Achieving BAlAnce Through The ArTs

Transcription

Connections
T h e M a g a z i n e o f T h e E p i s c o pa l A c a d e m y
FA LL 2 0 0 5
Achieving Balance
Through the Arts
“A balanced life involves an
aesthetic component—a chance
to participate in productions, to
do hands-on work in a studio, and
to get a sense of what is beauty,
what is creativity.”
Also inside: Agreement with
Saint Joseph’s University Finalized
Transitions Supplement
C o n te n t s
Features
2 Agreement with Saint Joseph’s
University Finalized
3 Message from New Board
of Trustees Chairman
4 Creating Balance
Through the Arts
6 A Brief History of
the Performing Arts
at Episcopal
Connections
The Magazine of The Episcopal Academy
FALL 2005
Connections, The Magazine of The Episcopal
Academy, is published three times a year by the Office
of Communications. Class notes, comments, and
photographs should be directed to:
Office of Communications
376 N. Latches Lane
Merion, PA 19066
Tel 610-617-2248
Fax 610-617-2268
E-mail letts@ea1785.org
3 8 Transitions
D E PA R TM E NT S
11 Academics
16 Athletics
19 Arts
21 Alumni
2 5 Spirituality &
Community Service
27 Class Notes
37 Milestones
Office of Alumni
376 N. Latches Lane
Merion, PA 19066
Tel 610-617-2247
Fax 610-617-2268
E-mail platt@ea1785.org
Editors
Michael F. Letts
Clayton T. Platt ’73
Contributing Writers
Courtenay H. Bond
Clayton T. Platt ’73
Anne Marie Heil
Jeffrey Day
Contributing Photographers
Sarah M. Karp ’99
Katherine Maguire ’05
Art & Production
Karp Graphic Design
www.ea1785.org
On the cover: Posing before a recent performance in Christ Chapel,
2005 graduates Emile Gogenini (violinist, standing at left), Sunita
Saligram (vocalist, standing at right), and John Kamfonas (pianist,
seated) are just a few of the numerous Episcopal graduates that have
found mentors, uncovered talents, and embraced creativity through
the arts programs at Episcopal. The photographer for this cover shot,
Katherine Maguire, (also a 2005 graduate) is another.
Agreement with Saint Joseph’s
University Finalized
A
little after 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 17th, Episcopal Academy took a huge step toward its new
campus in Newtown Square by finalizing an agreement with Saint Joseph’s University to acquire the
Merion facilities.
After lengthy negotiations, and a vast amount of work
by many dedicated individuals, it took less than 15 minutes
for Episcopal Academy Chairman of the Board of Trustees,
Gretchen Burke, and President of Saint Joseph’s University,
Rev. Timonthy R. Lannon, S.J., to sign the paperwork.
The school’s attention will now focus on the disposition of
the Devon Campus and on launching a capital campaign to
help finance the move to Newtown Square. Episcopal’s Capital Campaign Planning Committee has completed its work
and will seek approval of its plan from the board of trustees
in October. The leadership phase of the campaign will begin
at that time. Several advanced leadership gifts have already
been received.
“The signing of this agreement with Saint Joseph’s University is another major milestone in our planned relocation
to Newtown Square,” said Ham Clark, Episcopal’s head of
school. “As we move to design, construction, and a capital campaign, we continue to be focused on maintaining the
excellence that has long been associated with our school,
A momentous day in Episcopal Academy history. Signing the paperwork that
finalized the deal are (l to r): Episcopal’s lead counsel Frank Leto ’77; Chairman
of the Board of Trustees, Gretchen Burke; President of Saint Joseph’s University,
Rev. Timothy Lannon, S.J.; and General Counsel for Saint Joseph’s University,
Debra Fickler.
and to creating the brightest possible future for the Episcopal Academy.”
“This is a momentous time in Episcopal’s history,” said
Burke. “At its core, this move is simply about providing our
students, faculty, and staff with the resources they need to
reach their full potential.”
“The signing of this agreement with Saint Joseph’s
University is another major milestone in our planned
relocation to Newtown Square.” –Ham Clark
Planning and design work for
the Newtown Square Campus is
ongoing. This is the new master
plan as of July 26th.
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Message From
Gretchen Burke, New
Chairman of the Board
of Trustees
I
t is with a sense of both pride and humility that I assume the
chairmanship of the board of trustees at Episcopal Academy and
I’m honored to become a part of the school’s esteemed tradition
of leadership during this momentous time. Particularly, I would
like to acknowledge the strong advocate and tireless leader that
Rush Haines, ’61, has been over the past six years. His guidance and
foresight have provided us with a very solid foundation for the future.
When my family moved to the Philadelphia area nearly seven
years ago, I had no idea that the wonderful school we found for
our five children on North Latches Lane was one with an incredible
ambition—to be one of the best day schools in America. Having
served on Episcopal’s board for the past four years and as chair of the
Development Committee, I am keenly aware of the challenges that lie
immediately ahead and I am confident that we will succeed.
To that end, my focus over the next three years will be on finalizing
our move to Newtown Square and managing the construction
process, securing the necessary funds to build our incredible new
campus, and strengthening our endowment to ensure a vibrant
institution over the long term.
Our resources are significant, beginning with our talented Head
of School Ham Clark. We have an outstanding faculty and academic
program, a dedicated administration, a supportive community of
students, alumni, parents, and friends, and visionary leadership from
the trustees, Alumni Board of Managers, and EAPA. The work that
we achieve as a community over the next few years will define this
institution for generations to come.
I hope you share my excitement as we begin this pivotal phase in
our continued pursuit of excellence and I look forward to working
with you as we seize this unique opportunity together.
Gretchen Burke
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New Board Members
Gretchen Burke received her M.B.A. from Harvard University
and her B.A. from Colgate University. She has held executive
positions as a Vice President for Strategic Planning at Security
Pacific and as an Assistant Vice President at Manufacturers
Hanover Bank. She is the first woman elected as chairman, has
served on the Episcopal Academy board for four years, and has
chaired the Development Committee. In addition, she serves on
the Finance and Development Committee of the Steppingstone
Foundation, is a member of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s
Associates, and is chair of the Investment Committee at the
Philadelphia Zoo.
Peri W. Higgins, a graduate of Harvard University (B.A.) and
the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (M.B.A.),
is the director of Radnor Holdings Corp. in Radnor, PA. She is
also a member of the Benefactor Society Board of the Franklin
Institute.
Francis J. Leto ’77, a graduate of St. Joseph’s University
(B.A.) and The Delaware Law School (J.D.), is a partner at Celli
and Leto LLP in Rosemont, PA. He is a board member at Baker
Industries Inc., The Bryn Mawr Trust Company, the Main Line Art
Center, and the Nantucket Preservation Trust.
Richard R. S. Northrup ’70, a graduate of the University of
Virginia (B.A.) and The University of Pennsylvania (M.S. and
M.B.A.), is managing partner of Portico Capital Securities in
Greenwich, CT. Between 1975 and 1980, Northrup was a faculty
member in mathematics at Episcopal.
Charles W. Ogelsby, Jr. ’63, a graduate of Temple University
(B.S. and M.B.A.), is the president of investment and financial
services company Ogelsby and Co. in Bryn Mawr, PA. Ogelsby
has served on the Episcopal Academy Alumni Society Board of
Managers since 1998.
Anne M. Robinson, a graduate of Drexel University (M.S.
and M.B.A.), is the President of the Episcopal Academy Parents
Association. Robinson has held management positions at the
Pennsylvania Resources Council, Mellon Bank, and CIGNA Corp.
nce
Ach
ala Through
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e
v
i
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B
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S
unita Saligram has lived in Wisconsin,
South Korea, Hong Kong, and Atlanta.
“I’ve moved around so many times, but
I’ve never been at a school that gives so
many students so many opportunities to perform,”
says Saligram, who graduated from Episcopal last
spring.
A singer of classical, jazz, and crossover music,
Saligram organized a spring concert with her peers,
violinist Emile Gogenini and pianist John Kamfonas
(also 2005 graduates), for their senior projects. They,
along with many other students, frequently sang and
played in chapel, as well as in the winter, spring, and
cabaret concerts at school. Hundreds of Episcopal
students have also performed in the annual music
trips, which rotate between Disney World, Boston,
and New York.
“I think I was able to perform at least once a
month at EA,” Saligram says. Part of why she
valued her Episcopal education was because of these chances to sing in front of
audiences. “Performing is the best way to
learn what kind of singer you are.”
However, whether they are chapel performances,
evening concerts, spring musicals, or art shows, public
exhibitions of student talent represent only some of
the ways that Episcopal promotes the arts.
T
Ar
Ar S
by Courtenay H. Bond
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“One of the things that we’re very excited about on the new campus is that the arts will be front and center, and they’ll be integrated,” Clark says.
E
piscopal begins intensive
theater, music, and drama instruction in the Lower School
and encourages students to
pursue all three fields in the Middle
and Upper schools. Teachers integrate
content students are studying in their
academic classes into the arts curriculum to improve critical thinking and
connection-making skills. Episcopal is
expanding its Upper School offerings in
the visual and performing arts. And the
administration dedicates considerable
resources in financing and in scheduling to the arts—perhaps more than
most area independent schools, administrators say.
“Our intention is not to produce artists,” says Lee Pearcy, who served as
curriculum director for five years until
returning to his position as Classics Department chair this fall. “Our intention
is to produce informed, critically thinking, classically educated students.”
Upper School Head Geoffrey Wagg
agrees. “Our philosophy has been that
students should be able to participate
in multiple aspects of the school simultaneously,” says Wagg, admitting
that students are busy juggling their
arts commitments with their academic, athletic, and other extracurricular
pursuits. But developing such wellrounded learners and thinkers is what
Episcopal is after—and what it holds as
its calling card.
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“Balance is really the key in all we
do here,” says Head of School Hamilton Clark. “To me a balanced life is
one that not only involves rigorous academics and athletic competition, but
also an aesthetic component—a chance
to participate in productions, to do
hands-on work in a studio, and to get
a sense of what is beauty, what is creativity.”
“Episcopal was always a school that
valued being well-rounded,” agrees
John Powell. An alumnus and longtime
teacher of Middle School math and
English and now Upper School English, Powell also served as Episcopal’s
director of the arts for 12 years until
2000. Hired to reorganize the arts programs, Powell oversaw the bolstering
of the curriculum in drama, music, and
the fine arts at Episcopal and put talented department chairs in place, such
as Robert Cronin and Dolores Lombardi who respectively strengthened the
theater and visual arts. With exciting
spring musicals, increased curricular
offerings, an after-school program with
the Barnes Foundation, and cuttingedge arts facilities planned for the new
campus, Episcopal’s focus on the arts
has continued to grow.
“One of the things that we’re very
excited about on the new campus is
that the arts will be front and center,
and they’ll be integrated,” Clark says.
For instance, the new campus plan
call for a state-of-the-art main stage,
a secondary performance space, and a
Lower School multi-purpose room with
a stage. “All the arts for Middle and
Upper School will be brought together
in the new school center with outstanding facilities for music, drama, and all
the visual arts,” Clark says. Giving the
arts a central focus on the new campus will help people see Episcopal not
just as a rigorous academic and athletic institution, but also as a school that
promotes and fosters artistic interests,
Clark adds.
Even if many students do not become
professional artists, musicians, and actors, the benefits they gain in increased
self-esteem, enhanced communication
skills, and broader minds are why Episcopal invites students to explore these
areas and provides them with resources
for doing so at all levels.
Bringing the Fine Arts
to Life
Three fundamentals guide lessons in Episcopal art classrooms, says
Middle School art teacher Naomi
Knecht. If the students are embarking
on a project in surrealism, they will
study Salvador Dali and other artists
of the genre. They will explore specific design concepts, such as shape
and form. Ultimately, students will create a project, allowing them to execute
what they have been discussing and
make the learning active, Knecht explains.
To help with the students’ creative
and critical thinking, Knecht will
sometimes play the “what if” game.
“Whenever we do surrealism, we start
by looking at artists,” Knecht says.
“Then we analyze: What if you draw
a room, and a cup is on the floor, but
then you turn the paper upside down,
and the cup is now on the ceiling, and
then what if there is a mermaid in the
cup.” This type of brainstorming helps
students tap into their creativity and
become excited about the project at
hand.
Mary French, Art Department chair,
says the goal at Episcopal is to make
the arts “vibrant.” To help students
become art appreciators, the depart-
A Brief
History of the
Performing Arts
at The Episcopal
Academy
by Clayton T. Platt ’73
The 1920 Domino Club production of
“Hawthorne of the U.S.A.”
The 1940 Music Department production of
“The Pirates of Penzance.”
As incredibly important as the Performing Arts are at
Episcopal today, it is interesting to note the role they
have played in the school’s history. There is no
apparent record of any dramatic or musical group,
either instrumental or vocal, existing at Episcopal until
1911 when the first orchestra was formed (see picture
at right). About the same time, perhaps a year earlier,
the Domino Club and Glee Clubs were founded at the DeLaney School, another private school in
the center of Philadelphia which merged with Episcopal before the 1915-16 school year. The first
performance by the Domino Club at Episcopal was The Dictator by Richard Harding Davis on
December 21, 1915, in the ballroom at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. The Glee Club sang during breaks
in the show. During these early years, the orchestra was formed and disbanded several times until
disappearing completely until 1988. The Domino Club flourished until the early 1930’s, was reborn in
1937, and reached an early pinnacle with performances of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore in
1939. In 1940, there was a full-fledged music department at Episcopal, which offered music lessons to
the boys, along with music appreciation classes. The music teachers were musicians from the Curtis
Institute. The first Chapel Choir was formed in 1937, coinciding with the increasing focus on music in
general at Episcopal under the direction of Hugh McClelland and then Dr. Alexander McCurdy.
During this time, the first a capella group was formed as a quartet, and the Glee Club began the practice
of having concerts jointly with other schools, especially the girls schools of the time, such as Agnes
Irwin and Shipley. Meanwhile, the Domino Club all but vanished in the early 1940’s.
Curtis York came to Episcopal in 1948, and the popularity of the Glee Club soared. During
his first year, the quartet was expanded into the Octet, and concerts were scheduled with five
different schools, concluding with what would become a traditional concert with Atlantic City
Friends School. The Domino Club had a brief resurgence at this time (for the first time in almost
a decade) as Tony Ridgway ’34 became the drama coach. In 1951, girls from other schools
were used to play female roles for the first time. In 1956, the Domino Club production was done
jointly with Baldwin, but shortly thereafter the club took another hiatus until John Muir came on
board in 1962. Music was extremely popular under Curtis York, and students formed a number of
new clubs, such as the Guitar Club (1960) and the Folk Club (1965). In 1962, the Glee Club
reached 70 members, and the Octet was expanded to the Academy 13. The fall of 1963 marked
the beginning of a 20-year tradition of joint Domino Club productions with Agnes Irwin. The Caine
Mutiny was staged by an all-faculty cast in 1965, apparently the only time this happened in the
school’s history. The first Shakespeare production at Episcopal was Hamlet in 1973.
The Academy 14 (formerly 13) became known as the Academy Blues in 1980, and the
Blusettes (later the Seasons) were formed in 1984 with the first graduating class of girls at
Episcopal. The late 1980’s brought some major developments to the performing arts at Episcopal
as the Jazz Ensemble was born in 1988, marking the first time in almost half a century that a
formal instrumental music group existed at the Academy. With the untimely death of John Muir in
1987, the Bob Cronin era began, and in the early 1990’s theater was everywhere on the Episcopal
campus. In the late 1990’s, the music program began to look the way we know it today under Joe
Buches, with the addition of the String Ensemble, the Orchestra (later the Concert Band), and
the Jazz Combo. The Glee Club has become the Concert Choir and the Blues and Seasons have
morphed into the Vocal Ensemble.
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ment takes students on field trips to the
Barnes’ Foundation, the Philadelphia
Museum of Art, and other area museums. Students showcase their work
during school art shows and the spring
Arts Festival, giving them peer recognition.
In addition, Lower School students
build skills and develop creativity
through classes that meet twice every
six-day rotation. Middle School students follow a rigorous program that
emphasizes the elements and principles of art through a project-based
curriculum that encourages students
to “produce, perceive, and appreciate
art.” Upper School students begin with
a new Foundations Course and then
move onto offerings in photography,
ceramics, woodworking, painting and
drawing, architectural drafting, and
computer design. At each stage, the lessons and projects are appropriate to
the students’ developmental stage, enabling them to conquer challenges and
feel satisfaction, French says.
“Mrs. French would give us a project and let us run with it,” says Anna
Strong, a ninth grader, recalling her
Lower School art days at Devon. “She
would give us help where we needed it,
but that sort of freedom is important.”
Strong was so engaged by her Lower School experience in the visual arts
that she went on to be a top student in
Knecht’s Middle School honors art class
and plans to take photography and other arts courses in Upper School.
What is it that excites students when
they enter an art classroom at Episcopal? Part of it is that “there’s some real
visual learning that goes on in an art
classroom that doesn’t go on anywhere
else,” French says.
Hank Albrycht, who teaches Upper
School woodworking and mechanical
and architectural drawing, agrees. “A
lot of what goes on in a student’s life is
memorization and book learning, and
here they have an opportunity to work
in three dimensions. It really attracts
them,” Albrycht says.
Furthermore, when students solve
problems in woodworking, such as
learning a certain kind of joinery,
they achieve something tangible. “It
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just gives one a sense of utter satisfaction when you finally put something
together and realize it’s not only wellconstructed using good materials, but
it’s also pleasing to look at, and it might
serve some social purpose,” Albrycht
says. “When they make something,”
adds Upper School art teacher Dolores Lombardi, “they achieve it, and it’s
theirs.”
Senior George Hastings, who won
a prize in last year’s Dora Khayatt
art competition for his drawing and
painting and who has pursued every
opportunity from Middle School hon-
ors art to woodworking and Upper
School honors art, says Episcopal has
offered him ample outlets for his creativity. “Last year I built a stool in the
art show,” Hastings reflects. “I used a
lathe to make the tapered legs and a table saw to cut out the top and a lot of
sanding and stain work. I completely
enjoyed it. It wasn’t really work to me.
I was always looking forward to working on it during the school day.”
Amy Rea, who graduated last spring,
says that the opportunities Episcopal
offered helped motivate her to study
arts education at the University of
Worth His Weight in Copper
Ten lucky students, faculty, parents, and staff received a warm welcome and spent
the day with John Madarasz ’81, coppersmith, in his workshop in Frazer, PA. John
shared how his years at Episcopal and his work with Hank Albrycht first fueled
his interest in the arts and prepared him to start and run his own very successful
business. For 26 years, John has followed his passion and has created beautifully
ornate, custom-made artistic and functional works in copper, iron, and other
metals for clientele in Philadelphia and on the Main Line. John and the students
exchanged excited views and ideas about the arts at Episcopal and talked with
enthusiasm about the bountiful opportunities the new campus will provide. You
may view John’s work at www.copperwork.com. Jeffrey Day
Back row (l to r): Visual Arts Chair Mary French, Hon., Chelsea Scott ’06, teacher Hank Albrycht, Hon.,
parent Wicker Francis, and teacher Nancy Reinhard, Hon. Front row (l to r): Kelsey Reinhard ’05, John
Madarasz ’81, John Heil ’12, and Margaret Heil ’10.
“There’s some real visual learning that goes on in an art classroom that doesn’t go on anywhere else,” French says.
Pennsylvania. The multi-faceted arts
requirements force students to explore
new avenues. “Having to try different
things makes you realize you can create fantastic things you never thought
you could,” Rea says.
Pursuing painting and drawing,
woodworking, and mechanical drawing in the Upper School has helped
her problem-solving skills, adds senior
Chelsea Scott. “Sometimes the answer
doesn’t come all that easily, and then
you take a piece of wood or a piece
of paper and try them a couple of different ways and make it work,” Scott
explains. “That is very rewarding. You
know you accomplished something
that didn’t come easy.”
When reflecting on their work in the
fine arts at Episcopal, students not only
talk about gains they have made through
the challenging projects, responsive curriculum, and superior instruction, but
also the opportunities they have had
to work alongside their peers. Helping organize last spring’s Arts Festival
with classmates and graduates Paul
Heavener and Margaret Burgess was
one of the highlights of her Episcopal education, says Susanna Franks,
who is now attending Barnard College.
She felt satisfaction in helping to pull
off the day of music, jewelry making,
tye-dying, and other art-related activities, and in helping her peers share their
work.
Improving Self-Esteem
through Drama
In addition to its strong visual arts
program, Episcopal offers an intensive
theater curriculum that starts in prekindergarten and spirals all the way
through the Upper School—a continuity and depth that few, if any, other
area independent schools can boast,
says Theater Department Chair Gabrielle Bernard.
Lower School drama teachers begin with age-appropriate exercises that
help students build confidence and learn
social interaction. In Middle School
drama, students continue to work on
team-building, self-expression, and public speaking skills through annual shows,
a required sixth-grade theater course,
Episcopal third grade students take part in a
production on the Harlem Renaissance.
and seventh- and eighth-grade electives
such as “Fairy Tale Theater: The Untold
Story” and a Monty Python class,
taught by Middle School Head
Mark Devey. Upper School students
participate in fall plays and spring
musicals and take everything from
technical theater to basic and intermediate acting.
“In our department, we’re really interested in the process of creating
something together as a team, where
each person is important—everybody
from the lead in the show to the person
running props backstage,” Bernard explains. “They’re all equally important
because they’re all co-dependent.”
“Theater is a very collaborative process,” agrees Lower and Middle School
drama teacher Susan LaPalombara.
“It’s about ‘us,’ not ‘me.’” Even if they
do not go on to become professional
actors, students take these teamwork
skills into other parts of their lives.
Students also learn to apply the selfexpression and confidence they gain
in theater to other classes and beyond,
teachers say.
“The fact that the students are as articulate as they are by the time they
reach the Upper School—the fact that
they can get up in chapel and make
those speeches—that doesn’t just hap-
pen overnight,” LaPalombara asserts.
Those are skills she and the other drama teachers work on with Lower
School students. For instance, in one
improv exercise, LaPalombara will tell
young students a story, such as Yertle
the Turtle, exploring questions such as
what makes a strong leader. Then she
and the students will act out the story,
changing it along the way and improvising lines.
“Sometimes the students will look at
me and say, ‘What do I say,’” LaPalombara explains. “And I’ll say, ‘Whatever
you want.’” This process builds confidence and problem-solving skills.
“This is the place where students can
shine, where they can all be confident,”
LaPalombara adds.
Mandie Banks, who teaches Lower
School drama at Devon and choreographs the dance numbers for the
Middle and Upper school musicals,
shares LaPalombara’s philosophy. “It’s
not just about performance,” Banks
says. “It’s about building skills that
help students become comfortable
with their bodies and voices, and then
they become better creative and critical
thinkers.”
Seeing students such as seniors Sara
Orr and Tucker Brown, both in the
classroom and on stage, shows that
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“Doing a scene together and really working together as a team, the social boundaries are broken,” Bernard says.
The Spring 2005 Domino production of Guys & Dolls
Former Theater Department Chair
Bob Cronin, Hon.
Episcopal drama teachers are succeeding in their goals. Brown, who has,
since fifth grade, “done every available
play,” says he loves being on stage. “I
just love the rush you get on opening
night when you’re out there in front of
people.”
But Brown and Orr agree with their
teachers that it is about more than the
performance. In pursuing drama at
Episcopal, they have learned life skills.
“You learn to deal with pressure really well and being put on the spot,”
Brown says. Participating in theater at
Episcopal has also helped him form intimate relationships. “I like the feeling
the whole group gets by the end of the
show,” Brown explains. “We’re really
close.”
“For most of the academic classes, you are sectioned off directly
with students from your grade,” adds
Orr. But in drama classes and productions, all-star athletes and students
of all ages interact, breaking down
barriers.
“There are strengths that a senior
will have that a freshman won’t have
and vice versa,” Bernard says. In theater at Episcopal, students of different
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levels learn from each other in a safe
and open environment. “Doing a scene
together and really working together as
a team, the social boundaries are broken,” Bernard says.
Many teachers and administrators
credit former Theater Chair Robert
Cronin, who founded the department,
with creating that kind of energy and
excitement about drama at Episcopal.
As director of the Domino Club, the
student theater group, Cronin brought
spring musicals to life, beginning with
the legendary first Episcopal production
of Godspell in the late 1980s. “That
spring musical really became an event
and an attraction,” says Lee Pearcy
about Cronin’s work. Cronin also began the annual freshmen plays, and he
helped bring theater into the classroom,
visiting English and history classes to
discuss everything from Greek to Russian theater and playwrights. “He was
a one-man band that was a pied piper that enlarged drama and brought it
into the classroom,” John Powell says.
Cronin says that one of the reasons
he loves working with students in the
theater is because the risks they take in
a drama production or class help them
grow. Students are perhaps more willing
to take risks in a drama class because
theater is a great equalizer. “It’s a place
where there are no experts,” Cronin
says. Drama is also an enduring experience. “If you allow a person to have
a creative experience—once they’ve
discovered that, they never cease to discover that,” Cronin adds.
Working with the students in a drama
class or on a production is energizing,
Bernard says. “The enthusiasm and energy these students put into it while
having an incredibly difficult academic
and athletic schedule—they must really love it and have a passion for it,”
Bernard says. “And to watch these students have a passion for something is
really special.”
Learning the Language of
Music
“If students are music literate, it becomes another language for them,”
says Lower School music teacher Janet
Albrycht. The cornerstone of Episcopal’s Lower School curriculum is the
Kodaly Method, a musical literacy program with the aim of helping students
not only learn to analyze and appreci-
Senior Michael Chang, one of
Episcopal’s most accomplished
musicians, during a recent
performance.
The Episcopal Academy
Vocal Ensemble performs
the national anthem at
Citizens Bank Park before
a Phillies game in 2004.
ate music from around the world, but
also to perform it. “The idea is that if
given a piece of music, it isn’t foreign,”
Albrycht explains.
One of the most exciting exercises
she does with her fourth- and fifthgraders, after they reach a certain skill
level, is to give them a piece of music
they have never seen before and ask
them to decipher it—without her playing it or singing it for them. “By the
time the lesson is over, they are able to
sing it for me,” Albrycht says. “I stop
and say, ‘Do you realize what you’ve
just done?’…and I tell them, ‘I would
venture to say that most of you have
parents who couldn’t begin to do
that.’”
Such a strong music program in the
Lower School means that students are
ready to take advantage of everything
Episcopal offers in the Middle and
Upper School music programs. Each
Middle School student participates in
some kind of music ensemble experience, such as Middle School Singers,
Jazz Band, or Chamber Ensemble.
Seventh- and eighth-grade students
also have an arts elective block during which they can take choir, band,
orchestra, guitar, music technology,
or percussion. Upper School students
have an ensemble period in which they
can participate in concert choir, concert
band, chamber orchestra, and other
offerings. In addition, Upper School
students may audition for select ensembles, such as the Jazz Combo, Chamber
Ensemble, or Vocal Ensemble, and take
classes such as AP music theory and
ear training and music technology.
Furthermore, Episcopal makes pursuing music feasible for busy students
by scheduling it during the school
day. “The school has demonstrated that music is really important in
the curriculum and that they want to
see it as part of the curricular day,”
says Music Department Chair Joseph
Buches.
Devoting these kinds of resources to
music encourages students. “The students are really taking pride in what
they’re doing and it shows through
their dedication, through their performance, and through their willingness
to make a positive contribution,” Buches says. “When we play together as a
tight ensemble, people notice it,” adds
former instrumental music teacher An-
drew Bugosh. “The students feel good
about what they’re doing.”
As in the visual arts and drama,
pursuing music all the way through
their Episcopal careers helps students
develop valuable life skills. “They understand the importance of repetition
and analyzing what they need to do to
make difficult passages playable or difficult passages of music sound good.
That’s the problem solving, the critical
thinking,” Bugosh says.
Senior Alex Terzian, who has won
Dora Khayatt music prizes for his
guitar playing and is part of the Jazz
Combo, agrees with his teachers that
the process is what is important. “It
takes so long to learn a song, and
after putting so many hours into learning something, you have a real sense
of satisfaction when it all comes
together.”
From pre-kindergarten on, Episcopal Academy is opening up new worlds
to students through the arts. “The arts
are the programs that really reach to a
person’s soul and really make a person
human,” says Devon Choir Director
Susan Johnson. “These creative outlets
for people are so necessary.”
F a l l 2 0 0 5 10
Academics
Kristin Leigh Gatter
University of Georgia
Martha Elizabeth
Gimbel
Brown University, National
Merit Scholar
Emile Shanthi Gogineni
University of Michigan
Megan Faye Grannan
Harvard University
Kerri Louisa Hadden
Providence College
Paul Aden Heavener, II
New York University
Bridget Elizabeth
Henwood
Colgate University
Alexandra Sparks
Hillyard
Washington and Lee
University
Commencement 2005
C
ommencement exercises
and graduation of the
111 members of the
Class of 2005 were held
on Thursday evening, June 9th in
Christ Chapel. Head of School Ham
Clark and Head of Upper School
Geoff Wagg presented the class to
Rush Haines, ’61, former Chairman
of the Board of Trustees, and the
Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison, Jr.,
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of
Pennsylvania.
The program included wonderful
addresses from salutatorian Nicholas
Morris and valedictorian Greg
Snyder and musical performances
by violinist Emile Gogineni, pianist
John Kamfonas, and vocalist Sunita
Saligram.
After commencement, the Class
of 2005 and their families gathered
under the tent on City Line Avenue
to enjoy their final hours as students
at Episcopal.
CLASS OF 2005
COLLEGE LIST
Dylan Michael Brown
Ohio Wesleyan University
Micah David Albrycht
Elizabethtown College,
Dean’s Scholar
Michael Adolphe
Kennedy Brun
Tulane University
David Edward Allen
Gordon College, Challenge
Scholar
Margaret Elizabeth
Burgess
Ursinus College,
Anna M. Bomberger
Scholar
Zachary Payne
Arbitman
Haverford College, Ira Reid
Scholar
Asia Nicole Archey
Trinity College
Courtney Richelle Asher
Williams College
Halimah Shakura
Barnett
Dickinson College, Samuel
Rose Scholar
Caroline Nicole Biden
Georgetown University
James Cameron
Billmyer
University of Pennsylvania,
Nelson Foundation Scholar
Alyssa Kelly Boente
University of Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Walsh
Brennan
Princeton University
Jeffrey William Brown
Wake Forest University
11 C o n n e c t i o n s
Louis John Calabrese
United States Naval
Academy
Chelsea Gray Calio
University of Central Florida
Matthew Russell
Carrington
Rhodes College
Peter Laughton Cohn
Dartmouth College
Nicole Jeanine
Connelly
Villanova University
Stephan Thomas
Connelly
Carolyn Thomson
Crawford
Fordham University
Andrea Rachel Cross
George Washington
University
Stephanie Morgan
Davidson
Columbia University,
National Merit Scholar
Alicia Taylor DeSantola
Stanford University
Patrick Michael Devine
Matthew Winn Dobbins
Virginia Polytechnic
Institute
Elisse Karen Douglass
Columbia University
Emily Frances Doyle
University of Georgia
John Patrick Dunphy
Elyse Robbins Familetti
University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
Todd Moyer Fernley
Clemson University
Brian Shane FitzPatrick
Cornell University
James Beswick
Francis, III
University of Richmond
Susanna Rees Franks
Barnard College
Samantha Carolyn
Gagnier
Spencer Maeve
Hoffman
Cornell University
Alexa Cahn Houser
University of Southern
California
Nicholas John Imbriglia
Brown University
Gregory Daniel Isdaner
John Spyro Kamfonas
Columbia University
Jessica Jeana Kim
Wellesley College
Kimberlee Samantha
Knecht
University of Delaware
Taylor Anne Knox
Dickinson College
Alexandra Leah
Lambert
Cornell University
Jessica Anne Leighton
Vanderbilt University
Clifford Charles Lewis
University of Wisconsin
Shari Lauren Long
New York University
Stephanie Lugo
West Chester University
Madeline Anne Lurio
Dartmouth College
Katherine Hughes
Maguire
New York University
Edward Degman
Maiwald
Blake Halle Mammuth
Franklin and Marshall
College
James Ambrose
Mathisen
Purdue University
Julia Bray McClatchy
Patrick Joseph
McCormick
Duke University
Christopher Bosler
McMeekin
Hampden-Sydney College,
Dean’s Scholar
Andrew Joseph
Mehalick
College, H.M.J. Klein
Scholar
Patrick Dominic Melvin
Kurt Spencer Miller
Colgate University
Eric Ballantyne Minnick
Stanford University
Simone Maxine Prinsen
Cornell University
Nicholas Allen Morris
Abigail Courtney
Tumpson Pyeritz
University of Delaware
Jeffrey Mark Nansteel
Daniel Timothy Nealis
Dickinson College
Ashley Paige Orleans
University of Wisconsin
Patrick Samuel
Pasquariello, IV
College
Anne Marie Person
American University
Mara O’Neill Powers
Union College
Kimberly Marie Pringle
University of Pennsylvania,
National Achievement
Scholar and George A. Weiss
Leadership Scholar
(l to r) Michael Archey, Asia Archey ’05, and
Dorothy Archey
Amy Frances Rea
Christina Lauren
Recchiute
Dickinson College,
Dickinson College Scholar
Matthew Jackson Satell
College
Frances Godwin Shafer
Northeastern University
Christopher Andrew
Sherwin
Washington and Lee
University
Ryan Mitchell Shmokler
Dana Janina Reilly
Alexandra Nicole Smith
Bowdoin College
Janel Kristin Robertson
Kevin Michael Smith
Pennsylvania College of
Technology
Kelly Marie Robinson
Columbia University
Joseph Anthony Rosati
Sunita Chandini
Saligram
New York University,
Presidential Honors Scholar
Gregory Daniel Snyder
Princeton University
Henry Edward Stewart
Roanoke College
Bruce Warden Stone, Jr. Elizabeth Rose Waples
Northwestern University
St. Bonaventure University
Matthew James Sutton
Ashley Brooke White
Catholic University, Catholic University of Southern
University Scholar
California
David Harrison Talbot
Yale University
Dana Elizabeth Whiteley
Washington College
William Noble
Thompson
Boston University
Peter Randall Wichmann
Catholic University
Lara Anne Turner
Syracuse University
Jonathan Jason
Jwei-Lin Uitto
Jennifer Lynn Soowal
Clemson University
Peter Nicolaas
van der Vlugt
University of Vermont
Ryan Steven Spagnolo
Cornell University
Molly Jane Waldron
Davidson College
(l to r) Susie Talbot ’04, David Talbot ’05,
and George Talbot ’66
(l to r) Robert Fernley ’40, Todd Fernley ’05,
and Taylor Fernley ’68
Craig Thomas Wallace
Patrick William Wilkinson
Northwestern University
Bernard Robert Yaros, Jr.
Williams College
Christopher Stephen Zipf
United States Naval Academy
(l to r) Dan Connelly ’99, Tom Connelly, Nicole
Connelly ’05, Stephan Connelly ’05, Josephine
Connelly ’01, and Daniele Connelly
(l to r) Tony Morris ’67, Jake Morris ’09, Nick
Morris ’05, Dave Morris ’02, Chris Morris ’99
(l to r) Soon Kim, Michelle Kim ’08, Jessica
Kim ’05, Steven Kim, and Yong Kim
F a l l 2 0 0 5 12
Academics
(l to r) Jim Minnick ’88, Eric Minnick ’05,
and Andrew Minnick ’03
(l to r) Julia Crawford ’03, Alan Crawford ’44,
and Cally Crawford ’05
(l to r) Heather Flick McMeekin ’91, Andrew
McMeekin ’91, Chris McMeekin ’05, and John
McMeekin ’86
2005
Academic
The Sportsmanship Cup – Girls
Elisse Karen Douglass
The James L. Crawford, Jr. Sportsmanship
Cup – Boys
Joseph Anthony Rosati
(l to r) The Familettis – Jay ’19, John, Hon., Chris ’04,
Elyse ’05, Lisa, Maggie ’12, and Jeffrey ’10
(l to r) Blake Shafer ’08, Francie Shafer ’05,
Cannie Shafer, Hon., and Win Shafer, Hon.
(l to r) Niza Davidson, Matt Davidson ’02, Stephie Davidson ’05, and Jeremy Davidson ’10
Award Winners
Alumni Prizes
For the members of the graduating class
with the highest standing in:
The William Jonathan Davis, Jr.
Memorial Prize
For history other than American
English – VI Form
Nicholas John Imbriglia
Martha Elizabeth Gimbel
Mathematics – VI Form
Megan Faye Grannan
For the best essay in religion
The Vincent R. Michael Memorial Prize
French – VI Form
Stephanie Morgan Davidson
The Class of 1966 Curtis R. York
Memorial Music Prize
For proficiency and originality in computer
studies
Latin – VI Form
The 1992 Junto Officers’ Award
For the greatest contribution to the Junto
Peter Laughton Cohn
Katherine Hughes Maguire
The Episcopal Academy Art Prize
For most creative talent in art
Amy Frances Rea
The Erwin W. Drexel Prize
For demonstrated outstanding talent and
proficiency in the technical arts
James Berwick Francis
The Francis L. Jackson, Jr. Prize
For excellence in Spanish
The Dorothy and Alan Hume ’44
Scientia Medal
For interest, aptitude, and achievement in all
scientific disciplines that embodies the qualities
of a future scientist
The Karen and Nikos Pharasles
Greek Prize
For excellence in the study of the
Greek language and Hellenic culture
The Class of 1890 Prize
David Edward Allen
For the greatest contribution to the
music program
Michael Adolphe Kennedy Brun
Emile Shanthi Gogineni
James Ambrose Mathisen
The James H. Mck. Quinn Prize
For the greatest contribution to the drama
program
John Patrick Dunphy
Faculty
News &
Notes
(l to r) Hank Albrycht, Hon., Francis
Thoumsin ’37, Janet Albrycht, Hon., Micah
Albrycht ’05, and Abby Albrycht ’01
(l to r) Jeff Nansteel ’05 and Jenn
Nansteel ’96
Lee Pearcy (Classics Department Chair) spent the summer
working on an article on writing and speaking in the Hippocratic
Corpus (an early version of which will turn into a lecture at
Bryn Mawr College in November), a paper for the Classical
Association of the Atlantic States meeting in October, and a
book review for Bryn Mawr Classical Review. In addition,
his book, The Grammar of our Civility; Classical Education
in America, will be published by Baylor University Press
this fall… Kristen Powell (Middle School Science Chair)
was selected this spring by the Pennsylvania Department of
Education as a Keystone Technology Integrator. The award
(l to r) Kelly Robinson ’05 and
Courtney Robinson ’02
is given for creative approaches to using technology as a
(l to r) Chad Billmyer ’97,
Jamie Billmyer ’05, and Amanda
Billmyer ’99
tool for teaching and learning. Only two independent school
teachers from across Pennsylvania were given the honor... Sue
Cannon (Middle School English and Social Studies), who is
The Phi Beta Kappa Prize
For the best all-round scholar in the senior class
Stephanie Morgan Davidson
The Jefferson Shiel Prize
For greatest general development
Henry Edward Stewart
The William H. Ortlepp Memorial Prize
for Service to The Academy
Alexandra Sparks Hillyard
The James B. Markoe Memorial (84th)
Award
For honor, unselfishness, and thoughtfulness
by vote of the class
Louis John Calabrese
The Class of 1877 (116th) Award
For scholarship, athletics, character, and
popularity
Omission in Last
Connections…
The 11 students named
to the Cum Laude
Society in the last
issue of Connections
join an additional 11
Episcopal students
who were named to the
Cum Laude Society in
the fall of 2004. They
were: Courtney Asher,
James Billmyer, Alyssa
Boente, Peter Cohn,
Stephanie Davidson,
Alicia DeSantola, Martha
Gimbel, Megan Grannan,
Christina Recchiute,
Gregory Snyder, and
Bernard Yaros.
on sabbatical this year, worked with a group of 28 educators
selected by California State University at Fullerton this summer
to teach English in China for four weeks. She spent two weeks
teaching middle school students and two weeks working
with teachers in Rugao… Over 46 members of the faculty
and staff participated in the Summer Technology Initiative,
which was made possible through a grant from Episcopal’s
Class of 1944. The program offered teachers from Episcopal
and other schools the opportunity to participate in hands-on,
innovative technology workshops… Susan LaPalombara
(Middle and Lower School Drama) and Mandie Banks (Lower
School Drama) attended the American Alliance for Theatre and
Education Conference in Chicago from July 26th through July
31st. Said LaPalombara, “It always gives us great new ideas;
provides us with lots of resources (plays, in particular); and
both renews and creates new connections with our colleagues
across the country”… Lisa Allen (Upper School French)
was a mentor at the 2005 Pennsylvania Governor’s Institute
for World Language Educators at Villanova University. She
continued on page 15 >>>
F a l l 2 0 0 5 14
Faculty
News &
Notes
<<< continued from page 14
spent a week working at the institute with teachers from all
over Pennsylvania… Chuck Bryant (Upper School History)
attended the Wesleyan Writers Conference, which featured
a number of outstanding authors and teachers of writing,
including The New Yorker’s Jules Pfeiffer… Lee Billmyer
(College Guidance Counselor) attended a one-week program
of seminars and lectures in Boston run by the Harvard
Institute on College Admissions… Mireya Yaros (Upper
School Spanish) traveled with her family to Argentina and
Uruguay with for three weeks in July. The trip’s focus was
on the Andean Northwest provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán,
and Mendoza in Argentina exploring archaeological sites,
colonial monuments, and diverse natural landscapes… Mark
Mandeville (Upper School Science) has been going through
the screening process and is donating blood samples to
become a possible bone marrow donor… Tim Gavin (Form
Dean and Upper School Religion) had two poems published
in The Schuylkill Valley Journal and two poems published in
the New England Journal of Poetry. He also spent many of his
summer mornings training for the Philadelphia Marathon…
Bob Parr (Upper School Science) attended the ChemEd 2005
Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia from July 31st to
August 4th. The conference includes numerous presentations,
demonstrations, and lectures and is hosted by a consortium of
Canadian science educators… Kaveh Saidi (Lower, Middle,
and Upper School Music) spent time this summer at the
Governor’s School of North Carolina, conducting, coaching,
and performing with the youth orchestra. He also attended a
two-week seminar to take violin lessons with Burton Kaplan of
the Manhattan School of Music.
Mindy Hong Begins
Work As New
Curriculum Director
E
piscopal announced
last spring that Mindy Hong will be the
school’s new curriculum director. Hong will
take over for Lee Pearcy, who
served as curriculum director
for four years and will now
focus his attention on returning as chair of the Classics
Department.
Most recently, Hong was
chair of the Upper School English Department at Episcopal
and has taught III, V, and VI
Form English literature. She
has held adjunct faculty positions at Rowan University and
Drexel University, and was Language Arts Director at Greene
Street Friends School in Philadelphia. Hong received her B.A.
from Columbia University, her M.A. from New York University, and her M.Ed. from Harvard University.
“Episcopal Academy’s rigorous academic program and
its top athletic program are based on a firm spiritual foundation,” said Hong. “As the new director of curriculum, I
hope to continue the fine work started by Lee Pearcy. EA
is only as excellent as its faculty. Through a coordinated effort, my first goal is to provide meaningful opportunities for
faculty growth and scholarship to enrich the curriculum. Additionally, the goal is to collaborate and celebrate what we
do best pedagogically, through open communication and coordination as each form and division responds to the overall
curricula needs of the school.”
Four Faculty and Staff Members
Recognized for 25 Years of
Service
F
our Episcopal faculty and staff members were recognized on Wednesday, June 8th for 25 years of service
to the Academy. Middle School teacher Win Shafer,
Hon., Director of Admissions Lynn Hay, Hon., Lower School teacher Joyce Gavin, Hon., and Director of Food
Services John Familetti, Hon., were all presented with bibles
by Head of School Ham Clark and were congratulated by
their peers during the Faculty and Staff Appreciation Dinner.
Athletics
Girls Lacrosse
Takes Inter-Ac
League and
Tournament
Titles
Come from behind twice
in one week to shock
Germantown Academy
T
he 2005 girls’ lacrosse team
shocked their competition this past
spring by coming from behind to
capture the Inter-Ac League Tournament title and a portion of the Inter-Ac League regular season title.
Despite suffering a one-goal loss to Agnes Irwin early in the season, Episcopal
beat Germantown Academy on the road 12-11 on May 7th to share a piece of the
Inter-Ac Championship. That win gave Episcopal a number one seed for the InterAc Tournament, which was held May 12th through May 14th. The team beat Penn
Charter for the second time this season in the first game, 8-7, to set up a rematch
with Germantown Academy in the final. For the second time in a week, the girls
stormed back from a two-goal deficit with less than two minutes to play to beat GA
in the final seconds 9-8.
The 2005 Inter-Ac Champions in girls lacrosse:
Back row (left to right): Head Coach Kim Piersall,
manager Cally Crawford, Ali Hillyard, Callye Komlo,
Emily Doyle, Madeline Lurio, Liz Waples, Anne
Marie Person, Britt Steidle, manager Caroline
Cannon. Middle row (left to right): Abbie Pyeritz,
Jane Gartland, and Lara Turner. First row (left to
right): Assistant Coach Jessica Rice, Kerri Hadden,
Logan Greer, Megan McFarland, Ashley Aruffo, Kelly
Robinson, and Alyssa Boente.
From Teammates to Rivals
Gerald Henderson and Wayne Ellington
commit to Duke and UNC, respectively
I
From left: Senior Wayne Ellington, Boys Basketball Head Coach Dan Dougherty,
Hon., Episcopal Athletic Director Gina Buggy, Hon., and Senior Gerald Henderson pause for photographers at a press conference this past May.
n a series of widely attended press conferences held this
past spring, senior basketball standouts Gerald Henderson and Wayne Ellington announced their intentions to
attend Duke University and the University of North Carolina,
respectively, beginning in the autumn of 2006. Both players
were recruited heavily and their announcements garnered national media attention.
During their respective press conferences, Henderson was
quick to note that playing basketball for Duke has always been
a dream of his, while Ellington remarked that his enviable position was a blessing from God. Both students also thanked
each other for the support and encouragement they received
from one another, and they expressed their deep gratitude to
boys basketball coach Dan Dougherty, their teammates, and
their families.
When asked how they would make the adjustment from
teammates to rivals, both students just smiled and said they
wanted to remain focused on repeating as Inter-Ac champions this year.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 16
Athletics
Joe Rosati Named
Main Line Times’
Athlete of the Year
Cathy Hall Takes
Over Girls Soccer
Program
C
Football, Basketball, and
Baseball Standout is the
ninth Episcopal StudentAthlete to Win Award
J
oe Rosati, who graduated this
Joe Rosati
past spring, was named the
Main Line Times’ 2005 Athlete of the Year for Private School Boys. Previous Episcopal students that
have won the award include Chris Roe (1986), Gabby Roe (1987), Jim Shanahan
(1990), Sonja Volla (1995), Trevor Walker (1999), Kyle Eckel (2000), Katie Spofford (2001), Adam Murray (2002), and Lauren Bobzin (2004).
According to the Main Line Times, Rosati won the award for his “excellence
in three sports.” Rosati was a leader on the football team’s defensive unit and
helped the team capture a share of its first Inter-Ac title since 1983. On the basketball court, his tough all-around play was again an integral part of Episcopal’s
first Inter-Ac title in 14 years. On the baseball field, Rosati set school records for
career hits and led the team in batting average, runs scored, RBIs, on-base percentage, and hits.
Rosati accepted a baseball scholarship from Villanova University and is looking
forward to suiting up for the Wildcats next spring.
athy Hall, Episcopal’s Director
of Technology, has been named
Episcopal’s new Varsity Girls
Soccer coach. Hall, who was the assistant coach last year, attended high school
in the Washington, D.C. area and was
named to all-district, all-region, and allstate soccer teams. She participated in
the Olympic Development Program for
the state of Virginia and played for her
alma mater Princeton University.
“I am really looking forward to coaching the team this season. We have a very
talented and hard working group, and I
anticipate a great season,” said Hall.
Reed Valutas Finishes Second at Inter-Ac
Golf Championships
E
piscopal Academy senior Reed
Valutas placed second in the
Inter-Ac Golf Championships
this past spring with a score of 72.
Valutas made a great late run at the title, birdying the 15th and 16th holes,
but he missed a 10-foot putt on the
18th to force a tie. An unlucky finish
to a great year, Valutas finished as the
low scorer for both teams in nine out
of 16 matches for Episcopal.
Valutas followed up his great
spring with Episcopal with some of
the best golf in his short career in
July. On July 8th and 9th, he scored
a one-over-par 145 (73-72) in the
Reed Valutas
Pennsylvania Junior Championships
at Penn National Golf Club in Fayetteville with eight birdies during the two rounds. He finished eighth out of 117
players and received an exemption on the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA)
tour. He entered matches in Hartford, CT, Summit, NJ, and at French Creek in Elverson, PA, all of which he played during the month of August. He was also invited to play in the International Junior Golf Tour (IJGT) Invitational at Hilton Head, NC in August.
Cathy Hall
Broad Street Run Follow-up...
Two EA participants
finish in the Top 10
A
s we noted in the last issue of Connections, over 15
members of Episcopal’s faculty and staff took part in the
Broad Street Run on May 1st. While all
of Episcopal’s participants showed well,
two in particular performed exceptionally. In the 45- to 49-year-old age
group, Athletic Director Gina Buggy
finished 6th out of 396 competitors. In
the 21- to 24-year-old age group, Middle School science teacher Laurie Smith
finished 5th out of 673 runners.
Episcopal
Spring Athletic Award Winners
Joseph A. Rosati The Eddie Collins Bat, Most Hits
Elisse K. Douglass The 1995 Girls’ Track Award
Joseph A. Rosati The Bob Scott Memorial Cup
Kimberly Pringle The Scholar Athlete Award – Girls Track
Joseph A. Rosati The Class of 1914 Gold Baseball
Kimberly Pringle The Mind, Body and Spirit Prize – Girls Track
Christopher S. Zipf The Class of 1999 Baseball Award
James C. Billmyer The Class of 1912 Medal
Christopher A. Sherwin The James W. Straub Memorial Prize
Samantha A. Aronchick The Athletic Service Award
Zachary M. Morse The E.A. Oar Award – Boys
David E. Allen The David A. DeMoss Memorial Award
David H. Talbot The Scholar Athlete Award – Boys Crew
David H. Talbot The Mind, Body, and Spirit Prize – Boys Crew
Andrea R. Cross The E.A. Oar Award – Girls
Elizabeth W. Brennan The Scholar Athlete Award – Girls Crew
The Tri-Sport Awards
Richard N. Knox The Borkowski Coaching Award
Cheryl McLauchlan The Keegan Awards
Frances G. Shafer The Mind, Body, and Spirit Prize – Girls Crew
Alumni Achievement Awards
Reed M. Valutas The Helen Wilson Trophy
Joseph A. Rosati The Sportsmanship Cup – Boys
Micah D. Albrycht The Scholar Athlete Award – Golf
Elisse K. Douglass The Sportsmanship Cup – Girls
Micah D. Albrycht The Jacques H. Houdry ‘43 Golf Award
First Team All Inter-Ac – Spring Sports
Dylan M. Brown The Stick Lacrosse Award
Joseph A. Rosati Baseball
Robert J. McCallion The Team of 1977 Lacrosse Award
Reed M. Valutas Golf Peter L. Cohn The Episcopal Academy Lacrosse Award
Logan E. Greer, Alexandra S. Hillyard,
Abigail C. T. Pyeritz Girls Lacrosse Gregory D. Snyder The Donald J. Reape Memorial Award – Boys Lacrosse
Anna M. Imperatrice Softball
Robert J. McCallion The Coach John H. Wynne, Jr.
Lacrosse Award
Peter H. Callahan, Todd Harrity, John S. Kamfonas,
Peter E. C. Vale Boys Tennis AnneMarie Person The Team of 1983 Girls’ Lacrosse Award
Jerome M. Henderson, Matthew J. Sutton Boys Track
Alexandra S. Hillyard The Championship Team of 1995
Girls’ Lacrosse Bowl
Elisse K. Douglass, Allison D. FitzPatrick,
Sophia N. Lambertsen Girls Track
Alyssa K. Boente The Scholar Athlete Award – Girls Lacrosse
Logan E. Greer The Ground Ball Award – Girls Lacrosse
Blake H. Mammuth The Team of 2000 Softball Award
Anna M. Imperatrice The Trophy for Excellence in Softball
Morgan T. Woodward The EA Gold Softball – Softball
First Team All Main Line – Spring Sports
Joseph A. Rosati Baseball
Reed M. Valutas Golf
Dylan M. Brown, Robert J. McCallion Boys Lacrosse Anna M. Imperatrice The EA Golden Glove – Softball
Logan E. Greer, Alexandra S. Hillyard,
Abigail C. T. Pyeritz Girls Lacrosse
Peter E. C. Vale The John T. McCullough Cup
Anna M. Imperatrice Softball
John S. Kamfonas The George C. Shafer, Jr. Tennis Award
John S. Kamfonas The Scholar Athlete Award – Boys Tennis
Peter H. Callahan, John S. Kamfonas,
Peter E. C. Vale Boys Tennis
Matthew J. Sutton The Class of 1910 Medal
Jerome M. Henderson, Patrick J. McCormick Boys Track
Patrick J. McCormick The Scholar Athlete Award – Boys Track
Elisse K. Douglass, Allison D. FitzPatrick,
Sophia N. Lambertsen Girls Track
Patrick J. McCormick The Mind, Body, and Spirit Prize –
Boys Track
F a l l 2 0 0 5 18
Arts
Several Changes
For Theater
Department in
2005-2006
(l to r) Hilary White, Taylor Platt, Eliza
Crawford, Elizabeth Galib, Devi Loftus,
and Amanda Terzian
Additional courses, OneAct Festival on the schedule
S
everal changes will be made in
the Theater Department this
year, including more courses being offered in the Upper
School. The new couses are Film Appreciation, Acting, Technical
iams and
Theater, and a new Play course
r) Dylan Will
(Center l to
that will be offered in both the
nburg
Abby Kloppe
English and Theater Departments and involves reading
plays and attending local performances.
Also, a new One-Act Festival is being introduced this year.
Chair of the Theater Department, Gabrielle Bernard, will be
producing the festival and is accepting play submissions from
students for consideration.
In other news, Brandon Koenig, Episcopal’s new Technical
Director, just returned from the
Spoleto Theatre Festival and headed straight to the Bard Summer
Stage as a technician. Both festivals
are world-renowned and Koenig
worked with some of the top names
in the industry.
Lastly, next year’s theater season
will include an autumn production of
Shakespeare’s As You Like It, while
the spring musical will be Oklahoma!
The audition schedule for the fall play
his past May, the Episcopal Academy Middle School staged their final
will be posted on the theater Web site.
production of the year. Over 75 students were involved in producing R.
In the Middle School, new Drama
Rex Stephenson’s adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.
Director Susan LaPalombara will overThis adaptation was very close to the book and included a Greek-style
see the production of the musical Honk!
chorus
that
moved the story along. Under the direction of Gabrielle Bernard,
and the spring show The Phantom
Middle
School
Drama Director and Theater Department Chair, the show opened
Tollbooth.
with an exciting view of the jungle complete with swinging vines, a rising sun,
and all of the characters dancing their own “Jungle Boogie.”
This was a great show that was enjoyed by all who attended the performances.
A wonderful job was done by all of the cast and stage crew.
Middle School
Presents The Jungle Book
T
Merion Kindergarten
Stages Animal Parade
T
he Merion kindergarten classes presented The Animal Parade on May 10th, featuring poems and songs
about both popular and some not-so- common animals.
The classes had the opportunity to hear and write their own
poetry and research certain animals, and the Animal Parade
was a culmination of this work.
The focus of the presentation was to give the students the
opportunity to have fun creating and working together on
a project that would integrate a variety of skills and styles.
The process of choosing parts, learning lines and songs, creating scenery, and choreographing movement was one that built
positive teamwork and individual self-confidence.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 20
Alumni
Reunion
Weekend 2005
A Rousing
Success
A
lumni Weekend 2005 arrived under
threatening skies and, unfortunately, the
poor weather arrived on Saturday morning.
But the rain had no impact whatsoever
on the success of each reunion, and by all accounts,
those who participated felt the weekend left them
reconnected with old friends and highly energized
about the present and future state of Episcopal
Academy.
As always, the 50th Reunion Class was in the
spotlight, and this year the focus was on the great
Class of 1955. Highlights of the weekend included:
the inaugural 50th Reunion Address in chapel on
Friday morning, delivered by Ralph McLean ’55;
tours of both the Merion Campus and the site of
the new campus in Newtown Square; the student a
capella group (the Vocal Ensemble) singing at Friday’s
alumni lunch; the Jazz Combo playing at the alumni
reception Friday evening before a wonderfully diverse
group of reunion classes; the presentation of the 50th
Reunion Class Gift to Ham Clark and Rush Haines,
’61, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees (see
page 41); the dinner hosted by Ham for the Class of
1955 in Ryan Hall Friday night, replete with some
of the funniest stories one could imagine; a student
violin quartet serenading the 50th Reunion Dinner;
the Memorial Service for the Class of 1955’s fallen
classmates on Saturday morning with many poignant
memories shared of those gone but not forgotten; the
Old Guard Lunch welcoming the Class of 1955 into
their ranks; a rollicking indoor picnic for the Class
of 1985 and their families; a wildly popular series
of presentations by various members of the Class of
1955 on the topic of their “out of the box” careers,
hobbies and life choices at the Merion Cricket Club;
and a host of very well attended class parties at
private homes, the Devon Campus, and Citizens Bank
Ballpark.
To top it off, a number of classes continued the
tradition of Five School Parties as well. As several
astute alumni pointed out, this was the final
Alumni Weekend the classes ending in 0’s and 5’s
will celebrate on the Merion Campus. Such is the
bittersweet nature of reunions.
Members of the Class of 1970 present a check to Ham Clark in support of the
Annual Fund. Their contribution was a new 35th Reunion Class Giving record.
Fred Weaver ’55, Henry Winsor ’55, Dave McMullin ’55, and David Scott ’56
Ed Buckley ’45 and Joan and Jeff Gardiner ’45
Rich Aldridge ’85, Omar McNeill ’85, and Todd Pride ’85
Norm Fitzpatrick ’80, Bill Giles, Joe Giles ’80, and Philip
Trimble ’80 celebrate the 25th Reunion at Citizens Bank
Park.
Heather Buchanan ’85, Wendy (Zug) Brown ’85, Kathy (Miller) Daly ’85,
Cathy (French) Ackerman ’85, and Kristin (Lisi) Conway ’85 reunited at the
20th Reunion Picnic on the Merion Campus during Alumni Weekend.
FALL
Upcoming2005
Alumni
Events
Saturday, October 1
b Philadelphia Regional
Alumni Event
Newtown Square Campus
Leighton McIlvaine ’55 and Geoff Worden ’57
Jay Mitchell ’80, Court Ebeling ’80, and
Steve Cunningham ’80
Saturday, October 29
b EA Varsity Football @ McDonough
b Baltimore / DC Regional Gathering
1:00 p.m.
Friday, November 11
b Alumni Awards Dinner
b EA / Irwin’s Day
Saturday, November 12
b EA/Haverford Day @ Episcopal
Britt Murdoch ’75, Jeff Stanton ’75, and Jim Dornberger ’75
David Robb ’55 and his wife Frances watch the Episcopal
boys battle Haverford in lacrosse.
Thursday, November 24
b Alumni Thanksgiving
Soccer Game
10:30 A.M., Merion Campus
Friday, November 25
b Class of 1990 – 15th Reunion
Saturday, November 26
R.T. Toland ’40 and Hughes Cauffman ’34
Maurice Heckscher ’60 and Barry Pinheiro ’60
F a l l 2 0 0 5 22
Alumni
Beloved Teacher Philip
Spear, Hon., Receives Bishop
William White Award
P
hilip J. Spear, Hon. was awarded the 2005
Bishop William White Award presented each year
by the Alumni Society to an effective and dedicated
member of the faculty whose influence on the education and growth of Academy students extends beyond the
classroom or subject.
Phil dedicated 30 years of his life to the Episcopal Academy,
serving 19 years as Chair of the English Department. He “truly represents the quintessential Episcopal Academy teacher
and demonstrates the professionalism and commitment that
all teachers strive to achieve,” said one colleague.
EA Alumni Lacrosse Team
Defeats GA Counterparts
F
ourteen Episcopal alumni returned to the Philadelphia area for a lacrosse game versus Germantown
Academy’s lacrosse alumni on Saturday May 7th
at Germantown Academy. The Episcopal team
easily defeated GA’s alumni 10-4. Those in attendance included (l to r): (Front Row) Eric Seestedt ’86, Omar McNeill ’85,
Dan O’Donnell ’97, Gene Linkmeyer ’83, Brian Mann ’81,
and Matt Bailer ’97. (Back Row) Chris Fallon ’98, Eric Gregg
’96, Tim Muir ’99, Kurt Lunkenheimer ’95, Scott Reynolds
’96, Coach John Wynne, Hon., Jamie Creed ’00, Burke Gallagher ’97, and Josh Hollinger ’00.
2005 MacBean Bowl Awarded
to Patrick McCormick ’05 and
Spencer Hoffman ’05
Members of the Alumni Society present the Bishop William White Award to
Philip Spear, Hon.: (l to r) Rex Gary ’73, Philip Spear, Hon., and Bill Keffer ’84.
Ryan Shmokler ’05,
Craig Wallace ’05,
Pat Melvin ’05, and
Lara Turner ’05 at the
Senior Picnic.
T
he MacBean Bowl, which the MacBean Family presented to Episcopal as a prize for the winners of the
annual debate tournament, was awarded this spring
to students Patrick McCormick ’05 and Spencer
Hoffman ’05. The event was held on May 9th. Numerous
alumni served as judges for the tournament, including: Nabi
Moghadam ’90, Pete Yeremian ’03, Andrew M. Brown ’01,
John Little ’04, Sean Seelinger ’03, Nick Crews ’00, Gayle
Laakmann ’00, and Shaan Sheikh ’03.
Class of 2005 Enjoys Senior Picnic
T
he Alumni Society hosted a picnic for Episcopal
seniors this spring welcoming them into the alumni
community and congratulating them on their impending graduation. Food was prepared and served
by members of the Alumni Society. Seniors had the opportunity to vote for their class representatives and received
information on upcoming alumni events and gatherings.
Loyd Pakradooni ’65, Alanna Wren ’92, and Ellie
Rettew (spouse of John Rettew ’50) manning the
grill at the Class of 2005 Senior Picnic hosted by the
Alumni Society.
Six Faculty and Staff Members
Presented with Honorary Alumni Award
Community Forum
Unveils 2005-2006
Program
This Year’s Program Celebrates
Excellence and Honesty
T
wo fantastic speakers and one great excursion
make up the 2005-2006 Community Forum
Program. For more information on any of the
events, please contact Nancy Taylor, Alumni
Secretary, at 610-617-2249.
Honorary alumni awards for 10 years of service were presented by the Alumni
Society at the closing dinner on June 8th: (left to right) Bill Keffer ’84, Cheryl
McLauchlan, Hon., Betsy DeNatale, Hon., Lois Earnest, Hon., Anthony
Sabatino, Hon., and Rex Gary ’73. Missing: Michael Klaasen, Hon. and Sandra
Vaughan, Hon.
2005 Episcopal Legacies
D
uring commencement exercises this past spring,
the following graduating seniors posed with family members that are also Episcopal alumni. They
are (from left to right; front row): John Familetti, Hon., Elyse Familetti ’05, Katie Maguire ’05, Kimmy
Knecht ’05, Naomi Knecht, Hon.; (second row) Todd Fernley ’05, Bruce Stone ’76, BJ Stone ’05, Albert Maguire ’78,
Lee Billmyer, Hon., Jamie Billmyer ’05; (third row) Taylor
Fernley ’68, Pat Pasquariello ’05, Hank Albrycht, Hon., Janet
Albrycht, Hon.; (fourth row) Nick Morris ’05, Dan Polett,
trustee emeriti, Micah Albrycht ’05; (fifth row) Tony Morris
’67, Francie Shafer ’05, John Smith, Hon., Kevin Smith ’05;
(sixth row) Win Shafer, Hon., Cannie Shafer, Hon., David
Talbot ’05, and George Talbot ’66.
Trudy Rubin
Wednesday, November 16th
Merion Theater; 7:30 p.m.
Trudy Rubin is the foreign affairs columnist for The
Philadelphia Inquirer, and a member of its editorial
board. Rubin has 30 years of experience covering the
Middle East, including six years in Jerusalem and Beirut.
Her coverage of Iraq, before and after the Gulf War, have
given her exceptional insights into the ongoing insurgency
and the Bush Administration’s current policy in Iraq.
Tina deVaron
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Merion Theater; 7:30 p.m.
Tina deVaron is a successful singer/songwriter. She has
had a dance-club hit with Wake it Up, and her current
releases include If I Close My Eyes, the smash first single
on dance diva Reina’s album debut, and If Mama Ain’t
Happy.
Tour of Christ Church
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Reception at 6:30, tour at 7:00
Located at 2nd Street above Market, Christ Church is
known as “The Nation’s Church” because of the famous
revolutionary-era leaders who worshipped there. Founded
in 1695, it was the first parish of the Church of England
in Pennsylvania. It is also where the American Episcopal
Church was born. Those who worshiped regularly at
Christ Church include George Washington, Benjamin
Franklin, and Betsy Ross.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 24
Spirituality & Community Life
Upper School Students Help Some of
the Country’s Most Impoverished
Service-Learning Project on Pine Ridge Reservation a
“Profound Experience”
M
ost students seeking “cultural immersion” secure passports, learn a
foreign language, or prepare for a lengthy trip away from home. But
20 Episcopal Academy Upper School students experienced a true cultural immersion this summer and never left the country.
This past summer, the Community Service Department sponsored a trip to the
Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, home of the Lakota Sioux Nation. The
reservation encompasses 11,000 miles (roughly the size of Connecticut), is the
3rd poorest county in the United States, and has a population of approximately 40,000 people. Life on the reservation is bleak. With an unemployment rate of
85%, a per capita income of $3,400, and the lowest life expectancy and the highest infant mortality rate in the nation, the Lakota Sioux at Pine Ridge experience
a life unlike any other in the U.S.
Episcopal students worked with Re-Member, a faith-based organization that
encourages dialogue and action regarding the treatment of the Native American
population in the United States and works to mend the fractured relationship.
Working alongside other students from Nebraska and Missouri, the students tackled a major carpentry project – building and installing bunk beds in homes on the
reservation.
The students also learned a great deal from the Lakota themselves by attending
daily “Wisdom of the Elders” meetings and evening sessions with guest speakers.
The students were able to supplement these stories with visits to the Red Cloud
Museum, the Wounded Knee Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial, the Badlands,
and Mount Rushmore.
The value of the experience for Episcopal students went beyond doing good
works. “This was not a community service trip; it was a service learning experience,” says Rob Trumbull, Director of Community Service. “The students were
totally immersed in current Native American culture and the situation lent itself
to new levels of introspection and value definition and to seeing things in a different way.”
“The first-hand experience of seeing the conditions and the
hardships was eye-opening. It was difficult to hear the stories
told by children and grandchildren of the Lakota who had been
part of the American Indian Movement,” said senior Claire
Pelura.
Sophomore Mark Nakahara added, “There is a lot of drinking, a great deal of poverty. Overall it is a very sad situation.”
The experience has led Mark to want to help even more and to
hopefully return next
summer with another group of Episcopal
students.
Several of the students
work on staining the pieces
used to construct the beds.
From left are: junior C.J.
Murdoch, junior Rachel
Daddona, junior Jon Trumbull, sophomore Michelle
Kim, and senior Rosie
Trumbull.
Pastoral News Now
Posted on Episcopal
Web Site
I
mportant news and
announcements from Chaplain
Jim Squire are now being
posted on the Episcopal Web
site. Off the home page, just go
to More News/Pastoral News from
the Chaplain or Spirit/Pastoral News
from the Chaplain. If you have any
questions or problems, feel free to
email the Communications Office at
letts@ea1785.org.
A Lakota boy enjoys
his new bed.
Episcopal to Take Part in 4th
Annual Dragon Boat Race
Three teams will paddle for West Philadelphia
Alliance for Children
A
number of Episcopal’s community members will be taking part in the
Fourth Annual Philadelphia International Dragon Boat Festival, which
will be held on Saturday, October 1st from 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. on the
Schuylkill River.
There are 128 teams competing this year, and Episcopal will be well represented.
The school has three teams entered: The DragonEArs, captained by Dawn Eringis;
The GrEAt Blue Dragons, captained by Susan Swanson; and the Episcopal Navy
captained by Becky Brinks.
The teams are composed of parents, students, faculty, staff, administration, and
friends. The teams are paddling to raise money for West Philadelphia Alliance for
Children, one of the organizations Episcopal’s Community Service Department
works closely with. The school will have its usual big tent pitched right on the riverbank and an all-day picnic is planned. Everyone is welcome. Come down and
cheer Episcopal on!
Episcopal
Introduces New
Lower School
Chaplain
Rev. Heather PattonGraham Comes to
Episcopal from Christ
Church in Wilmington, DE
E
piscopal parents may recognize a new face on
campus this fall. Rev.
Heather Patton-Graham
has been hired as the new Lower
School Chaplain at Episcopal. Previously, Rev. Patton-Graham was the
Assistant Rector for Children, Youth,
and Young Family Ministry at Christ
Church in Wilmington, DE. Prior to
that she served as Youth Minister at
St. Bartholomew’s Church in New
York city and was Director of Children’s Ministries at St. Luke’s Parish
in Darien, CT.
Rev. Pattion-Graham has a strong
music background and received a
B.A. in American Studies from the
University of Delaware and earned her
Masters of Divinity with Honors from
The General Theological Seminary of
the Episcopal Church.
Rev. Patton-Graham has a daughter who will be attending the Lower
School at Merion in the fall.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 26
Class Notes
E dited by The Alumni Offi ce
Class of 1940 65th Reunion
(l to r) Front row: Judy Gager, Dorothy Yarnall, Hannah Rudolph, Rosamond Richardson, Mitsie Toland, Sibby Toland, Mary Hopkins, and Alice Fernley; Back row:
Forrest Gager, Charlie Yarnall, George Harding, Bill Richardson, R.T. Toland, George Neall, Harry Toland, Jack Hopkins, Bryan Bostwick, and Bob Fernley.
35 Nicholas Biddle, Jr. has announced
the birth of twin great-grandchildren,
Norah Anne Plummer and Evan Nicholas John Plummer, to parents Lauren
Biddle Plummer, daughter of Nicholas Biddle, III ’63, and David Plummer.
The twins were born June 20th.
Stanley Harris, Jr. writes that “Jane
Powers Harris, my wife of 55 years,
died in 1995. Now I am fortunate to
have Clara McClure as a partner to
share in my life. We are involved with
Audubon and Sierra Club; give our support to the Shawnee National Forest
in its efforts to balance recreation and
the natural environment; travel; and
enjoy a wonderful relationship with
our families. I especially enjoy weekly
participation in my daughter, Janet’s,
pre-K class of three- and four-year olds.
I engage—mostly on the floor—in their
activities and then tell a story. The kids
call me ‘Pa’ and that hour-and-a-half
is the highlight of my week. I do appreciate the teachers, the friends and
the environment of my EA days! Family members gathered over the 4th of
July weekend to celebrate the marriage
of my granddaughter, Marion Adams,
to Mustafa Sai, from Morocco. I have
eight great-grandchildren.”
cent. Not bad at all, we thought. The
main event was an excellent dinner
supplied by EA at the Devon Campus.
Along with the 10 members were eight
wives or significant others, looking better than ever. The only formal action
of the evening was the unanimous election of Development Director, Meg
Hollinger, as an honorary member of
the class. The members gave her an inscribed watch and plate. The reunion
attendees were: Bryan Bostwick, Bob
Fernley, Forrest Gager, George Harding, Jack Hopkins, George Neall, Bill
Richardson, Harry Toland, Bob (R.T.)
Toland, and Charlie Yarnall.”
41
J. Tyler “Ty” Griffin welcomed
his first great-grandchild, James Erik
Richards, on June 24, 2004. Ty and his
wife Sonia moved to Beaumont, a retirement community in Bryn Mawr, in
May 2003.
George Edward Robinette writes:
“The grand and glorious Class of 1945
held its 60th Reunion at my home in
Rosemont on Friday evening, April
29th. Ten classmates attended, each
accompanied by his wife, with the exception of Ed Buckley, who came up
alone from his base in Florida. The
attendees were: Mick Black, Don
Meenan, Ralph Brenner, Jeff Gardiner, Jim Thorington, Bud Nagle, Cliff
Hood, Ed Buckley, Rod Finkbiner, and
the undersigned. A fine time was had
by all—an open bar, great food, and,
above all, wonderful company!”
47
Robert Montgomery Scott was
honored by the Union League in Philadelphia with the Crystal Award in
recognition of his lifetime achievements
in the arts and humanities.
(l to r) Front row:
Cliff Hood, Ed
Buckley, and Rod
Finkbiner; Back
row: Mickey Black,
Don Meenan,
Ralph Brenner,
John Gardiner,
George Robinette,
Jim Thorington,
and Bud Nagle.
Harry Toland writes: “Ten members of
the Class of 1940 returned for our 65th
Reunion on April 30th. That’s 10 out
of the current 22 still living—45 per27 C o n n e c t i o n s
(l to r): Chuck Chadwick, Dave Crockett, Dick Hiers, Roland Smith, John Rettew, Ellie Rettew, Elaine Pitkin,
Joe Pitkin, and Jane Hiers.
John B. Rettew, III writes: “Here’s to the
Class of 1950 for an enjoyable reunion
and for your support of Episcopal Academy! Reunion Weekend saw many of
our classmates attend the chapel service
that honored the Class of 1955. During
the weekend, Bil and Anne Aulenbach
traveled the longest distance, from
California; Dick and Jane Hiers were
here from Florida; while Ned and Patty Campbell drove up from Baltimore.
Sandy Beecher, Chuck Chadwick with
Sue, Dave Crockett, Joe and Elaine Pitkin, Ed and Anne Pringle, Frank and
Gail Reichle, Markley Schellenger, Rol
and Audrey Smith, and Ellie and yours
truly enjoyed recalling old and new
times. Mike Shouvlin was unable to
make it, as was Walt Heppenstall (who
was still recuperating from his quintuple by-pass surgery). Head of School
Ham Clark and his wife Ceci joined
us at the Devon Campus for dinner
Saturday evening. Many of our class
who had not been to the new campus
site in Newtown Square had a chance
to visit there. We could not have had
a more enthusiastic person to show
us the beautiful site for EA (in 2008)
than Dave’s son, Rich Crockett ’82. I
think all went away with the impression that this will be a great adventure
in a picturesque location. Friday of Reunion Weekend there was a Memorial
Service in Christ Chapel for “Beettle”
Fiero. He was fondly remembered for
his extraordinary work in community
service, scouting, the school, and the
church. The Alumni Community Service Award will be presented to him
posthumously later this year. Check
out the Class of 1950 Web page on the
Alumni Web site for updated information about our classmates as well as
photos from the weekend.”
Roger Colley writes: “Celebrating an
Alumni Weekend with the number ‘50’
attached turns out to be something
very, very special. Attendees from the
Class of 1955 experienced the sensation with a rousing weekend that was
beyond expectations. First, our 50th
Reunion Tabula somehow arrived just
prior to the start of activities on Friday
morning, April 29th. After greeting
classmates at registration, we attended a moving service at Christ Chapel,
highlighted with honored classmate
Ralph McLean’s address to students.
After receptions and a luncheon, the
afternoon was filled with tours to the
Newtown Square property, the Barnes
Foundation museum, the lacrosse field,
and the Philadelphia Country Club. By
6 p.m. we were all ready to relax over
cocktails and fabulous hors d’oeuvres
at EA’s annual Alumni Meeting. After the head of school’s welcoming
remarks, our class presented a remarkable gift to the school, one dedicated in
loving memory of our fallen classmate,
David Haslam, the son of our headmaster during our years at EA. Lastly, the
nightcap was a delicious dinner hosted by EA on our behalf at Ryan Hall,
spiced up with hilarious recollections
by various classmates of extracurricular fun times during our youth.”
Dave McMullen writes: “Saturday
morning started with a memorial service for those 12 of our classmates
who have passed away: Harry Arndt,
Bill Barclay, Dave Haslam, Bill Kennedy, Gordon Liechty, Walter Miller,
John Orsi, Arthur Seebach, Seth Smith,
(l to r): Dick Bond, Steve Fuguet, Walter Buckley, Bill Rawle, Jack Lindy, Howard Rockett, Fred Weaver,
Dave Robb, Bill West, Ralph McLean, Fred Haab, Rog Colley, Charlie Roselle, Joel Tobias, Leighton McIlvaine, Bill Master, Dana Lerch, Dave McMullin, Rod Farmer, Nick Whitridge, John Lloyd, Felix Jackson,
and Dom Degnon.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 28
Class Notes
Frank Tucker, Leo Tyrrell, and Graham
Wentz. Jack Lindy read the necrology
and paused after each name to allow
for individual members of our class
to get up and tell a story or mention
something typical or even humorous
about the particular classmate. It was
quite moving and brought back a lot of
fond memories. The stained glass window in memory of Dave Haslam was
pointed out and will be moved to the
new campus.
“Breaking with tradition, the panel discussion ‘Out of the Box’ was moved
to the early evening and held just before cocktails at the Merion Cricket
Club. Of course, cocktails were served
throughout the panel discussion, so
when we continued right through to
dinner, nobody missed the designated
cocktail hour. Jack Lindy was our very
able moderator who guided separately
the six opening speakers through their
truly entertaining comments. Nobody
who was there will ever forget Dom
Degnon showing how he would get
dressed in the dark into his foul weather gear for the 2 a.m. watch on his sail
boat, as he traveled for seven years
around the world. Bill Lilley’s anti-terrorism power-point presentation took
us all to a new level as to just how complex the whole issue is for the world.
Fred Weaver had us all right there
in the cockpit, as the Eastern Airlines
plane he was co-piloting was hijacked
to Cuba. Howard Rockett took us
through several of the very creative
ads that his agency down in North
Carolina has made. After dinner, he
played the piano, which he still does
professionally with his own jazz band.
He even played the old tune, which
most of us only know, to ‘Episcopal,
Episcopal.’
“Many returning members of the Glee
Club, Dick Bond, Walter Buckley, Fred
Haab, Dana Lerch, Tom Longstreth,
Bill Master, Ralph McLean, Leighton McIlvaine, Dave Robb, and Nick
Whitridge led the singing. Continuing
with the panel discussion, Joel Tobias entertained us with his trip through
medical school, the Navy recruiting
station where he did not realize the
Marines were part of the Navy, Viet29 C o n n e c t i o n s
(l to r) Front row: Geb Burden, Jim McVey, Fred Jones, David Surbeck, Bill Walker; Back row: Barry Pinheiro, Dave Wetherill, Wayne Jarvis, Allan Chagan, Walter Poole, Maurice Heckscher, Dick Koelle, Jack
Mace, and Jim Grant.
nam where he was second in command
of a Marine Mash unit, building five
different boats to include a 14-foot
canoe that weighs 20 lbs., driving his
souped up old Fiat car painted yellow
and black 160 m.p.h. down the backstretch at Daytona, and his current role
with a Benedictine monastery. Jack
Lindy’s pictures and discussion of post
traumatic stress brought on by such
events as the West Virginia Flood; Covington, Kentucky Night Club Fire; and
9/11 opened a lot of eyes.
“A number of our classmates stood
up during dinner to regale us with stories, such as that of Rod Farmer being
a regimental commander in an American Revolution re-enactment scene.
We really do have a lot of characters
in our class with truly ‘out of the box’
life experiences. We just wish we had
been able to get all of those who were
unable to come to have been there to
share the many laughs and eye-opening
experiences that represent the class of
1955.”
Bill Walker writes: “The Class of 1960
had 14 strong with 13 spouses or significant others and four members of
the Class of 1960 from Agnes Irwin to
celebrate our 45th Reunion at Bill and
Margot Walker’s house in Devon. Head
of School, Ham Clark, and his wife
Ceci, plus Meg Hollinger and Clayton Platt, stopped by. George Burden,
Allan Chagan, James Grant, Maurice Heckscher, Wayne Jarvis, Richard
Koelle, Jack Mace, Jim McVey, Barry
Pinheiro, Walter Poole, David Surbeck,
Bill Walker and David Wetherill were
all in attendance. A good time was had
by all and we are already making plans
for our 50th!”
Loyd Pakradooni writes: “We 65ers had
such a great time for our 35th reunion
five years ago, we called for a replay!
We were 32 in all for dinner on the
Delaware at Corinthian Yacht Club on
Friday evening, including out-of-towners Larry DeFuria, Jack Heckscher,
Ralph Pitman, and John (Dick) Tatum,
(Middy Tilghman and John Waite arrived on Saturday), and former faculty
Messrs. Crawford, Burdick, Borkowski, Denlinger, and Orr.
“Saturday night we once again took
part in a Five School Dinner-Dance at
The Radnor Hunt in Malvern (175 or
so attended), and a party that included
the classes of ’63, ’64, ’66, and ’67 as
well. The 45th Reunion should find us
at the Newtown Square campus!”
66
Steve Dittmann reports that his
daughter Emily, who graduated from
the University of Pennsylvania in 2003,
is a recruiter for Teach for America in
New York City; his son Tim graduated from Princeton University in May of
this year and lives in Seattle; and daughter Christina is enrolled at Columbia
University in the Class of 2009.
Gerry Erskine is happily retired, living
with his family in Bradenton.
David Wood, Jr. reports, “My son, David, will be attending ‘The Southern
Part of Heaven’, a.k.a. the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, this
fall. He intends to study physics with a
possible minor in business.”
67
Larry Light’s first mystery, Too
Rich to Live, a “fast-paced thriller set in
the world of New York big business,”
has been published. In 2005, Larry became a member of the Mystery Writers
of America and the Thriller Writers of
America.
68 Guy Croyle is now living in Eu-
rope (near Budapest), working for
the Hungarian Ministry of Education
and teaching German and English as
foreign languages in technical and academic secondary school. Guy and his
wife Jane recently completed a weeklong socio-cultural study tour in the
Transylvanian region of Romania with
university students and professors from
Berlin, Budapest, and Krakow. Next
summer they will be hosting a college
alumni study tour in Greece.
69 Scott Bullitt has been very active in
local performing arts organizations. In
the past year he played the part of Mr.
Snow in Carousel with the Rose Valley
Chorus and Orchestra, and was in The
Gypsy Baron with the Main Line Opera Guild.
Jumper Dautrich writes: “Thank you
to all that helped make our 35th Reunion a success and an enjoyable event
for everyone who participated and attended. It was terrific to see everyone
again, and for those local guys, we
have committed to see each other more
frequently than every five years.
“The count totaled 26 members in
attendance for various events: the
Friday reception at Episcopal, the FiveSchool Reunion Party at the IAC in
Wayne, lunch at Landis restaurant in
Wayne, and dinner at Jumper’s house
in Strafford—highlighted by a surprise
appearance of Ceci and Ham Clark
(head of school), Clayton Platt (director of alumni) and Meg Hollinger
(director of development). The following individuals were in attendance: Bob
Batt, Bill Berlinger, Don Best, Jeff Col-
lins, Eliot Dalton, Jump Dautrich, Skip
Feimster, Peter Fritchman, Bill Hayward, Ron Hedges, Pete Holston, Peter
Kingsley, Bruce Kneeland, Ken Lefevre, David Markus, Pete Munger, Rick
Northrop, Dave Parker, John Rice, Ron
Rothrock, Bill Sargent, Witty Schneidman, Ted Stehle, Alex Stephanoff, Jim
Vick, and Graham Zug.
“I’d also like to send a special thanks
to the following: John Rice for supplying a case of wine and arranging for
the last minute printing of 25 copies
of Bill Berlinger’s millennial scrapbook
from the 30th Reunion; Bob Batt for
being the master ‘griller’ on Saturday
night; those of you who supplied pictures that will hopefully get posted on
the future Class of 1970 Web site; and
the surprise attendees at our class party
Saturday night: Ceci and Ham Clark,
Meg and Chip Hollinger, and Clayton
Platt ’73.
“And very special, extra thanks goes
to Don Best who worked tirelessly to
put this entire weekend together and is
the ‘unsung hero’ of this reunion. He
spearheaded the Five-School Party on
Friday night (renting the facility, buying food, contacting people, following
up, etc.) and is the greatest person to be
around. He was instrumental in planning every event that occurred over the
weekend. Our class is fortunate to have
him in our midst.”
71 Dick Fenimore and teammates on
the Radnor United over-40 soccer team
secured a second straight first-division
national championship at the 2005 National Veteran’s Cup, held June 22nd to
26th in North Carolina.
73 Bill Clark writes, “I was in Philadel-
phia for a family reunion at the Cricket
Club in June (descendants of Charles
Byely Hart, my grandfather’s dad) and
ran into Dick Fiemster ’72 and Corky
Hart ’63, as well as all the Heckschers.
More than 60 people were there in all.
Back in Vermont, I went to a cash machine in Londonderry and bumped into
Bill Knowlton only to find out he lives
five minutes from home.”
Dave Cunningham sent along a wonderful description of the home he built
with his wife Mary. It took over five
years to design and build and was
completed in April 2000. The 7,000square-foot home is entirely built out
of straw bales for the outside walls’
thermal insulation qualities. The home
uses the free resources of the earth by
tapping the geothermal constant earth
temperatures and passive solar technology for heating and cooling. The
home has roof rainwater collection
systems and basement walk-in greenhouse for gardening, draught, and food
preparation.
(l to r) Front row: Skip Feimster, Peter Kingsley, John Rice, Peter Fritchman, and Jeff Collings; Back row:
Bill Berlinger, Peter Munger, Byron Hedges, Graham Zug, Bill Sargent, Ron Rothrock, Bob Batt, Don Best,
and Jumper Dautrich.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 30
Class Notes
Chip French has recently joined Duffy
Real Estate in Wayne, PA, as a licensed
real estate broker.
John Hayes is working for the Schering-Plough Research Institute in
Kenilworth, NJ developing drugs for
veterinary projects.
Gary Hodder continues to practice law
in Toronto with the firm Polten and
Hodder, and has promised to help locate and motivate other Quondams
(those who attended but did not graduate from Episcopal) to attend their
35th Reunion in 2008.
He writes: “How much fun would it
be to see our friends who moved on to
other schools, but who remained in our
hearts after all these years? Speaking of
which, Peter Willis and Peter Churchman were spotted at a certain 50th
birthday party for a recently returned
classmate. One of them was overheard
suggesting our new alumni director
had to wait for the statue of limitations to expire before he came back to
Episcopal. That is strictly untrue…the
limitations haven’t expired, the school
just has a short memory! Also attending that party were Craig Renfrow and
Jerry Holleran. Craig was kind enough
to host several EA students for their
senior projects at his construction company. Watch out for Craig’s son Justin
who is entering his freshman year at
Penn Charter (we’ve already asked the
obvious). Justin is already on some
college radars for his exploits on the
basketball court. C’mon Coach Doc,
bring him over here!”
Bill Knowlton and his wife Deb adopted a beautiful girl from Japan on
March 17, 2003. Her name is Hope
Qianyi Knowlton, and she was born
on June 10, 2002. The Knowlton’s will
soon move to a new address to make
more room for their growing family,
but will remain in the Beacon Hill section of Boston. Bill is a partner at the
law firm Ropes and Gray in Boston.
Mark Lewis is currently the director of
bioresearch at BIOQUAL, a small biotech in Rockville, MD.
(l to r) Fred Hencken, Britt Murdoch, Dave Cloetingh, Brian Tierney, Chris LeVine, Dave Crockett, Jim
Dorberger, John Williams, Jeff Stanton, Ed Fenimore, and Jim Garrison.
Jim Garrison writes: “When our reunion committee met in March, we
only knew two things—the party
would be at Britt Murdoch’s house
and, for once, Alumni Weekend wasn’t
on Derby Weekend. These two things
inspired a phone-canvassing effort that
brought over 20 members of the class,
and many spouses, to a memorable
event on a rainy Saturday evening. Ted
Tsaltas, making the trip from Knoxville, TN, traveled the furthest, while
Jeff Stanton even stumped Britt’s father
with his trim appearance.
“While a band entertained inside, an
adjoining backyard tent was the center
of refreshments, where reunion committee members Chris LeVine, John
Williams, Dave Crockett, Brian Tierney, and Jim Garrison socialized with
fellow classmates, including: Jim Dornberger, Carl Shafer, Dave Cloetingh,
Will McLean, Bill Shoemaker, Ted
Tsaltas, Geoffy McClain, Dave Langfitt,
Jeff Stanton, Mark Teti, Fred Hencken,
Harry Wagenheim, Andy Curtin, and
Ed Fenimore. We also caught up with
Chip Clothier who had left EA in Middle School for boarding school but still
lives in the area. The phone campaign
leading up to the party also gave us the
opportunity to catch up and resulted in
several other ‘mini reunions’ that keep
the Class of ’75 connected.”
76
George Maschmeyer is working
as a Web designer. He recently completed work for the Fairmount Park
Council for Historic Sites. You can
see this Web site at: www.fairmountparkhistoricsites.org.
77
Michael Eisner, CEO of Disney,
wrote a book called Camp about his
experience at Camp Keewaydin. Peter Hare—alumnus, long-time teacher,
and Upper School modern language
department chair at Episcopal—is head
of Keewaydin Camps. His father, Waboos, who was head of the camp for
years, figures prominently in the book.
Peter is mentioned also.
Joe Giles writes: “The Class of 1980
held their 25th Reunion on April 30th
in a group party suite at Citizens Bank
Park during a Phillies game against the
Florida Marlins. The game was played
despite threatening weather and over
half the class attended the event, most
with their wives. A special thank you
goes out to Norman Fitzpatrick for
working behind the scenes to get such
a great turnout.
“U.S. Marine and classmate Nick Marano received the ‘Longest Road Trip’
award coming all the way from Iraq
(via California) to join the festivities.
Runners up for the award included
Phil Trimble and Landy Kampf (Chicago), Pete Mattoon (Boston), and
Mike McNally (North Carolina). Dan
Dougherty received the ‘Looks Most
Like His Dad’ award, while Bob Unterberger received the ‘Smartest Returning
Classmate’ award.
“At the first opportunity Phil Curtin
grabbed the microphone in the room
and acted as the master of ceremonies
for the affair, while Rob McCallion,
Steve Cunningham, Sean Verdeur, and
Bob Zullinger egged him on. Others in
attendance included Jim Niness, Paul
Lawson, Jay Mitchell, George Woodruff, Court Ebeling, Bing Brinkworth,
Eric Guenther, Luke Borda, Jay Hilberts, Mike Williams, Bill Susskind,
Bryan Bushick, Keith Ford, Mike Baer,
and Paul Binnion. Even though there
were several rain delays during the
game, no one seemed to mind as everyone enjoyed catching up with old
friends.”
Eric Guenther was featured in July’s
Main Line Today as a member of the
First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry,
commonly known as First City Troop.
Main Line Today reported that Guenther commanded a guard unit on a
six-month peacekeeping mission in
Bosnia in 2002. Forty other members of
the First City Troop also served in Bosnia as part of Troop A, 1st Squadron,
104th Cavalry, 28th Infantry Division
—the troop’s official designation in the
Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
Guenther also spent time in January
training at Fort Lewis, a U.S. Army
base where mock-up tanks negotiate
simulated battlefields.
81 Dave Ebby is a real estate attor-
ney with Hangley Aronchick Segal and
Pudlin in Philadelphia.
84
David Bradley’s editorial tribute to Arthur Miller was published in
The Philadelphia Inquirer in February
shortly after Miller’s death. He is the
associate artistic director at the People’s Light and Theater Company in
Malvern. He directed Miller’s A View
From the Bridge in 2003.
Karl Mayro was recently chosen as a
Who’s Who in America.
Kristin (Lisi) Conway and Ann (Madara) Kraftson write: “The Class of 1985
Reunion Weekend was full of activities for alums and their families. On
Friday evening, the festivities began
with an on-campus cocktail party honoring the Class of 1955. Although we
expected few people to show, we were
pleased with the turnout. Those in attendance included Rich Aldridge, Jim
Dugan, Brad and Laura Frank, Craig
Singer, Paul and Heidi Tirjan, Omar
McNeill, Pogie (Daniels) Sangiray, John
and Elsa Yoo, Richard Quinn, Todd
Pride, Joe Nastasi, Gordon Getter, Don
Kraftson, and Ann (Madara) Kraftson. Afterwards, the caravan moved
to the Great American Pub in Narberth
where classmates arrived from London (Andrew MacIntosh), New York
(Bill Stelwagon) and Philadelphia (Neil
Rubin and George Milner) and we continued to catch up late into the night. We appreciated Edwin and Cannie
Shafer and Len and Edna Haley joining
us as well - we enjoyed seeing them!
“Thanks to Omar McNeill and his family who lead the organizational efforts,
a Saturday picnic (in the cafeteria and
(l to r) On floor: Bentley Saul, Craig Singer, Brett
Batoff, Nancy (Phillips) Lavallee, Ann (Madara)
Kraftson, Alison (Byers) Reilly, Won Shin, and
Andrew MacIntosh. Seated: Gordon Getter, Don
Kraftson, Kristin (Lisi) Conway, Brian Callahan, Jim
Dugan, John Susanin, and Cathy (French) Ackerman.
First row standing: Bill Stelwagon, Rich Quinn, Dave
Valentine, Rich Aldridge, Todd Pride, Kathy (Miller)
Daly, Suzy Cole, Catherine Hollis, Andrew Hauser,
and Wendy (Zug) Brown. Second row standing: Mike
Tierney, George Milner, Omar McNeill, Paul Tirjan,
Chris Kreusser, and Joe Nastasi.
the old gym due to inclement weather) was quite successful. ‘Children/big
adults’ threw balls, played basketball,
rode scooters, danced, and ran. Many
of the attendees from the previous
night were there, as well as the following alumni and their families: Kristin
(Lisi) Conway, Dave Valentine, Mike
Tierney, Kathy (Miller) Daly, Won
Shin, Suzy Cole, Cathy (French) Ackerman, Nancy (Phillips) Lavalle,
Brian Callahan, Wendy (Zug) Brown,
(l to r) Standing: Mike Baer, Dan Dougherty, Phil
Curtin, Keith Ford, Paul Lawson, Court Ebeling,
Bing Brinkworth, Bob Zullinger, Mike Williams,
Paul Binnion, Norm Fitzpatrick, Nick Marano, Jay
Hilberts, Luke Borda, Landy Kampf, Steve Cunningham, Bryan Bushick, Mike McNally, Joe Giles,
Jim Niness. Seated: Sean Verdeur, Rob McCallion,
Eric Guenther, Phil Trimble, Jay Mitchell, and Bill
Susskind. Missing from photo: Pete Mattoon and
Bob Unterberger.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 32
Class Notes
Save the Date:
Friday, November 25, 2005
Time and location to be determined. Want
to help? News to share? Questions?
Contact Director of Alumni, Clayton Platt ’73
(platt@ea1785.org) or Assistant Director
of Alumni, Jen Slike (slike@ea1785.org).
Visit the Alumni Web site for updated
information at www.ea1785.org.
Michael Tierney ’85 and his wife Margaret with
their daughter Madeleine in her new Episcopal
sweater.
Heather Buchanan, and Andy Hauser.
We were all exhausted by 3 p.m.!
“The weekend events concluded Saturday evening with an adult dinner at
Evivva Restaurant in Narberth. Those
who joined the previously listed classmates were: Brett Batoff, Bentley Saul
and his fiancée, Chris and Lisa Kreusser, Scott and Lisa Pinherio, Alison
Byers, Catherine Hollis, and John and
Amy Susanin. The evening flew by
quickly as we enjoyed catching up with
everyone. “To those who attended and made
it such a great weekend: thank
you! Now we have a complete class
email list. Please send any updated
information to Ann Kraftson (annk@
oxbridgegroup.com) and we will periodically email you so no one looses
touch!
“Footnotes: Everyone who attended
the weekend’s various activities signed
a large note that was sent to Captain
David Casey in Iraq! Stay SAFE and
THANK YOU! Congratulations to
those classmates getting married this
summer and to the many newborns
this year who will be listed in Connections! We apologize in advance if we
left anyone out!”
86 Amy Donohue married John Ko-
rman on Friday, April 22nd in the
Highlands, a historic house in Fort
Washington, PA.
Andrew Kwak M.D. and his wife Gina
announced the birth or their son Nich33 C o n n e c t i o n s
Olivia Tirjan with her father Paul Tirjan ’85 at the
Class of 1985 20th Reunion family picnic.
olas Andrew Kwak, who was born on
November 1, 2004. Andrew and wife
Gina have two other children, Kyra
and Sophia. Andy is an interventional
radiologist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Jason Avicolli is currently attending
LaSalle University for his M.Ed. and a
secondary teaching certification in history. He and his wife Kristin welcomed
their first child Dante Michael Avicolli
on June 3rd.
John McMeekin was noted as one of
Rawle and Henderson LLP’s Pennsylvania Super Lawyers 2005 in Philadelphia
Magazine.
Katie Bowes is a fourth grade teacher
at South Elementary School in Collegeville, PA.
88 The Philadelphia Inquirer report-
ed that M. Night Shyamalan cast Paul
Giamatti, of Sideways, and Bryce Dallas Howard, of The Village, for his new
film Lady in the Water, to be shot in
Philadelphia.
89 Lars Beck was the director of the
first City of Philadelphia Triathlon,
hosted on June 25th. He completed the
Floridian Ironman triathlon last year.
Patrick Chambers was recently appointed as assistant coach for the Villanova
University men’s basketball team. He
was the coordinator of basketball operations during the 2004-2005 season.
Brett McGovern and wife Sally welcomed Anne Elizabeth, a black-haired
beauty, on June 21st. She joins big sisters Maggie (4) and Sarah (3).
90 Tiziana Auteri-Simpson is an editor
at Intralink, a motion picture marketing company that manages theatrical
marketing for feature films. The company’s work includes trailers, teasers,
television spots, and print advertising.
Brendan Reedy is the assistant golf
professional at Waynesborough Country Club.
Sharon Molinoff Sevrens has retired
from investment banking and is opening a fine wine store in Monclair, NJ
this fall. The store will feature approximately 500 wines that she hand-selected
from boutiques around the world.
92 Brian Dougherty is now a member
of the Philadelphia Barrage, Philadelphia’s Major League Lacrosse team. He
played two seasons for the Long Island
Lizards before joining the Barrage and
was named Warrior Goalie of the Year
in 2003. He spent the 2001 and 2002
seasons with the Rochester Rattlers.
94
Arthur O’Brien currently lives in
Palm Beach, FL. He is a real estate developer concentrating on the area from
Miami Beach to Palm Beach. He still
rides horses and travels overseas as often as he can.
95 Amanda Bradford just finished a
year of graduate school in Monterey,
CA where she’s been working on a
Gabby and Owen Ridder, children of Debbie Ridder ’90.
Andrew Kwak M.D. ’86 and son Nicholas Andrew
Kwak born November 1, 2004.
masters degree in Teaching English
to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). As of mid-July, she was in the
Utah desert in the midst of a two- to
three-month cross-country tour that
eventually put her back on the East
Coast at the end of August. This Fall,
she’s off to Mozambique for a couple
of years where she’ll be getting quite
a bit of teaching experience and will
learn Portuguese. She plans on finishing the degree in 2007 when she comes
back to the United States. After that,
she imagines she’ll either be off globetrotting somewhere again, or going for
a Ph.D. in applied linguistics in our section of the globe.
Tobin Fisher is living in San Francisco
and has started a fuel cell technology
company, having recently completed a
master’s degree program in product design at Stanford University.
Since graduating college, Demetrios
Hadgis has been living in New York
and working for Bloomberg Financial
Markets where he oversees development
of fixed-income analytics and trading software. He recently completed
post-graduate study in mathematics
and finance at Columbia University,
and in August moved to Colorado to
attend the Daniels College of Business
at the University of Denver to obtain
his M.B.A. Over the past six years,
he has been active in multiple volunteer organizations in New York, one
of which, 9/11 Together We Stand, is
a special program for children who
Juda McGannon and Katie Kurz McComb ’95 after
Katie finished the Philadelphia Triathlon.
lost a parent in the terrorist attacks of
September 11th.
Katie Kurz McComb participated in
the Philadelphia Triathalon on June
26th. She finished 494th out of 995
individual competitors with a time of
2 hours, 55 minutes and 57 seconds.
Daria Natan is still living in New
York working in marketing and
investor relations. She also started
working on her executive M.B.A. at
Columbia University in January. Daria
is engaged to Patrik Nelson. They are
planning a September 2006 wedding in
Philadelphia.
Message From the Class of 1995 Reunion Committee
Doug Macbean, Katie Kurz McComb, Laura Rooklin, and Austin Whitman:
As hard as it is to believe, our graduation from Episcopal was 10 years ago! It’s true; an
entire decade has passed since our lives centered upon figuring out whether it was blue
week or white week, making it through the dreaded hour-long period after chapel, pleading
for off-campus lunch privileges, enjoying actual free time to play sports, and the occasional
one-on-one “chat” with Mr. Lees.
Save the Date: Friday, November 25, 2005 Building on those memories
and shared experiences, as well as our fantastic five-year reunion back in 2000, we hope
you will come to a reunion cocktail party in downtown Philadelphia on Friday, November
25th. We encourage you to bring spouses or significant others. We will communicate the
exact time and location in the coming weeks.
Pre-Reunion gathering In addition, on that Friday during the day, you will have
a chance to visit Episcopal’s Merion Campus for what may be the last time before the
upcoming campus move. We’ve considered taking on the Class of 2000 in a wiffleball or
kickball game in the quad behind the main building (with ample food and drinks). Teachers
and administrators will be invited to attend as well. We encourage you to contact us with
other ideas and/or suggestions.
Send us the latest Finally, we want to know what you’re up to. Started a new
career? Gone back to school? Engaged? Married? Seated next to Lindsay Lohan or Ping
Shen at Dolce last week? Any news…let’s hear it.
News, questions, comments, suggestions, whatever. Send it all to us at ea1995@gmail.
com. We’re really looking forward to our 10th and will be in touch again soon!
F a l l 2 0 0 5 34
Class Notes
Austin Whitman recently completed the
first of the three-year dual masters program in business and the environment
at Yale University (M.B.A./M.E.M.).
Catherine Hunt is currently attending
Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy
School of Government to get her graduate degree in economics and policy.
96
Amanda McDermott is working
for a district attorney in South Jersey. She also coaches girls’ high school
lacrosse.
Gail Grandbois is excited to
announce she recently became a
homeowner in Salem, MA. Gail teaches kindergarten at The Dexter School
in Brookline during the year and serves
as camp director at The Brimmer
and May Summer Camp during the
summer.
97
Robert Hunt has returned from
Vietnam after working for two years
for a private equity firm. He is now in
the M.B.A. program at Stanford Business School. This summer he is working
in Chicago and Mumbai. 98 John Salvucci and Mike O’Connor
’96 were honored at a banquet held at
the University of Pennsylvania celebrating the 100th anniversary of its soccer
program. Both John and Mike were selected as members of the All-Decade
Team. Mike was captain and MVP of
Penn’s 1999 team, and John was captain and MVP of Penn’s 2001 team.
They were both first-team Mid-Atlantic Regional All Americans, Mike for
his excellence during the 1996 season,
John for his outstanding play during
the 2001 season.
Anne Brown married Brian Wagoner
on Cape Cod on June 25th.
Brett Grifo is pursuing his M.B.A. at
Emory University in Atlanta, GA.
the fall. Laura will be pursuing a masters of marine affairs and policy.
Jamie Creed was proud to report he
passed the Series 7. He played in the
Episcopal Alumni Lacrosse game on
May 7th and plays for the MAB Paints
club lacrosse team in the Philadelphia
area.
Thad Roberts was a four-year member
of Trinity College’s seven-time national championship squash team. His
record at graduation was 24-0. He’s
been teaching and playing squash as a
full-time assistant at the Union Club
in New York. He won the 2005 U.S.
Squash Nationals 5.5 skill level and
the 2005 Big Apple Open Tournament.
Thad also recently received the Edwin Bigelow Cup by the Metropolitan
Squash Racquets Association for outstanding performance in competition.
Geoffrey Henisee is engaged and will
be getting married in June 2006. He
was deployed to Afghanistan as a civilian with the Department of Defense for
three months in support of Operation
Enduring Freedom.
Steve Wade is working full time in retail as the assistant manager of The Pro
Shop at the Pond Ice Arena while attending the University of Delaware
part time for his B.S. in engineering
technology and a duel minor in Spanish
and mathematics. He is also attending
DelTech for his associate degree in automotive technology.
Jen Sharpless currently lives in Manayunk and works for Greystone Benefits,
Inc. in Berwyn.
00 This summer, Laura Bracken was
an intern for the U.S. Navy Marine
Mammal Program, assisting in research
and training of dolphins and sea lions. She will begin graduate school at the
University of Miami Rosenstiel School
of Marine and Atmospheric Science in
Cheo Scott was accepted into the undergraduate Business School program
at Emory University as a sophomore
and graduated from its business school
in May 2004. He is currently working
at the Vanguard Group as a fund accountant.
01
Evan Coughenour is still traveling with
the Whiffenpoofs of Yale University.
The group set off on a summer world
tour visiting various locations around
the globe. Some of the city stops included on the trip were: Queenstown,
New Zealand; Sydney, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; Beijing, China; Phuket,
Thailand; Cape Town, South Africa;
Cairo, Egypt; Istanbul, Turkey; Prague,
Czech Republic; Moscow, Russia; and
Stockholm, Sweden.
Drew Grifo is currently living in Philadelphia and works for Coventry First.
99
Jen Bambach currently lives in
Maryland and works at a psychiatric
hospital for adolescents.
Aaron Brill accepted a position as a
second grade teacher at the San Francisco Day School through its Associate
Teaching Program. He will also be an
assistant coach for the eighth grade
soccer team.
Mercedes Griffin works for the Department of Defense in Southeast Asia.
Message from the Class of 2000 Reunion Committee
Kimmy Gardner, Jamie Creed, Cheo Scott, Ben Rogers, and Ashley Kennedy
Episcopal Academy’s Class of 2000 5th Year Reunion!!!
Five years have passed since we walked out of Christ Chapel to begin a new life
beyond the Episcopal Academy.
Save the Date: Friday, November 26, 2005 The location and times are
still undetermined. Updates will be sent to the class shortly. On Friday Nov. 25th,
there is a tentative whiffle ball game on campus against the Class of 1995. It might
be the last time we reconvene in Merion before the big move! Please email Jen Slike,
Assistant Director of Alumni, slike@ea1785.org if you have any questions or any
news to share!! We can’t wait to see everyone!
ementary Schools at the Bala Cynwyd
office for the Middle States Association
of Colleges and Schools. He’ll be back
at La Salle University as a senior in
the fall.
Kristin Decker, James Decker ’98, Cathy Decker,
Steve Decker ’01, Rich Decker and Kelly Decker
’99 following Steve’s graduation from Johns
Hopkins University.
Steve Decker graduated cum laude
from Johns Hopkins University on
May 26th. Steve is currently working
for U.S. Liability Insurance Group in
Wayne.
Ruth Kelley is living in Chelsea and
works for Keefe, Bruyette, and Woods,
a medium size full-service investment
banking firm in New York.
C.J. Walsh, III ’98 (Duke ’02) and Sarah D.A. Baker
’01 (Duke ’05) in front of the gothic church at Duke
University the night before Sarah’s graduation.
Evan Coughenour ’01 while traveling with the Yale Whiffenpoofs in
Beijing.
Princeton graduate and women’s lacrosse player Elizabeth Pillion was
named to the U.S. Women’s Lacrosse
Developmental Team. The 28-member
U.S. Developmental Team will compete
in exhibition games throughout the
2005-06 season. They participated in a
clinic as part of the 2005 World Cup in
Annapolis, Md., June 25th. The developmental team also serves as a feeder
squad for the U.S. Elite team that competes in international competition.
Pillion was a first-team All-America
selection in both 2004 and 2005 for
Princeton University. She earned firstteam IWLCA/USLacrosse All-America
honors for the second straight year,
was a unanimous first-team All-Ivy
choice, and finished her senior season
with 27 goals and 11 assists despite
missing three games late in the regular
season due to a hamstring injury. She
finished her career with 104 goals, and
her 46 career assists rank in the top 10
all-time at Princeton.
02
Pete Havens spent his summer
interning with the Commission on El-
Erick Henkelman was on the roster for
the Duke University Men’s Lacrosse
team this year. They won a berth to the
2005 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse
Final Four held at Lincoln Financial
Field in Philadelphia. They beat thirdseeded Maryland University 18-9 in a
semifinal win, but unfortunately lost
the championship game to undefeated
Johns Hopkins University.
Kristina McCue is a junior studying
physics at the Massachusetts College of
Liberal Arts.
03
Hobart College sophomore,
Tucker Crockett, received honorable
mention All-Liberty League in squash.
He was 13-10 this season playing in the
middle of Hobart’s lineup and is 30-17
over the past two seasons. Tucker is a
two-time All-Liberty League honorable-mention selection.
Jason Eskin had a summer internship at
Electric Entertainment in Los Angeles,
the production company of Dean Devlin (producer of Independence Day,
The Patriot, and Stargate among others). He competed in the Bulldog 50K
(31 miles) Ultramarathon Trail Run in
the Santa Monica Mountains in Malibu on Saturday, August 27th.
Reed Kendall was selected to participate in an online “Battle of the Bands”
in the Freedom of Choice Tour on
www.musiclink.com. The site noted,
“In a world of 18-year-olds with guitars, Reed Kendall is a rare and genuine
find. His songs, filled with real lyrics,
unconventional chords and delivered in
his smooth and honest voice, capture
the listener instantly.” The contest ran
through July 15th. Currently, Reed is
in New Zealand with a study abroad
program.
04 Lauren Owens was on the roster of
the U.C. Berkeley women’s crew team.
The Golden Bears won the Division I
team championship.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 36
Milestones
Marriages
Hayri & Aletha Daniel Sangiray ’85
June 24, 2000
John Korman to Amy Donohue ’86
April 22, 2005
Kristin & Jason Avicolli ’90
Dante Michael Avicolli 6/3/05
Kathryn & David Shields ’90
Reid Christopher Shields 5/13/05
Claudia & Walter “Rob” Milbourne ’91
Theodore Araujo Milbourne 11/20/01
Valerie Miller to Matthew Schaeffer ’89
Gabriel Araujo Milbourne 2/12/05
Aug 19, 2000
Kathryn Foster to David Shields ’90
June 25, 2003
Kaitlin Nealon to Kevin Cardone ’91
July 10, 2004
Ezra Suveyke to Shira Orfanelli ’94
July 5, 2003
Brian T. Wagoner to Anne J. Brown ’98
June 25, 2005
Jesse L. Wilkins to Erin Sampson ’98
June 4, 2005
Births and Adoptions
Julie & Frank Langfitt ’82
Katie Langfitt 7/25/2001
Christopher Langfitt 3/16/04
Kim & Rob Baron ’84
Michael Benjamin Baron 4/27/04
Hayri & Aletha (Daniel) Sangiray ’85
Aidan Todd Sangiray 6/25/2002
Zeky Daniel Sangiray 11/2/2003
Gina & Andrew Kwak ’86
Sophia Kwak 6/22/99
Nicholas Andrew Kwak 11/1/04
Wendy & Frank (FX) Masse ’87
John “Jack” Masse 2/28/04
Christopher & Lauren (O’Connor)
Sullivan ’88
Jack Connor Sullivan 3/31/05
Sally & Brett McGovern ’89
Anne Elizabeth McGovern 6/21/05
Valerie & Matt Schaeffer ’89
Michael Leonard Schaeffer 8/4/03
Deidre & Chris Person ’93
Jason William Person 2/2/05
Todd & Anna (Morgan) Cassidy ’94
Tyler Morgan Cassidy 6/5/05
Emily & Brian Person ’97
Lilly Alice Person 5/4/05
Deaths
Willam D. Horrocks ’29
3/31/05
Augustus P. Clarson ’36
9/22/2003
Trevor Wright, Jr. ’39
5/26/05
Frank Foster Brown ’46
3/30/2004
Richard T. P. Kennedy ’54
4/16/05
Curtis D. McLaughlin ’81
7/13/05
A Su p p l e m e n t f r o m t h e D e v e l o p m e n t O f f i c e
at t h e e p i s c o pa l ac a d e m y
!-6
5
1
The Buckley Scholars Program
%
2)
3
%3
%
Helping deserving young men and women fulfill
their aspirations and reach their full potential.
)$
Making a Difference
One Student at a Time
An interview with Walter Buckley, Buckley
Scholars Benefactor
Conducted by Anne Marie Heil
the challenge, I would. In fact, I was
part of a small group of Episcopal
alumni—which included Jack
Tompkins, Mike Shouvlin, Bryan
Bostwick, and others—that back
around 1965 started to raise funds
annually to help finance a handful
of what we called “scholar-leaderathletes.”
AMH
So, it sounds as though
you personally experienced a
broad and diverse community and
recognized the benefits socially and
academically.
WB Well, I did; particularly
AMH Can you discuss the
experiences in your life that led you
to establish the Buckley Scholars
Program?
WB I have long felt that every
child who has the talent and desire
to attend a school like Episcopal
should have the opportunity,
although realistically, that’s unlikely.
It is possible, however, to widen the
doors to admission so that deserving
and qualified youngsters can attend
regardless of the family’s ability to
pay.
While in college, I ran into
kids from every socioeconomic
background. Many were at Cornell
(Buckley’s alma mater) only because
somebody or some institution had
provided them financial aid. It was
illuminating. And it occurred to me
that if I ever had a chance to help
youngsters who wanted to take on
39 T r a n s i t i o n s
AMH
It seems that as more and
more people see what scholarship
programs like this can do, they will
realize it is a great way to contribute
to the school. The rewards on all
fronts seem enormous.
WB They are enormous.
Obviously, lots of disadvantaged kids
are provided a terrific opportunity. As
for the donor, there is a psychological
kick. I suspect I will keep up with
some of these kids for years. The
point is you have helped provide
young people with the advantage
of four years at Episcopal and the
opportunity to go to college. It is an
extraordinary feeling. So, I agree with
you. I think there will be much more
of this.
AMH A recent issue of
in college and graduate school.
However, it is at the high school level
where the needs are greatest today.
Public education is in disarray and so
many talented kids are left behind.
It’s a terrible waste.
Connections highlighted the
achievements of the Buckley Scholars
and included quotes from them.
How did you feel when you saw the
program aggregated in one place?
AMH Has the program
program has to be one of the
highlights of my life. Just think
about this year’s three graduating
youngsters. Kimberly Pringle, who
took all honors courses, made A’s
in all of her classes her senior year,
except one B+, and is now going
on to the Wharton School at the
University of Pennsylvania. Elisse
Douglass is headed off to Columbia
University’s School of Architecture.
Both of those youngsters will attend
college on scholarship. And third,
Lou Calabrese is off to the U.S.
Naval Academy and perhaps a
career in the Navy. He was also the
recipient of the prestigious Markoe
Award (for honor, unselfishness, and
changed or grown from your initial
vision of it?
WB I would say it hasn’t changed
significantly. It has grown to three
full scholars per year starting in
grade nine. So there are 12 scholars
in school at all times. And, frankly,
I am hoping that it will expand to
16 sometime in the next few years.
Also, it is my hope that others will
join in the effort. As you know, it was
our class’ (Class of 1955) decision
to create, as our 50th reunion gift,
the Haslam Scholarship Fund (see
page 41), to provide financial aid to
deserving youngsters.
WB The Buckley Scholars
The Following Endowment Funds, Earmarked for
Financial Aid, Have Been Established Since 2000
program seems different from other
scholarship opportunities in that
more than tuition is offered. The
students are able to take advantage of
summer and travel programs too.
WB That is a product of trying to
emulate the Morehead Scholarships
at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill. The Morehead Program
is merit based, not need based,
but it has a summer enrichment
component. So (former Head of
School) Jay Crawford and I talked
about this at considerable length and
Jay actually went down to Chapel
Hill to talk to the folks there. We
both concluded it was a great idea.
Quite frankly, it has far exceeded
our expectations because I know the
difference it has made in some of the
kids’ lives already.
Nothing is more poignant than
Kimberly Pringle traveling to Spain
after her sophomore year and
making a life-changing discovery
while she lived with a family there.
Elisse Douglass went to the Malvern
School in England for one full
semester where she met kids from
Russia and Germany and all over
Europe, not just England. She had an
extraordinary experience.
Every student has taken advantage of
this program one way or another and
I think that in every instance there
has been a positive result.
n Class of 1950 Scholar, Leader, Athlete, Artist Fund
n Class of 1955 David R. Haslam Fund
n Burke Family Scholarship Fund
n Christopher W. Church ’72 Scholarship Fund
n Jeffrey A. Coale Memorial Scholarship Fund
n Kurz Family Scholarship Fund
n Thomas J. Meehan Scholarship Fund
n Amanda Moses Memorial Fund
%
!-6
5
1
n Alexandra Wake ’05 Memorial Scholarship Fund
)
n Tobias V. Welo Memorial Scholarship Fund
3
AMH The Buckley Scholars
n Class of 1940 James L. Crawford, Jr. ’57 Discretionary Fund
n Ricky Whelan ’00 Memorial Scholarship Fund
%3
thoughtfulness by vote of the class).
By the way, such results reflect the
superb job done by the Department
of Admission, the faculty, and the
administration in integrating these
youngsters into life at Episcopal.
Total dollars, not including the Buckley Scholars Program,
approach $4 million
Pledges and deferred gifts included
AMH What contributed to your
decision to invest in Episcopal?
WB There are a number of things
at work here. First, I am an alumnus,
as is one son, (Walter “Buck”
Buckley, III, ’78). And, I’ve had
numerous cousins, and my nephew
(James “Brad” Bradbeer, ’80),
graduate from Episcopal too. One
need only to have read the article
last April in The Wall Street Journal,
entitled “The Price of Admission”
(published April 2, 2004), which
painted such an extraordinarily
positive picture of Episcopal when
measured against most of the nation’s
most prestigious independent day
and boarding schools, to realize
that Episcopal has achieved national
prominence. Of course, this program
started before that article was
written, but I have felt for so many
years that Episcopal has set itself
apart from most private schools in
the area. So, it was an easy decision.
One final point: because I am
planning to do this on a small scale
at other schools—and I have already
started with another school up in
this neck of the woods—I wanted to
start with Episcopal for the reasons
mentioned because I knew the people
and the school so well.
AMH So, do you end up
feeling like you have several dozen
grandchildren?
!
$ WB As I have said, I am not sure
who the biggest beneficiary is in the
end because I get an enormous thrill
out of watching and getting to know
these youngsters. It is by no means
a one-way street. The one thing I
don’t do is to try and direct any of
these students in any way. They have
all got to do things their way. I will
remain in the background always
interested, and, if necessary, willing
to help. But, that is all.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 40
David R. Haslam Fund Established
by Class of 1955
Fund surpasses half-million mark and continues to grow
D
edicated to the memory and life of David R. Haslam, a classmate who died soon
after graduation from Episcopal, the Class of 1955 50th Reunion Fund will
make it possible for gifted students who demonstrate financial need to attend the
Episcopal Academy.
Said Class of 1955 Gift Fund Chair David McMullin, “Too often in today’s world
people seek instant gratification and their own reward. It is all too easy to forget their
roots and the institutions and people who provided them a foundation for life. In
contemplating a gift to the David R. Haslam Fund, many of the members of the Class
of 1955, including myself, have reflected deeply on what Episcopal has done for us.
Although I know I will never be able to fully repay my debt to the school, I am happy
to be able to support this fund and its mission to make an Episcopal education
available to talented and motivated youngsters regardless of financial means.”
The fund continues to grow with a current total of $544,840. “We are grateful
to the members of the Class of 1955,” said Head of School Ham Clark, “for their
generosity and for honoring the memory of their classmate David Haslam who
demonstrated remarkable courage in battling cancer for six years while a student at
Episcopal. Episcopal is honored by this gift and delighted to have another opportunity to
keep the Haslam name and spirit alive for generations to come.”
If you are interested in making a gift or if you have any questions, please contact Meg Hollinger,
Director of Development, by phone at 610-617-2245 or by email at mholling@ea1785.org.
Dedication of Chapel Painting
Celebrates Student Talent and
Parent Generosity
F
or this past Starfest auction, members of the Class
of 2010 and 2011, under the direction of faculty
member Janet Cusack, created a painting of Christ
Chapel. The painting raised over $3,000 and parent
donors subsequently gifted the art to Episcopal where it will
eventually be displayed on the new campus.
The student artists were: Class of 2010 (B Form):
Emma Ciccotti, Jeremy Davidson, Christie DiSilvestro, Jeffrey Familetti, Christopher Greenwood,
Sydney McElwee; Class of 2011 (C Form): Jenna Rose
Banky, Amanda Chikowski, Samuel Dupre, Xander Greer,
Kaila Hamdani, Andrew Laboz, Anders Lindgren, Marian
Lurio, Claire MacManus, John Moltz, Julia Philips, Elizabeth Picciani, Ian Robertson, Chase Seegars, Bobby Svigals,
Taylor Wright, Sophia Ahl, Perry
Bachstein, William
Breskman,
Scott
Cheloha, Ciar Colgan, Noelle Farook,
Jack Freese, Nicole Kutteh, Devi
Loftus,
Connor
McElwee, Andrew
McGuinness, Jordan Peskin, Zach
Student artists with Janet Cusack and the painting
of Christ Chapel.
(Standing l to r) Bobby Kutteh, Janet Cusack, Carol Kutteh, and Head of School
Ham Clark. (Seated l to r) Libby Wodjak, Niza Davidson, and Lori Kelly.
Pryor, Paul Riley, Amanda Terzian, and Maddie Wojdak.
The art patrons were: Ken and Edna Adelberg, Shelly and
Larry Brown, Gretchen and Steve Burke, Emily and Bob Cronin, Niza and Richard Davidson, Robin and Michael Gordon,
Susan and Rush Haines, Jackie and Mark Juliano, Lori and
John Kelly, Carol and Bobby Kutteh, Dee Dee and Jack McKeever, Sandy and Bob Owens, Sharon and Roy Simpson,
Kathy and George Steele, and Libby and Steve Wojdak.
The Reverend Albert Zug blessed the painting and its corresponding plaque, which was designed by former faculty
member Ishaq Deis. The painting currently hangs in the C
and B Form classroom corridor.
Siegel Gift Will Provide Funds For Scholarships
E
piscopal alumnus James O. Siegel, II ’52 and his wife
Patricia have demonstrated their interest in helping
deserving students gain access to an Episcopal education by naming the Academy as a beneficiary of
their Charitable Remainder Trust. The Siegels’ generous gift
will ensure that more qualified applicants in future years will
be able to benefit from an Episcopal education regardless of
their financial situation.
Reflecting on how Episcopal shaped his own life, Jim noted:
“At Episcopal I truly learned the importance and value of a
good education. The personal tutoring I received from Masters Quinn, Balsley, and Keegan was crucial to me and has
inspired me to be a tutor to young people today. My experience at Episcopal influenced my life in a very positive way.
With great gratitude to the school, Pat and I are pleased to
provide scholarship support to qualified future students.”
After receiving a B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania
and an M.B.A. from Drexel, Jim rose steadily in sales and
marketing with the Otis Elevator Company, where he served
in several senior management positions. While living in Northern New Jersey, Jim became a founding board member of
Operation Link Up, a mentoring program that brought ninth
graders from Patterson’s inner city schools into local business
offices for the tutoring and support they needed to complete
their high school education and prepare for college.
The idea for the Siegels’ gift to Episcopal was spawned a
few years ago when Jim and Pat met with Episcopal classmate
Bob Gerhardt ’52, a financial planner and asset manager, to
formulate their estate plans. Providing for family members
was their first concern, but when they asked about giving
highly appreciated stock directly to their children, Bob had
another idea. He recommended that Pat and Jim use the stock
Ca pi ta l Ca mpa ign
O
ver the last four months, the Campaign Planning
Group—which includes Ham Clark, Gretchen
Burke, Al Hume, Chris McConnell, Patsy Porter,
Jay Sherrerd, Mike Shouvlin, Brian Tierney, and
Jim Zug supported by members of the development, alumni,
and communications teams—have held a series of intensive
meetings to develop a formal campaign plan. The group
will present their plan to the Development Committee in
September and will seek approval and endorsement from the
Board of Trustees in October.
In addition to recommending a working campaign goal,
the group was charged with the following:
n Developing a case/marketing statement
n Identifying naming opportunities for the new campus and Episcopal’s endowment
n Updating the institutional gift acceptance policy
n Developing a campaign timetable
to establish a Charitable
Remainder
Unitrust (CRUT). A
CRUT can be set up
to provide income
to the donor and/or
spouse for life (or for
a predetermined time,
up to 20 years). Because the remaining
principal will benefit
one or more charities
of choice, the donor
qualifies for a substantial income tax
deduction. In addition, by using highly
appreciated stock to
fund the trust, the
donor avoids the tax
on the capital gain.
“This seemed like the best of all worlds,” says Jim. “It enables us to transfer estate assets to both our children and to
educational institutions without the burden of heavy estate
taxes.”
For more information about the Charitable Remainder
Unitrust, or other planned giving opportunities, please visit Episcopal’s Web site at www.ea1785.org/plannedgiving. If
you would like a custom illustration to learn exactly what
your benefits could be from either a Charitable Remainder
Trust or a Charitable Gift Annuity, please call Carolyn Jaeger,
Director of Major Gifts, at 610-617-2252.
Update
n Creating a campaign gift table
n Instituting a communication plan
n Developing a campaign budget
n Formalizing a prospect screening process
n Implementing the volunteer structure and training
n Preparing campaign reports
n Producing campaign pledge forms.
Once the Board of Trustees approve of the plan, the
Campaign Steering Committee will be finalized. Volunteer
recruitment is an on-going process, solicitor training will
take place in early November, and the leadership phase of
the campaign will begin following the completion of that
training.
If you would like to learn more about the campaign please
contact John J. Zabinski, Capital Campaign Director, at
610-617-2251 or by email at zabinski@ea1785.org.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 42
Episcopal’s
2004-2005
Annual Giving
Campaign Sets
Record
T
hanks to the generosity,
hard work, and dedication of
dozens of people, Episcopal’s 2004-05 Annual Giving
Campaign was able to set a new record of $1,872,328 raised. Under the
leadership of co-chairs Lori Kelly and
Ed Jones ’87, over 160 volunteers enlisted the support of the Episcopal
family in helping to make this past year
a very special one.
Annual Giving plays an important role
and provides the vital margin needed
to balance the operating budget each
year.
Highlights of this year’s campaign
include:
n 476 Advocate Donors (gifts of $1,000 and above) contributing over $1,500,000
n An increase in alumni participation from 29% to 32%
n 100% participation from the
classes of 1937 and 1950
nRecord reunion class gifts from 1940, ’50, ’70, ’75, ’94, and ’99
n An increase in parent participation from 69% to 71%
Plans are already underway for the
2005-06 campaign, which will again
be led by Lori Kelly and Ed Jones. We
look forward to your continuing support as we move toward new records
next year.
If you would like to help with
next year’s campaign, or to make a
gift, please contact Bruce Konopka,
Director of Annual Giving, at
610-617-2233 or
bkonopka@ea1785.org.
L
[
egacy Benefits
“For as long as we can remember, the Selmer Paris clarinet and
]
saxophones stood in the corner of our living room—waiting to be picked up
and played by our father in his spare moments. The sounds that came out of
those instruments were always the sounds of jazz. On some weekends, he
would invite fellow EA and Stardusters band mates Lloyd Kirk and Bob Clark
over and they would jam late into the night.
“Eventually, the instruments were passed down to us, and Anne’s son
carried on the music tradition by playing his grandfather’s clarinet in his
school band. We would like to offer our thanks to Episcopal for recognizing
our father’s contribution to the school’s music program.”
— Anne Morris Taylor, Edward Morris ’66, and John Morris ’74
Episcopal Passes Halfway Mark
in Goal to Meet The Edward E. Ford
Foundation Challenge
I
n January 2005, Episcopal was awarded a challenge grant in the amount
of $50,000 on a matching basis of $1 for every $5 raised. The grant promised an endowment for need-based financial aid. Under the guidelines, new
and increased gifts to Annual Giving may be credited between January and
December 2005.
With the challenge grant as incentive, Episcopal constituents have responded generously and we are more than halfway to the goal of $250,000. Head of
School Ham Clark reiterated his appreciation, “We are grateful to the foundation and to those members of the Episcopal family who are helping our school
realize this goal and achieve the objective of attracting a diverse and well-qualified student body.”
If you are interested in contributing to the Edward E. Ford Foundation Scholarship Fund, please contact Meg Hollinger, Director of Development, by phone
at 610-617-2246 or by email at mholling@ea1785.org.
Alumni Respond to Support Annual Giving
I
n the last two years, Episcopal’s alumni have increased their participation
in Annual Giving from 24% to 32%. This is clearly a good trend, and what
is most heartening about the rise in percentage participation, is that classes
from all decades are heeding the call.
In fact, the following classes garnered their best participation ever, according
to our Annual Giving records, so congratulations go to: 1935, 1937, 1941, 1943,
1945, 1949, 1950, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1980, 1988, 1989,
1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003.
There were a dozen classes that came close to their all-time record in participation, and we look forward to celebrating with them next year when they
break through. Thanks go to all the hard working class agents and volunteers
who helped achieve this year’s success.
Music Department
A
n article in the Winter 2004 issue of Transitions
announced the establishment of the G. Lloyd
Kirk ’41 Fund for Music, which provides monies
for instrument rentals for Episcopal students who
demonstrate need. Accompanying it was a photograph of
Lloyd Kirk in a dance band, the “Stardusters” (shown at right).
In response to that article, the Development Office received
a letter from Anne Morris Taylor who recognized her father,
Edward K. Morris ’41 as one of the musicians. The result:
Anne and her brothers, Episcopal graduates, Edward K.
’66 and John M. ’74, decided to gift the valuable musical
instruments to Episcopal.
“These beautiful instruments have special meaning to us
because they were used by Mr. Morris while a student at
Episcopal,” says Music Department Chair Joe Buches. “Now
we have come full circle and a new generation of musicians will
benefit from this meaningful gift. We are most grateful.”
Stardusters dance band
members and Episcopal graduates, Edward
Morris (foreground, clarinet), G. Lloyd Kirk (seated right,
saxophone), Bob Clark (back right, drummer).
Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program
Episcopal’s Scholarship Fund Grows through Participation in Pennsylvania Educational
Improvement Tax Credit Program
A
gift to Episcopal can provide your company with
a substantial tax credit through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.
By making a contribution to Episcopal’s scholarship fund, your company can save in Pennsylvania state
tax as much as 90% of the value of the gift. Please take a few
moments to review this opportunity with your company’s tax
advisor. Your support of Episcopal through the EITC program will help in the Academy’s efforts to make
its educational experience available to the most capable students regardless of their financial circumstances.
How does it work?
n A total of $20 million is available on a first-come, first-
serve basis for contributions to scholarship organizations like
Episcopal.
n Applications for tax credits for program year 2005-06 will
be accepted through June 30, 2006.
n Tax credits are given for 75% of your business’ contribution to Episcopal Academy’s financial aid program up to a
maximum of $100,000 annually. (A business would contribute $133,333 in order to obtain the maximum tax credit
amount.)
n A business that agrees to make the same contribution to
the scholarship fund for two consecutive years may receive a
tax credit equal to 90% of its contribution, again up to a
maximum of $100,000 annually. (The business would contribute $111,111 each year for two years in order to obtain
the maximum tax credit amount.)
n Simply apply to the Department of Commerce and Economic Development (DCED) for the EITC program.
Application forms are available online at www.newpa.com,
or you can contact the DCED office at 717-787-7120.
n
n
n
n
n
n
The following Pennsylvania taxes are eligible for credit:
CNIT
Capital Stock Franchise Tax
Bank and Trust Company Sales Tax
Title Insurance Company Sales Tax
Insurance Premiums Tax
Mutual Thrift Institutions Tax
For further information, please contact Meg Hollinger,
Director of Development, by phone at 610-617-2246 or by
email at mholling@ea1785.org.
{
}
“Kathy and I have made the choice to help provide an
Episcopal Academy education for students from culturally
diverse backgrounds through our company and the EITC
Program. It makes sense from a business standpoint and
enables talented children who would not otherwise be able
to attend this great school. We feel this program helps to
enrich the experience for the entire Episcopal community.”
— Joseph Zoll, Arbor, Inc.
F a l l 2 0 0 5 44
Technology Coordinator
Jennifer Kolodner Assumes
New Role
J
ennifer Kolodner, former Upper School Technology
Coordinator and member of the Technology Department, will broaden her responsibilities and share her
knowledge and expertise with the Development and
Business offices when she moves to Ryan Hall this year. Since
earning her master’s degree specializing in technology in education, Jennifer has designed and implemented a wide variety
of administrative and executive training programs. Jennifer
came to Episcopal in September 2004 from the Transportation Security Administration headquarters in Arlington, VA,
where she was instrumental in developing the new agency’s
online learning center.
“I’ve really enjoyed learning how Episcopal’s academic side
functions and helping faculty and students to stretch their
technology boundaries,” said Kolodner. “My goals for the
upcoming year include learning as much as I can about Episcopal’s development and business offices, as well as positively
supporting the technology needs of Episcopal’s staff.”
Episcopal Dedicates New Crew Shell
Thanks to a generous donation from the Episcopal Academy
Parents Association (EAPA), the crew team was able to christen a
new eight-oared crew shell on May 22nd. Shown above are
(l to r): EAPA members Laraine Ballard, Deb Dupre, Tracie Lee, and
the 2004-2005 crew captains David Talbot, Elizabeth Brennan, and
Andrea Cross.
In keeping with tradition of naming each shell of the Episcopal fleet
after one of the school’s 10 stripes, the latest addition is named
“Self Control.” The student athletes and coaches involved with the
crew program are deeply appreciative of this wonderful gift.
Davidson Family Seeds Fencing Program
for Episcopal Students
S
Using funds won from the EAPA Starfest cash raffle, the Davidson family (l to r:
Richard, Niza, Jeremy ’11, Stephanie ’05, and Matthew ’02) will begin a fencing
program at Episcopal.
oon after former Episcopal Academy Parents Association (EAPA) president Niza Davidson and her
husband Richard won the cash raffle at Starfest, the
Development Office received a call. In a unanimous
decision, the family had decided to offer Episcopal the opportunity to begin a fencing program with the proceeds.
“Fencing is a lifetime sport that attracts non-traditional
athletes. It requires analytical abilities and physical and mental discipline, a sort of ‘physical chess,’” says Niza Davidson.
“Fencing also teaches self-confidence. A successful fencer
must believe in himself and act with total confidence. That
belief in oneself and the courage to act on that belief is what
parents and educators strive to foster in their children. We
have seen this happen first-hand in our son, Matthew ’02,
who started fencing at age 13. Fencing continues providing
Matthew with physical exercise and conditioning; it also offers him intellectual and creative rewards. In helping to start
a fencing program at EA, we are confident other students will
find similar benefits.”
Initially, fencing will be an intramural offering with a plan
to assimilate it into the varsity program by the time the school
moves to Newtown Square. When it assumes varsity status,
the Davidsons plan to endow a fencing award.
Annual Giving
2004-2005
Exceeds Goal
Raised
$1,872,328
Goal $1,650,000
Alumni $546,174
Parents $754,133
A
nnual Giving
2004-2005 worked
overtime for
students, raising a
total of $1,872,328.
That total beats the $1,650,000
goal by $222,328 thanks to
generous supporters like you.
The 2005-2006 Annual Giving
Campaign is set to launch in
October with a goal of $1,700,000
and the hope of demonstrating
how each contribution helps every
student every day.
With your participation, Annual
Giving 2005-2006 will again
meet or exceed its goal and help
make the difference between a
good education and educational
excellence.
Thank you for your support.
Contact Bruce Konopka, Director
of Annual Giving, at 610-617-2233
or bkonopka@ea1785.org, for
more information.
Grandparents Past Parents Matching Gifts Other $52,855
$157,766
$67,786
$293,614
F a l l 2 0 0 5 46
Upcoming Events
September 26
Annual Giving Volunteer
Breakfast
Ryan Hall, Merion Campus
September 28
Scholium Subscription
Breakfast
Devon Campus
September 29
October 16
Breakfast
Ryan Hall, Merion Campus
AIDS Walk
8:00 am to 1:00 pm
September 30
Alumni Awards Dinner
At Episcopal
Advocate Council Reception
October 1
Philadelphia Regional
October 2
November 11
November 12
EA/Haverford Day
At Episcopal
November 24
Harvest Day & 5K Run
Alumni vs. Varsity
Thanksgiving Soccer Game
Merion Campus
October 3
November 16
Tom Meehan Memorial Golf
Classic
White Manor Country Club
Malvern
If you would like to receive the
2005-06 Scholium, EA’s student
newspaper, please contact Nancy
Taylor in the Alumni Office at
610-617-2249 (phone),
610-667-8629 (fax) or e-mail
at taylor@ea1785.org. Annual
subscriptions are offered to alumni
free of charge, but you must register
with us each year.
Keep in touch!
Community Forum with
Trudy Rubin
Merion Campus
October 6
Maura Murphy Lecture
Chapel, Merion Campus
The Episcopal Academy
Merion Station, PA 19066-1797
A ddress Service Requested
Non-profit org.
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Downingtown, PA

Achieving BAlAnce Through The ArTs

Transcription

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