Thanks to their dedication, donations, and volunteer efforts, Williston’s ninth graders have raised a grand total of $1,310 for Haiti, to be donated in full to the Meds and Food for Kids Foundation, an organization dedicated to saving the lives of Haiti’s malnourished children and other nutritionally vulnerable people. The donations resulted from two fundraising events: $510 was raised during a Ninth Grade Program assembly, at which the effort was first announced, and $800 was raised subsequently through sales of wristbands and a refreshment table set up during the intermission of the children’s theater production in February. Ninth Grade Class Advisor Adrienne Mantegna ’94 congratulated all those who helped by buying bracelets, saying, “You should all feel incredibly proud of your efforts, your donations, and your empathy (the “E” in the freshman’s class theme C.O.R.E.). You’ve done an incredible thing!” A school-wide fundraising effort was undertaken by Pastor Daphne Burt, who urged the community to remember that “our brothers and sisters in Haiti are still in great need.” Pastor Burt organized an online auction of original artwork, goods, and services donated by faculty and staff. Auction items included those of particular interest to students, such as a “Golden Ticket” allowing a student to proceed directly to the front of the line on stir-fry night and home-baked cookies and cakes delivered to students. Faculty artists donated their work included photography teacher Edward Hing ’77, ceramics teacher Natania Hume, theater production manager/quilter Amy Putnam, drawing teacher Susanna White, and painting teacher Marcia Reed. See how the community supported Haiti relief efforts at www.williston.com/haiti.
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SPRING 2010 BULLETIN
EXCELLENCE, JUSTICE, AND HONOR: MARY ALCOCK ’84 ADDRESSES THE WILLISTON COMMUNITY
he following Williston Northampton seniors were inducted into the Cum Laude Society on February 2, 2010, at an assembly in the Phillips Stevens Chapel: Gillian Barker, Benjamin Cowan, Gabriela Garcia, Woo-Sung “Kevin” Jung, Huan-Ting “Tim” Lin, Qasim Mahmood, Deirdre Quirk, James Thomson, Brooke Yarrows, Kevin Yochim, Shikun “Aerin” Zhang, Hanyu “Jessica” Zhou, and Yan Zheng “Daniel” Zhu. Students and parents of inductees were invited to attend the assembly. Parents and family members who couldn’t attend watched the live webcast. A reception followed the event at Headmaster Brian R. Wright’s house. Mary E. Alcock ’84 was the guest speaker for this February’s induction. A Cum Laude Society member, Ms. Alcock is counsel based in the New York office of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. A member of the New York State Bar, Ms. Alcock is recognized as a leading employee benefits lawyer by The Best Lawyers in America and The Legal 500. She received her JD in 1993 from Yale Law School and received her undergraduate degree summa cum laude from Yale University. Ms. Alcock spoke of her early years in Easthampton and the impact Williston and her family had on her life and scholarly pursuits. Those strong connections prompted her and her family, in 2007, to make a gift to the school by naming her mother’s childhood home, at 11 Payson Avenue, Daley House in her honor. She said, “When it comes to honor, please also remember it is not the ‘with honors’ on the degree or the name of the deed on the house that is truly important. It is community. It is caring. It is remembering, respecting, and cherishing of the past, but always looking to the future.” While at Williston, Ms. Alcock was active in the theater and formed Williston’s As Schools Match Wits team, helping to bring the group to the playoffs numerous times. Her awards included the White Blazer, presented at graduation to the “young woman who has distinguished herself with the greatest contributions to the academic, athletic, and community life of the school while exhibiting exemplary leadership and integrity.” The Cum Laude Society recognizes academic achievement by students in secondary schools for the purpose of promoting excellence (Areté), justice (Diké), and honor (Timé). Founded in 1906, the society modeled Cum Laude after Phi Beta Kappa, and in the years since its founding, Cum Laude has grown to 350 chapters around the world.
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Photos © Janine Norton
SAVING LIVES IN HAITI