SPA Magazine Spring 2012

The Magazine

of

ST. Paul acadeMy

and

SuMMiT School

spring/summer 2012

ThE GREAT COMMUNICATORS: FINDING YOUR VOICE AT SPA In this issue: Debate Alumni/ae make Their mark | Class of 1961 50th reunion On the Hill: sarah neimeyer ’82 and John gast ’10

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Letter from the Head On the cover Great Communicators: Finding Your Voice at SPA SPA enjoys a reputation for its emphasis on communication skills and students’ ability to organize their thoughts, write with style, and present themselves with confidence.

The Magazine of ST. Paul acadeMy and S uMMiT S chool

Debate Alumni/ae Make Their Mark

SPRING | SUMMER 2012

Catching up with SPA debate champs Ilana Cass ’83, Stan Shepard ’93, Uju Obi ’00, and Zac Mohring ’11.

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Life on the Hill: Sarah Neimeyer ’82 and John Gast ’10 D.C. alums Sarah Neimeyer ’82 and John Gast ’10 work on opposite sides of the political divide, but they agree that SPA has had an impact on their lives and work on the Hill.

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The Last Word A glimpse into one of the last moments in a student’s SPA career: the Senior Speech, as delivered by Dylan Perese ’12.

Departments Through the Doors

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Philanthropy

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Spartan Sports

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Class Notes

Alumni/ae News

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In Memoriam

On the cover: Matt Nelson ’12 at the podium during his Senior Speech on April 19, 2012. Photo by Scott Streble.

Editor Ami Berger Contributing Writers Ami Berger, Laura Billings Coleman, Jenni Glick, Dorothy Goldie ’73, Sarah Johnson, Laura Kaliebe, Dylan Perese ’12, Erin Peterson, Peggy Rader, Crosby Summers ’61 Principal Photographer Scott Streble

2011-12 Board of Trustees Officers Charlotte Shepard Johnson ’64, President Tim O’Brien ’77, Secretary Philip W. White ’81, Treasurer

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.

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.

Members Dr. Fahima Aziz Elizabeth Driscoll Hlavka Ruth Seely Huss ’57 Frederick C. Kaemmer ’88 Sarah S. Karon Dr. Anders M. Knutzen Bruce A. Lilly ’70 Scot W. Malloy Ranlet Miner, Jr. Paul S. Moe Virginia H. Morris Ann Ruhr Pifer ’83 Dr. Brian C. Rosenberg Gail A. Ward Timothy A. Welsh Shannon McNeely Whitaker ’78

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

Contributing Photographers Ami Berger, Linda Brooks, Irene Buettner-Salido ’12, Greg Helgeson, Kreg Holt, Dan Marshall, Dave Parmelee, Ned Patterson, Jill Romans, Sandy Schaeffer, John Severson, Asher Szachowicz ’13, Brook Todd, Wendy White ’12, Bill Youngblood Design and Layout Kimberlea Weeks Sexton Printing

St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 651-698-2451 info@spa.edu www.spa.edu

Letter from the Head

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Although somewhat abruptly delivered, Lewis’ message has great merit. One does not tumble into becoming a writer by talking about it; it takes practice, and lots of it. At SPA, we take this message seriously, and not only about writing. Visitors to our community often remark on how articulate our students are and on their peerless ability to express their ideas with such confidence and poise. I agree, but I also know that our students do not come by such skills by lucky accident: they have been given many opportunities to cultivate and develop these talents.

SPA has always excelled in teaching students how to write, mostly because SPA teachers over the decades have incorporated Sinclair Lewis’ advice: our students write early, often, and in virtually every class they take. They are taught to analyze prose, to conduct and interpret research, and to compose narrative in a wide variety of forms. Moreover, our students are very adept at changing modes of expression at a moment’s notice—a skill that is becoming more and more important as technology impacts communication at a dizzying pace. Our students understand innately how to compartmentalize and adapt their writing, speaking, and listening skills, moving seamlessly from a 140-character tweet to a perceptive analysis of Shakespeare’s Falstaff without a trace of anxiety or awkwardness, as Dylan Perese ’12 does in his Senior Speech, reprinted on page 40.

We like to say that there is no back of the classroom at SPA, and by that we mean that every student’s voice is essential to the intellectual community. No one is permitted to get lost, to be shut out, or to slink to the last row and refuse to participate. Even in the youngest grades, our students are expected to develop their own

Scott Streble

There is an oft-repeated story about the Nobel Prize-winning author Sinclair Lewis’ advice to students at Harvard on how to become a writer.

Lewis, a famously irascible character, walked onto the stage in Memorial Hall and said to the audience, “Hands up, all those who want to be writers!”

Hands shot up throughout the auditorium.

“Then go home and write!” Lewis ordered, and ambled from the platform.

voices and to articulate their ideas in thoughtful ways. They learn to be both speakers and listeners, to offer and accept criticism constructively, and to resist the thoroughly human inclination to dismiss the critique or the critic.

The Harkness tables in our Upper School classrooms are the most tangible symbols of this approach, but clear writing and confident speaking are hallmarks of all the disciplines, not just the humanities. At SPA, we believe that scientists and mathematicians must be as skilled as historians and literary critics when it comes to communicating the important ideas of their chosen disciplines. In every subject, our students are given the technical and the personal tools to develop fully as communicators. They learn proper grammar, syntax, and style, and then are urged to use those tools as they shape their own ideas. When our students head off to college, they are ready to produce polished, cogent essays, to speak confidently in their classes, and to participate fully in the intellectual lives of their chosen colleges and universities.

We have always believed that strong communication skills are a fundamental component of living a successful life, and we take great pride in watching our students develop their own voices. I hope you’ll enjoy reading this issue of SPA Magazine and learning how that happens here every day.

Bryn S. Roberts Head of School

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

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Through the Doors

Ami Berger

More than a dozen Upper School students were honored with state and national awards for excellence in the arts this winter.

In December 2011, Irene Buettner-Salido ’12 was named a recipient of a 2011 Young Arts Merit Award from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA), which recognizes and supports America’s most talented high school artists. Irene, whose winning photo is pictured at right, was one of only 33 Merit Winners in the photography category and one of only 271 winners across all categories out of a pool of more than 5,000 applicants nationwide.

Left to right: Jan Hartman, Larry Nelson, and Cathie Prunty have a combined 90 years of service to SPA between them.

SPA bids farewell to retiring faculty This spring, St. Paul Academy and Summit School celebrated the retirement of three longtime teachers. Larry Nelson, who has taught science at SPA since 1972; Jan Hartman, Middle School math teacher since 2001; and Cathie Prunty, a fixture in the Lower School since 1973. All three teachers were honored at a faculty/staff banquet in May 2012.

Irene Buettner-Salido

Upper School students win state and national art awards

Irene was also one of the fifteen SPA students to receive a Minnesota Scholastic Art Award (MSAA) in February 2012. The MSAA program honors excellence in student artwork, and the 2011-12 competition received 1376 individual artwork entries and 170 portfolio entries. Of the 300 pieces selected for the award, sixteen are by fifteen SPA students.

There are three levels of distinction in the MSAA program. Gold Key is the program’s highest distinction; pieces awarded a Gold Key are included in an exhibition at the Minnesota College of Art and Design and also advance to the national competition.

Silver Key denotes high distinction; these pieces are also included in the MCAD exhibition. Honorable Mention are given to pieces noted by the jurors as deserving of merit.

This year’s SPA recipients of the MSAA awards are: Ariana Amini ’13, Honorable Mention; William Brower ’13, Silver Key; Max Brown ’12, Honorable Mention Portfolio; Irene Buettner-Salido ’12, Honorable Mention Portfolio; Ella Coon ’12, Gold Key Portfolio; Basil Ernst ’13, Gold Key; Laura Goetz ’13, Honorable Mention; Perrin Hutcheson ’12, Gold Key and Silver Key Portfolio; Margarit Merrill ’12, Honorable Mention; Peter Morley ’12, Silver Key Portfolio; Thomas Moyers ’12, Honorable Mention Portfolio; Christopher Pifer ’14, Honorable Mention; Ian Rolf ’13, Silver Key; Daniela Tiedemann ’15, Silver Key; and Grant Whitaker ’12, Honorable Mention Portfolio.

Lower Schooler wins essay contest Third-grader Gracie Tilney-Kaemmer was one of nine runners-up in an essay contest sponsored by the United Way and the Star Tribune in December 2011. Hundreds of Twin Cities students in grades 3-5 submitted essays to the contest, which asked students to reflect on how everyday acts make our communities welcoming, inclusive and stronger.

In her award-winning essay, Gracie wrote: “I believe everyone counts because somehow everyone relies on someone else. It’s like a chain reaction. If one person isn’t in the world, it’s a different place. Say the president was all alone in the government. He wouldn’t get anything done to help others. He would just be a rich man who can’t do anything for others. We can do some things alone, but the most important things you must do with a friend who you trust and love. If what everyone needs is a friend, I think we can give food, shelter and friendship to those in need.”

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SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

The St. Paul History Theater’s production of Coco’s Diary, the play based on the diary of Coco Irvine ’32, was attended by dozens of SPA alumni/ae, parents, and students during its month-long run in March 2012. SPA’s seventh- and eighthgraders attended the performance on March 15, and dozens of alumni/ae attended the March 11 performance, which included a question-and-answer period with Vicki Churchill Ford ’56, Coco’s daughter. Ford was instrumental in the 2011 publication of Through No Fault of My Own, the diary by her mother upon which the play was based [see the spring issue of SPA Magazine for more on Through No Fault of My Own—Ed.].

Jill Romans

Coco’s Diary a huge hit across generations

Middle School English teacher Carrie Clark reports that the seventh- and eighthgraders prepared for the performance by reading excerpts from Through No Fault of My Own, in which Coco describes her life as a student at the Summit School.

“The students were completely taken with the diary and how it compares with their own experiences at school,” Clark says.

Debate team earns first-ever top state ranking For the first time in the memory of Tom Fones, St. Paul Academy and Summit School debate coach, an independent school has won first place as Minnesota’s top debate team, and that school is SPA. SPA won the top spot over two large public schools, Eagan and Eastview, which normally take the number one and two spots each year. The SPA team was bolstered in its efforts by the performances of Danny Foussard ’12 and Sam Wood ’13, who were both ranked in the top five as individual debaters, and by seniors Daniel Porter and Sam Rosenberg, who both made the top 10.

Fones says SPA’s top ranking is made even more impressive because of team members’ excellence in other co-curricular areas. “These top honors were amassed despite Danny missing tournaments to play football and basketball, Sam Wood playing on our state tournament soccer team and being a star on the math team, Daniel playing on our basketball team, and Sam Rosenberg being a very active and talented participant in our fall performances,” says Fones. “This kind of ‘double duty’ is what sets our students apart, and I’m grateful to the community, parents, teachers, and administrators for supporting them and making these great results possible.”

Ami Berger

Middle School math team takes first place in division The Middle School math team had a championship season in 2011-12, placing first in the South East Metro Division. The division is made up of six middle/ junior high schools with about 100 individual students competing. In addition to the first-place team finish, three SPA students took top ten medals: pictured at right are Ben Konstan ’18, who took eighth place; Milo Wittenberg ’16, who took second place; and Michelle Heilig ’16, who took first place in the division.

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

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Through the Doors

Lower School students present at tech conference A group of students from SPA’s Lower School demonstrated classroom technology at the annual TIES Technology Conference, held December 12-13, 2011 in downtown Minneapolis. The TIES conference is attended by hundreds of K-12 educators every year.

The fifteen students in grades 3-5 presented a session for educators entitled “A World Without Walls,” featuring a classroom that provides creative approaches to learning that foster motivation and connections with the world. The theme of the students’ session was the use of hands and the connection between the hands and the brain while using technology.

Let’s pull together for SPA! The 2011-12 Annual Fund is in the home stretch and we need you in the game!

Your support is the reason SPA thrives.

Let’s pull together!

Please make your gift

by June 30 to the 2011-12 Annual Fund Visit www.spa.edu/giving today!

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SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

Student publications earn state honors All three of SPA’s student publications were honored by the Minnesota State High School Press Association (MSHSPA) in December 2011. Student journalists from The Rubicon, IBID, and Art & Literature magazine earned a total of twenty Gold Medallions from the MSHSPA for excellence in a variety of categories. Gold Medallion winners were: • Maria Elena Aguilar-Petlin ’13, Magazine Poem, First Place • Saif Ahmed ’13, Newspaper Single-page Design, Third Place • William Brower ’13, Magazine Photograph, Second Place • Irene Buettner-Salido ’12, Magazine Photograph, First Place • Ibad Jafri ’12, Newspaper Editorial/Opinion Column, Second Place • Iman Jafri ’11, Magazine Short Story, Second Place • Claire Larkins ’11, Yearbook Feature Photo, Third Place • Alicia Little ’12, Newspaper Editorial Cartoon, Second Place • Andy Monserud ’13, Newspaper Review, Second Place • Nick Scott ’13, Newspaper Page One Design, Honorable Mention • Alexander Smith ’11, Magazine Art/Illustration, First Place • Miriam Tibbetts ’16, Magazine Short Story, First Place • Allison Wang ’12, Newspaper Center Spread Design, Third Place • Bobby Whitaker ’11, Yearbook Feature Copy, Honorable Mention • Samuel Wood ’13, Magazine Poem, Second Place • Edward Xie ’12, Magazine Spread Design, First and Second Place; Magazine Cover Design, First Place • Rebecca Xu ’12, Newspaper Feature Photo, Third Place

Academic WorldQuest wins state title

Serena Bass and grandson Max during the Lower School Grandparents and Special Friends Day.

Left to right: Thomas Toghramadjian ’15, Jeremy

Academic WorldQuest is a Tong ’13, Ibad Jafri ’13, and Hagop Toghramadjian ’13 at the Academic WorldQuest national tournament. national high school social studies competition which challenges teams of four on knowledge of international history and current events.

SPA’s four-person team consisted of two defending champions and two newcomers.

Hagop Toghramadjian ’13 and Jeremy Tong ’13, members of last year’s team, were joined by newcomers Ibad Jafri ’13 and Thomas Toghramadjian ’15. Teams answered questions relating to Flags and Capitals, World Geography, People in the News, and Current Events.

Lower and Middle Schools host grandparents and special friends More than 400 grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other special friends attended this year’s Grandparents and Special Friends events in the Lower and Middle Schools in November 2011 and April 2012. The events included student performances, remarks by the principals and Head of School Bryn Roberts, and a chance for guests to visit classrooms and tour the buildings.

The first-place state finish earned the team a trip to Washington D.C. to compete in the national championship in April, where they finished in the top 20.

Kristen and Lucy are both students in Tina Barsky’s biology class this year.

Barsky notes that although she provided feedback on drafts of the girls’ essays, Kristen and Lucy very much took the initiative in their contest submissions.

“The students who enter this contest do it in addition to their regular coursework, and really must go above and beyond what we’re already doing in class,” Barsky says. “Writing essays like these requires reading scientific literature that is very sophisticated, and then interpreting and writing about it in a very precise and focused way. Kristen and Lucy’s success in this contest is a real testament to their abilities, especially as sophomores, and to our curricular emphasis on science writing and versatility of scientific thought for our Upper School students.”

Ami Berger

Sophomores honored in international DNA essay contest Kristen Datta ’14 and Lucy Li ’14 both earned Honorable Mention recognition in the 2012 DNA Day Essay Contest sponsored by the American Society for Human Genetics. Kristen and Lucy’s essays were chosen from more than 6,000 essays entered in this year’s contest written by high school science students in 43 U.S. states and Canada, Italy, China, Turkey, Lucy Li (left) and Kristen Datta.

Greece, India, Bangladesh, and Lithuania. SPA was the only school in this year’s competition to have two students honored.

Scott Streble

Courtesy of Academic WorldQuest

On December 1, 2012, SPA’s Academic WorldQuest team won the state competition in the annual AWQ tournament sponsored by the Minnesota International Center at the University of Minnesota.

This is the second year in a row that SPA’s team has won the state AWQ championship.

“My grandchildren were tremendously excited and proud to show us everything they and their class had done and to introduce us to what seemed a never-ending stream of friends,” says attendee Serena Bass, the grandmother of a kindergartner and first-grader. Bass, pictured above with grandson Max, lives in Brooklyn and had never visited SPA before.

“The school seems to be full of wonderful children and involved parents,” she says. “Lucky us to have such a warm and also effective school for our grandchildren!”

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

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Through the Doors

Photographer Dan Marshall challenges seventh-graders during “Off-Widji” Week

This year’s on-campus projects included working with Dan Marshall, a local photographer who specializes in visual communications. In small groups, the seventh-graders worked with Marshall to create visual “tableaux”—conceptual photographs that illustrated a specific word or concept that the group felt was important to their lives in and out of school.

To create the tableaux, students worked in small groups to create a scene that would demonstrate their word or concept.

Marshall worked closely with each group to help them understand elements of photography, choice in background, and how to visually create mood and emotion. In the tableaux pictured at right, three students portray the satisfation they have in finding common interests with their classmates and making new friends.

“One of the major goals of the Widji programming is to help kids widen their circle of friends and challenge themselves

Dan Marshall

The seventh grade’s annual “Widji Week” is actually two weeks long: one week spent immersed in outdoor education at Camp Widjiwagen in Ely, Minn.; and the second week spent at SPA working on special projects designed to help students expand their circle of friends and explore topics outside the regular Middle School curriculum.

Three seventh-graders create a scene depicting friendship and fun.

socially,” says Middle School teacher Dan Stackheimer, who coordinated the tableaux project. “The tableaux work with Dan helped students really think about how they consciously and subconsciously form opinions of people and gives them a much broader view of social situations, their peers, and themselves.”

“There’s an energy with this age group,” Marshall says about his experience with the seventh-graders. “They’re young enough that they still have this exuberance that they don’t try to hide, yet they definitely are old enough to have a lot of sophistication in how they approach a project like this.”

Courtesy SPA World Language Department

Students explore new cities, cultures in SPA-led trips abroad Two groups of Upper School students had the opportunity to explore China and Spain over spring break 2012 during two SPA-sponsored language and culture trips abroad.

Chinese teacher Aaron Bohr ’96 led one group to China, where they toured historic and scenic spots in Beijing, Shanghai and Suzhou. In Changsha, located in Hunan Provice, students had home-stays and interacted with peers at SPA’s sister school, Mingde High School.

“The Chinese were impressed by our students’ openness and willingness to learn,” says Bohr.

“This is the heart and soul of why we go to China, as it is a capstone experience for our students.”

A second group, led by Spanish teacher Rolando Castellanos, toured museums, commercial districts, palaces and parks in Madrid, Toledo, and Seville, Spain. The students also had a home-stay exchange visiting friends from Colegio Malvar in Arganda del Rey, a suburb of Madrid. “The students had the opportunity to experience life in Spain, learn firsthand about the history and culture of the country, and used Spanish to communicate with their host families and friends,” Castellanos says.

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SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

At left, students on the Spain trip posed with a statue of Goya and Upper School Spanish teacher Pam Starkey (back row, third from right). Above, students visited the sites in China with Upper School Chinese teacher Aaron Bohr ‘96 (front row, far left).

Spartan Sports

2012 Winter Season Wrap Up The girls’ Alpine team finished fourth in the Tri-Metro Conference.

A season highlight was the girls’ conference win over Breck. Senior Rachel Kinney and freshman Julia Hansen received All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.

Seventh-grader Katherine Brunell was awarded All Conference honors.

The team placed fifteenth in Sectional competition.

Boys’ Alpine Skiing The boys’ Alpine team finished fourth in the Tri-Metro Conference.

Honorable Mention All-Conference honors were awarded to freshman Kevin Patterson and sophomore Jonathan Sogin.

Eighth-grader Peter Baker was awarded All-Conference honors. In Sectional competition, Baker had a stellar race, placing 16 and only .13 seconds away from qualifying for the State meet. The team placed 15th overall in Sectionals.

Girls’ Nordic Skiing The girls’ Nordic ski team finished fourth in the Tri-Metro Conference and earned a silver team medal from the Minnesota Nordic Ski Coaches Association for the girls’ average GPA of 3.636.

Ellen McCarthy received All-Conference honors and skied a stunning pair of races in Sectional competition, placing 18th in the classic

race and 7th in the skate pursuit, qualifying her for State competition.

Boys’ Nordic Skiing The Spartan Boys’ Nordic ski team finished fifth in the Tri-Metro Conference.

Freshman Michael Destache and Seniors Gabe Chang and Ben Palmer received All Conference Honorable Mention honors. The team placed eleventh in Sectional competition.

Girls’ Basketball The basketball team finished the season in 5th place in East division of the Tri-Metro Conference. Seniors Erica

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Miller and Maggie Johnson both received All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.

Senior Jenna O’Brien received All-Conference and achieved over 1000 points. The team lost to Minnehaha in the Section Quarter final game.

Boys’ Basketball The boys’ basketball team finished fourth in the East division of the Tri-Metro Conference. Junior Spencer Egly and eighth-grader Dalante Payton received All-Conference Honorable Mention. Junior Josh Gray received All-Conference honors and was awarded the Verhey Cup for Most Valuable Player

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Fencing The fencing team had a championship year, finishing third in the state for both the Women’s and Men’s teams. The team had seven All-State finishers this year: Peter Driscoll in Men’s Foil, Nate Truman in Men’s Saber, and Willa Grinsfelder in Women’s Saber were all selected for Third Team All-State; Francesco Di Caprio in Men’s Epee, Grace Owens-Kurtz in Women’s Saber, and Eddie Xie in Men’s Saber were all selected for Second Team All-State; and Marie Siliciano in Women’s Epee was selected to First Team All-State and was the

Courtesy SPA Athletics

Girls’ Alpine Skiing

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1 | Ellen McCarthy ’15 races to the finish in the Nordic skiing Sectional competition. 2 | Lauren Ademite ’13 calls for the pass.

3 | Josh Gray ’13 looks for an open teammate. 4 | In Sectional competition, Nordic skier Gabe Chang ’12 pushes across the terrain.

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

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Minnesota High School State Champion. Marie was also selected twice as the Pioneer Press Athlete of the Week.

As squads, the team was fourth in Men’s Epee, third in Women’s Epee, third in Men’s Foil, third in Women’s Saber, and second in Men’s Saber.

Individually, four Spartans placed in the top eight and medaled in their events: Eddie Xie finished fifth in Men’s Saber, Grace OwensKurtz finished fifth in Women’s Saber, Francesco Di Caprio finished fifth in Men’s Epee, and Marie Siliciano finished first in Women’s Epee.

Girls’ Hockey First-year coach Carrie Holldorf coached Team United (a cooperative team with Visitation) to a thirdplace finish in the conference.

Junior Nina Perkkio was awarded All-Conference Honorable Mention with Senior Kristen Knutzen and sophomore Alev Baysoy awarded All-Conference honors. Kristen was selected to play in the girls Senior Classic—Top 20 girls from each section of the state, and Alev was selected All-State Honorable Mention.

Boys’ Hockey The boys’ hockey team finished fifth in a highly competitive Tri-Metro Conference. Junior Matt Littler was awarded All Conference, and the Pioneer Press named him Honorable Mention All State. Junior Peter Wood and Sophomore Drew Blackmun received All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.

Drew was also awarded the Max Spore Award for Character, Competitiveness, and Leadership. Peter was awarded the Mike Foley Award for Most Improved Player.

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Boys’ Swimming and Diving The boys’ swimming and diving team, a cooperative team with Highland Park High School, finished second in the St. Paul City Conference.

Senior Matt Nelson finished 1st in the 50 Freestyle, 2nd in the 100 Freestyle and the 200 and 400 Relay teams placed 2nd. Matt received All-Conference honors.

Diver Nico Olson-Studler placed 4th in Conference diving and received All-Conference Honorable Mention. The team placed 6th at the Section 2 AA meet. By placing 2nd in the 50 free at sectionals, Matt Nelson qualified for State competition.

1 | Matt Littler ’13 looks for a pass. 2 | Team United skates back to the bench after their win against the St. Paul Blades.

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SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

Courtesy SPA Athletics

Spartan Sports

Spartan Faces in the Crowd Alev Baysoy ’14: Hockey Alev, a sophomore forward, led the girls’ hockey team to its first 15-win season in more than a decade. She was named Most Valuable Player and is the team’s record holder for most points scored in a single season (53). Alev was named All Conference and All State Honorable Mention by the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association, the Pioneer Press, and the Minnesota Associated Press.

SPA honors three-sport athletes with new Sparta Award

Ellen McCarthy ’15: Nordic Ski In the Nordic sectional competition in February 2012, Ellen skied a stunning pair of races, placing 18th in the morning classic race and then catching and passing 11 skiers to take 7th place in the afternoon skate pursuit. Ellen was one of only 11 girls from Section 3 to advance to the State tournament.

The SPA Athletics Department created a new athletics award this year designed to celebrate the athletic accomplishments and commitment of three-sport student athletes. The Sparta Award will be given every year to all Upper School students who play on a team in each season of the school year: all three-sport athletes will receive the Silver Sparta Awards, and three-sport athletes who are also varsity level in all three sports will receive the Gold Sparta Award.

Josh Gray ’13: Basketball Josh, who started all 29 games for the Spartans this year and served as team captain, led the team in scoring with an average of 13.6 points per game. He had a 44% field goal average, averaged 42.6% from the 3-point line, and was second on the team in number of assists. Josh was voted All-Conference by the Tri-Metro Conference coaches.

Francesco Di Caprio ’13: Fencing Francesco’s performance in Men’s Epee contributed to the fencing team’s thirdplace State finish this year; he was part of the Epee squad that finished fourth in the State. Individually, Francesco medaled in his event by finishing fifth at State, and he was selected for Second Team All State in Men’s Epee.

This year’s 22 Gold Sparta Award winners are Bari Applebaum ’12; Andrew Bradley ’12; Gabe Chang ’12; Mike Destache ’15; Francesco DiCaprio ’13; Maddy Flom-Staab ’15; Julia Hansen ’15; Nick Hoffmann ’14; Karl Hommeyer ’13; Ayo Jones ’12; Melanie Luikart ’13; Ellen McCarthy ’15; Erica Miller ’12; Mary Naas ’15; Steven Olson ’13; Danny O’Shea ’13; Ben Palmer ’12; Lilly Rogers-Grant ’13; Charlie Rosenblum ’14; Ian Sussna ’15; Ellen Swenson ’13; and Peter Wood ’13.

This year’s 28 Silver Sparta Award winners are Katie Ademite ’15; Aidan Arnold ’14; Luke Bishop ’15; Delaney Carter ’15; Emma Chang ’14; Chris Gast ’14; Katrina Hilton ’14; Haris Hussain ’15; Caroline Jaeger ’15; Sam Kayser ’15; Alex Lindeke ’15; Isabella Martinez ’15; Will Merriam ’15; Jackie Olson ’15; Abdul Osman ’15; Kevin Patterson ’15; Ben Pettee ’15; Sarah Romans ’15; Jonathan Sogin ’14; Emun Solomon ’14; Sheila Sullivan ’15; Sam Suzuki ’15; Andrew Thao ’14; Allison Wang ’12; Jessica Wen ’14; and Eli Zelle ’15.

Pioneer Press honors four Spartan “Athletes of the Week” Four SPA athletes were selected as the Pioneer Press “Athlete of the Week” in 2011-12. David Ristau ’13 was named in the fall for his performance on the football field against Breck; fencer Marie Siliciano ’13 was named twice for her performance on the Women’s Epee squad; Matt Fiedler ’13 was selected for his outstanding pitching and batting on the baseball team; and Drew O’Hern ’17 was selected for his winning play on the varsity golf team.

David Ristau ’13

Marie Siliciano ’13

Matt Fiedler ’13

Drew O’Hern ’17

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

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The GreaT Grea CommuniCaT a ors: aT Finding Your Voice at spA

BY Laura BiLLings CoLeman | PHotoS BY sCott streBLe

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SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

At 9:45 a.m. on a Friday morning in March, Upper School students file into the Randolph Campus gym, as they do almost every Friday of the school year. Long rows of folding chairs are set up in front of the lectern, many already filled with parents and grandparents—a few of whom look nearly as anxious as the four students about to present their Senior Speeches.

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Public speaking is the number one fear of Americans, according to several polls that place it ahead of death and disease as life’s leading source of anxiety.

At many high schools, the opportunity to stand in front of hundreds of people sharing a meaningful personal reflection is an honor—or perhaps a horror— reserved only for valedictorians and class presidents.

But at SPA, it is a requirement for every student during the senior year: three to five minutes that can loom very large.

“It’s very much a rite of passage around here,” says Tom Fones, the Upper School history teacher and debate coach who also serves as Senior Speech advisor. In the moments before the speeches begin he shakes hands with parents and alumni/ae, and gives a reassuring nod to one young woman making a last minute dash through her note cards and taking deep centering breaths. Nearby, her friends sit with fresh flowers on their laps, giggling and giving her the thumbs-up.

In the age of Facebook status updates and 140-character tweets, the practice of standing up and delivering a speech in a packed gymnasium feels decidedly “old school.” But SPA enjoys a stellar reputation for its classic liberal arts emphasis on the very skills required for this moment—the ability to organize your thoughts, write with style, present yourself with confidence, and plow ahead, in spite of sweating palms and thumping heart.

“We often hear from college reps that our students present themselves very well—they answer questions with confidence, they make eye contact, and they’re well prepared to approach almost any style of communication and writing,” says Mary Hill, SPA’s Director of College Counseling and Academic Planning. Colleges attended by critical masses of SPA graduates also report that they recognize a set of skills these students bring to their college experience.

“They’re not thrown off by workload, but they’re also trained in the skills of self-advocacy, and are very

senior speech advisor Tom Fones gives rebecca Xu ’12 a few last minute pointers before her speech. “it’s very much a rite of passage around here,” Fones says of the senior speech program.

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Birk mitau ’12 makes a point in class. “We often hear from college reps that our students present themselves very

Communicating community

well—they answer questions

Planning for the Senior Speech starts in May of a student’s junior year, when every member of the class draws their assigned date at the Junior Retreat—a moment that many graduates say they never forget. Yet as Head of School Bryn Roberts explains, preparing for this moment starts many years before.

with confidence, they make eye contact, and they’re well prepared to approach almost any style of communication,” says mary Hill, spA’s Director of College Counseling and Academic planning.

confident speaking up, talking to professors in and out of class, and asking good questions,” Hill says. “That means that when they get to college they’re ready for it, and every door is open to them.”

In surveys of SPA graduates over the last decade, 95 percent of alums report that SPA helped them develop strong college-level writing skills, while 94 percent believed they were better prepared than their college classmates for college work. Anecdotally, many more report that those skills are even more important when SPA alums make their way into the work force.

“What I hear from students who are in their thirties is that they’re working in corporations, in law, in the sciences, where workplaces have evolved into these very collaborative settings,” says Fones. “Instead of working at the same place for 20 years, they’re put on teams created to solve problems for short periods of time.” With a global economy and nearconstant technological changes, Fones says, “the ability to communicate face to face, to collaborate, and to present your ideas in a persuasive and informative way is more important than ever. I think the future really belongs to people who know how to express themselves and the SPA experience is good preparation for all of that.”

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“What we’ve developed over the decades at SPA is a clear understanding that you should be able to express yourself on your feet, and that training can’t start in the senior year—or even in grade 6,” he says. “So beginning in the Lower School, there are all kinds of ways, very carefully crafted through the school experience, for students to be ‘on stage.’”

Whether it’s through performances in kindergarten, sharing an experience in a classroom “morning meeting,” or discussing how to solve a math problem in class, each opportunity Lower School students have to share with their peers, parents, and other adults is a teachable moment, says Roberts. “Through the accumulation of these small experiences students begin to acquire a sense of confidence. They know that they can articulate their ideas and be in front of others and ‘perform,’ and it need not be a terrifying or awkward moment.”

Lower School psychologist Tim Elchert calls these “scaffolding skills,” a deep foundation of positive experiences that help young students understand that their voice and participation is important to their teachers and classmates.

“Communication skills are integrated into everything we do,” he says, noting that the Lower School’s small class size, with two adults in each homeroom, is essential to building a sense of belonging and trust between students and their teachers. “From a very young age, we’re encouraging students to communicate with grown-ups.

Whether they’re worried about something happening on the playground, or confused about a

concept they’re learning in class, we really encourage them to share with adults, and reinforce those moments by letting them know ‘I’m really glad you told me’,” says Elchert.

The development of students’ ability to communicate effectively with adults and take an active role in their own intellectual growth are the hallmarks of the “Accountable Classroom” philosophy emphasized at SPA. “We like to say that there is no back of the classroom at SPA,” says Bryn Roberts. “Every student’s voice is essential. From kindergarten up to and through Grade 12, our students learn that they are accountable to their teachers, their classmates, and ultimately to themselves for their own success.”

The “Accountable Classroom” approach helps draw out quieter students who might need more encouragement to contribute to class, while allowing students to assume more responsibility for their own education with each passing year. By the time students are in 5th grade, they are MCing the Lower School’s assemblies and taking prospective parents on tours of the school in the Lower School’s student tour guide program.

“That may seem like a very small thing, but to a 5th grader, it’s very important,” says Roberts. The result is a student body with a sense that their contributions are essential to the group’s learning process, and that their insights and observations have value.

A question from the floor: “We emphasize speaking when you have questions even more than speaking when you have answers,” says middle school english teacher Carrie Clark.

Kelby Wittenberg ’19, Tour guide Kelby Wittenberg is a member of the Class of 2019 and a part of the SPA Fifth Grade Tour Guide program.

He leads prospective families on tours of the Lower School, answering questions and serving as a school ambassador. Here are some of Kelby’s thoughts about being a tour guide, excerpted from an entry he wrote in his classroom journal entitled “Proud.”

“What I am most proud of this year is becoming a tour guide. Why I am so proud is because being a tour guide is a big job. It really helps to serve our school. Giving a tour is exciting because you get to show new kids and new parents our environment here. It’s just really fun.

“I enjoy meeting new people.

That is a reason I love being a tour guide: you’re always going to meet someone you don’t know. I met a mom and dad from West Virginia who were looking for a school here.

They were fun to talk to. They had a lot of questions about our school, but I like answering questions.

Tour guiding can be hard though.

My very first tour, the parents brought their son with them. He ran around like crazy. I can’t blame him though, he was only in preschool.

“I love being a tour guide for SPA.”

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Learning to listen Of course, making their voices heard is usually not a problem for Middle School students. “This is an age group that loves to talk and discuss. If you tell them they can’t go to the bathroom that very minute, they want to debate, ‘Why not?’ It’s a natural outgrowth of where they are developmentally,” says Middle School English teacher Carrie Clark.

That’s why SPA’s curriculum is designed to turn the curious and challenging nature of the early adolescent years to advantage, leveraging students’ growing desire for independence with a pedagogy that calls on students to take responsibility for their work, and come together to agree on community norms and expectations.

How does that translate in the classroom? Instead of telling a disruptive student to quiet down, a teacher might ask the group, “How do you think that noise is affecting others?” It’s a subtle shift in thinking, but Clark says the effect can be powerful. “Young adolescents don’t think about other people very naturally, but here they really do,” Clark says, noting that Middle School students learn that they can’t “get by with raising their

hands with the answer and then sinking back” into the woodwork. “Instead, we really work on relationship building, and the value of listening to others.”

For instance, Clark often starts her English students with a shared text—a short essay, memoir, or opinion piece— that the students must read and then come together to discuss. “At the beginning of the year, the discussions are chiefly about building trust with each other as a class, and in the second trimester it’s more about risktaking, and in the third trimester it’s about connecting ideas to what others have said.” The goal is to encourage students to speak up and carry the conversation forward, and Clark notes that teachers tend to “emphasize speaking when you have questions even more than speaking when you have answers.”

Roundtable discussions This early introduction to seminar-style learning serves SPA students well when they advance to ninth grade and encounter one of the hallmarks of the SPA experience—discussion-based classes often held around

upper school history teacher Ben Danielson (upper right) and his students around the Harkness table in a senior History seminar.

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Asialy Bracey-gardella ’14 with friends in the library. “every student’s voice is essential,” says Head of school Bryn roberts. “From kindergarten up to and through grade 12, our students learn that they are accountable to their teachers, their classmates, and ultimately to themselves for their own success.”

Harkness tables. The large oval tables, found in many Upper School classrooms, are the physical manifestation of the SPA philosophy that there is no “back of the class” at SPA. When every student has a seat at the table, instructors can employ a Socratic teaching style, posing questions, parsing and picking up on the nonverbal clues critical to good communication.

Small class sizes allow teachers to be sensitive to these signals, while the Harkness table helps keep students involved in the discussion.

“The Harkness table doesn’t change your basic philosophy of teaching, but it is a good tool that makes it very clear that participation in the conversation is required here,” Tom Fones says.

While this approach is intended to duplicate that of a college humanities course, the interactive, discussion-style emphasis of SPA’s curriculum also serves students well in the sciences, says physics teacher Steve Heilig. Free-wheeling roundtable discussions encourage science students to push the envelope as they consider new ideas together, especially in the space science course Heilig teaches. “What I like about teaching a seminar-style science class is that it encourages the quiet students to say something that they might consider a little risky,” he says.

“That’s wonderful because in space science, the wacky ideas are often the ones that turn out to be true.”

Extra-curricular communication Perhaps the most public expression of the high value SPA places on communication can be seen in students’ high achievement in extra- and co-curricular activities that showcase these skills.

SPA’s student newspaper, The Rubicon, is nationally recognized as one of the country’s best student newspapers, earning a slate of regional and national awards for excellence in student journalism. The IBID yearbook and arts magazine, Art & Literature, are also regular recipients of arts awards, and SPA’s debate team is a perpetual powerhouse. This year’s debate team was ranked first place in the state and boasted the the state’s largest debate program based on school size with 75 team members—nearly 20 percent of the Upper School student body.

For Roberts, the debate program’s success over the years underscores how much SPA students themselves value effective communication. “There’s no question that having enjoyed success over the years matters, and having highly skilled teachers matters,” says Roberts. “But the sheer numbers of students involved, and the engagement and the enjoyment they take from doing well in debate is really an expression of the culture here. Our students care about forensic ability as a craft; they care about being articulate and skilled at argument and being persuasive. These are ideas that are woven into the value of an SPA education.”

Though many students enter debate class with finely honed skills already, many more sign up because they’re not quite as confident about standing up in front of a crowd and thinking on their feet. In fact, one such student is on the roster for this Friday’s Senior Speeches; she gives a moving account of a challenging medical diagnosis she faced while a student at SPA. When she finishes, her classmates give her a standing ovation.

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Resolved:

Debate Alumni/ae make Their mark BY peggy rader streble

St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s debate team has been a state powerhouse for decades. We tracked down four SPA debate champions from the 80s, 90s, 00s, and 10s to find out how their time at the podium shaped their interests and careers.

Ilana Cass, Class of 1983 Faculty Physician, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles

Dr. Ilana Cass is a practicing oncologist, a prominent researcher in her field, and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology. But underneath the medical terminology, “what I really do is communicate with people,” she says.

“My SPA experience was critical,” Cass says. “I remember learning public speaking in fifth and sixth grade, standing in front of other people and reciting a rhyming essay about a rubber tree plant that I had memorized.” She took those skills with her to the Upper School, becoming a leader on the debate team and the winner of SPA’s Ritchie Cup for Excellence in Debate. “Debate taught me how to develop cohesive arguments and respond on the fly to any tactics or arguments brought up by the opposition,” she says.

Although she would eventually choose medicine as her life’s work, as an undergraduate at Brown University she majored in semiotics—the study of signs, words, and language.

“I chose semiotics in large part because of my experience with debate at SPA,” she says. “I was very interested in the ‘science’ of communication: how does one speak to an audience? How do you recognize and understand an audience’s interests? Semiotics allowed me to combine my two interests in debate and science.”

Bill Youngblood

Brown led to medical school and a particular interest in treating women with cancer. Now, she says, her interest in language and communication is invaluable when she talks with her patients about their treatment options. “These are pretty heavy topics,” Cass says, “and a physician has to lead those conversations in a manner that allows patients to feel comfortable about making decisions, to feel that they understand their situation and are active participants.”

As a mom, she’s trying to pass down her fond memories of SPA by encouraging her 13-year-old to take debate. “I draw on those skills every day in every way,” she says. “It was a phenomenal experience.”

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Brook Todd

Stan Shepard, Class of 1993 Managing Director and Corporate Counsel, Charles Schwab, San Francisco

Stan Shephard is now an attorney, but he didn’t get involved in debate at SPA because he wanted to be a lawyer. “It probably was the other way around,” he says with a laugh. “It’s more that my experience with debate in high school led me to the idea of a career in the law.”

Shephard says what initially drew him to debate was the fact that “it was an activity that didn’t involve lessons, tests, a paper at the end or anything as structured as my classes. It gave me the opportunity to learn and figure out issues on my own in a very self-directed way.

I liked that.”

He also liked how much his experiences with debate helped with his work in the classroom, given the curriculum’s emphasis on public speaking and oral presentations to classmates. “I remember that as a fundamental aspect to my work at SPA,” Shepard says. “You were expected to be able to present a position or set of facts clearly and make your case. A lot of the classroom work was doing research and then presenting what you had learned.”

After SPA, Shepard attended Yale University as an undergraduate and the London School of Economics and the University of Michigan Law School for his graduate studies. His interest in the law has expanded to include expertise in intellectual property, especially with regard to information technology and digital media.

He remembers his debating days at SPA with fondness and gratitude. “That experience gave me life-long skills that I used in preparing for my career and that I use every day,” he says. “It all comes down to thoughtfulness rooted in fact and common sense.”

“You were expected to be able to present a position or set of facts clearly and make your case. A lot of the classroom work [at spA] was doing research and then presenting what you had learned.”

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Uju Obi, Class of 2000 Medical Resident in Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical School

Dr. Uju Obi has always had a wide range of interests, and her professional path since leaving SPA is evidence of that. She majored in history and behavioral biology at Harvard, was offered a Wall Street job after graduation but turned it down to write health care policy in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, went back to school at Johns Hopkins to earn a master’s in public health, and then returned to Harvard for medical school.

Now, as a medical resident in psychiatry at Columbia University, she reflects on the common thread that runs throughout her diverse career. “I’ve always been interested in the brain and how people process information and ideas,” says Obi, who credits her SPA teachers for encouraging her to pursue her own ideas. “It was always okay at SPA to ask for help—it was encouraged!” she remembers. “You would go to a teacher and say, ‘I have this idea.’

And the teachers always encouraged you to take those ideas and explore them. They never doubted you or what you had to say.”

Kreg Holt

Joining the debate team was a huge influence on her SPA experience.

“I enjoyed debate so much,” she says.

“It brought me out of my shell, and helped me develop the ability to clearly express and advocate for a particular point of view.”

Those advocacy skills are a big part of her current work at Columbia and her research assistantship at the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community.

In both roles, she’s standing up for ideas and people she believes in: “It’s challenging work,” she says, “but it’s very satisfying to be doing research and policy that allows me to advocate for marginalized individuals.”

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Scott Streble

Zachary Mohring, Class of 2011 Student, Yale University, Class of 2015

For Zac Mohring, debate at SPA was a way to make the transition from the Middle School to the bigger, more complex world of the Upper School. “There’s a pretty big jump from Middle School to high school, with much higher expectations,” Mohring remembers. “Joining debate my freshman year helped me make that jump—it got me thinking much more creatively than I ever had before.”

Mohring gives a lot of the credit for that creative thinking to debate coach Tom Fones. “Mr. Fones made you want to talk about the issues,” Mohring says. “He would give us a topic, and then you’d have to dig down into all sides of the issue. We had to really engage with the material and not just learn about it.”

That ability to engage has made his first year at Yale a success, he says. “You can go through schools like SPA and Yale and do fine, but there is no way you will get the most out of those experiences without good communication skills,” he says. “A lot of professors are more than willing to work with you, but you have to be proactive and go talk to them about the material.

Classes are more valuable if you know how to engage with the professor and your classmates, and be part of discussions and be able to make your points. You have to make the effort to do something more than just sit there in class every day.”

Mohring, who is majoring in history and economics at Yale, says he’s spent a lot of time his first year in going to professors’ office hours.

“I learned at SPA that teachers are generally really into what they’re teaching,” he says, “and of course that’s true here as well. Professors like to talk about their disciplines, and if they see that you like to talk about it too, you can really learn a lot more. It’s engaging with the material—just like in debate.”

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Life On the hiLL sarah neimeyer ’82 and John gast ’10 BY erin peterson | photo BY sandy schaeffer

As the 2012 presidential election season heats up, so have the lives of D.C. politicos Sarah Neimeyer ’82 and John Gast ’10. Although they work on opposite sides of the political divide, they agree that SPA has had a real impact on their lives..

Sarah Neimeyer ’82 As a junior at SPA, Sarah Neimeyer spent a week in Washington, D.C. with several fellow students and teacher Ran Miner, getting an inside glimpse of the nation’s political scene. The timing of her trip was fortuitous for getting a sense of the political energy of the nation’s capitol: it was the week before Ronald Reagan’s first inauguration in January 1981. The experience opened her eyes to the vibrancy of the nation’s capital. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘I might like to come back here’,” she says.

After earning a degree in international relations from the University of Minnesota, she did just that, landing an internship in the House of Representatives. “I figured I’d spend a year or two there while I figured out what I wanted to do,” she says.

“But then I fell in love with the work and the city, and I never left.”

Neimeyer is now Senior Domestic Policy Advisor for Senator Richard Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois. She is Senator Durbin’s point person on legislation related to energy and the environment, and it’s a nonstop job. On any given day, she might be briefing the Senator on a new bill coming to the Senate floor, providing vote recommendations, meeting with Illinois constituents on energy policy, writing talking points for a press conference, or working on a new piece of environmental legislation. Neimeyer’s twenty-plus years in D.C. also include a stint as the director of budget and appropriations for The Wilderness Society and working on the Hill for two other Democrats: Representative Chuck Schumer of New York, and Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone, who Neimeyer remembers fondly. “I was so lucky to work for Senator Wellstone. He was a real champion,” she says. “He pushed us every day to do all that we could to make people’s lives better.”

She also remembers being pushed by her teachers at SPA in ways that made her better. “I can’t remember a single SPA teacher who didn’t support me and push me to do my best,” says Neimeyer. “Taking Shakespeare with Mr. Foley was one of the most intimidating experiences of my education, but it prepared me to not turn away from other challenges academically and even early in my career.”

Another turning point: math with Bill Boulger. “Mr. Boulger saw that I could be successful in math when all I really wanted to do was hide under the table,” she says. “And thank goodness he did, because little did I know then how much math I would have to do on a daily basis in my work now. And I’m grateful to Mr. Foley too: it helps to be able to occasionally remember a good Shakespeare quote,” she says.

Neimeyer says her work on the Hill is the perfect combination of broad policy and real-world issues. “I’m really lucky,” she says. “I get challenged to work on new and important issues every day, and I feel like I’m really making a difference.”

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SPA alumni/ae are some of the most innovative and creative people in the world.

In 2011–12, SPA’s new “Make it Amazing” advertising campaign was a huge success.

Why? Because it featured some of the most innovative and creative people in the world: SPA alumni/ae.

Who in your class is making it amazing?

Now, we need your help finding the world-changing SPA alumni/ae that you know.

Email us at MakeItAmazing@spa.edu and let us know who in your class is making it amazing.

John Gast ’10 The current political climate makes it easy to be cynical about what happens in Washington, D.C., especially for young voters. But for John Gast ’10, a sophomore at American University in D.C. and a congressional intern for Republican Representative Jim Sensenbrenner from Wisconsin, working on Capitol Hill has turned out to be remarkably uplifting.

As an intern, his responsibilities include reading email correspondence, taking constituent phone calls, and assisting the legislative staff with meetings and reports. “What I’ve learned about politics is that a lot of it is about listening people’s concerns and being very open to what they care about,” Gast says. “That’s democracy at its best.”

Gast has steeped himself in politics since arriving at American in the fall of 2009. In addition to his internship with Representative Sensenbrenner, he’s a member of American’s College Republicans group and spent the summer between his freshman and sophomore years working on former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty’s presidential campaign.

And although he spends much of his time in Sensenbrenner’s office doing administrative work—“typical intern stuff,” he says—he was recently tapped by the Congressman’s foreign relations staff to help write a background report in preparation for a delegation trip to the Middle East, including visits to Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia.

“I discovered my interest in politics during the 2008 presidential election season,” Gast says. “Being part of the SPA community that fall was very exciting with so much political activity and discussion within the student body—and having the Republican National Convention in town made for some interesting arguments!”

He also credits his SPA teachers for helping him find his political voice. “I found that my teachers were typically open-minded and happy to entertain both sides of an issue, whenever political discussions came up,” he says. SPA classmates helped too, although sometimes in a different way: heated discussions with his left-leaning SPA friends helped him critically assess his own more conservative views.

“It forced me to really think through my arguments rather than just taking my own beliefs for granted,” he says.

And while he’s not certain what his future in Washington might hold, his work on the Hill has given him a perspective that he finds valuable in these divisive political times: “It’s really helpful to be able to think about different perspectives,” he says. “If there’s anything I learned at SPA, it’s that it’s important to understand both sides of an issue.”

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Alumni/ae News

Courtesy SPA Athletics

Alumni/ae hockey Game a Success!

To view more pictures from the Alumni/ae Hockey game, visit http://stpaulacademy.smugmug.com/Sports/Hockey and click on “Alumni/ae Game 1/7/12.”

On Saturday, January 7, 2012, more than 30 alumni/ae converged on Drake Arena for the SPA Alumni/ ae Hockey Game. The game brought together alumni/ae from the 80s, 90s, and 00s for a fast-paced scrimmage.

After the game, players swapped memories at a reception before returning to Drake to cheer on the boys’ varsity hockey team as they took on St. Paul Como Park.

Talks of next year’s alumni/ae

hockey game are already in the works—look for more information next fall or contact Jenni Glick at jglick@spa.edu if you’d like to be a part of the game!

Dave Parmelee

The hon. Edward C. Stringer ’53 is named recipient of 2012 Distinguished Alumni/ae Award St. Paul Academy and Summit School has selected the Honorable Edward C. Stringer ’53, retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice, as the recipient of the 2012 St. Paul Academy and Summit School Distinguished Alumni/ae Award.

“Through his long and distinguished career, Ed Stringer has served as a counselor and jurist at the highest levels of our government and judiciary,” says Head of School Bryn S. Roberts. “He has worked assiduously to improve the lives not just of Minnesotans but of Americans throughout the country. He is a sterling example of the power of civic engagement.”

Justice Stringer has had a long and distinguished career as an attorney and a public servant. After graduating from Amherst College and the University of Minnesota Law School, he practiced law for two decades before joining the Pillsbury Company as Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

In 1989, he was appointed by President George H.W. Bush to

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the office of General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Education in Washington D.C. He returned to Minnesota in 1991 to join the staff of Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson, and in 1994, Governor Carlson appointed him to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Stringer was sworn in on September 1, 1994 as the 76th Associate Justice of the Court. He retired from the Supreme Court in 2002.

Justice Stringer served as a trustee of St. Paul Academy and Summit School for more than a decade, from 1994 until his term expired in 2006. Justice Stringer has four children and one stepson, all of whom graduated from SPA: Philip Stringer ’78, Lucy Stringer ’79, Charlie Stringer ’81, Carolyn Stringer ’84, and Brian Green ’87. His grandson, McNeil Stringer, is a member of the Class of 2011 and is the fourth generation of Stringers to attend the School.

Justice Stringer received his award at a ceremony and dinner attended by more than 130 family members and friends on May 17, 2012. To view photos from the event, visit stpaulacademy.smugmug.com/events and click on “Distinguished Alumni/ae Award 2012.”

Nominate a Distinguished Alumni/ae Award candidate The Distinguished Alumni/ae Award, established in 1987, honors St. Paul Academy and Summit School alumni/ae who have made outstanding contributions through professional or civic achievements and involvement. Nominations for the award from the SPA community are encouraged.

Candidates should meet the following selection criteria: • Significant achievements or contributions in the individual’s field of work or interest.

• Service to community, through either professional or volunteer work.

• Embodiment of the values of St. Paul Academy and Summit School as expressed in its mission statement.

• Graduated from St. Paul Academy, Summit School, or St. Paul Academy and Summit School.

For a full description of the nomination process and selection criteria, please visit www.spa.edu > Alumni/ae > Distinguished Alumni/ae Award > How to Nominate. The deadline for nominations for the 2013 Distinguished Alumni/ae Award is October 31, 2012. Nominations are reviewed and evaluated by a selection committee comprised of St. Paul Academy and Summit School alumni/ae. Nominations will be kept on file for three years. If you have questions about the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award program, please contact Jenni Glick, Alumni/ae Relations and Giving Manager, at jglick@spa.edu.

Golf and Tennis Event: August 13, 2012 August may seem far away, but it’s never too early to start thinking about joining SPA alumni/ae and parents for our annual Golf and Tennis Event.

This year’s event will take place on August 13, 2012 at the White Bear Yacht Club. Whether you plan to hit the greens or tennis court, or join us for cocktails and dinner after the day’s sporting events, we welcome all members of the SPA community to this yearly event that kicks off the 2012-13 school year.

Invitations will be mailed in early summer and we hope to see many of you there! Please visit the Events tab on the Alumni/ae Center for more information or contact Jenni Glick, Alumni/ae Relations and Giving Manager, at jglick@spa.edu.

Reunion Weekend: October 5-6, 2012 Please mark your calendars for Reunion Weekend 2012, October 5-6.

Classes ending in 2 and 7 will celebrate with individual class gatherings over the weekend. All alumni/ae in every class are invited back to campus for several all-school events.

More information about Reunion Weekend will be available on the Alumni/ae Center in the coming months. This is also a great time for alumni/ae to make sure that the School has up-to-date contact information so all Reunion communications are sent to the right place! Alumni/ae can update contact information by visiting www.spa.edu > Alumni/ae > Log into the Alumni/ae Center. New users, please click on New User Registration and follow the instructions to receive a username and password.

Information about class parties can be found in the “Class Notes” section of this magazine, starting on page 26. If you would like to volunteer for your class reunion or have questions, please contact Jenni Glick, Alumni/ae Relations and Giving Manager, at jglick@spa.edu.

We hope to see you in October for Reunion Weekend 2012!

Speaker Day 2012 brings creative alumni/ae back On March 8, 2012, SPA’s Upper School hosted Speaker Day 2012, a day-long event showcasing speakers addressing a wide range of topics related to a central theme.

Speaker Day is organized by the Upper School Council, SPA’s student leadership organization, and is attended by all students in grades 9-12.

This year’s Speaker Day theme was “creativity” and the day featured sessions led by a dozen SPA alumni/ae from the last fifty years. The day’s keynote address was delivered by Sarah Ward ’87. Students then attended two breakout sessions of their choice on topics ranging from the fine arts, music, and theater to social media, patent law, and nonprofit organization management. Alumni/ae presenters included Simone Ahuja ’87; Spencer Deinart ’84; James Delaney ’93; Dutton Foster ’57; Tripp Johnson ’83; Fred Kaemmer ’88; Bruce Lilly ’70; Mike Lipset ’05; Mary O’Brien ’95; Cathy Paper ’85; Sarah Ward ’87; and Peter Zelle ’83.

“We so appreciate the support of our alums in making Speaker Day a success,” says USC advisor and math teacher Jim McVeety. “This day is an important part of our students’ learning and development, and it’s a privilege to have our alumni/ae be a part of that.”

For a slideshow of photos from Speaker Day, visit stpaulacademy.smugmug.com/ StudentLife and click on “Speaker Day 2012.”

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Philanthropy

St. Paul Academy and Summit School relies on the generous philanthropic support of all members of the community to actively participate in the Annual Fund each year. All gifts made by June 30 will be recognized in the 2011-12 Annual Report. To make your taxdeductible contribution, visit www.spa.edu/giving or call Sarah Johnson, Director of Annual Giving, at (651) 696-1320.

Torch and Lamp society gathers for Coco’s Diary at the History Theatre Members of the St. Paul Academy and Summit School Torch and Lamp Society were invited to a performance of Coco’s Diary at the History Theatre in February 2012. The play was based on the diary of Coco Irvine ’32. Torch and Lamp members enjoyed a special SPA reception during intermission and a question-and-answer session after the performance with Vicki Churchill Ford ’56, Coco Irvine’s daughter, pictured at right with husband Si Ford at the History Theatre.

Ami Berger

Annual Fund 2011-12: We need You!

The Torch and Lamp Society recognizes those who through thoughtful and generous planning will light the way as the school continues its commitment to academic excellence and service to young people. Membership in the Society is open to all who make a gift to St. Paul Academy and Summit School through a bequest, trust, charitable life-income arrangement, life insurance policy, or qualified benefit plan assets.

For more information about planning a gift to St. Paul Academy and Summit School, visit our website at www.spa.edu and click “Support SPA.” In the section under Gift Planning, you’ll find a number of different tools you can use to determine the best vehicle for you and your family to leave a legacy to SPA, no matter what your age or present circumstances.

Leadership Giving Society: Leading the way

St. Paul Academy and Summit School is proud to acknowledge the members of the 2011-12 Leadership Giving Society. These philanthropic leaders make an extraordinary difference in the life of the school through annual contributions of $2,500 or more to the Annual Fund, endowment, capital gifts and other areas of need.

We are also grateful for the work and support of our Leadership Giving Society Chairs: Tim O’Brien ’77, Anne Larsen Hooley, and Joe Benson ’68.

Listed at right are the 2011-12 Leadership Giving Society members as of May 31, 2012. A final list will be included in the 2011-12 Annual Report reflecting all gifts made by June 30, 2012.

24

SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

Anonymous James C. and Julia Adams Josephine Bahl Lee and Bartlett Baker, Jr. Donna and William H. Barrows, M.D. Alicia Kunin-Batson and Hayes Batson David M. and Karen Beadie Carol and Judson Bemis, Jr. Ron and Susan Beran David and Dana Berg Timothy and Rebecca Blodgett Thomas A. and Michelle R. Bradley Henry A. Brandtjen III and Kirstin Brandtjen Virginia D. Brooks Conley and Marney Brooks Lynn Schilling Brown Brad and Mary Brunell Geraldine and Robert L. Bullard Jeffrey L. Burton and Varda K. Nauen John K. Butler Peter M. and Sandra Butler Martin Carlson and Mary Knoblauch Christopher and Julie Causey Hyung and Kristin Choi John M. and Deborah Christakos Chris and Linda Coetzee Michael and Leslie Connelly Lynn Cornell

Page and John Cowles III Barb Naramore and Steve Cox R. George and Holly Crawford Richard T. and Marilyn Cunniff John M.A. Doar John A. and Sara Donaldson Elise R. Donohue W. John and Elizabeth Driscoll Margaret L. Driscoll and Robert Keeley William L. Driscoll and Lisa Hoffman John B. and Kirsten Driscoll John Edgerton and Heidi Gesell Steven and Traci Egly Cole and Susan Fauver Litton E. S. Field, Jr. and Anne Field Kevin P. Filter and Rosemary Kessler Phillip C. and Jeanne Foussard John T. and Sarah Garrett Marcy and Jay Gast Gene F. Goetz and Jan Conlin Laurie and Bruce Goldfarb Dorothy Goldie and Ralph Schwartz Julie Kunkel and Thomas Hall Gar Hargens and Missy Thompson Linda and Norman W. Harris III Julia L. Weyerhaeuser Heidmann and Timothy P. Heidmann Mark and Terri Henneman

Ami Berger

Board of Trustees establishes Capital Campaign steering Committee

A

s the school broadens its capital fundraising efforts to the wider community of parents, alumni/ae and friends, the St. Paul Academy and Summit School. Board of Trustees has established a Capital Campaign Steering Committee. Tim O’Brien ’77 and Libby Hlavka will chair the committee; Bruce Lilly ’70 and Sandra Bemis Roe ’59 will serve as honorary co-chairs. Members of the committee are current trustees Gail Ward, Ran Miner, Tim Welsh and Ruth Huss ’57.

At its first meeting in April 2012, the Steering Committee reviewed campaign plans and determined potential donors to approach for the first phase of the campaign, which will focus on raising funds for a planned Performing Arts Center on the Randolph Campus. Please contact Dorothy Goldie ’73, Director of Institutional Advancement, at dgoldie@spa.edu with questions about the campaign.

Members of the Capital Campaign Steering Committee are (left to right) Bruce Lilly ’70, Ran Miner, Ruth Huss ’57, Gail Ward, Shotsy Johnson ’64, Tim O’Brien ’77, and Libby Hlavka, pictured with Head of School Bryn Roberts. Not pictured: Sandra Bemis Roe ’59.

David and Mary Herr Stephen and Leslie Hite Elizabeth and Edwin Hlavka Karen and Chris Hoffmann Mark Hooley and Anne Larsen Hooley Todd and Laurie Horne Stanley S. and Karen Hubbard James Daniel Humphrey Foundation Ruth S. and John Huss, Jr. Susanne B. and Zenas W. Hutcheson III David and Sharon Jaeger Betty Wold Johnson Michael and Elaine Johnson Charlotte and D. Ward Johnson, Jr. Lucy Rosenberry Jones Dr. Arthur and Martha Kaemmer Fred C. Kaemmer and Katherine R. Tilney Paul L. and Sarah Karon Margaret H. and James E. Kelley Foundation The Honorable Allan W. Klein and The Honorable Harriet Lansing Dr. Anders and Sally Knutzen David Kristal and Cristiana Giordano The John Larsen Foundation John E. Larsen and Michael Stewart John and Karen Larsen Stephen and Kristen Rose

Christopher and Angela Larson Emily Fields and Brooke Lea Sperry and Anna Lea Steven and Jeannette Levitt Diane and David M. Lilly, Jr. Bruce A. Lilly Perrin and David M. Lilly, Sr. George M. Logan Deborah G. Longley Drs. Elizabeth and Martin Lorenz-Meyer Dr. Keith Lurie and Dr. Barbara Gold Lurie Scot and Dana Malloy Mary Bigelow McMillan Harry G. McNeely, Jr. Richard and Kimberly Merriam Chris and Cathy Middlebrook Elzabeth and Ranlet Miner, Jr. Lee R. Mitau and Karin J. Birkeland Paul and Karine Moe Sheila C. Morgan Catherine L. and Spence G. Morley Virginia H. Morris Eric and Elizabeth Nicholson Tim and Francine O’Brien Daniel O’Shea and Alexandra Muschenheim Michael M. Parish Thomas and Sally Patterson

Elizabeth and Bill Pedersen Ann and Nicholas Pifer Louise Benz Plank Heather and Sean Ploen George C. and Diane Power Troy and Melisa Priem Richard Rinkoff and Julia Ferguson Nedret and Adam Rix Sandra B. Roe Daniel and Kathryn Rominski Stephen and Kristen Rose Dr. Brian C. and Dr. Carol Rosenberg Hugh Schilling and Margaret Simons Bob and Kimberly Scott David and Martha Sewall Joe and Tina Shaffer Benedict and Jo Ann Shanley Joan Shapiro Stanley and Lucy Shepard Bradner H. Smith and Laura O’Brien Smith Gail A. Ward and John C. Smith John Soranno and Michelle Michel Stephanie Sommer and Stephen Spencer James and Tracy Steiner Dr. George E. and Kristine M. Tesar Mrs. George H. Tesar Martin and Karin-Marie Traaseth

Mazhar and Nurhan Tutuncu William Umscheid and Jody Strakosch David Upin and Marissa Rosenblum Michele and Angelica Volpi Dr. Herbert and Lori Ward David M. and Mary Ann Barrows Wark William and Barbara Welke Tim and Liz Welsh Dr. Joseph Westwater and Virginia Kraus David and Betsy Weyerhaeuser F. T. and Nancy Weyerhaeuser Rick Weyerhaeuser and Dr. Anne Brewster Charles S. and Julie Whitaker Douglas R. and Katherine Whitaker Shannon M. and Steven W. Whitaker Philip and Christina White Walter and Karen White Karen and Norbert Forester Winter, Jr. Family Foundation Lesley and Dwayne Wolterstorff Jane Wood* Robert and Ann Works The Honorable Wilhelmina M. Wright and Daniel Schmechel Charles A. and Julie Zelle *denotes deceased

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

25

Class ClassNotes Notes

65Th REUNION FOR CLASS OF 1945: On October 2, 2010, the members of the St. Paul Academy Class of 1945 gathered to celebrate their 65th Reunion. Pictured left to right are Al Sedgwick, Bob Mairs, Laurence Shallenberger, Harold Field, Peter Anson, John Jackson, Ed Bronstein, and Dick Bancroft.

Have news to share?

E-mail 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. We look forward to hearing from you!

Become a Class Agent!

Class Agents keep in touch with their classmates and provide updates on SPA happenings. Class Agents also help with special events and reunions. All classes welcome additional volunteers and multiple Class Agents are encouraged. To become a Class Agent, please contact alumni@spa.edu or 651-696-1366.

release, John was selected for his “legendary” public service and leadership in federal efforts to protect and enforce civil rights during the 1960s.

The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor and is often used by presidents to highlight people or issues important to them. Other Medal of Freedom honorees this year include former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, musician Bob Dylan, astronaut John Glenn, author Toni Morrison, former Israeli president Shimon Peres, and retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

1942

1940

CLASS AGENTS: CLASS AGENTS:

The Class of 1940 is looking for Class Agents! Please contact jglick@spa.edu for more information.

John Doar

was one of 13 individuals selected by President Barack Obama to receive the 2012 Presidential Medal of Freedom. According to the White House press 26

SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

Harry McNeely hmcneely@meritex.com Joanne Brown Wright ReuniOn in OctObeR 2012!

More information about Reunion Weekend will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

If you have questions, please contact Jenni Glick, Alumni/ae Relations and Giving Manager, at 651696-1308 or jglick@spa.edu.

Clinton Abbott Jr. lives in Winnetka, Ill. with his wife Marian, whom he married in 2002 after the death of his first wife, Mary Lou Robertson Abbott ’45. He is now retired after a long career in publishing. Clint still keeps in touch with classmate and best man Joe Elsinger and visits Minnesota every year to see old friends.

Catharine Fuller Walker lives

in Dallas and reports: “At 87 I’m still vertical and ventilating, traveling some, reading and enjoying learning and friendships.”

Patricia Saunders is still painting and exhibiting her artwork. She enjoys her adult children and grandchildren and feels “fortunate for an interesting life.” She lives in Minneapolis.

“I’m still promoting foreign service adventures for younger people and enjoying the wealth of informative events here in the Twin Cities,” says Leila Jackson Poullada.

Leila’s son Philip Poullada ’74 is a senior trainer for US military and travels to Afghanistan every few months.

1946 CLASS AGENTS:

The Class of 1946 is looking for Class Agents! Please contact jglick@spa.edu for more information.

From her home in South Carolina, Peggy Driscoll Ebinger reports: “I do a lot of volunteer work and still play tennis competitively—though less well than I used to.”

1947 CLASS AGENTS:

Stanley Shepard stanlucyshepard@worldnet.att.net Sarah “Sallie” Stoltz O’Brien ReuniOn in OctObeR 2012!

More information about Reunion Weekend will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

If you have questions, please contact Jenni Glick, Alumni/ae Relations and Giving Manager, at 651696-1308 or jglick@spa.edu.

Timothy Blodgett and wife Rebecca Driscoll Blodgett ’51

still live in Concord, Mass. but have moved to a “condominium-type arrangement—easier on the old folks’ knees!” Tim says.

He regrets that he won’t be able to make the 65th Reunion because his grandson will be getting married that weekend.

Sally Seabury Cole and

husband John spend winters in Arizona, summers on Madeline Island in Wisconsin, and the months in between in Wayzata. She looks forward to seeing classmates at the Reunion in October.

Nancy Ames English lives

in Bethesda, Md. and enjoys tennis, gardening, and book clubs. Caring for her husband with Parkinsons takes up much of her time. She has many fond memories of her Summit days: “I think of my walks to Summit picking up classmates along the way— Edie Nye and then Sally Seabury—in our blue jumpers and knee socks,” Nancy writes.

Louise “Teedie” Mairs Frankenbach lost her husband,

Charlie, on November 25, 2011. “For 48 years he enjoyed summer visits to our family home on Summit Avenue,

playing golf at Somerset and the special times at our family cabin on Lake Superior, shared with many brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends,” Louise reports.

1952 CLASS AGENT:

Dean Alexander promedica1@aol.com Reunion in 2012!

Dottie Anderson, Jean Hart, and Dean Alexander are currently contacting classmates to gauge interest about a small informal gathering during Reunion Weekend. If you are interested in getting together, please contact Dottie, Jean, Dean, or Jenni Glick, Alumni/ae Relations and Giving Manager, at 651-696-1308 or jglick@spa.edu.

Barbara “Babbie” Langford McGowan retired from a

career with the St. Paul Public Library but still does volunteer storytimes. She and husband John live in St. Paul.

1953 CLASS AGENT:

Judy Blake judith.blake@att.net

A biography of the late Senate Majority Leader Nick Coleman written by John Milton was published in March 2012.

Titled For the Good of the Order, Nick Coleman and the High Tide of Liberal Politics in Minnesota, 1971-1981, the book is John’s sixth.

Caco Myers Baillon was in Florida this winter, visiting her sister Cathy Myers Buscher ’51, who now lives there.

Caco still plays tennis three times a week and recently took up Zumba. With Minnesota’s early spring,

she couldn’t wait to get her hands into her garden, she says, but meanwhile kept busy with a “little” volunteering, SPCO concerts and Century Club.

work very rewarding.

This summer Jim, Peter Hogg and Gail’s son, Andy Pugh, will go to a furnituremaking and woodworking workshop in Maine.

Nicki Benz Carpenter is

Ann Luyten Dieperink had dinner with Cynthia and Todd Driscoll in Grand Rapids this winter. Ann had been in Duluth at a forestry conference; her home in Afton has been a registered tree farm for many years.

This summer, she’ll go to Holland with her granddaughter, Emily Dieperink ’17, who is a student at SPA. Ann continues to play tennis, and frequently sees Caco Baillon, Nancy Weyerhaeuser ’49, and Lee Driscoll ’50. Ann and Laura Floan Boone had Christmas Eve dinner together on Siesta Key, near Sarasota. All Laura’s family were there, and it was a grand time. Typically, Laura entertained everyone with her re-written version of “The 12 Days of Christmas,” ending each verse with “Sarasota is the place to be.”

planning a trip to Jerusalem with the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, which is involved in an effort to digitize endangered manuscripts.

She also returned to Vassar for her 55th reunion. She still works as an educational consultant, and is looking forward to golf this summer.

Marlene Heger Bixby and

husband Ned look forward to spending time at their place in Danbury this summer.

They opened it early because of the nice weather. Mar and Ned enjoy having their family visit, and three of their grandchildren have already graduated from college.

Cynthia Brackett Driscoll and

Todd also had an early opening of their Lake Vermillion island cabin. She attended her 55th reunion at Smith College, and she and Todd celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with all siblings and children in attendance.

This winter, Gail Victor Hogg and husband Jim were in Palm Springs again for a few weeks. She reports that her foot is pretty much recovered from the surgery she had a year ago. Gail is busy volunteering at the food shelf and making the rounds with her service dog, Belle. She and Belle visit the Veteran’s Home and local libraries, where 1st and 2nd graders read aloud to Belle. This is Gail’s second service dog and her 8th year of visiting hospitals and nursing homes. She finds the

Mary Dosdall Guyer reports “life goes on a usual.” She and husband Reyn Guyer will celebrate their 55th anniversary shortly after they return from a cruise on the Baltic. In February, they spent time in New York, where a production of Reyn’s musical was taped to use in marketing the play to theaters around the country.

The New York cast journeyed to Boca Grande to give several weekend performances there.

Mary and Reyn enjoyed having lots of family visit them in Florida this winter.

Carol Daniels and her

husband, Dick Jacker, live in Fort Meyers in an independent

house on the Shell Pointe grounds, so they were able to put in a pool and dig up the foundation plantings to install their own landscaping.

Carol says she is now “surrounded by roses.” She is still “somewhat involved” in Planned Parenthood, but much more involved with a childcare center for low-income, working families. This spring, Carol and Dick traveled to Norway to explore the fjords by train and small express boats. They also spent three weeks in England, Wales and North Devon, visiting with friends in Salisbury.

Trudi Peet spent the winter in Tucson, bringing two horses, two dogs, two RVs and had the corner of “a very nice horse place.” They returned to their ranch in Carbondale, Colo. in the spring.

Highlights for Judy Blake are always time at the lake in the summer and a few weeks on the beach in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, every winter, where she’s often joined her sisterin-law, Gady Cyr Blake ’64.

“I live across the street from the SPA’s Lower School [the original Summit School] and enjoy watching all the activities,” says Judy.

1954 CLASS AGENT:

Bonnie Mairs bonnie1673@earthlink.net Mary Hoskins Dose has lived in New Mexico for 42 years.

She has one son. Their cattle ranch is near Ruidoso, at an altitude of over 6000 feet.

The area is suffering from a drought and she is hoping for rain.

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

27

Class Notes

Class of 1961 Celebrates 50th Reunion Class Agent Crosby sommers reports that a weekend of nostalgia has reignited friendships and class unity for the summit school and st. paul Academy Classes of 1961.

BY Cros summers ’61 | PHotoS BY greg heLgeson 1961… it seems like ancient history. Gas was twenty-seven cents a

gallon, JFK became President, Pampers came on the market, the Berlin Wall was constructed, Alan Shepard made the first US space flight, Barack Obama was born, and our classes graduated from Summit School and St. Paul Academy. We were going to college across the nation. We were leaving the known—family, friends and teachers—and wondering what lay ahead.

Fifty years later, those of us who could assembled for our 50th Reunion for a weekend of remembering. We reminisced about our uniforms, classes, teachers, mandatory SPA military and athletic participation, dances, plays, and yes, even scholarship! The magic was the patient force-feeding of an excellent liberal arts education into our not-always-willing young brains. Our teachers worked patiently with us, reinforcing what good qualities we each had and working with whatever shortcomings we possessed.

For me, I found that Mr. Fitch and Mr. Chapman made me read, write and appreciate language, Mr. Trent and Mr. Bray prepared me for college chemistry and Mr. Drechsel and Mr. Sporer diligently taught me mathematics. Over the years, I learned that I actually enjoyed learning, and I continue to enjoy teaching things I know.

Other 1961 classmates at SPA and Summit School shared their appreciation for the education we received and for our parents who sent us to “our” schools. We started to realize how well-prepared we were for liberal arts courses such as Freshman English, writing, history, chemistry and began to fully understand that our success was dependent on our initiative and commitment.

Wonderful things happened during Reunion when classmates came back together, many of whom had not seen each other

for decades. Memories were shared, and we updated each other on our lives, careers and interests. Some attended the beautiful piano concert performed by Elizabeth Wolff ’61 held in the lovely home of Gloria Soderberg Anderson ’6o and co-hosted by Diane Seldon Hill ’61. Some classmates cheered on the Spartans at the Friday football game, partook in a wonderful meal in the new Dining Hall for the All-School Dinner, and heard updates about the school today. The school hosted our class at the Heritage Brunch on Saturday morning, and Mr. Drechsel and Mr. Trent joined us. The conversation at these events made me proud of our two classes and the school. The “main event” was our class party at the University Club with 40+ classmates, spouses and Mr. Drechsel. A highlight was Larry Baker wearing his full SPA uniform, which still fit!

That weekend made many of us realize that we wanted to see each other more frequently than once every five years.

Sally Morgan Cuningham ’61 and Pock Otis ’61 got the ball rolling and organized a “mini-reunion” luncheon in December at W.A. Frost with 9 classmates. In February 2012 Bob Verhey ’61 and his wife, Barbara, hosted a magnificent meal for 15 classmates and spouses. In late March another luncheon at W.A. Frost was held with eight attending. We plan to meet again this summer when some classmates who live out of town will join us for lunch or dinner.

One year ago our class had no idea what our 50th Reunion would generate. If you are planning a class reunion, our class hopes your reunion will spark these same kind of memories and present-day friendships.

Front row, left to right: George Roth, Tim Griggs, George Crawford, Ivar Siqveland, David Girk, Dee Levin, Sandy Drake, Larry Baker, Pierce MacKay. Back row left to right: David Steimer, Tom Mullery, Sam Mairs, Bill Roe, Rik von Bergen, Cros Sommers, By Ford, Jim Clark, Pock Otis, Chip Foster, Charlie Platt.

28

SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

Left to right: Sally Morgan Cunningham, Sandy Sweeney Knox-Johnston, Dotty Turner Olund, Billie Hershey MacKay, Linda “Shoe” Shoemaker Blyth, Diane Seldon Hill, Liz Ratigan, Jill Irvine Crow, Betsy Dickinson, Liz Wolff, Joan Pedersen, Lynn Donahower Levine (guest appearance by Pock Otis ’61 between Joan and Lynn).

The class “mini-Reunion” at W.A. Frost in December 2011.

Classmates and families gathered for dinner in March 2012.

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

29

Class Notes

1954

continued

Deta Ford Stafford reports two adventures: a trip to the Galapagos with one family, then a trip to the Western edge of British Columbia for camping and whale-watching with the other family—both trips were a big success.

Andy Russell Bowen has

retired from world travel (African photographic safaris, walks in Europe, exploration of Incan and other cultures in Latin America, archaeological studies in Israel, art and architecture of ancient Egypt, and Yangtze and land explorations in China). She has also retired from writing children’s books (biographies of Robert Fulton, Thomas Gallaudet, Louis and Clark, and Beryl Markham) and from showing and selling her photographs. She sold her violin, left the Gilbert and Sullivan Society and more serious musical groups, but still plays an occasional piece on the piano. She is having fun editing friends’ books and writing lyrics for neighborhood musicals. She is currently trying—with some success—to reverse signs of aging by seeing a personal trainer, an acupuncturist and a chiropractor. Needlepoint has become an obsession. She is learning a lot as a volunteer at the Tubman shelter for women victims of domestic abuse.

Her best buddies are husband Bob, a retired judge, daughter Sarah, a Ph.D. in psychology, and Sophie, their little dog.

She doesn’t feel or act 75!

Carol Bratnober Thrush is

happily living in Denver where all four daughters reside as well; Carol has eleven grandchildren. She volunteers 30

SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

daily at Mother Cabrini Shrine in Lakewood, CO. With mixed emotions, she is selling her Gull Lake home in Brainerd that many of members of the class will remember visiting.

Bonnie Mairs had a great Florida reunion with two cousins and their husbands: Nancy Mairs Gephart ’45 and husband George, who were visiting Florida; and Jean Mairs McLean ’48 and husband Al, who live in Naples.

1955 CLASS AGENT:

Minty Klein Piper mintypiper@aol.com Felicity Swayze writes: “We are emerging from non winter in Vermont but are not being spared the annual mud season where the ice melts from the dirt roads, turning them to mud stew. My car guy, Jonny, has just emptied my wheels and underpinnings of at least 10 pounds of dirt and rocks. We endure this as a brief seasonal penance for an otherwise lovely life in the Green Mountain State. We do get away occasionally, usually to Chicago to visit children and grandchildren, even though it may seem counterintuitive to escape a Vermont winter by visiting the Windy City.

Last weekend we went to Manhattan where [husband] Townsend attended his 60th reunion at Allen-Stevenson School for boys. On the home front, I continue to sing in area choral groups; I remember Mrs. Fisher with such gratitude and admiration for her belief that we could do serious music well. I was a charter member of the first Summit Singers. I am delighted that this group is still flourishing. As to my

husband of 52 years, he still rows and does good works in the community. We are grateful for our health and good friends.”

1956

scene.” In other news, Vicki reports that her twenty-first grandchild was born on Coco’s birthday, January 27th.

“We will be in White Bear all summer; we hope to see many old friends with their children and grandchildren.” Vicki says.

CLASS AGENT:

Gerry Kyle Bullard writes,

Brenda Raudenbush Griffin braudenbush2@comcast.net

“Bob and I saw the play too. It was really enjoyable and Vicki did a good job of talking about and answering questions about her childhood.”

Daphne Roberts Bell writes: “I am in my third and final term on Hamilton City Council and I am looking forward to life after Council. We escaped to Vanuatu for a break last winter. It is an endearing Pacific nation despite the daily tremors. My mother, remarkably well at 107 years, is becoming a legend in her own lifetime.”

Ginny Low Campbell is happily exploring a newfound interest in painting original water-colors.

Brenda Raudenbush Griffin

reports: “I traveled with my friend, Tom, to Hawaii in Oct. 2011. We found Hawaii loaded with history and mystery, fire and rain forests and changing surf. We toured Pearl Harbour and then went on to Kilauea Volcano, our favorite site on Big Island. Steam issues from the volcanic caldera, white by day and red by night. Lastly, we visited the beaches on Kauai Island, north of Oahu.”

Vicki Churchill Ford, Ginny Low Campbell, and Charlotte Seymour Johnson attended

opening night of the play Coco’s Diary (based on the diary written Vicki’s mother, Clotilde Irvine ’32) at the History Center. Vicki writes that the play “was amazing, amusing and awesome. The year 1927 comes alive and the music envelopes the whole

Betty Hilton Dawson, family, and grand-kiddies still live in Ottawa—Canada’s beautiful capital city. Betty and her husband, Don, recently visited her brother Tom, who lives near Jacksonville, Florida. It was a wonderful reunion after far too long.

Lollie Benz Plank spends seasonal time at her ranch in Wyoming and her home in Tucson, “where I take my arthritis in winter,” she says. She also comes back to Minneosta occasionally.

“Maddie, my Labrador service dog keeps me moving and vastly improves my disposition,” reports Lollie, who also spends a lot of time at meetings as a member of four different boards.

In November 2011, Sara Torrison Ewald and husband Frederick took their whole family (seven adults and six grandchildren) to the Dominican Republic to celebrate their 50th anniversary. “It was the best—three generations and something for everyone, even the youngest,” Sara says. Their children also threw them a party in December with lots of friends. “All else is well,” she reports. “We still spend half the year in the Colorado

mountains and half in the Boston area. We would love the hear from anyone traveling our way!”

1957 CLASS AGENTS:

Dutton Foster duttonfosters@comcast.net Susan Rose Ward cswsrw@comcast.net ReuniOn in OctObeR 2012!

Dutton Foster and Susan Rose Ward are planning a gathering for Saturday, October 6, 2012.

More information will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

Tom Milton’s sixth novel, Sara’s Laughter, was published in December by Nepperhan Press. “It has received a lot of great reviews and it’s available everywhere,” says Tom. John Ratigan writes: “I am

afraid we will definitely not be able to make the 55th, as we will be in or near Avignon, France on the 5th and 6th of October. We have rented a house there with three other couples. Last February, we enjoyed a rail trip across the country, from Emeryville, CA to Washington DC. Four days and three nights: just spectacular scenery in the Sierra Nevadas from Truckee to Reno, and then in the desert of eastern Utah, with the buttes rising up out of the desert, the Glenwood Canyon (gorgeous on the sunny day) and on into the broad, flat farmland of Iowa. The Chicago to Washington portion has its charming moments as well in the Allegheny mountains, but that first leg between California and Chicago was really a memorable ride.”

Marna Schrader Page is “a very busy Nana of our two nearby young grandsons and do a lot of morning babysitting on a regular schedule.” She looks forward to the 55th Reunion.

Patsy Spadavecchia is

“happily ensconced in Florence and the island of Salina” and all are welcomed and encouraged to email her if visiting Italy. She sold her apartment in the center of Florence and bought a “beautiful, quiet apartment in a restructured convent that is filled with light, windows on three sides, and has an elevator (always thinking ahead). I got to the closing on the back of a motor scooter racing through the rainslicked streets of medieval Florence and clinging to my real estate agent with twenty thousand Euro in cash in small bills stuffed in my pocket. Adventures in pre-crisis Italian finance!”

Grant Nelson is still a full-time

law teacher at Pepperdine and UCLA and hopes to continue for another two years. He and wife Judy have two new grandchildren, Charlotte and William, both born last year bringing their grandkid total up to five.

“We have discovered that our grandchildren represent one of the major consolations of growing old,” he writes.

Linda Towle lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she works in a gift shop in Old Town. She will be sorry to miss the Reunion this fall, but “it falls squarely on the first weekend of the biggest event of the year here, Balloon Fiesta. My employers still haven’t completely

forgiven me for missing it last time around—that’s a really bad time to be AWOL when one works in retail in Old Town. And on top of that my brother Bill Towle ’50 and wife Stephanie are coming then too. Have a great time and keep me posted on what y’all are up to. I’m still trying to age as disgracefully as possible—it’s so much more fun that way!”

Mike Roach and wife Mary

recently sold their home of 45 years in Rochester, NY and now spend the winter months in Florida. “We await the fortunes of Kodak as it goes through Chapter 11, and we shall see what that does to pensions, etc.!” Mike says.

He and Mary still go back to their home in Vermont from mid-May through mid-October, and have three kids and four grandchildren spread out between Ohio, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

Barry Whitman writes: “I

knocked off a bucket list item by traveling down a zip line in Costa Rica this past January.

Not all that newsworthy, but it was stimulating.”

Dutton Foster and wife

Caroline are loving numerous visits to their new second home near Two Harbors, Minn., close to daughter Alison and son-in-law Kevin. “Busy winter season in St. Paul as well,” Dutton says, “full of theater and music, family, friends, and church activity.

Looking forward to ten days in Kauai so the Minnestota branch and the Kyoto branch of our immediate family can have a good time reuniting.”

Diane Bement Kushner

married Jack Kushner in August, 2011. “We went on

a wonderful cruise to the Baltic and had a beautiful wedding ceremony conducted by the Ship’s Captain.

We sailed from Copenhagen around the Scandinavian Countries because they all say “ya” so it made me feel right at home (my Norwegian genes came out).”

Sandi Irvine lost her husband, Tommy Irvine ’53, in August

2011 to pancreatic cancer, and “life has been changes for me ever since,” she writes.

“I have taken an apartment in White Bear Lake for the summer, along with my beautiful cabin in Hayward, Wisconsin, and will be around the cities for the next five or six months and then return to my home in Boca Grande, Florida for the winter season.”

Some of Sandi’s children live in the Stillwater/White Bear Lake area and she is looking forward to the summer with friends, kids, family and her Shih Tzu, Polo.

Ruth Putnam Huss has

been traveling a lot recently, including trips to Spain and the Canary Islands, mostly in Morocco; Chile, from Cape Horn to the Atacama; Cuba with Smith College (“rather a downer and depressing”); and skiing in March. In the spring she traveled to the Netherlands for the Floriade and the tulips. “And a little pat on my back, the Como Conservatory named an orchid for me at the Winter show in January!” Ruth says.

Tuck Langland is still making large scale figurative bronze sculptures for public places, still traveling (Italy and Scotland this year so far) still singing with various choral

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

31

Class Notes

1957

continued

groups, and “I’m still enjoying a very happy marriage to bride number one, with two fabulous granddaughters with a grandson on the way, so what more could one ask.”

1959 CLASS AGENTS:

The Class of 1959 is looking for Class Agents! Please contact jglick@spa.edu for more information.

Lee Fobes Murphy writes: “Great visit to St. Paul in March to see son Brad Ward ’86 and his family. Met up with Susan Cross and had a long overdue lunch with Vicky Ford ’56.

Christy ’81 and Phil White ’81, Karen Reis ’86 and families all got together with Jim and me for dinner before the History theater production of Coco’s Diary. What a delightful treat to see! We were there for the one and only snowstorm of the season.”

1961 CLASS AGENT:

Crosby Sommers sommers80@gmail.com

See pages 28-29 for photos and a recap of the Class of 1961’s 50th Reunion!

1962

Bill, Alden, or Jenni Glick, Alumni/ae Relations and Giving Manager, at 651696-1308 or jglick@spa.edu.

More information will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

Rick McMillan just retired from his law firm in Washington, D.C. after nearly 40 years of law practice. Rick reports that “all is well with three wonderful kids and five wonderful grandkids.” He and wife Barbara live in Gibson Island, Maryland.

1964 Cindy Schuneman Piper cindypiper46@gmail.com

In January 2012, Mary Berg Hollinshead received the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award from the Archaeological Institute of America. Mary teaches classical archaeology in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Rhode Island.

1967 CLASS AGENT:

States Coast Guard Captain driving a 56’ power yacht for tours of San Diego Bay. John and wife Susan live in San Diego.

Phil Bratnober

John Bradford has moved to

Minnetonka with two dogs and one wife. He is involved with a local foundation to install and expand programs to rescue senior dogs, rehabilitate them, and place them in permanent homes. “Since our society is coming around too slowly to honor any person over age 40 and any dog over 10, this is a fun project to shoot for impact and be judgmental when the spirit calls for it,” John says.

1965 CLASS AGENTS:

Bill Peet and Alden Drew are planning a gathering for Saturday, October 6.

They would like some help so if you’re interested in volunteering for your 50th Reunion, please contact

The Class of 1965 is looking for Class Agents! Please contact jglick@spa.edu for more information.

SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

The Class of 1969 is looking for Class Agents! Please contact jglick@spa.edu for more information.

John Gardner is a United

ReuniOn in OctObeR 2012!

32

CLASS AGENTS:

CLASS AGENT:

CLASS AGENT:

Bill Peet drpeet@drpeet.com

1969

ReuniOn in OctObeR 2012!

More information about Reunion Weekend will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

If you have questions, please contact Jenni Glick, Alumni/ae Relations and Giving Manager, at 651696-1308 or jglick@spa.edu.

Robert Altman is semi-retired

as an attorney, but spends time working on the issue of commercial sexual exploitation of children.

He lives in Atlanta, Ga. Mari Hill Harpur lives in

North Oaks and owns a photography business, Mari Hill Harpur Photography.

Diane Wachtler Koob is

pastoring a church in Sparta, NJ, a bedroom community one hour west of New York City.

She has two grown daughters, one who lives in New Jersey and another living in Beijing.

Thomas Greenman was just promoted to Vice President of Acute Care Services at Lakeside Behavioral Healthcare, “which means I am now responsible for 7 inpatient units,” Tom writes.

“It’s funny how in my career, I always seem to wind up behind locked doors—lucky for me, they keep giving me a key!” Tom and wife Amy live in Orlando, Fla. Liz Dow, who continues to

serve as CEO of LEADERSHIP Philadelphia and is active on several boards, reports that her son Geoffrey is enrolled in the Second City Conservatory in Chicago. He is taking his grandfather George’s gift for comedy to the stage. Her daughter Scottie is a partner in a hedge fund in Manhattan.

Liz is sad to report that her beloved dad passed away, but was thrilled that the Lexington put his picture on the wall.

1972 CLASS AGENT:

John Edgerton johnedgerton@usfamily.net the 40th ReuniOn

for the Class of 1972 will be held on Saturday, October 6, 2012 at John Edgerton’s home in St. Paul.

More information about Reunion Weekend will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

Bard Rane and Roar Dons,

both of whom currently live in Norway, will be coming stateside to attend Reunion Weekend events in October.

1975

Ellen Sell ’74 and Richard Brynteson ’73 attended a performance of Coco’s Diary, based on the diary of Clotilde “Coco” Irvine ’32, at the History Theatre in February 2012. Ellen and Richard, who recently married, joined more than a dozen other SPA alumni/ae at the performance.

CLASS AGENT:

CLASS AGENT:

Lit Field lfieldjr@tcfield.com

Hank Brandtjen hbrandtjen@kluge.biz

Two alums from the Class of 1975 met up for the first time in 37 years—in Hawaii! Nick Scott reports: “Tom Gorence and I had a chance to meet for the first time since graduation (or maybe since the Clapton/ Santana concert at the old Met arena). We saw each other in Honolulu while my wife and I were out there for a wedding.

Lots of great stories—some new, many old—were tossed back and forth. Best thing about the meal: our wives survived three hours of these old codgers chewing the fat!”

Both look forward to seeing their classmates to celebrate their 40th reunion!

Mystie Brackett has spent

20 years recovering from a brain injury resulting from a rollover car accident. “I am continuing to evolve as a nonrepresentational mixedmedia artist and pursuing my interest in evolutionary enlightenment,” Mystie reports.

Alice Wright and her

husband, Dan Taylor, have been teaching in international schools for the last six years.

They spent three years in Sendai, Japan, two in Istanbul, Turkey, and are presently teaching at KAUST in Saudi Arabia. “Teaching abroad is full of travel opportunities and a wonderful way to meet people from all over the world. St. Paul is home base, where the Wright family gathers, with side trips to NYC to see the children, Lindsay and Eric, and Eric’s wife, Elizabeth,” Alice writes.

1977

Pictured from left to right are Tom “TJ” Gorence, Holly Gorence, Angela Scott, and Nick Scott.

1976 CLASS AGENT:

Doug Whitaker Doug.Whitaker@wedbush.com

Reunion in octobeR 2012!

The 35th Reunion for the Class of 1977 will be held on Saturday, October 6, 2012 at Hank Brandtjen’s home in St. Paul. More information about Reunion Weekend will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

The past few years have been busy for Hank Brandtjen.

He married and had a son, and now has moved back to St. Paul. His daughter Isabel Brandtjen ’18 is a sixth-grader at SPA. “Life started anew at 50!

Who knew?” Hank says.

Kakie Brooks reports: “I

remarried three years ago to a wonderful man who was chief of cardiology for many years at the University of Virginia.

My two daughters are Sophie (age 18) and Anna (age 15).

We live in Charlottesville, Virginia, and welcome visitors, especially during the beautiful fall and spring seasons.”

1980 CLASS AGENTS:

The Class of 1980 is looking for Class Agents! Please contact jglick@spa.edu for more information.

Allison Aichele Morrissey

writes from her home in Colorado, “Tom and I continue to be semi-retired. We volunteer in many ways for the middle-high schools students in Durango. We play bridge multiple times every week and continue our own learning at the local college. We hike in the summer and ski in the winter. We welcome visitors always, so if you are passing by, please contact us. There is a room available. It has awesome Rocky Mountain views!”

In March 2012, Artemis Preeshl received an Honorable Mention in the Best World Cinema category at the DIY Film Festival in Hollywood, Calif. for her dramatic short film, Pancha

Ratna-Five Gems. The film, along with Artemis’s sevendance suite, ”Liquid Gems,” premiered at the Kalakshetra Foundation, also known as the “Juilliard of India,” in February 2011. Artemis was stationed at Kalakshetra as a FulbrightNehru senior researcher through the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board during 2010-11, exploring visual literacy in performance and film in India.

Artemis is an associate theatre professor at Loyola University in New Orleans.

1982 CLASS AGENTS:

David Weyerhaeuser dweyerhaeuser@gradstaff.com Reunion in octobeR 2012!

More information about Reunion Weekend will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

If you have questions, please contact Jenni Glick, Alumni/ae Relations and Giving Manager, at 651696-1308 or jglick@spa.edu.

1983 CLASS AGENT:

Tracy Cosgrove Lakatua tlakatua@alumni.northwestern.edu Ned Patterson is a principal

investigator for a study that will investigate the prediction and control of epilectic seizures that received a $7.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Ned, who is an Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, will partner with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the Mayo Clinic on the study.

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

33

Class Notes

1985 CLASS AGENT:

Dave Kansas davekansas22@yahoo.com

Since returning to Minnesota last August, Class Agent Dave Kansas has enjoyed visiting with a wide number of ’85ers and other alums. “Cathy Paper roped me into a speaking engagement in Bloomington, Julie Silverman Burton and I swapped writing tales at a Starbucks in Hopkins, and my wife Monica and I have enjoyed spending time with Terry O’Brien and Kristen Hoeschler O’Brien ’86. I haven’t seen Bethany Gladhill yet, but her name graced a recent flyer to our door— she is the President of the Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association!” Dave was recently named the COO of American Public Media and claims that he and Steve Levitt are “sort of working together now that Freakonomics Radio is part of the American Public Media portfolio.”

Todd Bomberg is still in Los

Angeles working with the folks who bring you Cuties Clementines, Fiji Water and other goodies.

Pat Farrell continues the

pastoring life in Wichita, having fun with his wife Ann and daughter Michaela Rae. Mike Latimore is in Atlanta working for Minnesota-based Northland Securities.

Charlie Flinn is at Gage Marketing where he is a ready source of Twins tickets.

Jeff Robinson is still working with the Minnesota Vikings and John Wolf’s Chicago-Lake Liquors surfaces on the radio dial from time-to-time.

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SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

Carolyn Vellenga Berman

writes from Brooklyn that she is enjoying her first sabbatical, planning her daughter’s Bat Mitzvah and celebrating the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens. Carolyn is an Associate Professor of Literature in the Department of Humanities at the New School for Public Engagement in New York, where she teaches courses in the history of the novel, the fairy tale, and British, French, and American literature and culture.

Daisy Pellant sends greetings

from Tbilisi, where the Georgian wine remains topnotch. She, RM and the kids plan to be in the Twin Cities over the summer for a visit.

Julia Jordan reports that her rock musical, Murder Ballad, will open at the Manhattan Theater Club in New York City this November. Dave Kansas and family happily visited with Julia, Doug and her kids during the Jordan’s recent visit to Minnesota.

Bruce Hooke reports that he is enjoying life in Massachusetts.

“I am living on a cooperative farm/intentional community in western Massachusetts. Six of us share a big farmhouse on 37 acres of land up in the hills.

Somehow I went from being rather a loner in high school to being deeply involved in community now. In addition to the community where I live, I am also helping a group that is hoping to create an eco-village in the area.”

Sean McCauley is still enjoying the hipsters in the Uptown area in Minneapolis. “Our two year stint back home has turned into 12 years, three kids and an oversized dog. We are hoping Olivia will enter SPA in sixth

grade next year, and the boys (Patrick and Jack) may follow her. If all three kids end up at SPA, we may finally have to give in and move to St. Paul.”

Sean says he “left the Silicon Valley startup world last year, and somehow stumbled into a job in private equity at TPG Capital. Not sure how that happened (probably a hiring mistake) but it’s fun for now!”

Daymond Dean has returned

to his alma mater, Macalester College, where he is in his second year working in the Alumni Office. He reports: “I love working here more than I did my first stint over 20 years ago. Val is still a counselor and instructor at Normandale Community College and finishing up her 14th year.

She’s looking forward to working on her sabbatical projects next spring and preparing for our eldest child’s (Danielle, age 17) graduation party. The college materials are flooding the mailbox.

Hopefully, Danielle will apply early decision somewhere so that we can avoid all the craziness that comes with waiting for the admission notices in the spring. Our middle child (Courtney, age 15) just finished her 9th grade basketball season and is now spending her afternoons rehearsing for the spring musical, Legally Blonde. I’m glad she’ll be able to put all that teenage drama to a constructive use. She’s a fun kid, but OMG, if I have to hear one more thing about Starkids or Leaky Con, I’m going to blow. Our youngest (Derek, age 10) is growing like a string bean (the complete opposite of me at his age—no husky Garanimals for him).

This spring, he begins playing baseball; his first organized

Jay Ettinger ’87 (right) and Deepak Nath ’91

are two of four partners in a new nightclub development in downtown Minneapolis.

Located in the former Spin nightclub space, the Prohibition-themed restaurant and bar will be called The Pourhouse.

An opening date is tentatively planned for June 1, 2012. Jay and Deepak are also partners at nearby Bootleggers in Minneapolis.

sports activity. Hopefully, he likes it and he’ll let me serve as an assistant coach. Much love to the class of ’85!”

Mike Ristau helped round up folks for the special 100th anniversary of the first SPABlake football game last fall.

Among those in attendance: Jamie Hurley, in town from San Francisco.

From California, UC Davis law professor and former Quiz Bowler Tom Joo writes that he recently participated in a Trivia Night fundraiser for the law school and “my team came in…fourth place. In my defense, I was feeling my age: most of the ‘retro’ questions were about the 90s. However, I did impress my student teammates by nailing the questions about Taylor Dane and Punky Brewster.”

James Templeton continues

to enjoy the sun-soaked life in Seattle where fellow ’85er Sean Gilshannon also resides.

Brian Hagerty writes that

he recently finished a fiveyear stint clerking for U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz in December. “Now I am catching up on long-delayed home-improvement projects at our house in the Longfellow (Minneapolis) neighborhood, as well as pursuing miscellaneous crazy hobbies.

To keep my legal skills in working order, I’m serving on a committee that is improving the writing of the Minnesota federal court’s local rules.

My daughter Maura just turned 7, and I continue to torment her into learning to play guitar via the Suzuki method (I blog about this process periodically at www.suzukidad.com).

Her spirit remains uncrushed.”

1987 CLASS AGENTS:

Carol Bagnoli cbagnoli@yahoo.com Jay Ettinger jayettinger@comcast.net Rob Mairs Robert.mairs@gpmlaw.com ReuniOn in OctObeR 2012!

Carol Bagnoli, Jay Ettinger, Rob Mairs, and Craig Smith are planning a gathering for Saturday, October 6.

More information will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

Anna Lovrien is teaching

Melanie Parson Short ’91 and

husband Gregory welcomed their first children (twins!) on December 28, 2011. The new Shorts are daughter Cora Elizabeth and son Theo Gregory. Melanie and Gregory live in Denver, Colo.

Our apologies to Alejandra Estrin Dashe, whose first name was left out of the photo caption for the Class of 1991 Reunion photo in the last issue of SPA Magazine.

1992 CLASS AGENTS:

Andy Droel adroel@gmail.com ReuniOn in OctObeR 2012!

The 20th Reunion for the Class of 1992 will be held on October 6, 2012 at Melissa Spaulding’s home in Sunfish Lake. More information about Reunion Weekend will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

Join our class page on Facebook by searching “SPA Class of ’92.”

1996 CLASS AGENT:

Minette Loula mmloula@gmail.com

high school science in a small town in southeast Minnesota.

1991 CLASS AGENT:

Josh Kriesel krieselj@hotmail.com

The nonprofit One Acre Fund founded by Andrew Youn has been very much in the news

in the last year. Andrew founded One Acre Fund in 2006 to eradicate hunger in Kenya and Rwanda by giving farmers micro-loans and teaching them techniques to improve their yields so they can sell the excess. In November 2011, Forbes magazine included Andrew in its “Impact 30” list, a list of the thirty most influential social entrepreneurs. In April 2012, One Acre Fund was featured in an episode of the PBS series “Food for 9 Billion.” The PBS interview with Andrew is available online at http:// www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/ globalhealth/jan-june12/ food9billion_04-03.html.

1997 CLASS AGENTS:

Dena Citron Larson dena.larson@genmills.com Jeff Jarosch ReuniOn in OctObeR 2012!

More information about Reunion Weekend will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

If you have questions, please contact Jenni Glick, Alumni/ae Relations and Giving Manager, at 651696-1308 or jglick@spa.edu.

Dena Citron Larson and Sarah Nelson Nymo are looking

forward to seeing classmates at the Class of ’97’s 15th reunion get-together Saturday night, October 6th. Have any fun ideas for where we should have it or what we should do?

Want to help plan or just make sure we have your current contact info so you know where and when to meet us?

Just shoot Dena a note at Dena.Larson@genmills.com.

1998 CLASS AGENTS:

Mara Schanfield maraschanfield@gmail.com Michael Lorberbaum Josh Rucker and his wife Maura relocated from Berkeley, Calif. to New York City where Josh began work as a compliance manager for Columbia University.

Josh earned a masters in nonprofit administration at the University of San Francisco while living in Berkeley.

He still wants a dog.

Kat Thompson has been living

in Appleton, Wisc. for the past seven years, and has been working at Convergys for six.

She reports: “My kids are now 10 and 8 years old. They are fantastic little people! And for the past two years I have been skating with the Paper Valley Roller Girls roller derby team.

There are some great action shots on my Facebook wall right now.”

Wilhelmina (Mauritz) Shoger

writes “These past couple of years have been about transitions for me. I went from working as a psychologist in a hospital setting to starting my own private practice in the Western suburbs of Chicago.

Love connecting with all my SPA classmates on Facebook and keeping abreast of what is going on as our lives continue to unfold.”

Mara Schanfield is living

and working in Boston, Mass., and enjoying work, play and everything in between. Her current project is implementing a federally funded school turnaround model at the oldest public school in America, The English

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

35

Class Notes

1998

continued

High School, and “feeling extremely appreciative for the academic foundation SPA provided for me.”

1999 CLASS AGENTS:

Lisa Stein Rothstein lisaannestein@gmail.com Mark Heinert mark.heinert@bestbuy.com

2002 CLASS AGENTS:

Lauren Nuffort lauren.nuffort@gmail.com ReuniOn in OctObeR 2012!

Lauren Nuffort and Lael Nelson are planning a gathering over Thanksgiving Weekend 2012. They encourage all members of the class to attend the Reunion Weekend events at SPA in October. More information will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

Andrea Halverson lives in

Boston and teaches research methodology at Boston University. She will be moving to Spain later this year to begin a PhD program at Instituto de Empresa. In the years ahead, Andrea hopes to serve as a tour guide for any SPA community members passing through Madrid!

2000 CLASS AGENTS:

Noah Mehlan nmehlan@hotmail.com Ann Marie Winskowski winskowski@gmail.com Megan Sullivan

2003 CLASS AGENTS:

Aleksander Sims aleksander.sims@gmail.com Brenden Goetz brendengoetz@gmail.com Thomas Christ kiselblat@gmail.com Emily Shor Kendra Ackland Jillian Degerness

Lee in the Twin Cities in September 2011. In attendance: Nikki Stennes ’05, Janel Sharma, Aaron Bohr ’97, Lucy Polk (faculty), and Liz Brown.

to Wharton’s MBA program and plans to begin the program in August 2012.

Max Schwartz is in his first

year at the University of Chicago law school, where he is one of 20 David M. Rubenstein Scholars.

CLASS AGENTS:

Andria Cornell andria.m.cornell@gmail.com Ashley Malecha Anton ashleyeanton@gmail.com Tyler Olson tylermolson@gmail.com Sarah Anderson Abigail Greenwald writes:

“I am still living in Berlin, Germany, where I’ve been for the past 3 years, and

36

SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

2005 CLASS AGENTS:

Jack Adams adamsjackc@gmail.com Hanna Lamb hanna.lamb@gmail.com Lindsay Giese lindsaygiese@gmail.com Nicole Stennes nikkis2100@aol.com Sarah Wald skwald@gmail.com Nathan Brand recently spent

six months living in Uganda working on a cerebral Malaria research project.

Colin Hartman was accepted

2004 Katie Stennes married Sung

loving it. I’m a public relations consultant at one of the largest German-owned international PR agencies focusing on international political communications, as my clients are all European Union institutions. I would love to hear from any SPA alumni/ae in or around Berlin!”

2006 CLASS AGENTS:

Marjahn Golban mgolban@gmail.com Lien Bui lbui@gustavus.edu Henry Parker hsparker2001@yahoo.com Rory Collins roryfcollins@gmail.com Alex Gast agast88@gmail.com Breanna Zarmbinski is a

second-year medical student at the University of Minnesota and the treasurer of the U’s American Medical Student Association (AMSA). She was quoted in the January 15 issue of the Star Tribune about AMSA’s fundraiser for One Heartland, a local charity. “It’s an opportunity to bring a lot of

things together: a good charity and a good community vibe,” Breanna says in the piece.

It’s been a busy year for Samson Finkelstein, who is

working as a trapeze artist with his girlfriend. Highlights of late 2011 and early 2012 for the pair include becoming quarterfinalists on the TV show “America’s Got Talent”; performing in Medellin, Columbia; and winning Bronze at the Wuqiao International Circus competition in China.

In April, the couple began performing on the Norwegian Epic cruise ship sailing in the Mediterranean.

2007 CLASS AGENTS:

Derek Schaible derek.schaible@gmail.com Etonde Awaah eawaah@gmail.com Nick Rosenbaum goopygoop@gmail.com ReuniOn in 2012!

Etonde Awaah, Dorothy Munholland, Nick Rosenbaum and Derek Schaible are planning a gathering over Thanksgiving Weekend 2012.

They encourage all members of the class to attend the Reunion Weekend events at SPA in October. More information will be mailed to members of the class over the summer.

Lauren Linsmayer looks forward to starting her Ph.D. at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif., as an NSF IGERT Fellow, after graduating from Stanford University in June with her Bachelors and Masters. Last spring, she was given the Firestone Medal, recognizing her Honors Thesis on climate change effects on the spread of an invasive

Goldberg device for an online ad. The result is now viewable on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bf_Tn7dz-Z0.

2010 CLASS AGENTS:

MINI-REUNION IN NEW YORK: A group of alumni/ae from the 2000s got together for a mini-reunion in New York City in April 2012. Pictured left to right are Maddy Titcomb ’07, Spud Paulus ’07, Lindsay Ullyot ’07, Mark Battles ’07, Maura Hamilton ’07, Stuart Klein ’07, Spencer McMillan ’07, Dorothy Munholland ’07, Ned Rupp ’07, Steph Simenstad ’07, Erin Heydinger ’07, Noah Hauser ’04, Sophie Rupp ’05, and Dan Titcomb ’04. Not pictured: Jori Belkin ’07, Caroline Blodgett ’04.

marine mussel species as one of the top 10 percent of honors theses at Stanford.

At Scripps, she hopes to continue researching climate change impacts on marine organisms and teaching science to the public.

2008 CLASS AGENTS:

Jessica Garretson jesspiperg@gmail.com Nolan Filter lilbddh@yahoo.com Vanessa Levy Ariella Rotenberg

2009

the cover and in an article in Voice, the alumni magazine of Carleton College, where she is a member of the Class of 2012 and the general manager of the Cave, a campus nightclub.

2011

CLASS AGENTS:

CLASS AGENTS:

Colin Cowles colin.cowles@gmail.com Grace Ferrara gferrara@pugetsound.edu Liz Moertel emoerte@emory.edu Ashlee Fukushi fuku0035@umn.edu Andrew Magne wowsa2121@yahoo.com

Taylor Billeadeau shootingstars262@hotmail.com Kaia Wahmanholm kwahmanholm@gmail.com

David Tisel is a student at Oberlin College and volunteers as a tutor at Oberlin Community Services, a local social service nonprofit. In the organizations 2010-11 Annual Report, David reflects on his tutoring experience: “I’ve gained an appreciation for the complicated issues that are part of classroom teaching,” he says.

John Wight was part of St.

Tasha Rhoads was featured on

Katherine Labuza klabuza@gmail.com Paige Owens-Kurtz owenskur@stolaf.edu Elena Miller elena.miller13@gmail.com

From St. Olaf College, Elena Miller reports: “I have had a lot of amazing volunteer opportunities this year.

Over January term break I went to Alacua, Honduras, a rural community 2 hours outside of the capital Tegucigalpa, to provide medical service with 30 other students from St. Olaf. I spent spring break touring the midwest/southern states doing volunteer service work, such as tornado relief (clearing debris) in Birmingham and cutting away invasive plant species in a local park in Louisville.”

Olaf’s “Rube Goldberg” team that won the Minnesota competition and went on to nationals. They did well enough at the national competition that Target hired them to build a Rube

Annie Hart, a sophomore and Nordic skier at Dartmouth College, had a great ski season, taking 9th place in the Women’s 5K Skate and 4th place in the 15K Classic at the NCAA championships in March 2012. Annie’s stellar performance landed her on the 1st Team All-American.

Claire Wilhelm is currently

studying abroad at University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland for this semester.

Claire attends George Washington University.

John Gast attends American University in Washington, D.C., and just began an internship in the office of Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner from Wisconsin’s 5th congressional district. [See page 21 for more on John’s interest in politics— Ed.]

Ambrosia Smith is breaking

school records at Weslyan, where she is a first-year student and member of the school’s 4x400m relay team, which ran a school-record 3:58.37 at the ECAC Division III meet in New York City in March 2012. Ambrosia is pictured at far right with her team after the recordbreaking race.

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

37

In Memoriam

1932 Katharine Roe, age 97 of Sunfish Lake, Minn. passed away peacefully at her home on March 23, 2012. Preceded in death by her husband, John (“Jack”) H. Roe, Jr.; sons John H Roe, III ’58 and James B. Roe ’64; brothers Robert Angell ’26 and Richard Angell ’28; her parents, Frederick and Elizabeth Angell; and her great grandchild, Caitrin Roe. She is survived by son Tom ’59 (Margaret) of Minnetonka; son Bill ’62 (Betsy) of Sarasota, FL.; daughter Kathy Cross ’70 (Tonny) of Wilsall, MT.; 15 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren. Katharine, better known as “Tinker”, was born on October 1, 1914 in Oak Park, Ill. , but grew up and lived her life in St. Paul. She graduated from Summit School and Carleton College, and completed graduate studies for social work at the University of Minnesota.

Tinker and her husband, Jack, raised their family at their home on Sunfish Lake.

After her husband passed away in 1972, Tinker built a home on an adjoining piece of property and carried on with her social work. Besides her devotion to her growing and extended family, Tinker is remembered for her many athletic activities (golf, tennis, skiing, hunting and even a little ice hockey), her support of community programs, her love of travel, good music, reading, gardening and golden retrievers, her commitment to her alma mater, Carleton College, and her interest in public affairs.

1935 Elizabeth S. Guenzel, age 94, January 24, 2012; beloved wife of the late Paul W. Guenzel, retired treasurer and vice-president of Container Corp of America. Served on women’s boards of Children’s Memorial Hospital and University of Chicago. A reader for Hadley School for the Blind and a teacher’s aid at Hibbard School.

Survived by children Elizabeth (David) Carlin and William (Jo) Guenzel; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.

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SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

1941 Marney (Brown) Brooks, was born November 18, 1922 in St. Paul, and passed peacefully on February 4, 2012, surrounded by the loving attention of her husband Conley ’40 and their children, spouses, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Marney is remembered most prominently for the simple and genuine kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity she extended to everyone she encountered.

Her love of literature and history motivated her not only to support the Minnesota Historical Society, where she served on the Board and was very instrumental in raising the capital to build the Minnesota History Center, but also to pursue extensive genealogical research and writing, including the books “A Pioneer’s Legacy” and “Turning the Leaves”. Marney loved nature and was an avid bird watcher and gardener, as well as being an accomplished musician who generously extended these interests into serving her community. She took great joy in her family as well as in many close friends who all benefited profoundly from her love and care. Marney is survived by her husband of 67 years, Conley Brooks ’40; her sister, Jo Wright ’42 of St. Paul Minn.; her children, Conley Brooks Jr. (Carol) of Wayzata, Minn., Marlow Brooks of Boulder Colo., Sky Brooks of Boulder, Colo., Stephen Brooks (Rachel) of Halifax, NS Canada, and Markell Hapka (Rick) of Maple Grove, Minn.; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

1945 Mary Butler higgins died on March 1, 2012. She was 84 and a resident of Delray Beach, Florida. She was preceded in death by her husband, former Minnesota State Senator, Raymond John Higgins.

She was born in St. Paul to Robert Butler and Margaret Porter Butler. Mary’s father was an ambassador to Cuba and Australia during the Truman Administration She graduated from the Summit School,

St. Paul, Minn.; Dana Hall School, Wellesley, MA; and attended Mills College in San Francisco, Calif. Her family was always first and foremost and to whom she was a constant source of support and inspiration.

She adored being a devoted wife to Ray; an adoring mother and mother-in-law to Ray Higgins, Betsy and Roy Little, Andrea and Alexander Bierce, Tom and Jackie Higgins and Wendy and Don Chambers.

Mary, known as Grams and Mimi by her grandchildren, was extraordinarily proud of her 14 grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren. She was the consummate volunteer, who flourished by helping others.

Her lifelong volunteer work ranged from extraordinary work with: Hospice by the Sea, Boca Raton; St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth, the Duluth Symphony; Sandoway House, Delray Beach; The Garden Club of America; The Junior League; Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, Duluth and St. Vincent Ferrer Church, Delray Beach.

With her many achievements, she will be remembered above all by the hundreds of people who knew her, as a giving and caring woman.

1948 Patricia Sharpe Courtney Strong died on October 20, 2011. She was a consummate volunteer and community servant, with almost 60 years membership in the Junior League of Minneapolis.

She is survived by her five children, two stepchildren, and many grandchildren.

1955 Arthur W. Partridge died on July 5, 2011.

He was born in St. Paul to Alfred and Jean Norwood Partridge. He attended St. Paul Academy, graduated from Harvard College in 1959, then served in the US Air Force 1959 to 1965. He retired as a Captain with Northwest airlines, based in Minneapolis, in 1997 and moved to Portland, Oreg. in 2000.

Arthur is survived by his wife of 47 years, Jane, and sister, Lillian Partridge Young ’58 (Robert) of Los Angeles, Calif.

1957 h. Blair Klein died December 18, 2011 of pancreatic cancer in St. Croix Falls, Wisc. Born Oct. 5, 1938 in St. Paul to Horace Dudley Klein ’27 and Kate Watkins Skiles ’29. He graduated from St. Paul Academy, Princeton University and University of Minnesota Law School.

He served as an Assistant Attorney General under Doug Head. He then became the first Senate Counsel, serving in that capacity until 1971 when he and his family moved to the state of Wyoming. He practiced oil and gas law with Marathon Oil Company in Casper.

He then moved to Buffalo, Wyoming where he was engaged in private practice until his retirement in 1999. He returned to Wisconsin to manage Big Rock Creek Farm in St. Croix Falls. He is survived by 5 children, Daphne Klein (Zachary Kaplan), Horace “Hoddy” (Alecia) Klein, Philipp (Dr. Ann) Klein, Frederick (Jill) Klein, and Dr. Kate (Mike) McGoldrick, 13 grandchildren and Eloise Morley.

He is also survived by sister, Kate “Minty” Piper ’55 and brother, Allan Klein ’64.

He had wide ranging interests including forestry, conservation, hunting, fishing, and cooking. He was also active in local government serving as Justice of the Peace for Buffalo, Wyoming and Town Clerk for St. Croix Falls township.

1961 Judith “Jann” Vogel died January 9, 2012. She was born in Paris, Texas, to Marcus Dudley and Ann (Parkin) Hilker.

She attended Summit School and the University of Georgia. She enjoyed travel, cruising, politics, sports, needle pointing, her three black labs, and spoiling her grandchildren. She loved spending time with her family at the cabin in northern Minnesota and at their winter home in the Florida Keys. Preceded in death by her mother, Ann (Parkin) Hilker.

Survived by loving husband, H. Charles “Chuck” Vogel; two children, Bob (Nancy) Verhey ’86, and Anne (Jason) Paquet; five grandchildren, Allie ’18, Jennie, Bobby,

Tommy Verhey, and Jonathan Paquet; also, her father, Dr. Marcus Dudley (Sandy) Hilker, St. Paul; brother, Marcus (Georgie); half-brother, Chris (Suzanne) Hilker; niece, Taylor and nephew, Matthew (Hilker) and many extended family members.

1968 Robert “Rick” Olson of Putney, Vt., died of metastatic melanoma on Sunday, March 25, 2012, surrounded by his loving family. Robert was born March 28, 1950, in Empire Township, Minn., spending his childhood on his family’s grain and livestock farm.

He attended St. Paul Academy where he was a formidable athlete, playing defensive end, hockey defense, and baseball catcher in a style that was in marked contrast to his otherwise pacific nature. He attended Harvard University and received a BS in Agricultural Economics and Resource Development from the University of Minnesota in 1974. Soon after he fell in love with Torie Albert and they traveled the world together before marrying in 1978.

They moved to Putney in 1980 and renovated a Victorian carriage house in which they raised their two children, Jessamyn Rose and Oakley Christopher.

For more than 25 years, he taught woodworking, set design and lighting at the Putney School. He ran his own wood shop, working as a designer and maker of custom furniture exhibited in galleries in New York City and Vermont.

He was pre-deceased by his parents and two sisters; and is survived by his wife Torie; children Jessamyn of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Oakley of New York City; brother Stephen and his wife, Julia; six nieces and nephews, and 10 grand nieces and nephews.

1986 Chanya Charles died peacefully at home on February 3, 2012, after a three-years plus fight with colon cancer.

Chanya was an early world citizen,

moving to New York, Bangkok, and then St. Paul by the time she was four years old. In 7th grade, Chanya entered SPA, where she enjoyed friends, teachers, classes and sports. After graduating from SPA in 1986, Chanya enrolled at Pomona College in Claremont, California, where she focused on Asian Studies and Anthropology. After graduating in 1990, Chanya spent one year teaching English in Japan and two years at the Social Research Institute at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, where her parents had settled. She received her Master’s Degree in Communication and Development at the University of Hawaii’s East-West Center in 1995. The same year, she married classmate John Charles.

Chanya and John settled in Washington, DC, where Chanya worked for the Academy for Educational Development in international aid and development.

In 1999, son Nathan was born, followed

by Justin in 2002. Chanya was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer in May 2009 and fought valiantly against the disease until her death. Chanya is survived by her parents, John and Martha Butt; her brother Paul and his family; her sons, Nathan and Justin; and their father, John.

Faculty, Staff, Trustees and Friends James Duscher died on Saturday, January 28, 2012. Jim became employed at St. Paul Academy as head chef working there until his retirement in 1989. They moved back to Sleepy Eye in the fall of 1989 where they enjoyed their retirement. Jim enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and camping at various lakes in Minnesota with family and friends.

His daughter, Barb Holmes, is currently a staff member at SPA. Alice Rogers, a long time faculty member at the Lower School, died on January 18, 2012. Alice served as the Lower School principal prior to the merger, a fourth grade homeroom teacher for many years, and the LS librarian.

Spring | Summer 2012 | SPA

39

The Last Word

“EVERYThING IS FAIR GAME” A glimpse into one of the last moments in a student’s spA career: the senior speech, as delivered by Dylan Perese ’12.

I am a thief. As strange as it sounds, I have no problem stealing from anyone and anything. Instead of stealing material possessions or money, however, I steal sounds.

Wherever I go, I find potential for pitch. In any subway station or kitchen chair, I manage to find a pocket of musical inspiration, a brief idea. After I decide to steal this idea, it becomes a part of my ongoing creative process. A template for something new, something that often grows into a composition. Learning to lift rhythms, melodies, or creative inspiration of any kind from the world around me has profoundly shifted both the way I think and the way I act. While finding more ways to feed my passion for composition, I’ve learned the value of understanding and fully harnessing my ear.

I wasn’t always a thief. One Sunday last year, I remember writing an analytical paper on Falstaff, the haughty yet insightful goon from Shakespeare’s King Henry IV. After spending a while crafting the essay, I put it down and left for my composition lesson to focus on my string quartet. At one point during my lesson, I remember looking around my teacher’s living room and noticing a musical score: Falstaff by Verdi.

I was struck by the irony of the situation and interpreted this collision of events to be a challenge from the Italian composer Verdi. I remember thinking—if he could fill an entire opera full of Falstaff, I could certainly fill three pages. So as soon as I got home, I went back to my paper and started from scratch. I looked at the paper from a totally different perspective, and asked new questions about Falstaff, such as, What is musical about Falstaff? and What does his witty personality sound like? Determined not to listen to Verdi’s opera, I challenged myself to break my self-imposed boundary between music and school. I wanted my creative self to operate on the same frequency as my intellectual self. The result was unlike anything I’d ever written before, a paper that ascribed Falstaff’s inimitable personality and self-love to his creative thought.

Prior to this paper, my ears had always perked up at things like the sound of a major sixth interval a subway made when leaving the station or the tone clusters produced by dragging a chair across the kitchen floor, but I’d log these musical kernels in isolation. I gathered interesting sounds, but when it came time to compose, they seemed irrelevant. My compositional process didn’t involve external inspiration; it started with what I generated at the piano. I hadn’t yet begun to steal.

A chance collision between Verdi’s opera and my paper on Falstaff changed all of that, unveiling a guiding principle for me: everything is fair game—which brings me back to the thief idea. Today, I steal inspiration from the world around me using my ears, my new mindset, and often my phone as a recording device. This August, I rode an escalator over and over again to record the catchy rhythm the steps made when folding under themselves. This rhythmic motive would later inspire a short melodic theme.

Dylan perese ’12 gave his senior speech on november 18, 2011.

He will attend Harvard university

scott streble

in the fall of 2012.

40

SPA | Spring | Summer 2012

By creating an ongoing dialogue between my ear and my day-to-day thinking, I receive and process information in new ways. I lean on my ear to pick up on the sounds and structure of the French language instead of restricting myself to textbooks and workbooks. When I immerse myself in the language, I feel like I get more of the culture and idiomacies that I’d otherwise miss. I’m committed to applying this thieving mindset to whatever comes my way, because I know I benefit from taking in sounds around me. It may take me down unusual paths, but I grow as both a composer and a student in the process. I’m now comfortable with composing anywhere I go, even if it means sticking my phone out on an escalator—something I’d never have dreamed of doing a year ago.

That said, I have another confession to make. I don’t know why I steal. If you asked me why I feel the urge to stick my phone out on an escalator, I would probably say because it just feels right. This feeling started as soon as I began playing piano—I would finish whatever I was playing, and then fool around for a while, reworking chords, sounds, and ideas to please my ear. So there, I can describe it to you—I know what happened.

WHY? It’s not so clear. But I can tell you that I can’t resist the feeling I get when I find that chord or craft that melody that I have been searching for. That is why I steal.

Performances

Pops Concert 2011

Greg Helgeson

In December 2011, the Upper School presented its annual Pops Concert to a capacity crowd at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine University. 175 students played or sang (often doing both) in the concert—almost half of SPA’s entire Upper School. The performance featured performances by the Summit Singers, Academy Chorale, jazz ensembles, orchestra, and Senior Strings. The highlight of the concert was the finale, a medley of Beatles music made possible by the Citron Fine Arts Fund.

Middle School Musical

John Severson

A high-energy production of The Music Man was this year’s Middle School Musical, performed in March 2012. More than three dozen students in grades 6-8 participated in the production, which starred Nissa Rolf ’16 (left) as Marian the Librarian and Jack Romans ’16 as Harold Hill.

John Severson

Upper School One-Acts From left, Cam Murray ’13, Ellie Fuelling ’13, Hannah Ross ’12, Claire Flom-Staab ’13, and Hagop Toghramadjian ’13 in Black Comedy, one of four 2012 Upper School One-Acts performed in January 2012. Black Comedy, directed by Upper School English and drama teacher Eric Severson, was unanimously ranked first by all judges at the MSHSL Subsection competition. This year’s series of One-Acts also included three student-directed plays: Suicide in B Flat directed by Ella Coon ’12 and Sam Rosenberg ’12; Sorry, Wrong Number directed by Emily Upin ’12; and Hard Candy directed by Avery Moe ’12, Mia Gambucci ’12, and Isabelle LaVercombe ’12.

Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID

Twin Cities, MN Permit No. 3400

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

scott streble

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 651-696-1366.

This year’s Grandparents and Special Person Days were held in the Lower and Middle Schools in November 2011 and April 2012. More than 300 grandparents and other important guests joined students in their classrooms, attended special assemblies, and got a taste of life at SPA. For more on this year’s Grandparents and Special Person Days, see page 5.

M A R K YO U R C A L E N D A R S June 2012

oCtoBer 2012

novemBer 2012

summer programs Begin Monday, June 18, 2012 Randolph and Goodrich Campuses

homeComing/reunion Weekend october 5-6, 2012 Randolph and Goodrich Campuses

august 2012

middLe sChooL faLL pLay: Story theater october 26, 2012, 7 p.m. october 27, 2012, 4 p.m.

Sarah Converse Auditorium, Goodrich Campus

upper sChooL faLL pLay: a MidSuMMer Night’S dreaM November 16-17, 2012, 7 p.m.

Sarah Converse Auditorium, Goodrich Campus

parent/aLumni/ae goLf & tennis event Monday, August 13, 2012 White Bear Yacht Club

deCemBer 2012

upper sChooL pops ConCert December 1, 2012, 7 p.m. o’Shaughnessy Auditorium, St. Catherine University