stony brook
The Bulletin of The Stony Brook School
FALL/WINTER 2014
IN THIS ISSUE: HOMECOMING WEEKEND, STRATEGIC PLANNING QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, SBS WOMEN IN S.T.E.M., AND MORE
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A STONY BROOK LEGACY
The 20 students pictured here are all children and/or grandchildren of SBS graduates.
Learn more about what brings generation after generation of students to The Stony Brook School.
Visit stonybrookschool.org/apply for information about our admissions process.
 
The Bulletin of The Stony Brook School
FALL/WINTER 2014
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Now is a time of transition at The Stony
Brook School. And yet, while many things
are changing, many other beautiful and
essential traditions continue as ever before.
During the fall photo shoot that produced
the image for our inside front cover (at left),
I was struck by the assembly of the current
“Brookers” who are all children and, in some
cases, grandchildren of SBS graduates. I
remember the days when their parents
walked the campus halls and paths as students!
Table of Contents
With the departure of Kathryn Sides ’78—who left Stony Brook this
summer after 19 years to relocate to Louisville, Kentucky—I find
myself a new resident of the Alumni and Development Office in
Monro Hall, and a new member of the team that produces the Bulletin. Editor and art director/designer Rachel Estrada Ryan P’20 and
managing editor Sara diPierro are amazingly creative colleagues for
whom I am very grateful.
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FEATURES
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By now, you have likely already heard about our cutting-edge
S.T.E.M. Lab project (p 22); in this issue, you can also read about
three SBS women who have already made their careers in this field
(pp 6-7). Be sure, too, to read the faculty and student updates in
Campus Life (pp 12-17) and the coverage of Homecoming 2014
(pp 18-23).
May God be with us all as we work toward the betterment of our
beloved School.
Jane Taylor P’99, ’01 assistant head of school
sbs women in s.t.e.m.
These three graduates are breaking ground
in the fields of science, technology, engineering,
and math.
students on a quest
In preparing our students for the new challenges
of the 21st century, Stony Brook’s academic dean
borrows from the medievalists.
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strategic planning q&a
A conversation with SBS Board of Trustees
Chair Jack Hall ’77 and Patrick Bassett, former
NAIS president and head of the 2014-2015
Strategic Planning Committee.
Today, relationships are at the heart of my work here at the School.
This year, I have rekindled so many connections with alumni, parents, and friends of the School. I am honored to share stories of the
almost 40 years I’ve lived and worked here, while also joining with
our various constituencies to forecast the future of Stony Brook.
The strategic planning process that will move us through the next 3
to 5 years begins this month, with SBS Board of Trustees Chair Jack
Hall ’77 and consultant and former NAIS President Patrick Bassett
at the helm (pp 10-11). In the midst of such change and excitement,
our academic dean, Dr. Sean Riley, finds inspiration and grounding
for his philosophy of education in medievalist storytelling (pp 8-9).
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DEPARTMENTS
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From the Head of School
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As Seen @ SBS
12
Campus Life
16
Athletics
17
The Arts
18
Homecoming 2014
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Alumni Log
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The Flow of The Brook
Front and inside cover photos © Bruce Jeffrey
Front cover: Pia Witteman ’04 in conversation with Staceyann Smith ’05
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stony brook
The Bulletin of The Stony Brook School
Vol. LXXXIV No. 2, Fall/Winter 2014
head of school
Joshua Crane P’18, ’20
assistant head of school
Jane A. Taylor P’99, ’01
editor
Rachel Estrada Ryan P’20
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
“Building Bridges in a Networked World”
“How can we give our kids access to worldclass opportunities and at the same time
bless others within our realm of influence?”
managing editor
Sara Kristin diPierro
art director/designer
Rachel Estrada Ryan P’20
director of annual giving
Alex Edwards-Bourdrez ’72
the stony brook board of trustees
Jack R. Hall ’77, Chair
Elaine M. Kanas P’09, Vice-Chair
J. Douglas Kirk ’79, Secretary
S. Michael Koh ’88, Treasurer
Diane Bennett P’14
Sharon Bottomley P’06, ’17
Alan Chapman ’70
Stephen P. Dill
John H. Haile ’73
Ethan F. Harris ’71
Nathan Hart
Henry Ho ’78
Jocelyn Hathaway Hutzler ’82, P’12, ’17
Wendelyne Horst Murphy ’82
The Stony Brook Bulletin, UPS #522-440, is
produced for all alumni, parents, and friends
of The Stony Brook School. The Bulletin is
published by The Stony Brook School, Inc.,
Stony Brook, New York, three times a year.
mission statement
The Stony Brook School is an independent
college preparatory school (grades 7-12) that
exists to challenge young men and women to
know Jesus Christ as Lord, to love others as
themselves, and to grow in knowledge and
skill, in order that they may serve the world
through their character and leadership.
send address changes to
the stony brook school, alumni office
1 chapman pkwy, stony brook, ny 11790
phone 631-941-1550 fax 631-941-1557
email alumni@stonybrookschool.org
website www.stonybrookschool.org
alumni portal alumni.stonybrookschool.org
printed by Corporate Color, Deer Park, NY
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Joshua Crane
head of school
If there is one overarching metaphor for our
efforts here at Stony Brook it is bridge building. We are actively engaged in a systematic
evaluation of how we can be better connected to the world around us, and this is a
two-way process. How can we give our kids
access to world-class opportunities and at
the same time bless others within our realm
of influence? This is a networked world, and
I want to see us in the middle of it.
Here are a few ways we’re getting there:
Long Island is awash in resources in the
S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering,
and math) fields. Right across the street,
Stony Brook University is one of the best
math and science universities in New York.
We are engaging in their Center for Science
and Math Education program, whereby
SUNY professors will teach demo lessons
to our students and help our teachers better
understand the craft of teaching math and
science. Outside of the classroom, Cold
Spring Harbor Laboratory offers internships
for high-achieving students to perform
real world research with profound impact
potential. One of our students is currently
studying genetic sequencing in hopes of
finding a cure for certain neuro-psychic
disorders. We will send more and more
students as this partnership grows.
On the administrative front, we have selected Pat Bassett (former president of the National Association of Independent Schools)
to lead our strategic planning process. Some
Christian schools operate as though they
have cornered the market on truth, with
nothing to learn from secular schools—not
so. Bruce Lockerbie, in his recent Paideia
newsletter, emphatically makes this point:
“It’s time for Christian schooling to reach
beyond the exclusive comfort zone and limiting koinonia* of evangelical organizations.
We also need to associate with our peers in
secular independent schooling.”
While some might cast aspersions on
engaging with secular entities, fearing what
might happen under their “influence,” I
rather prefer the question: What might
happen to them as a result of our influence?
What good might come to the secular world
through students and teachers like ours?
We are also building better bridges with
our parents who live overseas, knowing
that parent partnership is a key factor in
academic achievement. For our Chinese
parents we are utilizing a relatively new
technology called WeChat, which is a messaging service that connects to our Chinese
parents with an interpreter. We want all of
our parents to feel connected to us regardless of language barriers.
With regards to alumni, there is currently
a group building bridges to bring all alumni
under one big tent to help advance the
School. In the past we have had three (!)
different alumni groups functioning independently of each other. Let’s not miss the
opportunity to unite in order to achieve
something far greater than we could on our
own—details forthcoming.
If we require inspiration for bridge building, we need look no further than Jesus of
Nazareth. At every opportunity he reached
out to build bridges, with the poor, the disenfranchised, with foreigners, with women,
with tax collectors—in short, with those he
was told to avoid. He had a message to deliver, and he wanted to show them that the
Kingdom of God is an equal opportunity
employer. We carry that same message.
I invite each and every one of you to join
us in this bridge building effort. Let’s work
together to make Stony Brook a place of
worldwide influence for Jesus’ glory, for our
good and the good of those connected to us.
*koinonia: from the Greek, meaning communion,
joint participation
AS SEEN @ SBS
© bruce jeffrey
© musser-mallets.com
A Visual Overview of What’s New on Campus
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© rachel estrada ryan
1. Paw Prints: SBS’ New Student Publication
A new student group has taken the initiative to restart a student-led
publication, under the advisement of David Hickey ’08 and Rachel
Estrada Ryan (Bulletin editor and spouse of faculty member Kris
Ryan). The first issue of “Paw Prints” was released on October 21.
Visit sbspawprints.org for more information. (Pictured are several
members of the new group. Front row, l to r: Brianna Holochuk ’16,
Lauryn Magill ’16, Justin Torre ’15; second row, l to r: Sam Gallipeau ’15,
Danielle Germain ’16, Kimberly Cataudella ’16; top row, l to r: Vivian
Jiang ’17, Paul Fucao ’16. Not pictured: Bella Nassif ’15 and Zarmeen
Akhund ’17.)
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© rachel estrada ryan
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2. A New Vibraphone in Carson
Carson Auditorium has a new addition to its instrumental family:
a Musser M44 vibraphone. This percussion instrument is similar to a
xylophone, but has longer, thinner aluminum bars instead of shorter,
thicker wooden ones. The vibraphone produces mellow, resonating
tones that will enhance our students’ musical performances.
3. A Harkness Table in Swanson
Thanks to the efforts of Director of Chapel and Religious Life
Rev. Christopher Stratton, there is a brand new eighteen-seat Harkness
table in the Swanson Conference Room, now being used to teach Faith
and Culture in the 21st Century. In breaking from the large lecture
format, “the changes have been dramatic,” says Rev. Stratton. “Students
are engaged in daily discussions, the quality of work has improved, and
many are proclaiming that Faith and Culture is their favorite class.”
4. Riding in Style: Three New Buses
With so many Stony Brook students heading off campus for athletic
competitions and exciting student activities, it was time to add three
new buses to our School fleet. The new buses are white with blue trim
and boast great new interior and exterior features.
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features
SBS
Women in
STE
. . .M.
by Sara diPierro
and Rachel Estrada Ryan
According to expert predictions, jobs
in the fields of science, technology,
engineering, and math are expected to
grow in the next decade at almost twice
the rate of jobs in other sectors of our
economy. The Stony Brook School
has prepared many graduates for
work in these fields; here, we share the
profiles of three SBS women working
in S.T.E.M.
Alex Jenny Ky ’85
robotic surgery/medical research
Breaking down barriers is a key part of Alex Jenny
Ky’s daily work. A board-certified colon and
rectum surgeon with Mount Sinai Hospital, she is
also the medical director of their satellite office in
New York City’s Chinatown. There, she works to
overcome two significant public health obstacles:
1) The embarrassment that often comes with
seeking testing or treatment for colorectal health
issues, and 2) the language barrier. “I discovered
that language issues keep a lot of people from seeing their doctor,” she says.
As a surgeon, Jenny employs advanced, minimally-invasive robotic techniques to treat both benign
and malignant disease. She is also on the forefront
of her field in the treatment of fecal incontinence.
This is a huge quality-of-life matter: “Many of my
patients assume that it is normal to leak as they
get older,” she says. “But it doesn’t have to be that
way. There is a lot that can be done, and I want
people to be aware of their options.”
As a researcher and educator, Jenny has published
numerous book chapters and articles in medical
journals; she has been invited to present lectures
at conferences throughout the United States and
abroad. She is an associate professor at the Mount
Sinai School of Medicine, a member of several
professional societies, and a peer reviewer for
both Diseases of the Colon and Rectum and the
Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine.
In her free time, Jenny cares for her three children: “We have dinner together every night,” she
says. “I show up to almost all of their sporting and
school events. Because I deal so much with death,
I try to embrace life every day. I make it a point
to be very involved.” She also exercises regularly,
and takes a Krav Maga class each week: “I want to
show my daughter that it is okay to be strong.”
“Stony Brook taught me to be a Renaissance
Woman,” she continues. “My high school teachers encouraged me not just to excel, but to stay
grounded and true to myself. Stony Brook’s motto
of Character before Career echoes in my daily life.”
Photo © Mount Sinai Hospital
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Science
Technology
Dana March Laurel ’99
Denise Poppo ’90
Engineering
Devising creative solutions for life’s problems
is something that Dana Laurel has always
loved to do. As senior product manager at
Nickelodeon, Dana uses this skill to focus on
delivering content through the websites and
mobile experiences of Nick at Nite, Nicktoons, and NickMom.
Denise Poppo is passionate about her role
as a chemist and product stability expert at
Thermo Fisher Scientific. “A quality product
in the medical diagnostic business helps
doctors save lives, and I am a part of that,”
she says. She is responsible for the research,
product development, and quality assurance
that ensure the safety and efficacy of Thermo
Fisher’s laboratory and diagnostic tests and
instruments: “It is my job to set up studies
that prove that as long as our products are
available to the public and are within expiration date, they are performing exactly as they
are intended to perform.”
Math
technology product management
“My job is a good balance of coming up
with creative ideas and working with a team
of programmers to build software,” says
Dana. “Even though I didn’t plan on being a
developer, I learned programming from the
fundamental courses I took in engineering
school. This gave me an invaluable technical
foundation that I leverage every day.”
Dana studies the current trends in technology to find out what children and moms
want, draws out her ideas, and then meets
with her team of designers and developers
to bring these ideas to life. Part of what she
enjoys about her job is being able to show
others interested in science and technology
just how creative the field can be.
As a mother of two, working in science
hasn’t always been an easy journey. “I had
to ask myself the question: How do I move
forward with what I’m called to do, but also
be the kind of woman that the Lord calls me
to be?” With that in mind, Dana has always
sought out companies that support more
flexible work schedules, giving her time to
be with her husband, Edward, and young
children, Edward Jr. and Catherine.
Dana recently launched a design company,
Laurel Design Studio, and has been attending culinary school. She credits Stony Brook
with giving her the foundation to succeed.
“Two teachers really made me feel that I was
able to do anything: Judy Oulund and Jeannie Drew. They said, ‘You can do anything
you want, and we believe in you.’ It meant
the world to me.”
chemistry
Denise started out as a foreign relations
major at George Mason University before
switching to the study of chemistry, after
an inspirational talk given by the chemistry
department chair. She later transferred to
Stony Brook University and graduated with
a BS in environmental chemistry. She’s also
since earned a master’s degree in organization management from the University
of Phoenix.
The path to her current position has consisted of a series of diverse, engaging challenges: Denise has worked for a cosmetics
manufacturer, the Suffolk County Water Authority, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, a global
biopharmaceutical company. In between
these exciting opportunities, Denise married
her husband, Scott, and today they have two
teenage daughters. She volunteers for causes
like Dig Pink and Habitat for Humanity and
helps her daughters with school band fundraising and sports competition travel.
Denise encourages today’s young women
to strongly consider the benefits of a career
path in S.T.E.M. “As a woman, this has been
the perfect career choice for me,” she says.
“The field of chemistry is so versatile. You
will get out of it what you put into it. If you
desire a full-time career, it is yours. If you
desire a great career where you can also be a
full-time parent, it is yours.”
Science
Technology
Engineering
Math
Science
Technology
Engineering
Math
Science
Technology
Engineering
Math
Science
Technology
Engineering
Math
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features
embarking on the ultimate
In preparing our students
for the new challenges of the
21st Century, Stony Brook’s
academic dean borrows
from the medievalists.
by dr. sean riley
a
s I reflect on the
opportunities ahead this academic
year—my eighth year at The Stony Brook
School—I am awed and energized by the
renewal and revival taking place here on
campus. The 2013-2014 academic year
included many firsts: Our first dinner in the
Kanas Commons dining room, the first time
we raised over $1 million in combined financial
support for the annual fund and several special
projects, and our first year with new Head of School
Joshua Crane at the helm of our beloved institution.
This fall, the 2014-2015 academic year has already added
many more firsts. To name just a few: Two new courses,
Engineering Innovation & Design and Mandarin I, both met
for the first time in late August; our new teaching fellowship
and mentoring programs are renewing and invigorating our
commitment to professional development; most recently, on
November 1, we hosted the first annual Long Island High School
Philosophy Conference.
When I accepted Mr. Crane’s appointment to become The Stony
Brook School’s academic dean, I faced many firsts of my
own. My new responsibilities revolve around casting an
academic vision for the School. From there, I’m
developing a rigorous and exciting curriculum
relevant to 21st century learning and skills,
improving the ways we use our time and
space to implement it, and equipping
teachers to inspire and challenge
students in the classroom.
© istockphoto
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QUEST
In describing my philosophy of education, which is at the heart
of my academic vision for the School, I find that it’s useful to
employ the medieval concept of “the quest.”
The medievalists viewed education as a quest, one that begins
with wonder. As we move about each day, we experience small
glimpses of the glory of God. For our students, such glimpses
might include an early morning fog rolling in over the dewy
football field as summer gives way to fall, or the tiny dimpled
hands and feet of the youngest faculty children, or that “a-ha”
moment in a challenging math class, when the numbers dance
their proper steps and, for a moment, everything is almost
perfect. These small glimpses spark our sense
of wonder. They are what motivate us to look
outside ourselves, to head out into the world, to
embark on our big adventure of discovery. We’re
awed by what might be—the possibility of truth,
beauty, and goodness. It gets us searching.
The 21st century quest is as arduous as the medieval
one. Yes, there are ogres and dragons along the way:
deception, ugliness, and evil. We find them not only out
there in the world, but in our own hearts. We are bombarded with deceptive messaging in our popular culture; messaging
that suggests we ought to love and serve money, sex, belongings, success. If we’re not careful, our own deceptive hearts will
take over the job, urging us to doubt our worth and participate
in injustice, all the while entertaining ourselves to death. If we
stay the course and battle those ogres and dragons, however, we
will become stronger, more confident, more committed to our
end goal and to taking the path that will lead us there. We will
not be wandering, but questing—thoughtfully putting one foot
in front of the other, building each day on yesterday’s progress
and mistakes. As we overcome the obstacles in our path, we
grow in courage, temperance, and hope. We become ready to
hear from wise ones who have travelled the same path, and to
offer helpful direction to others, and then we ourselves grow in
wisdom, aesthetic knowledge, and moral virtue.
Hence, the ideal Stony Brook education is a quest that will begin
with wonder and end in worship. To educate a student toward
any other end is to lead them into hazardous territory.
This is what many other schools fail to realize, and what
makes The Stony Brook School such an appealing choice for
Christian and non-Christian students alike. We know that when
an education deals only in knowledge and skills, but leaves out
Christian faith and virtue, there’s danger that it could be
equipping the student for wrongdoing. Perhaps C.S. Lewis said
it best in The Abolition of Man: “Education without values, as
useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.”
We see, then, that learning and worship are and should be
inextricably linked. Truth, beauty, and goodness in this world
are reflections of our perfect creator, and are the only worthy
pursuits for our minds, bodies, and souls. They point us in
precisely the direction that God created us to go. This is why
the tenets of the Christian faith are so well-integrated into every
aspect of our academically rigorous curriculum. By continuing to operate according to the intent of Frank Gaebelein, our
School’s founder—to communicate “the unity of all truth under
God”—The Stony Brook School counts itself among the
foremost independent schools in the world.
Just as with the medieval quest, we discover the 21st century
quest is all about the journey, and the way it challenges,
impacts, and changes the quester. As we approach
the end goal, we find that it’s not fully attainable.
Education is not a process that can ever be fully
consummated. True mastery evades us. The
grandeur and mystery of creation is never
exhausted by our pursuit of it. We discover
instead that we are on a continual quest, that it will last a whole
lifetime, and that while we do (with God’s help) make progress,
we won’t reach our ultimate goal until we meet God in heaven.
9
features
Strategic Planning
A conversation
with SBS Board of
Trustees Chair
Jack Hall ’77 and
Patrick Bassett,
former NAIS
president and
head of the
2014-2015 SBS
Strategic Planning
Committee
Jack Hall
Patrick Bassett
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Jack Hall: What has your time as
president of the National Association of
Independent Schools taught you about
the value of the strategic planning process in the independent school realm?
Patrick Bassett: I’d cite several lessons
learned over the years by participating in two
NAIS strategic planning processes, by having
done them in my schools when I was a teacher
and administrator, by observing many others
as part of the accreditation process when I was
at ISACS (Independent Schools Association
of the Central States), and by facilitating the
process for client schools now that I’ve started
a firm, Heads Up Educational Consulting.
Lesson one: “Strategic planning is an oxymoron.” This observation by Henry Mintzberg,
perhaps the world’s foremost authority on
the topic, captures the Achilles heel of most
processes I’ve seen over the decades; once an
organization codifies strategy into a plan for
the next five years, it turns all its attention to
implementation and gives up being strategic.
Thus, no one had the collapse of the global
economy in 2008 in its strategic plan, so all of
us had to scramble and adopt a highly strategic
new plan to manage the consequences the
recession laid at the doorstep of our schools.
Strategic thinking should be a posture that is
ongoing at the management team and board
level. And it should include in the scan of the
landscape stage multiple possible scenarios.
Lesson two: “If you want to give God a good
laugh, tell Him your future plans.” This Yiddish proverb should remind us to maintain
our humility in the process. “Thinking big”
is required; creating “monuments to our own
immortality” (read Percy Bysshe Shelley’s
poem “Ozymandias”) is problematic. Those of
us charged with strategic planning are coming
into the play in the second or third act. Someone else has established the themes and setting
prior to our arrival, perhaps generations before
us; someone else will write the denouement
of the story of the school, perhaps generations
after us. That being said, think “What can we
do in three to five years that has a chance of
improving the trajectory of the school and the
outcomes of its students?”
Lesson three: “Plans are nothing. Planning
is everything.” This observation by General
Dwight D. Eisenhower regarding the invasion of Normandy, the turning point of World
War II, is profoundly telling. There are not
many undertakings more ambitious than this
one was—1,200 ships, 10,000 planes, 150,000
troops whose location and movement had
to be kept secret. But as the day played out,
especially at Omaha Beach (where the landing
vessels discharged the troops to the wrong part
of the beach), well, all hell broke loose. General
Eisenhower learned that the most important
element of a plan is aligning everyone with the
coordinates of the final destination, knowing
that the unforeseen will occur, and being confident you will find alternate routes. This is another way of saying the process must produce
agreement on destination, but also flexibility to
sidestep barriers and potholes on the path.
JH: You have observed or been a part
of many strategic planning processes
over the years during your tenure in
educational leadership...of the most
successful strategic plans you’ve seen,
what do you think are the secrets to
their success?
PB: First, the best strategic planning processes
are especially thoughtful in choosing members
of the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC). It’s
important that the SPC be comprised of “opinion leaders” from the various constituencies:
current parents, faculty, the administrative
team, young alumni, board members, perhaps
even a couple of student leaders at the secondary school level. By this means the process is
sure to have representative voices around the
table during the design of the plan, but even
more importantly, a built in “salesforce” to
promote, and if needed, defend the plan among
the constituencies once it’s announced.
Second, the best strategic planning processes
gather the data, and lots of it, in order to make
data-rich decisions instead of opinion-rich
decisions. There are a host of surveys and data
compilations a strategic plan must administer
and interpret for it to be relevant. Without
good data on customer satisfaction, on student
engagement and outcomes, on the
Q&
A
demographics of school-age children, on trends
in the industry, and on emerging thinking
about teaching and learning, plans drift.
Third, the best strategic planning processes announce possible directions, float trial balloons,
and “crowdsource” reactions to a list of a dozen
or so imperatives the process has identified to
determine which the multiple constituencies of
the school would agree on supporting. These
may not be the only strategies the SPC will recommend to the board, but they will be the ones
that gather the most support. As Machiavelli
observed in The Prince, “You will always need
the favor of the inhabitants.”
Finally, a good strategic plan has at least one
item that is bold, ambitious, and dazzling. The
“wow” effect builds confidence that the leadership of the School and the board are up to the
task of steering the school forward.
JH: Why is it important to engage with
an outside consultant while working on
a strategic plan?
PB: For the same reason you’d visit the doctor
rather than just consulting WebMD for a very
serious problem: It’s crucial to have an expert
opinion on, and interpretation of, the various signs and symptoms. If any organization
just uses its own internal frame of reference, it
will inevitably miss some or all of what other
experts have already discovered. Intimate
knowledge of the independent school sector
brings perspective to factors in play in one’s
own school. Just because one “went to school”
decades ago doesn’t make one an expert on
running a school. Just because one’s children
go to a particular school doesn’t make one an
expert on what other schools are doing.
In short: The big picture should start with a
wide angle lens.
Patrick Bassett: There’s a lot of talk
about change and momentum at The
Stony Brook School right now. What
can you share about The Stony Brook
School’s commitment to building on
pre-existing strengths and traditions in
light of this new planning process?
Jack Hall: In any time of meaningful change
and improvement, you are always building off
the strengths of the institution. The strengths
of an organization are often tied to its core
values, and that is certainly true at SBS. In
Stony Brook’s case, there are three fundamental
strengths: The quality of the faculty, the depth
of the interpersonal relationships formed
on campus, and the commitment to being a
Christ-centered school.
The quality of Stony Brook’s faculty will always
be a hallmark of the Stony Brook experience.
Regardless of how technologically advanced we
get, great teachers will always be at the heart
of what we do, and our planning will keep that
concept front and center.
The School’s commitment to facilitating deep
and lasting relationships is as strong today as
it was ten, forty, even ninety years ago. Stony
Brook is a place that is conducive to building
life-long relationships, student-to-student,
faculty-to-faculty, and faculty-to-student.
Maintaining the climate that allows people to
know and be known, to love and be loved, is an
important part of our present and our future.
Finally, and most importantly, the School has
remained committed to Christianity for 93
years; this is to be celebrated. What also needs
to be celebrated and perpetuated is the respect
that we have for the dignity of each student,
regardless of what they believe. Stony Brook
has almost a magical way of solidly maintaining its adherence to what it believes while at the
same time creating an open environment where
students are free to explore their own beliefs
without fear of recrimination or condemnation.
In many ways, this is what makes Stony Brook
Stony Brook, and in an age of polarization and
lack of constructive dialogue, we must continue
this tradition and be a light to the world in
this regard.
PB: How do you hope to engage with
the broader SBS community in order
to strengthen the planning process?
How will we ensure that everyone who
should be heard, is?
JH: First, as you said, we populate the
Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) with
opinion-leaders from each of Stony Brook’s key
constituent groups. Second, the SPC will gather
data through stakeholder surveys and solicit
feedback throughout the process before making
their recommendations to the Board
of Trustees.
Much of my excitement as we head into this
process is that we have engaged you, Pat Bassett, the best of the best; we know you will
demand nothing less of this process. All of us
who love The Stony Brook School want to see
it gather more momentum as we approach the
school’s centennial celebration in 2022. Having
hired a dynamic head of school in Joshua Crane
and having recently opened Kanas Commons,
this strategic planning process is a critical third
step in strengthening the School’s mission to
challenge young men and women to know Jesus
Christ as Lord, to love others as themselves,
and to grow in knowledge and skill, in order
that they may serve the world through their
character and leadership.
PB: What does the end result of a
strategic plan look like at The Stony
Brook School? What will happen once
the process is complete?
JH: First, I think the Board of Trustees and
school leaders will understand the importance
of ongoing strategic thinking. At the same
time, the entire SBS community will have
helped us answer the question, “What can we
do in three to five years that has a chance of
improving the trajectory of the School and the
outcomes of its students?” I do not presume to
know what those initiatives will be, but I know
that we have enlisted wise counsel to guide us
through this important process. As always,
I ask everyone who loves The Stony Brook
School to cover this strategic planning process
in prayer.
11
campus life
SBS WELCOMES NEW FACULTY
1
2
3
4
1. Andrew Barber comes to Stony Brook from
Missouri and teaches English 8 and English
11. He graduated from the University of South
Carolina in 2010 with a BA in English, with
secondary education cognate, and an MDiv
from Covenant Theological Seminary.
Andrew’s wife, Jessica Pinkerton Barber ’06,
is assistant dorm head in Alexander. She also
graduated from the University of South
Carolina. Andrew and Jessica have an infant
son, Murray.
2. Natalie Holm hails from North Carolina
and teaches Geometry 9. After earning a BS
in chemical engineering from North Carolina
State University, Natalie taught mathematics
in the North Carolina public school system.
Most recently, she developed and taught
online mathematics courses. Her husband,
Michael, is a sailing instructor and a dorm
parent. He graduated from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They have two
young sons, Jeremiah, 4, and Judah, 1.
3. Born in Mexico, Ana-Joel Falcon-Weibe is
fluent in both Spanish and French. She teaches
French 2, French 3, and French 4. Ana-Joel
earned a PhD in Art History from Queen’s
University in Ontario, Canada. Ana-Joel is
recently married to her husband, Joseph.
4. Stephan Towns teaches Middle School
Physical Education, assists with strength
training and conditioning, and is an assistant
football coach. A graduate of Stony Brook
University, Stephan also played football for
the Seawolves.
12
5
6
5. Jason Radcliff teaches Humanities 10 and
English 12. Experienced in both education
and youth ministry, Jason earned a PhD from
the University of Edinburgh, an MA from
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a
BA from Geneva College. His wife, Alexandra
Radcliff, graduated with a PhD from St.
Andrew’s University. She is the dorm head
in Barnhouse.
6. Former Performing Arts Department Chair
Bob Padgett returns to SBS as Hegeman
Dorm Head. He has a passion for students
and is also an accomplished musician. Bob
and his wife, Saskia, have a son, Zachary, 6.
7. Jennifer Tutuska teaches Spanish 1 and
Spanish 2. She graduated with a BA from the
University of Northern Idaho and an MALS
from Stony Brook University. Prior to SBS,
Jennifer taught French, Spanish, and ESL in
the Patchogue-Medford schools. She will also
coach chess. Jennifer and her husband, Philip,
have two sons, Benjamin ’17 and Jacob ’20.
7
8. A graduate of The Kings College, Luke
Troubworst is the inaugural SBS Teaching
Fellow, a two-year position with the goal of
leading a classroom in the second year. He
assists with dorm duties in Monro.
Camera Shy: Returning to SBS faculty,
Jennie Donovan assists in Student Support.
She earned a BA in psychology from the
University of Virginia, an EdM in moderate
disabilities from Cambridge College, and an
EdM in counseling from Boston University.
Jennie will be working with students
dealing with learning challenges.
8
FAMILIAR FACES, NEW ROLES
© rachel estrada ryan
Introducing the
Frank E. Gaebelein Office of Equity and Inclusion
by Joshua Crane, Head of School
“I am incredibly excited to take on this
new role. Built into our School mission is
the imperative to embrace the diversity of
our student body.”
—kris ryan
The Stony Brook School boasts remarkable diversity—the kind that most
schools covet. We have students from 24 different countries and 17 different
states. Out of our 345 students, 33% are international. This brings a richness to
our community that makes it educational just being here as we eat, study, and
live with people very different than ourselves. Diversity finds its root in the
creative heart of our God who saw fit to make many different races and ethnicities—indeed, in the Book of Revelation we read that in Heaven there will
be people from every tribe, tongue, and people group. It is our privilege right
here and now to begin practicing for that eventual reality. That is why we have
named Kris Ryan as our Director of the Frank E. Gaebelein Office of Equity
and Inclusion. Kris is tasked with helping us better understand diversity on
our campus and how we can be a community that abides by the Golden Rule
regardless of our differences. And think with me for a moment: What would
a community that loves others like themselves look like, each from their own
cultural context? You talk about dimension, you talk about depth, you talk
about richness—the results would be incredible. We have that chance at The
Stony Brook School, and we intend to realize it.
As we move Stony Brook forward, please know that our adherence to the Platform of Principles is as firm as ever. However, for us the Platform of Principles
is not a dark tunnel, but rather a prism by which light comes in and then is
refracted in a beautiful array of color. Indeed, the Platform is our invitation
to embrace with gusto that which is lovely, noble, right, pure, excellent, and
praiseworthy. Ours is a “community of embrace.”
SBS English teacher Dan Hickey ’04 has taken on
the position of Associate Director of Athletics. In
addition to assisting Director of Athletics Jeremy
Donovan, he has also reintroduced his blog
(sbsbears.org), enhanced our School’s social network, and is helping to reconnect alumni with the
athletic programs they enjoyed as SBS students.
Cleveland Dorm head Sarah Roddy is now also
the Director of Student Activities and Community Life. Under her leadership, this academic year
has already featured many new and well-attended
student events, as well as several successful fundraisers.
Former Math Department Chair Stan Winston is
now the Director of S.T.E.M. Education. With his
passion for forging new trails and considerable
puzzle-solving skills, Stan is spearheading an
exciting and critical new component of our
School’s curriculum.
SBS Bible teacher and volleyball coach Leslie
Paige is this year also taking on the role of
Student Intervention Counselor. As such, she
works with students who don’t necessarily qualify
for the services provided by Student Support, but
who stand to benefit from additional counseling
and encouragement.
SBS math teacher Karen DiRuggiero has taken
over the role of Math Department Chair.
SBS history teacher Tim Beirne has assumed
the History Department Chair vacated by
Dr. Sean Riley, who has since become Stony
Brook’s academic dean.
13
campus life
FALL UPDATES & EVENTS
Character Emphasis Week
© bruce jeffrey
Dr. John W. Fantuzzo, the Albert M. Greenfield Professor of Human
Relations at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, and Dr. Janelle Aijian, assistant professor of philosophy at Biola
University, addressed the student body as keynote speakers for the first
Character Emphasis Week (September 8-12).
The Stony Brook School’s
First Annual Long Island High School
Philosophy Conference
On Saturday, November 1, The Stony Brook School hosted the first
Long Island High School Philosophy Conference for a group of high
school students, teachers, and college professors who all share a love of
philosophy. In addition to students from across Long Island, professors
from Stony Brook University, Molloy College, and St. Joseph’s College
attended the conference.
Keynote speaker Dr. C. Stephen Evans (pictured above, at the podium),
a professor of philosophy and humanities at Baylor University and a
professorial fellow at Australian Catholic University, presented an
address titled “Are There Natural Signs for God’s Existence?” Afterward,
a panel of philosophers (pictured above, from l to r: Dr. Wendy Turgeon
of St. Joseph’s College, Dr. Gary Mar of Stony Brook University, and Dr.
Elisa Rapaport of Molloy College) responded, providing an opportunity
for attendees to witness a charitable scholarly discussion of contentious
issues. Selected students then presented their research to the panel.
Approaching character from a developmental
perspective, Dr. Fantuzzo reminded students
that they are fearfully and wonderfully created
with a unique and special purpose, on a life
quest to discover and fulfill this purpose, and
play an increasingly active role in this discovery
process through the choices they make. He
also helped students understand how growth in
temperance leads to wisdom, wisdom to justice,
and justice to courage.
Dr. Aijian discussed sloth (what some philosophers call sadness), a vice that high-achieving
students often exhibit when faced with challenges they fear they will not be able to meet. These
students may engage in avoidance behaviors or
indulge in distractions instead of giving their
best effort to the task at hand. Sloth, then, is not
laziness that can be remedied by pressure from
adults; it is rather a form of despair that is best
remedied by humility and hope.
We All Scream for Ice Cream!
© bruce jeffrey
“It was amazing to discuss our ideas in front of other philosophers,”
says Cody Chen ’15, who presented a project on the nature of beauty.
Teammate Julie Wu ’15 (pictured below, standing and discussing a slide
from their presentation) adds, “Answering the challenging questions
after the presentation not only helped us clarify our position, but also
helped us see the flaws in our argument and make necessary revisions.”
A generous group of SBS alumni provided the funding for a schoolwide ice cream social in the Hollis Student Center on November 1.
Our boarders were especially grateful for this unexpected treat!
New Boilers Installed
© bruce jeffrey
The boilers in both Memorial and Gaebelein Halls have recently
been replaced. In the summer of 2014, Memorial Hall’s boiler was
addressed; then, this October, Gaebelein Hall’s boiler was swapped
out. The two new commercial-grade systems are more energy
efficient, provide zoned heating, and will keep our classrooms,
libraries, and laboratories warm for many, many years to come.
14
© bruce jeffrey
Blue Fans and a Bonfire
News from the SBS Cheering Section
Director of Student Activities and Community Service Sarah Roddy, Associate Director of Athletics Dan Hickey ’04,
faculty spouse Douglas DiRuggiero, and the Stony Brook Fire Department all coordinated a rousing bonfire
on the baseball diamond after the first home football game of the season on Friday, September 12. Students and
faculty also enjoyed an outdoor “tailgate” dinner and played an assortment of lawn games before kickoff.
SBS Athletics’ Social Network
The Athletic Department is excited to announce some changes for the 93rd season of Stony Brook athletics.
In an effort to celebrate our students’ accomplishments with our student, parent, and alumni family, we have
launched the following:
Athletics Blog: www.stonybrookbears.org
Written by Associate Director of Athletics Dan Hickey ’04, the blog features articles about the past and present of Stony Brook athletics,
including game recaps, interviews, alumni spotlights, On this Day in History, photographs, videos—everything you need to feed your
passion for the Bears.
Instagram: @stonybrookbears
Our Instagram account is full of photos and videos of the Bears’ ups and downs through each season,
as well as some unique “behind-the-scenes” shots of exciting developments in the Athletic Department.
Twitter: @stonybrookbears
The best way to stay up-to-the-minute on the Bears, our Twitter feed features news, live tweeting from games, and more.
Facebook: We Are... The Stony Brook Bears
Facebook is a great way to catch up on those real-time Bears stories you may have missed,
and it’s yet another platform on which to communicate with Stony Brook athletics.
—Jeremy Donovan, Director of Athletics
15
athletics
WE ARE... THE STONY BROOK BEARS
The Fall 2014 Season Wrap-Up
by jeremy donovan, director of athletics
Volleyball (2)
Coach Leslie Paige’s volleyball team also
qualified for the postseason. Hannah Abrahamsen ’15, Cordae Mattson ’15, and Mia
Panno ’15 finish out their careers as County
Runners-Up. That leaves a strong returning
core of Marlee Painter ’16, Sam Petersen ’18,
Allisa Holt ’16, Joy Ezi ’16, Chelsea Winston ’16, Veronica Munch ’17, Margaret
Rudzitis ’17, Hannah Detwiler ’18, and
Danielle Graves ’18.
Girls’ Cross Country
Our girls’ cross country team sent a pair of
young runners to the state meet this season.
Miranda Harrigan ’18 and Lely Garner ’19
qualified for the state meet by placing in the
top 10 in the county. Nicole Gray ’16, Anna
Brummeler ’17, Cianka Haynes ’17, Alma
Rojas ’15, Danielle Sivertson ’18, and the rest
of the girls had seasons they can be proud of
under Coach Alicia Brummeler.
Boys’ Cross Country
Jacob Brummeler ’15 wrapped up his cross
country career with another top three finish in
the county and a trip to the state meet.Coach
Jake Morley got great effort and leadership
from Brummeler, John Desan ’15, and Luis
Irias ’16, which should pay off in the promising
futures of Christian Cataudella ’19, Harrison
Plhak ’19, and Seamus Scanlon ’19.
Golf
Michael Worth ’15 and Rosa Jones ’17
managed to extend their seasons by qualifying
for the County Golf Championships held this
spring. Worth, David Bishop ’15, Cody
Chen ’15, Ashta Narain ’15, and Justin
Torre ’15 are all wrapping up careers of making
major contributions to Coach Mike Hickey’s
golf program. They leave behind a bright future
for Rich Jones ’19, Steven Ou ’19, and Jamie
Barkume ’20.
Boys’ Soccer
A strong close to the season left much encouragement for Coach Doug Parra and our boys’
soccer team. Josh Agyei-Gyamfi ’15, Khendrick Beausoleil ’16, Caleb Lindo ’17, and
Ben DiRuggiero ’17 all received postseason
recognition. Mac Bohuny ’17, David Choi ’17,
Caleb Rudzitis ’17, David Choi ’18, Matthew
Rubenstein ’18, and Ryan Eikenes ’19 all made
significant contributions as underclassmen and
give hope for next year.
Girls’ Soccer
And, finally, our girls’ soccer team graduates an
incredibly impressive senior class that won four
county titles during their time here. High
Point University signee Emily Pius ’15 has been
recognized at every possible level of soccer in
New York State and is the last graduating member of our 2009 State Championship team that
she started for as a seventh grader. Additionally,
Emma Lavery ’15, Annie Skorobohaty ’16,
and Morgan Pius ’17 were given postseason
honors for their play on the field, and Lavery,
Elsa Crozier ’15, Sydney Dunn ’15, Esther
Lee ’15, Rebecca Lee ’15, and Anna
Wadding ’15 were named to the AllAcademic team. They will be missed!
Football
There was much character formation to be
found in the injury-riddled season for Coach
Kris Ryan’s football team. Senior Captains Erik
Holvik, Jackson Painter, and Ben Walter end
their careers alongside sixth-year player Hunter
Skorobohaty ’15, defensive anchor David
Jensen ’15, and hard worker Alexander
Ayerbe ’15. Their leadership will leave a
lasting legacy.
1
2
16
Sailing Update (3)
by Capt. George Linzee
SBS Sailing Programs had a very active and
successful fall season with 56 students on four
teams commanding the school’s fleet of 38
vessels. On the keelboats, Capts. Fran Nilsen,
Alex George, and Danielle Bouquio coached
three competing teams; underclassmen leaders
included Sebastian Bond ’17, Elizabeth
Esser ’18, Lauryn Magill, ’16, Daniel Nye ’17,
Erika Sobelman ’16, and Lin Sun ’17. The
dinghy teams, coached by John Everitt ’00,
Michael Holm, Brad Brummeler, and Francis
George, continued to improve their interscholastic record. Sam Gallipeau ’15 completed his
final fall sailing season, and Kimberly
Cataudella ’16, Joshua Martin ’17, Julia
Ray ’17 and Kadin Via ’17 will provide leadership on the water in seasons to come.
3
all photos on this page © bruce jeffrey
Girls’ Tennis
This year’s champs were our girls’ tennis team,
who finished off an undefeated League Championship under Coach Jennifer Crane.
Akari Yoshida ’15, Sadhana Sridhar ’20,
Nancy Lin ’15, Olivia Braat ’18, Angela
Wong ’15 (1), Ha Min Cho ’15, Brianna Holochuck ’16, Gracie Xie ’16, Jillian Ho ’15, Julie
Wu ’15, and Chelsea Garbe ’15 turned a 3-9
record from last year into 12-0 this year.
the arts
FROM THE GALLERY
AP Studio Art
Sydney Dunn ’15 - Color reduction print
Terrence Wu ’15 - Watercolor
Erika Sobelman ’16 - Digital image
Julia Shi ’16 - Oil on canvas
Terrence Wu ’15 - Watercolor
Julia Shi ’16 - Watercolor
17
homecoming 2014
welcome
home
18
Alumni awards and honors
On Saturday, October 11, The
Stony Brook School honored
John T. Smart ’34 with the
Lifetime Award at Homecoming
Weekend. With the exception of the very few years John
spent overseas in the Army in
the mid-1940s, he has attended
every single Homecoming
Weekend at The Stony Brook
School since graduation. This
year marked the occasion of his
80th Homecoming and the second time in history that the Lifetime
Award has been given.
John was born in Los Angeles, CA, in 1915. His father, a set designer
for silent movies, left the film industry and moved his family to
Jamaica when John was a boy. John was sent to board at The Stony
Brook School just four years after the School was founded. Upon
graduation in 1934, John entered West Point Prep School and then
Brooklyn Academy before attending the New York University School
of Tax and Finance. His accounting career began with tenures on the
Curb Exchange and in the finance department at U.S. Steel. He soon
took a position as an accountant with an international construction
company where his father was employed. The two of them traveled
together to Palestine, Cairo, and the African east coast country of
Eritrea, where the company built hospitals, air strips, and major housing projects. In 1944, John was drafted into the U.S. Army and served
in the Philippines until he was discharged after the end of World War
II in 1945. He married Anna, his late wife of 51 years, in 1947, and
established one of the nation’s first automated laundromats, located
in the Bronx. He sold the business in 1951 and moved to Malverne,
Long Island, where he has lived ever since. That same year he joined
Pfizer, Inc., as director of international pricing, a position he held for
20 years until his retirement.
all photos on this spread © bruce jeffrey
John has dedicated his avocational life to serving the community. A
longtime scout leader for the Boy Scouts, he still hosts members at
his home after the annual parade in Malverne. He has held volunteer
positions in two churches. He has served with Malverne’s auxiliary
police and is a member of the American Legion. He was one of the
first members of the Malverne Environmental Council, going back
to before the nation’s first Earth Day in 1970. Always a strong athlete
(he was a wrestler and tennis player at The Stony Brook School) and
an avid golfer, John still regularly plays nine holes on the links at the
age of 99. Assessing the important things in life, John attributes “any
good” in him to the education he received at The Stony Brook School,
which he still thinks of as his home.
Pictured on opposite page, clockwise from top
left:
Katie Dahlseide ’14, Ali Rothaar ’14, Brandon Odom ’14,
Marco Masakayan ’14, Joseph Corrado ’13, Christopher
Rudzitis ’14, Dylan Guo ’14; Nora Furey with her father, John
Smart ’34; Leslie and Mike Noble ’64; Pia Witteman ’04
(center) speaking with Colette Corrica ’05 (left) and Staceyann
Smith ’05; Whitney Roberts ’65 and Bill Oliver ’65
A proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, SAG-AFTRA
and IATSE Local 340, Sophie
Vanier ’99 is a graduate of
Columbia-Barnard, Stony Brook
University, and Williamstown
Theatre Festival. She is one of
two recipients of the Emerging Alumni Award, honoring
individuals who graduated in
the last 15 years.
This past summer she played in New York City, London, and Stratford-upon-Avon as Hamlet in the Oxford Shakespeare Company’s
innovative new production of the Bard’s masterpiece. Sophie recently
made her debut at Guild Hall in East Hampton as the female lead in
Joe Brondo’s new play, “Bluebirds.” Earlier in the year, she portrayed
the White Queen in Sybilline Productions’ new work, “Bastard Blood.”
Spencer Chang ’04 is the second Emerging Alumni Award winner.
He recently became a municipal credit analyst for Morgan Stanley in
NYC. Prior to Morgan Stanley, he worked at the Chicago headquarters of Moody’s Investor Services.
While pursuing his MBA at The University of Chicago’s Booth School
of Business, Spencer was on the Booth team selected from among
11,000 worldwide entries to participate in the San Francisco-based
Hult Prize competition to find solutions for the global food crisis.
A graduate of Wheaton College (IL), Spencer is a member of Christians in Business, and he has been a volunteer church youth-group
counselor for eight years. Spencer has won competitions for his
landscape photographs, and he is applying his culinary expertise to
exploring molecular gastronomy as one of his avocations.
Siblings Jonas Fischer ’94 and
Rebecca Fischer (Smith) ’99
joined forty-three of our greatest athletes in the Stony Brook
Hall of Fame. They are just
the third set of siblings to be
honored along with Don ’75 and
Kevin Lockerbie ’77, inducted in
1997, and William ’45 and Earl
Downey ’45, inducted in 2004.
Jonas was an All-County selection in three sports as a Brooker, excelling in football, basketball, and
lacrosse. He was a regular on the Class Night stage, winning the Swanson Superior Performance Trophy, the Swanson All-Around Athlete
Trophy, and the Vanderveer Trophy, and twice winning the Buyers
Football and Taft Boys’ Basketball trophies.
Rebecca continued the Fischer legacy, standing out in soccer, basketball, and track. She followed in Jonas’ footsteps by winning both the
Swanson Superior Performance and All-Around Athlete trophies, as
well as winning the Girls’ Basketball Trophy three times.
19
homecoming 2014
Reunions
Bill Strong, Joe Caron, Steve Fuchs,
Hank Carlson ’56, Ron Lingle, Bart
Cleveland, Ben Moss, Rocky Hill,
Gordon Scott.
’54
Class of ’64—50th
© lew flagg ’64
© ron lingle ’54
Class of ’54—60th
’64
Ken Kok, Gene Lyman, Jim Rippe,
Tom Fink, (Johnny Vassilaros, thanks
to the Photoshop efforts of Tom Bert!)
Rick Ward, John Carson, Scott Zolnier,
Dave Tatem, Tom Bert, Bob Coane,
Rich McDonough, Mike Noble, Lew
Flagg, Ralph Johnson.
Class of ’69—45th
Steve Krentel, Jay Fischler, Richard
Bonnifield, Mark Lyman
Class of ’74—40th
© alex edwards-bourdrez ’72
’69
Linda Schnell Torrey, Lisa Romeo
Thompson, Lauri Collins Lankford,
Penny Watras Dana, Wintrop Hall,
Stanley Newcombe, John Chung, Ellie
Safayan (guest)
’74
Class of ’84—30th
Back row: Kris McNutt Loomis,
Rebecca Brandstadter Peppe, Christian
Johnson Taylor, Brent Ambacher,
Nelson Kim; Front row: Dirk Friedkin,
Tracy Schlachter, Suzanne Borden
Camerini, Karen Volkmann, Andrew
McAusland
Class of ’89—25th
’84
Darlene Ambler O’Reilly, Jenny
Hanchett Robinson, Joanna Lipari
Romero, Eva Lund.
Class of ’94—20th
’89
’94
Back row: Dominick Squicciarini, Mark Thornton, Keith Schultz,
Philip Marshall, Doug Steinke, Jesse
Covington, Becca Bancroft Schmidt,
David Johnson, Jean Crousillat; Front
row: Emily Litman, Michelle Worch
Reynolds, Marianthy Katsiafas, Ann
Gutierrez Carlson, Jessy Doubleday
Cudworth, Tess Gamboa Myers,
Jackie Schorr Field
Class of ’99—15th
Ben Taylor, Sophie Vanier, Patrick
Griffin, Tim Pistell.
Class of ’09—5th
’99
’09
20
John Mahon, Liz Andersen, Samantha
Lee, John Pistell, Elizabeth Shultz,
Sarah Hickey, faculty member Erik
Johnson, Megan Knab.
all photos on this spread © bruce jeffrey (except where otherwise noted)
A sign of times gone by
The unveiling of two new signs
offered a poignant precursor
to the boys’ soccer game on
Saturday, October 11. Originally
designed by beloved SBS teacher
and coach Robin Lingle ’60, the signs
were installed over the summer and
uncovered during the ceremony by
current members of the boys’ and
girls’ cross country teams.
Pictured above: Nicole Gray ’16,
Cianka Haynes ’18, Miranda Harrigan ’18, Hyeondeok Cho ’17, Jacob
Brummeler ’15, Coach Alicia Brummeler, Alma Rojas ’15, Luis Irias ’16,
Justin Kim ’17, Zarmeen Akhund ’17,
and Kelly Campbell ’15.
John K. Fitch
Pictured second to r, above, with Director of
Athletics Jeremy Donovan, his son, John Fitch,
and Director of Annual Giving Alex EdwardsBourdrez ’72.
D. Bruce Lockerbie
Pictured above, speaking on behalf of Marvin W.
Goldberg.
Want more pictures?
You can view all Homecoming 2014 photos, order prints, and buy digital downloads on our SmugMug page.
Go to stonybrookschool.smugmug.com/201415/2014-Homecoming (password: bears) to see the complete album.
21
homecoming 2014
S.T.E.M. takes root at SBS
2
3
all photos on this spread © bruce jeffrey
1
4
On the afternoon of Saturday, October 11, the Gaebelein Library was filled with students, faculty, alumni, family members,
and friends, all eager to witness a special demonstration to honor the new S.T.E.M. program at SBS.
1. Director of S.T.E.M. Education Stan Winston displays a scale model of the machine he
designed and built with students in his
Engineering Innovation and Design course.
The machine was built to ceremoniously
begin demolition of the part of Gaebelein
Library to be repurposed as a cutting-edge
S.T.E.M. Lab.
2. Terrence Wu ’15 assists in the unveiling of
the machine.
3. Members of the inaugural fall 2014 offering of Engineering Innovation and Design
pose with their machine before the demon-
22
stration (pictured, l to r: Rebecca Lee ’15, Jillian Ho ’15, Thomas Hull ’16, Cody Chen ’15,
Brian Song ’15, Simon Song ’15, Julia Shi ’16,
Justin Torre ’15, Nancy Lin ’15, Sydney
Dunn ’15, Sam Gallipeau ’15, Ben Walter ’15,
QiQi Wang ’15, William Choi ’16, Roman
Volovoy ’16, Kevin Wang ’16, Tom Willoughby ’15, and Terrence Wu ’15, with a small and
very excited member of our group of onlookers,
pose with Stan Winston, kneeling)
4. Benjamin Walter ’15 and Justin Torre ’15
use their body weight to provide leverage as
the machine swings into action.
Pictured on opposite page,
clockwise from top left:
Kristin Cardo ’04 and Bekky Altug ’04;
Richard Story ’49 and Carolyn Story;
Lew Flagg ’64 and Susan Flagg with
faculty member Paulyn Church;
Scott Strong ’79 and Stephan Brandstadter ’80; Elektra Damianos
Gaebelein ’75 and Lauri Collins Lankford ’74; Faculty member Erik Johnson
and Katie Adan ’04.
23
alumni log
SBS Alumni Log
1940s
1940
Born to Preach, by Gordon
Anderson ’40, was published
in May 2014 and is available on
Amazon. The autobiography,
published posthumously (he died
in July 2013), tells the life story of
Gordon, whose music and preaching ministry spanned over seven
decades. Chapter nine is dedicated
to the years he spent at Stony
Brook. His wife, Carol, writes,
“Gordon often reminisced fondly
about his time at Stony Brook,
which included his class with Dr.
Gaebelein, the music ministry, and
the lifelong friendships he made.”
(1)
1949
Jim Beattie ’49 has retired as a real
estate broker in Tahoe, NM. He
writes, “God has blessed me and
my family, and I am very grateful.”
1960s
1964
Ralph Johnson ’64 moved from
Ohio to Aiken, SC. He continues
to work on a limited basis as director of the Center for Leadership at
the Educational Service Center of
Central Ohio.
1967
Russell H. Kent ’67 has published
a new book, The Judges Testify of
Christ and Give Us Hope: God’s
Faithfulness to His Word and His
People, which is now available on
Amazon. The book gives insight
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as to how the Old Testament Book
of Judges tells of the coming of
Jesus Christ and provides hope
and comfort. He writes, “The
faithfulness of God is evidenced
throughout the Book of Judges.
Even though we may be weak
and fail, God will never leave nor
forsake us.” Russell is the pastor
of the Congregational Church in
Wilmington, MA. (2)
cational leadership at Kennesaw
State University in GA. (3)
1969
Since February 2014, John
Hopkins ’69 has been director
of development for Spartanburg
County Bible Education during
School Time (SCBEST) in SC.
Karl Young ’71, his wife, Audrey,
and daughters, Olivia and Sophia,
set out on an East Coast road
trip this past summer. They flew
to Philadelphia from Seattle and
drove up to VT, with various stops
along the way. The trip included
a visit to Stony Brook, where
Karl reunited with his former
Math teacher Thom Brownworth
and schoolmate Alex EdwardsBourdrez ’72. “The visit to Stony
Brook was most memorable for me
on the trip because it brought back
so many old memories,” he writes.
“I hope one day the entire class
of ’71 will be able to meet again,
including those who did not finish
with us: Franklin Graham, Brian
Junghans, and others. Our 50th
will be in 2021, so maybe we can
start so put away our pennies for a
trip to the Brook then.” (Pictured:
Karl with his daughters, Olivia and
Sophia, with the original Johnston
bell.) (4)
Roy Hodson ’69 and his wife,
Debbie, are completing 40 years of
ministry with Scripture Memory
Mountain Mission (SMMM) in
KY. He writes, “We have been
blessed to see this mission grow in
both ministry outreaches across
the region and in the expansion
of physical facilities at Camp
Nathanael, SMMM’s year-round
conference grounds.”
1970s
1970
Fort Bend Christian Academy
(Sugar Land, TX) appointed John
Lindsell ’70 as Head of School
on July 1. He earned a bachelor’s
degree from Wheaton College,
a master’s degree from GordonConwell, and a doctorate and a
master’s degree from the Harvard
University Graduate School of
Education. Most recently, John
was an associate professor of edu-
1971
Al Loreto ’71 retired in 2009 as
chairperson of Business, Technology, and Home and Careers at Islip
School District, after 34 years of
teaching and administration. In
January, he became a new grandparent to Brayden Paul Loreto.
1974
Carla D’Andre ’74 graduated
from the FBI Citizen’s Academy in
Miami, FL, in May. In September,
she was appointed chairman of
the National Society of Chartered
Property and Casualty Underwrit-
ers (CPCU) Risk Management
Interest Group, one of fourteen
CPCU interest groups which operate at a national level and support
the highest level of professionals
in the property and casualty insurance discipline in the United States
and abroad.
1975
James Emery ’75 and his wife,
Lisa, have been married for 32
years and live in New Hampton,
NH. James’ firm, Emery & Garrett
Groundwater Investigations, is
celebrating its 25th year and has
recently expanded internationally
to the Dominican Republic, along
with various projects along the
East Coast. The couple has three
children, Taylor, 27, Emiline, 24,
and Chelsea, 21.
1978
After 19 years at SBS, Kathryn
Sides ’78 is director of development at the University of Louisville’s College of Arts and Sciences.
She writes, “The city of Louisville
is delightful. It is tiny compared to
what New Yorkers call ‘the City,’
but I am enjoying its accessibility,
historic homes, and culture.”
1980s
1981
John F. Evans ’81, a professor at
Nairobi Evangelical Theological
Seminary in Kenya, writes in an
update, “I’ll be busy with curriculum review; our university is
shifting from trimesters to semesters. I also expect to be grading a
couple of dissertations, working
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4
1
8
5
home of Lebogang “Stephen”
Montjane ’88, his wife, Funeka,
and daughter, Ramadimetja, in
Johannesburg. (Pictured l to r:
Paulyn, Funeka, Ramadinetja, and
David.) (5)
2
In May, David Setran ’88 was promoted from assistant professor to
associate professor in the Department of Christian Formation and
Ministry at Wheaton College.
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3
on a book that’s due next year, and
trying to speed up the process of
getting my Kenyan work permit
renewed.”
1984
Congratulations to Wayne
Weiss ’84 and his wife, Audrey, on
their 25th wedding anniversary!
1986
Dermatologist Thomas Chu ’86 is
living in Vancouver for a ninemonth fellowship at the Hair and
Scalp Research and Treatment
Center in the Department of
Dermatology at University of
British Columbia. His research
concentrates on hair loss and
follicular stem cells, as well as
hair restoration surgery.
1988
While on vacation in South
Africa, faculty members David and
Paulyn Church visited the
1989
In June, author Aaron Belz ’89
published Glitter Bomb, a collection of poems that depict human
foibles. He was featured in a
poetry reading at the Red Room in
New York City on October 18. (6)
1990s
1994
Jesse Covington ’94 recently
attained tenure as a professor of
political science at Westmont
College. He writes, “Next year I’ll
be on a sabbatical-year research
fellowship at Princeton University,
so I’ll be able to attend my 20th
reunion at Stony Brook!”
1999
In July, Ben Taylor ’99 traveled
to England, where he visited with
Rumi Hossain ’99 and Deb
Leveroy ’99. He is a grants administrator at Demos and continues to
grow his consulting business.
Gerald Tilma ’99 works for The
University of Texas at Austin as a
software developer.
2000s
2000
Gillian Fell ’00 and Bryan
Doherty were married at St.
Cecilia Roman Catholic Church in
Boston, MA, on August 2. Gillian
is a third-year surgery resident at
Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
(7)
2004
Emily Hartmann Hofius ’04 and
her husband, Jon, welcomed a
baby girl on August 28. She writes,
“We named her Nell Antoinette
and are smitten with her!”
(Pictured: Emily and Nell, a “future
Brooker,” on an October 28 visit
to the Alumni and Development
Office.) (8)
A resident of Astoria, NY, Marie
Crousillat ’04 works as a communications manager at CAI, a global
not-for-profit organization that
tackles health and social issues in
low income communities.
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alumni log
Networking in NYC
Alumni Career Symposium
On Thursday, September 11, over 30 young alumni and friends
gathered at the Yale Club of New York City for “Networking
in NYC,” a combined effort of John Kanas, Jr. ’09 and the SBS
Alumni and Development Office.
Stony Brook’s annual Alumni Career Symposium,
organized by alumna and Board of Trustees member
Jocelyn Hathaway Hutzler ’82, took place on Wednesday,
October 15. Each alumnus spoke briefly about his or her
career path; after hearing from each presenter, the students
spent time in smaller groups based on their area of interest.
Terrance Anderson ’07 and Head of School Joshua Crane.
Assistant Head of School Jane Taylor addresses seniors and alumni
in the Hollis Student Center multipurpose room.
Elisa Pulliam and Liz Koubek’09; Olivia Roach ’09, David Hickey ’08,
and John Pistell ’09.
Shan Chowdhury ’08, John Kanas, Jr. ’09, and David Hickey ’08;
Maggie Pavao ’10 and Jason Sutjiawan ’10.
all photos © sara dipierro
all photos © jane taylor
A small group session with Lew Flagg ’64.
Front: Jocelyn Hathaway Hutzler ’82, Dana Laurel ’99, Emily Litman ’94, Peter Esser ’57, Jane Taylor; Back: Lee Munch ’78,
Lew Flagg ’64, Dudley Fincke ’56, Terrance Anderson ’07, Michael
Cox ’07, Stephen Jones ’65.
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12
9
Send Us Your News and Photos!
Thank you for sharing your life’s milestones with the SBS family.
Don’t forget to include photos! Photos of your child(ren) are
welcome when they feature SBS alum(s).
We want to hear about:
• Weddings, births, and deaths
• New jobs and degrees
• Travel and missionary work
• Publications, awards, honors, and promotions
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10
Kristin Cardo ’04 moved from
New York City to Nashville, TN.
2006
Holly Gingrich Young ’06 has
been married to Mike Young since
2010. They have two young girls,
Mikayla and Sophia.
2010s
2010
Kayla Winston ’10 and Nick
Babut were married at Christ
Church United Methodist in Port
Jefferson Station, NY, on August
31, 2013. Rev. Randy Paige performed the ceremony. The couple
lives and works in Ann Arbor, MI.
Danielle Barbato ’10, Alexander
von Strandtmann ’10, Christina
Suazo ’10, Luke Paige ’11, Josh
Paige ’07, Jessica Winston ’11,
Sarah Hickey ’09, Chelsea
Winston ’16, and Daniela Winston ’18 were in attendance.
Faculty and staff attendees
included Bob and Saskia Padgett,
Stephen and Elisa Pulliam, Rob
and Jane Taylor, Stan and Marcia
Winston, Leslie Paige, and
MaryLynn Granieri. (9)
2014
Bryan Oh ’14 served as a
volunteer at the 2014 International
Congress of Mathematicians in
Seoul, Korea, on August 13-24.
He attends Brown University.
Faculty and Friends
Two new faculty babies have
joined the SBS community.
SBS History Department Chair
Tim Beirne and his wife, Laura
(Simons Head), welcomed
Madison Cassidy Beirne on
September 28. (10)
New faculty member Andrew
Barber and Alexander dorm assistant head Jessica Barber ’06
welcomed Murray Ellis on July 3,
just a few weeks before arriving in
Stony Brook. (11)
Send us your news and high-res digital files or prints—
Email:
alumni@stonybrookschool.org
Snail mail:
The Stony Brook School
Alumni Office
1 Chapman Parkway
Stony Brook, NY 11790
We make every effort to accurately print all information. If you do
find an error, please contact us at 631-751-1800 ext. 550 so we can
correct our records. The School reserves the right to edit submitted
material for length and content.
On September 21, during the SBS
Sunday Vespers chapel service,
Director of Chapel and Religious
Life Rev. Christoper Stratton
baptized three faculty babies:
Evelyn Ivy Stratton (daughter of
Chris and Sarah Stratton), Mary
Noble Ryan (daughter of Kris and
Rachel Ryan), and Murray Ellis
Barber (son of Andrew and Jessica
Barber ’06). The ceremony was
also presided over by Rev. R. David Aldridge, pastor of Central
Presbyterian Church in Huntington, NY and SBS faculty member
Rev. Doug Hicks. (Pictured, l to r:
Andrew Barber, Jessica Pinkerton
Barber ’06 holding baby Murray
Ellis, Rev. Christopher Stratton,
Sarah Stratton holding baby Evelyn
Ivy, Rachel Estrada Ryan holding
baby Mary Noble, Kris Ryan,
Rev. R. David Aldrige, and
Rev. Doug Hicks.) (12)
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in memoriam
Obituaries
Alumni
Kenneth Munro Scott,
Sr. ’33 (Black Mountain,
NC) on September 15,
2014. The son of missionaries in China, he
attended school in Korea
before coming to Stony
Brook. Ken studied music at Davidson College in North Carolina and
earned a medical degree from the University
of Pennsylvania. He entered the U.S. Army as
Captain in the Medical Corps and worked as an
advisor to the Third Chinese Army in Burma
and China because of his fluency in Chinese.
After completing residency, Ken worked at the
VA hospital in Coatesville, PA, before serving
as a medical missionary in Korea and India. He
ended his medical career working at the Black
Mountain Center in the tuberculosis program
of the NC Department of Public Health. Ken
was an active church member at the Swannanoa Valley and Warren Wilson Presbyterian
Church. He was predeceased by his wife, Ann;
a daughter; and two sons, Kenneth M. Scott,
Jr. ’64 and Charles F. Scott ’64.
Monroe Diefendorf ’42
(Southern Pines, NC)
on August 16, 2014. A
graduate of Amherst College, he served in the U.S.
Navy during World War
II for three years on the
USS Nassau, which operated in the Pacific. Monroe worked for 38 years
in the life insurance business, where he was
well known within the industry as a writer and
speaker of sales management subjects. Maintaining a strong interest in education, he and
his brothers, Warren Diefendorf ’39 and Judd
Diefendorf ’49, established a scholarship at The
Stony Brook School. Monroe and his first wife,
Evelyn, created a faculty educational fund at
the School. In 1989, he received the Alumni
Achievement Award and in 2000, he chaired a
major fundraising campaign at the School. An
avid golfer, Monroe played 335 golf courses
around the world. He was predeceased by his
first wife, Evelyn, and his brother, Warren. He
is survived by his wife, Jane; his brother, Judd;
two children; six grandchildren, including Student Support faculty member Jennie Donovan;
and nine great-grandchildren.
Allen Schattschneider ’43 (Sarasota, FL) on
October 18, 2014. A graduate of Rutgers and
NYU, Allen was trained by Prudential and became an insurance broker. His volunteer work
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included tutoring, helping with hospice care,
and participating in Rotary International. Allen loved to sing in the Tryon Community Chorus and in various church choirs. He was predeceased by his first wife, Bea. He is survived
by his wife, Betty; two sons; a grandson; two
step-children; and three step-grandchildren.
Elmer Nelson ’50
(Downingtown, PA) on
July 10, 2014. Elmer was
a funeral director for
more than 40 years at the
Marvil Funeral Home
in Darby, PA. He loved
spending summers
at the Jersey shore and winters in Cape Coral,
FL. He is survived by his wife, Alice; two
children; two grandchildren; and three greatgrandchildren.
William Bock, Jr. ’51
(Muncie, IN) on May
26, 2014. A graduate
of Springfield College, William earned a
master’s degree from the
University of Illinois and
a doctorate from Ohio
State University. He was a professor at Ball
State University for 49 years in the Department
of Physiology and Health Science. William is
survived by his wife, Marianne; two sons; two
daughters; 10 grandchildren; and a sister.
Arthur H. Oldham ’63 (Charlotte, NC) on August 17, 2014. A graduate of Colgate University
and the University of Pennsylvania School of
Architecture, Art worked for a land planning
firm in Philadelphia before opening his own
firm, Oldham Planning and Design, in the early
1980s. He won many design awards for the use
of indigenous stone in entrance monuments
and public spaces, always trying to reflect his
love of the outdoors and respect for the natural
environment. He loved reading, the opera, and
most of all his family. Art is survived by his
wife, Karen; two sons; and four grandchildren.
Larry Dail Bowen ’65
(Rock Hill, SC) on September 5, 2014. Larry
graduated from The State
University of New York
and was an avid traveler.
His career spanned 28
years with US Airways,
with 25 of them as captain on the Boeing 737
and Airbus 321. He is survived by his wife,
Lynn, and two children.
Jack F. Shepherd, Jr. ’69
(Gloucester, MA) on July
3, 2014, after a four-year
battle with ALS. As a
child of an evangelical
minister and missionary teacher, Jack grew
up in NY, NJ, MN, and
the Philippines. He graduated with a bachelor’s
degree in English from Boston University and
a master’s degree in international educational
administration and policy analysis from Stanford University. After an initial career restoring
and selling luxury automobiles, Jack pursued a
career in education, including teaching at the
Casablanca American School in Morocco, the
American School of Las Palmas in Spain, the
Asmara International Community School in
Eritrea, and the American International School
in Egypt. Jack returned to the United States
because his health prevented him from signing
another overseas contract. He ended his formal
teaching career at Endicott College (Beverly,
MA). An avid motorcyclist, Jack toured many
places throughout the world on bike. He is
survived by his wife, Tricia; two children; a
sister; and twelve nieces and nephews.
James Giargiana ’86 (Nesconset, NY) on
July 5, 2014, after a lifelong battle with renal
disease. A graduate of Penn State University,
Jimmy loved the Yankees, music, and baseball
cards. He was extremely positive, despite the
difficult dialysis treatments he endured. Friend
Eurydice Damianos ’88 writes, “Jimmy had a
great sense of humor, and we used to sit on the
bench and talk while waiting for the bus. He
had many beautiful traits, with a gift for making
people feel happy.” Jimmy is survived by his
parents; a brother; and a sister.
Faculty and Friends
Joseph K. Pistell (Stony Brook, NY) on
August 9, 2014. He was the father of Timothy
Pistell ’99, Henry Pistell ’02, and John
Pistell ’09 and the husband of SBS staff
member Frances Pistell. A graduate of Tufts
University and New York Law School, Joe
worked as an attorney on Long Island and
then a fundraiser for various not-for-profit
organizations in the tri-state area.
Jonathan D. Forsythe (Ephrata, PA) on May
10, 2014. He was the father of Jonathan P.
Forsythe ’92. He was a minister, missionary,
and substitute teacher.
Herodotus Damianos (St. James, NY) on
August 18, 2014. He was the father of Alexander Damianos ’84, Jason Damianos ’85, and
Eurydice Damianos ’88. A medical doctor,
“Dr. Dan,” as he was affectionately called, was
a North Fork wine pioneer and founder of
Pindar Vineyards, Long Island’s largest wine
producer.
Former faculty member Joseph Levorchick
(Rocky Point, NY) on August 26, 2014. He
was the father of Bob Levorchick ’75 and
Bruce Levorchick ’76. A driver’s education
teacher, Joe was also Stony Brook’s first official
soccer coach and a JV baseball coach.
Audrey Clark (Jupiter, FL) on October 26,
2014. She was the grandmother of
William Clark ’95 and David Moore ’06.
A generous financial supporter of The Stony
Brook School, Audrey was passionate about
Christian youth programs and women’s
Bible classes.
Former staff member
Serge Penzi (Commack, NY) on August
12, 2014. He was the
father of Andrew
Penzi ’87. He cherished
his 20 years working in
the Facilities Department. A talented craftsman, Serge created the
cross in Hegeman Chapel. The Class of 1996
honored him with the dedication of the Res
Gestae yearbook.
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flow of the brook
WATER WORKS
My first day at Stony Brook was a very emotional day for me...and then I had my first swim practice.
by holly pinder peel ’97
My first day at Stony Brook was a very
emotional day for me.
I cried the whole plane ride from the Bahamas
to New York. I cried the whole car ride from
the city to Stony Brook. I cried as my parents
left me on the stairway of my dorm, Monro.
And then I had my first swim practice.
I stopped crying!
“Everything seemed less
intimidating after I dried off
and changed that day.”
Today, Holly Pinder Peel ’97 is an
attorney at law in Nassau, Bahamas,
a career path that she arrived at
after a bachelor’s degree in
computer information systems
and an MBA from the University
of Miami. She lives there with her
husband and two sons. Her 2-yearold, Kingston, is already an avid
swimmer, and baby Wynn is soon to
follow his (and mom’s) example.
I arrived at Stony Brook as a tenth-grader in
1994. My older brother, Ryan, had already
come to school here and graduated, so a trail
had been blazed for me—and I had cousins
here that overlapped a year or two during my
time as a student—but still, I was nervous.
I was born and raised on the small island of
Nassau, in the Bahamas (our island is only 21
miles long and 7 miles wide; less than 1/3rd
the size of Suffolk County on Long Island). I
was happy with my life the way it was, I had a
close group of friends at home, I’d known my
surroundings so well; I wasn’t thrilled with all
of that changing so suddenly.
In what I would come to know as the “Stony
Brook way,” we were immediately immersed
into activities and preparation for the new
school year. I remember heading to the pool in
Swanson during my first afternoon on campus,
still sniffling and unsure of myself. There was
another girl on the team who was one of the
best swimmers on campus, and I got into my
lane and beat her time; I remember some of
my teammates looking at me like, “Who is this
girl?” Right away, I knew I’d found the connection I needed between home and Stony Brook.
Right away, I knew: I’m going to be okay. I can
do this. Everything seemed less intimidating
after I dried off and changed that day.
I’d been swimming since I was a small girl
in Nassau. Before coming to Stony Brook, I
was swimming on both a local team and the
Bahamas National Team. I’d competed in both
Carifta and Caribbean Islands Swimming
Championships (CISC) meets.
Renovation of the Swanson Pool has begun!
Stay tuned to future issues of the Bulletin for updates.
30
Being in the water was therapeutic for me, as
I suspect it is for most swimmers. The unique
features of Stony Brook’s pool made swimming
less of an individual sport and more of a closeknit team experience. In the Bahamas, all of
our pools are outdoors. It was an adjustment to
swim indoors at Stony Brook, but I have only
fond memories of the enclosed, intimate experience: The fact that our toes lined up right
along the water’s cement edge as we cheered
each other on, the way that the spectators were
so close to the action, the sounds of their claps
and roars and water splashes echoing off
the walls.
Swimming at Stony Brook helped me adjust
to life on a boarding school campus, yes—but
more than that, swimming at Stony Brook
helped me become who I am today. And
not because I kept swimming, either; when
I matriculated to University of Miami, my
walk-on to the swim team lasted only through
my first practice. I had other interests I wanted
to pursue, other things I wanted to do with
my time! But the unique combination of what
I learned through swimming, and the way it
helped me at Stony Brook...those lessons have
lasted a lifetime. I was always encouraged to
give my all to my training, but it was never
easy. The discipline and dedication I needed to
face those athletic challenges, along with the
academic challenges of being a student, have
made me the kind of person who sets my mind
to something and does it. This has helped me
in my professional life, this has helped me in
my family life. Swimming was not the most
important thing in my life, but it taught me
some of the most important lessons of my life.
Today, I run instead of swim to clear my head,
to set my mind at ease, to give my days rhythm
and structure and discipline. Just the other day,
however, the Associate Director of Athletics,
Dan Hickey ’04, sent me a little note acknowledging my swimming career at Stony Brook
and letting me know that the pool, dormant
for many years now, will soon be repaired
and ready for swimmers once again. Immediately my thoughts turned to those countless
afternoons spent doing laps up and down that
tucked away corner of Swanson Gymnasium.
I am so happy for those in the SBS community
who need swimming like I needed it. n
Photo: Holly Pinder Peel ’97 with her
husband, Chris, and their sons, Kingston, 2,
and Wynn, 6 months.
Your gifts at work
Gifts to The Stony Brook School’s Annual Fund are used to
enrich the lives and learning experiences of all SBS students.
© bruce jeffrey
Giving Appeal Ad
Pictured above: During Homecoming Weekend, students in the inaugural fall 2014
offering of Engineering Innovation and Design demonstrated a machine they designed and built with teacher Stan Winston
to assist in the demolition of the part of Gaebelein Library that is being repurposed as a cutting-edge S.T.E.M. Lab.
Give Online: Make a one-time or recurring gift at stonybrookschool.org/give
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The Bulletin of
The Stony Brook School
stony brook, ny 11790
Periodicals
Postage
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Stony Brook, NY
Permit No. 522-440
John Chao ’69
“Milky Way Photographer”
Digital photograph
2014
"Ruby Beach is a wilderness beach in
Olympic National Park, Washington State.
It’s distant enough from light pollution to
offer a dark sky where the universe
may be witnessed.
On a near-moonless evening, close to
midnight, I posed a photographer-friend’s
silhouette by a passing Milky Way. Two lights
on the horizon (likely offshore fishing boats)
were serendipitous (dare I say blessings),
and enhance the image.
I’ve been a volunteer photographer
for the National Park Service for years,
photographing scenes to encourage
appreciation of, and caring for,
the natural world.
Ever since Phil McDaniel ’66 introduced me
to black and white film photography when I
was a freshman in 1965, I’ve had a camera
for explorations.”
—John Chao ’69
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