FALL 2014
News for the Allendale Columbia School Community
Birches
Beyond the
MAKING AN
IMPACT
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org A
www.AllendaleColumbia.org
From the Head of School
A Letter from Mick Gee
Dear Allendale Columbia
Community:
ALLENDALE
COLUMBIA
BOARD OF
TRUSTEES
2014-2015
Jennifer Newman
Chair
Mary Beth Conway
Vice-Chair
Robert C. Tait, II ’75
Secretary
Thomas M. Bartlett
Treasurer
Charles F. Bradford ’99
Mary Ellen Browning
Lisa Campbell ’83
Diana Clarkson ’99
Thomas DaRin
C. Kieran Draper
Stephen C. Hill ’03
Elisabeth W. Judson ’64
James McKenna ’94
Robert J. Moore
Duffy M. Palmer
Mauricio Riveros
Bridgette E. Rivers ’81
Jon L. Schumacher ’55
Charles E. Symington
Elizabeth Wehle ’90
Keith Wilson
In a letter I sent to members
of AC’s Leadership Team
earlier this summer, I
described July 14th as one
of the best days in my
professional career. After
being away on a weeklong
vacation with no access to
email or phone, my plan
for my first day back was
to meet with each member
of the Leadership Team to catch up with them
about projects they were working on and discuss
their goals for next year. I found the content of
each of these conversations truly inspiring as
I listened to smart thinking, new ideas, future
projects, current partnerships, and clear action
plans that would make a huge positive impact on
our students, faculty, program, and school. I was
instantly energized.
As I entered my office that July 14th morning, I
was greeted by three large trophies won by our
Middle School team, who earned second place
in the national Tests of Engineering Aptitude,
Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) Competition
in Washington, D.C. After being named Best
in State in the early qualifying round, AC was
invited to compete in the national competition.
When it comes to understanding challenging
subject matter and applying it to solve real-life
problems–a true definition of academic rigor–
our students proved that they are amongst the
very best in the nation.
We are constantly exploring partnership
opportunities beyond our campus, and we
launched our new Summer LEAP program
in collaboration with Rochester City School
District’s School No. 17. In addition to
providing high quality learning and enrichment
opportunities for the students of School No. 17,
the program was the first step in establishing a
public-private partnership that is extending into
the school year. Additionally, we collaborated with
the Warner School of Education at the University
of Rochester, Northstar Christian Academy, and
the Ivy Academia Group to run an International
Summer Program that attracted over 40
American students and 20 students from China
for a week of immersion and cultural exchange.
This past year our teachers recognized the
need for a new schedule to allow flexibility for
more course offerings, important collaborative
periods, new clubs, and advisory/advocacy time
for teachers and students; thanks to a dedicated
group working on this project, we launched the
new schedule in September. Additionally, we
now also offer a new Middle School elective
program that includes courses in: Robotics,
Photojournalism, Financial Literacy and Economics,
Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation, and a
Maker Class (following a successful pilot class in
May Term).
These are just some of the accomplishments you
will read about in the enclosed issue of Beyond
the Birches. In this publication you will also find
feature articles by some of our alums, information
about programs that are preparing our students
for the future, updates on alumni life beyond the
birches, and so much more!
While we continue to innovate and focus on
providing the best educational experience
possible, it is important that we have a clear sense
of the vision. To this end, we are actively moving
through a nimble strategic planning process
through which we will develop a shared vision
of the school’s future, and a well-defined path of
how we will get there together. I will be providing
updates on the strategic planning process
throughout the winter and spring months, with
the goal of completing and publishing the plan
by April 2015.
I hope Beyond the Birches provides you with a
good sense of some of the exciting things that
are happening at AC and the ways our AC
community is making an impact!
Mick Gee
Head of School
1
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
From the Alumni Association President
A Letter from Stephen Hill ’03
As president of the Alumni
Association, I am excited
for the future Mick Gee and
his leadership team have
envisioned for Allendale
Columbia School. With the
impact of change underway,
I would like to highlight
some of the exciting Alumni
Association developments
over this past year as we
look forward to continuing
and improving events and
alumni involvement for the upcoming year.
Throughout the school year, the Alumni Association
participated in a variety of community and social
events. In the fall, we volunteered at Foodlink to sort
and bag food items for those in need throughout
the region. This spring, alums gathered at the Blue
Cross Arena party deck for an Amerks hockey
game. However, Rochester isn’t the only place alums
gather. The Alumni Association seeks to connect
alums on a national and global level. In addition to
the regional receptions in Boston and New York
City, the Alumni Association would like to help alums
organize other regional gatherings in support of AC’s
global endeavors. There is no shortage of ways to
engage with your alma mater!
The 2014 Reunion weekend was well-attended, filled
with a variety of events for alums of all ages. The
annual alumni luncheon was held at the Genesee
Valley Club, where the Distinguished Alumni Award
was presented to Tracy
Gleason ’80. Tracy has
supported the school in
many ways in her role
as Chair of the Gleason
Family Foundation with
such initiatives as building
the current science wing
and spearheading and
funding the Opportunity
Scholar Program. The
Alumni Board is proud to call Tracy an Allendale
Columbia alum. If you wish to learn more about the
2014-15 Distinguished Alumni Award, please visit
allendalecolumbia.org/alumni.
Finally, I had the honor of welcoming the senior class
into the Alumni Association in June at the 2014
Senior Dinner. Head of Upper School Diana Gleeson
delivered a masterful presentation highlighting the
unique achievements and
stories of each member
of the senior class. It
was exciting to see the
transformational impact
of the Allendale Columbia
experience on the lives of
these students.
“Rochester isn’t the only
place alums gather. The
Alumni Association seeks
to connect alums on a
national and global level.”
This year presented a unique beginning to the
reunion cocktail reception. A dedication for the
late former faculty member, Mary Ellen La Flèche,
affectionately known as Mel, was held to honor her
life and all of the wonderful memories she helped to
create for the AC community. Mel’s family, students,
and colleagues shared their favorite moments with
her with laughs and smiling faces. I encourage you to
remember Mel by visiting the meditative memorial
rose garden at the Columbia Circle where you will
find the bench from Mel’s personal rose garden.
Many alums across several decades raised the funds
to support this tranquil space of remembrance.
The Alumni Board is
always open to new
membership and ideas. If you have any interest in
serving on the Alumni Board, please contact any
member or visit allendalecolumbia.org/alumni.
Alumni Board membership is not limited to alums in
the Rochester area as we can accommodate virtual
meetings. Please be sure to visit the redesigned
alumni section of the AC website.
in this issue
1
2
3
5
7
9
11
13
Letter from Head of School:
Mick Gee
15
Education–A passion worth
fighting for, Guest Author:
Tracy Gleason ’80
16
AC Community: The Impact
of Time, Then & Now
FEATURE: MAKING
AN IMPACT Preparing
our students for the future
S.T.R.E.A.M.
Collaboration in Action
Connecting
Globally
Inside the Box, Guest Author:
Joshua Brandt ’00
Celebrating the
Class of 2014
AC Now: from Summer LEAP
and May Term to a Second
International House and
Exciting Partnerships
“At AC, students learn
they can make an impact
as they hear the message:
‘Dream it, then do it.’”
Thank you for your continued support of Allendale
Columbia School.
— AC Parent Wendy Howitt P’14
Best,
Dr. Stephen Hill ’03
President, Alumni Association Board
Letter from Alumni Association
President: Stephen Hill ’03
17
22
23
THANK YOU: Annual
Donor Report 2013-2014
AC Forever: A tribute to
Excellence in Teaching
Alumni News: Reunion,
Class Notes, In Memoriam
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
2
FEATURE STORY
MAKING AN
IMPACT
AC’s POWERFUL S.T.R.E.A.M. OF THOUGHT
Science, Technology, Research, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics
3
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
MAKING AN IMPACT
AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES
Imagine the world in 2030. What will today’s students face as adults?
How do we best prepare them for those challenges and opportunities?
These were the questions asked of members of our
■ AC third graders are working with AP Physics
Rochester community as well as Allendale Columbia
students to collect and analyze AC’s water efficiency.
School students and parents during a series of THiNK
They used results from their experiments to
2030 summits held over the past year. After
make recommendations to improve the school’s
asking them to envision the world
water consumption, and many of these
in the year 2030 and collecting
recommendations have already been
their answers, paired with national
put in place.
and international research, we were
■ AP Biology students put their
able to quickly integrate much of that
S.T.R.E.A.M. skills to work
information into day-to-day practices
generating reference DNA
at Allendale Columbia. The
barcodes for the Barcoding
information from these summits
Life’s Matrix program
has strengthened partnerships
“We are so lucky to
funded by the National
with public schools, universities,
Science Foundation.
have found Mick at a time
and businesses and informed
The
students’ work
when requirements of an
curricular enhancements
was published as part of
independent education and
throughout our school. As the
the International Barcode
the world around us continue
THiNK 2030 summits generate
of Life (iBol) project and the
to change dramatically.”
exciting thinking and discussion
organization credited them
throughout the Rochester
— Bob Tait ’75, Former Board
for their efforts.
community, we are preparing
Chair, Current Board Member
■ Students in 2D Art, Digital
children from across our region
Design, and Biology collaborated
and the world to collaborate,
with
local professors and graduate
lead, and succeed in a globally
students in medicine and art to depict
competitive landscape.
and enhance medical illustrations in a
At the start of each of the THiNK 2030
visually interesting way. Dr. Hitomi Mukaibo,
summits, we were grounded by the fact that in the
a chemical engineer at the University of Rochester, and her
year 2030, our 12th graders will be 34 years old, our 8th graders
graduate student gave AC students feedback as they produced
will be 30 years old, and our kindergarteners will be 22 years old.
their work.
Most summit participants agreed that as the world becomes
As one of our teachers defines it, “AC’s S.T.R.E.A.M. program
more advanced and more globalized, we will have an everbridges the gap between disciplines in a meaningful and useful
increasing need to balance and integrate information. At AC,
way for our students. The initiative intentionally connects the
students now have a more flexible schedule including a recurring
concepts, so they can begin to think on a level more in-tune with
collaborative block offering time for design thinking, more time
the authentic experiences we provide and they will encounter at
for electives such as the new finance class in our Middle School,
AC and beyond.”
and countless opportunities across all grade levels for students to
According to Lisa Campbell ’83, P’18, P’20, and Trustee, “Mick
apply what they are learning.
Gee is driving the effort for this unique and powerful approach.
The adoption of the new integrated S.T.R.E.A.M. (Science,
Mick’s international perspective has elevated the S.T.E.M. program
Technology, Research, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) studies
to a level of complete differentiation by integrating research and
approach is also making a big impact.
arts more fully into the recognized curriculum. Adding these
disciplines has made a positive impact on the students, and sets
Allendale Columbia apart from other schools.”
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
4
FEATURE STORY
THE IMPACT OF
S.T.R.E.A.M. ON TEAMS
AC Middle Schoolers place second in the Nation overall.
When Allendale Columbia Middle School students JT, Thomas,
Danielle, Rotsirohawi, Giovanni, James, Aditi, and Anjana put their
S.T.R.E.A.M. intellect to the test, they made a name for themselves,
regionally and nationally.
They are already making an impact, too.
In the words of one of the judges watching
our students: “That is a better solution than
I have seen in all the years I have been
teaching this—and I teach college freshmen.”
The Allendale Columbia team placed an
impressive first place in the nation for
this problem-solving portion of the
competition and second overall. The
NYTSA tweeted, “Allendale Columbia
School is a triple threat!”
represent New York State to compete for Best in Nation rights at
the annual TSA Conference in Washington, D.C.
Based on the National Academy of Engineering’s Grand
Challenges, the theme for this year’s national competition
was “Engineering Tomorrow’s Cities—
Improving Urban Infrastructure.”
stream
Head of School Mick Gee was excited about
sending the team to Washington, D.C. “This
is an excellent opportunity for our students,
particularly these students who are excelling
science technology research engineering arts math
at the highest level and living our core values
“That is a better solution
every day. They have minds that are curious
than I have seen in all the
and creative, they are working collaboratively,
years I have been teaching
and they are making connections across
this – and I teach college
disciplines constantly while mastering strategies
freshmen.”
After achieving Best in State at the regional
for learning. I’m proud of each of them as
—NYTSA judge about Allendale Columbia Middle School students
TEAMS (Tests of Engineering Aptitude,
individuals, but most impressed by how
Mathematics, and Science) Competition sponsored by the
effectively they worked together; clearly they made an impact on
international Technology Student Association (TSA), the AC
the judges, too!”
students went on to nationals this summer.
Urban infrastructure problems and world energy needs require the
The TEAMS Competition is an annual contest challenging middle
ability to make connections between science, technology, research,
and high school students to work collaboratively and apply their
engineering, the arts, and mathematics. All these disciplines are
math and science knowledge in practical and creative ways to
intertwined into real problems and potential solutions for the
solve real, everyday engineering challenges. Although it was the
engineers and scientists of today to tackle on a national, if not
first time in history that Allendale Columbia School sent a team to
global, scale. During the TEAMS Competition, a group of middle
participate in the regional TEAMS Competition, they earned a Best
school students experienced firsthand how interwoven these areas
in State title. While achieving Best in State, they also earned the fifth can be and succeeded in being part of the next generation of
highest overall score in the nation. As a result, they were invited to
problem solvers.
5
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
■
■
■
■
■
■
AC by the numbers
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
6
FEATURE STORY
A world of impact:
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS AC?
7
Here.
There.
Everywhere.
This fall, AC strengthened our
international community by
opening a second international
house. This residence is home
to seven girls from four
countries. AC students hail
from more than 13 countries
and four continents. Our
esteemed alums reside in 23
countries including 48 states
in the U.S.
Last year, AC expanded our
international presence with two
AC is making a global impact.
Get involved! Tell us where your
travels take you, and we’ll
help you connect to the global
AC family. Let us know if you’d
like to host an event in your city.
If you’re interested in spreading
the word for admissons, contact
admissions@allendalecolumbia.org.
If you’re interested in gathering
alums, contact
alumni@allendalecolumbia.org.
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
Head for External Affairs and
Director of Admissions, Karyn Vella,
traveled to Ecuador,Venezuela, and
Colombia to interview students
and build relationships in South
America. During the spring, she and
Head of School Mick Gee made an
important visit to Asia, connecting
with current AC families and
developing partnerships. AC hosted
events in Shanghai and Seoul. The
AC duo also met with prospective
families in Vietnam.
AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES
SENIOR STUDY PROJECTS 2014
Every year, many seniors at Allendale Columbia School conclude their studies by opting to
undertake Senior Study Projects. The program is open to all students during the last month
of their senior year. Students design their projects with as little help as possible from faculty.
Those seniors whose projects are approved are then given leave to pursue their ideas.
At the end of the school year, each senior gives a presentation to the committee and
submits a written report to be archived in the school library, available for anyone to read.
Some students conclude their project with a formal presentation to the Allendale Columbia
School community and the greater Rochester community.
During 2014, AC seniors interned with a wide range of organizations including:
STUDENT
FACULTY SPONSOR
WORKSITE
Erin Elise Amborski
Martijn K. Appelo
Brynne Taylor Colella
Carolyn Marie Dubnik
Timothy James Eilinger II
Ryan Catherine Grimes
Rayan Ifthikhar
Hye Jin Jun
Ethan Kahler Kennedy
Juliana B. Levinson
Mallory Laura Mintz
Elizabeth Morgan Peterson
Emma Louise Rowlands
Ruiqi Yin
Mrs. Diane Broberg
Sr. Ray Perez
Mrs. Diane Broberg
Mme. Dominique O’Donovan
Mr. Artie Cruz
Sra. Callie Rabe
Sra. Callie Rabe
Mr. Fred Barnes
Sra. Callie Rabe
Mr. Tony Tepedino
Ms. Amy Oliveri
Ms. Heather Hutton
Sr. Ray Perez
Ms. Lori Kimbrough Wun
Dixon Schwabl
Allendale Columbia School
Noyes Memorial Hospital
Strong Museum
Wegmans
Flour City Bread Co.
Strong Hospital
Satispie
Kyle Farms
Midlakes Development and Construction
Theravet
Democrat and Chronicle
Democrat and Chronicle
Teen Empowerment
2013-2014 Senior Study Project Committee:
Dr. Vincent Bissonette
Ms. Heather Hutton
Dr. Keith Jones
Ms. Kristin Merriman
Sr. Ray Perez
Ms. Faye Shea
If you think your place of work would make a good site for students completing Senior Study Projects in
the future, please let us know! Simply contact Kristin Merriman at kmerriman@allendalecolumbia.org!
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
8
INSIDE THE BOX
BY JOSHUA BRANDT ’00
FOUNDING PARTNER, STACK + CO
At our annual spring alumni gathering in Boston, Head of School Mick
Gee enjoyed a conversation with Josh about the necessity of offering
authentic experiences and S.T.R.E.A.M. studies within a global context.
Having experienced the challenges of working in a start-up environment,
Josh was enthusiastic about AC’s vision to prepare students to excel in
college and succeed in a globally competitive society.
9
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
Starting a business is never easy. But for
those of us who ventured out on our
own, just before the start of what would
come to be known as the Great Recession,
the experience ended up being far more
challenging—and ultimately far more
rewarding—than what we could have
anticipated.
Sensing a breakthrough, I sat down at our
conference table one evening and began
to reverse engineer the project into
viability; it was our attempt to save our
business. Tear down the expensive-torenovate existing building. Maximize the
number of shipping containers on the site
to create economy of scale. Apply what
In March 2008, I told Shawmut Design
and Construction—a reputable and
respected company that had employed
me since 2005—that I was leaving to
start my own business (my soon-to-be
business partner gave his notice the same
day). In April, Stack + Co. broke ground
the project’s ambitious energy goals and
cut costs.
The passion, the pace, the creativity, the
skill—it was entrepreneurism in its purest
form. By 3:00 a.m. we had a concept for
a building that could work. The entire
evening had been catharsis enabled only
by months of dedication, desperation, and
hope through days of doubt.
secured contracts for two more projects
which would start in the fall.
And then September 2008 happened.
Lehman Brothers collapsed. The economy
cratered. Within ten days, both projects we
All other prospects for new business
evaporated. But these extraordinarily
trying circumstances ended up revealing
capabilities that I didn’t know I had. They
were the catalyst for what, in hindsight,
is unquestionably the proudest and most
productive period of my professional career.
I have always been a very hard worker.
It’s just part of my personality (plus how
else does one survive Mr. Fujita’s AP
Calculus class?). But during this time, the
odd combination of passion and fear led
me to put time into my work like I never
had before. Morning, noon, and night, I
found opportunities to advance our cause,
despite the fact that none of them were
“paying” opportunities.
I networked relentlessly. Professional
connections. Personal connections. People
who might have a chance of hiring us.
People who had absolutely no chance of
hiring us. Vendors and subcontractors
we might hire. Coffees. Lunches. Drinks.
Professional associations. The primary goal
was to drum up new business. But even if
that failed, I was determined to make sure
that everyone knew what Stack’s vision
was and where our passions lay.
Seven months later we broke ground on
One of those passions was (and still is)
to build buildings that use less energy,
but to do so in a way that makes so
most hardened, climate-change-denier
would want to. I compiled a library of
detailed pricing information on various
types of building envelopes and HVAC
systems—the interrelated primary
drivers of building energy consumption.
My business partner taught himself the
basics of energy modeling in hopes
of quantifying the relative impacts of
different envelopes and systems on
energy consumption. I started building
models that we hoped might allow for
a building’s energy performance to be
optimized based on cost and expected
energy consumption.
I went back and revisited projects that
for one reason or another had not come
to fruition. One particularly tantalizing
project—one of the ones that had
been put on hold in September—was
a building conceived to be made half of
used shipping containers. It was sexy. It
was cool. But it was way too expensive
for those uncertain times. However, the
project’s upside was too much to dismiss.
I continued to dissect the numbers
and eventually concluded that the
shipping container portion could make
one challenging year to execute—a year
that called upon all of the same work
ethic and skills that we had honed during
during my time at Allendale Columbia).
When the construction was complete,
Stack + Co. moved in.
Its unique architecture, its obviously
“green” qualities, and its highly visible
location next to a highway caught the
attention of traditional and web-based
media, locally and internationally. When
interviewed for stories about it, I proudly
building, despite being built for belowmarket cost.
I didn’t care whether or not anyone knew
how much making a building like that had
taken out of me; what I had gotten out of
it was so much more.
of the project—an adaptive reuse of
an existing building on the proposed
site—that was driving the project away
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
10
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2014
Erin Amborski
Villanova University
Martijn Appelo
University of Michigan
Ryan Grimes
University of Rochester, Early Medical
Scholars Program
Russell Hegedorn
Isaac Aub
Berklee College of Music
JaeYeon Chung
University of Michigan
Brynne Colella
University of Rochester
Carolyn Dubnik
Lafayette College
Timothy Eilinger
University of Texas
Alexander Frenett
Finger Lakes Community College
Cornell University 2015
Washington University in St. Louis
Gap Year in South Korea
Tulane University
Cornell University
Finger Lakes Community College
Amherst College
Weifeng Hu
Rayan Ifthikhar
John Jamieson
Hye Jin Jun
Ethan Kennedy
Olivia Kneller
Emma Rowlands
Soo Jeong Lee
Joseph Shearer
Juliana Levinson
Shahil Subba
Mallory Mintz
Jiasi Tang
Christina Myers
Ruiqi Yin
Jessica Pembroke
Aamir Zainulabadeen
Elizabeth Peterson
Angel Zayas
Ithaca College
Roberts Wesleyan College
Wake Forest University
Rochester Institute of Technology
American University
Nazareth College
Carleton College
The George Washington University
Syracuse University
Emory University
Miami University of Ohio
Princeton University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Ithaca College
“There are 29 of us
sitting on this stage. Twenty-nine individuals who have been directly
affected by both their interactions with others and the culture at Allendale Columbia. What would a day
here be like without casual nods from Mr. Hunt, sass from Mr. Pittinaro, or laughter from Señora Rabe? It’s
these little moments that are trademarks of the Allendale Columbia experience, and these are the moments
that we will look back on as we step off on our next adventures. And though we may miss these interactions,
we know that there will always be a chance to come back and visit.”
—2014 Commencement Speaker
Martijn Appelo ’14
11
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
AC UPPER SCHOOL HONORS
CONVOCATION AWARD RECIPIENTS
Columbia Class of 1957
Forum Award Winner
National Merit Scholarship Corporation–
National Merit Scholar
Cum Laude Society
Jeff Huff ’84 Memorial Award
Senior Class of 2014
Ray Perez
retired this past
June after a teaching career at Allendale
Columbia that spanned 28 years. The
impact he made on our community is
immense. Señor Perez’s colleagues, friends,
and family were asked to share a few
words about him ...
Weifeng Hu
Ryan Grimes
Carolyn Dubnik
Mallory Mintz
Maria Rainero
Ryan Dens
Emily Paszko
Michael Lovejoy
Cornell Essay Contest Winner
Maria Rainero
Evan Bourtis
Tucker Gosnell ’77 Prize in English
Aamir Zainulabadeen
“I wish you an excellent retirement,
and I still expect an email or two
during the Duke-SU games.”
Ménendès-La Flèche French Award
“Margaret and I will never forget how
you made us translate ‘Stayin’ Alive’ into
Spanish and sing it in front of the class.
Elizabeth Coffin Bynum Award
“The school may only need to replace
one teacher, but the holes that we
Haley Glazer
Latin Prize
Samuel Ryckaert
Alyssa Marino
Pablo Neruda Award
Martijn Appelo
Churchill-Yager Mathematics Award
Alexander Frenett
Weifeng Hu
Class of 1978 Science Prize
“The most salient things I learned from
him are not old languages or baseball
tactics, but rather, how to be a good
human being.”
“My favorite thing that Ray used to
tell me was: ‘Whatever happened to
bad luck? Why is everyone always
trying to blame someone else for
everything? Take responsibility ...’”
Alexander Frenett
John Jamieson
Bausch & Lomb Science Prize
Yanhao “Rick” Zhao
Community Service Award
Aamir Zainulabadeen
Sherman Farnham, Jr. ’62 & Anne Morris
Farnham ’64 Community Service Award
Lawrence Rowlands
Della E. Simpson Memorial Award
University of Rochester Frederick
Douglass & Susan B. Anthony Award
Emily Yax
Rensselaer Medal
Ryan Dens
Brown University Book Award
Haley Glazer
Dartmouth College Book Award
Emily Paszko
Williams College Book Prize
Ricky Yates
Williams Cup
Jessica Pembroke
Ray Hickok Award
Weifeng Hu
Athletic Association Sportsmanship Award
Christina Myers
Gannett Cup
Catherine Nevius Award
Shahil Subba
The Edwin “Ted” Atwood Prize in History
Headmaster’s Prize in Memory of Peter
Schwartz by the Class of ’54
Kevin Stein Class of 1982 Art Prize
John Harrison Alumni Award
Computer Science Department Award
Russell Hegedorn
MIDDLE SCHOOL
RECOGNITION
CEREMONY
Vocal Music Award
Helen Monroe Award
Martijn Appelo
Mallory Mintz
Emma Rowlands
“My translation skills and my ability to
complete ninth grade math homework
have suffered over the past 20+ years, but
I will always remember how you made me
feel. INSPIRED. PLAYFUL. CURIOUS.
INSIGHTFUL. SAFE TO TAKE RISKS.
INTERESTING. And, TERRIFIED ...”
T.J. Eilinger
“He was a constant source of laughter,
support and guidance, and calming
energy. He was there for all the big
stuff ... the little moments ... and
everything in between.”
Aamir Zainulabadeen
Bob Stata Instrumental Music Award
Abi Long
Dramatic Arts Award
Martijn Appelo
Gordon Smith ’50 Award
National Merit Commended Students
Isaac Aub
Olivia Kneller
National Merit Scholarship Corporation–
Xerox Foundation Scholarship
T.J. Eilinger
Erin Amborski
Martijn Appelo
Fiona Lutz
Elizabeth Cotter
Nicholas Milella Award
Jean-Paul Klem
Maeve Gleeson
Cygnet Award
Corwin Perry
Chris Hickok Award
Caroline Mealey
Merit Award
Indiia Maring
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
12
AC NOW
Summer LEAP is a Life-Changing Experience
ALLEN
BIA
UM
the program every summer
Allendale Columbia School is tackling the
CO
E
L
and grow it by one grade
problem of summer learning loss head-on
L
DA
level each year. Students
with its Summer LEAP program, a part of
from School No. 17 will
the Greater Rochester Summer Learning
be able to participate in
Association consortium. This past summer,
PROGRAM
Summer LEAP through
first and second grade students (including
grade eight.
bilingual learners) from Rochester
City School District School No. 17 spent six
The partnership is life-changing
weeks at AC, participating in an intensive reading
for students and teachers alike. “The
curriculum with a 3:1 student-teacher ratio.
experience far exceeded my expectations.
Breakfast and lunch were provided each day, and
When reflecting back, I would not say it
field trips focused on utilizing local resources within was work,” said faculty member Stephanie
the City of Rochester.
DePaul-Pragel. “The students filled my mind
summer leap
BE
The partnership is designed to continue during
the school year with Upper School students
volunteering at School No. 17 and AC faculty
providing extra tutoring. Additionally, AC will offer
THE
CHAN
GE
and my heart. I am a better educator and a
better person because of this experience. I
learned as much as the students did.”
Teacher Stephanie DePaul-Pragel working with School No. 17
students during AC’s Summer LEAP program.
May Term Brings New Opportunities
At the end of the spring semester, Middle and
Upper School students at Allendale Columbia
School completed their usual curriculum and
began what has come to be known as May Term.
With more than 20 new courses to choose from,
students are encouraged to take risks, follow
their passions, and dig deeper in courses such as
College Workshop, Cinematography, Mousetrap
(building Rube Goldberg machines), Health and
Biomedicine, Makey Makey, Community Service,
Team Building, High Peaks Trip to the Adirondacks,
the Science of Food Preparation, and more.
May Term at AC exists to provide educational
opportunities outside of the normal structures of
the school year to support intellectual discovery,
encourage collaboration, and foster community
involvement.
May Term courses are designed to emphasize
global awareness, interdisciplinary content, and
service learning.
Middle School students
Emilia Granat, AnnMargaret
Mealey, and Marissa Frenett
capture shots in their stop
motion animation class.
Upper School
students Xin “Lucas”
Yao and Eva Appelo
examine “evidence”
under a microscope
in their forensics
class.
Middle School student Dylan Reece works with technology
teacher Tony Tepedino and classmates Luke Dioguardi and
Cassandra Northrup during the Makey Makey course to
build an electronic video game controller.
13
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
AC NOW
Home Away
from Home
This fall, we officially opened our second
international house which is designed to
house eight girls from around the world.
At the September 23rd Ribbon Cutting event,
Mick Gee, Head of School, thanked the Mangan
family, the Garrett family, and the Tait family for
their vision and generosity that made it possible
for us to have an international house for boys
and an additional one for girls. In addition to
House parent and faculty member Dr. Eleanor Sparagana with international house residents Ruixin “Lareina” Liu,
Zhiwei “Germaine” Gu, Manqing “Mandy” Peng, Chenge “Sabrina” Ma, Soo Min Lee, Erykah Yasmine Kangbeya,
and Chung Eun Kim Armijos.
Amy and Bob Tait ’75, two students who live in
the houses spoke at the event and reflected on
their experiences:
“It is not like other boarding schools ... we are
more than classmates now, we are like brothers.
This is our home away from home,” said Xiong
Yiwei, a senior from China.
AC’s Entrepreneur Day
Gets National Notice
An article written by John Sullivan, Head of Lower School, recently
appeared in Independent School, a publication produced by the National
Association of Independent Schools. In the full-page article, John shares
details about AC’s Entrepreneur Day, discussing how students submit
business plans, develop products or services, and then showcase and sell
them at an annual event, providing a true authentic learning opportunity.
RIT • GCVM • AC Partnership
Last year, our fifth- and eighth-grade students collaborated with researchers from the Rochester
Institute of Technology to build tourism apps for the Genesee Country Village and Museum. We
were elated to find out that their work is now a fully published academic paper! The paper and
project were presented at the Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Conference in Great Britain
in September, and the paper was also nominated for the Best Paper Award.
TED x
AllendaleColumbiaSchool
x = independently organized TED event
Our second annual TEDx event at Allendale
Columbia School was held on February 1st, 2014.
Videos of our 2014 participants making an impact
are available at tedxallendalecolumbiaschool.org.
Stay tuned for more information about our
third annual TEDxAllendaleColumbiaSchool
on March 7th, 2015. Information for the
upcoming event will be available soon at
tedxallendalecolumbiaschool.org.
Yasmine, a student in grade ten from Cote
d’Ivoire shared, “This house, with the help of
every girl who lives in it, is a stable community.
It is not just an international house, it is our
international house ... a place that we all fill with
experiences, happiness, generosity, concentration,
effectiveness, and success.”
We Love to Teach
Students—and
Other Teachers
AC teachers regularly share their knowledge
and passion at leading educational conferences.
More than a dozen AC thought leaders—both
teachers and administrators—gave presentations
at 16 different local and national educational
conferences and events during the 2013-2014
academic year. Presentation topics included:
■ Effectively Serving International Students
and Families and Developing Global
Citizenship in All Students
■ Design Thinking
■ How to Build a Personal Learning Network
You Can Manage
■ iPad 1:1 Deployment: Lessons Learned
in Year 2
■ Not a Digital Native: Developing the Skills
of a Digital Citizen
■ Statistics and the Nspire
■ Using Videos to Excite, Invigorate, and
Enhance the Math Class
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
14
TRACY GLEASON ’80
Making a National Impact
How did your
passion for
education develop
and how did
you get involved
with educational
reform at this
level?
My father was
working in Rochester
to get charter schools started. He was trying
to fix the problems that the Rochester public
city schools were dealing with, and he realized
that you can’t really fix them externally, but
instead from within. He soon realized that
if they couldn’t fix the K-12 education crisis,
they couldn’t even begin to address any of
the other issues at hand. We have to have
an educated workforce in order to be a
thriving country. As a result of his passion,
K-12 education reform had to be the focus
of our foundation; since I don’t live in
Rochester, I tend to look at the issue as a
national issue. I have a 40,000-foot vantage
point and there was a disconnect between
education reform and the impact it was
having on people; it was more of an academic
movement. It had extreme white paper
data and facts which lacked the emotional
component that people really pay attention to.
I started marketing the issue to people around
the country and that’s where I found my place
in the whole movement.
You mentioned in a separate
conversation that your work is truly
about broad and systemic change. How
do you think education reform impacts
parents today, if at all?
Overall, when I think about education reform
I think about students, teachers, parents,
taxpayers—everyone. Whether you send
your child(ren) to private school or not, any
taxpayer is willing to spend “x” amount of
dollars on a public education system. I think
we expect that system to provide a good
education for everyone, but we are not getting
that. We, as taxpayers, pay for a high-end
product, but in many cases we get a model
that is decades old. My advice to parents and
families is, “don’t accept the model that is
15
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
decades old, but demand the high end product
that has been paid for by society.” Most of
us have accepted inferior products and we
have become so conditioned to go to the
school that we are assigned to unless we have
the means or good fortune for opportunity
scholarships. I don’t think we should accept
this. We’re accepting less than mediocrity in
many situations. If you bought toothpaste
and it was leaking, you wouldn’t accept it. You
would take it back to the store and return it.
We shouldn’t be accepting it. For what we
spend, we should have a good return.
“If we weren’t so engaged in AC,
I don’t think we would have such
a passion for other people to
have what we had. If you have no
idea what’s possible, how do you
fight for it?”
—Tracy Gleason ’80
Are more people joining you in the
movement or do you feel like you’re
alone as you move forward?
So many people in the education reform
world are doing incredible things from
different angles. I think we have made headway
through marketing recently. Many people think
marketing is an expensive national advertising
campaign, but it’s not. It’s where you connect
with people and sell your concepts and ideas
to get somewhere. National School Choice
Week is a week in January when people from
all around the country come together to do
things as a school to celebrate being able to
be a part of a great educational environment
for children. We make a lot of “noise” this
week as a PR campaign and it’s so organic;
every school does something different,
celebrating their school in their own way. In
this way, it is more of a time to celebrate than
a time to complain. Consequently, people
become more aware of the choices nearby,
which in turn inspires parents to consider
the best options for their family. We started
about four years ago and affected maybe
150 people. We now offer 5,600 events and
impact thousands of people during that week.
I have found sometimes schools don’t stop to
acknowledge their strengths and that which
makes them unique. National School Choice
Week is designed to help schools do this for
the benefit of students and parents.
Has anything else shifted?
Governors are declaring National School
Choice Week and making proclamations about
it. People are stopping and thinking about the
issue a little bit more. It’s become unavoidable
because you hear about it on the news or
people are talking about it. More people are
paying attention to and appreciating their
choices. Never did I stop to think and give
thanks to be at AC and I loved AC. It’s really
important for people to stop and reflect and
appreciate what they have.
Can you share a memory from AC?
At the awards luncheon, I told the story
about putting on nail polish and doing our hair
during the first bus ride over to the Allendale
Campus; we were looking forward to seeing
the boys. However, one striking memory was
the energy crisis in the 1970s, and because
they had to lower the thermostat so much,
they temporarily changed the dress code to
corduroy pants for the winter.
What impact has AC had on you?
As a family, a whole family, we were very
involved in the AC community. I was involved
in the student government, my mother was
the head of the Mothers’ Counsel, my father
was a Chairman of the Board. We lived and
breathed AC. He was a big thinker when it
came to paying attention to K-12 education;
he knew what he was talking about because
he was engaged in the lives of his own children
at AC. If we weren’t so engaged in AC, I don’t
think we would have such a passion for other
people to have what we had. If you have no
idea what’s possible, how do you fight for it?
Do you have any advice for students or
recent graduates?
I would say, “figure out what your personal joy
is to really enjoy what you do with your life.”
AC COMMUNITY
The Impact of Time
Then & Now
Claire Dubnik, parent of Carolyn Dubnik ’14,
Cornell University ’18
Wendy Howitt, parent of Juliana Levinson ’14,
American University ’18
Time is a funny thing. When we are so busy that the days
run together, time seems to pass by without much notice.
Only when things slow down and we allow our thoughts
to reflect on all that has happened over the years, do we
appreciate the impact of time. Lucky are those who can
live in the moment, and appreciate the value of each day.
I distinctly remember being a mother of young children and
all that entailed—constant supervision; sharing beds and
stories; silly songs; soccer games better described as “clump
ball;” fantastic yet exhausting birthday parties; and family
trips with car seats, strollers, and as many snacks as one
could reasonably carry.
Last September, Carolyn began her final year at AC.
I began the year as most parents of seniors probably
do—dreading the “last” of everything. The “last” volleyball
game, the “last” Holiday Breakfast, the “last” Costa Rica
trip, the “last” Strawberry Breakfast, and so on. I could not
imagine making it through the year in one piece—after all,
we’ve been an AC family for 14 years. Most of Carolyn’s
life has been spent beneath the birches.
Back then, when I would speak with parents of older
children (high school, college, or even (gasp!) living on their
own), I would feel a disconnect. That will never be me,
I thought with some disillusion. Of course, intellectually,
I knew that children grow up and leave home, but
emotionally, I was so immersed in the stage of life we were
in, I could scarcely imagine anything else.
And then I made a decision that changed how I viewed
the time we had left at AC. I wanted to celebrate each
and every moment of the last year, and focus on all that
Carolyn had accomplished. I would experience every
event through grateful, happy eyes—just as I’d done for
all of the previous years. I wouldn’t let the emotions
of the “lasts” be what my daughter remembered after
graduation.
And how glad I am that I made that decision—as our
senior year at AC was happy and memorable. I watched
our daughter blossom into a confident, capable young
woman who is ready for the next challenge. Looking
back at Carolyn as Miss Crowe’s pre-kindergarten
student seems unreal—it’s that time thing again. AC has
shaped and molded her in so many positive ways, and
we are extremely grateful to all who touched our lives
over these 14 years. Thank you Allendale Columbia for a
wonderful journey.
And now, the inevitable has happened as we experience
the first big break—college. My husband and I have officially
joined the “Parents of older/adult children group.” For a
significant portion of the year, our daughter will reside
elsewhere, on the road to adulthood.
What a journey it’s been! They need you so much, then
the next minute they don’t (or don’t think they do). And
as proud as we are to share in her excitement for the
upcoming years on her college campus, there is a tiny voice
that wants to whisper, “stay.”
But how could we keep her from all the experiences that
await at college? Those incredible, wonderful years!
One reason we can be certain Juliana and her friends are
ready to go is simply: Allendale Columbia School. The
school challenged them, nurtured them, and encouraged
them to speak up for what they believe in and pursue
what they want to accomplish. AC provides phenomenal
guidance in the college process and unsurpassed levels
of personal support along the way. No unnecessary
boundaries exist between educators and students, only the
expectation of mutual respect. If the halls of AC could speak
they would say: “This is your education. Make it special. It’s
important.” At AC, students learn they can make an impact
as they hear the message: “Dream it, then do it.”
The class of 2014 is well-equipped for what is on the
horizon. I know they will make the entire AC community
proud to count them amongst its generations of graduates.
In turn, it is with great pride our young adults can proclaim,
“I graduated from Allendale Columbia School.”
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
16
ANNUAL FUND DONOR REPORT
The following list includes all annual giving to Allendale Columbia School from July 1st, 2013 –
June 30th, 2014. Thank you to everyone in the Allendale Columbia community who helped make
a difference—your generosity helps AC lead the way regionally, nationally, and internationally. We
hope you will join us this year as we continue to advance excellence in education.
Cornerstone Society
$10,000+
Anonymous †*
Mr. Andre Langston and
Ms. Wendy Boyde *
Erwin and Gertrude Davenport
Private Foundation
Gleason Family Foundation
Allendale Columbia
Founders
$5,000–$9,999
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bartlett †*
Ann Garrett ’46 †*
Susan Hunter *
Mr. Xu Jie and Mrs. Guo Lingling *
Tom ’63 and Ebets ’64 Judson †*§
Nancy Lee ’48 †*
Jennifer Newman †*
Mr. and Mrs. Jon Schumacher ’55 †*
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Silver ’42 †*
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Symington ’76 †
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wilder ’53
Head of School Circle
$1,000–$4,999
Mr. Qinxin and Mrs. Aihua *
Mr. Willem Appelo and
Mrs. Renate Appelo-Prins †*
Mr. and Mrs. William Balderston, IV †
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Blakley ’89
Charles Bradford ’99 †
Brown & Brown Insurance
Mrs. Betsy ’64 and Mr. John Carver
Diana Rabb Clarkson ’99 †
Dr. Margueritte Murphy and
Dr. Brian Cooper *
Ted and Claire Curtis ’47 †*
17
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
Marcia Goodwin Cutler ’82
Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Dorschel *
C. Kieran Draper †*
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Dubnik †
Mr. Michael and Mrs. Noreen Falcone *
Mr. Sherman ’62 and
Mrs. Anne ’64 Farnham Jr.
Fidelity Investments
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Fox *
Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Garrett, Jr. ’70 †*§
Mr. Mick and Dr. Amy Gee *§
Jane Martin Ghazarossian ’64
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Glazer ’80 *
William Hale ’39 †*
Dr. JJ and Dr. Sarah Ifthikharuddin *
Mr. and Mrs. Michael King *§
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Lander ’38 *
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Leenhouts *
Richard A. Mahar ’54
Mr. and Mrs. James Martin *
Dr. Manuel Matos and
Dr. Stamatia Destounis †*
Mr. Gilbert K. McCurdy Jr. *
Matthew McEvoy ’86
Sally McGucken ’58 *
Mrs. Amy ’82 and
Mr. John Mealey *§
Mrs. Janice ’52 and Mr. Bradley
Middlebrook
Mr. Thaddeus ’53 and
Mrs. Sherley ’57 Newell III †
Mr. and Mrs. Ellison Patterson Jr. *
Precision Auto Detailing
Dr. Gregory and Dr. Colby Previte *
Mr. Zhao Qiang and Mrs. Qian Haiging*
Dr. John and Dr. Ruth Anne Queenan *
Bridgette Rivers ’81 †
Mrs. Elisabeth ’96 and
Mr. Mauricio Riveros †*
Thomas Siebert ’45 *
Robert Sykes ’45
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tait II ’75 †*
The Pike Company
Marian Todd ’58
Kathryn Tsibulsky ’94
Mr. Scott Turner and
Ms. Mary Worboys-Turner †
Miss Joan Twaddle §
Peter von Bucher ’02
Elizabeth A. Wehle ’90 †*
Mr. Ernest ’58 Whitbeck III and
Mrs. Marie ’59 Whitbeck †*
Mr. and Mrs. Keith Wilson *
Louise Yamada ’61
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Yates *
Mr. Dai Yong and Mrs. Qiu Mei*
Mr. Chen Xinzhang and
Mrs. Luo Xiaohong*
Mr. Liu Zhiwei and Mrs. Duan Min*
Allendale Columbia
Benefactors
$500–$999
Anonymous
Per Sven Adamson ’85
American Express Foundation
Anonymous
Mr. A.E. Ted Aub and Ms. Phillia Yi *
Richard Beattie ’86
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Blair ’81
Mr. and Mrs. James Blankenship *
Mr. and Mrs. Spiro Bourtis *
Mr. David Breit and Dr. Maria Aslani-Breit *
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Browning *
Elizabeth Bynum ’50 *
Mr. James ’66 and Mrs. Melissa Clark *
Julia Cline ’98
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Crofton ’55 *
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas DaRin †
Mr. Kenneth Dens and
Ms. Mary Beth Conway †*
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Eisenhart, Jr. ’62 †*
Pandush Filipi *
Mr. and Mrs. James Gleason ’51 †*
Jean Miller Gordon ’56
Mrs. Georgia Gosnell ’47 *
Frank Grosso *
Mrs. Suzanne and Mr. Richard Hamell ’64
Harter Secrest & Emery, LLP
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Hegedorn *
Ms. Rita V. Hoard ’88 and
Mr. Sukhvinder Sokhi
Paul and Eileen Holloway †
Mrs. Hugh Hunter ’58 †*
The Hwang Family *
David and Holly ’68 Jacobstein †*
Mrs. Daisy and Mr. Paul Keller *
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Kitchen †*
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Krenzer *
Mr. Jeffrey Levinson and
Ms. Wendy Howitt *
Dr. Daniel and Mrs. Dorothy Marion
Warren Marsland ’54 *§
James McKenna II ’94 †
Deborah McLean †
Christina Mitchell ’87 and
Shannon E. Manley
Mrs. and Mr. Willis Mitchell †
Mr. Jeffrey and Mrs. Tracey Morrell *
Kameko Nichols ’98
Mr. Gregory North and
Ms. Annie McQuilken *
Mr. Pierre and Mrs. Marlize du Plessis *
Progressive Insurance Foundation
Susan Heilbrunn Shapiro ’70
Shirley Shumway ’54 †*
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mrs. Wylie ’79 and Mr. Stuart Small †*§
Mrs. Beverly ’59 and Mr. Richard Smith †*
Martha Staniford ’69
The Gleason Family Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Van Arsdale *
Vista Teach Instructional Services
Betsy Mitchell Wallon ’89
Patricia H. Wehle *
Mr. and Mrs. William Sedor *
Dr. M. Firdos Ziauddin *
Patricia Y. Zuroski *§
Blue & White Circle
$250–$499
Mr. Lennard Anderson and
Dr. Saba Abaci *
Anonymous *
Mr. and Mrs. Peter M. Bagg ’62
Linda Boehlert and Paul La Flèche at their sister Mel La Flèche’s rose garden dedication.
Ruth Baltzer ’57 †*
Mrs. Laura ’72 and Mr. Charles Barker
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Bates
Sandra (Goldberg) Berbeco-Coen ’64
Mr. and Mrs. John Bilinski *
Yum and Yuk Books
Mrs. Peggy ’74 and Mr. Edward Boucher †*
Mrs. Miranda McGrath ’71 and
Mr. Ted Boylan
Mr. Ryan and Mrs. Kaileen Burke *§
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Brimlow *
Charles Clarkson ’03
Mr. and Mrs. Spencer J. Cook ’58 *
Mr. James Cotter and Dr. Eileen Adamo *
Mr. Robert and Mrs. Sally Coupal *
Lynne Crofton ’77
Don and Judy D’Ambrosio *
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Dandrea *
Mr. Jerry and Mrs. Anna Maria DeLuccio *
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Diehl *
Gary and Debbie DiFrancesco *
Joseph Dioguardi *
Young Do ’90
Ms. Tricia Hough and Mr. Chris Edwards *
Grant Eiselen ’89
Mr. and Mrs. William H. English *§
Pamm Ferguson †
Anne Foulkes ’52 †*§
Mr. Hugh Fuller and
Ms. Dawn Williams-Fuller *
Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Gallo ’01
Deborah Yates Gormly *
James Greenidge *
Dr. and Mrs. David Grimes *
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Guisto *
Sarah Haugen ’51
Chuck Hertrick and Joan Gerrity *§
Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Hickman ’63
Mr. Rich and Mrs. Zina Hocker *
Russell E. Houck, ’81
Mr. Edmund and Mrs. Pat Hunt *
John Ingle ’37
Miranda Johnson-Haddad ’76
Barry Jones *
Matthew Kepner ’05
Lilly (von Bucher) Kesner ’05
Ms. Sally Marrer ’77 and
Mr. Stephen Langlois
Mrs. Amy and Mr. Stephen Leibeck *
Frank C. Lillich ’58
Dr. Margaret Lindsey *
Dr. Scott W. Lisson, MD, FACS ’89
Mr. Peter and Mrs. Margot Lutz *
Dr. Joseph Marron and
Ms. Rebecca Kendall *
Mary McGucken Marshburn ’87
Allison L. Marsland ’83
Susan Jackson McAnulty ’62
Mrs. Lilac Inthavong-McEvoy and
Mr. Philip McEvoy *
Microsoft Matching Gifts Program
Mr. Ranlet ’53 and
Mrs. Elizabeth ’56 Miner Jr.
Mr. Dana and Mrs. Jeanne Mogauro *
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Montello *§
Mr. Robert and Mrs. Maura Moore †§
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Morris ’61
Courtney Harrison New ’98
Nancy Northup ’77
Mr. Nicholas and Mrs. Lynne Oddo *
Duffy Palmer †
Andrew Perry *
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Phelps
Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Pinkney *
Raytheon
Dan Reece *
Elizabeth Jackson Rhody ’53
Mrs. Jodi and Dr. Stuart Sacks *
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
18
Dr. Nancy Brown and
Mr. Craig Schmackpfeffer *
Dr. Seshadri Jagannathan and
Mrs. Sandhya Seshadri *
Mrs. Ann ’50 and Mr. Cornelius Sewell
Mr. Skip ’82 and Mrs. Dawn Shumway *
Brett and Elizabeth Swartz *
Daniel Szabo ’04
John Thoman
Salvatore and Marie Timpani *
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Trasher
Shauna Tucker ’76 †*
Karin Turturro *
Jane and Bob Van Alstyne *
Mrs. Lorraine Van Meter-Cline and
Dr. Douglas Cline §
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ward ’85
Mr. Peter and Mrs. Kelly Weishaar *
Cedric Williams ’86
Andrew Wilkinson ’97
Mr. Bruce and Mrs. Marianne Williamson
Mr. and Mrs. David Winn *
Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Melissa Zell *
Donors
under $250
Muazzez Abaci *
Wendy Ahlheim ’72
Darrick and Sarah Alaimo
Crystal Allen *
Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Allen ’64
Dr. and Mrs. Justus “Andy” Anderson ’52
Rev. Andy and Rev. Nola Anderson *
Anonymous
Mrs. Kelly and Mr. Joe Ardieta *
Ms. Rachel Lauber and
Mr. Matthew Ardizzone *
Julian Atwater †
Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Atwater ’76
Brandon Avila ’12
Christine Avila-Smith *
Mr. Matthew and Mrs. Ashley Babcock §
Mrs. Patricia and Mr. Robert Babcock §
Mrs. Linda ’57 and Mr. Richard Bagby
Jonathan and Shelley Bagg ’60
John Balderston ’10
Maggie Balderston ’07
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Balderston ’76
Sarah Balderston ’04
Mr. Arthur and Mrs. Dorothy Barber *
Lisa Barnes §
Mr. Fredrick Barnes and
Ms. Tarah Greenidge *§
19
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
Mr. Robert ’51 and Mrs. Chloe Barrett
Judy Batchelor *
Nancy Batty ’64
Mrs. Helen ’50 and Mr. Paul Baumgartner
Dan Beach ’54
Margaret Beattie *
Mr. Donald and Mrs. Regina Becker *
Lindsy (Croop) Bennage ’04
Dr. Vincent and Mrs. Melissa Bissonette *§
Mr. Bradford and Mrs. Martha Bjorklund *§
Debbie Blake *
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Blossom *
Stephen Bohrer ’82
Mr. and Mrs. David Bono *
Jean Borden ’42
Mr. and Mrs. Mathew Bowley *
Teddy Bradford ’10
Mr. Michael and Mrs. Lisa Brairton ’82
Mr. Terence ’85 and Mrs. Tiffany Brairton
Jennifer Brazener §
C. Pauline Breit *
Aedin Brennan ’12
Elizabeth Epstein Brenner ’81
Cynthia Brewster ’75 *
John Brimlow ’07
Mrs. Carolyn and Mr. Frank Brockler §
Mrs. Diane and Mr. Michael Broberg *§
Brockport Teachers Association
Mr. Zack ’97 and Ms. Erin Brooks *
Ms. Beth Brown and Mr. Joe Saville *
Lindsey Brown *§
Nita Brown *
Rev. Hoyt and Mrs. Sandra Brown *
Kathy Bulkeley ’78
Leslie J. Burlingame ’60
Mrs. Sharon ’65 and Mr. Westcott
Burlingame
D. and Linda K. Burnett
Mr. Robert and Mrs. Elizabeth Bysshe *
Mrs. Lisa ’83 and Mr. Paul Campbell †*
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cansler ’59
Crystal Cappon *
Mr. Gregory and Mrs. Doreen Castellano *
S. Gie Oey ’82 and Todd Caves
Donna Chaback §
R. Elliot Cherne, Jr. ’55
Jane Chiavelli ’75 (Randie Jane Chiavelli)
Mr. Harry Clark ’54 and
Mrs. Rhett Thurman
Geoffrey Cline ’01
Mrs. Jeannie and Mr. Michael Clinton *§
Mr. and Mrs. James Coffey *
Mr. Todd and Mrs. Wendi Coleman *
Laurie Johnson Colombo ’63 *
Mr. Richard and Mrs. Beverly Comstock *
Mrs. Caroline Centner-Conlon ’73 and
Mr. William Conlon
Abib Conteh ’96
Erin Conway §
Kevin and Susan Cooman †*
Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel Costanzo *§
Owen Coyle ’08
Mrs. Lisa and Mr. John Crandall §
Mr. Gregory and Mrs. Jodi Crego *
Michael Crews ’94
Tammy Crowe §
Arthur Cruz §
Katherine Cubeta ’65
Mr. Kurt Cylke and Mrs. Anna Kowalchuk *
George Dahl ’04
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Daly ’62
Mr. and Mrs. Bradley M. Damon ’62 *
Ms. Pam D’Angelo and Mr. Willam Bills §
Mrs. Leah Daniels-Farren and
Mr. Tyler Farren §
Helen Shaw Davis ’53
Mr. Timothy Davis and
Ms. Mary Ellen West *
Mr. Joel ’86 and Mrs. Bridget DeCory *
Carrie Deming ’02
Mr. Tom and Mrs. Jodi DeRosa *
Mr. Andy DeSouza and Ms. Katie Baird *
Mrs. Patricia ’60 and Mr. J. William Dibella
Courtney Dixon §
Irene Dombeck *
Ms. Sarah Donovan ’82
Rob Doran §
Mr. Allen Douglas and
Mrs. Lourdes Marquez-Douglas *
David Doyle ’55
Mr. and Mrs. Justin Doyle ’66 †
Dancy and Jim Duffus ‡*
Mr. Derek ’90 and Mrs. Kristen Duncan
Mr. Michael and Mrs. Kristine Duran *
Mrs. Tina and Mr. Frank Duver *§
Dr. Cynthia Ebinger *
Erin Eder §
Mr. David and Mrs. Rebecca Edwards *
Amanda Eisenhart ’95
Mrs. Sharon and Mr. Scott Ellmaker *§
Martius L. Elmore §
Matthew English ’89
Heather Ferguson ’97
Paul Fileri ’02
Mr. Phillip Fileri ’02 and
Ms. Nattha Chutinthranond
Mr. Thomas Flood and Ms. Jane Laskey *
Dawn Flowers-Thompson *
Ann Forbes *
Julia Foulkes ’81
Mr. Vincent and Mrs. Kasie Frassetto *
Mr. Murray and Mrs. Sharlene Freeman *
Mr. and Mrs. John Frenett *
Yoshi Fujita ’02
Loriann Furbush §
Mr. Michael Galban and
Mrs. Tonia Loran-Galban *
Gerda Gallop-Goodman ’86
Katie Garrett ’95
Mrs. Abby and Mr. Paul Gebel *§
Mr. and Mrs. William George ’62
Mr. Joel Gerbino and
Ms. Amalia Dache-Gerbino *
Kathryn McLean Gertsner ’04
Mrs. Vera ’89 and Mr. Aaron Giles
Mr. Matthew and Mrs. Nicole Glavin §
Mrs. Diana and Mr. Jason Gleeson *§
Marianna Gonzalez §
Former board member Amy Tait and son Alex Tait ’08
Michael Gonzalez ’03
Mary Gooding ’06
Mr. Gooding and Ms. Capizzi-Gooding †*
Rose Gooding ’09
Judy Gordon ’57 *
Mr. Philippe ’96 and Mrs. Shannah ’96
Gouvernet *
Mr. David ’99 and Ms. Yvonne Graham †
Virginia Gray §
Mr. and Mrs. Newton Green ’44
Ms. Barbara Kimbrough and
Mr. Reggie Greene *
Peter Gregory ’03
Mr. Bryan Grenn and Ms. Jo Bill *
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Greppin ’55
Dr. and Mrs. John A. Greppin ’55
Emily Gressel ’00
Agnes E. Griffith, Ph.D. ’49
Mrs. Beth and Mr. David Guzzetta §
Charles and Carolyn Haines †*
Mr. Ken and Mrs. Debbie Hampson *
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hargrave ’44
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hargrave ’49
Linda Johnson Harris (Dirga) ’63
Ms. Brooke Harter-Wheeler ’88 and
Mr. Michael Wheeler *§
Mr. and Mrs. Andy Hasselwander ’93
Mr. Rodney ’78 and Lydia Hatch, Jr.
Audrey Hays ’69
Ms. Lindsey Hegedorn and Mr. Dale Vance *
Peggy Hellebush *§
Mr. Daniel and Mrs. Jaima Herberger *
Mr. and Mrs. James Herlan *
Rebecca Herlan ’00
Sabra W. Hickam ’64
Alan Hickok ’61
Shelby Hill ’08 §
Dr. Stephen ’03 and Mrs. Caroline ’06 Hill
Carolyn (Dougherty) Hines ’76
Ms. Joanna and Dr. Christopher Hodgman §
Elena Hollands
Mr. Scott and Mrs. Tamara Horan *
Rev. Rodney E. and Mrs. Joan Houck *
Dr. Judith Hunter and Dr. Robert Sutor *
Stanley M. Hunting ’54
Sarah Mercier Hurlbut ’79 †*
Robert Hurdle ’66
Katherine Hurley ’81
Dr. Christine Waasdrop Hurtado ’90
Heather Hutton §
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ireland *
Kathy Irvine *§
Raymond Istas §
ITX Corp.
Mr. and Mrs. John Jamieson *
Mrs. Nancy ’72 and Mr. Peter Jeton
Mrs. Anne ’41 and Mr. Arthur Johnson
William Johnston Jr. ’59
Andrew Wing Jones ’95
Dr. Keith Jones §
Mr. and Mrs. John Judson ’60
Karim Kangbeya *
George K. Kaufman ’97
Mr. and Mrs. Eben Kennedy †
Janet Durland King ’79
Patricia King ’64
Jane Kitchen ’43 *
Mr. Aaron Klein and
Ms. Maria Lauriello-Klein †*
Ms. Ashley ’92 and Mr. David Kolbe
Mrs. Theresa and Mr. Bill Krieger §
Mrs. Donna and Mr. James Kwiatkowski §
Marlowe Hagood Laiacona ’73
Lands’ End, Inc.
Mrs. Katherine and Mr. Chad Lapa §
Michelle LaRussa-Trott *
David M. Law ’77
Mr. John ’41 and Mrs. Ramsay ’46 Lawless †
Dr. Jeff Lawlis §
Noel Lawson ’45
Mrs. Jean Lee ’43
Ann Fisher Leffler ’67
Dr. Derek Linton and
Ms. Kim Kopatz Linton *
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lippa *
Sandra Lloyd ’65
Zachary Lockhart ’05
Nancy Logghe §
Mr. Michael and Mrs. Christina Lohman *
Katrina Hellebush Looby ’60
Mr. Daniel and Mrs. Rita Lucey
Mrs. Carol and Mr. Jason Lustig *
John MacMillan ’64
Dr. and Mrs. Richard Mains *
Mindy Mangan ’81
Anne Martin ’42 *
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Martin *
Jacqueline Martin *
Stephanie Masline ’04
Gregory Matos ’12
Mr. Robert ’58 and Mrs. Lillian Mazza
Mrs. Deborah Harpending McConnell ’64
and Mr. Geoffrey McConnell
Adam McCue ’02
Mrs. Gilbert G. McCurdy *
Mark McDonough ’74
Mr. Charles ’85 and Mrs. Jennifer McGucken
Mrs. Kristen and Mr. Daniel McKenzie §
Tasha McKenzie *
Mr. Rennie ’54 and Mrs. Sarah
McQuilkin ’54
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Meehan *§
Jean S. Meenan ’50
Frederick T. Merle ’58
Kristin Merriman §
Mr. Nathaniel and Mrs. Erin Merritt §
Dr. Steven Meyers and Dr. Barbara Weber *
Mrs. Sue ’57 and Mr. Walter Millard ’56
Michael Milazzo ’02
Gail Beere Minkin, ’55
Mr. Kurt and Mrs. Lu Mintz *
Mr. Stephen Monti and Ms. Christine Sisak *
Nancy Kearns Morris ’46
Allison Mosley *
Mrs. Catherine ’52 and Mr. Hugh Moulton
Stephanie Mueller §
Barbara Myers ’82
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
20
Alumna Mindy Mangan ’81 and Head of School Mick Gee
Brent Neeley §
Melvin B. Neiser †*
Betsy Neisner ’71
Mrs. Joan’45 and Mr. Roderick Nordell
Mr. Adam Northrup and Ms. Patricia Hill *
Richard and Susan Northrup §
Mr. Seth O’Bryan and Dr. Julie Pasternack §
Giok Oey *
Amy Oliveri §
Oracle
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Palmer ’57
Frank Panczyszyn ’86
Hilda Taylor Parrott ’73
Dr. Henry and Mrs. Beth Paszko *
Judy Patterson *
Robert and Gabrielle Peckham *
Mr. and Mrs. Natale Pellegrino *
Mr. and Mrs. James Pembroke *
Dr. Gay Stebbins Pepper ’60
Mr. Ray Perez § and Ms. Rhonda Brown *†
Mr. Scott and Mrs. Michele Peters *
Mamie Pezzuole *
Julien Phillips *
Mr. William Pifer and Mrs. Carol Bassett *
Mr. Jamie and Erin Pittinaro §
Mrs. Stephanie DePaul-Pragel and
Mr. Dennis Pragel §
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Prokupets *
Deanna Putnam §
Denise Quamina *
Callie Rabe §
Mr. and Mrs. Keith Rachunok *
Sally Radicchi ’66
Mr. Andrew and Mrs. Erica Ragan *§
Mrs. Anne ’59 and Mr. Michael Ralph
Robby Ramdin ’04
Hannah Ramsey ’04
Mrs. Catherine ’74 and Mr. Richard Ranger
Richard Reddington ’55
John and Candice Reese §
21
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
Mr. Robert and Mrs. Kathleen Reilly
Dr. and Mrs. William Remington ’61
Jason Reynolds ’02
Laura Reynolds-Gorsuch §
James Richards *
Lynda W. Robeson ’69 *
Brian Rodwin ’83
Stanley Rodwin *
Mr. William and Mrs. Terri Rogers *
Yesenia Roman §
Jocelyn Rowley ’53
Amy Rudich §
Dr. John Ruef *
Jennifer Ryckaert *
Mr. Dave and Mrs. Lynn Ryder *
Mr. Stevan ’62 and Mrs. Mary Lee Sayre
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Scalia *
Dr. Andrew and Mrs. Beth Scheinman *
Keri Schneider §
Diana Schultz ’04
Karyl Bechtold Sears ’65
Lissa Couch Seeberger ’82
Mallory Messner Semple ’42
Charles Sharick ’01
Faye Shea §
Mrs. Patricia Allen Shellard ’66
Lisa Shearing *§
Dr. David and Mrs. Helena Shrier *
Barbara Siebert ’69
Mrs. Karen ’86 and Mr. Paul Simons
Patricia Simpson *
Patricia Sladden ’52 *
Anne Marie Detweiler Smelzer ’56
Mr. and Mrs. Clair Smith *
Mr. Clifford W. and Ms. Bernie Todd Smith *
Nate Sorrentino §
Sue Sorrentino §
Amanda Soule ’04
Byron Soule ’00
Dorothea Soule ’02
Eleanor Sparagana §
Mr. Tariq and Mrs. Dena Spence *
Mr. Ira and Mrs. Maria Stein *
Muriel Steinberg *
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Stern ’63
Mr. Paul and Mrs. Tasha Stevens *
Elizabeth Stewart ’46
Ms. Nan Atwood-Stone ’92 and
Mr. Kevin Stone
Mr. Barrett and Mrs. Marianne Sullivan *
John Sullivan §
Mary Lou G. Sullivan ’65
Dr. Ryan and Mrs. Bree Swain *
Mr. and Mrs. Allen Swan ’64
Anne Sylvester ’48
Michael Taillie §
Mr. Anthony and Mrs. Trisha Tepedino *§
Mr. Ric Thomann and Mr. Brian Hegedorn *
Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin Thomas *
Dr. Julie Thompson §
Lynn Tordella §
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Townson ’49
Mr. and Mrs. Will Trafton *
Monica Trevett §
Diana (Dini) Tripp ’62
Mrs. Jennifer and Mr. Tung Truong *§
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Tsibulsky *
Alan and Bryn Tucker ’66
Sam and Hether Turner ’59 †*
Sally Damon Turner ’66
John and Maureen Turturro *
F. Dann Valenza ’77
Judith Van Alstyne ’88 *§
Devon and Lisa Van Vechten *
Mrs. Karyn and Dr. Joseph Vella *§
Ana Verlaine ’65
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Mr. Mike Wall and Ms. Lori Colella
Florence Wells *
Walter Wells Jr. ’66
Jennifer Westerfeld ’96
Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Whitbeck IV ’87 *§
Mr. Terence and Mrs. Lindsay Williams *
Marques Williams ’04 §
Ms. Sally N. ’44 and Dr. R. D. Williams
Mrs. Zoe and Mr. Kevin Wilmot *
Amy Freeman Winslow ’85
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Wolfanger ’76
Sally Wood ’56
Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Julianna Wright *
Lori Kimbrough Wun *§
Mr. Jeffrey and Mrs. Jill Wynn *
Ms. Jin Xiao and Mr. Piero Terio *
Bichen Xu ’12
Mr. Robert and Mrs. Karen Yax *
Duffy Zornow ’79
Kathryn Zuroski ’97
Key
’00 Alumnus/a
§ Current and Past Faculty/Staff
† Current Trustee
ƒ Society for the Future
* Current and Past Parent/Grandparent
‡ Deceased
AC FOREVER
The Stevenson Citation
The Carl L. Stevenson Award is presented annually to a member of the faculty who has
contributed to the school community in a manner complementary to the dedicated service
rendered by the late Carl L. Stevenson as a loyal and faithful friend to the school.
Mr. Stevenson retired as Assistant Vice-President for Kodak after many years of service. He
was active in the United Community Chest program and received a number of awards for
his service to the City of Rochester and to Monroe County. He was appointed to a state
boards, including our own, where he was president from 1966-1970.
Excellence in Teaching
As presented by Mick Gee
The award was first given in
1973, just after the Allendale
and Columbia Schools
merged. This year marks the
41st time that the award
has been presented. Only
two faculty members have
received the award on two
separate occasions: Joanna
Hodgman in 1982 and 1993
and Lorraine Van Meter Cline
in 1999 and 2008. This year’s
recipient will be the third
member of the faculty to
receive the award twice. Her
first was 24 years ago in 1990.
I am delighted to ask Peggy Hellebush to
join me on the stage to receive her second
Carl L. Stevenson Award.
If you read the words at the beginning of
this citation again carefully, you will hear that
this particular award is about dedicated
service to the school’s community. It is hard
to imagine anyone who embodies that
more than Peggy. She joined the AC faculty
in 1976 and for 38 years has dedicated
herself to the school community. She has
served thousands of students in her time
here and made an impact on each one of
them. The five-minute standing ovation that
Peggy received at the Lower School Moving
Up ceremony on Friday demonstrates
clearly that she is still loved by her students
and AC families just as much today as she
has been since 1976.
Peggy has been an iconic teacher in our
Lower School program. Many families have
grown up with her and still stay in touch
long after they have left the school. She is
respected by her colleagues and known
as someone who simply loves children. To
borrow a line from her 1990 Stevenson
Award citation, “above all, Peggy Hellebush
is known for her excellence in teaching,” a
statement that is as true now as it was 24
years ago.
When Peggy came to see
me a few months ago to
tell me that she would not
be returning as a full-time
teacher next year, we both
agreed that we would not
use the “R” word. As soon
as she told me the news,
she insisted on being on the
substitute teacher list. She is
there, and John Sullivan has
moved her up to No.1 so I
am sure that Peggy has not
taught her last class at AC.
Even if she does not come
back to teach, I have thought
about creating a Chief Horticultural Advisor
position to utilize Peggy’s green fingers and
make sure that she is still around.
Teachers who have made such an impact
on our school are never forgotten. Their
work lives on in the lives and minds of
their former students. We are fortunate
that Peggy’s 38 years here mean that there
are many members of the AC family who
will carry a little piece of Peggy’s spirit with
them wherever they go. Please join me
again in congratulating Peggy Hellebush on
her second Carl L. Stevenson Award and
her remarkable impact on the Allendale
Columbia School community.
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
22
REUNION 2014
It was a festive weekend on campus as we welcomed back alums from almost
every generation to reconnect to AC and each other. Please visit the full
reunion photo gallery at allendalecolumbia.org/alumni.
SAVE THE DATE
however, alumni who graduated in years ending with a “5” or “0” will celebrate
23
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
HELENE CASE VERNOU ’46
Many former faculty and alums
were delighted to see Helene
Case Vernou attend the AC
Distinguished Alumni Luncheon
that was held for Helene’s former
student, Tracy Gleason ’80.
ALUMNI NOTES:
League gave its annual League
Educator Apple Award to Holly,
who has been working with
students for many years. She was
one of four teachers in the nation
to receive this award this year.
WARREN MARSLAND ’54 was
surprised and delighted to attend
his 60th year reunion at AC this
June. His daughter, Allison ’83,
and son, Richard ’85, joined him
to celebrate their many years at
Allendale Columbia.
GAY (STEBBINS) PEPPER ’60
recently published a book
“Memories of Family and Me”
describing growing up in
Rochester and her life on her
own after graduating from the
Columbia School.
LINDA HARRIS ’63 and her
husband have moved permanently
to Ft. Myers, FL. Her sister, Laurie
Colombo ’63 is also in Florida.
LUCIA (HELLEBUSH)
SHAW ’65 The 50th reunion for
Columbia and Allendale grads is
coming up next June 12th and 13th.
Lucia has assumed the important
task of recruiting alums for this big
occasion. If you graduated in 1965,
contact Lucia through AC and plan
on attending your reunion.
MARY DEMOCKER ’80 In a guest
opinion piece in “The Oregonian,”
Mary wrote a dramatic article
about climate change. In her spare
time she is a freelance writer and
harp instructor.
Women from the class of 1981 got together to reminisce. From left to
right are Cathy Witherow, Mindy Mangan, Mia Bell, Bridgette
Rivers, and Astrid Borgstedt.
American West: the Teton River in
Idaho and the Los Angeles River in
southern California.
LUKE CORNELIUS ’81 “The
Costs of Education” is a book
recently co-written by Luke, who
dedicated it: “To Warren Marsland
’54: Alumnus, teacher, friend, and
long-serving business officer
(1958-2001) of the Allendale
Columbia School in Rochester,
NY. The book sheds light on how
schools budget and spend the
money they receive.”
LINDSAY BROWN ’82 As a
history teacher at St. Andrews
School in Delaware, Lindsay has
developed a new historical fiction
writing class designed around the
world travels of 14th century Ibn
Battuta, a Moroccan explorer.
RICHARD MARSLAND ’85
In addition to his IT work at
the University of Rochester,
Richard has become an ardent
“agricultural hobbyist,” growing
and raising animals, fruits, and
vegetables.
CHRIS GROSSO ’85 Chris’s
father, Frank, reports that his
grandchildren, Nicholas (10) and
Caroline (8) are, respectively,
talented in tennis and music.
ADAM GOLDFEDER ’89
enthusiastically organized his
AC class’s 25th Reunion. Many
classmates attended, coming
from all over, including Norway
and California.
HOLLY VALENTINE ’90 This
spring, NYC based Broadway
JUDY (CURTIS) ODHNER ’81
This summer, Judy and her husband
Jan opened Zudy’s Cafe, located in
an old historic railroad building in
Seward, Alaska.
Brady for pre-kindergarten.
EUGENIA JENKINS
ZUROSKI ’94 Gina is a
tenured professor in the English
Department of McMaster
University in Hamilton, Ontario.
She is working on her second
book and specializes in 18th
century fiction.
JULIE DESMARTEAU ’96 Last
fall, Julie and her husband, Chris,
had a daughter, Lorelei.
SARAH HALE ’96 Sarah is
working at Google in New
York City and gave birth to a
daughter, Emma.
ANNA ZANDY ’96 Anna still
resides in Sweden with her
husband, Magnus Bjursell. They
have two little daughters, Norah
and Ebba.
BLAIR IRWIN ’96 Blair finished
her medical fellowship this
year and began work at Duke
University Medical Center as an
attending MD oncologist. She is
married to Andre Bautista and
they have a son, Ben.
MICHAEL KOLSTER ’81
Michael received a John Simon
Guggenheim Fellowship in 2013
to photograph rivers in the east.
The project includes sections of
the Androscoggin River in Maine,
the James River in Virginia, and the
Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania.
With his Fellowship, he plans to
continue photographing these
rivers and two others in the
DAN CLIFFORD ’93 drops off
JOSH KNORR ’96 Josh has
MARY MARSHBURN MCGUCKEN ’87 A few alums enjoyed a mini-
reunion in the warmth of Miami, FL at Jane Tatloch Bistry’s house.
Those who attended were Jane, Mary, Elaine Gay Pizzarelli,
Christina Mitchell, and Kathleen Cleary Bannan.
accepted a position as a System
Administrator and has relocated to
Burbank, California.
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
24
UMA (SUD) MCCROSSON ’96
and Mike had a second son, Brian,
who joins his older brother, Kevin.
LARRY YANG ’98 and his wife,
Claudine, who live in Redondo
Beach, CA, had a son, Bradley,
LINDSAY STEINBERG ’96
Lindsay has expanded The Green
Zebra Catering Company, located
in Rochester, to include food
for the home in the form of
The Green Zebra Club which
are seasonal recipes prepared
by Lindsay for weekly home
delivery.
JENNIFER WESTERFELD ’96
Jennifer teaches ancient history
at the University of Louisville.
This spring, she organized an
international symposium and
is currently working on the
manuscript of her first book.
ELIZABETH CROUSE ’97 and
husband, Paul, had a second child
in January. Little Laura joins her big
brother, Nathan.
JACKIE SAMUEL ’01 Jackie’s
daughter Isobel was born last
winter.
born in March. Larry is a vicepresident at City National Bank.
BEN HEFFRON ’98 and his wife
just had a third child who they
named Dallas, and was born in July.
Ben recently returned from his
military post in Europe and now
lives in the US.
JEFF ERWAY ’98 and Laura had
a second son, Owen, in the fall of
2013 who joins big brother, Miles,
age three.
TED FORSYTH ’99 Ted recently
ERIN BROOKS ’97 drops off
her son Tobin for his first day of
Nursery School.
JASON THEUER ’97 In 2013, Jay
YVONNE (VAN VECHTEN)
GRAHAM ’99 and David had
a little girl, Teagan, to join their
three-year-old son, Luke.
ALI THEUER ’99 Ali is working
with patients in a Pulmonary
Research Study at Strong
Hospital.
CINDY (KEPPEL) TURNER ’98
CHAD CRAWFORD ’99 After
MARY ALICE STRONG ’98
Mary Alice has opened a salon
in Chicago, along with her sister
Corinna ’05. Gold Plaited
Finishing Salon specializes in
professional make-up artistry
and hairstyling.
ROBERT PAYNE ’98 Robert
returned to England and married
his wife Gemma in July.
25
married Ali Fernaays and works for
Flying Squirrel, a community group,
which is committed to providing a
welcoming space that will cultivate
and sustain long lasting relationships
between artists, activists, and
community members in Rochester.
received his Ph.D. in Anthropology
and Archaeology from Southern
Methodist University. In July, he
became Chief of Cultural and
Historical Resources at Joshua Tree
National Park, CA.
and her husband, Harrison, who
live south of San Francisco, had a
son, Pierce, born in May.
BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014
GEOFF CLINE ’01 Geoff,
who is a captain flying for Sky
West, recently moved from San
Francisco to Salt Lake City so
that he would be closer to the
mountains for skiing.
receiving a master’s degree in
Medical Health Counseling, Chad
has been working at the VA
Medical Center in Canandaigua. He
is now supervisor of the Veterans
Crisis Line, which receives calls
from all over the country. He and
his wife, Patty, have a four-year-old
named Joseline.
ROB RICHARDSON ’01 married
Bethany Jones in August and
is coaching HAC soccer and
basketball.
DENISE MCMANN ’01 Denise
joined the full-time crew at
the new Trader Joe’s store at
Pittsford Plaza.
BRIAN COMPTER ’01 and his
wife, Elaina, had their second child,
Anastasia, who joins an older threeyear-old brother, Maxim.
CARL SMITH ’01 After receiving
his Ph.D., Carl joined the Army
and now lives in Washington
working on chemical defense and
developing antidotes to nerve
agents. He is married and he and
his wife Stephanie welcomed the
birth of their first child, a girl, in
September.
JASMINE HAWKINS ’01 who
teaches art in Virginia, had a
daughter Makayla, in the spring.
PHIL FILERI ’02 This fall, Phil
received his Ph.D. in European
Intellectual History, specializing in
late 20th century France, from
Harvard.
PETER GREGORY ’02 is engaged
to Kaleigh Griffin.
Paulette, are expecting the birth of
their first child on December 22nd,
Jason’s birthday.
STEPHEN HILL ’03 is now on the
faculty of Nazareth College in the
Psychology department. Stephen
earned his Ph.D. in Industrial and
Organizational Psychology from the
University of Akron. He eagerly has
accepted the role as President of
the Alumni Association.
MICHAEL GONZALEZ ’03
Michael is busy working at the
headquarters of the family
business, which includes Bill Gray’s,
Tom Wahl’s, and Hegedorn’s.
ALAINA LYNN ’04 married
Aleksander Holzer-Torres and is
teaching history at the DwightEnglewood School in New Jersey.
ANDY COHN ’04 After
studying and working in several
different cities in California, Andy
is going to be living near Davis,
California. This fall, he began his
studies at the UC Davis School
of Veterinary Medicine.
SCOTT HERTRICK ’04 is
teaching English and coaching
soccer at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal
School in Bradenton, Florida. In
June he married Olivia Posani,
and Sam Gatley ’04 served
as a groomsman.
LINDSEY (CROOP)
BENNAGE ’04 married Matt
Bennage last summer. Several
AC friends attended the wedding
and Diana (Van Vechten)
Schultz ’04 was a bridesmaid.
BEN AMBLER ’04 As one of
YOSHI FUJITA ’02 The Rivers
School of Weston, MA is where
Yoshi started teaching in three
different departments this fall: math,
physics, and engineering. Pictured is
Yoshi and Michael Milazzo ’02.
JASON REYNOLDS ’02 Last year,
Jason became property manager
at Imperial South Apartments on
Elmwood Avenue. He and his wife,
the reps for the Class of 2004,
Ben organized a gathering
of classmates after the 2014
Reunion to remember the life
of their wonderful classmate,
Ed Doyle. During the year, Ben
is pursuing a Ph. D. in Medieval
English at Arizona.
HANNAH (FESSLER)
RAMSEY ’04 In an October, 2013
wedding, Hannah married Jon
Ramsey. His best man was Alan
Lemarque ’98. Several AC
classmates attended the wedding.
KATIE GERSTNER MCLEAN ’04 married Brent Gerstner in a May
wedding at Good Luck Restaurant in Rochester. The wedding was
attended by Karimah Hourmanesh, Kyra Girsch, Hannah Fessler,
Katie McLean Gerstner, Lindsy Bennage (Croop), Sarah
Balderston, and Diana VanVechtan Schultz (all from the class
of 2004). Katie started working in March at Harvard Law School in the
Alumni Center. She and her husband now live in Somerville, MA.
PETER FOX ’05 and his wife,
Lauren, had a son, Peter, who was
born in February.
JEN ROMANOWICZ ’05
Jen finished medical school in
May and is now in Washington,
D.C. completing her pediatric
residency at Children’s National
Medical Center.
LIZ (PARSONS)
SACKS ’05 Liz relocated to
Indiana when her husband
accepted a professorship at
the business school at Indiana
University. She is pursuing a
master’s degree in landscape
architecture at Ball State
University.
College of Veterinary Medicine
in Raleigh. She enters her third
year this fall and hopes to work
in a small animal medicine
practice.
MORGAN (SMITH) NOBO ’05
married Dr. Christopher Nobo in
May of 2014.
ANNA MAZZARELLA ’05 Anna
is completing her Ph.D. in Biology
at Oslo University (Norway). She
will join the faculty at Oslo and
plans to remain living there for
the next few years.
at the Pediatric Cardiac Center
at Strong Hospital. She plans a
future collaboration with Jen
Romanowicz ’05.
MARY GOODING ’06 continues
to teach math, science, and dance
at the New Roots Charter School
in Ithaca. Two of Mary’s students
plan to dance at the American
Musical and Dramatic Academy
in New York. In the fall, Mary
will study at the University of
Groningen in the Netherlands.
YOUMNA SAKR ’05
CAROLINE (BISHOP) HILL ’06
graduated with an MBA from
Vanderbilt Owen Graduate
School of Management. She
is now working in Boston for
Procter & Gamble.
accepted a position as Financial
Advisor at Brighton Securities.
CLAIRE CONWELL ’05 is an RN
KATE MCCURDY ’05 In
September, Kate married Shaun
Johnson at the Hochstein School
of Music. Many AC alums were
in attendance including Claire
Conwell ’05 and Jennifer
Westerfeld ’96 as bridesmaids.
Kate is finishing her last year of law
school at UVA.
ALEXA GONZALEZ ’05 Alexa
found her passion studying at
North Carolina State University
ESTHER REYNOLDS ’06 Esther
has decided to follow her dream
by entering into the International
Culinary Center in Manhattan for
a ten-month training program.
She is also the communications
manager for League of Kitchens, a
start-up cooking school in NYC.
League of Kitchens collects and
preserves old recipes and styles of
cooking by employing immigrants
to teach private cooking classes in
their homes.
ILANA SHRIER ’06 married
SHELBY HILL ’08 has returned
Aaron Rosenson in New York
City, where they both live and
work.
home to Allendale Columbia where
she works as the Assistant Director
of Admissions.
LAURA WRIGHT ’06 Laura and
her husband Kevin Erway ’04
moved to Cleveland, Ohio where
she began working for Teach for
America.
SANTINO CINOTTI ’08 is
coaching the Freshmen Boys
Basketball Team at Webster
Thomas High School.
CIARAN BRENNAN ’07
Kate starts a Ph.D. program at
the University of California at
San Diego’s Scripps Institution of
Oceanography.
married Katie Chapman in May
and Latin teacher Keith Jones
officiated. Tim Boucher ’07,
Adam Foote ’07, and Dillon
Nachbar ’07 were groomsmen.
Aedin Brennan ’12 was a
bridesmaid. Jeff Lawlis, Chair
of the AC Science Department,
and his band played during dinner
while Lisa Barnes, Chair of the
Music Department, sang.
RACHEL MOTSENBOCKER
’07 Rachel had a daughter,
Kenleigh “Kenny.”
KATRINA STOKES ’07
With her degree in Illustration
from Rhode Island School of
Design, Katrina became a CAD
Artist for White House/Black
Market, a women’s clothing
brand. She designs prints and
patterns at their headquarters
in Ft. Myers, FL.
CHRISTINA GREGORY ’07
Christina is the Marketing
Coordinator and Executive
Assistant to the CEO at
Brighton Securities.
MATT VANDER HORST ’08
was selected to receive the IT
Excellence Award from Liberty
Mutual Insurance and traveled
to Boston to accept. This award
is distributed annually to only
12 recipients.
KATE DURKIN ’08 This fall,
ALEX TAIT ’08 Alex started his
third year of a Ph.D. program in
electrical engineering at Princeton.
He was the lead author in several
articles published in the new field of
photonic neurocomputing.
SAM MAZZARELLA ’08 This
spring, Sam earned a master’s in
Music from Cambridge, England. In
the fall, he will be teaching in Vienna
on a Fulbright Scholarship.
ROSE GOODING ’09 is in
medical school at St. George’s
University in Granada, West Indies.
Her undergraduate research
at Clarkson University will be
published in the “Journal of Modern
Chemistry & Applications.” For the
spring semester, she worked in a
hospital in Kenya, visited tribes, and
photographed wild animals.
KATELIN SCHUTZ ’10 After
graduating this spring from
MIT, Katelin has continued on
to UC Berkeley for a Ph.D. in
cosmological phenomenology.
For her undergraduate work, she
earned four prestigious awards:
a Hertz Fellowship, a National
Science Foundation Fellowship, an
Apker Award, and a Fellowship
from UC Berkeley.
IN MEMORIAM
Richard Lee ’33
Xenia Klotz Riegler ’55
Carolyn J. Humphreys ’44
William B. Wilmot ’57
Passed in November 2013
Passed on May 30th, 2014
Passed on February 5th, 2014
Dixon Gannett ’48
Passed on July 2nd, 2014
Passed on June 14th, 2014
Passed on September 8th, 2014
Blondie Grayson Hall ’75
Passed on June 3rd, 2014
Passed on July 14th, 2014
Felicia Van Praagh ’52
Passed on December 25th, 2013
www.AllendAleColumbiA.org
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519 Allens Creek Road • Rochester, NY 14618
First here, then anywhere.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AC LAUNCHED A BRAND NEW WEBSITE!
Our goals were simple: build a responsive design that works across all devices/platforms; add new, user-friendly functionality;
highlight our history, our programs, and our people; and reiterate our commitment to our students, our core values, and our
In a strategic effort to improve our digital footprint, we also revamped our social media presence. Fresh new content continues
to be developed and, in addition to sharing projects, learning opportunities, events, and celebrations that happen at AC, we’re
also sharing AC’s Recipe of the Month, reading recommendations in our Book Nook, and interesting facts about our school in
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BEYOND THE BIRCHES FALL 2014