The Roeper School Keeping In Touch Winter 2014

THE ROEPER SCHOOL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

Keeping In Touch

MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLUME 7: 2 WINTER/spring 2014

In Memoriam GEORG VIHOS former roeper art teacher 18 February 1937 – 26 september 2013 Artist, Teacher, Inventor, Dreamer, Chef, Father, Friend — these are words used to describe Georg by his daughters, Lisa Vihos ’77 and Illia Vihos Mazurek ’84, as well as so many friends and relatives in attendance at two celebrations of his life.

From the program for the first celebration on November 3, 2013, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin: Georg made art for over 50 years, and his work is represented in collections both public and private all over the world. He was a great father and a great friend. He touched the lives of so many with his art, his cooking, his interest in their endeavors, and his creative support. He lived a rich, full life and left us much to enjoy and think about for a long time to come.

The second celebration was held February 22, 2014, hosted by his daughters and their mother, former Roeper Art teacher Rosanne Thompson, in the Hill House at Roeper. It was indeed a celebration, attended by more than 100 friends, family members and former students. Included in the program was a poem written by his granddaughter, Ella Mazurek: be with you spread my life when I’m gone to live once again I will wonder with you in time

Heinz Bondy former roeper teacher and camp director 2 june 1924 – 18 FEBruary 2014 Heinz Bondy, Annemarie Roeper’s younger brother, died at the age of 89, in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Heinz was a lifelong educator. He came to Michigan in 1948 to direct the Roeper Summer Camp in its second season. He and his first wife, Eleanor, stayed on to teach at Roeper during the 1948/49 school year and lived in an apartment on the third floor of Hill House. They then returned to Massachusetts to teach at Windsor Mountain School, the school founded by Annemarie and Heinz’s parents, Max and Gertrud Bondy. After Max died in 1951, Heinz became Headmaster and ran the school with his mother until it closed in 1975. He was then a leader at several other schools until his retirement in 1998. Heinz was a passionate model and nurturer of social justice and engaged, responsible citizenship, values that Max and Gertrud placed at the heart of their schools.

Heinz served in the US Army during World War II as one of an elite intelligence group called the “Ritchie Boys.” This unit was composed of German immigrants, most of whom had fled Nazi persecution, who performed counter-intelligence work in Europe during the war. Heinz landed on Omaha Beach on Day Two of the D-Day invasion, participated in the battle for Cherbourg, the liberation of Paris, the Battle of the Bulge, and in the liberation of Dachau. You can read more about Heinz’s life and accomplishments at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/heinzbondy/journal.

A memorial service will be held later this spring.

KIT

TABLE OF CONTENTS David Feldman Head of School david.feldman@roeper.org Denita Banks-Sims Director of Development denita.banks-sims@roeper.org Keeping in Touch Editorial Committee Katie Buchmann Editor Bonnie Schemm Art Director Contributors Denita Banks-Sims David Feldman Journalism Students Mikayla Martin Kat Moore Linda Pence Phillip Popp Colleen Potocki Adam Smock ’87 Robin Turner Linda Vernon Caitlyn Wade Wolverine Camp Participants

The Roeper School 41190 Woodward Avenue Bloomfield Hills Michigan 48304 248/203.7300 www.roeper.org

Features IN THE MIDDLE . . . . . .

David Feldman, Head of School

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

2

MUD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Colleen Potocki, Middle School Director REFLECTIONS FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS and staff . . . 6

FROM ME TO YOU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Adam Smock ’87, Director – Alumni Relations and Annual Fund alumni NEWS AND updates .

THE ROEPER FAMILY GROWS .

. .

. .

. .

. .

PARTING THOUGHTS . . . . . . . .

Denita Banks-Sims, Director of Development

. .

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

. .

.

17 20

.

21

COVER ART: Block print by Julia Degazio, Grade 6

The Roeper School is an independent coeducational day school for gifted and talented children preschool through grade 12 and an equal-opportunity institution

1

KIT

David Feldman Head of School

In the Middle

At The Roeper School our Lower School Stage I through Stage IV program was built upon the philosophy and personal guidance of Annemarie Roeper. Within the mixed-age structure we call “stages,” we see a child-centered holistic approach to education. Children build close relationships with teachers, develop a strong voice, and have the opportunity to actively participate in decisionmaking. At the same time, our Upper School has established itself as a place where students work diligently to find their passions, deeply explore areas of study, and most frequently matriculate to the college or university of their choice. The concept of life-long learning is powerfully present as this future generation prepares to deal with the unknown future.

What then is the role of the middle child? What is the purpose, and what are the goals of our Middle School? With two very different siblings, the Roeper Middle School has worked diligently to establish its identity within this family structure.

Indeed, there is a uniqueness about early adolescence that requires educators to provide a learning structure that meets the ever-changing needs of this population. It is the middle school that links and bridges the elementary and the high school. In making this connection, we center our program on the intellectual, social, emotional, moral, and physical developmental needs of young adolescents.

Unlike most schools, we believe that housing our Middle School within our campus serving grades 6 – 12 provides important opportunities for growth and development. Yet many of these opportunities also come with challenges. In working with our gifted population we want to make sure that we provide appropriate intellectual challenge; we know that when a gifted student is passionate about an area of study, there is no ceiling. Giving

2

middle school-aged students the opportunity to take advanced classes and to work with older student mentors is a strength of our configuration.

We also know that gifted children are generally asynchronous in their learning; providing all of our students with the academic flexibility offered by a 6 – 12 program provides our students with more choices.

The challenge, of course, for our Middle School team is remembering that our 6th – 8th graders are not Upper School students. While they may be intellectually able to do more sophisticated academic work, socially and emotionally they are still early adolescents and deserve the opportunity to grow and mature in an environment that understands their needs.

It is the nature of early adolescents to “try on different hats” and test boundaries; there need not be a race to experiment with risky adult behaviors.

All too often, early adolescents are bombarded with messages that acting older and behaving older are what we expect from them. We need to have systems that give children permission to mature at their own pace. A school that provides a continuity of program like our preschool through twelfth grade gives children that gift. The type of peer pressure they confront is different; children don’t feel rushed, and the often bumpy transitions of early adolescence are seen as part of a life-long continuum rather than a three-year race to high school.

The concept of a stand-alone middle school or junior high school building is a response to overcrowded schools and space needs rather than the developmental needs of children. We know that multi-age communities provide all people with opportunities for growth, leadership and role models. While I would agree that early adolescents learn differently from their elementary and high school siblings, I believe that maintaining a community rather than an isolated system provides our middle-school-aged children with the reference points they need to mature at a reasonable pace. Isolating children in a world of early adolescents creates a hyper-kinetic holding place that continues to idealize the high school years ahead without any appreciation for the truly incredible time in a child’s life that is middle

Mark Wright

As parents with more than two children will tell you, the middle child is often the one who searches most ardently and tries to assert most passionately his/her identity. The relationship between siblings can create distinct family roles, with middle children seeking to carve out an identity that provides a clear and independent place within the family structure. By extension, consider applying the analogy of family order to the divisions of a school.

While they may be intellectually able to do more sophisticated academic work, socially and emotionally, our 6th – 8th graders are still early adolescents and deserve the opportunity to grow and mature in an environment that understands their needs.

school.

The Roeper Middle School bridges divisions through the blending of academic rigor with progressive traditions.

It is true to the tenets of our philosophy; it is a place where young people are appreciated for who they are and given a voice in shaping their future.

In congruence with the Association for Middle Level Education’s (AMLE) characteristics of successful middle schools, we believe there are three key components that help us to address the distinctiveness of early adolescence and provide a program that is both rigorous and child-centered.

• Connection to Peers and Adults The development of close, trusting relationships between students and adults and the opportunity to feel connected to a peer group are central components to our Middle School.

• Varied Methods of Instruction Recalling our educational philosophy, efforts are made to integrate the learning experiences.

Teachers address the student’s own questions and focus upon real-life issues relevant to the student. Students are actively engaged in problem-solving; projects are developed that emphasize collaboration and cooperation.

• Interdisciplinary Learning Teachers work together to help students see the connections between content areas.

Middle school is a chance to celebrate a specific period in a child’s life. Students are seeking the independence to stretch beyond the “stages,” while at the same time seeking the approval of the adults around them. They are thinking analytically and critically with a growing level of sophistication.

Our school’s middle children are a unique group of learners and require a program that challenges them in an age-appropriate manner.

The Roeper Middle School bridges divisions through the blending of academic rigor with progressive traditions. It is true to the tenets of our philosophy; it is a place where young people are appreciated for who they are and given a voice in shaping their future.

For many adults, early adolescence was a time of painful unrest: a constantly changing body, experiences filled with social discomfort, and years of emotional intensities. Indeed, short of the first year of life, early adolescence is a time in human development filled with the most growth and change. Given all that we know about the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of children ages 11 – 14, don’t our children deserve an educational environment that reflects their needs?

The time for constructing school configurations based on physical space is the product of a different era. We know too much about how children learn to believe that stand-alone middle schools or systems that don’t acknowledge the need for a middle school are reasonable or productive.

Talk with students returning from 6th grade camp, watch a Middle School Forensics performance, spend time watching 8th graders complete a science lab, and you will quickly understand that at Roeper, our middle children do not get lost in systems and structures. They have teachers who create an environment where it is safe to be smart, safe to try something new, and safe to struggle.

They have teachers who celebrate the changes they are experiencing and help students find levels of comfort with those changes. They have teachers who have made a career choice to work with early adolescents and who put our middle children first each and every day. f

Mark Wright

3

KIT

Colleen Potocki

Middle School Director

MUD

In high school, though, I was president of the student council; I was in the annual talent show with my best friend Erin; I was inducted into the National Honor Society; I played varsity basketball; and I had my first boyfriend in 11th grade. Jamie was an intelligent, handsome boy who dreamed of being a dentist — my 16-year-old self did not fully appreciate this ambition, but my father fell in love with Jamie. I was accepted to Clemson University — my first choice of colleges. High school was a blissful — even GLEE-ful — time.

So how did I end up the Director of Roeper Middle School? I prefer mud. Mud can be unfairly maligned if looked at through a narrow lens as something to be scraped off boots. When I think of mud, I imagine the thick, slapping mud pigs wallow in; the mud from Lake Techirghiol, in Romania, known for its restorative powers; and pure Dead Sea mud for sale on Cleopatra’s

Choice website for $69.95. Playground mud.

Construction site mud. Archeological mud. And middle school mud.

Middle school mud has the consistency of puberty, academics, growth spurts, energy, mistakes, social experiences and experimentation, emergent character and personality. And, of course, brain development. Just before puberty, the prefrontal cortex begins to grow again. In an article titled “Adolescent Brains Are a Work-in-Progress — Here’s Why,” Frontline Producer Sarah Sphinx writes, … [this] is particularly interesting because [the prefrontal cortex] acts as the CEO of the brain, controlling planning, working memory, organization, and modulating mood. As the prefrontal cortex matures, teenagers can reason better, develop more control over impulses and make judgments better. In fact, this part of the brain has been dubbed “the area of sober second thought.”

To summarize, a middle school student functions without a fully established “CEO of the brain.” The demands of middle school years — especially the brain development piece — necessitate a layered, purposeful middle school program, one that includes academic excellence, but so much more.

In addition to beckoning to each student’s innerCEO, Roeper takes care to speak to the potential Zen master within. In the prefatory to The Missing Piece: A Report for CASEL [Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning] is “ An Open Letter to the American People” by Jennifer Buffett and Timothy Shriver that states,

TOM KIRBY

Year after year … reading and writing are intentionally taught, but not always resilience and responsibility. Arithmetic and higher math are embedded in school goals, but not necessarily persistence and grit. In some classrooms, an “either/or” dynamic has been established where core knowledge is taught, but not the skills to work cooperatively with others, resolve conflicts, and persevere.

4

Roeper Middle School challenges and energizes its teachers and students by attending to academic, social and emotional learning, as well as the physical demands and development of adolescence. In this compendium of pedagogical

DOUG ELBINGER

When I was interviewing for the Roeper Middle School Director position, there were a few things I did not share with the hiring committee. I earned a “D” in 7th grade Home Economics. I had to make a baja-style shirt. My shirt did not work. In 8th grade, in the days just before picture day, I developed three sizeable pimples strategically placed between my two eyebrows, forming a blemish-bridged unibrow — a fact not lost on some of the meaner boys in my 8th grade class. In 8th grade I also dreamed of trying out for basketball but was not brave enough, secure enough, to face the possible humiliation of getting cut during try-outs. Middle school was a muddy time.

The demands of middle school years — especially the brain development piece — necessitate a layered, purposeful middle school program, one that includes academic excellence, but so much more.

Tomorrow I am tagging along with Dan Jacobs, the Roeper Forensic Coach, to Mt. Pleasant for the annual winter Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Tournament where nearly 50 forensics students — in all states of readiness and experience — will perform. I will attend, as will my two older daughters who have volunteered to judge, and my son who is now old enough to sit through multiple performances. I am beyond excited, because it will be a harried, muddy day filled with the triumphs, learning, laughter, tears, missteps and miracles of middle school. f

Personal Mud: A Middle School Memory

by Robin Turner, Birmingham Administrative Assistant In the late ’60s, I was an active preteen who loved dancing and performing in the school band and choir. The anomaly was that I suffered from a case of debilitating stage fright. I found that performing within a group was less terrifying and alleviated a lot of my anxiety.

After much begging and pleading, our Auditorium teacher (the old-school version of today’s Theater teacher) agreed to allow some of us to do a modern dance in the Spring Program. I was elated and even invited some neighborhood friends to come.

Music and dance were huge in my neighborhood, and I’d seen some really cool routines at my friends’ school programs. They always teased me about how “square” my school was. I couldn’t wait to prove them wrong!

DOUG ELBINGER

Roeper Middle School challenges and energizes its teachers and students by attending to academic, social and emotional learning, as well as the physical demands and development of adolescence.

Mark Wright

practice is also the Roeper Philosophy which encourages students to build autonomy while — at once — recognizing the value and complexity of the interdependence between the individual self and the larger world. I am proud and humbled to be the Middle School Director of such an ambitious, accomplished middle school.

At the first rehearsal, Mrs. Kaufman dropped a bomb. She had selected the music, Turkey in the Straw. OMG! In the era of The Beatles, Motown, Ike and Tina Turner, Chicago and Santana, this was our “modern” dance? What could be worse? The choreography! We were going to dress like farmers, chew on straw, flap our wings and crow like roosters! I had just one wish, “Kill me now.”

After some extremely annoying begging and pleading, I finally convinced her to let me choreograph a dance to The Age of Aquarius. We dressed like hippies and brought the house down. I’m so glad I didn’t get my original wish — the “Kill me now” one.

Believe it or not, I’m still working on that stage fright thing!

5

KIT BEGINNING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL JOURNEY

by Caitlyn Wade, New 6th Grade Student

As I entered the 6th grade I realized that Roeper differs greatly from my old school. Roeper is very individualized; there are two 6th graders in Algebra 1, whereas at my old school, everyone in the grade was at the same level math even if they were smarter than that. Also, being stuck in the same chair for seven hours a day, you can become quite uncomfortable, and the teachers wouldn’t let you even stand up or stretch out.

Entering middle school is different for everybody.

The amount of homework can decrease or increase depending on the school that you used to go to. Also, the amount of workbooks (I can guarantee) increased for everyone. At Roeper, in middle school, you can have classes mixed with any other grade (even with high school kids). Also, there are electives such as drawing, experimental sculptures, forensics, dance, band, choir and many more. These electives can help give some people a little break from the core classes. At the school I would have gone to, we HAD to take either band or choir.

At the middle school I would have gone to, there was no foreign language to take. Then in 7th grade, you had to take three languages (Spanish, French, and German). Finally, in 8th grade, we could choose a language. The teachers hardly even knew you, and the students never got to go to the conferences. We also had to take MEAP tests, but I guess that they are like midterms. If you wanted to take a class for your hobby (other than band and choir) you had to take it after school.

I love that Roeper gives you free blocks. Lots of people want to get a free block with their friends so that they can be together, but I think the reason that teachers give us free blocks is so that we can do our homework at school. So if we have any questions about it, we can go ask the teacher. At my old school some kids (including me) would do their homework in class while the teacher was walking us through some of the problems. At Roeper we don’t need to do that because most of us have free blocks almost every day.

At Roeper there is a 6th grade orientation and at the orientation, I realized that Roeper was just plain old AWESOME! Getting my locker and touring the school was fun, but what really did it was right at

the beginning when two sweet girls named Emma and Darby came up to me and my friend Kate and said, “Hi, nice to meet you.” They shook my hand and continued talking, “I’m Emma, and this is Darby. What homeroom are you in?” Immediately after talking to them, I knew they would become some of my best friends.

Before I went to Roeper I didn’t want to go to school because it was boring and simple. It was almost as if I was just learning about the most basic and easy things. It was grueling and exhausting.

I wanted to stay home and play. Now at Roeper, I have many electives. Most of the electives are very fun like dance, musical theater, print making, and other awesome stuff.

When I first came to Roeper, I was worried that I wouldn’t fit in and people would not want to hang out with me because I was new. I was completely wrong. I fit in so well with the other girls at Roeper, even with the 7th graders. At my old school, we never ever interacted with anyone out of our grade or even homeroom; Roeper is the complete opposite.

Roeper is an absolutely amazing school for new kids and kids who have gone there their entire lives. Roeper is individualized and cares about everyone. Roeper is Fantabulous. F

DOUG ELBINGER

STUDENT REFLECTIONS AND EXPERIENCES

Caitlyn Wade Grade 6

2013/14 Roeper Sixth Grade Class PHOTO BY DOUG ELBINGER

6

Roeper English — Creativity Exercised

by Lisa Bagchi Roeper English students practice creativity by dressing a “naked” paragraph, adding similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, adjectives, dialogue, alliteration, proper nouns, interesting verbs, hyperbole, and/or personification.

Lisa Bagchi MS English

The child watched television. He laughed. He cried. His mother came in the room and asked the child to do a chore. The child didn’t listen to his mother. The mother turned off the television.

The child cried. The mother left the room. The child turned on the television. The mother came back. The mother turned off the television. She was mad. She punished the child. The child apologized. The child did the chore. The mom and child watched television together.

DOUG ELBINGER

Naked Paragraph Exercise #1

by Josiah Smith

Josaih Smith Grade 6

Joshua was watching the Super Bowl. He laughed with a wicked glee as the Ravens scored. He cried with despair at the many bad performances at half-time. He also howled because his mother was chopping onions for her famous soup, Zoupa Toscana. Just as his salivary glands were going off like sprinklers at the thought of the soup, his mother Helen came into the room. From the look on her face, Joshua knew something was up. “Joshua,” she said as she snatched the remote from him.

DOUG ELBINGER

“Yes, Mom,” Joshua said back to her. As she turned the TV off with the remote, a tiny pop sounded. She said, “You haven’t done any chores today. Go wash the dishes.” Joshua hated washing dishes. Joshua hated washing the dishes so much, he would’ve gone three rounds with Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris — combined — rather than do the dishes. In his mind the dishes were actually a secret race of aliens that were taking over each human’s mind, one-byone. Joshua refused to do the dishes.

Sam Weiss Grade 6

Helen, being a smart mother, did not protest as Joshua wanted her to do. Instead she just smiled and walked away with the TV remote in

her apron pocket. Joshua, after a few moments, started to bawl at his stubbornness. He had really wanted to watch football. A few moments of tears later, Joshua found that there was no reason to cry. He could just press the power button on the TV. With a tiny pop, the TV turned back on.

Helen then came back into the room. As she left the kitchen, she was thinking, “Maybe now that he’s stopped the pity party, he’ll do the dishes.” That thought stopped at “now” when she saw Joshua sitting and watching the TV. Joshua looked at his mother and gave her the same toothy grin his mother gave him when she left the room the first time. Helen decided to play along. “Are you having fun?” she asked.

Joshua nodded. “Great,” Helen said. “Go to your room for a couple of hours.”

Joshua was dumbstruck as his mother turned the television off for a second time. Joshua went to his room in a trance-like state. He plopped on his bed and looked at the ceiling. After 30 minutes of tossing a baseball up in the air, Joshua gave in. He confronted his mother, apologized, and did the slave-work known as the dishes.

Afterward, they both plopped on the couch in the room with the TV and watched the rest of the Super Bowl.

Naked Paragraph Exercise #2

by Sam Weiss The child was watching TV. He was giggling.

“Hee hee hee,” he laughed. His female guardian came in the room. Click went the TV as Susan turned it off. “Gerald!” she roared, “TV is like a dessert! It rots your innards faster than you can say chocolate!”

“Chocolate?” screamed Gerald. “Where?!?” The mother painfully sighed.

“I have a chore for you. It’s a vegetable. It tastes bad but it comes with a reward.”

“I’d rather watch TV!” Click. “Ahhhh.”

Click.

“Do the chore!”

“Ok, ok,” said Gerald.

“Use the P-600 vacuum I just got in the dining room. Okay?” She pointed at the clock. “You

7

It was time for arrival, and I was really excited.

“This should be fun,” I thought to myself when we got outside. I love doing stuff like this! As we walked from Peterson to the forest, Pete pointed out some things that we could eat if we were ever lost in the forest. Did you know cedar and pine needles are edible? We started to tramp through the forest, all the while Pete telling us about things we would need to build our fire, so we started to collect the tinder, small twigs and bark; the kindling, bigger twigs and small sticks and logs; and small branches to feed the fire with and keep it going. When we got to the place where we were going to build our fire, Pete made a demo fire to show us what to do. My group — Kate, Cooper, and myself — chose the best place for building a fire. There was firewood all around and a bunch of trees where we could build our shelter. After about three to five minutes (I am not good at estimating time), we got our fire started and began to build our shelter. After feeding the fire for a bit, it got big, and Kate fetched water from the stream so we could boil up our Cedar tea. We poured the tea into our water bottles (empty, of course) and drank. The tea was delicious. It felt like all the sights and sounds of the forest were flowing in a warm stream down my throat. We made two pots of tea on our fire which now was pretty big.

At this point, our two-person shelter (it was only

8

colleen potocki

Survival

by Gracie Popp

Blacksmithing

by Tristan Wilson

Bang, bang, bang. Whirr!!! The forge was filled with noise. When everybody in my group saw the red-hot metal, they gasped. Rick said, “Pound it.

We need hooks.” So I pounded it. I was surprised at how quickly the elephantine steel hammer flattened the shrimpy piece of steel. I put a small twist in it, then took over the fire blower. Wow, it was hot back there! The monotonous humming played a smooth background to the irregular hammer noise. In the back of the shed, people were admiring the assortment of vices, gears, and finished smithy products. Bang! The hammer missed the rod and bounced forcefully off the anvil. Everybody cringed. I was still spinning the handle. Rick poured some cool water on the fire to concentrate the heat. There was lots of steam.

Soon it was time to leave the shed. I was going to miss the warmth. We only finished two hooks, but looking back, I realized that was probably the only time I will ever be able to blacksmith again.

6th Grade students using the Geo-Ring at Camp Wolverine, Maya Radhakrishnan, Emma Wine, Darby Krugel, Maya Gorelick, and RJ Hardamon.

Gracie Popp Grade 6

colleen potocki

6th Grade Camp Wolverine: STUDENT Reflections

two-person if you do not mind being crowded), was done. We didn’t have time to completely finish it, but it was still comfortable, if a bit damp. There was a small room and a big room in the shelter, and we were right next to the river so we could easily collect water.

Spin-On, Spin-Off

by R.J. Hardamon I enjoyed using the Geo-Ring at Camp Wolverine.

Some days I could hit the Geo-Ring perfectly, do tricks, even do it one-handed. Although some days I would bruise my hand trying, I loved the sound and feel of the Geo-Ring composed. The vibrations comforted my fingers, and the sound pleased me. Sometimes the sound would be very loud and bold; and at other times, it would be small and soft. Overall, I really enjoyed the GeoRing, and I might order one myself.

Tristan Wilson Grade 6

colleen potocki

can watch more TV at 5:00.” Susan left the room. The boy changed the clock time to 5:00 and turned on the TV. Susan walked into the room and turned off the TV. As she roared, her retinas reddened. “What time is it?!?”

“Look at the clock,” said Gerald, snickering.

“I have a watch; you can’t fool me that easily!”

A halo glowed from the boy’s big head.

“Your watch is wrong,” he said slowly.

The father walked in. “Do the chore!”

“Yes, Dad,” said the boy. The boy scattered, grabbed the vacuum, did the chore, reset the clock, and hurriedly returned to the TV. The mother joined him and they watched TV together.

The TV seemed to say,”Am I not a reward?” F

RJ Hardamon Grade 6

colleen potocki

Zipline

by Darby Krugel

colleen potocki

Darby Krugel Grade 6

Marina Sun Grade 6

“It’s so much fun! It’s not that hard,” Emma encouraged me. “It’s not scary?” I asked nervously, looking up at the looming zipline.

“No! Just don’t lean back on the rope wall. And use your legs, not your arms.” Oh, here’s Nick.

The Snowy Owls and I slowed his descent and unclipped his harness. “My turn to take a break,” I announced. I dragged the rope pulling a heavy metal rectangle about 1.5-2 feet from the net at the end of the zipline. Reanne showed me how to brake, pulling the rope to slow the zipliner so they don’t crash.

“Spotters, ready?” “Ready!” the Snowy Owls called to Tristan. He glided. “ Darby, now!” I pulled at Reanne’s instruction. Tristan was climbing down the net. I took his helmet and put it on. Emma hugged me. “Good luck! Have fun! You’ll do great!” she yelled at me as I ran to the beginning with the zipline. I pushed it up to Andy. Raphael was securing Josh in. He was off!

Raphael secured my helmet, which was a little big.

I heard Josh yell to the spotters, then push off.

colleen potocki

“Are you a good climber?” Raphael asked me while getting my belay line ready. “Um, not great.

Can you put it under?” He put the belay under the handles of the tightrope, so I would not have to climb so high. He attached me to the belay, and yet another swarm of butterflies entered my stomach. “Um, belay on?” “On belay,” Raphael replied. “Climbing?”

Sophie Stack Grade 6

“Climb on.” I stepped onto the black rope wall, with ropes going vertically and horizontally.

“Don’t lean back. Use your legs.” I heard Emma’s voice in my head. I did! Before I knew it I had shakily climbed to the wooden platform on the tree.

doug elebinger

Farm Duty

by Marina Sun

Linda Pence MS Science

“It’s already Wednesday?” I asked myself as I lay on my top bunk. Slowly I hoisted myself up onto the cabinet and climbed down the polished wooden ridges. I brushed my teeth and threw on some clothing on. Ready for a new day.

“Okay, everybody, Farm over here!” said Raphael.

The Snowy Owls clambered into Van-O-White and we went up the hill that leads us to the farmhouse.

I looked around and saw chickens pecking at my feet. “Geez,” I thought, “these are new boots!”

Moments later, my boots were still in good shape, and I had a small pile of chicken feed in my palm.

I walked tentatively into the feeding, stopped, and stuck my hand out cautiously. Suddenly three chickens gathered around me grabbing at my hands. Seconds later, a portion of my chicken feed was gone, and the chicks waddled away from me with full stomachs.

The day passed by and tomorrow I woke up and asked myself, “It’s already Thursday?”

Slime-a-dier

by Sophie Stack

The last day of Camp Wolverine, it was the day we all proved, as a group, what we learned. We gathered at Gail the Bell for the starting of Slimea-dier. I heard a voice yell, “On your marks, get set, GO!” Then Gail the Bell was rung three times.

Our whole team started running at a course, but the Slime Monster came out and whacked two of our teammates. Some of our team didn’t even notice. To get un-slimed you had to sing, and Mother Nature would ask your team a question. If you got it right, you were freed. Then we did four obstacles, and then we all got separated (not by much), and the Slime Monster got us again. Once again, we started singing (Jingle Bells), and Mother Nature came and freed us. We did a few more obstacles and then ran into the Slime Monster. We were all linked in arms when the Slime Monster ran up to us. We started singing Jingle Bells, too. He tried really hard to scare us and separate us, but we stayed hooked and kept singing. We scared him away. We did a few more courses and finished together — proud to be a team.

A TEACHER’S REFLECTION ON 6th grade CAMP

by Linda Pence “Wow! I actually did it. I was really scared but I actually made it through the_____!” Fill in the Bear’s Den, Zipline, walk in the dark, week away from home, working out drama with my friends or … Listen for: “I found out I am really good at____;

9

I just realized that ____ is really fun to be with.

These same words and an infinite number of other tales have been recounted over and over again since 1979, as the 6th graders return from their camp experience. Just mention “6th grade camp” (Tamarack, Innisfree or Wolverine), depending on the age of an alumni, parent, staff member or current student, then stand back ready to receive a flurry of excited and poignant anecdotes.

MIDDLE SCHOOL JOURNALISM: November Edition — First Trimester Roughwriter Staff

by Linda Vernon

Each year, since 1989, our 6th grader students, school staff and high school student counselors spend five days in the fields, hills and cedar swamp of Camp Wolverine in Wolverine, Michigan. While the educational focus is on the environment and the inter-connected relationships of natural systems, an equal or greater focus is given to developing connections within our own community. A balance of individual and collaborative team challenges are at the heart of all the guided and free time activities shared during our days at camp. Students work together on farm, weather, work and kitchen duties and in activities such as survival, cooperative games, Indian life, pioneer tools, a ropes challenge course and the culminating cooperative challenge of “Slime-a dier.”

Eli SHAYA: Before interviewing these sources, we got some facts about them and then made ques tions to ask them.

DOUG ELBINGER

GenEVIEVE MENTHEN: We wanted to ask them questions that people would be interested in reading their responses to.

Emma GIROLAMI: When we introduced these new people, we hoped that the readers would find common interests and be more comfortable talking to them.

doug elbinger

Katy THOMPSON: We also hoped that we would get answers that gave us an opportunity to ask follow-up questions. For example, if someone said, “I like apples,” you could then ask,“Why or what kind?” to find out more information.

Genevieve Menthen Grade 7

In addition to the student and faculty profiles, each student also wrote a news or feature article for The Roughwriter.

ELI: I wrote about the new librarian and new guidelines. First I had to find out what the guidelines were, and then I came up with questions to use to interview students about what they thought about the guidelines. The first student I interviewed was 7th grader Sheldon Krause. I had my tape recorder and my ques tions. Then I interviewed more people. After hearing their responses, I discovered that they were all agreeing that the library was better because of the new guidelines. That’s the angle I used to tell my story. I transcribed all of the quotes that I needed to tell my story, and then wrote my story.

EMMA: During a class, we were talking about [school psychologist] Reanne Young, and Katy said she didn’t know who she was. Reanne happened to walk in, and we told her some kids

10

Linda Vernon, Student Life Coordinator and Journalism Instructor

doug elbinger

Living and working together for a week allows for interactions that seldom occur at school. Students continue to learn strategies to resolve conflict, actively listen to each other and compromise in their role as respected individuals within the context of community. New insights and understandings of themselves and their peers are gained as campers encounter the challenges set through the activities. Upon returning from this wonderful week, the faculty and the students find that the group brings home a new respect for others in their grade, increased self-confidence, willingness to take on challenges, and the knowledge that those big, scary high school kids are awesome. They are emerging as the cohesive group that they will grow and learn with for the next six years — a group willing to resolve conflict and take on a personal responsibility as a part of the larger community and looking forward to next year’s challenge of the 7th grade Ohiopyle spring camping trip. F

To help make the Journalism students more comfortable with the interviewing process, they were given their first assignment: interview new students and faculty to introduce them to the community.

Katy Thompson Grade 7

didn’t know who she was. We thought that would be a good story, and both Katy and I wanted to write it, but Katy let me do it. I came up with some questions for Reanne, and then set up an interview. After I wrote the story, I needed a photo to go with it, and I went to Reanne’s office. I was very surprised to see how small her office is — it’s like an elevator shaft!

doug elbinger

GEN: Last year, I really liked the dances that the [Middle School] Social Committee put together, and this year I joined the committee. It is really interesting and fun. Most students don’t know what we do in the committee or what we’re planning for this year, so I thought I would write a story to inform our readers. So I interviewed a few of the committee members and [Student Life Coordinator] Linda, and used their quotes to tell about the history of the committee and what they’re doing.

GEN: I was really excited and proud of myself for contributing my first articles for The Roughwriter.

When I saw my first byline, I couldn’t believe I had actually written the story!

ELI: I felt really happy when I saw the newspaper.

This is my first trimester in Journalism, and my story got put on the first page! The coolest thing about Journalism is seeing your name in print, and also hearing people in the hallways compli- menting the stories.

KATY: The coolest thing about Journalism is the experience of being there throughout the whole creation of the newspaper. You can see where it all starts, with a bunch of people brainstorming story ideas, to handing out the finished product.

It definitely makes you wonder how people can put out a full newspaper every day.

Eli: I’m sure they have more than five people!

Emma Girolami Grade 7

Not everything goes perfectly when you are putting an issue of the newspaper together.

doug elbinger

ELI: When I was taking a picture in the library to go with my story, I moved a bit and the photo was out of focus and looked like an earthquake was going on! I had to retake the photo.

Nathan Moskowitz Grade 7

GEN: The coolest thing about Journalism is being able to do something that I love and that I wanted to do for a long time.

EMMA: I like that you can learn a bunch of things about people that you never knew before.

KATY: I had the assignment to interview three new students — Rafi, Caitlyn and Madeline. I got Rafi and Madeline done fairly quickly, but I could not find Caitlyn anywhere. I looked at her schedule to see if we had any free blocks in common, but she didn’t have any free blocks. I tried to find her in her homeroom, but I was constantly missing her. I finally tracked her down and set up an interview. After the interview, I walked to my locker and found that her locker was right next to mine!

Katy: Linda is awesome, because she offers advice on how to make your story amazing, and she gives us food.

NATHAN MOSCOWITZ: Jimmy Giftos is one of the few kids who has a free block during Journalism and is available to be interviewed.

Until we all wrote our stories and used quotes, we didn’t know that almost all of us had used Jimmy as a source.

Three years ago, I entered room 001, a room called the “Forensics Room.” It was the end of the day, and I was very tired. I came around the corner, ready to go into the room I had heard so much about. I took a deep breath and swung open the (very heavy) wooden door and came into the place that I would call home for the next three years, hopefully the next seven years, and maybe even farther than that. The Forensics Room is always what I called my “second home,” just because of the feel. Yeah, it’s a little bit messy; yeah, it’s not very organized; but somehow, we pull through

After completing their stories, the first issue of The Roughwriter was laid out, using Microsoft Publisher.

ELI: Deadlines are evil.

EMMA: Deadlines are very evil. F MIDDLE SCHOOL FORENSICS

by Kat Moore, Grade 8

11

in the end. The creator of the Forensics Room, Dan Jacobs, can usually be seen darting around the school, trying to print out the latest quiz for his crazy Middle School Debate team, or talking to various students and teachers about different ways they can help or where they can sign up for practice, or trying to find his phone. Dan is seriously one of the best teachers I have ever had.

He is so full of energy, even when he is functioning on little sleep. He always brings a positive energy to someone’s day, especially if they are tired and feel like they are at the end of their string, he encourages them to just try a little harder, push a little more, add all of the energy they have left in them, and that makes for a great performance on the child’s part. The Forensics Room has one wall full of books, nine shelves tall, full of the greatest and strangest books you could ever think of. I hate to say it (sorry, Library People!), but Dan’s room might just surpass the Library in number of books.

On the other side of the room, light pours in from various windows, seeming like it wants to add to Dan’s exuberant tone.

As soon as you get acclimated to the room, you began picking what category you would like to be in. They are divided into two subcategories: Public Address and Interpretation. Public Address is usually a more serious category, where you are informing or selling something, doing an activist speech, or making up a speech in anywhere from one minute to 30 minutes.

In Interpretation, you do more fun and energetic pieces, such as Storytelling, Poetry, Dramatic Interpretation, and Prose. Then, there are Duo and Multiple, which are their own breed of Interpretation. In Duo, you have two people doing a piece together, but there are weird rules such as you can’t look at or touch each other. Same goes for Multiple, but you have more people, usually three to nine. Forensics has strange rules, like that no looking at one another rule, no touching one another, no costumes, no props, no words on shirts, and then there are the judging rules that I don’t have the time or space to write.

Once you are done picking and cutting your piece, the long and daunting process begins. The child will start signing up for practices, memorizing or writing the speech, making visuals, and adding blocking and voice inflections. After about two months of working the piece up to perfection, the

12

big tournament comes. For Middle Schoolers, there are two tournaments — the Up da’Nort tournament, which took place this December in Mount Pleasant, and the Wayne State University tournament in April. At each tournament you must do a different piece and are strongly encouraged to try a new category. So, once the big day comes, your child is probably nervous. They are entering an entirely foreign place, or might now know kind of where to go. They were up late the night before practicing and then woke up early so they could get ready. They are going up against either seasoned professionals or younger ones, but still don’t know what lies ahead of them. They want to do their best, and perhaps win a trophy or plaque.

So, after arriving, unpacking and practicing, Dan calls a team meeting before we are whisked away to the big “all competitor/schematics-changing/ nerve-wracking meeting.” This is a general warmup, but still, this team meeting is a life changing moment where they realize what it means to be a team. This meeting is where you get your energy, where you gain all that you need to carry you through the grueling day of competition, where you become mentally prepared for facing all fears that lie ahead. After vocal warm-ups and physical warm-ups, there was always a speech that former coach Andy Brock would give. And then we are off to the tourney.

After three rounds of competition, we all regroup in our homeroom for some major snacking, cleaning and game playing. During this time, coaches and volunteers are busily tabulating each contestant’s scores and getting the trophies ready.

Then, after about an hour of waiting, everyone slowly stampedes to the auditorium. There, you patiently wait for your category to be called. The head of that school or division of MIFA will start down the list, going from 12th place to 7th place, giving those kids their plaques in no particular order. After those kids have their names called out, the 6th through 1st place receive their trophies.

As Andy said, “It’s not about winning; it’s about doing what you love and feeling good about what you worked so hard on.

Eighth graders Nick Lyon and Kat Moore display their Forensics trophies.

CARRI HAMMERS

Patrick Ratliff Assistant Soccer Coach/English

So, you kids in Forensics? If Forensics is your thing, and you feel really happy doing it, stay with it. Don’t expect to win anything, ever. Because, that’s not the way it should be. To you parents who have kids in Forensics — you are amazing.

I kiss the ground you walk on because, oh, my god, are you saints. You put up with your kids, other kids, moving things, moving kids, moving coaches, feeding kids, feeding coaches, and this can sometimes be like herding cats. Cats don’t like to be herded. Trust me.

To you kids and parents not in Forensics — why not consider trying Forensics for a semester? It helps with public speaking and presentations; also younger siblings enjoy listening to energetic stories.

And who knows? You might just find your calling.

Horns up, Roeper. F MS GIRLS BASKETBALL: A WINNING SEASON

by Micayla Martin

Girls Basketball players Elon Payne (21), Jaime Blakey (10), Micayla Martin (22) and Hailey Samples (13).

This year the Roeper Middle School Girls’ Basketball team had one of the best, if not the best, season yet. The team finished up the season in late December with a record of 11 wins and 1 loss. Their only loss came against a tough-to-beat Franklin Road A-team, after winning the first nine games played. This Roeper team, coached by Lesley Righetti, consisted of five 8th graders: Meagan Konst, Elon Payne, Beth Schulman, Alexandra Klee and Micayla Martin; and four 7th graders: Jaime Blakey, Hailey Samples, Rafi Perrault-Victor and Gabi Hirsch. While the team dominated the competition in many games, they also played in tight games, having to pull off difficult wins against resilient opponents. This middle school team was not only hard-working during games, but in practice as well, translating to the many wins accumulated. Overall, the season was a great one for the team, and hopefully, there will be many more years like it in the future. F

Middle School Boys Soccer

by Patrick Ratliff Assistant Coach/ English Teacher It was an honor and a privilege to be given the chance to coach during my first term at Roeper. Working with head coach Perry Keydel ’06, I had the opportunity to experience firsthand the educational benefits of team sports. The boys worked hard from the first practice through the final match, and they were rewarded for their efforts with an outstanding season. Their final record was 7-4-1, which included a 4-0-1 record on our home field — a particular source of pride, and one for which we undoubtedly owe parents, fans, and our community extensive thanks.

While a winning season is a wonderful thing (victory often being a testament to dedication and execution), what I was most impressed with as a coach and educator was how well the boys worked to support and encourage each other day in and day out. Our small group of 8th graders set a strong example of leadership and commitment for the team, a mantle I expect the younger players to take up in subsequent seasons. Equally encouraging was the participation of the 6th grade class, whose members made up half of our squad. Of course, our 7th graders were outstanding as well.

The boys worked all season, not only on improving their athletic skills and tactical understandings of the game, but (perhaps more importantly) also on developing a spirit of camaraderie and a sense of family that I have since seen translate into other areas of their Roeper lives. The boys helped to improve each other’s skillsets and attitudes, displaying peer-to-peer coaching, mentoring, and emotional support with a consistency that makes me incredibly honored to think of them as my team. The school and community as a whole should be proud of this group of emerging gentlemen and everything they have accomplished, both on and off the field. I, for one, cannot wait for next season. F

13

The Middle School Social Committee, supported

by Advisor Linda Vernon, held a “Stuck in the ’50s” dance on Friday, January 17, 2014. The 1950s theme was selected in honor of the Middle School spring musical Grease. English Teacher Patrick “The Rat” Ratliff volunteered to DJ. Upper School students Ellie Moskowitz and Peyton Kinchen managed the entertainment, such as best costumes, limbo, the Twist, and Hula Hoop contests. Ttari Hellmer, RTC Technical Director, added the sound and visual elements, which included continuously running the movie Grease, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, on the big screen as a back drop to the dance floor. The RPC generously provided the funds for the dance to allow for ’50sthemed decorations, prizes, and pizza. F

HISTORY BEE After two exciting rounds, we narrowed the field of the Roeper Middle School History Bee down to four champions. Going on to further competition will be 6th graders Darby Krugel (second from right) and Brodie Fisher (far left) and 7th graders Katy Thompson (second from left) and Sameer Wasiullah (far right). “Congrats” to them and all who took part in Roeper’s first History Bee. F MIDDLE SCHOOL retrospective

by Phillip Popp, 8th Grade Student Eighth grade marks my tenth year total as a student at The Roeper School, and throughout all that time the Roeper experience has been much more than an education to me. This year is no different.

14

Eighth grade at Roeper is somewhat of a double life. We are the oldest in the Middle School, but at the same time we are younger than all the Upper School students. This dual-reality, I think, puts Roeper 8th graders in a unique position, allowing them to both learn from older students and be role models for younger ones, maximizing the overall experience and helping to lessen the age divide.

For me, this sense of school-wide community, regardless of grade, has been a major reason to love life at Roeper, especially this year in 8th grade.

Roeper has no age-based, blackand-white academic program that we follow; the curriculum is far more flexible. This not only helps to diversify the community, but also supports Roeper’s strong emphasis on the importance of individuality.

Roeper students are allowed to personally tailor their academic schedules, meaning that they can pursue their talents to the fullest. This is a privilege that has benefitted me, personally, in addition to many other students at Roeper. Despite the fact that I do take 9th grade classes, I was able to remain in 8th grade, and I feel like I still live the 8th grade life because Roeper 8th grade is more than academics. Roeper 8th grade is a community within itself, where the experience runs deeper than trivial, superficial issues like a student’s schedule. To be part of the 8th grade community is to be part of a lifestyle, a lifestyle in which the main thing we all have in common is that we are all different. F

DOUG ELBINGER

“STUCK IN THE ’50s” DANCE

Phillip Popp Grade 8

KIT

Adam Smock ’87 Director Alumni Relations and Annual Fund

FROM ME TO YOU

CARRI HAMMERS

Is Roeper Still Roeper?

adam.smock @roeper.org 248/203-7314

As I get around the country and chat with Alumni from various decades, I am getting some very interesting questions and some great input.

Though people from around the country are interested in a lot of things about Roeper, it seems that a big issue with people is the current state of the school as it relates to how it used to be. Is Roeper still the old Roeper that you knew?

That’s a very interesting question and one that doesn’t really have an easy answer. I mean, the answer is yes … maybe … sort of. It’s really important to take into account the world around us. When I went to Roeper and, depending upon your age, when you went to Roeper, the world was likely a different place. Think about how much social change has happened; think about the political environment that was going on back in your day. What were the things people were most concerned about? What was our country facing at the time? How about this attempt at answering the question: Yes — The Roeper Philosophy focused on educating the gifted student in a unique, safe and per-sonalized environment still lives strong.

The nature of the school to provide challenges to students who aren’t getting challenged elsewhere is still here. The freedom to be a respected individual is still one of the core values of the school. Just like back in the day, there are current students who feel as though Roeper saved them from drowning in an educational system that didn’t allow them to learn and grow in their own way.

The Roeper you knew and the Roeper I knew still

BOB BENYAS

thrives in these ways. Core values and timeless philosophies remain strong and vibrant.

Maybe … sort of — The world we live in today is very different from before. When I was flipping through old yearbooks the other day, I saw a homeroom picture from the ’80s in which all of the students were sitting on a couch and on the ground while the homeroom teacher stood above them holding a toy machine gun (not pointed at anyone, just holding it)! Even describing this picture, I worry that there will be a backlash of anger or offended people, but you have to remember that we lived in a very different world back then. It was funny, and I don’t remember anyone having a problem with it. In another picture, the students and teacher all stood together holding cigarettes in their hands. This picture today would never have happened. Again, it was a very different world back then. Technology has changed drastically; the 24-hour news cycle has changed many perspectives, and school shootings around the country have caused everyone to be more cautious, more careful and more aware. The doors to the school require a digital code for entry. This isn’t a bad thing. Whether we like it or not, this is our reality, and we have to do what we can to deal with it.

The critical thing about all this is how the school faces this reality and chooses to deal with it.

Given the fact that my first answer to this question was “Yes,” I think we can all agree that the school is dealing with the current environment in a way that is true to what George and Annemarie would have wanted. You may have to enter the school by punching in a digital code, but once you’re in, you immediately feel the Roeper spirit. As I walk the halls in the middle of the day, students run by me and look familiar. I see new versions of old crazy hair styles, kids who wear top hats and trench coats all day and many other unique expressions of who they are. The difference is that lots of other kids are sitting with laptops in the hall or talking on their cell phones while running from one class to the next. Whether you went here when there was just a big white house on a hill or you went to a school with two campuses a couple miles apart, you know how it felt back then, and I can almost guarantee that you’ll get a sense for that feeling if you walk the halls today. No, it won’t be the same feeling, but it will sure feel familiar! Come back and see for yourself! You’re welcome ANY TIME!! F

TOM KIRBY

15

TAKE ACTION Programs, Activities and Events RAMP — The Roeper Alumni Mentoring Program is looking for volunteers! RAMP is an amazing way to get connected to the school and help someone who is going through something you’ve already been through. Started by Robyn Scott ‘00, RAMP provides recent graduates (less than four years out) with online mentoring to aid them with the transition from The Roeper School community to life after high school. This may include transitions into college life, moving to a new city or state, entering a career, or general life transitions. We’re trying to get a network of alumni together who are willing to serve as mentors. The requirements are few: just have an e-mail address and the desire to communicate with a recent grad who is asking for some direction or a connection to someone who has “been there.” Please contact me and let me know if you’d like more information.

I’ll give you the basics and put you in touch with Robyn Scott for more details.

1980’s Challenge Game — For the past couple of years, Pam Victor ’84 and a small group of alumni from the ’80s, including Jenny Hansell ’82, Brad Rourke ’83 and Eric Snider ’87, have come together to lead the ’80s Annual Fund Challenge Game raising money for the Roeper Annual Fund.

The game puts out a friendly challenge among the various graduating classes from the decade, and the results of this effort have been amazing and fun to watch! This year, the group went over and above the goals they set for themselves!

Participation among alumni reached a new high, and the money collected left the financial goal in the dust! Every year the game gets better and better, and now it’s time to look to other decades to join the fun and start a challenge game of your own! Who’s got the guts to give it a try and see if you can show the ’80s folks how it’s done?

Graduates from the ’90s? You folks from the ’70s?

Millenials? Anyone? Let me know, and I’ll tell you all about how it works and how to get things started!

16

Alumni Art Installation — Janet Szeto, the current M/US Art teacher, would like to set up an Alumni Art Installation in the front hallway of the Birmingham Campus. I’ve already received some interest in participating from a few folks, but I wanted to make sure to give everyone a chance at participating. If you’d like to take part in this effort to bring the artistic talent among our alumni community back into the school, please contact me and let me know! F Alumni Newsletter Re-launch — The Alumni Newsletter has been re-launched!! You’ll find a fun and interesting update on what’s happening around school, within the community and other great information. There is a question and answer section to address things people might be wondering and more! If you have a question you would love to ask me, please feel free to send it along!! F Contact Information Updates — By now, you’ve probably seen the various plans and goals I have for Alumni Relations moving forward. One of the things I’ve identified as a critical need for myself as well as the school overall is the investment of a great deal of energy into our contact database. It would be MOST APPRECIATED if you took a moment to send me an email or give me a call to make sure we have your most current information — adam.smock@ roeper.org or 248/203-7314. F

KIT

ALUMNI MAKING NEWS Detroit’s Fresh-Food Guru Reprinted from the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts publication LSA Today September 16, 2013

by Rachel Reed Fiona Ruddy (Roeper Class of ’06) is officially called “Alternative Food Program Coordinator” at Detroit’s Eastern Market, but in her view, there should be nothing “alternative” about the food distribution models that she oversees.

Ruddy is responsible for coordinating various programs associated with Detroit’s Eastern Market, and with other smaller community markets around the city of Detroit. A 2010 LSA graduate, Ruddy runs the Eastern Market Farm Stand Program, which serves 18 different locations around Detroit and the surrounding suburbs. The stands bring fresh produce directly to local hospitals, office buildings, nonprofit organizations, and neighborhood farmers markets, giving members of the community a convenient way to buy healthy food.

“Everyone should have access to high quality, nutritious food,” Ruddy says. “Detroit has one of the highest national rates of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. How can we talk about making Detroit a vibrant place to live if the population can’t sustain itself in a healthy way? This isn’t simply about food justice; it’s a human rights issue.” Her efforts earned her recognition as one of Crain’s Detroit Business “Twenty in Their 20s” for 2013. F

Christy Dunn Cohen ’94 and Sander Cohen ’86 on a recent visit to Nepal.

A Home-grown Business, Investing in the World Sander Cohen ’86 and Christy Cohen ’94 are more than just the owners of DharmaShop.com, they are global citizens making a difference in the world.

DharmaShop.com went online in November of 1999 selling Tibetan, Newar and Nepalese hand crafted goods. According to Sander, “We started with just a few items, then after a family trip to Nepal, I really got excited about helping to support Tibetan artisans living in exile.” Since starting out, the variety of products available on the website has grown substantially. Their goal is to build not just a customer base, but a community online that supports the Tibetan, Newar and Nepalese people. They donate a percentage of profits to Tibetan charities, and in 2003 they started the DharmaShop.com school program to build schools in rural Nepal. Since 1999 Sander and Christy Cohen have been traveling to Nepal and Thailand to buy directly from local artisans. Their staff in Nepal visits the artisans frequently and provides them with supplies and pays them in advance for their work. To learn more, please visit www.dharmashop.com. F

17

Making Waves Across The Ocean Jeremy (Silverstein) Xido ’88 has put every ounce of energy he has into his recent project, a movie aimed at bringing a remarkable story to life. Death Metal Angola introduces you to the astonishing Sonia Ferreira: a survivor of 27 years of war in Angola, mother to 55 war orphans, and lover of rock music. She runs the Okutiuka Center on a shoestring — providing home, family, education and love to the most vulnerable members of society. Death Metal Angola tells her story as she and her partner, the musician Wilker Flores, mount the first ever national rock concert and expose her kids to the positive power of music and musicians who are working to “clean out the debris from all these years of war.” Dubbed “raucously crowd pleasing” by The Hollywood Reporter, a “cult classic in the making” by The Huffington Post, and “a beautifully shot, superb film” by indieWIRE, Death Metal Angola gives audiences a look at a rock show off the grid that is fulfilling, haunting, and real. You can find a trailer and more about the movie and Jeremy at www. deathmetalangola.com. F A Roeper Author Publishes a Book About Software Testing Test-driven, test-first, and testearly development practices are helping thousands of software development organizations improve their software. Steve Vance ’85 has just published a book building on all that’s been learned about test-driven development, helping readers achieve unprecedented levels of first-time quality. Using real-world code examples, his guide introduces patterns, principles, and more than two dozen detailed techniques for testing any software system more fully, effectively and painlessly. In addition to the published book, Steve sent along this update …

18

My wife Jenny and I are approaching six years of marriage and live near Boston. Jenny has a successful dog walking and boarding business, of which Beth Kellogg Prince ‘91 is a customer.

I am currently a Lean/Agile Software Development Coach at Zipcar, am active in the software community here, and speak at meetups and conferences locally, nationally, and even in Sweden. F

DC Alumni Coming Together On Saturday, March 1st, local Washington, DC, members of the alumni community met with a group of current Roeper teachers and staff to help plan an upcoming 9th grade trip to the city.

The meeting was planned as a simple discussion about ideas for student activities when they’re in town, but it turned into so much more than that.

After just a few minutes, it was clear that there was so much more going on. The engagement of everyone in attendance and the sense of caring and community was truly inspiring! The students are in for an AMAZING trip to the city, thanks to the dedication our DC community is showing. F Our 2014 olympic Gold Medal RoepErian Monday morning, February 17th, was a party like no other! People from every part of our community gathered to watch our own Charlie White ’05 skate with partner Meryl Davis for the

A group of current staff members met with some alumni residents of Washington, DC, to plan the upcoming 9th Grade trip.

(L to R) Current Social Studies teacher Matt Vallus, Miranda Beebe ’84, Christine Curry ’ 05, Erin Milbeck Wilcox ’04, former teacher Peter VandenBosch, Alex Dickinson ’04, current teachers Karen Johnson (Latin), Tessa Stein (Ceramics), Laura Panek (Biology), Erica Parker ’13 former Dance instructor Melanie George, Susannah Nichols (English), Jocelyn Beer ’86, Lea Marie Bistak Herron ’86, Adam Smock ’87 and Upper School Director Lisa Baker.

Attending the party were many who knew Charlie since he started at Roeper in kindergarten, as well as those who had never met him but were so proud to have someone from Roeper competing on a world stage!

As I told a Free Press reporter who covered the party, we are a community that celebrates the achievements of every member, but to see a member of our “family” receive the kind of global exposure that Charlie is getting is special. Obviously, he and Meryl will have a few commitments in the coming months (to say the least), but it’s my hope that we can see him in person here at our school and show him how proud we are! F

glenn sims

gold medal in Ice Dancing … a prize they’ve been working toward for more than 17 years! After all the other pairs skated, they reached their goal, becoming the first American pair to win a gold medal in Olympic Ice Dancing! And what a competition it was! So many pairs had flawless routines. So many points were awarded, and there was so much tension as they took to the ice! In the end, they posted a record-breaking final score of 195.52!

THE HONORABLE QIANA DENIS LILLARD ’94 Last August Governor Rick Snyder appointed Qiana Lillard ’94 (left above) to the State of Michigan Third Circuit Court in Wayne County.

She fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Wendy Baxter. In attendance at the investiture ceremony was Denita Banks-Sims, Director of Development. F

Current families, alumni, alumni parents and former and current staff attended the “Charlie White ’05/ Meryl Davis Watch Party” in The Children’s Library on Monday, February 17.

Not only were they treated to a Gold Medal performance, but also some tasty Russian treats!

19

KIT

THE ROEPER FAMILY GROWS PLEASE help out by sending along updates and pictures of what’s happening in your world!

Nina Pier Isenberg

Jason Mcintosh

(Roeper’s Instrumental Music Teacher)

born December 5, 2013 to

& Jim Shaffer

Miriam Weisfeld ‘97 & Joe Isenberg

Norah Jae Shaffer-Mcintosh

welcomed

born December 14, 2013

Nicole Scaglione ’97 &

Sean Ritchie were married

December 29, 2013

20

We would LOVE to hear about how you’re doing, what you’re up to and anything else that brings our community closer together and connects us!

Send whatever you’d like to adam.smock @roeper.org

KIT

Denita Banks-Sims Director of Development

PARTING THOUGHTS In a 1997 presentation of the Roeper Gala and Golden Apple Awards, where the school honored several renowned Detroiters, as well as acclaimed actor and humanitarian James Earl Jones, something special occurred. Among those honored was the incomparable Judge Damon Keith.

DOUG ELBINGER

Our esteemed participants included several talented Roeper students who interviewed the respective Golden Apple Award recipients, wrote the award speeches, and personally presented the awards during the Gala event. Among those presenters was the also-incomparable Chris Glazek.

I was among those favored to witness the moment at which then 6th Grader Chris Glazek delivered a simply mind-blowing oration. It captured an aspect of Middle School life at Roeper that reaffirmed the developmental vibrancy of our distinctive and remarkable program for gifted adolescents.

Nearly 20 years later, Damon Keith has reminded us why he is a national treasure. His new memoir, Crusader for Justice: Federal Judge Damon J. Keith was recently released to great acclaim. It recounts the Honorable Damon J. Keith’s appointment to the Federal bench in 1967, and his service as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit since 1977, where he has been an eloquent defender of civil and constitutional rights and a vigorous enforcer of civil rights law.

Judge Keith has been quoted as saying that the real intent of his book, “… was to reach the children of our region, and to teach them about the importance of equality in our world.” One then-Middle School student got the message early …

Today, Chris Glazek (proud alumnus of the Roeper Class of 2003 and Yale University 2007) has carved out an exceptional career that includes a founding role in the creation of YAMP — a Yale AIDS Memo­r­ial Pro­ject that is an alumni-led ini­tia­tive to honor and doc­u­ment the lives of hun­dreds of men and women from the uni­ver­sity who per­ished dur­ing the AIDS epi­demic. YAMP pays homage to the deceased — stu­dents, fac­ulty and staff — by cre­at­ing pro­files with their biogra­phies and pho­tos, along with sto­ries from their friends and fam­ilies. By telling the story of AIDS through the lens of a sin­gle insti­tu­tion, YAMP makes the epi­demic pal­pa­ble for a younger gen­er­a­tion and helps to stim­u­late an AIDS mem­ory boom.

Today, the significance of their encounter is hard to quantify, but the impact of these two crusaders — one icon and one then-Roeper Middle Schooler — is cause for attentive and reflective celebration of what is possible when we make the opportunity possible!

Yours,

21

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

THE ROEPER SCHOOL

U.S. POSTAGE

Paid PERMIT NO. 16 BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48304

41190 WOODWARD AVENUE BLOOMFIELD HILLS • MI 48304-5020

return service requested

Our Roeper Pride Is Showing!

Congratulations

C on harlie White ’05 & Meryl Davis Phred Brown ’03 (right) your Gold Medal in Ice Dancing music director for Bruno Mars

at the 2014 winter olympics in socChi on the band’s performance photo by jacqui white AT THE 2014 SUPER BOWL