VA Life Spring/Summer 2017

SPRING/SUMMER 2017

Vermont Academy

Life

A Vermont State of Mind

Vermont Academy BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Michael A. Choukas ’73, P ’94, Chairman Ret. Col. Richard I. Stark Jr. ’74, Vice-Chairman Donald G. McInnes ’59, Secretary Casey Cota ’89, P ’14, ’18 Treasurer Jose Barreiro P ’14, ’16 Corina Belle-Isle ’80 Thomas Capasse P ’16 Carrie Dunn ’91 Jamison Gagnier ’90 Matthew Galanes David Holton ’68 Reverend Peter Howe P ’07, ’10 Jennifer Jury P ’14, ’18 Steven E. Karol ’72, Former Chairman Timothy Lord ’69, P ’05, ’10 David E. Robinson ’77 Lee Ryder ’90 Mark Smith ’87 S. Tylor Tregellas Andrew Ward ’93 Melissa Wing P ’16, ’17 TRUSTEES EMERITI

Robert M. Campbell ’37, P ’65, ’68, ’70 (2), ’80, ’82 W. Gene Hays Jr. ’55 Hugh Pearson ’54 HE ADMASTER EMERITUS | Michael Choukas Jr. ’46, P ’73 INTERIM HE AD OF SCHOOL | Stanley A. Colla Jr. EDITOR | Jennifer Jones P ’15, ’18 CL ASS NOTES EDITOR | April Worden PROOFR E ADER | Tara Poitras DESIGNER | Jennifer Fleischmann PHOTOGR APHY | FJ Gaylor Photography, Liz Olmsted P ’15,

Christine Armiger, Nate Williams, John Kelly, and Doug MacPhee COV ER | Vermont Academy students trekking the Long Trail

Vermont Academy Life is published twice a year by Vermont Academy, Saxtons River, VT. The magazine reserves the right to edit all material that it accepts for publication.

802-869-6200 | V ER MONTACADEMY.ORG

Editor’s note DEAR VERMONT ACADEMY COMMUNITY,

In the fall of 1946, the state of Vermont published a new magazine under the masthead Vermont Life. Dorothy Hall Leavitt, wife of Vermont Academy’s then-headmaster Laurence Leavitt, authored the lead article entitled “Vermont Academy.” After describing the curriculum, athletics, and facilities, she concluded the article by quoting a letter written by her husband in 1943:

“But there is another side of education more important than courses or athletics or the details of daily life. It has to do with character, which is a compound of emotional attitudes, social adjustments, habits of work, and ideals of loyalty. It will in the end count more toward success in life than will any course in mathematics.”

— LAURENCE LEAVITT, headmaster 1934–1959

Over 70 years later, Mr. and Mrs. Leavitt would be proud to know that instilling character in students is alive and well at Vermont Academy. Students whose path leads them to VA are viewed and treated as individuals. As a deeply connected community, we celebrate our successes and support one another during setbacks.

Vermont Academy is the kind of school that takes a student’s potential, education, and future personally. There is no other way when you care so deeply about those you are guiding to become confident, active learners and respectful citizens—you take it inside and hold it close to your heart. It is the most precious way we can extend ourselves. For that, we can be proud, and as a parent, I am grateful.

This issue of Vermont Academy Life concludes my tenure at the Academy. It has been an honor to get to know you, hear your reminiscences about VA, and keep you updated about the great work of our students and faculty from Long Walk. This issue underscores how Vermont Academy’s culture closely incorporates what Vermonters value: community, environment, independence, hard work, small scale, privacy, and tradition.

Best wishes,

J E N N I FE R J O N ES P ’15, ’18

Director of Marketing and Communications

Education for Life —One Student at a Time

Our Mission By providing a supportive community and close, personal attention to its students, Vermont Academy develops confident, active learners and respectful citizens.

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Vermonter Values

Excellence in Art and Writing

Contents

22 Ted Everett ’50 Bequeaths Largest Estate Gift Ever

You k n Tha Mrs. Colla! nd Mr. a

k than , we ir e u s r the is is lla fo In th o C i emy. ud Acad and J t n n a o t S Verm ce to servi

28

Q&A: Rawan Ibrahim ’92

40

College Landscape

2

Head of School’s Letter

4

Vermonter Values

6

Winter Highlights

8

The Why Beyond the How

14

VA’s Big Ass Fan: Jon Bostock ’95

16

Senior Reflection: Riley McIntosh ’17

17

Excellence in Art and Writing

22

Ted Everett ’50 Bequeaths Largest Estate Gift Ever

24

A Wildcat Year for Girls’ Athletics

28

Alumni Profile: Q&A with Rawan Ibrahim Ph.D.

34

Robotics: Art and Science

35

Reunion Weekend: 2s and 7s

36

A Vermont State of Mind, Body, and Spirit

38

Wildcats: We Want to Know!

40

College Landscape

41

Wildcat Profile: Jahyde Bullard ’17

47

In Memoriam

50

Class Notes

We want to hear from you! Email feedback to valife@vermontacademy.org.

CORRECTION: In our previous issue, we reported Jurrien Swarts as valedictorian in 1994. Upon further research, Jurrien, Andrew Johnson, and Jenna Lanterman were in a close race for the honor. All were celebrated at Commencement, with Jenna being named valedictorian.

We apologize for this error.

H E A D O F S C H O O L’ S L E T T E R

DE A R V E R MON T AC A DE M Y FA M I LY, This issue of Vermont Academy Life heralds the exciting news that Dr. Jennifer Zaccara has been appointed as Vermont Academy’s 18th Head of School. Jennifer will come to Saxtons River from The Nightingale-Bamford School in New York City, where she has been the Associate Head of School for the past four years. Before that, she spent a dozen years working in various capacities at The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, so she knows well the life of a boarding school. As I have come to discover, and you will too, Vermont Academy has recruited a gifted educator and leader to write the next chapter of its venerable history.

With her appointment finalized, my time on the hilltop is quickly coming to a close.

I have spent a moment or two thinking about the lessons I have learned as the Interim Head of School, and there are at least three worth sharing.

THR EE LESSONS I’V E LE ARNED Lesson one: Every Head of School has a learning curve, but most get the benefit of that growth in year two and beyond. I might be able to share some of mine with Jennifer, but she will have her own trajectory to follow. For me, the enduring benefit will be having known and worked with some of the most dedicated professionals and engaging students anywhere.

Lesson two: For an Interim Head, the charge is less about vision and more about stewardship. I have faith in the value of the Vermont Academy experience; hopefully, I have left it as good or better than I found it.

Lesson three: Even though I will be returning to retirement, which I was thoroughly enjoying prior to accepting this assignment, I will miss the energy and excitement of engaging with this community of learners daily. Many people my age speak wistfully of going back to school, often because they did not realize the first time around just how good a deal it was. I literally got to do that, and it has been wonderful each and every day. After just one year here, it will be much harder to leave than it was to arrive.

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In the years ahead, when I look back on my time as Interim Head, I will remember this campus for some of its very special qualities. To be sure, we have very high-performing adolescents here. We have students who vie successfully in state, regional, and national competitions and gain acceptance to some of the very best colleges and universities in the country. We have athletes who will be recruited at the very highest levels of Divisions I through III and have represented Vermont Academy with distinction. We have artists and performers whose creativity and skill will take your breath away as they have with audiences or in juried exhibitions time and again.

More importantly—to my way of thinking—our students care deeply for one another. They like and support each other. They have found a place of trust among their peers that allows them to take the kinds of risk by which their own capacities can grow. They are willing to venture beyond their comfort zone to experience something new firsthand, either within themselves or within the experience of others. This is the essence of confident learning, and I credit our faculty for fostering that very special quality.

At Commencement, the Class of 2017 and I will bid farewell to one another and to Vermont Academy—at least for the moment. In the excitement of that day, I don’t know how many will take a moment to reflect on their feelings, but it will be a poignant time for me. As I anticipate it, I am reminded of the words of John Keats to his best friend, Charles Brown, in the last letter he ever wrote: “I can scarcely bid you good-bye, even in a letter. I always made an awkward bow.”

Frederique with nearby elementary students

Thank You Mr. Colla, thank you for recognizing all of us in a way that made us feel valued. At a time when I was down and did not feel like what I was doing or thinking made a difference, you assured me that—yes, it mattered. You never used a lot of words but always had the right ones.

— F R E DE R IQ U E C R E IG H T O N ’18

S TA N C OL L A

Interim Head of School V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 3

Winter Carnival Vermonters value tradition, and one of VA’s favorite traditions is Winter Carnival! Mother Nature provided a classic winter wonderland for events like tandem XC skiing, VA-Iditarod, and broomball, along with recent favorites including tug-of-war, dodge ball, and a lip sync contest. As the last goal was scored in broomball, 25 House captured the title for the boys, and “Dr. Sturt” (the combined dorms of Dr. Brown and Sturtevant) took home the victory for the girls.

Thank You “Stan and Judi, I love that you attended every home game and often ate dinner in the dining hall. You embodied what it means to be “all in” at a boarding school.”

— A M A N DA H O D G S O N ,

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faculty

VERMONT ACADEMY EMBODIES

Vermonter Values In a research study conducted by the Council on the Future of Vermont, seven themes emerged regarding what Vermonters value. From its founding in 1876, Vermont Academy culture has been shaped by these values.

Community

Privacy

A shared feeling of belonging, acceptance, and trust, and the sense that the success of the whole depends on the contributions and engagement of every individual

As a personal right and expression of respect toward others that encourages tolerance and open mindedness about the lifestyles and beliefs of others

Environment

Small Scale

A reverence for the land and committed stewardship of the working landscape

The strength that comes when government, business, and communities are accessible and personal

Hard Work A tradition rooted in the state’s legendary work ethic that invites and encourages entrepreneurism, resourcefulness, and creativity

Tradition The state has a unique identity that has been defined by centuries of traditions shared by young and old, urban, and rural

Independence Both politically and as a way of life, reflecting a desire to live independently and championing individual freedoms and self-reliance

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 5

Alumni Hockey 2017

WINTER HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE HILLTOP

BY LIZ OLMSTED P ’15, DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

National Honor Society Induction Vermont Academy is pleased to induct students each year into its chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS), which was formed in 2003. NHS is the nation’s premier organization that recognizes outstanding high school students in scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character. Standing left to right: Will Svensson ’18, Nik Johnson ’18, Jamie Kuesel ’18, Yu Qiu ’18, Peiru Li ’18, Karl-Antoine Girard ’18, Corey Romich ’17, Andrew Kalpakian ’17, and Harry Mayer ’18. Sitting: Dariel Echanis ’18, Ava Hill ’18, Oliver Annson ’17, and Frederique Creighton ’18.

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24-Hour Play Festival

Alumni Perform Winter Cabaret

Alumni Hockey 2017 | Thank you to alumni, students, friends, and family who joined us for our annual alumni hockey game. Word from the players is that this is the best ice around. Join us in January 2018 for our next game!

24-Hour Play Festival | Armed with the theme of “superheroes/ superpowers,” student and faculty writers sequestered themselves in Fuller Hall Great Room overnight and crafted four original plays.

As the sun dawned, the student directors conferred with writers, chose casts, met with tech crews, and organized rehearsals. Alumni mentors lent their energy and expertise to the productions. When the curtain rose 24 hours later, over 50 students, alumni, and faculty had participated.

Thank You I will miss my “Schmickers” bars!!!

— S U S A N S C H M I T T,

Director of Learning Skills

and Academic Dean

Service Awards

Winter Cabaret | VA’s dance team mesmerized the audience, with numbers ranging from an Indian-inspired dance often performed during Holi to a hip-hop piece choreographed by alumna Brittany Allard ’14. Our V-8s, mixed vocal ensemble, jazz and chamber ensembles, and solo performances also entertained for a memorable night.

Alumni Perform in Horowitz Performing Arts Center Breaking up the deep January freeze with their lively a cappella were Middlebury’s Dissipated Eight, which included William “Salty” Fitzgerald-Pennington ’13. As part of our Speakers Series, and funded in part by the Bob ’37 and Beth Campbell Endowment Fund, we also welcomed Matt Jenson ’82 with his reggae fusion band Mix Up Mix Up. VA’s jazz ensemble worked with Matt in the afternoon before joining Mix Up Mix Up for their final number.

Service Awards | Simply said, Vermont Academy wouldn’t be where we are today without this dedicated group. Combined, they have provided 135 years of service. Seated: Wally Brown P ’97, ’98, ’01, ’05, ’12 (25 years); standing left to right: Lorna Schilling P ’03, ’05, ’11 (35 years), Steve Cady (15 years), Nadia Goyette (10 years), Peter Sheldon (10 years), Dave Hodgson ‘89 (15 years), and Jeff Harrington ‘87, P ’18 (10 years). The 2017 Luring Support Staff Award was presented to Sean Cote (far right). Thank you!

V E R M O N T AC A D E M Y | 7

THE

why

BEYOND THE

how Steve Cady

George Stetson P ’19 Russell Mayhew Whitney Barrett

Jamie Kuesel ’18

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Lizzy Adams ’17

Mackey O’Keefe ’17

Brian Anderson ’18

For eight diverse course offerings, faculty and students paired up to provide an insider’s view of the class, teaching approach, and best moments. Students describe how they connected with the class and teacher, concluding by describing their teacher in one word.

Joe Echanis ’79, P ’08, ’11, ’18

Laura Frey

Thom Collins

Christine Armiger

Angel Shi ’17

Tanner Dalton ’17

Ale Villalvazo Salinas ’17

McKenzie Curtis ’17

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 9

RUSSELL MAYHEW B.A. in Cognitive Science, Indiana University M.S. in Secondary Mathematics Education, Northwestern University Years teaching: 9 Teaches: AP Calculus BC AP Calculus BC covers in more detail all the topics of AP Calculus AB and continues to more advanced topics.

Teaching approach I encourage students to walk me through a process, rather than simply telling them how things are.

I nudge them along when they get stuck, but our progress depends more on their ability and willingness to synthesize prior knowledge.

Best moment Teaching and learning the rote mechanics of differentiation and integration are necessary, but the best moments occur when students suddenly connect big ideas and recognize the why beyond the how.

JAMIE KUESEL ’18

Mr. Mayhew has helped me become a more confident student in and out of class. He encourages trying new ways and techniques for tackling difficult math problems. When students are stuck, he takes the time to make sure they understand. He has a passion for teaching and math, whether it is meeting with students for extra help or running math club.

Mr. Mayhew is

dynamic LAURA FREY B.A in Spanish, Davidson College M.A. in Hispanic Language and Literature, Middlebury College Years teaching: 30 Teaches: Honors Spanish 5 10 | S PR I N G / S U M M E R 2 017

Honors Spanish 5 is a rigorous course designed to inspire students to communicate in Spanish while also engaging in higher-order thinking across the disciplines.

Teaching approach I ask a lot of questions. Our students have a lot to offer, and their answers usually lead to deeper conversation.

We’re discussing questions that are difficult to answer in any language; answering them in Spanish forces them to become more efficient, clear, and precise in language, requiring clearer and more precise thinking in advance.

Best moment The class had to deliver an oral presentation responding to the following question in Spanish: “How can we improve the quality and access to health care in the computer age?”

To prepare, each student investigated a Spanish-speaking region and compared its health care quality and access to health care in the United States. The students were articulate, thoughtful, and insightful both individually and collectively as they considered how social and economic class, education, job opportunity, and location affect wellness and health.

TANNER DALTON ’17

I have enjoyed being in Honors Spanish 5 with Mrs. Frey because of her passion for the language. She comes to class every day with so much energy that it is impossible to not be affected by it. She truly wants her students to succeed in Spanish and in life. Whether we are talking about the history of Spain or the future of the world, my VA experience would not have been as enjoyable without Mrs. Frey and Honors Spanish 5.

Mrs. Frey is

optimistic

CHRISTINE ARMIGER B.S. in Environmental Science, University of Montana Western M.S. in Environmental Studies, Antioch University New England Years teaching: 8 Teaches: Sustainability and the Food System (fall); Sustainability, Energy, and Climate Change (winter); Sustainable Design (spring) Sustainability helps students deepen their understanding of the enormous social, environmental, and economic challenges facing humanity.

We study how we can redesign agriculture, energy production, and building construction to use nature’s resources in a way that won’t deplete them for future generations.

Teaching approach I honor the unique curiosity in each of my students and cover as much material as possible, while keeping things fun, interactive, and inquiry based. In the fall, my students literally get their hands dirty working with elementary-school children in our school community garden. We cook food together, take field trips to local farms, and explore renewable energy by building our own wind turbines, electrical grids, and solar houses. I bring a lot of excitement to class every day because I never know what questions will spark a new direction for our conversation and projects. When they reflect on the class, most of my students tell me that learning about sustainability changed the way they think about the world and their place in it.

Best moment One of my best moments was at the end of the fall trimester, when McKenzie Curtis ’17 and other members of the Sustainability and the Food System class hosted a special event at Saxtons River Elementary School to celebrate 2016’s growing season. Together, we harvested the last of the vegetables from the school community garden, prepared a delicious soup, and made

pesto with fresh bread to serve to the children. When I introduced McKenzie as the president of the environmental club, the kids let out such a cheer you would have thought she was a celebrity! They all tried the soup, and the ones who were uncertain about eating the bright green pesto were reassured when Henry Hochschild ’17 playfully gobbled bites to reassure them. I couldn’t have been prouder of my class that afternoon. It was one of those moments that made me feel like I have the best job in the world.

MCKENZIE CURTIS ’17

Ms. Armiger is so much more than just a teacher of mine at Vermont Academy; she is a mentor, environmental enthusiast buddy, travel/backpacking companion, and good friend who has made me believe in myself. From Chemistry to AP Environmental Science to Sustainability and the Food System, Ms. Armiger has pushed me to do my very best, always believing in my ability to succeed. I will always be thankful for her love of teaching and learning and for helping me discover a sincere interest and love for our environment.

Ms. Armiger is

vibrant THOM COLLINS B.A. in Biology, University of Rhode Island B.S. in Secondary Education, University of Rhode Island Years teaching: 27 Teaches: Biotechnology/Bioethics In Biotechnology/Bioethics, we learn about the technology necessary to study cells and DNA. We compare DNA from different sources, copy DNA, and transform organisms.

We also examine the ethical uses of these technologies, learn to write valid arguments, and find fallacies in opposing arguments.

Teaching approach This is a non-honors class, but I teach it at a pretty rigorous level. All of the molecular content for the class comes from the AP Biology textbook. At first, many students are intimidated by the vocabulary and the content.

But with some careful scaffolding and patience, they master the material. I think this becomes a badge of honor for them, and they feel like they can tackle more challenging classes.

Best moment My best moment this year was when we performed the bacterial transformation lab, inserting a gene for a protein that glows (under UV light) into a bacterium. We got great results—every student had glowing colonies! Our results were so promising that we carried it one step further and isolated the protein. This lab took two weeks to complete, and attention to detail was necessary to achieve good results. This demonstrated that the students had learned and mastered some excellent laboratory skills.

ALE VILLALVAZO SALINAS ’17

I loved taking Biotechnology with Mr. Collins because he made it fun. At the beginning, I was afraid I couldn’t handle it because I wasn’t really into science, and many students told me it was a difficult class. I thought about dropping it, and, to be honest, I was terrified of Mr. Collins. When I started the class, I really liked it! Mr. Collins was so passionate when we were talking about biotechnology and innovations in science. The first time I stepped into the lab was when I fell in love with the class. Thank you, Mr. Collins, for sharing what you know with such passion.

Mr. Collins is

passionate

STEVE CADY B.M. in Music Education, Keene State College B.A. in Music Theory and Analysis, Keene State College Years teaching: 20 Teaches: Jazz Ensemble The Vermont Academy jazz ensemble rehearses twice weekly in preparation for more than six performances per year on and off campus. Our rehearsal process requires high energy but yields loads of fun and results in high-impact, exciting music.

Teaching approach My role as a music educator is about providing opportunities. If students wish to become serious jazz improvisers, that is how I must guide them. If they would like to learn about musical cultures of the world, they join me in endless conversations and listening experiences, exploring the hundreds of records and myriad digital resources in my classroom.

If they wish to never read a note but want to compose music digitally, it is my role to help them see that it is possible. Music is a very personal pursuit and intrinsically a student-centered discipline. It is my objective to help students understand their musical selves and see how they can improve this critically valuable part of their lives.

Best moment Each time I count off the band, they erupt in sound, intensity, and enthusiasm. That is the greatest moment of this class, and it happens over and over each week.

BRIAN ANDERSON ’18

I loved taking Jazz Ensemble with Mr. Cady because of his enthusiasm and the way he inspires all of his musicians.

His energy and passion are off the charts. I really respect and envy his pure musical talent with multiple instruments.

Mr. Cady is

enthusiastic V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 11

JOE ECHANIS ’79, P ’08, ’11, ’18 B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Northeastern University M.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Vermont Years teaching: 17 Teaches: Advanced Topics in Robotics In Advanced Topics in Robotics, students learn to design and engineer solutions to a given set of specifications. Working in teams, they define, schedule, and create subsystems to perform various tasks, and then evaluate them to determine which systems will perform the best together for the solution. Areas of focus are: Java programming, control systems, electrical design, and mechanical design. Students quickly realize that failure is just a starting point—they can only learn and improve from there.

competition began. At this point, the software was untested, but the team worked together to continually improve the system throughout the competition.

At one point, our team scored the second highest point total for one round in all competitions. This couldn’t have happened without everyone working together with one purpose.

ANGEL SHI ’17

I loved taking Robotics with Mr. Echanis because I like to make things. He created a favorable atmosphere for students to bring up their ideas. Although it looked like our robot was doing simple things, it took hundreds of failures and adjustments. That’s when Mr. Echanis became our strongest supporter. The most important thing Robotics taught me was not how to program or build a robot but to accept failure as part of the process. Instead of giving up, if we learn from our mistakes the experience we gain will eventually bring success.

Teaching approach The class operates as an enterprise where individual success is proportional to how well the team functions.

Students learn that everyone has value and that some students are better at certain things than others. But, most importantly, they are better together.

They figure out how to organize each other and the tasks to best utilize individual talents in achieving the design goal. Students teach others what they know, listen to one another’s ideas (no matter how crazy,) and work through difficult situations as a team. They learn to inspire each other to achieve goals.

B.S. in Political Science, University of Arizona

Best moment My best moment wasn’t in class but at the Vermont FIRST® Tech Challenge in February. This was the first time a team from Vermont made it to the finals. What made it special was that VA’s team, the Wired Catz, began changing their robot design at 6 am.

The robot finally passed inspection and was working minutes before the

AP Comp Gov is designed to give advanced students the opportunity to engage in a comparative analysis of domestic politics in six core countries: the United Kingdom, Russia, China, Iran, Mexico, and Nigeria. The course is unique in that it provides an understanding of key concepts and issues in these countries.

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Mr. Echanis is

positive GEORGE STETSON P ’19

M.S. in Political Science, University of the Andes Ph.D. in Political Science, Colorado State University Years teaching: 8 Teaches: AP Comp Gov

Teaching approach To the best of my ability, I try to provide a college-like experience for my students. While covering content to be successful on the AP exam, I also try hard to create an environment where students participate actively and confront interesting, timely, and relevant issues within the discipline of comparative politics.

Best moment The day after the election of Donald Trump, my students asked if we could talk about the election. At first, I was hesitant given that this course does not deal with US politics and, even more importantly, I did not want to engage in discussions where students felt like they needed to be anti- or pro-Trump. I told students that we could talk about the election only if we addressed the reasons why we felt that Trump was elected and if we could relate it to the course. Students were up to the challenge. In fact, it was hard to discern where people were on the pro/ anti-Trump spectrum. Instead, they felt that Trump’s election was the result of similar political and social circumstances that led to Brexit (Britain’s exit from the European Union). I was impressed with their level of professionalism, their ability to analyze and compare two important political moments, and their willingness to put their own personal political feelings aside. As I often ask them to do, they put on their “comparative politics hats” and did it quite well.

MACKEY O’KEEFE ’17

I loved taking AP Comp Gov because the class transcends policy to include a firm understanding of how different countries relate and compare. Beyond the details, Mr. Stetson helped us understand the history of different people and nations across the globe, as well as what unites and divides them. As a teacher, Mr. Stetson approached the material from a fundamentally human viewpoint. He has lived elsewhere in the world for extended periods of time and can accurately

compare different cultures, governments, and politics. Perhaps his most endearing quality as a teacher is his genuine interest in both the material and his students’ success. I have greatly enjoyed learning about the politics of the world, but more importantly, gaining an appreciation for our differences and similarities.

Mr. Stetson is

genuine WHITNEY BARRETT B.A. in English Literature and Visual Arts, Williams College M.A.T. in Art and Art Education, Teachers College, Columbia University Years teaching: 11 Teaches: Honors World Literature Honors World Literature is a yearlong honors-level class for seniors. My focus in structuring this class has been to move away from the singular focus of the Western canon by putting Western literature into a global context. After the completion of a personal essay unit, standard for all seniors, we spent the fall trimester reading British literature.

The winter trimester was spent on two units that looked at different aspects of postcolonial literature. My goal is to spend the spring trimester reading literature that breaks completely from the Western tradition.

Teaching approach Class discussions are led by students and when possible they make use of outside or supplemental sources to put readings in context. While we have read primarily books that are either part of, or engage directly with, the canon, I have tried to approach them from the perspective of how they fit in the global context.

For these students, it is important to understand how pieces of literature

fit into a wider context and how literature connects to and shapes the evolution of culture. Because this class is an honors-level class, assessments focus more on larger analytical and integrated/interdisciplinary learning.

For example, in the African postcolonial literature class, students completed two writing assignments where they brought in their own sources to the texts. For the first, they used JSTOR, a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students, to find a scholarly article that explored some element of the text that interested them. For the second, they researched current events and then wrote an essay that connected contemporary politics to the novel Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton.

For each of these writings, the goal was to make connections between what they read in class and what they experience in the world each day. With the current events piece, the question was how reading the book helped them understand contemporary politics and how contemporary politics helped them understand the book. Reading current scholarly articles helps them understand the way people talk about and think about books and what it means to have opinions and argue about literature.

Best moment I have loved the unit on philosophy and fiction. Students were paired up; each pair chose their readings from a list of novelists, primarily 19th and 20th century, who wrote fiction that directly engaged with philosophical systems. Each week, students would read, research, and analyze their chosen content, and then present to their partner and me. This structure allowed students to figure out how to learn and understand literature independently, using the tools of reflection (reading journals) and research (two scholarly articles from JSTOR).

What impressed me about this unit was the range of topics that students presented in their papers. Many chose similar books because a few key texts were short enough to allow for pairing.

Most of the pairs chose to read Candide, The Stranger, and/or Invisible Cities.

Because all of these texts were written with the purpose of using the novel as a tool to explore philosophy, these texts can be difficult. The students were able to figure out the big issues and ideas in the texts and also explore these ideas in very personalized ways.

Because this unit was self-directed, students needed to figure out how to connect to the text in order to have something to write. I loved listening to students discuss their experience of reading the novel and figuring out how to make sense of these multi-layered texts. From Matt Hanna ’17, who kept asking why the main character of The Stranger didn’t care, to Will Brady ’17 connecting to him because he had shut off his emotions, to Lizzy Adams ’17 asserting that he really made her angry, it was cool to watch them doing the learning on their own and having an emotional response to literature.

LIZZY ADAMS ’17

I loved taking Honors World Lit because there was just the right balance between learning and discussion. Ms. Barrett encouraged us to share our thoughts and feelings on a novel, while also asking questions that made us think deeper.

By uncovering the meaning behind stories, they became more impactful and made more sense. Typically, English isn’t my favorite subject, but Ms. Barrett made it enjoyable and fresh.

Ms. Barrett is

thoughtful

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 13

Jon Bostock ’95—

Big Ass Fan

A

OF

Vermont Academy

BY JON BOSTOCK ’95, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, BIG ASS SOLUTIONS

When I was a student at Vermont Academy in the early 1990s, longtime administrator and Director of Admissions Bill Newman asked me if I’d be interested in leading visitors on tours of the school. I’m not exactly sure why Mr. Newman approached me, but it was the kind of thing that happened at VA a lot: teachers and staff offering opportunities to try things I might never have tried on my own.

Big Ass Solutions’ donkey mascot is named Fanny (naturally).

I guess Mr. Newman could tell that despite my regular attempts at rebellion, I genuinely cared about the school and recognized it as a special place—even then.

He was right. I liked doing the tours and talking to people about Vermont from a Massachusetts teenager’s perspective. I also liked talking about everything that set Vermont Academy apart from the other schools that visitors might be considering, starting with the small-town Vermont setting. Now that I’ve been away from VA and Saxtons River for over 20 years, the time and distance have added a whole new layer of appreciation for what the school offers its students: a diversity of experience that’s easier to connect with than at larger schools, a sense of combined purpose, and an acceptance of thinking that differs from your own.

I recently made a major shift in my career, and it made me realize how much Vermont Academy and Saxtons River have influenced the path my life has taken.

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Vermonters value their independence, both politically and as a way of life. During my time at Vermont Academy, I learned so much about sticking to my beliefs, the value of hard work, and the courage to follow my passions. This strong sense of self served me well when I left General Electric last year.

A lot of people thought I was nuts. They couldn’t understand why I would leave a company—one of the world’s most successful companies—after steadily climbing its corporate ladder for more than a decade. How could I ditch that for a position with Big Ass Solutions, a middle-market fan and light manufacturer in Lexington, Kentucky? Some people called me Oliver Wendell Douglas. They thought I was abandoning the big time for “Green Acres.”

Part of what led to the move, of course, was family. I was spending too much time traveling and not enough seeing my wife and kids. But I was also attracted by the opportunity to be a part of a young company with a unique vision—a community of people excited about the future and working together to get there. BAS is a place that encourages thinking that’s “outside the public-corporation box.” From its name to its mascot to the projects it pursues and the way it does business, it marches to its own beat. The first time I visited I could tell it was a totally different environment than the one I’d spent nearly half my life in. I jumped at the chance to be on the ground floor of exciting new entrepreneurial ventures.

From a cultural perspective, there are a lot of similarities between VA and BAS. Both are tight-knit communities where it’s easy to get to know everyone and have a relaxed atmosphere and strong sense of purpose. But most importantly, both VA and BAS challenge people to think differently every day. At VA, it showed in Mr. Newman asking me to lead tours and Al Tobias urging me to try riflery and learn to shoot accurately. Those are the kinds of challenges you don’t get in a public school, and they’ve helped define my choices in life.

Being a Massachusetts kid, one of the first things that amazed me when I came to VA was that a lot of my classmates had never seen snow. It was such a simple thing, but it opened my eyes to how different people’s experiences can be, even though they live and work on basically the same little piece of Earth. My world has expanded a lot since then, but that early lesson still holds true. I realize now how every choice I make—whether about places to go or people to meet—has been influenced by it.

Vermonters value their independence, both politically and as a way of life. During my time at Vermont Academy, I learned so much about sticking to my beliefs, the value of hard work, and the courage to follow my passions.

I’m no longer leading tours at VA, but if I were, I’d tell prospective students and their parents that more than 20 years after graduation it’s easier than ever to appreciate the positive influence Vermont Academy has on its students. I’ll always be grateful for the lessons about diversity of thought and the sense of independence I gained there.

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 15

RILEY AT A GLANCE: Years at VA: Four Sports: Varsity soccer, JV and varsity ice hockey, crew, and softball Best moment: This whole soccer season VA’s biggest impact: Helping me to find my confidence Tradition: Winter Carnival Dining hall meal: Potstickers

SENIOR REFLECTION:

Riley McIntosh ’17 Tell us about your family’s long history with Vermont Academy.

The first person in my family to attend Vermont Academy was my great uncle George ’49 and then my grandfather Frederick ’58. My mom, Ella ’86, her sister Sylvia ’85, and brother Ralf ’83 are also alumni, along with my sister Sam ’13. My mom also worked at VA, so I virtually grew up on campus.

What was your favorite class at VA? I enjoyed Kinesiology with Mr. Frey. He taught the subject but then gave us freedom to learn it in our own way, including setting our test times. Everyone learned at their pace.

What has soccer taught you?

To be calm under pressure in athletics and life. During games, I learned to not overthink things and focus instead on the keeping the team’s emotions in check. Soccer taught me balance.

What’s the biggest impact VA’s made on you?

I’ve become more confident in who I am and less shy. One of my closest friends, Sarah Jacobelli ’19, has really helped me come out of my shell and become comfortable with being me.

That means a lot to me.

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Attend Vermont Academy 3 Dream: and play soccer

Do you remember what you hoped for yourself in your ninth-grade letter?

As I recall, it was to be less shy and make more friends. I’ve succeeded at that. I’ve made friends here that will last a lifetime.

Enjoy it while it lasts. Be yourself. The VA community is loving and open. You’ll be able to find the right group of friends.

What are your plans for college?

I went to the Bahamas once and was fascinated by the ocean and fish. I plan on studying marine biology at the University of New England and hope to continue with soccer.

Has Vermont Academy prepared you for what’s next?

Definitely. VA has taught me to believe in myself, and the academic environment has provided me with the opportunity to take AP courses, familiarize myself with switching classes, and glimpse college life through College Counseling.

In 2017, Vermont Academy had more students win Scholastic art and writing awards than any other high school in Vermont.

VERMONT ACADEMY

Excellence in Art and Writing 23

32

Vermont high schools participated

Vermont Academy students won

57

awards

20

state % ofawards were won by VA

VA ARTISTS WERE AWARDED

30

HONORABLE MENTIONS

22 SILVER KEYS

4

GOLD KEYS

1

NATIONAL SILVER MEDAL

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 17

1

I just want to skate and create, a place to chase, images in space.

I stay mindful, aware of self, focus on life, and invest in my health.

I’m in the process of facing my learning – I learn different and that was viewed as a problem –

Gold Key—Poetry

A PLACE TO CHASE

Henry Hochschild ’17

ADHD, disability, whatever you call it, I wanted to solve ’em.

2

Or resolve ’em,

3

and evolve ’em.

Yet my differences surround me, amaze my days and astound me.

Life doesn’t need to be simple,

4

the feel of change is aesthetic and beautiful,

5

a preteen outside of the cubicle.

Although fragile is not me,

6

I’ve been around the world

7

and hold my head high with pride while I’m stepping.

8

listen to the words

9

of different feathered birds,

10 titans of sound Mad Lib and Led Zeppelin.

11 Happy to be an indigo child of the 21st 12 ready for such a big move in the world.

13 And knowledge is power, I hydrate through thirst 14 then flow through water into song and verse.

15 run like cattle and sleep in my cradle 16 I view college like colors and numbers, spinning at the speed of light, 17 almost like Jewish spacemen playing with dreidels.

“Disabled’s” a fable, 18 “disabled’s” a label, 19 like my ethnicity that doesn’t exist.

20 I know this world needs to be fixed without fists 21 but through flames that I spit from my lips 22 off lyrical waves that crash and drift 23 into a beach shore I call my consciousness.

24 Section 8 taught me that – 25 real raps and real facts from smarter cats that were considered benchwarmers with starter caps.

26 Studying in college won’t help me learn harder math.

27 I need deep thought. Because nowadays kids on the block are seeing school at the top without giving reflection, and due to my complexion, people like me were working on crops, which created a world where rich white men own yachts, 28 and oil to fuel shops.

I want to take everything they got 29 (but I’m everything they’re not) 30 and give it to the people.

I’m high in my mind standing on a steeple.

On a skate, I realized my board and I are equal.

In class, so far, I’m seen as unfocused... but the neurons in my brain blossom 31 like a lotus.

32 Hope you notice.

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Michael Capasse ’16

Henry Hochschild ’17 V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 19

MIRROR

by Jialin “Dan” Zhou ’17 Mirror was awarded Best in Show from Norwich University’s annual juried high school art show

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Why is being an artist important to you?

Art is to me as water is to a fish. Art, in a narrow sense, is a nonverbal expression of everything on Earth. It is what I use to express feelings at the depths of my heart that I cannot convey in language.

How do you approach painting?

First and foremost, art is expressing an idea. With a painting of a forest, for example, I would rough a loose shape instead of capturing details such as branches, leaves, and delicate colors. I am depicting my ideas and feelings, rather than photographing the scene. Compared with details, the spirit of the forest matters more. I let my ideas flow naturally.

What inspired Aqua?

Water is one of the most beautiful elements in the world; however, it is so common, we often forget about it. It has no particular shape or color; it takes the shape of its container and is strong enough to cut through mountains. It can be both a positive and negative force.

I used ink and watercolor to mirror a softer and gentler type of water. This piece depicts the mystery of the world and can be viewed vertically or horizontally—the woman’s face either sinking into the water or coming out. In this work, water acts as a gentle cloud that mystifies in a neutral manner.

Dan’s painting Aqua, shown above, was selected to be published in Celebrating Art, a book that showcases the winners of an art contest sponsored by Dick Blick Art Materials. Open to grades K–12 in the United States and Canada, the contest selects only the top 25% entries to be published. Congratulations, Dan!

Did Aqua inspire Mirror?

Both were inspired from the Parsons Challenge, required as part of my application. This year’s challenge was to explore something usually overlooked in my daily environment. I chose water.

Was Parsons The New School of Design your first choice?

Yes. I like the environment of an urban city, and I think it’s the best place to learn fashion. I’ve done some fashion sketches before and used cotton, paper, tulle, thread, and plastic to make dresses. I enjoy the process of making art and playing with color.

Note: See how Dan uses his talent in Robotics class on page 34.

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 21

Ted Everett, Class of 1950, Bequeaths Largest Estate Gift in Vermont Academy’s 141-Year History REPRESENTING 68 PERCENT OF HIS ESTATE, TED’S GIFT EXCEEDS TWO MILLION DOLLARS

Edward “Ted” Everett grew up in Concord, New Hampshire, and began his high school career at the highly selective St. Paul’s School a stone’s throw away. Ted’s sisters, Jean and Cindy, recollect that he was teased at school for being a “townie.” Ted’s larger-than-life father, Doug Everett, played hockey for Dartmouth College, where he was named an All-American. A Concord native, Mr. Everett was a star at the 1932 Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, scoring three goals on the way to a silver medal.

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“Vermont Academy turned me around. I have such fond memories of Headmaster Leavitt—I wish he knew I was making this gift.”

Excerpt from Ted Everett’s journal

As you might imagine, Ted’s father cast a long shadow of achievement for him to follow—a lot for any son to live up to.

Ted couldn’t find his stride at St. Paul’s School and mostly kept to himself. He was frustrated at his lack of progress and struggled to find his path. His father was at a Dartmouth reunion when he struck up a conversation with Laurence Leavitt, who by then was Vermont Academy’s headmaster. After listening to Mr. Everett describe his son, Mr. Leavitt immediately knew that Vermont Academy was a place where Ted would flourish.

Ted entered Vermont Academy in 1948 as a repeat junior and immediately blossomed amidst the supportive community. He jumped in with both feet and never looked back. Ted went on to graduate from Vermont Academy and Dartmouth College, where he was a member of the Kappa Kappa Kappa (Tri-Kap) fraternity and majored in geography.

Passionate about radios, Ted made his first crystal radio when he was twelve years old. He became an avid ham radio operator in his freshman year of college under the license W1TNO. Later he added W1ALE, which he kept for the rest of his life.

It was his desire to find the perfect elevated position for his ham radio antenna that led him to purchase a 120-acre parcel of land with a hilltop in Pembroke, New Hampshire. From his house, Ted was on top of the world with views of Mount Monadnock to the southwest, Mount Washington to the north, and Maine to the northeast. Ted never married or had children; upon his death, his family was touched to read so much praise from ham radio enthusiasts around the world that Ted had helped get their start.

On Ted’s senior page in his yearbook, he listed “enclosures” as his pet peeve. I’d like to think that Vermont Academy helped give Ted the confidence to break out of his shell and step forward, shining his light for all the world to see.

Ted died on January 31, 2013, at the age of 81, but his gift and memory will continue to brighten the lives of each and every student who finds their way to Vermont Academy and becomes part of our family.

I think that Ted might enjoy our ham radio signoff:

Thank you, Ted, and 73 (best regards) to you and your family.

Your gift is a star that shines bright in Vermont Academy’s history.

W1ALE, this is W1VA17 signing off—until we meet again.

V E R M O N T AC A D E M Y | 2 3

A Wildcat Year for Girls’Athletics

Vermont Academy athletics celebrated a stellar year for boys and girls in individual and team results. However, it was the girls’ spectacular play that held our community and neighboring towns riveted by their display of talent, fortitude, and unquenchable spirit.

Some of our unforgettable moments were when the girls’ 1V crew—Allegra Wu ’17, Ava Hill ’18, Dariel Echanis ’18, Maggie Adams ’20, and Lizzy Adams ’17—raced in the Head Of The Charles; Chloe Aurard ’17, Anais Aurard ’17, and Lotti Odnoga ’18 competed at the U18 Ice Hockey World Championships held in Budapest, representing Team France and Team Hungary with Team Hungary being crowned U18 world champions; Ally Erunski ’18 scored her 1,000th point in basketball; and Nordic skier Hayley Adams ’18 competed at the Eastern High School Championships as part of Team Vermont in the 5km skate race, finishing 31st out of 100 racers. In final tournament play, girls’ varsity soccer, basketball, and snowboarding won their championships, with girls’ basketball making history by bringing home the NEPSAC Class D title.

We couldn’t be more proud of our athletes who represent Vermont Academy so well on and off the field. On the following pages, head coaches Karen Henry and John Kelly provide highlights from their winning seasons.

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Thank You Stan and Judi, you were truly engaged in our lives at Vermont Academy.

You empowered all of us to have a voice, and Judi made everyone feel at home.

— C H R I S DAV I D S O N ,

Director of Athletics

A SEASON AND CHAMPIONSHIP TO REMEMBER

BY KAREN HENRY P ’19, FACULTY, HEAD COACH GIRLS’ VARSITY BASKETBALL, AND ASSISTANT COACH GIRLS’ VARSITY SOCCER

For the first time in school history, the varsity girls’ basketball team won the NEPSAC Class D Championship with a 67–20 victory over Southfield School. This was Vermont Academy’s first trip to the title game since 2010, having been ousted in the semifinals last year. Led by senior point guard and captain Leandra Echi, the team started fast and never looked back.

Coming off a strong 17–6 regular season, the Wildcats earned the No. 1 seed in the NEPSAC Class D tournament and sailed through their quarterfinal matchup against Boston Trinity School, 85–12. The Cats then defeated Christian Heritage 77–6 in the semifinals. With a smothering full-court defense and an unselfish offensive attack, Vermont Academy defeated Southfield School 67–20 to win the crown.

Having joined Vermont Academy in 2014, I have coached many of the same girls for the past three years. With a motto of “play for each other,” these Wildcats displayed a sense of camaraderie that was unmatched. The girls’ drive and determination propelled them to their ultimate goal—a decision they made two years ago—to win a championship together. I don’t think anything could have stopped them.

Leandra Echi ’17 was named the NEPSAC tournament’s Most Valuable Player. She led Vermont with 19 points and 21 rebounds.

Other major contributors included Kyra Rideout ’18 with 12 points and 11 rebounds and Allyson Erunski ’18 with 15 points.

Along with Echi, Vermont Academy will also miss senior Cara Linder. A starter for the past three seasons, Linder has provided incredible leadership both on and off the court.

These two athletes have made an incredible impact on both our basketball team and school community. I thank them for their trust, leadership, and love. Echi has committed to The University of Texas at El Paso, where she will continue her basketball career.

Linder will be attending Elon University.

As we look to next year, seven players will be returning, including four seniors. With experience and skill on our side, the remaining Wildcats will be looking for another opportunity to reach Super Sunday. It’s a lofty goal, but with the will and determination of this crew, anything is possible.

2 016 –17 ROS T E R Allie Buckley ’18

Ally Erunski ’18

Juno Li ’18

Kano Qi ’20

Ella Bushee ’20

Sydney Henry ’19

Julianne Liebow ’18

Kyra Rideout ’18

Leandri Echi ’17

Ani Kapral ’19

Cara Linder ’17 V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 25

Team captain Katy Brennan ’17

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Hayley Adams ’18

THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SNOW BUSINESS IN VERMONT

BY JOHN KELLY, COACH OF VARSITY MOUNTAIN BIKING, SNOWBOARDING, AND JV TENNIS

Thirty-five years ago, when snowboarding was barely a thought in the minds of area skiers, Vermonter Jake Burton was busy bending and shaping laminated wood into what would become the ride of a lifetime for millions of people around the world. The sport has deep roots in Vermont and Vermont Academy. VA’s competitive snowboard team was started in the early 90s by teacher and coach Peter Riegelman ’75. Over the years, VA has guided numerous riders in attaining their full potential in the classroom and on the incredible variety of snowboard terrain around New England and beyond.

In particular, Vermont Academy has a proud history of strong, talented female riders coming into their own on our Green Mountains. One of the most successful riders to come out of VA was Aurelie Sayres ’96. In 1998, Aurelie finished third in the Winter X Games slopestyle competition. She also had several top 10 finishes at the highest level of boarder cross and half-pipe competitions throughout her career.

The 2016–17 Wildcats’ championship season was no exception. Our girls’ team, led by four-year team member and captain, Katy Brennan ’17, pictured at left, took the Lakes Region Freestyle Season Championship in convincing fashion. Her teammates, McKenzie Curtis ’17, Kate Gorman ’18, and Lucy Saunders ’19, put it all on the line at each practice and competition and would not be denied. The courage and determination displayed by these riders was enviable. When your riders are putting this type of commitment into their riding, you can’t help but be inspired. I am very fortunate to have been able to witness the progression of the team throughout this season, along with my 12 previous seasons with Vermont Academy snowboarding. The confidence you develop by taking healthy risks to boardslide a kinked rail or hit a 25’ jump is a confidence that will help carry you throughout your life. The friendships you build with your teammates are just as lasting and powerful.

“I work really hard at the snow park to learn tricks and get out of my comfort zone. When I win a competition, I feel like I can do anything—on the snow and in life.”

— MCKENZIE CURTIS ’17, named this season’s Most Valuable Rider

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 2 7

ALUMNI PROFILE

“From the moment I could talk, I was ordered to listen.”

— Cat Stevens’ “Father and Son” lyric quoted by Rannie on her yearbook page

Social Work Seeks Social Justice Q&A: RAWAN IBRAHIM PH.D., CLASS OF 1992

BY JENNIFER JONES P ’15, ’18, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Six hours ahead in Amman, Jordan, Rawan “Rannie” Ibrahim ’92 Skyped with me for this interview—her 9:30 pm to my 3:30 pm. We had been trying to connect for a couple of weeks amidst our hectic schedules.

Proclaiming she was a mess as she piled her thick hair into a loose knot, we fell into an exchange of fast friends—life experiences, observations, hopes, and must-reads. Two hours later, we concluded our conversation something more than acquaintances.

With her enviable riot of curly hair, engaging brown eyes, and deep intelligence, she is one of those people that draws you in—even through cyberspace. Within minutes, engulfed in her accent and thoughtful outlook, you know you’ve encountered someone special. Rawan inspires you to want to do more—be more. She credits Vermont Academy with providing her with the foundation to become successful. Her experiences here enabled her to trust her abilities for the first time.

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V E R M O N T AC A D E M Y | 2 9

What is your heritage?

Palestinian Jordanian, Arab American.

I was born and raised in Amman and grew up visiting family in the occupied West Bank and Boston. I moved to the US more permanently when I was 16 to begin at VA.

DEAR VA FACULTY AND STAFF: During our time with you, we are often still in the developmental stage, and we may not be very good at showing that we appreciate you. You often don’t see how much of an impact you are having, despite your investment in us. I would like to remind you that you do make a difference, and eventually we will come back to thank you.

On behalf of VA students, I’ d like to take this opportunity to apologize for all the frustrations.

But I also want to thank you so very much for all the small and big things that you do for us, day in and day out. Please keep at it. It is worth it.

What prompted you to attend a US boarding school?

I was struggling in Amman and had changed schools several times. (It wasn’t until after I earned my bachelor’s degree that I was diagnosed with Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS), which can interfere with reading comprehension and focus). I initiated the idea to go to boarding school in the US, but my parents resisted for several years. When I became older, they finally agreed to consider it. Because my father grew up in Boston and most of my family lived there, he started looking at boarding schools in the Northeast.

Were you drawn to Vermont Academy right away?

Yes! Before I even traveled to the US with my dad in February 1990, I knew I wanted to go to Vermont Academy. I had received a brochure and video in the mail, and I just fell in love. There was something about it. It felt warm, inviting, and safe. I felt that I belonged there.

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Was it a difficult decision for your parents?

Yes. It was not easy for my parents to send their sixteen-year-old daughter to school in the US. I fail to find words that truly reflect how much I appreciated their support and respect of my decision.

Obtaining a good education is extremely valuable in my culture and family—that provided the main impetus for them. I always strived to ensure that they never regretted their decision.

Was it difficult to adjust at VA? Everyone has ups and downs, regardless of where they are in life, but I mostly had ups at VA. Any downs, as my history teacher Mr. Vachris ingrained in us, were “learning opportunities.” I was immersed in a very different environment. I was the only Middle Eastern student at VA, not to mention that I came to the US in 1990 just as the Gulf War was beginning. Initially I struggled to adjust. Thanks to headmaster Bob Long and several teachers and friends, that initial period passed very quickly.

We have a saying in this part of the world: do good and toss it in the ocean. Do the right thing without expectations; eventually it all comes back one way or another.

Did VA represent a turning point in your life?

My experience at VA was one of those major turning points for me, both academically and personally. I was listened to and encouraged.

Coming from an experience where I felt labeled due to my poor achievements, I think there were high expectations at VA. Even when I didn’t do as well as I could, expectations did not fluctuate. I was encouraged and given more time or more of whatever it was that I needed.

Furthermore, I felt like the faculty and students were fond of me. For a teenager, especially being the only Arab during the political climate at the time, this is very significant. I became motivated to do well. I learned that I could do well. I also learned the importance of feeling comfortable in my own skin and having a sense of humor. That motivation and drive stayed with me. If I lose track, I still remember these lessons from my time at VA. Have you been back to Vermont Academy?

Once, shortly after graduation, I came with another alumni, Jonathan Davies ’91. Although short, it was a lovely visit. Most of my teachers were still there. Headmaster Long was one of my favorite people. So were the Vachrises, the Sweets, Mr. Andre, Mr. Parlberg, the Freys, and many more.

Do you have a philosophy that you live by?

I have lived in three different countries and experienced ethnic, gender, and religious biases.

Most times I am privileged. Both the negative and positive experiences are important, particularly the negative. I know that being

discriminated against is mostly just in passing for me. However, for others this is a way of life that must be endured daily. That’s extremely humbling and has taught me to be aware of handling any privileged position responsibly and with humility. Through my experiences, I have formed a philosophy based on three principles that I try to live by: 1 Don’t get hung up on being right; get hung up on doing the right thing. There is a big difference between being driven by ego and striving to be dignified.

2 Despite how different we are, we have much more in common than we think. We all want the same things from life. Differences are opportunities to grow; they are the spices that provide flavor to life.

AT A G L A N C E T H E N : Activities: Equestrian, Nordic skier, tour guide, and proctor Awards: Most Improved Rider and Ford Improvement Prize Dorm: Jones 1, room faced Fuller Hall Biggest impact: VA brought out the best in me and taught me to believe in myself Favorite food: I loved being introduced to Vermont maple syrup and marshmallow fluff

3 I work on being a better person every single day—it’s exhausting but that’s our journey.

What is a piece of advice you would give students?

Shortly after I arrived at VA in 1990, I heard this from guest speaker, former VA student, and current Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry ’69 about Vermont Academy: “It is what you make it.” To add my own piece of advice—and you only appreciate this later—VA is an experience not to be repeated later in your life. So make the best of it, academically, personally, and athletically. I’ll also add, please take care of each other, especially those who are younger and those who might need just a little more.

You are each other’s family away from home.

We have a saying in this part of the world: do good and toss it in the ocean. Do the right thing without expectations; eventually it all comes back one way or another.

AT A G L A N C E N O W : Home: Amman, Jordan Family info: I love being an aunt Career: UNICEF Jordan and German Jordanian University Current project: Developing Jordanian foster care program; researching transitions of youth aging out of residential care and transitions of refugee youth Must-read: The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck. “I read it every 3–5 years, and every time, I learn something new.”

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 31

Don’t get hung up on being right; get hung up on doing the right thing.

To what do you attribute your success?

Vermont Academy gave me the foundation to be successful; however, it is the hardship of my family that inspired my career. Being Palestinian, both sides of my family lost everything and were displaced in 1948 and 1967. My parents got engaged in 1967. They left the West Bank to go to Beirut for a weekend getaway. The Six-Day War broke out, and they were unable to return to their families and homes. For six months, their families didn’t know what happened to them. For generations, Palestinians have endured perpetual occupation and injustice. I still have family under Israeli occupation today. Their experience, and particularly that of my family, has always made me sensitive to any injustice.

Social work seeks social justice.

Where VA contributed to my career and success was in helping me to believe in myself. I learned about my positive qualities; I loved and still do love learning. I had the ability to stick it out. I just kept going. Stick-to-itiveness is an important quality to have in life and in work. If I didn’t have it, I wouldn’t have been able to go to grad school, get a Ph.D., or overcome other challenges. Being playful and having a sense of humor ease the journey and remind us to enjoy it.

How did your social work journey unfold?

My career developed one step at a time. My area is child and youth alternative care systems. This part of my story started with finding a homeless girl, Hasna, one evening in Amman.

Although Jordan is a developing economy, I didn’t grow up seeing poverty despite socio-economic differences. Child labor was limited to agrarian communities and even then, it wasn’t really considered child labor. With the deterioration of the economy in the late 80s and early 90s, those that were

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already vulnerable became even more vulnerable. Seeing that little girl trying to sleep on the side of the road, in the cold, all alone, was a horrific sight. My mother and I stopped to check on her. As soon as we spoke to her, she jumped into the back seat. Clearly she was ripe for exploitation. We called the police and I was asked to accompany her to the station. My mother insisted on feeding her and cleaning her up first.

Having never had such an experience, I had no clue that our civil defense had established a police unit specializing in child abuse and neglect. I quickly realized that she was one of their regular clients when she was giving me directions and showing me the way. By the time we completed the procedures, it was very late and she needed a place to spend the night. I was asked to take her home with me and bring her back the next morning.

We had a lovely time, but it was very painful for both of us when I took her to the police station the following morning.

I kept calling and asking about her. I learned that she had escaped the care home where she was placed. I found her again on the streets, this time with her younger brother. Again, I took them to the station, but I refused to take them home because it was not fair for them. The chief of the department was very supportive and empathetic. He promised me that she would be placed in the best care home in Amman. Something in me said, “You will end up working there.” A year later, I was managing the place, and the chief became one of the most important role models in my professional career.

Sixteen years later, he still is!

The program is now implemented Tell us about your work in three cities, and we hope to with UNICEF Jordan. have countrywide expansion At the time I found Hasna, the where foster care would replace only form of family-based care residential care for most children. was what we call ‘Ihtidan,’ a Rawan visiting Jon Davies ’91 in California. Sadly, Jon Along with this project, I had quasi-form of adoption based on passed away in April after battling a longtime brain injury. a short-term consultancy in Islamic Sharia law. During my northern Iraq to support them work at the temporary residential “Jon was part of a group of friends that was important to me at VA. No one got away with teasing me like he did! in developing foster care. I am care home for severely abused and Those who know him would agree “he’s not just any brick hoping it becomes a longer-term neglected children, there were a in the wall.” I am so sorry I took his presence for granted. consultancy. I also continue number of kids that we could not I’ll always miss him.” — Rawan to work on issues focused on reunite with their families. They youth transitioning from residential care to adulthood. Due to unfortunately were transferred to longer-term facilities. the geopolitical situation and the Syrian refugee crisis, I have I started wondering what would happen to them when they had to expand work to include refugee youth, particularly turned 18 and left the system. Like many countries, we unaccompanied and separated young people. had no post-care policies and no formal post-care support.

Moreover, the professionalization of social work was very Do you have any parting thoughts? much at a nascent stage. This meant that despite the great What you learn in social work—and have to mentally efforts of many, we lacked needed specializations to guide and emotionally prepare for—is that you rarely have the practice and policy. opportunity to choose an ideal situation for any child. It’s I wanted to improve my own knowledge and skills in this area, so I went for my Ph.D. Upon my return to Jordan, I joined the Columbia University Global Center in Amman. In collaboration with professors from the School of Social Work at Columbia University in New York—who initiated a project with UNICEF Jordan and the Jordanian government—we developed the first foster care program. I was the project director for four years until the administration was handed to the government. I was then a UNICEF consultant to help further institutionalize this new model of care.

often deciding between the lesser of two evils. That’s never good enough, and it’s what is most frustrating. We should never settle for that. Otherwise we are at serious risk of becoming complacent, and we will fail them.

Every now and then I receive calls or messages from my kids in the care home and from foster parents. It is very gratifying to learn of their progress and achievements. I appreciate their contact. It reminds me that the tough times are worth it.

VA Shout-outs: Mr. Long, Mr. and Mrs. Vachris, and Ms. Barbara Sweet.

V E R M O N T AC A D E M Y | 33

ROBOTICS—

ART and SCIENCE

BY JOE ECHANIS ’79, P ’08, ’11, ’18, FACULTY AND ROBOTICS TEAM LEADER

Vermont Academy’s FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) season began in the fall with the Advanced Topics in Robotics class brainstorming and creating solutions for this year’s competition. During the winter term, our afterschool team, the Wired Catz, partnered with their robotics classmates to prepare for the Vermont FTC Championship. Their efforts paid off when the Wired Catz became one of the state’s first teams to make the finals, earning the #4 seed. The Wired Catz lost to a team from Lexington, MA, who went on to win the tournament. Prior to this year, Vermont Academy’s best ranking was 22nd; last year the Wired Catz finished 28th.

The team is already strategizing how to get ready for next year’s FTC season and build on this year’s success!

AN INSIDER’S LOOK AT ADVANCED TOPICS IN ROBOTICS Dan Zhou ’17 combines his love of art and science with this detailed notebook page for his robot design. In this write-up, he shines his lens on the gearing that will be used to hit a ball. This is a wonderful example of how students can apply their talents and passions across curriculum. See Dan’s award-winning art on pages 20-21.

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S E P T E M B E R 2 2 – 2 4 , 2 0 17 E N J OY A Q U I N T ESS E N T I A L FA L L W E E K E N D I N V E R M O N T

as you join us for Reunion Weekend 2017. Come home to campus to reminisce with classmates, meet current students and faculty, cheer on our Wildcats, or just relax on campus. Friday night, we’ll celebrate the Class of 1967 and their 50th Reunion. On Saturday, we’ll dine together over a Vermont localvore reception and dinner featuring locally grown meat and produce, cheese, chocolate, and renowned Vermont craft beers.

SAVE

THE

Reunion Weekend

DATE

For information or to register, go to vermontacademy.org/reunion2017.

We’re celebrating class years ending in 2 and 7, but all alumni are welcome to attend. Reunion years, don’t forget to make a gift to our Fund for Vermont Academy leading up to Reunion. A gift of any size counts toward your class participation goals.

We’re looking forward to welcoming you home.

V E R M O N T AC A D E M Y | 35

A Vermont State of Mind, Body, and Spirit With heartfelt support from Vermont Academy, Healthy Choices camp debuted on campus last summer and introduced a healthy mindset to inner-city girls

BY ANNIE MUSE KEARNEY, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF HEALTHY CHOICES INC.

One day on Long Walk—just like that—my dream crystalized.

I would somehow bring inner-city girls to Vermont Academy for a health-based camp and strive to involve VA faculty and students as mentors to the campers.

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I moved to Vermont in 2013 to join Vermont Academy and immediately fell in love with the Green Mountains. There are several factors that lead to Vermont often being ranked the healthiest state in America by America’s Health Ranking. One is the great outdoors. Being outside with the sun and wind on your face makes you feel healthy and, more importantly, inspires you to want to live a lifestyle that fosters well-being. As I navigated Long Walk every day, soaking in VA’s panoramic beauty in every season, I often found myself reflecting on my passion for service learning, which manifested in college. After graduating from Stonehill College, I served for a year in AmeriCorps. Unlike many of my peers who were placed throughout the US, I continued to volunteer in Brockton, MA, a city near my college and 30 minutes south of Boston.

“Seeing the girls again has made me realize the impact that the Healthy Choices camp had on them and my continued responsibility to share my knowledge for a healthy life.”

— DARIEL ECHANIS ’18

After leaving Vermont Academy to pursue my doctorate in health education at Columbia University, I created a nonprofit, Healthy Choices INC. Over the next few months, generous donations from friends, family, and small businesses helped funding come together. Through the support of others, especially my former colleagues at Vermont Academy, the programming took shape.

The idea behind Healthy Choices was presented to VA’s student body, and to my delight, several rising junior and senior girls immediately applied to be mentors. It was a difficult decision, but we ultimately selected Delaney Stokes ’17, Ava Hill ’18, Dariel Echanis ’18, and Karina Vital ’17. Back in Brockton, the school principal, YMCA, and District Attorney’s office worked together to enroll eight wonderful first-year campers and garnered support from the larger community.

I’m thrilled to relay that the inaugural Healthy Choices camp last August was more successful than I could have imagined. It was six days and nights of team building, physical fitness, arts, and nutrition classes, along with field trips that reinforced a healthy lifestyle. In the evening, VA’s student mentors led journaling sessions on leadership, self-affirmation, confidence, self-respect, stress, and anxiety. Delaney, Ava, Dariel, and Karina did a great job developing their leadership skills and evolving as strong mentors; the campers looked up to them so much. Toward the end of the week, we capped off our experience with a tour of Dartmouth College and camping overnight at Storrs Pond.

Here are just some of the ways VA supported Healthy Choices: • Aurelia Davidson co-led our first summer session; • Amanda Hodgson taught Zumba; • Inessa Muse P ’14, ’16 procured mini-van transportation; • Peter Ross hosted cooking lessons and led a farm-to-table meal; • Russell Mayhew lent his campfire set; • Caitlin Holton ’96 facilitated horseback riding lessons; • Sara Dunbar taught a class, and the list goes on!

In the fall of 2016, VA’s student mentors journeyed to Brockton to visit the girls at their school, engage in conversation with Brockton community members, and participate in some lively activity at the Brockton YMCA. The members of “Camp 1” will continue to reunite, learning from each other’s life experiences.

This coming August, 12 new campers and 2 alumni campers will experience all that Vermont has to offer, spend time on VA’s beautiful campus, and be exposed to a healthy lifestyle. It was amazing to have my dream come true, but it would never have happened without the love of the Vermont Academy community.

Thank you! I hope that all of the ideas and daydreams that are born on Long Walk become reality.

Healthy Choices Mission To empower all campers to understand the importance of—and the right they have to—a healthy life in mind, body, and spirit.

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 3 7

Wildcats: We Want to Know!

WHICH VERMONT VALUE RESONATES MOST WITH YOUR TIME AT VA?

ANDREW “K-PAK” KALPAKIAN ’17

JIWOO LEE ’18

Hometown: Keene, New Hampshire

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea

Vermont value: COMMUNITY

Vermont value: INDEPENDENCE

I chose Vermont Academy for its small size, which brings us together as students and faculty. Some of my teachers are my closest friends and are always there to support me. I’m more than a number here. Every student can be an athlete.

In a public school, if you’re not the best, you just go home.

When you’re part of a supportive community, you gain the confidence to tackle anything.

Most of us at VA are boarders, and we learn how to take care of ourselves separate from our parents. We form our individuality—our own ideas and beliefs. Graduating from VA, we’ll stand out because we’ve learned how to be independent and interact with adults. I’ve learned how to solve my own problems, and it feels really good. I trust myself now, and more importantly, I believe in myself.

When you’re part of a supportive community, you gain the confidence to tackle anything.

I’ve learned how to solve my own problems, and it feels really good.

Shout-out to the DSBs (Day Student Boys)! I’m going to miss hanging out with you.

Shout-out to all of the freshmen—I know it’s hard, but you’ll get there!

Note: Andrew plans to major in sports management at Emmanuel College in the fall.

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Thank You Judi, I’m grateful for the interest you showed in the sustainability program.

You brought wonderful perspective and energy to the conversation. Thank you!

C H R I S T I N E A R M IG E R , faculty

JOHN PELOSO ’19

HANNAH SETHI ’20

Hometown: Townsend, Vermont

Hometown: Walpole, New Hampshire

Vermont value: TRADITION

Vermont value: ENVIRONMENT

When you live in Vermont, you grow up with tradition— one of them being hard work. All my life I’ve watched my grandmother, who grew up poor but now has a successful business. VA is like that. No matter where you are when you come in, you can do anything if you work hard. Our hockey team’s mantra is “made in the mountains.” I believe that.

I’ve lived in the Northeast my whole life, but I still find our campus so beautiful, especially in the gold, red, and orange of fall. When I walk from class to class, I get to be outside in nature. That’s Vermont—being able to sit on a bench or under a tree and think while no one is bothering you. So many ideas come because you’re not confined. It’s great.

When you live in Vermont, you grow up with tradition—one of them being hard work.

When I walk from class to class, I get to be outside in nature.

Shout-out to my hockey teammates for holding each other accountable.

Shout-out to Ms. Armiger for her dedication in making the world a better place.

V E R M O N T AC A D E M Y | 39

Vermont Academy On the Path to College

BY THE NUMBERS — 2017 SENIORS AND POSTGRADUATES

67

47

%

IN GRADUATING CLASS

EARLY DECISION ACCEPTANCES

410

85

APPLICATIONS

6

AVERAGE APPLICATIONS PER STUDENT

EARLY ACTION APPLICATIONS

Our graduates pursue a wide range of college majors: Environmental Science, Music, Premed/Pharmaceuticals, Liberal Arts, Journalism, International Relations, and Art.

Colleges our graduates have matriculated to in the last 3 years include: Art Institute of Chicago Bates College Boston University Bucknell University Colby College College of the Holy Cross College of Wooster Dartmouth College Elon University

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George Washington University

Miami University (Ohio)

St. Lawrence University

Middlebury College

Trinity College

New York University

Tufts University

Oberlin College

UC Berkeley

Parsons School of Design

UC Davis

Saint Michael’s College

Union College

Sewanee: The University of the South

University of Miami

Lehigh University McGill University

Smith College

Harvard University Hobart and William Smith Indiana University Kenyon College Lafayette College

University of Vermont Wake Forest University

WILDCAT PROFILE

K UR N H ATTIN HOMES

by Jahyde Bullard, Kurn Hattin ’13 and Vermont Academy ’17 Just off Interstate 91, a place of love and care.

Many people enjoy their time there, after living a life of despair.

For some people it is an advantage, Some kids can’t manage.

For many, it is far away from home, it makes their heart break.

Like a broken bone.

I knew it is where I belonged.

I will always remember it like my favorite song.

After four years, My heart is back together now.

Like a solid bone.

Although I have left, I will always, always remember Kurn Hattin Homes.

V E R M O N T AC A D E M Y | 41

The Incredible Power of

L VE

VERMONT ACADEMY AND KURN HATTIN HOMES

BY JENNIFER JONES P ’15, ’18, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

JAHYDE AT A GLANCE: Hometown: Camden, New Jersey Years at VA: 4 Dining hall favorite: Cheesesteak grinder Favorite memory: Traveling to Belize Favorite class: Chinese Honors and Activities: Poetry Out Loud school champion, Scholastic essay Gold Key recipient and national silver medalist, Scholar of the Month, Northeast Sports Network’s (NSN) player of the game, North-South football All Star, First Team All-State running back, First Team All-USA Vermont football team, Shrine Game All Star

Sometimes a story is so powerful that you’re moved to pause. One such occasion was my interview with senior Jahyde Bullard for this Wildcat Profile. Jahyde graduated from Kurn Hattin Homes in 2013 as valedictorian before earning a full scholarship to VA. But, you cannot know Jahyde as a Wildcat without first understanding his life at Kurn Hattin Homes.

Founded in 1894 by Charles Albert Dickinson, Kurn Hattin Homes serves at-risk boys and girls from families throughout the Northeast. After interviewing Jahyde, I visited Kurn Hattin and spoke with faculty Lisa Bianconi and Tom Fontaine about Jahyde’s impressive trajectory there and our schools’ shared commitment to cultural diversity and community. Within weeks of becoming part of the Kurn Hattin family, children hear about Vermont Academy and they begin to anticipate events, including the annual holiday party, ice skating, and monthly buddy Sundays with VA students. As a sponsor of Kurn Hattin teams, Vermont Academy is emblazoned across uniforms and worn with pride.

Through our conversations, it occurred to me how similar our organizations’ missions are of caring, educating, and preparing children for the world. Our faculties are committed to doing everything in their power to make every child feel important, loved, and successful.

Before I drove the few miles back to Vermont Academy, I walked around Kurn Hattin’s storybook campus, taking in the vista of cottages, rows of leafy vegetables, and panorama of white split-rail fences crisscrossing rolling hills.

As the sun dipped, I understood that it was love that carried both narratives; our ability to give and receive love is the greatest power we possess for living and sharing a meaningful life.

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Jahyde going for yardage against Lyndon Institute

Q & A W I T H J A H Y DE BU L L A R D ’17 How did you come to live at Kurn Hattin Homes from your hometown of Camden, New Jersey?

I’m a lucky person—people have wanted to help me my whole life. My third-grade teacher, Lisa Ryan, was a mentor to me. Her nephew had gone to Kurn Hattin, and she thought it would be good for me, too. The summer I was going into fourth grade, we stayed with Lisa’s parents in Chester, VT, and I visited Kurn Hattin. As we got closer to Vermont, I remember hanging my head out the car window to get closer to the trees. Lisa convinced my grandmom—who had raised me since I was one—to let me go to KH the following year. I still keep in touch with Lisa and wrote my college essay about her.

Bellows Falls defeated reigning champs, Burr and Burton Academy, 20–14 on November 12, 2016, to become the new Vermont Division II champions. This snapped BBA’s 20-game winning streak. Jahyde notched 155 yards on 23 carries, a total buoyed by his 67-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter.

Your grandmom sounds like a special person in your life.

My grandmom has always been my motivation. She sacrificed a lot for me.

Everything I do, I want to make her proud. I want to be successful as a way of saying “thank you” to her.

What was your first impression of Kurn Hattin?

I didn’t like it, and I tried to leave several times! I felt like I needed to be home to help take care of things. I wasn’t used to boarding school, rules, or being told what to do.

I’d get in-house suspension and have to write essays on “what, why, and how” I did something wrong and that I wouldn’t do it again.

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 4 3

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jahyde Bullard ’17 on the football field for the past three seasons. Without question, he has exceptional natural talent, but it’s Jahyde’s growth as a person and teammate that impresses me most. He has learned that the team and his teammates must come first— before the self can be appreciated and enjoyed. When the game is on the line, Jahyde can be trusted and counted on. His print will forever be felt on the football fields of Bellows Falls, Vermont.”

— BOB LOCKERBY, head coach, Bellows Falls Terriers

“My time with Jahyde has confirmed that the most rewarding thing in life is helping a child reach his full potential. From the moment we met, I knew there was something remarkable about him. He had that competitive spirit and unrelenting will to be the best at everything he did, but he was also an inquisitive young man. This personality trait has helped him be successful in everything that he has touched. When we spent family time together, he fit in from day one. He understood that caring went both ways. In so many ways, we are the lucky ones that Jahyde came into our lives.”

— CASEY COTA ’89, P ’14, ’17, ’18

How did you turn it around?

My hand got tired. Over time, I realized the people at Kurn Hattin really cared.

They weren’t doing things just because it was their job. I saw alumni coming back because they were grateful. It made me start thinking about a different kind of future for the first time.

What was the biggest impact Kurn Hattin had on you?

Kurn Hattin taught me how to be responsible, and it prepared me to be successful in the outside world. I graduated feeling confident that I could make it, no matter where I ended up in life. It was one of the best experiences of my life.

Jahyde, Casey, and Logan Cota ‘18

Did you go to Vermont Academy while you were at Kurn Hattin?

I visited Vermont Academy one Sunday a month. I always anticipated those trips and looked up to the basketball players. I’ll always remember that Coach Jesse Bopp invited us into the locker room whenever we attended games. The players made us feel welcome. I thought the campus was beautiful, with very nice kids and staff. By sixth grade, I dreamed of going there. Finding out I had a full scholarship was a great moment.

How did Casey Cota become involved in your life?

I met Casey in sixth grade. He was my AAU basketball coach when I was at Kurn Hattin. I got to know his children, Madison ’14 and Logan ’18. Over time, Casey became my mentor and a father figure. One day he told me that he wanted me to become part of his family. Because I was living so far from home and playing sports, my grandmom agreed. Casey became my guardian, and I became an official member of the Cota family.

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“Similar to Vermont Academy, everyone comes to Kurn Hattin for different reasons and is accepted here from where they are. They get a fresh start.

Jahyde began at Kurn Hattin as a fifth grader, a city kid with few social skills. He wasn’t a gifted student when he arrived, but he put in a lot of effort. He made a strong connection with his house parents, and things began to turn around. Four years later, he transitioned to Vermont Academy as a young adult with clear goals and dreams. No matter what has happened to him, Jahyde has never given up on his dreams. I admire that about him. Kurn Hattin and Vermont Academy are his building blocks for a future that is limitless.”

“Jahyde has an aura around him; he’s a magnet for people. When he discovered music at Kurn Hattin, it was such a gift to both Jahyde and our community. He has always been a reflective person and that comes through in his writing and performing. His grandmom never came to Kurn Hattin during the four years he was here, and Jahyde didn’t go home a lot. He was so proud to show her off at graduation. Jahyde could have quit so many times. He is Kurn Hattin’s mission personified. We hope that all students will have the experience he had. It means so much to me that when I’m on VA’s campus, Jahyde comes over and gives me a bear hug.”

— TOM FONTAINE, head of Kurn Hattin’s science department

— LISA BIANCONI, director of Kurn Hattin’s music program

and farm science program since 1999

for 30+ years and a Grammy nominee

How has the relationship with the Cotas influenced you?

After joining the Cota family, I looked at the world differently. They are all so humble and gracious with a lot of love for each other. Being with their family has motivated me to strive to be the best person I can be. Casey has taught me to be responsible and work hard no matter what I’m doing and to be respectful and caring to others. I feel very fortunate to have met them.

What was it like playing Santa at last year’s Kurn Hattin Christmas party?

It was one of my greatest honors at Vermont Academy. Just being able to watch the kids smile and knowing that I was helping was so rewarding, especially given that we came from the same place. Through my experiences, I’ve learned I can be a help to both students and adults—that makes me want to give back even more.

I’ve listened to you perform spoken word poetry—you have such a commanding presence. Recently you won the Audience Choice award at a poetry slam as part of the Brattleboro Literary Festival. How do you prepare?

At Kurn Hattin, we often performed in front of large crowds and even on television.

This helped me become comfortable on stage. Before I take the stage, I take a deep breath and tell myself, “You can do it.” I’ve continued enjoying being on stage and performing at VA in our vocal ensemble, Poetry Out Loud, and theater.

Jahyde playing Santa at the Kurn Hattin holiday party

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 45

Making chocolate in Belize

FROM KURN HATTIN GRADUATE TO FLORENCE SABIN DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD HONOREE David Maysilles got his start at Kurn Hattin Homes and attended Vermont Academy on a full scholarship. He graduated from VA in 1947 and then went on to Middlebury College. After serving in Korea and Vietnam, Maysilles returned to Vermont in 1976 as executive director of Kurn Hattin Homes, a position he held for 18 years. Mr. Maysilles was later honored with a Florence Sabin Distinguished Alumni Award, Vermont Academy’s most distinguished honor.

Singing with VA’s Vocal Ensemble

How does your creativity inspire you?

I love to write poetry. It helps me get through difficult times. When I’m figuring something out, I like to listen to music and write things down. I really enjoy plays because you can see the outcome of everyone’s hard work. Thanks to Mrs. Bianconi, I started singing gospel music at Kurn Hattin and have loved it every since. It means a lot to me.

What was winning the 2016 Vermont Division II football championship like?

Winning states was one of the best feelings of my life. Our team worked so hard.

It was rewarding knowing that we didn’t win the trophy just for us but for all the players before us as well as the Bellows Falls community. I am so appreciative to Coach Lockerby and the players and community who were so welcoming to Vermont Academy players.

Kurn Hattin shout-out: I would like to thank KH principal Tom Fahner, who was always there for me when I needed him. Without his support, VA would have remained a dream for me. Mr. Fahner died in 2015, but I carry him in my heart. I would also like to thank Ms. Gigi for being my Kurn Hattin mom, Mr. Fontaine for always motivating me to do better, Mr. Plante for teaching me life skills and respect, Mrs. Lisai for always being there to talk, and Mrs. Bianconi for bringing music into my life. Without everyone’s love and hard work, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Vermont Academy shout-out: I’d like to give a special thank-you to my Chinese teacher and advisor, Mr. Wang.

He has always been there for me as a mentor and friend. I would also like to thank Mr. Brennan, our former head of school. He helped my Vermont Academy experience happen, and I’ll always be thankful for that.

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I N MEMO R I A M

V E R M O N T AC A D E M Y | 47

Howard Leavitt ’39

Donald Bigham ’49

Nickname: Little Levi Hobbies: Hydrology After Graduation: Dartmouth Ambition: Explore Mammoth Cave in Kentucky Activities: Dramatic club, glee club, rifle club, prize reading

R. Duke Powell Jr. ’43

Nickname: Don, Gigy After Graduation: College Hobbies: Sports, music Pet Peeve: Itchy mustaches Sports: Football, baseball Activities: Student council, glee club, dramatic club, outing club, Wildcat board

George West ’49

Nickname: Duke Favorite Pastime: Pleasure driving Pet Peeve: Evening meeting After Graduation: Armed service Sports: Football, track, skiing (manager) Activities: Glee club, dramatic club, outing club, rifle club, camera club, Athlete managing editor, dance Committees: Fall dance, carnival dance, senior dance

Robert G. Duke ’47 Nickname: Bob, Spider, Dokie After Graduation: Bowdoin College Hobby: Athletics Sports: Football, JV basketball, baseball Activities: Glee club, Wildcat board

Richard Washburn ’48 Nickname: Dick After Graduation: Clarkson Tech Hobbies: Sailing Sports: Football, hockey, baseball, tennis Activities: Glee club, camera club, outing club

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Nickname: G After Graduation: Middlebury College Hobbies: Ornithology, art Sports: Football (manager), rec skiing, track Activities: Life board, dramatic club, class secretary, outing club, headwaiter

John Wait ’50 Nickname: Jack After Graduation: Colgate Sports: Football, skiing, track Activities: Camera club, rifle club, glee club

Edward Janeway ’51 Nickname: Old Ed, the Great Dane After Graduation: Middlebury College Hobbies: Skiing, golf Sports: Football, skiing, tennis Activities: Trail crew, Life editor, camera club, outing club, dramatic club, press club

Joseph DeVincentis ’52

Robert Laughton ’60

Nickname: Joe After Graduation: College Hobbies: Sports, girls Sports: Varsity football, varsity basketball, varsity baseball Activities: Student council, outing club

Herbert Kaplan ’53

Nickname: Bob, Laught Hobbies: Sports Sports: Varsity football, varsity hockey, varsity track Activities: Glee club, science club, outing club

William Weeks ’72

Nickname: Cap, Counselor, Cappy Career Preference: Dentist, airline pilot Hobbies: Flying, sports, girls Sports: Football, basketball, baseball Activities: Camera club, outing club, rifle club

Michael King ’53

Nickname: Weeksy Sports: Football Activities: Music

William McCartney ’78

Nickname: Mike, Boozer Hobbies: Living Sports: Football, basketball (manager), track Activities: Student council, Wildcat staff, dramatic club, glee club, camera club, outing club, fire department

Nickname: Wild Bill Ambition: See everything that can be seen Sports: Varsity football, JV hockey, JV baseball Activities: Mailman, operator, photography club

William Bigelow ’59 Nickname: Bill Sports: Football, skiing, track Activities: Student council, Life editor, Wildcat editor, cheerleader, dramatic club, camera club, science club, outing club, headwaiter, art club, store boy

Read full obituaries at vermontacademy.org/obits.

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 49

C L A SS N OTES

Thank You “Mr. Colla, you’re a great role model for students and teachers alike. I enjoyed our conversations at Formal Meal and the Reading Is Cool club, and I appreciate your support at hockey games. In a short time, you’ve made a positive impact on my life.”

— TA N N E R DA LT O N ’17

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40

Class Volunteer: J. Whitney Brown 53 Conanicus Avenue, Apt. 2G, Jamestown, RI 02835, whitleo621@cox.net

CLASS OF 1942 Our 75th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

45 47

Class Volunteer: Franklin Pierce Jackson 120 Indian Trail, Scituate, MA 02066, fpjackson@comcast.net Class Volunteer: William Reoch PO Box 1184, Kennebunkport, ME 04046, reochwg@earthlink.net

Folk artist Dick Lunetta ‘53

54

CLASS OF 1947

Class Volunteer: Donald Megathlin 925 Main Street, PO Box 125, Cotuit, MA 02635, capemegathlins@verizon.net

Our 70th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

48

Class Volunteer: Robert Taft 50 Timberpond Dr., Apt. 3301, Peterborough, NH 03458, rtaft@ftfl-law.com

50

Class Volunteer: Robert Scholl 470 Park Road Extension, Middlebury, CT 06762, scholllaw@sbcglobal.net

51

Class Volunteer: Robert Anderson 345 Westbrook Road, Saint Helena Island, SC 29920, rbanders345@gmail.com

Win Wood wrote: “Going on as well as I can, about to become 85 years old. Playing some tennis but no long drives to Vermont. Enjoying Florida eight months of the year. Hello to my classmates!”

CLASS OF 1952

Dan Miller wrote: “Skeeter (Don) Megathlin and I convened at my home for a mini-reunion in April, along with our wives, Karen and Jane. We live north of Atlanta on Lake Lanier and Skeeter was traveling back from Naples, FL, to his home in Cotuit, MA. Fun time had by all. Lots to talk about after 63 years!!”

55

Class Volunteers: Donald Scholl, 895 Copes Lane, West Chester, PA 19380, dbscholl@verizon.net; W. Eugene Hays, 104 Cortland Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789, intlfruit@aol.com

56

Class Volunteer: Frederic Nichols 23500 Cristo Rey Drive, Unit 302D, Cupertino, CA 95014, fnichols56@gmail.com

Our 65th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

CLASS OF 1957

53

Class Volunteer: George Welles 810 Monterossa Dr., Myrtle Beach, SC 29572, Ghwelles@gmail.com

George Welles wrote: “Jack and Jean Kramer are looking forward to being great-grandparents for the first time in May. Bob and Marian Burton expect their new home to be completed in May. Don Minshall remembers jumping out of the third floor of Alumni Hall into the snow.

Class of 1953 members Bob Burton, Herb Ellis, Dick Shanaman, Thomas Upsom, and I and our spouses are all planning to attend the 2017 Reunion Weekend.”

Our 60th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

Buck Griswold wrote: “As managing partner of Centripetal Capital Partners, a private equity fund, I have been involved in investments since 1961. My primary home is in Wilton, CT, although we summer in Harwich Port, MA. Married 53 years, my wife and I have three children and six grandchildren. My best to all!”

58

Class Volunteers: Bud Lewis, 125 River Birch Ln., Dalton, MA 01226-2106, buddy456@me.com; Robert Luke, 77 Hillside Avenue, Florham Park, NJ 07932, rdhl322@hotmail.com

C L A SS VO L U N T E E R S N E E D E D : 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 46 | 49 | 52 | 57

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 51

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Class Volunteer: Don McInnes PO Box 844, West Falmouth, MA 02574, dgmcin10@gmail.com

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Class Volunteers: George Yeomans, PO Box 33, 106 Masquesatch Road, Westport Point, MA 02791, gyeomans106@yahoo.com; Penn Lardner, 20705 Meadow Drive, Sonoma, CA 95476, richardlardner@ sbcglobal.net; Dan Brown, 13 Foxborough Drive, Gilford, NH 03249, danbrownnh@gmail.com; Ronald Stewart, 919 Maumee Avenue, Mansfield, OH 44906, marqprint@aol.com

Bill Caswell wrote: “Well, VA friends, I can’t imagine anything more boring than learning what I have been doing all these years later at age 76, but here goes. I’m still healthy and downhill skiing every week at Stowe. My wife of nearly 53 years is well and still my best friend.

Around the house this time of year, I spend a lot of time in front of the computer gathering and organizing old photos and family history (family tree stuff) to pass on to my two girls for their children to muse over. When spring and summer come, I will be in the vegetable garden or out in the fields mowing grass to keep this old Vermont hill farm in shape. A big joy I look forward to is spending summer days with family at our camp on a small island in a nearby New Hampshire lake.

I spent my life as a hydrogeologist finding water for towns, businesses, and some homeowners, and today I am still employed finding irrigation wells for a blueberry-growing company in Maine and New Brunswick, Canada. Did I get something out of Vermont Academy? A very definite yes. Besides spending a year with a lot of good people, VA made it possible for me to attend Middlebury College, where I met a geology professor (Woody Hickcox knows about Brew Baldwin) who launched me into a wonderful career as a “water doctor” and where I met and proposed to my wife, Ann. I hope you all are well and have some good news and stories to share with us all. I will not be at all bored to read them.”

Woody Hickcox wrote: “Essentially retired from teaching environmental science at Emory University in Atlanta, I still teach a course in climatology/climate change each spring and wrangle what we call Waffle Thursday, feeding faculty, staff, and students hot waffles with Vermont maple syrup over the noon hour. Still painting small watercolors, mostly birds.

Still spending summers at ancestral “camp” on the shores of Lake Memphremagog on the Vermont-Quebec border, and still taking the occasional drive-about through the western states. Still playing my long-running role as the atheist in the choir at a local Presbyterian church. Am also a rather reluctant member of their bell choir. Health is OK. A little A-fib and low-level diabetes, neither of which seems to be impacting my life in a negative way.”

Penn Lardner wrote: “I returned to New England in September 2016. I met with Dick Aulisi and his wife, Ann, in Caroga Lake, NY; the judge is doing quite well as a New York superior court judge.

He spends some time in Charleston, SC. He is in good health and

52 | S PR I N G / S U M M E R 2 017

looking forward to working as a judge for a couple more years. From there, I drove to meet with Bob Morse and his wife, Stephanie. She was our Winter Carnival sweetheart in 1960! Bob and Stephanie live in Shelbourne, VT. They sometimes winter in Florida. Then, I drove to Concord, NH, to meet with Jon Clarner and his wife, Diane. They have an active life, which includes golf. Finally, I drove to Maine and met with Denis Noonan and his wife, April. In addition, Dan Brown and his wife, Carol, joined us for an enjoyable time as we discussed many subjects, including updating ourselves about the goings-on of our classmates. It was a great experience for me. The following day, I reconnected with one of the students I taught in Ayer, MA, over 20 years ago. I am still at Mumm Napa Winery in Rutherford, CA, serving guests from California and other parts of the US, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Central America, and South America. A number of my family members are in California as well as Idaho, Arizona, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Spain. My step-daughters live in Florida and Connecticut; they each have two kids. My trip in September was to visit with all of them.”

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Class Volunteer: John Anderson 304 Murphree Street, Troy, AL 36081, athtrain@troy.edu Class Volunteers: Peter Flatow, 3 Thomas Road, Westport, CT 06880, flatowp@coknowledge.com; Richard Weeks, 4242 N. 119 St., Lafayette, CO 80026, dick_weeks@hotmail.com

CLASS OF 1962 Our 55th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

64

Class Volunteer: Toby Hoopes 109 Old Mill Court, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082, toho33@gmail.com

Toby Hoopes wrote: “One of my roommates and best VA friends, Dave Hoffman, and I got together for dinner in early March. Dave and his wife, Deb, of Gloversville, NY, spent a week in Florida to escape the snarls of winter. They were kind enough to swing by Jacksonville on their way home to meet me and my better half, Sibley Mahler, for an evening of good food and fond reminiscing. Amazing what two old roomies can recall of their years on the Hilltop 53 years after graduation!”

65

Class Volunteers: Craig Baab, 637 Cloverdale Road, Montgomery, AL 36106, baablaw@aol.com; Augustus Clement, 4815 Rushford Place, Colorado Springs, CO 80923-7517, voicedocbc@hotmail.com

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Class Volunteer: Rick Janis Riverbend Motorcoach Resort, 5800 West Stage Rd 80, #217, Labelle, FL 33935, rick.janis@gmail.com

Bob Mortenson wrote: “Friends, VA has changed a lot since I attended in 1965–1966, and yet that which God created, the beauty of the land, of the Vermont countryside, is a constant although also changing element. Some of the pictures of the campus I received in the annual magazine and in requests around reunion reminded me of those days and that place. Most of all, I remember the people: Mr. Choukas, the Headmaster; Beano Tripp, one of our floor advisors; and classmates: Bob Jorgensen, my roommate; Rob Winslow, Rob Lord, Lincoln, Lem Skidmore, Don McCall, Dick Janis, Hugh Stone, Joe Wavurski, Doc, Ned, Warren Chivers, and many others whose names escape me now. I am grateful for the grace shown me by my classmates and the staff and faculty while I was there. I was only at VA for one year, but it was a pivotal year in my life. I retired as chaplain (colonel) from the Army in 2006 and then worked for the military community in Tomah, WI; Butler, PA; and finally in Fort Wayne, IN, where Faye and I now live. Faye and I have nine children together.

Our youngest graduated from Indiana University, spent several years in France, and now works with refugees at the International Institute in St. Louis. Our eldest is an Army chaplain at Fort Hood. Those in between are all happily married and in the midst of rewarding careers.

Our middle child just gave birth to her second son in the Seattle area just before the 50th reunion. Hence I could not come and was sorry to miss it. Best wishes to all my classmates and to VA as an institution.”

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Class Volunteer: Richard Moulton PO Box 97, Huntington, VT 05462-0097, rick@rickmoulton.com

CLASS OF 1967 Our 50 th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

Rick Moulton wrote: “Here are a couple shots of Crandy Grant, Ted Chivers, and I skiing at Stowe for the 50th anniversary of Crandy winning the Junior Olympics downhill competition on the nosedive.

He skied a run down that trail on the same old Head Competition skis that he had won on.”

68

Class Volunteer: Richard Sacknoff 24 Buckman Drive, Lexington, MA 02421, rsacknoff@yahoo.com

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Class Volunteers: John Hoder, 95 Riverscape Lane, Tiverton, RI 02878, john.hoder@yahoo.com; Mark Russell, 8 Sweet Fern Road, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107, mark.russell@rbc.com

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Class Volunteers: Bernard Hoyes, PO Box 961, Palm Springs, CA 92263, bernardhoyes@hotmail.com; Richard Patterson, 5 Nibang Ave., Old Saybrook, CT 06475, rpatterson@durhammfg.com

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Class Volunteers: Bud Wilkinson, 227 Whetstone Road, Harwinton, CT 06791, budw@ride-ct.com; Thomas Hinman, 50 Baston Road, North Yarmouth, ME 04097, thinman14@gmail.com

CLASS OF 1972 Our 45th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

John Tobin wrote: “I’m happily retired, splitting my time between Medfield, MA, and Duxbury, VT, and expect to move to Vermont full-time in a few years when my wife, Cathy, retires from her job as a physical therapist specializing in seating and positioning for severely disabled youth. My daughter, Sarah, will be graduating this year from Bates College with a double major in chemistry and Spanish, and my son, Josh, is studying economics and math at Trinity College, where he also competes on the ski team. I’m very active with the Mad River Glen Cooperative, for which I serve as treasurer and a member of the Board of Trustees. I also run communications for the capital campaign.

I’m a pretty serious triathon competitor, focusing primarily on the half iron distance, and I will be running the 2017 Boston Marathon. I still ski (downhill and cross country) as much as I can.”

73

Class Volunteers: John Brucato, 12 Whip O Will Lane, Milford, MA 01757, jbrucato@gmail.com; Charles Gunn, 107 Emery Hill Rd., Henniker, NH 03242, cgunn@tds.net

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Class Volunteer: Bill Reid 394 Walnut Road, Putnam, CT 06260-2702, wbr655@yahoo.com

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Class Volunteers: Daniel Quartin, 108 Carriage Hill Drive, Newington, CT 06111, d_quartin@cox.net; James Bamman, 2 Reeves Avenue, Guilford, CT 06437, custom.homes007@yahoo.com

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Class Volunteer: Sean Bersell 1213 N. Maryland Avenue, Glendale, CA 91207, VA77@mindspring.com

CLASS OF 1977 Our 40th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

C L A SS VO L U N T E E R S N E E D E D : 6 3 | 7 2 | 75

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 53

Sean Bersell, SVP, Public Affairs, Entertainment Merchants Association, was named to the Top 50 Movers & Shakers of Home Entertainment by Home Media Magazine. Home Media Magazine looks at 50 of the home entertainment industry’s most influential people, highlighting the movers and shakers who are shaping home entertainment today and setting the foundation for the business of tomorrow. “Bersell has been a driving force on the progress the association has made to become an advocate of digital delivery technology standards. He was instrumental in helping to develop metadata standards and in the development of a business model for the recently announced EMA metadata repository. Bersell also continues to be responsible for the association’s government affairs, public relations, member communications, and digital supply chain activities.” Home Media Magazine

78

Class Volunteer: Emily Lamothe Colson emcolson@gmail.com

79

Class Volunteers: Peter Hamilton, peterlhamilton@yahoo. com; Jane Ogden, 485 West St., Cornwall, VT 05753, janevermont@gmail.com; Diane Wilder, 807 Aubrey Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003, wilderfrancone@yahoo.com

Hank Kimball wrote: “Good afternoon, VA. We just completed our 13th annual JDRF Hockey Tourney at the First Arena in Elmira, NY. We had over 150 skaters—it was the best turnout ever and we raised the most ever! A shout-out to VA alumni Ron Reeve ’78, Mike Brodeur ’78, Pat Barry ’79, Alan Ahlbergh ’79, and Chris Smithers ’79. All the best to VA!”

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Class Volunteers: Lawrence Echanis, 45 South Main St., Selbyville, DE 19975, echanis@mchsi.com; Karen Galloway, 885 County Road, Walpole, NH 03608, kgallowayinchristianhollow@gmail.com; G. Ewing Buta, 141 Oak Tree Drive, Canfield, OH 44406, ebuta@ advancedcaststone.com

81

Class Volunteers: Foster McKeon, 10 Old Orchard Road, Easton, CT 06612, foster374@aol.com; Kathryn Carver, 75 Nice Way, Colchester, VT 05446, carverdan@myfairpoint.net

82

Class Volunteer: Thomas Oxholm, 197 South Main Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301, tcoxholm@gmail.com

CLASS OF 1982 Our 35th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

5 4 | S PR I N G / S U M M E R 2 017

Matt Jenson, an adjunct professor at Berklee School of Music in Boston, returned to campus in April. He spent time with our music ensembles and then was joined by members from his reggae fusion group, Mix Up Mix Up, for a special concert in our Horowitz Performing Arts Center. This incredible evening of reggae, jazz, and funk was presented by the Vermont Academy Speakers Committee, with special thanks to the Bob ’37 and Beth Campbell Endowment Fund.

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Class Volunteers: Scott McKeon, 6 Cornwall Circle, Wayne, PA 19087, scott.mckeon@chubb.com; Daniel Dougherty, 22 Shattuck Street, Natick, MA 01760, dougherty.doc@gmail. com; Keith Canning, 126 Hersey Street, Portland, ME 04103, kcanning@pinestatetrading.com, Dora Sudarsky, 2 Bay Court, South Burlington, VT 05403, dsudarsky@msn.com, Adam Tschorn, 6310 Maryland Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90048, atschorn@gmail.com

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Class Volunteer: Mark Culkin 823 Tequesta Drive, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417, mjculkin@verizon.net

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Class Volunteers: Christopher Stevens, 92 Bullard St, Holden, MA 01520-2129, cstev118@aol.com; C. Charles Schafer, 41 Larchwood Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764; Andrew Bigelow, 1002 W. Altgeld Street, Chicago, IL 60614, ajbigelow@hotmail.com

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Class Volunteers: Michelle Wells, 232 West 74th Street, #3B, New York, NY 10023, michelle@hoxton7.com; Billi McCullough, 5460 S. Jasmine Street, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, brmccullough@hollandhart.com

CLASS OF 1987 Our 30th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

88

Class Volunteer: Charmion Handy PO Box 439, Saxtons River, VT 05154, Charmion_handy@yahoo.com

90

Class Volunteers: Ann Jones, 21 Maple Street, Woodstock, VT 05091, anndanjones@gmail.com; Lee Ryder, 2361 S. Columbine Street, Denver, CO 80210, lryder@univhousing.com; Jamison Gagnier, 187 Georgetown Rd., Weston, CT 06883, jgagnier@me.com; Mary Dean, 2 Hanson Road, Canton, CT 06019, hotmary@mail.com

Thank You

93

Class Volunteers: Noel Chipman, 418 Mountain Rd., Concord, NH 03301, noelchipman1@gmail.com; Adam Garner, 900 S. Lamar Blvd, Apt. 203, Austin, TX 78704, adam_k_garner@yahoo.com

94

Class Volunteers: Meghan Giroux, 9 Pleasant St., Bristol, VT 05443, meghan.giroux@gmail.com; Elizabeth Parks, PO Box 53, Manchester Center, VT 05255, betsyparks21@gmail.com

95

Class Volunteers: Erika Gustafson, 34 Wedgemere Rd., Medford, MA 02155, gutentuf@hotmail.com; Alison Johnson, 2415 W. Wilson Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625, harmon2476@gmail.com; Sarah Smith-Duffin, 4202 Jade Loop, Destin, FL 32541, Duffinboymom@gmail.com

96

Class Volunteer: Kirk Vaughan 401 Allister Dr., #103, Raleigh, NC 27609, Kirk.Vaughan@gmail.com

Mr. Colla, I really appreciate that you showed VA school spirit by cheering us on at events and giving shout-outs to teams and clubs during community meetings.

— H A R R Y M AY E R ’1 8

91

Class Volunteer: Amy Howard 317 29th Street, Apt. 206, San Francisco, CA 94131, amyh294@gmail.com

Scott Gillis wrote: “I left VA in December 1990. I had enlisted prior to Operation Desert Shield and was actually still a student at Vermont Academy. In my junior year, I had enlisted in the Vermont Army National Guard assigned to an armor unit not far from the school. I made a brief appearance in theater shortly after my departure from VA. After sixteen years of service in two branches (I served in the United States Marine Corps for a bit in 1999), I was discharged from the United States Army in 2006, a little over two years after my last deployment. My final military occupation was in the medical field and my last deployment in 2004 was among the busiest and most dangerous (I sustained injuries that served as the impetus for me to leave the service). I returned to the Washington, DC, metropolitan area so my family could help with my young kids while my wife and I worked. I was working for the Department of Veterans Affairs but felt the need to complete college to become more competitive in the workforce. In 2009, I left the Department of Veterans Affairs; I graduated from George Mason University in 2011 and started a career with the Department of Homeland Security. I worked for a branch of DHS called Homeland Security Investigations under the National Security Investigation Division for three years before I moved to Central Florida to be closer to my father in 2014.

I currently work for a government contractor and am contemplating the merits of returning to school to earn a master’s degree. My kids are now 15, 12, and 12 and are flourishing in Florida. I occasionally help coach my oldest daughter’s high school water polo team and train in both Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo to maintain my health and wellness. There are certainly no expectations for any calls from the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) anytime soon, but the idea of teaching both sports has been bandied about, so long as I can maintain any sort of physical ability when I finally retire. I look back fondly on my time at Vermont Academy and cannot help but feel that my time there helped shape the person I am today. I’d love to hear from classmates and anyone who remembers me. My email address is scottgillis1118@gmail.com.”

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Class Volunteers: Erin Kennelly, 101 Main Street, Apt. 11, Keene, NH 03431, ekennelly@gmail.com; Sarah Weilbrenner Viteri, 141 Idlewood Drive, Stamford, CT 06905, Sweilbrenner@ gmail.com; Aaron Walsh, PO Box 385, Marlboro, VT 05344

CLASS OF 1997 Our 20th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

98

Class Volunteers: Alexander Law, 2721 Black Oaks Ln. N, Plymouth, MN 55447, alexhlaw22@gmail.com; Kathryn Turner, 112 Fairview St. NW, Leesburg, VA 20176, kathryn.abernethy@gmail.com

99

Class Volunteers: Katherine Dawes, 243 Moria Place, Aston, PA 19014, katherinefdawes@gmail.com; Sarah Murrow, 107 Greenridge Rd.,Timonium, MD 21093-6123, sarah.ramian@gmail.com; Andrew Tyson, 79 South Ave., Apt. 1, New Canaan, CT 06840, mr.andrew.tyson@gmail.com

00

Class Volunteers: Patience Baldwin, 3926 Yates St., Denver, CO 80212, patiencebaldwin@yahoo.com; Grayson Holden, 444 Rich St., Oakland, CA 94609-2513, grayson.holden@gmail. com; Matthew Howarth, matthewjhowarth@yahoo.com; Jeannlis Sanchez, PO Box 1123, Soundview Station, Bronx, NY 10472, tiatula973@gmail.com

01

Class Volunteers: Alexandra Walsh Guard, 159 South St. #1R, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, alexandraguard@gmail.com; Corey Esau Jaworski, 21 Beacon St., Apt. 1, Marblehead, MA 01945, coreyejaworski@gmail.com; Matthew Cotter, 3 Locust Lane, East Sandwich, MA 02537, capecotter11@gmail.com; Devin Finigan, PO Box 193, Sedgwick, ME, 04676, devineyre@ hotmail.com; J. Andrew Guard, 159 South St., #1R, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, jandrewguard@gmail.com; Kristin Dubak, 561 California Rd., Bronxville, NY 10708, kmdubak@gmail.com

Class Volunteers: Elizabeth Adams, 24 Central Ave., Rutland, VT 05701, ReillyVT@yahoo.com; Mark Engelke, 88 Glenmere Dr., Chatham, NJ 07928, markcengelke@aol.com

CLASS OF 1992 Our 25th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

C L A SS VO L U N T E E R S N E E D E D : 86 | 89

V E R M O N T AC A DE M Y | 55

02

Class Volunteers: Robert Bergman, 95 Settlers Dr., Hancock, ME 04640, robergdawg@yahoo.com; Amber DiPasquale, 13685 Water Springs Ct., Centerville, VA 20121, amberdipasquale@gmail.com; John Penney III, 1347 Trebo Rd., Chester, VT 05143, jpenney3@gmail.com

Nani Jacobs-Dailleboust wrote: “My husband, Shooter, and I, along with happy big brothers, Thomas and Adam, would like to announce the birth of our long-awaited baby girl, Iako’tarakehte Leilani Dailleboust, who arrived on November 11, 2016.”

CLASS OF 2002 Our 15th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

03

04 05

06

07

Class Volunteers: Eliza Cross, 153 West Brookline St. # 1, Boston, MA 02118, elizacross@msn.com; Christina Flood, 67 Main St., Apt. 11, Brattleboro, VT 05301; Britton Inglehart, 21857 Lake Ave., Wellesley Island, NY 13640, binglehart@gmail.com; Kyle Nelligan, 6623 Wedderburn Dr., Wilmington, NC 28412, nellybelly33@gmail.com; Amy Olsen, PO Box 2240, Pocono Pines, PA 18350, Amyvelte@gmail.com; Andrew Robinson, 21 W. Hughes St., Baltimore, MD 21230, andrewrobinson01@gmail.com Class Volunteers: Edward Duess, 121 S. Elm Dr. #14, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, ed.duess@gmail.com; Hillary Talbot, 3913 Westminster West Road, Putney, VT 05346, hillarytalbot@gmail.com Class Volunteers: Laura Gage, 2701 Calvert Street NW, Apt. 721, Washington, DC 20008, laura.krisch1@gmail.com; Corbin Vreeland, PO Box 1374, Bridgehampton, NY 11932, cvreeland@gmail.com; Robert Harlow, 23 Northwood Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089, harlow.robert@gmail.com; Lauren Zwicker, 115 Jenny Ln., Brattleboro, VT 05301, aluren4854@gmail.com Class Volunteers: Zach Jandl, 101 Tremont St., Floor 11, Boston, MA 02132, zachjandl@gmail.com; Austin DeLonge, 669 A Minna St., San Francisco, CA 94103, austin.delonge@ gmail.com; Calvin Stowell, 389 North Rd., Sunapee, NH 03782, cstowell@dosomething.org Class Volunteers: Chelsea Chase, 93 Butterfield Hill Rd., Perkinsville, VT 05151, vcpcgroup@gmail.com; Cassandra Howe, 5A Half Moon Ln., London, UK, SE24 9JU, cassandrahowe1@gmail.com; Alexandra Moran, 2833 Kelly Dr., Manhattan, KS 66502, sprtgrl1288@aol.com; Kelli Morin, 18 Hathorn St., Apt. 2, Somerville, MA 02145, kelli.morin@gmail.com; Kaitlyn Schiro, 63 Londonderry Dr., Greenwich, CT 06830, kait.schiro@gmail.com

09

Class Volunteer: Ashley Greenwood 13 Gaskill St., Mendon, MA 01756, greenwood.ashley.m@gmail.com

10

Class Volunteers: Gregory Jacobs, gjacobs202@yahoo.com; Ana Lundberg, 1647 San Vicente Ave., Napa, CA 94558; Brooke Wilcox, 152 A Monument Hill Rd., Springfield, VT 05156, bawilcox@vwc.edu; Sophie Yingling, PO Box 247, Truro, MA 02666, syinglin@umass.edu

11

Class Volunteers: Kelly Johnson, 60 Orchard Drive, Eastham, MA 02642; Adam Hennick, 109 Marie Curie, Dollard-desOrmeaux, QC H9A 3C5 Canada, hennick_13@hotmail.com

12

CLASS OF 2012 Our 5th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

13

Class Volunteer: Ashley Potofsky PO Box 1469, Grand Bend, ON, Canada N0M 1T0, potofskya@allegheny.edu

14

Class Volunteers: Molly Brennan, mbrennan1496@gmail.com; Erik Nielsen, 75 Wentworth Rd., Walpole, NH 03608, foshuga@gmail.com

15

Class Volunteers: Eddie Miller, 19 Benedict Place, Greenwich, CT 06830, kemill15@stlaw.edu; George Atkins, george.w.atkins.19@dartmouth.edu; John Scoby, 5331 34th Ave. N, St. Petersburg, FL 33710, jscoby15@gmail.com

16

Class Volunteers: Tanner Dalton, 2500 Abeto Court, Bakersfield, CA 93309; J’Nisha Little, 19 Bassett St., New Haven, CT 06511, littlejnisha@yahoo.com

CLASS OF 2007 Our 10th Reunion is September 22–24, 2017 Mark your calendar now!

08

Class Volunteer: Paulina Borrego 73 Perthshire Rd., Apt. 3, Brighton, MA 02135, paulinaborrego12@gmail.com

5 6 | S PR I N G / S U M M E R 2 017

Class Volunteers: Shelby Johnson, PO Box 774, Sterling, MA 01564, shelby.johnson579@gmail.com; Thomas Savoca, 47 Circle Dr., Ridgefield, CT 06877, tsavoca1@gmail.com

INVEST IN

CHARACTER The Fund for Vermont Academy

Your gift to our Fund for Vermont Academy touches each student and faculty member who walks along our Long Walk. Your support enables us to fulfill our mission to develop confident, active learners and global citizens who are inspired to act with intelligence, imagination and—above all—character.

TOGETHER YOUR GIFTS: • Support scholarships • Create professional development opportunities for our faculty • Inspire individual expression and creativity through our arts program • Develop student athletes who find an appreciation for lifelong fitness • Maintain our beautiful campus

Please make your gift by using the envelope provided or online at vermontacademy.org/giving

NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE

PAID

10 Long Walk, Saxtons River, VT 05154

WHT RIV JCT VT PERMIT 86

HOSTED BY VERMONT ACADEMY

Symposium at-a-glance: Location: Vermont Academy campus in Saxtons River, VT Dates: August 1–16, 2017 Campus setting: 450 breathtaking acres, including 30 kilometers of groomed trails Student countries include: United States, Chile, China, Spain Eligible students: Rising 8th through 12th grade girls and boys Student-to-teacher ratio: 7:1 Average teaching experience: 8 years

REFER A STUDENT! vermontacademy.org/page/global/ global-leadership-summer-symposium