The Jag Fall 2022

JAG

THE

Fall 2022

Dear Friends, Wellington ethos to life, both figuratively and literally! I am so proud of the impactful work that Dr. Kaser contributes to his community, and I appreciate the commitment the entire Kaser family has made to Wellington.

What an energizing and inspiring time to be a part of the Wellington community. We have renewed optimism about the path ahead, and we also have benefited from a nostalgic look back as we turn 40! Back in 1982 when “E.T.” was breaking box office records and Diet Coke first showed up in grocery stores, The Wellington School was established to push back on the standardization that was becoming prevalent in schools.

Although some of the fashion options have gone out of style, what has remained at Wellington is a commitment to putting each student at the center of the learning, and creating opportunities to try new things and take on new challenges.

Supporting a connected and caring community will never go out of style, and you will see that reflected throughout these pages of The Jag. That approach is perfectly articulated in the story highlighting our distinguished alumnus honoree Dr. Dan Kaser ’99.

Dr. Kaser’s ambitious and optimistic approach to medicine, paired with an important perspective to support families of all backgrounds, brings the

As we look back on the early days, and our fledgling athletics program, I’m amazed at how we have grown to have programs that consistently compete

The pride in our past and the optimism about our future are bolstered by the remarkable support for the Believing Campaign. Watching the new building become a reality, and walking through the new teaching and community spaces, guarantees that it will be a transformational space for our students and teachers.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the campaign.

“Although some of the fashion options have gone out of style, what has remained at Wellington is a commitment to putting each student at the center of the learning, and creating opportunities to try new things and take on new challenges.”

THE JAG is published

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

EDITOR:

Jessica Young CONTRIBUTORS:

DR. JEFF TERWIN

for conference and state championships. Getting that ball rolling, and right toward the hole, was our 2011-12 state championship golf team. Coach Craig Mosier ’01 highlights the impact the team had on our winning culture in athletics, and why they are so worthy to be inducted into our Athletic Hall of Fame. Coach Tomu P ’36, one of our newest coaches and teachers, affirms the power of being a well-rounded athlete.

With his infectious and positive energy, he embraces creating connections and pushing oneself to be a better person and athlete.

Now let’s dust off those blazers with shoulder pads and pull on those neon leg warmers as we celebrate our amazing Wellington community together.

Forty looks good on us.

Go Jags!

Rene Haynes ’03 Ben Hirt Kerrie Kirkpatrick Craig Mosier ’01 Lindsey Smith P ’33 Laurie Beth Sweeney P ’29 ’33 Tonderai Tomu P ’36 Jessica Young COPY EDITORS:

Ben Anderson P ’28 Kim Catley Christine Conkle Melanie Eggleton Kerrie Kirkpatrick Amanda Pierce Brenda Porter P ’12 ’17 Laurie Beth Sweeney P ’29 ’33 PHOTO CREDITS:

Jeff Terwin Head of School

Ben Anderson P ’28 Abigail Burkhardt ’22 Kristin Cofer Benjamin Derkin Kethan Mokadam ’21 Amanda Pierce Lindsey Smith P ’33 DESIGN:

Bluewave Creative

Warm regards,

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I have the confidence to take my own path.”

DAN KASER ’99

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Dr. Dan Kaser: Deepening and Broadening Lives ON THE COVER: Dan Kaser ’99

FEATURES

GRADUATION

A CLOSER LOOK

Dr. Dan Kaser: Deepening and Broadening Lives

ATHLETICS

ALUMNI

Award Winners

Alumni News

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Ilona M. Perencevich Remembered Golf Team Inducted to Hall of Fame

Forty Years of Wellington

Jaguars’ Engaged Leadership Strengthens Community 10

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A Linguistic and Genealogical Adventure

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Celebrating 50 Years of Title IX 50

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Memory Painting

KOEN KWAK ’25 EMERSON THOMPSON ’24

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FEATURE

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Dr. Dan Kaser: Deepening and Broadening Lives

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In January 2020, Dr. Dan Kaser ’99 stood anxiously in the labor and delivery room awaiting the birth of his son. As the big moment finally arrived, the OB-GYN turned to Kaser and asked if he wanted to deliver his son.

“Absolutely!” said Kaser, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility physician, as he stepped in to guide his son, Finn, into the world.

The moment was a deeply intimate one — but it also marked the culmination of Kaser’s medical training and personal growth.

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Wellington Chemistry Classes Inspired Pursuit of Medicine Kaser’s interest in science and medicine can be traced back more than 20 years ago to his time at Wellington. Chemistry classes with Aaron Frim P ’19 stand out, and Kaser can still remember some of the experiments they conducted. Upper school biology and chemistry courses appealed to his analytical side and inspired him to pursue microbiology and pre-med as an undergraduate at The Ohio State University.

At OSU, Kaser discovered the field of endocrinology while working in a pharmacology lab where he tested novel therapeutic medications. The lab was conducting research on the neuroendocrine system of the adrenal gland — a small gland located on top of the kidneys that produces hormones that regulate metabolism, immunity, blood pressure, and stress response.

He spent more than three years in the lab and published several articles, leading him to pursue further study in endocrinology.

Kaser went to Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth with plans to become a medical endocrinologist and manage diabetes and thyroid and adrenal conditions. In his reproductive physiology course, however, he learned about third-party reproduction, a field that includes egg, sperm, and embryo donation, in vitro fertilization (IVF), and gestational surrogacy.

This discovery changed his medical school trajectory.

The field of third-party reproduction is a relatively new medical discipline that began in the late 1970s. Researchers are constantly developing and testing new therapies and technologies, and that sense of innovation resonated with Kaser.

It’s also a unique field of medicine, thanks to its potential to shape a patient’s life for years to come.

“Reproductive medicine really focuses on broadening someone’s life and making their life deeper,” said Kaser.

“To participate in that with patients is so rewarding.”

The field holds personal meaning for Kaser, as well. At the same time he was introduced to third-party reproduction in medical school, Kaser also came out as gay. He realized that his own journey to parenthood would likely include IVF, and he began to see his work as an opportunity to help others in the LGBTQ+ community build their families.

Leading the Field Only six years into his career, after 11 years of medical school and training, Kaser has opened two third-party reproduction programs, a rate that is relatively unheard of in the field.

After finishing his OB-GYN residency and fellowship in Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital — part of the Mass General Brigham system and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School — he and a colleague founded Reproductive Medicine Associates (RMA) New Jersey. The practice opened in a new 25,000­-square-foot facility that serves as an anchor for third-party reproduction in southern New Jersey.

In 2018, Kaser had an opportunity to open an RMA practice in Northern California. Kaser is now based in San Francisco and Palo Alto where he is director of the third-party reproduction and LGBTQ+ care teams, and developed the practice’s programming and staffing. The practice is thriving and the team is set to expand from three physicians to six.

“ I think back to my days at Wellington where we were encouraged to think about things differently, to ask critical questions, and design something new,” he said. “Opening one clinic, and then another three years later, involves a lot of risk.

I have the confidence to take my own path thanks to Wellington.”

Always a Jag The family story goes that Steve and Joy Kaser P ’94 ’96 ’99 enrolled their sons Adam ’94, Pete ’96, and Dan ’99 at Wellington following an offhand comment from the youngest Kaser.

When Steve dropped him off for a day of second grade at his local public school, Kaser dragged his backpack down the sidewalk. When asked why, he said it was going to be another boring day at school.

Kaser credits his entrepreneurial spirit to Wellington’s ethos and said his experience taught him to be unafraid of failure.

PICTURED Dan Kaser ’99 in upper school

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PICTURED Dan Kaser ’99

That remark precipitated the search for a new school. They found Wellington, where Kaser was excited to engage with other students who were interested in being at school and actively participating in programs and lessons.

Once at Wellington, Kaser found a focus on curiosity, trying new things, and critical thinking that were important to his self-development. Those same values and habits now play a central role when determining the best course of action for patients who desperately want to be parents.

“Wellington made me a broad citizen.

It prepared me for the world in terms of being a critical thinker and compassionate person,” said Kaser.

Kaser said he also forged lifelong connections with his classmates and faculty. The Class of 1999 has deep roots and remains close, and Kaser considers them his cohort for life. “What you go through with these

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people — marriage, divorce, death, the birth of children — it bonds you,” said Kaser. The class keeps in touch online and reconnects at reunions where they spend hours catching up.

Kaser’s continuing ties with faculty like Aaron Frim exemplify Wellington’s close relationships between students and teachers. Before a national conference presentation on oxygen tension in an embryo culture, Kaser called Frim with a question about the properties of gasses.

“If anyone had the answer, it was Mr. Frim,” said Kaser.

He even credits Wellington for introducing him to the lifelong hobbies of art, golf, and tennis. While being a father, husband, and physician keeps him busy, Kaser tries to set aside time to paint and play a casual round of golf. Kaser and his husband, Dr. Dana Carne, who met in Dartmouth’s library as first-year medical students, play tennis for exercise and enjoyment — not competition, as Kaser was quick to point out.

Due to his distinguished career and impact on the lives of his patients and the LGBTQ+ community, Kaser was awarded Wellington’s 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award. Humble to the core, when congratulated, Kaser contended that other classmates were more deserving. Still, after struggling with his identity throughout high school and college, the award is meaningful.

“To be recognized for my contributions to the LGBTQ+ community by my own school is a wonderful testament to the supportive culture at Wellington,” said Kaser.

Today, when Kaser looks at his almost 3 -year-old son, Finn, he sees an unstoppable child with limitless potential — a cherished addition to his family with Carne.

Wellington could describe Kaser in much the same way. Not only is he dear to the Wellington community, his personal and professional lives display his unstoppable and limitless character. He embodies the same character and attitude — taking risks, asking questions, serving others — that Wellington works to instill in all students.

AUDREY THIELMAN ’28

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GRADUATION

PICTURED Alexis Burkhalter ’22 Right: Dr. Jeff Terwin, Robert Boyd ’22

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Jaguars’ Engaged Leadership Strengthens Community Wellington’s 34th commencement, held on Friday, June 3, was an energizing and heartfelt tribute to the extraordinary engagement and leadership of the Class of 2022.

While their upper school years were characterized by living and learning through unprecedented times due to COVID-19, these seniors took advantage of every opportunity to engage with their classmates – to cheer on one another at art shows, sporting events, and research presentations. Instead of lamenting their changing circumstances, they rose to the challenge, demonstrating resilience and optimism that will serve them well throughout their lives.

Ambitious is an apt description of the Class of 2022.

Amongst the graduates are future forensic scientists, orthopedic surgeons, psychologists, and aeronautical engineers. Applying their passion to solve real-world problems, Wellington seniors were accepted to and matriculated at an array of schools, from Georgetown University to The Ohio State University to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

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PICTURED Zachary Ware ’22, Jackson Stoner ’22, Leroy Dannemiller ’22

The graduation ceremony, held outdoors on Wellington’s campus, began with an unusual circumstance. Aurius Calloway ’22, set to run the 300-meter hurdles in the state track meet approximately 90 minutes after the start of graduation, received his diploma immediately so he could make it to the race on time.

With the official start of graduation, students adorned in caps and gowns walked through two balloon arches while staff and faculty loudly cheered. Head of School Dr. Jeff Terwin addressed the class, marveling at how seniors adapted during a time of immense change and unrest to identify problems, recognize unfairness, and target areas of opportunity. He applauded their individual accomplishments and their dedication to the senior buddy program, a muchloved tradition which matches upper school and early childhood students to foster community connectedness.

“You are some of the strongest and most self-assured people I have ever met. You have embraced our value of Be Yourself

in ways that have clarified your own personal values and also diversified and strengthened our community,” said Terwin.

“New realities require new perspectives and new thinking. You were built for this moment.”

Approximately one-third of the Class of 2022 are Lifers, those students who have attended Wellington since prekindergarten, kindergarten, or 1st grade. To honor their commitment to the school, these students were given a blue honor cord at the Senior Celebration Dinner earlier in the week to wear at commencement.

Amer Abdelbaki ’22, recipient of the Music Award, performed Mikhail Glinka’s “The Lark” on the piano, epitomizing the exceptional talent of this year’s class. The Class of 2022 elected Jameela Askira ’22 to speak on behalf of the class.

In her address, Askira highlighted her class’s growth in maturity and unity. “Unifying together has been prevalent all throughout upper school. We always showed up for each

“You will have setbacks and failures, but in those moments, be resilient and learn to focus on what you can control. Wellington has taught you to bring unflappable optimism. Get back up, tweak your approach, and keep working. The world needs you.”

DR. JEFF TERWIN, HEAD OF SCHOOL

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CLASS OF 2022 COMMENCEMENT

other. We showed up for the spring theater production, we showed up for college athletic signings, art shows, or even something as simple as a grade gathering at Bridge Park.”

Head of Upper School Rishi Raghunathan P ’27 ’30 commended students on their journeys. After a difficult 9th grade, students rose to the challenge to become Wellington’s most engaged class their junior year. He praised students for their leadership as friends, mentors, and role models.

“Your greatest impact is yet to be fully realized.

Your class took the senior [buddy] program to a whole new level…You were the best buddies we could have asked for. When your lower school buddies are seniors, they will be inspired to give back the way you gave to them.”

1: Gavin Ray ’22 2: Alexis Robbins ’22, Chris Robbins P ’17 ’22 3: Emma Fahlgren ’22, Madelaine Fahlgren ’22 4: Eleanor Marshall ’22 5: Caleb Wooddell ’22, Jacob Goudie ’22

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The Class of 2022’s legacy is unforgettable. Their fellowship, leadership, and zeal in developing Wellington’s community have made an ineffable impact on Wellington’s community. Their energy and optimism elevated the school during the pandemic’s difficult moments. “We will miss you but we know you are ready,” said Terwin to Wellington’s newest alumni. “You are Jaguars.

You are fierce and the world needs you.”

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Listen to the playlist Dr. Terwin created for the Class of 2022

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CLASS OF 2022 COMMENCEMENT

1: Ayana Cooper ’22 2: Jake Browning ’22 3: Christian Wurapa ’22 4: Lauren Okoye ’22, Kendhyl Wilder ’22, Jameela Askira ’22, Rhea Singh ’22, Joy Neal ’22 5: Rachel Scott ’22 6: Sara Velasco ’22 7: Bob Wheeler P ’20 ’22 ’25, Robert Wheeler ’22, Kelly Wheeler P ’20 ’22 ’25

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8: Nitin Shankar ’22 9: Jameela Askira ’22 10: Lily Yu ’22, Alden HarveyThurston ’22, Keys Bond ’22 11: Chase Ouellette ’22, Drew Ober ’22

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12: Sadeq Alali ’22, Timothy Alexandrov ’22, Amer Abdelbaki ’22, Parker Haskett ’22, Josef Cios ’22, Brayden Chawla ’22, Alden Harvey-Thurston ’22

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CLASS OF 2022 COMMENCEMENT

1: Clara Evans ’22, Olivia Vegas ’22 2: Blais Blackburn ’22 3: Esha Ila ’22, Dr. Jeff Terwin 4: Aurius Calloway ’22 5: John Harpham ’22 6: Jacque Thurston Kalnicki P ’22, James Kalnicki ’22, Tom Kalnicki P ’22 7: Todd Starker P ’17 ’22, William Starker ’22, Sharla Starker P ’17 ’22

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8: Simon Anderson ’22 9: Beck Liles ’22, William Starker ’22, Jessica Seitz ’22, Macy Croft ’22, Henry Lin ’22 10: Abigail Burkhardt ’22 11: Jackson Jacobs ’22 12: Mary Morosky ’22 13: Georgia Edwards ’22, Sloane Shock ’22

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1: Clarissa Dorenbusch ’22 2: Ella McGlynn ’22 3: Robert Benjamin Polite ’22, Jessica Seitz ’22 4: Cormac Marincic ’22, Ellen Shackelford P ’22 ’24 5: Zachary Swartz ’22 6: Steve Paull ’92 P ’22, Madeline Paull ’22, Melissa Paull P ’22, Katherine Paull

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7: Alex Brello ’25, Alivia Brello ’22 8: Orion Kristel ’22, Alexander Lott ’22

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LILY ANDERSON ’28

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Over the last 40 years, students, faculty, and staff have witnessed evolving fashions, technology, and physical spaces. While so much has changed, much has stayed the same. While we may miss some elements of the past – matching windbreakers for a class trip being our favorite – Wellington has always found joy and excitement in looking toward the future. As Wellington celebrates its 40th anniversary, enjoy this look at the past and the people and programs who made the school what it is today and what it will be 40 years from now.

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GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JA C JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO AGO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO I JAGS! T GO GO JAGS! GO T JAGS! GO JAGS! H JAGS!LGO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GOEJAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO GS JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAG JAGS! JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAG GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! GO JAGS! 22

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Putting on a Show

how S a n o Put t ing

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GETTING TOGETHER

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Working HARD

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Duke Sig hting s

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GIVING BRAINS A BREAK

SAVE THE DATE SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2023

7 p.m. • The Fives Columbus

Wellington’s

40th Anniversary Gala Join us as we celebrate Wellington’s legacy of innovation and look forward to the bright futures of tomorrow’s risk-takers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries.

Interested in becoming a sponsor or serving on a committee to help make the gala a success? Please contact development@wellington.org.

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MAKENNA HENRY ’26

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A CLOSER LOOK

The 2011-12 boys golf team was inducted into Wellington’s Athletic Hall of Fame in spring 2022.

Coach Craig Mosier ’01, Jonathan Taylor ’13, Alex Schilling ’13, Nick Mayne ’13, Quinten Henricks ’13, Justin Perdue ’15, and Jack Roslovic were honored for their accomplishments, including winning the 2011 state championship. Mosier recounts the team’s struggles and successes.

A TEE-RIFIC TEAM:

2011-12 Boys Golf Team Inducted into Athletic Hall of Fame

by Craig Mosier ’01 BOYS GOLF TEAM COACH

“Wait, he’s a senior, right?”

“Yeah.”

[PAUSE]

“Let’s take this from him.”

Those words spilled out of Alex Schilling ’13, our quietest and most mild-mannered player, shortly after we hopped the fence between Wellington and The Ohio State University golf course. After the first round of the state tournament, the Jags were sitting in second place, just four shots behind the Sugarcreek Garaway team, led by the defending state individual champion Ryan Troyer.

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Schilling’s statement made it clear that this team had the instinct needed for a comeback to cap off the best season in Wellington history, and take the school’s first OHSAA team championship. A mere two holes into the final round of the tournament, Jonathan Taylor ’13, Quinten Henricks ’13, Justin Perdue ’15, Nick Mayne ’13, Jack Roslovic, and Schilling had erased the deficit and the game was on.

In high school golf, nearly half of the season is completed before school begins in the fall. By that point in 2011, the team had amassed a 77-8 record with only one of those losses against a non-Division I opponent. I felt good about how the team was positioned.

However, once school started, some players showed signs of regression while others continued to excel and maintain a high level of play. Back in August, the squad had set the goal of a state title, but we were all concerned about their uneven play as September wore on.

The Central District sectional tournament was the last tournament of September. To move on to the district championship, the team needed to finish in the top two. Luckily, they drew into the same site as Columbus Academy, putting both the 1 and 2 seeds in the same location and driving a lot of the competition away. After a performance that was good enough to move on to the district tournament, but not good enough for the players to be satisfied with their play, October arrived and a switch flipped.

the season. By practicing harder and focusing more, the Jags played their best round to that point in the season at the district tournament. They won the CDAB district championship for the third time in four years, qualifying them for the OHSAA State Championships at OSU-Scarlet.

Later that week was the final regular season tournament of the year. The Dublin Jerome Honorary Invitational was held at Riviera Golf Club and always managed to draw the best competition in the state. On top of the quality field, the tournament always happened to coincide with what everyone lovingly called “states weather.” It was cold, rainy, windy, and miserable — and the team loved it.

They battled to a 6th place finish and credit that round as one of the key elements in building their grit ahead of the final rounds of the season.

The state tournament, which took place over two days, had consistent 20 mph winds and was preceded by a few days of heavy rain. The rain left the course soft and the wind made the chutes of

tall trees that lined the fairways difficult to find. The whole team felt that the five hours of that final round raced by in a haze.

After the final player turned in his scorecard and the team milled around the 18th green, they finally understood what they had just accomplished. The championship was the defining point of the season — but it was hardly the whole story. Hours of hard work, travel, failure, and ultimately, success went into the making of the 2011 Wellington boys golf season. The student body, friends, and family will remember the season for the trophy, but the players will remember it for the entire journey.

PICTURED Left: Jack Roslovic, Coach Craig Mosier ’01, Jonathan Taylor ’13, Justin Perdue ’15 Not pictured: Alex Schilling ’13, Nick Mayne ’13, Quinten Henricks ’13 Below: Coach Craig Mosier ’01, Alex Schilling ’13, Justin Perdue ’15, Jonathan Taylor ’13, Quinten Henricks ’13, Nick Mayne ’13 Not pictured: Jack Roslovic

The weather changed, the leaves fell, and the upperclassmen on the team guided the freshmen in preparing to play the most meaningful golf of WELLINGTON • THE JAG

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A CLOSER LOOK

A LINGUISTIC AND GENEALOGICAL ADVENTURE

by Ben Hirt UPPER SCHOOL FRENCH

Over twenty years ago, while working as an assistant director for an exchange program for undergraduate students, I befriended an Alsatian family living near Strasbourg, France.

Their son, Mattéo, now lives with my family while pursuing graduate studies at The Ohio State University. Mattéo’s little brother, Éliot, even visited over the summer. Our families’ close relationship developed because of an unexpected family discovery: five years ago I found the birth, marriage, and immigration records of some of my Alsatian ancestors who came to Ohio from the village of Hattmatt in 1853. Being a French teacher and already having a 34

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strong connection to Alsace through Mattéo’s family, I needed to know more.

This inquiry led me on an epic linguistic and genealogical adventure!

In recent years, Mattéo’s family and I grew closer during my research visits to the Departmental Archives of the Lower Rhine in Strasbourg.

Thanks to this research, I was able to publish photographs and first-hand documentation online about my French ancestors, sometimes with the help of Mattéo’s mother who would aid in deciphering the ancient cursive writing of old documents. I was able to recount the lives and adventures of

my continental European family and their neighbors making their way via wagon and train from the Rhine River Valley to Le Havre to sail aboard empty cotton ships to New York and from New York to Ohio’s Black Swamp on self-built covered wagons. I show how they cleared land for farming and built log cabins in mosquito-infested forests full of wolves. I translated birth records dated with the French Republican calendar and wedding contracts exchanging furniture, equipment, oxen, and vineyards.

I found that many of the immigrants who were French by nationality during the large waves of immigration to Ohio between 1820-1850 actually spoke Alemannic German, as did many Swiss and Germans along the Rhine River. Even the Pennsylvania Dutch

spoke versions of it! This certainly explained why my family only ever spoke of German and English speakers, but not French. This inspired me to learn Alsatian, or Alsace’s branch of Alemannic German, and to participate in a crowdfunding effort for the largest Alsatian-French dictionary published to date. Mattéo’s parents, other friends, and I even practice our Alsatian together.

In my journey to reconnect with my past, I discovered more and more connections between my family’s story and others in my Ohio and Midwest community, but also connected with dozens of people in Alsace, including distant cousins and a French historian named Jean Haubenestel.

After reading his published work, I discovered that one of the individuals he had researched had traveled with my ancestors across the Atlantic!

Together, we have been working to share these stories with Saverne’s Historical Society which is located, coincidentally, in the same town where Mattéo’s grandparents lived.

This genealogical research has impacted not just my teaching in the French classroom, but my life. It has led to a greater sense of personal identification with France and an ever stronger connection to Alsace and

its people. Thanks to this journey, my family has grown. At the same time, I have learned that while my ancestors were citizens of Napoleon III, they were not really French in what some would call a traditional sense. My ancestors, like many French people, were not part of a monolithic culture. Their primary language was Alsatian, not French.

They were Protestant under a Catholic emperor. It is much more likely that they ate sauerkraut and sausages than crêpes and baguettes. This research emphasizes the diversity within France and indeed within any culture and family.

So while I am teaching about traditional French foods in my French Gastronomy class this fall, I will also start by teaching about the recent mega food phenomenon of French tacos (one of Mattéo’s family’s favorites): a cultural marriage between a kebab, burrito, and panini. Secondly, while I teach French rather than Alsatian, or one of the many other popular languages of France, the lessons I have learned from the current advocacy programs for other languages in France have given me new and refreshing ideas about how to teach language, including gendered

PICTURED Left: Éliot, Mattéo, Hirt, and his husband RJ Below: Hirt helping French Gastronomy students make butter Above: Samson Mingione ’23 and A.J. Taylor ’23 making butter in French Gastronomy

language, as I outlined in a recent publication with the Ohio Foreign Language Association.

What this research helps remind me is that each culture, language, and family, just like each of our Wellington students, is as unique and as diverse as the many sauces one can put on a French taco.

I will unfailingly strive to share this diversity with my students, with a little help, no doubt, from my French family, including Mattéo!

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A CLOSER LOOK

The Accepted Invitation

by Laurie Beth Sweeney P ’29 ’33 CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Philanthropy is an opportunity to experience the joy of supporting something you believe in. We are grateful that so many of you accepted the invitation to support something you believe in – your school and community. Together, we launched the Believing Campaign quietly in 2018 with the goal of funding $10.3 million dollars to secure Wellington’s place at the forefront of independent education for years to come. This comprehensive community investment has created a learning environment where our innovative approach to education will continue to thrive.

Your $2 million investment in People and Programs has empowered our visionary teachers to build curricula that challenge students and ignite their passions. We have been able to offer career-defining professional development opportunities for our faculty and professional grants for teachers to fund new and innovative curricula. These gifts also launched The Wellington Initiative, an entity created to empower global educators with resources, techniques, and data to drive student engagement and transform the future of education, while providing Wellington with an alternative revenue stream and a platform for thought leadership.

The $8 million investment in Places created 40,500 square feet of new learning environments that integrate technology, nature, and the power of community. The new wing of our building will extend, empower, and enhance what we do every day. The state-of-the-art renovation in the Blanchard Performing Arts Center – including increased seating capacity, a new ceiling and floors, and upgraded lighting – has already been an asset to our programs and community.

We are so excited to move into the new wing and watch our Little Jags stretch their classrooms outside to their very own outdoor learning area. We are also eagerly anticipating the first time our ECLS students gather in their Commons to connect and build community. We are ready to watch our middle school students plant seeds on the rooftop in their new raised gardens.

We are so grateful for the culture of philanthropy here at Wellington.

Thank you for believing.

View a timelapse video of the new wing’s construction

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NEW WING: A TIMELINE

Groundbreaking OCTOBER 2021

Masonry walls set

DECEMBER 2021

Framing begins

EARLY JANUARY 2022

Staff, faculty, and students sign final beam

JANUARY 2022

Topping off ceremony JANUARY 29, 2022

Nearing completion

FALL 2022

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art pic

EMILY RICCI ’29

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A CLOSER LOOK

SPOTLIGHT ON GIVING

by Kerrie Kirkpatrick ALUMNI & DONOR EXPERIENCE COORDINATOR

Thanks to the generosity of Wellington community members, we are able to make big things happen.

When Wellington co-founder Ken Ackerman GP ’05 ’08 told his wife, Eugenia (Gene) Ackerman GP ’05 ’08, that he wanted to help establish a new independent school, she could have balked. But Gene thought it was a great idea.

A teacher herself, Gene recognized the value of establishing a new co-ed school. The three Ackerman children had gone elsewhere, but when their daughter, Lisa Jeffrey P ’05 ’08, moved back to Ohio, her three kids attended Wellington and thrived.

Gene would be honored to know that her philanthropy helped build an inspiring new wing for the school’s youngest learners. She was more comfortable sitting in a circle with curious three-year-olds than in a boardroom with somber adults, and perhaps her extraordinary empathy was due in part to her own difficult childhood. Gene and her identical twin were born prematurely and kept each other alive in a shared bassinet. Their parents both died before they were teens. The twin, Anne, also devoted her career to children and even ran a nursery school in the Kennedy White House.

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Gene studied at Bank Street College of Education in Manhattan. In Columbus, she became a teacher at the School for Young Children where she encouraged creative play among students and was a role model for fellow teachers.

Disarming and enthusiastic, she knew how to captivate kids with stories of hummingbirds hovering over flowers and dogs chasing squirrels. She loved kids, and kids loved her.

In tributes at her memorial service in 2018, her colleagues described Gene as gentle and warm with a demeanor perfectly tempered for young hearts and minds. Children felt safe and cherished when they were with Gene, and many remained in touch long after they left childhood behind.

and later a teacher, no one could convince her not to be in love with the written word and the places great stories could take her. “She believed literacy was a key to power – the power to change the world and to understand ourselves,” said Bates. “There is no better tribute to her memory than to offer a shaded spot for others to read, ask questions, and learn. To us, this gift is to say, ‘Mom, you were right’ and also ‘thank you.’”

Always generous, she helped colleagues who wanted to further their studies and underwrote tuitions for parents suffering financial hardships. She was also a donor and docent at the Columbus Zoo where she collected stories of gorillas and enjoyed sharing their antics with children of all ages. We are thankful for the Ackermans’ generosity and look forward to unveiling the Eugenia Ackerman Early Childhood and Lower School Office Suite in the new wing.

When first speaking with Makiva McIntosh P ’31 ’36, director of annual giving, Manouchka Henderson P ’32 ’34 thought she said the Annual FUN Committee (instead of the Annual Fund Committee). So imagine her surprise when the first meeting was about raising funds for the school. Philanthropy has always been a part of Henderson’s life so continuing on the committee was an easy decision.

Siblings Mike Walker ’94 and Hillary Bates P ’29 attended Wellington, although only Mike graduated because their family moved to Washington, D.C. They were inspired to give to the Believing Campaign to honor their mom’s lifelong commitment to not just their own education, but to the idea that education is the best wealth there is. Through their gift, a tree will be named for their mother, Barbara Walker.

Barbara was a bookworm; she often got in trouble as a child for hiding in a tree with a book. As a child, student, mother,

Henderson says she gives to Wellington because she feels that as a community, we should strive to make sure that our students and faculty have everything necessary to achieve at the highest levels. She’s also been inspired by how much thought and planning the administration put into the future of the school with the Believing Campaign and how current and future students will benefit from new spaces and programs the same way that her children are reaping the benefits of past fundraising campaigns.

As a third-year volunteer of One Wellington, Wellington’s annual giving day, Henderson loves the opportunity to connect with parents and families. They laugh, encourage one another, and bring a friendly competitive spirit that helps raise funds for a great cause.

Through all her philanthropic work, Henderson puts the “fun” in “annual fund.”

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A CLOSER LOOK

A Clear Vision for New Head of ECLS that values hands-on learning to build a strong foundation for academic success.

Shelley Brown P ’32 ’33 ’37 seems to have illimitable energy. In the course of one day, you’ll find her talking to faculty in the hallways, in her office calling parents and caregivers to share special moments, teaching in classrooms to provide breaks for faculty, and shaping the student experience in Edwards Conference Room.

Her energy comes from her passion for education and supporting the work of faculty. “Teaching is one of the most direct ways to make an impact that lasts well beyond one school year,” Brown said. “I am thrilled to now be able to lead and inspire over 40 teachers to continue to shape the world through their interactions with our students.”

As head of early childhood and lower school (ECLS), Brown will focus on ensuring alignment between the two divisions. The combined ECLS will provide consistency in routines, curriculum, and teaching approaches within a student-centered environment 42

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After 20 years of experience, including 10 years at a progressive independent school outside Chicago, Brown was drawn to Wellington in 2015 because it celebrates individuality and inspires excellence. “Wellington is the school that I wish I attended as a child,” Brown said. “You are greeted with a smile, your teacher knows you as a learner, and you are encouraged to stretch your thinking through projects and handson learning.”

In addition to teaching at Wellington, she has also served as the director of the Wellington Summer Program, assistant division head of ECLS, and most recently as the head of our early childhood program.

As an administrator, Brown is always focused on the student experience. For her first year as head of ECLS, she has big plans: introducing LEAP Days in the lower school, restructuring special areas to ensure students and faculty are able to complete larger, more indepth projects, and reimagining some of the programming elements that were changed due to the pandemic.

Brown embodies the Wellington spirit of community, facilitating collaborative moments for students and fostering parent involvement in students’ educational journeys. She places utmost importance on opportunities to get to know students and families, from weekly town hall meetings that enable division-wide conversations about shared values to hosting families at divisional celebrations. “I truly believe that everything else stands on a strong relationship and learning happens in a place where all stakeholders feel seen and heard,” Brown said.

PICTURED Shelley Brown P ’32 ’33 ’37

First grade students performing in Hoopla

Faculty News

Lindsey Smith P ’33 CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

The Central Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association named Smith athletic director of the year.

Erica Foster P ’32 EARLY CHILDHOOD AND LOWER SCHOOL MATH SPECIALIST

Foster contributed summer learning ideas for a U.S. News article.

Emily Szabo LOWER SCHOOL TEACHER

Szabo was awarded the Upper Arlington Civic Association Golden Apple.

Jaime Bennati

Makiva McIntosh P ’31 ’36 ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT/ DIRECTOR OF ANNUAL GIVING

McIntosh spoke on the Changing Experiences of Women panel at Denison University in June. Her alma mater invited her to speak as part of her 20th reunion.

Dia Mixon

UPPER SCHOOL ART TEACHER

MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH

Bennati’s artwork was accepted for display in the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition, Professional Division. Bennati also received bronze certification for bowling this summer with Professional Bowlers Association coach Ron Hatfield.

Mixon won the Gold International Latino Book Award for her book “One Whole Me.” The award was for Best Children’s Nonfiction Picture Book in English.

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A CLOSER LOOK

Faculty News

Laura Trubilowicz P ’27 ’30 ’34 MIDDLE SCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS

Trubilowicz completed her first triathlon – The Ohio State University Ross Heart Hospital Triathlon!

Drew Eberly P ’36 UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH

On August 12, Eberly released his second recording for Costard Records, a summer EP, “Pop Lauderdale.” The album features a full band supporting Eberly’s songs, which explore themes of summer, community, and longing. Eberly’s music is available at downtown record store Spoonful Records and online at bandcamp.com.

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Wellington Thought Leaders Headed to National Stage Wellington’s staff and faculty strive to remain at the forefront of education. To support the work of faculty as thought leaders and dynamic practitioners, Wellington is proud to send three presentations to the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)’s conference this fall.

A LEAP into Something Better David Glover, upper school dean of students and theater arts director Brandon Sullivan, director of innovative programs

For three years, the middle and upper schools have offered LEAP (Learning, Exploration, and Project) Days on Wednesdays of five-day weeks. LEAP Days combine advisory and academics with options for differentiation through support and challenge while presenting opportunities to nurture well-being, engage with future-focused skills, and deliver individualized education. Knowing that mental health issues are at an all-time high in schools, LEAP Days

PICTURED Emily Kang ’36, Kaison Zhao ’36, River Elmore ’36, Levi Warren ’36, Tonderai Tomu ’36

give students a change of pace and allow them to participate in student-led clubs and study blocks. Refreshed and ready to tackle Thursdays, students are better equipped to complete highquality work.

New Approaches to Teaching About Propaganda and Logical Fallacies Greg Davis, middle school language arts

for Propaganda Analysis. Finding the approach cumbersome and not exhaustive, Davis has used the distortion, omission, and glorification (D.O.G.) framework for the last four years. Inspired by a Nazi propaganda video on the Terezin Concentration Camp that omits what life was like at concentration camps, Davis contends that distortion, omission, and glorification is “stickier” for students when completing analysis.

Propaganda has traditionally been taught using a list of seven techniques developed in 1937 by the Institute

“I think that Wellington’s openness to innovation helps to foster an environment where teachers can identify problems and invent new approaches to make their pedagogy more effective.”

Going Green: How Authentic, Nature-Based Learning Fosters Student Engagement Joya Elmore P ’36, director of gardens for environment-based learning Pete Kaser ’96 P ’27 ’29, early childhood STEAM specialist

Elmore and Kaser demonstrate how Wellington’s focus on environmentbased learning has expanded the definition of traditional learning environments to spaces outside of classrooms. Constructing raised garden beds on campus created an outdoor classroom to complement indoor learning. Elmore and Kaser also brought the outdoors inside. Thanks to indoor and outdoor gardens, Wellington’s youngest learners eat what they grow throughout the year while learning about nutrition and cooking.

GREG DAVIS, MIDDLE SCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS

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A CLOSER LOOK

Wellington Welcomes New Faculty and Staff Wellington is pleased to welcome 11 new members to our community this fall.

Devon Albeit LOWER SCHOOL LEARNING GUIDE Ashland University The College of Wooster

“I love seeing smiling faces each day and being able to encourage students to express themselves with words and creativity.”

Loves watching old seasons of “Survivor” with her family before bed

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Owen Barton

Jamie Fencl

Judy Gregory

UPPER SCHOOL MATH

MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL FRENCH

Denison University

The Ohio State University

Saint Vincent College

Played golf in high school and college Favorite musical artist is Jack White of The White Stripes and has seen him perform many times

Moved to Ohio from Atlanta over the summer Favorite book is “The Giver” because she gets something new out of it every time she reads it

Lived on a farm in Hawaii for a year to learn how to grow her own food Favorite movie is “Hitch” because Will Smith and Kevin James are hilarious

Jordan Johnson

Alex Loy

Emily Rush

Dominic Seals

LOWER SCHOOL LEARNING GUIDE

LOWER SCHOOL ART

EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING GUIDE

MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH AND SCIENCE

The Ohio State University

Morehouse College

The Ohio State University

Ohio University Bowling Green State University

Played basketball in college and is now head coach of the upper school girls basketball team

Has a passion for athletics and can be found cheering on Jags or working at home games

Favorite musical artist is Big Sean whose music he matured with during college

“As the lower school art teacher, I get the opportunity to work with some of the most creative minds at Wellington. It is so exciting to see the creativity pour out of our lower school students throughout a lesson and I’m so lucky to be a part of their artistic development.”

Alyson Lee

Knows how to read and write Braille Favorite movie is “National Treasure” because it has American history, treasure hunting, and Nicolas Cage

MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Brigham Young University

University of Dayton The Ohio State University

Enjoys listening to and discussing K-pop

Carlie Platt MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL DIRECTOR OF VOCAL MUSIC Baldwin Wallace University The Ohio State University

Enjoys baking bread, particularly challah Favorite musical artist is Joni Mitchell because of her poetic lyrics

“The best part of my job is watching students have an aha moment and realize they are more capable than they think.”

Diane Schwendenman

UPPER SCHOOL MATH

Relocated from Utah with her husband and six of seven children to join the Wellington community

Has been on two Father’s Day greeting cards

Enjoys “Little Men” by Louisa May Alcott, “To Kill A Mockingbird”

by Harper Lee, and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling because the children are portrayed as individuals who make mistakes, learn, develop friendships, and fight Likes to build and bake

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RIVER KASER ’27

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ATHLETICS

AWARD WINNERS

SPRING AWARD WINNERS

2021-2022 AWARD WINNERS

MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES AWARD Girls Lacrosse Ada Menk-Brown ’26 (1) Paige Thompson ’27 Boys Tennis Karan Shanker ’28 Vince Vegas ’26 Track & Field Hannah Guffrey ’26 Foster Thompson ’26 Baseball Will Bernard ’26 Phinneas Pickett ’27 Softball Betty Friend ’26 Chloé Kramer ’26

MSL Wayne Roller Award Alexis Burkhalter ’22

UPPER SCHOOL BASEBALL R.O.A.R. Alex Brello ’25 Coaches Award Hank Humbert ’24 Noah Ehlers ’25

1

2

GIRLS LACROSSE R.O.A.R. Jessie Seitz ’22 Most Valuable Defensive Player Rhea Singh ’22 Most Valuable Offensive Player Macy Croft ’22 (7) SOFTBALL R.O.A.R. Alexis Burkhalter ’22 (3) Rookie of the Year Alexa Ray ’25 Coaches Award Maya Avery ’23 (6) JV Jag Kaylei Johnson ’24 BOYS TENNIS R.O.A.R. Brayden Chawla ’22 (2) MVP Sanjan Shanker ’24 Most Improved Player Jack Kalnicki ’22 JV Jag Caleb Wooddell ’22

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4

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BOYS TRACK R.O.A.R. Cameron Deguchi ’23 Hush Award Aurius Calloway ’22 (5) Hustle Award Donovan Otcasek ’25 GIRLS TRACK R.O.A.R. Emerson Thompson ’24 (4) Hush Award Olivia Robinson ’23 Most Improved Performer Ishana Samaranayake ’25

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Dispatch Scholars Henry Lin ’22 Mary Morosky ’22 Rising Star Noah Ehlers ’25 Alexa Ray ’25 Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Robert Boyd ’22 Rhea Singh ’22 Award of Excellence Jameela Askira ’22 Brayden Chawla ’22 Courageous Athlete A.J. Taylor ’23 Game Changer Chase Ouellette ’22 Athlete of the Year Alexis Burkhalter ’22 Aurius Calloway ’22 State Award Rob Ouellette P ’19 ’22 Coach of the Year Tonderai Tomu P ’36 OSHAA Scholar Athlete Chase Ouellette ’22 Sloane Shock ’22 Downey Spirit and Service Abigail Burkhardt ’22 Stuart Brdar Faculty Spirit John Brown State Runner-Up Alexis Burkhalter ’22 Katie Zerbi ’23 COLLEGE-BOUND ATHLETES Alexis Burkhalter ’22 - tennis Belmont Abbey College Leroy Dannemiller ’22 - soccer Wittenberg University Henry Lin ’22 - soccer Swarthmore College Ella McGlynn ’22 - tennis Capital University Joy Neal ’22 - rowing Clemson University Chase Ouellette ’22 - basketball Denison University Will Starker ’22 - soccer Central Connecticut State University

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ATHLETICS

Celebrating 50 Years of Title IX

by Lindsey Smith P ’33 CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS, AND GIRLS SOCCER COACH

I was in the 5th grade when I decided I wanted to be a college athlete. I was passionate about the games of soccer and basketball and I began to sense I had a unique gift. I was most at ease, most confident, and most enjoying myself with a ball in my hands, or at my foot. I loved competing and it brought me pure joy. However, my desire to become a college athlete was not driven solely by my passion for participating in sports.

At this time, my older brother was preparing for his freshman year of college. I recall conversations about finances, loans, and other challenges his experience would bring. This was a pivotal time in my life. I began to seek more information about athletic scholarships and the opportunities afforded to female athletes. My focus and motivation shifted from simply having fun, to pursuing a Division I athletic scholarship. I knew I wanted to compete in a sport I loved at a school that believed in me. I did not want my opportunity to attend college to be left to a financial decision.

Even at age eleven, I understood a scholarship would allow me to be among the first generation of college-educated individuals in my family.

On June 23, 1972, Title IX passed prohibiting sex-based discrimination in any school or other education program that receives federal funding. Its protections opened the doors for women, extending from admissions to housing to employment. While the legislation’s language doesn’t use the words “sports” or “athletics,” Title IX is most famous for its impact on expanding opportunities for women and girls in sports. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, before Title IX, one in 27 girls in the United States played sports. Today that number is one in five.

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As a senior in high school, I signed a National Letter of Intent and received a full-ride scholarship to participate on the women’s soccer team at DePaul University. My time at DePaul was remarkable. Shortly after the conclusion of my freshman soccer season, I walked on to the women’s basketball team, and during my senior year, I decided to try my luck as a heptathlete on the track and field team. I continued pursuing track and field, even after my soccer eligibility had expired. I left DePaul with a degree in sports management, minors in coaching and communications, and some graduate coursework

in educational leadership. In 2016, I completed my graduate degree by earning my MBA from Capital University.

Today, I am the chief operating officer and director of athletics at Wellington. My entire journey has been orchestrated by the symbiotic

relationship that exists among educational institutions, and the athletic opportunities provided within them. The skills I learned, the leadership that was fostered within me, and the opportunities that were awarded to me – it has all been propelled by the platform Title IX created. I remain forever grateful for

those that blazed a trail before me, for those that fought against the inequities that once existed, and for those who believed in change.

I am, because of Title IX. PICTURED Left: Lindsey Smith P ’33 Below: Rene Haynes ’03 coached a Wellington basketball camp in 2018

by Rene Haynes ’03 HEAD COACH LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Title IX provided me with the opportunity to choose sports for myself!

My journey in life has been amazing because of the resources, education, experiences, and relationships Title IX made possible. From playing as a young woman at Wellington, playing for Michigan State University, being a professional athlete, to a Division 1 women’s basketball coach, I have never taken for granted the impact of Title IX on myself and my generation.

Women want to pursue equality in education and professional jobs, have the resources to chase the careers of their dreams, and receive the same recognition at all different levels, especially in sports.

As many doors that Title IX has opened, there is still work to do! We still have walls to pull down and stairs to climb. Together we can keep pushing, as women continue to inspire future generations.

WHILE AT WELLINGTON: • 2,222 points • 430 steals WHILE AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY: • Big Ten All-Freshman team (2004) • Big 10 Champion, Big Ten Tournament Champions (2005) • Big Ten Honorable Mention (2005 and 2006) AWARDS: • Wellington Athletic Hall of Fame inductee (2017) • Greater Columbus Basketball Legends Hall of Fame (2017)

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ATHLETICS

Leaving It All on the Track: Wellington’s Budding Track and Field Program

by Tonderai Tomu P ’36 LOWER SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND COACH

For many people, running isn’t the most desirable form of exercise. The sweat, sunburns, soreness, and potential for shin splints aren’t enticing. Over the last four years, I have tried to instill in students and athletes a love of running and the grit to have fun while doing a hard thing.

I have always loved running. A track athlete since 1st grade, I was a competitive young athlete and I always wanted to be the best at anything I did. During middle and high school, I competed in seven different sports: soccer, tennis, volleyball, cross country, track and field, cricket, and rugby.

However, I always loved and was good at running.

The time I spent on the track turned into a scholarship to come to the United States and represent DePaul

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PICTURED Left: Olivia Robinson ’23 competed in the 2022 state championship Right: Fallon Mermis ’32 running at the community track meet in 2022

University. I was also a member of the Zimbabwean national team.

I chose to teach at Wellington because of the school’s commitment to promoting creative opportunities for children. As a sports enthusiast, I was excited to assist with various school activities and help students foster their interests and broaden their horizons.

What I’ve found at Wellington is a community that sees and values each individual. I bring that same commitment to my role as coach of the cross country and track and field teams. Excited to not only share my knowledge and experience, but also to continue building a program with a supportive culture, I believe that the work I do helps shape students into well-rounded human beings.

I started Wellington’s track and field program as a pilot program in the middle school in 2019. That first year we had 14 boys and one girl. The team’s performance was so impressive that more students became interested. A year later, I introduced track and field in the upper school. Unfortunately, COVID-19 arrived just before our first meet and the season ended. The following year we returned and had an impressive season. We had six female athletes make it to the regional tournament! By 2022, for the first time in Wellington history, we produced league champions. Both the boys and girls teams were represented in the regional meet. Olivia Robinson ’23 and Aurius Calloway ’22 made Wellington

history as the first two athletes to make it to the state championship for track and field.

I attribute our fast success to five tenets: 1. Build winners in life 2. Prepare our student-athletes for life after upper school 3. Run for fun and personal bests 4. No individual is bigger than the team 5. We are stronger as a group than we can ever be individually Everyone is expected to hold themselves accountable and be responsible. Our culture is hard working and helps drive the team’s success.

But the team never forgets to have fun. They motivate and cheer for one another at practice and during meets.

We also have added Friday pasta dinners before every weekend meet.

While I’m proud of the team, I also want the Wellington community to see that running isn’t just for competitive

athletes. That’s why I organized Wellington’s first community track meet last year. I wanted to introduce running at an early age and give younger athletes the experience of a track and field event. I also wanted to give those who are unfamiliar with the sport an opportunity to interact with our middle and upper school student-athletes. It was a challenge at first. We didn’t know if enough people would sign up for the event but, to my surprise, we had more participants than we expected. The tradition continued in May 2022 when we hosted our second meet. It is one of the team’s favorite events. We are honored and humbled to have such community support.

Ultimately, my goal is to share this sport with as many Wellington students as possible because running is the foundation of many sports.

But it’s more than that. Participating in athletics teaches students the self-discipline, sportsmanship, and leadership skills they need to build a purposeful life.

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SAM DE LIMA ’23

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THE CLASS OF

ALUMNI

Alumni News THE CLASS OF

1990 Dr. David Schwebel released a new book, “Raising Kids Who Choose Safety: The TAMS Method for Child Accident Prevention.” Schwebel’s book is written for parents to help them raise children who choose safety and avoid accidental injuries. “Raising Kids Who Choose Safety” addresses the severity of accidental injury as a child-health concern and introduces a groundbreaking new method, TAMS: Teach, Act, Model, Shape. This simple, step-by-step plan based on the latest scientific research instills a culture of safety in the household.

1993

THE CLASS OF

2001 Mark Salerno recently became licensed to practice as a chemical dependency counselor assistant in the state of Ohio.

THE CLASS OF

After 16 years living in the south, Rachel Kaltenbach moved back to Columbus with her children (pictured above) in 2012 and has been residing in Hilliard ever since. Her daughter, Becca, started high school this year at Hilliard Davidson and her son, Nate, is a 4th grade student at Norwich. Rachel is the director of global analyst relations at Veeam Software and has been running its program for seven years. You won’t find Rachel singing these days as she did throughout her years at Wellington.

Today, she is proud to watch her daughter play mellophone for the Davidson Marching Band.

THE CLASS OF

1997

2003 Rob O’Grady and his wife, Stephanie Sauer O’Grady, welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Ellen Mae O’Grady, on August 5. It was a long process, but both mom and baby are doing great. Rob said, “Having a family is something I’ve always wanted, and being able to finally fulfill that dream fills my heart with more joy and emotions than I can express! I can’t wait for what the future holds for us!”

THE CLASS OF

2007 Vernon Williams has been named a Travis Bogard Artist in Residence through the Eugene O’Neill Foundation.

THE CLASS OF

2012

Upper school English teacher Chris Robbins P ’17 ’22 caught up with Charles Valentino at Finnegan’s Wake in Pickerington as he sang lead vocals for The Soul Satyr Horns Band.

CJ Hansen has been working in Palo Alto, California, at Varian Medical Systems. Varian builds and sells cancer radiation therapy machines.

CJ writes code to help Varian machines interact with third-party devices.

Do you have a new job, recent publication, or did you receive an honor or award? Did you recently marry, have children, or travel? Did you have a mini Wellington reunion with your classmates? The Wellington Alumni Office wants to share your good news with your fellow alumni.

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THE CLASS OF

2013

In May, Alexandria Armeni gained a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and a husband! Dr. Armeni graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and married her partner in crime and fellow animal lover, Andrew Schaak. Together, they (with their two dogs, cat, leopard gecko, and snake) moved to Tucson, Arizona, where Dr. Armeni is doing a veterinary internship in companion animal, exotic pets, and zoo medicine. Andrew is working as a conservation biologist for Saguaro National Park. They adopted a kitten within two months of being in Arizona.

THE CLASS OF

THE CLASS OF

2017

2019

Evan Brandão started a master’s program at The Ohio State University’s Knowlton School of Architecture and will be pursuing a master’s in city and regional planning. Evan is excited to take his ambitions in real estate and development to the next level by creating new ways for us to improve our society’s interaction with the built environment.

Jack Haney was inducted into The Ohio State University’s chapter of the Mortar Board National Honor Society and voted vice president of communications. This past summer, Jack began working as a legal intern at Manley Deas Kochalski while volunteering at the James Cancer Hospital and with Village Mentors.

Will Sierzputowski accepted a role at Columbus School for Girls teaching upper school computer science.

Interested in the future of STEM education, Will looks forward to leading robotics, esports, and theater tech activities.

Mac Hammett is the co-governor of the Denison University Class of 2023, resident hall advisor for the third year, and on the Executive Board of the Alpha Eta chapter of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. This summer he completed a ten-week research project in the field of biomechanics.

THE CLASS OF

THE CLASS OF

2018 Zoe Beatty will be pursuing a doctorate from Harvard University’s neuroscience program.

2020 Milan Gonela played in the first round of the International Tennis Federation’s Men’s World Tennis Tour.

Ilona M. Perencevich Remembered Aiden and Audrey Lenox and Emmelene and Marko Perencevich.

Former Wellington English upper school faculty member and English Chair, IIona Perencevich, passed away on May 18, 2022. Perencevich was a lifelong educator, lover of books, and enjoyed volunteering at Doctors Hospital, the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Symphony, and Opera Columbus.

During her retirement, she also spent time spoiling her four grandchildren:

Alumna and Wellington faculty member, Erin Cornett ’96 P ’32 ’34, recalls being a student of Perencevich.

“Mrs. Perencevich is the teacher everyone from my generation of alumni remembers first when thinking about their upper school experience. She was tough! She had high expectations and she cared about us and our learning.

She was one of those teachers who made you feel like your B was a medal you worked your hardest to get. She made us into writers and critical thinkers. While others in college

were struggling with papers, we were prepared because of her tireless work.

Mrs. Perencevich joined with students to celebrate our successes and try new things (like buying jeans to go to sophomore camp when she would never be caught in jeans) or dancing during an assembly. Mrs. Perencevich personified class and heart. She set the bar incredibly high for her students and the department she led during her time at Wellington. Her legacy lives on through her countless students and colleagues.”

The Wellington community is mourning with Perencevich’s grandchildren, children, and husband.

WELLINGTON • THE JAG

57

Presorted First Class U.S. Postage

Wellington 3650 Reed Road Columbus, Ohio 43220 wellington.org

SAMANTHA D’ALOISIO ’28

PAID

Columbus, OH Permit #3374