Graduation 2006

Graduation at Milton includes traditions and favorite rituals many years old — formal and informal. For instance, the longstanding practice of electing the student speakers has assured seniors that they will, at their last Milton gathering, hear a classmate they have chosen. This year, students heard from Devin Heater and Rebecca Sigel on June 9, 2006. Students also like to hear from graduates at graduation. This year, the alumni speaker was Chris Henrikson '85, who founded Street Poets Incorporated of Los Angeles, a successful non-profit organization dedicated to using the creative process as a force for personal transformation and social change. The origin of Chris's foundation was his teaching a poetry workshop in the Los Angeles County Juvenile Detention system for incarcerated boys from 14–18 years old; since then he has worked with at-risk youth in the juvenile detention system and social service placement facilities, helping them to discover and develop their voices as writers, artists and human beings.
Click here to view photos and read speeches from the 2006 graduation ceremony.

WHO Cares: Milton Students Making a Difference

Members of one of Milton’s newest clubs, WHO (World Health Organization), met with Mr. Sasha Chanoff, executive director of Mapendo International, to present his organization with a check for $1,750 on June 2. The Mapendo Clinic in Nairobi, Kenya cares for HIV-infected refugees, and students allocated the majority of the funds WHO raised in the last two months for that cause. Christy Hong (Class III) began the World Health Organization at Milton earlier this spring. As she explains, “although we are independent financially and otherwise, we share the same objectives as the World Health Organization of the United Nations.” The young club already has nearly 30 members and seven board members whose first topic of discussion and action was HIV and AIDS.
Click here for more information about the Mapendo Clinic and Mapendo International.

Field Day: Competitions of All Kinds Under a Sunny Sky

After the end of the athletic season, with another week of academics until the end of school, the community took a Wednesday afternoon to test one another in friendly battles. In addition to the games, festivities included a barbeque, a powerful Japanese drumming exhibition, a dunking booth and tons of activities. The afternoon quickly heated up when the boarders took on the day students in a fierce game of dodgeball. The competition grew–as did the battlefield–as the two teams went head-to-head in a game of capture the flag.

Speech Team Places in Top 5 at National Tournament
The Milton Academy speech team placed among the top 5 in the nation for speech and overall competition at the Catholic National Tournament hosted in Chicago over the Memorial Day Weekend. The tournament included 2,339 contestants from 507 schools.

Milton's French Exchange Students Travel to Aix and Paris
As part of the 2006 French Exchange Program, 15 students from the Lycée International d’Aix en Provence spent two weeks at Milton attending classes, sightseeing in Boston and sharing family life with Milton students. On June 4, Milton students traveled to Aix and Paris, where they will stay with French families and enjoy the major cultural and tourist sights.

Milton Academy Hosts Special Olympics

Elise Wanger (Class II) awards winners at the Special Olympics event hosted by Milton Academy on Sunday, May 21. Nearly 400 athletes and over 100 student volunteers participated. "All the athletes, families and volunteers had a wonderful time," said Michele Hales, interim community service director. "Thank you to everyone who helped put together such a great event."

Packaging Company Available On Campus
On June 6 and June 8, The Packaging Store will be on campus to offer their services of custom packaging, shipping and summer storage. Representatives will be located in Forbes from 2:30–6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, and in Forbes and Hathaway from 12–4 p.m. on Thursday, June 8. For more information, call The Packaging Store at (800) 400-7204 or visit their Web site at www.hwcpackaging.com.

Students Perform Chekhov's Three Sisters
Over the weekend, Milton Academy students, directed by performing arts faculty member David Peck, presented Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters in Ruth King Theatre.

Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire ’88 Nominated for a Tony Award
Milton graduate and renowned playwright, David Lindsay-Abaire, has been nominated for a Tony Award for his recent Broadway hit, Rabbit Hole, starring Tyne Daly and Cynthia Nixon. The show was one of four nominated in the Best Play category for the 60th Annual Tony Awards.
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Three Student Writers Named National Gold Award Winners
Three Milton Academy students have earned national recognition from the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Jordana da Gloria (Class I), Hannah Pulit (Class II) and Helen Vradelis (Class II) have been named National Gold Award winners at the 2006 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The students’ works were selected from over 200,000 works of art and 50,000 manuscripts submitted by public, private and parochial school students from across the United States, Canada and U.S.-sponsored schools abroad. The national award recipients were chosen by a panel of distinguished artists, writers, arts professionals and educators based on their originality, technique and emergence of a personal voice or vision. Hannah Pulit received three Gold Awards for her short stories, “Starfish,” “Dance Partner” and “Out of the Blue”; Jordana da Gloria received a Gold Award for her poem, “Good Times, Meng”; and Helen Vradelis won the Gold Award for her collection of poems, “Anna,” “From Greta to Marlene, 1924,” “Eve to the Daughters of Future Generations” and “Thicker than Water.”

Milton’s R.O.V. Team Earns Trip to the Nationals
Milton Academy’s remotely operated underwater vehicle team (M.A.R.O.V.) placed second at the New England Regional R.O.V. Competition held at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Bourne, Massachusetts on May 6. As a result of their second place finish, the M.A.R.O.V. team has earned a qualifying slot at the International R.O.V. Competition to be held at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (N.B.L.) at N.A.S.A.’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on June 23-25.
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Chris Chang '07 Awarded Semifinalist at National Chamber Music Competition
As a member of the New England Conservatory's Attacca Quartet, Chris Chang (Class II) was awarded semifinalist at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in South Bend, Indiana, on May 6. The Attacca Quartet placed first in its division in the Chamber Music Foundation of New England. The Grand Prize competition will be held in Carnegie Hall in New York City on May 29. Chris also performed on WGBH's "Classical Performances" with Richard Knisely on May 18, and on stage at Jordan Hall in Boston on May 23.

Milton Seniors Music Combo Playing at Prestigious Boston Venue
Milton seniors Eli Schwartz, Rebecca Sigel, Xan Aird, Alexander Duncan and Ben Stepner make up the “rhythm and blues five-piece” group, Strictly For The Birds. As their Web site explains, their sound combines “rock n’ roll and jazz with more than a heavy dose of classical.” The group—which cites some of their main influences as Ray Charles, Brian Wilson and The Strokes—will be taking to the stage on Saturday, May 20, at the esteemed local venue, The Paradise Lounge, on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. The show, which will also include a performance by Glovebox, begins at 9 p.m. and is open to guests eighteen years of age and older.

Three Sisters in Rehearsal
On May 18, 19 and 20, Milton Academy students, directed by performing arts faculty member David Peck, present Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters in Ruth King Theatre. Chekhov’s play is about the decay of the privileged class in Russia and the search for meaning in the modern world. The Prozorov sisters, played by Jessica Kingsdale (Class II) as Irina, Elise Wanger (Class II) as Masha, and Reya Sehgal (Class II) as Olga, are refined and cultured young women who were raised in urban Moscow but now live in a small, provincial town. With their father dead, their anticipated return to Moscow comes to represent their hopes of a better life.
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Milton's Jim Kernohan Helps Develop Educational DVD, Beyond the Solar System
During the past few summers, science faculty member Jim Kernohan has been working with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge to develop a DVD that brings astronomy education into every high school. The newly released DVD, Beyond the Solar System, combines scientific and educational research to help teachers in grades 8–12 deepen their own and their students’ understanding of our universe, and of the nature of science.

Three Milton Seniors Named Scholar-Athletes by National Football Foundation
Three Milton Academy students were recently named scholar-athletes by the Eastern Massachusetts chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame. Nate Anschuetz, Mike Greenberg and Dan Zailskas are among the 22 award recipients who were selected from over 200 public, parochial and private schools by a committee comprised of college admissions directors, secondary school principals, athletic directors and members of the media. Nate, Mike and Dan were honored at the 31st annual scholar-athlete banquet held at Lantana’s in Randolph on Monday, May 8.

Spring Drama: The Real Inspector Hound
On May 4 and 5, Milton students staged a 1212 studio performance of the riotous one-act, The Real Inspector Hound, by witty British playwright, Tom Stoppard. This show, about a play-within-a-play-within-a-play, is a clever parody that lampoons both theatre criticism and the English "whodunit" genre.
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Jamnesty, a Milton Amnesty Success Story
Amnesty International at Milton Academy raised $1,500 to support Amnesty's Stop Torture campaign. Jamnesty — hosting a festival of bands — was the fund raising idea that successfully drew in the donations. Co-heads of Amnesty, Alice Tin, Seohyung Kim and Lara Yeo, decided to organize a concert last spring when they became co-heads of the club.
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Hall of Fame Jazz Educator, Dan Haerle, is Melissa Dilworth Gold Visiting Artist
Jazz pianist, educator and author, Dan Haerle, visits Milton Academy this week as the Melissa Dilworth Gold artist. From Sunday, May 7 through Thursday, May, 11, Dan teaches classes, leads workshops for students and performs for the community. Dan is a former faculty member of the University of North Texas and the author of several jazz textbooks. He is an active performer and recording artist, and has worked with other great musicians including Clark Terry, Pat Metheny, Mel Torme and Al Jarreau. In 2003, Dan was inducted into the International Association of Jazz Education "Hall of Fame" which celebrates individuals whose musical contributions and dedication to jazz education have created new directions and curricular innovations for jazz education worldwide. Dan Haerle visits Milton as part of the Melissa Dilworth Gold ’61 Visiting Artist series, which commemorates Melissa's life and interests by bringing internationally recognized artists to campus. As part of the series, each visiting artist also spends time with public school students.

A Revered Milton Tradition: Seminar Day
A Milton tradition since the 1970s, founded by faculty member Peter Keyes, Seminar Day engages all students and faculty in a day of provocative and current ideas. Seminar Day 2006, on May 3, begins with a keynote address by Alan Dershowitz, Milton parent and The Felix Frankfurter Professor at Harvard Law School. Professor Dershowitz’ address, Preemption: A Knife That Cuts Both Ways, looks at the ethics of preemptive action – on a national or a personal scale.

The student boards of Common Ground and Public Issues organized the day's speakers and meetings, which cover a broad scan of interesting issues from Satire as a Critique in a Politically Correct Society, featuring New Yorker cartoonist William Hamilton to The Future of the GOP- Viewed by the Log Cabin Republicans, featuring Patrick Guerriero, Chair, Log Cabin Republicans. James Mills of the history department and Christine Savini, director of diversity planning, worked with students to arrange the day that will include a total of 17 speakers and discussions.

Calling Cambodia: A Mixed-Media Exhibit by Two Milton Artists
When Amy Sanford, Milton Class of ’90, had the opportunity to return to her native Cambodia after 30 years of living in the United States, English faculty member Bill Moore jumped at the chance to accompany her to meet with her recently-discovered relatives who had survived Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge take-over and the Pol Pot era. In an upcoming exhibit at Boston’s Laconia Gallery, both Amy and Bill showcase their work which explores each artist’s personal connection to Cambodia’s past and present.
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Senior Jazz Combo Performs in Boston
The Milton Academy Senior Jazz Combo took to the stage at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Thursday, May 4. Performing at Ryles has been an occasional honor for Milton jazz musicians. These accomplished players have toured South Africa and performed with T. S. Monk and for Jim Hall, Dave Holland, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Danny Glover. Students who performed on Thursday included Seohyung Kim (vocals), Sarah Magaziner (flute), Desiree Browne (clarinet), Jon Coravos (tenor sax), Ben Stepner (piano), Justin Kahn (guitar), Rebecca Sigel (bass) and Leo Lester (drums). Also on the bill was the Boston Higashi School jazz band, a long-time partner with Milton’s jazz program, and New World Leaders, including bassist Bob Sinicrope of the music department.

A Weekend of Concerts
The music department at Milton Academy presented the 2006 Spring Concerts in King Theatre on Friday, April 28 and Sunday, April 30.
Click here for details about the two concert events.

Peter Serkin Plays in Straus, at the Gratwick Concert
For the past 76 years, the annual Gratwick Concert has brought to campus the most renowned classical musicians. The 76th concert, on Sunday afternoon, April 23, featured pianist Peter Serkin. One of the greatest pianists of his generation, Mr. Serkin actually made his second appearance of the Gratwick series at this most recent concert. He appeared as a member of the chamber music group, Tashi, in 1978. His father, the great pianist, Rudolf Serkin, performed in 1941.
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James Ryan’s Jamaica’s Motif chosen for National Watercolor Society Exhibit
Each year, the National Watercolor Society brings before the public the best of water media painting, representing a wide range of directions and technique. Jamaica’s Motif, a painting by modern languages faculty member James Ryan, has been chosen by the Society to be part of their exhibit at the VIVA Gallery in Sherman Oaks, California, on May 10-27.
Click here to view the painting.

Professor Jan Willis is Speaker for Class of 1952's Endowment for Religious Understanding

Professor Jan Willis of Wesleyan University, who has been named one of Time Magazine’s Six Spiritual Innovators for the New Millennium, visited Milton on Wednesday as a speaker for the Class of 1952's Endowment for Religious Understanding. Ms. Willis is a professor of Tibetan Buddhism and the author of several books.
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Speech Team Places First at State Tournament
The Milton Academy Speech Team recently took first place in the State Championship Tournament at Westbrook Academy. The tournament included three preliminary rounds of competition with the top seven qualifiers moving on to the final round. Milton not only placed first as a whole, but also represented five of the individual event state champions.
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From the Mile to the Mats
As the first girl on the varsity wrestling team at Milton, Laura Gottesdiener, Class I, competed in both the USGWA Massachusetts Championships and the New England Women’s Tournament over spring break and placed third in her weight class in both competitions. Having been on the track and cross-country teams since her early days here, Laura took up wrestling only this year—something she had never envisioned doing.
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Eco-Action at Milton Academy
On Thursday, April 20, the Academy celebrated Earth Day on campus. In conjunction with special events, the School launched a Web site dedicated to eco-action at Milton. Spearheaded by Recycling Coordinator Leslie Will, the site includes information about how and where to recycle on campus, recycling guidelines and student groups that coordinate activities to strengthen the recycling program.
Click here to view the eco-action Web pages.

A Celebration of the Arts
Every year students in the Milton Arts Program bring together a collection of the year’s best work to celebrate an evening of the arts. At this multi-venued event, students share their work with each other, faculty, parents and friends. Arts Night will be held on Friday, April 21, in the Kellner Performing Arts Center beginning at 6 p.m.

Holocaust Survivor and Author Ursula Pawel is Straus Dessert Series Speaker
On Wednesday, April 19, the Public Issues Board, as part of its Straus Dessert series, hosted Holocaust survivor and author Ursula Pawel. Ursula spoke to students, faculty and members of the Milton community about her book, My child is back!, that recounts her experiences as a 16-year-old girl who survived Auschwitz.

“Impact” Helps Injured Students Return to Sports Safely
Over the past 10 years, research about brain trauma and concussions has included new guidelines regarding return to play. This research has helped physicians and certified athletic trainers understand the severity of concussions and when an athlete can return to sports safely. This year, with the help of the Milton Academy parents, Milton’s athletic trainers now have Impact, a computer software program that helps determine when a student, who has sustained a concussion, may resume play.
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Alumnus Ian Cheney’s Two Buckets Premieres on WGBH
On April 9, WGBH aired Two Buckets, a short film produced by Ian Cheney ’98. Each year, WGBH selects two to four independent filmmakers to create short films as part of its 6:55 Short Stack broadcast. Ian Cheney ’98, along with Curt Ellis, produced Two Buckets, one of this year’s winning films about a loner from the backwoods of Waldoboro, Maine, who uses two plastic buckets attached to his bicycle as makeshift panniers.

Furniture: Objects and Forms
The work of Alphonse Mattia and Rosanne Somerson, parents of Izzy Mattia ’06, is the subject of Furniture: Objects and Forms, the spring Nesto Gallery exhibit that opened with a reception for students and faculty on March 31. Both Mr. Mattia and Ms. Somerson are professors of furniture design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
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Milton’s Football Seniors Move On to Play at the Collegiate Level
Many of the seniors from Milton’s football team have been recruited to play at the collegiate level starting in the fall of 2006. Nate Anschuetz (Columbia), Tony Blout (Bowdoin), Mike Greenberg (Amherst), Basil Swaby (Wesleyan), Winston Tuggle (Trinity) and Andrew Tsanotelis (Bates) have all been recruited for their athletic prowess. Dan Zailskas, co-captain of this year’s squad, was heavily recruited by numerous Division 1 football powers, but instead will be playing baseball for Harvard University. Harry O’Hanley will soon be deciding between the Naval Academy and MIT. If he ultimately chooses to attend MIT, Harry too will be playing collegiate football next season.

Students Show Works of Art at Reality and Fantasy Art Show

Milton art students recently participated in the second annual "Reality and Fantasy" Art Show at St. Paul's School in Concord, NH. The show was organized by Milton graduate Ian Torney. Twelve schools submitted nearly 200 works of art that were judged in various categories ranging from traditional drawing, painting, and sculpture to more experimental mixed media and digital imaging. Milton students won 4 prizes and received 7 honorable mentions.

Jonathan R. Brestoff ’04 Named Goldwater Scholar
Jonathan R. Brestoff, Milton Class of 2004 and a sophomore at Skidmore College, has been named a Goldwater Scholar. Jon was selected as one of 323 recipients on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,081 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide.
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Students Compete to Qualify in 2006 Rocketry Challenge
Having worked since early February designing and constructing, the Milton Academy Rocketry Team participated recently in the qualifying round of the 2006 Team America Rocketry Challenge. Milton students’ three rockets needed to carry one raw egg to 800 feet (or as close to 800 feet) and remain aloft for 45 seconds (or as close to 45 seconds). The Rocketry Team’s first test launch reached as high as 785 feet. A second launch date has been scheduled for April 8. After the second launch, members of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) will determine if Milton will be included as one of the National Finalists for the competition.

Milton Musicians in Italy, a Memorable Whirlwind

Having entertained the home crowd with the now-traditional send-off concert, the touring Milton musicians — along with many large instruments — met at Logan Airport to begin their Italian journey. The small town of Sorrento was the first stop, with its view of the isle of Capri and Mt. Vesuvius. The first concert, before a crowd of locals and tourists, was at Sorrentino’s Teatro. The Chamber Singers opened with several sacred and secular selections including some of the ever-popular Vivaldi Gloria. The Chamber orchestra followed with some Cimarosa, Mozart and Boccherini. The Boccherini Cello Concerto featured senior Daniel Charness as soloist. During a sightseeing visit to the ancient ruins of Pompeii, the Chamber Singers sang briefly in one of the smaller amphitheatres and were amazed at the wonderful acoustics.
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Ha Jin Reads to Students
from His Novel, War Trash
Ha Jin, author of award-winning poetry and fiction, read to students in Classes I and II from his book War Trash, a work which earned the 2005 PEN/Faulkner Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. After his reading, Ha Jin talked with students in Straus Library about his book and also about the work of writing. Ha Jin came to Milton on March 29, as the second Bingham Reader of the school year.
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Jeff Williams of the U.S. Geological Survey Discusses the U.S. Coastal Crisis
A Coastal-marine geologist from the Woods Hole Science Center, Jeff Williams, spoke to Class III students at the Earth Day Lecture in Wigglesworth Hall. Mr. Williams’ presentation focused on the “coastal crisis” in the United States. He included coastal hazards that put human life and ecosystems at risk; the geologic and human factors causing coastal erosion; the increasing population growth along our coasts; and the 2005 storms that devastated the Gulf Coast states.
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Perfect Posture on His 100th Birthday
Herbert G. Stokinger, beloved teacher, coach and director of physical education and athletics at Milton during five decades, turned 100 on March 24, 2006. A birthday celebration on Saturday, April 1, 2006, at noon in the Fitzgibbons Convocation Center will celebrate this milestone with approximately 275 alumni.
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Anthony Rapp Visits the Academy

Well-known actor and now author, Anthony Rapp, spoke with students in King Theatre on March 28. Rapp read excerpts from his debut book, Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent, talked with students about his work on stage and in film, and answered questions from aspiring actors and writers in the audience.

“Strictly,” a Music Combo with Milton Seniors, Performs in New York
Strictly for the Birds describes itself on the Web as “a rhythm and blues five-piece, combining rock n’ roll and jazz with more than a heavy dose of classical. Influences include Brian Wilson’s Teenage Symphony to God, Ray Charles’s belief to his soul, Schumann’s ethereal Arabesque, The Strokes, and dirty Television and the Voidoids.” Members of Strictly for the Birds include Milton seniors, Eli Schwartz, piano and vocals; Rebecca Sigel, bass; Xan Aird, guitar and vocals; Alexander Duncan, trumpet, and Ben Stepner, drums. Strictly performed at the Lion's Den in New York City on March 24. Back at home in Boston, Strictly will play at the Mideast Upstairs in Cambridge on Sunday, April 16, at 4 p.m.
Click here to check the group out at their Web site, and then go hear them play.

An Annual Favorite: The Winter Dance Concert

A wide variety of dance styles including hip-hop, jazz, salsa, modern, ballet and classical Indian—with many dances created by student choreographers—were presented to plenty of fans at the annual Winter Dance Concert.

Milton Model Launched in Songdo, South Korea
A ground-breaking ceremony recently in Songdo, South Korea marked the beginning of construction for the New Songdo City International School (NSCIS). The school will be the first international educational institution in the nation’s free economic zone and will cooperate in a partnership with Milton Academy to develop academic programs and exchanges for students and teachers. John Warren, special assistant to the head of school, joined Korean government officials and Deputy Prime Minister Han Duk-soo at the event on March 8, 2006.
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Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Singers Host Pre-Tour Concert in King Theatre
In preparation for their concert tour in Italy, the Milton Academy Chamber Orchestra and the Milton Academy Chamber Singers performed a pre-tour concert in King Theatre.

Drawing the Line: Boston Globe Cartoonist, Dan Wasserman, Visits Milton
Finding the balance between humor and tact can be difficult, especially when your livelihood prods you toward two of the most taboo subjects: religion and politics. Dan Wasserman, a cartoonist for the Boston Globe, visited Milton on March 1 to speak to Class II and III art students about his career; he also addressed the recent reactions to cartoon depictions of the prophet Mohammed featured in a Danish newspaper.
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Playing to a Packed House: The Fifth Annual Student Directed One-Acts
Completely directed, acted and tech-supported by students, five one-act plays drew packed houses in the studio theatre, Kellner Performing Arts Center. They were directed by Chris Biddle ’06, Grey Cusack ’07, Lauren-Elizabeth Palmer ’07 and Colette Perold ’06.

The evening opened with Colette’s “The Pleasure of Detachment” by Perry Souchuk. This one-act portrays and questions the lunacy versus genius of a woman writer strapped to her bed; the play forces the audience to question notions of time, reality and sanity.
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“Everything is Illuminated,” says the Globe’s Cate McQuaid About Maggie Stark's Exhibition
An exhibition of the “magical” work of Maggie Stark (visual arts department), has just opened in the Boston Sculptors Gallery, and earned top billing among critic Cate McQuaid’s view of Boston galleries. “[Maggie Stark] has built structures of mirror and glass, lighted from within,” says Ms.McQuaid. “Light and reflection ricochet, multiplying endlessly, staggering the viewer with the implication of eternity. Their beauty is daunting; the sheer geometric multiplicity in some of the sculptures might be seen as a metaphor for existence, or as a cage from which you’ll never escape.” Visit the Boston Sculptors Gallery in the nearby South End, at 486 Harrison Ave., Boston, and see Maggie’s work through March 11 (www.bostonsculptors.com). The work of faculty member Larry Pollans (history) has also been shown at the Boston Sculptors Gallery.

20 from Milton Qualify for National Speech and Debate Tournament
Milton’s team took 20 out of 42 possible positions open to students in the northeast region of the United States who competed to qualify in the Catholic National Tournament. The Tournament will take place on Memorial Day weekend in Chicago, Illinois.

Academy Hosts Red Cross Blood Drive
On Thursday, March 2, Milton's community service program is sponsoring an American Red Cross Blood Drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Wigg Hall. If you would like to donate your blood, please make an appointment by calling 617-898-2320 or by emailing Michele Hales at michele_hales@milton.edu.

William Whitmore to Lead Milton Athletics
Milton Academy is pleased to announce that William Whitmore will become director of athletics and physical education, effective August 1, 2006. Bill comes to Milton from Concord, New Hampshire where he has been the director of athletics, physical education and intramurals for the Concord School District. Bill has been responsible for the development, coordination, supervision and evaluation of the athletic and physical education programs in ten schools, and has managed the activities of some eighty coaches. Well respected by his fellow athletic directors, Bill developed many of the policies that guide athletic programs throughout the state of New Hampshire. Many of you may have unknowingly encountered him as one of 161 coaches interviewed and featured in the book Coach by Steve McKee (1994).
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A Great Sports Weekend: Plenty of Cheers, Tears, Skill, Teamwork and Heart
The many, many Milton fans that packed the rink were thrilled with the Milton boys’ varsity hockey team’s overtime tie (4–4) this weekend against Nobles, this year’s ISL championship team. The boys won the weekend for intense, non-stop play, from the first Milton goal, scored in the first minute of play, through the gripping five-minute, sudden death overtime. As one of the faculty members emailed to the team: “Teamwork and heart were on brilliant display throughout the game but most vividly at the end when there wasn’t anything left to give and they kept on giving. Courageous and inspirational are the words that come to my mind.” This was the tenth season overtime for Milton — a season of unrelenting spirit and concentration. Next year bodes well, when the varsity team will be joined by a number of the junior varsity players, who beat Nobles this weekend, 6–3. The girls’ hockey teams plan on a similar trajectory, as varsity lost and junior varsity won.
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Chamber Singers and Chamber Orchestra Host Fund Raising Concert
On Sunday, February 26, the Milton Academy Chamber Singers and Chamber Orchestra hosted a fund raising concert in Straus Library. The event included performances by faculty members Don Dregalla, Bob Sinicrope and Ted Whalen, Ben Stepner (Class I), Dan Stepner, David Hagan, Peter Rice and members of the Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Singers. Donations accepted at the concert will help defray costs of the ensembles' spring tour of Italy.

Eliza Heath '08 Wins Bishop Prize
Eliza Heath (Class III) is the winner of the 2006 Elizabeth Bishop Prize For Verse. Eliza’s poems, entitled Hi-8, Sestina for Your Lasting, We Walk with Soft Feet and Kevin Carter, 1997, were selected as the prize-winning poems from among 400 writing samples submitted from around the world. As the winner of the Bishop Prize, given by the Writing Studio at Walnut Hill School, Eliza is invited to join the Walnut Hill Summer Writing Program for three weeks of study in Cambridge, England and Natick, Massachusetts. Her poem will also be published in The Blue Pencil, the literary magazine of the Writing Studio. Hannah Pulit (Class II) and Tara Venkatramam (Class II) received honorable mentions for this prize.

Milton Academy Presented Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot

On February 9, 10 and 11, Milton Academy students performed Alumnus T.S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral in Ruth King Theatre. Originally written for the Canterbury festival, Murder in the Cathedral tells the story of the murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Beckett, in 1170.

Milton Academy Jazz Combo Takes Second Place in Jazz Festival
The senior Milton Academy Jazz Combo competed in the Berklee High School Jazz Festival on Saturday, February 11. The festival attracted nearly 3000 students and 240 performing groups from across the United States. The Milton group was awarded second place in the medium small combo class. This award comes with a $1000 and two $500 scholarships to Berklee's summer programs for group members. For the third straight year, senior Ben Stepner was awarded the Superior Musician Award in the medium small combo category. The senior Milton Academy Jazz Combo includes Sarah Magaziner - flute, Seohyung Kim - vocal, Desiree Browne - clarinet, Jon Coravos - tenor sax, Ben Stepner - piano, Justin Kahn - guitar, Rebecca Sigel - bass and Leo Lester - drums.

Nathan Fick : A Soldier's Experience in the Iraq War
On February 15, Milton Academy hosted former Marine captain Nathan Fick in Wigglesworth Hall where he shared his experience in the Iraq War and his book One Bullet Away - The Making of a Marine Officer. Fick, originally from Maryland, graduated from Dartmouth College earning high honors, concentrating in classics and government. Following college, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Only weeks after 9/11, Fick led his platoon into Afghanistan and Pakistan. Following that mission, he joined Recon and led a reconnaissance platoon in combat during the earliest months of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Nathan Fick left the Marines in 2003 as a captain to pursue a masters degree in interational security at Harvard University and an MBA at the Harvard Business School. His novel, written about his experience and his controversial opinions about the war, has been featured on 60 Minutes, the BBC, and NPR; other writings by Fick have appeared in newspapers across the country.

Alumnus Keith Caldwell ’02 Drafted by Colorado Rapids
Keith Caldwell ’02 was drafted by the Colorado Rapids in the third round of the 2006 Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft on January 26, 2006. After graduating from Milton, Keith attended Brown University where he received two All-Ivy Honorable Mentions and participated in two Ivy League Championships as forward/midfielder on Brown’s varsity soccer team. Keith’s career as a professional soccer player with the Colorado Rapids begins after his graduation from Brown this spring.

Click here to read a profile of Keith Caldwell on Brown’s Web site.

Maggie Stark’s Installation Opens at the Boston Sculptors Gallery
On February 7, visual arts faculty member Maggie Stark opens an exhibition of her newest body of work entitled Time-Shift at the Boston Sculptors Gallery. Consisting of sculpture and photographs, Time-Shift is an installation of light and reflection. The intention of the exhibit is to draw the viewer beneath the surface of familiar shapes and objects into an exploration of light’s effect on time and space. An artist’s reception will be hosted at the gallery on Saturday, February 11, from 3-5 p.m. For more details, contact the gallery director, Anna Shapiro, at 617-482-7781 or Maggie Stark at 617-698-4352.

Summer Expo Offers Exciting Opportunities for Teens
On February 12, Milton Academy hosts 70 companies offering summer programs exclusively for teenagers ages 12-18 at the Summer Expo for Teens. Exhibitors include wilderness adventures in Canada, community service projects in the Galapagos Islands, traveling theater groups and much more. Programs offered at the event range from 2 to 7 weeks in length. Representatives from these companies will be in the ACC building from 1-4 p.m. to answer questions, provide attendees with take-away materials and, in some cases, participate in a series of panel discussions planned throughout the day.

Jewbilee Conference Presented Israeli Musician Yoel Ben-Simhon and the Sultana Band
On February 4, Israeli musician Yoel Ben-Simhon and the Sultana Band performed in Wigg Hall as part of the two-day Jewbilee conference hosted by the Curriculum Initiative. The weekend conference featured discussions, workshops and social activities that allowed Jewish students to explore their common bonds and their Judaism. Weekend highlights also included a keynote address by Cara Nussbaum of MTV's The Real World.

Burmese Percussionist Kyaw Kyaw Naing Performs at Milton
On Thursday, February 2, Kyaw Kyaw Naing—one of the world’s leading practitioners of Burmese music— performed concerts and presented demonstrations at Milton to students of the Middle and Upper Schools. A percussionist from Myanmar (Burma), Naing plays an instrument known as the patt waing, which is a set of twenty-one drums hanging inside a circular and ornately decorated frame. He is a young master musician with mastery of multiple percussion instruments including tuned drum sets, xylophones, and tuned gong sets. This knowledge and tradition was passed down to Naing from his late father, Chein Tit Tee, one of the most famous masters of his generation. Naing's visit was part of the Melissa Gold Artist series.
[Read More]

Tents, Jazz and Katrina
In March, thirty Milton volunteers will help with rebuilding in the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast. Students, faculty and family members will stay in tents while they repair damaged homes. A New Orleans Jazz Evening on February 3, from 7–9 p.m in the Kellner Performing Arts Center will help fund both the trip and building supplies. A silent auction at the event, with many exciting items including finish line seats at the Boston Marathon, will raise additional funding. The auction is being organized by Milton’s community service office.

Professor Charles Ogletree of Harvard Law School Visits Milton
Professor Charles Ogletree, professor and vice dean for clinical programs at Harvard Law School, visited Milton’s campus on February 1. Professor Ogletree has focused on civil rights during his career, and on the educational advancement of minority children. He spoke to Milton students as the 2006 Common Ground speaker; after his presentation he met with students for conversation in Straus Library and lunch in the Withington Room.
[Read More]

Galt Niederhoffer ’93 Reads from Her Novel at Harvard
On Wednesday, January 18, Milton alumna Galt Niederhoffer ’93 returned to Harvard University – her alma mater – to read from and discuss her debut novel entitled A Taxonomy of Barnacles. Galt’s work tells the tale of the six Barnacle sisters – Bell, Bridget, Beth, Belinda, Beryl and Benita – who are presented with a contest fashioned by their father, eccentric and self-made Barry Barnacle. The winner of the contest, which tests both wit and wills, stands to inherit her father’s estate. The contest seeks to answer what Barry deems the most important of all questions: nature or nurture?
[Read More]

Conference Draws Students from New England for Weekend of Discussions, Workshops and Featured Activities
On February 4-5, the Curriculum Initiative will host its fifth annual Jewbilee, a two-day conference and social gathering for students from New England area independent schools, at Milton Academy. The program features discussions, workshops and social activities that allow Jewish students to explore their common bonds and their Judaism. Weekend highlights include a performance by Israeli musician Yoel Ben-Simhon and the Sultana Band on February 4, at 8:30 p.m., in Wigg Hall and a keynote address by Cara Nussbaum of MTV's The Real World. For more information and to register for the event, visit
www.jewbilee.org.

Milton Academy Hosts the Special Olympics
On January 15, over 20 teams (300 athletes and families) from the Greater Boston area competed in the Martin Luther King Special Olympics Basketball Tournament in Milton’s Athletic and Convocation Center. Milton Academy students volunteered as referees, scorers and timekeepers. Students also helped give awards and escorted athletes to Forbes Dining Hall for lunch. Jane Suh (Class II) sang a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem, Eskor Johnson (Class II) read an original poem in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Ned Littlefield (Class I) read an excerpt of King’s own words about courage.

Music Faculty Member Premieres Three Choral Works
Louise Mundinger of the music department was recently cited in Sounding Board, the newsletter of the American Composers Forum, for her three choral works scored for choir, youth choir and soloists. More than 1,000 congregants at Jubilee Christian Church in Mattapan attended the premiere of Louise’s anthems “Make Me to Know Your Ways, O Lord,” “Shalom (the sound of prayer)” and “The Year of Jubilee.” The adult and youth choirs from Temple Isaiah in Lexington, led by Robbie Solomon, cantor, joined the performances, which included solos by cantor Solomon of Temple Isaiah and Lesley Guidy of Jubilee Church.

Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire '88 Opens Broadway Debut
On February 2, David Lindsay-Abaire ’88 opens the doors to his new play, Rabbit Hole, at the Biltmore Theatre in New York. The play will mark the Broadway debut of David Lindsay-Abaire, who has been represented at Manhattan Theatre Club with productions of Fuddy Meers, Wonder of the World and Kimberly Akimbo. Rabbit Hole, starring Cynthia Nixon and Tyne Daly, is a bittersweet drama about finding hope in the lowest moments of our lives, and the paths we take to return to the light of day.
[Read More]

New England Patriot Stephen Neal Coaches Milton's Wrestlers

New England Patriot Stephen Neal joined Milton's wrestling team during practice to offer pointers from his days as a championship wrestler at Cal State-Bakersfield. The photo above is Neal instructing students in front of the rock-climbing wall in the Robert Saltonstall Gymnasium.

Jazz Combos Took a Bite of the Big Apple
The three Milton Academy advanced jazz combos performed at the 33rd International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) annual conference at the Hilton Hotel in New York City on Saturday, January 14. Recognized as the largest gathering of the global jazz community, the IAJE conference hosted over 7,000 educators, musicians, record executives, exhibitors, media and enthusiasts. The 24 Milton students earned an invitation to perform at this prestigious event from an audition recording submitted last spring. Directed by faculty member Bob Sinicrope, students took the stage with T S Monk, son of legendary jazz musician Thelonious Monk, to pay tribute to the music of Thelonious Monk.

DRC Presidential Candidate, Dr. Oscar Kashala, Visits the Academy
Dr. Oscar Kashala, presidential candidate for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), spoke to the Milton community about his life and work on January 11, in Straus Library. Trained at the University of Kinshasa, University of Lausanne, World Health Organization, Harvard and MIT, Dr. Kashala is an oncologist and pathologist who is a global leader in clinical and research efforts to bring new cures for infectious diseases, cancer, AIDS and HIV to the developing world. At Harvard Medical School and other American universities, he works with faculty to collaborate with African universities and hospitals in projects that will bring modern health care facilities, a research institute, drinkable water and a sewage treatment facility to Butembo and other cities.

Poet and Professor of Latino Poetry and Creative Writing Addresses Students Celebrating the Life of Martin Luther King
Martin Espada, Professor of English at U. Mass-Amherst, where he teaches creative writing, Latino poetry and the work of Pablo Neruda, spoke to Milton students on January 11 as the 2006 Martin Luther King speaker. Martin Espada received the American Book Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. His other honors include the PEN/Revson Fellowship and the Paterson Poetry Prize. Martin Espada's poems have been acclaimed by writers such as Julia Alvarez and Barbara Kingsolver, among others; you can read some of his work and find out more about him on his Web site:
http://www.martinespada.net/

Conductor, Musicians, Earn Participation at Regional Music Festivals
Seven Milton Academy students were selected to participate in the Massachusetts Music Educators Association District Music Festival on January 6 and 7. The seven who earned the opportunity to play competed against students from schools throughout southeastern Massachusetts for this honor. Jessica Kingsdale, Class II, sang in the chorus. Desiree Browne, Class I, (one of the two top scorers among all clarinet players), and Sophia Topulos, Class III, played in the band. Elizabeth Whitman, Class II, (top scorer among viola players), Allan Jean-Baptiste, Class III, MyungJu Kim, Class II, and Drew Douglas-Steele, Class IV, played in the orchestra.

Dr. Don Dregalla, music department chair, has been asked to conduct the Massachusetts Music Educators Association Festival Orchestra in the western district concert on Saturday, January 14, at 2 p.m. at the University of Massahusetts, Amherst. The western district orchestra will play music of Verdi, Copland and Brahms.

Talbot Speaker, David Marcus, Probes Risks That Teenagers Face
David L. Marcus, who shared a Pulitzer Prize, spent a year as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard, and worked as a high school teacher before publishing a book about American teenagers, talked with Milton students this week as the Talbot Speaker for 2006.

David Marcus spent four years researching his book, which tells the story of a group of teenagers who were sent to a therapeutic program in the foothills of the Berkshires, What It Takes to Pull Me Through: Why Teenagers Get in Trouble and How Four of Them Got Out.
[Read More]

Professor James McCarthy Discusses Change in Arctic Climate
At a December 14 assembly, Dr. James J. McCarthy talked with students about the rapid climate change in the Arctic and the implications for the Polar Bear. McCarthy is Alexander Agassiz Professor of Biological Oceanography and from 1982 until 2002, was the director of Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology. He holds faculty appointments in Harvard’s biology and earth science departments, and he is the head tutor for degrees in environmental science and public policy.

In Montreal, for the Twelfth Year

For the past 12 years, a four-day exchange with the College Mont Saint Louis in Montreal has been a component of the course Francophone World, taught by Bernard Planchon. Our students stay with French speaking families in Montreal, visit the city, attend a concert or a show, attend a few classes at the college, and get a taste of Quebecois culture. This year, our group enjoyed shopping on the Rue St Denis, attended a musical at the Place des Arts, went to a class at the college and, on the way back, visited the Abbaye of Saint Benoit du Lac on Lake Magog. The Quebecois students will come to Milton in May and spend four days with their Milton hosts.

Gingerbread Raffle Raises Funds for Earthquake and Hurricane Victims
The Upper School community service program sponsored the annual gingerbread raffle to raise funds for local and international charities. This year's raffle raised $874 for earthquake victims in Pakistan and hurricane victims on the Gulf Coast. On December 15, Julie Gentile's name was drawn from a hat, and she took home this year’s work-of-art (and candy) that was lovingly created by Marjorie Stone, parent of Milton graduate Andrew Stone '99.

Advanced Art Class Hosts Art Show

Milton's advanced independent art class hosted an art show on Friday, December 9, in the Kellner Performing Arts Center. Work by students Jamie Mittelman, Alex Rodman, Michele Wong, Kim Thorpe, Eric Stutz, Rachel Schwerin, Reshmi Paul and Alex Chammah were on display.

Alumna-Composer Premieres Choral Composition
On December 11, Julia Scott Carey '04 presented “Music,” performed by the Quincy Choral Society at its Silver Celebration concert at Sacred Heart Church. The choral composition was scored for SATB (solo, alto, tenor, bass) chorus, soprano solo, string quintet, tympani, oboe and glockenspiel. Julia’s compositions have been performed by the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, Atlanta Youth Symphony, and in St. Petersburg, Russia. Her work has also been featured on the “Today” show and WGBH-Radio. Julia is in her second year of a five-year combined program in composition studies at Harvard University and the New England Conservatory of Music.

Among the members of the Quincy Choral Society who performed on December 11 were alumni Ted Hays ’70 and Joel Davidson ’70, and faculty members Sarah Wehle and Mark Whipple.

Milton Academy Theatre Presents The Tempest
What happens when you combine moral outrage with unfettered power? Prospero, who commands all the forces of the natural world, navigates the seductive shoals of revenge, in Shakespeare’s masterful examination of the moral nature of Man.

Directed by performing arts faculty member, David Peck, The Tempest rolled into Wigglesworth Hall this past weekend.

Milton Film Festival
On December 9, the Film Society sponsored a student Film Festival featuring 18 short films. The festival included music videos, noir-ish gangster scenarios, a commercial for milk, an autobiographical documentary, and a wide range of other short subjects. Some of the filmmakers submitted work produced for Milton's video production course. Others followed their creative impulses to make films on their own. A common theme through all the films was the use of Milton students as actors and production assistants.

Alumnus Terence Ryan '03, Bates '07, Named to All-conference
Bates football team defensive end Terence Ryan was named to the All-NESCAC first team, along with three other teammates. Terence made 10.5 sacks in 2005—the most in NESCAC play since New England Patriots defensive coordinator Eric Mangini achieved the same success for Wesleyan 12 years ago.
[See full story on Bates' site]

Professor, Author, Graduate Adam Rothman ’89 Delivered Heyburn Speech in History
Adam Rothman, Milton Academy Class of 1989, associate professor of American history at Georgetown University, and author of the recently published Slave Country came to Milton November 30 as the 2005–2006 Henry Heyburn Speaker.

Reviewed in the most recent Milton Magazine by Academic Dean David Ball ’88, Adam's book Slave Country looks at how the institution of slavery flourished in the early national United States. “The slave population more than tripled in the 50 years after independence,” Mr. Ball summarizes. Slave Country focuses on the Deep South, “where the growth and evolution of slavery was most pronounced,” he writes.
[Read More]

Students Enjoy a First “Build Day” for Milton; Students Seek Habitat for Humanity Chapter
Many Milton students built their first home earlier this month—but they’re not moving in. Instead, they nailed, sawed and hauled lumber in Duxbury, Massachusetts, to help build a new home for a family they just met—and to work toward earning Milton Academy approval for an official chapter of Habitat for Humanity. In all, about 40 Milton students participated in the “build day,” putting in more than 100 hours at the site.
[Read More]

Milton Academy Chamber Ensembles Host Online Auction
The Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Singers are hosting an online auction from November 20 to December 7 to raise funds for their 2006 concert tour in Italy. Visitors to this auction site may donate items, refer a friend, and bid on items listed in the auction catalog. Items up for auction include concert and sports tickets, autographed books, artwork, weekend getaway vacations and much more. Proceeds will ensure that all musicians from the Chamber Ensembles will be able to participate in the concert tour.

The Tradition Continues: Class IV Play is You Can't Take it With You
A revered Milton tradition, as well as a class and community-building event, the Class IV play went up last week to full houses. You Can’t Take it With You involved more than 40 Class IV students, both as actors and “techies” — technical support experts. The goal each year is to involve as many ninth graders as possible in the play, whether behind the scenes (techies, poster design, ushering, etc.) or in the footlights. The cast and crew of this production were a terrific group, according to director Pam McArdle. “They always came prepared and ready to make the play a success, and it was,’’ she said.

Pam chose this 1935 Kaufman & Hart play partly because she thought the humor would appeal to the Class IV age group but also because she thought its message still had relevance. The play offered many parts, allowing many actors to gain an onstage experience at Milton. The group invited senior citizens from area senior housing communities to see the play. Through the generosity and effort of Andrea Geyling and Heather Sugrue of Community Service, about 20 senior citizens were able to enjoy the show as guests of Class IV.

Debbie Simon Enters (Another!) Speechie Hall of Fame
Performing arts faculty member Debbie Simon was nominated into the Speech Hall of Fame in Massachusetts. A speech coach is nominated by her peers and then voted into the Hall of Fame by the Massachusetts Forensics League Board of Directors.

When she was inducted in the National Forensic League Hall of Fame in 2003, Debbie gave perspective on her accomplishment: “Coaching is not a one-person thing; it is beyond collaborative,” she said.
[Read More]

"New England's" Tournament Caps Great Season

Milton Academy field hockey earned an invitation to participate in post-season tournament competition — the “New England’s” — based on their excellent play in a strong field of teams. The invitation is based on three criteria: the strength of the competitive schedule; wins and losses; the point spread of the final scores. In addition to Milton Academy, the Class A teams included: Andover, Exeter, Greenwich Academy, Hotchkiss, Loomis, Nobles and Taft. Milton, seeded eighth, played Taft, seeded first, and ultimately lost by one goal scored in the final seconds of the game.

The tense and exciting game was scoreless until the last 10 minutes of the second half. Taft scored with 8:32 left in the game. Thirty seconds later Teresa Curtis (Class III) put a goal in the top right corner of the net to even the score. The score held until the last minute and 50 seconds of the game, when a Taft goal clinched the game. Jackie Flint and Maddie MacMillan (Class I) are the team captains. Maddie and Claire Sheldon (Class II) earned all-league titles and Claire also earned the team MVP title. Congratulations to the Milton field hockey team.

Speech Team Competes at the Gracia Burkhill Tournament
The Milton Speech Team had another strong showing at the Gracia Burkhill Tournament at Natick High School on November 12. Five students finished in first place and 23 students placed in the top 7 in 14 areas of competition.

On the Appalachian Trail

Students from the extracurricular Rock Climbing and Backpacking class spent this past weekend in New Hampshire, hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail and spending the night at Ethan’s Pond in Crawford Notch. Led by faculty member Kim Walker of the Outdoor Program, the trip was the culmination of the course for participants Lara Yeo (Class I), David Foote (Class I), Lora-Faye Whelan (Class I), Amanda McCafferty (Class I), Jono Forbes (Class II), Elizabeth Whitman (Class II), and Alicia Driscoll (Class II).

Milton Presents The Curious Savage
Many new-to-the-Milton-stage faces starred in this verbally facile comedy, staged in a set only Milton techies and Dar Anastas could imagine and build. You may recognize friends and relatives in the eccentrics who populate the play.

Students Share the Stage with Alumni Emily Bruskin ’98 and Julia Bruskin ’98
Members of Milton Academy’s Chamber Orchestra performed at the Concerts at the Point on Sunday, November 13, opening for Milton Academy alumni and twin sisters Emily and Julia Bruskin ’98. Kelsey Hudson (Class II), Daniel Charness (Class I) and Jung Yoon Choi (Class II) performed a Haydn Piano Trio with Kelsey on violin, Daniel on cello and Jung Yoon on piano.

Linda Eyster, of Milton’s Science Department, Honored
Dr. Linda (Linde) Eyster, a science department faculty member, has been named "Science Educator of the Year for Norfolk County" by the Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers (MAST).

Linde was cited for her many contributions to science education. She earned a master’s degree in biology from the University of South Carolina and doctorate in biology from Northeastern. She has been a science teacher at Milton Academy since 1990. She is the recipient of a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. Linde is also profiled in “Who's Who Among American Teachers.”
[Read More]

John Warren Appointed as Head of School at St. Mark's School
John Warren, Milton Academy faculty member for 24 years, has been selected as the fifteenth head of school at St. Mark's School, in Southborough, Massachusetts, effective July 1, 2006. John’s roles at Milton have prepared him fully for the leadership of a school; in addition John is a graduate of St. Mark's (1974), and has been a trustee at St. Mark’s since 1995.
[Read More]

Students Launch Weekly Online News Digest
The Milton Academy Public Issues Board launched The Issue, a news digest consisting of short, unbiased bullet-point summaries of current events. The aim of this online publication is to provide a simple, pain-free way for the Milton community to keep up with world events and to promote more informed discussion and debate about local, national and world events. "The Issue is a great way to get people interested in the news, even if they may be busy, tired, or overworked," says Liz Davidson (Class II), a member of the Board.

The Issue is published weekly and features articles on both international and domestic events. Public Issues Board members write summaries and monitor them during the week to ensure accuracy as events develop.

Jazz Combos Open for Jazz Legends Jim Hall and Dave Holland in Cambridge
The Milton Academy Jazz Combos perform this Sunday, November 20, from 2:30 - 4 p.m. at The Real Deal Jazz Club and Cafe in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The group opens for legendary jazz guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Dave Holland. Milton students will pay tribute to these two artists by performing their compositions.

Milton Academy Welcomes Chinese Pipa Virtuoso, Wu Man
On Thursday, November 17, traditional Chinese Pipa virtuoso, Wu Man, visited the Academy as this year's second Melissa Dilworth Gold ’61 Visiting Artist. The day included performances by Wu Man and workshops that discussed the Pipa instrument and its relationship with traditional Asian music and Western music. To learn more about Wu Man and to hear a sample of her music, visit
www.wumanpipa.org.

Milton Students Volunteer at Special Olympics State Soccer Tournament

Milton Academy students volunteered their time to coach and play at this year’s Special Olympics State Soccer Tournament at Governor Dummer Academy on Sunday, November 6. The team, comprised of Special Olympians from Milton, Weymouth and Randolph together with Milton Academy students, competed in the unified partners category.

Musician and Composer Rubén Alvarez Visits the Academy
Chicago-based Latin percussionist, Rubén Alvarez, visits Milton Academy from November 6 to November 13, as part of the Melissa Dilworth Gold ’61 Visiting Artist series. Alvarez, a drum set artist, composer and producer, is a faculty member of Northwestern and Roosevelt Universities. He develops educational music presentations, for Urban Gateways, the Center for Arts in Education, the Ravinia festivals "JazzMentors" program, Bands of America, the International Association of Jazz Educators artist outreach and Teacher Training Institute programs and the Chicago Symphony's Armonîa Community outreach program.
[Read More]

Milton Alumni Speak at Veteran's Day Assembly
On November 9, in honor of Veteran's Day, Matt Helm ’90 and Nick Morton ’02 spoke about their U.S. military experiences to Classes I-IV in the Fitzgibbons Convocation Center.

Matt attended West Point and graduated in 1994 with a degree in engineering physics. Then, he attended the Army Airborne School at Ft. Benning, Georgia. As a U.S. Army Officer, he achieved the rank of Captain and served 1994–1999. He was assigned to the 1st Armor Division in Germany and served as a Battalion and Brigade Intelligence Officer; he was deployed to Kuwait in 1995 and to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1996 and 1998.
[Read More]

Parents, Parents Everywhere: Parents Weekend at Milton
On Parents' Weekend, parents from the United States and the world join metropolitan Boston parents for a rigorous day of classes following their child's academic shedule. The weekend holds plenty of fun - with receptions and dinner, student performances and programs to inform parents about resources available to School families. Perhaps most importantly, parents meet with their child's advisor, and conference about how the year is going, academically, socially, and developmentally.

Milton Alumnus Called “Big Smooth” For His Soccer Prowess at Dartmouth
Alumnus Darnell Nance, now a senior soccer player at Dartmouth University, has earned the moniker “Big Smooth” from a classmate.

On the university’s Web site, Darnell’s coach concurs: "Darnell is very skillful and has great soft touch and control," said head coach Jeff Cook. "Typically, players of his size tend to be generalized as less skillful players, more combative, physical types and Darnell is very creative. He is very comfortable with the ball at his feet. For a player of his ability, he can dominate games at the Division I level."

Pulitzer-Prize Winning Poet Paul Muldoon Seeks ‘Revelation’
Paul Muldoon, author of the Pulitzer-Prize winning Moy Sand and Gravel (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), among 25 volumes of poetry and nine collections, visited Milton Academy as part of the Bingham Visiting Writers Series on Wednesday and Thursday, November 2 and 3.

In a Straus Library question-and-answer session, Muldoon told students that his goal—regardless of the form of writing—is that some revelation will have taken place during the reading of a piece. Borrowing Keats’s and Wordsworth’s words, he mentioned “negative capability” or “wise passiveness” as states in which a reader may experience revelation.
[Read More]

Speech Team Places First in Hall of Fame Tournament
Milton Academy’s Speech Team placed first overall at the Hall of Fame tournament on Saturday, October 22. Milton’s 26 team members competed against 15 schools and, at the end of the day, 14 individuals reached the finals, three placed first in the categories of extemporaneous speaking, novice extemporaneous speaking and dramatic interpretation, and Milton placed first as a team.

Rod Skinner Urges Other College Counselors to Manage Student Stress During College Admission Process
Rod Skinner, director of college counseling, led sessions at Harvard’s one-week Summer Institute on College Admission in 2005. More than 160 school guidance counselors from across the country gathered in Cambridge to talk about the evolution of the college process and its effects on adolescents.

Rod presented a session on writing complicated recommendation letters, and he also talked with colleagues about the demographic shift that will occur early in the next decade, as well as how counselors can, as school leaders, help mitigate student anxiety during the college admission process.
[Read More]

Zach’s Halloween Maze Attracts a Crowd
As long as he can remember, Zachary Moore (Class III) has created a Halloween spectacle right in his front yard—he says he’s always counted on his younger sister to trick or treat and share her candy.

One year, Zach and his dad staged a Quidditch match, suspended from trees in the front yard. “My goal is to top myself every year,” Zach says. With his Halloween maze—officially, The Maze—now in its fourth and most fabulous year, Zach takes on his biggest project yet: a 78 foot-long labyrinth.

The Maze brings together two of Zach’s hobbies: technical theater and maze design. The basic structure requires hammering eight-foot metal poles into the ground and stretching lengths of black plastic between.
[Read More]

Parents' Weekend
October 28 & 29
Parents of Class I, II, III & IV students are invited to join us on October 28 and 29 for Parents’ Weekend. Parents will spend the two-day event attending classes, talking with advisors and learning about Milton programs. The weekend is as full and interesting as Milton days are for our students.

Class II Student Wins Poetry Award
Helen “Leni” Vradelis ’07 recently won the New England Poetry Club's Ruth Berrien Fox Award. She read her award-winning poem, “Post Ilium,” to the club’s members at Longfellow Garden in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “The poem is Odysseus talking to Helen of Troy after the war,” says Leni, who wrote the piece in a creative writing class at Milton.

“I read everything. I read all the time,” Leni says. “I like words.” Her favorite authors are as varied as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Zadie Smith, Garrison Keillor, Sylvia Plath and William Makepiece Thackeray, she says.

The New England Poetry Club was founded in 1915 by Amy Lowell, Robert Frost and Conrad Aiken. The club sponsors the oldest poetry reading series in the country.

Leni is also a contributor to Magus-Mabus, Milton’s literary magazine. The magazine has its roots in the Academy’s Girls’ School publication, The Magus, and the Boys’ School publications, The Orange and Blue, and The Lit, which eventually merged with the girls’ publication to become Magus-Mabus by the early 1970s.

Photographing Suffering: Documentary Photographers Tell Students About Art and Life
Documentary photographers Dominic Chavez and Stella Johnson spoke to Class I and Class II art students on October 19, sharing the stories that led to their stunning images: A Boston Globe photographer who has shot in 45 countries, Chavez’s recent project centers on the world health crisis. Johnson’s talk outlined her recent work, living with families in Mexico and on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. Both photographers' work captures the spirit and the struggle of people in developing communities. The work of both, “Living in Other Worlds,” is also on display in the Academy’s Nesto Gallery.
[Read More]

Milton Hosts Talk on Restoring Urban Water Environment
On October 24, Robert Zimmerman, executive director of the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), presented, “Restoring the Urban Water Environment,” in Straus Library.

As a leader in the state’s environmental community, Mr. Zimmerman seeks non-traditional solutions to age-old environmental problems. He discussed CRWA’s pilot projects addressing issues of water quality and quantity, stormwater pollution, habitat protection, suburban sprawl and sustainable development.

Milton’s science department and environmental groups, along with the Milton Garden Club, sponsored the event.

Alum’s Comedy Explores the Humorous Side of the College Application Process
Playwright David Levinson ’77 opened his play, Early Decision, on October 9, at the Edgemar Center for the Arts in Santa Monica, California. Early Decision is a comedy about a student caught up in college application craziness, and the effect on her friends and family.

“The play grew out of my experiences as our oldest applied to middle school,” said Levinson. “I like to think it's resonant for anyone who's ever applied to, well, anything.”

Save the Date for
Graduates’ Weekend 2006
On June 16 and 17, 2006, Milton Academy welcomes alumni back to campus to celebrate reunions, reconnect with classmates and enjoy the Milton of today. Graduates whose class years end in 1’s and 6’s are invited to join us for a weekend that celebrates intellect, friendships and Milton memories. For more information, contact Laura Barrow at
alumni@milton.edu.

Jazz Combos Concert Features the Music of Thelonious Monk
The Milton Academy Jazz Combos presented their annual fall concert in King Theatre on October 14. This year’s concert payed tribute to jazz composer and pianist, Thelonious Monk. The three advanced jazz combos performed such Monk classics as Blue Monk, In Walked Bud, ‘Round Midnight, Well You Needn’t and Straight No Chaser.

Outdoor Program Introduces Class IV Students to Climbing

On September 18 and 25, Class IV boarding students traveled to nearby Quincy Quarries—the source of the granite used to build the Bunker Hill Monument—to practice rock-climbing basics. Faculty members, Kim Walker and Lydia Fash, supervised students as they scaled the granite wall and learned to belay—to control the rope with which the climber climbs. Interested students can participate in after-school rock-climbing classes and weekend rock-climbing trips sponsored by the Outdoor Program.

Is Your Math Teacher a Skydiver?
Vacations and summertime, when he isn’t teaching A.P. or BC Calculus, Steve Feldman, of Goodwin House, skydives. His team, Mass Defiance, recently won the National Championships of four-way formation skydiving, held in Perris Valley, California. “Some great combinatorics math problems,” are what Steve calls the strategies to engineer more efficient ways moving from one formation another. “When do you reach terminal velocity?” asked one student at assembly as the School watched a film summary of the team’s winning rounds. Steve has visited physics classes to talk about projectile motion and acceleration due to gravity within a particularly exciting context.

The team’s task is to jump from the plane and immediately try to cycle through five formations within 35 seconds, when the team members break contact, and separate from each other far enough to open their parachutes for the rest of the fall to the ground.
[Read More]

Wherefore art thou (such a good teacher), Ms. Edwards?
Performing Arts Faculty Member Choreographs Classic Bard Scene at the New Rep
Kelli Edwards, performing arts faculty member and choreographer of last year’s acclaimed on-campus production of Seussical, has just finished choreographing the ball scene in Romeo and Juliet, which opened at the New Rep Theatre in Boston September 18. This is the fourth New Rep show that Kelli has choreographed there, including Into the Woods in spring 2005.

Kelli earned a bachelor’s in fine arts from the University of Missouri and a master’s from Smith College. She has taught dance at schools and universities since 1993 in 2001 joined the Milton faculty, teaching dance and choreography. Kelli has served as artistic director for shows at the American Repertory Theatre in Boston, for Green Street Studio, the Portland Stage Company as well as the Peabody House Theatre in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Mustangs Top Middlesex 29-27

Tony Blout (Class I) dives over the goal line to score Milton's third touchdown against Middlesex. Milton’s Mustangs added another mark in the win column with this 29-27 victory over Middlesex.

Smooth Sailing? Crafting Seaworthy Sculptures

For the ninth consecutive year, members of Paul Menneg’s sculpture classes tested their mettle in a boat-building competition, in which the last student floating wins. The interdisciplinary exercise embraces principles of sculpture and engineering, aiming for a vessel that—made with just four pieces of cardboard and one half of a roll of duct tape—can keep one student buoyant for the longest time.

In late September, the student-engineers assembled at the Milton Academy pool to test their projects. The record time set in past years is one hour and fifty-five minutes. This year, the longest sailing craft lasted 37 minutes, 15 seconds. “I think that at least one boat would have surpassed that time—but the sour grapes of one failed sailor led, I think, to another sailor sinking before his time,” Paul quipped.

A Brief History of Wolcott House, Its People and Traditions
The facts about Milton’s residential houses might be well known: eight residential houses are home to 314 boarding students; faculty and boarding students enjoy family-style dining three times each week; and many house heads on campus have decades of experience, for instance. House Head Wells Hansen, a member of the classics faculty, offers a story beyond the contemporary facts by sharing the more than 100-year history of his house, Wolcott.
[Read More]

Milton Prepares For Sad but Memorable Farewell
After having spent one month in Spain in June and then hosting their counterparts here for the month of September, Milton exchange students will be bidding farewell to their Spanish guests from Madrid after an unforgettable two months together. Tears were flowing at the Barajas airport in Madrid before the American's return flight in June and there will most likely be no shortage of tears this Friday, as the Milton students' newfound life-long friends make their way back to their home city Madrid, Spain.
[Read in Spanish]
[Spanish Exchange]

Mosquito Precautions
September means great weather and plenty of outdoor activities in New England. Until the first frost, September is also a time when mosquitoes are active. The Massachusetts Board of Health monitors the transmission of two mosquito-borne diseases, including West Nile virus (WNV) and eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) infection. West Nile Virus was identified in a dead bird in Milton, but there have been no human cases of the virus. The Town of Milton Board of Health has not established any restrictions on outdoor activity: although neither of these viruses is a significant threat in the Milton area, we at School are taking common sense precautions.
[Read More]

Alumna Liz Keady Vies for Spot on Olympic Roster
Liz Keady, Milton Academy Class of 2003 and ice hockey standout, is one of three Princeton University Tigers vying for a spot on the 2006 Olympic roster. According to Princeton’s Web site, Liz and recent Princeton alumni Megan Van Beusekom and Gretchen Anderson of the university’s women's hockey program were among the 40 players invited to the 2005 USA Hockey National Women's Festival in Lake Placid, New York, in August 2005. The festival serves as the selection camp for the 2005-06 U.S. Women's National Team that will train in preparation for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

Getting Started - Milton's 208th Year

Students moved into their houses and then celebrated Class Day, which was hosted and organized by Class I. All classes gave a standing ovation to the Class of 2006 as the seniors began their last Milton year. The Class I councilors Shellondah Anderson and Ben Smith welcomed new and old students. Ben Smith (Class I) named this year "the year of the dog" — the dog standing for honesty, loyalty, bravery, protection of loved ones, nobility and fairness, just a few characteristics of the Class of 2006 that Ben wanted to share with the School. Students spent Class Day in activities with classmates, both on campus and fanning out to community service sites as well as completing a Boston scavenger hunt. The formal Convocation of School officially began the academic year—the School’s 208th—on Monday, September 12, 2005. Head of School Robin Robertson addressed the students, highlighting the examples of resilience in finding beauty, power and meaning among the impoverished quilt makers of Ghee’s Bend and, more recently, the Katrina victims in the South. Milton’s co-head monitors, Marland Hobbs and Aida Sadr shared their hopes for the new years — urging students to move out of their comfort zones for the rewarding experience of meeting people different from themselves. Click on the links below to enjoy Milton’s first days of 2005–2006 in pictures.
[Convocation Photos]
[Class Day Photos]

Who's New to Milton This Year

Dean of Admission Paul Rebuck welcomed students new to Milton: 101 boarding students and 47 day students whose median SSAT scores are in the 91st percentile. They are from Switzerland, Indonesia and Ukraine—and other exotic locales such as Boston. They speak 20 languages. They are drummers who debate, debaters who play football, and football players who write poetry.
[Read Paul Rebuck's address]

Signing the Book: Tradition Recognizes Each New Student

In a ceremony signifying the importance of each individual to the Milton community, each new student begins his or her Milton years by entering his signature in the Self-Governing Association book. The signing-in ceremony is a long-standing tradition that began in the Girls' School when the Boys' and Girls' Schools were separate parts of the Academy. Signing-in signifies to all students that they are officially joining the Self-Governing Association, Milton's student government.

Moving In
Parents said good-bye and good luck while new boarding students moved in to residential houses on campus. Click on the link below to view a slideshow of moving-day moments.

Milton Magazine Wins Grand Gold Medal in 2005
Milton Magazine earned a grand gold medal, one of only three medals awarded nationwide this year by CASE (the Council for Advancement and Support of Education) to independent schools for alumni magazine excellence – and the only grand gold medal, which signifies an entry as a model of excellence for peer schools. In 2004 and 2003, the magazine won a gold and silver medal respectively, and each year that award was the highest designation in the category.
[Read More]
[Read Milton Magazine Online]
[Download PDF of Milton Magazine]

Milton’s New Buildings Earn an Official “Green” Rating

Milton Academy’s new and renovated buildings are nationally recognized green buildings. The U.S. Green Building Council has confirmed that fact, awarding Milton a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Certification. The Schwarz Student Center, Warren Hall and Wigglesworth Hall earned this recognition for excellence in the built environment — a place among the country’s finest "measured" green buildings. "Measured" buildings document meeting certain environmental standards, thereby earning points toward a total rating. Milton is among the first independent schools, and one of the few academic buildings in the country, to receive a LEED certification. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, the LEED certification identifies Milton’s buildings as pioneering examples of sustainable design; it recognizes Milton’s leadership role in transforming the building industry and marketplace. The goal of the LEED Green Building Rating System is to lead environmentally responsible, healthy and efficient buildings into the mainstream.

2005 Grad Takes First in National Writing Contest
Emily Cunningham '05 took first place in the Bennington College Young Writer's Competition. More than 2,000 high school students submitted pieces that Ken Himmelman of Bennington College called "startingly strong." Emily won for her poems, "September Poem," "Driving Out of Utica, NY, November,' and "The Last Supper."

Miltonians Perform Ondine in Loire Valley
Devin Heater '06 plays the poet in Ondine by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. Along with 2005 graduates Brittany Delaney and Lee Seymour, headed to Wesleyan and Yale respectively this fall, Devin attended the Festival du Jeune Theatre in Pont-Levoy, France, in the Loire Valley this summer. Thirty-six students from the U.S, France and England stayed in the Abbaye-College de Pont-Levoy, built in 1034, and rehearsed for the culminating production. The students were accompanied by Milton's chair of performing arts, David Peck, who photographed and videotaped the conservatory program and acted as househead for the boarding students there.

Students Launch High Performance Rocket in New York
The Milton Academy Rocketry Project Team’s high performance rocket was launched at the annual New England Regional Rocketry Festival (N.E.R.R.F.) in New York on Friday, June 17. The rocket’s engines were ignited on the first day of this three-day festival and “the motor came right up to pressure and the rocket took off on a perfectly straight flight”, according to Ryan Sebastian ’06. Data and video from this successful launch, and flights similar to this, will be used and analyzed in the Class IV physics program this fall. Graphical representation of the flight’s live, on-board computer data will be available to students using the G-Wiz flight viewer software. Over the next two years, the team hopes to build a minimum-diameter, all-composite rocket, capable of flying to experimental launch altitudes exceeding one to two miles, and eventually attaining maximum speeds exceeding Mach 1.

Sports Nutritionist Speaks to Athletes
Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., spoke to Milton athletes and parents on Wednesday, September 7, in King Theatre. Nancy is a registered dietitian and an internationally known sports nutritionist and nutrition author, who specializes in nutrition for exercise, health and the nutritional management of eating disorders.

Nancy has a private practice located at Healthworks Fitness Center in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts (617-383-6100).

She offers nutrition consultations to both casual exercisers and competitive athletes, teaching them how to enhance energy, optimize performance and manage weight.

Her clients include members of the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Celtics, and many collegiate, elite and Olympic athletes from a variety of sports. Previously, she was director of nutrition services at Sports Medicine Associates in Brookline, MA.

Nancy completed her undergraduate degree in nutrition from Simmons College in Boston, her dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital, and her graduate degree in nutrition with a focus on exercise physiology from Boston University.

Avant la Seine

After two weeks in Provence, Milton 2005 French Exchange students are completing their French experience by spending a few days in Paris, enjoying the major cultural and tourist sights. This photo is taken before a boat trip on the Seine.

Art Faculty Member to Exhibit in Ireland
Anne Neely's "Going West" exhibit in West Cork, Ireland, opens at the Catherine Hammond Gallery on July 29. Anne's small paintings, inspired by a fellowship from the Ballinglen Arts Foundation in County Mayo, Ireland, explore the relationship between man and nature, gravity and weightlessness. Anne has taught Milton students since 1974.

Kaleidoscope 2005
Kaleidoscope, an arts and creativity program hosted on Milton Academy’s campus this summer, comes to a close this week. The program, designed for students ages 8-13, offered a wide variety of enjoyable activities, including problem solving, theatrical improv and creative writing.

[View All Summer Programs]