Loomis Chaffee Summer 2013 Alumni Magazine

MAGAZINE SUMMER 2013

Six SeniorsChoosing CoursesLeaving a Legacy

Summer 2013/ Volume LXXV, No. 3

ON THE COVER Senior Lauren Horn, one of six members of the Class of 2013 profiled in this issue. See the profiles beginning on page 19. Photo: John Groo

ON THIS PAGE Concert Band under the direction of Kris Allen Photo: Patricia Cousins

DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING | Lynn A. Petrillo 86

MANAGING EDITOR | Becky Purdy

CLASS NEWS | James S. Rugen 70

OBITUARIES | Katherine A.B. Langmaid

CONTRIBUTORS | Rachel Allen, Lisa Salinetti Ross, Mary Coleman Forrester, Timothy Struthers 85, Alexandra Muchura, Katherine A.B. Langmaid, and Karen Parsons DESIGNER | Patricia J. Cousins

PRINTING | Lane Press

SUBMISSIONS/STORIES AND NEWS

Alumni may contribute items of interest to:Loomis Chaffee EditorsThe Loomis Chaffee School4 Batchelder RoadWindsor CT 06095860 687 [email protected]

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LoomisChaffeeINSIDE

Junior Christina Wang and senior Claire Hard put on an electrifying performance in the Spring Dance Revue.Photo: John Groo

DEPARTMENTS 2 | HEADLINES | Preparation for a Complicated World

3 | AROUND THE QUADS

10 | THE BIG PICTURE

15 | ISLAND ARRAY

16 | OF NOTE | FACULTY & STAFF

17 | ATHLETICS

46 | OBJECT LESSONS | Enchanted Views of Distant Lands

47 | ALUMNI NEWS

61 | IN MEMORIAM

68 | THE LAST WORD | Building the Founders Vision

19 | Six SeniorsMeet six members of the Class of 2013 whose talents and interests range from Chekov to Multivariable Calculus, from Shakespeare to dance, from student government to sustainability, and from football to jazz piano.

32 | Senior PathsYou are invited to navigate the many paths available to Loomis Chaffee students selecting their courses for the upcoming year.

38 | Q&A: Leaving a LegacyFaculty members Ronald Marchetti, Alice Baxter, David Newell, and Maria Schumann retired this year, and we asked them to share a few more gems of their wisdom.

Go to Loomis Chaffee online @loomischaffee.org for the latest school news, sports scores, and galleries of recent photos. You also will find direct links to all of our social networking communities. To link directly to the magazine web page, go to loomischaffee.org/magazine.

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HEADLINES | BY SHEILA CULBERT

I am writing this column at the end of a momentous week. The Supreme Court decided a series of significant cases on affirmative action, the Voting Rights Act, and gay mar-riage, while the U.S. Senate ap-proved an immigration reform bill (although what the House will do remains uncertain). As I reflect on these measures, my thoughts naturally turn to our students and what all this means for them.

In its three decisions, the Su-preme Court cautiously upheld the principle that universi-ties and colleges may consider race in admissions as part of a holistic review of candidates (although it does not look likely that this will hold in the long or even medium term), struck down important protections for minority voters in the Voting Rights Act, and then concluded by, thankfully, affirming the rights for gays to marry in states where it is legal. The immigra-tion bill, a carefully forged bipartisan effort, paves a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and their children and represents what The New York Times calls in an editorial the best chance in decades to improve on a disastrous status quo.

These actions reflect the com-plicated world in which we live where race, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, and socioeconomic factors continue to shape our lives in profound ways and where the questions of accessibility and equality loom large. This was also the week that Paula Deen imploded over allegations of racism in her treatment of an employee and

the George Zimmerman trial got under way in Florida.W. E. B. DuBois famously noted in 1903 that the problem of the 20th century would be the color line. One hundred and ten years later, that problem, albeit writ more broadly, remains with us.

Frank Bruni, a New York Times columnist and graduate of the Loomis Chaffee Class of 1982, delivered this years address to the graduating seniors. (You can find Mr. Brunis address as well a wonderful speech by our student speaker, Dale Reese 13, on our website.) Mr. Bruni apologized for the number of problems his generation has

Preparation for a Complicated World

Head of School Sheila Culbert and her history students engage in discussion around a Harkness table. Photo: John Groo

PREPARATION | continued page 67

We try to create on our campus a community of serious young scholars and enthusiastic Loomis citizens who are engaged and active community members.

AROUND THE QUADS

Class of 2013 speaker Dale Reese and class presi-dent Katherine Kent barely contain their Commencement Day excitement.Photo: John Groo

Reflections, Sage Advice, and CelebrationNEW YORK Times op-ed columnist Frank Bruni 82 returned to the Island in June for the first time since his own graduation and, in a Commencement address to the Class of 2013, offered a com-parison of worlds three decades apart. His assessment raised both concerns for todays world and reasons for hope, and he urged the graduating seniors to build on the good in the world and in themselves.

Franks address as well as reflections and sage advice from Class Speaker Dale Reese, Head of School Sheila Culbert, and Chairman

of the Board of Trustees Christopher Norton 76 set a thoughtful and celebratory tone for the 97th Loomis Chaffee Commencement, held under a large tent in Grubbs Quadrangle while rain pattered on the roof. The festivi-ties also included presentation of six Com-mencement prizes and the much-anticipated awarding of diplomas to the 176 members of the Class of 2013.

Frank pointed out that in the 31 years between his graduation and that of his listen-ers, the U.S. debt increased by $15 trillion, the effects of climate change emerged, and

levels of illiteracy persisted in this country. But he also drew attention to the relative open-mindedness of 21st century America, a country that welcomes gay marriage in many states, whose first African American presi-dent is serving a second term, and whose Senate includes 20 women, compared to two women senators in 1982.

Loomis Chaffee also has become more diverse, Frank noted, with students of color comprising 24 percent of the student body and student organizations like Spectrum

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AROUND THE QUADS

working to eliminate homophobia. And that, like the strides in the U.S. Senate and the advance of gay marriage, reflects an America more accommodating and open-minded in key ways than the America of the past. I urge you to cherish that, and I urge you to continue to improve on it, he said.

Drawing from his own experiences as a Morehead scholar, a reluctant-to-transformed Outward Bound participant, and a journalist whose assignments have ranged from covering a presidential election to serving as the New York Times restaurant critic, Frank advised stu-dents to say yes to new adventures before they have the opportunity to say no. Test yourself. Experi-ment. Grow, he said. Life is an adventure only as big and exciting as your willingness to broaden your parameters and stare down your fears.

Frank also gave myriad practical tips to the Class of 2013, from how to bake and season salmon and what TV shows to watch to the importance of thinking for yourself, loving your friends and family, and taking the time to have a well-earned, well-timed breather before college.

Dale, a three-sport varsity athlete and student leader, focused his remarks on the importance of com-munity, or team, at Loomis and be-yond, and the gathering of family, faculty, and friends of the class for the Commencement ceremonies underlined the community pull that Dale described.

Our time at Loomis has been marked by hard work and a com-mon goal to be our best selves. It is not just a motto, but rather, a driving force behind what makes Loomis such a special place, he said. We have seen and experi-

enced the benefits of how driven individuals working together foster a caring community, a well-round-ed community, a thriving com-munity.

As Dale and his classmates looked to their futures, he said, they should remember that teams, in their broader sense, can be found throughout life. Our time here as a team has shaped our lives, he

concluded. Continue to assemble your lifes team and set the stage for a better world.

Commencement culminated with the presentation of diplomas to the graduates. As Head of School Sheila Culbert handed the treasured documents to the 176 graduates, each individual in return handed her a spoon, a nod to the end of the decades-old Spoon

Game football rivalry with Kent this year as well as an acknowledgment that the symbolic spoon has always been ours.

In her concluding remarks, Sheila congratulated the graduates on their accomplishments and reflect-ed on the importance of a strong, encouraging, and helpful commu-nity. As I look out over all of you, I see a great diversity of talents and interests and passions, she said. I hope that as you leave here, you feel that Loomis has indeed helped you to be your best self. Sheila encouraged them to think for themselves, follow their own convictions, and stand by their ideals while continually striving to be their best selves and work for the common good. She closed by alluding to a well-known quotation from the schools first headmaster, Nathaniel Horton Batchelder: Be good and friendly and be a catalyst in creating the Loomis Chaffee culture wherever you go.

To read the full text of Franks and Dales speeches, and to see a slide show from the day, go to www.loomischaffee.org/magazine

Test yourself. Experiment. Grow, Life is an adventure only as big and exciting as your willingness to broaden your parameters and stare down your fears.

Frank Bruni 82

Commencement prize winners and dignitaries: (front) Christin Washington, Ekaterina Kryuchkova, Michael Basmajian, Rekha Kennedy, Head of School Sheila Culbert, Paul Lee, Katherine Fotos, Dale Reese, and Tatiana Hyman; (back) Trustee Reginald Paige, Trustee Kristen DeLaMater, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Christopher Norton 76, Trustee Johnny Magwood, Nathan Harris, Darius Moore, Trustee Andrew Carter 58, Trustee Peter Seigle 65, Trustee Elizabeth Richmond 80, and Commencement Speaker Frank Bruni 82. Photo: High Point

Photo: John Groo

Shovel-ready: Michael MacDonald of Downes Construction Company, Madelynne Richmond 15, Anita Richmond 16, Jeremy Richmond, Harrison Richmond 13, Trustee Elizabeth Richmond 80, Head of School Sheila Culbert, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Christopher Norton 76, Trustee Joel Alvord 56, and Craig Saunders of Tecton Architects. Photo: John Groo

Granddaughter Abigail Lavalley 13, son-in-law Jerome Lavalley, and John 58 and Sally 58 Pearse in the new Pearse Technology Classroom. Photo: John Groo

L OOMIS CHAFFEE broke ground for the schools 11th dormitory on May 25. Rich-mond Hall, named in honor of Howard S. Richmond 35, will house 50 students, four faculty apartments, and a state-of-the-art health center and will create a courtyard with two companion dormitories, Kravis Hall and the soon-to-be reno-vated Gwendolen Hall. Richmond Hall is slated for completion in the summer of 2014.

Howie Richmond enjoyed an eight-decade relationship with the school before his passing in 2012 at 94 years of age. He gave generously to his alma mater over the years, and his wise coun-sel helped guide the schools growth, Head of School Sheila Culbert said at the ground-breaking ceremony, attended by several members of the Richmond family. A three-generation Loomis family, eight Richmonds have followed Howie to

the school to pursue their educations, including three of his children and five of his grandchildren.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Howie's daugh-ter Elizabeth Richmond 80, who is a Trustee and current parent, said her father loved the school and had a never-ending dedication to support and continue the dreams of the founding family. It would give him great joy to know his family will now continue his legacy of supporting and creating opportunities for everyone who counts themselves among the Loomis family.

A $5 million gift from the Anita B. and Howard S. Richmond Foundation made by Anita and How-ies children Frank 71, Larry 72, Phill, Rob, and Elizabeth 80 completed the funding to construct the building. Several others also offered generous support to the project, including Joel Alvord 56, Duncan MacLean 90, and John Temp Keller 94.

The addition of Richmond Hall will help the school reach one of its strategic goals to grow boarding student enrollment. A Loomis educa-tion is about far more than just teaching in the classroom," Sheila explained. "It is a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week experience that includes ... invaluable informal interactions among students, their peers, and the faculty interactions that occur in the dining halls, quadrangles, hallways, and the dormitories.

Construction Begins on New Dormitory

Artist rendering of Richmond Hall perspective view of east side and north entryTecton Architects

L IKE a modern-day superheros realm, a mild-mannered classroom on the first floor of the Katharine Brush Library has trans-formed this summer into the Pearse Technology Classroom, a room equipped with cutting-edge and highly immersive technology and honed to enable global, interactive learning in real time.

The room was made possible by a generous donation from John 58 and Sally 58 Pearse. The classroom houses three LCD displays, including an 80-inch multi-touch monitor that acts as a high-resolution interactive whiteboard, projector, television, and audiovisual sharing tool. The room

also is a high-definition video conferencing center, and the integrated technology enables users to collaborate with individuals and groups around the world.

The technology classroom advances the roles of the Center for Global Studies and the Henry R. Kravis 63 Center for Excellence in Teaching, both of which also are located on Brush's first floor. We want to do everything we can to help teach-ers creatively use this space to their advantage within the classroom as well as outside of it," says Scott MacClintic 82, director of the Kravis Center.

Super-High-Tech Classroom Has Global Reach


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A lumni from classes ending in 3 and 8 returned to the Island June 1416 to celebrate class reunions and enjoy a variety of events, including an alumni service project, a co-ed soccer game, a network-ing social, a performance by a mentalist, a financial planning discussion, and a seminar on teaching the common good at Loomis Chaffee. The weather was picture-perfect for most of the weekend, allowing the 745 celebrants, including 412 alumni, to enjoy the festive Reunion Weekend atmosphere to its fullest.

Special events during the weekend offered something for everyone. Mentalist Gerard Senehi 78 made moving objects with his mind and reading others thoughts seem easy as he captivated the audience gathered in the Hubbard Music Center. His perfor-mance drew many exclamations of amaze-ment and a standing ovation.

The panel discussion on teaching the com-mon good focused on the schools new Common Good Seminar, a required freshman course. Faculty panelists Aaron Woody Hess, Patricia Sasser, and Michael Donegan shared feedback from students and their own experiences as teachers of the seminars as well as explanations of the genesis of the course and its goals.

For the financial planning discussion, Jonathan Pond 63, a personalized money management expert, author, and Emmy Award-winning television personality, gave an informative talk, Cleaning Your Financial Closet, punctuated by humorous asides that illustrated his points. Jonathan aimed his talk primarily to those in the 6090+ age brackets and focused on how to navigate the various social security options in order to maximize retirement income, investing during ones later years, efficient ways to pass wealth on to succeeding generations, and how to take the best advantage of tax-deferred financial instruments. Along the

way, he offered advice on long-term care insurance, Roth IRAs, and family issues that frequently come up in financial planning. Down on bonds and up on stocks, he remind-ed his audience that markets are motivated by greed and fear and that contrarians are often the ones who profit the most. He also stressed that the financial markets are com-pletely unpredictable, and diversification is the most prudent way to plan for the future.

In a State of the School address, Head of School Sheila Culbert spoke to an attentive crowd in Founders Chapel about the history of the school from the Class of 1933 to the Class of 2013, focusing attention on the three new centers the Henry R. Kravis 63 Center for Excellence in Teaching, the Norton Fam-ily Center for the Common Good, and the Center for Global Studies. She also fielded questions involving athletics and special-ization, the use of the Internet in teaching,

off-campus programs, and the schools upcoming Centennial celebration.

Saturday evenings Reunion Leadership Recognition Reception honored the many volunteers who worked diligently throughout the year to make the celebration a success while also thanking donors at the leader-ship level and those who are members of the John Metcalf Taylor Society because they have provided for the school in their estate plans. While announcing class awards for fundraising performance and Reunion attendance, Trustee and 20th Reunion cel-ebrant Kimberly Kravis Schulhof 93 awarded the highest honor, The Stephen R. Conland Award, to the Loomis Class of 63 volunteers for demonstration of superior commitment, energy, and enthusiasm. The committee of Tom Engel, Peter Bingenheimer, Bill Brandt, Gardy Gillespie, Gerry Katz, Henry Kravis, Pete Larson, Dan McIntosh, Steve Neu-bert, Mike OConnell, Ken Peterson, Peter Pond, and Steve Totti worked tirelessly on behalf the class, embracing the definitions of teamwork and camaraderie, the award citation declared. The group communicated creatively and effectively with the class throughout the year, planned special 50th Reunion events that ensured a memorable Reunion Weekend, and spearheaded record-setting fundraising efforts. The class raised $7 million in gifts to the school, including $193,306 in Annual Fund giving. Sheila Culbert also made special note of class agent and Reunion volunteer Larry Baldwin 33, who was on campus to celebrate his 80th Reunion. Larry, who attended the reception with his son Ted 70, was honored for his impressive tenure, long-standing dedica-tion, and 60 years of volunteer service to the Class of 1933, to the Annual Fund, and to the school.

To view photos from Reunion 2013, go to www.loomischaffee.org / magazine

A Confluence of Classmates: Reunion 2013

Larry Baldwin 33 with Peggy Hale Towson 58 Photo: Patricia Cousins


Camp Pelican for the littlest Reunion-goers

Trustee Kimberly Kravis Schulhof 93 at the Reunion Leadership Recognition Reception

Jonathan Pond 63 before his financial planning presentation

Several members of the Loomis 50th Reunion committee (all Class of 1963): Steve Neubert, Gardy Gillespie, Spencer Hays, Mike OConnell, Peter Pond, Tom Engel, and Peter Bingenheimer Photos: Patricia Cousins, John Groo, Missy Pope Wolff 04

Members of the Chaffee Class of 1953: Carolyn Weeks Barter, Gloria Barnes Harper, Francine Berth Myles, Alice Ford Ferraina, and Sheila Ward Rome

Mentalist Gerard Senehi 78 in the Hubbard Performance Hall

Gathering 100 Years of School Life and History

A S the 201415 Loomis Chaffee Centen-nial approaches, two historians are collaborating on a book tracing the his-tory, progress, and unique character of the school through its first century. Former headmaster John Ratt and school archivist and history teacher Karen Parsons are working together to capture the events of and perspectives on the school in its first 100 years.

The book will look back at the Founders, their lives, their families, and the choices they made when the school was chartered, and through the lens of the Found-ers vision, the book will examine the major deci-sions that have shaped the school through the years. The Loomis Institute opened in 1914 with the goal of fostering skilled and discerning minds in preparation for higher education and lifelong learning regardless of religious or political beliefs, national origins, or financial resources. We wanted to take a look at how each generation is reenergizing, celebrating, and honoring the vision and how, through major decisions, each time period has stayed true to what the Founders intended, Karen says.

The book also will document first-person accounts throughout the school's history, and images from the archives will illustrate the first century of Loo-mis, Chaffee, and Loomis Chaffee life. We spent days scouring the archives looking for memories of daily life and reflections from individuals who attended school here. We really wanted to be able to capture various moments of the lived school, Karen says.

Karen and John feel both the weight and the excitement of their undertaking. Its undoubtedly a big project, but we are humbled by the work that has been done before us to make the school what it is today, Karen says. The affection we have seen for Loomis is so inspiring and honest that it commits us to our task, and its been a pleasure.

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AROUND THE QUADS

Billy Collins and the Poetry of Life Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author, and activist Chris Hedges 75 visited campus in April, discussing the importance of the

common good as it relates to a call for justice in political, economic, and social spheres.

Chris worked as a foreign correspondent for near-ly 20 years in many war-ravaged countries, and his published books include Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt, a 2012 collaboration with illustrator Joe Sacco that looks at some of the most desti-tute and exploited areas of the United States. His visit to campus was part of the Hubbard Speakers Series, which this year focused on democracy in the United States and abroad.

In a convocation address and a freshman Com-mon Good Seminar, Chris explored the events that led to the economic and social landscape of America today, and he touched on his fight for global justice. An Occupy Wall Street participant, Chris asserts that corporate capitalism is hurting the poor and damaging the environment. The suf-fering he has witnessed as a journalist compelled him to activism, he said. He read a passage from Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt that explained: I placed myself at the feet of these commodity traders to call for justice because the dead, and those who are dying in slums and refugee camps across the planet, could not make this journey. I see their faces. They haunt me in the day and come to me in the dark. They force me to remem-ber. They make me choose sides.

P OET Billy Collins, a former U.S. poet laureate whose critical acclaim and broad appeal have earned him the moniker American phenomenon, spent a day on campus in April as the Loomis Chaffee English Colloquium speaker.

In front of a rapt audience of students, faculty, staff, and guests, Mr. Col-lins read several of his poems and discussed his craft in an on-stage conversation with Head of the English Department Scott Purdy.

During the interview, Scott asked Mr. Collins about his use of everyday ob-jects as starting points for many of his poems. The Lanyard, one of the po-ems Mr. Collins read for the audience, describes a braided memento that the speaker made in summer camp as a gift for his mother, in humorous juxta-position with the gifts of life, love, and wisdom that the mother has bestowed on her son.

When I write poetry, I try to approach it at an angle through a side door, where something small, like a lanyard, leads to the examination of a daunting subject, such as being indebted to your parents, Mr. Collins said. I try to use something that is a part of everyday life to make it relatable and use it as a keyhole which gives way to a larger topic, and thats the power of poetry.

Mr. Collins also discussed the influence of past writers on his work, the use of humor in his poetry, and the persona that he has created as the voice in his poems, and he offered advice to aspiring student writers in the crowd: I dont think that writing is so much of a

calling. I love John Updikes line: It was like being swallowed by a hobby. If you love language, love writing, and love looking up words in the dictionary, then the art will eventually swallow you, and you will become a writer.

U.S. poet laureate from 2001 to 2003, Mr. Collins has published eight col-lections of poetry, including his most recent collection, Horoscopes of the Dead. His visit to Loomis Chaffee was made possible by the English Collo-quium, the Hubbard Speakers Series, and the Ralph M. Shulansky 45 Lecture Fund.

I try to use something that is a part of everyday life to make it relatable and use it as a keyhole which gives way to a larger topic, and thats the power of poetry.

Billy Collins

A Call for Justice

Chris Hedges 75 speaks at a convocation. Photo: Patricia Cousins

Billy Collins talks with students after the convocation. Photo: Patricia Cousins


201314 Theme:Wind, Water, Fire & Earth

The Changing Climate

The school community will examine the topic of cli-mate change as the theme for the 201314 school year. In an-ticipation of this exploration, the all-school summer reading is Bill McKibbens book Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet.

Mr. McKibben is a professor at Middlebury College and an environmental activist. He asserts that climate change has advanced past the point of reversal and that we must find ways to adapt to a harsh new global environment.

The Climate Change theme will build on the sustainability culture already present at Loomis and will encourage discussion of the global issue of climate change and its implications. The school is finalizing plans for a series of speakers and other events sur-rounding the theme.

TWENTY-THREE students gained global experience this summer on Loomis Chaffee trips abroad. Thirteen students and three faculty members traveled and conducted service work in South Af-rica for two and a half weeks, and 10 students and two faculty members traveled to France for two weeks to study photography and immerse themselves in the French culture and language.

Both trips were offered through the schools Center for Global Studies.

Highlights of the South Africa trip included an impromptu meeting with human rights activist Desmond Tutu, a visit to the African Leader-ship Academy, a surfing excursion, a safari, explorations of the countrys history and culture, and a service learning project involving portable lap desks for South African school children. Director of International Students Megan Blunden, whose family lives in South Africa, and Marley Matlack, associate director of the Center for Global Studies, led the trip.

The France trip combined art- and language-learning with travel in Provence and several days in Paris.

Led by photography teacher John Mullin and Mary Forrester, director of public information and a former French teacher, the group spent the first week of the trip at the Savan-nah College of Art and Designs campus in Lacoste, an ancient town in the hills of Provence. After taking photographs in the picturesque environs, the students worked in the campus' state-of-the art photog-raphy lab to edit their photos and make prints for a future exhibit back at Loomis. The students also learned about the region and were treated to a cooking demonstra-tion by the colleges chef. Toward the end of the journey, the travelers took a high-speed train to Paris, where they explored the city, added to their photographic portfolios, and continued to practice their French.

As I was walking around taking pic-tures of the castle this evening on our uphill stroll, one student wrote from France, I stood a moment basking in how awesome it was that I was in the place I had dreamed of visiting, doing what I love taking photographs.

To read blogs from the trips, go to www.loomischaffee.org / magazine

Summer Adventures Overseas

Illustration: Natha Singhasaneh 14

Activist and retired archbishop of Cape Town Desmond Tutu poses with Loomis travelers and one of the portable desks inspired by his idea.

AROUND THE QUADS | THE BIG PICTURE

Glamour Time In an annual tradition, seniors gather in Grubbs Quadrangle for pre-prom photographs in the evening light. Photo: Patricia Cousins

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AROUND THE QUADS

A T its May meeting, the Board of Trustees bade a fond farewell to three esteemed colleagues: parent of alumni Wilkes McClave III, Peter F. Kern 73, and Sarah L. Lutz 85.

Wilkes, a former director of Prem-cor, was a Trustee of the school for eight years, serving on the Admis-sion & Financial Aid Committee and the Education Committee and presiding as vice chair of the Build-ings & Grounds Committee, where he was instrumental in a number of building projects. He joined the board during the junior year of his oldest daughter, Caroline 07, and continued to serve for a full term beyond the graduation of his younger daughter, Andrea 09.

Peter served on the Board for six years. Former CEO of Building Materials Wholesale in Birmingham, Alabama, Peter followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, Jewett T. Flagg 20, who served on the schools board from 1956 to 1979. During Peters tenure, he contrib-uted his expertise to the Buildings & Grounds and Salaries & Benefits committees. Stated fellow Trustee and friend Jamie Widdoes 72, I know Peter has been honored beyond words to serve as a Trustee of the school he loves so much and will be a supporter for the rest of his life.

Sarah, an artist living with her family in New York City, joined the board in 1999 and also followed a prior generation, her father Christopher H. Lutz, who served from 1994 until 1998. As a Trustee, Sarah participated on the Educa-tion, Heads Search, and Leader-ship Gifts committees. Perhaps her largest committee contribution was as chair of the Admission & Financial Aid Committee, where she

served as an unwavering advocate for the schools commitment to accessibility and affordability. I am certainly older, hopefully wiser, and more convinced than ever that what happens here at Loomis Chaffee is unique and precious, Sarah remarked at the Trustee dinner. I feel so fortunate to have been part of this school and this community, not once, but twice.

On the day after the dinner, the Trustees elected two new mem-bers: William R. Loomis Jr. 67 of Santa Barbara, California, and David A. Rogan 76 of Saratoga, California.

Bill is starting his second tour as a Loomis Chaffee Trustee, having

previously served on the board from 1988 to 2002. He is a former CEO and current senior advisor of the investment bank Lazard and is a director of Phillips 66, Limited Brands, and the Pacific Council on International Policy. Along with serving as senior advisor to China International Capital Corpora-tion, he is researching and writing a book about Wall Street in the 1920s.

David, former president of Cisco Systems Capital Corporation and now CEO of Anybots, an 11-year old company that makes remote-controlled robots, also serves as a director of Atlanta-based Cbeyond. David, whose son Christopher graduated from Loomis in 2004, has been involved with the school as a Reunion chair and reception host and, most recently, as the chair of the Heads Council, an advisory group for the school.

As of July 1, the Board of Trustees has 26 members, including Head of School Sheila Culbert.

I feel so fortunate to have been part of this school and this community, not once, but twice.

Sarah Lutz '85

Board of Trustees: Stepping Down and Stepping Up

$3.4 Million Annual Fund Sets Record

T HE Loomis Chaffee Annual Fund raised a record $3,472,811 in the fiscal year that ended June 30, a leap of $600,000 over last year.

The Annual Fund launched two major fundraising initia-tives during this fiscal cycle. Under an alumni participa-tion challenge, if at least 35 percent of alumni gave to the Annual Fund, an anony-mous donor promised a gift of $350,000 to the school. Alumni reached this goal with their highest participation since 1997. For the second challenge, the parent of a senior offered to match each gift from a current parent up to $125,000. Parents ultimately donated a record $1.1 million to the fund. The Annual Fund also celebrated Philanthropy Day in March, marking the day when, on paper, the schools tuition money runs out and the An-nual Fund pays for operation of the school.

Whether you contribute $25 or $25,000, participation is a commitment to elevate Loomis to be the best that it can be, says KeriAnne Travis, thankful Director of the An-nual Fund.

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Sarah Lutz 85 Wilkes McClave III Peter F. Kern 73

William R. Loomis Jr. 67 and David A. Rogan 76


L EARNING as an act of community invigorates us all, said Christopher Norton 76 as he and his family dedi-cated the Norton Family Center for the Common Good on May 9. His words crystallized both the inspiration for the center and its active, daily purpose.

What could be more important than instilling strong values in our youth through the active collaboration of faculty and students? Chris remarked. The Center for the Common Good is a wonderful opportunity for Loomis to more fully develop standards of academic rigor and personal integrity. And the center is a place where these two vital elements of education can thrive in partnership.

Trustees, students, parents, and faculty gath-ered with Nick Norton 48 and his wife Lynn, Chris and his wife Carter, and Andrew Norton 80 to dedicate the center and celebrate its suc-cessful incorporation into the life of the school since opening in the fall.

Through this center, explained Head of School Sheila Culbert, we look to encourage our students to understand their roles as citizens in a small community and a large diverse democ-racy, and to foster an active, engaged approach to citizenship in our global society.

The idea for the center evolved over several years beginning with the schools reaccredita-tion and its first formal curriculum review in 30 years. Sheila recalled that during that time Chris, chair of the Board of Trustees, encouraged the school to broadly examine what Loomis Chaffee teaches and where our curriculum need-ed to grow and change. As the idea formed to create a center dedicated to the common good, Chris and Carter eagerly stepped forward to lend their support to the idea.

Many people joined the Nortons to contribute to the evolution of the center. In her remarks, Sheila specifically recognized Nancy Thomas, parent of senior Jamie Nikrie, who has extensive experience with similar centers at the University of New Hampshire and Tufts University. Sheila

also thanked Associate Head Aaron Woody Hess, who came up with the idea for the ninth-grade seminar that now serves as the academic underpinning of the center, and Dean of Faculty Ned Parsons, who chaired the curriculum review and looked carefully at how the curriculum reaf-firms the schools mission.

The Loomis siblings who founded the school emphasized the importance of good citizenship and of graduating individuals who would take an active interest and role in the well-being of their communities. They described these principles as distinguishing characteristics of a Loomis education.

The notion of the common good is in our institutional DNA and has been conveyed with the heart and steadfast commitment of our fore-bears, remarked Al Freihofer 69, the centers director. Our shared enthusiasm for the centers work comes from the knowledge that we are not inventing so much as enriching; we are not defining so much as expanding; we are not even teaching so much as exploring.

In his closing remarks, Chris gave special recognition to his parents. My parents are the reason were all here tonight. ... My family, which includes a long lineage of New Englanders, has always believed that participation in ones com-munity is the essential ingredient of Americas unique heritage. Citizenship is the foundation of a good life. He continued, Our familys support for the Center for the Common Good reflects the hope that, through our humble efforts, Loomis students will chose to engage in their communities both while at Loomis and more im-portantly during the years after they graduate.

To visit the centers web page, follow the link at www.loomischaffee.org / magazine

Norton Family Dedicates Center for the Common Good

Andrew 80, Chris 76, Carter, Lynn and Nick 48 Norton unveil the plaque for the Norton Family Center for the Common Good. Photo:John Groo

The Center for the Common Good is a wonderful opportunity for Loomis to more fully develop standards of academic rigor and personal integrity. And the center is a place where these two vital elements of education can thrive in partnership.

Chris Norton '76

14 |

AROUND THE QUADS

Senior Projects Run the Gamut

brilliant!

E LEVEN seniors explored eight different topics intensively over the last two weeks of the spring term as part of the senior project program. Projects ranged from music com-position to yoga study and from creation of a fashion magazine to organization of a benefit run.

An 18-year tradition at Loomis, se-nior projects allow seniors in good academic standing to propose a topic they would like to explore in depth in the final two weeks of the school year. Proposals are submit-ted during the winter term, and a committee of faculty and students evaluates proposals and selects those for approval. Seniors whose projects are approved are excused from classes and final exams dur-ing this period while they advance their knowledge in the topics they have chosen.

Each student involved in the program this year dedicated more than 80 hours to his or her respective project and presented to students, faculty, and staff on June 34.

Participants Samantha Asher and JiHee Yoon created an instal-lation art project using plastic bottles discarded by the Loomis community; the installation was a commentary on the deteriorating effects of plastic on the ocean. Payge Kerman examined the physiological effects of bikram yoga. Emelynn Abreu and Ryan Springer-Miller organized the Loomis Chaffee Color Run, a three-kilometer fundraiser in honor of staff member Jean Dexters grand-son, Kaden Bell, who is battling a rare form of cancer. Diana Suciu created a web-based comic book. Catherine Dunlavey compiled film and digital portraits she had pho-tographed in natural landscapes. Austin Jubrey demonstrated an in-troduction to programming in Java and created a computer game. Ben Russell and Dan Wade produced The Goon Squad, a recording project that combined modern and traditional music styles. And Sarah Horowitz created a summer fashion magazine using original photography, articles, interviews, and layouts.

The Boys and Girls Club of Hartford this spring inducted Loomis Chaffees community service program into the organizations Essential Piece Program Partner Hall of Fame. Loomis, which has worked with the Boys and Girls Club since 2004, is the first inductee into the organizations Hall of Fame. Through the community service pro-gram, Loomis students participate in a variety of volunteer activities with the Boys and Girls Club, from one-on-one mentoring and tutoring to hosting soccer skills clinics, field days, and barbeques. At the Boys and Girls Clubs annual awards dinner, the organiza-tion also presented Loomis Director of Community Service Roseanne Lombardo with the Helping Hands Award for her many years of exception-al service. Roseanne has spearheaded the relationship between Loomis and the Boys and Girls Club. We wanted to bring Roseanne on stage to recognize and bless her for all the work shes done for us, said Chad Williams, direc-tor of programming at the Boys and Girls Club of Hartford. Twenty-eight students earned med-als in their performance on Le Grand Concours, the annual National French Exam sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. The exam is open to all students of French in grades 112 in all 50 states and abroad, and there are seven levels from which students compete and five divisions. The exam mixes reading comprehension, grammar, and listening comprehension. Sophomore Isabel Guigui placed first in the nation on Le Grand Concours with a perfect score on the exam this spring. As a result, the French Embassy awarded her a two-week, all-expense-paid language and culture trip to Perpignan in the south of France. Her stay in Perpignan this summer was to include four hours of French language instruction every morning and sport and cultural activities every afternoon as well as travel to the cities and vil-lages of Catalonia and Carcassonne.

A gathering of paint-splattered runners surrounds staff member Jean Dexter at the finish line of the Color Run. Photo: Patricia Cousins


brilliant!Spring happenings, night and day, inside and outside, at Loomis Chaffee

AROUND THE QUADS | ISLAND ARRAY

INSIDE

DAY

NIG

HT

OUTSIDE Photos: Patricia Cousins, Rachel Engelke , Mary Coleman Forrester, John Groo, Becky Purdy and Missy Pope Wolff 04

Student recipients at Gilchrist Environmental Fellowship Awards Ceremony: (back) sophomore Biri Guerrero, junior Minsoo Kim, junior Keara Jenkins; (front) junior Alida Ratteray, junior Lauren Rubino, sophomore Anna Costello

Spring Orchestra Concert, conducted by music teacher James Rugen

Student band at 2nd annual Americana Fest on Grubbs Quadrangle

Americana Fest campfire

Members of the Class of 2003 during their 10th Reunion in June

Junior James Daring

in the Spring Dance

RevueSculptures by visiting artist Julie Fraenkel. Other visiting artists this spring: ceramicist Kelly McGrath and illustrator

Neil Brigham

Performance by the Miami-based Hispanic Flamenco Ballet in Hubbard Performance Hall

Head of School Sheila Culbert, history teacher Lori Caligiuri,

juniors Cameron Nelson (finalist) amd Victoria Smith (first

runner-up), and history teacher Eric LaForest at the WALKS

Foundation Essay Contest dinner, held at Loomis. Connecticut Attorney General George C. Jepsen, the contest judge,

presented the awards at the event.

Senior Daniela Rakhlina-Powsner on cello during a Recital

Sampler

Running the Loop in solidarity with those affected by Boston Marathon bombing

Gathering around a pit kiln, created outside the Richmond Art Centers

ceramics studio and modeled after similar kilns used in Africa

Batchelder Hall boys helped organize a surprise dinner for their dorm head, Nicholas Pukstas (at head of table), who had previously mentioned his vision of a formal dinner on the quad

lawn outside the dorm.

PRISM Dinner celebrants on Commencement eve

Correction: A caption for a photograph on page 13 of the winter issue of the magazine misidentified a student. The three students in the photograph from Senior Meditations were Larry L.J. Lawrence, Reginald R.J. Paige, and Stuart A.J. Poplin.

16 |

AROUND THE QUADS | OF NOTE | FACULTY & STAFF

Four faculty members received instructorships this spring. English teacher Jane Archibald received the Norris Ely Orchard Instruc-torship in English for masterful teaching, dedicated commitment to young men and women, and devo-tion to the cultivation of shrewd analytical minds. Theater teacher Candice Chirgotis was honored with the Robert P. Hubbard 47 In-structorship in Theater, recognizing inspirational instruction, dedicated commitment to young men and women, and exemplary devotion to the arts and sciences of the theatri-cal arts. Science teacher Elizabeth Conger received the Independence Foundation Instructorship, recog-nizing compassionate teaching, a dedicated commitment to young men and women, and innovative science instruction. English teacher Scott Purdy received the Allan Lundie Wise Instructorship for in-novative teaching, passionate com-mitment to young men and women, and inspirational devotion to life on the Island. The instructorships were announced in June.

The administration presented Service to the School Awards to six faculty and staff members at the end of the school year. Dan Foley and Steven Morse of the Physical Plant staff, Director of Financial Aid and Associate Director of Admis-sion Nancy Cleary, Associate Director of College Guidance Amy Thompson, Head of the Music De-partment Faith Miller, and science teacher Simon Holdaway received the honors for exceptional service and commitment to the school dur-ing the last year.

The school bid a fond farewell to retiring and departing fac-ulty and staff at the Community Honors Banquet in June. Retiring staff member Nicole Jamieson,

a 14-year veteran of the Alumni/Development Office, and retiring teachers Alice Baxter, Ronald Marchetti, David Newell, and Maria Schumann, received laudatory send-offs from their colleagues. (Please see interviews with the four retiring faculty members begin-ning on page 38.) Other departing faculty and staff receiving well wishes included Brian Kosanovich, the longtime theater director and head of the Theater and Dance Department; Jeffrey Holcombe, a science teacher at Loomis for the last 27 years; Latin teacher and Associate Dean of Faculty Nicholas Pukstas; boys varsity lacrosse coach Ted Garber; science teacher Neil Chaudhary 05; Arabic teacher Lucy Thiboutot; English teacher Ben Haldeman; mathematics teachers Isso Shimamoto and Lillie Avalos-Nguyen; staff member Ja-nis Jones-Strange; Band Director Kris Allen; history teachers Alisha Cipriano and Rick Taylor; and Col-lege Advisor Tiffani Hooper.

History teacher Kevin Hender-son and Director of Development Timothy Struthers 85 were hon-ored this spring for completing 20 years and counting of service to the school.

Art teacher Chet Kempczyn-ski is spending eight weeks this summer in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, working on a privately commissioned art mural using images that represent the colors of the city as well as the flower-ing purple Jaracunda tree. Chet is painting the mural on an exterior wall of a condominium owned by author, professor of literature, and lover of the arts Minerva Neiditz. Mrs. Neiditz's sons graduated from Loomis, and Chet has mentored one son in the arts for more than 10 years. Chet and his wife, Loomis

foreign language teacher Gen-evieve Rela, visited Mrs. Neiditz and San Miguel during March Break this spring, and while there, Chet created 45 watercolor paintings that reflected the color scheme of the city. The paintings were to be shown in the Skot Foreman Art Gal-lery in San Miguel this summer.

Andrew Matlack accepted the position of associate dean of faculty and began his new role in July. A math teacher and head of the Math Department for the last five years, Andrew moved into the position upon the departure of Nicholas Pukstas, who served ably in the role and departed the school this summer for new ventures. An-drew will work in concert with Dean of Faculty Ned Parsons.

Mathematics teacher and senior faculty member Barry Moran was presented with the schools Distin-guished Teaching Award in June. Created in honor of former faculty member Dom Failla, the award recognizes the dedication and ex-cellence of a faculty member with more than 10 years of service.

There are two newlyweds on campus. Social Media Manager Missy Pope 04 and Benjamin Wolff were married on May 18 in Sims-bury, Connecticut. (See a photo-graph from the wedding in Alumni Newsnotes.) And Associate Direc-tor of College Guidance Andrea Rooks married Joseph Straccia on July 21 in Amherst, Massachusetts.

The Student Council presented the Teacher of Year Award to Latin teacher and Associate Dean of Fac-ulty Nicholas Pukstas this spring. The announcement at the Spring Awards Ceremony prompted a standing, cheering ovation from the students, faculty, and staff in the audience. Teacher of the Year

is chosen by the Student Council based on nominating essays sub-mitted by students. Nick, who also served as dorm head of Batchelder Hall, announced earlier in the spring that he would be leaving the school at the end of the academic year to pursue an advanced degree and other adventures.

May and June brought a baby boy boom to the Island. Coun-selor Erica Ronald and husband Tyler welcomed Wallace Samson Ronald on May 28. Wallace joins big sister Hazel. Joanna Harvey of the Business Office; her husband, Jason; and big brother Andrew welcomed Ryan Joseph Harvey on May 31. Departing Arabic teacher Lucy Thiboutot and her husband, David Cooperman, welcomed Cyrus Bernard Thiboutot on June 18. And English teacher Stella Atufe and husband Mike welcomed Michael A. Atufe Jr. on June 23.

Art teacher Mark Zunino received the Austin Wicke Prize this spring at the Community Honors Banquet. Given in memory of Austin by his parents, the prize rec-ognizes a Loomis Chaffee faculty member of less than 10 years of service who demonstrates a dedi-cation to the discipline of teaching and a commitment to fostering the growth and development of young people. Mark, an accomplished art-ist, teaches printmaking, drawing, and Advanced Placement Art and directs the departments Visiting Artist Program.


AROUND THE QUADS | ATHLETICS | BY BOB HOWE 80

I first met Lisa Parsons in the spring of 2004 while I was interviewing for the position of director of athletics at Loomis Chaffee. She sat in an office with Associate Head of School Woody Hess, and they fired questions at me for almost an hour. That session was part of a series of interviews during the day-long visit to the campus where I grew up. When the day began, I was somewhat inter-ested in working at Loomis, but after witnessing Coach Parsons' energy and commitment about teaching and coaching excel-lence, I left the campus at the end of the day with a burning desire to get the job and return to Loomis to work with quality people. It was clear to me in that very first meeting that Coach Parsons was a special coach.

The 2013 season marked the end of Coach Parsons tenure as the girls varsity lacrosse head coach, a role she has filled since the spring of 1997. In 16 lacrosse seasons Lisa was away on sabbatical in 2007 her teams compiled a 183-37-7 record. Over this time Loomis girls lacrosse won 10 Founders League titles, seven Western New England titles, and three New England championships.

The team's record under Coach Parsons speaks for itself. However, for Lisa, its never been about the record, but about how she and her as-sistants could make the girls on the team better. Sprinkled in with the schools traditional rivals in the Founders League and the New England prep school conference, a handful of public school powerhouse girls

lacrosse programs perennial state championship-caliber teams from Longmeadow and Westwood, Massachusetts, and Darien and New Canaan, Connecticut became regulars on the Loomis schedule under Lisa. The girls in the Loomis program have played the best teams in New England at the insistence of their coach, and playing the best is one of the reasons the program has seen so much success.

Lisa started her prep coaching

career at a rival school. I began coaching at Hotchkiss as an assistant with Kelly Stone [now athletic director at Convent of the Sacred Heart School], Lisa recalls. Loomis was always the team to beat. I never imagined that one day this would be my team. When Lisa arrived on the Island, she was an assistant for two years with Linda Smurl. In the years prior to Coach Smurl, Sue Biggs and then Kathy Nobles had led the pro-gram, establishing a tradition of outstanding coaches.

When asked if there were any particular teams or players that stand out as most memorable, Lisa is quick to say that every season and every set of players created long-lasting memories. Her three undefeated teams (2001, 2002, and 2010) included incredible athletes and per-sonalities, and the 2005 team was her most athletic. But the list of individual standouts on all of her teams is too long to recite. Big games against rivals Hotchkiss, Greenwich Academy, Andover, and others produced the best memories for this veteran coach. Play-ing against schools and coaches you have great respect for has been something Ive really come to enjoy over my years coach-ing in this league, she says. I have developed great friend-ships with so many of my fellow coaches over the years.

There is mutual respect and admiration from her colleagues. Angela Tammaro, the coach at Greenwich Academy, describes Lisa as a top coach who gets the best out of her players. Lisas teams are always well prepared and competitive. Playing against Loomis always brings out the best in the opponents, Coach Tammaro wrote recently. Her teams have always been at the top of [Western New England Prep School] and New England lacrosse. She has given back to lacrosse in so many ways.

Another friend and coach-ing colleague, Kate Dolan at Andover, wrote: Lisa is a great teacher of the game of lacrosse. The number of LC lacrosse players competing in college and coaching at all levels is tes-

17 Years of Coaching the Team to Beat

There is no opponent we wanted to play more [than Loomis] for the sheer joy of great competition and no opponent we wanted to play less, for more often than not, it was a loss for us. Andover girls lacrosse head coach Kate Dolan

Anita Rackovan and Lisa Parsons coaching in tandem this spring Photo:John Groo

18 |

AROUND THE QUADS | ATHLETICS

VARSITY SCOREBOARDSPORT RECORD ACCOLADES

Baseball 10-6Girls Golf 4-12-2Boys Golf 6-12Girls Lacrosse 9-6Boys Lacrosse 2-12Softball 7-8Girls Tennis 1-9Boys Tennis 4-8Girls Track 7-2 3rd at New EnglandsBoys Track 8-0 Founders League Champion, 3rd at New EnglandsGirls Water Polo 1-15

Photos: Tom Honan

Senior Nick Miceli Sophomore Brittany Bugalski

Junior Matt Rollings

Sophomore Charlotte Gacek

Sophomore Dontay Downer, junior Tate Knight, senior Mauro Serrano, and senior Michael Horowicz

tament to her impact on those who have played for her. She instilled in all her athletes competi-tiveness, intensity, and a will to win that were unmatched. There is no opponent we wanted to play more for the sheer joy of great competi-tion and no opponent we wanted to play less, for more often than not, it was a loss for us. It has been a pleasure and privilege to share the sidelines with her all these years.

Next year Lisa faces another challenge in her coaching career. She will remain with our pro-gram as an assistant under head coach Anita Rackovan. The two talented coaches worked together this spring and will reverse roles at the start of the 201314 school year. As with every-thing she does, Lisa will make the most of her new opportunity and provide great support and leadership to the program in the years ahead.

With utmost admiration I, along with countless alumni, parents, and girls high school lacrosse colleagues from all over New England thank Lisa for all she has done with the sport. We are grateful for her presence at Loomis Chaffee, past, present, and future.

Bob Howe 80 is the director of athletics.


sixseniors class of 2013

Stories by Becky Purdy | Photos by John Groo


E katerina Kryuchkova prefers the unvarnished truth. She laughs and shakes her head when someone tells her she has determination. I am stubborn, she declares, and she offers a case in point.

Kath, as she likes to be called, enrolled in Advanced Place-ment Physics II as a junior because she received credit for Physics I from her previous school back home in Moscow, Russia. But the earlier course had not covered all the funda-mentals of physics, a fact that quickly became clear in the opening weeks of AP Physics at Loomis. She persevered, how-ever, declining advice to switch to a science class more in keep-ing with her experience. I got the midterm [grade], and I said, Oh, look, its not a failing grade. Im not switching, she recalls. And she didnt. Mr. [Edward] Pond is a great teacher, she adds, suggesting that her even-

tual success in the class was not due to her bootstrap determina-tion alone.

Call it perseverance or stub-bornness, but Kaths decision to stick with one of the hardest courses in the Loomis curricu-lum did no harm to her academ-ic standing in the end. The top female scholar in the Class of 2013, she received the Charles Henry and Mary Chaffee Will-cox Prize at Commencement. In awarding Kath with the prize, Head of School Sheila Culbert described this scholar as an extraordinary young woman [who] took advantage of every opportunity Loomis had to offer and gave back in the process, contributing immeasurably to our community.

Kath came to Loomis Chaffee as a sophomore after find-ing Russian schools at home too limiting for her intellect and thirst for challenge. The teachers would always tell me, I know that you know it, so just be quiet, she says. British schools would have required her to take a year of intensive English before following their regular curriculum, and Kath didnt want to delay her educa-tion. She heard about Loomis through one of her fathers col-leagues whose son had attended the school.

Language did present a major challenge for Kath during her initial months on the Island. The first half of sophomore year was brutal, she says. The first book that her sophomore English class read was Grapes of Wrath, and Kath struggled to understand the dialogue. John Steinbeck transcribes regional accents, and you cant look

those up, she says. Precalulus/Calculus proved to be a more comfortable environment in her first weeks because she could use gestures to ask questions or explain her ideas, much to teacher Pam Byrnes good-natured amusement. Language and culture also presented a social obstacle until Kaths Eng-lish fluency improved and she adjusted to the American social mores. At first, she says, she found it easier to make friends with freshmen who were more reticent and less talkative than many of the sophomores she encountered.

But English didnt hinder Kath for long. An excellent language learner she already was flu-ent in Spanish as well as her native Russian Kaths English improved dramatically through immersion, and she thrived in and out of the classroom. Academically, she received five departmental prizes as a junior and four as a senior. She also earned induction into the Cum Laude Society and recognition as an AP Scholar with Distinc-tion.

Math is her particular academic strength among many. In the college-level course Multivari-able Calculus, which she took this year along with Linear Algebra, she earned 100 percent on every test from September until Winter Break in Decem-ber, after which she received a 97 on a test and declared the streak over. Hardly a slacker, she maintained an A+ in the class through the end of the year. Intellect, not grades, how-ever, is the driving force behind Kaths scholastic excellence. In her junior year, for instance, she did an independent study

in language because she had completed the schools regular course offerings in Spanish. The project involved comparing a short story by Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez in its original Spanish to a short story by Anton Chekov in its original Russian.

Beyond the classroom walls, Kath wrote for The Log and ed-ited The Loomis Chaffee World Bulletin; served as a senior leader at the Sophomore Re-treat and a peer tutor in math; participated in the Foreign Policy Association and Model United Nations; played guitar in the Jazz Band; and helped found the Crafts for a Cause Club, whose members knit for charities.

During her three years at Loo-mis, Kath says she gained self-confidence and developed more awareness of and appreciation for other people. Its hard to believe, but I used to be really shy, anxious, self-conscious too. But thats really how all 15-year-olds are, she says. Her more outward focus and acceptance of differences among people enriched her Loomis experi-ence. Now, she says, I just look at this other person, and I say, I am just so happy that we are going to the same school at the same time.

In the fall, Kath will enter Brown University, where she expects she will pursue a double major in math and something else. Shes not sure about the other half of the double major yet because so much interests her. Thats my problem," she says. "I like every-thing. And thats the unvar-nished truth.

Ekaterina Kryuchkova

Hometown: Moscow, Russia

Senior courses: Advanced Placement Senior Seminar in Literature, AP Government & Politics, Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, and the term electives Mi-crobiology and Myth, Dream & Ritual

Other interests and ac-tivities: Jazz Band, Loo-mis Chaffee World Bulletin, Model United Nations, Foreign Policy Association, Film Club, peer tutoring in Quantitative Resources Center, community service, club cycling


Reginald R.J. Paige had a choice this spring. Should this three-season varsity athlete take a season off from sports, giving him more time for school work, friends, and playing the piano while he finished rehabilitating an injury and turned his sights toward college? He already had an acceptance letter from Princeton University and an invitation to play football at the Ivy League school. He already knew that rehabbing his torn muscle would prevent him from playing lacrosse, the spring sport he loved. He had participated in interscholastic sports every season since ar-riving at Loomis Chaffee four years ago and had played at the varsity level in three sports a year since he was a sophomore. Why not give himself a break

from the physical, mental, and time commitment of varsity athletics?

But R.J. knew himself too well to take a season off. Sports anchor him. He says they pro-vide daily structure, an energy release, and a focus that carries over into his academic success. Besides, they provide an end-less source of fun. He looked back at the winter season, when he had paced the sidelines while he waited for his muscle to recover from surgery and heal. The winter was just aw-ful for me, not doing basket-ball, he says. If he couldnt play lacrosse this spring, hed find another sport.

On the advice of his coaches and the encouragement of friends, R.J. joined the track and field team. He was fast, but he could get faster, football and track assistant coach Adrian Stewart told him. Running track would hone his form and increase his explosive athletic power, improving his speed on the football field when he got to college, Adrian said. R.J. also liked the idea of sharing a new sport with several of his football teammates and getting to know a new group of athletes on the large and perennially strong track team.

Not only did he have fun and get faster, as predicted, R.J. says he also learned about tak-ing care of his body to prevent injury and gained an apprecia-tion for the sport of track and field. From the outside, sprint-ing from the start to the finish line looked easy, he says, but he learned about the work and de-tail and discipline behind try-ing to make that journey to the

finish line faster than anyone else. He tried several events, running the 100-, the 200-, and the 400-meter dashes in vari-ous meets; competing on the 4 x 100-, and 4 x 400-meter re-lays; and throwing the javelin.

Director of Athletics Bob Howe 80 lauded R.J.s decision to con-tribute to the track team during his senior spring. Never once did he look back and rest on his past accomplishments and feel as though he couldnt be a key contributor at the highest level here. He has demonstrated to us all the highest level of commitment and passion for sport, Bob said in presenting the Friends of Loomis Chaffee Grubbs Prize to R.J. at the all-school Awards Assembly in May. The prize honored R.J.s leadership and excellence as a varsity athlete in football, basketball, lacrosse, and track at Loomis Chaffee.

In athletics and beyond, R.J. has never been one to focus too narrowly. Football is his stron-gest sport he was a football captain and a New England Prep School Athletic Council first-team All-New England linebacker last fall but he says he loves whatever sport he is playing in any given season. The same diversity of interests is true of R.J.s academic and musical pursuits.

R.J. had played classical piano since age 7, but he decided to join the school's Jazz Improv Ensemble as a freshman. When I came to Loomis, I wanted to [try] a different genre, he says. The more intuitive, free-form approach of jazz improvisation intimidated him at first, but experience and

additional piano lessons with music faculty member and jazz musician Kenneth Fischer helped him adjust. R.J. loved playing with the ensemble and stayed with the group all four years. Even when he was tired or having a bad day, he says, going to jazz class smoothed things out. As soon as I touch a note, Im feeling better, he says. He also liked connecting with the other musicians in the ensemble a different group from the athletes that I usually hang out with.

As for football, R.J. was thrilled to learn after his junior season that he could aspire to play at the next level. I didnt know I was good enough to get looked at by college coaches until Coach Reid asked, Are you going to send out your film? he recalls, referring to Loomis head football coach Charles "Chuck" Reid. R.J. sent out game film and began meeting with college coaches, attract-ing interest from a number of schools. After determining that he wanted to attend an Ivy League college, he ultimately narrowed his choices and, after a visit to Princeton, decided to commit to the Tigers.

His New Jersey locale may make it harder for his dad, Reginald Paige Sr., to see him play quite as often as when R.J. was in high school. Reg attended every one of R.J.s Loomis football, basketball, and lacrosse games and every track meet this spring. Undoubtedly, though, a Paige contingent will be wearing Princeton orange and cheering from the stadium at many, if not every, Tigers football game.

Reginald R.J. Paige

Hometown: West Hartford, Connecticut

Senior courses: Advanced Placement Statistics, Span-ish IV, and term electives Astronomy; Anatomy & Physiology (two terms); The Presidential Election; Race, Roles & Religion; Satire; Cre-ative Writing; Myth, Dream & Ritual; and Jurisprudence

Other interests and activi-ties: Varsity football, bas-ketball, lacrosse, and track & field; Jazz Improv Ensemble (piano); PRISM, a student multicultural group


Few would dispute Amy Wards individuality, least of all Amy herself. She describes herself as crazy and funky and unique, and her waist-long tresses, her flowing and expressive clothing choic-es, her frequently bare feet, and her melodic voice reinforce this impression. Snippets of con-versation overheard between Amy and her best friend, Mark Crawford 13, on the way to and from classes conversa-tion often punctuated by dark, uproarious laughter or spirited exchanges of mock-accusation complete the picture. Amy is her own person.

Her three years at Loomis Chaffee have solidified her individuality, she says. Com-ing from a school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan where teachers went by their first names and artistically-driven students were the norm, Amy knew she was entering a dif-ferent world when she sought a boarding school with a more structured and challenging aca-demic environment along with opportunities for creativity.

It was kind of a culture shock, she says of her first couple of months at Loomis as a new sophomore. For a while, she doubted her decision to leave the artsy haven of her previous school, but her parents remind-ed her that she had wanted the change. They urged her to stick it out at least through her first year. And soon Amy found her way, involving herself in the Norris Ely Orchard Theater, landing a role in The Laramie Project, and immersing herself in her classes and dorm life. By the end of my sophomore

year, I was absolutely in love with Loomis, she says. She had found her niche in the NEO and became more comfortable in her own skin. I really had to become even more secure being an individual, she reflects.

Its not surprising that the NEO atmosphere helped ease Amys culture shock. Theaters have been familiar environs for her since the third grade, when she began acting in school plays. She says shes known since then that she wanted a life in theater. Her family moved several times and traveled extensively when she was younger, but wherever she has lived or visited, theater has figured prominently. While still a grade-schooler, she joined a childrens theater company in Colorado, performing in shows with the troupe during the summers and in several winter shows while she was home-schooled in fifth and sixth grade. As she grew older, Amy became increasingly interested in Shakespearean theater. She participated in the Working for Shakespeare program at New York University for two summers as well as studying at a Shakespeare conservatory at Oxford University for a month last summer.

Amy played the role of Luciana in A Comedy of Errors this fall at the NEO. But her repertoire is by no means limited to the Bards work. During her three years at Loomis, she played Penny Pingleton in Hairspray and Paulette Bonafonte in Legally Blonde: The Musical and had roles in Metamorphoses, The Boy Friend, and The Lara-mie Project. Amy received the Junior Theater & Dance Award

and the Morris H. Brown Senior Theater & Dance Prize. A member of Loomis Company Dance program, she enrolled in the choreography and composi-tion course this year. She also sang in the Musical Revue, an annual student-run show that fills the Hubbard Performance Hall to the aisles.

While the NEO centered Amys life at Loomis, her involvement radiated well beyond its barn walls. A prefect as a junior and a resident assistant as a senior, Amy devoted herself to these commitments as well. Her academic strengths, she says, lie in English, where this year she undertook the challenging combination of the Advanced Placement Senior Seminar in Literature and the advanced term elective in Shakespeare, and in Philosophy, Psychol-ogy, & Religion, where she took more than the required number of classes. But she also loved her junior science class, Integrated Earth and Physical Sciences, studied Chinese, and welcomed the new ideas of a variety of other courses.

As Amy heads to Boston for col-lege this fall, she plans to study theater and psychology. Just as she gained confidence as an in-dividual and found her niche in the theater during her Loomis years, Amy will no doubt blaze a unique and creative trail at college.

Amy Ward

Hometown: New York, New York and Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Senior courses: Chinese IV, Advanced Placement Senior Seminar in Literature, Al-gebra Topics, Statistics, and term electives Ecology, Exis-tentialism, Shakespeare, Hu-man Populations & Impact, Social Psychology, Death & Dying, and Choreography

Other interests and activi-ties: theater, including roles in numerous NEO plays and musicals; Musical Revue; prefect in Carter (junior year); resident assistant in Ammidon (senior year); contributor to The Log


Pondering the list of classes, sports, and ac-tivities in Paul Lees life at Loomis Chaffee may leave you breathless.

Heres a partial accounting of his many roles as a senior: Cum Laude scholar with three year-long AP or advanced classes along with two electives every term; Student Council president; resident assistant in Taylor Hall; managing editor of The Log; member of the varsity cross country, swimming, and tennis teams; award-winning participant in Model United Nations; and cellist in the Or-chestra (where he was principal cellist), in the Chamber Music Ensemble, and for the 8 a.m. Mass on Sundays at St. Gabriels Church in Windsor.

Even more amazing may be Pauls full commitment to each of his pursuits and his humble-ness despite many academic and community honors. He is quite possibly one of the nicest people you ever could meet. For these qualities, his peers adore him, as evidenced by the resounding cheers of his class-mates as Paul stepped to the Commencement stage in June to receive the Nathaniel Horton Batchelder Prize for industry, loyalty, and integrity.

Pauls broad involvement in the school overwhelmed him at times, he says, but this Yale-bound scholar would not trade in any of his many, varied experiences on the Island. They helped him encounter new people and new interests, discover untapped strengths, and gain confidence.

As a freshman, the advice of faculty and older students rang in his ears: Get involved. Try new things. So he did. He ran successfully for Student Council representative, joined the Orchestra, wrote for The Log. Sports especially offered him opportunities to step out of his comfort zone. Before coming to Loomis, I never considered myself an athlete, he says. He had played tennis in middle school but had pursued no other sports. As a freshman, he heeded the advice of his prefect, Mike Curtin 11, and tried wres-tling. As a sophomore, Mikes advice led Paul to cross country. I loved it from the start, Paul confirms, and he continued to run every fall. During the winter of his sophomore year, he tried out for the swim team and was cut, but he tried out again as a junior and made the

team, continuing with that team through his senior year. The endurance work improved his tennis as well, and by junior year, Paul moved up from the JV to the varsity tennis team.

With each passing year and in every realm, Paul grew into more of a leader, whether by example or by position and often both. In the classroom, he rose to the challenges of an increasingly advanced cur-riculum. He counts Chemis-try I Advanced with Robert DeConinck in his sophomore year and Advanced Place-ment Calculus BC with Barry Moran this year among his most challenging courses, and he developed deep respect for the passion that his teachers shared for their subjects. His AP Span-ish class with Courtney Carey and AP U.S. History with Mark Williams, both in his junior year, solidified his interest in the humanities. Those two classes and those two teachers were the biggest influences in shaping what I want to study in college, he says. Although its still early to decide, the Ethics, Politics & Economics major at Yale interests him.

Beyond the classroom, Paul took on more responsibility each year, serving as news edi-tor then managing editor of The Log, serving as a prefect then an RA in the dorms, moving up to principal cello in the Orchestra, and winning election as Student Council president.

Dorm life at Loomis played a crucial role in Pauls develop-ment as a person and a leader. Going to boarding school was one of the best decisions Ive ever made. The biggest thing I

learned was taking responsibil-ity, says Paul, who grew up in New Jersey and whose parents and younger brother now live in South Korea. As a freshman in Kravis Hall and a sophomore in the small enclave of Longman Hall, he watched his prefects in action and applied these lessons when he became a prefect and an RA.

Ever humble, Paul sees leader-ship not as power, but rather as service and responsibility. He listens more than he speaks. As Student Council president, he strove to make sure every voice was heard on issues under consideration. He also learned to put his confidence in others. I think that I grew as a leader when I abandoned the only I can do it mentality, he reflects. And he learned to reach out to others close friends, fam-ily members, teachers when he felt overwhelmed. Their support, he says, carried him through a busy and fulfilling senior year.

Attached and devoted to the community that nurtured him for four years, Paul set a goal this year of meeting every person on the Loomis campus students, faculty, and staff and he came close to reaching it. As he looks ahead to college and beyond, Paul says he will miss the simple pleasures of Loomis life, like walking around campus with his friends. Seeing familiar faces all over campus it really makes it home, he says. Paul is too modest to admit that hes the one who made it feel like home, for himself and for the many Loo-mis students who found in him a good listener and a friend.

Paul Lee

Hometown: Palisades Park, New Jersey

Senior courses: Advanced Placement Senior Seminar in Literature, Spanish V Advanced, AP Calculus BC, and term electives Genetics, The Presidential Election, Introduction to Ethics, Ju-risprudence, Social Psychol-ogy, and teaching assistant for World History

Other interests and ac-tivities: Student Council (president as senior), prefect in Kravis (junior year), resident assistant in Taylor (senior year), The Log staff, Orchestra, Chamber Music Ensemble, Model United Na-tions, cross country, swim-ming, and varsity tennis

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When Lauren Horn was preparing to perform at the White House a couple of years ago, she got cold feet. Literally.

I was so nervous before we went on, she recalls. When I get nervous, my feet get cold. But I need my feet to stay warm to tap dance.

The audience included First Lady Michelle Obama as well as actors Forest Whitaker and Sarah Jessica Parker and other members of the Presidents Committee on the Arts and Hu-manities. The occasion honored the Artists Collective of Hart-ford, where Lauren studied dance, and 14 other community organizations from around the country. The Artists Collective was invited to perform at the ceremony, and the collective chose members of its youth Jazz Orchestra to play a musical piece created for the occasion and Lauren to tap dance to the lively tune.

Luckily, Lauren does not get

cold feet in the figurative sense. A powerhouse of positive energy, she approaches every day and every challenge as an opportunity. Chilly toes or not, there was no stopping her from putting on her tap shoes and stepping onto the stage set up in the East Room of the White House. Once the music started and she began to dance, Lauren says she was having too much fun to feel nervous. Michelle Obama herself led a standing ovation for the performance.

Dance tap, ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop takes up a large chunk of every day for Lauren. Yet this dynamo carved out time for full involvement in Loomis Chaffee life as well, from a full load of challeng-ing courses to singing in the Concert Choir, competing on the swim team, participating in the multicultural organiza-tion PRISM, and serving as a senior leader for the Sophomore Retreat.

Time management is my best friend, she says with a char-acteristic beaming smile. On a typical Wednesday this year, she attended classes until 12:35 p.m., spending her one free period getting a head start on homework. After lunch, she rehearsed with Loomis Dance Company 2 then parked herself at Katharine Brush Library to do homework until about 6 p.m., when her mom picked her up to take her to Hartford for two hours of dance classes. When she and her mother arrived at their home in Windsor at close to 9 p.m., Lauren ate dinner then returned to her homework until bed time.

During her three years at Loo-

mis and her previous middle school years, Lauren says she learned to use gaps in her schedule wisely, to write down everything she needed to do, and not to procrastinate. I was really nervous about the plan-book system and the schedule when she came to Loomis, she says, but she adjusted well. She chose to attend Loomis because of its friendly, open community and its inspiring classroom en-vironment, where students are encouraged to speak up. The teachers treat you in a way that you want to learn, she says.

Although literature and lan-guage draw Laurens keenest academic interest, she says she is keeping an open mind about where she will focus her studies at Amherst College beginning next fall. She is certain, howev-er, that she will pursue a dance minor and is excited about the dance program at Amherst and the dance opportunities in the five-college system of which Amherst is a member.

Laurens large extended family, many of whom live in Windsor and Bloomfield, provides enthu-siastic support for her pursuits and achievements. The loudest cheering section at the Spring Dance Revue in the Norris Ely Orchard Theater in May, she says, was a group of her aunts, cousins, grandparents, and other relatives.

Her passion for dance dawned early in her life. At age 3, she started tap dance and then African dance at the Artists Collective. By age 11, she was in the highest-level tap class, and she also studied jazz, ballet, and modern dance. She danced with Dance Company 2 as a junior

and senior. And this year she also began studying at Studio 860 in Hartford, where she focused on modern and jazz dance and joined the studios hip-hop dance team.

The hip-hop team traveled to New York City to try out for the television program Americas Got Talent earlier this year, an experience Lauren and her dozen teammates will always remember. After taking a train to the city, they navigated their way to the enormous hotel where the auditions took place. An animated storyteller, Lauren describes the backstage scene as intense. All the other dance teams are there, and theyre all glaring at you, she narrates with a furrowed brow. And youre, like, Hi! she continues as her face smoothens into a perky smile. Her team didnt make it onto the show, but the group auditioned well, Lauren says, and benefitted from the experience.

Lauren looks eagerly toward her next set of adventures at college, but she knows she will miss the Loomis community, her teachers and advisor, the Island campus, and her Loomis friends. She also will miss the certainty of the school that became her second home over the last three years. Im going to miss just being here, she says, looking around her. Im going to miss knowing what Im up against.

For this young woman who has performed at the White House and managed a daily schedule that rivals that of the command-er-in-chief, uncertainty won't deter her for long.

Lauren Horn

Hometown: Windsor, Connecticut

Senior courses: Calulus, Advanced Placement Spanish IV, and term electives Lit-erature of the Sea, Introduc-tion to Economics, Genetics, Voices of Dissent, Anatomy & Physiology, Developmental Psychology, Satire, and The Culture Wars

Other interests and ac-tivities: Dance Company; Concert Choir; PRISM, a student multicultural group; swim team


I was very scared about the change that would come with Loomis, says John Macdonald, looking back on his decision in ninth grade to join his older sister, Casey, at Loomis rather than continuing in the West Hartford public schools, where he had a comfortable group of friends and a good handle on the academic landscape. He worried about finding new friends and managing the school work he had seen Casey encounter.

His parents left the final deci-sion to him, and on the last day before the deadline, John chose to attend Loomis. Although the transition took some time and the school work proved even more challenging than he had expected, John flourished on the Island. He discovered po-tential for scholarship and so-cial change that he never knew he possessed, and he developed into an outstanding, contempla-tive student and a driving force behind the sustainability move-ment on campus.

A straight-A student for nearly every term of his junior and se-nior years, John earned induc-tion into the Cum Laude Society as one of the top students in the Class of 2013. A self-motivated community member with little need for fanfare, he convinced the school to acquire a brood of chickens to advance sustain-ability efforts, helped establish an interscholastic ultimate Fris-bee team, and stepped up to fill a critical gap on the varsity boys cross country team last fall.

Johns unassuming, laid-back manner think bookish neighborhood boy crossed with friendly snowboarder offers few clues that he is a tireless go-getter. But when John sets his mind on a task, whether academic or organizational or athletic, consider it done.

Among his many environmental contributions at Loomis, John is probably best known for initiat-ing the schools chicken project. The schools 12 hens live in a coop behind the Clark Center for Science & Mathematics. They eat food compost from the dining hall and bugs in campus gardens, aerate and fertilize the soil, and lay eggs that are made available for faculty and staff to take home and eat. (Because the eggs are unpasteurized, the din-ing hall cannot serve them.)

Beginning during his sopho-more spring, John served as one of the original Loomis environ-mental proctors, or e-proctors, a student leadership position charged with maintaining the schools food compost-ing operation, championing student environmental efforts, and contributing to the broader work of the schools Sustain-

ability Committee. Through this work, John heard about the benefits of chickens as agents of sustainability and decided to propose a plan for the Loomis campus. He researched the idea and, working with Sustain-ability Coordinator and science teacher Jeffrey Dyreson, pre-pared a proposal for the project. The administration approved the plan, and in the spring of 2012 the first chicks arrived on campus, living in a cage in the Clark Center until they grew old enough to move outdoors to a coop.

The chickens have been a big hit, going about their work with dedication and charming many Island denizens. Beyond the tangible benefits, John explains the philosophical value of hav-ing chickens on campus. Main-ly its just a connection back to your food, he says. Students see where their food comes from, how farms work, and what goes into producing food. John became a vegetarian for about a year during his work on the chicken project, but he returned to eating meat this year, partly because he came to understand the role of animals in a sustain-able farm environment. The chickens have provided me with a lot of education, he notes.

The chicken project and Johns other environmental

Documents

Loomis Chaffee Summer 2013 Alumni Magazine