The Jag - Fall 2017

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FE ATURES

GR ADUATION

ATHLE TICS

Ashley Koff: Better Health Enabler

The Class of 2017: Empowered and Emboldened for the Next Step

Boys Varsity Basketball: One for the Books

Dear Friends, Change is the only constant in life, as the Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously wrote Uncertainty can be unsettling; however, the ramifications of complacency are far more dire.

The Wellington School was founded, after all, by a group of changemakers who recognized the need for a coeducational, college-preparatory school in central Ohio that provides children opportunities to explore new areas for growth in academics, the arts, and athletics.

While many beloved traditions continue to this day, ceremonies and customs that celebrate our community, very little has

similar to our school founders, refused to remain content with the status quo. Wellington upper schoolers began a business collaboration with Russian students in Moscow and Western Siberia. The two groups learned a great deal about international entrepreneurship as well as the many similarities they shared as young people on the threshold of adulthood in a complicated global landscape.

Another affiliation of great significance involved Wellington middle school girls participating in the Girlz in Tech program. In response to growing concern that far too few women are currently

Continued progress in the world is dependent upon those willing and able to make a difference.

We will always be in need of people reaching farther than the rest for the benefit of us all.

ROBERT BRISK

remained the same at Wellington in the last three decades. We have never stopped moving forward, innovating curriculum and classroom experiences as we continue to cultivate some of the top minds studying and working around the world.

You will find within this magazine examples of teachers, students, and parents who,

entering tech fields, Middle School Technology Teacher Helen McConaghy and Wellington parent Tara Paider P ‘24 worked together to provide students an inspiring experience working with industry professionals to develop apps of their own design.

I hope you enjoy our feature story on Ashley Koff ‘91, a Wellington graduate who felt encouraged by her teachers to always try new things. Now a notable nutritionist with a successful career helping others, Ashley continues to challenge herself daily and advises current students to do the same. I am pleased to share that she is our 2017-18 Enrichment Series Headline Speaker. You will not want to miss her interactive workshop this fall focused on building better nutrition plans for the entire family.

The recently graduated Class of 2017 should also be celebrated for their hard work as scholars, athletes, performers, and leaders. They are now off discovering whole new worlds on college campuses and their

accomplishments as students at Wellington will serve them well for a lifetime. Continued progress in the world is dependent upon those willing and able to make a difference. We will always be in need of people reaching farther than the rest for the benefit of us all. We will always be in need of Wellington graduates.

Warm regards,

Robert D. Brisk P ’13 ’15 Head of School

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

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Yvonne Johnson P ’25 ’27 Yvonne Johnson P ’25 ’27, Simone Armour ’17, J. J. Bain ‘06, Sophie Barbour ’17, James Becker P ’27, Shelley Brown P ‘32, Shelly Bowling P ’19 ’32, Karen Butler P ’12 ’16 ’20, Kara Conley, Nia Gill ’17, Bret Hairston ’17, Emma Hans ’17, Jasmine Haraburda ’17, Liz Kazemi ’17, Jack Miller ’17, Michelle Neely, Neelu Paleti ’17, Laurie Parsons, Holden Richards, Simone Robinson ’17, Peter Schoellkopff ’17, Lisa Springer, Ben Starker ’17, Anne Stewart P ’30 ’32, Matt Strasser ’17 C OP Y E DI T OR S : Melanie Eggleton, Caroline Haskett P ’19 ’20 ’22, Sophie Haskett ‘19, Erin Noviski, Sally Stratton, Jeff Terwin, Jill Webb P HO T O C R E DI T S : Rob Luikart, Jonathan Barteldt, Chris Cooke P ‘21 ‘21 ‘24 ‘27, Laura Cooke ’90 P ’21 ’21 ’24 ’27, Caroline Haskett P ’19 ’20 ’22, Holden Richards, Mimi Taylor P ‘16 ‘18, TEDxColumbus, Jen Tonapi P ‘24, Julia Ware P ‘22 ‘25 DE SIGN: Bluewave Creative E DI T OR :

C ON T R I BU T OR S :

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I really appreciate the freedom that Wellington gave me as a student as well as the responsibility and growth that comes with that freedom. It has allowed me to stretch myself personally and academically in a welcoming, but challenging environment.

PAGE 26

JASMINE HARABURDA ‘17

Senior Spotlight ON T H E C OV E R :

Dallas Patrick ‘19, Lifer Adam Porter ‘17, and Guy Schmidt ‘18 at the State Championship Final.

FEATURES

GRADUATION

The Class of 2017: Empowered and Emboldened for the Next Step 12

We Got the Beat 41

Early Childhood Classroom Environments 44

Ashley Koff: Better Health Enabler

Meet our Graduates

ALUMNI

Wellington Alumni Make an Impact 64

Alumni News 66

18 2016-2017 ANNUAL REPORT

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Crofts Contribute to Culture of Philanthropy

A CLOSER LOOK

International Business Collaborative

ATHLETICS

Boys Varsity Basketball: One for the Books

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Helping Hands Hold Up Wellington 74

Girlz in Tech 38

Swimming and Diving Makes Waves

2016-2017 Donors

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Ashley Koff: Better Health Enabler Growing up in Columbus, Ashley Koff ‘91 had big city advertising dreams for herself. “I wanted to be Angela Bower on ‘Who’s the Boss.’” The high-powered ad executive played by Judith Light on the 80s sitcom was the height of self-empowerment for a young Koff. “I just thought she had it all. I wanted that for myself.”

Ambitious goal-setting led Koff, after graduating from Duke University, to a career in advertising in New York. The work was rewarding, but she found herself drawn to marketing health products in particular.

Raised in a family in which nutrition had been discussed very little, Koff battled with digestive issues from an early age and tried just about every diet fad to combat what seemed like a lost cause. College was eye-opening for her, exposing Koff to many different people with a wide variety of approaches to eating and living. In an effort to be as healthy as possible, she became vegan, ran marathons, gave up alcohol, and even did a goat’s milk cleanse which, to this day, still makes her cringe to think about.

Eventually, she met a doctor who helped her figure out the right wellness plan for herself, and Koff was able to combine her lifelong interest and personal experience into a successful career promoting better nutrition.

When she realized her true passion was in educating people about healthy living, Koff returned to school to earn a master’s degree from New York University. She completed her nutrition training at County Hospital in Los Angeles where she “really saw firsthand that there’s nutrition and better nutrition.”

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“ I’ve created a career around things I’m truly curious about.”

—Ashley Koff ‘91 The credo of Better Nutrition is the heart of Koff’s work now.

Faulting absolutism and “one size fits all” diet plans for setting people up for failure, she works with clients to develop realistic goals that will get them closer to the results they envision for themselves. Better Nutrition, for Koff, is a statement, not a plan. She considers it an umbrella under which any other nutrition plan is covered, ensuring that you are meeting your body’s nutritional needs for good health. You can be vegan, paleo, vegetarian, etc. and still benefit from making better eating and living choices.

The first step, according to Koff, is assessing where you are today.

She compares it to getting into a car and asking GPS for directions to a destination. You can’t be given instructions on getting to where you need to go without providing your current location. “We’re really good at dreaming and making resolutions,” Koff said. “The only real way to achieve a goal is to make a plan. To do that, we have to assess where you are now, keep what’s working, and act better, not perfect, more often.”

An author of two books, a nationally-recognized speaker, and a registered dietician expert for television shows like Dr. Oz and Good Morning America, Koff has made better nutrition accessible for virtually anyone interested in making a change. While her extensive client list includes many celebrities, and she admits to still being starstruck at times, Koff finds her role in coaching them to better health humanizes even the most famous faces. When asked what she considers the best part of her job, Koff did not mention the fame or notoriety she has gained over the years. “I love to help people,” she said. “I call myself a better health enabler.”

Koff currently lives in Washington, D.C., a city she immediately fell in love with during a business trip. She enjoys spending time outdoors, either engaging in an athletic activity or playing with her dog Rerun.

Taking up trumpet lessons recently has been a “game-changer” for her.

The focus necessary in acquiring a new skill, including mastering the breathing techniques required for wind instruments, provides a terrific mental workout for Koff. The desire to continually seek out unique challenges for herself was intrinsic to her high school experience. “I was not good at a whole lot, but at Wellington I was able to try lots of different things,” Koff said. “The teachers had the right balance between educating students while also encouraging us to follow our passions, which ultimately cultivated great personal relationships with classmates.”

When asked what words of wisdom she would impart on current Wellington students, Koff shared, “Be nice to your parents. Be better to your teachers. Take risks and try new things. It’s rare to be in an environment where you are safe to try something new with very little risk.”

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Following a bit of her own advice, Koff has a built a life for herself open to adventure and lots of play. Staying healthy and fit are the keys to being ready for anything that comes her way. She considers hemp seeds and wild salmon to be perfect foods and, honestly, loves broccoli for its lengthy list of health benefits as well as delicious taste.

Throw in some hard cheese, a little high-quality, dark, bitter chocolate, and the occasional organic espresso and you really begin to see how serious Koff is when she says better nutrition should be better tasting.

With two brothers who are also Wellington alumni following their own distinctive ambitions, Dr. Jonathan Koff ‘89 is a physician at the Yale School of Medicine and Corey Koff ‘93 is a fly fishing instructor, Ashley Koff will undoubtedly continue on her journey following her endless curiosity. Living in the nation’s capital calls to mind the vast potential for advocacy on behalf of others. “Often I meet with people who don’t have access to the resources they need to make informed, healthy choices in life. In some future capacity, I would like to take my knowledge and connections and be of service to really help others.”

Ashley Koff is the headline speaker for The Wellington School 2017-18 Enrichment Series.

Her Better Nutrition Plan Workshop on Tuesday, September 26 at 6:30 p.m. will help families customize healthy food plans in which everyone thrives. RSVP to events@wellington.org to ensure your spot at this fun, interactive workshop.

PICTURED Above: Koff with her niece and nephew Below: Dr. Mehmet Oz with Koff

THE 2017-18 ENRICHMENT SERIES The Wellington School Enrichment Series is dedicated to encouraging and supporting collaboration between faculty, families, and students on topics of education, parenting, and personal growth. All events are free and open to the public, so bring friends and family.

We are pleased to announce our headline speaker for the 2017-18 Enrichment Series is Wellington alumna and Registered Dietician Ashley Koff ‘91.

An author and award-winning nutrition expert, Koff will lead an interactive workshop to help families build better

nutrition plans. “While we all want better health and know better nutrition is the key, it better be delicious, doable, built on who we are today and where we want to be tomorrow,” says Koff. For 20 years, she has helped thousands get and keep their better health powered by her better nutrition tools and tips which she will share with us during this special. Learn more about Ashley Koff RD at www.AshleyKoffApproved.com.

Parents, students, faculty, and friends are welcome!

You won’t want to miss these informative and inspiring events.

THE WELLINGTON SCHOOL 2017-18 ENRICHMENT SERIES

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Nationwide Children’s Signs of Suicide Program THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Paying for College with Stuart Oremus, director of college counseling, Steve Crawford, associate director of college counseling, and panel participants WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Book Club with heads of school “Untangled”

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3 | 8:15 - 9 A.M. How to Support your Emerging Reader presented by lower school faculty and learning specialists TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 | 8:15 - 9 a.m.

How to Leverage Student Planners to Foster Independence presented by Pat Kellicker P ‘25, Erica Foster and Laura Trubilowicz P ‘27 ‘30 ‘32 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 | 8:15 - 9 a.m.

Healthy Breakfast on the Go! presented by Erin Miller and Anne Stewart P ‘30 ‘32 MONDAY, DECEMBER 4 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Helping Children Show What They Know presented by Dr. Steven Guy

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE DATES BELOW:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Better Nutrition Plan Workshop with Ashley Koff ’91

LOWER SCHOOL PARENT ENRICHMENT EVENTS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 18 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

All Things Wellington WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Religious Traditions in a Complicated World panel led by Head of School Robert Brisk P ‘13 ‘15 TUESDAY, APRIL 3 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Book Club with heads of school “Laughing Without an Accent” THURSDAY, APRIL 12 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Developing Your Child’s Character with Norman Shub

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5 | 8:15 - 9 a.m.

Effective Strategies to Practice Spelling and Sight Words presented by Faith Aubrey and Laura Ross P ‘19 ‘22 TUESDAY, JANUARY 16 | 8:15 - 9 a.m.

How Children Learn to Write: A Progression from Little Jags through Grade 4 presented

by Emily Szabo and Shelley Brown WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31 | 8:15 - 9 a.m.

How to Practice Math Facts at Home presented by Erica Foster P ‘32 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 | 8:15 - 9 a.m.

Screen-Free Science! presented by Nami Stager P ‘30 ‘32 TUESDAY, APRIL 24 | 8:15 - 9 a.m.

How to Navigate the Transition from Lower to Middle School presented by Danielle Gibbs P ‘31

All events are free and open to the public RSVP to events@wellington.org

For more events, visit wellington.org/enrichment

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International Business Collaborative Bridges Geopolitical Divide Students got to know each other beyond news headlines and soundbites, allowing for a free exchange of inspired entrepreneurship.

Collaboration can only be successful when the parties involved share commonalities of purpose and discourse.

Without mutual objectives and clear, open communication, projects often fail before they can ever come to fruition, crumbling under the weight of conflicting personalities and ambitions even in the best of conditions.

Imagine trying to work with a group of peers from whom you are separated by a large distance (roughly 5,000 miles), several time zones, and language. Factor in early morning meetings and cultural dissimilarities, and a joint effort with so many seemingly incongruous aspects would surely prognosticate disaster.

PICTURED Wellington students Ali Winter ‘20, Allison Sprochi ‘18, Audrey Unverferth‘18, Eric Jacques ‘18, Evan Albers ‘19, Alfonso Botta-Lopez ‘19 in Moscow’s Red Square with Russian hosts.

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The Lingua School in Surgut, Russia

But what if you didn’t know the odds were stacked against you?

What if everything you had been taught led you to accept the opportunity of a lifetime because your interest in the world and the people within it transcended any potential perceived barriers?

In the fall of 2016, Wellington upper schoolers were up for just that type of challenge when they spoke with students in Moscow and Surgut, Russia with the expressed purpose of entering into a business collaborative. The program, a joint venture with the Columbus International Program (CIP), Junior Achievement of Central Ohio, Inc., the Lingua school in Russia, and Wellington, was funded through a grant from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow as a peerto-peer initiative intended to promote better relations between Americans and Russians. Projects were required to be apolitical, and students were encouraged to concentrate on shared interests as they worked together on a business venture, while learning about international relations, trade, and the benefits of crosscultural awareness and respect.

During regularly scheduled Skype sessions (before school for Wellington students and in the early evening for the Russians) participants got to know each other beyond news headlines and soundbites, allowing for a free exchange of inspired entrepreneurship. “Early on we realized that communication was key,” Maithri Kora ‘18 said, “especially when we couldn’t meet in person.”

The whole experience required a tremendous amount of dedication from students, including long hours of personal time allocated for research, making contacts, and drafting business proposals, as the two groups worked together designing and eventually running their own businesses.

ICE (Innovation, Creativity, Entrepreneurship) Scholars from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provided mentorship advice as students divided into groups related to management and leadership, finance, supply chain, marketing, and sales. While language never seemed to be a hindrance to the free exchange of ideas (Lingua is the largest private international language school in Surgut, so the Russian students

were impressively fluent in English), other differences did arise. When the groups first began to narrow down their potential business plans, and the idea of developing an app came up, some of the concepts offered by the Russian students were already commonly used in the United States. The students’ excitement for the project, however, could not be deterred.

“We decided to build an innovative platform to help students and young adults in both the United States and Russia find jobs,” Kora said. “Essentially we built a job-finding app, and both platforms will provide different job opportunities, including full-time, parttime, and paid internships, for high schoolers and college students. We named our company Intervyu, and the Russians named theirs Work and Grow.”

The pinnacle of collaboration came through the travel opportunity it presented.

After members of the Russian group visited Columbus in January, Wellington student leaders travelled to Russia in March to continue their collaboration on the job app. First arriving in Moscow, the group, accompanied by upper school teachers Sara Brdar P ‘02 ‘03 and Curt Hansen P ‘12 ‘15, visited Red Square

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and other iconic historical monuments, many of them tributes to World War II and the role the Soviets played in defeating the Nazis; the impact of that devastating conflict still very much in the present day for the Russian people. For students and teachers of history, the trip provided many profound moments of actualization beyond textbooks and research papers. Getting to know their peer counterparts and host families was particularly revealing as the similarities between the two countries quickly became apparent despite what was often portrayed on the nightly news.

For Wellington student Alfonso BottaLopez ‘19, who taught himself Russian before joining the IBC, the best part of the trip was meeting the people. “Historically, political tensions have been high between our countries,” he said of the experience. “It was very cool to see a country portrayed as so different from us actually be so similar. In spite of everything, the teenagers in Russia are still just teenagers.”

Audrey Unverferth ‘18 had a comparable impression. “I loved spending time with the Russian students. They were very interested in American culture. We got to know each other really well. I was sad to say goodbye.

I hope to see them again soon.”

One connection Russians share with American pop culture is a respect for entrepreneurship, as capitalism is gaining traction the former U.S.S.R. The energy level and newfound vibrancy was apparent to Hansen, who had visited a Russia still reeling from the effects communism decades ago.

Indeed, Wellington students enjoyed a bit of celebrity treatment as they were followed by local news crews and often interviewed about their thoughts on Russia. Botta-Lopez was a guest on a morning show in Surgut and the other students were featured on more than one discussion panel. They were also on a Russian version of Shark Tank where they pitched their business idea to professional investors.

Both Brdar and Hansen were impressed

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with the leadership skills displayed by upper schoolers on the trip. They were excited to see students who had previously demonstrated high achievement in academics also really take command of an entirely new experience far from home as they presented, were interviewed, and interacted socially with Russians of all ages in a variety of scenarios.

Upon returning from Russia, students were eager to get to work developing their Intervyu app and began promoting a crowdfunding campaign to raise startup money. While tentative plans included beta completion by the end of the school year, many members of the IBC continued

their efforts over the summer to ensure the project would be completed. Their passion and dedication toward finishing what they began is commendable as well as globally significant. In a world in which relations between countries and their leaders can swing dramatically from day to day, the climate for cooperative commerce will always be inviting for those who can clearly see the humanity behind the capital.

PICTURED Wellington and Lingua students at U.S. Embassy in Moscow

TRAVELLING ABROAD

LEAVES LASTING IMPACT

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Toulouse, France

Wellington recognizes the critical importance of developing our students’ worldview not through academic study alone but also with travel and immersion in cultures beyond their own. By providing opportunities to explore different countries and spend engaging, quality time with people from around the world, students develop deeper understandings of global issues.

In the spring of 2017, Wellington offered upper school students the unique opportunity to take part in one of three separate travel abroad experiences. Each trip enabled students to follow their individual interests.

While some chose to pursue a passion for international business in Russia (see page 6), others followed their love for global history, art, and languages in Spain and France.

France Students from St. Marie de Nevers in Toulouse came to Columbus in October 2016, staying with Wellington host families and learning about American culture. When Wellington students and Upper School French Teacher Maria Baker P ‘00 ‘08 travelled to France the following March, they were enthusiastically greeted by their old friends.

Faster than you could say bienvenue, our students were immersed in the daily life of a typical French teenager as they ate meals together, went to school, and toured churches, museums, and parks in the city.

Students also visited neighboring towns Tarn and Albi to see ancient ruins, explore underground tunnels dug in the Middle Ages, and trek through a chocolate museum. They conquered a ropes course in Accrobranche and feasted on a picnic lunch before going to the interactive Aeronautical Museum and stepping foot on a Concorde aircraft.

The trip culminated in a visit to Paris where Wellington students met up with their peers who had just spent time in Barcelona. Their time in the famed City of Lights included stops at the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Students returned home to Columbus with memories and friendships to last a lifetime.

Left: Carcassonne, France

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They say that travel broadens the mind, and it is true, but an international exchange adds a further dimension to the educational experience.

By living with a family abroad, even for a short time, students make discoveries about daily life, meals and mealtimes, transportation, and negotiating a new city.

They also make important self-discoveries. Students acquire self-reliance, as they figure out how to fit into a family dynamic outside of their own as well as a new set of companions. They learn an amazing amount of new vocabulary as they observe their language of study in use.

Not every experience is 100% positive. There may be moments of awkwardness, feeling underdressed for the weather or even homesick.

Students may also, at times, come to experience the rare sensation of boredom. But all these challenges contribute to their understanding of the world and their fellow humans. Most students come home feeling a sense of accomplishment and appreciation for an experience unlike anything they have ever encountered. They will remember it for the rest of their lives.

MARIA BAKER P ‘00 ‘08, UPPER SCHOOL FRENCH TEACHER

Spain Kara Conley and Michelle Neely, upper school teachers, guided students on an unforgettable journey of academic and cultural discovery in Barcelona through an exchange program with the St. Peter’s School. Conley considered it an “amazing immersive experience” for everyone involved.

Before arriving in Spain, Wellington students had been communicating with their Barcelona hosts and keeping in close touch since a group of students and teachers from St. Peter’s School came to Columbus in October, fostering connections and friendships all year long.

The St. Peter’s School planned enriching and immersive experiences for our students every day, including some interactive days on their campus where Wellington students traded presentations about culture and politics and even helped teach some of the lower school and preschool science classes.

Students spent each evening and the weekend with their host families experiencing the sights, sounds, and fragrances of Barcelona while also learning how to get around the city using public transportation and honing their conversational Spanish skills in a large European city. They enjoyed travelling via modes of transportation not found in Columbus: high speed train, funicular railway, cable car, and metro.

“There were also many connections to our curriculum here,” Conley shared. “Of course, there were huge connections to the Spanish language and culture, but since St. Peter’s School is an international school, there were also connections to Global Citizenship across a variety of cultures. Some of the host families also shared Russian, Chinese and Egyptian cultures. There were also impactful connections with geometry, art, architecture, world religions, geopolitics, and world history. Many of the sites we visited are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and one of the sites, Montserrat monastery, is a stop along the Camino de Santiago’s Camino Catalán.”

Megan Gross ‘17, Elizabeth Chester ‘18, Jordan Holland ‘17, Annie Taylor ‘18, Maddy McClinchie ‘17

Specific connections to Spanish culture, history, art, and architecture could be found in Barcelona’s vast array of Catalán Art Nouveau. The group visited many sites in Barcelona, Sitges, Montserrat monastery, and Paris.

Students saw Antoni Gaudí’s La Sagrada Familia and Palau Güell and visited Parc Güell where they saw La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. During a guided tour of the Hospital de Sant Pau, students could witness firsthand the work of Art Nouveau Architect Lluis Doménech i Montaner. Everyone was struck by the impressive Palau de la Música Catalana while touring the Gothic Quarter and La Rambla areas. They explored the old city center of Barcelona, known as el Barrio Gótico, or the Gothic Quarter. Montjuïc, which hosted the 1992 Olympic Games as well as the 1929 International Exhibition, was fascinating to behold, as was the Monserrat monastery, a Benedictine abbey located on a mountain side, where

the group enjoyed hiking.

As their time in Barcelona came to an end, it was difficult for both the students and teachers to say adiós amigos to their new friends and the extraordinary adventure they shared. “I want to go back right now,” Neely said. “I miss Barcelona with all my soul!”

PICTURED Top: The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles Bottom: Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona

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Empowered and Emboldened for the Next Step The Wellington Class of 2017 embraced their individuality to become bold leaders in scholarly inquiry, athletic accomplishment, and global citizenship.

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On June 9, 2017 the 29th graduating class of The Wellington School gathered together with family, friends, and faculty to celebrate the first great milestone in their educational career.

During his address to the graduates, Head of School Robert Brisk P ‘13 ‘15 spoke of Wellington’s dedication to ensuring students were not just intellectually stimulated in their academic pursuits but also excited and inspired by the experience. “It has been our conviction,” he said, PICTURED “that if you are both Left: Neelima Paleti ‘17, challenged and you Margaret Meeks ‘17, Elizabeth Kazemi ‘17, loved it, you would Ellora Majumder ‘17 do your best work and be hungry for Right: Margaret Meeks ‘17, more. We hope you Madeline McClinchie do, indeed, leave us hungry for more.”

Brisk encouraged the class to engage with their communities, thereby making them stronger, just as they had done at Wellington.

He also emboldened them to engage in new ideas. “Explore areas of intellect unfamiliar to you,” he advised, “whether it be Beat poetry, Chinese philosophy, particle physics, remember your colleges and universities will challenge you to explore. You will be enriched if you engage in that challenge.”

The Class of 2017 included 12 Lifers, students who have attended Wellington

since prekindergarten, kindergarten, or 1st grade. They were given blue honor cords at the Senior Dinner earlier in the week, and the Lifers along with their parents were invited to stand in recognition of their family’s enduring support of Wellington.

The class gift was presented by the president of the senior class, Neelu Paleti ‘17.

“The Class of 2017 holds some of the most gifted and dedicated technicians at Wellington,” she said. “Their devotion to acting has not only given us many memorable productions, but also demonstrated the excellence of Wellington theatre time and time again.” On behalf of the Class of 2017, Paleti announced their contribution towards a new audio/visual system for the school theatre. “We hope that future student groups can use this equipment to continue developing the arts and theatre at Wellington and showcase the wide range of talents of every passionate Jaguar.”

Co-editors Margaret Meeks ‘17 and Clare Jusdanis ‘17 offered the dedication of the 32nd volume of the yearbook to Rose Marie Mierzejewski, retiring upper school Spanish teacher, and Lauren Spitzer, former upper school assistant, for helping “to make the Wellington community truly feel like a family.”

Meeks and Jusdanis also took a moment to honor Colette Granger, former middle school science teacher, who passed away in July 2016 after a battle with cancer. “She left a lasting impression on many students and faculty members within the community,” Meeks said. “She will never be forgotten.

This year’s yearbook has been created in her memory.”

Class speaker and Lifer Sam Kim ‘17 spoke of the deep sense of community and familial love that permeated his entire time at Wellington. Reflecting on the last four years and his time in the upper school, he shared his belief that the Class of 2017 had found something special in Wellington “that will always be there for us. A home, a getaway, and a sanctuary.” Music Award winner Peter Schoellkopff ‘17 performed a rousing Elizabethan Love Song “Sleep” by Ivor Gurney.

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Assistant Head of School and Upper School Head Dr. Jeff Terwin then provided his own bit of advice for the matriculating college students.

To begin, he quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

Referring to Wellington’s research on eudaimonic happiness, the state in which people find meaning and purpose in their lives, Terwin pointed out that material possessions and superficial interactions on social media mostly only bring fleeting moments of hedonic happiness. To have the more meaningful and lasting sense of happiness, he told graduates to put down their phones, spend time outside, and practice gratitude. “Taking a few moments to savor and be grateful for the good things in our lives, empowers and emboldens us to push through adversity and gain a great foothold in any situation,” he said. “Too often we get stuck in a rut, convincing ourselves that things are tragic and terrible. Resist that urge and, instead, find things to appreciate.”

Terwin then told the Class of 2017 how much he appreciated their individuality and personal confidence. To show his gratitude, taped under each senior’s chair, Terwin had written personal notes to each of them and also researched hiking locations near their colleges. “Always embrace who you are,” he said in closing, “be open to new and challenging ideas, and for goodness sake, put down the cell phone and head outside.”

Wellington Board Chair Ted Manley P ‘21 ‘24 congratulated the class and everyone sharing in their special day. “Today is the culmination of an 18-year-long collaboration between you fine young people and all those who have supported you,” he said. “Making it to this day was not easy, but it will make your lives immeasurably better, and you should be commended for your efforts.”

Manley told graduates they were all geniuses, explaining that he meant genius in the ancient Latin definition of a guardian spirit or inner voice that guides us through important life decisions. Referring 14

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to educational thought leader Sir Ken Robinson’s belief that every single life is completely unique because our lives are essentially created by the choices we make, Manley said, “Choices about what talents to cultivate, what grad school to attend, where to live, what career to pursue, and who to love. These are big decisions, decisions that will have a huge impact on the trajectory of your lives. If you listen, I believe that your genius will speak to you as you make each of them.”

On behalf of the Wellington Alumni Association, Catie Gross ‘11 and Patrick Kim ‘11 officially welcomed the Class of 2017 to the group. “Wellington provided me with a foundation and moral schematic to carry me through any obstacle in life,” Kim shared. “It’s now up to you to go out there and do the work. Good luck and congrats on becoming Wellington alumni.”

Head of School Robert Brisk closed the commencement exercises with his last words of wisdom to the Class of 2017.

“We send you forth, with our affections, our pride in who you are, and our eager anticipation of the next steps in your journey.”

Indeed, much is expected of this distinguished group of scholars, athletes, artists, and humanitarians. Their remarkable contributions to our school community will now extend to the world beyond Wellington as they further explore individual interests and passions with their genius guiding them along the way.

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1: Shashank Singh ‘17, Khalil Jallaq ‘17 2: Samuel Kim ‘17 3: Jasmine Haraburda ‘17, Ted Manley P ‘21 ‘24

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4: Robert Brisk P ‘13 ‘15, Matthew Strasser ‘17

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5: Adam Porter ‘17, Ngozi-Isaac Pinkston ‘17, Lucas Palmer ‘17 6: Peter Schoellkopff ‘17 7: Emma Hans ‘17, Patty Hans P ‘17 ‘20 8: Taylor Adams ‘17, Janani Appala ‘17, Simone Armour ‘17, Sophie Barbour ‘17

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9: Ngozi-Isaac Pinkston ‘17, Nia Gill ‘17

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10: Sophie Knowles ‘12, Theodore Knowles ‘17, Janette Knowles P ‘12 ‘17 11: Dr. Jeff Terwin, Robert Brisk P ‘13 ‘15, Cassandra Robbins ‘17

12: Shashank Singh ‘17, William Sierzputowski ‘17, Arham Siddiqui ‘17, Spencer Shore ‘17, John Seitz ‘17, Peter Schoellkopff ‘17 13: Spencer Rieser ‘17, William Edic ‘17

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14: Evan Brandao ‘17, Daniel Callanan ‘17, Jaidan Cook ‘17, Matthew Croft ‘17, Jacob Dach ‘17

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1: Dustin Harder ‘17, Dr. Jeff Terwin 2: Ian Woods ‘17, Jaiden Cook ‘17, Sophie Barbour ‘17, Miranda Johnson ‘17, James Rohrbach ‘17 3: Barbara Holland P ‘91, Jordan Holland ‘17, Bob Holland P ‘91

1 4: Jack Miller ‘17, Simone Armour ‘17 5: Taylor Adams ‘17, Janani Appala ‘17, Simone Armour ‘17, Sophie Barbour ‘17 6: Sara Brdar P ‘02 ‘03, Xinyuan Zhang ‘17

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7: Arham Siddiqui ‘17, John Haynes ‘17 8: Simone Robinson ‘17, Simone Armour ‘17 9: Clare Jusdanis ‘17, Margaret Meeks ‘17 10: Meredith White ‘17, Mustafa Kolanci ‘17

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11: Michelle Croft P ‘17 ‘20 ‘22, Matthew Croft ‘17, Jim Croft P ‘17 ‘20 ‘22 12: Jiawei Sun ‘17, Ryan O’Neil ‘17 13: Megan Gross ‘17, Bret Hairston ‘17, Kelsey Hall ‘17 14: Benjamin Starker ‘17, Miranda Johnson ‘17 15: Connor Weber ‘17, Emma Ruck ‘17, Jordan Holland ‘17, Dominic Ragusa ‘17, Theodore Knowles ‘17

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16: Emma Ruck ‘17, Madeline Studer ‘17 17: Chase Leino ‘17, Dr. Jeff Terwin 18: Catie Gross ‘11

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Meet Our

Graduates

Taylor Adams

WITTENBERG UNIVERSITY

Janani Appala INDIANA UNIVERSITY

Simone Armour GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

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Sophie Barbour

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Daniel Callanan

Jaidan Cook MIAMI UNIVERSITY

Matthew Croft

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

Jacob Dach

William Edic

Nia Gill

Megan Gross

AUSTIN

ANDREWS

Evan Brandao OHIO WESLEYAN

SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS -

UNIVERSITY OF SAINT

GUILFORD COLLEGE

ROLLINS COLLEGE

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Bret Hairston WILLIAMS COLLEGE

Kelsey Hall

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

Emma Hans

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Jasmine Haraburda

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY

Dustin Harder

BELMONT ABBEY COLLEGE

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John Haynes

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Jordan Holland

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Khalil Jallaq

UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY

Miranda Johnson

Clare Jusdanis COLLEGE OF WOOSTER

Samuel Kim

Chase Leino

Ellora Majumder

MIAMI UNIVERSITY

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

HOCKING COLLEGE

Theodore Knowles

Elizabeth Kazemi

Mustafa Kolanci

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

INDIANA UNIVERSITY

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Madeline McClinchie

Margaret Meeks

Neelima Paleti

Lucas Palmer

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Jack Miller

WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY

PENNSYLVANIA

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BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY

ALLEGHENY COLLEGE

UNIVERSITY OF

Ryan O’Neil

COLLEGE OF WOOSTER

Ngozi-Isaac Pinkston XAVIER UNIVERSITY

Adam Porter

WITTENBERG UNIVERSITY

Dominic Ragusa

Spencer Rieser ELON UNIVERSITY

Cassandra Robbins

Simone Robinson

Peter Schoellkopff

John Seitz

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY

James Rohrbach THE OHIO STATE

Emma Ruck

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

MARSHALL UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER

UNIVERSITY

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Spencer Shore OHIO UNIVERSITY

Arham Siddiqui

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

William Sierzputowski

Shashank Singh

Madeline Studer

Jiawei Sun

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

OHIO NORTHERN UNIVERSITY

Ben Starker COLUMBUS STATE

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

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Matt Strasser MIAMI UNIVERSITY

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

MIAMI UNIVERSITY

Connor Weber

CASE WESTERN RESERVE

Ian Woods

Meredith White

Xinyuan Zhang

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

INDIANA UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY

CLASS OF 2017

56 Total

BY THE NUMBERS 88%

Played at least one sport at Wellington

Students

internationally as a Wellington Student

12 Lifers

50%

112

Different Colleges and Universities accepted members of the Class of 2017

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Have Signed with their College or University to Play a Sport

64% Travelled

Have Siblings who Currently Attend or have Graduated from Wellington

(Students who have attended Wellington since pre-k, k, or 1st grade)

35 Unique Colleges were selected for matriculation

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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT This senior class exemplifies our ongoing dedication to creating a challenging curriculum that is individualized and relevant.

They fully engaged with opportunities to dive deep in areas of their passion and interest. While working together as a tight-knit and dynamic Class of 2017, each of these graduating seniors also found and refined their unique voice and have grown in leadership and ownership of their learning. Their work has been exemplary in a wide range of academic and extracurricular areas, ranging from biomedical research and geopolitical leadership, to distinction in both performing and visual art.

Congratulations to the Class of 2017 for their amazing work.

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Neelu Paleti Neelu Paleti discovered something that no one else had ever seen while working in a lab at Otterbein University for her Independent Science Research project. She was looking at cells under a microscope, observing the protein and comparing them to previous models, when she realized the protein was in the nucleus of the cell, far from where it usually sits. Her mentor, Dr. John Tansey, told Paleti, “This is something possibly only you and I have seen. This is big.� One year later, because of her discovery, Paleti is now working to see if fat metabolism is connected to genetics. She will further pursue her interest in research at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in health and societies.

Set in a biochemistry lab, my ISR is focused around the protein interactions involved in fat metabolism. In our lab at Otterbein University, we study a protein, named Perilipin 5a, and this molecule is known to be involved in fat packaging and storage. On a larger scale, it plays an essential role in converting the food we eat into energy, which also indicates its role in conditions like diabetes and obesity. Our job in the lab is to find out more about where and why this protein is found in the body in order to decode its function and learn more

about the mechanisms and treatments for these diseases. I am currently studying a small section of this protein to see where it is present in cells and how it is expressed under different cellular conditions. In the bigger picture, I’m trying to see how this part of the protein fits into the larger process of fat metabolism.

I find this research interesting because we are all living in a time where the human lifestyle is changing rapidly, to the point where our bodies are not adapting quickly enough to our new diets and living conditions.

We no longer have to hunt for food, and instead it’s always available at the swipe of a card. This is what can easily promote obesity, diabetes, and many more such conditions.

In such a world, I think it’s imperative to understand how our cells process fat, so that we are able to tweak these processes to find treatments for people in need. It’s a very relevant project with high stakes, and this nature of the research pulled me towards it immediately.

One of the best, and unique, things that Wellington has enabled me to do is apply what I’ve learned to the real world instead of simply reading out of a textbook. As I’m sitting in Immunology class, I can learn about the biological basis of HIV, as well as the historical context the disease brings.

In my Race and Identity class, I was able to learn about racial relations around the world, while picking apart different global stereotypes and social issues. I was even able to take a cryptography class where we discussed coding and security hacking. There were so many opportunities like these for me to go beyond traditional classes to make connections to the world outside, and I don’t think you can do this anywhere else.

I will miss the people at Wellington.

Whether it’s with my teachers or my friends, the relationships I’ve made here will last a lifetime. I love how I can approach all my teachers with questions about anything, and they’re always willing to talk. Similarly, the friends I’ve made are unlike any other. There is a wide spread of people at Wellington, and through this diverse community, I’ve been able to learn great things. They’ve all definitely made it an experience to remember.

learned before going to college and before eventually beginning my career.

Bret Hairston Bret Hairston will attend Williams College in Massachusetts and major in either English or sociology. She first became interested in Ohio Youth in Government at Wellington as a sophomore when she saw upper classmen highly skilled in their persuasive and argumentative skills attribute it to their involvement in the program, calling it one of the greatest experiences of their lives.

She also wanted to learn more about state government and visit places like the State House where influential decisions for Ohioans were made. As a participant in Youth in Government, Hairston proposed a bill that would require colleges to turn all rape allegations directly over to state authorities rather than the school handling it privately.

My bill for Youth in Government was directed at colleges who cover up rape allegations in the interest of protecting their public reputation instead of taking care of their students on campus. Any college that was in defiance of this law would lose state funding and face a $200,000 fine.

The first time I had to give my opening statement for my bill in front of more than 50 strangers was a defining moment of personal growth. I remember being really nervous and my paper shaking while I held it, but in the end that experience really helped with my presentation skills. Through my involvement with Youth in Government, I discovered the significance of making meaningful connections with my peers. I met some new friends and really great people by overcoming my shyness and nervousness and putting myself out there.

That is the most valuable thing I could have

I think the best thing about Wellington is easily the closeness of the community. Even though sometimes I found myself wishing for the opportunity to “lose myself in the crowd” so to speak, in the end I love the fact that the community is so small and tight-knit to the point that I can always be found. It’s like having a second family. I feel like everyone knows me here.

Peter Schoellkopff Peter Schoellkopff has been singing since he was six years old and began playing musical instruments even earlier. He will attend the University of Rochester Eastman School of Music to pursue a dual degree in neuroscience and music performance.

I think the teachers are the best part of Wellington. They’re truly an amazing team, and they have all influenced me in one way or another. Band Director James Becker P ‘27 has been my main outlet to discuss music and my interests. He’s also helped me by making connections that gave me more singing opportunities. We’ve even performed together!

The two things I’ll miss most about Wellington are the friends I’ve made and also the wide variety of subject matter across the classes. As for the future, in the next 10 years I would like to be performing somewhere, hopefully in the U.K., with groups such as the Tallis Scholars.

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Simone Armour Simone Armour would like to work in the White House or with the Democratic National Committee one day. In the meantime, she will attend George Washington University majoring in political science and minoring in French. At Wellington, Armour examined infant mortality from medical, legislative, and social perspectives for her Independent Humanities Research project.

I chose to research the high infant mortality in Ohio, specifically, because I thought it would be interesting to dissect the problem and hopefully find a pathway to a solution. The United States has an infant mortality rate double that of other developed countries. There are so many different ways to combat the problem that it is hard to create one specific solution, but there are definitely paths to decreasing the number of infant deaths. A lot of babies die at a young age because of co-sleeping, SIDS, and prematurity. Co-sleeping is when you sleep with your baby, this is also related to not putting the baby to sleep correctly. This can be changed by implementing community programs like Moms2b or CelebrateOne to educate moms on how to put their baby to bed (on their back, in a crib, limited stuffed toys). SIDS can be combatted with the same change in sleeping habits along with breastfeeding your baby instead of using formula. The problem with this is that in the workplace a lot of moms don’t have the time to sanitarily breastfeed so they opt to use formula. As for prematurity, there needs to be more research in prenatal care for moms.

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Prematurity can be linked to defects, substance abuse, or other genetic/placental problems.

A lot of premature babies in Columbus do not make it to full term because there have been frequent repeat births by the mother. This can be dangerous to mother and child.

I always thought that infant mortality was a minor problem that was concentrated to certain communities, but I learned that its causes and demographics are widespread throughout America. There is no medicine that you can give a mom to keep her baby from being a victim of infant mortality. The amount of steps taken to ensure that a baby will live a healthy life are so critical and small that it can be frightening to know the statistics of infant death. My mindset changed a lot while researching the topic because while I read personal stories I was also able to view statistics from federal health organizations and there was a definite disconnect between the two. I think that the federal health centers need to start looking at the social aspects of infant mortality to really cater to the families dealing with those issues and hopefully prevent them in the future.

the pigment is. It takes quite a while to dry, but that can sometimes be an advantage if I want to change something. Although it’s difficult for me to pick, I would have to say that my first abstract painting, “Escena andaluza,” was my favorite art project. It is a visual interpretation of a chamber music piece of the same name, composed by Joaquín Turina. While working on the piece, I discovered that abstract art was how I could best express myself. It is not constrained by reality, which allows pure emotion and thought to come through.

Looking back on my time at Wellington, I think I will miss the amount of diversity the most. Looking forward, I hope to one day be working in a laboratory abroad.

Nia Gill

Emma Hans Emma Hans plans to study neuroscience at The Ohio State University. While excelling academically at Wellington, Hans also discovered she had a talent for expressing herself artistically. She considers the best part of being a Wellington student the ability to explore any interest.

My favorite medium is definitely oil paint.

I love how easy it is to blend and how deep

Nia Gill is a natural athlete, having played sports since she was first able to walk. Since then, she has played almost every sport and has considered it to be a positive outlet for herself for as long as she can remember. Gill has played lacrosse and tennis at Wellington and will attend Guilford College where she will continue to play lacrosse.

Athletics have shaped my personality and helped me grow out of my shy, quiet shell.

I have learned many life lessons through sports and will continue my growth through athletics. I have discovered new qualities about myself during my years at Wellington.

I have been in SALT (Student Athletic Leadership Team) since my sophomore year and have been involved in organizing the Jaguar Jingle Bell Jog and have participated

in making care kits for the patients at the James Center.

The positive environment at Wellington has encouraged me to do better and make a difference in the world. The staff, faculty, and students in the school are extremely inclusive and are supportive in every decision I make. The most important thing I want to express to the future leaders of Wellington is to be yourself and don’t beat yourself up when you make mistakes because I’ve made many, and they have definitely shaped who I am today. I learned from my mistakes and grew stronger mentally to help others. I will definitely miss the unique friendships I have made and the relationships I have formed with my teachers. There’s not another school like Wellington.

technique I use. This has been rewarding in the sense that I have had so much room to explore and grow. I am a bit strong-headed when it comes to art. That’s not to say that critiques and improvements are unwelcome, but when working with such a delicate material as glass, I was determined to not be beat by the medium.

The willingness of teachers to help students at Wellington is unparalleled. They are all so welcoming and are genuinely excited to work with students. The close relationships I have built with teachers over the last few years is definitely one thing I will miss. The atmosphere at Wellington is home-y, so that is also quite scary to have to leave.

a great moment. While it didn’t end up getting the votes it needed to pass, it was still very exciting to hear our bill read, and argue why we thought it was necessary to pass. Another fantastic moment was when the “Heartbeat Bill” went to the floor of the house. It is an incredibly polarizing and divisive issue, and yet the debate remained civil. It was probably the longest floor debate that took place. It was very cool for me to see and participate in our governmental system with an issue that people are so passionate about.

While seeing the process of government first hand, what will remain with me are the bonds and friendships I created.

I want to be involved in politics in my life. I ultimately want to run for public office.

However that is very far down the line. After four years I plan to be graduating college, after another three, Law School. In those next three years, I want to be comfortably working in law, and possibly working with political campaigns or organizations until I reach both an age and experience that I can run my own campaign for office.

Matt Strasser Sophie Barbour Sophie Barbour learned as a student at Wellington that she is quite determined to achieve perfection with her artwork. In the Advanced Studio class, she was able to go in any direction she liked. In Glass Art she found it refreshing to work with a new medium that was completely hands-on when she made a stained glass window of a bee. Barbour will attend The Ohio State University and hopes to further push herself creatively.

I am most confident with spray paint. It is not very conventional, but I am attracted to the free nature of it. Spray paint is generally associated with graffiti, but that in itself can be artistic. Because of the negative association of spray paint with graffiti, I had to teach myself most of the

Matt Strasser (middle) joined Youth in Government at Wellington because he wanted to be involved in politics and eventually run for public office. Now that he will attend Miami University for a political science and pre-law program, his experience in mock legislation will be a major benefit.

A Wellington Lifer, Strasser feels deeply connected to the school community and will carry that with him wherever he goes in life.

I’ve created bonds with both peers and faculty that I’m certain will remain strong for the rest of my life. The Wellington community is such that there are certain friend groups of people who are very tight knit, but there is still a level of comfort among any student or teacher. I will definitely miss the people with whom I’ve built my life.

In Youth in Government, I worked on a bill with John Haynes ‘17 that passed committee and went to the floor of the house. It was

Simone Robinson A talented artist, Simone Robinson was accepted at both Columbus College of Art & Design and Savannah College of Art. She ultimately decided to attend Kent State University to study biomedical illustration because it reminded her of the community at Wellington.

My favorite medium has to be pastels.

They are super easy to blend with and make my job much easier whenever I am trying to get the right skin tone for my portraits.

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The project I am most proud of would have to be the time I created a piece in honor of Whitney Houston. She has always been my favorite singer and her legacy will always be a part of my artwork.

I have discovered that the only times I am most relaxed or fearless is when I am being creative. Not only when I am drawing but when I dance, too. Being able to show your talent to the world, in any kind of form whether it be sports, singing, or even drawing takes a lot of guts, and I have become braver for it. The best thing about Wellington is its inclusiveness. I have never felt more able to be who I am than at my high school. A lot of my friends who do not attend Wellington do not have the same fairness that I am given here and it makes me feel even more blessed to be a part of the Jaguar family.

day. I also learned and cultivated relationships, which is important to strengthen the bond of the team, as well as make friendships, which makes school much easier.

I think that the best thing about Wellington is the small community which offers a greater support system than a bigger school could give. I have a good relationship with almost everyone in the upper school, which makes it incredibly special to interact with all the ages and grades. I will miss most the interactions in the hallway that I have with all of my friends and teammates. It may seem like a small and silly thing to miss, but these interactions really make me feel happy and special.

Jack Miller Ben Starker Ben Starker is passionate about athletics because it gives him a sense of purpose greater than himself to compete and really test his limits. Playing soccer and lacrosse at Wellington, Starker believes he was given opportunities to grow and learn what it means to be a leader. He will study criminology at Columbus State Community College.

One of the best things I’ve learned from participating in athletics is how hard work and determination can bring you wonderful results. Another thing I’ve learned is that there is always a way to overcome adversities in life. A positive outlook on life can change your emotions and motivation to get through the

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Jack Miller has always been passionate about music. He can’t recall a single day in his life where some sort of music hasn’t been present at least once in the day. For as long as he can remember, if music was playing, he was either dancing, singing, or both. He always has music playing when trying to get work done, relax after a stressful day, or even while falling asleep. If there isn’t music playing, he is humming a tune in his head, or even sometimes whistling it out loud. For his Senior Independent Project, Miller built his own electric guitar. He will attend Wright State University and plans to major in music or engineering.

It all started with a physics project, where we had to make our own musical instruments to demonstrate our knowledge of sound waves. I decided that I wanted to make a

cigar box guitar, because I always thought that it was a cool homemade instrument, and now I had an excuse to make one. I had so much fun with the whole process of building and then playing the cigar box guitar that I decided my Senior Independent Project was going to be about building a guitar.

I’ve been interested in instruments for a long time. When I was eight years old (and even today), most of the music I listened to was lots of 70’s and 80’s rock that my dad put onto my iPod. Because of this, all I wanted was an electric guitar. That Christmas, I got a black electric guitar, and I was the happiest kid in the world. All I wanted to do was to be able to play the songs that I loved listening to, and I finally had the means to do it. The same is true today; if I hear a song that I really enjoy, I’ll grab my guitar and figure it out.

I think the best thing about Wellington is the opportunities that it has to offer, whether it is through sports, music, or academics. I’ve had so many fun experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to have if it weren’t for Wellington. In middle school I was able to visit the nation’s capital and take a trip to Canada – twice! In upper school, I went to Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City, and Belize for a SCUBA diving trip. Another great opportunity that Wellington has to offer is the ability to play whatever sport you want to.

I’ve also been able to play multiple instruments in the orchestra. I started out on the violin in 5th grade without any experience with the instrument, and then in 10th grade I started playing upright bass. That’s what I’ll miss most about Wellington. It was always the highlight of my day spending time playing an instrument that I love. Another great opportunity I had was working with Orchestra Director Karen Butler to make an arrangement of “Stairway to Heaven” for the orchestra, and I was able to play my electric guitar in the concert. In my last school concert, I played upright bass, electric guitar, and mandolin, which is not something most kids would be able to say they’ve done in a high school orchestra.

Jasmine Haraburda Jasmine Haraburda had many college acceptances to choose from, including Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and Washington University. She ultimately decided to pursue a biomedical engineering major at Case Western Reserve University because of its strong BME program and connection with the Cleveland Clinic. Haraburda also received a generous scholarship that made the school affordable for her family. She decided to focus her Wellington Independent Science Research project on molecular research. She first became interested in genetics in 9th grade biology class where she was captivated by the enormous potential for genetics in medicine.

The exon junction complex (EJC) is a group of proteins involved in posttranscription gene expression in human cells. The EJC determines the locations in the cell that mRNA transcripts are sent and how they are expressed into protein products. Our lab focuses on how the individual proteins of the EJC assemble and work together to form a final complex. My individual project has been to create a loop of DNA (called a vector) which encodes an mRNA that can split itself in two, allowing for the production of multiple proteins at equal levels. This ability of self-cleavage comes from a peptide called P2A whose folding causes it to cut itself into two pieces. I assembled the DNA sequence in a computer program and over the past year I’ve physically assembled the vector. I recently finished and now I’m inserting EJC proteins into the vector, which I will soon study in human cell lines.

I really appreciate the freedom that Wellington gave me as a student as well as the responsibility and growth that comes with that freedom. It has allowed me to stretch myself personally and academically in a welcoming, but challenging, environment.

The versatility of the genome and proteome allows for a wide range of methods for treating diseases. Researchers can edit DNA sequences to combat hereditary diseases, reprogram bacterial genomes to produce therapeutic drugs, and investigate how the interaction of proteins with our genome affects our health. For a science honors option, I chose epigenetic as the topic for my review paper. Then in 10th grade I developed core research skills identifying unknown bacterial samples with Mr. Brautigam, upper school science teacher. These factors drew me to start studying genetics in a lab at The Ohio State University beginning in 11th grade.

I chose Dr. Singh’s lab at OSU because of its focus on the interaction of proteins and the genome.

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My College Selection Experience Liz Kazemi ‘17

Wellington has been a true family to me since the day I first stepped onto the old playground on the first day of kindergarten.

That has to be one of my favorite things about Wellington, but also what I’ll miss the most.

I hit the ground running that first day, and I definitely tripped a few times, but having this community to pick me back up and give me the tools to teach me how to get up myself, I’ll be forever thankful. From these experiences, being a leader is something I’ve not only been able to develop, but something I’ve been able to find inside me. That’s something that’s different about Wellington; we create leaders, but don’t define them.

One of our biggest assets is the college counseling program. They help us in so many ways. From the very beginning of freshman year, I was never intimidated to ask questions, be involved in discussions, or reach out to teachers.

Each year we were given new skills to prepare us for what was to come. They gave us tips on what to get involved with, what classes we should look into, resume planning and editing, standardized test planning, timeline planning, and they provided us with information we needed or we were curious about.

I knew that wherever I went for college, I wanted to have the same feeling that I had at Wellington. I looked for a place that challenged me academically, brought out the best in me, shared and supported me in my goals, gave me the resources to succeed, and had a strong community. I also wanted to go to a college that felt like home with people who felt like my family.

Looking back at my life up until now and looking forward to the future, I was able to clearly see that The Ohio State University

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Wellington seniors graduate with a wealth of opportunity afforded them through their college selection process. Accepted at a diverse array of colleges and universities across the world, our students face the sometimes difficult, but always welcomed, challenge of deciding which school is right for them. Their choices reflect a variety of factors, including academic interests, geography, college size, and financial aid. When our seniors are offered sizeable awards at a number of schools, they have the luxury of ruling out cost in their final decision.

Shortly before graduation, Student Body President Liz Kazemi ‘17 reflected back on her experience at Wellington, how she ultimately decided on the right college for her, and what she envisions for herself looking ahead. was where I needed and am supposed to be. The medical staff there showed me kindness that I’ll never forget when my grandmother experienced breast cancer. They picked me up in one of my weakest moments and showed me how kind and caring a person, especially a stranger, could be.

They showed me that taking the time to care for someone else in their time of need can change their life, and I’ve made it a point to be a shoulder for anyone going through something difficult. Most importantly, they showed me that regardless of who you are, your degree, or who’s in need, people are the bottom line.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve lived by the motto of turning my obstacles into opportunities through having a positive outlook on life. I’ve found my calling of being a leader through that motto.

However, when my father had a car accident when I was ten, due to a drunk driver, it tested my commitment to positivity. His smile, that had always given me hope for a bright future, was now shattered along with his jaw and spirit. I realized how important his smile was, so when my father lost his, I smiled for him.

His hospital treatment inspired me to make my own positive impact in the health field.

I plan to graduate with a B.S. in biology to have the knowledge to research for answers in the health realm, to study the arts and business to show that creativity and knowledge of what’s happening in the world can lead to helping the community, taking on leadership roles in different clubs and organizations to promote equality and diversity, and getting a graduate degree in dentistry. I want to make sure that everyone gets the smile they deserve. I just so happen to be lucky enough to get the opportunity to do all of that at OSU, which is the perfect fit for me and my future goals.

Liz applied to eight colleges and was accepted at all of them. While each university offered her multiple scholarships and forms of aid, due to the large number, only the most elite and prestigious are highlighted below.

University of California, Berkeley Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholar, covering all of her costs. It is the most prestigious and exclusive scholarship offered by UC Berkeley to entering undergraduates, and attracts, retains, and graduates the most sought-after students in the world.

University of California, Los Angeles University of Southern California Case Western Reserve University A University Scholarship for outstanding academic and personal achievement University of Rochester Miami University Wallace J. Hagedorn Scholarship (for students demonstrating highest academic merit in their field of interest) RedHawk Eminence Scholarship Otterbein University President’s Scholar Award awarded to students demonstrating highest academic achievement The Ohio State University Maximus Scholarship (top/largest merit scholarship)

College Acceptances and Matriculations for the Class of 2017 The Wellington School is pleased to share the following college acceptances and matriculations for the Class of 2017.

The advantage these graduates will have as they move forward in their academic careers and beyond can be attributed to the their extraordinary hard work, the support of their families, and dedicated Wellington faculty always ready to challenge, encourage, and inspire students every day.

The Class of 2017, with an impressive 89% acceptance rate at top tier or equivalent schools*, is comprised of remarkable young men and women as intelligent and talented as they are compassionate and sincere in their desire to become a force of positivity in the world. Their exceptional abilities will take them to some of the best colleges and universities in the world where they will further develop the skills they first learned at Wellington. They will demonstrate leadership, critical-thinking, and determination, as they continue to make us all proud to be a Jag. Congratulations to the Class of 2017 and their families for what they have already accomplished and for what they will achieve next in life!

Allegheny College Amherst College Ashland University Baldwin-Wallace University Ball State University Belmont Abbey College Belmont University Bluffton University

Boston University Bowling Green State University Brandeis University Capital University Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Champlain College Chapman University Clemson University

Colgate University College of Charleston College of Wooster Columbus College of Art and Design Columbus State Community College Denison University University of Colorado – Boulder DePaul University University of Dayton DePauw University Drew University Drexel University Earlham College Eastern Michigan University Elon University Florida State University Fordham University Furman University George Mason University George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Guilford College Harvey Mudd College High Point University Hocking College Howard University Indiana University University of Virginia Iowa State University Kent State University Loyola University of Chicago Marietta College Marquette University Marshall University Mercyhurst University Miami University Michigan State University Muskingum University Northeastern University Oberlin College Ohio Christian University Ohio Dominican University Ohio Northern University Ohio State University Ohio University Ohio Wesleyan University Otterbein University Pennsylvania State University Purdue University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rollins College S.U.N.Y. – Stony Brook Saint Joseph’s University Saint Vincent College Savannah College of Art and Design Sewanee, The University of the South Syracuse University University of Alabama University of California – Berkeley University of California – Davis University of California – Los Angeles University of California – San Diego University of Cincinnati University of Findlay University of Iowa University of Kentucky University of Maryland University of Miami University of Minnesota University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Rhode Island University of Richmond University of Rochester – Eastman School of Music University of Saint Andrews University of South Carolina University of Southern California University of Tampa University of Tennessee University of Texas – Austin University of Wisconsin – Madison Valparaiso University Vanderbilt University Virginia Polytechnic University Washington & Jefferson College Washington University in St. Louis West Virginia University Wheeling Jesuit University Williams College Wilmington College Wittenberg University Wright State University Xavier University denotes matriculation * Includes most competitive, highly competitive, and very competitive as ranked by Barron’s Profile of American Colleges.

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MARY POTTER: LOVE, LEARNING, AND LAUGHTER Mary Potter P ’01 ’04 first came to Wellington in 1985, she taught computer science on the Commodore 64, with a floppy disc drive, and a printer of such poor quality the pages could not even be photocopied. She instructed students on programming in BASIC. “We thought we were really on top of the latest technology when we acquired a lab full of the Apple IIGS and educational software,” she recalled. “Through the students’ own awareness of what was coming on the horizon, their determination and fundraising secured the very first Macintosh computer, the first CD ROM drive, and a Yamaha music synthesizer that could be programed.”

For the last three decades, Potter has seen countless examples of Wellington students showing similar initiative and dogged determination to drive their learning experience. As a teacher, she marveled at their persistence and yet never hesitated to push them even farther, and her unwavering belief in their limitless potential drove them to do their best. Her positive impact is most apparent in the overwhelming number of past students who name her, hands down, as one of the most influential people in their lives.

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deserved accolade just before retiring in the spring of 2017. She was named Middle School Teacher of the Year by Columbus Parent magazine. “In her 32 years at The Wellington School,” Head of Middle School Erin Noviski said, “Mary Potter has demonstrated a remarkable ability to connect with each and every one of her students by nurturing, challenging, and inspiring them to grow into confident and capable adults. Mary’s passionate commitment to service learning is reflected in her students’ dedication to giving back to others long after they leave Wellington. Mary Potter is, without a doubt, one of the most positively influential teachers I have ever known and a true treasure for families of Wellington.”

Indeed, some of Potter’s favorite moments as a teacher have involved the service learning ventures decided, planned, and beautifully executed by students. From making and delivering nutritious meals to putting together 500 personal hygiene sets to go, Potter has been most proud of her students’ dedication to giving back. “The memories that will stick forever are watching kids ages 11 through 14 give their very best in ways never before detected in the four walls of a classroom and

discovering sensitivity among the ‘coolest’ of kids.”

Never one to rest on her laurels, Potter is already committed to two service ventures that she hopes will make a difference in the world. She plans to help with an orphanage in Haiti as well as volunteer to teach reading and writing to refugee children. “I know the rest of my journey will just land in my path the way it always does. I know that it will be working with kids, because that’s what I love and do best.”

Wellington will forever remain in her heart, though. She will miss the energy and excitement students brought to the classroom every day as well as the families and colleagues who have always made the school feel like home. Through the years, Potter found that one thing never changed at Wellington, “The way our kids treat each other stands out above the rest and it’s the one thing that visitors or prospective students always recognize when they visit. Also, I could never find this level of love, learning, and laughter anywhere else.”

Wellington could say the same of you, Mary Potter!

FACULTY NEWS

BETTY MINOT REMEMBERED The Wellington community was saddened by the loss of Betty Minot in May. The wife of Wellington founder George Minot, Betty was very involved in the school from the beginning.

Whether completely supportive of George as he worked to build Wellington or volunteering in the library, Betty’s dedication to the success of our school was apparent to all who knew her.

She will always be remembered as a passionate advocate for the new school in the central Ohio community.

“Betty Minot stood firmly in support of everything George decided to take on,” Founder Jeff Wilkins shared. “When we decided to launch Wellington, George was one of the strongest and most enthusiastic founders, and Betty was right there with him. She was a gracious and wonderful lady and a pleasure to have on our team.

We will miss her.”

UPPER SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Jeff Terwin and John Kruzan

Steve Winslow Wins Golden Apple Award

Assistant Head of School Dr. Jeff Terwin and Director of Technology John Kruzan were featured in Columbus CEO magazine for their groundbreaking work developing the Peerview app.

Chris Robbins P ‘17 ‘22 and Jaime Bennati Upper School English Teacher Chris Robbins P ‘17 ‘22 and Jaime Bennati participated in the Columbus Museum of Art’s Creativity Institute that brings together educators from a variety of fields and grade levels to investigate and try out different ways of implementing creativity in their classrooms.

Michelle Neely Upper School Math Teacher Michelle Neely completed the Maytag Steelhead 70.3 Ironman in Benton Harbor, Michigan in August. The distances included a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. She finished in under 8 hours.

Steve Winslow has been a valuable member of The Wellington School community for the last 16 years. As a middle school social studies teacher, he challenges students to find important connections through history with other subjects and current world events. Most recently, Mr. Winslow collaborated with a colleague to integrate language arts with social studies, connecting the hero’s journey to events in ancient history. To allow for student choice and deeper dives, he also builds independent research into topics of interest.

When asked about Mr. Winslow, students inevitably respond with some version of, “He makes learning fun,” or “He makes history come alive.” His dynamic teaching style and unique way of reaching students through humor inspires them to love the pursuit of knowledge. An enthusiastic, caring teacher with high expectations and a gift of engaging students in meaningful discussion, he remains a mentor to many of his former students. Mr. Winslow’s commitment to innovating curriculum has, without question, made our school a better place.

LOWER SCHOOL

Patty Hans P ‘17 ‘20 Lower School French Teacher Patty Hans P ‘17 ‘20 presented “Make Your Foreign Language Lessons Smarter” at an Independent Schools Association of the Central States conference in Chicago. The workshop instructed teachers on creating technology-interactive activities to support language learning.

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¡FELIZ JUBILACIÓN ROSE MARIE MIERZEJEWSKI!

After 29 years as an upper school Spanish teacher, Rose Marie Mierzejewski retired in June. Her career as an educator began in 1976 in the Cleveland area before she joined the Wellington community in 1988. She can recall many great memories through the years, including the beautiful, sunny first Wellington graduation ceremony in June 1989 and Senior Adoption and Prom Pledge. “Seeing upper school students interact with the lower school has always been a favorite and a great tradition here,” she said.

Mierzejewski has had a distinguished career and received the Upper Arlington Civic Association Golden Apple Award in 2004 based on her students’ nomination.

During her time at Wellington, many things have evolved, including curriculum and course offerings, while other things like the supportive community spirit has remained unchanged.

Next up for Mierzejewski are plans to spend more time with family in Cleveland, take walks with her dog, garden, read lots of books, and volunteer. She will miss most the daily interaction with colleagues and students. Le deseo todo lo mejor, we wish you all the best, Srta. Mierzejewski!

PICTURED ABOVE Erin Cornett ‘96 P ‘32, Rose Marie Mierzejewski, Pete Kaser ‘96 P ‘27 ‘29.

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Ohio Independent Schools Benefit from Shock Amendment This summer the Ohio Senate passed several key amendments to House Bill 49, giving independent schools like Wellington greater autonomy. One amendment in particular, SC 3080, now allows secular, private schools to receive limited auxiliary services funding directly from the state of Ohio as opposed to having it channeled through local school districts. The original law sought to protect the separation of church and state in schools, mandating that no state funding could provide for any items of a religious nature.

It was Wellington Controller Angie Shock P ‘18 ‘19 ‘22 who asked the question of the Ohio Board of Education, why should non-religious, independent schools be subject to the same restriction? When no one could give her a satisfactory answer, Shock refused to give up. She took on legislative reform. Partnering with Dan Dodd, the executive director of the Ohio Association of Independent Schools, Shock approached the Ohio Department of Education to share her vision for creating greater efficiencies in the use of state funding. Both Shock and

Dodd met with legislators to draft the nonpartisan amendment that would cut out the middlemen (the local school districts) and grant more than 100 independent schools in Ohio direct access to their state auxiliary funding. Those same schools will no longer have to pay fees associated with the management of their money. Now state funds will be redirected from unnecessary bureacracy back to the students. Wellington will save $5060,000 annually from what is referred to within the OAIS community as the Shock Amendment.

“I’m happy to bring this money back to Wellington,” Shock said. “The amount of efficiencies we will gain in the business office and in purchasing for the school will put this money back into classrooms, where it was intended. I am so proud to have changed this law so now our teachers and students will benefit.”

PICTURED ABOVE Angie Shock P ‘18 ‘19 ‘22

WELLINGTON WELCOMES NEW FACULTY Zin Min P ’29 is a TESOL/ESL instructor. He is from Bridgeport, Ohio and has taught for 12 years. He has a B.A. from The Ohio State University and an M.Ed. from Ohio Dominican University. He is excited to make connections with students through teaching English.

Jennifer Leonard, Vicki Jacobs, Jenny Eversole, Tara Reed, Cailey Oehler, Andrew Smith, Beth Kohland

The Wellington School was pleased to welcome new members to our faculty.

Jenny Eversole teaches middle school math.

A Bridgeport, Ohio native, Eversole earned her B.A. from Wheeling Jesuit College and M.A.T. from Spalding University. With more than seven years in the field of education, she most enjoys seeing children develop self-confidence by early and frequent successes in math.

Vicki Jacobs teaches Little Jags. Toledo is Jacobs’ hometown and also where she received a B.A. in elementary education from The University of Toledo. Jacobs earned a reading endorsement from The Ohio State University, where she is continuing graduate coursework in early literacy development. Jacobs has taught for 11 years and considers the highlight of her career to have worked side by side with Italian educators from Reggio Emilia, Italy to study all aspects of The Reggio Approach and project based learning.

Beth Kohland is a lower school learning guide.

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, she holds a B.A. from Roehampton University in London, UK and an M.S. from Brooklyn College. One of her favorite moments in teaching involved her prekindergarten class taking such an active interest in lions that they organized their own bake sale to raise money for the WWF. “It was wonderful to observe them helping each other out, using skills we had learned about such as counting and sorting, and getting so excited to be helping an animal that they had grown to love so much.”

Jennifer Leonard is a lower school learning guide. A native of Columbus, she has a B.A. from Denison University and M.F.A. from Indiana University. Leonard looks forward to teaching students school is a fun place while also “nurturing their inquisitive nature by encouraging them to ask not just what, but also investigate why and how.”

Cailey Oehler teaches upper school Spanish. Originally from Chadds Ford, PA, Oehler received a B.A. from Bowdoin College and TEFL Certification from the International TEFL Academy. She also completed studies in Art History and Literary Theory Studies from the Universidad de Salamanca. Most recently, Oehler was a Fulbright Senior English Teaching Assistant, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Oehler’s goal as a teacher at Wellington is to empower students by helping them gain self-confidence and develop their abilities to enact positive change in their communities.

Tara Reed is a lower school learning guide.

She is from Findlay, Ohio but has lived in Dublin for the past 10 years. She received a B.S. from Miami University and M.A.E. from Otterbein University. Her favorite part of teaching is observing children grow and change throughout the school year. She enjoys guiding them in their learning as they “become aware of their uniqueness - how they learn best, their strengths, struggles, and coping methods.”

Andrew Smith is a lower school learning guide.

His hometown is Dublin, Ohio, and he earned a B.S. in early childhood education from Miami University. During his time at Miami, Smith studied abroad in Austria where he analyzed the European educational system as compared to the United States and “loved seeing how children were naturally curious and striving to learn across cultures.”

To learn more about Wellington’s new faculty members, visit wellington.org.

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Girlz in Tech Technology has permeated virtually every area of modern life. The question on everyone’s mind, from educators to top information technology companies, is why aren’t more girls interested in tech?

By 2024, there will be an estimated 1.1 million computing-related job openings in the United States. Last year, however, only 26% of the computing workforce were women. While 56% of Advanced Placement test-takers in 2016 were female and, in particular, 47% of AP Calculus test-takers were young women, only 23% took the AP Computer Science exam.* Or, as Wellington Middle School Technology Teacher Helen McConaghy asked herself, “In a professional field currently dominated by men, where are the women to help fill the gap of an estimated one million more software jobs than applicants?”

It was not long after McConaghy set out to find opportunities for her students that would encourage and inspire girls to take a closer look at tech that, quite fortuitously, Wellington parent Tara Paider P ‘24 approached her with the very same goal in mind. Paider, an IT Data Analytics executive at Nationwide Insurance, was interested in creating a collaboration between Nationwide and Wellington. Her idea involved pairing teams of middle school girls with female coordinators and developers from Nationwide to design their own apps.

Students would meet periodically with their mentors at school over the course of several months for coding workshops. The culmination of their efforts would be an all-day Hackathon, an event generally lasting 24-48 hours in which a working prototype for a website, mobile app, or hardware is built completely 38

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from scratch.

For many middle school girls, it was not a hard decision to participate. “I had been interested in coding for a while and thought it would be cool to make an actual app,” Sara Ober ‘22 said.

Lola Perez ‘21 felt similarly. “I had a lot of fun doing the Day of Code in 6th grade and really liked working with Scratch [a programming platform for beginning coders].

I wanted to take that experience to the next level.”

The pilot program for Girlz in Tech was officially launched in the fall of 2016. For three months, 22 Nationwide mentors, one of whom was Wellington alumna Sophie Knowles ‘12, visited our school to get to know the students, brainstorm potential apps, and serve as consultants on coding. Teams created their own logos and began designing their screens.

Students took charge of team responsibilities such as photography, announcer, attendancetaker, coordinator, and notetaker. Some also took on roles such as coordinator, developer, tester, requirement manager, and scrum master. In their workshops, students developed the requirements for their apps and began drafting promotional presentations.

Most teams used App Inventor, dragging boxes for their code commands to expedite an otherwise time consuming and complicated process that requires years of education and experience.

PICTURED Above: Hailey Dickinson ‘23 at Nationwide Hackathon.

Below: Sara Ober ‘22 and Lola Perez ‘21 are interviewed by local news.

Congratulations to all the participants in the Girlz in Tech program.

The following is a complete list of team members and the apps they designed at the Hackathon.

1st Place: Foodie Inspired Maya Avery ‘23*, Allison Klingler ‘23, Rachel Lyden ‘23, Abigail Noritz ‘23, Alexandra Pepper ‘23, Hailey Dickinson ‘23 An app where you take a survey to see what type of foodie you are so you can talk to kids from other schools based on food likes. There were live chat and recipe options.

2nd Place: Instant Lyrics Christine Cooke ‘21, Katie Humphrys ‘22, Lilly Thompson ‘23, Caroline Cooke ‘21, Reagan Kadlic ‘21, Sydney Belford ‘21, Kate Thompson ‘23* An app that provides an easy way to access data about a song based on a few lyrics.

“Our mentors gave us no limits,” Perez said. “They just helped us in every way.”

Most importantly, while the girls learned programming in their workshops, they were not permitted to begin coding their actual app yet. At the Hackathon in May, McConaghy explained, “Tara and I wanted the girls to experience a mini version of what is done in the IT department at Nationwide.” *Sources: CIO from IDG, 2016 (“Wanted: More Women CIOs (but do they want the job?)”); College Board AP Program Summary Report, 2016 (Calculus AB & BC, Computer Science A); CRA Taulbee Survey 2015; Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employed and Experienced Unemployed Persons by Detailed Occupation, Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity 2016 (unpublished table from Current Population Survey); Department of Labor Bureau of Labor, Employment

by Detailed Occupation 2015 (Occupational Category: 15-1100), includes new and replacement jobs and assumes current undergraduate degree (CIP 11) production levels persist; Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employed Persons by Detailed Occupation, Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity 2016; Higher Education Research Institute (HERI), “The American Freshman: National Norms 2015”; Intel ISEF finalist breakdown by gender, 2016 (unpublished); National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2015 (CIP 11).

3rd Place: MyBrary Hannah Jones-Beyene ‘22, Sara Velasco ‘22, Lily Yu ‘22, Rachel Scott ‘22 An app that takes what you look for in books and completes a list of suggestions, saving you time in finding a book to read.

360 BEAUTY Lilliana Adkinson ‘23, Sophia Penegor ‘23, Avery Thielman ‘22, Simrin Ruegsegger ‘24 An app to help you choose what to wear. You can also vote, buy, or sell beauty items.

DESIGNIMALS Claire Cathala ‘24, Sasha Homsy ‘24, Alexis Kennedy ‘24, Logan Vargo ‘24 An app where you take parts of animals and put them together to make a new one.

DOGGO Lola Perez ‘21, Paige Bennett ‘21, Sara Ober ‘22, Sofia Lott ‘24 An app database and guide for new dog owners. Features include talking to a vet and posting pictures of your dog.

GALORE Awbrey Belcher ‘23, Cassidy Chenelle ‘23, Katie Kuttrus ‘23, Sophia Shihab ‘23 A social media app where you can share clothing ideas and new trends with friends.

JACAL Alexis Burkhalter ‘22, Abigail Burkhardt ‘22, Clara Evans ‘22, Jamie Murphy ‘22, Lauren Okoye ‘22 An app for schools with uniforms that changes what accessories to wear on different days, so you don’t wear the same thing every day or can wear the same thing with a friend.

PETTER Assata Ben-Levi ‘21, Noora Rajjoub ‘21, Savanna Riley ‘21, Trinity Scott ‘21, Lauren Sabol ‘21 An app where you can track lost pets in your area with social media features as well.

STUDY BUDDY Audrey Arman ‘21, Rikki Kahn-Yee ‘21*, Grace Kellicker ‘21*, Abigail Peterson ‘21, Taylor Vargo ‘21 An app designed for organization of student life featuring flashcards, a planner, a link to textbooks and more.

By students for students. *Did not participate in the Hacktathon event.

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The event was held at Nationwide’s Innovation lab where students spent the morning creating their prototypes and preparing their pitches that would be presented to a panel of judges in the afternoon. A highlight of the day included seeing cognitive/artificial intelligence in action through Nate, Nationwide’s new NAO robot. Nate was designed to be able to answer questions about Nationwide Insurance products. Students also had the opportunity to see the Arduino and Raspberry Pi microcontrollers, the latter of which has been newly unveiled at Wellington this fall.

Parents were invited to the Hackathon in the afternoon as “business partners,” giving students a chance to pitch to them before their final presentations to the judges.

When the moment of truth finally arrived and the girls demonstrated their apps live on stage before a large crowd, remarkably, no one seemed the least bit nervous. “I wasn’t afraid to present because we were proud of our hard work and we wanted to share it with the world,” Ober said. Her team designed an app to help dog owners.

“My favorite part of the whole experience was showing the end result, an app that’s functional and we can make even better.”

Paider could not be more excited by the first Hackathon partnership with Wellington.

“What these girls did was very complex,” she said. “It was not beginner programming. I’m so proud of all of them. They worked really hard, and I hope they continue. Even if they don’t go into an IT field, they can still use these skills in any profession. I have no doubt these girls will remember this moment for the rest of their lives.”

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PICTURED 1: Sara Velasco ‘22, Sophie Knowles ‘12 2: Abigail Burkhardt ‘22, Clara Evans ‘22, Alexis Burkhalter ‘22, Jamie Murphy ‘22 3: Caroline Cooke ‘21 4: Middle school girls at Nationwide Hackathon

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WE GOT THE BEAT The profound power of music to move, compel, and inspire begins earlier in our lives than any of us can possibly recall.

Key memories are often punctuated with a very specific soundtrack to accompany the sentiment behind the moment. Evocative reactions to music are a universal experience and fundamental to our understanding of humanity. Important connections have also been made between music education, language acquisition, and reading ability.

In a 2015 study at Vanderbilt University, researchers found in children a correlation between good rhythm skills and grammar comprehension.* The importance of music education simply cannot be underscored enough.

At Wellington, the music program is a fundamental curricular component for everyone. From our youngest Little Jags to our graduating seniors, students benefit from a variety of opportunities to explore the sublime world of sound. Critical to the overall development of young children, music actively engages students to use their voices, bodies, and memory. Music education encourages students to express themselves creatively, PICTURED collaborate with Solomon Pierre-Louis ‘18, Jack Miller ‘17, their peers, make Ali Winter ‘20 connections with each other and audiences, build their confidence, and think critically.

“As a subject area, music works both sides of the brain and aids in cognitive development,” Lower School Music Teacher Laurie Parsons explained. “The power of music to connect non-verbally to others, the need to problem solve and adapt to others, and the grit needed to practice while perfecting a performance are all skills our children need for the future. But even beyond all of these facts, music brings joy to our lives. It is a unifying source that can bring people together of various cultures and helps us to make sense of the society around us.”

In lower school music class, students learn the language of music in regard to understanding musical notation, with the creative side of music such as designing an original dance, improvisation on an instrument, and composing a unique melody.

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“The power of music to connect non-verbally to others, the need to problem solve and adapt to others, and the grit needed to practice while perfecting a performance are all skills our children need for the future.”

Laurie Parsons LOWER SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHER

and songs that are a part of our heritage, old and new. “Through these games, the children learn a bit of history, work as a team, and practice being kind to each other. There are always some musical gems like a new note, musical phrase, or rhythm pattern hidden in these games that we can pull out of our known material later to further practice our musical reading and writing skills.”

Lower school students are also exposed to the music of the masters, including famous symphonies and art songs, and incorporate movement or listening activities that ensure the art form will not be lost in future generations. By the end of 4th grade, Wellington students have had a great deal of practice in keeping a steady beat, understanding what it means to sing in their head voices, and know basic rhythms and melodies. They are musically literate with notation skills, know a variety of composers, have listened to music of world cultures as well as tried their hand at composing and creating their own pieces.

In middle and upper school, Wellington students continue their music education by honing their performance abilities. Given a choice to join band, orchestra, or choir, every student is required to complete a performing arts element, thereby benefiting from musical exploration. Playing an instrument triggers the brain along with fine motor skills to help students tap into their creative side.

In band and strings, students learn to read and interpret the language of music, how to control their instrument, and how to work with their peers to produce an effective performance.

They also develop a basic understanding of several musical styles and some general information about the history of music and some of the most prominent composers.

Advanced music students learn how music is constructed and developed, how to compose, and how to transcribe, or write down, music they hear. When a student graduates from the Wellington band or strings program, they are proficient in a broad music history, style, and above average playing level.

Band Director James Becker P ‘27 believes one of the greatest values of music education at Wellington is an increased PICTURED Eli Cellino ‘27, Dylan Murphy ‘27

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understanding of how to effectively work with others toward a common goal. He likens the experience to being on an athletic team, “but in a musical group there is no bench; everyone is a starter and everyone is intimately involved in the success of the group,” he said.

“Music helps to develop empathy in students through the need to understand how each part fits with those around it, and it encourages confidence through expressiveness, skill development, and achievement in practice.”

JAMES BECKER P ‘27, BAND DIRECTOR

Choral singing bolsters self-confidence, fosters inclusiveness, and creates opportunities for collaboration. Students are treated as independent learners who develop artistry, healthy vocal techniques, sightreading skills and learn music history and theory while developing their performance skills. There is a connection between melody and text, and students explore the relationship between these two crucial areas of choral music. “Historical connections are also made when talking about compositional style and what was happening in the world during the time a specific piece was written,” Choir Director Lisa Springer said.

In Springer’s 22 year teaching career, she has had five students become music teachers, four pursued careers as solo singers, and many more continue to sing in community choruses, church choirs, and bands. A number of students in the band have gone on to study music over the years. Recent Wellington graduate Peter Schoellkopff ‘17 matriculated at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music where he is studying music performance and neuroscience (to learn more, see page 27). Alumnus John Allen ‘11, now a graduate of The Ohio State University, is very active in the local jazz scene in Columbus.

Alumnae Laura Gamboa ‘13 and Dawning Welliver ‘14 are studying music at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Vanderbilt University, respectively. “Dawning is very passionate about her playing,” Orchestra

Director Karen Butler P ‘12 ‘16 ‘20 recalled.

“When she was a senior at Wellington we performed a piece by Blair Fairchild, who was a composer that she was studying for her Senior Independent Project. We performed Concerto De Chambre, 2nd movement and Dawning was the soloist. It was a very mature and difficult piece for her and the orchestra.

The piece was a success and the orchestra learned a lot about chamber music.”

Every teacher in the Wellington music program has a deep love for guiding children down a path of self-discovery. Springer relishes moments when students realize they can sing and are proud of their talent. Butler and Becker consider the best part of teaching to be watching a young artist struggle with a piece of music but continue to work hard on conquering it before confidently nailing the performance.

For Parsons, it’s about a lifelong love for the arts. “Exposing them to the wonder and joy of music at a young age will hopefully encourage them to continue performing or supporting the arts as a patron as they grow into adults.” The lasting impact of participating in choir, band, and strings at Wellington is like music to the ears of anyone who appreciates the art form.

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*Gordon RL, Shivers CM, Wieland EA, Kotz SA, Yoder PJ, Devin McAuley J. Dev Sci. 2015 Jul;18(4):635-44. doi: 10.1111/desc.12230. Epub 2014 Sep 7.

PICTURED 1: Liam Ross ‘22, Ayana Cooper-Stevens ‘22 2: Arham Siddiqui ‘17, Margaret Meeks ‘17

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Wellington Students Perform Around the World

Student musicians and vocalists at Wellington have distinguished themselves as members of several Columbus-area groups, some have travelled the world to perform and share their talents with audiences in a variety of venues.

Ian Gleissner ‘20 (bass) - Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra

Zach Sagone ‘23 (bass) - Columbus Symphony Youth Chamber Strings Orchestra

Aquila Simmons ‘19 (bassoon) - Columbus Youth Symphony

Ryan Wise ‘18 (cello) - Urban Strings Columbus Youth Orchestra

Declan Ross ‘19 (trombone) - Columbus Youth Symphony

Claire O’Shaughnessy ‘20 (vocalist) - Columbus International Children’s Choir. O’Shaughnessy has performed at Carnegie Hall, St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and the White House for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Liam Ross ‘22 (clarinet) - Cadet Orchestra Isaac Brown ‘21 (trumpet) - Greater Columbus Community Band Nathan Hay ‘19 (harp) - Columbus Youth Orchestra and New Albany Symphony Orchestra

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Early Childhood Classroom Environments Cultivating Natural Wonder

BY SHELLEY BROWN P ‘32 EARLY CHILDHOOD COORDINATOR

On any given day, walk into one of our early childhood classrooms and you may find a table full of different rocks, books about rocks, and magnifying glasses; fall leaves and jars of orange, red, and yellow paint; or a colorful arrangement of freshly picked flowers and sketch pads with sharpened colored pencils. When the children arrive for the day, they cannot wait to interact with the new materials, expand on their prior experiences, and collaborate with their peers to experiment with new textures, smells, and processes.

You won’t hear an early childhood teacher ask a child to finish a worksheet, but you may hear the children begging to interact with these provocations and write about their new scientific findings, draw a picture, or create a representation with clay.

Provocations are deliberate and thoughtful arrangements of materials are made by the teacher to enrich the ideas of the children.

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creativity as they use quality materials to explore and create. A box of recycled materials next to a book about robots may encourage a child to tap into her creativity to design a robot. Lavender flowers on the clay table are an invitation for a child to use his fine motor skills to create a scented clay. Photos of famous structures in the construction zone promote building more complex configurations; add in a yard stick, and the children may begin building taller structures and then comparing the heights of their structures to the yard stick or even to themselves. These provocations are often a springboard to a new discovery, line of questioning from the children, and a sense of wonder. The mathematical and literacy skills are so deeply interwoven into the thoughtfully prepared provocations that the children can’t help but learn the skills that they are ready for next.

Many of the materials in our provocations and classrooms are natural materials. Children are inherently curious about the natural world. An experience using natural materials is not only aesthetically pleasing, it is also openended. Children may use seashells to adorn their castles in the block area, to press into the clay in the studio, or as a small dish for a doll in the dramatic play

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space. The materials can be transformed as the child sees fit; there is no preconceived way of playing, instead the children guide the play using their own experiences as the backdrop to the story.

Natural materials engage the senses as children feel the variety of the textures, observe the colorings, and make connections of those materials to their own experiences. These materials have the potential to draw the children in, make them want to stay a while, try new things, and wonder.

We, as early childhood educators, know there is a big difference between what a child is capable of doing and what a child is willing to do.

Children come into this world ready to learn; they are naturally curious and motivated to do so. Our responsibility is to promote the passion for learning by creating environments in which students are excited to explore materials, make connections, and

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dive deeper into work that is important to them.

Our early childhood classroom environments reflect these understandings and celebrate the students as unique individuals who believe in themselves as learners.

Classroom Design

BY ANNE STEWART P ‘30 ‘32 EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER

In creating the ideal environment for early childhood learning spaces, I found the research of Kristi Gaines and Zane D. Curry very influential. Their article “The Inclusive Classroom: The Effects of Color on Learning and Behavior” concludes that color can impact students’ behavior and

attention and is an important factor when designing a school room.* Essentially, the educational setting that a child walks into everyday should promote a sense of beauty and comfort; that is the guiding principle by which Wellington early childhood educators have followed.

Each room has soft tan, reflective walls that serve as a canvas for vibrant student artwork. The lights are dimmed overhead, and lamps illuminating soft lighting in the corner or in a cozy nook filled with books draw in a reader. Natural light is utilized as much as possible, and jars filled with colored treasures glisten as the light shines through them.

Children are drawn to other light sources as well; mirrors in the block center reflect light down onto the floor where the children can

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“Learning is visible on every surface in the classroom.”

—Anne Stewart P ’30 ‘32 PICTURED 1: Bryce Wright ‘31 2: First graders complete morning work 3: Little Jags play with natural materials 4: Kindergarteners have story time 5: Kindergarteners in an inclusive classroom environment

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see their own reflections as they collaborate on a project like building a city together. The light tables and overhead projectors are used as tools in their learning as students work intently on experimenting with watercolors, mixing new shades, and exploring with lines and shapes on paper. The overhead projector becomes a theatre with children using shadow puppets to act out a beloved story on the wall of the room for all to view as they work.

On the walls, beautiful self-portraits represent each child who learns in the space.

The cork board is filled with sketches of crystals and rocks from the science center.

Documentation of student work is captured in photos alongside quotes representing the thinking and wonder of the children. What isn’t student made is often derived from nature.

Plants live in the space too, bringing nature inside wherever possible. The children water and care for the plants, learning how to take care of living things. Learning is visible on every surface in the classroom.

Wellington early childhood spaces are designed to be a home away from home for our youngest learners. Family portraits can be found throughout the room for children to see at any point in the day. There are large gathering spaces where group conversations can take place and smaller more intimate areas where children engage in meaningful investigations or focus on quieter, individual activities. The schedule of the day is handwritten or drawn by the children and prominently placed for all to see. The alphabet hanging up on the wall was water colored by each student. There is a sense of ownership that each child feels when they walk through the door; they are a part of creating the 46

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classroom, and they can see themselves in its beauty. *Gaines, Kristi and Zane D. Curry. 2011. “The Inclusive Classroom: The Effects of Color on Learning and Behavior.”

Journal of Family and Consumer Science Education 29 (1): 46-57. Color used within the classroom can be indirectly related to student performance. Research investigating the effects of color on learning and behavior concluded that the most effective color schemes for the foundation of a room are warm neutral colors, such as tan or sand.

Flexibility Energizes and Excites

BY SHELLY BOWLING P ‘19 ‘32 LOWER SCHOOL TEACHER

It is amazing where small changes in the classroom can lead you. I had no idea when I added two recliner chairs to my classroom to give it a homier feel what an impact it would ultimately have on my students’ learning experience. Right from the start, the children loved the chairs and were eager for their turn to sit in them. During their designated time in the chairs, students could get clipboards and use the space to complete their work. I quickly noticed improvement in their time on task and ability to diligently work on the given assignments. So I began to think about other alternative seating options. I researched what experts had to say about implementing flexible seating in school classrooms. I came upon one article in particular that resonated with me. It was written by a 2nd grade teacher in North Dakota who had also delivered a TEDx Talk about reimagining classroom spaces.

Kayla Delzer’s “Flexible Seating and StudentCentered Classroom Redesign” raised an important question, how can we expect our

students to solve problems and make choices independently if we constantly solve their problems and make their choices for them?

She concluded that classroom environments should be conducive to open collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking; this cannot be done cannot be done when kids are sitting in rows of desks all day.

Studies have provided clear evidence that dynamic classroom arrangements promote productivity, engagement, and overall excitement for learning. As the students and I experimented with different scenarios, we shared feedback to come up with the best configuration. The children were also responsible for self-monitoring to ensure they were active participants in their learning.

After Wellington parents Sara Saldoff and Ben Anderson P ‘28 kindly offered to donate several standing desks, the students and I could not have been happier with the new flexible seating options.

Throughout the school year, students were given the opportunity to take advantage of all the different seating options we accumulated over time: recliners, standing desks, exercise balls, and yoga mats. I noticed the children releasing energy, working on core strength, and wiggling the wobbly bar on the standing desks all while actively engaged in conversation with other students or working on an assigned task.

The flexible seating offered a way for students to remain active, if needed, while staying engaged and excited to learn.

PICTURED Kindergarteners have a variety of seating options.

WELLINGTON PRAISES GRANDPARENTS & SPECIAL FRIENDS 1

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Each year, beginning 35 years ago when Wellington first opened, Grandparents & Special Friends Day has celebrated the immeasurable significance of family and community in the lives of our students. Honoring the important role extended family members and friends play in the future success of children, the event gives visitors an inside look at a day-in-the-life of Wellington students.

A continental breakfast was served before Head of School Robert Brisk P ‘13 ‘15 thanked everyone for attending and pointed out guests who had traveled by plane, train, or across continents to be there, or perhaps had come every year since the event first began. Founders and grandparents who had also been parents of Wellington students were recognized as well.

The 2017 PICTURED Grandparents and 1: Parker Haskett ‘22, Jim Haskett, Linda Haskett, Special Friends Day Rosemary Haskett ‘20, Chair Greg Stewart Sophie Haskett ‘19 P ‘95 ‘98 spoke about 2: Connie Ouellette, the impact Wellington Chase Ouellete ‘22 has made in the lives 3: Madeline Weaver ‘29, of his children and Paul Keinath grandchildren. Student Body President Liz 4: Marjorie Braddix, Kirem Braddix ‘28 Kazemi ‘17 shared her experience flourishing 5: Lourdes Soto, Sasha Swarthout ‘29 during her time at Wellington. Speaking of her soon-to-be alma mater, Kazemi said, “We create leaders; we don’t define them.”

Live music, singing, presentations, and videos followed in the program, all highlighting the tremendous work of Wellington students.

Afterwards guests were invited into classrooms to spend time with their grandchildren and special friends to see Wellington through the eyes of students, as a very special school.

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The Places They Will Go The Wellington School Classes of 2025 and 2021 gave fond farewells to their time in lower and middle school and were welcomed with great enthusiasm into the next stage of their education.

During Moving Up ceremonies on the last day of school, both classes shared favorite memories and reflected on their previous years at Wellington before officially joining the middle and upper school.

Fourth graders received congratulations from Head of School Robert Brisk P ‘13 as well as a very special salute that only Brisk and the Class of 2025 know the origin and meaning of. The Class of 2025 was then joined by 3rd graders in singing “The Light that Shines in 48

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Me,” and 4th graders delighted attendees with a rousing rendition of “Ode to Joy” on their recorders.

Head of Lower School Jill Webb spoke to the class about their transformation into true leaders at the school and she hoped they would look for new opportunities to lead in the future. Head of Middle School Erin Noviski told 4th graders she was excited for them to join the middle school.

The 8th grade ceremony included a presentation of awards for high achievement before the opening remarks were provided

by Assata Ben-Levi ‘21 and Christion Files ‘21.

Rikki Kahn-Yee performed “The Mighty River” and poignant class memories were shared by Griffin Biernat ‘21, Caroline Cooke ‘21, Christine Cooke ‘21, Reagan Kadlic ‘21, and Evan Manley ‘21. The poem “Last” was read by Lu Godfrey ‘21, and Alain Welliver ‘21 played the Debussy classic “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair.” The 8th grade Moving Up address was delivered by Declan Unverferth ‘21.

During both ceremonies, Wellington teachers were honored with awards for their service. Mary Potter P ‘01 ‘04, middle school language arts teacher and recipient of the Columbus Parent Magazine Teacher of the Year award (see page 34), received the Sam Stewart Award for Inspirational Teaching. Me-Chelle Burkhalter P ‘22, middle

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school math teacher, and Kathy Yant, early childhood teacher, both received the Diann and John Yakscoe Award for showing an “an outstanding, loving commitment to students, along with exceptional dedication to encouraging and assisting students to achieve their unique potential as positive and joyful contributions in all they do.”

Both classes were given certificates and received warm hugs and handshakes from faculty and friends. Fortunately, for years to come, students can simply take a walk down the hall to visit their lower or middle school families before heading to their next great adventure. Wellington will always be here for them wherever they go.

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1 PICTURED 1: Catherine Cartmell ‘25, Oliver Edwards ‘25, Ginnylu Howard ‘25, Maxwell Johnson ‘25, Olivia Kallas ‘25, Koen Kwak ‘25 2: Stephen Rosan ‘25, Omar Rajjoub ‘25, Charlie Lowrey ‘25 3: Christion Files ‘21, Erin Noviski 4: Elliot Roth ‘21, Savanna Riley ‘21 5: Declan Unverferth ‘21 6: Asher Biehn ‘25, Vivienne Bond ‘25, Isaac Brady ‘25, Ross Braswell ‘25

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2017 Honors Convocation On June 8, upper school students and faculty were honored for their achievements and meaningful contributions to the school community at the Wellington Honors Convocation ceremony. Recognized for their excellence in the arts, athletics, academics, service, and character, students received awards from faculty members who shared thoughtful reflections on the deserving recipients. Honors Convocation is always a meaningful evening celebrating the students, families, and faculty who distinguish themselves and our school with their vast accomplishments.

CUM LAUDE SOCIETY Jasmine Haraburda ‘17* Elizabeth Kazemi ‘17* Margaret Meeks ‘17* Neelima Paleti ‘17* Ian Woods ‘17* Emma Hans ‘17 Ellora Majumder ‘17 Cassandra Robbins ‘17 Peter Schoellkopff ‘17 Zoe Beatty ‘18 Maithri Kora ‘18 Brianna Masters’18 Grace Tian ‘18 Audrey Unverferth ‘18

2017 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Finalist:Jasmine Haraburda ‘17 Semi-Finalist: Jacob Dach ‘17 Commended Students: Ellora Majumder ‘17, Neelima Paleti ‘17 2018 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM High Scorers: Zoe Beatty ‘18, Kolapo Dairo ‘18, Benjamin Hawkins ‘18, Maithri Kora ‘18, Ritvik Maryala ‘18, Grace Tian ‘18

9th Grade Writing: Lily O’Brien ‘20 9th Grade English: Mia Croft ‘20, Kate Hans ‘20 10th Grade English: Aquila Simmons ‘19, Isabella Vegas ‘19 11th Grade English: Audrey Unverferth ‘18, Maxwell Wing ‘18 12th Grade English: Cassandra Robbins ‘17, Ian Woods ‘17

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HISTORY 9th Grade: Ezekiel Lloyd ‘20, Julian Shuttleworth ‘20 10th Grade: Savannah Childress ‘19, Anastasia Dorenbusch ‘19 11th Grade: Sarah Abdelbaki ‘18, Audrey Unverferth ‘18 12th Grade: John Haynes ‘17, Ian Woods ‘17

THE SAM STEWART HISTORY AWARD Matthew Strasser ’17

MATHEMATICS 9th Grade: Vanora Li ‘20, Adriane Thompson ‘20 10th Grade: Trevor McCraw ‘19, Aquila Simmons ‘19 11th Grade: Benjamin Hawkins ‘18, Grace Tian ‘18 12th Grade: Jacob Dach ‘17, Ian Woods ‘17

THE MATHEMATICS AWARD Will Sierzputowski ‘17

SCIENCE

ENGLISH

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THE ELIZABETH RICHMOND ENGLISH AWARD Willaim Edic ’17

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9th Grade: Lily O’Brien ‘20, Ali Winter ‘20 10th Grade: Cameron Bresky, ‘19 Aquila Simmons ‘19 11th Grade: Maithri Kora ‘18, Brianna Masters ‘18 12th Grade: Jacob Dach ‘17

WORLD LANGUAGES FRENCH 9th Grade: Kate Hans ‘20 10th Grade: Sophia Haskett ‘19 11th Grade: Audrey Unverferth ‘18 12th Grade: Margaret Meeks ‘17 LATIN 9th Grade: Lily O’Brien ‘20 10th Grade: Aquila Simmons ‘19 11th Grade: Grace Tian ‘18 12th Grade: Theodore Knowles ‘17 SPANISH 9th Grade: Grant Wheeler ‘20 10th Grade: Chloe Tussing ‘19 11th Grade: Elizabeth Chester ‘18 12th Grade: Peter Schoellkopff ‘17 THE ACKERMAN AWARD FOR WORLD LANGUAGE Jasmine Haraburda ‘17

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP GLOBAL CITIZEN CERTIFICATE: Emma Hans ‘17, Jasmine Haraburda ‘17, Ellora Majumder ‘17, Spencer Rieser ‘17 SIP AWARDS Award of Excellence: Khalil Jallaq ‘17 Award of Distinction: Chase Leino ‘17

ATHLETICS DOWNEY SPIRIT AND SERVICE AWARD Theodore Knowles ‘17 STEWART-BRDAR AWARD Jaime Kletzly P ‘13 OHSAA SCHOLAR ATHLETE AWARD Neelima Paleti ‘17, John Haynes ‘17

VISUAL ARTS 10th Grade: India Carter ‘19 11th Grade: Henry Gottschlich ‘18 12th Grade: Bret Hairston ‘17, Simone Robinson ‘17

THE ART AWARD Sophie Barbour ‘17

PERFORMING ARTS FRESH FACE AWARD Chloe Tussing ‘19, Max Wing ‘18 PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR AWARD Anna Rambo ‘19 as Audrey and Ben Sierzputowski ‘19 as Orin Scrivello, D.D.S in “Little Shop of Horrors”

THE DRAMA AWARD Ian Woods ‘17

PHYSICAL EDUCATION THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION AWARD: Ryan O’Neil ‘17, Jacquelyn Sierzputowski ‘18

THE MUSIC AWARD Peter Schoellkopff ‘17

THE CAROL GOLDSMITH SCIENCE AWARD Jasmine Haraburda ‘17 and

BAND AWARD Ian Woods ‘17

Neelima Paleti ‘17

*Inducted as junior

CHOIR AWARD Claire O’Shaughnessy ‘17 STRINGS Sophia Haskett ‘19 THE WPA GOOD CITIZENSHIP AWARD Brad Biehl ‘18 and Lily O’Brien ‘20

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THE RICHARD J. O’HARA ENDOWED AWARD Aquila Simmons ‘19

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THE WILLIAMS COLLEGE BOOK AWARD Isabella Vegas ‘19 THE CONNECTICUT COLLEGE BOOK AWARD Maithri Kora ‘18 THE PRINCETON PRIZE Elizabeth Chester ‘18

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THE HARVARD BOOK PRIZE Audrey Unverferth ‘18

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HORACE MANN AWARD Jaime Bennati THE ADAMS AWARD Sara Brdar P ‘02 ‘03

3 THE RENAISSANCE AWARD Ian Woods ‘17 THE BORROR AWARD Chase Leino ‘17 THE GEORGE W. STEWART AWARD FOR COURAGE Khalil Jallaq ‘17 and Elizabeth Kazemi ‘17 THE BROWN FAMILY BROTHERHOOD AWARD Shashank Singh ‘17

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THE HOLLAND FOUNDER’S TROPHY Bret Hairston ‘17 THE RUSCILLI AWARD Ian Woods ‘17 THE BOHM/BLANCHARD AWARD Cassandra Robbins ‘17 THE MINOT TROPHY Xinyuan Zhang ‘17

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PICTURED 1: Cassandra Robbins ‘17, Briana Masters ‘18, Maithri Kora ‘18, Aquila Simmons ‘19, Cameron Bresky ‘19, Lily O’Brien ‘20, Ali Winter ‘20 2: Shashank Singh ‘17 3: Audrey Unverferth ‘18 4: Ian Woods ‘17

THE PATIL-CHAUDHARI FAMILY TROPHY Neelima Paleti ‘17 THE FACULTY AWARD Margaret Meeks ‘17 Emma Hans ‘17 Peter Schoellkopff ‘17 Ellora Majumder ‘17

5: Chase Leino ‘17 6: Bradley Biehl ‘18, Lily O’Brien ‘20 7: Jasmine Haraburda ‘17, Neelima Paleti ‘17

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UPPER SCHOOL PLAY IS A DREAM A pair of feuding fairies plus one merry mischief-maker and four young lovers all add up to Shakespeare’s most popular comedy, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Upper school students performed the classic tale of hijinks and hilarity that ensue when the inhabitants of an enchanted forest decided to have fun in the mortal realm. Equal parts fantasy and whimsy, the play had audiences enthralled with stunning sets and costumes complementing the actors rendering of the beauty of the Bard of Avon.

PICTURED David Lynn ‘19, Kahlil Jallaq ‘17, Andrew Davis ‘19, Miranda Johnson ‘17, Anastasia Dorenbusch ‘19, Ian Woods ‘17

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PICTURED 1: Christina Armeni ‘18, Serino Nakayama ‘18, Kate Hans ‘20

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2: Ian Woods ‘17, Lexi Horan ‘20, Ellora Majumder ‘17 3: Cast and crew of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” 4: Anna Rambo ‘19, Claire O’Shaughnessy ‘20 5: Ben Sierzputowski ‘19, Bret Hairston ‘17 6: Cast of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

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Middle School Play Charms and Captivates The middle school production of “Once On This Island, Jr.” was a delightful reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s popular fairy tale, “The Little Mermaid.”

When a peasant girl rescues and falls for a wealthy boy, their lives seem worlds apart rather than merely separated by an island. Accompanied by a Caribbean-inspired score, the young actors sang and danced their way through a tale of one girl’s boundless determination to overcome prejudice and hatred in the name of true love.

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PICTURED 1: Elliot Roth ‘21, Kaylei Johnson ‘24, Owen Roth ‘21, Assata Ben-Levi ‘21 2: Cast of “Once On This Island, Jr.” 3: Kaylei Johnson ‘22 4: Christine Cooke ‘21, Elliot Roth ‘21, Ashley Schaffer ‘21, Audrey Armeni ‘21, Ellie Belford ‘24, Assata Ben-Levi ‘21, Grace Kellicker ‘21, Gigi Manley ‘24, Kaylei Johnson ‘24

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5: Elliot Roth ‘21 6: Elliot Roth ‘21, Lu Godfrey ‘21, Ian White ‘21

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7: Kaylei Johnson ‘24, Elliot Roth ‘21, Assata Ben-Levi ‘21, Owen Roth ‘21 8: Ashley Schaffer ‘21, Gigi Manley ‘24, Logan Vargo ‘24, Christine Cooke ‘21, Ian White ‘23

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WELLINGTON SCHOOL PRIDE

1: Margaret Meeks ‘17, Simone Armour ‘17, Taylor Adams ‘17 at Community Reading Day 2: Ruby Doolittle ‘30

1 3: Anna Chester ‘20 4: Lily Anderson ‘28 at Arts Fest 5: Owen Roth ‘21, Will Miller ‘21, Abigail Burkhardt ‘22, Rhea Singh ‘22, Paari Kaviyarasu ‘22, Jake Browning ‘22

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6: Caroline Cooke ‘20, Matthew Reid ‘20, Lauren Sabol ‘20, Zachary Peterson ‘20 7: Third Grade Play 8: Ngozi Pinkston ‘17 9: Upper School 9th Grade Chemistry Flame Test Demonstrations

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10: Gigi Manley ‘23, Henry Allen ‘23 11: Vivian Johnson ‘27, Sarah Kadelli ‘27 12: Annie Taylor ‘18 13: Hudson McConnell ‘24 at J.A. BizTown 14: Kyla Chenelle ‘25, Sabrina Bong ‘25

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ATHLETICS

One for the Books The boys varsity basketball team made school history when they reached the 2017 State Championship final.

PICTURED Right: Solomon Pierre-Louis ‘18 Opposite: Dustin Harder ‘17

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Having made it to the final four the previous year was impressive in its own right as an illustrious first time achievement in the annals of Wellington Boys Basketball history. The sense of excitement for a team that had worked incredibly hard, overcame numerous obstacles, and just began finding their stride in early March was contagious.

With each post season victory, the Jags were mounting support from the Wellington community and from newfound fans all across Central Ohio.

“The accomplishment of making back to back Final Four appearances and earning the title of State Runner-Up is nothing short of remarkable,” Athletic Director Lindsey Smith P ‘26 said.

“Even more impressive though, is what this accomplishment did for our community. It inspired other student athletes that may have felt doubt in their own ability. It showed that hard work reaps reward, in sport and in life.”

In three short years, Head Coach Artie Taylor, his committed staff of assistant coaches, and a group of dedicated young players transformed the team into an elite force driven to succeed. Known for pushing athletes to work their hardest while also showing how much he truly cares about the boys, Coach Taylor always kept the team’s focus on the big picture. “What we did was truly remarkable,” he said. “This journey was a testament to what is possible when you work together for a common purpose. Our players knew what they wanted to accomplish every day and I think their belief and confidence along the way made it happen. “ The team had an impressive regular season against some of the top teams in the Central District. The Jags entered the post season with a record of 15 wins and 7 losses. During the first two rounds of the tournament the Jags cruised past Tree of Life and East Knox on their home court. Things began to heat up against Cardington Lincoln in the District Semifinals, but “we had one of the best defensive performances I have ever seen that had us up by 32 points against a highly explosive offensive team,” Taylor said. “It was just a great testament to our guys showing the ability to lock in and execute our game plan to its fullest. The greatest thing was everyone contributed at a high level.”

The state tournament semifinal game against Lima Perry provided another Wellington showcase of talent when Dustin Harder ‘17 tied a Division IV semifinal record with 21 rebounds and Solomon Pierre-Louis ‘18 scored 16 points in their 68-47 victory against the Commodores. While the team was unable to defeat Cleveland Heights Lutheran East in the state championship, Harder was named Outstanding Player on The Associated Press Division IV All-Tournament team for his 23 points and 32 rebounds in two games and The Jags walked away with the State Runner-Up title.

Although the boys fell just short of their ultimate goal of winning a state championship, the legacy they left behind will be remembered for years to come. “Playing for a championship was special because it had never been done before in school history,” Bob Faller ‘18 said. “We knew that this game was bigger than just our team. It was for all the Wellington basketball teams that came before us and those that will come after. That’s pretty great.”

“Our players knew what they wanted to accomplish every day and I think their belief and confidence along the way made it happen.”

Artie Taylor P ‘23 HEAD COACH

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AWARD AWARD WINNERS

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PICTURED 1: Dallas Patrick ‘19

9: Teddy Knowles ‘17

2: Trevor Ball ‘20

10: Taylor Harper ‘22

3: Caleb Woodell ‘22

11: AJ Taylor ‘23

4: Christine Cooke ‘21

12: Camille McCantsSimpson ‘19

5: Libby White ‘18 13: Vinny Giang ‘21 6: Alexandra Pepper ‘23 14: Reagan Kadlic ‘21 7: Soleil Tibbets-Barnes ‘19 15: Sophia Czekajewski ‘24 8: Savannah Childress ‘19

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MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES AWARD 5/6 Boys Basketball Saro Pisacane ‘24,

AJ Taylor ‘23 7th Boys Basketball Taylor Harper ‘22,

Caleb Wooddell ‘22 8th Boys Basketball Vinny Giang ‘21,

Sam Schwartz ‘21 5/6 Girls Basketball Sophia Czekajewski ‘24 7th Girls Basketball Abigail Burkhardt ‘22,

Sloane Shock ‘22 8th Girls Basketball Christine Cooke ‘21,

Reagan Kadlic ‘21 Swimming Alexandra Pepper ‘23,

Heath Thomas ‘21 MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES AWARDS Baseball Robert Boyd ‘22,

Caleb Woodell ‘22 Girls Lacrosse Jameela Askira ‘22,

Reagan Kadlic ‘21 Boys Lacrosse Will Miller ‘21,

Jackson Stoner ‘22 Softball Alexis Burkhalter ‘22,

Lola Perez ‘21 Boys Tennis Evan Maley ‘21,

SriHarsha Reddy ‘23

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UPPER SCHOOL SWIMMING & DIVING AWARDS R.O.A.R. Sarah Anderson ‘20,

Shashank Singh ‘17 Coaches John Haynes ‘17,

Eric Jacques ‘18,

Cassie Robbins ‘17 P.A.W.S. Trevor McCraw ‘19,

Camille Simpson ‘19 Jaguar Evan Albers ‘19,

Kath Olson ‘20 UPPER SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL R.O.A.R. Solomon Pierre-Louis ‘18 MVP Dustin Harder ‘17 Anthony Jackson Adam Porter ‘17 Most Improved Dallas Patrick ‘19 JV Jag Noah Jones-Beyenne ‘20

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UPPER SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL R.O.A.R. Jacquie Sierzputowski ‘18 Coaches Savannah Childress ‘19 Captain’s Eli Burkhardt ‘20

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UPPER SCHOOL BASEBALL ROAR Teddy Knowles ‘17 Coaches Award Trevor McCraw ‘19,

Ngozi Pinkston ‘17 UPPER SCHOOL GIRLS LACROSSE ROAR Lizzy Chester ‘18 Defensive MVP Libby White ‘18 Offensive MVP Nia Gill ‘17

13 UPPER SCHOOL BOYS LACROSSE ROAR JT Seitz ‘17 Leadership Sam Kim ‘17,

James Rohrbach ‘17 UPPER SCHOOL SOFTBALL ROAR Cassie Robbins ‘17 Rookie of the Year Rosemary Haskett ‘20 Coaches Award Soleil Tibbets-Barnes ‘19 JV Jag Kate Hans ‘20 UPPER SCHOOL BOYS TENNIS R.O.A.R. Trevor Ball ‘20 MVP Connor Biernat ‘18 Most Improved Ryan Young ‘18 JV Jag Mason Halley ‘20

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ATHLETICS

Boys Tennis Sends Two to State Championship Tournament

Swimming & Diving Makes Waves Eric Jacques ‘18 shined at the district meet, claiming the title of Central District Dive Champion and earning him his second consecutive berth at the state meet where he finished 17th place overall. Shashank Singh ‘17 was also a top performer at the district meet, placing 7th overall in the

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100 backstroke. On the girls side, Sarah Anderson ‘20 broke the school record in the 50 free with a lead off split in the 200 free relay with a time of :25.42.

Middle school swimmers broke records of their own this season. At a meet hosted by Columbus Academy the boys medley team of Will Miller ‘21, Heath Thomas ‘21, Alain Welliver ‘21, and Alex Lott ‘22 set a new Middle School Medley record. Thomas also took first in the 50 fly and Miller took first in the 50 free. Thomas had an outstanding season overall, concluding a record breaking middle school career. He left his mark on the middle school program, holding records in the 100 Free, 100 IM, 50 Fly, 50 Free, 200 Free, 50 Breast, and as a member of both Wellington relay teams!

Wellington student athletes Connor Biernat ’18 and Trevor Ball ’20 advanced to the boys tennis state championship after facing each other in the District Final match. Biernat, the reigning State Runner Up, was committed to his goal of returning to the State Tournament and winning the State Title. Ball was new to tennis but displayed a sense of dominance by defeating numerous top players in central Ohio before competing with Biernat for the number one singles spot on the varsity team.

“We were incredibly proud of what both Connor and Trevor accomplished,” Athletic Director Lindsey Smith P ’26 said. “For the same team to send two singles players to the state tournament is an incredible feat and says a lot about the strength of our boys tennis program.”

COLLEGE-BOUND ATHLETES A growing number of Wellington athletes are pursuing college athletics. This commitment demonstrates a high level of dedication to their sport and a tremendous amount of hard work.

Congratulations to the Wellington student athletes who signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers.

1: Nia Gill - Guilford College, lacrosse 2: Dustin Harder - Belmont Abbey College, basketball 3: Maddy McClinchie - Allegheny College, soccer 4: Adam Porter - Wittenberg University, basketball 5: Connor Weber - Case Western, soccer

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ALUMNI

WELLINGTON ALUMNI MAKE AN IMPACT Alumni and Senior Celebration Twelve alumni, graduating from 1989 to 2011, joined our seniors to celebrate choosing a college or university.

Alumni were matched with seniors based on common colleges, Wellington activities, and their professional career. Afterwards, alumni visited their favorite teachers.

A big thank you to Lyle Brown ‘89 for giving an amazing “Welcome to Your Journey” presentation.

Alumni Athletic Events

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3 PICTURED 1: Casey Brown ’06, Rebecca Spears Hinze ’91, Andrea Wanamaker ’08, Ajit Chaudhari ’91, Tanner Zaas ’11, Jacob Becker ’10, Lyle Brown ’89 P ’27 ’29, Idin Pirasteh ’97, James Barnett ’10, Charity Jackson ’11 2: Lyle Brown ‘89 3: Alumnae softball reunion

SOFTBALL

Alumnae from the 1990s to the 2010s, came back to enjoy an afternoon of softball, family, and friends along with current Jaguars. It was great to see these smiling faces again: Brea Porter ’12, Elizabeth Craig ’06, Katie Craig-Conkle ’00, Charity Jackson ’11, Courtney Wayman ’12, Sophie Knowles ’12, Andrea Flowers ’12

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4: Alumni baseball reunion 5: Robert Brisk P ’13 ’15, Paige Price ’12, Monica Mahoney P ’13 ’15, James Hutcherson ’98, Kathryn Siegel ’01, CJ Hansen ’12, Negesti Kaudo ’11, Will Kent ’04, Meghan McDevitt ’06

BASEBALL

Craig Jones and the Wellington baseball team welcomed six alumni back to the diamond to show the kids how it is really done! Pictured above left-right: Matthew Conger ‘15, Anthony Joseph Davis ‘14, Preston Fuller ‘16, Harrison Sewell ‘08, Colin Peters ‘05, and Obinna Adams-Johns ‘16 came back this spring to help coach and inspire the players. Tanner Zaas ’11 was a member of the team this year as an assistant coach.

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Chicago Alumni Happy Hour Over 13 alumni, family, and friends joined Wellington for drinks and food at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse in Chicago. It was great to have the opportunity to connect Wellington alumni with each other and, most importantly, have a fabulous time! Please let us know if you would be interested in having a Wellington event in your city.

Alumni Field Trips THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 1: Wellington was able to celebrate National Biomechanics Day at The Ohio State University this year thanks to alumni Ajit Chaudhari ‘91, Andrea Wanamaker ‘08, and Aashika Katapadi ‘15, who helped create an amazing interactive experience for our current students. We could not be more thankful!

BATTELLE 4: The Wellington School’s 7th and 8th graders had an incredible opportunity to experience Battelle first-hand due to the hard work of Beth Kozlowski Mosier ‘01. Students were able to parttake in experiments, question scientists, and even see how drones fly. Thank you so much for your hospitality Beth and Battelle!

Beth also came back to talk with currents students about choosing a major in college and about her career at Battelle. Key advice: Take classes you enjoy and plan for the unexpected!

NETJETS 5: Sophia Mohr ‘91 organized a tour at NetJets for our 5th grade, which included exploring a private plane.

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Alumni Classroom and Lunch Visits Wellington alumni in many different career fields talked with current students about their professions and how Wellington set them up for success in college and beyond.

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2: Andres Marquez-Lara ‘00 skyped Chris Robbins’ class from D.C. to discuss his non-profit work with the Promethean Community and how Wellington inspired his work.

3: Colleen Durfee ’10 came back to talk with Emily Szabo’s 3rd grade class about her work in City and Regional Planning.

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6: Aashika Katapadi ‘15 and Andrea Wanamaker ‘08 spoke to Emily Szabo’s 3rd grade class about their work as chemical and biomedical engineers, respectively.

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7: Emily Decker ‘92, a practicing pediatrician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, came back to Wellington to talk with current juniors about the nontraditional pathway to medicine and to reminisce how far the school has progressed since she’s been gone.

8: Chris King ‘10 joined students for lunch to discuss his journey to Ohio State University College of Dentistry, while answering questions regarding the college application process.

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Alumni News

paramedics into the emergency room, testing the upper limits of their training. As of now, John is the only full time paramedic working at these exceptionally high standards. He is looking forward to helping make a change in how people think about staffing emergency rooms by example and showing that this can work as a bridge of skills, knowledge, and experience from the prehospital setting to the ER.

THE CLASS OF

1993

Corey Koff lives in Oregon City with his bride, Kate, where his new guiding and fly fishing instruction business is based.

THE CLASS OF

1991 THE CLASS OF

1989

Jon Koff, MD, director of the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program at the Yale School of Medicine, was recently published in The Journal of Immunology in collaboration with other professionals titled “DNA Repair Interacts with Autophagy To Regulate Inflammatory Responses to Pulmonary Hyperoxia.”

of entrepreneurship. She is taking her passion for leadership, teaching, and positive psychology to start a company with her husband, Chris. “Quarter Second” will bring positive psychology to organizations so both individuals and their employers can flourish.

Despite no longer retaining her administrative duties at Wellington, as an alum and parent to four Jaguar daughters, she will remain proudly active in the Wellington community.

Laura Wilkins Cooke, after 14 amazing years at The Wellington school, is launching into the world

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Jordan Voss is a profusionist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He connected with Upper School Science Teacher Trent Neely at a cardiology conference in Columbus.

THE CLASS OF

Peter Waydo continues to work for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He was recently promoted to deputy manager of the Spacecraft Mechanical Engineering section.

1994

THE CLASS OF

1992

THE CLASS OF

1990

Ajit Chaudhari works as an associate professor of physical therapy at The Ohio State University and also supervises the research of Wellington alumnae Andrea Wanamaker ’08 and Aashika Katapadi ’15.

John Dix began a new job and will blaze a new trail at Coshocton Hospital in Ohio. To his knowledge, the hospital is the first in the state to bring

Steve Paull transitioned jobs from Navigator Management Partners to L Brands where he is working as vice president for Enterprise HR Systems.

Alok Chaudhari and his family (wife Sarah and children Kiran and Rohan) are moving back to Columbus from Texas.

He and Sarah are expecting their third baby!

THE CLASS OF

1995

Alicia Althoff Juhl currently resides in Prague, Czech Republic with her husband Christian where she teaches English for young children.

THE CLASS OF

1997

SiSi (Jewell) HesterClarke is an endocrinologist with Mecklenburg Medical Group in Huntersville, NC, which is just north of Charlotte, NC. She has been living in the area for 7 years with her husband Anthony and their two sons Quentin (11) and Amir (6).

Ryan Curry was chosen by a panel to be assigned to the United States Naval Academy (USNA) as the Deputy Director of the Stockdale Leadership Center. Being selected requires high caliber individuals for positions that support the accession of junior officers to the Naval Service.

Andy Farber started a new position at McHenry Advisors, Inc. as their vice president of business development.

Jennifer Schlosser is in Cleveland, Ohio where she works at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center as their director of community engagement.

THE CLASS OF

2000

Alex Baker was promoted this year at The Rockport Company in Boston, where he is now their director of development in IT.

THE CLASS OF

1998

Jane Wallingford and her husband, Peter, welcomed son Andrew Peter Shaw on December 20, 2016 along with their daughter, Alexandra.

THE CLASS OF

1999

Andres Marquez-Lara and his wife Fabi announce the birth of their beautiful son, Santiago Ignacio Marquez-Paez. Santi was born on February 7, 2017 at 8:06 a.m. in Arlington, VA just outside DC. He weighed 6.2lbs (2.7Kg) and measured 20 inches (51cm).

Dan Muzyka bought a house in Portland, Oregon.

THE CLASS OF

1996

Nicole Zeyen Brizuela has recently accepted a quality engineering specialist position at the Ford Livonia Transmission Plant in Michigan.

Of course, what better day for a birthday than St. Patrick’s Day! My big brother and sister, Alex and Claire, are pretty excited and my mommy, Virginie Lassale Dunnigan, is feeling great, Anyway, I am looking forward to many years of EPIC birthday parties (Vegas for March Madness in 2038 anyone?) and to meeting many of you soon.”

Patrick Dunnigan writes, “Hello world! My name is Liam Eric Dunnigan. I weigh in at 8 lbs, 3 oz of awesomeness and I eat, sleep and poop like a champion.

THE CLASS OF

2001

Ryan Martin was hired as the new director of the youth academy for United, a major league soccer team. Last year, he helped former United player and current FC Cincinnati head coach, John Harkes, build the roster for the USL side’s inaugural season. Ryan will now oversee all youth development for the Black-and-Red and work closely with the first team technical staff to integrate members of the academy in trainings.

Jim Wallingford and his wife Chelsea had a baby boy on April 6, joining their twin boys. James Alton Wallingford was born at 8 lbs 4 oz and 21 inches. Baby and mama are both doing great!

THE CLASS OF

2002

Erin Gordon is currently serving as a diplomat with the United States Department of State and is currently working at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.

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Jonathan Justl, after two years as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, has begun work in New York City as an associate for Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP.

THE CLASS OF

2005

THE CLASS OF

2003

Colin Brunton continues to work for IHS Markit. He was promoted to Business Development, Loan Solutions APAC and has moved from London, United Kingdom to Singapore.

Jay Gaglani graduated from his medical residency at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio in June. He moved back to Columbus and started a job as a hospitalist for MedOne Hospital Physicians and will be at Riverside Hospital. Jay also got married in September 2016 to Neelam Patel who is an optometrist and started her own practice called Columbus Family Eyecare in June.

THE CLASS OF

Libby Graf welcomed to the world Coe Elizabeth O’Brien, with her husband Eric, on March 16, 2017. Coe was 7.8lbs, 21 inches long.

Joseph Torchia and his business, Parkour Horizons, were featured in Columbus Monthly as an individual who is changing the world of fitness.

Stephanie Kozersky Lee moved to Charleston, South Carolina where she is the annual giving manager for Charleston Parks Conservancy.

Chen Yan is a 2nd year resident in the Integrated Plastic Surgery Program at the University of Pennsylvania. He plans on finishing training in 2020.

THE CLASS OF

THE CLASS OF

2006

2007

Meghan McDevitt moved back to Ohio from Illinois where she is now working at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. At the hospital, she is the managing editor for The Journal of Pediatrics.

Mana Heshmati, an engineer in Detriot, was featured in the New York Times for her pop-up restaurant called Peace Meal Kitchen that showcases the cooking of Iran.

“The color of the food, and the symbolic meaning behind it, is as exciting as it tastes,” she said.

Eileen Wanamaker married Danny Hall, with her sisters, Wellington alumnae Leslie Wanamaker ’03 and Andrea Wanamaker ’08, as bridesmaids at the wedding.

THE CLASS OF

2008

2004

Elise Preston is currently a news anchor at WTMJthe NBC affiliate station in Milwaukee. She has previously worked in Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

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John Schumm is currently working as the touring merchandise manager for the Grammy Nominated band The Record Company as well as reggae-rockers Slightly Stoopid.

Corey Fergus has moved up the Porsche GT3 Platinum Cup Challenge series, which he competes in 16 different races during the year across the USA. Pictured is his home win at Circuit Americas in Ohio.

Matt Anderson finished his undergrad, a B.A. in psychology, and currently works at Franklin County Children’s Services. He also recently bought his first house in Gahanna, Ohio with his boyfriend. Matt is in the process of applying for grad school, looking to get his master’s in school counseling.

THE CLASS OF

2010

Brook Kohn and girlfriend Nathali Bertran helped create DACA Time, which can help undocumented residents like Bertran apply and reapply for legal status. The software will cut the cost and time of the traditional DACA application by more than half.

Cydney Mavian began a new job in Detroit where she transitioned to an account manager for Adobe.

Kyle Morrison produced a documentary about a school in the Bronx called “Mott Haven.”

It was shown at the Columbus Film Festival, the oldest film festival in the country, and won top honors for his category. He was also accepted from 6500 applications to the Brooklyn Film festival held in June.

Avesta Hojjati, a Computer Science Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, presented his research in security and privacy at a conference in Vienna, Austria. The event brought professionals from around the world to discuss topics of computer and communication security.

Shagun Sehgal moved from Cincinnati to Chicago to begin work as a recruitment consultant for Michael Page.

There, she manages her own portfolio of candidates and clients, specialized in accounting, both existing and new within real estate and construction.

THE CLASS OF

THE CLASS OF

2009

2011

Darien Flowers continues to live in D.C. where he is now a policy advisor for Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.

Kendra Garrett is a senior at Franklin University, obtaining a Bachelors of Science in Public Relations. While pursuing her degree, she works as the public relations coordinator for the Sylvia Garrett Agency LLC.

Ellis Edwards recently began a new job at the Gagosian Gallery in New York City where she assists in the sale of major modern and contemporary artworks, bidding on works at auction, managing

Larry Gagosian’s personal art collection, taking works on consignment owned by clients, and coordinating travel for the various international art fairs where they are exhibited. Discovering the art world involves a great deal of entertaining, socializing, planning parties, and galas.

Exhibition opening dinners has been an exciting piece of the job.

Catie Gross began her journey to becoming a lawyer at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law where she completed her 1L year. She interned this summer at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.

Reid Postle came back to Ohio from Wichita, Kansas and now works for Wheels Up as a sales consultant.

THE CLASS OF

2012

Annie Kapp finished her bachelor’s degree at The Ohio State University in agriculture - community leadership and now works for The Ohio State University College of Medicine as an advancement assistant.

Kim Roseler interned at the Arnold Classic this year in Ohio where she coordinated over 200 student volunteers and their job assignments during the Arnold Kids and Teens expo, provided on-site management to volunteers, and assisted upper level management in pre-event preparations.

Richard Smith moved to Austin, Texas where he works as a ERP & EPM applications sales rep for Oracle.

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Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health for a Masters of Health Administration.

2013

4 years later… analysis.” He was selected as a graduate research assistant while fulfilling the requirements for a master’s degree in engineering.

Christian Braddy became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. in the spring of 2015. He graduated with a degree in psychology and another in English in the spring of 2017. He entered graduate school this fall for clinical and rehabilitative counseling to pursue a career in child and family counseling.

Leah Buckingham graduated from the University of Kentucky with honors, majoring in psychology. She moved to Thailand, where she teaches English. Upon returning, she plans to obtain her MBA in South Carolina.

Helen Fite was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society at Furman University and received the Communications Studies Department Award for Excellence in Public Speaking and Debate.

Quinten Henricks graduated magna cum laude in aeronautical engineering from The Ohio State University. He completed a summer internship with NASA aero-structural design and 70

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Jazmine Kee spent her winter 2017 semester in Peru as a part of a study abroad group. She also graduated from Miami University with a B.A. in Media and Culture.

Coleen Kletzly graduated cum laude from Wittenberg University in May 2017 with a major in early childhood education and minor in child psychology. She is officially licensed to teach in the state of Ohio and Oklahoma. In June, Coleen moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to continue teaching for Teach For America. In Tulsa, she teaches kindergarten at Eugene Field Elementary and is working towards a master’s in school psychology.

Nick Mayne finished his undergrad at Duke University and is continuing his education

at Duke to pursue his M.D. He is pictured after his white coat ceremony.

Erin O’Neil graduated from Butler University with honors and a degree in digital media production and a concentration in journalism. She interned with a company in China last summer and will return to work special projects as the company videographer. Erin will be traveling throughout South-Eastern Asia documenting interviews with leaders in sustainability and corporate social responsibility. While Shanghai will be her place of residence, she will be traveling to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Gabrielle Ragusa graduated from Xavier University with a major in land, farming, and community with a minor in biology. She is now a senior sales associate at Smooth Nitro Coffee, marketing Cincinnati’s best nitro cold brew and tea varieties, corporate outreach, and tap management at their first storefront location.

Jonathan Robinson graduated from The Ohio State University and plans to attend

Jonathan Taylor completed his B.A. in economics at Denison University and now works as an account manager for Homeside Financial in Columbus.

Eric Thomas is finishing his watershed science degree at Colorado State and will head to graduate school.

Jenna Tugaoen began working as a health coach at Beachbody in Columbus while she finishes her degree in strategic communications at The Ohio State University.

Jordan Tunnel graduated from Colorado State University this May in computer engineering. He currently works on self-driving cars and is part of the EcoCAR team at Colorado State. His professor asked him to stay on as a graduate assistant for next year, and they will provide a stipend for him as well as a free master’s degree.

Elizabeth Zimmerman received the Outstanding Honor Society Senior Scholar award at Elon University’s Lambda Pi Eta’ spring induction ceremony. This year, she also presented a strategic communications campaign at Krispy Kreme headquarters to increase the visibility of the chain’s loyalty app.

THE CLASS OF

2014

Lucy Caborn won the Nancy Lynn Schwartz Prize for Fiction competition at Sarah Lawrence College.

Sarah Lawrence is renowned for excellence in the arts, particularly writing, film and theatre, and Lucy is thrilled to be a recipient of this award.

Lucy discovered her love for writing fiction and for art at Wellington and speaks with great fondness for her former teachers, Dr. Rachel Althof, Ms. Kelly Zavotka, and Mr. Joe Neff, who were so encouraging and supportive of her love for writing fiction and for art.

Emily Hammett is at Sarah Lawrence College where she writes for The Cliffhanger, serves as a fiction editor on The Literary Review, plays on the DIII softball team, and works both as a resident advisor and a tour guide.

This summer she is working as a marketing intern for Greater Columbus Arts Council.

IWSC. She started her summer work as a communications intern for the USA Rugby Trust in May.

the Ohio Department of Higher Educations in their academic affairs division.

Tova Seltzer started writing weekly blog content, translating from Spanish to English, as well as editing for VeraContent as a blogger and translation Intern.

THE CLASS OF

Benjamin Smith was in San Francisco for the summer where he worked at Goldman Sachs in Private Wealth Management.

Emma Steele, a journalism student at The Ohio State University, started working for The Lantern as an Arts & Life reporter.

Mallory Tannous is majoring in economics at Denison University and works as a project coordinator for The Coffee Art Project in London, UK. Sarah Wakeman, majoring in politics and international affairs at Wake Forest University, came back to Ohio for the summer working as an intern for

THE CLASS OF

2016

2015

Caroline McGuire is a third year undergraduate at UC Berkeley. She is a Molecular and Cellular Biology major on the pre-med track. She has been working on a Nonprofit, Pedi-Ed, for about a year now. Pedi-Ed is a platform for pediatric patient education aimed at bridging the gap between children and medicine. They aim to do this by creating accessible, engaging, animated videos. Through these videos, her team aims to provide the tools to support and empower these patients to better understand their conditions in order to better their care. Caroline hopes to further Pedi-Ed’s outreach through impactful communication with the doctors and professionals in the greater San Francisco area and beyond.

Keilah Causey ran track for the Ohio University Bobcats where she placed 18th in the triple jump reaching 9.90m in the MAC championships.

Cameron Edmondson began his collegiate basketball career at Guilford, where he played in four games, which helped lead the Quakers to an ODAC Championship.

UPCOMING WELLINGTON CLASS REUNIONS

Katie King (left) recently spent a semester abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. While she was there, she was able to travel a lot. For one of her trips, Katie decided to visit Charlène Wicht in Toulouse, who she met during her trip abroad as a Wellington student.

Natalie Morse, a management and marketing major at the University of Kentucky, was in London, UK for four months interning for the

The Class of 1992 will hold part two of their reunion this summer For more information please either get in touch by emailing Steve Paull ’92 at steven.c.paull@gmail.com or the Alumni Office.

Join Facebook Group “Wellington Class of 2007” to find out more details, or contact alumni@wellington.org.

Your classmates are in the midst of finalizing the date of your 20th reunion! Questions or want to get in the loop?

Email your class rep Margaux Corrigan ’97 at margaux.corrigan@gmail.com or join the Facebook group – “Wellington Class of 1997.”

Hosted in memory of classmate Brett Candela ’02. For more details, please contact alumni@wellington.org.

Classmate Annie Kapp ’12 is coordinating through Facebook Group “Wellington Class of 2012.” For more details, email annienkapp@gmail. com or alumni@wellington.org.

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2016-17 ANNUAL REPORT

2016-2017 Annual Report Dear Friends, Birthdays are special for many reasons. They commemorate the beginning of something and recognize important accomplishments marking the passage of time. The Wellington School celebrated our 35th birthday this year, and the best part for me was the way in which our community came together to honor all that we have achieved in the last three decades.

The 35th Anniversary Gala made history in its own right for our fundraising efforts, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the tremendous generosity of our sponsors, including Jim and Michelle Croft and Lorraine Thomas. Carrying on the legacy of her husband and Wellington founder Dave Thomas, Lorraine has been a champion of our school for the last three decades. What began as an idea introduced by parents concerned about the state of education in Columbus still thrives today because of the continued support of other

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like-minded parents. Volunteering their time at Wellington even before they had children, Jim and Michelle Croft have been longtime leaders in our community for their exemplary support of our school.

Wellington is fortunate to have many such friends, equally committed to providing a world-class education for our students. Whether contributing to fund-a-need for faculty salaries and professional development opportunities or making a major gift for facility upgrades that ensure access to gardens, research labs, and dynamic classrooms, donations from members of our community are essential to the continued success of our school. The donors on the following pages are influential role models for our students as children of all ages at Wellington take their first steps in giving back to causes

they care deeply about, including the annual fund.

We are all indebted to the believers and champions of a Wellington education.

It is their altruism that will pave the way for us to memorialize more special birthdays.

With gratitude,

Laurie Beth Sweeney Director of Development

Croft Family Donor Profile - 1 page

CROFTS CONTRIBUTE TO CULTURE OF PHILANTHROPY Before they were parents, Jim and Michelle Croft P ‘17 ‘20 ‘22 were first introduced to Wellington by a member of the school community. Jim’s mentor Bill Roberts was the father of two Wellington students, Adam ‘00 and Summer ‘06, and a board trustee from 1997-2006. Roberts conveyed upon the Crofts the extraordinary nature of a school founded by parents dedicated to innovative education and, consequently, the importance of parent volunteers for the continued success of the school. As Jim and Michelle began to offer their time and expertise in service of Wellington, they were frequently impressed by the worldliness and maturity of the students they met.

When their first child Matthew ‘17 was about to enter kindergarten, the Crofts were concerned about classroom size.

They wanted a small, intimate learning environment for their son, and Jim and Michelle knew Wellington had much to offer their family that other schools did not.

“When we came here, we were overjoyed,” Michelle said. “We really liked that we were told everyone was welcome on the team. We knew our kids would have opportunities here that they wouldn’t have elsewhere.”

When Matthew was in 1st grade, Michelle received a call from the president of the Wellington Parents Association and was asked to become a volunteer coordinator. “I got involved because it allowed me to get a bird’s eye view of how things were going for the kids. It was also a great way to meet other families and have a better idea of how the school worked.” Michelle would go on to serve as the WPA president for three years, during which time she served on the school board, and Jim has been on the board since 2008.

Through their volunteer efforts, the Crofts were able to see firsthand where Wellington could use more funding to support the mission of the school. They became leaders in the community for their generous financial backing of Wellington. “We firmly believe that the school’s facilities, excluding the new building of course, need to be updated and maintained for the current and future generations of faculty and students,” Jim said. “All faculty need space that facilitates teaching in today’s technology driven culture, and students need safe and comfortable surroundings that facilitate learning. We also believe that additional resources to attract and retain the best teachers is paramount.

Providing additional resources for faculty education and development is so important, and benefits every student. We have seen the immediate benefits of our gifts to the current, as well as future, students and faculty.”

As members of the Founders Society and 35th Anniversary Gala presenting sponsors, Jim and Michelle have paved the way for countless other Wellington students to have access to the same opportunities they enjoyed with their own children. Over the last 13 years, the Crofts have had many memorable moments as the parents of three Wellington students. Watching daughters Mia ‘20 and Macy ‘22 play lacrosse on Roberts Field and seeing Matthew receive his diploma have been just a few highlights.

Jim and Michelle consider financial gifts to the school, above and beyond tuition, “absolutely critical to maintaining and improving the quality of education being provided, every student’s overall experience, and to the long term success of the school.

The hope is that everyone participates, at some level, in realizing that success. Every single gift is important.”

Above: Macy ‘22, Jim, Matthew ‘17, Michelle, and Mia Croft ‘20

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“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” Mahatma Gandhi

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Helping Hands Hold Up Wellington “Giving back to something that has benefited me so much over the years is the least I could do.”

– Spencer Rieser ‘17

PICTURED Left: Middle school students make blankets for the animal shelter.

Below: Spencer Rieser ‘17

Wellington’s culture of giving back begins with even our youngest students and permeates learning opportunities in every grade as children embrace the importance of helping others. In lower school, students of all ages spend time with residents at assisted living facilities, visit food pantries, and make blankets for veterans or hats for cancer patients. Each experience is conveyed to children in terms they can understand and feel empowered to put the needs of others before themselves.

The sense of selflessness continues in middle school in which students truly take charge of their philanthropic efforts. In addition to regular volunteering at local resource centers, students also have the option of joining the Penny Harvest Student Advisory Board in which they raise money and ultimately decide to which non-profit organization they will donate the funds. Most recently, they contributed to the Community Shelter Board, an organization dedicated to assisting homeless families.

Board member Christine Cooke ‘21 explained a few of the factors behind their choice. “The Community Shelter Board reaches a larger number of people than some of the other organizations we researched.

The Van Buren Center holds 700 people and they have overflow rooms if they go over capacity. They also provide job finding assistance.”

“The process of the Penny Harvest helped us grow as individuals and a group,” Caroline Cooke ‘21 said.

Reagan Kadlic ‘21 agreed. “We all became better leaders of our school community. Learning about the issues in our city was truly inspiring for everyone involved.”

Mentorship is another meaningful

component to Wellington’s altruistic environment. Senior and 4th grade buddies build lasting relationships between students of varying ages and taps into our school’s most treasured resource, teaching. Older students always have insightful guidance and support to provide their young friends. In middle school, 8th graders are instrumental in helping 5th graders make the transition from lower school and coach them on study skills and homework tips. “A lot of the time spent together involves the students completing their own work, but they study next to each other and really get to know one another,” shared Cheryl Allen, middle school math teacher and 5th grade dean. “An older student can often remember working on the same assignment while in middle school and provide advice. It’s a wonderful program to bring students together.”

Many students extend their love and generosity for our school community as donors to the Wellington Annual Fund. Over the years, children in lower, middle, and upper school have organized fundraisers or gifted money earned from part-time jobs to support our school. Spencer Rieser ‘17 attended Wellington since 3rd grade and began contributing to the annual fund very early on. “When I was little, I saw the new school going up at Wellington and wanted to contribute. Giving back to something that has benefited me so much over the years is the least I could do.”

Without question, the lessons in empathy, understanding, and humanitarianism Wellington students learn and impart on others have strengthened our community.

Together we are emboldened to make our school and the world better every day, one act of kindness at a time.

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GALA STUNS WITH GLAMOUR AND GOODWILL The Wellington School 35th Anniversary Gala was an unforgettable evening celebrating more than three decades of innovative education and the remarkable faculty who have positively impacted countless lives.

The event was attended by nearly 300 friends of our school, including current parents, past and present faculty members, alumni, alumni parents, and founders. Guests travelled near and far for the special night to catch up with friends and lend their support for Wellington, raising more than $230,000 to provide our world-class faculty with student engagement grants, professional development funds, and competitive compensation.

A very special thank you to The Wellington School 35th Anniversary Gala Presenting Sponsors Michelle and Jim Croft as well as Honorary Chair Lorraine Thomas for their steadfast commitment to visionary education.

Happy birthday, Wellington!

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PICTURED 1: Lori Seitz P ‘17 ‘19 ‘22, Jennifer Thompson P ‘22 ‘23 ‘26 ‘28, Jim Croft P ‘17 ‘20 ‘22 2: Michelle and Jim Croft P ‘17 ‘20 ‘22 3: Tonda Adiansingh P ‘20 ‘24, Katy Bainbridge P ‘20 ‘24

4

5

4: Jack and Chasity Kuttrus P ‘23 ‘28 5: Emma Bohm P ‘28, Niti Smith P ‘28 6: Diane Sloan P ‘90, John Yakscoe, Linda Abbott P ‘92 ‘00 ‘03.

7: Steve Winslow, Keith Leonard, Michelle Neely 8: Seth Potter ‘04, Mary Potter P ‘01 ‘04 9: Tarina Alston, Jevon Alston ‘94 10: Bob Holland P ‘91, Robert Brisk P ‘13 ‘15 11: Doug Aschenbach, Lorraine Thomas, Ginny Trethewey P ‘98 ‘08, Pam Farber P ‘95 ‘97 ‘05

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Thank you to our supporters for investing in our future leaders.

Here we recognize supporters who have invested in The Wellington School between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Please help us provide the most accurate and desired recognition by contacting development@wellington.org if you notice any errors or omissions.

The Wellington Annual Fund Leadership Society FOUNDERS SOCIETY ($10,000+) Anonymous Steve and Theresa Belford Friedrich and Jean-Clare Bohm Jim and Michelle Croft Scott and Kerstin Humphrys Brian Kelleher and Barbara Rae Nancy Kramer and Christopher Celeste Lawrence and Rachael Lynn The Manley Family Craig and Mimi Taylor Benjamin and Jennifer Thompson Pablo and Jennifer Vegas Robert and Kelly Wheeler LEADERSHIP SOCIETY ($2,500) Alumni leadership begins at $1,000

Zoheir and Hana Abdelbaki Anonymous (2) Doug and Laura Anderson Ralph and Ann Anderson Dale and Darla Ball Brian and Teresa Biernat Douglas and Kimberly Borror Robert Brisk and Monica Mahoney Kenneth and Kelli Browning Joseph and Jennifer Chenelle John and Judy Chester Karol and Jacquelyne Cios 78

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Laurence and Kandi Dach Olamide and Omolara Dairo Jerry and Jill Dannemiller Robert and Cathy Gale Henry and Melinda Gleissner Christopher and Shari Graham Martin and Jane Gross David and Mindy Gross Charles Hall and Xiuqiong Wang Brad and Katie Halley Alex and Millie Hay John and Lisa Howard John and Sally Hughes John and Kim Kadlic Carter Kalchik ’06 Elizabeth Kennedy Keith Klingler and Maura Stevenson John and Maryline Kulewicz Chasity and Jack Kuttrus John Marshall and Angela Plummer Scott and Allison McHenry Geoff and Amber Merl Brian Murphy and Lahari Mangaraj John and Kelly Olmstead Perry and Ann Marie Oman Robert Ouellette Michael Para and Caroline Whitacre Steve ’92 and Melissa Paull Dale and Phyllis Perdue Matthew and Cynthia Ray Nelson and Anne Reid

John and Kristin Rosan Nahad Sadr-Azodi ’92 Matthew and Meara Scantland John and Lori Seitz Sam Shihab and Cheryl Brikho John and Elizabeth Sokol Greg Stewart Jason and Erin Stoner Robert and Marlo Tannous Andrew Thomas and Lisa Doran Stephen and Alyson Thompson Barbara Trueman James and Mireille Tussing David Vandermeulen and Mary Dell Jason and Julia Ware Marci Wasserstrom ’94 Douglas and Bonnie Webb Adam Winter Jason Wooldridge and Alison Liebert Wooldridge ‘93 Myrna Yashon Doug and Laura Zallanta

Restricted Gifts Restricted gifts fund specific programs and learning opportunities .

Zoheir and Hana Abdelbaki Anonymous Joseph Armeni and Amy Salerno Christine Bren Oscar and Erin Thomas Henry and Melinda Gleissner John and Maryline Kulewicz Michelle Kerr Carolyn Lindsay Lawrence and Rachael Lynn Delynn MacQueen Adam Winter Robert Ouellette Ben Anderson and Sara Saldoff Tom and Randee Saldoff Daniel and Monique Sierzputowski Fei-Ran Tian and Shanghong Dong Friedrich and Jean-Clare Bohm Robert and Kelly Wheeler

The Wellington Annual Fund Grandparents & Special Friends The Wellington School would not be what it is today without the love and support of the extended families in our community.

Annual Fund gifts from Grandparents and Special Friends help to make our school exceptional.

Anonymous (3) Bill and Diny Albers Ralph and Ann Anderson Douglas Aschenbach Ian and Rebecca Baird Tom and Carolyn Barton Evan and Susan Becker Ken Biehn Friedrich and Jean-Clare Bohm Mary Beth Borcherding George and Sharon Bott Elizabeth Brisk R. Dale and Reggie Brown Peter and Derry Bunting Charles and Arlene Carr Don and Ann Casto Erie and Kirsten Chapman Marianne Cofield Dan and Kathy Damiano Edward and Sylvia Davis Marian Donohue

Laura Doolittle Amy Edwards John and Sharron Eisenhauer Dolph and Dorothy Faller Margaret Farley Sharon Ferguson David Ferguson and Karen Schwarzwalder Robert and Cathy Gale Earl and Susan Gard Mark Gard Elizabeth Garrison Vinhcam Giang and Judy Do Frank and Alice Graveley Martin and Jane Gross Alan and Elizabeth Hans Larry Jones and Wanda Harewood Jones Jim and Linda Haskett Robert and Barbara Holland Paul and Marianne Kadlic

Mary Kennedy Woong and Inja Kim Jane Knowles Tom and Caroline Knutsen Edwin and Carol Koethe Tom and Barbara Kortte Jane Krastel Robert and Bonnie Kreitler Robert and Susan Liebert Lowell and Nancy MacKenzie Allen and Judy Marshall Richard and Geri Mauger Jack McGinnis Stewart and Theresa McHarg Joseph and Jan Mollmann Mary Lou Nack Nicole Overstreet Robert and Toni Phelps Marco Quezada and Luz Munoz de Quezada Merrillyn Rees

Bill and Sarah Reynolds Jane Rife John and Carol Robinson Alan and Peg Scantland J and Martha Schoedinger David and Jeanne Schoedinger Larry and Diane Scott Mary Seitz James and Christie Shells General Rufus and Phillipa Smith Barbara Starker Greg Stewart Wilma Sukapdjo David and Patricia Swaddling Barbara Trueman Louis and Carol Unverferth Beatrice Vargo Robert and Wendy Weinberg William and Mary Willis Torrance and Juliana Woodall Myrna Yashon

The Wellington Annual Fund Foundations & Corporations AXA Foundation Battelle Cardinal Health Dominion Homes - Borror Family Foundation Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Golden Rule Service, Inc. Goldman Sachs & Co. Hamilton Capital Management Haslett Heating & Cooling, Inc. Joe and Jan Mollmann Foundation John B. and Dareth Gerlach Foundation JPMorgan Chase Foundation L Brands Foundation

Lewis D. Shore & Associates Make A Difference Foundation, Inc. Mary L. Seitz Trust Orix Foundation Raymond James Global Account Roger Michaels and Barbara Michaels Family Fund Inc. The Chester Family Foundation The Columbus Foundation The Perdue Family Charitable Fund The Peter Douglas Bunting Trust The RIG III Family Foundation The Robert and Bonnie Kreitler Charitable Fund UBS THE WELLINGTON SCHOOL

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The Wellington Annual Fund Alumni Participation CLASS OF 1989 Lyle ’89 and Sheila Brown Cara Forester ’89 Elin Seren ’89 CLASS OF 1990 Christopher Cooke and Laura Wilkins Cooke ’90 Chris Old ’90 Erik Willers ’90

CLASS OF 1991 Ted ’91 and Lorri Durbin CLASS OF 1992 Konstantinos Kambouroglou and Dorina Yessios ’92 Steve ’92 and Melissa Paull Nahad Sadr-Azodi ’92

CLASS OF 1993 Jason Wooldridge ‘93 and Alison Liebert Wooldridge CLASS OF 1994 Renee Karonis ’94 Sarah Voss Wagner ’94 Marci Wasserstrom ’94 Brian Weaver and Jeanna Keinath Weaver ’94 Abby Williamson ’94 CLASS OF 1995 Jack Fenimore ’95 and Shannon Fenimore Missy Tidwell ’95

CLASS OF 1996 Bryce Griffing and Erin Cornett ’96 Pete ’96 and Jennifer Kaser CLASS OF 1997 Andy ’97 and Brooke Farber CLASS OF 1998 Tucker ’98 and Emma Bohm CLASS OF 1999 Lane Estes and Amy Johnston Estes ’99 Adam ’99 and Anne Stewart CLASS OF 2000 Dan Muzyka ’00 Caroline Brolick Sluys ’00

CLASS OF 2001 Ned Young ’01

CLASS OF 2008 Tyler ’08 and Callie Furste Evan Kontras ’08

CLASS OF 2002 David Moore ’02

CLASS OF 2011 Charity Jackson ’11 David Nassau ’11

CLASS OF 2003 Alison Schwalbe ’03

CLASS OF 2012 Annie Kapp ’12

CLASS OF 2004 Danny Strasser ’04 CLASS OF 2006 J.J. Bain ’06 Carter Kalchik ’06 Clarke ’06 and Julia Wise

CLASS OF 2013 Tyler Michaels ’13 CLASS OF 2016 Ted Wing ’16

CLASS OF 2007 Tom Fenner ‘07

The Wellington Annual Fund Alumni Parents Lawrence and Linda Abbott Doug and Laura Anderson Anonymous (2) Joseph Armeni and Amy Salerno Donald and Tracy Ashby Stephen and Maria Baker Dale and Darla Ball James and Annette Beatty Victoria Bellows Friedrich and Jean-Clare Bohm Douglas and Kimberly Borror Sara Brdar Robert Brisk and Monica Mahoney R. Dale and Reggie Brown James and Patricia Caldwell Jim and Karen Chester John and Judy Chester Nick and Christol Cook James and Sandra Cornett Olamide and Omolara Dairo Dominic and Rebecca Davis 80

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Sue Ellen Eickelberg Carl Faller and Mary Finnegan Wayne and Rebecca Fuller Wesley and Ann Furste Raju Gaglani Bo and Carol Gallo David and Mindy Gross Curtis and Janet Hansen Robert and Barbara Holland John and Sally Hughes James and Mary Hutchison Peter and Kristi Johnston Gregory Jusdanis and Julian Anderson Matthew and Jaime Kletzly Karen Koster Nancy Kramer and Christopher Celeste John and Maryline Kulewicz Robert and Kathryn Lane Alyson Leeman Robert and Susan Liebert Steve and Cindy Locker

Lawrence and Rachael Lynn Stewart and Theresa McHarg Bill and Abby Miller Nina Miller Paul and Wendy Morse Mark and Valerie Nandor Neil and Nanette Neidhardt Richard and Jane O’Hara David and Carol Lynne O’Neil Earl and Stuart Oremus Richard O’Shaughnessy and Sarah Artman Arnold and Loretta Palmer Michael Para and Caroline Whitacre Dale and Phyllis Perdue Adam and Brenda Porter Gloria Redding Jon and Dwan Robinson Mark and Kristine Rodgers Daniel and Katherine Rupp Linda Sabatino

Richard and Diane Sloan James and Janet Sorrels Patrick and Jennifer Steele Lynne Steger Greg Stewart David and Patricia Swaddling Robert and Marlo Tannous Craig and Mimi Taylor Timothy Teller and Grace Ryu Andrew Thomas and Lisa Doran Fei-Ran Tian and Shanghong Dong Virginia Trethewey Rodney and Donna Wasserstrom David and Meng Welliver Robert Wing Stastia Earl Stephen Winslow William and Ann Wolfe Doug and Laura Zallanta

The Wellington Annual Fund Parent Participation CLASS OF 2031:

61%

Christopher and Rachel Althof Jeremy Campion and Sophia Hussain Brian Carlson and Erica Foster Brandon and Danielle Gibbs Brian Hart and Michelle Bisutti Sean and Michelle Joseph Sascha and Kimberly Kellermann Xiaoji Lin and Qian Zhang Geoff and Amber Merl Justin and Sarah Owens Andrew and Lauren Spitzer Glen and Amy Sullivan Feng Zhang

CLASS OF 2030:

75%

Orlay Alonso and Emily Alonso-Taub Catherine Cavezza Jonathan Doerflein and Cristol Rippe Scott and Elizabeth Doolittle Andy ’97 and Brooke Farber James Flowers and Yufen Wu Morris and Heather Goldberg John and Lisa Howard Paul Kreitler and Erin Sherer Guanghui Lan and Yaping Wu Matthew and Kathreen McGinnis Scott and Allison McHenry Monte and Makiva McIntosh Matthew and Alicia Miller Andrew and Karen Minton Quinn and Leah Porner Vinaya Reddy and Mitva Patel Peter and Michelle Scantland Matthew and Meara Scantland Daniel and Laura Schrader Robert and Nami Stager Adam ’99 and Anne Stewart The Trubilowicz Family The Graham-Wilhelm Family Torrance and Juliana Woodall Ed and Ally Wycuff Shao Zhu and Yan Chen

CLASS OF 2029:

Benjamin and Jennifer Thompson Nilesh and Jasmine Varma

Christopher and Rachel Althof Mario and Nadia Ammirati Matthew and Ann Arthur Brad and Laura Beach David and Leigh Anne Benedic Lyle ’89 and Sheila Brown Brahim and Heather Djafi Scott and Elizabeth Doolittle Luke and Janelle Fedlam Jack Fenimore ’95 and Shannon Baisden Fenimore Andrew and Shannon Ginther Pete ’96 and Jennifer Kaser Craig Kent and Erin Crotty Michael and Paula Ley Geoff and Amber Merl Jan Ober and Monika Kaniecka-Ober Matthew Palmer and Kelly Gallina Christopher and Falan Parkinson Chris and Jocelyn Reynolds Ben Rupp Jeurell and Regina Smith David and Janet Swarthout Lloyd Thompson and Lauren Heller Nishant and Jyotsna Varma Brandon and Jocelyne Walker Brian and Jeanna Keinath Weaver ’94

CLASS OF 2027:

79%

CLASS OF 2028:

55%

Jose and Sara Bazan Tucker ’98 and Emma Bohm Leah and Erica Braswell Jeremy Campion and Sophia Hussain Mark and Bree D’Aloisio Andy ’97 and Brooke Farber Genaro Garcia Mandriotti and Hilda Garcia Frank Imasuen and Claudia Latsch-Imasuen Eugene and Katie Kirkpatrick Paul Kreitler and Erin Sherer Chasity and Jack Kuttrus Seth and Armilee Levin Scott and Allison McHenry Garey and Tracey Noritz Nicole Overstreet Justin and Sarah Owens The Parkes Family David and Janet Swarthout Ronald and Christine Thielman

61%

Matthew and Ann Arthur James and Agnes Becker Timothy and Diane Bond Dennis and Katrina Bong Anthony Kaldellis and Carolina Lopez-Ruiz Lyle ’89 and Sheila Brown Christopher Cooke and Laura Wilkins Cooke ’90 Jonathan Doerflein and Cristol Rippe Morris and Heather Goldberg Christopher and Shari Graham Pete ’96 and Jennifer Kaser Craig Kent and Erin Crotty John Kirsner and Lisa Han Ergun and Defne Kocak Patrick and Sharon McConnell Brian Murphy and Lahari Mangaraj Perry and Ann Marie Oman Lisette and Roland Pagniano Preston and Kelly Pickett John and Kristin Rosan Daniel and Laura Schrader Hashem and Tanya Shkoukani Jason and Erin Stoner Jon Thomas and Gina Jacobs Thomas Stephen and Alyson Thompson The Trubilowicz Family Brian and Jeanna Keinath Weaver ’94 Steven Wisnor and Yvonne Johnson

CLASS OF 2026:

70%

Gary and Deirdre Barton Robert and Elizabeth Bernard Jeremy Campion and Sophia Hussain Cinnamon Carlarne Karol and Jacquelyne Cios Brahim and Heather Djafi Geoffrey Gay Danielle Guffrey Charles Hall and Xiuqiong Wang John Hamrick and Elizabeth Wolfe Hamrick John and Lisa Howard John Kirsner and Lisa Han LaQuita Long Kevin and Jennifer Lutz THE WELLINGTON SCHOOL

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Scott and Allison McHenry Mark and Jennifer Moseley Joseph Moyer and Julie Weekley Frederick and Wanjiku Musindi The Parkes Family Wade and Sarah Schwartz Phillip and Lisa Smeltzer Web and Lindsey Smith M. Shane and Gina Spicer Andrew Thomas and Lisa Doran Benjamin and Jennifer Thompson Pablo and Jennifer Vegas Jason Wooldridge and Alison Liebert Wooldridge ’93 Dongbin Xiu and Yvette Shen

Nathalie Maitre The Manley Family Bob Marincic and Ellen Shackelford Mychal Matlock Patrick and Sharon McConnell Daphne Meimaridis Thomas and Tara Paider Raffaele Pisacane and Kristina Szasz John and Jennifer Richardson Mark and Nutan Ruegsegger M. Shane and Gina Spicer Jon Thomas and Gina Jacobs Thomas Nilesh and Jasmine Varma Jason Wooldridge and Alison Liebert Wooldridge ’93

CLASS OF 2025:

CLASS OF 2023:

Jose and Sara Bazan Stephen and Jennifer Biehn Timothy and Diane Bond Dennis and Katrina Bong Ike and Monique Brady Leah and Erica Braswell Joseph and Jennifer Chenelle Andrew Cruse and Dorothée Imbert Michael and Phaedra Edwards John and Lisa Howard Jason and Amy Judd Lin Li and Charles Lowrey Maurice and Dana Moulton Matthew and Cynthia Ray John and Kristin Rosan Sam Shihab and Cheryl Brikho Jeff and Cathi Sniderman Jason and Erin Stoner Jason and Julia Ware Robert and Kelly Wheeler Steven Wisnor and Yvonne Johnson

Kirk and Anne Albers Joseph and Jennifer Chenelle Paul Giorgianni and Julia White Keith Klingler and Maura Stevenson Chasity and Jack Kuttrus Matthew Mingione and Sara Sukalich Garey and Tracey Noritz John Krygier and Patricia O’Toole Todd and Jill Penegor Paul and Natalie Pepper Matthew and Shelva Sagone Sam Shihab and Cheryl Brikho Artie and Christine Taylor Ronald and Christine Thielman Stephen and Alyson Thompson Benjamin and Jennifer Thompson Adam Winter Jessica Winter

56%

CLASS OF 2024:

67%

Theodore Allen and Emily Patterson Steve and Theresa Belford Nicholas Breyfogle and Jillian Gustin Mark and Christine Conselyea Christopher Cooke and Laura Wilkins Cooke ’90 Steven and Ronda Dittrick John Hamrick and Elizabeth Wolfe Hamrick James Homsy and Shella Farooki Chad and Debbie Jester Elizabeth Kennedy Shawn Kennedy Ergun and Defne Kocak Monica Quezada Lott Kevin and Jennifer Lutz 82

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45%

CLASS OF 2022:

73%

Zoheir and Hana Abdelbaki Zhanna Mikulik William and Beth Anderson Steve and Theresa Belford Timothy and Diane Bond William and Peggy Boyd Kenneth and Kelli Browning Me-Chelle Burkhalter Michael Burkhardt and Marlene O’Neil Dana Calloway Harmeet Chawla Karol and Jacquelyne Cios Jim and Michelle Croft Jerry and Jill Dannemiller Michael and Phaedra Edwards Stephen Evans and Stephanie Brown Jeff and Caroline Haskett

John and Lynn Hatheway Scott and Kerstin Humphrys Kurtis Posey and April Jones-Posey William Okoye and Deidra Kellogg-Okoye Elizabeth Kennedy Shawn Kennedy Wayne Lin and Elizabeth Young Monica Quezada Lott Nathalie Maitre Bob Marincic and Ellen Shackelford John Marshall and Angela Plummer Brian Murphy and Lahari Mangaraj Kavi Nithyanandam and Uma Kaviyarasu Jan Ober and Monika Kaniecka-Ober Robert Ouellette Steve ’92 and Melissa Paull Raffaele Pisacane and Kristina Szasz Matthew and Cynthia Ray Christine Robbins Andrew and Laura Ross Jerome and Susan Scott John and Lori Seitz Michael and Angela Shock Todd and Sharla Starker Jason and Erin Stoner Benjamin and Jennifer Thompson Pablo and Jennifer Vegas Paul and Barbara Velasco Jason and Julia Ware Robert and Kelly Wheeler Ernest and Kristyn Wilder Tyler and Kathy Wooddell Ed and Ally Wycuff Eric and Teresa Yu

CLASS OF 2021:

59%

Anonymous Heidi Ballard Steve and Theresa Belford Stephen Bennett and Sandra LaFontaine Brian and Teresa Biernat Anthony Brown and Susan Oppenheimer Ashok and Sudhathi Chennuru Christopher Cooke and Laura Wilkins Cooke ’90 Tejuan and Crystal Files Vinhcam Giang and Judy Do Timothy and Jill Judge John and Kim Kadlic M. Roger Kahn and Lisa Yee Gabriel Lopez and Carol Galligher The Manley Family Bill and Abby Miller Michael Perez and Linda Romano-Perez Nelson and Anne Reid Reza Reyazi and Elaine Hostetler

Abraham Roth and Lisa Downing David and Elizabeth Sabol Wade and Sarah Schwartz Christopher and Tanya Scott Patricia Shaffer Douglas and Bonnie Webb David and Meng Welliver Wolfgang Windl

CLASS OF 2020:

70%

Zoheir and Hana Abdelbaki Doug and Laura Anderson Andrew and Kathleen Bainbridge Dale and Darla Ball Timothy and Diane Bond Michael Burkhardt and Marlene O’Neil John and Judy Chester Frederick and Nancy Coons Marco and Celina Corridore Jim and Michelle Croft Bruce and Yumi Danford Bryan Dulle and Jennifer Jerwers-Dulle Henry and Melinda Gleissner Iain and Jennifer Grant Kimberly Hall Brad and Katie Halley Jake and Gretchen Hammond Alan and Patricia Hans Jeff and Caroline Haskett Jason Hill and Ashley Clifton-Hill Lawrence Hill and Janice Glowski William and Carrie Horan Scott and Kerstin Humphrys Kurtis Posey and April Jones-Posey Ian and Debra Kalinosky Wayne Lin and Elizabeth Young John Marshall and Angela Plummer Matthew O’Brien Trista O’Brien John and Kelly Olmstead Richard O’Shaughnessy and Sarah Artman Matthew and Cynthia Ray Nelson and Anne Reid D. James and Jan Schumer Jerome and Susan Scott Antony Shuttleworth and Janice Aski John and Elizabeth Sokol David and Sonya Thesing Jeffrey Thompson and Susan Cole Mike and Karen Tocci Richard Uchida and Jaimie Allen Ramarao and Rekha Venkatesh David Weinberg and Lisa Florman Robert and Kelly Wheeler Jessica Winter Adam Winter Tyler and Kathy Wooddell

CLASS OF 2019:

55%

Kirk and Anne Albers Steve and Theresa Belford Anthony Kaldellis and Carolina Lopez-Ruiz John Carter and Adrienne Shinn Shirley Williams Helena D’Arms Dominic and Rebecca Davis Michael and Phaedra Edwards J. Aaron and Jennifer Frim Ronald Gajoch and Michelle Trueman Gajoch Paul Giorgianni and Julia White Edward Haraburda and Pauline Wijaya-Haraburda Jeff and Caroline Haskett Alex and Millie Hay John and Kim Kadlic Kevin and Lori Kannally Ashok and Prasanna Kasarla Steve and Cindy Locker Lawrence and Rachael Lynn Mike McCraw and Amye Sukapdjo Mark and Valerie Nandor John Krygier and Patricia O’Toole Robert Ouellette Jim and Kristi Perry Kent and Diane Rambo Scott Richter and Bridget McKeon Andrew and Laura Ross Richard and Tamera Roy Theodore Scott and Teresa McWain-Scott John and Lori Seitz Paula Cullen Michael and Angela Shock Daniel and Monique Sierzputowski James and Janet Sorrels David and Sonya Thesing James and Mireille Tussing David Vandermeulen and Mary Dell Pablo and Jennifer Vegas Mark and Paulene Wilson Doug and Laura Zallanta

CLASS OF 2018:

52%

Zoheir and Hana Abdelbaki Joseph Armeni and Amy Salerno James and Annette Beatty Brian and Teresa Biernat John and Judy Chester Olamide and Omolara Dairo Carl Faller and Mary Finnegan Peter and Renee Hawkins Robert and Laurie Jacques Brian Kelleher and Barbara Rae Steve and Cindy Locker Michael and Alice Masters

Mineharu and Jennifer Nakayama Todd and Jill Penegor Stephen and Kelly Povoski Beverly and Scott Ryan J. Daniel Schmidt Michael and Angela Shock Daniel and Monique Sierzputowski Craig and Mimi Taylor Timothy Teller and Grace Ryu Fei-Ran Tian and Shanghong Dong Randall and Lisa Watson Jim and Kerri White James and Jacquelyn Williams Robert Wing Stastia Earl Gary and Ann Young Steve and Carol Zimmerman

CLASS OF 2017:

57%

Anonymous Timothy and Kristie Barbour Daniel and Niki Callanan Nick and Christol Cook Jim and Michelle Croft Laurence and Kandi Dach Matthew and Teresa Edic David and Mindy Gross Alan and Patricia Hans Edward Haraburda and Pauline WijayaHaraburda John Paul Haynes Gregory Jusdanis and Julian Anderson Bulent and Nurhayat Kolanci Karen Koster Indranil and Purba Majumder Mike and Elizabeth McClinchie Bill and Abby Miller David and Carol Lynne O’Neil Chandramohan and Krishna Paleti Arnold and Loretta Palmer Mark and Beverly Pinkston Adam and Brenda Porter Jim and Sheila Rieser Christine Robbins Todd and Susan Ruck John and Lori Seitz Lewis and Donna Shore Daniel and Monique Sierzputowski Paul Skendelas and Katherine Federle Todd and Sharla Starker Thomas and Melissa Strasser Matt and Stella Studer Bryan White and Kimberly Church-White Kenneth and Heather Woods

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Gifts in Kind Anonymous Bethany Akerman Orlay Alonso and Emily Alonso-Taub Arlington Massage Therapy Barre3 Columbus Bikram Hot Yoga Brazenhead Irish Pub Caffe DaVinci Camp Cody CAPA Central Ohio Paintball Inc./ SplatterPark LTD. The Cheesecake Factory Chipotle Cincinnati Reds City Barbeque City of Upper Arlington Fire Division Columbus Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Columbus Crew Jim and Michelle Croft Laurence and Kandi Dach Donatos Pizza Dublin Dance Centre & Gymnastics Elite Island Resorts Caribbean Firestone Complete Auto Care

First Watch Fit Club J. Aaron and Jennifer Frim FrontRunner Funny Bone Comedy Club and Restaurant Galaxy Games & Golf Gallo’s Get Air Columbus Global Connections Goldfish Swim School Graeters’ Ice Cream Gwendolyn Z Photography Josh Hara Heritage Golf Club Robert and Barbara Holland Hunter and Lords Hyatt Regency Columbus Jenny Fine K Studio K2 Organizing, LLC Mark Kaplan Brian Kelleher and Barbara Rae Sascha and Kimberly Kellermann Kenneth’s Hair Salons and Day Spas Kings Island Kinsale GC

Kroger Paul Linden Locker Soccer Terry and Tina Lyden Mad River Mountain Magic Mountain - Polaris Location Randy and Susan Malloy The Manley Family John Marshall and Angela Plummer Holly Messerall Michael McEwan Milestone 229 Lauren Aland Morr ’91 and Dwight Morr Brian Murphy and Lahari Mangaraj The Ohio State University Airport Orange Leaf Oscar’s Restaurant and Bar Otterbox The Parkes Family Brian and Stephanie Sellers Phillips ’94 Pizzuti Collection Plummer, Angela Premier At Sawmill Professional Imagery, LLC Re:Work Furnishings Refectory Restaurant and Bistro ReVision Advanced Laser Eye Center

Ripley Rader D. James and Jan Schumer Sears Hardware Sherwin Williams Skyzone Sports Ohio Stampin’ Up! Stanley Steemer Starbucks Glen and Amy Sullivan Swan Cleaners Sweet Carrot Terri’s Photography Studio TRAIN 24/7 Fitness House Trio Orthodontics Tutor Doctor of Central Ohio Wendy’s Gymnastics & Fitness for Children Wexner Center for the Arts Jeffrey and Julia Wilkins William J. Hout, L.M.T. The Works Worthington Parks & Recreation Department WWCD ZipZone Canopy Tours

The Wellington School 35th Anniversary Gala Sponsorships PRESENTING SPONSOR Michelle and Jim Croft DUKE SPONSOR ($10,000+) Steve and Theresa Belford Friedrich and Jean-Clare Bohm The Manley Family The Stewart Family JAGUAR SPONSOR ($5,000+) The Chester Family

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David and Mindy Gross Key Bank National Association The Kuttrus Family Muirfield Energy The Thomas Family The Thompson Family BLUE & WHITE SPONSOR ($2,500+) Zoheir and Hana Abdelbaki Aladdin, an Elior Company

The Murphy Family River’s Edge Pediatrics, Inc Stephanie and Chris Hyer FRIEND SPONSOR ($1,000+) Larry and Linda Abbott Kirk and Anne Albers Doug and Laura Anderson Bully-Proofing Youth Dupler Office Haslett Heating & Cooling

Alex and Millie Hay The Kocak Family Maryline and John Kulewicz Tom and Tara Paider John Marshall and Angela Plummer Prodigy Student Travel, Inc Nelson and Anne Reid Matthew and Meara Scantland Peter and Michelle Scantland The Starker Family Robert and Marlo Tannous

The Wellington Annual Fund Faculty & Staff Gifts Anonymous (2) Geoff and Cheryl Allen Christopher and Rachel Althof Berc and Erica Backhurst J.J. Bain ’06 Stephen and Maria Baker James and Agnes Becker Victoria Bellows Jaime Bennati Robert and Elizabeth Bernard Bryan and Megan Brautigam Sara Brdar Robert Brisk and Monica Mahoney Brian and Shelley Brown Me-Chelle Burkhalter Andrew Cameron Brian Carlson and Erica Foster Lori and Tom Carter Mark and Christine Conkle Lucas and Kara Conley Christopher Cooke and Laura Wilkins Cooke ’90 Sean Corey Steven Crawford Marianne Crowley Dominic and Rebecca Davis Greg Davis Thomas DeLauder Kevin and Kimberlee Dunn Andrew Eberly Robert and Melanie Eggleton Barbara Ellis Joya Elmore Richard Farmer Sandra Foreman J. Aaron and Jennifer Frim Wayne and Rebecca Fuller Cristen Geary Brandon and Danielle Gibbs David Glover Bryce Griffing and Erin Cornett ’96 Phil Gross John Guy and Muriel Meray Alan and Patricia Hans Curtis and Janet Hansen Jeff and Caroline Haskett Dorene Henschen David and Ann Herrick David and Jill Hicks Christie Johnson Sean and Michelle Joseph

Pete ’96 and Jennifer Kaser Craig Kent and Erin Crotty Brian and Becky Kinnaman Matthew and Jaime Kletzly John and Karen Kruzan John and Maryline Kulewicz James and Jennifer Landon Kenan and Joanna Le Parc Simon and Mackenzie Leadston Keith and Jennifer Leonard Katherine Lin Stephen and Carol Linville Joe and Julie Lovett John and Helen McConaghy Monte and Makiva McIntosh Gregory and Kelly Mexicott Rose Marie Mierzejewski Bill and Abby Miller Erin Miller Kenneth and Kimberly Nally Mark and Valerie Nandor Trent and JoAnne Neely Erin Noviski David and Sharon Nye Earl and Stuart Oremus Victoria Pang Matthew and Mary Beth Parker The Parkes Family Laurie L. Parsons Jeff and Lisa Pickett Adam and Brenda Porter Holden Richards Justin and Michele Ritzman Christine Robbins Mark and Kristine Rodgers Cynthia Roosmann Andrew and Laura Ross Matthew and Sharon Sheridan Michael and Angela Shock Daniel and Monique Sierzputowski Web and Lindsey Smith Justine Smith M. Shane and Gina Spicer Andrew and Lauren Spitzer Lisa Springer Robert and Nami Stager Todd and Sharla Starker Lynne Steger Adam ‘99 and Anne Stewart James and Sally Stratton

Brandon and Heidi Sullivan Ryan and Laurie Beth Sweeney Emily Szabo Artie and Christine Taylor Jeffrey and Mia Terwin Shan Thompson and Michelle Neely Zachariah Thompson Brian Trenton and Stephanie Stover The Trubilowicz Family Andrew and Lissa Wade Thomas and Jill Webb Joseph and Carrie Williams Stephen Winslow Steven Wisnor and Yvonne Johnson David and Kathleen Yant

Endowment Gifts Dale and Phyllis Perdue Carol Schwebel David Schwebel ’90 and Yikun Zhang Schwebel Sara Schwebel ’94 Robert and Marlo Tannous

Development Committee Robert Tannous, Chair Beverly Ryan, Assistant Chair Kerstin Humphrys John Marshall Ted Manley Bryan ‘95 and Jenny Stewart, 35th Anniversary Gala Host Committee Chairs THE WELLINGTON SCHOOL

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The Wellington School 35th Anniversary Gala Fund a Need in Honor or in Memory of Important dollars raised in honor of or in memory of a special faculty member that will directly impact our incredible faculty through engagement grants, professional devlopment, and annual compensation.

Lawrence and Linda Abbott

Brian and Lisa Gyovai

Perry and Ann Marie Oman

Zoheir and Hana Abdelbaki

Brad and Katie Halley

Richard O’Shaughnessy and Sarah Artman

Chris and Anneliese Bohm Adkinson ’91

Alex and Millie Hay

IN HONOR OF JOHN YAKSCOE

IN HONOR OF MARY POTTER

IN HONOR OF MARY POTTER

IN HONOR OF PETE KASER

IN HONOR OF JEFF TERWIN

IN HONOR OF BONNIE COLE AND CURT HANSEN

IN HONOR OF FAITH AUBREY AND MIKKI JOSEPH

IN HONOR OF JOHN KRUZAN IN MEMORY OF CAROL GOLDSMITH

Michael Perez and Linda Romano-Perez

IN HONOR OF THE 8TH GRADE TEACHERS

Steve and Theresa Belford

IN HONOR OF CHRISTINE ROBBINS

Robert and Barbara Holland

IN HONOR OF MARY POTTER

Monica Quezada Lott

IN HONOR OF ALL THE FACULTY

Tucker ’98 and Emma Bohm

IN HONOR OF AARON FRIM, CHRISTINE ROBBINS, AND JUSTINE SMITH

John and Judy Chester

Jason and Emily Bay Hurst ’92 IN HONOR OF DIANE SLOAN

Jane Rife

IN HONOR OF CURT HANSEN

John and Kim Kadlic

IN HONOR OF ERIN NOVISKI

IN HONOR OF CHERYL ALLEN, BERC BACKHURST, AND AARON FRIM

Matthew and Meara Scantland

Jim and Michelle Croft

Ergun and Defne Kocak

Peter and Michelle Scantland

Kevin and Jennifer Lutz

Niti Smith

Robert Brisk and Monica Mahoney

Bryan ’95 and Jenny Stewart

IN HONOR OF MARY POTTER AND CHRISTINE ROBBINS

Scott and Elizabeth Doolittle

IN HONOR OF SHELLY BOWLING, PETE KASER, AND ANNE STEWART

Jeff and Lisa Edwards

IN HONOR OF JAMES BECKER, AARON FRIM, YOLANDA JOHNSON, MARK RODGERS, AND JILL WEBB

Henry and Melinda Gleissner

IN HONOR OF CURT HANSEN AND MICHELLE NEELY

Christopher and Shari Graham

IN HONOR OF ALL THE FACULTY

IN HONOR OF ALL THE FACULTY

IN HONOR OF MARY POTTER AND CHRISTINE ROBBINS

The Manley Family

Geoff and Amber Merl

IN HONOR OF SHELLEY BROWN AND ANNE STEWART

Joseph Moyer and Julie Weekley

Lawrence and Elizabeth Gross

Garey and Tracey Noritz

IN HONOR OF THE LOWER SCHOOL FACULTY

IN HONOR OF NAMI STAGER

John and Kelly Olmstead

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IN HONOR OF JAIME KLETZLY AND SHARLA STARKER

IN HONOR OF JUSTINE SMITH

IN HONOR OF AARON FRIM AND YOLANDA JOHNSON

Benjamin and Jennifer Thompson

IN HONOR OF GREG DAVIS AND MARY POTTER

IN HONOR OF KENAN LE PARC AND VICTORIA PANG

IN HONOR OF CURT HANSEN AND MICHELLE NEELY

IN HONOR OF MARY BETH PARKER

IN HONOR OF PETE KASER

Virginia Trethewey

IN HONOR OF KATHY SCHLOSSER

Douglas and Bonnie Webb

IN HONOR OF VICTORIA PANG

Jason Wooldridge and Alison Liebert Wooldridge ’93 IN HONOR OF FAITH AUBREY AND EMILY SZABO

Contributors Brian and Teresa Biernat David and Mindy Gross Brian Kelleher and Barbara Rae Robert and Marlo Tannous

Wellington Annual Fund In Honor Bill and Diny Albers

IN HONOR OF EVAN AND ERIC ALBERS

Tom and Carolyn Barton

IN HONOR OF THE MILLER AND JOHNSON CHILDREN

Evan and Susan Becker

IN HONOR OF JAMES AND HENRY BECKER

Ken Biehn

IN HONOR OF ASHER BIEHN

George and Sharon Bott

IN HONOR OF EMMA RUCK

Christopher Celeste and Nancy Kramer IN HONOR OF THE CLASS OF 2017

James and Sandra Cornett

IN HONOR OF ERIN CORNETT

Dan and Kathy Damiano

IN HONOR OF KATZ AND REAGAN KADLIC

Edward and Sylvia Davis

IN HONOR OF ZACHARY SAGONE

Andrew Thomas and Lisa Doran IN HONOR OF JULIE WILKINS

John and Sharron Eisenhauer

IN HONOR OF KATI RICHARDSON

Margaret Farley

IN HONOR OF ABIGAIL MARSHALL

Sharon Ferguson

IN HONOR OF GRACE FERGUSON

Genaro Garcia Mandriotti and Hilda Garcia

IN HONOR OF VALENTINO GARCIA ESPINOZA

Robert and Barbara Holland

IN HONOR OF JUSTIN K. HOLLAND’S 25TH REUNION AND AUSTIN HOLLAND’S COLGATE 2016 GRADUATION

Jim and Linda Haskett

IN HONOR OF SOPHIE, ROSEMARY, PARKER HASKETT

Mary Kennedy

IN HONOR OF WILLIAM AND KATIE HUMPHRYS

Shawn Kennedy

IN HONOR OF HANNAH AND ALEXIS KENNEDY

Jane Knowles

IN HONOR OF TEDDY KNOWLES

Tom and Caroline Knutsen

IN HONOR OF WILLIAM T. WHITSON

Tom and Barbara Kortte

IN HONOR OF THE SHOCK FAMILY

Jane Krastel

IN HONOR OF TOM FENNER

Robert and Susan Liebert

Gloria Redding

IN HONOR OF MAX MCCLAIN

Jane Rife

IN HONOR OF NATHANIEL HAY

Wade and Sarah Schwartz

IN HONOR OF SAM AND LILY

General Rufus and Phillipa Smith IN HONOR OF LANGDON SMITH

Virginia Trethewey

IN HONOR OF ROB BRISK AND HIS COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP

Ramarao and Rekha Venkatesh

IN HONOR OF H.S. RAMASWAMY

Brandon and Jocelyne Walker

IN HONOR OF GRYPHON WALKER

Bryan White and Kimberly Church-White IN HONOR OF MEREDITH WHITE

Kenneth and Heather Woods IN HONOR OF LISSA WADE

IN HONOR OF JOSH AND JOSIE CHANEY

Jack McGinnis

IN HONOR OF JACK HENRY “HANK” MCGINNIS

David and Carol Lynne O’Neil

IN HONOR OF ERIN AND RYAN O’NEIL

John Krygier and Patricia O’Toole

IN HONOR OF JOHN RILEY AND ANNABELLE

Peter and Derry Bunting

IN HONOR OF GINNYLU, DAISY, AND BUNT HOWARD

THE WELLINGTON SCHOOL

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2016-17 ANNUAL REPORT

Wellington Annual Fund In Memory Robert and Kelly Wheeler Matthew and Ann Arthur

IN MEMORY OF RODNEY ARTHUR

IN MEMORY OF ROBERT WHEELER, SR. AND RICHARD WILSON

Mary Beth Borcherding

Clarke ’06 and Julia Wise

IN MEMORY OF LARRY BORCHERDING

IN MEMORY OF RANDY WISE

Bo and Carol Gallo

Kenneth and Kelli Browning Monica Quezada Lott Marco Quezada and Luz Munoz de Quezada Jim and Sheila Rieser Spencer Rieser ’17

IN MEMORY OF LOUISE GAMBS

Renee Karonis ’94

IN MEMORY OF ANNETTE KARONIS

Daphne Meimaridis

IN MEMORY OF STAVROS MEIMARIDIS

Nina Miller

IN MEMORY OF ANTHONY BLAIR JACKSON

Todd and Jill Penegor

IN MEMORY OF FRANCIS EUGENE RICHARDS

Mark and Beverly Pinkston

IN MEMORY OF COURTNEY ROY

Richard and Tamera Roy

IN MEMORY OF COURTNEY ROY

Timothy Teller and Grace Ryu

IN MEMORY OF RICHARD TELLER

Larry and Diane Scott

IN MEMORY OF STEPHEN AND MILDRED MARKULIN

Greg Stewart

IN MEMORY OF ALEX FAYNE

Brandon and Jocelyne Walker

IN MEMORY OF HUGHBERT AND LUCILLE POORE

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IN MEMORY OF EDDY LOTT P’22 ‘24

Ian and Rebecca Baird Robert Brisk and Monica Mahoney Don and Ann Casto Erie and Kirsten Chapman Mark and Christine Conkle Marian Donohue Amy Edwards Bob and Mary Kay Fenner Bo and Carol Gallo Richard Gambs Earl and Susan Gard Mark Gard Elizabeth Garrison Robert and Barbara Holland Matthew and Claire Hamilton Joseph and Jan Mollmann John and Kim Kadlic Mary Lou Nack Larry and Debbie Ritter David and Jeanne Schoedinger J and Martha Schoedinger David and Patricia Swaddling IN MEMORY OF EILEEN GARD

Financial Reports A contribution to The Wellington School is a sound investment and has a profound and lasting impact. With the experience and knowledge of the business office staff, every dollar is maximized and the school’s financial position remains strong and stable.

The Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees works cooperatively with the business office staff to assure prudent fiscal management and to provide focus and assistance to the school in realizing its short-term and long-term financial goals.

Operating Cash Flow (in thousands)

STATE FUNDS

2016-17

REVENUE Tuition and Fees $13,986 Annual Fund $504 State Funds $742 Other $1,089

$16,321

EXPENSES Salaries and Benefits $9,556 Financial Aid $2,457 Instructional $1,233 Plant and Facilities $762 Administrative $898 Capital Expenditures $287 Other $369

$15,562

Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2015

ASSETS Cash $4,189 Contributions Receivable $138 Tuition Receivables and Prepaids $175 Long-Term Investments $3,078 Property and Equipment $19,362

$26,941

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Payables and Accruals $1,445 Unearned Tuition and Fees $4,755 Debt $5,155 Net Assets: Unrestricted $14,066 Restricted $1,520

$29,941

4%

ANNUAL FUND

OTHER

7%

3%

REVENUE

CAPITAL EXPOENDITURES ADMINISTRATIVE

6%

2%

TUITION & FEES

86%

OTHER

2%

PLANT & FACILITIES

5%

INSTRUCTIONAL

8%

FINANCIAL AID

EXPENSES

SALARIES & BENEFITS

61%

16%

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3650 Reed Road Columbus, OH 43220 614.457.7883 www.wellington.org

The Wellington Annual Fund For Every Student, Every Day

wellington.org/give

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID COLUMBUS, OH PERMIT #5786