The Jag - Spring 2022

JAG

THE

Spring 2022

Dear Friends, focused on pandemics and epidemics. We aspire to prepare our students for the world beyond our walls, and these programs, led by our creative and innovative faculty, bring that vision into clear focus.

I continue to be impressed by the resilience and agility of this amazing community. A recent visitor shared this perspective after a campus tour: “Wellington is a place where kids are happy to be and happy to learn.” I could not have captured the sentiment any better.

Despite the many twists and turns that this year has dealt us, our faculty and students continue to not only maintain great work in and out of the classroom but also continue to innovate, bringing new and meaningful opportunities and outcomes to our community.

In asking our students to take on new academic risks and opportunities, it is critical that we continue to build connections in our community, elevate our extensions of belonging, and practice empathy regarding the community that surrounds us. That commitment to this work shows in the Celebration of Black Voices event, which this year highlighted an understanding of wellness and healthcare issues. Related to that important work, I was moved to see the stories of our alumni who are currently working in the healthcare field

“We aspire to have a program that prepares our students for the world beyond our walls.”

DR. JEFF TERWIN

shape the world, and nowhere is that more apparent than with the Robinson brothers.

We see the sizable impact of an insatiable entrepreneurial spirit combined with a deep commitment to the needs of our greater community. In working with both of them through the years, I could not be more proud of their accomplishments and their focus on helping others, including Wellington, while also making sure the dance floor is always full!

Our young school is not so young anymore, as we are excited to enter our 40th year.

As we reflect on the Wellington journey, there will be many activities and celebrations in the fall, most notably the completion and occupation of our new wing. As the final steel beam, covered in signatures from our community, was hoisted into place, we all reflected on the significant moment in the trajectory of the school.

Your ongoing support and partnership are so appreciated.

We will continue to aspire to do big things for all of our students so that they can continue to have a meaningful and positive impact on those around them.

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:

Jaime Bennati Bryan Brautigam P ’37 Patty Dunn Joya Elmore P ’36 Curt Hansen P ’12 ’15 Kerrie Kirkpatrick Helen McConaghy Artie Taylor P ’23 Becky Woodruff Jessica Young COPY EDITORS:

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

You will see that as you enjoy the stories about our middle school students taking on challenges (and winning awards!) in the realm of cybersecurity, while our upper school students are fully immersed in a course

during this challenging time.

Their stories are both inspiring and affirming of our work at Wellington.

Go Jags!

Clearly, we are helping to shape those students who will help

Jeff Terwin Head of School

Ben Anderson P ’28 Nick Fancher Lisa FitzSimons David Heasley Katie Kuttrus ’23 Kyle Long Linda Ryu P ’25 Kate Thompson ’23 DESIGN:

Bluewave Creative

TABLE OF CONTENTS

We don’t just walk into waiting opportunities, we build ones to call our own.”

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JONATHAN ROBINSON ’13

The Entrepreneurial Spirit of the Robinson Brothers ON THE COVER: Jacob Robinson ’10 and Jonathan Robinson ’13

FEATURES

A CLOSER LOOK

A CLOSER LOOK

Alumni in Healthcare

Middle School CyberPatriots

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20

Genrefying the Library 14

ATHLETICS

ALUMNI

Alumni News 38

Manjula Kothuru Remembered

Celebration of Black Voices

40

22

Wellington’s 40th Anniversary Gala

Our Trash is Becoming Our Treasure

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16

Building Blocks for Success on the Court 32

Award Winners Faculty News

36

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ZACHARY WARE ’22

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FEATURE

The Entrepreneurial Spirit of the

Robinson Brothers

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how much money his brother was making, he too began DJing. Soon, the brothers had a monopoly on Columbusarea Catholic school dances.

Wellington, which supports students’ entrepreneurial drive, also hired them for events. “Wellington created the environment for it. It was a way for us to get off allowance but also a way for us to get a taste of becoming an entrepreneur,” said Jacob.

In the years since, Jonathan and Jacob have taken the skills they learned as teenage entrepreneurs – problemsolving, teamwork, leadership, customer service, and strategic planning – and further developed them, evolving into the entrepreneurs they are today.

Jonathan’s Passion for Equity

In the summer of 2008, Jacob Robinson ’10 asked his father for an increase in his allowance.

In response, his father issued a challenge: “Have you ever considered opening a business?”

Intrigued but uncertain, Jacob asked his father what kind of business he would recommend. His father reminded him how much time he spent researching and finding new music and suggested a DJ company. Jacob took the advice to heart, starting with parties and school dances. He then hired Jonathan ’13 to pack and unload equipment. When Jonathan saw just

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As a strategy consultant for Monitor Deloitte, Jonathan’s work tackles how to gather the right people and resources to help mobilize change in the healthcare industry. He holds a Master of Health Administration (MHA) from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and applies his expertise in community health and health equity to local and international challenges.

A Wellington community member is behind Jonathan’s decision to pursue public health. Sick of his dad’s poor haircutting skills, Jonathan decided to see Al Edmondson P ’16, a barber and public health advocate, as well as a family friend through church.

Edmondson regularly organizes public health screenings and when Jonathan walked into the barbershop, he noticed a table with nursing students administering blood pressure tests and handing out educational materials.

After talking to Edmondson, Jonathan became curious and enrolled in a few public health courses.

One recent project at Monitor Deloitte tasked Jonathan with providing solutions to a consortium of business leaders in finance, telecommunications, energy, education, and healthcare on how to make their region the most equitable and inclusive place in the country for people to do business.

The work required collaboration with government officials and community leaders — perfect for an adept integrator like Jonathan. “I take pride in being a person that can be a facilitator, who can bring people together and create an environment where people can tackle problems and pursue goals together,” he said.

On top of his work at Monitor Deloitte, Jonathan flexed his entrepreneurial muscles and founded From Columbus For Columbus after relocating to the capital city in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. A Columbus native, he was amazed to see the city’s development but was frustrated by the large number of out-of-state and international investors.

From Columbus For Columbus uses real estate to provide safe and affordable housing while also fostering growth and development and improving Columbus communities. All of Jonathan’s property purchases have been facilitated by Wellington community members, including real estate agents Tonda Adiansingh P ’16 ’20 ’24 and Obinna Adams-Johns ’16.

But the company does more than buy up local properties. For example, one property was adjacent to an alley that was often filled with trash. Determined

“My belief is that everything we need is already here in Columbus. It just takes somebody to mobilize those resources and focus them on a cause.”

JONATHAN ROBINSON ’13

to find a long-term solution, Jonathan partnered with the City of Columbus to have the dumpster lids replaced and better contain the trash.

“My belief is that everything we need is already here in Columbus,” he said. “It just takes somebody to mobilize those resources and focus them on a cause.”

Jacob’s Drive to Create Opportunities for Everyone After graduating from Duke University with a degree in public policy, Jacob hoped to work in K-12 education policy on Capitol Hill. But then he, too, was bit by the entrepreneurial bug.

Jacob signed up for an entrepreneurial fellowship through Venture for America, an organization that creates economic

opportunity by mobilizing young entrepreneurs and equipping them with the skills and resources they need to found companies. He was connected with a tech startup in New Orleans.

Over four years he worked at two tech companies in sales. With time, he shifted into mentorship roles and found fulfillment in helping people translate their interests and talents into new opportunities. He decided to return to Venture for America and pursue workforce development. During his time as a recruiter, he focused on women and people of color, creating their first majority-minority fellowship class.

PICTURED Opposite page: Jonathan Robinson ’13 Below: Jacob’s (left) and Jonathan’s (right) school photos from their first year at Wellington.

While in New Orleans working at startups, Jacob met the founder of Skillz Academy, an organization focused on recruiting, training, and placing Americans from underrepresented backgrounds in jobs at technology companies. Early in the pandemic, the founder invited Jacob to join his new venture as the first employee, where he leads the instructor and curriculum development teams.

Skillz Academy’s first course trains adults for jobs on the business-side of tech, jobs in sales and customer success. Jacob said seeing the first cohort finish the pilot program last fall was a rush. For him, being an educator allows him to serve others. “I get to create opportunities for people from underrepresented backgrounds that get overlooked because of their education or their race or socioeconomic status or what city they’re from,” Jacob said.

Continued Ties to Wellington Jacob and Jonathan both trace their stories to their time at Wellington, which they turned into full-ride academic scholarships at Duke University and The Ohio State University. They credit Stuart Oremus P ’00, retired director of college counseling, with helping them explore their passions to prepare for college.

Jacob vividly remembers one invaluable exercise from freshman year. Oremus attended Jacob’s advisory and asked students to write down their interests, hobbies, and passions. She encouraged them to explore everything on that list during their time at Wellington. The Robinsons did. They served as student body presidents, leaders of the college WELLINGTON • THE JAG

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Following the listening session, alumni from each decade cohort gathered to continue the conversation and to generate suggestions for changes. They realized how similar their experiences often were, and their efforts culminated in a powerful letter of encouragement, support, and recommendations. This letter influenced many of Wellington’s DEI efforts, beginning with a listening session with faculty and staff to process the letter. Additionally, the sentiments shared in the letter led to an alumni career panel event featuring Black alumni and are shaping school hiring practices.

For the Robinsons, it is critical that Wellington helps all students explore and develop their unique intersectional identities while challenging them academically.

PICTURED Jacob Robinson ’10

“The kingdom of Nepal counseling club, and played basketball is a landlocked country and lacrosse, all while running the DJ bordered

by Tibet on the business. north and India to the east, The Robinsons’ ties to Wellington run west, and south.

It is welldeep, and they continue to have a known as the birthplace close connection with the school today. of Buddha for the Jacob serves onand the board of trustees and both are founding members Himalayas.

Although it ofisofa Black Wellington Alumni (BWA). The small country, it contains BWA organizes and mobilizes Black the variation in and alumnigreatest to support current students each other. However, theirfrom affinitythe for altitude on earth, the school doesn’t erase some of their lowlands of the Tarai in negative experiences as students the south, to the world’s of color. tallest mountain, Mt. While the brothers had feet).” exceptional Everest (29,028 academic careers and went to

-Wellington JYOTI PATHAK, “TASTE OF for its academic rigor, they

each shared a story about when a NEPAL” teacher discouraged them from trying

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to enroll in an advanced or AP class.

“We had to jump through multiple hoops just to even sign up, including our parents signing waivers,” said Jonathan.

The brothers shared these experiences to bring light to the impact of students of color being discouraged from seeking a challenging academic path.

The brothers had an opportunity to share more about their experiences when Wellington hosted a listening session following the killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tony McDade in 2020. The school invited Black alumni to speak about the difficulties they faced at Wellington. In response, the school committed to create robust diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that will shape more positive experiences for current and future Black students.

As the sons, grandsons, and greatgrandsons of educators — including Jacob Reddix, the fifth president of Jackson State University, a historically Black college in Mississippi — Jacob and Jonathan stressed the importance of academic excellence at Wellington.

“Wellington should be creating an environment where all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or gender are achieving their full academic potential,” Jacob said.

At the same time, Jacob and Jonathan are using the same entrepreneurial skills they learned running an entertainment company to serve and better their own communities. The Robinsons have never stopped pushing themselves to continually learn and explore. When asked to describe the rewards of entrepreneurship, Jonathan described them perfectly: “We don’t just walk into waiting opportunities, we build ones to call our own.”

ANNABETH PAN ’27

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FEATURE

THANK YOU,

Alumni Working in Healthcare Healthcare workers are still on the frontlines battling the COVID-19 virus.

The Wellington community wants to express our sincere gratitude to alumni who work in healthcare for their dedication, selflessness, and courage. We recognize that healthcare workers, including Sydney, John, Ian, and SiSi, make sacrifices every day to protect the lives of those in their care.

Procedures surrounding COVID-19 changed nearly daily, requiring mental flexibility and adaptability.

Snow finishes her Master of Science in Nursing this spring.

She plans to work as a labor and delivery nurse and ultimately pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

Sydney Snow ’15 In the fall of 2020, Sydney Snow ’15 became a full-time graduate student to pursue nursing. As a patient care assistant at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center during the pandemic, Snow witnessed nurses’ struggles firsthand. “Nurses were acting as family members and support systems while also completing their daily tasks,” Snow said. “I could see the toll the work was taking on their bodies physically and emotionally.” Despite witnessing these struggles, Snow’s passion for nursing was undiminished.

Snow’s entrance to graduate school was filled with challenges.

While her program began in-person, students and faculty never knew if they would need to adapt to online learning.

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John Dix ’90 John Dix ’90 has long been in healthcare. Before the pandemic, Dix worked for a private EMS company doing inter-facility transfers ranging from simple moves to highly complex cases with intubated patients on multiple

intravenous medications. After considering returning to school for several years, Dix took the leap and pursued a licensed practical nurse (LPN) certification.

The certification process was fraught with difficulties thanks to the pandemic. All of Dix’s classes were virtual, giving him firsthand experience of how difficult it can be to learn via Zoom. Dix continued working as an EMS and saw many of his patients and coworkers fall ill with COVID-19. Despite the challenges, Dix obtained his license in 2021.

Foley also had to keep up to date with research on how COVID-19 infections impacted mothers and infants. Over the past two years, the field’s knowledge has evolved. For Foley, this reinforces the need for continual improvement in the practice of medicine.

He has now decided to pursue an associate degree in nursing (ADN) – and he has no plans on stopping there.

“I love what I do and cannot wait to be able to do it at a higher level and hold an RN license with my paramedic certification,” said Dix.

SiSi Hester-Clarke ’95 Endocrinologist Dr. SiSi Hester-Clarke ’95 practices in Charlotte, North Carolina, at an outpatient clinic specializing in thyroid disease, glandular and hormone conditions, and diabetes.

Ian Foley ’91 Dr. Ian Foley ’91, an OBGYN in the Cincinnati area, decided to go to medical school while working at an emergency room. Foley found caring for patients in some of their worst moments rewarding. He chose obstetrics as his specialty in part because of the great joy he felt while delivering babies.

The pandemic has been challenging professionally and personally. “Initially, just learning how to care for patients with COVID while preventing transmission was stressful,” said Foley. “We all wanted to provide the best care possible to COVID patients while at the same time not spreading the infection to loved ones at home.”

Hester-Clarke’s interest in medicine began at 14 while volunteering in the life sciences section of Ohio’s Center of Science and Industry (COSI). Inspired to help those with diabetes, Hester-Clarke volunteered in college with the Central Ohio Diabetes Association, testing blood sugars at churches, grocery stores, and city events like the Columbus Arts Festival and Jazz and Rib Festival. In medical school, she channeled this passion to pursue endocrinology.

Throughout the pandemic, Hester-Clarke has worked tirelessly to support patients physically and emotionally.

Witnessing patients struggle with the inability to afford medications and the loss of family and friends from COVID-19 has at times been overwhelming. Despite this, “the efforts of my awesome staff and I have resulted in several positive outcomes for which I am grateful,” said Hester-Clarke.

Hester-Clarke’s focus on patient-centered care earned her Top Doctor awards from Charlotte Magazine and Business North Carolina in 2021.

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SAVE THE DATE Faculty and Staff Reunion Founders Day Friday, September 23, 2022

Over the last forty years, you prepared over 1,500 graduates for tomorrow’s world. On Founders Day, we will celebrate your commitment to educational excellence, passion, and the connections you formed with students.

To receive further event details, make sure your contact information is updated by visiting wellington.org/alumni-contact.

Hosts Chris Robbins P ’17 ’22 and Kathy Schlosser P ’94 ’97 look forward to welcoming you back to Wellington.

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Your co-workers, students, alumni, and families want to see you!

Wellington’s

40th Anniversary Gala SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2022 7 p.m. • The Fives Columbus

Please join us as we celebrate Wellington’s 40th anniversary! We’ll raise a toast to the risk-takers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who made Wellington possible.

Calling all 2018, 2013, 2008, 2003, 1998, 1993 alumni – it’s time to celebrate your big reunion!

Alumni Reunion

Founders Day Friday, September 23, 2022 It’s time to break out your heritage gear and join us for all the activities of Homecoming, including some special 40thanniversary excitement. Following the fun and games, alumni will meet for an offsite gathering.

To receive further event details or volunteer to help plan the reunion, make sure your contact information is updated by visiting wellington.org/alumni-contact.

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FEATURE A CLOSER LOOK

Genrefying the Library

By Patty Dunn

Becky Woodruff

LIBRARIAN

TEACHING LIBRARIAN

Students and staff noticed some significant changes when they returned to the Abbott Family Learning Center this year. While the space was closed for COVID-19 protocols, librarians were hard at work on a huge reorganization project: genrefying nonfiction.

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“Genrefication” is the process of assigning genres (or categories) to books in order to help students find books of interest.

When browsing, students would stare at our shelves, overwhelmed, not knowing where to start. They gravitated toward our easy-to-navigate series collection over the rest of the chapter books. Noticing this pattern prompted research into how to make the rest of the Learning Center more independently browsable.

Following the success of genrefying our chapter books, we began to discuss the possibility of genrefying nonfiction and what that might look like. Students faced similar challenges in nonfiction, so why

they may not have found digitally.

With all of this in mind, we decided to genrefy nonfiction.

PICTURED Aurelia Rich ’28 and Jenny Sun ’23

limit our reorganization to half of the collection? Under the Dewey Decimal System, books about landforms were in three separate places.

When prekindergarten covered the Gingerbread Man, teachers had to sift through all the fairy tales, folktales, and legends in multiple sections.

Research at Wellington is interestdriven, from kindergarten passion projects to 5th grade’s Explorers of the World to senior independent research projects. Genrefying would allow us to organize the collection based on our community’s specific needs in a way that nurtures this style of interest-based inquiry. Although students and staff can use our online catalog to search, many prefer to browse the physical shelves, which allows for the discovery of materials

We started with animal books; it is a huge section and one of our most popular. We physically took the books off the shelves and organized (and re-organized) them into categories, considering both curricular and personal interest use of the books.

Next, we determined how to define and name each category. Some mammals, like bison, do not have as many books about them as, for example, dogs. Therefore, dog books have their own category, and bison books are shelved with the rest of the large mammals. We continued evaluating as we progressed, separating titles into categories that took shape into broader sections like STEM and social studies.

Before reshelving the books, we needed to determine the layout of the collection. How would we organize the categories within the foundation of the larger sections? The system for animals was clear enough: alphabetical order by category. It made sense to transition into the STEM section with other biological topics, so plants came next, which flowed into geology and landforms, which led to weather, and so on.

Social studies came together similarly.

We wanted categories to flow into one another intuitively to encourage independent browsing.

To further customize our collection, we adapted our categorization systems to account for nuances among age groups. For example, young adult nonfiction has a social justice category and a true crime category because there are enough

of those young adult titles to justify their own categories. However, young adult nonfiction only has a few animal titles, so “animals” is a category, instead of an entire section.

Another benefit to this fluid system is the ability to constantly evaluate what is working and what is not. The system can change as students’ needs change.

When the Learning Center reopened this fall, students immediately took to the new system. We saw a dramatic increase in circulation. With signage designating each section, students can browse independently. One of our first grade students can quickly navigate to the Titanic books when he visits. Now students and faculty can easily find books by locating the section and category without needing to check multiple locations.

Our parent volunteers are also thrilled with this new system. Shelving is faster and easier. One volunteer shared her excitement to finally be able to help students locate books in their interest areas.

Clearly designated, intuitive organizational systems empower users with self-sufficiency and leave librarians available to handle more indepth inquiries. When Ms. Woodruff was hired this fall, they were excited to see Wellington moving away from Dewey. Their background is in public libraries, and even most adults require staff assistance to navigate that system. Although the practice has not yet reached widespread use, libraries are beginning to seek alternatives to the Dewey Decimal System to meet the specific needs of their communities. We are excited to be at the forefront of this new movement!

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A CLOSER LOOK

Our Trash is Becoming Our Treasure

By Joya Elmore P ’36

“I think composting at Wellington is a way of giving back to the environment that has given us so much. And there is no food wasted. I think composting is great!”

HANK MCGINNIS ’30

DIRECTOR OF GARDENS FOR ENVIRONMENT-BASED LEARNING

My parents met in Ecuador, where my dad was building compostable latrines in the Peace Corps. I guess you could say sustainability and composting have always been part of me.

I grew up in geodesic domes on a small farm just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. My parents were always ahead of their time, doing things before they became popular or mainstream: growing food, composting food waste, making sourdough bread, eating vegan, etc. They taught me the importance of food and its connectedness to all things – whether you want to connect back to the earth or with people over a meal, food has real power.

Of course, as their child, I had to rebel a bit and explore my own path, though it led me back to these habits of living sustainably. So, it was fortuitous that when I decided to begin my graduate work in education, I found a program that offered an M.Ed. in EnvironmentBased Learning. With my background in elementary education, I decided to focus my work on schoolyard gardens.

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I put my skills to work in Virginia and Alabama, working at both independent and public schools and nonprofits, before moving to Columbus in 2016.

The minute I finished my interview at Wellington, I told my husband, “I found my place. I found my people.” Over the last six years, I have had students call me “the plant lady,” “the garden teacher,” or “the smoothie teacher” as my whole title is quite a mouthful – Director of Gardens for EnvironmentBased Learning. Wellington has been an incredible place for me to expand my work beyond gardening into nutrition and sustainability development. I am so grateful we can connect with this community over food, even food waste. Right now we are composting food waste as part of this year’s composting initiative.

Every day, millions of pounds of food go to landfills in the U.S. By composting our food waste, we are not only reducing the amount of trash that goes to landfills but we are creating opportunities to help replenish our soils. Compost, or “black gold,” is a

crucial element added to farmland and gardens to nourish the soil for healthy plant growth. At Wellington, we already use real plates, silverware, and cups. As part of our sustainability initiative this year, composting was easily the next step in our commitment to living more sustainably and modeling positive, sustainable habits for our students.

We partnered with Compost Clubhouse, a local nonprofit organization that empowers kids to educate their community about the importance of diverting food waste from landfills. By working with a company that has a facility to “heat up” food waste, they can compost more than we could do ourselves. They can PICTURED Compost bin in the Thomas Family Dining Room

Learn More About Composting Documentaries to Watch:

PICTURED Hannah Kirkpatrick ’28 and Ella Noritz ’28

even compost dairy and meat, on top of the typical fruit and veggies we think of when we compost at home. Every week, Compost Clubhouse picks up our food waste, weighs it, and takes it to the facility to create soil we call “black gold.”

This year we decided to break this initiative into three phases to ensure successful onboarding across the school. We began phase one working with our dining room team to compost food preparation scraps. We moved to phase two in the dining room to compost our lunch food scraps with students. An important part of phase two (and this whole initiative) is allowing students to educate their peers and community on the importance of and proper steps for composting. So, for phase two, I sought out student leaders and environmental enthusiasts to help me do just that. I worked with lower school 4th grade students, middle school Environmental Club students, and Green Club members in our upper school to

educate their peers. We made videos to share with our students in all divisions.

Students created signs for all to see in the dining room. These wonderful students set an example for our community. After we have conquered the routines of composting during lunch, we will move to phase three and have compost receptacles throughout the school hallways to ensure we are composting any and all food scraps from snacks to old flower bouquets. If it came from the earth, we want to help bring it back to the earth!

FOOD FACT: Since we started working with Compost Clubhouse back in October, we have diverted 7,177 pounds or 3.25 tons of food waste from the landfill.

We have composted approximately 410 pounds of food waste daily since we moved to phase two, composting during lunchtime.

“Kiss the Ground” is a great film on Netflix about the importance of soil for a healthy future.

“Wasted! The Story of Food Waste” produced by the late Anthony Bourdain is another interesting movie to reflect on our food waste.

Books to Read:

If you’d like to read a book with your young children, these two are great books to get: “Compost: A Family Guide to Making Soil from Scraps” by Ben Raskin “Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth” by Mary McKenna Siddals

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WILLIAM HARRY ’28

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A CLOSER LOOK

The Middle School CyberPatriots and the Digital Needs of the Future

By Helen McConaghy TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATOR

In 2021, 230.5 million Americans shopped online, 75% banked online, and 88% reported their doctors entered their medical information into electronic health record systems. With so much of your information online, it becomes critically important to protect it. Some of our information’s most important defenders are cybersecurity professionals.

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Five years ago, with many data leaks and cyberattacks in the news, a group of middle school students became interested in cybersecurity. Motivated to learn more, they joined the U.S. Air Force’s CyberPatriot Program, designed to inspire students to pursue careers in cybersecurity or other STEM disciplines critical to our nation’s future.

The CyberPatriot Program runs three rounds of competition. Teams explore a set of virtual operating systems (Windows 10, Windows Server, and Ubuntu) while they assume the role of a newly hired IT professional tasked with managing the network of

a small company. They are charged with finding and fixing cybersecurity vulnerabilities while maintaining critical services, scoring points for their team in the process.

Running the Middle School CyberPatriot Club has been a learning process for me and my students. In the fall of 2017, I started with two teams, one boys and one girls, both with a mix of grade levels. I worked with students to change RAM, add VMware, and set up six desktops for competitions.

In the following two years, we added a third team and in 2019 moved into a new space, the Learning Center with nine computers. After a hiatus during the pandemic, Henry Becker ’27 encouraged me to bring back the team, which I did in fall 2021 with eight students.

Wellington’s culture makes this club and its competitions possible. At Wellington, we encourage students to be curious and pursue their passions.

When Henry expressed interest to me at the beginning of this school year, I, the middle school heads, technology department, and middle school teachers wanted to support them. That support extended to creating a flexible schedule for them on competition days.

Students on the team are allowed to move in and out of our designated club room during the six-hour competition time block while still attending some classes and making up work in others.

This unwavering support for students’ passions reminds me why I choose to teach at Wellington.

The team has also received encouragement and guidance from our community. During the club’s first year, Dr. Ted Allen P ’24, associate professor of integrated systems engineering and computer science and engineering at The Ohio State University, did a simulation for the team on cyber wargames. In December 2021, Amy Geiger P ’33, chief security officer for Huntington National Bank, virtually spoke to students about careers in cybersecurity.

Some helpful tips from your friendly neighborhood cyber team:

One of Geiger’s points rings true – not all cybersecurity professionals are engineers. Some have backgrounds in marketing or even art history. What it really takes to succeed in cybersecurity is the ability to solve problems and endless curiosity. During the 2019 season, one of my 5th graders, Jack Mahaffey ’27, noted the benefits of studying cybersecurity outside of learning about technology systems.

“I’ve become better at the challenges and problems through our practices and following our guide sheets… I also learned not to be afraid to try something new. If it doesn’t work, I can try something different or even start from scratch.” A 6th grade student at the time, Annie Shen ’26, highlighted the challenges and take-aways. “One of the most challenging things is to keep going, no matter how frustrating the problem might be. We’ve learned to persevere.”

still underrepresented. I also hope to offer support to begin a CyberPatriot Club in the upper school. Upper school participants get access to CISCO training and certification, which would help students interested in cybersecurity as a career.

While I don’t expect all of the club members to pursue a career in this field, their cybersecurity skills will serve them well in the future when they need to solve problems, collaborate with team members, or cultivate the habit of staying up to date with new discoveries in their chosen field. And who knows, maybe some of them will be inspired to pursue cybersecurity and help protect their parents’, friends’, and your online information.

PICTURED Left: Henry Becker ’27 and Luke Gregory ’27 Below: Bean Fischer ’26 and Khadija Fall ’26

I couldn’t be more proud. This year’s team made it to the semifinals while also capturing first place during the Middle School State competition.

Next year, I hope to facilitate an allgirls team as I have in the past. While women have entered the field, up to 25% in 2021 from 10% in 2011, they are

Share carefully – what you post can last a lifetime Protect your personal information – know what is being collected, who is collecting it, and how it is being used

Secure your devices – use strong passwords, passcodes, and touch ID Avoid public WiFi hotspots When in doubt, throw it out – don’t click suspicious links in emails, posts, and ads

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A CLOSER LOOK

PICTURED Rev. Joel King Jr. and Lyrie Smith ’33

SECOND ANNUAL

Celebration of Black Voices During the first Celebration of Black Voices in 2021, Theatre Arts Director David Glover, Me-Chelle Burkhalter P ’22, middle school science and math teacher, and Yolanda Johnson, lower school teacher, sought to expand traditional Black History Month celebrations to highlight and uplift the heritage, achievement, and rampant joy of Black culture in our community and beyond.

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During the second annual Celebration of Black Voices, Wellington featured the achievements and history of Black Americans with a special emphasis on this year’s Black History Month theme of health and wellness.

For Burkhalter, this year’s theme has particular relevance while living in a global pandemic. “In adopting the national theme of Heath and Wellness for Black History Month and adding self-care, we address the toll COVID has taken on everyone and offer mindful solutions for a healthier community,” Burkhalter said. “It also affords us a moment to pause and recognize the historical and presentday disparities in healthcare systems.

Differences that are glaringly apparent at the intersection of socioeconomic status and race increase exponentially during global pandemics.”

Throughout the month, students from Little Jags to upper school students took part in a variety of lessons and activities.

Rebecca Shrader’s Little Jags class celebrated Black History Month through an artist study of Faith Ringgold, a painter, mixed media sculptor, writer, and performance artist best known for her narrative quilts that tell the story of her childhood. Taking inspiration from her book “Tar Beach,” each of Shrader’s students created a piece of art. The result is a beautiful, robust work surrounded by fabric squares that mirrors Ringgold’s vibrant, rich style.

Lower school students visited with Reverend Joel King Jr., who discussed his first cousin, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights movement, and how everyone can be an upstander.

Rev. King discussed the history of the civil rights movement and its impact on students’ current experiences, with a particular focus on the integration of schools. He reminded students that schools were desegregated just 68 years ago. He also inspired students to make the world a better place through love, kindness, and fairness.

He wanted students to remember, “It begins with me.”

The middle and upper schools hosted a health and wellness fair. Students watched a documentary about the disparities in healthcare for Black Americans from slavery to COVID-19.

Additional videos explored the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and teenage mental health. Students were provided a variety of wellness activities from self-defense to mindfulness.

The month-long celebrations culminated in a virtual presentation that included documentary snippets and guest speakers.

Alumna Sydney Snow ’15, currently finishing her Master of Nursing, discussed the importance of self-care.

She argued that to take care of other people, one has to care for themselves, physically, mentally, and socially.

Pediatric anesthesiologist Dr. Olubukola (Bukky) Nafiu P ’23 presented on health disparities in the United States. Sharing his published research, he talked about the differences in post-surgical outcomes in patients of color, accounting for differences in health before surgery. He also examined the history of medicine and its impact on communities of color, including historic examples of unethical experimentation like the

Tuskegee Syphilis Study and the work of J. Marion Sims.

Keynote speaker Dr. Emlah Tubuo P ’27 ’29, owner of Powell Pharmacy, spoke of the power of using knowledge to better the health and well-being of others.

Using a personal example, Tubuo shared a heartbreaking story of how a lack of explanation of breast cancer prognosis and treatment caused her grandmother to delay seeking treatment. She reminded students that no one seeks to jeopardize their health – it’s often a lack of information or access that causes health problems.

She closed by encouraging students to lead from where they are, use their voice to advocate for themselves and their community, and create change with kindness.

Through curriculum, programming, and events, the second annual Celebration of Black Voices encouraged students of all ages to scrutinize their health and well-being and the health of everyone in their community. We were reminded to take care of ourselves and one another.

ARTWORK BY Laura Trubilowicz P ’27 ’30 ’34, Middle School Language Arts

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A CLOSER LOOK

Teaching a Class on Pandemics During a Pandemic

By Curt Hansen P ’12 ’15

Bryan Brautigam P ’37

UPPER SCHOOL HISTORY

UPPER SCHOOL BIOLOGY

​​ Teaching the class Pandemics and Epidemics has provided us with an interesting perspective from which to view the COVID-19 pandemic. While most people have obsessed, worried, and tried to endure the pandemic as a part of their daily lives, we had the greatest excuse of anyone to obsess about the pandemic: trying to understand it so we could help explain it to our students.

As with nearly anything, the greater the understanding of COVID-19 and our policy responses to the pandemic, the better the ability to handle the short- and long-term ramifications of those responses and understand how to address any similar situations that might arise in the future. As the old saying goes, “forewarned is forearmed.”

We wanted our students to be guided by an understanding of the biology of the disease, as well as have an ability to critically analyze the situation and place it in a historical context.

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Pandemics and Epidemics is an example of one of the primary strengths of Wellington: people have agency here, whether they are students or teachers. The class preceded the arrival of COVID-19.

The idea originated during a lunch in 2016. As we exchanged various bits of information relating to our respective disciplines, science and history, we discussed how much they overlap and how important it is for students to see the connection.

It’s common for teachers to create classes related to subjects they’re passionate about. A Biography of Cancer, a class developed by Dr. Brandon Sullivan, a renowned cancer researcher, and Keith Leonard’s P ’33 ’36 Podcast Journalism are PICTURED Below: Jackson Stoner ’22, Olivia Robinson ’23, and Katie Zerbi ’23 Right: Caleb Wilson ’23

just a couple of classes developed from faculty interest. But it’s not just teachers who play a role in curriculum development. Students also have a voice. Erin Cornett ’96 P ’32 ’34 teaches Feminism: Unpacking the ‘F’ Word, which was inspired by an alumnus’ Senior Independent Project.

Both teachers and students are curriculum developers at Wellington.

Our class addresses a variety of diseases including smallpox, bubonic plague, Spanish flu, and malaria. They involve different aspects of biology and span the entirety of human history.

Mr. Brautigam discusses the biological aspects of each disease and Mr. Hansen addresses the history.

One of the most enriching aspects of class for the teachers and students is our frequent interruptions of each other to ask a question or emphasize a point. Students get to see us being lifelong learners and come to understand that being a student is an act of involved participation.

COVID-19 has been addressed throughout the class as students raise questions or make comparisons between the diseases that have occurred throughout history and the one with which they are so familiar.

Also, given the evolving nature of science relating to COVID-19 and the policy reaction to it, we will bring items from the news to the attention of the class. Recently, we started class with a news item related to COVID-19 and a 40-minute, unplanned discussion/ debate ensued that ranged from lockdowns and their efficacy, masks, mask mandates, and civil rights. The class allows students an opportunity to learn about something that means a great deal to them because it has altered the course of their lives and is continuing to do so.

Teaching Pandemics and Epidemics during a pandemic has been interesting, to say the least. First, no one who took the class prior to the onset of COVID-19 should be surprised

about the pandemic. Mr. Brautigam has been telling students in the class that it was just a matter of time before we had a pandemic. Second, teaching the class during COVID-19 has demonstrated a real strength of the class: the two teachers have vastly different areas of expertise. This has allowed us to teach how science and policy interact and to demonstrate that they are not the same thing.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly for our students, the teachers have differing viewpoints on how the pandemic should be addressed from a policy standpoint. Despite our differing views, we try to model how people with differing viewpoints should interact.

Students get to see two people who disagree a great deal on something that truly matters, yet still care for and respect each other immensely.

Although not technically a part of the syllabus, the demonstration of respectful discussion on a challenging topic may be the most important aspect of the class for our students.

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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.

Wesley and Ann Furste P ’05 ’08 never missed an athletic game of their two sons and Wellington lifers, Wesley ’05 and Tyler ’08. Rain or shine, home or away, the Wellington community knew the Furstes would be there – and on occasion played “The Eye of the Tiger” before a game.

To the Furstes, the importance of philanthropy comes back to supporting your foundation - education.

“Always remember your school,” Wesley Furste said.

“As alumni parents, giving is an opportunity to stay involved after graduation.” The couple attributes their continuous philanthropic support to their sons’ teachers and academic, athletic, and social experiences throughout their time at Wellington.

The Furstes have given to Wellington for over fifteen years. Using it as an opportunity to visit staff, faculty, and students, Wesley prefers to drop off his annual donation in person.

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Dr. Tanikka Price Ben Haim ’92 is an embodiment of drive, passion, and empathy. Having recently received her Ed.D. from Northcentral University, she accepted her role as Director of Education at the Healthcare Collaborative of Greater Columbus in August 2021, after previously serving as the Director of Data and Finances. Price’s dissertation on African American women and adverse childhood experiences and educational attainment was inspired by her struggle navigating the trauma she experienced as a child with the many opportunities that were afforded to her based on her grades and ambition in educational pursuits.

Lisa Fitzsimons Photography

Price generously donated to Wellington’s annual fund for the first time helping to fuel the extraordinary at Wellington. Price’s generosity and expertise enrich not only the Wellington community but also the city she calls home, Columbus.

Faculty and staff are very grateful for the gift of wellness from Daniel and Sarah Kay P ’23. During the 21-22 school year, staff and faculty were reimbursed up to $300 for goods and services that promote healthy living. “I think what inspired our gift to the Wellington staff and faculty was being at the Honors Convocation and witnessing how touched they were to be with their students. You have an amazing group of teachers and administrators and staff who love these students like their own,” Kay said. “The true emotion and sense of community is unique. It left an impact on our family that despite whatever challenges these students face, they have an amazing support system. What better way to acknowledge this than to contribute to the wellness of Wellington’s staff and faculty.”

Upper School faculty member, Sharla Starker P ’17 ’22, shared, “I purchased shoes and clothes in order to keep up with my workouts, which in turn helps me prepare for my day and be mentally ready.”

Thank you to the Kays for advocating for our mental and physical health!

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A CLOSER LOOK

Faculty News

Kyle Long Photography

Drew Eberly P ’35 UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER

Emily Berty DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING

Eberly was nominated for a Jebby Award for his lead role in the Actors’ Theatre of Columbus’ production of “Much Ado About Nothing.”

Berty completed the Boston Marathon, her seventh marathon, in 3:26:49.

She also completed her first solo ultramarathon at Mohican.

Ben Hirt MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL FRENCH TEACHER

Hirt produced an online publication documenting ancestors from Alsace, France, who immigrated to the United States in the 1850s. He recounts his family’s journey via wagon, train, and ship across Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, and finally, to Ohio. His publication is being shared with the Saverne Historical Society in northeast France as a tool for researchers.

Photo by David Heasley

David Glover THEATRE DIRECTOR AND UPPER SCHOOL DEAN OF STUDENTS

Zac DelMonte VOCAL DIRECTOR, MUSICAL THEATRE

DelMonte was recently named artistic director of the Columbus Children’s Theatre. He was also nominated for a Jebby Award for music direction of the Butterfly Guild’s production of “Mamma Mia!”

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Glover directed Columbus Children’s Theatre’s “A Christmas Story: The Musical.”

Scott Langford P ’36 MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH TEACHER

Langford received the Compass Award from Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague.

The award recognizes organizations, programs, and individuals in Ohio who are improving financial literacy education in the state.

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

Nami Stager P ’30 ’32 LOWER SCHOOL SCIENCE SPECIALIST

Stager presented “Engage and Inspire Young Scientists with Innovative Curriculum Projects” at the OLC Innovate Conference in Dallas. Stager is passionate about helping teachers develop students’ early science skills as a way of understanding the world and developing other important skills like teamwork and early mathematical understanding.

Brian O’Masta

Christy Seghi

SPORTS PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR

EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING GUIDE

Ithaca College The Ohio State University

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Can juggle

Mom of twin nine-year-old girls

Has too many favorite musical artists to pick and is always willing to accept recommendations

Loves all things in the horror genre, including a recent discovery, “Yellowjackets”

Carolyn Rau

Debbie Sterrett

LOWER SCHOOL LEARNING GUIDE

LOWER SCHOOL LEARNING GUIDE

Middlebury College

Oberlin College

“I love helping students learn to read and watching them find the spark where they believe they can do it.”

“The most exciting part of my job is watching the students go for brain break after the first snow.”

Loves the lighted Chihuly displays at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens because it combines her love of nature and art

Recently enjoyed “The Best of All Possible Worlds” by Karen Lord

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SUMMER SCHROTER ’30

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ATHLETICS

PICTURED Aurius Calloway ’22

Team Culture: Building Blocks for Success on the Court and Life

By Artie Taylor P ’23 HEAD BOYS BASKETBALL COACH

Before taking the job of head boys basketball coach in 2014, I remember going through the interview process and answering a slew of questions about who I was and what my coaching style and philosophy were.

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But what stood out to me was a player sitting in the interview telling me that he just wanted to be competitive. I knew then that this player wanted to be successful. But I needed to find out if that desire resided in just one player or if it resonated throughout the program.

I immediately set out to see what the culture of the team was. Team culture is defined as the values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors shared by a team. It’s how people work together towards a common goal and how they treat each other. These attributes can have good or bad results. I discovered that a seismic shift to the culture was needed. I knew we had great kids that had enjoyed some great coaching, but there was a lot more to be done.

So what changed a 6-17 team to a state final four 23-4 team two years later? A change in the culture based on three foundational “blocks.”

Block 1: Believe that you belong.

When I was playing in college, my assistant coach, Sean O’Toole, often told us, “If you don’t believe, you don’t belong.” I wanted every player to believe they belonged and that a

great work ethic in the off-season will equate to success on the court. We needed to strengthen our belief in each other as a group. Players had to have faith that everyone in the program could come together to form an unbreakable bond. We also needed to believe in the process.

There were going to be a lot of ups and downs but we needed to stay the course.

Block 2: Be excited about where you are.

So many times we heard the players talk about other programs and what they have, who they have, and how good they are. Our response to that was “make big time where you are.”

We showed them how to cherish what and who they do have. We tried to make everything we do feel big time, all the way down to how we approached practice sessions. For example, the team told the coaching staff that they had never done a film session. Film sessions consist of reviewing clips of recently played games to find areas of improvement or to study upcoming opponents.

One day before we started a film session, I reminded them that what we are currently doing is big time. All big-time programs are involved in some form of film study both as a team and individually.

Block 3: Stand firm on your foundation.

I created a program philosophy that is the foundation of our team culture.

We also created a mantra of “We Fight.” Before COVID-19, it was a tradition that we huddled at halfcourt of all our home games and repeated a cadence led by me:

Me: What do we do?

Team: Work hard!

Me: How do we do it?

Team: Together!

Me: We Fight!

Team: We Fight!

Me: Jags on three 1, 2, 3.

Team: Jags!

Our program mission statement says: The Wellington School boys basketball program will strive for excellence on and off the court. This commitment will drive us to play hard, serve our community, succeed academically, and live fulfilling lives.

Within our mission statement are our four claws for success: Work Hard – Play Together – Play within Oneself – Play Like a Jaguar! The purpose of the mission is to ground our players and give them something to help them refocus and stay the course. We are all pulling in the same direction.

Fast forward to today, we have seen our basketball programs from

What do we do?

Work hard!

How do we do it?

Together!

We Fight!

We Fight!

Jags on three 1, 2, 3.

Jags!

kindergarten through grade 12 expand tremendously. The culture of inclusion, opportunity, and activity has our youth really getting involved in the basketball programs, including the K-4 Wellington Youth Basketball League, 5th and 6th travel basketball teams, 7th and 8th middle school teams, the high school JV and varsity teams, and our first-ever freshman team - coming soon!

Our culture is very important for our kids now but also in the future. I have received many texts and phone calls from former players identifying things that we either did or talked about that are helping them through their college careers. Even when the team record isn’t in our favor, we understand who we truly are and we stand together no matter where the journey takes us. In this regard, we will always experience success because we will never stop growing.

Let’s keep growing. Go JAGS! PICTURED Chase Ouellette ’22

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ATHLETICS

RIGHT UP OUR ALLEY:

Wellington’s New Bowling Team

By Jaime Bennati UPPER SCHOOL ART

Bowling on the girls’ varsity team at Westerville North from 2002-04 was one of the highlights of my high school career. Our inaugural year started my junior year and the team quickly grew to 25-30 players. I loved that it introduced me to a new group of people that I might have never otherwise interacted with. In 2016, my

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first year at Wellington, I noticed that some of the other independent schools had bowling teams and thought maybe I could start one here. I tried to start a bowling club by hosting Wii Bowling sessions, showing videos of Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) players revealing their crazy tricks on YouTube at Morning Meeting, and hosting open bowling at Ten Pins in Hilliard. Unfortunately, it did not build momentum as I had hoped, and I decided to wait and try again in a few years.

With the start of another difficult school year during a pandemic, I thought maybe this should be the year to finally launch bowling again. It’s competitive, social, and takes place in some of the most difficult months of the year when it’s cold, dark, and depressing. Who wouldn’t want to throw a 14-pound ball down a lane to knock things over? It’s a great stress reliever!

I had the support of Chief Operating Officer and Director of Athletics

Lindsey Smith P ’26 ’33, but the ultimate push to start was the support and assistance of Head of Upper School Rishi Raghunathan P ’27 ’30. I knew it was something that was going to become a large commitment and wanted to partner with someone who wanted to connect with kids, take on the challenge, and have fun.

I think we both went in not knowing what to expect and were pleasantly surprised to see we had enough student interest right away. The bowling coaches from the area were very welcoming, especially the coach from Worthington Christian, Matt Hamilton, who offered tips, shared suggestions on how he ran practices, invited us to an open bowl at his home lane, and openly admitted he just wanted more students involved PICTURED Left: Charlotte Rost ’24 Below: Sophia Kramer ’24, Charlotte Rost ’24, Jack Kalnicki ’22, Charlie Lanning ’25, and Grant Spirko ’25

in the sport and would do anything to make that happen. In this opening trial season, we have been able to connect with several schools to participate in friendly matches to get a feel for what next year will be like in a regular season.

We have had two highly memorable matches this season. The first was our faculty versus student bowling match. We had the pleasure of playing against Dr. Terwin, Craig Jones, Chris Robbins P ’17 ’22, Trent Neely P ’30, and David Glover. It was a blast for everyone and something I think will quickly grow in popularity over the years. The second match required us to drive out to Cardington, Ohio, for a match against Gilead Christian School.

Cardington felt like it was in the middle of nowhere with few people in sight.

But inside their small ten-lane bowling alley, you found a lively community and it felt welcoming and full. We won our match that day and it was the first time you could begin to see the team bonding. Team member Jack Kalnicki ’22 observed bowlers supporting one another. “Everyone has a bad shot or

game, which makes people very eager to encourage the other people at the lanes.”

Through my own research and curiosity, I continue to learn more about the sport. From your approach to the release and hook of the ball to the oil patterns on the lane, many factors impact your game. My hope this summer is to spend some time competing in leagues on my own and attending coach training. It’s easy to immediately assume that bowling is a male-dominated sport but, in fact, bowling is an official NCAA sport for women and more than 40 schools offer scholarships for female bowlers. My ultimate dream is to have a full boys and girls team in the coming years. I’d like to see bowling become a known sport within our school and to send a player (more specifically, a female player) to college with a bowling scholarship. My goals may seem a bit ambitious but that’s what Wellington’s all about. I think we’re off to a great start and I look forward to seeing where bowling leads us next.

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ATHLETICS

AWARD WINNERS

FALL AWARD WINNERS

WINTER AWARD WINNERS

MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES AWARDS 7/8 Soccer Zac Barton ’26 Will Bernard ’26 Girls Tennis Dea Singh ’27 Mary Claire Thompson ’26 Golf Bo Huang ’26 Connor Kuttrus ’28 Cross Country Hannah Guffrey ’26 (1) Joey Lillis ’26

MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES AWARDS 5th Grade Boys Basketball Evan Quick ’29 Jude Rupp ’29 6th Grade Boys Basketball Will Flinn ’28 Ranvir Varma ’28 7th Grade Boys Basketball Jack Bond ’27 David Clarke ’27 8th Grade Boys Basketball Caden Ivery ’27 Jaden Shoultz ’26 (7) 5/6 Girls Basketball Samantha D’Aloisio ’28 Madeline Weaver ’29 7/8 Girls Basketball Alexis Smith ’26 Anna Spicer ’26 Boys Swimming Bo Huang ’26 Girls Swimming Zoey Scott ’26

UPPER SCHOOL VARSITY GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY R.O.A.R. Emerson Thompson ’24 Dedication Award Lilly Vance ’25 VARSITY BOYS CROSS COUNTRY R.O.A.R. Koen Kwak ’25 (5) Leadership Award Gavin Ray ’22

1

2

VARSITY BOYS SOCCER R.O.A.R. Aurius Calloway ’22 Most Improved Leroy Dannemiller ’22 MVP Henry Lin ’22 (6) JV Jag Armaan Chaudhary ’24 VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER R.O.A.R. Mary Morosky ’22 Team First Dylan Ehlers ’23 Heart & Hustle Eve O’Sullivan ’24 VARSITY GIRLS TENNIS R.O.A.R. Alexis Burkhalter ’22 Jag Award Katie Kuttrus ’23 Most Improved Olivia Cencer ’23 Kate Thompson ’23 JV Jag Ella McGlynn ’22

3

4

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4

5

6

7

UPPER SCHOOL VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL R.O.A.R. Chase Ouellette ’22 Coaches Award Ben Beckman ’23 Anthony Jackson Award Aurius Calloway ’22 JV Jag Jack Spicer ’24 VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL R.O.A.R. Rhea Singh ’22 (4) MVP Alexis Burkhalter ’22 Coaches Award Jameela Askira ’22 JV Jag Elodie Ware ’25 VARSITY GIRLS SWIMMING/DIVING R.O.A.R. Madeline Meimaridis ’24 P.A.W.S. Caliope Mlicki ’24 Coaches Award Joy Neal ’22 (3) VARSITY BOYS SWIMMING/DIVING R.O.A.R. Eric Albers ’23 P.A.W.S. Cameron Petitt ’25 SPIRIT SQUAD R.O.A.R. Kendhyl Wilder ’22 (2) Coaches Award Kaylei Johnson ’24 Most Dedicated Kyla Hammond ’23

KATIE KUTTRUS ’23 AND KATE THOMPSON ’23

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ALUMNI

Alumni News THE CLASS OF

1994

Brad Mess and his wife, Jenny, welcomed a baby boy. Louis Arthur Mess was born on December 7, 2021.

THE CLASS OF

1999

Mark Salerno started working at Columbus Suboxone Doctors in August 2021 as a patient care coordinator and was recently promoted to front office lead.

THE CLASS OF

2004

Tracy Wholf and her husband, Eddie Morr, welcomed their daughter Audrey Jean Morr on May 11, 2021.

THE CLASS OF

2001 Dr. Sara L. Schwebel co-edited a book of scholarly essays and facilitated a symposium honoring the 100th anniversary of the Newbery Award. Schwebel’s book is titled, “Dust Off the Gold Medal: Rediscovering Children’s Literature at the Newbery Centennial.”

THE CLASS OF

1997

Anna Taft celebrated 15 years since the founding of her nonprofit The Tandana Foundation.

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Duncan Forbes and wife, Sara, welcomed their daughter Laurel Jo Forbes on September 16, 2021.

Noah Swad and his wife, Meghan, welcomed an almost New Year’s Eve baby, Juliet Tara Swad.

Juliet was born on December 30, 2021, and weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz.

Matt Relyea started a new business as a franchise owner with Floor Coverings International in Columbus, Ohio. Matthew is a third generation business owner in his family.

THE CLASS OF

THE CLASS OF

2005

2008

Lauren (Simon) Jordan and her husband, Keith, relocated from San Jose, California to Columbus in March of 2020. They both work remotely and Lauren is a recruiter for Facebook (Meta). They recently had a baby boy, Elliot, on September 26, 2021.

Documentary filmmaker Gareth Burghes’ film, “Life and Atrophy,” was the most-watched film on The Disorder Channel. The documentary follows a family whose son has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) as they navigate the first FDA-approved treatment for SMA.

THE CLASS OF

Matthew (Anderson) Benson graduated last summer from University of San Francisco with a Master’s in Higher Education and Students Affairs.

He recently started working at UC Berkeley as a student success counselor working with Berkeley Hope Scholars, a program dedicated to the success of former foster youth who attend the university.

2006

Meghan McDevitt became an independent contractor with Origin Editorial, a company providing peer review management services, in December 2021. She is the managing editor for PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) and oversees the peer review process for PCORI’s final research reports. A long-time member of the International Society for Managing and Technical Editors (ISMTE), Meghan began a two-year term as ISMTE President in January 2022.

She lives in Cincinnati.

Holden Scott Ballard was born on November 18, 2021, to Erin (Austin) Ballard and her husband, Josh.

Holden weighed 10 lbs. 9 oz.

THE CLASS OF

2011

THE CLASS OF

2009

Darien Flowers and his wife, Kirsten, welcomed their daughter, Olivia Nicole Flowers, on January 1, 2022.

Negesti Kaudo released her first book, “Ripe: Essays.” Kaudo reflected on her accomplishment: “It’s always been a dream of mine to have a book published, I always hoped that one day my book would end up in the hands of a girl like me who spent much of her time reading her way through the stacks in the library. The response my collection has received thus far, without even being released, is incredible and surreal, especially having a Kirkus starred review and a feature on Nylon’s list amongst several women who inspired essays in my collection (Toni Morrison, Janelle Monae, and Warsan Shire).”

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THE CLASS OF

2013

THE CLASS OF

2016

THE CLASSES OF

2018 and 2019

Chris Doody is finishing graduate school at Georgetown.

He currently lives in Columbus.

THE CLASS OF

2017

Erin (O’Neil) Lovelien joyfully married the love of her life, Joshua Jones-Lovelien, on October 15, 2021, in Gahanna, Ohio. She also recently accepted an executive assistant position at Denison University in the Office of Institutional Advancement.

Manjula Kothuru Remembered Manjula (Koppera) Kothuru ’06 passed away on January 30, 2022, after a long and courageous battle with ovarian cancer. The Wellington community mourns the loss with her classmates.

Sarah Snyder ’06: “When I was new to Wellington, I remember Manjula making me feel welcomed and introducing me to friends.”

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Maddy McClinchie is working at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in the Center for Microbial Pathogenesis as a research assistant.

Aarti (Gaglani) Kulkarni ’06: “I will always remember her goofy nature and her contagious laughter. We were there for each other during both fun and difficult times, and her courage and sincerity always shined when facing hardships. Her positive attitude and resilience were inspiring to me, and gave me strength of my own.”

Katie Miller ’06: “Manju was the most genuine, loyal, and thoughtful person I have ever met. She was a rare gem who was as down-to-earth and humble as she was kind. Manju truly saw people and despite her own hardships she always highlighted the best in them. When she was diagnosed with cancer seven years ago, she could have sunk into self-pity and anger, but instead she did the exact opposite and used it as a springboard to flourish, empowering herself and other women with the illness and becoming even

Wellington basketball teammates Bob Faller ’18 (Case Western Reserve University) and Dallas Patrick ’19 (Otterbein University) competed against each other in Cleveland in November 2021.

more present, grateful, and loving in all aspects of her life. Manju has been a tremendous source of strength and inspiration to me and I would not be the woman I am today without her. She touched so many lives with her radiant presence and will be tremendously missed.”

Liz Craig ’06: “Manjula and her light will continue to shine through others and the many people she’s impacted in her life.”

Our thoughts are with Manjula’s husband, Sajin Kothuru; her mother, Jayamma, and her sisters, Swapna ’08 and Vasantha ’09; and friends.

MALAYAH KENLEY ’24

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Presorted First Class U.S. Postage

Wellington 3650 Reed Road Columbus, Ohio 43220 wellington.org

CAMPBELL OWENS ’28

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PAID

Columbus, OH Permit #3374