35 minute read
Your Cougars
FALL 2019 SPORTS
// CROSS COUNTRY
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“Our season had some ups and downs, but overall it was a good productive season,” summarized Head Coach Greg Forsythe. “Throughout the season, I saw improvement.” The Cougars placed the highest of their campaign during the closing meet, ranking fifth out of thirteen teams in the single-A division.
“We were coming together, combining our seasoned leadership with the new-bloods. It’s my belief that with the new-bloods coming back next year to lead the team further, the team will be able to reach even higher heights,” shared Forsythe.
The coach praised the team’s senior captains: Ryan Pettes, Corben Kohut and Gaheris Kohut for surpassing his expectations of them as leaders and motivators. The three shared Coaches’ Award honors. Corben Kohut deflected the attention to his teammates saying, “my favorite part of this team was the van rides to the meets, because we would all just get ready for the race and bust each other up. As much as cross country as a sport is overbearing physically and mentally it gave me some life-long lessons, friendships, and a different perspective being able to play a different sport other than baseball.”
"We were coming together, combining our seasoned leadership with the new-bloods.” —Cross Country Head Coach, Greg Forsythe
(Left to right): Sulayman Bah ’23, Corben Kohut ’20, Ryan Pettes ’20, Eli Baumbach ’21, Griffin Hill ’21 and Gaheris Kohut ’20 shine on race day.
// GOLF
Varsity Golf maintained its dual match winning streak that started back in 2017, finishing 9-0 in that format. The Cougars added four tournament wins, including the Interstate Prep School League Championship for the first time since 2013. They won the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Small School Tournament trophy for the seventh straight year, the Wheeling Cup Invitational at Sunnehanna for the second straight year and the Sinking Valley Invitational Tournament.
“From the very start, everyone was playing better than last year, and I had really high hopes,” Head Coach Mark Orsatti recalled. He also pointed to the unparalleled preseason training the team enjoyed as a catapult to their success. Jim Saitta ’83 invited the boys to play at South Hills Country Club. Russ Swank ’67 treated the team to a special day at Oakmont Country Club. The boys were also invited to play at the Pikewood National Golf Club and Bedford Springs.
With a solid foundation in place, Kiski’s superior depth led to an exceptional season. Fewer than eight strokes separated the average score for the number one and number ten players. “Each of our top five guys claimed the medalist honors at least once,” Orsatti boasted.
One of those top players, Patrick Jacob ’20, challenged the returners to keep their winning streaks alive and, “continue to play some Billy Joel in the vans after some nice wins.”
Princeton Douglass ’20 eludes a tackler and stiff-arms another.
// FOOTBALL
Varsity Football completed another fantastic season with a 6-2 record. During the fall sports awards ceremony, Head Coach Jim Perry specifically acknowledged his “four-year-freaks” that compiled a record of 26-7 during their Kiski careers. He listed off the names of recent graduates that left their marks on the current seniors, acknowledging an unbroken chain of leadership. He challenged the returning boys to continue their tradition of success on and off the field.
Coach Perry also credited Line Coach Frank Cignetti Sr. for limiting opponents to two sacks that weren’t attributable to bad snaps. Referencing quarterback Ryne Wallace’s ’20 comfort in the pocket, Coach Perry remarked, “now he’s back there ordering pizza, because he’s got time.”
Cougar grit was another defining feature highlighted by Coach Perry. He praised boys who played with nagging injuries like Jahmeir Adderley ’20, who played running back with broken fingers, blocking, carrying without fumbling, and scoring a pivotal touchdown.
Linebackers and defensive ends Micah Tillman ’20 and Chris Rubino ’20 shared defensive Most Valuable Player honors. The equivalent offensive award was shared by running backs Cato Legaspi ’21 and Princeton Douglass ’20. Amani Clark-Bey ’22 garnered the Most Improved Player Award.
(Left to right): Alongside a winner from the girls' competition, Grant Lumley ’20, Patrick Jacob ’20, Xavier Martinez ’20, and Ian Russ ’20 display the Wheeling Tournament Cup.
YOUR COUGARS
// SOCCER "From the moment I saw the team come Before the Varsity Soccer team began the state playoffs as the 4-seed, Head Coach together on the bus trip back from Jonty Loukes shared his prediction at the fall sports awards ceremony saying, Wilmington (preseason), I knew this team “from the moment I saw the team come together on the bus trip back from Wilmington (preseason), I knew this has the crucial team bond that it takes to team has the crucial team bond that it takes to win the state championship.” His win the state championship.” team met that expectation by capturing —Soccer Head Coach, Jonty Loukes the program’s first-ever Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association Championship. take plays off,” said Loukes. on the eastern side of the state for the
An injury-riddled 12-6-2 regular The regular season finale loss to final. However, an anonymous alumnus season sidelined key players, including South Kent also led to a pivotal change paid for busses to shuttle the Kiski Boys to their adept leader and Coaches Award to Loukes’ approach for the remainder of Immaculata University, and they cheered winner Luca Venditti ’20. Max Mears ’20 the season. After seeing that Kiski’s best themselves hoarse. earned the Most Improved Player Award defense was a relentless attack, “from A tense game was live streamed to for his part in filling injury voids. that point on we pressed teams high and alumni, parents, and friends watching
The Cougars pressed on, never losing attacked with numbers,” Loukes recount- from all over the world. When Ben a game in which they led, and coming ed. Kiski shut out every playoff opponent Feinstein ’23 tallied the first score of the from behind to win or tie five times. but the top-seeded Hill School on the way game, the pressure was momentarily lifted
Key lessons were learned along the to capturing the title. for a jubilant celebration. After Simόn way. “The loss against South Kent showed After defeating Hill on penalty kicks Fernandez ’20 added a second goal in the us that no matter how good we thought in the semifinals, the third-seeded waning minutes of the game, it seemed we were, we were not good enough to Haverford School essentially hosted Kiski the outcome was sealed as goalie Gabriel Matos ’21 and the nearly impenetrable Cougar defense preserved another shutout. The injury-depleted underdogs triumphed, just as their coach predicted, in a hostile and distant road environment. Players and the brothers that traveled across the state to support them hugged and lifted each other off the turf. “Throughout the season, every player played a role in the state championship, and every contribution was just as important, no matter how big or small it was,” summarized Loukes. “Although we had big fallbacks, this only makes our season even more of a success as we adapted,” said Most Valuable Player Award winner, Mark Shoebridge ’20. “To the rising seniors, it’s up to you to step up and carry this team all the way. You have to lead by example Mark Shoebridge '20 (front) celebrates his penalty kick score during the state semifinal game against Hill alongside Ben Feinstein '23 (behind). and set the bar high for the newcomers,” he concluded.
WINTER 2020 SPORTS
// HOCKEY
The Varsity Hockey team faced a more competitive schedule in a 6-12 slate. Head Coach Chris Spahn was impressed by how well they fought through the growing pains saying, “There was only one game this year that I thought that we didn’t give our all. And I went around the room and asked each player if they thought they gave their all or if they were feeling sorry for themselves. I was pleased that the boys gave honest answers, but I was more proud of the fact that never again did I have to ask them if they gave their all in a game.”
Even in a tough year, the Cougars compiled a highlight reel of unforgettable memories recalled Captain Patrick Jacob ’20. “One of the best parts of the season came from our second game against Linsly. Griffin Hill [’21 Kiski's Most Improved Player Award winner] got the puck on a 2-on-1, and he walks into the zone, looks off the defender because he is not going to pass on this opportunity and then fires a shot. According to Griffin, his eyes were closed whenever he shot it, so he had no idea that it went in. I am telling you, that this goal was the most perfect goal anybody could ever think of for their first career goal for a team."
Dillon Berezansky ’20 earned the Coaches Award because of his upbeat personality and position versatility.
Goalie Patrick Jacob warms up between the pipes.
// SWIMMING
At a small boarding school, it is important that every boy participates in athletics, which leads to opportunities to try new sports. Playing time is abundant, even when experience is not. Of the 13 swimming letter winners, only four swam for Kiski before, and only about half had any history of swimming competitively. The swimmers took advantage of their opportunities. “You saw several athletes, not just one or two, but several athletes cut tens of seconds off their 100 [yard race distances]. We have several athletes who cut several minutes off of their events. This growth came from bravery. It is really easy to go and perform and do something you’ve done, but a lot of the boys this year had never done anything like this before,” said Head Coach Josh Sunday.
Coach Sunday recognized two swimmers that embodied this theme. He presented the Rookie of the Year Award to Anthony Wang ’22 who became the team’s top backstroker by the end of the year. Timothy Allsbouse ’22 earned the Most Improved Player Award because of his commitment to bettering himself by seeking critiques after each of his races.
“Starting swimming is possibly the easiest task ever, you just need to get in the water and float. However, for the competitive aspect of swimming, it is a deeply personal involvement of self-improvement and continuous effort,” summarized Captain Alex Stewart ’20.
YOUR COUGARS
// BASKETBALL
The Varsity Basketball team’s tenacity was tested early and often. The boys had to overcome late losses twice in tournaments, and rise early the next morning to defeat their next opponents. First, they lost to The Hill School in overtime of Hill’s tournament but toppled The Peddie School in the consolation final. In the Midwest Classic, they battled back to take the lead after trailing by 23 points early against Don Bosco Prep. They eventually dropped that contest but drubbed a strong St. Michael’s College School by 53 points the next morning.
Head Coach Damien Williams
attributed their cohesive play to their boarding school environment. “The biggest advantage that our boys have is the camaraderie and togetherness they have
// WRESTLING
Head Coach Joe Ross possesses a remarkable ability to lead young teams, guiding boys with little or no wrestling ’20 makes a fine example of this talent. After wrestling for Coach Ross for only two years, the Most Improved Player Award-winner qualified for Nationals in the 285-pound weight class.
Rubino was joined at the prestigious national tournament by two promising freshmen: winner of the Most Valuable Player Award Sulayman Bah in the 113-pound weight class, and Corbin Johnston on the 182-pound level. “As a freshman [Johnston] went 2-2 [at the national tournament]. I believe that’s outstanding,” remarked Ross.
The boys made up for their lack in depth with exceptional resiliency that Coach Ross honed with demanding training sessions. The boys were responsible for pushing each other through grueling practice bouts that prepared them for competition on the highest levels. before the season even starts,” Williams concluded. “Most of the boys spend the entire fall in the weight room and on the court becoming stronger together and building a very tight bond.”
Kiski battled onward earning an opportunity to host its first playoff game in six years by beating The Phelps School in the final game of the regular season. Hoag Gymnasium was alive with excitement as Kiski triumphed over Shipley in the first round. The Cougars fell in the next round, completing the season with a 13-11 record.
Although its talented seniors are moving on, including Coaches' Award honorees Stephen Watson and Xavier Lyons, Kiski has a bright future. Eight varsity players will return, including Most Valuable Player, Christopher may not be the best wrestler on the team, but I do not give up. We did not give up!” —Karl Kapadia ’20 Karl Kapadia ’20 reflected on that concept when proudly recounting his three-year career saying, “I realized that I may not be the best wrestler on the team, but I do not give up. And that is what represents our team. We did not give up!”
Bah and Johnston will lead a more experienced squad, along with budding talents like Coaches' Award winner Antonio DiLascio ’21, when the Cougars return to the mat this season.
Chris Moncrief '22 completes a fast break for an easy bucket.
Moncrief ’22 and Most Improved Player, Ewaen Osunde ’21, who may be ready for a bigger role. “He could be a starter, but his play off the bench and ability to enter the game and score immediately
experience to greatness. Chris Rubino
"I realized that I
was key to our success,” shared Williams.
// SPRING & FALL 2020 SPORTS
Our spring sports were sadly canceled when it was determined that our boys could not return to campus following spring break. However, our fall sports were able to resume. Kiski was in a unique situation that allowed us to attempt a fall slate of sports.
The golf and cross country teams employed social distancing measures to enable competition. Golfers stayed in foursomes consisting of their teammates and used the honors system for scoring, rather than mixing foursomes with other schools. Meanwhile, cross country competed in heats by school to limit interaction between programs.
Our contact sports used a “bubble” system with protocols similar to the ones professional sports used. Kiski limited soccer and football opponents to boarding schools employing the same strict testing measures.
Follow the latest Kiski Athletics news at www.kiski.org or on our social media platforms.
COUGARS IN COLLEGE
An average of 30% of our graduates continue their athletic careers on the college level. The following boys are representing Kiski proudly in intercollegiate competition.
GOLF
Mark Goetz ’17 – West Virginia University Xavier Martinez '20 – St. Thomas University
WRESTLING
David Diaz ’19 – Virginia Military Institute
LACROSSE
Coby Schwartz '20 – United States Merchant Marine Academy Caleb Commandant ’20 – Rochester Institute of Technology Jordan Ackie ’19 – Maryville University Quinn Commandant ’17 – Rochester Institute of Technology Nicklas Darrington ’20 – Wheeling University Matthew DeGirolamo ’18 – St. Bonaventure University Hunter Dunlop ’17 – Rochester Institute of Technology Ben Foster ’19 – University of Indianapolis Ben Gardner ’17 – Hamilton College Lucas Infanti ’19 – Young Harris College Olayinka Jimba ’19 – College of Wooster Peyton Manko ’17 – Mercyhurst University Reid Moore ’20 – Bellarmine University Jacob Rosa ’19 – St. Bonaventure University Nathan Salaris ’19 – Young Harris College Jackman Schooley ’18 – Lake Erie College Wilson Smith ’17 – Montclair State University Christian Spahn ’20 – Lycoming College TJ Spahn ’18 – Denison University Sam Tackett ’18 – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Wes Wheat ’20 – Queens University of Charlotte Matthew Wiechers ’17 – Rochester Institute of Technology
FOOTBALL
Reese Bole ’20 – Franklin and Marshall College Divine Buckrham ’17 – Lehigh University Tim Burgartz ’20 – University of Maine Nate Caron ’17 – Lake Forest College Princeton Douglass ’20 – Dickinson College Jacob Fedell ’18 – Allegheny College Liam Howe ’20 – Saint Mary’s University Eric Humphries ’19 – College of Wooster Jason Kcehowski ’18 – Colgate University Josh Kriebel ’17 – Baldwin Wallace University Jonathan Leighty ’19 – Baldwin Wallace University Christopher Rubino ’20 – Allegheny College Thomas Rubino ’17 – Carleton College Micah Tillman ’20 – Valparaiso University Nikoloz Vasadze ’18 – St. Olaf College Seth Williams ’18 – Slippery Rock University
SOCCER
Marc Alexander ’17 – University of Hartford Alec Belcastro ’17 – Hope College David Egbo ’17 – University of Akron Henrique Felix de Siqueira ’19 – St. Olaf College Simón Fernández ’20 – Fisher College Noah Giovannelli ’17 – Hamilton College Tomás Gusmao ’19 – St. Olaf College Ernando Manrique ’17 – United States Naval Academy Dylan McDonough ’17 – St. Lawrence University Kevin Menendez ’18 – University of Montevallo Ramses Minaya ’19 – Slippery Rock University Pedro Mountinho ’20 – Missouri Valley College Salvadore Plaza ’18 – University of Montevallo Nicolás Ramirez ’20 – Mount Allison University Noe Reyes Matos ’19 – University of Rochester Nick Sheth ’17 – Emory University Mark Shoebridge ‘20 – University of Montevallo Max Silberg ’17 – Northwestern University Robert Vanetta ’18 – Penn State University - Behrend Luca Venditti ’20 – William Penn University Raphael Zoccolaro ’18 – St. Lawrence University
BASKETBALL
Julian Boykins ’17 – Seton Hill University Brennen Crawford ’19 – Marietta College Jereme Johnson ’17 – Drew University Shawndale Jones ’17 – Indiana University of PA Asa Klimchock ’19 – Bethany College Xavier Lyons ’20 – California University of PA Jalen Nougues ’18 – Catholic University Jaka Pandza ’18 – Franklin and Marshall College Chayce Smith ’18 – University of Pittsburgh Giangabriel Velez ’19 – University of Puerto Rico - Río Piedras Cameron Villarouel ’20 – Bloomsburg State University Jayson Villarouel ’20 – Augustana College Noah Watson ’18 – Muhlenberg College Stephen Watson ’20 – Babson College Noreon Williams ’20 – St. Thomas University
BASEBALL
Francis Faiello ’16 * – Allegheny College Anthony Fiallo ’20 – United States Naval Academy Zachary Muster ’16 * – Franklin and Marshall College Cole Reibenspies ’19 * – United States Naval Academy Ryne Wallace ’20 – Old Dominion University Omar Ward ’17 * – Seton Hill University
* Our Baseball Cougars were inadvertently left off last year’s list.
Congrats to Francis and Zachary for completing your college careers and best wishes for continued success to Cole and Omar. Kiski gathered to celebrate the National Letter of Intent signings by members of the Class of 2020. In all, 25 of Kiski's 2020 Cougars will compete on the college level.
Kareem South '15 completed his first professional basketball season with the Edmonton Stingers.
PRO COUGARS
K
BASKETBALL
Dante Lombardi ’15
Almere Sailors (Netherlands)
Jake Babic ’14
Niagara River Lions (Canada)
Kareem South ’15
Edmonton Stingers (Canada) LACROSSE
Trevor Smyth ’14
Professional Box National Lacrosse League, Halifax Thunderbirds; Major League Lacrosse, Dallas Rattlers
YOUR COUGARS
Head Prefect Caleb Leechalk ’21
2020-2021 LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
Leadership development is a cornerstone of the Kiski experience. The following Kiski Boys were appointed to lead their peers during the 2020–21 school year.
VP
PREFECTS ARE QUINTESSENTIAL LEADERS that uphold Kiski standards by both example and direction that they adroitly provide to their peers. Juniors: Timothy Allshouse, Noah Bole,
Robert Burr, Amani Clark-Bey, Nicholas DiLauro, Nicholas Fausto, Alex Figueroa, Jordan Graham, Tyler Kuchar, Christopher Moncrief, Jackson Smith, Sebastian Valdez Bautista, Jonathan VanNostrand, Eric Ward, and Zhengyang
Zhou. Seniors: Adam Daley, Antonio DiLascio, Mitchell
Eckersley, Alexander Gardner, Eric Gary, Griffin Hill, (Head Prefect) Caleb Leechalk, Gabriel Matos, Jose Munoz, Dante Parisotto, Devon Root, Zander Szilagyi, Yuelin Wang, Weilin
Zhang, and Xiaoyu Zhao.
K-CLUB PRESIDENT AND HEAD TOUR GUIDES are conversant greeters from the senior class that warmly welcome guests to campus. Seniors serving as Head Tour Guides: Mitchell
Eckersley, Caleb Leechalk, (President) Jose Munoz, and
Xiaoyu Zhao. HEADWAITERS efficiently direct traffic, assist new boys in their duties. These seniors safeguard the finer points of formal meals in the Turley Dining Hall: Giovanni Cicala, Renford McKenzie, Jose Munoz, (Maître D’) Chris Peirce, Zander Szilagyi, and Yuelin Wang.
CULTURE POT LEADERS help our community—peers as well as faculty and staff—have a better understanding of the diverse world in which we live. Co-Presidents: Eric Gary ’21 and Amani Clark-Bey ’21; Co-Vice Presidents: Jordan Graham ’22 and Christopher Moncrief ’22.
HONOR AND DISCIPLINE COUNCIL is a role that requires great maturity and integrity. Members provide a peer perspective during confidential disciplinary discussions regarding serious Honor Code and K-Book infractions. Seniors: Mitchell Eckersley, Jan
Klinger, Renford McKenzie, Yuelin Wang, and Xiaoyu Zhao.
Juniors: Amani Clark-Bey, Alex Figueroa, Jordan Graham,
Christopher Moncrief, Jonathan VanNostrand, and Zhengyang
Zhou. Sophomores: Sulayman Bah and Benjamin Feinstein.
Kiski Seniors Attend Artificial Intelligence Conference in Singapore
By James Moore Jr. ’71 | Founder and CEO, Washington Institute for Business, Government & Society
DESPITE THE ISOLATION OF KISKI, high on a bluff overlooking its namesake river, the School is anything but removed from the world around it. Students today are being prepared for a world that is more interconnected globally and technologically than ever before, which will challenge them throughout their lives and careers.
That is why Carlos Rosales and I were so proud to join together to sponsor a competition among Kiski seniors to address, by essay, the subject of ethical artificial intelligence. There are few subjects more daunting or compelling. Six students were finalists with four essays chosen by Kiski faculty to submit to an international panel of AI experts. The two winners were Grant Lumley and J.P. Suozzi. The prize was to attend a global conference on AI in Singapore, all expenses paid.
As an alumnus and a Kiski board member for almost 40 years, I could not have been prouder of those two boys. Accompanied by Kiski faculty member, Josh Sunday, they represented the very best of our School, introduced and praised before the international audience of AI scholars and practitioners. In addition, they had the chance to explore modern Singapore. Not only was it terrific to expose those boys to a new world, but it was a delight to expose that elite audience to the wonders of Kiski.
Kiski’s Response to COVID-19 and How We Move Forward as
This spring, the world was turned upside down as the global health crisis spread and disrupted many interactions we may have taken for granted, including in-person education. As we approached spring break, we optimistically planned for a return. Luckily, our break provided a buffer and some time to think about our next moves.
As things escalated, it became evident that a return to campus for the fourth quarter of the 2019–2020 school year was not possible. Our administration and faculty leapt into action to implement an impactful online program that would allow us to strongly finish the year. Utilizing video-conferencing software, our faculty were able to pick up where they left off before the break. We learned valuable lessons and rose to meet the challenges that came at a daily pace, which would begin to inform our plans for the future.
In the spring, we began planning for the new school year, considering our options for offering in-person classes while at the same time accommodating students who would need to learn remotely to start the year. The plan we announced in late May remained unchanged through the start of the new year in September. “ONE Kiski” would become our mantra and the plan would carry the same name.
Our ONE Kiski initiative allowed the choice of whether or not to return to campus to be solely in the hands of our families. The boys that were willing and able returned to campus for in-person classes and the full Kiski experience. Boys who faced travel restrictions or other limitations stayed home to start the school year with a robust virtual platform available until they could return to campus. Unlike other online programs, Kiski’s unique approach allowed both groups of boys to take the same class at the same time. Each classroom was outfitted with a webcam,
(Left): Eli Fontanez '24 has his temperature checked by Mitchell Czerniak. (Center): Head Coach Jonty Loukes addresses the reigning soccer champions. (Right): Mr. Loukes teaches in the Class of '62 Outdoor Classroom.
(Left): Head of School Chris Brueningsen starts his Calculus class. (Center): Nicholas Cuda '24 models the lastest in Kiski gear. (Right): Preseason basketball resumes safely.
extra monitors, microphones, and other tech in order for each faculty member to use Zoom (a video-conferencing platform) to stream their classes to the boys at home and those physically attending in the classroom simultaneously.
Of course, the return to the classroom presented several challenges beyond connecting the boys virtually. However, our unique school structure delivered many advantages that helped to make a return possible. Our boarding school environment provided us the opportunity to keep the students on campus, which combined with our rural location, meant that we could gate our community and reduce outside influence. Our class sizes were already small and that meant our existing spaces were already large enough to accommodate social distancing best practices. To help further mitigate any risk, we became a certified testing lab that allowed us to screen students and faculty for COVID-19, returning results within 15 minutes. These testing abilities came at a significant cost, but afforded the ability to return safely to the classroom and athletic competition. Likeminded approaches by peer boarding schools allowed us to mirror a “bubble” concept adopted by professional sports leagues. With each of the competing schools following a strict testing policy in an isolated boarding school environment, athletic competition can occur at reduced risk to student-athletes and staff.
Though our situation evolves on a daily basis, our community continues to shine through innovation and the application of time-tested Kiski grit. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our mission during this time. We extend specific thanks to our families, both old and new, for trusting us with the education of their sons and working closely with us to advance Kiski through this health crisis. Together, we remain and move forward as ONE Kiski.
THE KISKI SCHOOL 2020 STRATEGIC PLAN
KISKI HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TO GROWTH
through the use of periodic introspection, strategic planning, and the development of measurable goals. Every five years, the school releases a comprehensive strategic plan with an overarching goal of moving Kiski forward. “As is often the case with an exercise like this, the planning process itself was just as valuable as the final document. I’m very grateful to all the people who contributed their ideas and feedback as the plan came together, which allowed us to produce a coherent and unified vision for Kiski’s future,” said Kiski Head of School Chris Brueningsen.
“The results of executing prior strategic planning have been monumental to the advancement of Kiski. As a board, we are most enthused to further simplify what is needed to build upon the School’s success and assist the administration in implementing the same,” added
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
John Jacob ’89.
The title of our current strategic plan, A Boys’ School of High Order, is a tribute to Kiski’s founder, Dr. Andrew Wilson. Upon establishing Kiski in 1888, he shared that his goal was to create “a boys’ school of high order that would prepare graduates to enter any American college or scientific school.” The full strategic plan is available online and includes an outline for advancing the following aspects of the life-changing Kiski experience: Innovation and Excellence, Connections and Support, and Progress and Growth. Each section includes well-defined initiatives that will take Kiski forward.
OUR MISSION To prepare young men to succeed in college and in life.
Kiski’s 2020 Strategic Plan, A Boys’ School of High Order, can be found at bit.ly/KiskiStrategic2020.
This lapel pin is worn by members of The Culture Pot, Kiski’s multicultural student organization. It depicts an African Adinkra symbol which means “Within diversity, there is unity.”
The International Food Festival was started in 1995 by Mrs. Mary Pohl. Each spring we celebrate Kiski’s rich diversity by preparing and sharing dishes from all over the world. As many as 22 countries have been represented during a single festival.
By Mark Novom, Associate Head of School & Carla Ross, Director of Equity and Inclusion
IN THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST, Mr. Brueningsen shared Kiski’s new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan with the school community and alumni. We believe that it’s a starting point for ongoing dialogues that need to occur on these important issues.
Kiski has always been a diverse community, and more than ever we feel strongly that we must provide opportunities for students and faculty to talk about issues of equity and inclusivity. These conversations actually started early during the last school year when the Head of School and other members of the administration met with our African-American students and their parents to listen to what they had to say about their experiences here at Kiski. These conversations were enlightening, but also illuminated for us that there was still work to be done. This work was to continue throughout the late winter and spring of 2020, but once the pandemic hit these plans were obviously postponed.
During the summer, our faculty and staff were involved in a number of virtual seminars with Mr. Malcolm Thomas, the Program Director for Reaching Black Male Mentoring and Manhood Development in Pittsburgh. The objective of these seminars, which will continue throughout the school year, is to identify our unconscious bias we may have and to introduce a stage model for substantiating the caring relationship between teachers and students. These seminars have offered invaluable lessons to our faculty and staff and will undoubtedly have long lasting and positive effects on the Kiski community.
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan memorializes Kiski’s commitment to being a campus community dedicated to anti-racism. It’s an important step that sets forth tangible initiatives and measurable goals meant to support a broad vision for diversity and inclusion at Kiski. We are proud of the work of the Diversity Committee and the Board of Trustees has done in helping to develop this Action Plan.
We have already started the process of meeting with students both in-person and virtually to ensure that we are listening and understanding their needs. As the school year moves forward, our students will have further opportunities to engage, discuss, and learn about each other’s cultures, backgrounds, and traditions through programs such as The Culture Pot, and Father’s Circle, and through everyday interactions and conversations.
We are excited for the essential conversations that will develop because of the Action Plan and dedication to anti-racism. You can find the full Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan on the Kiski website at bit.ly/KiskiDiversity.
QUESTIONS?
Class Captains received a preview on the platform and can help or email the Kiski Alumni Office directly at alumni. office@kiski.org.
KISKI LAUNCHES NEW PLATFORM TO STRENGTHEN ALUMNI NETWORK Wavelength Platform Provides Kiski Alums with Advanced Networking Resources
WE ARE MAKING A DIRECT INVESTMENT
in our alumni community to bring our vast network of global Kiski graduates closer together and further increase the value of a Kiski education. Shortly after receiving this publication, Kiski alumni will receive an email invitation from the Kiski-branded Wavelength platform. From there, alums can explore the Map-Based Search Directory to explore the globe to find classmates, alumni in a specific location, or others that share the same career field.
Users can then either email alumni directly or invite them to Zoom video calls. The platform's Zoom integration allows alumni to invite individuals or small groups to reconnect online. Users can link to a personal Zoom account or reach out to Wavelength which can assist in creating a Zoom account. We are mindful of everyone's data privacy, and at any time each user can change their privacy and contact settings from their profile directly.
The jobs board feature allows users to post job opportunities within the network to the trusted Kiski community or find opportunities for themselves. You can also submit class notes so we can share your updates. We ask that alumni keep their own info up-to-date, whether that is contact info or what teams or clubs they participated in while at Kiski. Ideally, we will be able to add group specific features, for example, custom email lists for wrestling alumni to share team specific updates. As more alumni become active on the platform, we can look forward to adding and expanding its capabilities and impact on the Kiski Alumni Network.
Class Captains have been test-driving the new platform and finding it very helpful. “Wavelength is super useful. It does not seem difficult to use or update, which is always a risk when asking people to create an account on yet another network. The ability to create maps of nearby alumni is incredibly interesting, and the data health tools make it easier to keep contact info updated,” said Class Captain John Zang ’09.
Our hope is that this will be used to rekindle connections, share memories, and advance careers.
ADVANTAGES OF A BOARDING SCHOOL LIBRARY
A Day in the Life of Our Academic Hub
By Leslie Poston, Director of Library Services
HAVING A LIBRARY THAT IS OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
is one of the many benefits that sets a boarding environment like Kiski’s apart. While the library is always evolving to meet the needs of each generation of Kiski Boys, it remains at the heart of campus proper. Following the tradition of library legend and 2020 Kiski Luminary, Mrs. Brigitta Szilagyi, the library staff takes in students each day that may be anxious about a daunting project, and guides them to the resources that will help them meet their academic challenges.
Constructed in 1993 at the center of campus, The John A. Pidgeon Library is the hub of academics, collaboration, and enrichment. The library staff, technology team, and learning support center are all located in the Pidgeon Library building, and are active in helping students become their best scholarly selves. Together, in an age of information abundance, our trained librarians and experienced teachers prioritize students’ learning to critically consume and skillfully create content. The Pidgeon Library is dedicated to providing the supportive and nurturing atmosphere in which that crucial work can take place. These valuable services are available beyond the regular school day and well into the evening.
This year, Zoom office hours have been added to provide remote learners with the ability to access assistance from the library and the Learning Center. Mrs. Darcie Spahn, Director of the Learning Center, has been able to continue offering peer tutoring services remotely along with her study habit instruction and more. The Pidgeon Library remains central to daily academic life, even in a virtual setting.
A Typical Day in the John A. Pidgeon Library
Being open nearly 70 hours per week, each day looks a bit different from the next. However, students most frequently visit to:
• Locate resources for assignments using the online catalog and subscription research databases.
• Learn skills in proper citation and ethical use of information.
• Enjoy a quiet atmosphere for study and homework.
• Utilize an array of printers, copiers, scanners and laminators for projects and papers.
• Get proofreading help on essays and written work.
• Meet with fellow students or teachers for group assignments, extra help and tutoring, or extracurricular club meetings.
Here’s how those activities might look in action on a given day at the Pidgeon Library:
6:30 am: Housekeepers open the doors, and procrastinating boys file in to finish major assignments. 8:00 am: Librarians arrive, usually to find boys already here, sitting quietly, working, or double checking the school app for assignments and due dates. 8:15 am: The copy machine and the coffee maker are both fired up. The sound of the printer whirs into action as boys filter in to pick up homework papers from the printer and rush out to get to class on time. 8:30 am: During first period, Mrs. Leslie Poston is covering two classes visiting the library. The seniors in Dr. John Williams chemistry class are seated near the white board to view the demo of the science databases. They are working in pairs to prepare short presentations on different types of energy and power plants. On the other side the room, over near the Reference section, the sophomore Men in Society students are discovering career paths using self-assessments and government web sites.
Meanwhile, Assistant Librarian, Mrs. Meredith Galo is helping a few juniors in the copier room with their history project. They are creating trading cards on American Revolutionary figures. They’ve gathered information and images using subscription databases, and designed and formatted the cards using Adobe Illustrator. They will then print, cut and laminate the final products, using library tools and supplies. 9:25 am: Students are in study hall, some sitting with the librarian at the help desk practicing vocabulary words for their test next period. 10:15 am: The Kuerig machine is on, as well as Mrs. Galo’s Nespresso—a new favorite! A couple of students bring snacks to the work room and stop by the jigsaw puzzle table. 10:30 am: Mr. Vince Kwiatek’s US History students come each lab period to work on the junior research paper. This year’s topic is “The United States as the Land of Opportunity”. Students locate primary documents in print sources and relevant content in databases related to their specific topic, then create an argument based on the evidence they uncover. They collect and format bibliographic information and note cards using an online research platform.
Mrs. Szilagyi greets Britt Bolen '96 in the library. Matt Lampard '21 is shocked to be at the circulation desk. (Left to right): Micah Tillman '20 and Osten Allen '21 dig in for a quiet evening study session. (Left to right): Giovanni Cicala '21 and Timothy Allshouse '22 test their chess acumen.
After lunch, students sign in for study halls. Upon checking the new Honor Roll list, posted in the library, some will exercise their privileges to spend their study hall in the student center. Some stay in the library to meet with Mrs. Carla Ross about an upcoming Culture Pot activity, assembly, or International Food Festival t-shirt designs.
Students sign in for class when teachers are absent due to sports or illness. Mrs. Poston likes to take these opportunities to teach important information literacy skills, like how to be good digital citizens and evaluate information for accuracy and reliability. 2:35 pm: “Flex during Flex” is a drop-in yoga practice Mrs. Poston started in the library and because of popular demand has moved to the gym for Intersession Yoga. 3:00 pm: The end of a regular school day is that start of the evening hours at the Pidgeon Library and the Librarian on Duty arrives. The Librarian-on-Duty becomes Administrator-on-Duty during the afternoon hours as well, taking calls from students who need assistance or permission to leave campus.
While students are at sports, the library staff works on collection development and upcoming programs—all-school book discussion guides, book tastings, readers advisories, Black History month and Chinese New Year displays. Mrs. Galo plans Sunday story hours and Mrs. Ross plans for Culture Pot roundtable discussions and guest speakers that often take place in the Bradley Reading Room.
Before and after dinner is the time of day typically when the library is visited by faculty families out taking their kids
Each year Kiski selects an allschool book to build discussions around throughout the year. This year, the Kiski community is reading Salt to the Sea, by Ruta Sepetys. The #1 New York Times bestseller and winner of the Carnegie Medal is a historical fiction that tells the tale of a group of refugees fleeing their war-torn Eastern European nations for safety during the tumultuous closing of World War II.
and dogs for a walk. Kiski students are often dog walkers in the afternoons while Sunday story hours provide Kiski Boys the community service opportunity to read to faculty children and help with crafts and activities. 7:00 pm: Augmented Study Hall students (boys assigned for more acute mandatory academic assistance) report to the library for their structured study time. 7:30 pm–9:30 pm: Evening study hall. On average, 25 students opt to sign out of their dorms during evening study hall to do their work in the library, where it’s generally quiet and free of distractions.
Days and nights in the library are filled with more than just reading and research.
Poster printing, photocopying, extra help, peer tutoring, Learning Center hours, along with friendly games of chess and puzzle breaks are all going on during the evening until 10 pm, when the last boys gather up their backpacks and head back to the dorms.
Giovanni Cicala '21 and Timothy Allshouse '22 test their (Left to right): Raul Alfonso Ferrnandez '21 and Raul Torre Medina '21 looking stumped. (Left to right): Noah Bole '22, Jacob Hintermaier '22, and Nicholas DiLauro '22 enjoy a "book tasting" of memoirs.
