NA LUMEN Spring 2026

LUMEN

CHANGEMAKERS

A lumni L ight ing the Way

Evolution of Thought

During spring break, Olivia Dai ’26 sketched and painted a magnificent, life-size mural in Dati Mamukelashvili’s IB Philosophy classroom featuring authors who were ideologically divergent and relevant to course content. Inspired by the stages of evolution graphic, Olivia’s work features “evolution of thought” with depictions of Buddha, Plato, Lao Tzu, Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, Hannah Arendt, Frantz Fanon and Ursula Le Guin.

FROM THE EDITORS

This issue of LUMEN is also available online. To view the interactive experience, visit: www.newarka.edu/lumen

CORRECTION: In the

the

issue of

’12 was inadvertently omitted from the listing for Dr. Bruce I. and Ilene P. Jacobs. The correct listing is Dr. Bruce I. and Ilene P. Jacobs P ’98, ’01, ’08, ’12, GP ’30. We apologize for the omission.

LUMEN SPRING

2026

Tom Ashburn Head of School

Lou Scerra

Assistant Head of School for Strategy and Operations

EDITORS

Dr. Renée Walker

Director of Communications and Marketing

Julie Kayzerman

Associate Director of Communications and Marketing

ASSISTANT EDITORS

David Beckman

Evan Nisenson ’99

Lou Scerra

Barbara Sine

DESIGNER

Symmetre Design Group

COVER IMAGE

Yasmeen Anderson

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Executive Committee

Samuel W. Croll III ’68

Chairman

Lawrence G. Cetrulo ’67

Secretary

Tom Ashburn

John H. Bess ’69

Patricia Budziak

David Crall

Lauren Hedvat ’01

Alexander Opper

Elizabeth Christou Woodall

Trustees

Rohit Bawa ’93

Debra Caplan

David Castelblanco

Robert Fink

Millwood Hobbs, Jr.

Basel Kayyali

Robert Kunzweiler

Rebecca Moll-Freed ’94

Marc Schwartz

Wendy Short Bartie

Casey Wanderer

Rasheea S. Williams Hall ’95

Dr. Kalenah Witcher ’87

Lilly Zhu

Emeriti

Louis V. Aronson II ’41

Donald M. Austin

William Bloom

Paul Busse ’38*

Robert Del Tufo ’51*

William D. Green ’69

David Hardin ’73

William D. Hardin ’44*

Nancy Baird Harwood ’75

Kim Hirsh ’80

Jeff Kaplan

K. Kelly Marx ’51

Joe McGrath ’81

David McGraw ’77

John L. McGraw ’49

Jon Olesky ’74

Ellen Polaner

Robert S. Puder ’38*

Gary Rose

Julianne Rose

Bob Silver

William T. Wachenfeld ’44*

Jane Wilf

*Deceased

Newark Academy

Office of Communications and Marketing

91 South Orange Avenue, Livingston, NJ 07039

Telephone: (973) 992-7000

Email: communications@newarka.edu www.newarka.edu LUMEN

FROM TOM ASHBURN, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Where Changemakers Begin

In late February, I stopped in for a few minutes to watch part of a rehearsal for Legally Blonde. It was one of those moments that captures a school at its best. Students were trying things, missing cues, laughing, resetting and trying again. There was a clear sense of focus and a willingness to take risks. What stood out most was not whether every note or line was perfect. It was the energy in the room and the way students supported one another as they worked toward a shared goal.

That moment has stayed with me because it reflects something essential about Newark Academy. Our goal is not perfection. It is growth. It is the willingness to try, to reflect and to continue forward with a common purpose.

In many ways, that is where changemakers begin.

This issue of LUMEN highlights members of our community who are making a meaningful impact in the world. From public service to mental health advocacy, from education to innovation, our alums are living lives of purpose and contribution. The work our alumni do is a powerful reminder that being a changemaker is not defined by a single achievement, but by a sustained commitment to improving the lives of others.

That commitment begins here.

In classrooms, on stages, on athletic fields and in the many spaces where students come together each day, Newark Academy is a place where each student knows they matter, is supported and is encouraged to stretch themselves in meaningful ways. They ask questions and take risks. We also recognize that real growth is not always linear. It can be messy at times. Good growth requires patience, reflection and the confidence to keep going. Through experiential learning, the guidance of our faculty, and the projects and experiences students take ownership of, they are develop-

Can You Find the Red-Winged Blackbird?

For many years, the annual return of the red-winged blackbird to the Newark Academy campus was announced by former Assistant Head for Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty and Archivist Blackie Parlin during Morning Meeting, heralding the arrival of spring. While Blackie retired in 2017, this beloved tradition continues and remains one of many unique traditions held by generations of NA students.

ing not only the skills they need to succeed but also the awareness and empathy to lead with purpose.

We know that the most meaningful growth happens in a community where students feel that they matter. This has been on my mind a great deal in recent months. Each student is essential to this community and needs to know they belong here. When that is true, students are more willing to take risks and to grow into the people they are capable of becoming.

This is the work of a school. It is not only about what students achieve, but also about who they become and how they come to see themselves in relation to others.

The stories in this issue reflect that journey. They are stories of Newark Academy graduates who have taken what they learned here and used it to shape their communities and the broader world. They remind us that the habits of mind and heart we cultivate at Newark Academy endure long after graduation.

As we look ahead, our focus remains clear. Newark Academy is a community where every student is known, every voice matters and young people are encouraged to use their talents in the service of something larger than themselves. That is how changemakers are formed, not in a single moment, but over time, in a community that believes in them.

In each issue of LUMEN, there is a hidden red-winged blackbird (see left) located somewhere in the pages of the magazine. Can you find it?

Once you spot it, email us at communications@ newarka.edu by July 31, 2026, with its location to be entered for a chance to win NA SWAG!

Did you find it in the Winter 2025 issue? It was located on page 25 sitting atop the soccer ball.

Illustration by Tess Kesler ’22.

TOWARD THE LIGHT: ALUMNI CHANGEMAKERS ILLUMINATE IMPAC T

By Evan Nisenson ’99, Director of Alumni Relations and Giving

In architecture, the archway represents a transition, a passage from one place to another, a crossing from what was into what will be. Every year, Newark Academy graduates walk through the arches on the facade of the building one last time, going out into the world to follow their passions and make a difference. Since its founding in 1774, Newark Academy has been guided by the motto Ad Lumen — toward the light — nurturing in its students a sense of social responsibility, intellectual curiosity and generosity of spirit.

The alumni featured on the following pages have fully embraced this motto. They are changemakers — a word coined in 1980 by Bill Drayton, social entrepreneur and founder of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public — and they are leaders in their respective fields. From energy to education, they have emerged as trailblazers making change not just in the world at large but in their own local communities. What was striking to me during my discussions with these six alumni is that together they are, literally and figuratively, bringing energy and light to the world. ››

Morning Meetings really helped build the sense that you were part of a community, and you had a role to play in positively serving that community.”

– James Solomon ’02

FROM THE HALLS OF NEWARK AC ADEMY TO CIT Y HALL

James Solomon ’02 and Keshav Poddar ’ 10

When James Solomon ’02 won the Jersey City mayoral race in December 2025 and appointed

Keshav Poddar ’10 Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development soon after, it marked a milestone not just for the city but for Newark Academy. Two alums, shaped by the same halls, the same Morning Meetings and many of the same teachers were now leading the oldest city in New Jersey and one of the most diverse cities in America.

Brought together by a mutual friend, the two first met over a beer at a local Italian festival and realized the NA connection during their conversation. Years later, when James needed someone to lead policy development for his mayoral campaign, Keshav, a political advisor for over a decade, stepped in. “New Jersey politics can be a rough and very transactional place, but James was one of the first people I met in this world who really cared about the details and the politics of things,” Keshav recalls. “And I just naturally gravitated towards that.”

Both credit NA with laying the groundwork for their careers in public service. For James, it was the teachers like Blackie Parlin, Mario Costa and Doc Blackburn who challenged students to think seriously about civic duty.

Morning Meetings reinforced the idea that belonging to a community came with responsibility. “Morning Meetings really helped build the sense that you were part of a community,” he reflects, “and you had a role to play in positively serving that community.”

Keshav recalls his experience on the NA Honor Council Selection Committee and as Opinion Editor of The Minuteman student newspaper — two opportunities that sharpened skills

he has utilized throughout his career and has now brought to City Hall.

His AP U.S. History class with Benson Hawk, structured around primary sources and open debate, left a lasting impression, as did a moment in Lou Scerra’s 10th-grade American Literature class the morning after Barack Obama’s first election, when the class read his acceptance speech aloud and dissected it as a lesson in rhetoric. “These are a couple of examples that really stand out,” Keshav says.

Now those NA lessons are being tested in the real world. Jersey City faces a $255 million budget deficit — 28 percent of its operating budget and larger than the cost of Jersey City’s entire police and fire department. “It looms over everything we do,” says James. “We’re trying to get through this massive fiscal crisis but do so in a way where we minimize the pain for the working- and middle-class families in what is still a working- and middleclass city.”

What made [NA] so formative was its culture of encouragement. The faculty and staff consistently challenged me to step into leadership, trust my voice and think independently.”

– Jackie Ko ’99

CHANGING HUMANIT Y

Jacqueline “Jackie” Ko ’99

Since her days as a student at Newark Academy, Jacqueline “Jackie” Ko ’99 has felt driven to be a force of change. She was a leader as Senior Class President, captain of the varsity swimming team and lead violinist in the orchestra. It comes as no surprise that one of her senior superlatives in the 1999 yearbook was “Most Likely to Be President” because, even then, she was on a path to make a difference in the world.

“It wasn’t a single defining moment, but a series of opportunities, from student leadership to the guidance of Ms. Galvin, to my years in orchestra with Mrs. Emelianoff … that shaped who I am today,” Jackie says. “What made [NA] so formative was its culture of encouragement. The faculty and staff consistently challenged me to step into leadership, trust my voice and think independently. That support gave me the confidence to embrace authenticity and commit to ongoing personal growth — lessons I only fully appreciate now as foundational.”

In 2023, Jackie founded Changing Humanity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on teen mental wellness. The organization helps young people navigate the pressures of social media, technology and comparison culture, while building self-awareness, confidence and resilience. Her commitment to this mission was shaped through personal loss — losing her mother to suicide — and she channeled her grief into a sense of purpose. “This combination of personal loss and awareness of the challenges facing the next generation became a turning point,” she shares. “I felt compelled to act, to provide young people with the tools, self-awareness and resilience they need to navigate life more confidently. What began as a search for

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meaning evolved into a mission to create lasting impact. That mission became the foundation for Changing Humanity.”

Changing Humanity brings together neuroscientists, psychologists, musicians, mental wellness experts and doctors — all volunteers united by a shared belief that young people deserve better tools for navigating the world. Through neuroscience, music and mindfulness, the program helps teens recognize and shift their own internal patterns of thinking. As Jackie puts it, “Equipping teens with these tools early doesn’t just help them survive; it gives them the

power to thrive deliberately, make conscious choices, and approach life with intention in a world that’s constantly pulling them in every direction.”

Jackie credits her parents and Newark Academy with nurturing the curiosity, character and sense of purpose that have guided her path. “The mentors and experiences I had there shaped not just my path, but how I approach life, challenges and relationships,” she says and invites the NA community to join in her mission to change humanity.

A lot of what I do today is being multi-disciplined in physics. [Dr. Bartol] put me under his wing and it meant a lot, and I still think about him today.”

– Dr. Grant Pitel ’99

THE POWER OF FAMILY

Adam Pitel ’04 and Dr. Grant Pitel ’99

For brothers Adam Pitel ’04 and Dr. Grant Pitel ’99 going into the family business was inevitable. Their father, Dr. Ira J. Pitel, built Magna-Power Electronics (MPE) from the ground up, starting in the family basement after years working at Bell Labs. From the time they were teenagers, the brothers were part of MPE, spending time at the factory over summers and during school breaks, developing a strong work ethic and learning about the manufacturing industry.

Today, Adam serves as CEO and Grant as CTO of MPE, a New Jersey-based manufacturer of programmable DC power supplies used across a remarkable range of applications, from Tesla’s electric vehicle production lines, to defense systems that power lasers capable of shooting down drones, to particle accelerators at Los Alamos National Labs. Even the Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios runs on Magna-Power technology, using ultracapacitors in place of a traditional roller coaster mechanism. With over 250,000 different configurations of programmable power supplies and a workforce of about 110 people — all based in the United States at a time when most competitors have moved production overseas — the company is a testament to what their father built and what the brothers have grown.

Adam and Grant both credit Newark Academy with instilling in them a work ethic that has made their success possible. Being surrounded by driven, academically serious peers at NA helped them excel — as did their teachers.

“Starting at Newark Academy was a difficult transition for me,” shares Adam. “Ms. Tavares had my back and helped me through some of the difficulties I was having, and I went on to become an honor

student.” For Grant, it was Dr. Bartol who stands out in his memory. “He really made physics fun and to this day I just love physics,” Grant says. “A lot of what I do today is being multi-disciplined in physics. He put me under his wing and it meant a lot, and I still think about him today. He was instrumental in many ways.”

What motivates these brothers now is the impact of the work itself. Adam finds

purpose in knowing that their products are used in applications that drive real change — in clean energy, in scientific research, in the future of transportation. Grant enjoys the daily problem-solving and the challenge of building first-time product configurations under tight deadlines. For these two brothers, keeping the world in motion is all in a day’s work and all in the family.

A BEACON OF LIGHT

How do you take the gifts you’ve been provided to add value to other people’s lived experiences? That’s what keeps me here.” – Dr. Kalenah Witcher ’87

Dr. Kalenah Witcher ’87

Kalenah Witcher ’87 credits her former NA teacher Blackie Parlin with her fascination with birds, specifically the red-tailed hawk, which always stops her in her tracks when she sees one circling high above Newark. And like a hawk (which in many cultures symbolizes being watched over and protected), Kalenah has spent decades working with youth and changing lives as a school psychologist in the Newark Public Schools. Her career has been defined by showing up for young people and their families, being a source of light during very dark times in their lives, and doing so with genuine compassion and care.

Kalenah’s NA education provided a formative foundation, and she is extremely grateful to her mother, who made the decision and the sacrifice to send her. She credits other teachers like Norm Schaffler, Betty Newman and Joe Ball with preparing her for the world — by emphasizing the importance of learning Spanish, encouraging her to share more of what she was thinking with her peers, stimulating her curiosity about world cultures, and engaging her in conversations about being Muslim. The rigor of the NA curriculum, and even the summer reading, exposed her to ideas and experiences that broadened her perspective in ways she still draws on today.

Throughout her career, Kalenah reflects, “I’ve worked in the traditional 800- to 900student high school all the way to a smaller 50-student program for young people who were returning from incarceration and other court involvement. And in all of that work, I get to see different facets of myself. And it’s all about what we learned at Newark Academy: How do you add value? How do you take the gifts you’ve been provided to add value to other people’s lived experiences? That’s what keeps me here.”

Beyond her work in Newark schools, Kalenah has been a consistent presence in the civic life of the city. She is a founding board member of Newark G.A.L.S., Inc,

a nonprofit focused on empowering young women aged 13 –17 with self-confidence as well as life and problem-solving skills. She also serves as Chair of the Central Planning Board for the City of Newark, helping facilitate conversations between residents and developers that shape the city’s future. In the past year alone, she was honored as a role model by a student group called The Pink Pearls and was nominated for Educator of the Year with the New Jersey Department of Education by her school principal.

And if all of that wasn’t enough, Kalenah has recently turned to filmmaking. Her 18-minute documentary Muslims of Hunterdon Street, which she describes as a love letter to Newark, explores the cultural and religious life of a community often overlooked. The film has already screened in Philadelphia and Newark, and she plans to submit it to festivals this year.

With a deep commitment to education and giving back, Kalenah currently serves on the Newark Academy Board of Trustees, and her family operates The Wilnora Holman Scholarship, named after her grandmother, which benefits students who have earned average grades and have educational goals beyond high school. Just as her mother instilled in her a passion for education, Kalenah is doing the same for her kids, sending them out into the world to become philanthropists and future leaders.

Passing the Gavel: Alumni Help Power Mock Trial Success

By Julie Kayzerman, Associate Director of Communications and Marketing

Each September, members of the Newark Academy Mock Trial team walk into Benson Hawk’s classroom as eager students. Seven months later — after six hours of practice each week (including Saturdays) — they walk out as distinguished attorneys, excellent speakers, and often Essex County Mock Trial Champions: a title the team has claimed 11 times, including this past year, when it progressed to a Top 10 ranking in the state of New Jersey.

For over 35 years, NA’s Mock Trial team has built a reputation for being disciplined, collaborative and highly competitive — at first under the guidance of the late Betty Newman, beloved and dedicated former faculty advisor, and for the past 23 years led by Benson as head faculty advisor.

The team’s legacy of dominance has also benefited greatly from the involvement of volunteer alumni George Brandley ’03, the Hon. Leo M. Gordon ’69 and Matt Mandel ’90, Esq. “We became more competitive when we began involving NA alumni to help us,” Benson says. “Leo has been a major part of our success for the past 20 years and, in the last two years, Matt and George have been hugely important in helping us prepare students to argue at the top level.”

This past January, the school honored Leo for his 20 years of dedicated service to the team when the students presented an abbreviated courtroom case before a jury of alumni, parents and friends, who deliberated and delivered a verdict at the conclusion of the trial.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to represent Newark Academy, and we are so thankful to our in school and alumni advisors for challenging us, supporting us, and staying deeply invested in our growth every step of the way,” says Elle Gjivoje ’26, a club leader and defense attorney for the team.

Former Mock Trial member and President of NA’s Alumni Board of Governors Rebecca Moll-Freed ’94, who attended

the celebration honoring Leo, was impressed by the caliber of the students competing on the Mock Trial team, which she says helped shape her career as an attorney. “What amazed me most is although so many things have changed about education and technology, the core of the program is still exactly the same: developing students’ ability to think on their feet, cross-examine, and conduct opening and closing arguments.” She adds that students in Mock Trial not only learn how to prepare a solid foundation for a case but also develop the important skill of pivoting comfortably under pressure when things don’t go as anticipated.

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Rebecca is just one of several Mock Trial alumni who have gone on to successful law careers, and she credits the team for guiding her career path to become an

attorney. She fondly remembers Betty Newman’s tough and honest yet warm guidance, as well as the exposure to real practicing attorneys and judges.

Elle is grateful for this exposure as well. Over the past few years, the team has competed in county finals at the Essex County Bar Association Courthouse in Newark,

and during the 2022 –23 season was even judged by the Honorable Fabiana PierreLouis, the first Black woman to serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court.

“Mock Trial is so important because its effects and benefits are two-fold,” Elle says. “Not only does Mock Trial prepare students to critically think beyond NA,

advocate for justice and confidently public speak, but it also grants students a tight-knit community that continues communicating far after graduation, the chance to meet real judges and take top-tier internships in NYC and Washington, D.C.”

Clearing the Air: Advancing Health Equity Through Science

Aadit Shrivastava ’26 explored his interest in health equity during his junior year IB Biology class. He saw gaps in healthcare accessibility based on socioeconomic status and narrowed his focus on exploring the effects of air pollution on lung health.

“I am passionate about health equity and environmental justice, and I realized the most effective way to address such health issues is to prevent them at the earliest stages,” Aadit says. “So I zoomed in at the molecular level and sought to design a diagnostic tool that helps clinicians personalize treatments for each patient.”

Aadit’s research was selected to be published in the IEEE Xplore Journal. His paper, “Blood-Based Minimal Gene Panel for Granulocytic Phenotyping in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Using Contrastive Graph Learning and Gradient Boosted Classification” proposes a blood panel to identify different types of COPD for accessibility in underresourced clinics in areas with heavy air pollution.

In addition, Aadit presented his research and represented Newark Academy at the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 25th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering (BIBE) in Athens, Greece last November and was invited to be part of the BIBE Program Committee, where he reviewed short paper submissions from other scholars. Aadit also presented his work virtually at an International Society of Computational Biology conference. His accomplishments were later recognized with a National Merit Scholarship, which includes a stipend for the next four years of college.

“[NA Science Department Chair] Mrs. Ciampaglio was an incredible mentor who was always open to answering my questions, from where to even start with writing my research paper to final polishes for my presentation at the conference,” Aadit says. “She pushed me to trust myself and take initiative with my work, but she was someone I could always turn to if I was lost.”

Aadit exemplifies what happens when a curious mind meets real dedication. What began as his IB Biology High Level Internal Assessment became a launchpad for genuine scientific inquiry. He didn’t just complete an assignment, he asked a question and refused to stop until he had a real answer.”

– Caitlin Ciampaglio, Science Department Chair

From Surviving to Thriving: The Legacy of Sam Goldfischer

By Sky Monroe, English Faculty

Institutional mythology develops when our cultural love of stories meets magnificent moments of reality. In that sense the story of Director of Business and Finance Sam Goldfischer has reached legendary heights. Ask anyone who has been at Newark Academy long enough, and they will tell you, “Sam Goldfischer saved the school.” That may seem like flattering hyperbole, but as the hero of our story who is retiring after 34 years of service to NA, Sam’s call to adventure came in 1992 …

During the 1991–92 school year, the Academy was at a financial crossroads. Despite its 200-year history, when it came to budgeting, our beloved institution had been “flying by the seat of its pants,” according to then-Board of Trustees member and later Chair William Green ’69. Gary Rose had recently stepped in as Chair of the Finance Committee and soon realized that there had been egregious fiscal mismanagement; the school would need to raise half a million dollars in three months. With tuition already set for the following year and an absence of on-site financial expertise, Gary and Head of School Allan Strand realized that the Academy was facing a period of critical financial instability. They turned to the school’s audit partner at the time, Howard Cohen, for suggestions, and lo and behold, NA got its stabilizing piece of the puzzle: Sam Goldfischer.

Sam came on as Interim Financial Manager, but his contribution from day one was extraordinary. According to Gary, who later served as Board Chair, “Sam is one of the best hires I ever made in my career.” Sam was a consummate problem solver, and he immediately identified the financial misconceptions that had produced such turmoil. Sam analogizes the restructuring of the Academy’s records to “untangling a full head of hair: one strand at a time.” In doing so, he discovered that the deficit was even larger than initially feared: over $3 million in total debt, including a $1.5 million line of credit that had to be replenished to protect the

school’s future construction plans. It was this deeper “untangling,” alongside a talented Board of Trustees that allowed the Academy to move from survival to stability. Gary recalls how it was “not a long courtship” before they asked Sam to stay on full time, as he proved to be the embodiment of “competence, judgment and a wonderful listener.” According to Will, with Sam’s financial guidance, Gary’s business expertise and Allan’s administrative leadership, NA built “a culture of responsible budgeting.” Sam exposed the obvious: any institution, especially an independent school, should not spend what it does not yet have.

A paragon of humility, Sam attributes NA’s rejuvenation to Gary’s and Will’s leadership in establishing a structure of fundraising. Yet his own role was the essential second prong: Sam’s conservative forecasting and disciplined expense cutting restored the school’s bank accounts. Sam positioned NA to be fiscally bulletproof. Even in times when the rest of the country was shattered — through 9/11, through

the 2008 Financial Crisis, through the COVID Pandemic — NA stood strong thanks to the entire leadership team, and enrollment demand never waned. With a stable financial structure in place, Sam, along with other dedicated faculty, played a key role in developing the experiential learning program and faculty travel opportunities, and in shepherding the construction or renovation of key campus enhancements: the Elizabeth B. McGraw Arts Center, the William E. and Carol G. Simon Family Field House, the Catherine and Frank Petrello Upper School Academic Center, the Wilf Middle School, Kacur Field and the Coraci Performance Hall.

While the “tough guy budget-buster” is one hat that Sam has worn, at his core, Sam is a mensch. Recently retired Head of School Donald M. “Don” Austin recalls how Sam was wonderful to partner with, not only because he was consistently trustworthy and organized, but also due to his immense warmth and ability to “inspire loyalty” by setting a strong example. “Sam was one of the first guys in the building every day,” Don recalls, often

You can always learn from the past, not only how to survive but how to thrive.”

– Sam Goldfischer

arriving near 6 a.m. Sam was also “extraordinarily supportive” of employees facing difficult personal situations.

What many people do not know is that Sam was also a teacher from 1994 to 2018. He recalls, “the best part of my day was getting in the classroom with the kids.”

And that is exactly what drove Sam to be a champion for the school: he wanted the best possible experience for the students. Sam had no background in pedagogy, but he was able to transfer his expertise in finance and his strong knowledge of Jewish history into teaching two seniorlevel electives: Holocaust/Genocide Studies and Economics/Personal Finance. Sam has found deep fulfillment in “mentoring IB students in writing their Extended Essays and acting as liaison and advisor to the Student Endowment Committee.” He also led a school trip to

Poland and Prague, providing students a uniquely profound experience as they visited Auschwitz and Birkenau. Sam’s Jewish faith has been a cornerstone of his values system, and he is grateful that NA has always had “respect for tradition.”

As a dedicated family man married to his high-school sweetheart, Sam feels blessed to have two wonderful daughters and four amazing grandchildren. He is someone who is aware of his blessings and lives a life that embodies NA’s “generosity of spirit” well beyond its walls. He has generously devoted his time and leadership to the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS) and the National Business Officers Association (NBOA), where he steered vital audit and accreditation initiatives and earned numerous prestigious awards, including the 2026 NJAIS Service Award and the 2024 Ken White Distinguished Business Officer Award, in honor of his exceptional contributions and leadership within both state and national independent school communities.

To Sam Goldfischer, the past matters, stories matter and legacy matters. Some time ago, Sam traced his ancestry back eight generations because, he says, “you can always learn from the past, not only how to survive, but also how to thrive.” Now, thanks to Sam, NA can learn from the past and forge a future that allows it to thrive for generations to come.

Full Circle: Sam Croll ’68 Steps Down as NA Board Chair

By Dr. Renée Walker, Director of Communications and Marketing

For Samuel W. “Sam” Croll III ’68, Newark Academy has been a constant across decades and through his various roles: Student, Trustee and Board Chair.

Sam found his way to NA after deciding to leave a boarding school in pursuit of greater challenges, a move that proved to be transformative.

“It was a perfect fit at the right time,” he says. “Academics are taken seriously at Newark Academy, and it was time for me to take my academics seriously.”

That experience would shape his path and prepare him well for life after NA. He went on to graduate from Skidmore College and Yale University. He now serves as CEO of CR Ocean Engineering, LLC, a firm he founded in 2013.

“It was clear to me that Newark Academy had a huge impact on my life, so I was happy to do something in return,” he says.

Motivated by that deep sense of gratitude, Sam returned to NA as a Trustee in 2012. He served on multiple committees before becoming Board Chair in 2020. “Did I contemplate becoming Chair? Absolutely not,” Sam says. “But here I am.”

Leading Through Complexity

Stepping into the role of Board Chair, Sam was tested in ways he never could have predicted.

“I remember getting a call,” he says about the sudden message he received from former Board Chair and Trustee Emeritus David D. McGraw ’77 just months prior to his term. “‘We’re closing the school tomorrow.’ And that sort of began everything.”

What followed was a global pandemic and a series of profound events that would shape the school community in real time. From COVID-19 to broader moments of

racial, social and global unrest, NA’s leadership was called to respond thoughtfully and decisively.

“These were profound, unexpected moments,” Sam says. “And we had to ask: within the context of who we are, how do we respond thoughtfully?”

Throughout this period, Sam emphasized a collaborative approach between the Board and administration, one grounded in trust and a shared purpose. That leadership was evident to those who worked closely alongside him, including former Head of School and Trustee Emeritus Donald M. “Don” Austin.

“Sam was an incredibly effective partner to me as Head of School,” Don says. “His experience and perspective helped guide the Board to think and act strategically. It was a privilege to work with him in my final years at Newark Academy.”

Strengthening the Board

While much of the focus during his tenure was external, Sam also saw meaningful evolution within the Board itself, including a stronger onboarding process, clarity of roles and a more strategic focus. These

Sam was an incredibly effective partner to me as Head of School. His experience and perspective helped guide the Board to think and act strategically. It was a privilege to work with him in my final years at Newark Academy.”

– Donald M. Austin, Former Head of School

It was clear to me that Newark Academy had a huge impact on my life, so I was happy to do something in return.”

– Samuel W. Croll III ’68

A Broader Perspective

shifts have helped position the Board to focus more fully on long-term priorities, from strategic planning to campus development, and to ensure that NA remains quick to respond in moments of challenge and proactive in shaping its future.

“Sam has led the Board of Trustees with great skill, a strong sense of responsibility, honor and integrity,” NA Trustee Patricia

“Pat” Budziak says. “While Sam’s leadership style is firm and decisive, he leads with grace and an admirable humility. He is open to other points of view, always respectful, appreciative and supportive. Sam exemplifies Newark Academy’s mission. His standard of excellence and generosity of spirit have inspired me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him.”

After six years as Board Chair, Sam looks forward to welcoming NA Trustee Marc Schwartz, P ’25, ’27, ’30 as his successor and spending more time with his wife, Ann Garner Croll, and their two adult children, Harrison and Katherine, while continuing to work and volunteer. He reflects on his tenure with fondness.

“It’s been a wonderful experience. I would do it again in a heartbeat,” Sam says. “You take a whole lot more out of it than you give. It has taken me out of my world and into a completely different way of thinking, and that’s been incredibly valuable.”

LEARNING WITH PURPOSE: Marking 35 Years of the International Baccalaureate at Newark Academy

By Jeff Vinikoor

Thirty-five years ago, Newark Academy became the first school in New Jersey to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma. With the benefit of hindsight, that decision reads like a wager on the future. The bet wasn’t on prestige or on difficulty for difficulty’s sake. It was on a style of learning: rigorous, studentcentered and inquiry-driven.

The vignettes that follow trace this way of learning at NA: in classrooms where students test claims and strengthen their reasoning, in extended research that asks for patience and intellectual courage, and in service that carries students into the wider world and asks them to take responsibility for what they find there. Together, these sketches comprise a portrait of education shaped not just by rigor, but by purpose.

THE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME: Coherence Across Paths

THE EXTENDED ESSAY: Earned Conclusions

The IB Diploma Programme is less a track than a framework. Organized around six subject groups and held together by a shared core of the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and Creativity, Activity, and Service, it allows students to move through individualized academic paths while still building a strong academic foundation. At NA, just over half of each graduating class completes the full IB Diploma, while most others take one or more IB courses as part of a personalized academic program. Across pathways, the expectations remain consistent, and the result is an education where connections are not incidental, but essential.

For Stella Gilbert ’22, the Extended Essay began not as an assignment but as a question. She had been thinking for years about why some communities respond to crises collectively while others fracture, and what those differences mean for real people. The IB Extended Essay gave her the time and structure to engage that curiosity.

Stella’s project was a World Studies Extended Essay, an interdisciplinary approach combining (in her case) philosophy and history to examine how individualist and collectivist cultures respond to natural disasters, using case studies from the United States and Japan. At NA, each junior pursuing an Extended Essay shapes a research question and spends two intensive weeks working one-on-one with a faculty mentor, continuing their research and writing into the summer. The requirement is exacting: a 4,000-word original research paper, grounded in disciplinary methods. In the fall of senior year, students present their work publicly at NA’s Extended Essay Night, explaining not just what they concluded, but how they came to know it.

“What stood out to me,” Stella says, “was realizing how iterative real research is — you think you have an answer, then you go back, rethink and revise.” Now a sociology and economics major at Harvard University, she still sees the impact clearly. “The Extended Essay was a turning point in how I understood scholarly work,” she reflects.

WATCH!

Step inside a TOK class at NA.

THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE:

Beyond the Answer

Theory of Knowledge (TOK), a required component of the IB program, can be hard to define until you see it in action. Rather than delivering answers, the course deliberately unsettles them, asking students to consider how knowledge is formed, tested and revised.

That way of learning is what stands out most to Dr. Jenna Alden, who joined Newark Academy’s humanities faculty in 2024 and began teaching TOK soon after. “Learning and knowledge-making are messy,” she says. “We so often present them as neat and finished, but the messier they are, the more interesting they become.”

For Jenna, TOK creates space for students to examine not just what they know, but how they know it, and to interrogate the assumptions beneath both.

During one class this past winter, students left the classroom for a “human scientist scavenger hunt.” Each group was assigned a principle of social psychology and given 20 minutes to search for evidence of it playing out around campus. They returned with observations, then turned their attention to the limits of their own work: Which ideas were easy to find evidence for? Which weren’t? And what did that suggest about the theories themselves? “You’re always unpacking assumptions,” Jenna explains. “It’s like taking a ball of yarn and pulling it apart.”

Asked what she hopes her students will remember years from now from TOK, Jenna doesn’t point to specific concepts or assessments. Instead, she points to the experience of learning itself. “I hope they remember that rigor and play are utterly compatible,” she says, and that deep learning requires noticing what usually goes unquestioned.

THE LEARNER PROFILE: Values in Practice

When NA committed to the IB, it wasn’t in pursuit of a particular syllabus. It was because the IB articulated a way of thinking about learning that already felt at home here. The Learner Profile, which defines 10 attributes the IB seeks to cultivate, asks a deceptively simple question: What should an education make possible in a person? That same question has long guided NA’s approach to learning.

At NA, the answer is visible in daily practice, grounded in the school’s mission. The attributes named in the Learner Profile — among them Inquirers, Thinkers, Principled, Open-minded, and Reflective — are not abstract ideals at NA but core expectations. A passion for learning is cultivated when students are asked to pursue their own questions. A standard of excellence is upheld in classrooms where students are expected to think with precision, defend their reasoning, and act with integrity. And generosity of spirit grows through dialogue and sustained engagement with perspectives beyond their own.

INSIDE AN IB CLASSROOM:

Learning in Motion

On a typical day in Drew Kesler’s IB Physics classroom, equations fill the board while students copy, pencils tapping against desks. Homework is reviewed, questions resolved. Then the markers go down and the room shifts. Laptops open. Lab tables fill with wires and sensors. Someone recalculates. Someone else starts again.

In IB Physics, Drew says, students move beyond applying formulas. They begin defining problems themselves. That shift is most visible during the Internal Assessment, the IB’s independent investigation, where each student poses a question, designs an experiment, gathers data and defends their conclusions. “It’s really how well they answer the question they came up with,” he explains.

Their investigations range widely — from the oscillations of sliced Jell-O cups, modeled with serious mathematics, to the resistivity of mechanical pencil lead as it heats. One year, an avid hockey player built a miniature rink outdoors to study how temperature affects the way a puck slides. She ran repeated trials, adjusting for uneven ice and reconciling friction with theory. The project began with her own experience and ended with defensible conclusions.

Over the course of each school year, Drew watches students learn to “see around the bend a little more than they’re used to,” anticipating complications and pivoting when necessary. In IB Physics, the work rarely unfolds exactly as planned. That unpredictability is not a distraction from learning: it is the learning.

CREATIVITY, ACTIVITY, AND SERVICE:

Learning Applied

Asher Herman ’24 didn’t set out to start a program. He set out to tutor. What became dubbed as “Operation Education” began modestly: Asher and two NA classmates, Anuj Awasthi ’24 and Jayan Shah ’24, driving to Newark, expecting to help one afternoon a week. Then they kept going. One time a week became three. A handful of tutees became dozens. The work required more than time; it required attention, patience and responsibility.

That shift is exactly the point of Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS), one of the IB’s core requirements. As CAS Program Director Sarah Fischer explains, the program is designed to move learning “into real-world practice,” where students manage projects, collaborate with community partners and build follow-through. For Asher, one of the most lasting lessons was humility. The work deepened his understanding of how unseen challenges can shape a student’s behavior and needs. “You don’t know what someone is dealing with until you’re really there,” Asher says.

CAS at NA runs across two years and ends with public reflection, but some projects outlast the requirement itself. “Operation Education” didn’t stop when Asher graduated. Other students picked it up. He’s now at Vanderbilt University, yet the tutoring continues, passed from one group of NA students to the next.

A DAY OF TRANSFORMATION:

A Timeline of the 2 4 -Hour Play Festival

Photos by Anthony Bianciella

Since 2008, Newark Academy IB/Advanced Acting students have participated in a pivotal and formative experience in which they come together to write, act, direct and perform an original play — all within just 24 hours.

Advanced Acting students kick off the play festival with a workshop from Corey Skaggs, a writer, Broadway actor and Arts Edge faculty member. 3...2...1

Warming up for a long night ahead!

Wishing the writers good luck as they head into a night of playwriting.

Writers work on their scripts throughout the night, collaborating via Zoom.

DAY 2

Conducting a first read-through of each play.

Writers take a moment to celebrate.

The 24-Hour Play Festival really puts your skills to the test, not only as an actor, but also a writer and director. I’ve done it twice — junior and senior year — and I can proudly say that it remains one of the most rewarding moments of my acting career. It’s a challenge, but it’s worth it.”

–

Madi Eaton ’26

Directors work through beats with the actors.

Directors coordinate blocking on stage.

Students in the Intro to Acting class watch the participants of the 24-Hour Play Festival rehearse.

Directors work through tech rehearsal and light programming.

Actors have some fun with the set props.

Actors practice their lines.

A tired writer sneaks off for a quick nap while the actors rehearse their lines.

The experience of learning a show and fully performing what should take weeks to prepare in only 24 hours is exhilarating and stressful in the best way. It tests you as an actor, classmate and human and will forever be one of my favorite NA memories.”

– Charlie Goldstein ’26

SHOW TIME!

Actors conduct a dress rehearsal.

Students celebrate the completion of another successful 24-Hour Play Festival!

A Winning Note for LumeNAtion

LumeNAtion, Newark Academy’s a cappella group, took first place in the Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal of the International Championship of High School A Cappella. This is the second year in a row LumeNAtion advanced to the semifinals, and their first time winning the quarterfinal since 2018. Special awards went to Alexa Fastov for Outstanding Choreography and Cash Loncar for Outstanding Song Arrangement.

“Something that’s really unique about this year is that the drive to succeed truly comes from the students,” says Choral Director Jack Bender. “These students took it upon themselves to add rehearsals during lunch and after school, to help each other learn choreo, and to work together to make the group successful. I felt less of a music teacher and more of an advisor this year, as the students were leading the charge without impetus from me.”

Something that’s really unique about this year is that the drive to succeed truly comes from the students.”

– Jack Bender, Choral Director

In the Fast Lane: Chameleon Accompanies Mario Kart Live

Newark Academy’s jazz band, Chameleon, brought a new immersive experience to the winter concert. The band performed the theme song of Nintendo’s Mario Kart — a video game in which players race go-karts — while students and faculty competed live in the game, projected onto a screen onstage.

“Because the music followed live gameplay, students had to constantly adjust to tempo changes and unexpected moments in real time, so every run was different,” says Director of Bands Julius Tolentino. “It pushed them to listen and react at a high level and challenged me as a conductor. It also gave us a great excuse to play video games in class.”

“THEY JUS T SWIM” AND THEY

WIN AND WIN AND WIN.

By Nina Shirey, Sports Information Director

Aquiet, calm locker room is the last thing you might expect to find before a meet against one of the top teams in the state, but that’s exactly what you’ll find as Newark Academy girls’ swimming awaits their next competition. Katiana “Kati” Matlosz ’28 sits quietly and writes in her journal. Kim Tran ’27 closes her eyes and visualizes her races. Others, like captain Lauren Markowitz ’26, don’t have a set pre-meet routine: they just know they have a job to do. NA girls’ swimming isn’t loud or flashy — they just swim. And they win and win and win.

Over the past four seasons, NA girls’ swimming has claimed four straight Prep B Championships (2023-2026), back-to-back county and conference titles, and trips to the 2023 and 2026 state sectional finals. Eight school records and one pool record have fallen, and this winter, the team finished ninth in the state. But when it comes to the swimmers themselves, the focus isn’t always on titles and banners.

“For me, it used to be more individual,” Kim admits. “But as I’ve gotten older, I feel like I swim to represent the team more.” Kim currently holds five school records and one pool record.

Swimming is an unusual team sport because you are racing by yourself but for the benefit of your entire team. For Lauren, the relay events help provide that extra motivational push. “The

energy in a relay is unmatched,” she says. “I’ve always swum my fastest in relays. It’s just so much fun, especially the last leg.” Being a leader also drives Lauren, who followed in the footsteps of her father, Michael Markowitz ’90, and brother, Owen Markowitz ’24 — both former NA swimming standouts and captains. In the fall, she’ll take the lessons learned as an NA swimmer to pave her own path as a Division I rower for Colgate University.

When asked about the difference between NA swimming and club swimming, Kati did not have to think long for an answer. “NA swim is much more team-oriented,” she said. Kati explained that, at the club level, many are there to get faster and to become the best they can be individually. By contrast, at NA, everyone is there to compete for the school identified on their cap — a mindset she embodies despite holding four school records and a pool record during her sophomore season. Even on exhausting days of balancing academics, practices and limited free time, the responsibility to teammates is what keeps the NA girls’ swimming team motivated.

(Continued on page 34)

The energy in a relay is unmatched. I’ve always swum my fastest in relays. It’s just so much fun, especially the last leg.”

– Lauren Markowitz ’26, Captain

Head Coach Billy Blomn has watched this culture evolve for 27 seasons. When he started, the program was co-ed, competing solely against boys’ teams or other co-ed teams.

Billy made the push to separate into boys’ and girls’ teams so that each of his student-athletes had a fair shot in competitions. He never imagined he would still be proudly on the pool deck nearly three decades later or celebrating his 300th career win at NA. That came in February, in the state sectional semifinal upset win over Immaculate Heart.

“They just go about their business and just swim,” he says. “They cheer for each other, have each other’s backs and get the job done.”

For Billy, the wins matter, but they are not the point. Eight Prep titles across the boys’ and girls’ teams, three state championships, and now 300 career victories later, his main focus is still on

connection, impact and longevity. He hopes his swimmers return years from now, at 5- or 10-year reunions, still having kept in touch, still sharing fond memories from their time at NA.

Having seen it happen for 27 years, Billy already knows they will carry the lessons they learned here far beyond their time in the pool.

They just go about their business and just swim. They cheer for each other, have each other’s backs and get the job done.”

Newark Academy Hires Tom Battaglia as Director of Tennis

By Nina Shirey, Sports Information Director

Newark Academy appointed former Rider University Head Tennis Coach Tom Battaglia as its Director of Tennis, effective January 1, 2026. In this new role, Tom oversees all aspects of NA’s nationally respected tennis programs, including serving as head coach for both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams.

Tom brings a plethora of high-level tennis experience to NA with nearly three decades of coaching under his belt.

Along with coaching at Rider University, Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham and Rutgers-Newark, Tom has also been Director of Tennis at The Maplewood Club since 2008 and owner/director of Crestmont Indoor Tennis since 2014, where he has helped grow junior, adult and summer camp programs. He is still very active at the national level, serving as Vice Chair of the USTA Eastern Competition Committee and as USPTA Middle States New Jersey Regional President.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring Tom on board to direct our tennis programs,” says Director of Athletics Dave Pasquale. “He’s had tremendous success at every level of tennis, and I have no doubt that he is the right person to lead the next chapter of the storied tradition at Newark Academy.”

NA is home to the premier tennis program in the state and one of the most accomplished programs in the country. The boys’ program has won many titles: 31 conference titles,

New Varsity Head Coaches

31 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) State Sectional titles, 27 county victories, 18 Newark Academy Tennis Invitational trophies and 15 Tournament of Champions crowns. The girls’ program has also had great success: 13 conference, 11 county, 18 NJSIAA State Sectional, 17 NJSIAA State Final and eight Tournament of Champions titles. Several NA tennis graduates have continued their careers at the collegiate and professional levels.

In addition to leading both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams, Tom collaborates with the Middle School Athletic Director to strengthen player development across all levels. He will work with the Offices of Admission and Marketing and Communications to attract and support student-athletes aligned with NA’s mission. Tom will also help mentor coaching staff and expand tennis opportunities through camps, clinics and community engagement.

In addition to new Director of Tennis Tom Battaglia, Newark Academy has added six new varsity head coaches to its athletic staff:

Five Newark Academy Seniors Commit to Collegiate Athletics

Five members of

Academy’s

of

A. Sebastian McNeillyAnta ’26 Haverford College (DIII) Soccer

B. Connor Polen ’26

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (DIII) Track and Field

C. Kunal Arora ’26

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (DIII) Squash

D. Lauren Markowitz ’26 Colgate University (DI) Rowing

E. Trevor Brown ’26 Macalester College (DIII) Football

AI at NA, Revisited: From Exploration to Integration

By Dr. Renée Walker, Director of Communications and Marketing

In the Spring of 2024, an article in LUMEN asked some initial questions about how artificial intelligence might reshape education at Newark Academy. Two years later, AI at NA is no longer simply something to ponder; it is now intentionally and thoughtfully integrated into teaching and learning, preparing students for the workplace of the future.

“Students are using AI in the classroom as an editor, analyst, thought partner and co-creator,” Stephanie Hammond, Director of Digital Learning and Literacy and member of the Faculty AI Committee, says of the various ways students are engaging with AI across academic departments. “This helps students strengthen skills and expand what they’re able to do as learners.”

Newark Academy’s approach to AI is grounded in a set of four commitments or goals: preparing students for the future, ensuring equitable access to learning, fueling innovation in teaching and learning, and connecting classroom experiences to the outside world. NA’s AI use is also guided by clear expectations around academic integrity, student privacy and the essential role of human judgment, ensuring that technology enhances learning without replacing it.

AI in the Classroom

Across divisions, AI is now woven into learning rubrics, giving students opportunities to leverage these tools in ways that support creativity, inquiry and critical thinking.

In the Middle School, English students used AI as a co-creator to translate themes and characters from their readings into AI-generated book covers to help them understand the nature of the stories. In Biology, Upper School students used AI as an analyst to help them evaluate data to determine whether it was in support of their hypothesis. In IB Modern World History, students employed AI as a

thought partner to identify key sources and refine their research questions. All of this work is helping students understand not just what AI can do, but how to use it thoughtfully and responsibly.

“AI is most powerful when it supports thinking by strengthening how students practice, reflect and engage with ideas,” Stephanie says. “At NA that means using AI to deepen learning.”

Leading the Conversation

Both students and faculty are helping to shape this work. A Student AI Committee, formed in 2024, helped organize the school’s first-ever Student AI Summit, held in January 2025. The event brought together peers from schools across the region for a day of dialogue, collaboration and exploration.

“It is so important to foster conversations about AI among students, not just as users of the technology, but as the future creators and decisionmakers,” says Cate Estilo ’26, President of the Student AI Committee.

Now in its fourth year, the Faculty AI Committee continues to guide this work through professional development workshops, peer-led learning and department-based discussions. Stephanie has also been leading the conversations both at NA and outside its walls, recently serving as a panelist on AI at Common Ground Speaks, a collaborative consortium of parent associations from independent schools across New Jersey. Meanwhile, the school’s Board of Trustees recently dedicated time to a “deep dive” session on how NA can and should prepare itself for the future of teaching and learning.

If the past few years at NA have been about discovery, the next chapter is about direction. As AI continues to evolve, so too will NA’s approach. Regardless of what lies ahead, the school will remain grounded in its mission, preparing students to lead with purpose in an increasingly complex world.

To learn more, visit www.newarka.edu/ai

(See answer below)

During a recent Morning Meeting, students were challenged with distinguishing between real and AI-generated images, sparking a discussion about deepfakes and digital perception.

From the Archives: 1968 NA’s Army Nurse Evelyn Kowalchuk

By Jim Coe, Archivist

Following a visit to Newark Academy last school year, my predecessor, former Archivist Blackie Parlin, noticed a Support the Troops Club’s plaque, which prompted him to proudly tell me about a former NA school nurse who he felt deserved to be recognized for her service to our country: Evelyn Kowalchuk.

“She flew with critically wounded soldiers through Normandy to hospitals in Britain,” Blackie said. Intrigued, I followed up on Blackie’s story by digging into the school archives. This led me down a marvelous journey through the life of a war hero who once walked our halls in service of students’ health.

Some past Polymnians indicated that Evelyn’s time at NA lasted from 1968 to 1974, and an archive file dedicated to her contained two later West Essex Tribune newspaper clippings honoring her.

Photos accompanying the articles show a young Evelyn circa 1944, a snapshot of her hand-in-hand with then-President George W. Bush, and a picture of her with the grand chancellor of France’s Legion of Honor and the president of the American Society of the French Legion of Honor.

Curious to know more, I turned to the internet to uncover more about Nurse

She flew with critically wounded soldiers through Normandy to hospitals in Britain.”

– Blackie Parlin

Kowalchuk’s fascinating life. I was soon overwhelmed by the number of search results: National Geographic’s photo of the day: “The Untold Stories of D-Day,” WSLS 10’s “Forgotten World War II heroes from our region,” an audio interview for the Veterans History Project housed in the Library of Congress, a 2009 commendation from the Virginia General

Assembly, several newsletters of the WWII 315th Troop Carrier Group Association, multiple YouTube videos posted by the National D-Day Memorial, a mention during the “We Salute You” segment of the July 13, 2022, episode of the podcast Someone Talked!

Inspired, I dove into each to provide a summary of her life that I proudly shared during an NA All-School Meeting this past March:

After just eight weeks of Flight Nurses Training and Air Evacuation in the U.S. Army Air Corps, Evelyn, along with 24 other flight nurses, was sent to England as part of the 818th Medical Evacuation

Newspaper clippings of Army Nurse Evelyn Kowalchuk escorting President Bush to the National D-Day Memorial dedication ceremony and receiving the French Legion of Honor.

Evelyn and other nurses in the 818th flew to Normandy on D-Day +3 to provide comfort and needed medical assistance to the Allied forces. During these trips to Omaha Beach to return with wounded soldiers, Evelyn and her fellow nurses often faced fire from enemy forces, even necessitating her taking cover in a foxhole one night.

Evelyn was honorably discharged from the Army in 1946, after which she served as a school nurse in Newark, Irvington, and at Newark Academy. Following her retirement and relocation to Virginia in 1988, Evelyn remained an active volunteer in a number of community institutions including the National D-Day Memorial Foundation. It was in this capacity that she escorted President Bush to the National D-Day Memorial dedication ceremony. In recognition of her service, Evelyn received the Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, the Air Medal, ETO Ribbon, and American Theatre Ribbon, and a commendation in Joint Resolution No. 991 in the 2009 session of the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate. Evelyn died at the age of 93 on April 7, 2013. She is interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

Though I never met Evelyn, I find myself both touched and impressed by her life story. I take great pride in knowing that NA has always been a reliable place of employment for people like Nurse Kowalchuk, who seek out ways to be of service to others.

Meet the 202 5 – 26 Innovation in Teaching and Learning Fellows

The Innovation in Teaching and Learning Fellowship Program supports faculty who propose, develop and implement projects seeking to transform the Newark Academy student experience in significant and meaningful ways. Fellows receive financial support and additional resources to help enhance their instructional practice, funded through donations to the endowment. These were the 2025 –26 fellows:

Caitlin Ciampaglio Science Department Chair

Use of Grant: The grant funded the International Baccalaureate (IB) Collaborative Science Project field trip to Hershey Park, on which students from multiple IB science courses conducted hands-on physics experiments on roller coasters and other rides. The grant covered transportation, park admission and specialized equipment including accelerometers, data-logging devices and measurement tools that allowed students to collect real-world data on motion, forces, energy transfer and gravitational effects.

Outcomes: Students who participated showed significantly deeper understanding of abstract physics concepts because they experienced them viscerally — feeling centripetal force on the carousel, observing energy conservation on roller coasters, and calculating the effects of actual G-forces on their bodies. The collaborative experience brought together students from IB physics, IB chemistry and IB biology to see how scientific principles interconnect in real-world applications.

In her words: “Receiving this grant was more than just funding a field trip. It was an investment in making science come alive for our students. Watching IB students analyze real acceleration data from a roller coaster they just rode, debating experi-

mental design while still catching their breath from the ride, showed me what authentic STEM education looks like.”

Dr. Moussa Fall Upper School French Faculty

Use of Grant: With this grant, Moussa traveled to Dakar, Senegal, to learn from peers at Cheikh Anta Diop University and the West African Research Center.

The grant was also used to integrate film as a core pedagogical text, shifting toward a more immersive, skills-based, and culturally responsive model of language instruction.

Outcomes: The integration of French films into the curriculum significantly increased student engagement while strengthening linguistic proficiency and intercultural understanding across multiple levels of French instruction.

In his words: “When language learning is paired with film, students do not simply study French — they experience it, question it and connect it to the world around them.”

Sarah Fischer Director of Community Engagement

Sally Toffey Fellow

Use of Grant: The grant allowed Sarah to develop a portfolio-based model for the NA community engagement graduation requirement to expand students’ options for authentically reflecting on both experiential and academic learning. A primary objective was to explore moving from hours-based tracking to outcomebased assessment, in alignment with field best practices.

Outcomes: Students developed deeper reflection and stronger learning outcomes during the pilot of the portfoliobased reflection model.

In her words: “Receiving the grant allowed me dedicated time to research and design solutions to long-standing challenges within the Community Engagement program. The opportunity to focus on a single initiative, engage in professional development, and develop meaningful solutions was invaluable. Most rewarding was collaborating with students to co-create solutions while supporting their

Newark Academy Names Andy Schneider as its Next CFO

Head of School Tom Ashburn has appointed Andy Schneider as Newark Academy’s next Chief Financial Officer, effective July 1, 2026.

Andy currently serves as Associate Head of School for Finance & Operations and Chief Financial Officer at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York, a role he has held since 2022. Before that, he was CFO at The Peck School in Morristown, New Jersey, from 2015 to 2022. He also worked as a consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers for several years, supporting multi-national finance teams around the world.

Andy began his career as an English Teacher, Admissions Officer and Varsity Crew Coach at The Kent School in Connecticut. He has a B.A. from Rutgers University, an M.A. from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English, and an MBA from George Washington University. Outside of school life, Andy is a husband, father of three, Yankees season ticket holder, self-proclaimed below-average triathlete, and proud resident of Morristown, New Jersey.

“I could not be more excited to join the Newark Academy community at this exciting time in the school’s long and storied history,” Andy says. “I have interacted with the school many times over the years, attending professional development sessions and dropping my children off for summer programs, and I have always admired both the campus and the culture. I look forward to becoming a part of this special community in the coming months and doing great work with new colleagues in the years ahead.”

New Professional Development Committee is Named

This past school year, Newark Academy named a new Professional Development (PD) Committee made up of faculty members to assist the administration in the planning and execution of professional development sessions.

“A faculty-led professional development committee makes sense because those practicing in the classroom can best identify the tools and insights their colleagues need,” says Nancy Celente, Assistant Head of School for Teaching and Learning. “By shifting away from one-size-fits-all sessions, this committee ensures that growth is individualized and relevant, recognizing the unique professional needs of each faculty member. This approach ensures that our work translates into a tangible, positive impact on student learning and fosters a culture of mutual expertise and studentcentered excellence.”

PD Committee Members: Co-Leaders: Scott Barkett, Joe Monaghan Members: Jenna Alden, Rich DiBianca, Erica Jannetta, Margaret Purcell, Inma Serrano, Jay Torson

Leveled Up!

This spring, Health Department Chair Diana Fernandes completed her master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion with a concentration in wellness and fitness from Pennsylvania Western University.

Fond Farewell: Mary Ellen Weinel

College Counseling Office Manager Mary Ellen Weinel is retiring after 24 years of service to Newark Academy.

“Mary Ellen Weinel is one of the most joyful and supportive people I know. I first met her 24 years ago when she came to NA, and I’ve been lucky to call her a friend ever since. She treats every student with genuine kindness and respect, always taking the time to understand what each one needs and how best to support them. Mary Ellen has brought so much warmth and energy to our school and office communities over the years. It will be hard to imagine NA without her, and I will miss her tremendously next year!”

—

Kerry Winiarski, Director of College Counseling

“Mrs. Weinel really prioritizes others and always makes sure that all the information she gives is done with love. She brings peace to the college process.”

— Karla Morocho ’ 26

“She’s such a friendly face to see and it’s so reassuring that she’s always there and always smiling. She’s the glue of the College Office!”

— Lyra Brock ’26

Fond Farewell: Sandy Marano

Business Office Manager Sandy Marano is retiring after 30 years of service to Newark Academy.

“Sandy has been a model of professionalism and care — someone who approaches every day with kindness, patience and a deep sense of loyalty to our mission. Sandy is one of those colleagues who make the place feel better just by being here.”

— Tom Ashburn, Head of School

“Sandy is one of (if not) THE most dedicated employee I have ever worked with (and it’s been 27 years!). She is diligent, thorough and truly on top of things — always! Even more than that, she is dedicated and loyal to the school and to those around her. She is the first to volunteer to fill a gap. Sandy is friendly and diplomatic when dealing with colleagues and parents. Maybe most importantly, Sandy has a BIG heart! My life has been enriched and I am blessed for having Sandy at my side all these years!”

— Sam Goldfischer, Director of Business and Finance

Finding Her Voice

Gracie McNeely ’12, the Penney Riegelman Scholarship, and the Impact of Opportunity

By Noelle Loneker, Assistant Director of Advancement Marketing & Communications

When Gracie McNeely ’12 reflects on her time at Newark Academy, it isn’t a single class or academic achievement that comes to mind. Instead, it’s the spaces where learning happened beyond the classroom — musical rehearsals that ran late into the afternoon, theater productions that demanded vulnerability and trust, volleyball practices filled with trial and error, and moments spent helping behind the scenes of Middle School performances.

Gracie’s experience at NA is also deeply intertwined with her connection to the Elizabeth Penney Riegelman Scholarship, named after NA’s first female Head of School, Elizabeth Penney Riegelman, who served in that role from 1997 to 2007. Penney left a lasting legacy defined by empathy, access and belief in students’ potential. Being named one of the first recipients of the scholarship in her honor holds profound meaning for Gracie.

“At an age when self-doubt and insecurity tend to peak, she believed in me,” Gracie says. “That mattered more than I realized at the time.”

Gracie, a self-described “extracurriculars kid,” once thought of those experiences as “extra.” With hindsight, she recognizes them as formative. “That’s where I really came alive,” she says. Through those activities, Gracie learned time management, collaboration, adaptability and confidence — all skills that continue to shape how she shows up in her personal life and career.

The arts played a particularly powerful role in Gracie’s growth. Theater became both her creative outlet and her community. Today, working in marketing at Etsy, she regularly presents to clients and teams, drawing directly on the performance skills she developed onstage at NA. Athletics offered a different but equally important set of lessons. As a member of the volleyball team, Gracie learned the value of accountability and shared

responsibility. Wins and losses alike required trust and emotional investment, reinforcing the importance of showing up for others.

That same sense of preparation carried into her academic experience. In working to earn the International Baccalaureate Diploma, Gracie found that NA’s rigor and emphasis on critical thinking made the transition to college feel natural. Rather than experiencing culture shock after NA, she entered another environment that valued curiosity, engagement and thoughtful discussion in familiar ways.

As a Riegelman Scholar and Middle Schooler during Penney’s tenure, Gracie remembers Penney’s warmth and presence on campus, including moments that energized the community and made students feel seen. More importantly, Gracie remembers what it meant to see a confident, brilliant woman in a position of leadership.

Penney herself has described the scholarship as part of her lifelong commitment to ensuring that worthy students can attend NA, regardless of their families’

circumstances. Gracie’s journey stands as a powerful reflection of that mission.

Looking ahead, Gracie plans to keep finding joy in her work, staying curious, and appreciating the people and experiences that shape her life. For current students, her advice is both grounding and empowering: “Work hard,” she says, “but remember this is your life. Try things. Discover what inspires you. You’ll never look back and think, ‘I should have done less.’”

Through opportunity, mentorship and the belief imbued by the Elizabeth Penney Riegelman Scholarship, Gracie found her voice, which is one that continues to resonate long after her time at NA.

If you wish to make a gift to the Elizabeth Penney Riegelman Scholarship Fund, please reach out to Dr. Rose McSween, Chief Advancement Officer at rmcsween@newarka.edu.

A Vision Realized: Family Gift Expands VR Learning

What began as a small pilot program using virtual reality (VR) in sixth-grade science at Newark Academy has grown into a dynamic, multi-grade initiative thanks to the generosity of Marjorie Lopus Jameson ’77 and her family. Inspired by a classroom demonstration, Marjorie donated VR headsets and a specialized UV-sanitizing storage cart to support immersive learning.

Her sister and brother, Nancy and Alex Lopus, further expanded the program with additional headsets and equipment for ninth-grade biology students. Their combined support has significantly enhanced hands-on, innovative learning experiences for students, bringing cutting-edge technology into the classroom and strengthening NA’s science program.

“Penney Riegelman was the consummate Head of School, the exact right person at the exact right time. As Newark Academy’s first female Head of School, Penney guided the school through its transition from a traditional prep school to a vibrant center for learning that nurtured and challenged all students, including members of my own family. It was a pleasure to honor her through a gift to the Penney Riegelman Scholarship at the Academy.”

– David Hardin

’73

262 DONORS

There have been to the Elizabeth Penney Riegelman Scholarship since its inception in 2006.

THE FUND CURRENTLY HAS

$2,488,169

Newark Academy Fund Possibilitree

Join fellow Newark Academy parents and alumni in fueling the programs that make NA extraordinary! The Newark Academy Fund is rooted in your support, and by making a gift to the Fund before June 30, you support arts, athletics, financial aid, immersion, and more, directly enriching the student experience. Every gift, no matter the size, helps NA continue to inspire, challenge and empower.

*Parent Participation as of 5/8/2026

of 5/8/26

Make your gift today and watch our Possibilitree flourish!

for the 24-25

Jake McEvoy ’18 named to Forbes 30 Under 30 List

Jake McEvoy ’18 was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the media category for his work as Chief Operating Officer of Welcome.jpeg, a digital media platform. Jake works alongside former classmate Danny Cole ’18, who was previously named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 North America 2025 list.

According to Forbes, the Welcome.jpeg platform has grown into a media outlet-meets-creative agency, with its main offering being a digital magazine that includes interviews with up-andcoming musicians and coverage on latest trends. They also sell merchandise and tickets to exclusive events, and their creative production agency works with brands like Red Bull, Uniqlo and GOAT on strategy, media production and advertising, among other services.

Preparing for the World’s Biggest Game in Our Backyard

Q&A WITH CARLY GRUENBERG ’12, VP OF MARKETING FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 26™ NEW YORK NEW JERSEY

By Evan Nisenson ’99, Director of Alumni Relations and Giving

When the 2026 FIFA World Cup final kicks off at MetLife Stadium this summer, millions will tune in to watch. For Carly Gruenberg ’12, Vice President of Marketing for FIFA World Cup 26™ New York New Jersey, it will be something more personal — the culmination of years of planning and work to show a global audience how New York and New Jersey embody everything the World Cup represents.

EN: The World Cup Final is happening at MetLife. What does that feel like — professionally and personally?

CG: When you work on something long enough, you almost stop seeing it. You’re deep in emails and Zoom calls, and it’s easy to lose the thread of what you’re actually building toward. Then, I’ll be driving past MetLife and think, “That’s where it happens.” The biggest game in the world, right here. I grew up in this area, and now I get to help tell its story to the world. That’s not something I take lightly, professionally or personally.

EN : You’re marketing to millions of fans across the globe at once. What’s the one message you want every single one of them to walk away with?

CG: That New York and New Jersey aren’t just hosting the World Cup — we embody it. This region is the most diverse in the world. Every language, every culture is already here. Our marketing, specifically on social channels, is to ensure our stories are told authentically for the world to see. We want to show global audiences and visitors how your flag, your food, your soccer passion is already woven into this place and into this tournament.

EN : What’s the most unexpected or creative activation you’ve pulled off that people might not know about?

CG: Everything we do has to be a delicate balance between New York and New Jersey representation. Believe it or not, this was one of the key factors in choosing an artist for our official NYNJ poster or producer for our NYNJ Sonic ID (the sound of this host city). After conducting a fair amount of research, not only did the final individuals have top artistic talents and professional reputations, but they also had unique ties to this region. Our official poster artist, Rich Tu, is a native of South Orange, NJ but currently works and resides in Brooklyn. For our Sonic ID, I worked with a Grammy nominated producer duo, Take A Daytrip, composed of Denzel Baptiste (NJ native) and David Biral (NYC native). These choices are intentional and reflect the unity and interconnectedness of NYC and NJ.

EN : What’s your favorite part of working on FIFA World Cup 2026?

CG: The weight of individual decisions. When we launched the official poster, it wasn’t just a creative deliverable —

it was a statement about how this region sees itself. When we built the “Welcome World Rewards Program,” the Host Committee’s small business platform, it was about connecting a global event to real community investment. Most recently, I was able to bring together Eli Manning, Midge Purce and Josh Hart as local ambassadors: three of the biggest sports names in the region, all rallying around soccer. Not every job asks you to think at that scale, which truly makes this a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

EN : How did your time at Newark Academy prepare you for the work you do today?

CG: NA taught me to compete and to be accountable. Through sports and academics, NA pushes you to be curious, to do hard things and to form your own point of view rather than just absorb information. That kind of independent thinking is something I rely on constantly in this work. Marketing at this scale isn’t about executing a playbook. It requires you to have a genuine perspective and defend it.

FROM BLACKIE’S DESK:

Reading Finding the Third Way by Lanny Davis ’63

By Blackie Parlin, former Assistant Head for Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty and Archivist

This past April, Lanny Davis ’63 published his autobiography, Finding the Third Way: Lessons in the Politics of Civility from My Journey Through History. Blackie Parlin, NA’s beloved former Assistant Head for Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty and Archivist, sat down to read the autobiography of his former student and gives us a summary of what to expect:

Finding the Third Way by Lanny Davis is an autobiography with a philosophical moral concept running through it. (I can call him Lanny because he was my student, and we have a close friendship.) In his book, Lanny describes in some detail his middleclass upbringing in Jersey City: loving parents, public school No. 17, the Jewish Community Center, popular songs on the radio, the Giants. A reader would love to have more detail on the decision for Lanny to go to Newark Academy — was that Lanny’s initiative or a parental decision? At any rate, it established a new and solid foundation that led to Yale, Yale Law School, involvement in political life and a prestigious legal career.

Through History. The lesson of compromise emanates from many sources. His father taught Lanny how to treat people who were different. Along the way, many good people expressed the “third way.” William Buckley, for example, says, “You can argue your convictions while still being civil with others who differ from you.”

With a Yale law degree, Lanny moved into the world of Vietnam and Kennedy/ Johnson/Nixon/George Wallace. He worked on the campaigns of Democratic politicians like Edward Muskie. Ultimately, Lanny has had a distinguished career as lawyer, advisor and consultant to a number of prominent people and companies. Most famous has been his association with Bill and Hillary Clinton. He served as Clinton’s special counsel from 1996 to 1998.

Lanny makes an interesting observation about his legal career: “I never once got to argue a case before a jury … representing either a plaintiff or defendant in a private suit. I found the ‘sweet spot’ of compromise between the two opposing positions …” This is the “third way.”

The book’s subtitle reads, Lessons in the Politics of Civility from My Journey

Perhaps the most interesting quotation is by Chuck Colson, Nixon’s hatchet man. Meeting Lanny years later, Colson said, “I’m the guy who put you on Nixon’s enemy list. That was wrong. Please forgive me.” Lanny’s response: “Of course I forgive you, Mr. Colson. And please forgive me and my late Dad, for we used the word ‘hate’ about you.”

Lanny is a very talented person; he has had a distinguished career, which he describes in some detail in his autobiography. Newark Academy can take pride in its role in launching Lanny’s success. His Lessons on the Politics of Civility deserve to be widely recognized.

Our nation has had a number of periods of sharp acrimony and division and heretofore has always seen significant spiritual unification. One hopes that this recovery of unity, aided by counsel such as that given by Lanny, will prevail again

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CAMPUS VIEW

NA Unveils Solar Panels

Newark Academy completed its first installment of solar panels, a pivotal part of the school’s long-term Sustainability Plan, on the roof of the Simon Family Field House and the Elizabeth B. McGraw Arts Center. The solar panels — an initiative that began under the leadership of former Head of School Donald M. Austin and continued by current Head of School Tom Ashburn — will boast 1,676 solar panels with an estimated annual production of 1,046,792 kilowatthours upon completion of solar carports during phase two over the summer. The panels are anticipated to bring Newark Academy’s electric consumption down by 32 percent, saving 640 metric tons of CO2 each year. This move will also save the school an estimated $50,000 per year.

1954

Michael Frankel is approaching 90 but is still in reasonably good shape and travels to Italy a couple of times a year. He also still travels to the UK every year for 10 days of golf. He would love to know: Who from the Class of 1954 is still with us?

1961

Peter Papademetriou enjoyed 44 years as a Professor of Architecture and Design at Rice University and New Jersey Institute of Technology, retiring as Emeritus Professor. Rather than “retired,” though, he feels “reinvented.” Other Interests include automotive racing and (of course) the history of architecture. Ditto for Long Island (the birthplace of racing in America). While he drove a ‘49 Buick at NA, he later advanced to a ‘56 T-Bird and ‘66 Shelby Mustang GT350.

1964

Retired to Taos, New Mexico, from a medical career, Dr. Richard L. Rubin is a volunteer steward with the United States Forest Service and the nearby historic 1912 home of esteemed conservationist Aldo Leopold. With gratitude for NA’s guidance and opportunities to develop as a writer, he has published four books in recent years on New Mexico culture and Leopold ecology. Richard values the motto “Towards a widening sphere of usefulness” — the namesake of Suzanne Geissler’s book on the history of NA.

1967

Jonathan Goldman just finished the final draft of his upcoming book, Ascension Harmonics, which will be published by Inner Traditions this August.

1973

Sangram Sisodia was the recipient of the University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumnus Award (2025) and the University of Georgia Graduate School Alumni of Distinction Award (2025).

1980

After being widowed for nine years, Mark Kalkus has found another love and will be getting married to Candice in October 2026 in Colorado. His youngest son, Kevin, was married last summer in Colorado, and his oldest son, Trevor, will marry in the summer of 2027 in Bali.

Brian Stroehlein is happily retired. He is a part-time figure model and recently completed his 750th gig! In August 2025, Brian drove cross-country from Connecticut to attend Burning Man in Nevada’s Black Rock desert for the 11th time, bringing and demoing his homemade solar energy system. While out there, he made a side trip up to Oregon to visit classmate Max Magliaro ‘80 and his family. Brian also enjoys spending time in his recording studio, playing with his grandson, and naturism. He will soon be playing bass in a ZZ Top tribute band. Brian lives with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three furry feline anarchists. (See photo on page 56)

1981

Artie Williams has joined Lila Sciences as Director of Business and Development. Lila Sciences is the pioneer in scientific superintelligence, using artificial intelligence (AI) to shorten the scientific process for work in life sciences, basic chemicals, and material sciences. Lila Sciences can reduce the investment to develop a new drug from years and billions of dollars to months and a fraction of that cost. The firm had one of the largest (if not the largest) Series A fundraisings ever last summer.

1986

Daniel Case attended Wikimania, the 2025 Wikimedia community convention in Nairobi, Kenya. “I am very fortunate to be able to travel like this, I know.” After the conference, he took time to tour the country, visiting a coffee plantation, hiking on the

slopes of Mount Kenya, and going on safari for a week and a half. “We went to several of the country’s national parks and reserves — Samburu, Aberdare, Lake Nakuru and the Maasai Mara, where we even got to go about 20 feet into Tanzania and Serengeti National Park at one point,” he writes.

“Within three days we had our Big Five, among many other animals we were able to see and photograph. We did a boat safari on Lake Naivasha and the ever-popular balloon safari over the Mara.” Afterwards, he also visited the Mara Elephant Project, which he and his wife contribute to. (See photo on page 56)

1994

Rebecca Moll Freed is now a member at Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi (CSG Law) in the Government and Regulatory Law Group, where she focuses on government contracting, campaign-finance, non-profit,

ALUMNI AUTHOR: DR. SMITA R. RAMANADHAM ‘98

The DNA of a Doctor: How Upbringing, Culture, and Unbridled Ambition Curates Achievement

In her newly released book, The DNA of A Doctor: How Upbringing, Culture, and Unbridled Ambition Curates Achievement, Dr. Smita R. Ramanadham ‘98 shares her inspirational story of embarking on a path of medicine and following her passion. She is now a board-certified plastic surgeon offering aesthetic care to her patients across New Jersey.

lobbying and government ethics laws.

Chloe Yelena Miller is a writer and teacher living in Washington, D.C. She cofounded Brown Bag Lit, an online writing community. She also teaches creative writing workshops through New Directions in Writing and the Politics and Prose Bookstore. Her second poetry collection, Perforated, was published by Lily Poetry Review Books on January 22, 2026.

David Wolfe was recognized by ROI-NJ in their ROI Influencers: Real Estate 2025 for the sixth consecutive year.

1996

Matt Gutman took on a new role as Chief Correspondent at CBS News. Matt reports for CBS Morning and CBS Evening News and also serves as lead correspondent for 48 Hours and contributes to 60 Minutes

1997

Laurie Samach-Davis led a virtual career workshop in March for young alumni, during which she provided a number of useful tips on the job search process, from resume and cover letter writing to interview preparation.

When College Counseling Office Manager Mary Ellen Weinel registered for a 5K walk at Liberty State Park to benefit veterans, she was pleasantly surprised to see NA alumna Gabriela Bernal ‘09 as the representative! Gabriela works as the Family Services Manager at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark, which sponsored the race.

1998

Jenna Smith Schwerdt, CEO of Smith Design, spoke to NA students at an Alumni Deli Discussion about her experience running a brand design company and lessons she has learned along the way.

2002

James Solomon was elected mayor of Jersey City this past December. He was sworn in on January 15, 2026, and appointed fellow NA alumnus Keshav Poddar ‘10 as Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development. (Read more on page 6)

2003

Ben Purkert led a book discussion for NA’s first alumni book club. Alumni read Ben’s book The Men Can’t Be Saved and then met via Zoom to discuss it and to learn about the writing and publishing process firsthand.

2004

Zack Oates spoke to NA students during Alumni Deli Discussions on March 12, 2026 about his career as an entrepreneur and his current company, Ovation, the No. 1 restaurant feedback platform in America.

1. During a visit to Vanderbilt University, Head of School Tom Ashburn, Chief Advancement Officer Dr. Rose McSween and Senior Associate Director of College Counseling Kerri Speck had dinner with NA alumni who currently attend the school. From left to right: Jacob Cole ‘25, Asher Herman ‘24, Shivan Kundra ‘23, Kate Fishbone ‘22, Tom Ashburn, Rose McSween, Kerri Speck, Ivie Drogin ‘25, Ava Cole ‘22, Paige Schachtel ‘23 and Abby Herbert ‘24

2. Several NA theater alumni returned to give feedback and notes to senior IB acting students. Top row left to right: Leon Maley ‘27, Cash Loncar ‘27, Carson DeVirgilio ‘27, Annabelle Bauer ‘26, Charlie Goldstein ‘26, Jamie Foerst ‘25, Rachel Shapiro Cooper, Keiran O’Keefe ‘27, Collin Foerst ‘27, Yavan Vyas ‘23

Bottom row: Maddie Bartie ‘26, Maggie Gavenda ‘25, Shayne Cleeve ‘24, Emerson Meakem ‘27, Wesley Brock ‘24, Lyra Brock ‘26, Alexa Fastov ‘26, Kieri Keys ‘24, Aditi Chilukuri ‘27, Lexi Tolentino ‘26, Madi Eaton ‘26 and Peyton Fisher ‘27.

3. Former NA girls’ varsity soccer teammates Cami Gallagher ‘25 and Ava Cole ‘22 reunited at the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association National Championship Tournament in Kansas last November. Cami played for the Cornell University club team and Ava for the Vanderbilt University club team.

4. From left to right: Bud D’Avella ‘62, Lanny Davis ‘63, Dr. Van Stevens ‘65 and Steve Lozowick ‘63 reminisce over dinner after participating in NA’s Mock Trial 35-year anniversary event on January 9, 2026.

2006

Asher Grodman was nominated for a 2026 Critics Choice Award for Best Actor in a Comedy for his role as Trevor in the CBS comedy series Ghosts

Marissa Paragano spoke to students during Alumni Deli Discussions on February 20, 2026 about her role as Director of Product, Premium Products at ESPN and passed on useful advice about the importance of networking and connections.

2008

Sam Jacobs returned to NA as an Alumni Deli Discussions speaker on December 3, 2025 to talk to students about his career path and the work he currently does as VP of Strategy and Finance at Carbone Fine Foods. Students had an opportunity to pitch him their ideas for a new product, and each student left with a jar of Carbone sauce.

Joseph Longthorne continues his passion of making global theater as a General Manager for Broadway Asia International. His wife, Sara Gallo, is an actress appearing in TITANIQUE on Broadway this year, and the couple was elated to welcome their first child, daughter Georgia Louise Longthorne, on December 23, 2025. (See photo at left) The family resides in Roselle Park, NJ.

2010

6.

7.

8.

2012

Matthew Lara married Abigail Snively in Scottsdale, AZ, on November 15, 2025. His NA classmates TJ Lutz and Pranav Katti stood by his side as best man and groomsman on this special day. (See photo at left)

2016

Joshua Collin shared insightful advice with NA students as an Alumni Deli Discussions speaker on January 23, 2026 about his journey as an entrepreneur and wrapped up his presentation with an interactive demo showing how to program a voice AI agent.

2020

Eleni Dakos, was named the 2025-26 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Women’s Tennis Player of the Year after holding the No. 1 single position and going undefeated in conference play for The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) this past season. Eleni, who coached for Newark Academy’s tennis program for two seasons and was a four-year starter for the tennis team at Kenyon College, used her extra year of NCAA eligibility from the COVID-19 pandemic to play for TCNJ, where she is pursuing a masters degree in counseling. Next year, Eleni will help coach the TCNJ women’s tennis team as a graduate assistant. (See photo on page 55)

2022

Keshav Poddar was named as the Jersey City Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development by Mayor and fellow NA alumnus James Solomon ‘02 (Read more on page 6)

Last January, an essay by Zoe Fleysher was published in the Tufts Historical Review She is incredibly grateful for the opportunities that led her to this achievement, especially at NA. For those curious, the full essay is available online at the Tufts Historical Review website.

CATCHING UP WITH TENNIS LEGENDS

During a recent trip to Los Angeles, Director of Alumni Relations and Planned Giving Evan Nisenson ‘99 (middle) caught up with Newark Academy tennis Hall of Famer and professional Grand Slam champion Justin Gimelstob ‘95 (right) on the set of a commercial shoot featuring tennis legend Andre Agassi (left).

29029 EVEREST CHALLENGE

Will Hayward ‘18 and his mother, Christine, completed the 29029 Everest challenge last fall — climbing 29,029 feet (the equivalent of Mt. Everest) at Stratton Mountain in Vermont in just 21 hours!

W e F ondly R emember

NA ALUMNI

Class of 1941

Ralph N. Del Deo – March 25, 2026

Class of 1944

Robert A. Klein – March 10, 2025

Robert E. Lee – December 6, 2025

Class of 1948

Laurence C. Schiffenhaus – March 2, 2025

Class of 1956

Theodore “Ted” R. Monica – April 17, 2026

Class of 1962

Ralph G. Pellecchia – January 1, 2026

Class of 1964

David Friedman – October 17, 2025

Class of 1967

Donald Szibdat – January 22, 2026

Class of 1971

Dr. Thomas A. Senatore – October 6, 2024

Class of 1988

Douglass D. Barre – February 28, 2026

Eleni Dakos ‘20 was named the 2025-26 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Women’s Tennis Player of the Year after holding the No. 1 single position and going undefeated in conference play for The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) this past season. Eleni used her extra year of NCAA eligibility from the COVID-19 pandemic to play for TCNJ, where she is pursuing a masters degree in counseling.

9. On October 4, 2025, Emily Heller ‘11 married Eric Huppert, surrounded by a multigenerational crew of NA alums. Her sister, Ashlyn Heller ‘13 and classmates Sydney Hershman ‘11, Hannah Davidson ‘11, Leigh Wolfson ‘11, Allie Hyans Blair ‘11, Christina Kovar ‘11, Sarah McGrath Bloom ‘11, and Jack Bloom ‘11 were all there to celebrate. Emily’s father, Jeff Heller ‘81, was joined by his longtime classmates Peter Gruenberg ‘81, John Cranley ‘81, Steve Ochs ‘81 and Joe McGrath ‘81

10. Brian Stroehlein ‘80 enjoys spending time in his recording studio. (Read more on page 52)

11. Sarah Marcus Hansen ‘06 had a full-circle moment last June as she watched her daughter walk across the NA stage to receive her Primrose School Pre-K diploma.

12. John Ritota ‘68 with his team at DelRay Dental, which he opened with his brother Ted.

2022 (Continued)

Minutemen tennis alumnus

Nick Kotzen, now a senior at Columbia University, was selected as one of six collegiate athletes to represent Team USA at the 2025 Master’U BNP Paribas Championship in Reims, France. The event brings together eight nations and top university players from around the world for three days of high-level competition.

Nick helped Team USA to a silver medal finish. (See photo page 57)

2024

Crossing Paths: NA Junior Board of Governors member Ethan Freed ‘24 will be interning at the law firm of current Board of Governors member Jonathan Wolfe ‘94 this summer.

13. Stella Gilbert ‘22 (third from left) has been organizing get-togethers with NA alumni at Harvard University and visiting friends. This past December, she held a dinner at which alumni reminisced about their shared NA memories and talked about their lives in college and future early careers. From left to right: Aaron Li ‘24, Andrew Deng ‘24, Stella Gibert ‘22, Nicholas Sikellis ‘24, Abby Hsu ‘25, Juliet Bu ‘23 and Ian Zhang ‘23. (Read more about Stella on page 20 IB STORY.)

14. Daniel Case ‘86 with an acacia tree at Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

LETTER TO THE EDITORS

February 2, 2026

The Newark Academy Winter 2025 LUMEN discussion of [Liz Maccie’s ‘93] Nonnas movie script brought back recollections of very happy times in Newark and Italy as a child. Thank you. Last night it snowed, and the grandchildren were at our house. My wife decided to give them a pasta-making experience. They made tasty linguini. All the adults closed their eyes and said that it was as good as the pasta they ate in Italy. All the grandchildren were very glad and proud.

My maternal grandmother lived in one of the Italian Newark (1940s and ‘50s) neighborhoods. [Liz’s] movie brought back the happy days when she would take me to meet her friends — nonnas. Newark had many small areas populated by families from the same European country, including the Italian “First Ward.” The grandmothers would meet in the local grocery stores to shop and exchange gossip and recipes for meals from the old country. They and the store owners would give me cookies they had baked, pinch my cheeks and tell me (in their hometown Italian dialect) how good the sweets were. That’s how I initially learned “Italian.” Today, when I’m with much younger Italian cousins and use the “old Italian” words, they ask me to repeat what I wanted to say in English. The words I had used from the old Italian dialects are no longer spoken.

But the happy times with the nonnas will never be forgotten. [Liz’s] movie brought back good memories.

Best of luck to her in her career.

Luccio Ricci, Class of 1961

for supporting nonprofits along with strategies for outreach, fundraising, and other aspects of philanthropy.

16. Nick Kotzen ‘22 was selected as one of six collegiate athletes to represent Team USA at the 2025 Master’U BNP Paribas Championship in Reims, France. Nick helped Team USA to a silver medal finish.

17. Peter Behrle ‘69 visited NA while in the area and met with Director of Sustainability Neil Stourton.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

Submit a letter to the editors by emailing us at communications@newarka.edu.

18. Middle School Counselor Kirsti

Director of Sustainability Neil

and Eleni

met up with Jessica Ridella ‘10 and her husband, Andy, in London in March. Jessica is the Global Technology Managing Director at IBM in London and was recently featured in AI Magazine for her work in helping banks adopt enterprise-wise artificial intelligence.

PLANNED GIVING:

Teaching, Legacy, and the Power of Education

For as long as she can remember, Newark Academy has been a part of Nancy Lopus’s life. Her older sister, Marjorie Lopus Jameson ’77, was one of the first girls to attend NA after it became coeducational in 1971. Their mother, Sandra, a fourth grade teacher, also served as president of the NA Mothers’ Club — a precursor to Newark Academy Parents Association (NAPA) — and helped orchestrate events for the school’s 200th anniversary celebration in 1974.

In the fall of 2022, Nancy attended NA’s Homecoming at her sister’s invitation. On that day, she watched in awe as teachers reconnected with their former students. “I fell in love with the school all over again that day,” she says. The campus buzzed with purpose, curiosity and warmth, reminding her why teaching matters.

“I have always felt strongly that teaching must be a labor of love,” Nancy says. “Teachers who share a true passion for the subject they teach are the most influential. They don’t just deliver lessons; they spark lifelong curiosity and confidence.”

It’s no surprise that Nancy went on to become a teacher herself. She built a long and rewarding career teaching business education at Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest, where she inspired students in courses such as Personal Financial Literacy and Marketing. She also advised and supported student leadership initiatives, always emphasizing that education, at its best, is driven by genuine care for each student.

Inspired by her family’s longstanding devotion to excellence in teaching, including her mother’s work as a fourth grade teacher, Nancy decided to give back to NA, a school she has always admired. In setting her estate plans, Nancy joined her sister Marjorie in creating an endowed scholarship in their parents’ honor: the Dr. Alexander Lopus and Sandra Selfridge Lopus Harvey Scholarship. The fund will support financial aid awards for deserving NA students with financial need who demonstrate academic promise and enthusiasm.

Nancy’s scholarship will ensure that talented students can access NA’s rigorous education and nurturing environment, regardless of financial barriers. Recipients will be encouraged to pursue their passions with the same dedication Nancy brought to her students for decades. Her bequest will make a difference, while honoring her parents — one inspired student at a time.

To learn more about supporting Newark Academy through a planned gift, contact Barbara Sine, Director of Planned Giving and Donor Relations, at bsine@newarka.edu.

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