these was a college that never left the top of her list, in spite of the rain and cold that soaked her campus tour. “When I got the acceptance letter from Yale, that was it,” she says. “I probably made the deposit 10 minutes after getting accepted.”

How did she know it was the right fit? “It was the people—100 percent the people,” says Yost-Dubrow, who majored in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

“Sometimes now when I’m walking through campus, I remember the tour and how lost I felt, and it just doesn’t line up with how I feel now.” But her intuition about Yale’s student community proved right from the start. “The people I’ve met here are amazing,” she says.

“They are as excited about learning as I am, and very open and caring and eager to connect.”

How humans make connections is, in fact, one of the scientific inquiries that led Yost-Dubrow to her job as a research assistant at Yale’s Social Cognitive

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Development laboratory, where she performed the research for a senior thesis exploring the biological roots of gratitude and generosity. “My working hypothesis is that people who are more grateful are also more generous, and I come to that from an evolutionary standpoint,” she says. “In my research, I found that women are significantly more generous than men—it’s kind of an innate thing. But you can also improve generosity by priming gratitude—if you make someone remember something they’re grateful for, then they’ll be more generous after the fact.”

Yost-Dubrow says she’s grateful for quite a few lessons from her SPA experience, especially learning how to speak up in class. “My Intro to Bio had 400 students, but I would raise my hand and ask questions like I was still in my 18-person class at SPA,” she remembers.

“My friends and classmates will sometimes tease me that I talk too much, but they also say they appreciate it when I’m in class, because I’m asking things they want to know.”

She also appreciated the wise counsel she got from SPA’s college counseling team. “Each student has countless one-on-one time with their college counselors and the whole process is about finding a place that’s a good fit for you,” she says. Their advice made it easier to cope with the almost inevitable rejection letter from Stanford (“I knew that would be a reach,” she says), and to take a closer look at Washington University.

“They knew that Wash U cares about students who show an interest in the school, so I went down for a day and really loved it. I don’t feel like I got pushed toward picking a ‘name’ school, but instead toward finding a school that was really a good fit for me.”

“I can’t stress enough how much I loved SPA,” says Yost-Dubrow, who will return SPA in the fall of 2016 as a tutor while she prepares to apply for medical school, and a future as a pediatrician. “The teachers there were so amazing, I keep in touch with them now.

I can’t stay away.”

JoAnne Wilcox

“Each student [at SPA] has countless one-onone time with their college counselors and the whole process is about finding a place that’s a good fit for you,”

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>> ALUMNI/AE NEWS

ALUMNI/AE

ALUMNI/AE EVENT CALENDAR

COUNCIL CORNER Lauren Nuffort ’02 President lauren.nuffort@gmail.com

June 2016 Class of 2016 Commencement Sunday, June 12, 4 p.m.

It has been 14 years since I was welcomed into the alumni/ae community at my June 2002 graduation.

At that time, I did not fully understand how my experiences at SPA would help shape my future.

It was through SPA that I came to understand that you should take advantage of opportunities, be an active participant in your community, and always challenge yourself. These are just a few of the things that motivate me to give back to SPA, to the alumni/ae, and to the current students. How about you?

Randolph Campus, North Lawn

August 2016 Golf and Tennis Classic Monday, August 22, 2016

Town and Country Club Visit www.spa.edu/alumni for details

September 2016 Reunion Weekend 2016 September 9-10, 2016

Visit www.spa.edu/alumni/Reunion_ Weekend_2016 for details

October 2016 Alumni/ae Council Speaker Series: A Conversation with Sean Cairncross ’93, Chief Operating Officer of the Republican National Committee Thursday, October 20, 2016, 5:30 p.m.

Minneapolis Club Visit www.spa.edu/alumni/speaker_series for details

November 2016 Alumni/ae Holiday Party Wednesday, November 23, 7 p.m.

Sweeney’s Saloon

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I think it is fair to say that most of us get busier every day. We are involved with our families, careers, volunteer commitments, and hobbies. It doesn’t take long to lose touch with anyone or anything outside those circles. The Alumni/ae Council is here to help you stay connected to the SPA circle, and I encourage you to take advantage of it by reconnecting with the school in the ways that make sense for you. Here are a just a few suggestions: • Join the Alumni/ae Council • Attend an Alumni/ae Council Speaker Series event or regional alumni/ae networking event • Attend your Reunion • Give to the Annual Fund • Attend a Senior Speech, or watch those seniors graduate at Commencement • Conduct a mock college interview with a current student • Host a Senior Project in your place of work • Return to campus for a tour (you’ll notice a lot has changed!)

• Volunteer as a debate judge • Attend a SPA play or concert • Cheer on the Spartans at an athletic event

2015-2016 COUNCIL MEMBERS Lauren Nuffort ’02 President Hilary LeBon ’91 President-Elect Nikki James ’05 Events Chair David Salchow ’88 Fundraising Chair Craig Smith ’87 Volunteerism Chair Joe Benson ’68 Jonathan Brenner ’92 Dan Citron ’89 Sarah Crandall ’02 Lindsay Giese ’05 Mercedes Henderson Clark ’88 Bryce Holstad ’10 Devon Holstad ’07 Steve London ’91 Meaghan Moriarty ’99 Alex Nemeth ’95 Pierce Norton ’08 Zach Pettus ’99

As my term as Council President comes to an end this spring, I look at this list with a great deal of pride.

Volunteering my time to help the Council serve the over 4,000 active alumni/ae has been a tremendous experience. We accomplished a lot in the past four years! It is with great pleasure that I now turn the reins over to Hilary LeBon ’91, who will serve as the 2016-2017 Council President.

Hilary will be a wonderful leader for the Council, and I know you will join me in welcoming her to her new role.

GOLF AND TENNIS CLASSIC: MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

FALL 2016: NEW ONLINE ALUMNI/AE DIRECTORY

The entire SPA alumni/ae community is invited to join us for the annual Golf and Tennis Classic on Monday, August 22, 2016. This year’s event will be held at the Town and Country Club, 300 North Mississippi River Boulevard in St. Paul. Join us for golf (shotgun start at 1 p.m.), tennis (starts at 2:30 p.m.) or for the reception and dinner that evening at 5:30 p.m. The Classic is a wonderful opportunity to end the summer with SPA friends and classmates.

A full schedule of events, pricing, and registration is at www.spa.edu/ alumni/events.

Tom Bottern and Cathy Paper ’85

We are pleased to announce the fall 2016 launch of our new and improved online alumni/ae directory! The purpose of the directory is to foster connections among our alumni/ae, provide opportunities for professional networking, and enable classmates and friends to keep in touch. The directory will be password-protected and accessible only to SPA alumni/ ae and former students via the SPA alumni/ae website.

Bobby Whitaker ’11, Pierce Norton ’11, Spencer McMillan ’11, and Evan McMillan ’13 at the 2015 shotgun start.

Mary Jane Jallen, Cal Nicholson ’14, Noah Parker ’14, Lisa Nicholson

Since much of the communication regarding the new directory will be via email, it is more important than ever that we have as many updated alumni/ae email addresses as possible before the launch of the directory in the fall.

Please ensure your email address is in our database by sending it to alumni@spa.edu.

Steve London ’91, Lauren Nuffort ’02, Joe Wertz ’02

Please contact Jen Jung, Director of Alumni/ae Programs, at jjung@spa.edu if you have any questions about the alumni/ae directory. We are looking forward to this new tool for keeping our alumni/ae connected to SPA and to each other!

Boston Regional Alumni/ae Event Alumni/ae from the greater Boston area joined SPA Head of School Bryn Roberts at a regional alumni/ ae event in April 2016 at the home of event chair Nancy Jasinski Lotane ’80 and her husband Phil.

Event hosts were (pictured left to right) Susan Musser Halby ’58, Rick Weyerhaeuser ’73, Natalie Waters Wright ’86, event chair Nancy Jasinski Lotane ’80, Tim Blodgett ’47 and Becky Driscoll Blodgett ’51 (not pictured: event hosts Emily Gleason ’03, Andrea Kauffmann Gruber ’83, and Jason Ketola ’01). Many thanks to the dozens of alumnni/ae across eight decades who joined us for the gathering!

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Alumni/ae Council Speaker Series 2015-16 Recap

The “State of the Media” Panel: Sasha Aslanian ’86, Dave Kansas ’85, Catherine McKenzie ’88, and Andrea Scott ’79.

In its second year, the Alumni/ae Council Speaker Series offered two enormously successful programs featuring some of SPA’s most dynamic graduates speaking to capacity audiences at the Minneapolis Club.

The opening event of the 2015-16 series was held in October 2015 and focused on “The State of the Media.” The event featured a panel of media experts discussing the media landscape in the 21st century, from print and broadcast to online and radio. The panel included Dave Kansas ’85, Executive Vice President for American Public Media; Catherine McKenzie ’88, Senior Broadcast Producer at CBS News/Interactive; and Andrea Scott ’79, Arts Editor for The New Yorker magazine. Stepping in for Rebecca Jarvis ’99 as the moderator at the last minute was Sasha Aslanian ’86, Reporter at Minnesota Public Radio. Sasha did a great job leading a fascinating and informative discussion. Over 100 SPA alumni/ae, parents, and friends attended the event.

The February 2016 Series event showcased Tony Sanneh ’90, soccer star and now President and CEO of The Sanneh Foundation. Tony addressed “Athletics, Leadership, and Community,” in a talk moderated by Marley McMillan ’05 of myTalk 107.1 from the “Donna, Marley & Tam” radio show and editor of myTalk1071.com. Tony shared insight into his foundation’s work, and fond memories of his time at SPA. Marley McMillan ’05 and Tony Sanneh ’90

Photos and video from both events can be found at www.spa.edu/alumni/ speaker_series.

REUNION 2016 Save the date! Reunion 2016 will be held Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10, 2016. The weekend will kick off with the All Alumni/ae Reception in the Lilly Courtyard on Friday evening, which will also include the Alumni/ae Art Show in the Harry M. Drake Gallery. All alumni/ae are invited and encouraged to attend these events, whether they are celebrating a reunion or not, so please join us!

On the morning of Saturday, September 10, the Heritage Brunch will be held for graduates from 50 years ago or more, and that evening, Class Parties will be held for classes ending in “6” and “1”. For more information, visit www.spa.edu/alumni/reunion_weekend.

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The Class of 1995 celebrated their 20th Reunion in September 2015.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI/AE AWARD: CHARLIE ZELLE ’73 St. Paul Academy and Summit School is pleased to announce Charles A. Zelle ’73 as the recipient of the 2016 St. Paul Academy and Summit School Distinguished Alumni/ae Award.

Zelle was honored at an event on May 4, 2016, at which he was formally presented with the award by Charlotte Johnson ’64, President of SPA’s Board of Trustees, and celebrated with his family and friends.

Zelle is a nationally-recognized leader in the transportation sector who currently serves as the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT). Zelle’s career began at a Wall Street firm in New York, but not long after he was called home to revive the floundering family business, the Jefferson Lines transportation company. Zelle brought Jefferson Lines back from the brink and put it on the road to success. The business today is under the management of a third generation of Zelles and is the second-largest bus company in the region.

This business savvy and commitment to success was recognized in 2012, when Governor Dayton tapped him for the MNDOT Commissioner post. He also continued his commitment to public service, serving on the boards of the Guthrie Theater, the Jerome Foundation, the Itasca Project, the Minneapolis Club, and St. Paul Academy and Summit School. His service to SPA included multiple years on the Board of Trustees and as Board president. Current SPA Board president Charlotte Johnson ’64 praised Zelle’s service to the school in presenting him with the award. “I am especially grateful that Charlie found time in all of his endeavors to dedicate the amount of time and energy that he did to issues here at SPA,” Johnson said in her remarks. “He serves as an excellent role model on giving back.”

Left: Charlie Zelle with daughter Charlotte ’10 and wife Julie ’79. Center: DAA ceremony attendees in the Huss Center before the presentation. Right: Zelle addresses the crowd after the award presentation. Below: Zelle with current SPA Board president Charlotte Johnson ’64.

Born and raised in Saint Paul, Zelle is a member of SPA’s Class of 1973.

He was a leader in the performing arts and also participated on the hockey, cross country, and soccer teams. After graduating from SPA in 1973, Zelle earned a B.A. from Bates College in Maine and later received his M.B.A from the Yale School of Management in 1983. He and his wife Julie Brooks Zelle ’79 are the parents of two SPA graduates, Charlotte ’10 and Nick ’13. The entire SPA community is grateful to Charlie Zelle for his dedication to SPA, its students, and its future.

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>> PHILANTHROPHY

LEADERSHIP GIVING SOCIETY CELEBRATES NEW MEMBERS AND A SUCCESSFUL YEAR On April 21, SPA celebrated the 174 members of the Leadership Giving Society (LGS) at the Annual Recognition Evening, held this year at the home of LGS Chair Mrunalini Parvataneni and her husband Uma Valeti (see photos below from the event). Under Parvataneni’s leadership, the LGS has continued to grow, with 29 new members joining between July 1, 2015 and June 1, 2016.

“Ambassadorship is at the heart of the Leadership Giving Society,” says Parvataneni.

“We certainly want to celebrate those donors who put their flag in the sand, so to speak, in giving to the school at the highest levels. But just as important is highlighting to the entire community that this kind of philanthropy is important, and necessary for the school to keep growing and evolving.”

Leadership Giving Society members contribute gifts of $2,500 or more each year to the Annual Fund. Donors of $10,000 or more become members of the President’s Circle, the highest recognition level within the LGS.

Libby ’82 and Ed Hlavka, Kathy Spraitz ’80, Mike Swanson

Ruth Huss ’57, Mrunalini Parvataneni, Mimi Wright

The names listed here reflect new leadership gifts to the Annual Fund between July 1, 2015, and June 1, 2016. A complete list of leadership gifts will be included in the 2015-16 Annual Report.

President’s Circle: New Members • Anonymous Alumnus, Class of 2001 • Josephine Bahl ’91 • Peter ’49 and Sandra Butler • John ’93 and Theresa Cosgriff • Sara and John Donaldson • Elizabeth Driscoll ’50 • R. Brooke Lea and Emily Fields • Samuel McVeety ’04 Leadership Giving Society: New Members • David M. Beadie ’54 • Clifton Brittain and Peggy Ladner • Mike ’51 and Lupita Butler • William Driscoll ’80 and Lisa Hoffman • Linda ’65 and Norman Harris ’62 • Arthur E. Higinbotham • Clifton and Melissa Hull • Anupam Kharbanda ’89 and Elyse Olshen Kharbanda • Tim Lynch and Cynthia Truitt Lynch • Robert ’45 and Helen Mairs • Sean McCauley ’85 and Joselyn Raymundo • McGough Construction Co., Inc. • Joshua Meyers ’92 • Michael M. Parish ’58 • Jim and Anne Parker • Polly Quiram and John Rog • Thomas and Linda Salonek • Jeremy Schwach ’01 • Edward and Jenny Su • Ellen and Tom Walvoord • Charles ’74 and Julie Whitaker

PARENT PARTICIPATION CAMPAIGN In 2014-15, 75% of current SPA parents gave to the Annual Fund.

It’s a remarkable participation percentage—higher than SPA’s peer schools in the Twin Cities and in the top band for independent schools around the country. It’s also quite an improvement from only five years earlier: at the end of the 2010 school year, barely 50% of current parents chose to support the Annual Fund.

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A big part of the reason for the increase is the Parent Participation Campaign, instituted in 2011 and now a spring tradition at SPA. “Current SPA parents contribute nearly 30% of the total dollars given to the Annual Fund,” says Jenni Beadle, Director of Annual Giving, “so the Parent Participation Campaign is a really important part of our giving year.”

WITH YOUR GIFT TO THE ANNUAL FUND, YOU CAN HELP US BUILD ON IT.

The second annual Alumni/ae Day of Giving was sponsored by SPA’s Alumni/ae Council on Thursday, April 28, 2016. The Council’s goal was 150 alumni/ae gifts in the month of April, and the day ended up exceeding that goal: 159 alumni/ae gave a gift in support of the school in the month leading up to the Day of Giving.

Your gift shapes the experience and opportunty for every student and teacher to do their best work. The excellence for which SPA is known and your connection to it is affirmed with your support of the Annual Fund. We invite you to help us build on this strong foundation by giving to the 2015-16 SPA Annual Fund.

The Council identified five specific areas of giving for alumni/ae to consider supporting on April 28: • Scholarships and Financial Aid, in support of the school’s $4 million financial aid budget and the nearly 25% of current SPA families who receive tuition aid; • Student Life, including the 90 teams in 17 sports, the more than 70% of students who act, sing, or play an instrument, and the dozens of organizations and clubs run by students; • Academic Support, including both classroom-based projects and experiential learning opportunities like Lower School Minis, the Middle School trip to Camp Widjiwagen, and the Upper School Odyssey program; • The Bill Boulger Fund for Teaching Excellence, a faculty professional development fund started with a generous gift from Sam McVeety ’04, in honor of Mr. Boulger’s legacy of exceptional teaching; • Unrestricted gifts, in support of areas of greatest need for the school.

Help us end our giving year strong by making your gift before our fiscal year ends on June 30. www.spa.edu/Giving

BUILD ON IT! Annual Fund 2015-16

2014-15 Annual Report Corrections

Many thanks to our Parent Participation Campaign grade level volunteers!

Annual Fund Chair David Kristal

Every year, a group of committed parent volunteers (see list at right) reach out to all current SPA parents, asking every family to consider a gift to the Annual Fund. “Our volunteers’ enthusiasm and effort is the reason why our participation numbers are so high,” says Beadle. View the most up-to-date Parent Participation Campaign results grade-by-grade at www.spa.edu > Giving > Parent Participation Campaign.

Parent Chairs Jonesy and Christina Worrall Division Chairs Michael Brooks and Hari Osofski (Lower School) Barry Gisser and Dan Ries (Middle School) Alicia Evert (Upper School) Grade Level Volunteers Julie Duckstad ’89 and Jason Ross Judd ’93 and Michelle Gilats Kent Green and Patti Sullivan

Paula Guerra Marta Hanson Darrell Herndon Maren Hilton Suzanne Hoppe Robin Johnson Monica Kansas Sara Krasny ’89 Lisa Lanz Jeff and Jenni Lehtinen Julie McGlincey ’84 Charlie Neimeyer ’90 Jenny Oliphant Dan Pauly and Laura Walvoord Jo Chung Putaski Kris Rose Andrea Shaker Edmund Tunney Sara Wolff

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Please note the following corrections to the SPA’s 201415 Annual Report, which was included in the Fall 2015 issue of SPA Magazine. We extend our apologies for the errors.

Kristen Hoeschler O’Brien ’87 should have been listed with her classmates from the Class of 1987 in the alumni/ae section of the 2014-15 Annual Report.

Dan Steinhacker should have been listed in the faculty and staff donor section of the 2014-15 Annual Report.

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> > CL ASS N OT E S

Mary Dosdall Guyer reports

Have news to share?

Email your news to alumni@spa.edu or send it to Class Notes: St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55105

1950 Classes of SPA and Summit School

We look forward to hearing from you!

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Become a Class Agent!

Class Agents keep in touch with their classmates and provide updates on SPA happenings.

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CLASS AGENTS Judith Blake Judith.blake@att.net

Class Agent Judy Blake reports: “highlights are, as o f the 1950 c l ass e s o f S PA usual, time at the lake in the a nd Sum m it S c h oo hel l d summer and Zihuatanejo, o n J u n e 6 , 2 0 15 w a s host ed Mexico, in the winter. I’m a t th e h o m e oBf rad S mi t h still writing articles for the s ta r ti n g wi th a noon l unc heon magazine Summit Hill Living ca te r e d b y th e Pool & Ya c ht every month. I had fun Cl u b (p i c tu r e d a bove). L unc h interviewing Wally Ritchie, wa s f o l l o we d by severa l Junie Stringer de Coster ’51 h o u r s o f s o ci a l i z i ng a nd a and John Milton for a piece g r e a t ti m e wa s ha d by a l l . called ‘They Came to Our T h o s e a tte n di ng i nc l uded House’ about the iceman, (f r o n t r o w l ef t t o ri ght Jan) e vegetable man, milkman, Keyes, Roxana Freese, Jomi and others who came to our Lottsfeldt, Beth Kendall, neighborhoods when we Judith Lee, (back row left were young.” to right) Mark Paper, Brad Smith, Kathy Setzer and husband Bob Setzer, Don Nicky Benz Carpenter moved Griffiths, and Jack Taylor and in late fall to Trillium Woods in Plymouth. She still does wife Mary Taylor. [We are sad lots of volunteer work, both to report that Don Griffiths at Trillium Woods and the passed away a few months community. Four of her six after Reunion; please see In grandchildren are living in the Memoriam on page 48 of this area; two are still in college magazine.—Ed.] and a couple of others are married.

To become a Class Agent, please contact alumni@spa.edu or 651-696-1302.

SPA

J. Bradner Smith jbradner575@comcast.net

T h e 6 5th C la ss Re u n i o n

Class Agents also help with special events and reunions. All classes welcome additional volunteers and multiple Class Agents are encouraged.

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that there are always kids down visiting for spring break, but this year there were only five. A bigger crowd showed up at Katie’s January wedding at the Gasparilla Inn to a man she had dated in college. The whole family was there – “26 of us,” Mary says. Husband Reyn Guyer has a new book out called Right Brain Red, about seven creative things he’s found to be successful.

This past winter Marlene Heger Bixby and Ned attended a yearly mini-reunion of Dartmouth friends in Naples and met others in St. Augustine. They also enjoyed a dinner with Ed Stringer and Ginny, with the Stringers driving down from Sanibel and the Bixbys driving up from Bonita Springs. In May, they visited their son Tim and his wife Heather to see their renovated schoolhouse in Duchess County. Mar and Ned also had the rehab bug and renovated their kitchen in Danbury.

Ann Luyten Dieperink visited her brother Jim Luyten ’59

and his wife in Nebraska. She said it was incredible to see the 150.000 sandhill cranes circle the Platte River at dusk before landing—“they make quite a racket,” Ann Says. Jim, the former head of Wood’s Hole, retired to Omaha with his wife and they find the city to be very friendly, with an active art community and great dining. Ann expects a visit from 11 Dutch relatives this summer.

A Woman on the Rocks: The Life and Adventures of Mary-Hill French ’34 A 1934 graduate of the Summit School, Mary-Hill Kueffner French is Summit’s oldest living alumna.

She is also a trailblazer in the history of American women in science and engineering. She studied Geology at both Carleton College, where she earned her B.A. and M.A., and Northwestern University, where she earned a Ph.D in Geology. She was a critical figure in the engineering sector of Minnesota’s Iron Range mining industry at a time when women were still rare in college classrooms, let alone the laboratories of major industrial companies. She married the eminent planetary geologist Bevan Meredith French and has served as his research assistant throughout their marriage, proofreading and editing his many published works.

Mrs. French recently penned a wonderful memoir on her career, excerpted here.

“Curiosity, the Depression, and my parents shaped my life. Mother was a musician and an independent spirit. Dad was a scholar and a lawyer. They had both gone to college, so I expected that I should too. Sarah Converse, our Headmistress at Summit, wanted me to go to Vassar, her college, but I felt that I wouldn’t fit in there. I also wanted to try a coed school; twelve years with girls only was enough! So, when Carleton College offered me a scholarship, I accepted.

“Carleton had high scholastic standards, but my education at Summit School made my freshman year a breeze. I had always liked the science courses I had taken at Summit, and had managed some extra work in chemistry when I finished elementary geometry early and had time to fill. Geology was my college [major], chosen because Lawrence Gould [a legendary Carleton professor of Geology] was not only a glamorous Antarctic explorer, but also known as a superb teacher.

“I really liked Carleton, but this was the Depression, which meant a constant search for money. When I didn’t register for my sophomore year at Carleton, Dr. Gould called me into his office and asked me why. I explained the problem. He

promptly asked if a job as a geology lab instructor would make a difference. I told him that it most certainly would. With that lab teaching experience and the courses I took, I discovered how much geology interested me, and selected it as my major. Rocks had come into my life to stay.

“Graduation came, the Depression continued, and jobs were scarce. I could find no work and thought that perhaps a graduate degree would help. Taking some additional courses, doing some experimental work, and writing a thesis earned me a MA at Carleton. At the same time, other work, including teaching a paleontology class helped pay off my remaining debt.

“There were still no jobs available. I turned to work at a department store as an “interior decorator” advising customers on color schemes and sold yard goods. I missed geology and scientific discussion, so on a day off, I went to the University of Minnesota, wandering about the geology lab and talking with a professor who happened to be there. He said that Northwestern University had a teaching fellowship open and urged me to apply. If an MA wouldn’t get me a job, perhaps a PhD would, so I sent in my credentials, waited, and hoped. To my happy surprise, the award followed.

“World War II began. I was recruited by Army Air Force Intelligence and moved to Washington, D.C., to work on bomb target maps at what we called the Map Trap (officially, the U.S. Army Map Service). A year later, I left to be married.

The war ended, three children arrived, and a job change for my husband, Tappan Childs, took us to Hibbing, a northern Minnesota town located in the middle of the Mesabi Iron Range, a mining district that runs east-west across almost all of the state.

“We had only been there a year when a fall at home killed Tappan. War years were good for women workers, but post-war time was not, and I had been out of the job market for fifteen years. The best that I was offered was a job at a mining lab, a place where huge machinery was used to test exploration samples sent in by our field geologists, or, more importantly, to work on better ways for the main plant to handle taconite, a local iron ore.

“All this engineering was completely new to me. I was petrified. Nevertheless, I had three children to support. I had always expected my

husband to take care of us. I had the same amount of education as he and felt I was just as smart, so I should be able to do as well. And salary? I had carefully worked out the amount necessary to feed, clothe, and house the four of us, which proved so modest a figure that I was given slightly more. It was 1957 and only men worked in the mines, main processing plant, and laboratory. In fact, I believe I was the first woman in the United States employed by the mining industry.

“I liked my work, becoming more competent at assessing the necessary testing to request for exploration samples that came into the lab from our field geologists and then working on best methods to treat the taconite --- everything from blasting to crushing, grinding, concentrating, and then pelletizing that fine-powdered concentrate into a solid product that could be fed into blast furnaces. Only a few basic steps had been developed earlier, mostly at the University of Minnesota mining lab, so the field was open to new ideas. Mine were accepted and tried out, along with the others.

“In time I married again, Bevan French, a fellow geologist. I had really enjoyed my mining company career, but now I looked forward to being a full time mother and wife. Bevan’s work at NASA took him from research to executive positions, but research on the effects of meteorite impacts on the Earth was his real love.

His career involved a lot of fascinating travel and resulted in many books and published papers, all of which he wanted me to edit. I enjoyed our discussions about his work and I readily agreed to edit, providing that he would accept my suggestions and criticisms. He not only agreed, but saw to it that I was credited for my contributions.”

To read the full text of French’s memoir, visit www.spa.edu/alumni/SPA_magazine.

Top right: Mary-Hill Kueffner’s senior portrait from the Summit School yearbook of 1934.

Bottom left: Mary-Hill (standing, far right) with a group of Summit friends in the fall of 1933. www. spa.e du

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Carol Daniels Jacker had back

surgery last winter and said the results were miraculous, although her arthritis slows her down a bit. They visited her daughter Amelia in Annapolis last spring and will see her other daughter Polly in California in the fall. Every year the Minnesota contingent in the Fort Myers area holds a Minnesota Historical Society lunch and take turns hosting. The speaker this year was Ed Stringer. Carol spends a lot of time reading and her latest project is reading all six of the books by Churchill.

Caco Myers Baillon got to Florida twice this year, once to attend a cousins’ reunion and once with her daughter and three grandchildren. Caco no longer does Zumba but still does Pilates and plays tennis two or three times a week.

’54 CLASS AGENTS Alice L. Mairs bonnie1673@earthlink.net Wally Mayo mayowalter@yahoo.com

Bonnie Mairs recently took

a trip to England and Egypt, visiting friends in both countries.

In three weeks, she went from winter in New York City to spring in England and, finally, to summer in Cairo. She and Polly Cross Wallace also had lunch with Andy Russell Bowen and husband Bob right after Christmas.

Walter Mayo keeps in touch with classmates Peter Frenzel, Frederick “Rick” Driscoll, and John Carpenter. He also

attended the celebration of life for Pete Ward in St. Paul last

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September, which he reported was lovely.

Ellen Huse Seymour moved to a spacious apartment in a senior high-rise near downtown Denver, and is excited that she finally has her own “dramatic mountain view!” Ellen’s brother Tom Huse ’56 has visited Denver (where he is known as “Uncle Tom,” and is well appreciated) on Amtrak, via the California Zephyr from the Bay Area. Ellen hopes to return the visit soon with a similar trip, from east to west.

’57 CLASS AGENTS Dutton Foster duttonfosters@comcast.net Susan Rose Ward cswsrw@comcast.net

Walter Andrews is still trying

to do the things he enjoys including reading Ottoman poetry with his graduate students, managing a large digital research and publication project (Svoboda Diaries Project) at the university that employs 35 or so undergraduate interns, helping lead the Middle School group at the local Unitarian Church, playing golf and tennis, and running. Other than that, Walter says “I still nap with the best of them.”

Don Drew sent a report from

Australia: “I thought briefly about sharing my unfinished autobiography, which is now running into page 874 of volume 17, but I thought that doing so might tax our classmates’ patience.” Instead, Don says that he and wife Paula enjoyed viewing the film The Lady in the Van at their local cinema,

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noting the relevant reflections on life, finding meaning in old age, the power of music, and more. He also stays engaged in the presidential election, often answering the questions of his fellow Aussies regarding the U.S. presidential system compared to the Westminster parliamentary system. He adds: “I send greetings to all classmates ‘up there’ from your classmate ‘down under’. If you travel to Australia, please let me know; I can suggest some interesting and off-beat Australian experiences.”

Dutton Foster shares that he and wife Caroline ’60 try to

exercise and eat well, keep up with family and friends, go on short getaways, volunteer, and take in a few of the myriad cultural opportunities in the Twin Cities. Dutton still builds big houses with Habitat for Humanity and “little houses for my backyard railroad.” Both he and Caroline do some painting and occasional writing, watch birds wherever they go, play music, and participate in church activities, such as the group discussion Dutton recently lead on end of life planning. The pair spends about five days a month “up north” visiting with Alison, Kevin, and their animal family. They also spend time Skyping with H.D. and family, and are eager to see them in August. They report the usual round of medical and dental appointments, engagement in the election season, falling even further behind the technology curve, and that “life is good.”

Ruth Huss reports that Sally and Tom Patterson joined

her and John at Beaver Creek (Colorado) for dinner and to

see Pilobolus, a notable dance troupe founded at Dartmouth.

Travel fills the rest of the Huss’ schedule: In the fall, they went “barging” in France and to Japan with the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; this past February, they went to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar, which was “an eye opener, to say the least”; in April, they went to Richmond, Virginia with the National Trust, and then in May to Scotland with the Schubert Club; Finally, they will summer at Bass Lake and will then go to Patagonia, Chile in October 2016.

“In other words we’re moving while we still can. The world is still fascinating, the allure still great, and there’s more to see!

But, Minnesota is still the best!” says Ruth.

Tuck Langland says, “I’m writing from London where I have come for a single week to see an opera—“Akenaten” by Phillip Glass. Fabulous. I saw it twice.”

Tuck reports that all is well and that he is still making large public bronze sculptures and enjoying it very much. He and his wife Janice are both doing a fair bit of writing—“hang on New York Times best seller lists”—and enjoy their three grandchildren and life in a pre-civil war manor house in Indiana. Tuck saw Dave Kansas ’85 while in London, who he reports “is amazing” but “... still just Dave.” Next summer, Tuck will sing Beethoven’s Ninth with the BBC National Orchestra in the Orkney Islands, north of Scotland. He notes that Paul Wilkinson’s efforts with the SPA glee club, which was Tuck’s only introduction to the arts in that “benighted period,” have certainly paid off as he continues to sing a lot and has done some solo work in a “little pile” called Westminster Abbey.

Tom Milton reports that his latest novel, Orphans of War, was published in January 2016. This is his eleventh novel published in a series that addresses issues of peace and justice.

Sandi Mundi Irvine-Pirtle has

moved into her new home in Boca Grande, where she has been for the past 28 years during season. This year, she had a wonderful spring break there with her family, which ranged in age from 1.5 to 76 years of age! Having and entertaining such a big crowd reminded Sandi of growing up at White Bear Lake and the memories she shares there with her family, friends, and classmates. In other news, Sandi she has started painting again and has joined an art alliance in Nashville. She is also doing some fun things with the Nashville Opera in Nashville and in New York. Finally, Sandi hopes to see classmates this summer when traveling to her cabin in Hayward or at the Reunion in fall 2017.

Grant Nelson is still teaching

part-time at Pepperdine Law and UCLA Law. His final retirement at Pepperdine will be in July 2017, but he hopes to continue to teach his Real Estate Finance course at UCLA Law. Judy retired last summer from teaching math and algebra at Our Lady of Malibu School. The two now enjoy spending time with their six grandchildren.

Recently, Grant also learned he will be the recipient of the University of Minnesota Law Review’s “Distinguished Alumni” award for 2016. The award is designated for Law Review alumni who have made “extraordinary contributions to

the profession and the greater good of society.” Grant adds: “I hope to see many of you at our 2017 Reunion!”

Patsy Spadavecchia sends a

time with great friends who they hadn’t seen for over 50 years.

John Ratigan says, “We are

Marna Page is recovering after

a serious bike crash; she was unable to turn her front wheel to the needed 90 degrees for crossing over a train track before being “pitched” to the asphalt.

She warns: “To our classmates who still ride, even infrequently, be very mindful of this danger!”

Otherwise, Marna is engaged in the election season and excited to participate in the coming months.

well, thanks, and knock on wood. Still savoring the last bits of Downton Abbey….

On another topic, it was good to learn that both Dutton Foster and I had the same memory of Tim Slade taking out his coin in the back of the room and ostentatiously flipping it to decide on his thesis topic...

That captured Tim in many ways, I think, or the Tim that I knew at least.”

Tom and Sally Patterson report

Ellen Read reports that she is

“Not many changes in in our lives, which is probably good because things are in fact good.” The pair have two of grandchildren in college and a third who is in the Class of ’18 at SPA. They both do a fair amount of volunteer work with various organizations, and Sally remains heavily involved with the St. Paul League of Women Voters. They both share that their health is good and that they enjoy several sports. In the winter, the two ski in Colorado, based in their Victorian mining town, Georgetown. Tom also discovered pickle ball last summer and “can reasonably be described as obsessed (do not dare tell him that it is an old person’s sport).” Last fall, the two took a two-week driving trip through eight Colorado, Arizona, and Utah national parks with the Ratigans. Sally, known within the group as Professor Patterson, organized the whole trip and provided the group with daily oral presentations and materials describing the geology and archaeology they would encounter. The group had a fun

teaching quite a bit, and has published a new book called Fiction’s Family: Zhan Xi, Zhan Kai, and the Business of Women in Late-Qing China. She says that she enjoys life and often thinks back to the preparation for it that she had at Summit School, particularly memories of Mrs. Fisher’s wonderful chorus and her love for music.

Mike Roach and his wife are “still in pretty good shape” and do the “snowbird routine,” with five months in Vermont, six months in Florida, and a couple of weeks driving both ways. On their drives, Mike and his wife stop and see their son and two grandchildren in the Boston area, their bachelor son in the DC area, and their daughter and two grandsons in the Cincinnati area. Their oldest grandson will graduate from high school this year, which they are excited about. Other than that, Mike reports they are “living the happy retired life” and sends regards to all classmates.

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note from Florence, Italy, where she lives a good part of the year.

Right now, her daughter Polly is visiting with her younger son, Emile. When her kids reach 11 they will travel to Florence for spring break, which Emile has declared as the most beautiful city in the world. Patsy says that her life is geographically divided in three parts: The first is Florence where she enjoys the company of lively friends and the comings and goings of part-time residents.

In summer, she moves to Salina, an island off the north coast of Sicily, which is part of the Aeolian Islands. There she likes to swim and follow the lives of the people there, calling this type of travel “traveling in depth.” She also went to Iran with a small group of Italians led by her neighbor who was the Italian cultural attache in Tehran for eight years. The rest of the year Patsy is in New York. She says that regardless of her location, she tries to listen to “Prairie Home Companion” weekly. She hopes to return to St. Paul for the Reunion in fall of 2017.

Susan Ward shares that her grandchildren are all doing interesting things, including teaching in Guadalajara, traveling in Europe, working in the Twin Cities and Chicago areas, and graduating college! Her kids are also all happy with their work and share that their retirement isn’t far off. Charc and Susan continue their routine of sharing time at their two lake homes: the cabin on weekends and their townhome on a lake near White Bear the rest of the time. She still would like to travel more and is excited to do so in the future.

She adds, “Looking forward to seeing you all for our 60th in the fall of 2017.”

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CLASS AGENTS

CLASS AGENTS

CLASS AGENTS

John C. Maher jmaher1@maine.rr.com

Charles A. Zelle charlie.zelle@state.mn.us

The Class of 1962 is looking for Class Agents! Please contact alumni@spa.edu or 651-696-1302.

Cindy Piper shares that she has

s Bob Siqveland’s third novel, Simple Witness, was recently chosen as a Finalist for the Independent Book Publishers Book of the Year Award in the Adult Fiction category. The winner will be selected in June 2016.

’63 CLASS AGENTS Nancy Mulvey nancymulvey@gmail.com

Warren Olson and wife Linda have returned to Viera, Florida, after almost nine years of living in South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia. “This time we are trying the east coast, near Melbourne.

It is a younger and dynamic area compared to where we lived on the Florida west coast.

Also, I have broken down and bought a bike. Have not really ridden one since second form.

The good news is it is a skill that one retains, even after fifty years,” Warren reports.

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been on a no weight-bearing regime since May and now requires a bone fusion in her foot. While this is not ideal, she is excited to regain the ability to ride and ski. Cindy says she would love any phone calls during her recovery, saying, “I will welcome any diversion from just sitting on my duff.”

Julie Moles Stephan retired

on December 31, 2015 and now runs a small business in Mesquite, Nevada. She recently rescued a Red Bone Coon Hound named Oscar de la Renta; Oscar and Julia recently enjoyed a dog party, which included 9 dog friends of Oscar and 17 human friends of Julia.

Julia reports that “The police did not come and there was zero growling from the dogs or folks who overate for three hours.” Julia is also excited to spend time with daughter Helen and her two boys, Pohaku and Kapono, down in Wickenburg at a dude ranch. They will be traveling from Kaneohe, Hawaii and Julia is sure the visit will be full of giggles.

s After nearly 40 years, Jill Sandeen and David Godolphin ’74 have, to their great mutual

s Dorothy Goldie has been traveling quite a bit and enjoying the chance to meet with far-flung SPA friends, both on business as SPA’s Director of Institutional Advancement and for fun. On a visit to Seattle in March 2016 (the primary goal of which was time with her son Max Schwartz ’03 and his wife and daughter), Dorothy spent time with Rob Woutat, who taught at SPA and the merged school from 1964 to 1987.

Rob is now a writer living in Bremteron, Wash. Dorothy also had a chance to catch up with classmate Lyndal Blodgett, (pictured below) who lives in the Boston area and attended SPA’s Boston alumni/ae event in April 2016.

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’80 CLASS AGENT Tom Kayser Thomas.Kayser@united.com

s Peter Albrecht and his wife Julie are living in Mobile, Alabama where Peter is an onair news anchor for WKRG and Julie is a high school teacher at St. Paul’s Episcopal School, the “SPA of Mobile.”

Sally (Millington) Thacher’s

husband Nicholas will be retiring in June 2016 and the pair will then, reluctantly, leave the Boston area which they have loved for the past 10 years. They will spend part of each year at their lake cottage in Connecticut and part of the year in Santa Barbara, California near the area in which Nicholas grew up.

pleasure, become reacquainted; Jill recently moved from Minnesota to join David in Concord, Massachusetts. Jill will continue to work as a Certified Nurse-Midwife at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

David is a founding partner of the Equinox Group. They send their thanks to SPA for connecting them!

’76 CLASS AGENTS Douglas R. Whitaker drwhitaker21@gmail.com

Paul Bullard is happy to say that his son Andrew graduated from SPA in 2011, from Coe College in 2015, and is happily employed and off the “parents’ payroll.” Paul had a nice lunch with Tom Kayser and wife Claire on the island of St. Martin this spring.

Vicki (Smith) Burrows and her

husband Bill live in Libertyville, Illinois with their two sons: Jack is a freshman at Hope College in Holland, Michigan and Charlie is a high school senior. Vicki works part-time as a parent facilitator for Illinois Service Resource Center, supporting families who have children who are deaf/hard of hearing. She reports that the program is funded by a grant from the State Board of Education so, “who knows how long funding will last given financial state of Illinois.”

Terry Dolan lives in Alaska with

his wife Therese, of 30 years, and is the Director of Public Works for the MantanuskaSusitna borough. Terry served in the United States Army for over 29 years and retired at the rank of full Colonel. Terry and Therese have two sons, Paul, an officer in the Army and Tommy, a college student.

Bill Driscoll, his wife Lisa

Hoffman, and children John Saul and Anna live in Tacoma, Washington. Bill works in real estate investment and enjoys running his two car washes (not like Walter White).

John Erickson and wife Jill built

a home on Newfound Lake in Bridgewater, New Hampshire in 2015, permanently moving from Vermont in November.

The land they built on has been in Jill’s family since 1928 and settling there was “a long-term dream realized.” John has been with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute since 2010. He is now the Director of Operations at the Rensselaer Institute for Data Exploration and Applications

and the Deputy Director of the Web Science Research Center, and shares a friendly warning: “Watch out: SPA students with an interest in studying ‘Big Data,’ Web Science or the Semantic Web at RPI may end up in a class or project led by me!”

s After a 25-year run as a working actor in the entertainment business (with appearances in Frasier, Mancuso FBI, and others) and raising her family, Lindsay Frost has found her second act as a painter, a dream she has found very rewarding. Lindsay’s work is inspired by her “love of all things baseball” and is shown and sold throughout several stadiums. She also does commission work which has been a lot of fun for her.

Her biggest report, however, is that she is a super proud of her two sons, 16 and 21, the oldest of whom, Lucas Giolito, is currently ranked as the #1 pitcher in the minor leagues and is in big league camp with his team the Washington Nationals. He is hoping for a call-up sometime in the 2016 season!

Tracey Harpole Tillion and her husband and are getting ready to send their youngest son off to college in the fall. Both her sons are attending California Maritime Academy in the bay area. After, the pair is planning an empty-nest trip to Italy in October, which will involve late nights, sleeping in, sampling

Italian wines, and not having to check in with offspring. She adds, “If you ever get to Alaska, look us up.”

Tom Kayser lives in Glencoe, Illinois with his wife Claire; the family moved there four years ago after 14 years in St. Paul.

Tom reports that he is back at United Airlines, for the third time, in the role of Managing Director of Investigations in the Security Group. His three kids (Sam, Olivia and Grace) who were lifers at SPA, made the move to North Shore Country Day where Tom Doar III ’69 is the Head of School. Claire is a working artist (painter and photographer), their son Sam is attending college in the Chicago area, and Olivia and Grace are still at North Shore.

Tom adds that he recently had the pleasure of “enjoying lunch with my classmate Paul Bullard and their wives on the island of St. Martin in the Caribbean.”

this summer in Connecticut.

James is wrapping up a postgrad gap year at The Salisbury School where he enjoyed making some new life-long friendships and being a part of their hockey legacy. He’s spent some time over spring break in Green Bay skating with the Green Bay Gamblers USHL Junior Hockey team (they drafted him last summer for the 2016-17 season) and he’ll head to Quinnipiac University in the Fall of 2017 where he’ll play Division I hockey. Brady is finishing middle school and is gearing up for next season’s hockey tryouts followed by the transition to the lacrosse season.

All in all, Denise says “life is marching on, we are doing our best to make the most of it, and we feel very blessed!”

Nancy (Jasinski) Lotane

and her husband Phil are anticipating change next year as their twins, Charlie and Katie, head off to college.

Richard Kyle John Moody reports that he

was recently appointed as a District Judge by Governor Mark Dayton to the Second Judicial District and holds court in the Ramsey County Courthouse.

His wife Elizabeth Wittenberg is a Psychologist/Therapist in Minneapolis.

Denise Lilyholm and her

husband Chris continue to enjoy their careers and relish the time they spend with their boys Andrew, James, and Brady. Andrew is completing his freshman year at St. Lawrence University and is “loving it!“ He has an internship

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and his wife Courtney will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in June. John is with still with General Motors (25+ years), churning out new cars. He’s currently working on the XT5. Their daughter Allison recently graduated from the University of Michigan and works for Delphi Automotive.

Their son Cameron is studying biology at Michigan State. John and Courtney welcome visitors to their cottage near Traverse City and John insists you will not see him in a pink Speedo.

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Caragh O’Brien

and her husband Joe are living in San Francisco for a semester while Joe is on sabbatical.

Caragh reports that she is spending most of the time writing. Her latest young adult novel, “The Rule of Mirrors”, came out in February, and she is in the process of doing book gigs. She also reports that she had a chance to meet up with Lindsay Frost in Santa Monica, California recently. They had a lovely visit, and she says, “I’m reminded how precious my life-long friendships are.”

Jim Thomssen and his wife

Melissa live in Nampa, Idaho where Jim is a Vice President at D.L. Evans Bank.

Andy Ward is a fine furniture

maker in Telluride, Colorado where he lives with his wife Amy and their young children, Caleb and Larkin.

Bobby Zelle is still teaching

Grade 7 English and Social Studies at the Blake School. This year marks 30 years of middle school teaching for Bobby, credit he gives to many of the great teachers he had at SPA. Bobby is still coaching and playing soccer, and has added ultimate frisbee to the resume.

He reports the highlight of the soccer coaching season was a 1-0 victory over the SPA Gold team, coached by brother, Danny ’81, which included nephew, Max Zelle ’20. It was the only defeat of the year for the SPA team, making the victory in the sibling rivalry all the sweeter.

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’84 CLASS AGENT Thomas Guyer tom.guyer@winsorlearning.com

s The art of Kevin Sudeith was the focus of a Minnesota Public Radio piece in April 2016 entitled “Making Art From Life.” Kevin, who lives in New York, has carved petroglyphs in rocks and rock formations across North America, depicting in stone the lives and stories of the people and places he visits. Big Fish Petroglyph, pictured below, was created in October 2013 in Smelt Brook, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia in Canada. “All the fish on this rock are carved at life size, and most originate in the story of a local fisherman,” Keith says in the MPR piece. His work is currently on exhibit at the Mike Weiss Gallery in New York’s Chelsea district.

’87 CLASS AGENTS Carol A. Bagnoli cbagnoli@yahoo.com Jay A. Ettinger jayettinger@comcast.net Robert W. Mairs

s Mark Thomas was profiled on the front page of MinnPost >>

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in February 2016 for his research into drug addiction and relapse.

Mark is part of a group of researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Department of Neuroscience which has identified a potential target for preventing morphine relapse in mice. The group recently published a paper on their work, of which Mark was the senior author. Mark is an Associate Professor in the University of Minnesota’s department of neuroscience and psychology.

s Catherine Mackenzie toured Rubicon student newspaper staff around the set of “Good Morning America” this past March during their visit to New York City for the Columbia Scholastic Press Convention.

The students took a picture with Cat (at far right) and GMA host Robin Roberts (center) at ABC studios.

’89 CLASS AGENT Dan Citron dancitron@gmail.com

’88 CLASS AGENT Daniel H. Deuel dhd823@comcast.net

Traveling in Europe recently, Jay Krasnow reconnected with Matthew Commers (for the first time since Grade 8), who is currently professor of public health at the University of Maastricht. Jay is currently in his eighth year as senior analyst in the custom-research practice of The Freedonia Group, which recently became part of MarketResearch.com. He still finds time to compose music and give the odd university lecture or recital, currently focusing on the keyboard works of CPE Bach.

s Dr. Adam Locketz and the medical practice he recently acquired, TimeWise Medical, are the subject of a profile in a recent issue of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. “TimeWise Medical is adding services and staff while continuing a tradition of pricetransparency and home visits,” the article reports.

’91 CLASS AGENTS

Walter Kurtz

The Class of 1991 is looking for Class Agents! Please contact alumni@spa.edu or 651-696-1302.

s Sean Patrick Flahaven, pictured here with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, won a Grammy Award for his role as an associate producer of the cast album of the Broadway phenomenon Hamilton. The show is one of the biggest hits in decades, and the album, which sold 250,000 units in just 4 months, has also had the highest chart debut for a theatre album in over 50 years, hittting #1 on the rap charts. Sean, who was very active in music and theatre at SPA, is Senior Vice President of Theater for Warner/ Chappell Music, the global music publishing arm of Warner Music Group. Based in New York, he represents many of the best songwriters on Broadway and in film/TV, including Miranda, Stephen Sondheim, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, Bobby and Kristen Lopez, and Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, as well as Warner’s show licensing and producing projects. He has also been on the faculty at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts for 14 years.

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CLASS AGENTS

CLASS AGENTS

CLASS AGENTS

Benjamin S. Beach beach_benjamin@hotmail.com John W. Cosgriff john.w.cosgriff@gmail.com James L. Delaney JDelaney@PoweredByEngine.com Mary G. MacDonald mgdickinson@yahoo.com

Dena C. Larson denacitronlarson@gmail.com

Evan C. Berquist berquist.evan@gmail.com Jesse Markman markman.jesse@gmail.com Noah Mehlan nmehlan@hotmail.com Megan Sullivan Ann Marie Winskowski winskowski@gmail.com

s Emily Skor was recently named CEO of Growth Energy, the national trade association representing the ethanol industry. She comes to her new role after serving 5 years as the Vice President of Communications for the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, the national trade association representing overthe-counter drug manufacturers.

She continues to live in Washington, D.C. with her husband Sean Cairncross and their two children India (8) and Dominic (6).

s On a gorgeous March day, Class of 1997 friends got together to celebrate Alison Crossley’s upcoming wedding.

Rhys Conlon (right) hosted a beautiful shower where (left to right) Natalie (Ruotsinoja) Durk, Hilary Gebauer, Matt Felt, Dena (Citron) Larson, Alison, Chad Kampe (Matt’s husband), and Rhys made Hilary’s baby, Nora, very jealous that she can’t yet drink mimosas or eat delicious baked goods.

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CLASS AGENTS

CLASS AGENTS

Bryan O. Smith bryanoliversmith@gmail.com

s Bryan Smith was recently elected as a member of the Maplewood, Minnesota, City Council. Bryan defeated two former mayors for the seat and is looking forward to serving his city. In addition to public service, Bryan works in marketing at Tennant Company and enjoys spending time with his family, including his wife Jennie, seven-year-old son Zachary, and three dogs.

s Chad Asmussen and his wife Ruba Asmussen welcomed their first child, Elise Clotilde Asmussen, into the world on January 24, 2016. They are delighted to be parents and currently reside in Oakland, California.

’02 CLASS AGENTS

Michael Lorberbaum michael.lorberbaum@ thomsonreuters.com Mara R. Schanfield maraschanfield@gmail.com

Sarah Crandall Crandall.Sarah@gmail.com

Michael Lorberbaum and Melissa welcomed their daughter Rachel Elana into the world in October 2015. There three-year-old son Spencer is very excited to have a new playmate in the house!

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s Lael (Nelson) Blum married Eelco Blum in Amsterdam, Netherlands on September 4, 2015. Spartans in attendance included Lauren Nuffort, Rachel (Wergin) Champion, Hannah (Wright) Calhoon, Katie Kramarczuk, and Sara (VanEssendelft) Bartus.

The Blums live in Tiburon, California.

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>> CLASS NOTES

Chase Turner works as a Creative Strategist for the social media outlet Tumblr and recently participated in a panel at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. The discussion focused on marketing initiatives aimed at the Latino community, as well as a general U.S. audience.

’04 CLASS AGENTS Ashley Anton antonashley@gmail.com Andria Mann andria.m.cornell@gmail.com Tyler M. Olson tolson@smcpros.com Sarah M. Raisch sarah.m.raisch@gmail.com

s Alexander Cass married Ashley (Steffens) Cass at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in June 2015 and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah in August where Ashley is completing her PhD in materials chemistry. Alexander has enjoyed the move because he is able to ski and snowboard in between doing IT work for AAA and his continued study of galaxies in the IR spectrum as part of the Spitzer InfRared Intensive Transients Survey

(SPIRITS) and as a groundbased observer carrying out data collection and analysis atop Mt. Lemmon (Arizona). This is a continuation of the work that he did for his undergrad thesis in astrophysics at University of Minnesota; he now continues to work for UMN by completing this research in addition to his day job.

Tyler Olson is very excited

to share that SMCpros, the company he founded, has more than doubled its revenue in 2015 and projects to more than double again in 2016.

Tyler currently lives downtown Minneapolis and has traveled to Norway, Greece, Thailand, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic in the last 2 years.

s Natalie Beck was a contestant on the Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen in July 2015, making it to the finals of the competition. Natalie is the founder of Full Belly Nutrition, a service offering nutrition coaching, cooking lessons, wellness retreats and personal chef services. Natalie is a registered dietitian and personal chef, and lives in Palo Alto, California.

Liz Ullyot is approaching her

seventh year at Dunnavan & Co., Inc., a Minneapolisbased investment counsel firm, where she has been building her own clientele. Liz is active in the Twin Cities nonprofit community, serving on the Board of Directors for The LEAD Project, volunteering through the Junior League of Minneapolis, and helping relaunch a local Early College Awareness Program with the Harvard Club of Minnesota.

s Emily Sepler-King Grinberg married Maksim Grinberg in Minneapolis in September 2015.

The pair were joined by over 50 SPA alumni/ae as well as tons of friends and family! Included in the photo is Coleen McDaniel, Callie Titcomb, Melley Turner, Hanna (Lamb) Lewine, and Sophie Rupp.

Lenora Magee remembers

s In early 2015, 2008 classmates Sam Donaldson, Austin Lilly, and Matt Wolff created a Minnesota-focused sports blog.

The group desired an outlet to celebrate Minnesota sports and air built-up grievances since they were spread across the country and didn’t have Minnesota fans around to lean on. The successful blog, FaMNation Sports (famnationsports. com), has had a great first year, seeing a growing audience and many SPA grads as main contributors. One highlight for the blog in 2016 was writing about the Spartans’ deep run into the state hockey tournament—an achievement the three never thought was possible in their lifetime—where the blog had an outpouring of support from players and parents.

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’05 CLASS AGENT John C. Adams adamsjackc@gmail.com Lindsay Giese lindsaygiese@gmail.com Nicole James nstennes@gmail.com Sarah K. Wald skwald@gmail.com

sitting in Service Learning Club in seventh grade and being inspired by Mrs. McGee’s passion for serving the community. To this day, she says this SPA experience has encouraged her to give back to her community. As a teacher in the Philadelphia area for the last six years, Lenora been passionate about educational equity. Recently, she collaborated with some other Philadelphia women of color educators to start the non-profit

My Sister’s Keeper Collective, which strives to advocate for and serve young women in the area who are involved in the foster care or juvenile justice system. The group connects each student with an educational advocate who works with the family to ensure a positive future for the young woman.

Additionally, Lenora has also founded the Orisun Sister Circle, a safe space for women that uses conversation, connection, and creativity as tools of healing.

lab to the commercial market.

On the side, Alexander is still passionate about music, playing the piano and trumpet as much as he can.

s Annie Heise is an actress and has made a number of recent appearances in film and on TV, including Madoff, A Stand Up Guy, and First Love. Annie attended the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, where she was awarded the Carnegie Scholarship.

’08 CLASS AGENTS Nolan Filter nolan.f.filter@gmail.com Jessica Garretson Jessiepiper@gmail.com Vanessa Levy Ariella Rotenberg rotenberg.ariella@gmail.com

s Nikki (Stennes) James and Emily James were married in June 2015 at the James J. Hill Library in St. Paul. The newlyweds were fortunate to celebrate with some fellow Spartans, who brought fiendish dance moves and summer style to the party. Pictured are (front row) Nikki and Emily (Second row) Beth Billington, Merritt Swain, Lindsay Giese, Joel Cornell; (third row) Brandon Levy, Ilse Griffin.

’06 CLASS AGENTS Lien Bui lbui@gustavus.edu Rory F. Collins roryfcollins@gmail.com Alex T. Gast agast88@gmail.com Henry Parker henrysparker@gmail.com

s Emily Philipp Bryant married Bobby Bryant on October 10, 2015 at the Day Block Event Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Celebrating with the couple was Kiki Cohen, Bryna Helle, Eliza Hartley, Everett Wenzel, Wilder Welke (who also gave a reading during the ceremony), and Anne Walli ’10.

s Since graduating from Washington University in St. Louis and working as a project manager at Epic Systems, Alexander Feng has become deeply engrossed in healthcare policy and business entrepreneurship. He is now in his third year of medical school at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and will complete his dual MD/MBA degree by 2018 at the Carlson School of Management. In the future, he hopes to utilize his clinical and business expertise to team up with science research teams and help them carry an idea from the

Jessie Garretson recently started as the New York Program Manager for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, the non-profit arm of The Screen Actors Guild. In this role, Jessie will be overseeing the Foundation’s “Conversations” programs, screenings of films and television shows followed

by Q&As with casts and principals, and two-hour Career Retrospectives with leading actors of the time. These programs are free to attend for all SAG-AFTRA members.

s Greg Paulus ’02 (left) and Andrew Paulus ’07 (right), along with their mother Patty Paulus (center), accepted a posthumous Grammy on behalf of their father, Stephen Paulus, in February 2016. Stephen, who passed away in 2014, won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for his piece “Prayers and Remembrances.”

Patty, who is retiring this year after teaching art in SPA’s Lower School for 16 years, said in her acceptance speech, “even though Stephen is not here with us, his musical legacy lives on.”

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>> CLASS NOTES

Kenize O’Keefe was recently

named Editor and Publisher of NorthNews Community Newspaper. Founded in 1991, NorthNews is a monthly paper serving the North Minneapolis community.

Ariella Rotenberg left her role as research associate in U.S. foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations this year for a new research position at The ImPat, a start-up social impact investing company. Outside of work, she tries to spend as much time as she can with her fellow Class of 2008 classmates in NYC! Parker Cook has received a Fulbright Research Grant to conduct manuscript work in Bursa and Istanbul, Turkey for 2016-2017. Parkers’s time in Turkey will be spent on research for his dissertation on the Ottoman Sufi Ismail Hakki Bursevi as a part of his pursuit of a Ph.D. in Islamic Civilizations’ Studies at Emory University.

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’14 CLASS AGENTS

CLASS AGENTS

The Class of 2014 is looking for Class Agents! Please contact alumni@spa.edu or 651-696-1302.

Katherine Labuza klabuza@gmail.com

s Ben Greenwald participated in the Pac-12 vs. Big 10 Team Challenge this spring in Arizona where he competed in the 4x400 meter relay (pictured) and the open 400 meter race.

This is Ben’s second and final year running for the University of California, Berkeley after transferring from the University of Vermont.

s Annie Hart made her World Cup cross country ski debut on the Ski Tour of Canada, comprised of eight races in four different Canadian cities from March 1-12, 2016. She earned her Canadian World Cup start spots based on strong domestic results this season.

Overall, Annie completed all eight Tour races and achieved best result finishes in two races at Canmore, Alberta—34th in the 15K skiathlon and 36th in a classic sprint. SPA Nordic teammate Caroline Daniels was present at one of the races in Quebec City, Quebec.

’13 CLASS AGENTS Sophia Myers-Kelley smyerskelley@gmail.com

s In March 2016, David Ristau, Peter Wood, and Danny O’Shea had a mini-Reunion while traveling in Costa Rica over spring break. s In January 2016, a group of basketball alumni from class years 2009-15 returned to face off against SPA’s current Spartan hoops team. The alumni won in a close game, 74-70.

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s Harrisen Egly is the profile of a lengthy profile in the April 18, 2016 issue of the Columbia Spectator, the newspaper of Columbia University where Harrisen is finishing his sophomore year. The profile, entitled “Egly’s rise to anchoring the bullpen and beyond,” is an overview of Harrisen’s baseball career at Columbia. “As a closer, the sophomore utilizes both a fastball and a breaking ball as his primary pitches.

His tall stance on the mound, combined with the velocity he’s developed since last season, have converted into a solid 23 strikeouts over 19.2 innings pitched and a 2.29 ERA over the season thus far,” the article reports.

>> IN MEMORIAM

’36 Margaret (Peggy) Lovering Parker of Needham, Mass., died on February 3, 2015.

She was 96. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, she was the daughter of Harry D. and Margaret Rockwell Lovering.

She attended Summit School and then went on to the University of Minnesota, where she belonged to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. She was a member of the Altar Guild at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and a Sustainer of the Wellesley Garden Study Group.

Mrs. Parker is predeceased by her loving husband, Arthur Seymour Parker, M.D., with whom she shared 63 years of marriage. She is survived by four children, Anne Stommes and her husband, Leon, Stephen Parker and his wife, Linda, David Parker and his wife, Karen, and James Parker; five grandchildren, Benjamin Parker and his wife, Tracey, Stacey Parker, Andrew Parker, Madeline Parker and Katharine Parker; and four great grandchildren, Logan, Mason, Braden and Brooklyn Parker.

Her sister, Anne Elsinger ’42 of North Oaks, also survives her.

’38 Janet Simons Stephens of Edina, Minn., passed away on June 16, 2009, at the age of 89. She was born on August 28, 1919, in St. Paul and was a 1938 graduate of Summit School. She later attended the University of Minnesota where she belonged to the Alpha Phi sorority.

Janet was united in marriage to the love of her life Winfield Stephens Jr., on September 19, 1939. The two were members of the Minikahda and Edina Country Club. They loved to travel and wintered in Florida and Mazatlan, Mexico. Janet had a fun-loving spirit and a great sense of humor right up till the end. Janet was preceded in death by her husband, Winfield; parents, Emogene and Harry Simons; brother, Jim Simons; daughter, Bonnie Rock; son-in-law, John Rock; and best friend, Joyce Price.

She is survived by daughters, Pamela (Pete), Stephanie (Bob), Kristine (Bill), and Janney (Rick); son, Winfield (Nancy); 9 grandchildren and 5 greatgrandchildren; sister, Peggy Schilling ’43 (Hugh ’43); and many nieces and nephews.

’42 Alice Hubbard Liptak passed away peacefully at her home on September 25, 2015.

Alice was a graduate of Summit School and was a wonderful, loving person who was always ready to lend a helping hand.

She was also a true lover of animals. Alice is survived by her son, Michael; brother, Stanley; as well as nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Alice Rochford; father, Stanley; brother, Richard; husband, Michael; and Molly.

She will be missed by many.

’43 Richmond “Dick” Warner Jr. of Wellesley, Mass., passed away in his sleep on December 14, 2015, two days after his 90th birthday. Mr. Warner was born in 1925, the only son of Richmond P. and Winifred (Holbert) Warner of St. Paul, Minn. Following his graduation from St. Paul Academy, Dick enlisted in the Army Air Corps, and was in the course of his training when WWII came to an end. He later earned his B.A. from Connecticut’s Trinity College in 1950 and then began working for American Hoist and Derrick in St. Paul.

Dick met his future wife, Patricia Peck of Douglaston, NY (Mount Holyoke, ’48), while they were both in college. They were engaged in Alta, Utah before marrying June 4, 1955.

By 1961 Dick and Patricia had settled in Wellesley where, three years later, Dick acquired Child Life Play Specialties, Inc. His lifelong passion for woodworking prompted his purchase of the company, which was well known at the time for manufacturing the then-ubiquitous green wooden swing sets. As owner and president of Child Life, he expanded the product line, designed the popular Space Trolley, and grew the company from a one-man operation in a garage to a factory with more than 40 employees at the time of his retirement in 1989.

Dick and his cherished wife, Pat, became dedicated advocates of the American

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contemporary crafts movement, producing work in a variety of media including, wood, glass, ceramics, fiber, and metal. The Warners were active members of their local arts community and counted many artists as friends and frequent visitors to their Wellesley home. Dick fostered a love of nature that was irresistible and infectious.

In addition to skiing at Alta, across New England, and his extensive travels with his wife, he also hiked and climbed throughout the White Mountains and Baxter State Park. He was a member of the 4000 Footer Club and a founding member of the “Men of Caliber.” He remained an enthusiastic trekker and boatman in the Grand Canyon well into his 80’s.

Mr. Warner is survived by his wife, Patricia; daughter Anne Costello (Patirck) of Auburndale; son Chuck Warner (Sally Cragin); and four grandchildren: Jillian and Amelia Costello, and Christopher and Jet Warner. His family is grateful to the entire staff of Epoch of Weston for their attentiveness and care throughout 2015.

Malcolm Cammack passed away at the Cammack Family Farm on Thursday, September 24, 2015. Malcolm’s passing came just six days shy of his 91st birthday. Never one to want a fuss made over him, it was his wish that his obituary read: “He died and a service was held yesterday.”

He is survived by his bride of 66 years, Elizabeth “Betty” Bancroft Cammack ’47, his children and their spouses:

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>> IN MEMORIAM

Huck ’69 (Chrissie), Richie ’70 (Ann), Elizabeth “Binkie” Closmore ’71 (Greg), Debbie Muller ’75 (Rob), Sally Miesen ’82 (Jack), and Julie Backer ’91 (Brigg), as well as by his

17 grandchildren, and his four great grandchildren.

’48 Donald Harris passed away on March 29, 2016. Donald Harris was an American composer born April 7, 1931, in St. Paul, Minnesota to the late Barney and Hattie Harris. Donald served as an administrator at the New England Conservatory of Music (1967-77) and as Dean of the Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford (197788), before becoming Dean of the College of the Arts and professor of music at The Ohio State University (1988-1997).

After a thirty-year career as a senior-level administrator in higher education and the arts, he stepped down as Dean and rejoined the OSU faculty in composition. Harris earned his bachelors and master’s degrees in composition from The University of Michigan.

From 1954 until 1968, Harris lived in Paris where he was music consultant to the United States Information Service and produced the city’s first postwar Festival of Contemporary American Music.

Harris received numerous commissions, including the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Radio France, and the Cleveland Orchestra.

Harris is past president of The International Council of Fine Arts Deans (ICFAD)

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and served on the boards of BalletMet, Columbus Symphony Orchestra and the Martin Luther King Center. He was currently serving on the board of The Johnstone Fund for New Music.

Harris was twice honored with the OSU School of Music’s Distinguished Service Award.

Aside from all the accolades and awards bestowed upon Donald, he will be remembered by most as a genuine, kind man who was a mentor to many. Donald is survived by his loving wife, Marilyn; sons, Daniel Yves (Tracy) and Jeremy William (Aileen); daughters, Leanne Moulton of Amherst, MA, and Kristine (Bob) Phillips of Stratford, CT; grandchildren, Marc, Spencer, Sophia and Amelia Harris, Aubrey Mae Moulton, and Carrie Phillips; great-granddaughter, Marleigh Hope; brother L.R. “Buddy” (Natalie) Harris of Palm Springs, CA.; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by brother Jim Harris

Carl Weschcke of Woodbury, Minn., died at the age of 85.

He was a national figure in the new age religious community and a publisher of books on the occult. Mr. Weschcke was well-known in St. Paul for moving into the supposedly haunted Chauncey Griggs mansion on Summit Avenue in the 1960s and for popularizing the Wiccan religion. With his wife, Sandra, Weschcke owned Woodbury-based Llewellyn Worldwide, which publishes books on the occult and new age religious texts. Weschcke was involved in the company’s operations until shortly before his death.

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Born in 1930 and raised in St. Paul, Weschcke graduated from St. Paul Academy in 1948 and then went on to Babson College in Wellesley, MA. After completing his studies with a bachelor’s in business administration, he joined his parents’ pharmaceutical business. At age 28, he left to pursue a career in the paranormal. He bought Llewellyn in 1961, moving it from Portland, Ore., to the Twin Cities. Already established as the oldest New Age publisher in the country, Llewellyn grew under Weschcke’s leadership to become the largest, too. After Carl and Sandra Weschcke married in 1972, the couple shared running the publishing business. They moved out of the historic Griggs house in 1977 and relocated to Marine on St. Croix before settling in Woodbury. Weschcke cowrote 10 books on psychic empowerment and other New Age subjects. He was also involved with the Minnesota chapters of the NAACP and the ACLU. He is survived by his wife, Sandra; his son, Gabe; his daughter-in-law, Michele; and three grandchildren.

’50 Donald (Don) Griffiths passed away on February 2, 2016. Born on February 16, 1931, Don was a lifelong resident of St. Paul. A proud attendee of St. Paul Academy and Northwood School in Lake Placid, Don eventually went on to study at the University of Minnesota, and to serve on the US Air

Force. Known by his friends and family to be a master at bridge and backgammon, Don was a spirited sports fan and Minnesota Gophers loyalist, as well as a dog lover. Don was preceded in death by M.L. & Dorothy Griffiths, and his infant son Dale. He is survived by children, Kim (Bruce) Strahlman, Jill Griffiths (Larry Pogemiller), Guy Griffiths; grandchildren, Sean, Sky Li ’18, Jia, & Ryan; former wife, Janet Carpenter; and many dear neighbors and friends.

’52 Helen McGovern Frye passed away peacefully on December 21, 2015 at the age of 81 due to complications resulting from chronic lung disease. A native of St. Paul, Helen grew up on Summit Avenue and graduated from Summit School in 1952. She was a vibrant member of that community, serving as photography editor of the yearbook, President of the Drama Club, and as a member of the Summit Singers. She also played both varsity basketball and volleyball, and along with a few classmates, was an enthusiastic tennis player. Helen was known among her classmates for her wit, delightful freckles, and tendency for shenanigans. She remained connected to the school for the majority of her life, serving for many years as a class agent. Helen completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota, graduating with a degree in anthropology. In 1956, she married Richard (Dick) Frye and the two of them were

blessed with three incredible children of whose success Helen was infinitely proud.

Helen was an active volunteer, loved reading and antiques, and was an avid conversationalist. She enjoyed hitting the court with her tennis team, the Killer B’s. Those who knew Helen will remember her for being wise, fun, smart, elegant, and, most importantly for a life well lived. She is survived by her husband, Richard Frye; children Rich (Aurora), Jane Lerbs (Jamie) and Betsy Pitschka; and grandchildren Diego, Mauricio, Austin and Betsey.

’55 George Earl passed away in his Florida home on October 29, 2015 at the age of 78. George was born in St. Paul and attended St. Paul Academy where, at 6’7”, he was known to his classmates as “Big George.” As a senior, George was acknowledged by his peers as being the biggest contributor to the class. He was an accomplished athlete, playing varsity football, hockey, and golf, but was also a talented musician; he was a member of the glee club and the acapella choir and was believed by many of his classmates to have a future as a bass player. After graduating from St. Paul Academy, George enrolled at the University of Minnesota. Upon completing his studies, he passionately pursued his career and was a decades-long member of the Chicago Board of Trade and Minneapolis Grain Exchange.

His commitment to his

profession was profound, and he worked until his final days.

George revered fast moving vehicles including motorcycles, snowmobiles, speedboats and cars. He played golf and was an avid bridge player. He had a unique way of creating special bonds with people of all ages throughout his life. He was funny, generous, kind, and perhaps the most organized person on the planet. He was forever devoted to the love of his life, Clover, who passed away in 2008. To his extended family he was a beloved uncle and the greatest Simon, leading them in competitive games of Simon Says.

He leaves behind four adoring daughters, Clover Earl ’78 (Tom Zell), Lisa Desmarais (Michael), Christy White ’81 (Phil White ’81) and Karen Reis ’86 (Peter), His eight grandchildren will miss their Boppa who taught them everything they needed to know to be astute poker players.

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his wife and best friend Amy; young daughters, Kathleen and Cassidy Lou; beloved mother, Amparo; sister, Becky Symons (Jordan) and countless other family and friends. He is preceded in death by his father and West Side dignitary Harry, Sr.

and swing dancing. Andrew will be missed for his wicked wit, wry sense of humor, and his encyclopedic knowledge of military history. He was a brilliant, kind, and gentle person.

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Robert “Bob” Dreschel of St. Paul died at home surrounded by family on April 2, 2016, at the age of 88. He joined the St. Paul Academy math department in 1960 and taught Upper School math at both the boys’ school and the merged St. Paul Academy and Summit School until his retirement in 1991. He is survived by wife, Betty; daughters, Linda (Fred) Baisch, and Kath (Dave) Vichich; son, John (Kim); grandchildren, Katie, Will, Jeannette (Abe), Joseph (Krista), Anna, Sarah, Heidi and Daniel.

Andrew Jensen passed away unexpectedly on November 5, 2015 at the age of 42. As a student at SPA, Andrew was part of the fencing team. He was also a dominating force on the Quiz Bowl team, and their undefeated season his junior year earned Andrew a trip to the state tournament.

This passion for learning and knowledge stayed with him throughout life as he was a regular at local trivia gatherings until his passing. Andrew’s intellectual pursuits also extended to the Military History Book Club at the HarMar Mall Barnes & Noble, and various online forums devoted to history and politics. He was also an avid fan of war gaming

Friends

Harry Gaston Jr. passed away on February 27, 2016 at the age of 52 after a fiercely fought battle. Harry died with the same grace, dignity, faith, bravery, and love for family with which he lived his life.

His million watt smile, easy going way, and contagious laugh will be missed forever by loved ones.

The West Side, Blessed Trinity, St. Paul Academy and Summit School, and several sports teams have lost a beloved and loyal friend. He is survived by

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Greg Helgeson

>> PERFORMANCES

Middle School Winter Concert December 2015

John Severson

Upper School One-Acts January 2016

John Severson

Middle School Musical, Cinderella March 2016

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David Wheaton

Upper School Spring Musical, Les Miserables May 2016

Middle and Upper School Jazz Band Concert May 2016

Greg Helgeson

Greg Helgeson

Upper School Vocal/Orchestral Spring Concert and Community Chorale April 2016

For more photos from the SPA’s student performances, visit stpaulacademy. smugmug.com/ performances

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Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID

Twin Cities, MN Permit No. 3400

1712 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105-2194 Change Service Requested

TO PARENTS OF ALUMNI/AE: If this is no longer the current mailing address for your son or daughter, please let us know at alumni@spa.edu or 651-696-1318.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS June 2016 Class of 2016 Commencement Sunday, June 12, 4 p.m.

Randolph Campus, North Lawn

August 2016 Golf and Tennis Classic Monday, August 22, 2016

Town and Country Club Visit www.spa.edu/alumni for details

September 2016

October 2016 Alumni/ae Council Speaker Series: A Conversation with Sean Cairncross ’93, Chief Operating Officer of the Republican National Committee Thursday, October 20, 2016, 5:30 p.m.

Minneapolis Club Visit www.spa.edu/alumni/speaker_series for details

November 2016 Alumni/ae Holiday Party Wednesday, November 23, 7 p.m.

Sweeney’s Saloon

Reunion Weekend 2016 September 9-10, 2016

Visit www.spa.edu/alumni/Reunion_ Weekend_2016 for details

The art of Jane Jackson ’16 (top) and Liz Shaheen ’16 (bottom), along with 24 other SPA student artists, was recognized with a 2016 Minnesota Scholastic Art Award. See more from our award-winning artists on page 9.