The Phoenix The Woodhall School Newsletter 2015-2016 Reflections from the Head of School To The Woodhall School Community, During her final years as Head of School, Mrs. Woodhall approached me about establishing a permanent school mascot. (The Woodchucks and the Wild Cats were among the early mascots.) During a school forum, she suggested to the community that we become the Woodhall Phoenix. Many ancient civilizations embrace the concept of rebirth or cyclical regeneration described in the myth of the Phoenix. With its brilliant plumage of gold and scarlet and its life span of a thousand years, the bird builds a nest, which then ignites, and the creature perishes in resplendent flames. From the ashes, a new Phoenix arises, rejuvenated and powerful. Having worked with the Gentlemen of Woodhall for over a decade, I’ve come to understand how the Phoenix is an apt school mascot, as it symbolizes the transformational journey of our students. Occasionally, a skeptic of the school may demand data-driven evidence of the efficacy of our students’ engagement in the process of self-reflection and self-expression with accountability. While the qualitative and quantitative studies exist to support the school’s relationship-based approach and its mindful and intentional community building, I encourage all of us to remember the importance of dwelling with the ineffable qualities of a young man’s journey of discovery of his own self and the world around him that Walt Whitman captures in his poem, printed on the back of this newsletter, “When I Heard the Learn’ d Astronomers.” Respectfully yours, Matthew C. Woodhall Head of School 58 Harrison Lane, PO Box 550, Bethlehem, CT 06751 www.woodhallschool.org Finding Focus - The Mindfulness Program Dr. Norm Christiansen, Ph.D. has been part of The Woodhall School for several years, first as a coach for Physical Training, then as a personal trainer for some of the students, and as Mindfulness Facilitator for faculty and students when Woodhall incorporated Mindfulness Practice in the Communications Program. Next year, he will be teaching a Health and Wellness class to the students. In an interview with Matthew Woodhall recently, Dr. Christiansen outlined the objectives of the class. “The course, ‘Health and Wellness: How to Lead a Meaningful Life,’ will be presented through the ground breaking science of Positive Psychology, which explores the roots of a happy and meaningful life. The course will draw information and inferences from cross-disciplinary research in psychology, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, nutrition, fitness and more.” “Mindfulness will be integrated throughout the course in each class. The learning objectives are to learn key psychological, Ryan Kochman ‘17, Dr. Christiansen, Matthew Kuyper ‘17, and Alexander Mount ‘18. social and biological factors in living a meaningful, healthy and happy life; to learn the relationships between human connection and pro-social qualities such as compassion, altruism and gratitude; and to practice techniques that help to develop a meaningful life.” worked with elite athletes on the US Figure Skating and US Olympic teams, teaching them mindfulness skills to help them relax, focus and regulate their emotions to enhance their performances. He has also worked with artists, writers, actors, dancers and other performance artists. Dr. Christiansen earned his doctoral degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and says that he began the real learning of how to help others after graduating. “After working with diverse populations of children, adolescents, and adults in many different settings, I became disillusioned and saw the limitations of the medical model to help others change and grow,” he explained. He began to explore the area of Optimal Performance and Dr. Christiansen’s ideas about what Optimal Performance should mean in sports, drama and other artistic performances expanded to include the general population. How can we lead a healthy and meaningful life? What are the ingredients that increase the chances of developing this style of life? How are these best learned and integrated into one’s life? The focus on these questions and his work in these areas has gradually gathered his full attention. 2 with Dr. Norman Christiansen, Ph.D. Mindfulness was introduced to the Communications Program this year. “Its ability to relax, focus, reduce impulsivity and regulate emotions quiets the thought waves of the mind. Mindfulness helps us understand that we are not our thoughts; and when we stop identifying with them, the waves move slower and we are more capable of resting in the present moment,” he explained. “Mindfulness is paying attention to experience in a certain way without judgment in the present moment. As the Communications Group creates an environment of no blame and no shame, the quality of interaction between students and faculty, and between student and student, shifts. The ability to accept responsibility (see things honestly as they are) for behavior comes from within the student. The transition occurs at a different pace for each student; and the more they observe this being modeled by faculty, the “capsule” that holds this safety becomes dependable and predictable. It becomes increasingly comfortable to express thoughts and feelings as an observation or awareness.” Dr. Norman Christiansen,Pd.D. “When the opportunity to provide group fitness training at Woodhall presented itself I jumped, at it.” He had been studying positive psychology for many years, and he found that physical training and nutrition were natural complimentary fields for positive psychology. “I felt immediately at home with Woodhall students.” Their eagerness matched his enthusiasm, knowledge, experience and his approach to learning. The skills as a nutrition coach/educator dovetailed into workouts casually. “People learn best in relationships that are respectful, compassionate and attentive and where everyone is seen as a learner,” he observed. Dr. Christiansen has practiced Yoga on and off for 25 years and devotedly for the past 12 years. After completing his teacher training at Kripalu Yoga Center he began to see yoga as meditation or mindfulness in motion. “Yoga means coming into union with yourself and others, seeing the inter-connectedness of every living thing. Mindfulness is the actual experience of this unity that happens when the mind becomes quiet. This is created when the body, mind and senses are brought into balance relaxing the nervous system.” We are pleased that Dr. Christiansen will be expanding his role as a member of The Woodhall School. He concludes, “The entire Woodhall community and beyond have the opportunity to learn and practice Mindfulness at any time. I want to engage with everyone that is part of the Woodhall community in a respectful, compassionate, kind and playful manner. May my experiences, education and living a mindful life throughout the world and the entire Woodhall community lead others here to a life awakened to the call of freedom, patience and generosity that will transform any perceived limitations into fruitful possibilities that spring from their hearts.” Henry Molinary ‘15, Alexander Mount ‘18, Dr. Christiansen, and James Cobb ‘16 at Convocation. 3 The Oxfam America Hunger Banquet Local Food Drive In December, as consumerism and overeating were ushered in with the holiday season, Woodhall students had an alternative dining event to help them see hunger and inequality in a whole new way. In conjunction with our holiday food drive, which looked at hunger at the local perspective, the Hunger Banquet gave us a more global perspective. The Oxfam America Hunger Banquet is an experiential event where each person’s meal is determined by the luck of the draw. Students were split into groups (“economic classes”) without knowing what their group represented. Students learned more about their assigned social class, which corresponded to the type of meal each received. There was a povertystricken group, which was served rice and water, with no utensils, etc. The middle-class (slightly developed countries) received rice and beans, an ample amount of water and limited utensils. The established-economy group was served a full course meal. The event was facilitated by a group of ambassadors from the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. Daniel Becher ’17 said it was “interesting to see the different levels and how people in the different levels treat food. The people in the higher class don’t really have to think about it, whereas the people in the lower class are living meal to meal.” Daniel was assigned the middle level, where he was a little worried about whether or not he would feel full at the end of the meal, but was aware of the higher class people “who did not have to worry about how much they ate, whether or not it would be enough and would be good.” During our annual food drive the Woodhall community collected over 1,484 items for the Bethlehem Food Bank. Oxfam America is a global organization working to right the wrongs of poverty, hunger, and injustice around the world. For more than 40 years, Oxfam America Hunger Banquets have been changing the way people think about global hunger, one plate at a time. 4 The Oxfam Hunger Banquet in the Gallery. Highest level is seated at the table on the right, the lowest are on the floor, and the middle level on chairs in the back. Field to Fork - Learning About the Origins, Processing and Distribution of Food Alex Neuschotz ‘19 meets an egg producer. Preparing a new bed. Ryan Kochman ‘17 helping in the greenhouse. Food Systems entail all of the materials and actions involved in our food; a vital and complex process from growing to harvesting to processing to packaging to transporting to marketing to preparing to consuming to disposing, all within the environmental, economic and cultural spheres in which they occur. Our food system is also integrally related to a host of environmental challenges facing us today—environmental pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity among others. Tracing the complex journey of our food from farm, river, ocean, ranch—wherever it may start—to our plates illuminates the numerous connections between our food, society and the environment. In May, Woodhall students visited: • Abbey of Regina Laudis, Bethlehem, that produces and sells it’s own cheese, granola, honey, vinegar, herbs, and mustards. Our trip coincided with the dedication of the new Urth Farm, resurrected as a non-profit, inner-city, organic farm. Cutting the ribbon are Erin Stewart, Mayor of New Britain, and farmer Michael Kandefer; with Jack Sullivan ‘19, Sam Nelson ‘16, Jack Sorensen ‘18, Matthew Woodhall, and Ryan Kochman ‘17 from Woodhall, and Jane Beup, Executive Directory of Urth Farms, Alderman Dan Naples, and CEO Al Gamble. • Arethusa Farm, an award winning dairy farm in Litchfield, with a sophisticated cheese aging facility, shop, and restaurant. • Bantam Market, a Litchfield grocer specializing in organic, natural, and alternative foods. • Common Ground, an environmental charter school, urban farm, and community environmental education center on 20 acres near West Rock Ridge State Park in New Haven. • Lewis Educational Agricultural Farm, a 230 year old family farm in Southington. • Litchfield Locker, a locally owned butcher serving the public, restaurants, local stores, and local hunters who need deer carved and packaged. • Truelove Farms, in Morris, a sustainable farm using historical husbandry methods to raise heritage breeds of pigs, cattle, and chickens, free-range outdoors in woodlands and pastures. • Stop & Shop grocery, Southbury and Litchfield. Started in 1914 the company was the pioneer of the self-service supermarket and now has over 375 stores in New England, New York and New Jersey. • Urth Farm, New Britain, the recent resurrection of a 3.5 acre non-profit organic farm in the middle of the city, dedicated to education and providing fresh food to inner city neighborhoods. Gabriel Wysoker ‘17, Mr. Stewart Diaz-Mogollon and Winston Forman ‘18 help prepare a field for planting potatoes at the Abbey. 5 Collecting Donations and Presenting Research Projects, As part of a project in their Spanish III class at The Woodhall School, students sought donations of school supplies and used clothing for students at three indigenous schools, the Arhuacan schools, La Institucion Etnoeducativa Tairona de Bunkwimake (IEDTB) Institucion Etnoeducativa de Seykuimake, and the Wiwa school, Zalemaku de Sertuga, located in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM), Colombia. “My Woodhall Spanish III students, Winston Forman ’18 and Ryan Kochman ’17, have been learning about the Arhuaco and Kogi people and the cultural background of their communities, especially in regard to their traditional ecological knowledge,” explains Spanish teacher Stewart Diaz-Mogollon. “This ethnoecological work, mostly carried out by the Kogi Mamas and Arhuacan Mamos [spiritual leaders], focuses on the areas of water management and human impact.” For their class project, students are using their Spanish knowledge to build a relationship with the students attending these schools. Mr. Diaz-Mogollon began working with the Arhuaco and Wiwa populations in 2005 as a cultural anthropologist. “When I returned to the U.S. in 2010, I hoped to find schools A student in her Spanish grammar class (above). The Kogi and Arhuacan such as Woodhall to help people learn Spanish as a second language, since their first language is their native indigenous language: Ikan for the Arhuacans and Kaggaba for the Kogis. socialize the importance of this work for the planet,” he explained. “My students are currently in the process of producing introductory videos in Spanish and creating community awareness around the topics that Spanish has allowed them to understand and comparatively engage with, such as Ryan’s research project into the ethno-botany and neurology of the Kogi Mamas, and Winston’s research of the fauna and cosmology of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta”. Mr. Diaz-Mogollon plans to visit the villages later this summer, to share the students’ videos and deliver the donated materials. With his return he plans to bring back a recorded response from the Colombian students to share with the Woodhall students. 6 Elementary School students of La Institucion Etnoeducativa Distrital Tairona de Bunkwimake (IEDTB) with Principal Ari Javier, Mr Diaz, and Community Elder. the Spanish III Class Reaches Out to the Indigenous People of Colombia Part of the presentation of the research project. Community procession: Family Weekend, four indigenous school branches of the SNSM gather in the village of Bunkwimake to celebrate students’ work. Dumitru Mahoney ‘17 also contributed thoughtful artwork to the presentation. His hummingbirds painting portrays how a Kogi Mama would first see the natural world upon exiting the darkness in which he is raised for the first nine years of his life. Ryan Kochman ’17 said it was “mind expanding to see their perspective on the world beside the usual western paradigm. It expanded my world view. The study enhanced my interests in anthropology, which I might possibly study in college, and in ethno-botany, on which I did my research project.” The students presented their research in Spanish in class and in mostly English to the rest of the school. The project gave them the opportunity to use the structure of the language to frame research questions that resulted in a more meaningful, personalized dictionary of Spanish words for each student. The students realize that it is more than just fulfilling a language credit requirement; the study becomes a living tool that can be applied to solve real-world problems. To learn more about the significance of the work of the Kogi Mamas and Arhuacan Mamos, view filmmaker Alan Ereira’s BBC documentary, at alunathemovie.com. 7 Basketball Jack Sorensen ‘18, Matthew Scolari ‘17, Michael Bernardi ‘19, and Kent Jones’18 against Glenhome School. Matthew Chornyei ‘16 goes for a 3 pointer. This year’s young, inexperienced, but promising team demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth throughout the season. For example, we lost the season opening game against the Glenholme School, but we beat them comfortably in the second game. The Storm King School defeated us by 20 points in the first game, but the second was exhilaratingly close as we lost by only one point. Throughout the season, win or loss, the team played cohesively and with the same level of exuberance in every game. Most importantly, the team continued to embrace and uphold the Phoenix’s reputation of practicing good sportsmanship. Everyone on the team got an opportunity to play at least one game during the season. The individual growth exhibited by each player was remarkable. This promising young team has excellent potential. Wrestling The Phoenix wrestling squad endured a difficult campaign in which three of their most talented members suffered season- ending injuries and the club lost four separate matches by just a single pin. Senior captains James Cobb and Nic Sciurba brought discipline and enthusiasm to the endeavor, while fellow senior George Meehan brought quiet leadership and a steady presence. Individually, Cobb posted a record of nine wins against just three defeats, while Meehan, Warren Hurlock ’16, Stephen Hefner ’16, and Ryan Kochman ’17 all had winning or .500 records. Daily practices consisted of new moves, drills, situational wresting, live wrestling, and a great deal of conditioning. The heart and soul of the team were coaches Mr. Fred Mills and Mr. Stewart Diaz-Mogollon, and with both of them returning along with a solid core of young wrestlers, the Coach Fred Mills with the team before a meet in our gym. Warren Hurlock ‘16 and Connor Fennell ‘18 outlook for next season is promising. Lacrosse The 8 2016 season was a rebuilding year for Phoenix Lacrosse. While facing a losing season can be dispiriting, the team collectively and players individually developed stamina and learned to deal with setbacks. The majority of the team was new to the sport of lacrosse. Yet, newcomers like Jake Whitehurst ’18 and Connor Fennell ’18 demonstrated exceptional progress; Connor, in particular, took on the role of goalie halfway through the season. Jack Sorenson ’18, Winston Forman ’18, and Carlos Moore ’18 were the top goal scorers for the team. New to Woodhall but a skilled player, Dylan Trombley ’18 added his experience, and second-year player Alex Mount ’18 emerged as a leader. Many key players will be returning next year, and Phoenix Lacrosse is anticipating a stronger season. Outdoor Challenge Canoeing in White’s Woods Fall Outdoor Challenge hiked the woodlands and wetlands of Litchfield Hills. During peak foliage in a colorful New England autumn, the team scaled the forehead of Sleeping Giant Mountain and trekked the Appalachian Trail to reach Bear Mountain, the tallest summit in Connecticut. In addition, the team canoed across every bay in Bantam Lake, the largest natural body of water in the state. On one occasion, the team traversed North Bay to enjoy lunch and a campfire together on the beach of White’s Woods. While canoeing the Bantam River, the team encountered beaver dams, so they had to portage their boats to complete the expedition. In all of these activities, the boys developed social skills, team building, and physical stamina. Spring Outdoor Challenge introduced a number of activities which endeavored to instill an awareness of the interrelatedness of ecological phenomena as they apply to both personal wellness and greater ecological harmony. Team members worked together in canoes to steer in windy conditions on local lakes, and they navigated the circuitous creeks of White’s Woods Conservation Area, encountering beavers, muskrats, herons, turtles, and water snakes. They hiked in a number of parks and reserves, contemplating and photographing spring wildflowers, amphibians, and the impressive views that hiking in New England can afford. Ongoing projects on Woodhall’s campus included: making walking sticks, constructing and installing bird houses, working in the permaculture garden, controlling invasive plant species, and creating natural art. Team members pushed their physical limits in the Phoenix Biathlon, which involved walking or running two laps around the Phoenix Trail followed by paddling a canoe across Trevor’s Pond and back. A number of students made consistent progress in beating their personal best times in the biathlon every Will Magruder ‘17 and Zach Davis ‘17 week. Students also practiced their leadership skills in the more traditional team sport of Ultimate Frisbee. Ultimate games were often quite competitive and demanded of members that they work through their own fouls without the aid of a referee in an attempt to model the sport’s “spirit of the game.” Spring Outdoor Challenge culminated in a courageous Ultimate tournament against the Lacrosse team at the end of the season; a welcome palliative to the stress of reviewing for final exams. Michael Bernardi ‘19 Art installations that will evolve with the natural environment. Cole Beck ‘19, Daniel Becher ‘17, Will Magruder ‘17, Keil Sherman ‘16, Coach David Byrne, and Matthew Siege ‘18, hiking Swendsen Farm Preserve in Bethlehem, CT. 9 Cross Country This was a successful season for the cross- country team at The Woodhall School. The team consisted of 12 students who were dedicated to training, to increasing their individual endurance and speed, and to performing together as a competitive unit. Each day of training included runs of 2 and 5+ miles on the roads near campus as well as on the trails at nearby land trusts and nature centers. The team ran in seven cross-country 5-kilometer (3.1 mile) races, including one invitational meet of over 100 runners from schools in Connecticut and New York. As new members of the Hudson Valley Athletic League (HVAL), the team sent seven runners to the championship race in early November. Jimmy Gregory ‘17 sprints to the finish at the Forman School, outpacing a student from the Storm King School. Soccer Our goals for the season were to foster teamwork and brotherhood, fundamental skill development, fitness, and love of the game. We also looked to encourage discipline and structure through organized practices and team play. Our team competed against a full schedule of many area private schools. This year’s team was younger than past years, but also included a few key returners. These new players to Woodhall and the game brought a lot of enthusiasm and energy to our dynamic; throughout the season they were eager and ready to improve upon their skills. Returners become Jack Sorensen ‘18 important mentors in this process, and brought much needed leadership. As a team we focused on possession-style play, using all members of the team and all parts of the field. To this end, we spent much of our practices developing first-touches and communication. Defensively, we focused on basic containing skills and sticking with our marks. Offensively, we highlighted the use of all parts of the field to move the ball, as well as smart, tactical finishes. 10 Matthew Chornyei ‘16 Drama Animal Farm set. Dylan Trombley ‘18, Jake Sternberg ‘17 and Zach Davis ‘17 in Animal Farm. The Woodhall Players enjoyed another successful year, mounting challenging and artistically original plays. In the Winter, we produced an original and provocative version of George Orwell’s Animal Farm using masks constructed for the show by internationally recognized artist Larry Hunt. Jacob Sternberg ‘17 as Julius Caesar Matthew Chornyei ‘16, Matthew Kuyper ‘17, as the Travelers, and Greg Allen ‘16 as Lord Xenu, during rehearsal. In the Spring, the company produced a one-act play using the iambic pentameter of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, but presenting it as a comedy. The second act was a completely improvised existential time-travel comedy called The Search for Lord Xenu written entirely by the spring term Drama troupe. Jimmy Gregory ‘17 at the organ. Alex Mellin ‘19 as Cassius The Woodhall Drama program continues to emphasize the ensemble approach to theatrical production and our efforts were rewarded by the Seven Angels Theatre’s Halo Award for Best Ensemble. Jimmy Gregory ’17, who composed, directed, and performed the music for all three performances also won a Halo Award for Best Sound Design. 11 Trip to the Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy Biology classes visited Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy in May, a perfect place to observe the diverse collections of waterfowl from around the globe in one place. The Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy (LRWC) focuses on research, education and conservation action to protect waterfowl and wetlands. This Litchfield, CT non-profit is home to over sixty species of native and endangered waterfowl species. The students learned about their physical characteristics, courtship behaviors, and habitats. They observed egg candling and also conducted chicken embryo dissections. Alex Neuschotz ‘19 said he “liked the waterfowl field trip because the ducks were very interactive; a goose kept nipping at my pant leg. We learned a lot about the development from a chick egg to an adult waterfowel and learned many interesting facts, such as birds can control the sex of their offspring.” Alex Mellin ‘19 views a chick egg up close in the classroom. 12 Ben Sonnenberg, Director of Environmental Education at LRWC, presenting with one of the conservancy’s feathered residents. Taking notes is Alex Neuschotz ‘19, with Carlos Moore ‘18 and Alex Mellin ’19. Permaculture Garden Update The Ed Gelzheiser and Ed Fennell, assisted here by Tashi Phuntsok check the health of the hives every two weeks, looking for pollen, honey, and brood. bees in the Permaculture Garden almost made it through the winter, succumbing in February. Beekeepers we consulted advised two hives would give them a greater chance of survival. We are grateful to have a current Woodhall parent who knows the art and science of beekeeping. Edward Fennell, father of Connor Fennel ’18, helped us to obtain a second hive and re-populate the first. He is teaching Mr. Ed Gelzheiser hive management. So far this year the hives are thriving. Mr. Adam Herbert will be taking care of the garden over the summer. Under his guidance students weeded, mulched, planted vegetables, and built architecture for supporting the plants. They also made natural bee houses out of hollow tubes and reeds to encourage native pollinators. We are looking forward to creating study topics and research surrounding the garden and the bees. The garden continues to serve as a beautiful space for contemplation and collaboration for the campus community. Pea and bean plants will climb these arches. 13 2016 Commencement Speaker, Dr. Carl G. Seefried, Jr. Dr. Carl G. Seefried, Jr. or, “Doc” as he was affectionately and respectfully known to students, teachers, and parents during his 13 years at The Woodhall School, where he served as a chemistry teacher, Director of Athletics, Dean of Students, and Dean of Faculty. A native of Buffalo, New York, Dr. Seefried earned his B.S. from Union College and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Yale University, where he went on to a highly successful career in Research and Development in the chemical industry. In August 2002, he fatefully responded to an ad in the local newspaper, which read: “Wanted: Chemistry teacher at small, boys boarding school in Bethlehem.” He went onto a transformative second career as an educator were he mentored scores of Gentlemen of Woodhall, modeling the school’s core values of integrity, compassion, and respect with his unflagging work ethic, insistence on a job done with precision and accuracy, his gently wry sense of humor, and a commitment to doing what was best for a boy. The influence of his leadership during a crucial period in the school’s history cannot be overstated. He was and is a most trusted colleague, advisor, and friend to both the former and current Heads of School. He and his wife, Renee, are moving to Virginia, but will always be a part of The Woodhall School community. Below are excerpts from his address. “I am honored to be the speaker at these exercises and to follow the two previous commencement speakers who are alumni of The School – Harry Metzger, Class of 2004 and Josh Kerr, Class of 2003. Both of these young men provided insights to their burgeoning careers and how their experiences at The Woodhall School gave them a foundation for shaping their lives. I come from the opposite end of the spectrum with regard to my time at The School and perhaps I can share some of my thoughts from that vantage point. “Mr. Woodhall and I met with him one afternoon toward the end of the season and told him that we weren’t buying into his knee injury, since he seemed to run OK during free moments of campus activity. We encouraged him to consider only doing his best each day and simply to try - - - that was all that we expected. This young man wrote, ‘This was a eureka event for me. Suddenly I became aware of what my perfectionism, my need to be the best, and my tendency to be overly competitive had been doing to me. I realized something had to change, and it had to be me.’ “It is heartening to see that some of the traditional educational precepts of The School are still in place. Dressing for dinner in tie and jacket with an expectation for appropriate dinner conversation still has a place in this world of informality and meals consisting of “grab a bite and run.” I remember with a wry inward smile, my admonitions concerning the lack of appropriateness for wearing white athletic socks at these meals. I am sure Mr. Sherer felt similarly when he gave his annual pronouncement on the proper positioning of the toilet seat when one leaves the bathroom. I still can hear him conclude his remarks by saying, “Your future mother-in-law will be pleased with you.” It also is good to see that Mr. G continues to highlight on his classroom whiteboard many of the deep philosophical insights of his students. They really are a treasure, and I hope he has captured them all for posterity. “Over the following summer he vowed to get into shape and ran three miles almost every morning. He returned to school no longer afraid of the hilly terrains of the courses or any of the other challenges that had overwhelmed him the previous season. In the first meet he was chosen as the team’s captain. Awestruck with his leadership responsibility, he led the team to the starting line and encouraged his teammates to run hard, but to run safely. Ironically during the race, he tripped on a tree root, fell on his face, and injured himself to a fair degree. He wrote, ‘Whereas in the previous year I would have come back to the school angry, devastated, and beating myself up over what happened, this is not at all how I returned to Woodhall after this first meet. In fact, despite the poor performance of both myself and the team, I came back to school happy, excited, anxiously awaiting the opportunity to tell my family the good news of my new leadership role. … My perfectionism, competitiveness, and lack of self-confidence were all connected, and were all doing me more harm than good. … Cross Country played a major role in helping me learn more about myself, the challenges I face, and how to overcome them. Indeed overcoming the challenges of cross country were no less than the beginning of learning how to overcome many of the challenges I am likely to face as I go through life.’ “In addition to the rigors of academic studies, much of the educational experience of The Woodhall School occurs outside of the classroom. In putting my thoughts together for this address, I found an essay that a former student had written for a school application. He stated that he considered himself to be a decent long distance runner and, when he arrived at Woodhall, was anxious to join the cross-country team, for which I was the coach. His perception of being a good runner was shattered when he was unable to complete the warm-up exercises and consistently placed last in both practices and meets. He thought that his poor performance was due to being out of shape, but he came to realize that the underlying cause was a serious lack of self-confidence. By mid-season he faked a knee injury so that he would not have to run, and accordingly, wouldn’t let his team down. 14 Dr. Seefried and Woodhall students in 2009 “During your years at The Woodhall School, you have been introduced to its core values – compassion, integrity, and respect. These core values hold the school together, they hold a business together, they hold a family together, and they hold a relationship together. Do the right thing, because if everybody would do the right thing, it would generate trust among a group of individuals. Do everything to the best of your ability with the time available. This means that you have to take care of the little things, because they really do make a difference. Results do matter, but equally important, and sometimes even more so, is how you achieve these results. Genuine success depends on your values and your ethics. “I share with you a memory that I have for a man who influenced my life. His name is Bart Giamatti. He was raised outside of Boston and was a die-hard fan of the Boston Red Sox. He was an excellent scholar and obtained a Ph. D. in Renaissance Literature. He became a professor of English and rose through the ranks of university life, assuming increasing responsibilities in various academic and administrative positions. He was selected to be the youngest Dr. Seefried, with Mr. David Byrne and his daughter, Carolina, at Convocation. president of Yale University, and he served in that capacity for eight years. One day he resigned that position to pursue the only job that he ever really wanted – to be the head of major league baseball. He became president of the National League and subsequently the commissioner of baseball. In this capacity he often traveled around the country and spoke to various groups of people. He believed that there was a strong parallel between the game of baseball and the individual and community experiences that one has in everyday life. He particularly enjoyed speaking about the development of the rules of the game – how many players on each team, how many outs per inning, how many innings per game. He was always quick to point out that there is no fourth base in baseball. You see, you succeed in the game, as well as in life, when you are able to get home. To go back to that place of one’s self-definition is not always an easy task – whether it is with your family or The Woodhall School. Regardless of what you achieve according to the measurements of our society or others, the most important times are ones like today – ones that you share with your family and friends. I wish each of you every success in your future endeavors and remember that The Man in the Mirror is always with you.” Students Reflect on Their Woodhall Experience and Wish Their Classmates a Fond Farewell Each year the graduating class votes on who will give the Salutatory and Valedictory addresses at their graduation ceremony. In their addresses Stephen Hefner and Matthew Chornyei voiced appreciation and encouragement. Stephen suggested we not dwell overly on the past or the future. “The present moment is what we experience and is the only thing we can change...In this moment we can be happy and grateful for what is right in front of us...we can bring to light the good in our surroundings.” Salutatorian Stephen Hefner ‘16 Matthew advised his classmates, “...every problem I’ve overcome has been because someone has been there to help me ...Make sure you’re around when other people need someone to lean on.” Valedictorian Matthew Chornyei ‘16 Congratulations 2016 Plaque Award Recipients! Head’s Award: Warren Bickford Hurlock The Phoenix Award: Warren Bickford Hurlock Communications Award: George Barrons Meehan Carl G. Seefried Award for Sportsmanship: Alexander Matthew Mount Kenneth E. Chant Award for Significant Progress: Matthew Ernest Chornyei Abigail J. Woodhall Award for Excellence in the Arts: James Kranys Cobb Dorothy L. Pierce Award for Significant Academic Excellence: Stephen Farrell Hefner Head’s Award recipient, Warren Hurlock ‘16 with Mr. Woodhall 15 33rd Annual Convocation and Graduation - June 4, 2016 16 Yearbook Dedication This Mr. Bryan Dunn and George Meehan ‘16 year’s Phoenix Yearbook was dedicated to Mr. Bryan J. Dunn. Mr. Dunn began his five years at Woodhall as a Chemistry teacher and ended as the Dean of Students. With incredible integrity and thoughtfulness, he transformed policies and organizational procedures that improved life on campus for the students and the staff. He was the visionary and the drive behind the Community Service Program that enriched our students and faculty beyond the campus. He will be sorely missed; our loss, but the world’s gain, as he will be doing good wherever he goes. College Acceptances Class of 2016 Students of The Woodhall School Class of 2016 have been accepted to the following colleges and universities. (Colleges to which students have matriculated are in italics, asterix indicates post-graduate/gap-year program.) Adelphi University Birmingham-Southern College Champlain College (1) (2) *Dymany Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Emerson College Guilford College (1) (1) Jacksonville State University Knox College Messiah College Millsaps College Mercyhurst University Nassau Community College Norwich University Philadelphia University Rhodes College Rochester Institute of Technology Roger Williams University Savannah College of Art & Design (1) (1) Shenandoah University Spring Hill College St. Michael’s College (2) Trevecca Nazarene College University of Hartford Warren Wilson College Wentworth Institute of Technology (2) Western New England University (2) Westminster College (MO) *The Winchendon School Sons of Thoreau One of the clubs on campus, Sons of Thoreau, continued with their mission of seeking to better understand and, whenever possible, enhance the living conditions of local wildlife, especially on the Woodhall campus. One group built and installed bird houses for a wide variety of campus species, including the barred owl, purple martins, blue jays, and diverse types of swallows. The group researched design options, appropriate habitat, predator restraints, and a host of other factors. Finally, led by the able and intrepid Mr. Adam Herbert, each of the houses was constructed using nothing but hand tools that would have been available to Thoreau himself. Most of the houses have birds living in them only a few weeks after installation. The other main project, beginning in the Winter Term, involved photographing campus wildlife with a trail camera. The group worked hard for months without success, putting in time and miles in the roughest weather, with nothing to show for it but sore legs and weathered boots. But by following tracks, scat, and other signs, and utilizing a variety of baits and lures, our persistent young men eventually acquired footage of raccoons, deer, squirrels, crows, rabbits, and coyotes. Some of the footage was mesmerizing: a large, noble coyote standing at the base of an enormous white pine in the bright morning sun; another coyote, in pitch dark, ducking behind the same massive tree when hearing footsteps, only to reappear just as a second coyote flashes momentarily on the lower screen, ambushed; a young deer in sunlit repose; a single raccoon followed by eventual shots of a possibly mated pair, followed by shots of a tenser group of three as an interloper seems to threaten the peace. The Sons of Thoreau will expand on these endeavors in the future, adding cameras, working with our honey bee colony, and in general hoping to continue the good works and to honor the name of Henry David Thoreau. 17 Alumni News James Allan ’88 - has been living in Arizona for the past 24 years and remarried in 2015. Dan Griffith ’88 - is a Director of IT Enterprises for Amerisource Bergen Medical Co. and still plays music as a hobby. Dan lives in his home state of Texas with his wife of 15 years and his three daughters. He says, “The Woodhall School will always be a part of my life, and I am grateful for it.” Ryan Fitzgerald ’99 - after college worked in education for several years, including teaching English/ research methods at Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd University in Saudi Arabia. Ryan and his wife Busarakam (from Bangkok, Thailand) were married in 2009. They have a 2 1/2 year old son Kenneth and are expecting a second child. They live in Tallahassee, FL. Ryan has worked in business and sales since 2011. Matthew B. Gomez ’99 - after being a professional gemologist for many years, he attended the University of Georgia and graduated with a Major in Psychology and a Minor in Neuroscience. Jose Zablah-Larin ’99 - has been at the helm of the health and life insurance company Aseguradora Vivir in El Salvador for 4 years. He attended Harvard’s Owner/President Management Program from which he graduated in the spring of 2016. Jonathan Monty-Carbonari ’02 - and his wife Jenny welcomed a baby boy, Dominic MontyCarbonari, to their family in October 2015. Sean Haddad ’07 - has been working in IT as a temporary contractor. Aaron Miller ’08 - will be attending the University of New Orleans in the fall of 2016. Charlie Burnett ’11 - graduated with a BA in Political Science with a focus in International Relations and has a minor in computer science. His plans are to backpack in Europe for the summer then move down to DC to work either in politics or marketing. Zach Andrews ‘11 Zachary Andrews ’11 - graduated from American University. Luke Haddad ’11 - graduated from Beacon College in May of 2015. Kyle Eberhardt ’12 - graduated from the University of the Ozarks with a B.S. in Political Science in May of 2016. Samuel Kenney ’12 - graduated from Goucher College in spring 2016. Martin (Rey) Lewis ’12 - will wed Courtney Fennell, Westover alumni ’12 and sister to Connor Fennell ’18, in August 2016 Julian Willett ’12 - graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in May 2016. He will begin Tufts Medical School in July. Martin Lewis ‘12 and Courtney Fennell Gabe (Michels) Zeifman ’12 - graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Daytona Beach, FL campus, with a BS in Aeronautics and minors in Air Traffic Control and Applied Meteorology. He hopes to be able to stop by Woodhall soon. Ari Dorf ’13 - is starting his senior year at Manhattanville College and is doing well. Colton Everett ’15 – is doing well at Dynamy. He is in an internship with the Worcester Think Tank, and he loves it. Derk Haldewang ’13 – is a rising senior at Stamford University and is doing well. Eric Vandenburg ’15 - had a successful postgraduate year at St. Johnsbury Academy. Among other accomplishments and adventures this past year, he participated in the New Hampshire Science Olympiad, placing third in two events. He also went on a three-week service trip to Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Next year, he will pursue pre-med at the University of British Colombia, Vancouver, where he’ll only be two hours away from his friend and classmate, Zach Kendall ’15, who is attending Washington State University. 18 Henry Molinari ‘15 and Tyler Kochman ‘15 at Convocation. Alumni Spotlight Nathan Wheeler ’13 – During Nathan’s two years at Woodhall he was an outstanding student leader, played soccer, ran cross country, did Outdoor Ed, was a member of the Drama troupe, contributed to the literary magazine and was a resident artist, even providing the artwork for the school’s Holiday card. He went from here to Rocky Mountain College. He writes: “First, academics. I transferred to the University of Idaho since there is a larger geology department here. In the last year, I took two semesters each of calculus and calculus-based physics, and I realized that I had a knack for more quantitative geology, so I wanted to transfer to a university that would allow me to study those kinds of subjects. Right off the bat, I had a professor who noticed my interest in mathematics. He put me in connection with some undergraduate research opportunities. I am helping a Ph.D. student with a quantitative study of segmented transform faults in the Pacific Ocean rifts. I’m helping to determine what causes this odd pattern of rifts. In doing so, we’ll hopefully better understand how heat convection works underneath the crust. The task involves programming several different proposed models, running simulations, and finally comparing the results with reality. If I hadn’t learned to work through, and even like, mathematics during my attendance at Woodhall, I would never be where I am now, and I cannot understate the number of opportunities a strong foundation in mathematics provided for me. The second and most important piece of news is that I am engaged to a woman named Kasha Caprata. We met at Rocky Mountain College, and we’ve been together just over two years now. She graduated from Rocky Mountain College last spring Summa Cum Laude with a degree in History and Pre-Law and an honors thesis about intellectual property and the public domain. Right now, she is seeking employment to save money for Law School. When I graduate, we plan on doing our graduate studies in tandem. Anyway, I am very satisfied with my current situation overall. It has been difficult transferring to a larger and more competitive program, but I feel like I got some solid foundational teaching at Rocky. I only wish I had more time and energy to paint regularly. I haven’t really been able to render any finished pieces of art since December. I had been focusing on watercolors then, but like I said, I haven’t had the time or energy to make anything new since. Here’s a landscape I entered into a competition lately (it was accepted, but didn’t place). (Not indicative of my very best work, by the way, I just have a convenient digital file of this painting) (Also, it’s titled Sandstone Stories) I also did a bunch of cartoons for Rocky Mountain College’s student newspaper. Here’s a couple of examples of the better works: For some context, that first was from the end of the Fall semester, and the second ran during Spring Break, which was very cold. Anyway, at the moment I’m too busy with schoolwork to do much of anything else. But really, I can’t really complain about the situation overall. I do still miss Woodhall and all the people there, and I’m more than a little saddened that I’m too far away to visit right now. My mother just opened a furniture business, so the family budget is a little more restricted than we’re used to. Give my best to Mr. G., Mr. Sherer, and everyone else. I know I’m bad at corresponding, but there isn’t really a day that goes by when I don’t think of everybody and going over fond memories of them.” - Nathan Wheeler ’13 Matthew Milton ’01 It is with sad hearts that we share the news of the passing of Matthew R. Milton, class of 2001, on April 28, 2016. 19 The Woodhall School 58 Harrison Lane, PO Box 550 Bethlehem, CT 06751 When I heard the learn’d astronomer, When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me, When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them, When I, sitting, heard the astronomer, where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room, How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick; Till rising and gliding out, I wander’d off by myself, In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time, Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars. — Walt Whitman Find us on: © 2016 The Woodhall School - Reproduction of any content herein requires prior written permission from The Woodhall School.
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