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LEARNING TO SERVETh e Heart of Athenian’s Curriculum

ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES

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SECOND ROW (L TO R) The arts were center stage, with student and alumni performances; founder Dyke Brown made remarks about his vision for Athenian

THIRD ROW (L TO R) Head of School Eleanor Dase welcomed guests; trustee Steve Davenport, former Head of School, with Munzer Afifi and Bliss Carnochan

FOURTH ROW Former trustee Deary Duffie ’73 shared comments during the celebration program

FIFTH ROW (L TO R) Trustee Jackie Thomas ’82 and Judy Tarabini-McNulty at donor reception; guests gathered on the East Lawn at the base of Mount Diablo to celebrate Athenian’s first four decades

ON THE COVER Upper School students visited the Dominican Republic in March 2006 to work with community members on the construction of a new primary school and community center; students also helped with the harvest in Jarabacoa, which is a rural fair trade, organic coffee-producing farm

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Message from the Chair of the Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Message from the Head of School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Celebrating the Vision of Dyke Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Learning to Serve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Annual Report 2005 – 2006 Letter from the Head of School & Board Chair Operating Expenses & Revenue The Annual Fund Donor Honor Roll Scholarship Recipients Athenian Parent Association Profiles in Philanthropy

Athletics — Go Owls! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

The Class of 2006 Off to College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Round Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Spirit of Athenian — Student Built Airplane Soars . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Athenian Robotics Collective Goes to Nationals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Alumni News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Alumni Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

AT H E N I A N S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

HEAD OF SCHOOL Eleanor Dase

EDITOR & ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Sue Henry

ALUMNI & PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR Mandi Semple

Athenian’s magazine is published annually by the Development and Alumni Relations Office. We welcome comments and suggestions. To update an address or to provide alumni news, call 925.362.7212 or email alumni@athenian.org.

THE ATHENIAN SCHOOL2100 Mt. Diablo Scenic Boulevard

Danville, CA 94506

925.837.5375

www.athenian.org

TO DONATE TO THE ATHENIAN SCHOOL, please go online to www.athenian.org or phone 925.362.7204 or write to the Development Office.

PARENTS OF ALUMNI: PLEASE FORWARD THIS PUBLICATION If your son or daughter no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please provide the Alumni Office with updates at 925.362.7212 or alumni@athenian.org.

MAGAZINE EDITORIAL Sue Henry & Mandi Semple

MAGAZINE DESIGN Shelby Designs & Illustrates · Oakland

PRINTING Solstice Press · Oakland

PAPER Printed on New Leaf Reincarnation Matte, made with 100% recycled fiber, 50% post-consumer waste, and processed chlorine free.

T H E A T H E N I A N S C H O O L2

The 2005 – 06 academic year was an outstanding one in every way. The entire community participated in this tremendous year of accomplishment. Parent participation in the Annual Fund reached a record level of 75 percent. Alumni giving and involvement sur-passed prior years. With 100 percent giving from trustees, in combination with the strong parent and alumni support, an impressive $426,000 was raised in unrestricted gifts to the Annual Fund.

For the school’s leadership, undoubtedly, it was a year of reflecting on our past and planning for our future — solidly shaped by the vision of Dyke Brown.

With Dyke’s purposefulness in mind, the Board of Trustees began work reviewing the physical plant, pro-grams and operations of the school to ensure that Athenian has a long, healthy and vibrant future. Trustees have developed a road map to guide the strategic planning work that the board will take on during the 2006 –07 academic year. As I pass the gavel of Board Chair to alumna parent, Ted Urban, I feel gratified to know the depth of leadership talent and dedication that comprises the Board.

My 25-year journey at Athenian has been enriching, interesting, and chal-lenging. From my first day on campus as a student at the age of 15 to the present day, I have been fortunate to be part of “The Athenian Experience.” I proudly share with you what you already know — Athenian continues to prepare students for the rigorous ex-pectations of college and for a life of purpose and personal fulfillment. All of this would not be possible without a generous community of learners, contributors and volunteers, and I extend my gratitude and best wishes to all of you.

The Athenian School prepares students for the rigorous expectations of college and for a life of purpose and personal fulfillment.

WE OFFER a challenging academic program with a difference: intellectual inquiry is ac-tive, learning is interactive, the disciplines are interrelated, and analysis and creativity thrive simultaneously. The acquisition of knowledge becomes authentic and joyous.

WE CULTIVATE the personal qualities of each student to become an integrated human being with integrity, strong moral character, aesthetic sensitivity, and physical well-being. The Athenian community requires students to face life directly through open communication, while developing their inner strength to exceed their perceived potential and emerge compassionate, responsible adults.

WE INSTILL an appreciation of the recipro-cal relationship between the individual and cultures, society and the natural world. We value the power and beauty of multicultur-alism within our diverse community. We embrace the principles of democratic gov-ernance, stewardship of the environment, respect for human dignity, and service as a way of life.

By providing an atmosphere of intellectual, artistic, and physical challenge within the warmth of a nurturing community, we develop in our students the confidence and skills required to meet the complexities of their future.

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E C H A I R O F T H E T R U S T E E S

Claire Solot ’84

The Athenian Board of TrusteesJULY 2005 — JUNE 2006

Sinjin BainDavid Buchanan ’72Eleanor Dase, HeadSteve DavenportDr. Lisa Feintech ’73Dick FrankelPatty FrazerMarshall W. Freeman Paul LamDan LynchMike McCoy Susan NebesarPatti PaulsonSteve Podell ’77

Nonie RamsayAaron SassonBarbara ScanlonClaire Solot ’84, ChairPete SolvikFiona StewartJackie Thomas ’82Ted UrbanDick WarmingtonBeatrice Winslow ’75

HONORARY T RUST EEDyke Brown

mission ON OCTOBER 5, 2005, I joined more than 400 alumni; current and former faculty, trustees and administrators; current students and their families; and friends of the school on the East Lawn of the Athenian campus to celebrate the school’s 40th Anniversary. The resounding message of the day was that Athenian continues to pro-vide an atmosphere of intellectual, artistic, and physical challenge within the warmth of a supportive community. Dyke Brown’s vision has, indeed, been realized, and Athenian—at 40—is flourishing.

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During the 2005 – 06 academic year, we joined together at the 40th Anniversary Celebration on a stunningly beautiful October day to celebrate the realization of Dyke’s vision on a 75 acre campus at the base of Mt. Diablo. Visiting alumni validated the enduring benefits of Dyke’s distinctive vision. Throughout the anniversary year, having had the opportunity to hear Dyke speak at the celebration, parents and educators connected more deeply to the great importance of this enduring vision in our children’s future.

One original component of Athenian’s program, community service, is featured in this Athenian magazine. Rarely found in any school 40 years ago, today it is commonplace. Athenian’s first magazine spoke about the direct value of service to others, as well as the tangential development of humility and compassion.

Instead of resting on laurels from the past, Athenian’s community service program today is more vibrant than ever. It boasts extensive service learning connected to coursework, community projects that serve the Bay Area, and inter-national projects that respond to urgent human needs globally. During this past year, I have often admired and stood in awe of our students’ authentic passion for service.

Athenian’s 40th Anniversary was a banner year for service in yet another way —volunteerism to support the school. More parents than ever before contributed both time and resources to Athenian.

The Board of Trustees once again provided tremendous leadership, and the number of alumni involved with their alma mater multiplied. At 40 years of age, Athenian is positioned beautifully for a strong and vital future. I am honored to be a part of this extraordinary community of learners, as first imagined by Dyke Brown four decades ago.

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E H E A D O F S C H O O L

Eleanor Dase

WHEN DYKE BROWN founded The Athenian School 40 years ago, he was considered visionary with his emphasis on a humanistic and innovative edu-cation that demanded civic responsibility, diversity, outdoor adventure and community service as integral components of a rigorous academic program.

At 40 years of age, Athenian is positioned beautifully for a strong and vital future. I am honored to be a part of this extraordinary community

of learners, as first imagined by Dyke Brown four decades ago.

mission

Celebrating the Vision of Dyke BrownA T H E N I A N ’ S 4 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R YTHE ATHENIAN SCHOOL celebrated its 40th Anniversary on October 15, 2005, with over 400 attendees, including current and former students, families, faculty, trustees, staff and friends. The day’s festivities celebrated the school’s rich history, with guests including Dyke Brown, founder of The Athenian School, and Ed Ellis, Dean of Students from 1966 to 1992.

When Dyke Brown first dreamed of Athenian, he envisioned a school where students would flourish both academically and personally, where minds would stretch and confidence could soar. In September of 1965, his vision was realized when The Athenian School welcomed its first students.

Far ahead of his time, Dyke realized the importance of service, diversity, international understanding, leader-ship and adventure as integral parts of a strong academic curriculum. Forty years later, these ideals have become a model for education in the 21st century.

Looking forward, Athenian honors its rich tradition while celebrating four decades of academic excellence and innovative learning. In classrooms each day, Athenian instills in students the qualities Dyke Brown envisioned for them: “intellectual fitness and moral virtue” with a curriculum that advocates for “education of the whole person.”

A S P E C I A L D A Y O F E V E N T S Athenian’s Anniversary Celebration fell on a beautiful fall day, and the idyllic setting of Athenian’s campus formed the perfect backdrop for the afternoon. Guests viewed displays on Athenian programs, including a student-built airplane project, environmental initia-tives, community service projects, and more. The arts were center stage, with student artwork displays, and student and alumni performances featured in the day’s entertainment. A three-tier, four-foot wide birthday cake and family games added to the festive afternoon.

The newly renovated student Commons, funded by the Athenian Parent Association, was a gathering place for guests. Alumni viewed yearbooks from four decades at the Commons, which was hosted by Allison Fletcher ’96.

Guests gathered on the East Lawn for a special program featuring Athenian alumni, former and current faculty, and trustees speaking about the pillars cen-tral to Athenian’s mission and purpose (international understanding, education for democracy, environmental steward-ship, outdoor adventure, leadership, and community service). Presenters included emcee Greg Cohelan ’69 and speakers Melissa Barry ’85, Deary Duffie ’73, Jackie Thomas ’82, Andy Wistrich ’69, Steve Davenport (former Head of School), Munzer Afifi (former faculty member), and Eleanor Dase (Head of School). Juliana Prater Marx ’97, Adrian Valeriano ’92, and Margaret Valeriano ’95 filled the afternoon with beautifully performed musical selections.

Juliana Prater Marx ’97, Margaret Valeriano ’95, and Adrian Valeriano ’92 performed musical selections

Dyke Brown, who founded The Athenian School in 965, made remarks about Athenian’s early days and lasting mission

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Eleanor Dase presented founder Dyke Brown with the first copy of The Founding of Athenian — An Oral History. The oral history project was completed under the leadership of school trustees Dave Buchanan ’72, Susan Brown Nebesar (daughter to Dyke Brown), Fiona Stewart and Bea Winslow ’75, with publication just in time for the Anniversary Celebration, thanks to generous donor support. As Eleanor presented Dyke with the book, she shared, “With the additional milestone of Dyke Brown’s 90th birth-day this past spring, Athenian has the luxury of honoring its esteemed

founder, while simultaneously cele-brating the extraordinary educational environment created here.”

The celebration concluded with a reception at the Center for the Arts, honoring Athenian’s donors. As Claire Solot ’84 (Chair of the Board of Trustees from 2003 – 06) shared in her mes-sage to Athenian’s donor family, “In her ‘Fabulous Forties,’ Athenian is truly shining. Blending excellent academ-ics, community service, environmental awareness, international issues and personal growth, Athenian has become an inspirational role model and guide for schools throughout the world.”

A S P E C I A L D A Y O F E V E N T S c o n t i n u e d

Looking forward, Athenian honors its rich tradition while celebrating four decades of academic excellence and innovative learning.

Head of School Eleanor Dase presented founder Dyke Brown with the first copy of The Founding of Athenian—An Oral History

The Honorable Andrew Wistrich ’69, who is a former trustee and board chair, spoke about Athenian’s earliest years

V IE W MORE 4 0 T H A NNI V ER S A R Y C EL EBR AT ION P HO T O S

Visit www.athenian.org/about/ TheAthenianSchools40thAnniversary.php

Melissa Barry ’85 commented on how her years at Athenian shaped her desire to teach

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THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE ATHENIAN SCHOOL is guided by a strong belief in the promise of young people to shape a better world. When Dyke Brown founded The Athenian School in 1965, he modeled the school after Periclean Athens and the full devel-opment of each citizen — thus, intellectual growth, fitness of body and character, commitment to hu-mane values, aesthetic sensitivity, and readiness for adult citizenship and leadership are Athenian’s objectives for each student. An education in the qualities of good citizenship and leadership is in-tegral to participation in the Athenian community, and the school’s community service program has been at the core of the curriculum since the school welcomed its first students.

“To be an Athenian,” explains alumna Monica Streifer ’05, “is to be aware, not only of one’s self, but of the global community. [It is] to know that we share this world, and we can do great things with it if we try our hardest.”

C O M M U N I T Y S E R V I C E — A T T H E H E A R T O F T H E C U R R I C U L U M

Because community service is a key component of Athenian’s philosophy, it is also naturally an in-tegral component of the school’s curriculum, which places an emphasis on experiential learning. A key tenet of the educational approach at Athenian is that lessons learned through community involve-ment are as important as those learned in the classroom, so completion of the school’s communi-ty service program is a requirement for graduation.

Gabe Del Real, Curriculum Coordinator and Humanities faculty member, explains, “Community service requirements have become a recent enthusi-asm in education. At Athenian, service has been at the core of the curriculum from its inception. If at the end of their time here, students have begun to discover the gifts they have and how they can use those gifts to make a better world, then we have been successful in our enterprise with them.”

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Successful completion of each year’s community service program is essential at Athenian in both the Middle School (grades 6 to 8) and the Upper School (grades 9 to 2). The primary goals of the program are to…

DE VELOP students’ citizenship skills, including their ability to analyze and advocate for a social issue and to take leadership to address community needs

DE VELOP ongoing relationships between students and persons different from themselves; develop students’ respect for the dignity of all persons

MAKE a substantive difference in communities through reciprocal relationships with non-profit organizations and government agencies

INCULC ATE service as a way of life

FOSTER civic virtues such as integrity, courage, responsibility, and compassion

INVIGORATE the core curriculum by providing a meaningful context for students to understand and utilize classroom learning

Middle School community service projects include student government, dish crew, weekly campus clean-up, fundraisers and more. Middle School students also do independent service work throughout the year as community volunteers —they have cleaned the Hayward shoreline, worked at food banks, and volunteered at an assisted living facility. Chris McCulloch, Middle School Dean of Students and faculty member, explains, “Dyke Brown, Athenian’s founder, envisioned community service as a key component to an education that stresses not only academics, but also personal development and awareness of the surrounding world. It is in this same spirit that we ask our cur-rent students to involve themselves in their own communities and to lend a hand where there is a need. While community service is a school re-quirement, many of our students pursue it with a passion, motivated purely by their own desires to help others.”

The Upper School community service program is sequential, offering in-depth opportunities for service engagement. Freshman year emphasizes on-campus projects, and tenth graders may select from several off-campus activities. Service projects have included serving food to the homeless in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District; working with a spe-cial needs class at nearby Los Cerros Middle School;

helping a Berkeley animal shelter to find safe and loving homes for pets; and organizing a Halloween Party for a shelter in Oakland. During grades 11 and 12, each student designs and completes an ongoing community service project.

With over 16,000 hours of service completed an-nually, Athenian Upper School students have also coordinated Athenian’s recycling program, taught a refugee to write, renovated the homes of the elder-ly, worked on a coastal clean-up, staffed a camp for students with severe skin diseases, and founded a non-profit aimed at inspiring urban youth. An Upper School student becomes a member of the 200 Hour Club if he or she performs more than 200 hours of community service in a single academic year. Students in the 200 Hour Club have this accom-plishment noted on their school transcript; often the students who attain this distinction shy away from community recognition for their efforts.

In addition to the integration of community service into the school’s curriculum, Athenian has a full-time Community Service Director on staff, as well as a student-driven Community Action Board (CAB) to help students become engaged in service. Mark Friedman has been the Community Service Director at Athenian for five years. While Mark was on leave in Tanzania with his family during the 2005 – 06

Josh Ross ‘08, Rosy Gundel ’08 and Allison Wall ’08 help to

rehabilitate homes for Rebuilding Together Oakland

Dakiem Ellis ’07 bakes cookies with children at the Concord Childcare Center as part of a service learning

project in his Spanish III class

PICTURED TO LEFT On April 7, 2006, Tim Holm Day was celebrated with hundreds of Athenian students, along with staff and faculty, participating in service projects—including building a trail around the periphery of the Athenian campus

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academic year, Jim Sternberg served as the Community Service Director. With both the service program and ethic well-established at Athenian, the 2005 – 06 academic year was filled with community service projects that occurred on the Athenian cam-pus and beyond with students at the center of local, national and international projects.

S E R V I C E L E A R N I N G I N T H E C L A S S R O O M

Athenian’s mission statement reflects a com-mitment to educating young people to embrace “service as a way of life.” One innovative way the school realizes this goal is by offering service as a way of learning. Community service is integrated into courses in many departments at Athenian in order to bring the academic curriculum to life and to provide a context for understanding classroom material. This instructional strategy is known as service learning.

Athenian’s Community Service Director, Mark Friedman, guides the school’s service learning initiative. He has led three Summer Institutes in service learning for Athenian faculty in recent years, with different faculty attending each year. These institutes help faculty to understand ways they can add more service learning opportunities to Athenian students’ classrooms, with integration into the arts, humanities, science, math, and foreign language departments.

Humanities faculty members Stephanie McGraw and April Smock restructured the tenth grade U.S. Studies class around current issues in American society — which include a component of taking ac-tion in the community on this issue. In the course, students work in groups focused on an issue of so-cial inequity, such as racism or women’s rights. The students track this issue through U.S. history, look at current events connected to the topic and also work with an organization focused on the issue.

Rebecca Bierlink and Michelle Capobres, also part of the Humanities faculty, organize the ninth grade World Cultures class members into groups focused on specific religions. Within those groups, students complete service projects in partnership with a religiously-affiliated organization, which includes interviewing two members of that faith.

For the past three years, April Smock has led a complementary Interim trip with her Humanities course, which has enhanced and amplified the classroom lessons. In March 2006, her students traveled to New Orleans to help with Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. For the previous three years, her class volunteered with an organization

called Peace Trees Vietnam. With this Interim trip, not only did her students observe first-hand the fields of conflict from more than thirty years ago, they also participated in a service project, raising funds to purchase and plant trees in the places land mines had formerly threatened local commu-nities. As these examples demonstrate, analysis and conceptual knowledge are only part of the picture of being educated.

B E Y O N D T H E C L A S S R O O M — I N T E R I M

The academic calendar is divided into two terms, with the second term including Interim, a 3 to 14 day experience, which incorporates a community service project or special educational trip in late March. Interim experiences can offer once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunities for students, and Athenian is committed to seeing that all students have access to the unique experiences presented. Students who receive financial aid are eligible to re-ceive full funding for one major Interim trip during their time at the school — this trip may take them across the country or around the world, depending on the trip selected.

Led by Athenian faculty members, Interim trips during the 2005 – 06 academic year included com-munity service projects in Sonoma, California; in the Dominican Republic; in Tanzania in Africa; and in New Orleans, Louisiana.

In the Dominican Republic, 14 Upper School students spent several days at a rustic, private orphanage in the mountains near Los Brazos, inter-acting with local children and making home repairs. There was also a two-day stay in Jarabacoa, a rural fair trade, organic coffee-producing farm owned by Dominican author Julia Álvarez. While there, students lived as the workers live and helped with the harvest. Finally, students assisted with the con-struction of a new primary school near Los Brazos. By moving out of their comfort zone of familiar surroundings and immersing themselves in another culture, the students returned with an enhanced understanding of others and themselves.

The focus of the New Orleans Interim trip was to help rebuild homes for those most effected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the fall of 2005. April Smock, Humanities faculty member and Department Chair, with her brother as chaperone, led eighteen students to New Orleans to help with rebuilding efforts. Seeing first-hand the desper-ate state of living conditions there, they removed destroyed furnishings from homes and helped to tear down homes that were beyond repair.

Kevin Jorde ’05 and Berk Korustan ’05 plant trees for Peace Trees Vietnam

Adrienne Frieden ’05 with high school students in Vietnam

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One homeowner told Athenian students that they had provided him with his first glimmer of hope since Hurricane Katrina hit his community. Below is an excerpt from his letter to students.

Miss April Smock,

IT’S BEEN SIX WEEKs since you all came to our home in our greatest time of need. It’s taken this to fully understand what you and your students have done for us. Before your visit to Chalmette, we were completely out of hope. If any help would come at all, we could never have thought a school teacher and her students would be the driving force to save us from distress and hopeless-ness. You have all breathed new life into our hearts and souls.

I am humbled and inspired by your kindness and compassion. Though you’re all home now, you’ve left us with things no money can buy—hope, inspiration, and the will to rebuild our lives.

Miss April, I know you are proud of your students. They are more than deserving of your pride in them. When they chose to go with you to help Katrina victims in New Orleans, they made statements about who they are and what kind of adults they want to be.

Forever and Sincerely Yours,David P. Quinn, Jr. & Family

Richard Highsmith ’06 comments on his experience on the Interim trip to New Orleans: “I felt like I person-ally had made a difference in someone else’s life.... The trip instilled in me a feeling of both global collabo-ration and respect, as all walls were torn down and a person-to-person connection took over.”

A C O N N E C T E D C O M M U N I T Y

Even before the Interim trip to Louisiana in March 2006, Athenian students were involved in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, organizing fundraisers on campus including a school dance, bake sales, cloth-ing drives, a talent show, a poetry slam, and an art auction. Some of the money raised went to a family in Hercules, California, who opened their home to twenty-one survivors. Donations also were directed to relief organizations, including the Red Cross and Salvation Army. At the Middle School, an Athenian seventh grade student organized a backpack drive, collecting backpacks full of school supplies that were later delivered to schools in the New Orleans area. Drawing from the Athenian community, as well as her own network of friends and family, she man-aged to collect 86 fully-stocked backpacks.

In September 2005, two Athenian students, seniors D.J. Lynch and Matt Okazaki, were recognized by the Jewish Family & Children’s Services of the East Bay with a Family Service Award, in recogni-tion of their volunteer work with a family of Afghan refugees. The family was new to the United Sates and lived in Concord when D.J. met the family in his sophomore year as part of his community service project. He spent time with the three young im-

migrant children, then ages 8, 11, and 13, helping them with schoolwork, as well as supporting their adjustment to a new language and culture.

When D.J.’s school friend Matt needed a project to complete his community service graduation requirement, he partnered with D.J., and they became big brothers to the children. About his experience, D.J. says, “When I tell friends what I do..., I always get the response, ‘Aren’t they lucky.’ I don’t even attempt to correct people anymore because there is no way to explain what these kids give to me.” According to Eleanor Dase, Head of The Athenian School, this is the best kind of com-munity service: “As it happened with service in its best form, the boys don’t feel they did anything unusual. They feel they got more in return.”

Sometimes, community service starts from class-room lessons, as in faculty member Judy Harrod’s Spanish 5 class during the 2005-06 academic year. An honors project was inspired by a play they read called La Muerte y La Doncella (Death and the Maiden) by Chilean author, Ariel Dorfman. The project challenged students to research a case of a young person who had “disappeared” or was executed during the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile. Presentations highlighting human rights abuses during Chile’s military dictatorship were shared with the school community during the Community Service Fair. Buttons were designed and sold to purchase citrus trees, which were planted on cam-pus as a visible and lasting reminder to honor the lives of these victims.

Athenian students went to New Orleans in March 2006 to aid in relief efforts needed as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Jamie Servais ’06 works to help build a school during March

2006 Interim trip to the Dominican Republic

Melissa Sidran ’08 reads to children during March 2006 Interim trip to

the Dominican Republic

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RO U N D S Q U A RE — A WO R L D W I D E C O M M I T M E N T T O S E R V I C E

As a member of the Round Square Conference of Schools, The Athenian School is also connected on an international level through its dedication and commitment to community service. Athenian is one of only four schools in the United States that belongs to Round Square, which includes over 50 schools on five continents. All member schools have a commitment to these precepts or IDEALS: Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service.

Each year, Upper School students from Athenian participate in exchanges to Round Square schools, and students from those schools also attend Athenian through the exchange program. Round Square sponsors several ongoing com-munity service projects in diverse locations worldwide, including both domestic and international exchanges

and projects that range from four weeks to a year in length in the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, and Australia. International community service projects have included building a classroom for village children in Kenya; construct-ing a water supply to villages and providing tsunami relief in Thailand; and helping with building projects in India.

Middle School students are also involved in the Young Round Square. Lynne Carberry, Head of the Middle School, explains that the Middle School’s commitment to community service is driven from this shared understanding: “To be an Athenian is to be a citizen of the world, with all the opportunities and responsibilities that that entails.”

R E M E M B E R I N G T I M H O L M ’ 7 1 W I T H A D A Y O F S E R V I C E Each spring, Athenian hosts both on and off cam-pus community service projects on Tim Holm Day, most recently held on April 17, 2006. This day is named to honor Athenian alumnus, Tim Holm ’71, who built a hang glider for his Interim project in 1971. Tim died in a hang gliding accident shortly after graduating from college. To honor his life, the entire Athenian community — including students, faculty and staff — participate in a variety of ser-vice projects annually, focused on environmental service and stewardship.

Most recently, these included the installation of trail markers and stepping stones along walking paths and an erosion control project on Mount Diablo. On campus, students gardened, planted fruit trees and installed a garden fence. Over a hundred students built a trail around the periph-ery of the Athenian campus, which was named after Tim Holm, and Tim’s family attended the Trail Dedication Ceremony. While some projects take students to faraway places, other times the com-munity served is Athenian’s own family.

Community service at Athenian is not just about doing good things. Similar to every other learning experience at the school, service is a self-directed one. Amber Richert ’98 shares that Athenian teaches students to, “Have a true and committed sense of responsibility and concern for humanity, the skill and confidence needed for effective service and leadership, and a global perspective on society and the environment.”

Head of School, Eleanor Dase, shares that this out-come was the result of the original vision set forth by Dyke Brown in the 60s: “From the start, Athenian was a place for young people to discover who they were as individuals, what they were capable of and responsible for — as learners, as doers, as contribu-tors to this community and many other communities they would belong to throughout their lives.”

Alumnus Alfonsi Li ’95 sums up, “Athenian not only prepared me for collegiate life, but also enabled me to comprehend the interplay between socially responsible behavior and leadership.” Forty years since its founding, The Athenian School remains solidly committed to providing authentic opportunities for meaningful service that extend far beyond the Danville campus and last long after graduation day.

To be an Athenian is to be a citizen of the world, with all the opportunities and responsibilities that that entails.

Athenian students photograph community members during a March 2006 Interim trip to Tanzania

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L E T T E R F R O M T H E H E A D O F S C H O O L & T H E B O A R D C H A I R

Eleanor Dase & Claire Solot

The 2005 – 06 academic year was an outstanding one, in part due to the community’s response to the school’s requests for support. Parent participa-tion in the Annual Fund reached a record level of 75 percent. When combined with gifts from alumni and other donors, as well as 100 percent giving from trustees, an impressive $426,000 total was raised in unrestricted gifts to the Annual Fund. These funds helped to bridge the gap between tuition revenue and what it actually costs to educate students at Athenian. In addition, donors responded with $195,000 for budget enhancing projects, and these funds helped to grow existing programs. Notably, parent support was amplified by the many parents who donated financially and

volunteered their time and talents to the Athenian Parent Association. As a result, the Athenian Parent Association raised nearly $156,000 in support of facility improvements, faculty professional develop-ment, student programs, and other areas of need.Fueled by the generosity of the community and its support of the school’s mission, Athenian continues to prepare students for the rigorous expectations of college and for a life of purpose and personal fulfillment. All of this would not be possible without a dedicated and generous community of contribu-tors and volunteers. We welcome your questions or comments on the report here, and on behalf of the Athenian’s Board of Directors, we extend our gratitude for your support.

AS ATHENIAN CELEBRATES its fortieth year in continuous operation, the financial outlook for the school is strong and stable. As a school, Athenian strives to provide an atmosphere of intellectual, artistic, and physical challenge within the warmth of a nurturing community. As a non-profit organization, Athenian strives for fiscal strength and responsible stewardship of donor investments in Athenian’s most worthwhile mission.

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T H E A T H E N I A N S C H O O L

INCOME

1. Tuition $ 10,219,000

2. Summer program and ancillary $ 1,380,000

3. Fundraising $ 777,000

4. School year fees $ 405,000

5. Endowment transfers $ 135,000

TOTAL $ 12,916,000

Operating Expenses & Revenue

EXPENSES

1. Salaries and benefits $ 6,802,000

2. Buildings and grounds $ 1,752,000

3. Financial aid $ 1,303,000

4. School year program $ 1,247,000

5. Administrative $ 926,000

6. Summer program and ancillary $ 457,000

7. Deferred gifts* $ 245,000

8. Reserve fund $ 184,000

TOTAL $ 12,916,000

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1

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* Deferred gifts were funds received in 2005 – 06 but restricted by the donor for expenditure in 2006 – 07; these funds are allocated to school year programs, faculty support, financial aid, and buildings and grounds.

Unaudited numbers as of June 30, 2006

The Annual Fund

1. Current Parents $ 262,567

2. Trustees $ 200,895

3. Other Individuals* $ 70,034

4. Alumni Parents $ 35,042

5. Alumni $ 30,317

6. Foundations & Corporations $ 21,833

DURING THE 20 05 – 0 6 academic year, $620,688 in Annual Fund contributions supported faculty professional development, student scholarships, and programs like robotics, athletics, the arts, the Athenian Wilderness Experience, and more. The Athenian School is most grateful to the parents, trustees, parents of alumni, faculty, grandparents, foundations and corporations, who supported Athenian’s Annual Fund through their unrestricted and restricted gifts.

GIVING SUMMARY Unrestricted and Restricted Annual Fund Gifts by Constituency

1

2

3

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* Giving summary reflects only five of Athenian’s many committed donor communities, with all remaining donors listed as Other Individuals.

For the purpose of this giving summary, donors with multiple relationships to the school are included in one donor group so as to count their gift only once; the priority order is trustee, current parent, alumni, alumni parent, foundations and corporations, and other individuals.

Unaudited numbers as of June 30, 2006

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THE ATHENIAN PARENT A S SOCIATION (APA) is a parent membership organiza-tion whose work supports and enhances each family’s experience at Athenian through communications, hosting of social events, offering volunteer oppor-tunities, and conducting fundraising to support the school’s mission. Throughout the 2005 – 06 school year, the APA hosted many successful events such as potluck dinners, sports awards nights, and the annual auction (themed Midnight at the Oasis), which is the APA’s largest fund-raising event.

With the strong leadership of Co-Presidents, Julie Nejedly and Kathy Urbelis, joined by a talented volunteer board, the APA saw growth in parent volunteer in-volvement, as well as exceptional financial support for the school. The goals of the APA were realized, and the positive results for the 2005 – 06 academic year are sum-marized here.

V O L U N T E E R I S M Community service is at the heart of The Athenian School’s philosophy, and the APA offers parents opportunities to model this important value. During the 2005 – 06 academic year, an astounding 71 percent of Athenian’s parent community — a total of 278 volunteers — volunteered, an in-crease from 65 percent the prior year. The APA is thriving, thanks to the involvement of so many committed family members, who offer their time and talents to create a robust and dynamic parent association.

F U N D R A I S I N G Funds raised by the APA are critical to important programs that benefit learning at the school. Through the incredible dedication of the parent community — in volunteering, attending fundraising events, and in participating in eScrip and other programs — the APA was suc-cessful in raising $156,000. Funds will launch a Media Arts program for the 2006 – 07 academic year, which will combine technology with the creative spirit. Funds were also directed to environmental

programs, the creation of a workspace for Upper School faculty, facility up-grades, professional development for faculty and staff, student assemblies, as well as faculty/staff appreciation. Some monies are also reserved for ad-ditional Middle School classrooms.

C O M M U N I C AT I O N The APA contributes parent news to the All-School News (ASN), which the Communications Office of the Develop-ment Department publishes and emails monthly to parents/guardians. The ASN is the source for parents to find information and updates on APA events.

The Athenian School benefits greatly from the leadership and dedication of the Athenian Parent Association. The entire Athenian community is grateful to all of the parents who contribute their time and outstanding abilities to the APA through volunteering, attending events and gener-ously supporting the fundraising goals that make such a difference in the classroom experience each student enjoys.

D Y K E B R O W N S C H O L A R S H I P

This scholarship honors an Athenian student who embodies Athenian’s philosophy by demon-strating service, leadership and active participation in the life of the Athenian community. Anna McLean Phillips ’06 was selected by the faculty as this year’s recipient, and she now attends Swarthmore College.

K A T E B R O W N S C H O L A R S H I P

This scholarship sustains Kate’s memory through honoring and

supporting an Athenian scholarship student who is a strong community member and enters wholeheartedly into life at Athenian. Veronica Marion Benjamin ’06 was the student honored by this scholarship, and she now attends Humboldt State University.

E D E L L I S S C H O L A R S H I P

Ed Ellis, who served as Dean of Students from 1966 to 1992, is honored by alumni and colleagues by a scholarship in his name. This fund provides financial aid to a student who promotes Athenian’s values and is a strong community member. Ruqqayat (Umma) Mohammed ’06 was awarded this scholarship, and she now attends Whittier College.

C O U R I C S C H O L A R S

Karen and Charles Couric generously sponsor Athenian students to provide them with an outstanding independent school education at Athenian. The 2005 – 06 Couric Scholarship recipients were Dakiem Ellis ’07, Xavier Hooper ’06 and Isaiah Woods ’09.

N I C O L A J E A N P L A C E S C H O L A R S H I P

The Nicola Jean Place Scholarship fund was established in 1997 by Virgil A. Place, M.D., with the encouragement of his daugh-ter, Nicola Place ’76. The scholarship helps to make an Athenian education available to a student. Christy Payton ‘08 was selected as the Place Scholar for the 2005 – 06 academic year.

TH A NKS TO GENEROUS DONORS,

THE SCHOOL’S SCHOL ARSHIP

PROGR A MS THRIV E

Athenian Parent Association — The Year in Review

Co-Presidents Julie Nejedly & Kathy Urbelis

Secretary Sue Farr

Treasurer Jan Bauman

Auction Co-Chairs Velma Schnoll & Elaine Taylor

Volunteer Coordinator Pat Solvik

eScrip Coordinator Lynne Sohn

Upper School Coordinator Susan Chapman

Middle School Coordinator Cindy Dominguez

AT H E N I A N PA R E N T A S S O C I AT IO N2005 – 06 Volunteer Leadership

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Profiles in Philanthropy

FE W PEOPLE HAVE given more of themselves to Athenian than founder Dyke Brown. As those who had the opportunity to hear Dyke speak at the 40th Anniversary event in October 2005, it is clear that Dyke’s affection for Athenian has endured and grown over the years, and he continues to find lasting ways to express this support.

Through a planned gift vehicle called a charitable remainder trust, Dyke Brown has bequeathed Athenian a portion of his estate. A number of other constituents, like Dyke, have designated The Athenian School as a beneficiary of a trust created with real property (a house, building, and/or real estate). Typically, the donor reserves the use or income from the property during his/her life, with the property passing to Athenian in his/her estate.

None of us can thank Dyke Brown enough for his vision, creativity, and devotion to Athenian. But we can do it often. Thank you, Dyke Brown, from everyone who has benefited from the extraordinary community of learners that you first named The Athenian School.

Donor Profile: Dyke Brown

AT H E N I A N P I L L A R S O C I E T Y M E M B E R S A R E P L A N N I N G G I F T S W I T H A L A S T I N G I M PA C T

PAT T Y AND BOB FRAZER are long-time supporters and donors of The Athenian School, involved since first sending sons, Payton Carling ’83 and Scooter Carling ’85, to the school. Additionally, Patty is an Athenian trustee. The Frazers made their first gift to The Athenian School more than 20 years ago, as donors to the Annual Fund. Most recently, Patty and Bob made a planned gift to the school.

The Frazers are loyal and enthusiastic Athenian supporters for more than just one reason. Patty explains, “I have witnessed the impact that Athenian —and its emphasis on the pillars — has on a young person’s development.” Patty is referring to the pillars of Round Square, a worldwide consortium of over 50 schools, which embraces a series of six pillars or precepts which can be summed up in the word IDEALS: Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service. Students at Round Square schools, such as Athenian, make a commitment to addressing each of these pillars through exchanges, work projects, community service and adventure. Patty continues,

“The pillars had a truly profound effect on our sons, Payton and Scooter. The pillars taught them a respect for the world, its people, different cultures and the environ-ment. This kind of global mentality and understanding is critical to our world’s future.”

As a trustee for the past five years, Patty has observed and participated in the operations of Athenian. She explains, “Athenian’s trustees and administra-tion work hard to satisfy the school’s mission and goals. They operate with a keen sense of responsibility to insure that the school is run efficiently and in a financially sound manner. Without knowing this, it would have been hard for my family to make a financial commitment to Athenian, despite our deep belief in the school’s mission.”

Donor Profile: Patty & Bob Frazer

When it came time for the Frazers to think about where they wanted to make their planned gift, Athenian met their goals in shaping a legacy gift. Patty explains, “Bob and I feel that our planned gift will help stabilize Athenian’s financial base and ensure its future as a leader in education for young people — particularly in teaching personal responsibility and accountability as members of a global community.”

2100 Mt. Diablo Scenic Boulevard · Danville, CA 94506925.837.5375 · www.athenian.org

Printed on New Leaf Everest, made with 100% recycled fiber,

100% post-consumer waste, and processed chlorine free.

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Athletics — Go Owls!

Boston University

Bowdoin College

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Colgate University

Colorado School of Mines

Dartmouth College

Diablo Valley College

Dickinson College

The George Washington University

Hampshire College

Harvey Mudd College

Humboldt State University

Loyola Marymount University

McGill University

Mount Holyoke College

New York University

Northeastern University

Oberlin College

Occidental College

Philadelphia University

Pitzer College

Reed College

Rhode Island School of Design

San Jose State University

Sarah Lawrence College

Scripps College

Smith College

Southern Methodist University

Swarthmore College

Tufts University

The University of Arizona

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Davis

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Merced

University of California, San Diego

University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Cruz

University of Colorado at Boulder

University of Pennsylvania

University of Southern California

University of Toronto

University of Washington

Wheaton College

Whittier College

Nearly all of Athenian’s 2006 graduates gained admission to an outstanding array of four-year colleges or universities, the majority to their first-choice school. The Class of 2006 numbered 73 graduates. Listed are the 45 colleges and univer- sities they selected.

THE CLASS OF 2006 Off to College

THE ATHENIAN SCHOOL offers a wide range of team and individual sports, includ-ing baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, softball, golf, tennis, cross-country, swimming, wres-tling and more. As a member of the North Coast Section, CIF, and the Middle School Sports League, Athenian students have oppor-tunities to compete in sporting events with other student teams throughout Northern California.

Athenian encourages students to participate in athletic activi-

ties to develop the body, as well as the mind, and during the 2005–06 academic year, more than 75 percent of the Upper School student body partici-pated in interscholastic sports, with 70 percent of the Middle School student body participating in sports teams.

During 2005–06, Athenian athletics experienced one of its most successful years in school history. Student-athletes, coaches, parents, and faculty came together with pride to cheer on the Owls in many memorable games, matches, and meets. By year-end, there was increased participation in athletics, increased community awareness of the athletics program, and improved aesthetics for athletic teams and facilities.

The fundamental purpose of Athenian athletics is to mirror the mission and goals of the school, with the athletic program as an integral part of the total educational program. In addition to athletic skill development, athletics staff and coaches take responsibility for instilling in Athenian’s athletes proper attitudes and behaviors that reflect the ideas of citizenship, sportsmanship, and coop-eration, as well as building self-discipline and self-esteem.

The Athenian School recognizes that striving to win is part of life; however, the way in which wins and losses occur in competition is also relevant —and offers teachable moments. Athenian promotes student-athletes to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. This can only be achieved through a well-organized, goal-oriented program, conducted by cooperative leaders. As educators and role models, the athletics leadership maintains a high standard of sportsmanship, both on and off the playing field.

T H E A T H E N I A N S C H O O L12

ROUND SQUARE is a worldwide consor-tium of more than 50 schools in England, Scotland, Germany, Switzerland, Kenya, Botswana, South Africa, India, Oman, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the U.S. and Peru, working together and sharing ambitious goals. It is based on the theories of experiential educational philosopher Kurt Hahn, who believed that schools should have a greater purpose beyond preparing students for college and university. His beliefs, which influenced Dyke Brown’s vision in founding The Athenian School, shaped an educational commitment to preparing young people for life by having them face it directly and experience it in ways that would demand courage, generosity, imagination, prin-ciple and resolution.

Because Dyke Brown was a founding member of Round Square, Athenian’s founding principles very much reflect the values of Round Square, which are summed us as IDEALS: Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service. Students at Round Square schools make a commit-ment to addressing each of these pillars through exchanges, work projects, com-munity service and adventure — programs that can take them around the globe. Working together, these programs ensure the full and individual development of each student and provide a strong frame-work for young leaders looking to respond to global challenges.

On September 17, 2005, six student delegates and two Upper School faculty members departed for the annual Round Square Conference, which was hosted by the Ivanhoe Grammar School and held in Melbourne, Australia. Students spent six days and nights at the conference,

attending lectures on global issues by world renowned speakers and participat-ing in discussion groups, service projects, adventure outings and social events.

Athenian’s delegation also participated in pre-conference tours, hosted by other Round Square schools. Niki Stefanelli (Arts faculty and Round Square Coordinator), Judy Harrod (Foreign Language faculty), Sara Nitz ’06, Jim Lin ’07 and Brendan Okechukwu ’07 traveled to Krabi, Thailand to help rebuild tsunami-impacted areas. This project was hosted by the Regent’s School in Thailand, and Athenian delegates worked with student delegates from five other Round Square schools. Kailyn Kent ’07 (Round Square Co-President), Laura Fitzsimmons ’07 (Round Square Secretary) and Caitlin Chang ’07 traveled to Alice Springs, Australia where they were joined by St. Philip’s College for a cultural tour of central Australia. The delegation was joined by Athenian Head of School Eleanor Dase and trustee Ted Urban.

Student exchanges during the 2005–06 academic year provided the opportunity for students from Australia, Peru, Germany and South Africa to attend Athenian for part of the year. For outgoing exchanges, Caitlin Duke ’06 went to Peru in the fall and Diana Wendt went to South Africa in the winter.

On campus, the student-led Round Square Committee focused on ways to increase interest in the Round Square activities at Athenian, as well as broadening student communication with other Round Square schools. The Committee raised funds in support of the Prince Alexander Fund and scholarships for two boys from The Starehe School, as well as a girl in Africa at a school similar to Starehe.

Also in the 2005 – 06 academic year, the Middle School sent a delegation to the Young Round Square Conference of the Americas, held outside of Calgary, Alberta in Canada. Faculty member Esteban Marotti accompanied eighth-grade stu-dent delegates, Brandon James ’10 and

Round Square E M P O W E R I N G S T U D E N T S T O B E C O M E T H E L E A D E R S A N D G U A R D I A N S O F T O M O R R O W ’ S W O R L D

The goal is to ensure the full and individual development of each student and to provide a strong framework for young leaders looking to respond to global challenges.

Athenian students in Melbourne, Australia at September 2005 Round Square Conference

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Benjamin Bernard-Herman ’10, to the conference, hosted by new Round Square member school Strathcona-Tweedmuir.

The conference was based at Camp Chief Hector, a YMCA camp located just east of Banff National Park. Seventy student del-egates from twenty different Young Round Square schools participated in workshops focused on the conference theme of envi-ronmentalism. There were several guest speakers, a visit to the town of Banff, a school showcase fair, and a tour of the host school. Delegates also participated in a tree-planting service project.

Upon their return to Athenian, students shared their experiences with classmates. Brandon James ’10 and Benjamin Bernard-Herman ’10 will continue their involvement with Round Square in the Upper School dur-ing the 2006 – 07 academic year, when the conference will be hosted by the Bermuda School for Girls in Bermuda.

Each summer, Athenian students also participate in life-changing Round Square International Service Projects. In July 2006, Chris Chapman ’07, Willie Flad ’07 and Ryan Mullen ’07, helped with an en-vironmental project in Boronka, Hungary,

Athenian is proud to be a leader among secondary schools in these extraordinary efforts to develop leadership skills and deepen an understanding of humanity.

Athenian students meet delegates from other Round Square schools during September 2005 Round Square Conference in Australia

All charitable gifts are important, but what makes endowment gifts especially important is their permanence — they continue giving in perpetuity. Properly managed, they not only continue to provide annual operating income but also grow to meet the erod-ing effects of inflation. Endowments are a permanent, stable source of income. Endowment income provides key benefits:

Leaving a Legacy: Gifts to Endowment

FIN ANCIAL STABILIT Y: Income from endowment can effectively smooth out financial rough spots, providing for the school’s operations, even in difficult financial times. Endowment can provide a “safety net” when an unexpected financial challenge occurs.

INVOLVEMENT AND INNOVATION: With income from endowment, the school can fund new programs and ex-pand important initiatives.

PERMANENCE AND LONGE VIT Y: The evidence of a strong endowment indicates that an organization will continue to exist for a long time. Donors to the endowment can see that their investment will continue to make a difference well beyond their lifetimes.

The Athenian School looks to its family and friends for the endowment gifts that will launch another 40 years of leadership in education. For more information on making a legacy gift, please contact Sue Henry in the Development Office at 925.362.7204 or sue.henry@athenian.org.

while Noble Freeman ’07 and Jeremy Meadow ’07 joined students from other Round Square schools in Ladakh, India to assist with a community building project.

As a founding member of Round Square, Dyke Brown envisioned the ways in which this organization could foster personal development and international under-standing among our students. Athenian is proud to be a leader among secondary schools in these extraordinary efforts to develop leadership skills and deepen an understanding of humanity.

T H E A T H E N I A N S C H O O L14

THE PRO JECT BEGAN two and a half years earlier in March 2003, when Marshall Freeman, aviation enthusiast and Diablo resident, approached Athenian with a novel idea. He would fund and provide instruction to Athenian students to give them the rare learning experience of building something complex and of undoubted significance — their own airplane. The school would then own the plane, which would be sold to help afford parts for the next plane-building project. When Freeman pitched the project to Athenian’s Head of School, Eleanor Dase, he had already proposed the concept to others. He explains, “She quickly saw the value of such an experience for the stu-dents in her school. She ‘got it’ where other leaders from public schools and organizations I spoke with couldn’t be bothered.”

Students worked after school in a 40-foot square hangar constructed on the Athenian campus, thanks to donor contri-

butions. Work occurred in two-hour blocks, four days a week, as an after school club activity, which did not provide academic credit. However, the project drew the interest of 88 students, assembled in work teams to construct a 22-foot-long plane with a 36-foot wingspan, two 12-gallon gas tanks and the ability to fly at 100 miles per hour.

Under the guidance of volunteer mentors, students learned plane woodworking from Jim Mandley, welding from Bob Rudolph, sheet metalwork from Ken Wiley, and how reciprocating engines work from Tony Tiritilli and John Meyer. The stu-dents put in the controls and even disassembled a used 135-horsepower engine before it was professionally rebuilt. Those working on the plane came from the Upper and Middle School, split about evenly between the two.

Freeman, who is a member of the Board of Trustees at Athenian, has been an avid aviator for most of his life, both flying and building his own planes. He will again lead the Athenian Airplane Project in the 2006 – 07 academic year. He sums up, “The values we wanted the airplane project to deliver to the kids — the concepts of being part of a long-range project, one which required a team to complete, and one with an important end result — hit the mark. Athenian was fertile ground for reinforcement of these concepts, and a hands-on learning experience, such as the airplane project, fit right in.”

Spirit of Athenian S T U D E N T - B U I L T A I R P L A N E S O A R S

A Piper Cub airplane, took flight on November 9, 2005 at the Buchanan Field Airport in Concord—with more than a hundred Athenian students, parents, fac-ulty and staff, family and friends there to applaud the successful maiden flight of the Spirit of Athenian. Once the plane passed the Federal Aviation Administration inspection and 25 solo hours of flight, it was passenger ready, and Head of School Eleanor Dase took the first ride.

The Spirit of Athenian before take-off on November 9, 2005; Eleanor Dase, Head of School, is pictured with students and volunteer mentors, who helped to build the plane; trustee Marsh Freeman (far right) was the lead man for the Airplane Project

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Athenian Robotics Collective Goes to Nationals

IN MAR CH 20 0 6 , The Athenian School’s robotics team (also knows as ARC, which stands for The Athenian Robotics Collective) came away with two wins at the regional FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition, held at the U.C. Davis campus. ARC took first place in the overall competition and won the General Motors Industrial Design Award. The team’s wins allowed them to progress to the National Championship in Atlanta, Georgia, to compete with other regional FIRST winners at the Georgia Dome in late April 2006. There, ARC fin-ished strong, placing 13 out of 86 teams in their division.

program at The Athenian School that allows for exploration into engineering for high school students. For some students, this may be a spring-board into a high technology career; for others, it is a fascinating hobby that complements the science curriculum at Athenian.

Head of School, Eleanor Dase, explains, “The Robotics Program at Athenian epitomizes the school’s goal of innovative and relevant learning. Watching the students immerse themselves in the construction and computer programming of the robot is learning at its best. It is inspirational to see what they accomplish — and seeing them strategize to win the final competition was incred-ibly exciting.”

The FIRST Foundation’s competition gives high school students the opportunity to design, program and build a robot to compete with other robots in regional competitions, as well as competing at a National Championship event. The FIRST Robotics Competition reached more than 28,000 high school-aged young people on over 1,125 teams in 33 regional events. Teams come from Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Israel, Mexico, the United Kingdom and almost every U.S. state. The program is a life-changing, career-molding experience, and as all team members and participants will say — it’s a lot of fun, too.

The Athenian Robotics Collective (ARC)/Team 852 of are pictured on the left of this alliance group shot; the ARC won the 2006 FIRST Sacramento Davis Regional Competition, as part of an the alliance with Buena High School/Team 726 of Sierra Vista, Arizona (pictured in center) and Jim Elliot Christian High School/Team 662 of Lodi, California (pictured on the right)

The Athenian Robotics Collective provides an experiential learning program at The Athenian School that allows for exploration into engineering for high school students. The robotics program assimilates teams, spon-sors, colleges, and technical professionals with high school students to develop their solution to a prescribed engineering challenge in a competi-tive game environment. The Athenian Robotics Collective provides an experiential learning

T H E A T H E N I A N S C H O O L16

Alumni NewsTHE 20 05 – 0 6 AC ADEMIC YE AR was characterized by generosity, growth, and increased involvement throughout Athenian’s alumni community. New and established events were well-attended, alumni giving to the Annual Fund increased significantly, and the Alumni Relations Office made connections with more alumni than ever before.

End-of-Summer Party for Young Alumni August 21, 2005

AWE Run-In was followed by a backyard barbeque on campus. This new event is now an annual tradition for Athenian’s young and most recently graduated alumni.

Athenian’s 40th Anniversary CelebrationOctober 15, 2005

The 40th Anniversary Celebration welcomed more than 400 guests to commemorate the significance of Athenian’s four-decade milestone. The celebration stirred memories for alumni from the school’s earli-est years, with visiting alumni representing every decade. In fact, the 40th Anniversary was one of the school’s largest alumni gatherings.

Alumni Symposium & Alumni/Senior Luncheon January 5, 2006

Almost 40 alumni returned to Athenian for the Symposium events, held in Kate & Dyke Brown Hall and the Commons. Alumni shared their insights on life after Athenian with Upper School students.

Pre-Party to “Grease” March 4, 2006

Alumni enjoyed pre-performance hors d’oeuvres, drinks and conversation, before seeing “Grease” at the Center for the Arts. For some alumni, it was their first visit to campus since the Center for the Arts opened several years ago.

Recent Athenian graduates visit campus during the January 2006 Alumni Symposium

Brunch Honoring Arlene Ustin April 23, 2006

Alumni, current and former faculty and staff, and trustees gathered in Kate & Dyke Brown Hall to honor Arlene Ustin, Director of the Athenian Wilderness Experience (AWE) program since

1978. In June 2006, Arlene retired from Athenian.

Senior Induction into the Alumni Society May 22, 2006

Each May at Morning Meeting in Kate & Dyke Brown Hall, graduating seniors are inducted into the Athenian Alumni Society, with the Upper School student body attending. Jonathan Winslow ’77, cur-rent/alumnus parent, made remarks about being involved with Athenian as alumni. Patricia Sorensen ’85 joined Jonathan in congratulating seniors, who later enjoyed lunch and a welcome gift from the Alumni Relations Office.

Alumni Reunion Weekend June 3, 2006

Reunion 2006 honored the classes of 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001, with more than 130 alumni, current and former faculty, and guests coming together to celebrate. Alums enjoyed a pool party and barbeque, a cocktail party at Head of

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Alumni Connect & Contributelike AWE, athletics, the arts, and more. A special 40th Anniversary Matching Gift from two anony-mous donors was instrumental in increasing alumni giving, with a total of $30,317 contributed during the 2005 – 06 academic year, a 67 percent increase compared to the prior year.

Special thanks to the alumni who provided fundraising leadership to support the 2005 – 06 Annual Fund: David Baugh ’90, Rebecca Baugh ’90, Lauren Brown ’00, Kate Bryant ’00, David Buchanan ’72, Sarah Carson ’97, Lindsay Firth ’95, John Kohler ’88, Laura Kukulan ’01, Colleen Logan Cassettari ’79, Sydney Rainin-Smith ’88, Nick Rhind ’84, and Shoshana Ziblatt ’92.

ALUMNI CONTACT GRE W BY 36 PER CENT , from 1,450 alumni for whom the school had valid contact information in June 2005 to 1,975 alumni con-nected in June 2006. The Alumni Enews is the electronic newsletter for Athenian alumni that launched in September 2005. It is sent bi-monthly with six issues each year and includes news about alumni and upcoming alumni events, school up-dates on student work, and reports on how alumni donations to the Annual Fund impact Athenian students today.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ANNUAL FUND support dedicated teachers’ salaries and professional development; student scholarships; and programs

TO RECEIVE ALUMNI ENEWS...send name and email address to alumni@athenian.org

FOR A LISTING OF UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS...visit the alumni page of the Athenian website www.athenian.org

School Eleanor Dase’s home, and dinner on the East Lawn, at the foot of Mt. Diablo. Reunion photos are shown on the back cover of the magazine.

Regional Event Southern California Alumni Brunch June 25, 2006

Former trustee Mary Bianco and her husband Tony welcomed former Dean of Students, Ed Ellis; Head of School Eleanor Dase; and Athenian alumni and guests to her Los Angeles area home for Sunday Brunch. The gathering allowed alumni in southern California to reconnect and hear Ed and Eleanor speak about Athenian’s early days and current students.

T H E A T H E N I A N S C H O O L18

for a long time until I became a CFP and joined a private investment firm some years ago. I specialize in retirement, estate, and inheritance issues. To an-swer the obvious, yet unspoken question — yes, my manners have improved drastically since 1971, and yes, I am now allowed back on campus with almost no supervision.

1973Terry Berne :: I am still living in Spain, writing about art, film, music and other cultural topics for American, English and Spanish media.

1974Nancy Davis Stewart :: I live in England, in a village in North Oxfordshire on the edge of the Cotswolds. Ian and I have three kids, ages 11, 13 and 15. They are well and fine and happy. The eldest, Merlin, at-tends boarding school here — a place called Rugby. It’s a huge and ancient school that’s been going 500 years or so. The kids seem much nicer to each other than I remember, though that’s a hard one to calculate.

1980Lynn Jeffries :: I am still working as a designer with Cornerstone Theater Company, which is now celebrat-ing its 20th anniversary. I’m also making a lot of puppets and performing puppet shows in bars with the L.A. band, The Ditty Bops.

Robert Woodruff :: I am married to a pianist, and we have two boys, Sean, age 9, and Jason, age 6.

1983Susan Fine :: I am having my second child any day! My first is now almost five. We moved to Chicago in late June. My husband will be the high school principal at the University of Chicago Lab Schools. I published my first book last summer, Zen in the Art of the SAT.

David Gaines :: I arrived in Cincinnati about nine years ago. My wife, two boys, and I moved here from Lexington, Kentucky for my wife to complete her residency training. She had gone to medical school at UK and had “matched” with the University of Cincinnati for a five-year tour. I met my wife in Chicago, where I was a student at DePaul University. We fell in love, got married and started having little boys. We originally moved to Lexington to be closer to her family since we were so young and innocent in the ways of raising children. Of course, after we lived near her family for eight years, my wife would have accepted a residency spot just about anywhere except at UK. So how about that for a short glimpse into the life of David Gaines from 1983? Boy, does that sound like a long time ago!

1968Andrew Sorokowski :: My article on religion and poli-tics in Europe’s second largest country appeared in the March 2006 issue of Touchstone.

1970Mark Cullen :: This is my thirtieth year at Seattle’s University Prep. I am going back to the history classroom after 21 years as Athletic Director. I am also working toward my school administrator credential.

Jim Haber :: My daughter Katie, 16, is a sophomore at Austin High School, where the Bush twins roamed. My son Will, 20, is a junior at Stanford, majoring in Math.

Dana F. Milton :: After 8 years, I resigned from my job as a victim/witness advocate for Musselshell and Golden Valley County. We sold land, purchased land, and moved our headquarters from the highway north of Roundup, Montana, to 15 miles of dirt road Northeast of Roundup. I’m back to being a full-time rancher/carpenter/landscaper, happily growing organic beef and vegetables on our 14,000 acres. Our three kids are all grown. Our daughter is a paramedic/fire-fighter in Connecticut, one son is a golf pro, and our youngest son will soon be a Cordon Bleu chef.

1971Robin Sherwood Cohelan :: I’m a part-time recep-tionist at a non-profit in San Francisco. I’ve never married, but I have a boyfriend and a dog. I’ve been with my teacher for 19 years (www.amma.org). I journey to India every year where I have a small flat. Life is very good.

Steve Cohen :: I have been in education communica-tions, mostly editing, at UC’s Office of the President, and now at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education for about 11 years. I edited a tennis magazine before that. I live near Cal with my (second) wife, who is a teacher. I play a lot of league and tournament tennis through the Berkeley Tennis Club. I try and find time for politics on the side and last year worked with Professor George Lakoff.

Michael Connolly :: I am a lawyer and have lived in New York for the last 30 years or so. I’m married to an-other lawyer and we have two children, one a sophomore in college and one a junior in high school. When not prac-ticing law, I spend as much time as I can on community affairs as a member of the community board in Lower Manhattan. I am also increasingly active in national politics and hoping that 2006 will be a good year.

Alumni Notes Phyllis O’Gara Currens :: I am living in Olympia, Washington. I have three sons and am an art teacher. I am looking forward to attending our 35th reunion!

Sara Goldberg Feldman :: I’ve lived in Rockland County, New York for 20 years. I’ve been married for 25 years. My husband Yaakov is a published writer and translator of classical Jewish ethics/mussar. He’s also on the internet at Torah.org. His paying job is as hospital chaplain; he’s the rabbi at the same hospital where I work. I’ve been a registered nurse for 31 years, and my oldest is following my lead. Nechama is 22, and just became an RN. My son Aryeh is studying at a Yeshivah and will undoubt-edly end up a rabbi like his father. My youngest, Dina, 18, is graduating high school and will study in Israel next year. I managed to make it to the 20th reunion. The years are going by amazingly fast. I lost my mother just a few months ago, and will visit my father in August in Lafayette. When I visit, I some-times go to Athenian and take a walk and remember. Friendships, feelings, community, music, literature, poetry, the arts, drama, intense relationships. There was nothing else like it.

Judy Goldberg :: I have been in Santa Fe since 1978, with my husband, Thayer (since ‘81) and my son, Forest, 19. Over the years, I have been an independent video producer and educator, now turned radio producer of a show that’s airing on three public radio stations. Check it out on the web (www.backroadsradio.com). Currently, I’m directing a youth radio project and developing curriculum and teaching radio at local high schools and the Santa Fe Community College. I’ve dabbled in the world of “real jobs,” but have been pulled toward the stuff that bit me early on: creative expression, experiential learn-ing and working with diverse populations. Not too different from my senior year at Athenian, come to think of it. Our piece of heaven is an hour out of town, where Thayer has built two small cabins (living quar-ters and a studio) with only snowshoe access most winters. Nearly every weekend, we tramp through the forests beneath the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, overlooking a remote Hispanic village nestled within a verdant valley. We figure we’re pretty lucky.

Marc Louria :: I am pleased to report that I am very blessed in my life right now. I have been able to carve out a living writing for the movies, a high-wire act for sure. Many years of struggle were involved, but whether it was stubbornness or folly, I stuck to the creative path. I recently worked at Pixar Studios for four years, and I am getting a creative story credit on their 2007 release, “Ratatouille.” I also just finished my first novel, another long amazing journey.

James Riley :: My wife, Kris Riley ’71, has been a nurse for the past 20 years. I was a tax accountant

When not practicing law, I spend as much time as I can on community affairs as a member of the community board in Lower Manhattan.

Michael Connolly ’71

I sometimes go to Athenian and take a walk and remember. Friendships, feelings, community, music, literature, poetry, the arts, drama, intense rela-tionships. There was nothing else like it. Sara Goldberg Feldman ’71

We fell in love, got married and started having little boys. David Gaines ‘83

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1993Brian Wheeler :: After four great years in London, my wife and I have decided that it’s finally time to move on. In September, we’ll leave for a month or so of much-anticipated travel, hopefully including some pro bono work in Ethiopia or Liberia, after which I’ll become the second member of my firm’s Tokyo mergers and acquisitions group. This will undoubted-ly involve a lot of long days as we try to rebuild the practice back to early 1990s levels, but I’m looking forward to the opportunity. We both can’t wait to live in Japan again. I would love to hear from Athenian alumni in the area at brian.wheeler@shearman.com.

1996Clyde (Tripp) Rea :: I was married October 1, 2005 to Corinae Kaplan, a classmate from Colgate. We are living and working in Chicago and are very happy!

1997Devin Tomcik :: I recently graduated from Davis with an Economics degree. I am living in San Francisco, working at Retail West, and loving life.

1998Cody Thomas :: I recently got engaged to Tara Neville of Martinez, California. We met on an airplane, and I proposed to her on an airplane.

Jillian Vared :: I have been busy as ever finish-ing up some prerequisites for nursing school and also working part time. I really enjoy the company that I work for, so that has been a real plus. I will be leaving my job for the summer, but I do plan to return. About a month ago, I completed my second marathon, the Big Sur International Marathon. It was

Department of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. After completing my under-graduate degree in Visual Art at Brown University, I spent roughly four years in Africa — first teaching in South Africa and then serving as a Health Education Peace Corps Volunteer in The Gambia where I met my husband, an Infectious Disease specialist from Oklahoma. After attending medical school at George Washington University and enjoying the sights and intellectual vigor of Washington, D.C., we made the move to the small neighborhoods and character of Baltimore. I would love to hear from fellow alumni at asteve15@jhmi.edu.

1990Andrew Terzich :: I work for G.C. Wallace, Engineering, Inc. in Las Vegas. My wife and I are parents of Heather, age 4, and Logan, age 2.

1992Jennifer Farber :: My boyfriend and I just moved in together — into a new house along with his two daugh-ters (ages 5 and 7). I also just accepted a new job as a sales consultant with a medical device company in Los Angeles. I will be working primarily with podiatrists and their patients to market and sell foot and ankle splints.

Tilden Moschetti :: I am currently an attorney practicing family law in San Francisco. An avid multi-sport athlete, I’ll be competing in Ironman Canada in 2006, swimming across Lake Tahoe solo in 2007, running a marathon on Antarctica and swimming the English Channel in 2008, in addition to the usual hodgepodge of triathlons, marathons, running and cycling races. I am on the board of directors for the San Francisco Triathlon Club, and an extremely active member in the San Francisco athletic com-munity. A far cry from the kid who failed P.E. four years in a row!

1985Marc Gross :: Life is going along very well. I am currently living and working in London for a French company. After University, I did my MBA at Georgetown and have developed a career in financial risk manage-ment software for institutional investors. I moved to London in 1996 and have a wife and two lovely children. My wife and I have also recently completed the renovation of a 12th century monastery in central Italy which we rent as a holiday home when we’re not there. You can have a look at www.holiday-rentals.com/Italy/Umbria/holiday-villa-Citta-di- Castello-area/p54884.htm.

1986Garrett Lowe :: I work in theatre and the performing arts — not that my notorious fashion sense doesn’t scream it. I was one of the ‘86 four who went to NYU (three of us into the performing arts Tisch drama dept!) to be followed the next year by two more. I have run into several alumni since who have followed the same path, although when I was there, our little gauntlet had a lot of explaining to do about our “free-thinking high school” back in California. In the years since, I have performed all over the Bay Area and at times, back in New York. I currently set design for the Oakland Opera, perform as an actor locally, and am employed by a show on HGTV as a design assistant, which translates into the artisan who makes cool stuff like candle sticks that look like antlers. I also work freelance as a scenic artist. The sad thing is that I need that many jobs to pay my low, low rent — oy!

1987Rusha El-Bardai :: After so many years, my husband Michael and I had Paige, born November 26, 2004. She is an adrenaline junkie like her dad, so I spend most days keeping her out of trouble.

1988Arethusa (Arisa) Kirk (Stevens) :: I was recently married on the Mendocino Coast to Dr. Greg Kirk at the home of the Marshall family and Kirsten Marshall

‘88. Currently, I am a second year resident in the

I spent roughly four years in Africa—first teaching in South Africa and then serving as a Health Education Peace Corps Volunteer in The Gambia. Arethusa (Arisa) Kirk (Stevens) ’88

Reunion will be held on S AT U R D AY, J U N E 9 , 20 07

Web Site

Alumni Page

Alumni Office

Eleanor Dase

Ed Ellis

Faculty

www.athenian.org

www.athenian.org /alumni

925.362.7212 alumni@athenian.org

eleanor.dase@athenian.org

edwinleeellis@mac.com

first name.last name@ athenian.org

About a month ago, I completed my second marathon, the Big Sur International Marathon …. I am already thinking about the next race! Jillian Vared ’98

Join The Pillar Society with a Planned GiftThrough planned gifts — such as CRTs, CLTs and more — a donor can make a meaningful gift to The Athenian School for the future, while benefiting in the present. Families who wish to preserve their wealth for their children and grandchildren, without paying exces-sive estate taxes, may take advantage of a host of charitable vehicles to accomplish their goals. The key is finding the right planned gift to suit individual family needs.

The staff at Athenian, along with a family’s tax attorney, can structure a gift that benefits both the school and the family now and in the future. For more information on making a planned gift and joining The Pillar Society, contact Sue Henry in the Development Office at 925.362.7204 or sue.henry@athenian.org.

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so awesome and so beautiful, and I felt really good afterwards. I am already thinking about the next race! Some very exciting news is that I am heading down to South America for two months this summer. I am starting in Brazil and backpacking through Bolivia and to Peru.

Danna Molly Weiss :: I graduated in June 2006 from Harvard University with an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies, with concentrations in Arabic, Gender, and Foreign Affairs.

1999Yun-Kyung (Kelly) Choi :: I am getting married and will live in Alabama with my husband. We both will work for Hyundai. I am very grateful to Debbie Evans, my dorm head while at Athenian.

Vera Lev :: I married Ari Kakem in June, and we will be settling in Washington, D.C. I am pursuing my graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University in Government and Foreign Policy, and am currently working for Science Application International Corporation as a policy analyst. I would love to get in touch with fellow Athenians in the D.C. area.

2000Kate Bryant :: After graduating from Scripps College in 2004 with a B.A. in Mathematics and a minor in Studio Art, I moved to New York City. I’m working in Development for ORBIS International, a non-profit that treats and prevents blindness in developing countries. Drop me a note at kate.bryant@orbis.org.

2001Christopher Claus :: I graduated from Saint Mary’s College in 2005. I am now attending the University of Pacific Graduate School and working as a teaching assistant in the Communications Speech Department. I’m also an assistant coach for the Forensic Department’s Speech and Debate competi-tive traveling team.

Laura Kukulan :: After graduating from college a year ago, I spent the summer traveling before beginning work. I went to New York and visited Jennifer Kunz ‘01 before going to England and Scotland. Since September, I have been working at a commercial insurance brokerage in San Francisco and enjoying living in the city with all that city life has to offer. It was wonderful to return to Athenian for both the 40th Anniversary Celebration, as well as for this year’s reunion.

2002Sara Olson :: I graduated cum lade on May 12, 2006 from Texas A&M with a B.S. in Biology and minors in Spanish and Hispanic Studies. I have received a fellow-ship to pursue a Ph.D. in Biochemistry at Texas A&M.

Send alumni notes to alumni@athenian.org.

I’m working in Development for ORBIS International, a non- profit that treats and prevents blindness in developing countries. Kate Bryant ’00

The long-time headmistress of Miss Oliver’s School for Girls has been dismissed because a new, more business-like style of leadership is needed to save the school from a financial cri-sis. But the students, the alumnae, and most of the faculty don’t want a new kind of leadership. They want their beloved leader back. Thus the trauma of change divides loyalties, threatens

friendships, even marriages — and puts the school’s survival at risk.

Saving Miss Oliver’s is available online at www.savingmissolivers.com and www.amazon.com, and through bookstores.

For Your Reading ListS A V I N G M I S S O L I V E R ’ S A N O V E L O F L E A D E R S H I P, L O Y A L T Y , A N D C H A N G E

By Stephen Davenport Head of School, 1977 – 1987 School Trustee, 2002 – current

WHAT BE T TER LEGAC Y is there to leave than your com-mitment to future generations of Athenian graduates?

For forty years, The Athenian School has been enriching the lives of students with an innovative and challenging education. With a legacy gift from your estate, you make a promise to future generations that The Athenian School will always be there. Your gift will live on, leaving a legacy that will enrich the lives of generations to come.

If you have named Athenian as a beneficiary in any of your estate planning, please let us know so that we may recognize your giving in The Pillar Society. Creating trusts can benefit both your family and Athenian.

To learn more about ways to make a deferred gift to Athenian, including a confidential discussion with a planned giving specialist, please contact Sue Henry in the Development Office, at 925.362.7204 or sue.henry@athenian.org.

Is Athenian Named in Your Will or Trust?

ALTHOUGH HIS OFFICIAL title was Dean of Students, many remember Ed Ellis best in his role as Athletic Director or Director of Residential Life or perhaps as Director of Transportation, Coordinator of Social Life, or Algebra teacher. Having spent a total of fifty years in education, students remember Ed in many roles, with each role demonstrating Ed’s diverse talents and his tireless commitment to students.

Retiring from his official role as Dean of Students in 1992, Ed still lives near Athenian and remains an active and dedicated member of the Athenian community. On Sunday, October 8, 2006, Ed Ellis celebrated his 90th birthday on the Athenian campus, where alumni, faculty and staff, and Ed’s friends and family all came together to celebrate his spe-cial day. Remarks from Ed’s friends and family highlighted memories of Ed’s remarkable life before, during and since Athenian.

Athenian was honored to host this special birthday celebration for Ed Ellis, who has provided remarkable leadership and enduring dedica-tion to Athenian since the founding of the school 40 years ago. Ed requests that gifts be directed to Athenian’s Ed Ellis Scholarship Fund.

Athenian Celebrates Ed’s 90th BirthdayDEAN OF STUDENTS (FROM 1966 TO 1992)

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