SANFORD Magazine-Summer 2012 by Sanford School

VOLUME 21 . NUMBER 2 . SUMMER 2012

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STEM at Work

and Working at Sanford

A Message from the Head of School:

Sanford . Summer 2012

July 2012

Dear Parents, Alumni, & Friends: There has been much talk in the national and local media about what all schools need to address in the instruction of science, technology, engineering and math or STEM. Schools are re-branding themselves as STEM schools or calling science and math spaces STEM labs or wings.

Contents 1 STEM at Work and Working at Sanford 8 On Campus 14 Prepared for College... Prepared for Life 18 The Arts at Sanford 20 Spotlight on Athletics 24 Spring Break in Europe 25 Catching up with the Alumni & Development Office 26 Alumni Notes 31 In Memoriam

Staff Editor Cheryl Fleming Contributing Editor Theresa Medoff Contributors Cecilia Baum Merrilee Mose Jackie Pitts ’55 Karen Riordan Joan Samonisky Nita Stevenson Loren Yates h

Photography Jared Castaldi Brian Ferreira Jim Graham Photography Michael Gunselman Herff Jones Photography Ted Ippolito Patrick Martin Motophoto, West Chester PA Jen Nightengale ’82 Yvonne Sanders Michael Teixido Sanford Yearbook Staff Websites4Sports Graphic Design Kedash Design h

Communications Office Sanford School P.O. Box 888 Hockessin, DE 19707-0888 302.239.5263

Like many educational topics that appear on the national scene, Sanford is far ahead of the curve on the STEM conversation. As you will read in our feature article, Sanford’s science and math offerings far exceed what students would see at even the very best K–12 public schools and are as good if not better than our private school counterparts. Nearly all of our students will study calculus and physics before they graduate from Sanford. For the most STEM-inclined, we offer computer science and engineering electives and numerous honors and AP courses. Most importantly, the Sanford faculty is committed to providing a JK–12 math and science experience that is engaging and challenging. A distinct advantage Sanford has in this area is the 100-acre campus that has for years served as a lesson in nature, ecology, biology and conservation. As a former farm school, Sanford has been practicing sustainability before the word was in our vocabulary. How do we know our STEM program works? The best indicator comes from our graduates. This feature includes testimonials from Sanford alums who moved on to successful collegiate experiences and careers in STEM fields. These alumni credit Sanford and their teachers here for challenging them and opening their eyes to the opportunities that the science and math fields provide. As we focus on the STEM portion of our curriculum, it is important to remember that our humanities instructors teach key STEM skills. Our program draws strength from encouraging STEM skills in students while guiding them away from early or excessive specialization in favor of a liberal arts education. Most high school students should be keeping all options open. This summer, Sanford is adding several technological upgrades to campus, including new computers and network improvements. Our plan is to build the infrastructure to make campus fully wireless in 2013–14. In addition, we will be creating a new media lab adjacent to the radio studio in Stephen May Hall. In this space students will explore and create in all modes of 21st century media: digital, print, video, and audio. This MAC lab was partially funded with funds from our Home & School Association. Also in this issue of SANFORD magazine you will find highlights of the 2011–12 school year including an ambitious, school-wide service project that raised nearly $10,000 for the Food Bank of Delaware. You also will see what our students have accomplished in academics, athletics, and the arts. Lastly, please enjoy our update on the Sanford class of 2008, many of whom have completed their undergraduate degrees. Notice how many of these Sanford grads are entering STEM related fields; more importantly, look at that vast array of talents and interests represented by this class. This well-rounded diversity makes Sanford special and unique. Thank you class of 2008 for continuing to make your alma mater proud! At Sanford, STEM is a vitally important part of our program, as are reading, writing, language study, and performing and visual arts. Athletics and wellness also play a major role at our school. Let’s not forget the importance of being a good citizen, a kind person who strives to do the right thing. It’s all important. Our ambitious motto, No Talent Lies Latent, tells us that one area of focus or strength is not enough, for our teachers nor for our students. Would it be simpler and easier if Sanford were a “jock school” or a school for the “artsy kids” or just a place for the science and math students focused on STEM? You bet, but our balance is also what makes our school complex, unique, diverse, successful, and a great place for students to grow up. As our students will tell you and our alumni continue to show us through their success, Sanford is the school that can deliver the experience that draws out the talents of ALL types of learners. As we have for 82 years, Sanford will continue to be that school that teaches students to strive for personal excellence, while they discover and hone their own passion and skills. All the best,

communications@sanfordschool.org www.sanfordschool.org On the cover: Lower school students Lindsay Kalish and Andrew Kedash enjoy the benefits that an outdoor laboratory can provide.

Mark J. Anderson

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and Working

at Sanford By Theresa Gawlas Medoff

As America

seeks a competitive edge in today’s global markets, the country’s

best schools must offer stellar science, technology, engineering, and math programs.

Sanford’s traditionally strong math and science curricula combined

with rapidly growing technology and engineering programs are preparing students for

STEM experiences in and out of the classroom.

ouis Baum ’09 says that he hadn’t fully realized the richness of his Sanford education until he started classes as a physics major at the University of Rochester. “Many of my friends didn’t have access to all the AP courses that I had, and some didn’t even have a physics course at their high school,” he says. “They really struggled in their first couple of years of college, whereas I was amazingly prepared. My freshman and sophomore years were easier or on par with Sanford. I’ve been at the top of all my classes throughout college, and I attribute that to my Sanford preparation.”

Fully equipped technology labs and library computer banks in all three divisions enhance Sanford’s comprehensive liberal arts program.

His accomplishments in college have opened up a number of research opportunities to Baum at and beyond the University of Rochester. This summer he received National Science Foundation funding to research graphene and carbon nanotubes using electron tomography at UCLA.

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Sanford . Summer 2012

Baum is a Sanford lifer, having attended the school since kindergarten. He still remembers hands-on lower school science and engineering activities such as walking the campus to catch bugs to study and making silly putty and mini-zeppelins. Technology education began early on, too, as students used games such as “Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego?” to become comfortable with computers. His preparation in math took him from addition and subtraction in the earliest grades to AP calculus and AP statistics in Upper School. STEM—an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math—is under close scrutiny as America seeks a competitive edge in today’s global markets. It’s an area in which Sanford School has been strong all along, and the school’s teachers and administrators continue to find new ways to teach students the concepts and skills they will need to flourish in our increasingly STEM-oriented society. “Science and math teach you a way of looking at the world,” says Seema Venkatachalam Malkani ’91, an ob/gyn in Chicago. “They help shape the way you look at and analyze things and give you an algorithm for the way you think. Even if I hadn’t gone into a science field, those lessons would have served me well.”

Science Four-year-olds in the science lab? Why not? They are naturally curious and love to manipulate things, and even at this young age they can start learning the scientific process. Consider the bubble experiment, for example. This spring Lower School Science Instructor John Bell used that staple of childhood— bubble-blowing—to teach students how to make and test a hypothesis. They shaped pipe cleaners into circles, squares and triangles and predicted whether the bubbles would emerge in those same shapes. “We have a student-centered approach with hands-on learning

Third grade students explore concepts in geology during a lab on minerals.

to teach students the skills of a scientist, which also include organization, math and writing,” Bell says. “But to engage students, those lessons need to be fun so that you keep their interest piqued.” Second graders this year took charge of the lower school garden, tilling the soil, planting seeds, nurturing the plants, and finally enjoying a salad made with the mesclun greens they’d grown. “The garden and the entire Sanford environment provide so many teachable moments,” Bell adds. “It’s incredible to have this campus, to be able to go outside and study the different trees and search for life in the stream. We show students that science is not just white coats and shiny objects in the lab; it’s the life all around them.” That hands-on approach continues throughout the science curriculum at Sanford, with students frequently experimenting in the lab and using the varied campus environment for their research. As part of their study of environmental science and alternative energy, sixth grade students built wind turbines and

A doctoral student in computer science at the University of California at Berkeley, Chris Wilkens ’03 is specializing in algorithmic game theory, which he describes as the intersection of economics and theoretical computer science. “With a lot of theoretical work in computer science, it’s not clear how it’s applicable. I was interested in algorithmic game theory because of its usefulness,” he says. “It allows us to use what we know about computers to better understand economics and to use what economics has taught us to improve computer science.” Wilkens recently traveled to Spain to present his research at the annual Association for Computing Machinery Conference on Electronic Commerce, one of the major conferences in his field. His paper, “Single-Call Mechanisms,” describes a method for how, with limited information, an online auction can be designed with a straightforward bidding mechanism so that bidders have no incentive to manipulate it. Wilkens says he knew early on that he enjoyed math and science, and he appreciates the fact that Sanford afforded him opportunities throughout his schooling to be involved in those areas both inside and outside the classroom. A Sanford lifer who attended the school beginning in kindergarten, Wilkens began participating in Math League and Science Olympiad in middle school. As an upper schooler he also became active in Project Beyond and helped to start the school’s Punkin’ Chunkin’ team. After taking AP courses at Sanford in physics and calculus, he was well prepared for the physics and calculus courses required at MIT. “I actually found them pretty easy,” he says. He earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from MIT in electrical engineering and computer science. Wilkens plans to complete his doctorate within a year and then do postdoctoral work in preparation for a career in academia.

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changed different variables to see if they would alter the energy generated. The students enjoyed the activity so much that they didn’t want the class to end. “We all strive for joy in learning, and we focus on the process as much as the product,” says Fifth and Sixth Grade Science Instructor Beth Whipple. “We try to come up with real-world questions that drive the problem being investigated or the concept being taught.”

learned in their science courses in the past as well as with what they are studying in math and other courses.”

The entire science faculty collaborates regularly both on curricular design and specific skills taught to ensure that students move from one grade level to the next fully prepared. They also keep pace with national movements in science instruction. Right now, they are studying the draft version of Michelle Dresser, who teaches seventh grade science as well as new science guidelines being created by the National Research ninth grade honors biology courses, says that emphasizing real- Council, a division of the National Academy of Science. According to Science Department Chair André Dagenais, many world applications is one of the tenets of the Sanford science experts expect this document to be the basis for a national curriculum. “We want students to learn problem-solving curriculum in science. skills, to become independent thinkers and learners who are also able to collaborate with others. We want them to see the Beginning in lower school, students learn various interconnectedness of their current learning with what they’ve developmentally appropriate ways to report the results of their research, whether that’s drawing pictures in kindergarten or keeping a science journal in fourth grade. In middle school they begin learning to prepare traditional lab reports, a skill they will continue to refine throughout upper school. As in other subjects, the upper school science curriculum is designed to meet students’ varied interests and abilities. There are both standard and honors courses for the biology, chemistry and physics courses that all students take in ninth to eleventh grade. When necessary, there are also smaller classes in conceptual chemistry and physics for students who might need additional help mastering the concepts. As juniors and seniors, Sanford students have access to AP courses in biology, chemistry, physics and environmental science. In any given year, 30 to 50 percent of students will take at least one AP science course, and most will earn scores of 4 or 5 on the exam, says Dagenais.

Streams, ponds, and woods throughout our 100-acre campus provide numerous opportunities for observation, experiments, and research.

For students not interested in AP science courses, or AP students who want extra science courses, Sanford offers Senior Science Seminars in engineering and earth sciences as well as a yearlong course in anatomy and physiology. As a result,

Ellen Chung Kinney ’89 has a message for students who wonder how they will ever use calculus or chemistry in their future careers: “The problem-solving ability I developed through my math and science courses at Sanford has been foundational to every job I’ve ever had. Whether you’re working in medicine, business, technology or even the arts, you need to understand causal relationships, to build hypotheses, to make analyses and to have a point of view.” Kinney, whose career in banking and management consulting has taken her around the U.S. and to several foreign countries, now works as director of information and analytics at the London headquarters of Barclays, a multinational banking and financial services company. She earned a bachelor of science degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where she majored in marketing and decision science. Before joining Barclays two years ago, she worked in various positions for Credit Suisse and JP Morgan Chase as well as for two consulting firms. In her current position at Barclays, Kinney says, she is charged with improving the quality of information and insights that Barclays has about its customers so that the bank “can interact with its customers in a more relevant way,” similar to the way Amazon follows its customers’ online searches and buying history in order to make recommendations for future purchases. “My job is very analyticsdriven,” she adds, “and it requires that I be conversant with numbers and calculations. I’ve found that those skills are not common, and having them has given me a real career advantage.” She also leads broad scale work across the enterprise to ensure all parts of the organization—from the bankers in the network to the marketers who run the television campaigns—are aligned to the Barclays’ service promise. Every business is still a people business, Kinney notes, adding that the extracurricular activities she participated in at Sanford have also helped her in her career. “I played volleyball every year and was also on the crew team. Those experiences really helped me to understand my strengths and to learn how to work as part of a team.”

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although students are not required to take four years of science in upper school, 98 percent of them do, Dagenais notes. “We really try to consider the needs of the entire student body in terms of science,” he adds. “We offer courses to meet a variety of needs and abilities, and every student leaves Sanford with the knowledge and skills they would need to major in science or a related field in college.”

Technology and Engineering Alumni and parents might remember a time when robotics was such an advanced field that it was the purview of researchers Chas Frick (rear), a member of a regional FIRST team, competed in the organization’s 2012 national championship event in St. Louis, Missouri.

Sanford . Summer 2012

and advanced university students. These days, Sanford fifth graders are learning to program robots in their technology course. “We start the year using Probots, which are simple robots shaped like cars,” explains Middle School Technology Instructor Jen Nightengale ’82. “During the first trimester we race the cars. During the second trimester we put pens in the robots and program them to create what we call Probot art. By the third trimester we’ve moved on to the LEGO robots, which are more advanced and require students to use a considerable amount of math in the programming. After the students program the LEGO robots, the robots respond to sound, touch, light and ultrasonic waves.” The evolution of robotics reflects the trend with technology in general: it is becoming easier to use and more pervasive, yet, at the same time, it requires that users learn more sophisticated skills to take full advantage of its capabilities. Sanford introduces students to technology in junior kindergarten and kindergarten, but the instruction really picks up by first grade when the children are learning to read. That’s when they begin using the University of Delaware’s LibSearch to do age-appropriate research for topics they are learning about in other classes. Lower school students are also learning Microsoft Word in depth as well as being introduced to tools such as PowerPoint, which third graders use to create presentations that they deliver to an audience of parents. Fourth graders use the technology lab to create multimedia montages using sound and photos. “All the tools that we teach them will be used in all their other classes, both in lower school and throughout their time at Sanford,” says Lower School Technology Instructor Patrick Martin. All eighth grade students build fiber optics kits in their algebra class to learn how sound and other data are transmitted via

Rob Waterland ’83, associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine, is working in one of the newest, hottest fields in genetic research: epigenetics, the study of how the environment and parents’ choices during pregnancy and early infancy can affect a child’s gene expression for life.

Waterland, whose background is in molecular genetics and human nutrition, is specifically looking at how prenatal and immediate post-natal nutrition determine which genes are expressed in which cells and how that can affect a person’s susceptibility to disease. One of his research projects, for example, looks at how maternal obesity during pregnancy influences the development of the hypothalamus in the child, distorting how quickly he feels satiated and thus setting him up to battle weight problems throughout life. Since obesity is such a major problem in the U.S., Waterland’s research has very real applications for individual health as well as for the nation’s spiraling health care costs. Waterland earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from Virginia Tech and his doctorate in human nutrition from Cornell University. He did postdoctoral work in molecular genetics at Duke University Medical Center. He says that his experiences at Sanford fostered his early interest in science, particularly physics. “Mr. Dagenais set up opportunities for me to engage in independent study in physics at the upper levels and even arranged for me to get experience working in a University of Delaware physics lab while I was still in high school,” Waterland says. “That early study of physics basically set up the trajectory for where I am now.” Interestingly, Waterland says that his participation in the theater program at Sanford also gave him a leg up in his scientific career, because it made him comfortable being up on stage and lecturing in front of hundreds of people. “The smaller classes and individual attention I received from all my teachers at Sanford were very beneficial to me,” he says. “It really makes a difference that at Sanford teachers tailor the curriculum to the individual’s capabilities and interests.”

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“We really try to consider the needs of the entire student body in terms of science,” says André Dagenais. “We offer courses to meet a variety of needs and abilities, and every student leaves Sanford with the knowledge and skills they would need to major in science or a related field in college.” light. “They enjoy it so much that they come into school early to work on the kits,” says Middle School Math Instructor Bruce Pill. After their hands-on introduction to fiber optics, students visit the electrical engineering department at the University of Delaware to see the fiber optics experiments university researchers are doing. “That field trip is eye-opening for the students,” Pill says. “They see how an engineer can have an idea and use his or her creativity to develop something new.” There is a full-year upper school course in engineering to introduce seniors to the career field, but students have been exposed to engineering concepts throughout their years at Sanford. It is part and parcel of what they’ve been doing all along in math, science and technology courses. Technology is “an everyday way of life for the students,” says retiring Upper School Technology and Math Instructor Kathy Daum. All three divisions have dedicated computer labs and portable inventories of laptops for student use. Interactive whiteboards are in most lower school classrooms, and fourth grade teachers are piloting the use of iPads in the classroom. An integrated scientific calculator network is being deployed in middle school math classes, as well as new laptops for middle school students. In upper school, a lab of new iMacs will host a series of media production classes. A major upgrade to the campus network infrastructure has laid the groundwork for things to come, including: pervasive enterprise-grade wireless, educational social media, and more use of cloud-based resources. Director of Technology Rob

Short says, “Wireless will afford new research and collaborative abilities, enabling students to tap into major university libraries and research materials. Students will also be able to collaborate with each other, as well as students from other schools and subject-matter-experts from around the world.” While social media may seem second-nature to most students, Sanford students will learn to leverage these services to their academic advantage through use of social media resources created and tailored specifically for schools. Rather than just playing games and chatting with friends, students will use these resources to work with each other, communicate with teachers, gather and organize research information, and complete class assignments. Starting this fall, all middle and upper school students will have access to Sanford’s Google Apps for Education environment, giving students cloud-based storage for their classwork files and access to a suite of online productivity apps which include programs for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, time and task management, and charts and diagrams.

Math An underlying tenet of the math curriculum at Sanford is to challenge students to work to their highest ability while also giving them the support they need to succeed. Lower school students learn math in dynamic groupings, meaning that they move around from group to group and teacher to teacher

Oceanographer Sarah Cooley ’95 says the education she received at Sanford prepared her not only for college but also for her career as a research scientist. “I got a really balanced introduction to science, math and the liberal arts at Sanford,” she says. Learning to write well and to analyze texts, she adds, was just as important to her professional success as was her strong foundation in math and science. “In graduate school and the academic world, you have to be able to write well. If you can’t express yourself clearly, you just don’t get that proposal funded or you don’t succeed in getting that policymaker to understand the issue that you are working on,” she explains. “At Sanford I learned not only how to think analytically as a scientist but also to express myself.” Cooley earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry from Haverford College and, after teaching seventh and eighth grade science at Sanford for a year, returned to school to earn a PhD in marine science at the University of Georgia. Now a research scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod, Cooley is investigating how increased levels of carbon dioxide in the environment are changing the ocean’s chemistry at a faster rate than ever before in geologic history, causing it to become unable to support some types of marine life. The ultimate result, her research shows, will not only alter ocean life but also will impact human life when the fish that people rely on for sustenance are no longer abundant enough. Cooley says she is thankful that Sanford teachers and administrators were open-minded enough to adapt to students’ different needs and abilities. For Cooley, who attended Sanford since fourth grade, that meant allowing her to take upper school math courses as a middle school student and waiving her sixth grade English requirement so that she could add Latin studies to her course load. “It was the culture at Sanford, this whole ethic that teachers cared and saw us as individuals. They sought to give every student what she needed to thrive, and that was enormous for me.”

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every few weeks based upon their abilities in specific topic areas. A child who is adept at visual-spatial learning might be in an accelerated group for a geometrically-based math lesson, for example, but might need to work with additional teacher guidance for a lesson with a more algebraic focus, says Lower School Head Libbie Zimmer. “We focus on really knowing our learners,” she adds. “We use pre- and post-assessments to help guide us to what students know and what they need to learn. Building mathematical foundations early is crucial to helping develop skilled, confident kids who are ready to tackle what comes next. We make sure that learning is individualized for every child and that he or she has a deep understanding of fundamental math concepts.” Dynamic grouping in lower school math leads to ability grouping in middle school, but here, too, students can move about freely as they develop their math skills. Kelly Reynolds ’08, another Sanford lifer, notes that she struggled some with math in lower and middle school— until seventh grade when “it just clicked.” She switched midyear to a higher level math class. By her senior year at Sanford, she was able to take both AP calculus and AP statistics, and this past spring she graduated from Ursinus College with a BS in math and computer science. This summer she is continuing her research into using artificial intelligence to detect cyberbullying and Internet sexual predation. Come fall, she will be a doctoral student in computer science at Lehigh University. As with science, Sanford’s math teachers try to make learning concrete and apply it to real-life problems. The second grade store and third grade chocolate economics units allow students to put on their entrepreneurial caps and practice math skills using real money—and their earnings are donated to charity. Geometry students design their dream house on paper and

Sanford . Summer 2012

then are required to find the areas of all the rooms as well as the total square footage of the house. Statistics students apply what they have learned in the classroom by conducting surveys of fellow students. One group, for example, might make the claim that Sanford students like Kit-Kat candy bars better than Snickers. (They often decide to test claims related to food, Math Department Chair Chris Mosberg says.) They then test their claim on a random sample of students and perform the correct statistical analyses to see whether to reject or fail to reject the original claim. Most Sanford students who come up through the lower and middle schools, as well as a good number of freshmen coming in from other schools, take geometry in their first year of upper school, allowing talented students time to explore advanced topics in their senior year. Advancing the curriculum allows many students to complete calculus during their upper school years. At least half of the students will take one or two AP math courses before they graduate. “One of Sanford’s strengths is that our math curriculum suits the needs of students with many different backgrounds,” Mosberg says. “After proper placement, students are suitably challenged with a program that promotes collaborative work, problem solving, projects, and the use of the graphing calculator, and all are prepared for STEM-related courses in college.” Time and again, Sanford teachers hear from former students who tell them how well prepared they were for college and careers because of the material they learned and the skills they developed while at Sanford. “We would be remiss if we did not encourage our students to work to their full potential,” Dresser says. “When you set the bar high and give students the tools they need, they will meet those high standards, and they will continue to work to do their best not only in school but also in life.”

Four years at Sanford shaped a way of life for Seema Venkatachalam Malkani ’91, MD. Her travel and volunteer experiences; her challenging language, math and science courses; and most of all, teachers who believed in and encouraged her, led to the professional she is today. An ob/gyn with a private practice in Chicago, she also practices medicine in developing countries as a volunteer. “I can’t speak enough about Sanford and what it did for me,” Malkani says. She was advanced in math, so Jackie Pitts and the math department adapted the curriculum for her so that she could accelerate her studies in that area. Science didn’t always come as easily for Malkani, she adds, but her teachers, and, in particular, André Dagenais, saw her potential and worked to develop it. “He encouraged me not to give up and made me believe that I could do it,” says Malkani, who completed two AP science courses at Sanford. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology and French literature from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in public health from the George Washington University School of Public Health, and an MD from the University of Tennessee, Memphis. Malkani sees all types of patients in her medical practice: ages twelve through menopause and from all walks of life, from celebrities to those just scraping by financially. Although she is an ob/gyn generalist, she has expertise and a strong interest in teenage gynecological care, abnormal pap smears, infertility work, and high-risk obstetrics patients. In addition to practicing medicine and teaching at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, she speaks about health issues to various community organizations as well as the Illinois state department of health. The mother of two daughters (Sahana, 18 months, and Aryana, 1 month), Seema says that when it comes time to select a school for her own children, she will look for teachers like those she found at Sanford, those who take a strong interest in their students and push them to achieve their potential.

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STEM Outside the Classroom

anford students have many opportunities beyond the classroom—from clubs to competitions—to build on their interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

Parents of younger children know that LEGOs have moved way beyond being the basic building bricks they were a generation or two ago. Children now use them to build everything from simple machines to robots. Lower school takes advantage of students’ affection for the toy to foster engineering skills through afterschool groups such as the parent-led Junior FIRST LEGO League for second and third graders as well as a FIRST LEGO League Club for fourth to sixth graders, where children begin to learn simple programming skills. Last year Sanford also had a competitive fourth grade FIRST LEGO League team, which might continue in the coming year with a fifth grade team. Clubs for seventh and eighth graders vary each trimester according to student interest. In recent years they have included a GPS club in which students did geocaching as well as a programming club. Upper school clubs also differ somewhat from year to year, as students create their own clubs based on their interests.

Rigorous academic classes and engaging extracurricular programs prepare students for STEM experiences in college…and in life.

“We value the kind of informal education that can be accomplished through clubs that capitalize on student interests and lack the pressure of tests and deadlines that come with formal class work,” says André Dagenais. “Clubs offer students another chance to be leaders and to learn the value of collaboration in accomplishing a goal.” Students in the Sanford Environmental Action League (SEAL), an upper school club, work to educate the Sanford community about recycling and other environmental issues. Many upper school students participate in Project Beyond, which constructs a pumpkin-hurling trebuchet each fall for the Punkin’ Chunkin’ competition held in southern Delaware. Sanford held the world youth record of 850 feet for several years. During winter and spring trimesters the same student group focuses on rocketry and robotics. Some Sanford students have participated in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) by taking leadership roles in a regional robotics team that has won numerous regional and national awards. In addition to the Science Fair held at Sanford for middle school students, Sanford sponsors teams that compete in Science Olympiad at the lower, middle and upper school level. In recent years the upper school team has taken home honors in chemistry, forensics and molecular modeling. The upper school’s Math League team also performs consistently well. It’s such a popular club that the school fields five teams, often placing first in the region and ranking in the top four of state teams over the past 20 years.

Charles Toulson ’92, MD, knew way back in fourth grade that he wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon, thanks to the influence of a classmate’s father. He has always loved math and science, and he says the instruction he received at Sanford, in those areas, was “incredible.” “I remember having some of the best math teachers in seventh and eighth grade, and when I got to upper school, the teachers pushed me to excel to heights I didn’t think were possible,” he says. “In fact, I think we were both surprised at how well I did.” Toulson earned his bachelor’s degree at Duke University and his MD at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he received the Distinguished Medical Scholar Award. Toulson performed both his general surgery internship and his orthopedic surgery residency at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. He performed a fellowship in hip and knee reconstruction at Cornell and the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, which has the top-ranked orthopedic program in the country. In addition to his private practice in orthopedics, Toulson serves as medical director of orthopedics at two Texas medical centers, the Medical Center of McKinney and the Joint Replacement Center at Baylor Medical Center at Plano. One of his proudest accomplishments at McKinney was gaining Center of Excellence certification for the center. He is leading Baylor’s Joint Replacement Center toward achieving that same prestigious certification. Toulson’s professional honors include the Knee Society Grant Award. He was also named one of Dallas’s Best Doctors by D magazine. In addition to academics, Toulson was heavily involved in sports at Sanford, playing on the first basketball team to win back-to-back state championships. “Being on the team taught me that dedication, hard work and perseverance can lead you to greatness,” Toulson says. “Stan Waterman [dean of students and head boys’ basketball coach] has always been a mentor and inspiration to me.”

on C a m p us

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On Campus Editor’s Note: In April, Sanford junior Danny Coburn attended the 2012 Common Wealth Award ceremonies where he met and talked with this year’s award recipients. Presented annually in Wilmington, Delaware, the Common Wealth awards recognize individuals throughout the world for outstanding achievements in dramatic arts, literature, science, invention, mass communications, public service, government, and sociology. This year’s recipients were: Madeleine Albright, 64th Secretary of State of the United States and the first woman to hold that office Wolf Blitzer, lead political anchor for CNN Kenneth Cole, renowned American designer and humanitarian Judith Jamison, celebrated dancer and choreographer. In the following article, first published on Town Square Delaware, Danny shares his story about his chance of a lifetime experience.

Writing Contest Leads to

Chance of a Lifetime

By Danny Coburn

t’s not easy to get a ticket to the Common Wealth Awards Ceremonies. The annual black-tie event at the Hotel DuPont is an invitation-only affair—a special opportunity for guests to meet some pretty incredible honorees with outstanding world-wide achievement in their respective disciplines. Being a political junkie myself, the chance to meet CNN political anchor Wolf Blitzer (one of four honorees this year) was indeed something worth writing about. So I submitted an essay about why I wanted to meet Wolf Blitzer as part of a writing contest sponsored by PNC Bank. I was elated to have been chosen and eagerly looked forward to the event. Everything about the April 24 Common Wealth Awards was picture perfect from the moment I entered the Hotel Dupont. I arrived early in my tuxedo and the PNC Bank representatives graciously welcomed my family and me. We were led into the photography area, where we watched the cameraman expertly take professional shots of award recipients. Mr. Blitzer was surrounded by adults, smiling for the photographs, talking sports (baseball) and politics. In the meantime, Mrs. Albright made her way to the students, asking us questions about our goals and ambitions. I was surprised by how youthful she comes across, vibrant, enthusiastic, and open. She made me feel that my opinions on global issues were relevant and important to her. She approached me a few more times throughout the evening to talk to me. As the crowd around Mr. Blitzer thinned, I made my way to his side and introduced myself to him. We talked about Iran, the Middle East, China, the European Union and the world in general. He is incredibly optimistic. That surprised me. He is also funny. That did not surprise me. He showed me

Danny (center) joins Senator Chris Coons and Madeline Albright.

pictures of his wife, who works in fashion, and his daughter who is a journalist who covers women’s health and fashion. He is clearly very proud of both of them. He spoke baseball with my dad. He spoke about his wife with my mom. Before we knew it, he was being whisked away for dinner. Most of the evening, he was kept pretty busy. I did see him before he left. He wanted to get home to his wife in Virginia. He was gracious and the evening was perfect. The hosts from PNC Bank made the evening something I will always remember. I am more interested than ever in pursuing a career in global economics. Both of our U.S. senators and their wives spoke with me in depth about my college goals. Life is good. Danny Coburn is a junior at Sanford School in Hockessin. He is excited about the 2012 presidential election. He will be studying macroeconomics this summer, attending Boys State, and participating in Junior Statesman Congressional debates.

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Above: Proud parents Lisa and John Coburn enjoyed an extraordinary evening with their son. Left: Two great minds came together as CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Sanford’s Danny Coburn exchanged ideas.

“I am more interested than ever in pursuing a career in global economics. Both of our U.S. senators and their wives spoke with me in depth about my college goals,” says Danny. “Life is good.” Left: Upper school faculty member John Fritz, who will launch a student media program in the fall, was among the honored guests. Below: Senator and Mrs. Tom Carper shared their perspectives with Danny.

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Sanford . Summer 2012

On Campus Students Honored for Community Service Two upper school students—Megan Kozar and Younsoo

Park—recently received Jefferson Awards for their outstanding efforts in community service. Both award recipients were active volunteers at hospitals last summer, Megan in Wilmington and Younsoo in Korea. Megan volunteered at the A.I. du Pont Hospital 2 days per week for 5 hours each day throughout the summer of 2011. She became interested in helping at A.I. when she herself had gone for treatment of an injury and realized the important role that volunteers played. Megan Kozar

Younsoo volunteered for 20 hours at the Korean Red Cross Blood Donation Center and for 70 hours at the Severance Hospital. When she was asked why she volunteered, she said,” I wanted to do something good during the summer and I wanted to spend my time helping other people.”

The Jefferson Awards are a prestigious national recognition system honoring community and public service in America. Sanford was one of the first schools in Delaware to participate in the Jefferson Awards program.

Math League Team Gets High Marks

Sanford’s Math League team had an impressive

2011–2012 season. The 10th–12th grade “A” team won first place in Sanford’s competing region for the regular season. During an invitational meet April 16th, the group came in fourth of 14 teams that were invited to participate. The team members were: Kevin Chen, Natalie Huang, Danny Coburn, Younsoo Park, and Josh Bostick. Forty students comprised this year’s team, the largest in Sanford’s history. Other highlights of the season included: invitational medals awarded to Danny Coburn and Younsoo Park for achieving perfect scores; regional individual honors for Kevin Chen who placed first, and Younsoo Park who finished in third place; and freshman Chase Rapine’s participation in the invitational as one of 24 “At Large” ninth grade competitors.

Younsoo Park

Members of Sanford’s Math League Team celebrate following the statewide invitational meet.

Sanford Siblings Ace Events with Rodney Street Tennis & Tutoring Association

n May, freshman Stephan Smith and his sister, Shadae Hicks ’06, posed questions to candidates seeking the mayor’s seat in Wilmington, Delaware. Stephan and Shadae were selected by the Rodney Street Tennis & Tutoring Association (RSTTA) to represent the organization at The Mayoral Debate at Trinity Episcopal Church in Wilmington. Their participation gave them the opportunity to view and experience the democratic process. RSTTA, an organization dedicated to helping children reach their full potential on and off the tennis court, combines academics, athletics, nutrition, and civic responsibility to encourage the development of a child from a holistic perspective. Stephan is a junior counselor and Shadae is a former counselor.

Stephan takes center stage with tennis great Mats Wilander On May 5th, Stephan joined Mats Wilander at RSTTA’s Annual Spring Benefit at Wilmington Country Club. Wilander, a seven-time Grand Slam singles tennis champion, was the featured host at this year’s event. Stephan was one of the special guests who talked with and asked questions of the legendary athlete. Left: Mats Wilander and Stephan Smith were a smash with the crowd.

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Sanford Students Honored for World Language Exams

Seniors Headed to College Fields, Courts, and Courses

National French Exam Several Sanford students received exceptionally high scores in the 2012 National French Contest, Le Grand Concours.

Seven Sanford students will participate in

college athletic programs. The students are:

Sanford’s national and state winners were: freshman Ivana Gatica, ranked 12th nationally and 8th in the state; sophomore Emma Heberton, ranked 9th nationally and 5th in the state; freshman Kelsey Mendell, ranked 13th nationally and 9th in the state; and, junior Weston Schlack, ranked 7th nationally and 3rd in the state.

• Mike Brennan, playing lacrosse at

Goucher College • Khallid Hart, playing basketball at Marist University • Jordan Poarch, playing soccer at the University of Virginia • Natasha Prokhenevska, playing tennis at Georgia Tech • Emily Rufo, dancing with the University of Delaware Dance Team • Anjie White, playing basketball at George Washington University • Matt Yung, playing golf at Hamilton College.

Le Grand Concours is an annual competition sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. Students of French in grades 1–12, in all 50 states and abroad, take a written test and compete against students with similar educational backgrounds for prizes.

National Spanish Exam Anjie White

Khallid Hart

Sanford students earned 4 silver medals, 4 bronze medals, and 22 honorable mentions in this year’s National Spanish Examinations. Sophomore Inés Gannon and freshman Thelma Cedillo were ranked in the top 10 in Delaware. Sanford’s silver award winners were: Shannon Babcock, Amira Hannon, Radhika Malhotra, and MacKenzie Scarlett. The bronze medal winners were: Rachel Farmer, Meera Gandhi, Samantha Stevenson, and Hadiya Tucker. “Attaining a medal or honorable mention for any student on the National Spanish Examinations is very prestigious,” said Kevin Cessna-Buscemi, national director of the exams, “because the exams are the largest of their kind in the United States with 143,641 students participating in 2012.”

Jordan Poarch

Students from Sanford have a long history of high achievement on these exams. The National Spanish Examinations are administered each year in grades 6 through 12, and are sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

Natasha Prokhenevska

National Latin Exam Fourteen Sanford students earned awards for outstanding achievement on the National Latin Exam. The following students received Gold Summa Cum Laude recognition: Laura Davies, Joshua Bostick, Shayne Sanders, and Trevor Long. Earning Silver Maxima Cum Laude honors were: Sarah Boone, Alina Caulfield, and Chase Rapine. Sanford’s Magna Cum Laude winners are: Alexandra Somerville, Jessica Cooper, Jack Vander Laan, Adam Caulfield, Rachael Straightiff, and Byron Lambrou. Jesse Bracho was a Cum Laude award winner.

Matt Yung

Mike Brennan

Emily Rufo

The National Latin Exam is offered under the joint sponsorship of the American Classical League and the National Junior Classical League.

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Sanford . Summer 2012

On Campus Sanford Fights Hunger with

giving back

By Alex Ball, Visual Arts Instructor

“We work together to serve others, giving our time, talent and resources to improve our school and the broader community.” –One of Sanford’s Guiding Principles G

iving back to the community is not a new concept for Sanford. When the school was founded by Ellen Sawin in 1930, she opened her home and school to orphaned children. In 2006, Sanford Head of School Chip MacKelcan embraced this founding principle and initiated the schoolwide Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Sponsoring an Empty Bowls event at Sanford is not a new concept either. In May of 2002, Sanford held its first Empty Bowls event and raised over $3,000. Sponsoring a second Empty Bowls project ten years later, especially at a time when hunger is rampant in our community, was in order. The very first Empty Bowls event was held in the early 1990’s, under the guidance of Michigan high school art teacher, John Hartom. According to the Empty Bowls website: “The basic premise is simple: Potters and other craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a Faculty members and students generously contributed their time to serve ice cream during the social.

The service-based learning project resulted in the creation of more than 1,000 handcrafted bowls.

bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity.” The Sanford community began work on its second Empty Bowls project in March 2011 by running a club in the upper school. Shortly thereafter, a summer study grant provided funding for a free, nine-day Summer Studio workshop for students and families. Because there was so much enthusiasm from the community, the Empty Bowls Summer Studio was extended for three extra weeks. By September, participants in the Empty Bowls Club and the Empty Bowls Summer Studio had created over 700 bowls for the culmination of the project, an ice cream social scheduled for May 2012. Over the past few years, Sanford has built a strong relationship with the Food Bank of Delaware. Every year during our Martin Luther King Day of Service, our senior class travels together to the Food Bank of Delaware. In addition, faculty members Tom Whipple, Candyce Pizala and Susan DeSantis have also organized volunteer trips to Food Bank of Delaware for Girls on the

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Empty Bowls

fighting hunger

From the left: The Vocal Ensemble sweetened the event. • Head of School Mark Anderson and Visual Arts Instructor Alex Ball present a check to the Food Bank’s Kim Kostes and Larry Haas. • Upper school students check out a few of the bowls that were created to help fight hunger in our community.

Run and members of the Sanford community. These existing relationships and the mission of Empty Bowls made the Food Bank of Delaware a natural choice to be the recipient of Sanford’s fundraising efforts. Education on issues of hunger is one of the tenets of Empty Bowls. On three occasions Kim Kostes, director of communications for the Food Bank of Delaware, visited Sanford to educate our students on the severity of hunger in Delaware. Students learned that one in four people in Delaware are food insecure, and the Food Bank of Delaware serves food to more than 240,000 people a year. Kim talked to all of Sanford’s students about ways they can help end hunger, and about the services the Food Bank of Delaware provides. The Empty Bowls Ice Cream Social took place on May 17th. Hy-Point Farms made a very generous donation of ice cream, which allowed Sanford to donate 100% of the proceeds from our Empty Bowls effort. Highlights of the day included lower school students wearing T-shirts in support of their favorite charities, and musical performances by sixth graders, the Vocal Ensemble, and an upper school rock band. The weather was warm enough to enjoy ice cream, but not too hot to melt it. Students, teachers, and parents volunteered to scoop ice cream, staff the donation table, and rinse and wrap bowls. All students received ice cream and a chance to select a handcrafted bowl, which they were asked to keep as a reminder of the hunger that exists throughout the world. It is not always easy to find service projects young children can do, but Empty Bowls was a learning-based service project that suited our community well. Every student in JK through eighth grade made or glazed a bowl for this project, and about

half of the students made a financial contribution to the Food Bank of Delaware. At the end of May, Sanford School made a $9,000 donation to the Food Bank of Delaware. “Our partnership with Sanford School is an important one,” said Kim Kostes. “This year’s Empty Bowls fundraiser was among our top fundraising events for the year! Thanks to the Sanford community’s generosity, we will be able to provide more than 36,000 meals to Delawareans struggling to put food on the table!”

Empty bowls, like these in the hands of David Kwart, were designed to remind participants of all the empty bowls throughout the world.

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Sanford . Summer 2012

Prepared for College

Prepared for Life By Danielle Fleming ’11

“Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.” Ian Thresher ’08, who shared this quotation from the movie Forest Gump when he delivered his Commencement student address, believed that his class was like a box of chocolates—all different, but each with tremendous potential to be great. He said, “I cannot even imagine what some of my peers will accomplish. But whatever they set out to be—a musician, a doctor, an engineer, or a teacher—all of them will be successful.” His words were prophetic, as members of this group are now preparing for graduate schools, careers, and other exciting opportunities. Sanford challenged these graduates to exceed their own expectations and armed them with courage to make their dreams a reality. Their journeys are far from over as they blaze new trails on their way to success. Here’s an update on the Class of 2008.

THE class of 2008

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Krista Bacchieri, Muhlenberg College: This summer Krista will be performing a work for Dorrell Martin in New York. She hopes to choreograph, perform, and teach dance in the Philadelphia area before going to graduate school for dance within the next few years. Arielle Blackwell, University of Delaware: Arielle, who has been accepted to law school, is weighing her options and considering diplomat school. She plans to pursue a political internship, either in political campaigning or in the legal arena. Chris Bobbitt, Wake Forest: Chris has been in Europe with Ian Thresher where they have enjoyed backpacking in Dublin, York, Edinburgh, London, Vienna, Prague, Greece, Italy and Spain. Next year Chris will be attending the Boston University Medical School and will hopefully go into some sort of surgery, although his interest could change very quickly. Lauren Bond, University of Delaware: This summer Lauren is marching with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. They perform in competitions all around the country. Lauren plans to participate in medical nursing mission work. She eventually wants to pursue a nursing career, possibly in a pediatric or neonatal specialty. Brittany Bowman, Yale University: Brittany is working in a hospital this summer. In the fall, she plans to work in a medical lab and, in two years, she hopes to attend medical school in Boston or Philadelphia. Jesse Brown, Millersville: Jesse, a computer science major at Millersville, has taken some time off from school. He is looking into future job opportunities and thinking about returning to school.

Rebecca Campbell, Ithaca College: Rebecca, who is studying for the Medical College Amission Test (MCAT), plans to take the MCAT in August 2012. She is also looking for internship opportunities as a certified athletic trainer. Rebecca hopes to attend medical school within the next few years. Alexandra Caras, University of Delaware: Alexandra is continuing her undergraduate work while taking summer classes and working for Apple. After graduating, she plans to attend graduate school for counseling or family law. Jin Chen, Columbia University: Jin is applying to medical school and working as a clinical research assistant for Dr. Joseph Lane, an orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. She looks forward to learning about metabolic bone disease during her year off. Jin, who plans to practice medicine, is undecided about a specialty—but hopes to serve an urban population in the future. Quinn Civiletti, Loyola University: Quinn is working as an intern for a design company in the operations and marketing department. He also plans to get an internship in the financial field. Quinn has been accepted into a work/study program in London, which he may or may not pursue. In the future he hopes to go into small business development/consulting and to reside in England. Nicole Dabkowski, Clemson University: Nicole is working in an immunology lab as a lab assistant at Nemours/ AI DuPont. At the end of the summer she hopes to go back to Spain and begin teaching English abroad to learn more Spanish. If that doesn’t work she will most likely try to get a lab job. Nicole plans to go to graduate school for genetics or a related field and eventually conduct medical research. Burgundi Daniels, Delaware State University ’12: Burgundi has been offered a position at Delaware State University to work in the office of financial aid. In January she plans to enroll in graduate school to earn her MBA.

Andrew DeSantis, Lynchburg College: Andrew is looking for a job in the field of communications. He looks forward to running the river in New Hampshire where he will be working with tubers, kayakers, and other outdoorsmen. Andrew is also considering the possibility of attending graduate school Natasha Frosina, The George Washington University: Natasha will return to Rwanda for a third time, where she will continue working with Spark MicroGrants, a nonprofit organization leading the revolution in community-led development aid. Natasha will also initiate the first round of maternal health microgrants, a project that she presented at the Clinton Global Initiative University this past spring. In the fall she will move to the UK to pursue an MS in African Studies at Oxford University. Upon completing her degree at Oxford, she hopes to work in the field of governance and electoral consultancy and monitoring, focusing particularly in post-conflict African states. Jasmine Gibson, Ohio Valley University: Jasmine continues her undergraduate work, majoring in psychology with a concentration in human services. After graduating, she plans to attend graduate school to study occupational therapy. Abby Gilmore, Muhlenberg College: Abby, who is working at a camp and looking for a yearlong position, is still waiting to hear back from graduate school for the fall of 2013. Abby plans to attend graduate school for a master’s in occupational therapy. She hopes to pursue some opportunities abroad, for both work and studies, as she continues to hone her Spanish skills. Loryn Green, UNC Greensboro: Currently completing her bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies with a minor in sign language, Loryn will graduate in December, 2012. With her degree, Loryn will be able to work in the healthcare industry helping children, families, and adults. In January Loryn plans to attend either Kean University or Montclair State University in New Jersey to pursue a master’s degree in speech therapy. After attaining her degree, she wants to work with children who have speech problems or with elderly stroke victims.

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Sanford . Summer 2012

Their journey continues...THE class of 2008.. Sarah Greenwood, University of Delaware: Sarah will be attending physician assistant school at Philadelphia University. Upon completion of her studies, Sarah hopes to specialize in emergency medicine. Trae Humphreys, Susquehanna University: Trae is working with the Sanford buildings and grounds team. In the fall he will be student teaching through Susquehanna University. After completing his certifications, Trae wants to be a history teacher. Robert Inskip, University of Georgia: Robert will finish undergraduate school at UGA in December. He writes for school and local publications including newspapers and magazines, the school website, and the radio station. He is most interested in securing a writing position in the future. He would enjoy writing for a magazine. Ryan John, Westminster Choir College: Ryan is working as the copy editor and production manager for the Westminster Center for Critical Pedagogy. He will be in school for one more year to finish the graduate portion of his dual degree program (bachelor of music in education and master of arts in teaching). He plans to move to New York City to pursue performance opportunities in music and theater. Ultimately, he wants to get a full-time teaching job as a high school choral director, but will spend a few years in NYC before settling down! Jessica Johnson, University of Delaware: Jessica is applying to optometry school this summer. She plans to enroll in school this coming year. After completing optometry school, Jessica hopes to work as an optometrist. Kailin Johnson, University of Delaware: Kailin is working and studying for the NCLEX-RN to get her nursing license. In the fall, Kailin will be working at The James Cancer Center at The Ohio State University.

Courtney Jones, Ursinus College: Courtney is working at Hockessin Athletic Club this summer. She will take the GRE’s in the fall, and then attend graduate school the following year for business management. Kane Kalas, University of Miami: Kane has been playing online poker full time professionally. About a year and a half ago, after the US Department of Justice clamped down on online poker in the United States, he discontinued his studies and relocated to Escazu, Costa Rica. Kane will be going to Las Vegas for the World Series of poker in late June, and plans on participating in the Main Event, as he has the past two years. In the future he will return to University of Miami to finish undergraduate school. Eventually he would like to get involved in online entrepreneurship. He is also very interested in broadcasting, politics, and economics, and could envision himself potentially going into one of those fields. Ruthie Kay, Virginia Tech: A materials science and engineering major, Ruthie has one more year of undergraduate school to complete. She hopes to get a job in a foundry after graduating. Whitney King, Connecticut College: Whitney is working at the Delaware Art Museum this summer. She wants to move to Philadelphia to pursue music and the arts.

Megan Kuhn, University of Delaware: Megan has one more year of undergraduate work to complete. She is also working full time as a patient care assistant at the A.I DuPont Hospital for Children. After completing the nursing program at University of Delaware, Megan wants to pursue a nursing career. Samer Mardarani, University of Delaware: Samer graduated with an accounting degree. This summer he has been training for tryouts for a professional basketball career. He hopes to spend the next few years in Lebanon playing professionally. Upon his return Samer wants to find a job in accounting.

Ryan McBride, Northern Arizona University: Ryan is currently living in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he is studying hotel and restaurant management at Northern Arizona University. He is also working at a local coffee shop. He hopes to eventually manage a hotel somewhere outside of the country. Jamie Milliski, Elon University: Jamie is studying for the certified public accounting (CPA) exam through a live course at Virginia Tech. Jamie is scheduled to take all four sections this summer. In August, Jamie will begin working at KPMG, one of the big four public accounting firms in their Richmond, Virginia office as part of their audit practice. She is also the treasurer and board member of a nonprofit that she co-incorporated while at Elon. Olivia Murphy, Dickinson College: Olivia is applying to pre-requisite programs in speech pathology. She plans to go to graduate school for speech pathology, and eventually become a speech therapist. Brian Nachbar, Dartmouth College: Brian is looking for a job in software development. He hopes to go to graduate school in the next few years but wants to experience the “real world” first. Alexander Olivieri, Boston College: This summer, Alex is performing for Interlakes Theatre, a professional theatre company in New Hampshire. He will be performing in 4 shows— Annie, All Shook Up, Singing in the Rain, and A Chorus Line. In August and September, Alex will be dancing with the Anna Sokolow Dance Company in Boston. He then plans to try to dance in New York City and audition as an actor in the region. In the spring, he will consider applying to graduate school.

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..Their journey continues...THE class of 2008 Kathryn Potter, Northeastern University: Kathryn is in graduate classes at Northeastern where she is pursuing a master’s of science degree in accounting. Kathryn plans to take the CPA exam within the year. She has a position with a national CPA firm starting in January after completion of her master’s program and plans to work in their Boston office for the near future. Kelly Reynolds, Ursinus College: Kelly continues her work on a research project that she began about a year-and-a half ago. The project uses machine learning techniques to detect cyber bullying. In the fall, Kelly will attend Lehigh University to begin her PhD work in computer science. Tommy Rogers, University of Delaware: Tommy, who is taking some time off and visiting family in Frederick, Maryland, is currently renovating his house. In a few years, he plans to go abroad and teach English. Victoria Roop, University of Delaware: Victoria has begun a two- year graduate program in Washington D.C for a master’s in anesthesiology. After graduate school, Victoria wants to become an anesthesiologist assistant. Niel Rosenthalis, Sarah Lawrence College: Niel has completed an internship at the New Museum, which is publishing one of his essays about art activism around AIDS in the 1980s. He is currently working as an editorial assistant for Oxford University Press in New York City. Niel plans on pursuing a PhD in literature. Sean Ryon, Lafayette College: Sean is in the process of moving to New York. He will be working with Hot 97 on video production and continuing his job of four years writing for HipHopDX.com. In addition, he will be doing freelance video production directing music videos for a number of underground Hip Hop artists. In the future, he hopes to continue working in the entertainment industry.

Tyler Shields, University of Delaware: Tyler has been commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army. He is leaving for Fort Sill this year for Artillery School and will be reassigned to another location next summer. Tyler will be in the army for at least the next three years, and he wants to become a Paladin weapons system commander. Saran Singh, University of Delaware: Saran will be working as a legislative fellow for the Delaware General Assembly starting in January. She and a friend also started a business, GS Horse Sales, which trains and sells horses. She expects to attend law school in the future. However, if she’s successful as a legislative fellow, she may be offered a job right away. And, she would like to continue working with young horses at least part time. Nikhil Sitaram, University of Delaware: Nikhil will be starting a job with a pharmaceuticals manufacturing company called Hospira. His job is in their Technical Professional Development Program (TPDP) in Austin, Texas. It’s a rotational program so Nikhil will be working in various capacities. He said, “If you had to sum it up, you would say process engineering.” Nikhil will continue working in the chemical engineering industry and plans on getting an MBA at some point in the future. Jason Stern, Boston University: Jason is in Boston where he is learning a computer language called Python. In the fall Jason will attend Boston University for graduate school. His area of concentration is Remote Sensing and GIS. Emily Stewart, Guilford College: Emily is researching graduate school programs in the United Kingdom in the hope of attaining a master’s degree in Medieval Studies. In the future Emily plans to work in a museum, in archival or heritage studies. Brice Struthers, James Madison University: In the fall, Brice will begin graduate school at George Mason for a masters of art program in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in higher education. He hopes to work at a university as an administrator.

Ian Thresher, Hamilton College: Ian is currently backpacking across Europe with Chris Bobbitt (see Chris’s entry). In the fall, he will be applying to law school and is excited to take on that challenge. Ian, who has been offered several job opportunities, is considering working for either the Obama campaign or a law firm. Eventually, Ian wants to work as a prosecutor. Suchit Tuli, University of Delaware: In July, Suchit will begin working as a corporate analyst for JPMorgan Chase in New York City. He plans to work for the global financial services firm for two to three years, and then attend a school in New York where he will pursue a dual MD/MBA degree. Rachel Vargyai, Elon University: Rachel plans to attend the New Castle County Police Academy. Upon completing her training at the Academy, Rachel will work for the New Castle County Police Department for at least three years. Afterward, she will likely make a lateral transfer to another department out west. Parrish Warrington, University of Delaware: Currently working in New York City as a music producer and songwriter, Parrish also travels to Los Angeles for work trips. Parrish says he may own a producing company one day in the distant future, but will mainly work with a lot of producers who are well established. Garrett White, Howard University: Garrett will graduate from Howard in December and then return to Philadelphia. He plans to work with New Sigma Youth Services, and then move to California to pursue a career in the wine industry. Parker Wright, Wittenberg University: Parker is working part-time at a hotel this summer. He is looking for full-time opportunities in finance. Parker also plans to search for a job that will utilize his double major of Spanish and political science.

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Sanford . Summer 2012

t h e a r t s at SRTC and SEUSSICAL:

Music, Theatre, and So Much More

From November until March, eighty Sanford students combined their

talents to present a show-stopping production of SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL, which mesmerized audiences in Geipel Auditorium from March 8th through March 11th. This outstanding team of kindergarten through twelfth grade students, under the direction of Performing Arts Chair Clint Williams and Director Tammy Paulino, worked tirelessly and unselfishly to bring a winning performance to the Sanford stage. Joining the students in their efforts was the largest group of parents ever to be involved in a Sanford Repertory Theatre Company (SRTC) production. On the right are a few reflections from some of the SEUSSICAL families.

From the top: The Cat (Cristina Riegel) and JoJo (Misha Teixido) lead the cast in the opening number, “Oh the Thinks You Can Think.” • The full cast of Seussical poses for the last note of the closing number. • Circus performer Morgan Kozar performing her act during the “Circus McGurkus” number. • Mr. Mayor (Christopher Malafronti) and Mrs. Mayor (Emma Heberton) are saddened by the news of the loss of their son, JoJo.

T h e Ar t s at s a n f or d

s a n f or d When Sophia announced she would audition for Seussical last fall her younger brother Misha decided to follow, simply because it was something they could do together. It was a wonderful thrill for us to witness the product of their hard work at the final performances, one that we and they will never forget. When the phrases “We are here!” and “It’s possible,” come up in conversation, we still re-live that experience. Through the auditioning, rehearsals, extra work at home, and performances, our children experienced a microcosm of worldly experience in one production that will serve them in every sphere of life. They have been exposed to lessons in self-confidence, presentation, organization, commitment to task, and dedication to the group and seen how creativity can grow in a positive atmosphere as was so consistently generated by Mr. Williams, Ms. Paulino and Ms. Campbell. Our children realize they contributed to the creation of a wonderful product that is far greater than any one member could create alone. Compressed into the space of a few months, this show was easily the most potent learning experience our children have ever had. Thank you SRTC! —Michael and Ilianna Teixido

Above: Mary Mecca shines as a member of the Bird Girls trio. Left: Horton the Elephant (Nicholas Madden) sings about a person being a person, no matter how small. Below: The Cat (Cristina Riegel) leads the circus performers in a rousing circus sing-a-long while Horton the Elephant (Nicholas Madden) sits on display.

The SRTC experience was amazing! After almost four months of juggling schedules, organizing carpools, and trying to be creative after many nights of takeout dinners (with no red sauce!), we were very privileged to be a part of a wonderful, magical production. Having all three of our children in the show was challenging, but the rewards far outweighed the challenges. There was never a single complaint from the boys at any point. They looked forward to the rehearsals and were eager to return day after day. They loved meeting and interacting with their new friends, both younger and older. Tom and I enjoyed making new friends and reacquainting with old at the many volunteer opportunities. To see the show for the first time was magnificent! How Mr. Williams, Ms. Paulino, Ms. Ames, and Ms. Campbell coordinated 60 children to sing and dance on that stage with huge smiles (and no collisions) was a true feat! Each time we saw the show, it seemed more perfect. And what may be the best takeaway of all was that our children, along with the fun they had singing and dancing and meeting new friends, learned many a life lesson without even realizing it: being on time, being organized, picking up after themselves, when to speak and sing and when to be quiet, how to balance homework with rehearsals—each of these was expected, even for the youngest children. And the children learned and practiced these lessons repeatedly. I was simply amazed each night I worked in the Green Room to see each child, from youngest to oldest, dressed in his or her costume, headed for the stage on cue, changing and ready for the next scene…all with very little help. And when they needed help, they weren’t shy about asking. It had to be magic! We are very excited for the next SRTC production and look forward to our boys continuing to be a part of the SRTC family in the future. Thanks again. —Susan and Tom Keiser

Our experiences with the SRTC production of Seussical were similar to those I’ve heard and read. My daughter, Claire, learned so much from the process and the fact that she was surrounded by friends from school was a terrific benefit. She also met teens and adults who have found great satisfaction in the SRTC community. They are a tremendously talented bunch and I’m happy she had the chance to be around teens who have made the arts a productive part of their lives. She now has a better sense of the discipline, commitment, and sense of accomplishment involved in musical/theatrical productions. Aside from watching Claire enjoy the process, I appreciated specific aspects as well. Volunteering was an opportunity to laugh, contribute, and assist the tremendous efforts of the staff. I also enjoyed watching supportive relationships form between older students and their youngest comrades. Without any doubt though, the finest memory I’ll carry from Seussical happened in the Green Room on Sunday. There, the entire cast and crew gathered for vocal warm-ups prior to their final performance. At the outset, the seniors involved (cast and crew) formed a small circle and initiated a process where each said a few words about his/her experiences in SRTC over the years. They subtly commended one another’s contributions and conveyed genuine appreciation for each other and for the staff…the “family” that SRTC offers. They were thoughtful, articulate, very grateful for their opportunities, and hands down, my best memory of Seussical. Thank you to SRTC staff, volunteers, and seniors! —Shivaun Jester

s p o t l i g h t on at h le t i c s

Sanford . Summer 2012

Spotlight on ATHLETICS

Another Unforgettable Season for Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball

or the third consecutive year, the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams competed for state championships at the University of Delaware. On Saturday, March 10, 2012, the boys’ team successfully defended their title, defeating Newark High by a score of 58 to 50. The night before, Sanford’s hopes of winning a third consecutive state championship in girls’ basketball came to a halt following a 49–29 loss to the Ursuline Academy Raiders.

Delaware’s first three-peat The boys’ victory earned Sanford a spot in Delaware history, as the team was the first boys’ team in the state to win three consecutive state championships. According to Coach Stan Waterman, who has coached six Sanford state championship teams: “To win one state championship is exciting, to win a second state championship is incredible, to win

a third consecutive state championship is special and unbelievable.”

The comeback kids Although the girls’ team didn’t walk away with a third state title, their presence in the championship game demonstrated their talent, tenacity, and strength. The girls began the season with a shaky start, suffering three straight losses to non-conference teams. In addition, future Division I player Anjaleace White was injured in the first game of the season. However, adversity and the slow start didn’t stop the Lady Warriors from rising to the top of the pack and becoming the number one seed in the tournament.

s p o t l i g h t on at h le t i c s

The Rosters

An Exceptional Community

For the girls:

The support of Sanford parents, students, faculty,

2 Megan Yung 4 Asiyah Frank 5 Jasmyn Parker 10 Shauntel Williams 11 Bria Manlove 12 Chelsei Mack 14 Johanna McMillan 15 Anjaleace White, captain 20 Peyton Marcozzi 21 Alexa Bradley 22 Amber Genwright 25 Chrishyanah Alston 32 Ayanna Thompson 33 Hadiya Tucker Coaches: Marcus Thompson, Courtney Kendall, Paris Waterman, Cliff Wise, Donna Figenshu

alumni, and friends contributed greatly to the success of both teams. The images below capture a few of the many special memories of the season.

Above: Mark Anderson feels victory in the air. Left: Sanford spirit was everywhere during the girls’ championship game at The BOB.

Managers: Jennifer Aguirre, Aleczandra Bryant, Courtney Clark

For the boys:

rosters

1 Sabri Thompson, captain 5 Matthew Yung 10 Jahni Love 11 Khallid Hart, captain 12 Kyle McGregor 14 Frederic Ryle 15 Hugh Swanson 20 Kevin Shay 22 Anthony Mosley 23 Todd Hughes 24 Hammond Knox 25 Kyle Evans 30 Kyle Rose 32 Austin Ford 33 Justin Fleming 42 Shayne Sanders Coaches: Stan Waterman, Matt Cooney, Fran Forrest, Ron Parker, Matt Wilson Managers: Madelyn Wojnisz Madison Brown Caroline Collins

Sanford families, like the Hughes and the Sanders, enrich our programs and our community on and off campus. Freshman Asia DeShields, who also performed in the SRTC production of SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL during championship weekend, rocked the house with her game opening performance of the national anthem at the boys’ history-making game.

s p o t l i g h t on at h le t i c s

Sanford . Summer 2012

2011-2012 Winter Honors Swimming 1st Team All-Conference: Patrick Francois 2nd Team All-Conference: Kristy Christiansen

Winter Track 4 x 400 girls’ relay—7th in State: Amira Hannon, Kira Stevens, Jamie Thomas, Ana Sarmousakis

Girls’ Basketball 1st Team All-Conference: Anjie White, Amber Genwright, Johanna McMillan Honorable Mention All-Conference: Chrisyannah Alston All-State First Team: Anjie White Second Team: Amber Genwright Honorable Mention: Johanna McMillan Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year: Anjie White Top Ten North: Anjie White, Amber Genwright Senior Blue/Gold All-Star Game: Anjie White, Amber Genwright

Boys’ Basketball 1st Team All-Conference: Khallid Hart, Sabri Thompson 2nd Team All-Conference: Austin Ford, Todd Hughes, Anthony Mosely All-State First Team: Khallid Hart—Player of the Year Honorable Mention: Sabri Thompson

swimming

Spotlight on ATHLETICS

Top Ten North: Khallid Hart 2011–12 Sports Radio 1290 All-Ticket Team: Khallid Hart Tournament Most Outstanding Player: Khallid Hart Championship Game Most Valuable Player: Khallid Hart Senior Blue/Gold All-Star Game: Khallid Hart 1000th point of career: Khallid Hart 400th Win of Career: Stan Waterman

Wrestling DISC Meet 1st Team All-Conference (Conference Champion): Parker Landau, Brett Humphreys, Chase Humphreys 3rd Team All-Conference: Chase Rapine, Josh Katz, Nate Reynolds, Oliver Fleischmann, Dylan Stracke Outstanding Wrestler of DISC meet: Parker Landau Qualified for States: Parker Landau, Brett Humphreys, Chase Humphreys 6th in state: Parker Landau DWA Academic All-State First Team: Josh Katz, Chase Rapine Second Team: Nate Reynolds Honorable Mention: Eric Cecil, Oliver Fleischmann, Chase Humphreys

“I wouldn’t say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it.” –Michael Phelps

s p o t l i g h t on at h le t i c s

“The Warrior track team had its largest turnout ever, with 40 student-athletes lacing up their spikes for the winter season. We had a lot of success, as these aspiring, up-and-coming runners gave it their all.” –Mike Holloway, Winter Track Coach

winter track

“The same attitude, discipline, and work-ethic that it takes to be successful in sports are the same characteristics that it takes to be successful in other areas of your life.” • Stan Waterman, Dean of 11th &

12th Grade Students, Assistant Athletic Director, Boys’ Basketball Coach

“Wrestling is a sport that has turned many boys into men and many men into leaders. And it is a sport in which you can be a giant regardless of how big you are.” –Carl Albert

wrestling

S p r i n g B re a k t r i p t o euro p e

the experience of a lifetime

Students and Faculty Enjoy Spring Break Trip to Europe By Cristina Cochran ’03

Sanford . Summer 2012

ver spring break, thirty-five upper school students and five faculty members experienced an unforgettable trip to Paris, Provence, and Barcelona. Upper School French Instructor Nathalie Cecil led the trip, hoping to offer upper school students the opportunity not only to hone their foreign language skills but to experience different cultures. “It gave me pleasure to see the students joyous and ready each day to experience the culture from trying escargots, to experiencing the smaller hotel rooms, to enjoying the vitality of the flamenco dancers in Barcelona. It is more than a trip; it is discovering the beauty of countries and cultures,” stated Nathalie Cecil. Senior Sophie Ritter expressed a similar sentiment: “For me, finally getting to experience Paris first hand after hearing about its magic and its distinct culture was amazing.” Highlights of the Paris trip included a night boat ride upon the river Seine, visits to Versailles, Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower. For students like sophomore Oliver Fleishmann, Provence, specifically his visit to Pont du Gard—the oldest Roman aqueduct, proved most interesting. Oliver stated, “I loved the Roman aqueduct; it offered beautiful scenery and allowed students the ability to experience history up close as well as to explore the landscape.” Experiences such as these brought to life the places and events often studied in Sanford history classes. Junior Megan Yung remarked how she had presented on Pont du Gard during her freshman history course and now, years later, had the opportunity to show her freshman World Civilization teacher and current AP United States history instructor, Lloyd Johns, photographs from her actual visit. Also while in Provence, students found the coastal town of Cassis and their scenic boat ride upon the Mediterranean one of the most breathtaking experiences. Nathalie Cecil expressed, “Throughout the trip I kept pinching myself; am I really here? And, as I looked around at the beauty of my surroundings I realized, wow, I am very much alive.” Students relished trying local cuisine such as French escargots and crepes as well as Spanish paella and tapas, buying local jewelry and art work, and sporting recently-purchased fedoras throughout the streets of Provence and Barcelona. Freshman Rebecca Goodier commented upon the vibrancy and artistry of French and Spanish culture. “I found the different cultures fascinating, especially the art work. Even the graffiti was colorful and artistic.” For freshman Ivana Gatica, having the opportunity to speak in her native language was a special experience. She stated, “Since I don’t get to speak Spanish fluently in my daily life here, I loved speaking Spanish to the locals.” Senior Reese Gaylor expressed, “I couldn’t wait to get to Spain, as I wanted to speak the language.”

front of the Eiffel From the top: Sanford travelers gather in on, France. • The Tower. • Students look over a wall in Avign ladies. young these ts deligh lona Barce in beach

Opportunities such as Sanford abroad trips offer students the ability to speak in a different language, to experience the richness of other cultures, but also to form special bonds with peers and faculty members alike. Senior Craig Waegerle expressed that the most rewarding component of his trip was “bonding with teachers and students, especially with those I had not previously known well.” Lower and middle school Spanish instructor Jennifer Mathes also noted the familial feeling shared among the students and chaperones: “We very much did become our own family unit on this trip.” In reflecting back on the trip, Nathalie Cecil stated, “It really was the experience of a lifetime. Even as an experienced traveler, I always view the sites and experiences with a fresh perspective. I hope the students, like me, learned to never take anything for granted.”

c at c h i n g u p w i t h t h e a lumn i & d evelo p men t o f f i c e

Catching up with the Alumni & Development Office SEPT 2012

28 FRI

SEPT 2012

Congratulations

Alumni Award honorees

SAT

Mark your calendar for our 2012 Homecoming & Reunions

Each year, we honor selected alumni for their

service, leadership, and/or career achievements. All members of the Sanford community are invited to attend the Alumni Awards reception Saturday, September 29th. This year we will honor the following individuals:

Friday, September 28 th & Saturday, September 29 th

• John McVaugh ’67, in recognition

Homecoming is a great weekend where current families, alumni and friends

of his long-standing work with the environment

of Sanford come together to cheer on our teams and reunite on campus. This year, homecoming will feature a celebration in honor of longtime Sanford educator Chip Mayo who retired after 35 years of service. During his tenure, Chip served in a number of roles including director of athletics, coach of numerous sports, and physical education instructor.

Additionally, we are looking for volunteers to help coordinate reunions for classes ending in 2s and 7s. If you would like to become a member of your reunion year committee, please contact the Development Office at: development@sanfordschool.org or call 302.239.5263, x 258.

• Danny Seymour ’67, in recognition

of his work to improve child nutrition • Jen Nightengale ’82, in recognition of her

ongoing commitment to Sanford School • Pamela Dixon Ventola, PhD ’97, in

recognition of her expertise in the field of child psychology, specifically in the area of autism

Home &School News On behalf of the Sanford Home & School Association, I would like

to thank all of our volunteers who have so generously given of their time, talents, and treasure this year. From grade reps to cookie bakers, auction volunteers to chaperons, you have enabled the Home & School Association to successfully implement its programs and contribute to the Sanford community as a whole. Here are a few highlights: • Total revenue raised this year: $90,000 • Direct support of speakers in all three divisions: $7,000 • After-Prom party: $5,500 • Support of MLK activities: $2,800 • Teacher Appreciation Luncheon: $2,000 Our Spring Event, Boots & Bling, was a huge success. We raised just over $70,000 with a net profit of $60,000. This was the third highest gross in the last 20 years, with the net being the second highest in the same time period. After meeting our budget for next year, we were able to present Mark Anderson with a check for $50,000. Without

your generous donations, bids, and attendance, Home & School would not be able to provide the financial support and programs that we currently sponsor. We will be working over the summer to welcome new families and help them get to know current Sanford families. Your grade rep may be calling to ask for your help. This is a great way to get involved and feel connected to the school. Sanford is not merely a collection of students— it is a family. Working as a team, we ensure that our children are smart, compassionate, confident, and well rounded. Thank you for joining us in this partnership. Our officers for next year (listed below) will be happy to help you find a volunteer opportunity that works for you. Judi Weinstein, President; Kyle DiPietro, President-Elect; Greg Bobka, Treasurer; Tiffany Friedman, Secretary Have a safe summer, and I look forward to seeing everyone in the fall. Nita Stevenson, President, Sanford Home & School Association 2011–2012

a lumn i no t es

Sanford . Summer 2012

Sanford Alumni Notes Sanford Alumni Notes Deb Foster Provenzano ’69 recently wrote, “Enjoying living in Oregon. Spring is here after a wet winter and the seeds are growing. My husband, Ron, and I enjoyed Thanksgiving with friends who came in from Massachusetts and Hawaii. We hadn’t seen them for some time. We plan to spend a week at the coast of Oregon later this summer. Our favorite town is Yachats, a small gem of a place. Our dog, Kaci Ruth, loves the beach and we love watching her have so much fun. That’s all for now. My email address is dprovenzano74@gmail.com for anyone who would like to get in touch.”

Wendy Townsend Swift ’46 told us she is still with Algonquin Outfitters and Swift Canoe giving people pleasure of the lakes and beautiful outdoors. Linda Mills Sipprelle ’52 is finishing her second year as president of the Board of Directors of the Friends of Davis International Center (FDIC) at Princeton University. The FDIC, which has 80 volunteers, provides English language instruction to international students and scholars and their spouses. Linda is also in her second, three-year term as a member of the Princeton Borough Affordable Housing Board. In September, she was appointed a commissioner by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to the Housing Authority of the Borough of Princeton—a separate entity which manages affordable housing. Linda has attended the required courses for this position at Rutgers University. Linda is vice-regent of the Princeton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, an election poll worker, and she attends many lectures and events focused on international relations at Princeton University. On June 9, 2012, Rev. H. David and Katrina (nee Kitty Cakste) ’57 had a 50th wedding anniversary at the United States Naval Academy. Dave graduated from the Sanford class of ’57 and the Naval Academy in ’62. Kitty also graduated in 1957 from Sanford. She and Dave corresponded as friends at first and then Kitty was asked to attend some dances and football games at the Academy. A day or two after David’s graduation they were married in the United States Naval Academy

Dorothy (Steward) Gray, Helen (Yates) Heron, Dave Wilson, Katrina Wilson, and Patricia (Crossan) Martin

Chapel. Now fifty years later, they celebrated with Dave and Katrina’s Naval friends, friends from his congregation in Florida, his Tennessee friends, many family members and a few alumni from the class of 1957. Robert Whytal ’67 is retired and living in Cortez, Florida. He is a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and cooks for the Coast Guard at Station Cortez and Air Station Clearwater.

Peter Jennings ’68 (below) sent us some pictures taken with his rally towel during some recent travels. The first was taken at the train station in Cordoba, Spain in December 2010. Pete said, “The food was great and the people wonderful.” The second one was taken at the train station (9,000 feet above sea level) in Machu Picchu (Aguas Caliente) on Christmas day 2011. Pete said, “Machu Picchu was absolutely amazing and the markets were bustling.”

Lynn Cass Landis ’71 writes, “My son is already 28 years old! He has been married for 7 years. He works at a retirement home. I, unfortunately, lost my 2nd husband, John, on November 11, 2011 when he passed away. I keep in touch with Sherrie Ratzman Newton from our class! I enjoy going to church, music concerts, being with family and friends, going down to the shore, and I hope to get back into bowling. Would enjoy hearing from old classmates!”

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Sanford Alumni Notes Sanford Alumni Notes Ann Gillespie ’79 is back on the east coast living in Prince Frederick, Maryland. She is now doing research for people, mostly genealogists, at various Washington, DC repositories. Recently, she has spent much of her time at the National Archives, pulling military and land records. She told us her target clients hire someone else to do their research because it’s less expensive, or at least more cost effective, to hire someone than to do it themselves. Her website— http://anngillespieresearch. weebly.com/—conveys the basic information. She’s slowly building her business.

middle of the night, she is in party mode and keeps her ‘room service’ busy. Christian and Stephanie are understandably elated with Liv’s healthy birth: Christian says, “I guess we are the happiest family on earth, love our little Liv dearly and enjoy the new life as a family of three.” Ellen Chung Kinney ’89 writes in, “I am now living and working in London, UK having relocated from Seattle, WA over two years ago. I have two young daughters, Deirdre (5) and Moira (3)—who are both enjoying the experience of big city living. We have made the most of our stay and have traveled around a good part of Europe.”

Sarah Cooley ’95 recently gave a talk at the United Nations as part of a side event to the informal-informal negotiations for the zero draft of the outcome document being prepared for the Rio+20 Earth Summit in June. There’s a nice article explaining what it was all about at http:// grist.org/politics/where-therio-action-is-behind-the-earthsummit-bureaucracy/. Sarah said, “What a difference almost two decades makes—the last time I was at the U.N., I was there with Dr. Donovan (in about 1994) as part of a foreign-language field trip!” The national PBS broadcast of More Than A Month, a film by Shukree Tilghman ’97, was aired in February on

Aaron Burgstein ’90 recently sent us a photo and quick update. “Not sure if I told y’all but in February, 2010 I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Eight days later I had brain surgery, then radiation and then chemo. Most of the tumor is gone and I’m feeling much better now. That year (2010) a friend started a team in my honor at the Race for Hope in DC—Burgstein’s Brain Troopers (I’m a bit of a Star Wars fan). AFS student Christian Herget ’83 and Stephanie Vigier welcomed the birth of their daughter, Liv Marie Camille Herget (above). Liv was born March 30, 2012, and is named, in part, after Christian’s father, Camille. Christian reports that very ladylike Liv has a slim silhouette, being 50 cm (20 inches) tall and weighing a little more than 2.6 kg (5 pounds and something) with elegantly long legs and nails. He and Stephanie are enjoying the perks of being the parents of a newborn, noting that the sleeping Liv—you would believe…is a little angel and cannot do any harm. But let night fall and she will start to be up to some mischief. Actually she seems to conserve her energy during the day, and then, in the

In 2011 and again in 2012 I was able to join the team for the run. My wife and girls and other family and friends made up the rest of the team. Pretty cool event. I’m still in the Air Force and moving to DC this summer to be the Senior Air Force Fellow at the Atlantic Council. We plan to run the race again. I’m the one in the yellow shirt in the photo. My wife Cindy and girls, Naomi and Talia, are in pink.” Note: Aaron’s site can be found at http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/TR/Events/ RFHDC?team_id=49062&pg=team&fr_id=1810 Aaron Burgstein ’90 and his “Burgstein’s Brain Troopers” race team which included his wife and daughters.

Independent Lens. It was shown again in May at Theatre N, here in Wilmington. It was a free event sponsored by the Delaware Historical Society. Shukree has written and directed several short films and penned several feature screenplays. In addition to writing and directing, Shukree has also served as an associate producer on the Marco Williams feature documentary Banished, an Official Selection of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Shukree received a B.F.A. in Film from NYU where he was a recipient of the Martin Scorsese Filmmaker Scholarship. He also earned a master of fine arts degree from Columbia University. Note: For more on Shukree and the film please visit http:// www.pbs.org/independentlens/ blog/shukree-tilghman-wantsto-end-the-way-we-think-aboutblack-history-month

Four Years Later Sanford’s 2008 graduates are continuing their journeys by attending graduate schools, starting new careers, leading local and global initiatives, and the list goes on. Learn more about these alumni in “Prepared for College…Prepared for Life” on page 14.

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Sanford . Summer 2012

Sanford Alumni Notes Sanford Alumni Notes On a recent day in May President Barack Obama visited Taylor Gourmet, where he spent some time speaking with four small-business owners from the greater Washington area, one of whom was co-founder, David Mazza, ’97. Before leaving, Obama picked up some hoagies for the congressional leadership gathered at the White House for lunch. For himself, apparently, he ordered the 12-inch Spruce Street, a roast turkey, prosciutto, roasted red peppers and sharp provolone hoagie. All told, his tab totaled $62.79. Jayant Jackson Dua was born on April 30, 2012 to Amit Dua ’00 and his wife Michele. Congratulations!

Amy Pia Clark ’03 and her husband, Jamie, welcomed their new daughter, Abby Elizabeth Clark, (above) born May 1, 2012. Amy told us, “I hope to be around Sanford’s campus more, now that my husband will be working as a PE teacher and the head baseball coach there.”

Bart Shanahan ’01 and wife Kate are the proud parents of baby Warrior Julian James Shanahan, born on February 18, 2012 at Christiana Hospital. Above: Josephine Makenna Madigan with her grandfather Chip Mayo.

Josephine Makenna Madigan was born April 24, 2012 to Kate Mayo Madigan ’96 and her husband Kevin. Little Josie is the first grandchild for Chip and Carol Mayo, and everyone is thrilled. Kate continues to teach 8th grade at Kennett Middle School and lives in Wilmington with her husband, daughter, and three dogs.

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Sanford Alumni Notes Sanford Alumni Notes René Spellman ’03 has recently accepted a position as vice president for Youth Marketing and Entertainment with MWW Group in their New York Office. René’s experience leading youth marketing initiatives for the White House Council for Community Solutions and the 2008 Barack Obama Presidential Campaign prepared her well for this position. Her role is to help guide the development of youth marketing and entertainment strategies at one of the top ten global independent public relation firms. Prior to joining MWW Group, René served in President Barack Obama’s administration since early 2009, most recently as an advisor on youth and federal engagement and strategic communications to the White House Council for Community Solutions. She also served as a

liaison to the White House at the Corporation for National and Community Service and the U.S. Department of Education. René moved to the administration from the 2008 presidential campaign, where she led young voter engagement and mobilization as Youth Vote Director for Obama for America in a number of battleground states, including Pennsylvania and Florida. In addition to coordinating outreach to young voters, she also led field strategy, managed hundreds of field staff and volunteers, advanced several of the campaign’s largest rallies and events, and scheduled celebrity surrogates, all efforts that resulted in unprecedented turnout among young voters. In addition, René also brings to MWW a background in entertainment and the music industry, including experience producing concerts

and films and advising celebrities on their political platforms.

May 2011, she is excited to join the Blue Devils!

TJ Quinn ’05 recently told us, “I’m doing residential property development sales, marketing, and consulting for Stribling Marketing Associates. We work with developers converting old 19th century industrial buildings to high end condominiums.” TJ goes on to say, “Hope you’re well and give me a shout if you are ever in Brooklyn.”

Paris Waterman ’07 is spending the summer interning at the prestigious law firm of Latham & Watkins in Washington DC. While in Beverly Hills for recent training, she ran into Caroline Ryon ’06 who is a summer associate for the same firm. Paris will begin law school at George Washington University in late summer.

Aaron Collins ’07 graduated in May from North Carolina A&T with a degree in engineering. Congratulations, Aaron!

Scott Humphreys ’09, notched four goals as his Drew University lacrosse team defeated Kings College in their season opener! Check out the full story at www.drewrangers.com.

Cassandra Deitrick ’07 will begin pursuing her doctorate of physical therapy at Duke University in Durham, N.C. in August. After graduating from West Virginia University with a BS in psychology in

Andréa Hines ’11 finished her first semester at University of Central Florida with a 3.8 grade point average and was on the Dean’s List!

What’s New With You?

Send us your news about your job, travels, weddings, births, schooling, visits with friends, etc., for the next issue of Sanford magazine. You may also use this form for any name or address changes. Please print the information below, then cut out the form, and mail it to Sanford School, P.O. Box 888, Hockessin, DE 19707-0888 Name:

Class of:

Your News:

Email address: Please include my email address in the Sanford email directory (www.sanfordschool.org).

Or email us today and let us know what’s new: alumni@sanfordschool.org

a lumn i no t es

Sanford . Summer 2012

Sanford Alumni Notes Sanford Alumni Notes Jonathan McCarthy ’03 is Headed Back to South America Just this time, his trip will be significantly more focused. “When

I began my first trip in August 2010, I was looking for something. Now, I’ve found it and am ready to dig right in” After a sixteen month long backpacking trip that took him from Mexico to Chile, all via bus, Jonathan planned to return to Latin America in June. “For the first month I will be living and working in the Nicoya Penninsula of Costa Rica.” Jonathan is working as a tour leader for one of Putney Student Travel’s Cultural Immersion and Language programs for 7th and 8th graders. The month long trip is designed to offer American youths an opportunity to understand the world we live in through the perspective of a different culture. Upon the tour’s completion, Jonathan will be moving to Bolivia where he will work as the Director of Communications and Community Outreach for Sustainable Bolivia, a non-government organization based in Cochabamba. Sustainable Bolivia works with twenty nine local partner organizations to provide human and financial resources to the community and

promote financial, economic and environmental sustainability within the surrounding Andean communities. “I truly believe that each individual has a separate and unique traveling identity that is revealed when we push ourselves beyond the confines of our daily comfort zones. International travel inspires me to express the most robust version of myself.” At Sustainable Bolivia, Jonathan will be coordinating internship and volunteer opportunities for international students and professionals who will educate and empower local organizations and community leaders. “I trust that the participants experiences will be much like my own: that through international travel, they will experience development through their efforts to help communities abroad and understand they will experience tremendous personal growth and a greater cross-cultural understanding.” On long weekends Jonathan plans to hone his mountaineering skills in the Andes, develop his photography skills with Amazon jungle treks, and dominate the local Bolivian handball circuit.

Clockwise from upper left: Children from Kuna Yala Island enjoy Jonathan’s company. • Jonathan harvested coffee beans on this organic farm on La Isla de Ometepe. • The breathtaking view from La Finca Magdalena speaks for itself. • After watching a live volcano explode in Banos Ecuador, Jonathan donned a face mask. • A young child has fun playing with flat tires.

i n memor i a m

In Memoriam We extend our deepest sympathy to families and friends of these members of the Sanford community. Jim Bemis ’92 of Malvern passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on November 20, 2011. Jim was born on June 20, 1972 in San Diego, California, but from the age of one through high school, he lived with his family on Farmhouse Lane in Malvern where he had many fond memories, close friends, and playmates. Jim graduated from Benchmark School and attended Sanford for middle school and high school. Some of his close Sanford friends from the class of ’92 included Scott Scrivner, Jay Richards, Bill Fikoris, Banning Cohen and Ted Derrickson. He graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1997 with a bachelor of arts degree in graphic design. Jim was also a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. He worked for The Vanguard Group for the past fourteen years, most recently as a web design manager, and he was an Apple/Mac fan. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and delighted in being a father to Mike and Matt. Jim was an avid runner and participated in several local road races, including the 2010 Broad Street Run. Jim is survived by his beloved wife Jessica, his cherished sons Michael and Matthew, his loving and devoted parents Dr. Charles and Betsy Bemis, his sister Becky, his nephews Ben and Charlie, and his mother-in-law Linda Keffer. Jim is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Michael and Matthew Bemis’ college education savings account in care of Becky Bemis, 31 East Circular Avenue, Paoli, PA 19301. Jim’s parents said: “The past eighteen months have been a difficult time for our family. Our son Jim, at the age of 38, was diagnosed with a non-seminomatous germ cell tumor in the left side of his chest on July 1, 2010. This is a very rare form of cancer attacking young men between the ages of 20 and 40. It is found in only about 250 men a year in the United States. Dr. Vaughn, his oncologist, immediately started aggressive in-patient chemotherapy at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). Jim was young and in great shape. Over the next year-and-a-half he endured eight in-patient rounds of chemo and two major chest surgeries. This past summer, Jim had his own stem cells harvested, frozen and returned after two rounds of in-patient high dose chemo. On November 7, 2011 we knew Jim would not be cured. After every treatment his tumor protein marker level (AFP) would rise again. On November 16, 2011 he was admitted into HUP for one last effort to remove the remaining tumor on his lung via thorascopic surgery to be followed by out-patient chemo. A series of disastrous events occurred during surgery and Jim never regained consciousness. He showed great courage and bravery throughout every form of treatment, but we are devastated by the loss of our son. Jim, Jessica, Mike and Matt (and even Madison—Jim’s dog) received unconditional love and support from our family, his close-knit group of high school friends, their neighborhood, his team at the Vanguard Group and our church family. Four hundred people attended Jim’s Celebration of Life service.” Marilyn Colwell Carey ’50 passed away on February 12, 2012. She is survived by her daughter Gayle Carey Budd, two sons, Robert M. Carey and Thomas F. Carey, and and seven grandchildren. The obituary from The News Journal/Delaware Online read: Marilyn Colwell Carey, Age 79, of Delmar, DE, formerly of Newark, DE passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 18, 2012, at Harbor Health Care & Rehabilitation Center, Lewes, DE, following a short illness. Mrs. Carey graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in sociology. She was active in the formation of the Fairfield Swim Club in Newark, DE as well as being an ardent fan of the Fighting Blue Hens. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made in Mrs. Carey’s name to Delmarva Teen Challenge, P.O. Box 1270, Seaford, DE 19973. Please visit Mrs. Carey’s Life Memorial webpage and sign her online guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.

...with deepest sympathy

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i n memor i a m

Sanford . Summer 2012

In Memoriam

continued from page 31

Former faculty member, Paula Gibson Crowe passed away at the age of 87. She was a teacher-musician-wife and mother. Paula was one of three daughters of the late Frank and Mildred Gibson of Syracuse, NY. She is survived by a husband, John E. and two children, Jonathan C. of Kirkland, WA and Jennifer C. Weinert of Berlin, VT, plus four grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Early in her career, Paula followed a family teaching tradition, earning a BA in music education at Crane/ Potsdam followed by a master’s degree in music at the University of Rochester. In addition to a teaching career at schools in Rome, Syracuse, Bridgewater, N.J., and locally at the Sanford School and the Academy of Lifelong Learning, Paula has performed with several small symphonic groups and in the string section of the Newark Symphony Orchestra for 24 years. Her family and friends will sorely miss Paula, particularly those who sailed, camped or skied with her. She’s truly rated by her husband and children as a “best first mate and mother.” Sincere thanks are offered to the staff members at Christiana Hospital and Heartland Hospice who helped her through a very difficult last month of Parkinson’s disease. Published in The News Journal from February 17 to February 20, 2012 Sanford was saddened to learn of the death of Charlie Hayden ’52, on May 11th. His last big wish was to attend his 60th reunion in September. He certainly will be there in spirit. Brownie Noble ’52, said, “Charlie was a very talented, creative, kind and generous person. He was very devoted to Sanford which was home for most of us in that era. Most of us have known Charlie for most of our lives. He was plagued with very serious medical challenges. He is free of them now but will certainly be missed by many who are also grateful that he is at peace.” Brownie Noble ’52 contacted us regarding the passing of her husband, Ray. She said, “I just wanted to let the Sanford Alumni be aware that my husband, Raymond H. Noble died on March 1st. He was 90 years old but had been a Charlie Hayden ’52 flight instructor for 40 years and was 83 before he had to retire because he had developed kidney disease. His health declined dramatically in the last few years. He had a good life and we are grateful that his suffering is over.” Below is a copy of the obituary that ran in Newsday on March 3, 2012. Raymond Noble Sr., a World War II veteran and respected flight instructor, died Thursday after a long battle with kidney disease. The former Levittown resident was 90. A skilled aviator, Noble provided private flying instruction at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip and at Danbury Municipal Airport in Connecticut, where he once spent time with famed aviator Charles Lindberg. Noble stopped flying at 83 for health reasons. “He loved to fly,” said his wife of 35 years, Nancy Noble. “All of his students loved him.” Born in Dayton, Ohio, Noble later moved to Queens with his family. He graduated from Flushing High School. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He wanted to be a pilot but the Army made him a lead bombardier, in charge of guiding planes to German targets. “People would say he was so good he could drop a bomb in your pocket,” Nancy Noble said. After the war, Noble married Betty Kaseler, and the couple settled in Levittown. They had three boys, Raymond Jr., now 61, Thomas, 58, and John, 54, before divorcing after 16 years. Noble spent 22 years in sales, but family members said the job was unfulfilling and he yearned to follow his true passion: flying. In the 1970s, Noble moved to Connecticut and married his second wife, Nancy, helping her raise three daughters. He spent the bulk of his career providing private flight instruction in Danbury. “People really respected him and thought the world of him,” said his son Thomas Noble, who lives part-time with his mother in Levittown. Noble earned New England’s Flight Instructor of the Year award twice, and also received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. In his final years, Noble suffered from kidney disease and Alzheimer’s, the family said. Noble is also survived by a sister, Nancy McNeill; stepdaughters, Katharine, 57, Wendy, 56, and Nancy, 53; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A private memorial service will be held on March 20 in Darien, CT.

a r t sh o w 2012

Talented student-artists created these works and many others which were showcased during the Middle School/Upper School Art Show in May.

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Catch the spirit of Sanford!

Zöe Watson and a recent Wall Street Journal column by Jonah Lehrer, entitled “Mom Was Right: Go Outside,” remind us how fortunate we are to traverse Sanford’s beautiful campus. To view the complete article go to: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303610504577418651102615334.html