Trinity-Pawling Spring 2020 Magazine

magazine | spring 2020

STEVE HANNOCK ’69 AND NED READE LIVE FOR ART

FIVE STANDOUTS FROM THE CLASS OF 2020 SPOTLIGHT ON SENIOR INDEPENDENT PROJECTS

DOUG EBERT ’64 LINKS TO LEGACY

JOURNEY OF A

LIFETIME

Headmaster’s Message

Currents and Journeys In the spring of 1988, Jennifer and I interviewed at TrinityPawling for teaching positions. We initially met with Phil Smith and then had a day of visiting various other teachers and administrators. Eventually, we were both offered positions, and we moved to Pawling in the heat of the summer with Jennifer six months pregnant with our first child, Wilson.

While we were both very excited about our new teaching careers, we had committed to one another that we would try this boarding school “thing” for a couple of years. If it seemed like the right fit, then we would continue on this pathway.

If not, the plan was for me to return to graduate school and pursue a PhD and think about teaching in college. This, of course, was a secret plan, known only to the two of us and an advisor at Yale who had encouraged me to pursue further graduate studies.

Wilson was born that November, and we were discovering the richness and depth of this distinctive community. We were surrounded by caring colleagues and people committed to helping to mentor us in our new careers. After a year of living in the “Barracks,” we moved to East Dormitory and discovered the tremendous satisfaction of being dorm parents.

In my second year of teaching, I was asked to serve on the School’s Disciplinary Committee and realized that there were many avenues of teaching and learning, especially when poor

decisions rendered boys vulnerable to greater insights and revelations about themselves.

In the spring of my second year of teaching, I applied for and was awarded a fellowship to continue my studies in New England Puritanism through the National Endowment for the Humanities. In the summer of 1990, I headed to the University of California at Irvine to study John Winthrop. It was an unlikely location, and I quickly realized just how out of place I was reading Bunyan’s The Pilgrims Progress at Venice Beach.

At that same time, I was offered a position to serve in the Admissions Office at Trinity-Pawling, to be the “road-warrior.” This was a newly created position that would have me travel throughout the country, building the name of the School and recruiting students. Although it was in stark contrast to the prospect of resuming my academic work studying religion in colonial America, I was compelled to embark on this journey and to see where it may lead me.

In this new position, I honed my communication skills and developed an ability to create a narrative that highlighted the many distinctive aspects of Trinity-Pawling School.

Essentially, I was marketing the School and building relationships – skill sets upon which I continue to draw heavily.

As I reflect on my own professional journey, these first four years of my career at Trinity-Pawling were both unpredictable and critically important. Later, this journey would lead me to the position of Associate Headmaster, to the opportunity of creating and leading a new school, and back again to TrinityPawling as the 7th Headmaster.

In Julius Caesar, Brutus challenges Cassius by saying: On such a full sea are we now afloat, And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures. (IV.ii.276-279) Life’s journeys are, indeed, unpredictable. Some of these journeys are the results of carefully planned maneuvers.

Others happen amidst life’s other riches. Indeed, I have found many of my life’s most rewarding journeys to be ones where I let the current take me when it serves, and it has made all of the difference.

Onward!

Follow Headmaster Bill Taylor’s blog: www.trinitypawling.org/headmastersblog

ta bl e of Con t en t s | sp ring 2020

Features DEPARTMENTS

2 THE SCROLL Wrestlers make Top 20 at Prep Nationals …

Pride Hockey honors Coach Ferraris ’93 …

Time-limited theater on campus

5 A VIEW FROM THE QUAD Micah Chase ’84 is right on course …

Ted Arditti ’94 is going with the global flow… Walter Wright ’88 embraces the unconventional

22 Five Standouts From the

Class of 2020

SPOTLIGHT ON SENIOR INDEPENDENT PROJECTS

Newsworthy In the Classroom with John Teaford Faculty Minute with Linda Improta P’95 The Big Picture: Outside Interests

34 PRIDE ATHLETICS Sports Section Pride Spotlight: JC Meynet ’84 … Connor McKenna ’01 …

Sean Casey ’89

40 CONNECTIONS Doug Ebert ’64 links to legacy … Q & A with Daryl Rubinstein ’94 and Osei Mevs ’94 … Peyton Pinkerton ’49 is proud of the Pride

28 Live For Art THE JOURNEYS OF STEVE HANNOCK ’69 AND NED READE

Upcoming Events Class Notes

64 END NOTE 6 Bill Dunbar ’69 – Tracing his Roots 10 John Murphy ’02 – From Amps to Amsterdam, the Amazon, and Antarctica

16 CJ Mezzatesta ’20 – A Passion for Percussion ON THE COVER: Art Department Chair Ned Reade photographed by Connie Rafferty

Chris Kelsey Editor's Note: Because the articles in this issue were written months prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, there may be references to events occurring in the coming months, which have since been canceled or postponed.

We appreciate your understanding.

the scroll T W I T T E R : F A C E B O O K : I N S TA G R A M

HEADMASTER BILL TAYLOR IS TWEETING — CONNECT WITH BILL @TPSHEADMASTER!

“Teaching students @TrinityPawling the fundamental importance of citizenship is a critical responsibility and part of our Portrait of a Graduate through our Practicum for Civic Leadership! #citizenship #EthosofEffort” — @TPSHEADMASTER

“Proud of the Varsity Farming program @TrinityPawling School. Getting the boys outside, benefitting from the well-researched findings about the benefits of the outdoors on the #learningjourney and emotional well-being. Onward! #EthosofEffort”

“Very reassuring to see that The National Athletic Trainers Association is weighing in on the challenges associated with sports specialization at a young age! @TrinityPawling emphasizes comprehensive athletic engagement as part of the learning program! #playmoresports”

— @TPSHEADMASTER

— @TPSHEADMASTER

WE POSTED

For the second year in a row, @trinitypawlingwrestling finished in the Top 20 at Prep Nationals, placing 18th out of 120 teams.

All 7 of Trinity-Pawling’s wrestlers won their first matches. Kyle Hammel ’20 and Lucas Hughes ’20 went 1-2 on the day. Dave Bancroft ’20, Jeff Miller ’21, and Robbie Accomando ’22 each went 2-2. Kyle Lee ’22 went 3-2, making it to the round of 12 (just 1 away from placing), and Liam Dietrich ’21 went 4-2, placing 4th overall. Dietrich is now a 2x Prep All-American!

Congratulations to the entire team and coaches! #rollpride “Good luck to the 7 wrestlers going to nationals, go Pride!”

— MARIE_B_27

Follow us on social media! twitter.com/TrinityPawling twitter.com/TPSHeadmaster

youtube.com Trinity-Pawling School

facebook.com/TrinityPawling @trinitypawlingschool @TPrideHockey @TPridefootball @rollpridelax @tpridebaseball

flickr.com/photos/trinity-pawling_school/sets/ linkedin.com /Trinity-Pawling Alumni

#

#RollPride #adayinthelifetp #tpshoutout

#tptraditions #ethosofeffort #beagentleman

We will consider all correspondence for publication unless you stipulate otherwise.

2

TRINIT Y-PAWLING MAGAZINE

Write to us: Trinity-Pawling Magazine, 700 Route 22 Pawling, NY 12564 Email: communications@trinitypawling.org For class notes and alumni matters, email alumni@trinitypawling.org

TOP POSTS ON INSTAGRAM

The Trinity-Pawling community is more than a school...we’re a family. @tpvarshockey took the ice in a special game against Kent School, honoring Coach Bobby Farraris ’93, P’25. The team traded in their blue and gold for green jerseys – the color for lymphoma – and rallied together with faculty, staff, students, parents, and friends in support of Coach Ferraris and his family. His wife Sara and son Avery ’25 dropped the first puck and the Pride took home an 8-5 victory! It was an incredible night celebrating a beloved member of our school community. #TPfamily #FightWithFerraris

Mr. Reade’s Art History and Advanced Painting classes and Ms. Blydenburgh’s French classes traveled to Massachusetts to visit the Clark Art Institute and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. The students had the chance to see a collection of French Impressionist paintings and tour the cavernous galleries of the Mass MoCA, featuring large murals, light sculptures, and more! A special thank you to Mr. Reade, Ms. Blydenburgh, and Mr. Burnham for organizing this annual trip! #adayinthelifetp

“We got you coach!”

— MARCUS_BEATO

— J_GARVEY_3

“Praying for Bob.”

“Brings back the memories @yung_stuw @kentuckybryedchicken @treyaiello”

— MLLAW111

— CAELAHNBULLEN

“God has his hands on Bob!”

“Taking history of design right now, actually know what I’m talking about in it because of this class! Thanks, Mr. Reade!”

— CZEZ67

“Mr. Readeeeeee”

“Bob - the DePalma’s are praying for your recovery.”

— YUNG_STUW

— BIZZY_LIZZY_TISH

“Lucky students. Sounds like a wonderful trip!”

— THESPARKPRESENTS

Students in Mr. Kellogg’s 7th grade Science class have been busy creating anti-tobacco ad campaigns! In groups, the boys were challenged to create a 30-second ad, explaining the dangers of smoking, vaping, and tobacco use. The boys presented their research, campaign concepts, and commercials in class. Then they worked together to produce one 45-second commercial combining all the facts from each presentation.

Keep up the great work, gentlemen! #EthosOfEffort “Great job!”

— JNFUG1

IT'S OPENING NIGHT! The Trinity-Pawling Drama Department proudly presents Urinetown, the Musical!

March 4-6 at 7:00 PM in Gardiner Theater. “This show is a must pee!” Wishing the talented cast and crew a great performance! #findyourtribeTP “Nice!”

— ANDREWDUPLESSIE SPRING 2020

3

POPULAR POSTS

WE POSTED

Congratulations, boys! A special #TPshoutout to all coaches, family, friends, faculty, and mentors who have worked so hard to support these young men in accomplishing their goals, on and off the field! #rollpride #TPridefootball Pride Varsity Football held a Signing Ceremony in March, celebrating the following senior student-athletes who have made college commitments and signed their national letters of intent: Nick Slofkiss - Brockport State JJ Flaccavento - Milford Academy Dougie Simmons - Utica College Kyle Bicho - Union College Jaden Clark - Franklin Pierce

“Congrats guys! Each one of you are so talented and you’ve earned this! Loved watching you play!”

— KIM HAYWOOD

“Congrats to all the young men!”

— DAWN LEWIS

“Congratulations Boys!”

— CAROL CASE-GREENE

“Congratulations!”

Students in Mr. Poon’s Photography class recently ventured over to a local farm to take both analog film & digital photos! The boys were tasked with finding interesting compositions, animal portraits, & landscape photos while exploring the barn & pastures. #adayinthelifetp

— LANA WILLIAMS

Sam is composing a symphony! Thank you, Gedney, for devoting your time and industry expertise to Sam. We are so grateful to our alumni who support the School’s SIP program! #TPshoutout “Many thanks, Gedney!”

— BILL TAYLOR

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Acclaimed music editor Gedney Webb ’86 recently joined Sam Fechner ’20 on campus to discuss his Senior Independent Project –

“Acclaimed, I’m honored to know you!”

— WILLIAM STEKETEE

“GWebb is the man!!”

— STEWART MCKNELLY

This group of students recently volunteered at Christ Church in Pawling to help prepare for the Midnight Run, which provides food & clothing for those experiencing homelessness in NYC. The boys helped with sorting clothing & labeling & packing bins.

Well done! #EthosOfEffort

ON CAMPUS Let's hear another round of applause for all who participated in the @24hourplays Fest! Students from @westoverschool joined us on campus to create 6 time-limited productions in Gardiner Theater.

In just 24 hours, students wrote,

a special thank you to Mr. Burnham

designed, staged, directed, and

and Ms. Truini from Westover for

performed 6 short plays. The energy

organizing the event. Bravo, all!

and talent on stage was simply

#TPshoutout

incredible! We'd also like to extend

4

TRINIT Y-PAWLING MAGAZINE

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Headmaster Taylor recently had the chance to catch up with these ’88 grads, David Smith, Mike Schell, and Ian Sears, in San Francisco, California. It was great to see you all! #TPshoutout

A VIEW FROM THE QUAD FOCUS ON STUDENT SAFETY Trinity-Pawling looks to set the bar high as it moves forward from an independent investigation of sexual misconduct.

At Trinity-Pawling, we have a solemn responsibility to all students, alumni, and parents to live up to the trust they have placed in us, be good stewards of the institution in service to our entire alumni community and society as a whole, and ensure that our practices adequately reflect these commitments. Over the last several years, you have heard from us regarding our continuing efforts to ensure we have both a strong culture and specific policies in place to prevent sexual misconduct of any kind at Trinity-Pawling.

Most importantly, we want to ensure that students today and in the future feel — and are — safe at Trinity-Pawling.

WHAT HAPPENED? In 2017, after learning new information about past incidents of adult-student sexual misconduct that occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s, we retained Sanghavi Law Office, LLC — a Boston-based investigative law firm experienced in working with schools — to conduct an independent investigation of prior incidents, how they were investigated and addressed at the time, and to follow those facts wherever they may lead. In February 2020, the findings of the investigation were presented to the Board of Trustees and the full report was shared with our entire community via a link on our website.

The report included findings that are very troubling, including multiple instances where Trinity-Pawling students were the victims of sexual misconduct. The nature of the School’s response, as outlined in the investigator’s report, when matters involving sexual abuse were brought to its attention, is also troubling.

We apologize for the pain and turmoil that the survivors have suffered over many years. The School extends its

gratitude to those individuals who participated in this investigation for their strength and willingness to share their stories. Our hope is that this report serves as an opportunity for transparent institutional self-reflection and education.

WHAT NOW? Trinity-Pawling must always cultivate a safe and nurturing environment and continue to earn the trust of TrinityPawling students, parents, and alumni. The School has adopted and communicated enhanced policies and operating procedures, which we remain committed to regularly reviewing and updating whenever we see room for improvement. Faculty and staff are formally trained on a yearly basis on our policy against sexual contact and appropriate boundaries with students, as well as the consequences for violating that policy. The School has a hotline where anonymous reports can be made of any inappropriate or unethical behavior. We also have written a new protocol for investigating and reporting any future violations to ensure that our actions are thorough, fair, and fully documented.

Although the formal investigation has concluded, we will continue to examine Trinity-Pawling’s past in an effort to discover and appropriately address any and all instances of sexual misconduct. Trinity-Pawling has a responsibility to effectively protect our students and serve our community, today and going forward, in accordance with the highest standards of care and integrity. In order to best accomplish this, it is incumbent on us to be as transparent as possible with the Trinity-Pawling community about what we have found, what we have learned, and the steps we actualize every day to meet that commitment.

SPRING 2020

5

A VIEW FROM THE QUAD

Bill Dunbar ’69

early ’60s, including Steve Harrington ’68 and Eddie Cooper. During Christmas vacation, we’d shovel the rink — the rink wasn’t covered back

TRACING HIS ROOTS

then — and play hockey all day. Living on campus was like one big family, and

BY MARIA BUTEUX READE

as faculty kids, we were allowed to eat some meals in the dining hall with the students.”

B

“We had the ice hockey rink, ill Dunbar thinks his love of

I was a nickel short. Mr. Thomas

swimming pool, and clay courts at the

outdoor adventure began in

diplomatically said he would track

time. That’s where I learned to play

his years as a Trinity-Pawling

down the other nickel from my dad

tennis. However, there was no athletic

faculty brat. “Growing up on campus

next time he saw him. That was around

center, just a barn from when the

was perfect for my brother, Andy, and

1959 or 1960.”

property had been a farm before the

me. We would hike up into the hills

Sometimes it helps to have your

Pawling School was built. I remember

above the back pond and explore for

father be the assistant headmaster.

Matt Dann drawing out on a napkin

hours. It was fun to have all that open

And a beloved one at that.

the layout of the initial gymnasium and

terrain right out our back door.”

Dunbar returned to campus, his

showing it to my dad. It was 1957. Mr.

“Lowell Thomas had a ski area on

childhood home, for his 50th reunion

Carleton had gone to Trinity School

his Quaker Hill property with two rope

in October 2019. His family lived in

in Manhattan, but Matt Dann got

tows. He would let T-P students and

Reiter House from 1952 to 1978. Ned

him interested in Trinity-Pawling. He ended up being the benefactor of the gymnasium which was built in 1959.

That was the first major project. The

“ Growing up on campus was perfect for my brother,

dorms on the quad came next. It’s

Andy, and me. We would hike up into the hills above the back pond and explore for hours. It was fun to have all that open terrain right out our back door.

”

been continuous growth since then.”

How did his parents meet? “My mom (Helene) was teaching at Westover School and dad was a bachelor teaching here. A mutual friend at T-P arranged for my parents to get together. They got married, then I

people from town come up and ski for

and I have been honored to live in

arrived on the scene. Mom taught

twenty-five cents. Matt Dann was good

that very home since 2003. I invited

girls’ physical education in the Pawling

friends with him and my dad knew him

Dunbar to tour the house, then we sat

public schools and then became

as well. I went there one day with my

on the front stoop basking in the warm

librarian here at T-P.”

quarter, and Mr. Thomas himself was

afternoon sun. Memories poured forth.

collecting the fees. He had apparently raised his rates to thirty cents and

6

TRINIT Y-PAWLING MAGAZINE

“There was a crew of about six faculty brats in the late 1950s and

Dunbar went to the local school through eighth grade and transferred to Trinity-Pawling in ninth. “Living

At his 50th reunion in October 2019, Bill Dunbar catches up with faculty members Maria and Ned Reade.

on campus opened my eyes to a

would take kids to climb in the Grand

met my wife, Barbara, on a bicycle trip

broader perspective. The School

Tetons and Rocky Mountain National

in France. We married in 2000, and

wasn’t as international as it is today,

Park. I climbed a 400-foot rock spire

we get out almost every day to play

but I was still exposed to a more

called Shark’s Tooth. The top was just

tennis, bike ride, or hike. In 2007, we

diverse population than I would have

big enough to park a car on. Sometime

adopted our daughter, Lauren, as a

encountered in Pawling. Fortunately,

after that, I got a letter from a T-P

nine-month old from Vietnam. She’s

students respected my dad so that

alumnus who had done the same climb

13 now, a fearless skier and a tennis

made it easier. But I did get the

and saw my name in the logbook.”

player. In the near future, she’ll get

After teaching math for three

bored playing with us. She’s hitting

occasional dunking in the snow bank as a faculty brat.”

After graduating in 1969, Dunbar

years at Canterbury School, Dunbar became interested in the energy field.

that independence stage now…”

When asked about his father’s

studied math and engineering at

He completed master’s degrees at

legacy, Dunbar said, “He related well

Brown University. He also discovered

both Dartmouth and M.I.T. Wanting

to students and faculty. He was a

rock climbing and mountaineering.

to be near the mountains, Dunbar

father figure to many. I heard so many

“Rock climbing appealed to my

moved out to Seattle in 1979. He

stories during reunion weekend. That’s

technical mind. My brother and I would

landed a job as a management and

been powerful. It’s fun to see alumni

go over and climb in the Shawangunks

economic engineering consultant for

I remember from my faculty brat

in New Paltz when we were home on

the electric utilities and remained with

days and older and newer ones who

college vacations. My parents got me

the company until 2012. Dunbar now

interacted with my dad. Coming back

connected with a job at a summer

works three days a week from home.

reminds me what this place meant

camp in Colorado owned by a couple

“Looking back, being required to play

who taught at Rumsey Hall. They had

sports at T-P made me lead an athletic

a mountaineering program, and we

life which I’ve continued to this day. I

to me and what a great experience I had.”

SPRING 2020

7

A VIEW FROM THE QUAD

Micah Chase ’84 RIGHT ON COURSE

BY EMMA CHRISTIANTELLI

Micah Chase is most comfortable when he is uncomfortable.

Yes, you read that right. For Chase, discomfort is the key to personal growth. “I’ve found that the opportunity for a new, unfamiliar experience comes along every day,” he began.

“You just have to be brave enough to take it.”

Following his graduation from Trinity-Pawling, Chase attended the University of Rochester to study cognitive science and artificial intelligence. While there, he took a semester off to help his father plan a start-up stationery business, called Checkerboard. “I helped design their typesetting system on the latest technology of PCs and networks.”

Fast forward a few years, after a brief jaunt to California to work for a virtual reality tech company, Chase joined his father back east to officially start Checkerboard Ltd. “Picture this: it’s 1992, almost no one has email, Google hasn’t been founded yet, Amazon is just starting to sell books — it’s a completely different world!” he shared. “If you wanted to invite people to a Fourth of July barbecue, you mailed printed invitations.”

Over the years, Chase grew the stationery business, building multiple partnerships and an online branch (einvite.com).

8

TRINIT Y-PAWLING MAGAZINE

In fact, it was Chase and his team who patented the ability to proof invitations online and have them sent directly to press.

“My background in AI really helped. I was able to keep the businesses adaptable and dynamic as electronic communication grew. It was a terrific experience.” In 2017, after 25 years of dedication and fast-paced innovation, Chase sold the businesses and looked ahead to a new chapter.

So, what’s next for this accomplished CEO? “A cross-country trip is never a bad idea!” Chase is certainly no stranger to traveling across the United States. He has made the journey several times via motorcycle and a pop-top VW van (with ’84 classmate Kirk Vartan). This time around, however, he craved a new challenge. “In the summer of 2019, after some research and a lot of training, I shipped my bicycle out to the West Coast, packed up my maps, and hit the road.”

Embarking on a cross-country bike ride made Chase uncomfortable — and he loved every second of it. “I wanted to push myself.

I’ve never been a great athlete but that fueled me. I wanted to challenge myself in a way I never have before.”

Throughout his ride that summer, Chase constantly immersed himself in new experiences. Mapping out alternate routes; hammock camping and couch surfing; riding next to tractor trailers on the interstate; befriending new people in a matter of minutes; even helping to rescue a fellow cyclist who had a severe accident. “The trip restored my faith in humanity,” he shared.

“People are magnificent. I encountered so much kindness and selflessness on my ride, and I’m only halfway there!”

At the end of the summer, with roughly 2,000 miles remaining, Chase left his bike in a cyclery in North Dakota.

He will return this May to finish his journey. While Chase looks forward to the trip ahead, he also looks back with gratitude on the experiences that brought him to this point — particularly his time at Trinity-Pawling. “The School instilled in me the idea that effort and self-reliance lead to self-actualization. T-P teaches students to be ambitious, positive, disciplined, and kind,” Chase concluded. “I often ask my fellow alumni: where would we be without T-P? I, for one, know the experience set me on the right course in life. I can’t wait to see where it takes me next.”

Going with the Global Flow Ted Arditti ’94

BY MARIA BUTEUX READE

Arditti and his brother, Jeff, run Aria Design, specializing in fashion-forward upholstered residential furniture. “Jeff is the CEO and I’m Executive VP, in charge of sourcing,

I

product development, and logistics. Basically, I’m the janitor, truck loader, connector, whatever it takes. I show up at the n Y2K, Ted Arditti was two years out of Wake Forest

factory in tee shirt and shorts, ready to solve problems on

University, newly engaged, and on his own trajectory.

the manufacturing end. The crew works with me, not for me.

Then came the call from his father, Ed Arditti ’51. A

Respect, fairness, and equality are all important values to me

family emergency necessitated that Ted change plans

personally and professionally.”

and work for his dad’s business, importing furniture from

The company shifted production from Hangzhou to

Asia and Europe. He moved back home to Hickory, North

Vietnam in May 2018, and Arditti moved his family to Ho Chi

Carolina and traveled every other month to Asia to oversee

Minh City in December 2019. “The U.S. imposed a 25% tariff

sourcing, while his brother remained stateside to handle

on all upholstered furniture made in China so we decided

sales and marketing.

to establish a factory here. Furniture shipped to the U.K.,

Arditti married Kristin Cook later that year and they started a family a few years later. However, Arditti still traveled to Asia at least twelve times a year. “I felt I was living

Mexico, Canada, and the Middle East is still made in China so I travel back there for a few days each month.”

Arditti says living internationally has been a priceless

on planes while my family was back in North Carolina. We

experience. “The boys are thriving and learning to see the

were leading separate lives, in separate time zones. My dad

world. We travel to a different country each year on school

traveled six to eight months a year when I was growing up,

breaks. It’s easy and inexpensive to hop on a plane in Asia.”

and I didn’t want to repeat that and be an absent dad with my

The family has explored Cambodia, the Philippines, Japan,

own sons.” So, in 2014, the Ardittis relocated to Hangzhou,

Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and South

China and enrolled their two sons, age 10 and 8, in the

Korea. “The cool part is meeting people from all walks of life.

international school.

My family and I are always open to make connections. We’re

“Tommy and Hank are amazing. They made friends quickly with kids from all over the world. I remember having a similar experience when I went to Trinity-Pawling. I was this southern

also adventurous eaters, and trying new foods enhances the experience of a new culture.”

“Living abroad has taught me that I can land in a place

kid going to school with guys from other countries and a

I’ve never been and manage. I can get around, eat, and sleep.

bunch of Yankees who talked funny. As far as language, my

As long as my family is happy and the company is profitable,

sons are nearly fluent in Mandarin. I still rely on a translator

we’re good. I’m not following any timeline, just going with

because I was never forced to learn the language, which I

the flow. The world isn’t as scary as you think if you just put

now regret. I know enough to get myself into trouble, but not

yourself out there and try. I think I first learned that at T-P.”

out of it!”

SPRING 2020

9

A VIEW FROM THE QUAD

John Murphy ’02 From Amps to Amsterdam, the Amazon, and Antarctica

BY MARIA BUTEUX READE

John Murphy knows how to parlay skills into opportunities. Hockey guided him to Trinity-Pawling in 2000. During college, that same sport led him to become a union electrician. “I was invited to play for a union hockey team in Queens. Later on, the guys suggested I apply to be an apprentice.” Murphy was accepted, and after five years of on-the-job training and night classes studying topics such as electrical theory, motor controls, and labor history, he earned his bachelor’s degree and became a journeyman electrician for IBEW Local 3.

“It was a blessing in disguise. I never envisioned going this route but it’s worked out well. This field is constantly evolving so I’m always learning new materials and methods. That keeps it fresh.” Murphy’s job takes him to all five boroughs to work on subways, offices, high-end condos, JFK airport, and the Empire State Building.

“It was pretty amazing, climbing around history, and seeing the steel beams with ‘Carnegie’ stamped on them.”

When Murphy turned 30, he decided it was time to explore. He discovered Home Exchange, which allows people to exchange homes for a week or longer. “I’d always wanted to travel, now I had the money and the time. So, I dove in headfirst.”

Within six years, Murphy had traveled to all seven continents. “The more countries I check off my bucket list, the more I add. Doing home exchanges allows me to live like a local, and not be restricted to the tourist areas. I’m comfortable going into new situations, meeting people, and having a good time. I attribute much of that skill to my two years at Trinity-Pawling where I learned to be self-sufficient.”

“I took art history at T-P, and traveling has allowed me to see with my own eyes and appreciate what I learned in Mr. Reade’s class. For example, in Amsterdam, history melds with the 21st century. A building’s exterior remains true to its time period while inside it could be truly modern.” Murphy has explored the Amazon jungle, partied in Rio, and relished the exotic beauty of Vietnam and Singapore.

In 2018, Murphy was watching a nature documentary that sparked his interest about Antarctica. A little internet research brought him to the National Science Foundation Research Center at

10 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

McMurdo Station. “I figured they might need electricians so I sent my resume. They said yes and I jumped at the chance. My local union gave me their blessing and off I went.”

Murphy spent three months in Antarctica during the winter of 2018. “Their polar summer is comparable to our winter, but with constant daylight. On New Year’s Eve at midnight, it looked like noon outside!” He recalls a “jawdropping helicopter ride in Antarctica, seeing the vast landscape, flying over the icebergs, and passing 100-foot glacier walls.” In the midst of frigid temperatures, howling winds, and millions of seals and penguins, Murphy upgraded the power infrastructure, replacing high voltage lines that serve the McMurdo Tracking and Data Satellite Relay System.

Murphy continues to participate in volunteer trips where he can contribute his skills as an electrician. “I helped rebuild houses in Puerto Rico after the hurricane two years ago, and I went back last July as well. I’ve also done some work with Habitat for Humanity around New York City. You play your part and do what you can. It’s pretty rewarding.”

Yet Murphy doesn’t want to paint an unrealistic picture of travel — “like Instagram posts, that only show the highlights.

Traveling is a microcosm of life. There are going to be amazing times as long as you’re willing to work through the difficulties: missed trains, bad accommodations, occasional homesickness.

Some of the best experiences come after some of the toughest tribulations.”

He also enjoys seeing how other countries solve problems and how their social norms vary. “Before I started traveling, I took for granted so many of the blessings in my life. Clean water, food, cars, a good job. A large part of the world doesn’t live like this. But I’ve witnessed many people with the least who had the highest quality of life, the greatest happiness.”

Such as his tuk-tuk driver in Cambodia. “He invited me to his home for supper, and I shared a simple meal sitting on the floor of his hut with his family. I helped his brother plow their rice paddy. I push myself to say yes to opportunities like these.

Nothing great in life happens in your comfort zone.”

SPRING 2020

11

A VIEW FROM THE QUAD

EMBRACE THE UNCONVENTIONAL Walter Wright ’88

BY MARIA BUTEUX READE

Good things happen when a self-proclaimed tree hugger (and wannabe hippie) with a business background immerses himself in a community.

Walter Wright graduated from Rensselear Polytechnic Institute in 1992 with a degree in environmental business management and headed west to Telluride, Colorado to be a ski bum. While there, he helped many nonprofits and small businesses grow into more thriving enterprises. Telluride’s adaptive ski program was one that morphed into a year-round adaptive sports program, which provides people with mental and physical challenges an opportunity for serious play in nature.

However, Wright’s environmental persona was bothered by harmful business and agricultural practices such as overdevelopment and water pollution. So, he became an environmental educator and consultant.

Wright helped expand Telluride’s EcoAction Partners, a nonprofit that guides businesses, government, schools, and homeowners, to show how people and businesses can lead their lives in a more sustainable way. “I believe in the 3 P’s: people, planet, and profit.”

After 20 years of playing in and protecting his beloved mountains, Wright found himself drawn to the ocean. He had grown up sailing on Lake George, and as an adult, he sailed boats in the Atlantic and Pacific.

“I was ready for a new challenge, so I hit the reset button and pursued a graduate degree in environmental management at Duke. I wanted to protect the ocean as I had done with the mountains in Telluride.” Studying coastal ecology and conservation at Duke’s marine lab on the Outer Banks provided practical hands-on experience. True to his unconventional approach, Wright lived on his sailboat. “It was cheaper and more fun than an apartment!” He began dreaming of creating

12 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

an environmental education program based on sailing excursions.

As luck would have it — and Wright’s a lucky guy (he’d say it’s just good karma) — he met a beautiful woman named Tamara Jacobi who had started a treehouse-style ecolodge and retreat center on the Mexican Pacific. Wright moved there in 2017 and found a 47-foot sailboat that needed some work. While Tamara focused on running the Tailwind Jungle Lodge, Wright restored his ketch and created a floating classroom suitable for ocean-based educational excursions.

The boat can accommodate up to 16 people on a day trip and sleeps 10 comfortably. He’s now focusing on SAILwind, a nonprofit branch of the Tailwind Jungle Lodge. SAIL stands for ‘Science and Adventure through Interactive Learning.’

Wright sees his boat as an educational platform for all. “I have this great vessel and want to use it to help people connect to this amazing planet.” Local and international school groups, researchers, families, and tourists can come and “Play with a Purpose” as Wright describes his sailing excursions. “We bring in scientists and environmentalists to share their knowledge. And of course, we have surf and SUP boards, kayaks, and more on board too. Tamara and I just want to help people enjoy this beautiful world and learn how to lighten our environmental impact through our actions and purchases.”

Walter and Tamara’s passion for “wild” life and business pursuits have also taken a professional leap. Tamara just published her book, Wildpreneurs, through Harper Collins Leadership in February 2020.

“A Wildpreneur embraces the people, planet, and profit ethos – with passion,” Wright explains. “If you put passion into a job you love, the profit will come. It’s a mindset, a holistic lifestyle. Wildpreneurs do things differently. You don’t have to own a business; it’s just how you work and live.” Tamara and Walter, and their infant son Forrest Zephyr, will be traveling the U.S. throughout the summer and fall on a book and speaking tour. Check out their schedule at wildpreneurs.com and say hi to another unique Trinity-Pawling alumnus!

A Wildpreneur embraces the people, planet, and profit ethos – with passion

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 13

A VIEW FROM THE QUAD

Newsworthy MENTORSHIP

quoted

HATS OFF TO THESE ALUMNI MENTORS

OSEI MEVS ’94 JOINS THE BOARD

Alumni mentors play an important role for seniors seeking a diploma with distinction.

As a part of the Practicum for Civic Leadership program, 10 alumni mentors were paired with seniors this year.

These mentors connected with the students via phone or email, offering their professional expertise to help the boys expand and develop their Senior Independent Projects on a deeper level and graduate with special honors.

– John Coscia ’01 – Gyuri Dragomir ’13

“ Coming home to the campus as a board

member is a fantastic opportunity to work with outstanding people, who are 100% committed to the School’s mission of educating and instilling a value system that prepares young men to be contributing members of society amidst the challenges of an ever-changing world. The entire Trinity-Pawling community is incredibly special to me — I am so honored to serve the School! ” Osei Mevs ’94 joined the Trinity-Pawling Board of Trustees in January 2020. Mevs lives in Brentwood, Tennessee with his wife Courtney and his daughter and son.

He is currently the President of Maxx Content.

– Andrew Duplessie ’11 – Liam Fay ’11 – Refet Kaplan ’79 – Rick Meyer ’68 – Hunter Olstein ’17 – Mike Tierney ’82 – Gedney Webb ’86 – Jake Westney ’16

PREFEC T S

AND THE HASHTAG IS …

Headmaster Bill Taylor tasked the 2019-2020 prefects to collectively come up with a hashtag that would embody their goals for the year as leaders.

At the September Trustee Dinner at Gamage House, the boys were given 60 seconds to collaborate and determine their hashtag for the year. Head Prefect Solomon Hess announced at the dinner that #beagentleman best summarized what this group of prefects wanted to aspire towards this year as a school and as leaders.

14 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

CLUBS

COMMUNITY-MINDED The Random Acts of Kindness Club is a new club at Trinity-Pawling dedicated to spreading kindness and compassion on and off campus. Club activities have included cleaning out old blankets stored on campus and donating them to the Great Give Back PawSafe Adoption Event for local animal shelters; planting over 400 daffodil and tulip bulbs across campus; and creating goody bags for children admitted to hospitals and emergency rooms over the winter. Club advisors Ms. Harrah and Mrs. DelBalzo P’23 are helping to create a culture of empathy on campus through their thoughtful mentoring of the club members.

FACULT Y HONORS

2019 ARDITTI FELLOWSHIP

PUBLISHED

A NEW RELEASE FOR CHRIS KELSEY Faculty member Chris Kelsey’s debut novel Where the Hurt Is earned him the Pencraft Award for Best Fiction Book of 2018. Butcherville, the second of Kelsey’s Emmett Hardy Mystery series, was just released in January 2020 and is already receiving rave reviews.

Chris Gillman ’05 was awarded the 2019 Arditti Fellowship in October. This endowed fellowship honors a member of our faculty for “teaching excellence.”

The Arditti Fellowship award was established in 1995 by Edward Arditti ’51 and his son Ted ’94, as a way to honor our teachers for their distinguished work and dedication. Criteria for consideration include outstanding knowledge of one’s field; commitment to our students, fellow faculty, and the educational program at Trinity-Pawling; and inclusion of new techniques and information in one’s teaching. Members of the faculty nominate the individual who best exemplifies these qualities. At the award presentation, Headmaster Bill Taylor shared about Chris, “His impact on the School knows no boundaries.

Trinity-Pawling is a better place because of him.”

AC ADEMIC S

EFFORT SYSTEM TURNS 50 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the Effort System at Trinity-Pawling.

The School’s signature program, “as a system of quantifiable measurement” arrived with Phil Smith P’79 in 1970.

Smith attributes its invention to a former colleague and mentor, Bill Church, from the University School of Milwaukee. Church led the process of developing the system in Milwaukee and closely followed its results when Phil Smith imported it to Trinity-Pawling.

Today the Effort System continues to exemplify Trinity-Pawling’s distinct approach to inspiring and measuring student growth. It assesses students in multiple dimensions: academics, dorm life, athletics, the work program, and extracurricular involvement. Through this ethos of effort, we challenge young men to become ambitious, well-rounded individuals in all aspects of life.

TR AVEL

48 HOURS IN SCOTLAND After more than a year of planning, on March 9, 2020, 12 Trinity-Pawling students and 2 chaperones (myself and Rachel Kellogg, P’10, ’15, ’23) embarked on what was to be an incredible 8-day journey through Scotland and Ireland. Little did we know what life had in store for us!

The excitement was high as we jetted across the pond. Upon our arrival in Scotland, we hit the ground running, with two event-filled days in Edinburgh. We learned a great deal about the history of the city and what it was like to live there through the ages. Starting at the bottom of The Royal Mile at Holyrood Palace, we made our way to the top of what was an ancient volcano where Edinburgh Castle sits — a strategic vantage point offering spectacular 360-degree views of everything that surrounds it.

In these two days, we visited numerous cafes and pubs and some of us even tried the Haggis!

We toured the underground world of old Edinburgh and met a few ghosts from Edinburgh’s darker days. Several of the boys, Mrs. Kellogg, and I hiked up Arthur’s Seat, another extinct volcano with magnificent views of Edinburgh below and the lush countryside that stretches out around the city. What an incredible, enchanting place!

We were quite excited about our third day when we would visit Stirling, where William Wallace defeated the English, and where Stirling Castle and Loch Katrine are located.

However, COVID-19 put an end to our plans!

With our health and safety in mind, and in accordance with safety measures being implemented by the U.S. government, our tour company arranged to bring us home early.

Our adventures on our homeward-bound journey were nearly as exciting as our two days in Scotland!

This was an adventure of a lifetime and a story for the ages that none of these 14 travelers will ever forget. We had wonderful, exciting times and were faced with the realities of our present-day world and the Coronavirus. This was an extraordinary group of students who I would travel with again — anywhere, anytime!

Kim DeFonce, Associate Director of Admissions and Advisor S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 15

A VIEW FROM THE QUAD

CJ Mezzatesta ’20 A Passion for Percussion

BY CHRIS KELSEY

As a freshman stepping onto the Trinity-Pawling campus for the first time, playing the drums was simply one of CJ Mezzatesta’s many interests. “Drumming was just a cool hobby. I didn’t really think I had a huge future in it.” Four years later, as he nears graduation, things have changed. Playing music is now at the forefront. “T-P opened my eyes,” he says. “I learned I had a gift for drumming, and music in general.”

Mezzatesta was first inspired to play by his grandfather, Paul Williams, who was also a drummer.

“My grandparents gave me my first drum set. I wouldn’t be the drummer I am today without him.” Before Mezzatesta came to Trinity-Pawling, he’d never played in a band. At Trinity-Pawling he played rock, blues, and jazz with other student musicians virtually every day of the week. Music classes broadened his horizons. “Before I got here, all I knew was to play rock songs hard and loud,” he says. “Coming here showed me new things.”

16 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

For his Senior Independent Project, Mezzatesta wrangled an internship with the Nashville-based band LoCash. “I wanted to study the lives of touring artists, both on the personal and business side,” he says.

Mezzatesta did a short tour with the group, working primarily as a roadie. Of course, his interest centered largely on the band’s drummer. “We had a lot of the same ideas about playing, but he did it differently, which made me realize there were other ways to explore drumming.”

On tour, Mezzatesta learned more than just music.

“Working with them showed me the brotherhood and bond that they have,” he says, something he feels a band has in common with the Trinity-Pawling community. “On a tour bus, you’re in a confined space.

You’re with the same guys all the time. You need to respect and get along with each other.” Like life in a boarding school? “Absolutely.” The experience was revelatory in another respect. “I learned that in life, you have to explore everything. It made me realize how much I love Trinity-Pawling.”

His dream now? “To be a professional musician. To always be around music. I’d like go to Nashville, be in a band, go on tour.” But will he still visit us when he’s rich and famous? “Definitely!”

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 17

IN THE CLASSROOM

“I’ve had many lives, and all the opportunities came because I could talk, listen, and communicate clearly.”

John Teaford

BY MARIA BUTEUX READE

J

ohn Teaford tightened the straps of his backpack, looked at the snowy landscape spread below, said “Whatever,” and launched himself out of the helicopter. “You do what it takes to get the job done.”

Teaford joined the Trinity-Pawling faculty in September 2018. An inspiring English teacher with a gift for connecting with students, Teaford is both a keen observer and a raconteur.

We sat down to talk about his life as an adventure documentarian, athlete, writer, and teacher — and stood up three hours later. Then we met again.

Here are some condensed excerpts.

ACT ONE: ADVENTURER When I was 18, I signed up for a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) mountaineering course in the North Cascades. I thought I was tough and capable, but that course kicked my butt.

Whatever skills I developed later in life were all discovered in that one month of suffering. That trip laid the groundwork for everything that has followed.

I had grown up on a cattle ranch in Nebraska, spending summers at Camp Wah-Kon-Dah (which my grandfather founded). I lived my days outside,

18 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

exploring and adventuring. I suppose I’ve continued living that way because I grew up that way.

ACT TWO: SPEEDSKATER I lived an entire lifetime as an athlete, though it’s now so long ago that it seems like a life that must’ve been lived by someone else. I started speedskating when I was seven, and continued in the sport until I was 32. I attended UW Madison (where the National Speedskating Team was based), and spent my winters racing both domestically and internationally. After my own racing career, I coached the national team from 1989 to 1992. My best friends came from this sport, and my most treasured experiences ... though the Olympic medal I always sought would continue to elude me.

ACT THREE: WRITER For me, sport ended in 1992 when I moved to Boulder, Colorado to focus on writing. There, I wrote screenplays and contributed magazine articles — Ski, Skiing, SnowWorld, National Geographic, Outside — where I was typically hired to follow skiers and climbers on expeditions around the world. Ironically,

I’m not an adrenaline junkie; I simply film and write about people who are.

ACT FOUR: FILMMAKER Greenland, Iran, Kenya, Antarctica, Chile, Nepal, central and northern Europe, and Afghanistan among others. From 1996 to 2004, I wrote and directed Warren Miller ski films (Storm and Cold Fusion are two of my favorites). This was also the time when Warren Miller (and myself, by association) began producing feature-length adventure documentaries (not just “ski films”). We spent weeks in remote locations, embedding ourselves in both the culture and the environment as we looked for the story that viewers would find compelling. Most ski movies are about the athlete’s triumphs. Our films — and they were actual film, not video — tended to highlight the disasters. As director, I would get us in just enough trouble to ensure something cool would happen. The storyline evolved from that. You push until the wheels fall off; then you film putting them back on.

A helicopter is a giant death machine, if the engine quits you go down like a rock. After marrying and starting a family in 2003, I decided

FACULTY MINUTE

Faculty Minute with

Linda Improta P’95

BY EMMA CHRISTIANTELLI

I

to stop rolling the dice in such riskladen environments. Do I question my decision? Daily. I loved traveling and making films, and I was pretty good at it. But as a teacher, I have plenty of vacation time when I can do creative work. I usually have a book or film idea rumbling around my head.

ACT FIVE: TEACHER Camp counselor, course guide, team leader, film director: I suppose I’ve always been a teacher. Now, in my second year at Trinity-Pawling, I receive daily reminders of the way my experiences have shaped me as an educator.

A writer may work alone, but a filmmaker always has a crew that needs to be guided, supervised, instructed, and taught. On location, we live in a close-knit environment, cooking, eating, sleeping, and working together, with no escape. When directing films in that environment, the most effective communication is clear, brief, goodhumored, and presented with controlled emotion. Teaching at a boarding school is a natural extension of directing films.

As a teacher, we have to show we care first. The instruction comes later.

t was the summer of 1993 when Linda Improta first set foot on the TrinityPawling campus. She was hired as an administrative assistant to the assistant headmaster at the time, Bill Taylor. “When I first joined, there was no email and many of us still used typewriters!” Improta recalled with a laugh.

Over the years in this role, Improta’s knack for computer technology surfaced and the administration noticed. “Former Headmaster Arch Smith offered me the chance to go back to school and obtain a certification in the field of technology.” For over a year, she worked full-time at the School and took night classes through Skidmore College, earning her certification. “That was a turning point in my career. I’m so grateful to Trinity-Pawling for the support and encouragement they gave me.”

In 1999, Improta officially transitioned from the Assistant Headmaster’s Office into the newly-formed Technology Department as the Assistant Director of Technology. Spanning the next two decades, she played a key role in building and enhancing the School’s technological presence — from its multiple databases to the website and online portals.

Looking back, Improta is particularly proud of her early strides to bring Trinity-Pawling into the age of technology. “We were one of the first schools to do grades online! That was pretty groundbreaking in the late 1990s.” She also notes the ever-changing nature of her job — a challenge she has relished.

“Technology is constantly evolving and I am always looking for ways to help the School improve. It’s important to be on top of your game in the tech world.

You can’t blink or it will pass you by!”

Although not in a traditional classroom, Improta genuinely enjoyed the teaching aspect of her job. “I loved working with faculty, students, and fellow parents, teaching them how to use our systems.” As a parent herself (her son Michael graduated in 1995), Improta valued the collaboration and the chance to get to know the community beyond the main office building. “The support Michael received at T-P was amazing. It was definitely the best decision we ever made.”

This past January, after 26 years of full-time service to the School, Improta shifted to a part-time position in the Technology Department before taking the next step into full retirement. Once retired, Improta says she looks forward to enjoying her new home in South Carolina, gardening, cooking, and traveling with family. Of course, she will miss many aspects of her job, but none more than the warmth of the school community. “I absolutely love this place — the support, kindness, willingness to help. It’s one of a kind. I consider myself so lucky to have worked here.”

The feeling is mutual. Thank you, Linda, for your dedication to the School.

Trinity-Pawling truly is a better place because of you.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 19

The Big Picture

Outside INTEREST S

Trinity-Pawling has a long history of outdoor education, from hands-on science classes at the pond to the transformational leadership and team-building ropes course to greenhouse farming at Gamage Gardens. Recently, Trinity-Pawling has proven its commitment to outdoor education by taking advantage of the additional 90 acres (purchased by the School last year) on the upper side of campus to ensure further growth of the farming and sustainability program.

In the past three years, over 40 students have participated in Trinity-Pawling’s Farming Program in place of either a fall or spring sport. The majority of those who have joined the farming team have little to no previous experience in working outside, much less in agriculture. The goals of the program are to expose the students to the outdoors, to develop their knowledge of and appreciation for local food production and local and global food economies, and to raise their awareness of the important issues surrounding the sustainability of our School's practices and those of the global community. “I hope that, with greater awareness and appreciation of the natural world, our students will become the problem solvers who take the lead in protecting and improving the Earth and its inhabitants,” says educator Josh Frost ’04.

Additional plans for the expanded campus include the creation of a cross-country course, hiking and mountain biking trails, a campsite, and curricular programming for the students that will create opportunities for more adventure and time in nature.

20 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 21

Spotlight on Senior Independent Projects

STANDOUTS FROM THE CLASS OF 2020

22 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

By Maria Buteux Reade

Every student comes to Trinity-Pawling knowing that in his final year, he’ll be doing a Senior Independent Project (SIP). It is now ingrained in their expectations.

Scott Harff, Co-Director of College Counseling, has overseen this program since its inception in 2015. “A sophomore approached me the other day saying he already has an idea for his SIP,” Harff said. “That’s a sign of the program’s success.”

A

s the capstone of the multi-year Practicum for

30 students were offered this opportunity and 13

Civic Leadership, the SIP hinges on one word:

accepted the challenge, double the number from the

independent. “We’re a structured school with guidelines

previous year. Seniors not on the distinction track must

and supports built into many of our systems,” Harff

participate in a final Winter Project.

explains. “This may be the first opportunity for a

“Having the option to pursue a diploma with

student to be truly independent, to struggle a bit,

distinction validates students who invest significantly

and face a sink-or-swim situation. By design, the SIP

in their SIP,” Harff explains. “They have been granted

entails some uncertainty and discomfort as a student

the gift of time to explore their passion more deeply

is charged with developing a project stemming from his

and expand the final project.” Those pursuing honors

own interest and seeing it to fruition.”

are paired with an alumni mentor who has volunteered

The process begins in the spring of junior year when

to collaborate via email or phone. Alumni mentors

each student is paired with a faculty mentor. Harff has

enjoy developing a connection with current students,

built a team of eight faculty members who volunteer

and the students benefit from outside expertise in the

to guide a cohort of twelve students. The mentor helps

targeted field.

each to brainstorm and pinpoint his passion. Juniors

Harff is particularly pleased that student transcripts

should depart in late May with a kernel of an idea so

have been reformatted to include each year of the

they can develop a plan. Some work on the project

Practicum, from the Winter Projects of freshman and

over the summer; others delay until the fall. Time

sophomore years to the Global Collaborative Challenge

management is part of the learning process.

junior year and the Senior Independent Project. Full

Come September, the faculty mentor checks in

descriptions of each project are described in the

with his charges, but it’s incumbent on the student to

student’s college profile. “The transcript includes a

establish a framework and set a working timeline. In

150-character description of the SIP, which can be a

mid-October, each senior makes a formal presentation

launching point for discussions in the college process.

of his project to his cohort. Those peers are

It’s fairly easy to see a student’s level of engagement.

responsible for providing constructive feedback — a

Those who invest fully derive the greatest benefits.”

real-life skill in itself. “Presenting to a dozen of your

Including this information on the transcript amplifies

peers adds a level of healthy trepidation,” Harff notes.

the School’s belief in the Practicum and reflects the

The students have a month to fine-tune their projects

journey the student has pursued over his years at

before they make a final presentation to their peers in

Trinity-Pawling. Scott Harff will take over as Director of

November.

College Counseling in July.

At that point, the faculty mentors propose

I sat down in January with five seniors whose

which seniors should continue to advance their SIP

projects spotlight the range of topics covered. Here’s

and pursue a diploma with distinction. This year,

what they had to say:

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 23

“Aloe vera is great for skin ailments such as acne, rashes, and sunburn.

It can also be used to heal minor cuts and scrapes. Eucalyptus, with its menthol fragrance, can help cure upper respiratory illnesses and reduce anxiety. And echinacea is an immune booster and can treat infections and

Rodger Ecker

wounds.”

The second half of his project

Sam Fechner

Hometown: Patterson, NY

involved creating Farm All Cures, a

Hometown: Hamburg, Germany

Years at Trinity-Pawling: 4

series of three short videos that show

Years at Trinity-Pawling: 2

Interests: Medical science and art history

how to craft medicinal remedies from

Interests: Music, science fiction movies, basketball, economics, and friends

Roles at Trinity-Pawling: Theater officer, Head Alumni Ambassador, captain of squash and cross country, member of the Dean’s Advisory Council and the Honor Council

each plant. “I developed a storyboard and wrote the script. I act as the host, and my buddies Harrison Salisbury

Roles at Trinity-Pawling: Dorm proctor, member of the NHS, Dean's Advisory Council, Relay for Life student leader

’20 and Lucas Hughes ’20 filmed me while I explain how to grow, harvest,

R

and prepare the remedies.” The odger Ecker recognized a national

episodes are both insightful and light-

dilemma: Americans take more

hearted, infused with Ecker’s engaging

medications than people in any other

personality.

nation. At what cost have these

“This project has taught me time

M ozart started playing piano at age 3, Beethoven at 8. Sam Fechner? He began piano lessons when he was 6. By 8, he was composing. “Nothing

pharmaceuticals impacted our health,

management, how to balance the

serious though; I was just messing

our well-being, and our planet? And

hours I need for editing with everything

around.”

what are our alternatives? For his SIP,

else I do at school.” Ecker, a four-year

A native of Hamburg, Germany,

Ecker proposed that we turn back to

day student from Patterson, New York,

Fechner came to Trinity-Pawling

wild plants that can be foraged and

is indeed a busy young man: captain

as a repeat junior, thinking varsity

domesticated plants that can be grown

of varsity cross country and squash,

basketball would be his main focus.

at home to treat a variety of ailments.

Head Alumni Ambassador, member of

However, music has become his

National Honor Society, and officer of

primary interest, fueled by the array of

the Theater Department.

offerings available at the School. As

The first part of his project involved growing plants that have medicinal benefits. After researching, he chose

“I’ve also been able to use the

three that can be grown easily at home: editing skills I learned in Mrs. Rafferty’s Digital Portfolio class. I’m not focused aloe vera, echinacea, and eucalyptus.

a junior, he entered AP Music Theory a month after the class had begun and worried he was too far behind.

“We have a nice garden at our home

on the number of hours I’ve spent on

“One of the amazing things about T-P

in upstate New York where I grew the

this project because I’m genuinely

is the extra help. Mr. Templeton met

plants.” The 8-inch eucalyptus he

interested in the topic. We’ve lost a

with me several nights for a couple

transplanted flourished into a 4-foot

lot of primal knowledge, so it’s cool to

weeks and caught me up. That never

high bush, providing plenty of leaves

reacquaint with these skills and put

would have happened back home in

for experimentation. Ecker credits

them into real life applications.”

Germany.” In his senior year, Fechner

some of his horticultural interest to

Rodger Ecker will matriculate at

is enrolled in Music Composition and

his participation in Trinity-Pawling’s

Washington College in the fall, where

Instrumental Music, plays keyboard

farming program in spring 2019.

he intends to study environmental

and organ in Jazz Band, and sings with

science, law, and pre-med.

the Trinitones. “Mr. Kelsey makes us

Ecker recited the plant’s benefits.

24 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

try new instruments so I picked up

percussion while he’s at the grand

electric bass and saxophone.”

piano.

For his SIP, Fechner wanted to

So how does he compose his

create music. He found inspiration in

music? “I have a full-size 88 key MIDI

a spontaneous jaunt to Iceland in his

controller keyboard in my room that

junior year. “Three days before the

connects to my laptop. I play the

mid-winter break, I booked a cheap

piano keys and the software converts

ticket. I spent four days exploring the

the notes to mimic the sound of

island and decided to write a musical

whatever instrument I choose — cello,

piece about Iceland.”

violin, bass, or flute. With today’s

Truth Harris

technology, you can barely tell the

Hometown: Mt. Vernon, NY

the concept into a full album dedicated

difference between a MIDI-generated

Years at Trinity-Pawling: 2

to his two years at Trinity-Pawling.

violin or cello, but fortunately, nothing

Interests: Animals, National Geographic

“The Journey reflects the travel from

can truly replace a person playing a

Hamburg, Germany to Pawling, New

real instrument.”

But once he started, he expanded

York; The City Never Sleeps is about a

Roles at Trinity-Pawling: Captain of the varsity basketball team, dorm proctor

“The digital piano is great for

weekend I spent in New York City. The

composing. I can put the headphones

Forest conveys what I felt at the Ropes

on and not bother anyone. I’ll often

Course. And I wrote Autumn Rain one

play for 30 minutes before I go to

afternoon while I was in my dorm room

sleep, but then my brain keeps working

gained a new appreciation for the craft

in Cluett watching the rain fall.”

and I might get up and compose or

of videography through his SIP.

As of late winter, Fechner was

play some more if the ideas keep

L ike any teenager, Truth Harris has watched millions of videos. But he

“I was thinking of options for my project and then my mom and my girlfriend, Diamond, suggested I

“

make a short documentary about my

We’re a structured school with guidelines and supports built into many of our systems,” Harff explains. “This may be the first opportunity for a student to be truly independent, to struggle a bit, and face a sink-or-swim situation.

– Scott Harff, Co-Director of College Counseling,

”

summer.” The Mt. Vernon native took their advice and, armed with his iPhone 11, he captured the highlights from late May through his return to TrinityPawling in September.

“The video starts with the prom Diamond and I went to at Chelsea Piers. I rented a Mercedes Benz G-Wagon for the night, so yeah, that made the video.”

The first portion follows Harris through a series of basketball

fine-tuning the album. “Mr. Templeton

flowing. Creating music helps me

tournaments. At Trinity-Pawling,

has given me constructive feedback

process things, especially if I’ve had a

Harris serves as captain of the varsity

on compositional techniques which

bad day. Music helps settle my mind.”

basketball team. Off campus, he plays

challenges me to make the work even

Sam Fechner will continue his

for Team Dyckman in Harlem. Harris

better.” Fechner intended to perform

study of music at University of

was ranked #27 in that high-level

the full ten pieces at a concert this

Chicago, NYU’s Steinhardt School of

summer league which allowed him

spring, using fellow Trinity-Pawling

Music, or Oberlin College.

to attend the Top 50 Camp at IMG

musicians to play cello, flute, and

Academy in Bradenton, Florida at the

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 25

end of May. He traveled to Atlanta in

improved my communication skills at

July for an AAU tournament.

Trinity-Pawling. I’ve done several radio

The video also incorporates

bodily fluids.

Wramage spent eight weeks taking

shows with Voices of Trinity-Pawling,

an accelerated course in Brooklyn to

segments of his play in the NYC Jam,

and I’ve developed leadership as a

earn his New York State Emergency

a full-court two-on-two tournament.

basketball captain and as a proctor

Medical Technician (EMT) certification.

Viewers catch Harris winning the

in Cluett. I’ve gained more confidence

“It was intense. Four classes a week,

Hoops in the Sun Dunk contest at

and have better self-management.

which came to 150 hours of lectures

Orchard Beach in the Bronx. He

Now when I have the opportunity to try

and hands-on training, plus two to six

launches himself up and over a (brave?

something new, I say, ‘Why not?’”

hours of homework for each class.” He

foolish?) man sitting in a folding chair

was the youngest of the 49 students.

right below the hoop. Harris slam

What motivated him to shift from a

dunks, leaving the man grinning and

summer of hockey clinics and immerse

perfectly intact.

himself in this field? “I’ve always been

Harris and his family wrapped up

interested in science and medicine,

the summer with a ten-day cruise from

and I enjoy helping people. I figured

Miami to the Grand Cayman Islands,

becoming an EMT would satisfy all

Honduras, and Cozumel. Harris filmed

those areas.”

throughout, as he swam in the crystal

Like many kids, Wramage grew

Caribbean water, went snorkeling,

up reading Superman comics and

wandered the towns, and explored

wanted to be a hero. He discovered

Mayan ruins. “Traveling allows me to experience different cultures, see architecture, learn the history, and watch animals and wildlife.”

Harris is proud of the technical skills he gained through this project.

“I had to figure out how to import

Linus Wramage Hometown: Brooklyn, NY Years at Trinity-Pawling: 4

that saving pucks as a goalie allowed him to feel larger than life. After an injury ended his competitive hockey dreams, he needed to find a new outlet

Interests: Ceramics, lacrosse, theater

— something that satiated his desire

Roles at Trinity-Pawling: Peer student mentor, dorm proctor

to help people. “As an EMT, I can make a difference and provide critical

segments from basketball sites that

assistance in an emergency.” Just

film us, like Bleacher Report Hoops,

another form of coming up with the

Sports Center, Overtime, and Ball is Life. I worked with a friend who taught

M any kids spend their summers

big save. “Once you’ve been trained

relaxing at home. Linus Wramage

and gained experience, you know

me how to use the editing software. I

devoted his to soft tissue injuries and

how to react and what to do. It’s just

added photos, text, music, and special

burns, airway management, scene

like playing a sport: you practice the

effects. I trimmed it down to nine

assessment and hazmat awareness.

motions so you can react instinctively.”

minutes and two seconds.”

Infectious diseases, respiratory and

Wramage feels that more people

“I think the SIP is a great idea. I learned something completely new

cardiac emergencies, how to disinfect

should have basic first-aid training

an ambulance soiled by a patient’s

in CPR, Heimlich, and what to do for

and took this project seriously. I didn’t want to rush and make it sloppy.

I wanted to be proud of the final product. I’d show drafts to my friends and get their feedback. Editing took a long time — I easily spent two or three hours at a time doing edits — but I discovered I had patience.”

Harris plans to study communications in college. “I’ve

26 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

These seniors understand that it’s all about discovering talents and putting them into action — it’s a personal journey.

cardiac arrest. “These are fairly simple,

Development class sophomore year.

But I really admire that Mike wanted to

practical skills that can save lives,

Mr. Keel (Dean of Residential Life)

create something authentic that can

and I’m surprised they’re not taught in

stopped in and asked if we could

help solve a problem.”

schools.” The course involved written

design an app for chapel attendance.

exams, practical skills labs, and a 12-

Several students started the project

computer science knowledge to a

hour shift in an ambulance.

that year. I picked up where Jay Wen

genetics topic and gained national

Wramage plans to study

Concurrently, Yan applied his

’18 and others left off. I created two

honors in January. Yan was one

microbiology at either NYU or

versions, one for iOS and one for

of 1,900 seniors who entered the

University of British Columbia, and

Android. The app is connected to

he will continue to volunteer as an

an online database." Van Metcalf,

EMT. To maintain his New York State

computer science guru, is proud of

certification, Wramage must take a

Mike for seeing this project through to

refresher course and written exam

fruition. “It’s taken nearly three years

every three years. “This is invaluable

because of the level of difficulty.”

training that I’ll carry with me wherever

With Yan’s T-P Chapel Check app,

I go. There will be a time when

the seniors in charge of checking

something happens and I’m thankful I’ll

attendance may soon be able to swipe

know what to do and how to help.”

or tap the name of each boy as he enters the Chapel and hit ‘submit’ once the service begins. The information will go to an online database, and the deans will have immediate access to who is present and who needs to be tracked down. In other words, accurate information, in real time. No more

“

It’s been more challenging than he imagined, and he’s struggled at times.

But I really admire that Mike wanted to create something authentic that can help solve a problem.

– Dutch Keel, Dean of Residential Life

”

sorting through emails or texts or juggling sheets of paper. Just a single list from one source.

“The app is still in the testing phase,

Regeneron Science Talent Search,

and we’re having a few checkers use

a national competition to spark and

it this spring so I can work out any

reward scientific research. He won

problems," Yan says. The hardest part

$2,000 and an additional $2,000 for the

Years at Trinity-Pawling: 4

of the project? "Figuring out how to

Trinity-Pawling Science Department

Interests: Guitar, board games, soccer, squash, computer programming

connect the student checker app with

for the project (Detection of t(9;22)

the faculty app." Fun part? "To design

Chromosome Translocation Using

Roles at Trinity-Pawling: Tech crew, member of Jazz Band

the graphics and create what the app

Deep Residual Neural Network) he

will look like." And what makes him

submitted. “I developed a program that

proud? "That I learned to use an online

used artificial intelligence to recognize

database and integrate it into this

the translocation of chromosomes 9

app."

and 22, which indicates the carrier may

Jiahe ‘Mike’ Yan Hometown: Shanghai, China

A

lumni from every generation may

recall their peers who were tasked

Dutch Keel, Dean of Residential

possess symptoms for chronic myeloid

with taking chapel attendance. They’ll

Life, sees great value in being able

leukemia. It’s biogenetics, but really,

probably agree it was challenging to

to get immediate and accurate

it’s just deep learning AI”

get accurate information every day.

attendance in real time, i.e. an

Which could be good or bad, depending

emergency situation. He’s pleased

computer science at University of

on your situation… That issue became

with Yan’s persistence on this project.

Illinois at Urbana-Champaign or Case

the genesis for Mike Yan’s SIP.

“It’s been more challenging than he

Western.

“I was in Mr. Metcalf’s App

Not surprisingly, Yan will study

imagined, and he’s struggled at times.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 27

LIVE

ART FOR

THE JOURNEYS OF STEVE HANNOCK ’69 AND NED READE

By Maria Buteux Reade

IS SUCCESS A MATTER OF LUCK OR PERSISTENCE? CAN ARTISTIC TALENT BE CULTIVATED OR IS IT NATURAL? I SAT DOWN WITH STEVE HANNOCK ’69 AND NED READE, CHAIR OF THE ARTS AT TRINITY-PAWLING FROM 1977 TO 2020, TO FIND OUT HOW THEY ACHIEVED ARTISTIC SUCCESS OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS. THEIR SECRETS? TAKING RISKS. FINDING MENTORS WHO CHALLENGED THEM TO LEVEL UP. AND WORKING THEIR TAILS OFF.

Steve Hannock ’69

H

anging in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a 12-foot by 8-foot painting that portrays a unique curve in the Connecticut River known as The Oxbow. The placid water reflects the pale sky, the broad landscape a patchwork of cultivated fields. Upon closer inspection, what looks to be tilled rows are actually words inscribed directly into the painting, snippets of the artist’s daily life.

28 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

Though a celebrated painter of contemporary landscapes, Hannock says his paintings have more to do with people than the topography. “My artistic process involves embedding formative experiences I’ve had directly into the painting. In the process of painting a place, certain experiences I’ve had with family and friends come to mind. It got to the point where the memory of those experiences meant more to me than the scenery. That’s when I started to literally write people and anecdotes into the paintings.” A vista with text, each painting a diary, a personal record of both the meaningful and the mundane.

Hannock’s polished landscapes hang in permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum, the Whitney, Washington’s National Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, among others. An impressive accomplishment for someone who had no formal art instruction until he was a postgraduate at Deerfield Academy in 1969.

Prior to Deerfield, Hannock spent three years at Trinity-Pawling. “I came to play hockey and lacrosse and was told not to take art, theater, or music. It would look to college coaches like I was trying to pad my transcript. It was a

different attitude at the time. Educators weren’t aware of what we now take for granted, such as the value of arts and music.”

Hannock draws a direct parallel between art and athletics. “Both demand relentless practice to reach any level of excellence. Practice develops muscle memory. The moment when an idea comes to life or a play unfolds, you just have to react. In athletics and art, or whatever you do, the nature of your preparation impacts the quality of your performance.”

Trinity-Pawling was not unique, and Deerfield itself offered minimal studio art instruction until 1969, the year that Hannock arrived for his postgrad year. “I signed up for an art class with Dan Hodermarsky. He saw me drawing with both hands and took a look at some of my work. By the way, being ambidextrous doesn’t guarantee better art; it’s just crossed wires. Anyway, that got his attention and he told me to just go draw and bring him my work every two weeks. In a boarding school environment where every minute is accounted for, to be given that trust and freedom had a real currency with me. He continued to be a mentor to me until he died in 1999. I visited him every year.”

Hannock headed to Bowdoin College in 1970 to play hockey. In his sophomore year, he participated in the 12 College Exchange to study art at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. He certainly didn’t mind being one of 20 men among 2,500 women.

While at Smith, Hannock’s work attracted the attention of Leonard Baskin, a professor of sculpture and printmaking. Baskin invited Hannock to apprentice with him. During that time, Hannock also met Elizabeth Mongan, who taught art history at Smith College, and her sister Agnes, director of Harvard’s Fogg Museum of Art. The Mongan sisters became Hannock’s mentors for the next 25 years. Through that connection,

Hannock was granted a one-man show at the Smith College Museum of Art — the youngest artist ever given that opportunity. Hannock dedicated his groundbreaking painting The Oxbow to the Mongan sisters, which now hangs in the Metropolitan Museum’s permanent collection.

“All major level shifts in my art have been the direct result of an inspired teacher or mentor, and I’ve had about eight or nine men and women in this role. They all possessed the same trait: a

when he partnered with restaurateurs Danny Meyer and Tom Colicchio. “I was invited to create a painting for Gramercy Tavern and it expanded from there.” Hannock’s paintings now serve as focal points in many of Meyer’s renowned Manhattan establishments.

Next up: Hollywood. Dozens of Hannock’s paintings were incorporated into the 1998 movie What Dreams May Come, which starred Robin Williams.

Hannock was part of the movie’s technical crew that won an Academy

“MY ARTISTIC PROCESS INVOLVES EMBEDDING FORMATIVE EXPERIENCES I’VE HAD DIRECTLY INTO THE PAINTING.” STEVE HANNOCK ’69 complete inability to separate personal and professional life, including Bill LaBelle at T-P and Dan Hodermarsky at Deerfield.”

Hannock remained in Northampton, Massachusetts as a working artist until he relocated to New York City in 1984.

His career took off in the early 1990s

Award for Special Visual Effects.

In 2000, his signature piece, The Oxbow, was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum. In 2002, Sting commissioned Hannock to create a painting of the musician’s home city, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Hannock completed Northern City

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 29

Renaissance: Newcastle, England in 2008. The two have remained close friends and continue to collaborate.

“We’re godfathers to each other’s kids.

We spend a month together each summer in Italy. That’s when we plot out whatever creative project we can scheme up for the upcoming year — a musical, a book, a joint lecture concert.”

Hannock met Bridget Watkins in 1994 and they married in 2000. Their daughter, Georgia, was born in June 2000. Tragically, Bridget developed

Ned Reade

N

ed Reade’s love of art also began at Deerfield Academy in 1969, his junior year. “I took a drawing and painting class with Dan Hodermarsky who had just arrived as the Academy’s first studio art teacher. Prior to Hodo, the only art offering was a one-term shop class.”

Reade had taken an art history class in ninth grade at Bement School, taught by Arthur Wheelock, a recent

30 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

a brain tumor during her pregnancy and died in October 2004. “There was nothing more frightening than being a parent, especially after Bridget died.

She was a great mom. Now I’m a single dad raising a beautiful, smart, athletic daughter. Georgia’s a freshman at the University of Vermont.”

Hannock reflects on the creative process. “Even if you feel you lack talent or skill, art is worth trying. It’s the last arena where you can pursue an idea that excites you, and you can challenge yourself to find ways to

bring that idea to life. It’s all on you.

And once you experience that creative process, you can carry that approach into whatever pursuit you tackle. It’s incredibly rewarding.”

The irrepressible Hannock continues to forge his own artistic path, surrounding himself with a team of people who market his work. “In the art world, to survive as a painter — to make and sell paintings on a regular basis — is a real cause for celebration.

In fact, just being alive is worthy of celebrating.”

graduate of Williams College. “Art’s wife was taking graduate classes at Smith College so he would borrow books from their collection and leave them in the Bement library. We’d go in and pore over the pictures of what we just studied in class — Van Eyck, Breughel, Bosch.” Wheelock later served as curator of northern European art for Washington’s National Gallery from 1973 to 2018.

Williams College had a strong art history department that attracted Reade. “Art history majors were required to take two semesters of practical art — drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking. One of my painting professors was Tom Krens — he was off the wall! We walked in one day and he had a table in the center of the studio piled high with urinals, toilets, porcelain sinks, chrome fixtures. That’s how we learned to paint in monochromatic tones.” Reade describes the training as rigorous and stimulating. Krens went on to direct the Guggenheim Museum in New York City and initiated its global expansion.

Reade interviewed at TrinityPawling in his senior year, March 1975. “Taft and Andover had offered me internships, but Phil Smith offered a full-time position that included

five classes, three sports, and a dorm.

I signed on for $6,600. Phil was a Williams alum and we discovered we had some of the same professors.”

“My first months in the art classroom were challenging,” Reade recalls. “I was flying blind. I had no guidance or direction and had to find my own solutions. I had no experience in teaching boys how to draw, and we all were frustrated with the results. I realized I had to develop assignments where the boys could succeed. I found a color photograph of The Beatles Yellow Submarine album cover. I had the students enlarge it and grid it out, then each of the students was responsible for producing two panels. They needed to mix the acrylic paints and match the colors in their classmates’ panels. This taught accuracy and collaboration. The kids assembled the final piece, we hung it in the hallway, and people thought it was really cool. The kids were so proud and that gave them — and me — some confidence.”

In the summer of 1976, Reade enrolled in the Lake Placid School of Art and took classes in etching, silk screening, drawing, and plein air watercolor. “I brought silk screening back to T-P. I built a vacuum press, screens, made a makeshift photo lab

for stencils. I started generating more interesting projects, and enrollment in art increased.”

As an art department of one, Reade sought professional colleagues.

“I connected with Maggie Smith, a wonderfully gracious art teacher at South Kent School. She shared project ideas that worked and showed me how and where to order art supplies.” He also joined the Independent School Art Instructors Association (ISAIA). “Art teachers from most of the independent schools throughout New England met for two days in New York City every December. We would show slides of successful student projects, and that gave me a broader idea of what a range of kids could accomplish. It opened my eyes and introduced me to some wonderful colleagues.” In December 2019, Reade was honored for his four-plus decade contribution to the organization.

Reade added pottery to the arts curriculum in the early 1980s. To improve his own skills in ceramics, he spent five summers at Wesleyan University where he earned his master’s degree. He established a pottery studio in the ground floor of the Dann Building and steadily built up that component.

Reade connected with local artists and potters and invited them as guest lecturers for his advanced art classes, a tradition that continues to this day. “It was stimulating for the students and me to have these professionals visit our

class and share their expertise.”

In 1981, Trinity-Pawling’s Board of Trustees allocated funds for faculty summer sabbaticals. Reade packed up his 35mm camera and easel and headed to France where he followed the pilgrimage route from Paris to Santiago de Compostela. “I would land in a city — Paris, Chartres, Reims, Amiens, Vezelay, Toulouse — and spend 24 hours taking slide photos of architecture, stained glass windows, sculptures, and artworks that I could

“ART TEACHES DISCIPLINE, REQUIRES PERSISTENCE, AND REWARDS CURIOSITY.” NED READE use in art history. Then I’d spend the next couple of days painting on location in the squares, marketplaces, and cathedrals.”

That experience shaped him as a plein air painter, still his trademark style. Reade fell into a stimulating rhythm of taking watercolor workshops on longer school vacations, which allowed him to travel while furthering his skills by working with artists whom

he admired. He spent a summer at an art school based in an Italian monastery surrounded by olive groves, painting each day in the hill towns of Italy. From there, to Martha’s Vineyard, Florida, coastal Maine, and trips to Europe, where he chased the interplay of light and shadows.

“Taking workshops puts me in the position of my students. I feel the stress and excitement of trying something new, facing a blank canvas or piece of watercolor paper and trying to make the paint work for me. But I also love the sense of wonder as I watch the teacher do the demonstration and feeling inspired to create after that. As artists, we’re continuously learning and evolving. That’s why I enjoy painting in the studio alongside my advanced art students. I want them to see me struggle, to make mistakes, and solve problems.”

And now, after more than 50 years as a practicing artist and dedicated teacher, Reade offers some valedictory thoughts. “Art helps you connect to the world around you. If you can draw something, you understand and own it. Art teaches discipline, requires persistence, and rewards curiosity. Art’s not about talent. I didn’t have talent; I had interest. You learn to stick to it, make it work, and finish the job. Those are life skills.”

The very skills this faithful servant has imparted to legions of TrinityPawling students for 45 years.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 31

by the numbers Through the Years with Ned Reade 1975

1976

1977

1981

Interviews with Phil Smith during his senior year at Williams College and that summer, joins Trinity-Pawling as its first dedicated art teacher.

Becomes president of the Pawling Concert Series, bringing world-class musical performances to Trinity-Pawling School and the Pawling community.

The Art Department moves from Barstow into the

Trinity-Pawling’s Board of Trustees allocates funds for faculty summer sabbaticals, so Ned packs up his 35mm camera and easel and heads to

1998

2001

2002

2003

The Edwin G. Reade III Court, in the Rock Squash Center, is named in honor of Ned’s 24 years as TrinityPawling’s squash coach.

Ned takes a full sabbatical to paint and study at art schools in New York City.

He is on location painting on September 11 and captures the World Trade Center towers as they crumble.

Receives the

Ned and Maria move from Starr Dorm to Reiter House.

Ned served as a dorm parent

32 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

fifth floor of Cluett.

France.

Arditti Award for Faculty Excellence.

for

28 years.

“

Ned does everything with tremendous commitment to character, excellence, and care for the students. Moreover, he is an outstanding mentor to the faculty and a touchpoint for countless alumni. He has enriched the life of the School in ways that are beyond measure and will leave a legacy that is as vibrant and beautiful as his paintings.”

— HEADMASTER BILL TAYLOR

1989

1990

1994

1995

Receives the Dunbar Award for Service to the Community.

Serves on the School’s

Ned is granted a sabbatical to “paint the colors of the fall,” colors he had been too busy to paint in previous years.

Art classes move to the basement of the

Marries French and English teacher (and future Dean of Faculty) Maria “Boots” Buteux.

2004

Arts Center

The new opens, with a ground floor devoted to spaces for the visual arts, including a photo lab, pottery room, and two painting and drawing studios. All the arts in one place, at last!

inaugural Long Range Planning Committee, along with four other faculty members and five trustees.

auditorium.

2019

2020

Honored for his four-plus decade contribution to the

Ned retires after 45 years of outstanding service to the Trinity-Pawling community.

Independent School Art Instructors Association (ISAIA).

The Founders League awarded the Archibald A. Smith III Award for Sportsmanship to Ned, honoring his years of service and dedication to the ideals of coaching and sportsmanship at Trinity-Pawling School. Ned’s role as a coach at Trinity-Pawling includes 37 years as the varsity squash coach, 6 years with JV squash, 26 years as the varsity soccer coach, 17 years coaching thirds soccer, 5 years as the varsity tennis coach, and 2 years coaching JV tennis.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 33

pride athletics FACES IN THE CROWD

BY CYRUS ROTHWELL-FERRARIS

This Spring, we highlight six senior student-athletes who have made considerable contributions to Trinity-Pawling’s athletic programs while acting as stewards of citizenship and community on campus.

SOCCER CK Giancola is a talented athlete from Canton, CT. Since he never played soccer before his sophomore year at Trinity-Pawling, Giancola says his greatest athletic challenge was learning the lingo and the sport at the same time. His first goal came quickly in that tenth-grade year, and he never looked back. A testament to his athleticism, Coach Clougher says that Giancola was always modest about his skill, attributing much of his success to lucky mistakes, even though he earned his success.

Giancola will attend Wesleyan University next year to play on their top-ranked lacrosse team.

34 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

FOOTBALL

CROSS COUNTRY

Kyle Bicho came to Trinity-Pawling as a PG and quickly took command as the quarterback leader of the football team. After dislocating his elbow his senior year at Portsmouth, RI, Bicho worked hard to get back on the field. In the 2019 campaign, Bicho scored 19 touchdowns while throwing for 1,104 yards and rushing for another 420, leading the Pride to a 4-4 mark. He also brought his Senior Independent Project to the football field in a charity game against Salisbury to support the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation in support of his grandmother, Nana, who attended the game. He will go on to play football at Union College next year.

Ben Yoon is a multifaceted talent, attending TrinityPawling since freshman year as a day student from Patterson, NY. As the only four-year member of last fall’s varsity cross country team, Yoon was disappointed not to be named captain but he says this disappointment spurred huge growth as a competitor with a desire to push himself even further. The 2019 team finished 6th at the Shaler Invitational and

7th at the Founders meet. Off the track, Yoon has acted in a whopping 13 plays and serves as a prefect. He is proud to have started ‘Allies of Awareness,’ Trinity-Pawling’s first LGBTQ+ club. Yoon hopes to pursue drama and engineering at the college of his choice next year.

HOCKEY John Gelatt is from Middletown, NJ, and finished his second season with the hockey team as a leading scorer — he played in 21 games this year and tallied 18 goals and 24 assists. Gelatt says that he is deaf in his right ear and gives credit to the awareness and communication of his teammates for his point-scoring success. He serves as a proctor in Barstow and is proud to have made Headmaster’s List two times while at Trinity-Pawling. Gelatt will play Juniors in Johnstown, PA next year in preparation for college hockey.

a shock. He has definitely adapted to the game — his numerous 20+ point showings this year led the 2020 team to a fifth seed in the Class A playoffs.

Harris serves as a proctor in Cluett and has enjoyed learning to knit for his Winter Project this year.

WRESTLING Lucas Hughes, a day student from Patterson, NY, has grown into a mature young man in his four years at Trinity-Pawling. He has acted in many plays in his tenure, and serves as a prefect this year. Reflecting on his career, he says that he lost his first two varsity wrestling matches for the Pride as a sophomore, a disappointment that humbled him but helped him be true to himself.

“If I lived it, I was passionate about it,” says Hughes. “I love all the ups and downs, the struggle, the failure, the victory, the learning, and the growing.

I’ve learned how to love life — my greatest accomplishment off the mats.” Hughes has wrestled with talented teams full of collegebound wrestlers (and some All-Americans to boot) and will be taking his many talents to Wesleyan University next year.

BASKETBALL Truth Harris is known for his ferocious dunks. Harris is a two-year basketball star for the Pride. Originally from Mount Vernon, NY, Harris says that the shift from public school basketball, where he won a state championship, to Class A NEPSAC basketball was S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 35

pride spotlight

On Two Wheels JC MEYNET ’84’s SWERVING PATH TO SUCCESS

BY CYRUS ROTHWELL-FERRARIS

Despite his initial reluctance to leave boardshorts, barefeet, and California sun for New York winters in coat and tie, JC Meynet made a pioneer journey across the country at just 16. 40 years later, Meynet’s distinction at Trinity-Pawling goes unmatched. He and his wife Carrie Rollings-Meynet ’85 are the only married alumni of Trinity-Pawling School.

Meynet’s renown doesn’t end there.

After graduating, Meynet moved back to Santa Barbara to work in a law office where he learned that he liked law but didn’t like lawyers. So instead, he took the next obvious step: motorcycle racing. He quickly learned that the dream isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. “Professional racing...” he laments, “meaning I worked really hard but made almost no money.” For seven years, Meynet raced high-powered motorcycles professionally before opening a bike shop in Santa Barbara.

Both of Meynet’s sons also enjoyed success as bikers before serious injuries ended their careers. For a time, the father-son Meynet team took on ‘factory’ competition in Supercross events across the country. Almost out of a movie — father as the mechanic, son as the rider — the duo rolled up to major events in a motorhome to compete against riders on $250,000, 450cc dirt bikes built by white lab-coat engineers. Hearing Meynet talk about Supercross racing inspires awe in even the most ignorant listener.

“Imagine: your hands on the handlebars, your feet on the pegs, and then everything in between, it takes a lot of art and a lot of talent to control that angry 240-pound machine. I think these guys are some of the best athletes in the world.”

“Take the start, for example. You have 22 guys going for the same line on the same turn. Like cats on the top of bikes, they are so agile, so coordinated. And everyone is getting beat up! It’s like basketball: it doesn’t look that physical, but guys are stomping, landing on each other. Yet, there’s an ‘honor among thieves’ on the track — they all want to win, but their careers are on the line.”

The level of technicality in the sport goes beyond any common fan’s knowledge, and the physics involved might 36 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

even baffle your science teacher. Meynet explains that “the gyroscopic effect from pulling the clutch in and accelerating and braking at the same time really calms the bike down in the air. You actually have a lot of control on a big jump — riders extend, twist, and rotate, pushing the envelope in physics. They’re right on the edge.”

His son rode the bike so hard that Meynet had to replace the foot pegs every 50 minutes of use, wheels every 20 hours of use, and completely rebuild the engine once a month. Meynet got his first #1 American Motorcycle Association Plate as a mechanic for a Belgian team at 2009 Supermoto (Monsieur Meynet speaks fluent French), and a second time when his son won the World’s Final Pit Bike race in Las Vegas.

Exposing the finances of racing, Meynet mentioned an upcoming COTA Kart race in Texas with a $1,600 entry fee while the first-place grand prize is worth just $1,500.

“Professional mostly means I spend a lot of money to do it.” Luckily, Meynet’s engineering expertise has netted him professional success elsewhere, most prominently as part of the original 2017 10-man team that started Bird Scooters in Santa Monica. The scooter-share company was the fastest tech service company to reach a valuation of $2 billion dollars, taking just two years. “It was more fun when there were 10 to 75 of us,” he says, “When I walk around now, I feel like I don’t know anyone working at the company.” Perseverance and his openness to opportunity have served Meynet well over the years.

Meynet’s reflection on Trinity-Pawling is a wise one. He remembers how difficult school was for him, saying that he barely scraped by. How he hated history class but now watches the History Channel every day. That the dorm was tough, but young dorm master Scott Donnelly made the experience tolerable. His resounding message: “Since then, I’ve done as well as anybody.”

These days, Meynet mostly does freelance consultation as an engineer while residing in Woodland Hills, CA with his Trinity-Pawling bride.

Connor McKenna ’01 MAKING WAVES

BY EMMA CHRISTIANTELLI

As an entrepreneur, environmentalist, snowboarder, and surfer, some might call Connor McKenna ’01 a thrill-seeker. Yet, if you ask him, tackling a new challenge is what really brings the thrill. “I’ve never been one to shy away from anything — a new experience, a challenge, someone who says it’s not possible — bring it on!”

After graduating from Trinity-Pawling, McKenna attended the University of Vermont to study business. Following UVM, he dabbled in a few entrepreneurial endeavors before taking over ARC Sports, his family’s sporting goods business in the tri-state area. His latest work is with Fox Valley Paint, a leader in manufacturing athletic field paint. However, while he stays focused on land sports during his day jobs, he can’t keep his mind out of the ocean waves for too long.

McKenna began surfing at 18 years old during a study abroad adventure in Australia. Originally a snowboarder (and a really good one, at that — he placed 12th at Nationals in 2011), McKenna was a natural on a surfboard. “Since Australia, surfing has taken over my life. I get to meet so many great people, travel to places like Nicaragua and Puerto Rico...it’s truly an amazing sport,” he shared.

In addition to his work at ARC and Fox Valley, McKenna is also developing a line of eco-friendly surf essentials. He and Joe Falcone, owner of Falcone Surfboards, are working together on the new brand. “Sustainable surfing is the name of the game.

Eco-friendly, plant-based, reusable packaging. If it’s not safe for the ocean, we don’t want to sell it.” Under the brand name Dr. Falcone’s, the line includes three sustainably-made surfing products: “DingZap” (a rapid ding repair kit for surfboards and water craft), an all-natural reef-safe sunscreen, and a surfboard traction pad, made from sugar cane.

This current business venture combines McKenna’s passion for surfing with his appetite for a challenge. “Now is the time to change the mindset of the manufacturing world,” he explained.

“We have to challenge ourselves to think beyond ‘cheap and convenient.’ Our oceans and the Earth depend on it.”

With the launch of their new products, McKenna and Falcone hope to inspire other surfers and ocean-enthusiasts to

“I’VE NEVER BEEN ONE TO SHY AWAY FROM ANYTHING — A NEW EXPERIENCE, A CHALLENGE, SOMEONE WHO SAYS IT’S NOT POSSIBLE — BRING IT ON!” play a role in keeping the water clean and safe from pollution.

“Our goal is to be a brand that holds itself accountable for its impact on the environment. We want people to be proud to own Dr. Falcone’s — quality products that also protect the ocean we all love so much.”

It was at Trinity-Pawling, McKenna said, that he first discovered his go-getter spirit. “The School sharpened my skills and gave me the confidence to tackle just about anything. I learned to think creatively and find solutions that contribute to the greater good,” he concluded. “But most importantly, Trinity-Pawling taught me the importance of finding a path I can be proud of. I’d like to think I’ve done just that.”

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 37

pride spotlight

Doing Things Right SEAN CASEY ’89

BY CYRUS ROTHWELL-FERRARIS

S

ean Casey is not new to awards — he’s been recognized and honored time and time again. Hobart College Basketball MVP, five-time Trenton Times Basketball Coach of the Year, ESPN Invitational Champion, Dr. James Naismith National High School Basketball Coach of the Year.

Back in his hometown last October, Casey graciously accepted another award: induction to the Trinity-Pawling Athletic Hall of Fame in a full-circle, symbiotic recognition of where his illustrious basketball career began.

38 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

Casey grew up in Pawling and says he often came to the campus on the hill as a child. In tenth grade, Casey finally donned the blue and gold, his father entrusting him to play for a legendary head coach. “There was a level of preparation and a level of detail in everything Hubs did that had a huge influence on me,” Casey says about Miles Hubbard ’57. “Even in tenth grade he would tell us: ‘It’s just as easy to do things right as it is to do things wrong.’”

These early experiences oriented Casey to the essence of team. “Senior year at the Kingswood-Oxford tournament, we were all piled into one hotel room watching Die Hard,” Casey

“ The best teams give more of themselves than they think they could, representing something bigger than themselves. That stuff goes all the way back to when I was at T-P. ”

reminisces. “I remember looking around and thinking: we are going to have a good team, because we really wanted to be together. When teams feel that way, it leads to success.” The Pride won the holiday tournament, and behind Casey’s 19 points per game, took the Founders League title that year.

After graduating from Hobart, Casey went to teach at The Peddie School in central New Jersey, thinking he’d stay there for a couple years. “I had a lot of great teachers and coaches at T-P — Boots (aka Mrs. Reade), Coratti, Hubbard, Paul Henry — that were all just so invested in the community. I went into boarding school because of those people.”

A 17-year career at Peddie saw his varsity girls basketball team win the New Jersey Class A State Championship a whopping 14 seasons in a row. A unique part of this reign?

Casey’s wife, Jill, served as an assistant coach. “You haven’t coached until you’ve coached with your spouse,” he jokes.

The Caseys surely knew how to run a team.“Early in my career, most of what I did in coaching was what I learned from Hubbard,” he remarks. “Even the plays we ran were from Miles.” Casey ended his coaching career on a high note in 2010, winning the ESPN Invitational with a slew of future Division I players.

As the current headmaster of Franklin Road Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, Casey says he’s just coaching a bigger team now. “Great day schools have the same level of investment in kids as boarding schools do. In running a school, one of my goals is to always hire tremendous faculty.”

Although students go home at night, Casey maintains that his team always has an impact that transcends school hours. “The best teams give more of themselves than they think they could, representing something bigger than themselves. That stuff goes all the way back to when I was at T-P.” In the early 1990s, Casey’s sister, Doreen Kelly, served as Director of Studies at Trinity-Pawling for ten years while her husband, Chris Kelly ’81, coached with Miles Hubbard. “I’m grateful for T-P,” Casey says, “And I’ll be forever grateful for Hubs and the impact he had on me and my family.” From Pawling to Nashville, and New Jersey in between, Casey has taken lessons from his high school experience into the world.

He proves that it works to do things right.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 39

connections

Links to Legacy Doug Ebert ’64

BY MARIA BUTEUX READE

Like many alumni, Doug Ebert has maintained closer ties with his Pawling classmates than with his Williams College peers. “However, we went for about 25 years without being much in touch with one another. We were all off leading our lives, engrossed in our careers. But when our 25th reunion came around in 1989, Hernando Caicedo and I collaborated and orchestrated a great turnout, with around 40 of our classmates returning. Many of us have stayed in close touch since then. We talk frequently and get together a couple of times a year for a golf trip somewhere.”

Golf has remained a rallying cry. Several years before their 50th reunion, a handful of 1964 classmates began to play in Trinity-Pawling’s Annual Alumni Golf Outing. “We put together a couple of foursomes each year, including

40 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

Dave Jollin, Tag Demment, Kim Foley, Hernando Caicedo, Kenper Miller, Peter Wyeth, Carl de Brun, and Bruce Mayer, and the class of 1964 actually won the tournament two years in a row,” Ebert says, his pride unmistakable. “During those times, we started talking about how much we had enjoyed our 25th reunion and what we envisioned for our 50th.”

“Several of us took the lead and started developing a plan for reconnecting with our classmates. We made an all-out effort to get people’s updated contact information, and we wound up with a 98% success rate. That helps tremendously.

Our focus was reconnecting, not fundraising.”

The class, however, did pitch a single fundraising solicitation: a challenge to raise $500K. “We ended up surpassing that goal and raised $1.5 million by 2014, more

than tripling our target. We established the Class of 1964 Legacy Endowment Fund, half of which is earmarked for faculty development and the other half for financial aid. Colleen Dealy was extremely helpful throughout this process; she’s an honorary member of our class!”

More than 30 classmates came back for the 50th reunion in 2014. “On Christmas Eve 2019, one of our classmates sent out a heartfelt email to our entire class. Over the next four days, an email chain went flying around with more than 20 people communicating with ‘Reply All.’ It was quite touching to hear from everyone, especially after our 55th reunion in October.

We all clearly feel the value of deepening our connections with one another.”

Ebert, who lives in Michigan, has served two separate terms as a member of Trinity-Pawling’s Board of Trustees. “This service has allowed me to reciprocate for what I learned at school. As a trustee, I want to ensure the institution’s success through continued financial accountability.”

“Trinity-Pawling made a huge difference in my life. Daily lessons and interactions gave me a sense of accountability and ownership. Working as a waiter and a dish guy in the kitchen with Leo Turley taught me responsibility. The culture of the School was ‘do your best.’ You owe it to yourself, your classmates, and the School.”

“My wife, Linda, and I support several organizations but Trinity-Pawling is my primary interest.” Recently retired from his position as COO of Cranbrook Schools, Ebert serves on the board of four other institutions. “Serving on boards keeps my mind active and me out of the house.”

Ken Weeman ’59 and Al Rock ’59 Receive Distinguished Alumni Award

BY MARIA BUTEUX READE

The Distinguished Alumni Award was developed to recognize an alumnus’ outstanding lifetime service to Trinity-Pawling School.

The recipient must be a member of the alumni community, have an established record of service to the School, and have demonstrated significant achievement in his/her chosen profession. This is the highest award presented by the Alumni Association.

The award was granted to two classmates in October 2019, on the occasion of their 60th reunion. Ken Weeman ’59, P’91 and Al Rock ’59, P’87 both served on the Board of Trustees, and each had a son who also graduated from Trinity-Pawling.

In accepting the award, Ken expressed heartfelt appreciation for the School and all it has done for three generations of Weemans: his father Kenneth B. Weeman ’29, Ken’s brother Fred ‘Fritz’ Weeman ’63, and Ken’s son Carter Weeman ’91. “Our family dreams that our 10-year-old grandson, Kenneth Burleigh Weeman IV, will be the fourth generation, as a member of the class of 2029.” Ken’s uncle, Gordon Weeman, attended the Pawling School in the 1920s and returned as Trinity-Pawling’s chaplain in 1948 and 1949. Ken served two terms as a trustee, from 1988 to 1993 and from 1998 to 2003.

“The School plays an important role in the formative years of young men’s lives,” Weeman states. “It provides a sense of direction and purpose, challenges them to think critically, helps to establish a set of values, teaches respect for others, emphasizes the importance of traditions, and encourages people to live with integrity. Even from afar, you can be supportive to ensure that the School remains strong for future generations. We are a family that’s committed to giving back and staying connected to this School, which has given us so much in return.”

Al Rock expressed surprise and gratitude at being honored. “I’ve always been proud of my connection with the School. My son, Dave, graduated in 1987, and I served as a trustee for 17 years. That gave me the opportunity to get to know and work with alumni from other eras. These experiences allowed me to see first-hand the evolution of the School over the years. It has been great to be a part of a team focused on helping Trinity-Pawling grow and do what it does best: helping boys develop into focused young men.”

Trinity-Pawling is grateful indeed for the generosity of the Weeman and Rock families.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 41

connections

Q&A WITH DARYL RUBINSTEIN ’94 AND OSEI MEVS ’94

BY KATE VENGROVE

What do 15 classmates + a quarter century of separation + one full weekend of Trinity-Pawling reminiscing equal? Well, in the case of the Class of 1994’s 25th reunion this past October, it all amounted to a lot of FUN! I recently caught up with Reunion Chairs Daryl Rubinstein and Osei Mevs to learn more about their successful efforts and weekend (and heard a few fun stories on the side).

42 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

Q

You and your classmates seemed to pick up right where you left off — tell me how you’ve stayed connected over the years.

OM

We really never fell out of touch, we just haven’t talked as much over the years. I never felt like I was distant from any of the friendships.

DR

OM

DR

It’s funny, because we’ve stayed connected in unusual ways. For instance, I had lost touch with Rob Georges, but he went to a camp with my neighbor and we started talking again. We both realized that we love Phish and in 2015, we started meeting at their concerts.

I just saw him this past December in Providence!

Daryl’s right, and throughout the years we would connect with various classmates to stay updated on everyone. Seth Lewis was the best man in Daryl’s wedding and is also a real connector. I hadn’t seen him since the wedding, but we picked up right where we left off.

Yes! Tim Howard’s cousin was actually in my wedding party too, if you can believe it. I lost contact with Tim, but this reunion brought us back together.

Q

You really had a great group on campus this fall — how did you connect and get everyone back?

DR

Many of us are on LinkedIn, so I hit that hard, sending messages and then following up with phone calls.

OM

I agree, and I think the phone list was really helpful. People will answer and talk because they remember the good old days. Only a few didn’t respond.

Q

What was it like when you were all together again?

What did you reminisce about? Any special memories?

DR

We talked a lot about living in Barstow our junior year and loving that experience. There was a great group of us there.

OM

Yes, those were fun times! I have to say, I’m impressed with the level of education at Trinity-Pawling. I didn’t realize it when I was there, but I do now.

DR

You’re right, Osei. Even though I was intimidated before heading to college, I found out I was totally prepared. We all really felt that way.

And of course, everyone remembers the shenanigans!

Q

Do you care to share any of them?

DR

OM (laughing) No comment.

Q

Ok, ok, I get it! Any plans to meet again before your 30th reunion?

DR

(joking) Well, he doesn’t know it yet, but we’re all headed down to Nashville to visit Osei!

OM

(laughing) You are more than welcome! We also talked about meeting Steffan Christie down in the Bahamas — I have a nephew in the Nassau Invitational next fall.

DR

That would be fun!

OM

And Brian Connor wants us all to go up to Burlington. Whether we head north or south, we’ll make it happen somehow.

Q DR

So, I hear you have a class challenge going — tell me more about that.

Yes, we do! I met with Headmaster Taylor last summer to catch up and talk about the upcoming reunion. Our class has a real connection to him from our time here in the early 90s. He was excited that we had a lot of guys coming back and challenged us to raise $50,000 for the School before our next reunion, in honor of our 25th. Osei and I talked and felt it was a stretch, but a definite possibility for our class.

OM

$25,000 has been pledged already, so we’re on our way!

DR

Ahem…hint, hint Class of ’94…

Q

That’s fantastic! What a wonderful way to support the School as a class. Any last words for upcoming milestone reunion years as they make their plans and connect with classmates?

DR

Everyone should go! The experience will exceed your expectations, I promise!

OM

Yes, it was such a great time — everything just fell into place. And you’re going to have fun with whoever is able to make it so just keep plugging away at reach-outs. It’s a blast!

THE SECURE ACT:

How will it affect your IRA? The SECURE Act, or the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, was signed into law on December 20, 2019. This bill includes provisions to address the fact that more people are working beyond the age of 65 and the concern that some individuals need an opportunity to put more money away to ensure a secure retirement.

If you support Trinity-Pawling through your IRA, here are some key takeaways: • You have longer to contribute to your IRA. Previously, after you reached the age of 70½, you could no longer contribute to your IRA. The Act repealed this age limitation, allowing traditional IRA owners more time to save and to make contributions indefinitely.

• The age for the required minimum distribution changed. For those born July 1, 1949 or later, the age for which you must start taking your RMD from your retirement account changed from 70½ to 72.

• At age 70½ or older you can still make tax-free gifts to Trinity-Pawling from your IRA. This rule did not change and allows you to directly transfer up to $100,000 to the School without paying income tax on the distribution.

For more information on the above and to learn more about the other significant changes created by the new law, please contact a tax professional or your financial advisor.

If you would like to support TrinityPawling through your IRA, please contact Colleen Dealy at 845-855-4831 or cdealy@trinitypawling.org S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 43

connections

Peyton Pinkerton ’49 PROUD OF THE PRIDE

BY CHRIS KELSEY

T

rinity-Pawling’s Peyton Pinkerton is distantly related to Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President of the United States.

The family doesn’t talk about it much, however. They’ve got an even more illustrious ancestor: Thomas Jefferson’s sister Martha is Mr. Pinkerton’s greatgreat grandmother. “Of course, that and two dollars will not get me a cup of coffee!” he says with a laugh.

Born in 1930, Pinkerton attended Trinity-Pawling in 1947-48, the School’s first year after having been used as a military rehabilitation center during World War II. “It was bare bones,” he says of those days. There were only about 80 students. Pinkerton played hockey. “Not well,” he laughs and tells the story of a trip to Berkshire, the champions of the Housatonic League. “We went up in a snowstorm in the coach’s car. Seven of us: six starters and me. They were easy on us; they only beat us nine to nothing!”

Pinkerton went on to attend Williams College and Columbia before serving in the Marines. After working for a few years in banking

44 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

and advertising, he settled on his true calling as an educator. “When I was 15, I wanted to be a Latin teacher. That didn’t last long,” he says wryly. “But I’d taught in the Marines, and I’d always wanted to get into teaching in private schools eventually.”

He began his career in 1964 at a school on Long Island. He moved to The Buckley School, where he eventually became Assistant Headmaster. He stayed at Buckley until 1982, when Trinity-Pawling came calling … or rather, he called them.

“They were looking for someone to head their first capital campaign. The headmaster at the time, Phil Smith, was a fraternity brother of mine from

Williams. I thought about it a while, called his office, and told them I had a candidate: Me!” Pinkerton did a lot more than raise money. “I did a lot of stuff that really wasn’t in my job description; I redesigned the shield, the tie, I put out programs for games, I improved the printing. Phil said I was more of a fun raiser than a fundraiser.”

Pinkerton retired in 1996, having done a great deal to set the School on the path to the success it now enjoys.

“I’m still watching it,” Pinkerton says.

“It’s wonderful seeing the people come back and giving money and feeling good about the School. I feel nothing but positive about T-P these days.”

Adventure On! Every day brings a new adventure at Trinity-Pawling. From producing a dynamic senior project to trying a new sport to hiking through the trails east of campus — boys are challenged to stretch past their comfort zones and lean into uncertainty.

Healthy risk-taking is not only encouraged, but built into the curriculum. And the more our boys venture toward the unknown, the more they learn about themselves.

The generosity of our deeply-valued community of supporters upholds these experiences and enables their continuity. It is because of you that Trinity-Pawling prevails as the ideal place for boys to thrive. The journey of a lifetime begins with you.

UNLOCK THE OPPORTUNITY. Contribute today at www.trinitypawling.org/give or via the envelope in the back of the magazine. Thank you!

upcoming events

MARK YOUR 2020 CALENDARS! COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND POSTPONED - DATE TO BE DETERMINED Trinity-Pawling Campus HOMECOMING AND REUNION WEEKEND October 2-3, 2020 Trinity-Pawling Campus ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSE October 12, 2020 Trinity-Pawling Campus

PARENTS’ WEEKEND October 16-17, 2020 Trinity-Pawling Campus ADMISSIONS PREVIEW DAY November 11, 2020 Trinity-Pawling Campus BOSTON RECEPTION December 1, 2020 The Harvard Club

NEW YORK CITY RECEPTION December 8, 2020 The Union Club of New York City To learn more about upcoming events, visit www.trinitypawling.org/events All dates are subject to change if forced by the response to COVID-19.

A big Trinity-Pawling shout-out and much gratitude goes to these alumni for graciously hosting our 2019-2020 events: Joe Alex ’96, Chris Ambrose ’80, Phil Haughey ’53, Michael Kovner ’58, T.J. McCrady ’85, Paul Miller ’63, Erik Olstein ’86 46 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

class notes | 1948 | Joe Callo Unfortunately, but I guess not surprisingly, I have not been in touch recently with any of my classmates from ’48. We were a small but stalwart group, and my classmates would be very pleased to see the T-P of 2020. | 1949 | Michael Johnson Still on the job growing plants 8-10 hours a day — still loving it! | 1952 | Don Aikman All is well with me. At 86 still going strong.

Patrick Vincent I live in Toronto and am well established here. We have two adult children, both of whom have two children. One daughter lives 350km away, so we see her a few times a year. The other daughter lives in Yukon, quite close to Alaska, and we see her about once a year. After graduating from T-P, I traveled right across the USA, much of the traveling was by Greyhound bus.

Then, I had to go back to the UK to do my military service and then university.

After graduation, I found a position in Canada and I have lived here most of the time since then. I have visited T-P a couple of times. I think the last time was for the 100th anniversary of the School.

I worked for Bell Canada in Toronto and am now retired with a pension from them. I enjoy outdoor sports and activities, especially cross-country skiing.

I belong to a rowing club here and my summer sport is rowing, with other people of similar age.

If anyone comes to Toronto, I hope you will let me know and we will schedule a meal (or some other excuse to get together). With best wishes to everyone

who reads this. I would be happy to meet other people with a T-P connection. | 1953 | Phil Haughey Happy New Year to all our classmates.

Unfortunately, we’ve lost some over the past few years. I see Tom Crowley frequently and he’s doing very well.

I had a nice visit from Charlie Sticka before Christmas. He drove up from Connecticut, he’s recovering from some surgery but he’s looking like his old self. He told me that while he was in the hospital, he had to miss the opening of the Metropolitan Opera season, the first time in 37 years. What a man! Stay well everyone. Go PRIDE! Gil Lamb Class news, what does one write at 85 years of living, the classmates we have lost and the memories of our past. The days of T-P, the squeaky steps of the gum sole shoes of Master Harry Drew, or the athletic Travis Webber hand over hand on the overhead sprinkler pipe all to catch one not diligently pursuing one’s homework. The Saturday work detail with WNEW radio station blaring music everywhere with Martin Block’s Make Believe Ballroom. And the education we got at T-P with such great masters/teachers, Karpoe, Tirrell, and not to be forgotten Master Dunbar, “All Gaul divided”, and all the others. What a launch pad into the real world we had.

I wish my remaining classmates a happy and good 2020 year for all. I myself have done nothing this past year but to keep up 70 acres of Texas ranch land and a forty-foot swimming pool for my loving wife, Linda.

Jeff Locke Only have the same old news: STILL KICKING! Dividing the year between living in Salzburg, Austria in the summer months and Patagonian Chile in the (Southern Hemisphere) summer

months. Cold weather is not my game.

Also spend about six weeks a year in Brazil on my way to and from the other two venues. Why do most people still insist that the world is round? (joke) My best to all the others of our class who also are STILL KICKING. Tuck Noble Hey, 67 years ago isn’t so far back. The memories are still fresh. Like shoveling snow off the pond so the hockey team could practice. Or waxing the snack bar floor every Saturday with an industrial floor scrubber. Or hiking down Route 22 at night after seeing a movie in town.

Or wishing the JV football team could wear those sexy plastic helmets like the varsity. Or liming the lines on the tennis courts. Or exploring Lowell Thomas’ vast acreage on a “free day.” T-P was simple then, compared to today, but every bit the focal point to preparing boys to become successful men. Some in our class were exceptional in their accomplishments. We knew that from the beginning — Crowley, Haughey, Hostetter, Hunsicker, Locke, Nugent, Wren. But virtually all the remainder did well, too.

To the Class of 2020, look ahead to 2087. You will see great triumphs as well. And like us, you will have a great school to thank.

Jeff Nugent Still a professor of Economics and Business at the University of Southern California. He says he can’t give up his students and his adventures in worldwide economics.

Chris Wren My latest book, Those Turbulent Sons of Freedom, about Vermont’s Green Mountain Boys on the northern frontier of the American Revolution, has been optioned to be made into a movie by the independent filmmaker Jay Craven.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 47

class notes We’ve wintered over again at our farmhouse in Thetford, VT. It was snow, sleet, ice and freezing rain here in Vermont, washed out the skiing. | 1956 | W. David Coughlin I report with sadness the death of our classmate, John D. Turner, on October 26, 2019. JD had an illustrious career as a scholar, professor of religious studies, and teacher, the last 43 years of which were at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He was one of the world’s experts on early Christianity, the Gnostic tradition, and the Nag Hammadi codices. All of us in our class send condolences to his wife, children, and extended family.

On a cheerier note, I had a wonderful phone conversation with John Salaverry just before Christmas. Sal sounds just the same as ever! Which is to say terrific!

I am at the School at least three times a year for Board of Trustee meetings, visits I thoroughly enjoy. The School is a different place from our time in the mid-’50s but you will be impressed with the dedicated and inspiring teachers, the articulate and poised students, the vision of the School leadership, and all that goes on there. Our 65th reunion is only a year away; let’s plan on seeing one another at that time. | 1958 | David Leeret After T-P, I attended Bates College for two years then transferred to the University of Vermont where I received a degree in economics. I spent about twenty years in the property and casualty insurance field and changed careers in my early 40s, eventually having my own real estate appraisal business in the Albany, NY area. After

48 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

recovering from major illnesses, my wife Heidi and I retired in 2004 and moved to Venice, FL where we enjoy warm weather, play golf, and socialize with many friends we have met here.

Since retiring, I have had four holein-ones and still trying to get the fifth.

Heidi has had one. I would love to get together with any classmates who might be living in southwest Florida.

Webster Russell

values have served me well both in the past and today. | 1959 | Dick Van Horn Hope this finds you in good spirits. We had a moderately quiet year. At our age that’s a lot to be thankful for. The highlights of our year include lots of time with our five grandchildren, and a July trip to Vancouver with our friends John and Anna. Came back to Trinity-Pawling for the 60th reunion in October. | 1960 | Carlos Ballantyne

At 79, one expects life to slow down.

Well physically that is true. Vietnam and other of life’s experiences have taken a toll on this old body, but my mind hasn’t realized that all those years have passed. I say that because life is great. In January, my partner Dee and I published our third book and as I write this, we are writing our fourth book, which we think will be ready for publication in June or July. This year we also completed two of our bucket lists and a life goal at the same time.

This winter (their summer) we stepped on Antarctica. It was a wonderful experience and well worth it. By stepping on Antarctica, we have been on all seven continents. On the same trip, we also cruised up eastern South America and up and down the Amazon, which in itself was a real experience. Assuming I make it through 2022, we plan to go up the Amazon an additional 1,000 miles into Peru. Finally, it has been sixty-one years since I left T-P. Even sixty-one years ago, we learned the value of education and more importantly, the values of discipline and risk. Those

I currently live in Cottonwood, AZ, near Sedona where I go hiking in the mountains most days. An apparent heart problem 5 years ago (that turned out to be just using too much soy sauce) led me to an austere vegan food plan (Esselstyn) and, as a result, I’ve been able to trek in the Nepal Himalayas for 5 weeks each of the last 2 years. Having outlived most of my detractors, except for my only ex-wife who accused me of being responsible for that traffic jam on Everest, which I was NOT as I was 10 miles away, I am given increasing respect just for being myself. My TrinityPawling experience (Matt Dann, David Tirrell, John Lloyd Owen, Jack Karpoe, Terrence Mattern, et al.) enabled me to matriculate at Dartmouth College, where I was twice expelled and, finally, to stop working at age 39, creating some detractors. I’m editing my autobiography as time permits.

Pete Cowman I am retired, now living in Colleyville, Texas with my spouse, Janice. I am a former Infantry Captain and spent much of my civilian life in Steamboat Springs, CO, and Hartland, WI. I owned and operated a real estate brokerage, skied a lot, enjoyed team roping, trained good ranch horses, and raised some cattle. I am proud to have a son in Steamboat Springs and daughter in Boulder, CO and four teenage grandchildren.

Terry Stuart Life is good. I’m still skating regularly and enjoying life in Colorado. I enjoyed reading your magazine and found your focus on opportunities for grads in the food industry interesting. All the best for more success.

Lennox Stuart Presently living in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Three grown and married children: Mr. Lennox Stuart, Mr. Courtney Stuart, and Mrs. Heather Tucker. Lennox has three boys, Courtney has one girl and three boys, and Heather has boy/girl twins and two other girls. All of the above children live in Connecticut.

Linden White A definite 2019 highlight was the Homecoming Reunion for the Class of ’64. Our 50th was great but the 55th reunion was even better.

| 1962 | William Danner I claim to have been the last high school wrestler in the U.S. (T-P vs.

Canterbury in 1961) to have pinned an opponent with a key lock. The hold was banned as too brutal in June of 1961.

Correction to my note in the T-P fall 2017 magazine. Further research shows that I do NOT hold the world record for most consecutive days of jogging at 2,631. Ron Hill, a British Olympian, jogged at least 1 mile for over 50 years.

Despite having taken hard falls from being bucked off my young thoroughbred twice in October, I am still streaking with over 1,100 consecutive days of riding. I also have over 1,100 (and counting) of jogging.

After being expelled from T-P glee club for singing off key as a senior (I got by with it for my junior year), I have regained my confidence and continued my love of singing with over 600 karaoke performances this year.

Life teaches us the things that we should be grateful for and TrinityPawling School remains high on the list. Over the years, the Class of ’64 has been pleased to give back to the institution that has enabled us in so many ways, and continues to do so even after 55 years.

| 1964 | | 1965 | Andres Carillo EVERYTHING IS PERFECT — GOD HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME!

Although a number of our classmates had stayed in touch over the 50 years following graduation, most of us had not. Consequently, most of our 50th Class Reunion was spent catching up and trying to get to know each other again. While there were many great memories to share, we had become quite different as individuals. However, the bond of brotherhood forged during our years at T-P provide the glue, relationships were quickly renewed, and old friendships revitalized. We have continued during the years following graduation to be strong as a class and, as a result of our 50th Class Reunion, we departed even stronger.

Then came our 55th Class Reunion in October of 2019. During the previous five years, communication between us improved significantly, especially through Facebook. The awkwardness of getting to know each other again had been survived. We had shared our lives after T-P, the successes and hardships, our travels, families, and grandchildren. The close friendships had been renewed and others made stronger. The potential barriers were gone, we were all comfortable with each other, our relationships were no longer in question, and friendships were stronger than ever. The result was a really great and memorable weekend.

Rick Schluter Hello T-P. You knew me as Rick.

Prefect, captain of the football team, MVP on the baseball team, and devotee of Jack Karpoe. After Lehigh University, traveled to and settled in Sonoma County, California. Businesses include construction management, ranches, and wine production. Married in 1990. Last T-P contacts: Bill Hartog and Steve Benson. Looking back, T-P was more important than 5 years at Lehigh. Suggest all you little cherubs, as Matt Dann used to call us in his fireside chats, break out!!!! | 1967 | Tim Ely I’m enjoying retirement from the manufacturing company I ran for 34 years and as a director of a medical device developer. My wife, Laura, and I are kept busy with four grandchildren, also here in Connecticut. Travel, boating, tennis, and gardening compete with home improvement “hobbies.”

T-P looked very impressive when I was there for our 50th Reunion…keep up the good work!

Andrew Masset Starting work on a new film starring Hugh Jackman (my scenes are with him and I only). It’s titled Jade Earring and should be released late 2020. Happy New Year T-P. | 1968 | David Lott Sixteen months ago, I competed in my first squash tournament in 46 years — the World Senior Masters Squash Championship. The attached photo S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 49

class notes shows me with my Japanese opponent at the World Senior Masters Squash Championships (2018) at the Boar’s Head Inn, Charlottesville, VA, which is held every two years at a revolving set of venues around the world. Players from 62 countries participated. This year, it will be held in Krakow, Poland.

cinematography awards. The production was produced under Stephen King’s “Dollar Baby” program.

Final results on these competitions should begin rolling in fairly soon, and we are not done submitting to other festivals throughout the coming year.

Needless to say, everyone involved is very excited.

Greg Van Zandt

I was on the varsity squash and tennis teams during my 3 years at T-P. Played No. 1 (squash) and was captain of the team. I was scouted by legendary Penn squash coach Al Molloy at the National Juniors and played 4 years at Penn, playing as high as No. 3. The team was nationally ranked as high as No. 3, and never lower than the Top 4 during my tenure. I reached the semifinals of the National Intercollegiates in my division my senior year during which I toured the UK for 3 weeks as part of Penn’s quadrennial international tour.

Rick Meyer

Several of our fellow classmates who attended our 50th reunion in 2018 have made a point to keep up with each other. Anne and I have had the wonderful opportunity to spend time with Rick and Betsy Hoefer and Carey and Colleen Alcott. In August, Betsy and Rick hosted us all at their summer home in Manteo, NC where we visited the Wright Brothers Museum, a rum distillery, and took a ride in their new fishing boat. In October we gathered again, but this time at the Grove Park Inn and toured the Biltmore House and Estate for a weekend of cocktails, golf, spa time, and lots of laughs. We are making plans for 2020 with more outings — stay tuned! | 1969 |

Late last year, I acted in and was associate producer on a short film based on a Stephen King story, Uncle Otto’s Truck, which has just been named a finalist in the Prisma festival in Rome. It is also currently a semifinalist in the LA Cine Fest. Our cinematographer is a semi-finalist in the LA cinematography awards, the New York cinematography awards, the European cinematography awards, and a finalist in the Canadian 50 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

stretch of our lives, but they were important years for me, and maybe most of you. I emerged from depressed underachievement to optimistic strength thanks to your acceptance and encouragement. We were a unique blend of boys who, together, developed an intensity of purpose and hope. Your individual life stories powerfully reflect the results.

Holding back the tears when Shannon accepted his induction to the Athletic Hall of Fame, and during Pickett’s heartfelt reflections at dinner in the Headmaster’s house was tough, but saying goodbye to many of you, most of whom appear decades older than me, was tougher. Many thanks to T-P for a great reunion and for becoming what I believe to be the best prep school in the country. | 1970 | Robert Gronauer Looking forward to my 50th reunion in 2020! | 1971 | Beau Barile Staying consistently working and enjoying life. Grandchildren, social life is great! Getting healthier all the time.

Ready for another 50 years! Hopefully everyone is doing well and ready for the 50th!

Robert (Ross) Bruce

Bill Kelly Welcomed granddaughter Lily on 12/19/19.

What a great 50th reunion! Without the 600 word count limit, I could go on and on about each of the 25 amazing individuals who showed up.

The bottom line is that I felt humbled to be a part of such a wonderful, accomplished, kind, and good group of men. Each of you is amazing and I truly love you all. Four years of adolescence is a brief moment in the

After a couple years of thinking about it; we finally got the heck out of Los Angeles! Teresa and I bought a home in New Braunfels, Texas about 35 miles east of San Antonio. It’s a somewhat sleepy town with a couple of rivers

running through it, and we love it.

Unfortunately, I’m wrapping up a project in LA so doing the commute for a couple of months. I just can’t wrap my head around retirement quite yet.

All is good!

| 1977 | John Chapman

Bruce Colley

It was fantastic to see my classmates at our 40th reunion this past October. We literally picked up where we left off, in some cases 40 years ago. Great to see you guys: Billy Baldwin, Ed Fox, Doug Puglisi, Doug Morgan, Jim Chapman, Jon Stevens, Eric Enders, Tim “Fletch” Henningsen, and Bob Mullaney. My sophomore year roommate Kurt Kaufman sent us a great video message. | 1980 |

Looking forward to seeing all my "OLD" classmates for our big 50th in 2021.

Wow, can’t believe it’s 50 years coming soon. Maybe we should have a practice party run this year for our 49th? News — my son is a sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill and loving it. McDonald’s restaurant business still going strong, thank god. My dad is 92-years-old and still riding horses a couple of times a week, an inspiration.

The Socon Conference honored me for my work in developing the North Carolina Sales Institute (NCSI). Our mission is to promote sales education and developing 21st-century sales leaders through research, education programs, and partnerships. The college program at UNCG has grown exponentially, and we are proud to have students working all over the world.

Paul Snyder

| 1973 | Kevin McGrath 2019 had some wonderful ups, primarily getting married to Robin.

But also, the sorrow of losing great friend and old coach Miles Hubbard ’57. I just wanted to let Janet, Jeff, Sharon, and the rest of the T-P family know how much I enjoyed my time at T-P and the friendships forged along the way. Miles was the T-P glue for me and will be deeply missed. Luckily, I see Will Stephens often and he is an excellent wing man also. A happy, healthy 2020 to the great Class of ’73. | 1975 | Mike Waller Assistant Head of School at Holy Trinity Episcopal School in Houston, TX. This marks my 40th year in independent school education. I started my career at Trinity-Pawling in the 1979-1980 school year.

Blessed to visit T-P on 1/16/19 to see varsity basketball beat Avon 56-51, watched the game with Miles Hubbard.

Closed out my 2019 fishing season in Montauk with a Columbus Day win in the IBEW LOCAL 3 Striped Bass Tournament. Still competing all these years after T-P. | 1979 | Bill Leck

Peter Long

On a recent trip to look at colleges for my daughter (a senior in high school now), we stopped in Winston Salem, NC and I looked up Matt Winnicki (class of 1980). Matt and I were T-P roommates but we had lost contact with each other over the years. When we met up for dinner, we were both wearing the same outfit (some things never change)!

We picked up right as if we were back at T-P. It was a fantastic night and great to re-connect. His wife and son were there and we all had a blast. To all you T-P students — these are impactful times in your life, and distance and time will only show you how meaningful your T-P friendships really are. See you all soon! | 1981 | Kevin Carroll After 34 years in the wireless telecom industry, I retired from Verizon in June 2019. I still live in Tappan, NY with my wife of 27 years Aileen, and our 3 children Brendan, Connor, and Erin. | 1984 | Chris Bell My fiancé and I moved from Goshen, NY last July to Steamboat Springs, CO.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 51

class notes We still have for sale, a passive solar house in NY. Kristen is working in development at The Emerald Mt. School and I am an ambassador at Steamboat.

My son Chris is completing his degree in mechanical engineering. Kristen’s daughter has graduated from Deerfield and is in her first year at UVA. I keep in touch regularly with Chris Salz, Doug Burke, Chris Gaylord, Rick Case, Tim Rooney, John Herr, Curtis Flynn, and JC/Carrie Meynet, just to name a few.

Go Big Blue.

| 1985 |

| 1987 |

Taylor Abbett My company turned 20 on January 1st. Three lovely daughters. I see T.J. McCrady and Wally Danforth often.

John Thomson This has been a big year for the Thomsons as we welcomed our greatest blessing, Zachary Sage Thomson to the family. Also began work as a clinical counselor at the Brookdale Recovery Center.

Jim Elia Great seeing Jeff and Greg Steele at this year’s reunion — Class of ’85, let’s get it together for next year.

Jeff Steele

Kirk Vartan What a great reunion we had. So great to see everyone...hopefully more brothers and sisters next time! Thanks to all that made it!

A small update for work — I am involved with the City of Santa Clara.

Last month, the city finished approvals and appropriations for $100,000 to implement a worker cooperative strategy. As you may or may not recall, A Slice of New York became the first retail worker cooperative in the South Bay (the official Silicon Valley) in July 2017. I am now spending time working with local, state, and federal legislators to raise awareness of what worker cooperatives are, how they can help the retiring baby-boomers sell their business (not close it), and create a successful transition to a sustainable employeeowned organization. We are even working with Congressman Ro Khanna on new legislation to help support and incentivize worker cooperative conversion and creation. It is still early in the process, and I am optimistic that Santa Clara will help drive the message and create the programs to fuel new cooperative businesses in the region. If anyone is interested in learning more about this (or if it could be applied to your business/succession plan), I’m available to chat and share my experience.

52 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

| 1988 | Aaron Bierman Attended our 34th with Jim Elia ’85.

Attended because it was my brother’s 30th (Greg Steele) and all the guys from the infamous class of ’84 that I knew would be attending. Great to see everyone from ’84 and meet a bunch of my brother’s classmates. Also, great to see Erik Olstein ’86 and have the privilege to meet his son (Kevon ’14), who was heading off to serve our country. | 1986 | David Peck In 2019, I earned the President’s Award for Distinguished Service at Case Western Reserve University.

It is the highest staff award one can achieve at the institution. For nearly 23 years, I have worked in the Department of Pharmacology at Case Western Reserve, most recently as the department manager. As of January 21, I have been promoted to hub director to begin the next phase of my career.

My older son Casey is a sophomore at my alma mater, Wittenberg University, and my younger son Christian is a senior and hopes to attend Kent State University in the fall.

After working on Wall Street for over a decade, I became a filmmaker about 10 years ago. I recently completed Burning Bright, an animated noir thriller done in partnership with IMG Models, featuring some of the top supermodels in the world. Burning Bright has screened at film festivals including the Oscar-qualifying Raindance Film Festival in London, the SoHo Film Festival in New York City, and the Paris Art and Movie Awards where it won Best Animated Film. The film has won four Best Animated Film awards to date. I live in Santa Monica, California and would love to hear from classmates and alumni. You can reach me via my website: OceanParkStories.com

David Smith

and developed a great team of people to help serve the local community in southwestern PA. | 1990 | Chris Cutler

Dave Tyree blessed us with his presence a few months back. I hosted him for some tennis (don’t ask the score) and Ian Sears was kind enough to not only host dinner but cook it too (the steak was a bit too rare for my liking). We even lured Mike Schell out to Marin!

I just started working at the next unicorn (ok, maybe baby platypus) called G2. It’s basically like Yelp for corporate tech buyers. On the other side of the bedroom, my wife received a "Rising Star" award across the state of California for her results in real estate.

I’m betting that trend continues so I can hang my cleats by this time next year! Looking forward to the next San Francisco T-P alumni event!

Walter Wright I TURNED 50! So why not start the next 50 years with just a few life highlights.

Forrest Zephyr Jacobi Wright was born on October 22nd in Mexico where we run my wife Tamara’s eco-lodge part of the year. Tamara’s book Wildpreneurs is being published by Harper Collins.

Go order one! And check out some of our great video series at Wildpreneurs. com. I’ll be wrapping up my grad degree from Duke in May with a focus on Conservation Marine Ecology, where I’ve designed an education and conservation program using sailboats as the platform.

Track us down somewhere if you want to join in on an adventure or come see us at a speaking event. | 1989 | Marc Daniel Prior to the holidays, I purchased a privately-owned veterinary hospital, Brandywine Valley Veterinary Hospital,

I recently retired from the Army after 24 years and am now living in McLean, VA where I coach lacrosse and started my own company... you guessed it...

Wildcard Lacrosse LLC!! I also work at the Pentagon. It’s great connecting with classmates and alumni in the area — Dave Gillespie ’90, Joe Moore ’89, and Matt Kelly ’12. Joe Moore and I coached together last year — NVYLL 2019 12U Champs (see pic). Can’t wait for the next alumni weekend. Dunbar North!!

Ed Feather

I was very excited to start a new job at Precision Effect, an advertising agency in Boston that specializes in pharmaceutical and biotech — many in the rare disease space — with a focus on changing the standard of care. The work is rewarding and it feels good to be helping to improve healthcare opportunities, especially for people with rare and ultra-rare diseases that are often very hard to diagnose. I’m still very active with running and other athletics. Favorite race this year was the Ragnar Reach The Beach, a 203 mile, 12-person team relay race in NH. We ran to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

| 1992 | Alex Scrymgeour This past year saw tremendous success for my dramedy TV pilot Eddie’s I created, wrote, and executive produced starring Eddie McGee and George Wendt. Eddie’s was in five festivals from here to Europe, including Los Angeles, New York City, Houston, and Madrid, where it garnered four nominations for Best Pilot and three wins.

Eddie’s is a feel good, single camera dramedy series starring Eddie McGee, George Wendt, Nikki SooHoo, and Jacob Zachar. The show is directed and executive produced by Michael Lange. The proof of concept / pilot was shot on location in Hermosa Beach, California and has a strong, diverse cast. A recent CDC study showed one in four adults has a disability, making over 25% of the population the most underrepresented minority community in TV and film. Eddie McGee as producer and star, having lost his leg to cancer at age 11, gives voice to over 25% of the population who have no strong presence on TV or in film. As for all the talk of diversity in Hollywood, there is not a lot of discussion regarding diversity and disability actors / producers. Information and trailers on the show can be found at www. facebook.com/eddiestvshow.

I also am pleased to note that the pilot for my pizza travel show I created, wrote, and executive produced, Pizza Perfect, is now steaming on Amazon Prime. In the pilot Pizza Perfect travels to the capital of Italy: Rome. Exploring the Eternal City and meeting local pizza masters, Pizza Perfect shows different types of pizzas from different regions in Italy and some of the vibrant visual history from the area. I also meet local buffalo mozzarella cheese makers and learn to make authentic Roman pizza!

Streaming now on Amazon Prime!

For 2020 I am working on my next film project, Kill Switch, starring Eddie S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 53

class notes McGee and my next crime drama TV show Santa Monica Knights! Kill Switch has an amazing script and I am currently looking for investors to continue making award-winning content which engages and entertains. | 1995 | JP Burlington Well, it has been five years since I arrived back at Trinity-Pawling with my family to rekindle a job I had started 18 years ago almost to the day.

It was January of 2002 when I first came back to Trinity-Pawling to start my Admissions career. As we begin 2020, my wife Megan and I are about to celebrate ten years together, Joseph will be nine, and Meredith will be seven this spring. Five years have flown by, but each day we spend here, we realize how lucky we are to be on this campus with so many of the people that shaped my life 25 years ago. That’s right, boys! Our 25th is right around the corner, and I hope to see as many of you as possible. We had a great time with the Class of ’94, and all of us here at Trinity-Pawling are looking forward to another great celebration in October.

AJ McHugh After a spectacular Alumni Weekend, I’m gearing up for 1995’s 25th reunion!

I’m looking forward to sharing some laughs and learning about all the great things we’ve all been up to since we left campus as students. Happy 2020 and see you this fall!

John Sartorius My wife, Kathleen, and I recently moved to Darien, CT with our son, Henry (3) and daughter, Isabel (1).

If you’re in the area, I’d love to hear from you. I am looking forward to reconnecting with people after 25 years in October! Also, I recently joined a men’s hockey league and when I opened my dusty hockey bag, I found one of Josh Collins’ elbow pads. Sorry Josh, I’ll bring it to reunion....

54 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

| 2001 | John Coscia I will be entering my twelfth year at Atlantic Records as the Southeast Regional Promotion Manager. It has been another big year. Breaking artists like Lizzo with her debut single, Truth Hurts, soaring to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. We also got to take Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Charlie Puth, Meek Mill, and more of your favorite artists to the next level in 2019.

Cheers to more great music in 2020. | 2003 | Bryan Tolley Back in the beginning of 2019 I decided to pursue a childhood dream and get my commercial driver’s license.

From January to March, I took CDL classes, took and passed my road test in April, and started a new career as a commercial truck driver in May. I absolutely love what I do and I’m home every night and on the weekends, which means I still get to spend time with my wife and children. Overall, 2019 was a good year, and 2020 is shaping up to be pretty decent as well. | 2004 | Grant Albertson Received the Army Commendation Medal from the 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division for superior performance as the Battalion S4Supply Officer. After 6 years as an Army Officer, I left active duty in March of 2019 and started working for a company called City Electric Supply. I run their distribution/fulfillment center in Dallas and am enjoying the challenges of the job every day. I am playing and refereeing hockey again, as well as finishing my pilot licenses at the Addison Airport. I am currently two semesters away from completing my masters in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Penn State University. I am working to get into an Army Reserve or National Guard unit here in Texas to be able to continue my service to the country.

Adam Gardiner Named to Team Canada U19 Field Lacrosse Coaching staff for the 2020 World Championships in Limerick, Ireland. | 2005 | Devin Manning Became a firefighter/EMT for the town of Yarmouth, MA on Cape Cod. Getting married in September 2020. | 2007 | Matthew Fountaine Is engaged to Amy Robinson with the wedding in fall of 2020. | 2009 | Nick Cutler Well at this time, I’m just about to become an uncle to twins. Outside of that, since 1/1/18, I’ve been making videos where I talk about many things including Trinity-Pawling. Speaking of which, I celebrated my 10-year class reunion and it was the most "at home" I’ve felt in years. Hopefully it won’t be another 5 years until I return, but only time will tell. I will forever be grateful for what Trinity-Pawling did, is doing, and will continue to do for me for the rest of my life, as it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.

Taylor Weber

Had my 10-year reunion back at T-P in October! Holy Cow! 10 Years! It was great seeing all of my teachers and classmates from years past! It was a spectacular weekend filled with good cheer and funny stories! Go Pride! I also report that Crown Environmental is doing well in Q3 with many happy clients and good networking!

releasing a 450-page sci-fi novel later this year with a major studio.

| 2010 | Tony Lai

| 2016 | Andrew Fournier I’m a senior at St. Lawrence. Enjoying time with T-P classmate Drew Wyman. | 2017 | Will Estony I am currently studying abroad at Queen Mary University in London. So far, I am having the time of my life.

Tony was joined in Guangzhou by Headmaster Bill Taylor, Jennifer Taylor, and Regan LaFontaine in January. | 2011 | Andrew Duplessie I sold my tech start up to the former CEO of Verizon and AOL. I also am

| 2015 |

| 2018 |

Trent Nader Recently began a job as a realtor for Coldwell Banker in Montecito, California.

Cam Woodin Is attending University of Missouri and President of Sigma Nu – Rho Chapter.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Submit your Class Notes and photographs for the next issue of Trinity-Pawling Magazine online at

www.trinitypawling.org/classnotes S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 55

in memoriam

The entire Trinity-Pawling community is deeply saddened by the death of former faculty member and coach William “Bill” Cooper P’75, P’79. Bill succumbed to cancer on March 19, 2020 at his home, surrounded by loving family and friends.

Bill was a dedicated member of the Trinity-Pawling faculty from 1956-1981. During his 25 years of service to the School, Bill served as an admired teacher, advisor, administrator, mentor, and coach. Among his many roles on campus, Bill served as Head of the Mathematics Department, Head of the Disciplinary Committee, Head Coach for varsity hockey (which included leading the team to a Housatonic Championship), and Assistant Coach for varsity baseball. In 1970, Bill also founded Pawling Youth Hockey, which continues to be a cherished program in our local community.

Bill was inducted into the Trinity-Pawling Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003, along with his 1979 hockey team (in recognition of their outstanding 18-1-1 record), and again in 2018 for his long tenure as an outstanding coach.

Bill has touched the lives of many people in this community and the wider Pawling community. Specifically, he worked to make a meaningful impact in the lives of the many young men he taught and coached at Trinity-Pawling. He will always be remembered for his knowledgeable, dedicated, and respectful teaching and coaching style.

When he spoke to those in attendance at his 2018 Hall of Fame induction, he reminded everyone that “you can come home again.” Indeed, Bill’s life and legacy have enriched the lives and learning of so many over the years who have called TrinityPawling their School and their home. His impact is indelible.

Well done, thou good and faithful servant!

56 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the families of these Trinity-Pawling and Pawling School alumni.

Mr. Wallace S. Barrett ’48 February 19, 2019 Vero Beach, FL

Mr. Douglas Daugherty ’52 November 17, 2019 Davis, CA

Mr. Richard C. Brady ’72 February 14, 2019 Sandwich, MA

Mr. John H. Foehl ’60 December 28, 2019 Williamstown, MA

Mr. George Brinton Jack III ’44 July 8, 2018 Soquel, CA

Mr. John Hedges ’56 West Sussex, England January 12th, 2020

Mr. Brooks A. Clark ’76 September 7, 2019 Buxton, ME

Mr. Gene R. Knoll ’51 January 29, 2019 Reading, PA

Mr. Wolcott H. Outerbridge ’70 June 28, 2019 Paget, Bermuda

Mr. William P. Simmonds, Jr. ’68 August 1, 2019 Glen Falls, NY

Mr. James M. Pearce ’63 July 25, 2019 Mahopac, NY

Mr. Douglas M. Snyder ’66 July 25, 2019 Melbourne, FL

Mr. Stanley Rand III ’63 March 26, 2020 Riverside, CT

Dr. John D. Turner ’56 October 26, 2019 Lincoln, NE

Dr. George A. Rhoads ’61 March 14, 2019 Westborough, MA

Mr. Thomas G. Tyrrel ’79 April 19, 2019 Fort Walton Beach, FL

We also offer our warmest condolences to the families of these former faculty, parents, and friends of Trinity-Pawling School.

Mrs. Elsa Barthelemy P’98 May 22, 2019 New York, NY

Mrs. Gloria L. Donovan GP’06 April 16, 2019 Kure Beach, NC

Mrs. Sydelle Kessler P’82 August 8, 2019 Bryn Mawr, PA

Mrs. Barbara Richardson P’87 October 13, 2019 Hingham, MA

Mr. Norman Batchelor GP’05 December 13, 2019 Millsboro, DE

Mrs. Irene M. Dune GP’05 August 5, 2019 Rye, NY

Mr. Roland "Porky" Lakin October 27, 2019 Dover Plains, NY

Mrs. Dora M. Bigham GP’05, GP’07 June 5, 2018 Danbury, CT

Mr. Steve Dune GP’05 February 27, 2018 Rye, NY

Mrs. Sara "Sally" Cordial Chapman LeBlond P’81, GP’07 February 8, 2020 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Mrs. Elizabeth Mae Stevenson GP’03 July 22, 2019 Bristol, CT

Mrs. Barbara M. Burns P’89 February 13, 2019 Redding, CT Mrs. Jeannine M. Butler GP’09 January 2020 Lake Placid, NY Mrs. Grace A. Colton GP’99 June 30, 2019 Venice, FL Mrs. Clarice E. Crosdale GP’08 November 1, 2019 Kendall Park, NJ Mr. James J. Donovan GP’06 April 24, 2019 Kure Beach, NC

Mr. James “Greg” Dunn P’07 September 23, 2019 Patterson, NY Mr. Dick Foster P’79, P’81 November 2, 2019 Manahawkin, NJ Mr. James H. Geer P’96 March 15, 2019 Dunedin, FL Mr. William J. Gleeson GP’03 November 21, 2019 Glen Ridge, NJ Mrs. Alison B. Halloran P’13 July 22, 2019 Philadelphia, PA Mrs. Eileen Heubel November 17, 2019 Pawling, NY

Mr. Stephen Mantenuto P’07 January 14, 2020 Waltham, MA Dr. Frank T. Mohr, Jr. GP’03 December 1, 2019 Naples, FL Mr. Joseph M. Orgill III GP’00 March 14, 2018 Memphis, TN Mr. William E. Pike P’90 March 18, 2020 New Canaan, CT

Mrs. Nancy J. Tennstedt GP’09, GP’15 August 30, 2018 Montrose, NY Mr. John Wyatt Uhlein, Jr. GP’06 February 17, 2019 Litchfield, CT Mr. Stanley A. Winnicki P’80 July 25, 2019 Kernersville, NC Mrs. Kathryn Zarecki P’03 February 24, 2020 Pawling, NY

Mr. Nathaniel C. Reidel P’95 September 14, 2019 Jamesville, NY

This list includes the individuals whose deaths were reported to the Office of Advancement prior to April 1, 2020.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 57

Rising to the Challenge THE TRINITY-PAWLING COMMUNITY PIVOTS AMIDST COVID-19 We are all too aware of how rapidly the COVID-19 landscape changed our lives this Spring. In early March, Trinity-Pawling made plans for the return of students in mid-April.

Two weeks later, the School realized that the best way to keep its entire community healthy was to remain distant from one another. As more and more cases were reported across the country and around the world, public health policy shifted to slowing the spread of COVID-19 and reducing the concentration of cases. The CDC, the President of the United States, the Governor of New York, and state and county agencies issued orders restricting many activities, including large gatherings. At that time, no case had been reported on the Trinity-Pawling campus, yet School leadership realized that they could not responsibly resume the boarding program — it would have been impossible for TrinityPawling to ensure its high standard of care — in light of the rapidly evolving situation and in the interest of student safety.

Therefore, Headmaster Bill Taylor and the Board of Trustees made the difficult decision to conduct the entire Spring Term with remote learning.

The faculty and staff had already been preparing to resume classes on April 1, 2020 through a remote platform, which continued as planned. With remote learning extended through the end of the academic year, the staff had the added issue of making sure that belongings, critical to students’ academic work, were

58 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

returned as soon and as safely as possible. Every student was contacted to verify their ability to connect to the internet. Those who did not have a suitable device were provided one by the School.

In the following weeks, the School set a process in place for the return of essential academic items to all students.

The administrative team put resources in place to provide answers to the many understandable questions related to the changes that were implemented. A process was created for parents and students to submit their inquiries and several teams were designated to assist them in this transition. The teams included Remote Learning Support, StudentParent Communication, Dormitory and Belongings, Business Office Related Questions, and College Guidance. In anticipation of questions that would continue to arise, an evolving set of FAQs and other helpful resources were posted on the School website.

As colleges, universities, and boarding schools across the country were making similar decisions, the Trinity-Pawling community had anticipated that their academic year would end remotely. Nevertheless, the final decision was very disappointing for everyone, especially for the senior class. The question of Commencement weighed heavily on the hearts and minds of the seniors and their parents. And it weighed heavily on the heart and mind of Headmaster Taylor and of the faculty. The School promised to find a way

THE MISSION OF TRINITY-PAWLING:

… to educate and instill a value system that prepares young men to be contributing members of society amidst the challenges of an ever-changing world.

to honor the outstanding Class of 2020 and their achievements in ways that would include an event on campus at some point in the future.

Trinity-Pawling believes learning takes place best in a community that is grounded in respect, mutuality, and togetherness. What made this decision so difficult for Headmaster Taylor was the realization that some of this special chemistry would be lost. His goal, however, was to bring the community together virtually in creative, dynamic, and personal ways. The brotherhood is a human connection like no other — and Headmaster Taylor was determined to keep that connection as a community intact, in spite of

the distance. His decision was not made lightly and not without the understanding of and sensitivity to its many ramifications.

It is in times of challenge that bring communities closer together.

In this time, the School was required to make important sacrifices for the greater good of the global community.

The School had the responsibility of making decisions as the situation rapidly evolved. The School made decisions for the common good of the entire community. The School was and remains committed to its families.

Headmaster Taylor acknowledged that mistakes would be made, and they would learn from them. Trinity-

Pawling continues to be a community of caring human beings. At the forefront is the mission of TrinityPawling: … to educate and instill a value system that prepares young men to be contributing members of society amidst the challenges of an everchanging world.

Clearly, this is an ever-changing world. Inherent in this reality is the School’s responsibility to help its students adjust and learn to grow in confidence as they navigate these changes in their lives and in their world.

All event dates for the 2020-2021 academic year are subject to change if forced by the response to COVID-19.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 59

from THE archives

The Cluett Fire

BY MEGAN BURLINGTON

The now-infamous Cluett fire broke out around 2:00 PM on Wednesday, February 5, 1969. By midnight, the upper floors of Cluett’s south end were destroyed and Pawling fireman Nicholas Taska had perished fighting the blaze.

Initially a member of Trinity-Pawling’s maintenance staff, Francis Cunningham (who also just happened to be the town’s fire chief ), was able to control the fire reported by students. But within the hour, it became apparent that the fire had not been entirely extinguished and instead was spreading in the floorboards between the second and third floors. Fire departments from several surrounding towns were soon on the scene to assist Pawling’s firefighters, while students ran into the library on the first floor and removed all of the books. Firefighter Nick Taska went missing just before dark when a wall fell on him; he was pronounced dead at the scene when they finally found his body several hours later.

Headmaster Matt Dann was off campus that day, and for decades Assistant Headmaster Bill Dunbar beat himself up that the fire happened under his watch. At the time, the dining hall

60 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

was still in the north end of Cluett, which had not sustained any fire damage but was without power for nearly a day.

For the next week, the boys were fed at nearby Holiday Hills (presently Lakeside Park), and some of the boys who had lost everything in their dorm rooms headed home for a few days before bunking up with friends in other dormitories for the remainder of the year. Matt Dann estimated the damages to be upwards of $1 million, with less than threequarters of that amount available to fund rebuilding. Within these budget constrictions, Dann decided that because they could not afford to replace the fourth floor of Cluett’s south end, they would remove the fourth floor on the north side for aesthetic reasons. With a reduced number of dorm rooms, the following school year saw a dip in enrollment for the first time since the School had opened its doors as TrinityPawling in 1947.

Some say this setback, after all the progress made on the campus over the last two decades, was the last straw for Dann, who announced his retirement within a year.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 61

HOMECOMING AND REUNION Celebrate in 2020!

SAVE THE DATE — OCTOBER 2-3, 2020* Mark your calendars now for a weekend that connects Trinity-Pawling — past and present. Come back to campus, reminisce with old friends and faculty, expand your professional network, and see what’s new at your alma mater. Don’t miss the fun!

These faculty members can’t wait to see their reunion classes back on campus in October! Peter Lockwood ’10, JP Burlington ’95, Josh Collins ’95, and Chris Gillman ’05

Dates are subject to change if forced by the response to COVID-19.

*

62 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

Highlights of the weekend include: • Class Dinners • Athletic Hall of Fame Induction • Distinguished Alumni Awards • Homecoming Football Game QUESTIONS? Contact Janet Hubbard P’07 at 845-855-4830 or jhubbard@trinitypawling.org Find more information about the weekend events at www.trinitypawling.org/reunion

We’re celebrating 0’s & 5’s!

Reunion classes in 2020 2015 2010 – It’s your 10th reunion!

2005 2000 1995 – It’s your 25th reunion!

1990 1985 1980 1975 1970 – It’s your 50th reunion!

1965 Honor Guard (post 55th)

If you would like to serve as a Reunion Chair or on a committee, please email alumni@trinitypawling.org

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 63

end note Chris Kelsey

BY EMMA CHRISTIANTELLI

Accomplished jazz musician, composer, and novelist Chris Kelsey joined Trinity-Pawling in 2012, taking the helm of the instrumental music program. At the time, the program was only offered to students as an extracurricular. With Kelsey’s efforts, it has grown exponentially over the years, becoming an essential part of the academic curriculum and shaping many talented young musicians each year. All the while, Kelsey has managed to keep his own creativity at an alltime high, composing and recording new music and leading various jazz ensembles. And did we mention that he has also become a published author?

WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST REWARDING ABOUT TEACHING INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC AT TRINITY-PAWLING? “Without a doubt — watching my students progress from one year to the next. It’s so enjoyable to see a student start out on a basic level and become a gifted musician over the years.”

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER AS A JAZZ MUSICIAN AND COMPOSER. “My father was a professional jazz musician and I inherited the gene. I began playing professionally in my late teens and moved to New York City, where I played in avant garde jazz venues. I had my first record in 1993 and I’ve recorded over 20 albums for various labels since then. When it comes to my music, I place a premium on originality.

I’ve worked hard to develop my ‘sound’ and I’d say it’s quite distinct and very much my own.”

WHEN DID YOUR WRITING BEGIN TO TAKE SHAPE? “I used to write as a jazz critic for various magazines and publications, so I’m no stranger to the art. In 2015, I was inspired to write in long form and three years later, I completed my first novel, Where The Hurt Is. It was a challenging process, but it did very well — leading to my second book in the series, Butcherville, which was released just a few months ago, and my third book, which is currently underway. It’s all very exciting!”

HOW DO YOU STAY INSPIRED TO KEEP WRITING, COMPOSING, AND PERFORMING? “I’m not comfortable unless I’m being creative. Whether I’m composing, writing my books, or playing and improvising music, it’s what I do for fun! I have to keep the creativity flowing or I’m not happy.”

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ASPIRING MUSICIANS AND WRITERS? “Do it for the love of it and don’t lose the sense of joy it brings you. There’s simply nothing else like it.”

64 T R I N I T Y - P A W L I N G M A G A Z I N E

Trinity-Pawling Magazine is published by the Office of Communications for alumni, parents, and friends of the School.

Headmaster William W. Taylor Director of Advancement Regan S. LaFontaine Director of Communications Judy M. Redder Senior Writer Maria Buteux Reade Class Notes Editor Peter Lockwood ’10 Photo Credits Bizzy Amor Jen Harris Tom Kates Nicolle McDougal Connie Rafferty Trinity-Pawling Archives Andrew Zhang ’20 Copyright © 2020, Trinity-Pawling School Trinity-Pawling School 700 Route 22 Pawling, NY 12564 845-855-3100 www.trinitypawling.org

Trinity-Pawling School admits students of any race, color, creed, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs and athletic and other School-administrated programs.

For Parents of Alumni – If this issue is addressed to your son who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office with the correct mailing address.

Email alumni@trinitypawling.org or call 845-855-4829.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 65

Trinity-Pawling School 700 Route 22, Pawling, NY 12564 Change Service Requested

www.trinitypawling.org

Do you know a boy that would benefit from a Trinity-Pawling education?

At Trinity-Pawling, students gain the skills and self-awareness to navigate a complex and ever-changing world.

They also learn things that can’t be measured — students learn to respect themselves, their fellow brothers, their surroundings, and their futures. Our graduates are the next generation’s problem solvers, game changers, and thought leaders.

Please contact Director of Admission JP Burlington ’95 at jburlington@trinitypawling.org