The Jag - Spring 2021

JAG

THE

Spring 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dear Friends, Welcome to our latest edition of The Jag magazine. As we aspire to help shape students who will shape the world, we can see on display through these pages our mission in action.

Throughout this issue you will see stories of members of our community doing work beyond themselves and beyond our walls. Our focus on connections, flexibility, and autonomy has helped our community thrive, even in the face of challenging circumstances. In delivering an educational experience that is authentic and relevant, we expect our students and alumni to be able to play an active and positive role in the world around us. I am reminded of the many ways our alumni have impacted others in the world as I read through the outstanding accomplishments of Dr. David Schwebel ’90. He has dedicated his work and research to helping keep people, and most notably students, safe through their many endeavors.

I appreciate the community support we have received this year. Even with so many challenges to face, philanthropic support remains strong and helps us to expand and elevate

our programs; such is the case with the important lower school literacy training happening with the generous support of Peg and Alan Scantland.

Our curricular program also evolves by bringing topics of tangible relevance, such as with our growing sustainability offerings and the expansion of our students’ financial literacy in the middle school in which 6th graders learned realworld lessons as some of their portfolios were impacted by the epic rise and fall of GameStop.

The world is always changing. I am proud that our educators are agile and ready to pivot to keep pace so that our students are ready to lead.

As we work to reflect on the impact that Wellington has already had on so many students, it is bittersweet to acknowledge that two of our long-time and beloved staff members, Jill Webb and Stuart Oremus, will be departing at the end of this year. It is interesting to note that their impacts have book-ended the student experience as Ms. Webb cared for our youngest Jags and Ms. Oremus prepared them for their next journey beyond Wellington. As their examples highlight, our faculty and staff bring a level of commitment and dedication that is unrivaled, and all of our educators can take pride in the positive and important impact they have had on our students during

Science by nature requires curiosity and creativity. All of my research relies on being curious about how to change human behavior and keep children safer.”

one of the most challenging years in the school’s history.

We will continue to do the work to create a school where each voice is honored, and each student feels a sense of belonging; keeping diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fabric of our work. The Celebration of Black Voices was a wonderful tribute to the diverse voices in our community.

Never before has our mission and role as a school been more important than right now. Our community resilience and agility have allowed us to navigate this pandemic with an unflappable optimism and a commitment to each and every student and family. It also highlights the key elements of our program that are critical to the success of our approach. As we look forward with positivity and excitement toward the Believing Campaign, with fresh new spaces to support our teachers and students, we can all have a role in contributing to the lasting and impactful legacy of Wellington.

Great things are ahead. I certainly believe in Wellington, and you should too.

Go Jags!

Warm regards,

PAGE 4 THE JAG is published

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

EDITOR:

David Schwebel: Finding Purpose in Protecting Youth ON THE COVER: Dr. David Schwebel ’90 on a film location in Birmingham, Alabama on February 7, 2021.

FEATURES

A CLOSER LOOK

ATHLETICS

ALUMNI

Yvonne Johnson P ’25 ’27 CONTRIBUTORS:

Shelley Brown P ’32 ’33 Erica Clark P ’28 Carina Dison ’21 Cindy Fu ’21 Yvonne Johnson P ’25 ’27 Scott Langford Ted Manley P ’21 ’24 Kiran Mokadam ’21 Johnny Riddle Sarim Siddiqui ’21 Danielle Turkovich P ’29 ’33 Sara Velasco ’22 COPY EDITORS:

Christine Conkle Melanie Eggleton Amanda Pierce Brenda Porter P ’12 ’17 Johnny Riddle Laurie Beth Sweeney P ’29 ’33 Danielle Turkovich P ’29 ’33 Lissa Wade Jill Webb PHOTO CREDITS:

Dr. Jeff Terwin Head of School

DR. DAVID SCHWEBEL ’90

Small Group Work Reaps Large Rewards for the Environment 18

Believing: The Campaign for Wellington

New Cross Country Team Races to Success

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Scantland Gift Enriches Lower School Literacy

Big Things, Little Things: The Power of Numbers in Middle School

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22

Award Winners

Alumni News 33

Nancy Mulick Remembered 35

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Kethan Mokadam ’21 Amanda Pierce Andi Rice Danielle Turkovich P ’29 ’33 DESIGN:

Bluewave Creative

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The Stairs to the Door CINDY FU ’21

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FEATURE

David Schwebel: Finding Purpose in Protecting Youth 4

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On a rural prop farm south of Birmingham, Alabama, a camera crew pauses a scene to ask for help from Dr. David Schwebel ’90. His guidance is needed on the best way to handle a prop for the safety film they are making. With an affable, approachable demeanor, Schwebel is perfectly suited for his role as advisor. He is a teacher foremost, be it in the classroom, in an interview with the media, or advising on a film set. With more than 20 years experience in researching child injury prevention, he is an expert on how best to educate parents and children in avoiding potential harm. His work has saved countless lives around the world.

“It’s exciting. That’s why I do what I do,” Schwebel said over Zoom in January when asked how it felt to make such an impact. “The reason I do research is to save lives.”

the national championship in Houston. As a senior, Schwebel received awards in journalism, economics, and physics, along with the senior superlative “Biggest Brain.”

Truth be told, education is in his DNA. A third-generation clinical psychologist, Schwebel’s grandfather was a psychology professor at Rutgers University as was his father at The Ohio State University. His mother was a longtime educator in Columbus City Schools, and his sister Dr. Sara Schwebel ’94 is a professor at the School of Information Sciences and Director of The Center for Children’s Books at University of Illinois. His family’s dedication to the lifelong pursuit of knowledge was hugely influential in Schwebel’s own academic and professional journey.

The curriculum was equally suited to his advanced abilities.

Schwebel was only a junior when he completed calculus, reaching the highest level of math offered at Wellington at that time, so faculty designed an advanced calculus course for him alone in 12th grade. He recalls Spanish and English classes having a particularly profound influence on him, crediting Wellington for making him the writer he is today.

When Schwebel came to Wellington as an 8th grader, his natural inquisitiveness and enthusiasm for learning flourished in an environment that offered endless opportunities to explore and forge new paths. He can still recall the excitement of taking classes in the new addition to the original Fishinger Road building and the feeling of limitless possibilities it elicited.

“It was a special and unique place at the time, as my class of 1990 and the older class of 1989, became the leaders of the school. We created new traditions, started new clubs and activities, and laid the groundwork for a school that innovated in a way that no other school in Columbus did at the time.”

The long list of activities and sports Schwebel participated in as a Jaguar show an inexhaustible curiosity about the world and the many different people within it. He was the editor of the school newspaper The Wellingtonian, played soccer, basketball, and tennis, as well as led Wellington’s first In the Know team to a State of Ohio title before heading to 6

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“We were close as students, and close to the teachers. It was a small and intimate group of students who acted like typical high schoolers in many ways, but also had the unique chance to create, build, and develop a school with all its traditions, culture, and way of thinking. I became involved in everything – the list of clubs and extracurricular activities was long, as there were few students and we had the opportunity to join and lead most every club. That changed who I am as a person today, as it taught me to explore and try new things. It gave me confidence. It also gave me leadership skills that I still use daily in my work.”

Today, as a professor of psychology and associate dean at University of Alabama at Birmingham, Schwebel directs the UAB Youth Safety Lab, a federally-funded research laboratory dedicated to applying psychological science to understand and prevent injuries to children, adolescents, and young adults. His team is currently working on five grants, including three R01s: using virtual reality to teach children how to cross the street more safely, using augmented reality to remotely teach parents how to install car seats correctly, and developing a website to teach children firearms safety.

The lab is also studying the use of Bluetooth beacons in preventing people from crossing the street while distracted by their phone, a project in collaboration with UAB computer science professor, Ragib Hasan. Schwebel often works with other researchers and scientists, many from around the world, as his field intersects with various disciplines. To do his job most effectively, he relies on experts in technology and engineering to implement tools like virtual reality and web or app design to develop innovative child injury prevention programs.

Schwebel acknowledges the importance of using cuttingedge techniques to educate. “If I’m going to change behavior as a psychologist, I need to change behavior in the platforms parents understand.” He further explains, “Science by nature requires curiosity and creativity. All of my research relies on being curious about how to change human behavior and keep children safer. Many of our intervention programs require creativity to develop strategies to change what children do, change what adult supervisors do, or change the environment children engage in.”

Sometimes the change Schwebel advocates involves industry reform. After providing expert testimony in a wrongful death lawsuit, his research led to fuel manufacturers voluntarily changing their packaging so that children wouldn’t mistake the bottled liquid for apple juice.

When talking about the social justice mission of his work, Schwebel’s deep commitment to saving young lives around the world and in countries with much higher injury rates than the United States is inspiring but also not surprising.

A Fulbright Award recipient, he has always thought globally, acknowledging how interconnected the world has become.

For Schwebel, every life saved is invaluable, the country

“Be friends and talk to everyone. You become a better person by interacting with people who are different from you. Really get to know everyone and create an environment where everyone supports and understands each other, despite whatever differences might exist.”

DR. DAVID SCHWEBEL ’90

of origin makes no difference. When he collaborates with international scientists, it’s not only that he finds the research so fascinating, but also because his involvement will ensure the work will be published in English and therefore gain more attention worldwide.

“I enjoy working with these fascinating people in other countries, learning about their culture, and in many cases going to visit them, eating their foods, and learning how their country works,” he says.

Travel is also one of his favorite family pastimes. He and wife, Yikun, with their children, sixteen-year-old Andy and thirteenyear-old Rosa, have visited more than 30 different countries and every continent, except for Antarctica. They also have fun playing sports and games together, while maintaining a busy WELLINGTON • THE JAG

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Schwebel with daughter Rosa, wife Yikun, and son Andy, at Rosa’s bat mitzvah in the summer of 2020, held outdoors in their backyard due to COVID-19 restrictions.

In The Know teammates Ajit Chaudhari ’91, David Schwebel ’90, Jon Richardson ’91, Rohit Gupta ’91, with Coach Orlene Shimberg

schedule of activities at independent schools in Birmingham very similar to Wellington.

different cultures. The best way to do that is to experience it, according to Schwebel. That could mean travelling outside of the United States, or simply trying a food you’ve never eaten before at an ethnic restaurant. The point is to be open to new people, places, and adventures.

Throughout his career, Schwebel has received many notable accolades in his field. Most recently, The American Psychological Association awarded him the 2019 Distinguished Professional Contributions to Applied Research, given annually to a psychologist whose research has led to important discoveries or developments in the field of applied psychology. Perhaps no honor will have as deep personal resonance, though, as receiving Wellington’s 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award.

“I have so many fond memories from my time at Wellington,” Schwebel said. “I’ve always felt a special connection to the school. To be honored like this is truly special and meaningful.”

The special connection Schwebel felt as a student for a new school full of promise has stayed with him through the years. For his honor’s thesis as an undergraduate at Yale University, working with renowned psychologists Drs. Jerome and Dorothy Singer on how children learn to think, he was awarded a small research grant that he then used to employ a group of Wellington students to help collect data at local preschools. Their research ended up being published and remains cited to this day.

When asked what advice he might have for current Wellington students, Schwebel’s scholarly but outgoing approach to life shines through. He recommends exploring all sorts of interests, and pursuing the ones that stick. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Think globally because the world is becoming smaller and smaller, and we have to understand people who speak different languages and come from

“Be friends and talk to everyone,” Schwebel says. “You become a better person by interacting with people who are different from you. Really get to know everyone and create an environment where everyone supports and understands each other, despite whatever differences might exist.”

Schwebel’s advice is a powerful reminder of the importance of forming strong bonds within a diverse community. By building a dynamic, connected learning environment in which everyone, from faculty members to students and families, has the support they need to succeed, we all benefit.

If there were a simple formula for such a place, it may very well begin with curiosity igniting passion, leading to a sense of camaraderie, culminating in empathy and understanding.

For Schwebel, who has never lost his love of learning nor his determination to make the world safer for children to grow and thrive, that place would be where it all began for him many years ago, at Wellington. .

Henri Rousseau Tigers in the Jungle Painting RAIGHEAN CHEN ’33

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As we bring the 2020-21 school year to a close amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wellington community is emboldened by our mission and belief in academic excellence, social-emotional growth, and meaningful connections that vibrantly shine through in our unique education experience. This confidence inspires a renewed commitment to emboldening our future through Believing: The Campaign for Wellington.

For this campaign to successfully meet our goals, we must ground our generosity in building a physical structure that will embody the very assets that helped us survive and thrive over the past year: autonomy, connectedness, and flexibility.

The autonomy required to navigate this crucial moment in time highlights the value we place on connectedness and the opportunity to have many students on campus, five days a week, since we returned to campus in September. Now, building upon the ideas that first united us as a community, we have the opportunity to create new synergy that will ensure our legacy for decades to come.

The Believing Campaign is about designing a learning environment that empowers students to follow their passion while connecting with the people and programs that provide an unparalleled Wellington education. Your support makes certain that our students will continue to thrive in a future that holds unrivaled possibilities.

-Ted Manley P ’21 ’26 Board Chair

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THE BELIEVERS

Wellington was founded on the belief that education can have a profound difference, and there is power in its potential.

My sense of what is possible, self-confidence, curiosity, problem-solving approach, and desire for continual learning and evolution all had their roots in my Wellington education. In 8th grade, I participated in an independent study group that explored building expansion options for the school campus.

We worked through a plan and eventually met with the head of the school to present and discuss our thoughts and plan. It solidified a love for design, construction, and the building process that followed me through into my career today, where I am lucky enough to be working on the actual next phase expansion of the building.

TUCKER BOHM ’98 P ’28

Dollars raised for the campaign will directly support the addition of 40,500 square feet to the campus, including:

Wellington has empowered our children to expect more of themselves.

This school has such a unique experience to offer. We are graduating students that are truly ambassadors of changing our world.

JEN THOMPSON P ’23 ’26 ’28

New middle school We believe in our vision of a future-focused environment that grows with its students. We believe in our purpose to be a paradise for dreamers and a playground for big thinkers. We believe in our students as they bravely explore their passions.

The Believing Campaign is about breaking barriers to education while also building bridges within our community and to the broader world, so every Wellington Jag can boldly face the future poised for success.

It’s about creating a place of learning that fosters intellectual growth, values happiness, and prepares students for remarkable and meaningful lives.

It’s about inspiring the visionary people who reach and challenge every student in a safe environment.

It’s about supporting the extraordinary programs that empower our students to take the lead in their learning and in life.

The Believing Campaign is a comprehensive fundraising effort that will secure Wellington’s place at the forefront of independent education for years to come.

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Wellington has deliberately built an environment that supports, encourages, and stretches our children in the classroom. But beyond the classroom, Wellington creates leaders, leaders who thrive in the areas of sports, music, arts, and business. These children are the next generation of leaders and they lead with a global focus. When we walk the halls of Wellington, we feel excited about our future because of the quality of our children’s education.

New early childhood center New customized special areas for science, art, music, and world language New early childhood and middle school classrooms arranged around shared Learning Commons that will strengthen community connectedness while also building on student autonomy Studios with large garage doors that allow for greater flexibility and accessibility Rooftop outdoor learning area State-of-the-art renovation of the Blanchard Performing Arts Center Career-defining professional development opportunities for world-class faculty Ground-breaking curriculum focused on driving high-impact student engagement

CHASITY KUTTRUS P ’23 ’28

Building upon Wellington’s previous planned addition in 2010, with a comprehensive review and analysis of educational trends, the new plans have been designed to fully support Wellington’s innovative approach to education by creating a campus that physically embodies the school’s bold vision for the future.

My excitement for a new STEM area goes beyond a more beautiful and better designed learning space. I can imagine the opportunities for wildly creative and innovative lessons that can deepen student engagement and discovery.

ME-CHELLE BURKHALTER P ’22, MIDDLE SCHOOL STEM TEACHER

With your support, we can make learning more engaging, meaningful, and impactful.

This campaign is the foundation of an even bigger vision for Wellington; one that celebrates where we have come from and embraces where we are going. This campaign is for all of us, the believers.

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things outside that they want to bring into class to investigate and talk about.

Learning is so much more meaningful to them when they’ve found something themselves that they can share.”

FEATURE

Exploration and discovery at Wellington are not just for students.

The encouragement and resources dedicated to fostering faculty’s pursuit of their own curiosity allowed for Yant and colleague Jennifer Landon to visit the Rosa Park School in Tulsa, Oklahoma and see firsthand the extraordinary impact of classroom environments.

The Joy of Early Childhood with Kathy Yant For a young child, every day is an adventure filled with thrilling new discoveries. The wonder and delight on the faces of children, as they explore newfound worlds, is what inspires early childhood educators like Kathy Yant.

For more than three decades, Yant has marvelled at her students’ infinite capacity for inquiry and revelation.

“As a teacher,” she says, “when you can see the actual learning taking place before your very eyes, there’s nothing more special.”

With the addition of a new early childhood wing, Wellington’s youngest 14

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explorers will have direct access to the greatest learning environment of all, the outdoors. In the years since Yant first began teaching, classroom aesthetics have undergone an evolution from overstimulating, bright primary colors to spaces that better reflect the natural world. In addition to softer, calming light, wood, rather than plastics, permeates much of the design. There is greater importance placed on providing tools and instruments that encourage openended learning.

“Classrooms today really put a focus on learning instead of materials,” Yant explains. “Children constantly find

“All the materials were environmentally friendly,” Yant recalls. “All the windows were on the children’s eye level. They had direct access to the outside.

Students were given tools that may have seemed too advanced for their age, but they were learning how to use them appropriately. It was completely child-centered.”

A child-centered approach to education, one in which teachers listen to what students are most fascinated by and then build an entire curriculum to match, is not new to Wellington.

Whether an interest in outer space leads to a class constructing planets to PICTURED Above: Kathy Yant with Jaise Nami ’34

The new early childhood classrooms will allow for more impactful child-centered teaching and learning opportunities.

Assistant Head of Lower School Shelley Brown P ’32 ’33 explains the pedagogical significance of designing spaces to cultivate the biggest ideas from the smallest Jags.

“As a teacher, when you can see the actual learning taking place before your very eyes, there’s nothing more special.”

KATHY YANT

hang from the ceiling along with a rocket ship to orbit them or the allure of a garbage truck paves the way for essential understandings about reducing, reusing, and recycling, students at an early age are capable and ready to drive their own learning.

It’s a belief Wellington has always fostered, but the new early childhood classrooms will better facilitate this important process between teacher and student.

For Yant, the new addition will enrich the learning experiences Wellington has provided for years. “We’ve always been such a tight-knit family,” she says, “I’m excited for early childhood to all be together in one space with a gathering area for us to all share. We’ll have an extension of every classroom to the community and the outdoors as well. The best part is that we will be all together.”

What exciting changes can we look forward to with the addition of the new early childhood wing?

One of the biggest changes will be the addition of a large common area which will include space for large group gatherings, a kitchen for student cooking experiences, and cozy areas for small group learning. All of the classrooms will have direct access to the commons from their classrooms. The Early Childhood Learning Commons builds on our commitment to creating strong student connections and connections for our special area teachers to integrate learning into projects. The space will encourage students to build bigger, play bigger, and dream big!

How will the classroom environment continue to support the early childhood programming?

The classrooms will be welcoming, aesthetically pleasing, and developmentally appropriate. Children will be able to assert their independence in the spaces; counters will be at an appropriate height for a young child, restroom facilities will be in each classroom, and even the kitchen in the commons will have safe and appropriate spaces for young children to interact with a teacher to cook something delicious! The new classrooms will be designed to not only be functional but also beautiful. Mirrors, different textiles and rugs to warm up the space, plants, and large windows allowing for natural light will remind children of home.

How will the early childhood curriculum be impacted by the new learning spaces?

Wellington early childhood teachers are committed to helping children build a connection with nature, and this will be even more seamless in the new building with the addition of a door in each classroom leading directly to an outdoor playscape.

Teachers are empowered to design learning experiences that can be completed and supervised just outside of the classroom: planting seeds in the garden and watching them bloom, painting on an easel in the sunshine, or scooping snow to complete a science experiment.

The early childhood programming is rooted in research, is responsive to children’s developmental needs, and builds a solid foundation for students to become lifelong learners. The addition of the new space will support and enhance our programming goals. The gift of a Wellington early childhood experience remains the same on the inside, the wrapping paper on the outside will just be more beautiful with the new early childhood addition!

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FEATURE

Scantland Gift Enriches Lower School Literacy When lower school faculty began a few years ago researching and developing a new literacy program to strengthen their approach to teaching emerging readers, they later discovered a kindred spirit in Wellington community member Peg Scantland. A former educator herself, as well as parent and grandparent, Scantland for most of her life has been committed to opening young children’s minds to the wonderful world of books. From the time she was an elementary education major in college, and fell in love with the idea of teaching reading, to later helping her own children begin to read, Scantland has witnessed firsthand the slow evolution of literacy education in the United States and the many challenges teachers and students have faced as a result. When she discovered Wellington’s agile and innovative curriculum allowed for a new way to support and empower young readers on their path to literacy, she and husband, Alan, were excited to lend their support.

The proud grandparents of four Wellington students: Madeleine ’30, William ’30, George ’34, and Teddy ’34, the Scantlands were eager to support the lower school efforts in introducing a model of teaching reading and providing faculty with the training and tools they would need to be most effective.

“This is an exciting time for literacy instruction, as many different experts are sharing their learning across disciplines to develop a more holistic picture of the process of learning to read,” explains Erica Clark P ’28, lower school literacy coach. “Not only do we have teachers and professors of education contributing to best classroom practice, but collaboration exists between the realm of education and areas like psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and even speechlanguage pathology.”

The advantages of phonics-based reading are far-reaching for learners at every level, an egalitarian aspect of particular importance to the Scantlands. They also appreciate that this method of instruction benefits students in ways beyond literacy. Along the way, they develop important skills in comprehension, writing, spelling, and learning world languages. Perhaps most importantly, it improves selfesteem.

PICTURED Peg and Alan Scantland in 2017 with grandchildren Madeleine Scantland ’30, Marco Littleton, George Scantland ’34, Teddy Scantland ’34, and William Scantland ’30.

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What does the program entail?

Our new program is centered on a comprehensive approach of teaching reading. Taking a cue from Hollis Scarborough’s Reading Rope, teachers consider both word recognition and language comprehension in their whole group instruction.

The Scantlands, who felt an immediate and deep affinity for the Wellington community from the first time they walked through the halls, were thrilled to be able to give back to the school in which they have seen their family flourish. By helping to bring the Lower School Literacy Program to light, Peg and Alan have found a powerful and long-lasting way of showing their gratitude for a community that positively impacts the lives of so many students, teachers, and families.

“When you read a whole book as a kindergartner, you feel really proud. It builds confidence,” Peg shared. “I hope teachers will find it helpful and see the rewards and benefits. I hope parents will see the difference.”

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Literacy Coach Provides Guidance on Reading Journey

Word recognition includes explicit and systematic instruction in phonological awareness, decoding (phonics), and sight recognition of familiar words. Students work to build automaticity in these areas.

To help faculty implement the new curriculum, Lower School Literacy Coach Erica Clark P ’28 provides support and guidance for teachers and parents as the emerging readers in their lives discover the joy of books.

Can you explain the mission of the Lower School Literacy Program?

The goal of reading instruction at Wellington is to develop independent, confident, engaged readers and writers. Specifically, we use science and data to give students the tools to access anything they want to read and communicate with others through writing. We also use heart and passion to inspire students to discover a love of reading and writing.

Language comprehension encompasses the development of background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge. Students’ application of these skills becomes increasingly strategic with the guidance of informed and active teachers.

During small group literacy time, teachers have the ability to match the strategies, books, and routines best suited to those cohorts of students.

Time is allocated for improving student progress in fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as well as applying their phonics knowledge. Small group time is designed to be flexible, giving students what they need to make progress in their overall reading.

What is your role as a literacy coach?

I am here to support teachers with direct coaching and classroom visits to see where I can help or troubleshoot issues related to literacy. I curate our new collection of decodable books that can be used for small group reading. I also hope to be another resource for parents as they follow the dynamic path their children travel as they grow as readers and writers.

Do you have any tips for parents at home with beginning readers?

The best thing parents can do at home to support beginning readers is to model the joy of literacy, the fun of language, and a passion for books. Talking with their children about words and language, supporting them in their attempts to read and spell, and staying informed with the classroom literacy instruction will help readers see a connection between the classroom and the world beyond.

PICTURED Above: Arabella Larson ’33 works on segmenting and blending sounds in words using manipulatives.

Right: Lower School Literacy Coach Erica Clark P ’28

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A CLOSER LOOK

Small Group Work Reaps Large Rewards for the Environment

By Carina Dison ’21

Reflecting a real-life work environment on a simple, yet so complex real-life world issue, Advertising the Environment drives toward a goal of spreading awareness and solutions to the trash we produce.

PICTURED Examples of the whiteboard drawings used in the group’s video.

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Sarim Siddiqui ’21

Did you know that the average human produces about 102 tons of garbage in a lifetime? Well, this “fun fact” is the sole purpose of why we and many professionals around the world are worried about what we do with our trash. In the upper school course Advertising the Environment, after reading the book “Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash” by Edward Humes, we strive to solve the many issues that are presented to us while discussing the horrifying facts we never knew. It is one sad tale after another of ways people have tried to fix some of our waste issues and recycling conundrums, with much needed scientific research to back up claims that we do, in fact, have a major problem on our hands.

With a variety of components to every solution we take on in this class, the organization of the project is key. This is why we follow a professional system, called the “Scrum Board.” This board can visualize every large and small objective of our project and how far we are as a group to completing those objectives. This is not only a great tool for many groups who are all working in the same room but has also proven, especially this year, to be advantageous for a group with members in a variety of locations.

In our group of seven, some students were learning from home while others were in person, but we still managed to create a project that we are undoubtedly proud of. We started off by sharing each of our strengths. Based on that, we built a strong foundation for a ‘Crash Course’ meets ‘Draw My Life’ style video commonly seen on social media. This trend would require all visuals to be a collection of drawings on a whiteboard but edited to seem like one shot. Different people went about finding facts from the text, writing a script, and doing the voice overs, while two other students worked on the drawings.

One final person would then put all the components together to create the video.

Perhaps most relatable to a real workplace was the experience of receiving news from a member of our team, just a day and a half before the project was due, that they would not be able to deliver what we all had envisioned stylistically and artistically.

In order to solve the problem, our group

United Way Grant Helps Wellington Garden Grow PICTURED The Wellington Rock was decorated for Trash Fest, an upper school event designed to increase awareness about the trash we produce.

To watch the video, scan here.

decided the video would actually look better if we used whiteboard drawings alone instead of combining them with digital images. This meant one person alone would create the entire set of video drawings and we would need an extension on the assignment in order to achieve our desired results. Fortunately faculty members Keith Leonard and Dr. Brandon Sullivan were open to our revised proposal because it demonstrated our professionalism in taking responsibility to ensure our final product was the best it could possibly be.

In the end, with the help of an amazing group, we produced a video which was aimed to emotionalize and educate how we see plastics in our ocean. Through this experience, we not only learned more about the impact of trash in everyone’s lives, but also how to professionally work with a team that can cohesively organize and complete projects in a timely manner. Together, we made something we could all be proud of.

By Cindy Fu ’21

Our proposal for Re-Wellington came from a shared interest in sustainability. We tossed around various ideas, including the reduction of plastic waste and changing light bulbs throughout the school, before agreeing that a vegetable garden would be most impactful, and then connected the idea of composting to reduce food waste.

Mr. Raghunathan, head of upper school, and Mr. Leonard, upper school English teacher, told us about the United Way Future Unwrapped grant, and we decided to submit a proposal to help fund our project.

After learning that we had won the grant in early January, we met with school leaders to share our main ideas and gain insight on possible steps to move forward. We are currently working with faculty to narrow down our ideas and create an effective plan of action.

The main goal of Re-Wellington is to implement a sustainable mindset in our community and raise awareness of food waste production. Composting will recycle food waste that would typically be sent to landfills, and the addition of the vegetable garden will minimize the energy used to provide food. Our project will eventually lead to student-led food waste reduction

Sara Velasco ’22

on a long term scale, but we are starting with small steps to test our capabilities.

We are currently leaning towards having a lower school focus for the project. Change starts with the youth, and Re-Wellington will encourage students to learn about sustainability and the environment so they can start taking action at home and beyond.

Re-Wellington provides an opportunity to build upon Wellington’s existing green initiatives and influence students to take action in their daily lives to confront environmental issues. Our school strives to be environmentally friendly as a whole, and the upper school is home to an array of student-led initiatives centered on the importance of small actions to make changes in our community, including a number of environmentally focused clubs like Green Club and the Apiary Club. Throughout the school halls, students use posters to bring awareness to environmental issues and utilize their creativity and passion to depict the beauty of nature in art galleries. We have been inspired by this lively community and hope to make improvements that will make it even more eco-conscious and sustainable in the years to come.

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A CLOSER LOOK

Wellington’s first annual Celebration of Black Voices highlighted and uplifted the heritage, achievement, and rampant joy of Black culture within our community and beyond. With the goal of providing programming and events through the month of February that educated and inspired students of all ages, we celebrated, in the words of author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the many stories that empower and humanize the Black experience in America.

When sitting down to plan Black History Month, Theatre Arts Director David Glover and co-organizers Me-Chelle Burkhalter P ’22, middle school science and math teacher, and Yolanda Johnson, lower school teacher, sought to expand the focus from the historical to modern-day examples of Black voices found in the Wellington community.

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“We also wanted to acknowledge the emotional drain of the pandemic and the ongoing racial tensions that our Black community members have to navigate within Wellington and the world by offering up Black joy when it seems that all we see framed by the media is the opposite,” Glover said.

Through curriculum, programming, and events, students of all ages have opportunities to explore the vast accomplishments of not just famous Black Americans found in history books, but also Wellington Jaguars leaving their mark on the world in a variety of ways.

During middle school morning meetings, alumni Obinna Adams-Johns ’16 and Harrison Sewell ’08 shared deeply moving video tributes to Hank Aaron shortly after his passing in January.

More Wellington grads connected with current students and shared their own stories during lunch talks. The hope, according to Glover, was for the conversations to “give us an opportunity to examine what it means to be Black in a predominantly white space and an opportunity to look at how Wellington culture has progressed.”

The upper school group Female Students of Color hosted guest speaker Malika Jacobs, founder of Kingmakers, a minority woman-owned company centered on board games.

Middle and upper school students met historian Jermaine Fowler of The Humanity Archive. A Flex Day film series, featuring classics like “Hidden Figures” and “Selma,” further enriched students’ understanding of important contributions of Black Americans in U.S. history. All 9th graders read “Purple Hibiscus” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Advanced American Studies examined Black voices within

“Many

stories matter.

Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign.

But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair that broken dignity.”

CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE, AUTHOR

the context of cultural literacy. For 7th graders, historical figures like Rosa Parks were brought to life as real people beyond their traditional stories.

School librarians Patty Dunn and Vicki Jacobs P ’22 curated educational resources for faculty and students to enhance their learning experiences, providing video clips, stories, websites, as well as historical and current information that amplified Black voices.

One of the many books lower school students read was “Sienna’s Scrapbook: Our African American Heritage Trip,” by Toni Trent Parker, about a family visiting Black historical sites on their trip to a family reunion.

“In this first year,” Glover said, “we hoped to highlight some of the fantastic work that already is happening within the school and in future years build upon it, as the school builds upon its mission to be a more diverse, inclusive, and antiracist leading institution.”

PICTURED Top: Alumnus Obinna Adams-Johns ’16 works on video tribute to Hank Aaron Left: Celebration of Black Voices coorganizers Me-Chelle Burkhalter P ’22, Yolanda Johnson, and David Glover

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surplus is savings, except for, as we say in Australia, one spanner in the works. Once a month students ride the roller coaster of life, a random outcome generator that produces individualised outcomes based around life’s hidden expenses and, more rarely, gains. A student may find themselves forking out for a new refrigerator or costly vehicle repairs.

Alternatively, they could land a small windfall from an entrepreneurial side hustle. Whatever the outcome, a student’s budget must factor in whatever the roller coaster delivers.

A CLOSER LOOK

Big Things, Little Things: The Power of Numbers in Middle School

Finally, students take surplus earnings and make investment decisions. They are able to make purchases from a variety of investment classes such as stocks, term deposits, foreign currencies, and most recently cryptocurrency.

They create a unique portfolio where all decisions are their own and this is tracked in a personalized portfolio tracker. Investment performance is analyzed from different angles, including comparisons of individual and class performance across the 6th grade cohort.

By Scott Langford Middle School Math

Understanding and meaning are built through connection. For young math students that connection is most powerful when it aligns with what they observe and feel in the world around them.

Mathematics for some is a great love, for others the relationship can be more love-hate. The enduring challenge for middle school math teachers is to stir the passions of young minds and switch them on to the power of numbers. Not just in those who have that numeracy sparkle, but for those yet to find the appreciation.

This year, with the support of a Wellington Student Engagement Grant, I designed a new financial literacy curriculum for 6th grade math students in which they embarked on a simulated journey of earning, budgeting, 22

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saving, and ultimately investing. This immersive project brought to life fundamental concepts like fractions, decimals, rates, ratios, percentage, negative numbers, and with some luck, the magic of compound growth.

I called it “Big Things, Little Things.”

Essentially students ‘earn’ a stable wage paid bimonthly. They maintain a budget, using Google Sheets, accommodating fixed expenses like utilities, gas, groceries, and student loan repayments. They then capture discretionary spending such as Netflix subscriptions and eating out. Any

To watch Wellington’s 6th grade financial literacy curriculum featured on NBC4 News, scan here.

The rich learning derived from maintaining and analysing these portfolios is immense. Believe it or not students excitedly check their stocks throughout the day. They observe and learn number patterns.

They witness how a slight change in one variable causes an enormous change in another. They have a tangible experience in the sometimes harsh relationship between risk and reward. While these are things that can be taught, the lesson is infinitely more powerful when lived and absorbed.

There is no emphasis placed on the decisions students make about where to deploy their surplus cash. There is simply reflection upon the impact of their choices and what could be done differently next time. This is no stock picking club, and I am not a financial advisor. Students just input their choices and the game continues.

The part I find most exciting is when students experience real emotions.

The thrill of their investment growing, the disappointment of a down day, the sense of accomplishment as they reach a significant milestone, the pain of a bad financial turn on the rollercoaster of life, and most importantly the ability to dream ‘what if.’ It is this emotional buy-in that allows the math concepts to stick.

I have been amazed at the manner in which 6th graders have picked up the ball and run. In their own time some students have conducted research into prospective stocks creating active watchlists, analysing past performance, and reading balance sheets. I was floored when a student informed me about the forecast 33% revenue growth for a particular company. That is some next level application of percentages.

Through this journey I’ve shared with students, something special has happened. More than anything, it brings home to me the incalculable potential that exists within the young minds of the students we are privileged to teach every day.

PICTURED Scott Langford with Annabeth Pan ’27

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A CLOSER LOOK

Jill Webb Focuses on Life Beyond Wellington

Faculty News

Greg Davis

MIDDLE SCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS

John Brown

UPPER SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER

Brown was featured on the Exam Room Live podcast, hosted by Chuck “The Weight Loss Champion” Carroll and sponsored by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, to share his plant-based approach to a healthy lifestyle. Brown’s plantbased weight loss success story from the summer issue of Forks Over Knives magazine was celebrated on the FOK website as one of the most shared stories of 2020.

Davis’s article “A New Analytical Framework for Teaching Propaganda in Print and Non-Print Text” appears in the March issue of Voices from the Middle, the National Council of Teachers of English journal. Since arriving at Wellington in 2015, Davis has devised a new approach to teaching about propaganda, focusing on three main strategies: distortion, omission, and glorification. His article describes the process of employing this new D.O.G. framework to help 7th grade students understand Nazi propaganda during their annual Holocaust unit that normally precedes the class trip to D.C. each fall.

Michelle Neely UPPER SCHOOL MATH

Neely walked and biked a total of 2500 miles in 2020, with the last 50 miles completed on December 31 to meet her goal. Next up, she’s training for Ride the Rockies this June. The course is 418 miles and 28,000 feet of elevation gain over six days of biking in Colorado.

After 35 years at Wellington educating children and supporting the growth of teachers, Head of Lower School Jill Webb will be leaving to focus on her role as the Director of Professional Development for the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS).

Reflecting on building a new, innovative independent school, Webb recalls the joy of creating and developing exciting programs and traditions, from writing curriculum-based on best practices from around the world to committing to educating the whole child.

“Building an entire school program was like an ‘Apollo 13’ experience. We were a much smaller but highly committed team who worked to create highly engaging learning experiences with the available resources. The early days of the school formed the foundation of collaboration, creativity, and commitment that still defines us.”

Sharla Starker P ’17 ’22

Committed to professional learning, Webb became Wellington’s first director of professional development, creating a mentoring program which resulted in national recognition that continues to this day.

UPPER SCHOOL LEARNING SPECIALIST

Chris Fischer P ’24 ’26 ENGINEERING CONSULTANT

Fischer co-authored the article “Productivity enhancement of laser powder bed fusion using compensated shelled geometries and hot isostatic pressing” soon-to-be published in Advances in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering.

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Starker wrote the article “Building Solid Relationships: A Personal Journey” featured on Center for Responsive Schools.

Turning her focus to professional development for all 245 ISACS schools, it is a bittersweet parting for Webb who will miss working with the exceptional educators at Wellington, crediting their commitment, creativity, and brilliance for all that the school is today.

Jaguar Kindness Makes World News Tonight Prekindergartners, along with teachers Pete Kaser ’96 P ’27 ’29 and Alyson Vigneron P ’33, were featured on ABC World News Tonight and in the Columbus Dispatch for their work making “You Matter” bags and delivering them to frontline workers at Grant Medical Center in December.

Earlier in the fall, Kaser and Vigneron had made kindness a core part of their curriculum. Classroom conversations framed around thinking of and caring for others, as well as how to help inspire and give joy, led them to create a Kindness Rock Garden, painting rocks with uplifting messages to be placed around the Wellington campus. After discussing the heroic efforts of frontline medical workers caring for patients with COVID-19, they made “You Matter” bags filled with self-care items and artwork expressing their gratitude for doctors and nurses. When Kaser and Vigneron, along with Head of School Dr. Jeff Terwin, delivered the bags to Ohio Health Grant Medical Center, the medical workers were moved to tears, especially when they were able to thank students directly over Zoom.

“Talk about filling your bucket,” administrative nurse manager Kim Blevins told The Columbus Dispatch. “It was absolutely priceless to watch the staff at Grant talk to the kids. It had staff tearing up...what those little ones put in the bags meant more than anything.”

To watch Jaguar Kindness on ABC World News Tonight, scan here.

While she will continue to support educators in independent schools, she will deeply miss the Wellington family. “I cannot describe the joy of discovery and growth that educators get to witness every day. I am so fortunate to have been part of the team that played a role in who Wellington is today. It has been a gift.”

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A CLOSER LOOK

Stuart Oremus Retires What are your most notable professional accomplishments at Wellington and beyond?

I’ve valued the opportunity to create and develop with students our College Counseling Club and Guest Series program. I helped to form a faculty edit team that works with seniors on application materials, and a required composition and college essay writing course for juniors. And with their teachers, I’ve coordinated college counseling sessions for freshmen and sophomores.

After more than two decades of dedicated service to the Wellington community, Director of College Counseling Stuart Oremus P ’00 will retire at the end of the 2020-21 school year. Throughout her time at Wellington, Oremus worked tirelessly to design a robust program that informs and empowers students and families during their college search process.

You have been at Wellington for over 25 years. What are some of your favorite memories?

Some of my fondest memories involve working with students on pursuing college dreams and celebrating their excitement.

It has been such an honor and delight to help them through the process—seeing them introspect as they analyze their options, working with them individually on college essays—the give and take, the fun of the exchanges. And I’ve cherished the professional relationships with parents, faculty, administrators, and staff members, present and past, as well as alums and trustees.

I was a member of the task force that founded ACCIS, the national association of college counselors in independent schools, and served on its Executive Committee. I’ve collaborated with Bruce Hammond through the Fiske and Hammond Advisory Group; worked with Wellington seniors to be featured in national publications on successful college essays; and, most recently, helped to create a cultural collaborative connecting students from Wellington and China.

You are also a proud Jag parent. How have you seen your son Will Oremus, Class of 2000, benefit from his time as a student at Wellington?

At Wellington, Will developed as a scholar, an athlete, a writer, and a leader. He forged friendships with fellow students who remain among his closest friends today. He told me recently that Wellington felt like a uniquely safe and supportive place to develop his identity and worldview, thanks in part to teachers who truly get to know and care about each student. Will’s time at Wellington also led to exciting college opportunities, and he ultimately chose Stanford.

What are you most looking forward to doing next?

I’m excited about visiting with family and friends from around the country, traveling to their homes and welcoming them to mine. In addition to regular exercise, reading various genres, and following current events, I’m thinking I’ll have time to take up a new hobby or two. Glad to accept ideas!

El Adentro

JUSTIN COCKRELL ’21

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ATHLETICS

New Cross Country Team Races to Success

By Kiran Mokadam ’21

History was made in Wellington Athletics with the formation of the school’s first high school cross country team in the 2019 season. Led by former Zimbabwean track runner Coach Tonderai Tomu P ’35, the team has put on impressive performances since it began and, through consistency and a tight camaraderie, has established itself for the long term.

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The 2020 season, almost put in jeopardy due to COVID-19, ended up an even greater success. Coach Tomu made efforts to recruit people, and it paid off. Six new runners joined, bringing the total to eleven. Cristina Cross, a former Capital University XC runner and current marathon trainee, joined forces with Coach Tomu in leading the larger group. Rising star Ray stepped up his training over the summer and dominated, setting a new school record of 20:21. And for the first time, the high school girls cross country team competed, including team members Emerson Thompson ’24 and Lily Yu ’22.

The driving force behind the success of these first two seasons was the camaraderie formed by the sport’s

For the 2019 season, the crew got off to a strong start. At the inaugural meet, Eric Albers ’23 dominated with a time of 20 minutes and 47 seconds for the 5-kilometer race. The second finisher was Kiran Mokadam ’21, covering the distance in 22:15. Just behind in third came Reece Thompson ’21, running a 22:34.

Albers’ performance was all the more impressive considering he was a freshman, and it was his first race.

Continuing to dominate, he set the school record at 20:32 and was a Spotlight Athlete. Thompson and Mokadam finished runner-up and third, respectively. The entire team, including

Vinay Garg ’23, Gavin Ray ’22, Zach Ware ’22, and Julius Skestos ’21 all set personal record times under 25 minutes. This dedication made it clear that cross country was a sport worth pursuing the next year.

unique characteristics. “Everyone lined up at the starting lines has to run the same distance and the same course, and it’s going to hurt,” Team Co-Captain Reece Thompson explains.

“You realize that every single one of your teammates is going through the same struggle.”

a blistering time of 11 minutes for Wellington’s middle school two-mile race, will make an immediate impact on the upper school team.

The program is set to become a powerhouse Wellington sport in the years ahead. It will most assuredly be exciting to watch.

With the simple but daunting task of running for 20-30 minutes as fast as possible, cross country is a sport like no other. The team benefitted from the past experience of co-captains Thompson and Mokadam, spurring everyone’s motivation to succeed.

While these two leaders will be graduating, the future is bright for the team. Rising senior Ray will continue to lead by his work ethic. In their inaugural season this year, the track and field team introduced more athletes to long-distance running.

As the coach of the middle school cross country team, Coach Tomu is working to build the program. Eighth grader Cameron Petitt, who boasted

PICTURED Lily Yu ’22

Doubles Partners Burkhalter and Zerbi State Runners-Up

PICTURED Gavin Ray ’22 Reece Thompson ’21 Kiran Mokadam ’21 Eric Albers ’23 Julius Skestos ’21

PICTURED Alexis Burkhalter ’22 and Katie Zerbi ’23 at the State Championship in October 2020.

Alexis Burkhalter ’22 and Katie Zerbi ’23 returned to the State Tennis Tournament this fall for the second year in a row. The duo won the Sectional Tournament hosted

by Columbus School for Girls handedly before advancing to the District Tournament hosted by Columbus Academy. At the District Tournament they cruised through their first round match versus Bishop Hartley before facing a tough opponent in Worthington Christian. Ultimately they clinched their birth to the State Tournament by defeating Columbus Academy 6-4, 6-1 on their home courts. At the State Tournament they made an unbelievable run at the State Championship Title by defeating Indian Hill and Toledo Central Catholic. In the Championship match they were defeated by Dayton Oakwood 6-2, 6-4. Both Burkhalter and Zerbi were also named First Team All-State. With another season remaining as teammates, the future looks bright for these dedicated players.

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ATHLETICS

WINTER AWARD WINNERS

Carsten Judge 2020 Individual State RunnerUp in Boys Golf

MIDDLE SCHOOL Coaches Award 7/8 SOCCER McKenna Hudson ’25 Pierre Cruse ’25 (5)

AWARD WINNERS

GIRLS TENNIS Vivienne Bond ’25 Elodie Ware ’25

GOLF Anchi Hall ’26 Enzo Corso ’26 CROSS COUNTRY Hannah Guffrey ’26 (2) Cameron Petitt ’25

UPPER SCHOOL VARSITY GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY R.O.A.R. Emerson Thompson ’24 (6) VARSITY BOYS CROSS COUNTRY R.O.A.R. Gavin Ray ’22 Jaguar Award Reece Thompson ’21 Kiran Mokadam ’21

1

2

Senior Carsten Judge tied for second in the Division III state tournament in October, shooting a 147. After two straight seasons of earning second-team all-state honors, Judge had an impressive postseason run in 2020, shooting 73 to earn medalist honors in a Division III sectional before capturing the district championship when he carded 69 at Denison Golf Club.

In the state tournament at NorthStar, he played strong to earn first-team all-state honors, shooting 75 in the opening round and 72 during the final round. First-year coach Oliver Chapman was proud of Judge’s performance. “He’s earned it,” Chapman told ThisWeek News. “His senior leadership was great this year because these guys really look up to him. He shares a lot with these guys. He has a lot of patience, especially for someone his age.”

Judge is looking forward to continuing his golf career at college in the fall.

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5 31

5

4

6

VARSITY BOYS SOCCER R.O.A.R. Eoin Basobas O’Carroll ’21 (4) Most Outstanding Performer Jordan Livits ’21 Coaches Award Henry Lin ’22 JV Jag Armaan Chaudhary ’24

VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER R.O.A.R. Christine Cooke ’21 (9) Team First Reagan Kadlic ’21 (10) Heart & Hustle Gigi Manley ’24

VARSITY GIRLS TENNIS R.O.A.R. Katie Zerbi ’23 Coaches Award Kate Thompson ’23 Most Outstanding Performer Lexi Burkhalter ’22 JV Jag Katie Kuttrus ’23 VARSITY BOYS GOLF R.O.A.R. Carsten Judge ’21 John Yakscoe Sidd Ganesh ’23 (7) Coaches Award Jackson Jacobs ’22

FALL AWARD WINNERS MIDDLE SCHOOL Coaches Award 5/6 BOYS BASKETBALL Umar Campion ’28 Benjamin Butler ’27 7TH BOYS BASKETBALL Hasan Campion ’26 Zac Barton ’26

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8TH BOYS BASKETBALL Jaden Shoultz ’26 Caden Ivery ’27 5/6 GIRLS BASKETBALL Dottie Blackburn ’27 Carolina Bazan ’28 7/8 GIRLS BASKETBALL Alexis Smith ’26 McKenna Hudson ’25 BOYS SWIMMING Cameron Petitt ’25 (12) Kai Rozmiarek ’25 (12) GIRLS SWIMMING Catherine Cartmell ’25 (12) Lilly Vance ’25 (12) UPPER SCHOOL BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL R.O.A.R. Marcus Stewart ’21 (11) Coaches Evan Henry ’21 Anthony Jackson Kethan Mokadam ’21 JV Jag William Garner ’23 GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL R.O.A.R. Abigail Burkhardt ’22 (8) Newcomer of the Year Gigi Manley ’24 Coaches Jameela Askira ’22 GIRLS VARSITY SWIMMING/ DIVING Coaches Christine Cooke ’21 P.A.W.S. Drew Ober ’22 BOYS VARSITY SWIMMING/DIVING R.O.A.R. Heath Thomas ’21 Jaguar Samson Mingione ’23 Coaches Eric Albers ’23 (1) P.A.W.S. Jake Johnson ’23 SPIRIT SQUAD R.O.A.R. Audrey Arman ’21 (3) Most Improved Simrin Ruegsegger ’24

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Middle School Spotlight Athlete: Cameron Petitt ’25 Cameron Petitt ’25 has had one of the most impressive cross country and swim seasons in Wellington history. He broke the Middle School Cross Country Meet school record twice in 2020 and holds the current two mile school record of 11:08. As a swimmer, Petitt has broken all the school’s records for individual events, and with teammates Kai Rozmiarek ’25, Ross Braswell ’25, and Koen Kwak ’25, broke records for the 200 free and 200 medley relays.

When did you start swimming and running?

I started swimming competitively at the age of six and started running in 6th grade.

What do you like best about each?

Training and competing with and against my friends.

What does your training look like?

I swim for 2-3 hours six days a week.

What motivates you as an athlete?

The competitive spirit and knowing that my teammates and coaches will be there with me all of the way.

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Jacob Robinson began a new position as Lead Instructor at Skillz Academy. Skillz Academy is a training program for people who want to learn a future-proof set of skills that will enable them to launch a career as a salesperson in the technology industry.

ALUMNI

Alumni News THE CLASS OF

1992

THE CLASS OF

2011 THE CLASS OF

2008

Jalyn Glassco is now a graduate assistant at Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.

THE CLASS OF

Matt Benson began a new position as Kinship Youth Program Supervisor at Family Support Services.

THE CLASS OF

2010

2012 Annie (Kapp) Crist graduated from Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy with a certificate in fundraising management.

THE CLASS OF

Dorina Yessios was named Latinvex’s Top 100 Female Lawyers Overall as well as in the Energy Projects and Banking & Finance categories.

2013

THE CLASS OF

2004 THE CLASS OF

2004

Memory Painting LILLY VANCE ’25

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Duncan Forbes married Sarah Lenkay on Saturday, October 24, 2020 at The City Club on Hoover Reservoir.

The couple was joined by a small group of family and close friends, including his brother James Forbes ’02 and parents Jane and Bill Forbes.

Chris Noble was named a 2021 New Leaders Council - Columbus fellow. New Leaders Council works to recruit, train, promote, and develop progressive change-makers. They are the advocates, community leaders, and civically-engaged young people across business and industry who will shape the future of Central Ohio.

Members of the Class of 2013 held an impromptu virtual viewing party for “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” complete with a speech from former class president Neale Snyder.

Attendees include Jahi Dial, Laura Gamboa, Quinten Henricks, Jonathan Robinson, Vishal Sharoff, Tyler Sharp, Jenna Tugaoen, Samantha Shepherd, and Elizabeth Zimmerman.

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THE CLASS OF

2014

THE CLASS OF

2017

THE CLASS OF

2018

Benjamin Smith was promoted to senior financial analyst, M&A Finance, at Salesforce.

Former Wellington student and NHL hockey player Jack Roslovic came home to the Columbus Blue Jackets. After spending his first three seasons with Winnipeg, the team that drafted him in 2015, Roslovic was acquired by the Blue Jackets in January 2021.

THE CLASS OF

2015 Erin O’Neil is the owner of Fishtail Publishing LLC and author of “Gui Ren: Extraordinary Stories of Ordinary People.” She was one of 30 literacy leaders named to the International Literacy Association’s (ILA) 2021 30 Under 30 list. The global list celebrates rising innovators, disruptors, and visionaries in the literacy field.

O’Neil was recognized for developing programs to help students and educators use storytelling as a platform for personal growth and amplifying the voices of artists by providing support in publishing and digital marketing. She also offers coaching in presentation narrative to further strengthen the impactful research of professionals across the country. Her work with the National Storytelling Network and Storytellers of Central Ohio has helped the art of storytelling reach the hearts of people all over the world.

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Mason McIntyre started a new position as an Associate Account Executive at Amazon.

Caiti (Olberding) Levy began a new position as client experience specialist at Olberding Brand Family.

Evan Brandao was recently featured on Spectrum News 1 and Otterbein University News for his classic rock radio show The Boulevard on Otterbein’s WOBN-FM. After switching his major from business to communications, Evan spends much of his time interviewing rock music legends including Huey Lewis of Huey Lewis and the News and Jim Messina of Loggins and Messina. Brandao’s guests extend beyond musicians to executives and leaders of Columbusbased companies. Evan seeks to understand and share the wisdom of those who have found success in life and career with his peers.

Jacquelyn Sierzputowski will be a field merchandising intern this summer with Lowe’s Companies, Inc. Jacquelyn started her journey with Lowe’s as a plant merchandiser vendor last summer before moving onto the sales floor. She is eager to put her experience, skills, and education to work as she grows into her new position. This experience will provide hands-on experience at a Fortune 50 company while she pursues her bachelor’s degree at Kent State University.

Sydney Wurapa began a social media strategist internship at City Living NY, a Brooklyn-based non-profit organization established to help youth who are aging out of the foster care system never become homeless.

Sydney Snow began a new position as patient care assistant at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She is also in graduate school at Xavier University in the MIDAS program, an accelerated course of study that will allow her to graduate with a master’s in nursing in May 2022.

Cassie Robbins will graduate from the University of Richmond with a major in biochemistry and a minor in health care studies. During her time at college, she has been a member of the following societies: Phi Eta Sigma First-Year Student Honor Society, National Society of Leadership and Success, Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Society, and Sigma Pi Pi Chemistry Honor Society.

Additionally, Cassie was the recipient of the Clarence Denoon Award as a rising senior for excellence in the natural sciences, as determined by the faculty of the Science Departments.

Welcome Home, Jack Roslovic!

THE CLASS OF

2019 Jack Haney recently began the role of chief of staff for The Ohio State University College Democrats.

“I’m super motivated,” Roslovic, a member of the Wellington Class of 2015, said in an interview with BlueJackets. com. “That’s what I’ve always wanted, and I’m going to take on a role here that hopefully I’ve been waiting for too. I’m going to make the most of it and I’m going to do it not only for myself but for our team and the city. I’m not going to shy away from anything.”

Nancy Mulick Remembered The Wellington community mourns the loss of Nancy Mulick, former upper school art teacher, who passed away on December 24, 2020. A beloved faculty member, mentor, colleague, and friend of the entire Wellington family, Mulick leaves a legacy of immense creativity and abiding passion for art.

Born in Millville, New Jersey, she spent most of her life in both her hometown and Columbus, where she was the long-time chair of the Wellington Art Department as well as an artist-inresidence for 27 years before retiring in 2011. Mulick also taught classes at

the Rhode Island School of Design and The Gordon School when she lived in Rhode Island. Her work is in collections in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Permanent collections containing her work include The White House, The Dard Hunter Paper Museum, and The Ossabaw Island Collection.

Known for her intelligence, humor, and adventurous spirit, Mulick will be remembered by students and colleagues for her lifelong commitment to creativity and the arts.

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With your support, we can make learning more engaging, more meaningful, and more impactful.

We can continue our mission of providing the most innovative and relevant education possible.

We can invest even further in the future of our students.

Because this campaign is for all of us.

For our community, For our school, For our students, For the believers.

We believe in you.

Jacob Lawrence Challenge

For information on giving to the campaign, please contact development@wellington.org or visit www.wellington.org/believing

BO HUANG ’26

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Non-Profit Org. US Postage

Wellington 3650 Reed Road Columbus, Ohio 43220 wellington.org

The Divers

JULIUS SKESTOS ’21

PAID

Columbus, OH Permit #5786