Windward Magazine - Issue 1

Spring/Summer 2015

Magazine

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Table of Contents 3 F r om t he Head of th e Sc hool 3 Looking Forward 4 I nnovation at Wind w ar d 4 Innovation at Windward: An Overview 6 Innovation at Windward: Trends and Highlights 8 Building Their Futures 10 Applying His Passions: Jai Bhavnani ’20 12 3D Printing at Windward: Prototyping and Creating 14 E d u cational ex pe r ience s 14 Passport to Knowledge: Exploring Service and Culture in Peru 16 Minimester 2015 Highlights 18 Th e Ar t s

Contributors AD V ANC EM EN T O F F ICE D a w n B a rr ett Director of Advancement & Operations L inds ay Kna ub Director of Development & Special Events J ame s Lubin Director of Communications & Public Relations Whitne y B u rke Digital Media Specialist Alli s on Ka u fman Communications Coordinator/Publications Teacher Stephanie M i rkin M c D evitt Annual Fund & Alumni Manager J effre y Gilde r Alumni Coordinator Su san M arx Advancement Database Manager J enna Dickman Advancement Coordinator Dr. Kevin N e wman Assistant Head for Strategic Partnerships

P HOTO G R A P HY Pa ul Antico/C reative Antic s Wind ward Commu nication s

D E S IG N McGrego r Cr eative llc

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18 Performing Arts Initiative Update 21 Restoring the Rhythm of Life 22 Performing Arts Overview Image Gallery 24 Visual & Media Arts Initiative 25 Guest Artist Program 27 Interview with Installation Artist Micah Silver 28 Gold Key Award Winners Student Work Gallery 30 F itne s s 30 Healthy Mindset, Healthy Campus, Healthy Students: Challenge Success and Student Peak Performance

32 New on Campus: Facilities for Peak Performance 33 Windward Hoops In the News 33 Class of 2015 Collegiate Athletes 34 Athletics 2014-15 Image Gallery 36 Skill s fo r S ucce s s 36 Entrepreneurial Education: From A to $ 37 Business Profile: Alexandra Saghian ‘15 39 Skillify: A Launchpad for Success 40 N et wo rk / A l u mni 40 Following Their Path: The Windward Classes of 2011-2014 42 Connecting with the Windward Network 44 Alumni Events Image Gallery 46 G iving B ack 46 Service Profile: Grand View Boulevard Elementary 49 Neighborhood Notes 50 Our Partnerships at Work 51 Stay Connected

From the Head of School

Looking forward I

t is easy to cast a casual glance around Windward in 2015 and come to a quick conclusion that there is a lot of innovative activity taking place. Certainly, there are overt signs of the zeitgeist in almost every direction: 7th graders prototyping ideas on a row of 3D printers; young entrepreneurs offering their wares at a “Buy It On the Bridge” sale; STEAM scholar-tinkerers tweaking a robotics interface so it can be steered by thought alone; linguists-in-training forging global connections (and better accents) through live chats with their Skype pals half a world away. You might expect each of these scenes, examples among many, to be found at any contemporary school that seriously endeavors to prepare young people for success in the society of tomorrow.

But true educational innovation isn’t accomplished simply by packing classrooms with technology or by reflexively adopting the pedagogical trends of the day. After all, how would you know the very best ways to make use of those emerging classroom tools? And even with today’s cuttingedge methods, how might you prepare secondary school students for success in future careers that probably don’t even yet exist?

If you look a little deeper at Windward, you’ll find conversations – lots of them – taking place throughout the school about these very subjects. For us, the quest for meaningful innovation is marked by an endless cycle of research and development; by leveraging partnerships with leading universities, businesses, and experts; and by seeking emerging data on the best practices that can be used to realize transformative educational ideas. Through initiatives and task forces, our teams of faculty fan out to Harvard and Stanford, to Apple and Google, making detailed notes and asking probing questions in order to find the answers that are right for Windward’s programs – and for our students.

Dig deeper still and you’ll recognize that innovation has been at the core of Windward’s DNA since our very inception in 1971. Our school’s co-founders believed that the combination of a dynamic education and a nurturing community required a different path, one defined not only by constantly wondering, “What’s new?” but also “Why is that important?” and “What meaning will it have in the lives of our students?” That is the visionary lens through which Shirley Windward saw innovation. And it is her worldview that - more than four decades later - still guides the relentless search for

new and better ideas: driving every decision, setting every strategic goal, and fueling every aspiration we have as an educational institution.

Like the rings of growth on a redwood, the patterns of progress over the years at Windward attest to the central strength of that single core commitment. The concepts we began researching a decade ago blossomed into the philosophies and facilities that have made us a leading independent school and a model for academic progress.

Building on this success, the research and work that is currently underway will propel Windward further forward, gathering more momentum in its remarkable trajectory of growth.

It is fitting, then, that the pages of the inaugural Windward Magazine would focus on innovation. In this issue, you will get a closer look at some of the processes and partnerships that are being used to turn today’s transformative educational ideas into tomorrow’s realities. We’ll look at programs in which our students are being supported to reach their fullest potential, prepared for success not only in college, but even more so, in life itself. And, we’ll share some of our very latest news about established programs that are evolving to greater heights, buoyed by deep research and primed for further growth.

get a closer look at some of the processes and partnerships that are being used to turn today’s transformative educational ideas into tomorrow’s realities.”

Like so many of the successful examples of innovation that can be seen throughout our school’s history, the stories we will be sharing with you in this and future issues of Windward Magazine could not be possible without the continuous support of our entire school community. By our shared belief in the philosophy of innovation that has proven right for Windward time and again, we can all take pride in the fact that, while looking back on our accomplishments will always be inspirational, looking forward to our future will be even more exhilarating.

Tom Gilder

Head of School

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Innovation at Windward

innovation at windward: An overview

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indward was created to be a school in which innovation would, by design, always be front and center. Founded as a supportive and vibrant community in which developing a genuine lifelong love of learning was the primary outcome, the pursuit and implementation of new ideas has been a hallmark characteristic for more than four decades. While Windward has certainly undergone robust change since its founding in the early 1970’s, the basic principles that drove the school’s creation remain at the heart of the strategic plans that have successively guided its continued growth. And, as today’s stewards of Windward’s educational legacy look to the future and ask what skills will be needed for success and happiness in tomorrow’s society, innovation remains the key catalyst.

Combined with the right preparation, a carefully nurtured love of learning gifts students with the ability to succeed not only now, but also in the face of any future challenge.

Back home, these efforts would lead to the development of transformative facilities, most notably the two state-of-theart buildings that are the current centerpieces of Windward’s campus: The Center for Teaching and Learning and the Science, Dance, and Music Center. Among the very first examples of buildings in the state to meet the rigorous LEED Gold for Schools environmental criteria, these facilities were the end products of countless visits and conversations conducted by Windward’s researchers to find optimal spaces that could best support the types of learning that the school was then hoping to integrate across the curriculum. From the way desks could be arranged to foster collaboration to the design of the handles on science lab drawers, many detailed elements of Windward’s new facilities were chosen from a veritable buffet of concepts that had roots in research trips and conversations with experts.

development and implementation of new ideas does not simply end when the research and initial work is done.”

While change has been a constant at Windward from the beginning, the school’s growth over the last decade has been marked by a particularly intensive period of innovation, a time during which many of the protocols and partnerships so crucial to the work taking place today were first established.

In the mid-2000’s, Windward sent research teams to leading universities across the nation – including Stanford, Berkeley, Penn, Princeton, Harvard, and MIT – along with secondary schools and businesses, searching for the best practices in education and beyond that could serve as raw material for Windward’s own synthesis of ideas to create new programs and facilities. During these visits, partnerships were developed with entities and experts that yielded not only good ideas, but also in several cases, a mutual and continuing exchange of practices. In due time, this would put Windward on a track not fundamentally different than the research institutions it was studying.

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Even more important than Windward’s new facilities themselves were the programs and educational techniques that these spaces were created to serve. Here, too, the school’s ongoing cycle of research, synthesis, and innovation was used to move forward in myriad ways, eventually leading to the inception of new program-specific initiatives. As a quintessential example, the application of Active Learning theory – now common in classrooms and the foundation upon which further work for Windward’s future is currently being conducted - had its roots nearly a decade ago in discussions with experts from leading universities like MIT, NC State, and the University of Minnesota. Windward’s talks with researchers and noted professors revealed that there was ample reason to implement this emerging paradigm in science classes, shifting from the traditional lecture setup in which a teacher plays the proverbial “sage on the stage,” to a hands-on model that engaged students by directly providing them with tools and physical opportunities for discovery and learning.

In addition to implementing new ideas, Windward also looks for ways to further the discussion of educational practice. Whether sending representatives to present at conferences or hosting its own showcases for idea exchange – like the 2011 Active Learning Colloquium, which featured several of the leading experts Windward had been working with – the school always looks to make contributions and widen the dialogue on important concepts. The development and implementation of new ideas does not simply end when the initial work is done; there can be even greater benefit in sharing ideas and incorporating the lessons gleaned from a growing network of partners and colleagues who are similarly eager to explore new frontiers in learning.

Many innovative programs and initiatives at Windward have been aided in their growth and expansion by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL.) Both the name of a three-story physical space and the educational entity housed there, the CTL has played a critical role in the innovative work of the past and continues to do so in its forward-looking mission today. The school’s center for internal program development, educational technology, and implementation & assessment, the CTL has helped to transform education at Windward by playing a key role in the synthesis of ideas collected from outside. As a think tank, home for student learning services, and a collaborative partner with Windward’s faculty, the CTL has in innumerable ways brought together the Windward community to exchange ideas, learn, and grow.

The processes and partnerships that have been so critical to the last decade of innovation of Windward continue, now overseen by an additional entity that has had its mission and purpose codified as the school looks ahead to future growth. Like an external-facing mirror of the CTL, the Windward Institute is the school’s research and development hub. Charged with a mission that, to a large extent, is guided by the principles of the school’s Strategic Plan, the Windward Institute brings together faculty, parents, students, alumni, and the educational community in order to discuss and further explore groundbreaking ideas. With an ambitious mission to pursue ongoing research and the generation of transformative practices, the Windward Institute today looks to continue Windward’s longstanding pursuit of innovation through the advancement of three major goals: forming special teams of educators and outside experts; expanding learning opportunities beyond the classroom; and linking the efforts of Windward’s faculty to the wider educational community through ongoing exploration of best practices.

Windward has always been focused on new ideas. With the passing of time and lessons gleaned from past experiences, the school’s approach to pursuing and enacting new concepts in education has touched every aspect of practice and grown even more ambitious in scale. With incredible interdisciplinary teams contributing from across the school, the leadership of entire in-house entities devoted to external research and internal development, and the ongoing support of a growing network of partners, it is all but certain that those grand goals will be realized.

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Innovation at Windward

Innovation at Windward: Trends and Highlights

External research has long formed the basis for the development of big ideas at Windward, whether related to the initiation of new programs or the construction of new facilities. A key aim of the Windward Institute – and the interdisciplinary teams of faculty collaborating on the numerous projects that are underway at any one time – is to uncover the best practices and innovative ideas that are best suited to achieving Windward’s goals. The work this group has embarked upon during the last few years has been focused on answering some important questions about the future - not just that of the school’s programs and facilities, but also about the future world that will be encountered by Windward’s students.

As Dr. Eryn Hoffman, Director of the Windward Institute, notes, “We are looking at the work being done around the country and asking ourselves, ‘What are the important skills of the 21st century? What are businesses and non-profits doing, and what do they expect their workforce to know? What are leading universities doing?’ We’ve taken this information that we’ve found, and tried to bring it back and apply it toward our community and our students here at Windward.”

These are weighty questions, with answers that are just as complex. In their search for innovative ideas, Windward faculty teams have been embarking on national and international expeditions to engage with partners and thought leaders, tapping into resources at universities such as Berkeley, MIT, and Harvard, leading independent schools across the country, and businesses like Google. The findings suggest that proper

preparation for the needs of tomorrow means engaging students in a variety of ways, encouraging the development of traits and tools that allow for the flexibility to succeed in any situation. Adds Eryn, “We know that we want students to be capable, competent, and ethical leaders throughout their lives.

To do this, they must be creative problem solvers who can also communicate effectively through language, media, and performing arts, and who are actively engaged in everything that they do. What this means for us as researchers and educators is ensuring that the Windward experience thoroughly embodies innovation and embodies innovative principles.”

What are these innovative principles and how will they shape Windward’s evolution over the next years? Here is a sampling of some exciting findings that are influencing the ideas under development now at Windward:

A G lobal Reac h Research and visits have revealed that the most current thinking about global education today is really about getting students out of the classroom and into the real world. Students are travelling around the world not just to learn about other peoples and places, but also to actively engage in the challenges and solutions to global issues. For example, at Harvard, there is an emphasis on getting students connected with experts from around the world and putting students in situations to take action and make change. The Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences sends students every year to developing countries to work on the ground with residents and local engineers to improve quality of life.

Visits to other schools have also revealed promise in programs that strive to make connections between their own classes and other countries, so that all of a school’s international trips can connect back to the core curriculum. Windward’s membership in the Global Online Academy is also a reminder that students’ engagement with the rest of the word may not always be in person – it will likely often be conducted remotely. The flexible technology, communications equipment, and opportunities for outreach that give students direct contact with peers around the world will help best prepare them for the global interactions that are increasingly becoming both commonplace and central to 21st century life.

To truly innovate means that we have to think about all of the possibilities.

And that’s one of the things that design thinking does for us. It encourages us to think about a client’s needs, and by extension, about society’s needs.”

- Cindy Beals, Director of STEAM Programs/Director of innovation and design

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D es ign Th inking Originating as a step-by-step process created by visual artists to best approach and solve problems for clients, design empathize ideate thinking has recently seen wide adoption as a framework to develop multidimensional solutions within constraints, particularly in a collaborative environment. Given that today’s define prototype students will be entering a global society where teamwork at the local, national, and international level will be critical, design test thinking techniques introduce a very modern approach to collaboration and problem solving. By experimenting in open, creative spaces, brainstorming with peers, and using different materials for prototyping and developing ideas, design thinking also helps students understand that they can be utilizing new technologies to become creators, not just consumers. Recent external work with the Institute of Design at Stanford, a leader in this field, has already informed implementation of design thinking ideas – which are not limited to a specific area of expertise - across Windward’s curriculum.

Dy namic Space s fo r L ea rning It has long been known that there are intricate connections between the design of spaces for learning and the type of activities that they can foster. With the aim of engaging students further in cross-disciplinary work that will often be hands-on, Windward’s research teams have visited spaces all over the country that have been specifically created to foster the type of physical experimentation and prototyping that will increasingly be found in classes across Windward’s curriculum, whether the end application is in engineering, Global Studies, or theatre tech.

Eryn notes that, “We want to create optimal learning environments for our students, and to a large degree, that depends on the physical space.

Active, hands-on learning works best when you have the classroom set up so the students can be working together, interacting with each other and with the teacher so that everyone becomes a producer of knowledge.”

With hundreds of reference photos from their travels, Windward faculty have taken careful note of innovative learning spaces, finding several commonalities at leading institutions ranging from Stanford’s Design School to the Harvard Innovation Lab. Many of these spaces are akin to studios for brainstorming: open and flexible, with furniture and walls that can be reconfigured based on need, equipped with a variety of tools and equipment, containing plenty of storage for prototyping materials and tools, and built with adaptive workspaces and open surfaces that can be written on or filled with Post-It notes during an idea generation session. Ideally, this type of space also serves multiple purposes, whether used for the hosting of group presentations or the development of class projects from across the curriculum.

Notes Eryn, “The types of facilities we are thinking about creating now are conducive to getting students to think outside of the box – spaces for idea generation and for brainstorming. We want our students to work together, to take risks, and to get feedback through design thinking methods and through the process of prototyping. Because they will encourage learning in a very dynamic way, these spaces will help students see that they have the freedom to take risks, fail, and further revise their ideas. They will see that they are creative problem solvers.”

These threads and other findings of Windward’s current research efforts demonstrate a paradigm of thinking that is always trying to anticipate the future. Reflects Eryn, “We have an acute awareness that we’re not just working to provide students with fulfilling lives now. Our focus is really to be a step ahead of what they are going to be facing 10, 20, or 30 years from now. And whether the means are achieved through design thinking, problem solving, global awareness, or collaboration, the goal is to prepare our students today for the challenges and opportunities that they’ll be facing for the rest of their lives.”

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Innovation at Windward

Building Their Futures STEM programs have, for several years, been reflective of a nationwide effort to enhance student learning in science and technological fields. But Windward’s approach to preparing students for the 21st century in these areas has been slightly different; for the last four years, an interdisciplinary STEAM program has combined science, technology, engineering, design arts, and mathematics. At an institution with such deep engagement in the arts, it is no surprise that Windward should select this approach. But, according to Director of STEAM Programs/ Director of Innovation and Design Cindy Beals, there is more to that extra “A” than simply tradition. “We think the arts are an integral part of best practices in exploring the latest frontiers in science, technology, and all of the areas that fall under the STEAM umbrella,” she notes. “Whether looking at the university level or at the models being adopted by cutting-edge businesses, with the advent of design thinking and the explosion of the maker movement, there is a growing awareness that active, hands-on learning and creativity are critical parts of preparation for the future.”

The growth and sophistication of Windward’s robotics programs - both for Middle School and Upper School students - have for several years helped the school build a growing name for itself as a local leader in providing students with opportunities to take on engineering challenges and apply creative thought to technological problems. In this past year alone, Windward has offered 6 levels of robotics to its students, participated in 3 levels of interscholastic competition, and hosted numerous events, including a LEGO scrimmage, a FIRST Robotics kick-off event, and the Southern California FIRST Robotics Student Conference.

But the creative applications of technology seen in the robotics laboratory are just one piece of a much larger effort to see how these different disciplines can inspire students and enhance learning in many areas of the curriculum.

All around the school, classes in the STEAM fields are cropping up that offer new challenges, the use of new techniques inspired by research being done with Windward’s partner universities, and the application of new learning paradigms that promise to offer whole new worlds of exploration. Newer classes such as Principles of Engineering

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and Biological Engineering present innovative opportunities to advanced students, while the use of technologies like 3D printing have become available at all grade levels and are now being incorporated by faculty members in a variety of interesting and unexpected ways.

Windward’s initial work with a small Pasadena firm called Deezmaker – a creator of consumer 3D printers which provided the school with its first units last year – has now led to the blossoming of an entirely new dimension in STEAM learning. 3D printing experts and authors Joan Horvath and Rich Cameron became acquainted with Windward’s efforts through their own work at Deezmaker and now spend several days a week at the school working with faculty on the development of new curricula and introducing students at all age levels to the transformative ideas that tinkering and prototyping with tools like the 3D printers can help bring to life. In some cases, introducing students to this very new way of thinking has involved rewiring perceptions of what is and isn’t possible. Reflects Joan, “We’ve found that the most effective approach so far is to encourage students not to second-guess what the tech can do – we’ve told them to first tell us what they want it to do, then we’ll walk things back together to figure out how to get there.” Adds Rich, “Almost always, more is possible than they first think.”

These experts, who literally wrote the book on 3D printing (Mastering 3D Printing, one of several in a series that includes case studies of projects conducted at Windward), have also helped introduce concepts from the technologically-focused maker and tinkering communities to a variety of innovative projects throughout the school. One such example can be seen in the growing use of Arduinos, microcontrollers that can be easily programmed by students. They have already found use in classroom projects as sensors to add automation to otherwise inanimate objects, whether through

Read more about some of the current cutting-edge, hands-on work taking place at Windward and other innovative places in Joan Hor vath and Rich Cameron’s newest book for educators: “The New Shop Class: Getting Started With 3D Printing, Arduino, and Wearable Tech.” Published in May by Apress, it can be ordered online at: http://www.apress.com or amazon.

the development of cybernetics in Biological Engineering, or through the creation of a prototype “Haunted Dress,” an early experiment in cutting-edge wearable technology fashioned in partnership with Performing Arts.

All of these modes of experimentation require facilities conducive to their use, and Windward’s recent research into best practices at institutions like the Design School at Stanford University have led to imminent plans for the creation of a “Exploration Studio” this summer in Room 810. This pilot facility, based on ideas gleaned from visits to spaces around the country, will provide Windward’s students and teachers with a hands-on workshop conducive to tinkering and creation and designed for collaborative learning. A facility that will serve the needs of multiple classes, the Exploration Studio will serve as a home for design thinking-based projects, a place for students to create their own inventions and entrepreneurial products, or develop materials to be used in any number of other classes. Notes Cindy, “This new Exploration Studio will help students pursue more hands-on activities, which will not only improve their spatial reasoning skills, but also in turn help improve their understanding of the world around them. They will see how technology is tied to other disciplines and how interconnected the world is at large. And as their engagement level goes up and they become more involved in collaborative activities, they will gain experience as members of problem-solving teams and learn the important life skills that are derived from working together with different types of people.”

This pilot Exploration Studio, open for classes in Fall 2015, is just the first facility to be customized to best take advantage of the new research and new technologies that are now

emerging in STEAM-related efforts at Windward. On the horizon, a Design Studio – a larger space for innovators based on notable university models – could be created to prepare a new generation of innovators to be solution-oriented as they seek to tackle complex challenges. Combined with new programming and increased partnerships with outside professionals, this facility would provide students with the type of robust creative thinking and working space that can be a catalyst for innovation.

Even now, the maker spirit is alive and thriving at Windward.

In August 2015, the vast, growing community of new-wave technologists will convene at a two-day Design and Maker Class Colloquium on the Windward campus, where STEAM field faculty will provide a forum for visitors to learn and share ideas about electronics, wearable tech, and 3D printing.

Participants will hear from cutting-edge practitioners in the field about what is possible in the world of making in both general and specific ways, then have opportunities to get hands-on experience with the traditional tools and materials of making from experts.

While the respective merits of STEM and STEAM can be debated, Joan views both simply as the desire to find a new way of solving problems. “After all,” she notes, “shop class might have gone away, but it isn’t because the interest in making things has disappeared. It’s just that the technologies have changed.” Windward’s students are only just beginning to realize the potential these innovations will offer. And, with these powerful emerging tools, the techniques and lessons learned in the “shop class” for the 21st century promise to be far more impactful then than their predecessors ever were.

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Innovation at Windward

applying his passions: Jai bhavnani ’20

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t is fitting that Windward 7th grader Jai Bhavnani first discovered his passion for building lines of computer code by taking up the challenge of building blocks in an online video game.

When he was eight years old, Jai and a group of friends became engrossed with Minecraft, a wildly popular and highly customizable game in which players create objects using textured cubes in a 3D virtual world. It is an unusually robust tool for the fertile imaginations of users around the world, many of whom bend game mechanics to create anything from replicas of real cities to frame-by-frame adaptations of music videos. Though initially intrigued by the game’s builtin challenges, Jai soon became more interested in stretching the capabilities that Minecraft offered to its users; with some self-taught techniques and tips gleaned from the internet, he soon developed his own “mod,” or modification, that allowed players to bypass the ground rules of the game.

After having some fun and impressing his friends with the effects Jai was able to produce with this “relatively simple hack,” he decided to adopt a screen handle and upload his mod to the fan site Planet Minecraft.

Though he never expected much of a reaction, Jai soon checked back on his posting and discovered

The best thing I can do is to keep trying to learn more from everything that I’m involved with, because the more that I know, the more I’ll be able to make a difference.”

- Jai Bhavnani ’20

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that his Minecraft program had been viewed by more than 50,000 people, a large number of whom opted to download the file and try it themselves.

Thrilled by the reaction to his creation and curious about the challenge of pushing his nascent coding skills even further, Jai continued to think about better ways to create Minecraft mods. Soon, it wasn’t just his programs that had caught the attention of the game’s fanbase; the coding ability of the person behind the screen name was starting to gain recognition, too. He realized that he was really onto something when a web development firm sent an email offering employment as a programmer – and a six-figure salary. Meanwhile, Jai had yet to complete the sixth grade.

While his parents were happy to nurture this growing passion, they found themselves increasingly hardpressed to understand the intricacies of their son’s hobby. “No one in the family is a coder, so they didn’t have any idea how to talk with me about it at first,” Jai remembers. “Programming is like trying to speak another language – literally – so I turned to online communities in order to learn more.” And learn he did, soaking up as much information as he could by reading through countless forums, endlessly watching videos, and collaborating with other self-taught coders around the world.

As a gifted linguist masters new tongues, Jai would eventually come to understand – and appreciate – the nuances of more than a dozen programming languages, including Java (his favorite), Objective C, and Swift – all important building blocks in modern

professional software development. Moving on from the world of Minecraft, he wanted to take on more lofty programming challenges – ones that could allow him to use his coding skills to create for a larger community. Seeing the abundance of mobile devices all around and sensing an opportunity, Jai stepped out from behind his screen name and set his sights on a new goal: building apps.

Jai admits that his first attempt at building an app – a helicopter game he had created as an extra credit project– was rejected from Apple’s App Store, where development standards are strict. Undeterred, he went right back to development, creating “Oblivious, “ a game in which you have to escape from particles that chase you. This time, his efforts made the grade. “I was so excited when Oblivious was accepted into the App Store; just the feeling of passing the Apple certification process with something I created was fantastic,” he recalls. And while having his app pass Apple’s stringent development standards was a feat unto itself, Jai had cause to celebrate again just a few days later. “When I checked after a week, there were more than 1000 downloads. I thought at first that something must be broken.” But they weren’t; with user reviews calling his game “super addicting” and “really fun,” his credentials were quickly cemented. “The Boy App Developer“ – his self-dubbed moniker - was born.

Not content to simply work within the Apple ecosystem, Jai quickly branched out into writing for Android platforms as well. His reasoning was pragmatic – “80% of the market uses Android. I realized that if I only wrote for Apple, I’d be missing out on a huge audience.” He built his next app, a strategy game called Matchers, for both platforms. Launched this past January, it attracted downloads from around the world and landed on numerous application and game ranking charts.

Now finishing his 7th grade year at Windward, Jai is exploring his entrepreneurial side, putting his skills to use by working on apps for restaurants and for an e-commerce site. He also researched young entrepreneurs for his culminating project as a Middle School Scholar, for which he created a companion mobile application to launch with the newly redesigned Windward website in August 2015. “I hope to provide

V i s it J ai ’ s i Ph one D evelope r Page:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jai-bhavnani/id780192224

“ M atc h e r s ,” available fo r io s and and r oid

the school community with an easy way to access the information that they need about Windward,” he says.

And yet, Jai considers these endeavors as “a side business” – as has been the case from the start, his main desire is to keep learning and feeding his innate curiosity. “The best thing I can do is to keep trying to learn more from everything that I’m involved with, because the more that I know, the more I’ll be able to make a difference.”

The development of applications may be where Jai is using his talents today, but only time will tell where the application of his growing talents will lead him tomorrow.

V i s it J ai ’ s A nd r oid D evelope r Page :

https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Jai%20Bhavnani&hl=en

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Innovation at Windward

3D Printing:

Prototyping and Creating Although nearly three decades old, the core technology involved with 3D printing is only just beginning to make its way on a large scale to consumers; in turn, its revolutionary promise brings almost endless possibilities to classrooms. At Windward, a growing collection of 3D printers is providing students and teachers with new ways to approach problem solving and prototyping in a variety of situations. With the ability to bring students’ abstract ideas into physical reality, this new equipment is finding exciting and innovative applications across the curriculum.

Last year, students in Dr. Simon Huss’s Principles of Engineering class discovered that the cylindrical plastic drain covers used on Windward’s athletic fields were constantly being cracked and snapped by landscaping equipment. Presented with this real-world problem, students not only set about designing a better drain cover, but actually producing one using 3D printers.

Beginning with prototypes similar to the original, through experimentation their designs became flatter and more compact until they had created a finished product that was more efficient and ultimately superior to the commercial equipment they began with.

Not just a tool for aspiring engineers, 3D printers are being put to use in situations and projects that would otherwise be impossible. In their study of biology and ecology, Tom Haglund’s students were wondering about ways to reverse the impact of the world’s rapidly shrinking coral reef ecosystems. Could artificial coral be used as a tool to help stabilize fish habitats, like in man-made aquariums? Using real coral as a template, scans were made to create 3D-printed substitutes, which were then used in experiments to see if fish could tell the difference between natural coral and faux coral produced by Windward students with a 3D printer.

THE EVOLUTION OF PROTOTYPE DRAIN COVERS CREATED BY PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS. (CLOCKWISE IN ORDER OF DEVELOPMENT, WITH ORIGINAL AT UPPER LEFT.)

Whether used to prototype new ideas or to enhance learning by building unique physical objects, the products and concepts involved with 3D printing can be applied to everything from engineering to art. From a better golf club head to a custom chess set, the items already springing forth from the imaginations of Windward’s students represent only the beginning of what this whole new method of creation has in store.

A coral model created on the 3d printer

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Not just a tool for aspiring engineers, 3D printers are being put to use in situations and projects that would otherwise be impossible.

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Educational Experiences

passport to knowledge: Exploring Service & Culture in Peru

Each year, Windward provides students several opportunities to apply what they have been learning in the classroom to real world experiences through a series of interdisciplinary travel programs abroad. Windward encourages its students to participate in these international travel experiences as part of its long-standing commitment to global education.

Windward’s trips incorporate different combinations of scientific research, cultural exposure, foreign language education, leadership, and community service.

In February, a group of Windward students as well as Visual & Media Arts chair Jeff Miller and Global Studies teacher Daniel Gutierrez spent nine days exploring art, culture, and service in Peru, connecting with the local communities in the region’s Sacred Valley.

For the first half of the trip, students traveled to numerous archeological sites, towns, and museums, including the ancient Inca site of Machu Picchu. They then spent the remainder of the trip working with Quechuan men and women of the Sacred Valley, learning about the culture and tradition of the Andes. Students had the opportunity to build leadership skills by working side-by-side with local community members on projects that support economic sustainability, local agriculture, and access to education. They even had the opportunity to try their hand at traditional weaving practices.

“The Sacred Valley and the Andes mountains have a strong, peaceful energy and spirit, and being surrounded by them for a week was life-changing. Working with Quechuan women who are native to that environment was a special experience; we harvested potatoes with them with hand-held tools. I saw how hard they work to earn their living and provide for their community. The women spoke Quechuan and maybe a few words of Spanish, so I enjoyed figuring out ways to communicate without verbal language. It was inspiring to work together despite the language barrier and our lack of experience with the type of field work. It was a really fun trip!”

- Sami Sneider ’15

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Whatever the destination, experiential trips like this provide exciting, unique educational opportunities for Windward’s students, allowing them to fully immerse into a culture, celebrating customs and creating lasting connections with new friends around the world.

Summer 2015 Trips Preview French Language Immersion in Paris Spanish Language Immersion in Peru Environmental Sustainability in the Dominican Republic Cambodia: Reconciliation, Education and Sustainable Growth

The culmination of the trip was truly special as we ascended into the highlands of Peru and worked with a very small village. The students really enjoyed working with the local men and women. It is so wonderful to be able to bring them to this environment and expose them to different cultures and ways of life. I don’t think there is anything better than being with the people who live there. It was definitely a unique experience.�

- Jeff Miller, Visual & Media Arts Department Chair

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Educational Experiences

Minimester 2015 Highlights

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sk any student what his/her favorite experience has been in Windward’s Middle School program, and chances are the answer will be “Minimester.”

During these three adventurous days of innovative, crossdisciplinary study, 8th graders embark on a concentrated exploration in an area of interest outside of the ordinary classroom experience, such as Web design, scientific exploration, and television production.

The 2015 incarnation of Minimester was full of excitement as students traveled as far as Costa Rica, where they studied the biodiversity in the wet and dry zones of the country and visited the Poas Volcano. The students also attended hands-on workshops at Earth University, where they learned creative ways to grow plants and how to recycle discarded items like tires, water bottles, and socks into plant beds or gardens.

Two local Minimesters included “Take One: A Journey into Television Production,” where students had the opportunity to see what it is like on a real working set

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at Fox Studios. Another highlight was “Science of Thrill Rides,” a new offering from Science and Technology teachers Cindy Beals and Jim Bologna, who took students to local theme parks to learn about the engineering and physics behind their favorite attractions.

8th graders who attended Windward’s Washington D.C. Minimester were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when they met with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. The students had to go through high levels of security before meeting with the Attorney General in his conference room on the second floor of the Department of Justice.

Holder, who held the Attorney General position since his appointment in 2009, engaged students in a relaxed and open conversation for 45 minutes, during which they were allowed to ask questions they had prepared ahead of time. Topics ranged from the death penalty to President Obama’s immigration executive order to the prosecuting of executives from the financial crisis. Holder ended his

“I am in awe of the responsibilities that the Attorney General position holds. He has the ability to impact the life of each and every American citizen, and secures our country’s safety.”

- Elyse forman ’19

inspirational talk urging the students to find a way to be involved in public service.

“I am in awe of the responsibilities that the Attorney General position holds. He has the ability to impact the life of each and every American citizen, and secures our country’s safety. Having this Windward opportunity allowed me to engage with the nation’s top attorney about a pending lawsuit that will impact the lives of millions of people living in the United States,” said Elyse Forman ’19.

“The meeting reinforced the notion that my generation is going to be the next leaders in America, and it is our time to step up to the plate.”

The trip participants had a jam-packed itinerary, which included visits to the Supreme Court, Holocaust Museum, Capitol Building and Q & A sessions with Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, former US Ambassador Tom C. Korologos, and Justice Scalia’s law clerk. They even received a surprise visit from one of President Obama’s secret service agents!

“Meeting a high-ranking government official such as Eric Holder inspires our students to be civically engaged and civic minded individuals. It is also an opportunity to see the value of public service, and it gives them a better sense of how government works and how they can make a difference in how the government behaves,” said Eric Mandel, Director of Middle School.

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The Arts “I was really impressed with the quality of your students. They are beautiful movers who clearly take a lot of pride in their dancing. I thought the pieces looked clean, and I was impressed with how much responsibility the students were taking for their performance.”

- Tina Finkelman Berkett, Co-Director of BODYTRAFFIC and Windward Guest Artist

Performing Arts Initiative Update W hen the Performing Arts Initiative was launched at Windward two years ago, the goal was as modest as it was grand: to create a home for the arts for Windward student-artists.

“We wanted for our students to get their fundamental training, nurturing and development at Windward,” explains Alesia Young, who, along with Jennie Willens, co-chairs the Performing Arts Initiative. “We really wanted to be able to offer them the fullness of what the arts has to offer.”

Two years later, the impact the Initiative has had on students, faculty, parents, professional artists, and the greater community has been profound.

Student performances in professional off-campus venues—a key component of the Initiative—have drawn rave reviews. Last year, the Choral program debuted its Winter Concert at the famed Grammy Museum, while the Music Festival took place at the AT&T Center in downtown Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Dance Company and Windward Repertory Ensemble of Dancers (WRED) performed their first off-campus production at the historic UCLA Freud Playhouse, featuring guest appearances by Windward alumni Jennifer Gibgot ’87 and Adam Shankman, along with stars of Fox TV’s So You Think You Can Dance? Travis Wall and Katherine McCormick. This school year, Choral returned to the Grammy Museum for a second run, while the music program’s Winter Concert was held at the Conga Room at LA Live, An Evening of Dance was performed at the Skirball Cultural Center’s Cotsen Auditorium, and the Spring Music Festival moved to the Japan America Aratani Theater.

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“One of the best parts of the Initiative so far has been to watch our students performing in these spaces,” says Jennie. “The work is elevated beyond our expectations.

The professionalism just rises. They want to match the space they’re performing in, and they want the audience to feel that they fit into that space.”

Apart from the transcendent effect the off-campus venues have on student-artists, the performances also benefit the Windward arts community in a practical way by enabling the program to expand its audience. While the current Windward theater can seat only 135, some of these offcampus venues can seat upwards of 500. Wider audiences deepen Windward’s connection with the broader community as well as prospective families by showcasing the school’s innovation in the arts.

“Often in a small independent school, the training is very contained—to the campus and to the faculty,” says Jennie.

“The Initiative is allowing us to build relationships outside of the school and to take feedback from professionals.”

While students are heading off-campus to perform in unique spaces, the Initiative also is drawing professional artists to Windward to share their knowledge and expertise in a variety of ways (see sidebar). The Music Mentor Program brings in professional musicians to work one-onone with students and ensembles. In Dance, the Artistin-Residence program engages a professional dancer for up to eight weeks to work with students in restaging or creating original work. The Theater program offers a strong master class that gives students instruction in a very specialized area of performing arts through a visiting guest artist. continued on page 20

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Windward guest artists help to support students’ learning in the classroom and studio and increase their exposure to and connections with the professional art world. Here are a few of the notable guest artists who have participated in Windward performing arts programs as part of the Performing Arts Initiative:

Dance Ate9 Dance Company featuring the work of former Batsheva principal dancer Danielle Agami; BODYTRAFFIC; Princess Grace Award recipient Norbert de la Cruz III; & Nina Flagg To view Dance guest artist bios and video interviews, go to www.windwardschool.org/dance

Instrumental & Choral Music Dr. John Daversa; Ndugu Chancler; Sam Fisher; Adam Cohen; Billy Kerr; Ian Robbins; Anita Vasan; & Mark Balling

Theater James Patric Moran & Don Cheadle

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The Arts continued from page 19

Numerous other enhancements also have been implemented following a thorough faculty review of current curriculum and research into best practices across independent school arts programs, beginning with the West Coast and then expanding to the Northeast. After visits to such schools as Sage Hill and St. Margaret’s in Year One and Walnut Hill, Milton Academy, Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory in Year Two, faculty formed new partnerships that helped them look at current offerings with fresh eyes.

T h e r es ea r c h r e su lted in a n u mbe r of c ur ric u l um c hange s, incl u ding : • the introduction of the musical as a Fall production to build excitement for the arts earlier in the year.

• the development of a strong middle school theater program with more diverse and advanced offerings, including the Windward Theatre Workshop.

• a stronger bridge between the Middle School and Upper School theater curricula.

• a new Dance Masters class for seniors to help them navigate the college application/ audition process.

• a new Costuming class, middle school Singing class and a Theater class that lets students explore the power of service in the arts.

The upshot is a performing arts program that is innovative at its core. “Private, independent day schools are not doing this kind of conservatory-style model,” says Alesia.

“No one’s quite doing what we’re trying to do locally. It’s really starting to set us apart.”

Alesia says that while the Initiative is only in its second year, she already deems it a success since she sees students demonstrating the skills and the language to connect their experience at Windward with the outside world. “They have to be connected to something larger than themselves because that’s what the art world is all about.”

Alumna Carol Antoinette (Powell) ’13 experienced just that during her time studying performing arts at Windward.

Carol says she will be forever grateful for the “limitless opportunities” and “unconditional care” she was given while she pursued her passion for dance at Windward. “I can’t think of anyone who wasn’t there for me,” she says.

“I felt like I could do anything.”

She’s proving herself right. Carol is currently a sophomore at USC, where she is pursuing a B.A. in Narrative Studies with a minor in Theater in the School of Dramatic Arts and a minor in Dance in the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. She’s taking 20 credits a semester—up from 18 her first year— and dances six to 10 hours a day. And she still finds time to serve as a guest

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artist in the Initiative, where she recently choreographed pieces for Windward’s Dance Company to perform in the Spring Dance Concert.

Carol says she feels “lucky” that she’s been able to contribute her talents to the school two years in a row.

“The faculty and dancers always say thank you when I do it, and it’s always so weird because I don’t need a thank you,” says Carol. “This is my way of saying thank you to Windward.”

Restoring the Rhythm of Life Windward Partners with MusicMendsMinds, Inc. Since Windward’s founding more than four decades ago, the importance of student involvement in the arts and in one’s community has been a continuous hallmark of a Windward education. A recent Service Learning endeavor has combined these two elements, providing students with a unique vehicle both for self-expression and for making meaningful contributions within the greater community.

In the Fall of 2014, Windward’s Performing Arts department partnered with MusicMendsMinds, Inc., a new public service non-profit whose mission is to spread the magic of music on the mind by establishing therapeutic networks of intergenerational bands.

MusicMendsMinds -- and their growing partnership with Windward -- has garnered national attention from various media outlets including PBS NewsHour, KUSC 91.5 and CBS Los Angeles.

The founders of MusicMendsMinds, Carol and Irwin Rosenstein, created the organization to foster the development of elder musicians with early cognitive decline, setting a new standard for actively dealing with adversity and creating a cultural shift for aging in place. The involvement of younger musicians has proven to be a catalyst for new friendships that have benefits for all involved.

The organization’s first intergenerational band, “The 5th Dementia,” holds jam sessions at Windward every

Wednesday afternoon. These gatherings are not only enriching for elders, but for Windward students as well, increasing their repertoire and providing an engaging atmosphere to practice new tunes.

In late January, “The 5th Dementia” performed at Shirley’s Slams and Jams, a special lunchtime event on the Bridge celebrating Shirley Windward’s passion for artistic expression. In many ways, Windward’s growing partnership with MusicMendsMinds embodies the spirit of the visionary educator whose love of learning and the arts established a paradigm that helped Windward School grow into the nurturing and dynamic community of today.

Windward, with the help of MusicMendsMinds’ founder Carol Rosenstein, is currently working with researchers at UCLA to explore the potential for developing an internship for a few select students who are passionate about data collection and brain research.

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The Arts

1. The M iddle Sch ool C hoi r in the glow of the Grammy Museum’s stage.

2. The C hromatic s harmonize in front of a full Winter Concert crowd at the Grammy Museum.

3. The combined casts of the Spring Play, T h e O dd Co uple, which was presented in both a male and female version.

4. Valentina Shelton ’18 belts out a tune on the Conga Room stage in December.

5. W r ed dancers take flight during Evening of Dance.

6. Keeping in character during a M iddle Sch ool Sketc h performance.

7. Members of the chorus strike a pose during S weet C ha r ity, the fall musical.

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8. Homecoming excitement builds with a lively performance from the crowd-pleasing J a z z En semble .

9. The Wind wa r d Dance C ompan y presents a routine at this year’s Evening of Dance.

10. Charlie Foster ’17 and Charlie Rosen ’16 gaze into the audience in a scene from S w eet C ha r ity.

11. The horn section sounds off during the I n st r umental Conce rt at the Conga Room.

12. Beautiful voices welcome visitors on Homecoming Day.

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The Arts

“We’re living in a world where boundaries are much more permeable, and we want our students to be able to work in the world the same way they engage in art”

- Jeff Miller, Visual & Media Arts Chair

Visual & Media Arts Initiative

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t a time when adolescent culture is so often reduced to an impulsive and instantaneous “thumbs up” or “thumbs down,” Windward’s Visual & Media Arts Initiative is teaching students to look thoughtfully and critically at their world as both visual consumers and producers.

Jeff Miller, Visual & Media Arts Chair, says the extensive review of curricular goals and programs that took place as a result of the Initiative has resulted in “a reorientation towards how you go about making art.”

In the older model, artists would find the medium they were comfortable with and focus on producing all of their artwork in that format. “It’s kind of an old school model,” Jeff explains. “We’re turning it on its head.”

Now, students are being encouraged to come from a more expansive place of concept and then find the medium that enables them to best express the idea they have, which requires them to be comfortable with a wider range of media.

This broader understanding of choices and nimbleness of creativity will serve students not only in the classroom or studio but also in the world at large. “We’re living in a world where boundaries are much more permeable, and we want our students to be able to work in the world the same way they engage in art,” Jeff says.

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The curriculum reorientation has also resulted in more collaboration among students of different disciplines— another valuable life skill. Photographers are now in the same room with painters, and painters are in the same room as sculptors. Students can learn to appreciate the diversity of artistic expression and critique and evaluate each other’s work. “They have an opportunity to help each other and feed off each other,” says Jeff. “They learn and grow as much from each other as with their teachers.”

Holly Willis, chair of the Media Arts and Practice Division at USC, says collaboration is a key factor in visual storytelling.

Working with faculty, Willis recently completed a review of Windward’s Visual & Media Arts curriculum to help identify any opportunities for innovation or expansion. She applauds the intent and spirit behind the current course offerings, which focus on a bigger life picture. “The faculty don’t only teach students how to make a Hollywood movie, they also teach them how to use storytelling for personal expression and self-identity.”

She says that while conventional wisdom maintains that students of this age range are digital natives, and older, lower-tech adults have nothing to contribute to their learning, it’s not true. “These kids have so much at their disposal, but they’re not quite ready for it. They need to be guided.”

Some of that guidance is coming from visiting artists, who spend time on campus sharing their work and artistic vision with students throughout the year. Artists-inResidence take it one step further, co-creating site-specific installations in collaboration with student-artists. continued on page 26

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A burgeoning part of Windward’s Visual & Media Arts Initiative is the Guest Artist program, in which practicing artists either spend time with students on campus sharing their expertise and artistic vision or host students at their own studios. The professional artists who have shared their time and talent with Windward students this school year are: David Cook Painter Gary Copeland Photographer Anne Ellegood Curator at the Hammer Museum Emma Gray Gallerist Gustavo Gudoy Sculptor John Knuth Conceptual Artist, Painter Matt Liftson Multimedia Artist Kori Newkirk Multimedia Artist Lisa Oxley Painter Rachel Raynor Registrar of Collections at UCLA Fowler Museum, Weisman Collection Emma Rust ’13 Art Student, Alumna Micah Silver Artist-in-Residence, Multimedia Artist Pascual Sisto Video, Installation Artist Lorna Turner Printmaking, Graphic Design Damon Willick Curator, Windward Parent

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The Arts continued from page 25

This year, visiting artist Micah Silver completed his installation, “Answers Are How Questions Are Lost to Ideology,” which was a 16-foot mixed media structure that “breathed” by pumping air from the inside.

“We know a lot of our students aren’t going to become artists, but even if they become doctors or engineers, they will have a more informed perspective of their visual world and the visual culture around them.”

Silver, who has a Master of Science in Architecture from MIT, says the experience at Windward was just as enriching for him as it was for the students. During the two-week period in which he was interacting with students about the piece he created, he was astonished at the sophistication they displayed. “I had more interesting conversations with them than you would get from interacting with adults at galleries or museums,” says Silver, who just published a book, Figures and Air.

- Jeff Miller, Visual & Media Arts Chair

Silver recalls a response from an eighth-grade student, who responded to his question, “What would you add or remove to the installation?”

“One girl raised her hand and said, ‘I would change the floor—the visual rhythm is distorting the perception of time and space.’ Not in my wildest dreams did I think an eighth-grader would have said that, but she was right. I had thought about changing the floor.”

This year, Windward implemented a new Eighth Grade Core program, which provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the Visual & Media Arts. This school year also saw the Sculpture program move from a classical fine arts orientation to one built around 3D design with a larger digital component, which provides essential integration to the STEAM program. Next school year will include the updating of AP Visual & Media Arts classes—a change that already has students excited.

The goal of all the program enhancements is the same. “We want every student who comes through the program to have a really positive experience of art,” Jeff says. “We know a lot of our students aren’t going to become artists, but even if they become doctors or engineers, they will have a more informed perspective of their visual world and the visual culture around them.”

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Th i s pa s t F eb ruary , the Windward community witnessed the Held & Bordy Gallery morph

Interview

into a new creative space filled with subtle shifts of atmospheric and auditory sensations.

Windward welcomed an installation by new media artist Micah Silver as part of the Installation Project at Windward, a unique opportunity for installation and new media artists to create artwork in an exciting educational setting.

with Installation artist Micah silver

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ilver’s work explores changes in place and unusual senses of time while centering on air as a compositional material.

His most recent installations have explored time-based forms in the absence of sounds and are often structured from the perspective of a composer. These installations typically present a set of conflicting messages encircled by a larger social concern.

A 16-foot barrel-shaped rocket served as the focal point of Silver’s installation on campus. The inside of the rocket was lined with acoustic padding, providing spectators an intimate and quiet space for reflection. After seeing how the gallery was positioned within Windward’s main office building, Silver decided that the installation was best experienced selfsufficiently as one is passing through the space. The idea behind this design was to make something understated and inverted.

“If you look at demonstrations of thermodynamic principles, it is extraordinarily complex, but the idea was to use this complexity as a time-based compositional material.”

For Silver, the visual and spacial impression was just as important as the possibility of experiencing a direct four-dimensional sense of air motion. Air, according to Silver, served as just one layer of the installation. The statement Silver wrote on the gallery wall also acts as the title of the piece: “Answers are how questions are lost to ideology.”

On February 25, the Windward Institute hosted an evening with Silver and Visual & Media Arts Chair Jeff Miller. During the conversation, Silver answered questions from the crowd, which ranged from the importance of visual aspects in the installation to his experience working in a school environment.

Silver used watercolor fabric to act as a drapery over the rocket.

One passerby mentioned that the bright colors reminded her of something she might see at a children’s museum.

“I had never done anything like that before, and the only excuse was that it was something about [Windward]. I really liked creating some type of threshold that took people a little bit away from adulthood.“

The gallery space in which Silver worked was very public, which allowed him to have many brief but meaningful engagements with students on a daily basis.

“The students at Windward are very curious. I think the possibility for decoding this piece was right up their alley because it left a lot of room for interpretation, and these kids are really ready to engage in a subjective sense,” said Silver.

Silver’s work as a whole points towards ways of thinking that strategically emphasize the importance of an increasing sense of what’s possible, an awareness of alternative.

The students at Windward are very curious. I think the possibility for decoding this piece was right up their alley because it left a lot of room for interpretation, and these kids are really ready to engage in a subjective sense.”

- Micah silver “What was attractive about Micah’s work was its sophistication -- conceptually and technically, he is working at a very high level in regards to the ideas that the work is about but also the materials -- he works with air, sound, odor, and space in ways that are pretty unusual,” said Jeff.

“We want to find artists that are really relevant and contemporary.

Our goal for the Installation Project is to find an artist that can work with the space and create something on campus for that space. We also want to be a part of its creation, and that is how Micah works.”

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The 2015 Scholastic Art Awards (SAA) competition, a prestigious nationwide contest championed by the Alliance of Young Artists and Writers, shines a spotlight on burgeoning artists in grades 7-12 with an emphasis on graduating seniors. The Scholastic Art Awards are the longest running, most prestigious competition and largest source of scholarships for creative teenagers in the United States. This year, Windward students took home 9 Gold Key Awards.

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Sop h ie Steinbe r g ’ 1 6 , “self portrait” A le x i s Sh e r man ’ 1 9 , “Childhood Fun” G emma G e r s t ’ 1 7 , “Waiting” M egan G la ss ne r ’ 1 9 , “Emotionless” J enn y Weine r ’ 1 6 , “New York” A iden C u llen ’ 1 7 , “SIDEWAYS” L iana Smale ’ 1 6 , “Book Cover” A lon zo M eallet ’ 2 0 , “Light Through a Window” Sa sh a Ko r om z ay-L ipman ’ 1 9, “Binoculars”

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SPRING/SUMMER 2015

Fitness

Healthy Mindset, Healthy Campus, Healthy Students: Challenge Success & Student Peak Performance Beginning in 2012, Windward initiated a self-reflective process through the Challenge Success Program, a project of Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education.

Using data points from a campus survey, Windward’s own Challenge Success team – comprised of faculty, students, and administrators - has since led ongoing work in an attempt to increase engagement at all grade levels without also increasing the pressures that students already perceive in their lives.

Our Challenge Success vision is to support Windward Students in ways that will ultimately prepare them to lead happy, healthy, and meaningful lives.”

A number of recent efforts have been geared towards fostering a greater dialogue on these subjects at school and home, and using the outcome of those conversations to inform forward-looking decisions. Visits this year from speakers such as educational specialist Professor Yong Zhao and clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Thompson, author of The Pressured Child, have helped to bring key questions about the very notions of success and the of dangers of unnecessary stress to the fore of conversation across the entire community.

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nutrition engagement

mindfulness STUDENT PEAK PERFORMANCE

training

sleep stress management

One finding of the Challenge Success data has been indisputable: students thrive in environments where they feel known and supported, and when they have relationships with adults that are characterized by trust and openness. Nothing is more central to the Windward experience than the individual student, and Challenge Success has resulted in efforts that illustrate the importance of support and understanding. As example, the past year’s introduction of the Faculty Lead Advisor positions in the Upper School was designed to help deepen the relationship each student has with his/her advisor and their advisory group.

How better for educators to demonstrate and improve their sense of mutual understanding than to actually walk in the footsteps of their students? This was the premise behind this year’s “Shadow Day” exercise, in which educators from across the school followed the daily routine of a specific student. Shadow Day yielded firsthand observations from faculty about numerous facets of the student experience at Windward: new perspectives on the volume and pace of learning encountered during a series of several classes; a deeper understanding about attitudes towards traditional assessments like quizzes and tests; and broader views on how energy can ebb and flow throughout the progression of the school day.

This exercise had an impact on faculty and students alike, and not only because of the realizations gained from a new vantage point. Stella Beale, Associate Director of Upper School and member of the Challenge Success team, notes that, “When we simply talk to students about these issues, that is itself a way to build a stronger connection and dialogue. If students think that teachers are concerned whether they are engaged, they are more likely to care about that engagement.” “When someone thinks that you are trying to help them, that is

tremendously empowering,” adds Emily Dawe, Associate Director of Middle School.

Windward’s dynamic programs seek to maximize student engagement while providing a nurturing environment to support growth. Building on the importance of overall balance suggested by this work in Challenge Success, Windward has also identified opportunities to help students understand the link between nutrition, health, mindset, and their ultimate ability to realize personal goals. The correlation is clear: healthy students need both a healthy mindset and a healthy campus.

Windward looks to be at the forefront of the most innovative ways to help our students prepare for all of the moments when they must perform at a peak level.”

worth noting that beginning in Fall 2015, Windward will implement one “late start” day per week. With data showing doctors and brain researchers recommending more than nine hours of sleep per evening, Wednesday classes will now begin at 8:45 am, allowing students with a bit of breathing room to catch up on sleep and study mid-week.

As Dr. Denise Pope, founder of Stanford’s Challenge Success Program has commented, “Success…is measured not at the end of a semester, but over the course of a lifetime.” Distinct yet complementary efforts, the ultimate aims of Challenge Success and Student Peak Performance are clearly interrelated in their shared goal of helping teens grow and learn in the best ways possible, equipped with mental and physical tools for a lifetime of success.

The notion of Student Peak Performance, then, is the idea that there are times – whether as an athlete taking a shot on the court, an actress readying to take the stage, or a scholar preparing to take an exam – where it is necessary for students to be able to perform at the very best of their abilities. The way in which that student prepares and is supported in his or her preparation is critical. Part of this readiness is mental, helped by coaching and education, and reinforced by programming that addresses personal development.

Another part of that readiness is physical, achieved through nutritious meals and the use of facilities customdesigned to encourage pursuit of fitness. With the past fall’s opening of a revamped Pavilion dining facility offering fresh foods and nutritious choices, Windward took another large step toward encouraging a lifestyle that is conducive for both learning and training of any kind. Further, the recent completion of the first phase of the Student Peak Performance Center (page 32) does not only benefit athletes who play competitive sports; it is yet another stride towards offering all students effective ways to train the body and mind together, providing new means to mitigate stress, maintain critical life balance, and strengthen muscles of the body and the mind. Additional programming in development will further complement what these facilities offer.

Finally, because rest can play just as critical a role to peak performance – particularly for adolescents – it is

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new on campus: facilities for Peak Performance

To help our students realize their personal fitness goals – a key aspect of student peak performance – Windward’s existing indoor athletic complex is in the midst of an extensive yearlong renovation that will be completed in Summer 2015.

T he fir s t pa rt o f t h e p r o j e c t, completed earlier this spring, introduced numerous improvements, including a new Strength and Conditioning Center, a new Cardio Workout Facility, expanded Sports Medicine facilities, and remodeled offices for Training Staff.

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1. Remodeled and Expanded s por t s medicine , t r aining, and inj u r y prevention facilitie s , p roviding fou r time s t he p r evio u s space 2. T he cardio room addition , w it h state - of-t h e - a rt equ ipment 3. T he weig h t training r oom, w it h individ ual fitnes s s tation s

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T he s e co n d ph a s e o f c o ns t r uc ti o n will bring a more comfortable player and spectator experience to Windward’s gym/auditorium. Improvements include central heating and air, improved air quality, new acoustic upgrades and a high-tech sound/projection system, LED lighting, and a refurbished court. Upon completion, the facility will be better suited to a wider range of events and will save cost over the long-term from the use of efficient, environmentally-friendly systems. These are benefits that our entire community can look forward to enjoying for many years to come!

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windward athletics hoops in the news E mily S u rloff ’1 5

Senior Emily Surloff made headlines this season for both her spectacular play and leadership on the basketball court. Emily was named CIF-SS Division 1AA Player of the Year, was selected to the Los Angeles Times All-Star Girls Basketball Team and was also the recipient of Windward’s Female Athlete of the Year Award. Emily led the Wildcats to the school’s first-ever CIF-SS Division 1AA Championship after scoring a game-high 16 points against Etiwanda on March 7. We wish Emily luck as she competes at the collegiate level next year for Columbia.

J alen Ha rr i s ’ 1 7

Sophomore guard Jalen Harris scored 30 points in the Boys Basketball season opener and never looked back. Jalen led the Wildcats to a CIF-SS Division 5AA Championship in overtime against Viewpoint on March 7 and was selected as the CIF-SS Division 5AA Player of the Year.

J or din C anada ’1 4

UCLA Freshman guard Jordin Canada ’14 lit up the court this season with many amazing performances, including a double-double of 15 points and a team-high 10 rebounds in UCLA’s season opener and a season-high 31 points in the WNIT Basketball Championship win against West Virginia. Throughout her rookie season, Jordin earned multiple Freshman Pac-12 Player of the Week honors and was ultimately selected as Pac-12 Freshman Player of the Year and named MVP of the Women’s NIT.

I mani M c G ee -Staffo r d ’1 2

Longhorns’ Center Imani McGee-Stafford led Texas to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2004 after a show-stopping performance of 20 points and 11 rebounds against Cal on March 22. Imani scored 24 points and racked up 15 rebounds in Texas’ first round win against Western Kentucky.

We s le y Sa u nde r s ’1 1

Harvard Senior Wesley Saunders once again made headlines for his stellar performance on the basketball court after leading Harvard past Yale 53-51 in the Ivy League’s one-game playoff, which sent the Crimson to the NCAA Tournament. Saunders delivered one of the best performances of his career with 26 points in the first round of the tournament against North Carolina, but it wasn’t enough to propel Harvard past the fourth-seeded Tarheels, who defeated the Crimson 67-65.

class of

2015

C o l l e gi a t e Ath l e t e s

F ootball Roy Hemsley University of Southern California

V olle y ball Christina Cornelius Harvard University

B a s ketball Emily Surloff Columbia University

Socce r Brooke Edwards Emory University

B as eball Luke Martin-Resnick Santa Clara University

B as eball Tommy Turner Chapman University

B a s eball Tyler McMorrow University of Southern California

G olf Nick Moreno Carnegie Mellon University

T enni s Jackson Kogan Brandeis University

T r ack Maddox Kay Brandeis University

Sailing Marie Line George Washington University

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1. C hri s tina Co r neli us ’ 1 5 soars high during a home game against Marlborough.

Fitness

2. Boys V ar sity Ba s ketball takes home the CIF-SS Div. 5AA Championship after defeating Viewpoint 83-75 in Overtime.

3. Middle Sc hool Gi r ls B a sketball beats Marlborough 45-25 to win the Delphic League Championship.

4. Collin Mackey ’ 2 0 catches a strike for the Middle School Boys Baseball Royal team.

5. Brooke Ed wa rd s ’ 1 5 heads the ball during Girls Varsity Soccer Senior Night against Crossroads.

6. Jo sh C hambe r s ’ 1 6 runs into the end zone for a game-winning touchdown against Excelsior.

1

7. Nick Mo r eno ’ 1 5 tees off for Windward Golf.

8. The Sevent h Gr ade F lag F ootball Royal team defeats Willows 26-12 to finish the season undefeated as Pacific Basin League champions.

9. Soph ie A ltman ’ 1 7 clears the high jump at Gold Coast League Meet #1.

10. Gi rl s Va r sity Ba sketball wins the CIFSS Div. 1AA Championship in a 51-37 victory against Etiwanda.

11. L uke Ma r tin-Re snick ’ 1 5 winds up for Windward Baseball.

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athletics 2014-15

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SPRING/SUMMER 2015

Skills for Success

Entrepreneurial Education: From A to $ S tu de nts at Win dward embody the innovative mission of the school in many arenas and recently have been given the opportunity to really stretch their legs as entrepreneurs. With the start of the 2014-2015 school year, students had the opportunity to be part of a trendsetting entrepreneurship program under the direction of Upper School Dean of Students and Dean of Experiential Education, Dr. Ernie Levroney. In preparing students for life beyond their secondary education where the job market is as much a moving target as the economy, Ernie argues that it is the tools given to students that will set them apart.

These tools are the foundation for an entrepreneurial mindset that the program aims to foster in Windward students. Current courses engage students in experiential learning and provide opportunities to hear the successes of a diverse pool of entrepreneurs who volunteered to share their experiences on campus. An extension of the Windward Network through a partnership with Cuyler Tremayne (parent of Brycen Tremayne ’18), many of these speakers were able to share expert knowledge and wisdom with Upper School entrepreneurship students. Equipped with practical advice, students are encouraged to push the boundaries of ordinary thought to take informed risks with the goal of developing and pursuing new ideas.

If you don’t put it out there, if you don’t risk the ‘failure’ then we never press on, we never grow the idea.”

“If you don’t put it out there, if you don’t risk the ‘failure’ then we never press on, we never grow the idea. Getting students used to the idea that ‘failure’ is ok takes a LOT of training,” said Ernie.

- Dr. Ernie Levroney

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In the current curriculum of Ernie’s “Think Differently” Upper School elective, students learn the business canvas model that emerged from top university programs. The model is one that made sense for Ernie because it dovetails nicely with the ideas behind the scientific method, where his career as an educator began.

Business profile:

with Alexandra Saghian ’15 Skratch Designs

was born in the middle of Alexandra Saghian’s sophomore year at around 30,000 feet. Following a successful trip to a University of Southern California conference on entrepreneurship, Alex was motivated to make something of her own. During the conference, a small business model was presented by a pair of freshmen boys studying at USC and Alex felt her competitive drive kick in.

“I saw that they were getting so much praise for this simple idea and I thought, I can totally do something like that.

On the way back from the conference I created a business card.”

Jewelry was a natural choice for Alex, a member of Windward’s Class of 2015. She grew up being inspired by fashion. Alex felt jewelry was the most attainable business she could be passionate about and physically create on her own. By the time she reached Windward’s eighth period elective on entrepreneurship during her senior year, Alex had a logo and a product, but lacked the time

As the program grows, students will be exposed to an additional method currently being taught at Berkeley’s Haas Business program in a class titled: Problem Finding, Problem Solving. With the addition of the model of design thinking, students will end up with a variety of methods to choose from in order to assess growing complex problems. “[Students will] find a problem in the world, develop some solutions to that problem using any one of the methods in a group, and present that information. For me, it’s important that that information not just be presented to the class, but to the larger community,” said Ernie of the direction the program is moving.

The future is bright for entrepreneurship at Windward. Student involvement in the “Buy it on the Bridge” program has grown tremendously over the past year, and it seems that students are getting involved at a younger

to really commit to the next level. It was in the classroom that she discovered resources to help her expand earlier ideas for growth.

“We are opening a door for students that’s allowing them to grow their companies...that’s what we hope for,” said Dr. Ernie Levroney, Alex’s teacher.

Alex hopes that with the flexibility of the entrepreneurship program and her senior initiative, she can put new plans into action. The biggest hurdle ahead for Skratch Designs is brand recognition, but Alex is prepared and certainly not backing down anytime soon.

“My head is in the game, I will do this and perfect it. It’s resilience that being an athlete has instilled in me. That ‘never giving up’ mentality is in my mind,” she said.

They’re really getting to see how it is they can take the thing that they love to do at home that no one knows about and bring it into a business and capitalize on that thing that they love.”

continued on page 38

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SPRING/SUMMER 2015

Skills for Success continued from page 37

age each year. Ernie believes that this excitement and growth comes out of the impactful presence of the new elective and students opening their eyes to possibility.

“They’re really getting to see how it is they can take the thing that they love to do at home that no one knows about and bring it into a business and capitalize on that thing that they love.”

With the exponential increase of younger students’ involvement in the Buy it on the Bridge program, Ernie has partnered with Associate Director of Middle School and Math Teacher Emily Dawe to begin brainstorming a Middle School 8th period class to fuel excitement further. The pair hope to bring ideas from Babson College and the national movement Lemonade Stand to the classroom and pioneer as the first school in Southern California to offer the program.

Despite many ideas being in the early stages of development, Ernie has received positive feedback from the community on progress with the entrepreneurship program already. He is regularly approached for advice from other schools about how to get their programs off the ground.

“We are becoming ‘that school’ on the West Coast that people can come to and look to and ask questions of and that tells us a lot about where we are. It’s a good feeling.”

Ernie also receives growing interest from the student body. Armed with the right problem solving skills and the willingness to seek out resources, students are hungry for professional guidance. One support system offered to these students is the Windward Network where they can reach out to network advisors for answers.

As Ernie notes, “The network is really about building a list of people who are contacts and are willing to lend a hand or an email or a voice to students who have questions. You don’t have to be here in California, you can be anywhere as long as you’re willing to answer an email. I think that’s the power of a network.”

Learn more about how the Windward Network is supporting students and alumni in their transition into the professional world on page 42.

38 38

Skillify: a launchpad for success

O

ne of the goals of the Windward Network Initiative is to prepare students with the professional skills needed for future growth and success. The Windward Network forged a new partnership with the organization Skillify, spawned from the USC Marshall Entrepreneurship Program, to create a series of one day workshops for tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders interested in developing, practicing, and refining their professional skills. This experience covered goal setting, professional networking best practices, resume and cover letter tips, strategies for utilizing LinkedIn and social media, and interviewing skills. During the event, students heard from and engaged in a Q&A with a panel of alumni from a diverse range of industries. Following the panel, professional networking best practices were put to the test as students had the opportunity to meet, connect, and network with alumni panelists they felt an affinity towards.

After the workshop, Skillify provides 6 months of virtual support services to students who participated, which includes professional reviews of resumes and cover letters, a one-on-one Skype session with a career coach, mentor match-ups to find contacts in their field of interest, and an internship database for professional opportunities during the summer.

Students who are able to acquire these skills, master networking best practices, and feel confident in a professional setting are better positioned to tap into and utilize the wealth of knowledge and connections in the Windward Community. Although many high school students are unsure of their future career path, workshops like these both allow students to explore their passions and begin to discover the careers that best fit their personality, while also ensuring they have the fundamental skills needed to pursue opportunities in any field. This partnership with Skillify is just one of the many ways that the Windward Network provides support aimed to benefit Windwardians long after they have left campus.

39

American University (1)

SPRING/SUMMER 2015

Network / Alumni

Amherst College (3) Arizona State University (2) Babson College (1) Bard College (2)

Following Their Path:

Barnard College (5)

The Windward Classes of 2011-2014

Boston University (4)

Bennington College (1) Bentley University (1) Bowdoin College (1) Brandeis University (2) California State University, Northridge (2) Carnegie Mellon University (2)

In keeping with Windward’s nurturing community, our

Case Western Reserve University (1)

College Counseling program helps students discover

Chapman University (2)

which college environments and learning communities are best suited for their individual talents and goals.

Claremont McKenna College (1) Colgate University (1) Colorado College (1)

When graduates leave Windward, they then seek

Columbia University (4)

to begin the new chapter of their education at a

Cornell University (5)

university or college that is their best personal fit.

Dartmouth College (2)

Where do Windward students choose to continue

Davidson College (1) Drexel University (2) Duke University (4)

their studies? Look at where our alumni who are

Elon University (1)

current collegiate undergraduates – students from

Emerson College (4)

the Windward classes of 2011, 2012, 2013, and

Emory University (1)

2014 – are earning their degrees. With a network of nearly 350 young alumni spread out over 34 states,

Georgetown University (2) Georgia Institute of Technology (1) Harvard University (2)

four countries, and 113 colleges and universities, it’s

Harvey Mudd College (1)

safe to say every graduate has one thing in common.

Hofstra University (1)

they’ve chosen their own path.

Howard University (3) Humbolt State University (2) Indiana University at Bloomington (1) Johns Hopkins University (4)

346 students

113 colleges and universities

Kenyon College (5) Lehigh University (4) Loyola Marymount University (2) Loyola University New Orleans (1) Marquette University (1) McGill University (1) New England Conservatory of Music (1)

34 states

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4

countries

New York University (19) Northeastern University (4) Northwestern University (8) Oberlin College (2)

Occidental College (1)

The Ohio State University (1)

University of Northern Colorado (1)

Pepperdine University (2)

The University of Alabama (2)

University of Notre Dame (1)

Pitzer College (4)

The University of Georgia (1)

University of Oregon (3)

Princeton University (1)

The University of Texas, Austin (2)

University of Pennsylvania (10)

Reed College (2)

Trinity College (1)

University of Puget Sound (1)

Rice University (1)

Tufts University (9)

University of Rhode Island (1)

San Diego State University (1)

Tulane University (9)

University of San Diego (1)

San Jose State University (1)

University of California, Berkeley (13)

University of San Francisco (1)

Santa Clara University (4)

University of California, Davis (2)

University of South Alabama (1)

Santa Monica College (2)

University of California, Irvine (1)

University of Southern California (28)

School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1)

University of California, Los Angeles (7)

University of St. Andrews (4)

Scripps College (2)

University of California, San Diego (1)

University of Utah (1)

Skidmore College (4)

University of California, Santa Barbara (3)

University of Virginia (1)

Southern Methodist University (5)

University of California, Santa Cruz (3)

University of Washington (1)

St. John’s College (1)

University of Chicago (6)

University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (1)

Stanford University (4)

University of Colorado at Boulder (3)

Vassar College (3)

Swarthmore College (1)

University of Delaware (1)

Washington University in St. Louis (13)

Syracuse University (2)

University of Kansas (1)

Wesleyan University (6)

The American University of Paris (1)

University of Madison, Wisconsin (2)

Whitman College (1)

The Culinary Institute of America (1)

University of Miami (2)

Williamette University (1)

The George Washington University (6)

University of Michigan (19)

Williams College (2)

The New School (2)

University of Missouri, Columbia (1)

Yale University (3)

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SPRING/SUMMER 2015

Network / Alumni

Connecting with the Windward Network

of job opportunities come from your network connections

of hires come from employee referrals

We have always enjoyed a close and intimate Windward community, where organic networking continually takes place around us. Our goal is to facilitate this process.”

-Jeffrey Gilder ’08, Alumni Coordinator

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The Windward Network Initiative, created during the 2013- 2014 school year, supports students and alumni to develop the skills, acquire the tools, and cultivate a mindset that prepares them for success in the professional world. At the core of the initiative is strengthening the bonds among all members of our Windward community, with the goal of supporting the lifelong career ambitions of Windwardians.

There is an old adage that “it is not what you know, but who you know that matters.” To further support this statement, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently found that 70% of job opportunities are secured through your network connections, and 81% of hires originate from employee referrals. Alumni Coordinator Jeffrey Gilder ‘08 notes that “At Windward, we believe what you know, who you know, and who knows you are all important to your growth and success. We have always enjoyed a close and intimate Windward community, where organic networking continually takes place around us. Our goal is to facilitate this process, and better connect Windwardians with likeminded individuals to create lasting and mutually beneficial relationships.”

One of the soon-to-be-launched new services is the Network Advisor program, which will further open doors for students and alumni seeking guidance through professional contacts. The vision of the program is to identify “Advisors,” alumni and parents from a variety of industries and professions, willing to have a phone call, meeting, or informational interview with an “Advisee,” a student or alum interested in a particular professional field.

As Advisors meet and connect with Advisees, invaluable advice will be shared, mentorships can be forged, and new opportunities have the potential to emerge.

In addition to being able to connect with professional contacts in the Windward community, Windwardians will soon have access to a Career Video Series. The series features 10 accomplished parents and alumni sharing their career stories, wisdom, professional best practices, and general advice for those interested in pursuing a career in their field of expertise. Windwardians exploring their career path will benefit from first-hand accounts giving insight into the true nature of a particular industry, and will subsequently have the ability to connect with an Advisor to continue their educational journey and pursuit of knowledge into that profession.

Would you like to be a professional contact for alumni and students seeking to grow their network or better understand a particular career or industry? Join our Network Advisor Program today and share your experiences with talented Windwardians!

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/NetworkAdvisors.

There is an old adage that “it is not what you know, but who you know that matters.”

Students, alumni, parents, parents of alumni, faculty, and friends of the school had access to presentations from a variety of speakers this school year, including Shaquille O’Neal, Dr. Yong Zhao, and Dr. Michael Thompson.

These events not only brought the community together for insightful and educational conversations, but also for opportunities to connect and network. Future speaker events will continue to include adjunct sessions for Windwardians to connect and learn from others in the community who are interested or involved in the guest speaker’s professional field.

Finally, the Windward Network Initiative has piloted a partnership with the organization Skillify, born from the USC Marshall Entrepreneurship Program, to host professional development workshops for Windward students. This partnership aims to help students explore possible careers and professional fields of interest, while also working to equip them with the tools, best practices, and contacts needed to thrive in any field they wish to pursue.

By formalizing a process where members of the community can share their expertise and open doors for each other, the Windward Network promises to provide a powerful lifelong resource. Jeffrey notes that, “as we continue to bring our community closer, and share the wealth of knowledge, experience, and connections with students and alumni, we are better positioning our Windwardians for both personal and professional growth for years to come.”

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SPRING/SUMMER 2015

Network / Alumni

1. You ng A l u mni L u nc h eon - Brice Green ’11, Michelle Nagler ’11, and faculty member Kevin Newman.

2. A l u mni Wine Tas ting - Diana Wright ’03, Ashley Rose ’03, and Stephanie Mirkin McDevitt ’03.

3. Al u mni Wine Tas ting 4. Mar c h M ix e r - Hudson Lofchie ’08 and Brandon Hakim ’08.

5. A l u mni D odger G ame - Alexa Gray ’08 and Jonathan Hausman ’85.

6. M ar c h M ix e r - Alexa Gray ’08, Reena Ramanuj ’06, and Sarah Perkins ’06.

7. M ar c h M ix e r - Nicky DePaul ’09, Jeremy Billauer ’07, and Brian Bernstein ’06.

1

8. M ar c h M ix e r - Bryce Napier ’10, Samantha Sischo ’10, and Felix Morritt ’10.

9. Yo ung Al u mni L u nc heon - Kelsey Reynolds ’13, Jamie Hobson ’13, Rachel Silton ’13, and faculty member Rob Latimer.

10. Yo ung Al u mni L u nc heon - Jackson Theuer ’14 and Lizzy Isgar ’14, with faculty member Jill Velazquez.

11. Yo ung Al u mni L u nc heon - Reed Newman ’12 and Jenna Keehn ’12.

12. A l u mni D odger G ame- Jonathan Hausman ’85, Jeff Gilder ’08, Corey Lebowitz ’08, Lauren Hoffman ’05, Jamie Melas ’05, and Elliot Gordon ’74.

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13 A l u mni Wine Tas ting - Ashley Rose ’03 and Diana Wright ’03, with faculty member Kiloh Fairchild.

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SPRING/SUMMER 2015

Giving Back

Over the years, Windward has established a positive relationship with the surrounding community through a commitment to a long-standing tradition of service.

Since 2012, one of Windward’s most successful community partnerships has been with Grand View Boulevard Elementary, a K-5 school located in Mar Vista, which offers the only 90:10 Spanish immersion model in the LAUSD system.

Service profile Grand View Boulevard Elementary 46

Windward’s partnership with Grand View began three years ago when a parent sought extra conversational and literacy support for her daughter, who was enrolled in the Spanish Immersion program but did not speak Spanish at home.

Windward responded to her wish by starting the Spanish Language Book Club, which paired advanced Spanish students with 3rd and 4th graders from Grand View.

During the 45-minute, weekly class, Windward Spanish students helped Grand View students develop more fluency with their conversational Spanish by assisting them with numerous literacy projects. Faculty members from the World Language department also had a hand in the classes as they joined the program in weekly rotations.

What started as a way to help students transition into the Spanish Immersion program in the fall of 2012 has grown into a fruitful partnership between the two schools.

Jennie Willens, Upper School Dean of Student Life & Experiential Learning, began to meet with principal Alfredo Ortiz to talk about the specific needs at Grand View that the Windward community could help meet. The two quickly formed a strong relationship as they saw the great potential for more enrichment offerings between the schools. As waitlists for the programs continued to grow, the parent association looked to Jennie in hopes of creating additional opportunities for the Grand View students.

Fast forward to spring 2015, and Windward currently offers three classes at Grand View per week: Bilingual Books and Games, which is a mixture of Brain Games and Spanish Language Book Club; Science Club, which offers hand-on science experiments; and Story Time, an Upper School elective that focuses on student creative writing.

“The real key to this is location. We’re neighbors, and in that we should be supporting each other’s communities,” said Jennie. “The hands-on science labs, the creative writing work and the exposure to the arts and STEAM is all done by design and in reaction to the requests by the teachers, parents, and Principal Ortiz.”

By participating in these types of service opportunities, Windward students can develop many meaningful leadership skills such as compassion, collaboration, independence, and personal responsibility. continued on page 48

What started as a way to help students transition into the Spanish Immersion program in the fall of 2012 has grown into a fruitful partnership between the two schools.

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SPRING/SUMMER 2015

continued from page 47

Giving Back

“What is so great about this program is that we are given so much freedom to craft the lesson plans. We get to shape the classes, and we are able to develop our leadership skills in the process by leading those sessions,” said ninth grader Rachael Griswold.

Most recently, Windward piloted Discovery Academy, a weekly program which offers 35 Grand View K-5th graders the opportunity to enrich their learning while interacting with older students and utilizing the educational and technology resources on Windward’s campus. Currently Windward offers two courses through the Discovery Academy program, Media Bytes and ArtSmash.

“The partnership with Grand View Boulevard Elementary is really great because over the years a wonderful symbiotic relationship has formed between the mentors, the students, and Jennie, who is supervising the whole program. I’ve realized with Discovery Academy that you don’t have to go into something with a perfect itinerary -- it will shape into what it’s meant to be,” said tenth grader Alli Blythe.

This being the third year in action, there is now a plan to put Windward’s energy in programming to build out more layers of this community relationship. This requires Windward to think about the next level of deep learning that it can offer students who have limited resources as the school continues to support the hopes of the principal and the teachers at Grand View.

“Some Grand View students have spent several years in the programs, so we are now seeing that we are actually able to be being a part of their learning in a long-term manner,” said Jennie.

Jennie is part of a core team of Windward faculty that has been working hard this year building this partnership with Grand View.

Laurel Butler, Windward’s afterschool Service Projects Coordinator, has been accompanying and building the programs on Mondays and Wednesdays. Laurel brings a vibrant background in service work and teaching to the programs at Grand View. Dr. Ernie Levroney and Jenn Altounian have also volunteered their time and expertise to lead a group of student teachers in Science Club and in Media Bytes.

“The exciting piece of the future is being able to further develop the partnership between the administration, teachers, and parents at both schools and being able to continue to build these relationships between our students and their students,” said Jennie.

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“I’ve realized with Discovery Academy that you don’t have to go into something with a perfect itinerary -- it will shape into what it’s meant to be.”

- alli blythe 10th grade

Neighborhood Notes Service Learning Retreat 2015 This past March , Windward 9th graders took part in a retreat that was based not on getting away, but rather on getting connected – to the larger civic community, embodying one of Windward’s core principles underpinning the Service Learning program.

For the 2015 Service Learning Retreat, students broke up into several different groups, each with a faculty chaperone, to work for a full day throughout Mar Vista.

The goals of the retreat were three-fold: to instill in students respect and enthusiasm for doing service work; to give students the hands-on experience of doing work of their choice, along with an opportunity for reflection and sharing with classmates; and also, to ensure that each student came away from their day with one or more good ideas of what kind of service work they might be passionate about pursuing on an individual basis.

The day offered students a sampling from a wide range of service opportunities, including playing with preschool children, teaching creative writing and science to elementary school students, assisting students with physical and mental challenges, forging connections with

senior citizens, and participating in efforts to conserve and restore the Ballona Wetlands.

Upon returning, each student shared his or her experience during advisory. Students discussed what was most impactful about their day in small group discussions.

As part of their self-reflection, students also shared their thoughts on the day through Windward’s Service Learning Tumblr [http://windwardschoolserviceprojects. tumblr.com/], a student-run blog where students across the school reflect on their service experiences throughout the year.

“My favorite part of the day was definitely working with the 3rd graders. It was really nice seeing first hand how happy us coming made them. All of the children were super excited to see us, and very sad to see us leave.

Working with them was awesome because our visit really made them happy. It was amazing to visit the broader community because even the small amount of time we spent with the kids had a huge impact,” said freshman Sophie Rahbar.

Mayor’s youth policy council T he r ec ent fo rm atio n of the Mayor’s Youth Policy Council was created for students motivated to learn more about civic engagement and looking to combine their passion for youth issues and municipal government. The applicant-based Council, comprised of local students who are committed to raise awareness on policies affecting young people in Los Angeles, now has seven Windward representatives on board. The opportunity, which was open to students across Los Angeles, was introduced locally to Windward by Mayor Garcetti’s Westside Area Representative Daniel Tamm, a frequent school partner on local issues and events.

As the Youth Policy Council’s program evolves, the delegation of students will participate in community service projects in their local area and will have unique opportunities to work side-by-side with local government officials.

Congratulations to Windward’s delegates to the Mayor’s Youth Policy Council: Dilan Bhalla ’17, Brett Blauner ’17, Allison Blythe ’17, Matthew Chill ’17, Aaron Forman ’17, & Sam Wimmer ’18.

Inset: Members of Windward’s delegation join Eric Garcetti at a meeting of the Mayor’s Youth Policy Council.

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SPRING/SUMMER 2015

Giving Back

Our Partnerships at Work

F

rom Performing Arts to Peak Performance, Design Thinking to Dynamic Learning, the relentless pursuit of Innovation at Windward School – past, present, and future – simply couldn’t be possible without the continued partnership and generosity of every segment of our community. To all those who give of their time, their expertise, and their financial support, THANK YOU! Our work together ensures that Windward can continue to reach for its ambitious goals.

In the Report on Philanthropy 2014-2015, to be published in Fall 2015, we will have an opportunity to thank the individuals who have been so dedicated in their support of Windward’s programs, people, and facilities. Until then, we would like to share our utmost appreciation for everyone who has made a contribution of any sort towards this continuing effort that is truly representative of our nurturing community!

A nn ual F und – Facu lty and Staff Reach 100% Giving We are pleased to report that 100% of Windward’s Faculty and Staff have demonstrated their support to the school by making a financial gift to the Annual Fund this year. Apart from the difference their contributions make towards Financial Aid, Research & Development, and Program Enhancements, this full participation rate is a significant benchmark for philanthropic organizations and foundations looking to potentially make a gift of support to Windward. Thank you, Faculty and Staff, for your generous contribution towards something you truly believe in!

A nn ual Fund Update – May 2015 As this issue of Windward Magazine went to press, there was still more than a month remaining in the 2014-2015 Annual Fund campaign. You can help us surpass our financial goals and reach 100% participation by adding your name to the list! You can give online at www. windwardschool.org/give. All donations received by June 30, 2015 will be recognized in this year’s upcoming Report on Philanthropy.

V ol u ntee r s There are lots of ways to give back to Windward School, and through the amazing work done by groups like the Parent Guild and the many sub-committees that are part of this all-inclusive organization, every part of the school life has been touched and significantly bettered by the generosity of volunteers who contribute their time and experience towards making Windward a better place for teaching and learning.

M ajo r G ift s Major Gifts donors provide transformational support that helps ensure Windward continues to thrive. It is the crucial partnership of these generous families, who have committed to the school at the highest level above and beyond their gifts to the Annual Fund, that provides Windward with the funding necessary to take significant steps forward in realizing our strategic vision.

T H ANK YOU FOR YOUR BE LIE F IN IN N O V ATIO N AT WIN DW A RD !

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Connect with Windward by sharing photos and videos and following feeds of the latest content from across the school community. www.facebook.com/WindwardSchool www.facebook.com/WindwardAlumni

Coming Soon!

T h e N e w Wind w a r d Web s ite w w w . w ind w a r d s c h ool . o r g

This fall, you’re invited to experience all of Windward’s cuttingedge educational programs and unforgettable community moments through a brand-new website and communications platform. Created expressly for use either at the computer or on the go, our new online home for the Windward community will soon have a streamlined look and a simple, intuitive user experience.

Using leading web-design techniques, the new Windward website has been created with “responsive design” technology, quickly delivering the information you need when you need it, whether on a desktop, smartphone, or tablet. Soon, you’ll be streaming video, scanning athletic scores, or sharing on social media with all of your most important resources just a mouse-click or finger tap away.

Tw itte r

Follow Windward School in real time with streaming updates of events, student achievements, athletic news and more. @WindwardSchool @WWAthletics @WWArtsDept

I ns tag r am

Browse Windward’s Instagram to catch snippets of campus life. @WindwardSchool

Yo uTu be

Subscribe to Windward’s YouTube channel to view and share studentproduced pieces with families, friends, and classmates. www.youtube.com/WindwardSchoolLA

L inked I n

Interact with members of the Windward community through this network of experienced professionals and alumni from across the country.

Get ready to experience the dynamic education and nurturing community at Windward School in a whole new way.

Launching this fall!

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Windward School 11350 Palms Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90066

I s t h i s your prefe rred add ress?

If you did not receive this publication at your current address – or parents of alumni, if your child no longer maintains a permanent residence at your home address – please contact Advancement Database Manager Susan Marx (smarx@windwardschool.org) so that we may update our records.

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