4 Deconstructing Race Update 18 Cougars

Win! 30 Alumnae/i News8 In the Classroom:

What Moves You?20 Music Moves Us! WINTER 2014

EDITOR

Beth Kriegerbeth.krieger@calhoun.org

NEWS EDITOR

Jim Byrnejim.byrne@calhoun.org

ALUMNAE/I NEWS

Bart Hale ‘00bart.hale@calhoun.org

COPY EDITOR

Amy Edelman

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

Angela FischerMichelle Raum

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Steve NelsonHernán Ortiz

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jim ByrneVictoria JacksonBeth Krieger

DESIGN

Iris A. Brown Design, LLC

O N T H E C OV E R

Music Moves Us! Close to 200 Middle and Upper School students now participate in Calhoun’s instrumental programs, including (L—R) Sacha Rogosin ‘16 on sax, Adam Horowitz ‘14 on bass, Claire Anino ‘20 on violin.

Page 20

W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

The Calhoun Chronicle is published twice each year by the Communications Office for alumnae/i, current and former parents, staff and friends.

Calhoun’s Mission To inspire a passion for learning through a progressive approach to

education that values intellectual pursuit, creativity, diversity and community involvement.

PA R E N T S A S S O C I AT I O N 2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4

OFFICERS

CO-PRESIDENTS

Chris Rothermel Rosa Sabater

SECRETARY

Lynda Roca

TREASURER

Barbara Pyles

VICE PRESIDENTS, UPPER SCHOOL

Ellen CohenMarc Corpron

VICE PRESIDENTS, MIDDLE SCHOOL

Nicole FrankelSusan Dubin

VICE PRESIDENTS, LOWER SCHOOL/81ST

Sara Jane HeldLouise Litt

VICE PRESIDENTS, LOWER SCHOOL/74TH

David HawkinsCarolyn Tierney

Eric Potoker ’85Chair

Jon BrayshawVice Chair

Dylan HixonTreasurer

Melissa LibertySecretary

Steven J. NelsonHead of School

LIFE TRUSTEES

Robert L. Beir*Eric B. Ryan

*deceased

B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S 2 0 1 3 – 2 0 1 4

TRUSTEES

Susan Barkey Jonathan Bauman Stefanie Bhalla Andrea Booth Lori Fleishman Dorr ‘92 James Glasgow Melanie Griffith Dorian Herron Michael Marra Bernadette Mitchell Marc Murphy Brooke Parish Colleen Pike Blair Shaiza Rizavi Chris Rothermel, PA Rep Rosa Sabater, PA Rep Karen Segal Steven Sinatra Susan Thomson

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Edwin Einbender*Constance Stern Flaum ’39Ronald M. Foster, Jr.*Sally Goodgold*Lawrence S. HarrisMark S. KaufmannAnne Frankenthaler Kohn ’39*Peter D. LedererStuart Levin*David C. Masket*Joan MasketArthur S. OlickElizabeth Parmelee*June Saltzman Schiller ’42Jesse S. Siegel*Mary-Ellen Greenberger Siegel ’49Allen B. SwerdlickEdward S. Tishman

*deceased

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

MAIN NUMBER

212-497-6500

LOWER SCHOOL/74TH

212-497-6550

ADMISSIONS/81ST

212-497-6534

ADMISSIONS/74TH

212-497-6575

ALUMNAE/I RELATIONS

646-666-6450

ANNUAL GIVING

212-497-6579

COMMUNICATIONS

212-497-6527

Please send changes of address, phone or email to familyupdates@calhoun.org

A

Photo: Victoria Jackson

W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

Features Music Moves Us! 20

Departments V I E W P O I N T 3

by Steve Nelson

S C H O O L N E W S

Benefit 2014 2

Deconstructing Race Update 4

Grandparent Events 4

Alumnae/i at the Helm 5

Faculty/Staff Newsmakers 6

In the Classroom: What Moves You? 8

Onstage 16

Sports 18

A LU M N A E / I N E W S

Spring Reunion 30

Class Notes 31

From the Archives 32

On-the-Road: San Francisco 34

Profile: Sarah Kramer ‘92 35

Profile: Sam Nagourney ‘05 38

Event Photos 40

Content s

10

16

40

Profile: Sarah Kra

Profile: Sam Nagou

Even

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WINTER 2014

ViewpointBY STEVEN J. NELSON, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Much about the school was wonderful indeed in 1998, but the

finances were tight and the 81st Street building was in need of lov-

ing care and expansion. And there was a bit of a mission crisis. To

oversimplify a complex situation, half the school clung tenaciously

to progressive roots. The other half feared the word “progressive”

and sought to ban it from the school’s lexicon.

The school’s achievements since then are clear: We have won-

derful facilities, enrollment is up nearly 60 percent, finances are

solid and there is little ambivalence about our progressive mission. I

believe we are widely recognized as being among the most distinc-

tive progressive schools in America.

As in any institution, reaching such a point is necessary but not

sufficient. The challenge, then, is to make sure it stays that way.

In my earliest years, I knew that this challenge would be best met

by involving Calhoun graduates in stewardship of the mission and

program. No constituency understands the mission more powerfully

than those who experienced it. No group benefits from the success

of the school more than the alumnae/i who will carry the pedigree

for a lifetime.

This year, to an extent unprecedented in Calhoun’s long history,

a number of very important roles in the school are occupied by

Calhoun graduates. Eric Potoker ’85 is Chairman of the Board of

Trustees. He is only the third Calhoun graduate to hold this position

in 117 years! Lori Fleishman Dorr ’92 is a member of the board and

chair of the Committee on Trustees, the most critical position in

assuring the perpetuation of the board and, therefore, the mission.

Alison Max Rothschild ‘85 (’85 was clearly a good vintage!)

was recently appointed Director of Calhoun’s Lower School, after

several years as Co-Director with Kathleen Clinesmith. Sonia Bonsu

’95 is Calhoun’s new Director of Development. Bart Hale ’00 is our

Director of Alumnae/i Relations, and Debbie Aronson ’79 is Director

of Community Service. Sabrina Spiegel Zurkuhlen ’06 was named

Assistant Athletic Director earlier this year.

Lisa Gilbert ’81, Bobby Rue ’85 (’85 again!), Hannah Scarritt-

Selman ’05, Dan Stein ’07, Chelsea Stilman-Sandomir ’05 and

Michael Zurkuhlen ’06 are all members of Calhoun’s faculty.

I handed diplomas to Bart, Hannah, Dan, Chelsea, Mike and

Sabrina, so this makes me especially proud—and a bit confused!

Every aspect of the school’s growth and progress over these

years is satisfying, but this part is particularly gratifying. The

involvement of more and more Calhoun graduates will ensure that

our preeminent progressive mission thrives in perpetuity.

Head of School Steve Nelson is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post, and has his own blog on Calhoun’s website at www.calhoun.org/stevesblog.

Putting Stewardship in the Hands of Alums

When I began my tenure at Calhoun nearly 16 years ago, I had many hopes. The first, rather modest hope was to make it through the initial year with the school and myself intact. That seems a long time ago…perhaps because it was a long time ago! We’ve since sent some 750 thoughtful, sensitive, creative, ethical and talented folks into the world. That may not solve all the world’s problems, but it’s no trivial contribution.

“We have wonderful facilities, enrollment is up nearly 60 percent, finances are solid and there is little ambivalence about our progressive mission. I believe we are widely recognized as being among the most distinctive progressive schools in America.”

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WINTER 2014

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THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

SCHOOL NEWS

GRANDPARENTS OF LOWER SCHOOLERS:

COME BACK TO SCHOOL!Grandparents of Calhoun students

in the 3’s through fourth grade are invited

for an in-class morning visit on

May 1 (3’s–1st) and

May 2 (2nd–4th)

Get on the invitation list!

Contact Nicole Nelson,

212-497-6533, or

nicole.nelson@calhoun.org.

Completion of Documentary Marks First Phase of Calhoun’s Deconstructing Race ProjectCalhoun is proud to announce the completion of the feature-length documentary film I’m Not

Racist…Am I?, successfully marking the end to the first phase of the school’s three-part

Deconstructing Race Initiative.

The film, which explores issues of institutionalized racism through the eyes of 12 New York City

public and private school students, wrapped in late September 2013 and is currently in postproduc-

tion. Calhoun project director David Alpert and the Point Made Film production team—led by director

Catherine Wigginton Greene, producer André Robert Lee and executive producer Barb Lee—will

be spending the next few months planning the film’s release. A trailer and supplementary materials

about the film can be found at www.notracistmovie.com.

“The ultimate objective of the film—and the overall project—is to expose the myth of color-blind-

ness in a society that, for many, espouses a post-racial mantra,” explains David, who initiated and has

been spearheading the Deconstructing Race initiative for The Calhoun School.

Point Made Films was hired by Calhoun in 2012 to produce the documentary, based on the compa-

ny’s deep commitment to and experience with projects that look at the intersection of race, individual

identity, education and community responsibility. Point Made’s last three films include Adopted, an

investigation into the unforeseen complications of transracial adoption; The Prep School Negro, a

poignant film that examines the experiences of African American scholarship students at the nation’s

most elite schools; and In 500 Words or Less, which explores the college application process through

the eyes of high schoolers.

Deconstructing Race is a three-part youth-based project focused on issues of white privilege and

institutionalized racism. In addition to the documentary film, the project will include curriculum for

students from kindergarten through twelfth grades, and an interactive website created by and for

students. Since receiving its first grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the project has contin-

ued to receive additional funding, including contributions from the Bertha and Gilder foundations.

Numerous organizations, educators and scholars have come out in strong support of the project,

including Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and the National Association of Independent Schools.

Find out more about the Deconstructing Race project:� Deconstructing Race project at www.calhoun.org/dr� I’m Not Racist…Am I? trailer and supplementary interviews at www.notracistmovie.com� Follow the film’s progress on Twitter @notracistmovie

Cultural Programming Captivates Grandparents

Now in its second year, Calhoun’s Cultural

Excursions for Grandparents continues to earn

enthusiastic reviews!

Earlier this fall, 15 grandparents enjoyed a

private tour (before museum hours!) of MoMA’s

permanent collection of works by Picasso,

Monet and other masters. More recently, a group

of grandparents enjoyed a similar visit to the

New Museum, which is located on the Lower

East Side. Anita Fleishman, who has become a

regular participant, was particularly enthralled

by the trip to the New Museum, which features

contemporary art—a place she acknowledges

she might never have visited. “I found it very

thought-provoking…and I’m actually still thinking

about it,” she says. Calhoun Director of Special

Events Nicole Nelson, who organizes the tours

for grandparents, agrees that seeing the Chris

Burden exhibit at the New Museum was a par-

ticular treat. “It was one of the most interesting

art installations I have ever seen,” says Nicole.

In the first year of the Cultural Excursions

program, Calhoun offered grandparents a pri-

vate tour of the Rubin Museum of Art, hosted by

fellow grandparent and founder Donald Rubin;

and a formal tea luncheon and tour of both the

public and private rooms at Gracie Mansion.

Nicole is already busy trying to plan some-

thing equally compelling for next year’s excur-

sions. Calhoun grandparents who would like to

be notified of upcoming events should register

online at www.calhoun.org/grandparentemails,

or contact Nicole Nelson, 212-497-6533.

I’m Not Racist…Am I?, a feature-length documentary produced by Calhoun and Point Made Films, follows the journey of 12 public and private school students—three from Calhoun—as they confront and explore issues of racism and white privilege.

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WINTER 2014

SCHOOL NEWS

Alison Max Rothschild ‘85 Named Lower School DirectorHead of School Steve Nelson has announced a transition in Lower School leadership that will

begin taking place over the next few months.

Effective next fall, Alison Max Rothschild ‘85 will be the Director of the entire Lower School,

3’s through fourth grade. Kathleen Clinesmith, with whom Alison has been serving as Lower

School Co-Director, will begin a new position working closely with Steve on a number of school

initiatives. Various aspects of this transition will be phased in through the remainder of this

current school year.

Also effective next fall, LS math teacher Anthony Yacobellis will begin serving as the Assis-

tant Director of the Lower School, 81st Street, reporting to Alison. Hamida Butt, who has been

acting as Curriculum Coordinator for second through fourth grades, will serve as the Director of

Curriculum Development for the entire Lower School.

“Our Lower School is a model of progressive education at its best,” said Steve when he made

his announcement to Lower School faculty and parents. “This leadership team will continue to

build on the remarkable work that Kathleen started several decades ago.”

Calhoun is thrilled

to welcome Sonia

Bonsu ’95 to her new

position as Director

of Development.

When the announce-

ment was made

earlier this year,

Head of School Steve Nelson noted that Sonia’s

promotion marks the first time a Calhoun alum

is taking on the stewardship of the school’s

advancement efforts.

Sonia comes to her new position after having

worked for five years in Calhoun’s Development

Office as the Director of Annual Giving, during

which time she led the Annual Fund to record

levels of participation and overall giving. In

her new position, she is responsible for annual

fundraising, Calhoun’s ongoing major gift pro-

gram, periodic capital campaigns, and alumnae/i

relations. Reporting to Sonia is Bart Hale ’00,

Director of Alumnae/i Relations; Lauren Spirig,

Major Gifts Manager; Nicole Nelson, Director of

Special Events; Jessica Dudley, Data Operations

Manager; and Barbara Bernard, Development

Associate.

Before being hired to join the Development

team, Sonia served as an alumnae/i represen-

tative to the Calhoun Board of Trustees. The

Calhoun grad earned her AB from Harvard

University and a JD from Fordham University

School of Law.

“I was 12 years old when I set foot in this

building for the first time, and I knew almost

instantaneously that this was where I wanted

to be a student,” says Sonia. “I benefited from

the progressive philosophy, the diverse student

population, the caring and astute teachers and

the robust financial aid program. At that time, I

could not have guessed that 14 years later, Cal-

houn would be a part of my everyday life again.”

Sonia looks forward to new challenges. “I

cannot envision a more gratifying role than

dedicating my professional energy to securing

resources that keep Calhoun a vibrant and lead-

ing educational institution. I love this place, and I

am fortunate to be able to say thank you in this

way each and every day.”

Alison Max Roth- schild ’85 (right), newly named Director of the Lower School, will be joined on the LS team by Anthony Yacobellis, Assistant Director, and Hamida Butt, Director of Curriculum Development.

Sonia Bonsu ’95 Promoted to Director of Development

calhoun annual fund 2013-2014

what moves you

www.calhoun.org/onlinegiving

6

THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

They also explored ways and means

for video projects to support

curriculum needs; how to acquire

low-cost, low-tech equipment and

software; how to create stories and

scripts; how to use a green screen;

and easy methods for stop-motion

animation.

Joan Gillman, MS science teacher,

was a guest presenter at the Sci-

ence Teachers Association of New

York State’s annual conference

in Rochester this past fall. One of

her workshops, “Astronomy and

Interdisciplinary Curricula Go Hand-

in-Hand,” was a two-hour class on

how to design, build and launch

straw rockets. Earlier in the fall,

an article she wrote based on the

same curriculum—“Straw Rockets

Are out of This World”—was pub-

lished in Science and Children, a

magazine produced by the National

Science Teachers Association

(NSTA). The article describes the

hands-on physics project that Joan

conducts with her fifth graders as

part of an annual astronomy unit.

Marjorie Duffield, US theater

teacher, had her full-length play Ice

Island produced last September

at Belhaven University in Jackson,

MS. Originally mounted off-Broad-

way in 1999 by the Melting Pot

Theatre Company, Ice Island tells

the story of the crew of The Endur-

ance, led by Sir Ernest Shackleton,

and their failed attempt to cross

Antarctica in 1914. The play chron-

icles their journey and explores

how Shackleton and his men used

heroism and humor to survive.

Gregg Landes, Upper School drum

and percussion teacher, played

percussion for The Landing, an

Off-Broadway musical that opened

at the Vineyard Theatre in Union

Square this past fall. The produc-

Math teachers Ben Schwartz and

Anthony Yacobellis were guest

speakers at the Progressive Educa-

tion Network’s National Conference

in Los Angeles on Oct. 10–12. The

conference was attended by pro-

gressive educators from across the

country. For their workshop, “How

Much Is a Million: Conceptual

Understanding in Mathemat-

ics,” Anthony and Ben described

Calhoun’s hands-on approach to

engaging elementary-age students

in the self-discovery of mathemati-

cal concepts. Anthony, who has

been teaching third grade math at

Calhoun for 13 years, was recently

promoted to LS Assistant Director

at 81st Street. Ben, who began at

Calhoun as a fourth grade math

teacher in 1999, currently teaches

math to sixth and eighth graders

and serves as the chair of Calhoun’s

Academic Cabinet.

Lavern McDonald, Upper School

Associate Director and history

teacher, penned an article that was

published as the September cover

story of “Bookends,” the Sunday

literary supplement of the Jamaica

Observer. Lavern’s article was

about the Caribbean and diasporic

writers who contributed to the

Brooklyn Book Festival last summer.

Brian Hallas and Rob Klein-

schmidt, Lower School media arts

teachers at 74th Street and 81st

Street respectively, led a work-

shop at the Blue School’s second

annual Teaching Innovation Confer-

ence on Tues., Nov. 5. This year’s

conference, titled Making/STEAM,

was dedicated to unleashing cre-

ativity and imagination in schools.

Rob and Brian’s interactive work-

shop—“Making Classroom Videos

with Found Objects and Recycled

Materials”—demonstrated various

techniques and examples of past

work as well as materials used and

storyboards created by students.

SCHOOL NEWS

FACULTY/STAFF NEWSMAKERS

tion was created by theater com-

poser John Kander (Chicago, Caba-

ret, Kiss of the Spiderwoman) and

playwright Greg Pierce (Slowgirl).

Says Gregg, “The band includes

only four instruments—cello,

woodwinds, piano, and an extensive

percussion setup—but the music

is beautiful, the playing was very

challenging and satisfying, and [the

musicians] were visible the entire

show and act as four additional

voices to the four actors on stage.”

Steve Nelson, Head of School,

continues to irate and inspire in his

Huffington Post editorials on issues

of education and social justice.

Here are some of the latest:

■ “A Look Ahead at 2014 in

Education Reform” (Jan 3, 2014)

■ “Education Isn’t Broken, Our

Country Is” (Dec. 16, 2013)

■ “Lipstick on the Pig of Education

Reform” (Oct. 6, 2013)

Find a link to Steve’s HuffPo

blogs from Calhoun’s News &

Media mash-up page,

www.calhoun.org/newsmedia.

In the Spotlight Ben Schwartz, MS math teacher (left) and LS math teacher Anthony Yacobellis were guest speakers at the Progressive Education Network’s National Conference, held in Los Angeles.

LS teachers Brian Hallas (below left) and Rob Kleinschmidt led a media workshop at the Blue School’s Making/STEAM Teaching Innovation Conference.

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WINTER 2014

Calhoun Celebrates Brendan Kiely’s First Book LaunchCalhoun celebrates the release of US English

teacher Brendan Kiely’s first novel, The

Gospel of Winter. Published by Margaret K.

McElderry Books of Simon & Schuster, the

book hit stores on Jan. 21.

“Sharing the book launch with the

Calhoun community is so meaningful to me,”

says Brendan, who began working at Calhoun

in the admissions office in 2004. “It’s also

exciting because, since I teach English and

creative writing classes, it’s fun to think that

the publishing of my book can serve as inspi-

ration for my students.”

The Gospel of Winter has received praise

from two bestselling authors—Colum McCann

(Let the Great World Spin, TransAtlantic) and A. M. Holmes (Jack, The

End of Alice)—and has earned a pair of starred reviews from Publish-

ers Weekly and Kirkus. “Setting his story against the shaky aftermath

of 9/11 and the scandals that surfaced in the Boston archdiocese in

early 2002, Kiely hits his mark with a sickening portrayal of Father

Greg and those who let his behavior continue,” notes Publishers

Weekly. “But it’s the combination of Aidan’s vulnerability, denial, and

silent rage that makes the novel so distressingly vivid and real.”

SCHOOL NEWS

6SIX WAYS TO

CONNECT ONLINE WITH THE

CALHOUN COMMUNITY1.

CALHOUN WEBSITEwww.calhoun.org

2.

FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com/calhounschool www.facebook.com/calhounalums

3.

TWITTER

www.twitter.com/calhounschool

4.

INSTAGRAM@calhounschool

5.

YOUTUBEwww.youtube.com/calhounschool

6.

LINKEDINhttp://bit.ly/calhounlinkedin

TEACHERS TEACHING TEACHERS

US art teacher Hailey Kim (left) goes over the finer points of silkscreen monotypes with chemistry teacher Kim Cassidy. The lesson was one of five different hands-on activities offered one afternoon in December as part of a larger initiative promoted by US Director Lorenzo Krakowsky, whereby colleagues teach colleagues. Other offerings included a literary conversation with Brendan Kiely and Nicole Nemergut on the theme of “Exile and Homecoming”; a pinhole photography lesson with Gary Cohen; a woodshop project with David Hyman; and experiments demon-strating “How Electric Charges Behave” with John Roeder. “It’s a valuable exercise for our teachers to learn by being students, to understand a bit about the experiences of our students, to learn about other teachers’ approaches, and to explore possibilities for collaboration,” says Lorenzo. In addition to the one-day workshop last December, Upper School teachers are invited throughout the year to colloquiua presented by fellow teachers on a variety of academic topics.

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THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

What Moves You?

Calhoun’s 2013–14 yearly theme is about

getting our community to study action

and movement. It allows our younger

students to explore the more literal

concepts—modes of transportation,

physical movement, exercise, and how

people are “differently abled” in terms

of mobility and accessibility. For our

older students there are also more

abstract explorations: how the arts

inspire; how technology, design and

innovation are reinventing what it means

to be mobile; and how one can take

action for change. Here are just some

of the projects and activities that have

“moved” us so far this year.

IN THE CLASSROOM

1. Sixth graders Noah Shaub and and Lauren Kauppila practice coding skills using manipulatives and “robot vocabulary.”

2. MS English teacher Larry Sandomir poses with visiting author Liz Murray, whose message students called “life-changing.”

3. Ishmael Beah, author of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, inspired students with his courage and humor.

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WINTER 2014

IN THE CLASSROOM

Author Liz Murray Brings Words of Empowerment

The words “life-changing” were

cited several times by Calhoun

Middle School students and faculty

when describing their time spent

listening and talking to Liz Murray,

author of the memoir Breaking

Night and subject of the 2003 TV

movie Homeless to Harvard.

Liz came to Calhoun in October

to talk about her experiences in the

1970s in New York as a homeless

youth raised by drug-addicted

parents, and how she turned her

life around—graduating from high

school in two years and getting

admitted to Harvard on scholarship.

First speaking at an assembly

for the entire Middle School and

faculty, and then meeting in smaller

groups with seventh and eighth

graders, the author “made us feel

empowered—that we all mattered,”

observes MS English teacher Larry

Sandomir, who arranged for the

visit. Clearly his students agreed. In

thank-you letters to the author, one

student wrote: “Listening to your

story and to hear you say that there

was a possibility that I could totally

change my life around was like

opening my eyes after the storm.”

Ishmael Beah Shares His Inspirational Story

Upper Schoolers couldn’t have been more amazed or honored when they

got to hear and meet Ishmael Beah, former Sierra Leonean child soldier

and author of the published memoir A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy

Soldier. Ishmael spoke to Upper Schoolers about his harrowing experiences

as a 12-year-old during his country’s civil war, and how he has managed to

rise above his tortured childhood and commit himself to social activism and

service.

Ishmael’s memoir was a community-read for Calhoun’s Upper School,

and students and teachers had spent countless hours discussing the book

before Ishmael’s visit in late October.

“He left me speechless,” said Jules Starn ‘16 after the presentation.

Another student, Nica Delbourgo ‘14, remarked on Ishmael’s sense of

humor, which clearly “got him through” his struggles, and was amazed that

“he never expressed pity for himself; he just accepted [it] and moved on.”

Rebecca Snow ‘14 was similarly inspired: “He used his struggles as a way to

better himself and make a difference,” she observed.

See a video of Ishmael’s talk at Calhoun: http://bit.ly/1anlM4r.

Coding Captivates “Digital Natives”

Upper and Middle School students

were enthusiastic participants in

December’s Hour of Code, a

nationwide event organized by

code.org, the nonprofit dedicated to

expanding participation in computer

science education.

Sixth graders in Alba Polsley’s

math class practiced coding in a

lesson called “My Robotic Friend.”

Using cups as manipulatives in

various formations, the students

learned how to employ program-

ming techniques and a pre-defined

“robot vocabulary” (code) to

complete specific tasks. Explains

Alba, “The students learned the

connection between symbols and

actions as well as the valuable skill

of debugging.”

Meanwhile, in Jonathan Haff’s

US Intro to Programming class, stu-

dents were excited to learn how to

make their first iPhone games using

Objective-C, the language used to

write all native iPhone apps.

“Programming is an important

and powerful skill every student

should explore,” says Jonathan,

Director of Technology and Building

Operations. “Today’s students are

often referred to as ‘digital natives,’

but they have no understanding

of the technologies they’re using.

Learning to code enables a deeper

understanding of technology, and

more important, provides them the

ability to create new technologies.”

SUN POWER! Chris Jager ’15 (below left) and Jack Javer ’15 demonstrate the new solar cell chargers that were purchased and placed in various classrooms by the new Upper School Sustainability Club. If initial tests go well, the two leaders of the club hope to raise money for more units to be installed on windows throughout the school. Earlier this year, Jack gave an impassioned talk to fellow Upper Schoolers about the need for renewed sustainability initiatives at Calhoun. Some of the projects on the docket: more efficient water fountains that might encourage classmates to refill water bottles; new waste stations with compost trash recycling bins; and an educational campaign for recycling that will be a collaboration among kids in all divisions of the school.

KEEPING IT GREEN: Chase Smith (below) was one of the enthusiastic first graders who teamed up with the Upper School Community Action Class in late October to participate in the Central Park Conservancy’s Keeping It Green program.

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WHAT MOVES YOU?

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THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

IN THE CLASSROOM

Students in the Middle School Sustainability Club are growing and harvesting greens and herbs for Calhoun’s lunch program using a new hydroponic tower garden that “lives” in the seventh-floor science lab.

The tower is a self-contained, closed system that uses about 20 gallons of water (none wasted) and doesn’t require soil or sun—though the new full-spectrum growing lights are definitely contributing to the growing

tower’s efficiency. As many as 20 plants are planted at one time and ready for harvest in as little as 21 days!

Lower Schoolers are contrib-uting to the project by nurtur-ing the seedlings for the tower garden. Middle Schoolers are planting the seedlings, testing the water acidity to ensure the correct pH factor, and harvest-ing the plants. Already, they have provided a healthy batch of basil, kale, arugula, bib lettuce and other greens to our food service program!

David Hyman, the MS club’s supervisor and new sustain-ability coordinator at Calhoun, says he hopes to get three more towers. But for now, he’s thrilled about the way the Middle School students are taking charge; he’s even more optimistic about the opportunities the tower garden is creating for cross-divisional cooperation. Next up: a fresh look at how we use our Green Roof and third-floor greenhouse!

Hydroponic Growing Tower Feeds Calhounders

(Clockwise, from left) Calhoun’s hydroponic garden tower; Maddy Gordon ’14, one of the US student liaisons to the Middle School Sustainability Club, shows second grader Henry Dorr how well the seeds he helped germinate are growing; Chef Drew Grabiner (right)

gives some pointers on planting seedlings in the tower garden to (L–R) MS science teacher Kristin Bozymowski, Matthew Glimcher ’19, sustainability coordinator David Hyman, Sam Draeger ’20 and Oscar Llodra ’20.

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WINTER 2014

IN THE CLASSROOM

“I will never use the word normal

ever again.” That was the promise

that John Sharon extracted from

members of the Calhoun commu-

nity when he came to the school in

November to talk about his organi-

zation, Disabilities Understood, and

how to create a supportive, inclusive

community for people with different

abilities. “We are all temporar-

ily able-bodied; none of us are

immune,” John told his audience of

Middle and Upper Schoolers. He also

asked the students to imagine “how

hard it is to be defined by what you

can’t do.” Equality, he explained,

doesn’t mean justice: “Justice

means everyone gets what [he or

she needs] to succeed. We should

fight for justice, not just equality.”

John’s visit to Calhoun,

arranged by MS social studies

teacher Irene Baigorri, was inspired

by the 2013–14 year theme, What

Moves You? Ability Mobility Acces-

sibility Accountability—which was,

in fact, a choice largely influenced

by a powerful presentation made

to Calhoun faculty last year by

senior Jenna Taylor about issues of

disability and accessibility. Jenna,

like John Sharon, was born with

arthrogryposis multiplex congenita,

a rare condition that limits muscle

and bone growth.

As a follow-up to John’s visit,

Jenna arranged an Upper School

town hall meeting this winter

featuring Rick Guidotti, a former

international fashion photographer

who left a successful, glamorous

career to look for and capture “non-

traditional” beauty among children

with differences. Over the course of

the last 15 years, Rick has traveled

the world as both a photographer

and advocate of children with

physical differences, establishing

or partnering with support groups

to mount exhibits that help people

see “not the disease or diagnosis,

but the child as a human being.”

Referencing Calhoun’s yearly

theme, Rick avowed that “when you

change how you see, you see how

you’ve changed.” The photographs,

he says, also help the individual

children redefine their own beauty,

leading to self-acceptance, self-

esteem and self-advocacy.

Redefining Beauty and What Is Normal

(Left) Jenna Taylor ‘14 poses with international fashion photographer Rick Guidotti, who is redefining the concept of beauty through his portraiture work (above)—“helping people see not the disease or diagnosis, but the child as a human being.”

For Jenna, Rick’s visit was a

personal accomplishment. “To be

able to be given the space to bring

in a guest speaker on a topic I am

so passionate about, and affects

me personally, makes me so happy,”

she says. “But it is another thing

altogether to have the speaker so

well received and to hear students

talking about it in the hallways and

during class. It means that we’re not

only getting a message out there,

but the message is being heard.”

Read more about Rick’s work

at www.positiveexposure.org, an

arts, education and advocacy

organization he established to work

with individuals living with differ-

ences. For information about John

Sharon’s organization, go to www.

disabilitiesunderstood.com.

GET MOVING: Students enrolled in this Upper School October Session got the ball rolling for a special yearly theme activity related to health and physical fitness. Using a Fitbit tracker, they learned to monitor and analyze physical activity, following Lower Schoolers as they ran, jumped rope and got moving with hula hoops. The data was shared with Lower Schoolers in their math classes, where the results were turned into lessons in charting, estimation and prediction. (L—R) Ashley Wrght ‘16 with third graders Hope Coven and Leah Sever

WHAT MOVES YOU?

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THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

IN THE CLASSROOM

It may be some time before they step into their eventual role as stewards of the earth, but Middle School students in Kristin Bozymowski’s science classes are already researching and debat-ing the merits of nuclear energy and renewable resources. “There is a rush in this country to find alternative energy sources, since fossil fuels have a limited life and also pose a huge environmental impact,” notes Kristin, who de-signed an engrossing unit of study this year that her students have embraced.

Students began the year by looking at the pros and cons of nuclear power as a potential larger-scale source of energy, gauging how much of the energy we’re currently using is from nuclear (20 percent) and exploring issues related to nuclear waste. To supplement their research, the stu-dents screened the documentary film The Ultimate Wish, which examines the impact of nuclear weapons and nuclear power

through the eyes of Nagasaki sur-vivors and Fukushima evacuees, and read Trinity, a graphic novel about the Manhattan Project. The seventh and eighth graders also met with Geoffrey Shaw, repre-sentative of the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency to the United Nations, for a talk about alternative uses of nuclear technology.

Then, in December, Kristin’s students stepped into roles as “radiation detectives,” leaving no stone unturned in New York City for this hands-on, experiential investigation. Equipped with Geiger counters to measure radiation levels at various loca-tions around New York, the stu-dents broke into groups and trav-eled to 10 different sites—all tied to the original Manhattan Project. One group ventured to the Baker and Williams warehouses, located near the High Line, which was a storage facility for the uranium ore used for the creation of the atomic bombs deployed by the United

States in World War II. Upon returning to school, the students entered their data to cross-refer-ence and analyze their readings—all of which felt below maximum acceptable radiation levels.

The fieldwork was followed by various activities on the subject of radiation, including a nuclear energy debate; a survey of the Calhoun community to determine people’s perceptions of nuclear en-ergy; and a conversation via Skype with Japanese teens who had been evacuated from the area near the Fukushima Daiichi power plant meltdown in 2011.

The final piece of the unit will come in the spring, when Calhoun again hosts Hibakusha Stories, an assembly that features speakers relating their experiences during the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

Is Nuclear Energy the Answer? Middle Schoolers Investigate

(Far left) MS science teacher Kristin Bozymowski helps seventh graders Stephanie Vaccaro and William Rothermel enter and analyze radiation measurements from their assigned Manhattan location.

(Left) Seventh grader Anna Valentino uses a digital Geiger counter to measure radiation levels in the Baker & Williams warehouses, a former storage facility for uranium ore located near the High Line.

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WINTER 2014

IN THE CLASSROOM

Fifth Graders Take Esperanza Rising to CourtPam Muñoz Ryan’s novel Esperanza

Rising had fifth graders in an uproar

this fall.

The novel, set in Mexico during

the time of the Great Depression,

set off an emotional debate as to

whether Mama and her daughter,

Esperanza, could be legally thrown

off their land now that Esperanza’s

father had died. “The kids were

outraged that Mama wouldn’t get to

stay in her home unless she agreed

to marry her evil brother-in-law—who also was the supposed legal

heir,” explains humanities teacher

Chelsea Stilman-Sandomir ’05.

The students resolved to take

matters into their own hands and

stage a trial. Chelsea and her fellow

humanities teachers—Andrew

Marsiglio and Ebony Murphy-Root—gave an immediate thumbs-up to

the student-driven project. “It

not only meant they were thinking

deeper about the implications of

the novel, but their initiative would

also incorporate what they had

been learning in social studies

about government and courtroom

procedure,” notes Andrew. To make

the learning process an even richer

cross-disciplinary project, the teach-

ers brought in MS Spanish teacher

Linda Sandoval to help the students

translate the narration, questions

and “testimony” into Spanish,

so the trial could be a bilingual

exercise.

Immediately, the kids began

writing a transcript for the trial

based on the plot lines of the story;

and they designed the courtroom

and assumed the various roles of

judge, jurors, lawyers, witnesses,

defendants, bailiffs and sketch art-

ists. Ready for their day in court,

the fifth graders presented the

two-day case before an audience of

fellow students and parents, with an

extra day for the jury to deliberate.

Their decision? Mama gets to keep

her land, by a 5—4 vote. It was a

win-win situation!

(L-R) Fifth graders Alex Simmons, Annie Brewer, Jude Thompson and Eli Samson play their roles in a trial based on the novel Esperanza Rising.

1

(Right) GIVING BACK: In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Calhoun girls’ volleyball teams held their annual Dig Pink event last October and raised an impressive $2,200 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation—three times more than last year! (L—R) Caitlin Leung ‘17, Emma Vallo ‘15, Alexandra Schonfeld ’15, Michelle Zukerman ’15, Joelle Schneider ’17, Lia Barnhard ’16

(Top) THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT! Practicing their photo and graphic skills, seventh grade students in Mike Zurkuhlen’s photography class created PSA posters that would be meaningful to their fellow students. (Poster by Bennett Wood ‘19 and Fiona Geddes ‘19)

CALHOUN KIDS LOVE MATH! At least, that’s the educated opinion of Abby Jean-Baptiste ’14 (left), who elected to spend two mods this year on an independent study in advanced multivariable calculus with US math teacher Danny Isquith (right). The opportunity was made easier because of the flexibility of the block system and the encouragement of the Upper School administrators who made it work, says the senior.

Abby confesses that she loves the concreteness of math—working through textbook concepts and then applying them to problems. “I think math is more popular at Calhoun because teachers are so passionate about it; they try to make it under-standable and fun. It’s more than memorization; it’s about under-standing and discovering something for ourselves. That makes it more meaningful.”

WHAT MOVES YOU?

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THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

Zach Simon ’14 was busy last summer. Immediately after school ended, the senior headed to Cleveland, OH, for a six-week internship with the Neurology Department at Case Western Reserve University. From there, it was off to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) for a second internship—this time with an astrophysics team—that lasted for five weeks and finished just in time for the beginning of the new school year at Calhoun.

“I already loved reading and talking about physics with [US teacher] John Roeder, but to watch [the scientists] actually conduct science and research firsthand? It was simply breathtaking,” says Zach.

At Case Western, much of Zach’s time was spent at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veter-ans Affairs Medical Center. He went on rounds with the neuro-ophthalmology team, worked on programming in their mathemat-ics lab, and assisted with tracking the eye movement of multiple sclerosis patients. “We got to hear

all these amazing stories from veterans of the Korean, Vietnam and Iraq wars,” says Zach.

Earlier in the summer, while on a college tour at UNC, what was supposed to be a five-minute chat with Dr. Chris Clemens, the chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, had turned into a 90-minute conversation. Dr. Clemens was so impressed by Zach that he personally gave him the department tour that a grad student was originally scheduled to provide.

At the end of the visit, Dr. Cle-mens offered Zach an internship on an astrophysics project at Cha-pel Hill if it came to fruition later in the summer. It did, and Zach jumped at the chance. He ended up working alongside several un-dergraduate students on a project that was actually the brainchild of artist Christopher McCall, who travels to exotic places to capture the sun as it moves (McCall’s work has been exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art). For his part, Zach helped program a remote camera to follow the sun

robotically, to ensure maximum exposure. By using astrophysics equations, Zach and the students were able to derive formulas to guarantee that the camera would catch the sun exactly at sunrise each day.

During his time at UNC, Zach was also able to attend some 300- and 400-level classes taught by Dr. Clemens on astrophysics and cosmology. “Yeah, I got to raise my hand,” says Zach with a smile. He adds that the most memorable part of his summer was staying up all night with graduate students at UNC’s remote observatory, where they communicated with the SOAR telescope operator near Santiago, Chile, and looked at binary star systems.

Zach hopes to land another internship in the physics realm for his Senior Work project this spring, and intends to study the subject in college.

IN THE CLASSROOM

Do you have an internship opportunity for

Calhoun’s Senior Work program (six weeks in May/June) or during the summer? If so, submit details at

www.calhoun.org/seniorwork or contact Lavern McDonald,

lavern.mcdonald@calhoun.org.

Internships Drive Senior’s Passion for Physics

Zach Simon ’14 has his “Rocky” moment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he did a summer internship on an astrophysics project.

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WINTER 2014

IN THE CLASSROOM

PHYSICS OF FURNITURE: Students in the new Upper School elective course The Physics of Furniture learn how to test the weight-bearing capacity of wood in variable sizes before designing and building stools for the school’s woodshop. The interdisciplinary course, co-taught by US math teacher Taylor White and woodshop teacher David Hyman, is an example of Calhoun’s commitment to “STEAM”—project-based learning that integrates science, technology, engineering, art and math. (Top) Leo Bien-Aime ‘16, James DiBiasi ‘16 and Lindsey Randle ‘16 test the weight-bearing capacity of their wood. (Bottom) Josh Copperman ‘16, Javay Fraser ‘16, Layla Garcia-Carela ‘16 and Alex Horsley-Redding ‘16 go over the design specifications for the stool they’re building for woodshop.

(Left) MALALA: Seventh graders responded, in poem and prose, to the news about Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teen who was shot by the Taliban for encouraging girls to get an education. Read more poems and essays by students in the Middle School literary journal, Chrestomathy, January 2014, viewable online at www.calhoun.org/chrestomathy.

Students Score Points with Hoops for HousingThis year’s Hoops for Housing

fundraiser—a round-robin basket-

ball tournament that raises money

for the Next Step Men’s Shelter

on the Upper West Side—was an

enormously successful commu-

nity effort, led by a core of Upper

Schoolers with a strong team of

Lower and Middle Schoolers as col-

laborators.

The Upper Schoolers engaged

students from the Lower School

special course Help the Homeless

to promote and support the event’s

fundraising activities. Meanwhile,

Lower and Middle School students

from Calhoun as well as other NYC

schools were invited to take part in

the event, which featured two tour-

naments—one for second through

fourth graders and the other for

fifth through eighth graders.

(L-R) Matthew Pfeffer ‘17 and Oliver Otcasek ‘17, together with classmate Adam Shankman ‘14 (not shown), reached out across divisions to raise funds for the Next Step Men’s Shelter.

“Calhoun students are inspired

to care for others,” observes senior

Adam Shankman, a member of

the US elective class Hunger and

Homelessness, which co-hosted

the event. “As a class, we wanted

to help those less fortunate while

giving our younger students an

opportunity to be active citizens.”

All told, the event raised more than

$1,500 for the shelter—plus a lot of

enthusiasm for a job well done!

Malala: Our Voice By Nia Howard Fenton ’19

Malala is the incredible voice of hope

The non-stop argumentative voice of beliefs and rights

And the powerful voice of education.

She represents children and women

who are depending on her

Who have had their voices silenced and

now must fight for THEIR OWN RIGHTS.

Malala wants an education

She yearns for equality and fairness

She wonders where the voice of

women and children are hiding

She lives in a country where women have been

deprived of making decisions and speaking out

Malala is the leader of chances for women and children around

the world

She is the Northern Star that people will follow,

A symbol of bravery and determination.

She has taught many people that

ONE CHILD

ONE TEACHER

ONE BOOK

AND ONE PEN CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

1 6 SCHOOL NEWS

Onstage

Upper School thespians were right on the mark—creating some of their own “impro-vised” sight gags for this production of On the Razzle, by Tom Stoppard.

1. (L-R) Emma Morrow ’16 and Juliana Cordero ’14

2. (L-R) Abigail Jean-Baptiste ’14, Carlotta Kane ’14 and Emma Newman ’14

3. (L-R) Noelle Clark ’14, Jules Starn ’16 and Dylan Jacobs ’16

4. (L-R) Jason Alejo ’14 and Shoshana Baraschi-Ehrlich ’14

5. Emily Kuper ‘15 and Shoshana Baraschi-Ehrlich ’14 emerge from the amazing set, designed by

tech director Marc Aubin and created with the help of students in the US theater tech class.

UPPER SCHOOL THEATER: ON THE RAZZLEZZLE

THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

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Brad Slaight’s Middle Class, which explores the tribulations of young people in a series of poignant and sometimes humorous sketches, was performed with aplomb by the eighth grade theater class.

1. Tomio Filiaci and Jake Madsen

2. Talia Kurlansky (center) with Oummu Barrie (left), Celia Goodman (back center) and Jeniffer Rodriguez (right)

3. Jake Roshkow

4. Lindsay Jackman and Ethan Lichtenstein

5. Talia Kurlansky and Teo Torrado

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WINTER 2014

SCHOOL NEWS

EIGHTH GRADE THEATER: MIDDLE CLASS

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THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

SCHOOL NEWS

SPORTS

”TWO” SWEET:

Girls’ Volleyball Team Wins NYCAL League and

Tournament Championships!

2

The Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team staged an

inspiring come-from-behind rally in the NYCAL

Tournament Finals at CCNY on Oct. 25, captur-

ing the championship for a second consecutive

year. Already down two sets to one, the top-

seeded Cougars were on the brink of elimina-

tion, trailing 18–11 in the fourth set to number-

two Columbia Prep, before heroically digging

out and riding that momentum to a stunning

3–2 victory.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these girls,”

says head coach Sabrina Spiegel Zurkuhlen

’06, who was joined by assistant coaches Des-

mond Hamilton and Patricia Amador (who is

also a Calhoun parent). “The win was amazing,

but I’m even more proud of the way the girls

won. With their backs to the wall and the end

drawing near, they pulled it together as a team

and supported each other to be the best they

could be.”

The Cougars, who had already captured

the league title by virtue of a perfect 12-0

record against NYCAL opponents in the

regular season, finished 16-4. Adds Sabrina,

“A huge thank-you to everyone who came out

to support the girls throughout the season.

The enthusiasm and support was undeniably

a huge factor in the momentum shift and win-

ning push toward the end of the title game!”

The team loses just two seniors this June,

but the pair—Taj Cutting and Maddy Gordon—will undoubtedly be missed for their leader-

ship. Nevertheless, the Cougars are expected

to contend once again for the NYCAL crown

in 2014, as they’ll return with a cast of young

and talented players, including Emma Griffith

’17, Rose Gruber ’16, Isabel Thomson ’16, Taylor

Gerard ’15, Nicole Carey ’18, Olivia Abrams ’17,

Natalie Zukerman ’15 and Dalas Zeichner ’15.

Says Sabrina, “With such a young team and

developing talent in the Middle School and JV

program, I couldn’t be more excited about the

future of Calhoun volleyball!”

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WINTER 2014

SCHOOL NEWS

Sports BriefsThe Boys’ Varsity Soccer team, coached by

Francesco Filiaci, finished just 3-8-2, but all

signs are there for continued improvement next

year. The Cougars will return with this year’s

captains, Michael Leavitt ’15 and Thomas Gata-

nis ’15, along with Zeus Rocancourt ’15 and star

goalkeeper Bennett Hagemeier ’16. In addition,

the new JV team should provide solid replace-

ments for Alex Minev, Ben Minerva, Reece

Robinson, Zach Wiener, Massimo Costantini and

Brad Driscoll, all graduating this spring.

Departing seniors Rebecca Marcus, Noelle

Clark, Leila Jacobson and Lila Lopez-Ruiz

admirably led the Girls’ Varsity Soccer team

through a season with plenty of improvement,

a few close calls and abounding spirit. “Very

special thanks to those pioneering ladies who

helped found the team four years ago and

earned placement alongside Calhoun’s most

cherished athletes,” says head coach Bryan

Caine. “With 16 players due to return and the

promise of some talented freshmen, the pos-

sibilities for the 2014 season are endless.”

Calhoun fielded its first-ever Boys’ JV

Soccer team this fall. Under the leadership of

Sean Cullity ‘16 and Michael Fortunato ‘16, the

Cougars fought hard and grew tremendously

as a team. “Despite the fact that the Cougars

closed the season with a losing record, their

determination was apparent in every game,”

says head coach Eric Rydin, who notes that

the nerve-racking tie with Browning (3–3) and

nail-biting losses to both Columbia Prep and

Lehman serve as a testament to the incredible

potential of this young squad. And the Cougars

weren’t short of firepower this season; Craig

Supcoff ‘16 led the team in goals, with Jackson

Lundy ‘16 and Michael Fortunato not far behind.

The Girls’ JV Volleyball team finished the

season 9-6, with a 5-5 mark in league play.

But the standings won’t be what the players

remember. “Every athlete grew, became more

confident on the court, and saw firsthand what

hard work and dedication can do,” says assis-

tant coach Kevin Randazzo. “What started out

as a team unsure of its talent and skill ended up

a tight-knit group, ready for any challenge.”

Positive highlights abounded during the

season for the Girls’ Middle School Volleyball

team. Each Cougar learned to successfully

serve the volleyball over the net by the end of

the season, and many of the seventh graders

intend to return to the team next year. Says

head coach Alyssa Viglietta, “As the eighth

graders move on, what I hope is that they’ve

not only learned about the game of volleyball,

but that their love for the sport pushes them to

continue playing in the future.”

Cross-Country Team Finishes Second at League Championships By Hernán Ortiz, Assistant Coach

The Calhoun Cross-Country team had quite the run this season—pun intended! The team peaked at

the NYCAL League Championships in October at Van Cortlandt Park, when each of the 10 athletes

competing set a personal record.

On the boys’ side, our front-runners, Jason Kauppila ‘18 and Dylan Jacobs ’16, ran the 3.1-mile

course in 18:31 and 18:49, respectively. Michaela Harvey ’17 led the girls by taking down the course in

24:42. Overall, only three points separated Calhoun from first-place Columbia Prep, who won for a

second straight year.

This year the team says goodbye to Jason Alejo, a strong, tough senior who helped Calhoun place

second by finishing 21st (21:47), despite running the championship meet while hurt. Amazing feat!

From the beginning to the end of the fall season, when Calhoun sent a school-record seven run-

ners to the NYSAIS State Championship meet, everyone improved his or her personal best time by

a minimum of 1:15 in a 3.1-mile race. Some even improved their times by up to five minutes! These

Cougars worked hard and were dedicated to achieving their absolute best. Next year we’re looking

forward to wresting the championship title from Columbia Prep with continuous hard work and effort!

1. The Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team celebrates after its dramatic, come-from-behind NYCAL tournament championship victory over Columbia Prep.

2. For a second-straight year, the Girls’ Varsity Volleyball season ended with the Cougars posing for an official tourney championship photo!

3. Varsity player Taylor Gerard ’15 returns the ball as Nicole Carey ’18 looks on.

4. Calhoun’s Cross-Country team finished second at the NYCAL League Championship meet.

5. Boys’ Varsity Soccer: Outgoing senior Ben Minerva battles for possession.

54

2 0

what moves you?MusicMusicMovesMovesus!us!By JIM BYRNE

oo(Clockwise from top) Music teacher Dan Stein ’07, Michael Fortunato ’16, Jack Gulielmetti ’14, and Sacha Rogosin ‘16

2 1

hile the economic climate has led

many schools across the country to

shutter their music programs or, at best,

relegate them to the endangered species

list, the approach at Calhoun has been

exactly the opposite. Simply put, the

music program here has exploded.

Today, students can choose from a

variety of music classes in strings, brass,

wind instruments, chorus and chamber

music as well as in percussion, keyboard,

jazz improvisation and lyric writing.

In fact, there are more than 20 music

electives in the Upper School; in Middle

School, in addition to chorus, instrumen-

tal (winds/brass) and strings, students can

opt for classes like Electronic Music Lab

or the newest offering, Introduction to

Jazz Improvisation.

The tremendous growth in the music

program has been spurred in part by sci-

entific evidence that proves the enormous

impact the study of music can have on

brain development. But it is also reflec-

tive of Calhoun’s historic dedication to

integrating the arts seamlessly into aca-

demic studies. Plus, teachers and student

musicians alike point to the collaborative

nature of music performance, the disci-

pline it instills, and, not insignificant, the

sheer joy and fun that music brings. Head

of School Steve Nelson, a serious violinist

who once served as president of Detroit’s

Center for Creative Studies, Institute of

Music and Dance, says his experience

with and passion for music was probably

why he was hired. “Certainly I was clear

in my intentions when I came to Calhoun

that music is an important part of overall

education of kids and adults and just of

humanity in general.”

Whh

manman

Teachers and student musicians alike point to the collaborative nature of music performance, the discipline it instills, and, not insignificant, the sheer joy and fun that music brings.

2 2

Our program has developed this sort of specialization, which is simply remarkable for a music program in a school that isn’t a conservatory.

Shortly after arriving at Calhoun in

1998, Steve teamed with Lower School

Director Kathleen Clinesmith and her

husband, music teacher Ben

Clinesmith—who had come to

Calhoun in the early ‘90s after

running youth orchestras and

working in music education—to

plan a strings program. Their first

hire for the fledgling strings program,

launched in 2002, was violin and piano

virtuoso Victor Lin, who, as fate would

have it, met Steve while both were Roll-

erblading in Central Park. “The only

reason I stopped to talk to him was I

needed to know who this dude with

the silver hair was who had rocketed

past me,” says Victor.

Music teacher Brian Coogan recalls

that there was “hardly any music at all”

when he joined the school in 1990 as the

sole instrumental teacher and band con-

ductor. “There were some recorders and

a ‘music appreciation course,’ whatever

that means,” recalls Brian. “We started

with five clarinets and continued to grow

over the years.”

Today, there are close to 200 stu-

dents in the Middle and Upper School

instrumental program, performing in the

all-school orchestra, Community Orches-

tra, chamber ensemble, band, percussion

ensemble, wind and brass ensembles, and

one of seven jazz ensembles…not to men-

tion another 80 in choral groups.

Brian says the growth of the instru-

mental program really kicked in when

the 81st Street building almost doubled

in size, in time for the 2004–05 school

year. The expanded building included

the addition of four new floors—provid-

ing several music rehearsal rooms and a

new performing arts center. Teachers like

Brian, who had worked in the basement

(or “down in the dungeon,” as he referred

to it), suddenly had their own space…and

ry.

Our O

ductor. “Ther

a ‘music apprec

that means,” rec

with five clarinets

ver the years.”

Today, there are c

s in the Middle and

mental program, pe

Comm

ban

ens

…n

Mus

ere was “hardly any mus

oined the school in 1990

ntal teacher and band c

re some recorders and

— Steve Nelson, Head of School

2 32 3

with that extra room came increased flex-

ibility for more small-group instruction,

more rehearsal space and an increased

performance schedule.

The physical expansion of the

school also opened the door

for the music program to add

electives and hire additional

music teachers, including adjuncts

who could provide specialization—some-

times one-on-one. “Our program has

developed this sort of specialization,

which is simply remarkable for a music

program in a school that isn’t a conserva-

tory,” says Steve. Aside from the profes-

sional music faculty, the school is popu-

lated by an unusual number of academic

teachers who happen to be talented

musicians. In the Lower School alone,

math teacher Anthony Yacobellis is also a

punk-rock musician and concert pro-

moter; math teacher Austin Applegate is

an accomplished guitarist who also gives

after-school music lessons; and kindergar-

ten teacher Tina LoGuidice moonlights as

the lead singer in a rock band.

g as

the lead singer in a rock band.

[Music] helps the children[Muunderstand the world better, and assists with issues ofdiversity and anti-racism by allowing for a better

standing of someonelifestyle.e.

Fourth graders Axel Fonseca and Isabella Ulfelder

— Debbie Morenzi,bLS74 Music Specialist

Sixth grader Noelani Wilkinson

2 4

Calhoun s Community Orchestra is perhaps

the best example of the democratic impulses

of progressive education. It is a unique

ensemble of Middle and Upper School

students performing together with Calhoun’s

professional music faculty as well as other

staff and parents. In two concerts each year,

the Community Orchestra performs first as

a small group and then with the school’s full

orchestra of student musicians, ranging in

skill from beginner to advanced. The result is

astounding and inspiring for musicians and

audiences alike.

“The adults don’t see this as a groaning

duty, but as an incredibly joyful opportu-

nity to just make music with other human

beings,” says Head of School Steve Nelson

of the orchestra. “Doesn’t make a difference

if you’re technically accomplished or just a

beginner—the quality and feeling behind a

simple musical phrase is the same thing. This

kind of democratic commonality with music

at its center is a real hallmark of our school.”

The Calhoun Community Orchestra dates

back to 2001, when Lower School Director

Kathleen Clinesmith traveled with Co-

Director Alison Rothschild ’85 and learning

specialist Hamida Butt to the International

School of Brussels for a conference on

early childhood education. While there, they

enjoyed a concert performed by the school

orchestra, a group that coincidentally hap-

pened to play a piece written and arranged

by Calhoun music teacher Ben Clinesmith.

It was decided then that Calhoun would

have its very own strings program, which in

turn led to the creation of the Community

Orchestra.

“I felt that we might be able to do

something more interesting and reflective of

Calhoun by creating an orchestra made up

of students, parents, teachers and anyone

loosely affiliated with the community,”

recalls Kathleen. “It meant offering free

lessons to our teachers and staff—some

of whom would be beginners or who only

played in their younger years—along with

the several parents and teachers who were

pre-eminent professional players and willing

to join.”

Since its humble beginnings, the Com-

munity Orchestra has held relaxed rehears-

als each week during the school year, which

makes for a comfortable and pleasant

experience for the amateurs while providing

professionals the opportunity to solo or try

out an arrangement or composition of their

own. The linchpin of the group has been Ben

Clinesmith, thanks to his ability to com-

pose arrangements for a range of players,

from beginners on up. But, ultimately, what

makes it all work is the democratic environ-

ment that allows its members, ranging from

the 10-year-old who just learned “Twinkle,

Twinkle, Little Star” to the 35-year-old who

just last week played at Carnegie Hall, to

perform the same music side by side, with

each voice equally important.

Noah Krauss ’15 has performed with the

Community Orchestra since he came to Cal-

houn in fifth grade, and says there is nothing

like it. “I can look to my right and see Ben

Clinesmith, who is a fantastic cellist, and I

can glance left and see a fifth grader trying

his or her hardest. It’s such a strange thing

to see, but the results we get are pretty

amazing. It’s such an inspiring experience

to see all of these people just playing their

hearts out.” �

Watch video excerpts formCommunity Orchestra concerts atwww.calhoun.org/music

A Community of MusiciansCalhoun’s Community Orchestra is perhaps School of Brussels for a conference on out an arrangement or comprr

Ben Clinesmith (left) and a younger Noah Krauss ’15 performing with the Community Orchestra, an ensemble of musicians rangingfrom beginners to professionals.

2 5

“In some cases, we didn’t even know

they were musicians at the time they

were hired,” says Steve. But because he

believes in “hiring interesting human

beings who can do more than just teach

within their discipline,” he says he’s not

surprised that Calhoun ends up with a

disproportionately high number of teach-

ers who are also musicians. The best part

is, their passion for music frequently finds

its way into the classroom, so students

get exposed to music all the time—both

inside and outside of the music program.

Music as Interdisciplinary Partner

Music is, in fact, interwoven with curricu-

lum in all divisions, reflecting Calhoun’s

mission to seamlessly integrate the arts

with other academic studies.

Debbie Morenzi, who incorporates

world music into her work with Calhoun’s

youngest as the LS74 music specialist,

notes that music is a wonderful resource

for teaching social studies. “It helps the

children understand the world better, and

assists with issues of diversity and anti-

racism by allowing for a better understand-

ing of someone else’s lifestyle,” she says.

Ben Clinesmith’s “Sing It, Say It”

program, which he debuted at Calhoun

in 1993, uses music to help teach and

reinforce reading, writing and math skills

to first graders. Simple songs are broken

down into measures and beats, and the

vibrations that make up actual sound can

be counted mathematically and charted in

terms of waves on a graph.

An increasing body of scientific

evidence supports Ben’s approach, that

the study of music is actually related to

the acquisition of math skills as well as

reading, says Steve, who points to recent

research that shows that parts of the

brain developed by music actually have

to do with linguistics and mastering both

oral and written language.

Students get exposed to music all the time—both inside and outside of the music program.

First graders record songs they wrote with direction from LS music specialist Dustin LeVasseur.

2 6

Ben’s curriculum continues today at

Little Calhoun under the auspices of first

grade music specialist Dustin LeVasseur,

who embraces music as the core of the

Calhoun experience. “The arts have the

ability to stand alone, but can also be

woven into many aspects of learning,” he

says. “For me, it means having a curricu-

lum based in creativity, where I’m able to

intertwine music with any aspect of the

students’ lives. It’s crazy to think that

there isn’t more experiential learning with

music happening like this on a larger level

elsewhere.”

As students progress through the

Lower School, their class time continues

to include song, movement, music appre-

ciation and percussion instruments. In

second grade, they begin their first formal

instrumental lessons with recorders, and

then in Middle School, each student can

choose to sing in the chorus or pick an

It’s crazy to think that there isn’t more experiential learning with music happening like this on a larger level.level.

t’s cIt

with

vel

es

re-

mal

nd

n

instrument to learn. By eighth grade, stu-

dents can opt out of music, but more than

half continue on in choir or instrumental

music.

Cynthia Wuco, Middle/Upper School

chorus teacher, likens her position in

the middle grades to something of a life

coach. “It’s a time that can be emotional

and tumultuous and filled with personal

struggle,” she says, noting that “singing,

or any type of music instruction, gives

a student who might feel as if nothing

is going right just one great

thing they are able to do.”

Victor Lin, director of the

Upper School jazz program, agrees that

music gives students an opportunity to

express and better understand them-

selves. “They need it to process all the

things that are happening to them,” says

Victor.

— Dustin LeVasseur,First grade music specialist

Adjunct music teacher John Romeri provides a one-on-one lesson to Celia Goodman ‘18.

2 7

It may come as a surprise that the begin-

nings of Calhoun’s jazz program can be

traced back to what many consider the low-

est form of music: the type that’s played in

elevators. Well, sort of.

The program literally got its start in the

81st Street elevators, as an unofficial class

taught by Victor Lin with one “enrolled”

student. That student, Dan Stein ’07, began

playing the upright bass as an eighth grader

in 2002, when Calhoun added a strings

program. Dan started studying the bass in

the context of classical music, but he also

absorbed a lot more that Victor had to offer.

“As I got a little better and more excited,

Victor just started teaching me all kinds of

music—pop, funk and jazz—and we’d ride up

and down the elevator, playing for whoever

would listen whenever the door opened.

That was the beginning of the jazz program.”

Today, Calhoun’s Upper School jazz pro-

gram—headed by Victor—boasts more than

30 students performing in seven ensembles,

coached by an extended adjunct faculty

composed of some of the most promising

jazz artists in America. It’s even trickled

down to the Middle School, where a jazz

program began this year in the eighth grade

under the leadership Kevin Farrell.

The success of the program has been

astounding in terms of both student enthu-

siasm and the talent that has emerged. Insiasm

ast two years, Victor has taken histhe la

advanced jazz students in the “730 more

”Band”—named for the time they practice

morningeach —to the prestigious Berklee

ge High School Jazz Festival in Boston, Colleg

e they’ve placed in the upper echelon ofwhere

ers from mostly top conservatories. winne

Jack Gulielmetti ’14, who has performed J

in both competitions and last year

earned Most Accomplished Player at

e festival, says, “The biggest differthe -

between us and the groups from ence

schools is that some of those kids areother

lly majoring in music in high school. Weliteral

have a major here, but if it’s somethingdon’t

you take seriously enough, you can take

advantage of the resources we have.”

Steve Nelson believes that students have

gravitated toward the program because, at

its core, “jazz is sort of cool,” observing that

most of, if not all, popular music has its roots

in jazz—and thus students are intuitively

attracted to the form. “It’s pretty easy to

take kids from the milieu of popular music

that they have on their iPods and other

devices and draw them from that into jazz,

which I think is much more complex, richer

and interesting intellectually,” says Steve.

When it comes to explaining his

approach to teaching, Victor says there is

“no recipe,” but the key is individual atten-

tion for each student. “It’s not even about

what they achieve,” he notes. “It’s about

cultivating relationships and piquing their

curiosity.” Still, he believes that the jazz

program would not be where it is today

without his “remarkable” original student. “I

remember saying to Dan, ‘If we’re going to

show that this can work, you’re going to be

the big example.’ I literally threw everything I

knew into him, and told him that by the time

he graduated I wanted to be gigging with

him, and that when he graduated college I’d

be hiring him professionally for my trio.”

All of that came true. Dan went on to the

Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he

graduated with honors, and is now complet-

ing his master’s degree in jazz studies at

Juilliard. He’s also back at Calhoun, teaching

the subject he loves. “It’s incredible for me

to see how the jazz program has developed,”

he says. “The year after I graduated was the

first year of actual jazz classes, and that was

kind of a bittersweet thing for me, because I

would have loved to have had those classes

while I was here. But I was still happy that

Calhoun was embracing this art form that I

knew other students would be really excited

about. And now the fact that it’s such a big

program with enormous excitement around

it? It’s astounding. It makes me so happy,

and I’m so glad that I can come back and be

a part of it.” �

All That Jazz

(L-R) Victor Lin, head of Calhoun’s jazz program, and adjunct music teacher Dan Stein ‘07 re-createthe “elevator music” that started it all in 2003.

See video interviews with Steve Nelson,Dan Stein ’07, Jack Gulielmetti ’14 andother musicians at www.calhoun.org/music.

2 8

Confidence and Collaboration

Karina Rajchman ’12, who currently

attends NYU and plays in three bands

with fellow alum Josh Musto ’12, acknowl-

edges that the music program at Cal-

houn did wonders for her self-esteem.

“Learning new pieces of music, as well

as performing live, instilled a great deal

of discipline and confidence in me from a

rather early age,” says Karina. “I quickly

learned there is no feeling quite like the

moment after playing a great gig, or

transcribing a tough solo. When you have

those skills and moments under your belt,

the way you approach life each day takes

on a different meaning. I truly believe

music, or any kind of artistic passion,

gives people a certain lust for life that you

simply can’t find elsewhere.” Karina calls

Victor Lin and Ben Clinesmith “unbeliev-

ably inspiring teachers,” whose approach

to teaching music is far more than a

series of notes and scales that should be

memorized.

Collaboration is key to the way

Calhoun’s music faculty approaches

instruction. “Our mantra here is that

every student has a job, and that job is

to make everyone else in his or her band

or orchestra better,” says Victor. “It’s not

about looking good or getting your solo

in the spotlight. The best person isn’t any

better than the newest musician. Music-

making isn’t supposed to be a spectacle.

It’s something that people should want to

participate in.”

Although the objective of the music

program isn’t to churn out professional

musicians, Calhoun is indeed home to

some serious talent. Pianist Tiffany Poon,

a senior this year, came to the United

States from Hong Kong at the age of 10 to

attend the Juilliard School while concur-

Learning new pieces of music, as well as performing live, instilled a great deal of discipline and confidence in me from a rather early age.

— Karina Rajchman '12

Karina Rajchman '12

Noah Krauss '15

Although

program isn’

musicians, C

some serious

a senior this

States from

attend the JNoah Krauss '15

2 9

rently enrolled at Calhoun. She has since

played in numerous international venues,

from Australia and Russia to Montreal and

across the United States, including Carn-

egie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall and Steinway

Hall. Most recently, she won first prize

and Best Performance of Concerto Award

at the VIII Moscow International Fredrick

Chopin Competition for Young Pianists.

Junior Noah Krauss has also earned

countless accolades—including the New

York Music Competition, first on cello and

second on piano. But what both Noah and

Tiffany also have in common is that they

chose not to take the traditional route of

conservatories.

“I never really had any interest in leav-

ing Calhoun,” says Noah. “You get indi-

vidual attention here, which is so great.

It’s really student-based.” Noah recalls

his earlier years at Calhoun, beginning in

Middle School. “It was very inspiring to

see high-caliber musicians come in and

play with us,” he says. He had the option

of auditioning for a music school when

he was 14, but opted to stay. Instead,

Noah—who performs with the school’s

Community Orchestra, all-school orches-

tra and in various ensembles—decided

he wanted to be a positive role model for

Calhoun’s younger students. “I’m just

trying to show them the greatness of

this program and what you can do with

it if you work hard and if you have a real

love for music. And I think this program

really does [encourage that], because you

get to play pieces that aren’t necessarily

common in high school orchestras. We

play pop songs, movie themes and all the

really great classical works, so it’s a really

wide spectrum. I just love it.”

Jack Gulielmetti ’14, a talented guitar-

ist who attends Juilliard’s pre-college

program, studies composition and has

actually composed for the New York

Philharmonic, is another student who

I have friends who go to [music] schools but don’t have the same access to practice rooms, instruments or faculty; I think that sets Calhoun apart.

firmly believes in Calhoun’s approach

to music education. “I have friends who

go to [music] schools but don’t have the

same access to practice rooms, instru-

ments or faculty; I think that sets Calhoun

apart,” he says. “I also think you need to

be a well-rounded person to play music.

You can’t just get inspiration from music

itself; that would get old after a while

and you would end up sounding like the

people you listen to. You have to bring

in ideas from what you read or what you

do in math or something you learned in

biology.”

What’s been most noticeable about

the music evolution at Calhoun is how

quickly it bonds students and faculty.

Says Meighan Stoops, Director of Music,

“The first level of music education is

listening together as a group, and then

it’s on to playing music together. But the

third level, when you’re in front of people

performing—that’s when the experience

is ratcheted up to an entirely different

intensity. You learn that you have to take

care and look out for one another. And

that’s something that can translate to

any other scenario in life.”

Concludes Noah, “Calhoun is such a

great environment for musicians, artists

and…I really can’t picture myself any-

place else…it’s one of my favorite places

to be.” �

rt.apa

I have

— Jack Gulielmetti ’14

Practice time for eighth graders Michael Nelkin, Ethan Lichtenstein, Jake Rosenthal and Noah Copperman in Ben Baron’s instrumental class.

Celebrating Classes Ending in “4” and “9”

All other alumnae/i are welcome as well!

Location: Rooftop, 81st Street

www.calhoun.org/alumreunion

Be a Reunion Class ChairQHelp plan your reunion

QProvide updates/class news

about classmates

To volunteer, contact:

Bart Hale ’00

Director of Alumnae/i Relations

bart.hale@calhoun.org

646-666-6450

Reunion Friday, May 16, 2014

3 1

WINTER 2014

CLASS NOTES

MARRIAGES

Annie Polyn ’95 to Jorge Peña

Raul Julia ’01 to Betsy Lippitt

Jack Hale ’03 to Erin Grattan

Ian Law ’03 to Angela Sbiliris

Sonia Balaram ’06 to Saad Yousuf

BIRTHS

To Stephanie Diamond ’93 and

Ethan Kerr, a daughter,

Grace Sequoia

To Nora Zelevansky ‘95 and

Andrew Weiner, a girl, Estella Rose

To Pete Harris ’93 and Breda

Carroll, a boy, Oliver

To Troy Cummings ’97 and Laura

Cummings, a girl, Chloe

To Brian Peters ’97 and Yael

Leopold, a girl, Journey

IN MEMORIAM

Dorothea Weitzner ‘39

Edna Fredericks Engoron ’41

Betty Neuwirth Lee ’48

Prudence Duff Jube ’78

1940s-1960sPlease send news about your

families, your work and your

celebrations to alumni@calhoun.org.

We’re especially eager to hear from

alums celebrating their reunions

this spring—particularly alumnae

from 1954, 1959 and 1964, who

are marking their 60th, 55th and

50th reunions. Looking forward

to hearing from you!

1960sMaxine Margolis ’60 returned to

Calhoun this fall for an Upper

School intersession course about

Brazil, led by US teacher Erika

Zamfirescu. Maxine, who has

spent her career as an anthro-

pologist specializing in the people

and culture of Brazil, authored

a new book this year, Goodbye,

Brazil: Émigrés from the Land of

Soccer and Samba, and has been

traveling to São Paulo and Rio de

Janeiro for TV and radio inter-

views about the book. Her other

published works include True to

Her Nature: Changing Advice to

American Women, and all are

available on Amazon. Earlier in

her career, Maxine taught at the

University of Florida in Gaines-

ville, where she is professor

emerita of anthropology. She is

also a member of the American

Academy of Arts & Sciences.

Nancy Kohl Wergeles ’60, who lives

in Connecticut with her husband,

Donald, is a licensed marriage and

family therapist. Nancy has also

become an enthusiastic writer; one

of her essays, “Food for Thought,”

was submitted and read at Calhoun’s

Evening of Original Literary Works,

held this past fall (see box at

left). “The evening at Calhoun

was wonderful; hearing my words

read by someone else was indeed

a thrill,” says Nancy, who mostly

writes fiction, but also enjoys writing

about her cooking adventures. “The

Calhoun of today is a far cry from

what it was like in my day. Today

the environment is so warm and

nurturing.”

Edith Tomi Wilson ’69 traveled to

South Korea last summer with her

uncle Tommy on a trip for Korean

War veterans who were celebrating

their 60-year reunion. Edith hopes to

continue to travel abroad, including a

possible trip to Egypt next year.

1970sCarol Havdala ’78 returned to

Calhoun this year, but this time

as a parent—with her daughter,

Nicole Decrem ‘15, who entered

the eleventh grade this fall. Carol’s

mother, Huguette Havdala, joined

Carol at the new parents’ reception

in September and was equally

excited to see the school again.

Carol is a math teacher at the High

LITERARY EVENING

HIGHLIGHTS ALUM

AUTHORS

Many thanks to Barbara

Williams Fullard ’66,

Nancy Kohl Wergeles ’60

and Daniel Romoler–

oux ’98 for participating

in Calhoun’s Evening of

Original Literary Works,

held on October 24, 2013.

Heeding the call for

authors, these three alums

submitted their poetry

and prose, which was read

with other community

works by a cast of

students, teachers and

parents. Barbara’s poem

“Brownstone” recalls her

years at the school’s 92nd

Street building; Daniel’s

poem “Imagine” is a

lyrical ode to following

one’s passion; and Nancy

reflected on how she

discovered her love for

cooking when she was in

Middle School in her essay

“Food for Thought.”

Read their work at www.

calhoun.org/alumauthors,

and watch for future

calls for submissions for

Calhoun’s next literary

evening!

Maxine Margolis ’60 (right), who authored a new book on Brazil, returned as a guest speaker for an October intersession class offered by US math teacher Erika Zamfirescu.

FLORENCE LOUCHHEIM STOL ’18:

New Light Shines on Patron of the Arts

Florence R. Louchheim ’18 (1900–1967), a renowned patron of the arts, was the subject of a lecture this past November by Boston University Spanish professor Christopher Maurer at the Residencia de Estudiantes, Madrid, in anticipation of the biography he is cur-rently writing about her.

“Florence graduated from The Jacobi School* with her own pe-culiar vision of the role of women in post–World War I American society and with a passion for languages and art,” says Maurer. “She became—like Peggy Guggenheim, who graduated from Jacobi a few years earlier—a superb collector of contemporary paintings, sculpture and prints.”

Maurer’s lecture revolved around Florence’s stormy relation-ship with a Spanish poet and painter, José Moreno Villa, who fell in love with her in Spain, traveled with her to New York in 1927, and published a book of poems and drawings, Jacinta la Pelir-roja (Red-Haired Jacinta), about the unsettling experience. The eccentric Florence and her collection (which she bequeathed to the University of Michigan Museum of Art) are captured in My Crowd (privately printed, 2003), a vivid memoir about the Louchheim family by her niece Mary Louchheim Evangelista.

Florence was one of 25 students in the graduating class of 1918. She was class vice president and one of the literary editors of the The Ink Pot, for which she wrote a lead editorial, “Strange Garments,” which focused on the responsibility of “the girls of America,” and more broadly, “the youth of America” for “rebuild-ing and…reinvigorating the United States in post-war reconstruc-tion.” Florence was also in the cast of the senior play, performing the role of the wife in a one-act drama by Monica O’Shea titled The Rushlight.

Professor Maurer, who was in touch with Calhoun to glean information about Florence’s high school years, writes: “From what I can tell, The Jacobi School gave Florence a life-long interest in languages (she knew French and German and wrote excellent Spanish), art and theater.” Later in her life, she established the Florence Louchheim Stol Foundation, which continues to give grants to major New York arts and music institutions. She died in Vermont as Florence L. Stol in 1967.

*Calhoun began as The Jacobi School in 1896, named after the school’s founder, Laura Jacobi. The name was changed in 1929 by parents who wanted to honor headmistress Mary Calhoun.

“The Jacobi School [Calhoun] gave Florence a life-long interest in languages (she knew French and German and wrote excellent Spanish), art and theater.”

Archives3 2

THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

CLASS NOTES

1. Portrait of Florence Louchheim ’18 by Francis Bruguiere (archive of Mary L. Evangelista)

2. Florence Louchheim Stol ’18 (top row, center) was on the editorial board of The Ink Pot, the school’s combination yearbook/literary journal.

1

2

From the

3 3

WINTER 2014

CLASS NOTES

(thanks to Ben) and then headed

off to the closing night party,” says

Rama.

Nicole Betancourt ’86 , who lives

in New York with her husband and

two daughters, Pilar and Biulu,

enjoys a successful filmmaking

career as a producer and director.

In 1996, she won an Emmy

Award for Outstanding Individual

Achievement for her documentary

film Before You Go: A Daughter’s

Diary. More recently, Nicole was

granted a fellowship by the W. K.

Kellogg Foundation to create a

video series, Parent Earth, which

educates parents about healthy

food. Launched in 2009, the project

“creates and distributes short videos

on everything from cooking and

gardening to nutrition and behavior.”

Will Pollock ’86 , who is living in

Atlanta, published a new e-book in

November, Pizza for Good, cited as

an inspiring and wildly entertaining

cookbook, memoir and philanthropic

guide to building local community

through food. It includes 20 recipes

for specialty pizzas that stress local

ingredients and covers a range of

kitchen tips. (Featured in the book

is another Calhounder, Rachel Harris

Brown ’87, and her son, Ethan.)

Will, who is also the founder of a

charitable Atlanta-based artists’

collaborative called ARTvision, is

donating 50 percent of the proceeds

from his book to Positive Impact, an

organization that provides programs

for people affected with HIV.

pizzaforgood.wordpress.com

Marc Mendelson ’87 is the latest

Calhounder to return to his alma

mater as a parent. He and his wife,

Tara, have been thrilled since their

daughter, Sacha, entered first grade

this year. Marc has a background in

finance, having most recently been

at JPMorgan Chase; Tara, who had

been an assistant principal with the

NYC Department of Education, has

School for Environmental Studies in

Manhattan, and she, her husband,

Peter, and Nicole live in Irvington, NY.

Stephen Cadwalader ’79 enjoyed

reuniting with friends at the

annual Alumnae/i Pub Night in

November. He is currently serving

as vice president at Jason McCoy

Gallery in New York, which features

contemporary works in painting,

drawing, photography, sculpture

and video.

1980sBetsy Lichtenstein ’80 lives in New

York with her husband, Matthew,

and two children, Molly and Sammy.

She has worked for the last three

years as a geriatric care manager

while attending classes at Hunter

College’s Brookdale Center for

Healthy Aging. She hopes to

receive her certificate in geriatric

care management in 2014.

Adam Campagna ’84 launched

his own architecture business last

winter after five years as a senior

architect at Rockwell Group, where

he handled residential and hospi-

tality projects. He holds a master’s

in architecture from Harvard

University’s Graduate School of

Design and lives in Brooklyn with

his wife, Sheila Choi, and his son,

Aidan, who is in fifth grade.

Rama Wiener Dunayevich ’84

shared news that a San

Francisco Bay Area contingent of

Calhounders took the opportunity

to have a great mini-reunion on

October 15 at the Mill Valley Film

Festival for a screening of Ben

Stiller ’83’s new movie, The Secret

Life of Walter Mitty. “While Ben

was honored with a tribute award,

a group of us—Marco Aurelio ’80,

Geoff Strawbridge ’81, Erika Milvy

’82, Michael McCormick ’84 and I—cheered him on from the VIP seats

now started her own business in

personal and home organization.

The couple also has an older son,

Jacob.

Ross Kleinberg ’88 has built his

own PR freelance consultancy,

KBERG MEDIA, specializing

in strategic media relations for

consumer-facing and business-

based clients, while still passion-

ately coaching soccer and playing

basketball on the weekends—“sans

Sybil yelling or Neil draining 3’s!”

Ross notes. His daughters, Sophie,

now 10, and Samantha, five, are

both competitive gymnasts and

“still enjoy Dad’s motivational

quotes.”

Kathleen Acosta ’89 is completing

her master’s at Bank Street College

in dual-language childhood special

and general education. “Between

my experiences as a full-time

special-education teacher and

various substitute-teaching assign-

ments, I have gained exposure to

varied learning environments across

the grades,” Kathleen reflects. She

also provides private tutoring to

elementary students in all subject

areas.

Ellie Spielberger Wertheim ’89 is a

family law attorney, specializing

in divorce mediation and family

conflict resolution as a partner at

Family Mediation LLP. Ellie, who

received her JD from the University

of Pennsylvania Law School in 1997,

is a certified mediator in New York

City family courts and serves on

the board of the Family and Divorce

Mediation Council of Greater New

York. Ellie and her husband, Jon,

have two children, Benjamin and

Allegra.

1990sNaomi Horowitz Fowler ’90 lives in

New York and has been working

in jewelry manufacturing for EF3

Alliance. Her son, Griffin, will be

starting kindergarten next year.

1. (L—R) Geoff Strawbridge ‘81, Rama Wiener Dunayevich ‘84, Ben Stiller ‘83, Erika Milvy ‘82, Michael McCormick ‘84 and Marco Aurelio ‘80 joined Ben for the movie premiere of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty at the Mill Valley Film Festival. “It was great to meet and catch up and, of course, joke around,” says Rama, who adds, “as you can see, Michael has matured consid-erably since high school…”

2. Marc Mendelson ’87 joined his daughter, Sacha, a new first grader, at Calhoun’s Welcome Back Picnic for Lower School parents.

2

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THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

CLASS NOTES

Calhoun’s ON-THE-ROAD program has been connecting alums in the biggest cluster areas

outside the New York tristate region for the past three years.

PHILADELPHIA (2011)

LOS ANGELES (2012)

WASHINGTON, DC (2012)

WEST PALM BEACH/BOCA RATON/MIAMI (2013)

Make sure you’re on THE CALHOUN MAP! If the numbers swell,

your city could be the next destination for a CALHOUN ON-THE-ROAD reception

as we continue to grow the alum network!

Email alumni@calhoun.org whenever you move, and we’ll put you on our GPS!

division, where he prosecuted child-

abuse and neglect cases in Kings

County. He lives in New York with his

wife, Jennifer Napuli Fraidstern, and

two sons, Max and Ben.

Jamie Gerardi ’97 is senior editor

at Weight Watchers, where he has

worked for the past eight years. In

the spring of 2007, he contributed to

the launch of the Weight Watchers

Online for Men subscriber site. He

lives in New York.

Greg Goodman ’98 is currently

starring in a National Geographic

Channel TV show called Get Lost

in Korea, which premiered on

November 23. He still lives in

Thailand with his wife, Carrie Martin,

and travels throughout Asia. The

show is available to view at www.

adventuresofagoodman.com/watch-

get-lost-in-korea-online.

Marina Sapritsky Nahum ’98

is co-founder and the current

Jessica Daniels Schwarz ’95 won a

2013 Emmy award in the category

of Outstanding Casting in a

Comedy Series with NBC’s hit show

30 Rock, where she was a casting

director for three and a half years.

Annie Polyn ’95, a data analysis

manager at Bellevue Hospital, married

Jorge Peña, a New York City architect,

on September 7, 2013, in the “small

cowboy town of Dubois, Wyoming.”

Annie was happy to celebrate her

nuptials with Calhoun friends Nora

Zelevansky ’95 and Devon Roe Whitney

’95, who attended the New York City

bachelorette party, and Tim Hawkey

’94, who attended the wedding.

Dan Fraidstern ’96, is an attorney

with the firm Warren & Warren,

P.C., in Brooklyn, which he joined in

August 2011. Previously, he spent

six years working for the Admin-

istration for Children’s Services

in the family court legal services

1. Erika Nakamura ’99 (right) and her wife, Amelia Posada, run the acclaimed organic butcher shop Lindy & Grundy’s Meats in Los Angeles.

2. Annie Polyn ’95 and Jorge Peña strike a pose at their destination wedding in Dubois, WY.

3. Jessica Daniels Schwarz ’95 with her husband, Jaime, before winning an Emmy for Outstanding Casting in a Comedy Series for NBC’s hit show 30 Rock.

2

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1

CALHOUN ROAD TRIP!

KEY CODE Over 100 Calhounders on our radar 4–100 Calhounders on our radar

SARAH KRAMER ‘92

Emmy Award Winner Says the Story—Not the Medium— Is the MessageSarah Kramer ’92 remembers when she fell in love with storytelling. “I was 13, at sleep-away camp. I recall pulling my bed near my friends’ [beds] when we were going to sleep, to talk about our days. There would be long, detailed [accounts]. I really fell in love with stories that summer.”

Even so, the road to Sarah’s career wasn’t yet clear. At Middlebury College, she majored in art history and briefly thought she would be a curator. And while that was certainly one way of telling sto-ries, she wasn’t completely satisfied, so she decided to intern at a documentary film company, where she did photo research on historical documenta-ries. Now interested in nonfiction narratives, she went back for a master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University, graduating in 2003. Having found her stride, the Calhoun alumna went on to help launch a public-radio project, StoryCorps. As a senior producer and founding staff mem-ber, Sarah had key roles in all of the StoryCorps projects, including weekly national broadcasts, and spent four years as part of a Peabody Award– winning production team.

By 2007, Sarah was at The New York Times, and, recognizing the quickly changing media climate, worked there as an interactive journalist on long-form narratives. Though she didn’t have a tradi-tional print-journalism background, she observes that “content is one thing we’ll always continue to need, regardless of how it’s given out or distributed. The way we’re all digesting content is changing drastically, but the hallmarks of doing deep dives on stories and giving thoughtful analysis remains the same.”

The key is to be able to tell a story, says Sarah, who credits Calhoun for giving her the freedom to be creative, to explore her interests and figure out

how to express herself. “Calhoun really teaches you how to think in your own way—it was there that I had the real beginnings of finding my voice.”

Sarah’s thoughtful work at the Times earned her and her colleagues an Emmy in 2010 for a multimedia project called “One in 8 Million,” a col-lection of stories that portray everyday New York-

ers, and a nomination for their 2011 production, “Coming Out,” a multimedia project highlighting stories of LGBT teenagers around the country. “Coming Out” inspired a tremendous outpouring from teens who submitted testimony via Twitter and other social media outlets. “We had a huge re-sponse—close to 1,000 submissions in just one day. For some kids, it became a mechanism to come out or just be heard.”

Sarah’s work is about uncovering the universal-ity in very different personal experiences, particu-larly from “the unsung people you might not know about.” Her hope is to inform, educate and help others—and herself—to make sense of the world. And she never stops finding new ways to do it. Last summer, after six years at the Times, Sarah left to join up with a colleague at a storytelling startup. Again, the medium is changing. But she hopes her projects will continue to unfold many more stories that just need to be told.

“Calhoun really teaches you how to think in your own way—it was there that I had the real beginnings of finding my voice.”

Profile

3 5

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CLASS NOTES

director of development for

Migdal International Society, Inc.,

in New York, which focuses on

Jewish community programs. She

previously spent time in London

to pursue a master’s degree from

the London School of Economics,

and, subsequently, a PhD in

anthropology. In 2005, Marina

also traveled to Odessa, Ukraine,

where she then spent several years

living, traveling, and working on her

dissertation.

Erika Nakamura ’99 lives in

Los Angeles and, together with

her wife, Amelia Posada, owns

and operates Lindy & Grundy’s

Meats—a butcher shop focused on

local, sustainable, organic meats.

Their shop practices nose-to-tail

butchering to utilize the whole

animal, and they work with farms

that use natural grass feed without

employing hormones or antibiotics.

Erika attended the French Culinary

Institute after college and, soon

after, began her butcher career

with an apprenticeship at Fleisher’s

Grass-Fed & Organic Meats in

Kingston, NY. Erika and Amelia’s

shop has been featured in the Los

Angeles Times, Bon Appétit, Food &

Wine and The New York Times, and

on NBC, CBS and The Huffington

Post. lindyandgrundy.com

Ilya Sapritsky ’99 lives in New York

where he works in pharmaceuticals,

currently serving as the director

of business development for

Unipharm, Inc. Since last spring,

he has also been serving as vice

president of Sequoia Laboratories.

2000sBart Hale ’00 sailed in the Sunfish

World Championships last October,

held in Lewes, DE. Bart and the

other competitors battled tropical

storm conditions all week, including

squalls, heavy winds and even

3 6

THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

CLASS NOTES

a tornado watch, but Calhoun’s

sailor held on for 46th place out

of 75 boats, which has him ranked

number 64 internationally on the

Sunfish boat.

Lisa Horowitz ’00 earned a degree

in sociology from New York

University last spring and is now

working as a certified EMT in

Stratford, CT. From 2006 to 2011,

she was a paramedic in the New

York City Fire Department. Lisa

lives in Connecticut with her dog,

Greysee.

Raul Julia ’01 married Betsy Lippitt

at his family’s home in Hurleyville,

NY, on August 31, 2013. The fellow

actors met in 2009 at the Flea

Theater in Tribeca, where they

both appeared in the play Unum.

According to a New York Times

profile (“Vows,” Sept. 15, 2013), the

couple’s relationship grew when

they were cast together in another

Flea performance, Office Hours.

Classmate David Tunick ’01 was

among those in attendance.

Tamar Sinclair ’01 is dean of

discipline and safety as well as

a ninth grade history teacher at

Edward R. Murrow High School, a

district school in Brooklyn. She

has also taught law electives as

part of College Now, in connection

with Kingsborough Community

College. Tamar, who began her

career in education more than five

years ago, holds an MA in teaching

planning, time management, and

attention/memory for students with

ADHD and learning disabilities, or

emotional issues interfering with

their academics.

Victoria Miller ’04 is assistant editor/

video publishing at About.com in

New York. Since joining in December

2012, she has been managing

freelance producers and work flow

for web video creation, working with

new freelance hires, and overseeing

contractual terms and financial

records. Victoria received an MA in

film theory and production from the

New School in 2010 and has her BA

in English from Wheaton College.

Dan Raskin ’04 transitioned last

September from his sales associate

role at Essential New York Real

Estate to Halstead Property on the

Upper West Side, where he is now

licensed as a real estate sales-

person.

Rosanna Volchok ’04 is currently

pursuing a master’s in public

administration at New York Univer-

sity’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate

School of Public Service, from

which she expects to graduate in

2015. For the past two years, she

has been working as a laboratory

administrator for Rockefeller

University, a center for research

and education in biomedical

sciences.

Nick Kahn ’05 is currently working

as an urban planner for FEMA’s

Hurricane Sandy Community

Recovery Assistance team in

New Jersey. He is managing two

projects in Tuckerton, NJ: One

is the creation of a municipal

economic development strategy,

and the second is a plan to relocate

essential municipal services out of

flood zones. Nick currently lives in

New Brunswick, NJ, where, in his

spare time, he is the social media

coordinator for the University of

of social studies from Teachers

College at Columbia University.

She is also a 2012 graduate of the

Summer Principals Academy at

Teachers College, which prepares

leaders in district and charter

schools.

David Kramer ’02 began pursuing

his MBA part-time at New York

University’s Stern School of

Business while continuing his work

at Morgan Stanley. He is living in

Brooklyn with his girlfriend, Liz.

Jack Hale ’03 married his college

girlfriend, Erin Grattan, this

past July in Rochester, NY, after

nearly 10 years together; the two

started dating in their freshman

year at Colgate University. A

large delegation from Calhoun

was represented, including

groomsmen Andrew Booth ’03,

Tommy Grochal ’03, Darko Latic ’03

and José Ortiz ’03. Also in atten-

dance were Sam Breier ’02,

Gianni Cionchi ’03, Ian Law ’03,

Daniel Winarick ’03 and best man

Bart Hale ’00.

Daniel Winarick ’03 completed his

PhD in clinical psychology from

Adelphi University and has been

providing in-home, psychologically

informed and clinically oriented

tutoring to students from various

private schools in New York

City. His approach has a focus

on building organizational and

executive functioning skills such as

Michigan Alumni Association’s

Northern New Jersey chapter. Nick

got his BA from Macalester in 2009

and his master’s in urban planning

from Michigan in 2011.

Nina Kompanek ’05 hit the stage

in November to play an “old lady”

in Oscar Wilde’s The Selfish Giant,

which ran at The Players Theatre

on MacDougal Street in New

York. Outside of her acting, Nina

has been teaching in the after-

school program at Trevor Day and

substitute-teaching at Calhoun.

Justin Kruger ’05 moved to Cary,

NC, where he took a job in October

as a social media, marketing and

community manager at the video

game development company

Ubisoft. Previously, Justin had

been in New York working as a

social media manager—first for

Global Grind and then for Social

Tree Frog, where he stayed for two

years before his latest move.

Eric Levy ’05 has teamed up

with Andrew Curtis ’06 to start

their own business venture,

YourNeighborhood, an online real

estate social portal that helps

individuals locate and adjust to

a neighborhood that fits their

interests and needs. Andrew is also

working toward a master’s degree

in computer science from City

College. www.yourneighborhood.co

Samara Savino Antolini ’06 is

keeping especially busy these days,

working as an assistant in the

college guidance program at the

Chapin School while also pursuing

her MBA in international business

at St. John’s University, expecting

to graduate in 2015.

Sonia Balaram ’06 married Dr. Saad

Yousuf on January 4 at the Ritz-

Carlton in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Sonia and Saad met in September

2006 as undergraduates at Brown

University. Over the years, their

CALLING ALUMNAE/I PERFORMERS AND WRITERS…

ALUMNAE/I CAFÉ CALHOUNWEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

The storied tradition of our Upper School talent show, Café

Calhoun, will be re-created this spring as a celebration and showcase of

alumnae/i performers and artists! Details and invitation to come.

Those interested in participating should contact: bart.hale@calhoun.org.

3 7

WINTER 2014

CLASS NOTES

friendship blossomed until, in May

2013, Saad proposed to Sonia in

Central Park.

Sophie Harris ’06 began a new

job this year at CD Network, a

multi-label showroom, where she

is serving as a fashion executive

assistant. Sophie is also keeping

busy as a freelance photographer.

Katie Schreiber ’06 has returned

to Sarah Lawrence College, where

she earned her BA, to continue

graduate work for an MFA in

creative nonfiction. “I am currently

co-authoring a book about exercise

addiction with a researcher based

in Florida,” Katie notes. “I’m at

work on a future manuscript that

will be my thesis (and hopefully my

second book!)…I also write regularly

for Psychology Standard and

continue to freelance.” As if that’s

not enough, Katie is also planning

a wedding with her fiancé, Sandy

Marks!

Sabrina Spiegel Zurkuhlen ’06

remains a familiar face at Calhoun,

but now in a new role, having

transitioned from part-time coach

and school nurse to a full-time role

as Assistant Athletic Director. This

fall she coached the Girls’ Varsity

Volleyball team to a successful

tournament championship victory—the second in as many years!

Blair Baron ’07 started working

this fall as a first grade teacher at

Harlem Prep Elementary School,

which is part of Democracy Prep

Public Schools—a network of open-

enrollment public charter schools

operating in Harlem and Camden,

NJ. Blair spent her first two years

after graduating from Vassar

College as a high school social

studies teacher in Plymouth, NC,

working under the auspices of Teach

for America.

Javier Bautista ’07, who holds a BA

in political science and government

from Yale University, began working

for the nonprofit organization Trans-

portation Alternatives last summer.

He serves as the community

affairs coordinator, advocating for

alternatives to driving cars on city

streets—including options such as

riding bicycles, taking public trans-

portation and walking.

Wade Brill ’07 has transitioned from

Argentina to Seattle, where she is

working as a certified life-purpose

coach. On the side, Wade also

teaches Pilates and meditation.

Caroline Castro ’07 took a new job

in New York last May as a brand

licensing analyst in sales research

at Ziff Davis, Inc. The digital

media company, which specializes

in technology, gaming and men’s

lifestyle industries, receives more

than 100 million unique visitors

each month.

Alex Gumpel ’07 continues taking his

passion for hiking to “new heights”:

Earlier this year he climbed to

the summit of Mount Shuksan in

1. Bart Hale ’00 placed 46th in the Sunfish World Championships in Lewes, DE, last fall and is currently ranked number 64 on the single-handed boat.

2. Barry Weinstein ’09 launched his own company, Pillowcase Studies, while enrolled at American University’s Kogod School of Business.

3. Jack Hale ’03 married Erin Grattan at a ceremony in Rochester, NY, last summer.

4. Calhounders did some “heavy lifting” as groomsmen at the wedding of Ian Law ’03 to Angela Sbiliris this fall. (L—R) Andrew Booth ’03, Tommy Grochal ’03, Gianni Cionchi ’03, Roberto Soto-Carrion ’03 and Ian.

5. Sonia Balaram ’06 and Saad Yousuf were married this January in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

6. Andrew Curtis ’06 and Eric Levy ’05 are business partners in the real estate venture YourNeighborhood.

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4

Washington State, just south of the

Canadian border. More recently,

Alex hiked the highest peak in the

northeastern United States, Mount

Washington in New Hampshire,

which stands at 6,288 feet. When

he’s not summitting, Alex puts his

climbing expertise to good use,

working for Patagonia’s store in

downtown Manhattan.

Sam Schreck ’07 has touched

down in Beijing, China, where he is

interning with the operations and

development team for the Carnegie

Endowment for International Peace.

He is also serving as a teaching

fellow at China Foreign Affairs

University. Sam is a consultant for

Booz Allen in Washington, DC, but is

currently on a leave of absence.

Shelby Wong ’07 is pursuing an

MFA in acting at The Actors Studio

Drama School at Pace University.

She expects to graduate in 2016.

Meanwhile, she continues working

at Jujamcyn Theaters.

Eve Blazo ’08 graduated from

Brown University in 2012 with a

concentration in modern culture

and media, before returning to

New York to work in the fields of

fashion and media. She has held

Sam Nagourney ’05 spent this fall immersed in New York’s political landscape, where he helped manage two successful bids for city office.  Following a triumphant primary win as deputy campaign manager on Upper West Side Councilmember Gale Brewer’s race for Manhattan borough president, Sam was hired as deputy finance director for Bill de Blasio’s mayoral campaign.  A graduate of Bates College with a BA in political science and sociology, Sam paused recently to reflect on his busy campaign season.What were the most challenging and rewarding aspects in your campaign roles for Gale Brewer and Bill de Blasio?

I enjoy taking on a high level of responsibility and thrive in high-pressure situations, so the fundraising side has been a natural draw for me. For Brewer’s race, the most challenging parts were fighting political insiders’ perceptions and keeping the team’s spirits up. Gale entered the race extremely late—only six months before the primary, compared with

her opponents, who had been campaigning for two years. When we entered the race, every insider said it was too late. The majority of local Democratic clubs and Manhattan electeds endorsed our opponents. I’ll never forget sitting with my campaign team as it became clear not just that we had won, but that we had come from behind to win handily. I came to de Blasio’s race after Gale’s primary win to help finish out his fundraising. I joined an amazing team, and we had to put the pedal to the metal to raise $6 million in five weeks. We would often have four fundraising events a day, traversing from Tribeca to Little Neck, Queens, in a matter of hours. The pace was consistent and thrilling. We were often up at 6am and in bed at midnight. There isn’t a moment of boredom on competitive campaigns. And of course, the most rewarding thing about both was winning, and winning convincingly.

What types of campaign finance reform, if any, do you think are needed most today?

Campaign finance reform is critical to reduce the influence of money and big business in government. New York City has made great strides by offering a public funds program. City residents who contribute up to $175 have their donations matched six times by the city. Combined with

the limit on individual contributions, the matching program truly allows any donor to be nearly as important as the wealthiest. We still have a lot of work to do. In an ideal world, campaigns would be supported entirely by public funds, thus reducing the need for candidates to fundraise and allowing them to spend more time working on the issues. Did Calhoun inspire or support your interest in politics?

While I’d always been interested in government, my first true experi-ence was as student body president during my senior year at Calhoun. My biggest political misstep occurred during the annual Secret Santa gift exchange. I mistakenly assumed the entire school wanted to par-ticipate rather than asking people to opt in. On gift-giving day, more than a dozen kids didn’t get anything. But, luckily, with John Roeder’s

great guidance, we were able to make sure everyone got a present. It’s moments like those that quickly develop one’s political instincts. The person at Calhoun who most inspired me [was] English teacher Phil Tedeschi. From him, I learned essential skills like attention to detail; he played a large role in forming my work ethic. Perhaps most important, Phil taught me the basics of writing. His instruction led me to the editor-in-chief role for The Issue, and his guidance as an advisor helped me succeed. The lessons I learned from Phil both in and out of the classroom prepared me for my career and are still top of mind in my day-to-day political job.Where do you hope to go from here?

I’m not sure what’s next. The campaign trail is certainly addictive. I’d be happy to join the mayor-elect’s administration and help him push his agenda, and I’d be happy helping more great candidates get elected. We’ll just have to see.

Profile3 8 CLASS NOTES

SAM NAGOURNEY ‘05

Campaign Guru for de Blasio and Brewer

“The person at Calhoun who most inspired me [was] English teacher Phil Tedeschi… the lessons I learned from Phil both in and out of the classroom prepared me for my career and are still top of mind in my day-to-day political job.”

THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

Sam Nagourney ’05 (center) with NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray.

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CLASS NOTES

assistant, and says she is consid-

ering a major in biology.

Zuri Pavlin ’12 joined classmates

Max Lemper-Tabatsky ’12 and

Alex Tritto ’12 at Connecticut

College this year, where he enrolled

following a postgraduate year at

Brewster Academy. Zuri is playing

on Connecticut College’s varsity

basketball team.

spring and spent the summer

working as an administrative

coordinator for Partners HealthCare

in Boston. In November, she headed

off to Hawaii, where she volunteers

for World Wide Opportunities on

Organic Farms (WWOOF) on two

different organic farms to continue

learning about sustainable living

and farming.

Marcy Isaacson ’09 completed her

BA in American studies at Dickinson

College, which included a junior year

study-abroad experience in Bologna,

Italy. She is now back in New York.

where, in August, she began as an

administrative and event assistant

in the Mayor’s Office of Special

Projects and Community Events.

Albert Namnum ’09 caught up

with classmates at the annual

Alumnae/i Pub Night in November.

He graduated from the University

of Virginia last spring with a BA in

economics and government, after

having transferred from Wake

Forest, and is currently living in

Washington, DC, where he works for

Capital One.

Amanda Nason ’09 is working as a

marketing consultant at LocalVox in

New York, having earned a degree

in psychology at the University of

Delaware earlier this year. In her

position, she researches prospective

clients and offers online marketing

solutions for small and medium-size

local businesses.

Barry Weinstein ’09, who went to

American University’s Kogod School

of Business after Calhoun, spent a

year abroad at the London School

of Economics before launching

his own entrepreneurial initiative

in 2011, Pillowcase Studies, which

designs pillowcases inscribed

with text on a range of subjects.

The idea, he explains, is to make

studying comfortable, fun and a

more natural part of the day. He

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WINTER 2014

positions at Vogue and Style.com,

and freelances as a fashion stylist

and writer.

Alexandra Koutsomitis ’08

participated in Calhoun’s Holiday

Craft Fair this year, showing her

beautifully designed silk scarves,

which she sells through her own

accessories company, Alexa Sofia.

All of her products are based on

her original artwork. The company,

which Alexandra launched in

September 2013, specializes in

“playful creations, bridging the gap

between fine art and fashion,” says

Alexandra. “Each design conveys

the intricate details and the unique

qualities of the materials that were

used in my original artwork.” Find

her designs at www.alexasofia.com

Gaia Rikhye ’08, who has shifted her

career from the arts to the beverage

business, is working in wine sales

while also going for an MA in

wine studies at the Wine & Spirit

Education Trust and the Institute

of Masters of Wine. “I had wine

experience from having worked at

an auction house out of college,”

says Gaia. She was working at

Sherry-Lehmann in corporate sales

before moving to New Zealand,

where she spent time in viticulture

with a few vineyards and wineries.

“I plan to return for the harvest

next year,” she says. In addition to

her time back at school, Gaia now

acquires, selects and buys wines for

Vitis, which has a retail shop and an

Internet-based company.

Skylar Sasson ’08, who had been

working in admissions at Avenues:

The World School, is now working

as a professional development

assistant coordinator at the law

firm Paul, Weiss. She says she’s

“weighing my options” as to

whether law school is in her future.

Terry Horowitz ’09 earned a BS in

biology from Bates College last

envisions possible expansion to

printing study notes on bed sheets

and other items such as plates.

www.pillowcasestudies.com

2010sRebecca Lansbury ’12, who is a

sophomore at Bard College, volun-

teers as a peer health educator on

campus. She is also working as a lab

CLASS NOTES

ALUMS PROVE THEIR METTLE—NO MATTER THE TEAM!

The ninth annual Alumni-Faculty Game was an instant classic!

The faculty team defeated the alumni squad 59–55, exacting

revenge for last year’s close-fought loss while taking the

all-time series lead, 5–4.

Some would protest, however, that the Calhoun graduates were

the real winners in this contest, as the core of the faculty team

was actually made up of alums wearing their “staff” hats: Casey

Shane ’06 and Richard Lin ’97, who coach various teams at

Calhoun, played key roles in the faculty win, and Upper School

English teacher Bobby Rue ’85 calmly sank a pair of free

throws late in the contest to clinch the victory for the faculty. If

not for these former varsity players switching sides, the faculty

team would have had an even worse chance at winning than

the Generals do when they play the Harlem Globetrotters!

GO, COUGARS!

(Above) Playing for the alum team, Tim Gruber ’13 (center) sets a pick for

Desi McGrath ’12 (right).

4 0

THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

EVENTS

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THE CALHOUN CHRONICLE

Seventh Annual Alum Pub NightCalhoun’s seventh annual Alum Pub Night kicked off the holiday season

in late November with a spirited celebration. Held again this year at

Legends Bar in midtown Manhattan, the gathering boasted a terrific

mix of graduates spanning 30 years. It was especially great to see

the number of grads from the early ‘80s, who used the occasion for a

“mini-reunion,” and more recent alums from the 00’s, who are already

starting to approach significant reunion anniversaries!

1. (L—R) Stephen Cadwalader ’79, Andrea Newhouse Moynier ’83, Tracy Cohen ‘83, Anthony Coleman ’82, Kriss Roebling ‘83, Amanda Naughton ’83

2. (L—R) US biology teacher Francesco Filiaci, Emily Kaiser ‘05, Jen Lewis ’05 and Max Marcus ‘05

3. (L—R) Rico Bautista ‘07, Mirella Brussani ’07, Ally Kotowski ’07 and Jessica Neufeld ‘07

4. (L—R) Samara Savino Antolini ‘06, Alex Gelband ’05 and Sophie Harris ‘06

3

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NOVEMBER 26, 2013

1

5. Chris Foster ’95 with US science teacher John Roeder

6. (L—R) Amanda Nason ’09, Amalia Safran ’09, Xander Green ‘09, Marcy Isaacson ’09 and Jack Asimov ‘09

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EVENTS

1. (L—R) Carner Round ’13 and Lizzy Indek ’13

2. (L—R) Lily McMillan ’13, Hannah Klingenstein ’13 and Jana Gharzeddine ’13

3. (L—R) Michael Luzmore ’13, US art teacher Gary Cohen and Stephen Mondesir ’13

4. (L—R) Alex Tritto ’12, Zach Taylor ’12 and US English teacher Ellen Kwon

5. (L—R) Max Lemper-Tabatsky ’12, Jake Wegweiser ’13 and Benny Tuchman ’12

6. James Basuk ’13 and US Spanish teacher Hernán Ortiz

Holiday Homecoming Luncheon Just before winter break, Calhoun welcomed back nearly 40 alums who

had an opportunity to reconnect with classmates and visit with their

former teachers. The homecoming event kicked off with the traditional

12 Days of Christmas celebration, followed by a full spread of Chef

Bobo’s food and a pick-up basketball game in the gym. It was great

catching up!

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DECEMBER 20, 2013

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Hannah Klingenstein ’13 and Jana Gharzeddine ’13

3. (L—R) Michael Luzmore ’13,US art teacher Gary Cohen andStephen Mondesir ’13

4. (L—R) Alex Tritto ’12,Zach Taylor ’12 and US English teacher Ellen Kwon

6. James Basuk ’13 and US Spanishteacher Hernán Ortiz

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MORE PHOTOS AT www.calhoun.org/alumevents