The Jag - 2020

JAG

THE

2020

Dear Friends,

I must admit that I did not anticipate my second year as head of school would be enveloped in a pandemic. There are many who say a crisis reveals truth. The Wellington “truths” I have discovered during these last seven months have highlighted a community that cares deeply about one another and is agile and flexible, as well as caring and resilient.

During times like these, Wellington leans heavily on our mission and values to remain focused and committed to what’s most important for our school and families. The mission statement set forth by our founders has served us well but, as the world changes and we further evolve as an organization, it can become necessary to evaluate and realign our purpose and method as educators. With leadership from the board of trustees, I am excited to help usher in a renewed mission statement and an affirming set of values that will support our entire community. We will continue to honor our founding principles, while keeping our

eyes on the future, identifying what our students need to help them take on the challenges of tomorrow. Within these values, we continue to reflect on our need to fully embrace an antiracist approach, stay committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and support our amazingly diverse Wellington family.

These Jaguars are shaping the world in extraordinary ways in which we will all benefit.

To help keep a thoughtful perspective during this stormy year, we have leaned heavily into a metaphor related to navigating bad weather in a boat. There is an adage that affirms rough seas make strong sailors. In order to

“I am excited to help usher in a renewed mission statement and an affirming set of values that will support our entire community.”

DR. JEFF TERWIN

I am so proud to be a small part of this inspiring and energizing community. I appreciate the dedication and creative problem solving that our faculty and staff have put forth to help us navigate this unprecedented moment. I encourage you to spend some time reading about their outstanding work throughout this issue of the Jag. I hope you will delight, as I have, in the exceptional hard work and accomplishments of our recent graduates from the Class of 2020 and also alumna Caroleen Wilkes ’09, a real estate developer passionate about projects that improve communities economically, environmentally, and socially.

get through rough waters, we need to work together to identify new strategies and approaches to tackle new challenges. In that process we build resilience and also forge strong bonds and trust amongst our “crew.” We will ride these waves together, all the while staying connected and trusting that on the other end of this journey we will be a stronger and more resilient community.

Warm regards,

Dr. Jeff Terwin Head of School

THE JAG is published

by Wellington for all members of its community. Please send any comments to Yvonne Johnson at communications@ wellington.org.

EDITOR:

Yvonne Johnson P ’25 ’27 CONTRIBUTORS:

Adenola Atekoja ’20 Eoin Basobas O’Carroll ’21 Shelley Brown P ’32 ’33 Alexis Burkhalter ’22 Emelie Inderhees P ’33 ’35 Yvonne Johnson P ’25 ’27 Keith Leonard Ted Manley P ’21 ’24 Victoria Pang Johnny Riddle Dr. Brandon Sullivan Adriane Thompson ’20 Danielle Turkovich P ’29 ’33 Katie Zerbi ’23 COPY EDITORS:

Christine Conkle Melanie Eggleton Amanda Pierce Brenda Porter P ’12 ’17 Johnny Riddle Danielle Turkovich P ’29 ’33 PHOTO CREDITS:

Jaime Bennati Rodney Crimes Benjamin Derkin William DeShazer Nick Fancher Yvonne Johnson P ’25 ’27 Amanda Pierce Danielle Turkovich P ’29 ’33 DESIGN:

Rodney Crimes Bluewave Creative

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The world needs more leaders that are committed to lifelong learning. Our world is dynamic, its people diverse, and our challenges complex, but when leaders take ownership of those challenges and admit to not knowing it all, we can make our world better.”

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Building a Better World

CAROLEEN WILKES ’09

ON THE COVER: Caroleen Wilkes ’09 in Nashville, Tennessee on February 29, 2020.

FEATURES

GRADUATION

Jaguars Stay Together Even While Apart

A CLOSER LOOK

ATHLETICS

Introducing Wonderlab

ALUMNI

Alumni News 56

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Jags Together Face the Future

Uncovering Unheard Voices

Hole in Won Season for Boys Golf

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Bob Holland and Lorraine Thomas Remembered 60

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Wellington Announces New Mission and Vision & Strategic Plan for 2021 22

Team Spirit and Friendship Take Girls Tennis Down the Line 46

A Dominating Season for Boys Soccer 48

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Memory Painting

EMERSON THOMPSON ’24

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FEATURE

Jags Together Face the Future During a spring and summer of unparalleled historical significance, the Wellington community came together stronger, bolder, and more determined than ever to help shape those who will shape the world.

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In March, when the coronavirus pandemic forced schools to close their doors indefinitely, Wellington faculty and administrators quickly pivoted to a new innovative plan for teaching that opened the traditional classroom far beyond campus walls. A learning from home model was introduced with a renewed commitment to continue providing individualized attention for every student.

Synchronous and asynchronous learning were complementary teaching techniques in which students spent a portion of their time together in a virtual classroom setting and also, in effort to be mindful of screen time, away from the computer for independent work.

huge sidewalk chalk mural to encourage seniors to “just keep swimming” when they sometimes felt disappointed or frustrated. Pete Collopy, sports performance coach, hosted workouts on Instagram, and Wellington alumna Ashley Koff ’91, a registered dietician, led a Facebook live chat about navigating health and wellness from home.

PICTURED Above: Third grade uses DPP technology to bring together students learning in-person and from home.

Right: Dr. Terwin and Duke surprise Sebastian Penn ’32 with materials for learning from home.

Even while apart, in the first few months of COVID-19 imposed social isolation, Jags stayed connected in creative, meaningful ways, showing how deeply they cared for each other. Head of School Dr. Jeff Terwin, with the help of quaranteammate Duke the Jaguar, made special deliveries to students in need of essential learning supplies. Faculty made heartfelt videos about how much they missed their classes and also drove by students’ homes to give them a reassuring wave from the car window or throw a socially distant surprise party in the driveway. Sharla Starker P ’17 ’22, lower school teacher, guided 5-yearolds through meditation and breathing exercises while also hosting weekly parent support meetings. Jaime Bennati, upper school art teacher, created a

Jaguars also rallied for each other by raising $131,00 for the Jags Together Fund, ensuring no member of the community financially impacted

by COVID-19 would have to make difficult decisions about their future at Wellington. Students offered their support, too, by sewing masks at home or organizing collections of surgical masks to be donated to medical professionals on the front lines fighting the coronavirus. Student council raised money for the WHO COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Fun, engaged learning didn’t end when summer began. To ensure all students were set up for success in the fall, Wellington provided small group tutoring and mini courses, both in person and virtual, in July and August to prepare every student for the upcoming new year.

These courageous conversations about race in our community have led to a commitment to anti-racist work and a number of important changes, including broadening the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, a thorough review of curriculum in every grade to highlight the perspectives of historically marginalized voices, and greater outreach in support of voices that had been previously unheard.

After months of designing and redesigning back to campus plans for the fall, Wellington officially welcomed students to the 2020-2021 school year on Tuesday, September 8. Whether on campus or learning from home, students showed up with the same boundless excitement and curiosity that marks the start of every great adventure in learning.

New health and safety protocols were introduced, asking everyone on campus to remember the 3 Ws (wear your mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance), but much of what makes Wellington so special had remained the same, like small classes and studentcentered curriculum that leads to meaningful self-discovery.

The summer brought devastating loss with the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.

Their tragic stories ignited a social justice reckoning in Columbus and around the world, as issues of systemic racism and white supremacy were brought to the forefront of our national discourse with the Black Lives Matter movement. The Wellington community also faced hard truths in which some students shared personal experiences of disappointment and frustration while at school.

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“We will all develop new strategies, we will work together as a team, and we’ll build resilience. We will ride these waves and get stronger because of it.”

DR. JEFF TERWIN, HEAD OF SCHOOL

PICTURED School Counselor Danielle Gibbs P ’31 ’35 at the Lower School Catch the Wave drive-by event in the spring.

From the very beginning of the return to campus planning, Wellington was committed to meeting the unique needs of every family by developing education models designed for optionality and flexibility. The installation of a Digital Presence Platform, or DPP, in classrooms provided students learning from home full access into their classes on campus by using a combination of large, flat panel TVs and webcams. The system allowed students connecting remotely to engage with their teachers and peers as if they were sitting in the room.

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During The Leap, held on the first Monday of the school year, Terwin shared how proud he was to be a part of this community and that the primary goal for this year is to take care of ourselves and each other. “There is a saying that rough seas make strong sailors,” he said. “What does that mean? It means we will all develop new strategies, we will work together as a team, and we will build resilience. We will ride these waves and get stronger because of it.”

Ingenuity and creativity have always been cornerstones of a Wellington education, with every student continually building confidence in their ability to tackle complexities in life. They are stronger than they think, never more so than when they have a community

of educators and parents backing them up. Now, as our future-focused learning environment continues to evolve to meet the needs of students facing a world none of us could have imagined, Wellington’s tradition of innovation will lead the way.

PICTURED Below left: Dr. Terwin, Nolan Kirkland ’33, and Duke bring their Jag spirit to the first day of school.

Below right: Lower school teachers Justine Smith and Emily Szabo surprise student John’Tay Sweeney ’29 with his state selection.

Opposite: Yunruo ’21 and Annie ’26 Shen organized a mask collection and donation for frontline medical workers.

Jags Leap in to Help Did you know Jaguars are excellent swimmers? Who better to brave the rough waters we’ve seen in the last year than Wellington Jags? In countless ways, our community has jumped in to help others during this extraordinarily challenging time. Go Jags!

$131K 55

raised in support of the Jags Together Fund

Digital Presence Platform and 5 mobile iPad units

30+

gallons of cleaner and disinfectant concentrate mixed by hand for more than 200 spray bottles

print floor decals and 130 directional arrows were installed 265 paw on the floor to help everyone stay socially distant

shields installed 40+ plexiglass around campus

DONATIONS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS:

1,900 bottles hand sanitizer 43K adult masks 30K child-sized masks WELLINGTON • THE JAG

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FEATURE

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Caroleen Wilkes: Building a Better World

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As an 8-year-old, endlessly arranging the pieces of her pastel Mega Blocs set on the living room floor, Caroleen Wilkes ’09 was predestined for a profession she had yet to know the name of. Fascinated by the idea of building teams, comprised of people with different skills, to design great places, she asked her mom what that job was called. Developer was the answer she had been looking for. That desire to build teams that create great things, she explains, still serves as her motivation each day.

You are a senior project manager for Cumming Corporation in Nashville. What do you do in that role?

I represent property owners and investors in creating and improving their real estate assets. We start with an idea and try to curate the right building for the right cost in the right time. I put a team together of designers, engineers, builders, attorneys, financial analysts, and do my best to optimize their diverse skill sets through collaboration, communication, and accountability to meet owner requirements and applicable laws. Groundbreaking is a momentous day for everyone involved, but for me I’m reflecting on how well we accomplished our goals by working together. Personally, I take it a step further and ask myself if my community is better for the work we’ve accomplished and if so, how?

How does sustainability factor into your job?

Why is it important?

Sustainability is simply creating value using the least amount of resources we can. If you’re looking to make one bowl of cereal, do you buy a pint of milk or a gallon?

Reduction of waste is common sense for all industries.

Specific to the built environment, we’re currently responsible for about 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and 40% of energy around the globe. With that magnitude of impact, we have a responsibility to design and build better.

I’m challenging my clients and project teams to create “high performing assets,” which intentionally considers the efficiency of heating and cooling a building, reduces water use from the baseline, increases in landscaping and daylighting, and challenges use-specific rooms for multipurpose spaces. I don’t get every sustainable item I ask for, but I’m dedicated to raising the bar one project at a time. The biggest challenge for sustainability is getting an investor to consider savings 10 years in advance rather than short-term gains. I’ve seen it several times over where spending the least amount today on a building does not 10

THE JAG • 2020

produce a high performing asset. Those are unfortunate realities, but they’ve served me well in my storytelling to gain sustainability support. In time, I’m seeing more property owners consider their building’s use over a decade or more, which makes sustainability more palatable.

Would you say that your job requires a strong blend of an analytical mindset with a great deal of empathy and understanding for people?

Absolutely. No deal is the same, which I love! Every design brings unique challenges so there’s always a risk to mitigate, terms to negotiate, and value to attain. All of that takes persistent analysis and teamwork.

How do environments and spaces impact experience?

In college at Ohio State, I graduated with my professional mission statement, which still drives me today: to provide property development solutions that improve the built environment with projects that are economically, environmentally, and socially beneficial to their communities.

Some in my profession look at spaces as dollars and cents or brick and mortar, but ultimately we’re creating the places that people live, work, and play in. The lighting and greenspaces effect occupants’ moods, energy efficiency effect someone’s budget, public spaces enhance our collective wellbeing, and accessibility broadens our perspective about the environment and people around us.

Spaces matter!

What is the best part of your job?

I build teams that build great places! Every project needs great leaders with expertise in architecture, engineering, law, construction. I select those strategic partners, procure their scope of services, and negotiate their contracts. It’s pretty gratifying to sit in a design charrette with 20+ highly

PICTURED Wilkes with Jillian Causey ’09 and Amira Ballouz ’09 at graduation Center: Wilkes during her senior year at Wellington

qualified professionals and know I had a hand in bringing those people together to create the next great place in a city/community.

You were a Resident Manager at The Ohio State University and Head Resident at Vanderbilt. Wellington Head of School Dr. Jeff Terwin often talks about how valuable his experience as an RA was in his own life. What lessons do you think you learned from it?

The residence life/residential education experience as a paraprofessional staff member stretched me in many ways, but helped mold me as a leader much faster than my peers.

I became a manager as a sophomore in college, which exposed me to training my own staff, practicing effective communication, responding to crises with or without instruction, how to identify community members struggling with mental health concerns, and mediating conflict resolution. These are incredible skills to walk out of college with that you certainly can’t learn from a textbook.

What do you love most about what you do?

When I travel to a city, sometimes I’m able to point to a building and share stories about a creative proposal my team had to make to gain the city’s support, or the exterior materials we changed to maintain the viability of the project, or the signatures of several subcontractors on the wood/concrete behind drywall. For projects I’m not involved with, I look at buildings and think through how that project was shaped by its environment and culture.

I love the ideas and stories of the places around us. I’m told I’d make a great tour guide, if my development career doesn’t pan out!

Historically, your field has been very male-dominated.

What has been your experience as a woman of color in pushing through professional barriers without many, if any, role models who look like you?

I’ve built several projects with people of backgrounds and skills much different than mine and its taken collaboration and support from my counterparts to do so. There have been instances where I’ve encountered resistance, but I address them or move on. My dad reminds me that those instances are par for the course when you’re a pioneer in an industry. I would never choose the word “pioneer” for myself, but some days I look around a conference room of 20+ people and realize I’m the only minority. If anything, those sudden realizations have inspired a desire to create a new normal; I want to see more cultures and women represented in development. Our communities deserve to be fully represented in the design and build process. In fact, our cities will be better for it!

You came to Wellington as a 7th grader. What was that experience like?

Diversity comes to mind. I learned about different countries and religions through my classmates and their parents. I was encouraged to pursue success in the classroom and extracurricular activities.

How did your experience as a Wellington student influence who you are today?

As a Wellington student, I don’t recall ever being told of a right or wrong answer. Instead, I was encouraged and challenged to explore perspectives and defend my conclusions. Whether it was politics, religion, history, composition; learning in that kind of environment helped me find my voice! I graduated aware of some distinct personal beliefs, but perhaps more importantly with an appreciation that there are other beliefs just as valid. han having to stay within someone else’s box.

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You mentioned having a love for travel and experiencing different cultures. How has that impacted your life trajectory?

Culture and environment impact the way people live, what they eat, how they build, the music they create, and how they connect. I love exploring that in a comparative context!

It also reminds me how many other ways there are to do life, which is always great to reflect on as I make goals and plans for the future. I’d love to explore living and working abroad at some point, which has always been the goal since I had an interactive globe as a child. I’m really excited to explore how that will continue to inform my life and character.

What sports or extracurricular activities had the most profound impact on you?

I’m convinced golf prepared me to thrive in my environment.

On the golf course, I was most often the youngest, only female, and person of color, but I competed and built great relationships between the tee box and the greens. I’m still most often the youngest, only female, and person of color in the conference room, but my environment has never been intimidating because its familiar. I also gained a strong mental game through golf so I rarely get frazzled when things don’t go as planned. I adapt and hope for a “better shot” the next time around!

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You serve on a number of non-profit boards and have clearly made service an important part of your life.

I served on my first non-profit committee in 8th grade for the American Diabetes Association, started a club in high school called Operation Adopt A Solider sending letters to deployed troops at war in the Middle East, and then interned on the Ohio for Obama campaign during my senior year. These experiences of exercising my voice, taking initiative, and having global influence at such a formative age have certainly instilled in me a civic duty to use my influence for good.

What do you like to do for fun?

Golf. International travel. Try new recipes. I host dinners at various immigrant owned restaurants several times a year.

Community service. Hike.

How can today’s Wellington students shape the world?

The world needs more leaders that are committed to lifelong learning. Our world is dynamic, its people diverse, and our challenges complex, but when leaders take ownership of those challenges and admit to not knowing it all, we can make our world better.

‘The Scream’ Frosting Recreation AVERY THIELMAN ’23

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GRADUATION

Jaguars Stay Together Even While Apart 14

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PICTURED Left: Evan Adiansingh ’20, Aidan Schumer ’20 Right: Dr. Jeff Terwin, Noah Jones-Beyene ’20

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Wellington’s 32nd commencement on Friday, June 5, was a beautiful outdoor celebration of the Class of 2020, their remarkable accomplishments, and the extraordinary poise and agility they have shown during an unprecedented moment in history. Faced with a global pandemic during their last weeks as seniors and then witness to worldwide anti-racist protest, this impressive group of graduates distinguished themselves as the leaders, thinkers, and problem-solvers who will one day shape the world.

Lining the driveway to the morning ceremony were signs emblazoned with the words Strong, Resilient, Ambitious, and Kind; all words apropos of a senior class called upon, seemingly overnight, to navigate an uncharted course.

In March, when the threat of COVID-19 called for social distancing and Learning from Home was first introduced to the school community, these student leaders never seemed to miss a beat. From conducting inspiring morning meetings over Zoom to pulling together stunning fine and performing arts displays on the web, as well as maintaining sports training sessions, this talented group found creative and unique ways to remain together in spite of being apart.

Early on, when most traditions and rites of passage were moved to the virtual realm or cancelled entirely, Welington administrators were focused on planning a graduation that adhered to current health and safety guidelines but also recognized the irreplaceable value of coming together in person to honor the outstanding work of the 66 members, including 22 Lifers, of the Class of 2020. The answer, they found, was to move beyond the walls of the school building and transform an outdoor area on campus in which graduates and their families could maintain adequate social distancing while also sharing with each other the excitement of this momentous milestone.

The ceremony began with Claire O’Shaughnessy ’20 singing the national anthem before Head of School Dr. Jeff Terwin delivered his address. Pointing out that often graduation speeches reference the challenges that students will one day face after leaving school, he assured the Class of 2020 they had already been tested and passed with flying colors.

They are poised to do big things, he said of the seniors, building on the vast and exemplary work they had already accomplished at Wellington. He named areas in which the class had demonstrated excellence and where that early success would take them next. Several of the best artists in the class will attend top arts academies in the country, while many student athletes will take their state championship titles to college and university sports programs. He also pointed out the top science student in the state, Adriane Thompson ’20, was sitting in attendance along with classmates who also had made noteworthy advances in the fields of entrepreneurship, robotics, chess, and political science, to name just a few.

Social distancing limitations had given us a new perspective, Terwin shared, on the value of people and relationships; the seemingly inconsequential moments of passing someone in the hallway and exchanging a quick word or smile have a far greater significance now when thinking back on our lives before COVID-19. The deeply meaningful connections these new graduates made as Wellington students will impact the rest of their lives.

“I fully expect to see many of these students in positions of leadership in the years to come,” Terwin said. “With the recent protests and national urgency to confront systemic racism, I am confident that the students sitting in front of me will make significant and meaningful contributions to improve our world...As you leave this place, know that Wellington is wherever you are. It is in you and it keeps you connected to one another. I will miss you so much. You’ve taught us a lot about how to be yourself, while being able to also be a part of something bigger.”

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PICTURED Zeke Lloyd ’20

Terwin then announced that a plaque, with the names of the members of the Class of 2020, would be mounted in the school with the inscription, “They stayed together, even while apart.”

“I teach because I believe in your infinite potential. I believe that you can create a better world than the one we live in today.

You are the keepers of our future, and I expect you to keep hope alive.”

Music award winners Ian Gleissner ’20, on string bass, and Grant Wheeler ’20, on saxophone, performed an uplifting “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder, arranged by Gleissner.

Video messages from yearbook co-editors D’nisa Oocumma ’20 and Megan Leino ’20 as well as Alumni Association Board Chair Lyle Brown ’89 P ’27 ’29 were shared with the Wellington community following the ceremony. Oocumma announced the theme for the 35th edition of The Duke was Limitless. “Our Wellington community has proven learning has no bounds,” she said. “Teachers, students, and parents have worked harder than ever to embrace the challenge this pandemic has created.

These unexpected challenges of 2020 have only helped to affirm our theme for this year’s book.”

Class speaker Zeke Lloyd ’20 reflected back on the many successes of his peers during their time in upper school.

With four state championship athletic teams, in addition to the basketball and tennis teams who had to end their winning seasons early, record-high participation in Ohio Youth in Government and Model UN, senior members of the Blue Notes jazz ensemble, and showstopping productions of “Legally Blonde” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” the Class of 2020 left an undeniably large paw print for future Jaguars to fill.

Leino revealed the yearbook would be dedicated to Maria Baker P ’00 ’08, Wellington Upper School French teacher of 30 years. “Madame Baker embodies our yearbook theme for 2020,” Leino said. “Her passion and her dedication to her students and community is truly limitless.”

“We have excelled in so many ways,” Lloyd said, “but that’s not really even close to all of our history. Because all of those achievements are made of moments from a caring class.

They say good friends know your best stories, but your best friends have lived them with you. And we’ve lived through it all together, even those moments outside of the record books.”

Brown officially welcomed the Class of 2020 into the Wellington Alumni Association with the reassurance that wherever they may go in life, they should always remember they have a home in Wellington.

Head of Upper School Rishi Raghunathan P ’27 ’30 brought universal wisdom from a galaxy far, far away when he invoked Star Wars lore during his address. Giving students eight essential truths to carry through life, Raghunathan stressed the importance of belief in self, courage, and never giving up.

For this exceptional group of athletes, musicians, artists, scientists, and advocates, they also should always remember the advice Dr. Terwin gave them at the beginning of the school year, and would continually remind them during times of uncertainty, just keep swimming...in a mask, of course.

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CLASS OF 2020 COMMENCEMENT

1: Anna Chester ’20 2: Alex Anderson ’11, Laura Anderson P ’08 ’11 ’15 ’20, Sarah Anderson ’20, Molly Anderson ’15, Doug Anderson P ’08 ’11 ’15 ’20 3: William Reid ’20, Kyle Tocci ’20 4: Akua Antwi-Woods ’20 5: Adenola Atekoja ’20, Dr. Jeff Terwin 6: Trevor Ball ’20, Darla Ball P ’16 ’20 7: Yoshi Parker ’20 8: Dr. Susan Cole P ’20, Adriane Thompson ’20, Dr. Jeff Thompson P ’20 9: Maury Meredith P ’20, Elijah Meredith ’20, Denise Meredith P ’20 10: Serene Abdelbaki ’20

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CLASS OF 2020 COMMENCEMENT

1: Mason Halley ’20 2: Dr. Jeff Terwin, Zakaria Ahmed ’20

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3: Dave Herrick P ’20, Connor Herrick ’20 4: Nathan Hill ’20 5: Carly Butler ’20, Karen Butler P ’12 ’16 ’20, Rishi Raghunathan P ’27 ’30 6: Ella Grant ’20

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7: Claire O’Shaughnessy ’20 8: Lily O’Brien ’20 9: Rishi Raghunathan P ’27 ’30, Elizabeth Disbrow ’20 10: Sam Smyth ’20 11: Astrid Murray ’20 12: Grant Wheeler ’20, Ian Gleissner ’20

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13: Wayne Lin P ’20 ’22, Frederick Lin ’20 14: Lindsay Harris ’20 15: Christian Wurapa ’22, Jordan Wurapa ’20, Sydney Wurapa ’18, Drs. Raymond and Karin Wurapa P ’18 ’20 ’22

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16: Eli Dulle ’20 17: Matthew Croft ’17, Jim and Michelle Croft P ’17 ’20 ’22, Mia Croft ’20, Macy Croft ’22, William DiMascio

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CLASS OF 2020 COMMENCEMENT 1: Caleb Wooddell ’22, Joshua Wooddell ’20, Kathy and Tyler Wooddell P ’20 ’22 2: James Epps-Ramsey ’20 3: D’nisa Oocumma ’20 4: Patty Hans P ’17 ’20, Katherine Hans ’20

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5: Nicos Hill ’20 6: Maika Danford ’20 7: Tonda Adiansingh P ‘16 ‘20 ‘24, Evan Adiansingh ‘20 8: Simon Woods ’20 9: Rosemary Haskett ’20

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Class of

Commencement 2020

PICTURED L TO R: Ahmet Ozer ’20, Ali Winter ’20, Ian Gleissner ’20,

Madeleine Morosky ’20, Daniel Coons ’20, Elizabeth Burkhardt ’20, Vincent Hall ’20, Katherine Olson ’20, Camille Olmstead ’20, Neha Rao ’20, Garrett Thesing ’20, Milan Gonela ’20, Emma Bond ’20, Gabriel Corridore ’20, Alexis Horan ’20, Nicholas Robinson ’20, Jonathan Sokol ’20, Joshua Wooddell ’20, Ryan Ray ’20, Julian Shuttleworth ’20, Lucian Brewer ’20, Maya Hammond ’20, Megan Leino ’20, Samantha Scott ’20, Ben Marshall ’20, Elena Weinberg ’20, Todd Bainbridge ’20, Elizabeth Disbrow ’20 WELLINGTON • THE JAG

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FEATURE

Wellington Announces New Mission and Vision & Strategic Plan for 2021

By Ted Manley P ’21 ’24 Board Chair

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As we collectively navigate this unique period in history, Wellington’s new mission statement and collective values will broadly chart the future of our community while affirming our storied heritage as a catalyst in the lives of our students, opening their minds to the world and their essential roles within it. I am honored to have partnered with our board of trustees and the Wellington community to bring forth this evolved mission that will guide our decisions for years to come.

OUR MISSION

We help students find their purpose and realize their potential for tomorrow’s world.

OUR VALUES

Be Curious

We question, imagine, experiment, and discover.

Be Yourself

We value diversity and celebrate individual voices in a learning community that is committed to be inclusive, equitable, and socially just.

Be Ambitious

We embrace challenges and push ourselves and our community to do big things.

Be Empathetic

We listen to understand the experiences and perspectives of others as we learn to shape our own words and actions.

Be Responsible

We understand that autonomy in teaching and learning is as fundamental as being accountable for the outcomes of our actions.

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THE STRATEGIC PLAN Wellington is a school with a history of doing things differently, inspired by the idea that education can and should be better. Over the years, the school has matured, developed, and extended its impact by examining today’s priorities and anticipating tomorrow’s needs. The result is a truly relevant educational program that prepares its students for the challenges and opportunities of an uncertain future.

The pandemic has altered almost every aspect of life, and education is certainly no exception. Through the talent and grit of the Staffulty, the school has navigated the stormy seas of a shutdown and reopening with remarkable skill and adroitness. Against this backdrop, the board of trustees embarks on a dynamic strategic planning process appropriate to the challenges of a dynamic period for the school.

The 2021 Wellington Strategic Plan will shape our path forward to pursue the most urgent needs and greatest challenges on the horizon for the Wellington community. The board of trustees, in collaboration with the administrative leadership, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of our broader community, continue to work on a plan that will set a course for each dimension of the school by setting forth aspirational, yet realistic, vision statements, which will be supported by specific objectives to be completed over the next three years. It is a smart design that provides flexibility, transparency, and measured progress toward goals.

PICTURED Isaac Brady ’25 24

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To move this plan forward, we will need your help.

We will need talented, committed individuals with diverse perspectives from across all of Wellington’s constituencies. We will seek partnerships with others who share our vision for the future. Once the plan is unveiled, you will have an opportunity to contribute your passion and creativity to help us realize the goals put forth.

Now more than ever, leadership in education is critical in shaping the world. Aligned in a common mission and committed to a shared set of values, the conditions are set to put forth a strategic plan that will position the school for success through this uncertain period and emerge stronger in the years that lie ahead.

Thank you for your continued dedication and collaboration as we further our mission of helping students find their purpose and realize their potential for tomorrow’s world.

Memory Painting HUSSEIN AL-ALI ’24

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A CLOSER LOOK

Introducing Wonderlab

By Keith Leonard Upper School English

A student produces their strongest work when they pursue their passions.

But what happens if their passion falls outside of a school’s curriculum?

Wellington is excited to introduce Wonderlab—a program designed to push the possibilities of academic independence.

Wonderlab ties together three innovative spaces to help students launch big ideas. With the Think Space, students can gather in a newly renovated conference room to design their projects. With the STEM Space, students can then test their ideas using college-level research equipment. With the Maker Space, students can bring their projects to life using 3D printers, vinyl cutters, and green screens.

PICTURED Elizabeth Disbrow ’20 3D printing a mouse for her Little Mouse book she developed for the lower school

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THE JAG • 2020

Dr. Brandon Sullivan Upper School Academic Dean

During her senior year, Elizabeth Disbrow ’20 used the Wonderlab to write, illustrate, and publish her first illustrated children’s book.

Stemming from her interest in child psychology, Elizabeth’s story featured a preschool-aged boy struggling with anxiety. This anxiety takes the shape of a mouse that lives in his chest pocket and speaks to him whenever he’s confronted with an uncertain situation. As the story concludes, the boy realizes all his classmates carry their own anxiety mouse in their own pocket.

Elizabeth hoped that by reading this book to children, she might help them see that everyone feels a bit of anxiety from time to time, and that they can help each other through those moments with understanding and compassion.

Before reading the book to a preschool class this spring, Elizabeth 3D printed little mouse figurines in the Maker Space for each student.

She then handed them out after reading her book aloud, facilitating a conversation about anxiety.

Kath Olson ’20 was also active in the Wonderlab this past year when she designed an LED light display for the lower school. The tactile board resembled a giant Lite-Brite wall that students can use to express themselves creatively for years to come. In Wonderlab’s STEM Space, Kath designed, assembled, and validated her models of electrical circuits. She then used the Maker Space to print her module units and assemble the large scale project.

Even our littlest Jags have big ideas. Through Innovation Spots, Wellington’s youngest students will be introduced to project-based thinking early. In the hallways of the middle school and lower school, students will have the option of interacting with monthly prompts. What is the best sales pitch for this product? What’s

the best way to design a car using LEGO bricks? What’s the most efficient way to deliver ten packages to these ten addresses? The Innovation Spots are a space for students to have fun and experiment with autonomous, selfguided learning.

PICTURED ABOVE Kath Olson ’20 building an interactive light display.

With this new research and creative works incubator, we can’t wait to see what our students will do next.

Wonderlab ties together three innovative spaces to help students launch big ideas.

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Apple Picking

HANNAH GUFFREY ’26

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THE JAG • SPRING 2020 2020

A CLOSER LOOK

Adriane Thompson’s Appetite for Curiosity

In the spring of 2020, Adriane Thompson ’20 placed 8th out of 300 entries from across the country, and was awarded $60,000, in the 79th Regeneron Science Talent Search. Her project, titled “Differentially expressed genes from RNAseq identify both RNA polymerase IV- and dicer-like3- independent regulatory pathways in Zea mays, verified through qPCR and bioinformatic analyses of novel gene classes,” was selected from nearly 2,000 entries from across the country.

Thompson, the only finalist from Ohio, shares in her own words below how a love for scientific discovery fostered by Wellington’s Independent Science Research program led her to enter the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school seniors with the swagger of a Jag. I came to Wellington to get new opportunities, to challenge myself, and interact with teachers and the outside world in ways I never would have been able to in a public school. In one of my first meetings with Dr. Jay Hollick, professor of molecular genetics at The Ohio State University, he filled an expansive whiteboard with examples of proteins that cut DNA into microscopic fragments, and diagrams of genes that could jump from one location in the genome to another all on their own, I felt overwhelmed. As I bombarded my enthusiastic mentors with questions, I became comfortable with the material that originally dispirited me, and eventually found I understood what I was doing, and why it was important.

I was thrilled to receive a full-time fellowship to work at OSU over the summer. As I came to the end of my time in the lab, which culminated

in presenting at an undergraduate symposium, it hit me the vast amount of research I had accomplished. I had gone from nervously listening in the back of a lab meeting, racking my brain trying to remember what gluthianine s-transferase was, to discussing and presenting my research to a crowd of peers. And as my confidence in my work and understanding grew, with it blossomed my determination to pursue opportunities in research.

The Science Talent Search is especially unique, because it brings together students who have had the opportunity to perform graduate level research, with some even patenting their projects, working with national entities like NASA, and funding their own STEM-related start-ups. I am honored to be selected as one of these finalists, and hope to spread both the significance of research as well as the importance of science and investigation in everyday life.

I figured my attempts in the Regeneron Science Talent Search would be futile, but nevertheless spent hours recalling the protocols and procedures I had completed and finalized my work with a 20-page paper summarizing my findings. I was thrilled to see how my months of work came together to build a story; how the days of experimentations blended together into the narrative of my research.

My goal, in college and beyond, is not just to gain insights through independent research, but to spread my love for learning to the people around me. Science doesn’t just answer questions, it raises them, and I know that by inspiring and working with young generations, I can help foster a society with an appetite for curiosity.

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A CLOSER LOOK

Uncovering Unheard Voices

By Victoria Pang Middle School Social Studies

As a teacher of early United States history, I am constantly faced with a dilemma. The subject is steeped in social inequality and conflict. Too often, the war for independence eclipses the plight of Native peoples and enslaved Africans who made up more than half of the population.

I was determined to incorporate the voices of all who inhabited North America, including enslaved Africans and Native peoples, into our 7th grade colonial newspaper project, in which students are asked to put themselves into the shoes of others from that period.

I faced a serious intellectual challenge.

Native people, enslaved Africans, and women would not have been eligible for publication in a colonial newspaper in 1775. Countless social and political barriers would have made this an impossibility, and each group used their own forms of communication from songs to meetings.

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THE JAG • 2020

With the support of a Wellington Student Engagement Grant, I was able to face that challenge by attending the McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

The experience was paradigm-shifting.

The most impactful part of my summer was learning about how to teach a graphic novel called “Ghost River,” written and illustrated by Indigenous artists. The story depicts the massacre of the Conestoga people outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with dignity, filling a void. After hearing from these authors who had managed to make Indigenous peoples the protagonists in early America, I was inspired to return to my classroom and try to do the same thing with the colonial newspaper.

I decided to be bold. I asked students to add a section to their colonial newspapers called “Unheard Voices” while considering whose voices are missing. I posed some hard questions about what it must have been like for

enslaved Africans and for Native people.

How revolutionary was the revolution in actuality?

In the new iteration of the project, students are now working on political cartoons, editorials, and features representing these groups. Already, students have created a spotlight feature on Phillis Wheatley, a remarkable, enslaved African woman who wrote poetry that was lauded by the colonists.

Another group is writing a letter from the perspective of a Native person commenting on the Conestoga massacre.

Is the colonial newspaper project more complicated now? Absolutely. Does it closely resemble a newspaper of its time?

No. But, does it do justice to the people who lived in 1775? It certainly does a much better job.

PICTURED Emelie Inderhees P ’33 ’35 works with student Lily O’Brien ’20

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PICTURED Heath Thomas ’21 translates Latin text.

By Emelie Inderhees P ’33 ’35 Middle and Upper School Latin

“It was fascinating to read first-hand about how the author viewed the local Native Americans. The priest described the troubled upbringing of the Indigenous man and his reception into the Jesuit mission. As I finish translating these documents as part of my Senior Independent Project, I will continue to evaluate how these narratives and fragments are shaped by those who wrote them.” ~ Lily O’Brien ’20 worked on translating a letter which detailed an Indigenous man’s conversion to Catholicism.

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Uncovering history is challenging for Latin teachers and students in much the same way it is for social studies classes. Over the past two millennia, Latin has been used by many cultures who enslaved individuals for their own benefit. Routinely reading primary texts with engrained proto-racism, racism demonstrated by cultures before the transatlantic slave trade, without addressing it can give the impression of support or approval. In an effort to combat this issue and to give my students the opportunity to be agents of change, I eagerly accepted a new challenge.

Jumping forward almost 2000 years into the future from what they normally read in a Latin class, students were given letters written in the 1840s by Jesuits in Missouri. The documents were provided to us by the Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project out of St. Louis University. The goal of the project is to create a database for the descendants of the enslaved individuals of translated documents written by or referencing their family members. Additionally, historians and researchers may use the database to further our country’s understanding of slavery before the Civil War. One of the many obstacles we faced as translators involved learning terms that we’re specific to Ecclesiastical Latin as opposed to the Classical Latin were accustomed to. Many students were frustrated by the limited lack of references to enslaved individuals. We discussed why they were so infrequent and how important it is that the documents are translated. It is our hope that each of these small references builds upon all the others to create a meaningful history for those whose stories have not yet been told.

While 7th grade social studies students created simulated primary texts, Latin classes focused on making primary texts available to those who could find comfort or greater understanding in their words. Both scenarios used the idea of primary documents but worked to change the focus; evolving the curricula into something that more powerfully resonates with our students.

Early Childhood Classrooms Reimagined

By Shelley Brown P ’32 ’33 Assistant Head of Lower School

PICTURED Early childhood classrooms have thoughtfully arranged independent work stations for each student.

There is always a sense of energy before the school year begins when teachers return to campus to prepare their spaces for students. They spend countless hours staring at classrooms from all angles, imagining students working in the spaces, playing with different lighting and textures, and arranging then rearranging furniture again and again, to create a warm atmosphere.

This August the teachers were met with a different challenge: how do we carry out our early childhood vision of building a strong community of learners who work together to complete student-driven projects during a time with COVID-19 restrictions? Teachers reimagined classroom spaces by moving from shared to individual materials, large collaborative spaces to individual centers, and a community circle time to a socially distanced gathering.

Work caddies became the new norm for holding and organizing individual student learning materials. Each child in the lower school has their own caddy, and the teachers include supplies that the students will need for that month. As the year progresses, students will receive new supplies to complement the ongoing work in the classroom. Students learning from home have the same caddies, and they pick up new materials each month mirroring the new materials the students are receiving in the classroom.

This simple box has become a beloved item, and the students love having their own sharpened pencils, bright markers, and new glue sticks! The prekindergarteners are also very proud that they can open their boxes all by themselves - mastering independence.

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A CLOSER LOOK

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THE JAG • 2020

Collaboration is an important piece of our program as students work together to complete their project work. Teachers brainstormed ideas on how to continue this important piece of our program and found that they could thoughtfully arrange independent work centers next to each other to encourage collaboration. A dramatic play area with kitchen-like items is next to the message center that includes menus, fancy markers, and paper.

One student may work in the kitchen pretending to cook and plate food while interacting with a student in the message center who is pretending to take someone’s order using the menus and paper. Although socially distanced and not sharing materials, the students are sharing a common storyline and engaging in cooperative play. As we learn even more about our students’ interests, their voices will become even more present in the materials and spaces.

PICTURED Circle time builds community between students learning on campus and from home.

Community is at the heart of everything we do, and Wellington teachers have reimagined their spaces to create gathering areas where students have adequate distance but can still see each other and their teacher. There is a large screen that displays the smiling faces of friends learning from home, and the placement of that screen is really important so that the students at home can see their teachers and classroom. Including the students learning from home, the entire class can engage in morning meeting, closing circle, and everything in between, together.

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A CLOSER LOOK

Faculty News

John Brown

Emily Berty

James Becker P’ 27 ’34 MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL BAND DIRECTOR

Becker received the 2020 Upper Arlington Civic Association’s Golden Apple Award this spring.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING

UPPER SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER

Berty ran her 5th marathon at the Indianapolis Monumental in November 2019. She also organized, with her racing team, a backyard 24 hour 100 mile challenge in which she ran 4.37 miles every four hours starting at midnight on April 25. In total throughout the day, she ran a staggering 32.75 miles, slightly over a 50K.

Brown was featured in the summer issue of Forks Over Knives Magazine for his whole food, plant-based diet success

Pete Collopy ASSISTANT MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND SPORTS PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR

Collopy was featured in the 10TV news segment “Not All Heroes Wear Capes” about using social media to help students stay fit during COVID-19 lockdown in the spring.

Jaime Bennati UPPER SCHOOL ART TEACHER

Bennati gave an artist talk through the Cleveland Institute of Art Educators Residency Program in August.

Robert Brisk P ’13 ’15 CHIEF ENGAGEMENT OFFICER OF THE WELLINGTON INITIATIVE

Brisk wrote the opinion piece “Why We Measure Student Engagement” featured on Medium.com.

Aaron Frim P ’19 UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER AND

Amanda Pierce

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Frim and Pierce both ran in the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Marathon in the fall of 2019. Frim completed the marathon and Pierce completed the half.

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THE JAG • 2020

Dr. Jeff Terwin HEAD OF SCHOOL

Craig Kent P ’27 ’29

Nami Stager P ’30 ’32

LOWER SCHOOL TEACHER

LOWER SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER

Kent competed in the Speed Project in September, running as many miles as he could in 31 hours and 15 minutes.

Out of 90 solo runners from around the world, Kent ran the most miles, 137.75.

Stager was named a Columbus Parent 2020 Teacher of the Year finalist.

Keith Leonard

Dr. Brandon Sullivan

UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER

UPPER SCHOOL ACADEMIC DEAN

Leonard received an Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award in poetry and also the 2020 WOSU Classroom Impact Award for his student podcast experience. His poem “Spratchet” was published in the Winter 2019-20 issue of Ploughshares, Emerson College’s award-winning journal of new writing.

Sullivan, in recognition of mentoring finalist Adrianne Thompson ’20 in the 2020 Regeneron Science Talent Search, had a Minor Planet (17929) Sully named after him by the MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

Sullivan also co-authored an article in the research journal Proteins. The work, “Phylogenetic Spread of Sequence Data Affects Fitness of Consensus Enzymes: Insight from Triosephosphate Isomerase,” was done at The Ohio State University and sought to better understand how proteins fold and function using bioinformatics. His feature story “Family Adventure in Squamish,” was published in the climbing magazine Gripped.

Danielle Turkovich P ’29 ’33 DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Turkovich appeared with psychologist, best-selling author, and New York Times columnist Dr. Lisa Damour on Good Day Columbus in the segment “Helping Kids Cope with Stress.” Damour was the headline speaker for Wellington’s 2019-2020 Well Life Series.

Johnny Riddle ALUMNI RELATIONS AND AFFINITY OFFICER

Riddle is also the executive director of 934 Gallery and helped create an engaging and successful 934 Fest this September. The annual murals and musical festival raises money in support of the gallery’s operations, educational programs, and artists for their work. The virtual format allowed the gallery to expand its reach and raise more money than ever before.

Terwin led an engaging panel discussion with Startups.com CEO/ Founder Wil Schroter P ’30 ’34 at Techstars Startup Week Columbus in the fall of 2019. They discussed how to foster tomorrow’s entrepreneurs starting in kindergarten all the way to college and why it’s important to prepare and retain the next generation of entrepreneurs. Terwin also appeared on Fox 28 Good Day Marketplace, in the spring, to share tips on how parents can best support online learning from home. Most recently he was interviewed by ABC6 News, along with Lower School Teacher Pete Kaser ’96 P ’27 ’29, about Wellington’s back to school plans and the important role technology would play in ensuring students learning from home would stay connected with their classmates and teachers on campus.

Artie Taylor P ’23 HEAD COACH OF BOYS VARSITY BASEBALL

Taylor appeared on the podcast Talkin’ Hoops: With Coach Jon Cook.

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A CLOSER LOOK

Wellington Welcomes New Faculty and Staff Wellington is pleased to welcome 22 new members to our community this fall.

Jessica Austin

Erica Clark P ’28

MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNING SUPPORT

LOWER SCHOOL LITERACY COACH

Otterbein University

Former education programs coordinator and educator at COSI, travelling to schools all across Ohio “I want students to always be asking questions about the world around them.”

Quincey Chambers LOWER SCHOOL LEARNING GUIDE Miami University

Enjoys watching English football and playing Dungeons and Dragons “I want my students to feel prepared for life outside of my classroom. To feel more comfortable with themselves and their abilities.”

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THE JAG • FALL SPRING 2020 2020

Wittenberg University The Ohio State University

Has taught students in every grade from K-12 during her 21 year career in education

Zac DelMonte

Katie Fugitt

VOCAL DIRECTOR FOR MUSICAL THEATRE/UPPER SCHOOL LEARNING SUPPORT

The Ohio State University

The Ohio State University

Received his BME from The Ohio State University, where he continues to direct a vocal ensemble that once received a standing ovation after performing at Lincoln Center “I try to help others find and use their voices - both literally and figuratively. Young adults especially have something to say, and we should be listening.”

Lori Feyko LOWER SCHOOL LEARNING SUPPORT The Ohio State University

Enjoys travelling with her family, whether day trips in Ohio or adventures across the country and beyond our borders

Matt Conkling MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNING SUPPORT/GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH Ashland University

Enjoys playing golf and basketball, watching movies, spending time with his family, going to the beach, and rooting for the Buckeyes “Having a great work ethic will get you very far in life and will give you the most reward.”

Once worked in television production as a floor director for a local television station “I try to be the person people can depend on for support and a smile.”

LOWER SCHOOL LEARNING GUIDE

Enjoys spending time with friends and family, vacations, and watching baseball games Looks forward to helping students go above and beyond their academic, social, and emotional goals

Erin German LOWER SCHOOL LEARNING SUPPORT Columbus State Community College The Ohio State University

In college, she raised service dogs for children and veterans with disabilities through the nonprofit organization 4 Paws for Ability Enjoys reading, photography, working sudoku puzzles, and training dogs

Danielle Goldfarb SCHOOL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL The Ohio State University

Allison Frullo EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING GUIDE Ohio University

During virtual learning last spring, she visited all of her students’ homes and put windmills on their lawns with little notes showing she was thinking of them Enjoys working out, spending time with her family, and spoiling her dogs

Formerly a perioperative nurse at The James Cancer Hospital Has completed one full marathon and 10 half marathons “I hope to create a warm and welcoming environment for the students to come to when they need help and also provide fun and interesting ideas about health and wellness.”

Nathaniel Grossman

Tori Hossenlopp

David Mitchell

LOWER SCHOOL LEAD

LOWER SCHOOL LEAD

MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH

EARLY CHILDHOOD LEAD

Miami University University of Virginia American University

Heidelberg University

Kenyon College The Ohio State University

State University of New York Potsdam

Hails from Buffalo, NY

Previously taught 2nd grade in Washington, D.C., where he experienced an earthquake on his first day in the classroom

She is excited to create a safe environment for students to be kind, creative, and hard-working

“By being supportive and curious, I can help my community improve.”

“When I was a kindergartener, I knew I wanted to be an educator and that passion never wavered.”

Nick Hahn THEATRE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR / UPPER SCHOOL LEARNING SUPPORT Otterbein University

Studied Shakespeare in London and even performed Twelfth Night on stage at the Globe Theatre Hopes students will discover the power in collaboration and seeing that other people’s thoughts and opinions are valid and can improve the overall project

Benjamin Hirt MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL FRENCH Capital University University of Kentucky The Ohio State University

Can speak a French regional dialect with Germanic roots called Alsatian or Elsassisch “I strive to help others see that studying a language is as much about being a better, more informed world citizen as learning to speak and understand another language.”

Sue Kay MIDDLE SCHOOL ART AND LEARNING SUPPORT Syracuse University

Has two paintings in a permanent collection of rising American artists at the State Department Enjoys drawing and painting in nature, as well as cooking and baking

Becca Kelly DIRECTOR OF AFTERCARE & ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SUMMER PROGRAMS Ohio Wesleyan University

Hopes to develop students’ curiosity for the world around them Enjoys knitting, baking, camping, and horseback riding

Enjoys golf, reading, playing cards, and basketball, having once attended the same basketball camp as Michael Jordan “I hope to get students to think, be responsible, serve others, and lead.”

Brian Pacifico LOWER SCHOOL LEARNING GUIDE University of Akron

Charity Rose

Enjoys photography, cooking, reading, kayaking, running, biking, and listening to live music Inspired by other people’s courage and perseverance

Tonderai Tomu P ’35 UPPER SCHOOL LEARNING SUPPORT/ CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK & FIELD COACH DePaul University Indiana Tech University

Former experience designer at COSI, developing content for exhibitions and COSI on Wheels programs

Speaks four different languages and enjoys long bike rides, grilling, track & field, and cross country

“It’s inspiring to see students ask and investigate a question, reason their way through a problem, think outside the box, and persevere.”

Hopes to foster in students a mutual respect and understanding for the opinions, cultural practices, ethnicities, and religions of others

Colleen Paternostro MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH AND LANGUAGE ARTS The University of South Carolina

She has lived in seven different states and enjoys travelling to different countries. Her last trip was to Ireland “I can shape the world by allowing students to value multiple perspectives through their exploration in literature.”

Alyson Vigneron P ’33 EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING GUIDE Otterbein University University of Warwick

Owner and founder of Tres Bien Studios, where she offered voice, harp, and piano lessons to toddlers and preschoolers “I hope to help little ones explore their world and find their voice.”

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À Bientôt Madame Baker through travel. “I love it when students write to tell me that they have maintained contact with their French hosts or that they are planning to study abroad, largely because of their exchange experience.”

After 30 years as an upper school French teacher and mentor to countless Wellington students, Madame Maria Baker P ’00 ’08 retired this spring.

Madame Baker was first introduced to Wellington shortly after finishing her MA in French literature at The Ohio State University and remembers receiving such a warm greeting by faculty and students that she was thrilled to join the community. The educational philosophy and collaborative nature at the school were both enormously influential in how she would frame her approach to teaching.

In return, Baker left her own indelible mark on Wellington as a champion of meaningful travel experiences for students as well as volunteer opportunities for them to give back to the community.

Some of Baker’s most rewarding moments as a teacher came from hearing about the lifelong connections many of her students have developed

One of her fondest memories from her time at Wellington was a day in which the school was closed due to severe cold weather, but she and a group of students and faculty had already been scheduled to serve lunch at The Largest Table at St. John’s Church. The group enthusiastically honored their commitment, showing up to cook and serve lunch as well as provide musical accompaniment, compliments of The Blue Notes jazz ensemble.

“Madame Baker is the most inspiring teacher for me at Wellington because she played a huge role in a lot of volunteer opportunities during high school,” recent graduate Serene Albdelbaki ’20 shared about Baker’s passion for service learning.

outside of academics. They didn’t have to excel at music to be in the band or be outstanding at soccer to be on the team.

Furthermore, they each found an area to be passionate about.”

Now looking toward a future filled with travel and lots of time with her grandchildren, Baker will always remember the fun she had at Wellington, surrounded by good people who were quick to enjoy a good laugh together.

Reflecting back, she will miss the dayto-day interactions with students, those seemingly small moments that were often quite meaningful. She will be missed for making them so memorable.

PICTURED Baker with Patty Hans P ’17 ’20, Curt Hansen P ’12 ’15, and Chris Robbins P ’17 ’22 in front of Le Sacré-Coeur in Paris

As a parent of two Wellington grads, Alex ’00 and Catherine ’08, Baker had an additional perspective with which she could appreciate the extraordinary work of her colleagues. “Apart from the exposure to many good teachers who encouraged them to think,” she explained, “I liked the fact that my children were able to try many activities

Thanks to our innovative, creative, dedicated, and caring faculty and staff who make our school such a wonderful place to work and learn, Wellington was named a Columbus CEO Top Workplace for the 8th year in a row.

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THE JAG • 2020

Watercolor by SAIA PATEL ’31

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A CLOSER LOOK

Second Star to the Right and Straight on Until Broadway

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From pirates and tyrants to spelling-bee mayhem and madness, the Wellington Theatre Department daringly tackled two Tony-winning musicals for the 2019-20 season.

The thrilling adventure behind Peter Pan’s origin story was brought to life in “Peter and the Starcatcher.” Peter and his mates, shipped off to sea from Victorian England, become the unwitting heroes in this delightful tale of friendship, duty, and love triumphing over greed and despair when they must protect precious cargo from the fearsome Black Stache.

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Far more formidable, though, is the middle school spelling bee.

When a group of hilariously eclectic pre-teen youths compete in the championship of a lifetime, nothing spells success like sharing candid stories about their lives in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Stress, anxiety, and despair have never been so much fun...or hard to s-p-e-l-l.

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THE JAG • 2020

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PICTURED 1. Rory O’Sullivan ‘21 2. Kate Harvey-Thurston ‘22, Owen Roth ’21, and company 3. Kate Harvey-Thurston ‘22, Lexi Robbins ‘22, Rory O’Sullivan ‘21, Allison Klingler ‘23, Elliot Roth ‘21, Maya Avery ‘23 4. Kate Harvey-Thurston ‘22 5. Maya Hammond ‘20 6. Grant Wheeler ‘20 and company 7. Lexi Robbins ‘22 8. Kate Hans ‘20 9. Elliot Roth ‘21 10. Kate Hans ’20, Mari Hannah ‘21, Lexi Robbins ‘22 11. Lola Perez ‘21

9 12. Elliot Roth ‘21

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ATHLETICS

Hole in Won Season for Boys Golf the final round, Schumer doublebogeyed No. 13 but birdied No. 14 and closed with a birdie on No. 18, finishing just one stroke ahead of his top competitors, to take the title.

It was a record-breaking year for boys golf as they finished the season with a number of impressive awards both as a team and individually. After winning the CDAB District Team Championship, they went on to earn State Runner-Up for the second time in the program’s history. The team also boasted the 3rd best scoring average in school history, and Aidan Schumer ’20 won the State Individual Championship.

“It feels surreal,” Schumer told ThisWeek News in October. “I made about a 15-footer on the last hole to take it by one (stroke), so I feel like my short game was key.”

Schumer, having shot 75 in the first round and 73 in the second for a total of 148, was the first Wellington player to earn medalist honors at state. During

The team came back from entering the final round one stroke behind Hiland, shooting a 318 in the opening round, with a 326 while the Hawks shot a 311.

After shooting 76 in the opening round to tie for ninth out of 72 golfers, Carsten Judge ’21 carded an 80 in the second round with a 156, earning him second-team all-state honors.

Rounding out the team were Garrett Thesing ’20 (162, tied for 17th), freshman Sidd Ganesh ’23 (180, 46th) and Jackson Jacobs ’22 (191, tied for 61st).

“I think our program’s success all came due to buy-in,” Coach Craig Mosier ’01 says, “I don’t know that I have a magic formula that can be applied for this, but players on our team wanted to play well for themselves and for their teammates.”

• State Runner-Up Team Finish • State Individual Championship, Aidan Schumer ’20 • OHSAA District Team Championship • 3rd best scoring average in school history

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THE JAG • 2020

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BOYS GOLF Left: Coach Craig Mosier ’01, Garrett Thesing ’20, Jackson Jacobs ’22, Aidan Schumer ’20, Sidd Ganesh ’23, and Carsten Judge ’21 1: Aidan Schumer ’20

2: Aidan Schumer ’20 and Craig Mosier ’01 3: Garrett Thesing ’20 4: Carsten Judge ’21

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Team Spirit and Friendship Take Girls Tennis Down the Line

OHSAA District and State tournaments.

Even though the team also endured some tough losses, one of them being to Columbus Academy, the majority were wins. With the help of their coach, Rebecca Hinze ’96, and the tremendous support of the Wellington community, the already talented players were able to not only have one of their best seasons yet, but also gave us a glimpse into their surefire success that is to come.

On top of their amazing end of season record, the team was able to

Back L-R: Aashika Katapadi ’15, Ella Marshall ’22, Lauren Okoye ’22, Camille Olmstead ’20, Kate Thompson ’23, Alexis Burkhalter ’22, Coach Rebecca Hinze ’96 Front L-R: Olivia Vegas ’22, Cassidy Chenelle ’23, Katie Zerbi ’23 46

THE JAG • 2020

• Wellington Cup Champions • Katie Zerbi ’23 and Alexis Burkhalter ’22 finished 4th in State Tournament • 2nd place in MidState League

By Katie Zerbi ’23

It’s been quite a year for the girls varsity tennis team. With their impressive 12-3 record and other successes, the team has shown that they are a force to be reckoned with. Throughout the season the team collected wins against schools such as Bexley, Johnathan Alder, Columbus School for Girls, Dublin Scioto, and even teams outside of their division. They also collected victories at tournaments such as the annual Wellington Cup, the Columbus School for Girls Doubles Tournament, and the

• 12-3 Win/Loss Record

extend their season quite a bit while competing at the district and state level. Many of the players won matches at the district tournament, and the freshman-sophomore doubles team of Katie Zerbi ’23 and Alexis Burkhalter ’22 won districts as well as placed 4th at States. The team’s success at both of those tournaments was not only one of the major highlights of the entire season but was also an incredible experience for all those involved. The high-level wins were all the more impressive because all the players on the varsity team were 9th and 10th graders, with the exception of senior captain Camille Olmstead.

Even though winning was the goal, the team spirit and friendships formed by the players were the real prizes. As the season went on, the girls became closer as a team and also connected with the Wellington community. They drew quite a crowd at home matches and also had a sizable fan section at away matches.

The team not only helped make a name for girls tennis at Wellington but also showed there is much more to come.

They will undoubtedly return next year better than ever.

THE PERFECT MATCH POINT Doubles partners Alexis Burkhalter ’22 and Katie Zerbi ’23 share their path to success.

What made you two such a great doubles team?

Alexis: Chemistry. Katie and I pushed each other all season to make each other better single players. When we decided to play doubles together it just felt right. Katie and I are friends on and off the court, neither of us took offense when correcting each other’s mistakes, and we both had fun playing with each other.

What was the best advice Coach Hinze gave you?

Katie: To me, Coach Hinze felt like one of my biggest supporters. She helped me see not only my personal potential but also the potential of the team. During one of our final practices before we would go compete at states, Coach Hinze came up to me and told me that I had earned my place at the tournament and that I wouldn’t be at that place if I wasn’t a great player. She then told me to go out and play my best and believe in myself no matter what the outcome was.

Were there any challenges you had to overcome this season?

Alexis: The only thing we had to overcome was not believing in ourselves. There were a lot of hard teams we had to face, but once we hyped each other up it made things better.

You are the first doubles team at Wellington to win a match at state since 1989 when Jennifer Beahm ’90 and Julie Beahm ’93 took the championship, as well as the first school players to earn a victory at state since 2014,

when Aashika Katapadi ’15 won her first-round singles match. How does it feel to be a part of our school’s athletic history?

Katie: Being able to represent Wellington at the State tournament for the first time in five years was not only an amazing experience but was also a great honor. Although it was our goal, I never expected Alexis and I would get that far and especially did not expect us to place fourth.

I am very proud that I got to accomplish my goals as a Wellington Jaguar and am very excited to compete again next year.

What moment were you most proud of?

Alexis: I was most proud of us to coming back and winning during our district finals match because it was really hard to do that, especially in such a scary match that we already had so many nerves going into it.

What are your hopes for next season and beyond?

Katie: I believe that our team has the potential to be state champions, which is my biggest hope for the coming seasons. We have a lot of talent and, because our team is very young, I think we have a lot of room to grow and become the best that we can be. I also would hope that Alexis and I would not only return to the State tournament but when we go back, we would bring home a championship. I am very excited to see what next season has to offer and see where it takes us.

PICTURED Zerbi and Burkhalter take the District Championship.

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A Dominating Season for Boys Soccer

By Adenola Atekoja ’20

Boys varsity soccer made history this year by becoming the first soccer team in Wellington history to secure the title of state champions.

Under the leadership of head coach J.J. Bain ’06, assisted by Aaron Clayton and Maziya Chete, the boys boasted an impressive 182-3 regular season record, as well as scoring 40 unanswered goals during the postseason, showing their dominance and making a statement as a major Division III powerhouse.

These statistics in mind, their state championship run may seem like a walk in the park, but what these numbers do not show is all of the hard work and dedication that has been fostered by a team culture unlike any other.

After a crushing 7-2 defeat to rival school Grandview Heights ended their promising tournament run during the 2018-19 postseason, the team was more motivated than ever to improve during the break and get back to winning ways. Though they

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Eoin Basobas O’Carroll ’21

went into this season being heavily favored to make a deep tournament run, their path to success was anything but straightforward. Coming off of a disappointing yet successful season the year before, the Jags suffered heavy losses, having graduated eleven seniors, including captains Katz Kadlic ’19 and John Riley O’Toole ’19.

Driven by the loss of these key assets and mentors, the team pushed themselves throughout the preseason and entered the new year with high aspirations. Led by returning captain Eli Dulle ’20, as well as first year captains Freddie Lin ’20 and Nick Robinson ’20, the Jags got off to a good start to the season, securing early victories against Bloom Carroll and Buckeye Valley, and tying a good Division I side in St. John’s Jesuit. The team yet again showed its quality and character, losing narrowly to a strong Hilliard Davidson side 5-4. These performances within their division, and surprise results against teams

from higher divisions, saw the Jags climb the state rankings.

Important results against rivals Columbus Academy and Worthington Christian helped the boys cement their position as serious contenders for the state championship, and a 2-0 win over Bexley secured the team a first-place tie in their league. The Jags also got their revenge from the year before, taking down Grandview Heights 1-0 at Robert’s Field.

Going into the tournament, the team was expected to make a deep run. However, the Jags blew their opponents out of the water, exceeding all previous expectations.

An electric offense, featuring captain Freddie Lin ’20, who had 31 goals and 13 assists on the season, ran rampant during each and every game.

Combined with a rock-solid defense, led by captain Nick Robinson ’20, and a midfield that adapted to every situation, the Jags shut out all of their postseason opponents, producing

an astounding 40-0 goals scored to goals conceded ratio. The team showed total dominance, even in the state championship game. The opposing Bluffton High School Pirates were no match for the boys soccer team, who put up four goals in front of a huge crowd at MAPFRE Stadium, including a hat trick from Ahmet Ozer ’20 in the first half.

Senior Adenola Atekoja credits their success to the unique team culture, saying “it started with the guys before us who built the foundation for this team. This is one of the best groups I’ve ever been with, and I’ll miss every single one of them. I’ve never been a part of a team with vibes like this one. J.J. really helped to get that to us, telling us that in our journey to states we could never ‘tread water while trying to swim the English Channel,’ which means that we could not stop pushing ourselves at any point during the season. Now look at us, it worked.”

Unfortunately, the team loses eleven seniors yet again including captains Eli Dulle, Freddie Lin, and

Nick Robinson. Also graduating are Adenola Atekoja, Noah Jones-Beyene, William Reid, Zeke Lloyd, Julian Shuttleworth, Zakaria Ahmed, Ahmet Ozer, and Vince Hall, all of whom played a huge part in the success of the program over the years.

They have all contributed to shaping the defining culture of the team, and will forever be remembered as the first state champions in Wellington soccer history.

Despite these losses, Jags will look to defend their title next year, this time under the leadership of three new captains: Eoin Basobas O’Carroll ’21, Jordan Livits ’21, and Henry Lin ’22.

Some might say that with so many graduating seniors the Jags will be underdogs next year, but based on the success the program has experienced under Coach Bain, there is every reason to doubt this talk. Anyway, even if they are not the favorites to win, there is no reason to count out this group. Besides, who doesn’t like an underdog?

• MSL Ohio Division Champs • MSL Cardinal division champs for previous two years • Undefeated in three years of MSL play since joining in 2017 • Undefeated vs Division 2 & 3 teams • First ever backto-back district championship and three district championships in 4 years • 98 Goals for and 16 goals against in the regular season and tournament combined • 40 goals for and 0 goals against in the tournament (7 games)

PICTURED Boys varsity soccer team at the state championship

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Alumni Coaches Make an Impact At the heart of every great sports team is great leadership, and no relationship more important than between coach and player. Unique in its complexity and influence, the bond between the two can resemble teacher and student, parent and child, friendship, and fan club at any given moment, or even sometimes all at once. For the Wellington alumni coaches, Rebecca Spears Hinze ’96, Craig Mosier ’01, and J.J. Bain ’06, the opportunity to forge that deeply impactful bond with a new generation of Jags was a calling they couldn’t leave unanswered.

All three made Wellington history by taking their teams to state championships this fall. Hinze coached the girls tennis doubles partners Katie Zerbi ’23 and Alexis Burkhalter ’22 to a 4th place victory. Mosier coached boys varsity golf to a state runner-up title and Aidan Schumer ’20 to the state individual title. Bain coached the boys varsity soccer team to a state title.

Before they could lead their teams to success on the state level, Hinze, Mosier, and Bain were Wellington student athletes themselves.

Hinze played varsity tennis for four years, learning, what she recalls, valuable lessons in time management and to have clear goals. “There were

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THE JAG • 2020

PICTURED Alexis Burkhalter ’22, Katie Zerbi ’23, and Rebecca Spears Hinze ’96

times that tennis took precedence over other events,” she remembers, “but having a purpose kept me on a focused path. Specifically at Wellington, being on a team with a variety of players taught me why I loved tennis, and took out a sense of competition among friends. We all wanted different things out of our time on the court, but we also wanted to play as a team and represent our school.”

One of Hinze’s favorite memories was having the entire team leave school to watch her play in states. She felt a similar sense of pride when, years later, the girls tennis team she was coaching impressed her with their mutual support for each other, even though as individuals they could be quite different. She recalls their success being the result of wanting

to build each other up and come together as one amazing team.

For Mosier, playing four years of golf and tennis at Wellington paved the way for a college athletic career in which he played in two NCAA DIII Championships with the Denison University Golf team. Mosier believes if he hadn’t started playing sports at Wellington, he would have never become a coach. “This has been my biggest opportunity to give back to the Wellington community,” he said. “To help players learn discipline, and grow in their athletics, but also applying that discipline to their schoolwork and other passions.”

Watching the team grow together as they followed up their best season in school history and led by two seniors, Aidan Schumer and Garret Thesing,

“I want them to have the confidence to take on challenges, and know how to be a reliable and positive member of a team, community, or group.”

J.J. BAIN ’06, BOYS VARSITY SOCCER TEAM COACH

who had developed impressively over the last four years, made Mosier tremendously proud. Coaching Schumer to be Wellington’s first ever individual state champion was another career highlight.

Bain believes that what makes a winning team, aside from lots of hard work, is a group of players who have a strong sense of their role and responsibility to each other at any given moment on the field. As a former Division I soccer player for Cornell University and later for the United Soccer League’s River Plate Puerto Rico, he has keen insight into what team sports have to offer young athletes, including a better understanding of group dynamics and how to best maximize collective power.

When he first started coaching, Bain wanted to cultivate in his team the same joy and wonder he felt as a player. In recent years, he has become more intentional about trying to develop student athletes who can problem solve and also adapt to any situation. “Ultimately most of the players I coach won’t even play soccer in college,” Bain says, “but I do want them to have the confidence to take on challenges, and know how to

be a reliable and positive member of a team, community, or group.”

During his own time as a Wellington student, playing soccer and basketball all four years of upper school, Bain developed disciplined routines and habits that served to build self-

in life. Reflecting back on the 2011 State Championship golf team, he remembers several players had no interest in playing collegiate golf, but went on to become a physician, aeronautical engineer, and a software developer.

PICTURED Craig Mosier ’01, Aidan Schumer ’20, Garrett Thesing ’20, Carsten Judge ’21, Sidd Ganesh ’23, Jackson Jacobs ’22

confidence and belief in himself.

“Being a student athlete also gave me the opportunity to develop friendships with people I may not have gotten to know otherwise,” he says, “and therefore broaden my perspective.”

Commitment and effort are what bring success, Mosier believes, for any path a student athlete follows

Hinze hopes the players she has coached will remain steadfast in their belief in themselves. She also wants them to understand that accomplishing their dreams is the manifestation of their hard work, and being a part of a successful team is a journey to cherish. “When an athlete looks at you, and they know they can do it, it’s magical to watch,” Hinze says.

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2019-2020 ATHLETIC AWARD WINNERS

OHSAA Scholarship Nominees Maddy Morosky ’20 Garrett Thesing ’20 Eli Burkhardt ’20 Freddie Lin ’20 Dispatch Scholars Eli Burkhardt ’20 Freddie Lin ’20 Rising Star Award Aurius Calloway ’22 Katie Zerbi ’23

1

Archie Griffin Award Josh Wooddell ’20 Mia Croft ’20

George Callanan Dives into First Place Finish at States

Wellington was also represented impressively by Taylor Vargo ’21, who placed 19th with 212.35 points, and Olivia Robinson ’23, who finished 24th with 135.0 points.

Congratulations to the diving team’s big splash at the competition.

Named on List of Top Boys High School Sports Programs 52

THE JAG • 2020

Courageous Athlete Award Sarah Anderson ’20 (8) Game Changer Award Elijah Meredith ’20 (5)

George Callanan ’21 took home the boys state championship title in Diving this February. With 469.5 points, he finished nearly 45 points ahead of the runnerup. Callanan went into the Division II finals as a No. 1 seed and did not disappoint at the Branin Natatorium in Canton. Wellington also boasted having the area’s only two competitors on the boys’ side, with Taso Callanan ’21, George’s twin brother, placing 4th with 402.75 points. It was a remarkable progression for the brothers as, last season, George finished 4th at state and Taso placed 7th.

Wellington

Award for Excellence Maddy Morosky ’20 Trevor Ball ’20

Athlete of the Year Eli Burkhardt ’20 Eli Dulle ’20 State Award Ryan Ray ’20 Coach of the Year J.J. Bain ’06 OHSAA Scholar Athlete Garrett Thesing ’20 Kath Olson ’20 (8)

2

Downey Spirit and Service Award Julian Shuttleworth ’20 Individual State Champions Aidan Schumer ’20 George Callanan ’21 (3)

3

Wellington was ranked 17th in the nation for boys high school athletics

by MaxPreps. The MaxPreps Cup determines the top high school athletic programs in the country based on several factors, including state championships, state runner-up finishes, and placement in national rankings. Points are also awarded based on the size of the state, the popularity of the sport, the enrollment playoff level and the number of teams competing in the enrollment playoff level. Go Jags!

FALL AWARD WINNERS

MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES AWARDS 7/8 Soccer Matthew Dittrick ’24 Armaan Chaudhary ’24 Girls Tennis Simrin Ruegsegger ’24 Samika Varma ’24 Golf Katherine Armitage ’25 (6) Bo Huang ’26 Cross Country Cameron Petitt ’25 (6) Hannah Guffrey ’24

AWARD WINNERS

4

5

8

7

UPPER SCHOOL OHIO DIVISION MID STATE LEAGUE BASKETBALL BOYS Player of the Year Elijah Meredith ’20 (5) 2nd team Marcus Stewart ’21 (4) Honorable Mention Connor Herrick ’20 GIRLS Honorable Mention Dani Casline ’23 (2)

UPPER SCHOOL OHIO DIVISION - MID STATE LEAGUE SOCCER BOYS Player of the Year Eli Dulle ’20 1st team: Eli Dulle ’20 Freddie Lin ’20 Nick Robinson ’20* 2nd team: Ahmet Ozer ’20, Jordan Livits ’21 3rd team: Henry Lin ’22, Adenola Atekoja ’20 GIRLS 1st team: Sloane Shock ’22 Mary Morosky ’22 (1) 2nd team: Eli Burkhardt ’20 Maddy Morosky ’20 3rd team: Christine Cooke ’21

SWIMMING & DIVING 1st Team – Heath Thomas ’21 (7) 1st Team – George Callanan ’21 (3) State Qualifier Heath Thomas ’21 (7) State Qualifier Olivia Robinson ’23 (3) State Qualifier – Taylor Vargo ’21 (3) State Qualifier Taso Callanan ’21 (3) State Champion George Callanan ’21

*only team in league with three 1st team players

WELLINGTON WINTER SPORTS

WINTER AWARD WINNERS

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Girls Swimming Katherine Armitage ’25 (6) Natalie Allen ’24 (6)

MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES AWARDS 5/6 Boys Basketball Will Bernard ’26 (6) Jibreel Askira ’26 (6) 7th Boys Basketball Owen Barry-Wilson ’25 (6) Isaac Brady ’25 (6) 8th Boys Basketball Arjun Tonapi ’24 Jack Spicer ’24 (6) Girls Basketball Alexa Fischer ’24 (6) Micah Suchland-Winnubst ’26 (6) Girls Basketball Kyla Chenelle ’25 (6) Alexis Smith ’26 (6) Boys Swimming Cameron Petitt ’25 (6) Koen Kwak ’25 (6)

CHEER TEAM 9th Place at States Audrey Arman ’21 (9) Sophia Cencer ’21 (9) Caroline Cooke ’21 (9) Marionna Hannah ’21 (9) Savanna Riley ’21 (9) Lauren Sabol ’21 (9) Trinity Scott ’21 (9) Jessica Seitz ’22 (9)

AWARD WINNERS

VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL R.O.A.R - Elijah Meredith ’20 (5) Coaches - Chase Ouellette ’22 Anthony Jackson Connor Herrick ’20 JV Jag - Max Schaeffer ’23 VARSITY GIRLS SWIMMING/ DIVING R.O.A.R. - Sarah Anderson ’20 (8) Coaches - Kath Olson ’20 (8) P.A.W.S. - D’nisa Oocumma ’20 (8) VARSITY BOYS SWIMMING/ DIVING R.O.A.R. Heath Thomas ’21 (7) George Callanan ’21 (3) Coaches - Avery Rennick ’21 P.A.W.S - Will Miller ’21 SPIRIT SQUAD R.O.A.R. - Marionna Hannah ’21

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ALUMNI

Virtual Alumni Weekend 2020

By Johnny Riddle Alumni Relations & Affinity Officer

While we were unable to gather inperson this year, that didn’t stop us from connecting and celebrating with alumni from all over the country for Wellington’s first-ever Virtual Alumni Weekend. Thanks to the commitment and flexibility of the dedicated Alumni Weekend Committee, Jaguars were able to gather for the Virtual Alumni Career Night and the Virtual Alumni Celebration via everyone’s new favorite platform, Zoom.

On Thursday, May 14, more than 40 alumni joined current students, parents, faculty, and staff for a fast paced evening of programs and networking.

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The evening began with a powerful keynote address from Andres Marquez-Lara ’00 on the importance of adaptability through social scripts and addressing the hurdles placed in our way, both internally and externally. Next, attendees were able to break off into small groups based on industry, allowing for networking and gaining better insight from those in the same or a brand new field. The evening ended with three breakout panel discussions on Building a Business, Getting the Job, and Picking a Lane, where attendees were able to pick the brains of entrepreneurs, HR professionals, and

a career counselor. Many thanks to Jacqueline Blount ’98, James Barnett ’10, Duncan Forbes ’04, Jacob Robinson ’10, and Elliot Schneier ’97 for being panelists.

On Saturday, May 16, we gathered together for the Virtual Alumni Celebration to honor alumni and community members who have made a tremendous impact at Wellington and around the world with the Athletic Hall of Fame Inductions and the Distinguished Alumni Award. Swim coach Bill Miller P ’15 ’17 ’21 spoke to the commitment to excellence and dedication to teammates he saw from 2020 Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Peter Campbell ’10. Adam ’00 and Summer Roberts ’06 talked about how meaningful it was to have their parents and inductees Bill & Joyce Roberts supporting them, their teammates, and the entire athletic program through acts big and small. Lastly, Anna Taft ’97 was named the fifth Distinguished Alumni Award winner, which was made all the more special by the heartfelt sentiments from her mother and former First Lady of Ohio, Hope Taft.

The morning concluded with a small reunion where alumni were able to casually catch up with each other and some favorite faculty members.

Black Alumni Forum and Decade Groups We, as a country, are going through a period of reflection unlike anything seen in nearly a halfcentury. As headlines speak of the social unrest that has followed the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many other Black Americans, the nation is looking in the mirror and identifying the flaws in the systems that are no longer acceptable.

On July 29, over 20 Black alumni joined Wellington administration, affinity leaders, and moderator Kimberly Brazwell via Zoom to reflect on and discuss their Wellington experience.

Kimberly gave alumni a prompt to help initiate their stories and also provided support as an expert in trauma. Many powerful stories were shared and important discussions began, with alumni recognizing their experiences varied quite differently over the years. Some felt there were numerous opportunities to celebrate and learn about Black history and culture, while others felt both were overlooked, if not ignored. The key difference, as identified by the alumni, was that too much of the responsibility was placed on the students, rather than Wellington, to create those opportunities.

The conversation was a starting point for a longer, larger discussion about our school’s efforts to improve the experiences of current and future Black students. Led by Tanikka Price ’92, Elise Preston ’04, and Jacob Robinson ’10, Black alumni

by decade will continue to meet in small groups to continue to connect with each other, tell their stories, and discuss growth opportunities for Wellington. Each group has been or will be supported by one of the current leaders of the Female Students of Color group: Me-Chelle Burkhalter P ’22, Dara Jackson, and Makiva McIntosh P ’31.

In the near future, we will convene all of the groups to have a second large group conversation.

In the meantime, if you are a Black alum of the ’90s or ’89 and would like join the next conversation, please contact Tanikka Price ’92 at tanikkacprice@gmail.com.

If you are a Black alum of the ’00s, please contact Elise Preston ’04 at preston.elise@gmail.com.

If you are a Black alum of the ’10s or ’20, please contact Jacob Robinson ’10 at jacob.r.robinson@gmail.com for more information.

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THE CLASS OF

1997

ALUMNI

Alumni News THE CLASS OF

THE CLASS OF

1991

1992

Becca Blackwell had a role in the 2019 Academy Award nominated film “Marriage Story.” Most recently, Becca can be seen in an episode of the Hulu Original series “Ramy.”

Nahad Sadr-Azodi after six wonderful years with UNICEF, working and living in the Pacific and the Middle East, and his family are returning home as his twins, Payvand and Jahanara, get ready to enter 1st grade. They feel fortunate to join a community in Central Oregon and are ready to host anyone interested in enjoying the outdoors and dozens of microbreweries in the area. Nahad can be reached at nsadraz@hotmail.com.

Ashley Koff, registered dietician and New York Times contributor, hosted a virtual “lunch and live chat” all about navigating health and wellness during extended stays at home.

THE CLASS OF

1995

Sophia (Baidya) Mohr was named as Central Ohio Transit Authority’s (COTA) first chief innovation officer.

COTA President/CEO Joanna Pinkerton stated, “I know Sophia’s ability to forge relationships with private and public partners, and her skills in leading bold initiatives that are both innovative and consumer focused will be essential to providing the best service for central Ohioans.”

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THE JAG • 2020

Tyler Bohm had a solo exhibition of his tech-inspired mixed media artwork called “Does Not Compute” featured at 934 Gallery in Columbus.

In March, Advanced Studio Arts students met with Tyler to discuss his inspiration, process, and journey as a working artist.

Idin Pirasteh and Julie Martin were married this past May during an intimate ceremony at their home. Idin’s best friend and fellow Wellington alum Andy Farber ’97 attended.

Anna Taft has been enjoying staying home in Colorado during the pandemic and connecting with many people around the world through Zoom and WhatsApp. She was happy to reconnect with Aisha Wilks Mitchell ’95 and they are planning to collaborate on a remote student exchange program for her students at Linden McKinley STEM Academy and the Tandana Foundation scholarship students in Ecuador. Also, Anna has been teaching a remote course for Whitman College on “Health in Ecuador and Mali: Pandemic, Race, Culture” that features many speakers from both Ecuador and Mali.

THE CLASS OF

2000 Andres Marquez-Lara is a serial social entrepreneur who has spent much of his career starting businesses to help to maximize the efficiency of teams looking to tackle social and environmental issues. When it became apparent that the COVID-19 crisis would be worldwide and the current system of supply allocation was not going to cut it, he reached out to others in this entrepreneurial venture to create Operation COVID-19.

Operation COVID-19 helps connect hospitals, healthcare centers, and governments with the life-saving medical supplies and test kits they need to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Whitney Braunstein Masulis is volunteering for a campaign in New York City called Meals4heroes that provides nutritious food to hospital staff who are working through the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic. She and her husband Alex were already staying home with her mother Suzanne, wearing masks, and washing their hands, and they wanted to do more to support our COVID-19 healthcare workers.

THE CLASS OF

2002 Jessica J. Alcalde launched her own line of leather goods including handbags, wallets, and accessories called JJALCADE. All pieces are made in her studio in Brooklyn.

THE CLASS OF

THE CLASS OF

2003

2010

John and Jessica (Brown) Ohsner welcomed Jacob Jeffrey on February 14, 2019! He joins big brother James.

Chris Noble and Jacob Robinson ’10 have partnered with School Counselor Craig Jones to launch a mentorship program for boys of color in the upper school. The goal of the program is to help boys of color at Wellington maximize their high school experience and prepare for their post-graduate endeavors. The program includes pairing interested students with alumni mentors and hosting monthly lunches where alumni speak to students about their academic experiences and careers. Past alumni speakers include David Beard ’09, a dentist, Cameron Edmonson ’16, a student-athlete at Otterbein University, Jonathan Robinson ’13, a healthcare consultant, and Armand Troy ’09, an agent/ entrepreneur in the music industry.

Through the speaker series and oneon-one mentorship opportunities, this program has not only become a valuable resource for upper school boys of color, but also a source of community for students and alumni alike.

THE CLASS OF

2005 Colin Peters recently started his own law practice, Colin Peters Law, LLC, where he focuses on criminal defense work.

Joey Ross married Gaby Aroca.

THE CLASS OF

2006 J.J. Bain received the Mid-State League Championship Coach of the Year for the 3rd year in a row. J.J. received this honor after leading the boys varsity soccer team to their firstever state championship.

THE CLASS OF

2009 Brooke O’Brien has started a new job with Wells Fargo as an Institutional Equity Sales Associate. In this role, Brooke manages equity relationships with top hedge fund clients.

THE CLASS OF

2011

Negesti Kaudo won 1st Prize in the Storm Cellar 2020 Force Majeure Flash Contest for their piece “The One Where My Femme Swallows You Whole”!

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THE CLASS OF

2012

Alexis Mallett married Jordan Barclay on July 31 surrounded by her Wellington bridesmaids Sejal Crouser ’12, Annie (Kapp) Crist ’12, and Abigail Kulewicz ’12.

Rowan Winterwood returned to directing with the Actors’ Theatre of Columbus production of “OR” that ran January 10-26. Upon closing of the production, Rowan moved into the role of Associate Artistic Director.

THE CLASS OF

2013

Nashville, Tennessee, in the summer and fall of 2019. Max recorded all the bass parts on the album, and also provided lead vocals on one song.

Additionally, Max graduated from Ohio University in December 2019 with a BA in German. He now resides in Columbus, Ohio, and works as a freelance translator. One of his translations has appeared in the book “Hungarian Sabre and Fokos Fencing”

by Russ Mitchell, for which he translated excerpts of a 1796 Austrian treatise on sabre fencing.

John Schoellkopff recently accepted a job as a materials science engineer for Sandvik Materials Technology in Scranton, PA. His new position has already provided opportunities ranging from travelling to Sweden and Canada to participating in ASTM International and ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) conventions.

THE CLASS OF

2015

Elizabeth Zimmerman is thrilled to announce that she has gotten engaged to her fiance Alex and is busy planning their upcoming wedding!

Additionally, they welcomed a new member to their family, Cheech.

Christie Currie returned last school year to share her story at All Things Wellington, from her transformative time at Wellington to her battle with a rare form of cancer.

And now she’s channeled her life experiences and passions into a dynamic startup, Zandaland.

Nicholas Sweeney, a Diasporan Armenian on his mother’s side, worked and lived in Armenia last fall and winter to connect with and contribute to the land of his heritage. In addition to teaching English and guest lecturing at a university in the city of Gyumri, Nick also participated in local initiatives through Armenian NGOs in the capital city of Yerevan, devoted to women’s empowerment and environmental protection. The most memorable aspects of his experience were the relationships he has made with host families, colleagues, and diasporan Armenians from other countries.

THE CLASS OF

2016

Julia Doran started a new position as a financial services assurance staff member at EY, one of the largest professional services networks in the world.

THE CLASS OF

2014 Maximilian Schmitz and his psychedelic rock band, The Burning Brain Band (formerly known as Druid), released their fifth album overall, and first under the new name. The album was recorded in Athens, Ohio, and

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THE JAG • 2020

THE CLASS OF

2017 Caiti Olberding married Garrett Levy on September 19, 2020 on Hilton Head Island. Abbey Mayne ’16 served as officiant and maid of honor.

Evan Brandao hosts a radio show at Otterbein called” The Boulevard” every Wednesday from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on 97.5 FM WOBN. The show consists of classic rock and interviews with musicians, actors, and business leaders from across the country.

Jaidan Cook started a new position as technical intern at Center for Analytics and Data Science at Miami University. His role supports IT efforts, as he is pursuing a degree in Information Systems and Analytics.

THE CLASS OF

2018

Sydney Wurapa released her debut single “Beautiful.”

THE CLASS OF

2019 Jack Haney recently started a position at the Ohio Democratic Party as an organizing fellow.

Ray Fu started a new position as a tax intern at Deloitte. Deloitte is an accounting organization and the largest professional services network in the world.

Abbey Marshall is in her third year at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, majoring in Global Health Studies with a minor in Biology. She earned the academic honor of Distinguished Alden Scholar, Allegheny’s equivalent of the Dean’s List, for the 2019-2020 academic year.

She maintained a 3.80 or higher grade point average for the year.

Macey Shock finished her sophomore season on the Marquette University women’s soccer team having played in 10 matches while scoring three goals and adding an assist in 312 minutes. She was also named Big East All-Academic for the second year.

Dallas Patrick was named Ohio Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week in Men’s Basketball for the Otterbein Cardinals during the 201920 season.

Skyler Perry was named to the dean’s list at Miami University for the 2020 spring semester. Skyler is majoring in Journalism and was recently published in the October ’20 issue of Men’s Health. Skyler spent the summer working with the Features editor profiling a young man who beat cancer three times by the age of 20.

You can find Skyler’s work on page 80 of the magazine.

Addie Shock is on the Marquette University women’s soccer team.

During her freshman season, Addie started nine of the 11 matches in which she appeared at center back. Addie was named Big East All-Academic for 2019-20.

Gabriela Reason Remembered The Wellington community mourns the loss of Gabriela (Karabelnik) Reason ‘96, who passed away on February 18, 2020.

Gabriela’s thirst for knowledge is remembered fondly by former French teacher, Madame Maria Baker P ’00 ’08.

“I remember Gabriela for her participation and her hard working attitude.”

After graduating from Wellington, Gabriela pursued her bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Yale University.

She later earned master’s degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and The University of Pennsylvania. Passionate about helping others, Gabriela worked as a counselor at Willow Tree Wellness and Counseling Center in Bloomsburg, PA. “Gabriela had such a kind heart, an artistic take on life and a quiet sense of humor,” shared former classmate Erin Cornett ‘96 P ’32 ’34. Fellow classmate Peter Kaser ’96 P ’27 ’29 felt that warmth as well and will “always remember her laugh and smile. She was such a kind person to all.”

Her caring nature was rooted in her faith and deep love for her husband, fellow classmate Roth Reason ’96, and their children, Phineas (8), Nadia (10), and Sophia (12). Cornett said of their close bond, “I will always remember her love for her friends and family and watching her and Roth develop an amazing life together.”

Our thoughts are with Roth, their family, and friends. She will be greatly missed in our community.

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Bob Holland and Lorraine Thomas Remembered The Wellington community mourned the loss of two very special people this year, who leave behind a legacy of service and commitment to shaping the world.

PICTURED Thomas with grandson Trevor Seitz ’19 and daughter Lori Thomas P ’17 ’19 ’22 in 2019.

Bob Holland

Lorraine Thomas

Dear friend and co-founder Bob Holland passed away in February 2020. Creating a co-ed, college-preparatory, independent school that nurtured and educated the whole child as an individual was one of Holland’s proudest moments in a life dedicated to helping others. After serving in the United States Navy, he went on to graduate from Yale University and The Ohio State University School of Law. Holland had a long, successful career as an attorney while also serving on a number of boards and as the first president of the Central Ohio Transit Authority. His commitment to community was unwavering as a two-term member of the Upper Arlington City Council, assistant city attorney, and city attorney, as well as a founding member of the Upper Arlington Rotary.

Lorraine Thomas, wife of Wellington co-founder Dave Thomas, passed away in November 2019. A lifelong philanthropist, Thomas dedicated much of her time and resources to organizations she deeply cared about. In addition to their unwavering belief in Wellington, both Lorraine and Dave Thomas established the Arthur James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, later recognized by President George H. W. Bush in a White House ceremony.

He played many important roles at Wellington, including trustee, distinguished service board member, Grandparents and Special Friends Day event chair, and Wellington Bugle caretaker; but, perhaps, none were more meaningful than that of parent and grandparent of Wellington students Justin Holland ’91, Austin Holland ’12, and Jordan Holland ’17.

Holland is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Barbara Drake Holland, who has been a tireless supporter of Wellington as well.

“We have lost an incredible man whose spirit and ambition brought The Wellington School to life,” Head of School Dr. Jeff Terwin said. “Our collective sorrow is matched only by our admiration for Mr. Holland and gratitude for his leadership. We are thankful for his wisdom and guidance in establishing a vibrant and sustainable school, and we move into the future with purpose and determination inspired

by Mr. Holland. Our tribute to Mr. Holland is to boldly look forward with optimism, strength, and resolve to continue to shape the future of education.”

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The proud matriarch of the Thomas family, Lorraine was the loving grandmother to nine Wellington graduates (Ashley Floto ’95, Andy Farber ’97, Alyson Farber ’05, Amanda Morse ’09, Corey Morse ’11, McKenzie Morse ’11, Natalie Morse ’14, J.T. Seitz ’17, Trevor Seitz ’19) and current student Jessie Seitz ’22.

“Lorraine and Dave Thomas were catalysts in the formation of our school in its earliest days,” Board Chair Ted Manley P ’21 ’24 said. “Their foundational support has impacted countless students, faculty and Wellington community members.

Lorraine’s support, along with her passion for children and education, will not be forgotten.”

PICTURED Holland with wife Barbie and granddaughter Jordan Holland ’17 in 2017.

Melting Into Place SARIM SIDDIQUI ’21

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Black Lightning JENNY SUN ’23

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