The Gunnery Bulletin - Fall 2014

The Gunnery FALL 2014

B U L L E T I N

the gunnery Role Models Telling History’s Story Local and Green in the Dining Hall Q&A with Seth Low Meet The Prefects Commencement 2014 Letter from the Head of School Eileen Kelly-Aguirre New Faces Behind the Scenes Trustee News Athletics Arts On Campus Off Campus Crossword Puzzle New School Store Items Recommended Reading Alumni Weekend Supporting The Gunnery Class Notes Bequest Society

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s many people have heard me say already, Mr. Gunn’s legacy and founding vision were two key reasons for my interest in taking this position. A survey of the boarding school landscape reveals very few

schools with a founder whose original philosophy remains as relevant in 2014 as does Mr. Gunn’s. That matters today because, as you will read, a number of important changes are afoot. Change in any school, organization or company can be positive, negative, or neutral. Questions always remain about the underlying reasons for the change and the provisions made to ensure that the organization does not lose its way as it changes. Our advantage in this respect is that Mr. Gunn’s beliefs about the purposes of education remain as relevant in 2014 as they were in …the scheme of sending out his boys equipped not merely with brains but with the lofty impulse and exalting principle and purpose—behind the

1850—we ignore or forget them at our peril.

By hewing to them, we will ensure that a Gunnery education remains relevant in the deepest and most meaningful sense, even

brains, was Mr. Gunn’s foremost

as the world of education limits its vision to

aim, and the true meaning of

trends such as “21st century skills.” These

his principle and his example…

trends are important, to be sure, but they

– Clarence Deming, Class of 1866, in Master of the Gunnery

cannot be ends in and of themselves. Mr. Gunn would certainly want his graduates

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND SCHOOL OFFICERS Peter W.E. Becker Head of School Gerrit Vreeland ’61 Chairman Joan A. Noto P ’97 Vice Chairman Jonathan M. Estreich P ’06 Vice President Peter S. Twombly ’74 Secretary Patrick M. Dorton ’86 Treasurer

to have the intellectual and academic skills to succeed in life after graduation, but as one of his earliest graduates, Clarence Deming 1866, recalls, he wanted so much more for his students: “…the scheme of sending out his boys equipped not merely with brains but with the lofty impulse and exalting principle and purpose—behind the brains, was Mr. Gunn’s foremost aim, and the true meaning of his principle and his example… He knew, if ever man knew, how the work and rewards of this life at last come, in their final analysis, to be measured by that inner sense, that deeper vision, which we call conscience, and that they fruited deeply and grew rich and made life worth the living only as they formed part of our higher selves. That was Mr. Gunn’s idealism.”

– Clarence Deming 1866 from Master of The Gunnery As you read in these pages about the fantastic achievements of our students and alumni, faculty transitions, exciting new facilities, and the many other indications of the great things happening at our school, I hope you’ll see that we remain committed to our mission and endeavor to stay true to The Gunnery’s soul as we chart the course ahead.

Members At Large Sarah A. (Scheel) Cook ’82 Duncan “Dick” Ebersol P ’08

Gretchen H. Farmer P ’05 James R. Gallop P ’15, P ’18 Beth Glynn Peter R. Houldin ’92 David E. Kaplan ’81, P ’13, P’15 Jonathan S. Linen ’62 Francis X. Macary ’77, P ’03, P’05, P’07, P’15 Kirsten Peckerman Eugene A. Pinover P ’01 Christine B. Stonbely P ’99 Richard N. Tager ’56 William T. Tolley P ’08, P’14

TRUSTEE EMERITI Leo D. Bretter ’52, P ’88 David N. Hoadley ’51 Val J. Prevedini ’69 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CO-PRESIDENTS John M. Greenwood ’71 Laura Eanes Martin ’90 BOURNE ADVISORY COUNCIL Peter Becker Val J. Prevedini ’69 Stephen P. Bent ’59 William S. Smilow ’82 Leo D. Bretter ’52, P ’88 Jonathan M. Tisch ’72 Edsel B. Ford II ’68 Gerrit Vreeland ‘61 Jonathan S. Linen ’62 Roy S. Walzer ’65, P ’86 GUNNERY COUNCIL R. Whit Matthews ’98 – President Nicholas Molnar ‘72 Omar Slowe ‘97 Peter J. Bergen ‘84 Tara J. Friedman ‘03 Charles W. Allen ‘94 Sheila M. Boyd ‘91 Krystalynn M. Schlegel ‘96 Jin Young Yang ‘98 Jonathan P. Sullivan ‘98 Peter S. Lorenz ‘03 R. Whit Matthews’98 William S. McKee ‘06 Bobby Gordon’87 Elizabeth R. Newman ‘93 L. Michael Hersom ‘89 Juan D. Padro ‘92 Patrick V. Baker ‘89 Altan R. Sadik-Khan ‘06 Scott A. Schwind ‘89 Steven R. Vitale ‘92 Alessandra L. Carlin ‘97 PARENTS FUND CO-CHAIRS Rick and Lisa Judd P ’14, P’15, P’17 MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE CONTACT Michael Marich Director of Marketing & Communications; Editor E-mail: marichm@gunnery.org ALUMNI AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE CONTACT Sean Brown Director of Alumni and Development E-mail: browns@gunnery.org ADMISSIONS OFFICE CONTACT Sara Lynn Leavenworth Director of Admission E-mail: leavenworths@gunnery.org CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tom Hollinger P ’01, P’04, Sean Brown, Paula Gibson Krimsky, Kiersten Marich, Chelsea Stuart

To minimize impact on the environment, this magazine was printed on paper made with 30 percent post-consumer waste fiber processed with environmental chlorine-free sources and certified by the Rainforest Alliance to the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) standards.

The inks used throughout this piece contain a high proportion of renewable vegetable-based ingredients, low Volatile Organic Compounds content and extremely low heavy metal content.

PHOTOGRAPHERS Coffeepond Photography Phil Dutton ’81 Anna Daylor DESIGN & PRODUCTION CEH DESIGN – Bethel, CT

Sharing, Caring, and connecting GUNNERY FEMALE ROLE MODELS

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The Gunnery has consistently developed many stellar women in its history and their lives and career paths have been as iconoclastic and impressive as those of the opposite gender.

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As Soo Jin So ’12 found out during her Gunn Scholar research in 2012, Abigail Irene Brinsmade Gunn and her sister Mary Maria Brinsmade Brown influenced the first Gunnery students and Mr. Gunn himself from the opposite sides of the gender argument during the quest for women’s rights in the 19th century. Mary Maria, Abigail’s younger sister, was sent by her father to Mt. Holyoke to graduate in the first class of the first U.S. college for women. When she returned in 1848, she established the Judea Seminary for Women which, at the height of its success, taught 80 young women from all over the country. The school was forced to close when the Congregational Church minister objected to the program of calisthenics that the students practiced on the Washington Green.

Mary Maria Brinsmade

the founder and his wife and adapted to the exigencies of the era without losing sight of the original mission that stressed personal responsibility, character, and “defense of the right.”

In sharp contrast, Mary’s older sister Abigail did not pursue university education (there were no schools for women) and was part of the 19th century “Cult of Domesticity,” looking after her father’s household and the family until her marriage to Frederick Gunn when she assumed the role in loco parentis for the many students away from home.

Correspondence during their courtship indicates a chafing under the burdens of Daniel Brinsmade’s very active household Abigal Irene Brinsmade Gunn and a nervousness about the prospect of teaching the younger students in her fiancé’s school. She attended classes and taught in her younger sister’s seminary to prepare herself for her husband-to-be’s school in Towanda, PA.

While “Kempie” was here when The Gunnery was both a co-ed and single sex school, Judy Turner, the school nurse for 37 years, practiced her calling when The Gunnery was single sex. During her career from 1927–1964, her legendary kindness and detailed attention to the students as individuals resulted in her receiving an honorary degree from headmaster Ogden Miller in 1952 and a yearbook dedication in 1964.

The women associated with The Gunnery, both when it was coed (between 1850 and 1922 and then again between 1976 and the present) and when it was single sex (from 1922–1976), have been instrumental in creating a culture that continued the values of

In 1903, Elizabeth Kempton came to to The Gunnery to begin a 50year career as a teacher and mentor in art. Although her best known student was John F. Folinsbee (class of 1911), the American impressionist, she taught and mentored artists of all media during her career as their correspondence at her passing in 1953 attests. Women such as Elizabeth Kempton Barbara Burr, Nancy Snow La France, Rosemary Barnes Atkins, and Betty Barnes Bird, who came from Wykeham Rise, benefited from her guidance and indomitable spirit.

Judy Turner

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Marcie Roth, WR ’74, came to The Gunnery in 2009 to share her life’s journey with The Gunnery students. Educated at a time when The Gunnery and Wykeham Rise shared classes, athletics, and extracurricular activities, Marcie called upon her Gunnery community service experience at the Southbury Training School in the 1970s when she served Marcie Roth WR ’74 on the Obama transition team in 2008 to advise the new administration on people with disabilities. She expressed gratitude for the Gunnery’s preparation that led to her career specializing in civil rights and consideration for people with disabilities worldwide. At the time she said, “I am especially pleased to discover that there is a strong commitment to meeting the educational needs of the Gunnery’s female students and proud to have been able to offer my own experience to these young women. ”Marcie is Director of the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination for FEMA, an office which she established in 2009. In this role, she leads the agency’s commitment to meet the access and functional needs of children and adults with disabilities in emergency and disaster preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation.

Whether it is financial or with her time and energy, Julia Alling ’81 believes in giving back to those things that mean a lot to her. Building community and connections have been the core of her career as a teacher and a development professional, and family life and personal aspirations.

As a student and later, as a faculty member, she immediately credits Julia Alling ’81 Pam Taylor as a “huge” mentor and role model. “She taught me how to write, but it was so much more than that… she made me see that there were no boundaries to what I could achieve. It was OK to become a star athlete in both field hockey and lacrosse.” Julia went on to play Division III field hockey and lacrosse at Hollins where she also remembers Jeanne Larsen, her English professor who wrote a note at the bottom of one of her papers. “She said, ‘You would be a good writer if you took yourself seriously’ and that has stayed with me to this day.”

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During her teaching career at The Gunnery, she was also strongly influenced by former Head of School Susan Graham. “The fact that she was a young mother, as well as head of this good-sized institution, and carried it off with grace … the model has stayed with me as I have brought up my own children.” Indeed, her husband returned from bringing their oldest son, William, to interview at The Gunnery with news that her legacy was a long one. The steps she Pam Taylor requested are still in the bathrooms in the dining hall for younger children who are learning to wash their hands. The Gunn Scholar program was one that she helped initiate and champion.

As Director of Development who also oversees communications and directs alumni relations at the Fountain Valley School in Colorado, Julia still sees her life as having no boundaries, and being filled with community and connections. “Your life is a path you cut for yourself,” she says. “Every time I step outside I am modeling family, professional, or personal life … I can seize opportunities to share life lessons everywhere.”

[Editor’s Note: Read what alums say about Julia as a mentor below.]

Michelle R. Young ’99 recalls running into her mentor/teacher Julia Alling who was in Washington, D.C., with her Presidential Politics Class. A graduate of American University, she had been interested in political affairs since her freshman year, but it was at Julia’s suggestion that she ventured into the political arena. “At the time, I was not involved with politics.

She really encouraged me to take advantage of my surroundings. So I Michelle Young ’99 called Ray LaHood, my Congressman, and worked as an intern in the summer of 2001.”

Since then, she has worked tirelessly with congressmen, senators, and other government officials on numerous campaigns throughout Illinois, Washington, D.C., and Washington state.

Currently she is Campaign Manager for well-known Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. “I had learned a lot about

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“Your life is a path you cut for yourself …

I seize opportunities to share life lessons everywhere.”

– JULIA ALLING – leadership as a tri-captain at The Gunnery, and we have put together a team of strong women as communications director, finance director, and field director. There’s a winning combination you can build from a collaboration of skills, experiences and personalities.”

Michelle recalls being mentored by her Big Sister when she came to The Gunnery, and having a chance to return the favor as a dorm monitor later in her high school career. “To this day, I enjoy promoting the aspirations of the women working on the campaign and I’m still learning from the example of our candidate.”

As a nuclear engineer, Kat Danziger ’05, recalls lessons Kat Danzinger ’05 learned from her Gunnery role model, Julia Alling. “I remember having to run three miles during practice twice a week, and, at the time, I hated it. She said that running is something you can do anywhere with nothing but a pair of sneakers, so it’s something worth getting used to. I now run several times a week to clear my head and stay in shape. She also had a great way of communicating where even if she was providing criticism it didn’t make you feel bad about yourself.”

Kat, who graduated from Duke University with undergraduate and graduate degrees in mechanical engineering and engineering management in 2010, and another MA from Penn State in nuclear engineering in 2011, is working for the Naval Reactors headquarters in Washington, D.C., having started as an ensign in the Navy right out of Duke. She’s in the submarine inactivation field as a full-time civilian, although she’s transitioning to a role in personnel for Navy Total Force.

Although she wasn’t prepared for her specific aspirations at The Gunnery, Kat says, “What I did find at The Gunnery was an environment that encouraged the use of each person’s individual talents.” She went on to benefit from career mentoring by Lt. Phil Emery, her NROTC advisor, particularly as regards the ramifications of the word “duty” in a Navy context. She was not formally mentored by CDR Nicole Treeman at Naval Reactors, but identified her as the person she “would like to be like in 15 years.”

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Kat hasn’t had as much opportunity to mentor other young women as she would like because her field is primarily male. “I did get the chance to sponsor (a mentorship-like program for new hires) one of these newly hired women last year, which was a really fun opportunity.”

Olivia Judd ’14 graduated last summer and started at Washington College this fall. As the Gunn Scholar for her year, she studied siblings Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Ward Beecher, and Frederick W. Gunn, three reformers brought together in the 1850s and 1860s united by sending their children to The Gunnery. The Gunn Scholar program, partially endowed by the Class of 1957, allows one Gunnery student per year to do original research in various regional archives, publish the results, and present to the public some aspect of the early life of The Gunnery.

As a student, Olivia recognized the debts she owed to the various mentors and role models in her life. Her grandfather was the one who introduced her to history and nourished her passion for the study of abolition through his passion for the story of local luminary, John Brown. She dedicated her research to him. In her topic proposal, she said, “I have always enjoyed learning about history, whether that be in the classroom or by attending historical speakers with my grandfather. However, I do not believe this information is valuable unless it can be applied. … If I were to become Gunn Scholar, I would feel like I made a positive impact on our school.”

In one of her self-evaluation paragraphs requested each grading period, Olivia wrote, “I have learned a lot about myself through my Gunn Scholar work. I have done things that I never as a freshman, imagined myself doing.” In her final self-evaluation, she said, “Not only has Gunn Scholar prepared me for college, but it has prepared me for life, because, as I said before, I have gained a greater sense of confidence in my abilities and in myself. Along with that, I have learned valuable time-management skills, communication, and organization skills. I have learned that it is not a fault to reach out to others for help.”

As our female graduates return to campus (virtually or physically) with their stories of success and failure, friendship, mentoring and modeling, we are inspired to continue the difficult work of shepherding young women through “the perils of becoming” as teenagers in the new worlds of this 21st century.

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HTELLING HISTORY’S STORYH

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isitors to the May 4th opening reception were astonished at the depth and breadth of the Gunn Memorial Museum’s World War I exhibit. The Gunnery’s History of Washington class can take justifiable pride in their contributions to that excellence. One visitor was overheard saying, “I’ve just come from the exhibit at the Smithsonian celebrating the 100th anniversary and this one beats it by far.”

At the beginning of the school year, retired former history chair Willie Smith identified and briefly researched the 187 Gunnery alumni and faculty who were in some way involved in WWI, both at home and abroad.

Then, the eight senior students honed in on the service men that interested them: learning to use government enlistment and service registers and the genealogy service Ancestry.com, identifying descendants in the area, plumbing the depths of the Gunn Museum, and working with the publications, photos and correspondence in The Gunnery’s archives. Evan Hirsh said, “Our class was not only interesting, but incredibly engaging, allowing us to do our own work, and do it hands on, handling centuryold letters and newspapers.” Alec Cornell was moved by his subject. “My class and I have found great satisfaction and curiosity in uncovering the lives of World War I soldiers who have served as leaders in our local community and how they have impacted and shaped our school.”

Henry Palmer ’14, Tom Malooly ’14, Alexander Cornell ’14, Stanley Wolpiuk ’14, and Evan Hirsch ’14 stand with a World War I reenactor at The Gunn Museum

World War I reenactors stand outside the Gunn Memorial Library

The class spent a good part of the school year working with museum curator Stephen Bartkus and Gunnery History Chair Bart McMann to find out what is involved in the preparation of a compelling exhibit. They prepared a marketing article for the museum newsletter. They worked with The Gunnery’s Visual Arts department to prepare the photographic and text visuals for their portion of the exhibit. They wrote and rewrote essays about the soldiers to try to effectively depict their stories. Tom Malooly said, “It is extremely humbling to know that I am walking in the footsteps of these soldiers that I have spent so much time researching.”

At the exhibit opening, the boys gathered to explain their subjects’ roles for the visitors while surrounded by recreations of the battle scenes: a wall mural of the John Singer Sargent painting “Gassed,” a trench with gas mask and machine gun, re-enactors in full dress, and a meeting of officers (depicted by mannequins in uniform) to plan strategy. The students recounted the fate of “their” soldiers and the horrors and deprivations endured during the war.

Stanley Wolpiuk commented, “Many of the alumni from the Gunnery volunteered for the war instead of being drafted.

Some of them wrote back to the Gunnery and from the words of the valiant Romeyn Benjamin, ‘I lay all my success to the Gunnery.’ ” The eight seniors who participated were: Darrion Bunce, Alexander Cornell, Brandon Garzione, Evan Hirsh, Tom Malooly, Marshall Millette, Stanley Wolpiuk, and Henry Palmer.

Local & Green in The Dining Hall

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localand green

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here were plenty of changes to The Gunnery this summer – faculty housing upgrades and a new turf field to name just a few – but in speaking with Sara Bye, The Gunnery’s Director of Dining Services, big changes happened in the dining hall, as well.

Starting in September, Litchfield, CT’s Arethusa Farm Dairy provided all the milk (2%, skim, and 1% chocolate milk) and yogurt to the dining hall. According to Mrs. Bye, one of the many benefits of partnering with Arethusa is the freshness that comes with being so close to the dairy. “Arethusa Farm cows are milked twice a day and the milk will be delivered to us the next day.”

The school also partnered with FreshPoint CT to provide regionally grown Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified produce. The 14+ farms in the area will provide the school the fruits and vegetables used during the school year. Mrs. Bye and her staff also introduced a “meet the farmer” profile display and a map to educate the students, faculty, and staff about where the produce comes from. For some formal meals and special events, the school is using beef, pork, and poultry from Truelove Farms in Morris, CT, and Ox Hollow Farms in Roxbury, CT. Mrs. Bye also implemented changes for waste products. She implemented a composting program in the dining hall and made all dine-in and carry-out products at the Cafe on the Green (aka“The PO”) compostable, minimizing the amount of waste sent to the landfill. Mrs. Bye and her staff are always looking for new ways to serve the students fresh, local foods while reducing waste and supporting sustainable dining practices. Added Mrs. Bye, “By partnering with our local farms and dairies, we are receiving food that is fresher and has fewer pesticides, while reducing our carbon footprint. It is truly the best of both worlds.”

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Q&A with SETH LOW

Assistant Head of School, Director of College Counseling and Co-Curriculars

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In March 2014, Assistant Head of School and Director of College Counseling, Seth Low was named Director of Co-Curriculars. We took the opportunity to catch up with Seth to talk

Can you let us know about how your role has evolved over time here at The Gunnery?

I started at The Gunnery in 2004 as a full-time math teacher, football coach, and lacrosse coach. Since that time, I have served as an environmental GUNN’S QUALITIES: science teacher, “He cultivated muscle, health, a soccer coach, a imagination, taste, and intellect! beginner hockey coach, His idea of education …was the and a college counselor. perfecting of a noble manhood— Most recently, I have the creating of a noble life.” served as the Director — Sen. Orville Platt in of College Counseling.

Master of the Gunnery Along the way, I have been pretty insistent with (Head of School) Peter Becker that I remain a teacher and a coach – both because that is why I got into this job in the first place and because it keeps me (I hope) in touch with what it means to be a fully-engaged faculty at The Gunnery.

about the role and his thoughts for the future of Co-Curriculars at The Gunnery.

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he Gunnery’s rigorous academic setting is complemented by a robust program that facilitates learning outside the classroom.

This education is vital to the success of our graduates at college and beyond. It happens through the Residential Life program and the host of opportunities for students that we call CoCurricular programs. As that name suggests, these programs have always represented an important aspect of a Gunnery education.

As Sen. Orville Platt, Mr. Gunn’s Assistant Head of School, said in the Master of The Gunnery, “He (Gunn) cultivated muscle, health, imagination, taste, and intellect! His idea of education …was the perfecting of a noble manhood—the creating of a noble life.”

They include our athletic programs, our drama and after-school arts programs, our community service program, and our outdoor club. Acknowledging the growing role that co-curricular programs play in the lives of our students, and in attracting great Gunnery students, Head of School Peter Becker appointed Seth Low to serve in the role of Director of Co-Curriculars. It is a role that is new to The Gunnery – in fact new to boarding schools – and signifies our commitment to smart, intentional growth as an institution.

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PLAY & SUFFRAGE: “We are laboring, not without hope, for the right of the woman to vote – when she wishes it; but how few, even of the teachers of the land, ever made any ado about ‘The Rights of Boys’? We provide schools for their intellectual training, and urge them to fidelity in their studies, stimulating their ambition by appliances that are, to say the least, of somewhat doubtful propriety; but what school has fitly provided for the amusement of its pupils?” — Confidence Between Boys and Teachers, an address at Teacher’s Convention 1877

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So what is the job of the Director of Co-Curriculars?

I see it as my job to think about our Co-Curricular program in a cohesive and strategic manner, to consider its ideals, values and consistency with our mission and history. It is my job to not only reflect on what serves our current students well, but what will serve our future students and

PLAYFULNESS: “To get into a boy’s heart, you must first get the boy’s heart into you.”

— Confidence Between Boys and Teachers, an address at Teacher’s Convention 1877

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Admissions Office well.

EQUALITY & COOPERATION: It is my job to support “But in this school of which I Jon Russillo in his role dream, there is cooperation, there as Athletic Director and is helpfulness, and, so far as the Jennifer Wojcik in her laws of Nature permit, equality.” role as Director of the — Confidence Between Boys and Arts, and to support Teachers, an address at Teacher’s Karen Lincoln, and Rod Convention 1877 Theobald and Chip Miller in their roles with their respective co-curricular programs (Community Service and Outdoor Club). None of this suggests that, as a school, we were not doing these before my appointment. These responsibilities are now coalesced into one job and one person NATURE: “Every voice is rather than being spread sweet – every bird a natural amongst several. Upon my singer; they make no discords; appointment, the circle they all pour forth their of people with whom I little souls in unrestrained interact on a daily basis liberty, knowing nothing of and who are truly invested rules imposed from without, in what I think, say and but each obeying the inner do, grew exponentially. In promptings. … Is, perhaps this new position, I have all that we call jargon, noise encountered so many and discord mingled to the people within our faculty ear of God with the sweet who are passionate about tones of love, the sighing their particular piece of of pity, the thousand varied Gunnery life; and I am eloquence of brooks, breezes, learning what it means to birds, torrents, words of have an impact on each men, chanting of angels, all and every one of them. blended into one vast swelling In relatively short time, I harmony …” — Letter 1846 to have learned a lot about sister-in-law Mary Brinsmade proactive communication, collaboration, and trust.

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Can you speak about the Co-Curricular Group; what are its mission and goals?

In 2012, Peter Becker asked (veteran teacher and Director of Financial Aid) Jarrod Sisk to look into our Co-Curricular programming with an eye towards assessing what we do and why

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FUN: “Strange that one small word should convey so much of meaning to the boy-heart! Fun! Boys have an inalienable right to their fun.” — Confidence Between Boys and Teachers, an address at Teacher’s Convention 1877

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CRITICAL THINKING: “Now, what I urge is this: That along with mere instruction, and as the best way to administer the laws of order, there shall not be merely didactic teaching of these laws, but such discipline and drill and training in their exercise and application as shall send the youth up to the polls accustomed to the practice of judging and deciding upon the questions that arise, , thoroughly educated out of that lazy, stupid habit of non-commitalism which is one of the worst hindrances to the execution of the laws, and often in the individual is an utter negation of all manhood.” — Confidence Between Boys and Teachers, an address at Teacher’s Convention 1877

we do it. The outcome of Jarrod’s work was a comprehensive document that compared our programs to those of other schools and worked towards the “why” of what we do in the afternoon.

At the same time, I began an eight-month study of the school’s athletic facilities. Both of PRACTICES: “Our proficiency these endeavors reflected must be ascribed to the master’s an acknowledgement insistence on faithful practice, of how important Coand to his personal presence Curricular programs are in on that first base.” — Letter the lives of our students. from Gunn student The Co-Curricular Group is a collection of teachers and administrators building upon these initial studies to articulate exactly what we want our students to get from our Co-Curricular programming. This group met in the spring and summer of 2014 with the goal of evaluating our Co-Curricular program and policies, and eventually making recommendations to the Administration regarding THE ARTS: “If the potential adjustments. We student desires, they are hope that by accurately offered lessons in music, identifying these values, we painting, drawing and can restate our co-curricular dancing.” — From an objectives in a way that advertisement for the strengthens all our programs school in September 1849 and leads to more consistent and educational outcomes for our students. We do not yet know how restating those values may impact us programmatically. It is fair to say that it will impact us and that there will be some change that comes from this process.

It has been a rewarding process – productive, collegial, and challenging – and I have come to the conclusion that whether it results in significant programmatic changes, restating our mission/ policy is going to have positive impacts on our coaching and teaching, our student experience, and our school culture.

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Prefects for 2014–2015 (L to R:) Laura van Tartwijk, Nate Joslin, Caroline Judd, Logan Adams, Virginia Dodenhoff, Colin Kanuch

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Meet the Prefects Mr. Gunn was renowned in the educational circles of the mid-19th century for advocating student government in the school.

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e held “family” meetings every Sunday evening where the students helped determine punishments for offenses, decided on schedules, and discussed school issues. Although appearing under different governmental guises, the students have been involved ever since. Whether it was a student council with a president and class representatives, a community council of administrationappointed student representatives (a brief stint in the late 1970s), or the current system of senior prefects and dormcentered student participation, the students have always worked with the faculty and administration to better the condition of the students while at The Gunnery. Although we have not thoroughly researched the question, the first time the term “prefect” was applied to student leaders was in 1937.

We had a chance to sit with the prefects to hear about the roles each will have and how The Gunnery experience has shaped them.

As Head Prefect, Nathaniel Joslin will be the voice for the student body. He credits his experience at The Gunnery with developing him into the person he is today. “I’m grateful for the leadership skills that I’ve been allowed to cultivate at the Gunnery. I never imagined how much

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I would change from that small, terrified freshman boy, into a more confident, well rounded, and productive citizen of the community. The Gunnery has helped me grow not only as a student, but more importantly, as a person.”

Logan Adams, son of Tommy, former

Director of Admission, and Kendall Adams, grew up on The Gunnery Campus. He will be responsible for maintaining the long history of traditions here at The Gunnery.

“I’ll look back on my four years here, knowing I made it a place I can be proud of. It will be a difficult day (graduation), knowing that I will be leaving a place that I love, but I will be happy knowing that I left my mark in even the smallest way.”

Caroline Judd will look to translate her

personal experiences into her role of developing character in others. “I hope that I can help affect other people’s Gunnery experience just as others have done for me.

They have helped me become the leader I am today by teaching me all of the qualities of a true leader.”

Colin Kanuch is known around campus

for his quick wit, jovial personality, and overall willingness to help everyone. He looks forward to imparting some of his personality onto his fellow students this year. “While being at The Gunnery since I was a freshman, I have seen the good and the bad and hope to bring my skills to the forefront of the school and let everyone experience a truly great year.”

Virginia Dodenhoff doesn’t suffer from

a shortage of school spirt. She is looking forward to infusing the student body with her energy and passion for all things in Highlander Nation. “This place is a home away from home, and we should be thankful for every day we have here. Family is about being there for each other when things get rough… it is about loving each other and pushing everyone to be the best you can be.”

Laura van Tartwijk will look to bring her creative energy to her role. “The love and enthusiasm I have for you and this school is what I’d like to translate into actions and deeds this year, as your prefect. My goal is for everyone in this room to realize how special this place is.”

11/19/14 10:16 PM

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Eileen Kelly-Aguirre named Executive Director of School Year Abroad

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ileen Kelly-Aguirre, Associate Head of School for Strategic Partnerships and Global Programs, has been named Executive Director of School Year Abroad, effective July 1.

Said Head of School Peter Becker, “This is an inspired choice

by Jack Creedon and School Year Abroad. Eileen has served faithfully and with distinction in every imaginable role here – from a teacher, coach, advisor and dorm parent to Academic Dean, Dean of Faculty and Associate Head. She is responsible for hiring the majority of our current faculty and setting the tone throughout the school as a result. She’s a talented, experienced educator with a passion for and expertise in global studies. She will make a great partner to Jack, a leader in the independent school world, and I look forward to watching SYA’s continued growth and transformation under their leadership.”

Added Jack Creedon, “I feel incredibly fortunate that Eileen has joined us at School Year Abroad. Her extensive experience as a classroom teacher and her knowledge of the research on teaching, learning and language acquisition have enriched our faculty discussions at our schools in China, France, Italy and Spain. As an academic leader, few educators can match Eileen’s vision and administrative expertise working with faculty, students, staff, parents and alumni.”

Said Eileen, “Although it is difficult to imagine my life without The Gunnery at its center after devoting all my professional energy and passion to it for over two decades, I am very proud of what it has become as a school, a community and a culture. I am honored and thrilled to be joining School Year Abroad for this next phase of my professional life, and I wish The Gunnery of tomorrow all good things. I will carry this place and its people in my heart forever.”

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11/21/14 10:24 AM

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commencement2014

The Class of 2014 Sumana Sayed Ali Al Gharbi

Alexis Rose Dominicus

Sarah Michelle Hughson

Jocelyn Anne Mongillo

Jose Maria Ruiz Hernandez

Fatema Emad Almeshqab Oscar C.A. Arfelt

Ariana Elisa Dominicus Andrew Gregg Douglas

Nicholas Fulton Ireland Zilun (Allen) Jing

Jane Catherine Moore Ian Eric Morris

Shambhavi Sahai Megan Helga Salerno

Dominic Orazio Battaglia Erin Montgomery Bond

Connor Joseph Eckenrod Jack Philip Einbinder

Olivia Catherine Judd Gerald Itai-Henry Kahari

Ramon Navarro Nicholas Daniel Nemergut

Matthew William Schneider Trevor Nash Schrier

Darrion Robert Becker Bunce Spencer Kyle Cannon Che (Sherry) Cen Robert Andrew Cerepak Dana Joy Cerone HyeongChan Cho Jeewoo Chung Skyler Tucker Clark Moira Anne Compton Alexander Houldin Cornell Casey Edmondson Cullen Nicholas Emedio D’Elia Kevin Matthew Darrar

Joseph Michael Fallon Andrew Connor Fogarty Yuichi Fujikawa Fernando Homem de Mello Perez Garcia Brandon Patrick Garzione Simeon Ferdinand Giraldo Andrew William Hamilton Lily Claire Hedley Samuel Cooper Hemmingstad Abigail Lee Herrup Emily Louise Herrup Evan Lewis Hirsh Robert Lewis Hooper

Joshua Frank Kelly Minki Kim Jeremy Andrew Kinnear William Knauss Lamoreaux Kyung Min (Ivy) Lee Meghan Laura Lembo Samuel Ryder Levin Thomas Michael Malooly Jacob Isaac Mandl Kaitlyn Cornelie McNamara Kayla Joy Meneghin Marshall Patrick Millette Matthew William Minicucci

Lauren Alexandra Nolan Katlyn Sierra Paiva Henry Coffin Palmer Amanda Lacey Payne Luke Michael Perda Jacob Tyler Plante Mason Stanford Pollock Taylor Eliza Pottbecker Veronica Ware Raleigh Isaac Reguant EscarrĂ Timothy Andrews Reitman Kori Lynn Rimany Khalil Jamal Rogers

Ye Eun Seo Matthew Austin Siemon Darby Lyn Simpson Luke Daniel Brian Stancs Nathan Daniel Sucese Patricia Lindsay Theobald Jared Thompson Tolley Samantha Marie Walther Nicholas Robert Weinstein Stanley Adam Wolpiuk YiLin (Kitty) Yang Andrey Yuzvik Zhijing Zhou

Zafar Mirzaliev

Dominic Joseph Rovero

Adam Anthony Errol Ziadie

Joshua Joseph DiMassa

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Legacies in the Class of 2014 (L to R): Andrew Douglas, Abby Herrup, Nick D’Elia, Lauren Nolan, Jared Tolley, Emily Herrup, Will Lamoreaux, Claire Seo, Kevin Darrar, Darby Simpson, Jake Mandl, Taylor Pottbecker, Alec Cornell, Lindsay Theobald, Skyler Clark, Casey Cullen

Peter Becker presents the Brinsmade Prize to Simeon Giraldo ‘14

The Gunnery Faculty

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Senior Master Russ Elgin hands The Gunnery Mace to Ed Small

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Peter Becker presents the Head of School’s Prize to Prefect Amanda Payne ’14

Senior Master Russ Elgin

Graduating Boys (L to R): John Cho, Simeon Giraldo, Mason Pollock, Darrion Bunce, Joshua Kelly and Gerald Kahari

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Head Prefect-elect Nate Joslin ‘15

Graduating Girls (L to R): Jocelyn Mongillo Olivia Judd, and Erin Bond

The Commencement procession

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College Matriculation for the Class of 2014 Assumption College Babson College Barry University Berklee College of Music Boston College Boston University Bryant University Clark University Colby College College of the Holy Cross (2) College of William and Mary Colorado College Connecticut College Curry College Dickinson College (2) Eckerd College Elon University Emory University Endicott College

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Fairfield University (3) Franklin and Marshall College (2) Georgia Institute of Technology High Point University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Indiana University at Bloomington Lasell College Lesley University Lynn University Manhattanville College Merrimack College Miami University (Ohio) Michigan State University Nichols College Northeastern University Pace University

Providence College Quinnipiac University Rhode Island School of Design Rhodes College Roanoke College Rochester Institute of Technology Rutgers University Salve Regina University Savannah College of Art and Design Skidmore College (3) Southern CT State University Southern Methodist University St. Lawrence University Stanford University SUNY College at Cobleskill Syracuse University (2)

Tufts University Tulane University Union College (2) University of Delaware University of Denver University of Maine University of Richmond University of South Carolina University of Vermont University of Virginia (2) Vassar College Wagner College Washington University in St. Louis Wesleyan University Williams College

11/19/14 10:16 PM

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PRIZEnight

Craig Badger presents the Hillman Prize in American History to Charles Rioux ‘15

English Chair, Richard Martin, presents The Michael Post Award for Excellence in English to Kori Rimany ‘14

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Senior Master, Russ Elgin, presents the Excellence in Spanish Award to Lily Claire Hedley ‘14

The 2015 Gunn Scholar, Jessica Xu ’15, with the 2014 Gunn Scholar, Olivia Judd ’14, and their teachers Paula Gibson Krimsky and Thomas Holinger

11/21/14 10:28 AM

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Mr. Perkins presents the The Malcolm Willis Award for Music to Jack Einbinder ‘14

Board Chair, Gerrit Vreeland ’61, presents the Vreeland Rogers Athletic Awards to Darrion Bunce ’14 and Sarah Hughson ‘14

Science Department Chair, Steven Bailey, presents The Raymond W. Reich Award for Excellence in Physics to Fatema Emad Almeshqab ‘14, the school’s top scholar

Senior Master, Russ Elgin, presents the Bourne Council Advisory Leadership Award to Joseph Fallon ‘14

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Teddy Award Winners Grace Herrick ’17 and Maxwell Ryan ’17, along with the previous recipients (L to R): Samuel Joslin ’16, Logan Adams ’15, and Andrey Yuzvik ‘14

11/21/14 10:31 AM

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The Gunnery chapter of the Cum Laude Society: front row (L to R): Matthew Daylor, Chris Baudo, Shannon Baudo, Fatema Emad Almeshqab ’14, Kori Rimany ’14, Sumana Al Gharbi ’14, Jessica Xu ’15, Kitty Yang ’14, Allen Jing ’14, Jeff Zhou ‘14, Samuel Levin ’14, Charles Rioux ’15, Amanda Payne ’14, Matthew Siemon ’14, Joseph Fallon ’14, Sherry Cen ‘14; Back Row (L to R): Mark Conklin, Eileen Kelly-Aguirre, Anna Carew-Miller, Anna Daylor, Russ Elgin, Seth Low, Craig Badger, Alisa Croft, Steven Bailey, Carolyn Ross, Alison Frye, Steven Gritti, Amy Paulekas, Kate Garrity, Jarrod Sisk

Morgen Fisher ‘03 presents the Excellence in Chemistry Award to Matthew Siemon ‘14

Athletic Director, Jon Russillo, presents the Athletic Cup Awards to Joshua Kelly ’14 and Katlyn Paiva ‘14

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History Department Chair, Bart McMann, presents the John Warner More Award to Nate Fydenkevez ‘16

11/19/14 10:17 PM

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NEWfaces Sean Brown, Director of Alumni and Development

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ean Brown wasn’t looking to leave Lawrenceville School, but “when the opportunity at The Gunnery came to my attention, I recognized that the school had elements in its mission which made the job a compelling challenge. I was drawn to the tight-knit, traditional community, the rich history, and the focus on the individual development of each student. I love the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of how these core values frame the alumni and parent experiences,” said Sean.

Sean joined The Gunnery family as Director of Alumni and Development on July 1.

Coming from his post as Director of Capital Programs at The Lawrenceville School, Sean brings a wealth of experience gained there and at The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and at The Rutgers University Foundation.

Sean is responsible for the formulation and implementation of The Gunnery’s strategy to sustain and grow engagement from parents and all generations of alumni. He also plays a vital role in advising senior leadership on the strategic priorities related to the school’s alumni and development program. His immediate goals for the Alumni and Development Office, besides carrying the message out to the alumni with regional events and visits, is to establish a clear home base for the alumni at the school. Said Head of School Peter Becker, “I am excited to welcome Sean and his family to The Gunnery. He understands the importance of giving our alumni a clear home base for their ongoing relationship with their alma mater and how to direct the school’s efforts at securing the resources we need for the future.”

Sean, a graduate of Trinity College, lives in Washington with his wife, Erin, a teacher of those with language-based learning disabilities. His son, Gavin,11, is attending Rumsey Hall, and his daughter, Bridget, 5, attends kindergarten at Washington Primary School.

Sara Lynn Leavenworth, Director of Admission

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ara Lynn Leavenworth is no stranger to Litchfield County and had known of The Gunnery for many years prior to the extensive national search for The Director of Admission. Sara Lynn attended Washington Montessori and Westover School prior to leaving the area to attend Hobart and William Smith Colleges. “It’s an exciting honor to be The Gunnery’s Director of Admission. I am energized by The Gunnery community and the opportunity to work with Peter Becker and his leadership team as they build upon the great history and tradition of the School,” said Sara Lynn.

Sara Lynn is responsible for the formulation and implementation of The Gunnery’s strategic enrollment goals and plays a key role in advising senior leadership on enrollment issues and strategies. Said Head of School Peter Becker, “I’m excited to welcome Sara Lynn to The Gunnery’s leadership team because she brings deep experience

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and a proven track record of success helping connect great schools with prospective families. She inherits a terrific admissions staff and understands our school’s unique strengths and warm, tightly-knit community.”

Sara Lynn, formerly the Director of Communications at Park School in Brookline, MA, was also Director of Admission and Financial Aid at Westover School, and and comes to us from her post as Director of Admission and Financial Aid at Forman School in Litchfield. An alumna of Westover School, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a Master of Social Work from the University of Connecticut. She is a well-recognized leader in the field, having served on several independent school committees and has presented nationally at conferences such as SSATB and TABS on independent school admissions and marketing strategies.

11/19/14 10:17 PM

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The Gunnery Welcomes New Faculty

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ith a number of retirements last year, we have some exciting new faculty faces on campus this school year. Here are brief profiles of those we welcome to The Gunnery: LANGUAGES Natalie Dyer brings a dual BA in French and Political Science from Middlebury College, as well as an MA in French from Middlebury and an MA in TESOL from New York University.

She taught in the New York public school system for more than 10 years and is an active volunteer for Steep Rock and the ASAP (After School Arts Program) in Washington. She will teach English as a Second Language and French. Natalie is a Washington native married to longtime English faculty member Nick Benson.

Katelyn Hackenburg comes to us with degrees in Adolescent Education and Spanish from SUNY Oneonta. She previously worked in administration at Mary McDowell Friends’ School and Tomato’s House of Rock (THOR) in Brooklyn. She will teach Spanish II, Spanish III, and coach softball and girls’ ice hockey.

Tanya Nongera graduated in 2014 from Trinity College with a dual BA degree in Interdisciplinary Computer Science and Mandarin (Chinese). She will teach Mandarin I, Mandarin II, Mandarin III. Having played on Zimbabwe’s junior national field hockey team, Tanya will coach that sport and supervise the winter X-term.

Laura O’Brien has a BA in Spanish from Yale and a MSEd from the University of New England. She also earned a sixth-year certificate in Educational Administration at the University of Bridgeport. Laura will teach Spanish and supervise X-term. Laura grew up in nearby Watertown and taught Spanish in Waterbury and Thomaston public schools. She has coached swimming at both the high school and college levels and swam across Long Island Sound.

LIBRARY & INFORMATION LITERACY Edward Surjan is The Gunnery’s new Head Librarian. He is currently a candidate for a Masters in Library Science at Syracuse University and received his BA in Political Science from the University of Chicago. He hails from Illinois and previously had a career in technology and antique dealing prior to signing on as an assistant librarian at Berkshire School, where he taught digital literacy and research methods.

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New Faculty (L to R): Ed Surjan, Tara Stevenson, Kevin Clemente, Tonya Nongera, Katelyn Hackenberg, Noah Solomon, Laura O’Brien, Paul Baier, Monte Blaustein

MATHEMATICS Paul Baier is a graduate of Deerfield Academy and earned his BA from Brown University in International Relations with a focus on Global Security. While at Brown, Paul played ice hockey and was a Teaching Assistant in Computer Science. Paul will teach Algebra I and Geometry and will coach girls’ hockey and lacrosse. Paul comes to us after a six-year stint in professional hockey and most recently worked on the National Olympic Committee in Sochi, Russia.

Kevin Clemente earned a BA and MA in Math Education from the University of Connecticut. He will teach Statistics, Pre-calculus, and Algebra II and coach tennis and boys’ basketball. Kevin grew up in Woodbury, and taught math for seven years at Nonnewaug High School in Woodbury. He comes to us most recently from Dana Hall.

SCIENCES Monte Blaustein earned a Bachelor in Engineering at Concordia University. He will teach Explorations in Science, Physics and Chemistry and advise both the Community Service group and the Outdoor Club. Monte hails from Canada and joins us after a 30-year career as an engineer in plant automation and teacher at Cardigan Mountain School.

Noah Solomon graduated with a BA in Psychology from Wesleyan University, where he was captain of the varsity crew. He will be teaching psychology, ethics, and undertake the Pathways sections of the LEADS program. He will also coach crew.

Tara Stevenson received her BA in Biology from Norwich University, where she belonged to several scientific honor societies.

She is in her second year of an MS program in molecular and cell biology at Quinnipiac. She will teach AP Biology, Honors Biology, and General Chemistry and will coach girls’ basketball and ultimate frisbee. She comes from Watertown, taught science at a Waterbury middle school, and coached basketball at several summer camps.

11/21/14 10:58 AM

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BEHIND the scenes

e c a l P ’s h a r Debo

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tudents and alumni know Mrs. Deborah Doody as the smiling face that greets them at the School Store. She is also their No. 1 fan, cheering for the Highlanders on the sidelines and in the stands at games.

What they may not know is that Mrs. Doody, who has worked at The Gunnery since 2001, actually orders all of the books, supplies, clothing, and Gunnery merchandise in the store. She runs the student bank and debit accounts, tracks purchases and receipts, sorts the mail, signs for packages and hands them out (nothing beats a package slip in your mailbox). The individual book bags at registration are Mrs. Doody’s project, as is the rack of donated blazers and kilts that appears at the opening of school. Always on the move (and often wearing her running shoes), Deborah still finds time to stop and chat with students and ask them about their day – her favorite part of the job.

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TRUSTEEnews The Gunnery Honors Jay Sheehy ’73 and Peter Slone ’73 During the April 2014 Board of Trustees’ meeting, The Gunnery took the opportunity to pay tribute to two long-serving outgoing board members, Jay Sheehy ’73 and Peter Slone ’73. Said Head of School Peter Becker, “I would like to thank both Jay and Pete for their service and dedication.

Both Jay and Pete helped to motivate, effect change and improve The Gunnery during their time on the board.”

Jay B. Sheehy ‘73 Jay B. Sheehy ’73 served as a trustee of The Gunnery for 16 years. In that time, he served as Chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, the Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee, and most recently as Treasurer of the Board and a member of the Executive Committee. Added Peter Becker: “Jay’s leadership on the Buildings and Grounds Committee, Finance and Investment Committee and as Treasurer reflected his thorough and reasonable approach to significant issues facing the infrastructure and finances of the school. His skill and dedication successfully maneuvered the school through the extensive CHEFA bond process and the subsequent building projects that have modernized The Gunnery campus in the last decade. He has been a wise counselor and a respected voice among his fellow Trustees.”

Peter B. Slone ‘73 Peter B. Slone ’73 served as a trustee of The Gunnery for 13 years. He served on numerous committees, including the Development Committee, the School Life Committee, the Finance and Investment Committee, and as Chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Pete has also served as Secretary to the Board and as a member of the Executive Committee. His leadership on the Buildings and Grounds Committee highlighted his true skills as a consensus-builder during a time of campus renovation and expansion, which includes the building of Teddy House Dormitory, the College office Annex, and myriad other projects. Added Peter Becker: “Pete clearly understood the needs of the entire school community and balanced those with the resources available. He brought his vast expertise in the balancing of human relations and insights to the Board of Trustees and served as a resource for two Heads of School.”

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GUNNERYathletics

BOYS’ FIRST BOAT CLAIMS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

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n Sunday, June 8th, Fish Creek in Saratoga, NY, was the site of a dramatic finish as The Gunnery’s Boys’ 1st boat won its first National Scholastic Championship in 5:03:63 at the first National Schools’ Championship Regatta sponsored by the National Scholastic Rowing Association and hosted by the Saratoga Rowing Association. The triumphant crew, Bobby Hooper ’14 (stroke), Mason Pollock (3-seat), Pat Iannone ’15 (2-seat), Andrey Yuzvik ’14 (bow), and Abby Herrup ’14 (cox), had a great story to tell.

Their final day of racing was much like the season itself. It was one of the coldest winters in recent memory in Connecticut, and the prospect of rowing in April, much less setting the race course, seemed unlikely with a foot of ice on Lake Waramaug in late March and wind and snow in the forecast for weeks. The grueling erg workouts and long campus runs that followed made for a slow start to the season. When they finally got on the water in midApril, the boys started to pick up speed, but had some catching up to do. And catch up they did.

Head Coach Kevin Garrity ’99, Pat Iannone ’15, Robert Hooper ’14, Abby Herrup ’14, Mason Pollock ’14, and Andrey Yuzvik ’14

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The 1st boat finished 4th in the Grand Final at Founders Day in May and then went on to win the DuPont Cup at Pomfret (beating

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Prep. The last 100 meters saw the Highlanders use their customary, powerful sprint to overtake Episcopal and Lyme-Old Lyme, finishing in 5:03:63 and winning the National Championship, giving Mr. Garrity, a wonderful send-off in his final regatta as a Gunnery coach.

“I am so proud of this crew,” said Head of School Peter Becker.

“The combination of hard work, sportsmanship and stellar leadership brought them to this point. Congratulations to Head Coach Kevin Garrity and Assistant Coaches Alison Frye, and Matt Daylor. Their leadership and dedication gave the crew the tools to come together as a team and peak at the right moment.”

Taft and St. Mark’s), as well as the Smith Cup and HighlanderSaints Cups at Lake Waramaug (ahead of Taft, Berkshire, and Canterbury). It was the first time the crew captured all three in a season. They entered the New England Championships as the 3rd seed, finishing 4th behind Deerfield, Belmont Hill and Groton and earning an invitation to the Scholastic National Championships.

As impressive as they were on the water this year, the 1st Boat and their team will leave behind a legacy bigger than the National Championship win for generations to come. They acted as ambassadors for the program and were actively involved in mentoring and helping their younger teammates, as well as supporting and cheering on the girls’ team. Said Garrity: “I could not be more proud of the guys this year. They are not the biggest or strongest guys we’ve ever had on the team but the enthusiasm for hard work they bring to the boathouse has been incredible.

The key to their success has been the bond they’ve created as teammates. I’ve never coached a group that supported and trusted each other as much as the boys crew team this spring.”

This steady, consistent progress, peaking at just the right time, became characteristic of the boat’s racing style. Slower off the start, they would work their way back into the race and walk through crews to seal the win with a powerful, effective sprint.

On the final race day in Saratoga, The Gunnery moved through its early morning heat with ease, finishing one second behind Episcopal Academy (with a time of 5:10:36) to secure their place in the Grand Final. After the heat, the crew met with Coach Kevin Garrity ’99 to go over strategy and to hydrate and rest, as the temperatures on the course were approaching the mid-80s. The Gunnery boat launched for the Grand Final, well-prepared for the race. As expected, they started off slowly, but stuck to their strategy, and during the middle portion of the race systematically passed traditional powerhouse crews like Kent and St. Joseph’s

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Peter Becker holds the Boys 1st boat prior to the start of the race at Founders Day

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SPRING 2014 ATHLETIC AWARD WINNERS (L to R): Adam Ziadie ’14, Ian Morris ’14, Henry Palmer ’14, Dominic Rovero ’14, Joseph Fallon ’14, Nicholas D’Elia ’14, Andrew Fogarty ’14, Thomas Malooly ’14, Stanley Wolpuik ’14, Patricia Theobald ’14, Sarah Hughson ’14, Samantha Walther ’14, Alexis Dominicus ’14, Ariana Dominicus ’14, Casey Cullen ’14, Amanda Payne ’14

LACROSSE - OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR & HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR Team co-captain Logan Adams ’15 was not only named to the All-League First Team by the coaches of the Western New England Secondary School Lacrosse Association (WNESSLA), he also was named as the William LaBelle Offensive Player of the Year. He is congratulated here by Head Coach Mark Conklin who was named the Mike Fuller Head Coach of the Year

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SPRING 2014 TEAM RECORDS BASEBALL – Varsity 7–10–1 JV BASEBALL 2–3 GOLF 6–6 LACROSSE – Varsity Boys 8–6 LACROSSE – JV Boys 7–3

LACROSSE – Varisty Girls 5–4 SOFTBALL 5–4 TENNIS – Varsity Boys 4–10–1 TENNIS – JV Boys 9–2 TENNIS – Varsity Girls 6–2

11/21/14 11:06 AM

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GUNNERYarts The Gunnery Cops Fearless Halo Award for Winter Musical: Fairy Tale Ending

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n May 27th, the red carpet (and it was a red carpet) was laid at the Palace Theater in Waterbury for the more than 1,500 teenagers and their mentors from 24 regional schools, both public and independent, who came to cheer for the more than 88 productions nominated for the Seven Angels Theater Halo Awards. Forty awards and several recognitions elicited deafening screams of delight and prolonged applause from the glittering crowd during the three-and-a-half-hour event.

The Gunnery thespians received 11 nominations from the Seven Angels Theater Halo Awards committee for their two productions: the play The Complete Works of Shakespeare, (Abridged)! and the U.S. premier of the musical Fairy Tale Ending. The cast of Fairy Tale Ending took home the Fearless Halo Award.

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Cassidy Lefebvre ’15

Lexi Nanavaty ’17

Alex Cornell ’14

GUNNERY PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST WINNERS Alex Cornell ’14

Alex Cornell ’14

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Mr. Elliott Fisher

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Creative Writing Awards Lindsay Theobald ’14, Dr. Benson, Kori Rimany ’14, Nick Weinstein ’14, Matthew Siemon ’14, Samuel Levin ’14, Fatema Almeshqab ’14, Che (Sherry) Cen ’14, and Mr. Martin

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National Art Honor Society Front Row (L to R): Ye Eun (Claire) Seo ’14, Jeewoo Chung ’14, Lindsay Theobald ’14, Lily Claire Hedley ’14; Back Row (L to R): Visual Arts Chair Mr. Richards, Yuichi Fujikawa ’14, Matthew Siemon ’14, Andrey Yuzvik ’14, Marshall Millette ’14, Matthew Minicucci ’14, and Mr. Lillie

Jaewon Lee ‘15 Debuts in Carnegie Hall Gunnery junior, Jaewon “Jenna” Lee, playing 2nd violin, made her Carnegie Hall debut with the Principal Norwalk Youth Symphony on Sunday, June 1

Homer and Puck Steven Lowy, artist, art collector and president of Portico New York, Inc. brought an inspiring collection of historical prints to the Tisch library for the benefit of The Gunnery’s students. During the spring term, students of visual arts, politics, the Civil War, and journalism came with their teachers to probe the exhibit

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ONcampus The Stray Shot Search An Odd Mix of High-Tech and Old-Fashioned Brawn

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he Stray Shot clues are getting more diabolical, more obscure, and just downright difficult. The teams are recruiting school history buffs as partners, waylaying longserving faculty to pepper them with questions, and plumbing the past history with experienced alums looking for clues. Forays in the middle of the night, climbing to the top of very tall trees, and crawling through dusty basements are sometimes fruitful, more often not. Parents are frustrated, admonishing students to attend to their studies and give up the obsession to no avail. The search is on for the 112-pound cannon ball.

When the winning team of Tom Malooly ’14, Sam Joslin ’16, Cam Barbieri ’15, and Warner Houldin ’16 came to the Archives to tell their story during exam and graduation week last year, I knew it would be a cliff-hanger. The seniors in possession since 2013 (Olivia Judd, who helped dig up the ball at the pinnacle in Steep Rock last spring, was not involved in this year): Skyler Clark, Alec Cornell, Luke Perda, and Jake Mandl had devised a merry chase based on the campus map with flash points of The Gunnery’s crest created from map locations. They planted encrypted messages on bricks on campus, obscure notes in books and made references to such well-known school historical figures as Mr. Gunn’s horse, “Old White.”

There were hiccups along the way. The freshman team of Cameron Wooden, Matias Schrader, Tyler Small, and Arden Cohen, looking for glory without the work, hacked into Sam’s computer where he stored the photos of clues for sharing with his team and caused a scramble. There was a lot of surreptitious digging up at The Gatehouse, but in fact, there are two stable pole remnants, one behind the dining hall and one near the The Cottage. The gray bricks the hiding team used sometimes blended in with the hiding place which might be under a church pew or under the tennis court pavilion.

Sam and Tom were the first active members of the team – they had each been on unsuccessful teams last year which made them even more determined. Evan Hirsh ’14 helped them with the first clue, a technological one, but lost interest as the year progressed.

Tom knew they needed more mindsets to decode the clues. It was an April addition to the group, Warner Houldin, who proved the

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Thomas Malooly ’14, Warner Houldin ’15, Samuel Joslin ’16, and Cameron Barbieri ’15 present The Stray Shot at Prize Night

wisdom of Tom’s decision almost immediately. He kicked a brick that had stumped the team and somehow his brain saw that it was a Dewey Decimal code to a specific book about trees in the Gunn library.

It remained only to locate the tree. Sam thanked his lucky stars that he did a good job on an assignment about campus trees for Jeff Trundy’s class. When push came to shove with this most difficult clue, he knew his sugar maples. It only remained to uncover it under the tree nearest Brinsmade. They didn’t even have to dig as they had previously beneath the stump in front of Van Sinderen. Getting it to a safe hideaway was more of an issue.

Uncovered during the dinner hour, they had to move it during daylight and the ball about the size of a soccer ball is a very unwieldy 112 pounds. (Rumor has it that Ian Reilly ’13 covered it with olive oil and no one could lift it.) Luckily they had a couple of weight lifters on the team to help.

There was no doubt the success of this year’s teams of both hiders and seekers had their roots in some of the families’ long history with the cannon ball. Warner’s brother Wiley, Class of 2011, and his father, Scott, Class of 1980, both had their hands on the ball.

Alec Cornell’s father, Steve, Class of 1977, mother, Sally Houldin Cornell, Class of 1982, and uncle Peter Houldin, Class of 1992, had all been involved at some point or other.

What are the plans for the intrepid foursome? They’re not telling. Tom plans to be in close touch from West Virginia – isn’t technology wonderful - and the returning students plan some gettogethers this summer.

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Jessica Xu Named Gunn Scholar 2014–2015

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i (Jessica) Xu, a rising senior at The Gunnery, has been named the Gunn Scholar for 2014–2015.

Jessica, a Chinese student from Shanghai, had raised the question, “How and when did the association of athletics with education and character development arise in the United States?” Since the founder of The Gunnery, Frederick Gunn, was an early proponent of sport, in a period when most schoolrooms were dominated by a stern master with a hickory switch and students bent over their slates, learning by rote, we expect to learn a lot from this project.

Jessica tells her story of surprise when she arrived on Gunnery’s campus three years ago, “I would say, most students (at The Gunnery) consider themselves as studentathletes, and do a lot more than just running (as the Chinese students do).

After I heard about the Gunn Scholar Program, I knew immediately that

sports would be my focus, and perhaps the philosophy behind athletic training and intense practice, which I would have regarded as insane a few years ago. My view on sports has changed vastly these years….”

Jessica addressed the question of her interest in American history this way, “I realized history is probably the hardest course for me, especially American history, as I struggled through my AP U.S. History class. Although it was challenging, it also proved to be one of the most interesting courses I have taken. My history teacher in middle school was a funny and friendly woman. I remember she always picked me to write her notes on the board before class because I had really neat handwriting. But because I had a chance to carefully read through all her notes, I tend to make better connections on the topics we went over in class. Later on, I developed deep interest in this subject. The history classes in The Gunnery really took me to another level of critical thinking and analyzing.”

Jessica received as part of her award, The Gunnery, A Documentary History written in 1975, and she will read Muscles and Manliness, The Rise of Sport in American Boarding Schools to prepare for her project.

As she pursues her research in the fall term, she visited the Beinecke Library and the Sterling Library of Manuscripts and Archives at Yale. She especially enjoyed a trip to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA, because it is a sport she has played particularly well at The Gunnery.

Jessica at The Basketball Hall of Fame

As she says, “I am a witness of history. And when I refer back to the stories I took notes

Jessica Xu

of, my thoughts and the way I look at them would vary as time goes on. I guess that is why history is so fascinating.”

The Gunn Scholar program, in its 12th year, chooses one four-year senior to pursue a year-long project of original historical research based on the contents of the school’s archives. A review panel of faculty chooses the recipient from study proposals submitted by the students in the spring of their junior year.

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Gunnery Breaks Ground for New Synthetic Turf Field

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n May 27th, The Gunnery broke ground on a new, stateof-the-art multipurpose synthetic turf field. Construction took place throughout the summer and was completed prior to the 2014 fall season. “We are grateful to the donors for their generosity and enthusiasm in making this field possible. This project is the first component of a long-term effort to ensure The Gunnery community has the facilities needed to compete and to allow our school to continue to attract great students and families,� said Head of School Peter Becker.

The new field, designed by Milone & MacBroom of Cheshire, CT, which has designed fields at Yale, Taft, and Choate, will be located on the site of Barnes Field, currently the football and baseball field on the north end of campus adjacent to Linen Rink. The synthetic turf playing surface will be used by the field hockey, football, baseball, and lacrosse teams.

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JENNIFER BADGER Dean of Faculty and Varsity Field Hockey Coach The field has given our program a new burst of energy. The girls started pre-season excited to be on the turf and to work on developing new skills we couldn’t tackle on the old grass field. There is a level of enjoyment to every practice that was missing before. We are so thrilled to kick off our season this way.

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Faculty Housing

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uring the April 2014 board meeting, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved plans to upgrade existing faculty housing and committed newly raised funds to the project.

The construction began in early summer and 23 faculty residences were updated, including something in every adult residence within a dorm.

Said Dean of Faculty Jenn Badger: “An essential feature of independent boarding school life is having faculty living in close proximity to the students they teach. I believe these upgrades will go a long way to enhance the culture that exists here, and will allow for our faculty, whether new to our community or a veteran of 20+ years, to provide the individualized care for students that we are renowned for.”

LUKE SOWA ‘15 When I first saw the turf field, I couldn’t stop admiring how beautiful it was. I was stunned at how it exceeded everyone’s expectations. There is no doubt in my mind that we now have one of the most beautiful facilities on the east coast and in the country. The field doesn’t just look good it’s also one of the softest turf fields I’ve ever played on.

RICHARD MARTIN English Chair and Varsity Football Coach We (football) had our first team period on the new field on September 9th, and just stepping onto it immediately raised the level of our energy and intensity. The kids were fired up – just as I imagined they would be when we took the field against Williston under the lights on October 4th for our home opener.

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The Sport of Poetry Boisterous fan groups and earnest coaches start coming into the sedate Bourne Reading Room before the start, eager to grab the good seats. The audience and participants number about 80. For which sport are they gathering? Arm wrestling? Well, no – it’s April, Poetry Month, so it’s the annual poetry recitation competition. Each English teacher, from freshman to senior, has chosen the best performance in her class and asked them to represent that class.

THE SCHOOL WINNER: Alexis Dominicus ’14 for “On Turning Ten” by Billy Collins SENIOR WINNERS: Henry Palmer, for “Traveling Through the Dark” by

William Stafford, and Sam Hemmingstad, for “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen

for “The Bridge Builder,” by Will Allen Dromgoole, and Ivy Le, for “Spring” by Gerard Manley Hopkins

JUNIOR WINNER: Jacob Kantor, for “Notes from Canto CXX (120)” by Ezra Pound

FRESHMAN WINNERS: Lexi Nanavaty, for “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Matt LoPresti, for “Break, Break, Break,” by Alfred Lord Tennyson

SOPHOMORE WINNERS: Casey Siemon, for “Today” by Billy Collins, Sam Joslin,

The Gunnery Hosts a Special Olympics Connecticut Unified Sports® Fitness Club Walk

Faculty, students, and volunteers gathered at The Gunnery on April 27 for a Special Olympics Connecticut, Unified Sports® Fitness Club walk around the campus.

Participants came from throughout the state for this first walk event of the year in Connecticut. People of all ages take part in a variety of activities along the walking route to promote nutrition, fitness and health, while sharing fun and camaraderie.

ALS Run

Blood Drive

Gunnery students and faculty line up to start the 6th annual ALS Run

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Joseph Fallon ’14, Kevin Darrar ’14, Regan Butler ’15, and Gabby McFarland ’15 volunteer for the Margaret P. Addicks Memorial Blood Drive

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OFFcampus

Grace Herrick ‘17 Wins Bronze Medal at Genius Olympiad At the Connecticut Science and Engineering Fair in February, Grace Herrick ’17 was one of five students chosen to represent Connecticut and apply to have her project, Evaluating the Performance of a Model Solar Concentrating System Using Thermoelectric Generating Technology, considered for the Genius Olympiad in Oswego, NY. Not only was her project one of the 39 percent of the projects chosen to compete in June at the Olympiad hosted by the State University of New York and sponsored by United Technologies, but she won a Bronze Medal in the Environmental Quality category.

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Gunnery Physics Team takes Top Spot There was general rejoicing when Science Department Chair, Steve Bailey announced in May that The Gunnery Physics Team was the top team for the New England Region in the Division II National Physics Bowl Results. The Gunnery also had a regional winner, with Allen Jing securing second place in New England.

The Gunnery’s Division II team numbered 25 students who were competing against 4,500 students from 280 schools across the U.S., Canada, China, and Spain. All the students take the same test in April. The top schools and the top individual winners receive monetary and other awards from the contest’s sponsors.

“I am so excited and happy with this news,” Steve said, “Division II is actually a more difficult test to take and is for those who are in AP courses.” Added Head of School Peter Becker, “Congratulations to all of the students who participated in the National Physics Bowl, the results speak to Mr. Bailey’s leadership and dedication to teaching and his deep practical expertise in the applied sciences.”

When asked what the results meant to the school, Steve added, “We have come close to being in the top two in the region, sometimes missing by a few points; however, this year’s group of AP students is on its game. I am equally sure they will do well on the AP exam on Monday.”

Capturing a Light Beam Zikun (Rammy) Xu’s ’16 work was selected as a one of the top 100 photos submitted to the annual American Association of Physics Teachers Photo Contest. This picture demonstrates the colloidal Tyndall effect, named for the 19th century physicist John Tyndall.

Typically in air we do not see a light beam. However, according to the Tyndall effect, a beam is seen when individual particles suspended within a colloid scatter and reflect light. The cross-section of an individual particulate typically is in the range of approximately 40–900 nanometers, which spans from slightly below to just above visible light wavelengths.

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National Youth Leadership Conference In June, Claire Lee ’17 and Alyssa Cooke ’16 attended the National Youth Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.

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THE GUNNERY

The Gunn Clan

Explore The Gunnery’s Scottish Origins

Chief

Highland

Looking for the answers?

Please visit https://portal.gunnery.org/NetCommunity/ alumni/crossword

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w e N s ’ t W ha l Store h at the Sc

oo

Under Armour Gunnery

Hooded Sweatshirt

our Under Ar m Gunnery T-S hirt Lacrosse

Patagonia Gunnery Better Sweater

Under Armour Gunnery 1850

Long Sleeve T-Shirt

Gunnery L et ter G Sweater

ardinal Gunnery C Crest Hat

Gunnery Youth T-Shirt

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THE GUNNERY

RECOMMENDEDreading MARK CONKLIN

LILI DYER

Associate Director of Admissions, Director of International Student Enrollment

French and ESL Faculty

American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation

by Eric Rutkow

Eric Rutkow’s work shows how trees were essential to the early years of the republic and indivisible from the country’s rise as both an empire and a civilization. Among American Canopy’s many captivating stories: the Liberty Trees, where colonists gathered to plot rebellion against the British; Henry David Thoreau’s famous retreat into the woods; the creation of New York City’s Central Park; the great fire of 1871 that killed 1,000 people in the lumber town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin; the fevered attempts to save the American chestnut and the American elm from extinction; and the controversy over spotted owls and the oldgrowth forests they inhabited. Rutkow also explains how trees were of deep interest to such figures as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Teddy Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt, who oversaw the planting of some three billion trees nationally in his time as president. *

* Amazon book review

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Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir

by Roz Chast

In her first memoir, Roz Chast brings her signature wit to the topic of aging parents.

Spanning the last several years of their lives and told through four-color cartoons, family photos, and documents, and a narrative as rife with laughs as it is with tears, Chast’s memoir is both comfort and comic relief for anyone experiencing the life-altering loss of elderly parents.

An amazing portrait of two lives at their end and an only child coping as best she can, Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant will show the full range of Chast’s talent as cartoonist and storyteller.*

ROD THEOBALD Assistant Director of College Counseling; English Faculty Crossing to Safety

by Wallace Stegner

Crossing to Safety tells an American tale of two couples who form a lifelong bond extending from the Great Depression to the 1970s. The couples meet in the English Department of the University of Wisconsin.

Larry and Sally Morgan, are poor, but Larry’s literary career is burgeoning.

Charity and Sid Lang, are wealthy, smart and magnetic. Through the eyes of Larry,

we follow the couples through the better, worse, richer, poorer, sickness and health of their marriages. A poignant and thoughtful reflection on the complex nature of the emotional web of human relationships.

ANNA DAYLOR Associate Director of Marketing & Communications Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table

by Ruth Reichl

At an early age, Ruth Reichl discovered that food could be a way of making sense of the world… If you watched people as they ate, you could find out who they were. Her deliciously crafted memoir, Tender at the Bone, is the story of a life determined, enhanced, and defined in equal measure by a passion for food, unforgettable people, and the love of tales well told. Beginning with Reichl’s mother, the notorious food-poisoner known as the Queen of Mold, Reichl introduces us to the fascinating characters who shaped her world and her tastes, from the gourmand Monsieur du Croix, who served Reichl her first soufflé, to those at her politically correct table in Berkeley who championed the organic food revolution in the 1970s.

Spiced with Reichl’s infectious humor and sprinkled with her favorite recipes, Tender at the Bone is a witty and compelling chronicle of a culinary sensualist’s comingof-age.*

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ALUMNIweekend 2014

David Hoadley ’51 leads the Parade of Alumni

Alumni of the Class of 1964 gather at Conroy House

The Gunnery Welcomes Alumni

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he bright red and white class signs, the 50th reunion red shirts and familiar boaters accompanied by shouts of recognition and handshakes turning into hugs signaled to visitors the beginning of The Gunnery’s Alumni Weekend on June 6th–8th. The nearly 250 graduates and their guests, Wykeham Rise alumnae, trustees, former and current faculty members, and friends of the school gathered to reconnect with each other, to reinforce their memories of the school, and to enjoy the programs, sports and festivities. Whether playing golf for the Bourne Cup, participating in re-creations of current classes in robotics and ceramics, checking out old sports photos in the archives, or listening to a panel of faculty, everyone could find something stimulating. The Friday night class dinners included a Beer Garden with live music that took place on Bourne Terrace. The Saturday night gala featured the Jason Spooner Band under a festively decorated tent on the field hockey field. Several former faculty had returned to pay homage to retiring faculty, Russ Elgin, Terry Clark, and Hugh Caldara, whose combined years of service to the school

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numbered 105. A special reception allowed former students and well-wishers to share stories of their classrooms and playing fields.

At the Annual Alumni Association Meeting, Head of School Peter Becker remarked on the support and loyalty that had brought alums from as far west as Hawaii and as far east as London, as he talked about the state of the school. After recognizing departing faculty and staff, and welcoming new faces, he explained the Strategic Leadership Initiative, a short-term fundraising program.

The initiative is designed to give the leadership of the school the necessary funds to keep The Gunnery competitive, as well as finishing some older projects. The first two projects are under way, a multi-use synthetic turf field and the refurbishment of faculty housing. He closed his remarks by asking all Alumni to help the school by doing three things – connect with the school, be proud and share your experiences, and support the school with time expertise and financial resources.

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The Inductees into The Gunnery’s 2014 Halls of Fame

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ollowing Head of School Peter Becker’s remarks, this year’s alumni were inducted into the Arts and Letters Hall of Fame and Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Arts and Letters Hall of Fame For his Senior Year Project at The Gunnery Salvator Xuereb ’84, and his twin brother, Emmanuel, translated La Cage Aux Folles (Birds of a Feather) from French into English, and directed a film version, casting themselves and other Gunnery students. Since then, Salvator has become an accomplished actor and has appeared in numerous movies, TV and stage productions. His most recent movie role was in “Captain America 2: Winter Soldier”.

Andy Lack ’64 spent 17 years at CBS News, where he was a producer of “60 Minutes” and executive producer of “CBS Reports.”

Today, he is an award-winning news executive and Chairman of the Bloomberg Media Group.

Erik Steele ’89 graduated with his MFA from the New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. An accomplished actor, Erik appeared on Broadway with Brian Bedford, Christopher Plummer, Brian Dennehy, and Jane Fonda. Guided by his love of language, speech and voice, Erik returned to school to pursue a second master’s degree in speech-language pathology.

John Longmaid ’64 was President of the Gunnery AudioVisual Club and later received his BS in Physics from the University of Puget Sound. He was accepted into the graduate program at Washington State University, but changed direction to photography. Today, John is well known for his large-scale landscape photographs of the Maine coast.

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The Athletic Hall of Fame Hugh “Cal” Caldara was appointed to The Gunnery History Department in 1977. Cal retired this year after 37 years as a respected Gunnery teacher and coach. Coach Caldara was known for showing his students how to play, how to win, and how to believe in themselves.

Bob Fountain ’64 attended the University of Pennsylvania and was a member of the University’s crew team, which held the title of National Collegiate Athletic Association Champions for three years.

His crew participated in the Pan-America Games in Canada, and the Summer Olympics in Mexico City.

Tara Connolly ’09 attended Bowdoin College, where she continued her Gunnery reputation as impressive student and athlete in Women’s Ice Hockey and Lacrosse. At Bowdoin, Tara set the school lacrosse record for goaltender wins, tied the record for single-season goaltender wins and graduated with the record in minutes played.

Kris Matthews ’99 is Captain and Project Manager of Interlodge Sailing Team, a professional team which races in the U.S., the Caribbean and Europe. Kris and his team have participated in, and won, numerous regattas worldwide. Kris is the son of Dean Matthews ’56, who is also a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Dan Murphy ’89 earned a full hockey scholarship to the University of Maine, where he graduated with a BS in Secondary Education and signed a one-year National Hockey League contract with the Boston Bruins. He later became a full-time history teacher and graduated with his master’s in History from Trinity College.

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Class Gifts Are Presented

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wo significant reunion classes presented Head of School Peter Becker with Class Gifts. The Class of 1989, celebrating their 25th Reunion, was proud to designate it’s $25,000 gift to honor the faculty who have meant so much to them over the years. Class representative Scott Schwind named Eileen KellyAguirre, Pam Taylor, Russ Elgin, Terry Clark, and Hugh Caldara as

influential forces in their lives. The hard-working committee of the 50th Reunion Class of 1964 had succeeded in raising $129,135, including three irrevocable bequests. Bob Brush explained that the class chose to split the proceeds between the Gunnery Fund and the important Endowed Fund for Faculty Development.

The Class of 1989 celebrates its 25th reunion Row 1 (L to R): Dan Murphy, Peter Whitman, Jen Kagan, Scott Schwind, Mikey Hersom, Alexa Hockens Knight, Alexis Khazzam; Row 2 (L to R): Ben Ericson, James Thornton, Jesse Bradin, Barbara Scheetz, Anne Krohner, Mike Tedesco

The Class of 1964 celebrates its 50th reunion Row 1 (L to R): Steve McGuffin, Ben Whitman, George Cookman, Dick Lilleston, Bob Fountain; Row 2 (L to R): Phil Hoyt, Frank Moore, Stuart McCampbell, Roger Ketcham; Row 3 (L to R): Ned Downing, Alan DeCourcy, Russell Jones; Row 4 (L to R): Bob Brush, John Harrison

Stephen Cornell ’77, P ’09, P ’14 and Trustee Frank Macary ’77, P ’03, ’05, ‘07, ’15 with Retiring Senior Master Russ Elgin

Alumni and Faculty participate in the annual softball game

Alumni, Faculty and members of The Washington Golf Club gather for The Bourne Cup golf match

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Scott Milas ’78, Robert McFarland ’79, P’15, Andrew Gazitua ‘80

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George Grande ’64 speaking with classmates Bob Fountain, Dick Lilleston and Hugh Caldara

Class of 2004 classmates James Walsh, Joe Solosky, and Matt Vredenburgh with Senior Master, Ed Small

Members of the Class of 1954 at the Hopkins Inn

Wykeham Rise Women (L to R): Susan Chrysler, Mary Cooney, Lucy Ijams, Heidi Boardman and Debbie Harris

Alumni gather in the Bourne Courtyard on the opening night of Alumni Weekend

The Class of ’09 (L to R): Victor Bogachev, Austin Reis, Tara Connolly, Josh Johnston, Alex Anbarcioglu

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND REUNION PHOTOS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE

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We look forward to welcoming all graduates to

ALUMNI WEEKEND 2015

SAVE THE DATE Friday, June 5 – Sunday, June 7, 2015 Please mark your calendars now!

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11/21/14 10:40 AM

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SUPPORTING

the gunnery A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

ANNUAL FUND $1,319,701

ENDOWMENT INCOME $950,000 OTHER $531,322

INCOME $17,472,206

TUITION & FEES $14,671,183

I

t has been an exciting two years since I joined The Gunnery. There is tangible enthusiasm around the school and a number of important things are happening in the community. As we look back at a successful 2014 fiscal year, I want to highlight just a few of those things both on and off campus.

In July, we welcomed two new members to the leadership team—Sara Lynn Leavenworth, Director of Admission, and Sean Brown, Director of Alumni and Development. Both come with a track record of success and broad experience from other boarding schools and impressed the search committees with their deep appreciation of our school’s culture. In a short time they’ve brought renewed energy to their respective departments and made some key changes.

Thanks to the leadership and vision of the Board of Trustees, and the generous support of the board, alumni, parents, and friends, we’ve made a number of substantive upgrades to our campus. The new College Counseling Building was dedicated in the fall of 2013; last summer 23 faculty residences were updated, including something in every adult residence within a dorm; and just as the school year began, we put the finishing touches on a state-of-the-art multipurpose synthetic-turf athletic field.

Inside the classroom we’ve adopted a new schedule for the academic day that will intentionally provide students more time for leadership training, preparation for the college application process, student task forces, club activities and student initiatives. For the faculty, more time will be set aside for department meetings, interdepartmental meetings, professional development, and for small group discussions regarding strategies to continually improve teaching and learning.

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A major focus for Dean of Faculty Jenn Badger is continued professional development towards teaching excellence in the mold of Mr. Gunn. We welcomed six fantastic new teachers with a range of experience and expertise; an important transition on the heels of Russ Elgin, Terry Clark, and Hugh Caldara’s retirements last year, and the passing of Pam Taylor a year ago.

Outside the classroom, our students continue to impress. In February, Jeremiah Yoon ’16 and Jenna Lee ’15 performed with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra and Norwalk Youth Symphony Orchestra, respectively. Jenna, as part of the Norwalk Symphony, performed this June at Carnegie Hall. Grace Herrick ’17 represented The Gunnery at the CT Science and Engineering Fair, and the prestigious Genius Olympiad, where she won a bronze medal. Finally, in athletics, Girls Ice Hockey and Boys Crew both took first place in their respective leagues (a national championship for crew).

Looking ahead, there is great opportunity to continue the school’s positive trajectory. We are coming off the most successful annual fund year in our history and will again count on our alumni, parents, and friends to sustain this growth. We have also created a board-approved strategic leadership fund to address areas where we have fallen behind our peers in the very competitive landscape of New England boarding schools. In just a few months, key donors from our board and beyond have given or pledged just shy of $5 million toward a planned goal of $10–$12 million.

You’ve all played a critical role in the success of The Gunnery.

I thank you for your continued and dedicated support and look forward to seeing you on campus or at one of the many events around the world.

INSTRUCTIONAL $524,223 OTHER $1,506,164

SALARIES & BENEFITS $7,646,557

EXPENSES SUPPORT $4,200,498

PHYSICAL PLANT $2,005,973

$17,005,897

ADMINISTRATIVE $1,122,482

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A LETTER FROM THE ALUMNI OFFICE ENDOWMENT GIFTS $54,174

OTHER $6,101

ANNUAL FUND $1,319,701

GIFTS $4,875,339

CAPITAL GIFTS $3,495,363

When Head of School Peter Becker welcomed the students back to campus this September for the 165th year of Mr. Gunn’s school, he did so amidst a palpable energy and tremendous momentum. By all accounts, the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, was a great success. Indeed, it is an exciting time to be part of The Gunnery community.

Last year started with the dedication of the new College Counseling building and ended with the ground-breaking of a – now-completed – synthetic turf athletic field. In between, we saw students excel in the classroom, perform on stage, compete at the highest levels of athletics, and faculty put the finishing touches on distinguished tenures.

The Gunnery Fund, unrestricted gifts to the school that help offset operating expenses, has experienced steady growth over the last several years and enjoyed a record year in 2014 with a final total of $1,319,701. Giving from alumni and parents increased 18 percent from the previous year, and the overall Fund saw growth of 13 percent over the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013. These gifts make a positive impact on every aspect of the school – student life, the faculty, and our physical plant – and, with continued growth, will ensure the financial health of the institution. To demonstrate the importance of The Gunnery Fund, last year’s total accounted for nearly 8 percent of the operating budget and is the equivalent to more than $26 million in endowment.

Of course, a healthy annual fund cannot replace sound investment in, and management of, our endowment. Last year, a total of $992,076 was added to our endowment, bringing the total to $21.6 million. Positive market conditions generated a growth of 17 percent for the fiscal year, and revenue from those investments allowed the school to spend $950,000 on student support in the form of scholarships, faculty support, recruitment, retention, and necessary upgrades to facilities.

Alumni and parents gathered together for Gunnery events around the world – in every corner of the United States, and multiple countries in Asia – and on campus, including a wildly successful Alumni Weekend in June 2014. The Class

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SUPPORTING

of 1964 led the way with 19 classmates returning for the weekend, and nine alumni were honored with inductions into the Athletic and Arts and Letters Halls of Fame.

Looking ahead, the board has approved a strategic leadership fund that will provide the resources necessary for the school to finish important projects on campus, and outline plans for further development in the coming years. This fund will allow the school’s leaders to finish three long-standing, critical projects (faculty housing, fields, and a new dorm) and invest strategically in our endowment and operations. Furthermore, by completing legacy projects and investing prudently in new initiatives, including raising funds to address depreciation and replacement costs, it will provide the foundation for the next phase of even more significant and long lasting investment.

As the school holds tight to its rich history, and makes plans for its future, we thank you all for your dedicated support in the many ways you make possible The Gunnery of today.

Gerrit Vreeland, Board Chair Sean Brown, Director of Alumni and Development

TRUSTEES $431,835

ANNUAL FUND TOTALS OTHER $138,112

$1,319,701

PARENTS $245,378

ALUMNI $504,376

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A MESSAGE FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION THANK YOU! In the spring, we asked you to Connect, Share and Give to The Gunnery. And did you all ever step up. We had a record year on many fronts because of the actions of each of you.

Regional receptions were well attended last year. There were several young alumni receptions that were planned in NYC, LA and San Francisco—the local, on-the-ground organization by alumni is so appreciated. Let’s keep the momentum going. See the events calendar on the back page.

Alumni weekend was fabulous. The crowds were amazing, with almost 300 alumni, a new record, in attendance.

Mother Nature assured a good time with tremendous weather, combined with some great changes—dinner and live music in the tent, cocktails and food on Bourne Terrace and wonderful stories being shared—made for a great weekend. Mark your calendar for 2015 Alumni Weekend—June 5–7th.

HISTORY OF GIVING – The Gunnery Fund

The Gunnery Fund had an unbelievable, record year in which we all helped raise $1.32 million. All supporting groups (parents, alumni and Board giving) all increased this year. Whether you gave $10,000, $1,000 or $100, you made a huge difference in the lives of the current students and faculty. Let’s ensure this is not an anomaly but, the new normal.

As you can see through the pages of this magazine, the students are doing amazing things. There are facility enhancements happening, and, as alumni, we should be very proud. Come back and take a look. Stop by and see the Alumni Office and if they are traveling to your area – grab a cup of coffee with them or attend one of the alumni gatherings.

Together let’s continue to Connect, Share, and Give; be ambassadors for our school and positively impact the future of The Gunnery for generations to come.

Best, John Greenwood ’71 and Laura Eanes Martin ’90

$1,400,000 $1,200,000 $1,000,000

$1,319,701

$1,211,374 $1,142,391 $1,032,646

$800,000 $600,000 $400,000 $200,000 $0

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THE GUNNERY

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Holiday House How many alumni remember stumbling on the large, old, stone foundation in Steep Rock and wondering about its origins? You may have even kicked up a 19th century bottle thrown long ago in the house dump.

This is a hand-colored postcard of Holiday House, which was built by Edward Hook Van Ingen overlooking the Shepaug River. His summer cottage the Knoll (which became Bourne Hall) was the first summer home in Washington. Mr. Van Ingen owned some textile factories in Brooklyn and he asked Ehrick Rossiter (Class of 1870) to design a summer retreat for his female employees.

The shop girls would come up on the train from New York and cross the Shepaug on a foot bridge designed

by Washington Roebling, the son who was the civil engineer on the Brooklyn Bridge for his father, John A .

Roebling who designed it.

Carriages would convey the girls up the hill to Holiday House for a two-week vacation. While they were there, boys from Hampton Institute of Virginia were their waiters, drivers, and servants. An African American college, the Hampton Institute, had close ties to Washington and their students came north in the summer to work and earn money for their tuition. They camped on the Gunnery athletic fields in the summer and gave concerts in the various churches.

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Ed McHugh writes “Every day is the same …

During Commencement celebrations, David Hoadley told the story of many trips to the PO

very good.”

Al Stiles wrote that his new hobby is making

wooden puzzles with complex, thumb-sized pieces in the shape of birds and animals.

1950 65th Reunion

as a student. He was suspended by Irving Von Gal, the proprietor, for two weeks because he threw a 22 caliber bullet on the ground and it exploded. “It was the longest two weeks of my life.” His standard order was a 10-cent Coke and a Frisbie pie.

Bruce Bradshaw came down to the archives

during alumni weekend and was looking at photos of his cousins Mike ’64 and Dave ’52 Renkert.

1954

Mary Post gave The Gunnery a gift “in honor

of the wonderful men of the class of 1954 who asked my husband Michael Post and me to be

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of his whereabouts be sure and let Malcolm know. Malcolm got his BA in French and his MA in German and directed a bilingual school in San Francisco. He is now teaching English to immigrants in Albany and helping them with the intricacies of living in America.

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Richard Clark wrote that he was looking forward to his 60th reunion, gathering in Washington.

1955 60th Reunion 1959 Nick Munson has only curbed his wanderlust

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with the sale of his motor home.

At the BBQ lunch on reunion weekend, Tim Upson explained that he was a part-time trial referee judge in Bantam, chiefly handling arraignments and family matters. He enjoys his summer house on Prince Edward Island.

1960 55th Reunion 1 Trish and Don Ethier ‘63 with classmate Charlie Cohen catching up in sunny Belize 2 Roy Walzer ‘65 at Lime Rock Labor Day

honorary members of their class. They have been warm friends to me ever since September of 1952.”

Malcolm Bird came by the archives at reunion trying to track down Perry McKay, his former master of French and Latin. He ran into him about 30 years ago. If anyone has any news

1963 Don Ethier and Charlie Cohen both missed their 50th last year in Washington, but got together in Placencia, Belize, in January. Trish Ethier is also in this photo taken at Monkey River on the Caribbean...she kept busy on Facebook while Don and Charlie caught up for a few days. Don is retired...he and Trish live in Virginia. Charlie spends much of the year in Guatemala, teaching in mountain schools and translating for medical teams.

WYKEHAM RISE ALUMNAE Susan Chrysler ’69 promised to send photos of the October 2013 reunion of Wykeham

graduates in Maine. There were five or six and a grand time was had by all. Now they’re planning a California reunion.

Debbie Harris ’72 works with a wildlife sanctuary which gives programs in schools. She also sings in a group devoted to Broadway music for fun.

Heidi Boardman ’69 is a professor at George Mason. She lives half her life in Idaho and the

other half in western NY. Her three children have already graduated from college.

During alumni weekend, Mary Cooney ’73 was recalling attending summer school at The Gunnery when she was in school. She is now a teacher at Sacred Heart School in Palm Beach County and directed Godspell last year. Mary also reminded us that George Kurten ’73 was the only Gunnery boy to receive a Wykeham diploma signed by Father Newton at his own request.

1964 Ned Downing and his wife have sold their house in Massachusetts and are now spending the winters at their place in Fort Myers, keeping their house in NH for the hot months.

Ned gifted the archives with his new book, The Revolutionary Beginning of the American Stock Market. He has one of the finest collections of historical financial documents.

1965 50th Reunion John Sturges writes that he is looking forward

to his 50th celebration in 2015 and urges all of his classmates to plan now to attend.

1966 John Gimbel wrote that he was proud of his eldest daughter “who just graduated from Clark University and got the job she wanted.”

1969 Walter Addicks is still in Albany. He is filling his retirement with hiking and volunteering.

He’s part of the Adirondack Mountain Club and has hiked the Dolomites in Italy and traveled to New Zealand.

Reporting during his 45th in June, was Melvin Jones, who is still working with his environmental consulting company on the west coast. He’s a commuter from Atlanta who keeps up his golf game with bi-coastal club memberships. He also plays and collects guitars. His best one is a Les Paul AAA top.

Editor’s Note: I sure hope I got that right, but I know Mel will tell me, if not.

Kris Collum was at The Gunnery to celebrate

his 45th. He’s been managing apartments in Woodbury and Washington since 1982. He reported that his daughter, Jamie ’06, has been living on Nantucket and is thinking about going for a teacher’s certificate. His daughter Samantha ’03 is moving to Providence after getting her doctorate at Dartmouth.

Having spent 40 years in construction, “Shorty” Hearn has retired to Prince Edward Island and spends his time gardening, on his motorcycle, or kayaking.

Peter Marshall is sculpting in Provincetown MA. His specialty is doing historical portraits with contemporary people as subjects.

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CLASS Ford Shaw was “telling tales out of school”

about the lively class of 1969. He told of an arsonist who set a fire in the library – the books weren’t damaged by the watering system because Bruce Sylvester had hung on a pipe in the basement and broken it so the water was turned off. He told another story of taking Dr. Goldgar’s car apart to put on top of the science building. The administration paid the two students who did it to take it apart again to get it out. (Anyone want to confess?) Your editor has saved the best for last. Sam Newhouse ’70 and Tom Porcher ’71 were subject to much teasing because of their interest in the (then) advanced subjects of lasers and robotics and building computers. One evening at dinner (every dinner was formal in those days) a robot the size of a small dog appeared in the dining room, took a tour of the kitchen, returned and “lifted its leg” on Headmaster Miller’s pantleg. “Nobody picked on them after that,” according to Ford.

1970 45th Reunion Jim Buttenwieser sent to Sandrine Baker a

photo of himself with his friend Lydia at the Brooke Astor auction and sale in New York in February.

1971 Charles Nye wrote “‘Peace, Flowers, Freedom, Happiness: Living the Dream in Galesburg, IL”

1972 Fred Harder called to say that two of his

cousins were enrolling for the fall at The Gunnery. He still lives on Mercer Island near Seattle. Fred has gone back to working in the insurance business in the property and casualty side of the business. He went back to that once his children decided to go to college.

Since then his son has graduated from law school and gotten married and his daughter is working for AmeriCorps.

1974 John Gilman came to The Gunnery for only

one year as part of the English Speaking Union Exchange, yet he has returned three times now to his old school. He’s married to Sally with two daughter, 29 and 26, and living in London. He’s a part-time solicitor and civil judge. His hobby is mountaineering and hillwalking, which he partially attributes to his experiences in the Outdoor Club. He also likes

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to travel, especially to Greece. When he heard about the Gunnery students’ participation in the local WWI museum exhibit, he shared the British perspective, as well as his interests in WWII history, and the British landing at Gold Beach on D-Day, which his dad participated in.

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Bruce Baird said it was fabulous to catch up with Walter Longo, Bill Wombak and Mark Lowell at reunion. He’s living in Boylston, MA,

with his wife, Amy. They have three children, Bruce, Jr., 28, Emily, 26, and Lucy, 24. He has a small registered investment advisory in Wellesley.

1975 40th Reunion 1976 Chris Healy talked about turbulent times

when he was in school. He remembers taking many photos for the 1975 yearbook because a disgruntled student group had burned the slated ones. He keeps in touch with Pat O’Neill, who started out at the Voices newspaper with him. They had worked together at The Gunnery News. Chris is keeping busy as a panelist on the Fox News Capital Report. Chris also had tales-to-tell about the “stray shot” in the 1970s. According to him, it was Kevin Hopkins who was over at Scott Schereschewsky’s and dropped the ball into the proverbial Rumsey pond.

Editor’s Note: OK, ’76-ers – thanks for the information. Now can you tell us who replaced it with the smaller soccer-sized ball which is now in play?

1977 Trustee Frank Macary chimed in to the conversation with Dave Hoadley ’51 with his

3 Attending the Tribeca premier of Patrick Baker’s ’89 new movie in August were (L to R): Brandon Dufour ‘02, Ed Small, Peg Small, Patrick Baker ‘89, Alie Carlin ‘97, Otoja Abit ‘04, Daniel Troiano ‘77, Peter Becker 4 Jim Buttenwieser ’70 sent a photo of himself and friend Lydia at the Brooke Astor auction in NY in February.

own PO story of being approached when he first started at The Gunnery by Linc Cornell, a former trustee, and being treated for the rest of his time there to a coffee milkshake and an English muffin whenever he wanted them.

1980 35th Reunion 1982 Michael Kirby is building companies in Santa Monica. One is engaged in finding roster spots for college athletes and another is producing video games.

1984 One hardly knows where to locate the O’Brien/ O’Neill family in our class stories. I spoke

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chosen to play on a corporate team that flies him around the country. He is having a blast with that.

1994 Mandy Conto, whose sister Carolyn Ross

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1989 Gunnery alumni gathered at the Tribeca Film Festival to view and celebrate Patrick Baker’s film Honeymoon.

Whitney Crosby wrote to say that she was

“still enjoying life in Missoula, MT, with my family – Ruth, 8, Carley, 6, Pirsone, 6 and husband Jim. Sorry to miss our 25th but I’ll see everyone for our 30th.”

5 San Francisco Alumni Gathering in May (L to R): Robert Appleton ’73, Van Wilshire ’89, Krystalynn Schlegel ’96, Derick Teeking ’85 6 Susie and Jim Graham took a sail on Kris Matthews’ 52’ boat Interlodge in Edgartown this past summer 7 Krystalynn Schlegel ‘96 with Mike Monowski and Baxter Lehman of the class of 2005 at Lake Tahoe

to Meg O’Neill O’Brien’s family at alumni weekend. She is the sister of Pat ’76, Mike ’75, and Ben ’80 and she married John O’Brien ’85.

Meg was Associate Director of Finance at Yale for 15 years and is now a guidance counselor.

John is in the police department in Guilford CT. Her nephew is Mike O’Brien ’07 and her cousin is Dan O’Brien ’11. She was quick to point out that her son, Jack, a rising lacrosse player, wears his dad’s Gunnery tie to Xavier.

1985 30th Reunion 1987 Bob Bates ’88 reports seeing a lot of Kimon Flanagan in San Francisco.

Alexis Khazam reported at reunion that he is

working in private equity and real estate and living in Peoria, happily married with three kids, 19, 16, and 9.

Michael Tedesco has been with Morgan

Stanley in San Diego for 22 years in Wealth Management. He has two beautiful children, 11 and 8, and loves to pursue his passion – surfing.

James Thornton has been a financial advisor in

Wilmington, NC, for a number of years and is married to Ginger with two children 6 and 8. He goes saltwater fishing for fun and has a “hobby job” running the Masonboro water taxi.

1990 25th Reunion 1992 Tom Hollinger visited Juan Padro in Denver at his trendy, popular restaurant, The Highland Tap and Burger. Juan showed them his new higher-end place, Old Major, a converted roller rink where he practices sustainable foods and uses recycled materials in the construction and outfitting. He also grows vegetables for the restaurant and raises meats on a family farm. Juan is particularly happy to welcome Gunnery folk at his restaurants.

Juan continues to play hockey and has been

recently came to head up the Academic Support at The Gunnery, splits her time between San Francisco and the Napa Valley.

She’s a nurse at St. Helena Hospital in Napa.

She came east with her friend Bob Bates ’88 who is the only chartered financial analyst/chef in Napa and he can be found in the kitchen of the Boonville Hotel in Anderson Valley Wine Country. Mandy keeps up with Emily Wheeler in San Francisco – they were on the first girls’ hockey team at The Gunnery.

Juan Padro ’92 said that his brother, Miguel,

now works for the prestigious Aspen Institute and has consulted for Al Gore and other high level world figures. He has moderated panels and facilitated at conferences. Tom said he would be an interesting person to have come back to campus to speak.

1995 20th Reunion 1996 Krystalynn Schlegel came all the way from California to say “Good-bye” at the reunion to her former teachers and friends, Eileen Kelly Aguirre and Russ Elgin. She’s still working with her father on long-term care, disability and life insurance, but took time off to enjoy the 10th anniversary sailing of the Queen Mary II.

1999 Susie and Jim Graham met with Kris Matthews

in Edgartown, as he was in some races over the weekend. Kris is the Captain of the 52’ sailing yacht Interlodge. He hires the crew, mans the boat, helped design the boat (lived in Spain for five months to do that) and manages the crew.

Crew salaries alone are $10,000/day. Costs $2 million per year to run the boat. For more information, check out the Babson article: http://www.babson.edu/news-events/babsonmagazine/summer-2014/summer-celebrations/ Pages/captain-master.aspx

2000 15th Reunion

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Marlon Fisher visited campus in April. He is currently living in Schenectady, NY, where he is a counselor for troubled teens at a facility.

Marlon served in Afghanistan and is still in the Army Reserves. He recently saw Katie Stones at a club in Burlington, VT, and recognized her on the dance floor. He also stumbled onto Vinny McClelland ’69 at Vinny’s store The Mountaineer in Keene Valley, NY.

On April 27, Noelle Hawthorne married Max Mathies at the Saybrook Point Inn and Spa in CT.

2004 Back for his 10th reunion, Otoja Abit was excited about his new gig. They started filming the movie Stonewall, directed by Roland Emmerich, in Montreal last summer. This will be Otoja’s first chance to play a real person, Marsha P. Johnson. He is living on the Upper West Side and most recently appeared with Al Pacino in the TV series The Blacklist.

Mark Rhoads has been hitting the campaign

trail. He’s been working with Gina Raimondo, General Treasurer for Rhode Island, for five years as her assistant on the Investment subcommittee. She was elected governor in the 2014 election.

Matt Vredenburgh is living in D.C. and looking into private equity, having recently left Hilton.

James Walsh has promised to tell us what

he’s writing in the fall when the publishing date is set.

2005 10th Reunion Weston Ulbrich wrote in April that he was a co-founder of Languatics and working in Human Resources at Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc. Krystalynn Schlegel ’96 hosted a 4th of July party at her place in Lake Tahoe, where Mike Monoski and Baxter Leman from class of 2005 came by.

Colleen Flynn married Matthew Lauver on

August 23 at The Loft at Sweet Water in Pennsburg, PA.

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2007 Craig Badger reports that Matt Helderman,

who played hockey for The Gunnery, went to Lake Forrest College and is currently living in California. He is married to Perry Costello ‘06.

Matt has joined up with another independent film producer, Luke Taylor, to found Buffalo8 Production Company. They then went on to found BondIt. The team recognized a dilemma in the production process — union deposits — and launched BondIt to resolve the situation in order to assist producers and union representatives alike.

Mike O’Brien wrote that he moved to

Philadelphia this summer and has accepted a job at Germantown Academy.

&/53&13&/&63*"- 7&/563&4 7JDUPS #PHBDIFW A and Austin Reis ‘09 are carrying on The Gunnery’s entrepreneurial tradition (See Spring 2014 Bulletin). Chelsea Stuart from the Alumni and Development Office reports, “I met with Victor in Boston, where he and Austin Reis have launched a start-up. It’s a smartphone app aimed to keep users safe on college campuses or in urban areas.

Users can post reports of events happening near them, from closed streets, to loud music, to fights, etc. The alerts are sent to the campus safety officers (or police) who will validate and respond when necessary.

It will also allow users to pair up with other users to walk home from bars or catch an Uber ride together, for examples.

Matt Helderman ’07 BondIt was founded by independent film producers Matthew Helderman and Luke Taylor of the Beverly Hills-based Buffalo 8 Productions. Having produced 30+ feature films, the team recognized a dilemma in the production process — union deposits — and launched BondIt to resolve the situation to assist producers and union representatives alike.

8 Max Mathies and Noelle Hawthorne ’06

2009 Picked up from conversations at alumni weekend: t "MFY "OCBSDJPHMV moved from Maryland to

Seattle, where he has been working at Scott Trade Investments for about six months in June. He trains for the 100-mile Ultra Man Marathon in his spare time. t 5BSB $POOPMMZ has found a niche in the

Communications Department of University of Connecticut Athletics, posting on the website. t Very happy with his syllabus for AP English five years ago is Josh Johnston. He is on

tour with the Acting Company’s Repertory in Michigan and Wisconsin with two plays on the AP list, Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. t ,FWJO 5BSTB is moving to Boston in the fall

to attend law school at Boston College.

He plans to live with two friends he was working with at Oracle in Burlington, VT. He and Josh Johnston regaled their reunion classmates with stories of finding the stray shot buried 5 feet deep in the Martins’ garden.

Living and working in NY is "MFY 4USFMPW, who studied communications at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He’s doing marketing for Health and Racquet and participating in a coed kickball league.

At commencement, we saw Theresa Layman, mother of Karen Layman, who has helped several students interested in costume design on their art projects. She was there to congratulate her latest student Yuichi Fujikawa ’14. Mrs. Layman reported that Karen was doing very well at Becker, majoring in computer game design.

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2012 Washington College head men’s rowing coach John Leekley has announced that Mark Boissonneault (Bowie, Md./DeMatha), John Gould (Litchfield, Conn./The Gunnery), Ryan Miranda (Farmington, Conn./Farmington), and Ben Sproule (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) will serve as the Shoremen’s captains for the 2014-15 academic year.

Janine Prokscha finished up a successful season as a senior midfielder for Massachusetts Maritime lacrosse.

10 9 Jackie Hagopian ‘13 was Lacrosse Rookie of the Week in the Liberty League her freshman year at Union College 10 Stanley Wolpiuk ‘14 made the papers for his stellar play this past summer for the American Legion 11 Katlyn Paiva ‘14 and Megan Lembo ‘14 are joined by Mr. Paiva, Mrs. Lembo, and Hugh Caldara

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12 Young Alumni in NY: First Row (L to R): Nicole Schmertz ‘99, Alie Carlin ’97, Meghan McMackin ’99, Sophia Bickley ‘10; Second Row (L to R): Penn Portman ‘10, Whit Matthews ’98, Omar Slowe ’97, Leigh Buckens ’02, Lauren Reich ’10, Jesse Terry ’97, Josh Feil ‘98; Third Row (L to R): Ethan Fischbein ‘09, Pat DePeters ’06, Macaulay Bogdanovics ’09, Luke Cheever ‘10, James Estreich ’06, Altan Sadik-Khan ’06; Fourth Row (L to R): Will McKee ’06, Alex Harrow ‘06; Not pictured: JP Collins ’02

season, he started every game and had 24 RBIs, 10 doubles and two homers.

2010 5th Reunion Derek Army continued his winning ways as

senior center for the Providence College team.

Rowing in Hobart’s second varsity eight boat, senior Chris DePaola was part of a team that won gold medals in the Liberty League and New York State Championships. They also brought home a bronze from the ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships.

Matt and Anna Daylor ran into Chris at the Head of the Charles Regatta in October. He is coaching JV crew at Farmington High School.

Nik Campero finished his career as a third baseman for the Massachusetts Minutemen, with a .274 batting average. For the 2014

Sophomore goalkeeper, Aaron Levy played in six games for Wooster College and had a .692 save percentage.

2011 Loyal Dickinson alum Tony Rogers ’61 called our attention to an article about Isaiah Boswell’s success as a summer intern at the FDIC. He landed the internship through the Pathways program fostered by the Obama administration, after touring in DC. http:// www.dickinson.edu/news/article/1197/moving_ forward. Isaiah will graduate this spring with a major in International Business and Management.

Holding up the men’s hockey awards was freshman defenseman Danny Divis at St. Michael’s who was named ECAC Rookie of the Year and to the ECAC/East All-Rookie team. He was also named to the Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Year.

Sophomore Madeline Boudreau rowed 6th seat in the Trinity College varsity eight boat which won the NCAA Division III National Championship for the first time. The win brought All-New England Small College Athletic Honors to Madeline.

P.J. Higgins played second base and lead-off

hitter for Old Dominion University last spring.

2013 Union College women’s lacrosse freshman attack Jackie Hagopian was named the Liberty League Rookie of the Week for her performances in April. She tallied six goals over three games for the Dutchwomen last week and recorded her first career hat trick in a close 12–11 loss to Ithaca.

News from St. Lawrence University shows Sam Anderson was off to a running start this fall with a key 21 yard reception in the game against the Bears.

Harris Owens didn’t let the grass grow under

his feet during his gap year. This past August he released an album, called Perspective. His description: “There are a lot of different genres on the album, ranging from rock music to house music influences, so hopefully everyone can find something they like. You can listen and download it for free by visiting the link below. I was happy to have two of my good friends, Colin Sullivan and Chris Connelly, record a solo or two on the album as well.

Take a listen when you can and hope you enjoy.” https://harrisowens.bandcamp.com/ album/perspective Izzy Bagi had four goals and 11 assists as a freshman defender at College of the Holy Cross in ice hockey. She was named to the ECAC Women’s East All-Rookie and second team All-Conference teams. She was also named to the Division II/III New England All-Star Team announced by the New England Hockey Writers’ Association.

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CLASS Freshman forward Anthony Luzzi contributed to Manhatttanville College’s hockey team as well.

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Freshman Anton Frondelius played in the Northeast Conference Men’s Golf Championships in Daytona Beach, FL, for Wagner College.

Both Marc Cibelli and Anthony Bird were playing varsity hockey for Skidmore last season.

2014 From the Trumbull Times by Bill Boxsom: Stanley Wolpiuk has played baseball at St. Joseph and The Gunnery, and he will play this fall at Central Connecticut State University, but his first choice is playing for Legion Post 141.

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14 Accompanying their mom, Graham, 9, and Nathaniel, 12, Ince toured southern historic sites, including Williamsburg, VA, during their summer vacation

“…Wolpiuk was an All-State pitcher at St. Joseph and helped the Cadets to a state title in 2013, before making his way to The Gunnery in Washington.

“I needed to get stronger and gain some maturity,” said Wolpiuk, who was an honor student and Gunnery pitcher of the year (1.73 ERA). ...Wolpiuk, who will play baseball at Central Connecticut State University beginning in the fall, said, “I wasn’t losing any eligibility (by attending Gunnery) so it was definitely a win-win.”

The class of 2014 seems to be off to a great start in college sports. Tony Rogers ’61 a loyal Dickinson alum, sent news that Darrion Bunce “started against Hobart ranked 12th in D3… was opposite a 1st team all-American DE. Did well...made a great catch ...coaching staff is delighted to have Darrion in the program.”

Katlyn Paiva and Meghan Lembo are keeping

up the class reputation as starters for Connecticut College in field Hockey. Katlyn came up with a hat trick in the 5–1 win over Springfield College on September 18.

FORMER FACULTY Bill Chase was back to see his retiring teaching friends, Cal, Terry, and Russ, who were feted with a reception on alumni weekend. He is teaching in a program to earn a combination degree for high school dropouts. He teaches Physical Science, Algebra II, Economics and Civics. The successful students are certified by both the Board of Education and the local community college.

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13 Elliot Faust and four friends from his Trinity College a capella group were hiking and camping in Olympic National Park in Washington this past summer

CURRENT FACULTY AND STAFF In June, Alex Ince’s family took a road trip to Virginia (by way of Gettysburg, PA).

They visited both George Washington and Robert E. Lee’s birthplaces in Westmoreland County, VA, as well as Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Virginia Beach and Busch Gardens.

“Thoroughly engaged with the historical areas, my 9 and 11 year old sons were the perfect age for the trip. I grew up in Virginia on the Potomac River, upstream from the Chesapeake Bay, and some of my fondest memories are of collecting prehistoric sharks teeth along the river shore. During the Miocene age, this whole region was under a few hundred feet of seawater. When the waters receded, what used to be the ocean floor became the high clay cliffs that now tower above the shoreline in some places. The modern tidal river flowed, carving the fossilized sharks teeth out and depositing them in the sand. I love returning to the area with my children and teaching them how to ‘hunt’ for sharks teeth.”

Elliot Faust, Admissions and Football, gave us a photo from his trip to Olympic National Park in Washington state. His goal is to travel to all 50 states in his lifetime, and Washington was his 2nd state out west.

Mike, Jonathan and Alisa Croft spent much of the summer as a family and had fun adventures in New Hampshire, the Adirondacks, and Maine. They did a few kid friendly hikes, lots of swimming in lakes, and making of s’mores. They also enjoyed time at The Gunnery with other faculty who were around. Jon discovered how to ride a two wheel bike and then rode on some rails to trails as a family. Alisa enjoyed her summer novel of The Goldfinch.

Peter Whitney’s family attended the wedding of their sister and daughter, MariJo, to David Rupp in Pennsylvania. Peter and Roseanne took a wonderful trip to Lake George on their Harley Davidson.

Anna Carew-Miller had a wonderful

professional development experience (supported by The Gunnery) in July. She had a week-long Children’s Book Writing Residency and Workshop at the Noepe Center for Literary Arts in Martha’s Vineyard. “I had a chance to dig into the revision of my YA novel, with the guidance of Emma D. Dryden, a well-known children’s book editor.

Although I probably have another draft to go on my book, I made huge progress and now have a wonderful group of fellow-writer connections.”

In early July Richard Martin attended a weeklong class at Taft (TEC) on the teaching of poetry. Later that month the family all drove out to Michigan to visit my mom – highlights included visits to Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum; Comerica Park, home

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of the Detroit Tigers; Cranbrook, the prep school Richard attended and the campus on which he grew up; and the Detroit Institute of Arts. In August, Isabel and her dad watched a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Lenox, MA, home of Shakespeare & Company, while Luke and his grandfather took in Julius Caesar. Much of his time this summer was spent, as per usual, reading. Native Son by Richard Wright, Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, and The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón were among my favorite selections.

Jesse Perkins spent his summer in New York

City, as the Site Director of The inaugural High School Performing Arts Summer Conservatory At AMDA (American Musical and Dramatic Academy). The campus is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, just down the street from Lincoln Center, Julliard and the Alvin Ailey dance company. One hundred twenty singers, dancers and actors attended over the period of four weeks. The students were all between 14- and 19-years old, and came from all over the country including Texas, California and Florida, as well as Argentina, Columbia, France, Germany and Russia. Each two-week session culminated in a final performance for families and friends. This first Summer Conservatory was a huge success and AMDA is looking at bringing in twice as many students next summer.

IN MEMORIAM The Gunnery community is saddened by the loss of many cherished sons this past year and sends its condolences to their friends and families: MR. DONALD L. DEMING ’41 4/8/2014

WEDDINGS A gaggle of all Gunnery faculty weddings took place this summer, and from all accounts a wonderful time was had by all.

Bartholomew McMann, History Chair, and Kathryn Marek ’05, Associate Director of Admissions, were married at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Washington, CT on August 9. The reception was held at Solley Dining Hall. Mr. and Mrs. McMann moved into Emerson in the late summer and look forward to another great year working at The Gunnery.

On July 12, Elizabeth Hawley ’08 and Scott Dayton ’08 were married in the Old Stone Church in New Preston, where Mrs. Dayton’s mother and father were married and she herself was baptized. The reception was held at The Gunnery, where Liz teaches math and dramatic arts.

Anna Kjellson, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications, and Field Hockey married Matt Daylor, Technology and Crew on July 26 in Waitsfield, VT. Eileen Kelly-Aguirre signed up as officiant for a

Elizabeth ‘08 and Scott Dayton ‘08

day and, as you can see in the photo, Gunnery, past and present, was well represented among the attendants and guests.

James Balben, History faculty, married Stephanie Resavage on June 14 at the Church of St.

Lawrence in Rochester, NY. The reception was at the Wadsworth Homestead in Geneseo, NY.

Faculty members Anna (Kjellson) Daylor and Matt Daylor (center) were married on July 26th in Waitsfield, VT. Gunnery friends in attendance (L to R): Ann Kearney (wife of Phil Dutton ’81), Kevin Garrity ’99 (former faculty), Kate Garrity (former faculty), Phil Dutton ’81, Chelsea Stuart, Jed Stuart, Kiersten Marich, Mike Marich, Pattie Aron (former faculty), Eileen Kelly-Aguirre (former faculty), Andrea Calore ’97, BJ Daniels, Dan Calore ’97, Karen Cassery-Daniels, Becky Feen (wife of Pete Feen ’99), Pete Feen ’99 and Liz McColloch (former faculty). Eileen Kelly-Aguirre, who hired both Anna and Matt, performed the ceremony

MR. RAYMOND B. GILCHRIST ’90 MR. KINGSLEY T. LEIGHTON ’51 6/12/2014 MR. STEPHEN W. MCBURNETT ’64 5/19/2014 MR. WILLIAM M. POSEY ’50 4/13/2014 MR. ROBERT L. STERLING, JR. ’52 9/22/2014 MR. JAMES J. VON GAL ’59 3/21/2014 (L to R): Bart McMann, Kate McMann ‘05, Kirsten Spelman ’06, Cate Bridges ’05 (maid of honor), and Kristen Bellone (formerly Deforge) ’06

GunnBull F14_1117_gr1.indd 58

James Balben and Stephanie (Resavage) Balben

11/21/14 10:47 AM

Download The Gunnery Alumni mobile app today One of the best things about boarding school is no doubt the connections that we make with friends and faculty. By just being here you have a built-in connection, a common bond. As the years pass, we stay in touch with some people and lose touch with others.

Is an Alumni Weekend on the horizon and you’d like to reconnect with old friends?

Are you moving and long to see a familiar face in a new town?

Ever wonder who else is in finance, marketing, education or engineering?

Whatever your reason for reaching out, now there’s an easy way to do it!

The Class of 2013, through their Senior Class Gift, has made possible a Gunnery Alumni app. This will be the go-to place for locating and connecting with fellow alumni.

The app is available by searching for “The Gunnery” in the Apple App Store and Google Play. It is compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

For a detailed guide to downloading and using the app, please visit the alumni portal of our website.

“I cannot live without books”

– SIR RICHARD STEELE

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”

r support

– THOMAS JEFFERSON

inciples of citizenship and social i, and friends take pride in being part and innovation. This year, please iving back. With your support, you ry is today and in the future.

Photo–Shannon O’Connor ’15

Photo –Alec Cornell ‘14

What is ?

The Gunnery Fund

The Gunnery is a school founded on the principles of citizenship and social responsibility. The students, faculty, alumni, and friends take pride in being part of a community that honors both tradition and innovation. This year, please consider carrying on the great tradition of giving back. With your support, you have the power to impact what The Gunnery is today and in the future.

thank you for your support

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99 Green Hill Road Washington, CT 06793 (860) 868-7334 Fax: (860) 868-7816 E-mail: alumni@gunnery.org

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Upcoming Events 2015 March 9–13

REGIONAL EVENTS

Florida

May 3

FOUNDERS DAY REGATTA

Lake Waramaug

May 9

ADMISSIONS SPRING OPEN HOUSE

On Campus

June 5–7

ALUMNI WEEKEND

On Campus

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS WE ARE SEEKING NOMINATIONS FROM ALUMNI FOR HONOREES INTO THE ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME Nominees should have been outstanding athletes in one or more sports at The Gunnery; subsequent collegiate or professional achievement is key to the nomination and subsequent induction.

WE ARE SEEKING NOMINATIONS FROM ALUMNI FOR HONOREES INTO THE ARTS AND LETTERS HALL OF FAME Nominees should have achieved recognition in one or more of the following disciplines: Visual Arts (all media), Performing Arts, Graphic Arts, Music, Literature, Science, Humanitarian Work, or Education.

Please send nominations via email to the Alumni Office at: alumni@gunnery.org or by mail to: 4HE !LUMNI /FlCE s 4HE 'UNNERY 'REEN (ILL 2OAD Washington, CT 06793

RECOMMENDED READING American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation Eric Rutkow

Crossing to Safety Wallace Stegner

Can We Talk About Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir Roz Chast

Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table Ruth Reichl

Upcoming E

RECOMMENDED READING American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation Eric Rutkow

Crossing to Safety Wallace Stegner

Can We Talk About Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir Roz Chast

Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table Ruth Reichl