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GORDON ALUMNI CONNECTION Spring 2011

A LETTER FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL RALPH L. WALESOver the years, I have seen how Gordon’s work on diversity, inclusion and multiculturaleducation pays off as I listen to our graduates in high school, college and beyond.Without question, the most persistent piece of feedback from high school teachers is that Gordonstudents have their own voices. They are both articulate and comfortable—and respectful—in saying what they believe. Gordon graduates are applauded for their capacity to keep a realdiscussion going when other students may be preoccupied with what others will think abouttheir comments.If you’ve grown up as a thinker at Gordon, you are ready to talk, debate, defend your position,grow your understanding, and, yes, maybe even change your point of view. You know who youare and what you believe. You understand, in a full and meaningful way, a range of different pointsof view and you seek and expect classrooms where the discourse is dynamic. Fundamentally,you have the interest and the capacity to take what you are learning and apply it to the worldyou live in.Gordon’s current use of multicultural education is just one chapter of the continuing traditionof open, frank conversation in the classroom, and the school’s willingness to challenge youngpeople to express their own opinions while respecting the views of others.I hope you enjoy reading the examples of Gordon’s multicultural education in this issue of theAlumni Connection.Thank you for your continued support of Gordon School.Sincerely,Ralph L. WalesHead of School

Class of 2011Class of 20092OO4Johnnie Carr, friend of Rosa Parks and successorof Martin Luther King, Jr. and the President ofthe Montgomery Improvement Association,leads students in a workshop.Students meet with Charles Black, leader ofthe Atlanta Student Movement.2OO5While at Spelman College, students meet withthe school’s President Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum.Humanities teacher Lynn Bowman presentsthe trip at the National Association ofIndependent Schools National Conference.Class of 2011Class of 2011Class of 20072OO7Joanne Bland, one of the youngest marcherson Bloody Sunday was featured on the frontpage of the New York Times alongside BarackObama, Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton onthe streets of Selma, Alabama just three weeksafter the Class of 2007 stood in that same spot.2OO8Students produced a video documentary onkey cities in the civil rights movement usingthe Ken Burns words-and-still photo approach.2OO9The Flavors of the South eighth grade finalpresentation is reinvented as an art show,with students responding to the trip throughpaintings, collage and sculpture as well asthe written word.Participants from the first trip (in 2002) entertheir senior year in high school. For many,the memories of the trip will play a part in theprocess of college interviews and applications.2OO6Students identify themselves as participants inan ongoing struggle for justice by adding theirnames to the new Wall of Tolerance at theSouthern Poverty Law Center.Students meet with the legal teams behind theBobby Frank Cherry case that Gordon studentswitnessed on the 2002 trip.Class of 20112O1OThe stop at Spelman College includes a visitwith Spelman freshman Alix Bowman ’05.Joanne Bland, Selma activist and participantin the Bloody Sunday march, comes to Gordonto serve as Commencement speaker.2O11The group meets with students andadministrators at Atlanta Charter MiddleSchool, co-founded by Pulitzer Prize winnerDouglas Blackmon, who had spoken at Gordonin April 2010.Class of 20115

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT SEAN HAMERSean has been teaching seventh grade mathand science at Gordon for four years. He isa seventh grade advisor, a facilitator for theMiddle School student affinity group program,and the girl’s field hockey and basketballcoach.Sean is a graduate of UMass Boston and earnedhis Masters of Education in Middle SchoolMath and Science Education from the LesleyUniversity/Shady Hill School Teacher TrainingProgram. He has also received his Mastersin Private School Leadership from TeachersCollege-Columbia University. Sean’s twochildren Sekou (4th) and Nala (K) are Gordonstudents.What led you to Gordon?Although I was originally an engineering major,I ended up focusing much of my time onworking with at-risk youth in Boston. When myson, Sekou was born I realized that I wanted toteach. I earned my M.Ed. degree while teachingat Shady Hill School and focused my practiceon teaching Middle School math and scienceas it connected to my engineering background.I began my career at Charles River School inDover, MA and later made connections with EricPolite, Gordon’s former Diversity Director whicheventually led me to this opportunity at Gordon.How do you include a multicultural perspectivein your practice?In order to facilitate thoughtful discussionsaround multicultural issues a sense of trust mustbe established between the teacher and students.Many of the topics we discuss in my classchallenge preconceptions and care needs to betaken when sharing different perspectives.I work hard to set clear community expectationsin the beginning of the year so that studentshave the confidence to state their opinionsand feel supported when they make mistakes.My philosophy is to guide students towardunderstanding rather than directing them. I amsupportive and there to provide explanationand clarity but not tell them that their opinionis right or wrong.My approach to the curriculum is to teachthe skills necessary to understand the contentbut to also put my instruction into a relevantcontext. Math and science lend themselves tounderstanding and analyzing issues of equity,justice and inclusion. I challenge my studentswith examples of real world problems so thatthey can employ their math and science skillsand become aware of the world around them.What are some examples of your math andscience curriculum that have a multiculturalperspective?For the past two years we have connected themath curriculum to the current economic crisis.We look at credit use and why it is such achallenge for Americans. During one project,I assign each student a credit profile (thatincludes a credit score, number of children,income level, etc.), and have them figure outwhat rates and monthly payments they wouldreceive for a home and car loan. As a class wediscuss why people qualify for different loanrates and the equity behind that.By looking at credit scores, home loans andinvestments students learn the math behindfiguring out compound and simple interestloans and rates. Students learn to record theirdata by using excel and data manipulationskills. In the end, they learn new math conceptsalong with an understanding of how peopleare impacted by credit.With science, we look at our study of biologyand genetics through the lens of equity, race,power and privilege. We study blood typingand blood diseases and how various diseasesare connected to racial and cultural history.We also talk about access to resources inscience and medicine. We discuss how certaincountries are limited by socio-economicdifferences and therefore have less access toresources. Students are able to gain a globalperspective by gaining an understanding ofpopulations around the world.What do you hope for your students?I hope that my students will continue to thinkdeeply about their connection to the worldaround them. I want them to strive to becomeglobal citizens by developing an awareness andunderstanding of others and their perspectives.6

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT ERIC KRAVITZEric has been teaching eighth grade math andscience at Gordon for sixteen years. He is agraduate of Brown University and earned hisMaster of Arts in Teaching Mathematics atProvidence College.Eric is an eighth grade advisor, serves as aninstructor for the Teacher Residency Programteaching a course on standards-based Mathematicsinstruction, was the faculty Boardrepresentative and coaches the Middle Schooltennis team. He also teaches as an adjunctprofessor at CCRI. Eric’s wife, Samanthateaches fifth grade at Gordon and their childrenSophie (2nd) and Gabriel (K) are current students.What led you to Gordon?While at Brown I volunteered at Hope HighSchool and really enjoyed it. I decided to stayin Rhode Island after Brown and was attractedto Gordon’s small class sizes, its hands-onapproach to teaching and learning and theflexibility teachers have with designing theirclassroom curriculum. I have found teachingat Gordon to be incredibly rewarding and Icontinue to enjoy the relationships I have withmy students and their families.How do you include a multiculturalperspective in your practice?Multicultural teaching to me is just good teaching.It is important to understand the student asan individual, embrace their perspectives andincorporate them into the classroom curriculumand employ different teaching methods to meettheir learning styles. I also find that developingcurriculum with a real world context allowsstudents to make personal connections to thematerial they are learning which fosters theirunderstanding and engagement.What are some examples of your math andscience curriculum that have a multiculturalperspective?The eighth grade service learning projectallows opportunities for students to connecttheir Algebra classes to the information theyare learning about in their service learningplacements.Every year, the eighth graders have the opportunityto experience first hand the agencies,schools and individuals that help others createchange and growth in the Rhode Island. Whilein their placement they are asked to reflect onthe population the agency serves and identifythe issues at hand (hunger, poverty, languagebarriers, unemployment, etc.).They use their algebraic knowledge to gatherreal world data, find relationships and representtheir findings through algebraic equations andgraphs. The students present their findingswhich always results in a meaningful classdiscussion about race, class and gender.In science we do an in-depth, hands-on studyof water including looking at the distribution,uses and importance of water personally,locally and globally. We specifically focus onthe water around Gordon’s campus and theunit begins with students mapping out theschool’s water resources (the stream and thepond).Once the maps are completed the studentstake weekly samples and test them for salinity,conductivity, nitrate, alkalinity, pH, dissolvedoxygen, temperature and transparency.Students learn the importance of measurement,precision and accuracy, testing hypothesesand identifying and controlling variables.At the end of their study, the students compiletheir data using their algebraic skills and sendit to www.globe.gov, as do students from overone hundred other schools. This shared dataallows students and researchers to performstudies that reach far beyond their ownbackyards.We also discuss the way the environmentaffects the quality of water and how certaincountries and areas of the world have limitedsupplies of water and what that means in termsof access and quality.What do you hope for your students?I hope that my students are confident with whothey are when they leave Gordon and that theycontinue to be thoughtful and caring citizens.7

TEACHER RESIDENCY PROGRAMGordon welcomed six graduate students tothe first Teacher Residency cohort in May 2010.They immersed themselves in their courseworktaking classes taught by several of Gordon’sfaculty including the Psychology of Learning,taught by Dr. Kim Ridley and the Foundationsof Education: Perspectives of Social Justicetaught by Program Director Lynn Bowman andHead of School Ralph Wales.During the summer, the residents worked withmentors in a summer enrichment program forEnglish Language Learners sponsored by theProvidence Public School system. They alsodeveloped and implemented science lessonsat the Save the Bay summer camp under theguidance of Gordon science teachers BlinnDorsey and Jacqui Ketner.This fall, the first residency cohort enteredGordon’s classrooms and worked alongsidetheir assigned cooperating teacher for theentire semester. In January, the residents hadthe opportunity to intern with master teachersat Paul Cuffee Charter School in Providence.The residents are now in their final placementat Gordon and are assigned to a new classroomand cooperating teacher. Their practical teachingexperiences continued to be supported byrigorous coursework of understanding standardsbasedmathematics, literacy, multiculturalchildren’s literature, art and a seminar taughtby Gordon’s faculty. This inaugural class of sixresidents will graduate in May with an M.A.T.in Elementary Education from Roger WilliamsUniversity and a Rhode Island teacher certificationin grades first through sixth grade.Lynn Bowman, Director of the TeacherResidency Program recently reflected on theimpact of the program.This first year has been very exciting. Ourexpectations on the benefit of the programto Gordon students and faculty have cometo fruition. Students have two adults in theirclassrooms that are focused on their learning;providing more individualized attention andcreating exciting new lessons while bringingtheir own unique backgrounds and intereststo the classroom.We made great effort in preparing ourcommunity on embracing graduate studentsin our classrooms and school community.Because of this our residents were able tohave an easy transition entering our classroomsas a teaching partner.We also are so grateful for the response wehave received for next year’s cohort. We have75 inquiries and 30 applicants. We have beenconducting tours and interviewing candidates.An ideal size for a cohort is between 10-12students so we are well on our way to fillinganother class for next year.For more information on the Teacher ResidencyProgram please contact Kim Mongeon atkmongeon@gordonschool.org or Lynn Bowmanat lbowman@gordonschool.org.8

Speaking about stereotypes on amazon.comThe Courage of Sarah Noble is a NewberyMedal winning novel that third gradersread during their study of the Europeancolonization of North America.They then critique the book, whichunwittingly offers several case studies inthe stereotypical representations of NativeAmericans.Of the 316 customer reviews of this bookon amazon.com only one mentioned thestereotypes. Now there are several, thanksto Gordon’s third graders.A Kid’s Review from amazon.comThis review is from: The Courage of Sarah Noble (Paperback)This book is about Sarah and her father who travel to New Milford, CTin 1707. Sarah hears of the local Native Americans living nearby. But theonly Native Americans she meets are Tall John, his wife—”a squaw”—and his kids. I find this weird because it seems that they are the onlynative families there, when I know that native families lived in villageswith others. It is bad to call your wife a squaw because it is like theydon’t have a name. But nowadays people know that it is offensive tocall people that.I think this book is very interesting, even though there was a lotof stereotypical thinking about the Native Americans. For example,“The Indians came creeping in like brown field mice, their brown bodiesreflecting the light.” The book makes native people sound like shinymice. But back then (1954) many people were not sensitive to theNative American’s feelings.If you read this book, you should not believe the way that the bookdescribes Native Americans. I think that Alice Dagliesh did teach me thatwhen you get to know someone, your perspective changes about them.A third grader at the Gordon School9

Campus NotesJulia AlvarezTHEATRE PERFORMANCESThe Middle School performed their productionof Nicholas Nickleby, based on an adaptationof Charles Dickens’ The Life and Adventuresof Nicholas Nickleby this March. This year’sSpring Lower School selection will be aproduction of Honk! Jr., which was performedat Gordon in 2002.KARLA HARRY VISITING AUTHORJulia Alvarez, poet, educator, author and socialactivist, was this year’s Karla Harry VisitingAuthor. She worked with Gordon students insecond through eighth grade this Novemberin their writing workshops. This is the fourthVisiting Author sponsored by the Karla HarryVisiting Author Fund, established in 2007 tohonor the memory of Gordon’s beloved librarian.Julia Alvarez has written work for every agegroup, including the novels Saving the World,How the García Girls Lost Their Accents andIn the Time of the Butterflies as well as work foryounger readers like Return to Sender and theTia Lola stories. She also has pursued agricultureas a tool for social change, living on anorganic farm in Vermont and establishing, withher husband, a sustainable farm-literacy centerin the Dominican Republic, the country whereshe was raised. She has taught at MiddleburyCollege since 1988, currently serving as writerin-residence.Above: Sarah Whinery and Adrian Stone ’08Right: Sherry Romanzi ’10 and Emma Ruhl ’10HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI BREAKFASTThe December high school breakfast providedalumni from classes 2007-2010 an opportunityto reconnect with their Gordon classmates andteachers prior to the school’s winter assembly.Julia’s honors have included being a finalist forthe National Book Critics award, winning theF. Scott Fitzgerald Award for OutstandingAchievement in American Literature, and beingnamed Latina Magazine’s “Woman of the Year.”10

GENESIS CENTER VISITSGordon’s Modern Language Departmentinvited the Genesis Center to campus to helpwith the eighth graders oral history project.The eighth graders were paired in teams tocapture first-hand accounts of the GenesisCenter visitor’s own history and immigrationto the United States. The Genesis Center andGordon School have strong ties to one anotheras every year the Center serves as a placementfor the eighth grade service learning project.Genesis CenterKirsten HassenfeldBRITT NELSON VISITING ARTISTKirsten Hassenfeld was this year’s Artist inResidence. She worked with Middle and LowerSchool students in their art classes and electivesthis January and February.Kirsten is best known in Rhode Island for her2009 solo exhibition at Brown University’sBell Gallery. Her work consists of large-scaleornate constructions, made of paper and mixedmedia, described as “dreams on the edge ofvanishing,” drawing inspiration from classicalarchitecture, precious gems, crystal formationsand the decorative arts.This is the fourteenth Artist in Residencesponsored by the Britt Nelson Fund, establishedin 1998 to support Gordon’s commitment tohands-on arts education.WILLIAM WARNER VISITSArchitect and Designer William Warner (right)visited Gordon this fall with his team of designersto show them the work he created at theschool. Mr. Warner designed the originalcampus at Maxfield Avenue, as well as severalkey additions. He shared that the original stallsin the Lower School bathrooms were made ofslate and remained unpainted and served asblackboards (complete with shelves holdingchalk). He also created the bronze plaque thatnow hangs in the front of the school with 1960sBoard Chair Otto Hoffer’s well known quote:Mind and heart should be treated with equalcare.William Warner11

ALEXANDER HEITZMANN ‘02Alex is a Software Development Engineer atthe Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, WA.He attended Milton Academy ’06 and BrownUniversity ’10.What led you to computer science?A general interest in computers and the factthat both my parents work in the field led meto take my first computer science course atMilton. Once I began to explore the disciplineI realized that it seemed to combine the bestaspects of other subjects and hobbies that Ihave always enjoyed. For example, ever sincemy father introduced me to woodworking Ihave gotten great satisfaction from taking anabstract idea and bringing it to life.The creativity that goes into a woodworkingdesign, the problem solving required to overcomestructural and functional problems, andthe pleasure of seeing the finished piece areall present in computer science as well, withthe added benefit of the materials being muchmore malleable than wood.What is your role at Microsoft?I work with a team of around 80 people ona product called Silverlight, a platform forcreating rich internet applications and mediaexperiences. Our highest profile customer isprobably Netflix, which uses the Silverlightmedia player. My job is to design and implementnew features that expand the capabilitiesof the platform, and to fix issues that our testteam or customers have discovered.How did your Gordon experience prepare you?Gordon fostered an amazing sense of independenceand open-mindedness. I always feltencouraged to pursue interests that fell outsidethe typical curriculum, and my perspectives onall sorts of issues were frequently challenged.The Civil Rights Trip is a perfect example of thisculture. Having the opportunity at thirteen togo out into the world and meet the people andsee the places that we had been learning aboutin school was an eye-opening experience. Itshowed me the importance of being attunedto social issues and the many viewpoints thatsurround them, and played a large role ingiving me the confidence to make adventurousdecisions like attending Milton Academy as aboarding student and eventually moving acrossthe country to work for Microsoft.Are there any teachers from Gordon thatstand out for you?All of my Gordon teachers had an obviouspassion for being educators. They alwaysseemed willing to work with their students asindividuals, and several of them went aboveand beyond to help me with extracurricularprojects or weak areas. Some of my strongerrecollections are from Mr. Dorsey’s class.On one occasion I expressed an interest inthe quadratic formula; Mr. Dorsey brought ina book to give me about its history, and wentover the derivation with me after class. Laterthat year I was allowed to tackle the Rubik’sCube for credit on an open-ended project(which turned out to be a big win on thoselong bus rides on the Civil Rights Trip!).Ms. Bowman and Mr. Wallace were immenselyhelpful in showing me how to think criticallyand express my opinions and convictions withconfidence, skills without which I doubt Iwould have been successful at Milton. And ofcourse, I think everyone enjoyed Mr. Kravitz’sclass, which I remember as an engaging andunique experience, thanks to activities like ourexcursions to the Gordon pond and mock trialsheld over important issues.ReflectionsLooking back, it seems like there was anice, straight road leading me from Gordon,to Milton, to Brown, to my current job atMicrosoft. The reality, of course, is that everydecision point was filled with uncertainty.As students, we are constantly given the opportunityto change course, whether it be by takingnew classes, choosing an entirely new school,or reinventing ourselves and forming newrelationships. Personally, I have to thank myparents for being nothing but supportive, buteven if you are fortunate like me in that regard,when you are given these amazing opportunitiesthe pressure to always make the rightchoice can weigh heavily on you.Choosing a high school was the first major,life-changing decision that I had to make formyself, and along with my parents, the teachersat Gordon helped me to reflect honestly aboutwhere I had been, what I had accomplished,and what was important to me going forward.Throughout my academic career, that lessonabout the value of serious introspection hasguided me through big decisions and perhapsmore importantly, through the little ones: tospend lunch cramming for a test or to eat witha friend, to play intramural flag football or towork on a paper for a research group.These little compromises between pushing toprepare for the future and enjoyment of thepresent may be individually inconsequential,but in aggregate they can make all the difference.I feel extremely fortunate to have found a pathto a successful career without missing out ona whole host of amazing experiences alongthe way.Future PlansI hope to go back to school sometime in thenext few years for a graduate degree. I find thatI get restless doing one thing for an extendedperiod of time, and I think that going back toschool will be a nice change of pace. It mayalso give me the opportunity to focus on someskills that I may need to create a start-up, asI hope to do one day.12

CATHERINE MCCONNELL ’02Catherine is participating in the Teach forAmerica program and teaches special educationat the Thea Bowman Preparatory Academy,a Public Charter School in Washington, DC.She attended Moses Brown ’06 and BrandeisUniversity ’10.What led you to Teach for America?My passion for social justice and volunteerismwas fostered at Gordon. My service learningproject began my interest in studying educationalreform and inequality. I was placedin a Portuguese immersion classroom at theInternational Charter School in Pawtucket, RI.I realized how fortunate I was and learnedfirst-hand that not everyone has access to aGordon-like education. It was then that I felt aresponsibility to share the foundation I receivedat Gordon with others—particularly children.At Brandeis, I majored in Studio Art andminored in Environmental Studies and Peaceand Conflict and Coexistence Studies. I alsobecame active in the Student Peace Alliance,a student-run group that advocates for theU.S. Department of Peace. I eventually helpedto establish Girl Group, an organizationfocused on empowering teenage girls living ina women’s homeless shelter in Waltham, MA.The Teach for America program was alignedwith my personal experiences and professionalgoals. I signed onto a two year commitmentand right now I am teaching ninety specialeducation students in an inclusive seventhgrade classroom.How did your Gordon experience prepare you?My Civil Rights Trip defined my Gordonexperience. It helped me understand whatacademic excellence looks like—fun, engaging,hands-on and thought provoking. The conversationsI had with my Gordon classmates andteachers about race and inequality taught mehow to listen and value others perspectives.Meeting the people who were pivotal to thecivil rights movement and standing in the placeswhere history occurred was life changing.I distinctly remember the Without Sanctuary:Photographs and Postcards of Lynching inAmerica exhibit. This was an emotional displayof photographs and postcards taken as souvenirsof the lynching acts that occurred during thecivil rights movement. The minute I saw the firstphotograph, I was overcome by emotion andhad to leave.Ms. Bowman and Ms. Foley sat with me andjust listened; they didn’t question my emotionsor put my feelings into categories of right orwrong. Instead they challenged me to takethose emotions and focus them into makingpositive changes in the world around me.Are there any teachers from Gordon whostand out for you?My Gordon teachers had an enormousimpact on my life in particular, Ms. Bowman,Mrs. Chatellier, Mr. Kravitz, Mr. Dorsey, Ms.Foley and Mr. Finks. They collectively helpedshape how I feel and see the world. I’vealways wanted to emulate their teaching stylesespecially the genuine way they connectedwith their students.I try to channel them on a daily basis whenI’m teaching my students. I work hard to understandmy students as individuals and providethem with the instruction and care that theyeach need to be successful learners.What are you learning in your first year ofthe program?Overall I have had a challenging experiencewith Teach for America. Coming into thisprogram, I really wanted to make a differencein the achievement gap that exists fromeducational inequality.There are so many problems that my studentsface on a daily basis, such as homelessness,that as a teacher, I do not have the power to fix.It is very hard to teach well if your students’basic needs aren’t met. It has taken a lot toaccept that.I have learned to redefine my success as ateacher and am proud of the personal andgenuine relationships I have with my students.I love when my students sit next to me at recessand say things like “you would be a greatmom” or that they enjoy my class. I am gladthey feel safe and recognized in my classroom.I feel that is when I am making the most impact.But I still have a desire to go beyond thatrelationship and make more of a difference.Future PlansAs part of the Teach for America program, I ampursuing my Masters Degree in Special Educationat George Mason University. I am learninga great deal about behavioral strategies, differentiatedinstruction and assessment practicesfor students with special needs.I came into Teach for America with a plan thatI would teach for three years and then get anMFA in art education. After a year of teaching,my idea of what’s important and where mytime is best served has changed. Focusing mycareer solely on the arts doesn’t sound asimportant to me when I have students inseventh grade reading at a first grade level.Eventually I want to become more involvedwith educational policy. Teaching lets me seefirst hand that change is happening but I wantto add one more layer to that. I want to be apart of the larger picture and make a real differencein stopping the perpetuity of educationalinequality.13

class notesG O R D O N A L U M N IC O N N E C T I O N3OsMartha Livingston ’36 was recently featuredon Gordon’s website singing the old GordonSchool song. View it at www.gordonschool.organd on the school’s Facebook page.5OsKatharine Langdon ’50 writes: “I am busy andinvolved in Northampton, MA doing cancerconnection, Hospice, singing and substituteteaching in a Preschool. I just completed a cdof children’s music which includes many ofthe songs we learned at Gordon. If any alumniare interested in purchasing a cd for theirgrandchildren or children please email me atkitdlangdon@comcast.net.”60sRosalind Rustigian ’65 (pictured above withfaculty member Eric Collins) visited Gordonthis February to accept the Kindergarten classesdonations of mittens to the Rhode IslandDonation Exchange Program.Barry Nelson ’66 and his wife Linda werefeatured this summer in an article in the BostonGlobe. They have been riding a tandem bicyclefor over 15 years and have been tandemparticipants in the Pan Mass Challenge, a 200mile fundraising bikeathon which raises moneyfor cancer research and treatment at DanaFarber. This past August, Barry and his wife rodeseparately along with 5,197 other riders raisingover 30 million dollars for cancer research.7OsAlexandra Morgan Oliver ’74 writes: “I amalmost at the two year anniversary of AlexandraMorgan’s Animal School in Warren, RI. Weoffer dog daycare, social boarding, groupclasses and private lessons, and lots of animalrescue.”Douglas B. Shire ’76 ran this year’s BostonMarathon to raise funds for the MassachusettsEye and Ear Infirmary, where he works on aproject developing an implant that will restorevision to the blind (www.bostonretinalimplant.org). He makes his home in Ithaca, NY withhis wife Jody Kessler, a singer-songwriter andinterfaith minister. He also has a son Logan (18)and a daughter Aurora (16).Rachel Thorne Germond ’77 writes: “I movedfrom Chicago in June 2010 to Norfolk, VAand am teaching at Old Dominion Universityand setting choreography. I recently performedand taught theater and dance at DuocUCUniversity in Santiago, Chile which was veryenjoyable and inspiring.”8OsKaplan Mobray ’86 was the guest speakerat the AISNE Middle School Student of ColorConference at Milton Academy this February.He also performed on the saxophone at thisyear’s NFL Super Bowl Weekend Player NetworkingEvent in Miami.9OsKatherine Trafton ’91 writes: “I am teachingsixth grade math and science in Olympia, WA.In November I earned my National BoardTeaching Certification. Another major accomplishmentthis year was going car free startinglast January. Now I bike, bus, or carpoolwherever I go. I’ve had the distinct pleasureof seeing classmates Nola Riedel Kopfer ’91and Lily Shuey ’91 and their children this year.”Georgia Hunter Farinholt ’92 and her husbandRobert spent New Year’s Eve on CopacabanaBeach in Rio. They enjoyed taking part in thelocal traditions—dressing in white, tossingflowers into the sea to honor Iemanjá, theGoddess of the Water, and jumping seven timesover the surf for good luck.Ian Perkins Tracy ’95 and his wife Annewelcomed their daughter, Lark Virginia Tracyon April 3rd. Lark joins her older sister Lilianand brother Ian “Perk” (photo above).Laura Dunn ’96 is attending the businessschool at Columbia University.Rob Glancy ’97 writes: “Karl Dunkelman ’97married Meagan Kuntz (of Orlando, FL) inNaples, Florida on April 30th. Noah Davis ’97and myself served as groomsmen and BenPapps ’97 was an usher.”Sareh Rajaee ’97 is studying quantitative andbiostatistics research at Harvard School ofPublic Health after recently graduating fromBrown University’s Medical School. She willstart her residency this July in general orvascular surgery.Andrea Weisman ’97 writes: “I am a clinicaltherapist in Taunton, MA and also working onmy LICSW, which I hope to have by spring.14

S P R I N G 2 0 1 1Adam Freedman ’98 is pursuing his Ph.D at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology in Civiland Environmental Engineering.Libby Goddard ’98 spent last winter in LakeTahoe working as a children’s ski instructor atSquaw Valley, before heading back to graduateschool. She just started the first year of herPh.D in English Literature at the University ofMiami. One of her fellow collegues is JosephMendes ’97.Yi Liu ’98 started business school at StanfordUniversity this fall.OOsAndrew Gernt ’00 is living in Washington, DCand working as a staff assistant for Senator JackReed.McCurdy Miller ’00 is the Assistant Director ofthe Annual Fund at Portsmouth Abbey School.Courtney Spellman DeStefano ’01 (picturedabove with her brother Michael ’06) is inher last semester of her master’s program forModern Irish History at Boston College.John Harwood ’01 is the Coordinator of VideoRelations for the University of Rhode IslandWomen’s Basketball team.Jake Lippincott ’01 started chronicling his experienceliving and teaching English in Tunisiaon his blog http://methalif.blogspot.com.Jake and his experiences were featured in theProvidence Journal this January. His interest inthe political atmosphere began at HampshireCollege, from which he graduated in 2009,and wrote a thesis about politics in Iraq.Ash Wall, III ’01 is living in Washington, DCand working as a staff assistant for SenatorSheldon Whitehouse.Ethan Wolston ’01 writes: “I am traveling withmy girlfriend through Chile. We are headedsouth to Patagonia, here in Chile first beforeheading north to Bolivia (for the secondmonth). Besides that I am still living in Bend,Oregon. Last summer I took a different fire jobup in Alaska, working for the Chena Hotshotsfire crew. I am planning on working in Alaskaagain next summer on the same fire crew.”Kevin Korb ’02 is working on an organic farmin Massachusetts and focusing on the importanceof sustainable living.Jonas Mikolich ’02 accepted a job post graduationat Coyote Logistics, a 3PL logistics firm inChicago. As an account manager he will beworking with the sixth fastest growing privatelyowned company in the country. He will begraduating from Lake Forest College this Maywith a double major in Spanish and Economics.James Pinkham ’02 teaches Upper LevelHistory electives and coaches football andwrestling at the Forman School in Litchfield,CT. He is also a dorm parent and works withLaura Jenks ’96.Heather Liu ’03 writes: “I interned at Christie’sin New York during my winter break fromColby. I worked in the 500 Years of DecorativeArts Europe exhibit which included furniture,carpets, sculpture, and ceramics. I am now inmy last semester at Colby and am planning myown art exhibit at the Colby Museum of Art inMay. I will be showcasing several of my steelrod pieces that are inspired from plant forms.”Jamie Macdonald ’03 will graduate this Mayfrom the University of Denver. He has enjoyedhis experience and has been a member of theMen’s Varsity Lacrosse team since his freshmanyear.Gray Coale, beloved mother of Sam Coale ’96,passed away on February 25th after a courageousbattle with pancreatic cancer. She was a memberof Gordon’s Head’s Advisory Council andworked to strengthen the school’s connectionswith alumni and their parents.Reflecting on her passing, Ralph Wales said,“Gray Coale embodies the spirit of Gordon:loving, open, positive and progressive. This is aprofound loss to the world of people in Gray’ssphere since all of them, no doubt, were regularlyaffirmed by her. We must carry her spirit with usin our work and our worlds.”Donations can be made to the Gray E. CoaleMemorial Garden at Swan Point. Please makechecks payable to Swan Point Cemetery and sendto 585 Blackstone Blvd., Providence, RI 02906.Ben Freedman ’01 is this year’s commencementspeaker. After Gordon, Ben attended MosesBrown ’05 and Bowdoin College ’09. He spentsix months after his college graduation inJerusalem attending a Judaic studies program andserved as a research assistant at the WashingtonInstitute for Near East Policy. Currently, Ben isworking at the Pentagon as a project analystfor the Task Force for Business and StabilityOperations in the Department of Defense.Gordon’s 2011 Commencement ceremony willtake place on Wednesday, June 8th at 5:30 pm.15

Allie Ziino ’03 writes: “I graduated from theUniversity of Delaware a semester early so I’mofficially done and plan to walk during thegraduation ceremony this May. I am workingfor Bethany Christian Services, a christian fostercare and adoption agency, in their olderchild adoption program. I am also applyingto graduate schools in the Philadelphia andBaltimore areas for my masters in Social Work.And last, but certainly not least, I am engagedand planning my wedding for May 2012.”Philippe Dwyer ’04 studied in Italy this Januaryand February as part of his art class on paintingtechniques of the Middle Ages and Renaissanceat RISD. The course took him to Florence,Venice, Siena and Rome.Hope Macdonald ’04 is enjoying her third yearat RISD where she is an Apparel major.Amanda Gaynor ’05 writes: “I am currently asophomore at Wellesley College majoring inPolitical Science and Spanish. I am part of theoldest a cappella group on campus called theWellesley College Widows of which I am boththe secretary and the choreographer. This yearI am also a resident advisor. This winter breakI also went on a Wellesley sponsored programto Barcelona, Spain to study its art, history,and culture in-depth and first hand.”Susannah Wales ’05 a sophomore at HamiltonCollege participated in a field research trip inOctober to the Slocan Valley in British Columbia.The trip was led by Hamilton’s AssistantProfessor of Anthropology, Nathan Goodaleand was focused on gathering film interviewswith the local people regarding the presenceof aboriginal people in the Slocan Valley.Tavie Abell ’06 was one of twenty TulaneUniversity students to earn the Conference USAAcademic Medal, for outstanding performancein both academics and athletics.Michael DeStefano ’06 is enjoying his first yearat the University of New Hampshire takingcourses in science and medicine with hopesof concentrating in dentistry.Sarah Fraza ’06 was inducted into Phi EtaSigma, an honor society for first year studentsat the University of Rhode Island in March.Jesse Frieder ’06 is a freshman at BostonUniversity and a member of the Men’s VarsityTennis team.Jazmyn Johnson ’06 is taking classes at theCommunity College of Rhode Island and hasdesigned her first jewlery line, Jazzmytaz.Lindsey Stokes ’06 is enjoying her freshmanyear at Connecticut College and is a memberof the Women’s Varsity Crew team.Tiernan Barry ’07 a senior at Portsmouth Abbeywas named to the Honor Roll for the fall term.She also earned the Girl’s Varsity Field Hockeytrophy award for her performance on theathletic field this fall along with an EasternIndependent All-League selection.Sarah Cantor ’07 a senior at Wheeler Schoolearned the Coaches Award for her performanceon the Girl’s Varsity Tennis team.Becca Carney ’07 a senior at Wheeler Schoolwon a commendation for the Committee onthe Status of Women at the UPENN Ivy LeagueModel United Nations Conference.Mackenzie Cater ’07 a senior at WheelerSchool has been named as a candidate bythe Commission on Presidential Scholars andthe US Department of Education for the USPresidential Scholars program. She has alsobeen named as a finalist for the 2011 NationalMerit Scholarship Competition.Maya Chin ’07 a senior at Wheeler Schoolearned a Scholastic Art Portfolio Award.Dana Engle ’07 and Liza Green ’07, seniorsat Moses Brown, were named to the ProvidenceJournal All-State Field Hockey Team.Ben Fine ’07 (photo above) is in a Sundaymorning tennis league at Center Court inSeekonk, MA. The league had a tournament inNovember. Unfortunately for Ben, he made thefinals only to face his former Gordon teacher,Mr. Kravitz!Noah Fox ’07 a senior at Wheeler School hasbeen named as a candidate by the Commissionon Presidential Scholars and the US Departmentof Education for the US Presidential Scholarsprogram. He has also been named as a finalistfor the 2011 National Merit ScholarshipCompetition. Noah recently won a commendationfor the Committee on the Status ofWomen at the UPENN Ivy League ModelUnited Nations Conference.Jesse Handler ’07, a senior at Cranston EastHigh School, has been named valedictorian ofher class.Jonathan Pine ’07 is attending the School ofEthics and Global Leadership in Washington, DC.Arianna Riva ’07 a senior at Wheeler Schoolwas nominated as a National Merit Finalist.Andrew Sgarro ’07 a senior at PortsmouthAbbey was named to the fall term Dean’s List.He was the student speaker at the school’schurch assembly in January and talked abouthis experiences as a triplet and the importanceof individuality.Katie Sgarro ’07 a senior at Portsmouth Abbeywas named to the fall term Dean’s List. Shealso earned an Eastern Independent All-Leagueselection for her performance on the Girl’sVarsity Soccer team.16

Tori Sgarro ’07 a senior at Portsmouth Abbeywas named to the fall term Dean’s List. Shealso earned an Eastern Independent LeagueHonorable Mention selection for her performanceon the Girl’s Varsity Soccer team.Jessie Litwin ’08 debuted her first single EveryGirl in Town on iTunes in January.Sarah Steingold ’10 (on right in photo above)a freshman at Moses Brown was the freshmanwinner at the High Point Swim Meet held atBay View Academy this winter.Don’t forget to joinGordon’s Facebookpage and reconnectwith your classmates,view archived photosand learn aboutupcoming events.Email SiobhanSheerar Welsh atswelsh@gordonschool.orgwith any class notesand photos. We willshare them withyour classmates inour next issue.Hailey Walker ’08 took first place with her oilpainting at the Small Independent Schools ArtLeague Annual Show.Becky Kerner ’09 is the goalie for WheelerSchool Varsity Girl’s Lacrosse team. Starting inSeptember 2011 she will join the 18 Wheelersperformance ensemble. This summer shereturns to Tanzania’s Northeast Region onMt. Kilimanjaro to tutor English in a rural highschool.Sarah Sienkiewicz ’09 a sophomore atPortsmouth Abbey was named to the fall termDean’s List.YOUNG ALUMNI Reunion ALUMNI FROM CLASSES 2OO7-2O1O ANDTHE CURRENT EIGHTH GRADE ARE INVITED BACK TO GORDON ON SATURDAY, JUNE4TH FROM 5:30 PM-7:30 PM.Randy Alsabe ’10 received highest honors atClassical High School this fall. He also playedfootball and basketball.Maddy Berkson ’10 a freshman at ClassicalHigh School earned All-America status byplacing 12th in a field of 276 with her time of14:45 in the Youth Girls (13-14) race at theUSATF National Junior Olympic Cross CountryChampionships in Hoover, Alabama this fall.This race featured 2,400 runners from acrossthe country. Maddy also won the 1500 and1000 meter at the Girl’s Winter Track and FieldState meet in February.Ami Coulibaly ’10 was named to the Dean’sList at Choate Rosemary Hall for the fall term.She also won the Coaches Award for herperformance on the Junior Varsity Volleyballteam and is the starting point guard for theJunior Varsity Basketball team.Come celebrate WITH YOUR GORDON TEACHERS ANDCLASSMATES AND ENJOY DANCING WITH DJ OOCH, ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS ANDTREATS FROM SPIKE’S HOTDOGS.rsvpTO SIOBHAN SHEERAR WELSH AT SWELSH@GORDONSCHOOL.ORG.

GORDON SCHOOL45 Maxfield Avenue East Providence RI 02914www.gordonschool.orgNon-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDPermit #365Providence, RISave the DatesCJ BUCKLEY EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING EVENTThursday, June 2nd, 5:30 pmThis night provides an opportunity for family and friends to honor CJ Buckley ’00and to hear the current eighth grade present their service learning projects.Andrew Stachiw ’01 and Eighth Grade Faculty member, Gabe Burnstein will bethe guest speakers.Par-tic-i-pate(v) to take part. to have a part or share in something.Be a part of Gordon School’s success this year.YOUNG ALUMNI REUNIONSaturday, June 4th, 5:30-7:30 pmThis annual reunion invites back the four most recent graduating classes (2007-2010) along with the current eighth grade to celebrate their time at Gordon.2011 COMMENCEMENTWednesday, June 8th, 5:30 pmCome back and congratulate the members of the Class of 2011 as they graduatefrom Gordon School. This year’s commencement speaker is Ben Freedman ’01.Make a gift to the Annual Fund.Participate today!www.gordonschool.org/giveCLASS OF 2001 TEN YEAR REUNIONWednesday, June 8th, 8:00 pmMembers of the Class of 2001 are invited to celebrate their ten year reunion withfamily and friends at Local 121 Restaurant in downtown Providence.