The Summit Magazine Fall 2017-18

THE

SUMMIT

Fall 2017 Magazine
 & 2016-17 Annual Report on Philanthropy

THE SUMMIT The magazine of The Summit Country Day School Annual Report and Magazine 2016-17 EDITOR Nancy Berlier ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Kathy (Hilsinger) Penote ’93 PHOTOGRAPHY Robert A. Flischel, Jennifer Schiller, Rick Norton, Nancy Berlier, Alice Brannon ’85, Leah Fightmaster Costello, Karen Kinross, Kathy Penote ’93, Darren Weigl, Wenxin “Sabrina” Wu ’18 and Lauren Jones ’18.

CONTRIBUTORS Leah Fightmaster Costello, Lauren Guip, J. Patrick Kelly, Shannon Russell, Kathy Schwartz and Maya Warren ’18. Special thanks: Sandy Champlin, Lori Daniels, Mary Alice LaPille, Jen McGrath and Amanda Wood.

PRINTING Arnold Printing © 2017 The Summit Country Day School, Cincinnati, OH. The Summit magazine is published three times a year by the Communications Department of The Summit Country Day School, 2161 Grandin Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208.

Please direct address changes or other correspondence to the above address.

Summit News Phone: (513) 871-4700 ext. 291 Email: communications@summitcds.org Alumni News Please submit news about new degrees, new jobs, marriages, births and other notable passages in your life.

Go to www.summitcds.org/submityournews Summit Online View an archive of The Summit magazine online. www.summitcds.org/magazine The Summit Country Day School serves students from age 18 months through grade 12 in a coeducational setting. The Summit combines the academic excellence and one-on-one guidance of a top-tier independent school with the servant leadership and character-building environment that are hallmarks of a Catholic education.

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ON THE COVER: This year’s graduating class represents the first full class of Generation Z alumni.

With high expectations and entrepreneurial inclinations, these young adults are globally aware and social. See our story on what they said in their college essays on page 15 and our report on the Class of 2017 on page 20. Photo by Jennifer Schiller.

ON THIS PAGE: Lower School art teacher Hilary Carvitti’s “painting on silk” unit is an exercise in thinking through a process. Because the paint students apply goes on in stages, they must plan the steps they take in applying the paint to make sure the colors turn out the way they want. Not only do children learn how to solve problems in art class, but the interjection of art into other subjects helps them learn and remember. See story on Page 10. Photo by Rick Norton.

Head of School Message

HOPE The ending weeks of school last year left me feeling

open and the rooms off the hallway are bright and

sad and discouraged. It was the first time I had felt

sunny as well. You’re free to run into any room, and

that way since I’ve been in this job.

experience the wonder of discovery. “I can be and do anything.” If you walk down the hallway in our

Like everyone else in our community, I struggled

Montessori, you have that sunny feeling.

to cope with the death of a student in the last few weeks of school. When a young person takes his

As you grow older and continue your journey down

life, it leaves the rest of us with a haunting feeling.

the hallway of life, it’s not quite as bright. Some of

That was especially so in this case, given neither

the doors are closed. You realize you don’t have

his parents, his sister, his teachers, his coaches

the coordination to be a professional athlete or

or his friends could figure out why he took such

maybe you don’t have the cognitive ability to be an

a drastic step. He didn’t leave behind any clues

astrophysicist.

either. Graham was a freshman, successful in school and well-liked. He had a ready smile and tons of

Continuing on the journey there are bright and

potential. We were left asking ourselves: Why?

cheery parts of the hallway but there also dark parts as well. Sometimes those sections are pitch

For whatever reason, he had given up hope.

dark and every door is closed. Perhaps Graham was in that part of his journey, and the rest of us didn’t

Reflecting on this, I’ve come to the conclusion that

know it.

we have to teach children the importance of hope

Adults who have been on life’s journey for a

as they journey through

while know that even when life is at its darkest,

life. My analogy is that

somewhere down that hallway, there is an open

the journey of life is like

door. We can’t see it. We find it hard to imagine

walking down a very long

an open door exists, but our life experience and

hallway. As a small child, the hallway

observing the lives of others has shown us that if we keep on the journey we’ll find the open door.

is bright with sun shining

The challenge teenagers face is that they don’t

through the

have the life experience to know this is how the

skylights, all

journey of life is. They may find themselves in the

the doors

darkest part of the hall. All the doors seem closed

along the

to them, and there is no light farther ahead. Suicide

hallway are

is the second leading cause of death among teens (after accidents).

Contents Our job as the adults in their lives is to teach them

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the importance of hope. We need to bring it out in the literature the children read, the struggles of various groups in history, the search for answers that scientists hypothesize and then seek to prove.

When children say they can’t do math, the teacher replies, “Of course you can. Let’s work on this

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problem.”

Our faith rests on the principle of hope: Eternal life, the hope of Christ’s return. The Bible has plenty to say on the subject: • For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope: Jeremiah 29:11 • Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen: Hebrews 11:1 • Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer: Romans 12:12 I’m reminded of the line in the Rodgers and Hammerstein song, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” from their musical Carousel: “Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart, and you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never walk alone.”

There are many aspects of The Summit Way. Helping children understand and internalize the principle of hope needs to be central to our work with them.

Rich Wilson

Features Renovations in the Montessori and Lower Schools this summer have optimized the environments for the Toddler and Advanced Enrichment Programs. Kindergarten Advanced Enrichment classes move upstairs to the Lower School into a new atmosphere where they can explore the joys of science, geography and art.

As 18-month-olds are admitted for the first time in the Toddler Program, their rooms have been designed with their developmental needs in mind.

Educational psychologist Michele Borba Ph.D., who has delivered keynotes and workshops to more than 1 million participants around the world, returns to deliver the keynote address at the 10th annual Early Childhood Education Symposium.

Lower School art teacher Hilary Carvitti weaves a variety of subjects into her lessons, not only expanding her students’ horizons in the art world but using hands-on learning to aid learning across the curriculum. Research has found “a tight correlation between the study of the arts and improvement in attention and various cognitive abilities.”

The first full graduating class of Generation Z has left the building. We asked some of these entrepreneurial, globally aware, social and Internet-savvy new alumni to share their college essays with us. Their personal stories show a connection to the world and the resonating character lessons they have learned here at The Summit.

The 91 seniors of the Class of 2017 will attend 52 colleges and universities coast-to-coast in 23 states and the District of Columbia this fall. Attracting more than $13.5 million in scholarship offers, including 10 full-tuition scholarships, 96 percent of them took collegelevel classes through the College Board Advanced Placement Program.

Upper School Spanish teacher Bob Baechtold is this year’s recipient of the Schilderink Family Faculty Chair for Distinguished Teaching. A teacher at The Summit for 30 years, he is known for building positive relationships with students and faculty as well as excellence in the classroom.

Athletic Director Greg Dennis was inducted into the Girard College Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame in Philadelphia this spring. The winningest athletic director in Summit history, the Silver Knights have won 14 state titles since he came to The Summit in 2004. His no-cut policy in athletics allows every student to play.

Departments

Head of School 12 28 36 42 43

Newsmakers Faculty/Staff Recognition Athletics In Memoriam Key Dates

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Sofia Costea ’29 has selected language work from the shelves of Mary Humpert’s multi-age classroom that is helping her with the “dge” sound heard in words like edge and ledge. As a first grader this year, Sophia will see familiar faces in the hallway because the Montessori kindergarten Advanced Enrichment classes have moved into the Lower School.

Kindergarteners Are Moving Up

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New Spaces Give Advanced Enrichment Bridge to Lower School Annual Report and Magazine 2016-17

By Lauren Guip Walk into one of the Advanced Enrichment kindergarten classrooms on any given day and you’ll find the environment is saturated with hands-on materials that ignite curiosity, invite collaboration and promote creative and team problem-solving. Children are encouraged to pursue their interests. Knowledge about the world is discovered through natural curiosity, flourished with independent and small group study.

Students enrolled in the full-day kindergarten program at The Summit spend half the day in a 3-6 multi-age classroom and the other half in Advanced Enrichment classes where they can learn, socialize and grow among peers of their own age.

As the capstone of the Montessori experience, Advanced Enrichment has been changed for the fall of 2017. Both Advanced Enrichment classrooms have been moved to the first floor of the Lower School to facilitate more collaborative experiences between the kindergarten students and Lower School grades one through four.

“This is an exciting move,” Montessori Director Kathy Scott says. “One of the hallmarks of Montessori education is the concept of multi-age groupings and peer learning. As part of an initiative to provide more opportunities for creativity, innovation and collaboration, we want to give the kindergarten children opportunities to work, grow, socialize and learn together with peers of their own age and with children who are a bit older than they are. Children often learn best from other children, and we want to maximize the potential of that benefit.”

As part of the move to a new classroom environment, Mrs. Scott, along with Advanced Enrichment teachers Karen Koch and Linda Moeggenberg, helped design an environment that is optimal for learning. While the two Advanced Enrichment classrooms will each have an identity of their own, there will be an additional shared space which has the flexibility to foster collaborative learning, problem solving and innovation between teachers and classrooms.

specific and the depth of knowledge is widened,” Ms. Koch says. “Students explore the excitement of how the world works. There are so many questions asked in terms of general knowledge and so many questions answered from the child’s handson experience. Parents are always amazed at the information and new understanding the children have gained, but most importantly the passion by which the children share their new knowledge.”

The pursuits of the kindergarten child at The Summit might look quite different from what you might find in a typical classroom, because the children and environment are anything but typical. As part of the five pillars defined in The Summit’s mission statement, there is an adherence to the child’s spiritual, academic, physical, social and artistic growth. Honoring the spiritual pillar, children learn to respect self, others, the environment and God. Academically, the children are highly challenged but also encouraged to embrace mistakes as learning tools, both for teachers and students. Physically, Maria Montessori believed that children should not be restricted by immobility, but free to explore, and the kindergarten indoor and outdoor environment at The Summit honors the needs of the child to move, explore, run, jump and play freely to develop important social skills. Finally, artistically, the children flourish in an environment that celebrates the fine arts, world languages and humanities.

Children engage in theatrical performances, complete an in-depth study of famous artwork and learn about the spirit of innovation through the study of some of the world’s most forward-thinking inventors.

Opportunities are available to tour and observe The Summit’s multi-age and Advanced Enrichment kindergarten classrooms. To learn more about offering this enriching and enlightening environment for your child or grandchild, please call Associate Director of Admission Elaine Pearl at 513-871-4700 ext. 209 to schedule a visit.

Lauren Guip is a lead teacher in the Montessori Program. She has a master’s degree in Montessori education from Xavier University.

“This program offers to each student an entirely new atmosphere in which to explore the joys of science, geography and art, because the focus is Summit Magazine 7

Jack Geers ’29 is working on mastery of subtraction facts using strip boards in his Montessori classroom. In the background other students work with 100 boards which were designed with built-in control of error.

Renovation Optimizes Environment for 18- to 36-month-olds

By Nancy Berlier Relocation this summer of two signature programs in the Montessori – Toddler and Advanced Enrichment – have created specially designed environments with the developmental needs of these children in mind.

With the admission of 18-month-olds this fall, the 18- to 36-month toddler classrooms have been moved from the first floor to the ground floor where the rest of the Montessori classrooms are located.

“These younger toddlers need an environment that is more conducive to their developmental age,” Montessori Director Kathy Scott says. “They need more space for movement, so incorporated into each classroom will be an area for development of gross motor muscles.”

The classrooms also have attached patios so the outside is an extension of the classroom. “They can go out on the patio to do water or sand work and have more gross motor activity,” Mrs. Scott says. “Observation windows have been placed in the classrooms so the children can be observed in their environment without interrupting their concentration and work cycle, which is most important developmentally at this stage,” she says. “With their shorter attention spans, it is more difficult for them to complete tasks. We are trying to develop a longer work cycle through concentration without interruption.”

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The classrooms are rich in materials that naturally stimulate experiential learning. The environment has been prepared with furniture, learning activities, relationships and routines that stimulate brain development. Classroom teachers, who use academically stimulating vocabulary, aim to lay the groundwork for control, independence, concentration and order – the building blocks on which all other learning will take place through life. “It’s about taking them step by step toward independence, supporting them as they go through the process so they can become independent learners,” Mrs. Scott says.

Also this summer, Advanced Enrichment classes for full-day kindergarteners were moved to the first floor of the Lower School. Advanced Enrichment teachers each have their own classrooms. A shared room between them allows for flexibility of presentations, collaboration and expanded workspace for hands-on learning activities, such as building models of the solar system or constructing life-sized robot artworks.

Advanced Enrichment will also become a bridging experience as kindergarteners are exposed to students in grades one through four, too. “The Montessori is a peer-learning community, so these kindergarten students will see the first through fourth graders as role models,” Mrs. Scott says.

“We believe there are endless academic and leadership opportunities with kindergartners and first graders sharing common space.”

Michele Borba Returns for 10th Annual Early Childhood Education Symposium

Dr. Michele Borba Ph.D.

Educational psychologist Michele Borba Ph.D., who has delivered keynotes and workshops to more than 1 million participants around the world, will make a return visit to The Summit in October when she delivers the keynote address at the 10th annual Early Childhood Education Symposium.

Dr. Borba will present her latest research on “Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our AllAbout-Me-World.” The author of 24 parenting books, her latest one, Unselfie, delves deeply into lack of empathy in today’s children. Her research indicates that teens are 40 percent less empathetic than they were just a generation ago, and narcissism has increased 58 percent during the same period.

“Empathy is core to everything that makes a society civilized, but above all, it makes our children better people and that’s why I’m concerned,” she writes in Unselfie. “In the past decades, our kids’ capacity to care has plummeted while self-absorption has skyrocketed, and it puts their humanity at stake.

Today’s culture values ‘Me’ more than ‘We.’ ”

“We wanted to offer the community something very special for our 10th annual symposium and the inaugural year of enrolling 18-month-olds in our Montessori Programs,” says Kelley Schiess, Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management and Special Projects. “We could not think of a better person than Dr. Borba to help us celebrate these milestones. She is world-renowned for her warm, down-to-earth speaking style, cutting edge insights and research-based advice.”

In addition to Dr. Borba, the symposium will feature several sessions and workshops on a variety of early childhood topics from local and regional experts. The Summit opens its doors to the public for the symposium and charges no admission as a community service.

“Since its inception in the fall of 2008, the symposium has featured more than 100 early childhood education thought leaders presenting on hundreds of topics to thousands of parents and educators in the Cincinnati area,” says Mrs. Schiess. “Not only is it the region’s preeminent parent enrichment resource on early childhood education, but the symposium has become a regional professional development opportunity for teachers from throughout the tri-state.” Find more information about the symposium and register at www.summitcds.org/symposium.

In her presentation, Dr. Borba will offer practical advice on how parents and teachers can impart this key skill to children – whether teaching toddlers how to comfort one another or teaching teens how to stand up to bullying. And she will discuss why empathy paves the way for future happiness and success. Dr. Borba’s presentation was made possible through the generosity of Drs. Renee and Michael Kreeger.

Dr. Borba delivers the keynote addressSummit at the 2011 Early 9 Magazine Childhood Education Symposium in The Summit’s Lower School.

In a Lower School art class last year, Katelyn Bastos, Maggie Bissmeyer and Ryka Woodruff, now fifth graders, preselect silk paint colors from swatches and make notes on their original sketch while waiting for their resist lines to dry.

Art students learn processes which train their brains for logical thinking and problem-solving.

Focus On Artistic Pillar Aids Lower School Student Development

By Leah Fightmaster Costello A young student looks intently at his paper. On it is the outline of a hand, and in front of him is a page of various designs. He holds his paintbrush purposefully, drawing his own version of one of the provided patterns. As he paints, his classmates follow suit, choosing one pattern or another, creating their own unique pieces until they are satisfied with their work.

This lesson was on henna tattoos, taught as part of the Lower School’s Egypt Day global citizenry presentation. Students studied the language, culture, alphabet, history, religion and all things Egyptian. The day reflected the Lower School’s collaborative teaching style, and the Lower School art curriculum.

Lower School art teacher Hilary Carvitti weaves a variety of subjects into her lessons daily, while expanding her students’ horizons in the art world. It’s easy to show a child an image of a Jackson Pollock painting – it’s more effective to give students some paint and a canvas and allow them to learn by doing.

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“Visual art ties things together for students, especially for visual learners,” Mrs. Carvitti says. “Talking abstractly isn’t the most concrete way for some kids to learn. It serves as a visual for students and ties loose ends together for them.”

Research supports hands-on learning. Author and educator Eric Jensen says in his book Teaching with the Brain in Mind: “For most of human history, the model for learning was simple: if you wanted to learn something new, you either had to figure it out on your own or apprentice yourself to someone who could show you how to do it. Watch, listen and try out the new skill.”

Hands-on learning develops synapses in the brain that connect understanding a new lesson to being able to apply it. It’s not only a child mimicking a master artist’s style to understand the method, but also an aspect of the learning process in other subjects.

Lower School Director Kendra Thornton Ed.D. says teaching art is a priority. Because the Summit educates the whole child according to five pillars – academic,

spiritual, artistic, physical and social – there is an emphasis on having a strong arts program.

“The arts are important here,” Dr. Thornton says.

“We believe in the arts enough to put it on an equal playing field. It’s not a lesser pillar. Not only is integrating the arts supported by research as a great learning tool, but it also fits who we are and where we are going, making it a natural partnership.”

Just as Mrs. Carvitti integrates other subjects into her classroom projects, other teachers incorporate artistic skills into their academic lessons frequently.

“I feel like art is the necessary tool in every other part of the curriculum,” she says. “Students need time in their day to have an opportunity to use materials to create something after they’ve been given some parameters. It’s very important for little minds to have time to make something that’s really theirs instead of regurgitating information.”

Research corroborates this. In The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model for 21st Century Schools, a report

by University of California professor Michael Gazzaniga finds “a tight correlation between the study of the arts and improvement in attention and various cognitive abilities.”

Art class is filled with cross-curricular lessons.

While making mandalas using old CDs, Mrs. Carvitti discussed recycled art and its ties to the environment. Students watched a video of Tibetan monks making sand mandalas to understand the context and cultural background of the project, and learned new vocabulary words when she explained how a radial design is created to construct the mandala.

Projects like mandalas and kente cloths, which second graders create, allow students to reflect on themselves and project their personalities into their work.

While learning about African cultures, students choose the colors used in the cloth that represent their lives. Selfreflection not only keeps them engaged in the project, but also allows them to explore their priorities and interests. “With primary-aged children, engagement is important,” Dr. Thornton says. “We want them to interact with materials, because kids at this age learn kinesthetically. They don’t learn one-dimensionally. They’re allowed to be individual and creative, which meets them developmentally.”

This mindset also prepares them for jobs in the future, Dr. Thornton says. “With the way the economy is shifting from goods to ideas, people will need to be creative and look at things differently,” she says. “We want to provide an environment where there is less fear and apprehension, less social consciousness, where they are able to put their hands up and suggest something. We want them to embrace mistakes and learn from them.”

Lower School children also engage in art criticism.

Students are taught about famous artists and styles, then in turn are asked to critique those works. They must evaluate the piece, then consider what they like or don’t like and explain the reasoning for their opinion. Art criticism competitions teach them the confidence to try regardless of the threat of failure.

“It’s pretty satisfying to see students go from struggling with scissors in first grade to making sophisticated decisions about where to cut things, or where to put them in a composition. It’s fun as a teacher to watch them grow and develop,” Mrs. Carvitti says. “Among my peers in the art education field at schools where art programs aren’t as much of a priority, they don’t see the strengths I see in my students here. Summit students are getting the lessons that the artistic pillar prioritizes here. Other schools don’t see that development.”

See student art projects at Artsonia by typing www. artsonia.com into your browser and searching for The Summit Country Day School.

Kira Njegovan ‘25 holds up the painted bunting and its nest which she created for presentation in the “It’s a Zoo” project. The cross-curricular project combines art, science, Summit Magazine 11 technology and writing.

NEWSMAKERS Several foreign language students excelled on national exams this year. (L to R) Parker Bricking ’22, Joseph Delamerced ’18 and Jimmy Fraley ’22 each earned a perfect score on the National Latin Exam. Less than one percent of the more than 149,000 students who took the test in March achieved this feat. For the third year, Latin student Caroline Klette ’18 earned a perfect paper on the National Mythology Exam. Iona Mason ’21, who has been studying French independently while enrolled in Spanish classes at The Summit, placed in the top five percent of eighth graders taking the National French Exam and will receive a gold medal. Iona, who lived in Geneva for several years after beginning French lessons at The Summit, plans to take both French and Spanish in the Upper School. And Isa Bishop ’20 earned a gold medal for her performance on the National Spanish Exams. Students receiving silver medals were Maria Bishop ’23, Ethan Brown ’20, Ali Burns ’23, Lavina Grzymajlo ’23, Asa Larson ’18, Lauren Lautermilch ’18, Iona Mason ’21, Sam Parker ’23 and Sophia Stanisic ’21. Bronze medal recipients were Aaron Bialon ’19, Maliah Bricking ’20, Caroline Burns ’23, Trey Butler ’23, Shannon Dennemann ’23, Megan Ebken ’23, Savannah Eveslage ’23, Henry Gieseke ’23, Jessica Headley, Wali Khan ’23, Owen McEachern ’23, Eva Pappano ’23, Tommy Schaefer ’23, Daniel Shisler and Sophia Young ’20.

Wanyi “Sherry” Xiao ’18 took seventh place overall during the Ohio High School Mathematics Invitational Olympiad at Capital University in Columbus and, for the second year in a row, was the state’s top-scoring female student. In a separate competition, Sherry qualified for the USA Math Olympiad (USAMO), a national test, which ranked her among America’s top math students.

Only 280 students in the world qualified for USAMO this year. Among them, only two other students were from Ohio.

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Liam Lindy ’17 and Lillian Chow ’17 earned perfect scores during State Science Day at the Ohio Academy of Science in Columbus. Lillian also received first place in Software Innovations for Healthier Living and $500. Lillian designed and fabricated a “senseSack,” a wearable sleepsack that monitors infant vital signs.

She already has received a provisional patent on the product. Liam also received third place in the Governor’s Award competition for Excellence in Environmental Protection Research.

He presented a poster describing the independent research he pursued on epigenetics. His study examined the effect of car exhaust on fruit flies over four generations.

Six Middle School band students earned superior ratings in the Ohio Music Education Association solo and ensemble event held in the spring. Tommy DiPaola ’21, Irene Calderon ’22, Jimmy Fraley ’22 and Iona Mason ’21 all earned the highest rating for their solos. Additionally, the clarinet trio of Tommy, Avery McEachern ’21 and Abby Almaguer ’22 earned a superior rating.

Nicole Weyer ’17 received a $1,000 scholarship from the Silverton-KenwoodMadeira Kiwanis Club.

Nicole was a member of the school’s Key Club, which is sponsored by the Kiwanis chapter. Nicole will attend Furman University this fall to study biology.

A project by Caroline Karbowski ’18 helped The Summit earn a General Electric (GE) Additive Education grant which will provide two 3-D printers, membership into online resources and eligibility to participate in GE Program Challenges.

Caroline’s project, called See3D, prints scale models to help the blind better understand the world around them.

Faculty/Staff Newsmakers

Student Newsmakers

Five Upper School students attained the rank of Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts and Gold Award in Girl Scouts, the highest awards given in Scouting. (L to R, top to bottom) Carter Fee ’17, Dane Franke ’17, Liam Lindy ’17, Matt LaMacchia ’17, Hudson Nuss ’19 and Caroline Karbowski ’18. Each student demonstrated leadership by spearheading a service project, gaining permission from an organization, raising funds, organizing and overseeing a workforce.

Cammy Lorentz ’27 earned first place in her age group in the Tri-State Running Company 5K, part of the Flying Pig Marathon.

Cammy finished the 3.1-mile race with a time of 25:36 and an 8:16-minute pace, putting her at the top of the female ages 1- to 9-year-old group ahead of 150 other runners. She also ranked 96 out of 3,369 female runners of all ages.

Four Upper School students were named to the American Bar Association’s 2017 National Civics and Law Honor Roll for their commitment to civic learning and engagement. (L to R, top to bottom) Aaron Bialon ’19, Lauren Lautermilch ’18, Ruku Pal ’18 and Carter Fee ’17 were nominated by history teacher Kelly Cronin.

Maria Hill was named Human Resources Director, replacing Jolene Barton who retired. She came to The Summit from Great American Insurance Group where she had been HR business partner/corporate recruiter since 2011. In that capacity, she recruited new talent, partnered with senior leaders to improve retention, served as point of contact for benefits and policies and coached managers and leaders on best practices and succession planning.

Prior to that, she had served in recruiting, staffing and office management roles in Cincinnati businesses since 2004. She is pursuing a Master’s of Science in Executive Leadership and Organizational Change from Northern Kentucky University. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Sociology from Miami University.

Bernadette Lottman was named Business Operations Director, replacing David Paulin who retired at the end of the school year.

Bernadette joined The Summit in 2010 as controller.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Dayton and is a certified public accountant. Prior to joining the Summit, she worked in public accounting and has held various financial roles in construction and service firms.

Athletic Director Greg Dennis was inducted into the Girard College Hall of Fame in Philadelphia in May. He was Girard’s first athletic director and served in that role for 10 years. With only one losing season in 18 years as basketball coach, he was named coach of the year four times. Since joining The Summit in 2004, eight of his teams have won state championships and students have placed No. 1 in individual state contests six times. Read a full profile of him on page 36.

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Generation Z To Thine Own Self Be True

By Nancy Berlier The 91 seniors who walked out The Summit’s grand front doors in May represent our first full graduating class of Generation Z. Trend watchers say Generation Z has high expectations and entrepreneurial inclinations. They are globally aware. They are social. They are the first generation to have never experienced a world without the Internet, so they are super adept at using it.

college representative can’t find anywhere else in the application. It makes the applicant become more than just numbers. It shows the authentic person.”

Below are excerpts from these essays, which we have illustrated with the images they chose to represent their coming of age – their official senior portraits.

To feel the pulse of our inaugural Gen Z class, we asked a few of our 2017 graduates to share the essays that helped them gain admission to great colleges across the country. A theme emerged: “To thine own self be true.” Our students told personal stories that show a connection to the world and the resonating character lessons they have learned here at The Summit.

Sofia Nieto, who had a molecular cardiovascular laboratory internship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center through the Summit’s Science Research Institute and was named both a National Merit Commended Scholar and National Hispanic Scholar, had a unique spin on diversity in the essay that won her admission to Duke University.

These personal views, by the way, are what college admissions representatives want to read, says College Counseling Director Maureen Ferrell.

“A student’s essay can be the standout factor of their application,” she says. “Students applying to a leading college or university will have great test scores, strong grade point averages, rigorous college preparatory classes and a history of involvement in service and community activities on their records. But the essay can tell a story the

Where are you from? It is a simple question, but has always been extraordinarily difficult for me to answer. Are you from your birthplace?

If so, I am from Caracas, Venezuela. Are you from the place you were raised? Then I am from Guangzhou, China. Are you from the place of your cultural heritage? If so, I am from Cuba and Mexico. After much reflection, I think I have my answer. I am from the world – one that I much better understand because of my vast cultural

“Gen Z can become intensely committed and focused,” says innovation consultant Jeremy Finch in an article on Fast Company’s website. “They’ve come of age with an Internet that’s allowed them to go deep on any topic of their choosing.” They were eye witnesses to a world changed by 9/11, the war on terror and economic crashes. Influenced by their self-reliant Gen X parents, at The Summit they were nurtured largely by work-centered Baby Boomers focused on delivering academic excellence and character-based leadership.

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experiences. My upbringing has not only brought me in contact with and educated me on myriad cultures, but has also illustrated the beauty in the diversity of our world today. The chanting of Buddhist monks sounds fairly different than the salsa music my relatives enjoy, but I truly appreciate both. The broad perspective I have enjoyed has also allowed me to put global problems into context.

Poverty and world hunger are not just problems beauty queens discuss. They are personal because I witnessed them to a shocking degree on the streets of Cambodia and Vietnam. Political tension is not just something I read about in the news. It is something I experienced during the Senakaku Islands dispute when my Japanese classmates arrived at school crying because Chinese mobs threw rocks at their cars. The world is complex.

Because of my background I understand that well and hope to bring this view to the Duke community next fall.

Eliot Schiaparelli, an editor of the school and Latin Club newspapers and starting goalie on the varsity lacrosse team, will attend Fordham University. In one of her essays, Eliot focused on grit.

My parents joke that I was born talking.

They claim I spoke in compound sentences by the time I was 14 months old. Both read to me in utero, and, after I was born, every night before bed. (What do you expect from people who named their kids in honor of two writers – T.S. Eliot and Samuel Beckett?) I loved stories and more than anything I loved words.

But a seventh grade teacher discovered her secret.

She had memorized all those books.

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It quickly became evident I was less of a prodigy than an illiterate child with a surprisingly good vocabulary. I began sessions with a reading specialist. Hours were spent staring at pages, letters dancing before my eyes, forming jumbled combinations that made no sense. With the support and encouragement of my parents and teachers, I stuck with it. I filled out dozens of reading logs, wading through stories about cats with hats and mice that were nice and foxes that lived in boxes… I found myself reading books because I enjoyed them, not because I had to fill up another weekly log.…

I learned the value of putting in the time and doing the work, and applied it to other areas of my life … These lessons helped me become a better student and athlete, and, I hope, a better person.

I was inspired to help others by all those who have steered me toward success. So I volunteered to mentor younger students from an inner-city school through the Leadership Scholars Program. While tutoring, I endeavored to instill in these scholars the value of “grit,” which the program defines as “cultivating a belief that with continued hardwork and effort, anyone can be successful.” Grit, I realize, helped me overcome my challenges.

Similarly, despite facing struggles that I can only imagine, my scholars used grit to become better readers, students and people. We all internalized one of the program’s important life lessons: hard work will help you face whatever life throws your way.

Martin Amesquita, a National Merit Commended Scholar who was also named a National Hispanic Scholar, will attend the University of Pennsylvania this fall. In one of his essays,

Martin described his encounter on a Nicaraguan mission trip with a mother named Rosa and her daughter, Maria, who was unable to move or speak properly and was currently on a waitlist to receive a wheelchair. He wrote: As we stepped foot off the bus, we meandered our way through a desolate road leading us to the hut which a family calls home. Not knowing what to expect, emotions rushed through my head. Upon entering, my gaze was met with that of a single mother, stressed while scurrying in a last-minute attempt to tidy up her humble home, as she doesn’t frequently anticipate visitors.

European Heart Journal. She wrote essays on a variety of topics, including Mt. Healthy’s role in the cholera epidemic and the role political activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton played in advancing social progress in the mid-1800s. One of her favorite essays was a prompt asking who she would like to have in a tutorial class with her. She chose Ken Ham, head of the Creation Museum.

This simple, yet kind, gesture of giving Maria a gift brought Rosa more happiness than I could ever put into words. Additionally, providing her with an outlet to talk to, I was able to present her what she needed the most, hope. Small acts like these can have such a positive and altering impact on people, motivating me to continue serving others.

I respect the Bible’s religious authority, but Mr. Ham and I share little scientific common ground — creating a challenging and exhilarating class. We will take full advantage of the tutorial and (politely) push each other to draw connections between God, science and the people and places they affected. We will debate what happened, why it happened, what it meant to the people who lived it and what it means to us today. Mr. Ham will challenge my convictions, and I will demand observable data to support his positions.

Adventures like these are what excite me about learning. I want classmates who dive in, present their views strongly and make me support (and reconsider) my own positions. Education should not be an echo chamber that rubber stamps our already-held beliefs, but instead should be an opportunity to confirm our views, rethink our positions and embrace new understandings. The “real world” will not simply agree with us — and I suspect that Mr. Ham and I will not agree that much, either.

Caroline Walton, who will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is the 2017 graduate who may best reflect the strength of The Summit’s writing program because she was published in both the Concord Review and

Matthew LaMacchia, a math and science standout who studied mutations in renal cancer during his Science Research Institute internship at the University of Cincinnati and was named a National Merit finalist,

Being the only one in my group who knew Spanish, I made my best effort to translate for Rosa during … our stay. Before leaving, I handed Maria a stuffed elephant we had bought for her. While she could not physically reach out to grab it, she smiled as I placed it next to her. “She loves it,” Rosa said in a cheerful tone as I saw her tears of sorrow evolve into tears of joy.

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will attend Washington University in St. Louis.

Although he went to state in mock trial and cross country, he reveals that his fiercest competitions were during family game nights.

Playing board games has also taught me critical thinking skills that cannot be learned in the classroom. … I love the challenge of Rummikub, trying to manipulate the tiles on the board to fit all of them in. It is a challenge different from schoolwork, a test of critical thinking rather than of knowledge. And losing some games consistently, to my dad in chess, for example, has motivated me to improve. I try to play chess more often than other games I am better at, even though winning at Clue or Rummikub is far more enjoyable than losing at chess. My chess has improved, though I still, to this day, have not defeated my dad! Every game with my family is a competitive endeavor, and that competition has driven me to be the best I can at everything I do, whether it is a board game, an assignment for school or a cross country race. The competitiveness, with its unexpected emotional bonding, has made playing games with my family an important lesson and a special memory.

Shuyi “Christine” Jin, a gifted musician who will attend Wellesley College this fall, wrote about how she arrived at The Summit from China at age 16. She left behind a developmentally challenged twin sister, Qiqi, who suffers from severe epilepsy.

Telling her story alternatively as narratives of her sister’s epileptic episodes and her own reflections, Christine painted a picture of how she grew from being an “impulsive, 18

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unrealistic dreamer” to a deeply felt desire to help others. She wrote: Qiqi stayed docile like she always did after every episode. But after cleaning up, she looked straight at me and suddenly murmured something I would never forget. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry….” She repeated it for what felt like hours. Before I even noticed, I had tears flowing…

And that is when it struck me. I realize that those hundreds of times I have picked up my sister have become part of me, a routine that has given me patience and love that I have passed onto others. I never regret any life-changing decision I make “on a whim” because I know, the same way taking care of my sister turned me into a stronger, more attentive person, the new experiences that I choose – good or bad – will become part of who I hope to be.

By trying to live the most out of my life, I have developed important relationships and skills I will always carry with me. Caring for my sister has inspired this, as I have since extended my passion for music into music therapy and special education.

Jennifer Whitehead, a soccer and lacrosse player as well as a veteran of The Summit stage, will attend New York University Tisch School of the Arts this fall. In her Common Application essay, she talked about the disappointment of how being sidelined by a concussion turned into a positive experience.

This concussion gave me a window to focus all of my energy on my passion. It gave me an opportunity to figure out how I react to extremely stressful situations and figure myself out. It even let me realize that I have much more control over my feelings than I initially thought.

For the first time, I felt in control despite the concussion. I suffered a head injury and came out with straight As and a new sense of self. I now feel confident and prepared in the face of uncertainty and obstacles, and I have confidence that I will be able to find the positives in any situation, no matter how harrowing. I now understand that we have a choice to take things that happen to us and come out positively or negatively. I chose to think positively, and that choice has given me a new frame of reference.

I know I have resilience. I know that in the face of new experiences, I will not only succeed, but thrive.

Omozafe “Zafe” Udegbe, a U.S.-born daughter of Nigerian parents, will attend Purdue University this fall. Zafe writes that her purpose in life is “be the change you want to see in the world.” She writes: About 10 years ago, one of my brother’s classmates was fortunate to have escaped a plane crash with multiple third-degree burns.

However, the incident completely changed her physical appearance and I was surprised by how limited science and technology were in helping her regain her life. My deep concern for accident victims like her got me thinking about ways in which engineering can be used to help make lives better, by developing better health

care equipment. Therefore, biomedical engineering caught my attention because it applies engineering to medical problems. With the increased popularity of 3D printing, I have become interested in exploring biomaterials and tissue systems as well as orthopedic biomechanics. … I hope to use the skills I learn in college to help improve life for several generations to come and make the world more accessible to everyone.

Alex Hertlein, who will begin engineering studies this fall at the University of Cincinnati, could have written about being on a state championship soccer team, but instead wrote about his roles as chairman of the board and “medical specialist” on the Madeira Youth Wiffleball League.

About half way through the (first) season, I gained my first title, medical specialist, after taking action to help a boy who had been knocked out by the blow of a swinging bat, correctly diagnosing his concussion and subsequently increasing — and enforcing — regulations on where players could stand relative to the batter’s box. The players deemed me medical specialist and decided to come to me whenever they were bruised or stung by a bee...

Working this job has been one of the best times of my life. Wiffleball has strengthened my diligence, selflessness and joy. I am rewarded with ear-toear smiles dawning daily on players. I find myself mentioning wiffleball every day and I am never ashamed, despite being called a child. Wiffleball has become a part of me, and if I have to be identified as a child to do what I love, so be it.

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Class of 2017

Defined by Community, Relationships, Tradition

By Maya Warren

On Sunday, May 28 – a day that the 91 seniors of the Class of 2017 had been both dreading and eagerly awaiting for the past year – a sea of white dresses and black tuxedos lined The Summit’s front steps. Their wearers smiled at the camera as they posed for the traditional photo with everyone looking in a singular direction: outward from The Summit. Awaiting the start of graduation, they gathered together on these steps, the steps up which they processed on their first day of freshman year and for the last time before their final moments of recognition.

As the organ began to play and the trumpets started to blow, Upper School faculty members, Head of School Rich Wilson, Upper School Director John Thornburg and the Board of Trustees processed into the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel wearing regal black gowns with sashes of many different colors, each representing the academic accolades of Summit leaders and educators. Summit graduations are always full of tradition, so it is not surprising that as the parents and loved ones of the graduating class turned their heads toward the back of the chapel, they saw the familiar sight of young Summit women nervously walking down the aisle in those long white dresses, red roses in hand, and of young men with their formal tuxedos following behind them.

The graduates bowed at the altar, turned to shake the hand of either Guidance Counselor Mike Fee or College Counseling Director Maureen Ferrell, and then took their seats that offered them sentimental views of their own familiar sites – the stained glass windows, the Stations of the Cross and the handmade pews that held their loved ones – as they prepared to fly from the Summit nest. Salutatorian Lisa Poffenberger welcomed the attendees, and valedictorian Lennox Brooks bid them farewell. Both spoke of the strength of relationships and community at The Summit.

“The love and support that I have experienced is beyond words,” Lisa said. “I believe that the support network here is what makes The Summit so special.

Thank you to everyone who has comforted me or another member of this community in a time of need.

As I look at my classmates around me, I recognize how blessed I am to be a member of this community.” Said Lennox, “Like talents and abilities, relationships are gifts from God. From these relationships, I realized how important a connection to someone else can impact your life.”

The graduates struggled to hold back tears that followed the smiles on their faces as they marched down the chapel steps, surrounded by cheering family members, faculty and underclassmen who made The Summit’s special and unique community bond abundantly clear. This community relationship adds power to the various academic and athletic accomplishments of this particular graduating class: • The Summit’s graduates received 500 acceptances and will attend 52 colleges and universities coastto-coast in 23 states and the District of Columbia, 57 percent of which are out of state.

• They attracted more than $13.5 million in scholarship offers, and 10 full-tuition scholarships were awarded.

• Ninety-six percent of the class took college-level classes through the College Board Advanced Placement Program, and the National Merit Scholarship program recognized twelve percent.

• Fourteen student athletes signed to NCAA Division I, Division II or NAIA teams. Altogether, 19 percent plan to compete in collegiate athletics, above the national average of 6 percent. During their senior year at The Summit, 84 percent of 2017 graduates participated in at least one sport in their senior year.

• Collectively, this senior class completed 7,319 hours of community service, averaging 80 hours per student. This is nearly twice the required amount of 48 hours.

The Summit community feels blessed by the four-year service and shared gifts and talents of the Class of 2017. As this class of 91 stellar students journeys to colleges across the United States, The Summit wishes them the best and hopes to travel in their hearts with them as they embark on endeavors of further academic, athletic and character-based achievement.

Maya Warren is the 2017-18 co-editor of Insight.

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PAGE 22 Clockwise from top left, L to R: Tyrice Walker Jr. Caroline Bristow with her parents, Scott and Julie. Upper School faculty Maureen Ferrell, Kat Sickinger, Ashley Volpenhein, Marty Wells, Ed Kentrup and Jessica Replogle. Liam Lindy. Elise Becker. Carter Fee. Emma Hellmann, Caroline Walton and Claire Hellmann.

PAGE 23 TOP: L to R, front row: Eliot Schiaparelli, Kerri Daniel, Nmantendi Pierre, Alejandra Valencia, MyKaela Murdock-Pace and Nicole Weyer; back row, Omozafe Udegbe, Caroline Schmerge, Rachel Johnson, Jordyn Northern and Maya Purdie. Middle left: Lillian Chow, Margaret Cavanaugh and Taylor Bulla. Middle right: Lucas McIlvenna and Dane Franke. Bottom left: Ryan Schneider, Thatcher Johnson, Tullus Dean and Hayden Boggs.

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College Athletes

L to R, Row 1: Collegiate athletes from the class of 2017 are Dane Franke, Samuel Martin, Zairn Davis, Alexander Dahling, Tyrice Walker Jr., Andrew Bissmeyer, Allen Waltz, Tullus Dean. Row 2: Claire Hellmann, Emma Hellmann, Jessica De Jesus, Isabella Yagodich, Connor McMurry, Cameron Belle, Meghan O’Brien, Erik Sigman and Margaret Dailey.

National College Athletic Association Division I • Cameron Belle, Xavier University, soccer • Tullus Dean, Xavier University, cross country • Jessica De Jesus, High Point University, soccer • Dane Franke, St. Joseph’s University, rowing • Claire Hellmann, St. Louis University, field hockey • Emma Hellmann, Pennsylvania State University, diving • Samuel Martin, University of Cincinnati, basketball • Erik Sigman, Drake University, soccer • Allen Waltz, University of Dayton, football • Isabella Yagodich, Mercer University, lacrosse

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Division II • Alexander Dahling, Lincoln Memorial University, basketball • Margaret Dailey, University of Tampa, cross country and track • Zairn Davis, Urbana University, football NAIA • Tyrice Walker Jr., Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, basketball Division III • Meghan O’Brien, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, basketball • Andrew Bissmeyer, John Carroll University, football • Connor McMurry, Case Western Reserve University, baseball

L to R: Beau Poston, Preston Heimbouch, Jacob Pauly, Jaxon Bravo, Blake Warren, Sam Martin and Hudson Whiting.

Valedictorian Lennox Brooks and salutatorian Lisa Poffenberger.

Lifers

The Class of 2017 included 23 students who were lifelong Summit scholars. L to R, Row 1: Nicole Weyer, Jordyn Northern, Jennifer Whitehead, Alejandra Valencia, Hannah Fassler and Hope Thomson. Row 2: Caroline Bristow, Lillian Chow, Rachel Johnson, Caroline Walton, Caroline Schmerge and Logan Taylor. Row 3: Christopher Samaan, Ryan Schneider, Joseph Delworth, Kyle Schneider, Dane Franke, Connor McMurry, Charles Kubicki, Jaxon Bravo, Hudson Whiting, Tullus Dean and Martin Amesquita.

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L to R: Xiyao “Trista” Zhao, Jinghan “Hailey” Zhang, Chang “Krystal” Gao, Shuyi “Christine” Jin and Jiuhe “Vivian” Zhang.

From left, Meghan O’Brien, Tullus Dean, Tyrice Walker Jr., Katherine Headley, Hannah Pilon and Caroline Walton.

Special Awards

Six members of the Class of 2017 received special awards at graduation.

Jaxon Bravo, Connor McMurry and Charles Kubicki.

National Recognition

• Tullus Dean and Meghan O’Brien received the Maurice “Bud” O’ Connor Memorial Award, which recognizes a boy and a girl who exemplify the attributes of excellence, dedication and Christian leadership in athletics on an interscholastic club or individual basis.

• National Merit Commended Students: Sofia Nieto, Hayden Boggs, Hannah Fassler, Alexander Hertlein, Matthew LaMacchia and Jacob Trzybinski.

• Hannah Pilon and Caroline Walton received the Archbishop McNicholas Award, which is given to seniors who have maintained the highest ideals of academic achievement, Christian awareness and responsibility, service and loyalty to the school.

• National Merit finalists: Martin Amesquita and Lisa Poffenberger

• National Merit Special Scholarship Nominations: Meghan O’Brien and Jennifer L. Whitehead • National Hispanic Scholars: Martin Amesquita and Sofia Nieto • National/International Publication: Caroline Walton, “Tolvaptan Reduces Readmission Rates in Acute Heart Failure Patients with Hypervolemic Hyponatremia,” European Heart Journal; “The Tudors: A ‘Middle Path’ Unites England,” 26 Annual Report and Magazine 2016-17 Concord Review.

• Tyrice Walker Jr. and Katherine Headley received the Saint Julie Billiart Award, which is given to the seniors who best exemplify the qualities of St. Julie Billiart, the foundress of the Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, the same sisters who founded The Summit Country Day School.

– By Maya Warren Martin Amesquita

The Graduates

Formally attired in tails and gowns for their graduation, we present the Class of 2017 with the formal names they requested on their diplomas.

L to R, front row: Hannah Marie Pilon, Margaret Dailey, Lillian Grace Chow, Jordyn Haily Northern, Maya Grace Purdie, Brooke Ashley Taylor, Katherine Anne Headley, Jennifer Leigh Whitehead, Sofia Elena Nieto and Eleanor Ann Hunter.

Row 2: Charles David Perez, Christopher Samaan, MyKaela M. Murdock, Claire Irene Hellmann, Madeline Elise Becker, Jinghan Zhang, Chang Gao, Kerri Nicole Daniel, Elisabeth Claire Gottenbusch, Jessica Pace De Jesus and Deja Janae Mosetta Malone.

Row 3: Taylor Grace Bulla, Shuyi Jin, Amalia Nichifor, Jiuhe Zhang, Xiyao Zhao and Eliot Dorothy Schiaparelli.

Row 4: Martin Eduardo Amesquita, Preston Louis Heimbouch, Logan Joanne Taylor, Caroline Marie Bristow, Hannah Lyn Fassler, Emma Nicole Hellmann, Isabella Anne Yagodich, Alejandra Eyicel Valencia, Hope Ann Thomson, Nicole Alyse Weyer, Megan Kathleen Jones, Katherine Mae Cummings, Liam Edward Lindy and R. Carter Fee. Row 5: Alexander James Hertlein, Nicholas Matthew Carcieri, Laura Marie Klug, Rachel Anne Johnson, Lisa Lahja Poffenberger, Caroline Elizabeth Schmerge, Margaret Ann Cavanaugh, Omozafe Bolanle Udegbe, Meghan Elizabeth O’Brien, Reagan Marie Griffiths, Caroline Elizabeth Walton, Nmantendi Christine Pierre, Michael William Hudson and Jacob Blase Trzybinski.

Row 6: William Garrett Edwards, Allen Mourice Waltz, Erik L. Sigman, David William Cook, Samuel Eric Martin, Beau T. Poston, Jacob Lindsey Pauly, Cameron David Belle and Ryan Schneider.

Row 7: Joseph Hughes Delworth, Zhuonan Ruan, Thatcher Johnson, Charles J. Kubicki III, Matthew Charles LaMacchia, Joshua Aaron Campbell, Tullus Albert Dean, Dane Erickson Franke and Matthew L. Dalton III. Row 8: Andrew Joseph Bissmeyer, Blake Geoffrey Warren, Jaxon Alec Bravo, Hayes Stockman Snyder, Quanhao Zeng, Lennox Craig Brooks, Lundy Patrick Wright, Hudson Michael Whiting and Liam Edward Davis.

Row 9: Zairn R. Davis, Alexander Robert Dahling, Hayden Toler Boggs, Connor Shannon McMurry, Tyrice Walker Jr., Kyle Zachary Schneider, Libin Zhou, Duke 27 Summit Magazine 27 William Tobin Jr. and Lucas Anthony McIlvenna.

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Schilderink Family Faculty Chair for Distinguished Teaching Bob Baechtold

By Nancy Berlier At this year’s Faculty-Staff Recognition Dinner, Upper School Spanish teacher Bob Baechtold received recognition for 30 years of service to The Summit.

He also received a standing ovation when he was announced as this year’s recipient of the Schilderink Family Faculty Chair for Distinguished Teaching.

The award was established in 1993-94 by the Schilderink family to recognize excellence in teaching.

With degrees from both the University of Cincinnati and Filologia Espanola, Universidad de Salamanca, España, Bob began teaching at The Summit in 1987.

Before moving to the Upper School where he teaches Spanish and is co-moderator of the Student Senate, Bob taught in the Boys and Girls Middle Schools.

“Bob builds positive relationships with his students,” Upper School Director John Thornburg says. “He prepares well so he can use all of his class time for instruction, building a strong learning environment.

But beyond that, he is a role model for students.

He has a strong work ethic. He is a modest, humble gentleman who goes above and beyond, without complaining, to make sure student needs are met.

He believes in the school and in the students.”

Kelly Cronin, Upper School Social Studies teacher, says Bob’s students love him. “They consider him a demanding teacher, but they never have a bad thing to say about him,” she says. “They know he is working constantly to make them better Spanish speakers and to develop their cultural appreciation of being global learners. I have never walked into or past his classroom during class time and found him speaking anything but Spanish. He goes out of his way for advanced students developing independent study curriculum.”

“To be sure, Bob is a superb teacher,” Head of School Rich Wilson says, “but there are many ways to teach.

Teaching at a school like The Summit happens in many venues and in many other ways. I think Bob may have as much impact on our students outside the classroom as in. Students may not be aware of it, but he’s teaching them in many situations.”

Assistant Athletic Director Beth Simmons says Bob’s roles at athletic events – announcing games,

operating the scoreboard, assisting with day-to-day operations and as a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame Selection Committee – underscore his value as a teacher. “Students not only learn while in the classroom at The Summit, but they learn on the court, in the pool and on the field,” she says. “While Bob doesn’t teach them specific athletic skills, he is a proponent of good sportsmanship, ethics and integrity. He conveys this to our athletes as it is a great building block of character. Our students respect his philosophies and look to him for guidance.”

Upper School Religion teacher Stephanie Duggan speaks about Bob’s dedication and commitment to The Summit. He and his wife, Pat, sent their own daughters, Julie (Baechtold) Alleman ‘93, Kate (Baechtold) Hoffman ‘95 and Erica (Baechtold) Mitchell ‘99, here to school. “Long after Bob’s daughters graduated he continued bettering the lives of everyone else’s children,” Ms. Duggan says.

Bob also has mentored faculty as well as students.

“He delivers content with expertise and compassion,” Ms. Duggan says. “He mentors and takes care of the faculty and betters our community on a daily basis.

Without Bob Baechtold, many of us would be lost.”

As co-moderator of the Student Senate, he teaches leadership skills. “His work with Senate teaches our students to have the confidence to work together on school-wide projects and present in front of their peers,” Ms. Duggan says. He also models good character. “Because he is so humble and just does what he sees has to be done, the constant small acts of kindness that define him don’t always get noticed,” Ms. Cronin says.

Previously, he has received the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Award and was recipient of The Summit’s Leader of Character Award winner in 2012-13.

“He teaches the importance and power of demeanor,” Mr. Wilson says. “The students and faculty appreciate his sense of humor. He’s warm, he’s engaging and he’s always fair-minded. He models a strong work ethic; he may spend as many hours at the school outside of the classroom as in it. He models character: humbleness, kindness, helpfulness, integrity, honor, sportsmanship, trustworthiness.”

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Leader of Character Awards Rita Dhingra

Triffon Callos Instilling character in a student is a hallmark aspect of a Summit education – so much so that it’s literally a signature program in The Summit’s curriculum for every division.

Many people are character role models for Summit students – teachers, administrators, coaches. But being a leader of character doesn’t need to be a person who is front-and-center.

Some are people students see every day for just a few minutes at a time, but who make an indelible impression.

Rita Dhingra is one of those people. As a dietary aide in Dining Services, students see her running one of two cash registers in the Summit Café. As students walk by, she greets each one and asks them how they are doing, if they’re feeling well or how a test went.

She recalls previous, individual conversations, and that is not lost on those who see her each day.

Mrs. Dhingra always has a sympathetic ear for those who need to talk, and a kind suggestion for those who share their problems with her. She shows each person the same level of respect – a trait emphasized in our Character Education Program.

“Rita is an extremely welcoming face when you see her. She is always smiling and asks how you are, and she truly cares about the response,” Development Director Michele Duda says. “If you have an issue, she always follows up to make sure it all works out. She is extremely compassionate.”

Being a positive role model for adolescents can be a crucial undertaking, especially when that position is highly visible.

Many athletes look to their coaches as figures from which they should model their behavior.

Situations on the court or field are ripe for teaching moments, and it’s through adversity that the opportunity for growth arises. Boys Baseball Head Coach Triffon Callos makes it a priority to set the right example for his players, because he recognizes that it’s not just about winning the game.

Coach Callos serves as a mentor to the boys he coaches. He’s a sounding board, counselor, teacher and any other role he needs to be to help transform boys to young men. He shows his players respect, and therefore receives it in turn. Kathy Scott, Montessori Director and parent to a son who played four years of baseball for Coach Callos at The Summit, says his genuine care and interest in the wellbeing of his players has a significant effect on them, sometimes for years to come.

“As the mother of one of his former players, it was very obvious that the way the boys responded to him was a direct result of how he treated them,” Mrs. Scott says. “He set the expectation that each one of them would be young men of character on and off of the field. He purposely gave responsibility for the ‘character-building’ of the team to the upperclassmen, placing the responsibility for team morals and ethics on their shoulders.”

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Summit Way Awards Leonard Hunter

Elaine Pearl Working hard is expected of everyone who works at The Summit.

Some take this expectation to heart and put their best foot forward each day they are here.

Summit Way Award winner Leonard Hunter does this with a smile on his face.

Mr. Hunter is at work each day to do a job that many likely wouldn’t want to do. He is often needed most when something has gone wrong, such as a child getting sick in class, an injury or spill.

No matter the call, he responds quickly and cheerfully, and everyone is grateful.

“When we call for Leonard’s help here at The Summit, we usually have a messy problem we need his help with,” says Middle School Administrative Assistant Jen McGrath. “His gracious answer is always, ‘I’ll take care of it.’”

Although he comes to save the day – until the next incident, that is – many people likely don’t know a lot about him. Mr. Hunter recently participated as a “voice” for the eighth grade capstone project “Hear My Story, Be My Voice.” He shared aspects of his life and experiences that many were surprised to learn.

Few knew Mr. Hunter is the eldest of 11 children.

He also shared his experience of dealing with discrimination while in the U.S. Army, a story that his interviewer, Declan McGrath ’21, calls “amazing” and describes working with him as “an honor getting to know the man who serves us all each day.”

At The Summit, striving for excellence is prized highly – aiming high, one might say.

The first person many prospective parents encounter is Elaine Pearl.

The Montessori Program is often the initial point of entry for parents, and in her role as the Associate Director of Admission for toddlers through kindergarten, parents are led to her. Mrs. Pearl makes a lasting first impression from the second they meet her. Parents and children are greeted with a bright smile and enthusiastic hello from the getgo, and she makes families feel welcome as they discuss the program and wander through the halls.

As global diversity is a hallmark at The Summit, it’s a priority for Mrs. Pearl as well. Families who hail from cultures are often greeted by her in their native language. She familiarizes herself with their culture and ensures that when they enroll, their home country’s flag is hanging in the hall.

When parents leave at the end of their tour, Mrs. Pearl sends them a personalized note of thanks, which doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s that attention to detail which makes incoming families feel welcome and respected. One prospective parent said personal touches such as those stood out over other schools.

“After we talked with her, we almost felt that if we did not send our daughter to The Summit, she would be missing out,” said another parent.

– Leah Fightmaster Costello 31 Summit Magazine 31

Retiree Recognitions: 150 Years of Service Two administrative directors, one Business Office staffer and five teachers, who collectively represented more than 150 years of Service to The Summit, retired at the end of the school year. Their contributions have helped shape the modern day Summit and have set a high standard for others to follow. Head of School Rich Wilson recognized the retirees during the Faculty-Staff Recognition Dinner. “We celebrate their time journeying though this part of their life by our side, and we wish them health and happiness as they split off on a different life path,” he says.

Jolene Barton, Human Resources Director for 10 years, has provided guidance, innovation and leadership in directing, planning and managing all areas of the Human Resources Department.

She consolidated many of the roles of employee recruitment, on-boarding, staff compensation and benefits, organizational development, collaborative policy development and interpretation, personnel evaluation system and employment record retention into one streamlined operation. She created a wellequipped employee fitness room. She enrolled The Summit in SafeSchool, an online provider of professional development training. Joining The Summit in 2007 with 27 years of human resources and management experience, she has a bachelor’s degree in forensic studies with a minor in psychology from Indiana University.

“Over the last decade she has professionalized the HR function here, which is critical in an organization where people are the most important asset and by far largest cost center,” says Mr. Wilson. “She has been a patient listener to the personal challenges with which many of our employees struggle and then helped them find solutions. She has been determined

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in working with our broker to get the best and lowest cost benefits package for our people.

We’re careful and legal in how we manage our people. She has built systems to help us recruit and hire better. She has ensured that the policies in our employee handbook represent best practice.”

With a passion for photography, she also is the owner of Click by Jolene. Her work in this area has enhanced Summit communications and athletics.

David Paulin, Business Operations Director for 10 years, has served as the secretary and treasurer to the Board of Trustees and as the secretary to the The Summit Foundation.

Joining The Summit in 2007, he had experience in commercial banking and public accounting. He held various chief financial officer positions and was co-owner of a food service equipment distributor. He is a member of the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. At The Summit, he made the functions of the Business Office, Dining Services and Facilities more customer oriented. He also put models in place to manage a complex operation and accurately forecast the future.

“The largest recession outside of the great depression was a huge challenge, yet his careful and conservative planning pulled us through,” says Mr. Wilson. “He watched over the numbers like a hawk and challenged numbers that didn’t make sense to him.” He also helped navigate the cost of renovating the main building and construction of a five-story addition as well as major ceiling and HVAC projects.

“Beyond all those accomplishment,” Mr. Wilson says, “it’s his personal qualities that we’ve appreciated and will always remember: his kindness, his common sense, his work ethic, and most of all his sense of humor.”

Barb Sander, fourth grade teacher, served The Summit for 41 years. With a break between two stints as a teacher, she taught from 1970 to 1975 and 1981 to the end of this year. “Her calm nature is a gift to the students and colleagues with whom she works,” Mr. Wilson says.

It’s her calm nature that she uses as discipline in her classroom. As she tells colleagues, she treats her students the way she would want her grandchildren to be treated by their teachers.

That kind of empathy is what earns her invitations to special events thrown by former students long after they’ve left her classroom.

Facebook posts by children she taught years before fondly remember her.

“The lessons learned in her classroom are not only academic lessons; she cultivates a culture of kindness and empathy through her own actions. She treats everyone like family,” says fourth grade teacher Pat Seta. “There is nothing she wouldn’t do for anyone, and she does it all

with a smile on her face. She is willing to take on additional work and disrupt her day to help co-workers when necessary. She goes out of her way to do nice things for others with no expectation of anything in return.”

Mrs. Sander’s giving, generous nature will be missed, but her colleagues expect many updates on her grandchildren and retirement adventures long after she’s left.

Kathleen Kane, second grade teacher and Lower School religion curriculum coordinator, taught Summit children for 41 years.

Since 1976, she has prepared hundreds of Summit students for First Communion services and made sure those events were special.

She also gave her own children – Frankie Kane ’09, Colleen Kane ’08 and Meghan Kane ’05 – the gift of a Summit education.

“She is incredibly patient yet funny,” Mr. Wilson says. “She enjoys her students and sees the best in them. She nurtures their creative side and appreciates their differing personalities while handling their day with a calm easy-going nature.”

In her classroom, Mrs. Kane encourages her students to work collaboratively. They produce thoughtful and intelligent results. The warm environment in her classroom makes her students feel special and respected.

“It’s obvious the children adore her,” first grade teacher Ceil Johnson says. “I have been lucky to be her co-worker, a parent of a child in her classroom and, most importantly, her friend.”

Summit Magazine 33

She will be remembered by many parents for opening her home for the annual Lower School pool party for 27 years. “She is the epitome of someone who handles all the things life throws at you with a positive attitude,” Mr. Wilson says.

“She finds reasons to laugh even through sad times. She relies on her strong faith, her love of God and her sense of humor in all matters.”

Patti Kenney, Lower School literacy coach, retired after serving The Summit for 30 years.

She began as a second grade teacher in the Lower School, but has worn many hats in the years that followed.

As a second grade classroom teacher, she tried to calm and encourage her class prior to taking standardized math tests by telling them that while it was virtually impossible to get all seven questions correct in the 30-minute time period allotted, she would do an Irish jig on her desk if anyone accomplished the feat. Of course, someone got a perfect score, and Mrs. Kenney kept her end of the bargain. History repeated itself later when she moved to the Middle School.

She became the first Lower School teacher to receive the Schilderink Family Faculty Chair for Distinguished Teaching Award. For many reasons, she was a deserving recipient. Instead of using the standard tools and methods of readers and worksheets for teaching Language Arts, Mrs. Kenney used literature and created her own connections to the books and authors.

As a literary coach, she introduced the Daily Five, the process outlined as part of the Lower School’s signature Five Star Reading Program, and using data-driven instruction to test and teach each student based on their reading level 34

Annual Report and Magazine 2016-17

instead of age. She also gave her own children – Christopher Kenney ’94, Emily (Kenney) Miklavicic ’95, Allison Kenney ’96 and Phillip Kenney ’99 – the advantage of a Summit education.

Mrs. Kenney’s well known sense of humor permeated her interactions with both students and colleagues. That attitude made her likeable to all ages, with her quick wit, extensive knowledge about her subject and constant smile.

Students felt connected to her while parents, and teachers felt they could relate. As with the aforementioned Irish jig, she gave everyone something to laugh with her about when, on her last day at The Summit, she wore the same outfit she interviewed for the job in 30 years ago.

“It has been an honor to work alongside Mrs. Kenney,” says Literacy Teacher Susan Karbowski.

“She has such wisdom, creativity and love for all her students. Her passion for education is contagious.”

“I could tell many more stories about Mrs. Kenney,” Mr. Wilson says. “She has advanced the mission of our school for more than 30 years.”

Sally Ryan, third grade teacher, has been teaching for 39 years, including 15 years at The Summit.

She has a proclivity for organization and kept her classroom on time and on pace – but is not unable to compromise or modify to meet the needs of others. She also gave her daughter, Anna Ryan ’04, the Summit advantage.

Joining The Summit in 2002, her flexibility allowed her to toggle between first and second grades six times before landing in third grade.

In the classroom, Mrs. Ryan made history come alive to her students by using personal stories as examples to make real-life connections.

“In retirement, we feel she would be a great candidate to lead Queen City tours if she is looking to fill her free time!” jokes third grade teacher Stacy Remke.

While her colleagues will miss her baking abilities, they’re happy to see that she’ll be able to spend more time with her family. They say she inspires those around her with her deep love and devotion for them. “We are thrilled for her that she will have more time to travel and spend time with them,” Mrs. Remke says.

But mostly, students and colleagues will miss having her around.

“Her students appreciate her warmth, her hugs and her willingness to always see the best in them,” Mr. Wilson says.

Jane Hackett joined the Montessori faculty in 2005 as a part-time teacher assistant and moved four years ago into the classroom working alongside Brooke Byam. “The children enjoy her gentle spirit and kind manner in the classroom,” says Mr. Wilson. She is the mother of two Summit alumni, Grant Hackett ’07 and Margo Hackett ‘13.

When she applied for her job in the Montessori, Mrs. Hackett wrote on her application that she enjoyed children’s “eagerness for learning” and that she wanted to help each child “develop his or her potential.” She is a skilled calligrapher and would lend her talents frequently to make materials for both the academic and

“We celebrate our retirees as they end this part of their life journey by our side. We wish them them health and happiness as they split off on a different life path.”

– Rich Wilson, Head of School enrichment classrooms, says Montessori Director Kathy Scott.

“Mrs. Hackett has a degree in art, and would provide insight and influence on the art curriculum in the Montessori,” Mrs. Scott says.

“We wish her the best as she joins her husband in retirement.”

Linda Didday has been the student billing analyst since 2001, guiding parents through billing plans and payments as well as any number of tasks related to her job such as counting lunch box money, gate receipts or coins from penny drives. “She has done that with patience, thoroughness and accuracy,” Mr. Wilson says. “She has worked diligently. She is extremely dependable, and we could always rely on the quality of her work. Her contributions to The Summit reach beyond her years here.”

— Leah Fightmaster Costello and Nancy Berlier

Summit Magazine 35

Greg Dennis


Summit’s Winningest Athletic Director Enters Girard College Hall of Fame

36 36 Annual Report and Magazine 2016-17

By Shannon Russell Greg Dennis is the winningest athletic director in The Summit Country Day School’s history and the newest member of the Girard College Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame. However, the last person to talk about those accolades is Mr. Dennis himself.

Certainly Mr. Dennis, champion of The Summit’s no-cut policy and the overseer of 14 of the school’s 16 state championships, could reveal the secrets of his success.

Or catalogue his proudest moments, perhaps?

Not exactly.

“I came into a situation where I have great kids. I have good coaches and an administration that was really about supporting athletics.

When you put all those elements together, it makes everything work,” Mr. Dennis says.

reputation as a hard-nosed, no-nonsense coach, says Mr. Cooper and fellow Girard College alumnus Terrin Hill.

He wasn’t a fan of foolishness, Mr. Hill says.

Mr. Dennis implemented a system of rules and discipline, and those who strayed off the path were penalized. He earned players’ trust through his positive attitude and invigorated the program through conditioning.

Mr. Dennis required players to run cross country each fall to be in better shape for basketball.

“A lot of us did not like that. We did not want to do cross country,” Mr. Hill says. “But I didn’t mind. I knew we needed to be in shape to play defense and score.”

Mr. Dennis championed all the athletic teams at Girard College, but Receiving the Hall of Fame award in Philadelphia, Greg Dennis is flanked by Ron Marrero, president of the Girard College Alumni dramatically improved Association, and fellow inductees Abu Fofanah, Girard class of 2012; varsity basketball in and Solomon Blocker, Girard class of 2000.

He didn’t spare a particular. He had only word about his own one losing season in his impact on the landscapes of The Summit or tenure as head coach, says Dr. Eddie Gallagher, Girard College, where he served as the athletic vice president of Girard’s Alumni Association. director and varsity basketball coach from 1994 to 2004. Mr. Dennis preferred instead to let some Dr. Gallagher nominated Mr. Dennis for Girard’s of his former players speak on his behalf. hall of fame and introduced him in the May ceremony. Dr. Gallagher was a scoreboard Their words painted a portrait of a man who’s operator for Mr. Dennis’ hoops teams before his humble, hard-working, successful, devoted and 1999 graduation. Dr. Gallagher spoke glowingly blunt. about Mr. Dennis’ revival of the program and facility.

“He’ll tell you like it is, whether it’s something you want to hear or not,” says Dwan Cooper, a “He took our athletics program – especially our 1997 Girard College graduate. “I will say this, basketball program – out of the Stone Age and 20 years later he has not only coached me on made us more reputable, both competitively and the basketball court, but he’s still coaching me in with our facilities,” Dr. Gallagher says. “At the life. To this day I still call him for guidance and he time Mr. Dennis arrived, a lot of the field house, gives me honest opinions.” the armory, was in disrepair. The basketball Mr. Dennis, 52, spent a sizeable portion of his career at Girard, a Philadelphia boarding school for economically disadvantaged kids in first through 12th grades. He arrived with a

courts and the facility itself were really tattered.

Through his strategic advancement and planning, he was able to turn the facility around.”

37 Summit Magazine 37

Wearing one of his state championship rings, Greg Dennis applauds his Silver Knights.

Mr. Dennis went beyond the call of his administrative and coaching duties, some of his former players say. He accompanied Mr. Hill on a college visit when neither of Mr. Hill’s parents could attend. He helped former point guard Tyrone Morris secure his first car after high school.

Mr. Morris, a 1995 Girard College grad who returned to coach under Mr. Dennis in 1998, says the well-liked coach often was regarded as father figure. Like Mr. Cooper, Mr. Morris – now a Philadelphia social worker – still relies on Mr. Dennis for advice.

“If you want to make sure you’re doing the right thing, get a second opinion from him. He’ll pop up to Philly without a doubt,” Mr. Morris says.

“He’s a loving guy, all about service, and he’s 100 percent committed to what he does.”

In his 13 years at The Summit, Mr. Dennis’ legacy has continued. In 2016-17, 46 alumni were playing a sport in college. That’s more than 10 3838 Annual Report and Magazine 2016-17

percent of Summit alumni who were current college undergraduates. The national average is 6 percent. Mr. Dennis’ unique no-cut policy allows every student to participate in any sport.

“Greg is a big picture guy who surveys the total landscape of situations and then almost instantly begins strategizing and scheduling to put his coaches in the best possible scenario to win,” says Rich Wilson, Head of School. “More importantly he emphasizes the importance of building character in our entire school, his coaches and especially his athletes.”

Boys Soccer Head Coach Scott Sievering initially had doubts about juggling robust interest in The Summit’s soccer program with competitiveness.

Nevertheless, he added a second junior varsity team to accommodate the turnout, and seniors were not guaranteed spots on varsity. “(Mr. Dennis) clearly defined the roles. ‘No cut’ doesn’t mean you’re going to be a varsity

athlete. It just means that you won’t be cut from the program, and you’ll have a chance to play.

You have to embrace whatever role you’re given,” Coach Sievering says.

Coach Sievering, who left coaching at another school because of his belief in Mr. Dennis, says the athletic director has supported him since his arrival at The Summit. His highest compliment: Mr. Dennis always has taken care of administrative details so he “could just coach.” Cross Country Cotton Family Head Coach Kurtis Smith agreed.

“Everything coaches need to succeed, whether that be going to clinics or providing them with opportunities to have higher competition and travel, he has (ensured). He has basically elevated our ability to compete,” Coach Smith says.

Mr. Dennis’ peers say he’s simply motivated by the betterment of the kids he serves. And that, they agreed, makes him a respected and admired human being.

“I think he’s more proud of seeing students turn into men and women, and family men and women, and successful businessmen and women,” Dr. Gallagher says. “To know that he played a part in that is what he’s most proud of, and not the championships.”

Shannon Russell has covered sports in Cincinnati for 16 years, working at The Cincinnati Enquirer and now WCPO.

A Lower School student is in awe as Greg Dennis gives him the chance to touch the 2013 Division III Boys’ Soccer championship trophy.

Just the Facts Since Greg Dennis joined The Summit in 2004: • Summit Silver Knights have won 14 state titles.

• Eight teams have won state championships • Six state titles were given to individual student athletes.

• The Summit graduates student-athletes every year who have been guaranteed spots on Division I or II college teams and are invited to play at Division III schools. In the 2017 graduating class, 14 seniors signed with Division I, II and NAIA colleges while three others won invitations to Division III schools.

• The Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Women’s Sports Association gave him the Mary Jo Huismann Administrator of the Year award in 2016 for his efforts to promote female athletes.

At one of his annual fundraising golf outings, Greg is joined by Hugh McManus ‘07, Boys Soccer Coach Scott Sievering and angel donor Kenny Miles.

• The girls’ American Athletic Union basketball team, Cincy Swish, for which he serves as a volunteer coach, won the national championship in their division in Orlando in July 2016.

39 Summit Magazine 39

Honor In Action

Summit Sports By the Numbers: Athletic Year in Review 2016--– 2017

By Leah Fightmaster Costello

3 National Team Academic Awards: Girls’ soccer, boys’ soccer, baseball.

1 Academic All-American: Lennox Brooks, boys’ lacrosse.

3 All-Americans: Cameron Belle, boys’ soccer; Harrison and Henry

Schertzinger, boys’ lacrosse.

1 State Champion: Boys’ soccer.

14 State Qualifying Events: Boys’ soccer. Boys’ cross country. Girls’ track

4x200-meter relay: Sydni Brooks, Nakyah Kennedy, Leah Neltner and Niah

Woods. Girls’ swimming 200-meter medley relay: Cate Marx, Ali Miller,

Jocelyn Spanbauer and Sophia Zaring. Girls’ swimming 400-meter free

relay: Cate Marx, Ali Miller, Jocelyn Spanbauer and Sophia Zaring.

Track and field 400-meter dash: Sydni Brooks. Wrestling: Josh

Campbell. Cross country: Margo Dailey. Boys’ swimming 500-meter

freestyle: Brandon Harris. Girls’ diving: Emma Hellmann. Girls’ swimming

500-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke: Ali Miller. Girls’ track

and field 100-meter dash: Niah Woods. Girls’ swimming 200-meter

medley: Sophia Zaring.

1 All-State Player of the Year: Cameron Belle, boys, soccer.

4 State Team Academic Awards: Girls’ soccer, boys’ soccer, volleyball, field hockey.

19 Academic All-State Awards: Elise Becker and Izzy Yagodich, girls’ soccer; Nick Carcieri, Alex Hertlein,

Sam Martin and Hayes Snyder, boys’ soccer; Margo Dailey, girls’ cross country; Tullus Dean, Luke Desch,

Scott Kinross, Matt LaMacchia, Beau Poston and Elijah Weaver, boys’ cross country; Connor McMurry,

baseball. Maggie Cavanaugh, Reagan Griffiths, Rachel Johnson, Jordyn Northern and Maya Purdie, volleyball.

1 Regional Champion: Boys’ soccer.

2 All-Region Players of the Year: Cameron Belle, boys’ soccer; Harrison Schertzinger, boys’ lacrosse.

7 District Champions: Girls’ cross country, boys’ cross country, girls’ track and field, girls’ soccer, boys’ soccer,

girls’ basketball, boys’ basketball.

2 All-District Players of the Year: Ravin Alexander, girls’ basketball, Sam Martin, boys’ basketball.

8 All-City Players of the Year: Ravin Alexander, girls’ basketball; Cameron Belle, boys’ soccer; Margo Dailey,

girls’ cross country; Emma Hellmann, girls’ diving; Sam Martin, boys’ soccer and boys’ basketball; Connor

McMurry, baseball; Niah Woods, girls’ track and field.

6 All-City Coach of the Year Awards: Pat Cosgrove, boys’ basketball; Kim Horning, girls’ track and field;

Scott Sievering, boys’ soccer; Beth Simmons, girls’ basketball; Kurtis Smith, boys’ and girls’ cross country.

10 Miami Valley Conference (MVC) Champions: Boys’ cross country, boys’ lacrosse, girls’ track and field, girls’

lacrosse, boys’ golf, girls’ soccer, boys’ soccer, girls’ swimming, girls’ basketball, boys basketball.

8 MVC Players of the Year: Ravin Alexander, girls’ basketball; Cameron Belle, boys’ soccer; Josh Campbell,

wrestling; Sam Martin, boys’ basketball; Connor McMurry, baseball; Mackenzie Robinson, cheerleading;

Harrison Schertzinger, boys’ lacrosse; Niah Woods, girls’ track and field.

7 MVC Coach of the Year Awards: Pat Cosgrove, boys’ basketball; Kim Horning, girls’ track and field; Tim

Jedding, boys’ golf; Susan Maxwell Miller, girls’ swimming; Beth Simmons, girls’ basketball; Kurtis Smith, girls’

and boys’ cross country.In addition to these honors, many more Summit student-athletes received awards for

their athletic performance during the past season.

40 19 40 34 Annual Report and Magazine 2016-17

Four girls on the track and field team ran at state this spring. Clockwise from left, Leah Neltner '20, Niah Woods '18, Head Coach Kim Horning, Nakyah Kennedy '20 and Sydni Brooks '18. High-fiving twins on the lacrosse field, Harrison and Henry Schertzinger '18 were named U.S. Lacrosse All-Americans. As goalkeeper, Cameron Belle ’17 was a key player on the Ohio Division III state champion team. He was named State Player of the Year by the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association. This spring, five more Summit athletes signed to play collegiate athletics on May 26, making a total of 18 players who will pursue collegiate careers this fall. From left to right are Sam Martin, Dane Franke, Zairn Davis, Alex Dahling and TJ Walker. See complete list on page 24.

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Summit Magazine 41

In Memoriam Graham Hartman 2001-2017

By J. Patrick Kelly We will miss Graham Hartman in the years ahead in our classes and advisement, in our games and our dances and our activities. We will miss him in the years beyond as well, but our memories of him now and in the future will be happy ones, because Graham brought joy to people wherever he was.

As the “little brother” of his sister, Olivia, on the volleyball team, Graham attended many of her games and always found a way to make the girls and the coaches smile, even if he had just been hit by a fierce volleyball when he wasn’t looking. Upper School math teacher and Head Coach Brooke Thomas noted that “his presence was a blessing” and “his calming nature will be missed by all.”

In his own sport of baseball, Graham gave everything he had to the game and the team. As Head Baseball Coach Triffon Callos pointed out, Graham was not the bulkiest player on the field, especially given that his position was catcher, “but he played the game with so much heart and passion” that he helped the team to victory. Coach Callos said he will always remember Graham for his smile, particularly the one Graham had when he ran off the field after a good inning during the team’s spring break trip to play at Disney’s baseball facility in Orlando, Fla. In the classroom, Graham stood out in many ways.

His Latin teacher, Lisa Mays, said that Graham “was thoughtful about every aspect of the Latin language, always asking how and why it worked the way it did.” Like the best students, Graham was interested in learning “for the sake of acquiring knowledge,” not just to have one more good grade. When discussions led to examinations of Indo-European root words, Graham would pick up on what he called “old-timey” English phrases, and announce, “I’m going to say that now.”

Alice Brannon, Graham’s English teacher, remembers Graham with his hand so often half raised to offer a thought or two. He was observant and empathetic in class, which made him a fine reader of literature.

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Annual Report and Magazine 2016-17

A poem he wrote about Paul Bäumer in All Quiet On the Western Front illuminates Graham’s understanding of the ways friendship could happen in the most unexpected of places, as Paul laments a French soldier whose “every gasp lays my heart bare/’Camerade!’ I cry.”

Graham’s notes, festooned with drawings, display the excellent visual artist he was. His drawings of the forge where Pip grows up and the battery where he and Joe would have such larks reveal how clearly Graham could see the world and see the value of friendship in that world. Graham understood that friendship is what helps Pip in Great Expectations grow into a gentleman, and in Graham’s world, his friendship was deeply valued by his classmates. In comments on Graham’s papers, his classmates in English praise him for his “copious talent” and his “august hair.” Graham, in turn, compliments one of his friends by saying, “You greatly augment advisement.”

These words apply to Graham absolutely. Every day in advisement Graham brought his smile and his good cheer and his kindness. Graham paid attention to every one of us, giving us the gift of a happiness we will keep in our hearts as we move through the seasons to the spring of 2020. That calm joy Graham brought forth in us will remain long after graduation and will bloom even stronger in that day when all our tears will be wiped away and we will see Graham’s smile again.

VISIT THE SUMMIT SAVE THE DATE

ADMISSION OPEN HOUSE DATES Parents, grandparents and alumni who are considering enrolling new students in The Summit are welcome to attend one of our upcoming preview events.

Thursday, Oct. 26 Montessori Preschool-Grade 8 Preview Day for Prospective Parents • 8:30 a.m. • Alumni Parlor Thursday, Nov. 9 Montessori Preschool-Grade 8 Preview Day for Prospective Parents • 8:30 a.m. • Alumni Parlor Thursday, Nov. 16 Upper School Open House • 6:30 p.m.

Main Building Thursday, Nov. 30 Montessori Interviews for Prospective Students 8:30 a.m. • Montessori Library Tuesday, January 9 Montessori Interviews for Prospective Students 8:30 a.m. • Montessori Library Tuesday, January 30 Grades 1-8 Parent Preview Day for Prospective Parents 8:30 a.m. • Alumni Parlor Thursday, February 8 Montessori Interviews for Prospective Students 8:30 a.m. • Montessori Library Tuesday, March 6 Montessori Interviews for Prospective Students 8:30 a.m. • Montessori Library Thursday, April 12 Montessori Interviews for Prospective Students 8:30 a.m. • Montessori Library Please RSVP for these events by calling (513) 871-4700 ext. 261 or email kistner_p@summitcds.org.

September 22 Homecoming All alumni are invited. Class years ending in “02” and “07” are encouraged to plan individual reunion gatherings that weekend as well.

SPA Fall Festival 3:15 to 7 p.m.

Schiff Family Circle Alumni Campus Tour 4 to 5 p.m.

Meet in Main Lobby Alumni Homecoming Hospitality Suite 5 to 7 p.m.

Alumni Parlor Homecoming Game 7 p.m.

Williams Field Tuesday, Sept. 26 Legacy Photo 8:15 a.m.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel Alumni parents and grandparents of current students are invited to join the annual group legacy photo.

Saturday, Oct. 28 10th Annual Early Childhood Education Symposium 8:30 a.m.

Lower School Featuring Michele Borba 43 Summit Magazine 43

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SUBMIT YOUR NEWS Please send alumni news about new degrees, new jobs, marriages, births and other notable passages in your life. Go to www.summitcds. org/submityournews.

JOIN THE BOOSTERS

VISIT THE SUMMIT Parent Preview Day (Age 18 months - Grade 8) Oct. 26, Nov. 9, 2017 and Jan. 30, 2018 • 8:30 a.m.

Upper School Open House (Grades 9-12) Nov. 16 • 6:30 p.m.

RSVP required. Please call (513) 871-4700 ext. 261

The Summit Boosters Association has helped build a strong tradition of athletic success by advancing The Summit’s mission through financial, volunteer activities, facility improvements and the K-6 sports program. For more information about the benefits of Booster membership, go to www.summitcds.org/boosters.

RECOMMEND A FAMILY If you know a family who may be interested in The Summit, use this link to send us a referral: http://www.summitcds. org/recommendafamily.